Project Logic Ga

The kids in my family play a car game called “I Spy With My Little Eye.”  While driving around Georgia this weekend I did the same with campaign signage.  On Highway 300, a candidate has decided that he can be trusted while I have always found the incumbent to be trustworthy. 

It’s funny that candidates leave the Republican or Democrat off their signs if they hope that voters from the other party won’t notice.  The party situation in Georgia is awkward because the GOP requires a serious level of party commitment while the Democrats allow candidates leeway to get elected.  The question becomes how much leeway is acceptable. 

I spy with my political eye any opportunity or dilemma in Georgia with congressional race between Rep. Jim Marshall and Austin Scott.  First, I am a Democrat who actually likes Rep. Marshall on paper because he has impressive credentials.  I can’t figure out why the Democrats allow him to miss major votes yet still enjoy the full privileges of membership. Since Senator McCain won that congressional district in the presidential race, Democrat leaders may realize that Marshall must vote the mindset of his district or the seat goes GOP.

However, a congressman of Marshall status (Ivy League, Army Ranger) voting against White House legislation actually makes the Far Right giddy—watch the Democrat slam the Democrats.  Is my eye missing the fact that Marshall helping the Ds hold the House is the ultimate goal despite any individual votes?     

It is no secret that Far Right people worry me.  While traditional pro-business Republicans are part of the political tradition in the South, these new people in the game are like bulls in the China shop with their conspiracy theorists and watering the tree of liberty with blood.  Yikes. 

How many reasonable GOP members of the House and Senate would say in their conference meetings that they should stick to the fiscal issues and avoid teetering on a second Civil War.  While Marshall carries value in the Democrat Caucus, would trading him for a more dialogue-oriented GOPer be more practical for our state.  

I spy with my political eye that campaign operatives love pitting “good vs. evil” or good vs. bad.”  That is not always the case because I personally respect R.J. Hadley, Michael Thurmond and Johnny Isakson.  The choice for Senator in Georgia will be between good, better and best with the voters deciding.  The same is true in my opinion between Marshall and Scott but as a moderate I actually think Scott’s history of challenging his party by voting his mind bodes better than Marshall’s constant challenge to the Obama White House.   

LBJ said he rather have J. Edgar Hoover “inside the tent pissing out than outside the tent pissing in.”  Of course, Marshall is no Hoover but at some point someone must say “dude, what up….with friends like you…”  LBJ couldn’t have passed major civil right legislation with many blatant party defectors and someone needs to remember how that old school Texan corralled the party.