VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing March 15, Wednesday 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
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The State Senate Transportation Committee passed an amended version of Gov. Haslam’s Gas Tax hike (SB 1221) on Monday. Among the changes were a removal of the inflation indexing provision, a cut in the governor’s proposed gas tax increase from 7 cents per gallon to 6 cents per gallon, and a cut in the proposed diesel fuel tax increase from 12 cents to 10 cents per gallon. Senate revisions to Gov. Haslam’s road-funding bill: – Reduces governor’s proposed gas tax increase from 7 cents per gallon to 6 cents. Phases increases in over 3 years with 4 cents in Fiscal Year 2018, 1 cent in FY 2019 and 1 cent in FY 2020. – Reduces governor’s proposed diesel tax increase from 12 cents per gallon to 10 cents. Phases in over 3 years with 4 cents in FY 2018, 3 cents in FY 2019 and 3 cents in FY 2020 – Alternative fuel tax increase of 8 cents phased in over 3 years. – Removes inflation indexing provision – Removes 3 percent rental car surcharge – Deepens Haslam’s proposed cut to state’s sales tax by reducing the 5 percent tax to 4 percent beginning July 1 as opposed to the 4.5 percent originally…
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Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRCC) is organizing another effort for illegal immigrant students and allied educators to lobby state legislators for in-state college tuition benefits for these students. “Tuition Opportunity Dreamers and Educators Day on the Hill” is scheduled for March 22, 2017, and TIRRC wants all “undocumented youth and educators” to join them at the capitol: “Over the years, we’ve built a broad support for undocumented youth to have the opportunity to pay in-state tuition at Tennessee’s public colleges and universities. On March 22, 2017, we’ll be bringing undocumented youth, educators, and allies from across the state to demonstrate to our representatives at the state legislature that every student deserves a fair chance to obtain a college education, regardless of their immigration status. SAVE THE DATE!!! …We will meet at the Nashville Public Library in Downtown on 615 Church St, Nashville, TN 37219. An agenda and logistics will be announced soon!” This year’s legislative session is the third time that TIRRC, illegal immigrant students and their allies will have lobbied for the in-state college tuition benefit. TIRRC’s Nashville offices are housed in the building owned by Conexion Americas whose founder and director, Renata Soto who was elected chairman…
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Steve Gill and Ralph Bristol will debate the merits of Gov. Haslam’s proposed gas tax increase on 99.7 FM WWTN’s Dan Mandis Show tomorrow (Wednesday) at noon. Gill, the former Nashville talk radio host who led the successful opposition to Gov. Sundquist’s proposed state income tax in 2000-2002, is opposed to Haslam’s proposal to increase the gas tax by 7 cents per gallon as well as any other kind of tax increase. Bristol, the host of Nashville’s Morning News on 99.7 FM WWTN, said in testimony before the State Senate Transportation Committee on Februrary 27, “It is my humble, but considered opinion that Governor Haslam has almost presented a thoughtful, responsible plan that preserves the integrity of an admirable and enviable tax system . . . and that his plan adequately addresses a real need that has always been considered so sacred that it deserved special protection, even from economic downturns that affect the rest of the people’s purse.” “I do not support the Governor’s plan, as is, because I don’t believe it is the revenue neutral plan it advertises itself to be,” Bristol stated in his testimony But the bottom line for Bristol, he concluded in his testimony, is that “Governor Haslam’s…
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Russell Moore’s position as head of the Southern Baptists’ public policy arm could be in jeopardy, the Washington Post is reporting. More than 100 Southern Baptist churches have threatened to cut off funding for the program that supports the denomination’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), according to the article in the Post. Moore has been a controversial figure since becoming president of the ERLC in 2013 because of his progressive views on immigration and race, his promotion of religious pluralism, and his disparaging statements about past efforts by the religious right to influence American culture and politics. In recent months, he has been criticized for the provocative way he denounced President Trump and his followers in the 2016 election and also for signing a friend of a court brief supporting construction of a New Jersey mosque involved in a zoning dispute. That decision, as previously reported by The Tennessee Star, prompted a large Southern Baptist church in East Tennessee to escrow funds. Later, a megachurch in Texas decided to do the same. Other churches taking similar actions have contributed to the matter reaching a crisis point. Frank Page, president of the executive committee of the Southern Baptist Convention, told the Post that…
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One year after Renata Soto, founder and director of Nashville-based Conexion Americas was elected as chairman of the board of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd and his wife Jenny donated $250,000 to Soto’s organization. In a letter signed by Soto the Boyd donation was described as an “historic investment” and as “the single largest individual gift” to Conexion Americas in its 14-year history. Soto’s other organization, NCLR has been generously funded by George Soros. On Friday, March 10, 2017, The Tennessee Star asked the Boyd campaign’s communications director the following questions: Can you confirm whether Randy Boyd knew about Renata Soto’s leadership role with NCLR when he donated the $250K to her Nashville organization? Was he aware that Ms. Soto’s Nashville organization is a named affiliate of NCLR? If he was not aware of Ms. Soto’s leadership role with NCLR, would he have still made the donation had he known about her leadership role with NCLR? Did Randy Boyd know about Ms. Soto’s leadership role with NCLR when she was asked to join the board of Complete Tennessee? Does Randy Boyd support the Governor’s fuel tax proposal? The Boyd campaign has not responded.
