In the lead-up to the May 22 primary elections, “Morning Edition” will feature conversations with the major party candidates for governor of Georgia. Republican Marc Urbach joined Denis O’Hayer on April 17.
Urbach is an historical writer and speaker who lives in Dunwoody. He’s a former public school teacher in Gwinnett County and ran for president in 2016 as a write-in candidate.
Listen to the broadcast interview above or the full-length below.
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On why he’s running for governor
The reason why I’m running for governor is because this government, both parties, they hide behind the “R” and “D”, but they’re really a bunch of oligarchs, one cabal that have enslaved and oppressed us. And as your governor, Urbach, we will use the courts to clean and drain the swamp.
On why he’s running as a Republican
I wanted to run as an independent. If I declared an independent nine months ago, I would not have been invited to any of the Republican gubernatorial forums, debates, and I would not have been allowed or invited to speak at the Republican county meetings monthly. I’ve spoken to over 10.
On finding money to fund things like transportation and education
I’m trying with my attorney right now, we are trying to use the grand jury, the fourth branch of government, because the General Assembly and Board of Regents have sucked up billions and billions and billions of our dollars, and they give it to their friends in the higher education committees. I want to get the money out and fund K-12 properly, and transportation dollars are already there.
On his transportation plan
I have a solution. The high-speed, silver-bullet monorail system — 220 miles an hour — fully funded with the money they already have, and if the citizens want to raise their own taxes to help pay for this high-speed monorail system, they will. Part of the money is already in the General Assembly. That’s why I’m trying to use the courts to get the money out of the General Assembly, so we can fund a lot of things properly like transportation and K-12. But it’s a lot more cost effective than MARTA. The high-speed, silver-bullet monorail system is much cheaper. It’s much faster and safer and efficient. It’s going to increase jobs and the safety of Georgians. We’ll be able to get to cities faster.
On where he’d increase state spending
K-12 education. But let me just tell folks money does not solve anything, especially in education. It does not. Now, when I taught at Norcross High School, [there were] 3,000 students. I believe there was only eight or nine guidance counselors. That is unacceptable. The caseload, the workload, the paper is ridiculous for them, and it’s terrible for teachers, too. So, we’ve got to get the billions of dollars out of higher education, the universities, where the presidents are paid more than President Trump on average, and properly fund K-12.
On local control of schools
We believe in local control. That means I sit down with the citizens. We’ll sit down, and you will sit down with me and my administration, and we will select the books. We the people of Georgia, the first branch, we will select the books. We will look at the lesson plans. We decide what are the best books, and we will write the books, and we will write the lesson plans.
On how he’d select those citizens to review books and lesson plans
First, we’re going to go with college professors that I already know that are good. We’re going to work with the good teachers, the good principals, the good college professors, and citizens can register on the computer. Anyone can sign up to come to the meeting. We’re going to have many meetings. It’s not like there’s going to be one shot. This is common sense. Common sense will solve all of our problems here in Georgia.
On his refusal to pledge to sign a so-called ‘religious freedom’ bill
That bill will weaken the states’ rights and the people’s rights, and it will weaken the United States Constitution. We need the truth. I have not read every word of the [bill], but my experts on my team have, and they say it greatly weakens the people and states’ rights of freedom of religion. Let’s focus on the First Amendment that was given to us by our founding mothers and founding fathers. That’s the key.
On working with the federal government to enforce immigration
I will still work with the feds, but they are not involved with criminals in Georgia. I believe in states’ rights. I believe in people’s rights. I believe in the 10th Amendment to the United States Constitution and, just as importantly, I believe in common sense law, which is the second level of law here in America. Georgia criminals, they will go through the Georgia system not the federal government. We don’t need to contact the federal government when someone breaks the law, if they’re illegal. We’ll deal with the illegals properly through law, not through people’s opinion of the law.
On which of Gov. Nathan Deal’s efforts he’d continue and end
The good thing Gov. Deal did is he followed President Trump, and he lowered taxes. As governor, Urbach, we will cut taxes, lower taxes, reduce programs. I will not continue Gov. Deal’s cabal. Gov. Deal has decisions to make. He can either help team Urbach get to the grand jury, or he will go down in history as part of the oligarchy, un-indicted felons that will not allow my attorney and me from getting to the grand jury for the people of Georgia.
