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Bookman: As Georgia hands out big tax breaks, state leaders flunk Medicaid expansion math – Georgia Recorder

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Bookman: As Georgia hands out big tax breaks, state leaders flunk Medicaid expansion math – Georgia Recorder


There is no cogent economic, political, practical or moral justification for the state of Georgia to continue to reject expansion of Medicaid.

There are no more lame excuses, no more what-ifs or just-supposes. There is only cruel obstinance.

Forty states have implemented the program, bringing health-care to hundreds of thousands of their citizens and billions of federal dollars to their communities; only 10, including Georgia, continue to balk.

We’ve been told for a decade or more that Georgia couldn’t afford it, yet much poorer states such as Arkansas and West Virginia have managed to swing the expense, and our state’s coffers are now brimming with a $6 billion surplus. We can afford it.

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Last year alone, we could afford to give tax subsidies to the film industry worth $1.3 billion, which according to a state audit generates less than 20 cents on the dollar in additional state revenue. We could afford to give Rivian $1.5 billion in state and local tax subsidies for its electric-vehicle plant. But we supposedly cannot afford $350 million to cover the state’s share of Medicaid expansion, even though it will bring back literally ten times that much in federal money and provide health insurance for almost half a million Georgians who today have no coverage.

That’s $3.6 billion in federal money left on the table by Georgia each and every year, money that among other things would help save struggling rural hospitals that are the economic and medical lifelines of their communities. Think of the lives that could have been saved and improved, the pain and illness eased over that time, but were not.

Over the years, we’ve also been warned that Obamacare would turn out to be a disaster, that it would be repealed and leave the state holding the bag. Well, that didn’t happen and isn’t going to happen. Some 40 million Americans now use Obamacare to provide health insurance, and for the most part they’re happy with it. In a poll last year for the Kaiser Family Foundation, 59% of American adults reported having a favorable opinion of Obamacare. These days, getting 59% of Americans to agree in support of anything is a minor miracle. And when Donald Trump recently issued a call for repeal of Obamacare should he win election, the response from his usually cult-like fellow Republicans was silence. They wanted no part of that argument.

In other words, like Medicare and Social Security, Obamacare is here to stay.

We also know that none of the 40 states that have expanded Medicaid has become the boiling cesspool of socialism predicted by Obamacare’s opponents. There are no “death panels,” no “death spiral” of costs, and most participating states have cut their uninsured population by at least half.

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And what about Georgia and the other nine states that still refuse to participate?

Eight of those 10 states, including Georgia, have life expectancies below the national average.

Nine of the 10 have maternal mortality rates well above the national average, which is tragic because experts say 80% of such deaths are preventable. (Georgia has the nation’s seventh highest rate of maternal death.)

Nine of the 10 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid, including Georgia, have higher-than-average rates of premature death, meaning people who die before reaching age 75.

Most states that have rejected expansion, including Georgia, have higher-than-average rates of infant mortality. (According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia was one of just five states in which infant mortality rose significantly from 2021 to 2022.)

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Of the 10 states with the highest rates of uninsured, eight have rejected Medicaid expansion. (Georgia has the nation’s third-highest rate of uninsured.)

Confronted with such overwhelming evidence, Georgia Republicans offer no real explanation or justification for their stubborn refusal to help their own constituents.

They offer none because none exists. As in most other states that have refused expansion, they are captives to an archaic mindset that still sees working people not as human beings with human needs but as units of production that must be kept lean and uncertain to guarantee maximum economic efficiency.



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Georgia

Wet roads, hydroplaning potential to affect Wednesday morning commute in north Georgia

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Wet roads, hydroplaning potential to affect Wednesday morning commute in north Georgia


ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – Your drive into work and school will be met with wet roads and the potential for dangerous pooling conditions in low-lying areas Wednesday.

The First Alert Breaking News Tracker is canvassing north Georgia. As of 4:45 a.m., our crews were already experiencing hydroplaning conditions on I-75 South in Morrow.

Atlanta News First meteorologists suggest you give yourself some extra time to get to your destination.

According to AAA, wet pavement contributes to nearly 1.2 million traffic crashes each year. The automobile club says when it’s raining, drivers should give themselves extra time and slow down. Don’t speed.

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More deaths occur each year due to flooding than any other thunderstorm-related hazard. The Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says over half of all flood-related drownings occur when a vehicle is driven into hazardous flood water. The next highest is due to walking into or near flood waters.

The CDC says people underestimate the force and power of water and many of the deaths occur in cars swept downstream.

The Georgia Department of Transportation says to use caution when traveling in the rain, especially in a construction zone. GDOT’s website notes that lane shifts or lane closures may still be in place even when it’s raining.

