Carol Porter For Georgia

Still Facebooking It

2010-12-15T11:28:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to let those of you who may find this blog know that I am still posting political updates on my fan page at http://www.facebook.com/carolporter4ga
I also have a personal page where I give updates on what I am doing in my personal life at http://www.facebook.com/caroldoddporter
I also twitter and you can follow me there at
http://twitter.com/#!/carolporter4ga

While I am no longer running for Lt. Governor our race did make a difference. The abuse of power by the current Lt. Governor has been corrected by those in his own party. The children however are still going into jails instead of jobs at a rate the taxpayer will never be able to catch up with so we do need to stay engaged in the system.

Thank you to all who voted in the past election. Regardless of how you voted, I am glad to know you did participate in your government.

Thank you, Carol Porter

Now click on over to facebook and let's hold those politicians accountable. Please feel free to join me in the conversation. Click here.

51. Georgia Needs New, Ethical Leadership

2010-10-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

Hello, I'm Carol Porter and I love Georgia. Right now Georgia needs a new Lt. Governor. We don't have reliable water or efficient transportation, and we are in the bottom of education. None of that will grow our economy. We need jobs and our children need a quality education. There are solutions for Georgia, but we must cut waste, cut corruption and elect new, ethical leadership. I'm Carol Porter, and I ask for your vote for Lt. Governor.

50. Carol's First TV Ad Hits The Air Today

2010-10-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Carol Porter grew up in Georgia, raised her children in Georgia and has Georgia values. As a wife, a Sunday School teacher and the mother of four Eagle Scouts, Carol understands the importance of faith and hard work. As general manager of nine Georgia newspapers, Carol sees firsthand how businesses are suffering and feels the urgency of creating jobs in Georgia. Carol understands the issues facing Georgia, and she had the right kind of experience to lead Georgia forward. Vote for Carol Porter for Lt. Governor.

49. Please Volunteer!

2010-10-08T14:07:00.000-07:00

The Carol Porter for Georgia campaign is on fire! Her TV ads start Monday, but we need your help to make sure her message reaches all Georgians.   Carol’s campaign is expanding into two new locations.

New volunteer centers are opening this week in Dublin and DeKalb County in addition to our existing Fulton County location. Help spread the word and support across Georgia by volunteering at one of the new locations.

  For more information about volunteering with the Carol Porter Campaign, please contact Rashad Richey by phone or email at: 404-549-1196 or rashadrichey@yahoo.com

48. Ethical leadership? You decide.

2010-09-29T10:58:00.000-07:00

Really love having the Tea Party group say they are not voting for my opponent because he has misused his power and raised taxes and said he didn't. Thanks to the Internet he can't keep the truth from the people. See his own words on what repealing the HTRG would do before he did it.

The words of my opponent the Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle --before he repealed the HTRG.

"Today marks a big victory for Georgia homeowners -- House Bill 143 was just signed in to law, preserving the Homeowners Tax Relief Grant. Without this bill, 3 million homeowners would have been forced to pay another $200-300 in property taxes this year. In this economy, Georgians shouldn't be forced to decide between paying another tax bill or meeting the immediate needs of their families."

But in 2009, when the economy was even worse, he did just the opposite of the above quote and goes all over Georgia saying he keeps your taxes low.

Ethical leadership? You decide.

47. Do You Want More Of This?

2010-09-28T10:43:00.000-07:00

Want more of this? Georgia's whopping 13.1% loss made it a big loser. Georgia's median income dropped faster than any other state in the nation. New ethical leadership will turn these sad figures around. Please help me spread the truth on what is happening in Georgia's government and therefore to Georgians.

Want more of this? Georgia's whopping 13.1% loss made it a big loser. Georgia's median income dropped faster than any other state in the nation. New ethical leadership will turn these sad figures around. Please help me spread the truth on what is happening in Georgia's government and therefore to Georgians.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/09/16/news/economy/Americas_wealthiest_states/index.htm

46. New Poll Shows My Opponent At Only 52%

2010-09-14T06:46:00.000-07:00

A new 11Alive poll came out that shows my opponent only has 52% of the vote! And with the margin of error and undecided votes counted, which amounts to 11.1%, he is down way below half. Once I get my message and the truth out, Cagle will be like others who have fallen aside-- for him, until they know what he did.

(Remember, he says he didn't raise taxes and we know he did. He has totally gone against his base. And that is just the tip of the iceberg of what has happened in his office.)

Plus there are solutions for Georgia in water, transportation and education that will turn this economy around and make this state the greatest place in the world when we put your voice in your government.

Many of the people I meet have no idea what Cagle has been up to behind those closed doors and when they find out they are amazed he is still in office.

When they hear the solutions we could have put into operation to move the economy forward they really get on board with my message.

At this point the incumbent Lt. Gov. is getting the Republican base, but once they hear the truth, they no longer will put the party above their values. Republicans vote the issues, character and ethics and when they hear the truth on Cagle they will vote for me. I already have three Republicans for Carol groups around the state. As they find out the truth, they are coming on board with me. Hope you will reach out to all and share my message of solutions and ethics.

To prove my point on my campaign model, I could not help but smile when I went to google the new poll to double-check my numbers. I googled "11alive poll georgia"and the search results made my point for me. ( Make sure you read the second one:)

NOW:
New Poll: GOP Sweep of Statewide Offices in the Making - 11Alive ...
Sep 13, 2010 ... If the election for Georgia Governor were today, ...

2 MONTHS AGO:
New Exclusive Poll: Oxendine Still Leads, Handel Challenging ...
Jul 9, 2010 ... the Georgia Primary Election, a new 11Alive/V103 poll ...

45. Priority Budgeting

2010-09-13T06:18:00.000-07:00

"I believe in priority budgeting. You hear the incumbent Lt. Gov. talk about it, but then never do it. Why? Because then he could not keep tax wasting programs in your state budget, like the one for the no bid contracts. Waste can still be cut, if we stop the "legislation for friends" approach to government. I would also never have raised your property taxes like he did." - Carol Porter

44. The Evidence Can Respond

2010-09-10T06:14:00.000-07:00

The "Backroom Deal" story of how the incumbent Lt. Gov. Cagle abused his power is slowly circulating. I think the key line (in story below) is, 'Cagle declined to respond...' What could he say? The "backroom" was his office. The evidence can respond -- on page 11 of the Congressional Report.

See for yourself at http://oce.house.gov/disclosures/Review_No_09-1022_Referral_to_Standards.pdf (scroll to page 11) and read the story below to see the brush-off.

43. The Incumbent Lieutenant Governor Helped Increase Property Taxest

2010-09-09T06:13:00.000-07:00

"I gave a speech yesterday and people are always amazed to find out it was the incumbent Lt. Gov. who helped increase property taxes when he pushed to repeal the Homeowner's Tax Relief Grant. Please help me spread the word of the duplicity. Raising taxes in a recession crippled our economy even more. The taxpayer's just can't take any more duplicity." - Carol Porter

42. Carol Attends AKA Forum At Clark Atlanta Woodruff Library

2010-09-08T09:42:00.001-07:00

"I spoke at the 1st forum of the campaign season last night at Clark Atlanta Woodruff Library. My opponent, the incumbent Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle did not show up. He is going to have such a hard time explaining raising property taxes in a recession, the Fred Cooper incident, the no bid contracts, stripping Sen. Smith of his Chairmanship, increased fees, etc... that we should not have been surprised by the no-show." - Carol Porter

41. Labor Day weekend profitable for Atlanta

2010-09-07T07:58:00.000-07:00

"It is obvious we have to change the mindset of where we can pull money into this state. We have to do more than give lip-service to tourism. We have multiple blue ribbon committees and then we do nothing they recommend. Look at the figures below and see the lights come on. The turf protection and "governance to friends first" must stop." - Carol Porter

Dragon*Con was expected to bring 30,000 sci-fi and fantasy fans to the city, with an economic impact of $14.9 million. The LSU-UNC football game at the Georgia Dome was projected to bring in 70,000 fans and a $29.1 million impact. NASCAR's race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway was expected to bring in 100,000 with a $7 million economic impact.

And, the Publix Atlanta Cup was slated to bring in 650 soccer teams. Overall possible economic impact of the weekend: around $51 million.

Source: Atlanta Business Chronicle

(although I got the info through a news clip service. You can get from from info@georgiaclips.com published by Elliot Brack)

40. Happy Labor Day!

2010-09-06T08:01:00.000-07:00

"Have a great Labor Day! I have had a busy weekend and met a lot of new people. At one location many said they were voting Republican because of Washington. I said the incumbent Lt. Gov. wants you to focus on Washington so you won't notice what he has done to Georgia. Once they hear about the corruption and then the solutions that could have happened instead, they change their minds. Facts make the difference." - Carol Porter

39. Abdicating responsibility in a recession is not good.

2010-09-03T08:03:00.000-07:00

"The campaign is really taking off as more people become aware of the issues at stake in my race. Most people did not realize property taxes went up because under the incumbent Lt. Gov.'s leadership the Homeowner's Tax Relief Grant was repealed and cost was passed down to local governments. Abdicating responsibility in a recession is not good." - Carol Porter

38. Now The Only Female Candidate For Lt. Governor

2010-08-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

"The Libertarian Party of GA just replaced their female candidate. I am now the only female in the race. Regardless, I think every sex wants to cut corruption, stop the tax increases of the incumbent Lt. Gov. and return their voice to their government. I welcome citizens of both sexes to my race. (With four sons and a husband,) I know we all just want honest, hardworking, informed leaders who put the citizens first." - Carol Porter

37. Dropouts Cost Georgia Billions In Lost Wages

2010-08-25T12:59:00.000-07:00

"Dropouts cost GA billions in lost wages. Who knows how many dropouts we have? In 2008, The GA D.O.E., reported a 72.3 percent statewide graduation rate, but independent estimates rated it at 56 percent. All the reports I found this morning also differ wildly from state reports. What is the truth? All I know is we need new honest and ethical leadership telling Georgians the truth." - Carol Porter

A story from 2008 to show the manipulation has been going on for years.

36. We Must Have Ethical Leadership In Georgia

2010-08-24T13:01:00.000-07:00

"There are ways to budget in a financial crisis that will allow for more Georgians to enter the workforce, raise the upward financial mobility of those already working and grow the economy. The most important key? We must have ethical leadership making the decisions based on the numbers and not the influence. Read the article below and count the red flags." - Carol Porter

Georgia's tax scheme no longer generates enough for all the state services

35. Business

2010-08-17T08:59:00.000-07:00

As the general manager of a small chain of newspapers, my business touches every business, large and small, in nine counties. I see, first hand, the struggles of business owners and their employees. I know it is poor governance and lack of ethical decision making that is holding our state back. There are solutions that will turn our economy around and get people back into Georgia businesses, buying the goods and services that will make our economy thrive.

Tax incentives for small business and for big business, when they give us a true return on our investment, are good, but now tax incentives are the norm both nationally and globally. For Georgia to move our economy forward we must legislate in a way to improve the systems that must be strong for business to grow.

Georgia’s rankings on educational achievement are at the bottom and our dropout rate is excessive. Because of this, the thing we are now becoming known for is being number one in the percentage of our population in the correctional system. Law enforcement has been reduced to unsafe levels and our population is in the top ten most unhealthy. Business in Georgia is struggling and unemployment is high.

Although we made great strides when we appointed a new Speaker in the House, the lack of ethical leadership in the Lieutenant Governor’s office will continue to hold Georgia’s economy back. New leadership is clearly needed for Georgia.

34. New Campaign Headquarters

2010-08-05T10:51:00.000-07:00

The campaign sent out this email earlier today:

If you are one of Carol’s Facebook fans you already know our terrific news; we have a great new campaign headquarters! We have 4000 square feet of space, conveniently located right off the 10th & 14th St. Exit off of 75/85. It is in Midtown Atlanta and our street address is 1080 Spring St., on the corner of 12th and Spring St. If you’re in the area you should see the yard signs and the big banner is coming soon.

We plan to move in as soon as the phone lines are connected and we will keep you updated. Be thinking of any furniture that you may have in your basement, attic, or storage shed because we need desks, chairs, and sofas for all of our staff and volunteers.

Once we get everything set up, we will send out another email so that if you’re able, you can come by and help us Call for Carol.

Thanks,

Carol Porter for Georgia

P.S. – For all of you who have already donated to the campaign and helped to make this possible, thank you. As you know, we are gearing up for the General so please feel free to donate.

33. Deal/Cagle "A Corruption Story" or "How to Behave in an Untrustworthy Way" with hot links.

2010-07-28T12:18:00.001-07:00

The incumbent Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle (against whom I am running) and Nathan Deal brought Bart Graham, the Revenue Commissioner into the office of the Lt. Gov. (that is your office by the way) to allegedly strong-arm Graham into stopping his efforts to privatize the DOR inspections which would have quite possibly slowed Nathan’s 1.5 million of no-bid state money for his company. Graham thought his ideas would save the taxpayers' money. Cagle and Deal allegedly didn’t like Graham’s suggestion.

Somehow, in the Senate, over which Cagle presides and is the President, the money in question got put back in the budget again. Deal says he sent an email asking Cagle not to do it. He did. The little fact he keeps leaving out? It was an hour after the vote had been taken, Really. They thought we wouldn’t check? By the way, Nathan Deal has used some of his funds to donate to Cagle.

Ready for new leadership yet?

1. This is the list that recently jump started this story again (well that and Deal being in a run-off for Governor.) All this happened last session. I do not know the group at CREWS well enough to vouch for them, but this is what stirred the pot up again.
http://www.crewsmostcorrupt.org/summaries/deal.php

2. This is a link to the actual Office Of Congressional Ethics
United States House of Represenatatives report complete, with the emails.

http://oce.house.gov/disclosures/Review_No_09-1022_Referral_to_Standards.pdf?loc=interstitialskiphttp%3A%2F%2Foce.house.gov%2Fdisclosures%2FReview_No_09-1022_Referral_to_Standards.pdf%3Floc%3Dinterstitialskip

3. Here is a telling comment in an email from the ethics report (pg. 65 ) from Brain Knight to Chris Riley:

"In regards to DOR inspections of salvaged vehicles; I just want to clarify that you are asking that the DOR inspection Program be fully funded at the previous continuation budget of 1.7 M?"

There were also comments like: "please keep between us" in other e-mails.

4. One thing the Deal side keeps saying is (my paraphrase)- “we asked to remove our request.” But it was after the vote.

http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/agreement-with-state-benefits-121572.html

From the AJC story:

"Within days of their final meeting, on March 30, the money was slipped back into the budget by the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Barely an hour after the vote, after the program’s continuation was all but guaranteed, Riley sent Cagle’s office an e-mail saying it was OK if the money was left out of the budget after all."

5. Also interesting is the nationwide coverage on this. This is a major breach of trust.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/30/us/30ethics.html

The report by the Office of Congressional Ethics, however, concluded that Mr. Deal had apparently used his House office to promote his self interest. It also raised questions about the actions of Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, who it said helped Mr. Deal press his case to state officials. Mr. Cagle’s office did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.

6. A key to find out is: Has Lt. Gov. Cagle ever agreed to go before the Ethics committee? In all the articles, from the time the incident was first being investigated, indicates he refused. Deal resigned from Congress right before he could be investigated. Did they then quit asking Cagle to testify?

Quote below from following link:

http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2010/03/29/fallout-from-the-nathan-deal-report-casey-cagle-may-have-some-explaining-to-do/

“The Lieutenant Governor’s Office would not cooperate with the OCE’s requests for interviews but did produce some information concerning the Lieutenant Governor’s presence at meetings discussed above concerning vehicle inspections. Thus, the OCE recommends that the Committee on Standards of Official subpoena the Georgia Lieutenant Governor.”

7. Just in case this was a sticking point for you.

From another AJC article:

Graham would not comment Tuesday, but he told the AJC in 2009 that Deal and Cronan made it clear they did not want the inspection system changed.

"Without a doubt, " Graham said at the time.

http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/federal-
grand-jury-sought-579989.html

You decide, but if you ask me, new leadership is clearly needed.- Carol Porter

32. Dear Carol Porter SupPorters

2010-07-23T06:28:00.000-07:00

We did it! Thanks to all of your efforts and support we are on our way to a victory in November. Throughout the Primary I have shared my vision for Georgia: educating the public; providing efficient transportation; safeguarding natural resources; and providing safe, healthy communities. Georgia must improve in all of these areas. We are at such an important crossroads. Our very way of life and the future of our children hang in the balance. No reliable water, our major city in gridlock, the "phasing out" of public schools: the list goes on and on. This will not grow the economy and the jobs that are essential. Clearly, what we need is new leadership.

The coming months are going to be a challenge, but replacing the incumbent Lt. Governor Casey Cagle is worth the fight so that we can restore the people’s voices and get your government working for you and not against you. Thank you for your support. Together we can win in the fall.

Thank You,

Carol Porter
Lt. Governor – 2010

31. Campaign Stop In Albany On WALB News 10

2010-07-16T18:19:00.000-07:00

30. Campaign Stop In Columbus on WRBL News 3

2010-07-16T17:40:00.001-07:00

28. Taking off now on the way back from a 4 city tour. Of the people for the people!

2010-07-16T14:17:00.000-07:00

27. Really enjoyed Savannah! Very engaged group. People do know we are at a crossroads in Ga

2010-07-16T13:02:00.001-07:00

26. Haley Frakes Albany Herald and Karen Cohilas WALB were reporting in Albany. Great group. Thanks to all

2010-07-16T10:46:00.001-07:00

25. Carol Speaks To Supporters In Albany

2010-07-16T09:32:00.001-07:00

24. Carol Speaks to Supporters In Columbus

2010-07-16T09:25:00.000-07:00

23. In the Sky On The Way To Columbus

2010-07-16T07:31:00.000-07:00

22. Carol Porter Visits Wrightsville, GA (her hometown) for Fourth of July Parade

2010-07-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

Growing up in a small town in Middle Georgia helped to form my love for Georgia and its people. Last weekend, when our country was celebrating Independence Day, I went back to my hometown of Wrightsville to visit with my hometown friends. I was also able to share my passion for educating Georgia's children and bringing jobs back to our state.

When our Founding Fathers came together they did so because there are some things we do better as a whole: educating the public; providing efficient transportation; safeguarding natural resources; and providing safe, healthy communities. These are also the very factors that create economic growth and provide the jobs our citizens must have.

I hope this webisode of my Fourth of July in Wrightsville, to celebrate our Nation's birthday, gives you a glimpse into who I am as a person and a candidate.

21. Live on The Martha Zoller Show on July 9, 2010

2010-07-09T10:58:00.000-07:00

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/8168585

20. Radio Interview for UnPHILtered with the Statesboro Herald

2010-07-09T10:52:00.000-07:00

http://www.borolive.com/unphiltered-070810.html

19. The Porter's Vote Together As A Family

2010-07-07T21:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all the supporters who showed up in Dublin to Early Vote and to all those who have cast ballots throughout Georgia.

18. Carol Visits Market City Cafe In Macon

2010-07-07T20:57:00.000-07:00

17. Early Voting With Carol, DuBose and The Boys

2010-07-05T14:28:00.000-07:00

Carol Porter, candidate for Lt. Governor, and her husband DuBose Porter, candidate for Governor, along with their four sons, Stephen, Guyton, Asa, Inman and friends will be early voting tomorrow in their hometown of Dublin on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. The Porters and friends will meet at the DuBose Porter headquarters just before 12:30 p.m. and invite all those who wish to attend to come and join them as they walk the block to vote.

Whether you are voting early in your home district or you are celebrating in Dublin with Carol, DuBose, the boys, and friends please remember to honor the legacy of all those sacrificed to allow us the freedom to vote.

Sincerely,
Team Carol

Please note: All campaign materials, including t-shirts, must be kept at least 300 feet from the polls, so we recommend everyone wear non-campaign clothing to this event.

16. I have done my homework.

2010-07-01T08:01:00.001-07:00

The incumbent Lt. Gov. Cagle has absolutely misused his power by intimidating Senators, through power, threats and coercion, into changing their votes. The votes these Senators intend to make to represent their constituents get thrown out the window when these threats of removing them from their powerful positions are made.

( As most under the Gold Dome know, these threats have been used for years, are used often and usually work. This is all coming to the front now because I am calling it out and Preston Smith had finally had enough, came forward and then resigned.)

Watch the video here and you can see where the research on "my homework" is backed up by none other than a Senator it happened to - Smith himself.

We must stop the "culture of corruption" that prevails in Georgia's government and holds our economy at continued risk. That is why I need your vote.

P.S. Also the incumbent Lt. Gov. keeps trying to convince the people I have his system confused with the Hawk system. I fought the Hawks for over 6 years-- since the first day they were created. I had the nohawks.com website. I know the Hawks backward and forward. I also know, even though the methods were different ( were as in-we got the Hawks killed for this 2010 election year at least) both methods are wrong. We stopped the Hawks when we changed Speakers and we can stop what Cagle is doing when we change him.

Two different systems, but both used to control their caucus members into voting for the desires of a few powerful men over the needs of the people of Georgia. Both wrong on every level and what we must change first to move our economy forward. There are solutions for our great state, if we first stop the corruption of the legislative voting process that is holding us back.

15. www.gwinnettdailypost.com Carol Porter answers

2010-07-01T07:51:00.001-07:00

From the www.gwinnettdailypost.com

NAME: Carol Porter

PARTY: Democratic

SEEKING: Lieutenant Governor

Why are you seeking your office?

Because of the corrupting of the voting system and a lack of leadership in the Senate. Because Georgia does not have a reliable water source, our major city sits in gridlock and we are in the bottom in education rankings. We are number one in the percentage of our population in the correction system. Law enforcement has been reduced to unsafe levels and our population is in the top ten most unhealthy. Small business and their employees are struggling. More of the same is not an option. New leadership is clearly needed.

What do you expect to accomplish if elected?

The first thing I will do is stop the corruption of the voting system in the Senate. We stopped the Hawk System in the House and we can put the people’s voice back in the Senate as well. We can discuss policies all day long, but until we get true representative government, the will of the people will continue to be thwarted. My election will change that. Then the number one goal for us all should be to put more people into the workforce and to create an environment of upward financial mobility for those already in the workforce.

What distinguishes your candidacy?

I am a citizen candidate. The unique part is that while I am not an incumbent, I do have 26 years of experience doing policy research and legislative work. I found, while campaigning for my husband, that I understood the issues and problems with government better than many of the candidates and I know what Georgians want. I also know there are solutions for Georgia if we put the people first and then lead with character, common sense and true representation. Like many of Georgia’s citizens, I am fed-up with the lack of leadership.

What are the key issues in your race?

The economy is the key issue. We must attract industries with high paying jobs, not just the ones looking for the low wage pool. We also need to enable the industries and businesses already here to thrive, with a special emphasis on small business as they employee the most people. To truly become a pro-business and pro-employee state we need to strengthen the factors that will lead to a strong economy by providing a strong public school system, efficient transportation, safeguarding natural resources and providing safe and healthy communities.

Pick one issue. Expand on how you will address it.

Education must be strengthened in Georgia. Right now we are number one in the percentage of our population in the correction system. This is because we have never valued education as we should. It is so much cheaper for the taxpayer to spend $8,000 to educate a student than $50,000 to imprison one. The financial costs to the taxpayer of this financially unsustainable pipeline to prison has to stop. There are ways to educate people to stop that pipeline, if we get new leadership who cares more about the taxpayer and less about the perks.

Give a 100 word summary of your background.

Mother, daughter, sister, wife, business woman, volunteer, Methodist, Georgian. My father was the only doctor in a small, poor community and I went with him on his house calls. I had the opportunity for a great education and I realized early in life what separates us most is neither demographics nor geography, but differences in economic and educational opportunities. As the general manager of nine newspapers in Middle Georgia, my business touches every business in nine counties and I know the stories of its people. I know Georgia deserves better. I know the issues. There are solutions

14. Carol Responds on 11 Alive About The Stripping Of Preston Smith's Chairmanship

2010-06-30T08:45:00.000-07:00

Go back and really watch this video again.

It is a classic example of Politics 101: attack messenger, avoid subject. Cagle says,'naive, no homework, personal,' about me, but nothing on his stripping of Preston Smith's Chairmanship for Smith's refusing to raise taxes. Casey's misdirect is an old school political tactic used to distract from the real issue being discussed-Cagle's misuse of his power. I hope with the Internet and with the people's ability to retweet, and post facebook status updates, and email-- we can stop the old school political tactics from working this time. We can have an informed public and we can let the citizens know that their voices are routinely stripped from the political process in the Georgia Senate!

P.S. BTW-No one knows more about the Hawks than I do. I fought them for over 6 years. What Cagle is doing in the Senate has nothing to do with the Hawks, except that both ( Cagle's and the resigned Glenn Richardson's ) systems are wrong, abuses of power and have lead to the culture of corruption in your government. We stopped one, now let's do it one more time and get this economy rolling again! We need jobs for our people and an education for our children!

And if you would like to hear an account from Ex-Chariman of Judiciary Preston Smith on what happened, here is a link to that video:
http://www.cbsatlanta.com/video/23128945/

This video proves that Carol did do her homework.

13. A Look At How The Lt. Governor's Race is Shaping Up

2010-06-22T20:57:00.000-07:00

12. Carol Speaks At "Meet the Candidates BBQ" in Commerce

2010-06-10T12:52:00.000-07:00

"On Sunday I drove over to Commerce, GA with my four sons, Stephen, Guyton, Asa and Inman Porter for the Meet the Candidate BBQ in downtown Commerce. I was introduced by U.S. Congress Candidate Russell Edwards in order to give a stump speech about my ideas on issues pertaining to the growth of Georgia. I was able to meet the other Democratic candidates in order to talk about ways to move Georgia forward. After the event I headed back to Atlanta in order to get ready for the next week of work."

11. Carol Gives Keynote Address At Liberty County Awards Banquet

2010-06-10T12:48:00.000-07:00

"This past Saturday I drove down to Hinesville, GA with two of my four sons, Stephen and Guyton Porter, for the Liberty Country Democratic Committee's 2010 Awards Banquet. The event took place in the Liberty County High School Cafetorium where I gave the Keynote Address. I was thankfully invited by the Honorable Rep. Al Williams of the State Rep. GA House #165. The program was wonderful and a delicious banquet was provided. After giving my speech I received a standing ovation. When the event ended I drove back home to get ready for my next event the following day in Commerce, GA."

10. Furloughing teachers and state employees was a choice: What you need to know about your government

2010-06-10T08:30:00.000-07:00

2009 session--House Bill 356, the “point of sale” bill gives local governments the right to collect sales taxes locally at the point of sale. Alabama made the change and found $1 billion of lost sales tax. Georgia’s elected Republican leadership, on the other hand, chose to let HB356 die in committee. They chose instead to increase property taxes, furlough teachers and state employees, and keep law enforcement at record lows when those are the very things that enhance economic development and attract industry and jobs. Why? Because HB356 actually creates local control, something state politicians love to run on when campaigning but run from when elected. Politicians fear local control, because sharing control also means sharing power. Instead of giving up a little power and reaching out to partner with local governments, Georgia officials decided to keep an outdated system of collecting sales tax and let $1 billion of your money — money you have already paid — just “fall through the cracks.”

Also here is a blog entry I wrote on
Thursday, March 11, 2010 when I was campaigning for DuBose.

DuBose Porter: Revenue Department still not ready to give you your money.

Tom Crawford wrote an article explaining the problem with the cheaters who take your paid sales tax money and keep it for themselves instead of returning it to you (that article found below this story). An excerpt follows:
CRAWFORD / Lawmakers should go where the money is http://www.charltoncountyherald.com/articles/2010/02/16/opinion/editorials/doc4b7abcc8cfbbe844297319.txt

By Tom Crawford
Georgia loses buckets of tax dollars every year because of retailers who charge the sales tax on their customers but keep the money rather than send it to the revenue department. This problem is well known to lawmakers and revenue officials, but they haven’t done much to deal with it.

A pilot program in Hall County uncovered the fact that nearly 1,000 businesses in that county do not have sales tax numbers, which means they are not reporting their sales tax collections to the state. There are several hundred businesses that do not have a business license from their local government.

House Minority Leader DuBose Porter (D-Dublin) and his Democratic colleagues have been trying in vain for more than a year to pass legislation that would crack down on these renegade businesses who are cheating the state of sales tax proceeds.

Now another reporter, Jay Jones of the Rockdale Citizen, has published another story that shows the the reality that Georgia's elected Republican leadership and Georgia's Republican appointed Revenue Commissioner Bart Graham are refusing to give you back your money:

Excerpts follow from:

Porter says collect taxes in a new way (Rockdale Citizen)

CONYERS — Democratic candidate for Georgia governor DuBose Porter said his proposal to collect sales taxes from “cheaters” could reap millions for the strapped state budget and questioned why current state leaders have failed to act on it rather than offer new cuts.
Reporter: Jay JonesEmail Address: jay.jones@rockdalecitizen.com

State Rep. DuBose Porter, D-Dublin, speaks to the Bar Association of Rockdale County on Friday. The 28-year legislator is running for governor in the Democratic primary.

CONYERS — Democratic candidate for Georgia governor DuBose Porter said his proposal to collect sales taxes from “cheaters” could reap millions for the strapped state budget and questioned why current state leaders have failed to act on it rather than offer new cuts...

“I say before we start cutting education and raising taxes, let’s get what we should get from the cheaters,” Porter said. “This would be a GPS system telling you who’s cheating.”

As the state minority leader in the Georgia House, Porter, D-Dublin, got a pilot project done in Hall and Lowndes counties last year that showed that a quarter of all business licens e-holders had not paid sales taxes. The proposal is now in the General Assembly as House Bill 1137.

Porter added the state’s Department of Revenue had been against the proposal. “Either they are incompetent, hiding something or protecting somebody. I don’t know,” he said. Porter said the proposal could also help counties in finding businesses that have a sales tax certificate but not a business license.

In an editorial to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Department of Revenue Commissioner Bart Graham discounted Porter’s amount of $1 billion lost from cheaters. Also, Graham countered that part of Porter’s proposal that would allow counties to privatize tax collections would expose a businesses’ tax records.

Porter said during Friday’s luncheon that the Department of Revenue under its current system is unable to account for sales tax collections that exceed what was designated for the counties in local sales tax revenue receipts. Now, any unaccounted sales tax received is put into the state’s treasury. Porter said that while the state gets its 4 percent of sales tax, the counties with their 1 percent sales taxes are the ones that suffer from the loss of unaccounted tax revenue...

To read the whole story click here:
http://www.rockdalecitizen.com/newtonhome/headlines/86734157.html

Here is the story referenced above
from another blog post I wrote

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

CRAWFORD / Lawmakers should go where the money is

http://www.charltoncountyherald.com/articles/2010/02/16/opinion/editorials/doc4b7abcc8cfbbe844297319.txtBy Tom Crawford
Published:
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 11:40 AM EST

Little by little, the money keeps disappearing from the state budget.

Georgia legislators have had to delete $1.2 billion from the current year’s budget because the recession has killed tax revenues. Lawmakers will have to reduce the budget for next fiscal year by a similar amount because the recession still shows few signs of ending anytime soon.

Who suffers the most when state spending is cut by such large amounts? Public education has consistently taken the biggest hit. At the urging of Gov. Sonny Perdue, the Legislature has cut more than $2 billion in state funding to local school systems for grades K-12 since 2003.

Those reductions continued in the revised state budget that the House approved last week. The amended budget cuts another $281 million in Quality Basic Education (QBE) funds that the state would normally send to local schools.

If the state’s public school system is to be kept intact, this cutting cannot go on much longer. Is there a way, short of passing a tax increase, to raise the money needed for education?

As it turns out, there is a solution staring legislators right in the face.

Georgia loses buckets of tax dollars every year because of retailers who charge the sales tax on their customers but keep the money rather than send it to the revenue department. This problem is well known to lawmakers and revenue officials, but they haven’t done much to deal with it.

A pilot program in Hall County uncovered the fact that nearly 1,000 businesses in that county do not have sales tax numbers, which means they are not reporting their sales tax collections to the state. There are several hundred businesses that do not have a business license from their local government.

House Minority Leader DuBose Porter (D-Dublin) and his Democratic colleagues have been trying in vain for more than a year to pass legislation that would crack down on these renegade businesses who are cheating the state of sales tax proceeds.

“Our bill will stop the tax cheaters and get the money where it ought to go,” Porter said.

Based on the results of the Hall County program, Porter estimates that unreported sales taxes for the whole state could amount to as much as $1 billion. This is not a tax increase: this is money that the businesses are already required to collect and send to the state.

Revenue Commissioner Bart Graham gets irritated whenever his agency is criticized and claims that the estimate of $1 billion in uncollected taxes is much too high. But even Graham concedes that somewhere between 5 percent and 10 percent of Georgia’s sales tax proceeds are being evaded. That conservative estimate would still amount to $250 million to $500 million a year.

That amount of money could make up for the major cuts in state funding to local school systems, and then some.

There have been indications in recent weeks that legislative Republicans could be ready to join their Democratic colleagues and take action to collect these delinquent taxes. Bills have been introduced by lawmakers from both parties to set up a system that would cross-check sales tax and business license data to identify retailers who are not turning over tax proceeds as the law requires.

Legislators have also come to the realization that you have to have tax collectors before you can actually collect taxes. The revised state budget includes money for the revenue department to hire six investigative agents and four financial analysts for its fraud detection group, which means there will be more people to go after tax cheats.

That’s a good start. The next step is for lawmakers to get moving and adopt this legislation so that Georgia can start collecting taxes that are long past due.

The General Assembly can move fast when it comes to legislation that has no relevance for its constituents. The Senate has already adopted a bill that would make it illegal to implant microchips in people, even though the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Chip Pearson (R-Dawsonville), could not cite a single instance where any person in Georgia was ever forced to undergo such an implantation.

If legislators would only move that quickly to go after tax cheats, the state and its school systems would be in much better shape.

• Tom Crawford is the editor of Capitol Impact’s Georgia Report, an Internet news service at www.gareport.com that covers government and politics in Georgia. He can be reached at tcrawford@capitolimpact.net.

9. Early Voting Has Begun Statewide

2010-06-07T12:44:00.000-07:00

Early voting has begun, and I need your help and your vote.

Check out my new website at www.carolporterforgeorgia.com and click on the Voter Resources button to get information on where to early vote in your area. Georgia is at a crossroads and this election will mark a turning point for our state. I need your support and your vote to move Georgia forward.

Early voting ensures that your vote will be counted and your voice will be heard. Please cast your vote for Carol Porter for Lt. Governor today!

8. Carol Porter interviewed by Tim Bryant

2010-06-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

Carol was a featured guest on Newsmaker Friday with Tim Bryant on 1340-WGAU-AM in Athens, Ga. today. Click here to hear the full show. (Carol's interview begins at 14 mins. 15 secs.)

