April 13, 2013 Newsletter- On the Horizon, New State Laws

Voters Lose Control of Sunday Sale of Beer & Wine …
Unless the Governor Vetoes H.B. 124

The introductory paragraph of Representative Harrell’s H.B. 124 explains how retail sales of distilled spirits and other alcoholic beverages are, currently, governed and will be governed in the future. H.B. 124 secures the right of malt beverage businesses to sell on Sundays by removing the right of future voters to EVER prohibit Sunday retail package sales of malt beverages and wine. Malt beverages are made from barley or other grain that’s soaked and softened in water until it sprouts. Then, it’s kiln-dried, brewed and distilled into beer and ale.

H.B. 124, actually, nullifies future election results in which the majority of voters disapprove of Sunday retail package sales of malt beverages and wine. However, it DOES authorize future voters to STOP Sunday retail sales of distilled spirits, i.e. liquor (alcoholic drinks made by distillation), rum (made from fermented sugar cane or molasses) and whiskey (strong alcoholic liquor distilled from fermented mash of grain, especially rye, wheat, corn or barley). Both provisions are included in H.B. 124, which passed March 4th.

H.B. 124, plainly, states: If more than one-half of the votes cast on the question are for disapproval of Sunday package sales by retailers of malt beverages, wine, and distilled spirits on Sundays between the hours of 12:30 P.M. and 11:30 P.M., such rejection shall not nullify the prior election results for approval of Sunday package sales by retailers of malt beverages and wine on Sundays between the hours of 12:30 P.M. and 11:30 P.M. pursuant to subsection (p) of this Code section.” (Page 2, lines 40 – 44)

H.B. 124 expands the definition of “retailer” or “retail dealer” to include a business that, primarily, sells distilled spirits and unbroken packages of malt beverages and wine, not for consumption on the premises, and whose retail sale of such is at least 75 percent of its total annual gross sales. (Page 3, lines 64 – 66)

Unless the governor vetoes H.B. 124, these things will happen: (1) Sunday retail package sales of malt beverages and wine will continue, regardless of the outcome of future referenda. (2) Sunday retail package sales of malt beverages and wine are permanent, UNLESS future legislators amend this law and return power to voters. (3) Sunday sales of hard liquor and whiskey will be the only alcoholic beverage sales voters may prohibit.

Although it’s obvious the bill protects beer, ale and wine businesses at the expense of community values, some retailers have been reluctant to open their business on Sunday for a very good reason – it’s not worth the trouble! They’ve learned that Sunday customers are those that formerly bought alcoholic beverages Monday through Saturday, but now wait until Sunday to spend the same amount of money. So, opening on Sunday ADDS to the retailers’ cost of doing business with no increased profit!

If H.B. 124 is not vetoed, it automatically becomes law July 1st.

ACTION – Before May 7th, call 404 656-1776 and ask Governor Deal to VETO H.B. 124.

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September 2nd Radio Commentary

LGBT Youth Summit during “LGBT Pride Month”

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, September 2, 2011
By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim. This summer the U.S. government publicly put the federal stamp-of-approval on alternate lifestyles. It was the first-ever Federal LGBT Youth Summit and was hosted by the federal Department of Education. It was so secret the media was barred from all workshops and all but a few general forums. The Summit was FOR “teens and 20-somethings” and the subject was “gender, which includes gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender individuals, LGBT for short.”

At 8:30 a.m. June 6th a government staff member introduced the kick-off speaker by saying, “Your federal government has finally come out of the closet in support of LGBT youth. It’s great to see so many young faces out there, all gay and proud.” Then, she told the participants that Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius “gets us” and is “tireless” in her support of LGBT youth.

During her speech, Secretary Sebelius named the six federal departments assigned to the Obama administration’s government-wide LGBT taskforce. They are the federal departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Agriculture, Defense, Interior and Justice. At a working lunch the “teens and 20-somethings” were taught to network with homosexuals for employment in top corporate and nonprofit jobs.

On Tuesday, June 7th the early speaker was U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, who reaffirmed support of Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) clubs in schools and repeated government commitment to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) youth.

Packets distributed to conferees included pro-LGBT literature and provocative pictures from a pro-LGBT photograph exhibit that was displayed at the invitation of Safe Schools Czar Kevin Jennings. CNSNews was told workshops were customarily closed, because the presence of the media would have a silencing effect on participants. I thought you’d like to know what they’re doing with your hard-earned tax dollars and how America’s children are being trained in “diversity” and “tolerance.” For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.

August 2011 Newsletter

Executive Order, August 18, 2011
White House Establishes LGBT Affirmative Action
for the Federal Workforce

EO Section 2 allows 90 days to implement a “Government-Wide Diversity and Inclusion Initiative and Strategic Plan.” Implementing the plan is the responsibility of the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Deputy Director for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Both Offices will coordinate with the President’s Management Council (PMC) and the Chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

EO Section 3, entitled “Responsibilities of Executive Departments and Agencies” sets a 120-day deadline for the issuance of the government-wide affirmative action plan to recruit, hire, train, develop, advance, promote, and retain a workforce that is diverse, i.e. LGBT personnel.

EO Section 4 continues the authority of government agencies and departments to establish independent Diversity and Inclusion Offices.

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June 2009 Newsletter

Chicago-Style Marine High School Proposed in Georgia

Question: What’s the goal of a public Marine high school – education or recruitment?
Question: Would the marine school be a training ground for the president’s
proposed “civilian” army?
Question: Will the new U.S. Secretary of Education, Chicago‘s Arne Duncan,
multiply military schools?

While the ROTC flourishes in Georgia, a planned Marine High School is on hold after fierce opposition surfaced in DeKalb County.  The idea has its roots in Illinois, where community organizer Barack Obama became U.S. senator, then president.  On January 20th after taking the oath of office, President Obama appointed Arne Duncan, Chicago public schools’ chief executive officer since 2001, as his new U.S. Secretary of Education.  Duncan attended the University of Chicago and Harvard University, graduating in 1987 with a sociology degree.

The Chicago public school system includes six full-site military academies, each partnered with a different branch of the military.  Chicago is the only city with schools dedicated to the Marines, Army, Navy and Air Force.  They include the Marine Institute, Rickover Naval Academy, an Air Force academy, Chicago and Carver military academies, plus 33 high school-based Junior ROTC programs overseen by an army lieutenant colonel.  Another 20 Chicago public schools have active Middle School Cadet Corps programs.

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