00:00:00BOB SHORT: Hello. Im Bob Short and this is Reflections on Georgia
Politics sponsored by the Richard Russell Library at the University of Georgia.
Our guest today is Michael Thurmond, Georgias Labor Commissioner who has
distinguished himself as an attorney, as an author, as a lecturer, and as a
public servant. Welcome, Commissioner; we are delighted to have you.
MICHAEL THURMOND: Thank you. Delighted to be here.
SHORT: We know you and we think that youre very established public servant
and were delighted to have your life on our program. You were born in Athens,
one of nine children.
THURMOND: Yes. Actually, I was born near Athens in the Sandy Creek Nature
Center, which is now the Sandy Creek Nature Center, but at that time it was just
00:01:00a rural part of Clarke County known as the Sandy Creek area. And my father was
Sydney Thurmond, my mother was Vanilla Burton Thurmond and they farmed the land
which now encompasses that nature center. They were tenant farmers,
sharecroppers, and we worked those fields. My first conscious memory is really
being in a cotton field as a baby, a young toddler, watching my parents and my
brothers and sisters as they worked the fields, picking cotton.
SHORT: And you went to elementary and high school there in Clarke County.
THURMOND: I did. I attended Lyons Elementary School which is next to Ben Epps
Field. Its now the National Guard Armory. From there, I spent one year at
North Athens Elementary School and returned to Lyons Junior High School where
00:02:00Mr. Howard Straud was my principal. And then on to Burney-Harris High which was
the all black high school. I attended all black segregated schools until my
senior year and then we transferred to what became Clarke Central High School.
And that was 1971. I was a member of the first graduating class of Clarke
Central High.
SHORT: Good. And then to college?
THURMOND: And then on to college, Paine College in Augusta, Georgia where I
graduated in 1975, majored in philosophy and religion, became very active in
student politics. I was a freshman class president, editor of the student
newspaper and served as president of the student body my junior and senior year
and graduated with honors. And after that I went over to Columbia, South
Carolina and attended the University of South Carolina School of Law, graduated
00:03:00in 1978, passed the bar that same year, returned to Athens to begin to practice law.
SHORT: Well, with a degree in philosophy and religion and law you chose to be a
public servant. Why not a minister or an educator?
THURMOND: Great question. My mother actually really, really wanted me to a
minister and encouraged me to go off Paine College which was noted for producing
preachers and teachers. And I was the only person majoring in philosophy and
religion who really did not become a minister. And I remember close to
graduation my senior year and even though I qualified to graduated I still
hadnt received the call and I thought I needed to probably let my parents
know before they showed up for graduation that I was not going into the ministry
but decided to pursue law. I called home and told my mother and the phone went
00:04:00silent and she was devastated and then I heard her tell my dad that Mikes
going to law school and not into the ministry because he didnt get the call.
And my daddy, I can still hear his voice today saying, Well, he got the call but
he was just out partying somewhere and didnt answer the phone. But the
background in philosophy and religion was great preparation for law school and
particularly philosophy teaches you how to think not necessarily what to think.
And religion, of course, or the Bible is a legal document, its a book of
laws, spiritually based, and so, it has been excellent preparation for a life in
politics, the religion, the philosophy, and the law.
SHORT: You know, I found out something about you that Ill bet you very few
people know. And that is you were the 100 yard dash champion in college.
00:05:00
THURMOND: No, in high school.
SHORT: High school.
THURMOND: In high school, at Clarke Central High. I was the co-holder of the
record for a few years and played athletics in high school, too. It was quite a
time of ferment. Right now a gentleman called me earlier last week, hes
writing a book on the disturbances and the demonstrations we had my junior year,
which was the spring of 1970, 71 that preceded the consolidation of
Burney-Harris and Athens High School into one high school which was Clarke
Central. And that was quite a time and the first time that blacks and whites had
participated in athletic events or, you know, at the public schools in Clarke
County had been segregated for 84 years. And I often look back on there as a
unique time. It was a great opportunity for leadership and it was a time of
00:06:00conflict but it was also a time of growth and new opportunities and new
realities really.
SHORT: Well you were a leader of your students at that time. Im sure that
you had definite ideas on how the county should proceed in integrating their schools.
THURMOND: Looking back on it, we actually had a vision to kind of extended
beyond our very young age of 17 and 18. What we were fighting for was to have
not just our school consumed by Athens High, but in fact, to create a new system
that included both of the high schools, institution that recognized the history
and heritage of Athens High and Burney-Harris. And although there were some
difficult times, I did lead the demonstrations and my first day in court
occurred as a result of that. Judge James Barrow issued a restraining order to
00:07:00stop the demonstrations and required us to appear in his courtroom. And I know I
was scared. I just knew I was going to prison for the rest of my life. And it
was quite a time and some people I met, Judge Barrow, Denny Galis, who became
the city attorney who when I returned to law school I was his assistant city
attorney, actually represented us in the hearing that day.
SHORT: Okay. So you came back to Athens, you began practicing law. The only, as
I understand it, black owned law firm in the county at that time.
