Political expedience

■ Proposed tax rebate moves ahead: Gov. Brian Kemp’s plan to send the state’s taxpayers $1 billion in rebates started advancing through the legislative process this past week. The plan calls for the money, part of the state’s $6.6 billion surplus, to go out in the spring, with single-filing Georgians receiving $250 and couples who file jointly to get $500. People who don’t owe state income taxes — such as seniors living on pensions and/or Social Security — won’t receive the rebates.

■ Record year for trade: For the second year in a row, Georgia set a high for international trade in 2022, exceeding $196 billion. That was up 18% over the previous year. Imports form the biggest share, but the state also saw an 11% increase for exports, totaling a record $47 billion. Aerospace products, with Lockheed Martin and Gulfstream leading the way, were the state’s top export, soaring to $9.2 billion. Agricultural and forestry exports grew 21% last year to nearly $5.8 billion. Georgia ranks seventh nationally in the value of international trade. Its leading trading partner in 2022 was China, at $28.9 billion.

■ Senate backs Thomas statue: The Republican-led state Senate approved a plan to place a statue of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas inside the Georgia Capitol or on its grounds. Thomas, a native of Pin Point on the Georgia coast, was nominated to the court in 1991 as its second Black justice. He’s now the longest-serving justice. Private donations would pay for the statue. Democrats opposed the measure, citing Thomas’ rulings on issues involving civil rights and abortion, as well as allegations that his wife supported then-President Donald Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election.