EDITORIAL ON ANDY HOLT !

To the Editor, Weakley County Press

 Two years ago District 76 voted to replace long-time state representative Mark Maddox with newcomer Andy Holt. Mr. Holt’s representation is now a matter of public record. I can think of no stronger argument for returning Mr. Maddox to Nashville. 
Mr. Holt has supported legislation to take rights from teachers, as well as to dictate what can and cannot be said in a public school classroom. He supported requiring a photo identification to vote. 
In a return to the embarrassment of the Scopes “monkey trial,” Mr. Holt voted in favor of allowing the challenge of scientific theories in the classroom. 
The horrific case of animal abuse in Weakley County earlier this year illustrates how important it is to have multiple, easily accessible avenues for reporting such behavior.  Mr. Holt sponsored a bill, thankfully defeated in committee, that would hold citizens exposing such crimes via the media or social networks in violation of law. 
Continuing with animals, he sponsored a bill to allow horses to be slaughtered for meat in our state. It is common practice in many countries to consume horse meat, but not in the United States. I do not understand why we would want to take on the task of slaughtering the animals in a country that finds this practice abhorrent. 
Mr. Holt sponsored a bill to allow home visits that must be conducted by case workers and counselors to be held using the SKYPE program. It is unrealistic to think that all the necessary information that is collected during an actual in-home visit could be gathered through a computer screen. 
Mr. Maddox gave Tennessee the no sales tax holiday, the do-not-call list limiting the number of telemarketing calls placed to private residences, sponsored legislation ending the probationary teaching license which eliminated reams of cumbersome paperwork. His work made it more difficult to sell nitrous oxide to minors. He held regular meetings throughout the district for the purpose of listening to his constituents. 
Furthermore, he was a friend to the Tennessee Education Association, The Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, the juvenile court and the Department of Children’s Services. He consistently supported legislation to protect our most vulnerable citizens. 
Both Andy Holt and Mark Maddox are devoted family men. Both are professionals with many years’ experience in their respective fields. Both hold office in their churches.  But only one is the right choice for District 76. Please join me in voting to return Mark Maddox to the Tennessee House of Representatives.  


Sincerely,
Joyce Hale
McKenzie

Ditto : Underdog = Don Jones

Fiat Lux

FIRE THE TEA PARTY~ You Bet`Cha !

                                                                   

Thanks for adding your name !

We can't let Republican obstruction block President Obama's agenda in his second term. That means we need to fire the Republican House majority. Help us send 100,000 "Tea Party Pink Slips" to Boehner and Cantor.

Please forward this email to 3 friends right now and ask them to add their name to our Tea Party Pink Slip:

http://dccc.org/Fire-the-Tea-Party.

You can also share this petition on Facebook and Twitter:
Even better, now you can print out a pink slip and send it directly to a Republican Member of Congress or Speaker Boehner’s mailbox. Just go to http://dccc.org/Send-A-Pink-Slip to get started.

Together, we can send the Tea Party packing this November. Thank you for your support!

Thanks for all you do,

Underdog = Don Jones

"Democracy...is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch"!

Liberty...is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.

Fiat Lux

Tennessee Senators Abandon Vets

     Tennessee’s Senators Abandon Veterans

NASHVILLE, Tenn. –  a bill that would assist veterans. In a stunning display of indifference towards the needs of America’s bravest, Senate Republicans voted today to block work to ensure employment for our veterans who return home after serving their country (Senate Roll Call). 

“Over the past few years, Americans have become increasingly frustrated with the Republican politicians in Washington who have committed themselves to stopping progress on creating jobs and growing our economy,” said Chip Forrester, Chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party. “Few of us could have imagined that their commitment to hurting our economy to spite the president would extend to turning a blind eye toward the needs of our veterans.” Despite garnering 58 votes in support of the bill, Senate Republicans were able to use procedural gimmicks to block the ‘Veterans Jobs Corps Act of 2012’ which would provide “$1 billion over five years to hire 20,000 young veterans for public lands jobs and prioritize vets for first responder jobs such as police, firefighter, or EMT. The measure would have also provided young vets access to the infrastructure with which to assist in job searches, such as access to computers, internet and career services advisers” (ThinkProgress).   Tennessee Senators Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker joined their fellow obstructionist Republicans in blocking passage of this important legislation.

“It is shameful to see Republicans use our veterans like political pawns when we should be doing everything in our power to ensure our heroes can successfully transition back to civilian life,” Forrester said. “Tennesseans should call or write Senators Alexander and Corker and demand they reverse course and put the needs of Tennessee Veterans above their political goal of sabotaging the president.”

Contact Information for Tennessee’s Senators who voted against the Veterans Job Corp Act:

Sen. Lamar Alexander

455 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

(202) 224-4944

Sen. Bob Corker

185 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

(202) 224-2934

"Democracy...is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch"!

Liberty...is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.

Fiat Lux

President Obama: Join People of Faith for Obama

Obama makes ‘unwavering’ pledge to protect religious liberty in new video

By Alicia M. Cohn - 09/17/12 03:07 PM ET

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President Obama on Monday made a campaign pitch to “people of faith” in which he reaffirmed what he called his “unwavering” commitment to “protecting religious liberty.”

“I know faith is often used as a wedge in our politics, and with a new election year comes new attacks,” Obama said in the video. “The American people should know this: In a changing world, my commitment to protecting religious liberty is and always will be unwavering. As America's religious diversity grows, we have the chance to reaffirm the pluralism that has defined us as a nation. A pluralism that is expansive enough to protect the rights of all to speak their minds and to follow their conscience.”

Obama has faced numerous charges of conducting a “war on religion” from Republicans. Earlier this year, the White House faced a national backlash from GOP and Christian groups after it issued a mandate requiring most employers to provide birth control for women in their healthcare plans without charging a copay. The requirement triggered several unresolved lawsuits by religious-affiliated employers that object to certain methods of birth control.

Mitt Romney renewed those charges in a TV ad released last month.

“President Obama used his healthcare plan to declare war on religion, forcing religious institutions to go against their faith," the ad charged. “Mitt Romney believes that’s wrong.”

Obama confronted the charges in the video without using his GOP challenger’s name. He took three minutes to speak directly about his own “Christian faith, which has guided me through my presidency and in my life.” He also connected his policies, including the auto bailout and healthcare reform, to his religious beliefs in a way he typically reserves for events such as the National Prayer Breakfast.

“This job is full of tough decisions, and at the end of every day, each president needs to act based on what their values are and what they believe,” Obama said in the video. “On issues like education, poverty and immigration, I’m standing on the side of human dignity and a belief in the inherent work of all human beings.”

The video points supporters to a page on the campaign website set up specifically for “people of faith” to sign up to support the president’s reelection.

Fiat Lux

An Open & Inspiring Letter from ROY HERRON...God Blesss You !

Don, 

My father’s been gone for 35 years, but yesterday afternoon, I visited my nearly 96-year-old mother in the ICU.  Her eyes were open, really open, for the first time since before the ambulance took her to the hospital last Friday. 

I leaned close, talked loud, and told her that yesterday, September 10th, was my father’s 100th birthday. She squeezed my hand and then, within three hours, Mother went to join him. She was never one to miss a birthday party.

Last week, Nancy’s mother entered hospice care.  Today, less than twenty-four hours after my mother went home, Nancy’s mother -- with her two daughters holding her -- also went home. She is now with her husband.  She didn’t want to miss the party either.

One friend said this is a tough time for our family, but I am overwhelmed with gratitude.  When our mothers have been with us for a combined180 years, we can surely be grateful for blessing after blessing, year after year. Their lives were full, and they have filled our lives with love.

Now we will honor and remember two wonderful women, two loving mothers, and two precious grandmothers.  For my mother, we will gather in Dresden at the First United Methodist Church for visitation on Friday night between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. and a Celebration Service on Saturday at 11:00 a.m.  For Nancy’s mother, we will gather in Memphis for a Committal Service this Sunday morning and a Memorial Service over Thanksgiving.

As we give thanks, please keep our family in your prayers. And know that we are praying for you and yours.

Your friend, 

Roy Herron

Editorial : None needed !

Fiat Lux

America First...You Bet`Cha !

Don't Let Congress Leave Without Saving American Jobs.

