Day: October 31, 2018

Blackburn Edging Out Bredesen 51 to 46 Percent, NBC News Marist Poll Says

Jason M. Reynolds

Republican Marsha Blackburn is narrowly edging out Democrat Phil Bredesen in Tennessee’s Senate race despite Bredesen having a higher favorability with likely voters, a new NBC News/Marist poll finds. Both U.S. Rep. Blackburn (R-TN-07) and former Gov. Bredesen have seen decreased popularity since the hotly fought campaign began, NBC’s Carrie Dann reports. The NBC News/Marist poll shows Blackburn with the support of 51 percent of likely voters, compared to 46 percent support for Bredesen. Among all registered voters, Blackburn’s advantage narrows to 49 percent to 46 percent. Blackburn’s standing has improved since a previous NBC/Marist poll of Tennessee released in early September, when Bredesen led 48 percent to 46 percent among likely voters. That poll was conducted August 25-28. NBC says the shift “may be a dose of political reality for Bredesen in Tennessee, where President Donald Trump won by 26 points in 2016. The poll’s sample shows that 43 percent of likely voters identify as Republicans, while just 27 percent identify as Democrats.” Among likely voters, 45 percent have a favorable impression of Blackburn, while 46 percent have an unfavorable one, down from a 46 percent favorable/ 36 percent unfavorable rating two months ago. Bredesen’s favorability is down, but…

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Nashville Police Get New Warrant, Arrest Justin Jones for Criminal Trespassing and Resisting Arrest After Outburst at Marsha Blackburn Rally

Chris Butler

Nashville authorities have arrested left-wing activist Justin Jones three days after he caused an outburst at Sunday’s Marsha Blackburn rally in Nashville. After Metro Nashville Police took Jones into custody Sunday and drove him downtown, Nashville Night Court Commissioner Carolyn Piphus refused law enforcement’s request to issue an arrest warrant to Jones on charges of criminal trespassing, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct, as reported by The Tennessee Star. All three charges are misdemeanors. Later in the week, however, members of the office of Nashville District Attorney General Glenn Funk reviewed available evidence, including videos of Jones’ behavior. They agreed with law enforcement that arrest warrants were appropriate, said Nashville Police Spokesman Don Aaron. “Mr. Jones resides within the East Precinct and officers from East attempted to serve the outstanding warrants during their shift Tuesday evening,” Aaron told The Tennessee Star. “He was not home at the time.  Mr. Jones surrendered himself for booking late this afternoon downtown.” Authorities charged Jones with criminal trespassing and resisting arrest. For unknown reasons, authorities decided not to go forward with the disorderly conduct charge, Aaron said. District Attorney General’s Office Spokesman Steve Hayslip said the new warrants came about after Assistant District Attorney Deb Smith…

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Commentary: Why Should Republicans Ever Vote for Democrats Who Think They Are Nazis?

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by Robert Romano   Don’t Democrats need at least a few Republicans to vote for them in order to win elections? You wouldn’t know it based on some of their reactions to the tragic mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue that claimed 11 lives on Oct. 27. What should have been a moment where we all, in one voice, denounce anti-Semitism and mourn the fallen was instead viewed as a political opportunity by liberal punditry to somehow implicate President Donald Trump — and the tens of millions of Americans who voted for him — in the shooting. On Twitter, New York Times columnist and economist Paul Krugman sarcastically tweeted on Oct. 27 just hours after the shooting, But none of the white supremacist terrorism has anything to do with Trump, oh no… The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting Is the ​Inevitable Result of​ Trump’s Vile Nationalism, Sasha Abramsky wrote at The Nation. Yascha Mounk at Slate.com wrote of “The Nature of Trump’s Culpability in the Pittsburgh Synagogue Massacre. Fox News and the rest of the right-wing media can’t escape responsibility, Max Boot declared at the Washington Post. CNN host Alisyn Camerota declared on Oct. 29 that You can draw a direct line…

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Video Allegedly Shows State Rep. Bo Mitchell Stealing Yard Signs For His Opponent Judd Cowan, Marsha Blackburn

