GwinnettForum | Number 20.90 | Dec. 11, 2020
THE CHRISTMAS TREE at the Snellville city hall was installed by members of the Snellville Historical Society. Donations of non-perishable food, canned goods, pet foods and toiletries at the tree site will be given to the Southeast Gwinnett food co-op. (Photo by Melinda Snell Franklin.)
TODAY’S FOCUS: Here’re the reasons we call the United States a democracy
EEB PERSPECTIVE: GwinnettForum endorses candidates in the U.S. Senate races
ANOTHER VIEW: Maintaining America’s several First Amendment rights
SPOTLIGHT: The Gwinnett Stripers
FEEDBACK: Hopes others appreciate the soul of their family
UPCOMING: Duluth offers its town for backdrops or just to enjoy at Yuletide
NOTABLE: First GGC students in African American studies minor graduate
RECOMMENDED: The Greeks and the Irrational? by E.R. Dodds
GEORGIA TIDBIT: Georgia Public Service Commission dates back to 1897
MYSTERY PHOTO: Quiet, winding path can take you to peace and solitude
Here are the reasons we call the United States a democracy
By Raleigh Perry
BUFORD, Ga. | The United States is not now and never has been a democracy. What is more, it never will be.
Perry
This country is a republic. You can call it a “democratic republic” if you want to, but I think you will have problems with that. The term “constitutional republic” might be a lot more accurate.
The truth of the matter is that you simply do not want a true democracy.
If you studied ancient Greece, you would understand why. Since a democracy means a government by the people, that gives all the people an equal voice. That would mean that when a law is proposed, the entire population would vote on it. Basically, that would turn into a “Mobocracy” and the founding fathers recognized that as a problem.
Nowhere in Greece was there a true democracy. Read your history.
We recently voted for a president… no, that is not the case, we voted for electors. The people do not vote for the president, regardless of what the ballot says. If we did, the candidates will pay more attention to a few states and basically ignore the others. The reason for that is some states have more Electoral College votes than other states. So, both Biden and Trump were basically living in those states, ignoring the smaller states. I do not think that too much attention was paid to Rhode Island, the Dakotas, Montana or maybe Mississippi.
Georgia, which has been taken for granted for many prior elections, came into play a bit more this election than the one preceding because Georgia seemed to have a strong movement toward turning Blue from Red. (It also had two U.S. Senate races contested.) In those states mentioned above, and in others, their votes might not be important at all. I have to wonder about the interest in Iowa. That state had more corn fields than it does people. (In Iowa, corn is sold by the bushel. In Tennessee, it’s sold by the gallon.)
Georgia, this year, has a chance of electing two Democrats as senators where, for several years, it has had two Republican senators. My county, Gwinnett, has ended up with a Democrat Congressman for the first time since 1993. So our votes actually counted insofar as those elections are concerned. Our previous Congressmen from Gwinnett County have done nothing in all of their 27 years except that the only real move either one of them made was to introduce the never-will-be-passed Fair Tax.
In reality, we are partially a democracy, in that our state and local governments are elected directly by the people. So are the members of the House of Representatives and the Senate. But once elected, they seem to lose their ties to their constituency and pay more attention to those lobbyists that pay them to push their “product” and many just lose interest in those who put them in office. But they cry and lie for their votes and money when it is time for re-election.
The problem with members of the House and Senate is that once elected, they seem more interested in making a career out of their jobs rather than really serving their constituencies. Remember, “constitutional republic.”
That more defines our country.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
GwinnettForum endorses candidates in the U.S. Senate races
The U.S. Senate chamber in 1873.
By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
DEC. 11, 2020 | With Early Voting beginning on December 14, today GwinnettForum endorses candidates in the two U.S. Senate runoffs in Georgia, an election that could change the direction of our country for the next two years.
For what we see as the good of the nation, we endorse the two Democratic choices, the Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, for the two Georgia seats in the Senate.
We take this action for one major reason: to give the Democrats control of the U.S. Senate, to help President-elect Joe Biden move the country back toward the center, and to offset some of the damage done to our country during the four years of the inept Trump Administration.
In normal times, we feel our county has the best government when there is shared leadership in the Congress, that is, the House is controlled by one political party, and the Senate is controlled by the other political party.
Yet these are not normal times. Overlapping the bumbling Trump presidency came the COVID crisis. The Trump Administration has constantly been inconsistent in its overall direction, and a stumbling block to progress. It has overturned many programs that were benefiting our country, and then been in a position of poor leadership and constant uneven positioning in dealing with the COVID pandemic.
In short, our country needs new and more aggressive leadership to fight the country’s problems, which Joe Biden can give. Should the Senate have the Republicans in the majority, we can expect continuing attempts to smother the Biden Administration so that immediate and long-term progress will be much slower and more difficult.
