Friday, December 12, 2008

Erick Erickson's ruminations from inside the vast right wing conspiracy.

Defining a tax

This is really the most disingenuous thing I have ever heard of. Taxing people’s property and calling it a “user fee.”

I think the Republican legislators in this state should pass a law defining a rain tax or, if you will, an impervious surface tax as a tax. Government bureaucrats with judicial acquiescence have decided that if the tax is for a specific service of government exclusively, it can be called a user fee.

That may help the government bureaucrat sleep well at night, but it is still a tax.

Unlike my water bill, which goes up or down based on whether or not I use my water, this rain tax does not go up or down based on whether or not it rains. It only goes up or down if I add value to or take value away from my property.

And that, I think, is one of the nuggets for a good definition of a tax. Here is my draft suggestion that I hope some legislator reading this will work to enact as law:

Any monetary charge imposed by the state, county, or municipal governments or entities whose existence are derived therefrom that a citizen is unable to alter through his own actions except by adding value to or subtracting value from the citizen’s real or personal property must be called a tax.

You know, I understand that taxes must be raised in some cases at the local level to pay for infrastructure like sewer system and storm water system. I am not opposed to paying for those.

What I am opposed to is government bureaucrats trying to obfuscate what is going on and telling elected officials that they need to act quick before “businesses and churches find out”.

June 10, 2009 | Filed Under Macon | Comments Off 

A Pleasant Surprise

Having expected it to be another disaster, I am pleasantly surprised by my home’s new tax value.

This year’s property assessment notices may be about as welcome as visiting in-laws, but like in-laws, they don’t need an invitation. New Bibb County property values are headed to your mailbox any day now, if they haven’t already arrived. Assessment notices were mailed Friday.

The assessed value has barely moved from what it was in 2001.

Put it to you this way, when they did the flawed valuation a couple of years ago, the jump was in excess of $50,000.00. The re-evaluated increase is only a few thousand.

I certainly won’t be appealing.

June 8, 2009 | Filed Under Macon | 1 Comment 

Much Ado About Nothing

I realize this is a 3 day weekend article, one put on standby to fill the pages of the paper. I wish there had been more substantive quotes because it misses a few key facts about a proposal I’ve written to change the way people will speak before City Council.

The most important is this: a large number, if not a majority, of Council want to cut everyone back to 3 minutes. I am not in favor of further cutting back from 5 minutes to 3 minutes those people who have something to say about business before Council.

But, because Nancy White and I are Chair and Co-Chair of the Rules Committee, we were asked by other members of Council to put together a proposal. I wrote it.

We bifurcate the speakers — those with business before Council speak before we get to the business of Council. Those who just want to speak, go between old and new business. That second group would be reduced to three minutes.

In the year and a half I’ve been on Council, I’ve yet to see one of the perennial speakers speak for five minutes without, basically, starting over from the beginning to fill up the clock. Likewise, most of those who just want to speak are there to complain about various city employees, policemen, etc. and I don’t think Council should be the place to hurl invective at a policeman without that policeman being able to defend himself.

Most importantly, the article fails to mention that the proposal was submitted, then I moved to table it so we could review what other city councils in Georgia do. I’m fine with the present rule, but having been asked to come up with a new proposal, I did.

May 26, 2009 | Filed Under Macon | Comments Off 

The Ramada Plaza

The Ramada Plaza in downtown Macon will be sold at foreclosure.

Wouldn’t that spot make an awesome court house?

May 19, 2009 | Filed Under Macon | Comments Off 

The First Few Amendments

As some of you know, my fellow Council Member Elaine Lucas has submitted legislation to declare Barack Obama a member of Macon’s City Council. Tomorrow in committee we begin discussing the legislation. Below are a few of my amendments:

Erickson Amendment to the RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MACON, GEORGIA HONORING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ON BECOMING THE 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND PROCLAIMING HIM AN HONORARY MEMBER OF THE MACON CITY COUNCIL; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Move to insert a new second Whereas clause to read:

“WHEREAS, we appreciate Barack Obama’s candidness in his autobiography admitting that he had snorted cocaine” Erickson Amendment to the RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MACON, GEORGIA HONORING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ON BECOMING THE 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND PROCLAIMING HIM AN HONORARY MEMBER OF THE MACON CITY COUNCIL; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Move to insert a new second Whereas clause to read:

“WHEREAS, we hold no ill will with regard to Barack Obama being the only member of the Illinois State Senate to speak in favor of infanticide during his tenure there”

Erickson Amendment to the RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MACON, GEORGIA HONORING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ON BECOMING THE 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND PROCLAIMING HIM AN HONORARY MEMBER OF THE MACON CITY COUNCIL; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Move to insert a new third Whereas clause to read:

“WHEREAS, because of Barack Obama Americans everywhere now make sure their vehicles’ tires have adequate and appropriate tire pressure”

Erickson Amendment to the RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MACON, GEORGIA HONORING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ON BECOMING THE 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND PROCLAIMING HIM AN HONORARY MEMBER OF THE MACON CITY COUNCIL; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Move to insert a new second Whereas clause to read:

“WHEREAS, with Barack Obama election and, in his own words, ”this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal”

Erickson Amendment to the RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MACON, GEORGIA HONORING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ON BECOMING THE 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND PROCLAIMING HIM AN HONORARY MEMBER OF THE MACON CITY COUNCIL; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Move to insert a new second Whereas clause to read:

“WHEREAS, prior to entering elected office, Barack Obama started his political fudraising efforts in the living room of noted domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, a man who planned to kill numerous American policemen,”

Erickson Amendment to the RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MACON, GEORGIA HONORING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ON BECOMING THE 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND PROCLAIMING HIM AN HONORARY MEMBER OF THE MACON CITY COUNCIL; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Move to insert a new second Whereas clause to read:

“WHEREAS, prior to entering elected office, Barack Obama boldy admitted to attending meetings of the American Community Party with his childhood mentor Frank Davis,”

Erickson Amendment to the RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MACON, GEORGIA HONORING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ON BECOMING THE 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND PROCLAIMING HIM AN HONORARY MEMBER OF THE MACON CITY COUNCIL; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Move to insert a new second Whereas clause to read:

“WHEREAS, prior to and after entering elected office, Barack Obama felt no shame sitting for twenty years in front of a preacher who referred to the United States as the ‘U-S-of-KKK-A” and preached that white America created HIV/AIDS to infect black men,”

Erickson Amendment to the RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MACON, GEORGIA HONORING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ON BECOMING THE 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND PROCLAIMING HIM AN HONORARY MEMBER OF THE MACON CITY COUNCIL; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Move to insert a new second Whereas clause to read:

“WHEREAS, since becoming President, Barack Obama has in one hundred days generated a larger national debt than eight years of George W. Bush, but unlike George Bush, Barack Obama’s heart is in the right place,”

Erickson Amendment to the RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MACON, GEORGIA HONORING PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ON BECOMING THE 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND PROCLAIMING HIM AN HONORARY MEMBER OF THE MACON CITY COUNCIL; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Move to insert a new second Whereas clause to read:

“WHEREAS, proving his wisdom, Barack Obama has chosen a course of national security policy that will willfully allow terrorists now housed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to enter upon American soil,”

May 3, 2009 | Filed Under Macon, Politics | Comments Off 

My column in the Telegraph

Here is my column in today’s issue of the Telegraph

Expressing shock about this is like being shocked by third degree burns after a night in bed with the devil. Noble has done nothing wrong. It has played the game masterfully. It secured taxpayer property to build a taxpayer-funded hotel. It received management agreements to run the profitable parts of Macon’s Centreplex. Noble outmaneuvered C. Jack Ellis and Macon at every turn. Good businesses take advantage of bad businesses. It happens all the time.

February 27, 2009 | Filed Under Macon | Comments Off 

Elaine Lucas’s Constituent Services

Wow. Just wow. I was forwarded this email exchange:

Here is the original:

From: Kerinsa M
Sent: Fri 12/12/2008 5:47 PM
To: Lucas, Elaine
Subject: banquet

Mrs. Lucas,

You should take Mayor Reichert’s advice and go to the banquet, assuming you have nothing to hide. Chris Krok is only gaining notoriety by your refusal to be seen in the same room with him. Furthermore, it would be smart to go on his show, so that the same amount of money you stole from us by falsely calling in sick to work could go to charity.

