The Michelle Kang Podcast

The Price of Protection: A New Federal Reality?In a moment of unintended transparency, the president recently laid out a stark vision for the American social safety net: military protection first, everything else second.The comments, made during a private Easter luncheon, were made public only after a video was inadvertently shared on social media by the White House itself. The core message is one that will likely define the upcoming legislative session: federal funding for Medicare, Medicaid, and day care is no longer a certainty while the nation is engaged in major military operations.The “Military Protection” MandateThe president’s rhetoric was blunt. “It’s not possible for us to take care of day care, Medicaid, Medicare, all these individual things,” he stated, arguing that these responsibilities must shift from the federal government to the states.The reasoning provided was a matter of singular focus: “We have to take care of one thing: military protection. We have to guard the country.” By suggesting that states “should pay for it,” the administration is signaling a potential retreat from the federal government’s long-standing role as a primary guarantor of health and childcare.The Shadow of “Operation Epic Fury”This shift comes at a critical juncture. Following “Operation Epic Fury,” the 32-day military campaign against Iran, the president declared the threat neutralized. However, the economic ripples—from soaring gas prices to the sheer cost of the intervention—are hitting home.Michelle’s vision: Families would be better served by a different set of priorities. As your next State Representative, Michelle believes a nation’s strength is measured by the health and stability of its people, not by the size of its military.Child Care: 75% of Americans currently see childcare costs as a “major problem.”Health Care: Roughly two-thirds of the country believes the federal government should ensure health coverage.The War: Public patience is wearing thin as the financial costs of the conflict mount.Damage Control or New Doctrine?The White House was quick to issue a clarification, claiming the president was actually referring to “rooting out billions of dollars of fraud.” However, the raw video presents a more ideological “guns vs. butter” trade-off, where domestic welfare is positioned as a secondary concern to global military posture.The president even expressed frustration that the American public lacked the “patience” to “take the oil” from conflict zones, which he suggested would have been a simpler way to finance the nation’s priorities.The Bottom LineAs the administration pivots toward a “military-first” budget, the burden is being pushed back onto the states and the individual taxpayer. We are entering a period where the cost of “guarding the country” may be measured not just in defense spending, but in the potential erosion of the programs that millions of Americans rely on for basic survival.We want to hear from you: How would a shift to state-only funding for Medicare, Medicaid or childcare impact your family? Let’s talk about how we build a federal budget that actually reflects our values. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michellekangforga.substack.com

The headline is chilling. Here in Georgia, up to 1.4 million people, including more than 640 thousand children, could lose their SNAP benefits because of a federal budget standoff.As of November 1st, 2025, the USDA says it no longer has funds to issue new SNAP allotments. The state confirms: families can still use what’s left on their EBT cards, but no new benefits will be added until the shutdown ends.That’s not just paperwork.That’s hunger.That’s fear.That’s parents choosing between gas for work, rent, or food for their kids.Nearly one-and-a-half million Georgians depend on SNAP, especially in rural counties where one in six households rely on it. When benefits stop, it’s not just fewer groceries; it’s kids starting school hungry, small grocers losing business, and whole communities struggling to hold on.This isn’t about efficiency, it’s political gridlock over human need, and we can do better. Because food is not a privilege. It’s a basic human right.If you or someone you know is affected, help is available:* Call Georgia 211 for immediate local food resources.* Find nearby food pantries through the Atlanta Community Food Bank map at acfb.org/get-help/food-map.* Or visit feedinggeorgia.org for statewide food-bank partners and updates.Let’s act with empathy. Let’s stand together until every family in Georgia has enough to eat, because nourishing people is what makes a society truly strong.— Michelle Kang, the Democratic Candidate for Georgia State House District 99 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michellekangforga.substack.com

