NEXT UPDATE TO POLICIES: EXPECTED JANUARY, 2024
Senator Colton Moore has a proven conservative record and would be honored to have your support in the May Republican Primary to be your new State Senator. Colton has traveled across the globe in his auctioneering profession and has seen the misery that socialism brings to everyone. He is a capitalist that will fight for less burdensome regulations in Georgia, and a Christian that will defend life and faith-based values. Colton rejects special interests and owes no favors to the establishment. NW Georgia deserves a State Senator that works for them, not the fat pocketed lobbyists.
Colton's Moto: Get government off our backs and out of our pockets.
Government's Responsibilities: Infrastructure, Education, Public Safety
Agriculture Producers: Farming is the only industry where one buys at retail and sells at wholesale. Producers of all commodities in NW Georgia face extreme market swings, typically to the lesser end. Free market principles can and should be applied to the agriculture industry where possible, effectively eliminating production regulation and subsidies. The government should not have control over the food supply, as that results in direct control over the people. Market demands will provide for innovation and transparency that benefits the consumer.
Borders: A strong national border is crucial infrastructure for Georgia residents. The cost of illegal immigration on our local communities is high, and the COVID-19 pandemic has made the need for national border security clearer than ever. We must complete the border wall and work to reform our immigration system. Colton Moore believes it's time to focus immigration investigations on 'high level' visa overstays: immigrants with $50k+ annual salaries. For example, engineers from abroad who coordinate with their employers to bypass visa extension requirements.
Boy Scouts Northwest Georgia Council: The Boy Scouts of NW Georgia provide excellent opportunities for character growth and outdoor experience. There is a commonality in today’s society for young men to stick to their electronics, encouraging the degradation of relationships and life experience. The Boy Scouts are crucial in bringing in leaders for young men to learn from, while allowing Scouts to increase their skills and build upon the values that we all celebrate in Georgia. We need more Eagle Scouts! Visit their website to learn more.
Campaign Finance: Colton Moore is committed to self-funding his campaign for State Senate and is dedicated to serving purely in the interest of the people. Special interest money will be refused, and no favors will be owed by your new State Senator. Colton will legislate based on deeply held ideological convictions that the people elected him for, having no obligation to registered lobbyists.
With Colton’s opponent reported to be the top Georgia recipient of lobbyist influence, Colton’s campaign is leading by example. Senate district 53 is ready and waiting for their representation to legislate for the people. Colton Moore's constituents see that his rejection of special interests represents the change needed in Atlanta.
Civil Asset Forfeiture: Civil asset forfeiture is when one’s property, such as cash or vehicles, is taken by the government without a criminal conviction. The state does not provide legal counsel for the matter, as it is a civil case. Forfeiture is a direct assault on the right to due process. The presumption of innocence is infringed when requiring innocent property owners to defend the legitimacy of their property. We should require criminal convictions before we take someone’s property.
Constitutional Carry: Law abiding citizens are the only individuals impacted by gun regulations. The Second Amendment grants citizens the right to bear arms, so the State of Georgia should not make you pay a fee with a waiting period to access that right. A criminal isn’t going to apply for a firearms permit to carry, and a felon with a weapon will be arrested regardless. The COVID-19 pandemic is a living example as to why we must waive permit requirements for those legally allowed to own a firearm. During our Public Health Emergency and subsequent shutdown of government offices, processing of firearm permits were delayed. Constitutional Carry - HB2 will waive the firearms permit requirement to carry.
Common Core: Federally mandated common core requirements over our educational system lower the bar for our students, fostering mediocrity for generations to come. We must attend to individual student needs as local school districts see fit and let teachers do their job. Many students are entering the real world unprepared, making local control of education ever more important.
Coronavirus Healthcare: Good information creates good decisions; unfortunately policy makers across the globe are making decisions in the dark. Antibody and COVID-19 tests should be plentiful and more accessible to avoid misguided economic decisions.
Government response to COVID-19 would not be as impactful without public-private partnership. The FDA is lifting regulations on the development of testing kits and treatments, and many private entities have been investing heavily in this needed technological advancement. There should never be roadblocks to medical innovations that save lives.
Criminal Justice Reform: Georgia’s criminal justice system has developed into a weapon to mistreat and dehumanize Georgians. Not only should our jail system be relieved of non-violent individuals, our legislators must get to the root of the criminal justice problem.
The less financially fortunate in Georgia have grown hopeless in achieving true justice for themselves. There have been strong efforts to reform our justice system, but Colton wants to drive the discussion further. Justice should not be a means of profit.
With plenty of progress to be made, Colton Moore will be your strongest voice for commonsense criminal justice reform in the State Senate.
Cronyism: It is all too often that politicians focus their efforts on big corporate interests, proposing and passing bills that benefit their lobbyist cohorts. Cronyism hurts small business and stifles individual engagement in free markets. Government should open the flood gates to investment and economic competition rather than granting economic rights to a few corporations.
Education: With a massive 50+% of Georgia’s state budget going towards education, it is time to accept that education is the foundation of society and needs to be reformed. Federal regulation on public education is essentially preventing Georgians from raising their children. Common core requirements do not address the issue of students falling behind and students going un-challenged. Lowering standards enforces mediocrity and degrades the role of the teacher and our school board. We should not raise graduation rates by lowering graduation standards.
Our teachers have not only lost control of the curriculum but also their classroom discipline. Discipline is a good thing, but current regulations treat it like it's a problem. We have removed discipline from public schools only to hinder the learning environment and create unsafe conditions for students and teachers. Let the teachers teach. Colton has fought to bring discipline back into the schools with the introduction of HB 179 and is dedicated to addressing common core in Georgia.
When 60% of teachers don't recommend teaching as a profession, we must act quickly. Georgia's next generation is at stake.
Elections: Colton Moore believes that voting rights issues are manufactured by the Democrat party for political gain, and that everyone should be required to have an ID to vote. If India can give a state ID to over one billion people, we should have no issue.
Voter fraud is a real problem in America, as President Trump has highlighted. The Democrat's push for paper ballots is a push for a weak election process. Colton voted to fund Georgia’s new advanced electronic voting machines. The new voting machines in Georgia SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED a secure and simple voting method that makes a paper audit and prompt election certification possible as well. The smallest pen-mark or mistake on a paper ballot could change the result, and our voting technology is too advanced to allow for that level of error. In the future, Georgia should be leading the way for electronic systems where biometric voting is available for a truly secure vote.
Emergency Responders: Emergency responders are some of the bravest of us all and are absolutely essential to our domestic health and security. There is a shortage of emergency responders right now, with more young people going to 4-year universities. Information regarding training programs for this career path need to be more readily available to high school students.
Establishment vs Anti-Establishment: The concept of electing our representation based on their long-time political career has no relation to our Great American Founding. Our representation was intended to be composed of common folk that do their time of public service then return home to their work and families.
Our political system has been perverted to reward the established career politician, creating strong incumbents that harbor no fear of losing come election time. Their votes and motivations are not influenced by the will of the people, but by the will of special interests.
The establishment is the great obstacle to draining the swamp in Atlanta, so the people must take a grassroots approach to electing anti-establishment candidates that will fight for their values. Colton Moore has a proven record of rebuking the establishment and bringing light to their gross abuse of power. It is the common people of NW Georgia that know what they need, not the established fat-pocketed politicians that bow down to corporate influence.
Faith: The American Founders were intent on protecting the religious liberty of the citizenry, leaving man to his own inner pursuit of God. Georgians should be free to conduct their lives and private businesses based on their own religious convictions. No law should be passed that forces God-fearing people to act against their faith or engage in the faith of others.
Film Industry Subsidies: Georgia’s economy is strong enough to avoid the loss of almost one billion dollars a year to Hollywood. Not only are we paying for Democrat voters to move here from California to turn Georgia blue, research shows that Georgians lose the opportunity to benefit from an extra billion dollars in the state budget every year.
