Governor’s Presser Called For 10am; RFRA Hangs In Balance
“What must be done eventually must be done immediately” – Jeremy Foley
The Governor has called a press conference for 10am this morning. While no reason has been given, the expectation is that guidance will be given on RFRA, and possibly the announcement of a veto could be forthcoming. A livestream can be viewed here.
Why is that? The Governor has 40 days to officially decide whether to sign or veto a bill. Yet as long as the bill sits on his desk, Georgia is in a lose-lose posture.
Both sides of this bill are feasting on the negative press. Josh McKoon deserves a distinguished service medal for using Easter Weekend calling out everyone who dared to politicize HB 757 during Easter. Because politicization is a one way street, apparently.
The damage to Georgia’s image as a place to do business is mounting. Opponents have alternated between “these are empty threats” and “Tell the Governor HB 757 is more important than business”. It’s one or the other, not both.
But next week is an essential economic development week in Georgia. The Masters is always used as an economic development event. The Georgia Chamber also has its annual “Red Carpet Tour” to leverage that with a look at the rest of Georgia with potential employers.
The Governor doesn’t have to face the voters again. His only obligation is to do what is best for Georgia. ALL of Georgia.
And with two specific economic development prospects removing Georgia from consideration already over HB 757, it’s clear there is economic harm in proceeding under the current path. What has been less clear is how Georgia and Georgians benefit specifically from this bill (that they don’t already enjoy under the Civil Rights Act and the 1st Amendment).
When looking at the evidence, we have talk on one side, and economic consequences in the other. And a deadline coming likely sooner rather than later on what direction Governor Deal will take. Stay tuned for updates shortly.
About Author
Charlie
Founder of GeorgiaPol.com; Now weekly columnist Very interested in Georgia and Georginas. Interest in politics is waning daily.
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Charlie,
If Governor Deal does veto, what do you believe the reaction will be from the legislature? I know Sen. Heath said that they can/might override? Also, why not pass an identical version of the Federal RFRA?
No one can can give us one good reason why we need the bill. This RFRA has become so toxic, why not just drop it, instead of running off business in Georgia? Can we not focus on how to grow the economy, fix transportation issues, improve education….?
I’d argue that the Transportation Bill of 2015 is moving in the state in the right direction and that OSD will improve the performance of schools across the state. I’d also point out that Governor Deal has focused heavily on improving the economy. As to why we need RFRA, I believe vetoing this bill and passing an identical version of the Federal RFRA next year will please many citizens in the state. Personally, I don’t see the need for HB 757 or a state RFRA.
In business we say perception is reality, time to move away from the issue. The business community cannot sell anything when the people associated with the issue spew so much hate. Sen McKoon and company, never understood the concept we are all Gods Children. I do think Gov Deal has done a good job, considering he has to work with the McKoon squad, which spews with no solutions. While we are moving in the right direction, we still have no real solution when you add the 60 percent extra metro truck traffic once the port is complete. Obviously unless we fix the wasted money on over testing and administrative cost the education system will run out of money. Healthcare cost still rising way faster than GDP, this is another drain we must fix. I could go on and on….With that said, Gov Deal, has done a great job via dealing with the irrational office holders.
Overriding a veto requires 2/3 vote. There were not enough votes in the House to override, and I’m not sure many of the Senators who voted “yes” on the bill want to be on the wrong side of this governor who has a line item veto for two more years. In short, I would expect a veto to stand, with the strong possibility of one of the Governor’s floor leaders coming back with a more inclusive version of this bill next session.
I can’t wait to read the text of his speech if that is the subject. I’m going to make a point of reading it before I get back on social media or here today.
It’s a veto.
Veto it is. Lord, Erick Erickson and his religious hillbillies must be going apes**t right about now. Hope he has his blood pressure meds…His, um, show should be interesting this afternoon.
auh20, while I am not really a fan of Erick Erickson, please enlighten me as to what a “religious hillbilly” is. Someone who believes marriage is a man and a woman (as 76% of Georgians voted in 2004 and which is the position of the world’s two oldest and largest denominations—Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox—not to mention Southern Baptists, United Methodists and other denominations)? Someone who believes abortion on demand is a blight on our society? Someone who believes there are moral standards of right and wrong?
This is a fight that Erick or any of his allies cannot win. The times have changed. But it is reality. You mentioned abortion. Premeditated Murder became legal many moons ago with Roe v Wade. You think a little issue of who consenting adults want to marry is gonna matter? Moral standards of any kind flew out the window decades ago. Erick will be all indignant not because he thinks anything can or will change but because of the ratings he might generate or the money a conservative fundraising group will generate “fighting” it.
So I ask again, who is a “religious hillbilly?” A papist? Southern Baptist? As for the times have changed, yes they have because the Supreme Court has overreached so many times, instead of letting states decide contentious issues. Started with Roe v Wade, authored by one of the worst-ever Republican appointees, Harry Blackmun. Typical reaction from the liberals is that anyone who opposes abortion, same -sex marriage, etc is bigot. Furthermore, it is clear from all the reaction, there is no difference between a “Georgia” Democrat and a “national” Democrat. Both are liberal…
Transcript:
https://gov.georgia.gov/press-releases/2016-03-28/transcript-deal-hb-757-remarks-0
Aug,
You may find this interesting, ““First, it would put an individual’s religious beliefs ahead of the common good”.
