Democratic Party of Georgia

Help Move Georgia Forward

Memorial Day Message from Rep. Scott Holcomb

Several months ago, I had the great honor of visiting Normandy. As I walked along Omaha Beach and looked at the cliffs at Pointe du Hoc, the only thought that ran through my mind was, “I don’t know how they did it.”  The site of the D-Day invasion was a kill zone, yet those who fought that day kept moving forward and ultimately succeeded.  They did so even when they knew they might die.  And thousands were killed.

The spirit of service and sacrifice that has defined our service members for generations lives on today.  Anyone who has served during wartime can attest to this.  And it is right for us to honor those who died in service to our nation.

When you take a moment to honor the fallen on this Memorial Day, please also say a prayer for their families.  For them, this holiday is a somber reminder of their loss.

May God Bless America, and those who protect her.

 

Very respectfully yours,

 

Rep. Scott Holcomb

U.S. Army Veteran

 

Memorial Day Message from Rep. Scott Holcomb

Few holidays impact me as much as Memorial Day.  As one of my friends who is a veteran said so well, “Memorial Day isn’t when we remember what we won.  It’s when we remember what we lost.”

For the last several days, I’ve been remembering the fallen.  I started by recalling the first time the meaning of this holiday really hit home.  It was after I had enlisted in the Air National Guard and I was driving with my father.  It was very late, well after midnight, and as we were about to exit he asked me to drive a little farther.  Minutes later, we pulled up to a Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

We got out of the car and sat down on a bench a few meters from the V sculpture engraved with names.  My father had served in Vietnam and I was born while he was overseas, but we had never talked about what happened over there. We sat together in silence for the better part of an hour and he eventually uttered a single statement: “Darkness.  That’s all I remember.”  He then went up to the memorial and placed his hand over several names.  It was an incredibly powerful moment.

Three decades after my father’s service in Vietnam, I deployed three times with the U.S. Army.  After those experiences, I now know what it feels like to run my hand over names etched in stone.  The sense of loss and grief is paralyzing.

As we honor the fallen on Memorial Day, please join me in praying for all of the families who lost loved ones to war.  And let us also pray for the safe return of our women and men who are fighting to keep us safe around the globe.

God Bless America, and those who protect her.

Very respectfully yours,

Rep. Scott Holcomb

Georgia Democrats’ on Marriage Equality

Georgia–   Mike Berlon, Chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia, issues the following statement regarding President Barack Obama’s view that couples who are in loving, committed relationships should be allowed to marry.

“Marriage equality is an important human rights issue. Love is not partisan. Everyone should have the opportunity to engage in a relationship that works for him or her regardless of sexual orientation.“It’s no secret that the President has gone through some serious soul-searching on this. I am sure he has received input from many sources who deserve this support, including people in long-term relationships who have never had the security or certainty that comes with knowing the person you love will be protected if something happens to them.  I am also sure that he has heard from many of our brave young men and women who serve in our armed forces, and for whom he fought so hard to end Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, as well as others from around the country.

“For many people, this is a difficult issue and opinions are strong on both sides.

“As an individual who has a family member that is in such a relationship, I’ve seen first-hand the obstacles and hurdles that have to be endured just to make the relationship work. It makes me very proud to see that the President recognizes the roadblocks to these relationships and is willing to advocate for equal rights for everyone. It’s courageous and it’s right.

“The Democratic Party of Georgia strongly stands with the LGBT community, the President and his administration, and with all Georgians who believe that we should treat others the way we’d want to be treated. That is not a democratic principle. It’s about human dignity.

“It’s simply wrong to prevent couples who are in loving, committed relationships, from marrying.”

Georgia Democrats Succeed at Social Media

Since January 1, 2012, the Democratic Party of Georgia has placed significant emphasis on expanding its non-traditional media.  Based on this plan, implemented by Communications Director Eric Gray, the party has reached a number of milestones in the first quarter of 2012.

  • In the past seven weeks alone, the DPG Twitter account has grown more than 50%, making Georgia Democrats first in the nation among Democratic State Parties.
  • In the past seven weeks, the DPG Facebook page has grown almost 17%, the sixth highest rate of growth among all Democratic state parties. Georgia Democrats are now tenth in the nation in “likes” and are doubling the national growth rate of about 7.50%.

