Report: Tennessee Lacks Transparency and Accountability in State Incentive Programs

Tennessee has too many confidential incentive deals, and taxpayers don’t know how much of their money goes to private companies or what return on investment they’re getting, according to a report released Thursday. The Beacon Center of Tennessee, a Nashville-based free market think tank, published the report. “To make matters worse, even when companies are required to disclose the number of jobs created as part of their agreement, some haven’t submitted reports in years,” said Beacon Policy Coordinator Ron Shultis, who authored the report, in a press release. “This report actually leaves us with a lot more questions than answers. No matter where you stand on economic incentives, everyone should be for transparency when it comes to how our tax dollars are being spent, and our economic development programs fail that basic test.” Among some of the report’s findings: • State officials do not require that many companies that receive taxpayer money hire the number of workers promised. All 25 FastTrack agreements that Beacon employees reviewed only required companies to hire 80 percent of the promised jobs. • Companies that received FastTrack Economic and Community Development Grants often did not submit the required documentation on time. In fact, only 51 percent of the mandated…

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Commentary: Cultural Marxism Is Real

by Allen Mendenhall   Samuel Moyn, a Yale law professor, recently asked, “What is ‘cultural Marxism?’” His answer: “Nothing of the kind actually exists.” Moyn attributes the term cultural Marxism to the “runaway alt-right imagination,” claiming that it implicates zany conspiracy theories and has been “percolating for years through global sewers of hatred.” Alexander Zubatov, an attorney writing in Tablet, countered that the “somewhat unclear and contested” term cultural Marxism “has been in circulation for over forty years.” It has, moreover, “perfectly respectable uses outside the dark, dank silos of the far right.” He concluded that cultural Marxism is neither a “conspiracy” nor a “mere right-wing ‘phantasmagoria,’” but a “coherent intellectual program, a constellation of dangerous ideas.” In this debate, I side with Zubatov. Here’s why. Despite the bewildering range of controversies and meanings attributed to it, cultural Marxism (the term and the movement) has a deep, complex history in Theory. The word “Theory” (with a capital T) is the general heading for research within the interpretative branches of the humanities known as cultural and critical studies, literary criticism, and literary theory—each of which includes a variety of approaches from the phenomenological to the psychoanalytic. In the United States, Theory…

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Commentary: Time to Put a Stop to Impeachment Talk

by Stephen B. Presser   A push is underway for the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives to hold a vote on whether to impeach the Republican President Donald Trump. Of course, we have been through this before, but with a majority of Republicans voting to impeach President Bill Clinton, a Democrat. It takes only a majority in the House to bring articles of impeachment, which are similar to a grand jury indictment—they are the required first step in a two-step process. Following a grand jury indictment, a criminal trial occurs, and a unanimous jury must bring in a guilty verdict for a conviction. Similarly, following impeachment, a two-thirds vote of the United States Senate is required to remove a president. Bill Clinton survived his impeachment because only half the members of the Senate supported his removal, with not a single Democrat voting in favor of it. It is likely that the impeachment effort to remove President Trump would fail in the Senate now controlled by Republicans, but there are some other similarities and differences between the two proceedings that deserve examination and comment. First is the essential question about what the Constitution means when it provides in Article II, section 4…

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13-Year-Old Jayme Closs Found Alive 87 Days After Being Abducted from Her Wisconsin Home

by Evie Fordham   A 13-year-old girl who was missing for 87 days was found alive in Gordon, Wisconsin, after escaping from her alleged abductor, authorities announced at a press conference Friday. Jayme Closs was allegedly kidnapped and held in a home in a “remote” area by 21-year-old Jake Thomas Patterson, according to CNN. Patterson may also be responsible for the murders of Closs’s parents, James and Denise Closs. They were found shot to death in their home on Oct. 15, the night their daughter disappeared, reported NBC News. “Jayme was taken against her will and escaped from the residence at which she was being held in. We also don’t believe at this time the suspect had any contact with the family. We do believe that Jayme was the only target,” Barron County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald said according to CNN. Patterson has been arrested and charged with murder and kidnapping. “For 88 days I have said we would work tirelessly to bring Jayme Closs home. We have done just that,” Fitzgerald continued. “Jayme is safe.” Jayme Closs escaped from the home where she was being held and approached a woman walking her dog for help Thursday night, according to CNN.…

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‘Justice Democrats’ PAC Sets Its Sights on First Primary Target: Democrat Rep Henry Cuellar

by Jason Hopkins   A progressive political action committee announced its first primary target for the 2020 elections: Texas Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar. Cuellar, a seven-term congressman representing Texas’s 28th Congressional District, stands out as one of the few remaining pro-life Democrats left on Capitol Hill. However, the committee Justice Democrats believes the Hispanic Democrat is too bipartisan on a number of other issues, as well. “The people of District 28 need bold leadership that fights for the working class and the immigrant community, and not for corporate interest,” Danny Dias, a community organizer who lives in Cuellar’s district, said in a Justice Democrats press statement Friday. “Henry Cuellar has a history of accepting corporate donations and working on their behalf, while ignoring the interest of working-class families in the district.” In Justice Democrats’s media statement, the group laid out its case against Cuellar, whom it referred to as a “fake Democrat.” The Texas lawmaker voted with President Donald Trump 69 percent of the time during the 115th Congress, received an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association, voted alongside the GOP to oppose federal funds for abortion-related services, and has received thousands of dollars in campaign donations from a…

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President Trump Shares An Image Of ‘Strong And Beautiful’ Wall Design

by Evie Fordham   President Donald Trump shared an image of a “very high, strong and beautiful” portion of wall on the U.S. border with Mexico via Twitter Friday. “The Fake News Media keeps saying we haven’t built any NEW WALL,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Below is a section just completed on the Border. Anti-climbing feature included. Very high, strong and beautiful! Also, many miles already renovated and in service!” The Fake News Media keeps saying we haven’t built any NEW WALL. Below is a section just completed on the Border. Anti-climbing feature included. Very high, strong and beautiful! Also, many miles already renovated and in service! pic.twitter.com/UAAGXl5Byr — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2019 He included an image labeled “30-foot Bollard wall constructed and installed” that appeared to be dated Oct. 1. The tweet did not make clear where the portion of wall was located. Trump shared the photo just a day after visiting the nation’s southern border Thursday. The president is asking for $5.7 billion in funding for a southern border wall and is trying to negotiate his way out of a partial government shutdown that began Dec. 22 when Democrats refused to fund it. Trump’s jab…

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Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue Pushes Back on ‘Sensational Reporting’ of Food Inspections Being Stopped

by Michael Bastasch   Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue pushed back on what he called “sensational reporting” that the government shutdown had put a halt to food inspections. “Want to calm some fears because of somewhat sensational reporting on the shutdown,” Perdue said in a tweet Friday in response to alarming headlines, including those from The New York Times and NBC News, over food inspections halting during the government shutdown. “[USDA] inspectors are still at work, checking meat, poultry & processed eggs. Inspectors also screening for pests at export & import points, incl between Hawaii & Puerto Rico and mainland,” Perdue tweeted. Want to calm some fears because of somewhat sensational reporting on the shutdown. @USDAFoodSafety inspectors are still at work, checking meat, poultry & processed eggs. Inspectors also screening for pests at export & import points, incl between Hawaii & Puerto Rico and mainland. — Sonny Perdue (@SonnyPerdue) January 11, 2019 Perdue is referring to USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, which oversees about 20 percent of U.S. food production. Those inspectors have continued to work without pay while the government is shut down. The federal government has been partially shut down for 21 days. The wave of alarming coverage…

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West Virginia Supreme Court Impeachment Crisis Reaches US High Court

by Kevin Daley   The West Virginia state legislature is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a decision halting impeachment of several state Supreme Court justices. The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals was roiled by a public corruption scandal resulting in a slew of resignations and indictments. The justices will probably be reluctant to get involved, however. The West Virginia state legislature has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a decision that halted the impeachment trials of several members of the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. State lawmakers said they are not aiming to restart removal proceedings against the state Supreme Court justices. Rather, they believe the ruling at issue essentially dismantles their impeachment power. “We have said since October that a strict reading of that opinion removes virtually all of the constitutional checks and balances we have on the judicial branch of government,” House of Delegates Speaker Roger Hanshaw said in a statement. “Our action today is not an effort to resume the impeachment proceedings against any individual, but rather an effort to restore the proper legal and constitutional authority granted to the legislature with regard to impeachment proceedings.” The case arose after the legislature…

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Kirsten Gillibrand Heads to Iowa as She Makes a Major Move for 2020 Presidential Run

by Henry Rodgers   New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is planning on heading to Iowa this month as she makes a major move for a potential 2020 presidential run. Gillibrand, who was reportedly calling New York financiers in order to evaluate their willingness to back her potential presidential campaign in early January, has now decided to visit the state, Politico reported Thursday. Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren visited Iowa after she announced on New Year’s Eve that she was launching an exploratory committee ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Also, Gillibrand hired a new communication director for her potential presidential campaign. The New York Times reported Friday her bid against President Donald Trump “may be imminent.” “I’m definitely thinking about it, of course,” Gillibrand told CNN in December. “I’m going to think about it over the holidays with my children and my husband, and I will make a decision soon.” There is a large list of Democratic senators debating a 2020 presidential run against Trump, including Sens. Kamala Harris of California, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Former Vice President Joe Biden is also reportedly debating a 2020 presidential bid. Former New York City Mayor…

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Catholic Dem Congresswoman From Minnesota Has 100% NARAL Score

Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-04), a Catholic, has a rating of 100 percent from the pro-choice organization NARAL, and a corresponding zero percent from National Right to Life. According to the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Liberty, McCollum has voted with pro-choice causes 100 percent of the time. Between 2015 and 2016, McCollum voted against 15 pro-life bills in Congress, as did Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN), who is Lutheran. NARAL touts McCollum’s perfect score on its website, providing a list of the dozens of pro-life bills she has opposed. While a U.S. congressman, Walz also earned a score of 100 percent from NARAL. Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN-06) is currently the only Catholic Minnesotan member of Congress with a pro-life record, and has a National Right to Life score of 100 percent. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN-08) is also “steadfastly pro-life” and Catholic, but doesn’t have a voting history as a freshman member of Congress. “The 163 Catholics in the new Congress are split on abortion: almost all Republicans are pro life and almost all Democrats are abortion-rights advocates,” Catholic League President Bill Donohue said in a press release. “It is obvious that religion is not a reliable predictor of the way…

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Senate DFL Introduces Slate of Identity Politics Bills, Seeks to Loosen Prevention of HIV in Blood Donations

The Minnesota State Senate plans to introduce 92 new pieces of legislation Monday, several of which are backed by the DFL, and focus on LGBT or race issues. Senate File (SF) 95, for instance, urges President Donald Trump and Congress to direct the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to “revise its current blood or plasma donor deferral policy related to men who have had sex with a man and to women who have had sex with a man who has had sex with another man within the previous 12 months from the most recent contact.” The resolution, co-authored by five DFL senators, argues that the United States is “facing a critical shortage of blood donations,” which could be offset by revising an FDA donor deferral policy that “prohibits approximately 19 million American men and women from donating blood and plasma.” “Advances in HIV donor testing have reduced the risk of HIV transmission from blood transmissions to about one in 1.47 million transfusions,” the bill continues, calling for a revised policy “based on individual assessment of the risk posed by the donor.” SF 107, meanwhile, calls for the establishment of a “Council on LGBTQI Minnesotans,” which would consist of “two members…

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In Final Days as Attorney General, DeWine Files Motion to Dismiss Ohio Redistricting Lawsuit

Gov.-elect Mike DeWine (R-OH) appears to be making every last day of his tenure as Attorney General count. This week, DeWine filed a motion to have an upcoming gerrymandering lawsuit tossed out. The suit would mandate the redrawing of all of Ohio’s 16 congressional districts before the 2020 election. In May of 2018, a group of plaintiffs, including one Democratic constituent from all 16 districts, filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the current congressional districts were: an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander that violates the First Amendment, the Fourteenth Amendment, and Article I of the United States Constitution….the most egregious gerrymanders in recent history. The primary force behind the legal challenge is the Ohio League of Women Voters. Should the suit be successful, the state would be required to redraw the congressional districts before the 2020 election with new procedures that would be a radical departure from the current standard. DeWine seeks to have the suit thrown out on the grounds that the plaintiffs cannot prove harm and that there is no legal standing for the case. In May, Ohioans overwhelmingly voted to reform the current system of redistricting. Traditionally, following each census, the party in power would control the redistricting process. Issue 1 will…

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150,000 Sign Petition to Impeach Michigan’s Rashida Tlaib

A Change.org petition calling for the impeachment of Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13) already has close to 160,000 signatures. “This woman is an anti-Semite, a war mongering hate filled Palestinian who has vowed to try and destroy our constitutional rights, hates America, hates American citizens,” the petition states. “She’s a danger to our sovereignty, a detriment to society, and to this country, and is unfit to serve in any capacity within our government.” The petition also takes issue with Tlaib’s election, claiming that she “lied about living in Detroit” by “using her father’s house address.” Tlaib made headlines earlier this week when she vowed to “impeach the motherf—” during a party in celebration of her being sworn in to Congress. “I stand by impeaching the president of the United States. I ran on that,” she said in an interview discussing her comments. She called her promise to impeach President Donald Trump something she “very much” holds “dearly.” “They love that I’m real, and that I am very much focused on getting the government back up and running, but also making sure we’ve held the president of the United States accountable,” she said. Tlaib later apologized that her comments caused a “distraction,”…

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Left-Wing Activist Justin Jones Scheduled for Prosecution in March for Disrupting Marsha Blackburn Rally

Members of the Davidson County District Attorney General’s office are scheduled to prosecute left-wing activist Justin Jones in March on charges of criminal trespass and resisting arrest, according to a spokesman for that office. Jones, a Vanderbilt Divinity School student, seems to claim he is a victim of political persecution. In a story that made national headlines, Jones caused a scene at a campaign rally for then-U.S. Senate Republican candidate Marsha Blackburn in late October. Blackburn won the election the following month and has since taken the oath of office. Authorities charged Jones with criminal trespassing and resisting arrest for disrupting the Blackburn event at the Ray Stevens’ CabaRay Showroom in Nashville. Blackburn appeared at the event alongside U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. Stephen Hayslip, spokesman for Davidson County District Attorney General Glenn Funk, confirmed in an email to The Tennessee Star Friday that Funk’s office will prosecute Jones. Jones himself went into greater detail on his Facebook page Friday. “We have been set for a hearing on Tuesday, March 18th at 9 AM in courtroom 5D. It is deeply troubling that a democratically elected official is choosing to carry the extremist mantle of suppressing people from…

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