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TODAY'S ISSUE
Company owner maintains
programs
backed by Democrats helped country
By
Hoyt Tuggle
President
Graphic Communications, Lawrenceville
Special to GwinnettForum.com
NOV. 15, 2002 -- While many are having fun vilifying and rejoicing
at the problems the Democrats have brought upon themselves, I thought
it might be appropriate to point out some of the differences between
the two parties.
Tuggle |
While you are trying to think of one bill the Republicans have
passed to help the working men and women of this country, let me
list a few that the Democrats have.
* Child Labor Laws
* Social Security
* Civil Rights Act
* All Minimum Wage Laws
* Peace Corps
* Environmental Laws
* Unemployment insurance
* Marshall Plan
* Flood-disaster insurance
* Rural electricity (REA)
* Saving the Banking Industry by the creation of the FDIC and the
FSLIC
* Saving of Wall Street by the creation of the Securities and Exchange
Commission
* Saving of the oil industry by replacing the rule of capture with
pro-rationing.
Democrats passed all of these and even more over the sometimes-staunch
opposition of Republicans. Ironically, one of the bills most bitterly
opposed by the Republicans was the G.I. Bill of Rights. Imagine
that!
My Republican friends say, "Well, that was in the past.' Well,
how about the World Congress Center, the Georgia Coliseum, and the
1996 Olympic Games here, all opposed by the Georgia Republican Party.
Are these recent enough and close enough to home? And by the way
which party is responsible for a Georgia Constitution which requires
Georgia to balance its budget each and every year?
I believe we have been where the Republicans want to take us. The
years between 1865 and 1932 are the kind of society I believe the
Republicans want us to have. No niacin in the flour, no fluoride
in the water, no vaccination programs, no student loans. I could
go on and on, but as my friends say, 'Well, that's in the past."
I seem to get the impression that too many people today think their
success is strictly of their own doing and they do not give any
credit to the social environment and social infrastructure that
has been created over the last 70 years, mostly by Democrats who
have controlled Congress the majority of that time.
When an individual believes that his or her success is entirely
of their own doing they feel no obligation to pay 'dues' in the
form of taxes. They resent paying more taxes than others and especially
resent any of their money going to anyone who pays little or no
taxes. (My emphasis.)
Before you jump to the conclusion that I am a retired union member,
I am not. I founded a small business 30 years ago on a shoestring.
It has grown into a family business employing over 50 people. We
have not received any financial support from any government (no
SBA loans). We have financed the business through personal sacrifice,
loans from commercial banks and equipment vendors.
America is the greatest nation on the face of the Earth, I am proud
to be an American----and a Democrat---- and I feel blessed to have
been born an American with all the opportunities it has provided.
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ELLIOTT
BRACK
Must
have seemed like an eternity to GOP
to see movement in two-party system
By
Elliott Brack
editor and publisher
GwinnettForum.com
From the Gwinnett Extra of the Atlanta Journal
Constitution, February 6, 1994. by Elliott Brack:
"Yet one Wednesday morning some November
day in the future, while Democrats have been asleep at the switch,
Georgians are going to awaken and find a Republican elected governor.
The crystal ball says: power is shifting toward Republicans in
Georgia. And as Gwinnett has shown, this shift often can come
quite suddenly."
NOV. 15, 2002 - - We bring this quote from the past not to show
our prognosticating abilities, but to show that this change has
been a long time coming, even when we all knew it would eventually
take place. It took eight years from that writing to happen, which
must have seemed like an eternity to Republicans.
Now Georgia looks to see if Republicans can grasp the handle of
state power and hold on, as the Democrats have so convincingly for
130 years.
For ages, lots of editorialists, including this one, have championed
the idea of a two-party state. It should serve Georgia well. After
all, a two-party system offers more checks and balances than a system
controlled by a single machine which has no effective opposition.
While in the past Republicans could jump up and down and yell loudly
about Democratic shenanigans such as reapportionment, with no effect,
now power is divided. At least in Georgia voters did not give unilateral
support to one party, as the nation gave control of both Houses
of Congress to one party, plus having the presidential reins.
Two party politics is still a long way from being a reality in
many counties of Georgia. Yet farmers and mill workers throughout
Georgia are supporting Republicans in national and state offices.
Eventually, this could work down to the county level, though many
Democrats in office must either retire or die off for this to happen
in many areas.
Now Georgia has split authority of a governor and
Senate controlled by one party, and the House of Representatives
controlled by another. In our way of thinking, a shared governing
is good. It reduces the excesses of any one party to a need to negotiate
the differences. It's something never seen in Georgia for all of
our lives, and should prove not only beneficial to our state, but
most interesting to follow.
* * * * *
Enough of the heavy lifting about the current political season.
Now let's turn our attention in a new direction, a listing of prime
importance for people trying to make their way along the political
paths.
A Gwinnett list of ins and outs with the new governor.
Being loyal is out; changing parties is in.
Attorneys are out; farmers are in.
Hair is out; bald is in.
Metro Atlanta is out; rural Georgia and suburbs are in.
Suits are out; jeans are in.
The House is out; Senate is in.
The AJC is out; The Macon Telegraph is in.
