Big things have been happening for Atlanta Action and the progressive community in Atlanta. David Poythress, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, held a meet and greet at Manuel's Tavern near Little 5 Points. He spoke about what he views to be the three most pressing issues for Georgians. First, he advocates appropriating adequate funding for education with a focus on classroom technology. I'm with him on this, but I'm hesitant because I don't know much about the quality of Georgia teachers as compared with other states'. Second, Poythress argues that a lack of water will be a forefront issue for the state. Duh. He was less clear about what he intends to do to solve the crisis, but after hearing him speak I believe that he will be able to create innovative ways to interact with our surrounding states to solve the problem. The final pressing issue Poythress spoke about was, unbelievably, TRANSPORTATION!!! I don't remember the last time I heard a Georgia politician speak about the inadequacies of MARTA while advocating new solutions for the "megaregion" Atlanta is becoming. He spoke about the need for a regional rail system connecting Savannah, Macon, Atlanta, and perhaps Chattanooga. Personally, I'm a huge fan of light rail systems and think that they hold a tremendous opportunity for Atlanta. Poythress addressed transportation because, he argues, transportation problems present an enormous obstacle to economic development because businesses are not likely to move to Atlanta until we solve our problem.
In all, I feel David Poythress is a democratic candidate that people will rally behind. What's more, I feel he's willing to address Georgia's age-old issues with new methods, and that's something I can get behind.
Additionally, at 12:30 this afternoon I went to a meeting with John Lewis' staff to offer support for Obama's proposed economic recovery plan. The meeting was sponsored by moveon.org, and there were several hosts present coordinating about 40 participants. One of the most memorable moments was a woman who spoke about her experience as a victim of bad-faith insurance practices. She presented an issue to Lewis' staff that they were previously unaware of, and by all indications seemed interested to take action. The meeting was scheduled in order to deliver a petition of 750 of Rep. Lewis' constituents stating support for Obama's economic plan. As a host of the event, I was so excited to hear people share their hope for the future, and their hope for John Lewis' support in Congress. For Atlanta Action...day by day we're getting our message out and it's growing stronger.
Well, that's it. The inauguration is coming up and you can expect posts about action (or something) in DC. I can't wait.
-MM
