Some people view Joe Wilson as a political activist. And to a degree he is. However, rather than carrying a protest sign, or tilting at windmills, Wilson spends his time and effort helping to get specific candidates elected. According to Wilson, who is especially active in local and regional politics, “Ultimately, it’s elected officials who pass laws and set policy, so it’s important that we elect people who have realistic ideas that will defend freedom and promote prosperity. That’s especially important in today’s climate because more and more people seem to think government should be their own personal money tree, and pay for just about everything they want. They don’t realize that real life doesn’t work that way. We need elected officials who understand that nothing is free. Someone has to pay for it.”
Obviously, in any given election, opinions vary as to which candidate will best serve the interests of a city, county, state or the nation. Wilson notes, “Sometimes it’s a tough call, and it requires solid research to make the best decision. I have met a number of candidates who at a first meeting impressed me with their ideas and plans. But after doing some research, and watching them campaign, I didn’t like what I saw. That doesn’t necessarily make them bad people, (although some were) just not the best candidate.”
Wilson considers himself to be a conservative Republican, although he’s far from being ultra-right wing. He’s actually more of a moderate who believes in limited government and tends to support candidates who share his political philosophy. However, he considers a number of factors before he offers his help. “Integrity is very important and unfortunately in the current atmosphere it’s often difficult to determine who is honest and who isn’t. I’m really disappointed with all the negative campaigning and false claims, but the biggest problem is that it keeps people from voting. I’ve heard a couple of people say, ‘Why bother, they’re all crooks’. Sure, there are some politicians who shouldn’t be elected to anything, but there are also a lot of people who run for elected office because they want to do what’s right. Those are the people who I try to help.”
Wilson’s involvement in politics dates back to 1976 when the presidential campaign inspired him to become involved in Gerald Ford’s campaign. But the real awakening came in 2001, specifically on 9/11/2001. Wilson remembers thinking, “In 2001, the country took a blow that forever will be engraved on the minds of many Americans. To me, it was a wake-up call telling me that we had to be strong and vigilant, and that we needed the right kind of leaders, leaders who were dedicated to protecting our freedoms and our way of life. I thought the best way to help get the right kind of people elected was to get involved in my community and do what I could to help make a difference.
Since then, he has actively worked on numerous campaigns at virtually all levels of government. Most recently, he worked with Bonnie Rich, Paula Hastings and Donna Sheldon win their respective run-off races for state representative, and with Tracie Cason and Tracey Mason who both won their races for Gwinnett County Superior Court judge positions. He’s currently working with Joe Profit, who is running for Congress in the 4th congressional district.
Wilson cites his work ethic, belief in personal freedom and treating people with integrity as the basis for identifying himself as a conservative Republican. He states, “The problem I see as most threatening to our country is that there has been a strong movement to the far right and the far left. The extremists on both sides seem to be more interested in ‘winning’ than in working to find the best solution to a challenge. Neither of those extremes is good for the country, and the result is that there has been a severe break-down in the ability to build consensus and reach compromise. Whether Republican or Democrat, we need honest, practical and reasonable people to represent us. People who will actually put the best interests of the citizens first. I’m going to do whatever I can to help that type of candidate get elected.”
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