This diary is cross-posted at The Examiner
Incumbent Sonny Perdue is preparing to grab his coat and hat on the way out of his term-limited door. Georgia’s 81st governor has held the big chair since his inauguration in January of 2003 and as intriguing as his stay in office has been, this is the story of where we could go, rather than where we have been.
The mass of information on the topic of Georgia’s 2010 gubernatorial election is truly staggering and with that in mind, consider this a primer of sorts. Primary elections for both the Democratic and Republican parties take place in July. If run-off elections are needed, those follow the primary by two weeks.
The primer is below the fold:
Libertarians:
John Monds is the sole Libertarian candidate and is the current president of the Grady County NAACP. Monds' Website.
Education: "It is not that we aren’t investing in education; empirical evidence shows that we are, with over 55% of the state budget dedicated to education. It should be obvious that spending more is not the answer."
Energy: "My administration will seek repeal of the Georgia Nuclear Energy Financing Act." "I will actively oppose any attempt by Congress to implement a cap-and-trade system and new CAFE standards on automobiles, both of which pose a threat to the economic prosperity of Georgia families, many of whom are still recovering and in some cases still suffering from the recession"
Economics: "In keeping with my belief in free markets and limited government, government should not attempt to provide or fund ventures that can be reasonably provided by private entities. Any spending that goes beyond the basic functions of government will be met with my veto." "My administration will not engage in protectionist practices. I will promote free trade and competition by working with the legislature to eliminate barriers that inhibit business."
Republicans:
Nathan Deal, Georgia’s 9th district representative. Deal for Governor . The quotes on issues which follow can also be found at the aforementioned link.
Economy: "Nathan Deal is as conservative as they come. He champions tax cuts and limited government and he advocates free-market solutions, not government takeovers or bailouts."
Values: "Nathan fights for the values he learned from his parents, his community, and his church. As our next Governor, he'll promote those same values and leadership. He's a passionate, consistent defender of innocent, unborn life."
Note: Nathan Deals’ website proved fairly vague and self-congratulatory, which is interesting as Crew's Most Corrupt named representative Deal as one of the 15 most corrupt members of congress.
Jeff Chapman, state senator of the 150th Georgia General Assembly. http://www.jeffchapmanforgovernor.com/
Environment: "Conservation is important to our watersheds and rivers; our parks and other open spaces—all of which are vital for the health of our citizens and the sustainability of local economies."
Rights: "He believes citizens have the right to use firearms for purposes of self-defense, sport shooting and hunting and that right should not be infringed upon." "Jeff is a recognized champion of private property rights. He led the fight to protect against eminent domain abuse." "Jeff has a 100% Pro Life voting record. He has been endorsed by Georgia Right to Life in each of his state Senate elections. As Governor, he will use the full-extent of his constitutional powers and the power of persuasion to protect innocent human life and to promote a positive culture of life."
John Oxendine, http://www.johnoxendine.com/ Insurance Commissioner of Georgia and as of July 2008, the GOP favorite as reported by a Fox affiliate: http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/... .
Taxation: "We are going to bring the voices of all Fair Tax supporters to bear on our state legislatures and ask for only one thing: to repeal the 16th amendment and pass the Fair Tax."
Rights: "We will enforce existing law and use the state Constitution to put Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers out of business in Georgia. Life is a precious gift from our Creator." "I will never rest until we ensure that we have protected the Second Amendment and made every effort to ensure our Constitutional Right to Keep and Bear Arms."
Karen Handel served as State Secretary for Georgia 2007-2010. http://www.karenhandel.com
State Workforce: "(P)ermanent reduction in the size of Georgia's state workforce as one way to address budget shortfalls and focus on the key priorities in providing service to Georgia taxpayers." http://www.chattanoogan.com/...
General Issues: "Calls for Lower Taxes, Balanced Regulation, Expanded Access to Capital and Reduced Health Care Costs to Drive Job Creation."
Ray McBerry, a self-professed constitutionalist, platforms on an emphasis on both the 2nd and 10th amendments. http://georgiafirst.org/...
Education: "I believe that there are three things that we could begin to do immediately that would greatly improve the quality of education for all of Georgia's children without raising a penny of new taxes. (1) Local control, (2) More competition (3) Vocational Training."
Taxes: "I support the abolition of both income and property taxes and the replacement of them with a state sales tax. It is my belief that any graduated tax based upon income is Marxist and should be repudiated."
Eric Johnson, state Senate President Pro Tempore. http://www.johnsonforgeorgians.com/
Rights: "Helped amend the Georgia Constitution to protect our hunting and fishing rights, to uphold private property rights, and to defend the sanctity of marriage. Wrote legislation to allow student-initiated prayer in classrooms and at school events. Recognized by pro-life, 2nd Amendment, and taxpayer groups for his leadership."