7. Every Vote Matters - Make Sure You Are Registered

2010-06-04T06:52:00.001-07:00

This year’s primary election is on July 20th, but the deadline for registering to vote is in just a few weeks, on June 21st. You can check on your own voter registration status by following this link to the Secretary of State’s office.

Please make sure that you can vote, and share this information with others you know.

Every vote matters!

If you have any questions please contact my campaign at 678-927-9241 or by emailing info@carolporter4ga.com.

Thank You,
Carol Porter
Lieutenant Governor, 2010

P.S. – Early voting has already begun in some areas, so make sure that you’re registered!

6. Carol Porter For Georgia Launches New Website With Social Media Focus

2010-06-01T11:59:00.000-07:00

Atlanta, Ga. -- Carol Porter, candidate for Lt. Governor of Georgia, is pleased to announce the launch of a new campaign website. Carol's new website is focused on getting more people involved in the political process so the voices of the citizens of Georgia can be heard.

The new www.carolporter4ga.com utilizes social media networks including facebook, twitter, youtube, blogspot, and flickr. It is designed to allow supporters to follow Carol online and get involved in the campaign in a myriad of ways. Along with this new website, the campaign has also begun releasing videos on youtube, called Clips of Carol. These videos will include snippets of Carol speaking to groups around the state about solutions for the issues facing Georgia.

Because of the corrupting of the process of the voting underneath the Gold Dome, we have an unreliable water source and our major city is in gridlock. Georgia is in the bottom of the rankings in education and number one in the percentage of its population in the prison system. Small business and their employees are suffering. It is time for new leadership to step up to the plate, to look at the numbers, and to govern with the interests of the people in mind. Carol Porter will be a leader who does just that.

"Together we can move Georgia to a brighter future. So join us. I need your support and I need your vote. And I want to hear what you have to say about Georgia's future." declares Carol, on the website's new welcome video.

5. Carol Speaks to the League of Women Voters in Dalton, GA

2010-05-26T08:48:00.001-07:00

Carol Porter spoke to the League of Women Voters in Dalton, Georgia about the issues facing Georgia. There are solutions to Georgia's problems if you take out the corruption and govern for the people. Carol will put your voice back in your government. To see Clips of Carol speaking at the event, visit Carol's YouTube Channel.

4. Carol Porter Qualifies For Lt. Governor

2010-05-16T10:41:00.000-07:00

ATLANTA, Ga. – Carol Porter, general manager of a nine-newspaper chain in central Georgia and wife of gubernatorial candidate DuBose Porter, qualified as a candidate for Lt. Governor on Monday amid a crowd of cheering supporters.
“Yesterday was a great day and I look forward to campaigning across the state and working to make your voices heard. Being Lieutenant Governor is a huge responsibility. I promise to take the job seriously and to always work in the best interest of the people of Georgia.” said Porter.

“Together we can cut the corruption and start the jobs our state needs to get our people back to work and put small business back on track. Putting more people into the workforce, so they are able to buy the goods and services Georgia businesses have to offer is the number one solution to our current financial crisis. It is possible to solve Georgia’s problems if we govern for the people and not special interests. I will govern for the people.

“Thank you to everyone for all the words of encouragement and the prayers. Georgia is a wonderful place to live. With the right leadership we can stop corruption, start jobs, educate our citizens and design government to succeed.” concluded Porter.

3. Georgia Council For The Arts March On The Capitol

2010-04-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

“Being the only state in the entire country to not have an arts council should be your first clue that this is not what we need to cut. The goal is to attract jobs and industry, not to scare them away.” said Carol Porter.

2. Hawks In The House, Puppets in The Senate

2010-04-02T10:59:00.000-07:00

On Monday, April 12, 2010, the AJC reported that Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) “unleashed a tirade at Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle” who, through his enforcers, “had stripped Smith of his chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee, for his failure to support HB 307…”

The news stories that followed focused on the GOP fight over whether or not HB 307 is a tax increase and the resulting antics. We should not let the fight over what is obviously a tax increase distract us from the real story; Georgia’s entire form of representative government has been undone at the hands of two men, Glenn Richardson and Casey Cagle.

With the Hawk system, Glenn Richardson and his enforcers could go into any committee, without having read the bill or having heard one word of testimony, and vote to change the outcome of the legislation.

Casey Cagle uses his enforcers to threaten chairmen and members to change their votes. If two-thirds of Republicans relent to the threats, all other Republicans must go along with the vote, even if it is not in the best interest of their constituencies.

Because of the Hawks and the “Puppets” Georgians have not had true representative government. Taking away the fundamental principle of one person, one vote has allowed the culture of corruption to take hold under the Gold Dome. As your Lt. Governor, I will fight the culture of corruption and put your voice back in your government.

Click here to read full AJC story on one example of the corrupting of the voting system.

1. Campaigning Couple Mentioned In NY Times!

2010-02-26T00:28:00.000-08:00

A married couple are running for the state’s two highest offices. Carol Porter, the wife of a Democratic candidate for governor, announced Thursday that she is running for lieutenant governor. If she wins the Democratic nomination, she will face the Republican incumbent...

Read the full National Briefing - NYTimes.com