A Christmas Message

Opinion

Thanksgiving 2018 has come and gone and about all we really know about it comes from
commercial sources. Through the constant drumming of the media we are basically told all we
need to know about Thanksgiving, when to start, when to stop and, by the way, ‘don’t forget
those great deals on Black Friday’ because, well, Christmas is just around the corner and after
all, America’s economy depends on commercialism. Their point is, It’s okay to go into debt but
don’t eat the Romaine lettuce. Is it who we really are? Apparently!

But this year I sense a distinct change in the atmosphere. I’ve heard more detailed explanations
of the real Pilgrims story at Plymouth, Mass. in attempts to correct the re-written history some
elements in our society want us to accept. I feel a perceptible shifting of moral values going on
and I sense a not so subtle shift back to religious faith especially as the destructive tenants of
Islam are flooding our country. The leadership of our churches, long beaten into compliance to
accept the dictates of a secular society, must return to their mission of spreading the gospel and
abandon the demand that we must accept the perverted deviancy of 1% of our population that
demands acceptance, without consequence.

What Americans know about Christmas is mostly suggested to us by the years of Macy’s Day
parades, Hollywood movies and Coca-Cola. TV quickly changed our values. Decades ago,
Coca-Cola embraced Clement Moore’s poem, A Christmas Carol, “Twas the Night Before
Christmas” and lo, we now have an indisputably accepted short, fat, happy ol’ elf who enters
homes down chimney pipes, never gets dirty and enjoys their product while winking at us.
When I was a little boy, a world war was underway yet the traditions of Christmas, and even
then they were commercial, were anticipated and observed. We decorated Christmas trees, had
special seasonal attractions and attended Church programs singing hymns while we little
children read or recited memorized snippets of scripture to the audience. I recall my surprise
upon learning that even Germans soldiers observed Christmas, indeed was responsible for
introducing the Christmas tree as a tradition. And, they sang “Silent Night.” What a revelation.

Among the big traditions were Christmas cards. My mother saved Christmas cards for years
and she gave them out in profuse qualities herself. Those that came to me, mostly from mothers
friends and sisters, were scenes depicted as cartoons. Family cards were actually incredible
works of art depicting scenes of happy home fires or snow, doubtless of a Victorian England, the
country where greeting cards and Santa Clause were introduced as a tradition.

Until Coca Cola’s depiction, St. Nick was tall and skinny, a poor emaciated figure, hungry
looking with a limp bag hanging over his shoulder. None of that has changed except Santa’s
size, but I am sensing once again, with Christmas day still weeks away, a change in the public
attitude, a realization that a prosperous America is returning even with all its social problems of
drug addictions, homelessness and hunger. I feel a sincere longing to return to our old traditions
where good cheer and happiness are not feigned but heartfelt; where charity is freely given
without conditions and people actually enjoy helping other people.

But, we must be careful and not allow the Left to peculate our good thing and introduce social
changes we know to be destructive to a free peoples. Government in the hands of Progressives,
will sweep all that away and the once shining city on the hill idea, as Ronald Reagan coined it,
will be but a footnote in history. We must strive to preserve all of our God given liberties.
Remember, freedom is the goal, the Constitution is the way. Now, go get ‘em! (29Nov18)

Fannin County 4 percent under budget

Uncategorized
property jail

Blue Ridge, Ga. – With 83.33 percent of the budget complete, Fannin County Finance Director Robin Gazaway revealed that the county is in good shape and currently four percent under budget for the 2018 fiscal year.

Gazaway presented an overview of the county’s budget at the latest Board of Commissioners meeting. Showing the standing of the county budget through Oct. 31 of this year, most departments are reporting right at their projected spending or a little below.

The Parks and Recreation Department is reporting approximately $224,000 in revenue for the year, and the Hotel/Motel tax has produced record numbers for the county.

Special Purpose Local Options Sales Tax (SPOLST) revenues are also up in 2018. All of this added revenue points to a healthy economy in Fannin County.

A few departments showed overages with one being the Administration Department.

“The biggest difference is the health insurance cost,” Gazaway said explaining the slight overage in Administration.

The Administration Department recently took on the role of managing all healthcare costs and insurance, rather than having the cost divided among departments. This was due in large to protecting the anonymity of employees when it comes to healthcare.

Gazaway explained that this number will “level out” some as the county is reimbursed for monies spent and also pointed out that healthcare is an area of budgeting that is more difficult to predict.

The Public Safety Department also showed to be over their projected budget through October.

“Mostly that is due to the detention center,” Gazaway explained that Public Safety is another area that is difficult to plan ahead, “and that is something that just cannot be predicted. Most of the overages is due to the fact that there is more inmates.”

