by Rob Shimshock Two University of Virginia historians resigned their posts at the school’s center for public policy and presidential scholarship on Monday after the university hired a former Trump aide. UVA scholars Melvyn P. Leffler and William I. Hitchcock quit the school’s Miller Center after the center hired Marc Short, who previously served as President Donald Trump’s legislative affairs director, reported Politico. “Short has been a partisan activist during his entire professional career,” Leffler and Hitchcock wrote in a public, joint resignation letter. “He has associated himself with people and institutions who disregard, circumvent and even violate the norms and laws that are fundamental to civil discourse and democratic politics.” While the two scholars resigned their posts at the Miller Center, they will both stay on as history faculty at UVA. Leffler and Hitchcock bashed Trump for his blaming of “both sides” after the August 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. “By not speaking out at the time, by not emphasizing the threats to human decency posed by the public display of Nazi symbols and racist diatribes in our own neighborhood, Mr. Short was complicit in the erosion of our civic discourse and showed an appalling indifference…
Read the full storyMonth: August 2018
Bredesen ‘Open to Anyone Tired of Hyper-Partisan Squabbling’ But Silent on Spokesperson Who Said ‘F*** Trump Supporters’
The Phil Bredesen campaign tweeted on Sunday that it is looking for interns and is “open to anyone tired of the hyper-partisan squabbling.” This campaign is open to anyone who is tired of the hyper-partisan squabbling and ready to send someone to Washington who can work together to get things done for Tennessee. Interested in interning with our team? Submit your resume at https://t.co/CTcehR7zmo. pic.twitter.com/IFPVnuspL2 — Phil Bredesen (@PhilBredesen) August 5, 2018 Bredesen apparently does not consider it to be “hyper-partisan squabbling” when Mark Brown, spokesperson for the Tennessee Democrat Party, says “F*** Trump supporters. They’re all idiots.” The Tennessee Star reported the details of Brown’s vulgar comments and Bredesen’s silent acceptance of them: Republicans are raising a ruckus over a spokesman for the Tennessee Democratic Party’s use of foul language and name-calling, especially since that spokesman has been vigorously promoting the candidacy of Democrat Phil Bredesen for the U.S. Senate, who has expressed outrage at being called a “liberal.” The former governor, who is running in the U.S. Senate race against Rep. Marsh Blackburn (R-TN-07), said last week it was “name-calling” when Vice President Mike Pence said he is a “liberal.” However, Tennessee Republicans say Bredesen is deaf when it…
Read the full storyBill Lee Wants to Reduce Student Testing, While Karl Dean Thinks Current Levels Are Just Fine
The battle lines over common sense in public education have been drawn in the gubernatorial battle between Republican Bill Lee and Democrat Karl Dean, and Round One goes to Bill Lee. Lee, the outsider business executive, wants to reduce the current level of student testing while Dean, the former Mayor of Nashville, thinks the current levels of student testing are just fine. Dean and Lee may both talk about education being a priority if they are elected governor, but they have some big differences in their visions, especially testing. The Democratic and Republican candidates, respectively, won their parties’ primaries Thursday. Dean says his administration would generally continue Republican Gov. Bill Haslam’s education policies, which are a holdover from Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen’s, Chalkbeat says. Chalkbeat points out that Haslam has stuck with a controversial policy to include student growth scores from state tests in teacher evaluations. The Haslam plan is “1) raising academic standards; 2) adopting an aligned test to measure student progress; and 3) using the results to hold students, teachers, schools and districts accountable.” This past spring, the Tennessee Department of Education once again experienced widespread technical issues with TNReady testing, The Tennessee Star previously reported. From the…
Read the full storyMark West Commentary: The Election Is Over. Did We Learn Anything?
by Mark West Another campaign season has gladly come to an end. The nastiness from opponents is behind us. The dissension between “friends” will hopefully end. But if the election affirms anything, it’s that politics is short-term. Politics is temporal. And feuding over a candidate, particularly amongst friends, is one of the most foolish behaviors in which real friends could or would ever engage. I supported several particular candidates for various positions. But for me to think that my candidate was the “perfect” candidate that every single voter should support would be the height of arrogance. My values are not the values of others. My priorities are not that of others. And truthfully, neither are yours mine. So if we supported different candidates, who is the wrong one? I believe that Truth is absolute and God’s values are not only unbending, but they are knowable. God gave us His Word to inform us of His Truths. But who am I to suggest that I have full and complete understanding of all that God instructs us? I do not. While I do believe that there are clear and unambiguous Truths that are as clear as the sky is above, for me…
Read the full storyChinese Spy Worked Almost 20 Years for Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein
A Chinese spy worked for Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) for almost 20 years, KPIX in San Francisco reported on Wednesday. The shocking revelation is of significant relevance to the U.S. Senate race in Tennessee between Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07), the Republican nominee, and former Gov. Phil Bredesen, the Democrat nominee, Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill says. “If Phil Bredesen is elected to the United States Senate and Democrats win the Senate Majority, then Chuck Schumer becomes the Majority Leader and Dianne Feinstein likely becomes the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee,” he notes. “Conservative judge and Justice nominees won’t only be denied a fair confirmation fair they will be delayed or blocked from getting a vote. Tennessee voters need to remember that Feinstein attacked Federal Court of Appeals nominee, and possible future Trump Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, for her Catholic faith. A vote for Bredesen empowers this sort of disposable religious bigotry,” Gill points out. KPIX provided these details of the Chinese spy’s infiltration of Feinstein’s inner circle: New details emerged Wednesday about how a mole for the government of communist China managed to stay by Senator Dianne Feinstein’s side for nearly 20 years. It happened five…
Read the full storyTrump’s Top Aides Make Push to Drastically Cut Refugee Numbers
