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Subject:Citizen Newsletter #277 From: The Citizen Newsletter (lrstanley@charter.net) To: hc.citizen@hccitizen.org; Date: Sat, 09 Jul 2011 17:46:50

The Citizen Newsletter

Issue # 277
July 9, 2011 The Conservative Voice of Henry County
Contact The Citizen at hc.citizen@hccitizen.org Your comments and submissions are always welcome!

In This Issue

News & Announcements This Woman is Crazy! Stockbridge Council told to Back Off Go Figure Taxpayers Lose Time for a Do-Over? T-SPLOST: No Regional Concept Clayton Commissioners Accused Your Voice Silent Majority? BJ, Billy & Tara Field Its the Economy, Stupid!

District 2 Commissioner to Host Town Hall Meeting

Henry County District 2 Commissioner Fred Auletta will host a Town Hall Meeting on July 28, 2011 at 7 p.m. at the Henry County Water & Sewerage Authoritys Community Room. During the meeting, citizens will receive an update on the state of county, with a special focus on SPLOST and what we are doing to encourage economic development in our community. Citizens will then have an opportunity to ask questions following these updates. The Henry County Water & Sewerage Authority is located at 1695 Highway 20 West in McDonough. Please enter through the rear entrance of the building.

Editorial / Publication Policy Available in HTML (original) or PDF format Send email to hc.citizen@hccitizen.org The Citizen newsletter is available online at Scribd.com View online at http://www.scribd.com/larry_stanley

Friends, Residents and Citizens of Stockbridge:

Note the formal agenda for Monday night's City Council meeting. See Item #1 under Old Business. This is the vote to change the charter of the city! WE NEED YOUR VOICE TO BE HEARD AT THIS VOTE! Separately we have received a copy of a decision by the Georgia State Attorney which indicates that the State Legislature is the ruling entity should any change to the Stockbridge Charter be required ... NOT the City Council!!! Let's see what happens Monday night !!! IN ANY EVENT, IT'S OUR LAST CHANCE FOR OUR COLLECTIVE VOICE TO BE HEARD! Respectfully, Richard Steinberg for Concerned Citizens of Stockbridge (CCS)

Your Support is Appreciated

The Conservative Voice of Henry County has opened a venue for news, comment and opinion that exists nowhere else. It is because of you; a steady list of people who read and submit articles

"The content contained herein is produced by Concerned Citizens of Stockbridge (CCS), a private group, that is not directly affiliated with the City of Stockbridge, Georgia"

Hey Henry is a feature of the Henry County Times

sharing ideas and principles.

Hey Henry, how is it the Henry County Board of Commissioners are financially able to purchase Tara Field, but unable to save over 50 jobs in Henry County, not to mention again allowing furlough days to occur? Hey Henry does anyone really want to pay more taxes? I think if the local, state and federal governments would put their heads together, they could finance a transportation plan with the taxes we already pay. Instead they waste so much of our hard earned dollars. JUST SAY NO NEW TAXES!

Or visit www.hccitizen.org

Hey Henry, did you know that there used to be a street in Stockbridge named Chuck Norris, but it had to be changed because nobody crosses Chuck Norris and lives.

Say What?
A feature of the Henry Daily Herald

Thousands rally against Ga. immigration law How about the tens of thousands of people that support this new immigration law rally together and have a march to show the law makers that they are supported Henry Rodeo ensures Independence Day fireworks This was a complete farce. Free admission my eye! We parked at a friend's house and tried to walk over with them to see the festivities and we were told that we could not enter. Instead a female rep. of the "Rodeo" association whined to us about how much they paid the County for use of the park. This is False advertising in it's purest form and they have not heard the last of this.

This Woman is Crazy!