This point of interest regarding the Public Safety Department led to discussion about how spending is handled for inmates being held at the detention facility.

“Inmate medical is based on the number inmates,” Gazaway stated of the current system, “It’s not really based on if they are sick or not. They just have a set rate per inmate.”

Fannin County Chairman Stan Helton clarified, “I know that inmate medical and food, those two line items were quite a bit over for the year, and again it just gets back to having more inmates.”

Chief Deputy, Major Keith Bosen was present at the meeting and shed light onto the influx in Fannin County’s inmate population: “Numbers fluctuate. This time of the year they end up going a little bit higher over the colder part of the season. More crimes are being committed, as well as the holiday season is coming up. So you’re going to have some burglaries, people trying to steal things because people are buying them (gifts) getting ready for Christmas and the holidays.”

Bosen also added about inmate medical costs, “They either have this (illness) when they come in and they have no medical insurance and we’re stuck with it, or some do have medical insurance.”

“That’s just something out of our control,” Post 1 Commissioner Earl Johnson stated of the unpredictability of the matter.

Despite some departments showing slight increases in the budget for the year, Fannin County is still in good standing overall by being four percent under budget with less than 20 percent of the fiscal year remaining.

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that attracts more than 300,000 page views and 3.5 million impressions per month in Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYNTV attracts approximately 15,000 viewers per week and reaches between 15,000 to 60,000 per week on our Facebook page. For the most effective, least expensive local advertising, call 706-276-6397 or email us at [email protected]

Weather Summary for 2018

Community, Outdoors

Weather Summary for 2018

By: Eddie Ayers, County Extension Agent

Back in December and already this year there’s been a lot of talk about how wet it’s been in the last year and while I agree with the comments I’ve been getting, I thought I’d do a little investigating and use facts to report on the weather of 2018. My data is coming from the UGA AEMN area weather stations.

The Automated Environmental Monitoring Network (AEMN) in Georgia was established in 1991 by the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. The objective of the AEMN is to collect reliable weather information for agricultural and environmental applications. Each station monitors air temperature, relative humidity, rainfall, solar radiation, wind speed, wind direction, soil temperature at 2, 4, and 8 inch depths, atmospheric pressure, and soil moisture every 1 second. Data are summarized at 15 minute intervals and at midnight a daily summary is calculated. A microcomputer at the Georgia Experiment Station initiates telephone calls to each station periodically and downloads the recorded data. The data are processed immediately and disseminated via the internet at www.weather.uga.edu.

We are fortunate to have three reporting stations in our area. They are Hillcrest Orchards in Ellijay, Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge and the Georgia Mountain Research and Education Center in Blairsville. For the purpose of this article, data has been averaged, but you can visit the web site and get more details and up to the minute weather.

Since rain has been the topic of conversation lately, let’s look at that first. In Blairsville, the total rainfall for 2018 was 76.01 inches and there were 164 rainy days. In Blue Ridge, the rainfall was 74.89 inches and 185 rainy days. In Ellijay there was 79.12 inches of rain and 168 rainy days. The average for our area is around 62 inches, but the statistic that stands out is the number of rainy days. During rainy days the plants did not receive good sunlight and that affects plant growth.

In looking at the month of December in 2018 Blairsville received 10.96 inches of rain and 17 rainy days. Blue Ridge received 11.21 inches of rain and 17 rainy days. Ellijay received 10.92 inches of rain and 17 rainy days. This may seem like a lot of rain, but back in 2015 Blairsville got 13.35 inches of rain with 13 rainy days. Blue Ridge got 16.57 inches of rain with 16 rainy days. Ellijay got 16.04 inches of rain with 17 rainy days. 2015 was not that long ago, but it seems we have gotten more rain lately. It might be the number of rainy days that is making us think we are getting more rain that we actually are getting.

As for temperatures the average maximum temperature in Blairsville was 68.53 and the minimum was 47.26. The overall average was 57.23 which is about normal, but the number of days below 32 was 761 which is up from before, but below 2015. In Blue Ridge the average maximum temperature was 68.12 and the minimum was 48.46 and the overall average was 57.59, which is also about normal. The number of days below 32 was 699 which is up from before, but also below 2015. In Ellijay the average maximum temperature was 69.17 and the minimum was 48.81 with an overall average of 58.48 which is about normal. The number of days below 32 was 625 which is above earlier years except for 2015.

In conclusion the UGA weather stations are a great resource for information that provide facts about our weather conditions and now when people ask if it’s ever been this wet, you have the facts to say yes. If you need more information or different facts, visit the website and explore, or contact me in the Gilmer County UGA Extension office.

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David Ralston intends to send George Soros a letter

News, Politics
Georgia, Fannin County, Gilmer County, Dawson County, Georgia House of Representative, Governor, Gubernatorial, General Election, 2018, Hurrican Michael, President Donald Trump, Brian Kemp, Stacey Abrams, David Ralston, George Soros, Republican Party, Democratic Party

Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives David Ralston

Blue Ridge, Ga. – In a media conference held on Friday Nov. 9, Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives David Ralston expressed his opinions on current politics as well as the recent General Election.

“We’ve had a lot of money spent in this state on the election and much of that money came from out of state,” Ralston said speaking of the General Election, “and a good bit of it came from some very, very well heeled individuals that I didn’t realize cared about Georgia. as much as they apparently do. I welcome their concern about the state.”

Ralston plans to send a letter to political activist and democratic supporter George Soros welcoming him to continue to support the state by pledging relief to those in Southwest Georgia who were devastated by Hurricane Michael.

Ralston expanded more on the letter and its intent, “I am dead serious about this. Let’s see if he would like to help out some farmers in Southwestern Georgia that are hurting.”

According to Ralston it “would be another way that he (Soros) could show his interest in Georgia.”

With the ongoing disputes of the gubernatorial election results, Ralston said that the business of the state is moving forward. He has already spoken with Governor Elect Brian Kemp about the upcoming legislative agenda.

In speaking with Kemp, Ralston also addressed the handling of the 2018 General Election: “He was much more kind than I would have been. I thought the election ended way before he called it. I thought he showed great class in delaying his claim of victory.”

As for Kemp’s opponent former minority leader in the Georgia State House of Representatives Stacey Abrams, Ralston shared his thoughts as well: “I really hope that Representative Abrams will do the right thing and acknowledge that this is mathematically over. I understand that if she concedes that probably the flow of money and publicity ends, but that’s kind of the way this thing works. I hope for the good of the state that she will reevaluate her thinking as it appears to be now. I don’t think that prolonging this with lawsuits and challenges and things of that sort is good for Georgia.”

Georgia, Fannin County, Gilmer County, Dawson County, Georgia House of Representative, Governor, Gubernatorial, General Election, 2018, Hurrican Michael, President Donald Trump, Brian Kemp, Stacey Abrams, David Ralston, George Soros, Republican Party, Democratic Party

Governor Elect Brian Kemp (right) and opponent Stacey Abrams (left)

“We can’t wait on lawsuits and we can’t wait on people to continue to seek out publicity,” Ralston said concluding his thoughts on the gubernatorial race. “We’ve got a state to run and we’ve got a part of the state that is hurting, that we are going to start helping next week.”

When asked about the clear division in voting patterns in the state of Georgia (urban versus rural) and whether or not he felt President Donald Trump’s administration was a reason for this division, Ralston replied that he did not see it that way.

According to Ralston some republican members that lost seats would possibly blame President Trump and some seats that were reclaimed by republicans would also be credited to the president for the victories.

Regardless of the state and local election outcome Ralston says that Trump’s administration is doing much more in terms of listening to a state’s needs. He is seeing this administration allow decisions to come from “the bottom up rather than the top down”.

“I very much applaud this administration for its emphasis on rural areas here in the country,” Ralston stated of his own experience with the Trump administration.

Ralston also took the time to express his view of the Republican Party in the state of Georgia: “Our party was here before him (Trump). It will be here after him and we need to learn to message our pro-job, pro-education reform, pro-public safety message in a more effective way.”

Having been pleased with the outcome of the most recent Georgia Legislative Session, Ralston stated about spreading the word of the accomplishments, “We have to do a better job of communicating that.”

Ralston listed some of the achievements in the last legislative session “Cut the income tax, full funding for QBE, appropriating funds for school safety, adoption reform. So many good things that we accomplished, in my view at least.”

Georgia State will hold a Special Legislative Session beginning next Tuesday Nov. 13. The main focus of this session will be to provide hurricane relief to areas affected in Southwest Georgia.

 

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that attracts more than 300,000 page views and 3.5 million impressions per month in Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYNTV attracts approximately 15,000 viewers per week and reaches between 15,000 to 60,000 per week on our Facebook page. For the most effective, least expensive local advertising, call 706-276-6397 or email us at [email protected]

Fannin County – State Election Results (FINAL)

Election 2018, News

**FYN will be updating these results throughout the night tonight. Please keep checking back for updates as well as final results.**

2018 Georgia Election Results for Fannin County

 

*These election results are unofficial until being certified by the Secretary of State’s office.

