Charter schools amendment points the way for Georgia GOP
Republicans are doing some soul-searching after losing the presidential election and some winnable U.S. Senate contests. The Georgia GOP should be similarly self-reflective after delivering the second-smallest margin among states won by Mitt Romney.
The same demographic trends Romney failed to overcome are increasingly apparent in Georgia. Republicans here must learn to win over voters they typically haven’t attracted. Fortunately for them, Tuesday also offered a template for doing so: the successful charter schools amendment.
The referendum to affirm a state role in creating these public schools was passed in a Republican-dominated Legislature with crucial, but limited, Democratic support; was endorsed by our Republican governor; was opposed by the state Democratic Party; drew much-scrutinized financial support from wealthy Republicans outside Georgia; and was slammed in a radio ad by a civil-rights icon, the Rev. Joseph Lowery, as a precursor to resegregation.
Yet in Clayton, DeKalb and Fulton counties, home to about a third of all Democrats and black registered voters in Georgia, 72 percent of voters backed President Barack Obama’s re-election — and 66 percent approved the charter schools amendment. And why not? The students and parents in those counties face some of the most dysfunctional school systems in the state.
In all, the amendment got 62 percent in pro-Obama counties, 56 percent in pro-Romney counties.
Georgia Republicans have big trouble in big cities, but the amendment won in every single county where at least 40,000 people voted on it. And it got 65 percent of the vote in the 10-county metro Atlanta region – where the T-SPLOST was defeated in July by 62 percent of the voters.
It may seem odd to liken the passage of the GOP-led charter schools amendment to the defeat of the GOP-created T-SPLOST. But the pairing offers some important lessons.
Each contest featured a coalition of mostly suburban “movement” conservatives and mostly urban black Democrats that has rarely, if ever, figured into Georgia politics.
Why did these groups come together? In part, it’s because the losing side in each referendum essentially argued, “Trust us.”
For the T-SPLOST, it was the state transportation apparatus and the politicians who like to meddle with it. For the amendment — despite opponents’ efforts to tie it to the same politicians — it was the educational establishment that runs local public school districts.
Decades of experience left Georgians wary of trusting either group. There’s an opportunity here.
Republicans often talk about financial waste in public services. They’re less adept at addressing these services’ failings from users’ perspective.
This is less true when it comes to education. The amendment was a chance to reach out to non-Republicans with a solution for improving public education for them. There will be more chances — soon, I hope.
On transportation, the Georgia GOP shouldn’t talk about privatizing MARTA, for example, purely as a way to save money. As long as DeKalb and Fulton have a sales tax for transit, MARTA isn’t likely to cost taxpayers less.
But Republicans could promote privatization as a way to improve transit without spending more money. In my 2010 series on MARTA, I estimated the agency could increase bus services by about one-eighth (over 2008 levels) without increasing spending, by privatizing buses the way some cities out West have.
If Georgia Republicans don’t find a way to promote conservative principles with new blocs of voters, the choice won’t be theirs much longer.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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425 comments Add your comment
Brosephus™
November 11th, 2012
11:03 am
@@
I think it all depends on the group. If the group of parents make up an overwhelming majority of the district, then I’d say it qualifies as an emergency. If it’s a very small group of parents, then it would depend on the situation. I think everybody’s voice should be heard though. For me, it’s a matter of veing an educated voter. When elected officials do something I don’t like or I think is wrong for my community, I don’t vote to re-elect them to their position.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
11:04 am
Brosephus: We already have charter schools in the school systems all accross the board.
————————–
And we’re about to have quite a few more. That’s what’s really burning you up, isn’t it?
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
11:05 am
A content Dem: How’s climate change denial working out for the crazy Regressive wingnuts among us?
—————————
Why didn’t Obozo pass cap and trade during his first two years?
I guess he’s anti-science too.
Brosephus™
November 11th, 2012
11:07 am
And as I pointed out, communities NEVER voluntarily get rid of their school board members, no matter how badly they perform.
So, are you championing this amendment as a means to address voter apathy? If a voter doesn’t take the time to educate themselves on the choices they make in the voting booth, I don’t see why they should not have to bear the reprecussions of that decision. Is that not one of the arguments that conservatives have been making in regards to the re-election of Obama? Why should it not be the same for local elections?
mike
November 11th, 2012
11:08 am
Hmmmmh…. If I’m writing a book about a dry military leader, do you think sales would increase if I have an affair with the military leader and cause him to resign one of the highest posts in the land?
