The canary in the mineshaft

The Wise Woman sent U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff a token of encouragement the other day.

I am still learning Georgia politics, but I wish him well, especially well. I view him as the canary in the mineshaft that is the Democratic Party in Georgia.

The state sent two new senators to Washington in 2021 — Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. They were the first Democratic senators from Georgia in 20 years. I don’t think their election was a fluke. I think they generally reflect the views of most people in Georgia.

Ossoff is in hot water.

He voted with the Republican majority to support a bill that eliminates due process for immigrants accused of crimes like theft. The vote enraged civil rights activists who have been leaders of the Democratic Party.

Ossoff’s criticism of Israel also created a storm. Some supporters of Israel formed a group that asked Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, to run against Ossoff, promising strong support.

The Republican Party in Georgia is a place where people talk openly about choosing presidential electors who will make the right decisions about which votes to count. It’s a place where people like Marjorie Taylor Green receive ovations.

I think Ossoff is able, intelligent and has a sense of the public good.

I think he is better than any candidate the Republican Party in Georgia is likely to put on the ballot.

I think he probably will win re-election in two years — unless people who have been pillars of the Democratic Party undermine him.

I’m one of countless people who think the current occupant of the White House is a tragedy for the country. I wish people who oppose the administration would put aside their differences — even when they are important — and stand fast in their dissent.

If you’re baffled by the turn this country has taken and are wondering how good people can be ineffective in dissent, you might keep an eye on a canary in a mineshaft in Georgia.