by Hanna Bogorowski Several top officials in President Donald Trump’s administration are making a push to drastically reduce the number of immigrants coming legally and illegally into the United States, as well as significantly lowering the cap of refugees admitted. The administration ultimately settled on a 45,000 cap for refugees for the 2017 fiscal year, which marked the lowest number since the program started in 1980, according to Politico. While the numbers fluctuated over those months, White House officials are telling Politico that at one point, Trump suggested lowering the cap to just 5,000 for the fiscal year, which was lower than the already historical suggestion by senior policy advisor Stephen Miller, who offered 15,000. One former White House official cited in the report said the number would in fact probably be as low as 15,000 by 2019, and that a group of administration aides would be meeting to discuss the refugee cap for 2019. “Miller is not deterred,” the source told Politico. “He is an adamant believer in stopping any immigration, and the president thinks it plays well with his base.” Miller, known for his hawkish push for the zero-tolerance policy, and a few other advisors are moving forward with…
Read the full storySean Hannity Hammers CNN’s Jim Acosta As ‘The King of Lies’
by Nick Givas Fox News host Sean Hannity attacked CNN’s Jim Acosta Thursday and called the White House correspondent “the king of lies.” Hannity said the American people have grown tired of the “bias” and “lying” within the press and view their anti-Trump bias as destructive to the nation. “But that didn’t stop CNN’s so-called chief White House correspondent, the king of lies, the king of fake news, Jimmy Acosta — from trying to self righteously seize the moral high ground at today’s press briefing,” Hannity said on Fox News. “And by the way, he didn’t win this round.” Hannity then played a clip of White House press secretary Sarah Sanders slamming Acosta for being insolent during the briefing while she was trying to answer his question. “Boom, checkmate. Sarah Sanders,” Hannity continued. He also praised Sanders for defending herself and for citing the times she was personally demeaned and treated unfairly by the press. Hannity said the White House is being wrongfully accused of stirring up violence by left-wing pundits. “As you can see, there are real acts of violence, harassment, aggression, it happens every day,” Hannity concluded. “I’ll be the first to stand up and say everybody has a right to…
Read the full storyClueless in Seattle: Smug City Throws Money After Streetcar and Bike Fiasco That’s Totally Off the Rails
By Printus LeBlanc Once again, the oh-so progressive, oh-so enlightened Seattle City Council is showing the rest of the country what not to do. The idealistic leftists who control the Council are wasting millions of hard-earned taxpayer dollars in failed attempts to solve problems Council members created – and spending yet more money when things go wrong. All this is turning Seattle into the poster city for the failure of Big Government. The city best known for fish markets, coffee stores, rain, and flannel-wearing musicians is now becoming legendary for its incompetent leadership and its financial boondoggles. The latest example of Seattle senselessness is the Council’s costly and deeply flawed efforts to get more people riding public transportation and bicycles. Other than spending lots of money, this effort isn’t accomplishing anything. Seattle was one of the first cities to get electric streetcars in the U.S., with the first electric car entering service in 1889. With over a century of experience, you would think the city would know how to handle public transit. Not so. Taxpayers are paying a big price for the incompetence of city officials. The public transportation system in Seattle is a mess. Construction costs for new and…
Read the full storyCommentary: Democrat Hypocrisy and Fear Mongering on 3D Printed Guns
by George Rasley After a multiyear legal battle, the federal government last month entered into a settlement with Defense Distributed founder Cody Wilson, permitting him to publish his arsenal of firearm blueprints online. Deanna Paul, writing for The Washington Post, reports Wilson intended to do so on Aug. 1, when on Friday a federal judge denied a motion for an emergency injunction brought forward by a trio of gun-control groups. 3D GunsHowever, Wilson was blocked by the questionable decision of another federal judge who, without jurisdiction, issued an 11th hour injunction. Ms. Paul reports Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) led the gun fear mongering call to action on Saturday, warning of the dangers posed by the weapons, sometimes dubbed “ghost guns,” which are made from plastic and cannot be sensed by metal detectors. “Ghost guns are as scary as they sound — a terrorist, someone who is mentally ill, a spousal abuser or a felon can essentially open a gun factory in their garage. No background check, no training,” he told The Post according to Ms. Paul’s reporting. On Tuesday, other Democrat Senators, including Edward J. Markey (Mass.), Sen. Bill Nelson (Fla.), Richard Blumenthal (Conn.), Chris Murphy (Conn.)…
Read the full storyThe Renewable Fuel Standard is the Obamacare of the Energy Industry
By Printus LeBlan After Scott Pruitt resigned as EPA Administrator, the cheers from K street could be heard around the country. The lobbyist camp led the fight against Pruitt because since coming into the position, Pruitt set his sights on one of the biggest sacred cows in D.C., the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Just because he is gone, that doesn’t mean the fight over the RFS should end. The RFS was created in 2005 as a result of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. The RFS mandates a certain amount of renewable fuel is blended with gasoline. The renewable fuel is mostly corn ethanol. The regulation was further updated in 2007 with the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). This bill was another gift to the renewable fuel industry as it increased the amount of renewable fuel to be blended. EISA had the goal of increasing the amount of renewable fuel by well over 300 percent from 11.1 billion gallons in 2009 to 36 billion gallons in 2022. A windfall for King Corn. However, when Scott Pruitt came to the swamp, he sought to change the RFS. Pruitt knew the RFS did not do what it promised and…
Read the full storyHere’s Why An Eco-Terrorist Group Says It Can’t Be Sued For Sabotaging Pipeline
by Chris White An eco-terrorist group that frequently instructs activists how to sabotage energy projects is arguing one of the companies behind the Dakota Access Pipeline cannot sue it because the loose-nit group is not an entity. Attorneys for Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) argued in court Wednesday that Earth First! should be held accountable for eco-terrorism because it’s a legal entity that can be sued — ETP believes it should be able to sue a publication the group uses to distribute source material. Earth First! often publishes pamphlets instructing activists how to avoid legal issues associated with sabotage. ETP sued Earth First, Greenpeace and BankTrack in 2017 for $1 billion, alleging all three groups worked to undermine the $3.8 billion pipeline now channeling oil from North Dakota to Illinois. Various legal groups maintain Earth First is a social movement or philosophy, like Black Lives Matter, or the Occupy movement, and therefore are not subject to a lawsuit. “It’s an absurd argument that they’ve made. Earth First never appeared. Earth First Journal asked to draft an amicus brief. Then they file a motion for sanction because we sued an organization that doesn’t exist because it is a philosophy,” Michael Bowe, an…
Read the full storyEnthusiastic Crowd at Tennessee GOP Unity Rally
A large and enthusiastic crowd greeted Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Lee at the Tennessee GOP unity rally at the Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville Saturday afternoon.