A [Stockbridge city council member] just called the AJC reported to "dress her down" about the Fred Evans article. She went on a rant and rave about it and how it defamed his character ...(didn't know he had any character but always knew he was a "character") .. How could (the AJC) do this without checking the facts? etc... and so on. The author told [the Stockbridge city council member] that she personally called Fred at least 4 times and never got a returned phone call, etc. The author had all of the facts ... actual attendance records from city hall which I had obtained from an Open Records Request - the part about the bounced check was not from me ... The author called a Mr. Thurman and got the information straight from the gentleman himself. I had no detailed knowledge of the incident. The writer then asked [the Stockbridge city council member] about the upcoming Monday night vote meeting and she didn't want to talk about it.... she made some excuse that the writer never comes to meetings so how would she know what is going on, etc. The author told her that she would personally be in attendance on Monday evening but she was writing an article about it now and would [the Stockbridge city council member] give her some information? [the Stockbridge city council member] indicated that she had to get off the telephone and couldn't speak anymore ... The writer then said that she understood that [the Stockbridge city council member] had previously filed an ethics complaint against Fred Evans and what about it... Kathy's reply was ... "Oh! That was settled." [the Stockbridge city council member] then had to "rush off the phone due to another call coming in!" The soap opera is amazing. The whole thing is ludicrous. Remember [the Stockbridge city council member] had called the City Of Stockbridge Ethics Board Attorney and "dressed her down" a few days prior to todays telephone call as well. Is [the Stockbridge city council member] trying to interfere with the ethics board and deserving of an ethics complaint herself? Citizen Editors Note: The foregoing commentary was received by email. The city councilors name was withheld although everyone already knows the cabals spokesperson. Apparently the antics of the self-appointed cabal we dubbed The Stockbridge Mafia has again proven to be an embarrassment to the City and Henry County.

Thank you for your support and participation

Over 16,000 reads at Scribd.com Over 4,000 subscribers

Stockbridge Council told to Back Off

We can be certain the battles are not over. The cabal of Stockbridge self-appointed Brahmins bent on stripping Mayor Lee Stuart of executive authority has so far defied citizen voices, legal opinions from the Georgia House of Representatives and specific calls from members of the legislative delegation. They are, after all, above the lowly citizens. They have been counseled by the City Attorney that home rule allows then to do as they wish. They will not go quietly into the night. The task at hand falls to the Citizens of Stockbridge. Three members of the city council up for election this November are Kathy Gilbert, Fred Evans and Shirley Dabney. They must go. If, for no other reason, vote them out for arrogance toward and defiance of the people they area supposed to represent. Friday, July 8th, the Georgia Attorney General provided legal opinion and citations of Georgia Code to Rep. Steve Davis pursuant to his request. Dennis R. Dunn, Deputy Attorney General directly stated that the Stockbridge City Council they have exceeded their authority. Changes to the executive authorities of Mayor, substantially reducing the Mayoral authority, changes the composition and form of government as defined in the City Charter. Such a change would not be permitted under OCGA 36-35-6 (a)(1). Home Rule powers of a municipality do not extend to changing the form or composition of city government. The decision of the Supreme Court of Georgia in Gray v. Dixon, 249 Ga. 163-64 (2) (1982), as noted in Legislative Counsels earlier letter to the City of Stockbridge, makes it clear that the reduction of the executive power of the head of a local government is indeed a change in the form of government, which is outside the scope of home rule powers. The proposed city ordinance, expected to be adopted by the Stockbridge Council on Monday July 11th, is a change to city government that addresses one of the most basic abilities of the Mayor to address actions of the Council, as well as for the Council to act with unanimity in addressing actions of the Mayor. Both are fundamental to the very nature of the citys government and check and balance system. If there is a change in that arrangement, then it is most appropriate that it be done on the level of the General Assembly. The entire letter has been posted at http://www.scribd.com/doc/59634213/AG-Letter-Stockbridge-Got-Bad-Advice.

