The AJC And Disenfranchised Voters

Since the November elections where darling of the left, Stacey Abrams, lost a close race, the AJC has been beating the table about disenfranchised voters. As is often the case, they beat the table because they cannot flog their case. How so, you ask? Well the numbers don't support their claims of massive voter disenfranchisement.

First let's take a look at the total population 10,519,475 with the same source (the US Census Bureau) estimating 23.8 percent (2,503,635) are under 18 years of age. There is an estimated 422,000 illegal immigrants in Georgia, with indications that number is growing. Then there are supervised felons totaling 248,751 as of 2016. This gives approximately 3,173,386 folks in Georgia who cannot even register to vote. At least not legally. This leaves 7,345,089 potential folks who could register to vote. As of 2018 there are 6,935,816 registered voters in Georgia, giving a 94.4 percent rate of registration. This leaves 409,273 potential voters that Stacey Abrams' door-to-door, intentionally error-prone paper-only registration army have yet to find.

Just looking at available numbers, we in Georgia have more illegal aliens than unregistered voters, something you are not likely to read in the AJC. 

Rights Banned In Dunwoody

At least if you own residential property.

It all has to do with an odd-shaped 2.6 acre bit of property on Roberts, backing up to Fairfield condos and across from the new Austin Elementary site. There are some, not clear exactly who, but some, who want special treatment for this property allowing what would otherwise be high density housing, perhaps re-zoning to R50. Of course, being a HOA-on-steroids more than a local control, limited government city, Council wants to dictate what the property owner should/will/must do. With their property. At their expense. While this higher density would, perforce, dump more vehicles on a crowded thru-way, the city seems OK with that, having turned a blind eye to the triplex operating just up from Novo Cucina.

No less than the mayor himself takes umbrage at the property owner's rights suggesting if the hobnail boots of the city are not planted firmly on their throats these owners are "going to get five houses in there by right. And they're going to build what they want to build, and I don't think that's something that we want whatsoever." Who "we" kemosabe? You mean the property owner might actually build five homes on 2.6 acres? Unprecendented! NOT! One need only go to nearby Magnolia Walk where you'll find nine similarly spaced clutter-homes.

But this is Dunwoody and no way is anyone going to exercise their property rights in this town. Not while this mayor is large and in charge. 

Here's A Headline

From the AJC:

Creating East Cobb could cost residents

Really? What a shocker. Not!

One cost item the AJC points to is Franchise Fees an issue addressed time and again by TOD.

But, you say, they have a study from Georgia State saying this city is not only financially feasible but will run a surplus. Wanna bet?

Proponents, and there do not seem to be nearly as many as there are skeptics, roll out the standard lies:

according to their website they believe a new city would improve police, fire and zoning services and "create and preserve local identity" without raising taxes

So much wrong, so little time. In fact there is hardly a single nugget of truth in that statement (as printed in the AJC). Let's start with the "raising taxes" politi-speak. Those franchise fees? That's not a tax, it's a fee. See? No new "tax." "Raising" taxes means raising the millage rate. Ask any currently elected politico. We have a whole council full of them. Right now, if you are of a "certain age," you enjoy the best property tax relief in the entire state. Will your new city fall in line with the county or will that fall thru the cracks?

Then there is the "L" word : local. Their use is subtle but suggestive of the "local control" bromide. Local identity? What is that now and what do they expect it to become? You'll have to wait and see. Is their vision that Loch Highlands will carry the same identity as Indian Hills?

The implication that the city will provide fire services is ludicrous. As to police, without a significant infusion of money, from you, there will be no improvement. If Dunwoody is any guide, even with annual budget bloat, police services will degrade. And zoning? Often mentioned, but it has been nothing but a disaster in Dunwoody.

Don't you already have a HOA? Do you really want another, more expensive one? But if you're hellbent on getting a city, come on over, we've got one we'd love to give you.

Why?

Pave Paradise & Put In A Parking Lot

Why did council vote to approve this? Because the developers told them to.

Who Owns The FCC

The obvious answer is the correct answer: politicians. That's who own the FCC. Why is this relevant? Because it has taken so long and the technology has been available for decades. Consider this nifty little box produced by a long defunct company (yes, it is that old):

DASTalk Call Blocker

This attaches to hardwired landlines, processes caller ID, then automatically answers any blocked number holding the line to 20 seconds of silence. Waste the telemarketers' time, not yours. And you can wild-card entire exchanges or area codes. Don't know anyone in Idaho? Block all telemarketers who've taken up virtual residence in that state.

This bit of kit was built in the era of touch-tone desk phones. Now we live in the age of cell-phones, VOIP and online access to all manner of telephony features and services. All except one. No carrier allows subscribers a flexible, comprehensive white-list, grey-list, black-list capability. With today's technology subs should be a click away from building their own no-call lists, their own "always ring" lists and their own call diversion to voice mail.

The only reason we still suffer from floods of robo-calls is because the politicians don't want to empower us to block their campaign calls. Thank the gods of Silicon Valley that other communication technology is far ahead of the slow-witted politicians. We can mark their emails as spam and let AI automagically dump them in the spam bin. Where they belong.

Gadfly? Really?

The Dunwoody Reporter lists a local activist as a "sign gadfly." Maybe, but what he is actually doing is making vocal arguments in support of the rule of law. How does that make him a gadfly? Simple. He's pointing out that the true offender is the City of Dunwoody that systematically and consistently ignores the very laws they put on the books. Why? Because business owners and developers don't like them and City politicos and bureaucrats like them more than they like us.

Leading the charge for the City, strictly on the propaganda front, is Lynn Deutsch, who will beat the drum but only to call the time for a mercenary consultant, who will, behind closed doors, craft the sign ordinance suited to the City, their business owners, and developer buddies. This effectively removes the process from public scrutiny. They will hold "public forums" for the purpose of whitewashing the process and putting the right checks in procedural boxes. These will be public theatre, infomercials intended to get us to accept, even like, something decidedly NOT in our best interests.

Want something to really scare your mule? Think of this: Lynn Deutsch and her BFF "Don't Ask Don't Tell" Pam Talmadge are going to drive and supervise the re-write of the Village Overlay. Be on the lookout for "vibrancy."

You Gotta Do Better Than This

Looks Clueless. IS Clueless.

Jerk Town

It begins with a story told by a Friend of TOD (FoTOD) about a shopping experience in daVille. Having dropped her mom off for an early morning Doctor's appointment, FoTOD stopped by a local grocer for some sundries. And some wine. It was the checkout lane where The Jerk made her appearance, telling FoTOD that she could NOT buy wine at that time to which FoTOD responded "well, I'm about to find out." This prompted The Jerk to directly engage the checkout clerk who observed that the start time for alcohol sales is 8:30 AM. Victorious, FoTOD raised her cellphone showing the time: 8:53! The Jerk actually put her items back in her cart and changed checkout lanes.

So...

What is it about Dunwoody that makes or attracts (or both) these kinds of jerks? Did the "Smart City" religion affect everyone making them believe they are always the smartest person in the room? Is it the "HOA On Steroids" aspect of this not-so-new city that makes a busy-body of nearly everyone? More importantly, is this sustainable or will Dunwoody drown on its own bile?