 

“Social media and the ability to communicate swiftly and effectively is a key component to our democratic resurgence in Georgia. Being the most-followed state Democratic Party in the nation on Twitter is a tremendous benchmark,” said Chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia Mike Berlon. “Thanks to the dedication and hard work from Eric Gray and all our staff.”

These new media successes are one key part of a broader strategy to re-engage Democratic voters throughout the state. “Whether it is on the internet through Twitter and Facebook, or through opening new brick-and-mortar headquarters like we did last weekend in Savannah, our goal is to reach all of Georgia,” said Berlon.“That’s the way that we’ll win in November and beyond.”

 

New DPG Savannah Office Promises ‘Future Political Success’

Savannah – Saturday’s grand opening of the Democratic Party of Georgia office in Savannah promises to bring future political success to southern and eastern Georgia. Lawmakers including Congressman James Clyburn (D-SC), Mayor Edna Jackson, Councilman John Hall, State Senator Lester Jackson and State Representatives Bob Bryant, Craig Gordon,  Mickey Stephens and Al Williams will be on hand to celebrate the exciting event.

“Opening a Savannah office is part of our 5% strategy,” said Mike Berlon, DPG Chairman. “We believe that we can raise Democratic turnout this election cycle and win many of the races in November. Having a headquarters in this part of the state allows us to strengthen our grassroots network close to home.”

Savannah residents will staff the office, located at 406 East Bay Street, after undergoing intensive training with the DPG. Georgia Democrats’ ultimate goal will be to provide a hub to organize, canvass and register new voters in Chatham County and beyond.

“When this state turns blue, we will point to Saturday as one of the main reasons,” said Berlon. “We’re happy that Congressman James Clyburn is making the trip to Savannah to congratulate us.”

All ages are welcome to the grand opening of Savannah’s Democratic Party of Georgia office at 406 East Bay Street on Saturday from 2 pm to 3:30 pm

Mike Berlon in the AJC: “Georgia deserves better”

Below is Democratic Party of Georgia Chairman Mike Berlon’s Op-Ed in the Atlanta Journal Constitution printed January 29, 2012.

Georgia faces significant challenges, but not one is more important than our job crisis.

We’ve lost more than 300,000 jobs, third-highest in the nation, since the beginning of the Great Recession. Georgia has one of the highest rates of bankruptcy filings and foreclosures. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Georgia has the third-highest poverty rate and, every single month for more than four years, Georgia’s unemployment rate has exceeded the national average.

When people worry about their jobs, they have to worry about their homes, their children’s education — everyone’s future is impacted by the lack of available jobs in our state.

Our leaders believe the solution is to cut corporate taxes and give additional tax credits to big Wall Street businesses, yet Georgia already has one of the lowest corporate tax rates in the country. While other states are adding jobs and growing their economies, businesses avoid us and turn to our neighbors like Tennessee and Florida.

Georgia deserves better.

The real solution to the state’s job crisis is not lowering an already scant tax rate. Let’s instead concentrate on things that create a pro-business environment. We need better transportation options to move our goods from manufacture to market, and a better-educated workforce to attract more companies.

We need to convince business leaders that if they open a new plant in our state, their kids, and their workers’ kids, will attend a good school and achieve the American dream.

Instead of laying off our teachers, let’s respect them. They deserve better pay; our students deserve better outcomes. Instead of unacceptably low graduation rates, we should challenge our students with better schools and teachers who are valued, not discouraged.

Instead of combining colleges to save money, we should invigorate them to attract the best and brightest from other states, while keeping our own best students close to home. Instead of misguided HOT lanes on I-85 that restrict an entire lane of highway from commuters, we should explore better mass transportation so that moving around the city is trouble-free, not troublesome. Bold leadership created Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, now the busiest airport in the nation.

Our state can do big things. We’ve done them before. However, we need strong leadership that attacks our problems head-on, not stumbles with tired policies that don’t work. Our HOPE scholarship and pre-K program were once a model for all states to follow.

Last year, both of these programs were cut to provide tax incentives to companies that still aren’t hiring in Georgia.

It’s been a lost decade for the average Georgia resident. It’s time to find a real solution to these problems. There is a difference between being outstanding and standing out.

Let’s pay our teachers, renew our schools, respect our students and fix our roads. Let’s put Georgia back to work. Let’s make the real choices that will make us outstanding again.

