Politics Local and National

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Georgia Out Front with Senate Bill 10 and SB 39

Senate Bill 10

Voucher program for children with physical, emotional or developmental disabilities in public schools...

www.unionsentinel.com/news/2007/0510/Front_Page/002.html

Historic education laws passed in Ga.
By STATE SEN. CHIP PEARSON

Chip Pearson
After a dramatic debate on the last night of the 2007 session, the Georgia House gave its approval to Senate Bill 10, giving Georgia its first educational voucher program. The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act will allow parents of children with physical, emotional or developmental disabilities in public schools to apply for scholarships for their child's special education, and use it for any other par- ticipating public school or private school that offers a better environment for their child.

Also, SB 39

Another innovative piece of education policy that passed is SB 39, the Charter Systems Act. Lt. Gov. Cagle made improving Georgia's schools a cornerstone of his campaign, and the Senate and House agreed that Georgia students deserve the best our state can offer. SB 39 looks to use charter schools as an avenue for reducing government regulation, and allowing teachers the flexibility to do what is necessary to educate our children. In exchange for this freedom, charter schools must meet certain performance goals as laid out in their charter or contract. These schools previously have existed as traditional public schools (conversion charter schools) or can be new schools created by their charter (start up charter schools).

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Sen. Chip Pearson's Web site:
www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2005_06/senate/pearsonbio.htm

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According to Lamar Paris, money spent on law enforcement is a big part of the County Budget Pie. What do you think about Joe Arpaio's methods and can his ideas prevent crime, especially drug use, a crime that affects any part of the country? How can crime be prevented in Union County?

Please help our law enforcement with your ideas. It is your money that is being spent. This thread is not about Lamar spending money or Law Enforcement's job performance...it's about preventing crime and what citizens can do to support law enforcement. Don't get me wrong the county needs to save money...just become part of the solution and not part of the problem. We need to think out of the box.

Article from American Thinker



www.americanthinker.com/2006/12/sherriff_joe_arpaio.html

Law enforcement is doing a great job in Union County taking the criminals off the street. That is only part of the solution. I don't know what the recidivism rate for drug users is in Union County, but I expect is higher than what Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Phoenix Arizona reports, less than 15%. Here is what American Thinker wrote...

American Thinker had the honor of talking with a man who is a law enforcement legend in his own time: Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County (Phoenix), Arizona, the fourth most populous county in the nation.

Arpaio calls drugs the greatest driver of crime in the nation. With that, he has instituted a program called ALPHA. The drug program for inmates results in a recidivism rate among graduates in the area of only 13-15%. Arpaio also runs a high school/GED program and an English speaking program. "The inmates need to speak English; my guards don't need to speak Spanish. We're in America."

Criticism of his methods (pink underwear for prisoners, summer temps of 115 degrees in the tents, green baloney, etc.), has not softened Arpaio through the years.

"I just get tougher and tougher. I'm tough, but humane. After all the investigations, I'm still here."

With regard to the quality of the food, other prisons in the State and around the nation will average a dollar to a buck and a half per meal. But Arpaio says he doesn't do it to save money...he does cause "the prisoners deserve to be punished."

Voters keep Arpaio office, election after election.

"I work for the people, not a Governor, not a committee, not a bureaucracy. The day I do, is the day I quit."

For Arpaio, crime has no boundaries; no good neighborhoods and no bad neighborhoods. "Because drugs are the primary reason for crime, it can be found anywhere."

The Sheriff receives about 130 media requests per month.

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I think Georgia prisons should start using Mr. Arpaio's methods....sounds like it works!

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What about the alleged abuse and lawsuits due to Joe's program? I don't think a prison should be a hotel for criminals, but as Honeybee has pointed out over in the Lamar forum there are abuses, some have even died due to abuse, according to HB's info. Where do you think the law between abuse and hard on crime should be drawn?

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I don't think prisoner's should be abused at all, but they should not have perk's like nice jail cells, t.v., or gormet food. They should be made to do some kind of "hard labor" every day.

If the lawman from Arizona has contributed to anyone's death he should be investigated throughly and prosecuted, for no one is above the law.

[karmaxtrodinair]

I agree!

