Democratic Party of Georgia

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Marco Rubio Fundraises in Atlanta Days After Politicizing and Fearmongering the Nation on Terrorism

Release:  Wednesday, December 2, 2015                                                                                        

 

Marco Rubio Fundraises in Atlanta Days After Politicizing and Fearmongering the Nation on Terrorism

 

 

Atlanta, GA – Proving that it’s not just the GOP’s frontrunners that pander with appeals of a darker nature, Marco Rubio—in Atlanta today for a fundraiser—has spent the last several days sowing fear and division on the campaign trail.

 

A little over a week ago, Rubio claimed the tragic acts of terror in Paris were a “positive development” for the presidential campaign.  Rubio even paired the Paris tragedy with a fundraising pitch. Keep in mind this is the same guy who skipped several critical national security hearings to raise money for his campaign.

 

While his response to the horrific tragedy in Paris was swift (albeit distasteful), his silence after the Planned Parenthood shooting in Colorado was deafening. Marco Rubio, like most of his Republican colleagues running for President, failed to respond for days. Rubio’s response to the act of domestic terrorism paled to the actual tragedy that took place, saying “the vast majority of shootings happen when a criminal is shooting another criminal.” Three Americans were murdered that day—including a police officer and Iraq war veteran—and nine were wounded. These brave women and men were not criminals.

 

“I’m fed-up listening to the fabricated tales spun by Republicans like Marco Rubio about reproductive healthcare. That kind of propaganda not only leads to destructive legislation barring access to affordable and quality healthcare, it incites violence against our friends and neighbors,” said Rebecca DeHart, the Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Georgia.

 

“We have real problems in this nation. Mass shootings are becoming a rule, not an exception. And pulling a Rubio, that is burying your head in the sand while spewing talking points, is not the kind of leader our nation needs. We need someone willing to stand up for victims of terrorism and violence—and address the culture and environment that allows the perpetrators of these heinous acts to carry them out.”

 

“Women, men, and children are dying in the streets, in the classroom, in places of worship, and in health clinics. We cannot become numb to this crisis. President Obama and our 2016 democratic candidates have laid out clear plans to make our communities safer. I’ve yet to see anyone on the Republican side have the guts to try and see these plans through.”

Marco Rubio Brings Amateur Hour Road Show to Georgia, with Failed Policies in Tow

Release:  Thursday, November 12, 2015                                                                                         

 

Marco Rubio Brings Amateur Hour Road Show to Georgia, with Failed Policies in Tow

 

 

Atlanta, GA – Hot off the heels of a lackluster debate performance and several days of bad news, Marco Rubio heads to Atlanta today to grab checks at a fundraising event. After Tuesday’s debate, Rubio has proved that he is more concerned with building a hefty campaign coffer than building the middle class. He also proved to Georgians—and the rest of America—that he is not ready for prime time.

 

“Mark this one down for the record books—Nathan Deal and I agree on something. Neither of us is impressed with Marco Rubio. It really is absurd that someone like No-show Rubio who doesn’t show up to work is asking for a promotion.

 

“Rubio paints himself as a candidate for the future, but his recycled GOP agenda for the middle class and foreign affairs has already been rejected by the American people time and again. Marco Rubio trying to act as though there’s daylight between his policies and those of Trump and Carson is laughable. Instituting any of his ‘solutions’ for Georgia families would be like trying put out a dumpster fire with a leaf blower.” – Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter

 

Marco Rubio isn’t fooling anyone. He’s pushing the same failed policies that have proven to be disastrous for America.

