Day: March 24, 2017

President Trump tells Speaker Ryan to pull ‘Obamacare-lite’ Bill

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Tennessee Star

  The Washington Post reports President Trump has asked Speaker Paul Ryan to pull the American Health Care Act bill. Via the Washington Post: House Republican leaders abruptly pulled a rewrite of the nation’s health-care system from consideration on Friday, a dramatic acknowledgment that they are so far unable to repeal the Affordable Care Act. “We just pulled it,” President Trump told The Washington Post in a telephone interview. The decision came a day after Trump delivered an ultimatum to lawmakers — and represented multiple failures for the new president and House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.). Dubbed “Obamacare-lite” by conservatives, the reaction of the development is being felt across both sides of the aisles. Tea Party Patriots President and co-founder Jenny Beth Martin released the following statement today, reacting to the failed attempt by House GOP members to repeal and replace ObamaCare: “The AHCA failed to garner the necessary votes from the House GOP for the simple reason that it failed to repeal the core elements of ObamaCare – the insurance company mandates (‘Guaranteed Issue,’ ‘Community Rating,’ and ‘Essential Health Benefits’) that are driving up the costs of health insurance even as they drive down the quality of care –…

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Haslam’s ‘Drive to 55’ Used to Give In-State Tuition to Illegal Immigrant Students

Chris Alto

During this week’s sessions in a House Education Subcommittee and the Senate Education Committee, Governor Haslam’s education agenda “Drive to 55” was the reason given for needing to pass bills that make illegal immigrant students in Tennessee eligible for in-state college tuition. “Drive to 55″ refers to Haslam’s higher education reform umbrella that includes the TN Promise, LEAP,  TN Reconnect and TN Advise” programs which are each intended to “increase the number of Tennesseans with a postsecondary degree or credential to 55 percent by the year 2025.” Tennessee Star previously reported that Rep. White and Sen. Todd Gardenhire were carrying two sets of bills (SB104/HB863 and SB635/HB660), that if passed, would make in-state college tuition rates available to illegal immigrant students. On Tuesday, Rep. Mark White’s bill, HB660 which would authorize the new college and university governing boards to decide which students are eligible to pay in-state tuition rates was taken up by the House Education Administration & Planning Subcommittee. Almost immediately, Rep. Harry Brooks asked White whether he “intended this bill to create a mechanism for folks who are illegally in the country” to get in-state tuition? White admitted “that is where this thought came from.” He also admitted that…

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Marsha Blackburn Says She Will Vote Yes on Paul Ryan’s ObamaCare Lite Bill Today

Tennessee Star Staff

The Commercial Appeal is reporting that Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN) have both said they will vote yes this afternoon on Paul Ryan’s ObamaCare Lite bill: U.S. Reps. David Kustoff of Memphis and Marsha Blackburn of Brentwood said Friday they are supporting the bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. “For seven years, Obamacare has been a burden on the American people,” Kustoff said. “With premiums rising and insurers dropping out of the exchange at an alarming rate, the failing health care law is in a death spiral. Republicans have promised to repeal this disastrous law and provide relief to the American people. Later today, I will vote to do just that.” Blackburn said, she, too will vote for the bill. “With the bill as it is currently written, I am voting yes in order to move the process to the Senate,” she said. Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN) is the only member of the Tennessee Republican Congressional delegation who has not said he will support the bill.

