For Immediate Release

Media Contact
Claire Bartlett
404-384-3256

Transportation Leadership Coalition Calls for Removal of Penalty in TIA / T-SPLOST

Penalty for voting “no” potentially adds hundreds of millions of dollars of expense to already cash-strapped local governments’ transportation funding.

(August 3, 2012, Roswell, GA) – The voters have spoken and T-SPLOST is defeated. Unfortunately, the issues within the Transportation Investment Act of 2010 linger.

Lawmakers had the temerity to build in two (2) penalties clauses in House Bill 277 (HB277), “Transportation Investment Act of 2010” (TIA / T-SPLOST).

The first penalty was threatened before the referendum was placed on the ballot. If local election officials did not place the referendum on the ballot, the community would suffer a 30 percent (30%) penalty in funding for local transportation projects. GDOT funding the county residents have already paid for in taxes.

Now that T-SPLOST is defeated, the second penalty kicks in. The law stipulates that if the referendum is voted it down, as it was in 9 of the 12 regions, those 9 regions now suffer a GDOT funding penalty.

“The coercive nature of this law is unthinkable. Our state leaders should not hold our own fuel taxes hostage because ‘the people’ voted down a bad referendum. Nor should they incentivize voting for a terrible bill,” said Steve Brown of the Transportation Leadership Coalition and Fayette County Commissioner. “One penalty clause is bad enough, but two penalty clauses in legislation proves a sheer lack of faith in their own plan.”

The law reads as follows starting on Line 687:

“(d) In the event a special district sales and use tax election is held and the voters in a special district do not approve the levy of the special district transportation sales and use tax, the local governments in such special district shall be required to provide a 30 percent match for any local maintenance and improvement grants by the Department of Transportation for transportation projects and programs for at least 24 months and until such time as a special district sales and use tax is approved.

“In the event the voters in a special district approve the levy of the special district transportation sales and use tax, the local governments in such special district shall be required to provide a 10 percent match for any local maintenance and improvement grants by the Department of Transportation for transportation projects and programs for the duration of the levy of the special district transportation sales and use tax.”

“We need strong leadership under the Gold Dome with the fortitude to repeal this terrible law and replace it with a plan that uses common sense,” said Jack Staver, chairman, Transportation Leadership Coalition. “This is certainly not any democratic principle that I believe in. Voting your conscience should not come with any penalty.”

The Transportation Leadership Coalition calls on Governor Deal and the State legislature to not only revoke the penalty, but also repeal HB 277 in its entirety.

About Transportation Leadership Coalition, LLC

Transportation Leadership Coalition, LLC, is a grassroots, all-volunteer organization that has come together in the belief that the State of Georgia can do a much better job of transportation planning than passing the largest tax increase in Georgia history and spending the money on politically-favored rail projects, trapping us into a tax situation that will continue forever. We believe that if Georgians understand the facts about the project list and the proposed management of the funds and projects, they will overwhelmingly reject it.

Web: www.TrafficTruth.net
Facebook: Facebook.com/TrafficTruth
Twitter: @TrafficTruth

PV Sez: “…a plan that uses common sense?” From the Georgia State Legislature? Pardon us while we split a gut, Mr. Staver. You must have this state confused with Florida or North Carolina. You might as well bark at the moon before you see anything remotely resembling “common sense” from Georgia state government. Nonsense? Yes, definitely. Common sense? Not likely.

All we gotta say is, 2014 is just around the corner…and the folks who either wrote this crap into law OR insist on leaving these types of penalties in place in the law are gonna have some opposition to look forward to.

Some notable targets will be, at minimum, Gwinnett County’s State Rep. Donna Sheldon who calls herself a “conservative,” but is on record in a November 2011 public meeting as stating “We need to pass this T-SPLOST to create jobs for Georgians.” Yeah, and maybe she’s up for an appointment with the 2nd Obama Administration and was just trying to earn brownie points, eh, Rep. Sheldon?

Another big fat target will be State Senator Jeff Mullis who sponsored HB 277 in the senate. He also believes raising taxes on people who buy things is a great way to “create jobs.”

Both he and Sheldon are freaking morons and deserve to have their legislative tickets punched as “VOID.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2_Xl4sNY8U

http://steverameyforgeorgia.com/

For Immediate Release
Contact:
David Johnson
404-380-1079

The Georgia Hispanic Republicans took a vote last Tuesday evening at their monthly meeting and it was unanimous: Vote NO-TSPLOST! The reasons they recommend voters oppose this boondoggle are numerous:

1) These type of initiatives have not worked in California and New York.

2) It actually increases the size of government and bureaucracy.

3) The money spent will not solve the traffic problems that Atlanta faces.

4) The jobs that will be created will be in many case low paying jobs.

5) The tax is regional yet it will be primarily spent in the City of Atlanta. Why should the entire region have to pay?

6) What about other more pressing needs for the money – education, public safety?

7) The best way to boost the metro area’s economy and economic development potential is for each community to create the best living and business environment possible while recognizing the benefits of being part of the metro area.

8) Not all roads lead to Atlanta. Supporters seem to think all roads lead to Atlanta and that the area ITP (Inside The Perimeter) is the job creation center of all of North Georgia, especially the metro area.

9) IF the regional brain trust that devised this monstrosity REALLY wanted to foster regional cooperation in a way that was conducive to economic development, they’d find a way to make our REAL economic development engine (Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport) more effective. A second airport for commuter traffic would do much more for regional cooperation and economic development than this TSPLOST boondoogle.

10) It is a tax that the Governor and legislator’s didn’t have the courage to vote for themselves.

11) Yes there are some infrastructure problems but not the amount supporters would claim. Business Facilities Magazine says Georgia ranks in the top 10 in the nation for transportation infrastructure.

12) A massive tax increase will hurt rather than help the economy. That is Economics 101; just ask Herbert Hoover what raising taxes did for the Great Depression

13) It will greatly expand MARTA, and MARTA is currently costing taxpayers $500 million per year in subsidies.

14) T-SPLOST is redistribution of wealth from rich counties to poor counties.

For more information about the Georgia Hispanic Republicans, contact:

David Johnson
Media Contact
Strategic Vision, LLC
Ph: 404-380-1079
Cell: 404-441-7590
http://www.strategicvision.biz

As Agent Maxwell Smart might say, “Ehh, Chief? It looks like the old ‘it’s only a penny tax‘ trick!”

How many times have you heard the claim that “it’s only a penny” to guilt you into voting for T-SPLOST?

The pro-TSPLOST side thinks they can diminish the promotion in favor of getting people to vote for it by equating 1% with a “penny.”

The per capita salary for Georgians is $36,104. According to some statistics PV has reviewed, approximately 36% of per capita income in Georgia is spent on sales taxable goods and services.

So, how much more money per year will someone who earns $36,104 per year pay in this “extra penny tax” if T-SPLOST passes? Approximately $130.00. (Whatever your current yearly income actually is, multiply it by 0.0036 to obtain the actual dollar amount you will pay extra per year in sales taxes if T-SPLOST passes)

Now, to people like Maria Saporta and Ed Baker of The Atlanta Business Chronicle, or Paul Bennecke (lead consultant for the Atlanta-region’s pro-TSPLOST campaign), “$130.00” is just pocket change that all of us have that we should just hand over to the government to use for some “better” purpose that they think that money can be used for.

What these people fail to understand is, this “extra money” they think nobody will actually miss paying will be missed.

Just to give one example: In Cobb County, if you want to start a business in the unincorporated part of the county, you are required to buy a business license.

Cobb County charges license fees based on tiers of revenue ranges. The first tier is something on the order of $0.00 to $99,000 per year in gross revenue. The business license for this first tier is around $102.00 per year.

SO, any business-minded person in Cobb County who is grinding-out $36,104 per year (or less) for the next 10 years who comes upon an idea to start a new business won’t have that “$102.00” laying around to start that business because that money will be sucked into a vortex of “transportation projects” that have nothing to do with his/her idea for creating a new business.

AND, this same line of thinking works for any other county. Money does not grow on trees, and every choice people make on how they spend their own earned money is based on “opportunity costs.” Tax schemes like T-SPLOST transfers money from people in one part of the economy to give to people in another part of the economy.

Contrary to the claim by pro-TSPLOST proponents that T-SPLOST will “create jobs,” sure…it will “create jobs” by destroying the opportunity for other jobs the private sector can create more efficiently and for more useful purposes.

Organically-created businesses (i.e., ones created in the private sector by the creation of goods or services to sell to a marketplace of buyers) will generally produce longer-lasting, positive employment and service to the marketplace than government-created businesses.

Government can only do two things with wealth: Destroy it or transfer it. It never, in the history of mankind, can “create” more wealth than what could have been created with the money were it to remain in the private sector’s hands.