 

Rubio said raising the minimum wage is a “disaster.”  [MSNBC, 11-11-15]

 

Rubio called policies that benefit the middle class—like paid family leave, affordable healthcare, and a quality education—“giveaways.”  [NY Mag, 11-11-15]

 

Rubio reiterated his intention to repeal Obamacare.  [TIME, 11-11-15]

 

Rubio couldn’t even articulate his tax plan to cut taxes for the rich while leaving the middle class behind, saying “I am proud that I have a pro-family tax code, because the pro-family tax plan that I have will strengthen the most important institution in the family—in the country, the family.” Huh?  [YOUTUBE, 11-11-15]

 

The main beneficiary of Rubio’s tax plan…wait for it…the top 0.0003 percent.  [Washington Post, 11-5-15]

 

There are still unanswered questions regarding Rubio’s ongoing credit card controversy.  [Tampa Bay Times, 11-5-15]

 

Rubio touts the same outdated Cold War-era policies that put America at risk under the Bush Administration.  [Business Insider, 6-4-15]

 

Rubio has trouble showing up to his current job, missing key hearings on ISIS, Iran, and Osama bin Laden.  [Politico, 7-27-15]

 

Plain and simple, Marco Rubio is unfit to serve as President of the United States.

 

 

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Jeb Bush Just Doesn’t Get It When It Comes to Georgia’s Working Families

Today, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush will flit through Atlanta to hold two high-dollar fundraisers. Bush—who has announced that he is “considering exploring” a presidential run for 2016—is also set to visit with leaders at the Georgia State Capitol this morning.

 

While in South Carolina just a few days ago, Jeb Bush was asked if raising the minimum wage was a good idea. Here’s his answer:

 

“We need to leave it to the private sector… This is one of those poll-driven deals… I’m sure it’s a great soundbite.”

 

Democratic Party of Georgia spokesperson Michael Smith issued the following statement in response to Bush’s out-of-touch comments:

 

“Jeb Bush is certainly making his mark this week.  After belittling the hardships that working families across the South face by dismissing the idea of increasing the minimum wage as a ‘nice soundbite,’ he’s spending the day rubbing shoulders and raising money with well-heeled Republican legislators and donors.

 

“If Bush really wants to connect with Georgia voters, maybe he should spend less time hobnobbing at fundraisers and spend some time talking to the hardworking Georgians who make the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour—considering that the Republican-controlled state legislature has refused to act. Too many Georgia families are struggling to simply put food on the table and pay their bills after a hard day’s work. Maybe then Bush would recognize the need for such commonsense measures—measures that would truly give Georgia’s working families the opportunity to prosper.”

 

Bush’s position on the minimum wage is to the right of Mitt Romney. During the 2012 GOP presidential primary, Romney—who stated that corporations are people—indicated his support for raising the wage, saying “My view has been to allow the minimum wage to rise with the CPI [Consumer Price Index] or with another index so that it adjusts automatically over time.” (Think Progress, 1-13-2012)

 

An exit poll conducted last November showed that a majority of Georgians favor raising the minimum wage. (Athens Banner-Herald, 11-8-2014)

 

Full transcript of Bush’s minimum wage answer:

 

MODERATOR: Let’s talk minimum wage. Is raising it a good idea and if so, is it the government’s role? Or in the case of companies like Wal-Mart, do we need to leave it to the private sector?

 

JEB BUSH: We need to leave it to the private sector. I think state minimum wages are fine. The federal government shouldn’t be doing this. This is one of those poll-driven deals. It polls well, I’m sure – I haven’t looked at the polling, but I’m sure on the surface without any conversation, without any digging into it people say ‘yea, everybody’s wages should be up.’ And in the case of Wal-Mart they have raised wages because of supply and demand and that’s good. But the federal government doing this will make it harder and harder for the first rung of the ladder to be reached, particularly for young people, particularly for people that have less education.

 

We’re moving to a world that is sticky in the ends, where it’s harder for people in poverty to move up and where the rich are doing really well and the middle is getting squeezed. And any idea that makes, that perpetuates that is one that I would oppose, and I think this minimum wage idea is exactly one of those things. The great majority of the people that would benefit from that would shortly find that there would be some innovation, some automation, some change of business plans so that businesses could continue to make ends meet and that they would be likely the ones that would lose their job. That’s how it’s always worked.

 

Now, politically, I’m sure it’s a great soundbite. But from an economic point of view this is not how we need to be successful.

 

Nathan Deal v. the Rest of the Nation: A Major Jobs Disparity

Last week, the United States Department of Labor announced the creation of 288,000 new private sector jobs nationally in the month of June alone. The national unemployment rate dropped to 6.1%, the lowest since September 2008. These numbers mark 52 months of consecutive job growth and five months where at least 200,000 jobs were created.

