Snake Oil & Apple Pie - GA Constitutional Amendment #1

On Tuesday November 6^th, you will be asked to vote on amending the Georgia Constitution. Anytime you are asked to amend the Constitution bears careful consideration. And by the way, keep one hand on your wallet while you are doing your considering.

The following is the preamble that you will read, when voting on Amendment -1-:

“Provides for improving student achievement and parental involvement through more public charter school options. Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow state or local approval of public charter schools upon the request of local communities.”

Gosh, reading the statement above, who wouldn’t vote for amendment one?

It’s like voting for Mom and apple pie  - but only if your Mom is Carrie, and the witch in Snow White is baking the apple pie.

Below is partial list of others, besides me, who will be voting against amendment one. 

I hope you will join us to defeat this bogus amendment. 

• Georgia Association of Educators - GAE 
• Jay Bookman –The Atlanta Journal Constitution
• The Georgia PTA
• League of Women Voters of GA
• The Atlanta Board of Education
• The Southern Education Foundation
• Professional Association of Georgia Educators - PAGE 
• Thomas Lauth, Dean of the University of Georgia Political Science Department and an expert on the state’s budget,
• John Barge, Republican State School Superintendent
• Georgia School Board Association
• Georgia School Superintendents Association (GSSA)
• Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGQ)
• Georgia Retired Educators Association (GREA)
• Georgia Association of Educational Leaders (GAEL)
• Habersham BOE
• VoteSMART 
• Georgia Music Educators Association - GMEA 
• Clark County BOE
• Georgia Federation of Teachers
• Georgia NAACP
• Houston County school Superintendent Robin Hines,
• The Oconee County School Board
• Georgia Legislative Black Caucus
• Republican GA. Senator, Frank Ginn  
• Southern Christian Leadership Conference
• Rainbow Push Coalition
• The People’s Agenda
• The Coalition of Black Women
• Working Families of GA
• Gwinnett BOE
• Cherokee County BOE
• Columnist Dick Yarbrough
• Butts County School Board Members
• The Reverend Joseph Lowery, Civil Rights Leader
• Michael Thurmond, former State Labor Commissioner
• Attorney Thomas A. Cox – an attorney who legally challenged first charter school commission set up by the legislators. Georgia Supreme Court ruled the commission as unconstitutional.

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

Prohibits abridging the freedom of speech.

However, you will not hear from most of these folks as to why they do not support the amendment, because our Attorney General, Sam Olens, put the kibosh on Department of Education or school board involvement in answering questions or explaining the details of this amendment and it’s impact our traditional public school system. 

Now Governor Deal has been shouting his support for the amendment to anyone who will listen, and in Gwinnett, he’s strong-arming those who won’t listen. Deal spokesman Brian Robinson said “… the governor is duty bound to tell Georgians where he stands on the most important issues facing the state.” But Sam Olens is saying that elected education officials do not have a duty to inform those who elected them on this same important issue? Got it! “Do as I say, not as I do.” Prominent Atlanta attorney, Emmet Bondurant, who is advising the opposition groups, said Olens' letter has “had a chilling effect, making public officials reticent” to do what Bondurant says the law clearly allows.

Because of Olens ruling the Richmond County Board of Education had to withdraw a proposed resolution that stated – “The lack of support for public education sought by those in support of school vouchers, state-approved charter schools, and programs that allow public school funds to be redirected to private schools, serves to deepen inequalities and the promise of opportunity for every able student to achieve the American dream and contribute to the greatness of this country.” 

Too bad, because they really got it right.

OK, so why are all of these fine folks listed above voting against this amendment, and why is the state so aggressive in trying to silence them. Please note this issue is not really about charter schools, regardless of how sweetly and creatively the amendment question is written. So what is it about then?

It is about Spite and Greed.

First the spite. The Governor and his band of merry men, wrote this legislation to spit in the eye of the Georgia Supreme Court. The state had tried this Charter School Commission scam once before. It was legally challenged and the court ruled it unconstitutional. So what do the Governor and his merry band of men do? They finagle to change the State Constitution.  How clever is that?

