SOLUTIONS!

Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House and political analyst, joined the Tennessee Republican Party for a great evening of talking “Solutions” and not partisan politics. Please visit www.newt.org and www.solutionstn.com to get an idea of why it’s important who governs.

Thanks to all who participated in a great evening and continue to make our party a success and to Senator Bill Frist for personally hosting Speaker Gingrich.

 

WELCOME!

The Democrat Party, on a national and state level, is consistently pushing out the average Tennessee voter. Most Tennesseans believe in God, believe you should legally be able to own a gun, know they work hard and want to keep more of their paycheck and reduce the amount taken away by taxes. Most Tennesseans want to have choices on where they send their kids to school, seek health care that is affordable that doesn’t limit their choice of physicians and service, and want secure borders and citizens to be in our state legally, …the list goes on and on.

Senator Barack Obama made very telling remarks that revealed his elitist views about small town Americans who “cling to guns and religion”, Senator Hillary Clinton has plainly stated she will garnish our wages forcing us into her plan for socialized medicine, and now this article from Newsweek that essentially mocks the influence of the values of those of us raised in the South, as noted by the sub-title of the piece: “Southernism is taking over our national dialogue. Maybe it’s time for the North to secede from the Union.”

Michael Hirsh wrote, “We must endure ‘lapel-pin politics’ that elevates the shallowest sort of faux jingoism over who’s got a better plan for Iraq and Afghanistan. We have re-imported creationism into our political dialogue (in the form of ‘intelligent design’).”

Hirsh snobbishly references other writings to support his distaste for the impact of the South on America by looking at the origins of the “demographic makeup and mores of the South and much of the West and Southern Midwest–in other words, what we know today as Red State America.” The author notes: “The outcome was that a substantial portion of the new nation developed, over many generations, a rather savage, unsophisticated set of mores. Traditionally, it has been balanced by a more diplomatic, communitarian Yankee sensibility from the Northeast and upper Midwest. But that latter sensibility has been losing ground in population numbers–and cultural weight.”

Regardless of the pious and grandiose platitudes that emit from the liberal left intelligentsia that insults our faith, our commitment to hard work to provide for our own families, and beliefs that freedom in America is worth the fight, the Tennessee Republican Party welcomes all voters.

MCCAIN’S MARCH TO THE WHITE HOUSE

Putting “families in charge”

John McCain and his wife Cindy appeared at Miami’s Children’s Hospital to discuss health care and his proposed reforms to address accessibility and affordability.

“I believe the key to real reform is to restore control over our health care system to the patients themselves. Americans need new choices beyond those offered in employment-based coverage. That’s why, as president, I will seek to encourage and expand the benefits of Health Savings Accounts, tax-preferred accounts that are used to pay insurance premiums and other health costs. These accounts put the family in charge of what they pay for,” McCain remarked.

“In addition, I will reform the tax code to provide every family the option of receiving a direct, refundable tax deposit - effectively $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 cash for families to offset the cost of insurance,” Senator McCain stated in drastic contrast to the proposals that would socialize America’s health care and limit personal choice as proposed by Democrats. As President, John McCain’s proposal would permit personal ownership, choice and portability of an individual’s health insurance.

TAKING THE HILL

MIKE FAULK- TN SENATE DISTRICT 4

Mike Faulk, of an 8th generation that has called Hawkins County home, developed a proud work ethic in his early years, delivering newspapers, bagged groceries, butchered meat, stocked shelves, worked tobacco and hay fields and disc jockeyed at local radio station WMCH all while he was in high school. His drive and commitment to hard work is evident in his service to his community. From T-ball coach to Juvenile Court Referee, to County Commissioner, to Vice-Chairman of the Hawkins County Republican Party and as the Vice-Chairman of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission, Mike Faulk has shown the heart of a servant leader in his community and in our state. Yet, talk to Mike Faulk for more than two minutes and you’ll hear about his pride and joy - his two exceptional children, Katy and Andy.

