Host Phil Boyum welcomed U.S. Senate candidate R.J. Hadley to Thursday's “Mornings unPHILtered” show. A Democrat, Hadley is opposing incumbent Johnny Isakson in the race.
    Asked by Boyum why he's running, Hadley said he wants to offer real representation and not just empty promises.
    A former chief of staff for the Rockdale County Commission, Hadley said he's always been a Democrat, and after listening to people say “you can't do this and you can't do that,” he decided to challenge Isakson. He said he believes somebody has to stand up, and say, “That's enough.”
    Hadley said when the needs and wants of big companies are put in front of the people you are supposed to be serving, then something just isn't right. He said Georgia is 15th  in poverty level, and it's the people who need the help, not the companies.
    According to Hadley, people must get involved and hold their elected officials responsible for not paying attention to their constituent needs. Asked by Boyum how successful using public financing would be in removing abuses, Hadley said he believed it would be a good start.
    The overriding principal he is guided by, Hadley said, is that each person wants to feel that the system is fair. Much of today's anger, he said, is because people just don't feel that they're getting a fair shake. When asked whether or not all legislators should be using the Medicare health system, he said that would make sense.
    During the interview, Hadley mentioned that he had attended a Tea Party function. If elected, Hadley said he would continue to attend meetings for Democrats, Republicans or Libertarians and said he would meet with whoever invited him and not just with those whom he agreed. During his campaign travels, Hadley said he has been doing just that - listening to the cares and concerns of Georgia citizens.
    Concerning pork barrel projects, Hadley said cutting federal spending is not easy. The most common response about proposed budget cuts is that “if they are getting theirs, then why should we give up ours?” He told Boyum that people must stop thinking about who's getting the most or who's giving up the most, and think about what's best for everyone.
    While Hadley said he is very pragmatic about prioritizing spending, he also said we can no longer have it all. Making more budget cuts and looking at possible tax increases are both something Hadley said he would consider moving forward.
    Hadley said too many people think that the government is now a nanny state. Asked by a caller about whether or not he favored term limits, he said having term limits does not encourage people to vote their representative out since it becomes easy to just wait until their term is done.
    He understands that many people are worried about career politicians, but said if people hold their representative accountable, once they don't do their jobs they'll be kicked out anyways.
    
     “Mornings unPHILtered” airs live Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. on statesboroherald.com and also simulcast at WWNS-AM 1240 on the radio. You also can listen anytime at BoroLive.com on statesboroherald.com