SWGA Politics » Albany Herald

And just how do they expect to do that?

Tom — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:00:40 +0000

As one of the ten poorest communities according to Forbes is hardly something to be proud of. Granted, we made Forbes, but not in any way we would actually want. Our poverty level is way, way to high and I know of no one who actually thinks this is a good thing. The Albany Herald’s Editorial Board doesn’t think so either, but they seem to get a few things backwards.

The Editorial Board seems to feel that we have to address poverty first if we want growth in Albany, saying “If we want to improve our area’s work force and standard of living, if we want to attract new businesses and residents, the problem of poverty has to be addressed.” Really? Well…how in the hell do you think you can address poverty without growth first?

The problem in Albany is multifold. We have a relatively low literacy rate which doesn’t help and obviously needs to be addressed before any growth can actually happen. But after that, one of the biggest issues is a lack of good paying jobs. To address poverty in Albany, you need jobs that pay more and you need enough of them to drive up the average per capita income above the $21,000 per year reported by Forbes.

For those keeping score at home, the poverty level is $20,000 per year.

To me, the Herald is arguing that poverty has to go away before we can attract new jobs. Isn’t that kind of a “chicken and the egg” argument? I mean, with that logic, Albany’s screwed. We can’t attracted new jobs due to poverty, but we’ll never really eliminate poverty without new jobs. But, is that really the case?

We can argue until we’re blue in the face about what kind of jobs we need, or what all needs to be done to attract them, but most of us seem to agree that new jobs can be attracted…and it seems like the Herald is the only ones who think that poverty is keeping new employers away. Poor communities have pulled themselves out of poverty before, and we can as well. But not with platitudes claiming that “poverty” is keeping us down.

Poverty is a state of being that is only as permenant as one wants it to be. No one who is physically and mentally capable - and I mean no one – stays in poverty if they truly don’t want to be in poverty. I know. I was there myself. I had relatives bringing my family groceries because we couldn’t afford them ourselves. And yet, I got out of that not by being especially gifted or by being especially motivated. I just didn’t want to live like that…so I changed my situation.

But being in “poverty” didn’t keep me down, it was me that kept me there in the first place and it was me that got me out of that life. Pretending otherwise is nothing more than a way to excuse those who would rather make excuses than make things happen in their life. Trust me, it doesn’t require a degree in rocket science to make it happen either…just desire.

The Albany Herald Gets a New Website

Jeff — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:18:45 +0000

Just when I was starting to get used to the layout they had after their most recent change several months ago, they go out and redesign. They maintained their traditional color scheme and pop-up nav, but brought much of the site more inline with current web themes.

Overall, I think I’ll grow to like it.

But there is a slight problem for us… with this redesign, they are redoing all of their links… meaning many of our links out to them will probably no longer work. I plan on updating the 2010 Campaigns page today, but after that (which may take a while), I’ll need to get to fixing those links – and I could use your help.

If you don’t mind helping me, I would really appreciate it if you could go back as far as you wish into this site and put in the comments here any article that has a link to the Herald. Even if you don’t know how to put the actual link here, if you can give me the title of the post I can find it. I’ll then try to find the corresponding article on the Herald’s new site and fix it.

Thanks!!

I guess they’re talking about us

Tom — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:00:41 +0000

In today’s Albany Herald, the editorial contains the following paragraphs:

And those negatives will have to be overcome through a concerted, honest effort. Economic Development Commission Chairman Bobby McKinney noted that those who are promoting Albany are being “out-blogged” on the Internet by detractors.

Some new – and old – media are suspect in the way they cloak opinion as fact and attempt to draw attention and a sense of self-importance to themselves. But the best approach to creating an accurate picture of the community is not to worry about the unfairness, but to acknowledge the blemishes and aggressively point out the many good qualities of Albany and Dougherty County.

Now, the mentions of new media and blogging leaves me with one inescapable conclusion: They’re talking about us.

However, they’re missing something here. We “detractors” aren’t detracting Albany. Personally, I’ve been detracting what I perceive as a waste of money toward certain parts of town in an effort to make them something they aren’t rather than embracing what the market has given them and work with that. However, if they are talking about us (and I’ll be the first to admit that there may be some other blog out there that they’re talking about other than us…but I haven’t heard of it), then maybe they should think about something for just a second.

You see, I’m just a guy who has live in Albany for the vast majority of my life. I’m a smart guy, but not a genius. I have a family and feel I’m representative of a significant portion of Albany’s citizenry. And, despite the Heralds comments to the contrary, anything and everything you read is probably my opinion unless I’m drawing from another source…and I tell you when I do that. But my opinion does matter…as should every citizens. It’s not self importance, it’s expecting to be taken seriously as a taxpayer.

The idea of “we’re all in this together” is fine and dandy, and I don’t mean any sarcasm. However, will that be how it really works? Or will it translate to “shut up and do what we say”? I ask, because that’s what usually happens. If we’re all in this together, and I think ultimately we are, then perhaps it’s time to at least give some discussion to ideas that didn’t spring forth from these supposed “leaders” who are complaining about being “out-blogged”.

Blogs only can function because people read and listen to what is said. If we, or any blog, is “out-blogging” these leaders then perhaps they haven’t been able to convince people that there way is right. Now, they can always assume that those who are unconvinced are so because of a mental deficiency, but that wouldn’t be very productive, now would it? How about just trying to convince us with facts that this is the right way?

I find no fault with the great parts of Albany that the Herald mentions in their editorial. Those are great things. But without efforts to clean up all the rest, the things I’ve focused on which apparently label me as a “detractor”, they’re not worth spit in helping Albany move forward. If these leaders believe otherwise, then give me a shout. Our contact page will send me an email. Just ask for me and give me a phone number and a name and I’ll be happy to arrange something. I’ll give you the chance.

But don’t expect me just to go along because you want it. If you want a community of sheep, that’s great. But it ain’t gonna happen while I’m living here.

The Crux Of The Problem

Jeff — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 10:20:08 +0000

is that too many people think that it is perfectly acceptable for government to do things which it has no Constitutional basis doing.

For example, in yesterday’s Albany Herald, the Editorial Board says “Once you get past the argument of whether the government should even be doing this sort of thing, it makes sense.”

The problem is, government exists for certain extremely limited situations, and nothing more. Those situations are things that the individual CANNOT do for himself. Things like a court system for redress of grievances against a neighbor or other party, national defense from foreign invasion, even things like roads to connect places with other places.

But the Herald’s editorial board isn’t talking about any of those issues, or even similar ones such as water and libraries.

The Herald is talking about ‘Cash for Clunkers’, the Federal program that gives people $4500 to trade in their old ‘clunker’ for a newer, more ‘efficient’ model. They could just as well be talking about government-forced insurance, killing the elderly or infirm because saving them doesn’t meet the threshold of some cost/benefit analysis, killing the unborn or recently born over population control concerns, PATRIOT Act, No Child Left Behind, or any number of other programs that are NOT government’s concern.

After all, “Once you get past the argument of whether the government should even be doing this sort of thing, [any of the above] makes sense.”

Quite simply, we here at SWGAPolitics.com will NEVER get past the argument of whether government should even be doing something it should not be doing, and if the Libertarian Party ever gets past that argument, I will leave that Party just as fast as I left the GOP when I finally realized THEY had gotten past that argument.

Albany Herald Calls for More Drug Banning

Jeff — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:33:54 +0000

Waking up and reading the morning paper is a true American tradition, and on I take part in every morning – online. Reading through this morning’s articles on AlbanyHerald.com, I came across this editorial piece with the disingenuous headline ‘Let Jackson Rest In Peace’.

I say disingenuous because while the article did talk about the hype surrounding Michael Jackson’s death, its main point was about the ‘positive lasting benefit’ his death may have:

The US Government may ban/regulate yet another drug.

As if we aren’t providing gang-bangers and Mexican drug cartels with enough profit centers already, the Herald wants us to provide them with yet another drug they can use to make money to wage war on our streets.

I should note here that I absolutely do not condone the usage of illegal drugs in any way so long as they remain illegal – even while I push for their legalization.

That said, we have already seen the failure of the Drug War, and its only lasting contribution to society will be the gangs.

Quite simply, so long as a person is only harming themselves by ingesting a harmful substance – such as cocaine, meth, propofol, sildenafil citrate, alcohol, and tobacco, among SEVERAL others – they should be allowed to do so, it is their God-given freedom to be an idiot and control their own bodies however they see fit.

Many of you reading this are going to bring up crimes and/or children.

On the children front, a) there is nothing so bad that it cannot be overcome save death and b) surely there is some caring adult around them that will work with the child to mitigate their parents’ destructive behavior. I know from personal experience with a cousin that family will step in to help the kids. I also know from personal experience with an aunt that sometimes those kids are the only things that help addicts truly kick their habit. Call me naive if you wish, but I truly believe in hope in ALL situations, even those that seem genuinely hopeless.

On the crime front, as we have mentioned on this site before, you criminalize actions that cause actual, verifiable harm on another’s life or property. I am in full favor of making those laws FAR more stringent than are already on the books, and I am in full favor of making the punishments for violating those laws FAR more draconian. But there is a ‘but’ coming..

BUT I say that these more stringent laws/more draconian punishments should be applied WHENEVER property is damaged or life is harmed. In other words, if you go over to the Moon and have a few too many beers, get in your car, and cause a fatal accident, I do NOT support charging you with drunk driving. I support charging you with MURDER. That you were driving drunk is something that can be brought out at your trial by either you or the prosecution, but you would never once be charged with drunk driving ever again.

The same goes for crack addicts or meth addicts or propofol addicts or even sildenafil citrate addicts who break in to your house to steal to get money for their addiction. I would never charge them with being an addict, but I would drastically increase the penalty for burglary in any situation.

You see, ultimately, the battle is control vs freedom. Government treating you as a baby vs government trusting you to be an adult.

The Albany Herald thinks that government should continue to treat you as a baby ‘for your own good’.

We here at SWGAPolitics.com choose to trust you to be an adult.

We Must Be Hitting A Nerve

Tom — Fri, 29 May 2009 19:00:47 +0000

The Albany Herald’s Squawkbox is truly one of my favorite places in the whole paper. It is there that you can see what the people of Albany really think when protected by anonymity. There, they can be rude and viscious, and they can be polite and sensitive. Without the light of identity, we can see their true natures.

Apparently, we here at SWGA Politics have hit a nerve.

One squawk in particular says “You are correct: the bloggers and blogees are all like-minded. I’m not certain that’s a compliment, though. It might be in-breeding.” Ah, at least they went high brow in their attacks. Nothing like an in-breeding reference here in the Deep South to make you feel warm and tingly.

Now, I haven’t checked out the Squawkbox in a couple of days due to other obligations. But it seems pretty clear that this was a reference to the recent article about this blog on the front page of the same Albany Herald. In it, writer Carlton Fletcher makes reference to a “like-minded” blog, Project Logic. While I wouldn’t classify Project Logic as necessarily like-minded, we don’t have huge arguments back and forth. So what?

The root of this comment is probably something much easier to understand. As political bloggers, we put ourselves squarely in the cross hairs. With the article in the Herald, any anonymity we ourselves would have had has gone completely out the window. That’s fine though, since we weren’t exactly hiding who we are. This is a networked blog on Facebook with our faces and names clearly plastered on it…and from well before the Herald article.

We accept that many will disagree with us. In fact, we encourage respectful debate on any of our posts. But many of those can’t handle the idea that we disagree with them on sacred cow issues like drugs or welfare. It bothers them in unspeakable ways, so they have to make comments like the one quoted above. It’s far easier to attack those who think differently than to actually accept that there’s a possibility your own thoughts aren’t shared by all rational people.

In this state, we have several political blogs. There are libertarian blogs, such as this one or Jason Pye’s. There’s conservative leaning ones like Peach Pundit (though their are liberals and libertarians who post there). And there are more liberal ones like Tondee’s Tavern. Project Logic is run by a self-described moderate Democrat, which represents the part of the diversity in political discussion within this state.

So, when any blogger talks about a like-minded blog or blogger, keep in mind that those are the exception, and not the rule. We tend to disagree on many issues, including Jason Pye taking me to task on a post of mine regarding media bias. He wasn’t the only one who took issue with it either. And that was fine.

Of course, if the best attack you can come up with is in-breeding, then you need to keep it to yourself. I can come up with better than that before the morning alarm has even gone off.

