thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Former Ohio Republican Party Chairman Starts Super PAC to Help Joe Biden Get Elected

Matt Borges , who was formerly the Ohio Republican Party chairman , has started a Super PAC with the intent of helping Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden win in November .
Borges along with former top Bush and Trump administration officials , including former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci , launched Right Side PAC with the hope of getting disgruntled Republicans to vote for Biden .
The new Super PAC will focus on Michigan , Wisconsin , Pennsylvania , Arizona , North Carolina and Florida , Axios reported Wednesday .
It will not be focusing on Ohio .
According @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to use digital , mail and telephone tactics to reach these voters .
The Super PAC in its messaging will focus on Biden ’ s record on “ free trade , states ’ rights , federal spending and respecting U.S. diplomatic and military alliances.
” “ We want to take an opportunity to kind of reset things , ” Borges said , according to Axios .
“ And the first way to do that is cut out the cancer and start rebuilding.
” “ We ’ re not trying to become Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intend to vote for every other Republican on the ballot .
And I expect that there are others like me who aren ’ t looking to leave the party.
” Axios said the Right Side PAC will complement another PAC , The Lincoln Project , which is focused on television ads instead of voter turnout .
The Lincoln Project was started in December 2019 by NeverTrumpers with the intent of preventing Trump from being elected again .
Borges told the Cincinnati Enquirer that he will not vote for President Donald Trump in 2020 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and parting from normal GOP stances on free trade .
The former Ohio Republican Party chairman voted for Trump in 2016 .
“ For a lot of us , we ended up voting for Donald Trump because we knew what a disaster Hillary Clinton would be .
We were willing to give Donald Trump a chance , ” Borges told The Enquirer .
“ In some ways , he ’ s even been worse than we feared he could be.
” Borges and Trump had a falling out in 2016 when the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the 2016 presidential election .
Borges , who was a close ally to former Ohio Governor John Kasich , had publicly criticized Trump before the election , according to Politico .
Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Star News Digital Media .
If you have any tips , email Zachery at [ email protected ] Follow Zachery on Twitter @ zacheryschmidt2 .
Photo “ Joe Biden ” by Gage Skidmore .
CC BY-SA 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--In a 5-4 Decision, Roberts Joins Supreme Court Liberals to Reject Trump Bid to End DACA

WASHINGTON , D.C. ( AP ) — The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected President Donald Trump ’ s effort to end legal protections for 650,000 young immigrants , a stunning rebuke to the president in the midst of his reelection campaign .
For now , those immigrants retain their protection from deportation and their authorization to work in the United States .
The 5-4 outcome , in which Chief Justice John Roberts and the four liberal justices were in the majority , seems certain to elevate the issue in Trump ’ s campaign , given the anti-immigrant rhetoric of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions his administration has imposed since then .
It was the second big liberal victory at the court this week , following Monday ’ s ruling that it ’ s illegal to fire people because they ’ re gay or transgender .
The justices rejected administration arguments that the 8-year-old Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program is illegal and that courts have no role to play in reviewing the decision to end DACA .
Trump ’ s first reaction came on Twitter , where he retweeted a comment incorporating a line from Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thomas called the ruling “ an effort to avoid a politically controversial but legally correct decision.
” Roberts wrote for the court that the administration did not pursue the end of the program properly .
“ We do not decide whether DACA or its rescission are sound policies , “ Roberts wrote .
“ We address only whether the agency complied with the procedural requirement that it provide a reasoned explanation for its action .
Here the agency failed to consider the conspicuous issues of whether to retain forbearance and what if anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recipients.
” The Department of Homeland Security can try again , he wrote .
But any new order to end the program , and the legal challenge it would provoke , would take months , if not longer , immigration experts said .
The court ’ s four conservative justices dissented .
Justice Thomas , in a dissent joined by Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch , wrote that DACA was illegal from the moment it was created under the Obama administration in 2012 .
Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in a separate dissent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acted appropriately in trying to end the program .
DACA recipients were elated by the ruling .
“ We ’ ll keep living our lives in the meantime , ” said Cesar Espinosa , who leads the Houston immigration advocacy group FIEL .
“ We ’ re going to continue to work , continue to advocate.
” Espinosa said he got little sleep overnight in anticipation of a possible decision Thursday .
In the minutes since the decision was posted , he said his group was “ flooded with calls with Dreamers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to at least be in this country for a while longer.
” From the Senate floor , the Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said of the DACA decision , “ I cried tears of joy.
” “ Wow , ” he went on , choking up .
“ These kids , these families , I feel for them , and I think all of America does .
DACA covers people who have been in the United States since they were children and are in the country illegally .
In some cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home other than the U.S .
The program grew out of an impasse over a comprehensive immigration bill between Congress and the Obama administration in 2012 .
President Barack Obama decided to formally protect people from deportation while also allowing them to work legally in the U.S .
But Trump made tough talk on immigration a central part of his campaign and less than eight months after taking office , he announced in September 2017 that he would end DACA .
Immigrants , civil rights groups , universities and Democratic-led states quickly sued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s plan on hold .
The Department of Homeland Security has continued to process two-year DACA renewals so that hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients have protections stretching beyond the election and even into 2022 .
The Supreme Court fight over DACA played out in a kind of legal slow motion .
The administration first wanted the justices to hear and decide the case by June 2018 .
The justices said no .
The Justice Department returned to the court later in 2018 , but the justices did nothing for more than seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hear arguments .
Those took place in November and more than seven months elapsed before the court ’ s decision .
Thursday ’ s ruling was the second time in two years that Roberts and the liberal justices faulted the administration for the way it went about a policy change .
Last year , the court forced the administration to back off a citizenship question on the 2020 census .
Mark Sherman reports for The Associated Press .
AP writers Jessica Gresko , Lisa Mascaro and Nomaan Merchant in Houston contributed to this @ @

Eighteen individuals are now collecting petitions for Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District race as of last Friday.
Twelve people are collecting qualifying petitions for the GOP primary, three are gathering petitions for the Democrat primary, and three independents are also accumulating petitions.
The 12 Republicans listed on the Tennessee Secretary of State’s website as collecting petitions are former Speaker of the Tennessee House Beth Harwell of Nashville, businessman Baxter Lee of Nashville, Robby Starbuck of Franklin (listed as Robert Starbuck Newsom), Geni Batchelor of Lebanon, Natisha Brooks of Nashville, former Williamson County GOP Chair Omar Hamada of Franklin, Timothy Bruce Lee of Nashville, Annabelle Lee of Madison, Alan Clement Sharp of Nashville, David Vitalli of Brentwood, Stewart Parks of Nashville, and Richie Lee of Nashville.
Among the publicly announced candidates, Tennessee newcomer and former State Department spokesman Morgan Ortagus and retired Brig. General Kurt Winstead have not yet been listed as having begun their qualifying petitions process. Hamada has not yet made a decision as to whether or not he is officially entering the race.
Records show that Harwell, Starbuck, Brooks, Baxter Lee, Ortagus, Winstead, Batchelor, and Timothy Bruce Lee have also filed candidate paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC). Starbuck has raised $255,066.53 and has $138,741.16 on hand, which Brooks has raised $24,517.00 and has $19,655.34 on hand. The rest filed their FEC paperwork after the year-end December 31, 2022 deadline. The 2022 first quarter January 1-March 31 financial reports, which are scheduled to be released in mid-April, will cover all candidates who have reached the FEC reporting threshold.
Sources tell The Star that several Republican candidates are expected to have impressive fundraising totals.
Clay Faircloth, Richard H. Harris, and Joel Michael Hurbert, all from Nashville, are listed as collecting petitions for the Democrat primary.
Derrick Brantley of Nashville, Patrick O. Halfacre of Hohenwald, and Richard A. Shannon of Franklin are the independents who are collecting petitions. Shannon has appeared on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy. Only Brantley appears to have filed documents with the FEC.
In order to appear on the ballot, candidates are required to collect 25 valid signatures from registered voters and have until noon on April 7 to turn in those qualifying petitions. Candidates who qualify have until April 14 to withdraw their names from the ballot. The Tennessee Secretary of State’s Office told The Star, unless pending legislation changes things, that they will finalize the ballots on April 21.
The 5th Congressional District consists of parts of Davidson, Williamson, and Wilson counties, and all of Maury, Marshall, and Lewis counties.
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Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected] Follow Aaron on GETTR.
Photo “U.S. Capitol” by Martin Falbisoner. CC BY-SA 3.0.


thetennesseestar--2020-06-18--Nashville Mayor John Cooper Announces Police Chief Steve Anderson’s Retirement

Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson will retire in likely six months ’ time .
Nashville Mayor John Cooper announced this at a press conference Thursday — a conference that Anderson did not attend .
This , as The Tennessee Star reported , after left-wing activists and Metro Council members pushed for either Anderson to resign or for Cooper to fire him .
Time after time , reporters asked Cooper if he asked Anderson to retire .
Cooper did not seem to answer their questions , at least not directly .
“ There will be a national search to find a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We need to find the best chief for Nashville .
Those experienced with these kinds of national searches tell me that at least six months can be an appropriate time frame to expect a search to be concluded , ” Cooper said .
“ As per civil service rules , I will have a committee to assist me with the search process .
Nashville will host a major national event in October with the presidential debate at Belmont , and I am asking the chief to guide our city through that challenge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for providing continuity and a smooth transition.
” The first reporter asked Cooper if he asked Anderson to retire .
Yes , I think it is the right decision for the city at this time , and the chief specifically wanted me to announce it .
He ’ s engaged in 45 years of service to the community and that service requirement , I think that expectation is for the chief executive of the county to make that decision and we have .
We have together .
I have enjoyed getting to know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me books and most recently , I feel we have a great relationship , but , as I have frequently said to the chief , we ’ re going to have a new chief .
The question is when and how to do it well .
He has had a long career .
We need both the best policies and the best personnel going forward .
We were always going to need that , and we ’ re going to get that .
Then another reporter asked the same question — and whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said no , and that “ people , at a certain age , do retire.
” “ People would like to twist that in different directions , conceivably , but people are allowed to retire .
I actually think the chief ’ s contribution to the city in the months ahead may be the greatest that he ’ s offered to the city as we have a smooth transition and we enact policies that are deeply committed to by all the elements of the community , ” Cooper said .
“ People are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s best for Nashville to understand that , with the chief ’ s help , the opportunity that gives us to have a new era — all cities to have a new era — in how we do things .
My own election , last year , I feel was part of the city embracing a new era .
This is not going to be the only area in Nashville government that is going to have changes.
” As The Star reported last week , members of the American Civil Liberties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to resign .
In particular , ACLU members expressed frustration with Anderson ’ s alleged refusal to collaborate with the Community Oversight Board , which was established in 2018 .
This , after the deaths of Jocques Clemmons and Daniel Hambrick .
The board has independent authority to investigate allegations of misconduct against the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Steve Anderson ” by Nashville.gov .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-19--Gov. Lee Shares His ‘Child Wellbeing Plan’ With First Lady Melania Trump

Gov .
Bill Lee spoke by phone Wednesday with First Lady Melania Trump on a new task force to address children ’ s mental and physical health during the COVID-19 pandemic .
The White House said Penny Schwinn , commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Education , also participated .
Lee told the First Lady about the state ’ s COVID-19 Child Wellbeing Task Force .
The group has a focus on whole child care , providing more than academic support to include mental and physical health and well-being .
Lee and Schwinn talked about their successes in building strong @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-profit groups so communities and local leaders have resources to care for children and families .
The First Lady spoke about the importance of ensuring the well-being of all children , including minority children who may face additional barriers to care , and Governor Lee and Commissioner Schwinn described how Tennessee is working to reduce barriers and using COVID-19 testing sites as an additional way to connect communities in need with other critical social services .
Commissioner Schwinn also emphasized Tennessee ’ s commitment to finding innovative ways to care for children with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education department said the task force will take a holistic approach to health and will check on kids ’ welfare and encourage activities in the summer and fall .
By July 6 , the group will report on the impact of school closures on kids and critical services .
Later in July , they will provide guidance for doing child welfare checks for the summer and school season .
By October , they will give suggestions for how communities may handle future school closures .
The Task Force will convene bi-monthly through June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August through December 2020 .

by Bethany Blankley
Nineteen attorneys general, led by Indiana, have filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of a lawsuit filed by Texas and Missouri against the Biden administration.
They’re asking the Supreme Court to uphold a lower court’s order instructing the Biden administration to follow the law to fully reinstate the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), otherwise known as the “Remain in Mexico” policy.
“No one is above the law in America, and we are simply insisting that the Biden administration follow the law,” Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita said (pictured above).
“The rule of law is the framework that enables American liberty to survive and thrive,” he added. “The situation at our southern border provides the perfect example of how going soft on the rule of law gives rise to anarchy, chaos, and ultimately the erosion of our freedom and safety.”
In January 2021, President Joe Biden announced via executive order that he was terminating MPP. Months later, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas began dismantling it and other immigration policies. Southern border encounters then surged to historic levels. In Biden’s first year in office, Customs and Border Protection and Border Patrol agents encountered or apprehended roughly 2 million people entering the southern border illegally. This number excludes the several hundred thousand who are estimated to have evaded law enforcement.
At the same time, Mayorkas implemented a wide range of policy changes to effectively halt most deportations. CBP and Border Patrol agents were directed to release illegal immigrants into the U.S. en masse instead of sending them back to Mexico to go through the immigration process.
Texas and Missouri sued, District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of the Northern District of Texas granted their request for a permanent injunction and ordered the administration to reinstate the MPP. He ruled the administration violated the Administrative Procedure Act when it halted the MPP.
The administration appealed to the Fifth Circuit and U.S. Supreme Court and lost. Both courts denied its request to stay Kacsmaryk’s ruling.
After its Supreme Court loss, the administration said it was appealing Kacsmaryk’s ruling, vowing to “vigorously challenge it.” In a statement, it said, “As the appeal process continues, however, DHS will comply with the order in good faith. Alongside interagency partners, DHS has begun to engage with the Government of Mexico in diplomatic discussions surrounding the Migrant Protection Protocols.”
But compliance hasn’t happened, as evidenced by the flood of illegal immigrants the administration is releasing into the U.S. and by the tactics it’s used in court to circumvent the law, the AGs argue.
“From the beginning of this Administration, the United States has been forthright about its intention to terminate MPP simply because it did not like the program, and its conduct demonstrates its readiness to do anything – including ignore the APA’s requirements – to accomplish that objective,” they argue in the brief.
“The Administration’s ‘act now, justify later’ approach began on Inauguration Day, when it summarily paused MPP,” they add.
Throughout the appeals process, “the Fifth Circuit correctly concluded that the United States’ efforts to avoid judicial review violated basic principles of procedure,” they argue.
An unprecedented number of people are expected to come through the southern border after the administration ends the Title 42 public health authority May 23, the attorneys general have argued, necessitating the urgency for the Supreme Court to weigh in.
Implemented under President Donald Trump in January 2019, the MPP led to a reduction in the number of people entering the U.S. illegally. The Trump administration also invoked Title 42 to enable CBP and Border Patrol agents to quickly expel illegal immigrants and prevent entry to a greater number of people during a public health emergency.
Current law requires those not authorized to enter the U.S. to be detained, to stay in Mexico, or be “paroled” into the U.S. based on narrowly defined case-by-case circumstances including “urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.”
The Biden administration has been issuing paroles en masse to release illegal immigrants into the U.S., the attorneys general argue, violating the law.
The administration maintains it’s inherited a flawed system, and its policies are more humane than the previous administration’s. White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters last December after the administration lost another court battle in the case, “it is not our preference to be reimplementing and reinstituting the Migrant Protection program. … we still feel that the program is inefficient, inhumane, and we are not – we weren’t, we were – did not eagerly reimplement it.”
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Bethany Blankley is a regular contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “AG Todd Rokita” by AG Todd Rokita.


thetennesseestar--2020-06-19--Newt Gingrich Commentary: Three Generations of Brainwashing Pays Off for the Left

As we watch radicals tear down statues , deface monuments , intimidate people who want to stand for the National Anthem , demand the firing of people who write or say something deemed inappropriate to the Leftist Anti-American Theology , it is utterly clear that many Americans today hate America .
People ask me how we ’ ve gotten to this point .
All of this is the result of three generations of brainwashing going back at least to Herbert Marcuse , the German-born University of California , San Diego professor who taught young Americans the philosophical foundation of Marxism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1972 , Theodore White was warning that the liberal ideology was becoming a liberal theology and dissent was less and less acceptable to the left .
We have watched the hard left , the America hating totalitarians who want to define acceptable speech , as they took over the academic world .
The college boards – made up of supposedly sound community leaders – refused to fight .
Public universities and colleges continued to hire vehement anti-American professors , the state legislatures and governors refused to fight .
Alumni continued to give to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children and grandchildren to despise them .
We did not think through the eventual reality that graduates who had been taught systematic falsehoods would take those falsehoods into their jobs .
As President Ronald Reagan said , “ the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they ’ re ignorant ; it ’ s just that they know so much that isn ’ t so.
” As I write in my upcoming book , Trump and the American Future , this educated ignorance has now infested our news media , bureaucracies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fanatics .
It is this fanaticism which has been so visible in the last few weeks .
The uprising by the self-righteous fanatics of The New York Times got their opinion editor fired for the sin of publishing a conservative senator ’ s op-ed .
The fanatics at The Philadelphia Inquirer got their editor fired for running the headline “ Buildings Matter Too.
” In case after case , the new fanaticism is imposing a thought police model reinforced by the Maoist tradition of public confession and group solidarity .
We were warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marxism in the Soviet Union , President Reagan was worried by the rise of anti-Americanism in our own country .
He warned of the collapse of support for America in his farewell address on Jan. 11 , 1989 .
It is lengthy , but I want to include it here , because it is important to recall now : “ There is a great tradition of warnings in Presidential farewells , and I ’ ve got one that ’ s been on my mind for some time .
But oddly enough it starts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m proudest of in the past eight years : the resurgence of national pride that I called the new patriotism .
This national feeling is good , but it won ’ t count for much , and it won ’ t last unless it ’ s grounded in thoughtfulness and knowledge .
“ An informed patriotism is what we want .
And are we doing a good enough job teaching our children what America is and what she represents in the long history of the world ?
Those of us who are over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up in a different America .
We were taught , very directly , what it means to be an American .
And we absorbed , almost in the air , a love of country and an appreciation of its institutions .
If you didn ’ t get these things from your family you got them from the neighborhood , from the father down the street who fought in Korea or the family who lost someone at Anzio .
Or you could get a sense of patriotism from school .
And if all else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patriotism from the popular culture .
The movies celebrated democratic values and implicitly reinforced the idea that America was special .
TV was like that , too , through the mid-60s .
“ But now , we ’ re about to enter the 90s , and some things have changed .
Younger parents aren ’ t sure that an unambivalent appreciation of America is the right thing to teach modern children .
And as for those who create the popular culture , well-grounded patriotism is no longer the style .
Our spirit is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reinstitutionalized it .
We ’ ve got to do a better job of getting across that America is freedom — freedom of speech , freedom of religion , freedom of enterprise .
And freedom is special and rare .
It ’ s fragile ; it needs production [ protection ] .
“ So , we ’ ve got to teach history based not on what ’ s in fashion but what ’ s important — why the Pilgrims came here , who Jimmy Doolittle was , and what those 30 seconds over Tokyo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ago on the 40th anniversary of D-day , I read a letter from a young woman writing to her late father , who ’ d fought on Omaha Beach .
Her name was Lisa Zanatta Henn , and she said , ` we will always remember , we will never forget what the boys of Normandy did.
’ Well , let ’ s help her keep her word .
If we forget what we did , we won ’ t know who we are .
I ’ m warning of an eradication of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultimately , in an erosion of the American spirit .
Let ’ s start with some basics : more attention to American history and a greater emphasis on civic ritual.
” It would have been a struggle to win this fight for America 31 years ago when President Reagan warned us of the consequence of teaching falsehoods and anti-American lies .
Now it will be much , much harder .
If we want America to survive as a constitutional republic under the rule of law , which protects the right of free speech @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each one of us is endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights , among which are life , liberty , and the pursuit of happiness , we have no choice but to fight to defeat the anti-Americans and reassert our nation .
Reagan would understand .
Lincoln would understand .
Freedom itself is at stake .
Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Newt Gingrich is a nationally syndicated opinion news columnist , host of the Newt ’ s World podcast , and author of the New York Times bestsellers Understanding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ More of his commentary can be found at www.Gingrich360.com .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-19--Nashville Beer Board Punishes Four Bars Downtown for Allegedly Not Complying with COVID-19 Guideline

