The Dakota Access Pipeline & American Prosperity, Then A Special Week in Review
Politics March 31, 2017
TransCanada, with the permit to construct the Keystone XL & Dakota Access Pipeline, is environmentally conscious, and protestors just don’t know.
President Donald J Trump has granted TransCanada the permit to construct.
What is the connect between Realism, DAPL and survival?
For those who could not tune in to the show Monday-Thursday, I’ve done a Friday ‘Week in Review’ and a surprise video! Enjoy
#GMFTO #FYNTV #BKP interview with 6th Congressional District Candidate (D) Dr. Rebecca Quigg
Politics March 16, 2017
6th Congressional District of Georgia Special Election to replace new HHS Secretary Tom Price. Interview with candidate (D) Dr. Rebecca Quigg
FetchYourNews.com / FYNTV.COM
Getting Started in 2018
State & National January 12, 2018Getting Started in 2018
By: Sen. Steve Gooch (R – Dahlonega)
On Monday, January 8, 2018, we reconvened for the second session of the 154th Georgia General Assembly, which many anticipate will be very fast-paced. The Georgia Senate began our business with leadership changes and three new members. We will also welcome another new member next week who won a special election on Tuesday, January 9, 2018.
In addition to welcoming three new members, Sen. David Shafer, who served as the Senate President Pro Tempore since 2013, resigned his position and the Georgia Senate nominated and elected Sen. Butch Miller to serve in this role. Sen. Miller is a fellow North Georgian and we are honored to have him as our next Pro Temp. The Senate Committee on Assignments also announced chairmen and committee assignments for the upcoming year.
In addition to my duties as Senate Majority Whip, I will continue to serve as the Vice-Chair of the Transportation Committee, the Secretary of the Appropriations Committee, as a member of the Finance, MARTOC, Regulated Industries and Utilities committees and as ex-officio on the Senate Assignments and Rules committees.
As we draw near to the second week of session, we will begin budget hearings as we craft the Amended FY18 and General FY19 budgets. During these meetings and agency presentations, I will keep the prosperity of all Georgians in mind as we finely comb through proposals. Our focus will be on saving tax payers’ dollars while ensuring economic growth and job creation continues to grow in our great state.
Something new here at the Georgia Senate is livestreaming of standing committees that meet in one of the five rooms wired during the Senate Transparency Project. This is in addition to the Senate Chamber being livestreamed during session days. The goal of this project is to bring transparency to standing committee meetings, where legislation is discussed and vetted before moving forward in the legislative process. Another objective is to provide access to our process for those who do not live in the metro area and cannot get to Senate committee meetings quickly. I truly encourage you all to take the time to watch these livestreams. But, if you can’t get to a computer during the meeting time, each and every meeting video is archived to be watched during any time—day or night.
On day four of the session, Gov. Deal gave his last State of the State address. Within his address, Gov. Deal focused on the growth across the board within the state of Georgia. For the past five years, Georgia has been named the number one place to do business. Overall, we have a very busy session calendar ahead of us as we work on the Governor’s budget proposals, legislation pending from last year and other issues that may arise.
I would like to say thank you to all of my constituents for your encouragement and care for the 51st District of Georgia. Please call or email me with any questions, comments or concerns you have and I look forward to hearing from you.
The Democrat Collapse; Can it Recover?
Politics June 23, 2017
In the wake of Karan Handles election victory over the youthful Democrat candidate Jon Ossoff in Georgia’s 6th District special election, and three other less newsworthy special elections elsewhere in the US, it is only now starting to dawn on democrats that they might actually have a real leadership problem. Already accusative fingers have pointed to Nancy Pelosi, not that she’s not a dedicated Progressive, but because she has become the elderly face of the growingly dysfunctional Democrat Party and an albatross around the party’s neck.
