Constitution
“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance”
Thanks to many calls from the grassroots and citizen activists, HB520 was not passed by the Senate last night. Some language regarding data sharing (deidentified) was added to SB23 which was passed. From my reading, this doesn’t seem to be an issue for personal privacy.
The story from the AJC highlights the proponents’ side of HB520 but nothing about the citizens concerns for violation of the Georgia Constitution and the insider dealing of the sponsor to benefit his company, Talitrix. For background on these items, check the links.
For sure, this battle is not over. In fact, Speaker Burns indicated that it will continue to be worked on this year and I’m sure they will try to get it passed in the next session.
“It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt.” John Philpot Curran ~ Right of Election, 1790
Said simply “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance”.
ACTION ALERT: Georgia HB520 Substitute Bill – Dangerous And Corrupt
Today is Sine Die in Georgia, the most dangerous day of the year for your pocketbook and your liberties. This is the final day of the legislative session when the backroom deals and last minute changes are rammed down the throat of Georgia citizens.
Latest word is that the House has agreed to a modified HB520 bill even though it was never voted on in the Senate committee. Everyone needs to call Lt. Governor Burt Jones and tell him to NOT suspend the rules and table the bill. Call now (404) 656-5030.
As we’ve previously reported, this bill is a trojan horse for the sponsor Representative Todd Jones to financially benefit his company Talitrix. If that is not bad enough for you, it violates the Georgia #Constitution in a number of ways. See the story here.
As expected, we knew this was how it was going to go down. The Georgia leadership has done this to the citizens numerous times. In addition to calling the Lt. Governor, call your state representative and senator and let them know how you feel about it. Ask them to vote NO on any modified HB520. Also, be on the lookout for parts to be tacked onto other bills.
To find your House Representative and Senator, go to My Voter Page.
Pay special attention to the third video below (18 minutes). It is a side by side comparison of the Talitrix sales pitch by Rep. Jones to the Tennessee Senate compared with the explicit language in HB520. Thanks to Hank Sullivan, for his investigation and analysis.
| HB520, Likely Most Dangerous Bill Ever Considered by Georgia Legislature Lawmakers think no more dangerous than “Peeing in a cup” Hank Sullivan Mar 26 As long as I have been paying attention to legislation annually proposed during the Georgia General Assembly, I have never seen a bill more dangerous to the people of Georgia, and possibly even America, than HB520, this years’ mental health bill. Interestingly enough, however, should you travel to the capitol and speak with legislators, an overwhelming number would have no idea what you are talking about. And if they have an inkling, they’d likely be shaking their heads, kinda squinting their eyes at you, you know, looking at you funny like you’re the one who’s mentally ill. Last week, one committee chairman, as it seems, decided I might be dangerous, and carefully positioned a State Patrol officer next to the podium at which citizens speak, maybe thinking I’d start an insurrection at Georgia’s Capitol or something. It’s on the video below. If you have read my Substack over the past few weeks, you will recall several articles I have devoted to explaining the problems I see with HB520. But until I had two state senators, independent of each other, tell me HB520 was no more dangerous than having people pee in a cup to show they were clean of drugs and alcohol, I never imagined that I would devote my weekend to put everything together that I have, which you can now read and watch. It’s not like I don’t have stuff to do. When the second senator said that to me, inspiration for a path to demonstrate what I had been trying to convey for the previous several weeks soon popped into my head. And if you spend a little time to read and watch the videos I provide here, then I expect you will not only see what I see, but also become as outraged as I am that anyone would have proposed this horribly dangerous bill to become law. This is America, not communist China. Our politicians need to start acting that way. As of this moment, HB520 has been changed in certain ways from what you might see in the video. People I trust tell me the bill will not advance any further this year. Others, however, tell me that various interested parties might try to place two bills together to get them both passed. Either way, that does not excuse the fact that legislators representing people from all around Georgia sponsored a bill like HB520, which passed the House with only three dissenting votes, to go on to the Senate. Regardless which way it might go, so that anyone might think twice before trying this again, this evening I’m sharing with you all that the House bill 520 provides. Below