February 13, 2022 / Newsletter 263 |
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RUN FOR OFFICE!
You can help Dems up & down ballot by being a candidate.
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Join us to hear special Guest Speaker at Hall County Dems meeting tomorrow night!
When: Monday, February 14, 2022,
6-8 pm (meeting gaveled to order at 6:30)
Where: Gainesville Civic Center
830 Green St, Gainesville, GA 30501
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There will also be a Special Announcement from our Chair, Mike Ford.
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Award-winning documentary playing in Atlanta
In 2011, criminal defense/civil rights lawyer Jeffery Robinson began raising his then 13-year-old nephew and, as a Black man raising a Black son, struggled with what to tell his son about racism in America. How, he wondered, did we get here? And when he started looking at our Nation’s history, Robinson was shocked by what he had not known. For the past 10 years, in community centers, concert halls, houses of worship, and conference rooms across America, he has been sharing what he learned. In WHO WE ARE: A Chronicle of Racism in America, Robinson faces his largest audience, asking all of us to examine who we are, where we come from, and who we want to be.
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WHO WE ARE: A CHRONICLE OF RACISM IN AMERICA Trailer
Opens Friday, January 14 at Film Forumhttps://filmforum.org/film/who-we-are-a-chronicle-of-race-in-americaPRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY EMILY KUNSTLER AND SARAH K...
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www.youtube.com
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Upcoming key election dates:
For May primary election:
First day to qualify to run for office: 9 AM March 7
Last day to qualify to run for office: NOON March 11
First day to request absentee ballot for May primary: March 11 (mailing out begins April 5)
Last day to register to vote in May primary: April 25
For Flowery Branch City Council Post 2 special election:
Qualifying: Feb 14-16
Election: March 15:
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Apply to Be a Poll Worker |
Hall - WorkElections
Apply online by clicking on the "Apply Now!" button above. Hall County also has a downloadable PDF application, available here. Poll workers should plan to vote before Election Day unless they are assigned to their own polling place. Citizens who ...
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workelections.com
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Drive Voters to the Polls
Hall County Dems have the opportunity to work with RideShare2Vote, a national organization that helps coordinate getting voters to the polls.
if you're interested in volunteering to drive people to the polls during the primaries or the general election, email Jennifer LaRose at jblarose13@gmail.com to learn more.
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Run for Hall County School Board |
Are you a resident of Hall County who cares about education? Then run for the Hall County School Board! Three seats are up for election this year:
Board of Education Post 1
Board of Education Post 2
Board of Education at Large
To run for the Post 1 or Post 2 seats, you must live in the associated district. To run for the at-large seat, you cam live anywhere in Hall County except inside the city limits of Gainesville (which has its own school board).
Serving on the school board requires a small time commitment for attending monthly meetings and keeping abreast of school issues and initiatives. It provides huge rewards through its impact on the education of all K-12 students in the county.
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Weekly Thoughts from the Chair:
Guns and Politics
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I read a recent criticism of proposed “Constitutional Carry” in the Times with interest. The author says that “Georgia has limited gun safety protection for its citizens.” What he means by that I do not know and he does not say. I’m sure he does not expect Georgians to become irrational or criminal simply in the presence of a side arm. I understand that side arms in the hands of fools, criminals and the mentally infirm are dangerous. I get that. What I do not get is: Why do we not trust our fellow Georgians to behave lawfully, reasonably and intelligently with side arms? Does licensing make Georgians safer? Based on what?
Yes, there is a “poll” that supposedly says most Georgians support licensing. Polls said Hillary Clinton would beat Donald John Trump, too. So much for polls. The devil is always in the details of how polls are conducted. Our Georgia Constitution says: “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, but the General Assembly shall have power to prescribe the manner in which arms may be borne.” The data shows that more persons carrying firearms either reduces crime (John Lott and others), or, that there is no demonstrable proof that there is any correlation between lawful carrying and increasing crime rates (Rand Corporation, reviewing all research).
