VALDOSTA —
A packed audience of Valdosta Rotary Club, Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce members and elected officials gathered at the James H. Rainwater Conference Center Wednesday to hear U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson share his thoughts on foreign policy, labor unions and Georgia’s business-friendly environment.
He opened by encouraging citizens to call Sen. Saxby Chambliss and his office for issues that can’t be resolved locally, such as the recent imprisonment of Valdostan Jeff Worn while he was visiting India and ammunition was located in his luggage.
Isakson said his office worked to ensure Worn had legal representation, was isolated from other prisoners and was granted a bond.
“Whether it’s a problem with the IRS, Social Security, Veterans Administration or foreign relations and you don’t know what to do, call us,” he said. “We can’t solve every problem you bring to us, but it won’t be because of a lack of effort.”
On the topic of job creation, Isakson stated that improvements to the Port of Savannah is a priority. With larger ships almost ready to leave China and recent modifications to deepen and widen the Panama Canal, Isakson said it is critical to the Georgia economy that the state port is also expanded.
He commended Gov. Nathan Deal for the recruitment of the Caterpillar plant and Baxter Pharmaceuticals, along with the approximately 3,100 jobs the two companies will provide. He also alluded to two other major deals that are in the works.
“Georgia is the right place to come,” he said. “We have business-friendly regulations, business-friendly government and business-friendly Governor, which is a good example to our current administration. If businesses believe you’re friendly rather than the enemy, you get a lot more capital investment, you have a lower unemployment rate and you have a lot more robust economy.”
Isakson then took aim at recent union proposals, including “micro-unions” and shortened union election time periods.
“I will not stop in terms of fighting this type of assault on American businesses,” he said. “American workers have every right to be represented, every right to negotiation and every right to be treated fairly and every business person has every right to be unionized or not based on how they run their business, but the steps this current administration has taken are mostly for political purposes and we just have to say no.”
He also continued his pro-business platform by discussing recent proposals to prohibit employees under the age of 18, which included offspring of farmers, to work on family farms.
Although the regulation was withdrawn, Isakson said, “They’re just waiting to try another one and I’m just waiting to go back to bat and fight for the American farmer, American small businessman and American free enterprise. If we don’t fight for it we’ll lose it and if we lose it, we’ll have lost what makes us different from every other country on the face of this earth.”
Isakson also warned about the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran and of “the terrible slaughter” taking place in Syria.
“A nuclear-armed Iran will destabilize the entire world,” he said.
On Syria: “We can’t be a peacekeeper for everybody; we can’t put boots on the ground everywhere, but we can begin to take steps to ratchet up pressure and lead the world.”
U.S. Senator Isakson said he can be reached by all Georgia citizens at (770) 661-0999 for assistance with problems or further information.
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DAVID RODOCK | THE VALDOSTA DAILY TIMES United States Senator Johnny Isakson speaks to an audience Wednesday afternoon about a variety of topics directly and indirectly related to South Georgia.
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DAVID RODOCK |THE VALDOSTA DAILY TIMES Hundreds of local citizens attend the Valodsta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce and Valdosta Rotary Club’s luncheon with U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson Wednesday afternoon.
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Isakson visits Valdosta
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