Shafer for Senate

It's time for me to talk politics, my friends. Thanks to the Democratic scrambling of Georgia's districts, we have a newly created 48th State Senate District in western Gwinnett and up into Forsyth County. David Shafer, 36, of Duluth is running for that Senate seat and I think he'd do a good job for us.  For years I have been an outspoken advocate of "raising the bar" for our elected officials. Just because somebody wants to run for a particular office does not always mean they are qualified to do the job, and sometimes, they are a long way from it!  Sometimes those dim bulbs get elected, get in way over their heads, and then proceed to waste the taxpayers' time and money.  When someone who is responsible, knowledgeable, and smart wants to serve the public in one of these thankless elected jobs, I try to point them out.  They deserve our close attention.

David Shafer owns a corporate public relations firm called The Strategies Company, with offices in Duluth.  His wife, Lee, practices law in Duluth. The couple has two children and worship at Pleasant Hill Presbyterian Church.  Shafer graduated from The University of Georgia in 1987 with a degree in political science.  He is a Republican and served as executive director of the Georgia Republican Party in the early 1990's.  In 1996 Shafer was nominated to be the Republican candidate in a special statewide election for Secretary of State.  He campaigned on a platform of fighting voter fraud, and his centerpiece idea, that of requiring voters to show identification when they vote, was passed into law in 1997.  He is a longtime member of the Gwinnett Republican Party.

Shafer is certainly out and about in the community. He served as vice chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Gwinnett County Library System, and represented Gwinnett on the Board of Trustees of the old Gwinnett-Forsyth Library System. Currently, he belongs to both the Gwinnett and the Cumming-Forsyth Chambers of Commerce, the Duluth Merchants' Association, the Suwanee Business Alliance, both the Gwinnett County and Duluth Historical Societies, and is a member of the Gwinnett Rotary Club.

Shafer said, "I am running to protect the quality of life in our community. Traffic congestion deprives fathers and mothers of time with their families. School overcrowding deprives children of the best possible education. Uncontrolled growth will lead to crime. We need government leaders who will put family and community first."  He thinks "we pay way too much in taxes and see way too little in return." As a State Senator, he "wants to make sure our tax dollars are spent wisely." His top concerns are taxes, education, and growth.

Remember, folks, public servants work for all of us. Politicians work for themselves. It is our challenge to recognize the difference and vote accordingly.