Brad Carver discusses the importance of the 2012 election in the AJC

September 21, 2011

U.S. needs change at the top (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

By Brad Carver 

As the government affairs leader at my law firm, I work on public policy projects benefiting Georgia. My passion is to foster economic development and a positive environment for private business to thrive.

Fortunately, the South has pro-business, fiscally conservative leadership, which is why it is the economic engine of the nation.

Because Georgia is under intense competition with our neighbors, I continue to work with state leaders to develop long-term energy and water supply projects (including asserting our historic riparian rights to the Tennessee River), improve our transportation infrastructure, improve education by promoting school choice, and reform Fulton County by making it more business- and taxpayer-friendly.

These policies are essential for our future.

However, Georgia is only as good as the United States. We must adopt globally competitive policies, especially to compete with China and India.

Our nation is at a crossroads and the 2012 election is pivotal.

I was the 5th Congressional District chairman for Congressman John McCain. Although my candidate lost, I appreciated President Barack Obama’s message of bipartisan leadership. He committed to balancing our budget and creating jobs.

Instead, however, he promoted big government, Keynesian policies and overly burdensome regulations that continue to harm our economy, hamper private sector hiring and balloon our deficit via financial reform (Dodd-Frank), health care reform (ObamaCare), climate change (Cap and Trade), and the granting of unfair advantages (Card Check).

In 2008, young voters flocked to candidate Obama’s message of hope and change. Polls show they are now fleeing.

I am a member of the Atlanta Young Republicans and the Buckhead Young Republicans. Attendance is skyrocketing.

Contrary to what has been widely reported, we have great diversity of races, ethnicities, economic levels and sexual orientations. No matter where we stand on social or foreign policy issues, we are strongly united fiscal conservatives.

The tea party shifted the conversation to fiscal conservatism and debt relief. Now we are fighting for a brighter future. Even Obama recognizes the shift.

Just recently, he finally advocated for Social Security and Medicare reform in his speech to Congress. To remain competitive with China and India, we have to do much more.

It starts with the next election. As a Young Republican leader, my top priority is to elect our candidate next November.

Brad Carver is the senior managing director of government affairs at Hall Booth Smith, P.C.