By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
NOV. 13, 2020 | Random thoughts concerning the General Election are on our mind today.
Gwinnett voters in 2020 easily approved the continuation of a one cent sales tax to help fund school infrastructure (76.6 percent), yet were almost equally divided in turning down a one cent sales tax for improved transit. The difference was 1,013 votes out of the 398,000 votes cast! Talk about a closely-split 50.1 percent difference!
While propositions can pass by one vote, when you have a county so easily divided on a topic, perhaps that’s not the time to pass it. For Gwinnettians wanting to find it easy to move about the county, or go to work or school, a more thought-out transit proposition should be forthcoming. Overall, Gwinnett County must some day realize that relying on single drivers to get around will eventually result in gridlock.
The rejection of this proposition may also mean a slowing of growth for Gwinnett. Some will cheer this, but it could also signal a stagnation of the Gwinnett prosperity we have come to know.
Improved transportation should be our No. One priority…and soon.
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Not only are we faced with a runoff in two U.S. Senate races, but it looks like there is another statewide runoff: for a Public Service Commission (PSC) seat. Long-time Republican PSC Member Bubba McDonald failed by 0.11 percent and will face Democratic challenger Daniel Blackman, who scored 46.98 percent to McDonald’s 49.89 percent, while Nathan Wilson got 3.12 percent, so we have a runoff.
Statewide runoffs were originally set for December 1. However, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger took emergency action and has scheduled the Georgia runoff on the same date as the federal runoffs, on January 5. That makes good sense!
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It is bizarre when the two Republican Senate candidates, Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, out of the blue said that Republican Raffensperger should resign because of the way he handled (the relatively well-run) election. Don’t the two senators have any party loyalty?
When something like this happens, there is either great division within the party, or the two senators are scared to death that they might lose. It’s understood the two did it to appease a losing president. What’s the future in that? As a result, the two Democratic senatorial candidates are both surprised and smiling. Yes, indeed, 2020 is an unusual political year.
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Where’s civility? When someone seeks office, you presume that they are energetic, ambitious, smart and civil. Well, no more. For some, civility seems to go by the wayside. Why is it that Rich McCormick, for instance, can’t outright concede victory, and offer congratulations to Carolyn Boudreaux in the 7th Congressional District? It’s not only uncivil, it’s discourteous. We’ve been pleased to read several losing candidates offering kind words about their winning opponent. That’s the way it should be, with no hard feelings because one got more votes than the other. It also puts in the mind of the voters that if unapologetic candidates seek office in the future, that person will be automatically in a weaker position, because of his temper tantrum of not conceding and being civil.
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There are two non-candidate overall winners this season: Brad Raffensperger for his overcoming primary problems and conducting a reasonably well run election, and Stacey Abrams, for getting enough people registered in Georgia to pull off an upset in the presidential race in Georgia.
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Warehouse space? The Salvation Army in Gwinnett is in sore need of from 10-15,000 square feet of warehouse space to store their Angel Tree contributed presents prior to Christmas. They would vacate such facilities by January 1. If you know of someone who has such a space, give me a ring at 770 840 1003, please.
Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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