I’m going to post three videos. The first video is my first testimony before the Senate Health and Human Services (HHS) Subcommittee about two weeks ago. Minutes prior to that testimony, those who came to speak were informed they would be limited to 120 seconds, hardly enough time to work up a good sneeze. I suppose it was my testimony that day which prompted the chairman to bring in the State Patrol to stand within an arm’s length of the presenters during the second day. But perhaps I give myself too much credit. In keeping, the second video is of my second testimony, approximately a week later, same committee, same room, but this time with the State Patrol officer flanking the speakers to our right. He seemed like a nice fellow. It was a few minutes prior to that when the HHS subcommittee chairman made it a point to try to convince anyone paying attention that the term, “monitoring,” laced throughout the bill, was innocuous, and simply meant someone might have to “pee in a cup.” Maybe you agree with me that now is not the time to start trusting what our government tells us about such things. Thus, when I began my testimony I asked the chair to read from the bill the definition of that term being to releave one’s self in a cup, he could not do it, becoming visibly perturbed, but thankfully contained. That’s a good thing. I would have hated to ask the patrolman to intervene. I expect the chairman knew I made a valid point, that “monitoring” individuals under a court order could mean any number of things, depending on who the interpreter of the law might be. And as you will see on the video, for the second day in two weeks, I was silenced from speaking truth to those who really needed to hear it. Those running the meeting should have let me speak, and deeply consider what I had to tell them. But, hey, its all good. Now I know even more, and you will too. Because people in power refused to allow the truth to be heard, hard truth that it might be, that fact rallied my energies to perform the work it has taken to put all this together. And so, the third video is the one I really want you to consider. I hope you to listen carefully as I compare the contents of a Talitrix sales presentation given to a Tennessee Senate subcommittee, against the contents, authorities and purposes of HB520. The sales presentation was given in September 2021 by then Georgia Representative Micah Gravely and Representative Todd Jones, patent holder of the Talitrix monitoring device and primary sponsor of HB520. If you listen and pay a modicum of attention, you will discover that the technology and capabilities of the Talitrix monitoring device are the very same as those specified and required in HB520, word-for-word. And because there is really no other product on the market that performs the functions the bill requires, and because the patent holder is also the sponsor of the bill, we can know with high certaintly that the bill is written to create various markets for the product, fund the product’s purchase at a statewide level, and even immunize the sponsor’s company, Talitrix, from civil or criminal liability. Even so, everything I just laid out does not necessarily make HB520 dangerous. To understand why that is, you will have to watch the video. Finally, lest anyone think this is fun, while I do find it interesting, and I pray rewarding for Americans who love their country and the blessings of freedom, it is not fun or what I wish to do. I don’t like exposing all this. I bear no ill will toward any of these people. I just see that it is necessary for us all to do what we can if we are to halt the corporatization of our government, and stop the tyrants from overthrowing our country. I’m just relating facts here, and reasoning from what those facts tell me. Therefore, if you appreciate the time and energy it took to put all of this together, let me ask you to please share it as best you can with your friends and those who might see it on social media. One more person seeing the truth could make an enormous difference. That’s how God works. Thank you. Click to watch first day testimony Click to watch second day testimony and remarks from committee chairman Video comparing Talitrix sales presentation to HB520 |
Georgia’s own revolving door!
We’ve all heard the stories of the revolving door in Washington D.C, where bureaucrats will migrate from a public position at a federal agency to the private sector and back again to the federal agency to implement changes to public policy then back to the private sector resulting in tremendous personal gain at the expense of taxpayers. Well, we have a similar situation here in Georgia. Before the Georgia legislature this session is HB520 under the title: Buildings and housing; tenant selection; revise provisions.
The title sounds innocuous but what this bill really does is create a boondoggle for its sponsor, a current member of the Georgia House of Representatives as well as at least two former house members. As previously reported, the sponsor attempted to have provisions of this bill included in last years massive HB1013 Mental Health Bill.