Leadership knows the facts, that the film tax credit initiative is broken and corrupted. The film industry is taking advantage of Georgians while fighting against our faith and protection of the unborn. We must end the subsidies and direct our interests back to the people of Georgia. After all, subsidies aren't constitutional.
Food Processing: Burdensome federal regulations and inspections on local food retail hinder small business and meat producers. Herd shares will open up a ranch-to-consumer market for local beef producers to engage in our growing livestock in the NW Georgia economy. Our local producers need alternative local market options within Georgia. Safe and affordable foods are essential. When beef packers are profiting $600 a carcass and local producers $30 a carcass, more options are needed.
Colton Moore's friend Tyler Lindholm authored great legislation in Wyoming that Colton believes should be considered in Georgia. This legislation allows local producers to sell beef directly to consumers. It's essentially a state's rights federal loophole.
The BIG 4 packers have a monopoly. If Tyson wants to shutdown its share of the market, Georgia Grown and Dade Made producers should have the right to take the market share back.
Future Farmers of America: FFA is focused on preparing its members for real-world success in agriculture-based career fields. Colton Moore supports the excellent job that this student organization does to engage the community and educate our future leaders in agriculture. Whether horticulture or ag-mechanics, these skills are critical to Georgia’s future.
Georgia Economy: Free market practice is essential to maintaining Georgia’s strong economic environment. Colton Moore is for cutting regulations and red tape that prevents individuals and businesses from engaging in the commerce of their choosing. There is a destructive trend towards big-business subsidies and regulations for small business, which is dangerous to a capitalist market and harmful to all levels of the economy.
Georgia Future Business Leaders of America: Georgia FBLA is a nonprofit organization that prepares students to be business leaders through career development programs. The largest chapter in the nation is in Georgia, a good sign Georgia’s business environment can excel beyond other states. Colton Moore supports the good work that Georgia FBLA and other career technical student organizations do to craft students into the leaders of tomorrow.
Georgia Gun Rights: The Democrats are intent on implementing their Red Flag Gun Confiscation measures, and many Republicans have veered away from their promise to protect the Second Amendment. This is why Colton Moore co-authored HB 751, which essentially makes the entire State of Georgia a sanctuary for the Second Amendment. The degradation of gun rights in Georgia is a serious issue, especially as the growing blue wave hits Atlanta. The State Senate needs a fighter that will stand strong against proposed gun-rights infringements. After all our Second Amendment rights are to be a disincentive to elected officials from becoming tyrannical. Secondly it's for national defense, as it's best to have foreign enemies believe we have a firearm behind every blade of grass. Self defense, hunting, and recreation take final priority in the gun debate. To apply for a Weapons Carry License, click here.
Georgia Healthcare: Regulation of the healthcare industry in Georgia has created monopolies in the industry, with the government being one of them. Let the market hash out who can provide the cheapest and best quality healthcare. Moving more medical services into a free market model will also work to lower the financial burden of healthcare on low-income residents.
We must stop the vertical integration of our system. A corporation should not be able to prescribe someone medication, and mandate that they fill that prescription with their pharmacy. Additionally, we must limit how long a pharmaceutical company can have a monopoly through a drug patent. We must also begin manufacturing drug compounds here in the states. How is it that a drug can cost $5/$20 in China but $1000/$5000 in the states? Why isn’t insulin a similar price to soda?
Georgia Hunting Rights: The people of Georgia have the right to hunt their own land in accordance with the law. As your new State Senator, it will be Colton Moore’s duty to push back against proposed expansion of hunting regulations that inhibit one’s freedom within their own private property. Bring on the deer bait! To apply for a Georgia hunting license, click here.
Georgia-Tennessee Water: The State of Georgia has a legal basis for reclaiming the long-lost border land to Tennessee, allowing for a greater supply of water. Atlanta and surrounding communities are growing at a rate that could result in a future water shortage, and the Tennessee River runs with excess water that could be directed across Georgia. Our population and demand for water will continue to grow. Let's make sure that NW Georgia has the upper-hand in this negotiation.
