Georgia's Newest Attack on the Rights of Individuals

*facepalm*

"The bill was introduced by State Reps. Don Balfour (R-Snellville), Bill Hamrick (R-Carrollton), Bill Cowsert (R-Athens), and Ross Tolleson (R-Perry).  All four Senators are members of an organization called the American Legislative Exchange Counsel (ALEC).  ALEC bring corporations and lawmakers together to draft template legislation that is introduced in other states to change policy.   ALEC claims to be nonpartisan but is funded by several right-wing thing tanks."


Having sold themselves to corporate interests long ago, four Georgia senators are looking to legislate away First Amendment Rights on the advice of corporations (surprised?). They are putting through a bill that would make it a felony to picket (in particular to picket a CEO's house). Could they not even try to look like they're standing up for voters? At least a little? This bill is just more proof that the Republican Party (both federally and at the state level) or serving the interest of the wealthy, and have zero interest in standing up for actual voters.

The ability to protest is a First Amendment right, and these Republican senators are trying to legislate it away. How is this standing up for freedom, or respecting the constitution (y'know those two things that Republicans keep saying they're trying to protect)?

Now, you might want to argue that they believe they are protecting constitutional rights, mainly the CEO's right to privacy (your privacy's not important though). However:

"“In addition, they have from the beginning of the Session been looking like they want to find Constitutional challenges and actually pass bills that they know are unconstitutional but to use them as a way to overturn federal law,” Pellegrini said."


There is no defence for this. This party claims they stand for the Constitution,  YET they knowingly violate it all of the time! They are constantly threatening the rights of the individual, and attempting to re-interpret and change it to suit their own personal agendas.

If this goes through the Republican Party will have successfully legislated one of your First Amendment Rights away from you, fucking amazing.

"To amend Chapter 6 of Title 34 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to labor organizations and labor relations, so as to provide that certain provisions prohibiting mass picketing shall apply to certain private residences; to provide for an action to enjoin unlawful mass picketing; to provide for punishment and penalties; to provide for injunctive relief; to provide for public policy concerning refusal or decision to withdraw from a labor union or employee organization; to provide for certain contract and agreement employment rights; to provide for the development by the Department of Labor of employee rights information; to provide certain posting requirements by private employers; to provide for enforcement; to provide for changes to agreements and contracts permitting labor organizations to deduct fees from employees' earnings; to amend Code Section 16-7-21, relating to criminal trespass, so as to provide for both criminal trespass and criminal conspiracy; to provide for punishment and fines; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes."