The Senate released its bill to repeal and replace Obamacare Thursday morning, which makes significant changes to the number of people who will recieve coverage, Obamacare subsidy payments and Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion program. 1) Who Will Be Covered Under The Senate Bill The Senate bill allows states to end the individual and employer mandates imposed under…
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Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich is deeply concerned about Robert Mueller’s ability to lead a nonpartisan, unbiased investigation, he said in an exclusive interview with The Daily Caller News Foundation. “The fix is in,” Gingrich said. “This is the establishment counterattacking legally when they lost politically.” Gingrich is specifically concerned about the fact that employees…
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FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE (Wednesday, June 21) — In another stunning announcement, The Tennessee Star released updated web traffic reports in a tweet Wednesday that shows the online news, information, and opinion website surpassed 500,000 visits in the last thirty days. WOW! Thank you, Tennessee!!30days (5/20-6/20): 526,841 visits 290,288 visitorsAll time (2/06-6/20): 1,536,671 visits 712,233 visitors pic.twitter.com/HBxgV2CKnf — Tennessee Star (@TheTNStar) June 22, 2017 “In three months and two weeks we went from zero at our launch to over one million visits. Now, in just the last thirty days – a quarter of that time – we have been visited more than five hundred and twenty-five thousand times,” said managing editor Christina Botteri. “If there was a Moore’s Law for journalism and readership, we’d be doubling it right now!” Botteri said, referencing Intel founder Gordan Moore’s observation that computer processing speed doubles every 18 months. The explosion in traffic can be traced directly to The Star’s coverage of the top three areas of most concern for Middle Tennesseans, as reported in the Tennessee Star-Triton Poll released ten days ago, together with a fundamental understanding of the algorithms that drive social media traffic. “The poll results reflect what we observe personally, which is that there…
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Rebecca Ann Burke goes where she’s needed to help get Republicans elected. After looking at polls showing Republican Karen Handel might lose to Democrat Jon Ossoff in the race for the 6th district congressional seat in Georgia, Burke packed her bags and headed for the Peach State to volunteer. Having worked on the Trump campaign, Burke knew polls can’t always be trusted. But she didn’t want to take any chances. For nearly two weeks, the Franklin woman worked the phones, went door to door, put out signs and attended rallies. She was still in Georgia Tuesday night when Handel, a businesswoman and lifelong conservative, was declared the winner of the hard-fought race. “We just had a ball,” Burke told The Tennessee Star Wednesday morning. “My throat is sore from screaming last night.” Handel’s victory in the special election was a huge setback for Democrats, who spent more than $30 million to back Ossoff, a documentary filmmaker and former Capitol Hill aide. It was their fourth consecutive loss in special elections, the other three being in Kansas, Montana and South Carolina. The defeats spell trouble for Democrats in the 2018 midterm elections. “They learned they cannot buy an election,” Burke said of…
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Commentary by Joe Carr A plan to make Davidson County a “sanctuary city” for illegal immigrants passed earlier this week on second reading and is headed to a final vote in the Metro Council next month. Citizens in Nashville, and in the surrounding area who will be affected if the city becomes an even bigger magnet for illegal aliens, have valid concerns about the plan. Any public policy that embraces and endorses illegal activity of any kind is clearly wrong. The plan promoted by Mayor Megan Berry is not just bad policy, it is ILLEGAL policy under Tennessee law AND Federal law. In 2009 as a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, I wrote, sponsored and passed one of the nation’s first, if not THE first, “No Sanctuary City Law.” The law was in response to various California municipalities passing ordinances requiring their law enforcement officials not to comply with the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act (the IIRIR). That federal law included section 8 U.S.C. 1373, which provided that no state or local entity can in any way restrict its law-enforcement officials from communicating with federal immigration authorities regarding an individual’s citizenship or immigration status.…
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The Davidson County Republican Party is urging people to call their city council representative to voice opposition to proposed legislation limiting Nashville’s cooperation with federal immigration officials. On its Facebook page Wednesday, the party chapter posted the roll call from Tuesday’s vote advancing the legislation. The Metro Council voted 25-8 to move the ordinance forward to a third and final reading July 6. There were four abstentions and two council members did not vote. The bill passed a first reading June 6. Many believe the ordinance will lead to Nashville effectively operating as a sanctuary city, though drafters of the legislation say it won’t violate the law. Nashville Mayor Megan Barry routinely rails against immigration enforcement and last week wrote a letter to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) criticizing the way agents were carrying out final orders of removal issued by an immigration court. Most were for individuals with criminal convictions. The proposed city ordinance “ties the hands of our law enforcement” and will lead to “losing millions in federal funding,” said the Davidson County Republican Party’s Facebook post. President Trump has vowed to crack down down on sanctuary cities harboring illegal immigrants. The city ordinance would also set the stage for conflicts…
