reminding congress: social security is not part of national debt

That's something they would be expected to know.

Every fifth grader knows that.

Are they not smarter than fifth graders?

 

Perhaps they have simply forgotten.

That's why, when the AARP sent the email alerting me to the latest shenanigans of the elected officials, I jumped at the chance to remind them how Social Security is financed.

 

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This was sent to my elected Senators, Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock.

 

Dear [Senators],

As one of your constituents, I’m asking you to keep Social Security OUT of any discussions on the national debt.

Social Security is NOT a driver of the national debt. It is self-financed. Unlike government programs that receive funding through general revenue, Social Security is a separate, pay-as-you-go system financed directly by payroll tax contributions from American workers and their employers.

We, the voters, pay into Social Security based on a promise from the United States of America that we will get the money we’ve earned after we retire. It would be unfair for Congress to break this promise by cutting Social Security in order to reduce the deficit — especially when Social Security is NOT a driver of this country’s debt.

Social Security puts retirement in reach for so many. Every day, nearly 67 million Americans are able to count on Social Security to help put food on the table, pay for medical bills, and afford other daily expenses.

As your constituent, I ask that you oppose any cuts to Social Security or Medicare in order to reduce the nation’s debt.

Thank you,
Faustina Smith

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Dear reader, you may want to remind your elected officials, too.

Just go to this link and let them know, just in case they have forgotten what fifth graders already know.

saving salt marshes from construction damage

Honestly, it boils down to this: people's selfishness.

One Hundred Miles is watching out for that, too, especially when such actions threaten the salt marshes of Georgia, and the flora and fauna that call those areas home.

 

I again answered the call to action!

Please consider doing the same, using this link.

Many thanks!

 

Here is what I wrote.

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Dear Ms. Jill Andrews [of the Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources],

I write to voice my concern regarding the Coastal Resources Division (CRD) proposed changes to state regulations regarding the upland component of projects affecting our coastal marshlands (Chapter 391-2-3-.02).

The buffer areas of our coastal marshlands are critically important to the overall health of Georgia’s salt marsh. I support CRD’s continued regulation of the 50-foot buffer for marinas, community docks, commercial docks, fishing piers, boat ramps and bridges over coastal marshlands. But I believe CRD should continue to regulate or oversee smaller projects that affect our marshes—especially shoreline stabilization projects.

Buffers play in an essential role protecting the form and function of marshlands. Buffers allow the marsh to migrate as sea level rises, they filter pollutants, and they defend our uplands from storm surge and rising seas – important ways to protect upland property and structures. Hard shoreline stabilization projects like bulkheads, however, separate the marsh from the uplands and can cause major problems for neighboring property owners who choose not to harden their shoreline.

The Coastal Marshlands Protection Act states activities must be regulated to ensure the values and functions of the coastal marshlands are not impaired. CRD should continue to play a role in permitting shoreline stabilization projects within the 25-foot buffer behind the marsh.

Please do not proceed with the proposed rule change until:
- The amended rules offer greater clarity on the diverse roles of regulatory responsibility for protecting our marsh buffers,
- CRD retains some oversight of approving activities that will affect the health of the marsh, such as shore stabilization projects.
- The agency convenes a task force to develop recommendations to present to the DNR Board.

Do not leave the health of our marshes and the security they offer at risk by rushing forward with this rule change.

Sincerely,
Faustina Smith

[ CC: GA Dept. of Natural Resources Board of Directors ]

saving salt marshes, again

I could hardly believe it when One Hundred Miles told me that HB 370 was again up before the House of Representatives in Congress.

Of course I'd let my Congressperson know my stance again!

Perhaps you will, too?

Here is the link to make that action easy-peasy!

Thanks!

Here's my letter to Edna Jackson.

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Dear State Representative Edna Jackson,

House Bill 370 is a direct threat to more than 50 years of salt marsh protection in Georgia.
As someone who values this unparalleled public resource, I ask that you vote NO on this terrible bill. 

Please consider the following: 

- It is relatively common to possess a Kings Grant. It is extremely uncommon to be able to prove clear title from the time of the issuance of the Kings Grant to the salt marsh. Since state legislators decided that State ownership was the best way to protect Georgia's salt marsh, it is always presumed that the State owns all salt marsh until an individual proves otherwise. In other words, the burden of proof falls on the individual. 