Go Figure
The people cheering for the proposed transportation tax are thinking. If you want to convince people to approve the referendum, never tell the whole truth. Consider this: 85% of the revenue goes to regional projects and 15% is returned to the originating county. For every $1 Million in revenue, Henry County shoppers must spend $12,500,000. For every $1 Million in revenue, Henry County will receive $150,000. Folks, there is NO RETURN ON INVESTMENT. We spend $12.5 Million and get only $150,000 back for local projects. None of the cheerleaders are going to tell you that.

the Hack Line

IS IT TIME FOR A DO OVER?
Just recently chitchat had it the Transportation SPLOST referendum coming July 2012 would be a part of the upcoming called session in August 2011. It seems the Regional T-SPLOST is not gaining legs strong enough for passage. Those who want it to succeed have not seen the warm welcome to the voters pockets they had wished for and need more time to craft the campaign of triumph. The wish lists being whittled down from humpteen-billion to now around $6 Billion brings those pushing for projects to realization theres just not enough cookie dough for all to have their fill. As the lists are being hacked the concept of Regional Transportation takes hold and locally centered politics feels left out. A post over at PEACH PUNDIT BY CHARLIE got me thinking again about how fragile this vote is and how easily it could be defeated. A new strategy looks to be forming where the move away from the July 2012 primary with mostly anti-tax Republicans voting to the General November 2012 where there is a mix of Democrat and Republican voter going to the polls.

the Hack Line

SO MUCH FOR REGIONAL CONCEPT
http://charlesmobley.wordpress.com/2011/07/08/so-much-for-regional-concept/

The Grand Minds of the Regional Transportation Table have spoken and seems local road widening projects made the cut for Henry County with the Rail from Atlanta to Griffin thrown out. I guess our politicians know whats best here with what received the highest marks in the poll for Regional Transportation done away with. The rail obtained the highest reception of 47% the night of the call where Mayor Lindsey and Chairwoman Mathis asked what the voters wanted from their penny tax. They asked what voters wanted, they heard them roar and then it looks like they ignored. The list was cut in half yesterday on the projects. I suspect the price tag of $467 million was too high and would have soaked up all the funds allotted for the step children living south of Atlanta. The list is now down to $12.2 billion and will have to be cut in half again before the final list in October of this year. Henry had eleven projects making this last round.

$30,700,000.00 $10,450,000.00 $36,660,000.00 $44,252,000.00 $11,850,000.00 $19,310,000.00 $25,033,000.00 $17,200,000.00 $11,621,000.00 $18,900,000.00 $83,450,000.00

SR 81 Widening from McDonough to Old Jackson SR 155 from Spalding to Bill Gardner SR 155 Bill Gardner to Race Track Rd Bill Gardner from SR 155 to I75 Bill Gardner from I75 to US 23/42 Extension & Upgrade One way pair through McDonough Rock Quarry Rd from Eagles Landing to SR138 Western Parallel Hudson Bridge to Jonesboro Rd Jonesboro Rd from I75 to 19/41 I75 South @ Bill Gardner interchange improvements US 23/ SR42 from 138 to Butts County widening

Citizen Editors note: A few thoughts rise immediately. First is the idea that widening US 23/42 from one end of the county to the other can possibly be accomplished with only $83 Million is pure lunacy! No thought for right-of-way acquisition. Not to mention utility relocation. No thought for disrupting local businesses or taking someones residential property. Jonesboro Rd from I-75 to 19/41? In Henry County Jonesboro Road stops at the Clayton County line at Nash Farm. Do we need a Nash Farm Parkway? The Western Parallel Hudson Bridge to Jonesboro Road will surely be named the Shailandra Parkway another Mathis political payoff. $56 Million to widen Bill Gardner Pkwy? Of course, this high traffic thoroughfare connects the booming metropolis centers of Hampton and Locust Grove. Think of the improvement as a tourist attraction. All in all, BJ Mathis has failed to bring projects of regional impact to the T-SPLOST Round Table. This is happening across the state local politics and agendas fail the citizens. No wonder there is so little voter approval for the proposed transportation tax. It will be a drain on personal and family pocketbooks that will just be another SPLOST slush fund!