True free enterprise is a hallmark of American culture and there is no issue with businesses creating and offering a product to the state or counties to improve efficiency and save money. The problem is the unethical conflict of interest by a representative proposing legislation from which they would financially benefit. Here is Representative Todd Jones identifying as the co-founder and chairman of Talitrix on video speaking to the Tennessee Senate to promote his patented device , the Talitrix smartwatch monitoring device. Alongside him is former Georgia House Representative Micah Gravley, the Vice President of Business Development for Talitrix. On further research, we learn that former Representative Marc Morris is also involved with Talitrix as the Chief People Officer. There are potentially other house members as reported by The Georgia Record which has released a two part series on Who is TalitrixPart I, Part II. For more background on the reason for the big push on mental health policy changes found in HB1013 and HB520, see these reports by Hank Sullivan, here and here and here.
Along with an unethical conflict of interest as explained above, the bill has the following unconstitutional provisions:
•Unlawful involuntary detainment of an individual on the affidavit of two anonymous sources which violates parental rights and due process. This violates Article I, Section I, Paragraph I of the Georgia #Constitution – No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property except by due process of law. And, 2021 Georgia Mental Health Code OCGA 37-4-5.1.
•Unlawfully allowing immunity from any civil or criminal prosecution for misdeeds by any person or entity covered under HB520. This violates Article I, Section I, Paragraph II of the Georgia Constitution – No person shall be denied the equal protection of the laws.
•Unconstitutional monitoring, collection and sharing of data through state agencies which violates privacy as guaranteed by the 4th Amendment of the US Constitution and the Article I, Section I, Paragraph XIII of the Georgia Constitution.
•One subject matter expressed. No bill shall pass which refers to more than one subject matter or contains matter different from what is expressed in the title thereof per Georgia Constitution Article III, Section V, Paragraph III.
• And finally, the bill proposes financially imprudent use of taxpayer money for studies that could be conducted and funded through an existing Georgia Department of Behavioral Health.
In summary, HB520 cannot be salvaged. It imposes immoral, unconstitutional, unethical practices and is against a civil public policy and good government. Those that vote for this bill are violating their oath of office to the US and Georgia Constitutions.
The Health and Human Services Committee meets at 3pm on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. Take action now and contact these Georgia Senators and have them vote NO on HB520. Call these senators now and firmly but respectfully voice your concerns.
Ben Watson (404) 656-7880 ben.watson@senate.ga.gov
Kay Kirkpatrick (404) 656-3932 kay.kirkpatrick@senate.ga.gov
Ed Setzler (404) 656-0256 ed.setzler@senate.ga.gov
Matt Brass (404) 656-0057 matt.brass@senate.ga.gov
Gloria Butler (404) 656-0075 gloria.butler@senate.ga.gov
Shelly Echols (404) 463-3931 shelly.echols@senate.ga.gov
Sonya Halpern (404) 463-1351 sonya.halpern@senate.ga.gov
Bo Hatchett (404) 651-7745 bo.hatchett@senate.ga.gov
Mike Hodges (404) 463-1309 mike.hodges@senate.ga.gov
Chuck Hufstetler (404) 656-0034 chuck.hufstetler@senate.ga.gov
Kim Jackson (404) 656-6882 kim.jackson@senate.ga.gov
John Kennedy (404) 656-6578 john.kennedy@senate.ga.gov
David Lucas (404) 656-0150 david.lucas@senate.ga.gov
Nan Orruck (404) 463-8054 nan.orrock@senate.ga.gov
Brian Strickland (404) 463-6598 brian.strickland@senate.ga.gov
Larry Walker III (404) 656-0095 larry.walker@senate.ga.gov
ACTION ALERT: Georgia HB520 Mental Health Parity
Last year, the Georgia Legislature passed a massive Mental Health bill HB1013. Fortunately, one of the most egregious aspects financially benefiting the sponsors was pulled out. This year, the legislature is back at it with another attempt. One fourth of the bill defines studies to be completed that will define how the bill will work. More importantly, there is no definition of “Severe Mental Illness” in the bill. A consortium of unelected bureaucrats not accountable to the people will decide. For a quick video overview, watch this segment on Conservative Daily from the 5 minute mark to the 30 minute mark. Thanks to Diane Cox for the details below. Please call the Senators listed to let them know of your opposition. Time is of the essence.
