Sen. Bernard Sanders said Sunday that corporate taxes would “absolutely” go back up if Democrats retake the Senate in 2018. “I think we’re going to take a very hard look at this entire tax bill and make it a tax bill that works for the middle class and working families, not for the top 1 percent…
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Wealthy New York City elites are preparing to flee the state because the Republican tax bill is going to make them face the full brunt of Mayor Bill de Blasio and Democratic state leadership’s tax rates. “Everybody I speak to brings this up. Every NYC resident I speak to asks about the feasibility involved in doing it,” Wall Street tax expert Robert Willens told Yahoo Finance. “I’ve been doing this more than 40 years, and never heard more discussion about relocating than recently.”
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by Richard Ebeling Those who speak about being on the “right side of history” have, knowingly or not, adopted a central element in Karl Marx’s analysis of capitalism: the idea that the capitalist system follows a particular course of historical development that is open to scientific explanation and prediction, and which presumes to be placing humanity on a road that leads to a higher and better form of society – socialism. (See: “Marxists Are Not on the ‘Right Side of History’“). Karl Marx and Frederick Engel’s Communist Manifesto was published in 1848. The first volume of Marx’s three-volume, Das Kapital (Capital), was published in 1867 (the other two volumes were edited and published after Marx’s death in 1883 by Frederick Engels). Marx was convinced that those middle decades of the nineteenth century were the twilight years of the capitalistic epoch of industrialization. His writings make it clear that he believed that the socialist revolution was right around the corner in his own lifetime. From the perspective of 2017 – almost 170 years after The Communist Manifesto went to press – his view of the nineteenth century seems as nothing more than wishful thinking by an anti-capitalist revolutionary who wanted…
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Last week during an address at the White House President Trump likened his tax plan to “the tax cut that John F. Kennedy proposed 55 years ago.” This elicited some howls of protest from Mr. Trump’s liberal critics who say it’s historically inaccurate to compare the Trump plan to JFK’s.
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Granting legal status to young illegal immigrants under the DREAM Act would add $25.9 billion to the deficit over the next 10 years, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) reported on Friday. The extra burden on taxpayers mainly is due to increased health insurance costs and spending associated with programs that benefit the working poor.
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MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhl blamed Republicans Friday for allowing a federal children’s health program to expire, repeating a claim that has reverberated across the Internet and national media in recent days. The Washington Post Fact Checker earlier this week for making a similar claim.
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The UN Security Council will vote Monday on a draft resolution that would reject US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, diplomats said. Egypt requested the vote on Sunday, a day after it presented the measure that is likely to be vetoed by the United States. Breaking with the international…
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The United States is expanding the requirements for dozens of countries taking part in the Visa Waiver Program, demanding that the countries check traveler information against U.S. counterterrorism information. Trump administration officials said Friday that the countries will have to use U.S. information to screen travelers crossing their borders from third countries. Many countries in the program already do that, one administration official said.
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An advocacy organization that favors a reduction in immigration began airing ads Thursday highlighting what it believes would be the impact an amnesty would have on migration to the United States. Using a chalkboard, the ad explains how immigrants and new citizens become eligible to sponsor members of their extended families for immigration into the United States. It sets off “a potentially never-ending chain, all possible from just one amnesty for one person,” the ad by NumbersUSA states.
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The illegal immigrant who was acquitted of Kate Steinle’s murder is seeking a new trial to overturn his conviction on a firearm charge in the same case. Jose Ines Garcia Zarate never technically possessed the firearm that discharged and killed Steinle, and should be given a new trial on that count, lawyers for the San Francisco public defender’s office said in a motion Thursday.
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The economic numbers clearly have improved on President Donald Trump’s watch, with unemployment down and consumer confidence stronger. “We are just getting started,” @POTUS says. “Economic growth has topped 3 percent,” Trump said Thursday at a White House event while addressing his administration’s reduction in regulations. “Two quarters in a row, except for the hurricanes, we would have almost hit 4 percent, and you remember how we were doing when I first took office.”
