Politics

President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law on Tuesday – legislation hailed as a “good deal for Georgians,” supported by a majority of the American people, and praised by former Treasury secretaries and more than 120 leading economists. All eight of Georgia’s congressional Republicans voted against the bill, including its provisions to lower energy and health care costs, allow Medicare to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs, and reduce the deficit all without raising taxes a single cent on any Georgian making less than $400,000 a year.

As a result, Georgians will see their utility bills cut, good-paying jobs brought to our state, domestic manufacturing bolstered, and more. Here’s how:
The Inflation Reduction Act’s energy wins for Georgia:
LOWER ENERGY COSTS: The Inflation Reduction Act will make it more affordable for Georgia families to purchase energy efficient appliances when they need to, make repairs around their homes, and save money on their utility bills each month, through: 

This week’s Courier Herald column:
You’ve likely seen the meme shared on Facebook.  It purports to be an electric car graveyard in France.  There are variations on the text surrounding the photo, but the conclusion suggested is generally the same:  EV’s are bad because the expensive batteries soon go bad and the cars are junked, creating new and excessive industrial waste.
There’s a few problems with this meme, the first of which is that the cars aren’t in France, but are Chinese EV’s a half world away.  Whatever.  I’ve literally been told in Facebook arguments that facts don’t matter when there’s a point to be made.
So let’s tackle the central point.  Modern electric vehicles are built to last at least as long as cars powered by internal combustion engines, and are likely even more recyclable. 
Before getting into those facts, let’s address the general premise and approach of those who have decided to oppose adoption of EV’s.  Some of the resistance is understandable.  Parts of the “Green New Deal” are unrealistic and overreaching.  Parts are workable.  The devil, as usual lies in the details.
People that wish to argue against a broad agenda they oppose by choosing poor arguments and strategy, then compounding their resistance with “facts” that lack merit or truth, are playing directly into the hands of their opponents. 
In the case of electric vehicles, we would do better to separate the technology – which is now proven and quite workable for many of our transportation needs – and the various policy proposals being debated and implemented to promote adoption.   The ability to recycle batteries in EV’s is very much a feature of this technology, not a bug.

“Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has been falsely accusing Stacey Abrams of supporting boycotts against Georgia. His record on the matter isn’t so great.”
As Gov. Brian Kemp continues to face mounting scrutiny after Music Midtown canceled their event due to his extreme gun agenda, a new report from the Daily Beast revealed Kemp has “personally called on Georgians to boycott companies when it suited his political agenda.”
The news comes while Kemp is launching false attacks accusing Stacey Abrams of supporting boycotts, even though Abrams repeatedly discouraged boycotts and urged businesses to “stay and fight” in Georgia. In reality, Kemp has repeatedly encouraged boycotts against Georgia businesses and advocated for legislative action against companies that speak out against his extreme agenda.
“Brian Kemp talks out of both sides of his mouth. While lying about Stacey’s record, he’s called for boycotts against businesses, including major companies based in Georgia, to further his own political agenda. From his dangerous gun agenda which drove out Music Midtown, to his extreme ban on abortion, Kemp’s policies are a threat to Georgians’ jobs and our economy,” stated Max Flugrath, spokesman for the Democratic Party of Georgia.
In 2018, Kemp called on state lawmakers to impose financial penalties on Georgia-based Delta Airlines because it ended its relationship with the NRA. Kemp also encouraged Georgians to boycott companies – “from Wal-Mart to Citibank” – that spoke out against the gun industry after the Parkland school shooting in Florida.

By Paradise Afshar and Susannah Cullinane, CNN

In the Peach State, and investigation is ongoing that threatens to throw a whole heap of legal trouble the direction of former President Donald Trump, especially now that subpoenas have begun to fly.
The probe centers around communications between then-President Trump and state election officials in Georgia, who’ve suggested that these conversations were somehow improper. Of those subpoenaed, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina may have the most unique retort yet.

Lawyers for Sen. Lindsey Graham are arguing that the South Carolina Republican cannot be forced to testify before a Fulton County grand jury about alleged election interference, claiming he has “absolute immunity” under the US Constitution for phone calls he placed to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has been investigating efforts by former President Donald Trump and his allies to pressure officials in Georgia to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory.
Graham, one of the former president’s most loyal allies, was ordered earlier this month to appear before a grand jury. Others subpoenaed include Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s former personal attorney.

So, how exactly does this defense work?

LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga.- Northeast Georgia Health System broke ground on the new Lumpkin County Medical Center on 400 on Jun. 22 at 10:00 a.m.
In attendance were the Board Chair, for NGHS Spence Price, President & CEO for NGHS Carol Burrell, Interim President for NGMC Sonja McLendon, and numerous local officials from Dahlonega and Lumpkin County. There were also elected officials from Dawson and White Counties present for the ceremony.
Senator Steve Gooch and House Repenstative Will Wade came to support the groundbreaking. Lumpkin County Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Chris Dockery along with Gooch, Price, Burrell, and McLendon each delivered remarks for the ceremony.
The Proposed Floor Plan
The new medical center will offer emergency services including 10 treatment rooms, four dedicated observation rooms, positive to negative pressure capability, separate emergency entrance and exit, and CT and X-ray capability. IT will offer surgical services that include three operating rooms, and one procedural suite, and will serve orthopedics, sports medicine, and general surgery.

Eminent domain is the ability of the government to seize private land for public use. While private citizens should get a fair settlement in return for the taken property, the outcome doesn’t always turn out as anticipated. 

If a Georgia government agency has recently invoked eminent domain on your property, a Georgia eminent domain attorney could work with you to obtain more favorable results. 
A Closer Look at Eminent Domain
The power of eminent domain is found in the US Constitution’s Fifth Amendment and Georgia Code Title 22. It allows both federal and state government agencies to permanently or temporarily take over your land as long as it is for the public’s benefit. This can happen if the property is obstructing government projects or civic structures. 
Some instances where the government can exercise eminent domain include:

Georgia’s legislature passed a bill expanding the power of the Georgia Bureau of Investigtion (GBI) to investigate election fraud without being directed by the Secretary of State’s office.
Georgia’s 2020 election was littered with fraud and ballot stuffing. After several days of counting by liberal activists and hired hands Joe Biden pulled off a stunning upset in the state where he had absolutely zero support.
The new law will bypass shady Brad Raffensperger who lied about the situation in Georgia and allowed hundreds of ballot traffickers to operate in the state.
Reuters-MSN reported:
Georgia’s legislature approved a bill expanding law enforcement’s power to investigate election fraud over the objections of voting rights groups, adding to a wave of Republican-backed legislation passed after former President Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was rigged.
The legislation passed late Monday would give the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the state’s top investigative agency, the authority to initiate probes of election crimes. Under current law, the secretary of state’s office looks into allegations of irregularities and can ask the GBI for assistance as needed.
Trump has fiercely criticized Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, both fellow Republicans, for their refusal to overturn the results of the 2020 election, in which President Joe Biden became the first Democrat in nearly 30 years to win the state.

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

EXCLUSIVE – Jeremy Hunt, a 28-year-old Army veteran who is bidding to unseat Georgia’s longest serving member of Congress in this November’s midterm elections, on Monday landed a high-profile endorsement from Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri.

Hunt, the Republican son of a Black pastor who earlier this month announced his candidacy for the House of Representatives in Georgia’s 2nd Congressional District, is aiming to oust Democrat Sanford Bishop, a moderate Black Democrat who has served in Congress for three decades.

“I am proud to endorse and support Jeremy Hunt in his run for Congress. As a West Point graduate and former Army intelligence officer, Jeremy has spent his life serving America and fighting for what we believe in. I know he’ll do that in Congress,” Hawley said in a statement that was first reported by Fox News on Monday.

ARMY VETERAN JEREMY HUNT LAUNCHES 2022 CONGRESSIONAL BID IN GEORGIA

 “Jeremy is part of a new generation of conservative leaders; bold, fearless, and principled — exactly what’s needed to defeat a Democrat who has been in Congress for thirty years. This fall, Jeremy Hunt will be part of the Red Wave that will sweep conservatives back into the majority and put a stop to Joe Biden’s ruinous agenda,” Hawley predicted.

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Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp plans to sign a bill into law to end the requirement to obtain a permit to carry a handgun in public

Republican lawmakers from both chambers have approved the Constitutional Carry Act, with the Senate giving it final passage Friday by a vote of 34-22.  After the vote, Kemp tweeted he looked forward to signing the legislation that he pledged his support for during his gubernatorial campaign in 2018.

Supporters of the measure say Senate Bill 319 reinforces the constitutional right to keep and bear arms and to protect family and property.

Critics charge that it removes another level of background checks that annually catches thousands of people who should not own firearms.

The National Rifle Association applauded lawmakers for passing what it hails as a landmark law as Georgia becomes the 25th state to allow permit-less carry. Georgians would no longer be required to go through the local probate court for a license to carry.

“Today, every state, and the District of Columbia, provides for the carrying of a firearm for self-defense outside the home in some form, and half the nation recognizes the Second Amendment protects law-abiding citizens’ right to self-defense as an inherent and inalienable right,” Wayne LaPierre, CEO and executive vice president of the NRA, said in a statement.

“NRA members have led this extraordinary brick-by-brick effort in building and expanding America’s self-defense laws and we are not done!” he added.

Atlanta Democratic Sen. Elena Parent criticized her Republican colleagues for supporting a bill that they argued would protect people from becoming crime victims, but instead simply made it easier for guns to get into the hands of the wrong people.