Sen. Alexander responds to criticism of his record on Obamacare

The Senate Conservatives Fund radio ad attacks Alexander, claiming he has supported the Affordable Healthcare Act:

Alexander defends his record:

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Heritage Action for America's Obamacare Townhall Thrusday night

Conservative groups span country in effort to defund ObamaCare Aug 22, 2013 Reported By Nadia Ramdass,

WKRN, Nashville News, Nashville Weather and Sports

Nearly seven hundred people were in attendance at last night's health care town hall reports Channel 2.

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Senator Corker: the reason that we do the things that we do around the world is because it’s in our own interest.

Bob Corker at the World Affairs Council meeting in Nashville:

“I heard another Senator say last Sunday morning on one of these programs that all of us participate in that we’re giving aid to a country and they don’t even like us.  Well, that’s not why we do what we do.  I mean, the reason that we are involved around the world, and the reason that we do the things that we do around the world is because it’s in our own interest.” (link)

There is an isolationist strain in American politics that advocates withdrawing militarily and diplomatically from the world. This view is often advocated across the political spectrum from liberal passivist to libertarian isolationist to nativist populist who make up part of the conservative movement. When people in foreign counties take to the streets and burn the American flag, many Americans will ask, "why should we be sending them foreign aid?"

For one thing, those burning the flag may not represent the majority of the populous of that nation.  We should not allow the most violent and extreme who take to the streets to color our view of a whole nation. For another thing, it is worth keeping in mind that our whole foreign aid budget is less than one percent of the federal budget. Many think it is a huge sum of money; it is not. To keep shipping lanes open and markets functioning is worth the cost. And, if we can influence events with aid we may have to rely less of force. As Bob Corker said, "the reason that we do the things that we do around the world is because it’s in our own interest."

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Senator Corker at World Affairs luncheon says deficit spending is the greatest threat to America.

Today I attended a luncheon conference of the World Affairs Council here in Nashville at the Renaissance Hotel . I did not do a count, but probably 300 people were in attendance. Civic leaders, business leaders, non-profit leaders, religious leaders, academics and current and former political leaders were in attendance, including former Mayor Bill Purcell and Congressman Jim Cooper, and several State Senators and Representatives.

Governor Bill Haslam introduced keynote speaker Senator Corker, and the event also featured Wes Blumenshine from Caterpillar Financial, Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran Wayne Culbreth (USA), and Pastor Dan Scott from Christ Church Nashville, who all described why programs funded by the U.S. International Affairs Budget are critical to Tennessee’s future.

Senator Corker spoke for maybe twenty minutes sharing his experience in Washington as the senior minority member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and his various travels around the world in that position and his evaluation of the challenges we face in the world and his views of America's position in the world. Corker was then interviewed in a casual set-down interview by David Brody, Chief Political Correspondent, Christian Broadcasting Network.

During the interview, Brody asked a Senator Corker what he saw as the biggest threat to American security today. Corker replied that that was "no-brainey." He said, by far the greatest threat to our national security was America's deficit.

“Withdrawal from leadership will make us less safe, have us miss opportunities for greater prosperity and stability, and potentially sow the seeds of greater indebtedness. There’s no nation in the world that is impacted as much as ours when there’s economic stability around the world. But the greatest threat to our ability to lead is our fiscal situation. I was asked recently in a discussion with young people about how the U.S. can regain our competitive advantage from a rising China. I said then and will reiterate today: we must get our fiscal house in order.”

He said if we do not get an handle on run-away spending we will not be in a position to exert influence in the world. He said if we cannot solve the debt crisis, nothing else we do in the world will matter.

Hearing Senator Corker's comments about the deficit made me even more disappointing with the so-called conservatives on the Metro Council who on Tuesday night voted to send the Congress a letter urging them to end sequestration, make no meaningful spending cuts and take the counter productive action of increasing the corporate income tax.

When cities around the country unanimously pass resolutions such as the shameful resolution passed by our Council on Tuesday night, it must weaken the resolve of members of Congress to address this serious threat to our national security. I do not see how patriots would not have voted for that resolution. 

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Donelson Republican breakfast with Spcial Guest Dr. Ming Wang

Shoney's at the Airport location/Donelson

546 Donelson Pike, Nashville, TN   (615) 883-8110

Sat, 8/24, 8:30 am

with

Dan Davis

 Mr. Davis will talk about the mission of the Tennessee Republican Minority Coalition and its activities.

and

Dr. Ming Wang, MD, PhD

Appreciating Freedom in America -

Living through China’s Cultural Holocaust

Harvard & MIT (MD, magna cum laude); PhD (laser physics)

President, Tennessee Chinese Chamber of Commerce (www.tccc.us)

Wang Vision 3D Cataract & LASIK Center (www.wangcataractLASIK.com)

Wang Foundation for Sight Restoration and Wang Foundation for Christian Outreach to China

Dr. Ming Wang, a Harvard and MIT graduate (MD, magna cum laude) and one of the few cataract and LASIK surgeons in the world today who holds a doctorate degree in laser physics, will present a talk entitled “Appreciating Freedom in America – living through China’s Cultural Holocaust”.

