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Vote FOR Lee Benedict in the Republican primary on July 15, 2008 for Georgia House District118 (you must register to vote by June 16th)

"TRUE REPRESENTATION FOR THE GOOD PEOPLE OF EVANS AND MARTINEZ"

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Metro Spirit endorses Lee Benedict



Lee with WRDW's Richard Rogers - April 28th and May 22nd 



Citizens for Benedict
PO Box 211923
Augusta, GA 30917-1923
Lee@leebenedict.com
706-737-8777  706-829-0484

YOUR HELP WITH HOSTING MEET-&-GREETS IS AN IMPORTANT PIECE TO OUR VICTORY!

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Every effort will be made to reduce taxes.  However, spending must be controlled as well.  For those who want to eliminate the car tag tax immediately, read this first and think about whether or not Georgia will experience what the good people of Virginia experienced when it eliminated this fee/tax.



OUR CHOICES FOR REPRESENTATIVE:

Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran and educator
Lee Benedict



Deacon and State Representative
Ben Harbin

Interesting reading                   More interesting reading 

A valid question                                   Another question unanswered

On July 15th, we will go to the polls and vote in the primary election.  At stake, the very soul of the Republican Party.  In 1994, the GOP swept into Congress after promising tax and spend reform and a host of other things.  Fast forward to 2006 and Speaker-elect Pelosi.  Why?  Because the Party strayed from its core beliefs of character, fiscal restraint and minimal government, and substituted it with a spending and bureaucracy binge.  Within the past year, Democratic candidates captured three House seats typically considered Republican gimmes.  During the past 24 months, Georgia’s budget went from $16 billion to $21.1 billion.  How can spending increase by more than 25 percent in 2 years?  The State GOP is mimicking the national GOP, and it must stop!

 

I am not expecting or promising perfection.  However, we should demand, not expect, that those who represent us stand firm on principle and conviction, and, when faced with adversity, step up and own up.  A perfect example of this is what the people of Missouri experienced when State Senator Chuck Graham was arrested under suspicion of DWI on October 20, 2007.  On December 14, 2007, Senator Graham pled guilty to DWI.  He acted irresponsibly and endangered the lives of others, but he at least took his judicial medicine without delay and drama.

 

We must decide whether we want the status quo, or whether we want true representation in the form of someone who will do what is right.  Yes, politics and compromise will be involved, but this time the best interest of Columbia County and Georgia will take center stage.  For too long, the interest of a select few and Glenn Richardson have prevailed.

 

Last month, many of us received emails from the Republican Party asking us to contact Governor Perdue and request that he veto HB 1027.  HB 1027 states that people ordered to take defensive driving may do so online.  In other words, someone convicted of driving drunk can use a computer to substitute hours of personalized instruction.

 

A similar law exists in Florida, and to prove a point, Driving Educators of Georgia registered “Scooby Doo” for the online rehabilitation.  Scooby passed the course and was awarded a certificate.   HB 1027’s final vote (House Vote #1100) came on April 04th; Ben Harbin voted for it.  I would have voted against it.

 

The US Congress passed the Prescription Drug User Fee Act in 1992 which allows drug companies to pay the FDA cash in advance for an expedited review of drugs.  The FDA admits that it conducts no tests, but studies tests performed by the drug companies, and then approves or denies each product.  US Representative Maurice Hinchey states that half of the FDA’s budget is provided by drug companies.

 

Just as alarming, the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 prohibits Medicare and other government programs from negotiating price with drug companies.   

 

In Georgia, HB 180 states, “The Department of Community Health shall expedite the review of any prescription drug or other health care product having an approved indication from the federal Food and Drug Administration for use with humans…”  I would have run clear across hell’s half-acre to oppose this bill.  No way will I support Georgians being dispensed drugs that were rubber-stamped by the FDA.  Think of this the next time you hear of a drug being recalled due to people dying.  Remember Vioxx?  Ben Harbin sponsored HB 180, and, has taken $19,350 from drug companies since 2006. 

