Republican Plan-Cut Tax For Richest 1% & Raise It On The Rest
The Ryan plan would cut taxes on the richest 1 percent of the population in half, giving them 117 percent of the plan’s total tax cuts. That’s not a misprint. Even as it slashed taxes at the top, the plan would raise taxes for 95 percent of the population.
Representative Vaughn announces key issues to 2nd District campaign THIS EVENT WILL BE STREAMED LIVE AT WWW.NATHANVAUGHN.COM MONDAY AUG 9TH, 2010 FROM 11:00AM TO 12:00PM
>>> and the winner, Robin Smith from Tennessee. She is hoping to unseat incumbent Chuck Fleishman. The latest, a hotline that will update voters on his spending. The number, 1-800-get-some pork. this is what happens when you call.
>> Hi, sexy. i'm so glad you called. You're about to be connected live to my wild and hot friends with your wildest fantasies. Enter your credit card number--
>> is this 1-800-get-some-pork? is Ms. Robin Smith there? Robin Smith
In 2001 and 2003, via the budget reconciliation process, Republicans passed sweeping tax cuts with a specific date the cuts would expire. As they were not offset, these cuts greatly increased the deficit, and extending them has garnered estimates of up to $3 trillion in deficits by 2018. Democrats propose those cuts now be made permanent for singles making less than $200,000, and couples $250,000, and allowing the Republican-enacted expirations for only those making a quarter of a million or more per year — a group which is definitely not middle class. Yet, many misleading articles have come out claiming Democrats want to raise taxes on the middle class.
Conservatives try to sell the same old trickle-down theory that if rich people have more money, they will create more jobs. Obviously that theory is flat since after those tax cuts, the economy lost a record number of jobs and a record projected surplus was turned into a record deficit. That theory didn’t work for Reagan, either, who managed to nearly triple the deficit. Now Republicans want breaks for the wealthiest one percent to be extended permanently, without offsetting them, which would create a bigger deficit. But when it’s help for the unemployed or something that the working people might benefit from, conservatives think that those benefits absolutely have to be paid for. Isn’t it time that people woke up and realized the Republican Party is the party of the corporations and the ultra-wealthy? Don’t blame Democrats for the expiration of the tax cuts. The Republicans wrote the law.
Over the years, I have described myself politically as a “Jacob Javits* Republican.” For those of you unfamiliar with the Senator from NY, Javits was a social progressive, a fiscal conservative, “a political descendant of Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive Republicanism.”
After he “retired” in 1980, the GOP took a very different turn: The emphasis on Fiscal conservatism was lost. Balanced budgets were no longer a priority. In terms of electoral politics, the embrace with the Religious Right was a deal with the devil. It married the party to a backwards combination of social regressiveness and magical thinking. Ideology trumped facts, and conflicting data and science was ignored.
I do believe hell has frozen over. First Alan Greenspan admits his ideological beliefs were wrong, he's now telling the Republicans it would be "disastrous" to extend the Bush tax cuts without paying for them, thus attacking the centerpiece of their dogma (that tax cuts pay for themselves):
Rumors of Social Security's demise are greatly exaggerated. But some powerful people keep spreading lies about the program to scare people into accepting benefit cuts. Can you check out this list of Social Security myths and share it with your friends, family and coworkers?
Unfortunately, this doesn't seem to be limited to senior citizens. Over the past couple of months, the Chamber of Commerce has taken great pains to misinform small businesses about what the Affordable Care Act does for them, too. But out of nearly 700 seniors quizzed about what health-care reform meant for them, not one was able to get all of the answers right.
A recent National Council on Aging poll conducted between July 9 - July 12, 2010 yielded some pretty startling statistics.
Howard Dean - No More Apologies, It's Time To Stand Up For Our Convictions
For some time now, various "reporters" and on-air personalities on the Fox News Network have failed to report the full story or relevant facts, instead indulging in race baiting in order to exploit people's fears and crank up the fringe of their audience. This was exemplified by Glenn Beck's nightly assault on Van Jones earlier this year. Recently, Fox has cranked up stories about the Department of Justice's decision not to prosecute a voter intimidation case against a Black Panther group and even worse, calls for Atty. General Holder's resignation. And now, the Sherrod Debacle.
Turns out Van Jones' name was added to a website without his permission, a fact the group finally admitted some time after he resigned. And maybe he said some things about the Republican Party that he shouldn't have -- but that has nothing to do with the fact that he is a brilliant environmental organizer. It also turns out that it was the Bush Administration who decided not to prosecute the case against the black panthers because as Bush's Assistant Attorney General Perez testified, "the facts did not constitute a prosecutable violation of the criminal statues, and under the Obama Administration Justice Department a judgment was won in a civil case.
"Republicans moralizing about deficits is a like an arsonist moralizing about fire safety," he said.
Joe Biden Blasts Republican "Repeal And Repeat' Strategy In Tennessee Speech
(AP) - Vice President Joe Biden rallied Tennessee Democrats at the party's annual fundraiser Friday night by attacking the record of the previous Republican administration.
Biden said at the Jackson Day event at Belmont University that Democrats in this fall's midterm elections face "a recalcitrant Republican Party that is dominated by a group that ... have not shown any instinct to offer any real alternative to anything we're doing."
State Rep. Tony Shipley of Kingsport has once again shown an inept understanding of his role in the General Assembly by claiming the federal government played no significant role in helping the state deal with historic flooding earlier this spring.
Shipley's Statement Concerning Federal Response Misleading
In today's Kingsport Times-News, Tony Shipley made ridiculous claims about the Federal response to the May flooding in Nashville and other parts of Tennessee. “Tennessee had its (Hurricane) Katrina,” Shipley, R-Kingsport, told a Greater Kingsport Republican Women’s luncheon last Monday. “There was no doubt about it. That was our Katrina. And substantially we dealt with that ... without any federal aid.”
This man has absolutely no shame. According to other sources, "Governor Phil Bredesen, recognized his state's emergency was "sandwiched between" the news coverage of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the attempted car bombing in New York's Times Square, and while he wanted to call national attend to the "extraordinary event", he noted the Obama administration has been focused from the beginning. "FEMA was on the ground before the rain drops fell," said Bredesen, who noted he'd not only spoken to Mr. Obama, but Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano and Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett. "We're very pleased with the response we've gotten from the administration." This quote was posted on the Fox News website, and it's well known that they're not going to slant news to the left.
Governor Bredesen Endorses Mike McWherter For Governor
BREDESEN ENDORSES DEMOCRAT MCWHERTER FOR GOVERNOR
June 23, 2010
By Erik Schelzig -
Associated Press -
Nashville, TN - Gov. Phil Bredesen today endorsed fellow Democrat Mike McWherter's gubernatorial bid, citing his experience as a small businessman as making him best qualified to guide Tennessee out of the recession.
Also on hand for the endorsement was McWherter's father, former Gov. Ned McWherter, though he did not address the crowd.
"Mike is certainly, absolutely his own man," said Bredesen, who is in the final year of his maximum two terms as governor. "But he does come from a family, there's no question, where he learned values like honesty, hard work and certainly compassion for working families struggling to make ends meet."
McWherter, 54, said he would seek to extend Bredesen's economic and education initiatives.
"You built a foundation for growing Tennessee and our economy," McWherter said. "And I want to build on that foundation."
Bredesen confirmed to reporters that he will be hosting a fundraiser for McWherter, who is keen to show a strong fundraising performance raising only about $103,000 from outside sources in the first quarter. The second quarter ends June 30.
State Republican Party Chairman Chris Devaney was dismissive of Wednesday's endorsement.
"Mike McWherter knows he cannot get elected on his own and is depending on his dad and Governor Bredesen to gain voter support," Devaney said in a statement. "Unfortunately for him, his dad's name can only go so far and past elections show Governor Bredesen lacks the coattails."
Ned McWherter was governor from 1987 to 1995 and supported Bredesen's first failed bid for the office in 1994 and his successful bids in 2002 and 2006.
Bredesen won all 95 counties when he was re-elected in 2006 and maintains a high approval rating. Candidates of both parties have said they'd seek to emulate Bredesen's tight management of the state's finances and his success in landing high-profile economic development projects.
Mike McWherter is the lone Democrat seeking to succeed Bredesen after his last challenger, former state House Majority Leader Kim McMillan, dropped out of the nomination fight in March to instead run for Clarksville mayor.
State Senate Minority Leader Jim Kyle of Memphis and Nashville businessman Ward Cammack previously dropped out over fundraising concerns, and Sen. Roy Herron of Dresden decided to run for a vacated seat in Congress.
Three candidates are vying for the Republican nomination: Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, state Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey of Blountville and U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp of Chattanooga.
"Any time you have an election like this, the future of the state really is at stake," Bredesen said. "You can send the state spinning off in different directions depending who is governor."
The Haslam campaign said it was unmoved by Bredesen's endorsement.
"We're focused on the Republican primary and making sure that Tennesseans know about Bill Haslam's plans to make our state the No. 1 location in the Southeast for jobs," spokesman David Smith said in a statement.
Ramsey, meanwhile, announced he had secured the endorsement of leaders of 22 state tea party groups.
"I am thrilled to be dubbed the best candidate to represent the values of the tea party movement for the state of Tennessee," Ramsey said in a release. "When I'm your next governor, you can rest assured that I will act in strength to push back on an increasingly out of control Washington."
The primary is Aug. 5.
View all news
Posted by Admin - at 06:51 PM on Jun-23-2010
Let’s Help Our Friends
I spoke today with Michael Parr, Chairman of the Dyer County Democratic Party in west Tennessee. Dyer County was devastated by the recent floods. Dyer County Floods
And even now there is a chance for more flooding; I asked Michael what we could do here in East Tennessee to help our fellow Tennesseans in west Tennessee. As it turns out Michael is very involved with a local non-profit called, Matthew 25:40. You can read about this organization at Matthew 25:40.
U.S. Rep. Phil Roe is defending his recent appearance at a groundbreaking ceremony for a Morristown school project supported by the $787 billion federal stimulus package — which Roe voted against.
The reforms that President Obama signed into law include historic investments to make education more affordable, and deliver on another key campaign promise. The legislation:
Ends subsidies to special-interest private lending companies
Doubles funding for Pell Grants to help more students afford a college education
Will cap a graduate’s annual student loan repayments at 10 percent of his or her income
Helps an additional 5 million Americans earn degrees and certificates over the next decade, by revitalizing programming at our nation's community colleges
TN Republication Senators Obstruct Measures That Would Help Citizens
Tennessee's Republican senators obstruct measures to help citizens
Tennessee Republicans continued their grandstanding in the U.S. Senate this week as they chose to play partisan politics instead of helping out-of-work Tennesseans through hard times. Both U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker chose to vote against an extension of unemployment insurance for nearly 34,000 out-of work Tennesseans and almost $11 million in road projects for the state. Fortunately, the legislation passed and was recently signed into law by the president.
Turning their backs on struggling Tennesseans, the two Republican senators also voted against a 30-day extension of the highway trust fund, which is being used to help pay for Tennessee road projects at Cades Cove Loop Road, Shiloh National Park and Catoosa Wildlife Management Area. This is just plain lunacy. At a time when our economy is experiencing the biggest slowdown since the Great Depression, our leaders should embrace policies meant to stimulate the economy by creating jobs and injecting resources into our communities, not oppose them.
Tennessee's Republicans continue their hypocrisy
To date, nearly $6 billion in stimulus money has been committed to Tennessee, creating or retaining more than 10,000 jobs across the state and providing much-needed infrastructure improvements. The Tennessee Department of Transportation, in fact, recently obligated all of the $572 million in Recovery Act funds made available to it for highway infrastructure projects.
But some Tennessee Republicans have been railing against the stimulus package as nothing more than a boondoggle while playing partisan games in Washington. They are quick to come back home, though, and smile into the cameras while taking credit for stimulus dollars that fund vital infrastructure projects in Tennessee.
Sen. Alexander, third ranking member in the U.S. Senate's Republican leadership, voted against the stimulus package but afterwards wrote to the Department of Agriculture requesting stimulus money for a project that "will create over 200 jobs in the first year and at least 40 new jobs in the following years."
U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, a Tennessee gubernatorial candidate, voted against the stimulus package but afterwards praised a $71.2 million project at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory that would create "170 new construction jobs" with stimulus dollars.
U.S. Reps. Marsha Blackburn, Phil Roe and John Duncan also voted against the Recovery Act, as did Sen. Corker.
Republicans want to demagogue about runaway spending and huge deficits, but they are the ones most responsible for it. They supported the failed policies of a Republican White House that nearly collapsed our financial markets.
Republican lawmakers in the General Assembly talk out of both sides of their mouths, as well. They claim to be protecting the best interests of ordinary, hard-working Tennesseans, but their real intentions are to help themselves and the special-interest groups that help fund their campaigns.
Republican state Rep. Glen Casada of Franklin introduced a bill in the General Assembly that repeals state law prohibiting corporations from making donations to candidates for office. Casada, the Republican House Caucus chairman, reportedly filed his bill, HB2537, in anticipation of a January ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court concerning a 63-year-old campaign finance law designed to restrain corporate and special-interest influence.
By a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court ruled that corporations may spend as freely as they like to support or oppose candidates for president and Congress.
Tennessee law prohibits corporations from giving money to candidates and political parties for any purpose. But Casada's proposed bill proves Republican leaders in the state Legislature are more concerned about their Big Oil and Wall Street buddies than they are about ordinary Tennesseans. Why should an artificial corporate entity have the same rights as a real person?
A Washington Post-ABC News poll found that eight in 10 poll respondents say they oppose the Supreme Court's ruling on corporate contributions.
Democrats have a real plan to grow our economy
To grow the economy and ensure our leadership in the world market, we need to focus on three key priorities for investment- (1) a series of steps to help small businesses grow and hire new staff; (2) an additional investment in our nation's infrastructure to continue modernizing our highways, railways, bridges, tunnels, airports and seaports; and (3) a new proposal to provide rebates to consumers who retrofit their homes to be more energy efficient.
The nation's Gross Domestic Product, the basic measure of a country's overall economic performance, grew by 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009, the fastest growth since 2003, a sign that the economy is moving out of recession.
Our nation's unemployment rate also fell to 9.7 percent in January from 10 percent the month before, according to the federal Bureau of Labor statistics.
To date, nearly $6 billion in stimulus money has been committed to Tennessee, creating or retaining more than 10,000 jobs across the state and providing much-needed infrastructure improvements.
Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen and his administration have provided an environment in the last seven years that has seen the creation of 179,296 new jobs, $29.2 billion in capital investment and 48 corporate headquarter locations in the state.
About 500 Clarksville-area residents will be working for Hemlock Semi-Conductor after construction of a plant that will make silicon for solar panels. Phase one of the $1.2 billion plant is expected to be complete in 2012.
German manufacturer Wacker Chemie AG is building a $1 billion plant near Cleveland, Tenn., that will produce silicon for solar panels and employ about 500 people.
Confluence Solar is going to build a $400 million manufacturing plant in Clinton, Tenn., (East Tennessee) that could employ as many as 250 people who will make components used in the conversion of sunlight to electricity.
Yet another green-energy company, Hawaii-based ClearFuels Technology, is partnering with Hughes Hardwood to develop a $200 million bio-refinery in Collinwood, Tenn., that will employ 50 people. The plant will convert leftover wood products into diesel or jet fuel and produce six to eight megawatts of electricity.
The $1 billion Volkswagen automobile plant under construction in Chattanooga is scheduled for completion in 2011 where more than 2,000 workers will be employed.
Additionally, state and local officials are currently developing a 1,500-acre industrial park in Haywood County to boost West Tennessee's economy. Some Republican lawmakers tried to stop the "megasite" project by removing from the budget money to purchase the land. Haywood County recorded an 18.5 percent jobless rate in December while next-door Lauderdale County recorded an 18.9 percent jobless rate, two of the highest rates in the state.
The state also has been awarded a $62.5 million federal stimulus grant to build a solar-power demonstration farm on 20 acres next to the Haywood Countymegasite project and develop a solar-power research institute at the University of Tennessee's Knoxville campus. The electricity generated by the solar farm, which is expected to lure to the Haywood megasite other manufacturers interested in developing clean energy, will flow into the TVA's power grid.
A recent letter held the opinion that Tony Shipley is more pro-life than Nathan Vaughn, citing Shipley’s help in forming the Tennessee Alliance For Life as evidence. In 2006, the advocacy group Tennessee Right To Life endorsed Nathan Vaughn, as his views are in line with the principles they have held since 1975. In 2008, Vaughn received a 100 percent rating from Tennessee Right To Life. The Sullivan County Right To Life chapter endorsed Shipley and broke rules of tax guidelines for non-profits and TRL’s rules and was disaffiliated from TRL, as TRL endorses candidates by voting record, not their political affiliation. Recently prominent Republicans like Mumpower have expressed dissatisfaction with TRL for endorsing Democratic candidates, as if only Republicans valued life. One can only wonder if the new organization will be as objective in this matter as the position that TRL has taken, or if they have been formed as a tool to give credence to Republican candidates.
Cades Cove Loop and Blue Ridge Parkway projects affected
In their quest to engineer Obama's failure, Republican obstructionists in Congress have succeeded in shutting down DOT project across the country as the DOT furloughs 2000 employees without pay starting today.
You can thank Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) for his one-man filibuster of the bill to extended COBRA tax credits and unemployment insurance, which also included an extension of the Highway Trust Fund.
Among other things, the Highway Trust Fund pays for projects on federal land. Workers arriving at those projects today will be sent home because federal inspectors will not be on the job. Nearby projects affected include the Cades Cove Loop resurfacing, which was scheduled to begin today, and a Blue Ridge Parkway reconstruction and resurfacing project.
Federal reimbursements for state highway and bridge projects are also on hold, which could lead to further layoffs.
Furloughs will affect employees funded by the Highway Trust Fund at the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Research and Innovative Technology Administration.
Sort of reminds you of the great government shutdown of 1995, when Clinton called their bluff and they blinked.
(What kind of person denies COBRA tax credits and unemployment insurance? One who doesn’t give a rat’s patootie for his fellow humans! Ed.)
Posted by Susan Acito at 02:45 PM on Mar-01-2010
TNDP Chair Calls Out Republcan Hypocrisy
TNDP Chair Calls Out Republican Hypocrisy On Recovery Act
NASHVILLE - Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester wants to know how many members of Tennessee's Republican congressional delegation have requested Recovery Act funding or written letters of support for Recovery Act projects in Tennessee.
U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander and U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp voted against the stimulus package last year and have made critical statements about the measure. Alexander, however, requested Recovery Act funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Wamp praised a $71.2 million Oak Ridge National Laboratory Recovery Act project for creating jobs.
"If that isn't the definition of hypocrite, I don't know what is," Forrester said. "The Recovery Act created or saved about 2 million jobs in the U.S. and kept this economy from falling off a cliff. But Republicans rail against the Recovery Act while playing partisan politics in Washington.
"They come back home, though, and smile into the cameras while taking credit for stimulus dollars that fund vital infrastructure projects and create much-needed jobs. Mr. Alexander and Mr. Wamp have been called out by the media on this hypocrisy.
"I would like to know if the other Republicans representing this state in Congress have been as hypocritical about the Recovery Act. Or have they decided to play games with the economic security of the people they are supposed to be representing by turning down job-creating projects."
To date, nearly $6 billion in stimulus money has been committed to Tennessee, creating or retaining more than 10,000 jobs across the state and providing much-needed infrastructure improvements. The Tennessee Department of Transportation, in fact, recently obligated all of the $572 million in Recovery Act funds made available to it for highway infrastructure projects.
U.S. Reps. Marsha Blackburn, Phil Roe and John Duncan also voted against the Recovery Act, as did U.S. Sen. Bob Corker.
To date, nearly $6 billion in stimulus money has been committed to Tennessee, creating or retaining more than 10,000 jobs across the state and providing much-needed infrastructure improvements. The Tennessee Department of Transportation, in fact, recently obligated all of the $572 million in Recovery Act funds made available to it for highway infrastructure projects.
But some Tennessee Republicans have been railing against the stimulus package as nothing more than a boondoggle while playing partisan games in Washington. They are quick to come back home, though, and smile into the cameras while taking credit for stimulus dollars that fund vital infrastructure projects in Tennessee.
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, third ranking member in the Senate's Republican leadership, voted against the stimulus package but afterwards wrote to the U.S. Department of Agriculture requesting stimulus money for a project that "will create over 200 jobs in the first year and at least 40 new jobs in the following years."
U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, a Tennessee gubernatorial candidate, voted against the stimulus package but afterwards praised a $71.2 million project at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory that would create "170 new construction jobs" with stimulus dollars.
Recovery Act cuts taxes for Tennessee families
2.3MILLION FAMILIES - That's the number of families in Tennessee that will receive a tax cut of up to $400 ($800 for married filing jointly) under the Making Work Pay tax credit that was included in the Recovery Act.
1.2MILLION INDIVIDUALS - That's the number of individuals in Tennessee living on Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Railroad Retirement and veterans' benefits who received a one-time recovery payment of $250 under the Recovery Act.
