Does It Matter?

originally published June 6, 2007

Last week, in regard to the 10th District Congressional race, I wrote: "A vote for (James) Marlow is a rebuke to the Bush administration and the whole selfish, corrupt Republican Party. Marlow in a runoff election could possibly draw enough money and support to do the unthinkable and send the unmistakable message that even in Northeast Georgia, people want a change from the disastrous Republican policies that have so grievously weakened us at home and abroad."

This week, Adam H. wrote on flagpole.com's reader-response Talkback:

"…This would be a great idea, but I think Mr. McCommons has missed something that has been all over the news. The Democrats have made it perfectly clear that they will continue to fund the Iraq War with no timetable for Iraqi government takeover, no deadlines for troop withdrawal, no realistic impeachment plans (though kudos to Kucinich for trying), no further demands for evidence that Iraq had anything to do with 9/11, and no emphasis on finding Osama bin Laden. We (America at large) already sent that "unmistakable message" in the last Congressional election, remember? Looks like we still have that "rubber stamp Congress" that we all thought we just got rid of. The odd thing is, you're proposing that one of THESE Democrats are going to REALLY throw a monkey wrench in Dubya's machinations. When the house speaker and a 'left wing' majority instantly turned away from their beliefs, promises, and constituents to become Bush's minions, why would things magically change with this one special election? I'm betting Mr. Bush isn't trembling in his cowboy boots at the thought of one more little blue Congressional seat when all the others fell right into line. Hmm, why was that anyway?"

There's more, and you can read the rest online. Mr. H. raises a strong point, and it's true that although Marlow recognizes the importance of the Iraq War as an issue in this campaign, he's pretty vague about it. For instance, Marlow says on his website: "I will work every day to bring our involvement in Iraq to an honorable end as quickly as we can, while also protecting our national interests in the region and the world."

It may very well be, as Mr. H. suggests elsewhere in his response, that the Democrats are "puppets of the same control matrix as the neo-conservative monsters currently occupying the White House…" but I finally have to ask, what is the choice? Certainly, the Libertarian candidate, Dr. Sendelbach, cannot possibly be elected, though it is true that a vote for him is a repudiation of both the Democrats and the Republicans. So, the question is whether to vote symbolically or try to elect a candidate. If you want to try to elect a candidate, is there any merit in voting for a Democrat in this heavily Republican district, especially since the majority of the Democrats sent to Congress in the last election have succumbed to Bush's business-as-usual on the war and Marlow doesn't promise to do much more?

I still conclude that Athens-Clarke County should go to the polls and produce a big vote for Marlow. I do believe there are strong differences between the Democrats and the Republicans - especially the Republicans who are running for this seat. They are all running to replace the late Charlie Norwood by presenting themselves as even further to the right than he was, and Norwood was so conservative he made Newt Gingrich look like a liberal.

We don't have to worry about the rest of the district. All we have to do is go to the polls and vote for Marlow. A strong showing from Athens-Clarke County can help Marlow reach a runoff election, probably against the GOP frontrunner, Jim Whitehead. You know, we're only involved in this election because the Republican Georgia legislators gerrymandered Athens-Clarke into this district to cut his home base out from under Democratic Congressman John Barrow. That's the same legislature that split Athens-Clarke into two separate State Senate districts to dilute our Democratic voting strength. It's time for us to fight back, and the best way we can do it right now is to roll up a strong Democratic vote. If you don't believe the Democrats would have made a difference in Washington during these last six years, then by all means vote Libertarian. If you don't think it makes a difference now, then you might as well vote Republican.

But if you do think a Democrat will make a difference, then please go vote during the week of June 11–15 at the Board of Elections office or at your polling place on election day, Tuesday, June 19. If you can't vote any of those times, get yourself an absentee ballot.

Athens-Clarke County has around 15 percent of the 10th District vote - if we turn out. If we concentrate our votes for James Marlow, we can help catapult him into a runoff election. Then, one-on-one, he could pull it off and repudiate the Republicans for their mismanagement in Washington and in Atlanta. If we vote, we can't lose. A heavy Democratic vote here will notify every future candidate that they've got to take Athens-Clarke seriously, instead of blowing us off like Jim Whitehead. After we picked the date of tonight's (Wednesday, June 6) candidate debate at The Melting Point to suit Whitehead's schedule, now he's not even coming. He's not coming, because he thinks he doesn't need Athens-Clarke County. Hunker down in front of that voting screen and tell Whitehead and all future candidates that they need Athens. Touch it, and they will come.

Pete McCommons

editor@flagpole.com