Brosephus™
November 11th, 2012
11:09 am
And we’re about to have quite a few more. That’s what’s really burning you up, isn’t it?
Nope. My oldest child is 4 years old, and I pay for her schooling with my own funds. I don’t even use a lottery funded Pre-K. The school system in Henry County is quite well, and there’s not that much chatter about charter schools here. The public schools are good, and the private schools are good too.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
November 11th, 2012
11:09 am
” The 3 biggest storms in New York’s history (since 1900) have occurred in the last 3 years”
Oh, Dem?
I suggest you learn something about meteorology and historical weather.
New York is but one city on the East Coast.
East Coast storms go in patterns and they have nothing to do with the last three years, sonny. I recommend looking up one of the most respected meteorologists on the planet, Joe B@st@rdi to understand that this is nothing new.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
November 11th, 2012
11:10 am
“This is the most important election of our lifetime.” That was the ubiquitous rally cry of Republican leaders. The country yawned. About 11 million fewer Americans voted for the two major-party candidates in 2012 — 119 million, down from 130 million in 2008. In fact, even though our population has steadily increased in the last eight years (adding 16 million to the 2004 estimate of 293 million Americans), about 2 million fewer Americans pulled the lever for Obama and Romney than for George W. Bush and John Kerry.
Mandate?
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
November 11th, 2012
11:11 am
“So, are you championing this amendment as a means to address voter apathy?”
No, I’m championing it because it gives parents CHOICES that might potentially improve their children’s education.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
11:12 am
Ronald Reagan. 1984. 525 electoral votes.
Mandate.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
11:17 am
Don’t cry, Amoeba Fan.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
11:17 am
What happened to cap and trade, Obama fan?
Skip
November 11th, 2012
11:21 am
Mandate scamdate, Obama won, that’s what counts. You really want to move the ole goal posts don’t ya?
Brosephus™
November 11th, 2012
11:22 am
Tiberius
Ok… I understand. I might not agree with you, but I understand your position.
Beverly Fraud
November 11th, 2012
11:27 am
Five words….Clayton County Board of Education.
In jeopardy of losing their accreditation yet again.
Actually @@ SACS is a major part of the problem. The whole “losing accreditation” is an empty threat.(Notice in Clayton in was “removed” AFTER one senior class graduated, and “restored” BEFORE the next class graduated; no students were affected; it was just a shell game Elgart played with GAE to get rid of some political opponents (some of which would have been complete embarrassments granted, but I’m not sure ClayCo voters are embarrassed by anything these days)
During years of widespread, systemic cheating in Atlanta, SACS did NOTHING. But when Beverly Hall was threatened, SACS sprang into action, (according to this very paper, correct me if I’m wrong Kyle) not to address cheating but to PROTECT Beverly Hall, by strong arming the board members to keep in power the board chair who ACTIVELY (according to this very paper, correct me if I’m wrong Kyle) conspired to hide evidence of cheating.
Still @@ all the above is a reason TO support the amendment, as these schools would be somewhat immune to SACS political power plays.
Local school boards, SACS, GAE and PAGE…all part of the status quo They have no one to blame but themselves that the voters are sick of them.
cc
November 11th, 2012
11:28 am
An Obama fan:
The name you have chosen to use attests to the level of your intelligence.
Did I type too fast for you?
Do you understand all the words?
carlosgvv
November 11th, 2012
11:30 am
Tiberius – 11:11
It gives parents choices. They can choose to get on school boards and make certain their children’s schools teach creationism, anti-science propaganda and the unerring truth of The New Testament.
I just know that gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling.
carlosgvv
November 11th, 2012
11:33 am
cc
You do the work of three men here – Moe, Larry and Curly.
cc
November 11th, 2012
11:37 am
carlosgvv:
“You do the work of three men here – Moe, Larry and Curly”
. . . and you do the work of one – Les Nessman.
@@
November 11th, 2012
11:51 am
Obama fan:
Remember also that she’s a conservative like you and you really ought not to be throwing her under the bus as you are.
