Latest news with #GoldDome
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Open seat in northern Atlanta suburbs draws crowded field for special Georgia Senate election
Five candidates for Georgia state Senate District 21 participated in a candidate forum. From left, Lance Calvert, Stephanie Donegan, Brice Futch, Steve West and Brian Will. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder. Georgia's state Senate will have a new face when lawmakers return to work next year, and seven people are vying to be the one posing for photos under the Gold Dome when the dust settles. The spot opened in this off-year election after Alpharetta Republican Sen. Brandon Beach stepped down following his appointment to serve as U.S. Treasurer under President Donald Trump. Election Day is scheduled for Aug. 26. Senate District 21 includes much of Cherokee County and some of north Fulton County. With seven candidates on the ballot, it's likely that none will win an outright majority, and the most probable outcome is a runoff between the top two vote getters regardless of their party. The runoff is planned for Sept. 23. Beach has been a stalwart ally to Trump – he was a leader in backing the false idea that the 2020 election was rigged and in pushing back against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' criminal case against Trump – and his former district rewarded him for his devotion. Beach, who had served in the Senate since 2013, won just over 70% of the vote against his Democratic opponents in 2024 and 2018, the only times he faced a challenge from the other party. In 2024, Beach slightly outperformed Trump in the district, earning 81,481 votes, good for just over 70%, compared with Trump's 78,544, or about 66.5%, according to data from the Georgia Secretary of State's office analyzed by the Georgia Recorder. So it's no surprise that six of the seven Senate hopefuls are running as Republicans. Five of them came to Canton Monday for a forum hosted by the conservative Americans for Prosperity and answered questions about their commitment to principles like smaller government and lower taxes. Policy-wise, there was not a whole lot of space between the candidates at the forum. Each said they support legislation expanding school vouchers, reducing or eliminating the state income tax and reducing government regulations – though the candidates did express some disagreement on accomplishing those goals. Lance Calvert is the founder and owner of a Canton-based maintenance and repair business for retail and restaurants who says he wants to help repair the country. 'God's going to fix this country, but he's got some people that he needs to participate with him. Trump got this thing started, whether he knew or not to begin with. But there's a lot of people who've been called forward, and they're going to answer the call, we're gonna do this. We're going to turn this country around.' While some candidates proposed a gradual approach to reducing the state income tax, suggesting a state equivalent to Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, Calvert advocated for a quick and direct approach. 'Eliminate it. We've got the money,' he said. Income taxes account for about half of state funds, according to the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, with sales taxes making up the second largest revenue source at about a quarter. Stephanie Donegan, an entrepreneur and business strategist, said she's seen the effects of rising prices for things like health insurance and will support conservative fiscal policies she says will help people keep more of their income. 'I love Georgia, I love the people of Georgia, and what I've been seeing is that what the people in Georgia have been asking for and need, we have not been getting. I truly believe I am that person who can do it. I can clearly sit up here among a group of amazing men, but men nonetheless, and still have a voice,' she said.' Responding to a question about outreach to Latino voters, Donegan, who is Black, said Republicans have not done enough to reach minority voters. 'If we're not careful, we're going to become a blue state,' she said. 'We are purple. We have a lot of people moving in here from blue states, from Philadelphia, New York, California, and if we don't get people to understand that they have a place in this party and why they should vote for these conservative values, we're going to lose this state, and that's going to be a shame.' Brice Futch, a Cherokee County firefighter, said he'll push for expansive conservative policies, including replacing the state income tax with a consumption tax on goods and services purchased as well as expanding Georgia's school voucher program. 'I believe the next step is ESAs, education savings accounts,' he said. 'With that, the full amount of money that is given to the student over the life of the student would be loaded on a debit card. Parents would take their debit card and go to the education institution of their choice. If they decided they want to homeschool, they could also use that for homeschool curriculum as well. I also think it needs to apply to local funding and not just state funding.' Georgia's current school voucher program is available to students in low performing schools and provides funds based on the state's share of the cost to educate that student, with the local share of the money staying in the local district. Though Monday's discussion centered on economic policies, Futch also pledged to be a strong voice on cultural issues. 