Tag: US Senate

Commentary: GOP Rule Number One: Never Take Agenda or Voting Tips from a Democrat

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President Trump w White House Press

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…

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A Big-Time Tennessee U.S. Senate Race is Looming … in 2020!

Steve Gill
United States Capitol

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…

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Marsha Blackburn Launches Senate General Election Campaign with Series of Events in Middle Tennessee

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Marsha Blackburn

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…

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Sen. Lamar Alexander Commentary: GOP Accomplishments

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Lamar Alexander

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…

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Steve Gill Commentary: Anti-Trump, Liberal Extremist Tom Steyer Donated $5400 to So-Called ‘Moderate Democrat’ Phil Bredesen

Steve Gill
Tom Steyer, Phil Bredesen

Phil Bredesen is hoping to convince Tennessee voters, who overwhelming supported President Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton, that he is not one of “those kind” of Democrats that are out of step with Tennessee values and issues. He has attempted to distance himself from his donations TO liberal Democrats like Elizabeth Warren and over $40,000 to Hillary Clinton.  But now he is also having to separate himself from the donations FROM “those kind” of Democrats. Despite Bredesen’s claim that he isn’t running ‘against President Trump” his supporters sure are. Tom Steyer, a California billionaire who has compared Trump to Hitler and called for his impeachment is a donor to Bredesen. Bredesen’s latest FEC reports shows Steyer donating $5400 to the campaign. Steyer has also pledged $30 million to help Democrats retake the House, which would put Nancy Pelosi back in the Speaker’s office.  Plus he has promised another $110 million to redefine Democrats.  It is clear he is not redefining Democrats in the mold of moderates willing to work WITH President Trump. His organization, Need to Impeach, makes that abundantly clear. He is a liberal extremist who is bankrolling the most vitriolic elements of the Democratic Party.  And he’s for Phil…

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Sen. Rand Paul Backs Supreme Court Nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh

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Rand Paul

Republican Sen. Rand Paul, who had publicly wavered as to whether he would support Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, endorsed him Monday. Paul of Kentucky says he will back Kavanaugh despite his misgivings about the judge’s views on surveillance and privacy issues. Few had expected Senator Paul would oppose President Donald Trump’s choice in the end. The endorsement gives Kavanaugh a boost as he prepares to sit down Monday afternoon with Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, one of a handful of Democratic senators seen as potential swing votes in the confirmation fight. Manchin has said he’s interested in Kavanaugh’s views on the Affordable Care Act and its protections for people with pre-existing conditions. The senator has also asked West Virginia residents to send him questions for the meeting. Manchin was one of three Democrats who voted to confirm Trump’s first Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch. Sens. Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota were the others. All three are up for re-election in states Trump easily won in 2016. Republicans have a narrow 51-49 majority in the Senate. With the absence of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who is fighting brain cancer, they cannot afford to lose…

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Commentary: Democrats Show Symptoms of ABKDS (Acute Brett Kavanaugh Derangement Syndrome)

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Brett Kavanaugh

by Jeffery Rendall   In a modern American culture where people hardly agree on anything, one thing is crystal clear to everyone these days: if you turn your back on someone, you’re insulting them. That’s exactly what’s happening on Capitol Hill as Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is receiving the cold shoulder and a chilled reception from minority party Democrat senators as he makes his rounds to meet with as many lawmakers as possible prior to his upcoming confirmation hearings. Democrats aren’t just turning their backs on Kavanaugh though – they’re outright denying him entrance to their offices. As would be expected, Democrats’ reasons for the snub aren’t very convincing. Susan Ferrechio of the Washington Examinerreported, “Many Senate Democrats have refused to hold the traditional meet and greet events with Supreme Court nominee Judge Kavanaugh, arguing they have not received all of the millions of pages of documentation related to Kavanaugh’s time working in the Bush White House. “Their shut out could ultimately delay the confirmation process and has prompted a threat from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to keep the Senate in session until Election Day if that time is needed to confirm Kavanaugh. “Republicans want to confirm Kavanaugh by…

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Senate GOP Draws Line On Kavanaugh Vetting Ahead Of Confirmation Hearings

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Brett Kavanaugh

by Kevin Daley   Senate Republicans are increasingly of the mind that documents Judge Brett Kavanaugh produced as White House staff secretary should not be reviewed in connection with his nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. Instead, GOP lawmakers believe the Senate is best served by confining its review of Kavanaugh’s writings to his judicial opinions and memos he generated as a lawyer for former President George W. Bush. Kavanaugh produced or processed approximately 1 million pages of records as an aide to Bush. Senate Democrats have asked to review that entire body of work, in hopes of slowing the confirmation process, or finding information damaging to his confirmation prospects. The Washington Post reported Tuesday that White House counsel Don McGahn met privately with Senate Republicans to discuss which of Kavanaugh’s Bush administration records should be released from their current sequestration in the National Archives. According to the Post, the developing consensus among Trump aides and GOP lawmakers is that work product the judge generated as a White House lawyer should be released, while any records relating to his service as staff secretary should remain private. GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, took this position…

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Letter to the Editor: We Need a Senator Who Will Be an Ally to President Trump

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Marsha Blackburn, President Donald Trump

Dear Tennessee Star,   Congressman Marsha Blackburn should be elected to the Senate in November so President Trump will have an ally in Washington. As I have been volunteering for Marsha this summer, I have acquired insight as to what it looks like to be a leader. I am not able to vote yet, since I am only 16 years old, but Marsha has inspired me to be involved in her efforts to fight for Tennessee values. What stuck out to me is the fact that Marsha is proudly pro-life and has fought tirelessly to defund Planned Parenthood and protect the innocent unborn lives. Also, she is working to bring tax relief, cut wasteful spending, fight for our veterans, and guard our right to keep and bear arms. Marsha should be elected because she supports President Trump’s actions in securing the border and protecting our communities from gangs like MS-13. Knowing that the President of the United States and a United States Senator agree harmoniously will tremendously expand what can be accomplished in dysfunctional Washington D.C. Having a conservative in the United States Senate will not only help to achieve national stability, but also will aid the common good. Congressman…

