Towns County Democrats encourage younger voter turnout

Election, News
Towns County Democrats

HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Members of the Towns County Democratic Party visited the local high school for three days last week, encouraging students nearing voting age to register to cast their ballots in future elections.

“Students who are age 17 ½ may register for the 2020 election cycle,” Vickie Plunkett explained. “Voters in Georgia do not register by Party but will declare their Party affiliation during Georgia’s presidential preference primary on March 24.”

According to the U.S. Census, voting rates have historically varied according to age, with older Americans generally voting at higher rates than younger Americans. In 2016, this was once again the case, as citizens, 65 years and older, reported higher turnout (70.9 percent) than 45- to 64-year-olds (66.6 percent), 30- to 44-year-olds (58.7 percent) and 18- to 29-year-olds (46.1 percent). However, in 2016, young voters ages 18 to 29 were the only age group to report increased turnout compared to 2012, with a reported turnout increase of 1.1 percent. All older age groups either reported small yet statistically significant turnout decreases (45- to 64-year-olds and those age 65 and older) or turnout rates not statistically different from 2012 (30- to 44-year-olds).

In any given presidential election, the number of reported voters typically increases relative to the previous presidential election, largely as a product of increases in the size of the citizen voting-age population. Data shows changes in both the number of reported voters and the citizen voting-age population between 2012 and 2016. Overall, in 2016, there were about 4.6 million more reported voters than in 2012. A majority of these additional voters (3.7 million) were 65 years and older. However, despite these additionally reported voters, the overall voting rate was not statistically different between the two elections.

Towns County Democrats will hold their next monthly meeting on Thursday, Feb. 13, at the Towns County Civic Center in Hiawassee, Plunkett said.  A pot-luck meal begins at 6 p.m. and the meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Meetings are open to the public.

Featured Image: Towns County Democrats David and Vickie Plunkett, seated, provide voter information to Towns County High School student Gage Denton during a voter registration effort conducted in late January at the school.

Updated link:

Election Board explains political affiliation process for primaries

Election, News
Towns County GA elections

HIAWASSEE, Ga. – As the 2020 elections approach, the Towns County Board of Elections and Registration wants to ensure that area voters understand the ballot process.

“During the Presidential Preference Primary (PPP) and the General Primary, you may select either party ballot of your choice, regardless of your political party affiliation,” Towns County Elections Chair Janet Olivia explained.  “However, should a runoff follow the election, you will be required to select that same party ballot. The party ballot you select for one election will not dictate the party ballot you must select for the next election. For example, if you select a Democratic party ballot at the PPP in March, you can choose a Republican party ballot at the General Primary in May or vice versa. The only instance in which you must maintain the same ballot choice is during an election runoff.”

The general primary will take place on May 19, 2020.

Georgia left the group of states that vote on Super Tuesday, opting to hold its presidential primary in late March. The primary has been set for March 24, three weeks after Super Tuesday, which Georgia has joined in past election cycles. Critics of the date change say that last year’s announcement by Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger could relegate Georgia voters to a weakened influential position in choosing each party’s nominee. Proponents of the date change, however, cited that the delay would allow ample time for the updated voting machines to be delivered and introduced to precincts.

The Republican Party will select its presidential nominee at the 2020 Republican National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. According to Ballotpedia, the convention will be held from August 24-27, 2020. Prior to the national convention, individual state caucuses and primaries are held to allocate convention delegates. Georgia will have an estimated 76 delegates. Delegate allocation is a hybrid system. These delegates vote at the convention to select the nominee.  Delegate allocation is proportional. Incumbent President Donald Trump (R) filed for re-election on January 20, 2017, the day of his inauguration. George H.W. Bush (R) was the last incumbent to face a serious primary challenge, defeating political commentator Pat Buchanan in 1992. He was also the last president to lose his re-election campaign. Franklin Pierce (D) was the first and only elected president to lose his party’s nomination in 1856.

Sixteen U.S. presidents—approximately one-third—have won two consecutive elections.

The Democratic Party will select its presidential nominee at the 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The convention is being held from July 13-16, 2020.