'I believe you have to look at broader moral values,' he said. 'If you want somebody that's going to stand up and introduce legislation to outlaw puberty blockers in 2026, I'm your guy.' A ban on the drugs that doctors prescribe to some transgender youths to delay the onset of puberty has been proposed but hasn't passed. Georgia prohibits gender affirming surgeries and hormone treatments for transgender minors. Steve West, the CEO of a metal fabrication company, stepped down from a seat on the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners to run for the seat. 'I want to run for the state Senate so I can go down to represent our district and cut taxes, bring business in, keep Georgia the best place to work, the best place to do business. You can tell I'm one that doesn't speak very well. But I love the county. I love District 21. I've been a life-long resident of this district.' West, who was first elected to the commission in 2014, said he may not be the slickest orator, but he says he has a record of serving the community and proposed ending the state film tax credit. 'I'm not the guy that wants to have his picture put in the paper every day. I want to be the one that goes down and fights for District 21 on the issues that we're talking about tonight,' he said. 'I want to go down and look at doing away with funding Hollywood and putting that money back into the income tax. Take away the income tax, quit funding Hollywood. Let's look at deregulation so we can get projects done.' Brian Will, an entrepreneur and author, resigned from a seat on the Alpharetta City Council to seek a place in the Senate. For a Republican candidate, Will took several unorthodox positions on popular conservative programs, including the school voucher program and eliminating the state income tax. In each case, Will supported the concept but found fault with how state leaders implemented them. He said he supports the voucher project but said not enough people can take advantage of it and fully funding it would be too expensive. He said eliminating the state income tax and instituting a consumption tax would harm low-income Georgians who spend a greater portion of what they earn. 'This is why we need Georgia DOGE. We've got to go find out where the money went, who got it, for what, and how much, and then start cutting what we're spending and come back and lowering the taxes.' Will also had different ideas on the bill sometimes billed as Georgia DOGE, the Red Tape Rollback Act supported by Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, which passed the Senate this year but stalled in the House. He argued the proposal would create more red tape. 'Simply put, we have 150,000 rules and regulations in the state of Georgia. We have 100 different agencies. Each agency is going to be required to go through every single one of those rules to determine if that rule costs more than $3 billion to implement over a five-year period. Now I've done math on this. I've done some research on it. It'll take us about four years to get through every single rule to figure out if it's a good rule that doesn't cost money. The problem now is that the clock starts again. We have to do this every four years.' One Republican candidate qualified with the Georgia Secretary of State's office to appear on the ballot but did not participate in Monday's forum. Jason Dickerson did not respond to a request for comment, but according to his qualifying documents, Dickerson is a Cherokee County investment manager. On his campaign website, he describes himself as 'A conservative Republican businessman – not a typical politician.' Attorney Debra Shigley is the sole Democrat in the race, who announced her candidacy last month. Members of her party are likely hoping that a crowded Republican field will split the conservative vote and put her into a runoff at a time when turnout could be low and Democrats are riled up to vote. In a phone call, Shigley said voters in the district are not happy with what they are seeing from the government and she's hoping to convince them she can help be a part of the solution. 'I know what it's like to be a hardworking Georgian raising a family and wanting to make sure that they have every opportunity in front of them. I have been raising my kids here in the district and I never thought I would get into this arena, but as a mom, as a lawyer, as a small business owner, I just felt I could not stay on the sidelines because what we're seeing here in our own community as well as in the state and even in our country is not going in the right direction, and something's got to change.' Reporter Maya Homan contributed to this report SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
State Sen. John F. Kennedy enters GOP race for lieutenant governor
