Team Abrams is clear that Georgians deserved better and more consistent action from the chief executive.
Written By NewsOne Staff
(Source NewsOne):
Even before the mass murders in Uvalde, Texas and Buffalo, Stacey Abrams has been tying Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp to bad policy on guns and safety. Calling the permitless carry law Kemp signed “criminal carry,” Team Abrams wants to send the message that the current governor is unfit to keep citizens safe.
According to Abrams, a re-view of court records showed that 11,396 people had their conceal and carry permits denied or revoked in three years. Arguably, without a permit requirement, officials will not be able to track those individuals deemed too “dangerous” to be granted a permit or those requiring the permit be revoked.
A month before the spring primary election, Kemp signed a permitless carry bill into law, providing individuals otherwise eligible to own a weapon to carry it concealed without a permit. People who want to carry a concealed weapon in another state would still need to go through the permitting process.
Five months until the November general election, Abrams is positioning herself as the rational, forward-thinking leader Georgia needs. Since the last gubernatorial election, public perception of gun control and responsible gun ownership has shifted some.
Previously polling by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution found that most Georgians across parties did not support the change in state law. Besides guns, Abrams continues to highlight Kemp’s failure to protect people’s health and well-being by expanding Medicaid.
The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer recently reported that Abrams proposed a statewide insulin safety net. The proposal will lower the cost of life-saving diabetes treatment. Instead of expanding Medicaid and reducing costs, Kemp opted for a costly Medicaid waiver program that will cover far fewer Georgians than outright expansion. Georgia is among the few remaining states that refuse to expand Medicaid.
Abrams also knows firsthand the burden of balancing. In 2018, she spoke openly about helping to pay her parent’s bills after they took in her niece. Her debt was not only an attack but fodder for local media.
The group Fair Fight Action, founded by Abrams after the 2018 election, donated $1.34 million in 2021 to clear the medical debt for thousands of residents in five southern states. The initiative is a part of the RIP Medical Debt.
For Abrams, even in areas where Kemp isn’t terrible, he is still only tinkering around the edges. Team Abrams is clear that Georgians deserved better and more consistent action from the chief executive.