| Action Alert HB 520 committee hearing today 3/15/2023 at 3:00 by Diane Cox Watch livestream today at 3:00 here. HB 520 [Mental Health Parity] will get a second hearing today in the sub-committee, then the full Senate Health and Human Services Committee will meet immediately after and probably take a vote. Now is the time to strike! The committee has invited anyone to submit a testimony about HB 520, and it will be distributed to all its members. I directed my message to the Chm. vice-chm and secretary, with a request to distribute. Please do that now. I plan to do it again this morning with new information that I received on a zoom call last night. At Monday’s sub-committee meeting, the room was standing room only. The other side had people there, but our opposition people showed up in force. After the meeting, the chief sponsor, Rep. Todd Jones, met with our opposition. He then used their talking points and countered them with lies that he sent to all the committee. He has designed this bill solely to sell his high-tech monitoring device using a pilot program and state grants to skirt the procurement process to sell to the state. Last year, his infamous bill, HB 1013, contained actual language of his device “Talitrix” that was stripped out in the Senate version. Rumor is that he ran for office again just to get a bill passed to promote his patented device. Here is a video of him selling his device to the Tennessee legislature. This bill is not needed. The state already has a Department of Behavioral Health with a $1.4 billion budget. This bill creates unneeded study committees but without language on how to and how much the cost. It creates a massive new database of all Georgia citizens, combining ALL of the state’s executive agency databases to “Identify ways to use and share existing data for business intelligence and predictive analytic opportunities.” (lines 762-763) The bill gives immunity for civil and criminal liability to any entity contracted (lines 582-585). It must be stopped in committee. Ask them to table or kill it. Please do you part. Below are additional talking points provided by Eagle Forum of Georgia: Liberties and human rights outlined in the fourth, fifth and sixth amendments in the US #Constitution are in jeopardy. HB 520 gives the right for law enforcement to confine someone based on the affidavits of two people, whose identity is to be concealed. “… information personally identifying the affiants shall be redacted and concealed.” (lines 473-478) This is in violation of the Bill of Rights and is asking law enforcement to violate these rights. HB 520 will multiply the number of people taking dangerous psychiatric drugs. Step therapy is a managed care approach intended to control the costs and risks posed by prescription drugs. This bill discourages step therapy. HB 520 states: “A health benefit plan shall not impose a step therapy protocol for a prescription drug prescribed for the treatment of serious mental illness, as defined by the department.” (line76) 520 seeks to impose mental health treatment on individuals “who do not pose a public safety risk” under the pretext that it will keep them out of jail. (line 109) (In jail a person has the right of due process, but with involuntary commitment, they don’t.) Current Georgia law specifically demands that: For inpatient involuntary treatment, a person must be in need of involuntary treatment and be an imminent danger to self or others. There must be some acts or threats of violence to show this danger, or be unable to care for their physical health and safety to a point where their life is in danger. HB 520 endeavors to create a process to define Severe Mental Illness but SMI has already been defined by the National Institute of Mental Health: “Serious Mental Illness (SMI) – SMI is a smaller and more severe subset of mental illnesses; SMI is defined as one or more mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder(s) resulting in serious functional impairment, which substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities (NIMH).” Under HB 520 there will be housing accommodations for criminal offenders with a federal and private donor landlord incentive program. (lines 1081 – 1104). HB 520 does not provide for an auditing process for the millions of Georgia tax payer dollars that will be spent on mental health administration, mental health programs, prescriptions, government data bases of patients and providers, student loan forgiveness. Please call members of the Health and Human Services Committee and firmly but respectfully voice your concerns. Ben Watson (404) 656-7880 Kay Kirkpatrick (404) 656-3932 Ed Setzler (404) 656-0256 Matt Brass (404) 656-0057 Gloria Butler (404) 656-0075 Shelly Echols (404) 463-3931 Sonya Halpern (404) 463-1351 Bo Hatchett (404) 651-7745 Mike Hodges (404) 463-1309 Chuck Hufstetler (404) 656-0034 Kim Jackson (404) 656-6882 John Kennedy (404) 656-6578 David Lucas (404) 656-0150 Nan Orruck (404) 463-8054 Brian Strickland (404) 463-6598 Larry Walker III (404) 656-0095 |
Freedom of Speech is Not Politically Correct
Originally published September 29, 2014 |
http://www.repealregionalism.com/index.php/freedom-of-speech-is-not-politically-correct/
ARC Public Comment Policy Falls Short
By Field Searcy
September 28, 2014
Last Wednesday, twelve private citizens addressed the Atlanta Regional Commission about the adoption of a more friendly public comment policy at the monthly board meetings. For some on the board, the comments were not welcomed. Maybe they were offended by the tone or the political correctness. Maybe the words cut to close too home. Or, maybe they’ve forgotten the price that was paid to secure the right.