If we drag out the abuse and well neglect.. then that would sorta illuminate some of the very long running death sentences.. is that not abuse and neglect.. sounds to me that this man read his history.. and in Texas, is it not still legal that hangings can happen? I don't know whether to tell those sitting on death row for lethal injection or electric chair congrats, at least your neck wont get broke by being hung.. or pity them cause I feel that sitting in prison for the rest of your life is more misery..

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I agree that abusers in law enforcement should be held to a high standard. On the other hand, working within a prison system is not an easy job and sometime extreme measures are necessary to control inmates. In each case the circumstances must be taken into account. I strongly believe deterrence is the key to preventing crime in the first place and preventing the problem of repeat offenders.

Deterrence is the best method for preventing illegal activity. Laws and their associated penalties only deter if three conditions are met:

1. Fear of penalty

2. Probability of getting caught

3. Probability of penalty being administered (The individual must believe that the penalty will in fact be administered)

Sheriff Joe's methods certainly help with point number 1, above. Our local law enforcement is helping with point number 2. The key to point number 3 is education, as well as, points 1 and 2. I read something in the NGN recently (maybe on-line) about random drug testing in the school system. Maybe in addition to drug testing, law enforcement could speak in school programs to help with educating young people. Other programs could be established for adults through churches and civic organizations. Citizens can help with the probability of getting caught through neighborhood watch programs and just being aware of suspicious activity.

[karmaxtrodinair]

Manape, DARE does a lot with the schools.. there are educational programs as well but not all parents and students are aware of a few of those presentations if they are not involved with 21st Century?

Its a highly educated look at our area in specific and what is going on with drugs, how to detect the drugs and what happens to the drug abusers.

The drug testing, I am for.. teen years specially but not excluding the other school age categories.
These are the years where kids develop.. mentally, sociably and morally.. so education is a key in preventing a long list of prison numbers.. not only that but also preventing death and loss in general..

Adults need the education as well.. to know the signs, what to look for and how to prevent as well.. and how to cope should be added too.. a lot of people do not know how to handle talking about drugs to their children.. or to one another..

Scott has put the 10 % turn in phase into mode and so while I see that our law enforcement deserve and I give them full recognition personally..

Your 3 factors Manape ARE roles in which will work.. I agree!

It was thought that the Alternative school here in Bville wouldn't survive,... some even called it a crazy notion.. did you see how many graduated from there?
Its called tough love.. and if it makes bad become good.. or troubled become positive roles..

I do disagree with cruelty.. there are many of many category's of cruelty as well. I will never condone someone who is doing something with the knowledge of hurting another in anyway for pleasure, or gain!

It all depends on intentions..

Is Ole Joe running the system in vain and pleasures, or is he set to make a wrong, right again?

Everyone knows right from wrong.. and the inmates wouldn't be placed behind bars, in situations where they loose their rights to carry firearms, freedom, and loose their right to vote, which makes a difference in this sometimes crazy world.

Everyone has a choice.. and the choice began when they chose to put themselves in the predicament to be placed behind bars of any kind..

Not saying to be inhumane.. but if they deserved perks, and facials, plushness.. they wouldn't be in confinement.

Lots of inmates commit suicide.. a county above our own last year lost a few to suicide while incarcerated in jail.

Someone who can commit suicide first off, has issues beyond another's control or they would not commit it. Add those missing links to crimes and then lay them on another's hands.. its really hard to justify at all.. why it happens? or is it?

Our area could use more and more churches and public programs in regards to protecting and serving our community... education is the best way to grow and learn.

Its when your set you mind that its only a one way street that you keep going past the same things on the road.. sometimes thats OK.. but not in the case of criminals and drugs.

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Karmax, your comments are very good and informative. You make me want to find out more. You have definitely done your homework.

I would like to find out more about DARE and 21 Century. Something I hear about a lot is kids getting involved with the wrong crowd. All young people want to be involved with friends and they will gravitate to the peer group that accepts them. That is just human nature. Education is the key to combat negative peer pressure.

All.
Have a good weekend. I don't know if I will have an Internet connection this weekend or not. Please continue to present your ideas about combating crime and drug prevention. As Karmax says, it is all intentions. I would say as Dr. Wayne Dyer says, "Intention is a powerful force." Peace to all.