Here is what you are voting against

A special seven-person commission. Commission members would be made up with three appointments from the Governor, two appointments from the President of the Senate and two appointments from the Speaker of the House. We all know, these plum appointments have nothing to do with qualifications; they are usually rewards to donors or repayment for political favors, in other words, it will be a commission  “yes men”. 

The idea is to set up a parallel charter school system, completely funded by the state. To me this has the stench of the separate but equal school system in days of old.

Aren’t these boys doing the appointing, the same usual suspects who are always harping on less government and local control? 

Well, appointing this commission is the extreme polar opposite of that philosophy. Remember when these boys at Gold Dome wouldn’t pass a bill for alcohol sales on Sunday – because it was a local control issue? So let me get this straight – alcohol is a local control issue, but education, mostly paid for by local property taxes, is not a local issue. As I have pointed out before the Capitol is a logic free zone.

If you vote yes to amendment -1- you will handover your voting power to a pack of political appointees. Furthermore, It will be nearly impossible to ever remove this amendment from the constitution, if it is approved. If this amendment passes, the appointed commission would have total control to approve new “special” schools.

This amendment is NOT about charter schools.
You are NOT voting FOR or AGAINST charter schools when you vote.

Everybody got that?  If you vote against amendment -1-, charter schools will continue to be part of our school system. They will not be closed, as some inflammatory ads suggest. Really nothing will change. You will still be able to add charter schools just as you have been, complete with an appeals process to the State Board of Education. We have over 100 charter schools already in the system.

Thomas A. Cox, Attorney with Carlock, Copeland & Stair, wrote: the actual language of the Amendment would permit the new appointed commission to conclude, in effect, that a single individual may request a charter, and thus presumably constitutes a “local community.” For example, under the Amendment, an executive of a charter management company, or a real estate developer seeking to profit from approval of a school to cater to residents of his planned gated community, could seek and obtain charter approval, even in the face of overwhelming opposition from local residents, voters and the elected local school board.

Now for the Greed

The most important thing, however, is to remember this commission is not accountable to the taxpayers. If you are not scared now, you clearly are not paying attention. You can’t vote them out, and you can’t recall them. Moreover, the new state commission would open the door to for-profit charter school management firms, (who are, in my opinion, educational profiteering private companies) with no accountability for the public funds they collect. Private businesses do not have to open their financial records to your concerns about your tax dollars. This shady deal has not played out well in other states. 

Now let’s take a look at the economics behind Amendment -1-

Here are just a few of the untidy economic realities. David Sjoquist, an economics professor at Georgia State University, has been advising and observing lawmakers dealing with financial matters his whole career. He said he doesn’t expect the Legislature to come up with new money for charter schools on top of what’s already budgeted for public education. So more spending, less revenue…hmmm.

The State of Georgia has drastically cut the state education budget over the last several years. We are at a decade low in funding our present system; so hey I got a good idea, let’s add another system. This is known as Gold Dome Math. These cuts are evidenced in our schools now: larger classroom size, shorter school year, teacher furloughs – which are essentially teacher pay cuts - add to this, the fact that the student population is growing while resources are shrinking, not just at the state level, but also at the local level.

State School Superintendent Barge estimates it will take approximately $430,000,000 over the next five years to fund these new state charter schools. Since these new charter schools will be funded from the existing state education budget, we will be taking more money from our already strapped schools, to fund new schools. It is like cutting off one end of the blanket and sewing it to the other end to make it longer.  In fact, the amendment will give an extra $ 2,000 for each “state” charter school student, to make up for the loss of local funding because it is a “state” school, and as such will not be eligible for local funds. Another point to keep in mind: these special “state” schools are not mandated to provide transportation, hire accredited teachers, or serve special education students. Sweet.

OK, so now you are probably thinking who is supporting this amendment?

