My July 31st Voting Guide, Part 4: Changing a Vote
Quick update to my voting guide, I'm changing my vote for U.S. Representative. Details below.
Quick links to other parts of my voting guide: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
For U.S. Representative in 113th Congress From the 3rd Congressional District of Georgia
"CHIP" FLANEGAN
KENT KINGSLEY
LYNN WESTMORELAND (Incumbent)
Westmoreland's voting record is still okay, but an okay record alone is not always enough.
http://www.ivoterguide.com/RaceDetails.aspx?1321&e=18
First, I found this link to a voter guide from the Heritage Alliance and the AFA, which outlines both legislative record, and how the candidates responded to a number of survey questions. No surprises for the first part, only Westmoreland has a strong legislative record, and it's heavy on the conservative side. When it comes to the second part, that's what caught my interest.
Flanegan didn't answer any of the survey questions, it seems. Count him out. On the "agree or disagree" questions, Kingsley and Westmoreland answered the same for most, except for #10: "Pure democracy is the best form of government to ensure the safety and equitable treatment of all citizens." Westmoreland agreed, Kingsley disagreed. Sorry, Mr. Westmoreland, but Mr. Kingsley is correct on this. The best form of government is a Constitutional Republic, which may have democratic qualities. A pure democracy is mob rule, easily manipulated by powerful extremists, such as what you saw with the recent Arab Spring uprisings in Egypt. I agree it's an easy mistake to make, but in Congress and around the country, we need to remind ourselves that this is a difference which really matters.
In the rest of the survey questions, only Kingsley answered, but I really do like his answers.
http://www.thecitizen.com/blogs/cal-beverly/07-25-2012/whom-i-voted-and-why
Also, a conversation with a friend from church and the article I've linked have reminded me about some of my own misgivings about Westmoreland. First, I can't name any new idea or bill with Westmoreland's name on it. As my wife says, he's "vanilla". It seems that he does support the TSPLOST, which is not a surprise. He strikes me as having a great record of opposing Democrat pork and power-grabs, but not so much on the Republican side. I think he's just another good conservative who has spent too much time in D.C.
If Westmoreland wins again, I won't be torn up about it, but I do hope that we might get better with Kingsley.
Quick links to other parts of my voting guide: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
For U.S. Representative in 113th Congress From the 3rd Congressional District of Georgia
"CHIP" FLANEGAN
KENT KINGSLEY
LYNN WESTMORELAND (Incumbent)
Westmoreland's voting record is still okay, but an okay record alone is not always enough.
http://www.ivoterguide.com/RaceDetails.aspx?1321&e=18
First, I found this link to a voter guide from the Heritage Alliance and the AFA, which outlines both legislative record, and how the candidates responded to a number of survey questions. No surprises for the first part, only Westmoreland has a strong legislative record, and it's heavy on the conservative side. When it comes to the second part, that's what caught my interest.
Flanegan didn't answer any of the survey questions, it seems. Count him out. On the "agree or disagree" questions, Kingsley and Westmoreland answered the same for most, except for #10: "Pure democracy is the best form of government to ensure the safety and equitable treatment of all citizens." Westmoreland agreed, Kingsley disagreed. Sorry, Mr. Westmoreland, but Mr. Kingsley is correct on this. The best form of government is a Constitutional Republic, which may have democratic qualities. A pure democracy is mob rule, easily manipulated by powerful extremists, such as what you saw with the recent Arab Spring uprisings in Egypt. I agree it's an easy mistake to make, but in Congress and around the country, we need to remind ourselves that this is a difference which really matters.
In the rest of the survey questions, only Kingsley answered, but I really do like his answers.
http://www.thecitizen.com/blogs/cal-beverly/07-25-2012/whom-i-voted-and-why
Also, a conversation with a friend from church and the article I've linked have reminded me about some of my own misgivings about Westmoreland. First, I can't name any new idea or bill with Westmoreland's name on it. As my wife says, he's "vanilla". It seems that he does support the TSPLOST, which is not a surprise. He strikes me as having a great record of opposing Democrat pork and power-grabs, but not so much on the Republican side. I think he's just another good conservative who has spent too much time in D.C.
If Westmoreland wins again, I won't be torn up about it, but I do hope that we might get better with Kingsley.
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