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Economy

Commit to a governor that will finally help rural Georgia

Politicians have been failing rural Georgia for decades. Since Nathan Deal was elected governor, we’ve seen six rural hospitals close, making it the third highest state in the nation for hospital closures. Long after most of the United States has bounced back from the Great Recession, rural Georgians are still having a difficult time finding quality jobs and rural schools are still suffering. In Georgia, rural unemployment rates are double the rest of the state. Rural

Immigration and Refugees

Kemp slams immigration on bus tour

As part of his gubernatorial campaign’s bus tour, Sec. of State Brian Kemp gave a talk inside of what was once a jail cell advocating a crackdown on immigration. As has become typical of the Republican rhetoric on immigration, his speech was full of hateful, confusing half-truths. The crux of his talk was about how undocumented immigrants are driving up the cost of heathcare. He said it was “insane” that undocumented immigrants get healthcare coverage

Medicaid Expansion

New health care bill is a Band-Aid on a gaping wound

A rural health care bill, HB 769, passed a House committee on Tuesday. The bill has received a lot of attention, but it’s missing a crucial component — Medicaid expansion. At this point, any health care bill that doesn’t include ending Georgia’s Medicaid blockade is putting a Band-Aid on a deadly, gaping wound. Rep. Betty Price and other conservative lawmakers have created a symbolic bill that sounds good but does nothing to help rural communities.

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Goodbye, Ralph Hudgens: 8 years of failing taxpayers

Ralph Hudgens has allowed car insurance, homeowner’s insurance and health insurance to skyrocket in the nearly 8 years since he took office. He’s done nothing to protect ratepayers or push back against the companies that swindle them. We couldn’t be more thankful that he’s leaving. His entire tenure has been characterized by ratepayers being taken advantage of by insurance companies. Here are just a few terrible things he’s done, to jog your memory: He compared

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Even Unterman knows that Medicaid expansion is Georgia’s only option

Georgia State Sen. Renee Unterman is beginning to acknowledge that Medicaid expansion is a must if we’re going to get improved access to healthcare in Georgia. She says Georgia has few other options. “Well if you’re not going to expand Medicaid what are you going to do?” she rhetorically asked WABE. In the past, Unterman has opposed many progressive legislative goals such as the legalization of medical marijuana and a large number of women’s health

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Georgia’s rural schools struggle

Georgia’s rural schools are struggling and being left behind as metropolitan Georgia expands. Rural Georgia schools deal with high rates of poverty, small budgets and rising transportation costs. About 65 percent of Georgia students receive free or reduced lunch, a rate that is third-highest in the country. Georgia also has one of the highest numbers of students receiving special services. While Atlanta and Savannah are seeing populations soar, rural Georgia’s population continues to shrink. Too