Nashville Beer Board Punishes Four Bars Downtown for Allegedly Not Complying with COVID-19 Guidelines

Members of the Metro Nashville Beer Permit Board penalized four bars downtown this week after they said staff at those establishments , including Kid Rock ’ s Big Ass Honky Tonk & Rock N Roll Steakhouse , ignored city guidelines as businesses re-open after the COVID-19 pandemic .
Moxy Nashville Downtown , Broadway Brewhouse , and Nudie ’ s Honky Tonk were the other three bars .
Will Cheek , who represents Nudie ’ s in this matter , told The Tennessee Star Thursday that Beer Board members imposed a five-day suspension of their beer permit .
“ I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a suspension .
They got our attention .
We know what we ’ re supposed to be doing going forward , and we will be doing it .
Nudie ’ s will be safe .
It will be a good place to go and enjoy a good time — but they didn ’ t have to suspend our permit to get our attention .
They got it , ” Cheek said .
“ We fixed the problem .
So they don ’ t want our customers at the bar .
So we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re in compliance now.
” Nudie ’ s staff may contest this suspension at a hearing , which Beer Board members will hold at a still unscheduled date , Cheek said .
“ We will have an opportunity to contest the citation or contest the penalty .
We will be contesting the penalty , because we think a suspension is too harsh at this stage , ” Cheek said .
“ Keep in mind these places have been closed for several weeks , and they have lost a lot of revenue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another five days is really harsh .
I will ask that they reduce it to a fine.
” Staff at Nashville Moxy Downtown and Broadway Brewhouse declined our requests for comment .
No one at Kid Rock ’ s bar or the Nashville Beer Permit Board returned The Star ’ s requests for comment Thursday .
As reported this week , health officials in Tennessee have cited 14 Nashville businesses for not complying with coronavirus public health orders .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-06-19--Sen. Lamar Alexander: Make the Two Most Important COVID-19 Telehealth Policy Changes Permanent

U.S. Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander ( R-TN ) this week weighed in on the topic of telehealth .
Alexander said the government should permanently extend at least two of the most important temporary changes in federal policy made to help patients see doctors by phone or video during the COVID-19 pandemic .
“ As dark as this pandemic event has been , it creates an opportunity to learn from and act upon these three months of intensive telehealth experiences , specifically what permanent changes need to be made in federal and state policies , ” Alexander said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Alexander said the federal government should permanently extend policy changes that allowed physicians to get reimbursed for a telehealth appointment wherever the patient is located , including the patient ’ s home .
He also said the feds should permanently extend the policy change that nearly doubled the number of telehealth services that Medicare could reimburse .
He said there were 29 other temporary federal policy changes that the feds can consider to make permanent .
Alexander made his remarks this week during the Senate Health Committee hearing – “ Telehealth : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which featured testimony from telehealth experts about the rapid shift in response to COVID-19 from in-person doctor visits to health care being provided virtually .
“ In 2016 , there were almost 884 million visits nationwide between patients and physicians , according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , ” Alexander said .
“ If 15-20 percent of those were to become remote permanently due to telehealth expansion during COVID-19 – that would produce a massive change in our health care system .
Our job should be to ensure that change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outcomes and better patient experiences at a lower cost.
” Alexander said part of this explosion in remote meetings between patients and physicians is possible because temporary changes in federal and state policies made it so .
“ The private sector , too , has made important changes .
One purpose of this hearing is to find out which of these temporary changes in federal policy should be maintained , modified , or reversed – and also to find out if there are any additional federal policies that would help patients and health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services using telehealth , ” Alexander said .
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star .
Follow Chris on Facebook .
Email tips to [ email protected ]


thetennesseestar--2020-06-19--Right-to-Work Constitutional Amendment Clears Tennessee Legislature in First Go Around

A resolution that would enshrine right-to-work protections in the Tennessee Constitution has passed the state House after already clearing the Senate .
“ Since 1947 , Tennessee has valued the right to work because we understand that it is truly a right , ” Rep. Robin Smith , R-Hixson , said on the House floor Wednesday evening before the resolution passed , 67-23 .
Right-to-work has been protected under state law since the 1940s , but Senate Joint Resolution 648 would elevate the protection through a constitutional amendment .
The protection prohibits a person from being hired or fired based @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a union , whether it be in the private or the public sector .
The proposed amendment reads : “ It is unlawful for any person , corporation , association , or this state or its political subdivisions to deny or attempt to deny employment to any person by reason of the person ’ s membership in , affiliation with , resignation from , or refusal to join or affiliate with any labor union or employee organization.
” Smith said right-to-work states have higher income , higher value from businesses and higher population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future Legislatures or an activist judge from trying to remove the protection .
She said Tennessee ’ s neighbor , Virginia , has had efforts to repeal its right-to-work protections despite establishing them the same year as Tennessee and there have been efforts at the federal level to remove these protections nationally .
The resolution generally has support from Republicans and business groups who argue it gives workers more choice and encourages businesses to operate in the state .
“ Ultimately , this is about protecting worker freedom , ” Rep. Ryan Williams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a person wishes to join a union and pay dues for that union ’ s representation , he or she has every right to still do so , but if a worker wishes to remain independent , this protects that right to do the same.
” Most Democrats and unions oppose the resolution , arguing it weakens union power and diminishes worker protections .
“ I think binding us to a policy that keeps wages low is not a good idea , ” House Minority Leader Mike Stewart , D-Nashville , said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest of most people in Tennessee , particularly at this time when our country is already suffering from a significant trend whereby income is attenuating and the wealthy are getting wealthier and working people are getting less and less of a share of our economy.
” The resolution already had passed the Senate , but Tennessee has a long constitutional amendment process .
Now that the resolution has passed both chambers , it must be reintroduced in the 2021 legislative session and be approved by a two-thirds vote in both chambers .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be placed on the general ballot in 2022 and will need to be approved by the majority of voters .
Tyler Arnold reports on Virginia and Tennessee for The Center Square .
He previously worked for the Cause of Action Institute and has been published in Business Insider , USA TODAY College , National Review Online and the Washington Free Beacon .
Photo “ Tennessee Capitol ” by FaceMePls .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-19--Metro Councilman at-Large Steve Glover: ‘If Metro Government Doesn’t Understand the Damage They’ve D

Metro Councilman at-Large Steve Glover: ‘If Metro Government Doesn’t Understand the Damage They’ve Done Right Now to Nashvillians, They Never Will’