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Former Tennessee Trade Secretary Tapped for Ambassador to Japan

Christina Botteri
Tennessee Star

  The Associated Press reports President Trump has nominated William Francis Hagerty IV as Ambassador to Japan. Bill Hagerty, the co-founder of private-equity firm Hagerty Peterson and Company, is not a newcomer to politics. Earlier in his career, he served in the HW Bush Administration as a White House Fellow, reporting directly to the Vice President on matters of international trade, commerce, treasury, defense and telecommunications. After serving as Mitt Romney’s national finance chair in 2008, the Tennessee native was tapped by the newly-elected Governor Bill Haslam to serve as commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. His three-year tenure from 2011 – 2014 was hailed for its successes of significant investments by companies like Bridgestone, Calsonic Kansei and Nissan into the Volunteer State. In total, Hagerty’s term oversaw the addition of more than $15 billion in capital and 90,000 jobs. Hagerty was a Jeb Bush supporter early in the 2016 presidential election cycle, but switched to Donald Trump after he cinched the nomination. Soon after, Hagerty became instrumental in the Trump campaign and was eventually named as the transition team’s Director of Appointments in August of 2016. News of his official nomination is not a surprise to political watchers. President Trump first mentioned…

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Merger of Nashville Metro Planning Organization and Greater Nashville Regional Council Won’t Address Government Waste, Critics Say

Wendy Wilson

The Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and the Greater Nashville Regional Council (GNRC) are moving forward with plans to merge, a plan critics say will do little to address government inefficiency. Last month, a joint committee of the two agencies unanimously endorsed the plan to pursue full integration of the MPO and GNRC staff and board leadership. A formal document to integrate will be adopted in April, according to the minutes of the Feb. 15 executive board meeting of the MPO. The Nashville Area MPO handles strategic planning for the transportation needs of seven Middle Tennessee counties by providing a forum for local communities and state leaders to collaborate. MPOs can be found across the country in urbanized areas of more than 50,000 people. Established through federal legislation, they plan and prioritize projects for federal funds. The website for the Nashville MPO says it “contributes to ongoing conversations about issues such as land use, economic development, climate change and the environment, safety and security, and public health.” The GNRC is a regional planning and economic development agency serving 13 counties and 52 cities in Middle Tennessee. Officials involved in the planned merger say it will help with cost savings…

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Police Search For Killer of Ethiopian Restaurant Owner in Targeted Murder

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  Police continue to search for the masked gunman responsible for the targeted murder of an Ethiopian restaurant owner in Nashville. Gitem Demissie, 41, was preparing to close his Ibex Ethiopian Bar & Restaurant on Murfreesboro Pike when he was killed around midnight Saturday, according to a Metro Nashville Police Department news release. A witness said a masked gunman wearing a black long sleeve shirt and black jeans walked in, approached Demissie and shot him multiple times. He then fled the building. Demissie was pronounced dead upon arrival at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The witness said the murderer had light skin, a thin build and is about 5’7″ tall. The person’s race is not yet known. Police do not know why Demissie was targeted and are investigating his background to see if he had been involved in any recent conflicts. Anyone with relevant information about Demissie or who may be responsible for his murder is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463. Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward. People can also send an electronic tip by texting the word “CASH” along with the message to 274637 (CRIMES), or online at www.nashvillecrimestoppers.com.  

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Concerned Veterans of America: ‘Veterans Being Used in Tennessee Tax Hike Ploy’

Laura Baigert
Tennessee Star

Concerned Veterans of America (CVA)  blasted Tennessee’s Republican political establishment on Monday for using veterans in a “Tennessee [gas] tax hike ploy.” “The politicians pushing for this gas tax increase know that it’s unpopular, so they’ve resorted to using veterans as pawns to push their big government agenda. Pretending that this massive tax hike is good for the military community is an unconscionable move that disrespects those who fought and sacrificed for this country,” Mark Lucas, executive director of CVA said in a statement. “The truth is that this gas tax will hurt families and veterans alike who rely on affordable transportation in the state. Veterans deserve property tax relief, but not as part of a glaringly obvious ploy to increase taxes across the board. We urge the Tennessee legislature to look for ways to cut wasteful government spending instead of approving this disingenuous and costly tax hike,” Lucas said. The amended version of Gov. Haslam’s IMPROVE Act gas tax increase that passed the Senate Transporation Committee last week “includes a small tax relief for veterans which would exempt them from paying property taxes under certain circumstances, but would not protect them from the impact of the massive gas tax…

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