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The United States government has been granted permission to sell off hundreds of units of cryptocurrency seized by law enforcement from a man alleged to have sold counterfeit pharmaceuticals on the dark web. The move to sell off the seized assets was approved by a federal judge in Utah after a recent filing from a U.S. attorney noted the volatility of cryptocurrency markets and said the confiscated coins may not hold their value in the long term.
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It was Thursday’s news heard around the nation: Speaker of the House Paul Ryan plans to retire after the 2018 congressional elections. The story was the top link on The Drudge Report. It shot across social media. And the president himself called Ryan about it.
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The Pentagon is voicing growing alarm that the risky flying of Russian pilots in Syria could lead to a mishap — or even the nightmare scenario of a US jet shooting down a Russian warplane. Defense officials this week highlighted several recent close calls with Russian planes, including one Wednesday where a pair of US F-22s intercepted two Russian jets over a part of Syria the Pentagon says they are not meant to be operating in.
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British Prime Minister Theresa May was set to avoid a damaging parliamentary defeat after rebels in her party appeared to strike a compromise over the exact timing of Brexit. The government is trying to pass major domestic legislation to implement Brexit, and had wanted to enshrine the leaving date of March 29, 2019 in British law, two years after serving its intention to withdraw.
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“Youthquake” was crowned Friday as Oxford Dictionaries’ word of the year 2017, following a five-fold increase in usage. The word is defined as “a significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people”.
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by Jeffrey A. Rendall “Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck” — Dalai Lama XIV It’s not surprising after a loss of epic proportions like the one conservatives and Republicans suffered the other night in Alabama that the post-election blame game is being played with an intensity rarely found in the normally sedate halls of the Washington political castle. Just like with sore loser Cam Newton (of the Carolina Panthers) after his team got “sacked” in the 2016 Super Bowl, there was no shortage of raw emotion and contempt in the reactions of interested conservatives to Judge Roy Moore’s narrow defeat in the usually deep red state. For the eternally Trump-hating #NeverTrump crowd there was jubilation, however, perhaps a release of repressed frustration stored up from so much losing over the past two years. In a post titled “**WHEW**”, bitter and obnoxious (and irrelevant) #NeverTrumper Caleb Howe wrote at Red State, “This is not an article about how bad Roy Moore is. The race is over, we have the future to discuss. But these reminders must be here, because we see everywhere Republicans who choose still not to face the reality of Roy. The truth is that Moore…
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Tysons Foods recently announced the building of a chicken processing plant in Humboldt, bringing with it, 1,500 jobs to Gibson County’s largest city. While GOP gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd was Commissioner of the Department of Economic and Community Development (ECD), business development money began flowing to Gibson County, an investment that has paid off for Boyd with it’s mayor supporting his run for governor. Tom Witherspoon, mayor of Gibson County was included on Boyd’s July list of county mayor endorsements. Locating a food processing plant in Gibson County may also continue a trend of transforming small rural towns by becoming a magnet for federal refugee resettlement contractors looking to place low-skill workers who don’t have to speak English. Tysons Foods has a demonstrated commitment to employing refugees; its Human Resources Manager, Gary Denton served on the board of the Nashville-based Center for Refugees and Immigrants of Tennessee. Representing the State of Tennessee Economic & Community Development, Lamar Alexander’s son, Will, while serving as Chief of Staff for Haslam’s ECD, served as Treasurer for the resettlement contractor, the Nashville International Center for Empowerment. The federal resettlement program allows refugee contractors to place refugees within 100 miles of the resettlement contractor’s office and that, “[re]gardless of their…
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VERSE OF THE DAY Be blessed and be a blessing December 17, Sunday Isaiah 9:6 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last,
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What makes a film a holiday landmark? Not so much religious subject matter as much as its appeal for the whole family and audiences of all ages. This year, three high-budget films, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the political thriller The Post and the musical The Greatest Showman, fit the bill.
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The Edmonton Oilers dominated the Nashville Predators everywhere but on the scoreboard Thursday. They outshot Nashville 22-4 in the first period. They were up 33-13 in shots at the end of the second. It should have been a blowout.
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Tennessee has a chance to further emerge on the national stage when the No. 20 Volunteers play host to No. 7 North Carolina on Sunday afternoon. But for Tennessee coach Rick Barnes, there’s more emphasis on making improvements that will bode well for the remainder of the season.
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Former State Rep. Joe Carr (R-Lascassas) aired the second installment of a new radio ad campaign for the upcoming special election on January 25th to select the Republican nominee to replace State Senator Jim Tracy (R- Shelbyville), who resigned in November to accept an appointment in the Trump Administration’s USDA. The overarching messaging of the radio ad campaign focuses on the important and out-of-the-ordinary January election date – as well as emphasizes Carr’s conservative stance on many issues Middle Tennessee voters care about. Topping the list is the repeal of the unpopular gas tax increase, followed by his commitment to stop taxpayer subsidies of tuition for in-state tuition for illegal alien students, a commitment to secure our borders, and to stop any expansion of Obamacare in Tennessee. “Voters are somewhat surprised that there will be an election in January so we thought we should use some of our air time to explain to voters why they are hearing political campaign ads around Christmas,” Carr said in a statement. “But we also want to make it clear that voters have a very clear choice when it comes to who will actually BE a conservative in the State Senate, not just TALK conservative during the campaign,” adding:…
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Local school boards reflect the needs and aspirations of the communities as well as the interests and concerns of professional and nonprofessional employees. We believe non-partisan control is what is best for our communities. This is best ensured when educational policy is made by representatives vested in the community they live, and whose undivided attention and interests are devoted strictly to education of the children in that district. What we stress in a nutshell: Public education is a federal concern, a state responsibility, and a local operation.
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WASHINGTON — Key holdouts on the GOP tax bill fell in line Friday, boosting momentum as Republicans finished the final version of their tax overhaul before next week’s vote. Leaders won over Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who had been the lone GOP opponent in the Senate of the $1.5 trillion package earlier because he feared it…
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Tuesday, Blount County Chairman Jerome Moon was sworn in as the new District 8 state Representative. Moon’s appointment was triggered by the same body Art Swann’s elevating to the state Senate following Doug Overbey’s resignation to join the Trump Administration. “It’s been overwhelming, but I’m ready to get to work,” Moon told Blount County’s Daily Times after the swearing-in ceremony. “I look forward to serving with Sen. Swann and Rep. (Bob) Ramsey.” Blount County Mayor Ed Mitchell told The Times Moon will do an “absolutely fabulous job for all of Blount County as our representative in Nashville.” “I hate losing Jerome from the Commission. I believe the leadership he provided was second to none, and I know at every meeting I’ll miss him and his guidance and stability,” Mitchell said to reporter Rachel Totten. “Jerome has always been committed to helping our veterans, as well as all the citizens of Blount County, and he will provide the same voice in the state legislature.” Moon earned 16 of the Commission’s 19 votes, with three of the Commissioners voting for James Hammondtree. You can watch the vote on the video, below.
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Congressional Republicans appear to have Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) back on board, ready to vote for the biggest tax reform since 1986. Rubio had been threatening to vote “no” on the final conference bill that both the House and Senate have to approve before it goes to President Donald Trump’s desk.
