Trump Expresses Support for Iranian Protests as Regime’s Hard-Liners Counter Opposition

President Trump voiced support Saturday for Iranians protesting in the streets against their government, saying Tehran’s oppressive regime “cannot endure forever.” “The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change, and, other than the vast military power of the United States, that Iran’s people are what their leaders fear the most,” Mr. Trump tweeted. “Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching!”

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State Representative John Forgety Will Not Run for Re-Election in 2018

In an open letter to his hometown newspaper, The Daily Post-Athenian, State Representative John Forgety (R-Athens) announced Friday he would not seek re-election in 2018: To the citizens of the 23rd District of the Tennessee House of Representatives of McMinn and Monroe counties. After a great deal of prayer and consideration, Faye and I have decided that it would be best if I were to retire from the House of Representatives as of November 2018. I will be finishing my fourth and current term of the 110th General Assembly, but will not be seeking re-election. Serving the people of the 23rd District is truly an honor and a privilege. I am forever grateful that you have allowed me to serve four terms in this office. My experience in office is and has been a blessing to Faye and me. It is graphically obvious that the democracy and government of the people, by the people, and for the people truly works. If I can be of service during my final year in office, do not hesitate to contact me. May the good Lord hold you in the palm of his hand and bless you and keep you, and may he continue to…

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Elizabeth Warren Gets Decimated After Claiming To ‘Believe In Science’

Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts responded to President Donald Trump’s Thursday tweet, in which he questioned the concept of global warming, by announcing that she ‘believes in science’ – only to be questioned relentlessly on how exactly her scientific belief applies to issues like abortion or her supposed Native American ancestry. Trump’s tweet, which seems…

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Commentary: Nikki Haley Is the Biggest Surprise Of 2017

by CHQ Staff   Persons of a certain age who lived or grew up in the 1950s and 1960s, especially in the South and Midwest, will probably recall signs, many of them homemade, posted in fields and on barns demanding in bold letters “Get Us Out Of The United Nations.” The “Get Us Out Of The United Nations” movement withered as it became more and more closely associated with the John Birch Society. It later made a comeback in the late 1990s as Bill Clinton put American troops under UN command and American military personnel and their civilian supporters objected to what appeared to be Clinton’s unconstitutional transfer of the war making power to the discredited international body. However, if the idea of getting the United States out of the United Nations fell off the radar screen of the establishment’s political opinion leaders, it never died among the conservative grassroots. And it has come back with a vengeance as the UN has shown its complete lack of credibility and moral compass through its votes declaring that the Trump administration’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is null and void. Enter the biggest political surprise of 2017 – the rise…

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New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo Pardons 18 Illegal Immigrants

Cuomo

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo mimicked California Gov. Jerry Brown’s approach to immigration Thursday, pardoning 18 convicted illegal immigrants who were facing deportation. Cuomo, a Democrat, praised himself on Twitter for his compassion, before linking to a New York Times article supporting the move. Cuomo claimed the federal government is “tear[ing] families apart” with the current…

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President Trump Has Fun with His Grandkids and Son Barron in Family Photos from Christmas Dinner

The picture appears to have been taken during the Trump family’s Christmas celebrations in Mar-A-Lago and features Barron posing between his two younger nephews with the presidential photobomb going on unnoticed behind them. The foursome celebrated Christmas with the whole rest of the family, including First Lady Melania Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump, Eric Trump, Tiffany Trump, their respective spouses and all nine of the president’s grandchildren at his Florida resort.

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South Korea Seizes Hong Kong-flagged Ship Suspected of Sending Oil to North Korea

South Korea’s foreign ministry says the country has seized a Hong Kong-flagged ship that transferred oil to a North Korean vessel in international waters despite United Nations Security Council sanctions. Yonhap, the South Korean news agency, reports South Korean custom officials say the Lighthouse Winmore vessel transferred “600 tons of refined petroleum” to a North Korean ship October 19. South Korea seized the Lighthouse Winmore on November 24 when it sailed into South Korea’s Yeosu Port, the news agency says.

