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The deeply conservative politicians and voters pushing for this religious liberty legislation to become law don't care about the utilitarian arguments against the passage of signage of these types of bills into law.....And they don't see themselves as being on the wrong side of this issue.
The deeply conservative politicians and (especially the) voters pushing for this legislation to become law see themselves as righteous culture warriors fighting on behalf of God and Christianity to return America to its Judeo-Christian principles against mega-corporate interests who have sold them (and the South and the nation) out to left-of-center interests.
And the conservative politicians pushing for this legislation to become law don't care about the adverse effects that either its possible passage into law or just the controversy itself will have on the Georgia economy.
They only care that this is an issue that their most vocal and most electorally active constituents care passionately about and demand be passed into law.
To the interests pushing for this legislation to become law, this controversy is just the latest battle in an ongoing culture war to return America to God and Christianity.
To them, this controversy is about pushing back and fighting back against the spread of secularism, progressivism and liberalism in the wake of last summer's Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage in all 50 states.
They don't care about the economic consequences of this legislation or the controversy surrounding it. To them this controversy is good because it makes them feel as if they are reasserting their authority (and God's and Christianity's authority) over Georgia and American society.
To them (in their minds), running all of the industry out of the state and ruining Georgia's economy (an economy that they don't feel they benefit from anyway because it is anchored by "the sinners in Atlanta") with the passage into law of this legislation would be a huge victory because they were able exercise some significant political power in an era where they feel their power is slipping away while they are under attack.
They want Georgia to be much more like its much poorer and much more provincial neighbor in Alabama because to them (in their minds), they would have much more unabated political power over the social and cultural aspects of the state with all of the national and international industry (and the outsiders it brings in) gone from the state.
Though in reality, that big business community (centered out of Atlanta) that many conservative exurban and rural interests feel threatened by most likely would just rollover, pack and leave the state. That big business community that they are trying to run out of the state would likely hit back very hard by giving its financial backing to moderate/progressive Republicans and the state's currently very-moribund Democratic Party.
I suppose my appeal is to the reasonable constituents who aren't ready for this apocalyptic vision and aren't ready to sacrifice their jobs and ruin the economy. In spite of the political vote, I can't believe that anything close to a majority of the population is this reckless. That's why I hope that there can be an educational effort to reach people, so they're not just hearing the side of the grandstanding politicians.
I know I'm going to do whatever I can (through spreading the word in social media, forums and to friends) to help change this political landscape in the state. Metro Atlanta is about 60% of the population of the state, so I hope this wakes some Atlantans up. I can't believe there are very many who live in Atlanta who think they're immune to economic adversity.
I remember hearing years ago that Tom Murphy was one of the reasons Georgia avoided a lot of embarrassing legislation in the past. He was able to steer the legislature away from some of the more ridiculous bills that some tried to push through.
I suppose my appeal is to the reasonable constituents who aren't ready for this apocalyptic vision and aren't ready to sacrifice their jobs and ruin the economy. In spite of the political vote, I can't believe that anything close to a majority of the population is this reckless. That's why I hope that there can be an educational effort to reach people, so they're not just hearing the side of the grandstanding politicians.
That is a good point.....That it is not necessarily a majority of the state's population that is reckless as much as it more than likely might be a majority of the state's current ELECTORATE that wants this adversarial culture war showdown between hard-line social/cultural conservatives and the business community that they feel has sold them out.
There's a big difference between the population (which is a count of everyone that lives in the state) and the electorate (which is often the much smaller portion of the population that participates in elections).
The issue with Georgia's current electorate is that it seems to be a smaller group of people whose sometimes very conservative hard right-of-center political, social and cultural views do not necessarily always reflect the more diverse moderate/centrist political, social and cultural views of the state's larger entire population as a whole.
Basically, it is only a somewhat relatively smaller and deeply conservative group of voters that consistently participates in the electoral process in the state (while most eligible voting-age adults likely do not). Because this group of voters are the most consistent participants in the state's electoral process they get to guide the political agenda of the state, often to the hard-right side of the political spectrum.
....So while a majority of Georgia's population may not necessarily be in favor of this type of religious liberty legislation that appears to be discriminatory to the business community and much of the outside world, it appears that a majority of the existing electorate (which is not necessarily reflective of the state's entire population as a whole) increasingly very strongly supports continuing to push for this and stronger religious liberty legislation within the context of the nation's ongoing culture wars.
Unfortunately, the more reasonable eligible voters of the state may not necessarily participate in the electoral process at the same very high rates that the most conservative active voters do.....Which is why the political agenda is often most tailored to the most conservative active voters.....Because they vote (and contact their elected officials and representatives) the most often.
....Which is why it is not an absolute guarantee that Governor Deal will veto this legislation. The chances of Deal vetoing the legislation seem higher than the chance that he will sign it into law. But with the governor's office hearing just as much (if not more) from the supporters of the bill, there is still a not-insignificant chance (probably about at least 30% or so) that he may decide to sign the bill into law because of the extremely intense pressure from his right flank....Pressure which is just as intense as it is from his left flank to veto the bill.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckshere
I know I'm going to do whatever I can (through spreading the word in social media, forums and to friends) to help change this political landscape in the state. Metro Atlanta is about 60% of the population of the state, so I hope this wakes some Atlantans up. I can't believe there are very many who live in Atlanta who think they're immune to economic adversity.