The very foundation of the First Amendment was the right of political speech of the people to petition their government or challenge its authority. The ARC receives federal, state and local money. Its existence is the creature of government legislation at the state and federal level even its structure violates the republican form of government. In every way, it is bound by the #Constitution for the United States and the Georgia Constitution. In fact, the board members all swear an oath of allegiance to the same.
While all the ARC board members have busy lives and political careers, they should never be too busy to hear from the people that have delegated representative authority to them.
Indeed, the policy adopted is more liberal than the previous policy which required a 10 day notice, a motion by a board member, a second and a 2/3rd’s vote. The new policy on public comment remains inadequate for the following reasons.
- For a regional commission for 10 counties and a metropolitan planning organization (MPO) of 20 counties representing more than 5 million people, allowing a total of only 10 minutes with up to 2 minutes per person is not sufficient. Even Cobb County, which has recently been under fire for limiting public comment, has a more liberal policy.
- Given the limited amount of time allotted for public comment, safeguards should have been included to allow time for all points of view to be heard. Witness the backlash that was caused in Cobb by stacking of the deck with supporting voices against the citizens with opposing views. A true consultative approach of allowing differing opinions should be protected. A wise person once said “The shining spark of truth, cometh forth only after the clash of differing opinions.”
- Public comment should be guaranteed directly in the ARC governing bylaws rather than a policy that can be changed “from time to time.”
The ARC Board passed the new policy with a vote of 19-7. We don’t believe the 7 that voted “no” are against free speech. Quite the contrary, we believe they wanted the sounding committee to rework the policy with some of the reasons cited above in mind. We salute them for their courage to not vote in lockstep with the rest. This was really the significant event since rarely is there ever a dissenting vote on any ARC Board decisions.
For too long, the people have been asleep and silent; not paying attention to what our elected representatives have been doing. We were too busy or too trusting to notice that authority was being subverted to unelected persons that cannot be held accountable to the people.
That is no longer the case. All across the spectrum, a political awakening is taking shape. The citizens are coming together, rediscovering that “We The People” are the sovereigns’ of the government and are reclaiming our rightful place to keep the government accountable and safeguard our liberties.
Field Searcy, a Cobb citizen, represents RepealRegionalism.com an education campaign by the Transportation Leadership Coalition, LLC which led the grassroots effort against the Regional Transportation Tax (TSPLOST) in 2012.
Poor Speaker Ralston, now he’s the victim of the media!
This is unreal. Real victims of assault and battery, sexual molestation, statutory rape, vehicular homicide and enticing a child for indecent purposes have waited 4, 6, 8 and as long as 10 years to have their day in court only to be repeatedly delayed by tactics of defense attorney and Georgia Speaker of the House David Ralston. Now, after collecting huge $20k retainers and using his power as Speaker of the House to delay cases indefinitely, his political acolytes are claiming that he’s a victim of the media.
As reported by the Atlanta Journal Constitution and other outlets, Georgia House Speaker David Ralston has utilized his position as the speaker to repeatedly delay criminal court cases. Of course, this was known at some level four years ago, but research since then has uncovered even more cases. It has been legal under Georgia law since 1905 for members of the legislature to request extension of court cases while the General Assembly is in session. Back in 2006, Ralston had a hand in the legislation to extend this privilege even when the General Assembly is not in session. As a defense attorney, he has the responsibility to defend his client to the best of his ability under the law. However, repeatedly extending cases for 4, 6, 8 and 10 years is certainly unethical and an abuse of power.
This is not the only time Speaker Ralston has faced ethics related concerns. He has a history of wielding dictatorial procedures to prevent bills from being heard from the floor, funding and encouraging other legislators to fund political campaigns against representatives who challenge or vote against his dictates and restricting assignment to choice committees. This is a conflict of interest which essentially consolidates his power to the detriment of the people who’ve elected these representatives that are willing to stand on principle or vote for their constituents interest.