By sending two new senators to Washington, Georgia will be able to help move the country forward, and not be caught up with the attempts by Mitch McConnell and die-hard Republican efforts to thwart the Administration.
No nation always runs in a smooth manner. There are always problems, some seeming insurmountable, during any administrations. Good leadership solves these problems. But when one party has the out-and-out goal and determination to make sure a president’s program doesn’t work, that spells trouble for the nation. That’s what we have seen in recent years, often coming from both parties. Our nation doesn’t need more of that.
We need a team approach, though we realize there is not always agreement on many subjects. But if good people are willing to work toward compromised solutions, by talking matters through, and with reasonable compromise, situations can improve.
Let Georgia make history on January 5 by electing two Democrats as senators, to move us out of our doldrums, into a successful Biden presidency.
For 2021, we hope to see a return to a more predictable presidency, where we won’t have to put up with outrageous social media threats by a president, and the country can return to a more conventional time.
Let those of us in Georgia contribute to that by electing the Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff to the U.S. Senate.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
Maintaining America’s several First Amendment rights
By Debra Houston, contributing columnist
LILBURN, Ga. | On Nov. 12, 2020, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito warned in a speech delivered to The Federalist Society, that “tolerance for opposing views is in short supply.”
Individual freedom of speech falls under the First Amendment but also includes freedom of religion, the right to assemble peacefully, and a free press. It’s the latter that concerns me.
When I was growing up in Metro Atlanta, we watched local television news at 5 p.m. Toward the end of the newscast, the general manager offered his opinion on a subject the anchors had covered. Above him was a caption that read, “Editorial,” lest you confuse his remarks with objective journalism. An anchor with an opinion was unheard of because newsrooms valued free-thinking individualism.
After local news, my family watched national news, usually “Huntley and Brinkley.” If you Google the program, you’ll find old footage of those anchors who were so dry, you couldn’t guess their political affiliation. They understood the news wasn’t about them. They placed viewers ahead of themselves.
Huntley and Brinkley weren’t celebrities like our current day “correspondents.” Today the correspondents act like omniscient beings who value GroupThink. They editorialize within their questions and draw their own conclusions. There’s no room for anyone else.
Furthermore, reporters are often rude. Recently, in response to an obnoxious CNN reporter, President Trump pointed out that every sitting president should be respected.
Reporters often censor speeches with, “Our fact-checkers say the president isn’t telling the truth.” So we’re not allowed to hear what he has to say, because they think we’re not bright enough to discern the truth. You’ll notice that fact-checkers only interrupt Republicans. Do you think Mr. Biden will be fact-checked?
Earlier this year, Trump compared Democrats’ criticism of his response to COVID to their first hoax, impeachment. The second hoax was investigating him over COVID. Purposely taken out of context, it sounded horrendous. — “The president has called the coronavirus a hoax.”
It saddens me that a great tradition of American journalism has sunk this low.
Let’s talk about Fox News. I hate to bust a stereotype dear to liberals’ hearts, but Fox is in a tailspin, losing viewers. I stopped watching long ago, but on election night, I tuned in and found Brett Baier and Martha MacCallum speedboating across my television screen. “They do know it’s election night and not the Super Bowl, right?” I asked my family.
Then, when Fox called Arizona for Mr. Biden with only 15 percent of its votes reported, we all went, “Ohhh. They’re in with the other media.”
Notwithstanding four years of constant propaganda, censorship, hate mongering, falsehoods, and obfuscation, I support a free press, resting assured, Americans see through it for what it is.
We can boycott the biggest offenders or turn off television altogether. We can read political discourse. We can argue with, shout at, and stomp our feet, American to American. But never will we succumb to intimidation or allow anyone to shame us for exercising our First Amendment right.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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Hopes others appreciate the soul of their family
Editor, the Forum:
As I isolate this 2020, I have appreciated family as essential to my soul. In fact I have come to believe that family has its own form of soul. An essence that defines a source of strength and support to my very being. Without family I believe I could not be who I am.
I realize that I don’t need close contact (although that would be wonderful), but their daily connection and zoom calls are essential for my well-being. Families have a strength well beyond my individuality. Families bring into my life a wholeness that enables me to tap into a force well beyond myself. In this year of turmoil, I hope others appreciate the soul of their family.
— Alan Schneiberg, Sugar Hill
Likes suggestions made concerning future of Social Security
Editor, the Forum:
Alvin Johnson’s suggestions for Social Security reform were good ones. I’d vote “yes.”
I think similar suggestions were made in the Bowles Simpson Act of 2010… but that was a lifetime ago, and attention spans short.