116,000 FAMILIES - That's the number of Tennessee families in 2007 that benefitted from federal tax credits for college expenses. In 2009 and 2010, families in Tennessee with children in college will be able to claim a larger federal college tax credit (up to $2,500) as a result of the Recovery Act.
MORE THAN 87,000 STUDENTS - That's the number of students in Tennessee who previously did not benefit from federal college tax credits but will now benefit as a result of the Recovery Act.
367,000 CHILDREN - That's the number of children in Tennessee who will benefit from the expanded child tax credit that was included in the Recovery Act.
47,332 HOMEBUYERS - That's the number of families in Tennessee that have received a tax credit of up to $8,000 towards the purchase of a first home through the first-time homebuyer credit.
MORE THAN 347,315 FAMILIES - That's the number of families in Tennessee that were protected from paying higher taxes under the alternative minimum tax (AMT) as a result of the Recovery Act.
Recovery Act cuts taxes for Tennessee businesses
472,000 SOLE PROPRIETORSHIPS - That's the number of sole proprietorships in Tennessee that filed with the IRS in 2007. The Recovery Act provided relief for these and other businesses by (1) providing tax breaks (i.e., small business expensing and bonus depreciation) for businesses that purchase capital equipment, (2) providing small businesses with a temporary five-year net operating loss (NOL) carryback, (3) providing small businesses with estimated tax payment relief, (4) excluding 75% of the gains on small business stock from capital gains purchased in 2009 and 2010, and (5) providing businesses with relief from paying taxes on income resulting from discharged debt.
$1.2 BILLION - That's the amount of additional dollars in the hands of consumers within the State of Tennessee as a result of the Making Work Pay tax credit that was included in the Recovery Act.
11,770 BUILDING PERMITS - That's the number of single-family building permits that were issued for new home construction in Tennessee during 2009. The Recovery Act supported this construction by providing first-time homebuyers with a tax credit of up to $8,000 towards the purchase of a home. The National Association of Home Builders estimates that approximately 200,000 additional home sales nationally are attributable to the homebuyer tax credit and that the credit has resulted in a net increase of 187,000 jobs.
2,290 UNITS - That's the number of new housing units that are being constructed in Tennessee under the low-income housing tax-credit exchange program that was enacted as part of the Recovery Act.
$200 MILLION FOR MANUFACTURING - That's the amount of advanced manufacturing tax credits that were awarded through a competitive process established in the Recovery Act to help invest in manufacturing facilities in Tennessee.
$115,000 FOR GREEN JOBS - That's the amount of federal assistance provided to businesses through the Recovery Act's energy grants in lieu of tax credits program for the construction of facilities in Tennessee that produce renewable electricity.
21, 364 EMPLOYEES - That's the number of individuals that were employed at new car dealerships within the State of Tennessee at the end of 2008. The Recovery Act supported these employees by providing taxpayers with a deduction for State and local sales and excise taxes paid on the purchase of new cars, light trucks, recreational vehicles and motorcycles during 2009.
Recovery Act aids Tennessee communities
The Recovery Actpartnered with State and local governmentsto ensure that local construction and development projects could continue to move forward at a time when state and local governments are struggling. By partnering with State and local governments, the Recovery Act allows local communities to stretch their dollars further. This, in turn, helps reduce local taxes, save or create local jobs, and improve local infrastructure.
$344 MILLION FOR INFRASTRUCTURE - That's the amount of capital raised already by issuers in the State of Tennessee through the new Build America Bonds financing mechanism included in the Recovery Act. Under this mechanism, the federal government pays 35 percent of the interest on State and local bonds.
$578.5 MILLION FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY - That's the amount of capital for economic recovery projects that localities within the State of Tennessee will be able to raise by issuing new recovery zone economic development bonds and recovery zone exempt facility bonds that were provided to Tennessee through the Recovery Act. Under the recovery zone economic development bonds, the federal government pays 45% of the interest on these special bonds. Recovery zone exempt facility bonds are a special allocation of tax-exempt private activity bonds.
$184.6 MILLION FOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION - That's the amount of capital for school construction and rehabilitation that school districts within the State of Tennessee will be able to raise by issuing new school-construction bonds that were provided to Tennessee through the Recovery Act. Under this mechanism, the federal government pays 100 percent of the interest on these special bonds.
$64.4 MILLION FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION - That's the amount of capital for energy-conservation projects that State and local governments within Tennessee will be able to raise by issuing new qualified energy-conservation bonds that were provided to Tennessee through the Recovery Act. Under this mechanism, the federal government pays 70 percent of the interest on these special bonds.
