We have completed 26 days of the 2008 session and Senate committees have been working late into the evening, as we try to pass as many Senate bills as possible by the 30th legislative day, which is otherwise known as “Crossover Day.”

The House convened this [past] week on Tuesday for the 23rd day of our 40-day legislative session. On the floor, we adopted legislation addressing our continued transportation funding problems, education and local school boards and an adoption tax credit.

Invited to speak briefly to the seniors group at Fayette First Presbyterian, I flipped through some stuff I’d written and found odds and ends that have never been tucked into a file for later use.

As we approach the celebration of the greatest event that has ever taken place, the resurrection of Jesus, perhaps we need to examine our hearts to make sure that we have not allowed this focal point of the Christian faith to simply be noted as another holiday. The resurrection of Jesus is the message of the New Testament church. It is what we are to proclaim to the world until He comes. It was the message of the church of Acts that God confirmed with great signs and wonders. Mark 16:20 says, “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.” It is the same message that He still confirms today.

[Editor’s note: The dean and towering intellect of the American conservative movement — William F. Buckley Jr. — died in his study sometime Tuesday night. He had been ill for some time with emphysema, and had not filed a column since the first day of February. In that column, he used the previous night’s Obama-Clinton debate to assay the candidates’ use of the English language, an instrument and weapon of which he has been the absolute master for more than a half century. That Feb. 1 column — Buckley’s last — is reprinted below.]

Bookings to promote my new book, “Stupid Black Men: How to Play the Race Card — and Lose,” have been difficult. Many media outlets — television, radio, magazines — flatly turn me down, because they find the title “offensive.”

[Editor’s note: The dean and towering intellect of the American conservative movement — William F. Buckley Jr. — died in his study sometime Tuesday night. He had been ill for some time with emphysema, and had not filed a column since the first day of February. In that column, he used the previous night’s Obama-Clinton debate to assay the candidates’ use of the English language, an instrument and weapon of which he has been the absolute master for more than a half century. That Feb. 1 column — Buckley’s last — is reprinted below.]

“What can we, as the men of the church, do to make your life easier?” The question came from one of the men attending a Men’s Prayer Breakfast at our church where I had just concluded some remarks and had opened the floor to questions. In over 35 years of ministry, it was the first time I had been asked that question. Oh, people have said, “How can I help?” or “What do you need?” but not, “What can we do to make your life easier?”

God only knows how it came to this. Just 78.4 percent of Americans currently profess affiliation with a Christian body. And a quarter of Americans ages 18-29 disclaim membership in any religion. Meanwhile, 12.1 percent of adults describe their religion as “nothing in particular.” All this while Mormons and Muslims outbreed everyone else.

The front page of the New York Times has increasingly become the home of editorials disguised as “news” stories. Too often it has become the home of hoaxes.

If you believe big media, the economy is in trouble. If you worry about job layoffs and your inability to pay bills, you may be thinking about voting for Democrats this fall, which is the point of the negative media coverage.

Whence this urge to reunite with persons from our past? I suppose it’s part of the aging process. We wonder how this one is, or where, and what have they done with their lives.

[Editor’s note: The Citizen received the following email Monday from our syndicated columnist, Ronda Rich.]

Dear friends, with heavy heart and tear-soaked cheeks, I must tell you that my Mama died suddenly yesterday of a brain aneurysm.

This year’s session of the Georgia General Assembly is more than half complete. Friday, Feb. 22, marked day 22 of the 2008 session.

We surged past the halfway point of the session this [past] week, and daily business is now moving very rapidly.

Among the many pieces of legislation that passed, I am happy to report that the Fiscal Year 2008 amended budget has now passed the Senate.

The 2008 legislative session is now more than half-way complete, but much important work remains.

Key issues that we still must address are tax reform, a budget that is fiscally responsible and meets the needs of our citizens, transportation, and trauma care.

Word is getting out about Clayton State University — Fayette. Everyday we receive phone calls, emails, and visits by people looking for more information. For those who may have similar questions, I thought I would answer some of the most common inquiries.

Answers to your questions about life, religion and the Bible

Pastors get some of the darnedest, most interesting questions from people in their churches and people they meet. Here are a few that I’ve gotten over the years of my ministry and via email since this column started.

There are many things you can do to insure a happy marriage. Throwing out chocolate a week after Valentine’s Day because everyone in the house is supposed to be on a diet ain’t one of them.

Outrage!

MSNBC's David Shuster, sitting in for Tucker Carlson, criticized the use by Sen. Clinton of her daughter, Chelsea. Shuster said, "Doesn't it seem like Chelsea is being pimped out in some weird sort of way?"

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Overwhelming repudiation of President Pervez Musharraf by Pakistan's voters did not immediately dilute the Bush administration's support for him. On the contrary, the first election returns were barely in Monday night when the U.S. government began pressing victorious opposition leaders not to impeach the former military strongman.

I first met John F. Douglas, Jr., early in 1971 when I called upon his daughter. It must have been a difficult time for him and his wife Bette for I was not a particularly good prospect as a son-in-law. I was working as a bag boy at a local supermarket, had no idea what I wanted to be, and was taking a few classes at the university, although I wasn’t highly motivated and my grades reflected that fact.

Like Michelle Obama, I am a "woman of color." Like Michelle Obama, I am a working mother of two young children. Like Michelle Obama, I am a member of the 13th generation of Americans born since the founding of our great nation.

The Obama Express hurtles through the night, flattening skeptics and, with especial relish, Clintonites. But the Express's present fuel -- hope and change and whoop-de-do -- is going to run short once the campaign, not against Hillary, but against a generally united Republican Party, commences.

The Berkeley city council has made national news by telling Marine Corps recruiters that they are unwelcome in that bastion of the academic left.

If we look to benefits only, we'll do darn near anything because there's always a benefit. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that there were 43,443 highway fatalities in 2005. If we had a maximum speed law of 15 mph, the death toll wouldn't be nearly as high, probably not even as high as 500. You say, "Williams, that's a crazy idea!" You're right, but let's not call it crazy; it's more accurate to say: saving some 43,000 lives aren't worth the cost and inconvenience of a 15 mph speed limit.

If you’ve browsed this space a dozen times, you may recall my addiction to words and syntax. In Germany there are probably three bookstores per block in every town of any size at all, and what amazes me is that they are invariably packed with customers.

As the halfway mark of the 2008 legislative session approaches, we continue to move legislation through the General Assembly, and key initiatives continue to be heard in committee prior to consideration by the full House.

It was back to business this [past] week in the General Assembly, as senators and representatives returned to the Gold Dome for another week of the 2008 session. We are rapidly approaching the halfway point of the session, and many new bills have been introduced in both chambers.