Well if you liked the TSPLOST, you are just gonna love Amendment -1-.  The folks, listed below, fighting to pass this amendment are the usual local suspects. An obscene amount of money has been raised to pass Amendment -1-, but I found it very illuminating that most -about 80% - of these funds are from out of state. How nice to see altruistic good Samaritans from across the country ponying up big bucks, so poor little Georgia kids can have a decent education. How sweet is that? Bless their little hearts.

I’ll just tell you, if you had a psychograph of this list of folks, you could post it on your door for Halloween, and scare away any ghosts or goblins, but probably not blood sucking vampires, as they easily recognize their own.

The Amendment Supporters. Birds of a feather flock together. 

(You might call it a cluster flock)

• Governor Deal – His fingerprints are all over this. Guess who is looking for donors for his 2014 reelection campaign. The “public education for sale” sign is out, and the for-profit school management groups are greedily lining up and lining legislator’s pockets as well.

• The Constitutional Amendment Publication Board: these are the wonderfully creative and deceptive guys who wrote the preamble to the ballot question. I agree with Jay Bookman who noted that the deceptive wording of the Amendment -1- ballot question is essentially,  “Taxpayer-funded advocacy delivered right at the moment of decision making.” Where are you when we need you Mr. Attorney General?

• ALEC – I believe that stands for -Association of Lunatic Elected Cronies, or you can look it up and see what it really stands for.

• For-Profit Charter School Management groups, who are already making hefty campaign donations, in anticipation of getting their greedy little hands on the ginormous pot of gold, that would be your education tax dollars folks.

• Faith & Freedom Coalition of Georgia. “We are building a coalition of conservative faith-based Georgians to affect the course of elected politics and public policy in Georgia” 

• Georgia Chamber of Commerce – And their 17 lobbyists, who lobbied to pass the legislation for this amendment. Whoever said there is no free lunch, obviously has never been to the Georgia Capitol. 

• Mark Peevy – Hired Gun, managing the campaign to pass the amendment. He is being paid the paltry sum of $ 5,000 per month. As his claim to fame touts “Coordinated essential collaboration for statewide education policy and legislation initiatives.”  You betcha.

• Bert Brantley, a consultant for the charter amendment's proponents, he was also the advisor for the T-SPLOST, which made him a natural for this stint. He is the former Director of Communications for Governor Sonny Perdue.

• Americans for Prosperity – Founded by the infamous Koch Brothers, no need to say more.

• Erick Erickson is a CNN contributor and radio talk show host in Atlanta.

• Kyle Wingfield, a columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He called the Georgia Supreme Court “misguided” in ruling against the first Georgia Charter School Commission. Well, if anyone would know misguided, it would be Mr. Wingfield.

• State Representative Ed Lindsey, Chairman of Families for Better Public Schools- They have raised, at the last report, close to two million dollars to pass this amendment. Representative Lindsey was the sponsor of the legislation for this amendment. He has raised a lot of money, but has no skin in the game.

So let’s look at who does have skin in the game. One thing for sure, not many Georgians.  This list is just a list of the largest and the more interesting & repeating donors. 

J. C. Huizenga – Huizenga Group  - Michigan	25,000
National Heritage Academies – Michigan	25,000
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools – Washington D.C.	1,000
Edison Learning, Inc. – Tennessee	2,000
Students First – California	6,000
Alice Walton – Wal-Mart Heiress Arkansas	250,000
Education Reform Now – New York, NY	6,000
K-12, Inc. – Virginia	100,000
Charter Schools USA – Florida	50,000
Davidson Companies – Montana	5,000
Alice Walton – Arkansas – second gift.	350,000
Students First  - California – second gift	250,000
Doris Fisher – GAP Heiress - San Francisco	250,000
Fred Friess  - Jackson, Wyoming	10,000
J.C. Huizenga – Huizenga Group - Michigan – Second Gift	25,000
Joseph John Bridy–Hamlin Capital Mgt. – New York, NY	25,000
SUBTOTAL OUT-OF-STATE MONIES	138,000
Glen Delk – Attorney & big voucher supporter  - Atlanta	1,000
Carter & Associates Enterprises  – Atlanta	5,000
Georgia Chamber of Commerce and their 17 lobbyists who
Lobbied to pass the legislation for this amendment – GA	10,000
John Ward – retired – Atlanta	2,500
Tom Cousins – retired – Atlanta	20,000
Bernie Marcus – retired – Atlanta	250,000
Richard Gaby – CEO Peter Island Resorts  - Duluth	100,000

