Political Rewind

Thursday on Political Rewind: Polling shows Americans want lawmakers to take action to curb a shocking rate of gun violence in our country. But efforts to address the crisis have been ineffective.

Decades ago, scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began promoting a public health approach, making the case that violence is something we can understand and prevent if we base our response on science and focus our efforts on prevention.

The social and economic factors at play are crucial to consider, too, Atlanta Journal-Constitution managing editor Leroy Chapman said. 

"There are a lot of African Americans here who can talk about this issue in a way that is personal, that ... this is not something we're going to arrest our way out of," Chapman said. "This is a problem that has to do with many things: health care, generational poverty, all the things that are the underlying causes of this."

So what if lawmakers started to address gun violence as a public health crisis? In a recent opinion column, three public health leaders advocated for just that approach, urging that data-driven, epidemiological measures be employed against the plague of gun violence.

We spoke with a few influential public health leaders pushing for a change in strategy.

Panelists:

Dr. David Satcher — Former U.S. Surgeon General and former director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Dr. Mark Rosenberg — Former director, Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the CDC

Kathryn Lawler — Executive director, ARCHI

Leroy Chapman — Managing editor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Wednesday on Political Rewind: As cases of COVID-19 surge dramatically across Georgia, candidates on both sides of the aisle are making public health policy and spread of the virus a key issue ahead of the 2022 election. Republicans blame President Joe Biden for the recent spike in cases, while Democrats say it is GOP resistance to mask mandates and vaccinations that are at issue.

Meanwhile, Gov. Brian Kemp urged state business leaders to back his efforts to address crime in Atlanta and other major cities. In a speech at the Georgia Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Kemp highlighted his intentions to introduce measures to tackle crime rates. It is an issue that might receive attention at the special redistricting legislative session this fall.

Plus, Georgia U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is one strike away from being banned from Twitter for life, according to the website.

Panelists:

Greg Bluestein — Political reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Rene Alegria — President and CEO, Mundo Hispanico Digital

Audrey Haynes — Professor of political science, University of Georgia

Kurt Young — Professor of political science and department chair, Clark Atlanta University

Tuesday on Political Rewind: New polling shows Herschel Walker is the best liked of the potential field among both Republicans and Democrats. The recent survey suggests the former college football star would be the strongest Republican against incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock. But how does that dynamic change if Walker declares his candidacy?

The special redistricting session of the Georgia legislature could include measures from Gov. Brian Kemp to fight crime in metro Atlanta, which is sure to be a top issue in his re-election campaign. But Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and Speaker of the House David Ralston told GPB News they fear that redrawing the state’s political maps may leave little time for any other business this fall.

Plus, the Biden administration is facing heat for what some immigration advocates see as his failures to address significant problems at the border.

Panelists:

Tamar Hallerman — Senior reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Mariela Romero — Community empowerment director, Univision

Julianne Thompson — Republican strategist

Rep. Teri Anulewicz — State representative (D-Smyrna)

Monday on Political Rewind: Officials continue to resist the establishment of statewide procedures for mitigating the possible spread of COVID-19 in schools. Cases are rising as students head back to classrooms for their first weeks of classes.

In Atlanta, public schools will begin offering vaccines to middle and high school students age 12 and older next week.

Elsewhere, a weekend gathering of Republicans at a major event in Floyd County highlighted the dominant grasp Donald Trump continues to have on the state GOP. Candidates for office echoed the false sentiment that Georgia presidential election was fraudulent, and vowed to oppose local mask mandates.

Panelists:

Dr. Karen Owen — Professor of political science, University of West Georgia

Dr. Amy Steigerwalt — Professor of political science, Georgia State University

Tia Mitchell — Washington reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Friday on Political Rewind: The distressing surge of COVID-19 cases hogged many of the news headlines this week.

Many Georgia schools are back in session, and with the reopening of classrooms, debates rage over whether to require masks for students and staff. Gov. Brian Kemp faces pressure from state legislative leaders to ban mask mandates in school systems across the Peach State. Meanwhile, businesses contemplate what to do about vaccines for employees.

In other news, local Georgia officials are strategizing how they will win funds from the $1 trillion infrastructure bill if it passes the U.S. Senate. 

Meanwhile, Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene is headed to Iowa where she will hold an event that some analysts expect could be measured as a litmus test for her potential candidacy for president.

Panelists:

Greg Bluestein — Political reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Rep. Stacey Evans — State representative (D-Atlanta)

Eric Tanenblatt — Republican insider

Fred Smith — Professor of constitutional law, Emory University

Thursday on Political Rewind: Even as Georgia struggles with a new surge of coronavirus cases, Republican legislative leaders are urging Gov. Brian Kemp to issue an order forbidding schools from imposing mask mandates for students and staff.

Kemp previously said he will leave it to individual school systems to decide on policy. Our panel looked at how politics is clashing with public health as COVID-19 roars back to life in the state.

