Republican State Executive Committee members getting death threats, targets of vandalism.

by Rod Williams - Terri Richman Nicholson, Tennessee State Republican Committeewoman for District 17, had her car badly keyed sometime in the last 24 hours. She reports that last night she was at a Trump Headquarter from about 6:30pm until 8:45pm and she suspects that is when it occurred. 

She reports that other member of the Executive Committee have received death threats. "I didn't say anything about it before but will now," she writes on Facebook. "Members on the GOP State Executive Board have received death threat letters. I haven't gotten mine yet but lots of others have."

This is frightening. Republicans are feeling intimidated.  And, justly so.  This is part of the climate now. The culture has reached the point to where conservative guest speakers are disinvited or not invited to speak on college campuses. It they do appear, they are more likely than not to be shouted down. A person may spend four years in college and never be exposed to a conservative point of view.  

Companies are kowtowing to Black Lives Matter.  Maybe for Starbucks it reflects the company's values, but I suspect a lot of the time it is to buy off the radicals hoping their business will be spared destruction during a "mostly peaceful" riot. 

People are fired from their job for supporting President Trump and actors who support Trump are blacklisted and business that advertise on conservative talk radio are boycotted or threatened into withdrawing sponsorship. Political correctness, wokeness and cancel culture is resulting in a society where civil discourse is not possible and only the "correct" point of view is tolerated. 

Last month, seeing all of the Black Lives Matter signs in my neighborhood, I decided to order some  "All Lives Matter" signs.  I did.  I intended to give them out to anyone who wanted one for free.  The next day after ordering them, I went to First Tuesday and told some people I had them on order and asked if they would like one.  I was a surprised that there were almost no takers. The next day I cancelled the order. 

People told me they were afraid their house would be firebombed or looted or they may be assaulted.  This lead to a further discussion of the current climate for political expression. Several people said while they had never thought twice about wearing a tee-shirt or baseball cap promoting their favorite candidate or point of view, now they avoided doing so for fear they may be physically attacked.  Several told me they were not going to put a Trump bumper sticker on their car this year and they would not put a Trump yard sign in the their yard. For the first time ever they were afraid to show their political preference. I think this may be one reason Trump is down in the polls.  Once people get afraid to tell people their political preferences they are probably not going to talk to pollsters either. 

One result of this intimidation combined with riots and seeing people pulled from their cars and beaten and a surge in crime, is that gun sales are way up. 2020 gun sales up 95% and ammunition sales are up 139% over this time in 2019.  About half of all sales of guns are to new first time buyers. Succumbing to intimidation may be prudent, but in today's environment so is being armed. 

I fear that if Trump is reelected we will see a massive frenzy of violence.  We saw the left throw a temper tantrum in 2016.  It was mostly peaceful however. We saw grown adults wearing  silly pussy hats and crying and venting.  This time, I expect random shootings, people pulled from cars and beat and killed and arson and destruction.  If we give in to the threat of violence we have lost our democracy.  That is one reason, despite reservations about Trump's character and demeanor, I am likely to pull the lever for Trump. 

We can be prudent and cautions in expressing our views, but where it most matters, we cannot give in to intimidation.  And if attacked, we need to be ready to defend ourselves.

If any other member of the Republican Executive Committee or any other prominent Republican has received death threats or have been subject to vandalism or other forms of intimidation, please share it. Don't keep quite. 

Biden hit a homerun.

by Rod Williams - Biden gave a very good speech last night. For people who base their vote on how much they like the candidate and are not too concerned with policies, Biden will win some votes. And, there are a lot of people who use criteria like that to pick a candidate. 

 

Biden is likable. Those who have had enough of Trumps bitter, sarcastic, off-the-cuff smart ass comments may find Biden's style more appealing.  When I have pointed out to some of my Republican friends some of things Trump says that make me cringe, I sometimes get the reply, "Well, he is a New Yorker. That's just who he is."  I doubt all New Yorkers are that insensitive and insulting, but if they are I don't like it. 

Those who have watched Trump pander to the worst in people will find Biden's appeal to calm and normalcy and "hope and light" appealing. He says character, compassion, science, democracy are on the ballot. In a sense, I think they are.  People who may not vote for socialism, abortion-till-birth, the empowered bureaucratic state,  and the Green New Deal, may vote for character, compassion, science and democracy.  The more Trump does things like refuse to condemn the nutty fringe, the more the contrast will show Biden to be a good man, a calming force, and rational. 

In Biden's speech he did not mention the days of riots rocking the country and the lawlessness and insurrection, so I am not sure Biden's niceness will cause people to support someone who is complicitly silent on this violent insurrection. But, Republicans will have to point that out and I am sure they will. 

Biden did not look like someone who with dementia who can barely function. He proved that in a studio sitting he can do a good job of reading a well-written speech. 

I think Biden hit a homerun.

If you missed it, here is the speech.  You can always watch it in double speed and not miss much. 

Trump Rally Nashville!

From Davidson County Republican Party :

You are cordially invited to join us at the Trump Rally Nashville

being held Thursday, August 27th at Fontanel, 4125 Whites Creek Pike, Nashville.  The event will start at 6:30pm.

