14 Americans killed in 2 Afghan helicopter crashes

This is a result of the ill-fated War on Drugs - an absolutely criminal use of U.S. Troops in another deadly and losing effort.

Bring them home.

NOTE: The following was emailed to me by a friend. We have yet to ascertain attribution so the author or source remain anonymous.

“If a conservative reads this, he'll forward it so his friends can have a good laugh. A liberal will delete it because he's 'offended'."

"If a conservative doesn't like guns, he doesn't buy one. If a liberal
doesn't like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.

If a conservative is a vegetarian, he doesn't eat meat. If a liberal
is a vegetarian, he wants all meat products banned for everyone.

If a conservative sees a foreign threat, he thinks about how to defeat
his enemy. A liberal wonders how to surrender gracefully and still
look good.

If a conservative is homosexual, he quietly leads his life. If a
liberal is homosexual, he demands legislated respect.

If a black man or Hispanic are conservative, they see themselves as
independently successful. Their liberal counterparts see themselves as
victims in need of government protection.

If a conservative is down-and-out, he thinks about how to better his
situation. A liberal wonders who is going to take care of him.

If a conservative doesn't like a talk show host, he switches channels.
Liberals demand that those they don't like be shut down.

If a conservative is a non-believer, he doesn't go to church. A
liberal non-believer wants any mention of God and religion silenced.
(Unless it's a foreign religion, of course!)

If a conservative decides he needs health care, he goes about shopping
for it, or may choose a job that provides it. A liberal demands that
the rest of us pay for his.

If a conservative slips and falls in a store, he gets up, laughs and
is embarrassed. If a liberal slips and falls, he grabs his neck, moans
like he's in labor and then sues.

If a conservative reads this, he'll forward it so his friends can have
a good laugh. A liberal will delete it because he's 'offended'." 

Conservative vs. Liberal - We might add that Conservative women look like Carrie Prejean and Sarah Palin. Liberal women look like Madeleine Albright and Hillary Clinton.

Like other metro counties, Fulton is now facing the hard facts of declining revenues in a recession and the tough choices to be made as a result.

Fulton County's been living off a budget surplus but by the end of the year, it will be gone leaving the county with a $27.1 million gap. The county started the year with a $59.7 million surplus. The county's 2009 projected expenditures is $665.8 million.

So far, Fulton commissioners have maintained the 2008 millage rate which was doable since at the time the county had a surplus..That's gone now.

With the county on a calendar year budget, Commissioners will release a proposed 2010 spending plan Dec. 15. Department heads are being asked to explain with 5 percent and 10 percent cuts would do to their operations.

The Gwinnett County Commission, when faced with a budget shortfall, made deep cuts in county services despite howls of protest from some residents. But they chose to make spending cuts rather than raise property taxes.

Fulton County joins the state and other county and city governments in having to make spending cuts. Cutting government spending is always good for taxpayers in any economic environment. That it's necessary now isn't bad news. Would that the commissioners might even take a look at their own $3.2 million budget and find a dollar or two they can live without.

Next year's gubernatorial election will be the first since 1998 without an incumbent on the ballot. And in 1998, one of those non incumbent candidates - Roy Barnes - was elected and then defeated in his bid for a second term for by Sonny Perdue.

Recently, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution featured an op-ed piece, “Political Memo for Georgia Democrats.” The author, Howard Franklin - a self-described “Red Clay Democrat” - is a supporter of the former Democratic Governor Roy Barnes.

“It’s been 11 years since a non incumbent Georgia Democrat won a statewide election. But former Gov. Roy Barnes hopes to change that in 2010. Now, more than ever, Democrats must seize this opportunity and cultivate fertile ground for statewide victories - for Barnes and for down-ballot Democrats to follow...”

Mr. Franklin then proceeds to outline “five things [Georgia Democrats] must do to win beyond the 2010 primaries.”

“1. Present an attractive Democratic brand to voters: …Unifying policy positions to win over moderate and independent voters.”

“2. Acknowledge the role of race in politics: ... Democrats must put aside identity politics.”

“3. Avoid costly primary battles: ...Bloody primary battles jeopardize statewide elections”

“4. Run strong everywhere: Recruit good candidates across the state.”

“5. Lure working-class white men back: They have left the party in droves, taking their moderating sensibilities with them.”

Sage advice from Mr. Franklin but Democrats are probably poised - again - not to heed the advice contained in numbers 2 and 5.

Franklin's memo to Georgia Democrats prompts me to offer my own memo to Georgia Republicans.

