Georgia Democratic faith leaders: President has failed to 'represent our values'

MACON, Ga. --Georgia faith leaders representing communities across the state called out President Donald Trump for his "broken promises and cruel policies that have hurt Georgians."

The faith leaders spoke out ahead of the President's son's“Evangelicals for Trump” event that's taking place in Forsyth. The leaders say that throughout Trump's administration he has failed "to represent our values, including attacks on the Affordable Care Act in the middle of this pandemic, his complete failure to lead on this pandemic despite knowing the potential dangers as early as February, and his attacks on Black and brown communities in Georgia and across the country."

The virtual roundtable has hosted by the Georgia Democratic Party and had Dr. Charles Goodman, Reverend J. Ricardo Smith, Reverend Leela Waller, and Dr. Addison Canidy as speakers. They talked on issues of race, healthcare, and criminal and police reform. All four called for Joe Biden to people's choice for president come November 3rd.

Goodman spoke first and wanted to get across the point that although Trump and the event used the name "evangelicals" that the Christian faith is "multi-layered, multi-dimensional and multi-ethnic" that has a wide range of beliefs and perspectives. He says that Trump has used the Christian faith for his political gain.

Goodman said that the Trump administration has had four years to work towards leading the country into its next place. Goodman along with Smith and Waller mentioned investigative journalist Bob Woodward's recently released tapes that call into question Trump's early thought and response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They say his comments show that he has given up on "saving lives" and Smith specifically says that the president is leading "divisively" and not "decisively". Waller added that the American people need a "leader that understands who he is leading...tells the truth....and listen to others" so we can work through issues.

Smith's main speaking point was on the Affordable Care Act and how the repeated attacks on the law have disproportionately affected the black and brown communities of America and Georgia, saying that a repeal would leave millions with pre-existing conditions at risk of losing coverage or seeing prices of coverage rise.

Goodman brought up the topic of the movement of "defund the police" and how there is a fight against "weapons of mass-information." He says that the Trump admin has put the "defund the police" movement onto Biden, but that it doesn't accurately show his stance.

"I think that Joe Biden has been on the record to say that what he is putting forth for us is to really look at the whole crime reform for itself," said Goodman. "How we should have a national standard for police, how we should deal with those who have caused harm to black and brown communities."

The roundtable signed off by saying that it was time for leaders who believe in "liberty and freedom for all" and a nation that is unified instead of divided.