by State Senator Burt Jones
Most of the time during campaigns, candidates lay out their visions for why they should be elected. But for Democrats in Georgia, that seems to be a difficult endeavor.
At a debate earlier this year, my opponent Charlie Bailey was asked point blank if there were any policy positions that he disagreed with Stacey Abrams on—to which he responded: “None that I can think of.” Let that sink in: A candidate running for statewide office in Georgia doesn’t have a single original policy position, agenda item, or vision of his own—so instead, he blindly swears allegiance to Stacey Abrams.
In fact, the entire Georgia Democrat ticket is falling in line behind their leader, and they’ll take their marching orders from her for the duration of this election cycle, regardless of the cost.
Democrats’ lack of economic prowess has caused the United States’ inflation rate to reach 9.1 percent, the highest in four decades. And earlier this month, the vice chairwoman of the Federal Reserve said it’s too soon to say whether inflation has peaked. Georgians are experiencing record prices at the pump, grocery store, and everywhere in between.
In spite of Democrat policies impeding economic growth, Republican-led states have the best economies in the country. That includes Georgia—where year after year in the State Senate, we have worked with Governor Kemp to balance the budget, deliver historic tax relief, invest in our schools, public safety, healthcare and education, all while continuing to be named the number one state to do business in.
Charlie Bailey and Stacey Abrams’ plan would erase that: They would take us backwards by raising taxes during an inflationary period, cutting funding for law enforcement while crime surges in our cities, limiting educational opportunities for our children coming out of a pandemic, and making healthcare less affordable while premiums and prescription costs skyrocket.
Unlike Bailey and Abrams, I have a plan that offers real solutions. A plan that builds on our successes—while solving the issues that the Biden administration has created with inflation, crime, supply chain issues and gas prices.
I’ll work to eliminate our state income tax to provide across the board relief to Georgia families.
I’ll work to strengthen our K-12 education by empowering our parents and teachers to make the best decisions for their students, increase grants for both vocational and technical education, and work to rein in the costs of higher education to make it more affordable for our students.
I’ll stand with our men and women of law enforcement to crack down on violent crime, increase pay and benefits for our first responders, and keep our communities safe.
These are the issues I’m focused on—and they are the solutions I’ll work to deliver from day one as your next Lieutenant Governor.
And at the end of the day, Georgians deserve a Lieutenant Governor with their own vision—not someone else’s.
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Burt Jones is a candidate for Georgia’s lieutenant governor.
Photo “Burt Jones” by Burt Jones.
