NFIB Files Amicus Brief Defending Tennessee Home-Based Small Businesses

 The case concerns arbitrary zoning restrictions on home-based businesses

Press release, NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Dec. 9, 2021) – NFIB filed an amicus brief in the case Elijah “LIJ” Shaw et al., v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County at the Tennessee Supreme Court. The case concerns a lawsuit filed by two homeowners challenging a metropolitan code provision that prevented them from serving customers at their home-based businesses.

“Many small businesses begin in people’s homes and on their private property,” said Karen Harned, Executive Director of NFIB’s Small Business Legal Center. “Small business owners have a fundamental right to earn a living and the right to use their property. Unreasonable zoning restrictions, as highlighted in this case, interfere with those rights.”

“Small businesses are a crucial part of Tennessee’s economy and local communities,” said Jim Brown, NFIB Tennessee State Director. “The government is punishing small businesses who work out of their home-based business without evidence that their business caused harm or disruption to neighboring homes. We urge the court to stand up for Tennessee’s small businesses and reject this standard.”

NFIB argues Tennessee courts should adopt “real and substantial” basis review as the minimum standard for challenges brought under Tennessee’s due process and equal protection clauses and reverse the lower court’s decision.

The NFIB Small Business Legal Center protects the rights of small business owners in the nation’s courts. NFIB is currently active in more than 40 cases in federal and state courts across the country and in the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Partisan school board elections are headed to Nashville and Williamson Counties.

Partisan school board elections are headed to Nashville after local Democrats, GOP request primaries

Williamson County school board to switch to partisan elections going forward

Shelby County Democratic and Republican parties won't endorse school board candidates next year, despite new law allowing it.

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Not content with losing Georgia's Senate seats and giving Dems control of the U. S. Senate, Trump to engineer a Republican loss of the Georgia governor's office.

National Review, Morning Jolt, Dec. 7, 2021- After Georgians voted for the Republican candidate in every presidential election from 1996 to 2016, elected Republicans in every gubernatorial election from 2002 to 2018, elected Republicans to control the state general assembly in every election since 2004, elected two Republican U.S. senators in every race since 2002, and electing Republicans in just about every statewide office during those same time periods . . . everything came crashing down in 2020.

Joe Biden won the state by 11,779 votes — yes, they counted, recounted, and audited the vote — and in the January Senate runoffs, Democrat Jon Ossoff beat David Perdue by 54,944 votes, and Democrat Raphael Warnock beat Kelly Loeffler by 93,272 votes. The fact that you may not like those results does not make them any less true or accurate.

One of the reasons that Ossoff and Warnock won was that a lot of white, rural Georgians who had voted in the November presidential election did not think it was worth voting in the Senate runoffs — after the president of United States had spent the past months insisting the Georgia election results were rigged: ...The Georgia runoff results are why we have Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer instead of Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell. ... Now, former Senator Perdue is running for governor as a Republican, challenging incumbent Brian Kemp, on the key policy issue that Donald Trump really hates Brian Kemp. Not only is the former president seething with rage at Kemp for not overruling the election results and appointing pro-Trump electors, but he contended yesterday that any Brian Kemp victory in the upcoming primary must be the result of voter fraud: (read more)

Trump’s Georgia Vendetta

He stokes a GOP primary fight that may elect Stacey Abrams.

By The Editorial Board, Wall Street Journal, Dec. 7, 2021 - For a glimpse of the long shadow Donald Trump may cast over the 2022 midterm elections, see former Sen. David Perdue’s Monday announcement that he’ll challenge Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp in a Republican primary. This is a good way to turn a major state over to the progressive left.

Mr. Trump has prodded Mr. Perdue to jump into the race for months, as part of the former President’s vendetta against Mr. Kemp. He claims the Governor didn’t fight hard enough to overturn Mr. Trump’s loss of the state in 2020. (Read more)

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Yog Nepal Is a Poseur

Hattie Bryant

by Hattie Bryant, Dec. 2, 2021 - Yog Nepal, Dr. Yog Nepal and Nabin Nepal is the same person as far as I can tell.  He has a brochure that says he would like to be a Republican candidate for the Tennessee House of Representatives District 59.  About six months ago I personally met Mr. Nepal at a meeting where someone, I have no idea who, whispered to me that he is a physician who works at Vanderbilt.  I was impressed and happy that he was taking time on a Saturday morning to attend a meeting of Republican activists.

I believed the whisper.

Now that he has taken to crashing Republican meetings, I decided to vet this man.

By crashing I mean he arrives at events without making a reservation or paying the ticket price and begins passing out his brochure.  He was asked to leave the Tennessee Federation of Republican Women state convention which was held in October.  The woman in charge of reservations for a recent Nashville Republican Women luncheon meeting told me that he was asked to stop passing out brochures and to leave because he did not have a reservation.  He argued that he did.  He was wrong. 

