THREAD: 14 yrs ago, the Affordable Care Act became law and transformed healthcare access for millions of Americans. But today, Georgia faces a health coverage gap crisis that fuels inequality, slows growth and is entirely the result of inexcusable & partisan policy decisions. /1 2/8: Georgia is one of only 10 states yet to expand Medicaid coverage. This leaves too many Georgians, particularly those with lower incomes, without vital health coverage.

Democracy is at risk.

But Americans are rising up everywhere in democracy’s defense.

MAGA Republicans are holding their biggest conference of the year right now. Their message? “Welcome to the end of democracy.”

Believe them. Here’s a thread on what is currently happening. First, remember that this fight is always local.

In Georgia, the State Senate’s Ethics Committee voted to end automatic voter registration, which has helped millions of Georgians register and is the primary tool to ensure the voter rolls are accurate.
ajc.com/politics/georg…

This #BannedBooksWeek, I am appalled that we are here - again.

As the daughter of a librarian, an avid reader from the time I could hold a book & a grateful writer of children’s lit, this is a fight that matters to us all: Books are more than just words on a page; they are windows into different worlds, perspectives, and experiences. They teach empathy, critical thinking and offer a broader understanding of who we are and what we can become.

To every volunteer, every organizer, every door knocker, every prayer warrior, every donor, every person who lifted your hands and voices. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

To the people of Georgia, thank you for believing in me and for fighting for change with me. I got into this race for one reason only: to fight for more, for our children and generations to come. And whether we do it from the governor's mansion or from the street, from the Capitol or from our community, we will keep fighting for more in the state of Georgia.

Desperate much?

Barnicle: “While abortion is an issue, it nowhere reaches the level of interest of voters in terms of the cost of gas, food …”

Me: You can’t divorce being forced to carry an unwanted pregnancy from the economic realities of having a child.”

#WhereIsTheLie

https://twitter.com/bluestein/status/1582735587299438592

Families are worried about the cost of housing while Kemp sits on $400M in funds to stop evictions. We’re the 8th largest state but have the 4th highest eviction rate. 2/

Georgia — election season begins today. Polls are open across the state and you can start voting this week.

Follow this thread for important information regarding early voting. 1️⃣ You are eligible to vote early at ANY of your county’s early vote locations. Find a convenient location at staceyabrams.com/voting.

Why I SAID “YES” to reparations, but how they HEARD “NO”…(a not so brief thread on reparations, my track record, and attempts to distract you from what really matters).

🧵 I was recently asked about #reparations in Athens. The sound is obscured but I said Yes to reparations. I always have. But I will never mislead Black people by pretending this is easy. I’ve had a whole convo about my position, as well as what needs to happen next.

The conduct of this trial and preceding cases and legislative actions represent a hard-won victory for voters who endured long lines, burdensome date of birth requirements and exact match laws that disproportionately impact Black and Brown voters. 1/ The work over the last 10 years has been to advance fairness in our democracy that is not linked to ‘the status of minority life in Georgia.’ There's no denying voter suppression under Brian Kemp and Brad Raffensperger. This 288-page order spells out the cost of their actions. 2/

Let’s understand what’s really going on w/AMC. (Stay with me). Georgia has a health system that relies on a mix of public, nonprofit and for-profit providers. Patients pay for services either through insurance or cash. Otherwise, the care is “unreimbursed” or “uncompensated.” 1/

https://twitter.com/bluestein/status/1565135164111568896

In 2010, the ACA was adopted to expand the number of people with insurance. Most would have employer-provided coverage, but others needed to buy it directly. That’s what led to Obamacare. But 1.4 million people in Georgia still aren’t covered. This isn’t a surprise. 2/

Climate change is an existential threat facing our planet.

In 2021 alone, six weather-related disasters impacted Georgia, resulting in over a billion dollars in damages. Climate-related hazards such as sea level rise & extreme heat will devastate communities if we don't act now. These impacts are felt most by already economically disadvantaged communities. Over 500,000 coastal residents are vulnerable to flooding and extreme weather, while half a million Georgians dependent on farmland and timberland in South GA will see disruptions to their livelihoods.

Young Georgians are diverse and gifted.

