Why I Think Roy Barnes is Upset Nathan Deal Calls Him Roy Bama

They put their dukes up and they went to throwing punches this week in a free-for-all masquerading as a campaign event, according to CBS Atlanta. My take on the Roy Barnes, Nathan Deal shebang will not be as entertaining as seeing two old-timers takes it on the chin before throwing punches of their own, but I'll try anyway.

Nathan Deal chastised Barnes, Barnes punches back

Nathan Deal started the bout in the public arena after lacing up his verbal gloves.

"Quite honestly, I think the public in this state is tired of you only seeming to want to attack somebody instead of talking about the issues that are important that are in the state of Georgia," Deal told Barnes in front of the crowd.

As a Georgia voter, I have to agree with that comment. I'm quite sick of it, actually. So I was one of the crowd passing Nathan a drink of water in the form of a nod as he waited for Roy to punch back.

Roy Barnes didn't wait long, and like a child not to be outdone, Roy Barnes quipped back, "For you to say that you hadn't attacked me is kind of like a skunk telling a possum his breath stinks because that's all I see on television is my new name is Roy Bama."

Good point. It is the pot calling the kettle black, isn't it? Both men are calling each other names in their ads.

Roy Bama used to be King Roy: He did it "his way"

But the nickname Roy Bama actually fits, since Roy Barnes is adopting many of the same types of positions that his fellow Democratic leader in the White House holds.

Pres. Obama is for telling the people what they want to hear while campaigning and then doing it his way once in office and behind closed White House Oval Office doors.

That's what happened with the Health Care Reform bill, right? Doctors and the general public were told one thing when Obama campaigned, but they come to disagree later, when the facts of it came out. But by then it was too late, it was getting railroaded through the Democratic-run Congress anyway. Tough stuff voters.

Roy Barnes did the same thing when he was governor of Georgia before. He railroaded the flag issue and the annihilation of teacher tenure behind closed doors, too.

Why Roy Barnes doesn't want to be known as Roy Bama

I can see why Roy doesn't want those television ads out there calling him Roy Bama. Pres. Obama isn't looked upon very fondly in the Deep South. He is into dismantling tradition, making promises he doesn't keep, and trying to dictate to states and local entities how he wants them to be, whether they like it or not. He seems to forget he is a president and not a dictator.

And on top of all that, Pres. Obama has not had any good ideas about, or success with, revitalizing our economy, reducing unemployment or creating jobs. He has failed on the home front and hasn't succeeded much internationally either. He just isn't the poster boy for success politically and Roy wants to distance himself from him right now. Who can blame him?

But Roy Barnes is following in Obama's footsteps by trying to fix what isn't broken instead of what really is in Georgia. His new job plan is a good example. He wants to strip the state of the major revenue it gets through capital gains taxes and spend it on a research park ($25 million dollars!) that we don't even need right now. How's that for illogical?

Resources: Personal opinion and Jennifer Mayerle's CBS Atlanta article, "Candidates for Governor Square Off In Lively Debate."