SUBTOTAL IN-STATE MONIES	388,500
SUBTOTAL ALL OTHER DONATIONS	21,155
GRAND TOTAL ALL DONATIONS – TO DATE	1,789,655

So why do they need all these big bucks? Remember all this money was for a six-month campaign to win your vote. You just gotta wonder why?

According to campaign disclosures recently filed by Families for Better Public Schools, here are a few of their expenditures. I have noted T-SPLOST connections.

StoneRidge Group, LLC– Alpharetta, Campaign mailing	$299,300
StoneRidge Group, LLC - Initial payment for facebook advertising	16,700
StoneRidge Group, LLC – Digital media and creative design	75,000
StoneRidge Group, LLC – Campaign materials	3,151
StoneRidge Group, LLC - Campaign yard signs	7,385
StoneRidge Group, LLC – Campaign online advertising	26,500
McLaughlin & Associates –Alexandria Va. –polling services-(T-SPLOST)	66,500
COMM360 – 57 Waddell St. – (T-SPLOST) Grassroots staffing	59,000
COMM360 – 57 Waddell St. – Grassroots staffing	45,140
Glendale Strategies – 57 Waddell St. – Strategic consulting (T-SPLOST)	12,500
Glendale Strategies – 57 Waddell St. – Strategic consulting	12,500
Winning Connections –Washington D.C. Direct calling support	400,000
Aristotle International, Inc. – Washington D.C. – Campaign Voter IQ	15,000
(Voter IQ? Probably checking to see if you are as stupid as they think.)
SRCPmedia – Alexandria VA – TV Production costs	25,000
Peachtree Battle Group – ATL (T-SPLOST) Broadcast & cable media	250,000
McGuire Woods Consulting – Richmond, VA – Campaign consulting	15,000
Ed Innovation Partners, Watkinsville, GA – Consulting services	25,000
Holloway Consulting – Atlanta – Resource Development	10,000
Franklin Communications – ATL – (T-SPLOST)Radio Ad production/placement	100,000
McKenna Long & Aldridge –Atlanta – Legal services	17,747
McRae Communications – Atlanta – PR & Communications (T-SPLOST)	18,500

A big shout out to Families for Better Public Schools. I especially liked your the full page ad in the AJC newspaper, pictures of many happy children, asking voters to support Amendment -1-. I was struck by the remarkable lack of diversity, unless of course you count the puppies and the cow. Presumably, that is the cash cow of the charter school amendment.

As a rule, people don’t invest, unless they expect those investments to pay off.  Amendment one and Amendment two, spring from the same well and are not on the ballot together by accident.

If it is not about the money, then let’s amend the legislation to read something like this, 

“ state charter schools, managed by a for-profit management organization, must allow the company’s financial records to be open and transparent, subject to the same open record laws as traditional public schools and they must submit to an independent outside audit annually.”

Here’s the thing, public education in Georgia needs improvement, not too many folks would argue with that.  I believe every child in Georgia deserves and is entitled to a quality education. I just don’t think educational profiteering, is the answer.

Get to the polls and be Quick about it.

I thought ya’ll might like an update on our darlin' "Dweeby" Doug McKillip, who was the author of the infamous & misogynistic HB954.

McKillip is heavily supported by The Georgia Right to Life group and the Speaker of the House; in fact, many refer to him as the Speaker's lap dog, which explains "Dweeby's" annoying and constant yapping.

I saw many hugs passed between "Dweeby" McKillip and Dan Becker, President of Georgia Right to Life, during the last legislative session. Geez, their political coziness makes me queasy and uneasy.

So, how is "Dweeby" doing in his primary race?

