Your Papers Please! - A Day in the State
of Atlanta in what used to be the Georgia Capitol
"The issue
today is the same as it has been throughout all history, whether
man shall be allowed to govern himself or be ruled by a small
elite."
- Thomas Jefferson
Back in high school civics class we were taught many amazing
things about our form of government. Interesting things like
"government of the people, for the people, by the people" and that
the greatness of our country was American Liberty. At least before
political correctness destroyed the educational system!
Well political correctness or what ever you want to call it
has destroyed more than just our educational system, piece by piece
it is dismantling the very Principles Upon which Our Country was
founded. Ladies and Gentlemen, right here in front of our very eyes
we are losing these Principles.
For any doubting Thomas in Georgia - I challenge you to go to
the Capitol for a day during the Legislative Session. Spending a few
days there will be all the proof you need, especially if you have
been in past years and can compare the differences.
Every year of the "we believe in limited government" Perdue
Administration the Capitol grounds have become more restrictive in
citizen access. Those who wish to demonstrate are actually
prohibited from using most of the public sidewalk. Roughly half of
the public entrances have been closed, forcing longer lines at the
security checkpoints. And now, not to be out done by the routine at
the airport, you have to show a picture ID.
Now lets think about that a minute.
At the airport the ID check at least serves to match your name
with a ticket, for which there is some validity. At the Capitol,
they look at your ID and hand it back. What are they looking for?
They have no ticket, name list or even computer screen to check it
against. It serves no useful purpose what so ever. Is this a "Papers
Please!" mentality being implemented with our tax dollars?
Strangely, registered lobbyists how have new ID badges that
have pictures on them. Are we coming to the day where no one but
registered lobbyists will be able to enter our Capitol? Is this a
step toward getting rid of those pesky things called irate tax
payers who might demand reasonable representation? A couple years
ago I would have said that was ridiculous, but today am not so sure.
There is an interesting bill on file SB-279. It contains:
Code Section 21_5_70 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to definitions relative to lobbyist
disclosure, is amended by striking paragraph (6) and inserting
in lieu thereof a new paragraph (6) to read as follows:
"(6) 'Lobbyist' means:
(G) Any natural person who covers or reports on legislation or
legislative sessions of the General Assembly on behalf of any
newspaper, radio or television station, wire service, news
service, or other media outlet."
You can read the entire bill at:
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2005_06/fulltext/sb279.htm
but with the way laws are interpreted these days this seems to be an
effort to restrict and require registration of anyone who presents
information about the Legislature to the public. This bill was
sponsored and co-signed by the following State Senators:
Well that is food for thought. But as you continue your day at
the Capitol, for example trying to meet with various Legislators
about legislation you support or oppose, every year it gets harder
to get a few minutes to talk to them. But you sure do see a lot of
people wearing those lobbyist badges talking to them.
Then comes the New Day in Georgia
routine - when asking about your chosen Legislative
member's schedule and where you might find a few minutes to talk to
them. After all you can only take so many days off work and drive a
couple hours to get to the Capitol. You hear the list of committee
meetings and then the rest of the time available is filled up with
"appointments." So you ask for an appointment and in way too many
cases find out these are reserved for "lobbyists." Instead of
getting an appointment or audience you are given a pad of paper and
asked to write a note, for which you do not get a response.
Now don't get me wrong, there are still some very decent
Representatives and Senators in Georgia, but we have an ever
increasing number who are not. We have an ever increasing number who
have abandoned the citizens and are beholden to special interests.
And under this governor, whether he is involved or not (it is always
someone else you know) - access is becoming more difficult every
year.
With the advent of the Vulture system
(the politically correct term is Hawks), installed by House Speaker
Glenn Richardson, committees have become a modern day black hole.
Bills supported by the citizens go in, and they go in, and they go
in. What comes out is determined by a select elite and usually for a
political purpose.
As a frequent visitor to the Georgia Capitol on and off for
several years - the trend is not good. It is not Georgia any
longer, it is the State of Atlanta!
This is being done with your money and with your votes. On
these pages we will be listing those in the Legislature that are
responsive and those who are not, whether this means anything is up
to you - the citizens. If you continue sending them back, guess what
- you will get more of the same.
If you are ready for another choice that believes in restoring
true "limited government" and American Liberty, please consider
helping us.
Email
This page
|
