Tag: Mark Skoda

The 2020 National Constitution Bee Grand Champion Declared

Corinne Murdock

This year’s annual National Constitution Bee Grand Champion was senior high school student Jackson Carter. He received the $10,000 educational scholarship from the Star News Education Foundation. Carter plans on attending the University of Alabama, where he hopes to double major in communications studies and economics.

The event took place at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Brentwood, Tennessee. 23 students ranging from eighth to twelfth grade arrived to compete. The Tennessee Star Report host and Guide to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights for Secondary Students co-author Michael Leahy served as the emcee.

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The Tennessee Star Blazes by 4 Million Visits

Admin

  FRANKLIN, Tennessee–In less than two months since September, traffic at The Tennessee Star has grown from 3 million visits to an astounding 4 million visits subsequent to its launch in early February. WOW!! We just had our FOUR MILLIONTH visit to The https://t.co/Awo9LigL60 since our launch Feb 6. THANK YOU, Tennessee – your readership and support mean the world to us! pic.twitter.com/aThos9gCeg — Tennessee Star (@TheTNStar) November 17, 2017 Launched on February 6, The Star hit the 3 million visit mark on September 23. It took just 7  weeks and 6 days to add another 1 million visits and hit the 4 million visit mark on Friday, November 17. It took The Star 3 months and 16 days from its launch on February 6 until it hit the first 1 million visit mark on May 23. Adding another million total visits in about half the time it took to reach the first million visits is a sign The Star’s traffic growth continues to accelerate dramatically. When asked what the secret to the upstart news outlet’s success is, Managing Editor Christina Botteri replied, “That is an interesting question. I believe it’s a number of factors that together, have created a new…

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Grover Norquist’s Endorsement of Gov. Haslam Gas Tax Increase Backfires

Tennessee Star Staff
Tennessee Star

Gas tax increase supporters initially believed they had scored a great political coup on Monday when Washington insider Grover Norquist, founder of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), declared his support for the amended version of Gov. Haslam’s IMPROVE Act that passed the Senate Transportation Committee last week. That amended version reduced the proposed gas tax increase from 7 cents per gallon to 6 cents per gallon. But the fierce backlash from conservative opponents of the gas tax increase in Tennessee to the last minute attempt by supporters of the governor’s plan to bolster its chances by calling in a “celebrity ” who has never lived in the state and knows little of the intricacies of the bill or the state’s budget, spells more, rather than less, political trouble ahead for the governor and his allies. “The recent amendments made by the Senate, and supported by Gov. Haslam, have improved the bill to the extent that the bill is now a net tax decrease, and thus not a violation of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge…ATR scores the amended version of SB 1221 / HB 534 as a net tax cut and therefore Taxpayer Protection Pledge compliant,” Norquist wrote “in a memorandum to…

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‘America First Federation’ Formed as Broad Coalition of State-Based Groups Supporting President Trump’s Agenda; Inspired by Success of Nashville Rally

Tennessee Star Staff

NASHVILLE, Tennessee– “A broad coalition of patriot leaders and groups have announced the formation of the America First Federation (AFF),” the organization announced in a press statement released today. The group’s mission is to support President Trump’s agenda and push back against the mainstream media and organized left wing activists who are attempting to create the false impression there is widespread opposition to that agenda, founders tell The Tennessee Star. “The founders of the America First Federation include the following ten key states that will be the focus of activists’ efforts over the coming months. Those states are Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin,” the statement said. “It’s more important today, than ever, that conservative groups across the USA stand coordinated, together, and shoulder-to-shoulder as we fight off the attacks of the rabid left and their lapdogs in the media. America First, a new federation of conservative, patriotic groups, will allow us to go on the offensive and support our president,” Mark Shackelford, America First Texas said. “The America First Federation is based upon successful models deployed over the past election cycle,” Mark Skoda, founder of AFF and organizer of the March 4 pro-Trump Spirit…

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Mark Skoda: Congress Needs to Support Trump