Methodists are out; Baptists are in.
Bobby Kahn is out; Michael Bowers is in.
The A&J Tasty Pig is out; JR's Log House is in.
Gwinnett's business mafia is out; elected legislators are in.
Now that we think of it, we doubt it will take long for Gwinnett's
business mafia to be "In."
Send us your own thoughts of what is now "Out" and "In."
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FEEDBACK:
11/15: Michigan native
views Georgia political scene
Editor, The Forum:
I am a conservative Republican but...I moved here from Michigan
via Texas. Over 50 percent of this state is non-Georgia born.
My ancestors came to the United States in 1905. I don't have an
iron in this (flag) fire. The Civil War was over long before most
of us were even here.
I wanted a new flag as much as the next transplant. I know the
1956 history of the old flag. Let us vote on the flag and we will
vote to change it. It wouldn't even be close. The pro-1956 flag
faction is tiny, but energized by the undemocratic way the change
occurred. Give them a forum, let them lose in public, and watch
them go away. Quietly.
The problem with what Barnes did is he did it in secret, like
a king. He believed the ends justified the means. That is dangerous
to you and me. A true leader of a free people could have made
the argument to change the flag, and done it in public. He knew
he couldn't - he didn't have the leadership skills, but he did
have deal-making skills. He wouldn't let the people vote because
he was afraid - afraid he would lose. Once he lost, all his power
would be gone.
Even worse, he gave us an ugly flag!
If Sonny Perdue puts the flag to a vote, look for him to lead
the way in voting to change it. He understands the process and
how it needs to work. When he has put the flag to rest, and we
have a new flag, he may be unstoppable.
Keep agitating me - that makes your columns worth reading!
-- Bob Pociask, Snellville
(Editor's note: One of your thoughts got us
to reseaching, and here is what the ARC says about percent of
people born in Georgia and Gwinnett:
Per Cent U.S. Born Population Born in Georgia
Year Percent
1960 81%
1970 74%
1980 72%
1990 66% (Gwinnett 47%)
2000 62% (Gwinnett 45%)
We suspect that the percentage native born in Gwinnett is going
down because of all the influx of people moving in faster than
we can birth babies, even though Gwinnett births a lot of babies!---eeb)
11/15: Quite the
stirring of a hornet's nest
Editor, the Forum:
Goodness, I didn't realize that you had stirred up a hornets'
nest. Interesting the feedback in the last issue. Thank goodness
someone has the sense to identify the main reason for the vote
for Perdue as the re-districting. Some may like to foster the
idea that Georgians are still in the dark ages of segregation.
We actually have pretty good sense and are capable of making decisions,
based on a rational thought process, regarding what we think is
in the best interest of our state.
-- Janet Gibson, Lawrenceville
11/15: It was arrogance
that got Barnes
Editor, the Forum:
I agree that the gerrymandering of disticts was the main reason
for the governor's defeat, but it was his arrogance that allowed
him to think that voters wouldn't care enough to make them vote
against him. Where is Barnes and why haven't we heard from him?
-- Jim Hood, Lawrenceville
(Editor's Note: Jim. You now know that Barnes
has been on vacation in the Carribbean--eeb)
11/15: Most of the
electorate not as stupid as politicians think
Editor, the Forum:
Seldom does a voice of clear-eyed reason get heard in all the
controversy surrounding a political upset. You were right on in
blaming the Democratic loss primarily on the recent reapportionment.
This was the travesty that incensed most Georgia voters. Most
of us are not as stupid as many politicians think. Thanks for
setting them straight.
-- Mary Louise Stark. Lawrenceville
11/15: For many,
it was simply, "The party, stupid!"
Editor, the Forum:
I only wish that you are right about the flag issue ... but I
think you underestimate the numbers (by a wide margin!) of those
who may have seen the flag as their litmus test. If in fact we
get a referendum I think at best the vote will be close ... and
at worse ... well I'd rather not go there!
And then you think that a large number of the populace actually
chose their vote selection for governor on the basis of the reapportionment
... pretty cerebral thinking for a general voter turnout. I don't
think the masses got out of bed and took off to the polls with
the reapportionment issue driving them ... ... my guess is it
was much more simple, and with apologies to many ... it goes like
this " it's the PARTY ... stupid" .. was more like it.
-- Ed Thayer, Berkeley Lake
SPECIAL
NOTICE:
11/15: AGCO Corp.
wins Recycler of the Year
AGCO Corporation of Duluth is the 2002 Gwinnett Recycler of the
Year, Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful says. The announcement comes
as the nation celebrates America Recycles Day on November 15.
The award will be presented at the Gwinnett Clean & Beautiful
Annual Legacy Dinner on January 10, 2003.
AGCO Facilities Manager Robert Hume says AGCO's recycling program
is simple, yet effective. "It is totally employee-run - the
employees wanted it so they started it," he says. "The
money made from the recyclables helps buy coffee for the employee
break rooms, and the janitors like it because they have less trash
to take out to the dumpsters."
THOUGHT
OF THE DAY
Who really is running
the country
"Too bad the only people who know how to run the country
are busy driving cabs and cutting hair."
-- Comedian George Burns.
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