Many of our students will look for early access to their futures in fields ranging from building trades and construction to coding, and healthcare, cosmetology and agriculture. They’ll need apprenticeships to get them started. To further unleash and rapidly scale our workforce, I will also restore free technical college for Georgians, which can help thousands of Georgians secure higher wages and expertise. We can fund this today - but we need a governor who believes in all of Georgia.

I’ve had the joy of listening to students across our state talk about their dreams for the future. They want a pathway to career opportunities that can change their lives.

Yet for too many, debt remains their biggest obstacle. But this is a solvable problem. Georgia is one of only two states and the only state in the South without a need-based financial aid program. And more than decade ago, the state eliminated free technical education.

As governor, I will fight for your success and bring real hope back to Georgia.

Today, Brian Kemp revealed he firmly opposes marriage equality even as Republicans across the country have accepted this fundamental right. As governor, I will champion protecting these basic rights and codify marriage equality into our state’s laws.

axios.com/local/atlanta/… Kemp has once again aligned himself with the hard-right postures that deny full citizenship to all Americans. By refusing to protect marriage equality, he is unequivocally siding with the homophobic law that denied equal protection in Georgia until 2015.

Georgia — If you're concerned about Monkeypox prevention and vaccination, it can be hard to know where to go to get good information.

Follow this 🧵 for helpful resources on what it is and what you can do. Monkeypox is not an STD and can be transmitted through many forms of contact.

Read more about symptoms and basic information here. positiveimpacthealthcenters.org/monkeypox/

Georgia’s children & families always come first, and they need reliable + safe childcare.

The pandemic exposed how vital yet broken our childcare system is - too many families lack access to affordable childcare or Pre-K. We can help our youngest Georgians w/o raising taxes. Georgia families generally pay $7,644 annually for infant care, about 25% of an average family's income.

Not only is childcare expensive, 44% of Georgians live in a childcare desert, and too many kids are on waitlists for PreK programs (but 4yrs olds don’t get a do-over).

Brian Kemp is lying about my position and using vitriol to characterize my journey to a pro-choice view — a journey many Americans have taken.

If this is a conversation about choice, we have to allow for people to want to make a different choice.
Millions of Americans have changed their minds on abortion, and most indicate that they support abortion as a human right.

Like them, my view on abortion changed as I learned more and put myself in spaces that challenged my perspective. It's a sign of growth — not of weakness.

My Georgia Thrives Plan will grow the economy and focus on putting money in Georgians’ pockets, supporting small businesses and real economic development — without raising taxes

Together we can build a thriving economy where every hardworking family can succeed. #GeorgiaThrives when small business is strong.

My administration will create a Small Business Capital Growth Fund to invest $10 million in financing programs. We will also create an Entrepreneurship Learner’s Permit to assist individuals seeking to form new businesses.

Earlier this week, I shared my vision for how we can transform our young people's lives by investing in their education.

To make sure we have a permanent revenue source, I will support legislation enabling online sports gaming & a constitutional amendment to allow casinos in GA. Georgia is one of two states in the country that does not offer need-based financial aid for students.

Under my plan, we will use revenue from regulated gaming to invest in need-based aid for college students.

As kids across Georgia are getting back to school this week, our state faces a severe teacher shortage and a teacher recruitment crisis.

And while we are the 8th largest state, our schools now ranked 36th in the country.

Georgia is failing our children. I often hear stories from teachers about their colleagues leaving their jobs due to growing workloads, insufficient support and inadequate compensation.

They worry that the next generations' brightest minds will face the consequences of the lack of investment in their educators.

Overturning Roe v. Wade created a new health emergency — esp. in states like GA w/ high rates of maternal mortality and NO expanded Medicaid.
For the working class and middle class, this means worse health outcomes, less preventative care and fewer medical options for everyone. In Kemp’s Georgia, refusal to expand Medicaid means 500,000+ people go without health insurance that is already paid for. For women, that equals less access to contraception and pre- and post-natal care.

Families across Georgia face an affordable housing crisis.

One of the main challenges: limited inventory of reasonably priced, safe and livable homes.

The culprit: out-of-state corporations and hedge funds buying out local properties, evicting tenants and driving up costs. Evictions are rising, leading to more homelessness in urban, suburban and rural Georgia. Families who miss one payment are put out on the streets, and tenants who complain about poor conditions are ejected.