Well, his Primary opponent, the indomitable Regina Quick, is smart, funny, hardworking and honest. She also has signed the pledge to limit lobbyist "gifts" to $100. I guess you could say that would make her and "Dweeby" polar opposites.

Regina is doing well with the home folk voters; who obviously can distinguish between her authenticity and McKillip’s "smoke and mirrors".

As for Dweeby? Well let's look at the numbers, researched & shared by a CPA in Athens.

Of the $97,775 McKillip raised since January 2012, a whopping 94.3% came from outside his district. Or another way to look at it, only about 5% came from the district.

Of the $51,873 that Quick has raised since January 2012, only 24.8% came from outside the district.

 

However, most telling is this: of McKillip's contributors, 91.3% are from outside the district, and they are mostly legislators, lobbyists, PAC's and Special interests.

By comparison, 21.1% of Quick contributors have come from outside the district and more importantly  - NO lobbyists, NO Pac's, and No Special Interests!

I should probably note that some of Regina's  “outside” funds came from a bipartisan fundraiser hosted in Atlanta, by John Padgett, Georgia GOP Secretary, others, and myself.

The question voters in HD 117 should be asking themselves is this -

Who will Doug McKillip will be working for, and beholden to – IF – he is reelected?

A Quick Fix for Representative Doug McKillip

This past Georgia Legislative session was brutal for women, children and families.

We saw unemployment benefits cut, so those boys under the Gold Dome, could continue to give unemployment tax cuts to their business buddies. Moreover, Georgia families in desperate and immediate need, who apply for TANF funds, (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) now have to take a drug test; even though there is NO evidence that this group has high drug use, in fact recent studies prove otherwise. These bills, however awful, were not the worst of the worst. The continued dismantling of a woman’s right to control her body and her healthcare ranked near the top. HB954 authored by Representative Doug McKillip – “ Dweeby” to those who understand him – was a not about healthcare, or choice, it was a raw grab for power. He is being positioned for higher leadership. We cannot allow this to happen. He must be stopped. Now!

The good news is “Dweeby” Doug McKillip has strong primary opposition. Her name is Regina Quick. She is an Athens family law attorney and a Republican. A Democrat cannot win this seat. This seat was drawn for Republican Representative McKillip, as a “gift” for dumping the Democrats that elected him in his old district, then switching parties immediately after being elected. How despicable is that? He has betrayed the voters. He has betrayed women. He has betrayed the party that supported him and put him in office. How could anyone trust him? He is dishonest and dangerous.

We also need to give him a gift. A one way ticket back where he came from.

Please join me, and many others for a meet-and-greet for Ms. Quick. This is a great opportunity to meet Regina, and most importantly, if so inclined, make a donation to her campaign. Together we can send a strong bold message – Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

See you on Sunday.

OPPORTUNITY IS KNOCKING. RUN! RUN LIKE YOUR HAIR IS ON FIRE. JUST RUN GIRL, RUN.

"A quiet man is a thinking man, a quiet woman is hatching a plan."

While you have not heard much about it, we have lost three gutsy and gracious women legislators to the scurrilous scalpel of redistricting. We owe Kathy Ashe, Stephanie Stuckey Benfield and Elly Dobbs one helluva group hug, and a huge debt of gratitude. Please join me and send them a giant “thank you”, for their leadership, integrity, courage and tenacity. Their presence will be greatly missed in the next legislative session.

In my opinion, this redistricting action by the GOP, is a grave tactical error on their part. Why? Because these women warriors are no longer constrained by the rules of decorum for elected officials, nor are they now in the minority. What they are now – is well-armed professionals, with insider knowledge of the system, and more importantly, the knowledge of where the bodies are buried. I reckon these boys forgot that old saying; keep your friends close and your enemies closer. In the words of the inimitable Governor Rick Perry “oops”.  

In the Republican Life Boat, it is Women and Children Last.