Bill Ketron Robs Small Contractors Of Their Hard-Earned Profits
Republican Senator Bill Ketron of Murfreesboro is an insurance salesman. He has taken in over $20,000 in campaign cash from big insurance and large homebuilding special interests. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that he sponsored a new state law to force small contractors and subconstractors to spend their hard-earned profits with him and his insurance buddies instead of spending it on their families in tough economic times.
East Tennessee Lawmaker Claims Credit For Someone Else's Work
KINGSPORT - Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester and state House Democratic Caucus Chairman Mike Turner called out state Rep. Tony Shipley today for trying to take credit for a road-improvement project along a dangerous stretch of highway in Sullivan County.
Shipley conducted a press conference this morning at a local business along Memorial Boulevard to claim credit for work that first began on the road in 2004. Former state Rep. Nathan Vaughn pushed for the road-improvement project soon after being elected to the General Assembly in November 2002.
"Trying to take credit for the work that Rep. Nathan Vaughn did on that road-improvement project is pitiful and deceitful," Forrester said. "Everyone in Sullivan County knows that Rep. Nathan Vaughn did all the heavy lifting for that project.
"Mr. Shipley should be honest with his constituents and give credit where credit is due."
According to the Tennessee Department of Transportation, the state spent $2 million for project planning and environmental work on State Route 126 (Memorial Boulevard) between 2004 and 2008. The state during that period also added new highway striping, guardrails, reflectors and center-line rumble strips, and redesigned the intersection at Carolina Pottery.
TDOT officials have said that planned long-term improvements along Memorial Boulevard, which include reconstruction of a length of the highway, have been estimated at $90 million. Shipley defeated Vaughn by 322 votes in a controversial November 2008 election that included inflammatory campaign literature being distributed against the three-term incumbent.
"Mr. Shipley wasn't even in the state Legislature when Nathan (Rep. Vaughn) convinced the state to start making improvements up there," said Turner, who attended this morning's press conference. "In fact, the complete project is going to cost another $90 million.
"Calling a press conference to take credit for someone else's work is low down. He shouldn't be calling for a press conference until he gets that $90 million. Sullivan County residents and motorists need to thank Nathan Vaughn for getting the state to fix a dangerous road," he added.
NASHVILLE -- An East Tennessee lawmaker has filed a bill to make it a criminal act for the state to contract for any work on any portion of Interstate 69 or any other highway project designed to link Canada, the United States and Mexico.
FLASHBACK: 31 House Republicans Supported Resolution Honoring Alleged Felon James O'Keefe
January 26, 2010 5:19 pm ET by Matt Finkelstein
Today, the FBI arrested James O'Keefe, the conservative activist who posed as a pimp and filmed the undercover videos that led Congress to defund ACORN. O'Keefe is accused of participating in a conspiracy to wiretap the New Orleans office of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA). According to NOLA.com:
Also arrested were Joseph Basel, Stan Dai and Robert Flanagan, all 24. Flanagan is the son of William Flanagan, who is the acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, the office confirmed. All four were charged with entering federal property under false pretenses with the intent of committing a felony.
Where Are the Memorial Blvd Improvements, Shipley?
Back in 2008, Tony Shipley decided to run against Nathan Vaughn for the 2nd District State Representative seat, he claimed that Vaughn wasn't doing anything about Memorial Boulevard, and that he would make the road his priority if he were elected. Well, we're still waiting!
In 2008, State lawmakers overwhelmingly passed the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act, requiring county election commissions to switch to optical scan machines and paper ballots before the November 2010 elections. Tennessee has $35 million in federal funds to purchase the new machines. During the 2008 general election, early voters in Sullivan County used these machines. They were easier, as the ballot only needed to be marked and scanned into a machine which stored the ballot in cases of a recount. There were problems with the old machines, including flipping votes, disappeared votes, and no way to recount votes if needed. In Memphis, records showed that someone had gained entry to machines and downloaded PC Anywhere, a remote access program. Microsoft Access, which allows editing results, was also downloaded and used. In Sullivan County in 2006, the control device for eSlate voting machines shut down after 10,000 ballots were cast in early voting because it couldn't hold more votes.