Something unimaginable and long overdue happened. The cease-fire agreement was finalized, and all 20 living hostages held in Gaza have been released.For the families who waited, who lobbied, who prayed, who cried; their loved ones are finally home. That is no small thing, because through these dark years, hope hasn’t been optional, it’s been essential.Now, let’s be clear about what this moment means. The agreement isn’t perfect. Far from it, but it’s historic. Israel is releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange. Aid is finally flowing again, slowly and cautiously, but it’s moving, and yet— many families still wait. Some hostages’ bodies have not been returned, some are still missing, and the world is asking:How long will this truce last?Who governs Gaza now?Will civilians finally be protected?This is not peace yet, but it is an opening, and this moment must be seized, not sanitized.First, we must affirm what’s always been true: Every human life has dignity. The suffering in Gaza and in Israel is not symmetrical, but it is human, and it demands that we protect civilians, deliver aid, and fight for structural change.Second, we must demand truth and transparency. Who negotiated what? What guarantees exist to prevent another war? Who will oversee the rebuilding, and who will be held accountable for the destruction?Third, we must stand in solidarity, with the people who made this moment possible. Grassroots peace movements, Human rights defenders, Palestinian civil society, and Israeli activists who have shouted for ceasefire and justice since day one. They cannot be footnotes. Their voices must lead the way forward.And fourth, we cannot allow this to be just a pause before the next round of bombs. This must become pressure, on the U.S., on mediators, on global powers, to rebuild, to demand accountability, to push for real, lasting peace.What gives me hope? The release of the hostages, it’s a moral victory. A reminder of the power of love that refuses to give up.The world is watching, and the moral line has shifted. Those who justified endless war now have to defend endless suffering, and movements for peace, once dismissed as naive, now hold the moral high ground. So let’s be clear: This is not the end of the story. It’s a turning point.We must demand:* The full return of remains and missing persons.* A binding, permanent ceasefire.* Transparent reconstruction, without occupation.* Justice for civilians.* Reparative aid, not political leverage.The people of Gaza, of Israel, and of Palestine, they deserve more than a fragile pause. They deserve justice, they deserve peace, and they deserve it — now.— Michelle Kang, the Democratic Candidate for Georgia House District 99 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michellekangforga.substack.com

On September 4, U.S. immigration authorities carried out a large-scale raid at the Hyundai–LG Energy Solution joint battery plant construction site in Bryan County, Georgia. More than 450 people were detained, including over 300 South Koreans, with multiple federal agencies—ATF, ICE, FBI, DEA, HSI, and IRS - and Georgia State Patrol involved. This was not a routine action against undocumented workers but an unprecedented move targeting global companies.Among those detained were skilled workers and subcontractors dispatched by Korean companies to ensure the plant’s timely completion. Many had entered on B1 visas or short-term ESTA permits but ended up performing construction work—technically a violation of labor restrictions. However, the real issue is structural: while the U.S. government has courted foreign investment and new factories, it has failed to issue skilled worker visas (E, L, and H) in a timely manner.America’s manufacturing sector already suffers from a chronic labor shortage. In specialized industries such as semiconductors and batteries, completing projects on schedule is nearly impossible with American skilled workers alone. As industry leaders often say, “Thirty skilled workers are more valuable than one hundred unskilled workers.” Yet the Trump administration has sent mixed messages: welcoming Korean investment while simultaneously blocking the legal deployment of skilled labor—creating a dangerous contradiction.This incident is more than a labor enforcement issue; it strikes at the foundation of trust in the U.S. - Korea manufacturing alliance. Georgia has become a hub for Korean industry, with more than 110 companies—including SK, Hyundai, Kia, Hanwha Qcells, and LG—creating over 17,000 jobs. If large-scale raids like this continue, they will not only undermine investment confidence of Korean companies but also damage the trustful economic relationship between the U.S. and Korea.As a Korean American candidate for the Georgia House of Representatives, District 99, I strongly urge the U.S. government to prioritize the rapid issuance of E, L, and H visas for skilled workers rather than resorting to headline-grabbing raids. This is the responsible path forward—protecting both companies and workers while safeguarding the trust that underpins U.S. - Korea economic cooperation.At the same time, I call on Korean companies to live up to their responsibility as trusted global corporations. They must adapt to U.S. business practices and regulations, ensuring strict compliance with worker protections, fair wages, benefits, compensation standards and environmental protection.The U.S. seeks to grow as a global hub for manufacturing, and the Trump administration has pressured foreign countries to invest through unprecedented tariffs and trade policies. But for long-term success, our relationship must be built on mutual respect, accountability, and shared prosperity.As your next state representative, I will serve as a watchdog for transparency, accountability, and fairness in how global business is conducted in Georgia—ensuring that both American workers and international partners thrive together.— Michelle Kang, Democratic Candidate for Georgia House District 99 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michellekangforga.substack.com