Georgia will have an estimated 120 delegates comprised of 105 pledged delegates and 15 superdelegates. Prior to the national convention, individual state caucuses and primaries are held to allocate convention delegates. These delegates, along with superdelegates who come from the party leadership, vote at the convention to select the nominee. In 2016, a Democratic presidential candidate needed support from at least 2,383 delegates to secure the nomination.

As of February 2020, the following 11 Democrats are running in the primary:

  • Michael Bennet
  • Joe Biden
  • Michael Bloomberg
  • Pete Buttigieg
  • Tulsi Gabbard
  • Amy Klobuchar
  • Deval Patrick
  • Bernie Sanders
  • Tom Steyer
  • Elizabeth Warren
  • Andrew Yang

THE UNHEARD MINORITY

Opinion

Today it is extremely popular to be a victim. POOR ME, POOR MY, SOMEBODY LOOKED AT ME WRONG, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!! CALL THE WAHH-BULANCE!

Everyone is super sensitive to anything and everything and they get butt hurt if someone sneezes in their direction.

This is an absolute antithesis to American exceptionalism. Americans are not whiners, nor shirkers. Americans saved the world in World War II. Americans are the original rebels and the first to stand up and fight for what is right and good.

Yet, the school systems, the Democratic Party, media and liberal leftists everywhere have taken up the banner of victimhood. Lately, it is like a badge of courage to be beaten down by a paper tiger or an imagined slight. In fact, if someone is wrongly accused and dares stand up for the correction of the issue, they are told that they are out of line and have anger issues.

The words RACIST, XENOPHOBE, WHITE SUPREMACIST BIGOT or NAZI, are like the shields used by knights of old that protect the “victim” of any reprisal. By flashing these key words, no one is supposed to DARE to react to defend themselves. This is complete rubbish, and no one should accept these lame excuses.

Almost every minority has jumped on the bandwagon and are thoroughly enjoying their victimhood.

Which minority has been the most mistreated, yet remains silent?

What about Native Americans? Hear any crybabies from the Native Americans on the news?

No one in our history have more reason to vent their spleens and grievances than the Native People of the United States. Their lands were invaded. They extended the hand of friendship and life-saving help to the invaders. Their kindness was rewarded with treachery, not just once, but over and over again.

Andrew Jackson was a prominent figure in the Nations denouement. 

He signed The Indian Removal Act in December of 1830. This triggered the Trail of Tears and a systematic decimation and / or genocide of the Cherokee people. The act was created for the sole purpose of taking ancestral lands from the indigenous people to redistribute their lands to white settlers. (Sound familiar to anyone?)

This was the gratitude Jackson showed to Chief Junaluska of the Cherokee. Junaluska saved Jackson’s life in the war against the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend, which made Jackson a national hero.

He regretted saving him later, though he was given citizenship and lands in Graham County, North Carolina.

Native Americans were not awarded citizenship in the United States until June 2, 1924 with the passage of The Indian Citizenship Act.

For the first time in history, there are four Native American representatives in Congress at the same time. 

This includes the first two Native American women to ever be elected the House of Representatives.

They are Democrats Sharice Davis of the 3rd District of Kansas and Deb Haaland of the 1st district of New Mexico.

Representative Tom Cole and Markwayne Mullin, both of Oklahoma and Republican, have been in the House from 2003 and 2013, respectively.

Has anyone seen or heard them join forces to complain about any mistreatment or discrimination?

Collectively, they have put forth some great ideas and worked to pass bills for the goals they are pursuing for their constituents.

That is the only reason that anyone is sent to Congress or to the Senate. They are to work for the people in their district, supposedly looking after the interests and issues that concern their citizenry.

Drama, victimhood and self absorbed behavior is not one of the duties of an elected official.

All of those in the House and the Senate, get to work, you work for The People, not your own agenda!