In my essay of 19 June 2017, The Democrat Party’s Future?, I rhetorically asked: “Who else do they have who could possibly stand for POTUS? Count any Democratic Senator or Congressman out.” A betrayed Bernie Sanders, at 79, will go his own way. Princess Elizabeth Warren may not even be reelected again as senator in her home state. Besides, she’s seventy, while Nancy Pelosi is 80. And Joe Biden? Naw, at 78, he’s just a silly ol’ goose that has lost his luster! Schumer is delusional and will never leave the Senate. The reality is now setting in.
Already young democrat congressmen, some we have never heard of before, are being interviewed by radio hosts, both progressive and conservative on the Democrat party’s problems, and their response is the same. Their elderly leadership is totally out of any ideas except the imperative that Trump be impeached and replaced with their champion Hillary Clinton who won the majority vote. Of course, they won’t recognize that the voter registration fraud investigation now underway, has already revealed enough ineligible voters found makes Trumps claim, that he actually won the popular vote, a reality. Forget Hillary too. She’s through.
One or two mentioned that the Democrat congressional leadership is so focused on alleged Russian interference in the election, collusion and collaboration, and Comey’s illegal firing, none of which have any basis in truth, that they failed to watch their backs while Trump goes about happily repealing and replacing the hundreds of Obama’s restrictive rules and regulations strangling the American economy. Americans want jobs. Nobody cares about Russia. One interviewee even noted the hypocrisy of Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer railing on about the GOP’s repeal and replacement of the failing Obamacare without Democrat input into the GOP’s plan, which was exactly what the Democrats did when forcing Obamacare on a willing American public.
The Democrat party, having long ago embraced socialism, has cunningly, slowly and most intentionally set about dividing Americans. The ADA was integral to that effort. In his Progressive enthusiasm at seeing the coming end of America, Obama chucked the final spear that divided us and assumed that all Americans would gladly go along with it. They didn’t!
Today, there is no political unity in our ultra-polarized country, and honestly, there shouldn’t be. The polarization exists because the Marxist side wants to “fundamentally transform” America, meaning to destroy the things that make America exceptional. There will never be a return to bipartisanship such as the #Never Trump Republican, John Kasich envisions, because Democrats are really not our friends holding different opinions. They are dyed in the wool, hard line communists of the Marxist variety and do not intend to lose the gains they have spent decades creating without a fight, even if it spills out onto our streets. As we see, it already has. Democrat hostility and character assassination is political theater meant to fool the base into thinking the party is on their side and cares for them. Sadly, Republicans elites too often feel it their duty to appease the left and defend their corruption.
Remember, freedom is the goal, the Constitution is the way. Now, go get ‘em! (23Jun17)
Second Special Counsel Would Boost DOJ’s Credibility
State & National December 6, 2017
ICYMI: A Second Special Counsel Would Boost the DOJ’s Credibility
WASHINGTON—This op ed by Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) first appeared in RealClearPolicy on December 5, 2017.
Recently, the House Judiciary Committee conducted an oversight hearing of the Department of Justice (DOJ) that allowed representatives from both parties to question Attorney General Jeff Sessions. In response, some have asserted that appointing a second special counsel to investigate decisions made by the DOJ in 2016 would be a partisan maneuver, damaging the independence of the Department.
I too am concerned about preserving the independence of the Justice Department — which is precisely why Judiciary Committee Republicans have called for a special counsel to investigate matters outside the scope of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.
The Judiciary Committee’s letters have been belittled as “a laundry list of Republican grievances about Clinton and former FBI director James B. Comey.” But they document persistent and unanswered questions about the independence of the DOJ, and specifically whether it may have been compromised under the Obama administration. These letters are themselves tools of oversight to be used on behalf of the millions of Americans whose democratic government owes them answers.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s independent e-mail server warranted a DOJ investigation, even if former Attorney General Loretta Lynch provided one in name only. (Actually, she failed to deliver even that, instructing former FBI Director James Comey to call the investigation a “matter.”) Americans are well-stocked with outstanding questions about how the DOJ handled these issues, and the specter of favoritism still looms over the Obama DOJ. The possibility that the department made decisions to aid a political candidate is a potential threat to democracy — one that deserves a DOJ investigation today just as it did in 2016.
