Tag Archives: AFP

Koch astroturf vs. solar jobs for Georgians

More solar for Georgia must be a good thing if AFP is organizing
astroturf against it.
GA PSC decides Thursday.
Like another speaker
at

GA PSC last month,
I don’t think even

Bubba McDonald’s proposal to double solar requirements on Georgia Power
goes

nearly far enough,
but at least it’s a start, which is more than Georgia Power will do
unless nudged by GA PSC.



Ray Henry wrote for AP yesterday,

Critics’ numbers misleading in Georgia solar fight:
Georgia panel will vote soon on power plan,

A political group founded by billionaire brothers Charles and David
Koch wants Georgia’s utility regulators to reject a plan requiring
Southern Co. to buy more solar energy, but an Associated Press
review finds it has used misleading figures to build its case.

The Georgia chapter of Americans For Prosperity, founded by
billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch, wants Georgia’s utility
regulators to reject a solar energy plan in Georgia. But an
Associated Press review ahead of a vote on the issue finds that it
has used misleading figures to build its case.

The Georgia chapter of Americans For Prosperity has said in mass
e-mails that Continue reading →

GA farm worker story goes international

Ray Glier wrote for Agence France Press 23 June 2011,

US farms at risk as workers flee immigration law

ATLANTA, Georgia (AFP) – A controversial immigration law in the US
state of Georgia has brought unintended results, forcing farmers to
reluctantly turn to ex-convicts as Latin American manual workers flee.

Low-skilled, undocumented workers, who for years have formed the backbone
of this southern state’s farming economy, have bolted in the lead-up
to the law taking effect on July 1, fearing deportation if caught
working here.

The measure’s mainly Republican supporters argue that the state needs
to enforce immigration laws in the absence of effective federal action,
saying schools, jails and hospitals are overburdened by illegal aliens.

But as the full cost of the immigration reform emerges in the form of
an estimated millions of dollars worth of crops rotting in fields, it
could alarm other states that have passed or are considering similar
strict measures.

The story quotes the figure of 11,000 needed workers,
and quotes some farmers about that the state’s scheme to
send people on probation to work on farms:

Continue reading →