The Ron Show

PLUS: Georgia (nearly) stand alone in its embrace of touchscreen voting technology that runs afoul of its own lawGeorgia Republicans are racing toward a Florida- and Tennessee-style dream: wiping out the state income tax and pitching it as an overnight “5% raise” for struggling families. Ron digs into what the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute says really happens if lawmakers eliminate the 5.19% personal income tax that currently brings in nearly half of Georgia's revenue. Their analysis shows the state would likely need something like a 12% state sales tax, pushing the average household's tax bill up about $1,000 a year and shifting the burden onto low- and middle-income Georgians while the top 5% reap nearly half the savings. Ron walks through how tourism-dependent states like Florida and Tennessee balance their books, and why Georgia's very different economy makes copying them a recipe for a regressive tax hike dressed up as relief.From there, the conversation widens to the “K-shaped economy.” Drawing on reporting from Sasha Rogelberg and economist Peter Atwater, Ron connects the dots between flat or falling wage growth for the bottom 90%, rising subprime debt, and booming stock gains for the wealthiest households. It's not just about the numbers, he argues, but about feelings: a sea of despair at the bottom versus overconfident invulnerability at the top. That emotional gap is reshaping politics, fueling resentment, and creating a messaging test Democrats failed at in 2024 - and Trump continues to - when they insist the economy is “great” while groceries, utilities, and rent keep climbing.Then Marilyn Marks of the Coalition for Good Governance joins Ron to sound the alarm on Georgia's voting system. She explains how Dominion ballot-marking devices, giant touchscreen displays, and QR-code ballots violate both the spirit and letter of Georgia's secret-ballot laws, enable subtle hacks that leave no audit trail, and create real intimidation risks in small communities and church precincts.Marks walks through the Coffee County breach, the Curling lawsuit, and why federal experts have warned Georgia for years to fix obvious vulnerabilities. Her solution is surprisingly simple—and cheaper: warehouse most of the touchscreens, keep a few for accessibility, and join the 70% of America already using hand-marked paper ballots fed into the same scanners Georgia uses now.Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com. #MarilynMarks #DanielKanso #GeorgiaTaxes #ElectionSecurity #KShapedEconomy #GAPol #VoterPrivacy #EconomicJustice #IncomeTaxDebate #HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow

PLUS: John Williams aims to slide into Georgia's open state Senate seat tomorrow w/a locally focused platformRon breaks down ⁠the growing rift between former President Donald Trump and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene⁠—a split that has quickly shifted from quiet tension to ⁠an open political break⁠. ⁠Their disagreement⁠ over releasing the Epstein files has triggered new divisions inside the GOP and raised questions about how Greene's recent attempts at moderation are being received by voters in Georgia's 14th District.Ron is joined by Wendy Davis, co-host of ⁠The Kudzu Vine⁠ podcast and former Democratic candidate in GA-14, who offers local insight into ⁠Greene's evolving tone⁠, her increased visibility on national media, and how these changes compare with her long-standing record. Davis explains why many constituents remain skeptical and highlights how Greene's positions on major legislation continue to shape opinions in the district.The conversation also digs into the broader Republican landscape, including the reactions of Georgia's 2026 Senate hopefuls. Potential GOP challengers to Greene—such as Colton Moore and Laura Loomer—are on the radar, raising the prospect of a competitive primary that could reshape the district's political dynamics. The conversation closes with a look at the Democratic field, including Shawn Harris, and the qualities that may resonate with voters amid these shifting dynamics.Even Eric Erickson's conservative insights prove to be somewhat valuable here. Then there's "dirtbag" ⁠Congressman Mike Collins⁠, who signaled support for ⁠releasing the Epstein files⁠ after Trump reversed his own position. Ron notes only his and his GOP Senate combatants' pivoting upon Trump's sudden change-of-heart re: Epstein Files release, and what this all means for ⁠party alignment and how GOP leaders are adjusting their views⁠ in real time. Oh, and libertarian talk radio firebrand Eric von Hessler agrees that Mike Collins is a "dirt bag." Ron speaks with ⁠Georgia Senate District 35 candidate John Williams⁠, highlighting John's locally-focused platform for a state-level special election.Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com. #MarjorieTaylorGreene #DonaldTrump #WendyDavis #MikeCollins #GA14 #EpsteinFiles #GeorgiaPolitics #SeanHarris #HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow

This episode of The Ron Show centers on one of the most consequential developments in Georgia politics: the appointment of Pete Skandalakis as the new prosecutor overseeing the Fulton County election interference case involving Donald Trump and multiple co-defendants. Ron and Georgia NOW News Director Alexis Young walk through what his appointment means, why so many prosecutors reportedly turned down the role, and how the eight-terabyte evidence load sets the stage for a complicated legal path forward. Ron and Alexis also examine the broader political environment surrounding the case, including the recent round of federal pardons issued to several figures tied to Trump. While those pardons have no bearing on state prosecutions, they add another layer to an already high-profile legal battle. They also discuss concerns about political pressure, prosecutorial discretion, and what Georgia law requires when reviewing evidence and making charging decisions.From there, the episode expands into other key news stories shaping Georgia and national politics. Ron covers the AI-generated deepfake circulated by Congressman Mike Collins' campaign, which used synthetic audio to imitate Senator John Ossoff. The segment outlines the ethical questions raised, the response from both parties, and how AI manipulation may impact campaign messaging in 2026 and beyond.The show also touches on the ongoing divide between Donald Trump and Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, recent reporting on misconduct by FBI Director Kash Patel, and the Eleventh Circuit's decision to uphold hate crime convictions in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery.Listeners get a clear, grounded overview of the week's major stories — with Alexis providing additional context from the Georgia NOW newsroom and Ron connecting the dots across statewide and national developments.Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com. #AlexisYoung #PeteSkandalakis #GeorgiaPolitics #FultonCountyCase #MikeCollins #JohnOssoff #AhmaudArbery #GAnews #HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow

The release of long-suppressed Epstein investigation files threatens to reshape national politics while Georgia prepares for critical 2026 races, but locally, two key Democratics Barry Wolfert, running for Georgia's 11th Congressional District to challenge Rep. Barry Loudermilk, and Scott Sanders, the lone Democrat in the House District 23 special election, hop on calls to introduce themselves. But the biggest story of the day centers on the newly released Epstein estate emails and the House vote advancing a discharge petition to force release of the full DOJ archive. Heather Cox Richardson's step-by-step breakdown of what happens over the next 7–10 days is quite useful.Why Donald Trump is fighting desperately to stop these documents from seeing daylight is the mystery - because he's totally innocent, y'all. The emails already released contradict Trump's past claims—suggesting awareness of Epstein's predatory behavior, discussing girls at Epstein's properties, and hinting at damaging leverage Epstein believed he held. Even conservative voices like Howard Kurtz expressed concern about the revelations. Ron also analyzes Laura Ingraham's awkward/bizarre White House interview with Trump, where he was openly dismissive of American workers' abilities, while defending expanded visa labor, and made questionable economic claims. You can almost hear Laura's "BS meter" going off with her tone. Also, are she and Sean Hannity openly trying to sink Trump? It sort of feels like it.Also at Fox, Howard Kurtz throwing a little shade, himself. Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com.#HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow #BarryWolfert #ScottSanders #GeorgiaPolitics #EpsteinFiles #TrumpNews #GA11 #GA23 #ProgressiveVoices

Ron Roberts breaks down the AJC/Politically Georgia forum and a new survey of 1,000 likely Democratic primary voters: Keisha Lance Bottoms holds 40%, Michael Thurman 11%, Jeff Duncan 5%, Jason Estevez 3%, Derek Jackson and Rua Roman 1%, with a massive 40% still undecided.Duncan courts skeptics with a $1.4B “Jumpstart Fund,” vows to expand Medicaid, overhaul QBE, and sign a Day One order against Georgia's six-week abortion ban—then stumbles in the lightning round by naming Nathan Deal as his favorite Georgia governor, before redeeming himself with a homelessness-focused book pick.Bottoms touts executive chops—$180M in reserves, 7,000 affordable units, and worker pay boosts—positions herself as results-first over ideological labels, and defends the Public Safety Training Center.Thurman leans on deep state and county experience, early work on CAPS and transitional Medicaid, and a pledge to finally expand Medicaid statewide.With Raffensperger and Carr in the Q&A—and Burt Jones a no-show—Ron connects the dots to a choppy economy and travel turmoil that could shape 2026. The race isn't settled; the stakes are now clear.Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com.#JeffDuncan #KeishaLanceBottoms #JasonEstevez #MichaelThurman #BradRaffensperger #ChrisCarr #DerekJackson #RuaRoman #HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow

A rare Georgia storyline: Democrats flipped both Public Service Commission seats—and they did it on kitchen-table economics, not party labels.Host Ron Roberts and strategist Andrew Heaton (manager for Dr. Alicia Johnson) detail how frustration over Georgia Power rate hikes built an unlikely coalition of Democrats, independents, and crossover Republicans, flipping even longtime red counties.With quick hits from news director Alexis Young on what PSC terms mean for your bill, and analysis from Melita Easters (Georgia Win List) on the surge of women contenders and a 2026 map full of open seats, the episode turns wins into a playbook: run candidates who fit their districts, follow the energy, and speak plainly about budgets, housing, and utilities.Ron spotlights field-first campaigns like Chelsea Bond's and the youth wave reshaping local races, then zooms out to national signals—from independents breaking blue to the debate over message discipline in the “107 days” of Kamala Harris's sprint. Bottom line: affordability wins, organization matters, and Georgia just wrote a blueprint for 2026.Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com.#AndrewHeaton #MelitaEasters #AliciaJohnson #PeterHubbard #GeorgiaPSC #KitchenTableIssues #ZoranMamdani #GeorgiaPolitics #HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow

In one of the most politically charged episodes yet, The Ron Show dives into the aftermath of a historic government shutdown, a pivotal Supreme Court decision, and a growing divide inside the Democratic Party. Host Ron Roberts brings together national and local voices to unpack the political earthquakes shaking Georgia and the nation.CBS News correspondent Olivia Rinaldi joins live from Washington, D.C., breaking down the shocking last-minute decision by eight Senate Democrats to join Republicans in ending the government shutdown. But did they get anything meaningful in return? Ron and Olivia explore the political math, the airport chaos that spooked lawmakers, and the brewing fury on the progressive left. Even with polling on their side, Senate Democrats blinked—and voters are asking, “What was the point?”Later in the episode, Bentley Hudgens, Georgia Director of the Human Rights Campaign, shares a personal and political reaction to the Supreme Court's refusal to revisit marriage equality, putting an end—at least for now—to Kim Davis' long crusade against LGBTQ+ rights. With her own wedding on the horizon, Bentley speaks from the heart about what this means for queer couples across the South—and why the fight for full equality is far from over.Plus: Ron sounds off on President Trump's controversial federal pardons tied to election interference, many of which involve fake electors right here in Georgia. As the GOP doubles down, Georgia's political spotlight only grows hotter.Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com.#TheRonShow #HearGeorgiaNow #OliviaRinaldi #BentleyHudgens #GovernmentShutdown #MarriageEquality #SenateDemocrats #LGBTQRights #GeorgiaPolitics #KimDavis

On this special Veterans Day episode of The Ron Show, host Ron Roberts delivers a raw, urgent, and fact-driven commentary on a troubling political contradiction: Why are so many U.S. veterans continuing to support Donald Trump and the GOP—despite policies that appear to directly harm them?Drawing from deeply personal experience as the nephew and grandson of Army officers, and growing up in a military town near Fort Gordon, Roberts speaks from a place of reverence and respect for those who serve. But he also brings receipts. Using exit poll data, VA reports, investigative journalism, and government sources, Ron outlines how Trump's second term has led to sweeping federal workforce layoffs, deep cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs, and a rollback of hard-won services for disabled and marginalized veterans.The numbers are chilling: Over 6,000 veterans were laid off from federal jobs. VA staffing shortages now affect nearly every single health center in the U.S. Suicide prevention resources are vanishing. Research on PTSD, veteran suicide, and even the impact of poverty and race on veteran health is being halted by executive order.And yet, in 2024, 65% of veterans still voted for Donald Trump. Why?Ron doesn't just ask the question — he dissects the politics, the psychology, and the messaging failures on the left that allow this dynamic to persist. He also ties in current political battles, including the Senate's ACA subsidy negotiations and the broader healthcare debate, to show how veterans—and all working Americans—are being used as political pawns.This is a can't-miss episode for anyone who cares about veterans, healthcare, and the future of American democracy.Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com.#TheRonShow #HearGeorgiaNow #VeteransDay #VAHealthcareCrisis #TrumpVsVeterans #MilitaryVote #GOPCuts #VeteransDeserveBetter #ProgressiveVoices #GeorgiaPolitics

CBS News Washington correspondent Aaron Navarro joins The Ron Show to unpack the newly released Jeffrey Epstein emails that may undercut Donald Trump's long-time claims that he barely knew what Epstein was doing. Navarro explains what CBS found in a 20,000-document trove, why Democrats say the emails show Trump knew “more than he let on,” and how the Trump White House and Press Secretary Carolyn Leavitt are dodging the substance while blaming Democrats and the media. Ron adds crucial context on why Biden's DOJ couldn't simply “unseal everything” and how Trump himself once campaigned on releasing the “Epstein files.”From there, Ron zooms out to the broader MAGA disinformation ecosystem. He exposes Rep. Mike Collins' AI deepfake ad using a fabricated John Ossoff video, even as Georgia Republicans push legislation to criminalize deceptive deepfakes. As both political host and working realtor, Ron also tackles the 50-year mortgage idea pushed by FHFA Director Bill Pulte and briefly embraced by Trump, explaining why it would gut equity and generational wealth for regular families while enriching banks and builders. Finally, guest Bruce Fanger joins to assess the end of the government shutdown, the looming Affordable Care Act subsidy fight, and why forcing Republicans to fully own their votes may be Democrats' only real leverage left.Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com.#AaronNavarro #BruceFanger #JeffreyEpstein #DonaldTrump #Deepfakes #HousingCrisis #50YearMortgage #GeorgiaPolitics #HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow

Atlanta's Friday gridlock collides with FAA-ordered flight reductions as The Ron Show asks a bigger question: why does the U.S. still rely on one fragile travel mode?Ron makes the case for high-speed rail to cut short-haul flights, ease congestion, and protect families and business when aviation stalls. Locally, we examine BeltLine rail, MARTA expansion, and the leadership test for Mayor Andre Dickens. Then Jay Bookman (Georgia Recorder) breaks down Georgia's landslide PSC flips and whether a run of “anomalies” is becoming a purple-state trend heading into 2026.Finally, a revisit to Ron's June conversation with new Democratic state party chair Charlie Bailey as he then detailed a nuts-and-bolts rebuild: recruiting in every district, cheaper data tools, voter protection, and a kitchen-table message on hospitals, utilities, and public safety. One fast, newsy listen that connects flight boards and freeways to ballots and budgets.Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com.#HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow #JayBookman #CharlieBailey #AtlantaTraffic #HighSpeedRail #GApol #PSC #GovernmentShutdown #FAA

Marjorie Taylor Greene has gone from "butt of Bill Maher jokes" to "guest on Bill Maher's show," in a span of five-ish years, but the pace with which it occurred just within the year 2025 is what's so breathtaking. It's almost as if the MAGA stalwart is coming to grips with "buyer's remorse" right before our eyes and ears. Make no mistake: she still adores Donald Trump; but she disagrees with him AND their Republican Party an awful lot. Where's this going? ------Hey, so what's up with so many of Donald's Cabinet officials holing up on military bases? Do they know something we don't or as my 'Paradise' paranoia (referring to the ABC/Hulu series) getting the better of me? Even MTG was unaware of this.Also, why is the Pentagon putting together 500-unit National Guard "rapid response units" in each state? ------Sunday night we got to see President Donald Trump's sit down (or lean into with the ridiculously long tie dangling perilously close to the ground) with '60 Minutes' Norah O'Donnell. Plenty to dissect there, but can I just say - I thought Norah did as credible a job as is possible when entering the cage with a feral individual like Donald. I mean, he got checked by her plenty, and he didn't sneer or call her a 'nasty woman' or storm off in a huff (that we know of). It's the little things, no?His ironic embrace of 'Insurrection Act' logic isn't lost on me, though it's lost on American history. Nor is it lost on me he's gone well beyond his campaign rhetoric by continuing to have ICE deport non-criminal immigrants, despite his own enterprises having relied on their labor time and time again.