 

Towns County GOP Membership Chairman calls Democratic debate ‘evil’

Opinion, Politics
Towns County Republican Party

Open letter from Towns County Republican Party Membership Chairman Gary W. Meier:

“For two days last week (for those who bothered to watch the debates), Americans were subjected to a spectacle never before witnessed on the shores of this country. Twenty men and women, claiming to be Americans and wanting to be President of the United States of America, attacked and ripped to shreds every idea and value that makes this nation great. Their only aim was to destroy the very economic fabric upon which we live and breath and enjoy our being. They want to turn the country upside-down.

“The world considers Iran to be a dangerous state. Around the globe terrorists have the “dangerous” label pinned to them. That’s the world stage. Here in America, those who shared the Fox Theater stage in Detroit are the twenty most dangerous people in the United States of America today. Their purpose is to set this nation as we know it on an iceberg and send it floating out to sea into oblivion.

“They are evil because the philosophy they espouse is evil. The dictionary defines evil as profoundly immoral and wicked. That’s tame for this bunch. Some define evil as anything that separates us from our very self, our soul. That’s more like it. Being separated from the soul means humanity is lacking. Those twenty displayed nothing resembling humanity. Finally, others say evil is and always was the absence of love. That settles the matter, the hate spewing from all of them personified evil. Love was missing on that stage both evenings except for Williamson who proclaimed love in a new age fashion.

“The word evil comes from the Old English “yfel”, the German “ubel” and the Dutch “euvel” all three of them deriving from an even earlier “wap”, meaning “exceeding proper boundaries”. Most debate watchers most likely noted the absence of any boundaries. An economy without proper boundaries is called Socialism.

“Socialism is a utopian hallucination focusing on a “just society”. Capitalism is unjust we learned from the debates. It’s the government’s responsibility to provide its citizens with all their needs. We must free them from the capitalist vices of greed and inequality. Everything for our citizens must be free. To get the ball rolling down the precipice of socialism, we will begin by giving every citizen of the United States $1000 a month.

“Most fairy tales begin with “Once upon a time”. Once upon a time, the Soviet Union, Cuba, China, Yugoslavia, Vietnam, Tanzania, Nicaragua and Venezuela attempted to construct a socialist society. Not once, but each time, these experiments were colossal failures. They were social, economic and political disasters. Their worker-run socialist paradises came crashing down. Not once upon a time, but every time, the fairy tale of socialism had an evil ending.

“The evil ending of this philosophy left each country in economic chaos, plunging its citizens into rioting, mayhem, rampant crime, hunger, disease and death. How “just” was that to its citizenry? Witness Venezuela today. Witness the difference between North and South Korea. Witness East and West German regimes before unification. At the time of unification, West Germany’s GDP was more than twice that of East Germany. The movement of bodies was always away from these repressive regimes. Notice Americans have never risked their lives on a makeshift raft to escape to Cuba. Notice the Berlin wall wasn’t built to keep West German’s from escaping to East Germany.
History shouts out with a cacophony of warning…every attempt to establish a socialist economy has ended in tragedy. Every one!!!

“Each time a socialist regime crashed the past century, historians would proclaim the death of Socialism or the end of history. Capitalism and western democracy prevailed, they exclaimed, adding Socialism had been relegated to the dust bin of history. But is hasn’t!! Socialism is a failed idea that never dies. Why does it have such lasting appeal? Why does its focus on a “just society” trump capitalist values of self-interest and self-reliance? What’s with the 20 for 2020? With the certainty of failure staring them in the eyes, why can’t they face the reality of the situation? The answer is, the mind of a Socialist can never be changed through rational argument. It never has happened and never will. Socialists aren’t rational, they view everything through the lens of their emotions.

“An ominous explanation could be their minds are so inundated with hate for President Trump they are blinded to the evil they are propagating. Love was absent on the stage those two evenings. Hate dominated…in their eyes, in their rantings, in their voices, in their hand and body language. The title of this Musings is “the definition of evil. It’s plain and simple, it cannot be argued, it cannot be debated…the definition of evil is Socialism. If Americans aren’t trembling in their boots after watching the Fox Theatre debacle, our country is in a heap of danger that threatens the very foundations of our society.”

