thetennesseestar--2020-10-13--U.S. Senate Candidate Bill Hagerty Discusses Tennesseans’ Deep Concerns and How We Can Run Up the Po

U.S. Senate Candidate Bill Hagerty Discusses Tennesseans’ Deep Concerns and How We Can Run Up the Popular Vote for Trump

Live from Music Row Monday 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 TN ( R ) U.S. Senate candidate Bill Hagerty to the newsmakers line .
During the third hour , Hagerty explained what he ’ d been seeing throughout Tennessee on the campaign trail and outlined the major concerns of Tennesseans .
He added that it was imperative that everyone get out and vote and emphasizing how Tennessee can help President Trump win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote .
Leahy : We are joined now on our newsmaker line by our good friend Republican candidate for the United States Senate Bill Haggerty .
Former ambassador to Japan .
Good morning , Bill .
Hagerty : Good morning , Michael .
Good to be with you .
I tell you my prayers go out for Senator Kerry Roberts .
I hope that he is recovering well now .
Leahy : Our good friend Kerry Roberts had an aneurysm .
He is in the hospital and he is resting well and recovering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with us today Bill .
Carmichael : Hey , Bill , how are you , sir ?
Hagerty : I ’ m very good .
Thank you .
Leahy : The big news today Bill is the Senate Judiciary Committee holding confirmation hearings on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney-Barrett .
What do you expect to happen today Bill ?
Hagerty : Well , I think we ’ re very fortunate to have our own Marsha Blackburn there serving on the Judiciary Committee .
I know she will represent us well .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see what Senator Harris does .
If you saw the debate performance , she just oozes with ambition .
But what you see is condescension and meanness .
I suspect that that will be on full display with Judge Amy Coney-Barrett ’ s confirmation hearing .
We will wait and see .
My family and I are keeping the judge in our prayers .
She ’ ll make a great constitutionalist jurist , and we ’ ll see how the Democrats behave on this .
But given what they ’ ve done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s call .
Carmichael : Bill is that hearing live or is it virtual ?
Hagerty : I ’ m not sure whether it ’ s live or virtual .
I think it ’ s both .
Leahy : Yeah , I think it ’ s a combination Bill I think that ’ s right .
It ’ s going to be very very interesting .
Carmichael : Well , I hope that Senator Harris is there live and perhaps brings up the story about Honest Abe ( Leahy chuckles ) which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Yes .
( Laughs ) She schooled Vice President Pence .
He is a great guy .
He was my boss during the 2016 transition .
He came over and shared that effort .
A great person to work with .
As steady as they come .
I think that was evident during the course of the debate .
Solid , steady , and a good leader .
Carmichael : Frank Luntz had a panel of 15 undecided voters who watched it and when it was over and he polled them and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senator Harris won .
One person raised their hand 14 people said they thought Pence won .
That ’ s about as big a drubbing is you ’ re going to get .
Tell us a little bit about where you think we are with the China policy within senatorial races ?
Hagerty : One of the main reasons that President Trump encouraged me to run for the United States Senate is the fact that I ’ ve had experience dealing with China .
you think about where I was supposed to .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Japan .
That ’ s the third-largest economy in the world after the United States and China .
And it ’ s the cornerstone of all of our defense and security in the entire Asia Pacific region .
So I dealt with China militarily , diplomatically , and economically .
They are a predator at every level .
And we need more people in the United States Senate who are willing to stand up to China .
I tell you , as I go across the state of Tennessee , Tennesseans want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They know that China delivered this pandemic not only to America but to the rest of the world .
And I think that what we ’ ve seen is something I ’ ve been concerned about for four years .
The President has been too , and that ’ s our dependence on China .
I was worried about it for our high technology .
For our military technology , but now you ask any American and they would tell you we should not be reliant on China to manufacture our antibiotics in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it clear I think to voters all across this nation and that we need to stand up to China .
And if I ’ m elected to the United States Senate , I ’ m going to make Made in America the theme of our nation .
Leahy : Joe Biden has said publicly that we are not to be worried about China .
What do you make of that ?
Hagerty : I think we all know Joe Biden ’ s family ’ s close financial ties to China .
And it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican administrations as well .
You know both looking the other way while China ’ s continued to mount its aggression .
And it ’ s gotten to a point that it had to stop .
Thank goodness President Trump stepped in and has stood his ground and basically let China know that we ’ re not going to take it anymore .
Carmichael : Bill , what are the other issues that at that Tennesseans care about ?
Hagerty : The primary issue in this , setting aside the immediacy of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jobs and the economy .
And people are very concerned .
We ’ ve been through an inordinate and enormous economic shutdown with this pandemic .
We ’ ve got to get our economy going again .
There are a lot of businesses that are still hurting tremendously .
Many people lost their jobs and lost their businesses or had their wages and hours cut back through all this .
They want to see our economy going again .
And that ’ s why they ’ ve responded so well to me because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all my life .
I understand how our economy works .
That ’ s the reason I was called in to serve as our Economic Development Chief here in Tennessee .
I stepped in back in July of 2011 .
We were working our way through the last big economic recession that we had .
We got our state turned around .
We did it in short order .
We ’ re going to have to do that again here coming out of this pandemic and that ’ s I think a big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House economic recovery task force .
I ’ ve been working with them to turn that around .
Carmichael : Do you think I ’ ll be a third stimulus plan passed or is there just too much distance between by what Pelosi wants to add to the bill to get it passed ?
Hagerty : Crom , I ’ m not optimistic for exactly the reason you mentioned .
I think that Pelosi wants to use this as an excuse to bail out blue states that have been fiscally irresponsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Illinois , New York , and New Jersey .
She wants to use it as an opportunity to bail them out .
And Tennessee has been the most fiscally responsible state in the nation .
We had the lowest debt per capita in America .
We have the strongest balance sheet .
Why should Tennesseans be paying the debts of spendthrift governors in New Jersey , New York , Illinois , and California ?
That ’ s not going to happen .
So I ’ m not optimistic that we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t think Nancy Pelosi cares in the least about the plight of the businesses that have been shut down .
Those people have lost their jobs .
This is nothing more than a big play to try to bail out blue states from her perspective .
And you know , she even tried to insert changes to voting laws in some of the legislation earlier .
So they are not focused on the economy .
But I tell you , Tennesseans are .
The other thing I ’ ve been hearing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we ’ re not having the problems that they ’ re experiencing in Portland , Seattle , Chicago , and New York .
We have people here really concerned about what they see on TV .
And when I talked with sheriffs and chiefs of police , they ’ re telling me it ’ s getting harder to recruit young people to step onto the force .
I mean when I was a young man growing up here in Middle , Tennessee it was a position of honor to wear that uniform .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to and respected law enforcement .
And I ’ ve been trying to convey that message all across the state that I ’ ve got the backing of law enforcement 120 percent .
I hope all of us do that .
When we see a police officer doing their job , pat them on the back .
Tell them how much we appreciate what they ’ re doing .
Leahy : Bill , as you mentioned you ’ ve been traveling the state extensively and talking to everyday Tennesseans out there .
Just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one day until the election .
What would you say the mood is that you ’ re picking up from the average everyday Tennessean that you talk to on your travels ?
Hagerty : If I had to pick one word its concern .
And if you think about it , Chuck Schumer has probably encapsulated this as well as anyone .
If we were to lose control of the United States Senate Chuck Schumer has said all options are on the table and they will not waste the majority if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to act swiftly .
What are they going to do ?
Well , they ’ re going to pack the court .
Michael , you understand this as well as anybody .
They ’ re going to add four new justices to the Supreme Court going from nine to 13 on the bench .
They ’ ll put those justices in place .
They ’ ll fill those positions with partisan liberal activists who will use the bench to legislate rather than judges like Amy Coney-Barrett that if she were to be appointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Constitution as it was written by our Founders .
These will be activist judges .
They ’ ll turn the Supreme Court into a super legislative body that ’ s not accountable to anybody .
And they ’ ll have lifetime appointments .
It would be a complete disaster .
It would tear our constitution apart .
There ’ s no greater scholar of our constitution than Michael Patrick Leahy .
I ’ m sure you could go on for a long time about this .
But that is frightening to people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll add two new States .
They are talking about D.C. and Puerto Rico .
That means for new Democrat Senators diluting our voice .
They ’ ll push on the Green New Deal that will destroy the economy .
They ’ ll insert the government in every aspect of our life .
You know , Medicare for all will destroy the healthcare system that we know because it ’ ll take away the private health insurance that we get through our employment .
And if defunding and dismantling the police is your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chaos and violence rule the streets here in America .
Tennesseans do not want that .
They ’ re very concerned .
Leahy : Bill .
What ’ s your plan for the next three weeks in one day ?
What will you be doing every day ?
Hagerty : Travelling every day .
I ’ m in Middle , Tennessee right now .
We ’ re in West Tennessee over the weekend and then we ’ ll be heading to East Tennessee in just a couple of hours and continuing to move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polls close on election day November the third .
And I ’ m encouraging everybody to get out and vote .
Get their friends and their family members .
Not only are we in a win the electoral college for President Trump but we can run up the score .
Take away the democrat ’ s favorite talking point that President Trump didn ’ t win the popular vote .
Tennessee can contribute to that .
Listen to the full third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Leahy on Talk Radio 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photo “ Bill Hagerty ” by U.S. Embassy Tokyo .
Background Photo “ Polling Place ” by Sage Ross CC BY-SA 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-13--Suit Yourself: Taxpayer Protection Act Attorney Jim Roberts Sees Metro Government Trying to Pretend

Suit Yourself: Taxpayer Protection Act Attorney Jim Roberts Sees Metro Government Trying to Pretend Like They’re Not Suing the Taxpayers

