NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Democratic Party launched Wednesday an online petition drive opposing Governor Bill Haslam’s proposal to eliminate average class size requirements at public schools. Chairman Chip Forrester released this statement to accompany the petition:

“Parents and teachers know first hand what difference small class sizes make in [...]]]> View the Petition: http://tndp.org/blog/take-action/tell-governor-haslam-class-size-matters/

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Democratic Party launched Wednesday an online petition drive opposing Governor Bill Haslam’s proposal to eliminate average class size requirements at public schools. Chairman Chip Forrester released this statement to accompany the petition:

“Parents and teachers know first hand what difference small class sizes make in improving student learning. It’s common sense; the fewer students in a classroom, the more time a teacher can spend with each individual student.

“If our goal is to improve student learning, Governor Haslam’s plan to increase class sizes is the wrong way to go. It’s a bad idea that shortchanges our kids’ future.

“We can’t afford to settle for anything but the best in Tennessee’s classrooms because the countries our kids will be competing with for the jobs of the 21st century — China, Japan, India — aren’t settling either.

“In tough economic times, education is an easy target for cuts, but nothing could be more short-sighted. When parents are stressed at home because they’ve lost a job, children need more strong, effective teachers, not less. When jobs are scarce, there’s no better time for young people to get that degree or for workers who’ve been laid off to go back and re-train.

“It’s time to recommit to our kids, our workers, and our future by making sure Tennessee has the best educated children in the nation.”

The Tennessee Democratic Party will deliver the petition and comments to the governor’s office in the coming days.

Online at: http://tndp.org/blog/take-action/tell-governor-haslam-class-size-matters/

NASHVILLE – Chip Forrester, chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party, urged the General Assembly Thursday to give working and middle class families top priority on tax cuts and move all tax relief efforts toward eliminating the sales tax on groceries.

“Tennessee has one of the highest grocery taxes [...]]]> Eliminating the Grocery Tax Should Come First

NASHVILLE – Chip Forrester, chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party, urged the General Assembly Thursday to give working and middle class families top priority on tax cuts and move all tax relief efforts toward eliminating the sales tax on groceries.

“Tennessee has one of the highest grocery taxes in the nation, and hits our working families the hardest,” Forrester said. “If we’re going to cut taxes in this economy, we should start by cutting taxes to help our working and middle class families.”

In the proposal released by the governor’s office, there is $32 million budgeted for tax expenditures, including $14 million worth of tax giveaways for roughly 900 of Tennessee’s wealthiest estate owners.

Tax breaks for millionaires should not be a priority when there are so many Tennessee families struggling to put healthy food on the table, Forrester said, citing recent figures that show 360,000 — about one out of four — of Tennessee’s school-age children live in poverty.

“In times like these millionaires should be giving to charity, not getting it from the government. Our kids are our future, and they need help now,” Forrester said. “The wealthy have plenty of lawyers, lobbyists and politicians who will look out for them, they can afford to wait.

“Tennesseans are tired of seeing special interests get everything they want,” Forrester said. “Our working and middle class families deserve results, too, and this is a great opportunity to do something meaningful for all families.”

Under the governor’s proposal, about 900 of the state’s wealthiest estate owners would share a collective $14 million tax break by moving the estate exemption from $1 million to $1.25 million. Gov. Bill Haslam said his future plans include a $5 million estate exemption — a move that could result in an additional tax giveaway of $48 million for Tennessee’s millionaires and billionaires.

BACKGROUND

Everybody Eats, Everybody Benefits From a Tax Cut On Groceries. And Tennessee has one of the highest taxes on groceries in the nation. [PolitiFact, 1/24/12]

Only 900 of Tennessee’s Wealthiest Families Would Benefit From New Estate Tax Exemption. The Tennessean reports that 845 estates paid the tax in 2011. Under the governor’s proposed tax break, the roughly 900 annual estate taxpayers would share a $14 million break. Haslam says the $14 million tax giveaway for wealthy estate this year is just the beginning. He intends to increase the exemption to $5 million, which based on last year’s figures, could be a $48 million tax break for the wealthiest Tennesseans.  [The Tennessean, 1/24/12]

