SWGA Politics

ATLANTA – Last week, State Representative Matt Ramsey (R-Peachtree City) introduced the “Illegal Immigration Reform Enforcement Act of 2011,” or HB 87. The Libertarian Party of Georgia opposes the bill, citing the huge cost to enforce it even though the General Assembly is tasked with a nearly $2 billion budget crisis. They also say that the bill could have catastrophic effects on the economic well-being of the state, as well as in the lives of its residents if passed.

As proposed, HB 87 would make criminals of many otherwise law abiding Georgians trying to make a living. The bill makes it a criminal offense by merely “encouraging” an illegal immigrant to enter the state. It also allows almost any citizen to bring a lawsuit against any business, local or State government agency or official by just accusing them of violating immigration law. Further, HB 87 burdens every employer doing business in Georgia with using the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify system.

“As it is written, this bill will have a tremendous impact on the every day lives of all Georgians and will cost the State quite a bit of money defending it from the several lawsuits already planned,” says Libertarian Party of Georgia Legislative Director Jeff Sexton. “We are calling on Representatives to truly get serious about immigration, and enact genuine reform that respects the rights of all individuals.”

One other aspect troubling the Libertarian Party of Georgia is the provision within that allows law enforcement officers to indefinitely detain anyone unable to provide their driver’s license or other “proof” document. HB 87 allows for anyone forgetting their driver’s license to be jailed even after release would normally be required without probable cause. It also re-introduces the secure and verifiable document issue, something that has landed the state in the courts as a defendant for the way Georgia tried to use it in election law… another action that could cost the state significant legal bills to defend.

“This bill is a reaction to a poor national immigration policy, and it acts to treat a symptom, rather than cure the underlying illness. That illness is the cost of the welfare state, and neither Democrats nor Republicans are willing to address it,” explained Brett Bittner, the Party’s Executive Director. “Instead, they’ve politicized the immigration issue to the point that we can no longer have a discussion about a solution that works for every Georgian.”

“Our main economic engines, agriculture, poultry, and manufacturing, will be hit hardest by the proposed legislation,” Bittner says further. “They will find themselves with an increased cost of labor and compliance, or they will simply close up shop, because the arduous regulations are simply too much.”

Currently, HB 87 has been placed in the House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee, chaired by HB 87 co-sponsor Rep Rich Golick (R-Smyrna), where it is scheduled to have a hearing this Friday, February 4, at 9:30am. Others listed as co-sponsors include Katie Dempsey (R-Rome), Rick Austin (R-Demorest), Stephen Allison(R-Blairsville), and Edward Lindsey (R-Atlanta).

The Libertarian Party is Georgia’s third largest political party and the only party in Georgia promoting fewer taxes, less government and personal liberty for all Georgians. To learn more, please visit www.LPGeorgia.com

ATLANTA – In his inaugural speech, Governor Nathan Deal addressed an issue that the Libertarian Party of Georgia has long been aware of, the unusually high number of residents currently tracked by the Department of Corrections. “One out of every 13 Georgia residents is under some form of correctional control,” said Deal, adding that the total operational cost of the Georgia Department of Corrections is approximately $3 million a day. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the state of Georgia has about 53,000 residents currently in jail, and 1,500 of those have a prevailing offense of possession of methamphetamine, crack, or cocaine. Reducing the number of nonviolent drug offenders currently in the state’s custody would dramatically reduce the operating costs of the corrections department.

The program the Governor has in mind to reduce these numbers is an expansion of the state’s 28 drug courts, one of which his son, Hall County Superior Court Judge Jason Deal, is in charge of. While it is true that the operating costs of the drug courts are drastically lower than the operating costs of processing the same offenders in the state’s prisons (a report from the Department of Audits in 2005 lists that savings as $10,293 per individual), the expansion of the courts themselves is an expansion of the state’s government, an expansion that would cost money to establish, and one that the Libertarian Party of Georgia opposes.

“Decriminalization of simple possession of marijuana does not equate to legalizing the substance,” explained the Libertarian Party of Georgia’s Executive Director, Brett Bittner. “Decriminalization would be treated by our legal system in a manner similar to a speeding ticket, where the offender, possessing less than a predetermined limit, would be required to pay a fine before his or her court date. The removal of six words from Georgia’s Official Code would keep officers from arresting those in possession, judges from adjudicating bail hearings, county jails from being overrun with those who await trial, and allow the police, courts, and prisons to do what they were designed to do, which is find and keep the violent criminals behind bars.”

Reducing the number of Georgia residents behind bars for nonviolent offenses is a move the Libertarian Party supports, but not in a way that expands the current reach of the state’s government. Their position is that decriminalization would be more effective in that reduction, while also reducing costs as well as the size and scope of government in the state.

The Libertarian Party is Georgia’s third largest political party and the only party in Georgia promoting fewer taxes, less government and personal liberty for all Georgians. To learn more, please visit www.LPGeorgia.com

Contact: Greta Langhenry
Communications Director
The Libertarian Party of Georgia
(404) 590 – 1109
Greta.Langhenry@LPGeorgia.com

Dear Friends,

Today a friend shared with me some interesting reading. I just saw
copies of the latest campaign contributions given to my opponent, the
lobbyist, Gary Black. Frankly, it is frightening. He shows big steady
flows of cash coming in from exactly the same people he will be in
charge of regulating, if he is elected. Hundreds of thousands of
dollars from big corporate donors are flowing in to Lobbyist Black.
Big money wants him to run the Department for them.

