Sometimes, it’s just hard to understand how some people can sleep at night.
Certainly, last night, guilty consciences should have made Tennessee Senators Mark Norris and Brian Kelsey sleep fitfully after a day when they kept 288,000 of their fellow Tennesseans from having health care coverage. It is inarguable that as a result, hospitals will close and people will die.
Even in a world where we are used to seeing political egotism trump sound public policy, their pride in destroying Insure Tennessee – Governor Bill Haslam’s common sense Medicaid expansion plan – sets a new low in cynicism, putting their personal political ambitions ahead of the health of so many of their fellow citizens.
While many of us were already shaking our head yesterday over the protocol-busting prayer to open the Tennessee Senate by a member of the Christian Taliban, it was merely foreshadowing for the anti-Christian votes that were to come in the Senate committee that voted 7-4 to prevent the Tennessee Legislature from even having an opportunity to have a conversation with each other – and the citizens of Tennessee – about the Haslam plan.
True Believers
When “true believer” June Griffin on Rhea County delivered her partisan opening prayer, she prayed to God (as she went down the greatest hit list for right wing extremists) for the defeat of the governor’s proposal to provide $1 billion in health care coverage for poor Tennesseans. Her startlingly un-Christian views were Darwinian at their core: let the poor and needy – the people her religion calls for her to care for – are on their own in a society governed by the law of the jungle.
Little did we know at the time of her disdainful prayer in response to people who need a little Christian (or Jewish, or Muslim, or Hindu) love and charity, it would be seconded by our state Senate.
More to the point, Kelsey and Norris sent the clear message that their ambitions to be governor know no bounds, overriding the simple of ambition of showing a little humanity to those who need their help.
Both of them labor under the notion that to be governor of the state, you need not display any tendency toward statesmanship. Rather, you need only aim for the lowest possible common denominator. Once again, they helped our state to be held up as a laughingstock and why it deserves to be regularly recognized as the worst state legislature in the U.S.
Ambition Knows No Bounds
That two senators who should know better are willing to sacrifice decency on the altar of personal ambition speaks volumes for why Tennessee ends up in the lower rungs in the rankings for incomes, health, jobs, and poverty, and if there were a measurement for compassion, Tennessee would end up at the bottom of those rankings as well, if our two legislators are any indication.
The Senate Majority Leader generally has the responsibility of carrying the governor’s agenda on that side of the legislature, but Norris so often does, he was manipulative and calculating, professing his open-mindedness when it came to collecting checks from business leaders in his recent fundraiser while firing a torpedo to kill even the pretense of a fair hearing for Insure Tennessee in the Senate.
Meanwhile, his counterpart, House Majority Leader Gerald McCormick endorsed Insure Tennessee and was handling the Haslam plan, but from all appearances, the Senate has now killed any chance for the House to even vote.
As for Kelsey, there’s hardly anything left to say about his breathtakingly narrow-minded pandering and biased views. He’s simply an ideologue in the ugliest sense of that term. Most recently, he enshrined Tennessee’s regressive tax structure into the State Constitution, so families making lower incomes will now forever pay a higher percentage in taxes than families making three times more.
Pragmatism Rather Than Extremism
So, why exactly would Governor Bill Haslam have such a different worldview than these two senators? The primary reason is because he was formerly mayor of Knoxville, and when someone is a city CEO, they understand that partisan advantage takes a backseat to responding to the needs of your people, needs which you see firsthand every day.
To quote the old axiom, there is no Republican or Democratic way to pick up the garbage. As a result, city mayors are the most pragmatic politicians in America these days. They are more pragmatic and less dogmatic than people who sit in their offices in Nashville, where they have little acquaintance with the impacts of their decisions on real people in real communities.
It’s no secret that both Kelsey and Norris are dazzled by their own healthy self-perceptions and see themselves as material for the governor’s office. That said, they have probably assumed that Shelby County would be a stronghold for their fundraising for a campaign for the state’s highest office.
Hopefully, the business leaders who wrote checks to Norris just recently have long memories for how he and his Senate colleague shafted 288,000 Tennesseans, including 35,000 military veterans, and ultimately, the taxpayers of Shelby County. In fact, in the wake of the defeat of Insure Tennessee, business leaders made some of the strongest, most critical statements we’ve seen them make in many years.
The Norris-Kelsey Tax Increase
Only a few hours before the vote, Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell gave his State of the County speech to the Kiwanis Club, making the point that if Insure Tennessee was voted down, it will likely lead to a 10% increase in the Shelby County property tax rate to raise the revenues to close the gap for indigent care at Regional One Health (formerly The Med).
While these two state senators will undoubtedly put together a platform for a potential governor’s run that brags about their opposition to all tax increases, we should never forget that their political cowardice drove up taxes for every homeowner, small business owner, and corporation in Shelby County.
To give them their due, we will refer to this property tax increase from now on as the Norris-Kelsey Tax Increase.
Cause and Effect
We hope you will join us in making their act of craven political ambition synonymous with the state’s highest county tax rate. At a time when our economic development officials talk about the problems associated with such a high tax rate, Norris-Kelsey just pushed it higher.