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Tennessee Senate Candidate Phil Bredesen Accused of Falling Straight Into Chuck Schumer’s Pocket

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Phil Bredesen, Chuck Schumer

by Grace Carr   Tennessee Democratic senatorial candidate Phil Bredesen has wavered on issues from abortion to campaign financing throughout his political career, leaving some critical about what he will offer to Tennesseans if elected in November. “Tennesseans can’t get a straight answer out of Phil Bredesen,” National Republican Senate Committee (NRSC) spokesman Michael McAdams told The Daily Caller News Foundation Monday. “The only thing voters can count on is when push comes to shove, Phil Bredesen is going to be in the pocket of Chuck Schumer and will be a rubber stamp for Democrats’ radical agenda of open borders and higher taxes.” New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer is the Democratic Party’s minority leader, after replacing Harry Reid in November 2016. Bredesen, Tennessee’s former governor, has expressed opposition to abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), giving a flat “no” to the agency’s destruction, according to the Times Free Press on July 10. Despite his claims that he doesn’t support abolishing the agency, he accepted $5,000 from Empire PAC, an affiliated PAC of New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. Gillibrand has been one of the leading voices calling for the abolition of ICE. “I don’t think ICE today is working as intended … it has become a deportation…

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Senate Rejects Symbolic Gesture ‘Backing Intelligence on Russian Meddling’

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US Senate

The Republican-led Senate on Thursday rejected two symbolic measures to support U.S. intelligence agencies in the face of President Donald Trump’s  clarifying statements on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential contest and the Kremlin’s continuing threats to U.S. elections. The chamber’s No. 2 Republican, John Cornyn of Texas, objected to a bipartisan non-binding resolution backing intelligence reports on Russian election meddling and last week’s indictment of 12 Russian intelligence officers. The resolution also urged full congressional examination of Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki and called for full implementation of U.S. sanctions against Moscow. Moments earlier, Kentucky’s Rand Paul objected to a similar Democratic resolution that added support for the special counsel in the Justice Department’s Russia probe, Robert Mueller. Arizona Republican Jeff Flake, who co-authored the bipartisan resolution, said congressional action is needed after Trump “let down the free world [in Helsinki] by giving aid and comfort to an enemy of democracy” and “dimmed the light of freedom ever so slightly in our own country.” “We should stand and be counted in defense of our democracy,” said Democratic Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, who crafted the resolution with Flake. Speaking in support of the Democratic measure,…

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California Dems Snub Feinstein, Endorse Liberal Challenger For Senate

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Dianne Feinstein, Kevin de Leon

by Will Racke   California Democrats have declined to endorse Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s bid for re-election in 2018, rebuking a powerful senator the party’s activist base sees as too conservative for the famously liberal state. Instead, the state party’s executive committee voted late Saturday to endorse her challenger, state Sen. Kevin de Leon, in the general election. Currently the 51-year-old leader of the state senate, De Leon is held in high esteem by the party’s far left as the principal author of SB54, California’s controversial sanctuary state law. De Leon won 65 percent of the 333 board members, easily clearing the 60 percent threshold needed for an endorsement. Another 28 backed a “no endorsement” option, while just 7 percent voted for Feinstein. Prior to Saturday’s vote, Feinstein’s team had urged party delegates to support the “no endorsement” policy in a nod to party unity. Feinstein recruited Democratic heavyweights to plead her case, including Gov. Jerry Brown, Sen. Kamala Harris and two former state party chairmen. The push was not enough to sway the executive committee, which has been moving away from Feinstein’s brand of center-left politics for years. Although the board represents a small fraction of a state party with…

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Statewide Early Voting Numbers Are Starting with a Bang

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early voting

In the first two days of early voting there are signs that turnout may be higher than normal in both the Democratic and Republican primaries. Early voting started on Friday and continued on Saturday, though the locations and schedule for the Saturday voting was limited in several counties. Additionally, some counties have only reported their Friday totals at this point. Nevertheless, 30,262 votes have already been cast in the Republican Primary and 12,205 in the Democratic Primary. Early voting continues until July 28 with Election Day on August 2. There were 668,039 total GOP Senate Primary votes cast in August 2014.  That election featured a contested primary between Senator Lamar Alexander (331,705 votes) and Joe Carr (271,324). Alexander prevailed by a closer than expected 49-40% margin. A third Republican, Dr. George Flinn received a little over 34,000 total votes. That race may give guidance in predicting final turnout as we move through the early voting period. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill expects the turnout to increase dramatically over the next few weeks. “Not only do we have a hotly contested Republican Primary for Governor, in which we will see perhaps $10 million in spending in the next few weeks…

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Commentary: Democrats Don’t Fear Brett Kavanaugh – They Fear the Constitution

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Bernie Sanders

by David Harsanyi   Sure, some of the anger aimed at President Donald Trump’s nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court is partisan bluster meant to placate the activist base. Still, most Democrats were going to get hysterical about any pick, because any conservative pick was going to take the Constitution far too literally for their liking. For those who rely on the administrative state and coercion as a policy tool—forcing people to join political organizations, forcing them to support abortion, forcing them to subsidize socially progressive sacraments, forcing them to create products that undermine their faith, and so on—that’s a big problem. Some, such as former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, indulged in the histrionic rhetoric we’ve come to expect in the Trump era, claiming that Kavanaugh would “threaten the lives of millions of Americans for decades to come.” But almost none of the objections coming from leading Democrats have been even ostensibly about Kavanaugh’s qualifications as a jurist or, for that matter, his interpretation of the Constitution. [ The liberal Left continue to push their radical agenda against American values. The good news is there is a solution. Find out more ] “Specifically,” prospective presidential candidate Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif.,…

