The Marietta Declaration
Published February 16, 2012 | 
Presented by: The Georgia Tea Party
Date: Saturday, February 18th, 2012
Time: 3-4:00 pm
Location: Glover Park, Marietta Square, Georgia
The Georgia Tea Party ™ (GTPI), a non-partisan advocacy group headquarted in Marietta, GA, will hold a press conference at Glover Park in the Marietta Square on Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 3:00pm.
VENUE CHANGE: 900 Roswell Street, Marietta (old Anderson Chevrolet building). (Due to a forecast of inclement weather, this is a change from the original location at Glover Park in the Marietta Square.)
The purpose of the press conference is to unveil The Marietta Declaration, a seminal document that enumerates governmental abuses of the authority that over the past one hundred years have incrementally diminished the very principles upon which our nation was founded.
The Marietta Declaration challenges presidential candidates of all political parties to end these abuses and establishes the principal tenants upon which to do so.
Join us at 900 Roswell Street, Marietta, GA, Saturday, February 18, at 3:pm for the unveiling.
See www.themariettadeclaration.com for more information.
Volunteer Meeting
Published February 1, 2012 | Title: Volunteer Meeting
Location: 900 Roswell Street, Marietta, GA (Old Chevy car dealership building to the east of Roswell St. Baptist Church)
Description: Panel Discussion: “Repeal of the 17th Amendment” featuring Patti Gettinger, Mark Lane, and Richard Gruetter
This weeks meeting will feature a panel discussion by two Georgia Tea Party board members, Patti Gettinger and Mark Lane, and our resident Constitutional scholar, Richard Gruetter.
If you are not familiar with the 17th Amendment, here’s a brief overview. Under Article 1 Section 3 of the Constitution, “The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, [chosen by the Legislature thereof] for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote…”. The founders intent was for the State’s to have a check on the power of the Federal government. The 17th Amendment ratified in 1913, provided for the direct popular election of Senators by the citizens of each respective state. Interestingly, Georgia did not ratify the amendment. For a detailed history visit Wikipedia. This promises to be a very lively discussion as each have been researching and preparing to argue the pros and cons of repealing the 17th Amendment to the Constitution.
Start Time: 18:45:00
Date: 2012-02-02
Panel Discussion: “Repeal of the 17th Amendment” – February 2nd Volunteer Meeting
Published February 1, 2012 |
This weeks meeting Volunteer Meeting will be held:
Date: February 2nd, 2012
Time: 6:45 pm
Location: 900 Roswell Street, Marietta, GA
(Old Chevy car dealership building to the east of Roswell St. Baptist Church)
Panel Discussion: “Repeal of the 17th Amendment” featuring Patti Gettinger, Mark Lane, and Richard Gruetter
This weeks meeting will feature a panel discussion by two Georgia Tea Party board members, Patti Gettinger and Mark Lane, and our resident Constitutional scholar, Richard Gruetter.
If you are not familiar with the 17th Amendment, here’s a brief overview. Under Article 1 Section 3 of the Constitution, “The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, [chosen by the Legislature thereof] for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote…”. The founders intent was for the State’s to have a check on the power of the Federal government. The 17th Amendment ratified in 1913, provided for the direct popular election of Senators by the citizens of each respective state. Interestingly, Georgia did not ratify the amendment. For a detailed history visit Wikipedia. This promises to be a very lively discussion as each have been researching and preparing to argue the pros and cons of repealing the 17th Amendment to the Constitution.
We’ll get our usual updates from our various task forces: Gold Dome Team with a report on state legislative news; the Federal Task Force; as the County Watch program.
If you’ve been putting off getting involved, now is the time to get engaged. As always, our meetings are open to ALL who seek to learn the principles and spirit of individual liberty and constitutionally limited self government. Please feel free to forward this email and invite your friends.
Yours in liberty,
The Georgia Tea Party
Georgia Tea Party Asks Gov. Deal for TIA Repeal
Published February 1, 2012 |
Georgia Tea Party Asks Gov. Deal for TIA Repeal
Letter to Governor detailing Tea Party’s opposition copied to legislators as well
The Georgia Tea Party™ (GTPI) has sent a letter to Georgia Governor Nathan Deal outlining several reasons why the Transportation Investment Act (TIA) should be either repealed or modified. The letter outlines several failings of the law and asks the Governor to urge the General Assembly to revisit the legislation with a focus on amending or repealing it.
The letter (below) was copied to several Georgia State legislators as well as Speaker David Ralston. So far, we have heard from two representatives who currently oppose the law as it is written, but have heard nothing from the Governor or the House Speaker.
January 17, 2012
The Honorable Nathan Deal
Governor, State of Georgia
100 Washington Street
Atlanta, GA 30334
Dear Governor Deal,
The Georgia Tea Party has taken an official position in opposition to the Transportation Investment Act as it is currently written.
First, the law effectively removes the right of home rule from local jurisdictions by creating a precedent in which regional commissions could gradually supplant the authority of existing county governments. Rather than pushing decisions closer to those most affected by them, it grants that power to a remote, unelected body with no local accountability, and who are prone to be influenced by special interests.
Second, the TIA, in its present form does not provide a method for a county to ‘opt out’ of a transportation scheme that its citizens don’t want. The ‘one size fits all’ nature of the TIA is more akin to ObamaCare than to a conservative plan that treats each county individually. As we all know, one size doesn’t fit all due to the diverse requirements of individual communities.
Third, the transportation programs outlined in the TIA lean heavily on light rail. No county in Georgia has the population density to justify such expensive long-term construction projects, not to mention to support the operation and maintenance of rail. Thus, the TIA tacitly guarantees the continuation of the tax in perpetuity. To say this is a ten-year tax is disingenuous at best.
Fourth, to allow the legislature to place an extra tax burden on your constituents while the Georgia economy continues floundering at a level worse than the national average is just wrong, especially with regard to those in lower and fixed income groups.
The Georgia Tea Party and our thousands of volunteers believe that the law should be modified to address these concerns, or better still, repealed, and the issue revisited at a time when our economy has improved and stabilized. There are approximately 100 other Tea Party groups in Georgia with tens of thousands of members who share our concerns. I know you already have heard from many of them.
We believe that the TIA is in direct opposition to the conservative principles of limited government and individual liberty and we respectfully urge you to ask the General Assembly to take a closer look at this law, not from the perspective of regional development, but how its implementation will negatively impact Georgia’s taxpayers and voters. The Board of Directors of the Georgia Tea Party will be glad to meet with you at your convenience to further discuss our position.
Sincerely,
The Georgia Tea Party Board of Directors
J.D. Van Brink, Chairman
CC: Sen. Judson Hill
Sen. Chip Rogers
Sen. Doug Stoner
Sen. Steve Thompson
Sen. Lindsey Tippins
Speaker David Ralston
Rep. Sharon Cooper
Rep. Matt Dollar
Rep. Stacey Evans
Rep. Earl Ehrhart
Rep. John Carson
Rep. Rich Golick
Rep. Terry Johnson
Rep. Sheila Jones
Rep. Judy Manning
Rep. Alisha Morgan
Rep. Don Parsons
Rep. Ed Setzler
Rep. Sam Teasley
Rep. David Wilkerson
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