Observations©

By Donald S. Conkey

Date: June 10, 2010 - # 1024 - Title: Become an informed Georgia voter before you vote? (4186)

Here is Georgia voters suspect that Election Day is just around the corner by the increased number of candidate mailings, TV spots, and e-mail messages they receive. And they are right. The Georgia primaries will be held on July 20 – less than five weeks away. Sadly, I suspect, there are still far too many voters who have yet to determine who they are going to vote for on July 20.

In addition to all the candidate promotions and phone surveys asking who you plan to vote for I have another clue the primary is just around the corner. Joan, my wife, is the manager of a local precinct and she is busy getting her staff lined up, each with the required paper work, while coordinating with the local school personnel to see that everything is in place for July 20. Being precinct managers and workers on Election Day is often an 18 hour day. But thanks to these ‘local community volunteers’ Georgia’s elections function much more smoothly.

The voting booth is where voters can express their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with current elected officials by either returning them to office or by voting them out of office. And as was said in an earlier column there are ten Georgians who want to be Georgia’s next governor – nine male, one female, with no incumbent in the mix. During the July 20 primary, and the primary runoff on August 10, voters will choose two candidates, one democrat, one republican, to represent their party in the November election. Georgia voters are now going to have to make their choice on who they would like to be their party’s candidate in November.

But now is the time for voters to prepare to make that choice, a choice that will determine Georgia’s leadership for the next four years. This is an awesome responsibility. Unfortunately far too many don’t feel inclined to accept that responsibility and refuse to participate in their government – even to vote.

To help me make my choice for July 20 I attended most of the local events that featured various political candidates, asked them pertinent questions and collected their handouts. Later I found all state-wide candidates posted on the Secretary of State’s web site. Then, while listening to the various candidates at these meetings I developed ‘a feel for the candidate’ – a feel as to their understanding of America’s Foundational Documents and if they are prepared to lead or are only run-of-the ‘politicians.’

In reading a candidate’s e-mails I often learn a great deal about the candidate’s character. I also learn more about a candidate’s character from his/her opponent’s e-mails. Count on a candidate’s opponents to dig out and make public any and all ‘dirt’ or ‘dirty linen’ hidden in a candidate’s closet. Many refer to this political practice as dirty politics but, believe it not, it does provide a very useful service in the election process. These e-mails bring to light many issues in a candidate’s background pertinent to the election and speak to the candidate character that needs to be openly aired before the election. Most wish it were otherwise but this an important element in weeding out potential corruption and scandal.

The candidate’s TV and radio ads provide another opportunity to judge a candidate’s character. These ads also tell voters which candidates have money and which don’t. They also help voters understand which candidates are sincere and which are ‘pandering to a gullible public,’ making promises so improbable they sound Obamish – great sound bites, promising everything to everyone but not realistic or even doable. But they sound good to a gullible public who wants governmental care from the cradle to the grave.  

Listening to these Obamish sounding TV ads helps me understand its time for me to learn more about which candidate is worthy of my vote. At these local political meetings I look a candidate squarely in the eye and ask them pertinent questions. Georgians can not afford to make a mistake in selecting their next governor, or any of their state wide office holders. The voters can not even make a mistake in choosing their local city mayor, their county commissioner, or even their school board. Far too much is at stake – America’s continued freedoms and liberties.

I recently heard someone comment that freedom is not free. And it isn’t! Freedom requires input from all members of the community, in every nook and crook of Georgia – and throughout America. And it requires that voters make choices based on character and ability, not on false Obamish like promises.

In less than five weeks Georgia voters are going to have to make many choices – between a number of Georgians who want to be elected to public office – who then, if elected, will make or enforce the laws that will affect your life and my life. Please don’t wait until you walk into the voting booth before knowing who you will vote for. To do so could be harmful to your freedom. So become better informed - now!