Senator John Fetterman likens the Democratic posture to "playing chicken" with the food security of 42 million Americans. I happen to think the analogy is wrong. What's actually occurring is the GOP holding those 42 million Americans in a headlock with a knife to their throat insisting Democrats put their one weapon down "or else."Undeterred, Georgia Democrats are taking the fight to Republican House members in a new ad, and at their public service commission seat-holders in another. Good - Democrats polled recently want to see more "fight" out of their party. ------A Georgia state House member - Marcus Wiedower - stepped down, leaving an immediate vacancy in the 121st House district, and Wiedower's last opponent - Eric Gisler - was already campaigning for 2026 so it's "all system's go" for the yet-to-be scheduled special election, too. Eric joined me today to give us a profile on his district, himself and his campaign pitch. ------Looming Georgia state park fee increases are - my opinion - worth the cost. Hear me out, please, then go to Cloudland Canyon State Park and I swear you'll feel guilty you aren't paying more.

First, a good chuckle from The Lincoln Project: The Epstein Memorial Ballroom. Brilliant!------President Donald Trump challenging Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to take the same cognitive test given to patients under physicians' scrutiny for dementia or Alzheimer's Disease isn't the "own" he thinks it is, but it begs the question: why's a guy who's had two MRIs in six months and showing clear signs of decline still in office when it was his party that had massive(ly overblown?) concerns about a similar (was it?) scenario just a year ago? ------Steve Bannon's confident there'll be a third Trump presidency (wouldn't Trump need to be alive and in good mental health?) in 2029, but polling indicates that Americans are remembering why they soured on a Trump presidency the first time. Trump's hemorrhaging Hispanic American support (this should surprise no one), but he's also under water with Georgia voters. New Atlanta Journal Constitution polling shows about one in five Republicans agree the nation is on the "wrong track." Overall, GOP support for Trump remains stubbornly strong, but not as strong as disdain for him from outside the GOP. His clout in 2026 races? Not that big a deal, according to likely GOP voters, but then neither is the endorsement of Governor Brian Kemp. ------Are CNN staffers right to be concerned their boss is gently nudging his network to lighten up on coverage of the East Wing demolition? Hmm; why, after his visit to The White House would he be doing that? Also, is it that Americans can actually visualize Trump destroying our nation's institutions and it's a bad look?------Frequent show guest, Jay Bookman with the Georgia Recorder, has weighed in on the 2026 Democratic field for Georgia's governor's race, boiling it down to a likely generational rumble between the 72-year old Mike Thurmond and 42-year old Jason Esteves. His reasons for discounting the early polling leader (Keisha Lance Bottoms) aren't new to consider on this show, but noteworthy, still. Also noteworthy, he didn't even mention Rep. Ruwa Romman, who's galvanizing energy with a small army of campaign volunteers and already door-knocking and doing interviews aplenty to grow awareness of her and her progressive bona fides.On with me to discuss his time with Rep. Romman is Atlanta Voice editor-in-chief Donnell Suggs.------Then, state Senator Nikki Merritt joined me to discuss her bold idea: asking Governor Brian Kemp to call for a special general assembly session to tap into the state's $14.6 billion in reserve funds to keep SNAP benefits going for the state's 1.3 million recipients. She and other members of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus held a press conference Monday to validate their rationale, and there's plenty of merit in it.------This one's wild: a Cobb County school board member (it's vice chair!) is fielding calls for his resignation after he and a business of his has been named in a $250,000 civil lawsuit. On with me to discuss this story, Cobb County Courier's Rebecca Gaunt.

Donald Trump seems to think he's playing a verbal game of "poker," claiming he's only targeting "Democrat programs" ... and Democrats are calling his bluff. They know (but does he?) that benefits cuts to programs like SNAP bring bipartisan pains. But it isn't just SNAP benefits: special education and the Treasury Department's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund with its grants boosting private-public partnerships supporting low-income communities are impactful to Americans no matter their political leanings. ------I'm a Cathy Woolard fan; any time she's on 'The Georgia Gang' on WAGA-TV / Fox 5, it's "must watch." Her barbs are sharp and I *almost* feel for the conservative pundits in her crosshairs. Almost. She made a rather valid point when discussion of the Cartersville crazy at the Atlanta airport with an AR-15 came up: that Georgia Republican legislators passed a law letting anyone carry a concealed weapon into airports without a permit in the first place. Boom.I've finally made contact with her, by the way, and once she's back from some international travel, I look forward to having her on the show!------You can align with someone, ideologically, and still react to their transgressions with some questions about their rationale. Such is the odd case of Patty Durand, caught on camera, allegedly lifting "trade secrets" (stupidly labeled as such and left unattended on a table, by the way) and leaving a hearing room with them. The video is pretty damning, though I must say - it feels like a baited trap, no?------Finally, and indulging tirade for me, the beleaguered, vastly less-interested Atlanta Falcons' fan who's grown weary of poor personnel decisions for going on nearly a decade now. The parallels between that time period of poor planning with a football team and my preferred political party, incidentally, aren't lost on me.

It was three years ago this month that I launched this show and my first guest then was Melita Easters, executive director at the Georgia WIN List. She rejoined me today to discuss the legacy of Rosalynn Carter setting up office in the now-bulldozed East Wing of the White House. We bemoaned that destruction, together, before wandering into topics of the day like "what will Stacey do" and "do Democratic women trust Geoff Duncan" and "why is Keisha Lance Bottoms leading polls right now?"Also on tap: on November 1st, Georgia WIN List celebrates 25 years with Dr. Joyce Vance doing a Q&A with Melita and the viewing of "Command Ground," following the work of Georgia Rev. Senator Kim Jackson. ------Also joining me today, Ava Davis, local black and trans activist, actor, writer and the "duchess of Grant Park," to speak to me on the dearth of black participants in 'No Kings Day.'

A Cartersville man "off his meds" drove all the way to Hartsfield-Jackson International AIrport in Atlanta after going on social media to tell his followers he was going there to 'shoot it up.' It was only a call from a family member to law enforcement that prevented this from happening - not stricter gun laws. Fortunately, that tip and swift action from airport and Atlanta law enforcement that apprehended Billy Joe Cagle, but the question remains: how'd a mentally unwell man have access to an AR-15? Who's AR-15 is it? Why is that person not being prosecuted?------Democracy Docket's Yunior Rivas joined me after filing an article that illustrates what we said was going to happen all along: Georgia's SB202 disproportionately stymied voters of color from participating in elections since its passage. ------Indivisible Georgia's Laura Judge joined me to provide insights into the planning that went into the 2nd 'No Kings Day' in Atlanta and future plans, as well. I also asked when we can expect our checks from George Soros.------Fired for comments made on someone else's social media post in the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk assassination, former Emory University professor and cancer research associate Anna Kenney joined me. In the conversation, we discussed the confusion about a meme erroneously associated with her concocted by a right wing account and all the hate-filled comments that came her way on her own account - mostly on posts having nothing to do with politics. ------Kenney isn't the only person who's had her job threatened. An Oglethorpe County teacher has been asked to resigns (she has thus far refused and is suing), and an LGBTQ+ professor targeted by Turning Points USA's "professor watch list" lost a speaking gig. He penned an op/ed that I read and shared here. I'm old enough to remember when the right mocked "cancel culture."