Congress has one last chance to stand up to China’s cheating and save American jobs. Before your Member of Congress comes home to campaign for this November’s election, tell him or her to pass China currency legislation. Here’s why. America's trade deficit with China rose for the fifth straight month.  In fact, it reached a new monthly record of $29.4 billion in July.
When the trade deficit goes up, that means jobs go down.  A recent report by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) shows our trade gap with China cost the U.S. 662,100 jobs between 2008 and 2011 alone, and 2.7 million jobs from 2001-2011. Click here for an interactive map showing this job loss in each state and congressional district. One of the principal reasons for this staggering job loss is China’s undervalued currency. Recent national polling for the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM) shows that 64% of voters believe that this currency manipulation has cost U.S. jobs.
 We can’t afford to wait.  It’s time to ensure that American businesses and workers have a level playing field when competing with China.  Before Congress finishes for the year, it needs to pass China currency legislation. <> Click here to send a message to your Member of Congress urging the House of Representatives to pass H.R. 639, the Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act.
Together, we can make a difference.

Thanks for all you do,

Underdog = Don Jones

"Democracy...is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch"!

Liberty...is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.

Fiat Lux

HEALTH INSURANCE ~ A NIGHTMARE ! You Bet`Cha !

Sisters and brothers, My name is Karrie Turner.  I’m a proud Steelworker wife – married to the love of my life, Craig, and a mommy to three young boys: Travis, Trenton and Tucker. I’m writing to share my story and to ask you to please keep fighting for me and my family. As a member of USW Local 7248, Craig works hard every day.  In October 2005, when our first-born Travis was just 9 months old, our world was turned upside down. Our baby was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, a rare form of liver cancer. Travis was so sick he almost died. And just three months into his treatment, our insurance company kicked him off because the cost of his care had reached $1 million.  You can watch our story here.   Craig and I were devastated and shocked. How could this happen? We did everything we were supposed to do.  My husband went to work every day and paid for good benefits. But that didn’t matter to the insurance company. So Travis was forced onto Medicaid, and we spent the next few years fighting like heck to get the health care our son so desperately needed. Now, at age 7, Travis is in remission and back on Craig’s insurance because the Affordable Health Care Act championed by the USW and signed by President Obama bans the kind of lifetime caps that allowed our son to be dropped. Some call this law “Obamacare” and promise to repeal it. Our family calls it an answer to our prayers, and we’re counting on you to help us protect it. I’m not a political person, or a union official or wealthy campaign donor. I’m just a mom.  And as a mom, I’ll do everything in my power to protect my kids.  President Obama fought for my son. Now, my family is fighting for him. Will you please join us?  And when you cast your vote on Nov. 6, please remember my son. Thank you, Karrie Turner Pioneer, Ohio "Loyalty to country, always. Loyalty to the government when it deserves it." ! "Democracy...is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch"! Liberty...is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote. Fiat Lux

NO WAR with IRAN !

                                                                        

Even as the drumbeat for war with Iran grows louder, there has been scant attention paid to the costs of another war.

Click below for a sample script and the number to call: Before we start another unnecessary and costly war, policymakers should understand what it will do to our military, to our economy and to our national security. Don't let Congress ignore the consequences of attacking Iran .

That is why progressive anti-war champion Rep. Barbara Lee has asked her colleagues in Congress to co-sign a letter to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and the Office of Management and Budget Acting Director Jeffery Zients, asking them to provide a report detailing the projected costs of a potential war with Iran.

The deadline for co-signing the letter is tomorrow.

Can you call your representative, Stephen Fincher, today and ask him to co-sign Rep. Lee's letter? Click here for the number to call and a sample script.

Making the call today is vital for two reasons.

First, we have heard from our friends on Capitol Hill that members of Congress are not hearing from constituents who want to avoid an unnecessary and costly war with Iran. So we should use every opportunity to demonstrate that constituents will be shocked and angry if we casually start another costly and unnecessary war.

Second, if we bomb Iran, it will set the entire Middle East on fire, send oil prices through the roof and our economy off a cliff — something our nation simply cannot afford.

But the current clamor for war entirely ignores this reality. So we should support efforts like this to highlight the very serious consequences of attacking Iran.

The more members of Congress who co-sign Rep. Lee's letter, the more likely it is that the request for a report will carry weight with the officials who receive the letter.

Please take a minute to pick up the phone today and make a call asking Rep. Fincher to co-sign Rep. Lee's letter. Click the link below for a sample script and the number to call:

http://act.credoaction.com/call?tg=FHTN_08&cp_id=261&id=46280-3026155-ID6DSqx&t=7

Thank you for all you do,

Underdog = Don Jones.