Wendy Wilson

Mark Skoda pulls no punches when talking about what he thinks progressives are doing to America. “I think what the left is doing is obscene,” he said in an interview with The Tennessee Star before Saturday’s Spirit of America Rally, which Skoda organized. Conservatives need to push back, but in the right way, he said. “It’s very easy to tear things down. We’re here to build things up in a way that reflects the values of most Americans.” Founder of the Memphis Tea Party and an internet radio host, Skoda is a longtime conservative. At age 18, he voted for President Nixon in 1972, the first time 18-year-olds could vote in a presidential election. Although he grew up in a Democratic family, Skoda at a young age began having doubts about the effectiveness of social welfare policies. He had started working full time for UPS while finishing high school, an experience that introduced him early to the adult world. Skoda credits President Trump with being able to adroitly communicate directly to the people through rallies, speeches and tweets, something Skoda hopes will continue throughout his presidency. Now it’s up to Congress to make sure that Trump is able to get…

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March 4 Spirit of America Rally in Nashville to Support President Trump, Challenge ‘Deep State’

Tennessee Star Staff

America First Tennessee, in partnership with liberty-minded, grassroots groups across Tennessee, today confirmed The Spirit of America Rally will be held on Saturday, March 4th from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Legislative Plaza in Nashville. “All the permits have been secured, insurance has been obtained, and safety and security precautions are in place,” rally organizer and founder of the Memphis Tea Party Mark Skoda said. “We have been working to establish this event for the purposes of celebrating President Trump and promoting his Contract with the American Voter,” he added. “The event is to give voice to the overwhelming support of the Trump Presidency by the people of Tennessee, as well as to raise awareness to the widespread problem with judicial overreach, and what citizens can do about it,” according to the statement from America First Tennessee. At least one left wing organization in Nashville has promised to “confront” those supporting President Trump’s policies, but Skoda says he and the organizing committee will not be intimidated. “We are seeing enormous support for this event. We want to showcase the grassroots support for our president while also celebrating his win! The left has shown its anger by rioting and…

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Ralph Bristol on March 4 Pro-Trump Rally: ‘There is No Hate in Our Position. The Media Have Manufactured the Charge of Hate Without Evidence’

Tennessee Star Staff

Nashville’s Morning News host Ralph Bristol told his listening audience on 99.7 FM WWTN Monday that his speech to the March 4 Spirit of America rally at Nashville’s Legislative Plaza will focus on an honest portrayal of American citizens who support President Donald Trump. “I’m going to use this occasion to speak to Trump’s detractors, in the media, and on the opposite side of the issues that have people so upset, about the people who are attending the rally,” Bristol said. “I’m not going to speak to the people at the rally, I’m going to speak about them,” Bristol said. “I’m going to correct the fabricated record about their hearts,” he added. Rally organizer Mark Skoda of America First Tennessee praised Bristol and his speech topic. “Ralph understands the heart of America, the people of Tennessee and the reason for our frustration with the media. He’s been the top Nashville radio talk show host for ten years, and he knows about the people of Tennessee. We are honored to have his perspective shared at our rally,” Skoda told The Tennessee Star. In his Monday morning on air monologue, Bristol pulled no punches. “Maybe to some on the Left, respect for…

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EXCLUSIVE: Spirit of America Rally in Nashville on March 4 to Show Support for Trump and Call for Impeachment of ‘Out-of-Control’ Judges

Tennessee Star Staff

The Spirit of America Rally will be held at the Legislative Plaza in Nashville on Saturday March 4, beginning at 11 a.m. and continuing to 1 p.m., America First Tennessee, in partnership with liberty-minded grassroots groups across Tennessee, announced on Monday in a statement first released exclusively to The Tennessee Star. In addition to Mark Skoda, speakers at the event will include Tennessee radio heavyweight Ralph Bristol, host of Nashville’s Morning News on 99.7 FM WWTN,  Ohio Tea Party leader Tom Zawistowski, Tennessee gubernatorial candidate State Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville), State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet), and co-sponsor of the event, Tennessee House Majority Leader State Rep. Glen Casada (R-Franklin). “People I talk with want President Trump to know that we stand with him; and that we, too, see that the Judiciary is coming off the rails. Furthermore, we are ready to do something about it,” rally organizer and Memphis Tea Party founder Mark Skoda said. “We will urge our Representatives [in the United States House of Representatives] to impeach, and for the Senate to try, convict, and remove [Federal District] Judge James Robart in Washington and [Federal District] Judge Leonie Brinkema in Virginia,” Skoda said. “They expose an allegiance not…

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