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed Metro Nashville ’ s City Council Member-at-Large Steve Glover to the newsmakers line .
During the third hour , Glover described the situation where the Metro Nashville City Council voted 32 to 8 in favor of a 34 percent tax increase which was designed by Council Chairman Bob Mendes .
He was clearly sickened by the vote and stressed to all registered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the polls in December as well as sign the 4goodgovernment.com petition .
Leahy : We are joined now by our very good friend Metro Council Member-at-Large Steve Glover .
Good morning Steve .
Leahy : So yesterday in the early morning Metro Council voted 32 to eight in favor of a 34 percent property tax increase .
Tell us how that happened .
Glover : Well , 32 percent wasn ’ t enough I guess .
( Leahy chuckles ) The way it happened was the way this junk always happens .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is an amendment where I got caught in a rock and a hard spot because it removes steps back out in the Mendes bill because there were cuts to the police department .
So I had to do somewhat of a trade-off I guess .
I feel like a heel because some of the steps on that are not going to go for all the employees .
You know we have some work to do .
And I am trying my best to see if we can correct that .
And I will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was a farce .
Not one real cut .
Not one real bite of the apple to knock the spending down .
In my budget , all they said was oh , you are going to cut the essential services of the government .
Well , I ’ ll tell you as a small business owner I consider the services that I offer essential and the government shut us down .
And as you are well aware !
I used to be able to come down to the studio .
Obviously you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses in town are at such a handicap because they can ’ t open doors completely .
Can ’ t have 100 percent occupancy .
So many blocks but yet the government feels like we just need to keep plugging along spending money .
Oh , and by the way , we don ’ t have enough so we ’ re going to take more out of your pocket .
It really is sickening .
Leahy : Why did the council raise it to a 34 percent property tax increase ?
That was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Mayor Cooper ’ s 32 percent property tax increase .
Glover : Why they didn ’ t is because who knows ?
I never would have gone there period .
Mine was about a 21 percent is what it ended up being .
I felt like it could have been lower .
But every obstacle they could throw at me they threw at me .
I began working on this at the end of April , first of May and worked throughout the month .
Then I worked all the way up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could to try and negotiate inside of the system .
It ’ s built and designed to fail people because all the power lays within the mayor and the director of the finances office .
Everything we wanted to do that was logical and that would actually save taxpayers ’ money without we ’ d have to have approval from the finance director .
Nice person .
Look , I have a lot of respect for him .
A very very smart man .
But at the end of the day , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is well here ’ s the stuff that we want to do and this is what we ’ re going to do .
When Councilman , Chairman Mendes proposed an even higher tax rate , my goodness !
You want to talk about singing to the choir on that side of the aisle .
That ’ s their favorite hymn .
Give me more money and I ’ ll show you how well I can spend it .
Leahy : The final budget that passed goes into effect July 1 , right ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase in spending has there been from the previous fiscal year to the next fiscal year starting July 1 ?
How much spending will increase ?
Glover : They ’ ll say only about 105 million .
I say they want it to 332 million more .
So they don ’ t talk about spending because they want to make up a hundred million of it basically in a reserve fund in a one year period .
We didn ’ t blow all that out in a one year period , yeah .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit .
Normally we wouldn ’ t go that heavily .
But we ’ ve got to make it all up .
Our policy says five percent .
It ’ s amazing how they use the policies when it ’ s to their advantage .
But whenever it ’ s uncomfortable for them and when I say them I ’ m talking about the administration .
Let me be very clear , or those in the council that want to take what I call the easy road and just take money out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to figure out how to be more responsible with the people ’ s money .
That ’ s what they do .
It ’ s written in such a way where they go , no , no , no .
We have to do this and we have to do that .
Leahy : So the increase in this budget over the last year is five percent or more ?
Glover : $ 332 million .
No .
We went from like two points three to two point four million .
Yes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that range .
Leahy : Did anybody , anybody say , “ Oh it ’ s an economic problem out there for people to pay these taxes because you ’ re shutting their businesses down , or limiting their businesses .
What we ought to consider is actually cutting spending.
” Did anybody at all suggest that ?
Glover : Are you talking about anybody other than myself ?
Leahy : That ’ s exactly what I ’ m saying , Steve .
Glover : Ok. No .
No .
I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There were others that agreed .
Look , Michael , let ’ s face it , I ’ m the most vocal Conservative there is out there .
I get beat up every day and that ’ s fine .
That doesn ’ t bother me .
I ’ m a pretty tough old bird .
The one part as I said that bothers me more than anything else was the steps for the Metro employees .
It got very fast .
It got very contentious at the end .
I also didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ police officers in the way that amendment was built .
I didn ’ t vote for the Mendes budget but I did vote for that amendment and I ’ ll stand up and tell people why I did .
I don ’ t believe in defunding our police .
I don ’ t believe in cutting our police force at all .
I regret that there was that particular casualty .
There was no step in the mayors .
This had a one percent cola .
I ’ m certainly not saying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overall .
But when you look at the money , the Mendes budget was going to eliminate the 48 new positions that the police department had and I just couldn ’ t go that route either .
I was afraid the Mendes budget was going to pass .
I picked a couple of the amendments and voted for them to make sure they got on the bill .
And then as I said , I did not support the Mendes budget which is the one that passed .
I supported mine which was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase .
Which I still felt like was far too much .
But , I cut somewhere in the neighborhood of about 88 million .
It ’ s what the additional cuts were over what the mayor ’ s office says they “ cut.
” Mine were real cuts .
It would have required furloughs .
It would have required sitting down with a pencil and actually going to work .
It doesn ’ t matter to me because we don ’ t get that option as to say , furlough , do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cut the money .
And that ’ s what I did .
I had a very calculated process that I worked through on mine .
I got eight votes on mine .
That kind of tells you what the balance is in that council .
There ’ s your math .
Leahy : Metro Council member-at-Large Steve Glover , only eight of 40 members of the metro council voted for your much better proposal .
Leahy : And eight voted against the Mendes budget that increased property taxes 34 percent and increases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Let me ask you this .
It says to me that in our democratic system here in Nashville we have only elected a very small percent , 20 percent of the council has common sense .
A very small percent of the council has common sense .
That ’ s the only conclusion I can come to .
What does that say about the future of Nashville ?
Glover : It says that there is a petition going around right now that will limit tax increases without a vote by the people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sign that petition and that you sign that thing .
Glover : Oh , you already know that .
Ok. Good !
Leahy : This is the proposal that Jim Roberts has put out there .
And if it gets enough signatures there will be a charter amendment on the ballot in December correct ?
Glover : And people better go vote .
Glover : They better go vote .
I don ’ t necessarily like the percentage that ’ s built into that one .
But I think it ’ s fine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t get its act together and doesn ’ t understand the damage that they ’ ve done to the people of Nashville right now they never will .
Leahy : Metro Council Member-at-Large Steve Glover , thanks so much for giving us the first-hand report of what happened at the Nashville Metro Council early yesterday morning .
Listen to the full third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City Hall ” by Nicolas Henderson .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-19--Injunction Extended Against Removing Lee Statue in Virginia

RICHMOND , Virginia ( AP ) — A judge on Thursday indefinitely extended an injunction preventing the Virginia governor from removing a historic statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee from a famed avenue in the former capital of the Confederacy .
Richmond Circuit Court Judge Bradley Cavedo made the decision after hearing from attorneys for the state and for the plaintiff in a lawsuit against Gov .
Ralph Northam .
Earlier this month , Cavedo had issued a 10-day injunction barring Northam from removing the bronze equestrian statue of the Confederate hero from Monument Avenue .
Cavedo granted a motion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , agreeing that the original lawsuit had issues of legal standing , but he also gave the plaintiff , William C. Gregory , another 21 days to file a new complaint .
Gregory is described in the lawsuit as a descendant of signatories to an 1890 deed that transferred the statue to the state more than a century ago .
“ I want Mr. Blackburn to have another shot at it , ” the judge said , referring to Gregory ’ s attorney , Joseph Blackburn Jr. Gregory and Blackburn declined to comment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Attorney General Mark Herring said the judge had given the plaintiff “ an opportunity to come back again and have another bite at the apple.
” But he said he was confident the result would be the same the next time and pledged to fight as long as it takes to remove the statue , which he called a symbol of oppression .
“ I want to be clear about this , ” Herring said at a news conference after the hearing .
“ This grandiose monument to a leader of a four-year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America in order to perpetuate a brutal and immoral system that enslaved millions needs to come down.
” Northam , a Democrat , recently ordered the statue ’ s removal , citing the pain gripping the nation over the videotaped killing of George Floyd , a black man in Minneapolis who pleaded for air as a white police officer pressed a knee into his neck .
Floyd ’ s death has sparked global protests that participants have vowed to turn into a sustained movement focused on addressing racial injustice and police brutality .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and monuments of historical figures around the world .
Alena Yarmosky , Northam ’ s spokeswoman , said the governor ’ s administration was disappointed with the injunction but said it was not unexpected .
“ We are evaluating the specific next steps but make no mistake – this statue will be removed , ” she said in a written statement .
The 12-ton ( 11-metric-ton ) Lee statue is about 21 feet ( 6.4 meters ) tall and sits on a pedestal nearly twice that high in the grassy center of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a prestigious residential thoroughfare in Richmond .
Now cloaked in graffiti , it and other nearby monuments have become a rallying point during more than two weeks of protests and occasional clashes with police .
The statue was unveiled before a massive crowd in May 1890 , at a time when the Civil War and Reconstruction were long over , and Jim Crow racial segregation laws were on the rise .
Judge Cavedo wrote in his original injunction order that it was in the public interest to delay any action until the resolution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state agreed to “ faithfully guard ” and “ affectionately protect ” the monument .
Herring , also a Democrat , argued in a brief filed Tuesday that the 1890 deed transferring the statue does not prevent the governor from removing it or entitle Gregory to injunctive relief .
“ The only question is whether a single plaintiff may call upon the equitable powers of this Court and use 130-year-old documents and inapplicable doctrines of property law to countermand the Governor ’ s decision .
He can not , ” Herring ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is one of five Confederate monuments along Monument Avenue , part of which has been designated a National Historic Landmark district .
Monuments along the avenue have been tagged with messages that say “ end police brutality ” and “ stop white supremacy.
” Recently , protesters pulled down a century-old statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis that stood along Monument Avenue .
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney announced plans to seek the removal of the other Confederate monuments on the avenue , including statues of Confederate Gens .
Stonewall Jackson and J.E.B .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ land .
The Lee statue is on state property .
Del .
Lamont Bagby , chairman of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus , called the statue ’ s removal “ inevitable.
” In remarks after Thursday ’ s hearing , Bagby said he is concerned about potential clashes between protesters of police violence who have been gathering regularly at the statue and people who want to keep the statue up .
“ The longer it ’ s there , the more risk we have of them clashing , and that won ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Sarah Rankin reports for The Associated Press .
AP reporter Alan Suderman contributed to this report .
About the Headline Photo : Workers for The Virginia Department of General Services install concrete barriers around the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue Wednesday June 17 , 2020 , in Richmond , Va .
The barriers are intended to protect the safety of demonstrators as well as the structure itself .
( AP Photo/Steve Helber )


