Choice clear in 10th District, Athens Banner Herald, Oct. 29, 2014

Note; slightly different from the Gwinnett piece.

Opinion, Athens Banner Herald
Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2014
Bernard: Choice clear in 10th District

Do you want to know what is wrong with politics in Georgia and the rest of the United States? Look in the mirror. We are the ones who elected this government, voting for party affiliation rather than the best candidate for the job. Georgia’s 10th Congressional District, where I live, and which includes part of Athens-Clarke County, is a good example.

Jody Hice, the GOP nominee for the 10th District seat, is a talk show host accustomed to exaggeration and hyperbole. His well-known extremist conservative positions regarding women, abortion, gays and Islam are far to the right of the Republican Party, to which I belong, as well as the district electorate. Based on his previous hyperbolic statements and writings, Hice is clearly a divider, not a uniter. As Mike Collins, his opponent in the GOP primary, correctly stated, “He just wants to be Dr. No.”

Hice will only grandstand and obstruct, accomplishing nothing. Do we need yet another government shutdown?

Let’s compare these views with those of Ken Dious, the moderate Democrat running for the 10th District seat, who understands that it will take Republican votes to get things accomplished. Dious strives to be bipartisan, supporting a strong defense, a balanced budget amendment and energy independence. He opposes taking away Medicare and replacing it with a voucher system, which would shift the increasing financial burden to our seniors.

The choice would appear clear — either vote for a common-sense candidate who will get things done or a tea party naysayer railing against the storm.

So, what’s the bottom line?

If you vote for obstructionism and intolerance, then do not complain when that is exactly what we get out of Washington.

Jack Bernard

Monticello