Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, May 20, 2013 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim.  The opening statements of Georgia Right-to-Life’s report on the session says, “Well, here we go again!  Only two pro-life bills have been passed in the last four years,” while eight others have been blocked or ignored in committee.

Bills killed this year include The Ethical Treatment of Human Embryos Act (H.B. 481) that passed the Senate in 2010, only to be blocked by the 2010 Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson and a House committee chairman Amos Amerson.

H.481 went to the Representative Willard’s Judiciary Committee, instead of pro-life Representative Setzler’s Science and Technology committee.  Mr. Willard DID give the bill a hearing, but strong opposition by the University of Georgia, Georgia Tech and the Georgia biotech industry killed it.

Then, Representative Jay Neal introduced another bill requesting a study committee to iron out concerns of the university system and biotech industry, but that bill was sent to a non-supportive committee that refused to give it a hearing and that’s where it died.Senator Judson Hill’s S.B. 98 also died without a hearing because it stated: “No abortion coverage shall be provided by a qualified health plan offered through a state or federal law or regulation in the state of Georgia.”  It’s incredible that pro-life legislators can’t get that passed.

It’s also hard to understand why professing pro-life representatives blocked Senator Mike Crane’s pro-life amendment to H.B. 246 prohibiting state-funded abortion coverage for state employees, because the bill did not interfere with their having abortions at their own expense.

After H.B. 246 was killed, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution quoted Governor Deal’s reaction with this statement: “Within the context of the state employees’ health benefit plan, [abortion services] should be an auxiliary benefit that’s paid for separately.  That’s the effort that was undertaken in the Senate yesterday and I support that.”

Since the vast majority of Georgians don’t want to subsidize abortions, the governor and his staff agreed with Georgia Right-to-Life that the problem might be fixed through an executive order to adjust Department of Community Health rules and regulations.

All these bills, including Senator Loudermilk’s S.R. 420 Personhood Amendment were stopped this year, but are alive for next session.  So, I have a question: Why won’t the Speaker and other representatives pass pro-life bills? They ran as pro-life candidates!  For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.

The 2014-2015 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, will provide a new option for dependent applicants to describe their parents’ marital status as “unmarried and both parents living together.” Additionally, where appropriate, the new FAFSA form will also use terms like “Parent 1 (father/mother/stepparent)” and “Parent 2 (father/mother/stepparent)” instead of gender-specific terms like “mother” and “father.”
– ED.gov, April 29, 2013 Press Release (Accessed 05-12-13)

Also in the above press release, the Department of Education said the proposed changes would be in the Federal Register for a month to allow public comment, as required by law.
ACTION – Oppose. Email your opposition to openfederalregister@nara.gov

Federal Control of Education via Common Core Curriculum
As indicated in the above press release USDOE officials do not promote community values, which is painfully evident in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) required in states receiving Race to the Top (RTT) grants, which Georgia did. In addition, Georgia and other states with RTT grants had to adopt CCSS-aligned “college- and career-ready standards.”

CCSS requirements are so egregious that Senator Chuck Grassly (R-Iowa) and his peers signed a letter asking the Senate Appropriations Committee to cut off all future funds that allow the Obama administration to “cajole states” into participating in CCSS and its assessments that are being developed by designated consortia without input from parents or educators across the country.

In the last several weeks, the Michigan House of Representatives voted to defund Common Core and sent the bill to the Senate. Next, the Indiana legislature passed a bill halting the implementation of Common Core until there was further study and an open review process.

In Georgia, “The Cobb County school board rejected a proposal to spend $7.5 million on CC-aligned math textbooks after opponents packed the meeting and spoke of the folly of pouring money into something that may not exist in a year or two,” said Jane Robbins, an attorney with the American Principles Project.”

Access www.stopcommoncore.com to learn about an upcoming CCSS-related event in Rome on May 30th.

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Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, May 10, 2013 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim.  In April, Republican District Conventions met and passed resolutions to be offered at their state convention in May.  Seven of the 14 District Conventions adopted the “Regionalism Resolution” which repudiates regional government and reminds everyone that the form of government created by The Constitution of the United States is a representative republic, meaning government by the people and the officials they elect.  In a republic, law is supreme and all men (including leaders) are subject to it.  Also in a republic, the minority has rights which even the majority may not violate.

Another resolution asking the state to withdraw from Common Core State Educational Standards passed in at least ten of the 14 districts. It would minimize federal control over education and restore local control.  Although federal control over education violates The Constitution of the United States, as well as the Constitution of the State of Georgia, federal encroachment in education has been and continues to be done through federal grants with strings attached, e.g. No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top, most recently.

Republican District Conventions also passed the “Resolution to Secure the Vote,” urging the Secretary of State to stop using electronic voting machines and return to paper ballots OR add a voter-verifiable paper trail to the system.  In addition, Wayne County passed a resolution asking Congress to pass a balanced budget amendment and send it to the states for ratification.The “Republican Form of Government” resolution references the Constitution “guarantee[ing] to every State in this Union a Republican form of Government,” meaning sovereignty rests with the people and their elected representatives.  This resolution explains that Georgia is the only state to specifically provide Home Rule for Counties and Municipalities.  So, in Georgia, just as states have authority to reject federal intervention in state affairs, Georgia’s local governments are authorized to reject state government intervention in local operations.

A resolution upholding the right to bear arms passed the First District Convention with this statement: “[A]ny act which infringes upon the ability of honest citizens to purchase, transfer, or possess firearms and ammunition … shall … be rejected by any and all local, state, and federal elected or appointed officials.”

These resolutions are extremely timely, as is the First District’s “Marriage and Children Resolution” that stands “in firm agreement with the Republican National Committee and … urge[s] our elected representatives to … support the Defense of Marriage Act and defend our Georgia Constitution,” which states, “[Georgia] shall recognize as marriage only the union of man and woman.  Marriages between persons of the same sex are prohibited in this state.  No union between persons of the same sex shall be recognized by this state as entitled to the benefits of marriage.” The Georgia Constitution, also, states that Georgia courts have no jurisdiction to grant a divorce or separate maintenance in same-sex relationships.

These and other resolutions may be considered by the Republican Party State Convention in Athens next weekend.  May they all pass then and in like legislation in the 2014 session.  For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.

Call him at 404 656-1776!

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, May 3, 2013 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim.  We’ve all heard, “There’s more than one way to skin a cat,” and that’s also true in getting bills passed.  An immigration bill fiercely opposed by pro-amnesty groups from La Raza, the Chamber of Commerce and ACLU had to be attached to S.B. 160 to get it passed and sent to the governor.

With H.B. 125 attached to it, S.B. 160 became an extremely important tax-saving plan for Georgians, because it NOW requires proof of legal entry into the United States before anyone can qualify for tax-funded benefits.  EVERY year the upkeep of illegal aliens costs Georgia taxpayers billions of dollars.  For example, the cost of educating illegal aliens is $1.7 billion; $318 million for unreimbursed health care.  They cost the judicial system $195 million; welfare, $77 million; and $138 million in other state and local operating costs.  That totals $2.4 billion every year, an average of $743 per year for each native-born Georgia head of household.

S.B. 160 requires local governments to stop giving sanctuary to illegal aliens and, if they DON’T stop giving sanctuary, they could lose money from the state, plus federal funding distributed by the state, plus financial assistance for postsecondary education.  If S.B. 160 becomes law, applicants for government assistance would have to verify their lawful presence in the U.S. and, if they can’t, they WILL NOT qualify for government grants, public and assisted housing, retirement benefits, state issued driver’s licenses or ID cards, in addition to the 23 other benefits they aren’t eligible for right now.  An original secure and verifiable document signed and sworn by the applicant would be necessary to get a state driver’s license or ID card.

Lawful presence must be proven under the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements program and children of illegal aliens would be required to verify their own personal status when they become 18.

Verifiable ID would include an original or certified birth certificate issued by a state, county, municipal authority or U.S. territory and it must bear an official seal.  But a foreign passport, including the Mexican Matricula Consular document, would NOT be accepted.  However, utility services that are basic human necessities, such as water, sewer, electricity, communications and gas, will not be withheld, regardless of their illegal status.  Call Governor Deal at 404 656-1776* and ask him to sign S.B. 160 and please DO NOT veto it!  For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent