Photo above is the largest listening tour after the Presidents election 2009-RURAL CD1
As a Rural Progressive writing from the deep south I do see things transpire in a way that makes me glad to have an awareness and perception that let's me learn things so I can share. We have a run-off in Georgia's first Congressional District; The vote split 30-30-30-
with a guy that had no website, Facebook presence, or debate-forum appearance. How did he pull it off? I MUST TELL YOU.
We in Georgia are loosing active Republican Parties in rural counties. Now it might be said that Tea Party folk have messed a lot of that up, but I am not so sure. As the Congressional Chair I thought this race would come down to the two bona-fide candidates who met in public forums, had websites, social media presence and the like. No, it came down 30-30-30 for a black candidate named Marc Anthony Smith who did nothing but attack the female candidate on social media until he was warned to stop the character assassinations and link his platform, his website, his thoughts etc. No attack on the other male...
Well, to make a long story very short, he missed the run-off by less than 100 votes. What is disparaging to me is the two other candidates actually campaigned. Smith did not. I, at first thought,Operation Chaos from Rush Limbaugh's line of thinking because we have had Republican Parties fold in rural Counties. Two in my Congressional District in particular. One has been defunct for two years and the Board of Elections gathers the qualifying fees. Where are they going? Back into the Democratic fold as Dixie-crats and bullies.
While I thought Tea Party operatives were screwing our Congressional race; after looking county by county at the results, I saw the pattern. Michelle Nunn won 61%. Then the rest were 30-30-30%. In white counties with less that 15% African American I saw 30-40% turnout. YES, you heard it. I have it on good word that the coordinated effort to thwart two decent democratic candidates was organized through the Masonic Lodges and their wives across my deep south district. No one has mentioned a run-off in Georgia's 1st CD for Democrats, nor did Rachael Maddow say a word that we had three other Senate Candidates running... Yet, we may have a chance to win a seat for our President. Does anyone out in the rest on these United States care what is happening in Georgia?
On an executive committee call which was not "official" I told the Democratic Party of Georgia at the end of the glowing call that we have a run-off in CD1; in which they of course did not mention. I also voiced my despair and aggravation that stalwart progressive Democrats who have been hanging on for years in our party are now being made to watch the insidious elephant setting camping right in our Party, Platform, and Ideals. We support the President yet the Democrats here are so hell bent on Nunn, Nunn, Nunn, I am beginning to think Jason Carter is a Herring to. Just get Nunn elected so we can capitalize on the dixie-crats money again and continue cheap labor economics in the deep south.
So, as they spoke of low voter turnout, I was able to praise the HIGH voter turnout of my whitest rural counties......No this is no tea party chaos, this is a planned attack on our Democracy. Folks, in Georgia we don't declare our party affiliation when we register, we just ask for the Dem or Rep Ballot during Primary. Nor are we allowed as Democratic Officials to endorse and let folk know who is the real Democrat and not the Republican Operative. At the end of the "Executive Meeting Un-official" call, I asked them all, are we truly going to stand by while elections are trounced like mine in CD1 with very well organized white voters and how do we deal with the influx of these same old Democrats (former Republicans who smell the air changing) now running back to our County Parties? All I heard was Amen, Amen, and a few other Amen's; we can't let our folk who have held this party together while under attack just let go while Republicans start running our State from our own Camp. I don't know, what to think, I did not bite my tongue because in the most blue of my counties turnout was 10%. We all have a problem now. It is still racist, voter suppression, and undermining of Democracy at it's core.
So, don't worry about Nunn getting elected in my neck of the woods, high turnouts, Gettin paid pastors and representatives, and whoops don't forget duplicity on the party of democratic "leadership'. AMEN to that one. Amen, Amen, and Amen....That is all I heard when I brought up my concerns.....A plus, plus, plus to the MEN.