— Kate Pittman, Mountain Park
Send us your thoughts: We encourage you to send us your letters and thoughts on issues raised in GwinnettForum. Please limit comments to 300 words. We reserve the right to edit for clarity and length. Send feedback and letters to: elliott@brack.net
Duluth offers its town for backdrops or just to enjoy at Yuletide
Yule decorations in downtown Duluth
Are you always on the lookout for the next best instagrammable backdrop? If so, there’s good news for you in downtown Duluth. It is your destination for all festive selfies and holiday portraits this December at its seasonal backgrounds.
Check these many possible Yule photo backgrounds:
- Light tunnel in front of City Hall on Town Green;
- 22 foot tall decorated tree on Town Green in front of the Festival Center
- Giant blue light-up ornament on Town Green near Truck and Tap;
- Giant red light-up ornament at the top of Town Green near Sweet Octopus;
- Santa’s sleigh with moving reindeer in Parsons Alley;
- 14 foot decorated tree in Parsons Alley;
- Light tunnel between Good Word and Nacho Daddy in Parsons Alley; and
- Red and green lights on City Hall.
Bonus! If you just want to enjoy the many beautiful scenes, most installations can be seen from the comfort of your vehicle, if you don’t want to brave the chilly weather.
Most of these displays will be up through the New Year, weather dependent.
Another new enhancement that will be around all year is outdoor public seating on the Town Green, Parsons Alley, and Main Street. Surface and hand sanitizing stations are available throughout the Downtown. The City of Duluth encourages all visitors to practice social distancing and wear a mask when in a public space.
Walton EMC returning $9 million to its customer-owners in December
Walton EMC is returning $9 million in capital credits to its customer-owners in December. The 2020 refund brings the all-time total to $117 million since the company’s inception in 1936.
Unlike investor-owned utilities, Walton EMC is a customer-owned electric cooperative that operates at cost. The company’s board of directors approved the amount to return after reducing debt, saving for emergencies and investing in infrastructure, among other things.
Capital credits represent each customer-owner’s stake in the cooperative. Refund amounts are calculated based on the total amount of energy bought during 1996, 1998, 2018 and/or 2019. The average 2020 refund is $68.38, which includes residential and commercial accounts.
Refund amounts below $500 are issued as a credit on customer-owners’ accounts. A check will be mailed to customer-owners receiving a refund above $500, as well as former customer-owners who had accounts during the years targeted for the distribution. Walton EMC will issue 35,000 checks and 107,000 bill credits through December.
First GGC students in African American studies minor graduate
Smith
The first two students to receive Georgia Gwinnett College’s new African American Studies minor graduated this semester. Psychology majors Devonna Smith (right) and Brittany Boden (photo not available) are new graduates. The program incorporates the plurality and perspectives of African Americans, contextualized as part of the larger African Diaspora. Students learn through an interdisciplinary approach that uses history, social sciences, political science, literature, arts and popular culture. Smith said she’s happy she took the extra time to earn the minor, and believes it will be very useful as she begins her new career in psychology. More than 500 students graduated at the virtual fall commencement on December 10.
Gwinnett Place CID has 41% jump in economic impact
As the premier employment and activity center for Gwinnett County, the Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District (GPCID) had an annual economic impact of $13.4 billion in 2019 on the County and the state of Georgia, which is a 41 percent increase from $9.5 billion measured in 2017 in a report prepared for GPCID by the Bleakly Advisory Group.
The full report includes statistics about demographics and population, area employment, economic activity, education, real estate and more. In 2019, Gwinnett Place had 27,904 jobs in 2,841 companies that had a total $1.4 billion annual payroll. Gwinnett Place is also home to 8% of all Gwinnett County jobs, including 27% of all management jobs and 8% of all tech/science jobs in Gwinnett County.
The CID released another report prepared by the Urban Land Institute’s (ULI) Center for Leadership which identified strategies for repositioning and redeveloping the Gwinnett Place Mall. Click here to read the September 2020 final report that summarizes the results of their research and their recommendations for achieving the community’s redevelopment goals.
The Greeks and the Irrational, by E.R. Dodds
From Robert Richardson, Peachtree Corners: This book convinced me that classics are worth reading. Dodd was talking to a schoolboy at the British Museum, who told him: ‘I know it’s terrible to say, but I don’t like it. It’s all rational.’ That got Dodd’s thinking about the Ancient Greeks very cerebral in white gowns. Was Greek culture fantastically rational? Should it matter to us if it is rational? To understand the past, take a formative intellectual culture and show that just underneath that surface is a seething heart of irrationality that results in madness and murder. Wrote after World War II, it questions how European society had gone so mad with what it did. There may not be direct links between Hitler’s Germany and ancient Greece, but there are indirect links where the non-rational elements are in any culture, how they work, how you can understand them and what difference that makes.
An invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (150 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next. Send to: elliott@brack.net
Georgia Public Service Commission dates back to 1897
The Georgia Public Service Commission (GPSC) is a quasi-legislative, quasi-judicial regulatory agency charged with protecting the public interest and promoting a healthy business-investment economy. Historically, the GPSC has been responsible for setting the rates charged by telecommunications, gas, and electric companies and for establishing and enforcing the standards for quality of service.
The regulatory functions of the GPSC have changed dramatically since its founding. On October 14, 1879, Georgia became one of the first states to establish a regulatory agency to oversee railroad expansion and competition. Known as the Railroad Commission of Georgia, the commission consisted of three members who were appointed by the governor and served staggered six-year terms.
In 1891 telegraph and express companies came under the commission’s jurisdiction. By 1907 the commission began to regulate docks and wharves, as well as telephone, gas, and electric-power companies, and in 1931 its jurisdiction expanded to cover the trucking industry. In 1922 the Georgia legislature changed the agency’s name to the Georgia Public Service Commission to reflect its expanded regulatory role.
In 1907 the number of commissioners elected statewide was increased from three to five. Today the five elected commissioners are supported by approximately 90 staff members, and each year the chair is selected by the commission members. Beginning with the 2000 election year, each seat on the commission is assigned to one of five districts. Candidates for the commission must reside in the district with the available commission seat, although the entire state continues to vote for all five slots. Commissioners serve staggered six-year terms.
The commission depends primarily on appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly. In fiscal year 1999 the total budget of the GPSC amounted to approximately $14 million, with approximately $9.5 million coming from the Georgia legislature and the remaining $4.4 million from the federal government and other funds. The fiscal year 2004 budget was $9.3 million.
When regulated utility companies bring a rate request before the GPSC, the request is first addressed by one of the commission’s four standing committees: telecommunications, energy, transportation, or policy development and intergovernmental affairs. The commissioners are assisted by experts on utility and transportation operations, who may provide testimony and make recommendations regarding rates or arbitration. The GPSC makes decisions by a majority vote of the commissioners. It is authorized only to issue administrative orders. Furthermore, its rulings must be consistent with current legal standards and are subject to judicial review by the courts.
Although the GPSC over the years has regulated the rates and service of the telecommunications, gas, and electric industries, today it does not regulate all utility companies within these sectors. The commission regulates only the rates charged and the services provided by most intrastate, investor-owned telecommunications, gas, and electric utilities operating in Georgia.
The commission does not set rates for municipally owned electric and gas utilities or electric membership corporations, although these utilities consult the commission on such matters as financing and the resolution of territorial disputes. The commission also ensures the safety of all natural-gas pipelines in the state. The commission plays a smaller role with regard to the transportation sector. Its authority over truck and express companies and private and for-hire motor carriers is restricted to requiring proof of insurance and safety inspections.
- To view the Georgia Encyclopedia article online, go to http://georgiaencyclopedia.org
Quiet, winding path can take you to peace and solitude
Today’s Mystery Photo is a place where you can just ramble, guided often by footpaths like this. It’s quiet usually here, and an area where you can be almost alone by yourself. Tell us where you think this scene is located, by sending your idea to elliott@brack.net, and include your hometown.
Lynn Naylor of Norcross immediately recognized Georgia’s newest “Big Chicken.” She wrote: “It’s been a while since I’ve been to Fitzgerald, Georgia….but it appears that there’s a new attraction there….a 62-foot tall chicken.” The photo came from Brian Brown of Fitzgerald, who publishes “Vanishing South Georgia” online.
Kevin J. Fitzgerald of Forest Park also recognized the photo: “The town is famous for its wild chickens that roam the streets and yards. Once, I had one fly right in front of me when I was bicycling there. I first visited that town during the 1994 Bicycle Ride Across Georgia, and I have returned to visit several times since then.” He adds that he is “not directly related to the founder of the town, P.H. Fitzgerald.”
Gloria James of Lawrenceville spoke of “…the 62 foot tall topiary chicken being built in Fitzgerald, Ga. The structure will also contain an apartment for visitors to rent. The Mayor is using funds to build this in hopes of encouraging tourism in Fitzgerald where wild chickens roam.”
Other sighting it include Raleigh Perry, Buford; Lou Camerio, Lilburn; Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill; George Graf of Palmyra, Va.; and Allan Peel of San Antonio, Tex. who wrote: “When completed, it will stand 62-feet tall making it the ‘The World’s Largest Topiary Chicken. Fitzgerald normally holds a “Wild Chicken Festival” each year in March, and the expectation was that this new topiary attraction dedicated to the unofficial town mascot would be completed in time for the 2020 festival. Alas, due to the COVID pandemic, plans for the 2020 festival were cancelled, and work on the topiary chicken was also suspended.”
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