I've made no secret about being less than enthused with the currently announced same ol', same ol' Republican gubernatorial candidates and I've encouraged Herman Cain to enter the fray. I've also taken to task so called “Family Values” Republicans.

Having written all that, however, Georgia can't afford to go back to a Democrat in the governor's mansion. 2002 was a watershed year in our politics when voters elected the first Republican gubernatorial candidate in 135 years, Sonny Perdue.

So, paraphrasing Mr. Franklin's five points, here are five things Georgia Republicans “must do to win beyond the 2010 primaries.”

1. Present an attractive [Republican] brand to voters: We've made remarkable progress since 2002 practicing the virtues of low taxes and fiscal restraint. This is a patented Republican brand and the party should never, ever stray from it.

2. Acknowledge the role of race in politics: Identity politics - including playing the race card - is not a Republican problem. A third of Democratic Primary voters are African-American and they vote overwhelmingly Democratic in the General Election. While that won't change in 2010, Republicans must continue to preach the gospel of opportunity, limited government and individual freedom to Black and Hispanic voters.

3. [Can't] avoid costly primary battles: Unless there's a consensus candidate emerges - as Barnes is likely to be in the Democratic Primary - a costly Republican Primary battle looms.

4. Run strong everywhere: There's no dearth of good Republican candidates which is one reason the state legislature is now in Republican hands.

5. [Keep] working-class white men: There's no chance of losing white men BUT Republicans must appeal to Independents and avoid party hardliners on such issues as Sunday alcohol sales.

Th Georgia electorate - within a few points - is almost evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans. Each can generally count on a base of about 43% of the General Election vote. The rest comes from Independents and Libertarians.

This is why number 5 is so critical to Republican fortunes in 2010. The electorate is more diverse now and is also less wedded to party affiliation or loyalty. Republicans cannot elect a candidate who ignores this.

While Republicans may be gleeful about a possible rematch with “King Roy” Barnes next fall, he'll be a formidable and resourceful challenger. If there's a Republican Primary brawl resulting in a bloody runoff - similar to the Democrats self-destructing primary battle in 2006 - the Republican nominee will face a tough General Election fight.

Here's an update on five items from last month's First Edition of “The Georgia Follies:”

> With Governor Sonny Perdue term limited from seeking re-election next year, there's already talk about what he plans to do. Insiders now say the governor's first priority is signing a book deal about his accomplishments after he leaves office next year. Reportedly, the governor has already sent his publisher a draft copy of several hundred blank pages.

> Atlanta and Fulton County residents were not happy to learn that the kidnapped city council and county commission had been released by their ski mask-wearing abductors, brandishing “Mad As Hell” buttons. The freed council and commission members vowed to levy a heavy tax on the undisclosed solid waste dump site where they were found.

> The same abductors also released members of the Georgia General Assembly after holding them captive in the state state capitol until they successfully completed an intensive Literacy Action tutorial. Since none could do so, the kidnappers gave each legislator McGuffey's Readers and let them go. Most of the lawmakers returned to their kindergarten classrooms.

> The Real Housewives of Atlanta ended their limited engagement at Zoo Atlanta. An estimated crowd of less than twenty came to see the housewives.. Some of the onlookers threw peanuts at Kandi, Sheree, NeNe, Kim and Lisa. The five are now set for a stint at a local Unitarian church which will feature the fab five pole dancing and giving dramatic readings from The National Enquirer and Paris Hilton's blogs.

> It's duly noted here that the “ex-fiance” of one of the housewives died after being in a brawl at a strip bar, the Body Tap Club. We need make no further comment.

And the last update,

> Tommy Irvin, the longest serving Commissioner of Agriculturein the United
States as well as the longest serving statewide official in Georgia, is said to be close to deciding whether or not he'll seek re-election next year. Observers say Irwin will make an announcement as soon as he hears from General Lee on the specific terms of surrender signed at Appomattox Courthouse.

> “Carter to celebrate 85th birthday with library re-opening,” so says the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, “by hosting the grand re-opening of the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum in Atlanta.” Carter himself is expected to be the first live exhibit in the museum's “Ash Bin of History” section, under Failed Presidents and Outrageous Comments from Same.

> “King siblings given less than a week to reconcile,” so says another AJC headline about the ongoing legal battle - about money - involving the children of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A court insider said one of the settlement issues remains problematic - the ability of any of the siblings to get a real job.

> The newsstand price of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is now $1.00. Some of the dwindling number of readers wondered if they can now afford to purchase liner for their cat litter boxes.

> The Atlanta Thrashers, among the worst ever NHL teams, was sold recently for an undisclosed sum. The new owners, Professional Sports Illusions, Inc., want to move the franchise out of Atlanta. Mississippi said no thanks but Belorussia and Georgia (the other one) expressed interest.

