Whose Economy Is It Anyway?
All you have to do is turn on the news, check social media, or even walk outside your door to see that we are living in one of the most divisive periods in American history. In most cases, that division…
Author: Tharon Johnson
Betting on Georgia’s Future
As a campaign consultant with over 20 years of experience in politics, I have advised hundreds of aspiring candidates who want to offer themselves for public service but may not know where to start. I always start by telling them…
Only We Can Stop Forest Fires
When most of us think of wildfires, Georgia probably isn’t the first state that comes to mind. I personally think of the January 2025 wildfires in Southern California which directly killed 31 people and indirectly killed hundreds more. Those fires…
Let the Festivities Begin
Can you believe that it hasn’t even been 10 years since Atlanta United’s first match? Soccer has become an integral part of our city’s sports identity right alongside the Braves, the Falcons and the Hawks. Tens of thousands of people…
It’s Time to Come Together
There’s an old adage in politics: “Republicans will look for any reason to vote for someone; Democrats will look for any reason not to.” In the almost 30 years I’ve been working in politics, that has been true more often…
Where Democracy Thrives or Dies
In January, President Donald Trump instigated a shocking escalation in his yearslong assault on our democracy when he sent Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, and FBI agents on a raid of the Fulton County Elections Office to seek…
Voting in the 21st Century
There are few rights more sacred than the right to vote. Though the “right to vote” was not formally enshrined in our Constitution at the time of the country’s founding, our democratic system was the envy of the world from…
Quiet Architects of Progress
When we talk about Black history in Georgia, the conversation naturally gravitates to figures like John Lewis and Martin Luther King Jr. Their stories anchor our collective memory and inspire us to do good. But if there’s one thing you…
The Times, They Are A-Changin’
Welcome to the new Georgia. As even the most casual observers of politics know, Georgia has become one of the nation’s most competitive battleground states over the last decade. Beginning with former state House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams’ narrow loss…
Demand Better from Lawmakers
Next month, 180 state representatives and 56 state senators will be returning to the Gold Dome for the second half of Georgia’s 158th legislative session. Bills that were introduced and discussed earlier this year will once again be up for…
A Critical Time for Sincere Thanks
Around this time last year, I wrote an article about all the things I was grateful for to celebrate Thanksgiving. At the time, I saw how much of this country was overwhelmed with fear and division and unfortunately, those problems…
Potholes, Permits and Public Safety
Next year, Georgia voters will once again be inundated with hundreds of millions of dollars of ads for some of the most competitive races in the country to determine our U.S. senator, governor and dozens of offices down the ballot.…
It’s Time for Leaders to Lead
At a time when the news cycle is measured less in hours and more in rotations per minute, it’s easy to forget what happened months or even weeks ago, even though Congress passed one of the most consequential bills of…
Follow Science, Not Sound Bites
There was a time when people of all political stripes could agree on certain things. One of those things, until very recently, was a shared understanding that investing in science and research keeps the United States at the cutting-edge of…
The Nature of Belief
Why do we believe what we believe? It’s a philosophical question that has been asked for millennia, one that doesn’t have a simple answer. There are countless forces that tie into it – where we were born, who our parents…
Georgia on the Edge
Despite being the eighth most populous state in the country, Georgia has one of the shortest legislative sessions at just 40 legislative days. While a “legislative day” is only counted when the House and Senate convene, our legislators are asked…
DOGE Cuts, Georgia Bleeds
When “President” Elon Musk was ushered into office by “Vice President” Donald Trump, he came with a simple mandate: Cut waste, fraud and abuse out of the federal government. In theory, that’s a laudable goal. The federal government is a…
The Breaking Point
When President Donald Trump was first elected in 2016, I was shocked. Like many other political analysts, I underestimated voters’ willingness to tolerate blatant corruption and misinformation for the sake of change. While there is no doubt in my mind…
Looking Forward in Women’s History
March has traditionally been celebrated as Women’s History Month, encouraging Americans to learn more about both the contributions of women and the progress of women’s rights. From the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote in 1920 to the…
A New Marker for Black History
Black History Month is one of my favorite times of the year. While there is no bad month to reflect on and commemorate the many contributions and achievements of Black Americans, there remains something special about making a meaningful effort…
Road Map to a Blue Georgia
In the last few months, Democrats have been forced to do a lot of soul searching. The 2024 election cycle was one of the most dramatic and tumultuous in this country’s history, from President Joe Biden dropping out of the…
Georgia Needs a Reset
Georgia is one of the most incredible states in the nation. I’ve spent my entire life here and seen everything this place has to offer, from its natural wonders to its kind, supportive people that you can find in any…
The Legacy and Lessons of John Lewis
In politics, there are a lot of transactional friendships, rooted in the question, “What can you do for me?” It is one of the main reasons that so few people trust politicians, lobbyists or anyone else who passes through legislative…
History in the Making: A Harris Presidency
The United States of America leads the world in innovation, as the birthplace of some of the most incredible technological advancements of the last century. It also remains a cultural powerhouse around the world, with American movies, TV shows and…
Unions: Bedrock of the Middle Class
Over the last 40 years, the wealth gap between rich and poor Americans has grown into a chasm. While our economy is larger now than it ever has been, with macroeconomic trends like employment, median household income and the stock…
Georgia’s Great Green Escapes
Those of us who have been lucky enough to make our way around this state know that Georgia is special. While there are a great many things we take pride in, from our deep community bonds to our thriving economy…
The Benefits of Thinking Big
It is almost impossible to think about the city of Atlanta without the BeltLine. Atlanta is famous for the Civil Rights Movement, hip-hop, the Fox Theatre and Coca-Cola. Now, the BeltLine has joined that esteemed list. For those unfamiliar with…
Georgia’s Nuclear Progress
The modern world demands a tremendous amount of power. Between 1980 and 2022, electricity consumption more than tripled across the planet as the global population reached 8 billion and counting. The United States…
Homelessness is a Crisis for Us All
What do we owe our fellow man? That’s one of the most basic questions we grow up pondering, especially as it relates to people who aren’t in our immediate circles. The answer to that question varies wildly depending on one’s…
More than an Election Year Problem
America has an immigration problem. Ask 100 people what that problem is, and you’d get 100 different answers. For decades, “solving the immigration crisis” has been a top priority for both Democrats and Republicans and yet here we are in…
As Georgia Goes, So Goes America
Georgia has been the epicenter of national politics ever since President Joe Biden’s victory over former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election. After gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams came within 1.4% of then-candidate Brian Kemp in 2018, anyone with experience…
Unlearning Some American History
Many of us know Michael Thurmond as the chief executive officer of DeKalb County. He has been in Georgia politics for decades, serving as a state legislator, the head…
Legislators Return for a Big Year
January can be a rough time for a lot of people. The holidays are over; we’re all still pretending that we’re going to make progress on our New Year’s resolutions, and it’s about as cold as it ever gets in…
Prison Should Include Rehabilitation
Take a moment to think about the most uncomfortable moments in your life. Were you cramped in a space that was far too small for far too long? Did you have to use the bathroom in front of somebody else?…
Giving Thanks for Georgia
Those who are regular readers of this column know there is no shortage of things that I think Georgia could do better. From our overburdened public education system to our lack of affordable healthcare to our outdated and overcrowded incarceration…
AI Will Be What We Make of It
Artificial intelligence, or AI, has become one of the most hotly debated and least understood topics in just the last few years. At its most basic level, AI is a technology “that mimics human intelligence to perform tasks and can…
Remember the Titan
Atlanta has been home to countless icons from business to politics to civil rights. The King family has deep roots that run throughout the city; Congressman John Lewis taught us what it meant to get into good trouble here; and…
Beating the Heat
In a time of unprecedented division in our country, it is always worth starting off with a statement that we can all agree with. In this case, I would like to open with such a statement: Georgia is hot. As…
A Man of the People
For many of us, Georgia became the center of the political world in 2020. As polls showed one of the tightest elections in the country between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, news organizations from every corner of the country and…
Red, Blue & You: A Stone Mountain for All
Stone Mountain is one of the most iconic natural features in Georgia. Sitting just over a dozen miles outside of Atlanta in DeKalb County, the park is among the most visited tourist attractions in the state and Southeast, attracting over…
Red, Blue & You: One Atlanta: Unity Prevails
On March 2, 2023, Georgia senators finally put to rest one of the most controversial pieces of legislation introduced at the Capitol in the last decade. The bipartisan vote of 33-23 marked the end of a long, contentious debate over…
Red, Blue, & You: We Can’t Wait Any Longer
In this country, there are few topics as hyperpolarizing as guns. There are also few countries in the world that share our passion for firearms, which puts us in a unique position. In terms of firearms per capita, the United…
Red, Blue & You: More Transit Needed
The U.S. Interstate Highway System is partly funded by the federal government but owned and maintained by individual state governments. We like to think of ourselves as a nation of big ideas – a nation of innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders…
Red, Blue & You: Knowing All, Saying Nothing
We live in a world of unlimited information. As recently as the ’90s, you could be at a happy hour with coworkers trying to remember “what was the name of the guy who played the paleontologist in Jurassic Park?” You…
Red, Blue & You: Education is a Team Sport
It’s no secret that the State of Georgia is struggling with its public education system. We spend an average of $11,200 per student, per year in this state, and while that may sound like a lot, we rank 33rd in…
Red, Blue & You: Making Housing Affordable Again
Housing affordability has become one of the greatest public policy challenges of the 21st century. In 1972, the median home price in this country was just $26,800, or $189,500 in current dollars. Today, the median home price is $440,300, which…
Red, Blue & You: Sustainably Supporting HBCUs
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been the backbone of Black education for over a century, long before Black students were allowed to mingle with white students. Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, the first HBCU, was founded in 1837 at…
Red Blue & You: Embracing Victories
For much of the 2022 campaign season, many Democratic candidates across Georgia put as much distance between themselves and President Joe Biden as possible. As economic conditions worsened in the first half of the year, so too did his approval…
Red, Blue & You: The Meaning of “Pro-life”
In June, the Supreme Court took away a constitutional right that has been in place and upon which women have relied for almost 50 years. Many in Georgia have celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade as a win for…
Red, Blue & You: Power to People’s Pocketbooks
It’s the economy, stupid. The saying has reverberated throughout politics for the last 30 years. It’s one coined by Bill Clinton advisor James Carville back in 1992. It was one of three core themes in Clinton’s first campaign for president,…
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