So, political parties can insert straw poll questions on to the ballot during their primary election. These were the results of the Gwinnett questions:
- Do you believe the Federal Government should use taxpayer money to bailout failing banks and lenders and/or the homeowners facing forclosure? Yes 14%, NO 86%
- Should our Georgia Congressional Delegation be dedicated to strongly encouraging the US Military to advocate that all military contracts be awarded to American companies committed to domestic job creations and reinvestment in America’s manufacturing? YES 92.7% No 7.3%
- In light of the upcomfing US Supreme Court decision concerning the rights of the citizens regarding the 2nd Amendment. Do you believe that the right to “keep and bear arms” as worded in the US Constitution’s 2nd Amendment is meant to be applied as the individual right of a citizen? YES 91%, No 9%
- Should the State of Georgia’s Constitution be amended so as to allow cities and counties to use revenues intended for public education to pay for private re-development projects that are not associated with education? Yes 9.63% No 90.37%
- Would you suppor trepealing all of the State of Georgia’s personal and corporate income taxes in favor of a Consumption Tax as outlined for the federal government in the Fair Tax Act of 2007, HR 25? YES 81.48% No 18.52%
- Would you support the extension of the MARTA Rail line into Gwinnett County which would include an additional once cent sales tax? YES 37.4% No 62.6%
- Do you believe that the Federal Government has enforced our current illegal immigration laws to the best of its ability? Yes 5.48% No 94.52%
- Do you believe that the Republican Party has moved too far to the political left? Yes 57.17% No 42.83%
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Do you believe that our elected office holders are being held accountable by the voting public for their actions and political decisions? Yes 16.9% No 83.1%
30 responses so far ↓
atlantaman // Jul 16, 2008 at 7:19 am
Boy, talk about a GOP suppression strategy. All that’s left is to require a 250 word essay and you’ll have about 3 Republicans voting in Gwinnett every election
grennis // Jul 16, 2008 at 7:40 am
I’m pretty amazed that MARTA rail was defeated. What are you scared of Gwinnett? I personally would be more afraid of what would come OUT of Gwinnett that what goes in there. Just off the top of my head, let’s see, Dunwoody, Buckhead, Decatur, all these have rail stations and are more desirable than some neglected picket fence exurb in Gwinnett. You people really enjoy sitting on I-85 every morning and afternoon wasting your life away in traffic? That’s just sad.
Tea Party // Jul 16, 2008 at 8:22 am
Very disappointing results in GWINCO. The area around I-85 @ Jimmy Carter is being helped drastically, at NO public cost by Gwinnett Village CID. Crime is way down, the area is spruced up with superior plantings, etc.
The longer range view would be to run MARTA from Doraville to the Jimmy Carter/I-85, and beyond.
Visionary plan, slowed but not defeated, by those that do not understand the NOW of ATL.
SpaceyG // Jul 16, 2008 at 8:40 am
People actually live in Gwinnett County? Why?
Bill Simon // Jul 16, 2008 at 8:51 am
Because it’s closer to the booming metropolis of Spartanburg than Fulton County is, Spacey.
AtlConservative // Jul 16, 2008 at 9:16 am
I wonder is Saxby and Johnny will listen to the fact that we, the voters and taxpayers, do not want to bail out lendors or possible foreclosures! Most of the House (Republicans anyway) listen!
albert // Jul 16, 2008 at 9:25 am
The last question is the most pertinent. http://www.freewebs.com/thejoeyouknow/joethephotographer.htm
Doug Deal // Jul 16, 2008 at 9:47 am
SpaceCase,
If it means less of a chance of running into judgemental, self-important ITP’ers (like certain PP posters), I can definitely see the appeal.
Eventually most people grow up and realize that life is about more than just self gratification, and what one can do after midnight on a friday.
Icarus // Jul 16, 2008 at 9:50 am
“If it means less of a chance of running into judgemental, self-important ITP’ers (like certain PP posters), I can definitely see the appeal.
Eventually most people grow up and realize that life is about more than just self gratification, and what one can do after midnight on a friday.”