 

Yet, as the national unemployment rate drops and more jobs are created, Georgia continues to lag behind the rest of the country under Nathan Deal.

 

Here are the facts:

 

Georgia has the 8th highest unemployment rate in the nation.  (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

 

Nearly four in ten working families with children are “low-income.” (GBPI 6-19-14)

 

Over the last 15 years, Georgia is only one of two states where real per capita GDP has declined. (AJC 6-20-14)

 

Georgia’s economic outlook is exceptionally grim outside the metro-Atlanta area. In a recent Bloomberg ranking of the fastest shrinking U.S. cities, Georgia was the only state in the nation to have more than one city in the top ten list—we had THREE. (Bloomberg)

 

45% of Georgia’s children under the age of 13 in working families are in low-income working families. (GBPI 6-19-14)

 

Adjusted for inflation the average Georgia family makes over $6000 less than the average family did 10 years ago. (Politifact 1-23-14)

 

Nathan Deal will use a couple of rankings and some feel-good ads to justify another four years in office. But Georgia is lagging behind the rest of the nation and these numbers do not lie.

 

Georgia is headed in the wrong direction. But we don’t have to settle for Nathan Deal’s status quo.

 

With your help, and with your vote, we can fix this.

About Today’s Supreme Court Decision…

Today’s Supreme Court Decision, granting craft store giant Hobby Lobby the right to discriminate against women feels like another well-aimed shot in the gut.

 

As a woman, I constantly wear a target—and not by choice. Whether it’s a corporation arguing that its CFO’s religious preference against contraception is more important than my rights, or if it’s the Georgia’s Republican legislators doing all they can to keep me from safe, affordable, and judgment-free access to contraception, the simple fact that I’m a woman makes me a target. And this target I wear, that all women wear, is getting heavy.

 

When the Affordable Care Act became law it ensured that basic, preventative healthcare measures for women, like access to contraception, were covered by insurance and delivered sans co-pay. This made the owners of Hobby Lobby flip-out. You see, the family that founded the Hobby Lobby Corporation, and a variety of other for-profit retail stores, is part of a radical minority that doesn’t believe women should have access to contraception.

 

Today.

In 2014.

No Contraception.

(I can’t help but shake my head even typing that.)

The owners of Hobby Lobby filed suit seeking exactly what they got from our conservative court this morning—a decision that allows the religious beliefs of a corporation to trump the health care options of its individual employees.  Now your healthcare options could be determined by your boss, and not by you or your doctor.

 

Citizens United made corporations people. Today’s decision gave these ‘corporate people’ religion, and the right to hate and discriminate.

 

What does that mean here in Georgia? There are 31 Hobby Lobby stores in Georgia and possibly more places of business owned by this family throughout our state. Nearly 70% of their employees are women.

 

Today’s decision:

 

  • takes money out of the pocket of women and their families in Georgia and allows for-profit employers to deny contraception to women.
  • interferes in a fundamental way with a women’s ability to follow a treatment plan prescribed by her doctor (nearly 60% of women who use birth control pills do so for reasons other than preventing pregnancy—they are treating ovarian cysts, endometriosis, migraines, or working in addendum with chemotherapy, in hormone replacement therapy, etc.)
  • targets a woman’s ability to decide when and if she wants to become a parent.

 

Furthermore, this decision will no doubt embolden Republican legislators in Georgia who already seek to destroy a woman’s right to safe, comprehensive and affordable reproductive healthcare—including access to preventative measures, like contraception. One doesn’t have to look any further that the flurry of legislation they introduce year after year targeting women’s rights for proof.

 

Today’s decision hits the target we women are forced wear dead-on.  And this one really hurt. And it will continue to hurt every day moving forward until we can make a change.

 

Women don’t wear this target willingly.

 

So we need to fight back and work hard to put Democrats in power. We need to speak up now and then again and again. And most importantly- we, as Democrats, must vote.

 

Democrats will vote so that our state starts targeting failing education policies, government corruption, and toxic air and water. Democrats will vote to put a target on unfair wages, discrimination and on anyone who refuses to expand Medicaid.

