Democratic candidate for United States Senate, Michael Coles, was guest of honor at a breakfast meeting hosted by local attorney Brett Merrill. The breakfast, held at the Coleman House Inn at 8:45 am. Friday, Aug. 14, was attended by local citizens and Democratic leaders. Coles addressed the group following breakfast. He focused on four main areas: education, farm issues, health care and veterans rights. In terms of education, Coles told the group that 90 percent of all citizens in Georgia are educated in public schools but that education has now become a divisive issue between the political parties. “We have to restore the integrity of public education in this country. I will be the strongest advocate of public education ever to go to the United States Senate,” Coles said. On farming issues, Coles explained to the group that in his company, The Great American Cookie Company, the costs and hazards of commodities and farming were important considerations. He promised to be a strong voice for farmers. “We need a crop insurance program that is responsive to farmers and we need to develop a program that covers farmers adequately. Agriculture has been the lifeblood of America," he said. “In terms of trade, our farmers operate under a strict set of rules concerning how they can plant and what they can treat their products with. We need to apply the same standards to imported crops as we do to locally grown crops. Free trade is important but it must be fair trade.” Health care is also a topic of importance Coles said. “We have to have a health care bill of rights because people should have the right to choose their doctors and hospitals. People should not have to bypass their local hospital in order to receive treatment.” Coles also told the group the federal government had made an assault on veterans’ benefits. Coles said Congress has cut veterans’ benefits to fund other programs and that is morally corrupt. “I will not only stop the assault on veterans’ benefits but I will restore what they were promised,” he said. Coles told the group the American government made a promise to those who defended it and that “if we make a promise we ought to keep it.” In closing Coles told the group that in his life and in his business he had been guided by a sense of what is right. “Elected officials are not there to serve the party of some special interest but to serve the people. I will serve based on the difference between what is right and wrong. I have been a fighter all my life and I will fight for you in Washington,” he concluded. |