Wole Ralph - Sonna Singleton - Gail Hambrick Tracy Graham Lawson - Eldrin Bell

Clayton commissioners accused of open-meetings violation

Attorney Generals office to investigate By Curt Yeomans cyeomans@news-daily.com The Georgia Attorney Generals office will investigate allegations that three members of the Clayton County Board of Commissioners recently violated the Georgia Open Meetings Act, by meeting, out of public view, to discuss the countys fiscal year 2012 budget. Commission Vice Chairman Wole Ralph, along with commissioners, Sonna Singleton and Gail Hambrick, allegedly used a recess during a special called meeting on June 29, to hold secret talks on what to do with the budget, according to a July 5 complaint filed with the Attorney Generals office by Rex resident, Rosa Barbee. She has asked for an investigation of the three commissioners. Lauren Kane, a spokesperson for Attorney General Sam Olens, confirmed the states top prosecutors office has received Barbees complaint, and that it will look into it, just as it would any other complaint. If the three commissioners violated the Georgia Open Meetings Act, they may not be facing the most severe of crimes.

Clayton County District Attorney Tracy Graham Lawson said violating the act would only constitute a misdemeanor offense. Ralph, Singleton and Hambrick are accused of allegedly ignoring a warning from Lawson that going into an unadvertised, closed-door discussion on the budget would constitute of a violation of state law, according to the complaint. Very early in the proceedings, while in discussion, Commissioner Wole Ralph suddenly announced that the Board of Commissioners needed to leave the meeting for a closed doors discussion, the complaint states. At this point, the Clayton County DA told them they could not do this, as they would be in violation of the Georgia Open Meetings Act. Ignoring the DA and the law, Mr. Ralph stood up and retreated with Commissioner [Sonna] Singleton and Commissioner Gail Hambrick, to a closed doors meeting. The complaint points out that Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell and Commissioner Michael Edmondson did not leave the open meeting with them, and, therefore, did not participate in the alleged closed-door budget discussion. Minutes for the called meeting on July 29, appear to confirm the alleged events at least those that occurred in the public meeting chambers as outlined by Barbee, both in her complaint, and during a telephone interview. The yet-to-be-official meeting minutes show that Ralph and Singleton had been critical of Bell during the meeting, even going so far as to tell the commission chairman to own his own budget, before Ralph eventually made a motion to increase the countys millage rate by 5 mills. The minutes show the recommendation caused an uproar in the audience, requiring Bell to call for order to be restored. The crux of Barbees complaint, however, is what happened in the middle of the budget discussion. The minutes show that Ralph, in the middle of the discussion, made a motion for a recess, and that Singleton seconded it.

YOUR VOICE
At OnlineAthens.com Proposed Transportation Tax Bring up the remotest possibility that politicians can get their hands deeper into our pockets and we hear the full range of local politics, regional importance, chest-puffing and back slapping. What we do not hear is how they intend to convince taxpayers/voters to approve the referendum. When they talk turkey, it is all turkey for them and none for you and me. Then a Brahmin at the GA DOT says whether the desired projects can even go onto a wish list. Can anyone say Politburo?

www.ProvisionProperties.com

Add It Up
Henry County commissioners just increased the property tax millage rate to balance the budget. While property values go down they cannot stop spending to match the decrease in revenues. Henry County already dropped fifty-seven people from their jobs. Now they offer a buy-out program for employees nearing retirement at 40% of their 2010 salary. Henry County is buying Tara Field airport from Clayton County. It is said there will be a small initial investment of one or two million dollars, and then another few million in a couple years. Dont overlook the local match for all federal dollars provided by the FAA. Every year taxpayers will pay into the improvements and upgrades made to the airport. Remember that annual drain on the budget is why Clayton County wants to get rid of the airport! To be sure our commissioners are working very hard to cope with the economy. They are spending money and raising taxes. Is that what we need from them?

Cemetery Research Group

www.crghenry.org

Signature Broadcasting Youre Fired. Im Buying an Airport Network SBN TV Were all about you! http://sbn.tv/
I was told today that the [Henry County] Department Heads are briefing their employees about the furlough days, lay offs, offering certain employees retirement buy outs. The Department Directors wanted to be able to answer questions as to how we can buy the airport while we do not have any funds for so many needed employees. An employee said the Manager was told them to tell them the BOC was presented an offer they could not pass up. You use your own imagination as to how this was received by the employees.

