Above is a slide show of over 30 photos from the Grow TN Dinner on Saturday, Sept. 19. Thanks to all who came out and made this a wonderful event!
Archive for September, 2009
Photos From Grow TN Dinner!
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009The Heroes Among Us
Monday, September 28th, 2009
BY CONGRESSMAN BART GORDON
A recent survey asked people, “What Makes a Hero?” Similar answers were given – more than 80% said “not giving up until the goal is accomplished” and “overcoming adversity.” People often list religious and historical leaders, members of our Armed Forces, firefighters and sports stars as heroes.
There is another special group of heroes who receive less attention but who positively affect the lives of tens of thousands of individuals each year: people who welcome children into their lives through adoption.
Last year, more than 50,000 children were adopted from the U.S. foster care system and another 17,000 children were adopted from abroad. The people who became parents to these children had to overcome adversity and not give up until their goal of completing the adoption process was accomplished. Each of these parents is a hero in my mind.
Mark and Janet Carlton of Murfreesboro are two such heroes. In August 2008, I was able to help them complete their adoption of a little boy from Guatemala. The adoption process is by no means easy, but Mark and Janet persevered through the process and welcomed Nathan, who is now two years old, into their lives. Mark and Janet attribute their motivation in part to Janet’s late sister, Kathy, who was a social worker at the Heaven Sent Children adoption agency.
I recently nominated the Carlton family to be one of the 2009 “Angels in Adoption” – a program sponsored by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute to honor the good work of people who have enriched the lives of foster children and orphans in the U.S. and abroad. The Carlton family will join 190 other Angels in Washington, D.C. to share their stories with other members of Congress and raise awareness about the thousands of foster children in the U.S. and the millions around the world who need permanent, safe and loving homes.
Growing up without a parent can be especially difficult. Studies have shown that when it comes to school performance, social competency and health measures, adopted children share similarly high scores with children raised by their birth mother and father. Unfortunately, children who remain in the foster care system without a nurturing parental figure don’t perform as well.
Making a difference in a foster child’s life is not limited to adopting. Volunteering to mentor can greatly benefit a child’s life. Studies show that 44% of mentored teens in foster care are less likely to use drugs and 59% have better academic performance. Children who spend time with a mentor also have better relationships with adults, fewer disciplinary referrals, and more confidence.
I encourage anyone who has some extra time to consider mentoring a foster child. For more information, just call 1-866-516-LIFT or visit www.tn.gov/youth/mentoring.
Every child deserves a loving and encouraging parental figure. The people who choose to adopt or mentor a foster child should be regarded as heroes.
Lou Ann Zelenick Thinks Rural Voters Can’t Read A Dictionary
Thursday, September 24th, 2009
It’s easy to see how Lou Ann Zelenick comes to the conclusions she does when you read her latest brilliant analysis of an article that appeared in Roll Call today.
In the Roll Call article, Rep. Bart Gordon dismissed the notion that race played a major part in Obama losing the 6th District instead suggesting it was more due to Obama being too “urbane” for voters.
Obama “seemed to be too urbane” for 6th district voters, Gordon said. “If you’re from some of those small counties, [Obama was] some guy from Chicago that speaks differently than you.”
Gordon acknowledged that racism was also a factor in Obama’s performance in the district.
“Unfortunately, there was probably a little bit of that, but it was more just being urbane,” Gordon said.
Zelenick, expecting rural voters would mistake “urbane” (meaning too polished) with “urban” (meaning inner-city), claimed Gordon was calling people racist.
Addressing Gordon’s charge of racism, Zelenik said, “I cannot imagine what would lead a Congressman to insult his constituents in this manner. The idea that Tennesseans vote based on race is a suggestion I reject entirely. The suggestion that Tennesseans are racists is particularly disturbing when it comes from a person who is supposed to represent our values.
Perhaps Zelenick would care to explain why she doesn’t know the difference between “urbane” and “urban” and apologize to rural voters for thinking we couldn’t figure it out. Bart Gordon has never lost a single county in the 6th District, while Ms. Zelenick was rejected by her own party for a mere state house seat that included only a small part of her own county. It’s easy to see why.
Republican County Mayor Ernest Burgess breaks the law, again
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
Red-faced and caught red-handed AGAIN!
Republican County Mayor Ernest Burgess has broken the law and cost tax payers hundreds of thousands of dollars, but don’t worry. Mayor Burgess tells the Daily News Journal he has a plan to do away with the law in the upcoming state legislative session.
A 52-year-old state law stipulates that the Rutherford County Commission, not the mayor, should have chosen defense attorneys to handle a lawsuit filed by the family whose rezoning request for Bible Park USA was rejected.
