Category Archives: Radio Commentaries

April 7, 2017 Radio Commentary

Posted on by

Driver-less Vehicles Coming to Georgia Roads

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, April 7, 2017 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Some day in the near future little Sam or Susie might not need a driver’s license to get to school, and they won’t need you, either. Autonomous vehicles have been authorized and can be legally registered in Georgia, when S.B. 219 becomes law on July 1st.

If you have an autonomous vehicle equipped with the right hardware and software, you or someone else may program the vehicle with the appropriate destination. Then, tell the kids to get in and buckle up. When the vehicle’s program is activated, they’re off to school in a driver-less, computer driven vehicle that weaves through traffic, makes the appropriate stops and turns, and arrives at the programmed destination to deposit the kids. Then, the empty-of-all-human-occupants vehicle parks or proceeds to its next programmed destination.

If no one in the vehicle has a driver’s license, that’s okay. They’ll be passengers, not drivers. Hardware and software of the “fully autonomous motor vehicle with the automated driving system engaged” is programmed to perform real-time steering, accelerating and slowing down, accident avoidance, and proper-response traffic maneuvers. Visualize it as a vehicle operating without anyone in the chauffeur’s seat, or the high-tech simile of a “head-less horseman.” Continue reading →

March 31, 2017 Radio Commentary

Posted on by

Switcheroo, Agreed, Done!

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, March 31, 2017 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

During the first two months of this session, five marijuana bills were introduced – four in the House and one in the Senate. It seemed strange that Senator Watson would introduce S.B. 16 to qualify one more condition for marijuana treatment and lower the THC level of medical marijuana from five- to three-percent, when five-percent passed last year. But, if he introduced S.B. 16 to meander through the process and become a vehicle for a more comprehensive bill that failed to pass by the end of Cross-Over Day, his strategy worked perfectly!

The Senate, dutifully, passed S.B. 16 on February 16th and it went to the House Judiciary Non Civil Committee, where it languished, awaiting the next step in the process. That committee stripped S.B. 16 of its original language and clothed it with Representative Peake’s much more comprehensive restructuring of current marijuana law.

During the switch, the House retained the expedient components of the original S.B. 16 – its all-important title (S.B. 16) and position (poised to pass), and autism, that was already among the six additional diseases Mr. Peake’s legislation was qualifying for marijuana treatment.

When the new law goes into effect July 1st, several requirements of current law will be repealed, as will the one-year Georgia residency now mandatory for marijuana treatment. Without that restriction, Georgia could become a hub for out-of-state drop-in buyers of medical marijuana. Continue reading →

March 24, 2017 Radio Commentary

Posted on by

Victories on Cross-Over Day

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, March 24, 2017 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

When the 2017 session began, the House and Senate changed Cross-over Day from the 30thlegislative day to Day 28. That means, legislation must be half-way through the process by the end of Cross-over Day, or it won’t pass this session. At the end of Cross-over Day last Friday, conservatives could claim at least 19 victories, since 19 bills we oppose won’t pass this session, unless they’re attached to another bill that’s poised to pass.

Among those 19 bills that died in committee are six alternate lifestyle bills. Such as H.B. 16, the “bully bill,” that requires extra protection for students claiming variant sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. Gender expression includes, but is not limited to, the spoken word, the type of clothing, and affected mannerisms. H.B. 16 allows students to be charged with bullying if they, simply, express a negative opinion about lifestyle.

S.B. 119 gives Civil Rights status based on sexual orientation and gender identity as they apply to rental property or public accommodations in public facilities. The only exception in the renting of property is the exemption of any five-room home that’s occupied by the owner or proprietor. In a home bigger than five rooms, lifestyle screening for tenants would not be allowed.

S.B. 145 would have repealed the aggravated sodomy law in eight Code sections as they apply to gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation. That repeal would eliminate the aggravated sodomy penalty for childhood sexual abuse. Continue reading →

March 17, 2017 Radio Commentary

Posted on by

Stop S.R. 195

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, March 17, 2017 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

S.R. 195 urging Congress to call a constitutional convention is an extremely dangerous bill that must be stopped. If two-thirds of the 50 states enact similar resolutions and Congress convenes a convention, the entire Constitution would be in jeopardy.

ACTION: Call 404 656-5020 and ask House Speaker Ralston to keep S.R. 195 off the House floor; Call 636-5141 and ask Rules Chairman Meadows to keep S.R. 195 in his committee. Ask the following to withdraw support from S.R. 195: Representatives Brockway 656-0188; Barr, 656-0325; Cantrell, 656-0152; Clark, 656-0298; and Hilton, 656-0202.

Talking points: A convention could write its own rules and set its own agenda, which could be influenced by powerful special interest groups. Delegates could change the ratification process, and nobody, including the Courts, has clear authority over the convention once it begins.

Article V does not restrict a convention to only one issue. A two-thirds vote, that’s required in Congress, is not required of convention delegates. Article V does not require delegates to be U.S. citizens or citizens of a state in the United States. Article V does not say who will preside, or what rules will be followed. If Congress can’t limit a convention, states can’t limit it either. Continue reading →