Governor Requests Attorney General Join Colleagues in Reviewing Constitutionality of Federal Health Care Bill

Governor Sonny Perdue on December 23 requested Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker join colleagues from around the nation in reviewing the Constitutionality of the health care bill under consideration in Congress. At least seven Attorneys General have confirmed that they are looking at several special deals made by Senate leadership to buy the votes of wavering Senators.

“The leadership of Congress, particularly Senate leadership, understands the financial devastation that is looming for states, which is clearly evidenced by the special deals that have been cut for states that have Democratic Senators with wavering support of the reform,” Governor Perdue wrote to Attorney General Baker. “In order to calm the concerns, Senate leadership has granted special exemptions with additional federal dollars to cover the substantial increases in Medicaid costs for a few states while leaving the rest of us to foot the entire bill.”

The special treatment that Senators have won for their states will cost the country’s taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, in addition to the billions in state costs that will skyrocket under this bill.

The full text of Governor Perdue’s letter to Attorney General Baker is below:


The Honorable Thurbert Baker
Attorney General of Georgia

Dear Attorney General Baker:

RE: H.R. 3590 - “Health Care Reform”

The debate over healthcare policy in Washington, DC has reached a critical juncture now that 60 Senators have agreed to support the latest bill unveiled by Sen. Harry Reid over this past weekend. Under the House and Senate proposals, state spending on Medicaid will increase dramatically and Governors of both parties have repeatedly objected to the path we appear to be rushing toward. One of my Democratic Governor colleagues even called this bill “the mother of all unfunded mandates.”

The leadership of Congress, particularly Senate leadership, understands the financial devastation that is looming for states, which is clearly evidenced by the special deals that have been cut for states that have Democratic Senators with wavering support of the reform. In order to calm the concerns, Senate leadership has granted special exemptions with additional federal dollars to cover the substantial increases in Medicaid costs for a few states while leaving the rest of us to foot the entire bill. Senator Reid’s recent compromise to obtain the support of Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska is the most striking example where the federal government would cover one hundred percent of the cost of all newly eligible Medicaid enrollees in just the State of Nebraska. In addition, the health care legislation grants an additional $300 million in Medicaid aid to the State of Louisiana which secured Senator Mary Landrieu’s support – a deal many are calling the new “Louisiana Purchase.”

Yesterday, seven Attorneys General from across the country confirmed that they are looking at the constitutionality of these special deals. As I have considerable concerns over the constitutionality of these recent actions, I respectfully request that you join your colleagues from Alabama, Colorado, Michigan, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas and Washington state in investigating the constitutionality of these special exemptions in the health care legislation and explore the availability of any legal challenges that Georgia could pursue to oppose this unconscionable scenario.

Congress appears to be on the cusp of making a decision that will have ripple effects for decades to come. Now is the time to ensure that any decision that is made has been thoroughly vetted and deemed to meet the intent and spirit of our country’s Constitution.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely
Governor Sonny Perdue

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AIG Directors Sued to Force Immediate Return of Total Bonuses

/PRNewswire/ -- Today, Freedom Watch announced the filing of a class action lawsuit by shareholders of AIG to force the directors of the company to themselves pay back the millions in illicit bonuses, dividends and other perks they paid out to themselves and other officials who destroyed the company's financial standing.

The lawsuit, filed in the federal court in Los Angeles, is wide reaching and will accomplish what Congress cannot, given the patent illegality of its taxing scheme, which violates the U.S. Constitution as it would tax ex post facto and discriminately.

Larry Klayman, the Chairman and General Counsel of Freedom Watch, who represents the shareholders in their class action suit, issued this statement:

"Today, the American people, not the compromised ruling elite in Washington, D.C., have begun a second American Revolution to take the country back from the con men on Wall Street, and on Pennsylvania Avenue - who under successive administrations played a central role in the meltdown of the U.S. financial system and economy. Freedom Watch will not rest until justice is done and it won't come from the Obama administration, bent on deceiving the U.S. taxpayer that it intends to clean up this corruption, all the while lining the pockets of its friends at AIG with government bailout money, who gave handsomely to have the President elected."

The lawsuit also seeks to recover, from the directors, the losses of the shareholders of the last many months and years, as well as to make AIG whole under new leadership, without the use of government money.

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Valdosta State Holds Constitutional Debate September 19

The political science and history departments at Valdosta State University will host a constitutional debate at 3:30 p.m. in West Hall room 150.

In celebration of Constitution Day, student panels will debate constitutional issues, including the death penalty for juveniles and gun control.

The free event is open to all members of VSU and local communities.

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Celebrate Constitution Day on Wednesday, September 17, 2008 with Georgia State University

On Wednesday, September 17, 2008, The Georgia State University community will celebrate Constitution Day at Noon in the Speakers Auditorium of the Student Center.

The United States Constitution was adopted on September 17, 1787, by the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and later ratified by conventions in each state.

The program will be hosted by Casy Walker, Miss Georgia State University. The colors will be posted by Panther Battalion Army ROTC Color Guard. The Student Government Association will make a special presentation about the Voice Your Choice voting campaign. Professor L. Lynn Hogue of Georgia State University’s College of Law will present on the importance of being knowledgeable about the Constitution. The program will conclude with a recitation of the Preamble of the Constitution.

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Constitution Day Celebration at University of West Georgia Planned for September 17

The University of West Georgia and the Ingram Library will honor Constitution Day on Wednesday, Sept. 17, with a reception and intriguing dialogue about government, democracy and the Constitution.

