Mr. Weigel recently visited Georgia and subsequently wrote several articles for Slate focusing on Georgia politics. For a conservative, he is remarkably positive about the future prospects of the Democratic Party in Georgia, while offering some brilliantly scathing commentary about a few of our Republican candidates.
There's still hope for us yet!
Following are links to his recent articles:
Can Georgia Democrats Make the State Turn Blue Ahead of Schedule?
How Red Can You Get?
The Third Coming of Bob Barr?
Watch the Homophobic Ad That a Losing Candidate is Running in Georgia
Read What Georgia's Michelle Nunn Actually Said About Obamacare
I only have time to read and comment on the first Weigel article listed.
ReplyDeleteDemocrats, especially younger Democrats, in Georgia seem very excited about what they view as the turning of the political tides. Sometimes what they say makes it seem like they won't have to do much but just wait for the old, mean white guys to die off. A truly objective look at the facts would show something different than what Stacey Abrams and Tim Franzen want to push out to the Slate audience and DC establishment.
Let's start with the jab right out of the box about gerrymadering. As if Republicans, and only mean, southern, white, male, Republicans, would ever do such a thing as maximize the potential number of seats they can win. Let us not forgot the abstract expressionist districts Democrats drew in 2002, which provoked outrage from the Right and soon contributed to their downfall. Georgia Republicans aren't like Maryland Democrats who still use multi-member districts in order to pad their totals. Nor are they like those enlightened California Democrats who are lauded by establishment-lovers all over the country for their seemingly fair districts. In reality those districts mostly eliminate any serious Republican opposition. In the first election after the change, the number of Republicans in the Senate stayed the same while the number of Republicans in the Assembly decreased.
Next, Abrams remarks about Republicans trying to achieve a supermajority. However, what neither she or Weigel say is that Republicans DO have a supermajority in the State Senate. And for all intents and purposes they do have a supermajority in the House based on how Rusty Kidd usually votes. Abrams is excited about the "pick-ups" she sees coming. It's interesting that she doesn't reveal which districts she thinks will change (in Obama's 6th year facing another wave of angry Republicans), nor does Weigel press her on the matter. Oh well, guess we'll them pick-ups will just start multiplying like rabbits soon enough.
Abrams should really be worrying about more losses. HD-81 was created with a slight Republican advantage. In yesterday's primary more people voted Jim Duffie than for Scott Holcomb. Since Holcomb has already expressed his desire for greater political heights, and as he is prodded on by others, he better be careful he doesn't lose his already precarious foothold. Will one the Democrats' golden boys be tossed out this Fall? We shall see in the one and only meaningful legislative race in the DeKalb cityhood battle.
Then there's those Carter and Nunn scions. Bringing progressive change to Georgia by using their white privilege to kick Connie Stokes and Steen Miles to the curb. How inspiring for progressives to place all their hope in candidates who intend to do as little as possible to remind voters they are Democrats and will also run to the right of the milquetoast president. Somebody wake me when Carter or Nunn poll above 45%.
The state's politics are changing, so say young Georgia Democrats. Nevermind that the recently elected leader of their statewide party voted to keep the confederate flag, just like the hot potato judicial nominee Michael Boggs, another Democrat who Weigel and the mainstream press would rather label a "conservative". The attack on Boggs is only useful to Democrats for political theater. Meanwhile, Georgia Democrats blissfully carry on with DuBose Porter at the helm.
Ah, and now to the numbers. Did you know that Obama received fewer votes in Georgia in 2012 than in 2008? Probably not, since the press wanted to spin the election in another way. Did you know that Republicans increased their numbers in the state House and Senate from 2010 to 2012? Maybe not, since Weigel's headline wants you to think Democrats "bottomed out" in 2010.