She threw herself under the bus. You’ll never see me standing in defense of stoopid women. I owe them nothing. Never joined their movement.
Let me share a little story with you. My husband and I were longtime friends with a married couple. She catches him fooling around. Circumstances were such that his company’s policy was “no fraternizing with fellow employees”.
The mistress, thinking she could intimidate the wife (unbeknownst to the husband) sends an e-mail letting the wife know there’s something going on. The wife shows up at a seminar that husband and mistress are attending together. Rents a hotel room across from theirs. Catches ‘em red-handed on camera.
What happened? The wife cleaned his clock…house…vehicles…alimony…the lion’s share of his savings and retirement. He signed it over to her willingly for fear of losing his job.
For some strange reason he marries the mistress. He’s miserable….the new wife is miserable. He’s miserable because the new wife is a nag about having to cut financial corners. She’s miserable because the first wife enjoys the bulk of his finances.
I still see both of them. The 1st wife often, the ex-husband not too. Whenever I run across him, I’ll always give him a hug and ask how things are going? His response? “It’s my own living hell.”
Commitment wins!!!!! She committed herself to cleaning his clock.
MarkV:
The climate change debate remains inconclusive. It always will. There’s no point in discussing it.
Let me know when YOUR work is published. I’ll be happy to read IT!!!!
schnirt
I’m all for alternative fuels in the interest of national defense.
Cap & Tax is a scam.
cc
November 11th, 2012
11:54 am
Beverly Fraud:
“We know the liberals are bedwetters on discipline; but who knew that Deal, Lindsey and company were EQUALLY spineless on discipline in the schools?
I believe the problem in discipline must be attributed to the parents, or maybe we should refer to most of them as sperm and egg donors. Teachers I know in the government indoctrination centers have told me many times that attempts to discipline unruly students is almost invariable met with telephone calls or visits where the assertion is made, “My child wouldn’t do that!” I understand that ALL parents do not fall in that category, but all too many do.
I advocated and voted for the amendment for many reasons, but paramount was an improvement of the education that children receive.
cc
November 11th, 2012
12:00 pm
Beverly Fraud:
“invariable” should read “inevitably”
Sorry . . .
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
12:01 pm
An Obama fan: Crazy wingnut Regressive dolts happened to cap and trade, you fool.
———–
Incorrect. Obozo couldn’t get it through a filibuster-proof, anti-science Democrat Senate.
Obozo’s in you all the way, isn’t he?
lefty_316
November 11th, 2012
12:01 pm
Lil’ Barry a question for you – are you a true fiscal conservative or yet another fiscal conserative impostor, a pretender like so many in the republican party? Because if you are not pro-choice then you are a pretender. All true fiscal conservatives are pro-choice.
Beverly Fraud
November 11th, 2012
12:15 pm
I believe the problem in discipline must be attributed to the parents
Yes cc but that doesn’t absolve the Republicans in power of at least supporting policy. For instance, if a student physically assaults or physically threatens a teacher a tribunal is legally to be held within ten days.
Places like APS and DeKalb are notorious for not following the law. Well, why won’t Lindsey and crew put REAL TEETH into the law? Say, if an OIR official doesn’t hold the hearing, suspend the local school superintendent, the OIR head, and the principal ten days without pay
Think maybe then those officials will start taking discipline a bit more seriously?
Speaking of OIR why haven’t LIndsey and crew held hearings about fellow State Sen Ronald Ramsey the DeKalb OIR official who been double dipping (getting his full DCSS salary while spending 40 days a year with the legislature?)
cc
November 11th, 2012
12:20 pm
Beverly Fraud:
We have no area of disagreement . . .
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
12:23 pm
An Obama fan: meet some non-white, non-male people for a change
——————————
LMAO…you don’t know what you don’t know, racist.
cc
November 11th, 2012
12:23 pm
An Obama fan”
Your use, or overuse, of the word “fool” speaks volumes about you.
MarkV
November 11th, 2012
12:26 pm
@@ @11:51 am
“There’s no point in discussing it.” (climate change)
On this part of your post I agree. And I did not start discussing it.
cc
November 11th, 2012
12:27 pm
LBB:
“LMAO…you don’t know what you don’t know, racist.”