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By: George Rasley, CHQ Editor Secretary of Defense James “Mad Dog” Mattis’ reputation as a warfighter is unimpeachable, but his political and personnel judgement – not so much. Almost since the day he was confirmed Mattis has engaged in guerilla war with President Trump’s White House staff to advance his plans to bring Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans into the top echelons of the PentagonPentagon. As part of this guerilla war Mattis is blocking some rock-star conservative talent that the White House slated for appointments at the Pentagon. One is Mira Ricardel, a former Boeing executive and Bush Pentagon alum who helped with the Trump transition. And as Gen. Mattis continues to nix a long list of names offered by the White House team, he hasn’t been bashful about pushing for the appointment of Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans. First, Gen. Mattis flirted with appointing Michele Flournoy, formerly the third-ranking civilian in the Pentagon under President Barack Obama, and the person expected to run the Pentagon had Hillary Clinton won the presidency, as his deputy. The Wall Street Journal’s Kimberley Strassel reported Mattis also looked to recruit from Ms. Flournoy’s liberal-hawk think tank, the Center for New American Security. And he pushed…
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Fifty leading Tennessee conservatives have sent an open letter to the Tennessee General Assembly opposing Gov. Haslam’s proposed IMPROVE Act, which includes a 7 cents per gallon gas tax increase and a 12 cents per gallon diesel tax increase. The letter was released Tuesday morning, on the same day the House Transportation Committee is scheduled to vote on the IMPROVE Act. Conservative political strategist Steve Gill noted: “The names on this letter should raise concerns among Republican legislators. These are the exact types of conservative political activists who run in Republican primaries, recruit others to run in Republican primaries, and help those who run in Republican primaries.” Gill said that a gas tax increase, if passed, will likely be THE issue in 2018 Republican primary races. “Voters will essentially have a referendum to repeal the tax by replacing those who voted for it with those who will vote to repeal the tax increase,” Gill noted. “The mail pieces and radio adds against the tax increasers almost write themselves.” Another Republican political consultant pointed out the ideological impact of the current internal policy battles in the Republican Party at the state and national level. “The Ryan Obamacare-lite plan may expand the…
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VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing March 14, Tuesday 2 Samuel 22:4 “I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and have been saved from my enemies.
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A decision on Williamson Strong’s appeal of fines for political activity will be issued by an administrative law judge between now and March 23, says John Allyn, an attorney for the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance. Williamson Strong is a parent group started in 2014 that is said by conservative critics to be a sophisticated operation acting politically in favor of progressive-leaning school board candidates and policies. In May 2015, the registry agreed with some of the accusations about political activity and issued the group two $2,500 fines, the first for failing to file a form for appointing a treasurer. “This is required of any entity that makes expenditures in support of or in opposition to a candidate for public office,” Allyn told The Tennessee Star. “The registry found that Williamson Strong came within this definition. Williamson Strong obviously disagrees.” The second $2,500 fine was for failing to file campaign financial disclosure reports. Because that requirement is dependent on Williamson Strong being found to be a political action committee (PAC), any action on the financial disclosure reports is deferred until there is a final ruling on whether the group is a PAC, Allyn said. Former conservative school board member Susan…
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The House Transportation Committee convenes on Tuesday to vote on Gov. Haslam’s IMPROVE Act. The big question is whether Committee Chairman State Rep. Barry Doss (R-Leoma) will allow a vote on an amendment proposed by State Rep. Dale Carr (R-Sevierville), a member of the committee, that would change the funding source of from a gas and diesel tax increase, as proposed by the governor, to a re-allocation of 33.5 percent of taxes collected from the sale of new or used motor vehicles for highway funding. Proponents of Gov. Haslam’s gas tax increase proposal have argued that road construction must be funded by users through “user fees.” Carr’s amendment addresses those concerns, since taxes on the sale of new or used motor vehicles are clearly paid by users of the state’s highways. Rep. Carr tells The Tennessee Star that he hand delivered the amendment to Chairman Doss on Tuesday of last week, and intends to present it for consideration when the House Transportation Committee begins deliberations on Tuesday. He notes that the amendment was “written in consultation with leadership.” “A lot of people don’t want the [gas] tax and they are having a hard time moving it through committee,” he tells The Star in an exclusive…
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Tennessee filed a lawsuit Monday suing the federal government over costs of the federal refugee resettlement program, becoming the first state in the nation to take such action. The lawsuit was filed by the Thomas More Law Center on behalf of the State of Tennessee, the Tennessee General Assembly and State Sen. John Stevens (R-Huntingdon) and State Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver (R-Lancaster). The suit challenges the constitutionality of the federal refugee resettlement program as it is currently operating in Tennessee, based on the 10th Amendment, which says that powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states. The Thomas More Law Center is a national nonprofit public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that defends and promotes America’s Judeo-Christian heritage and a strong national defense. The center filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee. “President Trump through executive action has reversed the overreaches of the Obama administration in numerous ways. I trust President Trump in this regard. However, he needs our help,” said Sen. Stevens in a news release issued by the Thomas More Law Center. Tennessee officially withdrew from the refugee resettlement program in 2007, but the federal…