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by Richard M. Ebeling One of the most common phrases to be heard from “the left” is the assertion that someone or some public policy is or is not on “the right side of history.” It has almost become a mantra by those who disagree with, hate, or are fearful of ideas and policies proposed by those generally characterized as being politically on “the right.” The notion behind it is that “history” moves in a particular direction, toward some set of specific goals and societal forms, with each step in the historical process representing a “higher” and “better” stage or level than the preceding ones at which “society” has been operating. It is also captured in the popular labeling of those, again, on the political left as being “progressives” in their outlook and proposals for social reform and change. On the other hand, opponents are declared to be “reactionary,” “conservative,” or “deniers” of some facet of reality. Under the latter heading would be those who deny or challenge or question whether “climate change” is singularly or primarily or significantly man-made, or whether America still is or is becoming a more racist, misogynist, or generally anti-“social justice” hateful society. This…
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The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said he’s worried Republicans are trying to kill his panel’s probe into the 2016 U.S. presidential election, amid efforts to smear special counsel Robert Mueller and discredit his own investigation into last year’s race. Rep. Adam Schiff, California Democrat, revealed his concerns during an interview with CNN host…
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Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke said Thursday that he has fired four senior management leaders at his agency and he’ll continue to fire people to weed out anyone guilty of inappropriate behavior. “I’ve already removed four senior leaders that were guilty of inappropriate behavior, and I will remove 400 more if necessary. Intimidation, harassment and discrimination is…
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The lock of a door forced open in 1972, setting off the Watergate political scandal that transfixed the nation and eventually brought down a sitting US president, has been sold at auction for $62,500. “The discovery of this tampered lock and the subsequent arrest of the five burglars set off a chain of events that would eventually lead to the resignation of President Richard Nixon,” said the Nate Sanders auction house in its announcement of the sale late Thursday.
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Representative Diane Black (R-TN-06) joined Neil Cavuto on Fox News to talk about the final steps in completing tax reform for the American people. “We have got to get this done. The American people are just not going to accept the fact that we do not get our job done. We’ve talked about this for years. I’ve been here for 7 years and we’ve been working on this for 7 years. We need to get this over the line and it’s going to be great Christmas present for all the American people, especially those in the middle income and they’ll see that at the first of next year – I think in February is what the IRS says is they can put these in place. And they’re actually going to see that money in their pocket.” Watch the full segment here:
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The Shelbyville Times-Gazette reported on Friday that former State Rep. Billy Spivey (R-Lewisburg) has been “disqualified” from running in the State Senate District 14 special election to replace former State Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) “due to an unpaid fine levied by the Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance.” The Times-Gazette broke the story late Friday morning: The election finance bureau, which is separate from the state election office, informed the election office that Spivey was ineligible, according to Adam Ghassemi, a spokesman for the Tennessee Secretary of State’s office, who referred more specific questions to the election finance registry. Drew Rawlins of the election finance office said that Spivey never paid a $425 fine which was assessed by the finance office because Spivey was late filing his campain finance statements for the fourth quarter of 2016. State law says that this type of unpaid fine makes a candidate ineligible, and because Spivey did not take care of it before the candidate filing deadline, he is ineligible to be on the ballot, said Rawlins. Final deadline The deadline for candidates to file for the special election was noon Thursday. Spivey had filed a candidate petition, but the state announced later…
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Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen M. Nielsen said the border wall is more than just a physical barrier. “It’s really three components – it’s the physical barrier, it’s the technology and then it’s the personnel,” Ms. Nielsen said in a Fox News interview that aired Thursday.
