GOP has no intention of working on bipartisanship

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin will not vote for the Federal Voter Law S 1 in the Senate because of a lack of “bipartisanship” that he thinks needs to come from the Democrats. However, it is clear from two points that the Republicans are not going to work at bipartisanship.

The AJC reported on Republican “bipartisanship” in “Republicans invent U.S. House votes to attack Democrats,” by Jamie Dupree, June 5.

Now Monday’s front page, “Medicaid impasse leaves some in squeeze” has the report that governor Kemp refuses to expand Medicaid when about 400,000 Georgians have no medical insurance, and he is turning away an estimated $750,000 federal dollars to finance the expansion.

I don’t think the Republicans have any intention of working toward “bipartisanship.”

T. PATRICK KELLY, CONYERS

Voters must watch out for gerrymandering

Gerrymandering is a tactic used by the party in power to draw voting district boundaries as a way to choose their voters and keep themselves in power. Partisan gerrymandering is still legal in the U.S. and favors one political party over another. Both Democrats and Republicans have gerrymandered and it’s not right, whichever party does it.

Georgia is now in the process of redistricting, as mandated by law after the recent 10-year Census. In 2016, Georgia gerrymandered district boundaries to favor one party so that 81% of legislative seats were uncontested. What happens as a result?

We must keep an eye out for gerrymandering when the Legislature redraws voting district boundaries. Transparency is crucial: the Legislature must hold public meetings, make maps and data public, and commit to a non-partisan review.

KATHLEEEN COLLOMB, DECATUR

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Dunwoody United Methodist Church, Tuesday, Monday, June 10, 2025, in Dunwoody, Ga. The church was celebrating the installation of solar panels in conjunction with the Georgia SEPA and Georgia Bright. (Jason Getz / AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

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Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, seen here in a file photo from Nov. 14, 2024, is conducting a statewide audit of voter registrations targeting registrations at businesses and P.O. boxes for possible cancelation. (Jason Getz / AJC)

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com