Leave me out of this, Doug.
sndeak // Jul 16, 2008 at 9:55 am
The Democratic party also had questions on the ballot in Gwinnett…not everyone wants to build a moat and lift the draw bridge.
1. Would you support a 1% sales tax increase to extend MARTA into Gwinnett County?
YES 10238 70.30%
NO 4325 29.70%
2. Do you believe your elected officials hold enough public town-hall type meetings to discuss the issues in your community?
YES 3695 26.19%
NO 10416 73.81%
3. Do you believe a county with the population of Gwinnett (800,000+) should have more then 4 County Commission Districts?
YES 10512 74.53%
NO 3592 25.47%
4. Do you believe that given the size and complexity of Gwinnett County, that the salary for the County Commission Chairman [$50,000.00 per year] should be increased to a figure comparable to the salaries paid to other similar metro-Atlanta counties [$100,000.00 per year]?
YES 6118 42.92%
NO 8135 57.08%
5. Do you support Immigration reform that requires employers who hire illegal workers to pay substantial fines and penalties, including jail time for knowingly violating the law?
YES 11664 81.01%
NO 2734 18.99%
6. Do you believe the current state government is doing enough in regard to the the water crisis?
YES 3919 27.25%
NO 10463 72.75%
7.Are you satisfied with the quality of education that your child (or children) receive in Gwinnett County?
YES 7494 56.05%
NO 5876 43.95%
8. Do you believe that a county with the population of Gwinnett (800,000+) should have more than 5 School Board Districts?
YES 9384 67.25%
NO 4570 32.75%
9. Do you believe that the County Commission should do more to promote green space in Gwinnett County?
YES 12738 89.00%
NO 1575 11.00%
10. Do you believe that the County Commission has done enough to control development in Gwinnett County over the past 4 years?
YES 3198 22.52%
NO 11001 77.48%
11. Do you believe that the County Commission has done enough to manage traffic and transportation issues in Gwinnett?
YES 2418 16.83%
NO 11953 83.17%
12. Do you believe that your property taxes are too high?
YES 9957 70.41%
NO 4185 29.59%
13. Do you believe that the US Government should give the Iraqi government a firm deadline to provide for its own security?
YES 13076 91.04%
NO 1287 8.96%
14. Do you believe that the US Government should set a deadline for the
removal of US troops from Iraq?
YES 12284 85.29%
NO 2119 14.71%
rptrcub // Jul 16, 2008 at 10:00 am
Some of us live OTP because, honestly, they want to be close to work — which happens out in the ‘burbs. It makes sense to save on gas.
Taft Republican // Jul 16, 2008 at 10:00 am
I’m pretty amazed that MARTA rail was defeated. What are you scared of Gwinnett?
Giving our power-hungry politicians more of our money to squander, that’s what.
rptrcub // Jul 16, 2008 at 10:00 am
I mean “we.” I can’t brain today.
Icarus // Jul 16, 2008 at 10:03 am
You have to love the Dem mentality.
Questions 1,3,4,6,8,9, and 11 all demand more government services and or larger govt expenses, and then in question 12 state that their taxes are too high.
Typical. I want more. I want someone else to pay for it.
Doug Deal // Jul 16, 2008 at 10:09 am
Icky,
How were you able to figure out that I was talking about you?
Icarus // Jul 16, 2008 at 10:13 am
Doug,
I’m just that good.
Harry // Jul 16, 2008 at 10:35 am
1. We Gwinnettians are very proud of our 6% sales tax - as compared to 8.5% in Atlanta. We are not about to allow MARTA to add tax, especially if the use of funds is not transparent. We do not approve of the MARTA-style of unionized bus drivers which cost at least half again as much as our non-unionized local bus drivers.
2. Heavy rail in Gwinnett really makes no sense. There isn’t sufficient density anywhere in the county.
3. What we need: a) More private jitneys - we’re working on this, along with more attractive bus stops; b) a robust, well-publicized web app that facilitates voluntary trip-sharing; c) county-wide zoning that does not allow high-density in areas that are low density. High density should be focused on existing major corridors such as Jimmy Carter, Norcross-Duluth-Sugar Hill, SR 316, I-85, Pleasant Hill, etc.
shep1975 // Jul 16, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Why do we have all of these posts on Gwinnett County and none on Cobb? Oh, I remember, we have no front page posters from Cobb. I guess my application for front page posting is still sitting in Erick’s spam folder.
