The Affordability Fight Comes Into Focus

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A Manufactured Budget Crisis, A Real Health Care Crisis

Last week, Georgia Democrats introduced Senate Bill 440 to expand Medicaid across the state of Georgia. According to the Georgia Recorder, we are one of only ten states in the country not to expand Medicaid. Unfortunately, Senate Republicans voted against providing health insurance for up to 700,000 low-income people. They cited budget constraints, however the federal government would pay 90% of the costs for Medicaid expansion, with the state only paying 10%. 

Given we have a $14 billion budget surplus, the cost to the state of Georgia would be negligible. The only budget problem is the manufactured one that legislative Republicans have proposed. Their income tax legislation would wipe out half the tax revenue of the state, all so the wealthy get to be even more wealthy at the expense of Georgia families who just need health insurance. 

This issue is far beyond a political forum, this comes down to morality and compassion. It is unfair to place a financial burden on families who need help but cannot pay for it. It’s a shame that the Georgia Republicans continue to eliminate legislation that would protect and uplift all citizens. 

If Georgia Republicans won’t act on behalf of the people, Georgia Democrats will. Georgia Democrats are continuing to fight for us, we must fight for them in November’s election season to flip the legislature and pass Medicaid expansion.

Trump’s Tariff Power Grab Comes Due 

Last Friday, in a 6–3 decision, the Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s illegal tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The IEEPA is a 1977 law that grants the executive branch authority to regulate certain economic transactions during a declared national emergency tied to an unusual and extraordinary foreign threat. The Court ruled that the administration’s use of that statute to impose broad tariffs exceeded the law’s intended scope, reaffirming that emergency powers cannot be stretched to bypass Congress’s constitutional authority over trade. 

In a majority opinion written by Chief Justice Roberts, he writes, "The Government points to no statute in which Congress used the word 'regulate' to authorize taxation." And until now, no President has read IEEPA to confer such power.” In other words, to maintain separation of powers as inscribed in the Constitution, that power remains with Congress’ “Powers of the Purse.” 

In a dissenting opinion, Justice Kavanaugh laments that the courts have not addressed the refund issue, writing, "The Court says nothing today about whether, and if so how, the Government should go about returning the billions of dollars that it has collected from importers." This fact, however, does not change the legality of Trump using the IEEPA to extend his powers, nor does the challenge of the refund change the fact that it must be done. It will be an arduous process and a costly one, but the blame lies solely on Trump. 

After the decision was announced, companies and states alike are lining up for their refunds. The focus of the refunds seems to be on companies, but there has been little talk about refunds to consumers. Consumers are paying the cost of rising prices from companies, and for the health of our economy as a whole, we should be focusing on restoring the buying power of our consumers. 

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker led the charge by sending the White House an invoice for over $8 billion in refunds for his citizens, or around $1700 per family. In his letter to President Trump, he wrote plainly, "Your tariff taxes wreaked havoc on farmers, enraged our allies, and sent grocery prices through the roof. This morning, your hand-picked Supreme Court Justices notified you that they are also unconstitutional.” We applaud Governor Pritzker’s actions and implore Governor Kemp to do the same and stand up for Georgian families against Trump’s disastrous tariff policy.

Two Gubernatorial Forums: Affordability on the Ballot

Two gubernatorial forums last week gave Georgia voters their clearest look yet at the emerging lines in the 2026 governor’s race.

At a bipartisan roundtable in southeast Atlanta, six Democrats and two Republicans discussed small business policy, affordability, and property taxes in a less combative, “dinner-table” format. Absent from the forum, however, were former Atlanta Mayor and Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms, as well as Republicans Burt Jones, Rick Jackson, and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. The tone was notably civil, but beneath that were genuine philosophical divides. Republican participants emphasized tax cuts for the wealthy and deregulation as the primary path to affordability, defending the legislature’s push to further reduce income taxes and reshape property tax policy. Democratic candidates, by contrast, pointed out that those tax plans disproportionately benefit higher earners while risking long-term strain on public services like education and healthcare.

Two days earlier, all Democratic candidates gathered in DeKalb County for a party-hosted forum that offered sharper contrasts within the Democratic field itself. Medicaid expansion drew unanimous support, but candidates differed in tone and approach. State Senator Jason Esteves and others leaned heavily into confronting the Trump administration directly, framing the governor’s race as a frontline defense against federal overreach, including ICE expansion in Georgia. While Olu Brown focused more squarely on state-level governance, such as reforming the Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula, addressing the school-to-prison pipeline, and investing in rural healthcare infrastructure.

Former Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan, who switched from the Republican Party last year, faced pointed questions from Jason Esteves about his past conservative positions, forcing him to argue that his break with the GOP reflects a broader rejection of extremism. Meanwhile, candidates like Derrick Jackson emphasized economic mobility and public education as central to long-term growth.

Notably, State Representative Ruwa Romman, who participated in the Democratic forum, has since suspended her campaign which could consolidate support among progressive voters.

With the primary fast approaching, the forums revealed two clear realities: Republicans are betting heavily on tax-cuts and the status quo to get votes, while Democrats are uniting around healthcare expansion and education funding to improve affordability.

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