THURMOND: Well we were the second law firm. There was one other gentleman who
actually practiced law, Ken Dyers, but we had a law firm ultimately grew to five
members. But one year before I started practicing I did work as assistant city
attorney. Former mayor Upshaw Bentley who was the mayor then, I went in to see
Mayor Bentley after I got out of law school and I think impressed him because
00:08:00right on the spot he told me that hes going to hire to become the new
assistant city attorney and I should report to work first thing Monday morning
with Denny Galis who was the assistant city attorney over on Prince Avenue. And
so, I show up at Denny Galiss office, he looks at me like who are you? And he
was confused. He told me to step back out in the waiting room. I heard him on
the phone calling Mayor Bentley. Well what happened was Mayor Bentley had hired
me but he forgot to tell Denny Galis. So I showed up to a job that didnt
exist. And anyway, they accommodated me and assigned me to Mr. Johnny Fowler who
was the city clerk then. My first big job as assistant city attorney was to
clean out the vault thats in the old Athens City Hall. And it had dust and
grime all on it, so thats how I started my legal career, in the vault at
00:09:00Athens City Hall.
SHORT: But at that point you were well known and well respected because shortly
thereafter you were elected to the Georgia House of Representatives, the first
African American since God knows when.
THURMOND: Since reconstruction. But yeah, that was in 1986. I came back in
78, 79 and 86 I finally got elected. However, there were a couple of
elections that took place prior to my winning where I was actually defeated. I
first ran in 1982 against a fine gentleman, Hugh Logan, who passed a few years
ago, defeated in 82. I ran again in 1984. I lost again. And finally, on the
third try in 1986 I finally was elected to the Georgia House.
SHORT: You served as a member, as I recall, of a three member district for the county.
00:10:00
THURMOND: Well, yes, myelf, Lawton Stephens was also one of the
representatives from there, and Paul Brown was our State Senator, the late Paul
Brown, and he was a mentor to me. And just going back, looking at those
elections though, and it bears because not only was I the first African American
since reconstruction but more importantly, when I was elected in 86 I was the
only African American who represented a majority white district. In Georgia, and
at that time in the south we couldnt find any other African American who was
serving and had been elected from a majority white district.
SHORT: Well, as a freshman member of the House its not unusual to find a
newly elected representative to look to the older heads for guidance and
direction. Did you have a mentor?
THURMOND: Well, yes, and you know it was a unique environment because
00:11:00Representative Logan had been much respected and a close ally of Speaker Murphy,
and having defeated him, that was a real question mark. And so, actually I
reached out to Paul Brown being number one and the one person who helped me a
lot was actually Chapel Matthews, Representative Chapel Matthews. I dont know
whether you remember
SHORT: I remember Chapel very well.
THURMOND: Oh, yeah.
SHORT: We used to call him Mr. University.
THURMOND: Oh, yes, he loved the University. And then going back, let me
retrogress a few years back. The summer that I was getting ready to go off to
law school we had worked on the farm and my daddy saved as much money as we
could and myself working with him but we didnt have enough. And I pinned all
of my hopes of paying for law school on a Thurgood Marshall no, the Earl
Warren Scholarship and I didnt get it. And so, my dad who had known
Representative Matthews for decades said we got to go see Mr. Chapel, which is
00:12:00what he called him, and to tell him about our situation, how we need some money.
Well, Representative Matthews, first time I ever met him personally, said well
you go on over there. Go on off to law school and Ill make a call and tell
them to go ahead and admit you and well see what we can do about getting you
some additional money. Well I went on off to Carolina and Columbia, and about
three to four weeks later I got a letter from Earl Warren saying that now
youve been awarded that scholarship. I dont really know what
Representative Matthews did, but to this day it was $800 I believe that
he made the contribution that turned into that scholarship that paid for that
first year of law school for me.
SHORT: Do you remember the first legislative bill you ever introduced?
THURMOND: Exactly. Of course I do. It was tax credit. It was a low income tax
00:13:00credit. It turned out to be one of the biggest political fights. I ended up in
the middle of a fight between Tom Murphy and Zell Miller. Of all the people you
dont want to get up in the middle of is Tom Murphy and Zell Miller and a big
political fight. And it revolved around the food exemption. What I did was after
my first term I wanted to be on Ways and Means because I knew that was the way.
I knew appropriations was a bridge too far but I thought I might be able to
start making a name for myself by getting on Ways and Means. It was unusual.
Young black legislator, big, and Speaker Murphy told me he wouldnt let me
he said no. And we were at the Biennial Institute at the University of Georgia
and I guess that was in 89, yeah, January 89. I went into Speakers
00:14:00hotel room that night over at the Georgia Center. And he had been out all
evening shaking hands and politicking and Lou Nell, who was his secretary, she
was the nicest and I said "Let me in, I just want to talk." I never will forget
that. He was sitting on the edge of the bed in his underwear and I said "Mr.
Speaker, you got to let me on Ways and Means" and I stayed there about a hour
and finally he said "Damn it, Michael, Im sleeping. Okay, you on the
committee." And so I got on Ways and Means and then I filed this tax credit
bill. And so, Zell Miller, who was then a Lieutenant Governor, wanted to exempt
all foods from the sales tax. And it was moving ahead. Then all of the sudden
Georgia hit this huge downturn. And so, we couldnt afford it because we were
in a recession. It was like 89, 90 recession. And the Speaker was
supporting my tax credit. Zell Miller was opposing it, I was in the middle. And
00:15:00this went on through two legislative sessions. And one day I got up, came to
the General Assembly and somebody said Zell, he was governor then looking
for you. Actually, when did Zell get to be elected governor? Was it
SHORT: '90.
