Conservative Democrats: The New Movement in Georgia?

This piece was written by Former Gubernatorial Candidate & Ray City Mayor Carl Camon

The mysterious smoke screen between Conservatives and Liberals is dissipating rapidly and both sides seem to be afraid of what will be revealed once the smoke is gone. Can a Democrat have conservative ideals? In the minds of some strong liberals, this just can't be possible. A new breed of conservative Democrats is on the horizon and I am proud to be amongst them. Many people are afraid of the unknown and feel threaten by what they don't understand, without even making an effort to confront their fears. Is it possible that a democratic candidate can be Pro-Life; a supporter of the Constitutional Amendment regarding the right to bear arms; a non-supporter of same-sex marriages/civil unions; a defender of those whom crimes are perpetrated against because of their sexual orientation; and an advocate for an employee's right to work and challenge unfair treatment on their jobs? I think that it is possible! However, those who are willing to take this kind of a stand are often ridiculed and are not too popular amongst extreme partisan supporters from both sides of the aisle.

If we all just stop for one minute and examine the sheer strength of such candidates, we would probably be amazed at the possibilities. In my opinion, most of those who have switched from being long-time Democratic Party supporters to becoming a Republican did so because their former party's message did not align with their beliefs. I would even venture to say that the beliefs of those who switched have not changed all that much, but the doctrine of the Democratic Party has changed significantly. This new breed of Conservative Democrats supports the ideals of people in general. This bold new approach can and will prove to be successful.

During my candidacy for Governor of Georgia, I learned several important things. One of the most important things that I learned was that Democrats and Republicans are from the same planet and we agree on more things than we disagree on. On my journey, I met concerned people who were democrats, republicans, libertarians and those who supported the Tea Party Movement. They were all tired of business as usual, and wanted a candidate who would do the right thing. However, most were just not willing and ready to accept the notion that there could be a candidate who would listen to the concerns of all the parties and who would work in an united effort to seriously address those concerns. In a Utopian world, the business as usual candidate would be a thing of the past. I would even go a step further and say that in our state, a business as usual candidate can still be a thing of the past, if we, the people, accept nothing less.

I am mindful of the fact that any time one voices his or her opinion and that opinion doesn't align with the status quo, massive efforts are often made to dilute the message and the destroy the messenger. There will be others who will do their level best to start a fire and put up a more dense smoke screen. One thing that Georgians can be reassured of though is the fact that this new Conservative Democrat Movement has a consistent message and an army of messengers who are not afraid to go into battle on behalf of the hardworking people of this great State of Georgia. I don't know what my political future holds, but from my past experiences I do know two things, and they are I finish what I start, regardless of the obstacles; and if I do decide to seek another political office, I will gladly carry the Conservative Democratic Banner. From day one, I'll remove that smoke screen and the people will be clear on where I stand.

Written By: Carl Camon - 2010 Gubernatorial Candidate