Live from Music Row Monday 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 Nashville based attorney Jim Roberts to the newsmakers line .
During the third hour , Roberts outlined the details of the lawsuit filed last Friday against the election committee for not proceeding with their ministerial duties and putting the referendum on the December fifth ballot .
He later explained that it was only after he filed suit that the election commission decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is disguised as suing the Metro government but truly aimed at the voters of Davidson County for filing their legal petition .
Leahy : We are joined now on our newsmaker line by the attorney Jim Roberts .
Jim is the attorney for 4 good government the folks at are pressing the petition to get it on the ballot December fifth and to repeal the property tax here in Nashville by 34 percent .
Dueling lawsuits .
Jim , bring us up to speed on the lawsuits .
Roberts : Well , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of last week because of the election commission .
Even though they had voted to file a lawsuit against the taxpayers two weeks before .
Hadn ’ t done anything .
And surprise surprise right after we filed they pulled out their complaint and filed on Friday .
They have not served me with it yet .
They ’ re not making much effort to get it to me .
But they apparently wanted to file a counter-complaint .
Leahy : So well what ’ s in there what ’ s in your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s in there .
Roberts : My lawsuits is pretty simple .
The 27,000 taxpayers expressed their political will by signing the petition and the Nashville Election Commission doesn ’ t really have a choice .
They did what they were supposed to do .
They followed the law .
And the election commission ’ s ministerial duties is to put it on the ballot .
They are just refusing to comply with the law .
So when you have that situation a citizen has a right to file was called a mandamus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lawsuit that requires the government to do its job .
It ’ s unfortunate .
They should do their job anyway .
But when they won ’ t this is how you make them do it .
Carmichael : So Jim what do you expect now to happen this week ?
Roberts : Well , this is this is hard to predict .
But I presume the Chancellor will read all the things that were filed on Friday and make the decision to probably have a hearing sometime Wednesday of this week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chancellor ’ s calendar .
The complaint that was filed by Metro though is really sort of surprising .
It ’ s actually the election commission suing the Metropolitan government .
And it sues the finance department and at the very end , it mentions 4 Good Government .
It ’ s almost like they ’ re trying to pretend like they ’ re not suing the taxpayers , which is a little bit dishonest .
Leahy : What ’ s the argument then ?
What ’ s what do they cite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that makes it clear that it ’ s a ministerial duty once it ’ s been verified to put it on the ballot ?
Do they cite the Tennessee Supreme Court decision of 2004 where the Tennessee Supreme Court clearly ruled that if there ’ s a question as to the constitutionality or legality of a referendum question , that ’ s not a question and that in its ministerial duty an election commission can ask ?
Roberts : That ’ s right .
No , it ’ s even better than that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tennessee law .
They didn ’ t cite any kind of Tennessee cases .
What they cited was the legal opinion by Bob Cooper who is in the Metro Department of Law .
So they wrote their own briefs and then used it as evidence to support a complaint .
Let me assure you that is not considered legally binding in any way by a court .
Carmichael : Jim you hit on you said something that initially it didn ’ t just pop up as strange but it just did when Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election commission is suing Metro .
What is their basis for suing Metro ?
What is what are they claiming Metro did wrong ?
Roberts : No , no .
They filed what is called declaratory action .
What they ’ re trying to do is get in front of a judge so they can complain about the contents of the ballot initiative .
And so to do that , they got the election commission to sue the Metropolitan government , which I ’ m not even convinced they can do .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Metro can sue another part of Metro .
Carmichael : Well , that ’ s what I was trying to get at .
Suing yourself .
Is it possible legally to sue yourself ?
For a person to sue himself and get in front of a Judge ?
Roberts : I don ’ t think so .
( Laughter ) I ’ ve been wracking my brain and doing some research over the weekend trying to find a situation where a board or commission actually sued the Metropolitan government .
And I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened but it would seem to be extremely rare .
I mean the election commission is part of Metro .
And certainly , in this kind of situation , there is no basis for it .
They ’ re trying to hide the fact that they ’ re really suing the taxpayers .
Roberts : They ’ re just trying to be dishonest and they don ’ t want to admit that they ’ re suing the people of Davidson County who did everything right .
And who did everything appropriate .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let those people ’ s voices be heard .
Carmichael : When you said the chancellor , how many judges are there that could have possibly been assigned this suit ?
Roberts : There are four in Davidson County .
We got Chancellor Lyle who is a fine Chancellor and quite honestly is one of my favorites .
And probably the one I know the best .
But also is just very smart and very capable and I think she ’ ll see through this pretty quickly .
Carmichael : Okay .
Well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And so you ’ re next the next step is to appear before Chancellor Lyle and the city .
Who will appear on the other side ?
Will it be the election commission or will it be the city ?
Or will it be but both of them appear appearing as compliant as adversaries ?
Roberts : Well , that ’ s a little bit funny because normally when you go into court , there ’ s one table that the plaintiff sits at and one table to defendants at .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to be me and a Metro lawyer .
And on the other side is going to be the plaintiff and the Metro lawyer .
Leahy : A little Kafkaesque I would say .
So the odds that that chance allows will hold a hearing sometime this week on this are pretty good wouldn ’ t you say ?
Roberts : I would think so .
These things are generally done on an expedited basis .
We ’ ve asked for we asked for an expedited hearing .
Strangely they did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sort of expedited hearing .
They also haven ’ t served me with the complaint .
I got an email copy of part of the complaint , but they haven ’ t even made an effort to try to serve me with it .
I think that ’ s very telling .
Carmichael : Will the case this week that you expect to go in front of Chancellor Lyle a or the case that has been assigned a Chancellor Lyle ?
Is that your case ?
Roberts : Well , I know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what the one that the election commission filed .
I haven ’ t gotten any because they didn ’ t send me the whole case .
I ’ m not sure I know which judge got it .
They are going to file a motion to consolidate unless they ’ re doing is stalling and delaying by not asking for expedited relief .
They ’ re not serving me .
I sent their attorney an email like two weeks ago and it said you could serve me by email .
You can come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come by your house .
You know , I ’ ll make this really easy .
And as we sit here today , they still haven ’ t sent me a copy of the entire complaint .
Leahy : What in your view Jim is the best outcome of this week in the event that Chancellor Lyle does hold a hearing this week ?
What would be the best outcome in your view ?
Roberts : Well , we ’ re going to file an immediate motion to dismiss their case .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You can not have the director of law , right a legal opinion , and then try to use that is a legal basis to sustain a lawsuit .
The of the opinion of the Metropolitan Department of Law is just that .
An opinion .
And they lose cases every day because their opinions are wrong .
They win cases too .
But just because they have an opinion , you know , they ’ ll joke everyone ’ s got an opinion .
Roberts : Yeah , even the Metro law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s almost like if I wrote my own legal opinion and then cited it and said well , of course , it ’ s the law because Jim says so .
That ’ s not how that really works .
Leahy : Well , that ’ s the best outcome of this hearing on Friday ?
Roberts : By the end of this week will have their case dismissed because it ’ s not right then appropriate .
And then we ’ ll have a hearing on our case and which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the that 2004 Supreme Court case where the city of Memphis or Shelby County which has been cited a dozen times as good law in Tennessee which basically says you can not have challenges to ballot initiatives before they ’ re voted on .
That ’ s a clear law .
It ’ s been the law for almost 20 years and we ’ re going to go in with a motion to dismiss and say kick this lawsuit out .
And by the way , while you ’ re at it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the case .
Tell these folks to set it on the ballot and quit messing around .
Leahy : Could the judge order the Davidson County election commission to schedule the election on December fifth ?
Roberts : Absolutely , that would definitely be within the judge ’ s power .
But again , it ’ s just called a ministerial act .
They don ’ t have a lot of discretion or any discretion .
A judge will or should issue an order that says go do your job .
Just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we all go out and fight this out and we run campaigns .
And you know , they lie about the ballot initiative and we tell people the truth and then we win .
Carmichael : Well , that would be the goal .
What could they do if Chancellor Lyle rules telling the election commission to put it on the ballot ?
Could they file an appeal ?
Roberts : They could appeal .
You can do an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court of Appeals or even the Supreme Court .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent chance of that working .
The court of appeals and the Supreme Court are happy with their jobs and they don ’ t need to jump into local politics unnecessarily .
Listen to the 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 iHeart Radio .
Background Photo “ Davidson Courthouse ” by euthman CC BY-SA 2.0 .

by Scott McClallen
About $13.5 million in taxpayer grants from the Going PRO Talent Fund will help train 8,500 workers across nearly 300 Michigan businesses to earn industry-recognized credentials and strong wages.
“The Going PRO Talent Fund is an investment in our state’s greatest asset – our people – helping them develop the skills they need to advance their careers and ‘make it’ in Michigan,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “These grants help us put thousands of Michiganders on paths to good-paying jobs and empower hundreds of Michigan businesses across the state develop the talent they need to compete in the global economy.”
The program launched in 2014. Since then, more than 6,000 Michigan businesses have received Going PRO Talent Fund awards to train 175,000 new and existing workers.
More than 60% of the employers receiving funds are small businesses with fewer than 100 employees. Training must fill a demonstrated talent need experienced by the employer and result in the employee acquiring a credential for a transferable skill recognized by the industry.
Susan Corbin, the director of the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, said these grants keep Michigan businesses competitive globally.
“Programs like the Going PRO Talent Fund help businesses throughout Michigan train the talent they need in order to stay competitive in the global economy,” Corbin said in a statement. “Investments like these help us connect individuals and business leaders with tailored opportunities and unique resources they need to prosper. Together, we are creating a competitive and innovative environment that improves the quality of life for people who live, work and do business in Michigan.”
The average training cost per worker is $1,250. According to 2021 data, average hourly wages for Going PRO Talent Fund participants increased by $5.71 six months after completing training.
“The Going PRO Talent Fund has continued to help Michigan employers retain their workers by providing the necessary support for them to help upskill their workforce,” LEO’s Office of Employment and Training director Stephanie Beckhorn said in a statement. “These trainings have also provided an opportunity for employees to gain industry-recognized credentials they need to grow and thrive in these in-demand careers.”
LEO makes Going PRO Talent Fund awards to employers through Michigan Works! Agencies. Participating employers play an integral role in defining their crucial training needs, then work with their local MWAs and other partners to develop strategic training plans.
David Worthams, director of Employment Policy for the Michigan Manufacturers Association, said the talent fund is “arguably the best talent development program the state of Michigan has to offer.”
“As we get into the next cycle of grants, employers and their employees will see huge strides in new skills that we need as we move into the future of manufacturing in the state, Worthams said in a statement. “This is another reason why Michigan is one of the best states to do business in.”
– – –
Scott McClallen is a staff writer covering Michigan and Minnesota for The Center Square. A graduate of Hillsdale College, his work has appeared on Forbes.com and FEE.org. Previously, he worked as a financial analyst at Pepsi. In 2021, he published a book on technology and privacy. He co-hosts the weekly Michigan in Focus podcast.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-13--Music City Baseball Consultant and Advisor Dave Dombrowski Explains Nashville Stadium Intentions and