Last week there was a recorded debate on WABE regarding T-SPLOST (available for your viewing pleasure here). The three panelists were Fayette County Commissioner Steve Brown (representing the Transportation Leadership Coalition, LLC, an anti-TSPLOST group), Jeff Dickerson (representing the pro-TSPLOST side), and some lady from the ARC (which is also another pro-TSPLOST entity).

At approximately the 15-minute mark of the discussion, Jeff Dickerson opens his mouth to (essentially) claim that “Nobody wants to come here. Companies definitely look at transportation and we have lost out because of our transportation challenges.”

PV has heard this claim by just about everyone on the pro-TSPLOST side, from the Governor to the cadre of Chamber of Commerce promoters, et al., and North Carolina is often cited as the state more likely to be able to woo a company that Georgia can due to our “traffic.”

Trouble is, while this may appear to be an easy premise to claim, it falls apart when real, objective data is examined.

The cable TV business channel CNBC conducts an annual analysis on how states rank in terms of 10 measurements. Just last week they released their 2012 results. These are the 10 measurements:

– Cost of Doing Business
– Workforce
– Quality of Life
– Economy
– Transportation & Infrastructure
– Technology & Innovation
– Education
– Business Friendliness
– Access to Capital
– Cost of Living

According to this CNBC study, this is currently how Georgia compares to North Carolina in these 10 categories (interpret the rankings to mean the lower the number, the better the ranking):

– Cost of Doing Business (GA = 14, NC = 21)
– Workforce (GA = 1, NC = 3)
– Quality of Life (GA = 36, NC = 26)
– Economy (GA = 30, NC = 31)
– Transportation & Infrastructure (GA = 3, NC = 11)
– Technology & Innovation (GA = 17, NC = 9)
– Education (GA = 34, NC = 13)
– Business Friendliness (GA = 15, NC = 8)
– Access to Capital (GA = 20, NC = 18)
– Cost of Living (GA = 16, NC = 21)

You see, with an existing Transportation ranking of 3rd in the nation for Georgia compared to NC’s 11th, Georgia has a better transportation infrastructure right this moment in place than NC has…and someone wants to claim that Georgia “loses” business to NC because of our transportation issues? Really? Care to try Door #2?

No…one of the key reasons could be the “education quality” in Georgia compared to NC. All PV ever hears from legislators is that “Oh, that bottom-10-percentile in SAT scores that Georgia consistently has for the past 20 years is only due to the number of kids who take the SAT who never intended on going to college.” Well, maybe the reason why those kids decide to not go to college is because their SAT scores demonstrate that Georgia sucks at teaching in K-12 when compared to the rest of the universe, and the kids cannot get into college.

Another gleam of understanding from this CNBC study is that the climate in Georgia for being “business friendly” is lower than North Carolina’s. According to CNBC, “business friendliness” is measured by the degree of perceived regulation and litigation risk a business will face.

In the CNBC survey from 2011, NC ranked 11th, while Georgia ranked 16th. Both states improved for 2012, but NC significantly jumped ahead 3 spots, while Georgia inched-up one spot.

One more glaring difference between the two states is “Quality of Life.” Quality of Life is defined by CNBC to be a combination of “local attractions, the crime rate, health care, as well as air and water quality.” North Carolina is ranked 26th while Georgia is ranked 36th.

Here’s a wild and crazy idea: Rather than attempt to pound-in to people’s minds your “claims” of why you think a state like NC is able to “lure” more businesses its way than Georgia is, why doesn’t someone actually visit NC to see what they do differently in terms of “attracting business?”

OR, is it merely easier for people like Jeff Dickerson to just make-up stuff until someone calls them on it rather than research for a more accurate answer?

Rumors have it that the Atlanta Metro Chamber of Commerce, under the direction of Chamber President Sam “APS cheating scandal? What APS cheating scandal?” Williams, has transformed itself into quite the little racketeering operation to reward “good legislators” who openly support T-SPLOST, and encourage punishment of the “bad legislators” who oppose T-SPLOST by the Chamber’s members.

PV Provides Exhibit A: First, we have this email sent by the Chamber on June 19, 2012:

“From: (name magically removed)
Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 10:29 AM
Subject: Metro legislators – Transportation referendum

During this fund-raising season, I hope that you will utilize this information when making decisions regarding your political contributions. The transportation referendum is vitally important to our region and our state. We should ask for full support from our elected leaders in the region.”