 

Democrats will vote to remove this target on women—and we will win.

 

Rebecca Sig

 

 

 

 

Rebecca DeHart

Executive Director, Democratic Party of Georgia

Meet Greg Hecht – Georgia Dems’ Candidate for Attorney General

Greg HechtHecht FB copy Hecht Twitter copy

 

In March, former Assistant District Attorney and state legislator Greg Hecht became Georgia Democrats’ nominee for Attorney General.

 

Democratic Party of Georgia Chair DuBose Porter expressed his enthusiasm for Hecht’s candidacy, saying “Greg brings some serious credentials to our ballot, and will bring a lifetime’s worth of experience protecting Georgia families to the office of the Attorney General.”

 

Early in his career, Greg served as an Assistant District Attorney for the State of Georgia from 1989 to 1993. He prosecuted violent criminals, sex offenders, child abusers, identity thieves, and murderers. During this time, he served as a Special DEA Airport Drug Prosecutor also. After his time protecting Georgia’s most vulnerable, Greg served as a County Attorney and later started a law firm where he now pays 10 employees every 2 weeks as a small businessman.

 

In 1997, Greg took his experience as an ADA and small businessman to the Georgia General Assembly as a State Senator and State Representative. During his six years in the state legislature, Greg authored laws for child abuse reporting protocols, giving special guardian powers to court appointed child advocates, requiring criminal background checks for daycare workers, making elder abuse a felony, applying strong penalties for vote fraud, to protect the Hope Scholarship and  for veterans’ protections and for tax relief.

 

Greg served 16 years on the Alzheimer’s Services Board including 3 years as Chair, 10 years on the Southern Crescent Habitat for Humanity Board including a term as President, 9 years on the Families First Board which provides group homes, adoptive and foster care services for abused and neglected children and young mothers, and 3 Years on the Prevention Plus Board which maintains a teen center to keep our youth off the streets and away from drugs.

 

Greg can be found online at greghecht.com

Like his Facebook page and follow him on Twitter.

Governor Deal’s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week

ATLANTA—Facing a barrage of news exposing his failures as leader and a trial exposing his meddling with an ethics investigation of his campaign, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal is having a bad week.

 

The Deal Ethics Trial

Deal Ethics Screenshot


Deal caught a break early in the week when his lawyers successfully suppressed a subpoena for him to testify in the ethics trial. But that luck quickly dried up, after witness after witness implicated Deal and his staff in a coordinated effort to stymie an ethics inquiry into his campaign’s improper activities.

 

Even Deal’s ally, former Ethics Commission Chairman Patrick Millsaps, admitted under oath that actions by the governor’s office to replace the lead investigators on the commission “doesn’t pass the smell test.”

 

“Gov. Deal may have ducked having to testify, but he’s still the elephant in the courtroom,” said DuBose Porter, chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia.

 

Witnesses in the trial have testified that the commission’s two senior staff were forced out the door after initiating investigations of the Deal campaign. Deal’s office hand-picked a new director who quickly ended the investigation, witnesses say.

 

More Bad News at Every Turn

 

Deal was caught flat-footed after failing to advance key legislative issues that he suddenly found out were important to Georgia voters.

 

Under pressure for failing to push forward a measure to allow medical marijuana for children suffering from severe seizure disorders, Deal announced he would seek executive action on the issue. But that effort was dealt a blow by former Georgia Supreme Court Justice Leah Ward Sears, who told WABE that the governor would be overstepping his authority. “[T]his kind of thing would be invading the province of the legislature, and I don’t think the executive can do that,” Ward Sears said.

 

Deal woke up on Saturday to a headline in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution revealing the state is wasting millions of dollars each year in food stamps overpayments. The huge waste comes to light during a mismanagement crisis where there is a 30,000 person backlog and thousands of calls are going unanswered at the agency responsible for administering food stamps. “This is a very dramatic wrong turn,” said an expert in Georgia’s food stamp system about the waste, which amounted to $138 million last year. “It’s unusual to see a state deteriorate this far this fast.” The mismanagement has put $76 million in federal funding at risk.

