I live in MTG's district, we are a rapidly growing exurb of metro Atlanta. Many businesses are locating out here and subdivisions and schools are popping up everywhere changing our area from pastoral to suburban. The professionals moving this way tend to be educated and liberal..things will change eventually.
I live in MTG's district, we are a rapidly growing exurb of metro Atlanta. Many businesses are locating out here and subdivisions and schools are popping up everywhere changing our area from pastoral to suburban. The professionals moving this way tend to be educated and liberal..things will change eventually.
I used to live in Rome and taught at one of the colleges there, which is in MTG's district. It was the first place I came to after living in Europe for nearly 20 years. To come from one of the most liberal societies, The Netherlands, to one that was SO conservative was quite the culture shock. Though the people I was around were all of a like mind politically and socially, nevertheless one could not escape that we were surrounded on all sides by people with a decidedly different view of the world. You learn quickly how to manage and get along with people of all stripes. For me it was an enormous adjustment as I returned to the US feeling very much like a foreigner.
The energy of Atlanta's northward spread had for years been its strongest going in a north and northeast direction for about 50 miles, following what is called the "I-85 corridor". For years in the '90s, the northern part of Gwinnett county and the southern part of my home county (Hall) were cited as THE fastest growing areas in the entire country. (When we moved here in 1956, the county had like 35,000 people. It's now over 220,000.) The northwestern expansion has been more recent, especially apparent in the past 20 years or so, and had largely left Rome untouched, but that has now changed. A county to the south of Rome's Floyd county, Cobb, for years in the '70s and '80s had been pretty solidly red--it was the area that produced Newt Gingrich. It was very White and very Republican. That has ALL changed and the county has become a Democratic stronghold. The trends do show rapid political shifts in some of the outer-most counties in the 26-county "conurbation", as it is called. Truly, it is only a matter of time before political winds and demographics can shift in the 14th district and extremists like MTG will surely be voted out. In the last election, the guy running against her was not, IMO, the strongest candidate the Democrats could put up. A more moderate Democrat--and I really HATE to say it, but one who's White--who also might be able to capture some of the moderate Independent and Republican votes, COULD conceivably be MTG's undoing. Fingers crossed this can happen sooner rather than later!
Bruce, I grew up in a suburb of Boston, and we've lived in Gwinnett County since 1975. Because of Gwinnett's rapid growth from other parts of the country, the population has become increasingly more diverse and liberal, making our county Democratic. I've observed the same phenomenon in Cobb. Like you, I believed that Marcus Flowers had no chance of beating MTG in the midterms, regardless of the donations (including mine) that he raised. Still, the outrageousness of Greene and the far right will eventually destine them to obscurity. I hope I live to see that day.
Bruce, although this is not on topic, I am wondering whether you have recently received a copy of "The Epoch Times," a newspaper described by the NYT as "[S]ince 2016, the Falun Gong-backed newspaper has used aggressive Facebook tactics and right-wing misinformation to create an anti-China, pro-Trump media empire." We received a copy recently, and my guess is that we're not the only recipients. It was specifically addressed to my attention. Creepy!
Either that, or because you live in a ruby-red district, they think you don't need indoctrination. In my case, one of my conservative neighbors probably ratted on me.
Absolutely! From what I've been told, Caroll County is blood red - in every respect! Gwinnett County, where we live, used to be extremely conservative. Years ago (1980's), one of my sons was with friends, roaming through the woods near Stone Mountain. That night, there was a huge news broadcast, relating that a white supremacist who was being sought for the murder of Jewish radio host, Alan Berg (in Denver, I think), and was thought to be in the area. My son was terribly upset, because the photo of the fugitive looked like a person he'd seen in the woods. I immediately called the FBI, and the agent I spoke with said something along the lines of "Well, that's no surprise, since Stone Mountain was a rallying point for the KKK years ago, and there are lots of sympathizers there now." While I knew the history of Stone Mountain, and there is a huge carving on the face of the mountain of the Confederate generals in uniform on horseback, it was terribly unsettling. Fortunately, they caught the fugitive within hours, and in the last several years there have been ongoing negotiations about removing the carving or allowing the elements to destroy it. So, while we still have plenty of bigots, the tide has turned, Gwinnett County has become very diverse, and is now very BLUE!
When we first moved here in '56, then, of course, the South was still solidly Democratic, as in "Dixie-crats", very right-wing segregationists and VERY conservative. My folks, though pretty conservative, had always voted Republican even then, so were a bit against the grain here. Gwinnett then was largely rural and overwhelmingly White. Up further north there were counties that had been 100% White for decades as they had run all the Blacks out through fearmongering and intimidation. Three of them (Forsyth (just to our west), White (no joke), and Habersham) stayed that way until just over 40 years ago. As a kid, I remember seeing with my own eyes the billboard in the county seat of Forsyth county that said, "N****r, don't let the sun set on you." I may have even asked why that was, but my folks probably would have said something like, "Just because..." Now, with Atlanta's northern sprawl, Forsyth county has exploded in growth and has even far surpassed us in population, of which a sizeable proportion is Black. The KKK tried to make a stand in the early '80s, but you can see what became of that. Yes, Atlanta's growth (urban area now at 6.92 million) IS having an effect on these pockets of the Old South. We can only hope that change will continue on apace as the old die off and the new persist.
Bruce, I'm glad that you related those tales, because it is sometimes difficult to realize how much things have changed here over the years. I worked for a very large downtown law firm for almost 40 years, and Black employees told me that they were still leery of driving through Forsyth County, as their parents had warned them that night riders really did lynch any Black person who dared to drive there - especially at night.
Even in the '80's, when my sons were in high school, I was stunned to see a huge sign posted in a vacant lot across the street from their Gwinnett County school that there was a KKK rally scheduled there on the weekend. I asked my sons if the school had called an assembly or made any announcements about the impending rally, and they had not. I called WSBTV and spoke to one of their reporters, who was aghast! That night, there was a long, indignant feature, the sign was taken down, and the authorities publicly assured residents that the rally would not be permitted. That the school had taken no action, and that WSB hadn't heard anything prior to my call was shocking to me. I called the school and told the principal how upset I was at his inaction, and we had a long talk with the boys, explained the history of racial terrorism, and they promised to tell us if they were approached by anyone associated with such activity. Now, if the same thing happened in Florida today, DeSantis would probably retaliate against me for being woke. In contrast, Georgia, despite its flaws, is continuing to progress.
My friend is a Democrat and a transplant from Indiana and a family what were Democrats. I think since she has lived in Carrollton she has only one friend that isn't a Republican. We talk at least once a week...to keep her sane. Her husband worked for CBS that became Sony and he died nearly twenty years ago but two of their children relocated to the same area.
I'd like to think that Carroll County will eventually moderate, but I have no way to gage that. She probably doesn't want to leave her children and their families, but perhaps she should consider relocating closer to the Atlanta area - maybe West Cobb County - where the atmosphere is less conservative, and she'd have more cultural activities. She might be happier, and still be within a reasonable distance to her family.
She is approaching 80 in a couple of years. Her daughter lives next to her and has a job in Carrollton. After caring for my parents and making a move away from them....I recommend that she stay close to her daughter. They are both single and look after one another. Her son and his family live about 30 minutes from her and that is a bonus too.
West Georgia is pretty red. All one has to do is go about an hour west of Atlanta to be in the middle of nowhere. (For non-Georgians, Carrollton is fairly close to the Alabama line due west from Atlanta.) I have a friend in Carrollton who is pretty liberal and she manages okay. One just has to learn to accept people as they are and always steer clear of certain topics. If you're surrounded there's not much you can do. It's called "survival". Kill 'em with kindness, I say. I don't let them have any inkling what I might believe. I look at folks and smile a lot and keep my mouth shut.
Your friend sounds a lot like my friend. They need to meet! Then she would have another like minded friend! LOL I have learned to ignore comments my Republican friends make but it is really hard. Joining the local Democrat party has helped me.
We have a LOT of crazies here...my brother won't even hardly go out of the house as he says you can't even go for a walk without being confronted by craziness. I haven't found it that bad, but in a place that went like 80% for T***p in '20, we do have our fair share. Just going on the website "NextDoor" is evidence enough. EVERY topic or posting, no matter how mundane or innocuous, is somehow always directed back to politics and how Biden and the Democrats are destroying the country, and how we had it so much better under T***p. Right. They bitch and moan about the local leaders and I SO badly want to remind them they're ALL Republicans and THEY elected them, so don't come crying to me! I don't go near any of them and stay out of all of that stuff. My real name is on there and I don't want to receive death threats.
Either dress like a bandido or start wearing a cowboy hat. If you are built I would go bandido. If you are slim wear the hat. Social problems solved. Smooth sailing. Confidence man. Or get a Dawgs sweatshirt and rip off the sleeves.
LOL! Nah...I'm old now, so I just dress in standard "Old Fart Attire". I have plenty of confidence when I go out as I won't let these troglodytes intimidate me. I do have some Dawgs stuff--I'm a UGA alum--and some Braves stuff so I have that covered!
Bruce: Atlanta burbs will change soonish. This year 3.3 Million high school seniors will graduate nationwide followed by 3.5 M in June 2024 and so on! By 2026 about 15 Million 18-22 yr olds will be eligible to vote joined by older 2-4 college and grad students! Many competitive states have passed AVR (automatic voter registration based on the application for a driverтАЩs license). I am trying to persuade states to broaden that by automatically including 18 yr olds in high school or college, and anyone else who has official contact with a state agency that can verify age, address, email, and personal signature. Tech folks easily can do all of that verification just like driverтАЩs licenses. The sum of all this is that educated youth will outvote the Trumpers in 2024 and wipe out the crazy side of the Republican Party which has at most only to 2026-28 and thereafter to dominate most elections in cities, suburbs, etc in AZ, NV, CO, GA, NC, VA, MI, WI, PA, ILL, significant parts even of TX, OH, IA, FL, etc, etc!
Better be damn quick before MTG and her Trumpsters ruin this state! As long as they keep their Republican attitudes and keep a Trumpublican Governor and legislation , weтАЩll never get anything done for us. It will only be fir the rich.
Kemp is decidedly not pro-Trump at all and has been pretty obvious about that. In the gubernatorial race he totally shied away from even mentioning T***p. He very deftly succeeded in not antagonizing the T***p base and by doing so they could still vote for him--and they did. He tepidly endorsed Walker in the Senate runoff, but he was more or less forced to. He was definitely NOT for Walker in the Republican primary, nor did he endorse him during the November election. He was very noticeably silent about Walker until the runoff, when, being the governor, he basically HAD to endorse a Republican. The state General Assembly does still have a fair number of T***pies, though.
He was smart enough to see the writing on the wall, and hoped that would protect him from TFG's foes, but he's every inch Republican, and we all know that there are no moderate Republicans drawing breath here or anywhere else. His "heartbeat" anti-abortion law, refusal to expand Medicaid, voter suppression rules (that mostly didn't work), and anti-woke mouthing keep him solidly in the camp of the right.
I'm hoping that the Georgia fake electors and election deniers still in D.C. will be called out and prosecuted, at least by Fani Willis.
Nancy, you took the words right out of my mouth. Kemp may not have mentioned Frump, but heтАЩs damn sure running his game on us here in Georgia. And yes, he had t n e voting laws changed to the point where I, a totally disabled man thatтАЩs homebound had to go through hell to get my ballot mailed to me, plus I called several times after I mailed it to make sure it had been received. Getting it was a pain in my a$$, but I finally received it less C than 10 days before the election, and runoff.
Underneath that outer shell of the Kemp that is shown to everyone is the true Governor Kemp that is going tight by TFGs playbook.
He's doing everything he can to toss sand into the machinery, and has the gall to dole out Federal funds without mentioning that they came from Biden! One reason for our State surplus is due to the fact that relief funding came in and he banked it. Even expanding Medicaid would cost the State very little, since the Feds cover so much of it. Now, he's touting our surplus and explaining it by saying that he's been fiscally responsible.
The impediments to mail-in voting are unconscionable, but he hides it under the cloak of voting integrity, never mentioning that there has been almost zero fraud. Then factor in the Republican voter nullification laws that they've enacted. The only reason they haven't tossed out any election results is because the Republicans did quite well during the '22 election here, and he'd hesitate to monkey with Senate votes.
K.paschal, thank you for this ray of hope. I live for the day that MTG and her ilk are banished - permanently - in the way that Gwinnett County has evolved.
I live in MTG's district, we are a rapidly growing exurb of metro Atlanta. Many businesses are locating out here and subdivisions and schools are popping up everywhere changing our area from pastoral to suburban. The professionals moving this way tend to be educated and liberal..things will change eventually.
I used to live in Rome and taught at one of the colleges there, which is in MTG's district. It was the first place I came to after living in Europe for nearly 20 years. To come from one of the most liberal societies, The Netherlands, to one that was SO conservative was quite the culture shock. Though the people I was around were all of a like mind politically and socially, nevertheless one could not escape that we were surrounded on all sides by people with a decidedly different view of the world. You learn quickly how to manage and get along with people of all stripes. For me it was an enormous adjustment as I returned to the US feeling very much like a foreigner.
The energy of Atlanta's northward spread had for years been its strongest going in a north and northeast direction for about 50 miles, following what is called the "I-85 corridor". For years in the '90s, the northern part of Gwinnett county and the southern part of my home county (Hall) were cited as THE fastest growing areas in the entire country. (When we moved here in 1956, the county had like 35,000 people. It's now over 220,000.) The northwestern expansion has been more recent, especially apparent in the past 20 years or so, and had largely left Rome untouched, but that has now changed. A county to the south of Rome's Floyd county, Cobb, for years in the '70s and '80s had been pretty solidly red--it was the area that produced Newt Gingrich. It was very White and very Republican. That has ALL changed and the county has become a Democratic stronghold. The trends do show rapid political shifts in some of the outer-most counties in the 26-county "conurbation", as it is called. Truly, it is only a matter of time before political winds and demographics can shift in the 14th district and extremists like MTG will surely be voted out. In the last election, the guy running against her was not, IMO, the strongest candidate the Democrats could put up. A more moderate Democrat--and I really HATE to say it, but one who's White--who also might be able to capture some of the moderate Independent and Republican votes, COULD conceivably be MTG's undoing. Fingers crossed this can happen sooner rather than later!
Bruce, I grew up in a suburb of Boston, and we've lived in Gwinnett County since 1975. Because of Gwinnett's rapid growth from other parts of the country, the population has become increasingly more diverse and liberal, making our county Democratic. I've observed the same phenomenon in Cobb. Like you, I believed that Marcus Flowers had no chance of beating MTG in the midterms, regardless of the donations (including mine) that he raised. Still, the outrageousness of Greene and the far right will eventually destine them to obscurity. I hope I live to see that day.
"From your lips to God's ears!..."
Bruce, although this is not on topic, I am wondering whether you have recently received a copy of "The Epoch Times," a newspaper described by the NYT as "[S]ince 2016, the Falun Gong-backed newspaper has used aggressive Facebook tactics and right-wing misinformation to create an anti-China, pro-Trump media empire." We received a copy recently, and my guess is that we're not the only recipients. It was specifically addressed to my attention. Creepy!
No, thank God! I'm still flying under the radar around here and keep a low profile.
Either that, or because you live in a ruby-red district, they think you don't need indoctrination. In my case, one of my conservative neighbors probably ratted on me.
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According to my friend Susan that lives in Carrollton...there are alot of crazy Republicans in that county of Carroll.
Absolutely! From what I've been told, Caroll County is blood red - in every respect! Gwinnett County, where we live, used to be extremely conservative. Years ago (1980's), one of my sons was with friends, roaming through the woods near Stone Mountain. That night, there was a huge news broadcast, relating that a white supremacist who was being sought for the murder of Jewish radio host, Alan Berg (in Denver, I think), and was thought to be in the area. My son was terribly upset, because the photo of the fugitive looked like a person he'd seen in the woods. I immediately called the FBI, and the agent I spoke with said something along the lines of "Well, that's no surprise, since Stone Mountain was a rallying point for the KKK years ago, and there are lots of sympathizers there now." While I knew the history of Stone Mountain, and there is a huge carving on the face of the mountain of the Confederate generals in uniform on horseback, it was terribly unsettling. Fortunately, they caught the fugitive within hours, and in the last several years there have been ongoing negotiations about removing the carving or allowing the elements to destroy it. So, while we still have plenty of bigots, the tide has turned, Gwinnett County has become very diverse, and is now very BLUE!