We have a 9th District election in 2022 – a seat held by Andrew Clyde, Republican, strong gun rights advocate. 70% - 78% of the voters in the District vote Republican. The best a Democratic candidate has done in the last 4 cycles was about 24% (Jody Cooley, 2014). 9th District voters are suburban or rural and oppose new firearm restrictions (Pew Research).
There are a hell of a lot of folks in the 9th that see absolutely nothing wrong with “Constitutional Carry.” Opposing Constitutional Carry as a candidate in the District is suicidal for Democrats because once again Democrats are seen as anti-gun or “gun grabbers.” Critical comments by the DPG and other Democrats reinforces the anti-gun perception and insults many 9th District voters. Like Hillary's "deplorables" comment, it will hurt Democrats
When Georgia went from "fully open" to “concealed’ carry, there were dire warnings about increased crime – which failed to materialize. Over half of Georgia families have firearms. Georgia citizens are buying firearms at a record rate – per the FBI. For Democrats running in the 9th District, a losing question is: “Do we want to be political about guns or do we want to be safe about guns?” The real question is: “Do we want to win voters or alienate them?” Don’t we want to win?
~ Mike
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Another Wild Week Courtesy of the GOP |
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This week, the GOP in state legislatures across the country continued to wage war on voting rights, education, historical facts, the LBGTQ community, women, African Americans, and working Americans whose jobs rely on the supply chain now intentionally being disrupted by anti-vaxxers and white nationalists in Canada,
The underlying reason for these political actions is fear. Some (white, male, Christian) politicians are fearful of the increasing diversity among the population of the US. Others are simply fearful of losing their power and so fan the flames of fear to keep their ever-decreasing contingent of voters showing up at the polls. In the rush to prevent Democrats from voting, the Texas legislature enacted a law that has seen applications for absentee ballots being rejected at an alarming rate. Several other states, including Georgia, are considering doing away with drop boxes, which would mean those voting by absentee ballot would be further obstructed.
The Republican party is now dominated by those who have no plan or desire to enact legislation to help their states or the country maintain our standard of living, never mind build a better future. Their attacks on education, from kindergarten to universities, will not attract the innovative talent from around the world, a key factor in the US has been a world leader in research in areas ranging medicine to aerospace. In their short-sighted "vision," they only see as far ahead as destroying our public school system in favor of education for profit and indoctrination of our children to believe in a fairy tale past.
If you don't believe the GOP has gone off the rails, look at how they are now hailing the Canadian convoy that is blocking traffic in major cities and ports of entry between the US and Canada as a heroic endeavor. While blaming Joe Biden for price increases, in the same breath they cheer on a radicalized group bent on shutting down the supply chain so that US manufacturing is ground to a halt. The party that claimed to speak for the forgotten middle American now apparently doesn't care if those middle Americans are furloughed because the factory they work in can't get parts.
And then, of course, there's Trump, who is cashing in at every opportunity to raise a dollar, lining his pockets with donations, while Melania claims to be selling off her wardrobe to raise funds for a charity that apparently doesn't exist. And while he's raking in millions from the cult faithful, the National Archives is having to retrieve classified documents he removed from the White House in violation of the Presidential Records Act. And that doesn't include his alternative disposal methods while he was in the White House.
All I can say is, I'm glad I'm not his plumber.
~ Denise Lee
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MSNBC 02 11 2022 White House aides worried
Former White House aide describes concerns about sharing classified information with Donald Trump, whose behavior in the White House did not comply with national security policies and procedures.
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www.youtube.com
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The Lawfare Podcast: The Trucker Convoys and Domestic...
Over the past few weeks, Canada has been living through its own insurrectionary moment, as a series of trucker convoys have used tractor trailer trucks to occupy much of downtown Ottawa, launch protests in other major Canadian cities, and block...