 

Deal’s week wasn’t much better outside of Atlanta. His knee-jerk response Savannah Harbor deepening project setback has landed him in hot water, with reality colliding with Deal’s rhetoric. Deal’s actions “could saddle the state with poisoned property and thorny legal problems,” the AJC reports.

 

Polling Doldrums

 

Deal had already started the week down, in the aftermath of a poll showing that four in ten likely Republican voters won’t commit to voting for Deal in the GOP primary, where he faces two challengers.

 

Then WSB-TV released a new poll showing Deal neck and neck with his challenger, State Sen. Jason Carter. That puts him in what is traditionally a dangerous zone for incumbents, and demonstrates Georgia voters’ remarkable lack of confidence in Deal’s ability to address the state’s challenges. Deal has some of the lowest approval ratings for any incumbent governor facing reelection in the nation.

 

Release: DPG Chairman Responds to News of Federal Subpoenas of State Ethics Commission Employees

Democratic Party of Georgia Chairman DuBose Porter Responds to News of Federal Subpoenas of State Ethics Commission Employees

 

Atlanta, GA –  Tonight, news broke that at least five high-ranking employees of  Georgia’s state ethics commission, including commission head Holly LaBerge, have received federal grand jury subpoenas for documents related to the alleged disappearance of evidence with regard to Governor Nathan Deal’s campaign finances.

Democratic Party of Georgia Chairman DuBose Porter released the following statement:

“The same behavior that forced Nathan Deal to resign from Congress has now shown up in the way he conducts his administration as Governor,“  said Democratic Party Chair DuBose Porter. “The issue of federal subpoenas is troubling. Every Georgian should pay close attention so that history does not repeat itself in the ethics commission.”

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BACKGROUND:

 

New York Times 5/29/10:  Ethics Report Faults Ex-Congressman

Nathan Deal, a former Republican congressman who is running for Georgia governor, resigned from the House last week in a move that seemed certain to end an ethics investigation that could have proved politically embarrassing.

But on Monday, the Office of Congressional Ethics released its report anyway, concluding that Mr. Deal appeared to have improperly used his office to pressure Georgia officials to continue a vehicle inspection program that generated hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for his family’s auto salvage business.

Washington Post 4/1/2010:  Resignation ends ethics probe of ex-Rep. Nathan Deal

Georgia Republican Rep. Nathan Deal might have had that solution in mind when he resigned March 21, just minutes before the ethics committee faced a deadline to act in his case. Fortunately for the citizens of his state, and unfortunately for Mr. Deal, a new ethics watchdog, the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), did not drop the matter. The office, an independent panel created by a 2007 ethics and lobbying reform law, conducts investigations and makes recommendations for further action to the House Ethics Committee. Five days after Mr. Deal’s resignation, the OCE voted to release the review it had sent in January to the ethics panel, finding “substantial reason to believe” that Mr. Deal, who is running for governor of Georgia, might have violated ethics rules.

 

AJC 12/11/13:  FBI subpoenas current and former state ethics officials

At least five current and former state ethics officials have been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has learned.

Commission attorney Elisabeth Murray-Obertein told the AJC on Wednesday that she and executive secretary Holly LaBerge were served in the commission office. John Hair, a former ethics IT staffer, also said Wednesday he received a subpoena.

 

AP 12/11/13:  Subpoenas related to Ga. gov’s ethics complaints

Two employees of the state ethics commission have received federal grand jury subpoenas seeking documents regarding ethics complaints involving Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, according to two people with knowledge of the case.

The commission’s executive secretary, Holly LaBerge, received a subpoena Wednesday, a person with direct knowledge of the case told The Associated Press. The AP obtained a copy of the federal grand jury subpoena for staff attorney Elisabeth Murray-Obertein from a person familiar with the case. The two individuals spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly.

The Affordable Care Act and Georgia: What it means to us

What does the Affordable Care Act do for me?

Some of these beneficial items are already in place. For example:

These things have already happened, but there are bigger changes on the way that will once again allow Georgians to lead healthier and longer lives.

In 2014, the biggest items take effect.  