Now here is the response:

Subject: RE: banquet
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:56:01 -0500
From: Elaine.Lucas@macon.ga.us
To:Kerinsa M

You kiss your mother’s ass and go straight to hell, Loser.

December 13, 2008 | Filed Under Macon | Comments Off 

Let’s Continue the Elaine Lucas Saga

So, you’ve seen earlier the Elaine Lucas screed about Chris Krok being invited to the Police Awards Banquet. This has really turned into an awesome email thread.

So, we had her, now here is what I wrote back, quoting from her email.

“All future police department concerns and budget requests should be addressed to Chris Krok for action.”
That’s pathetic.  Elected officials should have thicker skin than this.  Shame on you.

Then the Mayor chimed in:

Christmas is a season which has resulted in a truce, even in times of active warfare, and there have been recorded instances where enemies have been in community events to celebrate the season. I have not been the victim of attacks by Mr. Krok anywhere near the extent you have, and it’s easier for me to suggest that scripture suggests we love our enemy. However, I’ve always heard that you can “kill’em with kindness”. At the very least, being kind blunts their criticism and can change their attitude. It may have been an unintentional oversight or poor judgment on the part of the MPD to include you and Chris at the same event, but this provides you with an opportunity to be magnanimous, charitable, and a true Christmas spirit.  This morning was the first that I heard of this problem, and there is little time for contemplation and action before tomorrow night’s event. I hope you will attend.

After the Mayor, Chris Krok himself responded. Elaine had insisted the Council Clerk copy all members of the media on her email, but Chris was left off. I figured since we’re talking about him, I might as well copy him. So he responded to everyone on the original email with a new email as follows:

You’d better not pout..you’d better not cry…. C’mon, Elaine!  It’s CHRISTmas!  This isn’t about you or me..it’s about the Macon Police Department!  I think the event is big enough for you AND me. I’ll give you a big CHRISTmas hug..or, if you want, I can pretend like you’re not there…either way, I’m coming, and I hope you’ll come to! Merry CHRISTmas to all..and to all a good night!!

Then Elaine responded to the Mayor descending into the paranoia that consumes her:

As I said before, I do not plan to attend the event where this person is speaking. Today it’s me, but tomorrow it will be you or your family. This man puts me and my family in danger every day with the possibility that some kind of lunatic will act on his hate-filled words. What kind of Mayor are you to allow this to occur? You have the power to stop this. If I or any of my family are harmed, you will bear part of the blame because you could have struck a blow for sensitivity, respect, and protection of all citizens, including councilmembers.

Then she responded to Chris Krok’s email with this:

Go straight to hell!!!

Then she responded to my email:

How thick would your skin be if Chris Krok decided to shift his attention to you and your family? Would you like for him to talk about your wife as he has talked about my husband of 32 years, State Representative David Lucas. Would you like for him to attack you professionally as he has with me? He has accused me of theft, of trying to force a child onto Ritalin, and of teaching ebonics in my classroom years ago. How would you feel to be called Eric “Adolf Hitler” Erickson each and every morning on radio? But then you were responsible for bringing him to Macon and telling him who to attack, weren’t you? Since you think I am pathetic, let me tell you what’s pathetic about you. Your service on council is pathetic. Your blog is pathetic and crusty. You are a SMALL man.!!!