Dr. Wang is the only surgeon in the state who performs 3D LASIK (ages 18-60), 3D Forever Young Lens surgery (ages 40-65) and 3D laser cataract surgery (ages 60+). He has performed over 55,000 procedures, including on over 4,000 doctors. Dr. Wang has published 6 textbooks and a paper in the world-renowned journal "Nature", holds several U.S. patents, and founded the Wang Foundation for Christian Outreach to China and the Wang Foundation for Sight Restoration, which has helped patients from over 40 states in the U.S. and 55 countries, with all sight restoration surgeries performed free-of-charge.

Growing up in China during the Cultural Revolution, Ming--a teenager at that time--faced the devastating fate of being deported by the Communist government to the poorest parts of China where he, along with millions of other Chinese youth, would be condemned to a life of poverty and hard labor. Ming learned to play the Chinese er-hu violin as a way to avoid deportation. A chance meeting with a visiting American professor helped Ming come to America, so in 1982 with $50 and a Chinese-English dictionary in his pocket, he arrived here in the U.S.

Having suffered through and survived China’s Cultural Holocaust, Dr. Wang is deeply troubled by the direction towards dead-end socialism that America is heading today. Because he has “been there, done that,” and knows that socialism does not work. He will talk about his “Great American question,” namely, why was the idea of freedom able to take root in America over two hundred years ago, yet was not able to take root  in many parts of the world even in the 21^st century today? Dr. Wang will share his feelings on the importance of protecting our freedom!

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Governor Huckabee Sends Statewide Fundraising Letter for Lamar Alexander

“Like Ronald Reagan, Lamar knows how to govern with conservative principles, and he uses this experience to get results.” -- Governor Mike Huckabee 

 

Press Release, Aug. 22, 2013. NASHVILLE, TN – Lamar Alexander’s re-election campaign today shared a statewide fundraising letter signed by Governor Mike Huckabee.

Huckabee’s letter opens:

“When I was Governor of Arkansas, we did not have a Republican United States Senator, so I used to ask Lamar Alexander if he would mind moving a little west and being Arkansas’ other senator. I needed somebody I could talk to, somebody who is a conservative, and someone who understands – as Ronald Reagan did – how to govern.”

Huckabee’s letter praises Alexander’s accomplishments as governor: recruiting the auto industry, defending the state’s right-to-work law, building a four-lane highway system to attract industry, standing up to the unions, paying teachers more for teaching well, balancing the budget and leaving the state with a AAA bond rating.

Huckabee lists Alexander’s most recent conservative ratings from his time in the Senate:

• An “A” rating from the National Rifle Association
• 100% score from National Right to Life
• 100% score from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• 100% score from the National Federation of Independent Business

He reminds readers of Alexander’s leadership role at the White House Health Care Summit, writing:

“[R]emember the health care summit where the president sat around the table with thirty or forty members of Congress? Remember who the Republicans called on first to say what they thought of Obamacare? It was Lamar Alexander. If you have forgotten about it, visit www.repealobamacaretn.com to watch it. Lamar told the president Obamacare wouldn’t work, and the president said it would. Well, guess who is right and guess who was wrong? Lamar was right, Obama was wrong. We’ve got to keep Lamar’s voice in the Senate, reminding the president of what works.”

The full letter is available here.

The Alexander campaign is chaired by Congressman Jimmy Duncan with co-chairmen Governor Bill Haslam, U.S. Senator Bob Corker, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, Speaker Beth Harwell as well as Congressmen Blackburn, Roe, Black, Fincher and Fleischmann.

The campaign’s Honorary Co-Chairmen include former U.S. Senators Howard Baker, Bill Brock, Bill Frist and Fred Thompson as well as former Governors Winfield Dunn and Don Sundquist.

Serving as Honorary Co-Chairs of the Statewide Committee to Elect Lamar Alexander are all 13 living former state Republican Party chairs.

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New Charter School approved. Special Called MNPS Board Meeting video of 08/20/13

This meeting is slightly less than an hour long. The only item on the agenda is, "Approval of

Recommendation for Explore  Community School Charter Appeal."

 

The charter school is approved with by a 5-3 vote after a passionate appeal for approval from school board member Elissa Kim.

 

Voting to approve was Elissa Kim, and four other board members.

voting against approval was Jill Speering, Amy Frogge and Will Pinkston

 

Below the the Tennessean's report on the meeting.  

 

Metro approves new charter school in East Nashville

“How can we not bring this opportunity to my kids in East Nashville?” Kim asked. “To me, it’s about justice.”

