Here’s the email I just got:

Hello, we have an . . . → Read More: Senator Chapman Needs Your Help]]> State Senator and GOP GAGOV candidate Jeff Chapman (R-St Simons Island) needs your help. His grandson is in the Top 10 Beautiful Babies Contest on Live with Regis and Kelly, and they need your vote to help get him a future college scholarship.

Here’s the email I just got:

Hello, we have an exciting opportunity!

Our grandson John Jeffrey has been selected for the Top 10 in the Regis and Kelly Beautiful Baby Contest!

Now, we have one day – TODAY- March 1st- to vote for him. Anyone who would like to vote can access the website at:

http://bventertainment.go.com/tv/buenavista/regisandkelly/index.html

Click on Vote Now and follow the directions. John is listed alphabetically as John Jeffrey Simmons, Mableton, GA.

There is a $25,000 to $125,000 college scholarship as the prize, so any voting help we receive from our friends and family would be greatly appreciated!

You can watch the Regis and Kelly television show tomorrow March 2, 2010 at 9:00 am ABC and see the top Five winners, 3 (three) are from Georgia.

This is really big! Thank you, Angela and Jeff

I met Jeff, Angela, and their youngest son about a month and a half ago when Jeff came to Albany “on the way home” (to Brunswick) after the General Assembly let out one week. They really are good people, regardless of what you think of him as a Governor candidate. Please help them out.

So I went through the PeachPundit archives – possibly the best single source of information for GOP straw poll results – . . . → Read More: Will This Be the Results on July 20, 2010?]]> Recently, some McBerry supporters have been telling me I needed to get my facts straight on him while maintaining that he has “won every straw poll except one in the winer’s home county.”

So I went through the PeachPundit archives – possibly the best single source of information for GOP straw poll results – looking for straw polls from 2009 and specifically how Ray McBerry did in them. The general data was also very interesting from the 14 straw polls I found from April through November, here’s what I saw:

McBerry came in 2nd in Walker County in November and the 11th District Convention in April, 3rd at the Henry County GOP Women in October, tied for third at the Young Republicans event in May – and hit either next to last or last every single time other than the ones I’ve named. Several of those times he came next to last were to the last entrant into the GOP field so far and who told me he didn’t even officially kick off his campaign until just a few weeks ago – Jeff Chapman.

More generally, on the year, these are the totals:

131

31

Handel, Oxendine, and McBerry were the only ones on every ballot. Deal and Johnson were both off 4 of the 14 ballots, Scott was off two of them, and Chapman – who did not file to enter the race until September – was off of 6 of the 14 ballots.

Looking at rankings on each ballot and computing the number of times any given candidate ranked at any given level, we see:

There are 175 days left in this campaign, and a lot can happen between now and then – indeed, right now the game is still very much inside baseball, and who knows how the general public is going to react when the campaigns kick into high gear after the end of the General Assembly session and voters really start getting engaged probably after Memorial Day.

But the question remains: If we look to the past for a guide to the future, will the results of July 20 have any resemblance to the results of 2009?

Ray mentioned his religion three separate times in Tuesday night’s debate. I honestly don’t recall any of the other candidates mentioning theirs a single time – which is what . . . → Read More: Religion and the GOP GAGOV Candidates]]> Ray McBerry seems to want to make the intensely personal issue of religion a campaign ploy, so let’s humor him for a moment, shall we?

Ray mentioned his religion three separate times in Tuesday night’s debate. I honestly don’t recall any of the other candidates mentioning theirs a single time – which is what prompted this post. You see, Ray seems to think that by constantly telling you he is a Christian, you will think that none of the other candidates are, and if that is one of the major things you vote for a person based on that he will get your vote. What Ray leaves out is that from what I can tell, he is a member of an ultra-conservative fringe sect, the likes of which make even the stereotypical “Independent Baptist” church look hedonistic. Indeed, he sent this guy to speak for him at the Plains Tea Party. (In Ray’s defense, he and that guy have since had a falling out a couple of months ago. There have also been reports of him being at various PeachPundit gatherings in bars, yet simply not drinking himself, and I have been told he does not have a problem with Sunday Sales.)

I can tell you from personal experience that one of the things Austin Scott said he liked best about the South Ga leg of his Walk of Georgia was that he was close enough to home to go to his own church on Sundays, and several times he reported being invited to attend churches near his route while he was walking in other parts of the State.

I can also tell you from personal experience that Jeff Chapman prays over his meals, even in public restaurants when meeting someone for the first time.

And while I wanted to mention those two, they are not the real subject of this post. No, for this post I want to look at someone who is so dedicated to his religion that he will travel literally halfway around the world to further its message, yet is comfortable enough with his own religion that he does not feel the need to mention it at every appearance on the campaign trail.