- HB 370 establishes a process whereby an individual merely needs to present a Kings Grant (not the accompanying documentation) to the State Properties Commission (not the Attorney General’s office) and assigns a time period of 180 days for the state agency to verify the Kings Grant. If the State Properties Commission cannot do this within 180 days, it is presumed that the individual's Kings Grant is valid. This bill flips the burden of proof to the State of Georgia. 

- 180 days is NOT enough time to properly scrutinize the legitimacy of the additional titles, deeds, and other evidence a person must present to the State Attorney General (AG) to prove all the conditions of the Kings Grant have been met and maintained. It is the AG's responsibility to authenticate and verify these documents, and that takes time. 

House Bill 370 is a workaround to allow individuals the ability to avoid the necessary scrutiny associated with verifying centuries of paperwork. The result could be a massive giveaway of one of the state's most notably protected natural resources--our salt marsh. Please do not vote in favor of this bill. 

If you are concerned about arguments in favor of HB 370, consider placing the bill in a study committee. There has not been a recent audit of the Attorney General's process for validating Kings Grants. There has been no analysis of how many Kings Grants exist. We do not have a clear understanding of the perceived problem. Before a bill is proposed that could have disastrous ramifications for our salt marsh, more study is needed to ensure that the right solution is proposed. 

Please do not pass HB370. It goes too far and could destroy coastal Georgia's most iconic landscape. 

Thank you for considering my comments.

Sincerely,
Faustina Smith

helping horseshoes

When the message came in from One Hundred Miles to help out these marine creatures with the prehistoric flair, I jumped at the chance!

Maybe you will, too?

Just go to this link by January 31 and fill in the information... many thanks!

 

Here is the letter I sent.

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Dear Leslie Furr [of the United States Pharmacopeia],
I want to express my strong support for the adoption of Chapter 86, the proposal that would grant competitive status to endotoxin tests that use synthetic horseshoe crab reagents.

Horseshoe crabs have a vital purpose in providing a renewal food source for other coastal species.

More than 360,000 migrating shorebirds use Georgia’s coast as an essential stopover site as they migrate thousands of miles to and from their nesting grounds in the Arctic and wintering grounds in South America. Some threatened species, like the Red Knot and Whimbrel, fly thousands of miles before stopping. When they do, horseshoe crab eggs provide an essential food source that fuels the birds’ migration and mating.

I applaud the work of the Microbiology Expert Committee in developing this new proposal. It will provide a reliable and sustainable source for endotoxin testing material that does not use the blood of a wild animal. Further, based on real-world evidence with medicines already on the market, the recombinant agents have been shown to be as good as, or better, than traditional testing using limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL).

Finally, we would encourage the United States Pharmacopeia to expedite the process of adopting the new chapter to facilitate earlier adoption by companies that want to convert to recombinant reagents prior to November 2024.

Thank you for considering my comments.

Sincerely,
Faustina Smith

so nice to be a marine supporter!

How do I know?

They sent me a note of thanks!!!

(smile!)

 

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"Faustina, I am so grateful for this community and the support you provide to protect our ocean.
I’d like to take a moment to say thank you—for caring about marine wildlife, for helping us foster the next generation of explorers, and for keeping wonder running deep.
I’m always excited to welcome the start of a new year—it’s a pivotal moment to map out the goals that we want to achieve and the progress we’re excited to make. Our year-end campaign raised more than $46,000 from 334 donors, meaning we’re starting 2024 strong!
No gift is too small to propel us forward, ensuring our marine sanctuaries and monuments will continue to be celebrated, respected sites for learning and exploration.
It’s thanks to support from folks like you that everyone here at the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation can work towards creating a better future for our planet. I can’t wait to see what we achieve this year, and I hope you’ll be a part of our journey.
We’re already diving into the work of this new year, so stay tuned for an exciting announcement coming later this week! Until then, thank you once again for your dedication.
Warmly,
Joel R. Johnson
President and CEO
National Marine Sanctuary Foundation" 

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Happy to have been of service, y'all!