Tickets are $25 each.  See the link below for ordering details.

Get your tickets here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/trump-rally-nashville-tickets-117589203473?aff=DCRPFacebookEvent

Rally together with fellow Trump supporters to protest the government overreach perpetuated by the Democrat Party.

The Davidson County Republican Party is proud to sponsor this rally to support the GOP candidate, Donald Trump, for President of the United States as he gives his acceptance speech. The Democrat party has politicized the virus, devastated the economy, and stripped away basic American freedoms. It is time we come together to protest the liberal agenda and rally for a Red Tennessee.

The epidemic that is being ignored is the economic crisis.  And our local business owners, entrepreneurs, and talented musicians are suffering at the hands of our left wing government.  On top of the continued and unprecedented shutdown, Davidson County has been lambasted with a 34%-37% property tax increase.  That is one of many reasons why we have chosen to stand with our music city musicians who formed the group: Let Us Work Music City. We stand with them as we petition Governor Bill Lee and Mayor John Cooper to end the "state of emergency" and let our people go back to work.

Music, food, guest speakers, and a chance to meet the not-so-silent majority in Middle Tennessee. Senate-elect Nominee Bill Hagerty, State Senator Jack Johnson, and State Senate Candidates Senator Steve Dickerson, and Senator Ferrell Haile, and State Representative Candidate Representative William Lamberth will be speaking before we watch President Trump give his acceptance speech via live feed on the big screens.  Musical performances by popular bands from our own Music City.  Local food trucks and official GOP merchandise will be available for purchase.

A limited number of VIP Tickets are available, first come first serve, and include prime visibility seating and a meal.  Parking is free in the field outside the entry gates.  Please bring your ticket with you to the entry gates - no ticket, no entry. (Either your ticket printout or your email confirmation with the ticket's QR code will be accepted.)  No coolers, backpacks, or large bags permitted beyond the entry gates.  This event is outdoors, rain or shine, so plan accordingly.  You may bring a lawn chair or blanket, and we recommend packing bug spray, a hat, water bottles, and an umbrella.  While this event is outdoors with plenty of space to maintain social distancing, Davidson County has a mandate for face coverings to be worn when social distancing is not possible - so please take necessary precautions to protect your own health and respect those around you.  Please see Emergency Health Order 4 for more details on face coverings in Davidson County.  https://www.nashville.gov/Metro-Clerk/Legal-Resources/Emergency-Health-Orders/Order-4.aspx

Security will be present. Absolutely no signage that is violent or ant-Trump or anti-Republican will be tolerated. If you violate this rule, you will be escorted off the property.

All tickets are final sale - absolutely no refunds. All proceeds will go to cover the cost of the event and any additional funds will go to the Davidson County Republican Party.

Worst city to live in Tennessee: Memphis (no surprise)

Well,  not much of a surprise.  This survey even included small cities.  I thought maybe there was

some depressed fading town in west  Tennessee where the one local plant had closed, or maybe some poor town in the mountains of east Tennessee hit hard by the meth epidemic and then the opioid epidemic that could rate lower than Memphis, but no, it's Memphis. 

Population: 654,723

Median home value: $94,200 (state: $151,700)

Poverty rate: 26.9% (state: 16.7%)

Violent crimes per 100,000 people: 2,003 (state: 652)

Memphis is the most dangerous city in Tennessee and one of the most dangerous cities in the United States. It is one of only 11 U.S. cities where the 2017 violent crime rate exceeded 2,000 incidents per 100,000 residents. As is the case in many high crime cities, Memphis is also home to a large poor population. More than one in every four Memphis residents live below the poverty line, compared to the 16.7% poverty rate across Tennessee. Joblessness is also a problem in Memphis. The city’s unemployment rate stands at 6.6%, far higher than the 4.0% state unemployment rate.

To view this story and see the worst city to live in, in each of the 50 states, follow this link. 

Just for the record, I also think Black lives matter.

by Rod Williams - Dolly Parton has been all over the news for saying, “Of course Black lives matter. Do we think our little white asses are the only ones that matter? No!” 

That is a no-brainer. I can't believe that this is being interpreted as an endorsement of the Black Lives Matter movement. I can't believe such a big deal is being made of this simple common sense declaration. 

Who can disagree with what she said? I don't. I don't know of anyone who has said Black lives don't matter. I don't know that anyone has ever said, "Only white lives matter." 

So, for the record, I think Black lives matter. Another way of saying the same thing Dolly said is to say, "All lives matter." So, for the record this is my statement: "Black lives matter. White lives are not the only ones that matter; all lives matter."

Art Break: Heading Home after Washing Clothes at the River by Ouida Williams

 Heading Home after Washing Clothes at the River by Ouida Williams

This was the last painting my mother ever painted. It was painted in 2008 as a gift for my daughter Rachel.  It was based on a photograph Rachel had taken when she was living in India. Rachel spent several months in India in 2004 studying anthropology while at UT Chattanooga. 

Save this date: Aug. 27th. Trump rally at Fontenel. Watch Trump nomination acceptance speech with friends.

