There really is a Republican “establishment,” which is just a mind-set whereby those in power, at the “top of the tower,” to do or say whatever is necessary to stay at the top. It’s expected that they would keep the enemy from climbing the tower but, whenever necessary, they’ll knock a few of their own soldiers off the side of the tower as well.

When you hear Peter King and other elected officials criticize Newt Gingrich, keep in mind: you don’t even like these people. As a group, they have one of the lowest approval ratings of any group in our nation. You don’t trust them to make wise decisions about how our government should operate and you don’t trust them to tell you the truth. Why in the hell would you let them pick your Presidential candidate?

Keep in mind that Peter King and his ilk have an agenda– to maintain power. You, of course, have your own agenda… your own set of values and convictions. Why would you support a candidate who furthers Peter King’s agenda, and not your own?

There is no perfect candidate. Every political race is one of “the best of,” not “the best.” You didn’t run, so perfection isn’t an option.

The Establishment will tell you that someone like Gingrich can’t win… that he’s too much of a lightning rod. Why, tell me, would you want to elect someone who doesn’t have the motivation, the inspiration nor the conviction to correct the problems that we face in this country… problems that were, in large part, created by The Establishment?

That’s exactly who The Establishment wants, however… someone who will not be a threat to them.

I’ve said it again and again… let your values and your convictions pick your candidate.

From the Capital New York article:

But, King said, “The problem was, over a period of time, he couldnt stay focused. He was undisciplined. Too often, he made it about himself.”

via Pete King: Gingrich is condescending, undisciplined, and bad for the G.O.P. | Capital New York.

Email sent to Snellville Democrats on Election Day

The fact that the Dems claim Kautz as their own shouldn’t surprise anybody. While candidate Barbara Bender had no problem acknowledging her alliance with the Republican Party, Kautz insisted on her “independence” and hid behind the non-partisan nature of the Snellville race. Kautz counted as her supporters Mr. Clower, who only abandoned his Democrat affiliation in the face of the Harrell challenge; attorney and former Council member Warren Auld and car dealer Dwight Harrison, both of whose political leanings have always been suspect.

Moreover, those of the decade-long conservative insurgence in Snellville should have seen the writing on the wall. Southern Gwinnett has continued to trend Democratic as blacks, traditionally and inexorably beholden to the Dems, flee the blight and corruption of east DeKalb County for Gwinnett’s better schools and cheaper housing.

Further evidence of the bluing of Snellville is the fact that Republican state legislators essentially abandoned south Gwinnett to the Democrats during the redistricting after the 2010 census. In part to protect its control of Gwinnett and give the GOP inroads into Atlanta, state Republicans have ceded everything south of Hwy. 78, Mountain Park and much of Lilburn to Hank (“Guam may sink”) Johnson’s Fourth Congressional District.

In the State Senate, Snellville has been represented for a decade by Don Balfour, an influential Republican. To protect his own political future, Balfour has drawn for himself a district that takes in a significant portion of conservative southeast Gwinnett including Dacula. Democrat-controlled Senate District 55 will now take in all of Gwinnett south of Hwy. 78 and parts of Grayson and Loganville.

The balance of power in Snellville between Republican and Democrat is at the tipping point and sliding steadily back to blue. Dems apparently recognized that boosting turnout by a fraction could be (and was) the difference between victory and defeat. Republicans, possibly lulled into complacency by the obvious ethical and intellectual superiority of their candidate, failed to defend the seat that they have held for 12 years.

“Our goal is to increase Democratic performance in key areas across the state,” said Chairman Mike Berlon of the Democratic Party of Georgia. “This election showed that we can do that, and that bodes well for our next statewide contest.”Women had an especially impressive night, with first time female mayors taking office in Snellville Kelly Kautz and in Albany,

via Georgia Democrats Energized by Election Results | Georgia Democrats.

From the CIS article:

According to President Obama, the allegedly record-breaking deportation numbers released this week by ICE Director John Morton are “a little deceptive.” I agree. They give the impression that this administration is enforcing the law more than, say, the previous administration. But other ICE numbers suggest that immigration enforcement is declining, not increasing.

via Obama: Deportation Numbers ‘Actually a Little Deceptive’ | Center for Immigration Studies.

From the CNS News article:

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday that under the administration’s policy of exercising “prosecutorial discretion” in the enforcement of the immigration laws, her department is currently authorizing some illegal aliens to work in the United States.

via Napolitano: DHS Authorizing Illegal Aliens to Work in U.S. | CNSnews.com.

From the MDJ article:

During the public comment portion of the City Council’s Wednesday’s meeting, Michael Sabbagh, who identified himself as a Snellville City councilman and friend of Jaraysi, claimed that Jaraysi had the money to finish the building and that Council should allow him to do so.

Yet Councilman Jim King responded by saying that Sabbagh had promised to put the money in an escrow account for him to look at, but had failed to live up to that promise.

Sabbagh also claimed to be a professor at Southern Polytechnic State University; however an SPSU spokeswoman said he had not been associated with SPSU for five years.

Moreover, Sabbagh warned that if the Council did not settle with Jaraysi, Al Jazeera news would begin reporting on the case.

How can Snellville residents trust a Councilmember, sworn to uphold their city’s ordinances, who would demand that another city’s leaders disregard their own? More importantly, why should the residents of Snellville trust that Sabbagh will represent their interests without bias when he is so quick to invoke the specter of racial discrimination to further his goals, and those of his buddies?

Update 10/19 4:00pm – Video of Sabbagh’s comments is now available. Advance the video to the 37-minute mark

via The Marietta Daily Journal – High court rejects Jaraysi’s appeal.