 

East End kindergarten students perform better in math than 96 percent of the kindergartners in the nation, Kim said, and in  reading they outperform 84 percent of their peers nationwide.
“This is life-changing,” she said. (link)

 

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Nashville Town Hall meetings on August 22nd, Heritage Foundation or Citizens Action, Jim Dement or Erica Gilmore

From Heritage Foundation:

Members of Congress left Washington for the month of August, but even though they’re back home, few are hosting town hall events to hear from you, their constituents.

So Heritage Action is standing in the gap: bringing education on the critical issues and our message of Congressional accountability to critical cities across the country—including Nashville.
Join Jim DeMint, your neighbors, friends, and other local conservatives at the Heritage Action Nashville town hall meeting.
At the town hall you will:

• Meet your neighbors and friends that are willing to take a stand for conservative principles.
• Hear directly from Jim DeMint on the critical fights facing conservative—and how we can win.
• Get educated on key issues like defunding Obamacare.

At this town hall meeting, you will learn how your voice, when added to the growing chorus of conservatives across the country, can make the all difference.
Don’t miss your exclusive opportunity to meet Heritage President Jim DeMint on August 22nd in Nashville.

What you need to know about the event

Date: August 22, 2013
Time: Registration begins at 6:00 p.m. Town Hall Meeting begins at 7:00 p.m.
Location: Franklin Marriott Cool Springs, 700 Cool Springs Boulevard, Franklin, TN 37067
Cost: Free for conservatives. RSVP required.  The Nashville event has reached its maximum capacity and they are no longer accepting new RSVPs. 

I waited too late and will be unable to attend. There is always this event:

From Mary Mancini of Citizens Action:

“A TENNESSEE FOR ALL” TOWN HALL TO COUNTER MIDDLE-TENNESSEE VISIT BY DIVISIVE JIM DEMINT AND HERITAGE FOUNDATION

Senator Estes Kefauver and Health Care Advocates to Fight for Obamacare’s Important New Affordable and Accessible Health Care Protections for Thousands of Tennessee Families

WHAT: Tennessee Citizen Action’s “A Tennessee for All” Town Hall is a direct response to the extremism that Jim Demint and Heritage Action for America (aka The Heritage Foundation) are bringing to middle-Tennessee this week with their “Defund Obamacare Town Hall Tour.” Heritage Action for America are coming to town to rail against Obamacare and to spread a message of obstruction. Our message? We want to engage with government and create solutions that work for everyone.
WHO:

• Senator Estes Kefauver – Consumer protection, antitrust, and civil rights pioneer (portrayed by Greg Welsch)
• Molly Secours – Writer/Filmmaker (www.mollysecours)
• Michele Johnson – Executive Director, Tennessee Justice Center (http://www.tnjustice.org)
• Councilwoman Erica Gilmore
• Kelly Gregory – Breast Cancer Survivor
• Clare Sullivan – Nurse Practitioner
• Sam Rutherford – Student

WHEN: Thursday, August 22, 2013; Registration at 6:00 PM; Town Hall from 6:30 – 7:30 PM
WHERE: UAW Local 737, 6207 Centennial Blvd, Nashville, Tennessee 

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Video, summary of Council meeting of 8/20/2013 with commentary

To link to the agenda, staff analysis and my commentary follow this link.

This meeting is an hour long.  When you let just anything pass unanimously you can have some short meetings. 

Councilman Chris Harman is elected President Pro Tem of the Council. He is unopposed. President Pro Tem conducts the council meetings in the absence of the Vice Mayor.

Councilman Walter Hunt is elected unopposed to Chair the Planning Zoning and Historical Committee of the Council. This is one of the few council committees in which the Chair is elected by the body. Most committee chairmen are picked by the Vice Mayor. This gives him a seat on the Planning Commission.

Councilman Frank Harrison is elected unopposed to Chair the Traffic and Parking Committee of the Council. That also gives him a seat on the Traffic and Parking Commission.

Confirmation of Mayor's appointees to Boards and Commissions: All appointee's are approved except for one which was differed and no explanation was given why the one appointee was deferred.  Most likely the appointee was absent. The council does not take seriously the task of confirming appointees and just rubber stamps whom ever the Mayor appoints. The appointees views and qualifications are never questioned.

Council member Gilmore recognizes Dr. Lawson a civil rights leader from the 60's. (See 13:45)

The Consent Agenda:
All of the resolutions except for one memorializing resolution are on the consent agenda.

Included on the consent agenda was the Gilmore resolution expressing the will of the Council opposing sequestration, any budget cuts and calling for raising taxes on the rich and the raising corporate income tax. I am  totally disgusted that no one, even the so called conservatives and self identified Republicans on the Council voted against this resolution . To read my more detailed commentary and to read the actual resolution follow this link: Council passes unanimously a bill urging no budget cut and more taxes!