thetennesseestar--2020-06-19--Commentary: How Beijing Buys Influence

Commentary: How Beijing Buys Influence

The Chinese Communist Party is waging information warfare to shape American public opinion and influence our economic and government policy to their benefit .
The CCP doesn ’ t shape public opinion by buying billboards and TV ads .
That kind of persuasion is far too American for them .
Instead , they co-opt our leaders and buy entire companies .
China ’ s methods are more sophisticated and insidious than simply passing off envelopes stuffed with cash to American agents of influence .
Often , the agents don ’ t even know they ’ ve been recruited .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , making them unwitting recruits .
Rarely do you hear one of these influencers say , “ That Communist Party of China sure is great—we ought to let it run the show !
Everyone get on board !
” Instead , they ’ ll say something along the lines of “ doing business with the CCP is good ol ’ free market capitalism , ” or “ we need a peaceful and harmonious world , ” or “ this is what any reasonable person would advocate.
” But everything they say and do—or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t do—advances the aims of the CCP .
Some of these influencers have a vested interest in the status quo .
Disney , the parent company of ABC News , owns a theme park and distributes films in the People ’ s Republic .
Ditto NBC ( Universal theme park/studio ) , CBS ( Paramount Studios ) , and CNN ( Warner Brothers theme parks and studio ) .
Hollywood needs permission from China ’ s government to distribute its movies , so it gives the Communists in Beijing the “ final cut.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ China have been declining to speak up even when the CCP hacked their computers , stole blueprints , and produced knock-offs of their own products .
Not only did they not file complaints against trade law violations , but they also went further and advocated continuing the same lopsided dysfunctional relationship that has empowered Beijing .
They feared offending the regime that had absolute control over their business in China .
They knew China could withhold or revoke permits , impose restrictions , and even confiscate their factories .
Wall Street financiers earn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Communist government .
Beijing has given billions of dollars to Bridgewater Capital , a private equity fund run by Ray Dalio .
Naturally , you will often see Dalio on TV telling us all how China ’ s Communist system is superior to our own .
Hank Paulson headed Goldman Sachs when he wasn ’ t U.S. Treasury Secretary .
He and his fellow Wall Street bankers have been reliable partners in advancing the Chinese Communist Party line promoting globalism-über-alles .
Wall Street is in it for the money and they either don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care that they ’ re selling out the United States .
Commerce has weakened their spirit of patriotism .
Wall Street has pushed hard to invest American pension and index funds in Chinese government-controlled companies .
This not only shovels money to the dictators , but it also threatens to turn millions of ordinary Americans into Chinese agents of influence as they will be loath to stand up to the CCP lest their pensions and stock portfolios be endangered .
Beijing has directly paid McKinsey & Company management consultants , and McKinsey in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ politicians—what a great and responsible business partner the CCP is .
Then there ’ s the import lobby .
Everyone from Walmart and the Footwear and Apparel Association ( really the footwear and apparel importers association ) to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable depend on cheap imports from China .
They lobby against tariffs on China , which coincidentally , is exactly what the CCP wants them to do .
Note that many newspapers depend on advertising revenue from these importers and the retailers who carry their goods .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s in “ the national interest ” for us to continue down the current path with China , they mean it ’ s in their own business interest .
The Chinese Communist Party understands the corrupting influence of foreign business entanglements .
Financial journalist and author Eamonn Fingleton explains how the Chinese empire threw itself open to foreign capital in the 19th century .
“ The foreign investors formed alliances with the local elites , who in effect became lobbyists for the foreign capital .
Foreign money quickly suffused government and largely disabled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came to identify with the foreigners , ” he writes .
The Chinese Communists learned from that history and now run the same play , only in reverse .
They bought American elites and use them as their lobbyists in Washington .
The elites have come to identify their interests with the CCP ’ s interests .
American businesses became Beijing ’ s apologists and lobbyists .
The CCP uses this same tactic around the world .
Germany , France , and Great Britain also have global corporations eager to drink from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Union and Germany have been largely silent as Beijing crushes Hong Kong .
Diplomats in Brussels and Berlin took their cue from corporations that don ’ t want to disrupt business with Beijing .
Remember this the next time you hear “ we can ’ t go it alone , we must work with our allies ” to take on China .
The CCP is adept at peeling off allies .
It exploits the weaknesses of its targets to enlist them in its cause .
Businessmen like money , so Beijing offers lucrative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so the CCP has campaign donors to work its will on our political leaders .
Policymakers need to believe they are big thinkers and strategic masterminds , so the CCP cloaks its nationalist agenda in the language of “ globalization , ” “ globalism , ” and “ a post-national future.
” Reporters are susceptible to groupthink and conventional wisdom .
They self-censor in their intellectual insecurity and suck up to their powerful sources on Wall Street and in Washington , so the CCP plays to these weaknesses .
The CCP corrupts everything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in our economy , and in our government .
Curtis Ellis is policy director with America First Policies .
He was also a senior policy advisor with the Donald J. Trump presidential campaign in 2016 .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-19--Dr. Carol Swain Discusses Her Busy Schedule and Proposes a ‘Back the Blue’ Event to Celebrate Police

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Dr. Carol Swain to the studio .
During the second , Swain discusses her busy schedule and her appearance at President Donald Trump ’ s first rally this Saturday in Tulsa post-coronavirus .
She later in the segment suggested listeners help her organize a BBQ with music and speakers to celebrate the police calling it “ Back the Blue.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we always are every Thursday by our good friend , all-star panelist , former Vanderbilt professor , and former mayoral candidate here in Nashville , Carol Swain .
Good morning Carol .
Leahy : I always mention that you are sartorially splendid .
You have a beautiful outfit today .
A yellow jacket with print there .
Obviously you are traveling today , right ?
Where are you going today ?
You ’ re going to leave the program a little bit early because you have an important mission .
Where are you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ m headed to Dallas for the premiere of the film Uncle Tom .
Leahy : Oh you ’ ve talked about that .
Tell us about the film Uncle Tom .
Did you have a role in that film or did you advise on the film ?
Swain : It ’ s a documentary about black conservatives and their experiences and their philosophies .
And I was told that my story became an essential part of the film .
But I haven ’ t watched it yet .
I will see it on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning I will fly to Tulsa and participate in the Trump rally .
Leahy : You ’ re going to participate in the Trump rally ?
You are busy .
Swain : And then the following week , I ’ ve been invited to a small luncheon with the vice president .
I was told it would be very small and they would like me to share my ideas about race along with other people .
Race relations .
I leave there to go to California to film one or more videos with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exhausting to keep up with your schedule Carol .
Swain : Well , it just got restarted .
( Leahy laugh ) So this is my first post-coronavirus flight .
Leahy : Are you going to wear a mask ?
Swain : I am .
I ’ m going to comply with the rules .
Leahy : And you have to wear a mask ?
Swain : You have to wear a mask to get on the airplane .
After that , they don ’ t care if you pull it down below @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to create a scene .
Leahy : Will you be able to come back next Thursday here on the program ?
Or will you be out and about with all the big media events around here ?
Swain : Next Thursday I will be out and about .
Leahy : You will be out and about next Thursday .
Swain : I could call in perhaps , but otherwise I will be out and about .
Leahy : And next Thursday , Ben Cunningham will be the guest host all day from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be in Washington , D.C. next Wednesday and Thursday .
I think Wednesday morning I ’ ll be broadcasting from the iHeart Media studios in the Washington , D.C. area .
Leahy : I ’ ll say hello to you and maybe have you on the program there .
Leahy : Well , we ’ ll see .
( Swain giggles ) It ’ s hard to keep up with you .
Swain : You don ’ t want me right ?
( Laughs ) Leahy : You are in high demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president of Real Clear Politics and I thought his name was David something .
Swain : He invited me to write an essay for the Fourth of July and speaking engagements are rolling in .
But one of the things that I really want to talk about and would need a lot of help from your listeners is that we need to do an event for police .
To “ Back the Blue.
” It would be great if we had someone with enough private property where we could do an outdoor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be able to send them away because it would be private land .
( Leahy chuckles ) But I was thinking of a BBQ or something like that .
Not a rally but a BBQ with music and speakers .
Swain : Yeah .
For police and their families .
Leahy : Well , to celebrate the police .
Swain : Yes .
To celebrate the police .
Leahy : They do a great job .
We ’ ve had instances where a couple of them haven ’ t done a great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more do a great job day in and day out .
Swain : But even in those instances of high profile ones in Nashville that led to protests where police officers shot black men .
I guess that the issue and I don ’ t remember the exact details but maybe both of them were running away but they had guns in their hands .
Leahy : Yes .
Not every case is the case of George Floyd in Minneapolis where one officer kneeled on his neck for eight minutes and he died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Swain : And this terrible if because of the political climate that we have these cases will take place in an atmosphere where we are not sure that justice will be done .
And if there is an issue , the issue is with police training .
And many of these cases the police are training but it seems like their training is no longer acceptable .
And I ’ ve wondered , ok , given now that police are not expected to use force to apprehend anyone that doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them .
Maybe use tranquilizer guns .
Why don ’ t we use tranquilizer guns ?
Leahy : You raise a very good point because what you see is incidents where the people that are being arrested resist arrest .
They never end well for the person resisting arrest .
Swain : But the black community believes that it never ends well for black people .
But for white people , it would end well .
But I don ’ t think it ends well for anyone .
Leahy : Yes .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And it ’ s very controversial .
The problem Carol that I see is now we live in a culture where you can not have an honest disagreement over the facts right ?
If you say for instance , if you say All Lives Matter , that ’ s something that can not be said .
Swain : I will say it for you .
All Lives Matter .
Blue Lives Matter .
Black Lives Matter .
White Lives Matter .
Brown Lives Matter .
Yellow Lives Matter .
Now we in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What we do with these segments here on the radio , we often write them up and we do stories on them at The Tennessee Star .
I can promise you that if we do a story on this segment and we include All Lives Matter , Google , Twitter , and Facebook will begin to put us in Facebook jail .
Twitter jail and Google jail .
That ’ s the way it works right now .
Swain : And the Southern Poverty Law Center will label you a hate station .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s insane , isn ’ t it ?
You studied history and public policy .
It seems to me the United States over the past three to four months has moved to our own version of Mao ’ s Cultural Revolution combined with the French Revolution .
Leahy : Yes .
Yes , I think it is very scary .
By the way , did you see our story yesterday about Harpeth Hall ?
The elite private prep school here in Nashville that has dropped the celebration of George Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been there about 20 plus years .
Swain : I ’ m familiar with that story and I guess you know that Laura Ingraham mentioned it last night .
Swain : Yes .
The Tennessee Star made the Laura Ingrahm show .
Harpeth Hall hired a diversity officer and I know Brentwood Academy that the people have been agitating they would like to have one too .
It ’ s like in the Bible , give us a king because all the other schools have a king .
MBA has one .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same critical race handbook .
It ’ s not just critical race theory .
They are pushing the gender stuff .
The LGBTQ agenda .
All this stuff is part of what they are pushing .
And that explains what was happening at Lipscomb awhile ago .
Leahy : We talked about that several months ago .
Swain : And the diversity inclusion officers and the training techniques that many of them use is racism .
It is sexism .
It ’ s all kinds of things .
But if it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s seen as the dominant group , no one compliance .
I believe at some point when names begin to change , and I believe they will begin to change .
There will be lawsuits filed that will be won because of the discrimination taken against whites , straight men and women .
It ’ s unacceptable in America .
I think people need to wake up .
Speaking of diversity officers , there is a line item for the Nashville budget .
Swain : And I think I ’ m going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diversity Officer .
Leahy : Oh , you are going to apply for that ?
Swain : I ’ m going to apply and see if I get an interview ?
Leahy : What do you predict ?
Will you get an interview ?
Swain : If they don ’ t interview me I ’ m going to sue them .
( Leahy laughs ) I ’ m overqualified for the job .
( Laughs ) Leahy : When is the application due ?
Swain : And I ’ m self-identifying as something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Oh yeah ?
What do you self identify as now ?
Leahy : When are you going to apply for this job ?
Swain : As soon as they post it .
( Laughter ) Leahy : We ’ ll do a story on it .
And we ’ ll see if they interview you .
Leahy : My guess is probably not , but we ’ ll see .
But if they offer you the job will you accept it ?
Swain : We ’ ll talk about it .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public service .
Listen to the full second hour : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-19--Target, Best Buy Declare Juneteenth Company Holiday, GOP Senator Moves to Make Federal Holiday