That man is Eric Johnson.

You see, back in October, Johnson took 10 days away from campaigning to go on a missions trip to India. While there with a team from his church, he wrote several of the journal entries for the team, which can be found here. But other than an initial email to his list saying that he would be out of the country and a bit about why he would be out of the country, I’ve rarely heard him mention this trip.

I found the site I linked to in the last paragraph about a month after Johnson got back to the US, and I was highly impressed. Here is a man so dedicated to his religion that he will travel half way around the world to minister in whatever small way he can. Here is a man whose son is a preacher, and who clearly beamed with pride when his son was the Pastor of the Day in the Georgia Senate one day in the 2009 session. Yet here is a man comfortable enough with his religion that he doesn’t feel the need to constantly refer people to it while campaigning for Governor.

There is a difference between your religion influencing your decisions yet basing them on actual logic and using your religion as the SOLE basis of your decisions. The first is called being a man. The second is called being a fanatic.

I have no doubt that Eric Johnson’s Christianity is as much a part of his daily life as breathing, and will be so no matter what happens come July or November. I can say the same about Austin Scott and Jeff Chapman. I can also tell you that I have no doubt that each of these three men will listen to rational arguments on the facts of the issue at hand and base their decisions on them. Indeed, each of these three men, in my opinion, base their decisions on the facts first and their religion second.

In the end, that is about the best you can hope for, since every single decision any human ever makes is based to some extent on “worldview”, aka religion.

I leave you with Eric Johnson’s reflections on his India trip:

October 20
Mission trips will often affect the missionaries more than those you on serve. This is why God sent Jesus as a servant and not as a king (see Hebrews). I will have to spend some time reflecting on this trip, but my initial thoughts are these:

God is at work around the world. We come to places like India where Christians are persecuted and the “middle class” lives in what would be considered slums in America and the poor are starving and we think we can bless them somehow. Nope. It’s the other way around. God doesn’t need us. He just allows us to participate in His plan.

Our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world show extreme bravery and incredible servanthood at the same time. Our hosts are prime examples. There is nothing they won’t do for you. They never showed impatience or exhaustion. They were joyful and willing and gracious. Even the poorest would share what little food they had. They were Christ-like in their hospitality. Even with physical threats on their guests and the death of a student, they kept their pressures away from us and only showed absolute joy at the opportunity to care for us in every manner their resources allowed. I saw a little of heaven in that attitude.

The gospel seems so much simpler here. It’s the same saving grace we preach in America. But, maybe there is less “noise” to compete with it. The willingness to listen to it is fresher. The prayer requests require a simple trust in Jesus. When an old woman came up and simply pointed to her belly, you just prayed for healing and knew God knew what her problem was and how to deal with it. She would get no doctor’s care and was asking me to intervene with her Creator. When a teenager said in broken english that he wanted Jesus in his life, you couldn’t sit down and read scripture or counsel him – you just asked God to welcome a new child into his kingdom and trust the Holy Spirit to do the rest.

This needs more thought, but I felt closer to God on this trip. Maybe it was being around these “heroes of faith”. Maybe it was spending so much time with a team of God-honoring people. Maybe it was witnessing uncomplicated and innocent faith. Maybe it was worshiping in a language that you couldn’t understand but knew God relished it.

I don’t know about you, but I feel inadequate in serving an almighty God. But the truth is, that when you witness life change, see miracles, and watch Him work, your faith increases and the inadequacies don’t matter. He’s in charge. I’m not. That’s a relief.

I also will return with a healthier appreciation of blessings and what really matters in life. He gives me the essentials. We want so much that we don’t need.

The testimonies from people you meet here are nothing short of inspirational. Several were shared in previous blogs. The courage and determination of these pastors who face family exile, beatings, and a life of poverty remind me of the early church. Eternity is their home and they want only to worship God and sign up as many tongues in their choir as possible.

As I fly home, these are my prayers: Am I doing enough to honor God? Can I worship with more abandon? Can I feel a renewed sense of urgency? What can I do to grow my faith?

I return to my campaign for Governor tomorrow. I am physically exhausted, but mentally refreshed. I return dedicated to my effort to lead Georgia in a God-honoring way. I will never forget the blessings that our state enjoys – or where they came from.

For those who followed this mission and those who prayed for its success, I am eternally grateful. It was another blessing in my life.
Next week, Kathryn leaves for Ghana in Africa. She will also cherish your prayers. Until then, I can’t wait to wrap her in my arms and not let her go!
Praise the Lord!

Chapman is the Republican running for Governor that you’ve probably never heard of – but should. He is most well known . . . → Read More: Meeting Jeff Chapman]]> I had a chance to meet Jeff Chapman last night when he came to Albany to speak with me “on his way” back home to Brunswick, and it was a really great conversation.

