Thank you Jimmy Carter, we need more folks like you involved in our political system

As a president and a person Jimmy Carter worked to put values before power and used his influence to work toward a government that was decent, fair and open.

He believed deeply and sincerely in the role of a servant government, as he was a servant leader in the best possible sense. He used his influence as president and afterward to inspire people to be the best they can be.

After his presidency, President Carter and his wife Rosalynn founded the Carter Center in Atlanta that, among other things, has been a neutral observer of elections conducted internationally as well as sought to improve the lives of those across the world.

“I have one life and one chance to make it count for something,” he said. “My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.”

He sought to teach us the meaning of grace, without ever trying to. We appreciate what President Carter has done and hope we can all follow in his footsteps, at least in some small way.

‘NATIONAL DIVORCE’ RHETORIC IS JUST A FUNDRAISING PLOY

The truth is that we don’t even want to comment on Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s new foray into the topic of “national divorce” again but feel that we must.

The idea is so entirely foolish because splitting up the United States of America along political lines is just grounded in fantasy. It’s unfortunate, but these are words from a politician who wants to move up in the world.

But for a second, let’s treat this as if it was a real (or even possible) idea. Here are a few, really basic questions to consider.

On what grounds would we separate? Should we separate on the assumption that the states would divide the union among ideological grounds?

Should we declare a state a red or blue state if that state voted for a president from the Republican Party or Democratic

Party? Should we make that declaration if that particular state voted for a governor from the Republican Party or Democratic Party?

Or should we divide the country by letting the democratic process play out and let each voter choose which side they would like to be on using a majority vote? That’s a slippery slope, even here in Georgia. For instance, what should we do when a congressional representative belongs to a state that chooses to go for the other party?

What about the rest of us who like the idea of being a United States of America? What about the rest of us who mean the words in the Pledge of Allegiance?

Let’s take a moment to remember those words: “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

The entire idea of a call for a “national divorce” is a farce. We are the United States of America. Even with differences in lifestyles and politics, we have more in common with each other than any other country in the world.

Looking at any political map, red and blue leaning areas aren’t divided by state lines. A better determination is a division between urban and rural areas. How do you separate that?

Here’s a suggestion, you don’t. We live together and re-learn how to communicate in the real world (not social media) and find solutions.

This repeated call for splitting up the United States of America is yet another politically-fueled push to gain a funding nationally while disregarding what’s good for this district as well as this country. That’s what the worst class of politicians do and that’s what’s happening here.

We need representation here in the 14th District of Georgia, not to be subject to a national campaign. Rep. Greene is our elected representative here and we need her to take up issues that affect the 14th District.

Thank you for reading.