Those dear boys under the Gold Dome – God love ‘em, ‘cause who else will? – worked with maniacal determination during redistricting to get rid of these pesky outspoken Democratic women, who were always pointing out the folly and mendacity of these boys. These women consistently served as the firewall against the good ole boys, and their callous disregard for the disadvantaged, and their often heartless legislation crucifying the poor. Any one remember the buzz phrase “Compassionate Conservatism”? What a spectacular example of Orwell’s Doublespeak.

Will 2012 be the Year of the Woman?

I sure as Hell hope so! We have not had a year of the woman since 1992. In my humble opinion, that is just too dang long. Do you remember why 1992 was the year of electing women? Quelle horreur!

It was because in 1992, women all across this county watched the Judge Clarence Thomas hearings in stunned disbelief, as an all male Senate Committee – full of sound and fury, yet signifying nothing – grilled Anita Hill.  She endured their inquisition, with intelligence, dignity and courage. She was the epitome of grace under fire.

Meanwhile, women who watched the hearings were on fire! And they expressed their mortally wounded sense of justice and outrage with action. Women ran for office and women won, in unprecedented numbers. Ironically, thanks to Justice Thomas, we gained 24 new women members of Congress. Undoubtedly, that will be the last time we women will ever have reason to give thanks to Justice Thomas.

Regrettably, I must also point out, that in the 2010 mid-term elections, for the first time in 30 years, we had a decrease in the number of women elected. We lost nearly 80 legislative seats. Ladies, not only are we not moving forward, we are backsliding. We must step up and run for office.  We must serve on the frontlines in this Republican War on Women. If not us, who? If not now, when?
 

You Are the Critical Piece. Yes, That’s Right; I’m Talking to You.

In any emergency or crisis situation, there is usually a turning point. Such a moment is called critical if it determines the outcome of a situation. You are the critical piece, and you can determine the outcome by getting involved now!

You can run for office, and you can win. Look around at these guys running things now. How hard can it be? Really? You don’t think you can do better? Really? Dagnabit, if they can run and win, so can you!

Opportunities abound. Look around, identify a seat, then go for it.  City Council, Mayor, County Commissioner, Coroner, Public Service Commission, State House, State Senate, District Attorney, Judicial Seats, U.S. Congress, U.S. Senate, School board, Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, Commissioner of Agriculture, Commissioner of Insurance, Commissioner of Labor, Secretary of State, State School Superintendent. Just pick one and go for it.
 

Here are a few very immediate and very perfect opportunities. There are others.

·     State Senator George Hooks, a Democrat from Americus just announced that he is not running for reelection, after 32 years. Currently, his 14th senate district composed of 12 rural west Georgia, is the largest in the state. The district includes Dooly, Macon, Marion, Peach, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Upson and Webster counties and portions of Crawford County.

·     There are also two new open Democratic House seats: HD 94 DeKalb/Gwinnett and HD177 Valdosta.

·     Last, but surely not least, is HD151. Gerald E. Green, who currently holds this seat as Republican, and is a traitorous turncoat. He was elected a Democrat, and then switched parties right after he was elected. This district is 53.5% in Democratic voting strength. Step up; we need a REAL Democrat representing us in this seat. So kick off your heels and put on your boots. Let’s kick his butt back home where it belongs.

OK Ladies, these are once in a decade opportunities and each offers a great chance with open Democratic seats ­– that are oh so winnable. Go for it.  If you have any questions you just give me a call 678.775.8946.
 Qualifying dates for candidates are Wednesday, May 23 – till – noon on Friday, May 25th.
 

The 2012 Project - there is a village waiting to help you.

http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/site/pages/2012Project.php

There are a lot of great resources to support your campaign, but most importantly there is a large network of women, who are standing by, ready to help you. You are not going into this alone. We are sisters in solidarity. As my Momma used to say “Many hands make light work.”

One resource, The 2012 Project has assembled a faculty of former elected women legislators to share with you the facts about women's under representation and the many benefits of public service.  Women who are interested in taking the next step toward candidacy will be connected with leadership institutes, think tanks, campaign training programs and fundraising networks designed to help them succeed in their own states.

