Newspaper Page Text
The True Citizen, Wednesday, August 25, 2021 — Page 5
Michael N. Searles
THE LITTLE TABLE
There used to be a tradition
in some families of having
two tables for holiday meals.
There was the big table for
adults and a little table for chil
dren. There was a presumption
adult conversation was not for
the ears of children and chil
dren should have their own
conversations. Once a young
person reached a certain age,
he or she graduated to the big
table. In some large families,
the need for additional seating
prompted setting up several
children’s tables.
There are little tables in vari
ous aspects of society where
those who sit have a small
and sometimes insignificant
voice. Politically speaking,
until 1919, women in federal
elections sat at the little table.
They could talk with their
fathers, husbands, and broth
ers, but politically they could
not express their independent
thought.
Native Americans only
became citizens of the United
States in 1924. Their right to
vote in U.S. elections was rec
ognized in 1948 with the land
mark cases Harrison v. Laveen
and Trujillo v. Garley, but not
until 1962 did Utah formally
remove the barriers to Indian
enfranchisement.
It was not until 1990 that
Americans with disabilities
were federally protected from
discrimination. One of the
areas of discrimination was
access to the ballot box.
Increasingly, various groups
have challenged the idea that
they should be restricted to the
little table. This was evident
in the 2020 election and 2021
runoff. A large segment of
Georgia voters decided to par
ticipate in the general and run
off elections. Many of those
voters said emphatically that
they no longer wanted to sit
at the little table and that they
had graduated to the big table
of full political participation.
Republicans in previous
elections usually won runoff
elections because only 40-
60% of those who voted in the
general election turned out.
However, Georgia saw a 90%
runoff turnout that catapulted
Democratic Senators Jon Os-
soff and Raphael Wamock into
office. The folks at the little
table had awakened and dem
onstrated the role they wanted
to play in electoral politics.
There used to be a pride in
seeing those graduating to the
big table and take their place
among responsible adults.
Prior to the 2021 Election
Integrity Act, nine weeks sepa
rated the general election from
the runoff. Now the runoff is
required to be held 28 days
after the general election. Re
strictions also were placed on
early voting basically requiring
it to be held on weekdays.
Early voting regulations
make it difficult or in some
cases impossible for counties
to offer weekend early voting
during a runoff especially if
additional time is needed to
finish work from the previous
election. Because of the shorter
period before a runoff election,
military and overseas voters
will have ranked-choice vot
ing on their general election or
primary ballots.
These actions purportedly
were enacted to ensure “elec
tion integrity,” but it does
not take a legal expert to see
its purpose. The Republican
legislature was disappointed
in the results of the 2020 and
2021 elections, and the solu
tion was to keep it from hap
pening again. The Republican
voter base is diminishing while
people of color, youth, and
suburban voters lean toward
or heavily support Democrats.
The Republican Party faces
a choice of expanding the Re
publican base or decreasing
the number of those unlikely
to vote for them. Republicans
nationwide have adopted a
short-term strategy that will
in time fail, but a plan many
Republicans are willing to
implement.
In 2012, after the loss to
President Obama, the Repub
lican National Committee
authorized the “Growth and
Opportunity Project.” It tied
future party victories to an
extensive outreach to women,
African-Americans, Asian,
Hispanic and gay voters. This
path to victory no longer has
resonance among Republicans
and has been replaced with
heads we win; tails you lose.
This is not only a losing strat
egy for the Republican Party;
it is disastrous for our democ
racy. Winning at all costs is not
winning at all.
Bird dog
up on nine years. As a county
employee, you can’t beat those
kinds of benefits. But as a tax
payer, I’ll say it’s unsustainable
long-term, even at the risk of
taking a beating from some of
my fellow county workers.
The millions in property
taxes generated by Plant Vogtle
and a willing and well-meaning
county commission make all
this possible.
Well, that and an apathetic
public that fails to pay attention
Continued from 4
to what’s going on in their local
government.
For more Burke County
political news, follow Bird Dog
Politics on Facebook
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES
Burke County is seeking an architectural firm or individual architect to provide architectural
and design services for its Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus (CDBG-CV)
application. The award of the architectural contract for this project is contingent upon the grant
being funded by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. Responding firms should be
technically qualified and licensed to provide the design and inspection services for local state
and federally funded projects including architectural services and programs.
Procedures for selection of an individual/firm will be in accordance with the RFQ package
and local procurement requirements, as well as the requirements of the Uniform Administration
Requirements (“the common rule”) 24 CFR Part 85.36 and the Georgia Community Develop
ment Block Grant Program Recipients Manual. This is a Section 3 contract opportunity.
The County reserves the right to request additional information from any consultant submit
ting under this RFQ if the County deems such information necessary to further evaluate the
consultant’s qualifications. The County reserves the right to interview any consultant submitting
under this RFQ. The County reserves the right to waive informalities and minor irregularities
in submittals and reserves the sole right to determine what constitutes informalities or minor
irregularities. Consultants shall be responsible for all costs associated with consultant’s submittal.
The County reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to reject all submissions,reissue a subse
quent RFQ, terminate, restructure or amend this procurement process at any time. Evaluation
criteria contained herein shall be used in evaluating qualifications. The County may contact any
consultant after receiving its submittal to seek clarification of any portion thereof. The County
reserves the right to request additional information from any consultant if the County deems
such information necessary to further evaluate the consultant’s qualifications. In the event the
County elects to negotiate a contract with a selected consultant, the County reserves the right
to negotiate such terms and conditions of the contract, including, but not limited to scope, role,
price, and staffing which may be in the best interests of the County.
All qualifications will be evaluated in terms of project approach, timing, experience, quality of
work, and capacity of performance. Past performances on local government construction projects
will be assessed in terms of timeliness, completing work within budget, and quality of work.
Interested parties are invited to secure a Request for Qualifications package by calling Nicee
D. Fong, Planning and Development Specialist, 706-651-7301 or emailing nlong@csrarc.ga.gov.
Request for Qualifications are due no later than 4:30 PM, Monday, September 27,2021. Pro
posals submitted by mail should be addressed: Nicee D. Fong, CSRA Regional Commission,
3626 Walton Way Ext. Suite 300, Augusta, GA 30909. Request for Qualifications received
after 4:30 p.m. on September 27,2021, will not be considered.
Burke County reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals. Burke County is an
Equal Opportunity Employer.
Terri Fodge Kelly
Chairman
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BIKE COUNTY BUSINESS DIRECTORY
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Family owned 8, operated
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