The Brief State Senator John F. Kennedy has joined the GOP race for lieutenant governor. The state senator has served at the Gold Dome for 11 years. Currently, he is president pro tem; a role he has held for 3 years. Kennedy describes himself as a "solid, common-sense Republican." ATLANTA - Another candidate has entered the race to be the next lieutenant governor of Georgia. State Senator John F. Kennedy has been a key figure in Gov. Brian Kemp's lengthy but successful attempt to pass tort reform. What they're saying As lieutenant governor, Kennedy says he expects him to be a problem-solver. "I will work hard to craft the right solutions for problems like chronic absenteeism and making sure good legislation gets passed," said Kennedy. "I've got a good reputation of working across the aisle with Democrats." When asked if he is an old-school Republican or a MAGA Republican, he says the labels mean different things to different people. "I consider myself a solid Republican," explained Kennedy. "I certainly identify and appreciate so much of what President Trump is doing." Big picture view He joins a race which includes State Senator Steve Gooch of Dahlonega on the GOP side and State Senator Josh McLaurin of Sandy Springs on the Democratic side. Lt. Governor Burt Jones is widely speculated to seek the governor's seat. The Source FOX 5's Kevyn Stewart spoke with state Senator John F. Kennedy for this article.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Medical cannabis access, ‘fair' tax policies and more on deck as study committee season cranks up
Lawmakers created a long list of study committees during the 2025 legislative session, laying the groundwork for a busy offseason. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder School may be out for the summer, but at the state Capitol in Atlanta, lawmakers are gearing up for their own version of summer school. Study committees, which meet outside the regular 40-day legislative session, have already begun gathering information and soliciting expert testimony on topics ranging from chronic student absenteeism to improving tourism. All told, 16 different House study committees and 20 Senate panels will convene under the Gold Dome, which is the most each chamber has seen in the past decade. Here is a look at a few notable ones. Artificial intelligence, or AI, has been a hot-button issue both in Georgia and around the country. During the 2025 session, legislators in both chambers introduced bills aimed at increasing regulations on the use of AI technology, but none managed to pass through both chambers by the Sine Die deadline. However, two new study committees will allow legislators in the Senate to continue compiling research and drafting a report that may guide their efforts when lawmakers reconvene for the 2026 session next January. Senate Resolution 391, introduced by Roswell Republican Sen. John Albers, creates a new committee dedicated to examining the use of AI across industries like education, health care and financial services. The committee will also explore the use of digital and cryptocurrency, and how to better prevent security threats. A second AI-related committee, created by SR 431, will study the impact of social media on children across Georgia, examining privacy implications and the impact of chatbots and other AI features on minors. The resolution was introduced by Atlanta Democrat Sen. Sally Harrell, who will serve as co-chair alongside Johns Creek Republican Sen. Shawn Still. Lawmakers are getting a jump start on election policy this year, perhaps hoping to avoid a repeat of the months-long battle between Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and the five-member State Election Board that characterized the lead-up to Georgia's 2024 election. House Resolution 885 established a special panel that will examine Georgia's existing election code and how responsibilities are shared between election officials at the local and state levels. It will be chaired by Rep. Tim Fleming, a Covington Republican. Another study committee, created by SR 429, will research ways to remove barriers for those who are seeking to restore their voting rights after a felony conviction. Georgia 'has one of the longest parole and probationary periods in the nation and the highest number of individuals under supervision per capita of any state,' according to the resolution. The fight to overhaul Georgia's civil litigation landscape may be settled for now, but discussions over Georgia's insurance rates are set to continue. A newly created panel will investigate the driving forces behind insurance rate hikes throughout the state by analyzing insurance industry practices, profit margins and compliance with state regulations. It will be chaired by Duluth Republican Rep. Matt Reeves. House lawmakers will also delve into how the state's reinsurance landscape intersects with climate change in a study committee created by HR 40. Citing the estimated $6.46 billion in damage that Hurricane Helene caused in Georgia, lawmakers are hoping to combat insurance-related challenges that businesses may face during future storms and severe weather events. Co-chaired by Republican Reps. Darlene Taylor of Thomasville and Noel Williams of Cordele, the committee aims to collaborate with the Georgia Office of Insurance and Department of Agriculture to mitigate rising property and casualty insurance costs for small businesses across the state. Cannabis consumption, both medical and recreational, was another prominent issue that surfaced during the 2025 legislative session. While House Bill 227 and Senate Bill 220 both sought to widen access to medical cannabis, neither bill managed to make it over the finish line before lawmakers adjourned for the year. Instead, two separate study committees will tackle the issue over the summer. A House study committee led by Augusta Republican Rep. Mark Newton, who works as a doctor, will dive into Georgia's medical marijuana policies. In the Senate, lawmakers on the Study Committee on Intoxicating Cannabinoids in Consumable Hemp Products will tackle the issue of regulating recreational products like THC-infused drinks, which are chemically similar to medical cannabis but more broadly available to consumers because they fall under the federal 2018 Farm Bill and the Georgia Hemp Farming Act. Georgia lawmakers at both the state and federal level are pushing for legislation that would overhaul the current tax code, replacing the current system with a fixed consumption tax that proponents refer to as 'FairTax.' The congressional version of the bill, which was first proposed in 1999, was sponsored this year by U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, who recently announced a bid for the U.S. Senate. At the Georgia Capitol, the Senate State FairTax Study Committee will examine similar legislation that would apply a fixed sales tax rate within the Peach State. The committee will be chaired by Rome Republican Sen. Chuck Hufstetler, who also heads the Senate Finance Committee. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Trump's Golden Dome will spark dangerous retaliation from Russia
Donald Trump unveiled concepts for his £400 billion Golden Dome missile defence program at the White House, which he hopes will be "fully operational" before the end of his term in 2029 Donald Trump's bizarre Golden Dome missile shield "threatens a dangerous new arms race" amid fears Russia and China will retaliate with "more advanced systems", an expert has warned. The US president unveiled the concepts he wants for his future £400 billion Golden Dome missile defence program at the White House on Tuesday, which he hopes will be "fully operational before the end of my term", in 2029. For the first time, the system will put US weapons in space that include the ability to intercept missiles. The Golden Dome will detect and stop missiles at all four major stages of a potential attack, which include pre-launch, the earliest stage of flight, stopping them midcourse in the air, and halting them in their final minutes. The Congressional Budget Office estimated this month that just the space-based components of the Golden Dome could cost as much as £400 billion over the next 20 years. Trump has requested an initial £15 billion for the program in his proposed tax break bill now moving through Congress. Inderjeet Parmar, professor of International Politics at the City, University of London, believes the Golden Dome "threatens to ignite a dangerous new arms race." He told The Mirror: "The US is attempting to counter the rising influence of state-capitalist powers, particularly China's advancements in hypersonic and space-based technologies. "The Golden Dome threatens to ignite a dangerous new arms race as global tensions rise under the aggressive strategies – threats of invasion of other states, trade wars, and general weaponisation of US power – pursued by Trump's second administration." "While there are some concerns about China's and Russia's growing missile systems, The Golden Dome's branding and rhetoric—evoking Israel 's Iron Dome and promising to be a 'game changer' for national security—is more likely a political weapon to legitimise militarisation. "US policies are frequently if not always framed as defensive, using narrative of protecting the 'homeland' from 'catastrophic attacks', which are normally ways of rallying public support to pay the tax dollars. "The Golden Dome – by referencing Israel's initiative - adopts a similar rhetoric of victimhood to justify militarism, ignoring the U.S.'s role in provoking global tensions through its own actions." The expert also believes China and Russia "may develop more advanced offensive systems" in response to Trump's Golden Dome. He added: "The Golden Dome, by threatening the deterrence capabilities of Russia and China, risks escalating an arms race, as these nations may develop more advanced offensive systems in response. U.S. militarism often provokes counter-reactions, destabilising the international order while claiming to enhance security. In practice, Gold Dome threatens to undermine the deterrent effects of 'mutually assured destruction' which is the foundation of nuclear stability."
Epoch Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Design Selected for ‘Golden Dome' Missile Defense Plan, Trump Announces
The Department of Defense has selected a design for President Donald Trump's 'Gold Dome' missile defense initiative, Trump announced on May 20. 'I'm pleased to announce that we have officially selected an architecture for this state-of-the-art system that will deploy next-generation technologies across the land, sea, and space, including space-based sensors and interceptors,' Trump told reporters at the White House.