Both Target and Best Buy have announced plans to make Juneteenth a company-wide holiday , an idea that Sen. John Cornyn ( R-TX ) wants to institute on the federal level .
“ One of the most defining days in our nation ’ s history was when President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1 , 1863 , finally freeing all slaves in Confederate territory .
But slaves in Texas wouldn ’ t learn this life-altering news for two and a half years , ” Cornyn said during a Senate floor speech Thursday .
“ It took two and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the south to learn that they were free .
And that day came on a day we now celebrate as Juneteenth , ” he explained .
“ As we do every year , tomorrow Texans will celebrate Juneteenth and the 155th anniversary of the end of slavery in our state .
It ’ s an opportunity to reflect on our history , the mistakes we have made , but yet how far we ’ ve come in the fight for equality , and a reminder of just how far we still have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduce a bipartisan bill to declare Juneteenth a federal holiday .
Target and Best Buy , both headquartered in Minnesota , said in statements released this week that they will make Juneteenth a company holiday .
According to Target ’ s press release , all stores and distribution centers will remain open , but hourly team members who work on June 19 will be paid time-and-a-half .
All eligible Target employees have the option of taking the day off with full pay .
“ We recognize that the racial trauma the country is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throughout recent weeks there has been a sense that this time is , and has to be , different , ” said Brian Cornell , chairman and CEO of Target .
“ Juneteenth takes on additional significance in this moment .
Moving now to recognize it on an annual basis – as a day to celebrate , further educate ourselves or connect with our communities – is one more important action Target can take as a company to help the country live up to the ideal of moving forward in a new way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it will give all employees a paid volunteer day for Juneteenth this year and will make it a formal , paid holiday starting next year .
“ We made the decision to begin this next year only because June 19 is just a few days away , and we wanted to give as much flexibility as possible to accommodate individual schedules , ” the company said .
“ We are proud to honor Juneteenth and the centuries of struggle , pain , redemption and celebration it represents.
” U.S. Bank also announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ branches at 1 p.m. Friday in recognition of Juneteenth .
Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of The Minnesota Sun and The Ohio Star .
Follow Anthony on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ Target Store ” by Mike Mozart .
CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-19--Thales Academy-Franklin to Host Parent Informational Meeting June 30

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed the Principal of Thales Academy-Franklin Rachael Bradley to the newsmakers line .
During the second hour , Bradley described direct instruction methodology and urged parents to fill out an application online as slots are filling up quickly at the new school .
She also said there is an upcoming parental informational meeting on June 30 .
Leahy : We are joined on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friend the Principal of Thales Academy-Franklin .
The new affordable and high-quality education private school coming here to Franklin next month .
Rachael good morning .
Bradley : Hey !
Good morning Mike how are you ?
Leahy : Are you guys still going to be teaching George Washington there because you know some schools don ’ t want to teach George Washington ?
Leahy : I sent you that link yesterday about Harpeth Hall dropping the celebration of George Washington .
I think a lot of parents are going to be looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So tell us about what is going on the launch of Thales Academy-Franklin on July 20 K-3 .
Tell us what ’ s going on .
Bradley : Well it ’ s really exciting Mike .
We have really gathered a lot of interest over the last couple of weeks .
We are in Franklin with our new campus , that being said I ’ ve got new students who live in Spring Hill , Columbia , Bell Buckle , Nashville and Brentwood .
So we are getting families from all over Williamson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are just seeing that they are really not happy with what ’ s being offered right now .
And they are looking for alternatives .
And that ’ s where we come in .
Leahy : I guess you are getting all your construction done .
You ’ ve got your signs up there .
It ’ s right on Carothers Parkway .
You ’ ve had a couple of parental informational meetings .
I ’ ve been there .
Do you have any more planned between now and the opening ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Bradley : I do .
I really want to have another one .
The problem is that our building is undergoing renovation and has picked up .
It ’ s taken over my meeting space .
But I ’ m hoping to schedule one Tuesday , June 30 .
And I ’ m looking for a neutral location .
I met yesterday with the Franklin Mercantile Deli and waiting to hear back .
Maybe to have a coffee with parents and talk about education .
Leahy : Well keep us up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ ll announce it here .
Leahy : By the way , if you want to learn more about Thales Academy just go to TennesseeStar.com .
We have a couple of banners there that you can click on that .
Also , you are on Facebook ?
Leahy : And tuition is only 5,300 bucks a year ?
Which is less than childcare for kids under five right ?
Leahy : The process if you are a parent out there and you want to come to this K-3 school at Thales Academy-Franklin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents would go through .
They can click on our banner ad and they connect with you .
What happens next ?
Bradley : It ’ s really simple Mike .
If you just get to thalesacademy.org there is a place that says apply here .
And you do a quick online application .
Once you are in our system we will reach out to you and we will set up a one on one admission assessment with your child .
Just a general baseline and what their needs are and to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But we can move the process along pretty quickly .
It takes seven to ten days .
Leahy : And you do an assessment of where each child is correct ?
Bradley : Right .
And we are looking primarily at reading and math .
Leahy : Got it .
To see where they are .
You have the most effective way to teach kids reading , writing , and arithmetic for well over 50 years .
People don ’ t know about it for a number of reasons .
But it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s called direct instruction , what direct instruction is , and why it ’ s the way to go for kids who need to learn reading and writing .
Bradley : Direct instruction is a research-based , data-driven , mastery-based teaching methodology .
And all these three pieces are important .
The mastery piece in particular is one of the things I really love about it .
So we aren ’ t just going to teach something and then move on because we ’ ve checked that on our list .
We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mastering the material .
Leahy : Yes .
Exactly .
I ’ m very curious , I think you ’ ve been seeing an uptick in applications because parents are getting tired of the uncertainty surround if we are going to have school or not going to have school .
And you are 100 percent going to be opening and having your first day of class on July 20 , right ?
Bradley : We are .
I ’ ve talked to a lot of moms who circle that date on their calendar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my child .
They need to be in a classroom .
It ’ s so true Mike .
I ’ m a mom too .
And these kids need to be in school .
Sadly several of the first graders I ’ ve assessed this week you could very plainly tell that they had about three quarters of a school year .
There is a gap there .
Bradley : Yes .
We need to get on that right away .
Leahy : Everybody is saying distance learning can work and you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work , does it ?
Not the way it should .
Bradley : It ’ s not nearly as effective .
Leahy : You ’ ve got that interpersonal engagement .
You ’ ve got a terrific staff of teachers there .
Leahy : When last we spoke you said your kindergarten class was filling up .
Do you still have any room in kindergarten ?
Bradley : Gosh I don ’ t know .
Maybe a few seats left .
I have 18 confirmed but I have six more applications for kindergarten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve been meeting with two or three families every day .
They all feel the same way .
They are just not happy with the uncertainty and they want their kids back in school .
Leahy : So first , second and third graders are starting to pick up as well with applications ?
Bradley : Yes .
Many families have multiple kids .
So our whole enrollment is really picking up .
Leahy : I ’ m very concerned about the learning gap .
Kindergarten , first grade , or second grade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really completed all the things they should have done no matter where they were from right ?
Bradley : Exactly .
I guess the only good news is is that most children are all in the same boat .
It ’ s unfortunate that it happened but we ’ ll all have to make some adjustments coming back in .
Leahy : I don ’ t see how you can catch up unless you are there in person .
I just don ’ t see it happening online .
Bradley : No .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I can ’ t imagine what it will look like if kids miss another quarter of school , or God forbid the first semester .
That ’ s really going to take a toll .
Leahy : There are some schools that are looking at maybe we ’ ll continue online and have some other stair step with five million rules of how you can partially open .
I don ’ t think that ’ s going to work .
I think you just need to get back to school .
Bradley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to feel the same way , Mike .
We ’ re fortunate that we have a small manageable student body .
We have a large building that ’ s going to be essentially brand new on the inside with a top of the line HVAC which is a bonus for us because of our parent company .
We have 100 percent air being flushed in .
Leahy : So the guy who started Bob Luddy , very successful entrepreneur .
This is a non-profit and they ’ ve cut out a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ costs $ 5,300 a year for tuition .
And it can be paid all upfront or over the months .
There is financial aid available I guess , right ?
Bradley : There is .
Sure .
Leahy : But Bob Luddy is the CEO and owner of Captive Air which is the number one provider of high-quality commercial kitchen ventilation equipment and air conditioning equipment for restaurants .
I guess you ’ ve got the Captive Air stuff going on there .
Bradley : ( Chuckles ) It really is .
Leahy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air circulation matters .
I hadn ’ t even thought about that .
That ’ s great .
Bradley : It ’ s exciting .
All of our campuses are going to get that equipment installed .
It ’ s going to be a really great learning environment .
Again , small and manageable .
In this first year , we can operate safely without really harsh restrictions .
Parents don ’ t want their children in a mask all day especially a five or six year old .
It ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to learning .
Leahy : Absolutely .
Thales Academy-Franklin .
You can go to the tennessestar.com and click on the Thales Academy blue banner and go right , Rachael Bradley .
Rachael , come back again next week and tell us the details on the final parent meeting Tuesday , June 30th .
Thanks for joining us .
Listen to the full second hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online @ @ @ @