Read the full storyDelay by Lawrence County in Reporting Results That Narrow ‘Boss’ Doss Loss Raises Serious Questions
A 16 hour delay in reporting of the results in Thursday’s Republican primary in State House District 70 by Lawrence County election officials that resulted in a dramatic narrowing of the margin by which State Rep. Barry “Boss” Doss (R-Leoma) lost to newcomer Clay Doggett is raising serious questions about the conduct of those officials. “The fact that several different and inconsistent vote numbers have been reported from Lawrence County over the past 24 hours raises serious questions about whether the disparities are due to incompetence or actual technical issues or something more sinister. The fact that the Secretary of State’s office seemed to have no idea that there were problems indicates that an investigation or a full audit is in order,” Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill said. Late Friday, the Election Administrator’s office confirmed to The Tennessee Star that Lawrence County Election Commissioner Stephen Thompson, who previously served as a campaign advisor to Barry Doss in one of his first elections, was in the Lawrence County Election Office Thursday night when the “problems” with vote counts occurred. A screen shot taken of the Tennessee Secretary of State election results website at 11:59 pm on election day, Thursday, August…
Read the full storyRepublican Andy Ogles Unseats County Mayor Charlie Norman in Maury County
Former Americans for Prosperity State Director Andy Ogles was seen as a bit of a long shot when he was nominated by State Representative Shelia Butt (R-Columbia) to run as the Republican Party candidate for County Mayor in Maury County.
Read the full storyJudge Dismisses Lawsuit Against Fox News In Seth Rich Case
by Vandana Rambaran A New York City judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by the parents of murdered Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich on Thursday that asserted Fox News Channel colluded with the White House to propel a false, politically-biased narrative about Rich’s death. Rich was gunned down outside of his home in Washington, D.C., on July 10, 2016. The death prompted conspiracy theories introduced by Fox News and peddled by television pundits including Newt Gingrich, Sean Hannity, Alex Jones and Rush Limbaugh that Rich was targeted because he allegedly corresponded with Wikileaks, leaking thousands of emails to them from the DNC. Rich’s parents called Fox News’ decision to publish the article, which the family claims is false, as “extreme and outrageous conduct,” according to a lawsuit filed in March. The judge has since dismissed the allegations, which implicated Fox News reporter Malia Zimmerman and Ed Butowsky, a Fox news guest who contributed to the report, according to The New York Times. “It is understandable that plaintiffs might feel that their grief and personal loss were taken advantage of, and that the tragic death of their son was exploited for political purposes,” but Fox evidently did not intend to inflict emotional distress,…
Read the full storyIconic Entertainer Jerry Lee Lewis to Rock Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center on December 10
Rock ‘n’ roll’s original wild-man and country music stylist, Jerry Lee Lewis, will return to Nashville for the first time since 2014 at Schermerhorn Symphony Center on December 10th. Tickets are available for presale here and will go on sale to the general public on August 10 at 10 a.m. “We are honored that Jerry Lee Lewis has chosen the Schermerhorn for his triumphant return to Music City,” said Alan D. Valentine, Symphony president & CEO. “His appearance promises to be one of the highlights of our entire season lineup, and we are thrilled to add ‘The Killer’ — one of the true legends of American music — to the long list of musical icons who have graced our stage.” Few artists in music history can boast a résumé as impressive as that of “The Killer,” now in his seventh decade of an unrivaled career that includes numerous Grammy® Awards, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s inaugural class, the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and an unparalleled impact on countless rock and country artists who have followed in his footsteps. About Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis is one of the all-time best singer-songwriters, musicians, and pianists.…
Read the full storyJust Released: Here’s What The FBI Is Hiding About Christopher Steele
by Joe Simonson The FBI released its internal records on Christopher Steele, the former British spy behind the controversial “Russia dossier.” One problem: Nearly every page has been redacted. The total records, made public Friday, span 71 pages and contains various documents showing payments to Steele, who is referred to as a “Confidential Human Source,” over an unlisted period of time. While most of the documents are nearly completely redacted, they do show that in February 2016 the FBI had “admonished” Steele. “Verbally admonished the [Confidential Human Source] CHS with CHS admonishments, which the CHS fully acknowledged, signed and dated,” the document reads. However, according to NBC, ” an admonishment is typically given when a person begins a stint as a confidential informant and annually thereafter. It is a briefing on the rules of being an informant to ensure the source complies with guidelines set by the Attorney General, and usually not criticism of the source.” The documents also reveal that Steele disclosed to a third party that he was working for the FBI as an informant, as well as the fact that Steele was the source for a news article. By Nov. 1, the agency signaled that it…
Read the full storyTop Commentary: Solar Power Is Harming Taxpayers & Consumers
Thanks to politicians, environmentalists, and the solar industry, taxpayers and consumers are being fleeced. The federal government heavily subsidizes the solar industry, and a number of state governments have policies encouraging solar and green energy production.
Read the full storyManafort Accountant Admits Possible Wrongdoing During Trial
by Evie Fordham Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort’s accountant admitted she filed tax returns that she was aware may have been criminally fraudulent, at Manafort’s tax fraud trial in Alexandria, Virginia, Friday. “I prepared the tax returns and communicated with banks based on information that Mr. [Rick] Gates and Mr. Manafort provided to me that I didn’t believe,” Cindy Laporta said, reported Politico. Laporta is “the first witness at the trial to testify under a grant of immunity,” according to Politico. Her testimony is also the first instance of a witness conceding involvement in possible wrongdoing in the trial. Lobbyist Manafort is defending himself from charges of tax illegalities brought by special counsel Robert Mueller. Mueller wants to grant immunity to four people besides LaPorta who could testify, reported Politico. Laporta classified $2.4 million from offshore businesses as loans on 2014 and 2015 tax documents to Manafort’s consultant business. She works for Kositzka Wicks & Company in Alexandria. – – – Evie Fordham is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation. Follow Evie on Twitter @eviefordham. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide…
Read the full storyCongress Demands Key Documents From Largest Opioid Makers In The Country
by Steve Birr Lawmakers are demanding answers from three of the largest opioid manufacturers in the country, particularly when executives became aware their medications were addictive. Leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee sent letters Thursday to drug makers Purdue Pharma, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and Insys Therapeutics asking they send a variety of legal documents and internal communications to help Congress better understand its role in igniting the national addiction epidemic, reports The Washington Post. All three companies said they plan to cooperate with the committee’s request. Representatives for Purdue Pharma, the makers of OxyContin, also expressed their “concern about the opioid crisis.” “The opioid crisis continues to destroy the lives of our friends and neighbors, and it’s imperative we examine the full scope of this crisis,” Oregon Republican Rep. Greg Walden, chairman of the committee, and New Jersey Democratic Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. said in a statement, according to The Washington Post. The committee is specifically demanding an unredacted copy from Purdue of a deposition given by Dr. Richard Sackler, a member of the family that owns Purdue, during a 2015 settlement with the state of Kentucky. Dr. Richard Sackler became president of Purdue Pharma in 1999 and co-chairman of the board of directors in 2003,…
Read the full storyGOP Unity Rally in Nashville Today
The winners and the losers in Thursday’s Republican primaries are gathering for a unity rally in Nashville today.