I wanted to give a lot of my platform today to voices from the Atlanta "No Kings Day" event, from local grassroots activists like Dom Kelly of the New Disabled South to Rev. Senator Raphael Warnock and Stacey Abrams. There was also appearances from former state senator Jason Esteves and Atlanta City Council Presidential candidate Rohit Mahlotra.------There's also this: the Atlanta Journal Constitution profiled Ashley Merchant, the attorney central in the exposing of the Fani Willis / Nathan Wade coupling that formed the basis for Trump co-conspirators' 'conflict of interest' claims (not that a conflict even existed ...). There's just something gross about the legal profession when this is something journalism would laud. Not sorry to say so. ------MAGAs and their unintended consequences ... an Augusta conservative talk radio host posted a close-up, zoomed in photo of someone wearing blue gym shorts. Clearly we were looking at someone's genital "bulge," but have no idea whose, but in the post, host Austin Rhodes wrote "There have been more scholarship players with ding-dongs on the Augusta University Women's Volleyball Team, than there have been KINGS in the U.S. government."Never mind the pivot from "No Kings Day" and its historic precedent; no, as right wing pundits are wont to do, Austin felt the need to play "hey, look over here! Back to banging on trans people!" game with his audience. The problem is, he didn't make it clear the alleged trans athlete no longer plays at the local university, but only after his followers openly stated they'd be uh "scrutinizing" the current roster. That poor girl, named "Hunter," with her ample shoulders and thighs. Oops. ------My guest today: Amir Badat, Fair Fight's senior policy advisor and southern states director, to weigh in on the looming evisceration of Section of the Voting Rights' Act by the U.S. Supreme Court. Also, his Fair Fight co-hort Max Flugrath, shared on social media a 2019 New Yorker piece that brought attention to the "master of modern Republican gerrymandering." A timely look back as the intent of the VRA is set to be done away with by a Trump-packed Supreme Court.

Georgia Conservation Voters, and their action fund, have a slate of 2025 endorsements: but they're going hard at incumbent Republican Public Service Commission candidates for raising utility rates multiple times in their terms. Paul Glaze, Media & Public Affairs Strategist with GCV, joined me to discuss what's at stake and on the ballot with the two PSC races this election cycle for voters with concerns about affordability and sustainability.------The conservative majority of the US Supreme Court seems to be indicating they're ready to dismantle Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. I discuss why conservative arguments for an expiration date only make sense in a vacuum where we're pretending the last sixty-ish years of conservative obstruction and sabotage didn't occur. ------As a pack of "young" Republicans face repercussions for antisemitic and racist slurs in a sea of Telegram dispatches, here in Atlanta, a former Emory professor and researcher today finds herself unemployed for using two words on social media: "good riddance."Not to Charlie Kirk as much his ideology, she says, and yet, Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Georgia) made the concerted effort to see to it he lambasted her on social media and pressured Emory to fire her. The folks who railed against "cancel culture" suddenly love "cancel culture," eh?

Briana Boyd with 50501 Georgia joined me just as word was breaking that the city of Atlanta had granted the organization's permit to march this Saturday for the second nationwide network of 'No Kings Day' rallies. Hear - from her perspective - what was causing such a fuss and trepidation on the city's part.------The New Georgia Project and its associated PAC are no more, as word broke this morning. Fret not, however; there are other voter registration organizations in the state ready to step up. They include Fair Count, GLAHR Action Network and We Vote We Win. ------Trump's latest bluster, targeting FIFA World Cup host U.S. cities with a claim he could pull games from Boston, Santa Clara (he means San Francisco but the fool isn't aware the stadium is 45 minutes from the city in Santa Clara) and Seattle, has no relevance to Atlanta and Georgia ... or so you'd think. While we're in a state with a GOP governor (though one he isn't fond of), what happens if a Democrat wins the office in 2026 with the 2028 Super Bowl slated for February here? Also, how's it help blue cities in blue states meet his demands to combat crime (already lower than in his first term) if he's pulling terrorism funding from those same states? ------Lastly, time to stop calling those "young" Republicans exposed for their Telegram chatter "young;" they're all adults in their mid-20s or older. That doesn't make them "mature," but it sure doesn't make them "kids," either.

Question: why is Rep. Nikema Williams (D) unveiling a slate of endorsements for municipal races in her district when most of the races are Democrat v Democrat? Is this a slate of debts owed for her ascendancy into the Congressional seat when the late Rep. John Lewis passed? Otherwise, what's the sense in this? It's a bad look - particularly for the former Georgia Democratic Party chair.------Speaking of endorsements, former state Senator Jason Esteves netted the endorsement of Jason Carter, former Democratic gubernatorial candidate and grandson of the late President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalyn. Also, I believe (and correct me if I'm wrong) Esteves was the only gubernatorial candidate in the Atlanta Pride parade this past weekend. Uhm ... ------An Atlanta school board candidate Rep. Nikema WIlliams didn't endorse (okay, his school zone isn't in her district, so there's that) has some refreshing candor when it comes to what we need to be teaching our kids: an accurate representation of our nation's history, warts and all.------Why is the city of Atlanta gumming up the process to file for a protest march with this weekend's upcoming 'No Kings' protests? ------Good on Atlanta Journal Constitution op/ed columnist Patricia Murphy openly wondering how Donald Trump can craft peace in the Middle East (truth is, he didn't; the deal was a year old) but can't unite Congress to end a government shutdown?

It was as I surmised in prior days: Benjamin Netenyahu's vested interest in Donald Trump winning the U.S. presidency in 2024 played a large role in why the deal everyone (myself included) is hailing this week wasn't reached more than a year ago. That, according to a key negotiator involved in that 2024 deal.It's not like there aren't breadcrumbs from the election cycle, either. From CBS News: "If we win, it will be very simple. It's all going to work out and very quickly."That's what candidate Donald Trump said then. Prescient, no?------With the likes of Joe Rogan and Marjorie Taylor Greene moderating and/or softening on their - get this - immigration rhetoric, how do we approach the likeminded, going forward? I myself wrestle with this. Marjorie, in particular, I've covered a lot in recent weeks. Her appearance over the weekend on the Tim Dillon podcast shows she's (dare I say?) maturing, though still lacking in self-awareness to her complicity in the toxic and divisive tone in American politics.

The start of the work week began with the release of the remaining (living) Israeli hostages by Hamas. It's a moment in human history we should all be able to find common joy. The question is this: how did Trump secure a deal that eluded Joe Biden? I believe (rightly so, reporting would reveal) Benjamin Netenyahu had a rooting interest in the 2024 Presidential election here. ------Before anyone begins thinking I'm softening on the Trump administration over one good news cycle, however, it begs the question: how can the Trump White House orchestrate a deal to end the Israel / Hamas war while still waging war on non-MAGA America? They whacked an entire Education Department unit charged with overseeing special education programs. CEO/Founder at the New Disabled South, Dom Kelly, took to social media to provide a furious, frustrated response. ------Keeping up with the evolution of Marjorie Taylor Greene from bombastic radical MAGA nutjob to concerned momma bear bucking her party and finding agreement from and with Democrats is quite an experience. Atlanta Journal Constitution op/ed contributor Jamie Dupree is among us (and her) who note that the GOP has had fifteen years to craft an Obamacare alternative and have come up empty. Trump told us - in 2016 - it was coming out in a matter of "weeks." It's been more than 460 weeks since Trump first won the presidency in 2016. How many more "weeks" will we need to continue waiting before that plan comes out?Wouldn't it be something if they suddenly came out with a plan to provide "Medicare for All?"

We awoke to word that a ceasefire agreement had been reached freeing the remaining 20 hostages from Hamas control with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netenyahu's blessing. What remained unclear, at least initially, was if President Donald Trump knew if Gazans would be free to return to Gaza or be temporarily or permanently displaced. The framework of the '20-point plan' is very shaky, and - it turns out - recycled from past plans offered a year ago, but rebuffed by Netenyahu and because so, unpursued by then-President Joe Biden. And there's no guarantee it'll hold. I'll keep reminding anyone paying attention, by the way, that the world only has a Hamas to deal with because Netenyahu propped it up at the expense of looming Palestinian statehood.------Are we witnessing the caterpillar-to-butterfly "molting" of Marjorie Tayler Greene into a rational politician? Could she be better-positioned now (than before) to take a stab at statewide office? Atlanta Journal Constitution op/ed writer Patricia Murphy thinks ... maybe. That she's taking to the set at CNN to speak with Wolf Blitzer and Pamela Brown on this is telling, in and of itself. Her potential general election combatant - Democrat Shawn Harris - calls "bullsh*t."

Noel Heatherland with Georgia Equality was kind enough to join me Thursday morning ahead of Atlanta Pride to provide a bit of a "temp check" on all things Georgia LGBTQIA+ rights. ------Shame on Marci Collier-Overstreet, one of two Democrats vying to be Atlanta City Council President, for using the groan-worthy "defund the police" quip at a recent Atlanta Press Club debate, in an attempt to take a swipe at her opponent, Rohit Malhotra. Overstreet, it should be noted, voted in favor every time she had the chance, for the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center - aka "Cop City."

Early polling shows name recognition is putting former Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in the drivers' seat for the Democratic Party race for Georgia's governor's office in 2026. Hear why I find this worrisome for the party, and why I have a hunch this comes down to a "Geoff Duncan vs. the field" race inevitably.------I wasn't the first to say it, but I have another hunch: that seeing air traffic controllers not being able to fully staff towers may well be what ends the government shutdown. It also doesn't help MAGA that Marjorie Taylor Greene is bringing her kids' plight in having to buy health insurance on their own to social media has her pitted against the White House and House Speaker Mike Johnson's posturing. ------A Chicago Presbyterian minister being shot in the face by a federal agent with a pepper ball gun isn't quite the same as what Americans saw on live TV in Selma, Alabama, but I happen to think that the more Americans see of ICE and National Guard interactions in America's city streets, the more they'll sour on Trumpism. As Dr. Bernice King, Dr. Martin Luther King's daughter, deftly pointed out, earlier this week, the "riotous city streets" trope isn't new. It's a callback to racist tropes in the 1960s. ------Speaker Johnson couldn't have sounded more out-of-touch when pegged by a reporter to respond to the NFL tabbing Bad Bunny to perform this season's Super Bowl halftime show. But if he wants a country artist (Lee Greenwood is a pitiful panderous choice, Mike) why not Zach Bryan?Oh, wait.

"A movement driven by prosperity preachers, extremist politicians, and right-wing power brokers laid the groundwork for Trump's presidency and is now advancing its agenda under his second administration. This multipronged effort against our national institutions is being led by millennial “kingmaker” Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA and the new face of Christian Nationalism."That's the book pitch for "Seven Mountains Mandate: Exposing the Dangerous Plan to Christianize America and Destroy Democracy," by Dr. Matthew Boedy, professor of English and rhetoric at the University of North Georgia.This isn't new ground for this show, but it brings into focus the role of Turning Points USA (TPUSA) and its assassinated leader, Charlie Kirk in this 'anything-but-Christian,' white nationalist movement that's been slowly, steadily working its way towards usurping democracy to maintain control by a white evangelical minority even if it means using an unholy man in Donald Trump to achieve their goals. He and I discuss his book along with his own occupational and personal safety in a right wing "cancel culture" fervor.Then, a local progressive minister, Cody Deese, touched on 'Christian nationalism' and its flock either being ignorant or "in line," mentally, with the likes of TPUSA's fallen leader and his intentionally hurtful statements. Deese, saying,  Now you start to see the exterior being a mirror to the interior."

Atlanta-based Democratic political strategist Andrew Heaton mixed and mingled with Georgia Democrats at their annual Carter-Lewis Dinner , then joined me Monday to spill the tea.Who was there? Who (notably) wasn't? Who was working the room, who's likely to emerge with campaigns for statewide office that hasn't already? These questions and more are all answered in our post-dinner conversation.

I've known Clay & Shelly since 2019; they're an active younger couple with two kids. Both are realtors - in fact they're a married "team" - who have to shell out the full cost of health insurance as small business owners. Clay took to social media to spell out what the federal government shutdown and Democrats' posturing to save ACA credits (and claw back Medicare/Medicaid cuts) is about: the cost increase to cover their family is akin to that of a "decent used car" in 2026. Patricia Murphy at the Atlanta Journal Constitution, however, opines that Democrats are the "biggest losers" in this shutdown stalemate, but is this not the kind of "kitchen table issue" Democrats are supposed to be standing firm for?Meanwhile, Sheryl Arno, executive director of the Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta, opined in the AJC as well that the looming Medicaid cuts are going to impact families who have loved ones with special needs - and not just poor families. Those in the "messy middle" who earn just enough not to qualify for Medicaid may find themselves taking their adult neuro-atypical children back in and be full-time caregivers if the GOP-led cuts to vital waiver programs take effect in 2026.

There's an ask, since the assassination of Charlie Kirk, for a return to "civility" in our political discourse. I'm here to tell you that "civility" is a luxury for only the privileged, and it's more obvious now than ever. When Elon Musk is calling for the shuttering of the Southern Poverty Law Center and he and FBI director Kash Patel see the Anti-Defamation League as a hate group, they're looking to silence arbiters of bias and hatred instead of the amplifiers of bias and hatred. Does that warrant our "civility?"Sadly, the ADL caved! I mean, wasn't that Musk and Patel's intent? NewsNation host Chris Cuomo tried "civility" with Musk, and was told directly by Musk to "piss off." Is that "civility?"Roxanne Gay, New York Times contributing opinion writer - a bisexual black woman - says "civility is a fantasy." AJC op/ed writer David Plazas says "civility" isn't enough; that we need to show each other "mutual respect."So how does one respect people who pathologically lie to perpetuate a political movement hell-bent on the continuation of marginalizing an American majority to the benefit of the long-empowered white conservative patriarchy?

Go figure, a dysfunctional, MAGA-controlled federal government has ground to a halt; while there's a cynical explanation as to why the Trump White House and his Congressional bootlickers are okay with this, courtesy of 'Politics Girl' Leigh McGowan, a New York Times op/ed puts it plainly: "The American people deserve and ought to demand better options."I'm actually not so sure; the American people voted for this because "trans people!!!" But that's not to say we, the American people, can't continue to play a role in how things like federal government shutdowns play out. We can throw heat at either side (or even both), but one side has cooked up a whopper of a lie about undocumented immigrants and access to 'free healthcare,' and the other is fighting to keep health insurance rates affordable for working families. Former Trump OMB director Mick Mulvaney was cornered by Brian Tyler Cohen on this point and Mulvaney filibustered. House majority leader Mike Johnson, on CNN with Kaitlin Collins, also got corrected live on the air.Speaking of Mikey J., what's up with the latest ultimatum put on him regarding a Grindr history? Bernie Sanders gave his assessment and offered his terms: no loss of healthcare coverage for 15-20 million Americans, no steep increases in insurance rates, an end to the evisceration of NIH funding, and an end to our sprint towards authoritarian fascism. Obviously untenable to the MAGA GOP. ------Have ya heard the one about the drunk and the fat guy who dodged serving in the military brought hundreds of military brass to a lecture on fitness to serve? Donald Trump - about 44 minutes into his latest inane rant - suggested to those assembled military higher-ups that AMERICAN CITIES should be used as "training grounds" for National Guard troops. Oh, and permitted them to be physically violent with anyone who protests: "they spit, we hit."

Admittedly, I've been a little distracted the last couple weeks, caring for an ailing cat and being a part of a caretaking team for a dear friend. Both passed away over the weekend so I'm just diving back into some things I've missed of late, one of them being the Tom Homan sit down on "Real Time With Bill Maher."On the one hand, I'm a little baffled by Maher's recent display of anti-wokeness, and on the other, he's an aging white cynical comedian who's no different than most straight white men in that they don't get the plight of the trans community and so like most straight white men, he craps on their right to exist in any measure of equality.That being said, he brags about his ability to pull Republican guests while complaining Democrats won't come on his show. I suppose Ro Khanna, Tim Ryan, Rahm Emanuel, Jon Tester, Josh Shapiro, Tina Smith, Al Gore, Adam Schiff, Seth Moulton, John Fetterman and Jason Crow (all from just this season!!!!) don't ring a bell. So in the last three weeks, he's sat with Ben Shapiro, Nancy Mace and Tom Homan. but he's clearly not proud of his sit-down with Homan. Having listened back to it and dissected it for today's show - I can hear why.

Author ("Southern. Gay. Teacher." and "Gay Arab American and Middle Eastern Men") and former Fulton County educator Randy Fair joined the show today to share with me what prompted him to write an op/ed in the South Florida Sun Sentinel (paywall ... wah wahhh) defending teachers' free speech rights. I read the op/ed for the audience prior to the conversation, so you won't need to pay to read it.In the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk assassination, school systems throughout the country have been suspending and/or terminating educators for social media posts reacting to Kirk's passing. Fair believes this is an overstep. We also discussed what prompted him to write about Gay Arab American & Middle-Eastern Men for his latest book. ------ She's already shattered never-before crossed boundaries as Georgia's first-ever Palestinian-American lawmaker, and now, Rep. Ruwa Romman wants to be Georgia's first woman governor. She spent time with me to discuss what prompted her to run for the Democratic Party's nomination with an already-heavy ticket.

Atlanta Journal Constitution op/ed columnist Bill Torpy penned a piece in early September finger-wagging at progressives over word choice and his perceiving them to be 'haughty and arrogant,' owing to their 'moral superiority' as a reason the Democratic Party is losing elections and the voter registration game, lately. He cited the recently resigned CDC official Dr. Demetre Daskalakis' resignation letter and his use of the term "pregnant people" as an example. Third Way had a longer list, incidentally; a list I questioned. I don't dismiss what Torpy or Third Way is saying, in their entirety, but I find it a touch rich with irony that both take their own 'haughty & arrogant' or 'morally superior' high horse to call out the progressive wing of the party while ignoring the party - controlled by the establishment more to the center - being awful at messaging and in being as welcoming to progressive voters as they seem to be to "never Trump" Republicans.

Sterling Hill - aka "Sterling Thrill" - is a dear friend of mine. We go back to 2009 when he entered a contest to be a radio deejay and came in second place (though he eventually got the gig). Sterling and I not only worked together, we've been friends from the jump. One thing we once had in common was a comfortable ability to discuss our atheism. Here's the thing: Sterling found Jesus and has been a strong, passionate voice for Christianity ever since, some of it through his work as a standup comedian. The Jimmy Kimmel (temporary) cancellation, however, set him off in now-viral social media rants. I caught up with Sterling to discuss why his f-bomb laced tirade and subsequent conversations with his followers about that and what led him to be so angry are so important. It turns out we're both just angry and disappointed with a brand of Christianity - white nationalist Christianity - that's brainwashed millions of Americans sullying the work of their lord and savior.

Well, Georgia Democrats didn't snatch a state Senate seat from the GOP last night, despite their candidate - Debra Shigley - outpacing 2024 numbers, but liberals needn't dismay. Her 9-point improvement on 2024 results for her party bode well for 2026, and with the majority of the GOP seeming to be in no hurry to release the Epstein files and with the economy in malaise - and by MAGA's own admission not expecting to improve for a year or more - there should be optimism for Democrats.------Meanwhile, Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Junior's attempt to pin autism on Tylenol - without evidence or study - is, I believe, a further decaying of trust in both by even those within their cult bubble. The Daily Show's Jordan Klepper summed up what Donnie and Bobby's case is built on and what the rest of us will have to rely on - our own research.It was nearly two weeks ago that the Georgia Recorder's Jay Bookman actually wrote on the 'alternate reality' RFK Jr. lives in while flexing policy changes within Health and Human Services. While Jay's piece focused mostly on vaccine hesitancy, in general, it holds up well, post-"acetaminophen-gate." He closes with this sobering assessment: "...all of us are living in their alternate reality. Now all of us are at risk when actual reality reasserts itself, as it always does eventually. We can't know what form that challenge will take, but we do know it will come, and the charlatans and conspiracy fools that we now have in charge will prove spectacularly unfit to meet it."------Jimmy Kimmel's return was funny, sharp, emotional and vastly more statesman-like than the thin-(orange) skinned target of his barbs could ever dream of. I scan over some of the highlights.

Geoff Duncan's entry into the Georgia Democratic Party's gubernatorial field for 2026 has drawn a lot ... of criticism, skeptics, and yes, some signs of support. Former Gwinnett County Democratic Party chair Bianca Keaton isn't having it. The founder and chief strategist at The Center of Mass, now a candidate consultant, likens Duncan's entry and those who support him to 'electoral white flight.'She joined me to elaborate.Also, joining me, fresh off his one-on-one with Duncan (I've sought that out, myself, to no avail yet) is Atlanta Voice editor-in-chief Donnell Suggs. Donnell also took his family to my favorite state park, by the way, and reviewed a new high-end lodge there. Fascinating!

It's election day in Georgia's 21st Senate district and Democrat Debra Shigley has enjoyed a lot of support for her campaign to wrest a red-leaning suburban Atlanta enclave from the GOP.High-profile names like Senator Jon Ossoff, Representative Lucy McBath, former gubernatorial (at least we believe she's still 'just' a former candidate, for now) Stacey Abrams, DNC chair Ken Martin, current (Democrat and ...) gubernatorial candidate Geoff Duncan, one of his combatants in former Senator Jason Esteves ... the list is long and diverse, ideologically.I caught up with Debra Monday to discuss all of that and what's at stake and how the campaign has been affected by the national rift in the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk assassination.------Time for a postmortem of sorts on the would-be ascendency of one Fani Willis, embattled Fulton County District Attorney who allowed her personal life (as did Nathan Wade; let's not forget his role in this) to derail the biggest case in her career, and one that might've derailed a second Trump presidential campaign - and all that wound up bringing to this nation's doorstep since. It's not fair to blame her for his re-election, but it is fair to question her and Wade's inability to understand the moment was bigger than they were able to navigate professionally.

My roommate and I are pretty different people in a number of ways, not the least of which is his grasp of (and my indifference to) things like DragonCon, cosplay, online gameplay and social interaction outside of traditional social media. His interest in a lot of that, along with is being a regular listener of the LawFare podcast "Rational Security" lead him to recommending a recent episode: "The 'Ten Years, Still Off-Key' Edition." In that episode's first 20 minutes or so, host Scott R. Andeson and The Atlantic's Shane Harris discuss a key element to the Tyler Robinson / Charlie Kirk assassination story that almost no one is talking about: the connections between online radicalization and young men like Robinson who are behind many recent public acts of gun violence. The "too long/didn't listen" summation: everyone (left and right) seems eager to only make motivations about political ideology when online radicalization looms as a greater ingredient for the toxic stew that led to Kirk's assassination, along with other high profile cases Harris alludes to in this conversation.------That being said, it was an experience of my own - having dated a closeted Mormon man for more than a year about two decades ago - that provides some insight into why a Tyler Robinson - Mormon, conservative family, southwest Utah resident with something of a same-sex attraction - found himself to be something of a 'loner' drawn to acceptance in an online community in the first place. Also, I've learned a lot about what 'stochastic terrorism' is and it turns out I've been fumbling around, rhetorically about it in recent weeks not knowing there was even a term for it, but damned if it doesn't seem appropriate to discuss now, no?------That doesn't mean, however, the far-right talking heads like Scott Jennings and The Federalist's Brianna Lyman aren't still working hard to paint this narrative that Charlie Kirk's assassination and any social media celebration of it is somehow “representative of a large part of the left.” CNN's Abby Phillip, along with Center for American Progress President Neera Tanden, held that fire line in place ... for now.------An op/ed I somehow stumbled onto from Unfinished Man writer Sean Shopman warns of "The Deadly Trap Tyler Robinson Fell Into: What Every Young Man Needs to Learn Before It's Too Late." I found it profound and share-worthy. ------Finally, the sudden and quizzical shelving of Jimmy Kimmel from ABC -TV late night is both mystifying (his statement Monday was factual and frankly, he's had sharper takes ...) and alarming for free speech in a tense era. It's why I believe now, more than ever, if the American experiment is going to survive this dark chapter, we're going to need independent journalists to guide us.

A Lavonia, Georgia hospital getting out of the 'labor and delivery' business leaves four counties and those pregnant living in them an hour or more away from a still-functioning L&D facility. This is largely the result of Medicaid funding cuts (and I'd argue, Georgia never accepting Medicaid expansion funding since 2010). This is where I mention all four counties going overwhelmingly for Trump in 2024, 2020 and 2016. This doesn't occur in a "statewide race" vacuum, either. Democrats are being wooed now by a gubernatorial candidate who hopes to represent them that once represented the GOP and championed rebuffing Medicaid expansion and stood alongside Governor Brian Kemp as he signed the current six-week abortion ban into place. That doesn't prevent Patricia Murphy of the AJC from scribing an op/ed that perhaps Duncan is what the Georgia Democratic Party needs to win. ------Former South Carolina Congressional candidate, retired sociology professor and author Mal Hyman joined me days ago to discuss the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk assassination and what it says about discourse in our country, and the intimidatory effect of MAGA on weak-spined Republicans that we ALL need to stiffen their spines and re-take their party from. We also discuss Charlie Kirk having more influence on college campuses than professors were ever allowed to.