At the same time, I recognize that some of my friends across the aisle lack confidence that a Republican-appointed DOJ would conduct such an investigation impartially. Hearing those concerns, I submit that a second special counsel offers Americans the opportunity to pursue answers to these questions without even the appearance of partisan impropriety. After all, independent counsels are like dentists: They scare everyone who hasn’t flossed.
Concerns about DOJ investigations and appointing special counsels too often come to us frosted in hyper-partisan language. This obscures the crux of the liberal argument against the move: Neither the DOJ under Attorney General Jeff Sessions nor an independent special counsel is capable of investigating Clinton. According to this logic, there exists no credible path for investigating potential favoritism on the part of America’s chief law enforcement officials. It would follow that the world’s strongest democracy is impotent when it comes to pursuing objective, unfettered, non-partisan accountability of its own federal agencies.
As a member of the committee charged with exercising oversight of the entire Department of Justice and the representative of approximately 700,000 Georgian voices, I have a bit more faith in the checks and balances that undergird our justice system — including the utility of the special counsel position.
Party loyalty aside, the DOJ made many decisions last year that have led to a host of unresolved questions, and the American people deserve answers. For example, why did former Attorney General Lynch direct former FBI Director Comey to mislead the American people on the nature of the Clinton investigation? Why did Mr. Comey prepare a statement ending the investigation into former Secretary Clinton before interviewing 17 key witnesses, including the former secretary herself?
These and other questions about the independence of the DOJ continue to cast a shadow on our nation’s justice system. By addressing them directly, a second special counsel could strengthen the DOJ’s credibility, reestablishing its reputation as a non-partisan agent of justice.
Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) is Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference and a member of the House Judiciary Committee.
Republican, A Metaphor for Incompetence?
Opinion November 9, 2017
Well, well, well. Democrats decisively won the Va. governorship and now scream it was a joyous repudiation of that awful Donald Trump. Lying between the real issues and the screaming propaganda that the Republicans are on the ropes, is the simple little fact that Northern Va. is the deepest part of the ‘swamp’ where many, if not most of the swamp dwellers reside, including #Never Trump Republicans. Remember, the GOP Senate Fund has actually been used to help fund Democrats campaigns if the Republican candidate is conservative with Tea Party connections or one who challenges the ‘RiNO Establishments’ official line.
Important to both campaigns for Va. Governor, was the complete failure by either candidate to face the issue of Obama’s collapsing health care scheme; the Democrats because they didn’t want to remind voters that Obamacare was indeed collapsing, and the Republicans because they didn’t want to remind voters of the incompetence of the Republican Party by its failure to repeal and replace Obamacare. Many RiNO’s still dwell among them.
All the liberal media blowhards are screaming exactly the same thing. “Everybody hates Trump.” But, do they? The results of a new poll published yesterday said that if Hillary and Trump faced off today, Trump would still win. What the politicians up there don’t realize is that the majority of American’s actually hate them and what they stand for, more than they do Donald Trump.
Trump after all, is fulfilling his campaign promises, striking down, as fast as he can, the unelected regulatory bureaucracy Obama imposed on us to kill our economy, reducing the size of government employment rolls, energizing the economy, creating employment opportunities, slowing down illegal immigration, reestablishing America’s status as a valuable and trustworthy military partner against crackpot dictators, and reorganizing fair trade practices with other countries. Not a legacy to be ignored. He doesn’t like the UN either and that can’t hurt.
The roots of the tree of Socialists dogma have been well nourished for years because we didn’t pay attention. The rabid reaction of America’s leftists, its college administrations and the millennial students they are brainwashing, have been ignited into inflamed passion, less by Hillary’s loss than by Trumps victory. This, all while the Democrat party itself collapses around them. Hillary did collude with the Russians, She did sell 20% of our uranium to them and she did rig the Democrat Convention to beat out Bernie Sanders. Now comes Donna Brazile with her tell all book, probably a lame scheme to destroy Hillary once and for all, and set up Michelle Obama for a presidential run. Remember, it’s a year out and the questions about Barak’s Obama’s unknown past still haven’t been answered. Why is that?
