{"id":701,"date":"2020-08-31T13:24:56","date_gmt":"2020-08-31T17:24:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rheagop.org\/?p=701"},"modified":"2020-08-31T13:24:56","modified_gmt":"2020-08-31T17:24:56","slug":"the-rhea-county-republican-september-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rheagop.org\/the-rhea-county-republican-september-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rhea County Republican – September 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

RHEA COUNTY REPUBLICAN<\/span><\/h1>\n

ADVANCING THE CONSERVATIVE CAUSE<\/span><\/h3>\n

Vol. 4 \u2013 No. 7\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0September 2020<\/em><\/p>\n

RHEA COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY NEWS<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rhea County Republican Party Executive Committee<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bitsy Gryder \u2013 Chairman\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Gary Drinkard \u2013 Vice Chairman<\/p>\n

Judy Bancroft \u2013 Secretary\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Larry Pendergrass \u2013 Treasurer<\/p>\n

Linda Pendergrass \u2013 Vice Treasurer<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Rhea County Republican Party Monthly Meeting<\/strong><\/p>\n

The next meeting of the Rhea County Republican Party is scheduled for Thursday, September 3rd<\/sup><\/strong>, at 7:00 PM, at the Rhea County Sheriff\u2019s Training Center, located at 711 Eagle Drive, in Evensville, TN.<\/p>\n

A meeting of the Executive Committee to discuss PAC activities will be held at 6:15 PM.\u00a0 Bring a friend!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Minutes from the Previous Meeting<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chairman Bitsy Gryder called the August 13th<\/sup> meeting to order at 7:02 PM.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe Gryder offered prayer and led the Pledge of Allegiance.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The minutes from the July meeting were read by Judy Bancroft.\u00a0 Motion by Donna Taylor, second by Glen Varner to accept the report as read.\u00a0 Motion carried.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

NEW BUSINESS:<\/p>\n

Treasurer & Vice-Treasurer Positions<\/u>:\u00a0 <\/strong>Bitsy Gryder announced that a letter of resignation has been received from Treasurer Larry Pendergrass and Vice-Treasurer Linda Pendergrass, effective July 31, 2020.\u00a0 The Executive Committee recommends Tom Taylor to fill the position of Treasurer for the remainder of the current term.\u00a0 A motion was made by Joe Gryder, second by Glen Varner, to approve that recommendation.\u00a0 Motion carried.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A volunteer for the remainder of the term for Vice-Treasurer is also requested.\u00a0 Names of those interested will be submitted to the Executive Committee.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Treasurer\u2019s Report<\/u> for August, as prepared by Larry Pendergrass, was read by Bitsy Gryder.\u00a0 Motion by Tom Taylor and second by Debbie Byrd to approve the report as read.\u00a0 Motion carried.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PAC Report<\/u>: \u00a0<\/strong>Jim Murphy is not present to give a report.\u00a0 However, Bitsy Gryder stated that there have been no expenditures since the last report in July.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Executive Committee Meeting<\/u> will be held at 6:00 PM, on September 3rd<\/sup> to decide on a recommendation of guidelines for future PAC donations to candidates.\u00a0 The recommendations will be voted on at the general meeting on September 3rd.\u00a0 Input from members and elected officials is solicited before the Committee meets.\u00a0 Discussion proceeded regarding types and amounts of expenses incurred by candidates, varying sizes of bases of financial support, costs of opposed vs. unopposed election campaigns, and varying options for channeling PAC funds to candidates.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Legislative Report<\/u> was given by Kris Bancroft.\u00a0 He also drew attention to the 100th<\/sup> anniversary of the Women\u2019s Suffrage Movement, which led to the passage of the 19th<\/sup> Amendment.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

OLD BUSINESS:<\/p>\n

Reagan Day Dinner:<\/u>\u00a0 <\/strong>Joe Gryder reported on expenses, revenue and profits for the Dinner.\u00a0 232 tickets were sold.\u00a0 There was discussion about what went well and what may need to be improved, such as getting a better handle on how much food to have prepared.\u00a0 Outside feedback from some of those who attended indicated a preference for the Fairgrounds venue.\u00a0 However, an earlier or later month should provide better weather.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thank-you notes have been written to all those who helped with the Dinner.\u00a0 Tonight, Joe Gryder particularly thanked Laura Travis for her work with ticket sales and Glen Varner for his efforts in getting the barn ready.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Announcements<\/u>:<\/p>\n

Bitsy Gryder has printed out a copy of the August election results, and that is available for anyone wishing to see it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bitsy Gryder read a thank-you note from Bledsoe County expressing appreciation for our support of their Reagan Day Dinner.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Joe & Bitsy Gryder have bought two tickets for the Van Buren County Reagan Day Dinner for August 22nd<\/sup>.\u00a0 However, they are unable to attend, so their tickets are available.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ron Travis reported on four bills that were passed just recently in a special session of the Tennessee House of Representatives regarding:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1)\u00a0 Liability protections regarding the coronavirus<\/p>\n

2)\u00a0 Telehealth services<\/p>\n

3)\u00a0 Increased jail time for assaults on police and firemen, including spitting and throwing harmful liquids toward them<\/p>\n

4)\u00a0 Stricter law to deal with protestors<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ron Travis shared the Joke of the Month.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Glen Varner won the drawing for a cup featuring the opening of Nokian Tyres and President Trump\u2019s support of same.\u00a0 The cup was donated by Ted Doss.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The next meeting will be September 3rd<\/sup> at 7:00. \u00a0The PAC Executive Committee will meet the same evening at 6:15.\u00a0 Mable Varner volunteered to bring refreshments.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A motion was made by Joe Gryder and seconded by Ron Travis to adjourn the meeting.\u00a0 Motion carried and the meeting adjourned at 8:25 pm.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

EDITORIAL<\/strong><\/p>\n

The stark differences derived from watching the Democrat and Republican conventions yields the clearest reasons of all to reelect President Donald J. Trump and Mike Pence.<\/p>\n

The Democrat\u2019s message was shrouded in doom and gloom; they portrayed the conservative half of America as nothing short of evil.\u00a0 They spoke of Americans as \u201cvictims.\u201d \u00a0President Trump introduced us to dozens of every day heroes; many of whom had risen from the depths of poverty and\/or fled communist countries only to gain the greatest of successes in this \u201cShining City on the Hill.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joe Biden touted his vision \u2013 \u201cThe Unity Plan\u201d \u2013 that would transmogrify the United States into a fully socialist country.\u00a0 Predictably, he took credit for the Trump administration\u2019s innumerable actions – actions that have enabled the United States to realize the best economy in our country\u2019s history.\u00a0 President Trump revealed his plans to further improve upon the achievements of his first term that have positioned working Americans to acquire the greatest wealth they\u2019ve ever known by expanding enterprise zones, low taxes, self-reliance, the creation of even more good-paying manufacturing jobs, record low unemployment levels across all demographics.<\/p>\n

There was plenty of rhetoric about the Chinese virus (though none of the Democrats called it for what is is), and criticisms founded in untruths because President Trump has thus far failed to eradicate COVID 19.\u00a0 The Democrats came just short of openly blaming President Trump for all the death and suffering caused by the Wuhan virus yet, when pressed on what his strategy might have been, Joe Biden\u2019s \u201cplan\u201d turned out to be a watered-down version of what President Trump has already done!\u00a0 It is interesting to recall that Joe Biden had early on accused President Trump of being a racist and xenophobe because the President suspended travel to and from China and to and from European countries where the Wuhan virus had broken out.\u00a0 As it turns out, we now know President Trump\u2019s travel bans saved untold American lives.<\/p>\n