Education: "Passed the "School Safety Act" that requires notification of local school systems when a juvenile is convicted of a felony and sets up an alternative school curriculum. Strengthened discipline in the classroom and gave teachers' protection from frivolous lawsuits. Created Georgia's first voucher program for education that allows parents of children with special needs to send their child to the public or private school of their choice."
Austin Scott is the representative of District 153 in the Georgia General Assembly. http://www.scottforga.com/
Economy: "As a business owner, Austin knows that by simplifying regulatory compliance, lowering taxes, and improving hiring conditions, Georgia’s economy will move forward"
Education: "Austin believes in local control, accountability, and providing incentives for teachers and students to excel. His proposal for an incentive program called "Bridges Beyond" will pair the leadership of high-achieving schools with other schools throughout the State and through a series of grants and rewards encourage partnerships beyond system borders that reward the mentor school as well as the school that they are helping to improve."
Democrats:
Roy Barnes served as Georgia’s 80th Governor from January 1999 to January 2003. http://www.roy2010.com/
Environment: "Currently, we are in a major water crisis because of the escalation of the dispute with Alabama and Florida over Lake Lanier. This poses a threat to everything we have built in Georgia, as well as the dreams and expectations that we have for the future of our state. Immediate action is imperative – a government that procrastinates damages Georgia’s future."
Education: "If government must tighten its belt, it shouldn’t use it to strangle teachers. Incentives should be offered to teachers who obtain National Board Certification, or act as mentors to other teachers." "...reducing the number of valuable school days dedicated to standardized testing in order to give Georgia children every opportunity to succeed. Policy makers should work with teachers to make sure that the required tests actually provide the information they need for assessing student performance."
David Poythress during the Democratic Debate of Athens, February 2, 2010 stated, "As Governor, I will not draw a salary until this state comes under 7% unemployment. That’s my pledge to walk the walk with the people of Georgia." http://www.poythressforgovernor.com/
Transportation: "I will jump start the intermediate and long range strategic planning process to ultimately produce an extensive system of rail, roads and paths that will provide for the transportation needs of Georgia families and businesses for the next 50-70 years."
Energy: "I will support the rapid expansion of alternative energy production right here in Georgia. By offering interest-free or low cost loans to Georgia-based biofuel production companies (switch grass ethanol, wood waste fuel and other agricultural and forest byproducts), we can become what some have called the "Saudia[sic] Arabia of biofuels" and create an industry that will create high-paying jobs across the state. Georgia can also become a leader in solar and wind energy production. While a recent bill will subsidize the installation of new solar panels and wind turbines, as Governor I want to further expand these incentives for rapid expansion of this industry."
Carl Camon, mayor of Ray City, has traveled to Haiti, Dominican Republic and New Orleans to aid victims of natural disaster. "If a natural disaster of this magnitude happens in Georgia, the Governor needs to know how to act swiftly and precisely in order to save as many lives as possible and meet the needs of all Georgians." http://www.camonforgovernor.com/
Economics: "Perform a cost-benefit analysis and where necessary adjust current tax breaks and loopholes, by ensuring that certain classes of corporations pay their share of taxes." "Reduce our dependency on fossil fuels, and increase our use of wind and solar energy, therefore reducing the overall associated costs. Ensure that Georgia leads the way in becoming a more green state."
Transportation: "Support the installation of electric power stations along interstate routes, to encourage the use of more energy efficient vehicles and reduce harmful emissions." "Ensure the protection and restoration of the Local Assistance Road Program (LARP) Funding to support the transportation infrastructure needs of cities and counties."
Thurbert Baker is a former Representative of the Georgia House and the current state Attorney General. http://www.thurbertbaker.com
Education: "Baker was a leader in passing the state lottery and the lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship program."
Law Enforcement: "He promoted tough new laws against sexual predators who target children via the Internet, and has aggressively worked with local prosecutors and police to bring those who target children online to justice. Baker has also been a leading voice against domestic violence. He fought to make it a crime to commit an act of domestic violence in the presence of a child and he’s worked with local law enforcement and communities to assist victims of domestic violence all over Georgia."
DuBose Porter, Georgia state House Minority Leader emphasizes a focus on economics on his campaign website: http://porterforgeorgia.uber.matchbi...
Healthcare: "From reexamining mental health to protecting school nurses and Peachcare for children of working families, a healthy state is a state that saves money."
Law Enforcement: "On all sides of law and justice, Georgia is suffering. Our law enforcement officers are being reduced to unsafe numbers while our growing prison population is becoming financially unsustainable. Georgia is number one in the percentage of our population in the correction system. Education is directly related to prison populations. It is much less expensive to educate a child now, than imprison one later."
Independents:
Al Bartell is the candidate representing the Independent Party and has been contacted to illustrate his stance on various issues. Follow-up will be forthcoming as provided. http://www.albartell.com/