Gotta RSVP to go to Shoney's? Hah.

Anyway, we won't be able to make it, but hopefully someone will show up and ask these questions.

They must really be desperate to bring out Lamar.

?

This is a really close race because of all the money being poured in by the school voucher lobby and the Koch brothers organizations. They have gone really negative with numerous mailers and apparently television advertising although I have not seen it.

The Republicans are coming out in full force to take that seat away from the Democrats. Hence Haslam and Alexander now stumping for Smith.

Every vote is needed or campaign contribution if you are not in the district.

I arrived around 12 and it seemed they had been meeting and greeting for quite some time. Even though I RSVP'ed - no ID was required - I did clean up before I went. Soon after a preacher prayed to the effect that we should look into our hearts and do the right thing. So much for the concept of the separation of church and state. He said we needed to get rid of the liberals in Knoxville (?!).

Short speech by Alexander. Question: Minimum wage - Answer: Small businesses, creating jobs , etc. 80% of the minimum wage earners are in households above the poverty line (?!) What does this say about the poverty line.

I got a chance to ask about Obamacare. Relayed my experience with a $4800 ER bill that had been negotiated by Blue Cross to $790 thanks to Obamacare. Talked about being locked into private insurance getting close to $800 a month and now Obamacare was around $400. Alexander countered that health care was too expensive, he wanted us to have more choices, buy insurance across state lines. He talked about an accountant who was paying $50/month for cover TN, though he admitted that was minimal insurance. I countered that I had about 45 plans to choose from under the exchange. Alexander asked if I had employees - No, so you can't use those protections to dodge the issue.

Another question about the political climate. Alexander blamed the gridlock on Harry Reid. Eddie Smith was asked about voter ID, which he favors.

Dr. Kim of the Free Health clinic came in and asked about insurance issues. Said only 6 of his patients had signed up for Obamacare, because they couldn't afford $400/mo. Sounds like his office needs to be informed about subsidies, though I suspect many patients fall through the Medicaid gap.

I got to speak to Alexander after the meeting and said I think Dr Kim was asking about expanding Medicaid. Alexander said he was pressuring the HHS secretary to allow Haslam to adopt a "Tennessee plan". I said I'd read about the Arkansas plan and could see it had merits, Alexander spoke well of an Indiana plan being promoted by a conservative governor. No one mentioned that Ramslam appeared to be dragging their feet on putting forth any sort of Medicaid expansion plan.

Yes, I realize the state line ploy is a race to the bottom.

Here's a link to an article about the Indiana plan:

(link...)

Sounds like it's better than nothing but puts forth some hurdles. Does it affect current Medicaid patients?

What I liked about the Arkansas plan is it establishes state health clinics to serve the rural areas. Is that too much like nationalized medicine?

Great work, great report, Goose!

Checked his site.
I see that Jamie Rowe is getting the treatment reserved for those who turn down his pitch to buy ads.
Good move to get on the Sanger gravy train, although it probably won't help the winning percentage. Tommy Schumpert did a robocall for her yesterday. So much for her pristine Republican credentials.

Eddie Smith is starting to look like Hornback. Life is good on the campaign trail, evidently. I'm curious about what he does for a living. Being a freelance arranger of church music must pay better than you'd think, and "proven leadership," I guess, comes from having led a singing Christmas tree.

I knew an Eddie Smith once that would be about this guy's age. Went to Giffen Elementary for a couple of years right before it was consolidated into Dogwood. Short dark hair, glasses, just like this guy. Unremarkable student. I remember him bragging to a room full of uninterested 10-year-olds that his family knew John J. Duncan, Jr.

I think the Smith late of Shoney's claims Alice Bell for his K-5, but it's not like many people remember Giffen. (Coincidentally, Charlotte Dorsey was the principal there right at the end. Paid for me to go to the 5th grade Safety Patrol trip to DC when my family could not. Not an endorsement, just a memory.) Might be this guy, might not be. I just think the coincidences there are interesting.

Charlotte Dorsey seems like a throughly nice, and very bright person. I hear she's a very accomplished painter, as well.

There's no difference in ads in the Slopper News, Ftn City Focus or BRIANHORNBACK.COM if what Betty continues to suggest is that candidates that get favorable press for advertising is more an indictment of her thoughts and motives, not mine. In the primary, many candidates opposing one another advertised with me. Green and Price, Pridemore and Fansler, Ailor and Wimberly, it seems Metro Pulse and Shopper doesn't draw both sides like my website does.

You bet!

(link...)