> Emory University was closed again today because of continued massive student strikes led by Jimmy Carter, the Dia Lama and Salman Rushdie. Among other demands, the students - many with New Jersey license plates - are calling for the construction of a chapel like a Coca-Cola bottle, extension of the afternoon cocktail hour and seven day a week maid service.

> And news from another campus: Georgia State University, has added several other offenses - in addition to incidents of racism, sexism and homophobia - students can report to the hotline number (404)PCU--TELL. The new reportable hotline offenses are inappropriate laughter, actually reading a book and use of the words “conservative,” “Anglo-Saxon” or uttering the name Sarah Palin.

> And from the Georgia Tech campus: the crime plagued area around Tech saw three students robbed at gunpoint on Hemphill Avenue where several students have been robbed in recent months. Gun control advocates were horrified when told the NRA was headed to Tech to distribute a trunk load of free of handguns to students. Before reaching campus, the vehicle was carjacked on North Avenue.

Squabbling King siblings to meet.

>The children of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are in court with their ongoing legal battle about money .These greedy, tasteless siblings, of little accomplishment, are an ongoing embarrassment to their father's legacy.

The “Real Housewives of Atlanta.”

And speaking of embarrassing!

Fulton County cities dominate crime list.

> Of the ten metro Atlanta cities with the highest crime in 2008, half of them are in Fulton County Here's the list by ranking, based on data of all crimes per 10,000 citizens: College Park (#1); Atlanta (#2); East Point (#4); Forest Park (#5) and Fairburn (#8).

Study of APD shows status quo as crime rises.

> And speaking of crime, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution did an analysis of the APD and concludes that “City leaders fiddle as crime fears flare.”

> And here's a recent example of APD priorities:

APD criticized for raid on gay bar.

> An armada of APD cops, detectives and a squad of the Red Dog unit stormed an Atlanta gay bar recently looking for drugs and illegal sexual activity. They found neither but arrested several employees and handcuffed some patrons while making all of them lie on the floor while being searched. The incident has raised questions about the over zealous police tactics. A local neighborhood group said they had never received any complaints about the bar. With the recent sharp increase in home invasions, smash and grabs, car jackings and break-ins, robberies, thefts, shootings killing and muggings, questions have been raised about the use of scarce police resources in such an operation.

Openly gay candidate for Atlanta mayor

> And speaking of gays, Kyle Kessler, co-founder of Atlantans Together Against Crime, is running for mayor. The 35-year-old anti-crime activist, bolstered by the voice of 10,000 members of ATAC, said he is uneasy about what the impending city election has to offer thus far. Kessler joins attorney Jesse Spikes in the mayor's race as the other non politician campaigning for Atlanta's top job. Both are expected to pull enough votes of neighborhood residents where ATAC is active and from voters looking for a new face to help guarantee a runoff between the better known and financed top contenders.

Atlanta mayor's race headed for runoff in black and white.

> The polls and conventional wisdom say Councilwoman Mary Norwood will finish first but face a runoff most likely with council president Lisa Borders. Race has already raised its ugly head in the campaign for Atlanta mayor and no doubt it will again, polarizing the city.

“You Lie” flap draws Jimmy Carter comments.

> Georgia's native son ex-president said Rep. Joe Wilson's (R-SC) “You Lie” outburst during President Obama's speech to Congress was“based on racism.” Pluheeze. Disrespectful? Yes. But racist? No. He went on to say that there’s “an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president,” and “that feeling drives some of the anti-Obama dissent.” Old Soldiers Just Fade Away...it's past time that Carter just fade away.

“You Lie” flap draws Congressman Johnson comments.

> Georgia Fourth District Congressman Hank Johnson boarded Carter's racism train with his comments that “You Lie” shows us that racism is now out in the open and that he expects KKK “white hoods and suits” will be “riding through the country intimidating people...We will have people with white hoods running through the countryside again.” Johnson's remarks make his half-baked predecessor, Cynthia McKinney, seem almost tame in comparison.

Not in my backyard, Commissioner Oxendine.

> Insurance Commissioner and Republican gubernatorial candidate John Oxendine has proposed a “parallel connector,” a 15 mile route starting north of Atlanta and traveling south connecting with I-20 and then I-285. Problem is the plan would cut though some of the city's cherished neighborhoods and that's got residents all riled up. Oxendine doesn't expect many votes from that quarter but it's a good political pitch to Republican strongholds north of the city where expanded highway access southwards is seen as a good thing.