The right-wing's Recess Rally at the Federal Building in downtown Knoxville was not quite the event as was the Tea Party back in April.
I estimated approximately 70-80 anti-healthcare protesters and 30-50 pro-healthcare advocates. Initially, the two groups were side-by-side, with the advocates nearly drowning out the protesters. The advocates elected to leave the venue and parade over to Market Square. As the "socialist" (as they were called by the protesters) advocates were leaving, one "socialist" asked a protester for the definition of socialist. The protester asked the man's name and said he was the definition of a socialist. Quite the clever quip, not.
In talking with a few of the anti-healthcare protesters, there appeared to be a fairly common thread, an association with a local insurance company. My question was, "How do you obtain health insurance?" Of six respondents, half had an association with the local insurance company. Curiously, they seemed to be there with an agent from the local insurance company.
One of the respondents was covered by Medicare. When asked if he thought this was a conflict in that advocates were only asking for what he has, he said he's already paid for his Medicare. One man who has insurance for himself through the local insurance company used to provide insurance to his employees but can no longer afford the cost.
Once the advocates left the venue, the protesters began their speeches on why citizens don't need a plan on how to obtain healthcare. Sally Absher was the main speaker. It appears she organized the event, as she did the Tea Party in April.
Pete Hebert joined in to address the crowd. It was a little hard to determine if Pete was with the protesters or the advocates. Watch the video to see and hear some of their discussions.
I noticed Rep. Stacey Campfield toward the end of the event. He was being interviewed by Glenn Reynolds, Instapundit. A Stacey Campfield interview was not on my agenda. I did enjoy a quick chat with Glenn, keeping it free of politics.
Pictures and video of the Anti-Healthcare protest...
|
|
Discussing:
- MAP: See the number of SNAP participants by Tennessee county as benefit lapse looms (2 replies)
- GOP dereliction of duty, SNAP must be funded (4 replies)
- Tennessee sheriff defends jailing liberal activist for posting Trump meme (2 replies)
- Terrible things are happening outside. (5 replies)
- Medicare Advantage: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (1 reply)
- Electricity prices are rising (2 replies)
- Does Silly Congress care about chaos in cattle market? (4 replies)
- East TN Health Depts. free flu shots today, Oct. 21, 2025 (1 reply)
- Building housing Knox County Democratic Party headquarters up for sale (3 replies)
- Watch how scam victims lose millions to a con with a modern twist (1 reply)
- Knoxville SOUP proposals Announced for Sept. 23, 2025 (1 reply)
- No Kings Rally - Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025 (1 reply)
TN Progressive
- WATCH THIS SPACE. (Left Wing Cracker)
- Report on Blount County, TN, No Kings event (BlountViews)
- America As It Is Right Now (RoaneViews)
- A friend sent this: From Captain McElwee's Tall Tales of Roane County (RoaneViews)
- The Meidas Touch (RoaneViews)
- Massive Security Breach Analysis (RoaneViews)
- (Whitescreek Journal)
- Lee's Fried Chicken in Alcoa closed (BlountViews)
- Alcoa, Hall Rd. Corridor Study meeting, July 30, 2024 (BlountViews)
- My choices in the August election (Left Wing Cracker)
- July 4, 2024 - aka The Twilight Zone (Joe Powell)
- Chef steals food to serve at restaurant? (BlountViews)
TN Politics
- When “safety” tramples the Constitution: How Memphis’ Safe Task Force threatens rights (TN Lookout)
- Trump administration blocked from cutting off SNAP benefits as two judges issue orders (TN Lookout)
- Kilmar Abrego Garcia to be transferred to Tennessee for hearings on criminal charges (TN Lookout)
- Despite bipartisan lawmakers’ urging, Lee declines to bridge SNAP freeze with state dollars (TN Lookout)
- Stockard on the Stump: National Guard could roam Memphis streets for a year (TN Lookout)
- States prepare for rapid price changes as Congress mulls Obamacare subsidies (TN Lookout)
Knox TN Today
- WBHOF calls for Candace Parker (Knox TN Today)
- AMBC Fall Festival + Bazillion Blooms + TPO road plan + SoKno Pub Crawl ++ (Knox TN Today)
- Local Humane Society is a 2025 ‘Best of Tennessee’ winner (Knox TN Today)
- Jane Goodall: A voice in the animal kingdom (Knox TN Today)
- HEADLINES: World & national news to state & local news (Knox TN Today)
- Dining Duo goes to Golden Oak (Knox TN Today)
- Knox shares Grogans’ trip to Italy (Knox TN Today)
- Global growth in renewable energy (Knox TN Today)
- West Prong Trail offers bears, hogs and beauty (Knox TN Today)
- Food City supports the Empty Stocking Fund (Knox TN Today)
- Bill Woodrick calls for post-funeral lunch and party (Knox TN Today)
- How about that new camera, Badger? (Knox TN Today)
Local TV News
- Ella, beloved Anderson County kickoff tee retriever, retires after seven seasons (WATE)
- 'It takes 60 votes': Burchett blames Senate Democrats for shutdown as service members face uncertainty (WATE)
- Food pantries in East Tennessee see surge in demand ahead of potential SNAP delays (WATE)
- 'Food is important' Knoxville nonprofit helping mothers as WIC program faces uncertainty (WATE)
- Knoxville police make 31 arrests around downtown, Old City (WATE)
- Jury acquits Oak Ridge school bus driver in assault case (WATE)
News Sentinel
State News
- Chattanooga Now Events - Nonprofit Happy Hour at Plant Bar - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
- Chattanooga Now Events - Blake Worthington: City of Red Bank Traffic Garden - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
- Titans host Chargers as teams heading in different directions collide - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
- Mocs expect little things to be huge against Western Carolina - Chattanooga Times Free Press (Times Free Press)
Wire Reports
- Buffett’s Berkshire Cash Hits Record $382 Billion, Earnings Soar - Bloomberg.com (Business)
- SNAP money still faces delays after judges order release of emergency funds - The Washington Post (US News)
- Airlines plead for end of government shutdown as unpaid air traffic controllers prepare for busy holiday travel - Fortune (US News)
- Credit Fraud Fears Loom After BlackRock’s HPS Zeros Out Bad Loan - Bloomberg.com (Business)
- Amid YouTube TV dispute, ESPN scrambles to gather College GameDay audience - NBC Sports (Business)
- Trump lays low in 2025 elections as Democrats attack him - The Washington Post (US News)
- Retailers face growing penny shortage, sparking limits and SNAP concerns - Axios (Business)
- Judge orders arrest of ex-Green Beret accused of plotting to invade Venezuela after he fails to show up in court - CBS News (US News)
- 10 stocks that let you invest like Nvidia in the next hot AI trade - MarketWatch (Business)
- Maryland farmers fight to protect their land from ‘extension cord’ for data centers - NBC News (US News)
- What to Know About the New York City Mayoral Election - The Wall Street Journal (US News)
- Michigan terror attack plot: What we know and don’t know about the arrests made - CNN (US News)
- CEO Andy Jassy says Amazon’s 14,000 layoffs weren’t about cutting costs or AI taking jobs: 'It's culture' - Fortune (Business)
- China signals easing of Nexperia semiconductor export ban - Financial Times (Business)
- All the U.S. military strikes against alleged drug boats - PBS (US News)
Local Media
Lost Medicaid Funding
Search and Archives
TN Progressive
Nearby:
- Blount Dems
- Herston TN Family Law
- Inside of Knoxville
- Instapundit
- Jack Lail
- Jim Stovall
- Knox Dems
- MoxCarm Blue Streak
- Outdoor Knoxville
- Pittman Properties
- Reality Me
- Stop Alcoa Parkway
Beyond:
- Nashville Scene
- Nashville Post
- Smart City Memphis
- TN Dems
- TN Journal
- TN Lookout
- Bob Stepno
- Facing South

My favorite quotes from your
My favorite quotes from your video:
"That's what Chairman Mao said!"
"Read the bill! Yeah, read Atlas Shrugged, too!"
A big thanks to the
A big thanks to the healthcare, health insurance advocates that showed up to rally for the cause. Congrats on the good job and the good turnout.
P.S. In case you're
P.S. In case you're wondering what the goofball sign about "The Apollyon" means (like I was):
Wikipedia
Also:
Wikipedia
Knoxville News Sentinel: The
Knoxville News Sentinel: The demonstrators were joined by state Rep. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, who said he was the only elected official present.
Hmm, I see both Mark Harmon and Bob Becker in the photos and videos. Maybe they left before Stacey came by to drum up votes. Funny the KNS didn't mention it, though.
rally
there were actually 51 reform supporters in attendance and 6-8 late ones joined in as we decided to walk through the city rather than stand in front of an empty building and trade cheers with a group who had no interest in having conversations. i will never understand why they would schedule a rally when absolutely no one was in the building and the gates would be closed...but dixie damm and some others from loudon didn't want them to go unanswered and we decided to join them. after leaving the federal building to march through the city, we had great conversations along our route with citizens on both sides of the argument. one of our marchers was having a discussion with a guy on a bike who was against reform but ended with something they could agree on, he said, 'what are we going to do about lumpy?"
the most interesting thing to me is how the tea baggers bring camp chairs and sit around until the cameras show up. at the beginning it looked more like a west knoxville picnic than a protest. that is what i am seeing in recess pics from around the country. "we're so mad we are gonna sit here in these chairs and talk football until somebody tells us to stand!"
i asked sally absher if she and a few of her folks would be willing to sit down with our side and have a real discussion forum and we exchanged information. i plan to try and set something up. the kns report of the event was definitely a swing and a miss.
"socialism sucks" I just
"socialism sucks"
I just love what passes as political discourse these days.
A lot of morons are
A lot of morons are protesting against reform.
Rep. Stacey Campfield toward
Media on the cutting edge. Indeed.
The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present.
President Abraham Lincoln 1862
Anybody hear
what the clown at the head of the anti-reform line was yelling in regards to white people as they passed the square room on their way to burn down the Krutch Park memorial sidewalk? Scared the heck out of my three-year old who was intent on getting some peaches.
At least it's good to show
At least it's good to show that people are caring for the healthcare problem very much and hopefully there comes the attention of the socialty. Almost in every corner of the world the insurance companies can find various reasons to turn down your care requests. They have talking power because people are forced to get insuranced at appointed companies which I find silly.
Tea bagger no show in Roane County
Word got out in Roane County that there was going to be a "recess rally" in Rockwood and several folks decided to show up for the Amrican Plan side. Funny thing, the Anti's never showed up.