Governor Brian Kemp: Colton Moore championed Governor Kemp’s gubernatorial campaign through his “Big Trucks for Kemp'' initiative and the acquisition of briankemp.com. Colton has taken a strong stand for the Governor's policy initiatives with vocal support of the Heartbeat Bill and the push to end common core in Georgia. Like Governor Kemp, Colton consistently advocates for cutting red tape and allowing the free market to flourish.
Girl Scout Council of Northwest Georgia: The Girl Scouts of NW Georgia do an outstanding job in preparing young women for a lifetime of leadership. With multiple development plans backed by extensive research, opportunities are provided to practice certain skills and take on leadership positions. We need more Gold Award recipients! To learn more about the goals of the Girl Scouts, visit their website.
History of Jeff Mullis: Jeff Mullis has a history of accepting the highest level of lobbyist favors in the State of Georgia, and this continues to this day. There is a reason why Mullis is targeted by corporate interests, and it’s because he does their bidding. Mullis is not proposing legislation for the people, but for the corrupt and powerful. Why else would he attempt to pass a bill that intimidates those testifying in front of his committee while maintaining protection for himself. Why else would Mullis push a bill that hinders investigative journalism and prevents people from recording evidence of fraud in Georgia? He is a classic case of the powerful protecting the powerful.
Landlord & Real-Estate Rights: There are landlord-tenant regulations that can often create unfair circumstances for property owners. There are numerous horror stories of tenants destroying property with no reasonable process to address it efficiently. Real Estate and rental law should be re-addressed for an equitable balance of tenant and landlord rights.
Law enforcement: Our men and women in blue and sheriff's brown should be treated with great honor and held to a high standard. Georgia is ranked in the top 10 worst states to be in law enforcement. Low pay was one of the main reasons. Low pay doesn't incentivize more great people to seek this career field. Additionally, regulating the safety of our officers should never leave them in fear to take appropriate actions.
Local Control: The government is to be by the people and for the people. When we allow oppressive federal or state control over the conduct of localities, it detracts from our democratic goals.
We elect our local-level representation to make good decisions, and it's sad to see good ideas stonewalled and destroyed by the state and federal powers that be. Local officials need to be empowered to address the immediate needs of the constituency.
Colton Moore challenged Atlanta’s influence over local government as a State Representative and intends to continue advocacy of local control in the State Senate. However, a local mandate for elementary school recess is necessary, as all young minds in Georgia deserve recess.
Lower the Income Tax: Georgians want to keep more of their hard-earned money, and our local economy suffers when our financial freedom is limited. Tennessee has no income tax on salaries, yet experiences growth throughout their state that our NW Georgia community does not share. There is limited local economic growth in NWGA compared to what is being created across the border.
Checkout how Colton Moore has been fighting income taxes here.
The State of Georgia should not be tasked with taking money out of our pockets for corporate subsidies and economic stimulation. With other non-income tax states serving as an example, we see that the people can boost their local economy just fine. Let’s allow Georgians the financial freedom to invigorate our local businesses. When the State of Georgia chooses winners and losers with our paychecks, local economic growth is severely limited.
Medical Marijuana: There are many testimonies from medical marijuana patients highlighting the medical benefits associated with the drug, backed by extensive research in the field. Georgia has made progress in delivering access to patients, but the process must move quicker with less crony regulations. It’s time to offer patients and veterans a medical alternative to the oftentimes harmful drugs prescribed today.
Hemp: Hemp production is well suited for our North Georgia climate. Unfortunately the first round of legislation to legalize this crop was slow and is proving to be burdensome. If elected to the State Senate, Colton Moore plans to advocate for NW Georgia's landowners to have equitable opportunity to grow this safe and valuable crop like our neighbors in Tennessee. We can sell CBD products and hemp based soaps, but we still can't grow it? Lawmakers we have a problem. More studies by the University of Georgia are on the way.
Medicare: Medicare engages in price setting for health services and discourages charitable services along with competitive pricing. There are free market solutions to taking care of our seniors at a much cheaper cost to the federal government, giving more freedom of choice to the patient as well. The regulations imposed through Medicare policy need to be addressed.