  • All people with pre-existing conditions can be covered at the same rate as everyone else. Insurance companies can no longer deny you coverage based upon your previous health problems, and they can no longer charge you two or three (or 20) times more.  ( Citation: Page 45, sec. 2704, Page 46, sec. 2701, and Page 57, sec. 1255 )
  • If you already have insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, you won’t need to do anything different.
  • If you don’t have insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, and cannot afford to purchase it, you will be eligible to get assistance. A family of four that makes less than $30,657 would be eligible for Medicaid. A family of four that made more than $30,657 but less than $92,200 would be eligible for tax credits to purchase insurance through an insurance exchange run by the state of Georgia.
  • If you don’t have insurance, Medicare or Medicaid but make enough money to purchase it on your own, you’ll will be charged a fee if you refuse to purchase it. This requirement is important, as otherwise people might not purchase insurance until they get sick. You can choose not to get it, in which case you’ll pay a fee of $95 or 1% of your income, whichever is greater. (Citation: Page 145, sec. 5000A)

Does this hurt small businesses?

Absolutely not. A healthier work force means less time spent in hospitals or through sick days, which should improve everyone’s bottom line.

  • Small businesses get additional tax credits for two years. (It looks like this is specifically for businesses with 25 or fewer employees) ( Citation: Page 138, sec. 1421 )
  • Businesses with over 50 employees must offer health insurance to full-time employees or pay a penalty.
  • Congress and Congressional staff will transition to this health insurance system as well. Rather than their Federal Insurance plan, they’ll use the same ones as everyone else. No longer will taxpayers foot the bill for Congress, now they’ll pay the same as you or I.( Citation: Page 81, sec. 1312 )

Is the Affordable Care Act too expensive?

Actually, the Affordable Care Act will save $210 billion a year once it is fully implemented, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. By the year 2021, the bill will actually have paid for itself and started bringing in more money than it costs.

Will I have to pay new taxes?

  • If you make over $200,000 a year, your taxes go up 0.9%. ( Citation: Page 818, sec. 9015 )
  • If you are a small business owner with more than 50 employees and refuse to get health coverage for your employees, you’ll have to pay a penalty.
  • There is a new tax on pharmaceutical companies, and the purchase of medical devices.

The Affordable Care Act doesn’t have “death panels”, which many right-wing folks use to scare the public about the reforms. It doesn’t use taxpayer money for abortions, instead letting each state to figure out whether it wants to cover this on a state-by-state basis. It doesn’t give free insurance to illegal immigrants, and it doesn’t force you to change your insurance plans. If you are happy with your current health plan, that’s great! You won’t need to get a different plan or see a different doctor.

The Affordable Care Act is an important piece of legislation that strengthens Georgia’s health care system and provides common-sense solutions for you and your family. No longer will you have to worry about your health insurer dropping you because you get sick, or not covering your health payments simply because you’ve been sick before.

Please share this with your friends and family, and if you have any further questions about health care reform, send an email to “[email protected]”.

Georgia “Truth Teams” will combat the GOP

The Democratic Party of Georgia, in conjunction with Obama for America, will promote the President’s achievements, respond to attacks on his record and hold the Republican nominee accountable.

To further these goals, we announce the Truth Team, a new national effort to reach two million grassroots supporters and over 30,000 Georgians. Be a part of the Truth Team and help spread the facts about the President’s record- and respond to the inevitable and baseless Republican attacks.

The program will be housed at BarackObama.com/TruthTeam, with individual websites – KeepingHisWord.com, KeepingGOPHonest.com, and AttackWatch.com – serving as quick, comprehensive resources to help set the record straight. Designed to put responsibility for spreading the truth in the hands of the President’s supporters, the websites contain videos and information on the President’s record, and fact checks on the GOP claims about the President and themselves.

The Republican candidates are spending a huge amount of time attacking President Obama, which is no surprise. Instead of basing their attacks on our differences of opinion, they have chosen to run on false claims about his record.

We’ve had 23 consecutive months of job growth under the President’s watch, but Mitt Romney says he’s made the recession “worse.” Rick Santorum says that the President’s health reform, which was based on Republican proposals and expands access only to private insurance, is a government takeover of health care.