 

Last year, the Governor took $120,000 from Stevens Creek Elementary School.  This year, he took $1.2 million from Columbia County Schools and vetoed $250,000 for a Georgia Highway Patrol station (Columbia County taxpayers are paying $2 million).  Why?  If Ben Harbin has immense legislative clout as his supporters claim, why the cuts?  I intend to restore credibility with the Governor’s Office and rebuild the bridge that has been badly damaged by the embarrassments of Joey Brush, Linda Schrenko, and Robin Williams, and the running feud with Ben Harbin.  It’s time to turn the corner on this page of Columbia County history and elect a true public servant.  It is important to note that some of the local GOP hierarchy asked me not to qualify to run against Mr. Harbin.  Why?  They say that our job is to elect Republicans.  I’m Republican.  Their tag team request was totally inappropriate and further evidence of not doing the right thing.  Please, do the right thing on July 15th.  I won’t let you down.

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On March 17, 1986, I became eligible to vote.  Soon thereafter, I became a registered Republican and have been one ever since and will remain one.  Over the past decade, I have grown somewhat frustrated with the Republican Party and many of its high-profile “representatives” (elected Republicans).  By frustrated, I mean that we have drifted from our long-standing history and bedrock principles of rule of law, limited government, fiscal responsibility and soundness, personal responsibility, fighting for those less fortunate, and sense of right and wrong, honor, and integrity.  Yet we, the grassroots members, still support the GOP, pay membership dues, attend fundraisers, get the vote out, and essentially anything to help.

 

In 1994, the GOP swept into Congress after pledging major reform guided by the Contract With America, which was soon thereafter abandoned for big spending, pork-barrel projects, and increased government.  In short, it strayed in a major way, so much so that we now have Speaker Pelosi, and, if we do not buckle down and fly right, President Obama.

 

In the great State of Georgia, we have similar issues.  Governor Perdue has done a respectable job…but his executive actions regarding those with disabilities (his veto of HB 549 immediately comes to mind), and causing us to pay $500.00 a day for a temporary judge because for months he refused to interview candidates and then appoint a Superior Court judge for the Augusta Judicial Circuit when he knew for several months that November 01, 2007 (Judge Dickert’s last day) was coming, is disheartening and irresponsible.  If a lame-duck Governor has time to traverse Georgia raising money for his PAC, I believe that 5 months to interview candidates and select a judge is more than enough.

 

Most recent, the GREAT tax plan has been touted in Georgia by many Republican lawmakers, which is perhaps the most inane idea to come from Atlanta.  For purposes of brevity and simplification, GREAT will eliminate property taxes and replace them with additional state sales tax, which will then be sent to the counties from Atlanta.  First, revenue from property taxes is how many counties function.  People of Columbia County pay their property taxes and then Kay Allen disburses the funds to Charles Nagle / Regina Buccafusco, Clay Whittle…The money stays in Columbia County.  Second, GREAT will force all gross plus a baker’s dozen counties to rely on Atlanta to send the money; under GREAT, money will be disbursed by Atlanta, and those in charge of disbursement will undoubtedly be the ones jockeying for popularity in preparation for gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial bids.  Do you see the major obstacle here?  And oh by the way, a bureaucracy will probably be created to receive and disburse the revenue thereby increasing the size of government and spending more money that does not need to be spent.  

 

Georgia’s two United States Senators, both Republican, have strayed at an alarming rate.  Both Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson have touted amnesty for those in the United States illegally (all 12,000,000 – 20,000,000 of them).  Mr. Chambliss endorsed the idea because farmers in his home county depend on persons here illegally to perform various labors.  He said it, and I was at Fatz Café in Evans when he said it, as were candidates for State Senate, District 24, and candidates for United States House of Representatives, Georgia’s 10th District.  What happened to the rule of law?  Illegal means illegal.  As of March 05, 2007, according to the State of Georgia, there were more than 2,000 convicted felons in Georgia’s prisons who claim residency in another country.  So…why are they still here and why are Georgians paying for it?  

 

Regarding illegal persons, they use and consume water.  Georgia has a major water shortage and a major battle with neighboring states regarding water.  We have been supplying water to illegals for years and common sense dictates that this expedited the conundrum.  Add to that the fact that a United States Senator from Alabama, Richard Shelby, attached a last-minute amendment to a $555,000,000,000 spending bill that prohibited the United States Army Corps of Engineers from modifying how the federal government controls the flow of water from the Chattahoochee River to Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.  Senators Chambliss and Isakson admitted that they knew of Mr. Shelby’s amendment.  So why did they not stop it?  According to an article that appeared in The Augusta Chronicle, the Georgia Senators assumed that this amendment would not “make it through the legislative process”.  I applaud Mr. Shelby, a Republican, for fighting for his constituents.  I wish that Mr. Chambliss and Mr. Isakson would do the same.