PV Provides Exhibit B: A PDF (as of June 19, 2012) prepared by the Metro Chamber of Commerce showing their version of who is a “Nice Boy/Girl Legislator”, a “Bad Boy/Girl Legislator”, and some neutral or unknown positions taken by other legislators. (FYI: “Nice Legislator” for the Metro Chamber means that legislator’s a*s is owned by them.)

You will note on this PDF that, in addition to how certain legislators stand on the issue, in the “Support” section, there are asterisks beside some of the legislators and some without asterisks. The asterisks are explained on the PDF as being people who specifically answered a questionnaire in the affirmative as supporting the referendum.

And, the others in the “Support” category who do not have an asterisk next to their name? Well, the Chief Intern of the PV Fact-Checking Department took it upon himself to contact the Metro Chamber to inquire as to how it was determined that those who did not answer a questionnaire were also in support of the T-SPLOST.

The answer from the Chamber representative was (essentially) that “these affirmatives were obtained from various conversations different chamber people had had with those particular legislators.”

PV’s Wild & Crazy Idea: To those businesses who are using the Chamber’s “hit list” to decide who to support with your political contribution dollars, here’s a really wild and crazy idea to consider…and, this is going to sound SO bizarre that you really need to sit down before reading this. Are you sitting down? Okay, here’s the idea:

DO NOT GIVE ANY MONEY TO ANY POLITICIAN.

Seriously, if you have money to spare, you should use it to invest in your own business to improve your business. You got $250-$1000 burning a hole in your pocket? Invest it in some business books and come-up with a creative idea for a new product or a new service or to improve your own operations to build value in the marketplace.

Or give the money as a bonus to some employee who has actually done something positive for your company. Or, use it as a signing bonus for a better sales person to boost your business volume.

Why any business member of any chamber of commerce thinks that bribing a politician (yes, that is what it is…you are giving money to influence that politician in some way…don’t deny it, don’t lie about it…and you are absolutely full of sh*t if you deny it) will produce more business value for their company than using their own wits and mind to use that money is beyond the comprehension of anyone with a lick of common sense in this world.

Furthermore, to those of you who engage in bribing the legislators, do you imagine yourself to be the guy ringing the bell to have Pavlov’s legislator at your beck and call? ‘Cause, the legislator sees you as the dog every single time he/she calls you or sends you a letter for a contribution, and you write a nice big check to feed the legislator.

Anyway…back to the matter at hand with the Atlanta Metro Chamber of Commerce: What is the IRS Tax Classification for your organization? Does it allow a write-off for buying baseball bats for knee-capping the “bad legislators” who do not support your scheme to steal money with a government-controlled gun from us working stiffs? Where is a RICO lawyer when you need one? Just curious…

PRESS RELEASE

Transportation Leadership Coalition Initiates Legal Inquiry Against Secretary of State Brian Kemp

Kemp has no legal authority to add promotional language to Georgia ballot.

July 2, 2012, Roswell, GA – Today, the Transportation Leadership Coalition (TLC) took the first formal step towards litigation challenging Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp for adding promotional language to the official state ballot in order to promote passage of Referendum 1. Referendum 1, commonly called T-SPLOST, is an $18B transportation program funded by a sales and use increase that is subject to voter approval in the July 31, 2012 primary election.

On behalf of TLC, Atlanta Attorney Pitts Carr has taken the necessary initial action to protect the Georgia state ballot from political interference. Carr is a founding partner of the nationally recognized firm Carr & Palmer and served Georgia as a special assistant attorney general in the challenge to the constitutionality of individual mandate within the Patient Protection and Affordability Act.

TLC recently uncovered that promotional language, in addition to the ballot question provided by the legislature, was added to Georgia’s official ballot to encourage passage of Referendum 1, the T-SPLOST sales tax increase for road and transit projects. The Secretary of State took responsibility for the language and the unprecedented act of modifying the ballot with no apparent legal authority.

Today’s formal inquiry from attorney Carr directs Secretary of State Brian Kemp to cite the legal authority for adding the language “Provides for local transportation projects to create jobs and reduce traffic congestion with citizen oversight.”

Carr’s letter in part reads:

“Secretary of State Kemp concluded that the preamble ‘is referenced in the original legislation.’ Nowhere does that language appear in O.C.G.A. 48-8-240 et seq. To the contrary, the ballot language was specifically directed by the legislature as noted above.”

