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ELECTION EDITION!
Close Enough, Right*: An Associated Bms
article by Michael Gormley that ran m the
Atbeni-Sontm-Htrvld last week ("Democrats
seize on tea party hopefuls' social stances,*
Tuesday, Oct. 12) contained a distortion in to
opening sentence that stood the Dope s haw
on end. "The tea party movement was bom in
anger," the article begins, "over the recession
and the Obama administration's bailouts, and
built largely on a platform of lower taxes and
smaller government." Then it goes on to taU
about how interesting it » that—surprise* —
A ram moment of harmony (albert with to erne
dissonance) m ehat has Imp an
some of the far-right candidates who won
Republican primaries are beginning to reveal
themselves as old-fashioned bigots as welt as
economic hard-liners.
But check that first sentence: "the Obamc
administration's bailouts’ Either the writer
is suggesting that tea partiers got all bent
out of shape about auto industry subsidies
but didn't have a problem with TARP, or he—
and his editors!—have forgotten, as the tea
party's corporate sponsors hope we all will
«t least tong enough to elect a bunch of
Republicans that the granddaddy of alt bail
outs was enacted by the Bush administration.
We expect Limbaugh and Fax News to
blame Obama for everything that's gone wrong
with the economy; they have a vested inter
est in doing so. But when in a throwaway line
in one of to news articles the quasi-official
organ of the U.S. print media is passing along
» blatantly false narrative tike this one. *
may be time to start getting weirded out.
We’re Back: After the Ontrict 5 Commission
candidates forum last week was blown up by
the deliberately unsettling presence of a per
von who shall henceforth remain nameless in
this column. Sunday frights first installment
of the Athens Press Club elec tier) forums
was refreshing in to relative Foe us on actual
issues. The legislative panel, which included
first candidates for Georgia Mouse
District 113 and Senate District A7,
then Russeti Edwards, the latest chal
lenger to U.S. Rep Paul Bmn. Jr.
to "debate* an empty chair was
certamly more contentious than the
ACC Commission forum, thanks mostly
to Democratic Senate hopeful Or Tim
RHey facing off against Republican
Frank Ginn in the deep-red District
A 7, Riley alternately express*
in being a Democrat and accused
Ginn of sounding like one—a tactic
that seemed somewhat to con
fuse. b»it mostly to annoy the
conservative Ginn. Democrat
Suzy Compere made an impressive
snowing her Republican opponent
in House 113, Hank Huckaby, and was the
only candidate to take a strong, dear stand
against school vouchers Edwards, of course,
sounded like a mom than credible alternative
to the embarrassment he seeks to replace.
On the commission side of the card. District
1 incumbent Doug Lowry held Ms own. tout
ing his experience and thoughtful decision-
making against challenger Farley Jones, who
overcame a slow start to acquit herself wet! by
showcasing her 30 years as a politically active
Athens resident. George Maxwell showed how
he's twice gotten himself elected in District 3,
calmly exerting Ms authority over challengers
Alvin Sheets and Donald Norris.
One of the mom interesting points in last
week's District S forum was Tom Ellis' stand
against zoning variances, which he said then
he was "not a fan oT as • general rule. Jamd
Bailey adopted a similar, if slightly mom
equivocal, position at the Press Club event,
saying he thought existing zoning was in
place to protect neighborhoods and shouldn't
often be changed. Dave Hudgins, who at the
earlier forum had defended Ms vote on the
planning commission to approve a variance
for a RaceTrac gas station but allowed that
ACC commissioners had. In the end. probably
made the right decision m voting unani
mously to deny it, again stressed Ms rational
and pragmatn approach on Sunday mght. That
race looks like a runoff, probably between
Batiey and either fttts or Hudgins
Oebatiog SPlOST: In anticipation of a "town
meeting' being held at the ACC Library at
6 p m Wednesday Oct. 20 to discuss the
pros and cons of the SFLOST referendum
flagpole—that iv Pete and the Dope— mvited
Rebuild SPtOST to organizer John Marsh to
sit down for a chat. Marsh focused mawdy on
his top priority, which H to reduce the post
of a new >ad that, at wed over $76 million
including financing costs, is by far the most
expensive project on the list. He believes that
if the referendum is defeated and put back
before voters in 2011 with a much cheaper
jaH, it win then be approved, but warm that
if the list passes in to current form, "it win be
such a disaster that no SPLOST wiU ever pass
again." That's obviously a
pretty bold prediction, as is Marsh s claim that
rnffl \ 1 wry pOUVNUf ww
legislature wril enact reforms by IOTA to abom
voters to approve or vote down each tndMd-
uol project on a Shi OS T ndamnd&m—which
would drastically alter the way the process
works and could have a profound «f act on
counties' ability to fund less "sexy" projects
(ike road improvements that the current sys
tem is designed to carry m on the coattails of
popular items tike parks and gmtnwayv Asked
what he thought about the chances of such
a change. ACC Commissioner Ketiy Gwtz. who
supports the current list, said he doubts even
the most conservative af state lawmakers
would fad to realize the onus that would place
on counties to hod alternative sources of
funding WeTi revisit this topic next week
Ptappwig It Up: The candidates for Clarke
County Board of Education in District 7 w*U
square of? in a ,, pg ANbMRMfl tp dkp Hr ipi
Elementary FTA on Oct. 27 at 6 p.m. in
the media center at Barrow Elementary. 100
Pinecwst Dr. All three candidates for the
seat—Carole Lumpkin. David Redman and
Carol dhttsams—have said they w«U attend .
Be sum to pick up Hoppe* next week for
one of our most important election features:
follow the Money * a listing of contributors
to ad the local political campaigns.
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Hm Qmrmmt* Pubml ; ■
JUDGE David
> 19ueLta.«' • -»V
Or vote
at die
Dear Friends,
Since 2003, it has been my honor and privilege to serve the
citizens of Clarke and Oconee Counties as Judge of Superior
Court. Each day, I’ve gone to work for you, mindful of my
responsibility to our community and the trust you have placed in
me. I know that what happens in the courtroom affects our entire
community.
As a judge, I’ve done my best to make sure that justice is done
and that your rights are protected.
I hope you approve of the job I have done. I ask that you vote
to re-elect me on November 2nd.
M
2nd
www.j jdgeDavidSweat. com
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