Read the full story‘It All Begins With A Song: The Story of the Nashville Songwriter’ Awarded Three Silver Lions at Cannes Lions International Festival
It All Begins With A Song: The Story of the Nashville Songwriter, a new documentary that takes an in-depth look at Nashville’s songwriting community, was awarded three Silver Lions at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity recently. “This documentary portrays the strength of Nashville’s creative community and of its music brand,” said Ronnie Smith, Head of Corporate Bank, Regions Bank, and chairman of the NCVC board of directors. “No other city could capture its brand in a documentary of this caliber. It is a unique marketing tool that will prove to be effective, cost-efficient and global in its reach. It certainly goes outside the norm to market a city with a documentary, and this recognition is validation of that effort.” The documentary film was created by the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp as a marketing tool. It was produced by the NCVC, along with John Godsey and VML, a global marketing agency. It was directed by Chusy Jardine of Plan A Films and is being shopped worldwide to major buyers. The Cannes Lions are the most established and coveted awards for the creative and marketing communications industry, and the Festival of Creativity is held in the same southern French…
Read the full storyBoss Doss Thumped in 70th State House District GOP Primary Loss
The state legislator who broke the rules of the Tennessee House of Representatives to jam through Gov. Haslam’s gas tax increase in 2017 has been sent packing by voters in the 70th State House District. State Rep. Barry “Boss” Doss (R-Leoma) was thumped at the ballot box by political newcomer Clay Doggett on Thursday. According to results reported by the Tennessee Secretary of State as of 11:59 pm Thursday, Doggett easily defeated Doss in the Republican primary in the 70th State House District, 55 percent to 44 percent, an 11 point margin of victory. Doggett received 4,490 votes, while Doss received 3,584 votes in the GOP primary. He will now face Jessica B. Yokley, who was unopposed in the Democratic primary, in the November general election. Complete final results have not yet been reported. The Tennessee Star documented in great detail all of the maneuvering and legislative sleight of hand deployed by Doss in 2017 to push through Gov. Haslam’s IMPROVE Act, which raised the gas tax by 6 cents per gallon and the diesel tax by 10 cents per gallon. The bill also authorized the 12 largest counties in the state to use the referendum process to increase local taxes…
Read the full storyTim Burchett, John Rose, and David Kustoff Win Contested GOP Congressional Primaries
Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett won the hotly contested 2nd Congressional District Republican primary over State Rep. Jimmy Matlock (R-Lenoir City) by 12 points on Thursday, 48 percent to 36 percent. Final results, as provided by the Tennessee Secretary of State’s office, were: Tim Burchett 47,864 Jimmy Matlock 35,845 Sarah Ashley Nickloes 10,955 Jason Frederick Emert 2,304 In the 6th Congressional District, former Agriculture Commissioner John Rose defeated former Judge Bob Corlew by 10 points, 41 percent to 31 percent. Final results, as provided by the Tennessee Secretary of State’s office, were: John Rose 43,788 Bob Corlew 33,088 Judd Matheny 16,753 In the 8th Congressional District, incumbent Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN-08) defeated Dr. George Flinn by 16 points, 56 percent to 40 percent. Final results, as provided by the Tennessee Secretary of State’s office, were: David Kustoff 57,733 George S. Flinn, Jr. 40,893 Colleen Owens 4,456
Read the full storyGas Tax-Supporting Tim Wirgau Goes Down to Defeat in State House District 75
Political newcomer Bruce Griffey defeated gas tax increase-supporting State Rep. Tim Wirgau in State House District 75 Republican primary Thursday night, 58 per cent to 42 percent. The final results, as reported by The Tennessee Secretary of State’s office, were: Bruce I. Griffey 6,380 58.39% Tim Wirgau 4,547 41.61% Wirgau was not the only gas tax increase supporter to lose last night. State Rep. Barry “Boss” Doss (R-Leoma) was defeated by political newcomer Clay Doggett in State House District 70. As The Tennessee Star reported, Wirgau also voted in favor of granting in-state tuition to illegal aliens. In other notable primary races in the Tennessee General Assembly, Brandon Ogles won the State House District 61 Republican primary to replace retiring State Rep. Charles Sargent (R-Franklin), defeating attorney Gino Bulso, who finished in second place. Jeff Ford took third place and conservative activist Rebecca Burke finished in fourth place. The final results, as reported by the Tennessee Secretary of State’s office were: Candidate Votes % Brandon Ogles 3,913 35.45% Gino Bulso 2,685 24.33% Jeff Ford 1,876 17.00% Rebecca Ann Burke 1,604 14.53% Robert Hullett 709 6.42% Terrence A. Smith 250 2.27% Other primary winners included Dr. Brent Moody, who won the GOP…
Read the full storyMarsha Blackburn Launches Her General Election Bid for US Senate, Declares 2018 Will Be About Security
U.S. Senate hopeful Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) appeared on WTN’s Nashville Morning News with Brian Wilson Thursday morning to discuss her reaction to the fallout from the foul-mouthed Democratic spokesman Mark Brown, as well as her plans for her campaign going forward in the general election against Phil Bredesen. After opening nicities, Brian Wilson asked, “So tell me, where does election day find you this morning? Where are you?” Rep Blackburn answered, “I’m going to be all over Middle Tennessee. Yesterday I was over in East Tennessee, and then today I’ll be in Middle Tennessee, I’m going to go vote – and looking forward to doing that – and then visit with volunteers as we get ready to go through this day. Looking forward to the results tonight.” BW: Well, this is really sort of the kickoff for you, because you are just starting your TV ads. Phil Bredesen has been out there for a while, trying to reach out to, you know, the moderate voters or some of the Trump supporters. He’s saying he can work with President Trump and he’s coming across – reaching out across the aisle – looking for voters on the other side. And yet…
Read the full storySHOCK REPORT: California Would Lose Four Electoral College Votes If Only Citizens Are Counted In The Census
