Citizens of the 10th Congressional District are stuck with Paul Broun for at least two more years.
I say “stuck” with Broun although I’m not really sure that word is appropriate. You see, Broun recently won his re-election bid with little trouble. The extremist right-wing Republican had a simple, although effective, strategy: crank up all the conservative buzzwords and cliches and let the chips fall where they may.
The strategy worked to perfection.
Broun’s first term in office was filled with press releases condemning everything from illegal immigrants, gay marriage, abortion, Democrats in general and anything else that wasn’t in step with his ultra-right wing banter.
The only problem with this rhetoric is that it has nothing to do with serving the people of the 10th district.
On the surface, Broun had a formidable opponent this fall in Democrat Bobby Saxon. An Iraq War veteran, Saxon actually had ideas which would have benefited the citizens he wanted to represent and would have be beneficial to the district as a whole. Saxon is anything but a left-leaning liberal (despite Broun’s attempt to portray him as one). He brought credibility to the table where it was sorely needed after Broun’s first two years in office.
Yet as the race wore on, there was really never any doubt Broun was going to be re-elected. Saxon did everything he could to gain traction, but he was like a football player competing on a rainy Friday night without proper footwear. No matter how hard he tried, most people simply didn’t take notice of his campaign. They didn’t care about his credentials. They didn’t care that Broun was all talk and no action during his first two-year term.
The reason? It’s simple really. A majority of voters in this area have fallen into the of simply voting for the Republican candidate. It doesn’t matter if it is Bozo the Clown, Homer Simpson, Hank Hill or Paul Broun. It didn’t matter to the majority of voters in the 10th District that Broun’s outrageous comments, while good for rhetoric and right-wing blogs, do nothing for those he is elected to serve.
So citizens of the 10th district get what they vote for. Not long after the Nov. 4 election, one which was truly historic for our country, Broun cranked up his extremist right-wing propaganda again by hurling comparisons about Barack Obama with Gestapo and Marxists tactics. Some people did call Broun for his asinine statements this time, but what did it matter to the Congressman? Hey, he was just re-elected by an overwhelming margin.
Meanwhile, the voters turn a truly qualified candidate like Bobby Saxon, with solid ideas and plans for the citizens of the 10th district, away. One can only ponder how much he would have accomplished had he been given the chance.
Instead, the 10th district is given at least two more years of Broun and his right-wing press releases claiming he believes in freedom but in reality believing in you are free to think the way he does.
Voters of the 10th district I have a simple and direct question for you? What in the world were you thinking when you sent Paul Broun back to Washington for another term? It doesn’t seem to me much thought at all was put into your vote.
Chris Bridges is an editor with Mainstreet Newspapers. E-mail comments about this column to chris@mainstreetnews.com.
You say: "A majority of voters in this area have fallen into the of simply voting for the Republican candidate. It doesn’t matter if it is Bozo the Clown, Homer Simpson, Hank Hill or Paul Broun."
The same can be said for your "historic" (for all of the wrong reasons) President-elect.
There is a reason for Obama's failure to win the majority in Georgia. We have suffered under vote-for-color-representatives, (looking at YOU Cynthia McKinney) and we see candidates for the content of their character, not the color of their skin (hat tip, MLK).
The Socialist movement may be alive and well in some states, but thank heavens we have men like Broun to provide oversight and (hopefully) a bulwark against them.
Obama says:
"I do think that Secretary Gates has brought a level of realism and professionalism and planning to the job that is worthy of praise. I think that the Pentagon is operating more effectively. I think he has improved greatly the relationships with the Joint Chiefs and the military generally."
(This is after Obama declared we'd lost the war in Iraq.)
And, Obama's call for a civilian army is in ADDITION to expanding the peace and diplomatic corps. (naturally Obama has changed his Change.gov website many times, adding and deleting information about compulsory "volunteerism". But, I have screenshots, and you can find them on the web as well)