Signed,
Gary W. Meier
August 7, 2019

 

Feature Photo Credit: PBS

ECHOES OF THE PAST

Opinion

The United States has only seen the face of war one time. That time was during the Civil
War and was mostly in the Southern states from 1861 to 1865. It was an ugly time of brother
against brother and the first time total war was practiced on the civilian population by General
William T. Sherman.

In this the US has been blessed, but Europe, of course cannot say the same.

I watched the movie The Monument Men at last. I had resisted watching it in the past as I abhor
George Clooney and Matt Damon for their high handed, self righteous politics. However, since it
was in the $3.74 bin at the local big box store, I relented.

I came away with two points of concern.

Number one was how the face of war came very close to destroying all that was beautiful in the
arts and historical artifacts. If it had not been for a small, dedicated team that searched for,
recovered, protected and returned the precious works that had been stolen by the Hitler regime,
imagine how intellectually poor the world would be.

Hitler was planning on being the victor of the Second World War. He was so sure that he sent his
minions out to collect and store all of the arts he enjoyed as inventory for his plan for the great
Hitler Museum.

As he fancied himself a great artist, he knew exactly the pieces he desired. Many were in the
Louvre, many were in private collections, such as the Rothschild’s. None of that mattered as he
had them stolen from wherever they resided.

Those artists whose work he didn’t care for were pulled from any and all sources and burned.
Contemporary artists like Picasso were beneath his high opinion, therefore no one else was
allowed to like or enjoy them either.

How very coincidental.

Hitler was a censor and an oppressor, and those were the least of his bad qualities.

No one dared to stand up to him allowing him to cause untold destruction and misery.
Number two is that the US is facing the same kind of potential travesty of freedom of expression,
and it cannot happen.

By allowing social media outlets like Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube to
censor who is free to put out information and who is not, the US and the world are at the
beginning of a real issue of freedom and the American way of life. If the media giants don’t like
or approve of opinions and facts, they are no different than the burner of books and arts of the
Third Reich. It isn’t necessary to agree with ideas and concepts, neither must they be true and
proven. Whoever posts them has the RIGHT to say what they please and those who see or hear
have the right to believe or ignore them.

This censorship is likened to Hitler’s defiance of the Treaty of Versailles. It was step one and the
new social media censorship is at step one.

This cannot be permitted. The First Amendment is protection against censorship.

Another disturbing movie The Book Thief, brought to life what happens if step one is breached
and permitted to thrive. This true story of an adopted German girl named Liesel whose family
were caught in the terrible time of Hitler and the Third Reich is heart wrenching in its tragedy.
Her family was hiding a Jew in their basement, and had been for quite a while. He was the son of
the man who had saved her father’s life during the First World War.

They were frightened to death when German soldiers came into town and were inspecting
basements in people’s homes. The people under Hitler had no personal rights, they could not
disallow the soldier from entering. They managed to hide the young man and escape detection,
but it was a nerve wracking affair.

The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution guards against unlawful search and seizures, while
setting guidelines for search warrants and other ways to legally enter a home.
That wasn’t the only time absolute law ran into Liesel’s family.

A man who had lived in the village his whole life was drug from his business one day, beaten
and taken away by the Gestapo.

He was charged with being a Jew because of his surname. His name was spelled with one letter
less than a typical Jewish name that sounded the same. He kept yelling that he was a German and
he was not a Jew. The whole village stood around to watch.

No one protested at all because of their fear.

The only one to come forward was Liesel’s father. He vouched for the man and earned a head
injury from the Gestapo. They took his name as they left the area. As his wife tended his wound,
he cried because he was terrified that his actions would cause them all to be taken away to the
death camps.

Seems history is doomed to repeat itself. We are seeing a small example of guilty by accusation
in the news today concerning the Kavanaugh nomination to the Supreme Court, but this example
is not the only one. Someone casts out an accusation sans proof, of course, and the media circus
and the Soros paid protesters are running to the gallows, screaming for blood.

It is no better than the time of Hitler. Someone is accused without any concrete evidence, and
they are guilty. Maybe they are aren’t (yet) sent to a death camp, but even if cleared from the
charges, the residual taint is a long time fading.