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Democrat SuperPAC Releases Poll (Lacking Backup) Showing Phil Bredesen with a 44-41 Lead Over Marsha Blackburn

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Phil Bredesen, Marsha Blackburn

Duty and Country PAC, a Washington DC based political action committee that is aligned with the Democratic Party, has released a poll conducted by Public Policy Polling that shows Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Phil Bredesen with a narrow 3 point lead over his Republican opponent Marsha Blackburn. The poll was conducted among 583 likely voters June 10-11 and has a margin of error of 4 points, placing Bredesen’s lead within that margin of error. The poll indicates that Bredesen leads Blackburn 44 percent to 41 percent with 15 percent undecided. In the release, Duty and Country PAC did not include a topline summary providing data in the demographic and political affiliations of poll respondents, which is customary among most professional polling firms. Nor did they include a detailed description of the poll’s methodology, which is also customary, or more detailed crosstabs, which is a common practice among professional polling firms. The poll stands in marked contrast to the Axios-Survey Monkey Poll released earlier this week that shows Blackburn leading Bredesen by 14 points, 55 percent to 41 percent. Duty and Country PAC has raised about $2 million this year according to their latest Federal Election Commission filings.  Their latest report…

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Senate Looks Poised To Confirm Kavanaugh

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Brett Kavanaugh

by Robert Donachie   A cloud is looming over the Senate Tuesday and its name is D.C. Circuit Judge Brett Kavanaugh. Trump nominated Kavanaugh Monday evening to officially replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy. The nomination has riled conservatives who are hungry to see a Supreme Court champion conservative causes, but has also struck fear in Democrats. [ RELATED: Kavanaugh’s Record Is Deeply Conservative ] In the larger Senate conference, Republicans made clear Tuesday they believe Kavanaugh is a well qualified, highly respected judge that should make it through the confirmation process, acknowledging there will likely meet a few bumps in the road. “Well, I’m sorry to say that Judge Kavanaugh seems to have already broken that record — because Senate Democrats were on the record opposing him before he’d even been named, before the ink was even dry on Justice Kennedy’s resignation,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said in a statement late Monday evening. This is a tell-tale sign that some of our colleagues are throwing thoughtful, independent judgment out the window and are outsourcing their thinking on this matter to far-left special interest groups.” The fight from Democrats is a concern for many within the Republican conference, but only…

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The U.S. Senate Is Killing State Welfare Reform

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US Senate

by Jameson Taylor   Few policy reforms have been as popular as welfare-to-work. Why, then, is the U.S. Senate trying to kill state efforts at encouraging able-bodied adults to get a job? Welfare-to-work was one of the signature policy wins of the 1990s, resulting in the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. The legislation was signed by President Bill Clinton after being shepherded through Congress by House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, who recognized welfare had become a trap for many Americans. The two most important features of the federal law were time limits on how long recipients could remain on welfare and work requirements for those on welfare. Both of these reforms were targeted at able-bodied, working-age adults on cash assistance (TANF) and food stamps (SNAP). [ The liberal Left continue to push their radical agenda against American values. The good news is there is a solution. Find out more ] The positive impact of federal welfare reform is well documented. A 2004 report by the left-of-center Brookings Institution states: “The welfare-to-work objective was predicated on a simple proposition: poor families are better off employed than on welfare.” Jobs are the best antidote to poverty. The…

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Commentary: Don’t Allow Senators Like Schumer & Collins to Blow Up Trump’s Next Supreme Court Pick

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Chuck Schumer, Susan Collins

by Jeffery Rendall   “Dang-it!” Chuck Schumer exclaimed to staff gathered in his senate Minority Leader’s office after Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement last week. “I thought Steve Breyer already convinced Kennedy to stay another year and now this,” Schumer dribbled exasperatedly, spittle forming at the corners of his mouth like a rabid raccoon in its final death throes. “We’re gonna have a tough enough time of it as it is saving our people this November…and if we can’t stop Trump from plopping another one of his originalist Constitution-stooges onto the Supreme Court, why would anyone be motivated to vote for us?” Schumer’s underlings stood uneasily around the 67-year-old New Yorker as though he was on the verge of exploding into one of his legendary fits of rage or would merely experience a pathetic meltdown and cry on the floor in the fetal position as he’s prone to do in times of stress. It’s no secret the man affectionately known as “Chucky” (an allusion to the infamous animated movie doll serial murderer) has aged considerably since taking over for “dingy” Harry Reid as leader of the hapless minority senate Democrats last year. “Donald Trump was supposed to be an idiot that no one…

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Commentary: The Perfidious Mitt Romney

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Mitt Romney & Orrin Hatch

by George Rasley   That didn’t take long. As soon as President Trump endorsed Mitt Romney’s candidacy to succeed Utah’s retiring Senator Orin Hatch and voters in the Beehive State handed the nomination to Romney (even though he actually lost the GOP State Convention vote) Mitt showed his true colors by back-stabbing Trump. Romney told MSNBC’s Kasie Hunt, in an interview that aired Sunday evening, that it is “too early” to say he will support President Trump in 2020, and just to make things perfectly clear, he said his prior prediction that Trump will get re-elected was not an endorsement. “I also think Gavin Newsom will get elected [as governor] in California. That’s not something I want to see, it’s just something that’s probably going to happen,” Romney added. Romney was also prompted to speak about whether he wants a Republican to challenge Trump in a 2020 primary. “There will be people who decide, I presume, to get in a Republican primary,” he said in reply to a question from Ms. Hunt reported by our friend Daniel Chaitin of the Washington Examiner. But Romney’s perfidy was well-telegraphed before he appeared on Far Left network MSNBC. In a Salt Lake Tribune op-ed headlined, “Where I stand…

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Tennessee Right to Life Endorses Dr. Mark Green for Congress