Resolutions are put on the consent agenda if they pass the committee to which they were assigned unanimously and if no one ask to have them removed.

Resolutions not on the Consent Agenda:  Resolution 665 establishes a "Residential Caucus."  I do not see the logic of this at all. This would be the full council since everyone serves residents. The rules committee voted against it 5-2. The sponsor defers it indefinitely after making a plea for it . (see 19:50-25:27).

Bills on First Reading: First reading is an introduction of a bill and bills are not referred to committee until they pass first reading. All bills on First Reading are considered as group and usually are not discussed. However, in a highly unusual move,  BILL NO. BL2013-523 is pulled and considered separately.

This is an absolutely terrible bill that would establish a Community Benefits Agreement which would establish quotas for hiring and establish "competitive wages" be paid on construction projects that involve metro. The administration would not sign off of the bill as to the availability of funds saying they could not determine the cost and saying there were legal problems with the bill. The bill passes by voice vote.  That vote should not to taken to mean that most council members support the bill.  Some may have voted for it simply to respect the tradition of the Council and let the bill move forward. (See 26:30-32:35)

Bills on Second Reading:

Bill Number BL2013-517 is the racial and female set aside bill for construction projects involving metro.  It passes on voice vote. This is a bad bill that should have been defeated. If I would have been in the Council, I would have asked to be recorded as voting "no".  On the request of five Council members, a roll call vote can be taken. Why did they not demand a roll call machine vote?  I am more disgusted with the self identified Republicans on the Council with each passing day.  I see absolutely no point in electing self identified Republicans or conservatives if they will not take a stand. (see 32:40-36:25)

Bills on Third Reading: 
Bill BL2012-103  to rezone some property in Antioch to allow an asphalt plant Councilman Dominy does a good job explaining the bill. It passes 30 yes, 4 no, 2 abstention. (see 39:30-47:55)

 

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Council passes unanimously a bill urging no budget cut and more taxes!

What is wrong with our Metro Council? Tonight it allowed to pass on the consent agenda Bill 824. This bill calls on the U.S. Congress to end sequestration, to avoid any meaningful spending cuts and to raise taxes! 

They knew it was on the agenda and they knew what it did. I spoke to two of the "conservative" members of the Council about this bill. One, of them is a leading Republican member. I exchanged voice mail messages with two other "conservative" Republican members of the Council and emailed the entire Council.

Look at the bill below. This is what passed our Council unanimously. There is no excuse! How could any one but an extreme liberal or a socialist vote for such a bill?

Robert Duvall voted for it! Duane Dominy voted for it! Davette Blalock voted for it! Everyone voted for it!

Could you have voted for this bill?  I could not. We need to clean house and elect some real conservatives to the Metro Council.

RESOLUTION NO. RS2013-824 

A resolution calling on the United States Congress to end Sequestration and balance the federal budget in a way that will create jobs and strengthen our communities.

WHEREAS, the United States government is currently confronting major decisions regarding our nation’s budget and fiscal policies; and

WHEREAS, the American economy continues its slow and inadequate recovery from the Great Recession; unemployment stubbornly remains at more than 7 percent; and a weak economy undermines the nation’s social fabric and deprives future generations of the opportunity to live rich and fulfilling lives; and

WHEREAS, according to statistics compiled by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the June 2013 unemployment rate increased in 91 of the 95 counties, and the unemployment rate for Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County increased from 6.7 percent to 7.1 percent; and

WHEREAS, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are central to the vitality of the middle class and keep millions of Americans out of poverty; and

WHEREAS, federal investments in education, child care, infrastructure, and services for the elderly and vulnerable are essential to the nation’s future prosperity; and

WHEREAS, unwise federal spending cuts inevitably shift costs to states and municipalities, which, unlike the federal government, must operate within a balanced budget, thus forcing cuts to vital services that all Americans depend on; and

WHEREAS, real median family income has been nearly stagnant for four decades despite continued growth in productivity; economic inequality has expanded to levels unseen since the 1930s; the wealthiest Americans, including corporations, receive an ever-larger share of national income and pay an ever-smaller percentage of taxes; and millions of families are unable to afford basic necessities.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:

Section 1. The Metropolitan Council hereby goes on record as calling upon the United States Congress to:
1. Adopt Federal budget policies that prioritize the revitalization of the economy, the creation of millions of new jobs, and a return to broadly-shared prosperity;
 2. Avoid cuts to Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits, or the shifting of costs to state and local governments;
 3. Resist cuts to the safety net or to vital services for the most disadvantaged members of society; and
 4. Restructure our tax system so that wealthy Americans and corporations pay their fair share.

Section 2. The Metropolitan Clerk’s Office is directed to send a copy of this resolution to U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, and to Representatives Marsha Blackburn and Jim Cooper.

Section 3. This Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it. 

Basically this resolution says, don't cut spending and raise taxes. It says, ignore the deficit.

I am totally disgusted.