THURMOND: '90.
SHORT: Yeah.
THURMOND: So 91 would have been January, right?
SHORT: Uh-huh, yeah.
THURMOND: That January. Said "The governor looking for you. "Oh my God, what
the governor want? " And then I went to the office and they said "Governor want
to take you to lunch. You just meet him out at his car. So we go to the
Commerce Club and on the way over there in the car he said, "Mike, I tell you
what, Im going with your plan. See, cause my plan cost about $60 million
and he didnt have the money to finance his plan which was $400 million so he
pulled back during the recession and that bill became law. And since then
weve generated well over $200 million in tax credit to low income Georgians
00:16:00and senior citizens. Its still on the book to this day. Now eventually
Governor Miller got his sales tax. But that really is what made me in the House,
because I became a hero in the House and kind of solved that big crisis and
then, as they say, I was on my way.
SHORT: Good. What were your other interests?
THURMOND: In the legislature?
SHORT: In the legislature.
THURMOND: Well basically that was it. I worked the six years I was there I
spent about four years working on that bill. And I was interested in education
and also in childrens issues and adoption. I served on adoption study
committee, a particularly as it related to special needs children. And I worked
with Jim Ledbetter over Department of Human Resources which proved to be an
opportunity that presented itself later in my career and we were able to pass
new adoption laws that allow special needs children, children that might have a
disability, minority children who obviously find it more difficult to get
00:17:00adopted. We streamlined the process and opened the door for more adoptions of
special needs children.
SHORT: Somewhere along the line you took time out and ran for Congress.
THURMOND: Yes.
SHORT: Would you tell us about that.
THURMOND: 1992, that was in 90 I also became Chairman of the Georgia
Legislative Black Caucus. And that was right during the reapportionment period.
And the Democrats at that point were still in power, still controlled the House
and Senate, and as I recall Newt Gingrich was the only Republican Congressman.
Seemed like a long time ago, right?
SHORT: It does. Yes, it does.
THURMOND: But that was 1990 and Cynthia Mckinney and some of the Black Caucus
was split. They had promoted what was called a Max-Black plan which would have
created a maximum number a majority black district. I opposed the plan and came
00:18:00under intense criticism because I felt that if we implemented the Max-Black plan
it would really create more opportunities for Republicans, it would create more
all white districts, and by doing that it would ultimately undermine Democratic
power and control in the General Assembly, and in Congress. I lost that battle.
It went to the Supreme Court. I lost that battle and the plan was put in place
and then after that session I decided to run for Congress. That issue, my lack
of support for the Max-Black plan became a big issue in the congressional race.
Cynthia got elected. I came in either dead last or so close to dead last out of
five people I could see the bottom. And it was just me and my naivety, my
campaign colors were black and white. My thing was there was one white person in
00:19:00the race, DeLoach and there were four blacks. So I thought about since, you
know, my Athens orientation I was going to run a campaign built on racial
cooperation. I was going to play the middle. And you kno in politics they say
aint but one thing in the middle of the road, right. A dead possum. Thats all.
SHORT: Thats right.
THURMOND: Thats the only thing out in the middle of the road. So, I got
waxed. I always said looking back on that 92 campaign I wasnt black enough
for the black voters and I wasnt white enough for the white voters, and so I
ended up just wiped out and seemingly, my career was over in terms of elected politics.
SHORT: But it wasnt.
THURMOND: It wasnt. In the summer of 94 I came home and I was back in
Athens practicing law again. Because I was in political exile which is back to
Athens and my dream of politics was over. I come home to my little condo there
00:20:00on Oglethorpe Avenue, Sunset Drive, and have a message saying want to talk to
you, Im calling on behalf of Governor Miller about becoming the Director of
the Department of Family and Children Services. It was Jim Ledbetter. And Im
like "What? You know, I knew it about it, so, I called him and heck, we went
to see Governor Miller and what he said, to this day he still says this about
me. He said "Now, Michael, you want this job, you sure you want this job?
Because you know, the DFACS director is like the armpit of state politics. You
go there to die. I mean no one has survived DFACS director. They carry you out
of there in a box. Its been that way for 30, 40 years. And he said "Well,
you know, there are two types of politicians. He said "There are politicians
00:21:00who get appointed and theres running politicians. And he said "I think
youre a running politician. To this day, whenever he sees me he said "you
a running politician, Ill tell you that. And I said "No, sir, Im out
of politics, I want this job. So he said okay. September 1994, Mike Thurmond,
the new DFACS director for the state of Georgia.
SHORT: And came up with some great programs.
THURMOND: Boy, and I went in to fix child welfare but just at that time welfare
reform was becoming a national issue. Newt Gingrich was the Speaker of the
House, Bill Clinton was the president and the Contract for America, all of that
was unfolding on the national scene, and there was this tug of war over new
welfare reform legislation. And I guess it was the 96 campaign right before
Bill Clinton said okay, he signed the bill and all of a sudden welfare reform is
the number one issue in America. And its centered right there at the
Department of Family and Children Services. We took it up. When I took office at
00:22:00DFCS there were 160,000 families on welfare. When I left it had dropped to
like 42,000 families. And out of that effort, you know, very successful and I
stayed there between 94 and 97 and left there, in the minds of some
people, as a hero with having led the effort to reform welfare in Georgia.
SHORT: I dont think theres any question about that. Work First was your
big program.
THURMOND: Thats right. Work First. And I believe, because my parents always
worked. We were dirt poor literally, but they always worked. But I also knew
that in the winter time when vegetables werent growing in the field my
parents were forced to receive food commodities through the welfare office. I
often tell people now, you know, I literally sat in a welfare office and I grew
up to become the director of the Department of Family and Children Services
00:23:00which oversaw the welfare program. And I used to tell my case workers, I said
"Be careful how you treat the little children who sit in your waiting rooms
because they might grow up to be your boss. And literally, thats what
happened. But I wanted to create a program that recognized that there was
dignity in work that provided support and assistance for people who wanted to do
better. And then, not only encourage them to do better but rewarded people who
believed in the value of honest labor. And you know, looking back at it, that
may be I dont know what else lies out here for me, but clearly, I think
thats one of the most significant contributions that Ive been able to make
in my public life.
SHORT: And then you decided to run for Labor Commissioner.
THURMOND: Well, yeah, but there was one little stop at the University of
Georgia at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government.
SHORT: Oh, okay.
THURMOND: That I was over there as a distinguished lecturer. I had to go get my
00:24:00mind back together because I was so stressed out. DFACS, that is the toughest
job in state government, being the DFACS director. And after three years I was
literally burned out. So that was a great opportunity for me to kind of
recalibrate and you know, renew and refresh not just myself emotionally but
physically and spiritually as well. But shortly thereafter, I went to Carl
Vinson in September. In April I threw my hat in the ring for Labor Commissioner,
State of Georgia.
SHORT: Tell us about that race.
THURMOND: It was quite a race because David Pultris had decided to run for
governor and all of the sudden the job opened up. And I thought it was a perfect
segue from helping poor people to get jobs to just being responsible for all
people and helping them to get jobs. And so, we had a Democratic primary with
00:25:00Steve Henson who was a state senator from DeKalb whos now my state senator at
my home in DeKalb, Richard McGee, who is the Deputy Commissioner here at the
Department of Labor, and myself. Were in the Democratic primary. I finished
first in the primary but had a runoff against Steven Henson and it was a tough
runoff but we were able to win it. And then in the November general election I
faced a perennial candidate in John Frank Collins who was a Republican nominee.
SHORT: How did you find the department? I recall over the years there had been
several directors or commissioners and some questions about commissioners in the
past. How did you find the department when you took it over?
THURMOND: Well, we had great people. You know, Sam Caldwell, that had been the
huge scandal in the mid 80s when Sam Caldwell, who had been one of the most
00:26:00powerful men in Georgia politics throughout my youth and you know when I was
growing up. He had gotten involved in this huge scandal and he ultimately ended
up in prison. And there were still some wounds that had not yet been yield. And
then some of the succeeding governors had kind of put their hand I think
lets see, it was Pultris and
SHORT: Marti.
THURMOND: Marti Fullerton. And then theres a Mr. what his name? Tanner,
Joe Tanner.
SHORT: Joe Tanner.
THURMOND: Had served as Labor Commissioner.
SHORT: Right.
THURMOND: And Al Scott
SHORT: Right.
THURMOND:--had served briefly but he couldnt get elected. And so, really the
Labor Department was a paper and pencil operation. It was operating as it had
operated from decades. And you know, there had been challenges and people were
still hurt. Because the Labor Department during the Caldwell administration when
he was at his apex in power was one of the most influential agencies in state
00:27:00government. And he was one of the most influential players. And it had been,
after that, in a very difficult period, although it was moving along, it had no
regained its prominence as a department of influence. And so, thats what I
found. And many of Sam Caldwells people, although some of them had been
forced out or put in prison, many of the lower level people were still here.
SHORT: And then you came up with a program called Georgia Works.
THURMOND: Yeah, Im always coming up with these programs.
SHORT: Yeah.
THURMOND: Georgia Works. Its an innovative approach to helping people just
to stimulate job creation. You know, you can wait on the president, you can wait
on Congress, you can wait on the Federal Reserve to create jobs. Georgia Works
says go out, stimulate your own economy, create your own job. And what it does
is for individuals who are receiving unemployment insurance benefits, I can
present myself to you as a potential employer and say look, I want to audition
00:28:00for this job. And whats the only way to really know whether a person going to
show up on time and do what you ask them to do? They have to actually do it. And
so, while theyre still receiving unemployment insurance benefits they can
spend eight weeks auditioning and if the employers impressed he or she can
hire that person. Right now 60% of the people who are engaged in Georgia Works
get a job before eight weeks.
SHORT: Sounds like a good program.
THURMOND: Other states are adopting it. We got a call from Oregon just recently
and people have been here from all over the country, our fellow labor department
employees, and were teaching them how to implement the Georgia Works strategy.
SHORT: Well it seems to me theres some similarity between DFACS And the
Labor Commissioners job.
THURMOND: Very much so. Often overlooked is that the unemployment insurance and
AFDC as well as Social Security were all part of the Economic Security Act of
1935, post depression. It was part of Roosevelts strategy to rescue the
00:29:00American economy and millions of Americans who were out of work. So 1935 was the
call for Economic Security Act, the Family Security Act included what was then
AFDC, unemployment insurance, eventually what became known as Social Security
for people of old age, disabled, and their spouses as well as their dependent.