by Evie Fordham The state of California would lose four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, and therefore four votes in the electoral college, if only citizens were counted in the decennial national census. The report comes days after a lawsuit that argues against including a citizenship question in the national census received the green light to go to trial Thursday, according to The New York Times’ blog The Upshot. Proponents of distinguishing between citizens and noncitizens when apportioning representation would increase the power of states like Louisiana and Montana at the expense of states like California and New York, according to The Upshot. If noncitizens were cut from state population totals and Congress was reapportioned via a constitutional amendment, 11 states would find themselves with a new number of U.S. representatives. California would lose four, and Texas, New York and Florida would each lose one. Montana, Missouri, Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Louisiana and Colorado would each gain one, according to The Upshot. New data could allow states to redefine "the people" and draw up congressional districts accordingly. https://t.co/4oWi6l4TF4 — The Upshot (@UpshotNYT) July 31, 2018 Counting only citizens would also bring about changes at the local level. For example, 29 percent of Florida’s population…
Read the full storyOhio State’s Meyer Put on Leave, Inquiry Opened
Urban Meyer’s job appears to be in jeopardy. Ohio State placed Meyer, one of the most successful coaches in college football history, on paid administrative leave Wednesday while it investigates claims that his wife knew about allegations of domestic violence against an assistant coach years before the staff member was fired last week. Courtney Smith, the ex-wife of fired Buckeyes assistant Zach Smith, gave an interview to Stadium and provided text messages to former ESPN reporter Brett McMurphy between her and Shelley Meyer in 2015 about Zach Smith’s behavior. Courtney Smith also provided threatening texts she said came from her ex-husband, and text messages between her and other wives of Buckeyes assistant coaches, discussing Zach Smith. “Shelley said she was going to have to tell Urban,” Courtney Smith told Stadium. “I said: ‘That’s fine, you should tell Urban.’” Zach Smith, who has never been convicted of any crimes, was fired last week after an Ohio court granted a domestic violence protective order to Courtney Smith. A message left by the AP for Zach Smith’s attorney, Brad Koffel, requesting comment was not immediately returned. Ohio State Title IX Meyer is heading into his seventh season at Ohio State, where he is…
Read the full storyCommentary: GOP Rule Number One: Never Take Agenda or Voting Tips from a Democrat
by Jeffery Rendall Don’t you just love it when someone who has no expertise or authority into your (personal or professional) business gives you advice on how to conduct yourself and run your life? Such was the case when former New York Democrat congressman Steve Israel wrote about the gloomy prospects for the Republican Party last week. In a piece titled “Requiem for the Republican Party,” Israel grumbled at The Hill, “…Republican leaders rightly rebuked Trump’s kumbaya with the Kremlin. House Speaker Paul Ryan, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and others expressed, in proper Washington parlance, their disagreements with the president’s moral equivocations. But it may be too late. They have planted the invasive seeds of demagoguery, and now they cannot prune them with a few soft ‘tsk-tsks.’ “I never agreed with the Grand Old Party on everything when I served as a member of Congress. But I found accord with it on promoting a Western democratic order in the world, maintaining a strong military to defend freedom, and opposing authoritarianism. I supported the global leadership of the Bush administration in combating AIDS. “I hope that party is not over and replaced by a frothing coalescence of our worst instincts. I…
Read the full storyA Big-Time Tennessee U.S. Senate Race is Looming … in 2020!
As voters in Tennessee turn their attention from the just ended primary campaigns, complete with brutal attack ads, negative mailers, hateful radio spots and dinner-interrupting robocalls, get ready for a lot more of the same in the not-so-distant future. No, that doesn’t refer to the November 6, 2018 general election, though it will be a slugfest. I’m talking 2020! And that election battle started TONIGHT! Tennessee’s Republican Senator Lamar Alexander is up for re-election in 2020, the same year President Donald Trump is almost certainly going to be on the ballot seeking reelection in the March SuperTuesday Primary and the November general election. A recent Tennessee Star statewide poll (June, 2018) of likely GOP primary voters showed Alexander with a dangerously low mix of approval and disapproval numbers. Only 37.3 percent had a favorable view towards Alexander, while 38.1 percent viewed him unfavorably. Alexander was reelected in 2014, receiving less than 50% of the vote in the Republican primary. Alexander lost a dozen counties to Joe Carr in that primary contest, including most of the suburban counties around Nashville, plus Sevier and Blount County in East Tennessee. At this point, Alexander (who will be 80 years old in 2020) is…
Read the full storyOrrin Hatch Calls Out Democrats’ ‘Dumba–‘ Partisanship Over Kavanaugh Document Request
by Molly Prince Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah criticized Democrats on Thursday over their superfluous request to gain access to and review over a million additional documents prior to the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Speaking with other members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Hatch expressed his disappointment in Kavanaugh’s confirmation process, specifically regarding the partisanship on the side of the Democrats. “We can’t keep going down this partisan, picky, stupid dumbass road that has happened around here for so long,” Hatch said, according to a C-SPAN recording. “I am sick and tired of it to be honest with you and I’m tired of the partisanship, and frankly, we didn’t treat their candidates for these positions the way their treating ours.” Democrats have demanded volumes of archived documents from when Kavanaugh worked as a staff secretary for former President George W. Bush, an unprecedented request for a Supreme Court nominee. While Democrats claim Republicans are trying to “hide” Kavanaugh’s past by not releasing the documents, Republicans are claiming Democrats are stonewalling the confirmation hearing. “When you look at Judge Kavanaugh, if you want a choir boy to be on the court, in other words, from…
Read the full storyMarsha Blackburn Announces Pro-Life Coalition
