Marsha Blackburn Should Focus On Finding Compromise On The Infrastructure Bill - And Response (4)

  • Friday, June 11, 2021

Marsha seems obsessed with Dr. Fauci. Does it always have to be about her? I wish it was more about us.

If it was more about us, instead of Marsha, she would be hard at work finding compromise on the federal infrastructure bill.

No other city in the nation would benefit more from the infrastructure bill than Chattanooga. But Marsha has never read the bill and does not support it.

Here’s how the infrastructure bill would directly benefit Chattanooga:

1.

Astec, a local company that is a world leader in making the products that build the roads, would build the roads. This is a billion dollar contract for building roads. Astec employees have waited for this good news a long time. What a loyal and hard-working bunch of employees. Ask them if the infrastructure bill would benefit them.

2. Local companies Covenant Transport, US Express and McKee Baking’s trucks traveling on the the improved roads would save money in maintenance expenses. Better roads. Increased efficiency. Increased profits. Ask those employees if the infrastructure plan would benefit them.

3. Truck logistic companies based in Chattanooga, such as Steam and Coyote, would thrive. See #2 above. Ask those employees if the infrastructure plan would benefit them.

4. Choo-Choo City would get its trains back. A passenger stop in downtown will get tourists to and from Nashville and Atlanta in 40 minutes to our stellar tourist attractions located in downtown. This hub can get us to a Braves game in 40 minutes. Ask the downtown businesses if they support a train hub located in downtown. Ask any Braves fan if they would like to be to and from a game in 40 minutes without having to drive or park.

5. Volkswagen would get a nationwide network of charging stations for its new electric vehicles. VW is building its first electric car here. Ask VW employees if a nationwide network of charging stations would sale more electric cars. More cars. More hiring. Profit-sharing bonuses. Ask VW employees if they would support the infrastructure bill.

6. Our 27 cents gas tax per gallon would be reduced. Federal money to repair our roads means less of our state tax money to repair our roads. Ask our state representatives if they would support that.

7. With more and better new paying jobs we can expand our tax base meaning less taxes for us. Or better schools for our children. Ask us if we would rather pay less tax than more.

But Marsha isn’t asking us those questions. She already knows the answers and doesn’t care about what would be good for us. If she cared about us, Marsha would be hard at work seeking a compromise on the infrastructure bill instead of trolling and verbally abusing an 80-year-old public servant who has done nothing but try to serve our country for over half a century.

Marsha, Marsha, Marsha, stop thinking it’s all about you and get to work for us like we elected you to do.

After all, this isn’t a 1970s cheesy (but loved) TV show. It’s real.

C. Mark Warren

* * * 


Mr. Warren,

1.  Astec is already busy and unable to hire additional skilled workers because Biden and the Democrats in Congress are paying them to stay home.

2. See #1 above tremendous shortage of drivers and skilled maintenance workers.

3. See #2 above.

4. When you say get to a Braves game in 40 minutes I assume you mean high speed rail.  That my friend is never going to happen.  It would cost hundreds of billions of dollars to purchase all the rights of way, flatten the land, lay the tracks, and build the stations.  Even California gave up on that idea.  The rest of the country is not going to pay for us to get high speed rail to benefit so few people, just look at how long it’s taking to get a new lock at Chickamauga Dam. Do we really need to expand money losing Amtrak?

5. Why should the government get into the business of building and owning charging stations?  They don’t own gas stations.  Besides, our national power grid could not handle a network of charging stations without major upgrades (trillions of $).

6.  No comment required on a tax being reduced.

7.  See # 6 above.

Marsha is doing what I elected her to do which is put the brakes on wasteful government spending and prevent passage of climate change bills disguised as infrastructure.

Brian Watson

* * * 

When Joe Biden ran for president, he touted his ability to reach compromise with Republicans and promised to do so if elected.

Instead, Biden again has proven himself to be a liar. Neither he or other Democrats in Congress have compromised with Republicans on any substantive issue thus far, choosing instead to ram their radical agenda through -- using Kamala Harris to break the 50-50 tie in the Senate. (Thank the Lord for Senators Sinema and Manchin, moderate Democrats committed to finding middle ground who have both announced unwillingness to end the filibuster.) 

I applaud and support our senators as they stand for Tennessee values against the runaway spend, spend, spend and tax, tax, tax Biden administration.

Morgan Smith

* * * 

Mr. Warren makes valid points that are refuted by Fox News and Trump loyalists.  Sad.  We Americans used to be able to have conversations about our differences.  The power of the people resides in the officials they elect.  And with that power comes the responsibility to think for yourself and best represent all those in your constituency.  Not just those who voted for you.  Those officials are obligated to read the bills presented to them to know how to best serve those they represent. 

In this case, Ms. Blackburn is a senator from Tennessee and is therefore responsible to all Tennesseans.  Instead, she feels she is responsible to the party which she represents.  The head of that party in the Senate said it is his duty to “oppose every single thing the President puts forth”.  And you guys think it’s Mr. Biden’s responsibility to be bipartisan? How could he when anything he presents will be unconditionally rejected simply because his party presented the bill? 

We have a problem.  We the people need to solve it.  It begins with rejecting the idea that we are Republicans or Democrats; we are Americans.  Currently, those getting best served by the way Washington works are the US House and Senate.  They quit serving us a long time ago. 

Start locally with Chuck Fleischmann and make him read the bills he is voting on and tell us why he voted yea or nay.   Next are our senators and other representatives wherever you may live.  Hold them accountable.  It’s time we decided to let our elected officials know that we expect more of them; remind them that they are our representatives.

Todd Rudolph

* * * 

As a nation, we should not spend more than we can afford. The present bill is bloated. Scrap this bill and start on a more realistic spending bill.

Martha Jean Rice

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