President Joe Biden answered critics within his own party who accused him of failing to take action as a nationwide moratorium on evictions expired late last week. At Biden’s urging, CDC issued a new moratorium, which will protect thousands of Georgians from losing their homes.

Meanwhile, Stacey Abrams has not officially declared her candidacy for next year's gubernatorial election, to the surprise of many political insiders. Is there any question whether Abrams will be running come next year?

Panelists:

Sen. Kim Jackson — State Senator (D-Stone Mountain)

Leo Smith — Republican consultant and president, Engaged Futures

Chart Riggall — Reporter, The Marietta Daily Journal

Kevin Riley — Editor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Wednesday on Political Rewind: The spread of the delta variant combined with a low rate of vaccinations in Georgia are leading to a spike in cases of COVID-19 and hospitalizations here. Many residents expected a sense of normalcy to return, but now Georgia and the rest of the country is confronted with a new surge, with public health guidance that feels like yesterday’s news.

Dean of Georgia State University's Public Health School Dr. Rodney Lyn said vaccinations against COVID-19 remain a clear way of protecting health and curbing the virus' spread.

"The most effective strategy is to increase vaccination rates," he said. "We've known for many months that was the priority and that remains the priority."

Instances of breakthrough infection of COVID-19, where vaccinated individuals become sick, are being reported. But public health officials, including Emory University professor of epidemiology Dr. Jodie Guest, say the data shows vaccines remain effective at keeping people from getting infected by COVID, and keep symptoms mild if they do get sick.

"The breakthrough cases are not common, and so we want to make sure we understand the data," Guest said. "So, out of over 4 million fully vaccinated people in our state, 4,908 have had a breakthrough case since January of 2021. That is 0.12 percent."

The news can seem scary and confusing. We assembled a panel of top public health experts to help demystify the state of the virus today.

Panelists:

Dr. Jodie Guest — Vice chair, Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health

Dr. Benjamin Lopman — Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health

Dr. Rodney Lyn — Dean of the School of Public Health, Georgia State University

Dr. Amber Schmidtke — Chair of the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at the University of Saint Mary, and writer, The COVID Digest

Tuesday on Political Rewind: Data from hospitals in key regions of Georgia reveal a fourth wave of COVID-19 has begun. Health care centers in Savannah, Southeast Georgia, Gainesville and Augusta are seeing sharp spikes in hospitalizations. 

Frontline caregivers say they are once again feeling overwhelmed. What measures are being taken to slow the spiraling spread of the virus?

Meanwhile, U.S. Senate candidate and state Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black is not waiting for Herschel Walker to declare his intentions about running for the Senate. Black released an ad this week making fun of the time Walker is taking to declare his candidacy.

Panelists:

Tamar Hallerman — Senior reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Mayor Van Johnson — Mayor of Savannah

Rene Alegria — CEO, Mundo Hispanico Digital

Edward Lindsey — Former Republican state representative

Monday on Political Rewind: Concern about the resurgence of COVID-19 in Georgia is growing as the summer break draws to a close.  Schools begin to open this week and businesses are contemplating bringing their workers back to offices, but is the outbreak of the delta variant threatening the return to pre-pandemic ways of life? How is Gov. Brian Kemp responding to the new threat of COVID?

Meanwhile, congressional leaders in Washington, D.C., allowed a federal eviction moratorium to expire over the weekend. A recent U.S. Census Bureau survey estimates between 159,365 and 344,035 Georgians are “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to be evicted due to lack of payment.

Renters now face immediate removal from their homes amid a surge in COVID-19 cases, althougn DeKalb County, a judge issued an order temporarily protecting the renters in her county. Our panel looked at the looming crisis.

Panelists:

Dr. Adrienne Jones — Professor of political science and director of pre-law, Morehouse College

Dr. Charles Bullock — Professor of political science, University of Georgia

Leroy Chapman — Managing editor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Jim Galloway — Former columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Friday on Political Rewind: How do we come to terms with the battle over a national understanding of our country's history?

In author Clint Smith’s new book, How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning With the History of Slavery Across America, he travels to locations across the country and talks to people on sites that memorialize or distort their link to the legacy of slavery. Throughout his tour of monuments and landmarks, he offers an intergenerational story of how slavery has been central in shaping our nation’s collective history, and the way we view our own identities.

"The thing about symbols and iconography and names is that they're not just symbols," Smith said. "They are reflective of the stories that people tell, and those stories shape the narratives that communities carry. And those narratives shape public policy and public policy shapes the material conditions of people's lives."

Smith takes us to Juneteenth celebrations in Galveston, Texas, the old Manhattan slave port of New York City and Confederate army graveyards in Virginia.

Sometimes moving, other times deeply troubling, How The Word Is Passed is a critical look at the way America remembers its history and the role our memories play in shaping our present and our future.

Patricia Murphy, columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, guest hosts.

Panelists:

Clint Smith – Staff writer at The Atlantic and author, How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning With the History of Slavery Across America

Dr. Andra Gillespie – Professor of political science and director of the James Weldon Johnson Institute for the Study of Race and Difference at Emory University