Top 10 Dumb Ways GA Republicans Are Using Their Majority

Republicans in Georgia have a majority in both chambers of the state legislature and control the governor's office, so obviously they are using this power to help Georgians! JK, not even. Here are 10 dumb things they have done just 51 days in to 2015...

10.

GOP State Rep. Tom Kirby filed legislation to save Georgia from dangerous Kaiju because THEY ARE COMING RIGHT FOR US!!!

From Raw Story:

A Georgia Republican legislator introduced a bill he said would ban the mixing of human and jellyfish embryos — even though he doesn’t know if it’s actually happening in his state.

“I’ve had people tell me it is but I have not verified that for sure,” state Rep. Tom Kirby (R) told WSB-TV. “It’s time we either get in front of it or we’re going to be chasing our tails.”

9.

Gov. Nathan Deal's budget has slashed funding for Georgia's Soil and Water Conservation Commission to ZERO.

8.

Georgia still has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation, currently ranked 48th.

Maybe those "outside influences" are still at work?

7.

America is great, we all agree on that.

But Republican lawmakers are sponsoring a resolution that would outlaw AP US History if the College Board doesn't "present a more sanitized view of American history."

6.

Nathan Deal has a plan for struggling schools - have the state take them over and "create a statewide school district and give his office broad new powers." The plan would also allow the governor's office to convert these schools in to charter schools.

Democrats know this is a bad idea.

5.

Last month, a Republican lawmaker invited a pastor to address the state House and the pastor used this opportunity to speak about tolerance and love...just kidding, he said some dumb mean things.

Rev. Bryant Wright told state lawmakers that it was their responsibility to protect citizens "against evil" and called marriage equality "erotic liberty."

From the AJC:

“It is just one example of what our culture is going to increasingly see as an issue of erotic liberty versus religious liberty,” Wright said. “We’re liable to see this with our military chaplains in the years ahead if they in good conscience believe they cannot perform same-sex weddings and could be kicked out of the military.”

That looming threat, he said, is a reminder of lawmakers’ role in making sure government is “protective of its citizens against evil and is working for the common good.”

Religious liberty, Wright said, is a “foundational aspect” of the U.S. Constitution and is for the “common good and welfare of man.”

He urged legislators to remember the nation’s heritage “even though a majority of your constituencies have embraced erotic liberty over religious liberty.”

4.

In his proposed budget, Nathan Deal has cut health insurance for 11,500 school workers and bus drivers.

It could actually be worse than that:

State officials said Tuesday that almost 22,000 Georgians could lose health coverage if the General Assembly backs Gov. Nathan Deal’s proposal to eliminate state-subsidized health coverage for school employees who work less than 30 hours per week.

State officials have said 10,500 employees would lose coverage. But Department of Community Health Commissioner Clyde Reese told a House Budget subcommittee Tuesday that nearly 22,000 could potentially lose out, including the family members of bus drivers and cafeteria workers who are on State Health Benefit Plan coverage.

3.

Georgia's rural hospitals are closing down left and right, there's an easy fix for that, but Nathan Deal and Republican leaders refuse to use this lifeline.

2.

It is a day ending in Y, so it must be time to restrict voting rights in Georgia...AGAIN. This time, Republicans want to cut early voting days from 21 to 12.

Republicans know that fewer early voting days mean longer lines at the polls on Election Day and less participation. They know that long lines and shortened hours only suppress the vote—and keeping people home is what keeps them winning.

1.

Georgia Republicans are once again attempting to pass legislation that's basically a license to discriminate.

These RFRA bills have been called "an insulting waste of time"

This bill should go the way of other bad ideas and find itself without enough support to even get a committee hearing. It deserves a quiet death. But some right-wing lawmakers are applauding it. And while Gov. Nathan Deal has effectively delayed medical marijuana's full decriminalization, something that could legally protect the parents of children living with seizures right now, he's given some support to one version of the RFRA legislation. Priorities.

The business community doesn't want this legislation.

The sponsors' fellow Republicans have concerns about the bill.

LGBT groups and other organizations have serious concerns about the scope of this legislation.

Plus, if we're remembering correctly, religious freedom protections are already in place. It seems as though Georgia Republicans were beaten to the punch on this one.