Do we want his lobbyist crony’s to run our Department of Agriculture?
Do we trust our food safety to lobbyists? To political hacks? To
Monsanto? That is where we are headed if we don’t decide now to stop
Black. Stop the lobbyists, NOW!

We’ve got just 3 days and it will be over. We’ve got 3 days to
allow a life-long conservative farmer to do the people’s work at our
Department of Agriculture. Or, if we aren’t careful, in 3 days the
inmates will be running the asylum! Black’s slick corporate buddies
will have what they have been working toward for years!

This is our last best chance to tell the Lobbyist Gary Black NO! The
Department of Agriculture is not for sale!

Stop The Lobbyist! Stop Black! Support Darwin Carter!

Regards,

Darwin Carter

Darwin Carter was asked by President Ronald Reagan to open international trade routes for U.S. beef and for 8 years he did just that. Darwin was raised on a farm and has worked in agriculture most of his life. In the lat 70s, he was not afraid of confronting President Jimmy Carter (no relation!) for the farmers of Georgia and helped organize and lead a 20,000 rolling tractor motorcade to then-President Carter’s home in Plains, Georgia. He was fearless in the defense of farmers then and he’ll be a staunch defender of the citizens and farmers of this state. Let’s give him our vote.

COLUMBUS, GA – Rick Allen recently unveiled his new website in the final days of the race to show the voters of the Second Congressional District that he is serious about the race in Southwest Georgia and the goal of defeating Sanford Bishop in November.

“We‟ve been working on this new design for the past month and we‟re glad to see it finally completed,” says candidate Rick Allen. “We‟ve been putting the finishing touches on it for the past few days and now we‟re ready to launch it just as these last minute voters begin their research of the candidates.”

With only four days until Election Day, the trends in the district show much support drifting towards the Allen campaign with new donations and volunteers coming in every day. This website is just another product of the hard work of the people working for Allen.

“Without a doubt, it is the volunteers that gave us the ability to do this. Without these volunteers, we would not have any money, any name recognition, or any momentum whatsoever,” says Allen. “All I can do is say „thank you‟ to the citizens of Southwest Georgia for their continued help and support as we move into the final days of the campaign.”

The Allen campaign has spent the last days of the race participating in forums, debates, and attending various speaking events. Allen has also hosted his own, “Tea Party to Go Tour” to meet with voters as they go about their day.

“I think that if one thing is clear, it is this: we have the support and momentum to take on Sanford Bishop in November. With our new website, a solid Jobs Plan, our outreach to everyday voters, and the overall anti-incumbent mood in the region, we can win in July and we can win in November.”

You can find out more about Rick Allen and his campaign for Congress in Georgia‟s Second Congressional District at www.RickAllenForCongress.com.

The State of Georgia Tea Party, LLC certifies the rankings for the 2nd Congressional District of Georgia race as performed by the independent rating agency Elect the Right Candidate.  (http://electtherightcandidate.us/ETRC/GA_2.html)  Elect the Right Candidate scores candidates for federal and state office based upon their knowledge of the United States Constitution and the application of that knowledge in performing the job of a United States Congressman, United States Senator, Governor, or Attorney General. Continue reading GA Tea Party, LLC certifies candidate in GA-2 race

COLUMBUS, GA – Rick Allen recently announced the “Jobs Plan for Southwest Georgia” which outlined the eight major problems that the country and the Second Congressional District are facing and presented eight “common sense” solutions to address these issues.

“For far too long, elected officials have been reelected without presenting new solutions to the issues that the people are facing,” says candidate Rick Allen. “We’re sick and tired of the same old Washington agenda and we’re ready for a change.”

The plan, which is comprised of ideas from small business owners, teachers, construction workers, and everyday people with ordinary jobs, was presented as a way to show the people of Southwest Georgia that Allen is committed to creating jobs while reducing the amount of government in the lives of the people.

“People always say that actions speak louder than words. Now I’ve unveiled a Jobs Plan, which is something that none of my opponents can claim to have done. I’m committed to the people of Southwest Georgia and I’m ready to get to work.”

This is the first of many concepts and ideas that are being presented by the Allen campaign. As more and more people begin branding him as the “solutions candidate,” he looks to continue meeting with the people of Southwest Georgia to find new ways to make the government smaller and more efficient.

“Of course this is not the last idea you’ll hear from my campaign! We’re planning on releasing more ideas that have come from the heart of this district, the working class, to continue this campaign. We’re ready to work all the way up to July 20th, and if the people decide that they like what they see from us, we’ll continue on until the general election to see Sanford Bishop unseated.”

You can find out more about Rick Allen and his campaign for Congress in Georgia’s Second Congressional District at www.RickAllenForCongress.com.

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The press release and full Jobs Plan for Southwest Georgia can be found here.