~ Feedback on Buying Tara Field Any and all Commissioners that vote, including all the hard work from the Chairman, to buy Tara Field after furloughing all employees and laying off 57 for lack of funds, and in the event they will seek re-election. there will be new faces in January 2013. It appears they are prepared to sacrifice their political position to accommodate their rich buddies. What are friends for? ~ Feedback on Buying Tara Field The FAA would not fund the airport expansion if Mr. Abbate's property was to be improved to allow multi-dwelling for people to live. This is one of the two issues that Commissioner Mathis used to fight the expansion. The other issue she used was the heavily populated area to the Northeast of the proposed expansion. I firmly believe that Chairman Mathis will still fight for the citizens that would live under and near the flight path, even if HCBOC owns it.

Quote of the Day .... and Every Day: "If you voted for Obama in 2008 to prove you're not a racist, you'll have to vote for someone else in 2012 to prove you're not an idiot."

July 8, 2011 Dear Mayor, Council Members, and Mr. Welch, Please be advised that I have sought further legal advice from the Chief Legal Officer of the State of Georgia, the Attorney General. This is a follow up to my letter dated June 6th, 2011 and the opinion of myself and legislative counsel that you do not have authority to proceed with Charter Changes involving the veto powers of the Mayor. It is clear that the previous opinion of legislative counsel was accurate and the Attorney Generals office has arrived to the same conclusion. I hope this legal opinion proves helpful and provides clear legal parameters as we move forward with our work for the citizens of Stockbridge. Thank you in advance. Rep. Steve Davis (R-109) Member, Stockbridge Legislative Delegation
Citizen Editors Note: What is it called when a city attorney provides advice and counsel that violates legal precedent and Georgia law? Perhaps they are betting on not being challenged. Perhaps they are simply failing to serve the public while serving the personal agendas of elected officials. See the article Stockbridge Council told to Back Off and read the entire Georgia Attorney Generals legal opinion and citations of Georgia Code at http://www.scribd.com/doc/59634213/AGLetter-Stockbridge-Got-Bad-Advice .

Spaghetti Dinner
Sunday, July 24, 2011 ~~ 5-7pm Henry County Moose Lodge Family Center Off Hwy 155 West at Hunters Run Karaoke 5-9pm $5.00 per plate

Proceeds to benefit the Ricky Craig Walk supporting

People First of Henry County

Mike Moon wrote: "The Attorney General has got this one right on. The problem here is that the legislative body of Stockbridge which is the City Council is trying to change the powers of the Mayor which is the executive branch. Nothing is being heard from the city judgeship which is the judicial branch of this government. All the city attorney can do is advise, not make policy. This may be another case for the Georgia Supreme Court if this action continues. One branch of the government cannot go and reduce the powers of the other part of the government just because they don't like the person. All this boils down to personalities and money. The mayor put the brakes on something the city should not have been involved with by using his veto power. The city council revoked his official actions. He then took the advice of the city attorney and sued the city council. The city council doesn't like the mayor's style of leadership and neither do some employees. Maybe things have been too soft and easy with these folks from former employers. But maybe the citizens of Stockbridge need to make some changes at the ballot box this fall. That might make a difference one can only hope. I have been to several council meetings and you can feel the tension in the room."

It's time for The Great Recovery!

Please join Dave Ramsey for The Great Recovery online event, Thursday, July 21.

What's it about?

This economic mess has impacted all of us for over two years. The government can't fix it, but we as believers have the answer. We're joining forces with believers everywhere to rise up and lead our nation outone family, one church, one community at a time. The Great Recovery is a grassroots movement that's just now beginning to spread. Please visit thegreatrecovery.com and register to watch, and spread the word to any church leaders you know. We'll send follow-up emails with updates and more information.