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This is the tenth of twenty-five weekly articles in The Tennessee Star’s Constitution Series. Students in grades 8 through 12 can sign up here to participate in The Tennessee Star’s Constitution Bee, which will be held on September 23. The Bill of Rights–the first ten amendments to the Constitution–were included in the original “covenant” that created the United States because many Americans feared that unless their individual rights were specifically articulated in our country’s founding documents they would be eventually be violated by those in power. The Fourth Amendment, in particular, offers protections to individuals against the police powers of the state: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. Anyone who has watched one of the many police procedural dramas on television, like Law & Order, are very familiar with the two key elements of the amendment: (1) “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and…
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Common sense reminds us there is no “one size fits all” approach to public education, but we will hear ideas from politicians that will want to empower state and federal education agencies, rather than permitting those doing the work at the local level in districts to have more flexibility. It is time to for policymakers to deliver for communities the promise of locally-controlled public education for all children.
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Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Larry Martin reported this week that May revenues exceeded the month’s budget of $1 billion by $53.1 million. That makes nine out of ten months in the 2016-17 accrual year where collections exceeded the budget and the prior year’s collections. Year-to-date over collection of taxes is now up to $677.6 million. The most controversial and predominant legislation this past session was the gas-tax-increasing IMPROVE Act, with a large part of the arguments by proponents focusing on the “user fee” that they claim is diminishing due to increased vehicle fuel efficiency. Before the gas and diesel tax increases go into effect on July 1, fuel tax collections for the year are $44.3 million above the budget and $18 million ahead of last year’s collections. The Highway Fund in total, which, in addition to the fuel tax, is funded by some but not all potential “user fees,” is 4.83 percent over budget and 1.88 percent ahead of this time last year. So far this year, that’s an additional $28 million for road projects, a month before Tennesseans start paying the four-cent per gallon gas and six-cent per gallon diesel tax increases. The data tables are available on…
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NASHVILLE, Tennessee – A group of grassroots activists of Heritage Action, known as Sentinels, have been active and growing for some time in Rutherford County and have reached the point of spawning a new group in Nashville/Davidson County. Heritage Action is the grassroots activist sister organization to Heritage Foundation, the conservative think tank founded in 1973. Heritage’s more than 100 researchers perform timely and accurate research on critical policy issues and shares the findings with key stakeholders including elected and appointed policy makers, the media and the public, including Heritage Action and the Sentinel community. Heritage Action came into being in 2010 when Heritage Foundation’s research on The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, needed to be taken to a level beyond information into activism. In 2014, Heritage Foundation launched The Daily Signal, a conservative electronic publication that combines news and research that can be republished, as done by The Tennessee Star. Heritage Action, with the mission of holding Congress accountable to conservative principles, may be best known for its Scorecard which measures votes, bill sponsorships and legislative activities to gauge a member’s conservatism. Long-time grassroots activists Katherine Hudgins and Jackie Archer founded the Rutherford County Heritage Sentinels and…
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Three announced or anticipated Republican candidates for governor are weighing in with strongly worded opposition to the Metro Davidson County Sanctuary City plan that passed earlier this week on second reading and which is headed to a final vote in July. Proponents claim the ordinances are “in line with state and federal law” but one of the Mendes/Sledge bills if passed will, by prohibiting Metro Nashville employees from inquiring into immigration status, effectively enable illegal aliens to access public benefits they would otherwise be barred by law from obtaining. Announced candidates Bill Lee and State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet) along with Congressman Diane Black (R-TN-06) delivered strong messages of opposition to the Metro Nashville Council’s plan. Announced candidate Randy Boyd has not commented on the plan. Congressman Black, who is a member of the House Border Security Caucus and author of the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act, is expected to run for Governor though she has not yet confirmed her plans. She has condemned the Metro Council decision to obstruct immigration law, putting illegal aliens first and the safety and security of Tennessee families last. “First and foremost, as a mother and a grandmother, I implore the Council…
