October Speculatron Local Edition:Saturday Political Soap Box 94

I admit that I pay more attention to local politics than national.

It's just frustrating living in a a state and area that has so freely given itself over to one party control.  Even as a dedicated progressive, I know how important it is to have a diversity of voices in a legislative body, and to have people who are willing to compromise and work together.  But we don't have that in Georgia, and the state is suffering for it.

We have the highest unemployment rate in the country, clocking in at 8.1% for August 2014.

We have a gallopingly increasing gap between the wealthy and the poor.

The Governor is constantly DEAL-ing with corruption charges.

The signature program that has helped Georgia stand out as a state, the Hope Scholarship, is under constant attack, being forced to retreat and shrink.

We have passed a Guns Everywhere law that throws out common sense and puts guns in situations that will put more of our citizens at risk.  Guns in bars?  What could possibly go wrong?

Public education in Georgia is under siege, with money being diverted to private schools, and even charter schools who often do not perform as well as public schools.  But they sure provide a great living for the entrepreneurs at the top of the charter school food chain.  I mean, really?  Who cares if kids are getting educated as long as you're getting rich!

In the Governor's race, one can only hope that enough people have woken up to the corruption and incompetence of the Deal administration.  Yes, it's true that Jason Carter let us down on the Guns Everywhere bill, but I think he is the kind of pragmatic politician we need, capable of moving the state forward, even if it means compromises with a far right state legislature.  JASON CARTER SHOULD WIN.

For Senate, should this even be a close call?  Another pragmatic Democrat, Michelle Nunn, is running against David Perdue, a wealthy CEO that BRAGS about outsourcing jobs.  I do wish Michelle Nunn was more progressive, but I have no doubt that she will be more effective for Georgia and the nation compared to Mr. Outsource.  THIS IS A TOSS-UP, ONE I PRAY GOES TO MICHELLE NUNN.

Anyone who cares about public education, especially those teachers who for some bizarre reason are still voting for Republicans, need to take a hard look at State School Superintendent and vote for an educator with a proven track record of supporting public education, Valerie Wilson.  VALERIE WILSON SHOULD WIN.

For U.S, Congress, we can only hope that we don't simply rubber stamp another far right extremist in Buddy Carter, who will be uncompromising and only contribute to the political gridlock in Washington.  Send a message that no political party should be able to take any district for granted.  SADLY, BUDDY CARTER WILL WIN.  But please, vote your conscience.

One of the ballot measures is to permanently freeze state income tax rates.  Do not be suckered into this.  You may think that will just force the legislature to limit spending.  Hahahaha!  It will just increase more regressive forms of taxation.  Increased sales tax, higher millage rates, more fees and duties will all come about.  It's a trick, my friends, designed to transfer more of the tax burden on to those least able to afford it. And gutting public education and infrastructure spending is not the way to move the state forward.  It will just accelerate us towards being a Dickensian backwater. THIS WILL PROBABLY PASS, AND THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE BRUTAL.

In Pierce County, as to local races, IT'S OVER.  There are no Democratic opponents.  State legislature candidates on down to county races, are all unopposed.  Welcome to local politics, Soviet Russia style.

And that brings me to why the state-wide Democrats may actually have a chance this year.  Many voters are primarily concerned with local races, because those are the people they know.  But in many conservative areas of the state, those races were all decided in the primaries.  As far as they're concerned, they've done their job.  They may or may not show up to the polls this November.  Do you think that supporting Mr. Corruption (Governor Deal) or Mr. Outsource (David Perdue) is enough to drive conservative voters to the polls?

Let's break away form one party rule, Georgia.  Let's have a shifting balance of power in the state.  Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

It's time to move Georgia forward.