When President Trump placed tariffs on goods imported from China, Joe Biden was quick to accuse President Trump of \u201cfanning the flames of war.\u201d\u00a0 One wonders whether Joe Biden\u2019s remarks were related to the fact that Joe Biden\u2019s son had been given millions of dollars to have his name included as a board member on a bank run by the Chinese Communist Party! \u00a0Ironically, Nancy Pelosi was correct when she told America that \u201cChina would prefer Biden\u201d to be our next President.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=wnWYElZAlro<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2020\/08\/10\/nancy-pelosi-admits-china-would-prefer-joe-biden-be-elected\/<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

During the Democrat convention, Joe Biden and the Democrats failed to denounce the riots occurring all across America.\u00a0 Since then, having been repeatedly pressed on the matter by even their most loyal media sycophants, Joe Biden now blames President Trump for the rioting and looting and all out anarchy occurring in Democrat-run cities all across the U.S.\u00a0 Biden informed the Democrats that there were no riots during the time he and 0bama were in the White House.\u00a0 Perhaps Joe Biden has forgotten about Baltimore, Ferguson, Oakland and other tumultuous days when, as the New York Times reported, race relations had sunk to a new low during the 0bama administration.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2016\/07\/14\/us\/most-americans-hold-grim-view-of-race-relations-poll-finds.html<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.governing.com\/topics\/public-justice-safety\/obama-urges-soul-searching-baltimore-riots.html<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/biden-no-racial-riots-claim-national-guard-ferguson-obama<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Not once did Joe Biden and the Democrats call for peace or unity among our citizens.\u00a0 In fact, a few days later Nancy Pelosi called the Republicans an \u201cEnemy of the State.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.theblaze.com\/news\/pelosi-gop-domestic-enemies-state<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

THE EXTINCTION OF THE MODERATE DEMOCRAT<\/strong><\/p>\n

Along with the pterodactyl, brontosaurus and triceratops, the \u201cmoderate\u201d Democrat is now extinct.\u00a0 All doubts were again confirmed during Attorney General Barr\u2019s appearance at the Democrat-ruled inquisition that took place at Jerold Nadler\u2019s would-be lynch mob.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, 28 July 2020, Attorney General William Barr testified before the House Judiciary Committee, explaining the rationale in dispatching federal law enforcement to defend federal courthouse in Portland, Oregon, which came under attack by antifa (and other) rioters.\u00a0 The day began with Jerold Nadler being almost an hour late; during that time the Attorney General sat patiently at his assigned chair in the hearing room.<\/p>\n

As unfathomable as it may be to the rational thinker, during the \u201chearing,\u201d the Democrats blamed the Attorney General for inciting the violent outbreaks because he dared to dispatch federal officers to protect government-owned buildings.\u00a0 The Democrats claimed the use of federal officers was nothing more than a\u00a0political prop for Trump\u2019s reelection<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat makes me concerned for the country is, this is the first time in my memory that the leaders of one of our great two political parties \u2013 the Democratic Party \u2013 are not coming out and condemning mob violence and the attack on federal courts,\u201d the attorney general said.\u00a0 \u201cWhy can\u2019t we just say violence against federal courts has to stop?\u00a0 Could we hear something like that?\u201d<\/p>\n

The Attorney General\u2019s question echoed through the room and remained unanswered \u2013 the Democrats dared not to answer it!<\/p>\n

As the \u201chearing\u201d carried on, the Democrats showed an interesting strategy; they would ask questions but as soon as the Attorney General began his response, they rudely interrupted him and asked another question.<\/p>\n

Eventually, Ranking Member Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), challenged Chairman Nadler\u2019s rudeness:\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019ve ever had a hearing where the witness wasn\u2019t allowed to respond\u201d<\/p>\n

Jordan\u2019s appeal to Jerold Nadler was ignored so he restated his remark: \u00a0“I don’t think we’ve ever had a hearing where the witness wasn’t allowed to respond to points made, questions asked, and attacks \u2014 attacks made. \u00a0Not just in this hearing, not just in this committee, but in every committee I’ve been on. \u00a0Particularly when you think about the fact that we have the attorney general of the United States here.”<\/p>\n

Nadler responded by saying \u201cYou don\u2019t have the time,\u201d indicating that Rep. Jordan was speaking out of turn.<\/p>\n

Jordan responded with:\u00a0 \u201cI don\u2019t want the time. \u00a0I want the attorney general to be able to have enough time to respond to accusations and questions asked him.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat you want is irrelevant,\u201d Chairman Nadler said. \u201cIt\u2019s irrelevant to the rules.\u201d<\/p>\n

The observer might have suspected the strategy was to ask a question that Mr. Barr could not readily answer and parlay his lack of an answer into an accusation that he is either unfit for the job, or be reluctant to answer out of fear of self-incrimination.\u00a0 The Democrats\u2019 hopes were dashed as the Attorney General seemed eager to answer each question sent his way.<\/p>\n

Another display of one-sidedness on the part of the Democrats came as Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH) questioned the Attorney General about the various weapons used by against federal officers by the rioters: \u201crifles, explosives, knives, saws, sledgehammers, tasers, slingshots, rocks, bricks, lasers\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have missed some things but that\u2019s a good list,\u201d Barr replied. He mentioned \u201cpowerful slingshots with ball bearings\u201d and the use of \u201clasers to blind the marshals.\u201d He also mentioned that rioters start fires at the courthouse and \u201cwhen the marshals come out to try to deal with the fire, they\u2019re assaulted.\u201d<\/p>\n

As William Barr responded to Rep. Chabot\u2019s questions, several of the Democrats were engaged in loud conversations, which made the Attorney General\u2019s testimony difficult for the listening audience to hear.<\/p>\n

The Democrats continued their rude treatment of their captive witness throughout the day as William Barr \u2013 very composed and with his customary highly professional demeanor \u2013 made every attempt to politely provide well-reasoned and straight forward answers, but late in the day, the Attorney General\u2019s patience seemed to wear thin.<\/p>\n

After hours of sitting in his chair (while the Democrats periodically left the room for comfort breaks as other committee members posed questions), the Attorney General asked Jerold Nadler:<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Chairman, could we take a\u00a0five-minute break? \u00a0Could we take a five-minute break, Mr. Chairman?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo!\u201d Nadler responded, without explanation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a common courtesy of every witness,\u201d interjected Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve waited 45 min\u2014I\u2019ve waited an hour for you this morning,\u201d Barr explained to Nadler, who had been late to the hearing after being delayed in traffic as the result of a traffic accident. \u00a0\u201cI haven\u2019t had lunch. \u00a0I would like to take a five-minute break.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMr. Attorney General, we are almost finished,\u201d Nadler retorted. \u00a0\u201cWe are going to be finished in a few minutes. \u00a0We can certainly take a break but\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re a class act,\u201d Barr said laughing. \u00a0\u201cYou\u2019re a real class act.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter this, if you still want a break, we can have one,\u201d Nadler proposed.<\/p>\n

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio then got involved.\u00a0 \u201cHe wants a break now,\u201d he said. \u00a0\u201cYou just showed rudeness, which is now on display.\u00a0 Let\u2019s let the attorney general have a break.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nadler eventually relented and granted Barr a five-minute break.<\/p>\n