Links to articles reporting on Ralston’s abuse of power:
Alleged victims say powerful Georgia lawmaker repeatedly delays cases
More Georgia lawmakers call for Ralston to resign as House speaker
Ralston helped write the law allowing him to delay criminal cases
Ralston seeks changes to law letting lawmakers delay criminal cases
Georgia Scandal Jeopardizes Perdue and Trump Victories in 2020
David Ralston is the Right Man to be Speaker of the Georgia House
HR To Remove Speaker Of Ga Drops- Minions Stand Strong, Pope Convenes Over Sex Abuse Cases- God Has A Possible Solution, HB418 Child Victims Act- Where’s The GOP?- WSB
Remarks and Presentation to GRA for Restore & Preserve the Constitution
Who does your representative work for? Do they work for you or for themselves?
Have they lived up to the campaign promises to represent their constituents? Or, are they pressured to follow the leadership of their party to drive a certain agenda.
Do they honor their oath to the US and Georgia Constitutions or are they beholding to special interests that have lined their pockets with campaign contributions?
I’m sure that is why most of you are here today at Georgia’s first Republican Assembly Convention. You are principled people that expect the same of your representatives whether they be local, state or national.
Good morning, my name is Field Searcy. I’m with Restore & Preserve the #Constitution, a grass roots organization founded on the ideas in that name. Who are we? I think first of all, we are God fearing people that know there’s a higher power who gave us life and granted us natural rights. Secondly, we are Constitutionalists. We revere the Constitution over any party or personality. Thirdly, we seek the truth in all things and expect our elected representatives to do the same as well as honor their oath and the founding principles.
As an organization, we are activists with a passion for liberty and for informing our fellow citizens of the tremendous responsibility we have as the sovereigns over our government to be engaged in this process of self-government.
We are proud to partner with the GRA as an official educational affiliate. Our missions are very similar and our goals are similar as well. We seek to engage Georgian’s in every county to effectively hold their representatives accountable to their oath and the law. Provided those are just laws.
There are many things to be concerned about with our government today:
Out of control government spending;
Unethical behavior and corporatism at all levels;
Efforts to change the Constitution instead of following it;
Efforts to change our form of government through #Regionalism;
We also see centralization of:
Our schools through #Common Core Standards;
Our medical care through the Affordable Care Act;
Our safety through grants and equipment to local law enforcement that is militarizing what used to be known as “Peace Officers”.
There are other examples but I think you get the idea.
More importantly, our natural rights protected by the Bill of Rights are being challenged on a daily basis. Every single right outlined in that document is under assault.
Some would say, we’ve tried to stop these violations but it seems there’s no use. They happen anyway. In a lot of cases, that is true. But what we’ve found, is that when the people are properly INFORMED AND they get ENGAGED, they can make a difference. Let me give you a few examples:
In 2012, when the State of Georgia sought to impose the largest tax increase in the history of the state through TSPLOST, a group of people from all over the state with very little money got ENGAGED and INFORMED their fellow citizens of a special election, the TSPLOST was defeated in 9 out of 12 regions.
In Habersham County where the county commissioners were considering implementing onerous Property Maintenance Codes that would have devastated property values, a few citizens got INFORMED and ENGAGED others. From the normal citizen participation of a handful of people at the commission meeting, they rallied over 150 people to challenge the elected representatives and the Codes were turned down 5-0.
There are other examples. The point is, when the people are INFORMED and ENGAGED, they can make a difference. Sometimes when you stand up, you get attacked but we have to learn to leverage those attacks to rally more people to become engaged and stand up for what is right.
However, still leadership drives the agenda whether it be your local city council or county commission, the state house, or the governor’s mansion.
So, what can WE do about it? The solution is WE THE PEOPLE. We are the sovereigns of the government, not those that we elected to represent us. We need a bigger voice from around the state to show that the people are paying attention and will hold the elected accountable.