For that same one whole year, the crap the left has flung against the Trump train has failed to stick. The media, always leading the anti-Trump parade were falling back in confusion until one or two blue state election victories re-energized what they believe is the true message, that everybody does hate Trump. Well, sorry CNN, but no, they don’t.
Trump will succeed by the merit of his own skill as a capital businessman, bringing his supporters along with him. He will fail if the Trump public doesn’t start their own campaigns to strike back, not just against the sinister Democrats, but the RiNo Republicans themselves. Some are already fleeing Trump’s success. More should be encouraged to follow. This is our only opportunity, short of revolution, to correct our screwed up government and it is only Trump who is capable of Making America Great Again. Remember, freedom is the goal, the Constitution is the way. Now, go get ‘em! (09Nov17)
Trump, the Boy Scouts and Obamacare
Opinion July 28, 2017
Trump, the Boy Scouts and Obamacare.
Because the Boy Scouts wear brown uniforms and listened in their thousands to President Trump address their West Virginia Jamboree, as all Presidents have been invited to do, the mean street media has chosen to compare Trump to Adolf Hitler addressing the Hitler Jungend in support of National Socialism. That’s a mean smear of the Boy Scout movement.
Nothing could more asinine then that clumsy media attempt at political comparison. It’s all visual of course, boys in brown uniforms and a strong leader addressing them. The media’s intent had no other purpose, expressed or implied, then to make Trump look like a fascist dictator and denigrate the Boy Scouts as mere Hitler Youths. That the boys cheered wildly is because they realize Trump was returning to them the very reasons of their oath taking pledges.
The last thing in the world Donald Trump could possibly be is a National Socialist. At the Scout’s Jamboree, we saw no torch light marching, no goose stepping around a massive bonfire, no adoration of happy youths singing the Horst Wessel song, Die Fahne Hoch. As usual Trump delivered his prepared speech with a few personal asides thrown in and the press went ballistic.
Obama was closer to being a National Socialist than Trump ever could be, but Obama lacked that killer instinct to make the final important decisions needed to implement and make stick his National Socialists policies. Remember the videos right after Obama’s first inauguration, of a cadre of young negro boys marching into a room, arms swinging like storm troopers, snapping to attention on command and reciting their oaths declaring their total commitment to Obama? Those boys are now eight years older and are still out there. Doesn’t ISIS do the same with their children, brainwashing them into such a hatred of the West that they’re willing to cut throats, wear explosive vests into crowded streets and kill their enemies as directed? Yes!
Obama offered Americans a plate of socialism, like his Obamacare scheme. He supported it by promises that were all lies then left his political minions (the DNC) to carry the ball in his attempt to fundamentally change America. Obama had two full terms to make it happen and he still couldn’t get it done and now his plans are quickly unraveling at the hands of a potent businessman who recognized socialist crap when he saw it and tells the boy scouts why. Too bad three Republican Senators, Collins, Murkowski and McCain, refused to come along.
National Socialism, aka: fascism, is simply one side of the same Socialist coin. Communism, with slight social variations, occupy’s the reverse side. National Socialism (fascism) permits its citizens to own their homes, farms and factories so long as they grow or produce what the state demands. It is better that the citizens concur because outwardly, all seems serene and in agreement. Failure to do so earns a late-night visit by the States Secret Police.