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www.lawfareblog.com
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States target ballot drop boxes in fight over voting...
Ballot drop boxes are so secure they've survived getting hit by an SUV and rolled by a school bus - yet much of the battle over voting rights has centered on the big metal boxes. In the November 2020 general election, nearly 40 states had ballot...
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georgiarecorder.com
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Texas counties reject unprecedented numbers of mail...
A restrictive new voting law in Texas has sown confusion and erected hurdles for those casting ballots in the state's March 1 primary, with election administrators rejecting early batches ofmail ballots at historic rates and voters uncertain...
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www.washingtonpost.com
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Anti-Protest Conservatives Sure Do Love the Trucker...
Republicans were appalled in the summer of 2020 when Black Lives Matter demonstrations broke out in cities across America. The demonstrations were overwhelmingly peaceful, but the GOP cast the entire movement as violent, paving the way for...
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www.rollingstone.com
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Here are the things Ron DeSantis thinks are "woke"
Fight disinformation. Get a daily recap of the facts that matter. Sign up for the free Mother Jones newsletter. Big Tech? Woke. Infrastructure spending? Woke. Academia? Definitely woke. The word that was once a rallying cry for Black Americans to ...
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www.motherjones.com
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A series of recent Letters to the Editor in the Gainesville Times show that liberals and progressives are willing to speak out. The more such letters are published, the more others with like-minded views will be encouraged to write too.
You can help amplify the message that our area isn’t a monolith of right-wing adherents. If you are interested in writing a letter to The Times, sign up for our Letters to the Editor project. The mission of our Letters to the Editor project:
- counter disinformation with facts
- express opinions that reflect Democratic Party values
- raise the profile of Democratic voices in the Hall County community
The Times limits individuals to having 1 letter published per month. We’re looking for writers to help our members with expressing their views and for individuals willing to have their letters published in The Times. Email hallcountydemocrat@gmail.com to help with our Letters to the Editor project.
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Opinion: How progressives are improving the country
Dick Biggs' recent letter "Progressives are ruining the country" repeatedly references his Christian faith. It reminds me of Frances Fite's letter from Dec. 10, 2019, in which she suggested members of the left are referencing their religious...
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www.gainesvilletimes.com
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Opinion: Legislators should learn to think critically...
Georgia legislators of a certain ilk are assaulting public education. A recent article begins, "Georgia Republicans have introduced two bills this month that propose to ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory in public schools and universities." ...
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www.gainesvilletimes.com
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Report on February 8 Hall County Board of Elections Meeting |
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Redistricting will be completed by February 18th
As of February 8th there are 129,999 active voters and 9, 046 inactive voters in Hall County. (Those listed as inactive are switched to active once they have communication with the elections office that requires a signature.) [Editor's note: Be sure to check My Voter Page at https://www.mvp.sos.ga.gov/ to be sure you are still listed as an active voter. If you are marked as inactive, contact the Board of Elections to update your status.]
Poll worker applications are now available at the elections office.
The issue of the County Commission re-constituting the elections board has not yet been resolved. An attorney will soon be retained to write an opinion on the constitutionality of the legislation under which the elections board currently functions.
The next elections board meeting is at 3:30 p.m. on March 8th at the county government office.( The renovation of the elections board office will be completed on February 14th, and the election board meeting is expected to return to the 2nd floor – either the meeting room or the County Commission chambers.)
~ Frank Lock
Hall County Democratic Party Voter Protection Coordinator
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Maybe because our County Commissioners are development crazy, giant warehouses are springing up like weeds and massive apartment complexes are not far behind. Literally acres of forested lands are being stripped bare of all vegetation, even as torrential rains create rivulets of mud that look like a strawberry milkshake.
Typically, these developments are surrounded by environmental eye-candy; silt fences and hay bales that are supposed to stop runoff before it drains into Lake Lanier and its tributaries. By the way, Hall County gets its drinking water from Lake Lanier. So, every ounce of grunge that goes into the water is just one more ounce of grunge that you pay to have removed (hopefully) before it goes into the distribution system and heads for your tap.