Jason M. Reynolds

New video footage allegedly shows State Rep. Bo Mitchell (D-TN-50) stealing yard signs for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Marsha Blackburn and Mitchell’s opponent, Judd Cowan, in Davidson County. The video is available to watch here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKwIVevDC2U U.S. Rep. Blackburn (R-TN-07) is in a hotly contested race with Democratic former Gov. Phil Bredesen for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN). House Majority Leader Glen Casada (R-TN-63) confirmed the identity of his colleague in the State House, according to a Tennessee Republican Party press release. “Bo has a bad reputation at the Capitol for his temper and lack of respect for his colleagues in the legislature,” Casada said. “Unfortunately, none of those that serve with him are surprised by his actions in this video. Instead of respecting the opinions of those they may disagree with, Democrats advocate for mob-like tactics in an attempt to silence the voices of those around them. As Tennesseans, we should never stand idly by and allow this type of dishonesty in our elections.” Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Scott Golden called for an investigation and for Mitchell to apologize to Cowan and voters. “It’s an incredibly petty and childish act, but unfortunately that’s what…

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Oregon Could Elect Its First Republican Governor in Nearly Four Decades

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by Chris White   Oregon voters are on the cusp of putting a Republican in the state governor’s mansion for the first time in nearly 40 years. Such a move would break convention and shift a reliably blue state into a win for the GOP. Many Oregonians and some conservative critics believe Democratic Gov. Kate Brown has not moved forcefully enough to close a yawning $22 billion public pension deficit. So, they’re looking at Brown’s opponent Knute Buehler, a two-term representative in the state who has criticized President Donald Trump in the past. His moderate tone is gaining some steam. This is the first candidate I’m crossing party lines for in 20 years, Danielle Miller, a mortgage loan officer who voted for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016, told The Wall Street Journal Sunday. Oregon is so behind in so many ways … under our current leadership. Oregon would join the handful of states Clinton won in 2016 that have Republican governors. The race is still tight, with recent polls showing Brown ahead by less than 5 percentage points. RealClearPolitics, Cook Political Report, and other polling outfits are rating the race a toss up. Brown, meanwhile, was appointed in 2015 after…

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Despite the Media-Driven Rhetoric, the Constitution’s 14th Amendment Does Not Grant ‘Birthright Citizenship’

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young children

by James D. Agresti   Michael Anton, a former national security official in the Trump administration, recently argued in a Washington Post op-ed that the current federal practice of granting citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants “is an absurdity—historically, constitutionally, philosophically and practically.” A number of media outlets have published fiery rebuttals declaring that Anton is dead wrong. They claim that the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives citizenship to all children born in the U.S., except for the children of diplomats. However, the legislative history of the 14th Amendment proves that it does not award citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants or anyone who is not legally and permanently residing in the United States. Background In 1866, shortly after the Civil War ended and slavery was abolished, a bloc of Congressmen called the “Radical Republicans“ passed a civil rights law to ensure that African Americans had the “full and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings for the security of person and property, as is enjoyed by white citizens….” This law applied to former slaves but not to foreigners, and thus, it stated that: all persons born in the United States and not subject to any foreign power, excluding Indians not taxed, are hereby declared to…

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Six Every Day Things Millennials Can Do to Save Money

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by Lena Wang   Am I adulting yet?” Every millennial has asked themselves this catchphrase question. It’s commonly heard from twenty-somethings who have legitimate concerns about how to survive. We feel hopeless and uncertain about the future because our parents didn’t teach us personal finances or how to pick the right partner. Economic policies, such as social security and raising the national debt, gambled away our future. Can you really blame us for feeling hopeless? Millennials are some of the hardest-working, most innovative people. Look at Uber, Airbnb, and Facebook. We are far from lazy, and we’ve disrupted many industries for the better. We struggle to pay rent and we’re swamped with student loans, but there are ways to make better decisions and save money. Food and Groceries Shop within your budget, even if it means sacrificing a pleasant shopping experience. Buy groceries at Aldi, Walmart, or similar wallet-friendly stores instead of Whole Foods, Target, or Publix. An important tip to remember before you grab groceries: Never shop hungry, or you’ll be tempted to buy junk food. Also, consider how many people you’re feeding. If you have a big household, then buy in bulk at places like Sam’s Club. Dollar…

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New Research Pushes Back the Discovery of Cacao – the Basis of Chocolate – By More Than a Millennium