Silent Majority?
According to Kay Pippin, president of the Henry County Chamber of Commerce, supporters of the proposed transportation tax T-SPLOST are a sleeping giant. The recent telephone, town-hall meetings showed a very strong interest in this project by hundreds, if not thousands, of Henry County voters, Pippin said. I think the results of those calls surprised many vocal opponents of this project. A part of Henrys telephone town-hall meeting centered on a proposed commuter-rail line from Macon to Atlanta. Kay Pippin, president of the Henry County Chamber of Commerce, has been an outspoken proponent of the Atlanta-to-Macon rail line, and said there are several reasons why it has a good chance of making the constrained-projects list. Retiring Mayor Lindsey of Locust Grove said 85 percent of the funds which would accompany passage of the legislation, would go toward transportation projects, and 15 percent would go back to each region to be spent with no strings attached. This is a one-time shot, Lindsey said. If this passes, that means we will [get] funds that, normally, we would have to put into it. News Flash~ WE are putting that money into the proposed tax! Career politicians fail to understand that all the money they collect comes from one source citizen taxpayers. There is no magic bag o money provided by the state or federal government. Voters will be asked to decide whether to implement a 10-year one-cent additional sales tax that is expected to generate $8 to $10 Billion. That would raise Henry Countys sales tax to 8%, eight cents on every dollar spent at local businesses. Counties in the region are: Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale. Many vocal opponents are making themselves heard in Henry, Fayette, Gwinnett and Cherokee. There is a good chance the new tax will fail to gain voter support. Arguments against the tax are strong and include negative impact to local businesses, proposed projects that cannot be funded or completed within the 10-year period, waste and money shuffling as seen in local SPLOST programs to name a few. Norcross Mayor Bucky Johnson chairs that group. Johnson said he could imagine placing "some" unfinished projects on the

list -- for example, to complete land-buying for a future rail line. Henry BoC Chairman Mathis has proposed widening and improving GA Hwy 42 from Butts County to DeKalb county line. There is no mention of the $Billions required to purchase right-of-way or utility relocation or the many years required. Our elected officials are drooling at the prospect of a few $Billions in a slush fund that we will support forever. Name a tax that met its goals and was discontinued. You cannot. The GA 400 toll was to end, but it has been extended indefinitely. Henry County SPLOST programs have promised the sun and moon, but projects are consistently carried over from one program to the next. It never ends.

BJ, Billy and Tara Field

The judges order dated May 25, 2011 granted summary judgment to Claytons Eldrin Bell. Looks like Abbate lost after all. No through-the-fence access to Tara Field for Henry developer. Lets Review. Henry County investigated buying Billy Abbates 96 acres in 2010. By then Abbate had changed his plans. He wanted to build a movie studio and get Henry County to finance it. Chairman Mathiss first move was for the county to buy the property and lease it back to Abbate. Among the pitfalls of that plan was existing mortgages Abbate had on the land. The commissioners dropped the purchase-then-lease-back plan. However, Mr. Abbate did not go away empty handed. The Henry BoC issued $38 Million in bond debt to finance Abbates private business venture. They called it economic development and the money was procured through the Henry Development Authority as development bonds. WHY, why, why go to all this trouble? Step 1) Mr. Abbate was shot down by the Clayton board of commissioners AND the FAA Step 2) Mr. Abbate moved into Henry County politics at a time when candidate for Chairman, BJ Mathis, needed some help. Abbate provided Mathis with office space during her campaign. Remember his medical management business in Stockbridge? Count the number of medical professionals who contributed to the Mathis for Chairman Campaign a ton of money! Step 3) With the county chair indebted to him, and $38 Million in county-borrowed money, things are looking up for Mr. Abbate. Looks like Mr. Abbate did not lose after all. Henry County controls zoning around the airport. It could build skyscrapers or a subdivision next to Tara and nobody could stop that. Henry County commissioners are buying Tara Field. And they are holding all details close to the vest. Hidden within rules of executive session, taxpayers are left in the dark. A call to an FAA official was met with, I am not at liberty to talk about it. A few $Million dollars plus a local match for federal funds how much Henry taxpayers will pay remains unknown. For citizens this deal has too many unknowns, and no clear return on investment. Therefore it stinks! It is clear to most, though, there is more going on than pride for ownership for Henrys elected officials.

IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!

J. Randolph Evans Column No. 1076 (07/08/11) People are hurting across this country in a very real way. Many are using their savings accounts or retirement accounts to just get by. Others live from credit card payment to credit card payment to make ends meet. For some, it has gotten so desperate, that they see no hope. At an apartment complex in Canton, Georgia, a father killed his wife and two year old daughter, and then himself. His family faced increasing financial troubles and were in the process of moving out of their apartment. It is bad out there. Against this backdrop, the latest unemployment numbers were released and they were not good. The number of unemployed Americans increased for a third consecutive month to reach 9.2%. No new jobs of consequence were created during the last reporting period. The news was actually worse. Government officials actually revised downward their reported unemployment numbers from May. Basically, belatedly, government bureaucrats are now confirming what individual Americans already knew - it is not getting any better out there. The current bad numbers do not even give an accurate picture of how desperate things are. Many Americans have just given up and stopped even looking for jobs that are not there. The number of Americans in this category is not included in the depressing June numbers. Even for those fortunate enough to have a job, the news was bad. Average earnings dropped and average hours dropped. With the Federal Reserve lowering its projections for economic growth, there does not appear to be any end in sight. Of course, all of these economic indicators have political impact. Currently, every American knows someone who has lost their job and is facing an uphill battle to find one. Virtually every American finds this current economic plight to be completely unacceptable. Americans have been here before with Presidential elections looming on the horizon. In 1976, Democratic President Jimmy Carter faced reelection with economic problems everywhere. His 'malaise speech' suggesting that Americans learn to live with it (i.e., accept it as the new normal) went over like a lead balloon.

His big smile and comforting southern style was no substitute for performance. Yet, during his tenure as President, inflation and unemployment (together dubbed 'stagflation') were on the rise. His government bailout solutions (like the Chrysler Corporation Loan Guarantee Act of 1980 also known as the federal government bailout of Chrysler) did not work. When President Carter started his Presidency, he had a 66% approval rating. By the time he left, it had plummeted to 34%. In his reelection bid, he constantly pointed back to the state of things that he had inherited - the Watergate Scandal aftermath, an energy crisis, and escalating inflation. But, Americans are never much interested in blame. Instead, Americans are only interested in solutions and their votes showed that. In 1980, President Ronald Reagan defeated incumbent President Jimmy Carter. President Reagan received 489 Electoral votes; Carter received 49. In 1992, Republican President George H. W. Bush also faced reelection amidst tough economic times. His tenure in the White House was plagued with rising deficits and a slowing economy. His solution was to raise taxes notwithstanding his election year pledge of "no new taxes." Unemployment would steadily inch up until it reached 7.4 % in the summer of 1992. The Census Bureau reported that 14.2 percent of Americans lived below the poverty line. President Bush's response was to say that things would improve and that the fundamentals were in place. Thanks to his success in kicking Iraq out of Kuwait on the heels of the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall, President Bush's popularity soared. But, it was not enough. As the economy worsened, his approval ratings plummeted to just 37%. History would later confirm that Americans actually liked President Bush. Indeed, his approval rating as he left office was 56%. But that was not enough. President Bill Clinton defeated President Bush in 1992. President Clinton received 370 Electoral Votes; President Bush received only 168. James Carville, President Clinton's strategist, said it best: "It's the economy, stupid." That was true in 1976 and 1992. It will be true in 2012. If unemployment remains above 9%, then President Obama will be a one-term President regardless of who the GOP nominee is. If unemployment drops below 7%, then President Obama will likely be reelected regardless of who the GOP nominee is. If unemployment is between 7% and 9%, it will be an uphill battle for the incumbent President. Pointing to what he inherited (like Carter reminding folks of Watergate) will not change it. Relying on personal popularity or foreign policy victories (like Bush and the Kuwaiti war) will not change it. Saying things are working will not make it true. No - it really is about the economy, stupid.

The Citizen Newsletter is provided by Henry Citizens for Responsible Government Larry Stanley, Editor

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