Obama fan: NAILED!
cc
November 11th, 2012
12:30 pm
An Obama fan:
“At a minimum, I’d venture to say she knows how to correctly spell “stupid.”
With this statement, you just displayed your stoopidity . . .
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
12:32 pm
Lil bar – You’re a pig.
——————-
That’s not true; I’ve never voted Democrat even once, and never taken a government handout.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
12:33 pm
An Obama fan: I’m the racist
———————–
OK, if you say so.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
12:35 pm
I vote for dignity, class, and excellence, Obozo Fan. That disqualifies Obozo.
@@
November 11th, 2012
12:58 pm
Obama fan:
She’s obviously lacking in common sense.
As a veteran, she’s probably well versed in the art of war only to return and lose a catfight?
Pitiful, just pit-i-ful.
You’ll just have to accept the reality…..
I’m not impressed.
lefty_316
November 11th, 2012
1:20 pm
Lil’ Barry you didn’t answer my question. Are you a coward or something?
Fully half the republican party wants to overturn Roe v. Wade. That would result in an explosion of requests for taxpayer assistance – Medicaid, welfare, food stamps, government assisted housing. The anti-choice anti-Roe agenda is nothing a true fiscal conservative could ever support.
Which are you – a true fiscal conserative or a anti-choice pretender?
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
1:31 pm
Requests for taxpayer assistance don’t have to be answered. Your question reflects an entitlement mentality that is all too common, in every sense of the word.
lefty_316
November 11th, 2012
1:37 pm
Lil’ Barry you live in a fantasy world. Perhaps you’re one of those filthy, perverted social conservatives that have destoyed the GOP and are the reason millions of us have quit the party over the past 15 years.
So you want to make sure every woman that gets pregnant has a baby. And then you’ll let the baby starve to death.
You’re nothing but a hypocrite. You and the rest of your anti-choice cohorts absolutely disgust me.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
1:39 pm
lefty, if you don’t want a baby (or can’t support one, let alone yourself), don’t have one. Demanding that others pay your bills is the ultimate in greed.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
November 11th, 2012
1:40 pm
My, aren’t the libs awfully foamy today?
Kamchak - You cons said Elmer Fudd could defeat Obama, so why didn't you nominate him?
November 11th, 2012
1:41 pm
Your question reflects an entitlement mentality…
There’s your sign
Georgia
November 11th, 2012
1:44 pm
Broadwell interviewed Patraeus for her book. I guess she didn’t have to ask, “Boxers or Briefs”, like every other journalist interviewing a political figure.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
1:54 pm
An Obama fan: Lil Bar and his ilk are a disgrace to humanity
——————————-
Folks who vote for a candidate based on how much he’s going to hand out to the parasites…now THERE is a disgrace to humanity.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
1:55 pm
Another disgrace to humanity–anyone who kills their unborn child because it might be inconvenient.
Kamchak - You cons said Elmer Fudd could defeat Obama, so why didn't you nominate him?
November 11th, 2012
2:00 pm
Folks who vote for a candidate based on how much he’s going to hand out to the parasites…now THERE is a disgrace to humanity.
BUSH: I want to take one-half of the surplus and dedicate it to Social Security, one-quarter of the surplus for important projects, and I want to send one-quarter of the surplus back to the people who pay the bills. I want everybody who pays taxes to have their tax rates cut.
Too funny!
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
2:04 pm
Kammy calls taxpayers “parasites”…there’s your Democrat sign!
Kamchak - You cons said Elmer Fudd could defeat Obama, so why didn't you nominate him?
November 11th, 2012
2:07 pm
Kammy calls taxpayers “parasites”…
Wasn’t me, sport.
It was you.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
2:09 pm
Obozo fan, did those guys (all white men, BTW) vote for Obozo based on how much he was going to hand out to the parasites?
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
November 11th, 2012
2:11 pm
Kammy can’t even comprehend her own posts…not much hope she can comprehend mine.
Kamchak - You cons said Elmer Fudd could defeat Obama, so why didn't you nominate him?
November 11th, 2012
2:14 pm
Kammy can’t even comprehend her own posts…
I never posted, Folks who vote for a candidate based on how much he’s going to hand out to the parasites… except to quote YOU, sport.