Rep. Marsha Blackburn announced she has assembled a pro-life coalition of more than 500 advocates from across Tennessee Blackburn said, “The first of our rights is the right to life. It is both my duty and honor to protect life, and I am honored to have such a committed group of Tennesseans supporting my campaign for Senate. In the Senate, I will continue to stand for the sanctity of life and the protection of women and unborn children.” Gianna Jessen is chair of the Marsha for Senate Pro-Life Coalition. She said, “I am happy to endorse Marsha Blackburn for the U.S. Senate. As someone who actually survived an abortion and was born in an abortion clinic, I am alarmed, as I observe so many politicians get to Washington, D.C., and care more for the applause of men than they do about the three thousand unborn children that die in America each day. The blood of innocents cries from the ground, like that of the blood of Abel. God remembers each one, and the generations lost with them. The unborn need a defender. Marsha is the woman for this task, for this purpose and for this hour.” The co-chairs are: Lee…
Read the full storyLiberal-Majority Cities Decry the Environmental Danger of Drinking Straws
By Natalia Castro Cities have banded together in recent weeks to launch a campaign against drinking straws. The charge? Straws are sucking the life out of the environment. Lawmakers have started a campaign, the likes of which have not been seen since the war on drugs, to remove this contraband from city streets in an effort to save the people of this great republic. This is not a joke, this is real but rest assured, it is exactly as ridiculous as it sounds. To be fair, these pesky pieces of plastic do have a frustrating way of making milkshakes difficult to drink, but do they deserve the vile and dehumanizing rhetoric the left has thrown at them? I thought these harsh words were reserved for Donald Trump? Apparently, no one and nothing is safe. San Francisco has joined several other California cities in proposing a straw ban. So, while being an illegal immigrant will give you government benefits and a voter ID card, selling a straw could result in a hefty fine. Just kidding, San Francisco doesn’t even require voter IDs. It was just weeks ago when Democrats were arguing for marijuana legalization, so individuals did not sit in jail for…
Read the full storyFounder of Congress’ Media Fairness Caucus Has a Prescription for Curing Media Bias
by Rob Bluey and Ginny Montalbano The Daily Signal spoke last week with Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, about media bias. Smith discussed the House Media Fairness Caucus, which he founded, how Americans can combat media bias, and a new term he coined: mediacrats. This transcript of the interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length. Rob Bluey: Congressman, how bad is media bias today? Rep. Lamar Smith: I have to tell you, I’m sure it’s been worse, but I’m not aware of it. What we’re seeing today, I think, is a real threat to our democracy because you’ve got virtually every media platform—and the ones that obviously come to mind are Facebook or Twitter or Google, for example—who have demonstrably been biased against conservative voices, against conservative commentary, and against conservative Republican individuals. And you’ve got a situation where it’s interesting to me that the bias is always [in] one direction. It’s always the conservatives who are either shadow-boxed or censored, or their information is deleted. And all these social platforms—and we just had a recent hearing in the Judiciary Committee—say that they’re going to correct that, say they want to stop the bias. But I remain unconvinced. The reason…
Read the full storyLatino Groups Go To War With Facebook For Requiring ID To Buy Political Ads
by Peter Hasson and Joe Simonson Facebook’s recent policy changes requiring proof of identity to purchase political ads is unfair to Latino immigrants, several progressive groups claimed Thursday. Facebook began requiring users to submit a government-issued ID and mailing address before purchasing any political ads in April as part of the company’s efforts to combat foreign meddling in American politics. A coalition of progressive political groups asked Facebook in May to reverse the ID requirement but claim the company has been unresponsive. The activists said Thursday they will “step up efforts to continue shaming Facebook until the policy is amended” in a press release. “Facebook’s one-size-fits-all policy for so-called ‘political advertising’ has effectively shut millions of voices out of the democratic process and public discourse on the most populous and influential social media platform,” said Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, in the release. “The social media giant must face the fact immigrants and other communities are not the enemy.” “Facebook already has a horrible reputation of compromising its users’ sensitive information, and its new ad policies would force users to give up even more personal information — blocking many Latinx people from fully engaging in the democratic process via…
Read the full storyThe New York Stock Exchange Monopoly Set to Raise Fees to Access Trade Data
by Robert Romano Government-created monopolies are not a new thing, and indeed there are times when Congress has determined that having a government charter for an authoritative, monopoly function can serve a valuable public need. Sometimes these are agencies. The Federal Reserve is tasked by Congress to control the money supply. Sometimes they are Government Sponsored Enterprises. Mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac service millions of home mortgages in the United States. Ginnie Mae, which handles FHA and VA loans, is actually a bona fide government agency, unlike Fannie and Freddie, which are publicly traded companies. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) was a non-profit created to handle the U.S. Department of Commerce government contract to manage the domain name system in the late 1990s that links easy to remember domain names with unique IP addresses. That contract was allowed to lapse in 2016, and now ICANN operates an unregulated global monopoly of the DNS system. Whether these monopolies should have been created in the first place or if the government acts that created them were even constitutional is one matter, one that can be debated and has been debated. But as is often the case,…
Read the full storyBill Lee Wins GOP Gubernatorial Primary in Blowout Victory
Williamson County businessman Bill Lee won the Tennessee Republican gubernatorial primary Thursday night in a blowout victory.
