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Community Corner

Raw Deal: Not a Conservative in sight

Republicans these days! From caving in on the debt ceiling to allowing Abortacare to proceed, our Republican politicians have lost their way. Republican is supposed to mean conservative. It is supposed to mean get out of the way of business and allow the economy to proceed with only the barest necessary guides. Is that what you've gotten?

Don't think this only afflicts the big boys and girls in Washington, either. Right here at home, our allegedly Republican governor is crushing small business in favor of his beloved government employees. I'm sure no one needs to be reminded that state workers make more than their private sector counterparts, both in terms of salaries and benefits. Look no further than the Regional Youth Detention Center in Paulding County. Despite the fact that its state managed counterparts continually poach quality employees, Paulding has built a record of accomplishment that none can rival.

The privately run PRYDC has battled its way back from a one-sided smear campaign -I mean, really, how is one supposed to prove a negative? -to become the best school under the Department of Juvenile Justice's leaky umbrella. The students complete more work and earn more course credit than any of the more expensive state facilities. They also have fewer incidences of violence. How is this success rewarded? Cuts, and now closure. DJJ just stopped sending kids, cutting profit to the private firm below the breakeven point. Dirty? Nope, just government business as usual.

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 Its readily apparent to this observer that the State Agencies simply cannot handle competition. Like all bureaucracies since the dawn of time, they've circled their wagons to defend their power and prestige. Instead of proceeding with plans to scrap a dilapidated, underperforming detention center in Gwinnett, DJJ has now decided to close Paulding instead. The facility in Gwinnett will require nearly a million dollars worth of renovations in the immediate future. Despite repair bill, the higher cost of operation, and the lackadaisical performance at Gwinnett, your supposedly conservative governor is right on board. I guess keeping fat state workers happy is more important than the kids are.

I can only hope that election season sees the conservative voter sweeping aside pandering politicians who wear the Republican "R" like a brand name shirt. They aren't for small business. They do not support limited government. Every opportunity to uphold the principles of Reagan sees them cowering, apologizing, or simply ignoring those principles. Those who don't hold our conservative values in common with us need to cross the aisle and don the Democrat "D," and we need to make them.   

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