NASHVILLE, TN – The Tennessee Republican Party welcomes the election of former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele as the new National Chairman of the Republican Party.

“Michael Steele’s election today as Chairman of the Republican National Committee brings fresh leadership and a welcome new toughness to the party as it tackles the challenge of rebuilding a Republican majority in Congress and also at the state level all across America,” said Robin Smith, Chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party.

In his brief speech after his election, Steele hailed the “conservative principles that have made us the strong and proud party that we are,” and promised to not concede any region of the country to the liberal opposition.

Chairman Steele’s remarks upon his election as chairman: Click Here.

WOW, THAT DIDN’T TAKE LONG!

As the U.S. Congress and the White House, now both controlled by Democrats in the majority, begin addressing the “crisis” of our economic recession, the tax-and-spend-liberal comes out from behind the “post-partisan” mask.

Let’s look at the “answers” from Democrats led by President Barack Obama, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:

1) A “spending package” of $825 BILLION – financed by adding to the national debt and the future tax burden of your children and grandchildren – must be passed “now” to “create jobs”… yet, only about 1/7th of the outlays occur in the current fiscal year

2) Included in the out-of-control spending package were these few examples of Democrat payoffs and the return to welfare spending:

• $5.2 Billion for ACORN (”community organizers” currently under criminal investigation by 14 states and the FBI for massive voter fraud)
• $335 million for Sexually Transmitted Disease prevention
• $1.5 billion for a “carbon-capturing contest”
• Adding $600 million to the already $3 billion for government fleet cars

3) Free the United States from the dependency of foreign oil by domestic drilling that will yield American jobs. This makes sense to the majority of Americans, except Democrats. Democrat Interior Secretary Ken Salazar indicated the drilling plan the Bush administration left on his desk likely will be scrapped. It would open the entire Atlantic and Pacific coasts for drilling. According to press accounts, President Bush issued a draft for energy leases to be made available in the Atlantic and Pacific waters that have been off limits. This draft plan was presented four days prior to President Obama taking office. Newsmax.com reports, “But Salazar indicated that plan is all but dead.”

The less-than-conservative New York Times commented that the Democrats’ spending spree is “a tool for rewriting the social contract with the poor, the uninsured and the unemployed, in ways they have long yearned to do. With little notice and no public hearings, House Democrats would create a temporary new entitlement allowing workers getting unemployment checks to qualify for Medicaid, the health program for low-income people. Spouses and children could also receive benefits, no matter how much money the family had.”

In these perilous financial times, it is very evident: The agenda of radical Democrats is to extend the reach of government not just for critical spending to address real economic problems, but to take more of your money into the federal Treasury to then redistribute your wealth to individuals and programs that aren’t “critical” to the turnaround of our economy but are critical to paying off special interest groups traditionally allied with the Democrat Party.

Democrats want to call the spending spree an “economic stimulus,” but it really is just a pork-fest of gargantuan proportions, stuffed with all manner of earmarks, pork projects and special-interest payoffs that Democrats were unable to get through Congress previously. Only now, instead of calling them earmarks, payoffs and pork, they are calling them stimulus – and driving America deeper into debt – by more than $1 TRILLION when interest is included on the $825 billion. That’s more than $3,300 in additional government debt for each and every American family, and when the bill comes due, if Democrats are still in control, you know where they’re going to go for the money: your pocket, through higher taxes.

Not to be out-done by the House, the Senate is preparing to add even more pork to the legislation. Senate Democrats want:

• $20 million “for the removal of small-to medium-sized fish passage barriers.”
• $400 million for STD prevention
• $25 million to rehabilitate off-roading (ATV) trails
• $34 million to remodel the Department of Commerce headquarters building
• $70 million to “Support Supercomputing Activities” for climate research
• $150 million for honey bee insurance.

Honey bee insurance?

PRINCIPLED LEADERSHIP HONORED

Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey was honored in Washington, D.C. on Thursday evening when he was selected Chairman of the Republican Lt. Governor’s Association. Lt. Governor Ramsey has been a champion for the principles and policies that make Tennesseans proud. Congratulations, Lt. Governor!

2010 GOVERNOR’S RACE FORMING

Tennessee’s Governor Phil Bredesen is term-limited creating an open seat during the upcoming 2010 election. The deep bench on the Republican ticket has resulted in three announced candidates to date: Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons, Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam and U.S. Congressman Zach Wamp. These gentlemen have already begun their initial campaign activities and will certainly be in your counties during the next several months.

One Democrat who will not be in the gubernatorial race is U.S. Congressman Lincoln Davis. Davis had earlier made his sentiments known of his desire to seek the Tennessee Governor’s post, but he has decided to remain in Congress to help his fellow Democrats do what they do best: tax and spend, and over-regulate the American economy.

FINALLY!

The full Republican National Committee is now in the meeting that has generated much activity and press. The election of the next RNC Chairman is today with the candidate pool of current Chairman Mike Duncan, former Lt. Gov. of Maryland Michael Steele, former Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, Michigan GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis, and South Carolina Chairman Katon Dawson. The meeting will conclude Friday with a full day of floor activity and balloting.

The newly-elected Chairman will have much to face with Democrats controlling the federal government with an aggressive pursuit of socializing health care, releasing enemy combatants committed to destroying Americans from Guantanamo into U.S. prisons, delaying infrastructure spending in the spending package in favor of special interest payoffs, pork and earmarks.

NASHVILLE, TN – The Tennessee Republican Party will continue to oppose creation of a state income tax even though the Tennessee Democrat Party has just elected a new chairman whose idea of “change” is the state taking more of it out of your pocket via an income tax.