Chapman is the Republican running for Governor that you’ve probably never heard of – but should. He is most well known for his vocal opposition to a case of attempted eminent domain (legal property theft) regarding a major developer (and Republican donor) and his plans for Jekyll Island.

Chapman is not the Chair of any committee in the Ga Senate, and he was removed from the Transportation committee due to casting the lone nay vote against a bill that Senate Leadership wanted a unanimous recommendation from committee on. His Agreeability Index is 319 – the third lowest among Senate Republicans who are not the President Pro-Tem, behind only John Bulloch and Dan Weber. He is known as a bit of a maverick within the Caucus, and not one who can be strong-armed into voting against his beliefs.

On the three bills that I look at with any candidate who was a member of the General Assembly last year, Chapman voted AGAINST SB 31, the Nuclear Power Financing Act, AGAINST HB 614, the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, and FOR HB 160, Super Speeder. He says that he doesn’t truly make up his mind on a bill until it has been presented on the Floor and its carrier has had a chance to speak on the merits of the bill.

Chapman also spoke of the time he served on his local County Commission, and how he was instrumental in getting live TV coverage of the Commission meetings. He said that transparency in government isn’t just a buzzword with him, he has the record to prove he means it.

Overall, it was a great chance to talk with a sitting State Senator and Governor candidate, and I look forward to seeing more from him.

Thurbert Baker: No statement yet. Understandable, given that he is . . . → Read More: Glenn Richardson and the GAGOV Race]]> Obviously, when the Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives is accused of threatening to beat his (ex)wife, it becomes an issue for Governor candidates. So let’s look at each of them in regards to this issue (in strict alphabetical order by last name):

Thurbert Baker: No statement yet. Understandable, given that he is currently the top lawyer in the State and this could turn into a criminal case.

Roy Barnes: No statement yet. As a former Governor, he should have a bit of insight here, though he also has to contend with the King Roy image that his opponents would be sure to bring up in response to any statement he issued.

Carl Camon: No statement yet. As someone WELL below the radar, he could have made a name for himself – possibly – by being the first to come out calling for Richardson’s resignation.

Jeff Chapman: No statement yet. Has a record of bucking the GOP establishment which could help him weather this issue – could even improve his chances, given the rest of the GOP field.

Nathan Deal: No statement yet. Faces corruption charges of his own, has been listed as one of the 15 most corrupt Congressmen. Also had a multi-million dollar scandal of his own surface this year that began when he was still in the General Assembly. Scandals anywhere within the GOP become fodder for reminding people of these things, which is not good for him. Futhermore, Richardson -along with Speaker Pro-Tem Mark Burkhalter and Majority Leader Jerry Keen – is a maxed-out donor to Deal, meaning that Deal is clearly the chosen candidate of Richardson.

Karen Handel: Wants people to believe she was the first to call for Richardson’s resignation, but she wasn’t – Austin Scott was, which we’ll see in a moment. Also seen by many as Governor Sonny Purdue’s hand-picked successor, and Gov Purdue was the architect of the sweetheart backroom deal that allowed Richardson to remain in power long enough for Speaker Pro-Tem Mark Burkhalter to solidify his own grip on the Speakership, rather than having an open election. Wants to be seen as a “leader”, yet waited until after the deal was done to come forward calling for Richardson’s resignation – even though she had nothing to lose and everything to gain from coming forward sooner.

Eric Johnson: Chaired the Ethics Committee that first probed Richardson’s affair allegations. As he has noted, at the time there were no threats alleged and no abuse of power allegations, as well as no proof offered of the affair. Still, his connection then could cost him now, as many will still consider him dirty due to the ethics commission’s inaction – even though it was the proper action.

Ray McBerry: Tries to portray himself as a man of honor, yet has yet to issue a statement about Richardson – a man who is accused of threatening to beat his wife. Also an extremely fundamentalist Christian, which could play a role there. As the only GOP GAGOV candidate who is not currently in office nor has ever been in office, he had the single most to gain here, and squandered it.

John Monds: No statement yet. As a member of the Libertarian Party, he neither has to worry about the current scandals involving the Republican Party nor the past history of the Democratic Party – meaning he could benefit from the two halves of the Big Government Party attacking each other.

John Oxendine: Defended Richardson. Enough said there, though there is also this post from earlier this week.

DuBose Porter: Was the first GAGOV candidate -and ONLY Democratic candidate thus far – to speak out about this, but didn’t call for Richardson’s resignation. As House Minority Leader, he also did not field a candidate for Speaker to oppose Richardson this past term – which was politically smart at the time, but could now come back to bite him.