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Mark Green

Tennessee Right to Life announced Tuesday it has endorsed Dr. Mark Green to represent the people of Tennessee’s 7th district in the US House of Representatives. “Mark Green understands the crucial importance of protecting human life and has devoted his public and professional life to the care of the weak and vulnerable. Tennessee Right to Life looks forward to continuing to work alongside Mark Green to affirm the dignity of every life,” the pro-life group’s  President Brian Harris said in a statement. The campaign said that with over 13,000 community health clinics that provide women’s services, Green believes “it’s past time to stop subsidizing Planned Parenthood—the nation’s largest abortion provider—with taxpayers’ money;” adding that – as one of only seven countries that allow elective abortions after 20 weeks – Green will lead the fight to pass the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. “As a physician, I know firsthand that life begins at conception, and it’s our moral responsibility as humans to protect the most vulnerable among us. If elected to Congress, I will continue to be a voice for the voiceless as I have been in the State Senate. I’m honored to receive Tennessee Right to Life’s endorsement,” Dr. Green said.…

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Commentary: How Do You Spell Game Change in 2018? S U P R E M E C O U R T

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Supreme Court Justices

by Jeffery Rendall   Another Kennedy leaving Washington has Republicans giddy, though this particular one has no relation to the famous (infamous?) clan from Massachusetts Bay. It’s old news by now but Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy announced he’s stepping down from the Supreme Court on Wednesday, sending the nation’s capital into a tizzy and wiping virtually everything else – including the phony illegal immigrant family separation “crisis” – off the news wires. There’s nothing quite like an impending Court vacancy to wrest the political chatterers’ attention from their all-complain-all-the-time stupors and get them focused on something really imperative. Yes, Kennedy’s deciding to hang up the long black robe after three full decades is a big deal, not only for the future direction of the Supreme Court but also for Americans’ liberties in general. Needless to say, this year’s crucial midterm campaigns just received a shot of new energy and enthusiasm, especially for Republicans in red states challenging increasingly vulnerable Democrat senate incumbents. It’s often said fortunes can turn on a dime and it may actually come true for Republicans — and conversely, Democrats — this year. While conservatives received Kennedy’s news with happiness and anticipation, the anti-Trump resistance was angry, defiant…

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Will Pro-Abortion Bredesen Support Confirmation of a Pro-Life Justice to the Supreme Court?

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Phil Bredesen

On Wednesday Democrat Tennessee Senate Candidate Phil Bredesen issued a Twitter statement regarding the upcoming confirmation battle to replace Justice Anthony Kennedy on the Supreme Court. “Not long ago, Senate judicial confirmations were free of openly partisan politics. Justices Scalia & Ginsburg each got 90+ votes. I’m going to vote for or against a nominee based solely on whether I believe them to be highly qualified & ethical, not based on partisan politics.” Not long ago, Senate judicial confirmations were free of openly partisan politics. Justices Scalia & Ginsburg each got 90+ votes. I'm going to vote for or against a nominee based solely on whether I believe them to be highly qualified & ethical, not based on partisan politics. pic.twitter.com/NgzGQC8E4K — Phil Bredesen (@PhilBredesen) June 27, 2018 Bredesen did not indicate whether ideological differences on certain issues would disqualify a nominee for a Federal judicial appointment from receiving his vote for confirmation if he is elected to the U.S. Senate. Since Bredesen tweeted his statement Democrat Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who recruited Bredesen to run for Corker’s Senate seat, has called on his fellow Democrats to reject any nominee who does not embrace abortion.  And although Trump has not…

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Justice Kennedy Retirement Raises the Stakes for Senate Mid-Term Elections

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Marsha Blackburn, Anthony Kennedy, Phil Bredesen

The announcement that Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy is retiring, which will prompt a confirmation battle heading into the Fall mid-term election cycle, is already raising the stakes in contested U.S. Senate races across the country. Democrats are defending Senate seats in ten states that President Donald Trump carried in 2016, including five that he won by double digits. The confirmation of a replacement for the 82 year old Justice will certainly have an impact on Tennessee’s Senate race. Trump has already indicated that his appointment of a replacement for Kennedy will come from the list of conservatives that he named during his election campaign, along with five others he added last Fall.  And Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says a vote for the confirmation of a new Justice will come this Fall. Liberal activists are already melting down over the announced retirement, though it was widely anticipated.  In fact, a Democratic National Committee rules committee was on a conference call when the announcement came and the anguished reactions were audible. Conservative Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) is among those thought to be on Trump’s short list, and was among those on the initial list of 25 conservatives that Trump plans…

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The Tennessee Star Announces A Week Long Letters to the Editor ‘Endorse-A-Rama’ for the Last Week of July

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Letter to the Editor

The 2018 election season is in full swing, and with primary election day just a few short weeks away, we thought we would ask who your candidate of choice is for the record number of candidates running for open seats this year! Starting Monday, June 25th, we will begin accepting Letter to the Editor Endorsements for publication consideration. We will continue receiving them until Friday, July 20. The letters will appear throughout the week of July 22. Are you a ‘Matheny Man,’ or is Judge Bob Corlew your candidate of choice? John Rose? Tell us why! Who should replace State Rep. Charles Sargent? And State Rep. Shelia Butt? Should Bill Lee be the next governor, or do you think Diane Black can bring more to the table? We want to hear about it! Now, let’s remember this is a family website, so no profanity or un-sourced, ad-hoc attacks, please. Here is a comprehensive list we put together from The Tennessean and The Green Papers of the all the candidates – Gubernatorial, US House and Senate, and State House and Senate – in challenged races qualified to run as of the last candidate deadline April 5: Tennessee Governor Republican: Diane Lynn Black, Randy Boyd,…

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Trump Rips Schumer, ‘Fake News’ Over Criticism Of North Korea Meeting

