Cruz Announces 57 Additions to Tennessee Leadership Team, Totaling 84 Conservative Leaders

Ted Cruz 2016 Press Release, HOUSTON, Texas - Presidential candidate Ted Cruz today announced the expansion of his Tennessee Leadership Team, with new endorsements from nine state legislators and 48 pastors, grassroots leaders, and elected officials. These new additions join 27 leaders previously announced, bringing the campaign’s state leadership team to a total of 84 members.

 

“Our Tennessee team continues to grow and demonstrate the commitment to fighting for conservative principles,” said Cruz. “I’m encouraged by the new members of the team who have passionately defended liberty and will help us compete and win the state of Tennessee.”

 

New endorsements include former House Speaker Pro-Tempore Judd Matheny, former talk radio host Steve Gill, and the president of the Tennessee Pastors Network Dale Walker.

 

New State Leadership Team members:

Rep. Judd Matheny, 47th District, former House Speaker Pro-Tempore and Coffee County Republican Party Chairman

Rep. Sheila Butt, 64th District, House Majority Floor Leader

Rep. Kelly Keisling, 38th District, House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee Chairman

Rep. Mike Sparks, 49th District, Vice Chair of the House Local Government Committee

Rep. Courtney Rogers, 45th District, House Transportation Committee Vice Chair, Retired Lt. Colonel, U.S. Air Force, and Nuclear Advisor

Rep. Micah Van Huss, 6th District, House Criminal Justice Committee Vice Chair, Retired Marine Sniper

Rep. Jerry Sexton, 35th District, House Majority Assistant Floor Leader, Pastor
 
Rep. Jay Reedy, 74th District, U.S. Army Veteran

Rep. Jason Zachary, 14th District, Americomm Principal and Executive Vice President

Steve Gill, former Host of The Steve Gill Show

Dana Gill, Williamson County

Tina Benkiser, Tennessee Republican Party State Executive Committeewoman, former Republican Party of Texas Chairman, former Senior Advisor to Gov. Rick Perry

Lynne Davis, Tennessee Republican Party State Executive Committeewoman

Scott Smith, Tennessee Republican Party State Executive Committeeman

Chris Thompson, former Mayor of Byrdstown, former Pickett County Republican Party Chairman

John Uitendaal, Dyer County Legislative Body Chairman

Rob Mathis, Cocke County Trustee

Reggie Howard, Fayette County Commissioner

Richard Daniel, Pickett County Executive

Josh Stites, former Nashville Metro Councilman

Ben Graham, Tennessee Pastors Network Vice Presdient, Pastor of Music City Baptist Church

David Baker, Pastor of the Family Baptist Church

Dale Walker, President of the Tennessee Pastors Network, Pastor of Union Hill Wesleyan Church

Kevin Burden, Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church

Rob Bremer, retired Pastor, past Chairman of the Sevier County Tea Party

Phil Hauser, Assistant Pastor, Fellowship Community Church

Roger Burks, Treasurer/Secretary of the Tennessee Pastors Network

Paul Grant, Ruling Elder, Faith Presbyterian Church

Sharon Strange, past President of Republican Women of Williamson County

Dr. Aaron Margulies, President of the Republican Jewish Coalition of Knoxville

David Baldovin, former Chairman, Moore County Republican Party

Lynn Moss, Co-Founder and Board Member, Mid-South Tea Party

Janice Johnson, former Legislative Director of the Tennessee Christian Coalition

Laurie Cardoza-Moore, President of Proclaiming Justice To the Nations, and Special Envoy to the UN for the World Council of Independent Christian Churches

Richard Archie, West Tennessee Director of the Tennessee Firearms Association, Chairman of the 8th District Tea Party Coalition

Lana Smith, past President of the Sullivan County Republican Women

Edward Phillips, former Campaign Manager for Rep. Mark Pody and Rep. Joe Carr

Kevin Baigert, Sumner County

Laura Baigert, Sumner County

Lucy Overstreet, Leader of the Madison County Tea Party

Claire Crouch, past President of the Tennessee Federation of Republican Women

Ed Smith, former Davidson County District 34 Republican Chairman, Bronze Star recipient