The event is free and the community is invited to attend Dr. Robert M. Schaefer, professor and chair of the Department of Political Science and Planning, will lecture on “The American Constitution: A Celebratory Address (with an Admonition)” at 11 a.m. on the main floor of the library.

The presentation will focus on the establishment of American republic and the difficulty of preserving a constitution. Schaefer said the admonition is serious yet not preachy.

“This will be a political oration on behalf of the Constitution,” said Schaefer. “And to talk about the Constitution you have to talk about Rome, Athens and the difficultly of founding a good regime. The Constitution is fundamental to every aspect of our lives and it is important for citizens to give thought about what the Constitution means to this country.”

Constitution Day commemorates Sept. 17, 1787, which is the day the Constitutional Convention delegates signed the document. A federal law passed in 2004 requires all educational institutions that receive federal funds to observe Constitution Day.

Each year, the president issues a proclamation encouraging government officials and educational organizations to celebrate the ratification of the U.S. Constitution and reaffirm the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship.

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Opinion: The U.S. Constitution and Georgia Men

"Hold on, my friends, to the Constitution and to the Republic for which it stands. Miracles do not cluster, and what has happened once in 6000 years, may not happen again. Hold on to the Constitution, for if the American Constitution should fail, there will be anarchy throughout the world."- Daniel Webster

As the United States of America gets ready to honor the 221st anniversary of the framing of the US Constitution, we, as Americans, should make it our goal to learn more about this legendary document. As children, our teachers taught us the basics of where the Constitution was written and who signed it from each state. We also learned about the Bill of Rights and the amendments.

Now, as adults, we start to realize the importance of this document in our lives. It provides the basis of the freedoms we enjoy. The freedom of speech, the freedom to worship, the right to bear arms, the right to vote are just a few of the many privileges we enjoy in America.

Who were the men who framed the Constitution? Who were the men who represented Georgia? How many men were elected to represent Georgia?

William Few (1748-1828) and Abraham Baldwin (1754-1807) are the two men of the state of Georgia who signed the Constitution in 1787. Did you know that a total of six Georgia men were appointed to attend the convention? Two of men did not attend and two others, William Leigh Pierce and William Houston, were not there for the majority of the debates.

Both Pierce and Houston were Georgia natives. Pierce made his home in Savannah and was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives. Pierce did participate in several debates on key points. He favored strengthening of the federal government as long as the states still retained some power. Pierce left the convention early as his business in Savannah suffered, and eventually went bankrupt. He died shortly after in 1789.

Born in Savannah, Houston enjoyed a childhood of privilege. His father was highly involved in the royal government of Georgia. He returned home to Georgia from his schooling in England when the Revolutionary War began. He is known for his belief in colonists' rights, and is one of the original trustees of the University of Georgia. Houston died in 1813.

The 55 men who attended the convention had much to say. These delegates, or deputies, were appointed by the legislatures of the 13 states. Some of the deputies left early as Pierce and Houston did. Others who were appointed to attend did not. Why? Was it not convenient? Was it a sense of not comprehending the importance of revising the Articles of Confederation? Was it a shirk of their duty? We don't know the answers. What we do know is the masterpiece document that these men framed.

The words of Benjamin Franklin, in a speech delivered to the convention in late June 1787, provide a glimpse for us: "....In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its faults, — if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of government but what may be a blessing to the people, if well administered; and I believe, farther, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other."

Could the framers have imagined the longevity of our Constitution?

Celebrate, American citizens. Read the Constitution. Honor the Constitution. Protect the Constitution.

Ann Eldredge

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Editor's Note: National Constitution Week is rapidly approaching. Kudos to the organizations who strive to increase our awareness of the Constitution, and a special kudos to the James Waldrop Chapter DAR of Fayetteville and Fayette County, whose endeavors with regards to educating the school children and adults has become well known and honored beyond our area. Take a few moments and view the videos released last year.

Part 1 Constitution Week Video
Part 2 Constitution Week Video

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"Celebrating the Constitution" at the National Archives in Morrow

Article III, Section 3 of the United States Constitution

In September, 1865 the United States Circuit Court of Western Tennessee in Memphis issued a writ of Habeas Corpus charging Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest with treason.

The National Archives-Southeast Region will celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution on Wednesday, September 17, 2008, from 10:00-11:00 A.M. with an exciting program featuring readings, speeches, and a special document exhibit. "James Madison" (Former President and Founding Father as well as the Father of the Constitution) will join the National Archives staff in welcoming the public to this free event.

The National Archives, our nation's recordkeeper, is the official custodian of the original Constitution which is on permanent display in the Rotunda of the National Archives Building, located on Constitution Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets, NW, Washington, D.C.

The ceremony in the Southeast Region celebrates the world's oldest written national constitution still in effect. The completed document was accepted by the Constitutional Convention on September 15, 1787, and the final draft was signed on September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This date marks a milestone in our history.

Dr. Jamil S. Zainaldin, President of the Georgia Humanities Council will be the special guest speaker for the ceremony at the National Archives-Southeast Region. Zainaldin holds the BA in history from the University of Virginia and the PhD in history from the University of Chicago. He is a frequent writer and speaker on the importance of history, literature, ethics, and civic values.

After the formal program, guests are invited to view a display of original documents reflecting specific sections of the Constitution. Documents related to the indictments of Aaron Burr and Nathan Bedford Forrest for treason, filings in Federal court cases related to freedom of speech and the press, and numerous documents from the modern Civil Rights Movement related to the 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution will be on display.

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