thetennesseestar--2020-06-19--Carol Swain: ‘The Political Left Does Not Care About Race or Where You Come from, Their Goal Is to D

Carol Swain: ‘The Political Left Does Not Care About Race or Where You Come from, Their Goal Is to Destroy You’

Live from Music Row Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville ’ s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. – host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Carol Swain to the studio .
During the third hour , Swain discussed her experiences by which she left the Democratic Party and the racism while growing up and throughout her college career noting that it was white people and Conservatives that encouraged her to excel .
Disappointedly , she admitted it was the affluent black people that were typically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leahy : So Carol Swain .
Our all-star panelist and former Vanderbilt professor recognized throughout the country for your scholarship .
Leahy : Of course your wisdom .
Swain : And my wit and my dry sense of humor .
( Chuckles ) Leahy : And your spectacular wardrobe as well .
I will say that .
Swain : And my modesty and humility .
( Chuckles ) Leahy : It ’ s a high standard here .
I drag myself out of bed and make it here by like 5:04 a.m. Katie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s like 5:05:58 .
( Laughs ) So I look like I just got out of bed and here you come in at 6:30 a.m. and you ’ re like ready for the day .
It ’ s a contrast shall we say .
Leahy : Ready for the world .
You are .
This defunding the police thing Carol .
Now I was talking with a friend of mine by the name Aubrey Shines the other day .
I ’ ll have to introduce you to him .
He ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a preacher .
And he ’ s a member of the Conservative Clergy of Color .
We were talking about defunding the police and he said look what happens when you defund the police ?
He said , well crime goes up .
And where does crime go up the most ?
It goes up in basically minority communities .
So defunding the police is not going to help the minority population .
That was his argument .
What do you think ?
Swain : It will not help the minority community any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks .
( Leahy laughs ) The only people that are helped are criminals .
Swain : Crime went up with the mask .
Leahy : I saw a report by the way that crime in New York City in the past month has just skyrocketed .
Swain : You know something , I love New York but I have no interest in going there anytime soon .
Just think about the crazy mask .
Everyone looks like a bandit these days .
( Leahy laughs ) And there is no way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potential criminal .
And they want us to get comfortable with that look .
Leahy : Yes .
Let ’ s go back to the kind of history of this about you and I have talked before about two different views about how to advance the interests of the black community at large in the country .
And you were born in southwest Virginia .
Swain : I knew systemic racism .
( Laughter ) I grew up with systemic racism .
And I watched that sucker go down with three civil rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we became at least colorblind under the law .
Swain : Of course , that didn ’ t change everyone ’ s hearts and minds .
But I ’ ve had enormous opportunities in this country and I can tell you that my race has advantaged me I would say more than it has disadvantaged me .
And what I experience now is discrimination because of my Conservatism .
Because I ’ m a Christian .
And I believe that discrimination is more crippling because their whole desire is to destroy a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to earn money .
With the political left , they don ’ t care about race or where you come from .
Their goal is to destroy you .
Leahy : Well yeah .
Very well said .
The whole thing about systemic racism , the systemic means the entire body .
Institutional racism .
Swain : Well it pretty much says that all the institutions of society are set up to the advantage of a particular group .
You could argue that was the way America was set up before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
1965 Voting Rights Act .
1968 Open Housing Act .
And then you know we got affirmative action .
Now affirmative action never exclusively benefited blacks .
White women were included as well by 1970 there were like five groups .
That ’ s when the immigrants were included .
It never focused exclusively on the black descendants of slaves .
And I would argue that the people who have benefited the most from affirmative the most are affluent minorities and also women .
Leahy : You hear always from the left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mainstream media .
I call them the Manchurian media and the Democratic Party .
We still have they say systemic racism in the United States .
My view has been I don ’ t think we ’ ve had systemic racism since 1970 .
Swain : If we do the systemic racism I see I would say is against white people .
And especially white men .
And that ’ s becoming a part of our system through this effort to somehow , everything is upside down .
And if we just had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to the ideal of the color-blind society .
If we tried to operate under a standard where everyone was treated fairly under the law , I think that we would be much better off as a society .
But what I see is people who are pushing this whole concept of restorative justice , that has lead to the courts downtown releasing criminals .
People who should be incarcerated or they should be in some type of psychological program .
Releasing them again and again and again until they commit a heinous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal with them .
It has lead to the decline of the schools because the school system is not allowed to suspend young people that are disrupting the learning environment for everyone else .
And in California , they ’ ve jettisoned the college admission standards .
An environment like that which continually lowers the standards and bringing everyone in leads to situations where you have students that are frustrated because they can ’ t do the work .
If they get passed through and graduate and apply for jobs they don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not earning what they think they should earn because they have a college degree .
And it creates a vicious cycle where people are upset and angry .
And justifiably so because the system has really lied to them .
They believe they are getting one thing and they go to these colleges .
I have to say these programs .
Anything that ends with studies and that ’ s your degree , it ’ s worthless .
Leahy : ( Chuckles ) You seem determined this morning to make sure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jail , and Twitter jail because you are just speaking the truth .
Swain : Well , here I stand .
I can do no other .
( Laughter ) Leahy : I love it .
So tell us what in your life have you experienced individual instances of racism against you as a person from white people ?
Swain : I ’ m sure that I must have because I ’ m black it must have been there .
But I can tell you that my mentors and the people who encouraged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who were white .
And the blacks that I was around that were more affluent were not interested in poor kids like me .
And my family , we were the poorest of the poor .
Most of the people who encouraged me , and I can also include an African orderly from Sierra Leon to continue my education they just happened to be white and a lot of Conservatives .
In fact , my advisor at the four-year college was a Republican .
He told me years ago , you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took that like , what do you mean I ’ m a Republican ?
Leahy : At the time you were a self-identified Democrat till what ?
1999 ?
Swain : I left the Democrats in 2000 .
And then in 2009 , I became a Republican .
But I was moving away from the Democrats because of my Christian conversion and the incompatibility of their views and their platform with my Christian values .
Leahy : So this was the professor in the 1970s .
Swain : I ’ m going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I don ’ t see how any Christian could be in the Democratic Party .
Because you look at the party platforms and their party is totally anti-God .
Leahy : Carol Swain , speaking of God .
We wish you God speed on your trip to Dallas .
And good luck on the premiere of the movie , in which you are featured , Uncle Tom .
Carol thanks so much for joining us today .
Listen to the full third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patrick Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-19--Commentary: The Destruction of Marriage and Family-Building Is the Destruction of Civilization Itsel

Commentary: The Destruction of Marriage and Family-Building Is the Destruction of Civilization Itself