Methadone Clinics: Georgia has more methadone clinics than any state second to Florida, and Florida has twice the population. NW Georgia does not need the negative side effects that methadone clinics bring to a community. We must get to the root of the opioid crisis in this state and utilize better forms of addiction treatment. Prescribing one opioid for another isn’t the best solution, especially when NWGA’s methadone market brings in shady addicts and crime to our homes.
Occupational Licenses: Why should a florist need a license to deal flowers? If a customer doesn’t like the arrangement, they don’t have to buy the arrangement. Occupational licenses are a direct barrier to small business creation. The Georgia legislature needs to take an aggressive look into the unnecessary penalization of those attempting to start a business and operate a business. Colton Moore believes we should look at the models of other states that have pressed the reset button on occupational licenses.
One-Party Recording: Colton Moore’s opponent championed a bill that criminalizes recording another party without that party’s consent. All this bill does is empower and protect those afraid of being caught in criminal behavior, while effectively killing investigative journalism and evidentiary based legal pursuits. Those working to uncover truth would now be criminalized in Georgia, further perverting our criminal justice system and eroding our rights.
President Donald Trump: Colton Moore is the only legislator known to wear a MAGA hat in public and is completely behind President Trump’s agenda to Keep America Great. The Democrats and the fake news media have become one and the same through their relentless attacks on the President. Colton intends to build upon President Trump’s vision for America in the Georgia State Senate.
Prisoners & Convicted Felons Re-entrance in Society: Through rehabilitative education and proper skills training, we can create an easier and more productive transition into society for prisoners and felons completing their sentences. When a punishment has been served, our community should invite these past-offenders back with open arms to deter repeat offenses. A heavy focus must be directed towards the employability of ex-convicts, as the initial entry into the workforce is the greatest determination of avoiding repeat offenses. When a convict has paid their debt to society, let them be born again as a citizen.
Private Aviation in Northwest Georgia: Rather than subsidize commercial airlines with our hard-earned tax dollars, Georgia can lift regulations on private aviation to allow competition in travel options. The way people fly will forever be changed by COVID-19, and new innovative approaches to air-travel need to be encouraged by a deregulated free market for aviation in Georgia. Singapore, Dubai and others are exploring the use of automated drones for travel. Georgia would benefit greatly from these technologies. Quick transfer of people and industrial parts for Georgia manufacturing.
Pro-Life: The passage of The Georgia Heartbeat Bill has granted us an incredible opportunity to protect hundreds of thousands of lives over the next decade. Colton supports the doctrine of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness even for those that are speechless in their defense and clinging to life in their mother’s womb. Life begins at conception. End abortion in Georgia and defund Planned Parenthood.
Railroads: Freight railroads should take priority over passenger lines in NW Georgia. Easy unburdened access to these lines are critical to keeping manufacturers supplied and products delivered. High-speed rail from Atlanta to Chattanooga is an idea of the past. Today Hyperloop technology should be sought for transfer of people and freight at airline level speeds.
Rural Internet Access: Internet is the lifeline of the 21st century. Rural areas across the state of Georgia are lacking in quick and reliable internet connectivity while watching their population and economy leave for better connected areas. Internet availability is pertinent to fostering a competitive free-market economy. Not only does our children’s education depend on it, modern agriculture demands it.
Second Amendment: The right of the citizens to bear arms is endowed by our creator and is not to be infringed upon by any means. Politicians should have no say in how we choose to protect ourselves, nor should they choose how we defend against a tyrannical government.
When the Second Amendment was written, the people had the same weapons as the British military. The right to bear arms is not for the sport of hunting, but to stop an authoritative transgression on the rights of the citizenry.
Colton Moore supports Constitutional Carry in Georgia and will fight against any proposed gun control in the State Senate. Any degradation of our gun rights will be brought to light and the gun-grabbers will be fought every step of the way.
Sex Offenders: Those who violate children and our most serious sex crimes should be put to death. However, increasingly these crimes are easy to accuse, but difficult to prove. Benjamin Franklin stated it as: "it is better 100 guilty Persons should escape than that one innocent Person should suffer". We must be vigilant NOT to pass legislation that doesn't help secure guilt, but instead gives a heavier burden to an innocent person that accepts a plea deal out of fear of a potential sentence.