…A diverse group of 272 Georgia clergy have signed an open letter opposing so-called “religious liberty” bills before the state legislature, saying the U.S. Constitution already safeguards their religious liberty.
Twenty-nine Baptists, 32 Episcopalians, 31 Jewish rabbis, 42 Methodists and 53 Presbyterians urged lawmakers to reject a “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” being pushed by some elected officials, describing it as “a vague and broad religious exemptions bill that could result in discrimination and have many unintended consequences.”
“As faith leaders from diverse traditions, we believe freedom of religion is one of our most fundamental rights as Americans, but religious freedom does not give any of us the right to harm or exclude others,” said the group identified as Clergy United Against Discrimination.
The faith leaders cited four reasons they oppose the bill:
“First, it would put an individual’s religious beliefs ahead of the common good. Second, it could unleash a wave of costly lawsuits that will add burdens to both the courts and taxpayers alike. Third, our freedom of religion is already guaranteed and protected by the U.S. Constitution and Georgia’s State Constitution. Fourth, a state RFRA could legalize discrimination by allowing businesses to refuse to serve customers based on religious objections.”
“We believe that businesses that are open to the public should be open to everyone on the same terms,” the letter stated. “We strongly oppose giving for-profit corporations religious rights that could allow them to pick and choose which laws to follow and discriminate against employees based on any characteristic — from their religious practices to their sexual orientation. This principle harkens back to the civil rights movement and our nation’s core values of equality and justice.”…
http://www.georgiaunites.org/georgia-clergy-oppose-religious-liberty-bill/
Jon, diverse in what sense? Ideology? Sounds like a pretty liberal group to me, especially when you mention Episcopalians and Presbyterians; both have had substantial membership losses since the 1960s as their clergy (especially outside the South) get more and more liberal (translation: rejection of traditional Christian teachings on abortion and marriage).
Or are they trying to protect against this?
…..A few weeks ago, we noted that Ted Cruz’s presidential campaign had proudly announced the endorsement of Mike Bickle, the head of the controversial International House of Prayer and an extremist pastor who believes, among other things, that Oprah Winfrey is a forerunner to the Antichrist.
Among Bickle’s more radical views is his prophecy that as the End Times approach, all Jews will be given a chance to accept Jesus, warning that if they do not accept “the grace” of Christ, God will then “raise up a hunter” who will kill two-thirds of them “and the most famous hunter in recent history is a man named Adolf Hitler”: ….
– See more at: http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/cruz-campaign-defends-controversial-pastor-who-says-god-sent-hitler-hunt-jews#sthash.7Qxafc4t.dpuf
So where is this church? In Georgia?
Her is link you can see they are all over the country, multiple locations in Georgia and international as well. Sen Josh McKoon the leader of the RFRA group has spoken with this hate group/religious group IHOP to promote the bill. Sen McKoon wants to give them the rights to discriminate in the name of Christianity.
http://www.prayerforallpeople.com/hop.shtml
Sen. Josh McKoon is promoting RFRA with a KKK style religious group (Ihop), that promotes Hitler killed Jews in the name of Christianity. McKoon bill was designed to protect them, so they could legally discriminate in the name of Christianity.
SEE LINK!
http://www.cwfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/GA-ReligiousFreedomRallyPrayer.pdf
We had a poster from the old site who liked to link comments from a group of mostly uber conservative websites run out of Douglas County. One of their partners is an ordained Assembly of God preacher who preached Old Testament. He wants to dissolve the Constitution in favor of a theocracy fashioned as our founders intended (Puritans = founders to him). He did modify his promise of death to all homosexuals to only those caught en flagrante delicto or alternate Tuesdays or something similar to convince them to get back and stay in their closets.
So we’ll just have to wait until bad things happen to know what to do? I was always taught it was better to have the rules set before hand so you’ll already know how you’ll come down on major decisions.
If the only rule was the First Amendment, then that’s OK, but there are other laws, especially at the local level, that complicate things. A good state law (or set of laws) could help clarify the situation for all. Perhaps HB757 was not that law. In trying to get enough people to agree, parts of the law seemed to create more confusion than clarity. Next time around, maybe they can take a more focused, incremental approach. Maybe next time around, it won’t be a circus, but a serious discussion of an important issue.
Politically speaking: I really hate the way some laws get rolled up by subject matter. Too often a lot of good is thrown out with the bad or too much bad is included for one tiny piece of good.
I wish people weren’t so scared of me and my gay friends.
We’re not jerks. We do not exist to undermine the faith of Christians. Nobody in Georgia has forced a Christian baker or florist to participate in a gay wedding. Just about all of us would take our money and business elsewhere. What we hate seeing is all these legislators clamoring for businesses to have the right to discriminate against us. That’s why I’m glad Governor Deal is vetoing the bill.