Editor’s Note - May 24 2006

I’ve been on vacation. But through the miracle of technology, I’m keeping tabs on Atlanta.

From a distance, you look great. What with your fancy-pants restaurants (like Park 75) and those music festivals — SoCo, Country Fair, Corndogorama — that I read about in last week’s CL (of course).

But, from afar at least, your leaders — well, OK, my leaders — are a mess. I mean, why — why — are our politicians such backward-thinking, mean-spirited, dunce-cap wearing thugs?

There are exceptions. But Ralph Reed? Cynthia McKinney? We want to call these people our leaders?

An e-mail I received before the day’s sightseeing came from the campaign of Bill Stephens, an ethically challenged state senator running for secretary of state. Stephens highlights the “outrage” that some ballots might have to be available in Spanish in the future. His e-mail declares that “Bill Stephens pledges to stand up for English-only ballots!” Will small-minded hatemongering get you elected to statewide office in Georgia? I hope not.

Yeah, Atlanta, you look great. But we need to do all we can to ensure that Georgia doesn’t continue its backslide into Old South demagoguery. CL’s playing a small role by taking a close look at the candidates. We’ll publish endorsements a couple of weeks before the July 18 primary and the Nov. 7 election. You’ll also find political stories in this week’s paper, including a John Sugg column on the Democrats’ sad state, and on our Political Party blog at www.clpoliticalparty.com.

But you’ve got to do your part. Please, be sure to register to vote. It’s easy: Just go to www.sos.state.ga.us to find the directions. You must register by June 19 to vote in the primary. It’s important.