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President Trump and Chuck Schumer

by Will Racke   President Donald Trump on Sunday lambasted two of his favorite targets — Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the media — for their critical assessment of his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. Trump led off a series of tweets by taking a swipe at the New York senator, who had previously criticized the president’s meeting with him as “all cattle, no hat” — a botched version of the Texas colloquialism “all hat and no cattle.” “Chuck Schumer said ‘the Summit was what the Texans call all cattle and no hat,’” Trump wrote on Twitter. “Thank you Chuck, but are you sure you got that right? No more nuclear testing or rockets flying all over the place, blew up launch sites. Hostages already back, hero remains coming home & much more!” Chuck Schumer said “the Summit was what the Texans call all cattle and no hat.” Thank you Chuck, but are you sure you got that right? No more nuclear testing or rockets flying all over the place, blew up launch sites. Hostages already back, hero remains coming home & much more! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 17, 2018 Trump met with Kim in Singapore on…

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Commentary: In America’s Right vs. Left Culture War, Choose the Biggest Weapons

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President Donald Trump

by Jeffery Rendall   How would you have felt as a kid if your parents came to you and said, “We’re cancelling this summer’s vacation”? Chances are you wouldn’t have liked it very much. If that’s the case then you understand exactly how our United States senators feel right about now. Earlier this week Majority Leader Mitch McConnell finally carried through on a threat and nixed the annual August recess, claiming Democrat stonewalling forced his hand. A prolonged summer work period is something conservatives have been advocating for years – if the legislative branch can’t/won’t get its business done Congress needs to expand its part-time calendar and get down to work. The senate might actually accomplish something this session – and they won’t suffer for it either. The Editors of the Washington Examiner wrote, “McConnell added that although there will still be a week at the beginning of August for senators to meet with constituents back home, they ‘should expect to remain in session in August to pass legislation, including appropriations bills, and to make additional progress on the president’s nominees.’ “Yes, McConnell’s move can be viewed as a shrewd, partisan political maneuver. It makes sense to keep all the senators in school…

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How McConnell Canceling August Recess Hurts Vulnerable Senate Dems

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Mitch McConnell on the Senate floor

by Robert Donachie   Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced Tuesday he is canceling three weeks of the planned August recess in order to pass legislation and confirm the president’s conservative judicial nominees. “Due to the historic obstruction by Senate Democrats of the president’s nominees, and the goal of passing appropriations bills prior to the end of the fiscal year, the August recess has been canceled,” McConnell announced Tuesday in a statement. “Senators should expect to remain in session in August to pass legislation, including appropriations bills, and to make additional progress on the president’s nominees.” Senators are expected to return home for state work during the first week of August, but are being told to stay in Washington for the final three weeks of the month. There might be something else at play under McConnell’s sleeve. Having the entire Senate body in Washington while working ultimately ensures vulnerable Democrats up for reelection don’t have as much face-time with constituents heading into November. McConnell has said his focus for the midterms is picking up seats in states like Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee, Montana, North Dakota, Missouri, Indiana, West Virginia and Florida. President Donald Trump won many of these states in 2016 (North Dakota, West Virginia, Indiana, Montana,…

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Senate Republicans Aim to Block the Confirmation of an Obama-Era Holdover Hostile to Religious Freedom

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Chai Fledblum

by Kevin Daley   A budding coalition of Republican lawmakers is opposing the renomination of Chai Feldblum to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) after President Donald Trump renominated the Obama-era commissioner to another term on the anti-discrimination panel. Much of the institutional religious right has mobilized in opposition to her reappointment, given the intensely progressive positions she has taken on a variety of issues, The Daily Caller News Foundation previously reported. “Commissioner Feldblum has a range of policy views that strike the general public as out of the mainstream,” a former senior career official at the EEOC told TheDCNF. Bloomberg Law reported that GOP Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, James Lankford of Oklahoma and Steve Daines of Montana have joined with Sen. Mike Lee of Utah to block the Feldblum nomination. The four lawmakers are withholding support from a unanimous consent agreement necessary for her confirmation. The agreement would package Feldblum’s nomination with two other Republican appointees to the EEOC, allowing the Senate to process all three nominees on a single up-or-down vote. Absent unanimous consent, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would have to schedule separate confirmation votes for each appointee. As the backlog of Senate business builds, there is little…

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McConnell Cancels Most of Senate’s August Recess

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Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is canceling all but one week of the Senate’s traditional August recess, apparently to keep Democrats off the campaign trail. Blaming what he called “historic obstruction” by Democrats, McConnell said Tuesday that“senators should expect to remain in session in August to pass legislation, including appropriations bills, and to make additional progress on the president’s nominees.” The lawmakers will get a vacation for the first week of August and will be expected to work the rest of the month. Many of his fellow Republicans pressured McConnell to cancel the recess, accusing Democrats of dragging their feet on spending bills and votes on Trump judicial nominees. But by keeping senators working, the Kentucky senator will keep Democrats from campaigning this summer. August is prime time for political candidates and a chance to meet voters at outdoor rallies, picnics, barbecues and county fairs. Twenty-six Senate seats currently held by Democrats are on the ballot in November, with just nine for the Republicans. Despite what appears to be McConnell’s cynical ploy, some Democrats welcomed the chance to stay in Washington. “Working through August gives us the perfect opportunity to tackle this pressing issue of health care,” Minority Leader…

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Grassley Wants To Pull Out All The Stops To Confirm Trump’s Judges

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Chuck Grassley

by Kevin Daley   GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa urged the Senate to work through weekends and the August recess on Friday to continue processing President Donald Trump’s nominees to the federal courts. Grassley, who leads the Republican judicial confirmation effort from his perch as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said on Twitter that Democratic obstruction warranted recourse to unconventional measures. Senate Judic Cmte has been hard at work processing judges to fill the 147 judicial vacancies At evry turn it seems we are met w Democrat filibusters Lets work Friday/Saturday/August recess to get more done in the Senate & help the judicial branch do its job — ChuckGrassley (@ChuckGrassley) June 1, 2018 Senate Judic Cmte has been hard at work processing judges to fill the 147 judicial vacancies At evry turn it seems we are met w Democrat filibusters Lets work Friday/Saturday/August recess to get more done in the Senate & help the judicial branch do its job — Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) June 1, 2018 Although 2017 saw Trump and congressional allies set a record for appeals court confirmations in the first year of a presidential term, Senate Republicans now must manage a burgeoning pool of nominees, who…