Carlton Fletcher

Jeff — Sun, 17 May 2009 13:10:47 +0000

Tom and I have been pretty hard on Carlton Fletcher earlier this week for comments he made in his column last Sunday – and then we actually met him.

Honestly, regardless of what he writes, he is a genuinely nice guy so far as I’ve personally been around him, and a great asset to the news community in the Albany area due to his dedication to his craft – something we were partially bashing in our posts due to our own preference for this format of reporting.

I said all that to basically say this: Carlton has two pieces in the Herald today, one as a reporter and one as a columnist. Both are really good, and nothing really needs to be said in addition to his column – I agree with him completely on it. (Though I do hold to my stance that government should be removed from education completely and that if this were done, the things he takes issue with in his column would no longer be a concern.)

I’ve already reached out to the Scott campaign for our own post with them, but expect a post based on Carlton’s report at some point later today.

This week, Carlton, great job!

Carlton Fletcher Publicly Responds to SWGA Politics

Jeff — Sun, 10 May 2009 21:33:46 +0000

Two weeks ago today, Carlton Fletcher wrote an article in the Albany Herald with a quote from State Senator Freddie Sims that was critical of blogs/bloggers, and I responded.

Today, Fletcher responded to my response via his latest column, in which he states

Sound bites can certainly get your attention, but an edited three-second remark is not going to add a lot of depth to a news story. Neither is a dashed-off ‘blog’ based on what someone sitting at a computer terminal all day thinks or has heard. This is not professional jealousy; it’s statement of fact.

There are people who are going to rely on the sound bites, who are going to want to log on and share their opinions with fellow bloggers. But I’ll put my trust in a reporter who goes out and digs around in the muck a bit, who talks to more than the usual suspects to try and find the nuts and bolts of a story … and there are still a few such individuals left in this business.

I have nothing against computer folks and TV news people – Jeff Sexton does a good job with his SWGA Politics blog and Len Kiese and Ashley Knight are actually quite good TV reporters – but if part of your job description is ‘getting your makeup right,’ I’m not going to bank on the depth of your ‘reporting’.

Since he never responded to me privately, I’m not going to respond to him privately, and my response to these statements is below the fold.

First off, Mr. Fletcher, I’ve never worn makeup except for the one time I was in a play in high school.

Secondly, apparently my sources are evidently higher level than yours, since your paper failed to mention the level of detail that I did in my recent article on Winfred Dukes. I’m not going to out my sources other than to say that I have been approached by various people throughout the state that I doubt are even aware of your existence – and THEY approached ME. Can you say the same?

The one source that I will out, since I plan to write an article shortly about these conversations, is David Shafer. You may recognize him as the Chair of the Senate Regulated Industries Committee or even as a recent (though he has since dropped out) candidate for Lt Governor. I recognize him as a politician that I was harshly critical of who reached out to me to attempt to set the record straight.

Thirdly, Mr. Fletcher, is that I find it sad indeed that this blog is even necessary. If you reporters were doing your jobs and actually reporting on politics, rather than just mumbo-jumbo spit out by the campaigns and you taking them as fact, this blog wouldn’t exist. Have you detailed what nearly every single Senate bill seen this session was about? I have. Have you detailed the voting record of our local delegation on these bills? While it isn’t yet complete, I HAVE already done some reporting on it.

Furthermore, you seem to only report on your favored candidates in any given race. I report on them all. Your paper, to my knowledge, has yet to mention that John Monds – a SWGA man whose wife teaches at Albany State – is running for Governor. Heck, I haven’t even seen any coverage of SEVERAL recent Governor announcements, such as Nathan Deal or Eric Johnson. I’ve at least got the links to any websites they have here, and I will continue my ‘Candidate and Liberty’ series which will detail their views and how those views connect with Liberty as more information is available on each of those sites. You haven’t mentioned any down-ticket races other than Ken Hodges running for Attorney General, I’ve again at least got several of the websites linked here.

Sir, I think these wars between ‘old’ and ‘new’ media are pointless, I really do. Y’all are never going to be as fast and agile as I am, and I am never going to be able to sit around and interview people as easily as y’all can. I would LIKE for us to be able to help each other out, and indeed I have been known to help out both local TV news stations when I had something I thought they might be able to use. I’ve also worked with Kevin Hogencamp over at the Journal, and I’ve reached out several times to both yourself and JD Sumner at the Herald, with no response from either of you.