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Carr for U. S. Sentate

What's wrong with this picture?

Chip Saltsman resigned as Joe Carr's campaign manager. Joe Carr needs a new one, and fast.  In the meantime, try spell check.

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08/19/13 Metro Council Budget & Finance Committee Meeting

The real discussion of how Metro spends your tax dollars takes place in the Budget and Finance Committee. This is yesterday's B&F meeting.

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Chip Saltsman resigns from Joe Carr's campaign, supports Lamar Alexander

After learning of Joe Carr's decision to run for the United States Senate, Chip Saltsman has resigned from Carr's campaign efforts.

The entire letter is below: 

CHIP SALTSMAN

 August 20, 2013

Representative Joe Carr

PO Box 192

Lascassas, TN 37085

Dear Joe,

Having learned of your decision to run for the United States Senate, I must resign from your campaign. I signed up to help you run for Congress, not the Senate.

I have been a longtime supporter of Senator Alexander for many reasons, and I will continue to be a strong supporter. When I was Party Chairman in 2000, nobody believed we could beat Al Gore in his home state, but Lamar Alexander worked hard to make sure Al Gore would not, and did not, win his home state. Lamar traveled across the state to help candidates win local, state, and federal races. Most importantly, though, Lamar always told me if conservatives worked hard, and governed effectively, we would soon control state government. And he was right! Due to the hard work of Lamar Alexander, and because he stayed true to his conservative ideals, our state has no income tax, great roads with no debt, and an economy that is the envy of most states.

It is because of Lamar Alexander that people like you have the honor of serving in the majority of the state legislature. It is because of Lamar Alexander that our children and grandchildren go to better schools, and are able to compete for better jobs. It is because of Lamar Alexander that we live in a state people want to move to, start a family in, start a business in, and even retire to. I am honored to support Lamar Alexander for re-election.

Sincerely,

Chip Saltsman

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Senate Conservatives Fund still looking for Alexander challenger. Not sold on Carr.

The Senate Conservatives Fund, however, which has given millons of dollars to tea party Senate candidates in others states, but is looking for someone other than Carr.

“We’re a little concerned about Carr,” said the group’s executive director, Matt Hoskins. “If he couldn’t get traction in the House race, he probably won’t get traction in the Senate race either.

“If Carr doesn’t catch fire and a more compelling conservative enters the race, he could be the spoiler that helps re-elect Lamar Alexander. That's something we want to avoid.” (link)

About Senate Conservatives Fund

Electing true conservatives to the U.S. Senate

SCF is a grassroots organization dedicated to electing strong conservative leaders to the United States Senate. We do not support liberal Republicans and we're not affiliated with the Republican Party or any of its campaign committees.

SCF seeks to bring bold conservative leadership to Washington by supporting candidates who have the courage to fight for the timeless conservative principles of limited government, strong national defense, and traditional family values.

Our goal is to enact policies that will restore America's greatness. Therefore, we only support candidates who have the courage to:

• Stop Spending
  Congress must be forced to cut spending. SCF candidates support a constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget without raising taxes.


• Repeal ObamaCare
  President Obama's health care takeover is set to destroy American medicine and bankrupt our country. SCF candidates support the full repeal of this dangerous law.


• Enforce Immigration
  The federal government has failed to enforce our nation's immigration laws. SCF candidates support real border enforcement and oppose amnesty.


• Defend the 2nd Amendment
  The 2nd Amendment protects our freedom to keep and bear arms. SCF candidates oppose all efforts to eliminate or restrict this right.


• Ban Bailouts
  Bailouts force taxpayers to reward failure and punish success. SCF candidates oppose bailouts and believe corporations should be forced to compete.


• End Earmarks
  Congressional earmarks are a gateway drug to higher spending. SCF candidates support a permanent ban on earmarks to break Washington's addiction to pork.


• Protect Life
  Americans should not be forced to fund activities they find morally objectionable. SCF candidates oppose taxpayer funding for abortion.

Read more about our endorsement process.

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State Rep. Joe Carr Announces Alexander Challenge

Joe Carr

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) - Sen. Lamar Alexander's efforts to ward off a primary challenge from the right fell short Tuesday with Tennessee state Rep. Joe Carr's announcement that he will mount a tea party challenge for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate.

Carr, a Murfreesboro business consultant, told WTN-FM host Ralph Bristol that he decided to abandon his challenge to embattled U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais to instead take on Alexander because he considers the senator "the most liberal member of the delegation from Tennessee." (link)

My comment:
Just now hearing this, I will have to let it sink in. 

This is certainly good news for Jim Tracy.  Jim Tracy was ahead in fund raising and appeared to be destined to beat Carr in the three-way primary between DesJarlais, Tracy and Carr.  Tracy should now win that primary handily.