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Justice Department Officials Gave Clinton More Than $381,000 in 2016 Campaign Contributions

More than 2,500 individual contributions collectively worth in excess of $381,000 were made to 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton by persons who listed the Department of Justice (DOJ) as their employer, according to federal campaign data compiled by opensecrets.org. Contributions to President Donald Trump were paltry by comparison, coming from only 24 individuals listing DOJ as their employer making 54 donations collectively worth $12,535. All of the data covered the election cycle from January 1, 2015 through the 2016 election on November 8.

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Barbers Making House Calls One of Many Law Changes in 2018

Barbers may make house calls starting in 2018. That’s one of at least 16 changes to the Tennessee Code Annotated as of Jan. 1. According to the Tennessee Legislature, a change to TCA Title 62 will broaden “barbers’ ability to perform services in a residence from residences of persons who are actually ill to all residences regardless of the health of the person.” Barbers wishing to make house calls must earn a “residential barber certificate.” Barbers visiting clients’ homes is a national trend. The Hour reports on a new small business called Doorbell Barbers that has quickly gained traction in Norwalk, Connecticut, inspired by the Uber taxi business service. The Shelbyville Police Department posted on Facebook Dec. 18 regarding a new law governing the use of mobile phones in school zones. The updated law is a change to Tennessee Code Annotated 55-8-199: “It is an offense for a person to knowingly operate a motor vehicle in any marked school zone in this state, when a warning flasher or flashers are in operation, and talk on a hand-held mobile telephone while the vehicle is in motion.” The fine is not to exceed $50. The Legislature’s website adds that the law “makes it a…

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Faith: Verse of the Day for Sunday, December 31

Tennessee Star - Verse of the Day

  VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing December 31, 2017 Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

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Marsha Blackburn Welcomes President Trump’s Help in Her Bid to Replace Trump Antagonist Senator Bob Corker

During Representative Marsha Blackburn’s (R-TN-07) appearance Thursday on CNN’s “The Lead,” she seemed to surprise guest host Dana Bash with the suggestion that President Trump would be a welcome addition to the campaign trail in Tennessee as she seeks to replace the retiring junior Senator Bob Corker. As The Tennessee Star has reported extensively, before and especially after making the announcement he would not be seeking re-election, Bob Corker has repeatedly attacked President Trump in the media, calling into question the freshman executive’s mental state, negotiating skills, integrity, motivations, and more. Blackburn’s apparent open invitation to the President is a marked contrast to Corker – but no surprise, considering voters chose Mr. Trump over Hillary Clinton by more than 60 percent. Guest host Dana Bash asked Blackburn, “You’re in a big race down there in Tennessee. Do you want President Trump to come and campaign with you?” Blackburn answered, “What I want to do is spend my time working with the voters of this state, and that’s my focus,” Blackburn answered. “You know, President Trump is very popular in Tennessee. And people are so encouraged by the work that he has done in passing tax reform, Gorsuch to the Supreme Court–” Interrupting with crosstalk, Bash pressed,…

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President Trump Says Lengthy Mueller Probe Is ‘Bad for the Country’

Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation is “bad for the country,” and the only collusion with Russia during the presidential campaign was by Democrats, President Trump said in an interview published Friday. “It makes the country look very bad, and it puts the country in a very bad position,” Mr. Trump told The New York Times of the Mueller probe. “So the sooner it’s worked out, the better it is for the country.”

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University Offers ‘Problem of Whiteness’ Class, Again

The University of Wisconsin-Madison will reintroduce a class this spring that teaches students why being white is a bad thing. The “Problem of Whiteness” course—part of the African Cultural Studies program—makes its mission to help students “understand how whiteness is socially constructed and experienced in order to help dismantle white supremacy.” The class will also investigate how white people “consciously and unconsciously perpetuate institutional racism and how this not only devastates communities of color but also perpetuates the oppression of most white folks along the lines of class and gender.”

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Susan Gingrich Commentary: My Wish for the New Year – End the War on Men!

by Susan E Gingrich   I’m starting this commentary with a confession. I’ve always liked men, and I still like them a lot. My husband is the best man I know. I like compliments from men, doors opened for me, harmless hugs, and other things some women don’t. Throughout my professional career, it was my male bosses who encouraged and promoted me, appreciating my independence, intelligence and abilities. The only problem bosses I ever had were women who felt threatened by those same qualities. I feel no sisterhood with women because we share a common body part, preferring to select those women I feel friendship with akin to sisterhood. My wish for 2018 is that all women participating in it, End the War on Men! Didn’t many of the same women involved in the current conflict fight for women’s liberation years ago? You wanted to be equal to men, you burned your bras, boldly demanded equal pay, and many of you abandoned any ladylike behavior. You use profanity as well as any man, can compete well in drinking contests, and by golly, are you sexually liberated. You truly have come a long way baby thanks in large part to other men…

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Illinois’ Rodney Davis Pushing Bill to Make Individual Tax Rates Permanent

Rep. Rodney Davis said Friday that he plans to introduce a bill to make the tax changes for individuals permanent. “We’re going to introduce a bill to make them permanent and I hope that many of the Democrats who talk about making them permanent will join me in supporting this legislation,” Mr. Davis, Illinois Republican, said on Fox News. “We’ll see. Time will tell if that’s going to be the case.”

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FAKE NEWS: Obamacare Does Not Have a Record Number of Sign-Ups for 2018 Open Enrollment

Obamacare

Americans signed up at record rates during the 2018 open enrollment period for former President Barack Obama’s signature health care law, Adam Hodge, former Democratic National Committee communications director, said on Fox News Tuesday. About 8.8 million people signed up for 2018 health coverage on HealthCare.gov during this year’s open enrollment period ending Dec. 15, compared to 9.2 million sign-ups for 2017 coverage and 9.6 million for 2016 coverage. HealthCare.gov provides Affordable Care Act individual health plans in 39 states. The remaining 11 states and the District of Columbia run state health exchanges, and may have later deadlines to sign up than the federal deadline. Total enrollment for Obamacare plans won’t be known until all exchanges are accounted for, but enrollment on state exchanges also lags behind previous years.

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Diane Black Will Join President Trump As He Addresses the American Farm Bureau Federation Convention

Representative Diane Black (R-TN-06) said Thursday that she will be joining President Trump in his upcoming visit to Nashville for the American Farm Bureau Federation convention, held January 6 – 10 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. In an email exchange with The Tennessee Star, America Farm Bureau Federation Executive Communications Director Mace Thornton shared specifics about the highly anticipated event. The President will be speaking during the General Session of Monday’s convention gathering, either “late morning or early afternoon,” Thornton wrote. The public may attend, however, “there is a registration fee of $250 for nonmembers,” he noted, adding that the limiting factor would be that the room’s capacity at 4,000. The group has made arrangements for overflow viewing areas, where the President’s remarks will he able to be viewed live via a video feed. Furthermore, the American Farm Bureau Federation website plans to livestream President Trump’s appearance from their website, https://www.fb.org. “Farmers and ranchers and our rural communities are the bedrock of our nation. President Trump knows that, and his willingness to devote his time to talk directly with Farm Bureau members will be a memorable occasion,” Duvall said in a statement announcing the President’s attendance. “I plan on joining him,” Rep.…

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Secret Meeting Between Nashville Mayor’s Office, Developer, And City Councilman Sledge Raises Questions About Fort Negley Development Deal