Right now in Georgia, nearly 478,000 voters are being targeted for removal from the rolls. The Secretary of State’s office says it’s just routine “list maintenance”, but let’s be honest, this isn’t neutral. This is another chapter in the long playbook of voter suppression, and it’s aimed at the people who are already most marginalized in our democracy: Black and Brown voters, young people, low-income families, and renters.Here’s what’s happening: if you didn’t vote in 2022 or 2024, and you haven’t responded to certain mailers, your registration may be canceled without any wrongdoing on your part. Maybe you were sick, maybe you moved, or maybe you were working multiple jobs and didn’t have time to jump through the hoops. None of that should mean you lose your vote, but in Georgia, now it might.Republican leadership is calling it a cleanup, but when nearly half a million people, many of whom are in working-class or transient communities, are at risk of being silenced, that’s not cleaning up— that’s clearing out.Even worse? This purge is happening with the help of private, right-wing software companies like EagleAI. It’s a program promoted by partisan activists with zero accountability, and it’s already been flagged by civil rights groups for relying on error-prone data. Now, let me be very clear, this is not about accuracy, it’s about power, who holds it and who gets shut out of it. Maintaining accurate voter rolls is important, but that must never come at the cost of people’s rights. A democracy that depends on people jumping through bureaucratic hoops to prove they belong is a democracy built to exclude, not include. According to officials, flagged registrations include:* People who moved out of state (ERIC data): 180,473 voters* People with a change of address (USPS data): 87,027 voters* People with no voting activity in ~10 years: 105,848 voters* People with mail returned as undeliverable: 104,535 votersThese groups add up to roughly 478,000 names set for cancellation, which is nearly 1 in 17 Georgia voters (data provided by Georgia’s Secretary of State’s office). As a candidate for Georgia House District 99 in 2026, I know firsthand how critical this upcoming election will be, not just for shaping policy, but for protecting the very foundation of our democracy. With another general election on the horizon, we should expect and demand heightened scrutiny around this voter purge. We need to closely monitor how many people are being removed, who they are, and whether certain communities are being disproportionately affected. This isn’t just a data issue; it’s a civil rights issue. Any attempt to suppress the vote, especially through backdoor tactics like this, must be met with transparency, accountability, and legal oversight— not with silence, complacency, or partisan gamesmanship. What You Can Do:* Check your voter status right nowIf you’ve been flagged as inactive, you can update your information and stay registered, it only takes a minute.* Text five people you knowEspecially students, renters, and folks who may have moved, and make sure they check, too.* Take actionIf you believe you, or someone you know were wrongly removed from Georgia’s voter rolls, don’t let it slide. You can file an official complaint with the Georgia Secretary of State’s Elections Division. This helps document the problem and push for real accountability.The voters being targeted aren’t statistics, they’re our neighbors, our students, our elders, our future, and they deserve to be heard. Let’s rise to this challenge not with fear, but with purpose. Let’s organize, mobilize, and make it clear: we will not let our democracy be quietly erased.Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michellekangforga.substack.com

Dear Friends,I’m writing today to share a deeply painful story that has shocked our community and reverberated across Georgia and beyond. It’s the story of Adriana Smith, a 30-year old beloved registered nurse and mother, whose life was taken under harrowing circumstances, yet her child lives on. We must honor her memory by ensuring no one else faces the same ordeal.What Happened?In February of 2025, while just nine weeks pregnant, Adriana suffered life-threatening blood clots in her brain. Despite repeated ER visits, a CT scan was not ordered, and she was sent home. Soon after, she collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, where doctors determined she was legally brain-dead on February 19.Under Georgia’s 2022 LIFE Act (the six-week abortion ban tied to fetal “personhood”), Emory doctors informed the family that they were legally required to maintain life support, not because mediation was effective, but because the fetus still had a heartbeat. The family had no choice.On June 13, 2025, after four months on life support, Adriana delivered her son, Chance, via emergency C-section at just 25 weeks. He weighed 1 lb 13 oz and remains in the NICU, then on June 17, 2025, Life support was withdrawn. Adriana passed away peacefully on June 17, and on June 28 her community gathered to remember her at a moving celebration of life in Lithonia.Why This Matters:* Loss of Autonomy: Adriana’s family was denied the right to decide the future of her medical treatment, despite her legal death and clearly expressed values. A mother should not be forced to continue life support under someone else’s definition of life.* Legal and Ethical Gray Zones: Georgia’s abortion law does not explicitly mandate life support in brain death, but medical institutions proceeded as though it did. This confusion puts doctors in ethically untenable positions.* Reproductive Justice & Racial Disparities: Black women in Georgia already face disproportionately high maternal mortality rates. Adriana’s tragic death exposes how restrictive laws and systemic neglect disproportionately harm Black mothers.* A National Wake-up Call: This case isn’t isolated; it has sparked policy discussions in Congress and across states leveling demands for regulatory clarity, reproductive autonomy, and protections for maternal rights.As your candidate for State House, I stand firm, determined to:* Clarify Georgia’s law to ensure no one is forced to remain on life support following brain death.* Expand maternal healthcare, including postpartum coverage and systemic reforms addressing the racial health gap.* Uphold bodily autonomy, giving families, not the state, the final say in medical decisions.Let me be abundantly clear, Adriana’s life, and her child’s future, deserves justice. Let her legacy be a spark systematic change in Georgia. Join our campaign to safeguard maternal rights and fight healthcare inequalities. Here’s how you can help:* Volunteer with us* Support Adriana’s family fund (their GoFundMe has raised over $475,000)* Contact your legislators using our partner, 5 Calls Together, we can build a Georgia where no mother is denied dignity, where every family has a voice, and where maternal deaths are a thing of the past.With determination and compassion,Michelle KangCandidate, Georgia State House District 99Volunteer | Donate | ContactThanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michellekangforga.substack.com

On Saturday, I stood hand in hand with my North Gwinnett neighbors, one voice in a sea of over 20,000 people who filled the streets of Atlanta with a message that could not be ignored: Hands off our country and our people!We gathered not in anger alone but in determination, unity, and love for our communities, families, and futures. From Piedmont Park to Liberty Plaza, the chants rose up through the city like a battle cry: We have had enough.Enough of seeing innocent people deported in the dead of night. Enough of watching decades of civil rights progress unravel. Enough of public lands handed over to oil companies. Enough of the endless cruelty packaged as “policy.” We marched because this country is at a tipping point. We marched because many of our friends, family, and neighbors are hurting. We marched because the threats we face are real, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. We came from every corner of Georgia— students, elders, immigrants, union members, teachers, nurses, parents, activists, and allies. What united us was the same unshakable belief: this nation belongs to all of us— not to a handful of billionaires or politicians trying to tear it apart.A Journey of Resistance: Piedmont Park to Liberty PlazaOur route was more than a map through Atlanta— it was a path through history and toward a future worth fighting for. We began in the heart of Piedmont Park, where so many protests, parades, and movements have taken shape. With signs in hand and purpose in our hearts, we made our way to Liberty Plaza, standing in the shadow of the Capitol building. At every step, our voices echoed off buildings and into the open air: “Hands off our rights!”“The people united will never be defeated!”