Speaker David Ralston & Jeff Mullis: Our legislature is held captive by a well-oiled cabal of good ole’ boy career politicians. Speaker David Ralston and Jeff Mullis have teamed together to kill good legislation from progressing, while letting crony bills through for their cohorts. Mullis sits on the Senate Rules Committee and has effectively blocked good legislation. Speaker Ralston has prevented good bills such as Constitutional Carry from seeing a House vote. This team needs to be split up, as the General Assembly will not be returned to the people without it.
Speed Limits: Speed limit violations are victimless infractions that divert our valuable police force away from their essential duties. Colton Moore believes in the rule of law, therefore, theoretically everyone traveling 1 mph over the speed limit should be ticketed. The current regulations on vehicle speed are proven to be unenforceable, inevitably making a mockery of our system of laws. Common speed averages should be considered when raising or lowering speed limits.
State Parks: The residents of NW Georgia need to have safe access to their local state parks. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen an unprecedented influx of visitors from across the state to Cloudland Canyon State Park with constituents calling for its closure. Under the State of Emergency, Dade County can shut down certain entrances into the county along its borders. Colton has advocated for this commonsense solution, as Fannin and Habersham county have taken similar measures.
State Senate Transparency: Traditional bill votes are recorded, but votes on amendments are not recorded. A bill amendment is proposed, followed by a show of hands or voice vote. It is the Lt. Governor’s discretion as to what amendments are heard, and the intention of good legislation can often be subverted by these unrecorded amendment votes. The people of Georgia are left in the dark as to how a bill was finalized or gutted. It’s time that transparency is brought to the State Senate. Colton will push for credence on the issue of transparency and that chamber voting rules be altered to represent republic transparency.
Term Limits: American public office was meant to provide civic minded citizens the opportunity to serve, with little incentive to remain an elected official for life. Federal Congressmen now need to be term-limited, along with state legislators. It’s time to drain the swamp and loosen the grasp of special interests on our representation.
Textile Manufacturing: With President Trump’s great leadership, textile jobs are coming back to the United States from overseas. Georgia has an opportunity to foster a competitive market for all businesses by promoting less regulations and lower corporate tax rates than other states in the union. We must maintain component workforce-ready graduates for all of Georgia’s manufacturing industries.
Trucking & Transportation: When crisis hits Georgia, the precedent is for the Governor to lift trucking and transport regulation to expedite transfer of materials. With the knowledge that cutting red-tape allows for more efficient shipping, Colton Moore is inclined to advocate for transport regulatory reform in the State Senate. Dump trucks should have the opportunity to run 3 axles like their TN counterparts. Truck inspections should not take place on busy highways and instead only in secure and isolated locations.
Veterans: The true heroes of America are those that dedicated themselves to military service in defense of this great nation. Georgia has one of the largest populations of veterans in the country, so we have a heightened obligation to ensure their quality of life and healthcare with a focus on VA reform.
Why Now is the Time to Get Rid of Jeff Mullis?: Georgia is changing rapidly, and a 20-year entrenched career politician has the tendency to cozy up to power rather than the constituency. Look at Mullis’ campaign finances and see for yourself the big lobbyists and PACs that contribute to his incumbency. The contributions have been consistent since he took office 20 years ago, with the amounts getting greater and greater. There needs to be a fighter in the State Senate for NW Georgia. Our current State Senator conducts his “public service” in smoky back rooms choosing winners and losers. The people of Senate District 53 have been the losers for over a decade. Colton Moore wants to turn that reality around. It’s time to send an anti-establishment advocate for the people to the State Senate to drain the Atlanta swamp.
Zoning & Property Rights: Zoning regulations drive up the cost of housing and disproportionately harm low-to-middle income households. Zoning hinders small business development and home building while pushing lower income wage earners into less economically active communities. Code enforcement should never be used as a revenue tool for local municipalities.