According to the “Private Acts of 1957 Chapter 67″ charter between the state and the county, “no official, agent, department, branch or board of said County shall employ other attorneys to be paid out of the public revenues of said County without the approval of the Quarterly County Court (now called the county commission) of said County in advance of such employment.”
Mayor Ernest Burgess, however, made the decision after consulting with County Attorney Jim Cope behind closed doors.
“That’s an out-of-date statute, and we’re going to update it in the next legislative session starting in January,” Burgess said during an interview from his office at the County Courthouse.
How many more embarrassing and expensive mistakes is Mayor Burgess going to dump on the tax payers of Rutherford County? The law the Mayor claims is “out-of-date” is the law, and even the former chair of the Rutherford County Republican Party says what every law-abiding citizen knows.
Commissioner D.C. “Jim” Daniel wishes the 21-member commission had made the call on hiring the attorneys to defend the county.
“I believe we ought to follow the law,” said Daniel, a retired attorney. “The law is the law. Otherwise, you have chaos if you run around contrary to law.”
Chaos is exactly what the tax payers are paying for under Republican County Mayor Ernest Burgess, and we’re all paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in higher taxes for it thanks to Mayor Burgess. Rutherford County deserves a County Mayor and a County Attorney with the moral compass to uphold the rule of law. It is up to the voters to decide whether the criminal behavior of Republican County Mayor Ernest Burgess and bad advice of our county attorney represents the best interests of our community or the selfish interests of a men who think the law doesn’t apply to them.
Read more about Mayor Burgess’s costly lapses of character and judgment:
Inaugural Grow Tennessee Dinner a Huge Success
Saturday, September 19th, 2009
The video above shows clips from local TV news coverage of Saturday’s Grow Tennessee dinner and straw poll. It’s a good introduction to Tennessee’s 5 Democratic Gubernatorial candidates.
You can watch full coverage of this event on WTVF (5) and WSMV (4).
You can read about it in the Murfreesboro Post, Daily News Journal (here and here), Nashville Scene, Nashville City Paper, Clarksville Online, Tennessean, and MTSU Sidelines.
The results are in from Saturday’s straw poll of Democratic candidates for Governor of Tennessee in Murfreesboro. All five Democratic candidates spoke to a sold-out audience at MTSU’s Tennessee Ballroom.
- Sen. Roy Herron - 119
- Sen. Jim Kyle - 81
- Kim McMillan - 58
- Mike McWherter - 32
- Ward Cammack - 13
- Undecided - 12
Here is what blogs from across the state of Tennessee are saying about the straw poll:
I believe Bredesen was the clear front runner by this time in 2001. Despite this result, there doesn’t yet seem to be one for this primary. Kyle has only just started campaigning. McMillan had a stronger showing than many might have expected, especially McWherter. Makes you wonder if the McWherter name is all that familiar to the younger voters coming into the party.
What this means, the long answer: I was rather surprised by McWherter’s poor showing. The main criticism of straw poll-type events is that the results are unreliable because campaigns can just bring in a ton of supporters to skew the results. Yet it did seem, to me at least, that McWherter did have quite a few supporters there. I really want to give him the benefit of the doubt, especially given that we know he can raise the money, but he does seem rather awkward on the stump.
I can see Herron contiuing to do well in the rural areas, but he will get bupkis in Shelby County; only McWherter, if any one, can make a dent in the lockdown Jim Kyle has achieved here in a short period of time. Kyle’s great showing in the Boro will cause others outside Big Shelby to take another look at him. Now, The Boro is in the fifth most populous county in Tennessee, so this is a significant showing for Roy, and suggests the Battle of Weakley County will not be going away any time soon.
Roy Herron won the Rutherford County Democrats’ straw poll Saturday. That’s surprising in itself, but he also trounced Mike McWherter, the one most people see as the party’s strongest candidate for governor. McWherter finished behind even Kim McMillan. He’s always seemed like a dud to me, a guy capable of sucking the excitement right out of a room.
The results of the Rutherford County Democratic Straw poll are hardly scientific, but it sort of holds with my observations which is that Mike McWherter has failed entirely to inspire passion in his party activists. Yes, his name recognition might give him a lead in whatever polls are done, but for anyone engaged, its a lukewarm feeling at best…save the people who feel they “owe” Ned Ray one.
Last evening I attended the 1st Annual Rutherford County Grow Tennessee dinner. What a great event hosted by Rep. Kent & Cecil Coleman, Rep. John & Marilyn Hood, Sen. Andy & Cherry Womack, and Ms. Sandra Y. Trail and held at MTSU’s James Union Building. I truly must commend Jonathon Fagan, Chairman of the Rutherford Democratic Party, for doing an outstanding job.