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Commentary: The Only Thing Worse For Republicans Than John McCain In The Senate

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Cindy McCain

by CHQ Staff   After showing up to torpedo the repeal of Obamacare, cancer-stricken Senator John McCain has been absent from the Senate for the better part of five months, leaving the Republican agenda frozen with a mere one vote majority over the obstructionist Democrats. Senator McCain is rumored to be now so ill that only family can see him and plans for his funeral and lying in state at the Capitol are being openly discussed. What hasn’t been publicly discussed until now is who will succeed Senator McCain, whose term runs until 2022, but rumors are now swirling in Arizona that the Senator’s wife – Cindy Hensley McCain – has privately made it clear she wants to be appointed to succeed him. Mrs. McCain, known for her white blonde hair and hard-edged fashion choices, is the daughter of the late Jim Hensley, who built one of the largest Anheuser-Busch beer distributors in the United States. And, in the minds of many, it was the Hensley wealth and ambition that built John McCain’s political career. In a 2008 article for The New Republic, Noam Scheiber wrote, “the reality behind this political creation myth is far more complex. McCain was a relative…

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Commentary: Tennessee Among the Nation’s Six Hottest US Senate Races

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US Senate Bredesen and Blackburn

by CHQ Staff   As the first part of GOP primary election season wraps conservatives have reason to be optimistic about the chances of adding to our numbers in Mitch McConnell’s broken U.S. Senate. At a major meeting of conservative leaders yesterday, some of the movement’s best political minds handicapped the Senate races with us, and this is where we see the hottest conservative campaigns as of today. West Virginia: Conservative West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey emerged victorious in the hard-fought GOP primary and immediately jumped to a lead over incumbent Democrat Joe Manchin in the polls. Polls this far out from Election Day normally mean little, but when the incumbent is behind the challenger it is a good indication that West Virginia’s voters, who gave President Trump a 48 point advantage in the 2016 election have caught on to the fact that Manchin is a hypocrite, not a conservative. Tennessee: Conservative Representative Marsha Blackburn has the nomination to succeed retiring establishment Republican Senator Bob Corker. Blackburn, an excellent speaker and TV presence, is one of the House’s strongest voices on the pro-life agenda. Even better, when Corker started making noise about maybe un-retiring, Rep. Blackburn said “bring it on”…

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Commentary: Five Takeaways From The Hearings on the Nomination of Haspel to Head the CIA

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Gina Haspel

by Robert Donachie   Gina Haspel, President Donald Trump’s pick to become the director of the CIA, faced a grilling from the Senate Intelligence Committee Wednesday, answering questions regarding her involvement in advanced interrogation techniques, her views of torture and her vision for the agency. The Daily Caller News Foundation collated five key takeaways from Haspel’s hearing with the committee Wednesday. Did Russia Attempt To Influence The 2016 Presidential Election?  “In January of 2017, the [Senate Intelligence Committee] issued a joint report on the Russia involvement in the 2016 elections. Do you agree with the findings of that report?” Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine asked Haspel.  “Senator, I do,” Haspel responded. The Senate Intelligence Committee released a report in January 2017 that detailed Russian attempts to interfere with the 2016 presidential election. “We assess with high confidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the U.S. presidential election, the consistent goals of which were to undermine public faith in the U.S. democratic process, denigrate Secretary Clinton, and harm her electability and potential presidency,” the senators on the intelligence committee wrote in January 2017. The senators found Russia attempted to sway the election in favor of Trump, especially after it became apparent to…

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Tennessee Star Poll Shows Partisan Divide Among Davidson County Voters Regarding Bredesen-Blackburn Senate Race

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Marsha Blackburn, Phil Bredesen

It is not surprising that former Democrat Governor and Nashville Mayor Phil Bredesen has a significant lead over Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn among likely voters in heavily Democrat-leaning Davidson County. What is a bit concerning for Republican supporters of Blackburn in the level of support that Bredesen receives from Davidson County voters who identify themselves as Republicans. The polling data is from a recent Tennessee Star poll conducted by Triton Research, which conducted an automated poll of 607 likely voters over a two day period April 12-13, 2018. One of the questions in the poll dealt with the upcoming U.S. Senate race in November, 2018 with Bredesen and Blackburn competing as their party nominees. Respondents were asked: “If the election was held today, who would be your choice for U.S. Senate, Marsha Blackburn or Phil Bredesen?” Overall, Bredesen outpolled Blackburn among Davidson County self-identified likely voters by a margin of 58.8% to 36.2% with 5.1% undecided. Among self-identified Democrat voters Bredesen had an advantage of 86-10 over Blackburn; with Blackburn leading among Republican voters by a 73-21 gap. Independent voters split 63.5 to 31 in favor of Bredesen. In the poll, 46% of respondents identified themselves as Democrats while 35%…

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Romney Faces Tough Path To Replace Retiring Utah Senator Orrin Hatch

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Mitt Romney & Orrin Hatch

by Thomas Phippen   Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney failed to win the Utah Republican nomination for the open U.S. Senate seat Saturday and will now compete in the June primary. Romney also failed to win a majority at the Utah GOP convention, coming in with 49 percent of delegates’ support to Rep. Mike Kennedy’s 51 percent for the nomination to fill retiring Sen. Orrin Hatch’s seat. A candidate needs 60 percent of the delegate vote to win the Utah Republican party’s nomination outright. After two rounds of voting, no candidate reached that threshold, forcing a wider primary election. If the defeat was a cause for concern to the former Republican presidential nominee, he didn’t show it. “Frankly, given the fact that I collected signatures and the delegates don’t like people who collect signatures, I’m delighted with the outcome,” Romney said, according to the Desert News. “Thank you to all the delegates who hung in there with us all day at the Convention,” Romney tweeted later Saturday. “I appreciate the support I received and look forward to the primary election.” Romney launched his signature-gathering campaign in February after months of speculation about whether he would enter the race at all. As of the end…