**The results for state seats in this article reflect the voters of Fannin County ONLY and do not reflect voting statewide. Statewide results can be viewed at :

 

Post 2 Commissioner:

Glenn Patterson (R) –          81.71%       9,014 Votes

Dixie Carter (D) –                 18.17%       2,004 Votes

Board of Education:

Bobby Bearden (R) –           79.49%       8,676 Votes

Jeff DePaola (D) –               20.43%       2,230 Votes

Board of Education:

Mike Cole (R) –                   82.13%       9,051 Votes

Susan DeMoura (D) –        17.66%       1,942 Votes

Georgia House Of Representatives District 7:
David Ralston (R) –         84.18%          9,250 Votes

Results by County:
Gilmer: N/A
Fannin:     84.18%
Dawson: N/A

Rick Day (D) –       15.61%          1,715 Votes

Results by County:
Gilmer: N/A
Fannin:    84.18%
Dawson: N/A

Governor:

Brian Kemp (R) –               82.96%          9,292 Votes

Stacey Abrams (D) –          16.12%           1,806 Votes

Ted Metz (L) –                     0.92%            103 Votes

Lieutenant Governor:

Geoff Duncan (R) –                   82.77%          8,867 Votes

Sarah Riggs Amico (D) –         17.20%           1,843 Votes

Secretary of State:

Brad  Raffensperger (R) –         80.99%          8,908 Votes

John Barrow (D) –                     17.39%            1,913 Votes

Smythe DuVal (L) –                   1.62%              178 Votes

Insurance Commissioner:

Jim Beck (R) –                           81.51%          8,940 Votes

Janice Laws (D) –                     16.17%           1,774 Votes

Donnie Foster (L) –                  2.30%            252 Votes

State School Superintendent:

Otha Thornton (D) –               15.64%          1,714 Votes

Richard Woods (R) –              84.33%          9,244 Votes

Agriculture Commissioner:

Gary Black (R) –        83.58%          9,112 Votes

Fred Swan (D) –        16.39%          1,787 Votes

Labor Commissioner:

Mark Butler (R) –                  83.26%          9,089 Votes

Richard Keatley (D) –           16.73%           1,826 Votes

U.S. Congress District 9:

Doug Collins (R) –         83.27%          9,186 Votes

Josh McCall (D) –          16.70%          1,842 Votes

FCHS Open House Info 2018

Community, Education
Fannin

Fannin County High School Open House Information

Schools in Fannin County will open on Friday, August 3.  Prior to this start date, Fannin County High School (FCHS) will hold two Open House Sessions.  The Upperclassmen Open House for 10th – 12th graders will follow the usual format on Thursday, August 2, from 1 to 5 p.m.   There will be a special Open House for incoming 9th Graders on Wednesday evening, August 1, from 5 to 7 p.m.    All 9th graders and parents are invited and encouraged to participate in this unique and customized opportunity.  

For the Ninth Grade Open House on Wednesday, August 1, students and parents are asked to report to the FCHS PAC at 4:45 to receive their fall class schedules from their homeroom teachers.   Students and parents will then participate in a “mock day” by attending each class for approximately 20 minutes. Teachers will provide students with a syllabus and expectations for their class.    

This 9th Grade Open House will provide our freshmen and their parents the opportunity to learn their way around the school and meet teachers on a more personal basis.  If a 9th grader is unable to attend on Wednesday evening, they, of course, can attend the Upperclassmen Open House on Thursday, August 2, from 1 to 5 p.m.  However, students will not participate in a “mock day” schedule on Thursday.

For additional information, please contact the school.

Breakfast & Lunch Menus for August

Fannin County High

Breakfast & Lunch Menus for August

Fannin Middle

Breakfast & Lunch Menus for August

Blue Ridge Elem, East Fannin Elem, West Fannin Elem

Kemp trumps Cagle : I see your Governor and I raise you a President

Election 2018, Politics

Blue Ridge, Ga. – What has come down to a battle of endorsements over the last two weeks has played out with some big name backers. Secretary of State Brian Kemp landed perhaps the largest endorsement of all as President Donald Trump tweeted out his support of the Georgia gubernatorial hopeful.

Kemp’s campaign announced recently the backing of several Republican opponents from the May Primary. Among those to officially announce their support were Michael Williams, Clay Tippins, and Hunter Hill.

Opponent in the gubernatorial runoff, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle, was unable to receive any backing from Republican challengers that were faced earlier this year.

Cagle did however land some big name endorsements recently as he continues his campaign. While holding the title of the only Georgia candidate in the governor’s race to be backed by the National Rifle Association (NRA), Cagle drove this message home as the President Elect of the NRA, retired Lt. Colonel Oliver North, hit the trail with Cagle to show his personal support of the candidate.

Cagle’s big name endorsements didn’t stop there. Earlier this week current Georgia Governor Nathan Deal also personally endorsed Cagle to be his replacement.

Although it seemed that the cards had become stacked in Cagle’s favor, Kemp showed his final hand and delivered a fourth ace by officially getting an endorsement from the President of the United States Donald Trump.

With less than a week left in the runoff, it seems that Cagle will be unable to top Kemp’s latest move.
Atlanta, Georgia, President of the United States, POTUS, Donald Trump, Secretary of State, Lt. Governor, Governor, Gubernatorial, Election, 2018, Runoff, Republican Nomination, Campaign, Brian Kemp, Casey Cagle, National Rifle Association, NRA, President, President Elect, Lt. Colonel, Oliver North, Second Amendment, Stacey Abrams, Democratic, George Soros, July 24

Follow FetchYourNews for the latest election information and Cagle’s thoughts on Kemp’s latest round of endorsements.

 

 

Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that attracts more than 300,000 page views and 3.5 million impressions per month in Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYNTV attracts approximately 15,000 viewers per week and reaches between 15,000 to 60,000 per week on our Facebook page. For the most effective, least expensive local advertising, call 706-276-6397 or email us at [email protected]

FCHS: Dress Code Information

Community, Fannin County High

Kemp defeats Cagle for Republican nomination

Election, Election 2018

Blue Ridge, Ga. – After a heated runoff race, the results are in and Georgia’s Secretary of State Brian Kemp has beat out opponent Lt. Governor Casey Cagle for the Republican nomination.

What was polled as a tight race between the two candidates ended up being what some would consider a landslide victory for Kemp. Kemp received 69.46 percent of the vote statewide with Cagle pulling in 30.54 percent.

Kemp will now face the Democratic nominee Stacey Abrams for the seat of Georgia Governor.

Abrams and Kemp are not strangers, as they have gone head to head over election issues while Kemp has served as Secretary of State.

“All of these liberal groups that are going to be in play in Georgia supporting her (Abrams), I’ve fought,” Kemp said about his past experiences with Abrams.

Citing that he has already faced George Soros, Eric Holder, Thomas Perez, Common Cause Georgia and New Georgia Project, Kemp is confident that he can beat them again.

Kemp explained where some of these groups came into conflict with the Secretary of State office, “They sued us and several counties saying that we weren’t registering voters, 10 different counts. Then they wanted us to settle. I wouldn’t do it. I made them go to court and we won all 10 cases.”

“I know what’s coming,” Kemp said about his preparation for proceeding in the gubernatorial race. “I know how to fight.”

Short Takes – What We Learned From Helsinki, 2018

Opinion

What We Learned From Helsinki, 2018.

We watched a clash of two techniques at the Helsinki Summit yesterday, Trump’s The Art of the Deal and the other, The Art of Deception, as practiced by KGB’er Vladimir Putin. After the joint press conference two things emerged that need to be understood. President Trump is a deal maker. He thinks in those terms and he employe’s the idea of let’s not fight, but let’s both succeed, so long as it doesn’t harm America and is good for you.  Putin is a czarists!

In the American political scene, those techniques managed to sweep away all opposition from Republican contenders challenging him for the GOP nomination. They worked to bring along American voters to drive the Democrats from the field. It worked and by doing so drove the Left crazy. It did not work against Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Trump looked weak and that’s a danger to the base. I hope he will learn from that experience. He usually does.

I do not doubt that President Trump was fully briefed on the deceptive characteristics he would face with his Mano-a-Mano with Vladimir Putin, a career KGB officer who is skilled, not in the Art of the Deal, but in the Art of Deception. Russians are not New York real estate brokers. They seek a restoration of empire and power, not buildings. Therein lies the differences.

Putin’s post “Summit” interview with Fox News reporter Chris Wallace, revealed to even the most casual observer, the purest application of the techniques of the Art of Deception by Putin. His body language, when examined in minute detail, as it will be, was so evident of deception that practitioners of Kinesic interview techniques will be able to write thesis on what Putin revealed through his body language alone, lies and deceptions. He is a practiced Russian politician and the history of Russian politician’s suggests they don’t make deals unless there’s a gun to their head.

What gun does Trump hold to Putins head? It’s what Trump knows best, how to make profits, especially when his opponent is in deep economic trouble. Trump’s gun is his continued sanctions against Russia. They’re working and it’s hurting. What does Putin have to counter Trump? It was Russia’s new natural gas deal with Germany a project soon, I fear, to come to an end. It’s also Russia’s support for Syria, which, as foreign policy, Russia cannot afford, and the massive amount of GDP Russia is pouring into it’s military, especially it’s deep water navy.

Trump was not coruscating in his post “Summit” interview and it has alarmed his base. It drove the American media wild with cheers and jeers and predictions of Trump’s early demise. But, as they’re already demented and would seized any rumor as a truth and exploit it, fewer people will believe them. Beware the Russians because they will exploit this apparent weakness.