Music City Baseball Consultant and Advisor Dave Dombrowski Explains Nashville Stadium Intentions and That it is Privately Funded

Live from Music Row Monday 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 Music City Baseball advisor and consultant Dave Dombrowski to the newsmakers line to discuss Music City Baseballs ’ intentions for a new stadium and how it will not be on the tab of Nashville taxpayers .
Leahy : What I ’ m going to say is a highlight of my broadcasting career .
We are joined Now by perhaps the Major League @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Dave Dombrowski .
He ’ s the general manager of the Florida Marlins won a World Series there .
Montreal Expos .
Detroit Tigers .
Chief Executive Officer of the Boston Red Sox .
I ’ m a big baseball fan .
It is great to have you David .
Dombrowski : Well , thank thank you very much .
It ’ s very nice .
It ’ s my pleasure to be here now .
Leahy : Dave you ’ ve joined a group in July called Music City Baseball .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And having said how great you are as a Major League Baseball executive and how much of a fan I am , I ’ m just gon na throw this out here for you .
You know , the city of Nashville is a financial wreck .
It ’ s in big trouble .
It ’ s spent lots of taxpayer money on big stadiums .
The football stadium for the NFL .
The NHL stadium and then this AAA stadium now called First Horizon Park .
They spent 100 million dollars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s generating no revenue in COVID-19 .
Now here comes Music City baseball with you and really a bunch of really great people .
Dave Stewart and other baseball people .
And I think but Justin Timberlake ’ s involved .
We don ’ t really want to spend any taxpayer money here on a stadium .
Do you plan on taxpayer money being spent ?
What ’ s the plan ?
Dombrowski : No and it ’ s very understandable with the concerns of that regard .
From the very beginning and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organization as a consultant and a joined on a more full-time basis will be here to Nashville first of September .
But from the very beginning when John Loar , Alberto Gonzales , and the rest of the group have always talked about how we would privately finance a ballpark .
And not only a ballpark but an entertainment district , which is very important because if you talk about a retractable roof ballpark , you ’ re talking probably about a billion dollars to build that somewhere in that vicinity .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking to get some type of return .
So to have an entertainment district around that would be extremely important for us .
So any other type of plans we have at this point in the various sites that we have .
We have preferred sites , but we have others .
Everything is privately financed from our perspective .
Leahy : That ’ s that is good news .
Did you say you ’ ve moved to Nashville ?
Dombrowski : Yes , I have .
My wife and I moved to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we moved here and we figured if we are going to be part of the project here and try to get this done that it was extremely important to be here in person .
So we have moved here on a full-time basis .
We sold our home in Boston and know we purchased a home here and we ’ ll be moving in .
We ’ re in a rental until it ’ s ready , but we ’ ll be moving into January making this our full-time residence .
Carmichael : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I will tell you that when you get to the end of the year and you ’ re filing your income tax return you ’ ll be very happy to know that there isn ’ t one .
Dombrowski : ( Laughs ) Well , that ’ s it .
There ’ s no question about that compared to Boston .
That won ’ t affect me much this past year because of most of my time being in Boston .
But as time goes on I ’ ll be smiling when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Leahy : Dave Dombrowski , that was our All-Star panelist Crom Carmichael who ’ s been with us been on the radio here for over 30 years now .
Now that I know you ’ re here in Nashville , let me invite you to come and studio and talk with us for an hour or so sometime .
Dombrowski : Well , I ’ d be happy to sure .
When the time allows for both of us would be happy to come in and talk at some point .
Carmichael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way that you have described the total venue as being a stadium then surrounded by a lot of us you ’ re having to be actually and so I ’ m not going to ask you to reveal anything .
But you obviously have a number of sites that that are kind of under wraps because part of the value proposition I would assume is leveraging the stadium itself to create real estate value for all of the areas around that stadium .
Would that be fairly accurate ?
Dombrowski : I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve made it no secret that our preferred site is on the East Bank .
of course , it ’ s what close to the Titan stadium and being over here .
So that ’ s a preferred site .
But there are other places that we ’ ve discussed , and I think also from our perspective with the retractable roof stadium being in that situation it ’ s as much an entertainment venue that we ’ re talking about .
So not only have the ball games but with having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assured of being able to play and reaching out to basically the whole state .
So you ’ re a regional type of team and of people can come in and see you play and know that you ’ re going to play at seven o ’ clock on a Friday night and not have any weather effect .
But you ’ re also another perspective of November , December , January , February when the weather might not be as warm as you would like .
But to be in a situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can have different types of events .
So we ’ re trying to use the entertainment facility as many times as we can and if 365 days a year .
Carmichael : So the so the stadium would be owned by the team ?
Dombrowski : Well , if it ’ s not the team there are other people that do own parks or people that build ballparks and do that .
So that is all to be determined .
But it will be privately financed , yes .
Carmichael : OK , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to me and I will tell you that that given Nashville ’ s history with other stadiums , that makes for a very very compelling argument to the city and to your potential fans .
Dombrowski : Well , I can understand that .
In recent years as cities have progressed and you see that there is usually not that much public funding available within a city to make these things happen .
We realize that from the very beginning .
That ’ s why the group is talking about privately financing this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been in the works for that type of financing .
Leahy : What becomes of the AAA franchise here , the Nashville Sounds , and the First Horizon Park that the Metro Nashville government owns and spent overspent 100 million bucks for ?
Dombrowski : Well , normally what ends up happening is at this point and this happens when your pad expansion or have relocation which doesn ’ t happen very often in Major League Baseball .
They have what they call territorial rights .
So we ’ re aware of that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that point end up getting some type of financing for them to relocate .
There ’ s a potential that a team could still stay here .
But usually , you don ’ t have a triple-A or double-A type of franchise that close to a major league franchise .
Maybe a low minor team .
Leahy : The Texas Rangers and Frisco might be a double an example of that perhaps ?
Dombrowski : Yes , but they ’ re in there a little bit further than that .
They ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : They are about 30 minutes away .
Leahy : Dave Dombrowski , we are out of time .
This is a short segment .
Will you come back in the studio with us at your convenience and talk more baseball ?
Dombrowski : Oh sure .
I ’ d be happy to sometime .
I ’ ll look forward to it .
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 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Radio .
Photo “ Dave Dombrowski ” by Arturo Pardavila III CC BY 2.0 .
Background Photo “ Nashville Baseball Stadium ” by deldevries CC BY-SA 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-13--Letter to the Editor: What it Means to be a Republican to Me

I grew up in a Democratic household and strongly supported the ideals and platform of the Democratic Party : free speech , racial equality , and social justice , and empathy for the common man .
Quite frankly I have recently become disillusioned with the progressive direction that the Democratic Party has taken and have seen firsthand outside the borders of the United States the dismal failure of the well-intentioned results of progressivism and socialism .
One only has to look at the failed states of Venezuela , Cuba , and our adversary the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Based on what I have observed as a world traveler , I am now by choice a staunch Republican and urge your readers to look beyond the personalities of this election cycle and examine the platforms of each respective party .
While former Vice President Joe Biden may declare he is not a socialist nor supports the Green New Deal a quick look at the 110-page Biden Sanders Unity Pact reveals otherwise .
Repeal of right to work laws , ending cash bail , providing a “ public option ” toward universal health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few of the more examples that will push this Republic away from its foundations and towards socialism and anarchy .
In spite of the uninformed rhetoric and name calling from both sides of the isle , as we approach November 3rd , I believe it is important that citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia understand the underlying principles of the Republican Party .
This can best be summarized by the Virginia Republican Creed which supports capitalism vs. socialism , constitutional limitations on the role of government , the rights of the individual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defense , and faith in God .
I would ask my fellow Democrats , as informed citizens to what part of the Republican creed do you object and what do you propose as an alternative ?
Like it or not politics may be dirty and nasty , but we can not as citizens look the other way or stick our head in the sand and hope that it will go away .
Politics influences our business , culture , and family life .
Charles Krauthammer in his book “ Things that Matter ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most advanced and efflorescence of cultures .
Get your politics wrong , however , and everything stands to be swept away .
Politics is the moat , the walls , beyond which lie the barbarians .
Fail to keep them at bay , and everything burns .
We should care about politics because political acts can have profound human consequences .
It makes a very great different whether people live in freedom or servitude ; whether government promotes a culture of life or a culture of death ; whether the state is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In closing , let ’ s work together in the Valley as both Democrats and Republicans to move this great republic forward .
It is our civic duty and obligation for future generations of Americans .
Failure is not an option .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-13--Gade: Democrats Will Destroy America as We Know It

