Ray McBerry - Can he win the Governor's Mansion? (Part 2)

by Peach Pie

Peach State Voice (Atlanta)

May 20, 2010

continued from March 12, 2010

Part 2: Can Ray McBerry best Roy Barnes in November for Governor?

Flashback - 1975

"Our people look for a cause to believe in. Is it a third party we need, or is it a new and revitalized second party, raising a banner of no pastels, but bold colors, which make it unmistakably clear where we stand on all of the issues troubling the people?" - Ronald Reagan, Speech to CPAC March 1, 1975

Fast Forward January 2011:

During the third and final Gubernatorial debate on Saturday October 23, 2010 the bold color differences between the Democrat nominee Roy Barnes and the GOP nominee Ray McBerry were apparent. The crowd stood three times cheering and clapping and rushing to the stage for autographs. Ray McBerry shook their hands and calmly announced to the crowd; 'You now see the clear and defining ideological differences between me and my opponent. I will never take something from you and give to another. I will never choose one group of Georgia citizens over another. I will not allow Washington DC to dictate within Georgia that what is ours to decide. The choice is clear and as Ronald Reagan once said; " ... no pastels, but bold colors, which make it unmistakeably clear where we stand on all the issues troubling the people." Thank you ... Thank you ... God Bless!'

The differing ideas and vision for Georgia were apparent in all three Gubernatorial debates, but it was this third and final debate that highlighted the bold color differences between Ray McBerry and Roy Barnes. Roy Barnes presented the same tired vision of failed Democrat policies of larger government and big bureaucracy, while Ray McBerry provided a refreshing vision of smaller government, local control, and individual responsibility. It was obvious that Roy Barnes was uncomfortable when the crowd insisted that Ray McBerry be given extended time to speak at Barnes expense. Barnes rushed out of the auditorium surrounded by his State Trooper escort visibly shaken. The scene was reminiscent of the debates leading up to the GOP primary between Eric Johnson, Nathan Deal, John Oxendine, Jeff Chapman, and Karen Handel. [Late in June 2010 Karen Handel changed her mind and agreed to take the stage with Ray McBerry. Political expediency is no match for personal conviction as she struggled from April through June in the polls.]

The bold differences between the GOP candidates and Ray McBerry were strikingly clear. Ray McBerry is unequivocally pro-life, life begins at conception and is to be protected. In Karen Handel's vision for Georgia abortion is selective, only selected children are legally destroyed. Ray McBerry embraces the Constitutional idea of limited government and the import of the individual. Nathan Deal believes in an ever expanding role for government, an ideology he committed himself to during his tenure in the United States House of Representatives. A Ray McBerry platform issue is the elimination of the income and property taxes burdening the citizens of Georgia. Eric Johnson rejected the Fair Tax for Georgia and stood for the status quo. John Oxendine shored up his Conservative credentials going into the Primary, but the public lost interest in his campaign because he failed to show at many public events and shifted positions on the issues. Jeff Chapman never connected with voters because his message was confusing and disjointed -- business as usual. From the beginning Ray McBerry stood for Constitutional Conservative principles and never wavered over his two year campaign. The voters knew they could count on him.

The choice was clear going into the July 20, 2010 Primary and even more boldly clear on that blustery election day on November 2nd, 2010. Ray McBerry held no banner of pale pastels, he held a banner of bold colors making it unmistakably clear where he stood on all of the issues troubling the people of Georgia.

Get ready for Part 3 (May 27, 2010) “What can Ray McBerry's Administration hope to accomplish with the powerful special interests in the Republican and Democrat parties allied against him?” Get a peek of the first paragraph below:

'I, Ray McBerry, do solemnly swear or affirm that I will faithfully execute the office of Governor of the State of Georgia and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution thereof and the Constitution of the United States.'

At the mention of the Constitution the crowd went wild cheering “Ray ... Ray ...Ray ...” After the crowd quieted down Governor McBerry began to speak.