In a democracy, the voters choose their elected officials. In Georgia, however, the politicians choose their voters.
The Republicans in the General Assembly, together with Governor Kemp, just completed a redistricting process that was secretive, rushed, unfair, and pre-determined. To add insult to injury, they did this after months of solemnly promising again and again to be fair and transparent. They ignored the pleas of the public to provide the proposed maps in advance of the Special Session, instead releasing them just hours before the Session began. They ignored the pleas of the public to provide ample opportunity for a meaningful review of the maps, instead steamrolling through the process and conducting several critical votes within two to three days after disclosure.
The results are as appalling as the process. The new maps substantially dilute the voting power of Democrats and minorities. In our roughly 50/50 State, the new district boundaries will likely result in Republicans winning almost twice as many seats as Democrats in Congress! And who were their primary targets? Women of color. The new Congressional map was intentionally drawn to shift many Democratic constituents out of Lucy McBath’s 6th District and replace them with heavily conservative voters. At the state level, Michelle Au, the first Asian American in the Senate and a rising star in the Democratic Party was targeted for replacement.
Next fall, Georgians should use the ballot box to reject those who have such disdain for our democracy.
Valerie Johnson
Greensboro
Everything in this area is so dictated by Athens already, while Oglethorpe, Madison, Barrow, Oconee, Jackson all lean Republican. You think WE should be diluted? No! Wrong. The rural vote should not lose it's voice to the cities of this state. That's not how it works. You have senate representation with your overweighted GROWING cities like Atlanta that erases more than half the state. The day the rural vote is muted is the day we have a second civil war.
Everytime you don't get your way isn't about race. Stop with the race nonsense. It's old. It's fake. #Jussie
Democrat does not equal minority. They can think for themselves despite your attempt to keep them on the plantation.
Georgia is not a 50/50 state. Georgia is a red state, that has allowed corrupt race-hustlers to compromise the state election apparatus to disenfranchise the Christian Conservative MAJORITY and amplify the inner-city liberal minority vote. It is time to purge the system of this corruption. It is embarrassing that whenever a race-pimp dies, the State feels obligated to send in a replacement; Abrams being the replacement for Hosea Williams (rest in piss). These race-hustlers keep these myths alive that the black voter cannot figure out how to get to the polls with the proper ID. But the stats show a 33% increase in the black vote when the gap-tooth candidate was on the ballot. That in of itself is a…