The silent supermajority
Thank you, Johnson City Press, for drawing attention to the Republican supermajority by your editorial, “Local candidates give voters the silent treatment” (Oct. 22). How true that is. And it doesn’t just happen with events like town hall meetings.
Recently, I texted Sen. Rusty Crowe copying a letter from a physician citing young people with physical problems/disorders who have no health insurance. After the age of 19 they can only receive treatment for their chronic health issues in emergency rooms and hospital care which might incorporate ICU. The cost is multiple times higher than what it would cost with expanded Medicaid.
Sen. Crowe acknowledged those circumstances citing that he and seven other senators voted for Insure Tennessee, which was an issue many years ago. I asked Sen. Crowe to respond to today’s situation. He didn’t answer. I texted him at least three more times. He never answered any of them.
I have the perception that he only answers to the powers that be in Nashville. Unfortunately, most of his constituents are unaware of his lack of response. He probably expects people to vote for him because of his political party affiliation.
Sixty-two percent of Tennesseans want expanded Medicaid. The actions of our elected officials that we are experiencing are indicative of an autocratic state government with little concern for those who are chronically ill that I cited to him in the texts.
REV. EDWARD WOLFF
Jonesborough
Deceptive right to work
On Nov. 8, Tennesseans will vote yes or no on Amendment 1, deceptively titled Right to Work, a title so misleading that it’s an out-and-out lie.
Its purpose is to take away workers’ rights to collective bargaining by weakening unions that represent working Tennesseans. It’s a referendum paid for by big corporations to give them free rein to pay employees less, ignore unsafe and inhumane working conditions and grind the working class under their thumbs. It’s indentured servitude with a feel-good title.
State Rep. Jon Lundburg spoke recently on a local newscast promoting this as a great thing for Tennesseans who, he said with a straight face, are among the highest-paid workers in the nation. The truth? Tennessee ranks 40th.
Now ironically, Lundburg isn’t against unions entirely. His company, Corporate Image, is itself a union made up of corporations that pay him annual “dues” to take care of their public relations and help them mitigate crises such as an employee’s death on the job or a sexual harassment suit brought by an employee.
In a blatant conflict of interest, these companies are paying business owner Lundburg to lobby representative Lundburg to promote this union-busting amendment. I only mention all of this to highlight the hypocrisy of promoting this bill as protecting Tennesseans in the workplace by labeling it as a workers’ “right.”
In truth, it’s another step toward eliminating the working middle class in Tennessee.
As a point of reference, a similar amendment was brought up for a vote recently in Missouri and was soundly defeated by a 67% majority of voters. It’s a poison pill for Tennessee workers and a power grab by corporations and the corrupt politicians on their payroll.
Vote NO on Amendment 1.
JOE HOLT
Johnson City