Marriage and families are the cornerstone of not only civilization but of nature itself , without which humans would have never survived as wandering nomads and early farmers , let alone building cities , an economy and governments to represent the people in state-to-state relations .
Without families as a basic building block , children are not nurtured , educated and empowered to raise and sustain families themselves , and the human race could not continue , always being but one generation away from extinction .
That is why declining fertility and marriage rates not only in the U.S. but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for alarm not merely from a cultural or policy perspective , but a biological one .
In the U.S. , fertility was already below 2 births per woman since 2010 and has continued dropping , and with the COVID-19 pandemic will surely plummet further this year amid temporary male infertility from those who experienced high fevers , not to mention the breakdown of the dating scene as the economic lockdown response to the virus keeps many Americans cooped up in their homes .
Weddings are being postponed .
Overall , the marriage rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent in 1970 to 53 percent today among men , according to the U.S. Census Bureau .
Marriage among white males has dropped from 68 percent in 1980 to 56 percent today , among blacks from 57 percent to 37 percent today , among Hispanics from 57 percent in 1990 to 47 percent today and among Asians has remained steady at 61 percent from 1990 to today .
The divorce rate has been between 8 percent to 9 percent since the 1990s and the never married rate has risen from 27 percent in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Never married is most pronounced among blacks , rising from 35 percent in 1970 to 51 percent today .
Among whites it rose from 27 percent in 1970 to 32 percent today , among Hispanics it rose from 37 percent in 1990 to 45 percent today and among Asians it remained steady at 35 percent .
Females have the same trends , although the percentages are lower in each category owing to there being 8 million more women than men in the Census .
So , marriage is on the decline and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why , take your pick , although a combination of the advent of birth control , the decline of the influence of religion in interpersonal relations , the rise of a permissive pop culture , the destruction of heroes leading to the emasculation of men and radical feminism all seem to be among top cultural culprits .
But leaving aside those more controversial lines of analysis , the largest determinative factor in this where the rubber meets the road is the steadily increasing median age of marriage from the low 20s to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owing to the increasing length of education , finding a job and career and certainly the higher costs associated with living .
In other words , the longer you wait to get married , the less likely you are to do so .
This will have detrimental effects both immediately and down the road .
Immediately , fewer weddings and babies can hit the market for marriage and baby-related products .
Longer term , lower fertility will ultimately lead to a slowing and ultimately a contraction of the civilian labor force , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth , as it has been in Japan and other countries that committed demographic suicide .
The fewer marriages and births , the fewer homes that will need to be built and ultimately purchased and fewer resources will be consumed .
Similar trends were seen during the early 1900s , with declining births per woman through World War I and the Spanish flu ( when tens of millions of lives were lost ) all the way until about 1930 , when it began to pick up again , but not before the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global depression .
But the effects of the collapsing marriage institution are not merely economic and demographic , they are affecting our nation ’ s heroes .
A 2015 study from the Veterans Health Administration ( VHA ) found “ Suicide decedents were more likely than nonsuicide patients to be young , male , and unmarried… ” Almost twice as likely to be precise with 50 suicides per 100,000 for those widowed , 41 per 100,000 for those separated and 53 per 100,000 for those divorced versus 27 per 100,0000 for those married @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suicides per 100,000 for males and 13.8 per 100,000 for females .
This week , the Trump administration is renewing focus on the epidemic of suicides among veterans , and President Donald Trump has already acted via executive order in March 2019 to automatically qualify veterans for mental health services .
Based on the 2015 VHA study , additional focus should be paid to marriage counseling and even dating services , and focus mental health resources on veterans who were recently widowed , too .
These trends of declining marriage and family-building did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affecting everything , and it will likely take a culture changing event to shake us to our senses .
A healthy society is one that is growing , and sadly , unless there is a dramatic turnaround in the quality and longevity of familial relations , we won ’ t have one .
The destruction of marriage and family-building is the destruction of civilization itself .
Robert Romano is the Vice President of Public Policy at Americans for Limited Government .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-19--Sen. Blackburn Co-Sponsors Bill to Enact Police Reforms

U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn ( R-TN ) has joined a legislative effort to provide police reform , accountability and transparency .
Blackburn said she became a cosponsor of U.S. Sen. Tim Scott ’ s ( R-SC ) Just and Unifying Solutions to Invigorate Communities Everywhere ( JUSTICE ) Act .
On Wednesday , Blackburn said , “ Recent events have highlighted the necessity to make changes to our current system , and the American people have made it clear that the status quo does not reflect our nation ’ s values .
In yesterday ’ s Judiciary Committee hearing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who are charged with keeping the public safe .
Police departments need more funding for training and tools to de-escalate conflict.
” Scott said , “ Now is the time for reform .
The murder of George Floyd and its aftermath made clear from sea to shining sea that action must be taken to rebuild lost trust between communities of color and law enforcement .
The JUSTICE Act takes smart , commonsense steps to address these issues , from ending the use of chokeholds and increasing the use of body worn cameras @ @ @ @ @ @ @ departments to better train officers and make stronger hiring decisions .
I want to thank Leader McConnell and the entire task force not just for their hard work on putting this bill together , but for their commitment to finding real solutions.
” Blackburn tweeted , “ Thanks to @ SenatorTimScott for his commitment to and leadership on police reform .
The American people have made it clear that the status quo does not reflect our nation ’ s values .
It is my hope that the JUSTICE Act passes in the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the JUSTICE Act is here .
Additional information is here .
Among other things , the bill would strengthen training and tactics for police , especially for de-escalation of force and the duty to intervene , providing law enforcement with new funding to do so , and end the practice of using chokeholds .
It would help departments match the communities they serve and help hiring departments have access to applicants ’ prior disciplinary records .
Also , the act would increase the use of body cameras and ensure the video is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a federal crime as well .
Jason M. Reynolds has more than 20 years ’ experience as a journalist at outlets of all sizes .


thetennesseestar--2020-06-19--Bill Hagerty Comments on U.S. Supreme Court DACA Decision

U.S. Senate candidate Bill Hagerty on Thursday weighed in after the United States Supreme Court ruled to uphold former president Barack Obama ’ s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program .
Hagerty said this in a press release , which he posted on his website .
“ The Supreme Court ’ s decision to prevent the Trump Administration from dismantling DACA , an immigration policy created via Executive Order by the Obama Administration , is appalling and another reminder as to why we need to confirm more constitutionalist judges to the federal bench , ” Hagerty said .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legislate from the bench , but respect the Constitution .
Joe Biden and a Democrat Senate majority would confirm nominees who will get it wrong every time .
In the Senate , I will support constitutionalist judges and work with President Trump to fix our broken immigration system and build the wall at our southern border.
” As reported Thursday , the Supreme Court on Thursday rejected Trump ’ s effort to end legal protections for 650,000 young immigrants , a stunning rebuke to the president in the midst of his reelection campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their protection from deportation and their authorization to work in the United States .
The 5-4 outcome , in which Chief Justice John Roberts and the four liberal justices were in the majority , seems certain to elevate the issue in Trump ’ s campaign , given the anti-immigrant rhetoric of his first presidential run in 2016 and immigration restrictions his administration has imposed since then .
It was the second big liberal victory at the court this week , following Monday ’ s ruling that it ’ s illegal to fire people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The justices rejected administration arguments that the eight-year-old Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program is illegal and that courts have no role to play in reviewing the decision to end DACA .
Trump ’ s first reaction came on Twitter , where he retweeted a comment incorporating a line from Justice Clarence Thomas ’ dissenting opinion in which Thomas called the ruling “ an effort to avoid a politically controversial but legally correct decision.
” Roberts wrote for the court that the administration did not pursue the end of the program properly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at The Tennessee Star .
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thetennesseestar--2020-06-19--28 Congressional Democrats Sign Letter Demanding Department Of Education Allow Biological Males in G

28 Congressional Democrats Sign Letter Demanding Department Of Education Allow Biological Males in Girls’ Sports

Twenty-eight congressional Democrats signed a letter Wednesday condemning the Department of Education for ruling that public schools that allow biological males who identify as transgender to play girls ’ sports are violating Title IX civil rights legislation .
Democratic Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal joined 27 House Democrats in signing the letter , which charged that the department ’ s order “ discriminates against transgender youth ” by restricting girls ’ sports to biological females .
“ The decision of the Department of Education to issue a determination targeting transgender student athletes on the eve of Pride Month is not coincidental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their campaign against the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ children , ” Connecticut Rep. Jahana Hayes , the letter ’ s lead signer , said in a press release .
The DOE on May 15 issued a ruling stating that public schools that allow biological males into girls ’ athletics are violating Title IX , which protects women ’ s access to education and athletics .
The Department of Justice previously backed a lawsuit filed by high school girls in Connecticut who said the liberal state ’ s transgender policies violated their rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold due to the novel coronavirus , but biological males who identify as transgender have previously racked up accomplishments in female athletics .
Franklin Pierce University runner CeCe Telfer , for example , won an NCAA DII women ’ s track championship in May 2019 .
Telfer is a biological male who identifies as transgender .
University of Montana runner June Eastwood , a biological male who identifies as a transgender woman , was named the Big Sky Conference ’ s female athlete of the week in October 2019 .
Both Eastwood and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s men ’ s team before switching to the women ’ s team .
Rachel McKinnon , a biological male who identifies as transgender , won women ’ s cycling world championships in both 2018 and 2019 .
Wednesday ’ s letter isn ’ t the first instance of Democratic politicians arguing in favor of allowing biological males into female athletics .
Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar in February 2019 called for an investigation into USA Powerlifting for barring biologically male athletes from women ’ s events .
A piece of Democratic legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the House with unanimous support from Democrats , would require schools to allow biologically male athletes into girls ’ sports , if the male athletes identify as transgender .
Former Vice President Joe Biden , the presumptive Democratic nominee , pledged to get the Equality Act passed into law within his first 100 days in office , if he wins the November election .
“ Transgender equality is the civil rights issue of our time , ” Biden wrote in a January tweet .
“ There is no room for compromise when it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hasson is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation .