Georgia Republican Party: Too Extreme for the Mainstream

From: Democratic Party of GA

Date:02/28/2014 2:08 PM (GMT-05:00)

Subject: Georgia Republican Party: Too Extreme for the Mainstream

	Georgia Republican Party: Too Extreme for the Mainstream It's been a busy year for the Georgia Republican Party. Georgia voters expected the majority party to work with Georgia Democrats to find solutions for the problems our state faces. As Democrats, we hoped that Republicans would concentrate on issues that matter most to working families. Instead, Georgia Republicans have proven once more that they can't keep themselves away from extremist politics. Here's just a taste of what they've been up to: ·        Republicans under our Gold Dome are targeting women and reproductive health care…AGAIN. This year, it's with SB 98 and HB 1066. Authored by legislators who like to play doctor by restricting a woman's right to make her own health care decisions, the bills layer new government regulations on the free market, barring private insurance companies from covering medical procedures for women. ·        In a new effort to disenfranchise some Georgians to get the votes of others, Republicans joined a national trend and introduced HB 1023 and SB 377. The bills would seek to legalize discrimination against women, the LGBT community and any mainstream voter under the guise of religious freedom. Both bills have been rebuked by the business community. ·        Republicans have passed legislation through the House that would allow guns in bars, churches, and college campuses. ·        They want to take away driver's licenses from Dreamers—children born here in the United States whose parents are undocumented. ·        The Georgia Republican Party's newest elected House member, Rep. Sam Moore, made it a priority to strike down anti-loitering laws and allow registered sex offenders to visit schools and playgrounds. Moore is also pushing legislation that would legalize the use of deadly force against law enforcement officers. ·        We knew HB 990, a bill that would take away executive power to expand Medicaid and give it to the state legislature—had the support of Gov. Deal, but emails obtained through Georgia's Open Records Act show that Nathan Deal's staff helped write and even strengthen the legislation. ·        And don't forget HB 707. Republicans crafted legislation barring local governments from hosting events like health fairs that help navigate uninsured Georgians through the health care exchange because they care more about playing politics than they do about uninsured families. ·        And then there's the Republicans' stance on rural hospitals—Nathan Deal believes ER's should be more selective of the poor and uninsured patients they treat. Rep. Sharon Cooper said that some rural hospitals just need to close. Rep. Jason Spencer compared hospitals to "crack addicts." ·        Perhaps the most alarming example of Republican overreach this session is HB 891, a bill that would drastically cut early voting for several hundred cities in Georgia. This shows us that if Republicans can't win a fair fight, they'll just change the rules of the game. None of this legislation helps Georgians get back to work, live healthier lives, or arms our future workforce with a world-class education. These bills don't attract new business to the state, make colleges more affordable, or clean up our rivers and streams. The Republicans' callous disregard for so many Georgians grows every day. On the flipside—Georgia Democrats have offered thoughtful solutions to better our state—including legislation that would force lawmakers to make education funding a priority, rescue struggling rural hospitals, expand funding for HOPE, and raise the minimum wage. The two agendas could not be more different. Day 30 of the legislative session is Monday and Sine Die is rapidly approaching. Please talk to your partners, friends, neighbors, church members, and classmates and let them know what's at stake. Georgia just can't afford to continue with the radical agenda of the Georgia Republican Party.
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