Winners and losers are already being touted or jeered and by all accounts, at least by the Leftist media, Trump lost and Putin won. Not only did Trump lose, he was made to look the fool and so, therefore, must be guilty of treason. But, regardless, Russia is still in the throes of economic decline unable to afford their adventurism, still needs relief for its infrastructure expenses. It  needs to earn some serious cash.

If we suspected that nothing noteworthy would come out of the Summit, the Left’s reaction would still hover between sneering contempt and laughter while Trump’s base will experience their first bout of mild depression. The late night comedy shows will be veritable clown shows regardless of the truths. And, this too shall pass. Trump is still our best fighter yet!  

Remember, Freedom is the goal, the Constitution is the way. Now, go get ‘em! (17Jul18)

I support Casey Cagle for Governor

Election 2018, Letters to Editor

On July 24th –  it is vitally important that we cast our ballots for a strong leader who is prepared to be our state’s next CEO. As your state Senator, I want you to know that I’m 100% behind Casey Cagle for governor. I have served with him for 8 years in the Senate now and I am confident that he is the best choice on the ballot.  

Casey is a proven, consistent leader who has always delivered for our state – as well as our community and North Georgia. Due to his leadership as Lt. Governor, Georgia has been named the number one state to do business for five straight years, and we’ve added nearly 700,000 jobs and 40,000 new businesses. This year, Casey was the leader who fought to deliver the largest tax cut in Georgia history

Casey has also led to advance nationally renowned education reform measures – including the Charter Systems Act, College and Career Academy Network, and GA CATT apprenticeship program – which have been integral in transforming Georgia’s one-size-fits-all education system into a revolutionary model that puts students first. Not every student needs to get a four year liberal arts degree to be successful, and Casey is leading to prioritize workforce development so that all Georgia’s students graduate from high school with post-secondary experience or technical training that gives them the skills to attain rewarding careers.

Casey has stood up for our conservative principles his entire career. He has led to outlaw and defund sanctuary cities in Georgia, expand gun rights (earning him an A+ rating from the NRA), protect innocent life (earning him the Champion for Life award from the Georgia Life Alliance), and reform our adoption/foster care system to give faith-based organizations more opportunities to help children find loving homes.

Please join me in supporting Casey Cagle and voting to elect him as our next Governor on July 24th.   I have been honored to serve as your Senator and I look forward to working with the next Governor to continue the progress we have made.  

Steve Gooch
State Senator
District 51

Cagle campaign brings out the big guns

Election 2018, Politics
Hall County, Gainesville, Georgia, Secretary of State, Lt. Governor, Governor, Gubernatorial, Election, 2018, Runoff, Republican Nomination, Campaign, Brian Kemp, Casey Cagle, National Rifle Association, NRA, President, President Elect, Lt. Colonel, Oliver North, Second Amendment, Stacey Abrams, Democratic, George Soros, July 24

Lt. Colonel Oliver North was met by large crowds as he hit the campaign trail supporting Casey Cagle in becoming Georgia’s next Governor.

Gainesville, Ga. – “There’s only one candidate who’s been endorsed. There’s only one candidate for Governor’s office who actually meets the standard of what we need and that’s Casey Cagle,” retired Lt. Colonel Oliver North enthusiastically spoke to the large crowd gathered in Gainesville, Ga. this weekend.

Lt. Governor Casey Cagle has been the center of controversy for several weeks after the release of a secret recording in which Cagle speaks candidly to former gubernatorial candidate Clay Tippins about politics over policy.

Regardless of this recent smear on Cagle’s bid to be Georgia’s next Governor, one fact remains and cannot be disputed, Cagle is the only candidate for governor in Ga. to receive the coveted endorsement from the National Rifle Association (NRA).

With this point being perhaps one of the largest differences between Cagle and his opponent, Brian Kemp, Cagle’s campaign decided it was time to bring out the “big guns”.

President elect of the NRA, North, hit the campaign trail with Cagle on July 14 making three stops across the state to share with constituents why Cagle is the only candidate that will uphold the values of the NRA.

“I’m here because there is only one candidate for governor who has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association,” North said explaining his stance on Georgia’s heated gubernatorial race.

According to North, Cagle has “sterling record as supporter of the Second Amendment”. North went on to say that Cagle “is going to make sure that your gun rights and others are going to be defended when he’s in office as your Governor.”

Doting on Cagle’s record of fighting for the rights of gun owners in Ga., North also brought attention to Cagle’s support of firearms manufacturing and the jobs that have created in this field.