We have the same stated goals: get the best news coverage out to our fellow citizens as possible. The biggest difference is that I flat out admit to everyone that while I will try to be fair at all times, my articles are written in blog style format with a Libertarian slant. Y’all refuse to acknowledge the slant that is blatantly obvious to everyone but yourselves. You don’t use the first person to editorialize in your articles, but instead use the words and quotes you either include or exclude to do your editorializing within your articles for you.

The other difference is that, quite frankly, I have FAR MORE coverage than y’all.

Do our fellow citizens want as much information as possible to use to make their own decisions, or do they want to be herded like sheep to a conclusion of your own making?

I’ll leave that for them to decide.

H/T: Project Logic

My Response to Fletcher and Sims

Jeff — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 09:14:03 +0000

An article in today’s Albany Herald written by Carlton Fletcher regarding State Senator Freddie Sims states that

The senator also lamented the economy-based cutbacks that have lessened the number of media outlets outside Atlanta that can afford to send reporters to cover the legislative session.

“One of the most important things I feel I must do is educate the public on what’s happening at the Capitol,” she said. “I’m concerned about the lack of coverage by the local print media outside Atlanta. The electronic media is not going to give you adequate depth, so a key element is missing.

This is my response, sent via email and now posted here. If I get a response from either of them, I will also post it.

Mr. Fletcher and Senator Sims,

Today’s article stated, and I quote:

“The senator also lamented the economy-based cutbacks that have lessened the number of media outlets outside Atlanta that can afford to send reporters to cover the legislative session.

“One of the most important things I feel I must do is educate the public on what’s happening at the Capitol,” she said. “I’m concerned about the lack of coverage by the local print media outside Atlanta. The electronic media is not going to give you adequate depth, so a key element is missing.”

With today’s electronic media, there really is no need to have reporters in Atlanta covering the General Assembly, other than MAYBE to watch committee sessions live – and even that is something I am actively trying to get put online.

In case you weren’t aware, both chambers’ floor sessions are broadcast live over the internet, and GPB has the archives of these feeds – typically about a week later – at http://www.gpb.org/general-assembly. You can also view every single bill in either chamber, as well as track said bill and any floor votes at http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2009_10/

There are a variety of blogs that cover the Session, ranging in both level of coverage and level of strict ‘reporting’. The most traditional ‘reporting’ oriented, as well as the one with the best overall coverage, is Georgia Legislative Watch, http://www.georgialegislativewatch.com There is also my own blog, SWGA Politics, that covers the Senate in particular – as well as nearly anything that any Legislator that represents the nine county area surrounding Lee and Dougherty Counties does – but typically combines its reporting with a more ‘blog’ style editorial approach from a Libertarian perspective. It can be found at http://swgapolitics.wordpress.com

There are other sites such as Erick Erickson’s PeachPundit.com that covers Georgia Politics in general, but focuses more on both Atlanta and politics in general rather than strictly tracking the General Assembly. There is also JasonPye.com, and he does a better job of tracking the General Assembly in particular (as well as a wide variety of other things), but focuses more on his home area of the southern Metro Atlanta region.

Finally, there is also a more Democratic-centered area blog run by a former staffer for US Rep Sanford Bishop called Project Logic, and it can be found at http://www.projectogicga.com

So you see, in the absence of ‘traditional’ media and traditional methods, new avenues of reporting have sprung up that are both faster and more agile than traditional media, and which would be an excellent tool for traditional media to use as partners. I know for a fact that SWGA Politics stands ready to help traditional media in any way we can, because I created it – though I have since ceded control of it to my partner, Tom Knighton.

But to claim that “The electronic media is not going to give you adequate depth” simply means you are out of touch with the realities of this modern age, as the electronic media actually gives MORE depth than any traditional media has ever done. The only edge that traditional media has anymore is its acceptance – and even that shrinks daily, as more and more people turn to blogs for their news.

Thank you for your time, and if I can ever be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

Jeff [last name withheld from SWGA Politics],
Leesburg, GA