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Democrat James Mackler announced on Thursday that he is withdrawing from the race to replace retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), a move that clears the Democratic field for front-runner, 74-year-old former Gov. Phil Bredesen. Mackler also launched a political action committee called “Believe in Service” to “continue holding anti-service extremists like Marsha Blackburn accountable,” WATE reported. An Iraq War veteran, Mackler, launched his campaign for the Democratic nomination in April. After Bredesen’s entry into the race for the Democratic nomination last week the 44-year-old Mackler likely did not see a path to the nomination against the far better-known Bredesen, as his announcement indicated: This is a moment for unity and we cannot risk dividing those seeking change in Washington because there is no time to waste. While I am stepping back from this U.S. Senate race, I will continue holding anti-service extremists like Marsha Blackburn accountable through a political action committee called “Believe in Service.” Using the platform Tennesseans helped me build, “Believe in Service” will support federal candidates who will protect and expand our national service programs that provide so many opportunities for service here and abroad. It has been an honor to have been a candidate during this critical time in our democracy and I am humbled…
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Following the arrest of some twenty individuals who were allegedly a part of an identity fraud ring, U.S. Attorney Michael Dunavant announced Thursday his office is moving forward with a prosecution: On November 28, 2017, law enforcement arrested 20 illegal aliens working under false identities. A Memphis employment agency, Provide Staffing, assigned multiple employees to Expeditors International, a freight forwarder based in Memphis. In the course of their regular duties, Transportation Security Administration inspectors in Memphis noticed anomalies in Security Threat Assessment paperwork submitted on behalf of Provide Staffing workers on contract to Expeditors International, and referred their findings to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Tennessee Highway Patrol’s (THP) Criminal Investigative Division investigated and arrested these 20 individuals on state charges. ICE Homeland Security Investigations conducted a parallel investigation in coordination with TSA and other law enforcement agencies. As a result of that investigation, the defendants are alleged to have presented fraudulent documents, between March 2016 and January 2017, to certify their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. The Immigration and Reform Act of 1986, amended, and the Immigration and Nationality Act together require employers to verify the identity and…
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Looked at the FBI’s Most Wanted list lately? If not, you might be surprised to learn that four of the 10 criminals on the list are immigrants — including at least two who were in this country illegally when they committed their heinous crimes. The makeup of the list highlights the problem of illegal immigration and crime in this country that President Donald Trump raised throughout his presidential campaign — something he’s continued to emphasize, with the creation of a special unit at the Department of Homeland Security called Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE).
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by Steve Gill A friend of mine recently asked me about a report that claimed that Tennessee had ranked at the very bottom among states in voter participation in the 2014 off-year general election. I was admittedly skeptical, so I reviewed the report, which is attached HERE. More detailed Tennessee specific data from Pew Research is HERE. In 2014 Tennessee saw just 29 percent of citizens eligible to vote turn out and actually vote. That ranked Tennessee 50th out of all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. (We nudged out Texas to avoid the bottom spot.) Interestingly, 2014 was a low turnout election nationally, as none of the largest most populous states had competitive elections that year. Nationally, only 36.6 percent of eligible voters cast a ballot, the lowest percentage in a midterm since World War II. Only 83.2 million voters turned out, down from 90.9 million in 2010. Not surprisingly, competition is the most important key to voter participation. Thus, while the data about Tennessee’s low voter participation in 2014 may be “accurate,”it doesn’t reflect anything nefarious or diabolical regarding voter suppression or even structural barriers to voter participation that need action. A closer examination of the…
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House Speaker Paul D. Ryan plans to retire after the 2018 midterm elections, capping his Capitol Hill career with tax cuts and possibly welfare reform, according to a report Thursday. Mr. Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, made his exit plans known to those close to him, Politico reported. His retirement has been whispered about in the halls of…
