What’s Incumbent for the AJC Editorial Board?
What gives with the AJC? The election is approaching and the Constitution is making endorsements. However, they are endorsing nearly all the incumbents. For a paper whose editorial board (both left and right) constantly decries current policy and seems to want new visions, the consistent endorsement of incumbents is odd.
For Cobb County, they’re headline is explicit: “Incumbents the Better Choice”. Huh? Though the paper has yet to make all it’s endorsements, the only statewide incumbents it has not endorsed are those running for the Public Service Commission.
What should be different? State School Superintendent for one. A Republican intendant with a Republican legislature has led to less total per pupil funding for schools and a drop in Georgia’s rankings. Who knew they could drop? Yet Kathy Cox (with a K) found a way! Either opponent has a better chance at making waves and progress! Even if the paper did not want to be seen as endorsing Democrats, this is a race where Libertarian David Chastain would have been a reasonable alternative. His plan is to get the office appointed with a rigorous set of requirements for the selection process. At least there is some sense then that the person running knows something about education!
Why almost all incumbents almost all the time? There is an obvious meta reason. The AJC editorial board is now a two paned (pained?) window on the world. The board is still made up of the remnants of the Atlanta Journal and Atlanta Constitution boards. Because of this, members for both sides seem to feel as though they have to stick up for their ideologies and the folks who represent them. This makes it hard to have a cohesive vision of what’s ‘good for Atlanta’. When it comes time to compromise on an endorsement, it becomes easier to support the known devil.
It’s also the case, that this ideological split has made quantitative judgments more important in the decision making. Incumbents are far more likely to be able to give detailed information about office they hold than those who are on the outside trying wrangle the keys away for the current holder.
What then is needed? In the short term, a defense. Surely they must have noticed the number of incumbents they support. Why? Cynthia Tucker’s recent column does not answer.
Long term, the members of the board may need to change so that there is a cohesiveness of vision. Bring back Marilyn Geewax to associate edit and you have a plan!
In the meantime, it will be interesting to see who Creative Loafing endorses and whether the Sunday Paper reacts the exact opposite way!
October 24th, 2006 at 4:57 pm
That may explain why Monday’s coverage just didn’t add up…perhaps the paper has thrown in the towel on the chances of “their Party” gaining support? It’s still puzzling.
Or, is there a fear of a third party? The presence of Libertarian candidates on both the Governor and Sec. State debates was notable, to say the least. Actually, it was hilarious.
The Loaf still provides better politics coverage in this town, which is kind of sad, but true.
October 24th, 2006 at 8:57 pm
What do you expect when the Voter’s guide asked a dumb question like
Which current television character do you identify most with, and why?
or
What gadget or device have you bought recently that you can’t live without?
Ya that really helps me swing my vote.. I was actually looking for someone to say they identify with Jack Bauer from the 24 show.
October 25th, 2006 at 3:58 pm
Well, Creative Loafing did endorse Rob Pitts over Shirley Franklin because they said she would be an even worse Bill Campbell. I bet they don’t pull that gem out of the archives and feature it on the frontpage anytime soon!
October 27th, 2006 at 1:57 am
Oh hell, I forgot Denise “The Abdicant” Majette is running for Secretary of Education…No wonder the AJC is backing Kathy Cox. I might just vote for “Bad” Kathy, just on principle…who am I kidding? There’s a nagging voice in my head that says Cox caters to the fundies. So, Libertarian it is.
And, I’m beginning to wonder if Taylor isn’t in the Governor’s race to secure his own finances…Since he gave the Republicans a lever to pry Cathy Cox out of the race in the primary, he’s now in a win-win position. Either he wins the race, and funnels cash (at our expense), or he loses the race, and is paid handsomely for being a strawman (again, at our expense). At this point, a Libertarian vote is a vote against whatever arrangement the Taylor and Purdue camps have. So, Hayes it is.
[That’s at least two(2) Libertarians I’m intentionally voting for this time. wtf?]