TRP Monthly Review
TRP Chairman’s Monthly Review
November 2009
Dear Friends,
I’d like to take you back for a moment to 1993. That year I was in Washington, D.C., working for the U.S. Senate Republican Conference where we spent much of the year educating constituents about the dangers and costs of government-run health care. At that time, President Bill Clinton was pushing his government takeover of health care initiative which in the end, failed. The debate, however, was enough to ignite significant concern about the direction of the country.
In November of 1993, as debate on the Clinton health care initiative really began to heat up, Republicans elected two Republican governors, both of whom had Democrat predecessors. One, Christine Todd-Whitman won in New Jersey by one percentage point. The other, George Allen, won in Virginia by a 17-point margin.
The following November in 1994, Republicans defeated Democrats across the country in an historic landslide. In the U.S. House Republicans gained 54 seats and in the U.S. Senate Republicans picked up eight seats. And it was this election in which leaders such as Bill Frist and Fred Thompson were chosen to represent Tennesseans in Congress.
Fast forward to today. Under the orders of President Barack Obama, liberal Democrats are ramming government-run health care proposals through Congress despite voters’ growing opposition to the measures. And earlier this month voters elected Republicans for governor in New Jersey and Virginia – states that both voted for President Obama and which had been held by Democrat governors. Chris Christie won in New Jersey by four points and Bob McDonnell by a whopping 18 points – both elections yielded wider margins than the historic wins in 1993.
In Tennessee as you know, we recently had a State House special election in Middle Tennessee where our candidate, Pat Marsh, won a seat never held by a Republican. Pat won by 15 points and for three reasons. Pat was a great candidate with a good message. He ran a strong grassroots campaign – knocking on 8,000 doors and making more than 7,000 phone calls in six weeks. Those factors alone would have allowed Pat to win by couple of percentage points. It was the national mood and the concern of voters that got him to 15 points and this election was their first chance to voice that concern.
As I travel across the state, it is evident that voters are concerned about the direction of our country. Events and meetings that would have an average number of people are packed. What I am working on is to continue to build our organization on this foundation of momentum, both politically and financially, and to help put our Republicans in a position for victory in 2010. This is our goal each and every day at the Tennessee Republican Party.
Please enjoy this month’s update on politics in the state and across the country.
Sincerely,
Chris Devaney
Chairman
Tennessee Republican Party
SENATE DEBATE BEGINS ON REID’S GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER OF HEALTH CARE: Earlier this month Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) was barely able to pass her government takeover of health care in the House and now Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is up to bat in the Senate. His government-run health care scheme in the form of a 2,074-page bill will cost $2.5 trillion when fully implemented, raise premiums, raise taxes, burden states, slash Medicare benefits and provide for taxpayer-funded abortions. Despite getting the bill to the floor, Senator Reid is already beginning to see fissures within his caucus. While Democrats believe they can get the bill through the Senate by Christmas, it will likely prove difficult.
From the Tennessee Republican Party:
- Dissecting the Dems’ Health Care Bill: Five Facts Tennesseans Need to Know – TRP Chairman’s Alert (11/20/09)
In the News:
- Senate Democrats Vote to Bring Health Bill to Floor for Debate – Washington Post (11/22/09)
- 20-pound, 2074 Page Bill Steals Show – Washington Times (11/22/09)
- Gaps for Consumers in Democrat Health Bills – Associated Press (11/23/09)
- Health Haggling Heats Up – Wall Street Journal (11/23/09)
- CBO Report Predicts Hike in Insurance Costs – The Hill (11/30/09)
- U.S. Senate to Begin Debate on Health Care Overhaul – Reuters (11/30/09)
- U.S. Senate Health Plan Would Raise Some Premiums – CBO – Reuters (11/30/09)
- Americans Still Leaning Against Health Care Legislation – Gallup (11/30/09)
Senators Alexander & Corker Stand Up for Tennesseans in the Health Care Debate:
- Colloquy Remarks of U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander & GOP Colleagues
- Alexander Says Health Care Bill is “Historic in its Arrogance”
- Alexander Discusses Health Care Reform, Afghanistan on Fox News Sunday
- Corker Says Reid Health Care Plan Takes Our Country in Exactly the Wrong Direction
- Watch Senator Corker discuss health care on CNBC’s Kudlow Report
- Watch Senator Corker discuss health care on CNBC’s Squawk Box
REPUBLICAN MARSHA BLACKBURN EXPOSES MAMMOGRAM RATIONING IN DEM HEALTH BILL: Two weeks ago the U.S. Preventive Service Task Force within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services became the center of controversy after issuing new guidelines on mammograms suggesting women start getting the routine procedure at age 50 instead of 40. After the report was released, Rep. Blackburn put the spotlight on a disturbing portion of House Democrats’ health care legislation relating to the task force’s study saying:
“H.R. 3962 will give this troubling study the force of law and result in limited access to mammograms for women enrolled in a health insurance exchange plan or the public option. In short, connecting the dots through H.R. 3962 will illustrate how these regulations place us all on the slippery slope to health care rationing.”
Democrats have set the stage for health care rationing and the release of this latest report proves that it will happen with mammograms under Speaker Pelosi’s government takeover of health care. Rep. Blackburn uses a four-step model to demonstrate exactly how Democrats’ plan will begin rationing mammograms. To see Rep. Blackburn’s four-step model, click HERE.
From the Tennessee Republican Party:
- Blackburn Exposes Mammogram Rationing in Dems’ Health Bill After Release of Task Force Report – TRP Chairman’s Alert (11/24/09)
In the News:
- New Advice: Skip Mammograms in 40s, Start at 50 – Associated Press (11/16/09)
- Mammogram Guidelines Spark Debate Over Health Bill – Associated Press (11/23/09)
- Mammogram Change Would be Step Backward – Tennessean Editorial (11/24/09)
STATE SENATE DISTRICT 31 GENERAL ELECTION VOTING BEGINS 12/1: Tomorrow, December 1st, polls will open in the general election for the State Senate District 31 seat where Republican Brian Kelsey is working to defeat Democrat Adrienne Pakis-Gillon. Kelsey is a former member of the State House of Representatives, but resigned his seat in September to focus on his State Senate run. If you live in the district, we urge you to please get to the polls and cast your vote to make Republican Brian Kelsey the next State Senator for District 31.
Election Information:
OTHER ITEMS OF NOTE:
- Tennessee’s October unemployment rate remained unchanged from September. Read more HERE.
- ACORN founder, Wade Rathke was invited by the publicly-funded University of Memphis to speak to students. Learn more HERE.
- Please take a look at your Republican U.S. House and Senate Members’ websites to find out what they’ve been doing on your behalf over the last month.
TRACKING CHAIRMAN DEVANEY: During the month of November, Chairman Devaney has attended a number of events around the state. Following is a list of events throughout the month of November in which Chairman Devaney was involved:
11/5 – Attended “An Evening With Dick Morris” with the Republican Women of Williamson County
11/12 – Guest Speaker at Loudon County Republican Party Meeting
11/17 – Guest Speaker at Bradley County Republican Party Event
11/18 – Guest Speaker at Vanderbilt College Republicans Meeting
