Tuesday, Last Day to Vote

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, October 26, 2018 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

A week from next Tuesday is Election Day, the last day you can vote in this year’s General Election.  Each ballot in every district contains the names of candidates for state offices and local offices, as well as seven or eight very important questions voters should answer.

The first five questions ask voters whether the State Constitution should have five new amendments.  The two referenda questions concern homestead exemption in multi-county municipalities and tax exemption on nonprofit homes for the mentally disabled.  I’ll vote NO on the first three amendments and YES on the last two amendments and both referenda questions.

Those are important questions that affect us statewide, but some voters will decide whether liquor sales should begin an hour earlier on Sunday.

Since voters will determine local and state politics by electing representatives and senators to the Georgia General Assembly, it’s important to know the names of candidates who expect your vote.  If the two candidates seem to have the same values, comparing political party platforms is the best way to determine whose values more closely align with your personal values.The difference between party platforms is striking.  For example: The Democratic Platform is pro-abortion and supports sending money to Planned Parenthood, but the Republican Platform if pro-life.  It affirms that unborn children have a fundamental right to life and rejects the funding of Planned Parenthood.

Democrats were thrilled with the Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage decision, while Republicans define marriage as the union between one man and one woman.

But, what you want legislators to do is the bottom line.  Do you want them to legalize online gambling with no age-limit?  Do you want casino gaming rooms in every entertainment district?  Do you want Confederate monuments, symbols and street names to be expunged from public view?  Do you want them to legalize recreational marijuana?  Do you want illegal aliens to keep using a driver’s license that’s almost identical to the license used by Georgia citizens?  Do you want religion to be a consideration in adoption decisions?  Do you want the Georgia constitution to affirm English as our official language?

Your answers to those questions will indicate which candidates reflect your values.  If your values are conservative, you’ll see them in the Republican Platform.  If your values are liberal, you’ll find them in the Democratic Platform.  If you haven’t voted, please vote for conservatives.  Everyone knows most of them are found in the Republican Party.  For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.