“Whose streets? Our streets!”It wasn’t quiet. It wasn’t polite. It wasn’t designed for press releases or corporate headlines. It was raw, honest, and powerful.People watched from balconies and sidewalks; some cheered, some joined us, and in those moments, it was clear: This wasn’t just a protest. It was a movement in motion.What We’re Fighting For:This isn’t about one policy or politician. It’s about a full-scale attack on the values we hold dear. It’s about fighting for basic human dignity— for ourselves and for others. What we demand is loud and clear:Hands off immigrants.No more deportations without due process. No more families separated at the border. Immigrants are essential to this nation— they pick our food, build our homes, teach our children, care for our sick, and serve in our military. They are America, and they made America.To treat them as disposable is not only cruel—it’s self-defeating. We demand a fair and humane immigration system, treating everyone with dignity and respect.Hands off women’s rights.We are not going backward. We will not return to a time when our bodily autonomy was up for debate in courtrooms and legislatures. Abortion is healthcare, birth control is healthcare, maternal care is healthcare, and every woman— regardless of zip code or income— deserves access to it without shame or stigma. Hands off LGBTQ+ rights.To our trans siblings, our queer youth, and our LGBTQIA+ families: We see you, we love you, and we will fight for your right to live openly, safely, and fully.Let trans people live. Let queer people love. Stop the bans. Stop the bullying. Stop the hate.Hands off our economy and livelihoods.The economy may be “recovered” on paper, but working people know better. Wages are stagnant, costs are rising, and the 1% is hoarding more wealth than ever before.Meanwhile, working families watch their 401(k)s shrink, housing prices skyrocket, and medical bills pile up— we are being squeezed from all sides. It’s not enough to survive— we deserve to thrive. We need living wages, job protections, union rights, and real economic security. Hands off our voting rights.Voter roll purges. Voter ID laws. Closing polling places. Gerrymandering. Now, the so-called SAVE Act is threatening to take us even further back.This is the same old game: suppress the vote and silence the people. But we know our power and won’t be tricked or intimidated. Let the people vote. Let every voice be heard.Hands off the CDC, public health, and veterans’ services.Atlanta is home to the CDC— once the gold standard in public health, now being gutted and attacked. Funding cuts, political interference, and anti-science rhetoric have left us vulnerable in the face of new health threats.We’re already seeing measles outbreaks, we’re watching the HIV/AIDS infrastructure erode, and those most at risk— our children, our elders, and our veterans— are paying the price.Public health isn’t optional. It’s essential.Hands off Social Security, Medicaid, and our National Parks.We’ve paid into these programs for decades. Our parents and grandparents relied on them. Our kids will need them, too. Yet, we’re watching lawmakers try to slash them to ribbons in the name of “efficiency.” Let’s be real— it’s not efficiency; it’s theft, plain and simple.And don’t even think about privatizing our public lands. Keep your tiny hands off our national parks— they belong to all of us.A Movement Across Generations:What gave me the most hope that day wasn’t just the chants or the crowd size— it was who stood beside me. Civil rights icons in their 70s and 80s marched with teenagers holding homemade signs. A grandmother with a walker raised her fist next to a student with a megaphone. Mothers carried toddlers on their backs. Veterans wore peace pins on their jackets.This is what democracy looks like— a living, breathing movement that bridges generations.Our elders marched in the ’60s. Now, they march again— not because they want to, but because they know what’s at stake. Our young people show up because they know their future depends on it. We meet in the middle to carry this movement forward together. This is about legacy. It’s about memory. It’s about building something that lasts longer than any person or administration.The Message is Clear:This country does not belong to billionaires, lobbyists, or extremist lawmakers. It belongs to us— the people.To the workers. The dreamers. The parents. The students. The caretakers. The creators. The people who make this country run every single day. We are not here to beg for scraps. We are here to demand justice.We’re not asking for special treatment—we’re asking for fairness, safety, and dignity— and we will keep asking. We will keep marching. We will keep showing up until the message is heard.Will You Stand With Us?If you weren’t there on Saturday, there will be another chance. Another march. Another rally. Another fight. And we need you there.It can feel overwhelming— like the problems are too big, the opposition too powerful, but history shows us repeatedly when the people rise, change happens. So here’s the ask: Show up. Speak out. Stand up for your neighbors. Stand up for yourself. We need each other more than ever, and together, we are unstoppable. This Is Our Moment:The Hands Off rally wasn’t just a protest but a promise. A promise that we will not give in to fear, that we will not stay silent, and that we will not be divided. We are the majority, we are the momentum, and we are the moral compass.The time to act is now. The movement is growing. The tide is rising. The future is ours to shape— hands off our country and people because we are not going anywhere! Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michellekangforga.substack.com