Communism on the other hand, owns everything, homes, farms, apartments and means of production and doles it out to their citizens, like single payer heart care, according to their needs. The Communist State, in return, demands from its citizens their labor according to their ability. Not a good formula for economic development so State bureaucrats set production goals that must be met. Not a happy place to be, “from you according to your ability, to you according to your need.” Both systems promise its citizens a happy Socialist utopia. “Comarads, just do what you are told and be happy about it.” They have a secret police too. Trump makes no such claims. He’s a pure pro American capitalist and told the Boy Scouts that. Remember, freedom is the goal, the Constitution is the way. Now go get ‘em! (28Jul17)
GA Senator and Candidate for Governor (R) Hunter Hill Interviews with BKP
Election, Politics July 27, 2017
Constitutional conservative GA Senator and Candidate for GA Governor Hunter Hill came on the show this morning to discuss why he is running for Governor. Hill has been a member of the GA Senate since 2012 after returning home from his third tour of duty in Afghanistan. During this interview Hunter Hill talks about the importance of the core competencies that he would focus on in the state if elected as Governor. These being public safety, education, and transportation. Hill made the statement that the current restrictions on the education system is “stifling leadership” not just within the classroom but even into the administration within the schools. Hear all these details and more in this interview.
Casey Cagle’s Reprehensible Acts, The Michael Williams Press Conference that missed the Target
Featured, Politics July 18, 2017
“The Die Has Been Cast”
Swing and a miss, strike two. State Senator Michael Williams now has two strikes against him with the media in his quest to be the next Governor of Georgia.
Williams’ first strike was at the State GOP convention when he announced in a speech that a member from Lt. Governor Casey Cagle’s campaign team approached him backstage and offered him a deal to get out of the Governor’s race. In his speech at the GOP convention Williams claimed in front of 1500 people that he was offered the Chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee if he would get out of the race. He never named the individual with Cagle’s team who made the offer in the backroom deal. An accusation with no name leaving the media hanging. Strike one.
Williams’ press conference last Thursday at the Capitol was strike two.
Williams sent out an invite last Wednesday announcing a press conference he would be holding at the Capitol Thursday afternoon. The invitation stated he would be revealing the reprehensible acts of Lt. Governor Casey Cagle.
The press conference was scheduled for 2PM and Williams was 30 minutes late. The press conference only lasted twelve minutes. I attended this press conference and from memory the only thing I got out of it was ‘campaign Casey, a member of Casey Cagle’s team, offered him a committee chairmanship to get out of the race. Angered that Cagle may have out maneuvered him on minimum wage for Sheriff deputies, Willams directly asked Cagle to get out of the race and something about “tying shoes”.
The media pressed Williams to give the name of who from Cagle’s team offered him the chairmanship. Williams’ only response was, ‘not at this time.’ I asked him the final question of the press conference, “did you not say that it was a member of Cagle’s team?” Williams said, “correct.” And I asked, “and you’re not prepared to give us who that is”? Williams: “no”. Williams then told everyone to have a nice day and walked off taking no more questions.
Williams held up a copy of SB 254 entitled: Minimum annual salary for each deputy appointed by each Sheriff; provide; Local Law Enforcement Officer Compensation Commission.
Senators Greg Kirk and Josh McKoon co-sponsored the bill along with Williams. Williams claims that Cagle is the reason the bill went nowhere during the past legislative session. Maybe Williams thought this would be his strongest campaign issue. This could show he is the true friend of law enforcement in the campaign.
In May Cagle announced along with Greg Kirk the Compensation of Police and Sheriffs Task Force. Statement released by the Lt. Governor’s office, “The service and dedication of our law enforcement officials is nothing short of heroic,” said Lt. Governor Cagle. “We must make every effort to ensure local compensation packages are both competitive and fair to those who protect and serve. COPS will help local governments identify ways to maximize their support for the men and women who bravely protect our communities and neighborhoods.”
Kirk, one of Williams’ co-sponsors gone and with the other Josh McKoon running for Secretary of State he may not have any backup concerning his claim that Cagle killed the bill.
Recently Cagle commented about a possible sheriff deputy minimum wage. He has not gone into any detail though.
This week is the Sheriffs’ Association’s Summer Conference where each candidate will get a chance to address the Association.
