JacksonHeraldTODAY

There’s a lot of talk about March Madness going on, but I don’t think it has anything to do with basketball. The real madness now is the in-fighting of the Republican Party’s presidential campaigns.

If there was ever a time that the out-of-power political party needed to be united it is this election. Under the Obama Administration, the nation has taken a sharp turn to the left and the nation’s debt has surged. More people are today dependent on government largess than ever before. Under President Obama, the nation’s entitlement system has expanded and will expand even more if he is re-elected.

So one would think that those opposed to this growth in statism would want to make a serious challenge and would seek some kind of unity. [Full Story »] 

Give East Jackson Comprehensive High School principal Pat Stueck credit: She took quick action against seven EJCHS football players and head coach Frank Caputo last week following the locker room vandalism incident at Jefferson High School the week before. [Full Story »] 

I hate to disagree with those who offer their expert advice on various public interest issues, but I find myself in that position. [Full Story »] 

The failure earlier this year of Community Bank & Trust sent shockwaves through the area. Although based in nearby Cornelia, CB&T had extensive branches in Jackson, Barrow and other Northeast Georgia communities. [Full Story »] 

So far, the Jackson County government has avoided the kind of massive financial squeeze that has hit many other local governments. Part of that is due to fairly good management of the county’s money. On a department-by-department basis, the county has pared expenses and as reported last week, managed to add over $900,000 to its reserve funds in 2009. [Full Story »] 

You can almost hear local officials licking their lips in anticipation of another SPLOST tax renewal. Local towns and the county government are currently drawing up their plans for how they want to spend some $47 million in anticipated revenues. [Full Story »] 

GOP candidates for governor are making a lot of noise about “weeding” out higher education students from Georgia’s colleges who are illegal aliens. [Full Story »] 

It’s time to tone down the Jefferson speed traps. In an apparent bid to raise revenue, Jefferson cops have reportedly been pressured by superiors to write more tickets. [Full Story »] 

To say that the nation stands at a crossroads would be an understatement. Seldom has the country faced the kind of stark choices it does today. The Iraqi War and national economic problems have hit with hurricane force. The nation’s mood is sour.

If there was ever a time for strong, consistent leadership, it is now. [Full Story »]