In 1999, as a member of his party’s executive committee, new TNDP chairman Chip Forrester voted for a resolution calling for creation of a state income tax of 2.5 percent, to raise an additional $2 billion for a state government that had already proven unwilling to live within its means.

By contrast, the Tennessee Republican Party came out firmly and unequivocally against the proposed state income tax in 1999 – and has remained staunchly opposed to it.

“The Tennessee Democrat Party for years has tried to hide its pro-income tax stance, knowing that most Tennesseans, including many of their own voters, oppose the tax and believe the state’s budget problems are caused by too much spending, not by too little taxes,” said Bill Hobbs, communications director for the Tennessee Republican Party.

“By choosing as chairman someone who advocated for and voted for a state income tax, the leadership of the Tennessee Democrat Party has done the people of Tennessee a service: they have clarified for all to see that the Tennessee Democrat Party wants an income tax. When Chip Forrester and the liberal candidates he will recruit to run for the state legislature promise ‘change,’ what they really will be planning is a return to pushing ideas that Republicans and most Tennesseans rejected a decade ago.”

CHOICES

The Tennessee Republican Party State Executive Committee conducted a telephonic meeting last week and will have a similar follow up meeting to continue deliberations of the now 30 written challenges to the Bona Fide status of Rep. Kent Williams as a Republican. As time has passed, Mr. Williams’ alleged sexual harassment of a female legislative colleague in view of other state legislators on two occasions have resurfaced and shine additional light on the deliberations.

The Tennessee Republican Party takes very seriously the obligation to our supporters, elected officials and contributors to represent principled leadership that operates on the foundation of integrity and character. In contrast to media accounts and the few who are committed to the defense of Mr. Williams behavior, any action to date and any in the future will be in response to his personal decision and choice to betray his colleagues on repeated occasions.

In one of my favorite books, “The Traveler’s Gift” is an excerpt: “Our very lives are fashioned by choice. First, we make choices. Then our choices make us.”

SURVEY SAYS

The online survey we have had up for a week with only one email notification as to its availability has generated an incredible response. These results reflect the sentiments we’re hearing in the calls to our office and in postal mail: Our Party must have as its first priority integrity.

STILL FIGHTING FOR REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP

The Republican House Caucus Leadership is due a tremendous “thanks” and “congratulations” for fighting for the appointment of seven Chairmen posts of the thirteen that should’ve been awarded to the majority party. The creation of a Republican Deputy Speaker position was also a move that resulted from the Caucus leadership to offset the “Speaker Emeritus” position given to Democrat Jimmy Naifeh. The Tennessee Republican Party is proud that the Caucus is determined to represent the voices of Tennessee voters for principled leadership in difficult times, despite the backroom deal cut by Tennessee Democrats.

TNGOP Press Release

House Committee Appointments

SENATE REPUBLICANS TO DRIVE AGENDA

The Senate Republicans are in place to lead, squarely behind the leadership of Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey and Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris. Committee assignments reflect a strong agenda that will be pro-business and ready to work with the Governor to address a difficult budget year. Congratulations to each of these men and women who are committed to solving the problems Tennessee faces during this economic downturn.

Senate Committee Appointments

RNC CHAIRMAN’S ELECTION

I have enjoyed receiving the countless emails and other correspondence from individuals expressing their support of a favorite candidate for RNC Chairman. I have read every piece of correspondence. I have read all the candidate’s “plans” and have attended the forums, interviews and debate. I have intentionally remained uncommitted to encourage this flow of information and to remain focused on my job description: Chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party.

I am looking forward to casting my vote next week for the individual who bests articulates the principles of our Party, has demonstrated a commitment to the value of our state party organizations and the grassroots, possesses a track record of winning and raising political funds. The selection will not be easy. I have heard many request certain qualities and values be represented in the next RNC Chairman. I do believe there is a candidate that will lead our Party through an era of opportunity and growth.

I listened to a past RNC Party Chairman, former Senator Bill Brock, speak to a time that the Republican National Committee was in a time of change and needed focus. He relayed that there were those who were even discussing a change of the Party’s name (like Democrats now use “progressive” v. “liberal”). Senator Brock profoundly noted, “We don’t need to change our name, just live up to it.”

Let’s support our next RNC Chairman and encourage all to “live up to” the principles that make us Republicans.

NASHVILLE, TN – Tennessee made more political history today with the appointment of Republican lawmakers to chair more than half of the 13 committees in the state House of Representatives. This is the first time in recent history that Republicans have chaired a majority of the committees in the state House, and is the result of Republicans winning a majority of seats in the state Legislature.

“While Republican lawmakers should have been appointed to chair all of the committees, we are gratified that the Republican caucus leadership fought hard and secured seven committee chairmanships in the wake of last week’s backroom deal in which the minority-party Democrats installed their choice as Speaker,” said Robin Smith, Chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party.

In the November 2008 election, Republicans won a majority of seats in the state House for the first time since 1868. Under the previous Democrat majority, no Republicans were appointed as committee chairs.

The committee appointments, announced Thursday, include Republicans as Chairman of seven committees: Calendar and Rules, Commerce, Consumer & Employee Affairs, Conservation & Environment, Education, Government Operations and State & Local Government.

However, Democrats will continue to chair six committees, including the important Finance, Judiciary and Transportation committees.

The Speaker not only cheated the Republican majority out of half of the chairmanships it deserved, he has created the potential for gridlock by appointing to most of the committees and an equal number of Democrats and Republicans.

“Tennessee is facing tough times and serious choices, and voters last November voted for conservative leadership, but Kent Williams has decided to create a system designed to create gridlock in the House,” Smith said. “That’s unfortunate, but the Republican-led Senate, under the capable leadership of Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, stands ready to lead Tennessee through tough times based on sound conservative principles and honest dealings with the public and with fellow lawmakers.”