For the past several months, the Democratic Party has reached a tipping point. “Their Resistance” is to oppose anything and everything Republicans are doing to deliver a stronger economy and better economic opportunities for all Americans. Yet, I find it very interesting that the public outcry we are seeing from the Democrats on a national level is nowhere to be found when it comes to our local Democrats running for public office.
Just look at Phil Bredesen and Joda Thongnopnua. Both Democrats downplay their strong liberal opinions and claim they will work across the aisle to get things done for working families in our community. When pressed for specifics, both candidates will not say anything different than what we are hearing from national Democrats every day on TV. They only want to push policies that do not align with our Tennessee values and policies that will grow the size of government as they believe it’s the solution to every problem, which basically means higher taxes for each of us. This opinion is only reinforced when I see that they have received the public endorsement and significant financial support from Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke.
The truth is, under the leadership of a Republican governor and common-sense, conservative-minded legislature in Nashville, Tennessee has created an environment where businesses are thriving, quality jobs are being created that have pushed our unemployment rates down to historic lows, and wages continue to grow to record levels. This is the proven record of Republicans in Tennessee.
So, I ask the question again. Why are Bredesen and Thongnopnua trying to distance themselves from the Democratic Party? Well, we all know the answer is Democrats cannot win on Democratic values, so they position themselves as those who want to work with Republicans to implement Democratic policies.
In this Hamilton County election, especially in District 30, our citizens have an important choice to make. Do we really want to trust two liberal Democrats who share the same values and beliefs as Berke? Do not be fooled by this “bait and switch” routine. We need to elect conservative minded candidates who will work to reform our healthcare industry, defend and protect our 2nd Amendment rights, foster a pro-business climate to drive economic growth and needed tax revenues so government can provide essential services without raising our taxes, and bring more choices and local control to our public schools.
If you agree, I encourage you to vote Republican on Nov. 6 and if you live in District 30, please exercise your vote for Esther Helton in this important race.
Tom McMahon