So, next time, you hear suburban politicians like Norris and Kelsey decry high taxes in this community, remember who helped make them that way.
Norris and Kelsey, like so many of our fellow citizens, have genetic flaws that produce the world view of Herbert Spencer, the nineteenth century philosopher, who coined the phrase “survival of the fittest”. Religious and human morals are thrown out the window in your “jungle”, and we are reduced to a herd of caribou crossing the frozen tundra, who do not stop to treat a fallen member.
The Tennessee legislature is beyond horrible. At least Gov. Haslam had the good sense to try, but he has faced stupidity and in antics of Lt Gov Ramsey and the entire state legislature. No words can describe the mean spirited nature of the Republican majority. Most see only interested in mimicking what they see as politically correct on the Glen Beck Show rather than taking care of the health care needs of 280,000 Tennesseans. And they proclaim themselves to be Christians….no way! Shameful beyond words.
This will hurt Memphis more than any other part of the state. We will be an even poorer city in every measurable category, especially with more citizens without health care services.
When the time comes I’m making bumper stickers to pass out at the Commission meeting.
If you want to get depressed, take a look at the financial disclosure statements for Norris and Kelsey. Kelsey has got to be one of the best financed candidates in the state – in the 2013 fundraising effort for his 2014 primary he collected a cool $122k. Among his largest contributors you will find a number of healthcare PACS, along with Waller Lansden, a law firm that represents a number of healthcare clients. (If I did my math correctly, Waller Lansden contributed a little under $10k total for the 2014 primary & general combined.) Draw your own conclusions from this; I am assuming that Norris and Kelsey are representing the constituents that support them financially. These “constituents” obviously carry more clout than poor working people dying from cancer, for example.
Thanks for this article and for telling folks what Norris and Kelsey truly are all about. Don’t forget the other Shelby County cowards in the State House who banded together not long ago to proclaim their opposition to Insure Tennessee or anything similar to it.
Mark White, District 83
Curry Todd, District 95
Steve McManus, District 96
Jim Coley, District 97
Ron Lollar, District 99
These aren’t household names but by their vocal opposition, they have just set a tax increase into motion and will cause hospitals to close and made Tennessee one of the worst States for healthy living. Let’s remember them next year.
Yes indeed, this will hurt Memphis much more than any other part of Tennessee.
Anon 9:56:
This is a statewide issue. An AP study released last year of 19 to 39-year-olds found that 26% in Tennessee were uninsured. Shelby County was higher than the average at 29%. But so were 19 other counties (including Davidson).
We tend to get concerned about ourselves and we often get sucked into the “this is a Shelby problem” narrative. Just thought I’d butt in and remind everyone that we are not dragging the state down on this one.
John, this is definitely a statewide issue, but Memphis/Shelby has the largest population of poverty level and unhealthy citizens in the entire state. I read where Memphis has the highest infant mortality rate in the entire US. For certain there are uninsured, poor citizens in every county, but in terms of numbers and population, I would think the higher levels of poverty in Shelby Co. does bring down the state.
John: Interesting point. In fact, when it comes to counties in Tennessee with the highest poverty rates, Shelby County is tied for #29. Poverty is indeed a serious statewide issue but none of us should look for the state legislature to lead the way in addressing this problem.
We may be tied at #29 among all 95 od Tennessee’s counties for poverty, but the higher population here surely ranks Memphis at the top in terms of sheer numbers of people living in poverty. There are a lot more poor folks in Shelby than say in Tipton County!
No question about raw numbers. Our point was that with poverty a serious statewide issue, you would think that legislators would feel an obligation to address it. Also, the higher percentages of poverty in many of these small counties make it pervasive and an anchor on their economic performance that surpasses even ours. But sadly, none of this seems to matter when it comes to the state agenda.
As a constituent of Kelsey I have long wondered how low he could sink and although his actions on healthcare are reprehensible, I’m sure he’s looking for more ways to destroy people who are less fortunate or disagree with his limited perspective. I also place blame on the Governor for creating this charade. He should have known before his special session whether he could command enough votes of fellow Republicans to at least get the bill out of committee. How much federal and state time (money) has been wasted on creating a plan that never even received serious consideration by the legislature. What Norris and Kelsey refuse to admit is they represent all the people of their districts, not just the people who voted for them.
A hard hitting but truthful statement that had to be made. I’ve been trying to encourage the best and the brightest, the creative class, and others to move to Tennessee. Between this and Amendment 1, what can I say?
Thank you for your article. I’ll share.
This is beyond unconscionable. I know Mark and his wife- they are very nice people- but while Bill Haslam is late to the party (he should have gone with expanded Medicaid 2 years ago) at least he has come around. What in the world? Pray for poor people to die?
Our governor is a BILLIONAIRE- Norris is a millionaire- don’t know about Kelsey. these people who cant connect to the vast majority of people don’t know what they are talking about
and what is even worse the people getting screwed are just taking it. WAKE UP!!
Who voted them in office. Thank them
Well the republican party is a joke-poor people voting republican because of the social issues (which is ignorant and and intolerant) are voting against their own economic interests! wake up dumb people!