Since gaining the majority, Republicans have fought against election transparency with a passion. Led by Ron Ramsey and Tre Hargett they started a campaign to delay implementation of the TVCA until after the 2010 elections. Republicans have claimed that they can't find machines which are federally certified to 2005 standards, but this language is nowhere in the TVCA. A lawsuit by Common Cause Tennessee was decided that machines do not have to be certified to 2005 standards. Having lost on that delay tactic, on January 12, Senate Republicans passed HB614, which will delay implementing TVCA until 2012, thereby insuring that 2010 elections will not be auditable.
Republicans were for transparent elections until they gained control of the legislature. One can only wonder why they do not want to implement a law they helped pass in 2008, thereby making recounts impossible.
Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester called yesterday’s action by the Senate to delay the Tennessee Voters Confidence Act a partisan move by Republican leadership to deny the state’s voters fair and accurate elections.
“Tennessee voters got the shaft by a shameless group of Republican politicians bent on winning at all costs,” Forrester said. “They evidently could care less about trampling on democracy. I hope voters understand they have been had by a group of politicians who cooked up an elaborate scheme to steal elections here in Tennessee.
Democrats Seek Delay in Workers' Compensation Mandates
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 11, 2010
Posted by Susan Acito at 06:47 PM on Jan-11-2010
Ramsey Intends To Delay TN Voter Confidence Act
The most important question to ask is "Why would anyone to delay implementation of auditable and transparent voting?
-----Original Message----- From: Joe Weinberg <jaweinberg@pol.net> Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2010 07:52:23
Subject: Tennessee Voting Integrity Under Attack
Dear Fellow Executive Committee Members,
This Tuesday, January 12, Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey intends to delay the implementation of the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act to a time beyond the 2010 elections. He has made this the highest priority for the Republican- led legislature this year. The burning question is why are Lt. Gov. Ramsey and Secretary of State Tre Hargett burning with such passion to retain discredited voting technology that has been decertified by other states. Why have they thrown up phony excuses, one after another, to prevent verifiable and credible election results? What do they intend to gain by retaining an insecure, easy to hack computer system? How did this Act, passed overwhelmingly with support by both parties, become a partisan football?
This all doesn't add up to anything good for us Democrats. Chip has been keeping us informed of the Common Cause efforts. Governor Bredesen signed the bill into law without reservation. But I can't find any record of any involvement by him in trying to derail the Republicans' plans. I wish the Governor would get involved considering what is at stake for the 2010 elections and the impact of the 2010 census. Bernie Ellis is right. It is downright odd that the Republicans unexpectedly won all those seats in 2008.
All voters- Democrats, Independents and Republicans- are affected by attacks on the integrity of our electoral system. We probably need any of our Republican friends making as many calls as possible!
Joe Joseph A. Weinberg, M.D. Member, Executive Committee Tennessee Democratic Party representing Senate District 31 1842 Elmhurst Dr. Germantown, TN 38138-2771 901-755-6180 ph 901-755-8707 fax 901-409-7160 cell jaweinberg@pol.net
Posted by Susan Acito at 05:42 PM on Jan-11-2010
Put Your Money In A Local Bank
Posted by Susan Acito at 02:56 PM on Dec-31-2009
Senate Bill Far From Helpful
An insurance company insider e-mail “We WIN,” the insider writes. “Administered by private insurance companies. No government funding. No government insurance competitor.”
I've been anxiously awaiting reform in health care, but the Senate bill is far from what we expected as reform. As one who has 2 pre-existing conditions, I was really dismayed that it specifically would legislate that BC/BS could raise my payment by as much as 50% for the pre-existing, and could raise my payment just because I have a birthday every year. Corporate Dems, along with Traitor Joe Lieberman, have stripped out every vestige of a public option, refused to consider single-payer, and effectively taken out every bit of competition which would have kept prices under control. President Obama, told Senate Dems to cut a deal with Joe, just to get the bill passed, on the assumption that something is better than nothing. Personally, I think this bill is a big Christmas gift to Republicans in the next elections as it mandates that individuals and businesses buy coverage, but we, the people, have no recourse or control over the prices. I'm with Keith on this one. Either add in a public option buy in or kill the bill.
Republican Senator Bill Ketron of Murfreesboro is an insurance salesman. He has taken in over $20,000 in campaign cash from big insurance and large homebuilding special interests. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that he sponsored a new state law to force small contractors and subconstractors to spend their hard-earned profits with him and his insurance buddies instead of spending it on their families in tough economic times.