So, I felt the need to respond as follows, quoting from her email:

“How would you feel to be called Eric “Adolf Hitler” Erickson each and every morning on radio?”
You should google me. I’ve been called a lot worse routinely. And next time you have someone call your home and describe how they are going to cut off your eye lids and make you watch as they rape and murder your wife and child, you can talk to me about having a thick skin. That’s actually happened to me. You’ve just been called out on the radio. Suck it up.
“But then you were responsible for bringing him to Macon and telling him who to attack, weren’t you?”
No, I wasn’t. But I know it gives you comfort to think so. I did not meet Chris until after he was hired. Elaine, this email is indicative of how you behave. You are a bully on a kindergarten playground. You can throw the punches, but you cry like a little girl when someone hits you back. And guess what, we’re all starting to get a clue and punch back at you. None of us start it. But more and more of us are glad to finish it. You have bullied, browbeaten, and condemned half the city and people are no longer putting up with it. No one is doing to you anything you haven’t done to others. You just can’t take it. City employees bow in front of you and laugh behind your back about you. I may be small, but you are joke and your own punch line. The fact is, Elaine, you are a cheap politician with a weak character. The politics you engage in are reprehensible. You don’t actually ever try to get ahead or get your ward ahead. Instead, you’d rather hold the whole city back in the squalor you seem to like. Dogs with fleas or pigs with mud, pick your metaphor. They both describe you.

That’s it for now. We’ll see if she decides to engage further. She took the initiative to copy every member of Council, the Mayor, the media, etc. on the emails, so I’ve kept it up.

December 12, 2008 | Filed Under Macon | 3 Comments 

If You Live in Macon, Tell City Council “No”

I really need your help. I need you to call your City Councilman at (478) 751-7260 and tell him/her to oppose the Council Pension Plan legislation.

Macon’s City Council on Tuesday night will consider whether or not Members of Council should have a pension.

Friends, it is a dangerous thing to give part time city councilmen a pension. Pensions should be for full time employees. More importantly, pensions should be for employees, not for small time legislators.

The irony is that the Council has decided not to give a cost of living adjustment to policemen or other city employees, but seems intent on giving City Councilmen a pension.

This is wrong.

Call your City Councilman at (478) 751-7260 and make sure he/she knows you expect the Council Pension Plan legislation to be voted down.

December 12, 2008 | Filed Under Macon | Comments Off 

This is pathetic

Chris Krok, who handles morning talk duties on AM 940 here in Macon, has been a huge champion on the police department. When Elaine Lucas, a member of City Council, sought to interject herself into personnel issues within the police department here in Macon, Krok went after her. He’s been insistent that Council members let the police department do its job.

Well, the Police Department has invited Krok to speak at an Awards dinner tomorrow night. That resulted in this email from Elaine, who wanted members of the media copied on the email:

It has come to my attention that there is a potentially divisive situation about to be created by the invitation from the Police department to Chris Krok for the police awards program tomorrow night. I had planned to attend along with my son and his date as I always try to support the police department both in spirit and in council proceedings. I will, unfortunately, not be able to attend the program. My husband is incensed that this person would be invited since he has heard me over the years talking with and advocating on behalf of police officers as we lay in bed together late at night. Many of the officers are retired, but some are currently employed police officers, and at the time, had legitimate concerns for their jobs. I have been there for over 20 years working on behalf of our law enforcement. But this is an insult and I take it personally. It is also my understanding that other council members and some police officers will not attend if Chris Krok attends and is on the program. Does the police chief condone the reckless actions of Chris Krok? Do we want to further divide our city workforce? Does the police chief condone allowing Chris Krok to freely ride with police officers purely for the purpose of further dividing this community? I hope not. I am seeking an answer from the police chief and the Mayor. Joyce, would you please forward this message to all council members, Mayor Reichert, and all news media. Of course, Chris Krok loves the media attention–positive or negative.

If that wasn’t enough, she followed up with this threat to the Police Department (she sits on the Appropriations Committee):

What I am simply saying that there have been many police officers that have sought my assistance and support in pay issues and personal employment issues over the years. My husband has listened to conversations that I have had with these officers who have called at all hours of the day and night. Some of these calls have come very late after we were all in bed. I have listened and supported and comforted. To have this same police department turn against me and invite (or allow) Chris Krok to speak at an awards program where they know that I will be in attendance is an insult. I am asking for immediate action to uninvite him or I will not attend. All future police department concerns and budget requests should be addressed to Chris Krok for action.

It is a dangerous thing when elected officials begin bullying others to censor people or face repercussions.

December 12, 2008 | Filed Under Macon | Comments Off 

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