And further: “Mr. Russo [general counsel for Secretary of State Kemp] at least appeared to be of the opinion that this was a constitutional amendment which, of course, it is not. He concluded without citation “all other questions placed on the ballot include a preamble.”

Additionally, Carr has initiated an Open Records Request to request all documents relevant to this ballot issue.

“Whether you are for or against the proposed tax increase, we can all agree the ballot is sacred and neither the Secretary of State nor anyone else should be able to turn our ballot into political propaganda,” said Jack Staver, TLC chairman. “The chaotic and contradictory statements made by Kemp and his office are characteristic of someone getting caught with their hand in the cookie jar, or in this case in the taxpayers’ pocket.”

Staver continues, “I understand why Kemp is running around like a chicken with his head cut off. There is a real possibility that the secretary of state could be held personally liable for the cost of reprinting the ballot.”

Ten days ago TLC issued a public call for Governor Nathan Deal to intervene and protect the integrity of the ballot. Governor Deal, one of the biggest supporters of the Referendum 1 tax increase, has not responded to these requests.

“This week, we will be celebrating Independence Day. We celebrate the birth of our freedom, the Declaration of our Independence, release from tyrannical behavior, and our right to free and fair elections. Young men and women of our country have fought wars throughout our history in order to protect and defend these precious rights. As patriots and citizens we can do no less than whatever it takes to defend the integrity of our elections.”

PV Muses: SO…ummm…TSPLOST fans? Wanna know the difference between a statewide referendum and T-SPLOST? Besides the fact that it is not a “constitutional amendment” issue?

HINT: A “statewide referendum” is one in which you add-up all the “Yes” votes and compare them to the “No” votes….and whichever side has the most votes in TOTAL wins the ballot question.

But, T-SPLOST isn’t a “statewide referendum” for a very specific reason: This is being voted on in 12 mutually exclusive geographic “regions.” All “Yay” votes and all “Nay” votes are not aggregated into one up-or-down vote count.

So, if (as example) Region 1 were to pass their T-SPLOST by 25,005 votes, and Region 2 was losing by 25,000 votes, Region 2 could not go “borrow” the excess 25,005 votes from Region 1 to add to their total to allow theirs to pass.

Yeah…it’s both a math issue and a Georgia Constitution issue here….two things lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have demonstrated for a lonnnnng time they neither understand nor really give a damn about.

Watch this video for a factual presentation on the true nature of what the Regional T-SPLOST is about….and what it is not about:

Get More Facts at: www.TrafficTruth.net

Prologue

If you have not heard about the recent case of Gwinnett County Commissioner Shirley Lasseter getting caught trading votes for money, click that link and read up on it.

I’m not interested in discussing that case. I’m going to discuss the bribery that goes on in every county commission, in every government office in any city, county, or state, in every single legislative session, and…these acts of bribery pretty much go on every single day.

If you ever read a book by Robert Cialdini called “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion,”, you would be familiar with the concept of the Law of Reciprocity.

Simply stated, it is the concept that if someone does something nice for you that you like receiving, you (if you are normal) feel an obligation to do something in return. It is a fact of the normal human condition (unless you’re a true psychopath, and you’re just screwed-up in the head, as I’ve discussed previously).

Now, so we all start on the same page of understanding, I feel a couple of definitions are required so that you understand what I am presenting. According to my 1992 version of the American Heritage Dictionary, Third Edition, this is how “bribery” is defined:

Bribery: “The act or practice of offering, giving, or taking a bribe.”

And, what is a “bribe?” From the same dictionary:

Bribe: “Something, such as money or a favor, offered or given to a person in a position of trust to influence that person’s views or conduct.”

You see, we don’t need to wait for the FBI or a federal prosecutor to define for this state what “bribery” is. It is clear what it is. It is something given, such as money or a favor (or a gift) to someone else to influence that decision-maker. Period.

In fact…I will predict that this might be so basic a concept that even someone who attended Washington & Lee Law School in Lexington, Virginia would understand it. And, if THEY can understand it, then surely any lawyer from the likes of UGA, Emory, Georgia State University Law (truly, the best law school in Georgia), Mercer, or John Marshall Law, or any other law school in Amerika would also be able to easily grasp this concept.

SO…Ladies and Gentlemen, think about this: What do you suppose the reasoning is as to why lobbyists buy meals, buy tickets, buy all sorts of stuff for legislators, county commissioners, attorney generals, governors, Lt. governors, commissioners, et al. is? They are bribing these folks to influence these government decision-makers.