I have serious reservations about Joe Carr.  The main thing that concerns me is that he was the sponsor of a bill in the state legislature that would have made it a crime to enforce any new federal gun laws in Tennessee. If his bill would have passed, local law enforcement agents would have been required to arrest Federal agents enforcing Federal gun laws in the state. Imagine Barney arresting Marshall Dillon. Someone could die.  If the Federal Government violates the Second Amendment, the proper course of action is to challenge it in the courts, not start a rebellion.  The supremacy clause is as much as part of the Constitution as the tenth amendment.

While Joe Carr is the most qualified of any of the other potential candidates mentioned as possible challengers to Alexander, I don't think he can take the nomination away from Alexander.

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Two very bad bills! Council Agenda for August 20 with analysis and summary.

Two bad bills need defeated:  One is the minority and female set aside for construction contracts "involving metro."  The other is a memorialize resolution that ask Congress to end sequestration and raise taxes and make no meaningful budget cuts.

To follow along, you can get your own copy of the Metro council meeting agenda at this link: Metro Council Agenda. And, you can get the Council staff analysis at this link: Metro Council Staff Analysis.

Election of President Pro Tempore
This is the first order of business. The President Pro Temp conducts the Council meetings in the absence of the vice mayor. While one may wonder why one would want the job, it is a coveted position and sometimes is subject to lots of lobbying. Various faction often line up supporting one candidate or the other. I understand that it not going to be a contested election however and Councilman Chris Harmon is the only one seeking the position.

Confirmation of Appointment
There are five appointees to Boards and Commission on the agenda, but none of them are to the troubled or controversial agencies. The Council never turns down a Mayor's appointee and the Council never examines the appointee's qualifications or questions their views anyway, so it doesn't much matter. All appointments are always confirmed unanimously.

Bill on public hearing: There are none.

Consent Agenda
There are sixteen resolutions, all of which are on the consent agenda at this time. A resolution is put on the consent agenda if it is likely to be non-controversial and it stays on the consent agenda if it passes the committees to which it was assigned unanimously. Bills on the consent agenda are usually not controversial and tend to be routine matters. Resolutions on the consent agenda are passed by a single vote of the Council rather than being considered individually. However, any member of the body may have a bill pulled off of the consent agenda but it doesn't happen often. Some really terrible stuff slips though on the consent agenda sometimes. Memorialize resolutions get incorporated into the Consent Agenda unless someone objects and there is a very liberal memorialize resolution on the agenda which may slip through on the consent Agenda. I discuss it below under "memorializing resolutions."

Below is a resolution I find of interest:

Resolution 2013-810 appropriates $14.2 million dollars to various departments for various projects. Included in these projects is $350,000 to the Tennessee State Fair to replace the annex building and make other repairs.

In case you missed it, it has been determine by council staff attorney Jon Cooper that the 2011 referendum on the fairgrounds, which passed with 71 percent of the vote, gives more protection to the fairgrounds than I thought it did. I thought all that referendum did was increase from a simple majority to 27 votes, the number of votes it would take to close the fairgrounds and sell off the property. However, Mr. Cooper says to change any uses of the fairgrounds would require amending the charter. With this new interpretation, maybe the administration has given up on the strategy of starving the fairgrounds into oblivion. I doubt the city would be spending $350,000 to improve the fairgrounds if not for this new interpretation of the meaning of the fairgrounds referendum. (For more on the topic, see this link.)

Bills on First reading:
They almost always pass. They are considered as a group and are seldom discussed. First reading is a formality that allows the bill to be considered. Bills are not assigned to committee or analyzed by council staff until after they have passed first reading. I don't fault anyone for letting a bill move forward to second reading. Unless something is just atrocious, it should be allowed to advance to second reading. There are only three bills on first reading. BILL NO. BL2013-523 is almost atrocious enough to oppose on first reading, however I would honor Council tradition and let it go ahead and pass on first and then fight it.

Bills on Second Reading: It is on Second reading, after bills have been to committee, that discussion usually takes place. There are six bills on second reading.

Bill Number BL2013-517 needs to be defeated. This is the "set aside" for minority or women-owned businesses, not only for Metro projects but for private projects than get any Metro "participation." So if this bill passes and HCA accepts Metro funds to build a new office building or the parking garage connected to the new office building, they have to comply. If a new hotel is build downtown and they use tax increment financing, they have to comply. So, instead of the developer awarding a contract to a bidder who has the best track record and offers the lowest price they must make sure they have met their quota of contracts awarded to minority-owned or women-owned businesses.

If you think about it, this is really racist and sexist and insulting. It says that minorities and women can't compete on their own merits; they are simply inferior to other providers of the same service and must be given a preference.

This also invites corruption and abuse. A married couple in business for themselves will claim the wife owns the business in order to get the preference. White contractors with a Black subcontractor will let the Black subcontractor become the primary contractor and the White contractor will become the subcontractor to increase their chance of being awarded a contract. 

