Observations©

By Donald S. Conkey

Date: March 11, 2010 - # 1011 - Title: Ask bold questions of all political candidates (838/4274)

Last Saturday morning I again attended the Cherokee County Republican Party’s monthly breakfast at the Lodges near Sixes. I attend these monthly meetings for several reasons, one being social, I like the people that run the organization (they are good people concerned about their government), but the primary reason is because I get to meet many of those individuals who are running for public office.

Sometimes unexpected pleasures occur while attending these breakfasts. On Saturday Bob Schmiedt, a neighbor here in Eagle Watch, and a lobbyist by trade who works with Maria Strollo, offered to get in line and pick up my breakfast for me. I have an affinity for lobbyists because back in the early sixties I was a lobbyist for Georgia’s dairy farmers. Bob filled me in on what was happening under the Gold Dome during the current session. It brought back many memories. It was a delightful breakfast. And while we were eating Gary Black came over and sat with us and I learned that he was tutored by Senator Herman Talmadge as I had been many years ago. Senator Talmadge taught me some very valuable lessons in dealing with people, especially large groups of people who have political agendas.

Incidentally, I remember the names of the candidates attending the breakfast because they gave me their card and literature. Then I made notes on their literature about my impressions of each candidate before putting their literature in my ‘Candidates File” at home. I am making a list of those who are running for the various offices. This system helps me clarify who is the better candidate worthy of my vote and I am much better prepared when I enter the voting booth for the July primary or for the November general election.

            But my process goes beyond just meeting the candidates. I ask them questions, questions about their qualifications to represent me in elective office; and about their political philosophy, especially about the Constitution of the United States, that if elected, they will be required to take an oath to uphold. At this particular breakfast I met three candidates for state wide office. They were Gerry Purcell who wants to be Georgia’s next Insurance Commissioner, Gary Black who wants to be Georgia’s new Agriculture Commissioner, and Melvin Everson, an African American republican who wants to be Georgia’s next Labor Commissioner, and surprisingly, he is running on a platform to eliminate that office. How refreshing.

            The questions I ask the candidates were developed by a group of twelfth grade students in Arizona. Their questions are pointed and center on the principles of freedom and liberty America’s Founding Fathers embedded in America’s three Foundational Documents during America’s birthing years in the late 1700s. These students created a list of eighteen questions. Voters would do well to ponder these questions and use them, it they fit their political leanings, on those candidates you come in contact with. The first three of these questions, with comments, are:

Question 1: What is the concept of unalienable rights as mentioned by Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence? Unalienable rights are those rights given to each human being by the Creator. They cannot be taken away by man without man coming under the judgment of Him who gave that right. This quickly gets to the root of a person’s political philosophy. A person’s concept of unalienable rights reveals his/her belief in a Creator, the equal rights to life, liberty and property of man, and the proper role of government. Unalienable rights must not be confused with vested rights which are rights created, given, and sometimes changed or taken away by the people or their governments.

Question 2: Explain your feeling about this statement: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”  This statement was made by John Adams who, with the other Founders, believed that freedom can only be maintained on the basis of virtue and morality. As we are seeing today, proposed solutions to problems can be made by the dozens, but unless the solutions are based on principles of morality and virtue as taught by religion, they will never solve problems.

Question 3: As a public official, you will be required to take an oath to uphold and preserve the Constitution of the United States. When is the last time you undertook a serious study of the Constitution and can you identify one or two areas where you feel the Constitution is being violated today? Every public official in the United States, no matter at what level of government, must take an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution. It logically follows then that citizens expect the candidates to know that document pretty well.

            All eighteen of the student’s questions can be found on line at www.nccs.net . Print them off! Use them! Then sign up to receive NCCS’s free monthly newsletter where these questions came from.