Georgia Rural Democratic Council

The Rural Caucus of the Democratic Party of Georgia

[Madeline🍀♿️ @MadelineRyan4GA]

Big things are happening in Georgia!

This year, we have the largest number of Democrats challenging GOP incumbents in our State House.

Over 60 contested races. We need to win 11 to flip the house.

Support the work here: https://t.co/xUvlre4y0F

[Dr. Michelle Au @AuforGA]

I’m actually surprised this hasn’t gotten more pick up, but we need to discuss this.

A lawsuit filed by foreign-born nurses accused Avant Healthcare Professional—a company in multimillionaire Rick Jackson’s medical staffing empire—of luring them to the United States with the promise of employment and The American Dream, only to pay them substandard wages and trap them in rigid contracts for years.

Avant ultimately paid out a $3 million setttlement, days after Rick Jackson won the runoff and became the Republican nominee for governor.

The lawsuit accuses Avant of predatory employment practices, and when these foreign-born healthcare workers tried to quit the staffing company allegedly threatened to contact ICE and sought to charge the nurses five-figure fees for leaving.

These types of coercive employment agreements preying on the immigrant workforce are not unheard of in the medical staffing industry. Some labor attorneys have characterized contracts like the ones allegedly used by Avant as “stay-or-pay” agreements that take advantage of the most susceptible workers.

The immigrants who work for these healthcare staffing companies on such contracts are almost exclusively from developing countries, and the salaries generally offered to foreign nurses may look attractive on paper for those with little experience with the cost of living in the US or familiarity with typical nursing salaries. This creates an environment with workers ripe for exploitation.

Further, filling nurse openings with foreign labor recruited by healthcare staffing companies is attractive for hospitals precisely BECAUSE those workers are typically paid less. What that means, however, is that American-born and educated nurses are increasingly competing against cheaper labor and losing.

The bottom line? Rick Jackson, the CEO whose healthcare staffing empire has made billions
farming out healthcare providers, runs companies profiting off the work of an underpaid, vulnerable immigrant medical workforce.

And now he dares to run for governor as an immigration hardliner.

Many of us who actually directly care for patients are repelled by the idea of a health staffing CEO like Rick Jackson being elected as our next governor.

This story is one of many, many reasons why.

https://t.co/6PnNdOX0J0

[Georgia Democrats @GeorgiaDemocrat]

After weeks of hosting forums in every corner of the state with 7 candidates for DPG Chair, the Democratic Party of Georgia’s State Committee voted to elect Harris County native Charlie Bailey as the next chair of the Democratic Party of Georgia!!

Congratulations Chair Bailey 💙

[Georgia Rural Democratic Council @GaRuralDems]

Unacceptable.

[FairCount.bsky.social @faircount]

The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned a lower court ruling that "would have required the Public Service Commissioners to be elected by district to avoid diluting the Black vote." For now, Georgia’s system of statewide voting will resume.

More: https://t.co/Vygsca7Ypo

[Jason Esteves @jasonesteves]

With $16b in the bank that was deposited on the backs of under-funded state agencies and public schools, $1k is the least the Governor could do.

Appropriately funding those services would be the Christmas miracle that helps retain employees and support hardworking Georgians.

[Sam Park @SamforGeorgia]

Last week, Republicans in Georgia passed unlawful legislative maps that continue to violate the Voting Rights Act.

Judge Jones wrote, “The State cannot remedy the Section 2 violations described herein by eliminating minority opportunity districts elsewhere in the plan.” #gapol

[Georgia Rural Democratic Council @GaRuralDems]

While many of our #RuralDems will not see any changes under the proposed new maps, other will be negatively impacted through the redestricting that has been put up for consideration. #gapol #redistricting #gerrymandering

[stephen fowler @stphnfwlr]

NEW: Here's all of Georgia's proposed special session redistricting maps in one place, with explainers about what would change if they were signed into law, links to interactive maps and more. #gapol

https://t.co/vKmUrAMND3

[Rep Shea Roberts @sheaforgeorgia]

This Special Session has been yet another waste of taxpayers' money. More maps that still violate the Voting Rights Act. #gapol #VotingRights #fairmaps

[Ms Madwoman @amsmadwoman]

I am still feeling some type of way about the folks blocking the farm loans in court. Also what happened with the soybean farmers under Trump
Biden Admin is trying. Ever time Biden tries a lawsuit pops up.

[Dr. Michelle Au @AuforGA]

This seems like a good time to remind everyone about my resolution #HR18, proposing a ballot referendum question to determine whether Georgians would prefer an independent redistricting commission draw our electoral maps.

Read #HR18 here: https://t.co/BWS50wRpEm

[Georgia Rural Democratic Council @GaRuralDems]

Jason Carter was definitely a highlight of yesterday's service. Equal parts humor and reverence, his speech truly stood out.

[Scott Holcomb @RepScottHolcomb]

Jason Carter did an outstanding job honoring his grandmother, Rosalynn Carter. He provided a moving tribute to her life and her many achievements.

https://t.co/Z7rCrOGhtX

[The Carter Center @CarterCenter]

Read Rosalynn, a beautiful poem written by President Carter in 1995.

[Georgia Rural Democratic Council @GaRuralDems]

To make your #GivingTuesday donation, simply click the link above. No contribution is too small, and every dollar brings us one step closer to creating positive change in Georgia.

Thank you for your continued support! Together, we can build a Georgia that works for everyone!

[Georgia Rural Democratic Council @GaRuralDems]

Happy #GivingTuesday! Today is the day when people around the world come together to give back to the causes they believe in, and we hope that you'll join us in supporting our work at the Georgia Democratic Rural Council.

https://t.co/DO9B7qcobj

[The Carter Center @CarterCenter]

The Carter family and staff from both The Carter Center and the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum pay their respects to former First Lady Rosalynn Carter at the first formal ceremony commemorating her life of service to our nation and the world.

[The Carter Center @CarterCenter]

The Carter Center staff is deeply saddened by the death of our visionary co-founder, former U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter: https://t.co/k4hTKVbG01

[Atlanta Journal-Constitution @ajc]

Georgia Congresswoman Nikema Williams has introduced a bipartisan bill that would establish a federal grant program for entrepreneurship initiatives at HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs). https://t.co/HRPvmhw8cm

[Ben Crump @AttorneyCrump]

Black women are 3-4x more likely to die of pregnancy related causes than white women! A multitude of factors contribute to this stark reality — from inequalities in health care to implicit bias, Black mothers are dying! We MUST address this and protect our Black families!

[Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1]

The Georgia Supreme Court has refused to approve rules for a new commission to discipline and remove state prosecutors — meaning the commission can't operate.

Republicans wanted the commission to baselessly discipline or remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.

[Ms Madwoman @amsmadwoman]

Just got off a call with @GaRuralDems if you think my language is salty....
it was a take no shit conversation. Stop thinking rural America belongs to Republicans. There are many fed up Dems living in rural America.