Public should not be in dark about General Assembly activities
The Jan. 7 AJC.com news story, “By and for the people? Georgia lawmaking sometimes limits access,” on the Georgia General Assembly introduced important concerns about the openness of the legislative process. We find ourselves in a delicate time for American democracy, where one of the few things that voters from both parties can agree on is a general distrust in government.
Given that, openness is key. This does not mean just making recordings and documents available. The people of Georgia are bright, but we are also busy. The General Assembly should actively communicate and translate its activities for the general public. Some 21 years in Georgia, three degrees from UGA and a semester at Harvard Law School are still not enough for me to understand exactly what goes on there.
It would be a great public service if the General Assembly used the special tools enabled by today’s technology to transform how the public understands how their representatives truly represent them.
RYAN MILLER, MONROE
Rooting for those trying to restore Republican Party
Lee Radounis’ heartfelt opinion view, “A year later, democracy’s still in peril,” was an appropriate choice for the Jan. 6 AJC. I share his assumptions about my fellow citizens being “far too smart” (even though I am aware of what Mark Twain said about snake oil salesmen long ago). There have been red flags since fall 2020 and even before. I applaud the Republicans who had resolved to take back their party because if there was ever any previous doubt, Jan. 6 made it clear that the Republican Party is gone. Former Vice President Dick Cheney made that clear in his comment as he walked into the House Chamber on Jan. 6. I am rooting for those trying to restore the Republican Party and hoping it can be in time for me to move back from being an independent. I believe in the American experiment and the ongoing effort to realize its promise.
ALIDA C. SILVERMAN, ATLANTA
