We are now within six weeks of the Nov. 2 general election.

Are you content with the “change” we voted for in 2008 and have experienced in D.C.?

Do you believe in the government’s new spending programs and the huge debts they claim to be for our benefit? Their health care bill created 153 new departments, commissions and agencies plus setting up the IRS to police coverages and collect fines. More federal employees and new dollars printed cannot solve our nation’s 9.5 percent unemployment problem. Private employers and free markets without new taxes and federal government controls could turn our recession around.

The TARP program provided $700 billion of our taxes in “bailouts.” Of the billions repaid, zero dollars have been returned to offset the debt it caused, as the bill stipulated. Why? It is their current “Slush Fund” gimmick to cover “new stimulus” spending. We need to insist they eliminate and cut waste and unnecessary spending (Pork), plus scale back (cut 1 percent petition) all their budgets now, the same as private industry to survive in recessionary times.

“We the People” have a right to insist on fiscal responsibility from all levels of government. Even our Georgia government had a budget deficient of $3 billion. Yet our 236 legislators (maybe we should half their size) collected a total of $3.6 million in per diem payments (Jan. 8 through March 19, 2010) outside of session days.

In many cases that was double their $17,342 base salary (plus up to $6,900 expenses) for the 40 days of the year they are “in session” (per an article in The Atlanta-Journal-Constitution on April 13, 2010).

Why can’t they use 21st century Internet, texting and conference calls instead of having committee members driving to Atlanta?

They canceled “School Tax Free” shopping this year and still have a 3 percent sales tax on our groceries. Also, besides collecting taxes on our income, they tax our property, autos and utility bills plus recently most Internet purchases.

Georgia Legislators need to cut their expenditures, audit themselves and clean their own houses. In 2011, our Georgia Senate will be redistricted in accordance with 2010 U.S. Census figures, which even counted illegals.

Keep the above issues in mind in deciding your votes. Most candidates have Web sites to provide information on their issues and “promises.”

There is no excuse for not voting—sample ballots are available online, at www.sos.ga.gov/MVP. A form requesting an absentee ballot can be obtained by calling (229) 243-2087 and early voting is available now through Oct. 29.

Let’s “take back America” and prove our votes do count!

Kelly Godwin
Bainbridge, Ga.