Live from Music Row Wednesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed Tennessee State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver (R-District 40) to the newsmaker line to discuss her objection to the Blue Oval City Ford project and what she’s hearing on the ground from constituents and new Tennessee transplants.
Leahy: We are joined right now on our newsmaker line by our very good friend, State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver. Good morning, Representative Weaver.
Weaver: Hey, good morning, Patrick! You’re doing okay?
Leahy: We’re doing great rate. It’s a delight to have you on here. You had a great commentary that we ran at The Tennessee Star, explaining why you voted no on the Blue Oval City, $884 million financial incentives to Ford Motor Company. That has been a hot topic here on the Tennessee Star Report.
Crom was in favor of that. I was with you. It was what, 96 to three in the House in favor of it? You are one of the three brave who opposed it. Sounds like you stood for principle on that one. But the political stampede was quite great. What are your thoughts on that?
Weaver: Well, indeed, my friend, it was a political stampede. Who’s not for jobs, jobs, jobs. I’m very much for economic development so people can provide for their families. It’s a blessing to have a job.
It’s a good indication that you’re doing things right in the landscape here in the state. And I applaud my colleagues and myself. I pat myself on the back.
Leahy: We’ll applaud you, too Terri Lynn.
Weaver: We have done some great things, Patrick. We have made a landscape here in Tennessee that literally when I talk to folks and I find they moved here from California, from New York, and all across the country. And I said, well, why did you pick Tennessee?
And inevitably, it’s about, well, we did research. We found out you’re a low tax state. We like your values. We like what you stand for. Of course not to mention the beautiful landscape and the lush trees, yadda, yadda.
But people move here and they do the research and they move here because their buck can be more. You know what I’m saying?
Leahy: Exactly. Crom has a question for you.
Carmichael: I am fascinated by the subject you’re talking about right now with people who are moving to Tennessee and the research that they do. Do you think that the people who are moving here share our values also, therefore?
And are for limited government and the way that we run our state? Or do you think they’re going to import the values that have destroyed California?
Weaver: I will say this from what I have experienced even last year, when I was knocking on doors, I went to six consecutive homes and I knocked on those doors and I said, hey, I’m Representative Terry Lynn Weaver.
I’m your current state rep, and I’m all about less government, more liberty. And, oh, my gosh, they come outside, they talk to me. They tell me their story, numerous people that I meet with are moving here.
They’re calling me. They’re emailing me. And, yes, I would say for the majority, they are now, I’m sure you’re going to have some bad apples. I’m sure there are people that want to come here and ruin the south, such as they did in Georgia.
But I will tell you, for the most part, people move where they can raise their family, live and work under their values and again have more liberty and freedom. That’s just in their DNA.
Leahy: Today the third special session of the Tennessee General Assembly this year convenes. It’s going to address issues related to COVID-19. You’re on your way I think to the state capital for that initial session. What do you think is going to happen here?
Weaver: Well, I’ll tell you what I hope happens. For one thing, constituents matter to me, and I think we should have been doing this issue way back in the summer when the House had 72 members ready to rock and roll and do the people’s business.
Again we are a Republic and we are a voice of our district. And my email is running over with people saying help, I’m about to lose my job because if I don’t get the jab, I don’t have a job. And so it’s our duty, Patrick, under the Constitution and protects the right individual freedoms and rights of our constituents.
Leahy: What’s the number one thing that you hope will happen?
Weaver: My hope is that we protect the rights of these individuals who are emailing me and calling me. And I hope that we will say, look, in Tennessee, the state legislators have some muscle and we’re telling you, the federal government, Let’s Go, Brandon. (Laughter)
Leahy: Very nicely done. Nicely done. I like that, by the way, just as an aside, you know, the guy Bryson Gray, the rapper who has that number one hit, Let’s Go, Brandon. He’s from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. He’s a big pro-Trump guy. Did you know that?
Weaver: I did not know that, but I find it absolutely hilarious how this has panned out, but, hey, I hope we actually do the people’s business because last week, when we were putting corporates before constituents.
That was appalling to me. I found that very inconsiderate when people are losing their jobs and mom-and-pop businesses are closing.
Leahy: So in essence, let me describe, I think what you want to accomplish. Maybe these are how I interpret what you said. Do you hope that this session special session of the Tennessee General Assembly will send a giant Let’s Go Brandon message to the Biden administration?
Weaver: Oh, my gosh. That’s like my biggest Christmas present. I would just pray. I would pray that would happen. The House has really been working.
Yesterday, we had a group of us that were kind of making sure we weren’t having any duplicity matters of doing the same bills or how we can combine how we can make them better.
The House is really working hard. I don’t know about the Senate. They’re pretty squirrely over there. So I don’t know what they’ve gotten in gear. 99 members of the Tennessee House of Representatives are very raucous, very moving.
Lots of things going on a little more serene and sedate among the 33 members of the State Senate. Terri Lynn Weaver State Representative thanks so much for joining us today. And we appreciate your coming on. Thanks for joining us. Come back again if you would please.
Weaver: Hey, my pleasure. Call me anytime. Have a blessed day.
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Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510. Listen online at iHeart Radio.
I would add on to Representative Weaver’s comment: “I don’t know about the Senate. They’re pretty squirrely over there.”
She is being way too kind to a bunch of bloated know-it-alls who do not listen to their constituents. My senator, Haile, has been on the wrong side of so many issues that it makes my head hurt. It seems that once they are elected they refuse to listen to us average citizens. Just a bunch of blowhard know-it-alls who hardly ever pass any serious legislation that advances through the lower chamber. Unfortunately I assume this special session will prove me right once again.