Chanel Haley, deputy executive director at Georgia Equality, is frankly one of the lucky few in the trans community. Despite the long odds for navigating adolescence, coming out, transitioning and finding her way towards earning an education and occupational success, Chanel still faced bias and oppression along the way.She joined me today to weigh in on casually-made anti-trans statements made the Sunday before Charlie Kirk's assassination by two conservative pundits on FOX-5 / WAGA-TV's "The Georgia Gang" Sunday, September 7th. Naturally, we had plenty to discuss involving Charlie Kirk's alleged killer and his alleged association with a trans roommate and/or partner, too. ------Geoff Duncan officially announced he's running for governor as a Democrat, despite having just BECOME a Democrat. Unsure what voting bloc he's aiming for or what his perceived pathway to victory is, so I asked political strategist Andrew Heaton with Sagamore Hill Consulting to join me to weigh in, too.

On Sunday's 'Meet the Press,' Utah governor Spencer Cox likened social media to a 'cancer' on society, putting a lot of blame on social networking for gun deaths in the U.S. Listen, I know the inherent ills social media can deliver with swiftness, but he's focusing on the "circulatory system" delivering the tumors (bigotry, homophobia, misogyny, racism) and not the hatred itself. That troubles me.The right's reaction to the assassination of Charlie Kirk embodies an attempt to pin blame on everyone and every movement other than their own, when the alleged assassin lived in a conservative household in a conservative state, was raised a Mormon and well-versed in and surrounded by a variety of guns. Somehow one failed semester away at college and one roommate / potential romantic partner radicalized him, we're to believe. Now there's this movement to deify Kirk and liken him to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and John F. Kennedy as victims of free speech who gave voice to truth. However, also on Sunday, Reve. Howard John Wesley at D.C.'s Alfred Street Baptist Church gave a sermon that offered a sobering assessment of the assassinated right wing lynchpin Charlie Kirk: "how you die does not redeem how you live," said Rev. Wesley.

Wednesday night, from the Oval Office, we were told "the left" is the source of all that's poisonous in our political discourse, ironically by one of the most venomous vitriolic pursed lips in American political history. Fast-forward to today when we awaken to those lips flapping on 'Fox & Friends' to reveal that "we have him," the shooting suspect in the Charlie Kirk assassination. What's noteworthy about that visit to the curved couch was when he had the audacity to say “the radicals on the right oftentimes are radical because they don't want to see crime. They don't want to see crime. They're saying: We don't want these people coming in; we don't want you burning our shopping centers; we don't want you shooting our people in the middle of the street."Sure, hindsight's 20/20, but so is collected data that shows alt-right white nationalism far and away leads all participants when it comes to political violence, but hey, he couldn't have known the suspect - Tyler Robinson - was allegedly a Nick Fuentes fanatic, aka a "groyper." Yeah, the same Nick Fuentes Donald dined with. Derp. More on that ⁠HERE⁠ and ⁠HERE⁠. Not to be outdone, however, in the "tasting of shoe leather" competition is one Eric Erickson, the Omaha steak-hawking right wing radio provocateur who inherited many of his affiliates from the Rush Limbaugh I believed that sparked the ratcheting up of divisive and dangerous political rhetoric in this country. Eric penned an op/ed in the Atlanta Journal Constitution that hinted at "one side-ism," but had a markedly less partisan tone than his YouTube and in-show screed where he relentlessly finger-wagged at "the left" for it needing to police its own.Again, though, he popped off before the savvy folks on X who know a thing or two about Fuentes' groyper movement and had the ability to read into the subtle messaging on shell casings to connect the dots.

Charlie Kirk was a lightning rod ... of energy for the conservative base at the younger demographic the GOP sorely needed help with ... of controversy for those he targeted with his rhetoric ... and now, his assassination has exposed deep rifts within our society, empathetically, morally, politically and religiously.I, myself, didn't have a cogent response to share with anyone - for hours Wednesday afternoon. What I knew before he was killed hasn't changed much: he was anti-gay, vehemently anti-trans, some might argue antisemitic and made several insulting statements about black people (does that make him a racist or was he just tone deaf? I'll let others decide).I found myself watching as those on the right hailed him as being a wonderful young man (to whom?) and devout Christian (but is Christianity comfortable with his representation of their faith, with his rhetoric?) while the rest of the American spectrum mostly coalesced around the prevailing thought: no one should lose their life exercising their First Amendment right.Now, for me, it's ironic this occurred in Utah, an open carry haven where someone with a hunting rifle visible in their vehicle on the college campus parking lot elicits no reaction. Charlie did, infamously say "I think it's worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights."Then there's this: how he was assassinated and that no suspect has been found gives me reason to suspect an outside influence.

CNN's Victor Blackwell hosted a panel last week to discuss the canary in the coal mine - a notable rise in unemployment among not only black Americans, but black women. On that panel: Black Voters Matter Fund co-founder LaTosha Brown, former GOP Georgia Senate candidate Stephanie Donegan, and Capital B national editor Dalila Paul. First, let's applaud that CNN fielded an all-black and female panel to discuss an issue impacting black women. You'd think it obvious to do that, but cable TV news isn't usually good at that.Still it was Donegan, the former GOP candidate, who leaned into tropes like 'affirmative action' and 'DEI' placing black women in positions, saying "ultimately a lot of the hiring, I feel that's happened within the federal government, was to check boxes for DEI."Notice she said "I feel ...;" not that she had evidence or data. Just "I feel ..."On with me to discuss her remarks and all the negative impacts of the second Trump presidency impacting black women is - yay me! - a black woman. Shavonda Miles is CEO at Vona Monet Consulting, in Atlanta. ------I'm beyond excited that Texas state House Representative James Talarico has announced his Senate run, but first Texas Democrats will have to decide between he and Collin Allred, someone else I'm a huge fan of. A shame we can't have both (yet, anyway) represent that state but hear Talarico's message and tell me it doesn't give you goosebumps (or 'white Obama' vibes). ------Georgian Lisa Cook's seat on the Fed Board is still hers, according to a federal judge. That stability, along with already-lowering mortgage rates should mean good news next week for the housing market, despite the slowing economy. ------The ICE raid on the southeast Georgia Hyundai Metaplant has put strains on US-South Korean and Georgia-South Korean relations, and Korean-Americans here are deeply concerned, themselves. ------Lastly, Marjorie Taylor Greene isn't excited about any of the GOP candidates running for Governor here or the US Senate seat now occupied by Jon Ossoff - mostly because she isn't one of the candidates (my opinion), but is this a sign of weakness on the cohesiveness on the right?

All the work (to his credit!) that Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has done to make Georgia a green energy and electric vehicle manufacturing hub are slowly being undone by Trump 2.0 white nationalist tendencies. The recent Hyundai raid in southeast Georgia performed by ICE was launched to snag Latin American migrant workers but also - oops - ensnared Korean and Japanese visa waiver employees, putting strain on U.S.-Korean and Georgia-Korean relations. It also creates an unnecessary impediment towards completing the construction of the plant soon to hire 8000 Georgians. You know ICE wasn't prepared to deal with Koreans when you realize they had not one Korean interpreter among them.But here's the thing: among the few dozen Hispanic construction workers that were swept up, some may have legal status and the others appear to be hires of quickly-popped up LLCs who appeared days before or after the announcement of the plant's construction, leaving local contractors receiving far less of the economic impact they were expecting. Through it all, though, the currency of choice for Trump 2.0 - fear and intimidation - has people here legally, as well, cowering. ------Brad Raffensperger hasn't announced what his 2026 political aspirations are, but his former chief operating officer - Gabriel Sterling - has. So far, no Democrat has announced their intention to seek the office of Secretary of State as Sterling and two other Democrats have, and it's my view that it may not matter if the party fielded a candidate at all but someone needs to step up quickly and start making the case. Raffensperger, meanwhile, has made it clear he's running for something, that "something" likely the governor's office, which presents an interesting and tantalizing opportunity for Democrats to cross lines and vote for the far lesser of the batch of evils in the GOP gubernatorial race - if Democrats manage to have a clear favorite by primary election day.-------The decision by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution to shutter its print operations by the end of the year is unsurprising, but has me concerned about access for the poor, but also got me to talking about the trajectory even radio is headed towards - which might not necessarily be a bad thing given talk radio being mostly gripped by right wing extremism. Indulge me, if you will, while I also take the opportunity to tout what this show does and plans for the station it airs on out of Atlanta.

Atlanta's Sunday TV talk diet includes one local program - WAGA-TV/ Fox 's "The Georgia Gang." I watch it occasionally and happened to have some time Sunday to catch the most recent episode, and I'm furious but glad I caught it.Two pundits - Phil Kent and Martha Zoller - notably the right-wing participants, spewed anti-trans swipes, which I suppose should be unsurprising. That they did so with zero pushback from the show's moderator or the two left-wing participants, however, is disappointing. The pundits zeroed in on the prior week's Senate subcommittee skewering of Trump HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kent whined that Warnock was "rude" and wandered into an attack on Dr. Demetre Daskalakis (without citing him by name), labeling him a "trans promoter," (I suppose) simply because he used the term "pregnant people" and offered his pronouns of preference in his now-infamous resignation letter. Listening to he and Martha Zoller fumble around in an anti-science uproar over CDC pandemic strategy "in the moment" and current vaccination conversations is cringy enough, but weaving in anti-trans swipes is just beyond the pale repugnant, and it's time someone called it out. So I did.Later in the show, the conversation of school shootings came up, what with the one-year anniversary of the Apalachee High School shooting and the recent Minneapolis catholic school shooting. Zoller, citing a "series" (it's two, lady - nowhere near the leading number of heterosexual white men who've victimized hundreds over the years) of incidents involving trans shooters, leaned into the mental health aspect. "...DSM 5 (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) took that out as a mental health problem but clearly there's a mental health problem there," she said. She almost gets it. Gender dysphoria isn't a "mental illness," in the latest DSM. She's right. However, as the Philadelphia Mental Health Center points out , "gender dysphoria is listed as a mental health diagnosis, but it is not considered a “mental illness” in the traditional sense," continuing "gender dysphoria is not seen as a pathological condition. The focus of treatment is not to “cure” someone of their gender identity but to alleviate the distress they experience due to societal pressures or physical incongruence."In other words, bigots like Kent and Zoller are a driving reason trans people seek mental health treatment; the dysphoria isn't something needed to be treated as a mental health condition.Bloop.------The ICE raid on the southeast Georgia manufacturing plant was meant to be a use of fear and intimidation aimed at Hispanic people working in construction, but hundreds of South Korean nationals were swept up (without any Korean-speaking ICE officials - which tells you ICE wasn't prepping to take them). So says Dustin Baxter with the Kuck Baxter Law Firm, an Atlanta-based immigration firm. He joined me to discuss. The "visa waiver" program was the likely channel the temporary guests from South Korea were here under the guise of, but this is just another situation where it is painfully obvious American immigration laws are woefully inadequate for modern needs.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was summoned to a Senate finance subcommittee hearing and was met with bipartisan skewering. The most notable moments being RFK being cornered into explaining his anti-vax actions as head of HHS while also glomming on about his boss' (Donald Trump) "Operation Warp Speed" by GOP Senator Bill Cassidy, and Rev. Senator Raphael Warnock flatly stating that he is "a hazard to the health of the American people." It isn't just the man in the office; it's the entire "anti-vaccine" movement that has Florida's surgeon general pursuing an end to vaccine mandates for public schools in that state. Next family trip to Disney or Universal, imagine the kids around yours in line for those rides and guess if they're vaccinated. Might you be reconsidering taking that trip? ------The Trump 2.0 presidency isn't just doggedly stupid on public health, but Don's persistence on triggering trade wars has the American economy teetering towards recession if the latest jobs reports are any indication. Odd that an account I cited (Investq) was suspended by the X platform, by the way. They cited various uncertainties, including disruption of the labor market - as might happen when ICE is raiding a Hyundai plant in southeast Georgia. ------The new wrinkle in the Epstein saga comes from a DOJ staffer telling a woman on a first date (wow, what a flex) that his agency is working feverishly to redact/remove Republicans from the Epstein files while leaving Democrats exposed. Meanwhile, Marjorie Taylor Greene is being praised from the likes of Democratic House Rep. Ro Khanna and AJC op/ed writer/reporter Patricia Murphy for remaining dogged in her pursuit of the files' relesae.

She out-performed Kamala Harris by 13 points and the last candidate to try to win her state Senate district in November by ten percentage points, too. That could be a harbinger of things to come in 2026 (quick, Donald; get on the phone to Kemp to work on those maps!) but it also speaks to candidate quality as voters came out for Debra Shigley in the special election to fill the 21st Senate district seat vacated by Brandon Beach. It isn't just about what the voters did, though; it's about the small army of young and energetic campaigners she drew in with her magnetic personality and go-get-em tenacity.Debra and i caught up to discuss that and the still-monumental task of winning the run-off next month. We also took right to her opponent's website to combat his six big policy points. She handled 'em all like a champ.------There's an effort afoot, on the right, to question the trans medical process. 'Fox & Friends' host Brian Kilmeade tried it out on RFK Jr. who, to his (rare) credit, opted not to the take the bait. While Kilmeade - after two mass shootings triggered by trans murderers - wants to 'study' if trans medical treatment is a source of concern, he didn't bring up the leading batch of culprits - white supremacists - let alone champion further study there. Interesting, no?

How WILD is it that Fulton County's elected commissioners are being compelled - by force - to vote a certain way (why do they have a role at all if merely ceremonial?) in seating election-deniers to that county's elections board? Well, that's what a Brian Kemp-appointed judge decided earlier this week. Here we are, with Fulton County Republican clowns offering up only two appointees - both election-deniers - for Fulton commissioners to (uh) "choose" from. ------If that erosion of democratic norms and liberties isn't enough, now the same party that loathes "government overreach" from the federal bureaucracy is sending word from on high (DOT Secretary Sean Duffy) that (checks notes) rainbow crosswalks have to go "because safety." Atlanta officials say theirs are here to stay, and there's ample reason to believe they're actually good for pedestrian safety, but whatever, "woke libs!" Florida's crosswalks face a less certain fate. ------Meanwhile, the Wednesday night CDC "red wedding" would be an utter embarrassment to RFK Jr. and the Trump White House if they had any self-awareness in the first place. First, they fired that just-appointed CDC director THEY signed off on; an appointee who'd just weeks ago been voted in by the Senate. She refused to step down so naturally, Donnie J. had to take to Truth Social to make it official. LOL That's where we are now, as a country. Then, Atlanta-based Dr. Demetre Daskalakis penned a resignation letter he posted to the X platform, excoriating the "intentional eroding of trust in low-risk vaccines favoring natural infection and unproven remedies ..."Just another day to be embarrassed as an American to be led by such buffonishness while our health and wellness guardrails continue to be dismantled.

In Iowa, ⁠Democrats flipped a second legislative seat to wrest a supermajority from the GOP⁠, last night, and in Georgia, Democrat Debra Shigley paced 13 points better than Kamala Harris and ten points better than the last state Senate candidate in her district in ⁠earning a spot in the late September run-off⁠ to fill Brandon Beach's vacated seat. On today to discuss those eye-popping returns, along with poor polling for Trump and the GOP on immigration, the economy and the state-by-state gerrymandering shenanigans is Atlanta-based political consultant Andrew Heaton.

Today in Georgia, a state Senate vacated when Brandon Beach took a Treasury job with the Trump administration was up for grabs in a "jungle primary" election. In this scenario, there were six Republicans and one lone Democrat vying for the seat. Naturally if one standalone candidate were to have secured 50%-plus turnout, the seat would go to them.Could that lone Democrat - Debra Shigley - flip the district? Melita Easters - executive director at the Georgia WIN List - thinks the work's been put in for it to happen. She joined me today to discuss this race, plus to commemorate Women's Equality Day (such as it is in these tumultuous times for women) .As of publishing, Shigley was well ahead of the GOP pack with 46.2% of the vote, but not clearing 50% will necessitate a run-off. Still, outpacing her party's last nominee for the district by 17% from just last November could be a harbinger of things to come. ------Melita and I also covered the President's overreach in firing a Federal Board governor with Georgia ties - Lisa Cook.------Donald Trump seems hell-bent on ramming armed National Guard troops into "blue" cities like D.C., New York, Chicago and Oakland, but would Atlanta be a target for this sort of activity, too?Riley Bunch at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution posed the question, but my hunch is a quick "no" for a reason she didn't really cover, though she gave many valid reasons it is or isn't likely to occur.