Read the full storyBREAKING: Bill Lee Takes Early Lead in GOP Gubernatorial Primary [UPDATES]
UPDATE: at 10:10pm The raw vote totals are as follows: Bill Lee – 284,085 votes Randy Boyd – 189,276 Diane Black – 177,737 Beth Harwell – 118,755 UPDATE: at 9:43pm The raw vote totals are as follows: Bill Lee – 258,773 votes Randy Boyd – 170,946 Diane Black – 157,725 Beth Harwell – 100,989 UPDATE: at 9:15pm The raw vote totals are as follows: Bill Lee – 250,763 votes Randy Boyd – 165,869 Diane Black – 151,852 Beth Harwell – 97,839 UPDATE: at 8:58pm The raw vote totals are as follows: Bill Lee – 235,686 votes Randy Boyd – 158,007 Diane Black – 141,670 Beth Harwell – 92,132 UPDATE: at 8:37pm The raw vote totals are as follows: Bill Lee – 205,224 votes Randy Boyd – 139,650 Diane Black – 122,040 Beth Harwell – 80,001 UPDATE: at 8:22pm The raw vote totals are as follows: Bill Lee – 176,059 votes Randy Boyd – 121,121 Diane Black – 103,434 Beth Harwell – 69,729 Here is the scene at the Bill Lee Election Night party: UPDATE: at 8:11pm The raw vote totals are as follows: Bill…
Read the full storyMarsha Blackburn Launches Senate General Election Campaign with Series of Events in Middle Tennessee
Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn is hitting the road hard on Primary Election Day to generate the enthusiasm and energy she is needing to propel her to a win over Democrat Phil Bredesen in their November U.S. Senate race. Blackburn started the day with a morning breakfast at the City Cafe in Brentwood with about 237 supporters, including Governor Bill Haslam, State Senator Jack Johnson, Williamson County Sheriff Bill Long, County Mayor Rogers Anderson, and several other local officials, party activists and community leaders. The packed crowd heard Governor Haslam point out that the race against Bredesen won’t just determine whether New York Senator Chuck Schumer gets another vote closer to running the Senate, but could clearly impact the future confirmation of conservative, Constitutionalist federal judges and Justices to the Supreme Court. Haslam also noted that if the Democrats are able to take control of the Senate, thanks to the votes of prospective Senators like Phil Bredesen, it also means a change in Committee Chairs in the Senate. “Phil Bredesen in the Senate could mean liberal Diane Feinstein replacing Chuck Grassley as Chair of the Judiciary Committee, making it almost impossible to have conservative judicial appointments get a hearing much less…
Read the full storyMarsha Blackburn: Democrat Mark Brown Cursing ‘Reveals The True Nature of What They Think About Trump Voters’
Republican U.S. Sen. candidate Marsha Blackburn spoke Tuesday with Charles Payne on Fox Business about the “incivility crisis” in America, especially as incited by the Tennessee Democratic Party against Trump supporters. You can watch the interview here. Payne asked U.S. Rep. Blackburn (R-TN-07) about comments made by Mark Brown, a Tennessee Democratic Party communications official who is serving as spokesman for Democratic U.S. Sen. candidate Phil Bredesen, a former governor. “We know that there was a comment about “F— reaching out to Trump voters,” by the candidate and spokesman himself, calling them ‘idiots,’” Payne asked Blackburn. “This is remarkable. Right now, your campaign is on center stage. The whole country is watching. In fact, many think it may actually determine the outcome of power in Washington, D.C., in November. Can you believe this?” Blackburn said, “We were very, we were stunned to hear this, but you know what Charles? It reveals the true nature of what they think and how they think about Trump voters, and through his spokesman, Phil Bredesen is revealing this, and of course, it was bad enough when his friend Hillary Clinton, who he gave $33,400 to, called us all deplorables, and now we’re hearing they think we’re morons…
Read the full storySen. Lamar Alexander Commentary: GOP Accomplishments
by Senator Lamar Alexander When I travel across Tennessee some people say, “I sure am glad I don’t have your job.” My answer is always, “I’m also glad you don’t have my job because I like my job, and I thank you for it.” And then someone will say, “Why don’t you guys ever do anything? What difference does a Republican majority make?” My answer is to hand them my Republican accomplishments card – a scorecard that lists what President Trump and a Republican Congress have been able to accomplish in the last 18 months. Best economy in 18 years, the biggest tax reform in 31 years, military support is the strongest it has been in 15 years, numerous regulations have been repealed, one confirmed Supreme Court justice and another Supreme Court nominee, 23 conservative U.S. Circuit Court judges confirmed, opened up Alaska to energy development after 38 years. We have a new National Labor Relations Board. We repealed Obamacare’s individual mandate penalty, repealed Dodd-Frank mortgage rules, passed legislation to improve veterans’ health care, and passed sanctions on Iran, Russia and North Korea. All of this in the last 18 months – the most important accomplishments by a conservative government in…
Read the full storyWay Down Yonder in Maury County
Every budget tells a story—about your spending plan, priorities, goals, and financial health. What story are you telling your community about the importance of public education in your community? We understand that it is an election year and politics are driving the debate.
Read the full storyEXCLUSIVE: The 202 Year Ratification Saga of the 27th Amendment
Gregory Watson has been recognized by historians, academics, and elected officials as the only individual in American history whose singular efforts are responsible for the ratification of an amendment to the United States Constitution. Mr. Watson has provided this first hand account of his successful efforts to persuade state legislatures across the country to ratify the 27th amendment exclusively to The Tennessee Star. For me, the journey of amending the United States Constitution in 1992 really started some 14 years earlier in 1978. During that summer, my family moved over 1,000 miles from Michigan to Texas. I was age 16 at the time and I still had the final two years of high school ahead of me to complete. While sharing a border with Dallas, the suburb of Mesquite, Texas, was not connected with Dallas’ public transit service. Although of legal age to obtain a driver’s license, since I did not have access to a vehicle, I was unable to travel from Point A to Point B and had to seek other ways to achieve intellectual stimulation during those two years of residency in Mesquite. After graduating from Mesquite High School in May of 1980, I relocated to Austin…
Read the full storyKasich Warns Of Widespread Fentanyl, Warns Users They Are ‘Playing With The Devil’
by Steve Birr Authorities in Ohio are cracking down on drug dealers trafficking in the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl with harsher legal penalties as synthetic overdose deaths continue rising. Republican Gov. John Kasich signed a bill Wednesday that reclassifies fentanyl from a Schedule II to a Schedule I substance and makes it a felony for dealing the potent painkiller. Major drug offenders caught selling fentanyl will now face mandatory minimum sentences ranging from between three to eight years, reports Cincinnati.com. The bill also prevents charges from being combined, meaning a dealer tied to a fentanyl death would face charges for both the fatality and for the initial sale to the victim. Fentanyl is implicated in the majority of drug deaths in the state. In Hamilton County, more than 90 percent of drugs tested between January and April 2018 contained a synthetic opioid. “It ain’t the way it used to be with street drugs,” said Kasich, according Cincinnati.com. “You’re playing with the devil.” Data released by officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on July 11 reveals the majority of opioid-linked deaths throughout the U.S. are now the result of synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The report shows synthetic opioids killed roughly 27,000 people across…