If Jerold Nadler and his fellow Democrats serving on the House Judiciary Committee\u2019s grossly disrespectful treatment of Attorney General William Barr was a one-off event, one might be inclined to soften their assessment of the Democrats, as a whole.\u00a0 One might be reluctant to accept the fact that the Democrats have absolutely no intention of being fair or reasonable.\u00a0 Is it their hatred and resentment of the successes brought to us by President Donald Trump?\u00a0 It would be easy to assign their derangement to their jealousy of President Trump\u2019s unique managerial skills in accomplishing what Mr. 0bama claimed was impossible \u2013 the restoration of America\u2019s economy and its status on the world stage.\u00a0 Ultimately though, it seems there\u2019s much more to the Democrats divisiveness and when all the proper deductive reasoning and objective thought is applied, one must accept the obvious:<\/p>\n

The Democrats want the United States of America to fail!\u00a0 When Americans finally come to grips with this fact, we will join together to purge the Democrats from every elected office in our great country and take an oath to NEVER elect another Democrat!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

https:\/\/pjmedia.com\/news-and-politics\/tyler-o-neil\/2020\/07\/28\/ag-barr-since-when-is-it-okay-to-burn-down-a-federal-court-n722493?fbclid=IwAR3-fBcf3yJxeRFGhS7FglEdSZz95t4QT0fh8dWx00U5XkPV7thZ2CHpDu4<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

https:\/\/pjmedia.com\/news-and-politics\/matt-margolis\/2020\/07\/28\/ag-barr-sarcastically-calls-nadler-a-real-class-act-after-being-refused-a-five-minute-break-n722908?fbclid=IwAR3nPWeLz_3QLyz-NEcauesoHQDenwxM6i0-S7EXZZDoIjLs_ImRa0GMGyQ<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.cnsnews.com\/blog\/craig-bannister\/what-you-want-irrelevant-nadler-tells-jordan-when-he-asks-dems-stop-cutting-ag?fbclid=IwAR0J9JfH3MxPoKXKnC5SlNQQIY3yRwAh8IKy-YV1cwsKuYs5BLEgMym3aCI#utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cns&utm_campaign=b-JordanNadlerBarrTestimony<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

RANDOM THOUGHTS <\/strong><\/p>\n

I have always supported measures and principles and not men. \u00a0I have acted fearless and independent and I never will regret my course. \u00a0I would rather be politically buried than to be hypocritically immortalized. -Davy Crockett, frontiersman, soldier, and politician (17 Aug 1786-1836)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

THE NECESSITY OF A PURGE<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a recent discussion I caught a LOT of flak for voicing my opinion that there must soon be a purge in the Republican Party.\u00a0 I argued that the best way to return our country to its former status \u2013 that of a Constitutional Republic, with a strong sense of fiscal responsibility and a vision of paying off a (soon to be) $30 Trillion national debt \u2013 would demand that we replace what we generally refer to as RINOs with bona fide conservatives.\u00a0 Ideally, this would be done in the primaries and it would demand an enormous effort on the part of the constituents who had, unfortunately, elected RINOs to find genuinely conservative replacements.<\/p>\n

While determining the criteria for replacing the faux conservatives would require an assessment of many of their principles (or lack thereof), certainly one litmus test would be to assess their loyalty to President Donald Trump.\u00a0 For your interest, the following list of Republican have endorsed Joe Biden.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Senator Jeff Flake (AZ)<\/p>\n

Senator Gordon Humphrey (NH)<\/p>\n

Senator John Warner (VA)<\/p>\n

Congressman Steve Bartlett (TX)<\/p>\n

Congressman Bill Clinger (PA)<\/p>\n

Congressman Tom Coleman (MO)<\/p>\n

Congressman Charlie Dent (PA)<\/p>\n

Congressman Charles Djou (HI)<\/p>\n

Congressman Mickey Edwards (OK)<\/p>\n

Congressman Wayne Gilchrest (MD)<\/p>\n

Congressman Jim Greenwood (PA)<\/p>\n

Congressman Bob Inglis (SC)<\/p>\n

Congressman Jim Kolbe (AZ)<\/p>\n

Congressman Steve Kuykendall (CA)<\/p>\n

Congressman Ray LaHood (IL)<\/p>\n

Congressman Jim Leach (IA)<\/p>\n

Congresswoman Susan Molinari (NY)<\/p>\n

Congresswoman Connie Morella (MD)<\/p>\n

Congressman Mike Parker (MS)<\/p>\n

Congressman Jack Quinn (NY)<\/p>\n

Congresswoman Claudine Schneider (RI)<\/p>\n

Congressman Christopher Shays (CT)<\/p>\n

Congressman Peter Smith (VT)<\/p>\n

Congressman Alan Steelman (TX)<\/p>\n

Congressman Jim Walsh (NY)<\/p>\n

Congressman Bill Whitehurst (VA)<\/p>\n

Congressman Dick Zimmer (NJ)<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/tommybeer\/2020\/08\/24\/27-prominent-republicans-including-jeff-flake-announce-theyll-endorse-joe-biden\/#4365cfa96a9d<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

QUESTION OF THE MONTH<\/strong><\/p>\n

Over the past four years we have heard and read the many stories of how the FBI was used to spy on candidate-then-President Trump, and his associates.<\/p>\n

On August 14th<\/sup> we were informed Kevin Clinesmith, a \u201cbasement-level\u201d attorney for the FBI, was charged with falsifying a legal document, allegedly for the purpose of advancing a FISA warrant against Carter Page, relative to the accusations made by Russia-based Democrat operatives, against President Trump and his team.<\/p>\n

At this time, we occasionally hear rumors of how the 0bama White House were aware that the FBI, as directed by then Attorney General Loretta Lynch, were using illegal means to gather information to harm and discredit Donald Trump and persons associated with him.\u00a0 How have these revelations impacted your confidence in the FBI, the DOJ?<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. I have confidence that all<\/em><\/strong> those who have committed crimes will be brought to justice, up to and including former president 0bama.<\/li>\n
  2. I believe Barack 0bama was aware of, but did not give orders to stop, the many criminal activities carried out by the FBI (and others), but he will never be charged with a crime. However, I believe all others will face justice.<\/li>\n
  3. I believe only a few of the minor players in the effort to sabotage President Trump will be brought to justice.<\/li>\n
  4. I don\u2019t think any of those who have committed crimes against President Trump will ever be tried, convicted, and justly punished for their crimes. I have lost all faith in, and respect for, the FBI and our justice system.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

     <\/p>\n

    [Please choose the response that most closely reflects your opinion and email to <\/em>pyrope84045@mypacks.net<\/em><\/a> to share your response with your fellow conservatives.\u00a0 A score on each of the questions will be published in the next edition of The Rhea County Republican.\u00a0 THANKS! \u2013 Editor]<\/em><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Results for last month\u2019s question.<\/p>\n

    What is the probability that the Republicans will gain a majority in the House of Representatives and<\/em> improve their majority in the Senate?<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    0-25%\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 12<\/p>\n

    26-50%\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 9<\/p>\n

    51-75%\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 41<\/p>\n

    76-100%\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 33<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    A MESSAGE FROM BILL HAGERTY (R-TN) CANDIDATE FOR U.S. SENATE <\/strong><\/p>\n

    Friends,<\/p>\n

    I would like to start by expressing my deepest gratitude to the voters of Rhea County, who put their faith in me to take our shared Christian conservative values to Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n

    As we look toward November, one thing is clear to me: We must re-elect President Donald Trump for four more years. A Biden-Harris ticket would mean the end of our democracy as we know it. The Democrats\u2019 platform now includes their most radical policies, calling to defund and dismantle our police departments, implementing universal mail-in voting, abolishing ICE, legalizing late-term abortion nationwide and allowing big tech to censor conservative voices. Even worse, they want to implement a socialized health care system which would destroy our economy and provide you with fewer health care options. Make no mistake, a win for Biden and Harris would be a win for socialism and a devastating loss of our freedoms.<\/p>\n

    That is why it is vitally important that we send strong, trustworthy conservatives to work alongside President Trump to help him Keep America Great. In the United States Senate, I vow to stand with President Trump and Senator Marsha Blackburn to hold Communist China accountable for unleashing the coronavirus pandemic on the world, stealing our valuable data, taking our jobs and undermining our infrastructure.<\/strong> I will also continue working to get our economy going again, protect the right to life, defend the right to bear arms, build the wall, stop sanctuary cities, stand with Israel, support our law enforcement, military and veterans and protect our Tennessee Christian conservative values.<\/p>\n

    I appreciate the opportunity to share with you again, and I humbly ask for your continued support as we work toward victory in November. God bless.<\/p>\n

    Bill Hagerty<\/p>\n

    Republican Nominee For U.S. Senate<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    [The above release was provided by Savannah Newhouse. \u2013 Editor]<\/em><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Have you watched the rioters in the several cities in our country and heard about the crimes they\u2019ve committed?\u00a0 If you\u2019ve paid close attention, you have observed or read many things that should pique your curiosity.\u00a0 You may have read or heard about the not-uncommon use of industrial grade lasers, devices that are capable of starting fires, burning a person\u2019s skin, or blinding them when the beam hits their retina.\u00a0 You may have seen the upscale togs worn by the rioters \u2013 many of which are all black, all new, and all virtually alike, sort of like . . . uniforms<\/em>.<\/p>\n

    The personal protective equipment (PPE) worn by the rioters is also remarkable; it\u2019s state of the art \u2013 full-face respirators are common and so is body armor.<\/p>\n

    The rioters seem to have an inexhaustible supply of industrial-grade fireworks \u2013 incendiary devices, if you will \u2013 costing several dollars per copy.\u00a0 They are often aimed directly at the police, they assault the eardrums of those within a mile of the melee and can be heard night after night, throughout the evening.<\/p>\n

    Pallets of bricks have mysteriously appeared at strategic locations although the latest fad is frozen water bottles.<\/p>\n

    The power tools used by the rioters are not cheap; they tend to be battery-powered or gasoline fueled.\u00a0 Trust me, I own a few of those devices and they\u2019re not<\/em> cheap!<\/p>\n

    The rioters function as though they\u2019ve been well-trained and most of the rioters did not learn to deploy booby-trap devices and make Molotov cocktails from their parents.<\/p>\n

    The point is, all the training, all the transportation, all the food the rioters eat, and all those tools of destruction cost money.\u00a0 Let me rephrase that:\u00a0 MONEY!<\/p>\n

    The government (thanks to the perpetual generosity of the taxpayer), has at its disposal face highly technical devices such as \u201cfacial recognition software,\u201d and other ingenious means of identifying and tracking people, therefore; the government must<\/em> have constructed profiles of the \u201clieutenants\u201d in these riots.\u00a0 IF<\/em><\/strong> the people investigating the rioters are smart, they know who these lieutenants are and, by court-approved surveillance, they can learn who the \u201cGenerals\u201d are \u2013 those who are funding the riots and giving the orders.<\/p>\n

    So, who exactly is funding<\/em> all these riots?<\/strong>\u00a0 Inquiring minds want to know \u2013 and we want to know now!<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    KAMALA HARRIS \u201cTHE MODERATE?\u201d\u00a0 HARDLY!<\/strong><\/p>\n

    First, let us be thankful that the Republicans have held a majority in the Senate during all of Kamala Harris\u2019 tenure.\u00a0 During her time in the Senate, she has sponsored 131 bills; only four of which were enacted into law.\u00a0 And what bills they were!<\/p>\n

    In 2017, a category 5 hurricane \u2013 \u201cMaria\u201d \u2013 struck Puerto Rico.\u00a0 Sadly, 64 Puerto Ricans were killed but, Senator Harris devised a way to help the neo-socialist island government to up those numbers and, thereby, increase the handouts shipped to the island.\u00a0 Her COUNT Victims Act<\/u> (officially cited as the \u201cCounting Our Unexpected Tragedies\u2019 Victims Act,\u201d raised the number of fatalities to 2,975!\u00a0 Was someone hiding the bodies?\u00a0 Hardly.\u00a0 Ms. Harris\u2019 bill enabled the Puerto Rican government to blame hurricane Maria for the deaths of Puerto Ricans (and file for Federal disaster relief), for up to five years after<\/em> the event.<\/p>\n

    No, the bill did not pass under its original title but Kamala wrangled it into the 462-page FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, which was signed into law, so Senator Harris was able to pay a huge favor to her political pals in P.R. (and, thus, reap paybacks for years to come!)<\/p>\n

    Speaking of that 462 page FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, Ms. Harris did some more wrangling to get her Disaster Victims Passport and ID Relief Act<\/u> signed into law.<\/p>\n

    What was this bill all about?\u00a0 Glad you asked.<\/p>\n

    When the floods and wildfires hit California, in 2017, some individuals had to pay to have their identification papers replaced – $110 for passports and $455 for \u201cgreen cards.\u201d\u00a0 Senator Harris touted her clever little accomplishment in a press release:<\/p>\n

    \u201cVictims of natural disasters are forced to reconstruct their lives, and too often face high levels of financial stress. \u00a0We must do what we can to ease that burden including waiving fees associated with the replacement of critical documents, and ensuring child care facilities have the funding they need so families can get back on their feet.\u201d<\/p>\n

    So, what happened to the Federal tax dollars originally allocated for such items in the official \u201crelief bill\u201d that was passed and signed into law?<\/p>\n

    Other of Senator Harris\u2019 socialist-themed bills include her:\u00a0 Access to Counsel Act<\/u> (I thought we already had the Miranda Act), Family Friendly Schools Act<\/u> which keeps schools open until 6:00 PM (providing free childcare to children\u2019s parents), Census Equality Act<\/u> (guaranteeing equal household counts for the LGGTQ community, Rent Relief Act<\/u> (which provides tax credits for anyone who spends more than 30% of their income on rent, for so long as they earn less than $125K per year), and the MORE Act<\/u> (which federally legalizes marijuana and<\/em> expunges all arrest records of individuals who have been arrested for marijuana-related crimes.\u00a0 Oh, and let us not forget Senator Harris\u2019 bill that would pay to commission a statue of the Communist House Member Shirley Chisolm, and have it placed in the Capitol.<\/p>\n

    Kamala Harris was recently awarded the title of our \u201cMost Liberal Senator,\u201d by govtrack.us.\u00a0 To read more please visit the following link and PLEASE send a donation their way if you can afford to do so!<\/p>\n

    https:\/\/govtrackinsider.com\/our-ideology-score-placed-kamala-harris-as-the-most-liberal-senator-in-2019-bbd25493ca72<\/a><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    THE DANGERS OF STATING SCIENTIFIC FACT<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Each day it seems scientific fact is increasingly trumped by wishful thinking.\u00a0 If science fails to substantiate the preferred rhetoric of the \u201csocial engineers,\u201d the scientist who dares to speak out in favor of scientific fact is marginalized by lies and hateful rhetoric.<\/p>\n

    The same is true if anyone \u2013 regardless of their qualifications \u2013 dares to speak out against the socialist meme.<\/p>\n

    This is what we refer to as the \u201cCancel Culture.\u201d<\/p>\n

    There is currently no case more revealing as to the nature of science deniers than that recently experienced by Dr. Colin Wright.\u00a0 You can read of his experience at the following link . . . and I sincerely hope you will take time to do so!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 https:\/\/quillette.com\/2020\/07\/30\/think-cancel-culture-doesnt-exist-my-own-lived-experience-says-otherwise\/?v=322b26af01d5<\/a><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    BOOK OF THE MONTH<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Virtue of Selfishness<\/strong>,<\/em> by Ayn Rand is a collection of 19 short but informative essays (four of which were written by Nathaniel Branden), in which she establishes and defines the moral principles of Objectivism.\u00a0 In reading these essays we learn the virtues of rational<\/em> self-interest and how self-interest is essential for those who desire to become self-sustaining and then grow to be able to contribute to greater good.<\/p>\n

    The essays are informative yet easy to comprehend and are thus suitable for the younger reader.<\/p>\n

    In reading \u201cThe Virtue of Selfishness\u201d<\/em> one learns to understand, and then counter, the false logic of altruism, philosophy which ultimately demands the individual\u2019s self-immolation for the benefit of others.<\/p>\n

    In reading these classic essays, we learn why we cannot hope to benefit our family, our nation, or our planet unless we first enable ourselves to rise to a position that allows us to gather the knowledge, abilities, and resources that are essential for doing so.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    ARE RINOS BLOCKING JUSTICE?\u00a0 (AGAIN)<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, which is comprised of eight Republicans and six Democrats.<\/p>\n

    Most recently, this committee has been debating on whether to subpoena former FBI Director James Comey, former CIA Director John Brennan, and others, in their investigation into the Democrats colluding with Russia, in their efforts to derail President Trump\u2019s 2016 campaign.\u00a0 Depending on what is revealed during the testimonies, the Committee may take a vote on whether to issue criminal referrals to Attorney General William Barr.<\/p>\n

    Unfortunately, a recently discovered problem has caused Senator Johnson to postpone the issuance of subpoenas, and subsequent hearings, on this matter.<\/p>\n

    In a recent interview, Senator Johnson implied his concern there might be one (or more) defector(s) among the Republicans.\u00a0 One dissenting vote would result in a 7-7 tie among the Committee Members, and Senator Johnson\u2019s work to bring Comey, Brennan, and others to justice would have been for naught.<\/p>\n

    There has been a lot of speculation as to who that defector might be.\u00a0 The most likely candidate is \u201cNever Trumper\u201d Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT), but Rob Portman (R-OH), James Lankford (R-OK), and Michael Enzi (R-WY) have indicated their reluctance to pursue criminal charges against Comey, Brennan, Clapper, and others in the 0bama regime.<\/p>\n

    While it is possible that Senator Lindsey Graham, Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, could subpoena Comey, Brennan (and others), his fecklessness regarding such matters compels us to believe he would not.<\/p>\n

    Lesson learned:\u00a0 While it may be true that the worst Republican is better than the best Democrat, electing RINOs causes undue pain; we must do more diligence when nominating candidates to represent us!<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    THE \u201cCHAMPIONS OF FREE SPEECH\u201d CONTROL THE NARRATIVE . . . AGAIN!<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Media organizations have just been warned by the Democratic Party machine that they better be very, very careful with how they cover Joe Biden\u2019s vice presidential choice \u2014 just revealed to be Kamala Harris. \u00a0Any criticism will be viewed as racist and sexist, we are told. \u00a0Oh, they wrap up that threat in a word salad, but that\u2019s the bottom line: \u00a0There should be second and even third thoughts about any criticism of Mr. Biden\u2019s VP pick.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    https:\/\/m.washingtontimes.com\/news\/2020\/aug\/11\/democratic-party-sets-rules-for-criticizing bidens\/?fbclid=IwAR26Ud8DbMGdlqSBl9_jwpA4zQdWlA_Dbd0c89Hb1J96gMUyR0TG6T7Xfik<\/a><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER EPA RULE<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The Environmental Protection Agency has worked with state level environmental regulators to implement the 8-hour national ambient air quality standard for ozone.\u00a0 This will require natural gas users in the non-attainment areas to reduce their NOx emissions or face onerous fines.\u00a0 The reason for the new more stringent regulations is to reduce ozone levels in metro areas.\u00a0 Compliance will be expensive.
    \nNitrogen oxides (NOx) combine with volatile organic compounds (VOC) to form ground-level ozone.\u00a0 Yes, this is the same precious ozone in the stratosphere, which the environment alarmists wish to save.\u00a0 The claim that ozone reduction has health benefits is based largely on studies that find a statistical correlation between ozone and the induction of asthma.\u00a0 Yet no causal link has been established.\u00a0 When critics of the proposed rules pointed out the potential beneficial health effects of increased ozone in shielding the public from ultraviolet rays, EPA said these assumptions were uncertain.\u00a0 However, the uncertainty in its own assumptions did not stop EPA from pressing ahead with the harsh standard.\u00a0 Many of EPA\u2019s rules are based on such statistical gerrymandering.\u00a0 When the science is especially doubtful, as it is with the danger of ground level ozone, EPA claims children are at risk.
    \nAnother problem is the relationship between VOC and NOx in producing ozone.\u00a0 The reduction of VOC does seem to reduce ozone levels.\u00a0\u00a0 However, NOx emissions are down when diesel truck traffic is down on weekends.\u00a0 EPA readily admits that ozone levels are at their highest during this time.\u00a0 This curious and counter intuitive \u201cweekend effect\u201d is the best result that can come from forcing natural gas users to use expensive low NOx burners.\u00a0 Yet, the net result is likely to increase ozone!\u00a0 The vast majority of VOC in the Southeast comes from local vegetation \u2013trees- and is called \u201cbiogenic.\u201d\u00a0 The rest is from gasoline vehicles.\u00a0 About five to ten percent of VOC vehicle emitters account for about 50 percent of the tailpipe emissions.\u00a0 A real reduction in VOC and related ozone production could be achieved by using remote sensing to target the gross emitters.
    \nThis could be a cheap way to get significant results; but it is very politically unpopular.\u00a0 Hence, EPA and state authority\u2019s emphasis imposing huge burdens on natural gas users in the Southern metropolitan areas with little to no positive health effect.\u00a0 [Thanks to Jim Clarkson, President, RMS Energy for this update<\/em>. \u2013 Editor]<\/em><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    RANDOM THOUGHTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \u201cOf all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. \u00a0It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. \u00a0The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.\u201d – C. S. Lewis<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    THE CULTURE WAR CONTINUES<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The defining factor through the centuries, that source of strength which has enabled the United States to prevail against many challenges, is the strength derived through \u201cThe American Culture.\u201d\u00a0 One of the cornerstones of our unique American Culture has been \u2013 and remains today \u2013 the \u201cTraditional Family.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Unfortunately, since the era of the Welfare State began, the Traditional Family has become compromised; it has suffered unrelenting attacks from our enemies (both within and without the government), and the attack on what is truly a cornerstone of the American Culture is intensifying every day.\u00a0 Failure to recognize this assault is to make one\u2019s self a victim to it \u2013 to destroy the American Culture is to destroy the United States of America.<\/p>\n

    Sumantra Maitra, a Doctoral Scholar at Nottingham University (England), writing in The Post Millennial<\/em>, shared a warning that seems to perfectly portray the events we are witnessing today, and to explain the strategy that will play out as the Traditional Family comes under full frontal assault.<\/p>\n

    \u201cAfter the leftist progressives have tackled police and government, they will come for the family. \u00a0The idea is that having family, growing up with two parents, is privileged, and that this creates inequity. \u00a0Any inequity must be crushed.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Mr. Sumantra is not alone in his observations.<\/p>\n

    According to an article appearing in The Family Story Project, Bethany Letiecq, professor in the Human Development and Family Science program at George Mason University has\u00a0called for the abolishing of family<\/a>, and this concept has been increasingly growing in academic circles.<\/p>\n

    There have been several\u00a0recent<\/a>\u00a0articles<\/a>\u00a0calling for abolishing of the family, including in\u00a0Open Democracy<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0Outline<\/em><\/a>, and even\u00a0The Nation<\/em><\/a>. \u00a0Letiecq, the author of\u00a0a paper<\/u> entitled “Surfacing Family Privilege and Supremacy in Family Science: Toward Justice for All,” coined the concept of Family privilege. \u00a0These arguments are all rhetorically similar and are couched in ideas of “[social] justice.”<\/p>\n

    Letiecq argues: \u00a0“Family privilege recognizes that some families are the beneficiaries of unearned or unacknowledged advantages . . . our society values and privileges heterosexual marriages over other relationships, including couples who live together, raise children together, and choose not to marry,” Letiecq also took time to bash marriage calling it “an institution [that] is patriarchal and hegemonic at its base, designed by men to have a hold of power.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The group Black Lives Matters\u00a0acknowledges their official position<\/a>\u00a0stating that they intend to “disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and ‘villages’ that collectively care for one another, especially our children.”<\/p>\n

    Is it a mere coincidence that two seemingly diverse and untethered groups are seeking the same goal \u2013 to end the family unit as the defining part of our culture?\u00a0 Not by a long shot!<\/p>\n

    Sophie Lewis proudly claims to be a Marxist, and wants to abolish not just family but capitalism as well. \u00a0Coming from a broken and abusive family herself (obviously)\u00a0she believes<\/a>\u00a0that family is the root to all evil, including “discomfort, coercion, molestation, abuse, humiliation, depression, battery, murder, mutilation, loneliness, blackmail, exhaustion, psychosis, gender-straitjacketing, racial programming, and embourgeoisement.” \u00a0Others are not as out and proud, which makes them even more dangerous.<\/p>\n

    Armed with facts one comes to unmask the enemies of our country, and how they are trying to bring us down.\u00a0 If you are interested in learning more, I would suggest you visit the following links to read the full story.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    https:\/\/thepostmillennial.com\/the-next-step-in-the-culture-war-is-the-assault-on-the-traditional-family?fbclid=IwAR27wxLjMLS7F0fg4Lx6qNx-0cOelQPxCCoB8FE-dz1619RbBhTO-FGarjo<\/a><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    https:\/\/quillette.com\/2020\/03\/30\/full-surrogacy-now-feminism-against-family-a-review\/<\/a><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    RANDOM THOUGHTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The general misconception is that any statute passed by legislators bearing the appearance of law constitutes the \u201claw of the land.\u201d\u00a0 This is not necessarily true!\u00a0 The Constitution of the United States is the supreme<\/em><\/strong> law of the land and any<\/em> statute, to be valid, must be in agreement.\u00a0 It is impossible for a law which violates the Constitution to be valid.\u00a0 This is succinctly stated as follows:<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \u201cAll laws which are repugnant to the Constitution are null and void.\u201d\u00a0 Marbury vs. Madison<\/em>, 5 US (2 Cranch), 137, 174, 176, (1803).<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO HIDE?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Parents of students who attend Rutherford County Schools (RCS) must agree not to monitor their child\u2019s online classroom sessions.<\/p>\n

    Officials at all county schools are asking parents to sign forms agreeing not to watch these virtual classes.<\/p>\n

    \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong>The Tennessee Star<\/em>\u00a0received a copy of such a form this week.<\/p>\n

    \u201cRCS strives to present these opportunities in a secure format that protects student privacy to the greatest extent possible, however because these meetings will occur virtually RCS is limited in its ability to fully control certain factors such as non-student observers that may be present in the home of a student participating in the virtual meeting,\u201d according to the form.<\/p>\n

    \u201cRCS strongly discourages non student observation of online meetings due to the potential of confidential information about a student being revealed.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The form asks parents for their signature and warns that \u201cviolation of this agreement may result in RCS removing my child from the virtual meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n

    RCS spokesman James Evans addressed the matter in an email to\u00a0The Star<\/em>\u00a0this week.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe are aware of the concern that has been raised about this distance-learning letter that was sent to parents. \u00a0The intent was not to prevent parents from being involved with their children during distance learning, but it was intended to protect the academic privacy of other students in the classroom who are visible during certain virtual class sessions,\u201d Evans said.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe have issued new guidance to principals that parents can assist their children during virtual group lessons with permission of the instructor but should refrain from sharing or recording any information about other students in the classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Evans did not elaborate.<\/p>\n

    As reported Friday<\/a>, 50 miles away, Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles said \u00a0\u201cNO!!!\u201d to Gov. Bill Lee\u2019s Big Brother-style child wellbeing program that plans to send government officials to families\u2019 homes to do welfare checks of children.<\/p>\n

    The Tennessee Department of Education\u00a0says<\/a>\u00a0it released a toolkit on child wellbeing checks to ensure the needs of children are being met during and after extended periods away from school. It is promoted as protecting children.<\/p>\n

    The department earmarked $1 million in COVID-19 funds to set up regional overseers to work with districts, which are encouraged to apply. A grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will give funding for eight regional staff members to work across the state.<\/p>\n

    Chris Butler<\/em><\/a>\u00a0is an investigative journalist at\u00a0The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on\u00a0<\/em>Facebook<\/em><\/a>. <\/em>Email tips to\u00a0chrisbutlerjournalist@gmail.com.<\/em><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    RANDOM THOUGHTS<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Only in 2020 America can you get arrested for opening<\/em> your business but not for looting<\/em> one.\u00a0 The Leftist mentality is killing America. \u2013 Marcin Z. Gruszecki<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    COMMENTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Elected Representatives from all States and all levels of government are encouraged to share their thoughts, opinions, ideas, and announcements by emailing them to <\/em>pyrope84045@mypacks.net<\/em><\/a> .\u00a0 Your constituents want to hear from you! \u2013 Editor <\/em><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Scott DesJarlais<\/strong> (R-TN-4th<\/sup> District)<\/p>\n

    While I’ve been waiting for the Speaker and the Majority Leader to provide some guidance for the House schedule (they determine when we’re in session), it appears that they may use the Postal Service as a call to return for hearings and possible legislation.<\/p>\n

    The Postal Service is suddenly priority number 1 now in their media driven political agenda. I want to be clear that I support the Postal Service and its operations, but l also want to be clear that the problems suddenly being trumpeted by many with an interest in the election didn’t just happen overnight and didn’t just happen because of the Trump Administration.<\/p>\n

    The USPS has been in trouble for years. Email, overnight delivery services, and new technologies have reduced the need for USPS services. In addition, reports suggest COVID issues have further cut into mail volumes by perhaps up to 30%.<\/p>\n

    The biggest issue is that the Postal Service has been unable to keep expenditures even close to the revenues. It consistently runs multi-billion dollar losses per year ($8.8 billion loss in 2019) and has underfunded employee liabilities of $130 billion. \u00a0Fortunately, Congress makes the USPS pay a substanatial amount into its pension plans to keep its promises (it’s roughly 85% funded right now), but its health care liabilities are about $70-$80 billion in the hole and getting worse.<\/p>\n

    Employees are down (800,000 20 years ago, 500,000 now), and USPS has been tasked for years to reduce expenses and overhead. Reform is needed before throwing more deficit spending at the problem. The USPS is needed and provides a vital service, but the removal of sorting machines and mailboxes in neighborhoods just didn’t start in the past month. In fact, over the past 12 years, including the previous administration, over 15,000 mailboxes have been removed. This is an issue that has existed for decades.<\/p>\n

    I stand ready to support a legitimate reform that protects mail service for our residents, but this is not a problem that can or will be fixed by simply mandating services no longer needed or by simply spending more money. That won’t work.<\/p>\n

    If you’re inclined to read about the issues facing the USPS, here’s a link to many Government Accountability Office Reports. You can click on the Key Reports tab and find a wealth of information.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    https:\/\/www.gao.gov\/key_issues\/us_postal_service_financial_viability\/issue_summary#t=1<\/a><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Bruce Griffey<\/strong>, State Representative (R-Paris), shared the following comment:<\/p>\n

    \u201cWell, the TN legislature goes back into special session today. \u00a0I\u2019m 100% committed to passing legislation to provide COVID liability protection to businesses, schools, hospitals, medical providers, non-profits, churches, etc. \u00a0Unless you’re grossly negligent or intentionally engaging in harmful behavior, you shouldn’t have to be penalized by getting sued on top of everything else. \u00a0You should be protected from liability. \u00a0What is sad is that we could have resolved this issue in June if the Senate had been willing to continue to work and remain in session.\u201d<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    COMMENTS FROM READERS<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Readers are encouraged to submit their thoughts, opinions, ideas, and announcements from their city, county, state, and country.\u00a0 Please share your ideas, thoughts, opinions, and announcements by emailing them to:\u00a0 <\/em>pyrope84045@mypacks.net<\/em><\/a> .\u00a0 Your fellow Conservatives want to hear from you! \u2013 Editor<\/em><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Diane Bederman<\/strong>, Toronto, Canada \u2013 Chaplain and Author shared the following:<\/p>\n

    Nancy Pelosi now calls Covid 19, the virus that came to us from China, as the Trump Virus. \u00a0Well she has the right name but wrong symptoms.<\/p>\n

    The Trump virus has nothing to do with respiratory failure, or organ failure. Oh no.<\/p>\n

    This virus attacks the brain cells of left leaning people whose bodies seem to have been invaded by the\u00a0body snatchers.<\/a>\u00a0 The virus unleashes hate.<\/p>\n

    Pelosi<\/a>\u00a0tells America that Federal police officers are storm troopers.\u00a0 \u201cUnidentified Storm Troopers\u201d is what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called the law enforcement agents of the Department of Homeland Security struggling to protect the federal courthouse that Portland, Ore., rioters have been firebombing.<\/p>\n

    Storm troopers? Hitler\u2019s bullyboys? \u00a0The Brown Shirts? \u00a0The paramilitary wing of the Nazis?<\/p>\n

    \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 That Pelosi, a member of Congress since time immemorial, refers to federal forces as Storm Troopers, speaks to an evil and a hate that knows no bounds.<\/em><\/p>\n

    And she is joined by House Majority Whip\u00a0Jim Clyburn<\/a>\u00a0who smears Federal Officers as Nazis.\u00a0 Wonder how those officers feel when they go out to protect and defend Clyburn\u2019s rights under the Constitution. \u00a0And according to Tom Ridge, the nation\u2019s first Homeland Security secretary, these Federal Officers are \u201cThe president\u2019s personal militia.\u201d \u00a0Really? \u00a0What were they under his direction?<\/p>\n

    I have read that people compare Trump to Hitler or Trump is the worst leader since Hitler. \u00a0Really?<\/p>\n

    https:\/\/dianebederman.com\/what-is-the-trump-virus\/<\/a><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Adam Laxalt<\/strong>, Las Vegas, NV shared Andrew McCarthy\u2019s comments, published in National Review<\/em>.<\/p>\n

    \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 “Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler (D., N.Y.) and the other Democrats who control the House demanded for months that Barr come to a ‘hearing’ and ‘testify.’ \u00a0But of course, it wasn\u2019t anything like an actual hearing, and they didn\u2019t want him to testify \u2014 as in actually answer questions. \u00a0The session was a coveted election-year opportunity for Democrats to berate the Attorney General of the United States in five-minute installments, accusing Barr of corruption, perjury, violating his oath, betraying the Constitution \u2014 at one point, even of killing thousands of COVID-19 victims (apparently, by being Attorney General during a pandemic).<\/em><\/p>\n

    \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIn the main, the rest of the afternoon was devoted to raging, mock-anguished perorations about how Trump is a dictator and how Barr is helping him destroy our democracy.<\/em>
    \n\u201cThese were punctuated by the occasional petulant demand that Barr answer \u2018yes or no\u2019 a question that was either loaded or incoherent. \u00a0When Barr would begin to answer, there would be foot-stomping, indignant, \u2018I\u2019m reclaiming my time\u2019 interruptions, claims that there was no question pending (usually after a question had just been posed), and then more Democrat filibustering about how the American people could clearly see that Barr was afraid to answer their questions \u2026 that they wouldn\u2019t let him answer.<\/em>
    \n\u201cIt was an embarrassing spectacle.\u00a0 <\/em>Anyone who wants power that badly shouldn\u2019t be anywhere near it.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Indeed, the entire episode was an embarrassment, a total charade motivated far less by a desire to ascertain any facts than an eagerness to grandstand and score partisan political points. \u00a0It got so bad that Barr finally asked, since this was ostensibly a \u201chearing,\u201d \u201caren\u2019t I the one who\u2019s supposed to be heard?\u201d
    \nOf course, Democrats had no interest in any such thing, and after Barr easily handled what passed for their \u201cquestioning\u201d in the early going, Democrats dropped the ruse that they were there for any reason other than to mug for the cameras.<\/p>\n

    Jim Clarkson<\/strong>, Columbia, SC www.rmsenergy.com<\/a> shares another bit of satire.<\/p>\n

    \u201cHey, Charlie, we have a polar bear hunker-down alert for this sector tomorrow between noon and 2 pm.\u201d
    \n\u201cWhat\u2019s going on, Moe?\u00a0 Why do we have to hide?\u201d
    \n\u201cI have an email from World Hysterics and Alarmists on Climate Organization that they are having a fly-over survey tomorrow and they need to report the polar bear population is down.\u201d
    \n\u201cBut, Moe, actually the polar bear population is up.\u00a0 Doesn\u2019t WHACO know that?\u201d
    \n\u201cSure, they know that.\u00a0 That\u2019s why we are being tipped off ahead of time.\u00a0 They already have a press release ready that says the polar bear count is lower in this sector, and they extrapolate for the whole world concluding that we\u2019ll be extinct in a few more years unless drastic action is taken.\u201d
    \n\u201cOh.\u00a0 What kind of drastic action do the greenies see as a remedy?\u201d
    \n\u201cThey are demanding that humans quit using plastic drinking straws.\u201d<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Jeffrey McCormack<\/strong>, Cerrito, CA has produced another excellent video, here is a link to his newest work:\u00a0 https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=570zcrV9e6A&t=90s<\/a> I hope you\u2019ll give it a look, share it with others, and follow Mac on Facebook.\u00a0 He wanted me to share these thoughts with you:<\/p>\n

    My name is Jeffrey McCormack and my partner and I are trying to bring awareness of a crisis occurring in California.\u00a0 California is on the verge of becoming a hemorrhaging state and the state has lost a lot of residents and businesses to other low-tax states.<\/p>\n

    What happens in California does have a nationwide effect because it is the most populous state, has the most registered voters and electoral seats, and is the 6th<\/sup> largest economy in the world.<\/p>\n

    There are great qualities that people like in California, such as the weather, a large tech industry in Silicon [Valley], a large labor market, access to resources, and its entertainment industry.\u00a0 The problem is the Dems are ruining the state with their radical policy decisions pushing for higher taxes and increased regulations.\u00a0 The Democrats\u2019 radical socialist policies are pushing residents and good businesses out of the state and those fleeing people and businesses end up moving to pro-business states like Idaho, Texas, and Tennessee, where their states economies are booming and surpassing California\u2019s growth rate.<\/p>\n

    In 2018, Carl\u2019s JR, which was founded here in California, moved their headquarters to Tennessee, and Charles Schwab will soon be moving their headquarters from San Francisco, to Texas.<\/p>\n

    Even now, the Dems in our state are pushing for a \u201cWealth Tax,\u201d which was something AOC, along with other Dems, proposed in Congress, as part of the \u201cGreen New Deal.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The Democrats need to be held accountable for their failures.\u00a0 California, along with New York and Illinois, are examples of what happens when you let them control your government.\u00a0 So, my partner and I want to produce a documentary about this.\u00a0 We are both residents of California, and we love our state.\u00a0 The Democrats and Governor Newsom are responsible for the horrible public policies, high taxes, and rising homelessness that have led so many people and businesses to exit the state<\/p>\n

    Please help us fund this documentary project of ours so we can get this ready for the 2022 midterm elections.\u00a0 The aim for this film will be to change voter behavior so we can elect people who will lead California in the right direction.\u00a0 New leadership may not be sufficient enough to fix everything, but it is damned well necessary in order to get real change.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 [Here\u2019s a link to another video showing how California has crumbled through the years.\u00a0 I hope you\u2019ll give it a look and follow \u201cMac J Jeffrey\u201d on Facebook <\/em>https:\/\/vimeo.com\/435192718\/7dbdfaeef9<\/em><\/a> . .\u00a0 If you would like to support Jeffrey\u2019s work by sending him a check (instead of using the \u201cGo Fund Me\u201d method), get in touch with me and I\u2019ll provide a mailing address for you. – Editor]\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Bob Rodi<\/strong> of Naples, FL offered this remark about Biden\u2019s VP pick:<\/p>\n

    The \u201cBernie Bros\u201d are not happy with Biden\u2019s VP pic but it was the only logical choice.\u00a0 Other than Karen Bass, who could have claimed to be the descendants of slaves?<\/p>\n

    In a year where Americans have come to understand the meaning of \u201cQuid Pro Quo,\u201d the term should definitely come up in discussion about Kamala\u2019s background.<\/p>\n

    I lived in the Bay area when Kamala appeared on the scene.\u00a0 She was a young prosecutor, off of 28, and Willie Brown was the king, or queen, maker for California politicians.<\/p>\n

    Her affair with Willie, married for 40 years and in his mid- to late 60s, was very<\/em> public.\u00a0 They didn\u2019t even try to hide it.\u00a0 Willie bought her nice cars and gave her sweet, high-paid patronage jobs for sitting on his staff . . . I don\u2019t think anybody is going to be clutching their pearls over the fact that she had an affair with a powerful, old, married man, but the Quid Pro Quo did<\/em> occur in the way she paid Willie for his patronage.<\/p>\n

    Kamala was the kingmaker\u2019s concubine for many years, until Willie became Mayor of San Francisco.\u00a0 There were [always] a lot of rumors about Kamala\u2019s being willing to do anything to keep climbing that ladder, and I\u2019m pretty sure we will hear those stories.\u00a0 A few days ago, Willie Brown, now 85, urged Kamala to refuse the VEEP job if Biden offered it.\u00a0 I think Willie might be worried that somebody might have some compromising pics somewhere.<\/p>\n

    All of that before we even get to the part about her record as a prosecutor: \u00a0throwing the book at minor marijuana offenders, her \u201ctough on crime\u201d attitude, the fact that black people do not like the fact that her husband, Doug Emhoff, is a white man.<\/p>\n

    I think after Joe backed himself into a corner with the \u201cwoman of color\u201d promise, Kamala Harris was his best choice.<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Cathy Hinners<\/strong>, Founder of the Daily Roll Call<\/em> (dailyrollcall.com) offered the following for your consideration:<\/p>\n

    Refugee resettlement. Child wellness visits. \u00a0Take your pick, Lee is neither a conservative nor a student of the U.S. or Tennessee Constitution.<\/p>\n

    First it was Lee\u2019s failure to uphold Tennessee\u2019s Tenth Amendment rights against the federal government forcing the state to pay for the refugee program even after the state had withdrawn.<\/p>\n

    Instead, Lee said he was committed to bringing more refugees to the state.<\/p>\n

    Even though he admitted he wasn\u2019t a politician, he never disclosed during the campaign that he knows almost nothing about the U.S. and Tennessee Constitution. This only became known after he took office.<\/p>\n

    Lee\u2019s proclamation to continue refugee resettlement violates the separation of powers since Lee can\u2019t appropriate state dollars that are being used to pay for the federal program. \u00a0Only the state legislature has the authority to do that.<\/p>\n

    Now Lee wants a \u201cChild Wellbeing Task Force\u201d to be put in place. \u00a0And he\u2019s having Penny Schwinn, TN Commissioner of Education to get guidelines written about how local school districts can come to your home and make sure your kids are okay.<\/p>\n

    \u201cGoal: \u00a0ALL Tennessee children will receive a wellbeing check. \u00a0Purpose: \u00a0Connect with each child to verify wellbeing and identify need. \u00a0Expectation: \u00a0It is encouraged that all children, birth to age 18, receive a wellbeing check.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Get that ALL children.<\/p>\n

    And because school districts are already too busy trying to educate remotely, Lee\u2019s \u201cguidance\u201d will allow for \u201cthird-parties (non-district employees)\u201d to come to your home and evaluate whether your kids are okay.<\/p>\n

    And notice that well-being check caseloads are to be \u201cequitably\u201d distributed among well- being checkers. \u00a0Just what you\u2019d expect from California-bred Schwinn.<\/p>\n

    How much will this cost? \u00a0What about interpreters? \u00a0Will illegal aliens cooperate with the well-checkers for fear of being discovered? \u00a0What about that little thing called government overreach?<\/p>\n

    Anyone else had enough of Bill Lee?<\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Jimmy Massengill<\/strong>, Mayor of Graysville, TN shared the following:<\/p>\n

    When I wear a mask in public, or decline an invitation to a party or to come inside, I want you to know that:<\/p>\n