Hence was born The Key Is WE and The Weekly Enumerator. The Weekly Enumerator is a scorecard for legislation and policy. It’s a way to:
VOICE your opinion
BUILD voter consensus
INFORM legislators
CHANGE the status quo
Each week during the legislative session, we send out an online survey of a key piece of legislation or policy initiative in the state government. We don’t tell you how to vote, but we do provide direct links to the legislation, articles or opinion pieces on both sides of the issue, and a way for you to express your opinion and comments. It only takes a few minutes to vote but you can spend more time if you desire to research the topic to come to an informed decision based on your values and principles.
We’ll have questions like:
Should Georgians support Rep. Stephens on HB 677 in his bid to allow casino gambling?
Should Governor Deal instruct the Attorney General Sam Olens to join with Kansas, West Virginia, and thirteen other states to challenge the EPA Clean Power Plan announced on August 3rd of this year?
Should Georgia’s support passage of the “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” in the 2018 session?
Our target is to get responses from all 159 counties in Georgia. A state of over 10,000,000 residents. This is another area where we are similar to the GRA in that we want representation from all Georgia counties, not just the Atlanta metro area.
We need representation from each county. I have to believe there are at least 100 concerned citizens in each county that will spend 10-15 minutes per week to become INFORMED and ENGAGED. That’s 15,900 people. Only .15% of the population.
If you’ve ever been to the Capitol during the legislative session, you’d know that many voices would be a POWERFUL voice of the people.
With your vote and comments, we compile the survey data and publish a 4 color flyer that’s hand delivered to your representative’s mailbox at the capital. Each edition covers a single survey. It contains:
The Survey Question
The Tally: How Georgian’s Voted: YES, NO, MAYBE
A heat map showing how each county voted
Selected quotes from the comments submitted (all survey results and comments are anonymously displayed on the website)
And, a photo of the bill sponsor and other elected representatives statements. Sometimes they like getting their picture on the flyer. SOMETIMES THEY DON’T.
The Weekly Enumerator is a way to:
Enlist like-minded Georgians in 159 counties
Be Informed
Speak Out
Engage Others
Call Legislators
The Focus of our surveys will be:
9th and 10th Amendments
US Bill of Rights
Georgia Constitution & Bill of Rights
Georgia Legislation and Regulations that affect our liberty, #representative government and the free market system
As Samuel Adams said, “It does not take a majority to prevail… but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting the brushfires of freedom in the minds of men.”
That’s what we are looking for. The commitment of a minority of concerned citizens willing to spend 15-20 minutes a week on a survey and help spread the word to friends and social media.
We have to remember how powerful a minority can be. During the American Revolution, only THREE PERCENT of the people actually fought against Great Britain.
For the Key is WE, we’re only looking for .15 % of Georgian’s.
You can get engaged by signing up for our surveys, download our materials and spread the word. We have handbills, business cards, and buttons. You can download the Weekly Enumerator (PDF) and share with your friends or mail to associates. We’ve tried to make this really easy. These were some of the effective techniques we used to defeat TSPLOST.
You can also donate to our cause or purchase some of educational materials:
The 5000 Year Leap by W. Clean Skousen
Sovereign Duty by KrisAnne Hall
The Law by Frederic Bastiat
American Needs Revival Not Revision
Technocracy Rising by Patrick Wood
Also, a new set of books for children to teach them the principles of liberty, limited government, the golden rule and more.
Speaking of KrisAnne Hall, please save the date November 3rd and 4th. If you have not heard KrisAnne and her Constitutional Education series, this is not to be missed. She’ll be speaking at Adventure Outdoors on Friday night and Saturday at noon. Come earlier on Saturday and enjoy the shooting range with KrisAnne.
Come visit our table where you can signup for the Weekly Enumerator, peruse our book selection and get more details about the KrisAnne Hall event. You can also signup at www.TheKeyIsWE.com . Visit our Facebook page and like and share. We’re on Twitter too.
Thanks to the GRA for this opportunity to present to you.
Thank you and America Bless God.
Amending the State Constitution: Vote NO in November!
By: Angela Bean, Fayetteville, Georgia
When voting, my number one rule is to always vote NO to any question on the ballot asking to amend our Georgia #Constitution IF the question is new to me and I don’t understand the issue. The reason to vote NO is simple: repealing a bad amendment to the state constitution is much more difficult than repealing bad law. Take the 16th Amendment to our U.S. Constitution as an example.