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Commentary by Steve Gill With $2 billion in surplus and recurring revenue at their disposal this past fiscal year the Tennessee legislature jammed through a $300 million tax increase on fuel that provides a windfall to their road contractor and lobbyist buddies. This is the same Republican super-majority that has increased spending a BILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR the past 7 years while patting themselves on the back for being “fiscally conservative.” They are the same politicians currently running around the state claiming they passed the “largest tax cut in history” without mentioning that the overwhelming majority of the “cuts” go to about 25 of the largest corporations in Tennessee. Is it really any big surprise that the bulk of the “cuts” went to some of the largest spenders on lobbyists and providers of donations to legislators? Perhaps it was just an amazing coincidence. All the talk of “tax cuts” is just to distract voters from the truth: they raised fuel taxes by over $300 MILLION per year on families. Oh, they will say, but we cut the food tax. The food tax cuts amount to about $55 million per year, meaning the net loss to taxpayers, when balanced against…
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The Mendes/Sledge Ordinance BL2017-739 that passed on second reading by twenty-five Metro Nashville Council members on Tuesday will, if passed on a final vote, force Davidson County and Nashville law enforcement personnel to violate federal and state laws. The sponsors’ other bill, BL2017-743 seeking to terminate a 1996 contract that reimburses the Davidson County jail when it detains criminal aliens for ICE pick-up, has been deferred to the Council’s August 1, 2017 meeting. Both bills are in line with Nashville Mayor Megan Barry’s left-wing open borders, pro-illegal immigrant political philosophy. BL2017-739 expressly prohibits the “use of any funds, resources or facilities” to assist ICE and also prohibits Davidson County and Nashville employees, including law enforcement, from providing pertinent information to ICE regarding criminal aliens. Federal law, however, specifically addresses these information exchanges: a Federal, State, or local government entity or official may not prohibit, or in any way restrict, any government entity or official from sending to, or receiving from, [federal immigration authorities] information regarding the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of any individual. The Mendes/Sledge bill attempts to circumvent this law by prohibiting the collection of immigration status information, possibly inviting the Tennessee General Assembly to pass a law…
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VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing June 22, Thursday Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
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President Trump made a campaign-style appearance to an enthusiastic, capacity crowd in Cedar Rapids, Iowa Wednesday. https://youtu.be/YJ8klgo4uaM
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Rep. Diane Black, who is considering running for Tennessee governor, issued a press release Tuesday strongly condemning action taken by the Metro Council to push forward a bill that would limit Nashville’s cooperation with federal immigration officials. Critics believe the bill would lead to Nashville effectively becoming a sanctuary city, putting federal funding in jeopardy and also also creating clashes with the state. The press release issued by Black, a Republican, said the legislation would “obstruct immigration law, putting illegal aliens first and the safety and security of Tennessee families last.” Black gave the following statement: First and foremost, as a mother and a grandmother, I implore the Council members to start holding illegal immigrants accountable for crime and acts of violence. Sanctuary city policies to help and support criminal illegal immigrants pose a direct threat to our citizens and undermine the rule of law. In Congress, I’m working with my colleagues to pass the Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act to cut off funding for any municipality that helps illegal immigrants hide from the law. It’s time for Mayor Barry to stop borrowing liberal policies from California and New York and start putting the safety and security of Tennessee families…
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A group using the hashtag #TakeEmDown901 is organizing to push for the removal of Confederate statues in Memphis, part of a trend across the South. More than 250 people attended a rally Tuesday evening at Bruce Elementary School on Bellevue Boulevard to learn more about the group’s efforts. “These statues were built as tools of oppression during the Civil Rights movement and reconstruction,” said organizer Tami Sawyer, according to WMC Action News 5. Sawyer said the statues must go to make Memphis more attractive to millennials. One activist at the meeting said, “If you don’t take down these statues, then we will.” However, the Sons of Confederate Veterans is protesting the efforts. The group released a statement saying: Those who tear down historic monuments are no better than Nazis or ISIS. They are historical terrorists. The TearDownMemphis or TakeEmDown group bears the same characteristics. Our historical monuments, especially including the two largest Confederate monuments, are a tribute to those honored city residents of our nation’s past. They certainly do not signify white supremacy or anything of the sort. Both Jefferson Davis and N. B. Forrest are veterans of the United States military and of the Confederate States. The Sons of Confederate Veterans…