On the actual topic, until heavy rail can accomplish the task of moving people to where they want to go and not just to downtown Atlanta, there is no reason to build it out. The stats used to be that 75% of all Atlanta traffic got off at I-285. That was a few years ago, but I doubt it’s gotten to even 50% that head to Buckhead, Midtown and Downtown. No reason to expend the capital to build something that is nearly useless except for heading to the Braves game. And given Gwinnett is about to have it’s own Braves team, soon they won’t need it even for that.
Icarus // Jul 16, 2008 at 1:15 pm
They could go ahead and build the train between ATL and Gwinnett, so that every time Francour gets demoted, he can move between stadiums quicker.
Jimbo // Jul 16, 2008 at 1:59 pm
The Cobb GOP was supposed to have ballot questions. The Cobb GOP County Committee voted to put questions on the Primary Ballot and voted on the questions to put on the ballot.
Not sure how the ball got dropped or by whom.
Romegaguy // Jul 16, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Shep sorry I cant support your bid for front page poster status. Clearly the Cobb Front Page Rights should go to GOPeach
shep1975 // Jul 16, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Jimbo,
As Co-Chairman of the Committee that proposed the questions that were voted on and transmitted the the text of the questions that were passed twice, I discovered the questions were not on the ballot when I received my absentee ballot in the mail. I did inquire as to what happened and was told. I will let the powers that be offer the explanation as to how the questions never made it to the ballot.
Rome,
I don’t think GOPeach actually lives in Cobb. Bill Simon does though.
Bill Simon // Jul 16, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Jimbo,
The “ball” got dropped, was fully admitted to, and was fully apologized for by Scott Johnson at the last county party executive committee meeting.
He stated that he was concentrating more on the requirements of ensuring that everyone who had qualified for office via the county headquarters, and ensuring that all paperwork was filled-out correctly, i’s dotted, t’s crossed, etc. and forgot to take the packet of questions with him when he went to the Elections Board to hand-in those qualifying candidates.
Yeah, I know, to YOU it was probably more important that the questions get on the ballot than ensuring that the candidates were properly registered.
Mistakes happen, and Scott Johnson owned-up to his.
Taft Republican // Jul 16, 2008 at 2:47 pm
What? Questions that make no difference were left off of the ballot?
Johnson should be fired.
jsm // Jul 16, 2008 at 2:48 pm
“People actually live in Gwinnett County? Why?”
Space, when is the last time you jogged by a pasture with grazing cows or goats? or smelled freshly split white oak? Some folks aren’t built for living among all the concrete, and Gwinnett gets them half-way to the country.
shep1975 // Jul 16, 2008 at 2:49 pm
I had an exam that night and wasn’t at the meeting, but Scott did say the same thing to me when I asked. I figured he’d probably say something at the County Committee meeting or by email sooner.
Bill’s right. If a mistake was going to be made, I’d rather it have been on the ballot questions rather than the candidates.
Also, for the record, I have been a front page poster for one of the AJC’s blogs covering the 2004 Republican National Convention.
drjay // Jul 16, 2008 at 3:57 pm
gwinnett, atlanta, cobb—isn’t it all the same thing??
if we are “visiting our friends in cumming” or taking the kids to stone mountain or six flags or whatever for the weekend we describe our trip as “going to atlanta for the weekend”…
Icarus // Jul 16, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Savannah, Charleston, It’s all really South Carolina to me.
Icarus // Jul 16, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Sheppie,
We can’t afford to have your attention diverted right now, when you should be finalizing your battle plans to take our part of Tennessee back.
While you’re at it, make sure you get the part where they’re building the new VW plant.
atlantaman // Jul 20, 2008 at 9:31 am
The folks in Gwinnett are worried about what MARTA might bring in? How ironic. Seems to me they might need MARTA to get the hell out - like the fall of Saigon someday.
‘Flood’ of drugs from Mexico linked to area abductions
http://www.ajc.com/business/content/metro/stories/2008/07/20/drug.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab