I have lived in Hall County since 1965. When I moved my family here, the Democrats controlled politics at all levels and a Republican had no say so about what took place in the political arena.
Several of us decided this was not the way it should be and worked hard to bring about a change to Republican representation which would, we thought, provide better leadership, harmony and progress.
I believe significant progress in this effort has been made in many areas. This has been accomplished, to a great extent, by the contributions of our Hall County delegation. However, it seems wherever politics exist, there is always lurking in the shadows inflated egos and the lust for power.
I believe the present speaker of the house is a personification of these harmful traits. He seems to be more concerned about getting himself in the best position to become our next governor as opposed to providing the leadership required to address the needs of the people. He has heaped ruthless vengeance on those who opposed his ambitious pursuits.
Our state representative, Doug Collins, along with others, has been a victim of his behavior. This kind of conduct denies the people of effective leadership and the loss of talent needed to make government function in a more productive fashion.
The House has an opportunity, I believe, to rectify this situation by electing state representative David Ralston to the post of speaker. In my opinion, he has the skills and ability to provide the leadership needed to move us forward in an unified and productive way.
I would hope the rest of our Hall County delegation would join Rep. Collins in supporting David in his quest to fill this position of great responsibility. We don't need contentious leaders, but leaders who will put the interest of the people above their own ambitions. We also don't want to squander our majority position obtained so painfully after 130 years of Democratic exclusive domination. The people are watching.
Gary Gambrell
Murrayville
Hall Republican Party not telling the truth
Honesty is a very important value in our homes and families. The lack of honesty during the recent Republican control of Congress and the Bush presidency has done more harm to our communities than our foreign enemies.
The Hall County Republican Party brags that all the elected officials in Hall County (that are elected by party) are Republican. That isn't true and hasn't been true ever. County commissioners must designate a party affiliation and qualify by party affiliation. Deborah Mack, a Democrat, has held office as a county commissioner since 2002.
If the Hall County Republicans can't see Mack at the monthly county commission meetings, how can they possibly find weapons of mass destruction, al-Qaida or a solution to any of the complex problems threatening our security?
What other lies are on the Republican Web site?
The Hall County Republican Party "is larger than even Gwinnett County GOP." I guess size does matter, but is the Hall County Republican Party even as large as the Hall County Democratic Party?
The Hall County Republicans have only one person listed as a district chair. Hall County Democrats' Web pages list three party committee members for each of the county's four districts and five at-large representatives. Those 17 Democrats are not elected government officials, but Democrats elected to represent other Democrats with local and state party issues.
Why can't the Hall County Republicans find one person to help the county party membership in each district? Could it be that after a few years of George Bush, Nathan Deal and Saxby Chambliss, even the local Republican party has become top heavy, indifferent and out of touch with the average person?
The Hall County Republican Party and the National GOP are just like Bush and Cheney. Clueless and truthless.
Michael Parker
Flowery Branch
Obama feeds ego as GOP protects freedom
Who is Barack Obama? He's never cared for anyone (just read his biography); he's only cared about publicity and feeding his ego. He has irresponsibly spent a fortune for his nomination, considering the situation the country is in, much like a Hollywood star as if he were Madonna. Is that the "change" he promises?
Don't tell me we must elect him because a "minority" deserves a chance or because he is of a mixed race. I am Latin-American, and for the last 14 years I been living in this country. I have noticed that only the Republicans work for this nation, defend and protect this great nation; only Republicans have given to immigrants. What have the Democrats done for us? Nothing.
Right now, Congress is Democratic; well, why do they not work for us, too? They're full of bureaucracy and they say only what people like to hear. That is not the solution for the problems in this nation.
How can the Democrats defend an individual that has only been briefly in Congress and worked as a community organizer, against a woman that has been briefly governor of a state after being mayor of a city, and say that the one that has no experience is her?
This guy in running for president and he is the one questioning Sarah Palin's experience? This guy with no experience in pretty much anything has the guts to criticize a 100 percent American woman like Palin? Please give me a break. He is just an opportunist trying to fish in troubled waters.
It is embarrassing to see a man going to the podium to cluck like a hen laying an egg, a puppet of the masses he wants to please when he talks about her the way he has done. He has shown us that he is a coward.
Palin is a young woman, a mother, a normal working person whose son is fighting for her country as she fights for her state, and who now wants to fight for her country and must be respected. This women represents our generation. She is the new blood.
Only Republicans give us the chance to prove to the rest of the world that in the USA, we are a free nation with lots of opportunities, with ups and downs but a great nation. And no one has the right to come in and destroy our country only because of social resentments or an alien filled with hatred.
Nancy Gallegos
Gainesville