Controversial Nashville City Council member Colby Sledge admitted in sworn testimony at a Metro Council Board of Ethical Conduct hearing earlier this month into conflict of interest complaints filed against him that he participated in a secret meeting between “a top Barry aide and two partners who would later form Cloud Hill” in late 2015, The Tennessean reported on Wednesday. Talks between leaders of Cloud Hill — the controversial development proposed for Greer Stadium — and Mayor Megan Barry’s administration took place more than one year before the city formally kicked off the process to redevelop the site and began accepting bids. But the mayor’s office maintains informal meetings about Greer Stadium during this period were not unique to Cloud Hill and did not influence decisions. They say the city had an open ear to all suggestions. Details of a 2015 private “informational” meeting emerged during sworn testimony from Metro Councilman Colby Sledge, who appeared this month before the Council Board of Ethical Conduct. The meeting raises questions on the depth of early communications between the mayor’s office and leaders Cloud Hill, which has been roundly criticized by preservationists who want Greer to be reclaimed as an accessible park. “In…

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Vanity Fair Bows to Left-Wing Mob After Criticizing Hillary

Though most people would agree Vanity Fair is no friend to conservatives, the publication was candid this week in its thoughts about two-time failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton — much to the dismay of its left-leaning base. The fashion magazine has been posting political New Year’s resolution videos, all meant to be humorous in one way or another. Clinton was the subject of one. In addition to the notion that she never again run for the White House, a Vanity Fair writer suggested Hillary Clinton take up a new hobby in 2018 — to keep herself busy and out of the public eye.

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Businessman Randy Boyd Claimed Over $30 Million in Taxable Income Over the Last Two Years Alone

Boyds Tax Returns

Gubernatorial hopeful Randy Boyd, together with his wife Jenny, earned a total of more than $30 in taxable income over the last two years of reporting, according to documents reviewed by The Tennessean. The revelations come as media giant USA Today Network – Tennessee requested – and received exclusively – tax returns from the Knoxville based businessman. The documents are among a slew of information delivered by a number of the top-tier candidates running for Governor in 2018. In addition to Dean and Boyd, the Network asked Democrat Craig Fitzhugh, and Republicans Representative Diane Black, s\State House Speaker Beth Harwell, Williamson County businessman Bill Lee, and former state Senator Mae Beavers to submit their tax returns from 2013 to 2016. The Tennessee Star recently reported on Democrat Karl Dean’s remarkable $19 million haul over a four year period – which pales in comparison to Boyd. The Boyds initially declined to share their personal tax returns, opting instead to consider releasing them at a later date, The Tennessean reports. Ultimately, the couple shared only their IRS 1040 forms from 2015 and 2016 – and with them, the promise to share tax returns with the Network for the years Randy Boyd serves in office as Governor.  The information shared in the…

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Republicans Should Not Allow Elites to Set the Election Table in 2018

by Jeffrey A. Rendall   Let’s not get carried away here. To say last week and (more broadly) even the last month was good for President Donald Trump (and to some extent, the entirety of the Republican congressional majority) does not require a great leap of logic. Together GOP elected leaders passed a major tax overhaul, put the American people’s future earnings back in their own pockets, pushed through a budget extension with a bit of Democrat cooperation, threatened to pull the monetary rug out from under the UN and various other actions that made conservatives smile. But we still must remember the new year arrives in a few days and with it Congress will return to the capital facing a whole new set of political barriers and an election in eleven months that promises to be challenging to keep a hold on GOP majorities while battling an enraged liberal half of the public that craves blood and won’t settle for much less. And we haven’t even mentioned the big leftist donors who will be unleashing their fortunes to search every nook and cranny for votes (legal and illegal) to purchase for use against Trump. Democrats will pull out all…

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Ten Municipal and County Mayors Endorse Dr. Mark Green for Congress