One by one, the candidates were introduced and strode up to the podium to present speeches that were typically five minutes in length. Each delivered what I would assume were their basic stump speeches. This was a good approach, because the audience didn’t seem to be that familiar with any of them. Here’s my general impression of each speech.
U.S. Imposes Tax on Chinese Tires, Protects American Jobs
Tuesday, September 15th, 2009WASHINGTON – Over the past five years, China has been violating international trade laws by flooding the United States with cheap Chinese-made tires. In response, the Obama Administration announced over the weekend that it would impose an import tax on Chinese-made passenger and light truck tires – a move that Congressman Bart Gordon urged the Administration to take in May.
“This was the right decision. Chinese tire companies have been violating trade laws, which has contributed to more than 5,000 Americans losing their jobs in the U.S. tire industry,” said Congressman Gordon. “We’ve seen the effects in Middle Tennessee – in January, Bridgestone tires announced it would stop producing passenger and light truck tires at its La Verge plant, and hundreds of workers were laid off.”
In late May, Gordon wrote a letter to the U.S. International Trade Commission, urging that Section 421 of the Trade Act of 1974 be enforced “to restore balance in international trade” of tires. “Your positive action on this matter,” as Gordon explained in the letter, “is essential to saving thousands of U.S. jobs and preserving a vital part of our industrial base.” Section 421 gives workers the right to seek import relief when there are surges of products that have caused injury to affected industries.
After examining the evidence, which showed that cheap Chinese tires in the U.S. market had increased from 5% in 2004 to 17% in 2008, the U.S. International Trade Commission recommended an import tax be imposed. On Friday (Sept. 11), the Administration announced it would act on these recommendations and impose a 35% import tax on Chinese tires, which will go into effect on September 26.
“When China joined the World Trade Organization, it agreed to live up to international trade laws,” Gordon added. “By flooding our country with cheap tires, U.S. tire companies have not been able to compete. A crack down on Chinese tire imports that unfairly undermine American workers has long been overdue.”
Friday, September 11th, 2009
Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Conservatives, Liberals, Christians, Jews, Muslims, and even Atheists perished at these two ghostly-lit empty spaces. They had at least one thing in common - they were Americans. Today is not a day for political posturing. It is a day for solemn reflection on those Americans who died by those Americans who still live.
Gordon’s Tort Reform Amendment Supported By President
Friday, September 11th, 2009WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, September 9, President Barack Obama delivered a nationwide address on health care. After outlining a number of priorities, the President stated that he would be instructing the U.S. Department Health and Human Services to move forward immediately on a medical malpractice reform initiative authored by Congressman Bart Gordon.
The day after the speech, Sept. 10, the White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs explained the Administration plans for medical malpractice: “The president and his team will look at very closely what Congressman Bart Gordon put in the Energy and Commerce legislation…to cut down on unnecessary costs and…defensive medicine.”
“The Administration is going to move forward with my proposals immediately,” Gordon added, “test them out in a number of states, and, as I understand it, develop a national policy to effectively reduce frivolous lawsuits.”
Gordon’s amendment to the House Energy and Commerce bill was modeled around a program the State of Tennessee implemented in 2008, which has proven thus far to be effective. The primary goals of Gordon’s amendment were to reduce frivolous malpractice lawsuits and encourage doctors to abandon the practice of defensive medicine.
“Defensive medicine is when doctors order tests and procedures to avoid being legally vulnerable and sued for medical malpractice,” explained Gordon. “This practice has been estimated to cost more than $200 billion each year – it’s one of the largest sources of wasteful spending in the U.S. health care system and we need to do something about it.”
Gordon’s malpractice reform provision will provide incentives to states that implement a “Certificate of Merit” or “Early Offer” program as alternatives to going to court. These programs have been shown to be effective in multiple states at reducing the number of medical malpractice lawsuits filed. Gordon’s measure is the only medical malpractice provision that has been adopted in any of the health care reform proposals before Congress.
First Democratic Gubernatorial candidate straw poll is now SOLD OUT
Thursday, September 10th, 2009
Earlier today, we issued the following press release. Congressman Bart Gordon will be in attendance and is pleased to introduce his good friend Congressman Lincoln Davis as keynote speaker.
The Rutherford County Democratic Party (RCDP) announced today that they have sold out the first straw poll in the 2010 Democratic primary for Governor of Tennessee. The 1st Annual Rutherford County Grow Tennessee dinner will take place Saturday Sept. 19th from 6-7pm CT at MTSU’s James Union Building in the Tennessee Ballroom. Congressman Bart Gordon’s good friend Congressman Lincoln Davis will give the keynote speech at the event.
The evening is hosted by Rep. Kent & Cecil Coleman, Rep. John & Marilyn Hood, Sen. Andy & Cherry Womack, and Ms. Sandra Y. Trail. The event is a fundraiser that will also serve as an important early straw poll of Middle Tennessee Democrats on who they feel has the best vision to move Tennessee forward as our next Governor.