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MURFREESBORO, Tennessee – State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma), speaking to a group of about 50 grassroots activists, the majority of whom were Heritage Action Sentinels, made a statement that may best summarize his popularity with Tennessee conservatives. “I have not and will not compromise on conservative principles,” he told the group. The Rutherford County Heritage Action Sentinel group was founded by Katherine Hudgins, who is a Heritage Action Sentinel Wall of Honor awardee and is now a Sentinel Builder for the organization, and Jackie Archer, President of Tennessee Textbook Advocates. The group holds meetings or activities on a monthly basis, the previous one being an appreciation luncheon for U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN) for his Heritage Action score, which at 93 percent ranks him the most conservative of the Tennessee delegation. Rep. Bryan Terry (R-Murfreesboro), who represents the district where the meeting was held, attended and extended an invitation to his 4th Annual Empowering Women Event on July 10, co-hosted by Rep. Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro). Rep. Matheny was invited to speak to the group about his plan to run for Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District, should Rep. Diane Black decide to leave the seat to run for governor, as well as…
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Twenty-five out of thirty-nine members present at Tuesday’s Metro Council meeting voted to pass the Mendes/Sledge ordinance forward to a third reading and final vote at the next regularly scheduled Council meeting. The ordinance will, in effect, turn Nashville into a “sanctuary city,” and set up an inevitable confrontation with both the state and federal government. It is also in line with the left-wing, open borders, pro-illegal immigrant political philosophy of Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, a Democrat. The vote was preceded by impassioned statements both pro and con; some more factually accurate than others. Admissions were made that parents are not taking their children to be immunized, victims of domestic violence complaints are not coming forward and there is pervasive fear of interacting with law enforcement. Councilman Scott Davis claimed that downtown hotel cleaners aren’t getting paid because they’re told “you’re illegal. I don’t have to pay you.” The general theme running through supporters was this bill would make the city safer for everyone, “citizens or not,” phrasing used by Councilman Mendes to avoid the legally accurate term “illegal alien.” Mendes claimed that cities are allowed to “have choice” regarding how much they do over and above federal and state law and…
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A man was shot and killed by a Williamson County sheriff’s deputy Tuesday morning after he brandished a weapon during a pursuit, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The man was identified Tuesday afternoon as David Bryan Creson, 40, of Franklin. Creson had an extensive criminal record, reports WKRN News 2. The incident began around 9:30 a.m., when Franklin police officers began pursuing a vehicle reported stolen, according to a TBI press release. They stopped their pursuit after a while and around 10:40 a.m., deputies with the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office spotted the vehicle near Lewisburg Pike. The two deputies started a pursuit that continued over the I-65 overpass at Peytonsville Road. Creson came to a stop on the overpass, got out of the vehicle, and pointed a weapon at the two deputies. One of the deputies fired, striking Creson, who died at the scene. One of the deputies suffered a leg injury during the incident, according to the press release, but no further information was provided. TBI special agents are investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting at the request of Williamson County District Attorney Kim Helper. “As a reminder, the TBI acts as ‘fact-finders’ in its cases. The…
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Melissa Smithson has been tapped to chair the Davidson County Republican Party after former chairman Tres Whittum was found ineligible, reports the Nashville Post. Whittum, who is an analyst for state Sen. Bo Watson (R-Hixson), was elected to lead the party in February even though there were concerns about his eligibility. He couldn’t provide evidence that he voted in the past three Republican primaries, a requirement for officers. In May, the executive committee of the Tennessee Republican Party dismissed him from the role. Elected vice chair in February, Smithson was formally named chair on June 1. She is a longtime Republican activist and was county co-chair for the Trump campaign. Smithson once ran for Metro Council and has brought experience in PR and marketing to Republican causes, according to Green Hills News. She was involved with Save Our Fairgrounds and Stop AMP. Smithson issued the following statement upon being named chair: After working on several campaigns over the last 4 years, including the Trump campaign as co-chairman of our County, and being involved with our Davidson County Republican Party and serving on the board, I was honored on Thursday night to be elected as Chairman. As you know, I love…
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Apple’s top executive asked President Donald Trump to show more compassion in his immigration policy and reassure immigrant workers in the technology community that they are welcome in the U.S. Tim Cook, visiting the White House Monday along with fellow Silicon Valley power players, told Trump that the technology sector is “nervous” about the administration’s tough…
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For the first time in history, children have new and different ways of acquiring and accessing, deciphering and digesting information instantly. Children are now contributors, not just copiers, of existing knowledge.