It’s not because they are their “best friends.” It’s simply to gain influence over the government decision-maker (the person who can direct dollars of contracts to the lobbyist’s client). Anyone who denies this is either stupid, ignorant, or just plain too mentally corrupt to admit it.

It’s Not The Dollar Amounts That’s Important….

Which of these situations do you think would enable a lobbyist to develop a closer relationship with a government decision-maker: 1) A lobbyist who spends $1000 on one key decision-maker one time (say, lodging, meals, entertainment for a 2-day seminar in West Bumblefart, Texas), or, 2) A lobbyist who spent $50 per week for 20 weeks straight to eat a meal with that same key decision-maker?

You see, I believe too many people in this state are spending their time focusing on large dollar amounts as the “cause” of the influencing rather than the actual fact of dollars (i.e., a free meal, a football ticket, a blanky, etc.) being accepted by the decision-makers.

It is not just a matter of the “dollar amounts” being spent. People get confused all the time in looking at dollar amounts and then putting themselves in the shoes of a legislator and concluding “No one can buy my vote for a pair of football tickets to the Dawgs’ game, and I don’t believe Legislator X would be bought either.”

Read the rest of this entry »

A few overdue “things” we feel the need to address with you:

1) Don’t promise things you cannot (or will not deliver): In a Facebook chat between PV Editor Bill Simon and whoever the person is handling Facebook chat, a conversation ensued around February 24 and February 28th, 2012 whereby the MAVEN-person offered to Simon the opportunity to email MAVEN to obtain a copy of their “Form 990.”

What is Form 990? Oh, that’s just the little public document that every 501(c)(3) must file with the IRS to demonstrate that they are in accordance with IRS Tax law regarding 501(c)(3) organizations.

Also…it appears that there actually is an IRS Rule that basically states that if you are a 501(c)(3), you must provide a copy of any and every Form 990/Form990EZ someone wants to see. “Someone” being any member of the public.

Now, in the case of Simon’s repeated requests for a copy of MAVEN’s Form 990 via email as the MAVEN “person” indicated he could use to get a copy emailed to him, no one at MAVEN ever responded with an emailed copy of their Form 990. It’s as if MAVEN apparently believes they can tell falsehoods in conversations with the General Public, and just be dismissive in actually following through on requests.

2) Turnabout is fair play: Did you guys at MAVEN know there was an actual “Complaint Form” the IRS developed to allow members of the Public to communicate to them in the cases of 501(c)(3) organizations who fail to follow tax law? No?

Here’s the Form 13909 with easy to fill-in updateable PDF blanks (anyone wishing to complain to the IRS about MAVEN, please feel free to take a copy of this PDF…)

AND…you will note that there are a few check-boxes there that asks whether an organization has:

a) Engaged in excessive lobbying activities
b) Refused to disclose or provide a copy of Form 990 when it was requested.

One might (rightly) ask what constitutes a “lobbying activity?” So glad you asked. Here’s a link to the IRS’s definitions of “lobbying.” (Hint: The IRS definition of “lobbying” is not the same as what is in OCGA)

3) But, what is MAVEN’s Tax ID#? Ohhh…yeahhh…, that is a bit of a problem, isn’t it? After all, if you break IRS law by not providing a copy of the Form 990s upon request, then, golly, how does someone obtain a Tax ID in order to file a complaint???

Oh! (hand slap to forehead). Golly…there might be some online source to obtain Form 990s of “supposedly” (cough!-cough!) compliant (hack!-hack!) 501(c)(3) organizations like MAVEN, eh?

Wow! This danged new phenomenon called the “Internets” is just the cooooolest thing, isn’t it?

So, have you guys over at 235 Andrew Young Boulevard in Atlanta calculated what 5% of $2,000,000 is? Or, 5% of $6,000,000? Are these big numbers or small numbers in comparison to the normal pocket change you guys carry?

It’s okay, man. We’ll help you with the math around this time next year when we view your 2012 Form 990 / 2012 Form 990EZ.

Rumors have it that there is a developing “list” out there of pro-TSPLOST candidates running for political office that PV’s taking a keen interest in. Why? Because, if you’re running as a “Republican” and you are for a “tax hike,” no matter what you claim, you are not a “conservative.”