If you just can’t, I mean really can’t, run for office this time, then ask a woman to run. Women need to be asked to run. Or you can volunteer in a campaign of a woman who is running for office – there are never enough volunteers. If you can’t run, helping a woman who is running, to win, is the next best thing.  Lastly and most importantly, please give money to a woman running for office. Put your pocketbook where your politics are.

We must each do our bit, because if we do, we can make our world saner, safer and fairer. Moreover, we can ensure a brighter future, for our children, and our grandchildren, and beyond.

I leave you with these words from Hillary Rodham Clinton, “I entered this race because I have an old-fashioned conviction: that public service is about helping people solve their problems and live their dreams. I've had every opportunity and blessing in my own life - and I want the same for all Americans. Until that day comes, you will always find me on the front lines of democracy - fighting for the future.”

Take two aspirin between your knees and call a legislator in the morning.

If you woke up the morning after the 2012 legislative session ended, with a head pounding like you had gulped a half bottle of cheap wine the previous evening, I can explain why. Your headaches and heartaches are compliments of our knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing right-wing darlin's down at the Capitol.  

Once again, these Neanderthals have bopped Georgia women over the head with a club, and dragged them by the hair back into the man cave. Or, as they like call it, "The Gold Dome".  That dragging by the hair always creates one heck of a headache.  

But I reckon we ladies should feel real special. Here we are in a bad economic times, Georgia still has one of the highest unemployment rates, with foreclosures to match; yet these boys worried themselves silly about our female plumbing. Your private pubic parts are now out in the public domain without a fig leaf.  

Bless their hearts, it seems to me as if these good ole boys have a bad case of vagina envy. Mix that with the fact they are problem-solving adverse, and you get to why we have bills like HB954.    

Sadly, HB954 was passed in the last few minutes of the legislative session. (Remember, I warned you it was the sneakiest day of the session.)  The keep-'em-barefoot-and-pregnant mentality remains oh-so alive and well in Georgia. Makes you proud doesn’t it?  


But the War-on-Women is no joke or slogan. Unfortunately, it is not even an exaggeration.     Well folks, we can sit back and say, "Woe is me", or we can stand up straight, square our shoulders, and say not only No, but "Hell No!”     We must channel our anger, frustration and just damn disbelief, into real and overwhelming action. So, first things first. 


HB954 – now lies squarely in the hands of Governor Deal. If he signs it, HB954 will become the law. If he doesn’t sign it, HB954 will be toast.    We must marshal all our friends, all our family members, our neighbors, our doctors, colleagues and anybody else we can think of, to make an all-out effort to persuade Governor Deal not to sign this terrible bill into law.

Even if you called the Governor during the session, you need to call again; because this is a very different message. The fate of HB954 is now in Governor Deal's hands, and his hands only.

This is our most immediate last hope. So focus once again, right now, like a duck on a June bug, get your "peeps" to call the Governor. Make no mistake, these individual calls are extremely important, and can be very effective. They need to know we are watching and we are politically savvy, not to mention mad as Hell.   


It is important to recognize and remember that the rest of our fine state of Georgia is not representative of what we see up at the Capitol. Goodness, if it was, I would have packed up and been gone a long time ago. 


Georgia’s good ole boy legislators like to treat us voters, and especially women, like mushrooms – keep ‘em in the dark and feed 'em crap. I have, however, been heartened by the number of men who have made calls on our behalf, fathers, husbands, brothers, sons, and others. Moreover, I've received emails and phone calls from all across this state – Albany, Clayton, Gainesville, Athens, Augusta and Savannah to name a few – thanking us for giving them a heads-up about these goings-on at the Capitol. So keep up the good work and keep spreading the word.   

Call Governor Deal NOW and say – Don’t sign HB 954 into law!   404.656.1776.

For being such good foot soldiers in this war on women, I offer you this bonus: “Dweeby” Doug McKillip’s cell number.   706-340-4102.  Right this minute give him a call too, and "thank him" for giving us that lousy HB954.  It will feel soooo good.  

But be sure to call him NOW! He'll likely change his number when he learns we have it, him being the skittish paper tiger he is. 

Onward!