When we first moved here in '56, then, of course, the South was still solidly Democratic, as in "Dixie-crats", very right-wing segregationists and VERY conservative. My folks, though pretty conservative, had always voted Republican even then, so were a bit against the grain here. Gwinnett then was largely rural and overwhelmingly White. Up further north there were counties that had been 100% White for decades as they had run all the Blacks out through fearmongering and intimidation. Three of them (Forsyth (just to our west), White (no joke), and Habersham) stayed that way until just over 40 years ago. As a kid, I remember seeing with my own eyes the billboard in the county seat of Forsyth county that said, "N****r, don't let the sun set on you." I may have even asked why that was, but my folks probably would have said something like, "Just because..." Now, with Atlanta's northern sprawl, Forsyth county has exploded in growth and has even far surpassed us in population, of which a sizeable proportion is Black. The KKK tried to make a stand in the early '80s, but you can see what became of that. Yes, Atlanta's growth (urban area now at 6.92 million) IS having an effect on these pockets of the Old South. We can only hope that change will continue on apace as the old die off and the new persist.
Bruce, I'm glad that you related those tales, because it is sometimes difficult to realize how much things have changed here over the years. I worked for a very large downtown law firm for almost 40 years, and Black employees told me that they were still leery of driving through Forsyth County, as their parents had warned them that night riders really did lynch any Black person who dared to drive there - especially at night.
Even in the '80's, when my sons were in high school, I was stunned to see a huge sign posted in a vacant lot across the street from their Gwinnett County school that there was a KKK rally scheduled there on the weekend. I asked my sons if the school had called an assembly or made any announcements about the impending rally, and they had not. I called WSBTV and spoke to one of their reporters, who was aghast! That night, there was a long, indignant feature, the sign was taken down, and the authorities publicly assured residents that the rally would not be permitted. That the school had taken no action, and that WSB hadn't heard anything prior to my call was shocking to me. I called the school and told the principal how upset I was at his inaction, and we had a long talk with the boys, explained the history of racial terrorism, and they promised to tell us if they were approached by anyone associated with such activity. Now, if the same thing happened in Florida today, DeSantis would probably retaliate against me for being woke. In contrast, Georgia, despite its flaws, is continuing to progress.
My friend is a Democrat and a transplant from Indiana and a family what were Democrats. I think since she has lived in Carrollton she has only one friend that isn't a Republican. We talk at least once a week...to keep her sane. Her husband worked for CBS that became Sony and he died nearly twenty years ago but two of their children relocated to the same area.
I'd like to think that Carroll County will eventually moderate, but I have no way to gage that. She probably doesn't want to leave her children and their families, but perhaps she should consider relocating closer to the Atlanta area - maybe West Cobb County - where the atmosphere is less conservative, and she'd have more cultural activities. She might be happier, and still be within a reasonable distance to her family.
She is approaching 80 in a couple of years. Her daughter lives next to her and has a job in Carrollton. After caring for my parents and making a move away from them....I recommend that she stay close to her daughter. They are both single and look after one another. Her son and his family live about 30 minutes from her and that is a bonus too.
Certainly, in that case, she needs to stay where she is. The good news is that you don't have to live with your neighbors!
West Georgia is pretty red. All one has to do is go about an hour west of Atlanta to be in the middle of nowhere. (For non-Georgians, Carrollton is fairly close to the Alabama line due west from Atlanta.) I have a friend in Carrollton who is pretty liberal and she manages okay. One just has to learn to accept people as they are and always steer clear of certain topics. If you're surrounded there's not much you can do. It's called "survival". Kill 'em with kindness, I say. I don't let them have any inkling what I might believe. I look at folks and smile a lot and keep my mouth shut.
Your friend sounds a lot like my friend. They need to meet! Then she would have another like minded friend! LOL I have learned to ignore comments my Republican friends make but it is really hard. Joining the local Democrat party has helped me.
We have a LOT of crazies here...my brother won't even hardly go out of the house as he says you can't even go for a walk without being confronted by craziness. I haven't found it that bad, but in a place that went like 80% for T***p in '20, we do have our fair share. Just going on the website "NextDoor" is evidence enough. EVERY topic or posting, no matter how mundane or innocuous, is somehow always directed back to politics and how Biden and the Democrats are destroying the country, and how we had it so much better under T***p. Right. They bitch and moan about the local leaders and I SO badly want to remind them they're ALL Republicans and THEY elected them, so don't come crying to me! I don't go near any of them and stay out of all of that stuff. My real name is on there and I don't want to receive death threats.