 

Democratic Party of Georgia’s Statement on Release of Mitt Romney’s Tax Returns

Georgia – Today, after years of resistance, Mitt Romney has released limited information about his finances.  In response, Democratic Party of Georgia Chair Mike Berlon released the following statement:

“Mitt Romney has spent years refusing to release his tax returns – and though he finally agreed to do so today, he offered just one full year of returns.   During the vetting process to become John McCain’s running mate, Romney released 23 years of tax returns. Why doesn’t Mitt Romney believe that Americans should see the full picture?

“This decision flies in the face of precedent set by previous presidential candidates – Romney’s father released 12 years of returns, President George W. Bush released returns back to 1991, and President Obama released eight years of tax returns during the 2008 campaign.

“Today, Romney failed to release sufficient information for the American people to be able to evaluate his investments, see exactly how he acquired his mass fortune during his time as a corporate raider for Bain Capital, and determine whether he has any financial conflicts that could cloud his judgment.  For instance, he closed a Swiss investment account only because an advisor was worried it might cause political problems should it stay open.  And Romney has made a fortune using offshore investments, from Swiss bank accounts to investments in the Caymans to Bermuda to Luxembourg to Ireland – all famous tax havens that cost American taxpayers about $100 billion a year in lost revenue.  But today’s returns don’t show how much in U.S. taxes Romney is avoiding by keeping his money in these foreign accounts – what else is he hiding from voters?

“Clearly, Romney doesn’t want us to know what releasing multiple full years of tax returns would reveal: he doesn’t believe we all have a responsibility to do our fair share, and he wants to continue to exploit the loopholes, special deductions and other gimmicks that he and other extraordinarily wealthy Americans use to pay a lower tax rate than working and middle-class families.

“With these priorities, it’s no surprise that Romney’s tax plan would cut his own 2013 taxes by nearly half.  That’s where Romney stands – and that’s exactly why he still refused to fully come clean with the American people today.”

Democrats open new Georgia headquarters with Debbie Wasserman Schultz

(Article found at the Washington Examiner.)

Democrats aren’t conceding any region of the country in their quest to re-elect President Barack Obama in 2012, the party’s chairwoman told Georgia Democrats on Wednesday at the opening of their new state party headquarters.

Democratic National Committee Debbie Wasserman Schultz said that includes Georgia, a state Obama lost three years ago by five percentage points.

“We are planting a flag in the South,” Schultz told a crowd of about 300. “We need to make sure we explain to voters that 2012 is personal.”

Schultz’s visit comes as Obama makes a three-day swing through the South touting his jobs plan, which failed to pass the Senate last week. Schultz, a Florida congresswoman, said there is a growing groundswell of Democratic momentum in the state and region, bolstered by the area’s changing demographics.

“We’re just building off the momentum we started in 2008,” she said, noting that the Obama campaign pulled out of Georgia several weeks before the general election. “It just became clear that it would be political malpractice to assume that the South is assumed to just be red.”

Schultz highlighted the growth of the country’s Latino population, in Georgia in particular, and said those voters could be key to an Obama victory.

“We are going to continue to quietly organize, slowly but surely,” she said. “I know the perception is that Georgia is a red state, but we’re slowly turning it purple around the edges.”

State Rep. Pedro Marin, a Georgia Democrat who was the first Latino elected to the state legislature, said he has heard frustration from Latinos about what they perceive to be a hostile attitude from Republicans. Marin said about 100,000 Latinos are registered Georgia voters, but another 100,000 are unregistered. The goal is to get them signed up and at the polls in November, and to convince them that Obama is still their best choice, Marin said.

“The resentment of Latinos is strong in Georgia,” he said, citing the state’s immigration law passed earlier this year by the Legislature. “It’s a big goal, but we have some groups out here doing voter registration. It’s working.”

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, who also spoke at the opening, said he was encouraged by the packed building and cheering crowd, and urged them to rest up over the holidays ahead of a busy 2012 election season.

“We have a new energy, we have a new sense of purpose and a sense of mission,” Reed said. “This is exactly the kind of energy we’re going to need to re-elect Barack Obama.”

Reed added that the choice for voters is becoming clearer as the Republican presidential field continues to campaign and debate.

“They’ve been comparing [Obama] to the Almighty since the day he got in office,” Reed said. “Last night … you saw their alternative.”