“He’s created the best, pushed through the best legislation, I think, in the country for giving you the right to defend yourselves,” North was met with cheers from the large crowd as he presented Cagle’s record on the Second Amendment.

North added, “I’m just reassured by what he’s already done, and what he’s committed to do.”

Constituents also got a peek into the private life of North as he shared personal stories of how the fight to defend the Second Amendment hits close to home threatening a long standing family tradition.

Hall County, Gainesville, Georgia, Secretary of State, Lt. Governor, Governor, Gubernatorial, Election, 2018, Runoff, Republican Nomination, Campaign, Brian Kemp, Casey Cagle, National Rifle Association, NRA, President, President Elect, Lt. Colonel, Oliver North, Second Amendment, Stacey Abrams, Democratic, George Soros, July 24

Casey Cagle with wife Nita stand beside North as he addresses the crowd.

North, grandfather to 17 grandchildren, shared this tradition, “I get to give them a present. The only present I get to give them. Everything else comes from Betsy (wife) and me.”

This present given by North when each child turns 14 is a box containing three items, a Bible, a map and compass, and a 20 gauge shotgun.

North labels each box with “There are three things in this box that you have got to learn how to use, and if you do learn to use all three things, you’ll never go hungry, you’ll never be lost and you need fear nothing, but you have to learn to use all three.”

Each child is then told to read Proverbs, one Proverb per day for a month. After this task is completed and understood, North teaches the children how to use the compass and map. The final item that the child can then master is the use of the shotgun.

North told of how each child must learn to take apart, put together and clean the firearm before they can tackle the task of learning to shoot.

A bonding experience for a grandfather and a grandchild, one which his family holds dear, North joked, “The kids call me by my first name…Colonel.”

But according to North this tradition is threatened and he pointed to the fact that a couple of states have already passed laws where it is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to possess or purchase a firearm.

Speaking of Virginia, the Lt. Colonel’s current state of residence, North said, “If that happens in Virginia, you know where I’m moving? I’m moving right here.”

North concluded his endorsement with a request, “I want each one of you, if you would please, go out and find a family member and a co-worker and a neighbor and a friend. So now you’re talking four of each one that you know that’s not here today and get them to the polls on the 24th of July so that this man….”.

Upon saying this North turned to Cagle and was drowned out by cheers from the audience.

Cagle briefly shared his thoughts on North’s personal endorsement: “I just value, not only what he has done in his life but also what he is doing by standing up for the Second Amendment.”

Referring to North as a good friend and speaking of the encouragement that North has given him, Cagle simply added, “This man is a real patriot.”

 

 

 

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Tomorrow’s Georgia Republican gubernatorial primary run-off

Opinion

Reposted with permission from the Dustin Inman Society blog

Atlanta, Georgia, President of the United States, POTUS, Donald Trump, Secretary of State, Lt. Governor, Governor, Gubernatorial, Election, 2018, Runoff, Republican Nomination, Campaign, Brian Kemp, Casey Cagle, National Rifle Association, NRA, President, President Elect, Lt. Colonel, Oliver North, Second Amendment, Stacey Abrams, Democratic, George Soros, July 24

Lt. Governor Casey Cagle (left) and Secretary of State Brian Kemp (Right)

 

D.A. KING

While the liberal media ignores the fact, both candidates in the bruising two-month Georgia Republican gubernatorial primary race have avoided immigration issues where the eventual governor can make the biggest difference.

With run-off day looming tomorrow, Lt. Governor Casey Cagle and Secretary of State Brian Kemp have mostly kept their immigration focus away from topics that may offend the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and narrowed to “sanctuary cities” and on illegal aliens who have already committed additional crimes in the United States – or “criminal illegal aliens.”

The main driver of illegal immigration is illegal employment, which was not mentioned in either campaign.
In addition to black market labor, they are also both dodging obvious and voter-popular immigration issues where a governor can play a central role, including drivers licenses to illegal aliens and official English for government.

No mention of protecting jobs for American workers
When asked in a statewide December 2015 poll, “Who should get the future jobs in Georgia? – Americans, including legal immigrants already here, illegal immigrants already here, newly arrived legal immigrants and guest workers or it doesn’t matter, workers who will work for the lowest wage.” A whopping 90% of Republicans said Americans, including legal immigrants already here should get priority.

Silence on allowing voters to decide on constitutional official English
Nearly 86% of Republicans – and 76% of all voters polled – answered “yes” when asked “would you support an amendment to the Georgia constitution that makes English the official language of government?” in the same poll conducted by Atlanta-based Rosetta Stone Communications

Despite the objections of the business lobby and with a unanimous party-line vote, in 2016, the Republican-controlled Georgia state senate passed a Resolution that would have allowed all Georgia voters to answer a ballot question that year on English as the state’s constitutional official government language.