Craig Reasor, former Field Director for Rep. Jason Zachary

Judson Phillips, Founder of Tea Party Nation and Columnist for the Washington Times

Bob Miles, Executive Board Member of the Cross County Patriots Tea Party

Greg Johnson, former Vice President and Treasurer of the 912 Project Tennessee

Aaron Snodderly, former State Chairman of Tennessee Young Republican Federation and Chairman of the Cumberland County Republican Party

Mel Canterbury, Chairman of the Sevier County Tea Party

Michaele Ann Swiderski, Polk County

William Swiderski, Polk County

Bryan Baskin, former Middle Tennessee Volunteer Coordinator for Santorum for President

Theresa West, Chair of the Knoxville Tea Party

Debbie Deaver, Board Member, Republican Women of Williamson County

Walter Lounsbery, past President of the Anderson County Tea Party Patriots

Penny Chastain, Humphreys County

Andrew Anderson, former Campaign Manager for Rep. Bryan Terry and Rep. Joe Carr

Matthew Studd, Chapter Leader of the Tennessee Firearms Association



Previously announced leadership team members:
 

Kevin Kookogey, State Chair

 

Stephen Siao, State Director

 

Joe Carr, former State Representative

 

Ben Cunningham, President of the Nashville Tea Party

 

Myra Simons, Board President of the Yes on 1 Campaign

 

Julie West, President of Parents for Truth in Education

 

Lyndon Allen, Pastor of Woodmont Bible Church

 

Mark West, President of the Chattanooga Tea Party

 

Tommy Vallejos, Montgomery County Commissioner, Pastor

 

James Amundsen, Williamson County

 

Charlie Cato, former Tennessee Republican Party State Executive Committeeman

 

Bob Crigger, Maury County

 

Kim Dahlgren, past President of the Washington County Republican Women

 

Dr. Lee Douglas, Founder of 912 Project Tennessee

 

Karen Entz, former Vice Treasurer for the Williamson County Republican Party

 

Hope Foulds, Knox County

 

Michelle Garcia, Rutherford County

 

Frank Gorgie, Political Science Professor

 

Grant Hubbard, Vice President for National Promotion at Capitol CMG

 

Katherine Hudgins, former Vice President of the 912 Project Tennessee

 

Kyle Mallory, former Chairman of the Stewart County Republican Party

 

John Miles, Chairman of the Union City Planning Commission and Chairman of the Obion County Tea Party

 

Steve Osborn, past Chairman of the Sevier County Tea Party

 

Rob Thacker, Pastor of Faith Presbyterian Church

 

Jim Vesper, former Newt Gingrich County Coordinator

 

Mick Wright, former President of the Northeast Shelby Republican Club

 

Michael Zinser, President of the Zinser Law Firm, P.C.

Comment: The names in bold red type face were emphasized by me to call attention to local conservative activist of note. 

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TSU gunfire in a gun-free zone kills one, wounds several.

Metro Government Press Release - Surveillance video from Tennessee State University cameras made available to the MNPD Friday night shows at least two persons fired shots in the outside courtyard of the Floyd-Payne Campus Center Thursday.
        
MNPD technical experts were able to access and analyze the surveillance video after physically removing cameras from the TSU campus Friday night and bringing them to police headquarters where the recorded data was removed.
        
One video clip, linked below in normal speed and slow motion, shows two gunmen firing at a third individual.  Detectives are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the two shooters in the video clip.  Anyone who knows their identities is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 615-74-CRIME.  Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward of $6,000 ($5,000 of which is being made available by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). 
        
At this point in the investigation, it has not been determined whether Cameron Selmon, who was fatally wounded, was responsible for any gunfire.
        
Surveillance video shows that at least half a dozen individuals made cellphone still pictures or video recordings of a fight that immediately preceded the gunfire.  Anyone who has those photos or recordings is asked to contact Detective Melody Saxon at 615-862-7805.


My Comment: I thought all State College campuses were gun-free zones.

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Maybe the Social Studies standards that make an Islamic textbook necessary is the real problem.

I recently posted about the uproar by parents in White County about what has been called "Islamic indoctrination" of their children (link). I said in that post that I did not know the truth about what was being reported and had not read the textbook in question but I doubted school board members and educators in White County had an agenda to indoctrinate kids in Islamic theology and I said I suspected the truth of what was going on was somewhere between an excess of naive liberal political correctness and bigotry. 

I still have not read the textbook in question and still think the charge that kids are being indoctrinated may be a bit strong.  However, the textbook in question may be inappropriate. It can be inappropriate without being part of plot to turn little Johnny into an Islamic terrorist. Not only may the textbook be inappropriate but the standards that make such a textbook necessary may to be a bigger problem.

Michael Patrick Leahy in a piece in Britbart News  quotes a teacher by the name of Kyle Mallory who has many years experience teaching social studies and who sits on the State Textbook and Instructional Materials Quality Commission. Mr. Mallory opposed the adoption of the current Social Studies standards. “These [new Social Studies] standards are not appropriate for seventh grade," he says. "We need to revert back to the old standards. They were very comprehensive and at grade level."

Here is an excerpt from The Britbart News article:

In contrast to the current seventh grade standards, which deal with World History and Geography exclusively during the period 400 AD to the 1500s, (an approach more often associated with high school or college curriculum), the previous standards provided a very broad overview of cultural, economic, geographic, governance and civics, and historical issues that have shaped our current world.

All major religions – Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam – were briefly summarized in the old standards. Students were introduced to the complexity of the various cultures in the world at an “age appropriate” level of detail.

In contrast, only Islam is given detailed attention in the new standards. In fact, as Breitbart News reported previously, 13 percent of the learning objectives of the current standards (10 out of 75) are devoted to instructing students on both the tenets and history of Islam.

That in itself is a concern. Why should only Islam be given detailed attention.  Even if the textbook is not biased, if an inappropriate amount of time is given to the study of Islam, then other areas of study are being ignored.

Mallory says there is a serious problem in counties that have not yet purchased the textbook in question.  In those counties, teachers are going to the internet and printing off material to use in their class that support the standards. Some of that material may be material that originates with the Council on American-Islamic Relations.  Mallory also points out that, “Many teachers teaching seventh grade are sixth to eighth grade certified, not content teachers.”

I share that general criticism of education, beyond just this topic. Many teacher are not scholars in their topic of study and they have been taught how to teach but may not know any more about the topic they are charged with teaching than the parents of their students or the average man on the street. The teachers may not be able to select objective material or judge biased material or know very little about the topic they are teaching. If teachers are just downloading material from the internet and using it in their classroom, I can see how that could be a real problem.

I stand by my opinion that bigotry may be partly responsible for the charge that children are being indoctrinated in Islam.  A few years ago we saw  bigotry at play when people in Murfressboro fought to stop local Muslims from building a mosque simply because it was a mosque and we also saw it in play when Governor Haslam was accused of trying to impose Sharia law on Tennessean simply because the Department of Commerce hired a well-qualified Tennessean who happened to be a Muslim.

While bigotry and prejudice may be at play in getting people riled up, that does not mean that the textbook in question may not also be biased or inappropriate, and perhaps more importantly, that the social study standards are inappropriate.

While Mr. Mallory has made a good case that the Social Studies standards are inappropriate, I still do not know what is in the text book in question that is objectionable. If anyone has examined it, I would like to see examples of what concerns them and what bias they found.

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Mayor Barry and Will Pinkston on State Bd of Ed approves two MNPS rejected Charter Schools.

In today's Tennesseen stories of the State Board of Education approving two of the four public schools denied a charter by Metro, what happens next is explained. The local school board must now decide if they will charter the schools or if the State Board will become the authorizer. Either way the two schools will open.  The law provides that following the State approval there will be a 30-day reconciliation period.

Will Pinkston says the law permitting the State to charter schools will be legally challenged. He says if the Metro School Board will not challenge the law, "I know a group of parents and educators interested in a lawsuit."

It should be noted that Metro rejected four charter applications and the State only approved two of the four that were rejected and both of those were KIPP schools.  The State is not just automatically approving ever denied charter application.  This action by the state was the first time the board has acted to approved a charter application denied by the local school board since the law was adopted.

In response to the  actions of the State in approving the charter school applications, Mayor Barry said that while she prefers more local control over education she respects the decision by the
State Board to approve the charters.

To read the stories in The Tennessean, if you can climb their paywall, follow these link:
Barry 'respects' state board's approval of KIPP charters
KIPP Nashville wins appeal, can open 2 new schools

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House of Representatives votes to undo the damage of Obamacare

Marsha Blackburn

by U. S. Congressman Marsha Blackburn - House Republicans made good on their promise to repeal Obamacare by 240-189. Today was a victory for all Americans as the House passed legislation that will undo the damage done under Obamacare and repeal key parts of the law. The Administration recently cut in half the projections for how many people will be enrolled in Obamacare next year. They obviously know that enrollment will be much less than they promised in the past and they are in damage control mode as the death spiral begins.

Nine of 23 Obamacare co-ops, including Tennessee’s, have now failed, at a cost of nearly $1 billion for taxpayers. States have spent $5.5 billion federal taxpayer dollars to build state exchanges with little to no oversight. Now, with the failures of those state exchanges, what are the plans for those “loans” to be repaid? All of these recent findings are making the disastrous HealthCare.Gov roll out look like a speed bump.

H.R. 3762, the Restoring Americans’ Healthcare Freedom Reconciliation Act guts the law with the most infamous misnomer – the Affordable Care Act. This bill repeals the individual mandate, the employer mandate, the Cadillac tax, the medical device tax, ends auto-enrollment, and ends the public health slush fund. H.R. 3762 is a net tax cut, net spending cut, and reduces the deficit. This is a win-win-win solution to gut Obamacare so we can replace it with patient-focused reforms that provide access to affordable health care for all Americans. 

Additionally, H.R. 3762 places a one year moratorium on the funding of Planned Parenthood while Congress completes its investigation of the practices of the abortion industrial complex. I am pleased to be leading the new Select Investigative Panel at the Committee on Energy and Commerce to review medical procedures and abortions business practices. No issue is more deserving of our undivided attention than protecting the dignity of human life.

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Appeals Court Rules In Favor Of Rep. Fleischmann In Mark Winslow Lawsuit

Mark Winslow

Mark Winslow, the member of the Tennessee Republican Executive Committee who actively works to elect Democrats while sitting on the Executive Committee of the State Republican party and Davidson County Republican Party and gets to vote on whether or not to fund Republican candidates and who has access to Republican strategies, has lost his lawsuit against against Congressman Chuck Fleischmann. In a ruling today, the Tennessee Court of Appeals upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit brought against Congressman Chuck Fleischmann by Mark Winslow who was a former GOP chief of Staff. (link)

The controversy stems from a 2010 incident in which Fleischmann criticized his opponent Robin Smith in the Republican primary for the nomination for the 3rd Congressional District seat, for paying lavish bonuses to Winslow and other staff member when she had served as Chair of the Tennessee Republican Party. Winslow sued claiming the ad contained false and defamatory statements.

The Court ruled that the statements were not false or capable of defamatory meaning or published with actual malice, and that they took no action to induce a breach of contract or otherwise interfere with the relationship between Mr. Winslow and the Tennessee Republican Party. Winslow appealed that ruling and today, the Court of Appeals upheld that ruling.

It is a mystery to me, why the State Republican Party continues to allow Winslow a seat on the State Republican Party Executive Committee. As long as Winslow holds his position on the State Executive Committee, I am withholding contributions from the State Party. Winslow's holds a seat on the Davidson County Party by virtue of his seat on the State Executive Committee, and the County Party cannot remove him. For more on Mark Winslow and his role in helping to elect Democrats while serving on the Executive Committee of the Republican Party, follow this link.

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Tennessee State Board of Education grants charter to two schools on appeal from MNPS

Today the Tennessee State Board of Education voted unanimously to approve two charter school applications from KIPP Nashville.  This historic vote represents the first instance in which the State Board of Education has granted a charter appeal since the General Assembly empowered the body with the final authority to overturn denied applications from districts with Priority Schools in 2014.   

KIPP had previously appealed the applications to the State Board after being denied by a narrow vote of the Metro Nashville Public School Board in August.  In their decision, members of the State Board determined that the MNPS Board had not acted in the best interests of the district's students in denying the applications.  The State Board also found that the addition of KIPP's charter schools would not, contrary to the claim of  some MNPS Board members, impose any significant negative fiscal impact on the district.

This is great news!  Opponents of education reform can not stop charter schools! Those satisfied with mediocre schools and low student exceptions are on the losing end of this battle to improve education.

Upon hearing news of the vote, StudentsFirst Tennessee State Director Brent Easley remarked, "Today's historic vote by the Tennessee State Board of Education signals the beginning of a new chapter of accountability for districts in their charter authorizing decisions.  With their votes, State Board members have also affirmed that improving student access to quality seats remains a fundamental public imperative for school districts across the state.  Thanks to crucial legislation adopted by the General Assembly in 2014, the Board may now provide a fair and impartial second look at charter applications and render an honest verdict that best serves the interests of students, not frivolous local political agendas."

The decision comes on the heels of a recent poll from Vanderbilt University which found that 63% of Nashville residents, including 71% of parents, said they favored opening more charter schools.

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Dr. Ming Wang to receive Peace Award

Dr. Ming Wang

Dr. Ming Wang, Harvard &. MIT (MD, magna cum laude); PhD (laser physics), will be awarded the Peace Award, on Thur 10/22 5:30pm, at City Club, by Atlantic Institute - TN, a non-profit organization and the largest organization representing Turkish-Americans in the State of Tennessee. This award is given to Dr. Wang for his service to the community.

My Comment: Congratulation!

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What did the Council do on Oct. 20,2015: Council leadership positions elected. Karen Johnson elected Pro Tem.

This is a relatively short meeting at 53 minutes long. For a link to the agenda, the Council staff analysis and my commentary, follow this link. 

The first order of business following the prayer and pledge of allegiance are a couple of a non-controversial memorializing resolutions. These were not listed on the agenda. What is going on? There was no explanation. While this occurrence of consideration of memorializing resolutions not listed on the agenda was not a problem, memorializing resolutions are often very political. Consideration of resolutions not on the agenda is a dangerous practice. 

The next order of business was Elections and Confirmations. Karen Johnson was elected in an uncontested election to the position of Speaker Pro Tem. She will be the council member who conducts meetings in the absence of the Vice Mayor. Karen Johnson is one of the nicest people you would ever want to meet and I think that was a good choice. If I were in the Council, I would have supported her. 

In a contested elections between Steve Glover and Burkley Allen, Allen was elected to the position of Chair of the Planing, Zoning and Historical Committee of the Council which also gives her a seat on the Planning Commission. She has worked hard to advance bills such as Nashville's DADU ordinance, in-home recording studios, authorization of temporary vacation rentals and others. These type bills are complex and controversial and require a lot of work on the part of the Council member. I really like Steve Glover and admire the stand he has taken on some controversial issues but I think this was a good choice for this position.

Jason Potts was selected in an uncontested election to head the Traffic and Parking Committee of the Council which also gives him a seat on the Traffic and Parking Commission. Council members John Cooper and Bob Mendes were elected unopposed to seats on the Audit Committee.

 Several people were nominated to fill seats on the Industrial Development Board. I lost count but it looks like eight or nine people were nominated to fill four vacancies. The election from among the nominees to fill the positions will occur at the November 3, 2015 council meeting. Members of this board control a lot of money.  Ms.Talia Lomax-O’dnea was confirmed as Finance Director.

All resolutions and bills on First and Second reading pass.  Michael F. Jameson's employment  as Special Counsel and Director of the Metro Council Office is approved. There were no controversies or much discussion of any of the legislation. I would like to have seen some opposition to RESOLUTION NO. RS2015-25 which simply forgave and overpayment of a pension to an employee but it didn't happen. I think overpayments should be repaid but on very generous terms.

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Citizen's riled in White County over Islamic indoctrination.

SPARTA, Tenn. -- About 350 concerned citizens gathered at a church in White County upset about a textbook. They want the school board to get rid of a 7th grade history book that they believe promotes Islamic indoctrination.

 "It is our time, it is our place to stop it here," said Steve Gill, a speaker at the event. (link)

I don't know what the truth is about reported Islamic indoctrination in White County but people are certainly riled up.  I have not read the textbook in question, but I doubt many of those at the church in Sparta have either.  Tennessee Eagle Forum has devoted the last couple days of its newsletter to the issue. To view the newsletter and learn Eagle Forum's take on the controversy, follow this link. 

I support public and parental involvement in public education and think education is too important to be left up to educators. We know the majority of educators are liberal as evidenced by the role of the National Education Association in Democrat Party politics. Even liberals however, I do not think, have an agenda to indoctrinate kids in Islamic theology.

I do think however the agenda of promoting people being non-judgmental and politically correct may distort what and how educators teach. They may be so devoted to a why-can't-we-all-just-get-along attitude, a belief that all views are equally valid, possess an Obama-like attitude of apology for America's role in the world, and believe that if we would just be more respectful and understanding of other people that they would not do bad things, that promoting that belief system amounts to bending over backwards to present Islam in a favorable light and ignoring Islamic fanaticism. I doubt educators are indoctrinating kids in Islamic theology, but I don't doubt that they are indoctrinating them in a liberal world view and that may be almost as bad.

On the other hand, there are ignorant people who don't want their children to be exposed to other cultures and faiths and other points of view. There are people who think all of Islam is represented by Al Qaeda and ISIS's and they don't want anyone pointing out that most of the world's Muslims are not terrorist. There are people who think their view of Islam is more accurate than that of Islamic scholars. 

In World War II there were many who thought rounding up and imprisoning Americans of Japanese descent was a good idea.  That way of thinking has not disappeared.  If  today it was proposed that all Muslim be put in concentration camps, I fear there would be many Americans who would support that proposal. There are people who support Freedom of Religion as long as it is their religion but think Muslims should not be allowed to build mosques in America.  Is is easy to fill a room by preaching xenophobia and Islamophobia and bigotry. I don't know what the truth is.  I suspect it is somewhere between an excess of naive liberal political correctness and bigotry. 

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Update: More GOP Presidential Debate Watch Parties

A RNC sanctioned debate will be held at the Coors Events Center at the University of Colorado Boulder and broadcast live on CNBC. There are several local debate watch parties around town. I think I am attending the one at the Sheraton Four Points in Bentwood.  I am not leaning toward Trump at this time, but it looks like this is the event most of my friends are attending. I am sure we uncommitted Republicans would be welcome at any of the events. Please follow the links and RSVP if that is requested.

(1) Hosted by The Tennessee Republican Party. This invitation appears to be an open invitation:

(2) Hosted by Rutherford County Conservatives, Latinos of Tennessee and promoted by the Ted Cruz team. If you want to be in the company of other Ted Cruz supporters to watch the debate, you may want to attend the Rutherford County Conservatives GOP debate watch party at Legends of Smyrna,  Wednesday, October 28 at 7:00pm. More info.  The website does not identify this debate watch party as a Ted Cruz event but an email from the Cruz campaign identifies it as such. Update: This is also the event for Latinos for Tennessee.

(3) Hosted by Middle Tennessee for Donald Trump and promoted by Tim Skow of First Tuesday. This is the event I am attending. If you are a Donald Trump supporter and want to watch the debate with other Trumppies, then you may want to attend the Middle TN for Donald Trump  debate watch event at Four Points by Sheraton Nashville - Brentwood in Brentwood. Update: This event is also being promoted by Tim Skow. I am convinced that it is not a Trump-only event and everyone will be welcome.

(4) Rand Paul watch party. Palinistas may want to attend the  Tennessee for Rand Paul event at  Dan McGuinness Nashville.


If anyone knows of other debate watch parties, please send me the notice and I will add them to this list. 

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The New York Times' recent take on our local successes and challenges .

 Nashville's Skyline Being Rebuilt By Building Boom

The New York Times, NASHVILLE — A powerful surge in construction is reshaping the physical character and economy of this 236-year-old river city, and fueling a deepening public conversation about essential civic values that many residents worry could be lost.

More than 100 new projects, together valued at more than $2 billion, are underway in Nashville or planned to start next year, according to city figures. Most of the big projects —....(link)

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