At the 41st annual Greene County GOP Pig Roast U.S. Senate candidate Daniel Gade warned that American values are at risk if the Democrats gain power .
“ The Left in the United States have decided that now is the time when they come after our values .
And they ’ ve openly said what they ’ re going to do if , God forbid , they win the presidency and if , God forbid , they win and they take the Senate , ” Gade said in his speech .
“ And here ’ s what they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to stack the Supreme Court .
No question about it , they ’ re going to stack the Supreme Court .
They ’ re going to make D.C. a state , giving them two brand new Senators .
They ’ re going to abolish the filibuster and then America as we know it is gone.
” “ This fight is about our values .
This fight is about all the things that make America the best place that has ever existed in all of humanity.
” Gade added , “ I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a different kind of candidate because I ’ m not a career politician.
” Gade told the crowd that his message is resonating across Virginia because it is attracting independents .
“ Independents are looking at their computers and they ’ re realizing that in 2020 finally at the Senate level they have a chance to vote for a career servant instead of a career politician.
” “ Far rights suck , but then the Far lefts suck too , ” attendee Mason Pickett said .
“ Extremes are no good.
” Pickett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2010s , and he ’ s worried about what will happen in the election .
“ It ’ s going to be a wild time .
Somebody better win in a big percentage way.
” In an interview with The Virginia Star , Gade said his center lean is not a political calculation .
“ It ’ s a kind of a philosophical thing for me .
It ’ s not a political game at all.
” Gade continued , “ When I ’ m elected I ’ m going to represent all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but they don ’ t care about me , ) but especially the people who are Republicans , [ or ] who are Democrats , who say , ‘ You know what ?
I don ’ t like politics .
I don ’ t want politics in my life .
Instead what I want is to live my life free . '
” “ Everybody is really excited about having a non-career politician , ” Gade said .
“ It ’ s so great because it shows that the polarization and the fear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] have to be the future of the commonwealth.
” Gade provided one example of his across-the-aisle approach .
At the Norfolk State University debate , Gade said the moderator asked if the Black Lives Matter movement was a divisive social unrest movement , or a movement towards social justice .
Gade answered that Republicans should be proud of their history freeing the slaves and fighting for civil rights .
“ And we should also recognize that as Republicans it ’ s absolutely okay to say that Black people ’ s lives matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we should 100 percent be embracing that .
It ’ s true .
Black people ’ s lives matter , ” Gade said .
“ We need criminal justice reform , we need to fix our failing schools , ” Gade added .
“ If you listen to the rest of the statement I made , Black Lives Matter the movement has some real problems with infiltration from the far left , antifa , socialist anarchists and all that.
” “ But we as conservatives need to recognize that every single person in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ person in our system is granted from God with individual liberty and with infinite value in the eyes of the creator , and that value should be protected by government , ” Gade said .
“ That ’ s what we do , that ’ s what government is for.
” Eric Burk is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .
Phot0 “ Daniel Gade ” by Daniel Gade .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-13--Senator Klobuchar Calls Barrett Hearings a ‘Sham’ on Opening Day

Sen. Amy Klobuchar ( D-MN ) called the confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett “ a sham ” in her opening statement .
Klobuchar and her colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee convened Monday morning for the opening day of hearings , which will continue through Thursday .
Barrett ’ s nomination was announced by President Donald Trump last month during an event in the White House Rose Garden .
“ The president could have saved so many lives .
Instead he ’ s been reckless , packing people in without masks for your nomination party @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick .
The president himself ends up in the hospital and when he leaves Walter Reed , still contagious , he defiantly takes off his mask and walks into the White House .
And then he lies and says the virus will magically go away .
The truth matters , ” Klobuchar said Monday .
She claimed Barrett ’ s confirmation to the court would jeopardize the health care of “ millions of Americans , ” citing Barrett ’ s criticism of the Supreme Court ’ s decision to uphold the Affordable Care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that this judicial nominee has made her views so clear and this president is trying to put her in a position of power to make decisions about your lives , ” said Klobuchar , noting that Barrett would be replacing “ an icon.
” “ She never gave up .
She had her own hashtag well into her 80s .
The notorious RBG .
And her last fervent wish was that a new president , the winner of this election , would pick her replacement , ” Klobuchar said of Justice Ruth Bader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ To the women of America , we have come so far , and in the name of RBG we should not go backwards , ” she added .
Klobuchar concluded her opening remarks by calling the hearing “ a sham ” and accusing Republican leadership of having “ real messed up priorities.
” “ To all Americans , we don ’ t have some clever procedural way to stop this sham , to stop them from rushing through a nominee .
But we have a secret weapon that they don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are watching , who work hard every day , believe in our country and the rule of law , whether they are Democrats , Republicans or Independents .
They know what this president and the Republican Party are doing right now is very wrong , ” she said .
The American Bar Association rated Barrett as “ well qualified ” in a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham and Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein .
“ Well qualified ” is the highest rating a nominee can receive from the ABA , whose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gold standard ” by Democrats .
Anthony Gockowski is the Editor in Chief of AlphaNewsMN.com .
Image “ Senator Amy Klobuchar ” by C-Span.org .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-13--Biden Pans Trump Economics, Pivots Away from Global Markets to Promise to Keep Jobs in America in Oh

Biden Pans Trump Economics, Pivots Away from Global Markets to Promise to Keep Jobs in America in Ohio Campaign Stops

Dozens of supporters for President Trump greeted Democratic nominee Joe Biden outside the latter ’ s dual campaign speeches in Ohio on Monday .
Speaking at an invitation-only event at Cincinnati ’ s Union Terminal , Biden highlighted to roughly 20 people the economic downturn resulting from the pandemic , Trump ’ s response to COVID-19 , and systemic racism in the U.S. “ [ Trump ] knew how dangerous this disease was but said and did nothing , ” Biden said .
“ …Ask yourself , why did he not tell the country ?
” Biden was referencing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president admitted he knew about the coronavirus , but downplayed it in order to not incite panic among Americans .
The attendees at Biden ’ s Cincinnati speech wore masks and were temperature-checked before entering , according to Cincinnati.com .
Outside , roughly 50 Biden supporters faced up to a roughly equal amount of Trump supporters .
The Hamilton County Democratic Party had told Biden supporters to not show up for safety reasons , Cincinnati said .
Biden also touched on white supremacists and militias , pointing to recent plots to kidnap Michigan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s response to first presidential debate moderator Fox News ’ s Chris Wallace .
The moderator had asked Trump to denounce groups like the “ Proud Boys , ” to which Trump told them to “ stand back and stand down.
” Later , the president once again denounced “ all white supremacists , ” including the Proud Boys , in an interview on Fox News .
Biden also called for more bipartisanship in the country .
“ I ’ m running as a proud Democrat , but I will govern as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ There will be no blue states and red states with me .
It ’ s one America .
I ’ ll work with Democrats and Republicans .
I ’ ll work as hard for those who vote against me as those who vote for me.
” Biden ’ s Cincinnati speech was his second of the day .
Speaking outside a United Auto Workers union hall in Toledo earlier on Monday , Biden slammed Trump ’ s economic policies and wealth , saying that he cared more about the stock market than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden also touched on recent campaign ads from Trump ’ s camp , which were met with backlash after a quoted Dr. Anthony Fauci said he was taken out of context .
Biden was also met with Trump supporters at his earlier Ohio appearance .
In his speech , Biden promised to keep jobs in America , saying that several of his plans — such as weatherizing houses — were “ all going to be done by certified union labor.
” Weatherizing homes is part of the Green New Deal , which Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to end Trump ’ s new incentive for sending jobs abroad , ” Biden said .
“ That ’ s what he ’ s done , more jobs are going abroad now/ any company that offshores a job is going to pay a 10 % penalty .
Any company that brings back a job or reopens a closed company…they ’ ll get a 10 % credit for their investment.
” Many of Biden ’ s remarks were met with honking from the attendees of the drive-in rally , with some sticking their heads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 , a local news outlet reported .
Roughly 30 cars were in attendance at the former vice president ’ s drive-in speech at the UAW .
“ I will stand up to China ’ s trade abuses , and I will invest in the American worker , because I know no one , nobody can outcompete an American worker when they ’ ve got a fair shot , ” Biden said .
“ Nobody in the world.
” Biden previously worked as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2000-2001 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the World Trade Organization and welcomed the country as a “ great power.
” A recent poll from Baldwin Wallace University showed Trump holding 47 percent to Biden ’ s 45 percent , a slight improvement over the previous poll showing the two presidential candidates in a virtual tie , according to WKYC .
The president ’ s lead , however , is still within the margin of error , as 5 percent of those surveyed said they were unsure for whom they were voting .
Activists and politicians , including Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pointing out gaffes and low attendance .
Vice President Mike Pence also campaigned in Ohio on Monday .
Jordyn Pair is a reporter with The Ohio Star .
Follow her on Twitter at @ JordynPair .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-13--Newly Proposed Law to Reduce Traffic Stops Relating to Marijuana and Other Traffic Offenses, Law Enf

Newly Proposed Law to Reduce Traffic Stops Relating to Marijuana and Other Traffic Offenses, Law Enforcement in Opposition