I was discussing this bill with a council member who disagreed with me. He said this bill did not sit quota's but only goals. He said it was nothing more than a "feel good" measure and that members of the council were supporting this bill to keep a more stringent variation of the bill from passing that really did set quotas.

While it is true the bill only sits "goals," it is worth keeping in mind that minority hiring quotas and student enrollment quotas that give preference to less qualified Black over more qualified Whites are often only "goals," but that act as if they were firm legally binding quota's. People getting government assistance know that a "goals" better me met. The effect of a "goal" is that it is a quota.

There is an even worse bill than this one sponsored by Councilmen Gilmore which is on first reading. This bill needs to be defeated and when the Gilmore bill which is on first reading reaches the floor on second reading, it also needs to be defeated. We should not be in the business of giving preferential treatment to certain classes of people. All competitors should be treated equally.

What happened to BILL NO. BL2013-513 and BILL NO. BL2013-514? Last council meeting an attempt was made by Councilman Scott Davis to defer the bills on first reading but that motion failed and the bills passed. I expected them to be on second reading but they are not. These are the bills that would establish the Gallatin Pike Urban Overlay on properties from the river to Briley Parkway. These bills are an example of well-intentioned but poor zoning. To see the video discussion last council meeting on this bill and my explanation, follow this link. To learn more about the issue, see here .

Bills on Third Reading:
Third Reading is the final reading. If a bill passes third reading it becomes law unless it is vetoed by the Mayor, which has only rarely happened. There are fifteen bills on third reading.

ORDINANCE NO. BL2012-103  to rezone some property in Antioch to allow an asphalt plant is still on the agenda for third reading. This bill was first introduced in Feb. 2012 and was deferred for months. The bill has been greatly improved with buffers and new reporting requirements and has the approval of the Planning Commission.

Memorializing Resolutions:
Memorializing resolutions are usually not controversial and usually honor a sports team or someone on their retirement or some such thing. However, a memorializing resolution does represent the will of the Council. Council Staff does not analysis them and unfortunately many in the Council will excuse a vote by saying, "Its only a memorializing resolution." They are important however. When they memorialize congress, they are telling congress that this is the official view of the Metropolitan Nashville government. They should be taken seriously.

There have been several instances where the Council passed memorializing resolutions endorsing very liberal policies and not a single one of the so-called conservative council members objected. On this agenda, there is another one. Watch to see again if our "conservative" council members vote for an extremely liberal policy.

RESOLUTION NO. RS2013-824 by Councilman Gilmore calls "on the United States Congress to end Sequestration and balance the federal budget in a way that will create jobs and strengthen our communities." It calls for "Restructure our tax system so that wealthy Americans and corporations pay their fair share."

Here is the bill in its entirety:

RESOLUTION NO. RS2013-824 

A resolution calling on the United States Congress to end Sequestration and balance the federal budget in a way that will create jobs and strengthen our communities.

WHEREAS, the United States government is currently confronting major decisions regarding our nation’s budget and fiscal policies; and

WHEREAS, the American economy continues its slow and inadequate recovery from the Great Recession; unemployment stubbornly remains at more than 7 percent; and a weak economy undermines the nation’s social fabric and deprives future generations of the opportunity to live rich and fulfilling lives; and

WHEREAS, according to statistics compiled by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the June 2013 unemployment rate increased in 91 of the 95 counties, and the unemployment rate for Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County increased from 6.7 percent to 7.1 percent; and

WHEREAS, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are central to the vitality of the middle class and keep millions of Americans out of poverty; and

WHEREAS, federal investments in education, child care, infrastructure, and services for the elderly and vulnerable are essential to the nation’s future prosperity; and

WHEREAS, unwise federal spending cuts inevitably shift costs to states and municipalities, which, unlike the federal government, must operate within a balanced budget, thus forcing cuts to vital services that all Americans depend on; and

WHEREAS, real median family income has been nearly stagnant for four decades despite continued growth in productivity; economic inequality has expanded to levels unseen since the 1930s; the wealthiest Americans, including corporations, receive an ever-larger share of national income and pay an ever-smaller percentage of taxes; and millions of families are unable to afford basic necessities.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:

Section 1. The Metropolitan Council hereby goes on record as calling upon the United States Congress to:
1. Adopt Federal budget policies that prioritize the revitalization of the economy, the creation of millions of new jobs, and a return to broadly-shared prosperity;
 2. Avoid cuts to Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits, or the shifting of costs to state and local governments;
 3. Resist cuts to the safety net or to vital services for the most disadvantaged members of society; and
 4. Restructure our tax system so that wealthy Americans and corporations pay their fair share.

Section 2. The Metropolitan Clerk’s Office is directed to send a copy of this resolution to U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, and to Representatives Marsha Blackburn and Jim Cooper.

Section 3. This Resolution shall take effect from and after its adoption, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it. 

Basically this resolution says, don't cut spending and raise taxes. It says, ignore the deficit.

If Congress cannot agree on how to solve the budget crisis, why should our Metro Council? The Council has its hands full with what it does. The Council should not be telling the Congress how to solve the budget crisis. This bill needs to be defeated.

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Radio talk show host Ralph Bristol to challenge Lamar Alexander

Lamar Alexander just picked up a major Tea Party primary challenger in the person of popular  radio host Ralph Bristol, reports Breitbart.

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New study follows the money on Tennessee public education

Beacon Center report analyzes how many tax dollars go into the classroom

 NASHVILLE – A new study released today analyzes taxpayer spending on public education in Tennessee. In the study, the Beacon Center of Tennessee, the state’s premier free market policy organization, looked at the amount taxpayers actually spend on education versus what is reported, where that money goes, and whether more funding equals better results.

The first of its kind in Tennessee, the report titled “ Following the Money: A Tennessee Education Spending Primer,” reached some troubling conclusions. First, the amount that taxpayers already spend on public education is significantly underreported. While the average stated amount spent per pupil is $9,123 per year, the true figure is about 11 percent more than reported, or $10,088 per student.

Of that funding, less than 54 percent is directed at classroom instruction, such as teacher salaries, textbooks, and other instructional spending. And that figure is in constant decline, whereas administrative spending is on the upswing. Since 2000, the number of administrators in Tennessee’s education system has grown by 34.5 percent, while the number of teachers has increased by less than 17 percent, and the number of students has grown by just seven percent.

Administrators’ salaries have also outpaced those of teachers during that time period. In fact, when factoring for inflation, teachers make less money today than they did in 2000. 

“Not only have taxpayers been misinformed about how much we spend on education, there has been a growing trend of adding administrative personnel, redirecting funding away from the classroom,” said Beacon Center CEO Justin Owen. 

Finally, after comparing similarly situated school districts within the state, while also comparing Tennessee to other states, the report found no measurable correlation between spending and student performance. 

“Ultimately, more spending does not equal better results,” said Owen. “Rather than allocate more money, especially on administrative personnel, public school districts should focus on spending education funds more wisely. Only then can Tennessee expect to provide its students with the quality education they deserve.”

The full report can be found at http://www.beacontn.org/wp-content/uploads/Following-the-Money.pdf. 

The Beacon Center of Tennessee’s mission is to change lives through public policy by advancing the principles of free markets, individual liberty, and limited government. 

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GOP Poll: Sen. Alexander Trails Generic 'Conservative' by 5 Points

GOP Poll: Sen. Alexander Trails Generic 'Conservative' by 5 Points

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Ron Paul will be in Nashville Aug 23 and 24.

For more details follow this link: A Night of Clarity.

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Weekly Republican Address 8/17/13: Rep. Shelley Moore Capito. Time for #FairnessForAll in the President’s Health Care Law

“Another setback”: Here’s a look at some of the ObamaCare delays that protect big businesses while letting hardworking families struggle.

 “It’s only fair”: If the president’s health care law is too complex and costly for big businesses to figure out, Speaker Boehner says, “American families deserve a break from it as well.”

#FairnessForAll: Rep. Capito says it’s time for the Senate to pass and the president to sign the bipartisan bill delaying the individual mandate too.

Rate shock: The president said he’d “bring down health care costs by $2,500 for the typical family.” Instead, his health care law is pushing costs higher.

Full-time jobs disappearing under ObamaCare: Reports say the president’s health care law is making full-time jobs harder to come by.

“Wonderful for America?” There’s bipartisan opposition to ObamaCare, but some Democrats in Washington see rising costs, small businesses that can’t hire, and the coming train wreck -- and think it’s “working” and “wonderful.”

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Senator Corker will address the importance of U.S. global engagement

Senator Bill Frist  Co-Chair and Governor Phil Bredesen Co-Chair

On behalf of the USGLC Tennessee Advisory Committee,
we invite you to attend a luncheon on

U.S. Global Leadership:Impact on Tennessee

Thursday, August 22, 2013
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

featured speaker

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Honorable Bob Corker Ranking Member, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Corker will address the importance of U.S. global engagement to Tennessee's economic and national security.

Opening Remarks

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Honorable Bill HasLam Governor of Tennessee

Renaissance Nashville Hotel - Grand Ballroom

611 Commerce Street

Nashville, TN 37203

There is no charge to attend the event.
Questions? Contact Evan Stewart at 202-730-4174 or estewart@usglc.org.

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Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett mulls US Senate challenge to Alexander

Tim Burchett mulls US Senate challenge to AlexanderKnoxville News Sentinel

Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett, a Republican, said he may challenge Republican Lamar Alexander in the 2014 election cycle. But Burchett's first step, if he chooses to run, won't be at an Aug. 31 political forum organized by the Nashville Tea ...

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