So, conceptually, theres a tremendous synergy between the two. One, AFDC
(indiscernible) was for individuals who are unemployed but did not have jobs.
Whereas the unemployment insurance program helps people who are unemployed who
lost their job. That is the significant difference.
SHORT: What is the relationship between the Georgia Department of Labor and the
U.S. Department of Labor?
THURMOND: Well, actually, we are a federal program administered by a state
agency. The Labor Departments were really fully federalized during World War II
00:30:00when there was a shortage of labor and with so many men overseas then it was
imperative that here in the states that the workforce was available, the
civilian workforce, to build the munitions and the tanks and the trucks. And so,
it was federalized so that the federal government could generate the manpower
needed to support the soldiers overseas. So we are in fact a federal agency
primarily controlled by federal rules and regulations but administered
individually by state agency.
SHORT: And funded by the federal government.
THURMOND: Primarily. Ninety percent of my budget, we have about a $600 million
budget. Ninety percent of my budget is funded by federal dollars.
SHORT: You know in some states the Labor Commissioner is appointed. In Georgia
its a constitutional office.
THURMOND: In the great majority of them. I think there are only three states out
00:31:00of the 50 who have elected Labor Commissioners. And right now in the majority of
the states there's probably 47 of them its a gubernatorial appointment. But
Georgia, and I think this is really, if you look back at the history of it, it
goes back to Sam Caldwell and the fact that he was able to maintain a strong
Labor Commissioners post independent from the Governors Office, and if you
look at the programs within the Georgia Department of Labor, theres really no
other state that has a concentration of programs within the Labor Department. We
have 4,000 employees and the Labor Department is the largest of the
constitutional offices here in Georgia.
SHORT: So you think election is better than appointing?
THURMOND: Oh yes. I think, you know, well if I was governor Id probably want
to appoint somebody. No, I think elected is much better and it provides an
independent voice and you know, I get hired by the people. And often tell
00:32:00people, my job interviews occur every four years. And if the people dont hire
me I dont have a job. Im just like any other citizen. I think that creates
a more accountable Commissioners Office.
SHORT: I think youll agree that this has not been the best time to serve as
Labor Commissioner with all the outsourcing of jobs and the resulting problems
that you have to face.
THURMOND: Well you know its interesting. January 1999 when I was sworn in
the big issue was the labor shortage. We were at the end of the Clinton
administration and we had created so many jobs you couldnt find the people to
fill them. And after that, that was the dot com implosion, and then 9/11. And
weve got hurricanes. Katrina, 50,000 people came to Georgia, we had to try to
manage and get them back to work. You name it. And now its the credit crunch,
00:33:00four dollar a gallon gas, and I know one day out in the future people are going
to look at that and say man, that was cheap, you know, four dollar a gallon gas.
And you know, mortgages, foreclosures. But the only reason the Labor Department
exists is that we have to stand in the breach. We are the first responders
during times of economic dislocation. You know Bill Clinton once said something
that you want challenging times. If youre going to be in a position of
responsibility, of public service and authority, you want to be there when the
times are tough. You want to be there when the average citizen, today 285,000
Georgians are unemployed. I consider it a privilege to hold this position, and a
trust because we are responsible. We are the first responders. The people of
Georgia elect me to do this job not just when the times are good, but more
importantly, they want somebody they can count on when times are tough, as they
00:34:00are today.
SHORT: Commissioner, for those of us who probably dont know, tell us about
your state wide organization of centers for people who need to find work.
THURMOND: As I mentioned, 4,000 employees, $600 million budget, we have 53
career centers around Georgia arrayed throughout the state. And one of the
philosophical and programmatic changes I made was to eliminate what we call
unemployment offices, which is people say Im going to the unemployment
office. That was just obsolete in its thought and in its practice. And so,
weve created a state of the art, high tech, high touch career centers across
the state of Georgia designed to helping Georgians get back to work as quickly
as possible. Today, which is July the 21st, 2008, the average length of time it
takes to get back to work in America is 15.4 weeks. We get people back to work
00:35:00at 11.3 weeks and that is the shortest duration in the nation. Were number
one in the nation in getting people back to work. Six years ago we combined or
brought in the Division of Rehabilitation Services whereby all the programs
designed to assist individuals with disabilities to get access to employment and
training is also within the Georgia Department of Labor, and there are about 50
of those offices. So we have about 100 offices state wide, 4,000 employees. And
the blessing I really you asked about what I found. The one resource that
was here that had made all the difference was the people. Ive changed very
few people. But those same people have rallied to my vision and hopefully to my
leadership to really make this one of the most successful labor department in
the country.
SHORT: Georgia has several programs for job training.
00:36:00
THURMOND: Correct.
SHORT: How does your department figure in all that?
THURMOND: We oversee the Workforce Investment Act, but there are 20 workforce
investment areas around the state that actually provide the training. We have a
very close partnership with our technical colleges. One of the things is we
dont train. We finance training but we help the product of that training,
which are those who graduate from our colleges and technical schools and high
schools. We are a labor exchange. We assist those agencies who train and educate
and once that educated training product is completed we become the labor
exchange between the job seeker and the employer.
SHORT: Do you think that outsourcing of jobs has hit the bottom here? Can we
experience what weve had in the past again in the future?
