Update: Haslam at First Tuesday: Shariah, Health care, Judicial selection, humor, and more

Haslam talks Shariah, judicial appointments, health care with Nashville Republicans

December 4th, 2012 | by Chas Sisk, The Tennessean-   Gov. Bill Haslam spoke Tuesday to what used to be rock-ribbed Republicans, answering questions about Shariah law, health care reform and judicial selection in a lunchtime appearance before Davidson County Republicans.

Answering a question from the crowd, Haslam defended his decision to hire and stand by Samir Ali,.....(Please read. This is an accurate report of what the Governor said. I was proud of him for standing firm on this. Rod)

Haslam spoke at length about the Affordable Care Act. Haslam said he still has not made up his mind about a state-operated health insurance exchange, blaming the federal government for leaving many questions about how the exchanges would operate unanswered.(Good reporting by Chas Sisk. Good summary of the event)

From: Peter Peter Voysey
Green Hills GOP Summit

After being greeted with a standing ovation, he said that someone had once asked him how it felt to be the Governor and receive standing ovations like that.  He said his response would be that there are things that keep him humble--like newspapers (!)--and he recounted a personal experience.

In Knoxville for a UT football game, he ran into a fellow he had known pretty well over the years.  "It's nice to be back in Knoxville" the Governor said.

The man replied: "Back?  Have you been away?"

"Well, we live in Nashville now" the Governor said.

"Oh--did Pilot Oil set up a major office in Nashville?" the man responded.

"No--you know--I'm the Governor now" the Governor answered.

"OF TENNESSEE??!!!???" the man gasped.

'This was from a fellow I've known pretty well" the Governor stressed.

Governor Haslam said that this encounter was an experience in humility.

I think you and I would characterize it as yet another example of what is
becoming known as: The Underinformed Voter.......

Haslam Discusses Healthcare Exchange Program Possibilities 

Channel 5
 
.....   The Governor said his staff is still studying the issue, and trying to decide which option serves Tennessee best. He has said he leans toward having more state control, but has criticized the federal government for not being able to divulge details about how much flexibility would be granted to the state.

"We have to know there's real flexibility.  It really is a state based exchange and we have some authority over the key decisions.  The other side is we have to understand if we do that are they organized enough to really have the interchange you need between a state based exchange and a federally run program," Haslam said.

Haslam said it appears Tennessee could run an exchange cheaper than the federal government. He said the federal government would pay for setting up the exchange.Then the cost of running either a federal exchange or state exchange will be paid by the users and the cost will be added to the premium.
"The implication is the state run exchange will do the same thing, but we could probably do it cheaper,' he explained.

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