I started my “political career” as a “concerned citizen” who spoke out at a local school board meeting. 

Having volunteered nearly a decade as a PTO Treasurer and Band Booster President, a few of us loyal parent-volunteers raised concerns about our schools. We were vilified by the newspapers, but our efforts were successful: the BOE did fix the problem. 

A year later, I was asked to run for school board, where I championed our amazing teachers and the incredible successes they continue to make.

Imagine my alarm when the U.S. Attorney General announced that he is asking the FBI to investigate local parents who dare voice their concerns at local school board meetings … calling their efforts “domestic terrorism.”

Outrageous. 

The federal government is incapable of almost everything these days … except to infringe on our civil liberties. I’m very glad that cities and counties and school boards and the state of Georgia all balance their budgets every year. Yet Congress – run by both Democrats and Republicans – hasn’t balanced its budget since Bill Clinton. The federal debt – bloated by both the Left and the Right – is now over $28 trillion … yet the White House is printing even more money. Worse, the President comically claims that spending another $3.5 trillion “costs zero dollars.”

The federal government can’t “provide for the common defense” anymore, as evidenced by our disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan and the $82 billion of military equipment we gave to terrorists. North Korea is testing missiles again, Russia is bullying us with cyberattacks, and just last week, China flew over 150 airplanes into Taiwan’s airspace, warning, “war may be triggered at any time.”

Our southern border is completely undefended. Deadly Fentanyl and scores of fundamentalist terrorists are pouring into America in record numbers ... as well as hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants, 20% of whom test positive for COVID. 

Last year, the President attacked the vaccine because he didn’t like the former president. Last December, he vowed he would never mandate vaccines. Yet, now he is demanding vaccines for U.S. citizens, while turning a blind eye to the non-citizens he’s letting in. He promised to beat COVID, but it’s actually gotten worse: more Americans have died from COVID this year, than the last.

Our federal leaders don’t “establish justice” anymore as they demand to defund the police. Virtually none of this year’s 30% increase in homicides, record street violence, and the $2 billion in destruction of property are ever prosecuted. 

The federal government doesn’t “insure domestic Tranquility” anymore, as evidenced by the hopelessly divisive rhetoric of federal politicians on both the Left and the Right. 

The federal government doesn’t “promote the general welfare” anymore, as evidenced by the colossal spike in inflation, paying people to stay home, and the crippling of U.S. energy production … all while begging OPEC to sell us more oil. Since the President took office, the average household is spending $175 per month more on necessities, and the price of gas is up 40% (a seven year high). 

But most disturbing of all, the federal government doesn’t “secure the blessing of Liberty” anymore, as unelected bureaucrats continually weaponize the FBI against normal citizens.

Thank goodness that most of our state and local governments still function. But … why such a broad disparity? 

In my limited experience, I can honestly say that most of our local leaders are problem-solvers who want to do the right thing. In general, they serve for a few years, and then go back to their normal, everyday lives. 

Not so, our federal leaders, where both the Left and the Right elect the most partisan people they can find. The crazier they sound; the more we like them. Instead of finding solutions, they talk past each other … and they rarely ever leave. 

We need to elect workers to Washington; not bomb-throwers. 

District 112 State Rep. Dave Belton, R-Buckhead, represents Morgan and Newton counties in the Georgia House of Representatives.