Brian Kemp, Hunter Hill, Michael Williams and Casey Cagle will have their chance to make their pitch. You can forget this week which one is the true conservative, cause this week all you will hear is ‘I am the true friend of law enforcement’, {no} ‘I’m the true friend of law enforcement,’ {no} ……
My suspicion is that the Sheriffs’ Association will support whomever they think will be best able to get something done for them when it comes to minimum wage for deputies. If that turns out to be Cagle then that may mean Williams has been totally out maneuvered on the issue and SB 254 could turn out to be, as a campaign issue for Williams, no more than good initiative/poor judgment.
You can understand Williams’ frustration. If Cagle gets almost every Sheriff in the state to actively campaign for him that is big. Really big. Maybe that is the ‘reprehensible’ act.
But, Williams’ shoe tying comment directed toward Casey Cagle was a ‘low blow’ no pun intended. Williams experienced several personal attacks especially during his first State Senate race. The rumors are already flying and emails being sent concerning Williams’ past. Maybe Williams’ comment was a subtle warning not to go personal. It’s disappointing this early in the campaign that things are taking a dirty turn rather than staying focused on the issues.
The voters of Georgia may want to hear about issues like casino gambling, rural economic development, tax reform, healthcare, infrastructure…… not who can tie their own shoes.
I feel Williams’ gets one more strike with the media. I can only speak for myself. If he calls another press conference I will attend. Williams has to make good on his claims of reprehensible acts by Cagle soon or that will be strike three and he will lose his credibility. It’s a long time until election day and Williams will need the media to take him serious to help get his message out.
Kemp and Hill have not commented on the Williams’ attacks of Casey Cagle. They both seem to be able to keep their campaigns focused on the issues and not the dirt for the time being. Odds are they will have to join the mud pit before the race is over.
Michael Williams was the first Georgia politician holding a state office to support Donald Trump for President. Williams is attempting to run a Donald Trump-style campaign. There’s only one problem, he is not Donald Trump.
Trump never held public office. He had no legislative voting track record. He could run against Washington D.C. and the Media.
Williams has a State Senate voting record. During his first two years in the State Senate his voting record looks like he was working well with the Republican Establishment. His third year looks more like someone preparing to run for governor.
I am not questioning Williams’ conservative credentials, just the direction his campaign is headed. If you going to demand Casey Cagle get out of the race, it’s time to give the reason why with the facts.
State Senator Steve Gooch Talks About Economic Development in Rural Georgia
Politics April 24, 2017
This past Friday we continued our discussion about rural Georgia with 51st district (R) State Senator and Lumpkin County’s economic development director, Steve Gooch. Our three areas of focus: rural Georgia economy, broadband access, and health care. Although the district doesn’t want to see something in the line of the KIA plant they most certainly would be open to small companies offering high paying, high tech jobs. In order to attract these types of companies; the area must provide good schools, fast internet, and quality health care. We discussed Piedmont Mountainside new stand alone emergency health care center in Gilmer County; a model for quality health care in rural areas. When our discussion turned to high speed internet for the area, Gooch was unable to say they “moved the ball” concerning Senate Bill 232, Facilitating Internet Broadband Rural Expansion (FIBRE) Act.
6th District Candidate (R) Karen Handel Releases Campaign Video Going After (D) Jon Ossoff
Politics March 27, 2017
The failed American Health Care Act just changed the entire GA 6th Congressional District race. Karen Handel releases a very good campaign video going after John Ossoff but can Republicans promise to stop Nancy Pelosi’s agenda? And that they are the party that can deliver? Although Handel’s campaign video may have the right message, it may be the wrong time. #BKP explains how the failed bill may be a gift to Ossoff and leaves Republican candidates scrambling to decide which side of the Republican party they are on. Three strikes and the Republican party could lose the House.
State National 8/26/16
GMFTO August 26, 2016
BKP is joined by Rick Glueckert and Bruce Conti to talk National News and Politics in downtown Blue Ridge.
Stephen Aaron and the DNC 7/28/16
GMFTO July 28, 2016
Gilmer County Republican Party Chairman, Stephen Aaron joins GMFTO to talk about the Democratic National Convention and a Republican’s viewpoint on it.