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White House Senior Advisor Kellyanne Conway spent a few minutes this morning on Fox and Friends discussing President Trump’s visit to Nashville. She outlined the president’s agenda for Wednesday’s rally, which included Obamacare repeal and replace; job creation; energy and infrastructure investments; budget; and tax reform. Experienced political observes may note Conway did not specifically mention Speaker Ryan’s current healthcare repeal-and-reform proposal – an indication that the widespread panning by conservatives has reached the White House. In addition to the long list of action items the president is tackling, Mrs. Conway noted that President Trump’s unique ability to communicate and connect directly with people is perhaps the only way to nullify the mainstream media’s consistent strategy of what she dubbed, “the noise and the silence.” “Sometimes they don’t want to cover anything at all what he’s doing – that’s the silence. And then there’s the noise: things that are either misinterpreted or under-covered, or, frankly, just unfairly covered. “I think Donald Trump is at his best as the president when he takes his case directly to the people. He is the most brilliant communicator and most natural connector I’ve ever seen; and so the more he can do that and get…
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VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing March 13, Monday John 4:13-15 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”
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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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American chestnut trees were once among the most majestic hardwood trees in the eastern deciduous forests, many reaching 80 to 120 feet in height and eight feet or more in diameter. The “then boundless chestnut woods” Thoreau wrote about in Walden once grew throughout the Appalachian mountains. They provided habitat and a mast crop for wildlife, a nutritious nut crop for humans and a source of valuable timber. The species has a sad story to tell. Of the estimated four billion American chestnut trees that once grew from Maine to Georgia, only a remnant survive today. The species was nearly wiped out by chestnut blight, a devastating disease caused by the exotic fungal pathogen Cryphonectria parasitica. This fungus was accidentally introduced into the United States over a century ago as people began to import Asian species of chestnut. It reduced the American chestnut from the dominant canopy species in the eastern forests to little more than a rare shrub. After battling the blight for more than a century, researchers are using the modern tools of breeding, bio-control methods that rely on a virus that inhibits the growth of the infecting fungus, and direct genetic modification to return the American chestnut…
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At least 15 percent of the $1.2 billion in highway user fees collected by the state of Tennessee in FY 2015-2016–$189 million– was diverted away from road construction (see page A-65 of The Budget: State of Tennessee, Distribution of Actual Revenue by Fund, FY 2015-2016). Under Gov. Haslam’s proposed FY 2017-2018 budget, virtually the same amount of highway user fees–$187 million–will continue to be diverted away from road construction. (see page A-67 of The Budget: State of Tennessee, Distribution of Estimated Revenue by Fund, FY 2017-2018). FY 2015-2016 is the most recent year for which actual expenditures are available. Throughout the public debate over the past two months about Gov. Haslam’s proposed IMPROVE Act, which includes a gas tax increase of 7 cents per gallon, apologists for a gas tax increase–including House Transportation Committee Chairman Barry Doss (R-Leoma), House Senate Transportation Chairman Paul Bailey (R-Sparta), and 99.7 FM WWTN radio’s Ralph Bristol, host of Nashville’s Morning News–have yet to answer one key question about the state’s budget priorities: With a $1 billion surplus in the state budget, why do you support a gas tax increase when much of the purported road construction shortfall could be addressed by simply re-allocating the $187…
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In a field as diverse as public education, we must all collaborate together to foster a more constructive dialogue among education stakeholders and policymakers. We share a common destiny. We have the power to create amazing change in this world and be champions for the vulnerable who cannot speak for themselves when they need us the most.
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“No, I am not for the gas tax so there is nothing to debate,” State Rep. Susan Lynn (R- Mount Juliet) tells The Tennessee Star in response to challenger Jeremy Hayes’ March 8 press release calling on her to debate him over the issue. Hayes opposes Gov. Haslam’s proposed gas tax increase. In a February 28, 2017, exclusive interview with The Star, Hayes announced his run for the 57th House District in the 2018 Republican primary, citing Lynn’s support for Gov. Haslam’s gas tax increase proposal. “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to clear up this untruthful rhetoric,” Lynn responded to Hayes’ challenge in an email sent to The Star, adding: I have never voted for a tax increase and I have voted to lower our taxes many times. It is my responsibility as the representative for the 57th district to present facts, hear ideas and to create opportunities for constituents to discuss policy. While some lawmakers are shying away from holding Town Hall meetings – I have held seven since January and I will hold more on this topic and others. This individual worked for my democrat opponent – his integrity on this and other matters is entirely suspect. I’d…
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In today’s climate of high stakes testing, business leaders and politicians continue to demand better results with data driven assessments and test scores. It is important to realize that the classroom is not a factory floor where uniformity and precise precision can be molded into just one final finished product.
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By George Rasley, CHQ In 2009 Democrats, flush with victory in the 2008 election and in control of the White House, Senate and House – a victory won largely on jobs and economic issues – embarked, not on the passage of a job creation and economic reform agenda, but on a costly and politically debilitating government takeover of the healthcare and insurance industries. The legislation, written behind closed doors by a handful of Democratic leaders in consultation with liberal consultants, was rammed through Congress by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi and then-President Barack Obama. Pelosi famously said at the time, “we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy” and Obama spent enormous amounts of his political capital framing the healthcare takeover as one of government acting to improve and reform the healthcare insurance market and selling the socialist utopian idea that access to healthcare unlimited by market forces is a “right.” Both of these sales points turned out to be lies and everyone on the inside knew them to be. MIT Professor Jonathan Gruber, the architect of the bill said that if Americans knew the truth “the…
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A man from Mexico remains in custody after being arrested in Nashville Tuesday night when caught with more than half a pound of heroin that police say he intended to sell. Hugo Contreras-Gonzalez, 34, was driving a minivan along I-65 South near Trinity Lane when he was pulled over for speeding, according to a news release issued Wednesday by the Metro Nashville Police Department. Police dog Stryker detected a narcotic odor and in searching the minivan, police found heroin in two separate grease tubes in the rear passenger area. Contreras-Gonzalez was charged with possessing heroin for resale. He did not have a valid driver’s license and presented a passport, saying he had only been in the country for 15 days. His bond was set at $82,000 and he remained in jail Friday, police spokeswoman Kris Mumford told The Tennessee Star Friday afternoon. A court date is set for March 15. Contreras-Gonzalez had previous contact with local law enforcement in March 2011 when he was pulled over in Madison for not having headlights on during a rainstorm and was given a misdemeanor citation for not having a valid driver’s license, Mumford said.
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“A federal judge in Detroit on Friday accepted a guilty plea from Volkswagen on three federal charges connected to the automaker’s diesel emissions scandal,” the Detroit Free Press reported: However, Judge Sean Cox said he wanted more time to review the terms of a proposed settlement agreement of $4.3 billion, an amount far less than what the company could be fined under federal sentencing guidelines. “With all due respect … this is a very, very serious offence,” Cox said. “It is incumbent on me to make a considered a decision.” Cox scheduled another hearing for April 21. Volkswagen did, however, appear in court, plead guilty and waive its right to a jury trial in a wide-ranging investigation into the company’s diesel engines that were equipped with software designed to fool federal emissions tests. Manfred Doess, Volkswagen’s general counsel, traveled from Germany to Detroit to appear on behalf of the world’s largest automaker. Read more at: https://www.therecord.com/news-story/7184404-volkswagen-apologizes-pleads-guilty-to-fraud/ – – – Editor’s note: In 2011 Volkswagen opened an assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee that currently employs 2,000.
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Wednesday, Representative Scott DesJarlais, M.D. (R-TN-04) voted to boost troops’ numbers, pay, training, and equipment in the 2017 Defense Appropriations bill that passed the House of Representatives by a wide margin. The $584 billion defense spending measure for this fiscal year is the first of a series of appropriations bills the House will likely pass before April 28 – the date the continuing spending resolution expires. The final vote tally was 371-48, with five Republicans and forty-three Democrats voting to oppose. The military funding bill reverses the Obama Administration’s proposed troop reductions and includes $1.6 billion over the previous president’s budget request. President Donald Trump and the new Republican Congress have made rebuilding the U.S. military a centerpiece of their agenda, along with a stronger foreign policy to deter aggression. Politico reported on some specific line items of the bill: It notably includes a $6.8 billion boost in procurement funding above the Obama administration’s final fiscal 2017 budget request, including more fighters, helicopters and ships. That includes $979 million for 12 Boeing-made F/A-18 Super Hornets, $750 million for six additional Navy and Marine Corps F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and $495 million for five extra Air Force F-35s. Appropriators also added nearly $3 billion for Navy…
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Schools in Tennessee are getting ready for spring testing starting mid-April, hoping to leave behind the debacle of last year, when glitches in carrying out revamped tests caused headaches across the state. Hitting reset again this year potentially creates more hurdles in getting an accurate read on student achievement at a time when the data that is available shows low student performance, even as state officials are touting high graduation rates. The Tennessee Department of Education terminated its contract with Measurement Inc. last year after technical problems ground an initial round of online testing in February to a halt and the company then missed deadlines to deliver paper and pencil tests for spring. This year, the state has a contract with a new vendor, Questar, for the second year of TNReady testing that is part of the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP), begun in 1988. Testing was canceled last spring for students in grades 3-8 because of the mishaps, but high school students were able to take the full assessment. Many students scored below expectations, but state officials say the scores reflect changes in standards and types of test questions and new achievement levels. “Just as we expected proficiency to dip in…
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President Trump is coming to Nashville next Wednesday, March 15, and The Tennessee Star will be there to cover all the pageantry, protesters, and most importantly, the president and “We the People.” This is going to be a large event, and we recognize that there might be moments we miss, and so we are excited to announce we have set up dedicated channels to receive pictures, video, reports, and recordings from YOU! We call it RIGHT NOW Coverage. Here’s what to do: – At the rally, use your smartphone to take a picture or short video – Text your picture/video to The Tennessee Star at 615-538-8526 – Include your name (first name, last initial) and your hometown – Also include a short description of your picture/video Optional: Email your picture/video and description to [email protected] Example: “Three generations of our family are here to support President Trump! ~ Sarah T., Franklin, TN” We will have staff standing by to post your pictures and reports live and in REAL TIME all day – from before the Nashville Municipal Auditorium opens until the last protester leaves (about 2pm – 10pm). If your haven’t already, get your tickets to attend the event here. We are…
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“Leadership Tennessee” the 10-month leadership education program hosted by Lipscomb University and funded in part by The Haslam Foundation, Haslam family’s Flying Pilot J, the Hyde Family Foundation and the Cornerstone Foundation of Knoxville, whose board at one time included Haslam, says it’s mission is to “foster[s] collaborative, non-partisan dialogue…” Two members of Class 1 of Leadership Tennessee (2013 to 2014) are currently candidates for governor: former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and former Tennessee Commissioner of Economic and Community Development Randy Boyd. One member of Class 1, Renata Soto, is chairman of the board of the National Council of La Raza, a group funded in part by George Soros, and the Executive Director of Conexion Americas, a Nashville based group to which Boyd and his wife contributed approximately $250,000 in September 2016. Conexion Americas is listed as a Tennessee affiliate of the National Council of La Raza. The program was launched by a four member team: Tom Ingram, a political advisor to both Republicans and Democrats including Haslam, Lamar Alexander and Karl Dean when he was mayor of Nashville who has announced he will run in the Democrat 2018 primary for governor. Cathy Cate, the executive director whose husband Mark…
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President Trump’s rally in Nashville next Wednesday, March 15 places Middle Tennessee at the forefront of the national debate over the president’s agenda. The event will be held at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. Tickets can be obtained here. The doors will open at 3:30 pm, and the event is scheduled to start at 6:30 pm. Trump’s visit to the Music City comes eleven days after the highly successful pro-Trump Spirit of America rally held at Legislative Plaza on March 4. By all indications, the Nashville rally was the largest of the several dozen similar rallies held across the country that day. The event comes as a number of elements of President Trump’s political agenda are front and center in the national debate. On the following day, March 16, President Trump’s revised executive order, which temporarily bans travel from six Middle Eastern countries and also temporarily halts the admission of refugees into the United States, becomes effective. Several states, including Hawaii, have said they intend to file legal challenges against the revised executive order. Last week, Republican leaders in the House of Representatives, including Speaker Paul Ryan, announced a bill they say is designed to repeal and replace Obamacare, one of…
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We all remember learning the Presidents’ Day lessons in school: the virtuous stories, the inspiring anecdotes, and the values of character. These are the traits all our elected officials should exemplify. But the sad truth is, such virtue is a high standard for any elected official to keep. So much so that nowadays, we celebrate the rare instance when a politician takes an unpopular position because he believes it to be right. Far too many seek power before they seek what’s right. So what happens when a particular position you hold is both wrong AND unpopular. Well, if you’re Jim Wrye, lobbyist for the state affiliate of the National Education Association, the answer is easy: Just lie about it being unpopular. Last month, in an effort to take advantage of desperation of politicians, Jim Wrye dropped a whopper of a lie. In a press release befitting a world of “fake news,” Jim publicly declared that he had polled 6,510 Tennesseans and that 59.5 percent of them agreed that children should be given no option other than their government-assigned school. . . That is not a typo. He said SIX THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND TEN. You can read his exact words here: Tennesseans…
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The Beacon Center Legal Foundation announced that it has filed a lawsuit against the state Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. The Vet Board recently defined “animal massage” as a form of veterinary medicine, meaning that merely rubbing horses now requires a veterinarian license. The Beacon Center – a nonpartisan, independent organization dedicated to developing and supporting free market solutions to public policy issues in Tennessee – believes this law is unconstitutional and has filed suit on behalf of Martha Stowe and Laurie Wheeler of Franklin, as both of their careers and livelihoods depend on horse massage therapy. Continuing to practice horse massage therapy subjected them to fines and even potential jail time. The Beacon Center warned the Vet Board in a letter of its intention to sue, should the Board keep the bizarre rule change. The two weeks passed, the Vet Board kept the licensure requirement, and the Center, in fact, filed suit. This is the third lawsuit the Center has filed, winning its first lawsuit against the city of Nashville for its unconstitutional homesharing regulations. The group also looks likely to get a second legal victory after its challenge of a Haslam Administration expansion of a similar licensing requirement for shampooing. A repeal of that rule is in the works. Beacon Center Litigation Director Braden…
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Police charged a man they consider homeless Wednesday night with the murder of a young nurse at her Wedgewood Park apartment in Nashville in a case that has prompted concerns about transients in the area. Christopher Drew McLawhorn, 24, was charged with criminal homicide and especially aggravated burglary for the Feb. 28 murder of Tiffany Ferguson, 23, an ICU nurse at St. Thomas West, according to a news release issued by the Metro Nashville Police Department. A person of interest in the case, McLawhorn was found by police at 3rd Avenue North and Broadway early Sunday morning. He had two bottles of alcohol and was carrying a small amount of marijuana and was arrested for misdemeanor drug possession. He denied any knowledge of Ferguson’s death. He remained in jail and police later collected evidence and witness statements that allegedly connect him to Ferguson’s murder. Police say McLawhorn stabbed Ferguson multiple times while burglarizing her apartment. He had prior arrests in Nashville for public intoxication, misdemeanor theft and failure to be booked on the misdemeanor theft charge. Police consider him homeless but say he stayed with a friend from time to time on 14th Avenue North. On Tuesday, Wedgewood area residents…
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President Trump is coming to Nashville Wednesday, March 15 for a Rally at the Municipal Auditorium, The Tennessee Star has confirmed. President Trump’s message will likely be focused on the Administration’s health care reform plan unveiled Wednesday. Doors open at 3:30pm and the event begins at 6:30pm. Register for tickets here.
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Progressive opponents of President Trump are organizing online and using social media to stage protests and get their message out. While they tout their efforts as peaceful and civil, some have contributed to noisy and volatile confrontations at town halls and government meeting places. What’s happening across the country is also happening here in Tennessee, with people joining Meetup groups with the hashtag #Resist and groups promoted by Indivisible and others. Protesters at U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn’s town hall in Fairview on Feb. 21 included members of the Nashville Meetup #Resist group. Before the event, the Meetup group announced the town hall by writing, “Rep. Blackburn needs to get the kind of reception Jason Chaffetz got last week.” U.S. Rep. Chaffetz (R-Utah) faced jeers and shouts at a large town hall in suburban Salt Lake City, according to CNN, a new reality facing conservative politicians across the country. Many protesters are believed to be outside agitators. Blackburn (R-TN), who was booed at the Fairview town hall, told CNN that many of the people who came were not from her district. “Our office recently saw firsthand just how organized the liberals are when it comes to protesting,” Darcy Anderson, district director for Blackburn, told…
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By Chris Butler CDE Lightband of Clarksville, the municipal broadband outlet that cost taxpayers $75 million, has had an outage, yet again, as of Wednesday. The municipal broadband service has had several outages over the past three years, inspiring a public uproar and raising questions about the grandiose claims made by city officials when they approved the network more than a decade ago. CDE officials said on their Facebook page Wednesday that an outage had occurred and that “engineers are working to resolve as quickly as possible.” Angry CDE customers, however, responded to that post with the following comments: CDE Lightband was supposed to provide local businesses with faster and more reliable web connections than private-sector providers AT&T and Charter, which serve the city of 142,000 that straddles the Tennessee-Kentucky state line. Voters gave CDE Lightband the go-ahead in a referendum 11 years ago. One major outage occurred on April Fool’s Day one year. CDE Lightband has 15,000 customers, with packages ranging from $44.95 to $249.95 per month, according to CDE’s website. – – – Reprinted with permission TennesseeWatchdog.org
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In September 2016, gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd and his wife Jenny donated a quarter of a million dollars to Conexion Americas, a non-profit Latino advocacy organization headquartered in Nashville founded by Renata Soto. A letter signed by Soto described the “historic investment” as “the single largest individual gift” to her organization in its 14-year history. Boyd made the donation while he was serving as the Haslam-appointed Tennessee Commissioner of Economic and Community Development. He resigned from his post as commissioner in January, and announced several days ago that he will run for governor in 2018. The Tennessee Star asked the Boyd campaign to confirm the $250,000 donation, but received no response prior to publication deadline. Soto and Boyd met when they were both enrolled in the 2013 inaugural class of Leadership Tennessee, a 10-month leadership education program hosted by Lipscomb University. The program was founded and is funded in part by The Haslam Foundation, Haslam family’s Flying Pilot J, the Hyde Family Foundation and the Cornerstone Foundation of Knoxville, whose board at one time included Haslam. Cathy Cate is the executive director of Leadership Tennessee. Her husband Mark served as the governor’s chief of staff during Haslam’s first term. The Boyds’ donation was celebrated on…
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by ConservativeHQ Staff It was inevitable that this would happen, but we figured it would take a little longer. Speaker Paul Ryan’s so-called Obamacare “repeal and replace” bill is a complete sellout of President Trump’s campaign promise to rid the country and the economy of the disaster of Obamacare, but the President is Paul Ryanalready being suckered into endorsing it. Indeed, President Trump’s White House spokesman, Sean Spicer, falsely stated yesterday that the healthcare bill from House Speaker Paul Ryan represents what will eventually be a full repeal of Obamacare. As our friend Matthew Boyle writing for Breitbart pointed-out, the bill is more like Obamacare 2.0 because the bill keeps in place the Obamacare requirements that insurers allow for coverage of pre-existing conditions and allows children to stay on their parents’ health care until they’re 26-years-old. It shifts the individual mandate from being a tax paid to the government to a penalty paid to insurance companies, does not even address the Medicaid issue in states effectively, helps illegal aliens access healthcare in the system, and it does not allow for purchasing of insurance across state lines as Republicans have promised for years—among many, many other problems. And among those among many, many problems…
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VERSE OF THE DAY March 9 Ephesians 3:16-21 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
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Across the state and country, activists are calling for curbs on immigration enforcement because it’s making illegal immigrants fearful. But that’s the way it should be, says Michael Cutler, a nationally-recognized expert and retired senior special agent with the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). “You should be fearful if you break the law,” said Cutler in an interview Monday with The Tennessee Star. In Nashville, activists angered by President Trump’s enforcement plans have gone so far as to demand that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leave the city. Students at Vanderbilt have insisted that the university be a sanctuary campus and Metro Nashville Public Schools say they intend to make illegal immigrant students and their families feel safe. Cutler, who writes commentary on immigration issues, appears in TV interviews and hosts a show on Blog Talk Radio, said efforts to provide sanctuaries for illegal immigrants will make it harder for law enforcement to root out gangs, drug traffickers, terrorists and other criminals. Problems with crime and drug trafficking will worsen if immigration enforcers aren’t able to do their jobs, said Cutler, who blames loose borders for the reason “why heroin has never been cheaper and more plentiful.” Cutler said it…
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Gov. Bill Haslam has a history of supporting tax increases. His current proposal to increase the gas tax by 7 cents per gallon and diesel fuel by 12 cents per gallon in 2017 is no aberration, it is part of a consistent pattern. In 2004, newly elected Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam raised the city’s property taxes approximately 13%, but claimed the property tax rate was the lowest in several years. Former Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey challenged the claim saying that a reappraisal which lowered the overall rate, did not lower the overall percentage increase. Years earlier, Haslam was being schooled by his father on the need to raise taxes in Tennessee. Jim Haslam II, was a board member of Citizens for Fair Taxes, a group planning a public education blitz about Tennessee’s “state budget crisis” as a prelude to supporting Don Sundquists’ proposal for a state income tax. Fast forward to 2010 when Haslam, during his first gubernatorial campaign materials stated affirmatively that, “…taxes are job killers. The last thing we should do is raise taxes on a population that is already struggling and a small business community that has been forced to cut back,” and, that: “Tennessee already has the highest…
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The House Transportation Committee failed to advance Gov. Haslam’s IMPROVE Act (HB 0534) on Tuesday, despite multiple tactics employed by Chairman State Rep. Barry Doss (R-Leoma), a vigorous proponent of the governor’s gas tax increase proposal, to accomplish that outcome. The committee voted instead to roll the vote over for another session in one week. Voting in favor of a one-week delay were Representatives David Alexander (R-Winchester), Dale Carr (R-Sevierville), Timothy Hill (R-Blountville), Bo Mitchell (D-Nashville), Courtney Rogers (R-Goodlettsville), Bill Sanderson (R-Kenton), Jerry Sexton (R-Bean Station), Terri Lynn Weaver (R-Lancaster) and Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville). Voting against the delay were Chairman Doss, and Representatives Barbara Cooper (D-Memphis), Bill Dunn (R-Knoxville), Kelly Keisling (R-Byrdstown), Eddie Smith (R-Knoxville), Ron Travis (R-Dayton), Sam Whitson (R-Franklin), John Mark Windle (D-Livingston). Chairman Doss initially declared that the motion to delay the vote for one week had failed, even though the roll call vote was 9 to 8 in favor the delay. When several members vocally objected, Chairman Doss declared the motion passed and the meeting was quickly adjourned. The day began in subterfuge, when Chairman Doss held a bill review session one hour prior to the scheduled full committee meeting. That bill review session was…
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Understanding our government and founding documents, such as the Constitution, creates a more reflective, clear-thinking, and invested citizen.
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A thief duplicated an email address belonging to Dickson County’s director of schools and then duped the school system’s staff into wiring $20,000 in taxpayer money, an audit says. Someone pulled the same stunt with the Dickson County Mayor’s Office a few days later, in April of last year, according to Tennessee Comptroller Justin Wilson’s audit, which was released this week. Auditors called it a phishing scheme. No one at the county mayor’s office immediately returned a request for comment Tuesday. Director of Schools Danny Weeks told Tennessee Watchdog that law enforcement agencies, including members of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, have yet to catch the culprit. “Last I heard, Dickson County law enforcement thought it was someone from outside the country,” Weeks said, adding what happened was “a perfect storm of events coming together from someone with crafty and evil intentions.” “I was out of town the day it happened, and it was the last thing that happened on a Friday afternoon. My business manager assumed she got an email from her boss, and you do what your boss asks you to do. If it were something that happened on a normal day in the office, she would have…
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The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) boasts on its website that: “Tennessee’s conservative process of funding its highway program is often referred to as a ‘pay as you go’ program. The agency only spends the funds that are available through its dedicated revenues, the highway user taxes and fees, and federal funding.” For consumers, the Governor’s proposal adds a 7-cent increase per gallon for gas and a 12-cent increase per gallon for diesel with future increases tied to the Consumer Price Index. The plan also includes a $5.00 increase to vehicle registration prices. Americans for Tax Reform and the Brookings Institute agree, that higher gas prices negatively impact economic growth and low to moderate income households: “…higher gas prices drain purchasing power from the economy. That means that these families get hit twice: once by the direct impact on their household budgets but a second time when higher prices retard the economic recovery.” Add to that, higher fuel taxes are likely to add to the cost of consumer goods when the increased cost paid by businesses is passed onto consumers. even with the tax cut in taxes paid by businesses included in the Governor’s plan. There is also a modest half…
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This short video was shared this morning via Twitter by White House aide Cliff Sims. It shows President Trump emerging behind a screen to the surprise and delight of White House tourists, many of whom are children. https://twitter.com/CSims45/status/839124695769313280 The White House Visitors’ Center and the Tours themselves were re-opened on February 14th – Valentine’s Day – by First Lady Melania Trump after being closed during the period between the Obama and Trump Administration transition. UPDATE: FOX 10 Phoenix has the “other side” of the video (h/t Twitchy)
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The State Senate Transportation Committee voted on Monday to approve the Tennessee Department of Transportation’s (TDOT) 2017-18 budget of $2.2 billion, an increase of 15 percent over the 2016-17 budget of $1.9 billion. Five members of the committee voted in favor of the increased funding, while three passed on the vote. Senators Richard Briggs (R-Knoxville), Becky Massey (R-Knoxville), Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville), Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville) and Chairman Paul Bailey voted for the budget, while Senators Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet), Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma) and Frank Nicely (R-Strawberry Plains) passed. Senator John Stevens (R-Huntingdon) did not respond for the roll call vote. The additional $300 million one year increase in the budget incorporates $278 million in additional funding that comes from the 7 cents per gallon tax increase (and 12 cents per diesel gallon tax increase) included in Gov. Haslam’s controversial IMPROVE Act proposal. The move sets up a conflict between the current version of Gov. Haslam’s plan, which passed through the House Transportation Subcommittee last week in an unusual legislative maneuver which required the governor’s allies to bring in House Speaker Pro-Tem Curtis Johnson (R-Clarksville) to break a 4-4 tie in committee. The bill that passed through the House Transportation Subcommittee temporarily…
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The Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition is condemning President Trump’s executive order issued Monday, which TIRRC is calling “Muslim Ban 2.0.” The revised executive order, which revokes an executive order from January 27, places a temporary 90-day ban on immigration from residents of six Middle Eastern countries (Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Iran, Libya, and Yemen) whose Muslim populations total 167 million, or about ten percent of the 1.6 billion Muslims in the world. President Trump’s plans to enforce immigration laws, fight terrorism and reduce refugee flows, however, have broad support among his supporters who elected him to office in November. At Saturday’s large pro-Trump Spirit of America Rally in Nashville, there were signs reading “Close the Borders,” “Freedom Isn’t Free. Security. Law-Order. Sovereignty,” and “Veterans Before Refugees,” and several speakers vigorously supported the president’s plans for greater vetting and screening of all immigrants. In a news release, TIRRC acknowledged that the new executive order removes Iraq from the list of countries affected by the ban, Syrians will no longer be indefinitely banned but are subject to the same 120-day moratorium as other refugees, and green card holders will not be affected. “However, the intent and impact of this sweeping executive order remains…
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An investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller has resulted in the indictment of Alyce Heifner, the former general manager of the Manchester-Coffee County Conference Center. Heifner stole at least $31,000 from the conference center over 15 months. Investigators determined Heifner used multiple schemes to steal money. She made personal purchases using the conference center’s credit and debit cards. These purchases included clothing, a big screen TV, and a personal trip to Europe. Heifner also took cash from the conference center’s bank account, and she received pay and a reimbursement to which she wasn’t entitled. Heifner was able to conceal her activity by removing pages from bank statements and credit card statements. She also submitted incorrect and misleading financial reports to The Public Building Authority of Coffee County, Tennessee (PBA) board. Alyce Heifner admitted to Comptroller investigators that she took the money because she was angry at the PBA board for not supporting her, and because she was angry at the Coffee County community for the way she was treated. Heifner resigned her position on December 4, 2015. In December 2016, Alyce Heifner was indicted by the Coffee County Grand Jury on one count of theft over $10,000 and two counts…
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State Sen. Mae Beavers says she is concerned about security at Legislative Plaza after receiving death threats and having problems with protesters interfering with meetings with constituents. However, in an interview with The Tennessee Star on Monday, Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) said she has not hired her own personal security as reported by The Tennessean on Thursday. Beavers said the paper “manufactured a story.” Two men who are political friends are voluntarily helping protect her office but she did not seek their help, she said. Beavers said veterans from across the state have also volunteered to help but she has not taken them up on their offer. Beavers said she has received a few death threats in recent weeks, including one that put her on a kill list along with President Trump and other nationally-known conservatives, as well as state Rep. Mark Pody (R-Lebanon). Beavers has been the subject of protest because of her conservative positions on the transgender bathroom bill and gay marriage and her push to ensure that driver’s licenses for immigrants here on visas are clearly marked so they can’t vote. Last month, protesters shut down a press conference she was giving with Pody on the bathroom bill and the Natural Marriage Defense Act.…
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An engaging and challenging education is the proven path to prosperity and a life-long love of learning. Teachers consistently tell us that “testing” and “preparing students for a test” are among their top concerns in our internal surveys.
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Did you wake up this morning with a hankering for pancakes? You’re in luck! Tuesday, March 7 is National Pancake Day at IHOP. This is the eleventh year for the annual charity drive, exact day of which changes each year. No purchase is needed to participate in this offer, however IHOP does suggest diners donate to a charitable partner in return. The contributions made on National Pancake Day at IHOP restaurants benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children, the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, and Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Since its start in 2006, National Pancake Day has generated more than $24 million for charity. This year, IHOP hopes to raise $3.5 million for children battling life-threatening illnesses. All of the money raised on IHOP National Pancake Day is donated directly to local children in need. If carbohydrates are off-the-menu, and you’re looking for another way to help, IHOP customers can purchase a “Wall Icon” to pledge their support. Just talk with the cashier. “Year after year, we look forward to celebrating with our guests,” said Darren Rebelez, President of IHOP Restaurans said. “Every penny raised goes a long way in making a meaningful and lasting impact on so many kids and families in our communities.” Check…
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