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For the first time in U.S. history, attorneys for an illegal immigrant in Houston are appealing to federal religious freedom laws to annul his impending deportation. Lawyers representing Juan Rodriguez filed a lawsuit Monday on the unprecedented grounds that Rodriguez’s deportation would violate his family’s religious beliefs, specifically a Seventh Day Adventist requirement that requires families…
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Rep. Tom Reed said Tuesday that outgoing “CBS Evening News” anchor Scott Pelley should never work in media again over comments he made on-air following last week’s shooting attack on Republican members of Congress. “For CBS News’ Scott Pelley to describe the brutal shooting of Congressman Scalise as ‘self-inflicted’ was beyond the pale and further proved…
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Long-time Clinton pollster Stanley Greenberg has news for Democrats: You don’t have a “white-working class problem”; You have a “working-class problem.” Greenburg is urging the Democratic Party to get serious about addressing its problem with all working-class Americans, defined as those without a college degree. “The fact is that Democrats have lost support with all working-class…
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Vermont Sen. Bernard Sanders says “unprecedented” actions by his supporters must be taken to stop Republicans from passing a health care bill in the Senate. A Facebook Live event Monday with Mr. Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren included a call for unorthodox actions to halt Republican efforts to replace Obamacare, former President Barack Obama’s signature…
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State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) tore into the Metro Nashville Council’s proposed sanctuary city ordinances on the Dan Mandis Show on 99.7 FM WWTN Tuesday. As The Tennessee Star reported on Tuesday, the Metro Nashville Council is currently considering two ordinances that would, in effect, turn Nashville into a sanctuary city. “It’s the most egregious move against public safety that the city of Nashville could possibly expose its citizens, and emergency services and social work to,” Matheny said. “It’s completely antithetical to the United States Constitution, and America. And the city of Nashville – with all due respect – they need to remember that the City operates at the pleasure of the State,” Matheny added: If they move forward with this – which I hope the’ll have the sense about them to not have a second reading (much less a third) and try to pass it – they can expect swift and severe action be the State of Tennessee. The taxpayers of Davidson county will suffer incomprehensibly if this passes. Organized crime will come to this town like a magnet from all over the country. The police will be a great risk. The citizens will be at great risk.…
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VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing June 21, Wednesday Psalm 40:2-3 2 He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps. 3 He has put a new song in my mouth— Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the Lord.
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Nashville will join a worldwide celebration Wednesday as musicians take to the streets and different venues around town to give performances, offer free music lessons and hand out free instruments. This is the fourth annual “Make Music Nashville” day, an event timed to the summer solstice and related to a tradition begun in France in 1982 and now held in more than 750 cities in 120 countries. Wednesday will be the longest day of the year. Wednesday’s celebration in Nashville is set to be bigger than past ones. More than 128 artists and more than 36 venues are participating. Many genres will be featured, from bluegrass to a cappella to indie rock. There will be a 250-person “kazoo jam” at the airport and a songwriting “street studio” downtown. Kids at the Nashville Zoo will be given harmonicas, and guitar lessons will be offered at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Several upright pianos, decorated by students in the after-school program at Tusculum Elementary, have been placed in different spots downtown for passerby to play. The pianos are part of a two-month installation. Besides group music lessons, there will be instrument play-alongs and group sings throughout the day. “If our programs encourage…
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Rutherford County homeowner Patrick Hale, who is credited with stopping two escaped Georgia convicts Thursday, clarified on Friday that the men surrendered on his driveway without him having to pull out a weapon, an unusual outcome that Hale attributes to divine intervention. Earlier media reports said that Hale, who lives in Christiana, held the men at gunpoint until police arrived. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia had announced reward money for information that would lead to the arrests of Donnie Rowe and Ricky Dubose. However, Sheriff Howard Sills later said no reward money would be issued because he heard the men had surrendered to law enforcement. But after learning more about how Thursday’s events unfolded, Sills issued a press release Saturday saying officials are considering how the money might be awarded. “We are presently looking into the facts,” Sills wrote. “I am confident from what I know at this time that there will be payments made.” At a press conference Friday, Hale, 35, recounted what happened Thursday evening at his home. Hale said he received two calls from two friends around 6:40 p.m. warning him about fugitives in the area. He loaded every weapon in his house. Then he saw the two…
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Two ordinances filed by Metro Councilmen Bob Mendes and Colby Sledge, drafted with the assistance of the TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) and cheered on by Mayor Megan Barry, will make Davidson County and Metro Nashville the most liberal sanctuary city in the U.S.; in fact, even more liberal in its policies than New York City or San Francisco. The Metro Council may hold the second of the three required readings of one or both bills during its regularly scheduled meeting tonight. TIRRC, an affiliate of the National Council of La Raza and a recipient of funding from a George Soros front group, has been agitating for Nashville to formalize its informal sanctuary city practices since the election of President Trump. The two bills co-sponsored by Mendes and Sledge which will have their second reading tonight, will accomplish that goal. Trying to pass off the ordinances as “in line with state and federal law” the other Mendes/Sledge bill if passed will, by prohibiting Metro Nashville employees from inquiring into anyone’s immigration status, effectively enable illegal aliens to access public benefits they would otherwise be barred from using. Using the ruse that it’s “bad policy and bad practice”for the Metro Council to…
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Catholic Charities of Tennessee says it is not responsible for the failures of its subrecipient, World Relief, to provide basic services to newly arrived refugees in Murfreesboro. Those shortcomings were all too real for volunteer organizer Melissa Sohrabi, who started crying during a March meeting in Rutherford County while detailing federal resettlement contractor World Relief’s neglect and failure to provide essential survival services to the refugees they placed in Murfreesboro. A third family “had nothing but a mattress and sheets, no blankets,” she told the audience that night (beginning at 2:02 in the YouTube video above): They didn’t know how to work the thermostat, they were freezing. They were scared and they were so relieved because Saffi knew their language. They had been there for several days with no contact with anyone. They did not know how to get in touch with their caseworker and with no language skills they didn’t know where to go or who to ask to even how to get help. We immediately took them to Greenhouse Ministries which is a great support system helping underprivileged people here in Murfreesboro and they graciously, with very few questions, gave them blankets and food and clothes and dishes…
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Canada passed a law Thursday making it illegal to use the wrong gender pronouns. Critics say that Canadians who do not subscribe to progressive gender theory could be accused of hate crimes, jailed, fined, and made to take anti-bias training. Canada’s Senate passed Bill C-16, which puts “gender identity” and “gender expression” into both the country’s…
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by Jeffrey A. Rendall Two years ago last Friday Donald Trump rocked the political world by announcing he was running for president as a Republican. The iconic and fabulously wealthy New York businessman and celebrity hinted for over two decades that he was contemplating such a move but had always deferred, claiming the timing wasn’t right. On this occasion he was serious. Trump was flanked by his family in making the announcement, strongly suggesting the full force of the Trump brand was behind his decision. The press conference at Trump Tower had an air of formality and gravity at the same time, yet also offered a little bit of show biz flair. From the start Trump was unique; here was a man who possessed the name recognition and personal resources to instantly compete with anyone in the country. This was no flash in the pan. Still, not many took Trump seriously on that hot summer day; after all, any number of prominent outsiders had tried the same thing, fellow billionaire Ross Perot probably being the one closest to making it work in the early 90’s. Some made splashes in the primaries, others just faded from lack of sustainable interest.…
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Four men have been charged with theft after Shelby County deputies raided a home last week and discovered stolen construction equipment valuing around $1 million in the backyard, reports WREG News Channel 3. Oscar Celallos, Jose Lopez, Victor Gonzalez and Iserel Dela Cruz were all charged with theft of property, and Cruz was also charged with aggravated assault. Three of the men are from Guatemala and one is from Mexico. Their immigration status was unknown but immigration officials were notified. A judge denied bond for all four men. There was enough construction equipment to fill five tractor trailer trucks, according to officials. The men are alleged to have stolen around $745,000 in roofing shingles, $88,000 in rolled roofing, $12,000 in roofing nails, $14,000 in aluminum drip rails and rolled trim, and $13,000 in stolen lawn equipment. Deputies also seized 10 cars. Officials believe the men have been stealing items for a long time and then selling them. Contractor Sam Hearn told WMC Action News 5 that he’s glad the men got caught. “They’re stealing stuff from us and it’s holding us up on building these houses,” said Hearn, whose crew works in a new Arlington subdivision. Hearn alerted deputies after realizing that shingles and…
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During the final days before the special congressional election in Georgia’s 6th congressional district, Republicans sought to transform the contest into a referendum on the increasingly hysterical tactics of the anti-Trump Left. The Congressional Leadership Fund released a mailer last week that linked Ossoff to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and lumped him in with vehemently…
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The Hytch ridesharing app is now being touted by Hill Center Brentwood. Launched last year, the free app helps people make arrangements to carpool. “We can use an asset we all now have – our smartphones – to fix a problem that’s been escalating for decades – too many cars on our road network,” said Hytch LLC co-founder and CEO Mark Cleveland in a press release last year. “Hytch built the tool everyone can use on their smartphones that brings old-fashioned carpooling into the digital age for commuters.” Hill Center Brentwood is a new mixed-use development at the corner of Franklin Road and Maryland Way that includes offices, shops and restaurants. Developer H.G. Hill Realty Company is supporting a six-month Hytch pilot program by offering participating employees transportation reimbursement incentives of up to $50 per month. There also are two dedicated parking spots in the center’s parking garage for Hytch drivers. “Adding this commuting program fits well with out desire to encourage alternative transportation options for employees,” said Jimmy Granbery, chairman and CEO of the H.G. Hill Realty Company, in a press release last week. The Hytch app helps users locate, meet and reward other drivers going in the same direction.…
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Former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Andrew McCarthy said it was “totally unnecessary” for Attorney General Jeff Sessions to recuse himself from the Russia probe, during an interview Monday on “The Laura Ingraham Show.” McCarthy, a contributing editor for National Review, argued President Donald Trump and his administration “wouldn’t have the…
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Rep. Diane Black is holding a major campaign fundraiser at a high end restaurant in Washington, D.C. on Thursday night. But the event is to raise money for her re-election campaign to Congress, not her long rumored but yet-to-be announced gubernatorial campaign. Thursday night’s fundraiser will be held at Ocean Prime, one of the premiere eating establishments on Capitol Hill. The menu, which features a Ribeye Steak for $52 and Dutch Harbor King Crab Legs for $65, is well suited to Washington lobbyists, but a far cry from the Cracker Barrels that dot the I-40 corridor of the Sixth Congressional District Black represents in Tennessee. The news of Black’s Congressional fundraiser has veteran political tea leaf readers across the state of Tennessee scratching their heads. Does Black intend to run for governor, or will she drop that effort, where she will face stiff competition from three announced candidates–Knoxville businessman Randy Boyd, Williamson County businessman Bill Lee, and State Senator Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet)–and opt for the safe route of an easy re-election in 2018 to represent Tennessee’s Sixth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives? “Her chairmanship will undoubtedly boost her haul from the fundraiser,” a Capitol Hill insider…
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VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing June 20, Tuesday Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord. Proverbs 3:23 Then you will walk in your way securely and your foot will not stumble.
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Police in Huntsville, Alabama, last week arrested a man who was charged with soliciting or providing support for an act of terrorism, reports WHNT News 19. Aziz Sayyed, 22, of Huntsville, was taken into custody Thursday after police received a tip. Police say he is a North Carolina-born U.S. citizen. “We successfully mitigated a threat today with this arrest,” said FBI agent Roger Stanton in a news conference. The Huntsville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are working together on the case with support from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. No specifics on the threat were disclosed, but officials said the arrest eliminated any threat to the area, including Redstone Arsenal. Police Chief Mark McMurray encouraged the public to let the police know when something doesn’t seem right. “If you see something, you need to tell us,” he said. “You need to say something. This investigation actually started as a tip.” Sayyed was staying at an apartment complex near the University of Alabama at Huntsville. He faces state charges but no federal charges as of Thursday.
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The Beacon Center of Tennessee is getting the word out about a short documentary it produced to educate the public about corporate welfare. Called “Rigged: The Injustice of Corporate Welfare,” the documentary runs just under 20 minutes. It takes a look at the impact of corporate welfare on small business owners struggling to compete against corporations receiving taxpayer dollars. The Beacon Center is a Nashville-based nonprofit that promotes free market research and solutions. “Beacon Center’s hope is that the documentary will be a useful tool for people who are either undecided or against us,” said Mark Cunningham, the center’s director of marketing and communications, in a press release. “It offers a look at the issue from a perspective they may have never considered. They have heard about all the ‘job creation’ and economic benefits of corporate welfare deals. Our goal is to tell the stories of the real people whom tax incentives and handouts negatively affect—stories that haven’t been told. We believe that, for far too long, free market types have merely tried to dispute the economic claims and have failed to humanize the issue. The human cost is front and center in our video.” The documentary features interviews with two furniture store…
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Despite the horrific attack in suburban Washington D.C. on Republican legislators, regular protests at Tennessee’s legislative plaza and death threats made against at least two Tennessee legislators, there have been no requests by legislative leadership for additional review of security procedures, in general, or the Cordell Hull Building, specifically, as the legislature prepares to move there from Legislative Plaza/War Memorial Building later this year. The Tennessee Star requests for comment from Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) and Speaker Beth Harwell (R-Nashville) as to whether they had requested a security review in light of these events, were referred to their respective communications person, and, in turn, referred to Connie Ridley, Director, Office of Legislative Administration. Ms. Ridley’s response began with reassurance, “The General Assembly takes the security of members, staff and the general public seriously,” but continued generically, We review our policies and procedures and make updates as appropriate on an ongoing basis. As you might expect, a thorough evaluation of all our security policies and procedures is a large part of the ongoing transition process to our new facility. There has been cause for concern at the current facility, starting with a change this year to the security policy where…
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A member of President Trump’s legal team on Sunday said that there’s “no investigation into the president of the United States. Period.” “Let me be clear: The president’s not under investigation,” Jay Sekulow said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “As [fired FBI director] James Comey said in his testimony that the president was not…
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Rep. Steve Scalise, the congressman wounded this week by a left-wing zealot gunman, is now in serious condition and is showing signs of improvement, doctors said in an update Saturday afternoon released by the congressman’s office. MedStar Washington Hospital Center said Mr. Scalise had another surgery Saturday, the latest in a series of operations that’s stretched…
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German Development Minister Gerd Muller warned Sunday that up to 100 million Africans could head north as economic and climate refugees. Germany is making a push to promote peace and investment in Africa at the G20 summit in Hamburg in July. Muller believes unprecedented migrant populations could head for Europe if climate goals aren’t met and…
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by George Rasley, ConservativeHQ.com Editor Donald Trump’s historic election handed Republicans control of Congress and the White House for the first time in a decade, and after six years of divided government it was assumed a united Republican Party would be able to pass the largely conservative agenda campaigned on by Donald Trump and Republican congressional candidates. However, despite their firm control of the legislative and executive branches of government Republicans have produced almost zero in terms of legislation that fulfills their campaign promises, leaving it to President Trump to do his best to advance the conservative agenda via Executive Order and Cabinet action. The predictable result is that while President Trump stands around 47 percent in the polls, with his base still strongly approving of his performance – not bad for a President under daily attack by the establishment media. In contrast to President Trump’s approval, Congressional approval stands at 20 percent, less than half of the President’s approval rating, with some 74 percent of Americans disapproving of the job it is doing. A different poll, this one by Pew, found that 54 percent of Americans disapprove of the job the Speaker Ryan is doing. Twenty-nine percent approve while…
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London mayor Sadiq Khan acknowledged growing public anger surrounding the Grenfell Tower fire in which 58 people are presumed dead, saying the blaze was a result of “mistakes and neglect”. “There is a feeling from the community that they’ve been treated badly because some of them are poor,” Khan said after a visit to a church…
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Scientists from several U.S. and Chinese universities say new findings about microbes and their interaction with other species show that Darwin’s theory of evolution needs an update. Their contention is based on discoveries that all plants and animals, including humans, evolved in interaction with a huge number of microscopic species — bacteria, viruses and fungi —…
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