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Jesup, Georgia 31545

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

75

Quail hunt gives insight to senators announcement

Quail hunting brought four friends together on Jan. 16. But before we climbed on the buggy for a day of wading in the wiregrass and briars, we needed to fuel DINK up with a NeSMITH South Georgia Chairman sawmill breakfast. Over scrambled eggs, cheese grits, sausage, bacon, biscuits and mayhaw jelly, we bantered about .28-gauge shot patterns, as well as the preference of pointers over setters. We were as excited as the bird dogs quivering in their cages outside the lodge. But despite the prospects of covey rises, a tone of frustration kept weaving its way through our conversation. No matter how we jellied our biscuits, we agreed that extremist views Republican and Democratmade Americas political plate unappetizing. As I was slathering jelly on a biscuit, I looked around the table and did the math. Combined, the gray-haired compatriots represented 272 years of United States citizenship. As offspring of The Greatest Generation, we knew through our parentsof the tribulations of the 1930s and World War II. Thanks to them, we benefited from their patriotism and commitment to make a better life for us. That generation wasnt perfect, but they gave us hope. I could sense from my friends that our generation wasnt delivering the kind of hope that had previously buoyed us and our nation. Instead, nonstop baring of political fangs leaves little room for exploring what is really best for America

My Opinion
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and its future. Statesmanship is sacrificed. Partisan posturing dominates almost every issue. This selfish approach to everything on Capitol Hill, I could tell, was causing one in our hunting party a great deal of consternation. Since 1994, hed been trying to make a difference in Washington first as a congressman and then a United States senator. Saxby Chambliss gave up his Moultrie law practice to put his name on a ballot. In 2002, political pundits and polls gave him almost no chance to unseat Sen. Max Cleland (D), a triple-amputee of the Vietnam War and Georgias former secretary of state. But 53 percent of the voters believed he could, and Saxby did. Last week, Sen. Chambliss announced that he wouldnt seek a third term in 2014. The senator has been chided from both sides of the Congress. A contingency of Republicans rankle because he is too friendly with the other party, while some Democrats are wary because he isnt one of them. He earned my respect for his moderate, lets-find-a-way-to-solve-ourproblems style of collaborative leadership--i.e., the Gang of Six.

After a day of quail hunting in Cook County, from left, Larry Walker, Rusty Grifn, Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Dink NeSmith take a break and reect on whats going on in Washington. Debate is healthy for America, but incessant bickering hammers away any hope of solutions to our countrys challenges. When I saw the headline on Jan. 24, I was sad but not surprised. Georgia will be losing a solid public servant. Agriculture is enormous in Georgia, and Sen. Chambliss has proven to be a much-needed advocate for farmers. Hes provided leadership in fiscal, defense and intelligence arenas, too. But more important, hes been a stalwart for whats best for this country. As our hunting day was winding down, our foursome gathered around foodagain. Over smoked venison sausage and soft drinks, we recapped our adventure. Back slaps and laughs punctuated the end of a nearly perfect day. But as I watched a black SUV pull away, I thought about my friend behind the wheel. On my drive home, his frustration gnawed at me. I was not surprised by Sen. Saxby Chambliss announcement. I was just disappointed. But I understand why he wants to leave Washington. And no matter how we jelly our biscuits, this should frustrate every one of us. dnesmith@cninewspapers.com