Haslam Proposes $7 Tax Cut for Working & Middle Class Tennesseans. Mr. Haslam’s .2% cut on the grocery tax would save working and middle class families an average of $6.57 a year — or $.20 on $100 worth of groceries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the bottom 80 percent of households spend between $2,500 – $4,300 a year on groceries before taxes. [BLS.gov, accessed 1/30/12; The Commercial Appeal, 1/11/12]

About One of Four School-Age Children in Tennessee Live in Poverty.  The U.S. Census Bureau estimates there are 1.5 million children in Tennessee. ["Poverty Surges Among Tennessee Kids," WBIR.com, 11/30/11; Census.gov, accessed 2/2/12]

Who pays the estate tax?
The state of Tennessee collected $83.5 million in taxes on 845 estates during the 2011 budget year.

A breakdown by size:
Estate size———————No. of estates——Tax collections
Less than $1.5 million———454—————$6.3 million
$1.5 – $2.0 million—————153—————$8.6 million
$2.0 – $2.5 million—————81—————$8.6 million
$2.5 – $3.0 million—————47—————$7.2 million
$3.0 – $3.5 million—————29—————$5.9 million
$3.5 – $4.0 million—————19—————$4.7 million
$4.0 – $4.5 million—————12—————$3.6 million
$4.5 – $5.0 million—————9——————$3.1 million
Greater than $5 million———41—————$35.6 million
Total——————————845—————$83.5 million

Source: The Tennessean, 1/24/12

Today we begin our celebration of Black History Month honoring the critical role African Americans have played in making our nation a more perfect union and our state a better place for all Tennesseans.

We recognize the vast accomplishments of African Americans throughout our nation’s and our state’s [...]]]> Recommit to Progress Tennesseans Have Fought For

Today we begin our celebration of Black History Month honoring the critical role African Americans have played in making our nation a more perfect union and our state a better place for all Tennesseans.

We recognize the vast accomplishments of African Americans throughout our nation’s and our state’s history, and we celebrate the contributions and triumphant victories of leaders like Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, Fannie Lou Hammer, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks who helped to lead the way in overcoming the stain of segregation and ensuring that all Americans have access to the ballot box.

There is one entry in this long list of leaders, in particular, we’d like to highlight: Tennessee’s own, Ida B. Wells.

Wells, a native of Memphis, was a newspaper editor and fearless advocate for civil rights who challenged segregation and racism with a international campaign to end lynching.

In addition to being a prolific civil rights leader, Wells was a tireless worker for women’s suffrage. She participated in the famous 1913 march for universal suffrage in Washington, D.C., attended suffrage meetings with the likes of Susan B. Anthony and Jane Addams, and founded the Alpha Suffrage Club in her efforts to secure every woman’s right to vote.

“One had better die fighting against injustice than die like a dog or a rat in a trap.” — Ida B. Wells

In this critical moment, we cannot afford to turn back the clock on the progress made by leaders like Wells . We know that we must continue moving America forward on the path of progress, opportunity and fairness for all.

That means standing up to attempts to suppress the right of all citizens to cast a ballot, ensuring that all Americans have access to quality affordable health care, and investing in education to guarantee that every single person in this country has a fair chance at living the American Dream.

Throughout Black History Month, we reaffirm our commitment to a more perfect union and more perfect state as we honor and celebrate the contributions of African Americans to our great nation — as we continue the critical work of striving for justice and equality for all.

More on Ida B. Wells & Women’s Right to Vote.

From “Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Her Passion for Justice“:

It was in Memphis where she first began to fight (literally) for racial and gender justice. In 1884 she was asked by the conductor of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Company to give up her seat on the train to a white man and ordered her into the smoking or “Jim Crow” car, which was already crowded with other passengers. Despite the 1875 Civil Rights Act banning discrimination on the basis of race, creed, or color, in theaters, hotels, transports, and other public accommodations, several railroad companies defied this congressional mandate and racially segregated its passengers. It is important to realize that her defiant act was before Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), the U.S. Supreme Court decision that established the fallacious doctrine of “separate but equal,” which constitutionalized racial segregation. Wells wrote in her autobiography:

I refused, saying that the forward car [closest to the locomotive] was a smoker, and as I was in the ladies’ car, I proposed to stay. . . [The conductor] tried to drag me out of the seat, but the moment he caught hold of my arm I fastened my teeth in the back of his hand. I had braced my feet against the seat in front and was holding to the back, and as he had already been badly bitten he didn’t try it again by himself. He went forward and got the baggageman and another man to help him and of course they succeeded in dragging me out.

Wells was forcefully removed from the train and the other passengers–all whites–applauded. When Wells returned to Memphis, she immediately hired an attorney to sue the railroad. She won her case in the local circuit courts, but the railroad company appealed to the Supreme Court of Tennessee, and it reversed the lower court’s ruling. This was the first of many struggles Wells engaged, and from that moment forward, she worked tirelessly and fearlessly to overturn injustices against women and people of color.

Other Great Stories in Tennessee:

Composite photograph of Tennessee House of Representatives, 42nd General Assembly, 1881-1882, TSLA Collection.

First African Americans Elected to the General Assembly. Two and a half years after the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment, in November 1872, Tennessee voters elected their first African American representative to the General Assembly.   The achievements of the fourteen black men, some of them former slaves, who served as Tennessee legislators before 1900 represent an important part of state history.  However, after the end of the 45th  General Assembly in March of 1887, Tennessee would not seat another African American in its legislature until 1965.

First African American Woman Elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives. In 1966, Dorothy Lavinia Brown was the first African-American woman elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives.  She represented Nashville during the 85th General Assembly.  “Dr. D” was also the first female African-American surgeon in the Southeast and, in 1956, she became the first single woman to adopt a child in Tennessee.

Sen. Harper

Sen. Thelma Harper
In 1990, Thelma Harper was the first African-American woman elected to the Tennessee Senate, where she still serves representing Nashville.

Richard H. Boyd
This African-American minister and businessman, who was the founder and head of the National Baptist Publishing Board and a founder of the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc., was inducted posthumously into the Music City Walk of Fame for preserving music of former slaves through hymnals and songbooks.

Henry A. Boyd
With his father, Richard H. Boyd, Henry Boyd founded the Nashville Globe. As controller of the editorial content, Boyd relentlessly promoted the idea that business enterprise offered the best mechanism for advancement, both personally and as a race.

Judge Joe Brown
This popular politician and television celebrity was the first African-American prosecutor in Memphis. He oversaw the last appeal of James Earl Ray and later became a judge on the State Criminal Court of Shelby County.

Henry Alvin Cameron
A graduate of Fisk University, Henry Alvin Cameron is known for his work as a science teacher, basketball and baseball coach at Pearl High School in Nashville. He served as president of the Middle Tennessee Teacher’s Association, Secretary of the Tennessee Aid Association, as well as several other important roles.

The Clinton Twelve
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, federal judge Robert Taylor ordered Clinton High School to be the first among Tennessee public schools to integrate. The twelve black students who attended Clinton High School came to be known as the Clinton Twelve. On February 10, 2006, three of the Twelve reenacted their walk to school to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1956 integration.

Dr. Mark Dean
Holding more than 20 patents–including three of IBM’s original nine PC patents–and credited as the leader of the team that developed the 1-gigahertz chip, this Jefferson City native and UT engineering graduate is remembered as an instrumental part in the invention of the personal computer.

Fisk Jubilee Singers
This group of vocal artists and students at Fisk University in Nashville preserve the unique American musical tradition of Negro spirituals by singing and traveling worldwide. They have entertained kings, queens and European leaders, have been featured on PBS and received the 2008 National Medal of the Arts from President George W. Bush.

Aretha Franklin
“Queen of Soul” Franklin, born in Memphis, was the first female artist inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and holds the record for most Best Female R&B Vocal Performance awards.

Nikki Giovanni
A Knoxville-born poet and Grammy nominee, Nikki Giovanni is currently a Distinguished Professor of Literature at Virginia Tech. She also teaches part-time at her alma mater, Fisk University.

The Rev. Al Green
This American gospel and soul music singer has sold more than 20 million records. Rolling Stone named him on their list of “100 Greatest Artists of All Time,” and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted Al Green in 1995, referring to him as one of the most gifted purveyors of soul music.

Alex Haley
Buried near his childhood home in Henning, the prolific journalist began as a writer for Playboy, where he interviewed such influential subjects as Muhammad Ali, Miles Davis, Martin Luther King, Jr. His book Roots: Saga of an American Family won Haley an award from the Pulitzer board and his book The Autobiography of Malcolm X was named by Time as one of the ten most influential nonfiction books of the 20th century.

W. C. Handy
Known widely as the “Father of the Blues,” W. C. Handy is among the most influential American songwriters of all time, credited with giving the blues its contemporary form. While he was not the first to publish music in the blues form, he brought the genre into a dominant force in American music.

Isaac Hayes
American songwriter, musician, singer, actor and producer was one of the creative geniuses behind the southern soul music label Stax Records. He won an Academy Award for the “Theme from Shaft” and 3 Grammy awards.

Benjamin Hooks
Memphis native served as executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) from 1977 to 1992. Throughout his career as a Baptist minister and practicing attorney, he was a vocal campaigner for civil rights in the United States.

B. B. King
The blues legend and his famous custom guitar Lucille got their start in Memphis’ Sun Studios. B. B. King has received multiple awards for his accomplishments, including being named third on Time magazine’s list of the ten best electric guitarists.

James Raymond Lawson
An accomplished physicist and alumnus university president acquired an infrared spectrophotometer for Fisk University, his alma mater. Lawson was the first student at Fisk to receive a degree in physics, with a record of impressive leadership as university president during the turbulent mid-1960s through mid-1970s.

James Napier
This influential leader aided the growth of a free black community in Nashville by authoring legislation to allow the hiring of black school teachers, police officers and firefighters, and became the first African-American to preside over the Nashville City Council. Secretary of the Treasury Napier, under President William Taft, established the nation’s first bank owned and operated by African-Americans.

Gregory D. Ridley Jr.
A master artist, Ridley enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a teacher, museum coordinator and advisor on the arts, including faculty appointments to Alabama State University, Grambling State University, Tennessee State University, Fisk University and City University of New York. His latest major work, “A Story of Nashville,” can be seen in Nashville’s public library.

Carl Rowan
One of the most prominent black journalists of the 20th century, Rowan was the first African-American with a nationally syndicated column. He was among the first African Americans to be an officer in the U.S. Navy, frequently appearing on news programs such as Meet the Press.

Wilma Rudolph
Born in Clarksville, Rudolph suffered from polio as a child. She later became a star member of Tennessee State University’s track team. On September 7th, 1960, Rudolf became the first American woman to win 3 gold medals in the Olympics. June 23rd is Wilma Rudolph Day in Tennessee.

Stanley Scott
Stanley Scott became the first African-American general assignment reporter for the Associated Press. He was the only reporter present when Malcolm X was assassinated. Later, Scott worked on the communications staffs of presidents Nixon and Ford.

Bessie Smith
One of the most popular female blues singers of the 1920s and 1930s, this “Empress of the Blues”, born in Chattanooga, is often regarded as one of the greatest singers of her era.

Tina Tuner
Born Anna Mae Bullock, the career of this American musical legend has spanned more than 50 years. She has been named the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll and been called “one of the greatest singers of all time” by Rolling Stone magazine.

Perry Wallace
As professor of law at Washington College of Law, Wallace was the first African-American varsity athlete in the Southeastern Conference, playing basketball for Vanderbilt University.

Ida B. Wells
This iconic journalist, speaker and activist served as an early leader in the civil rights and suffragist movements. She earned a name for herself with her documentation of lynching and for refusing, 71 years before Rosa Parks, to give up her seat on a train. Wells founded the National Association of Colored Women and founded the National Afro-American Council, which later became the NAACP.

Oprah Winfrey
Actress, talk show host, entertainment executive and philanthropist, Oprah Winfrey has been named the wealthiest African-American of the 20th-century. Oprah is a graduate of Tennessee State University.

Links:

Tennessee State Library: African American Collections

VisitMusicCity.com: Black History Month activities

CommercialAppeal.com: Black History Month Events

Chattanooga Times Free Press: Black History Month Events

“In less than two weeks, 160 million Americans will be hit with a tax hike in the middle [...]]]> Following Tuesday’s vote by House Republicans to reject an extension of the payroll tax cut for the middle class passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate, Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester issued the following statement:

“In less than two weeks, 160 million Americans will be hit with a tax hike in the middle of the holiday season because House Republicans turned their backs on America’s working families and voted against extending a payroll tax cut for the middle class.

“Their inaction comes just days after Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Senate, including Sen. Lamar Alexander, worked together in the name of compromise to pass a two-month extension of the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance benefits that provide a vital lifeline to millions of Americans who have lost their jobs as a result of the economic downturn.

“That bipartisan bill passed the Senate 89-10 – with the support of many conservative Republicans – and after this critical compromise, for House Republicans to say no and vote to raise taxes on 160 million hardworking Americans is simply extremism at its worst.

“It’s more and more clear that Tennessee’s Republican Congressmen are terrified of disappointing Tea Party extremists, even if the consequence is a tax increase on millions of working and middle-class families.

“This is a Republican-inflicted wound to our economic recovery.

“Republicans pay lip service to the middle class. But, when push comes to shove they will move heaven and earth to pass tax breaks for millionaires, billionaires and big corporations while raising taxes on 160 million middle class Americans.

“That’s a position for which they will pay a price with the American people.”

###

Unfortunately, Tennessee Republicans are threatening to repeal the law, taking away the many critical — and POPULAR — reforms like ensuring people with preexisting conditions are no longer discriminated against, requiring insurance [...]]]> Thanks to the new health reform law, tens of millions of Americans are saving money, and getting the health care security they need.

Unfortunately, Tennessee Republicans are threatening to repeal the law, taking away the many critical — and POPULAR — reforms like ensuring people with preexisting conditions are no longer discriminated against, requiring insurance companies to cover preventative care like mammograms and immunizations with no out-of-pocket costs, and preventing them from dropping you when you get sick.

Republicans want to take us back to the days where insurance companies were unaccountable, premiums rose by double digits every year and millions of Americans lived without health care or went bankrupt trying to afford the care they need.

Overall, seniors are seeing a 40% drop in drug costs because the health reform law is closing the Medicare’s Part D “doughnut hole.” That’s just one of the Affordable Care Act’s many common-sense reforms, like the one that has already provided free annual physicals and other preventive benefits to over 24 million Medicare beneficiaries.

That’s not chump change. That’s real savings for Americans who can’t afford to be charged unfairly for the health care they need. Medicare Advantage premiums have already fallen by seven percent this year, and will keep dropping over the next year by another four percent.

From WSMV:

Federal health officials say Tennesseans with Medicare have saved $33 million this year on their prescriptions.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the figure Tuesday in reminding beneficiaries that the open enrollment period for 2012 ends at midnight Wednesday.

The centers said Medicare savings average about $554 per person in Tennessee. The center also said about 564,000 Tennesseans with Medicare have taken advantage of free preventive coverage.

Tennesseans with Medicare save $33M this year – WSMV Channel 4.

“Veterans’ healthcare is the moral responsibility of the American people. [...]]]>

Rep. Mike Stewart

“Veterans’ healthcare is the moral responsibility of the American people. But under Mitt Romney’s disastrous proposal, America’s veterans, who have risked their lives to protect our country, would be left to fend for themselves on the open insurance market.

“Tennesseans believe in honoring our commitments—especially to our veterans. That means ensuring proper treatment and care for all our former service men and women—a commitment that every American president has honored since the VA Department was founded in 1930.

“A voucher is a coupon, not a commitment. These brave men and women volunteered to put on the uniform and fight for our country. They shouldn’t have to fight a privatized system for their healthcare the rest of their lives.

“Tennessee veterans deserve better. Unsurprisingly, this is the same Mitt Romney who wants to turn Medicare into a voucher program, who wants to let homeowners hit rock bottom, and who made a fortune breaking up American companies and shipping jobs overseas.”

We owe each and every one of America’s veterans our eternal [...]]]> Today, in communities across Tennessee, we honor the courage and sacrifice of the many brave servicemen and women who have given so much to their country and fought to ensure that America continues to enjoy the freedoms and opportunities that make our nation great.

We owe each and every one of America’s veterans our eternal gratitude for their bravery and dedication.

On this day of reflection, we must also recommit ourselves to the critical work of providing for the needs of all of America’s service members — whether they are still serving our country or have returned to civilian life.

We, as a nation, have important work to do: from providing expert medical care and mental health services to expanding educational opportunities for our veterans. We must also take action to ensure that when our Tennessee veterans return, they find work now.

America’s service members have offered their lives to protect our country, and they deserve our full support.

To all of our nation’s veterans, we salute you, we thank you for your service, and we will continue to stand with you now and in the future.
Chip Forrester
Chairman

“Since the Armistice at the end of World War I, November 11th has been set aside as a day to commemorate those men and women, both living and dead, whose service in uniform has given irrefutable testimony to their loyalty, [...]]]>

East Tennessee Veterans Memorial (photo from flickr.com)

Congressman Steve Cohen issued today the following statement commemorating Veterans Day, which is celebrated tomorrow, November 11:

“Since the Armistice at the end of World War I, November 11^th has been set aside as a day to commemorate those men and women, both living and dead, whose service in uniform has given irrefutable testimony to their loyalty, courage, and love of country.  We often take for granted those very things that most deserve our gratitude. It’s easy to forget the reasons we observe the traditional moment of silence at the eleventh hour and let Veterans Day become just another three day weekend.

“Today, let us remember that we are only able to call ourselves ‘the land of the free’ because we are also the home of the brave. We are privileged to enjoy peace and freedom in this country thanks to each and every citizen who chose to put on the uniform and serve. Our debt to those who have volunteered to put their lives at risk on our behalf cannot be measured in words; that is why we must continue to work to ensure that we honor the commitments we have made to our veterans who have retired from the military as well as those who will be returning from the battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

There is no more fundamental American freedom than the freedom of speech.   The right of the people to exchange ideas and to protest government actions they find unwise is enshrined in the both the United States and Tennessee Constitutions.  Defending such essential American rights should be the very first job of [...]]]> by Rep. Mike Stewart

Rep. Mike Stewart

There is no more fundamental American freedom than the freedom of speech.   The right of the people to exchange ideas and to protest government actions they find unwise is enshrined in the both the United States and Tennessee Constitutions.  Defending such essential American rights should be the very first job of our State Government.

The Haslam Administration’s recent efforts to shut down protests on Legislative Plaza goes in the other direction and should be condemned by all Tennesseans, regardless of political persuasion.  Legislative Plaza is a public place, owned by the people, paid for by the people, and used by the people for years as a place to exercise their First Amendment rights.  Now, all of a sudden, the Haslam Administration is charging citizens for the right to use their own Plaza, limiting citizens’ access to that public space to hours when most citizens with day jobs cannot exercise their free speech rights, and imposing a million dollar insurance requirement that many citizens doubtless cannot satisfy.  The intended effect is to close the Legislative Plaza to the very citizens who are supposed to be in command of our democratic state and federal governments.

Administration officials’ suggestion that the new policies are needed to prevent “deteriorating sanitary conditions” and “maintain security and safety” do not hold water.  Tennessee has long had laws in place to deal with such issues; if individuals are acting in ways that endanger others, then state and local officials have the power to stop those particular people without at the same time infringing on the rights of other citizens.

At a time when young men and women are putting themselves in harm’s way in war zones halfway around the world to defend our rights, we should be particularly vigilant to preserve those rights at home.  The world has always looked to our country to set the example for all peoples desirous of freedom; we should be careful every day to maintain that moral high ground.

It was not long ago that a group of college students led a protest march past what is now Legislative Plaza to the Davidson County Courthouse and successfully persuaded then Mayor Ben West to be the first leader in the South to de-segregate downtown businesses.  In that same spirit, we should welcome peaceful protesters to our public spaces whether or not those protesters happen to be promoting ideas that we agree with.

Our Tennessee Constitution reminds us that “all power is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on their authority.”  I call on Governor Haslam to immediately rescind all new policies designed to make peaceful demonstrations more difficult and to thereby return Legislative Plaza to the control of the people of Tennessee.