Reflective Democracy

No verdict can make this situation better, for his family and friends. But at least this verdict held George Floyd’s killer accountable. It is a signal call that no one is above the law. It is about time that we saw some justice, as a community. Today, we saw some justice. 

Sixteen grassroots groups have called for amending Georgia’s Open Meeting Act so that it covers meetings of the General Assembly and its committees and subcommittees. “Georgians have the right to witness the open conduct of their business by the General Assembly.”

The Republican-led Georgia State Legislature passed the anti-democratic SB202 to suppress and obstruct statewide voter turnout and further impede the possibility of increased voting from African-Americans and other communities of color, a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia said.

Today, in a matter of just hours, both the House and Senate approved a substitute version of SB 202, an anti-voter ‘omnibus’ that allows the highly-partisan state Legislature to appoint a quorum of the State Election Board, and allows state takeover of county elections offices. Governor Brian Kemp is expected to sign the bill at 6:30pm today.

SB 221 would create a huge loophole in Georgia’s current campaign finance limits, by allowing unlimited donations to a new type of political committee -- controlled by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and legislative leadership. It would allow big corporations and out-of-state big money donors to buy our elections.

'They want to make it harder for people to vote. They want to make it easier for special interests to buy our government. And they want to put our constitutional rights at risk. This is a case study in how to take government away from the people.'