If you see orange cones, you should slow down and give the men and women repairing the roads space to work safely.

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Georgia Football Position Group that Needs a Breakout Season in 2025

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Georgia Football Position Group that Needs a Breakout Season in 2025


A position group on Georgia football’s roster that needs a breakout season in 2025.

As the Georgia Bulldogs head into the 2025 season, there’s one critical area on the team that demands significant improvement: the offensive line. The Bulldogs have set a standard of excellence in recent years, winning two consecutive national championships.

However, the offensive line in 2024 was not quite at the level required to sustain Georgia’s offensive dominance, particularly in areas such as run blocking, red-zone rushing, and pass protection. If Georgia is to truly reach its potential in the coming season, the offensive line must have a “monster year.” 

Limited Explosive Runs 

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One of the biggest concerns for Georgia’s offensive line in 2024 was the lack of explosive running plays. The Bulldogs managed just two 40-yard runs all season. In an offense that thrives on a strong ground game and ball control, the absence of these long runs is a glaring issue.

The running backs, including standout talent, were often forced to grind out tough yards, which limited the explosive plays that could energize the offense. A dominant offensive line capable of opening up bigger lanes will be vital for Georgia to regain its offensive explosiveness. 

Inefficiency in the Red Zone 

Georgia’s run game also struggled in one of the most critical areas for any offense—the red zone. As teams tighten up offensively near the end zone, a powerful running game is needed to convert those short-yardage situations into touchdowns. However, last season, Georgia’s ground attack wasn’t much of a threat when it came to finishing drives in the red zone.

In a high-pressure environment like the red zone, the offensive line must establish dominance to create the necessary push for touchdowns. The lack of consistent success in this area hindered Georgia’s offensive efficiency, and it’s a problem that must be addressed in 2025. 

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Pass Protection Struggles 

Another significant weakness for Georgia’s offensive line last season was pass protection. The Bulldogs gave up 25 sacks in 2024, which is not an ideal number for an offense with aspirations of competing for championships.

While some sacks may be attributed to quarterback play or wide receiver routes, it’s clear that the offensive line needs to provide better protection. Giving up 25 sacks places unnecessary pressure on the quarterback and disrupts the rhythm of the passing game. If Georgia hopes to take its offense to the next level, the offensive line will need to ensure that the pocket remains clean, giving the quarterbacks time to make plays downfield. 

For Georgia to maintain its status as one of the top football programs in the country, the offensive line must take a massive step forward in 2025. Fixing the inefficiencies in the running game, particularly with red-zone effectiveness and big-play potential, will be a major key to success.

Next, improving pass protection and minimizing the number of sacks given up will be a huge factor in keeping the offense in rhythm and the quarterback safe. In short, the Bulldogs’ offensive line needs to have an unreal season that can elevate Georgia’s offense to elite levels once again and push them toward a national championship. The time is now for the offensive line to live up to its potential and be the driving force behind Georgia’s success in 2025.

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FREYR kills plans to build a $2.6 billion battery factory in Georgia

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FREYR kills plans to build a .6 billion battery factory in Georgia


FREYR Battery (NYSE: FREY) has scrapped plans to build a $2.6 billion battery energy storage system factory in Coweta County, Georgia – here’s why. 

FREYR told officials in the Atlanta suburb of Newnan on Thursday that it wouldn’t build the “Giga America” battery factory in Georgia that was expected to employ more than 700 people. The company, incentivized by the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act tax credits and robust renewables growth, moved its headquarters from Norway to Georgia and announced the battery factory in 2023.

The Newnan Times-Herald, which broke the story, said FREYR cited climbing interest rates, falling battery prices, and change in leadership at the company – or, as stated in a letter to the county authority, a “realignment of near-term strategic goals.”

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FREYR announced today that it’s entered into a definitive agreement to sell the Georgia battery factory’s 368-acre site to an undisclosed party for gross sales proceeds of $50 million. The transaction is expected to close on February 15. Estimated net proceeds to FREYR are expected to total $22.5 million following repayment of previously received state and local grants.

In August, then-CEO Tom Einar Jensen told investors that a surplus of cheap Chinese batteries had made it harder to raise money to manufacture batteries, so the company switched its focus to solar panel manufacturing.

On December 24, FREYR announced that it had closed its acquisition of Trina Solar’s 5-gigawatt (GW), 1.35 million-square-foot solar panel factory in Wilmer, Texas. The purchase solidified FREYR’s transformation from a European battery company into a US solar company.

The company also announced today that it’s moving its global corporate headquarters to Austin.

Read more: Chinese solar giant Trina sells its Texas factory a week after it opens


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