It's good that this controversy has motivated you and many others to become more politically active.
But in addition to social media, forums and word-of-mouth, it is also going to take massive amounts of fundraising by the state's currently moribund, disarrayed and largely inactive state Democratic Party and affiliated groups to grow and expand the state's electorate by targeting, registering and turning out new voters.
It will likely also take a lawsuit by the Democrats to force the mapping/redistricting of state legislative and federal congressional district lines by a non-partisan redistricting commission.
....Which is something that neither party wants. The GOP does not want legislative and congressional districts mapped by a non-partisan redistricting commission because it wants to retain the ability to draw (or GERRYMANDER) itself the largest legislative and congressional majorities possible while the demographics of the state are still in its favor.
The Democratic Party of Georgia does not want legislative and congressional districts mapped by a non-partisan redistricting commission because the party wants to retain the opportunity to potentially draw (or GERRYMANDER) itself the largest legislative and congressional majorities possible if and when it returns to power on the strength of the state's rapidly-changing demographics which are moving in favor of the Democrats.
The problem with this line of thinking for the Democrats is that though the party may have the ability to draw itself huge legislative and congressional majorities if and when it ever returns to power in the future, the party likely may not return to competitiveness for another 10-15 years. Meanwhile, Georgia's statewide political scene continues to be dominated by a state Republican Party that seems itself to at times be in retreat away from the center of the political spectrum towards the hard-right and very often seems to not want to expand and reach out to grow itself with new voters from the tens-of-thousands of newcomers who move into the state annually (many of whom are either minorities or are politically, socially and culturally moderate/progressive).
Right now, Georgia basically seems to be a one-party state....A state dominated by a shrinking party (the GOP) that often does not always seem to want to grow along with the state.
Until the Democrats decide that they want to be more competitive in state politics again (both in Georgia and in many other states outside of the West Coast and the Northeast) and until the Republicans decide that they would like to grow themselves with new voters from the center of the political spectrum and minority groups, the political landscape in this state could and may likely be like this for probably the next decade or so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckshere
I remember hearing years ago that Tom Murphy was one of the reasons Georgia avoided a lot of embarrassing legislation in the past. He was able to steer the legislature away from some of the more ridiculous bills that some tried to push through.
Yes, legendary former House Speaker Murphy did a lot to try and keep the legislature away from the worst-of-the-worst pandering type of legislation and on a focused track that would help the state move forward. Though the legislature was still prone to its not-infrequent bouts of pandering and embarrassment, even under guys like former Speaker Murphy and Zell Miller when he was governor and Lt. governor.
(...Before he was elected to two terms as governor in 1990's, Zell Miller became Lt. governor the same year that Tom Murphy became Speaker of the House (1975). Former governor Miller served 16 years (1975-1991) as Lt. governor and president of the Georgia Senate before being elected governor in 1990 and would often engage in some legendarily fierce battles and power struggles with Speaker Murphy during legislative sessions.)
Gov. Nathan Deal is set to veto the “religious liberty” bill that triggered a wave of criticism from gay rights groups and business leaders and presented him with one of the most consequential challenges he’s faced since his election to Georgia’s top office.
The measure “doesn’t reflect the character of our state or the character of its people,” the governor said in prepared remarks.
The two-term Republican has been besieged by all sides over the controversial measure, and his office has received thousands of emails and hundreds of calls on the debate. The tension was amplified by a steady stream of corporate titans who urged him to veto the bill – and threatened to pull investments from Georgia if it became law.
The governor’s planned veto will likely infuriate religious conservatives who considered the measure, House Bill 757, their top priority. This is the third legislative session they’ve sought to strengthen legal protections from opponents of gay marriage, but last year’s Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex weddings galvanized their efforts.
It is also likely to herald a more acrimonious relationship between Deal, who campaigned on a pro-business platform, and the evangelical wing of the Georgia Republican party. Already, prominent conservatives have vowed to revive the measure next year if Deal chooses not to sign it.
The governor, though, had ample cover from the measure’s critics. Executives from dozens of big-name companies, including Disney, Apple, Time Warner, Intel and Salesforce, called on the governor to veto the bill. The NFL warned it could risk Atlanta’s bid for the Super Bowl and the NCAA hinted it could influence the state’s ability to host championship games. And Deal’s office said two economic development prospects have already abandoned Georgia because of the legislation.
Location: Atlanta, Birmingham, Charlotte, and Raleigh
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I'm enjoying the destruction of this willful ignorance and belligerence of these stupid ass white social conservative legislators on this state. It's like I told you so, and now non-white Georgians and white progressive Georgians better pay closer attention to these dummies that are running this state because this won't be the last time they will try to strip you of all of your rights. All because of some made up battle in their heads that you are a threat to their way-of-life when in reality it is the exact opposite...
I'm enjoying the destruction of this willful ignorance and belligerence of these stupid ass white social conservative legislators on this state. It's like I told you so, and now non-white Georgians and white progressive Georgians better pay closer attention to these dummies that are running this state because this won't be the last time they will try to strip you of all of your rights. All because of some made up battle in their heads that you are a threat to their way-of-life when in reality it is the exact opposite...
#schadenfreude
What can progressives do? We don't live in areas where these turds hail from...
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