NEWS & OPINIONS
When Giving a Helping Hand Hurts – Part 1
Computational model exposes severe problems with the welfare system Pop quiz: When does $9 + $1 equal –$6,000? This may look like new math, but it is not. This seemingly nonsensical equation illustrates the challenges faced by families who receive assistance from...
A Marriage Problem In Norcross and Peachtree Corners
A new report released by The Institute for Family Studies finds that 69 percent of 18-45 year olds in Peachtree Corners and Norcross think single parents can raise children just as well as two parents. Furthermore, 63 percent approve of divorce when married people...
Amid Shootings and Violent Protests, Georgians Consider Solutions
Something happened in College Park Wednesday night that hasn’t really garnered much attention but should be front-page news. Thanks to the College Republicans at Morehouse College, I was able to participate in a panel* focused on how to constructively respond to...
Criminal Justice Reforms: Increasing Access to Work
On April 27th, Governor Deal signed into law the most recent round of criminal justice reforms in Georgia. Senate Bill 367 enacts many of the recommendations of the state's Council on Criminal Justice Reform. Among the reforms are a number that will improve the...
Give a Little, Get a Lot!
Now is an especially good time to support GCO financially. Thanks to the generosity of a key supporter and GCO’s Board, every donation given between now and May 31st – up to $87,000 – will be matched dollar-for-dollar. This means if we reach our goal, GCO will have an...
The Economy: What’s Love Got to Do With It? Turns Out, a Whole Lot!
Earlier this month, GCO hosted a lunch and learn with Dr. Brad Wilcox, one of the nation’s leading sociologists. Dr. Wilcox has devoted his work to understanding family formation and the effect it has on our social structure and economy. His new report, “Strong...
“Discrimination” or Religious Freedom? Religious Hiring Rights and Government Contracts
Recently, a broad coalition of groups sent a letter to President Obama urging him to require the Attorney General to “review and reconsider” a “flawed” Office of Legal Counsel memo—issued in 2007 (i.e., during the Bush Administration)—that argued that the Religious...
Religious Freedom in a New Age
On July 25th, AJC columnist Jay Bookman dismissed Georgia House Speaker David Ralston’s “Pastor Protection Bill” as an essentially meaningless symbolic gesture. I’m uncharacteristically inclined to agree with him. In its current form the bill simply states that...
Religious Liberty and the Constitution in the Wake of Obergefell
I have to confess that I wasn’t all that surprised by the Supreme Court’s decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which held that the 14th Amendment Due Process and Equal Protection clauses imply a right to marry (due process) and require that that right be extended to...
Faith-Based Organizations, SOGI, and the Federal Government
Last summer, the Obama Administration proposed a rule adding sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI—get used to the acronym) to the list of classes protected against discrimination by federal contractors. In so doing, it built upon other anti-discrimination...
Religious Freedom Next Year and Beyond
I recently attended a conference that included a number of participants who have thought deeply about religious freedom and have acted effectively in its defense. Naturally, everyone was talking about the high-profile legislative battle in Indiana. That got me...
Debt as a Barrier to Reentry: Jonathan O’Neill’s Story
Jonathan O’Neill, a humble and soft-spoken man, is 46 years old and the father of fourteen children. He has been incarcerated since 2012 and currently resides at a transitional center where he works and takes various classes to prepare for his release that is set for...
MEDIA MENTIONS
Lawrenceville creates a center to help vulnerable residents during COVID-19 | 11 ALIVE
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — Lawrenceville's response to the coronavirus is now up and running, offering short-term emergency assistance to residents. City council members, alongside Lawrenceville Mayor David Still, approved an agreement with Impact46, Inc. to create...
Georgia Enters into May with a New Executive Order and Guidelines for Georgians
Georgia's Gov. Brian Kemp issued a new executive order today outlining guidelines as Georgia resumes more of a pre-coronavirus lifestyle. Many of the guidelines come with strict stipulations for businesses to follow in order to remain open. GCO's Vice President of...
Inside a week that could define Kemp’s political career | AJC
Gov. Brian Kemp’s brutal week started with the threat of a protest at the Capitol urging him to lift coronavirus restrictions as he was planning to do just that. It ended with a cacophony of horns from a caravan of demonstrators outside the Governor’s Mansion who were...
Meet 5 Chicago Tech Companies on the COVID-19 Front Lines | BUILT IN CHICAGO
They’re looking into 3D-printing N95 and N80 masks. They’re providing medical professionals with personal protective equipment made in-house. They’re distributing fanny-packs stuffed with medical supplies to healthcare providers. Tech companies across the nation are...
Business, policy leaders weigh in on what’s needed to help rebuild Georgia’s economy | BAKER CITY HERALD
While part of Georgia’s economy is scheduled to reopen Friday, business and policy leaders say the state needs to take action to secure long-term stability. Buzz Brockway, vice president of public policy for the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) – an independent...
CENTER SQUARE: Business, policy leaders weigh in on what’s needed to help rebuild Georgia’s economy
While part of Georgia’s economy is scheduled to reopen Friday, business and policy leaders say the state needs to take action to secure long-term stability. Buzz Brockway, vice president of public policy for the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) – an independent...
CENTER SQUARE: What they’re saying about Kemp’s decision to reopen Georgia
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp's decision to reopen some of the state's businesses as soon as Friday amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic drew strong reactions. Even Kemp did not hold back in speaking his mind: "I don't give a damn about politics right now." Kemp announced...
BAKER CITY HERALD: Kemp reopens parts of Georgia’s economy; some businesses can open Friday
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced plans Monday to reopen certain businesses across the state, rolling back part of the stay-at-home order scheduled to expire April 30. Gyms, fitness centers, bowling alleys, body art studios, barbers, cosmetologists, nail techs and...