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I subscribe to GOPUSA website. I send it to a Yahoo email account, so it doesn't clog up my regular email. It is a good site to see what is going on nationally. Here is the site address

www.gopusa.com/

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Do you think Dems have a fondness for pork? I know what you think about the Local Commish. He is fair game, too. Just try to show us adult comments. Let us know what you think on this forum. Here is what other Repubs think about the Dems, nationally.

www.gopusa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37363

Source of the following blog: www.gopusa.com/theloft/?p=425

Welcome to
The Loft
Check out the full posting below.

>> Recommend to Friend | >> Send comments to The Loft

Dems Use Troops as Pawns for Pork
Posted by Bobby Eberle
March 27, 2007 at 5:37 am
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In one of the more disgusting examples of politicians putting politics over principle, Democrats are loading a bill, which would provide needed supplies for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, with pork barrel projects.

According to a story by AgapePress, the spending bill narrowly passed by the House of Representatives for the funding of the war also “awards more than $13 billion in federal funds to spinach growers, tropical fish breeders, peanut storehouse construction, and livestock programs.”


Brian Riedl, senior budget analyst at the Heritage Foundation, says the Democratic majority is “hijacking the troops for pork” and essentially telling President Bush he cannot supply the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan unless he agrees to fund special projects in the senators’ home states.

Luckily, this same spending bill is the one in which the Democrats set deadlines for U.S. troops withdrawal from Iraq. President Bush has said this bill has no chance of becoming law. As Riedl explains, “Some of the more liberal members who want an immediate pullout basically had to be bought off with subsidies such as money for spinach growers and citrus growers.”

In the 2006 elections, one of the reasons voters rejected Republicans was because they thought that the “party of reform” had become the “party of corruption.” Hopefully, it won’t take voters long to realize that for a while, Republicans may have lost their way, but the Democrats have never been on the right path. Their left-wing agenda is what drives them, and their fondness for pork and political pay-offs will hopefully be their undoing.

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It is old news about Charlie Norwood, but who will be on the ballot and how can we find out about them?

www.unionsentinel.com/news/2007/0308/Opinion/011.html

LETTERS

A first in Georgia politics

To the Editor:

The non-partisan special election to pick a successor to recently deceased Charlie Norwood, US Representative for Georgia's 10thDistrict, is scheduled for June 19th. Since it is a special non-partisan election, Democrats and Republicans will not hold primary elections to determine which single Republican and which single Democrat will appear on the ballot; instead, there are likely to be several Republicans and several Democrats on the ballot.

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Ok. What's congress doing to us? Do you think Congress should leave engineering to the engineers? I got this message from GOPUSA.

Tell Congress to Vote NO on Extreme New Mileage Restrictions
Visit www.FreeMyRide.org and let your voice be heard!

Right now Congress is working to impose extreme new mileage regulations on auto manufacturers. This misguided legislation will have strong and long-lasting negative consequences on consumers like you. Studies have shown that the new regulations will:

Reduce power, utility and speed of work vehicles, especially pickup trucks
Increase the cost of new vehicles by thousands of dollars
Endanger countless American lives on the highway
Lead to the loss of thousands of manufacturing jobs in this country
Take Action at FreeMyRide.org Today!

Congress needs to hear from people like you who care about their cars, trucks and SUV’s. Let your elected officials in Washington know they should oppose any extreme new fuel regulations that will threaten our economy and result in more expense, smaller and less safe vehicles on the road.

Engineers, not politicians, should design cars and trucks and you know far better than Congress what type of vehicle meets you and your family’s needs. We need to let Congress know the market, not mandate, should dictate what cars, trucks and SUV’s Americans buy.

To learn more about these extreme fuel regulations and to send an email to your Senator, visit www.FreeMyRide.org.

www.FreeMyRide.org

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What got me interested in politics was the study of ethics in business. What do you think about Jefferson and his problems with ethics and how do you think the GOP is improving ethical behavior in politics?

www.gopusa.com/theloft/?p=470

What others are saying.
www.gopusa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39334

“Cold Cash” Jefferson and the ethics of the Democrat-led Congress
Posted by Greg Reeson
June 5, 2007 at 3:02 pm
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Now that Representative William Jefferson, (D-LA) has been indicted on 16 alleged violations of federal law, including charges of racketeering, soliciting bribes and money-laundering, I have to wonder if Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi will honor her pledge to make this a “more ethical” Congress?