In November, voters will be asked to amend our constitution to “allow the state to intervene in chronically failing public schools in order to improve student performance.” This is about Governor Deal’s program called “Opportunity School Districts” to rescue failing schools.
Due to the secular curriculum teaching anti-American and anti-Christian values (teaching created by the federal Supreme Court in 1962 when they told us we couldn’t pray in public schools) most conservatives support publicly funded “school choice.” This taxpayer funded “choice” was created 20 years ago by the federal government in the form of charter schools. At one time these parent/community controlled charters were the answer for many children. But in the last few years the federal government has co-opted charters which are mandated to follow the same federal #Common Core standards. Unfortunately most haven’t caught onto this fact yet.
In 2015 the Georgia General Assembly passed SB133 laying out the Opportunity School District (OSD) program. SR287 was passed to allow for a constitutional amendment to be placed on our November ballot because this program is currently UNCONSTITUTIONAL and only “we the people” can change our constitution via a vote to allow it.
Like most amendments to our constitution that government wants to implement in order to give them more control, the ballot language of this amendment is deceptive.
Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended
to allow the state to intervene in chronically
failing public schools in order to improve student performance?
( ) YES
( ) NO
This amendment isn’t about helping students achieve. This amendment is about a shift in our form of government with elected representation to appointed councils. If this passes in November our state will establish a NON-ELECTED council to oversee how our tax dollars are spent on state/federal run charter schools. A state created criteria to determine if a school is failing will be used and “qualifying schools” will be “transferred” from under local control to control by this council. The state can “take over” up to 20 schools a year from the locally ELECTED school boards and place them under NON-ELECTED school councils and a new OSD state school superintendent that will also be appointed by the executive branch.
Currently our U.S. Constitution guarantees us a #republican form of government which is one that allows the people to elect representatives, who are accountable to the people, to make decisions on how our tax dollars are spent. With our elected school boards, “we the people” have access to all board meetings and votes and can request to see the records of how our school board is spending our tax dollars at any time under the “Freedom of Information Act.” We also have access to review all curriculum to include textbooks, online programs, videos, etc. that are taught in our schools.
Opportunity School Districts will go against this republican form of government with accountability to the people. And, worse, according to legislation that has already been passed, these schools can be turned over to PRIVATE companies called EDUCATION MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONS (EMO) to manage the tax dollars that the state will be giving the schools for each student enrolled. (Local tax dollars from property taxes will not be used, our state tax dollars will make up the difference.) The EMO of each school can appoint a board of advisors for the school and, according to HB797 passed in 2012 which governs how charter schools can be run, none of the advisors need be a parent. Are you getting the picture yet? Does it make you uncomfortable to have the state and federal governments assume full control of a school, and our children, and give the tax funds (over $7000 per student) to their cronies to manage?
Barak Obama has supported the federal funding of state run charter schools. Isn’t this enough to raise alarm bells as to the real agenda for our children being removed from local control into state/federal run charters? NOTE: according to HB 797 these public charters MUST comply with the same Common Core standards and student testing system that the traditional public schools are under. What these state/federal charter students are taught without community oversight should concern us.
If that isn’t enough to make you concerned about this shift from parent controlled charter schools to state and federal controlled charters, please read this article about the Gülen Movement, a mysterious Islamic group operating over 100 charter schools in the U.S., with over $500 million tax dollars, including two charters in Fulton County, Ga.
Vote NO on this one and let’s work towards finding a better solution to our education problem.
—
Angela Bean is a an active citizen watchdog of government at the federal, state, and local levels. Angela has a proven track record of working for good government as an activist traveling the state promoting federal reforms such as the FairTax, and pushing back against the federal overreach of the Affordable Care Act and Common Core state standards in Georgia. Angela is a dedicated constitutionalist who works with other like-minded organizations including The Eagle Forum, The Madison Forum, and The Restore & Preserve the Constitution coalition.
Signing of The Marietta Declaration
I’d like to read several excerpts from our nation’s founding documents, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,
–That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
“…when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”
“WE THE PEOPLE of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”