The time to stand up is now. The time to put a stop to this is today. Mob rule is testing us. They
are hoping we will be soft and complacent. Good Americans MUST NOT let this pass as
acceptable.

Free thinking people such as Susan Collins are now persecuted and receiving death threats for
DARING to study the facts and draw her own conclusions. Those such as Joe Manchin who
stood up to the Democratic Party’s mandate that NO ONE was to vote for any Supreme Court
pick by President Trump are also in the line of fire by the Soros financed mob of spastic crazies
whose shame has NO bounds.

The first line of defense can be formed on November 6th, 2018. Everyone must vote for the
protection of our Constitution and Bill of Rights. Those who want “socialism” or worse, sharia
law must be stopped in November!

Remember, Socialism is just the training bra of Communism.

It gets the populace used to the tight restriction building up to the total loss of personal freedoms
and wealth in favor of the “State.”

Everyone has a stake in this game. If one allows for a faction to be persecuted and say nothing,
who will be there to protest when it turns on the same one who said nothing?

Make a mark today, be sure to vote and do not be silent!

Towns County leaders weigh-in on massive early voter turnout

Election 2018, News
Towns County election sample ballot

HIAWASSEE, Ga. – Early voting in the 2018 midterm election came to a close on Friday, and Towns County Board of Elections saw a massive turnout at the Hiawassee polling precinct. Of the 9,386 registered voters in Towns County, 4,030 residents chose to cast their ballots ahead of Tuesday’s general election. A total of 257 absentee ballots had been returned to the election board as of Friday afternoon.

The 2018 turnout rivals that of the 2016 presidential election. Two years ago, 4,564 of the 8,608 voters registered in Towns County turned up to cast early ballots at the polls, with 420 ballots returned by mail. Midterm elections historically do not draw such a high amount of voters to the ballot box.Towns County Election

FYN reached out to Towns County leaders and gathered their thoughts on the phenomenon.

Towns County Sheriff Chris Clinton believes that the south-of-the-border “caravan of criminals” that are headed toward the U.S. border plays a part in the impressive turnout at the Georgia polls. “The future of our nation and our state rides on this election. Anyone being honest about these caravans understands what is at stake. If the left wins, the caravans are just the beginning. If the Republicans stay in, I’m willing to bet they turn around,” Clinton warned, “We must stop this madness or we will cease to be a sovereign nation…They aren’t coming for jobs or safety. Mexico offered those. They sure aren’t coming to be Americans. Those aren’t American flags they are carrying during these border assaults.”

Sheriff Clinton recently endorsed Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp, reiterating on Friday that Stacey Abrams’ “radical, socialist ideas are extremely dangerous.”

District 8 State House Representative Matt Gurtler is optimistic that Georgia will remain a “red” state, adding that according to the Secretary of State’s office, Georgia has seen the highest early voter turnout in the state’s history during this year’s general election. “Our district is the most active in the state and the most conservative by far,” Gurtler explained, “I expect to see the 8th House District in the lead once again this coming Tuesday, and I believe and have great faith in the people of Georgia, that we will see a ‘red wave’ sweep the entire state.”

While Towns County Republican Party Chair Betsy Young is enthusiastic,the GOP leader believes that the race for Georgia’s next governor, in particular, is tight. “I think this is going to be close, but if only legal voters vote – all Democrats and Republicans – we will win. The area around Atlanta will be heavily Democrat, but I believe some who have never voted anything but Democrat will vote Republican because of two things: hate by liberals and their awful demonstration of it, along with the economy and immigration.”

“The fate of our state and our county is at stake,” Towns County Commissioner Cliff Bradshaw expressed, “Towns County realizes how important this election is for our future, and I’m very thankful for that.” Commissioner Bradshaw served as Master of Ceremonies at a recent “Get Out the Vote” event sponsored by the Towns County Republican Party.

While the four local leaders agree that the high voter count is good sign for their affiliated political party, the Republicans stressed the importance of an equally healthy turnout at the polls on election day.

Towns County polling precincts will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Count on FYN to deliver local election results as soon as they become available.

 

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