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President Trump Endorses Rep Marsha Blackburn for US Senate

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Trump endorses Blackburn

President Trump endorsed Representative Marsha Blackburn in her bid to replace retiring junior Senator Bob Corker Thursday via Twitter. Unusually, Mr. Trump used a feature of the microblogging site to make sure that all of Rep Blackburn’s followers would see the message by adding a period directly in front of her Twitter username, ‘@MarshaBlackburn.’ In his tweet, the president wrote Blackburn “is a wonderful woman who has always been there when we have needed her.” He continued, “Great on the Military, Border Security and Crime. Loves and works hard for the people of Tennessee. She has my full endorsement and I will be there to campaign with her!” Blackburn is the sole Republican in the running for the nomination – as is her rival, former Nashville Mayor and Governor Phil Bredesen. .@MarshaBlackburn is a wonderful woman who has always been there when we have needed her. Great on the Military, Border Security and Crime. Loves and works hard for the people of Tennessee. She has my full endorsement and I will be there to campaign with her! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2018 The Washington Times notes that although President Trump’s endorsement is no surprise, it “could prove a shot…

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Democrat Phil Bredesen Fundraises to Within Two Hundred Thousand Dollars of Republican Marsha Blackburn – But There’s a Catch

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Marsha Blackburn, Phil Bredesen

On Monday’s installment of The Gill Report – broadcast live on WETR 92.3 FM in Knoxville – conservative political talker and Tennessee Star contributor Steve Gill discussed the latest fundraising numbers and sources of contributions in what many political watchers predict will be a hotly contested race to replace retiring junior Senator Bob Corker (TN-R): The Senate fundraising numbers are in for the first quarter of this year – January, February, March. We now know that Marsha Blackburn raised $2 million in donations just in the first quarter of this year. Phil Bredesen, her likely – almost certain – candidate opposing her in the Fall elections in November as the Democrat nominee for the US Senate has raised $1.8 million. So, about 1.8 to 2 million for Marsha – within two hundred thousand dollars. What’s interesting, though, is $1.4 million of Phil Bredesen’s $1.8 million is his money. He loaned it to his campaign. So Phil Bredesen has only raised $400,000 compared to Marsha Blackburn raising $2,000,000. Now again we’ve seen all these hyperventilating articles that “Marsha’s in trouble,” the “the Republicans are in trouble,” and that “there’s this ‘Blue Wave’ building.” Well, apparently the Blue Wave, at least for Phil Bredesen in terms of…

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Commentary: If Republicans Really Control The Senate…

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by CHQ Staff   If Republicans really control the Senate, then why are they making confirming Republican President Donald Trump’s department heads and subcabinet posts so difficult? As our friend James Wallner pointed out a couple of weeks ago, in a column for The Washington Examiner, technically, Senate minorities are no longer able to single-handedly block a confirmation vote for a presidential nomination, thanks to Democrats triggering the nuclear option in 2013 to lower the threshold for invoking cloture on all nominations (other than for the Supreme Court) from three-fifths of senators to a “majority-vote.” The 2013 nuclear option eliminated the supermajority filibuster for most nominations. Republicans followed suit in 2017, using the maneuver to eliminate the minority’s ability to filibuster Supreme Court nominees. Yet despite these changes, observed Wallner, Senate rules still allow senators to delay the process after cloture has been invoked – by dragging out the time permitted under the rules before the final confirmation vote. And it is especially peculiar that nominees with establishment Republican – or worse yet Democratic backgrounds – seem to fly right through, while solid movement conservatives seem to take forever. Capitol Hill Republicans have been trying to blame Democrats, and President…

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Senator Lamar Alexander Endorses Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate as Outgoing Corker Remains on the Sidelines

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Sen. Lamar Alexander endorses Marsh Blackburn

Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) has endorsed Congresswoman and Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07). In a statement issued by Alexander, and posted in social media, Alexander said: “I have supported Marsha Blackburn as a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, and I support her again as a candidate for the United States Senate. She has served Tennesseans well. I look forward to working with her to make the Senate a more effective institution.” In response to the endorsement, Blackburn said: “Lamar is a true public servant, and I am continually grateful for his support. I look forward to working with him in the U.S. Senate to pass the President’s agenda. Together, we will effectively serve Tennesseans and fight for our shared Tennessee values.” Meanwhile Senator Bob Corker (R-TN), who is vacating the seat that Blackburn is seeking, remains unwilling to follow Alexander’s lead. In late February, after Corker again decided not to seek reelection, he refused to answer a reporter’s question regarding an endorsement for Blackburn.  Soon after, a Corker spokesman said: “The senator does not typically get involved in primaries but has always planned to support the nominee.” Yesterday, speaking to reporters, Corker reiterated his…

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Conservatives Spot New Tactic to Pass Bills Without Senate Filibuster

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Some of the conservative movement’s biggest names urged President Trump Thursday to use NAFTA negotiations as a way to get around a Democratic filibuster and push through major cuts to government regulations. In a letter to the president, the conservatives urged him to tuck the REINS Act, which would give Congress a veto over any new major Executive Branch regulations, inside a newly negotiated North American Free Trade Agreement. Including it in NAFTA would allow Congress to pass the REINS Act on a majority vote, thanks to the fast-track trade negotiating powers Congress gave to the executive branch in 2015.