Either dress like a bandido or start wearing a cowboy hat. If you are built I would go bandido. If you are slim wear the hat. Social problems solved. Smooth sailing. Confidence man. Or get a Dawgs sweatshirt and rip off the sleeves.
LOL! Nah...I'm old now, so I just dress in standard "Old Fart Attire". I have plenty of confidence when I go out as I won't let these troglodytes intimidate me. I do have some Dawgs stuff--I'm a UGA alum--and some Braves stuff so I have that covered!
Bruce: Atlanta burbs will change soonish. This year 3.3 Million high school seniors will graduate nationwide followed by 3.5 M in June 2024 and so on! By 2026 about 15 Million 18-22 yr olds will be eligible to vote joined by older 2-4 college and grad students! Many competitive states have passed AVR (automatic voter registration based on the application for a driverтАЩs license). I am trying to persuade states to broaden that by automatically including 18 yr olds in high school or college, and anyone else who has official contact with a state agency that can verify age, address, email, and personal signature. Tech folks easily can do all of that verification just like driverтАЩs licenses. The sum of all this is that educated youth will outvote the Trumpers in 2024 and wipe out the crazy side of the Republican Party which has at most only to 2026-28 and thereafter to dominate most elections in cities, suburbs, etc in AZ, NV, CO, GA, NC, VA, MI, WI, PA, ILL, significant parts even of TX, OH, IA, FL, etc, etc!
Better be damn quick before MTG and her Trumpsters ruin this state! As long as they keep their Republican attitudes and keep a Trumpublican Governor and legislation , weтАЩll never get anything done for us. It will only be fir the rich.
Kemp is decidedly not pro-Trump at all and has been pretty obvious about that. In the gubernatorial race he totally shied away from even mentioning T***p. He very deftly succeeded in not antagonizing the T***p base and by doing so they could still vote for him--and they did. He tepidly endorsed Walker in the Senate runoff, but he was more or less forced to. He was definitely NOT for Walker in the Republican primary, nor did he endorse him during the November election. He was very noticeably silent about Walker until the runoff, when, being the governor, he basically HAD to endorse a Republican. The state General Assembly does still have a fair number of T***pies, though.
He was smart enough to see the writing on the wall, and hoped that would protect him from TFG's foes, but he's every inch Republican, and we all know that there are no moderate Republicans drawing breath here or anywhere else. His "heartbeat" anti-abortion law, refusal to expand Medicaid, voter suppression rules (that mostly didn't work), and anti-woke mouthing keep him solidly in the camp of the right.
I'm hoping that the Georgia fake electors and election deniers still in D.C. will be called out and prosecuted, at least by Fani Willis.
Nancy, you took the words right out of my mouth. Kemp may not have mentioned Frump, but heтАЩs damn sure running his game on us here in Georgia. And yes, he had t n e voting laws changed to the point where I, a totally disabled man thatтАЩs homebound had to go through hell to get my ballot mailed to me, plus I called several times after I mailed it to make sure it had been received. Getting it was a pain in my a$$, but I finally received it less C than 10 days before the election, and runoff.
Underneath that outer shell of the Kemp that is shown to everyone is the true Governor Kemp that is going tight by TFGs playbook.
ItтАЩs that simple.
He's doing everything he can to toss sand into the machinery, and has the gall to dole out Federal funds without mentioning that they came from Biden! One reason for our State surplus is due to the fact that relief funding came in and he banked it. Even expanding Medicaid would cost the State very little, since the Feds cover so much of it. Now, he's touting our surplus and explaining it by saying that he's been fiscally responsible.
The impediments to mail-in voting are unconscionable, but he hides it under the cloak of voting integrity, never mentioning that there has been almost zero fraud. Then factor in the Republican voter nullification laws that they've enacted. The only reason they haven't tossed out any election results is because the Republicans did quite well during the '22 election here, and he'd hesitate to monkey with Senate votes.
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K.paschal, thank you for this ray of hope. I live for the day that MTG and her ilk are banished - permanently - in the way that Gwinnett County has evolved.