Memphis is already one of poorest cities in America. This failure by the mean spirited Republicans in the state legislature will make this poor city even more poverty stricken. It does not bode well for the future of the city.
Anon 12:09,
You may have missed the discussion above regarding the same reaction, but here is another view accompanied by a few facts via the census bureau:
When one actually examines the numbers and the proportional impact of the issue, it is easy to see this does not bode well for the future of the state of Tennessee including places like Nashville/Davidson, Knoxville, Chattanooga and a host of towns and communities in between. 17.6% Tennessee’s residents (1,152,685 individuals) are living below the poverty rate. Considering all of Tennessee’s 4 largest municipalities have poverty rates that exceed that of the state as a whole, these cities stand to be impacted to a disproportionate degree. With a poverty rate of 18.5%, Nashville alone is witness to approximately 120,000 of its 650,000 residents residing at or below poverty. Upon spending time in North and East Nashville as well as pretty much anywhere between downtown and Antioch and the severity of the problem is glaring, specifically when as many as 3 out of 4 (75%) residents in these areas are living in poverty. The disparity of the situation is magnified when you consider some of these neighborhoods are within sight of the capital building itself.
As a rough average, 3 out of every 20 residents of Tennessee live in Shelby County and 3 out of every 20 residents in Tennessee who live below poverty also reside in Shelby County.
I agree with Steve Montgomery’s statement. Considering recent legislative action in Tennessee- specifically by people like Norris and Kelsey- why would any young, educated individual move to Tennessee? They are, in effect, doing a wonderful job of enabling recruiting efforts and boosting the reputation of cities like Austin, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham and Atlanta.
Urbanut,
But last time I checked Nashville is Aldo in Tennessee and it is booming with growth and development everywhere.
Anon-
That reply did not make much since as related to the discussion here, but I think I can still work with it.
The facts are the facts and any misplaced or opinionated drivel from the chamber of commerce cannot change those facts. It even suggests that Nashville has a few very serious issues seeing as the rapid rate of sprawl (a.k.a. “growth and development”) is still yielding a community with an exceptionally high rate of poverty and inequality.
…oh, and as for Nashville being “Aldo” in Tennessee, well that just reflects a view, VERY narrow view of the world and not one I am inclined to rely on to inform a discussion. However, it would go to great lengths to explain why Tennessee “is the way it is”. Creating a “SmartStateTennessee” blog would be very appropriate considering the state’s abysmal track record for most issues related to education, health and quality of life. Then again, I have yet to meet anyone in Nashville, including dear friends, that would not consider moving on to bigger and better opportunities be they in Charlotte or Chicago, Atlanta or New York because they believe Middle Tennessee is actually as good as it gets.
Nashville does have its problems, but many of them are much different than Memphis and other cities in the state.
Nashville Metro, along with most of the surrounding counties, are growing so fast that issues like rapid transit, parking, urban and suburban sprawl, and untamed development are totally transforming entire neighborhoods.
Many of our friends there worried that Nashville is becoming just like Atlanta. I was over there last month and all the new construction is truly amazing with high rise cranes all over the downtown, Gulch and midtown areas. The rush hour traffic is already a nightmare. People wanting to buy a home face a shortage of inventory even with large scale construction and renovation of homes, especially the high rise condos and apartments that seem to be growing like weeds
Urbanut,
You are no doubt right about all of that, but don’t respond to this guy. They don’t live in Memphis and can’t stick to the topic without the same bull about Nashville. They think its the best so they’ve probably not been around much and its next to impossible to talk with someone like that. Not that they are interested in talking with anyone- more like they want to hear themselves talk, but we all know that type.
Besides, I’d like to hear more about how to change things dealing with poverty for the better.
What a bunch of liberal crap. An article full of vitriol and slander with no information. Why is it up to everyone else to provide free insurance to 288,000 people. Get a job or apply for medicaid. Obamacare provides plenty of subsidies to provide insurance for the poor. Nothing is free. There would be plenty of tax increase to provide this free service. To subtitle the the Norris-Kelsey Tax increase is laughable as it got it’s name because Mark Luttrell suggested that there would be an increase if this liberal bill of trash wasn’t passed. Good try but the adults in the room said no, try another approach. Sorry someone I know liked this liberal rag and I had to see it. F O.
You’re right – nothing is free. And because that is true, you are paying for the medical care for the uninsured through the costs that you pay for your doctors, hospitals, and health care. The notion that Americans should simply not care about the health of millions of their fellow citizens is in a phrase, the ideas of an infidel. Whatever happened to that old American camaraderie, Judeo-Christian concern for the other guy, and the willingness to offer a helping hand to a neighbor in need. Norris and Kelsey have effectively not only sent $1 billion to other states to care for their people – stupid business decision – but they have indeed pushed the costs for uninsured Shelby Countians down to taxpayers here, who will pay more in taxes because of their decision to not even give the full Legislature – much less the business leaders and citizens of this state – the opportunity to discuss the Haslam plan. If in the world of right wing extremism, even Haslam and Luttrell are now suspected as closet liberals, the Tea Party has in fact confirmed all the negatives that we hear about it.