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Randy Boyd Declines to Endorse Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate

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Randy Boyd Declines to Endorse Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate

Tennessee Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd appeared on WNWS Radio in Jackson, TN Thursday to talk about a variety of issues, including the need for more focus on West Tennessee economic development. Boyd is former Tennessee Commissioner of Economic Development and noted that he is a 7th generation Tennessean with 6th of those generations living in West Tennessee. After pointing out several of the economic development projects he successfully helped bring to the area Boyd noted that the region is very important to him. “West Tennessee has been left behind the last twenty years,” Boyd said. “We need a Governor who will focus on it and I will be that Governor.” “We are going to finish the Megasite,” Boyd promised, “land a big major manufacturer and several smaller manufacturers, and generate 34,000 forty jobs that will transform West Tennessee just like Middle Tennessee was transformed when Nissan landed there 34 years ago.” Host Dan Reaves asked Boyd for his thoughts about Congresswoman Diane Black (who is also running for Governor) endorsing Marsha Blackburn in her Senate primary earlier this week. “I’m not really thinking too much about what Diane Black is or isn’t doing,” Boyd said. “I think Marsha’s been…

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Rep. Diane Black Endorses Rep. Marsha Blackburn for U.S. Senate

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Gubernatorial candidate and Republican Congress member Diane Black (R-TN-06) announced Wednesday her endorsement of fellow Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) in her bid to replace retiring junior Senator Bob Corker (TN-R) in the U.S. Senate. “I’ve served alongside Marsha in the state legislature and in Congress and have always known her to be a fighter and a passionate champion for conservative causes and I support her 100%,” said Black in a statement, adding, “We need Marsha Blackburn in the U.S. Senate to protect our majority, support President Trump’s agenda, and make sure that we can confirm new conservative Supreme Court justices to the bench.” Black’s endorsement extended to Twitter, where she tweeted: I’ve served alongside @VoteMarsha in the state legislature and in Congress and have always known her to be a fighter and a passionate champion for conservative causes. I support her 100 percent in her race for U.S. Senate! https://t.co/CRRny00tfK — Diane Black (@DianeBlackTN) March 28, 2018 Looking beyond the primary to what political watchers say will be a bare-knuckles brawl of a general election in the Fall, Black called on all the GOP candidates running statewide to support Blackburn’s candidacy: It’s time for Republicans in Tennessee to unite and stand with…

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Mike Braun Casts His Indiana GOP Senate Rivals as Cardboard Cutouts

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Businessman Mike Braun released a new television ad Monday in which he strolls around town mocking his rivals – Reps. Luke Messer and Todd Rokita – in the Indiana GOP Senate primary as a couple of cardboard cutouts. Mr. Braun, a former state lawmaker, has emerged as the wildcard in the May 8 primary election and has campaigned as the outsider, saying it is hard to tell the difference among career politicians like Mr. Messer and Mr. Rokita.

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Which Democrat Is Obstructing Confirmation on Trump’s Openly-Gay Nominee for Ambassador to Germany?

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An intriguing fact about the fate of Richard Grenell, President Trump’s nominee for Ambassador to Germany, was revealed Tuesday on the Hugh Hewitt Show. Hewitt began an interview with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) with a question on the fate of Grenell’s nomination: Hewitt: Rick Grenell not getting confirmed is an embarrassment.

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Three Months After Announcing His U.S. Senate Candidacy, Phil Bredesen Holds First Campaign ‘Stop’ in Chattanooga

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Former Nashville Mayor, Tennessee Governor and now current candidate for U.S. Senate, Democrat Phil Bredesen appeared in Chattanooga Tuesday for his first campaign event since announcing his run December 6, 2017. After a tour of the TVA hydroelectric facility in nearby Raccoon Mountain, Bredesen met with members of the media, where he addressed issues on a wide range of topics. In a twelve minute video (embedded below) of an exchange between Bredesen and media obtained by Nooga.com, the former governor spoke on a variety of issues, albeit in a noticeably subdued voice. On gun control and reaction to the horrific Parkland school murders, Bredesen’s response to a News9 reporter’s question about the event seemed to focus narrowly on restrictions on firearm ownership by people who have been diagnosed with a mental or emotional disorder. “I do think it is time to – for everyone including, very strong supporters of the Second Amendment – to get reasonable about this,” Bredesen said, adding: This tragedy in Florida – the latest one – I’m one of those that agree that it’s beyond thoughts and prayers now. We need to do some specific things. I personally feel that there’s a lot of tightening up that could be done…

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Kid Rock Donates $122K from Fake Campaign to College Republicans Group

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Kid Rock has donated $122,000 raised by his fake Senate campaign to a College Republicans group promoting voter registration. The singer fueled months of speculation last year that he was considering running for Democrat Debbie Stabenow’s U.S. Senate seat in Michigan as a Republican. He launched a “Kid Rock for Senate” website and raised money by selling T-shirts, bumper stickers and road signs promoting the “campaign.”

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Commentary: Americans Won’t Let Democrats Weaponize Compassion on DACA

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Jeffrey A. Rendall   It’s not a stretch to claim Americans are a compassionate people. From an early age we’re schooled by parents, pastors and teachers to look kindly on our neighbors, help them in a pinch and give regularly to churches and charities to aid the less fortunate in their time of need. Beyond taking these basic personal moral lessons to heart we’re required by law to contribute to government safety net programs such as state worker’s compensation pools and federal Social Security and Medicare funds. These programs are so ingrained and visible that everyone sees how much their paychecks are reduced every pay period to pay for them – and they’re okay with it. Politicians struggle with the percentage of every dollar that should automatically be allotted to these essentially charitable purposes, but few would seriously suggest eliminating them entirely. Privatizing federal entitlement programs is one solution but politically we’re nowhere near taking such a bold step. No one wants to see others living on the edge of life and death. Americans’ compassion is boundless…but is it endless? The Democrats must think so because they appear willing to shut down the government over the controversial Deferred Action on…

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