David Poythress: No statement yet. Yet another candidate with nothing to lose and everything to gain who squandered the opportunity. Instead, he attacks the current Revenue Commissioner while Rome is burning.

Austin Scott: Had the single most to lose of any GAGOV candidate due to his position within the Georgia House of Representatives, yet was one of the first two Committee Chairs to come out calling for Richardson’s ouster – and was thus the first GAGOV candidate to do so, despite what Karen Handel wants everyone to think. Has a record of challenging Richardson, which once cost him another committee chairmanship. Has said (at the Tifton Forum) he is in the race DESPITE Richardson, not because of him.

But I ran into . . . → Read More: Are GA Leaders Costing Georgians Jobs?]]> Georgia leaders like to talk about how they are bringing jobs to Georgia, especially under this economic climate. DuBose Porter has one plan and Republicans in the General Assembly consistently talk about how proud they are of their own efforts this past session with the passage of the JOBS Act.

But I ran into a dirty little secret over the past few days, one which State Rep Jeff Mays was kind enough to point out to me was part of Georgia Law.

You see, I like to do most of my Christmas shopping online. Quite frankly, I’m not such a fan of the crowds on Black Friday or pretty much any day between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and most stores offer the same deals online as you get in the physical store. So I get the same price with nowhere NEAR the hassle. As an added bonus, if I shop online I don’t have to pay sales tax. But that is where the dirty little secret comes in.

You see, OCGA 48-8-2, subsection 3 part E states that a “dealer” in the State of GA can be defined as anyone who “Maintains or has within this state, indirectly or by a subsidiary, an office, distribution center, salesroom or sales office, warehouse, service enterprise, or any other place of business”.

What this means is that any store that has pretty much any physical presence in Georgia must charge Georgia sales tax on its sales – whether from a brick and mortar store or from online sales. There may be some caveats within there, but none that I saw in about 20 minutes of searching.

This gives a competitive advantage to some sites, such as Amazon.com, which is who got my business after I learned that my preferred store, BestBuy.com, had the exact same deals as Amazon.com but had to charge me sales tax due to this law, while Amazon.com did not.

This also costs Georgians jobs, because retailers who get a significant amount of business from online sales are not going to want to have any form of physical presence in Georgia – not even so much as a two-person office. For example, a major retailer – Cabela’s Outdoors – was actively working to build a new store in Adairsville, GA barely 5 miles from the school I graduated HS from just a few years ago. I’m now told that the primary reason they did NOT build was directly because of this law. That was to be a combined retail/warehouse site, and would have meant something along the lines of 100-200 jobs at a bare minimum, not to mention the economic impact on an area of Bartow County that could really use the money. For those that are unaware, one of Cabela’s biggest competitors -and one who I’m told Cabela’s physical stores are most similar to – is Bass Pro Shops. This Cabela’s would have been the only one in a 3 state radius – the next closest store would have been outside Baton Rouge! The physical store alone would have generated a LOT of sales tax money for the State and the County, but our leaders got greedy with this code section above, and we lost out on potentially hundreds of jobs just from this one retailer.

Furthermore, let’s look at the border cities issues, which are major areas of concern in areas such as extreme northwest GA, Columbus, Valdosta, Augusta, Savannah, Rome, and even in South GA along the FL and AL lines. Assuming our border states do not have similar clauses in their own laws, this means that a company – whether it be a mom-and-pop operation that employs a handful of people or an operation such as Cabela’s that employs a few hundred people per site – could locate just across the border in any of these areas and utilize the Georgia population to drive its profit from the physical store while still enjoying its tax-free online sales due to the other state’s tax laws! In other words, more jobs and tax revenue LOST because of Georgia lawmakers!

A final note on this topic, for now: One person tried to call me a “tax dodger” on Facebook over this issue. He said that I could take advantage of in-store pickup from a store located in Georgia, and thus this made up for the additional unnecessary tax burden. But Best Buy was the store in question, and the closest physical store they have to Albany is roughly 100 miles away. Even at my parents’ house in Cartersville, the closest Best Buy store is about 25 miles away, and I own a full-size pickup truck and a small SUV right now. This means that either way, if I go to Best Buy physically – even just to pickup an item I ordered online – I’m going to spend a minimum of roughly $5 in gas to get that item – in addition to paying the sales tax! Meanwhile, I can go to Amazon.com, but that exact same item and have it delivered to my door with NO sales tax! As a consumer, why would I want to pay more for the same item??? This is just one example – as we all know, there are quite a few stores that fall into this same problem for us here in Southwest Georgia!

This next session, Georgia lawmakers including both Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson and many State Representatives and a few State Senators have said that jobs and the economy are one of the top – if not THE top – priority they have. I have a potential solution I’d like them to consider:

Repeal OCGA 48-8-2, subsection 3 part E.