 Are you ready?

In February 2020 he created a GoFundMe account and on November 23, 2021 when I took this screenshot you can see that he has raised $2,210.  

There are guidelines that must be followed by any person who wants to run for office.  Funds are not to be raised without putting proper paperwork and organization in place. You can see instructions for campaigns here: Qualifying Procedures for Tennessee House of Representatives. 

I called the Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance and was told it has no record of Yog Nepal establishing a campaign. No person who wants to run for office can raise funds until they go to: https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tref/documents/candidate-forms/ss-1120.pdf.

This form must be completed with the original filed with the Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance.  If you are one of his donors, feel free to demand your donation be returned. 

What I have learned from veteran Davidson County Republicans tells me that he is a poseur.  My sources say:

• At a fund raiser for a Republican candidate in 2019, Nepal told the candidate that he, Nepal, is a cardiologist at Vanderbilt.
• At another event, Nepal told others that he is a cardiologist at St. Thomas.
•  He has told some that he is a veterinarian.
•  He told one woman that he is a nurse.
•  Facebook posts that have been deleted stated he holds a Master’s in Physics & Nursing from Belmont University then a later post states he has a nursing assistant certificate from Belmont.

Truth is Vanderbilt and St. Thomas say they have never heard of Nepal, he is not a licensed physician or veterinarian in the state of Tennessee nor is he a registered nurse in the state of Tennessee. According to his own LinkedIn post, he has worked for Lycra Mobile since February 2013.  Another source tells me he works as a security guard for Allied Universal.

Nepal has worked at Happy Retales Animal Rescue and I have learned that there are no veterinarians employed there, only animal technicians.

This photo from one of his posts shows him posing as state vice chairman for the Tennessee Republican Party.

 Scott Golden, chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party, writes in an email to me, "He has never had an official or unofficial role with the TNGOP…..I did check his voting record, he voted in the Presidential primary and August Senate primary in 2020.  Voted in the 2016 presidential but missed the other 2 elections (Aug of 2016 and 2018) that would have counted toward his unquestioned bono fide status."

This means he does not have the voting record needed to be a bono fide Republican candidate.

Here’s an August 16, 2021 LinkedIn post. True, English is not Mr. Nepal’s first language and I suggested to him that he take down the title he gave to himself which he has done so you won’t find this today.In emails and texts between the two of us Mr. Nepal has provided many documents showing that he has a great deal of education and has told me that he has worked for years in healthcare.  After I saw this image I asked him, “What Nashville healthcare organizations have you worked in?  He did not answer that question.  I waited three days and asked again, and he did not answer. 

Nepal is creatively building his brand by nominating himself for awards.  As a member of the Bhutanese community, he has a built-in group of friends to cast votes his way. I have written to several of the entities he is said to be recognized by and have not heard back.  This happened to me during my first round of vetting Quincy McKnight (Link,  Link,  Link) who claims to do volunteer work for foster children.  Nepal and McKnight are playing us.

Nepal and McKnight also have track records we long-time Republicans don’t find appealing. We can trace Nepal back to being a Bernie supporter and McKnight to Instagram President Trump bashing.

Mr. Nepal says he is starting a home care business and I suggested to him that he focus on his personal life and stop his pursuit of public office.  Let’s hope he takes my advice. 

Hattie Bryant lives downtown Nashville and is active in civic affairs.  You can learn about her at https://www.authorhattiebryant.com. 

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Salvation Army apologizes for support of Critical Race Theory. They are back on my donation list.

by Rod Williams, Dec. 4, 2021 -  The Salvation Army has back-tracked on its support for Critical
Race Theory and has removed the offensive publication advocating CRT,  so I am going to forgive the transgression and go ahead and make a donation. 

I do most of my charitable giving this time of the year.  The Salvation Army is one of the organizations I support.  This year, I had decided to not give to the Salvation Army, and increase instead my contribution to the Nashville Rescue Mission. I have already made most of my charitable giving for the year and was going to wrap up this task today.

The Salvation Army has issued a sort-of apology. I wish the apology would have been stronger, but I am feeling charitable and am going to forgive. Anyone can make a mistake.  Below is the official statement copied from the Salvation Army website:

UPDATE:

Elements of the recently issued “Let’s Talk About Racism” guide led some to believe we think they should apologize for the color of their skin, or that The Salvation Army may have abandoned its Biblical beliefs for another philosophy or ideology. That was never our intention, so the guide has been removed for appropriate review.

The holidays are a welcome reminder of the things we are grateful for—and for the power of service on behalf of those who are less fortunate. The Salvation Army mission statement clearly outlines the nature of our service:  to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs in His name without discrimination. The beliefs that motivate our service are based solely on the Bible, and that will never change.

But although we remain committed to serving everyone in need—regardless of their beliefs, backgrounds, or lifestyle—some individuals and groups have recently attempted to mislabel our organization to serve their own agendas. They have claimed that we believe our donors should apologize for their skin color, that The Salvation Army believes America is an inherently racist society, and that we have abandoned our Christian faith for one ideology or another.

Those claims are simply false, and they distort the very goal of our work.

The truth is that The Salvation Army believes that racism is fundamentally incompatible with Christianity, and that we are called by God to work toward a world where all people are loved, accepted, and valued. Our positional statement on racism makes this clear. These beliefs and goals are critically important because we know that racism exists, and we are determined to do everything the Bible asks of us to overcome it.

The Salvation Army occasionally publishes internal study guides on various complex topics to help foster positive conversations and grace-filled reflection among Salvationists. By openly discussing these issues, we always hope to encourage the development of a more thoughtful organization that is better positioned to support those in need. But no one is being told how to think. Period.

In this case, the guide “Let’s Talk About Racism,” was issued as a voluntary resource, but it has since become a focus of controversy. We have done our best to provide accurate information, but unfortunately, some have chosen to ignore those efforts. At the same time, International Headquarters realized that certain aspects of the guide may need to be clarified.

Consequently, for both reasons, the International Social Justice Commission has now withdrawn the guide for appropriate review.

We at The Salvation Army remain undeterred in our mission because we are confident in the power of the gospel, and because millions of vulnerable Americans need our help. And we remain deeply grateful for the support of a generous public—people from all walks of life and from all parts of the country—who help us meet human need wherever it exists. Our supporters know that ours is a message of love, even for those who disagree or attack us. That is the model set by Christ, and we strive to follow it every day.

May God bless you, and Merry Christmas.

 If you want to know more about this controversy, read National Review's, Salvation Army Peddles Critical Race Theory, Urges Members to Confront Their Racism. In the article, there is a link to the Salvation Army study guide that touts CRT dogma. 

Apparently, Salvation Army contributions were off considerably since this controversy emerged.  Whether the Salvation Army genuinely thinks they were wrong to promote CRT or whether their back-tracking it is a strategic move to salvage their donor campaign, I don't know.  However, I am going to continue to contribute, at least this year.  If this reemerges or if there are other signs The Salvation Army has become a front group for progressivism, then I will mark them off my list.  There are plenty of other deserving organizations, not tainted by support for causes I abhor. 

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CATO: Tennessee 4th freest state in the U.S.

The Center Square – Tennessee ranked fourth in the country in the CATO Institute’s recent 2021 Freedom in the States rankings.

The rankings use 230 policy variables to rank states on how their policies promote freedom in fiscal, regulatory and personal realms. The CATO Institute is a public policy think tank based on libertarian ideals to promote limited government, free markets and peace.

Tennessee ranked second in the nation in fiscal policy freedom and also was second in economic freedom. Florida was No. 1 in fiscal policy freedom, while Nevada was first in economic freedom.

“Tennessee has long been one of the economically freest states, largely because of its outstanding fiscal policies, but it also used to be one of the personally freest states in the South,” the report said. “That edge disappeared as it became a more stereotypical red state. As a result, Tennessee fell from third in overall freedom in 2001 to seventh in 2012.”

Tennessee does not have a state income tax. Both its state and local taxes are below the national average. Overall state-level taxes fell from 5.1% of adjusted personal income in Financial Year 2007 to 4.1% in FY 2020. The national average is 5.7%.

Local taxes average 2.5% in Tennessee, below the national average.

CATO suggests that states “separate spending and tax committees in the legislature, a reform shown to correspond to lower spending over time. Sales taxes are high and could be cut.”

Tennessee ranked much lower, 39th, in personal freedoms that include victimless crimes, guns, tobacco, and education.

You can read Tennessee’s specific rankings here.

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“Seeking Common Ground in U.S. and China Trade” with Dr. Ming Wang

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm (CST)

Richland Country Club, 1 Club Dr, Nashville, TN 37215

AIER’s Bastiat Society program in Nashville will host an event with Dr. Ming Wang, world-renowned laser eye surgeon, philanthropist and co-founder of Common Ground Network.

Join us for an in-person event with the Bastiat Society of Nashville

In this presentation, Dr. Wang will discuss what the two superpowers of the 21st century, U.S. and China, have in common, in history, culture, sport, people, customs, food, economy, religion, and other areas. He will analyze the mutually beneficial trade opportunities, including for Tennessee. Dr. Wang firmly believes that while ideological differences do exist between the world’s #1 and #2 powers, it is in the seeking common ground that we do share, particularly in trade and economic exchange, that will help improve living standards and quality of lives of people of these two great nations. The film “Sight” is based on Dr. Wang’s autobiography as an immigrant “From Darkness to Sight”, co-starring Greg Kinnear.

