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Oxendine's political strategy based on attacking constituents for cash
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Yet another Republican candidate for office has concluded that the best way to raise cash and secure office is to avoid all issues of substance in favor of bashing gays.
John Oxendine is currently running for Governor of Georgia. He issued a press release on Friday, October 9th in response to the LGBT March on Washington for Coming Out Day (excerpt):
besides skin color or gender. Those on the other side of this argument, made up of mostly Democrats, the gay community and special interests, have utilized any and every thing to secure civil marriage for themselves—including municipal governments, state legislatures, executive orders, courts, and did I mention, courts. The GLBT lobby and activist groups have employed every tactic to distort ballot initiatives and spin the issue as something other than what it is. Now, they want to apply pressure to President Obama and have him deliver for them.
I’m impressed by Oxendine’s ability to vilify a large cross-section of the local population in one paragraph. Bang those drums of righteousness brother! Whereas it is clear who he opposes in his statement, it is difficult to ascertain what he represents. I am particulary impressed by his attempt to redefine civil rights as exclusively a gender or race issue.
Considering his career choice, Oxendine seems remarkably uneducated about the concept of civil rights. Civil rights are a class of rights and freedoms that protect individuals from unwarranted government action and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression. Civil rights encompasses discrimination based on race, gender, religion and age, though evidently 'skin color and gender' are the only relevant variables when pandering for votes in Georgia.
Banning access to state recognized marriage, as well as the political protections and benefits associated with marriage, is a civil rights violation. Campaigning against gay marriage absolutely constitutes unwarranted government action that impedes the right of the individual to participate in the civil life of the state. Requiring that gay service members lie about their sexual orientation is also clearly a civil rights violation, because it is governmentally sanctioned discrimination impeding the career options available to the individual.
Of course the gay community responded vehemently to Oxendine's statement. The response provided a golden opportunity to juice the campaign coffers. After Southern Voice expressed outrage over his comments, Oxendine sent a campaign email to supporters on October 15th:
“The radical homosexual activists over at Southern Voice have launched a vicious attack on me — by name — for my defense of traditional marriage in America. These homosexual activists join a long and growing list of those on the radical Left who are, by their very attack, acknowledging who the true conservative is in this campaign and who they are afraid of.”
It isn't gays that should be afraid. It is conservatives. Oxendine exemplifies the distortion of the Conservative philosophy within the Republican party. It is no longer about conservation of anything. When a party seeks to define human interpersonal relationships, they no longer have a right to claim that they represent small government either.
Oxendine has a long history of trying to deny gays in Georgia basic rights. While serving as the state’s Insurance Commissioner he attempted to deny local government employees the rights to domestic partnerships. As he seeks higher office, and tries to cater to the conservative base that has a stronghold in Georgia, he is 'afraid' of what will happen to this country should LGBT people be treated equally as guaranteed under the law?
Oxendine's motives are clear and concise. He needs campaign contributions and nothing gets the Baptist belt motivated to donate as effectively as gay bashing. What would the Republican party do without gays? How would they raise money? How would they motivate their base to go to the polls without using fear tactics? They have no platform, no plan, no strategy, no ideas and an aging constituency. Republican campaigns commonly utilize division, separatism, discrimination, anger and fear as fuel. In doing so, the party has revealed their addiction to fuels that pollute, whether that be reliance on oil for energy or reliance on hate for campaign contributions.
I checked Oxendine's website to review his 'political platform.' It reads like an elementary school primer for future Republicans: the same stale issues, cast in the same stale verbiage, for the same stale party by another stale candidate. Has anyone else noticed that people running for public office are becoming more scant on the details they provide? There is no substance. Does the Republican National Convention approve/disapprove the platforms of candidates running on the Republican ticket?
1) Transportation: Atlanta traffic congestion is an issue and communities are interested in negotiating solutions. Oxendine disagrees with allowing communities to negotiate the issue. He believes that the government needs to dictate the solution.Oxendine's solution to Atlanta gridlock is to build another downtown connector through East Atlanta so people in other counties can get to Hartsfield faster. The fact that residents of DeKalb County pay significantly higher taxes than those in the outlying counties is irrelevant to Oxendine.
There are a lot of gay people in the neighborhoods impacted by his proposed thouroughfare. It is not surprising that his solution involves ignoring voters who do not support his party in favor of those who do.
2) Fair Tax: I support the fair tax. If the guy wasn't such a tool on every other issue, then this would be a selling point for me.
3) Pro Life: I consider the Republican stance on abortion similar to the stance on homosexuality. It is a moral issue that they utilize to generate campaign contributions.
4) Second Amendment right to bear arms: I don't own a gun. I don't like guns. I don't care about guns. I recognize that other people love guns. This is another one of the rallying cries to insure voter turnout.
5) Tax Code: This last point may have been an afterthought to adhere to the Republican mantra of cutting taxes, reforming taxes, less taxes, etc. Has anyone else noted that this has not worked to date? Does anyone have a calculator so they can run down to his campaign headquarters to give him a basic accounting lesson? Tax cuts when you have a monstrous deficit is fiscally irresponsible. It is NOT conservative economic policy.
What is not included in his platform:
1) Economy: Oxendine's focus on money is cast solely in terms of taxes and tax code. Despite the recession there is little mention of jobs and money. Highways cost money. How does reforming tax code or cutting taxes help build roads? Public works are typically funded by municipal bonds. Many communities are facing fiscal shortfalls due to inability to access necessary funds. This is likely to continue until the economy rebounds.
2) Environment: I think Atlanta is one of the most beautiful urban areas in the country, because we have trees and foliage rather than never ending concrete vistas. You can’t see Atlanta due to the trees. You can’t hear Atlanta due to the trees. Republicans, as representatives of the wealthy, have no interest in conservation of our public areas. Instead they peddle the rights to public areas to the highest bidder, or the highest campaign contributer.
The national parks systems and many of the other environmental protections that we enjoy today were developed and implemented by Republicans. Now it is Republicans who are eager to overturn the decisions of their predecessors. Teddy Roosevelt would be appalled.
3) Health Care: His home page cites one reference: “sign the petition to stop socialized medicine.” The irony of Oxendine not including health care as part of his political platform was not lost on me. His prior job was insurance commissioner for the state of Georgia. One would assume that he would emphasize this issue.
However, he is currently under investigation for accepting illegal campaign contributions from insurance companies. One would assume that the insurance commissioner, responsible for regulating the insurance companies, would not be popular. When insurance companies donate generously to his campaign, one has to question where his loyalties lie. Obviously he has served the insurance companies well while being the insurance commissioner, which means that he has served their interests rather than the interests of Georgia citizens.
The Republican outcry about 'socialized' medicine is about to frazzle my last gay nerve. I want to scream ‘pinhead’ every time I hear this argument. We already live in a country with socialized medicine. What is Medicaid? Medicaid has no caveat for pre-existing conditions. An individual who has no insurance, and manages to survive to 62, can access medical care on the taxpayer's tab. Whether 'we the people' pay now or pay later, we are paying regardless.
4) Energy: The issues pertaining to energy continue to compound, but nothing is happening to avert future calamity in this area. I often wonder how many Republican politicians have personal wealth invested in oil, because it seems to be a taboo topic. When scarcity becomes an issue, the public will rant against politicians who ignored scientists and did nothing, but the public isn't doing anything to force the politicians to act now.
5) Education: Is the next generation prepared to deal with the issues that we are leaving for them? Can Democracy survive without an educated electorate?
Oxendine should spend less time attacking the gay community and more time working on his political platform. The 'wag the dog' strategy of attacking a group of Georgia constituents to raise campaign contributions is transparent and obvious, especially after reviewing his paltry political platform. I understand the need to distract potential voters. If he can't bring Republican voters to the polls to vote against homosexuals, then he won't win, because he isn't campaigning based on a noteworthy plan, idea or strategy.
When the LGBT community disagrees with his condemnation, it represents dissent, a rebuttal or a counterpoint. It is not a ‘vicious attack’ and they are not necessarily 'radical left wing activists.' The tactic of denouncing opposition as radical, and repeating lies and half truths, is an old political hat trick.
Oxendine is not qualified to be Governor. His attacks on the gay community illustrate his lack of interest in serving all of the citizens of Georgia. It is unacceptable to base political campaign on attacks against constituents in your district.
All of the heterosexuals who believe that gay marriage threatens the institution should put the crack pipe down and go take a look in the mirror, including John Oxendine. The image staring back at them is the biggest threat to their marriage.
E: meanderingmuse@comcast.net
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