In his own words, Mike Faulk displays a belief in an accountable, limited government that serves the people: “I do believe in a lean, limited government with low taxes. To me government’s role is to do the things that we can’t do individually for ourselves. I think we strayed from the intended role of government when someone got the idea that government needs to be all things to all people. I believe government should do the essentials and do them well instead of spreading our tax money too thin. I’m against abortion and I’m for the death penalty. ‘Choice’ is a concept I embrace. But there are few absolutes in this world. I’m convinced that one of the few times that “unbridled choice” shouldn’t be an option concerns the life of the unborn. I live - not just support - the Second Amendment every day. I go back to Dad’s philosophy - take care of your family first. To me that means the use and possession of firearms for personal protection. And deep within me I know the hunter/gatherer gene is never more obvious than when I’m hunting with firearm in hand. I certainly support funding training for state and local law enforcement officers to address illegal immigrants with whom they come into contact. Illegal immigration means ‘illegal.’“

Visit Mike’s website, www.faulkforsenate.com , and get to know him and get involved!

“BAGGAGE” DEFINED

Democrat Governor Phil Bredesen declared that “I’m going to have to just do some sail trimming and maybe tossing some baggage overboard here to keep the ship afloat” in response to the revenue shortfall. After reviewing spending that was based on budget projections that has resulted in shortfall in excess of half a billion dollars, Governor Bredesen now establishes what the “baggage” will be that is tossed…employees.

The City Paper’s John Rodgers first reported that Bredesen announced “he would be instituting lay offs of an undisclosed number of state employees as part of substantial efforts to cut money from the state’s budget.”

Tough decisions are absolutely part of governing. The thought, however, of ending the employment of folks while money that is being spent to construct an addition to the Governor’s Mansion is stunning. This addition is not part of restoration efforts, but rather the construction of an underground ballroom to entertain guests of the Governor.

So the precious cargo of the elite entertainment addition that will benefit those within the Governor’s circle will find safe passage in this budget shortfall while the “baggage” of men and women who work for the state get tossed to “keep the ship afloat.”

If a Republican did this, it would be called “mean-spirited” and “irresponsible.” Let’s see what adjectives and adverbs are used in the days to follow.

INTENTIONS VERSUS RESULTS

“One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results.”
Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman

The high price of gasoline is antagonized by a weak dollar and a swelling demand. However, there are actions that have been viable options, yet rejected over the many years. Now, the seeds planted are coming up as a harvest we don’t like and can’t afford.

As President, Bill Clinton vetoed the legislation in 1995 that would have permitted drilling in a small area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, an area of almost 20 million of acres (almost the size of South Carolina) designated for protection with a portion identified as holding an estimated 10.4 billion barrels of recoverable oil. Had the veto pen not killed the drilling in the northern-most parts of Alaska, marketable product would be flowing to the “the Lower 48″ right now.

Columnist Robert J. Samuelson wrote in the Washington Post about the legislative ban that exists on domestic drilling, “What keeps these areas closed are exaggerated environmental fears, strong prejudice against oil companies and sheer stupidity. Americans favor both ‘energy independence’ and cheap fuel.”

The reality exists: our behavior has to reflect the choices that we have…we must conserve and support alternatives based on science and reason, not extreme environmental activism and scare tactics.

Senator Lamar Alexander is voicing the need to address our energy needs not on a simple policy level, but as a national priority. Senator Alexander, speaking to the National Academy of Sciences meeting, announced that on May 9 in Oak Ridge he will propose that the United States launch a new Manhattan Project - “a 5-year effort to put America firmly on the path to clean energy independence.”

In 1942, the fear of blackmail at the hands of enemies of America which would develop the atomic bomb spurred the enormous challenge of the national priority known as the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, TN. “Today, countries that supply oil and natural gas can blackmail the rest of the world. Today’s need is to create clean energy independence to quickly guarantee victory over that kind of extortion,” Senator Alexander remarked.

Solutions not the soundbytes that come from the political fray will address our energy needs.