 

Closer to home, on May 20, 2007, State Representative Ben Harbin was taken into custody under suspicion of driving drunk; we all know the story.  Mr. Harbin is innocent until proven guilty and is entitled to all rights guaranteed by our Constitution.  That said, when a person has the word “Representative” before his name, that person should address the matter with due speed.  However, Mr. Harbin has asked for and received delay upon delay with his appointment with the criminal justice system.  If he is innocent, go to court as soon as possible so his innocence is established and entered into the permanent record.  If he is guilty, go to court and accept responsibility for the actions.  We all say that he is entitled to “his day in court”.  However, he insists on delaying that day.  Given his level of authority and responsibility and his title of Representative, there are certain things that you just do not do. 

 

I wish Ben Harbin well, I really do... I like him…he is on my Christmas card list, which is what makes this all the more difficult.  These never-ending delays should not be granted by the court system and the continuous delays and ducking constituents are a slap in the face to his constituents.  I, and many others, thought that this matter would have been behind us long ago.  Had that been the case, I would not be writing this statement after serious soul-searching.  Regrettably, that did not happen.  No one is perfect, and perfection is not the issue here.  Actually, there was one perfect Person and He was ridiculed, beaten, had a helmet of thorns placed upon His head, and was then crucified while His mother watched.  All other people make mistakes.  There are many ways to deal with mistakes, shortcomings, and lapses in judgment.  It is how these things are handled that reflects what we are made of.  When I receive a speeding ticket, I pay the fine prior to the due date.  When a contract I entered into for legal/financial services was breeched many years ago and I was left with a debacle that I am still dealing with, I had to deal with it, not abandon it.  An editorial appeared in the January 13, 2008 edition of The Columbia County News-Times that is attributed to Ms. Holly Jensen of Evans.  She too is vexed by Representative Harbin’s tenor throughout this ordeal and I applaud her for taking the time to write and express her concerns.  Keep in mind that Assembly District 118 belongs to the people and not Ben Harbin.

 

There is an overwhelming aura that “the people” have no true voice in government anymore.  This may explain why many good men and women do not seek public office, as well as explain low voter turnout.  In Iraq, 80% of eligible voters walked to the polls amidst gunfire in order to vote.  Yet as a collective group, American voters do not frequent their polling places under much safer and convenient circumstances.

 

I am proud to be a Republican and I want to help restore the Party to greatness.  Basically, I want my Party back, as do many others.  I am not demanding or expecting perfection from Republican officials, let me make this clear.  I do have a reasonable expectation that ALL officials and candidates with “R” before their name act with dignity and integrity and have the best interests of the people guiding them.  And yes, we must change (to an extent) with the times, but we must not expedite the times’ change.

 

We have an important decision to make on July 15th; do we want a public servant representing us, or do we want a politician who refuses to face those who hired him, but is more than willing to face lobbyists and PACs and their checks?  I am more than happy to discuss issues and my legislative priorities as well as yours.

 

Please feel free to contact me at your leisure.  My name is Lee Benedict of Martinez, Georgia and I am asking for your vote in the Republican primary on July 15, 2008 and in the general election on November 04, 2008, so that I can be the Representative in Atlanta that we deserve.  Thank you and may God bless each and every one of you!

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Personal information:

Born:  March 17, 1968 in Newburgh, NY

Family:  Married 11 years and have an 8-year-old son

Education:  Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations- Mount Saint Mary College (Newburgh, NY)

                   Master of Education in Special Education – Liberty University (Lynchburg, VA)

       Education Specialist in Educational Psychology; Applied Cognition and  Development – The University of Georgia (Athens, GA)

Military:  US Army – July 25, 1996 to July 22, 2004 – Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran

Occupation:  Learning Specialist – George P. Butler Comprehensive High School (Augusta, GA)

Memberships and affiliations:
Member - Columbia County Republican Party
Member - Council for Exceptional Children
Member - Georgia Special Olympics, Partners and Winners Circle
Member - Greater Columbia County Republican Women
Brother - Knights of Columbus, Council 8495
Member - Professional Association of Georgia Educators






 

Paid for by Citizens for Benedict                                                                    Copyright 2008. Lee Benedict. All rights reserved.