THURMOND: Well, we will, but I think outsourcing, the globalization of our
economy will continue. You know the only people who really believe, or who we
00:37:00advocate that is not going to continue is people running for president maybe and
they all lying, were going to continue. What were trying to do is build a
21st century mployment security system. Our unemployment insurance system has
not been overhauled in a major way since it was established in 1935. What
weve done in Georgia, at least laid the foundation for the creation of a 21st
century employment security system. Let me tell you what my theory is. You know,
the basic theory of globalization is that lower paying jobs will be shipped
overseas and higher paying jobs will be created here in America. Now, right now
as I speak there is a great debate as to whether or not globalization is
actually working or whether its working to the detriment of the American
worker. I believe that the jobs are being created here but we dont have a
system thats flexible and efficient enough to help transition those workers
00:38:00in north Georgia who have lost their jobs at the textile mill to retrain them
and "upskill them and then get them prepared and ready and move them into the
new job being created. And maybe, which is what Im advocating, maybe its
not the globalization thats not working, its that our employment security
system that was designed to address post Depression era employment issues is not
equipped and not positioned to function effectively here in the early part of
the 21st century. Thats what needs to change. Thats what I been trying to
do here at the Georgia Department of Labor.
SHORT: What effect do immigrants have on our labor situation?
THURMOND: Depending on whom you ask. My friends who are farmers and who raise
the onions and the tomatoes the things we put on our table will argue that they
00:39:00are essential, that they cannot do their business in the poultry industry, in
the agricultural industry without them. There are others who say of course that
they are driving their wages, and forcing low skill American workers into
unemployment. What we really need to resolve the issue, if it can be resolved
and hopefully next year it will begin to be resolved, is to go ahead and develop
a comprehensive immigration reform strategy. It is much needed. And this whole
issue about immigration, some people see it as cultural or racial or whatever
the case, but really its a labor issue. Its all about labor. And its
about the pursuit of cheap labor. And you know, my next book that I already got
a title for will be called "Cheap Labor", and much of world history has been
influenced by the pursuit of cheap labor.
SHORT: Since you mentioned being an author, lets talk a little bit about
00:40:00some of your works. Youve written what two or three books?
THURMOND: Well, the first one I wrote I published in 78 when I was
graduating from law school. I actually researched and wrote it the three years I
was in law school. Its "A Story Untold: Black Men and Women in Athens
History". Its a history of prominent African Americans in the life in the
legacy of Athens. And my second book which was published in 2004 is entitled
"Freedom: Georgias Anti-slavery Heritage". I began to work on that book in
the spring of 1993 after I got beat running for Congress. You know after you get
beat you have a lot of time on your hands. People dont call you. Nobody wants
to talk to you. And so, while I was over there sad with my wounds I began to
read some American classics that I read before but sometimes re-reading books
00:41:00provide more insight. And one of them was the "The Souls of Black Folk" written
by W.E.B. DuBois at the beginning of the 20th century. And in one of the
chapters he said that Georgia, both now and then, that the Negro problems had
always been centered in the state of Georgia. And he wrote this in 1903. And I
said "hmm, he couldnt have been talking about the Civil Rights Movement,
because Martin Luther King, right, he wasnt born till 29. He couldnt
have been talking about (Indiscernible). Why would he write this in the early
part of the 20th century?" So I said, "Well let me see. And so that was the
beginning of this book. And it begins really February 12, 1733 are really the
events that lead up to that date in American history. Georgia was founded by
James Oglethorpe who is a personal hero of mine by the way. And Oglethorpe was
00:42:00an abolitionist. Many people are surprised that Georgia was founded by a man who
did not believe in slavery and that he founded Georgia as the only one of the 13
original colonies where slavery was prohibited at its inception. And Oglethorpe
fought to maintain the slavery ban for more than 20 years. And so, we start
there and we look at Georgias anti-slavery heritage and we follow it through
the colonial period to African Americans who fought with the British during the
Revolutionary War because the British offered freedom, the war of 1812 and on up
through the Civil War, showing how blacks and whites and Native Americans banded
together to fight against slavery. We look at the Seminoles that were in South
Georgia was really an integrated tribe of red and black people. Africans would
escape from enslavement in the northern part of Georgia and South Carolina and
00:43:00go to the Seminole Nation where they worked and lived with the Seminoles and
then into north Florida. And ultimately it was Andrew Jackson who, the great
Indian fighter, went into north Florida to defeat the black Seminole and to
either drive them out or re-enslave them. So the history is about that. And so
the ultimate thesis is that if you look back at Georgia history then the Civil
Rights Movement could have been born Martin Luther King, this could occur
nowhere else but in the state of Georgia. Because you had men, you know, we talk
about Ivan Allen and Jimmy Carter and Carl Sanders, they were white leaders who
were progressive in their era but that didnt really begin with Ivan Allen or
Carl Sanders or Ellis Arnold. It really began with James Oglethorpe. Georgia,
from its inception has had a succession of progressive white leaders, as well as
progressive African Americans who understood the value of equality and freedom.
00:44:00So thats kind of what my book details.
SHORT: Thats very interesting. Is it available?
THURMOND: Yes, its out off print now. We sold, and Im proud that the
Georgia Historical Society recognized it as the Lilla Hawes Book of the Year
award and the Georgia Center for the Book included as one of the 25 books all
Georgians should read. We sold out. And Im in discussion now to hopefully get
a second edition printed.