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New research strengthens the case that people used the chocolate ingredient cacao in South America 5,400 years ago, underscoring the seed’s radical transformation into today’s Twix bars and M&M candies. Tests indicate traces of cacao on artifacts from an archaeological site in Ecuador, according to a study published Monday. That’s about 1,500 years older than cacao’s known domestication in Central America. “It’s the earliest site now with domesticated cacao,” said Cameron McNeil of Lehman College in New York, who was not involved in the research. The ancient South American civilization likely didn’t use cacao to make chocolate since there’s no established history of indigenous populations in the region using it that way, researchers led by the University of British Columbia in Canada said. But the tests indicate the civilization used the cacao seed, not just the fruity pulp. The seeds are the part of the cacao pod used to make chocolate. Indigenous populations in the upper Amazon region today use cacao for fermented drinks and juices, and it’s probably how it was used thousands of years ago as well, researchers said. Scientists mostly agree that cacao was first domesticated in South America instead of Central America as previously believed. The…

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Congressmen Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows Will Be Featured Guests at Knoxville Fundraiser for Tim Burchett

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Republican 2d District Congressional nominee Tim Burchett isn’t taking anything for granted in the final week of the midterm elections. Two key Republican House leaders are coming to Tennessee for a November 4th fundraiser/rally in Knoxville for the conservative former Mayor of Knox County. House Freedom Caucus Founder Jim Jordan (R-OH, 4th District) and Mark Meadows (R-NC, 11th District), the current Chair of the Freedom Caucus, will be guests at the event to be held at 4 pm the home of Scott and Hope Davis, 1515 Ashland Springs Rd. Tickets are just $50 and those interested should email [email protected] for details and to get tickets. Both men have been mentioned as potential candidates for Speaker if the Republicans maintain control of the House after the November 6 election. Current Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) announced in April that he was not going to seek reelection. If Republicans successfully retain the House majority it is expected that it will be by a narrow margin of only a handful of seats. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill noted that the event is a good opportunity for Burchett to raise money and create visibility heading into Election Day. But the two Republican leaders coming…

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Tennessee Star Report-Knoxville Edition: Steve Gill Proposes a Solution to the Migrant Mob Headed for the U.S. Border

Julie Carr

On Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report: Knoxville Edition – broadcast on on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville – Star News Digital Media National Political Editor Steve Gill talked about his solution to the mob that is approaching the United States border.  After reviewing the current violence over the past weekend in Chicago, he suggested that the migrants might want to know about the violence here before fleeing their less than violent countries in comparison.  He proposed that perhaps those wishing to enter the United States, would have to live in Chicago. Gill continued: Now I have come up with the solution to what we do about this “mob” that is marching towards the United States.  The take our jobs, take our stuff, caravan that is continuing to move through Mexico with police escorts, with assistance, with funding to help them along their way.  To continue that move towards the United States despite the fact that President Trump, the Department of Homeland Security, and the military are saying they will not enter the United States. This is an invasion.  Good clue as to when an invasion is taking place is if people are waving the flags of a foreign country, singing their national anthem as they’re…

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Marco Rubio Dings Journalist Who Said Donald Trump Radicalized More People Than ISIS and Then Was Invited Back on CNN

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by Hanna Bogorowski   GOP Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida took to Twitter on Tuesday to condemn comments made by GQ Magazine correspondent Julia Ioffe, who has been in the headlines for making claims about President Donald Trump and his supporters, saying it’s wrong for people to think inflammatory language is only coming from the right. Ioffe said on CNN’s The Lead With Jake Tapper Monday afternoon that Trump has radicalized more people than the Islamic State (ISIS). This president has radicalized so many more people than ISIS ever did, she said. Ioffe continued the anti-Trump rhetoric Monday night with CNN’s Don Lemon, saying she believes a silent majority of Trump supports believes racism is okay. It’s also kind of the silent majority of Trump supporters that think this is okay, they continue to support this president despite what he said, she added, referring to what she called Trump’s half-hearted condemnation of racists after the deadly mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Rubio responded to Ioffe’s comments on Twitter, referring to her as a journalist in quotes, and adding that it’s inaccurate for people to believe incendiary rhetoric is not apparent on the left as well. So many keep pretending inflammatory…

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Report: Pompeo to Meet with N. Korean Counterpart Next Week

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South Korea’s Yonhap news agency says U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is likely to meet with his North Korean counterpart in the United States next week. The news agency reports that the two sides are trying to arrange a meeting shortly after the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 6. Pompeo told VOA contributor Greta Van Susteren in an interview on Oct. 19 that he hoped the meeting would take place “in the next week and a half or so.” Yonhap reported Monday that a South Korean diplomatic source with knowledge of U.S.-North Korea negotiations said, “At the time of Secretary Pompeo’s remarks, [the meeting] was being planned for the end of October, but I understand that it was delayed by a couple days due to circumstances on the U.S. side.” “The location will probably be the U.S. East Coast,” the source said. Pompeo has met during previous talks with Kim Yong Chol, vice chairman of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party Central Committee. However, the Nikkei Asian Review is reporting that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s sister Kim Yo Jong could also join the talks. Kim Yo Jong is said to have a close relationship with her brother. The…

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Commentary: From Illegal Caravans to Economic Growth Trump is America’s Motivator

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Donald Trump

by Jeffrey A. Rendall   Five percent growth? You’re forgiven if you thought you’d read it wrong. According to one of the president’s most trusted advisors Donald Trump isn’t happy with the economy the way it is. Make no mistake, Trump was ecstatic that growth broke the four percent mark earlier this year but isn’t content to rest on his well-deserved laurels. No, Trump wants five percent growth and is apparently obsessed with getting there. Paul Bedard reported at The Washington Examiner, National Economic Council Chairman Larry Kudlow, one of President Trump’s top policy advisors and an architect of the 2017 tax cut, said that Trump stays awake because he is obsessed with rebuilding the U.S. economy and reaching 5 percent growth. “I can tell you after a few months on the job, this man is indefatigable. Donald Trump doesn’t stop. He barely sleeps. It’s almost impossible to keep up with him. He is truly obsessed with restoring American greatness,’ he wrote in the insider book Trumponomics, Inside the America First Plan to Get Our Economy Back on Track.” Think about it. While most Americans hit the hay at night exhausted from a hard day’s work – which Trump helped…

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Bernie Sanders Can’t Commit to Serving Full Senate Term, Says It’s ‘Impossible to be a Senator and a President at the Same Time’

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Bernie Sanders

by Hanna Bogorowski   U.S. Senate candidate in Vermont and incumbent Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders chatted about a possible 2020 presidential run at a Monday forum, in which he wouldn’t say whether he’d commit to fulfilling a six-year term if re-elected, because it’s impossible to be a senator and a president at the same time. Sanders, who ran unsuccessfully for president in 2016, said at a Senate debate Monday night in Winooski, Vermont, that he’s not definitely throwing in another bid, but also wouldn’t say if he’s planning to completely serve another term. Right now, my focus is on the year 2018, but if you’re asking me to make an absolute pledge as to whether I’ll be running for president or not, I’m not going to make that pledge, Sanders said, according to local Vermont newspaper Seven Days. The simple truth is I have not made that decision. But I’m not going to sit here and tell you that I may not run. I may. But on the other hand, I may not, the senator said. Among the chatter of potential 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, Sanders currently leads the field of contenders in terms of media attention and headlines, according to a Politico…

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Phil Bredesen Met in June With Blackburn Rally Protester Justin Jones, the Man Police Asked Judicial Commissioner to Charge With Resisting Arrest

Chris Butler

Justin Jones, the man who caused the biggest outburst at Sunday’s Marsha Blackburn rally, met with Democrat Phil Bredesen at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport this past summer. This, according to Jones’ personal Facebook page. The two men posed for a photo together, and Jones, 23, proudly uploaded it to his Facebook. And this apparently wasn’t a quick meeting, as the two men conveniently sat next to one another on an airplane trip. “Ran into former Tennessee Governor, Phil Bredesen, at the DC airport yesterday. Talked about the #poorpeoplescampaign and coincidentally we ended up sitting next to each other on the plane,” Jones said in the post, dated June 24. “Now that he’s running for U.S. Senator Bob Corker’s seat against Rep. Marsha Blackburn, we need commitments that he will fight for everyday people if elected and lift up a policy agenda that challenges systemic poverty, systemic racism, the war economy, ecological devastation, and the nation’s distorted moral narrative. We already know Marsha ain’t right, but whoever is elected let’s hold folks accountable!” Law enforcement officers, as The Tennessee Star reported, carried Jones out of the Ray Stevens’ CabaRay Showroom by force Sunday after he refused a direct order to leave an event…

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