A bill that aims to reduce unnecessary and targeted traffic stops by limiting what police officers are lawfully allowed to pull drivers over for recently passed the General Assembly and is now awaiting a decision from the governor .
Nevertheless , law enforcement opposes the legislation on the grounds that it would hurt public safety and lead to more dangers while driving .
House Bill 5058 , sponsored by Del .
Patrick Hope ( D-Arlington County ) , bars police from stopping drivers for a number of traffic offenses , many being equipment infractions , such as broken brake lights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspending certain objects from the rear-view window and others .
“ This [ legislation ] bubbled up to a high level of concern because of the disproportionate number of black and brown communities that tend to be targeted for these pretextual [ traffic ] stops , ” Hope said in an interview with The Virginia Star .
“ We wanted to create a bill that would eliminate or at least significantly curve those number of interactions that frequently escalate .
So that is what you have before you , a bill to try @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added : “ We ’ re simply changing what are primary offenses to secondary offenses.
” The measure would also prohibit cops from pulling over vehicles for not having an illuminated license plate , expired safety inspection stickers – unless three or more months past due – and would turn a violation for smoking in a car with a minor present into a $ 100 citation .
Most notably , the legislation would stop law enforcement from searching vehicles based on the smell of marijuana , and no evidence discovered or obtained from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some law enforcement officers and groups strongly oppose Hope ’ s bill because they argue it creates a public safety problem .
“ This bill just has so many issues , ” said John Jones , executive director of the Virginia Sheriffs ’ Association , in an interview with The Star .
“ I think it will decrease public safety and it will make Virginia less safe.
” Jones said that the sheriffs ’ association has asked Governor Ralph Northam to amend the bill with a re-enactment clause , meaning the legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General Assembly enacts it again during the regular session .
Additionally , Jones thought the bill was overreaching and combining too many issues that should be separate .
Loudoun County Sheriff , Mike Chapman , also spoke against the measure .
“ I think the bill in itself , from everything that I ’ ve read about it , is just an affront to common sense and public safety , ” Chapman told The Star .
“ And to have a bill like that pass through both the House and the Senate and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really ill conceived and just a true detriment to the safety of our public.
” Chapman also said the provision on the odor of marijuana is a mistake because , although decriminalized , it is still an illegal drug and can cause users to drive under the influence .
Whether or not Governor Northam will sign the bill into law , veto it completely or offer amendments for the House to consider is unknown at this time .
Hope said he is hopeful Northam will sign it , but he is certainly open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would be extremely foolish of the governor to sign the bill .
When The Star asked if Northam intended to sign the legislation into law , Alena Yarmosky , the governor ’ s press secretary said : “ Governor Northam is committed to criminal justice reform .
He looks forward to carefully reviewing this bill.
” The decision from the governor should happen in the next couple of days because when legislation is sent to his desk while the Assembly is still in session , as it is right now , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action , according to Hope .
Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-13--Ohio’s Advisory System Counts COVID-like ER Visits

This is the sixth story in and eight-part series on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System ( OPHAS ) .
The system assigns one of four colors to each of Ohio ’ s 88 counties based on the level of COVID exposure and spread .
OPHAS is a supplement to the numerous statewide COVID mandates and is supposed to be a data-driven framework that gives local leaders a tool for use in deciding local and county school , business and other public policies .
OPHAS is comprised of seven indicators : • proportion of cases not in congregate setting ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visits for COVID-like illness will negatively affect a county ’ s risk rating if there is an increasing trend of at least five consecutive days in the number of visits to the emergency department with COVID-like illness or diagnosis over the past 3 weeks .
According to the Summary of Alert Indicators found on the Ohio COVID site , the indicator shows the health care seeking behavior of the population and a sense of how concerned residents are about their current health status and the virus .
In an email to The Ohio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Secretary Melanie Amato pointed out that “ indicators 4 and 5 ( outpatient and ED visits ) rely on more timely data and can provide an early indicator that a change in trends is occurring.
” Tripping the indicator takes only a fractional increase .
Madison County visits barely bumped up September 21 – September 25 from 0.14 to .86 .
This increase was enough to flip the switch .
Madison County has a population of 44,731 .
The lack of magnitude control – albeit not as glaring – can also be seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flipped September 25 – August 4 when ED visits went from 2.1 to 4.5 .
Ross County has a population of 76,666 .
During a press briefing in July , DeWine and OPHAS co-creator Dr. Andrew Thomas likened the color-coded map to an early weather warning system designed to aid Ohio counties in seeing surges before they occur .
However , for weeks Governor DeWine has pointed to OPHAS as proof that COVID is spreading in Ohio , which is counter to the way the system was initially introduced .
Despite claims that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the advisory system are not producing increases in cases , hospitalizations or deaths .
To use a weather analogy – tornadoes are not touching down despite weather warning systems and forecasts .
According to Ohio COVID dashboard , cases in Ohio peaked on July 13 , hospitalizations on July 12 and deaths on April 28 .
Yet the Ohio Education Association ( OEA ) released a position statement on July 28 outlining the union ’ s stance on school openings that states : “ Under Ohio ’ s warning system , OEA believes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a county designated as Level 4 ( purple ) or Level 3 ( red ) must remain closed to in-person instruction.
” At the end of July , DeWine demanded county fairs to conduct only junior fair events and cited as a reason the increased community spread among fairgoers .
The Ohio Liquor Control Board referenced the perceived spread indicated by OPHAS in issuing its emergency rule to prohibit the sale of alcohol past 10:00 p.m. and onsite consumption by 11:00 p.m .
However , last week Governor DeWine said red and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subject to additional statewide regulations .
But even if more health orders are not produced as a result of OPHAS , it is evident that other governing boards , bodies and institutions are basing decisions on the system .
This is particularly true in school districts throughout the state .
Last week The Star reported that schools in Richland County were preparing for remote learning in anticipation the Governor was going to color the county purple .
July 18 CDC Director Robert Redfield said that there is no data to support the notion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or that they are transmitting to teachers .
Last week The Atlantic published an article backed by research reporting kids contracting COVID at a rate of 0.13 and staff at a rate of 0.25 .
As we go deeper into the fall when allergies , colds and flu cases skyrocket it will be less clear if we are battling COVID or traditional sicknesses .
Amato said “ It will be more difficult to differentiate COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses , but the hope is that by following guidance on social distancing and mask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generally more difficult to transmit between individuals , will be mitigated to some degree .
“ Jack Windsor is Managing Editor and an Investigative Reporter at The Ohio Star .
Windsor is also an Investigative Reporter at WMFD-TV .
Follow Jack on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-13--City of Richmond Will Use Group Initiative to Shelter Homeless Population This Winter

In the effort to combat homelessness and provide adequate indoor sheltering options amidst the COVID-19 pandemic , the city of Richmond is contracting with faith-based groups in the area and the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care ( GRCoC ) , a network of service providers that aid the homeless population .
In past years Richmond has used the Anne Gile Center , located in Upper Shockoe Valley just north of downtown , as the city ’ s primary Cold Weather Overflow Shelter ( CWOS ) , but it was closed down this year in part because of COVID concerns and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Since March of this year Homeward , a homeless service planning and coordinating organization for the Richmond region , has been operating the Greater Richmond Region ’ s Pandemic Response Non-Congregate Shelter Program , which is part of the GRCoC .
“ Almost all of our shelter providers cater to specific populations of people experiencing homelessness , ” Sharon Ebert , Richmond ’ s deputy chief administrative officer for economic and community development , said in a statement .
“ Most individuals/households need special services and move to specific facilities that provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , victims of domestic violence , or substance abuse treatment ) .
” Ebert also said that over 700 individuals experiencing homelessness have been helped using that system since mid-march .
Some of the service providers that are part of the GRCoC include Homeward , HomeAgain , The Salvation Army , Commonwealth Catholic Charities and CARITAS , among others .
The Virginia Star sent interview requests to Homeward and HomeAgain for this story , but did not hear back before press time .
The system and the work of the contracted providers is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded to the city of Richmond .
Currently , there are 12 emergency shelters in Richmond providing 385 emergency beds/rooms .
Furthermore , CARITAS is expected to open up a new shelter and women ’ s treatment center with space for an additional 28 beds , and the GRCoC is contracted with an organization that adds 50 more beds , along with other services , through three city hoteliers , according to Ebert .
There are some that were not in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and believe the new plan is flawed , however .
Kimberly Gray , Richmond City Council member and mayoral candidate , is one of those people .
When asked if the city of Richmond was taking adequate steps to help the homeless population Gray said : “ No , no , absolutely not .
There are people on the streets now that are not being provided for , ” Gray said in an interview with The Star .
“ There are too many barriers to what they are saying is the alternative for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weather overflow shelter.
” “ So , I don ’ t think they have adequately provided for these services , ” Gray added .
“ We contract with the Continuum of Care to provide those services , so I think that the mayor has failed this population of people.
” A key part of the homeless services is the crisis hotline , which Gray pointed out it can only be used Monday-Friday , 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and claimed that there is difficulty actually making arrangements to get to a shelter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ expand the hotline hours during the week and on the weekend by adding more operating staff .
As far as outreach and notifying the homeless population , the city is publicizing information on where to find shelters in places where the homeless frequent like public libraries , bus stops , emergency rooms and food pantries , Ebert said .
According to Homeward ’ s snapshot count , on January 23 , 2020 , there were 549 people in the Richmond area experiencing homelessness and 130 were unsheltered .
Comparatively , on January 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the area were experiencing homelessness with 152 unsheltered individuals .
At the time of the count Homeward surveyed the adults , of which 335 out of 479 or 69.9 percent completed .
The survey revealed various trends including that 71.2 percent were males and 28.5 percent were females , the average age was 48.7 years old , 73.5 percent has served some time in jail and/or prison , 67.4 percent said they identified themselves as black and 26.9 identified at white , and , in their lifetime , 34.6 percent reported a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having a problem with drugs .
Jacob Taylor is a reporter at The Virginia Star and the Star News Digital Network .
Follow Jacob on Twitter .
Email tips to [ email protected ] Photo “ Homeless Shelter ” by KOMUNews CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-13--Federal Judge Upholds Minnesota’s Extended Ballot Counting

MINNEAPOLIS , Minnesota ( AP ) — A federal judge has upheld a Minnesota state court agreement that allows the counting of absentee ballots received up to seven days after Election Day .
Republicans had asked U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel to block the seven-day extension that said ballots postmarked on or before Election Day must be counted .
Brasel ruled late Sunday night that the plaintiffs in the case — state Rep. Eric Lucero and another Republican who serves as an elector in the presidential election — don ’ t have standing and denied their motion for a preliminary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information after absentee ballots have gone out would create confusion .
“ This is a difficult genie to put back in the lamp , ” Brasel ruled .
Messages left Monday with Lucero and the Republican Party were not immediately returned , but attorneys for the plaintiffs filed a notice saying they will appeal .
Richard Fiesta , executive director of the citizens ’ group , the Alliance for Retired Americans , called it “ an important common sense voting rights victory.
” “ Thousands of older Minnesota voters can protect their health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counted .
As in any election , the rights of voters to cast their ballots in the least burdensome manner is paramount .
This decision furthers that ability , ” Fiesta said .
Before the consent decree , state law required absentee ballots to be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day .
Now , that ’ s the deadline for the postmark .
The consent decree includes a provision that says if a mailed ballot is missing a postmark , election officials should presume it was mailed by Election Day unless evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came just days after a federal appeals court blocked a similar extension in Wisconsin — a win for Republicans who have fought attempts to expand voting across the country .
The Minnesota plaintiffs had pointed to that ruling to bolster their case .
A majority of states require mail-in ballots to be received by Election Day , while others accept them days or even weeks later if they are postmarked by Election Day .
Tens of millions of Americans are likely to vote by mail this year because of concerns about coronavirus exposure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Minnesota was filed by Lucero and GOP activist James Carson , who both would participate in the Electoral College if President Donald Trump carries Minnesota .
Their lawsuit , backed by the conservative-leaning Honest Elections Project , argued that the extension violates federal law that establishes Nov. 3 as the date of the 2020 election .
Jason Snead , executive director of Honest Elections Project , said in a statement that the fight for fair , honest and lawful elections continues and that it ’ s foolish to presume no one would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This plan will cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election ’ s results , and force litigation that could drag on for weeks , ” he said .
Attorneys for the state said the extension should stay in place , arguing that blocking it would create confusion and likely disenfranchise voters who are relying on instructions they have already received about deadlines for returning ballots by mail .
Brasel rejected a variety of the plaintiffs ’ claims , including their assertion that it would dilute the value of their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after Election Day .
She also rejected their claim that the consent decree created chaos and uncertainty , ruling that information about the new absentee process had been clearly communicated to voters .
“ In reality , the Electors are in danger of creating confusion rather ( than ) avoiding ” it , Brasel wrote .
Trump narrowly missed winning Minnesota in 2016 and had vowed in 2020 to become the first Republican to capture the state since Richard Nixon in 1972 .
But recent polls have showed Joe Biden leading , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some TV ad buys in the state .
Amy Forliti is a reporter for The Associated Press .
About the Headline Photo : In this July 29 , 2020 , file photo , Lisa Finander , right , checks that each ballot has the voter ’ s name on the ballot and mailing envelope and Laurie Mattila , left , checked that it was correct at Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services in Minneapolis .
A federal judge has upheld a state court agreement that extends Minnesota ’ s deadline for counting absentee ballots @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel to block the seven-day extension that Democratic Secretary of State Steve Simon agreed to in state court after a citizens ’ rights group cited concerns about voter safety due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
But Brasel ruled late Sunday , Oct. 11 , 2020 , that the plaintiffs in the case — a pair of Republicans serving as electors in the presidential election — don ’ t have standing and denied their motion for a preliminary injunction .
( Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via AP , File )


thetennesseestar--2020-10-13--TRUMPDATE: Latest From the Team Trump Virginia Campaign for October 13

Welcome to the Tuesday edition of our daily Virginia Trump campaign update !
We will provide our readers with daily updates on the Trump Virginia campaign from today to November 3 ( and after…if need be ! )
.
It ’ s officially 21 days until the election on November 3 – and 18 days until early voting in Virginia closes .
The deadline to register to vote in time for the 2020 election is TODAY !
The Trump-Pence campaign announced on Monday that President Trump will be speaking at a rally in Greenville , North Carolina this Thursday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally will take place at the Greenville Airport ( 400 Airport Rd .
Greenville , NC 27834 ) .
Temperature screenings will be in place , masks will be handed out , and attendees will have access to hand sanitizer .
Thursdays rally will mark the fourth consecutive day the president will be on the campaign trail .
President Trump returned to doing in-person events after his COVID-19 quarantine concluded over the weekend .
The campaign also hosted a teleconference on Monday , with Trump 2020 Campaign Manager Bill Stepien , Deputy Campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Miller , and Senior Advisor Corey Lewandowski .
They provided an update on the president ’ s campaign schedule for the next few days , along with the latest involving the campaign as a whole with three weeks until Election Day .
Corey Lewandowski used the time to talk about the polling for the race between President Trump and Joe Biden .
He noted that the polling being pushed by the mainstream media is the same as the polling put out in 2016 when President Trump ran against Hillary Clinton .
“ Most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data wrong in 2016 , ” Lewandowski said .
“ So it ’ s important to understand where we are today.
” Lewandowski said like in 2016 , the polling today is showing Joe Biden winning over 50 percent of the vote .
Some polls in key battleground states the president won showed Hillary Clinton winning at least 51 percent of the vote .
But Lewandowski said that it ’ s important to understand that often the pollsters are skewing the results .
“ 58 percent of all polls failed to meet the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ They aren ’ t showing their partisan make up .
So you definitely have to call into question the methodology of a lot of these polls.
” “ Our internal numbers , we are very confident where our numbers are , ” he added .
“ It ’ s telling a different story .
We have a distinct path to 270 electoral votes.
” Check back every day for more Trump Virginia campaign updates !
If you want to join the volunteer team or if you need signs email @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to our Virginia campaign click here .
For more information , or to sign up to become a volunteer , click here .
John Fredericks is the publisher and editor-in-chief of The Virginia Star .
He is also a Trump 2020 delegate and the chairman of the Trump Virginia Delegation .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-14--Mayor Cooper Launches ‘Hospitality Committee’ in Charge of Helping Business Compliance with COVID Re

Mayor Cooper Launches ‘Hospitality Committee’ in Charge of Helping Business Compliance with COVID Regulations

Mayor John Cooper issued a press release Tuesday announcing the launch of a new “ Hospitality Committee ” to ensure business compliance with COVID-19 health orders .
Members of the committee cover major areas of Nashville ’ s tourism industry , including hotels , bars , restaurants , entertainment , and attractions .
“ This group of industry professionals will also be positioned to work with their peers to ensure greater compliance with public health standards , including giving recommendations to the Metro Beer Board , ” explained Cooper in the press release .
Cooper also implied that pandemic enforcements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is available .
“ As we look ahead at the next six months , the task for Nashville is to control the virus instead of letting it control us .
That means safe public health protocols with a strict focus on masks and social distancing , so we can safely bring back more events and business capacity between now and the day we have a vaccine.
” Cooper ’ s Senior Advisor Benjamin Eagles told The Tennessee Star that the members won ’ t be deputized by the mayor .
“ They are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t be about the committee enforcing , but rather sharing industry expertise , planning for the rebound and helping with compliance of good public health practices.
” There are no further guidelines for how the committee will help businesses comply with the COVID-related orders .
One of the committee members , Nashville Zoo at Grassmere President and CEO Rick Schwartz , explained to The Star that the committee ’ s goal is to revive what was lost during this pandemic .
“ The real gist of it is – Nashville is so deep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the best way to get tourists back .
I ’ m representing the attractions , because we ’ re so dependent on them , ” said Schwartz .
“ I ’ m excited about being involved .
I think we all have concern with bringing tourism back – I mean , we ’ ll never be a vibrant city again until we bring back tourism.
” Schwartz shared that their committee is scheduled to meet for the first time on Thursday .
Corinne Murdock is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest on Twitter , or email tips to [ email protected ] .
Photo “ John Cooper ” by John Cooper .