I wish there was something that we could do about it! Well there is. Read on!
The Environmental Protection Agency regulates construction pollution that affects the waters of the United States, like Lake Lanier. The EPA encourages reports of violations. All you have to do is go to their web page and complete a brief form. I encourage Hall County Democrats to keep an eye out for obvious pollution flowing out of our many construction sites. Put this in your browser and click on Report Violations: https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations
By the way, although red clay sediment is offensive, you can bet your last dollar that construction sites also are polluted with chemicals, petroleum products and other toxic materials. All of it ends up in YOUR drinking water.
Our Republican County Commissioners may not care about your health, your water bill or your environmental quality, but Democrats surely do. Let’s hold them and their cronies accountable for the harm they are causing.
~ Andy Colaninno
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State & Local News (Some links may require a subscription)
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PLEASE NOTE: Any articles we post about Georgia Democrats on the primary ballot in 2022 are intended to keep you informed. They are not an endorsement of any candidate. |
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Kemp loses funding court fight to Perdue; Vernon Jones...
Update: This story was updated at 6 a.m. Feb. 8 to indicate Vernon Jones filed to run in the 10th Congressional District. A federal judge handed former Sen. David Perdue a win Monday in a courtroom battle over fundraising in his Republican...
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georgiarecorder.com
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Political Rewind: GOP lawmakers want look into Ga....
Friday on Political Rewind: GOP state lawmakers want Georgia colleges to report on where they've increased spending, and if curriculum included "diversity, equity, inclusion, advocacy and activism." Plus, can Vernon Jones win in the 10th District ...
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www.gpb.org
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Georgia's head of public health says she's afraid...
The head of public health for the state of Georgia, Dr. Kathleen Toomey, said she is very worried that bills in the Georgia Senate could undo decades of progress in infectious disease eradication among children.
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www.gpb.org
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Editorial: Issues that Gainesville's comprehensive plan...
These are a few of the concepts we hope to see addressed in the final document: Traffic: The only way to keep traffic from worsening in an area of steady growth is to be proactive with major transportation planning that identifies potential...
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www.gainesvilletimes.com
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Southern Poverty Law Center Condemns Georgia State...
ATLANTA - Today the Georgia State Senate passed new maps for the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners with a new, predominantly White voting-age population district. The current Gwinnett County Commission is comprised entirely of people of...
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www.splcenter.org
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Stacey Abrams raises more than Brian Kemp in Georgia...
Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, currently the only Democratic candidate to announce a bid in the state's 2022 gubernatorial election, said on Wednesday that her campaign has raised more than $9.25 million since she...
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www.newsweek.com
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National News (Some links may require a subscription)
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The Irony at the Heart of the War on Teachers
In the space of a few short months, we've gone from a panic about teachers communicating critical race theory in K-12 schools (without even fully identifying what that idea means or whether it's actually being taught in schools), to a proposal...
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slate.com
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There's finally momentum to stop stock trading in Congress
Bills banning members of Congress from trading stocks are gaining increased bipartisan support - including from a former skeptic, Speaker Nancy Pelosi - after a series of investigations involving potential insider trading by lawmakers,...
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www.vox.com
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Exclusive: White nationalists and anti-vax moms plot...
Fight disinformation. Get a daily recap of the facts that matter. Sign up for the free Mother Jones newsletter. Before dawn on January 30, Regina Anne Bateson, a resident of Ottawa, Canada, loaded her skis into her car and headed out to one of...
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www.motherjones.com
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Selling Trump: A Profitable Post-Presidency Like No Other
Much as he did while in the White House, Donald Trump has thoroughly blurred the lines between his political ambitions and his business interests, with a wide-ranging set of moneymaking ventures. In early December, Donald J.
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www.nytimes.com
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