Georgia Nearly Last in Job Creation under Nathan Deal

Georgia – Despite Governor Nathan Deal’s repeated campaign promises that creating jobs would be a top priority for his administration, Georgia ranked #49 out of 50 states in job creation for the month of July and is ranked #47 in the nation over the past five year period.

In the past year, Georgia has had nine months of job loss, including a four year streak of unemployment higher than the national average. This job loss stands in direct contrast to the pledges of then-candidate Deal, who pledged to “kick-start the economy” while making job creation the theme of his campaign bus tour.

In October, Deal spokesman Brian Robinson stated that the future governor would “serve as Georgia’s top ambassador and salesman to bring new jobs here.” Yet, more than 470,000 Georgia citizens remain out of work.

“Republicans remain silent about their job record because they don’t have one,” said State Representative Virgil Fludd (D -Tyrone). “Georgia needs effective state leadership to produce a job-friendly environment.”

When asked if federal politics were inhibiting job creation in Georgia, Labor Commissioner Mark Butler stated that a “lack of leadership in Washington is a contributing factor to the overall lack of confidence in the (Georgia) economy.” Yet this explanation doesn’t address why 48 other states operating under the same federal leadership created more jobs than Georgia.

“Governor Deal and Commissioner Butler need to stop playing politics and start introducing solutions,” concluded party chairman Mike Berlon. “Georgians are hurting. We need our leaders to take their campaign promises seriously and fix our broken economy.”

# # #

Sources:
Atlanta Business Chronicle “Georgia 50th in job creation in July”; August 22, 2011.

Atlanta Business Chronicle “Georgia 47th for recent job creation”; July 25, 2011.

Congressman John Lewis Speech at 2011 JJ Dinner

Listen!
We are one party, we are one people, we are one family, we all live in one house, the Democratic house.
It doesn’t matter whether we are black or white, Latino, Asian-American, or Native American: we are one.
And we must look out for each another.

There are some in Washington, some time I feel,
maybe they were just born mean.
Sometime I feel they go to be mean,
and they get up mean,
and they just mean all day long.

But our party is a party that know how to be good to people.
Know how to look after people.

Put people to work.
We create jobs!

We don’t go around looking in peoples’ bedrooms.
You heard what I said.

We don’t go around saying because of your last name,
or the language you speak that you’re illegal.
In my book, no human being is illegal.

Maybe just maybe our foremothers and our forefathers came to this land in different ships.
But we’re all in the same boat now.

There are people who want to take Medicare and privatize it,
end Social Security, and we must say no to that!
We have an obligation, we have a contract, with our senior citizens.

There are people who want to treat women and little children
like they don’t exist.
That’s not right. That’s not fair. That’s not just. That don’t even look good.
So we got to do something about that.

Not just here in Georgia but all around our nation,
here in this state, our party got to get out there and organize,
mobilize, and register your victory and vote like we never voted before.
We can do it, and we must do it!
We must make Georgia good again!
We can do it!
Let’s make this state good!

I am ready to travel not just in this district, but all around this state to help.
We got to do it.
We’ve got to make it possible for president Barack Obama to take care of this state.

We must elect more Democrats to the Georgia legislature.
We can do it.
Get out there and fight.
You’ll be fine.
Don’t be weary.
We can do it.

Gretchen: Yes we can!
Others: Yes we can!

I just want to give you one example.
Fifty years ago, we were going to ride to Montgomery Alabama on the Freedom Ride.
We were beaten. Left bloody.
The governor of Alabama at the time told his aides to tell president Kennedy
that he was going to go fishing; he couldn’t find protection for us.
The governor was forty years old then.

A few days ago we had an opportunity to meet with the former governor.
He’s now ninety.
He encouraged the people in Montgomery and in Alabama to save the old bus station.
He encouraged them to make it a Freedom Ride museum.

He had lunch with us, 20 of the Freedom Riders, at the courthouse.
He apologized over and over again.
He said, you young people were brave and courageous.
That’s what the movement was all about.
To bring about change and be reconciled.
To build peace in the community.

That’s what I love about the Democratic party in Georgia.
We can build a new house!
A better house!
One community!
One house!
We all live in the same house, and we must never, ever forget it!
That’s how we’re going to make it!
That’s how we’re going to take this state back!
We can do it!
Let’s do it!
Let’s go and vote Democrat!
Stand up!
Stand up for the people!
Thank you very much.