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Congressional candidate Lee Thomas Miller completed an important rite-of-passage in Republican and conservative politics Wednesday when he traveled to Washington, D.C. to address the Americans for Tax Reform’s weekly meeting – the Wednesday Group – and signed on the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. The non-binding agreement, also signed by fellow conservative and District 7 competitor Dr. Mark Green, states that the signer promises to “oppose any increase in the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses; and to oppose and net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits, unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.” “Congress appears to be on the verge of passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts and I encourage then the get the job done now, The reduction in the tax burden on working men and women along with cuts in the corporate tax rates will energize our economy and and create new jobs and opportunities for millions of Americans,” Miller said in a statement sent the The Tennessee Star. “So it was particularly appropriate to stand with Grover Norquist today and sign the Americans for Tax Reform Pledge.” Miller added: Passing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts in a final form will be a big step towards…
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On December 15, 1791, the legislature of the state of Virginia ratified all ten amendments to the Constitution, making the Bill of Rights the law of the land, and completing our country’s founding document. It had been over a quarter of a century since the Declaration of Independence had been signed on July 4, 1776 by members of the Continental Congress. Now, after a bloody war and many fits and starts, the complete covenant that bound the now fourteen states into a new republic had been sealed. It had also been more than four years since Benjamin Franklin, stepping out of the final day of the Constitutional Convention, told Mrs. Powel the delegates had given the citizens of the fledgling United States, “a Republic, if you can keep it.” All four years had been necessary to fulfill the promise made to the Anti-Federalists in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Virginia, and North Carolina during the ratification conventions in those states that in return for ratifying the Constitution, the first order of business in the new republic would be the passage of the Bill of Rights. Thanks largely to James Madison, and the integrity of all those leaders who sided with…
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At Wednesday’s Blount County 3rd Annual Bill of Rights Banquet, county commissioner Scott Williams, who is running for the state Senate for Tennessee’s District 2, received the “Patriot Eagle Award” for his work to promote Constitutional integrity and good governance in their local communities: Scott Williams local business owner and Republican Candidate for Tennessee 2nd Senate District received the “Eagle Award” Last night after delivering the keynote speech at the Blount County 3rd Annual Bill of Rights Banquet. The award is given to community leaders who selflessly work to promote Constitutional integrity and good governance in their communities. Joining Mr. Williams in receiving awards were Blount County Commissioners Tona Monroe, Jamie Daily, and Karen Miller. Quoting Mr. Williams at the event “I find myself in the best of company this evening as all three of these commissioners work selflessly for the betterment of our community” Mr. Williams received his award for the work he has done as the volunteer State Director for the Convention of the States project. Working in that capacity over a three-year period Mr. Williams was able to guide Tennessee in becoming the 5th state to apply for an amending Convention that would offer constitutional amendments that would limit the power…
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MSNBC political analyst Elise Jordan complained Wednesday about how “unfortunate” it is that the Republican Party’s ability to craft its tax reform bill with a congressional majority resulted from “how you voted in an election.” Yes, she really did say that.
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Director Clint Eastwood has reportedly won an appeal to overturn the R-rating on his latest film, ‘The 15:17 to Paris,’ which follows the true story of three American men who thwarted a terrorist attack on a Paris-bound train more than two years ago.
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The Nashville Scene published a detailed 3,000 word article on Tuesday by former Metro Pulse reporter Cari Wade Gervin that eviscerates the credibility of the four sources upon which Tennessean reporters Dave Boucher and Joel Ebert relied to form the basis of their December 1 story, in which they reported that sources said the FBI was asking questions about Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett. The Tennessee Star reported on the story by Tennessean reporters Boucher and Ebert with great skepticism three days later on December 4. “Relying upon claims from an ex-wife with a criminal history, three anonymous sources, and two unproduced documents they claim to have seen but refuse to reveal, the Knoxville News Sentinel published a story written by two Nashville-based reporters on Friday, “Sources: FBI asks questions about Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett; mayor says ‘no truth to any of it’,” The Star reported, adding: Burchett, who is term-limited in his current job, is a candidate for the Republican nomination for the Second Congressional District in the election to replace retiring Rep. John “Jimmy” Duncan (R-TN-02), where he faces a hard fought battle against State Rep. Jimmy Matlock (R-Lenoir City). Friday’s article was written by Dave Boucher and Joel Ebert, two Nashville-based…
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Defenseman P.K. Subban scored two goals on a pair of strange plays to help the Nashville Predators defeat the Vancouver Canucks 7-1 Wednesday night. Subban’s first goal was a fluttering shot from the faceoff circle that opened the scoring in the first period. His second was a slap shot from center ice…
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The University of Tennessee at Martin Student Government Association president, Jordan Long, signed the controversial concealed carry resolution passed by the Student Senate last Thursday. Reaction by some in the student body was swift, as many staged a sit-in at the Student Government Association (SGA) offices on campus, WBBJ-TV reported: Although it received a majority of “yes” votes from SGA senators, students who voted in the referendum on Tuesday did not show the same support. More than 1,400 students voiced their opinion in the referendum. In the referendum vote, 89 percent agreed that students feel safe on campus, 54 percent disagreed students with a Tennessee concealed carry permit should be allowed to carry a concealed firearm on campus, and 58 percent disagreed they would feel safer if students were allowed to carry a concealed firearm on campus. On Dec. 7, the resolution was passed 17-10. Now, the resolution will go to UT Martin Chancellor Keith Carver for approval. SGA president Jordan Long told WBBJ-TV, “The hundreds of emails that I have gotten, I’ve almost responded to all of them – some for, some against – in a respectful manner, even when the ones that I’ve gotten aren’t at all. It is a constitutional right of…
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A panel consisting of Williamson County officials and business leaders held an open forum meeting Monday, when, within a discussion of the strong growth and expensive ‘to-do’ list of the county, the specter of a sales tax increase was once again raised, a proposal Williamson County Republican Chair Debbie Deaver calls “a Band-Aid.” The panel meeting – dubbed ‘FrankTalks’ – is a regular occurring program. The Williamson Herald reported Monday’s meeting was paneled by Franklin Mayor Ken Moore; Lisa Wurth, Benchmark Realty and former president of the Williamson County Association of Realtors; Ellie Westman Chin of the Williamson County Convention & Visitors Bureau; and Richard Herrington, Franklin Synergy president and chairman of Williamson Inc. Matt Largen, president and CEO of Williamson Inc., also participated The current local contribution to the state sales tax in Williamson county is 2.25 percent. While lauding the growth of the county with the addition of several medium and large businesses and the people who follow, the panelists seem to support a half-percent increase – which represents a hefty 22 percent hike, resulting is a new tax rate of 2.75 percent. Lisa Wurth said property taxes are only paid by property owners, “but we have a lot of apartment dwellers,” the…
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The Professional Educators of Tennessee issued a statement on Wednesday in support of two Knoxville area principals who have been placed on leave. On Tuesday, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported that L&N Stem Academy announced earlier in the day that a principal and assistant principal have been placed on leave. Superintendent Bob Thomas sent an email to parents announcing the change, saying that Becky Ashe and vice principal Tim Childers are on leave. Laura Boring will be taking over administrative duties for the period of the leave. No reason was offered for this action. In a statement, Professional Educators of Tennessee Executive Director JC Bowman said: As we understand it, an incident occurred that was properly reported to the authorities by Mr. Tim Childers, Vice Principal and Ms. Becky Ashe, Principal, both highly regarded educators at L&N STEM Academy. They did not instigate or cause this incident, the specifics of which are currently under investigation. Mr. Childers and Ms. Ashe, based on the information we have received, discharged their professional responsibilities in accordance with state law. This should be of no surprise to anyone. L&N STEM Academy is one of the highest performing schools in the state. U.S. News and World Report ranked…
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by State Senator Dr. Mark Green Last November, Americans all across the country went to the polls to cast their ballots for the most unconventional of choices – someone who’s never held office before – to be President of the United States. Rejecting the political elites of both parties, Americans spoke loudly for change – change from a Washington that has become a swamp, filled with career politicians, unaccountable bureaucrats, and some 10,000 lobbyists. Politicians have made promises to reform our tax code for the last thirty years, yet the last major changes to the tax code took place in 1986, when Ronald Reagan was president. It’s no surprise since the status quo preserves the power of the elites. The more onerous the tax code, the more clients are dependent on their high-powered lobbyists. Bureaucrats have more power than ever before with their unchecked rule-making authority, and career politicians are happy because the campaign contributions keep coming from special interests seeking carve-outs. It’s fitting that today we are on the eve of a major tax reform victory thanks to another outsider beholden to no one in the swamp, President Donald Trump. Every bill has good and bad components. The Senate’s tax reform…
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