But the legislation quietly died with Democrat “no” votes when Republican House leadership instructed Republicans to stay away from a sub-committee hearing which killed the bill.

Official English is not a voluntary campaign topic for either of the Republican candidates for Georgia governor. This despite one metro-Atlanta school district boast that 140 foreign languages are spoken by its students.

While it is not widely understood by voters, currently, the state of ten million offers the written road rules portion of the drivers license exam in eleven foreign languages.

Drivers licenses for illegal aliens – not a campaign issue
The same statewide poll that asked about official constitutional official English showed that 80% of Republicans and 63% of all Georgians also want to end the practice of giving any drivers license to any illegal aliens.

Many voters are unaware of the fact that Republican Georgia has issued more than 20,000 drivers licenses and official state photo ID Cards to individuals who the United States Immigration and Citizenship Services classifies as lacking lawful immigration status – but who have been given work permits by both the Obama and Trump administrations.

This group of aliens includes recipients of the Obama DACA deferred action on deportation amnesty, aliens who have been granted deferred action outside of the DACA amnesty and aliens who have already been ordered to be deported by federal officials.

Work permits, officially known as Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) are issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services which is an agency in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The 2005 REAL ID Act implemented after the horror of 9/11 says that illegal aliens who have been granted deferred action on deportation or who have been ordered deported but then apply for permanent residence use that temporary condition as “evidence of lawful status” for the purpose of obtaining a federally approved drivers license or state ID card.

⦁ In a direct contradiction, USCIS says  “Current law does not grant any legal status for the class of individuals who are current recipients of DACA. Recipients of DACA are currently unlawfully present in the U.S. with their removal deferred.”

⦁ Through an official spokesperson, USCIS has provided a breakdown of the classification codes contained on the work permits that illustrate the immigration status of the bearer.

⦁ USCIS also operates the SAVE verification system for official agencies to determine immigration status of applicants for public benefits. Drivers licenses and ID cards are public benefits in Georgia.

⦁ Appointed by current governor, Nathan Deal, Georgia’s Attorney General, Chris Carr, has told an Atlanta NPR affiliate that “We have continuously and clearly taken the position in ongoing legal cases that DACA does not confer legal status.” (July 17, 2017 WABE News).

Georgia is among the states that issues the identical drivers license to legal immigrants with ‘green cards’ and foreigners who entered the US lawfully on temporary visas – including Mercedes Benz executives – as are issued to the aliens the state Attorney General and USCIS says lack legal status. The defacto national ID, these credentials are used as valid ID to enter military bases, federal buildings and board airliners in America’s airports.

Atlanta, Georgia, President of the United States, POTUS, Donald Trump, Secretary of State, Lt. Governor, Governor, Gubernatorial, Election, 2018, Runoff, Republican Nomination, Campaign, Brian Kemp, Casey Cagle, National Rifle Association, NRA, President, President Elect, Lt. Colonel, Oliver North, Second Amendment, Stacey Abrams, Democratic, George Soros, July 24

Drivers license issued to all non-citizens in Georgia, legal status or illegal status. Photo: DDS

Sponsored by conservative state Senator Josh McKoon, in 2016, legislation passed the Georgia Senate by a two-thirds majority – with every Republican vote except one – that would have clearly marked driving and ID credentials to note the illegal immigration status of the bearer. That measure was allowed to expire without a hearing in the GOP House, controlled by business-oriented Speaker David Ralston. McKoon also sponsored the official English Resolution.

Most Georgians do not realize that under state law the same aliens USCIS says have no lawful status but have been issued a work permit are eligible for state unemployment benefits.

The jobs-for Americans, drivers license/illegal alien/unemployment benefits issue is not a topic in either Republican candidate’s campaign for the Republican nomination for Georgia governor.

Georgians deserve to now where the candidates stand.

The powerful Georgia business lobby has long worked against protecting jobs and wages for legal workers, use of E-Verify, immigration enforcement and official English. Georgia ranks ahead of Arizona in its population of illegal aliens, according to estimates from DHS and the Pew Research Center. One estimate is that the crime of illegal immigration costs Georgia taxpayers $2.4 billion annually.

The current governor, two-term, business-first Republican Nathan Deal, has avoided the illegal immigration issue since his first year in office. But, Deal boasts that Georgia is named number one state in which to do business by Site Selection magazine.

The influx of migrants and the anti-enforcement power of the business lobby will eventually result in a Democrat in the Georgia governor’s office. This year’s far-left, anti-enforcement candidate for the office, Stacey Abrams, has a real chance of winning and has recently received a one million-dollar donation from Georgia Soros.

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