SHORT: Lets talk for a minute about the Civil Rights Movement. Did you have
a relationship with Dr. King?
THURMOND: No, I did not know him. I was in the ninth grade when he was killed.
SHORT: Uh-huh. Hosea Williams?
THURMOND: I met him. He came to Athens when we were having our demonstration.
You know, obviously after I came to Atlanta I got to know him. His wife served
in the legislature with me and Ive spent some time with him and many other
00:45:00civil rights leaders, Ralph David Abernathy, Dr. Joseph Lowery, Tyrone Brooks.
These are people I developed a relationship in my adult years, you know, long
after, though, they were engaged in the Civil Rights Movement itself.
SHORT: Im glad you mentioned those names. I wanted to ask you, if you will,
about some of the people that you worked with and knew in the legislature.
THURMOND: Okay.
SHORT: Tom Murphy.
THURMOND: Very much so. Went to his funeral. He was a friend and supporter. He
helped pave the way for my career. He gave me the right committee assignments,
allowed me to be in positions of influence and authority and supported me. His
son worked here for a while and his family, you know, I consider them friends,
and attended his funeral a few months back.
SHORT: Denmark Groover.
THURMOND: Knew Denmark. We were on the judiciary committee together and he of
course was a consummate lawyer and lawyer/legislator and we served together on
00:46:00the judiciary committee.
SHORT: Bill Lee.
THURMOND: Great Bill Lee, Chairman of the Rules Committee. And one day that
same tax bill, when I finally got it out of committee, they finally let it go, I
remember what I did to get it out of committee. I went out and bought me
cause you know Bill Lee was a king, so what I did was I bought a crown. And I
too it up to him and you know how you get in and say "my liege", and I handed
him the crown that day and he moved my bill out of committee.
SHORT: You mentioned Tyrone Brooks. Tyrones been a leader in the legislature
for a number of years.
THURMOND: A great man. He came to Athens. I was with him last Thursday. All
three of my elections he came over and campaigned for me. And he just worked and
worked and worked and I dont think I would have been elected that third time
00:47:00if it had not been for Tyrone's involvement in that race.
SHORT: You mentioned Senator Paul Brown.
THURMOND: Yes.
SHORT: Served with him. Obviously in the Athens delegation. We used to go with
my dad I told you we farmed but we also had a vegetable and fruit crop and
we would always take vegetables and fruits over to the old Firestone dealership
that he had thats still there in Athens. And I used to love to go in there at
Christmas time because he would have the toys all out. That was before the big
shopping malls and all this stuff. Wed go into Firestone and I remember him
as a little boy when my daddy talking to him and me watching him, and then
obviously serving with him was an honor.
SHORT: And the members who are now Congressman, Sanford Bishop is one.
THURMOND: Yes, sir. Sanford is my fraternity brother. He and I talk on the
phone quite often. He helped me with my first bill and you know we obviously
00:48:00discuss political issues and maintain a friendship for years. Calvin Smirey also
over there in Columbus. People I work with and serve with.
SHORT: Good. Anybody else?
THURMOND: I could name so many others. Culver Kidd. I remember the
personalities that were bigger than life. Even in 1986 most of them were all
still there. Yeah, Tom Murphy, Zell Miller, Culver Kidd, Billy McKinney, they
were around. But you know, they were just bigger than life. Denmark Groover.
They were all walking around and the legislature, you know, theyve taken all
the fun out of it. But back then it was the place to be.
SHORT: Yeah. Well you served also with two governors. Joe Frank Harris and Zell
Miller. Tell us what you think about their administrations.
THURMOND: Well, Governor Harris first, he was governor when I was first elected
00:49:00and one day I went to see him as a freshman and the one thing he told me that I
still remember, he said, "Michael, follow the money. He said, "Dont listen
to what they saying. Look at how they appropriating the money and thats where
all the truth lies." You know, him being a former Chairman of Appropriations.
SHORT: Yeah.
THURMOND: Because he was my first governor and then of course Governor Miller.
I had worked for him and served with him so, you know, I always got along with
Zell Miller. He was a consummate politician. He was the most political man
Ive ever met. And I dont say that in a pejorative way, but for him it was
all politics. And if you can understand that you can understand him. And then
after Zell Miller, Roy Barnes, too. You know, I served and was here when
Governor Barnes was governor and now Sonny Perdue, who was a state senator. So,
00:50:00actually, all of them. Ive know them all in one capacity or another.
SHORT: What was your reaction when Senator Miller spoke to the Republican Convention?
THURMOND: I wasnt overly surprised because it is who he is. You know, and
you have to understand him for what he is. Im not saying, you know, well you
love or hate him, but he is a consummate, complete 100% politician. And I still
talk to him. And we did welfare reform together. If he hadnt given me the job
my career was over. And so, you know, when I look back on it, he rescued me from
political oblivion and really got me back into state politics. And if he had
not done that, because welfare reform was the platform that I used to get to be
elected Labor Commissioner, so I owe him that and will always be appreciative of it.
SHORT: Well, in addition to serving as Commissioner of Labor, youre also
00:51:00Vice-Chair of the Georgia Democratic Party. Now, if you will, Id like to talk
to you for a minute about party politics. First of all, as we all know, the
Republican party has taken over General Assembly and the Governors Office.
THURMOND: Yes.
SHORT: What happened?
THURMOND: We got beat. Well, you know, I look back on it like this. Im a
historian and if I had a baseball team that had won the World Series for 129
straight years and then lost a few World Series would that be a bad run? The
Democrats had a good run and it was time its like pruning your favorite
bush. You prune it, you know, maybe in the fall, whenever you prune and it looks
all scrubby but then in the spring it blossoms with greener, more vibrant leaves
and more beautiful blossoms. Thats whats going on to the Democratic Party.
00:52:00Were being pruned. But as I speak, clearly, the National Democratic Party and
I think the state Democratic Party is on its way back. Theres always a flux
and a flow, a thickening and a thinning, a yin and a yang in politics. You stay
in it long enough youre going to get beat or youre going to win. Cant
but one or two things happen. And so, it's just part of the evolution. And at
the end of the day we will be a better party for what has occurred over the last
ten years.
SHORT: Well the Republicans tell us that they think the reason for their
success has been the fact that they have built up a bench of candidates and that
they train them, they bring them along slowly and then they put them in these
races. Do you think that the failure of the Democratic Party to do that has had
an effect?
THURMOND: I just think we need new ideas and new blood. You know, I think all of
00:53:00that. I think the national move plays into it as well. Clearly, the Republican
Party struck a cord with some of their issues, whether its fiscal
conservatism and values and family and religion, you know, all of those things
begin to play a very critical point beginning, you know really with Goldwater
but it was Reagan who really brought in the Republican revolution and it has
existed and expanded now for what, almost, 16 years. But all things come to an
end and movements come. I was just reading in the New York Times this weekend
how the Republicans are now gashing, pulling their hair and gashing their teeth
because now theyre at a deficit of ideas that they feel like the brand is
tarnished, that they are struggling now to find new ideas and theyre in
disarray. It was just comical because thats exactly what was being said about
the Democratic Party no less than five years ago. And if you study history, this
00:54:00is how history unfolds. This is what its about.
SHORT: So what do you see for the Democratic Party in Georgia down the road?
THURMOND: Well I think our key to really returning to power and influence is
that we got to rebuild the coalitions that made us unique. You know we have to
reclaim white working class voters and you know we got to build that coalition.
It was urban blacks and rural, basically working class whites. And if we can
rebuild that coalition we can actually reassume positions of power and
influence. And I think were on our way to doing it. I think when tough
economic times present themselves, issues that transcend race and that deals
more with the economy have a greater opportunity for success. And you know,
theyll be Democratic governors again and lieutenant governors; it just a
matter of time.
SHORT: Looking back over your career, what has been your proudest moment?
00:55:00
THURMOND: Probably that third election in Clarke County. Number one, I was
scared to death. People saying dont do it because if you lose three times
its over. And so I just kind of put, not just my career, but everything I
spent my life working towards and kind of just put it on the line and being in a
majority white district people saying youll never get elected. And it
appeared as if that might true. But we were able to build a coalition, you know,
that provided the votes that made it happen and just believing that I could,
believing beyond, you know, the conventional wisdom. And back then we had white
blacks represented, it was a bi deal. And looking back at it, you know, today
its like okay. But back then, even in Athens-Clarke County for a majority
district made up of white people to elect a black person to represent them in
00:56:00the legislature was a big deal. Now were on the verge maybe of this majority
white district thats called the United States of America electing a black
man possibly to be the president. So thats how far weve come in a
relatively short period of time.
SHORT: Whats been your biggest disappointment?
THURMOND: Well, probably getting beat, not going to Congress. I always hoped I
would get to Washington in a political sense. But even that opened doors. I
wouldnt have been involved in what I did. So I dont know about politics.
You know I dont think you ever run a losing election that itd always do
ten I have ten objectives whenever I run for office. Number one is to get
the most votes. But then there are nine other objectives. So if I can get eight
00:57:00out of ten and miss two even if one of the two is the most votes, thats still
not a bad day.
SHORT: Well, what can we expect from Michael Thurmond down the road? Another office?
THURMOND: Well, I may have one more rodeo. You know I may go one more round. I
want to be I set out wanting to be the best Labor Commissioner Georgias
ever had and one of the best of most respected in the country. Thats my goal.
If I can achieve that then whether anything else happens in my career Ill be
satisfied. But if the people will give me a chance Id like to hold higher
office, but well have to see how that plays out.
SHORT: No definite plans?
THURMOND: Not yet. You know, right now I got to be focused and by the way,
the 2010 governors race has already started. But I have to be focused on
these 285,000 Georgians who are unemployed. I cant leave them right now. They
are my responsibility, theyre counting on me. People are losing their houses,
00:58:00their cars, their insurance, losing their families, losing everything, and the
only thing standing between destitution and being able to support themselves and
their families is the Labor Department. So this is a high responsibility and a
great challenge and Im going to till my last breath as the Labor Commissioner
Im going to do that job.
SHORT: Well youve done a wonderful job for the state.
THURMOND: Thank you.
SHORT: Thank you, Michael Thurmond, for being our guest. Anything else you want
to say?
THURMOND: No, I just thank you all for believing, you know, and recognizing and
giving me an opportunity to be a part of this great political history that is
Georgia. And I love Georgia, I love Georgia history, Georgia political history,
and its just an honor to be a part of it.
SHORT: Good. Well thanks.
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