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Republican
chairman sees governor
as angering lots of potential voters
By Buzz Brockway
Chairman
Gwinnett Republican Party
Special to GwinnettForum.com
JUNE 21, 2002 -- The things I hear from Republicans are a little
bit different from what GwinnettForum has been hearing:
1. Teachers are upset because they feel they were unjustly blamed
for Georgia's education problems. No teacher I've spoken with is
against higher educational standards, and many support certain areas
of the education reform package, but they resent being made the
scapegoats.
In addition, much of Barnes' reforms did nothing but add more layers
of bureaucracy to Georgia's schools. Republicans have long argued
that what is needed is less bureaucracy, and more local control.
Barnes' reforms did just the opposite. Many teachers agree with
us on this issue.
2. The change of the Georgia flag fits into a troubling pattern
that Barnes has displayed during his reign. Input from the public
is not even considered by Roy Barnes. He would rather cut a deal
in secret than use the bully pulpit to rally the people of Georgia
to his side of the issue. Barnes has done this a number of times
during his term, and in the process angered a great many people.
3. I agree with your assessment of the Northern Arc as a political
issue, and almost no Republican I know of has made opposition to
the Northern Arc a major part of their campaign.
There are two other issues that will have a rather large impact
on the re-election hopes of Governor Barnes:
1. Don't underestimate the anger people feel about reapportionment.
We in Gwinnett are used to being carved up like a Thanksgiving turkey,
but people in the rest of Georgia are not. For Barnes and Co. to
split up communities, and even precincts, to maintain their political
power is not in the best interests of the citizens of Georgia, and
many citizens of Georgia are upset.
Furthermore, State Senate seats that lean toward Republicans were
drawn so that the population was five percent over the norm, while
State Senate seats that lean toward Democrats were drawn to be five
percent under the norm. This indicates that one person-one vote
does not apply to the people of this state. Georgia Democrats were
too smart by half and are facing a backlash in November.
2. Under Roy Barnes, the power of the Governor's Office has been
enhanced to almost epic proportions. Barnes has created the Office
of Education Advocate to look over the shoulder of the Secretary
of Education (who is elected by the people of Georgia), the Office
of Insurance Advocate to look over the shoulder of the State Insurance
Commissioner (who is elected by the people of Georgia), and the
Georgia Regional Transportation Authority to look over the shoulder
of the Department of Transportation. All of these new departments
are not accountable to the public and are appointed directly by
the Governor. We have not seen such power amassed by a Georgia Governor
since Lester Maddox.
All of these factors have given rise to the Governor's nickname
of "King Roy" and have given Republicans hope for this
November's elections.
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Number
2.21, June 21, 2002
