2011: What A Year In Augusta

RICHMOND COUNTY

   

COLUMBIA COUNTY

NO Fee For Paying Bills Online

UPDATE 12-31-11 - Verizon just announced that it's not going to charge customers a fee to pay our bills online. 

The Casualty of Being Forgotten

After almost nine years, the loss of more than 4,400 of my fellow American soldiers and countless Iraqi civilian lives, and at a cost of $800 billion that was badly needed at home, the War in Iraq is over. 

Finally, the troops have come home, where they belong.

Immigration Law Blocked in SC and Denial in GA

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel temporarily blocked parts of South Carolina's measure. He ruled that the federal government has exclusive constitutional authority to regulate immigration and the state's law would disrupt federal enforcement operations.

Tough Mercury Standards

The Obama administration announced strong limits on mercury emissions from coal plants. This is a huge step for the health of all Americans and the priorities of health over profits.

Internet Censorship

We can be thankful this holiday season that the Internet as we know it is safe. We stopped lobbyists from big record and movie companies and the Chamber of Commerce from giving themselves the ability to demand that the government shut down websites they're uncomfortable with without due process.

"Irresponsible Short Term Fixes"

UPDATE 12-23-11 - (Washington, DC)  U.S. Congressman Paul Broun, M.D. (GA-10) stated as "irresponsible" the act of Congress after it passed a two-month extension of the payroll tax break, unemployment benefits, and reimbursements to doctors who treat Medicare patients:

Prisoners Organize Rally of Family

Atlanta, GA - Starting at 9:00 am Monday, December 19, mothers, brothers, sisters, spouses and friends of men and women locked behind bars in Georgia prisons will stage the first in a series of marches calling for justice for their loved ones.

Richmond Co. Government Debacle

The vote came short since is needed six votes to pass. Commissioner Alvin Mason, chairman Ad-Hoc Redistricting Committee speaking in reference to the unanimous approval/recommendation of the Redistricting Plan 3R. INTERACTIVE MAP

Labor of Love Holiday Causes

As you prepare for this holiday season and consider causes that you would like to contribute to here are two  local families with immediate needs that we have selected for our holiday Labor of Love Campaign and would invite you to participate in and assist at whatever level you can afford. (If you cannot assist monetarily then please direct your prayers and positive thoughts towards these families.)

Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! Joe Arpaio Has Got To Go!

The Department of Justice just issued a scathing report against one of the most prominent enemies of the Latino community. Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio was accused of “the most egregious racial profiling” in the country. 

The Department of Homeland Security responded by cutting Arpaio off from the harmful Obama administration immigration enforcement programs, like 287(g) and S-COMM, that he used to carry out his injustices.

End the Travel Ban on Cuba

This summer, conservative House of Representatives Republicans, led by Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida, proposed rolling back President Obama’s executive order that allows Cuban Americans to travel to Cuba to visit their relatives without any restrictions. In response, President Obama threatened to veto any legislation that imposed limits on Cuban-Americans’ right to travel freely to visit their families. He is aware that this is an important issue about family values and that it is very important to Cuban-American families in Florida, New Jersey, and across the country.

Shameful Political Games

WASHINGTON, DC, 12-13-11 - The National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), a coalition of the 30 leading Hispanic organizations in the United States, denounced members of the Senate who, once again, made political gamesmanship their first and only priority in voting on Ambassador Mari Carmen Aponte’s nomination. The Senate voted 49-37 on Aponte’s nomination to remain as Ambassador to El Salvador, which fell short of the required three-fifths supermajority.

“Over the past three years, a group of Senators has shown they will not hesitate to put political point-scoring ahead of our country’s best interests,” said Lillian Rodríguez-López, chair of NHLA.   “Today’s vote blocking Ambassador Mari Carmen Aponte may be one of the most egregious examples of a disturbing trend of especially unfair treatment of Hispanic and minority nominees.  Aponte’s accomplishments in just one year of service should be hailed by both parties.  Sadly, today’s vote is not just a slap in the face to Hispanics and women, but it is a great detriment to United States interests in Central America.”

2012 Georgia Bike Summit Coming to Augusta

Wheel Movement to co-host event with statewide organization, Georgia Bikes

Augusta, GA (December 7, 2011) – New local cycling advocacy organization, Wheel Movement, announced today that the 2012 Georgia Bike Summit will be held in Augusta.  The decision follows a unanimous vote by the board of directors of statewide group, Georgia Bikes, to bring the event here. “Georgia Bikes is very pleased to be co-hosting the 2012 Georgia Bike Summit in Augusta with Wheel Movement,” says Brent Buice, Executive Director for Georgia Bikes. “Augusta is a major bicycling destination in the state, and the Bike Summit will help advocates, planners, and elected officials understand why and how to make Augusta - and all of Georgia - safer and more accessible for bicycling.”

Peace On Earth

“Peace on Earth” is a common sentiment this time of year, but how do we achieve it? David Swanson’s newest book, When the World Outlawed War, describes how people in the United States and around the world worked to abolish war as a legitimate act of state policy and won in 1928, outlawing war with a treaty that is still on the books.”

“Peace on Earth” should be more than a sentiment. This book offers up a new idea for achieving peace through political activism. For the holidays, Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) is offering autographed copies of David’s book for $15.00.

Feeding Students With Left-Wing Propaganda

BARSTOW, Calif. - Imagine watching Fox News one night and your high school child walks into the room and proceeds to tell you that “Fox News lies!”

That happened to Nick Benson, a Californian who had two grandchildren enrolled at Barstow High School in San Bernardino County.

“How do you know that?” Benson said he asked the boy. “My teacher told me,” was his grandson’s response.

Sure enough. Benson discovered that his grandson’s “World History” teacher, Jim Duarte, had been feeding his students a steady dose of radical left wing political propaganda, disguised as classroom assignments.

Shining Judaism Light for Peace

Sometimes I dread this time of year. It’s dark. It’s cold. The commercials and ads imploring us to buy, buy, buy. The massive consumption. All of it overwhelming; none of it uplifting.

It’s also a bit of a metaphor for the time we’re living in. It sometimes seems that the immense, violent, and hateful forces we fight every day could swallow us up in a wave of darkness.

And then... I remember. There is light. Everywhere! Inside each of us. We are the light. We carry it with us, without knowing when we’ll have a chance to be the light for others. And, wonderfully, beautifully, sometimes, when it’s most unexpected, we find light in someone else.

Occupiers vs. Liberal Politicians

"Portland Mayor Sam Adams is a self-described strong liberal, but despite sharing the politics of many anti-Wall Street protesters who rocked his city, he has also emerged as one of their harshest critics.

Adams told Reuters this week in an interview at City Hall in Portland that the movement had lost its focus.

The Oregon mayor's running argument with the Occupy movement, much of it conducted openly over Twitter, points to a similar rift between left-wing protesters and liberal politicians in cities across the country, from Los Angeles to Atlanta.