Athens resident Colin McKinney, MD has qualified to run as a Libertarian for the Public Service Commission, District 2, this November 8. “This is quite a change of pace for me, having been exclusively focused on Medicine for my entire career.” McKinney was nominated at the Libertarian Party of Georgia’s convention this January, and states that he’s been trying to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible. “I feel like I’m drinking from the firehose of information. The physics of energy, the politics of energy, and the business of energy are immensely complex and intertwined.”
McKinney’s website, McKinney4GA.com, states “I will try my best to inspire the most free-market solutions possible. I will advocate for ending functional monopolies, which create opportunities for cronyism and corruption. I will advocate for the best interest of the consumer, who are otherwise powerless when monopolies exist.” When asked about more specific goals, he answers “If I had my way, the Public Service Commission would not be necessary at all. I’d love to see the Georgia energy market repaired to the point where all the players act in the best interests of their consumers, which would mean there’s not much need for regulation anymore.”
No discussion about the Georgia PSC is complete without tackling Plant Vogtle, the only new nuclear plant in the U.S. in the last thirty years. Vogtle is owned mostly by Georgia Power, and controversy has surrounded the plant as the project has gone years over schedule and billions over budget. “Like everything else, this is a very complex issue. But I’m deeply concerned about a company with guaranteed customers which has little motivation to keep costs low. Georgia Power provides a great service to its customers in the form of reliable electricity. But I’m not keen on them passing costs on to their customers while their investors pocket the profits.”
McKinney’s website includes a blog, titled “Et Cetera,” which he says he wants to use as a more “informal” space. “I haven’t written anything of any real substance since college, so it’s been weird stretching those muscles again.” When asked why he’s writing this way, McKinney says “those are just the things that have been stirring around in my head while I’ve been studying these issues. I want folks to see that I’m human and acknowledge that I’m a little out of my wheelhouse. It would be stupid not to. But I want everyone to see that I’m trying to be thoughtful and not just parroting someone else’s talking points.”
When asked about his opponents, McKinney says “We’ve all thrown our hat into that ring, we all need to show ourselves to the voters and let them decide.” When asked what he has to offer over the traditional parties, he replies “I want everyone to know that I want to get along with everybody, and help folks make deals that satisfy everybody concerned. But I’m also not afraid to go against the grain and tell either a Democrat or a Republican, or a business, for that matter, that I think they’re being unfair toward the people of Georgia. I’m not dependent on favors or political capital from either party. If you want someone most likely to be independent, I’m your guy.”
