[TPC REAL Politick] - Election Day is Here: The Sad Reality of Politics at the Federal Level; Talkin' Statewide Races, State House & Senate; Questionable Preachermen; Odds & Ends

 Greetings, Fantabulous Readers, and hope it's good out there. 

So, let's get right to it. 

We've got ourselves this here election on, and it's really quite the thing. 

Let's go back in time a bit. 

A few months ago I did a post on the book of faces where I stated that I was going to stop voting. 

Silly, I know. What can I say? I was all up in my feels. It was right after Trump, the Power Elite & the Israel Lobby spent over $30 million to remove the best politician (and one of my heroes) - Thomas Massie in the KY - US 4 primary out of Congress. 

The reason for my consternation & frustration? 

A man called Trump. 

I'll circle back to that thin-skinned, egomaniacal, undisciplined A-hole here in just a bit. 

But while we're on the subject. 

If Tuesday confirms the bloodbath that everyone has been predicting (at least at the Federal level), there will be exactly one person to fully blame for all of it. 

The aforementioned Donald J. Trump. 


### 

Here's the Rub: 

While there is more than enough reason for typical GOP types to check out of the federal races, the same cannot be said for down-ballot ones. These are important. 

I will be voting for the following candidates in the following races: 

Governor 

Rick "Action" Jackson 

Lt Governor 

Greg Dolezal

GA State Senate 42 

Bret Dunn 

And a quick moment. Several saw the videos of Eric Lee's sermons that made the rounds a couple of weeks ago. As I mentioned on social media - it was giving mid 2000s Jeremiah Wright vibes. Had a couple of folks say that was just because those videos being taken out of context. Well I saw the expanded videos. That was not the case. 

GA State House 114

Brett Mauldin 

Newton Co BOE District 5 

Alan Fowler 

I may or may not vote for some of the other statewide Constitutional races; however, I'm definitely skipping Secretary of State (IYKYK). 

Out of principal, I'll also be skipping the US Senate race. 

For the statewide amendments, I'll be going: 

NO
YES
NO 

For the City of Covington measure to do away w/ the city portion of property taxes for principal homestead residence, definitely voting YES. 

Going back to the top. Man, what a waste. A beautiful coalition of Independents, Libertarians & libertarians, MAHA, disaffected Dems, Hispanics, Black men, younger people and many others, all completely dissipated w/in two years while the GOP had full control of the Presidency & both chambers of Congress as well as a majority on the Supreme Court. Totally wasted for Iran, Israel & Big Business (and all the other Bigs).

Again, the one singularly responsible?

Donald J Trump

Sad. 

Well, we'll see what we see. 

'til next time, 

- MBM 

Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome, Episode IV: Secret Lovers by Chris Orcutt - A Review by Perrin Lovett

 Say, friends, do you enjoy a good visible polyrhythm? Yeah, I didn’t know that was a thing either, not until I read chapter 21 of today’s subject work of incredible fiction. But trust me, you’ll enjoy it: the dance moves, something Robert Palmer’s dancers would have shimmied along with, and the book. And that book is Secret Lovers, the fourth episode in Chris Orcutt’s Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome, the epic that literally brings the 1980s back to life. 

(©Have Pen, Will Travel. Cover design by Victoria Heath Silk.)

*Orcutt, Chris, Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome, Episode IV: Secret Lovers, New York: Have Pen, Will Travel, 2026.

New York novelist Chris Orcutt has three solid decades of experience crafting literature, with one of them dedicated almost exclusively to writing Bodaciously True & Totally Awesome (BTTA), a masterpiece roughly the length of In Search of Lost Time (Remembrance of Things Past) by Proust. Your reviewer had not really considered it before, but many of Orcutt’s themes in BTTA run along the same lines as those in Remembrance—young love, growing up, timing, appreciation of the arts, et cetera. Orcutt provides a new take on all of those familiar motifs, doing so abnormally well, while integrating elements Proust never touched on, such as action and adventure. Of course, the era and scene-setting are completely different. And that difference makes BTTA especially interesting to America’s Generation X: this is our memory of the past, of a time lost to four decades of temporal transit. And with Episode IV, Secret Lovers, Orcutt brings the past back to life in a way perhaps no other author has ever dared. On full display is Orcutt’s creative genius, impeccable precision, and nearly surreal attention to every little detail. Four episodes in, Secret Lovers might be your reviewer’s favorite so far. Why? Part of it has to do with much of the nostalgia I’ve mentioned in my previous reviews. But the main reason is that it is simply a damned good story! So let’s dive right in.

I hereby incorporate all points of my previous reviews of Bad Boy, True Blue, and Danger Zone as if each point were restated in full. In Secret Lovers, the literary roller coaster goes so fast and hard that one might be well-advised to go limp and just let it ride. Avery “Ace” Craig keeps up the heroic questing readers have come to expect and enjoy as he intrepidly ventures into new territory, all of it set to our glorious 1980s music. The pop-rock flows, as do more classical themes. Orcutt even breaks down the exact timing within a few tunes he references: see “Bugler’s Dream and Olympic Fanfare Medley” on page 35. Also, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” never hurt any book!

As with the other episodes, Secret Lovers shifts gears again — ”drop a gear and disappear,” as the saying goes. This time, instead of slowing, as in Danger Zone, the days roll right along in the story, though each part and act is examined in close detail. And there is an intensification covering many fronts. The result is a thrilling experience that will have the reader on the edge of his seat, scratching his head, pondering, cheering, fearing, and feeling a sense of awe. In short, it’s a spectacular book. And Orcutt has plenty of room to work, as Secret Lovers is the longest episode yet, 422 pages of riveting dramatic exhibition. The book’s chapters are not named—a point I think I failed to make previously; rather, each major scene within a chapter has its own catchy subtitle. For example, on or about page 257, the subtitle is “Gemma’s Fault.” But is it really? One will have to read chapter 17 to find out. Also, speaking of finding out, I’ll bet the seasoned reader likes Gemma. Right? And there’s a chance that more than a few Gemma fans liked those ‘80s video games. What if both of those likes were somehow combined? Read and see; you’ll dig it like a bee on pollen.

Perrin Lovett's Latest Tom Ironsides Work - Aurelius - Has Been Published

 From our ole Terry College of Business classmate & TPC's former CF Floyd Feature Writer of Affairs National, Perrin Lovett: 

Tom Ironsides Returns in AURELIUS

Imagine a world where instead of voting for, supporting, siding with, or even worshipping wicked people, someone just shoots them. You’ve just glimpsed the story on the pages of Aurelius. Tom Ironsides is back, delivering the hard action people demanded. In this short, fast novella, Illuminati and Epstein-esque types have a very bad day courtesy of our hero. Much of the action was foreshadowed in The Substitute. Buy from Shotwell/Green Altar or Amazon. 

(© Green Altar Books 2026)

A great description from the Green Altar Books:

A dark mission. A ruthless enemy. One man standing between civilization and collapse.

In Aurelius, Tom Ironsides returns to the edge of a shadow world—one that does not merely threaten reality, but breaks into it with violence, cruelty, and merciless intent.

Europe is under threat.

Forces of domination and destruction are moving with brutal purpose. Their goal is not negotiation. It is control—through fear, violation, maiming, and murder. Ironsides is pulled into a fight where hesitation means defeat and mercy may come too late.

Fans of hard-edged action thrillers will find a hero forged for the dark.

With allies old and new, Ironsides takes the fight to enemies who believe civilization is ready to fall. But justice has only one chance: his discipline, his nerve, and his refusal to surrender ground to evil.

If you like relentless pacing, moral stakes, and uncompromising action, step into Aurelius and follow Tom Ironsides into the dark.

In addition to the main title, several semi-related short stories round out the book—some you’ve seen and some you haven’t. It’s a fun ride, though not necessarily for the faint of heart. I may have a walk-through video soon, so stay tuned for that.

What’s next? Hopefully, in the coming months, I’ll have a new modern romance novel, a fun little story set in the American South. It’s not as innocent as Athena, but fans of love and life will enjoy it. After that, if I feel like it, there may be another polemical action novella somewhat similar to Aurelius. And then, I already have a rough first draft of a hefty epic unlike most anything you’ve read before. It’s a little like And Quiet Flows the Don, a little like Glory and the Lightning, and maybe even a little like Dracula. Kindly allow me a year or so; the wait will be worth it. After that, there will be more! ###

A Quick Check-in: A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

Greetings, GA Piedmont. 

Your Source for the REAL Story

Hope it's finer than frog hair split three or four ways out there. 

So, we've been a little quiet, but much has been happening in & around the home city & county, and rest assured - we've been working on some things. 

- the interesting happenings over on Gregory Rd. A a member of a multigenerational family from high stock, and old money. 

Data centers. 

Questionable real estate transactions involving the aforementioned & a church. 

Possible involvement of city council members w/ the aforementioned church transaction. 

Questions abound! 

I've been diving deep into this one, friends, w/ the help of others. Looking to update this story in the near future. 

#StayTuned 

- speaking of members of the City of Covington council.  

I'll just leave it at that for now. 

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And a piece I've been studying on, working on, and mulling over for a few years now. 

It's not politics; it's local history meets real crime. 80s style.

It's almost ready... 

Until next time, 

- MBM 

[Past Alcovy Telegraph] - In Search of the Best Burger in Newton Co.

 *originally published under the column name - The Alcovy Telegraph - in the Covington News, August 2016

By: Marshall McCart 

Welcome back to the Telegraph, friends. So glad you could join us once again.

To me, there’s nothing better in this world than a really good hamburger. This quintessentially American dish is thought to have originated from the late 1800s when German immigrants started to put their hamburger steaks between two pieces of bread for the sake of time and convenience here in the new country, though the origins of ground beef go all the way back to the Romans.

Regardless, the hamburger, or cheeseburger, is a cultural icon and has been mentioned in song, literature, and many other things over the years. I  feel that we are very fortunate here in the home county to have so many superb burgers to choose from and I’d like to share some of my favorites with you today. The following list is  in order and it also includes a couple of honorable mentions and an In Memoriam as well. With apologies to any I may have missed, here we go.

5. Hardee’s. Yeah, I can already hear the peanut gallery chirping on this one. A chain? A fast-food joint? Well, yes. I apologize to no one. Their thick burgers - their “real-deal” burgers - are great. Good-sized portions, great flavor, cooked well. They’re hard to beat in my opinion. I’m a big fan of the Frisco burger in particular.

4. Wayback Burgers. Certainly this crew would be considered the new kid on the block as they just opened a month or so ago over on Alcovy Road. I’d seen several rave reviews so I made a point to get over there the other day. And folks, I’m here to tell you - I was very impressed. A large assortment of different signature burgers to choose from, and you can also make up your own. The full experience of this burger was very impressive. The quality of the bun, the freshness of the toppings, and the melding of the flavors of the  burger itself were all very good. I’m a fan and have been back again and will be back again many times in the future.

3. Amici. Again, I feel as if I may lose a few folks on this one, but I don’t care. And I get it. An Italian joint? What can I say? And I know I’m not the only one. This is truly a great burger. Not unlike Wayback, it’s the full package - the bun, the add-ons, the taste and texture of the burger. It’s hard to beat. Am I little biased because it’s Amici? Maybe. Does having it served with those tasty fries and that fabulous ranch dressing play a role. Maybe…

2. Tava’s. I actually thought about having two first place finishers as a tie but I felt like some folks would have thought I was guilty of copping out. The burgers at Tava’s are simply divine. The true heir to Mr. Hester’s hamburger magic that I remembered as a young boy and have enjoyed most of my life, just like many of you. There’s just something about those burgers! The key is obviously the recipe. That blend of spices is just right, but there’s also something about the way they cook those jokers, too. Regardless, it is spectacular. And talking about fries? Man, they are some of the best I’ve ever had.

1. The Town House Café. A Covington institution since 1964, this place is on a different level for so many reasons. First off, it’s the people. The owners of this fine establishment - the Hamm family - are some of the best folks I’ve ever come across in my days, and ditto for old classmate, Christopher D. Williams. The Town House Café is good for the soul, and I always leave that place better than when I came in. Getting that good food is just a part of it; it’s the conversation and fellowship that provides the most nourishment. And those burgers, man. It's truly the best around. The taste, the texture. Everything. I get mine deluxe style, and sometimes I’ll even get a double. I recommend the seasoned fries and get ya’ an Orange Crush to go with it. 

Honorable mentions: Longhorn, Mystic, Irish Bred, Tubby Tom's, Lucy's and most definitely Plain Nuts would be in any self-respecting burger aficionado's list. And the In Memoriam I mentioned? The Bess's Burger at Bess's Place. It would've definitely cracked the top 3.

Welcome Back, What's Coming Down The Pike & A Note on the Most Recent City of Covington Council Meeting

 And we're back! 

Man, been a minute. We decided to take an extended late spring/summer break. While Congress begins their summer recess, TPC commences activity. 

A few quick things: 

- the City of Covington adopted the rollback millage meaning there will be NO tax increase for those paying municipal ad valorem property taxes; both the Newton BOC & BOE decreased the millage but didn't adopt the rollback meaning we will be seeing a TAX INCREASE for both the county M&O & the school tax

- the news hit a while back that Marcello Banes was acquitted on 6 charges & deadlocked on 10 more while Stephanie Lindsey was acquitted on three w/ two others deadlocked. Apparently Marcello, based on the original suspension order, was able to resume his duties which he did by presiding over last week's Newton Co BOC meeting 

- more & more Republicans & conservatives throughout GA are endorsing Ossoff in the upcoming US Senate election. This does not bode well at all for Mike Collings 

- based on polling & data it looks like Rick "Action" Jackson has a much better chance to win in November 

- keep an eye out for an upcoming episode of The Town Square podcast as I recently joined old pal & friend-of-the-site Trey Bailey in what will be my second appearance on the program 

- a shoutout to Evan Newton, former editor of the Covington News, who recently - at only 25 years of age - bought his hometown paper, The Monticello News, just three years removed from being an intern at that same paper. He appeared on MS Now this morning & did great. Well done, Evan! 

C-Town Representin'

Regarding the most recent City of Covington Council meeting, I'll just copy & paste my FB post from a couple days ago: 

That sh!tshow of an abomination that was the City of Covington Council meeting Monday night was something else (link of the video at the bottom of this post).

The meeting lasted FOUR hours & 10 minutes!

What. The. Actual. F?

Hearkens back to the Keith Ellis days running the Newton Co BOC meetings that were often running 4, 5 & even 6 hours.

A city council meeting should really never run over an hour. Hour & a half tops.

Most of the blame for this calamity can be laid at the feet of council newbie Dwayne Turner. He apparently loves to hear himself talk, which isn't a good thing for him as time & time again he showed himself to have no real understanding of how government works, or really just how anything works.

It was really something.

Hat tip to Sista Mayor at the 3:36 mark for breaking out:

"What in the hell or you talking about?"

The next several minutes after that were quite interesting.

At 3:49:51 Turner totally shows his backside, drops a F-bomb & then storms out of the meeting.

Total class & professionalism.

Actions, and elections, have consequences.

Though Dwane was the driving force for this, the blame, ultimately, drops on Fleeta.

One of the few actual powers she has is running the council meetings.

She obviously failed miserably.

Video of the 7/6/26 Covington City Council Meeting

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Okay for now, buckaroos. 'Til next time, 

- MBM 

Election Day is Here. Huzzah & Harrumph! Thoughts on a Few Races & Maybe an Endorsement or Two

 What up, GA Piedmont! 

I reckon most folks are like me & have gotten quite sick & tired of all the noise in the system. All the TV & radio spots. All the direct mail pieces. The phone calls. Emails. And especially those damned political texts! 

Well, friends, the good news is that it's just gonna keep on going. I'm thinking we'll see at least two statewide races going to a runoff. 

So the fun's just beginning. 

Great. 

So right off the bat, before I get into the Georgia stuff, a quick note about the race for the 4th US Congressional district of Kentucky. 

Our good friend Josh McKelvey recently did a wonderful write-up on this that I posted here in this space. Josh was able to articulate very well what many of us have been thinking. 

I'm going to take it a step further. If Thomas Massie loses tonight then I think the goose is cooked for the ole U S of A. I really do. And we might be getting to a point where we might not be able to vote our way out of this mess. 

For many years I was thinking the devolution & breakdown of society as we know it would be something that would likely happen in a few decades. I'm starting to think it's going to be more like in a few years. 

It's just been obscene. The most money ever spent on the US Congressional race. The AIPAC/War Machine/Deep State/MAGA Inc coalition going on an all-out blitz to try to remove the most independent & constitutional voice in Congress. 

Remember: TDS cuts both ways. There's Trump Derangement Syndrome as well as Trump Devotion Syndrome. Both are clown shoes, utterly ridiculous & completely devoid of independent thought & logic. 

A prediction on this one? Not sure. Obviously things have really tightened up recently w/ the negative onslaught & smear campaign. It'll be all about the final GOTV push today, which I think does favor Massie, as there is real passion behind his support. 

We shall see...

Georgia On My Mind 

Over the last several years I've usually done a post right near election day in which I give my thoughts on a few races, talk about who I'm planning to vote for , make a endorsement or two & even offer up a few predictions.  

A few folks over the years have reached out to me basically to ask (paraphrasing): "why do you even do this since nobody gives a damn about who you're supporting or voting for, or for that matter, anything else you have to say. "

Yeah, good times. The ole Peanut Gallery, aka, the Playa-Hata crew.  

Well, as I told one of the types once, I know for a fact that at least a couple, two or three do because almost every election cycle people do reach out to ask for my thoughts. 

So there! 

Okay. Here we go. 

Governor: NOTA (None of the Above) 
Lt. Governor: NOTA
AG: NOTA 
Secretary of State: Ted Metz 
US Senate: NOTA 

I'll be voting for the two individuals I've previously endorsed this election cycle: Bret Dunn for GA SD 42 & Brett Mauldin for GA HD 114. 

And I will be voting for the incumbents for the judicial races. 

Will be skipping anything else on my ballot. So it won't take me long to get in & out. 

Come November, I may very well vote GOP on some of the statewide seats & definitely state house & senate. 

Thinking November's gonna be a bloodbath. 

We'll see... 

- MBM