AND…since we have this trivial little matter of a national election for a new figurehead to be put in charge of the U.S.A. occurring on November 6, 2012, in the mindset of many true fiscal conservatives, anyone running for office for any public office in Georgia who parallels the person (and the political party) currently occupying the White House in their approach to taxpayer dollars in any way, should be identified for voters to know and recognize.

And, as the character of Bluto did in the movie Animal House, PV would like to take this opportunity to assign special, easy-to-remember nickames of those politicians on that growing list of tax hike supporters.

Cobb County Commission Chair Tim “The Tool” Lee: If Tim Lee wasn’t county commission chairman, would anyone at the Cobb Chamber of Commerce actually care about him at all? (Brian Noyes or Seth Millican, please chime-in if you can offer a cogent opposing viewpoint here…?)

Cherokee County Commission Chair Buzz “Space Cadet” Ahrens: Athrens’ infamous stance on the T-SPLOST is “I’m for the T-SPLOST, but I don’t approve of the current project list for the Atlanta Region.” Yeahhhh…like that choice of “changing” the project list is not what is going to be on the ballot on July 31st, Buzz. Buzz? Are you there, Buzz? Yo’, Buzz! (knocking on space helmet)…

Brandon “The Pirate” Beach, Candidate for State Senate District 21: So, what does a pirate want most? Loot, of course. And, in the case of the T-SPLOST, anyone in favor of T-SPLOST wants all your loot for the next 10 to 40 years.

Now, why is Beach named “The Pirate?” Two reasons, which just happen to exist and no one can blame PV of being “mean”: 1) There is a ‘Brandon’s Beach’ on the island of Barbados, which has a rich history of being associated with pirates…some even to this day.

And, 2) with Beach being from Louisiana, which just happens to also be the home state of Pirate Jean Laffite, it all just fits so well.

Prologue

This particular issue of the Political Vine was inspired by one guy making, perhaps, the most astute observation that I’ve ever heard in consideration of trying to understand what happens to cause the melee of political personality clashes between “Ron Paul People” and “Every Other Republican.”

Everyone in the GOP is aware of these clashes, whether you are “Old Guard,” “New Guard,” or “RP supporters.” RP people cannot understand, for the life of them, why their arguments about the rules, the Constitution, the Bible, etc. do not penetrate the conscious minds of longtime GOP members (i.e., the GOP Establishment).

Furthermore, the “old timers” in the GOP also don’t quite get why a lot of the RP supporters just don’t ease their way into the GOP stream, and “learn the ropes” in a quieter, less argumentative manner.

Well…perhaps there is a bit of a scientific explanation (beyond the quick-thought of “those other guys are ******* nuts!”) that can explain this clash…and, in presenting this theory, it is my hope that some of you in the various leadership positions on all sides of the GOP will read this, consider it to possibly be an accurate explanation, and hopefully, come around to gaining a little better understanding of the other person’s point of view.

Because, with just the tiniest of better understanding about what’s going on in the other person’s head, the fear you feel will begin to dissipate…and you might realize the other person is not your true enemy.

And, yes, a lot of the clashes amongst people (especially in the powder-keg world of politics) is due to a “fear” that one or both parties to an argument have, whether of losing power, losing control, losing political position, losing their sense of self-worth, losing…whatever someone feels they own and they view their adversary as someone else who wants to take that away from them.

Though you may not believe it, all I wish for the political world is peace, harmony, and happiness (at least until college football season rolls around and I can ramp-up my annual war on Dawgs…:-)

Myers-Briggs

Some time ago, either in high school or in college, I went through an exercise of taking tests that determined my “personality type.” There are several different types of personality tests out there, but the one in particular that I took, and that I accept to be the most “correct,” is called the “Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator.”

There are actually 16 different personality types in the Myers-Briggs construct. Your personality type is something you were basically born with, and it doesn’t change too much from one of the Myers-Briggs 16 types to any other MB type. If you’ve never heard of this type of test, here is an online version that is pretty good (and free) that you can take and figure out something about yourself…as well get an understanding of why you process information and analyze things the way you do, and why someone else processes information the way they do.

My personality type is INTJ, and we are a type that is about 1% of the population. We are quite the rarity.

If you wish to know the more realistic, practicing view of what an INTJ type is, read this Website. As a self-appointed leader of the INTJ Caucus Type, I freely invite and encourage the 99% of the general population to read this latter description so you may get a better understanding of what I’m going to discuss regarding GOP politics.

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