This event is open to the public. Eventbrite ticket required.

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Metro Health Department apologizes for inflammatory anit-Kyle Rittenhouse letter.

 From Facebook, posted Dec. 1, 2021:

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So far this year, 1,084 guns have been stolen from vehicles in Nashville. Am I the only one that sees this as a problem?

Metro Press release, November 17, 2021 - The MNPD strongly encourages Nashvillians to lock their
automobile doors, secure any valuables---especially guns, and REMOVE THE KEYS.

So far this year, 1,084 guns have been stolen from vehicles in Nashville. More than 70% of ALL guns reported stolen in 2021 (1,508) were taken from vehicles. Last week, 32 guns were stolen from cars and trucks.

Going hand in hand with vehicle burglaries is vehicle theft. A review of last week’s stolen vehicle reports in Nashville shows that 74% of the automobiles taken (46 of 62) were easy targets because the keys were left inside or made available to thieves. One of the 62 vehicles stolen was left running without the driver present.

Just like guns taken from vehicles, these stolen autos are also routinely involved in criminal activities, including carjackings and robberies.

Rod's Comment-  Think about 1084 stolen guns. They probably ended up in the hands of thugs, maybe juvenile thugs. I see this as a problem. I think it is undeniable that more guns in circulation make us less safe.  Especially, more stolen guns.  I think it would be reasonable to have a law requiring gun owners to take reasonable precautions to secure their weapons from theft. Perhaps, guns left in an unoccupied car should have to be stored in a gun safe mounted to the vehicle frame. If that is too severe, then reasonable people should be able to come up with some law that puts some responsibility on the gun owner to make it less likely that their guns are stolen.  Support for the second amendment should not mean that this obvious problem cannot be addressed.

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Metro Nashville Health Department Sends Letter Addressing the ‘Injustice’ of Kyle Rittenhouse’s ‘Not Guilty’ Verdict: Report

by Rod Williams - The Metro Health Department sent the following message in an email to members
of the department. 

On November 19th, 2021 Kyle Rittenhouse, a young white man who shot and killed two people and wounded one other during last year’s demonstration following the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha Police Department officer, received a not guilty verdict.

We recognize that these injustices can cause distress and harm for the BIPOC communities and exacerbate trauma instilled daily through acts of racism and the pervasiveness of white supremacy and oppression.

We recognize these injustices can cause distress and harm to the BIPOC community.

We recognize these injustices can cause distress and harm for BIPOC communities and exacerbate trauma instilled daily through acts of racism and the pervasiveness of white supremacy and oppression.

We must move forward collectively to disrupt systemic racism and reaffirm our shared values of equity and inclusion publicly and through practice. MPHD is committed to providing a space for healing for anyone struggling to process, experiencing distress, and or needs additional resources to support their colleagues.

If you are feeling impacted by these events, please do not hesitate to reach out to the director, Dr. Gill Wright III; Deputy Director Dr. Melva Black; or the Bureau of Health Equity  Dr. Stephanie Kang. 

This is an outrage.  Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty. Justice was served.  The top management of the Health Department should be fired!

The above letter is excerpted from a report in The Tennesee Star, to read the full story follow this link. 

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1st Annual Conservative Collaborative Christmas Party

A classy and fun Christmas party with some of middle Tennessee’s best conservative groups!

About this event

Join several of Middle Tennessee’s best conservative groups for a collaborative Christmas Party! Featuring guest speaker Congressman Dr. Mark Green, Christmas music by DJ Josh Edwards, festive lighting by Tobi Maier, and a collaborative planning effort from these incredible conservative groups:

Davidson County Republican Party 

Americans For Prosperity 

Nashville Sentinels

917 Society

Nashville Republican Women 

Tennessee Republican Assembly 

Davidson County Patriots

Biblically Conservative 

Latinos for Tennessee

Tennessee American Chinese Chamber of Commerce 

Tennessee Immigrant and Minority Business Group 

Tickets include 2 drinks & light appetizers. Tickets are limited and will sell out fast! The event will kick off at 5:30pm with drinks and food. The formal program will begin promptly at 6pm. The remainder of the evening will be a long anticipated and highly coveted opportunity to meet, mingle, and network with all the members of these diverse conservative communities!

For tickets, follow this link.

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Most crime in America is Black-on-Black crime

 

The source of the above is the Federal Bureau of Investigation Crime Data Explorer.

If you assume, that America's crime problem is a problem of the dysfunctionality of the African-American community, that would be a valid assumption.  Most crime in America is Black-on-Black crime.  African Americans make up 13.4% of the population. 

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