There were a number of interesting moments in Governor Nathan Deal’s State of the State speech today, including this passage:
This year, I challenge you to join me as we go forward with a focus on progress. While times have been tough and we have had to make difficult choices, I will not lead our state with a Doomsday mindset, reacting erratically and hastily based on fear or ignorance. Instead, we will move forward with confidence, focusing on the proven foundations of a growing Georgia, those that keep us steady during times of uncertainty but also during times of prosperity; foremost among these are public safety, education, healthcare and economic development
Just as Georgia is too big and too important to fall prey to Doomsayers’ pessimism, it is also too big and too important to be divided by race, geography or ideology. This year, let’s concentrate on the things on which we can all agree: The foundations that improve the lives of our citizens and undergird the bright horizons of tomorrow.
He’s serious: Doomsday gets a capital “D”. Twice.
Deal seems to understand just how dreary and pessimistic the far right of his own party is — and just how much that pessimism could lead to a division within the Republican party as a whole and hamper is very modest agenda. There’s a significant minority who don’t think anything is getting better, don’t believe the data from state agencies showing considerable improvement in the economy, and feel the nation is doomed.
I’ll be curious to see how Deal’s words are taken by some of those they were obviously intended for.
Click here for the entire speech.