Read the full storyThumbs Up: Florida Candidate for Governor, DeSantis Ad Displays Him as More Likable, Less Political
During Tuesday’s broadcast of The Gill Report – live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville – conservative political commentator and Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill praised Florida Governor Candidate Ron DeSantis for his current ad appealing to the public in a more human than political way. DeSantis’s wife narrates the advertisement accompanied by their children who appear along with their father DeSantis. He continued: I mentioned in the last segment that there is a great new television commercial airing in Florida for Ron DeSantis whose running for Governor. A conservative Republican he’s been endorsed by President Trump. Well they have a spot that is well featuring his wife Casey talking about Ron DeSantis and their kids and that he’s so much more than just a Trump supporter and he shows it in the way he plays with his kids, reads with his kids, and teachers them. CASEY DeSANTIS: Everyone knows my husband Ron DeSantis is endorsed by President Trump but he’s also an amazing dad. Ron loves playing with the kids. Build the wall. He reads stories, then Mr. Trump says your fired! I love that part. He’s teaching Madison to talk. Make America great again. People say Ron’s…
Read the full storyLetter to the Editor: Corinthia Elder Gets Her Facts Straight
Dear Tennessee Star, In Dennis Pearson’s June 18 letter to the editor in The Leaf Chronicle (Clarksville), he claims to be a “Ronald Reagan Republican.” It seems he has forgotten one of President Reagan’s most famous quotes. To Reagan supporters, it is known as “the 11th Commandment.” It simply says, “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” In his 1990 autobiography “An American Life,” Reagan said he followed this rule since 1968 during his first run for California governor. He said it served him well throughout his often tumultuous political life. Corinthia Elder is the Republican nominee to be Montgomery County’s next trustee by virtue of winning the May 1 primary. However, she’s getting support from independents and Democrats across the county because voters know and trust her. They know the “content of her character.” Pearson’s comments were wrapped up in his endorsement of “independent” candidate, Kimberly Wiggins. She’s only an “independent” because she was not eligible to run as a Republican since she has never voted in a GOP primary during her 10 years here. If one looks at her voting record, it shows she’s voted in three Democratic primaries. Interesting, that she chooses to run as…
Read the full storyThe Tennessean Endorses Howard Jones Over Brenda Gilmore in State Senate Race to Fill Thelma Harper Seat
The race to fill the vacancy in Senate District 19 created by Senator Thelma Harper’s retirement is heating up. The two front runners in the Democratic Primary, State Representative Brenda Gilmore and Pastor and educator Howard Jones, are locked in a dead heat according to many political observers in the district. A recent Tennessee Tribune/Tennessee Star poll, conducted by Triton Polling from July 13-16, showed Gilmore leading in the race but that the high number of undecideds meant the race was “wide open.” In that poll, Gilmore received support from 37.5%, Jones 12.5% and 46% undecided. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gil noted at the time that with Gilmore already representing a large portion of the Senate district, and with the high name recognition that she has due to her political involvement for two decades as a Metro Council member and state legislator, combined with the visibility of her daughter, Metro Councilwoman Erica Gilmore, the relatively low level of support signaled danger for Gilmore. “She has many of the advantages of an incumbent,” Gill said, “and any incumbent polling at that level should be very, very worried.” Since that poll, Jones has received the endorsement of Senator Harper, who has represented…
Read the full storyMark Skoda Commentary: Diane Black for Governor
Over the years, I have observed Diane Black support pro-life issues, our 2nd Amendment gun rights and more recently, President Trump. Her conservative bona fides are clear reasons for this endorsement. Her experience and tenacity in the face of vocal opposition are what we need in Tennessee’s next gubernatorial term. During her tenure as a Congressman, I have watched as Diane worked to ensure that conservative ideas were given voice. Her pro-life support and her stance on the importance of the family as the fundamental building block of society are well known. She submitted her first bill as a Congressman to overturn funding to Planned Parenthood and has continued that effort fighting for the Defund Planned Parenthood Act. When it comes to healthcare, Diane, a nurse, is well versed in legislative issues related to healthcare and its impact on people. She also recognizes the importance to Tennessee both as a function of quality of life for Tennesseans generally and the business environment in particular. She has been a steadfast opponent of Obamacare and worked to eliminate certain elements of that law that saved taxpayers over $13 billion dollars. More recently, Congressman Black has served on the House Ways and Means…
Read the full storyGeneration Z: The Intolerant Ones
by Ben Cohen The post-millennials have arrived. As the oldest millennials turn 37, demographers have designated a new generation for those born after 1996, Generation Z. The oldest members of this cohort just graduated from college and had their first (legal) alcoholic beverages. As they wind their way through college, post-millennials will change higher education, just as previous generations did. Generation Z is racially diverse, increasingly secular, and very much online. Non-Hispanic whites make up just over half of this cohort, compared with 72 percent of Baby Boomers. In religious terms, 13 percent of Generation Z identifies as atheist, compared with only 7 percent of millennials. And according to a 2015 Pew report, 92 percent of teens access the internet daily and 73 percent have access to a smartphone. Born in 1997 or later, Generation Z was too young to form a coherent memory of the September 11th terror attacks. They have no memory of a pre-9/11 world or a time when the U.S. didn’t have a military presence in Afghanistan. Many are too young to remember a time before smartphones. Apple released the iPhone in 2007, and by 2012, more than half of all Americans owned a smartphone. The members of this generation have different problems: they’re…
Read the full storyReligious Organizations: Take the Hillsdale Option
by Jenna Suchyta I am tired of hearing Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission hailed as a “victory” for religious liberty; it was no such thing—unless we’re also going to start counting forfeits and rain delays as wins. Masterpiece was a bunt, and not a very promising one at that. Although the outcome of the decision was in favor of Jack Phillips, the Christian baker in Colorado who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding, the reasoning of the decision was mostly based on the hostility that Phillips faced from the Colorado Civil Rights Commission. If proponents of religious liberty unwittingly allow this false sense of security to pervade their thinking, they run the risk of being caught by surprise in later cases, like this one in Michigan to be discussed later. In the Masterpiece case, the Supreme Court very clearly refused to make a ruling on religious exemptions to discrimination law and public accommodations law. “The delicate question,” Justice Kennedy writes in the majority opinion, “of when the free exercise of his religion must yield to an otherwise valid exercise of state power needed to be determined in an adjudication in which religious hostility on the part of the State itself would not be a…
Read the full story