On Wednesday, I had the privilege of testifying against House Bill 441 before the Georgia Legislature. This dangerous bill threatens the rights of pregnant people by criminalizing pregnancy outcomes, including miscarriages, stillbirths, and abortions. It’s not about protecting life—it’s about punishing individuals.What is HB 441?HB 441 seeks to grant full legal personhood to embryos and fetuses from the moment of fertilization. If passed, this bill would allow law enforcement to investigate all pregnancy outcomes, including miscarriages and stillbirths. In Georgia, where approximately 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage or stillbirth, this means that one in five pregnant people could be treated like criminals after a pregnancy loss.Despite claims from supporters that the bill doesn't target miscarriages, the medical procedures used to treat them often overlap with those used for abortions. This puts grieving people at risk of interrogation, investigation, or even arrest.Why HB 441 is DangerousHB 441 doesn’t protect life—it punishes people. It disproportionately impacts low-income Georgians, people of color, and those already facing significant barriers to reproductive healthcare. It creates a culture of fear, where anyone experiencing a pregnancy loss could be treated like a criminal suspect during one of the most vulnerable moments of their life.This bill doesn’t just target those seeking abortions—it also affects people who lose pregnancies naturally. This law fosters suspicion and trauma for those who are already grieving, turning their personal tragedy into a legal issue.The Consequences of HB 441HB 441 is part of a broader national trend. In states where similar laws have been enacted, we’ve seen:* People arrested after miscarriages or stillbirths.* Pregnant individuals jailed without trial to "protect" fetuses.* Doctors refusing to provide necessary care for fear of legal repercussions.* Patients being denied life-saving treatments for ectopic pregnancies or miscarriages because they might be seen as "facilitating abortion."Who Does This Bill Harm the Most?Georgia HB 441 will hurt:* Low-income people already struggling with access to healthcare and transportation.* People of color who face systemic discrimination in healthcare and the criminal justice system.* Rural communities where access to medical care is often limited and traveling long distances for care is a significant burden.Wealthier individuals might afford private lawyers to defend themselves, but Black, brown, and poor people face harsher penalties and fewer legal protections.It’s Bigger Than GeorgiaWhile HB 441 is a major issue in Georgia, it’s part of a national strategy to criminalize abortion and restrict reproductive rights. Across the country, lawmakers are pushing bills declaring abortion to be murder, with no exceptions for rape, incest, or health reasons. These efforts are being rolled out state by state to overwhelm us and desensitize the public. We cannot let them succeed.We Know Where This LeadsWe’ve seen this trend before. In Georgia and other states with similar laws, people have been arrested or investigated after pregnancy losses. For example, a woman in Georgia was recently charged with "concealing the death of a fetus" after having a miscarriage, even though she was unconscious and bleeding. Tragically, this echoes similar cases from other states where people were arrested for having miscarriages. These incidents are not isolated—they are part of a growing pattern of criminalizing pregnancy outcomes.What’s even more concerning is the fear this creates among healthcare providers. Doctors have been known to refuse essential treatments for ectopic pregnancies or miscarriages, fearing they might be accused of facilitating an abortion. This reluctance to provide care has led to delays that increase the risk of permanent injury or even death for patients.What We REALLY NeedInstead of criminalizing pregnancy outcomes, we need a society that supports families:* Better education on reproductive health and rights.* Access to childcare and maternal care.* Economic stability and safe housing so that families can thrive.The average family in Georgia can’t afford more children—not because they don’t want them, but because the necessary support isn’t there.The Bottom Line: We Can’t Let HB 441 PassHB 441 already has nearly two dozen sponsors, showing that this is not just an isolated effort—it’s part of a larger, national agenda. Similar bills are being pushed across the country by right-wing lawmakers. We cannot ignore this threat.If lawmakers truly cared about reducing abortions, they would invest in communities that need support—not criminalize them. This fight is about much more than abortion. It’s about the right to choose, the right to parent, and the right to live with dignity, safety, and autonomy. We cannot let these rights be stripped away.We must stand up, speak out, and organize—not just in Georgia but across this nation. The fight for reproductive freedom is far from over, and we can’t afford to lose.Thanks for reading! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michellekangforga.substack.com