 

With Nashville losing $100M a week in visitor spending, city 'scrambling' to forecast for the future

The Tennessean - Nashville businesses have so far lost $2.45 billion in visitor spending due to COVID-19 and are losing more than $100 million per week as the pandemic continues, according to the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp. 

The loss in spending by visitors coming to Music City for leisure, business and sports has meant a $92 million loss in local sales and hotel taxes and fees collected by the city between mid-March and Aug. 1, officials at the visitors corporation told The Tennessean. 

The new projections come as the group last week announced convention cancellations alone in Nashville will net an estimated $1 billion loss for businesses due to more than 1,200 cancellations since February through June next year.  (read more)

Metro Council moves to expand Metro police powers

by Rod Williams - Last night the council passed two bills on first reading that would expand the authority of Metro government to enforce Covid-19 health orders. One would allow Metro employees who are not police officers or employees of the Metro Health Department to issue citations. The other bill would allow Metro Codes and the Fire Marshal to post stop work orders on construction projects where health orders are not being followed.

Both of these were late filled resolutions.  While I oppose both, I do not criticize council members who voted for them on first reading.  First reading is a formality that allows the bills to be considered.  To become law the bills must be voted on two more times. I hope both are defeated on second reading.

I oppose these bills because I do not want to expand the capability of the city to harass citizens. Also, Metro can not be trusted with more power.  The enforcement of health orders is not applied uniformly.  If thousands of people stage a sit-in on lower Broadway, the health orders are not enforced.  If more than 25 people gather from some other purpose, or if a person is not wearing a mask and the wearer is not engaging in a favored political protest, then the order is enforced. 

Maury County mayor Andy Ogles causes major lib meltdown over humorous meme.

 by Rod Williams - Andy Ogles, mayor of Maury County posted the meme show here on his Facebook page.  Liberals have gone nuts! He got over a thousand comments and the meme was shared over 500 times.  I have posted a sample of some of what was posted as a reply. He is being denounced as a racist and getting "hate" post. The Columbia newspaper and The Tennessean found it newsworthy.  The Tennessean called it a "racist meme" in their article headline. 

I find it humorous. I am sick of people being so "woke" and politically correct that they are offended by the least little thing.  If I were an elected official, I would probably not have posted this, but that is more a matter of style than of finding this unacceptable. 

Nashville for Rational COVID Policy: The Costs of Mitigation.

Nashville for Rational COVID Policy acknowledges the need to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic safely, and to minimize the risk of infection for those at highest risk: The elderly, and those with significant pre-existing conditions. Simultaneously, however, it is important for policymakers to acknowledge and account for the costs of mitigation efforts, so as to balance these costs against the perceived benefits. 

Messaging from Mayor Cooper and the Metro Public Health Department, however, has been fairly one-sided, focusing only on how measures limit the spread of the virus in terms of transmission rate, new cases, and hospital capacity, without acknowledging the very real pain that they inflict on Nashvillians - both now and into the future. 

Among these costs are:  

• 99 additional overdose deaths in Q1-Q2 2020 as compared to the same 6-month period in 2019. This report, prepared by the Metro Public Health Department's Overdose Reduction Program, details a notable increase in overdose deaths in our city starting in April 2020. More than 50% of overdose deaths were of individuals between the ages of 25-44 - an age range in which there have been only 3 COVID-19 deaths to date. It also shows that Q2 2020 was the deadliest quarter on record in terms of overdoses in the city, and that ER visits for suspected overdoses were more than 50% higher than in any other quarter. 
• More than 130,000 residents of Middle Tennessee became newly unemployed between March and April of 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As of June 2020, more than 100,000 area residents remained unemployed. This is important because, in addition to the financial implications for families and individuals, there are also significant public health concerns associated with prolonged unemployment. Unemployment has been linked to increased rates of depression, suicide, and deteriorating mental health in a number of studies. Further, extended unemployment has been associated with increased mortality over a longer time horizon, suggesting a relationship between unemployment and overall health and well-being. 
• Many area businesses have been forced to permanently close due to extended restrictions. Across Tennessee, more than 1,100 businesses have permanently closed since March, including at least 410 in Middle Tennessee. These business closures alter the fabric of our communities, make re-employment of the aforementioned unemployed workers more challenging, and may facilitate pronounced wealth transfers from small business owners and lower/middle-income households to higher earners. Second-order economic effects may include further disadvantaging young workers and minorities, as this study shows. 
• More than 86,000 children in Metro Nashville Public Schools are beginning the fall semester in remote-only learning. This poses challenges for children in single-parent homes, or homes where parents work full-time in vocations which cannot be performed remotely. For older children, social isolation is already translating into increased depression rates, as shown by two independent surveys of college students. Younger students may have difficulty learning autonomously in remote settings, and may suffer effects that go beyond their academic achievement. Last but not least, studies have demonstrated that social isolation in childhood may lead to poorer adult health in the long term. 

We believe that these measures should not be in place a moment longer than absolutely necessary to maintain adequate health care resources for residents and frontline workers, in view of these costs. At the very least, Nashville deserves an open dialogue, accountability, and clearly-defined measures which remain fixed and which contemplate and balance these considerable costs to our community.

For more information, follow this link.