“Not only did we quickly sell out the event we also maxed out the Tennessee Ballroom’s 360 person capacity,” said RCDP Chairman Jonathon Fagan. “The candidate that wins this straw poll will send a strong message to the party, press and donors for weeks to come that they are a serious candidate to move our state forward.”
Gubernatorial candidates Sen. Jim Kyle, Kim McMillan, Sen. Roy Herron, Mike McWherter and Ward Cammack will be at this event and share brief words about the future of our great state.
Local Pastor answers ‘What Would Jesus Do’ on health care reform
Thursday, September 10th, 2009
Pastor Michael Smith, Belmont University & Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Graduate
When I attempt to allow my Jesus-Center to influence my take on health care reform in the United States, I find myself drawn to a few core conclusions.
First, I am to pray and act for the well-being of all others. Among other things, this suggests I am not to seek to protect only myself or those like me but instead to be willing to run some risk, make some sacrifices, for the sake of other women and men. To put it another way, I am my brother and sister’s keeper, and if I understand Jesus rightly, all persons are my brothers and sisters. When I translate the sentiment into policy, I become more comfortable with the idea that some challenges require the wisdom and resources of the entire nation. While I may not yet discern the particulars, I accept that any solution must work for all of us.
Second, I am to seek and speak the truth. We Americans have become far too tolerant of lies told to advance an agenda. I’m afraid we’ve also become far too willing to accept and use lies ourselves, especially if we think a lie will help us “win.” I cannot imagine Jesus condoning the use of a lie for any purpose. Can you? If Christians are to play their proper role in the current debate, we must once again become people who seek and speak truth.
Third, I must lay aside all hatred. A while ago, a Christian woman said to me, “I don’t want any of my money going to help those people.” Whoever “those people” might have been to her, she dispised them. Take a little self-test. Use her phrase (”I don’t want any of my money going to help those people”) and try inserting a specific term in place of “those.” Try inserting terms like “poor,” “black,” “Hispanic,” “unemployed,” “liberal,” “conservative,” “pregnant out of wedlock,” and the like. Keep doing so until you find a term that makes your blood boil. That’s when you will have identified the group of people Jesus calls you to stop hating. Jesus forbids his followers to hate or to allow hatred to govern their life in the world.
Gordon’s Statement on Obama Health Care Speech
Friday, September 4th, 2009In advance of President Obama’s address before Congress on Wednesday about health care reform, Congressman Bart Gordon issued the following statement about what he hopes to hear:
“The President has a tremendous opportunity to refocus the debate on health care reform. To date, there has been considerable partisanship and most of the discussion has been about things we don’t like in the various health care reform proposals, not what we do want.
“I recently held nine different public events in an effort to hear from as many of my constituents as possible. In doing so, it became clear to me that there are a lot of commonsense reforms to our health care system that people agree on and would like to see happen.
“People agree that health insurance should be portable – if you leave or lose your job, your health insurance should stay intact. Insurance companies should be prohibited from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, and they shouldn’t be able to cut off coverage when a person gets sick. Reform should reduce the rapidly increasing cost of health care and health insurance and make it easier for both people to obtain and small businesses to provide affordable coverage. State lines shouldn’t get in the way of insurance companies offering coverage – allowing this will increase options, create competition, and ultimately lower costs. Illegal immigrants should not be able to get taxpayer-funded health insurance. Medicare should be strengthened and improved, which includes eliminating the donut hole. And, any reform proposal should be deficit neutral.
“There is agreement on these issues, as well as others. I hope the President uses his opportunity on Wednesday to propose a more modest plan built around things on which Republicans and Democrats agree. This issue is too important to rush or push through. A reframed, bipartisan approach can bring about many of the reforms our health care system needs.”
5 blog passes available for first TN Democratic Gubernatorial candidate straw poll
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009The Rutherford County Democratic Party is making available 5 blog passes for the Sept. 19 Democratic Gubernatorial candidate straw poll at MTSU. To be considered, please fill out the form below. We will post a list of the bloggers chosen, and you will be contacted as well.
The 1st Annual Rutherford County Grow Tennessee dinner is a fundraiser that will also serve as an important early straw poll of Middle Tennessee Democrats on who they feel has the best vision to move Tennessee forward as our next Governor.
The evening is hosted by Rep. Kent & Cecil Coleman, Rep. John & Marilyn Hood, Sen. Andy & Cherry Womack, and Ms. Sandra Y. Trail.
Gubernatorial candidates Sen. Jim Kyle, Kim McMillan, Sen. Roy Herron, Mike McWherter and Ward Cammack will be at this event and share brief words about the future of our great state.