While the newfound power of outside groups and Republican Super PACs, any untruth cam be amplified and exaggerated with the help of millions and millions of dollars.

However, the Obama for America campaign has relied on grassroots supporters to spread the truth, and the Truth Teams in Georgia will build on and expand this effort to make sure that when voters go to the polls in November, they know the truth.

Be a part of our movement. Join the Truth Team today.

GOP Immigration Policy = Labor Shortages + Rotting Crops

This item by J.P. Green was originally published on May 29, 2011.

Georgia is often classified with the reddest of states, not without some reason, even though a third of the voters are people of color. But the new Republican Governor Nathan Deal has just signed into law a bill which could push some white rural voters, thoughtful farmers in particular, into the Democratic column.

The reason is nicely encapsulated in the title of Jeremy Redmon’s Atlanta Constitution article “Farmers Tie Labor Shortage to State’s New Immigration Law, Ask for Help,” which explains:

This month, Gov. Nathan Deal signed House Bill 87 into law. Among other things, the law punishes people who transport or harbor illegal immigrants here. It also authorizes police to investigate the immigration status of suspects they believe have committed state or federal crimes and who cannot produce identification, such as a driver’s license, or provide other information that could help police identify them.Georgia’s agricultural industry — the largest in the state — vigorously opposed HB 87 in the Legislature, arguing it could scare away migrant workers and damage the state’s economy

 

The consequences thus far, are less than impressive, according to Redmon:

Migrant farmworkers are bypassing Georgia because of the state’s tough new immigration enforcement law, creating a severe labor shortage among fruit and vegetable growers here and potentially putting hundreds of millions of dollars in crops in jeopardy, agricultural industry leaders said this week….Charles Hall, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, said he has been in close contact with Labor Commissioner Mark Butler and Agricultural Commissioner Gary Black about the shortage, calling it the most severe he has seen. Hall said it’s possible state officials could hold job fairs to steer some of Georgia’s unemployed workers to these farm jobs, which pay $12.50 an hour on average. The state’s unemployment rate is now at 9.9 percent.

Farmers, however, say they often have little luck recruiting Georgia residents to work in their fields because it is temporary, hot and physically demanding. To recruit more workers, some farmers are offering signing bonuses, Hall said.

The law doesn’t take effect until July 1 but is already making migrant Hispanic farmworkers skittish, said Dick Minor, a partner with Minor Brothers Farm in Leslie in southwest Georgia who says he is missing about 50 of his workers now, threatening as much as a third of his crops.

Some farmers who work in Georgia’s $1.1 billion fruit and vegetable industry are now reporting they have only two-thirds or half the workers they need now and for the weeks of harvesting to come, Hall said. Farmers said the full extent of the shortages won’t be known until the coming weeks as they harvest their remaining crops, including watermelons and sweet corn. Hall estimated such shortages could put as much as $300 million in crops at risk this year.

 

Georgia’s pain may translate into Florida’s gain, reports Redmon:

Manuel De La Rosa, who recruits workers for Minor’s farm, confirmed many migrant workers are skipping Georgia for other states, including Florida. He said these workers became afraid after they heard Hispanic television news programs comparing Georgia’s new law to a stringent one Arizona enacted last year.”Some of the people who were coming over here to [pick] cucumbers said: ‘No. They are going to catch us. They are going to put us in jail,’ ” said De La Rosa, a U.S. citizen. “Some of them were going to try another state where they have not passed this law yet.”

 

While white southern voters have often displayed a singular genius for voting against their own economic interests, the sheer idiocy of Republican immigration “reform” in Georgia and other states should give rural Georgians pause the next time some Republican leader prattles on about GOP pro-business creds. Redmon adds:

Meanwhile, the state’s Republican labor and agricultural commissioners are discussing issuing a joint statement in the coming days about what they intend to do about the labor shortage, a Labor Department spokesman confirmed Thursday.

No doubt Georgians await the next edition of GOP business acumen with baited breath, while state consumers may not be too thrilled with expected price hikes at the supermarket, courtesy of the Republican Governor and legislators. Here’s hoping Georgia Dems call them out.