by Virginia Allen
Republican governors are sending National Guard troops to the southern border.
Governors of Arkansas, Iowa, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, and West Virginia announced this week they will send troops and resources to Texas to support the work of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Operation Lone Star to secure the southern border.
“President [Joe] Biden’s failure at our southern border puts the entire country at risk,” Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Thursday. “States must now step up where the president has failed to repel illegals, fight the cartels, and stop human and drug trafficking.”
Sanders is sending 80 National Guard troops to the border in July. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt will send troop but has not clarified how many, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum also announced Thursday that he will send 100 National Guardsmen to Texas to help secure the southern border. Gov. Mike DeWine says he will send 14 State Highway troopers and supervisors to Texas for two weeks. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem says she will deploy about 50 National Guard troops to the border this summer.
Arkansas, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, and South Dakota join nine other GOP governors who have already pledged to send troops and resources to Texas to help secure the state’s border with Mexico.
“The ongoing border crisis facing our nation has turned every state into a border state,” Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in a statement Wednesday.
“Given the intensive resource demands on Texas, the dangers posed by the fentanyl crisis, and impact of the border crisis on criminal activity to the Commonwealth, Virginia will do its part to assist the State of Texas’ efforts with the coordinated deployment of Virginia National Guard soldiers to assist in key aspects of their mission,” Youngkin said.
Youngkin is sending 100 troops and 21 supporting personnel to Texas from the commonwealth.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice is sending up to 50 National Guard troops and airmen to the border for up to 30 days. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster says he will also send troops to the border but has yet to announce how may.
“The safety and security of South Carolinians require that we stop the drug cartels, criminals, and terrorists from entering our country to peddle their poison,” McMaster said in a statement Wednesday.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday that she will send 100 National Guard troops and 30 Department of Public Safety personnel to the border.
The Republican governors’ decision to send troops to the southern border comes in response to Abbott’s request for states to join Texas and help secure the border through the work of Operation Lone Star, Texas’ border security plan.
Nine GOP governors met with Abbott in Austin, Texas, on May 22 to discuss the border crisis. The meeting was held about a week after Abbott sent a letter to fellow governors asking them to help Texas secure the border.
The Texas governor applauded Idaho and Florida for already having sent border security resources and personnel to the Lone Star State to help secure the border and invited more governors to join in the “mission to defend our national sovereignty and territorial integrity and send all available law enforcement personnel and resources to the Texas-Mexico border to serve alongside our thousands of Texas National Guard soldiers and Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers.”
Last week, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced he will send 100 National Guard troops to the border and Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen committed to send 10 state troopers to Texas to “help stop the influx of illegal immigration at our southern border.”
Florida, Idaho, and Mississippi were among the first states to answer Abbott’s call for help.
On May 17, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves announced he was mobilizing a National Guard unit to the border.
“To keep Mississippians safe and limit the impact of our nation’s open borders, the Mississippi National Guard’s 112th Military Police Battalion has been mobilized and is supporting Customs and Border Protection officers and agents along the Southwest border.”
The day before Reeves’ announcement, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Florida had “over 1,100 assets and resources available” to aid Operation Lone Star, including 800 National Guard soldiers and 200 Florida Department of Law Enforcement officers.
“At my direction, state agencies, including law enforcement and the Florida National Guard, are being deployed to Texas, with assets including personnel, boats, and planes,” DeSantis said. “While Biden ignores the crisis he created, Florida stands ready to help Texas respond to this crisis.”
Since the start of the Biden administration, Customs and Border Protection reports encountering more than 5.5 million illegal aliens at the southern border. Since fiscal year 2023 began on Oct. 1, CBP has encountered more than 1.4 million illegal aliens, about triple the number encountered at the southern border during fiscal year 2020.
CBP has seized a record 17,000 pounds of fentanyl at the southern border so far in fiscal year 2023, which ends Sept. 30, more than triple the total amount seized in all of fiscal year 2020.
– – –
Virginia Allen is a senior news producer and podcast host for The Daily Signal. She is the co-host of “The Daily Signal Podcast” and “Problematic Women.”
Photo “National Guard” by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.


thetennesseestar--2020-10-14--Commentary: The Clarence Thomas-ing of Amy Coney Barrett

Here we go again .
Recall the NAACP ?
That would be the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People ?
Once upon a time it was the premier civil rights organization of the day .
And when the first black Supreme Court Justice — Thurgood Marshall — retired ?
The NAACP wanted a black judge to replace him .
President George H. W. Bush gave them exactly that — nominating then-Judge Clarence Thomas , a young African-American , to replace Marshall .
And the NAACP went ballistic .
The Los Angeles Times headlined the story this way : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it strongly opposes Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas , terming the black jurist too “ reactionary ” to replace retiring Justice Thurgood Marshall and vowing to fight his Senate confirmation .
The board of directors of the National Assn .
for the Advancement of Colored People — the nation ’ s oldest and most influential civil rights organization — took the position in a 49-1 vote , even though it meant opposing one of the two blacks ever nominated to the nation ’ s high court .
“ We have concluded that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the best interests of African-Americans , ” NAACP Chairman William F. Gibson said at a news conference .
“ Judge Thomas ’ inconsistent views on civil rights policy make him an unpredictable element on an increasingly radically conservative court.
” Say what ?
The NAACP was suddenly saying they opposed a black jurist for the Court because they found his stance on civil rights policy “ unpredictable ” ?
What was this ?
Judge Thomas knew exactly what was going on .
Now-Justice Thomas discussed the situation in a recent documentary , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Own Words .
He said his opponents believed that “ You ’ re not really black because you ’ re not doing what we expect black people to do , ” adding , Justice Thomas was exactly right .
The hard fact is that the Left — and by 1991 , when Thomas was nominated , the NAACP was long gone from advancing civil rights and had become a reflexively far-left interest group — views black Americans as their political property .
Former Vice President Joe Biden blurted out this reality not long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ host that “ if you ’ re for Trump you ain ’ t black.
” But as Judge Amy Coney Barrett is finding out this week , the idea of blacks as political property on the liberal plantation isn ’ t limited to blacks — it also includes women .
( And , for that matter , Hispanics and gays . )
As with the confirmation battle over Justice Thomas , Barrett ’ s real sin is that she is a very smart , extremely well-qualified woman — who is a conservative .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ eyes of the Left , a traitor to her gender .
Just as Justice Thomas was seen as a traitor to his race .
To add insult to injury , Barrett is a devout Catholic and the mother of seven , with two of her children adopted — and black .
Joe Biden , reply Barrett ’ s critics , is a Catholic too .
Yes , but he is a Catholic who long ago changed his position and supported abortion .
Barrett is on the record as having criticized Roe v. Wade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Left , the ultimate political sin .
What is it that makes the Left and its Democratic Party insist that to be black or a woman has to mean liberal as well ?
The answer is simple .
This is how progressives get political power .
Racism and genderism — both identity politics — are the political fuel of the Left .
And if you are either black and a woman and , God forbid , have departed the liberal plantation , the Left is coming for you if you are nominated or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in American government .
Time after time some version of this has played out , well beyond the treatment of Justice Thomas or what Judge Barrett is currently experiencing .
The party that celebrated the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg for her leadership on women ’ s issues simply could not abide the late conservative leader Phyllis Schlafly .
They celebrate former President Barack Obama — but can not stand conservative Republican South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott , with Democrat Sen. Dick Durbin assailing Sen. Scott as a “ token.
” Back during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the superbly qualified Miguel Estrada for the D.C. Court of appeals was filibustered by Democrats .
In 2013 , the Washington Examiner ’ s Timothy P. Carney recalled why : I prefer to start the story with the time Democrats filibustered a qualified nominee for the crime of being Hispanic .
Go back to February 2003 , the first weeks of a new Republican majority in the Senate , when Democrats were blocking a vote on D.C. court nominee Miguel Estrada .
Liberal writer Dahlia Lithwick at Slate covered the upheaval around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grotesque claim that Estrada is being blocked because he is Hispanic.
” But of course , that was why Democrats were filibustering Estrada .
In November 2001 , as Democrats debated whether to undertake an unprecedented filibuster of President George W. Bush ’ s judicial nominees , liberal groups met with Senate Democrats .
We know about this meeting because Republican Judiciary Committee staffers improperly gained access to the Democrats ’ server and downloaded Dems ’ emails and documents .
In one purloined email , an aide to Dick Durbin told his boss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identified Miguel Estrada ( D.C .
Circuit ) as especially dangerous , because he has a minimal paper trail , he is Latino , and the White House seems to be grooming him for a Supreme Court appointment.
” Estrada , you see , as with Justice Thomas and Judge Barrett , was a traitor to his group — Hispanics in that case .
And a Latino judge who is conservative is “ dangerous ” — dangerous to the idea that to be in this group you have to be liberal .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been extended to the gay community .
This is why Democrats have been so fiercely opposed to Trump ’ s Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell when he was appointed as the acting Director of National Intelligence .
Stories abound of gay Trump supporters being turned on because of their beliefs .
As here with one Chris Mulvihill from Chicago .
Mulvihill says , Not to be forgotten either is the boogeyman status assigned to another group — white males nominated to the Supreme Court by Republican presidents .
If you are one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are the typical racist/sexist/homophobic crazy and must be destroyed .
See , Kavanaugh , Justice Brett .
This idea of insisting entire groups of Americans must be on the left took root in the American political system from the moment the Democratic Party was birthed in the early 1800s as the party of white slave owners .
In that case it took the form of being a white Southerner .
If you were a white guy — and later white woman when they got the right to vote — then you had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
Now that principle has been expanded to blacks , women , Hispanics , and gays .
So as the nation watches the confirmation hearings of Judge Barrett , there is , thanks to the abominable treatment of Justice Thomas , a serious understanding of just why Barrett will be so vociferously opposed .
She is ( Sin No .
1 ) a woman .
A woman who is both ( Sin No .
2 ) a conservative and ( Horrors !
Sin No .
3 ) a conservative Catholic .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will do everything in their power to “ Thomas-ize ” her .
Which is to say , just as Justice Thomas quite correctly said of himself , the goal will be to try and destroy her .
Jeffrey Lord , a contributing editor to The American Spectator , is a former aide to Ronald Reagan and Jack Kemp .
An author and former CNN commentator , he writes from Pennsylvania at [ email protected ] .
His new book , Swamp Wars : Donald Trump and The New American Populism vs .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bombardier Books .
Photos “ Clarence Thomas ” by U.S. Supreme Court and “ Amy Coney Barrett ” by Rachel Malehorn CC BY 3.0 .
Background Photo “ Supreme Court ” by TexasGOPVote.com CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-14--Clint Brewer: ‘I Am Not in Favor of Either Party Radically Changing Systems of Government to Suit Th

Clint Brewer: ‘I Am Not in Favor of Either Party Radically Changing Systems of Government to Suit Themselves, Simply Because They Lost an Election and They’re Mad About It’

Live from Music Row Tuesday 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 Clint Brewer to the studio .
At the end of the third hour , Brewer weighed in on Joe Biden ’ s recent vague answer to court-packing and explained how he himself is not in favor of any one party having a judiciary leg up on the other or making changes to a 150 year old working institution .
Leahy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panelist Clint Brewer .
Clint , I have a comment from Michael G.W .
His last name is G.W .
who frequently sends me emails and I ’ m gon na give you this comment from him to see if you react to this .
He said , Mike if Trump goes down there will be no Supreme Court as the judicial branch ever again and the promising career of Michael Michael Patrick Leahy will be over and history will end because it will be written by George Soros .
( Laughs ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s comment there ?
Brewer : It might be a little much .
( Leahy chuckles ) Yeah .
I mean , you know we discussed in the break , you know FDR tried to pack the court .
Leahy : He did .
Yeah , he wanted to add five I think it was .
Brewer : I think it was about six to make sure the New Deal didn ’ t get struck .
Brewer : And you know , the Supreme Court ’ s makeup was established just after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s been nine since 1869 .
And it ’ s not the Constitution .
It ’ s an act of Congress .
Brewer : And I ’ m not saying we should genuflect to tradition , but it ’ s not broken .
So why fixed it ?
Brewer : It ’ s it ’ s been one of the most pivotal institutions .
It truly has been a check and balance on both the executive and legislative branches of this country for a very long time .
And an effective one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ history changed and moved with the country .
I just don ’ t see any reason for this .
I mean , you know look , the Democrats lost an election .
And Republicans lose elections .
And you know in the past the court has been made up of primarily Democratic appointees .
And right now it ’ s just going to be heavy with Republicans for some time .
I think it ’ s dangerous , broadly dangerous to try to you know , make sweeping changes simply because you don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Leahy : Now , Joe Biden has been asked this many times .
Kamala Harris has been asked this many times .
Will you favor or oppose efforts to pack the court that adds more members to the Supreme Court so you can get more liberals on it ?
They ’ ve dodged those answers except yesterday in Ohio .
Joe Biden said something a little bit less not exactly a total dodge , but pretty much a dodge .
What was he saying up there ?
Brewer : He said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Leahy : He said he ’ s not a fan .
What does that mean ?
Brewer : I don ’ t know .
Is this the same way George W. Bush was not a fan of broccoli ?
I mean , I don ’ t know what that means .
What does he not a fan of ?
( Laughs ) I don ’ t get it .
I mean I know what he ’ s saying , but it ’ s not a very strong statement .
Leahy : It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not support court-packing .
Brewer : Right .
I ’ m just not looking just as a voter but as an American and as a patriot .
I am not in favor of either party radically changing systems of government to suit themselves , simply because they lost an election and they ’ re mad about it .
Republicans shouldn ’ t do it .
Democrats shouldn ’ t do it .
Nobody should .
I would read into this .
Leahy : If Joe Biden that answer to me basically says I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : It leaves a little wiggle room doesn ’ t it ?
It leaves it open .
Leahy : It says I ’ m packing the court .
Now let ’ s talk about this .
What would happen to the country ?
How would the country respond and how would Tennesseans ’ respond if as I predict , if Biden winds and the Democrats win the Senate and keep the House .
My prediction is that within a hundred days they will pack the court and add s four to six new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hundred fifty years of precedent and turn the Supreme Court into a super-legislature as opposed to a judiciary body .
How will Tennesseans ’ react to that Clint ?
Brewer : Well , I , you know , I think it ’ ll take some time for people to understand what it means .
I think it will also depend largely , let ’ s just say it happens .
It ’ ll depend largely on who the people are they pack it with and what their records are .
And how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the middle they are .
How objectionable they may be to conservative voters .
How objectionable they may be to conservative voters of both parties .
There are Democrats who are closer to the middle than there are to the left .
Leahy : Where are they ?
Are they out rioting in Portland these days ?
Where are those folks ?
Brewer : So I don ’ t know where they are .
Things will have to play out .
But I mean , you know , when you see radical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That ’ s not even policy .
That ’ s an underpinning .
Brewer : I mean , you know , the thing that occurs to me is I think of the assault weapons ban under Clinton and how galvanized rightly or wrongly a group of Americans who you know brought in the Republican sweep of ’ 94 .
And if Democrats were to misplay this should they actually do it should Biden win ?
Because they ’ re gon na have to win the Senate also to do it , right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t just win the White House .
That doesn ’ t get it .
Leahy : It could be a perfect storm of awful though .
It could be .
Brewer : It could be if they run the table and they win the White House and then the Senate and they keep the House .
Which they ’ re going to keep the House .
And they actually at that point I think maybe their appetite for it lessens because they will have complete control of the federal government other than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appetite to do that lessens a lot .
They will have a lot more to handle .
Leahy : I don ’ t think so .
I think they ’ ll double down and try to crush Republicans and conservatives forever .
That ’ s somewhat .
I think they ’ re going to Brewer : I think they ’ ll take some polls and find out what people think firsthand what are the ramifications .
Because here ’ s the thing , lighting upon a nominee for the Supreme Court is is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there aren ’ t a lot .
I mean , you know , you just had four years of a very active Senate appointing federal judges .
They don ’ t have a lot of , no pun intended , bench to appoint from at this point .
I mean the Democrats .
Leahy : You mean the Democrats .
I don ’ t think that matters .
They ’ ll just go into the phone book of left-wing young attorneys and just pick six .
Brewer : And that ’ s the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of risk in that .
Leahy : Well Clint so we have actually just a few more times of your being here before we have an election .
Leahy : Three weeks .
So we ’ ll see what happens in the next week .
We ’ ll see if the debate happens here in Nashville next Tuesday .
I think it ’ ll happen .
But we ’ ll see .
Listen to the full third hour here : Tune in weekdays from 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. to the Tennessee Star Report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 98.3 FM WLAC 1510 .
Listen online at iHeart Radio .
Photos “ Donald Trump ” by The White House and “ Joe Biden ” by The White House .
Background Photo “ Supreme Court ” by TexasGOPVote.com CC BY 2.0 .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-14--Netflix CEO Says ‘Cuties’ Is Misunderstood, but ‘Speaks for Itself’

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said in a Monday interview that the hotly-debated new movie “ Cuties ” is misunderstood .
“ It ’ s a little surprising in 2020 America that we ’ re having a discussion about censoring storytelling , ” Sarandos said Monday , according to Deadline .
“ It ’ s a film that is very misunderstood with some audiences , uniquely within the United States , ” he continued .
“ The film speaks for itself .
It ’ s a very personal coming of age film , it ’ s the director ’ s story @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well at Sundance without any of this controversy and played in theaters throughout Europe without any of this controversy.
” His comments come after news that a Texas grand jury has indicted Netflix , Inc. for “ lewd visual material ” in “ Cuties.
” A Netflix spokeswoman told the DCNF Oct. 6 that “ Cuties is a social commentary against the sexualization of young children .
This charge is without merit and we stand by the film.
” “ Cuties ” not only includes many close up shots of little girl ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depicts them viewing pornography and discussing sexual acts and shows one girl photographing her genitalia , among other explicit scenes , a review by the DCNF found .
“ It ’ s an award winning film and a powerful story about the pressure young girls face on social media and from society more generally growing up — and we ’ d encourage anyone who cares about these important issues to watch the movie , ” a Netflix spokeswoman previously told the DCNF .
Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter for the Daily Caller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” by Netflix .


thetennesseestar--2020-10-14--Judson Phillips Commentary: Free Speech Was Fun While It Lasted

Free speech is dead in this country .
It isn ’ t just the First Amendment .
That only applies to government action to restrict speech .
All forms of free speech are dead or dying .
If you want an example , look no further than Nashville .
Sean Feucht , a Christian musician led a protest called , “ Let us worship , ” at the Nashville Courthouse in downtown .
The crowd estimate was between nine and ten thousand .
This event was not approved by the city and immediately officials began their pearl clutching .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ People in the crowd were not “ socially distancing ” and many were not wearing masks .
Meanwhile , in July , despite the COVID lockdown being in place in Davidson County , Mayor and wannabe dictator John Cooper , encouraged people to show up for a Black Lives Matter protest .
There was no social distancing at that event , nor were there a lot of masks .
But that doesn ’ t matter .
According to Nashville ’ s government , the BLM protest was an approved idea .
Let us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ investigation ” of the rally , other than the investigation of the criminal rioting that damaged downtown Nashville .
Nashville is not the only place to see this type of crack down on unapproved speech .
In blue states , protests have been disallowed , churches and synagogues shut down and people arrested for exercising their First Amendment rights .
It isn ’ t just blue states that are killing free speech .
Big tech is probably the worst offender .
Almost every major conservative can tell stories about Facebook , Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Recently , the Nashville Tea Party and its founder Ben Cunningham , found themselves deplatformed by Linkedin .
No reason was given .
President Trump has complained loudly about being harassed and treated unfairly by big tech .
The animosity the left has towards any dissenting idea has even been given its own name .
It is called , “ The cancel culture.
” Colleges , media and big tech are doing their best to ensure that conservative ideas do not see the light of day and no one is allowed to hear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a conservative speaker to speak at any University .
Left wing students disrupt the speech , sometimes going as far as pulling fire alarms , rioting and in a few cases , even assaulting the speaker .
This is a far cry from the 1960 ’ s , when liberals were the champions of free speech .
The liberals of the 1960 ’ s and 1970 ’ s defended free speech , even when they vehemently disagreed with it .
Today ’ s liberals are the enforcers of liberal orthodoxy .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard .
Liberals oppose one of the bedrocks of American liberty .
It isn ’ t just freedom of speech .
It is the free market of ideas .
The free market of ideas is one of the things that made America great .
The free market of ideas is like any other free market .
The best ideas succeed because people like them and the bad ideas die .
Liberals don ’ t like competition .
As Andrew Breitbart once said , “ Their ideas suck and so do they !
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California and New York shutting down opinions and political protests that they do not like , how far away are we from a government that effectively ignores the First Amendment ?
With the competition of ideas being being blocked by big tech , and viewpoint censorship now becoming rampant , how long before we go to a society that punishes “ thought crimes ?
” How long before those who do not accept the prevailing ideology find themselves completely deplatformed and unable to use any technological services ?
This is a scary future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it will be our future .
Judson Phillips is a long time conservative pundit and founder of Tea Party Nation .
Background Photo “ Let Us Worship ” by Sean Feucht .