Dr. Mark Green for Congress announced Thursday that 10 municipal and county mayors – all hailing from the 7th Congressional District’s Williamson and Montgomery Counties – have endorsed the popular state Senator to replace Representative Marsha Blackburn in the U. S. House. “Having run a business based in Williamson County and as an active member of our county Republican Party, Mark Green is well-known and well-liked in our county,” Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson said in a statement. “I’m proud to support him and look forward to him being our next Congressman representing Williamson County.” Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett added, “As a successful business leader, physician, and Army veteran, Mark Green knows what it takes to lead. I’ve worked closely with him the last few years for Montgomery County citizens and am confident he will take the effective leadership we’ve seen here to Congress.” The announcement indicated that this was the first of what will be a series of such endorsements. So far, the list features: Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson Erin Mayor Paul Bailey Fairview Mayor Patti Carroll Houston County Mayor George Clark Ethridge Mayor Robin Cobb Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett Spring Hill Mayor Rick Graham Stewart County Mayor Rickie Joiner…

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President Trump Is About To Repeal Obama-Era ‘Fracking’ Regulations

Tennessee Star

President Donald Trump’s administration will give a belated gift to American energy producers and repeal former President Barack Obama-era regulations for hydraulic fracturing operations on federal lands. The Interior Department is expected to publish a repeal of the rule in the Federal Register on Friday, and already the oil and gas industry are celebrating. Producers challenged were locked in court battles over the rule since it was finalized in 2015.

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Failed Former Governor Don Sundquist – Who Tried To Force State Income Tax on Tennesseans–‘Is Helping Randy Boyd’ In His Gubernatorial Race

Sundquist Boyd

Don Sundquist, the establishment Republican who failed in his efforts to force a state income tax on Tennesseans when he served as the state’s governor between 1995 and 2003, has a new political purpose–he wants to help his “friend and neighbor” Randy Boyd become the next governor of the state. The Tennessee Star obtained a copy of the Sundquist family Christmas Letter for 2017 in which the former governor and his wife issued a call for help and support in the gubernatorial campaign of Knoxville-area businessman, Randy Boyd. At the end of the second paragraph of the five-paragraph missive, the Sundquists boast about the many high-level political events they have been a part of through the year. After a quick recap of what was undoubtedly a beautiful week spent in a villa in Tuscany, Italy, the couple talk about their time in Washington, D.C. for the 50th anniversary of the Fund for American Studies that the letter says former Governor Sundquist “has been a part of since its inception.” A notable high point of the event was a featured speech by the newest member of the Supreme Court, Justice Neil Gorsuch. Next, the letter sets up for a pivot and an ‘ask,’ with:…

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Eleven States Launch Legal Fight Against Sanctuary Cities, Tennessee Not Among Them

As the public outcry against sanctuary cities grows louder, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced today that he is leading a coalition of 11 state attorneys general in the fight to finally put an end to sanctuary cities. In contrast, Tennessee’s Attorney General Herbert Slatery III, the state’s chief legal advisor, is not on board, so the Volunteer State is not named among the states in the coalition. Announced in a tweet, the coalition has filed a brief urging a federal appeals court to overturn a lower court ruling and enforce President Trump’s anti-sanctuary cities executive order. These 11 states (West Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Texas) insist that sanctuary cities “undermine the President’s immigration enforcement authority, an area where the Constitution gives him and Congress considerable power.” W.Va. AG, Louisiana Lead 11 States in Fight Against Sanctuary Cities https://t.co/oDVO57PTBw — WV Attorney General (@WestVirginiaAG) December 27, 2017 Attorney General Morrisey also issued this statement: “Sanctuary cities are a matter of public safety. Law enforcement officials can better protect citizens if they are capable of complying with federal immigration laws rather than having their authority limited by the establishment of sanctuary cities.” The announcement also…

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State Senator Jack Johnson Endorses Mark Green for Congress

In the latest of what is shaping up to be an impressive list of endorsements and statements of support, State Senator Mark Green (R-Clarksville) announced Wednesday that fellow State Senator Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) has given him the nod to replace Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) in the 2018 primary to be held August 2. “Having worked side by side with Mark Green, I have witnessed his principled and effective conservative leadership firsthand,” Johnson said in a statement. “With all the dysfunction going on in Congress today, we need to send someone to Washington who will represent us as well as Congressman Marsha Blackburn has. Mark is the perfect man for the job.” First elected to the State Senate in 2007, Johnson is the Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee. “I’ve been proud to serve alongside Jack Johnson in the State Senate,” Green said. “Jack is one of our finest leaders, and both Williamson County and Tennessee have benefited tremendously from his leadership.” The announcement is the latest in a long and growing list of endorsements: Green has coalesced the support of Republicans across the spectrum. Nationally, he has received the endorsements of the Club for Growth, Family Research Council, and House Freedom…

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Rep. Diane Black Will Step Down as House Budget Committee Chair After Trump Tax Cut Victory

Diane Black

In an op-ed appearing on FoxNews.com, Representative Diane Black (R-TN-06) announced Wednesday she will step down as House Budget Committee Chair in time for the Republican House Leadership to select a new Chair in January.  While she will no longer be in that leadership role, she will continue to serve in Congress as she campaigns to be Tennessee’s next Governor. “What a difference a year makes,” she begins: Twelve months ago, the country was ending one of the most fiscally irresponsible presidencies of the modern age. Now we’re wrapping up a year of bold fiscal leadership from President Trump and conservatives in the U.S. House of Representatives. I became chairman of the House Budget Committee one year ago and have been proud to serve in that role along with our new president. He has pushed an agenda of action – responsible budgeting, repealing ObamaCare’s worst mandates, and aggressive tax-cutting to get our economy going. This has been exactly the kind of work I came to Congress to do and we have done it. But my heart has always been at home. This why today I’m announcing that I will now step down as chairman of the House Budget Committee, while continuing…

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State Senator Todd Gardenhire Considering Renewal of In-State Tuition Push for Illegal Aliens, Despite Poll Showing Widespread Opposition

State Senator Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga) is considering another try at getting in-state tuition for illegal aliens, despite a recent Tennessee Star Poll released just before Christmas that shows likely Republican primary voters oppose the proposal by an astounding 88 percent to 6 percent margin. (See question 12 on page 3 below.) [pdf-embedder url=”https://tennesseestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/171219-Triton-Dec-2017-TN-Star-GOP-Primary-Survey-Topline-Results.pdf” title=”171219 Triton – Dec 2017 TN Star GOP Primary Survey – Topline Results”] The Tennessee General Assembly is set to reconvene at noon, January 9, and the Chattanooga-area legislator told the Times Free Press he hasn’t yet “tested the waters” to see if there has been any significant movement by the state’s lawmakers toward granting the significant discounts to would-be students whose legal status is dubious, at best. One reason for Gardenhire’s hesitation to push for the measure likely stems from the fact that every gubernatorial candidate has come out against the proposal, which he says “surprised” him. “Mark White and I need to sit down and talk about it,” Gardenhire said to the Times Free Press. “So we’ll have to see what the temperature is before we sit down and try to take that on.” The proposal passed the state Senate on 2015, but failed in the state House by a single vote.…

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Woman Accused of Racism by Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee in Airline Seat Dispute Is Human-Rights Activist

The woman Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee accused of racism is a celebrated photojournalist who helped document human-rights abuses in war-torn Guatemala during the 1980s. Jean-Marie Simon, whose first-class seat on a United Airlines flight was given to Ms. Jackson Lee, Texas Democrat, lived and worked in Guatemala during the turbulent decade that saw the military seize control of the government in a coup. Hundreds of thousands of Guatemalans were killed or “disappeared” during the conflict.

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Joe Carr Commentary: It Is Time To Stand Firm in Support of Our History

There is an old adage that “what is done in darkness will come to light.” City officials in Memphis who concocted a secret scheme to “sell” a couple of public parks for $1000 each in order to evade state law prohibiting removal of statues and monuments without proper approval may soon learn the truth of that saying. As soon as they “sold” the parks, two monuments to Nathan Bedford Forrest and Jefferson Davis were quickly removed by the “new private owners” in the dark of night. More facts are coming to light, and it is increasingly clear that the scam was carefully orchestrated by the Mayor and local political activists to skirt the clear intent of the law. If it was such a good idea, why was it done secretly and without public input and debate? Sadly, this is not the first (nor likely the last) time that Memphis has sought to avoid the rule of law in order to “do whatever they want to do.” From creating a sanctuary city in violation of state law to removing statues and monuments in violation of state law, Memphis is following a consistent pattern of creating some sort of “laws we don’t…

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Big Labor Wants Tens Of Thousands Of California Pot Workers Paying Union Dues

Labor unions are vying for new, dues-paying members from California’s growing cannabis industry as a state law legalizing recreational pot is only days away from taking full effect. After California residents passed Proposition 64 in 2016, the Golden State became the largest market in the U.S. for recreational marijuana and boosted the already growing weed industry. Proposition 64 will be fully implemented in a matter of days at the start of 2018, according to the Los Angeles Times.

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Nearly 450,000 People Fled These Three Deep Blue States In 2017

Three Democratic-leaning states hemorrhaged hundreds of thousands of people in 2016 and 2017 as crime, high taxes and, in some cases, crummy weather had residents seeking greener pastures elsewhere. The exodus of residents was most pronounced in New York, which saw about 190,000 people leave the state between July 1, 2016 and July 1, 2017, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released last week.

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Nashville Mayor Megan Barry Sets Sights on Massive Transit Plan Approval for 2018

On the heels of a big win with the award to Nashville of the new Major League Soccer franchise, plus several court rulings in her favor to build a stadium on the Fairgrounds to house the professional soccer players, Megan Barry has made her number one priority in 2018 to gain approval to build out her 20th century transit plan for Nashville urbanites. “You know, looking forward, it is all about getting people to be excited about transit and then willing to pay for it,” she told WKRN Wednesday, adding: By 2040, we are on track to have another million people here, so our traffic is probably as good as it is gonna get today. It is just gonna get worse tomorrow and the next day and the next day, and this plan addresses that. The plan – unveiled October 16 – is dubbed “Let’s Move Nashville.” It touted an introductory price tag of $5.4 billion, and was almost immediately revised to $5.6 billion a month later.  The ambitious transit overhaul has had a less-than-warm reception by community groups and professional analysts alike. As The Tennessee Star reported shortly after its introduction, Manhattan Institute scholar Aaron Renn excoriated the proposal as “making no sense.” Renn, who specializes in…

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Bikers for Trump Rallies for Republicans to Help President’s Agenda

The wild ride of Bikers for Trump is just getting started. A year after President Trump’s historic upset victory, the grass-roots biker movement he inspired has become a bona fide political organization that is boosting Republican candidates across the country and making inroads in unexpected places, such as in Amish and Mennonite communities. That’s right -…

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Congressman Mark Meadows Introduces Bill That Would Limit Opioid Prescriptions to Seven Days

Saying the American medical system is flooded with too many prescription painkillers, governors, lawmakers and health officials are trying to come up with ways to cut down on the amount of pills that reach the hands of patients. It’s part of the all-of-the-above strategy to combat the opioid epidemic, joining treatment and public awareness campaigns. The…

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The Heritage Foundation’s New President is a Black Woman and a Conservative

Hillary Clinton was supposed to break the glass ceiling, which she said has kept a woman from becoming president, but the Heritage Foundation, a conservative public policy think tank based in Washington, D.C., has actually done it. Their new president is Kay Coles James, a woman, an African-American and a conservative, who fits no one’s mold.…

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The Senate Waited Until Christmas To Reveal How Many Harassment Settlements Were Paid Out

Mitch McConnell on the Senate floor

As the Christmas holiday weekend set it, the Senate Rules and Administration Committee released a report revealing the Senate has spent $1.5 million on workplace harassment settlements since 1998. The data, provided by the Office of Compliance, a little known administrative body that has quietly settled dozens of complaints against congressional offices, provides little by way…

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