Blackburn Really Doesn’t Have A Good Answer For TV Newsman

30 Responses to “Blackburn Really Doesn’t Have A Good Answer For TV Newsman”

1. Jim writes
   July 29th, 2008 9:01 pm

   Now there goes one lame arguement.

   She is truely a bald face liar and a very bad one to boot.

2. A.J. writes
   July 29th, 2008 9:14 pm

   Mr. Leatherwood never said he supported SCHIP — the article the Blackburn campaign referred to simply said that it was hypocritical for Marsha to oppose that bill WHILE she supported the Houston Zoo earmarks. The article can be found here: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/jun/04/leatherwood-talks-02

   As to SCHIP providing health care for illegals, Senator Lamar Alexander (who Marsha Blackburn supports) stated in his weekly column that SCHIP “does not expand access to include illegal immigrants. It explicitly prohibits illegal immigrants from receiving Medicaid and SCHIP benefits. It requires, for the first time, an established process for states to verify citizenship of SCHIP enrollees.” The link to Sen. Alexander’s entire article is here: http://alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Columns.Detail&Column_id=7a588bf1-785d-48d5-8578-23879716cc87&Month=10&Year=2007

3. Sonny writes
   July 29th, 2008 11:47 pm

   A.J., like Mr. Leatherwood you too have your facts wrong.

   “States are required to seek proof of U.S. citizenship before they provide Medicaid coverage, except in emergencies. The states now require applicants to show documents like birth certificates or passports in order to prove U.S. citizenship and nationality. The bill would allow applicants to submit a Social Security number instead.

   However…

   “Michael J. Astrue, commissioner for the Social Security Administration, said that matching a Social Security number with an individual does not allow officials to verify whether someone is a U.S. citizen.”

   You should also note that Mr. Leatherwood has also played the same political card as Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats when he repeatedly attacked Marsha Blackburn for not voting for SCHIP.

   “The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has purchased a week’s worth of radio advertising targeting eight GOP House members for voting against the health insurance program for children, a DCCC source tells CNN.” (CNN, 10/1/07)

   Sound familiar?

   “Leatherwood pulled off the gloves, condemning Blackburn for opposing a State Children’s Health Insurance Program expansion that he said would have helped the Regional Medical Center” http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/jun/04/leatherwood-talks-02

4. Sonny writes
   July 30th, 2008 12:26 am

   A.J.,

   If you and Mr. Leatherwood are still in disbelief that SCHIP grants illegal immigrants health care which is pretty telling in itself and shows that Mr. Leatherwood hasn’t changed his original support for SCHIP then continue to to take note that “The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007 (H.R. 3963),passed in the Senate and the House of Representatives,[1] significantly changes the law with respect to both legal and illegal immigrants.

   H.R. 3963 affects not only SCHIP but also the far larger general Medicaid program. Specifically, the SCHIP reauthorization bill:

   * weakens the evidentiary and document standards governing entry into the Medicaid program, thereby making it easier for illegal immigrants to fraudulently obtain benefits; and

   * overturns the limitations on immigrant use of Medicaid enacted in the 1996 welfare reform law by gutting the administrative procedures used to determine immigrant eligibility, thereby readily permitting immigrants to receive benefits for which they remain legally ineligible.

   Source: SCHIP Bill Increases Illegal Immigrants’ Access to Medicaid and Undermines Welfare Reform
   by Robert E. Rector, The Heritage Foundation
   http://www.heritage.org/Research/HealthCare/wm1714.cfm

5. MannyG writes
   July 30th, 2008 1:29 am

   AJ, so your argument is that Blackburn should have supported a huge step toward socialized medicine and put tax payers on a multi-billion dollar hook for entitlement health care (illegal aliens or not) over the Houston zoo program witch was a pilot program for distance education so sick kids int he hospital could see an elephant before they died. 3/4ths of the program was also privately funded. And just try and tell me rural West Tenn couldn’t benefit from distance education programs. You live on a farm…

   Do you want to take away a cancer ridden child’s chance to learn about panda bears?

6. Mickey writes
   July 30th, 2008 7:03 am

   MannyG, Marsha supports socialized medicine. She voted BILLIONS for perscription benefits.

7. Mickey writes
   July 30th, 2008 7:08 am

   prescription - freaking spelling police

8. A.J. writes
   July 30th, 2008 7:37 am

   I don’t support SCHIP. But since this was a bill Tom Leatherwood couldn’t even vote on, why isn’t Marsha upset with Sens. Alexander and Corker for voting for it? And if Leatherwood’s mention of the bill makes him unfit to vote for, why is Mrs. Blackburn herself planning to vote for Lamar Alexander in November? Does she believe that Sen. Lamar Alexander voted for health care for illegals?

   Sonny, you only put in half of the sentence from the Commercial Appeal article - “He pulled off the gloves, condemning Blackburn for opposing a State Children’s Health Insurance Program expansion that he said would have helped the Regional Medical Center at Memphis” (here is the rest of the sentence) “BUT VOTING FOR a “$300,000 earmark for the Houston zoo,” for “funneling over $300,000″ in campaign funds to her daughter and son-in-law, and for some 20 trips, paid for by special interests, that he said she and her congressional staffers took over six years.”

9. Mickey writes
   July 30th, 2008 7:40 am

   Marsha’s son-n-law if fighting dirty to keep his 1,000,000$ job , ain’t that right mannyg or whoever…you….are….

10. Mickey writes
    July 30th, 2008 7:43 am

    Marsha’s ‘polling group’ called me last night, called my house… wanted to talk to the MALE (my wife answered)… how will i vote, have i voted did i get mail from either candidate…did i vote early… i told them I have not voted (true) yet (want her to keep on spending that money) … i asked if the caller was working for marsha… (i knew she was)… she did not skip a beat and did not answer… i didn’t care… i told her marsha needs to be fired… that about ended it.

11. Mickey writes
    July 30th, 2008 7:44 am

    i suspected it was marsha’s group.

12. autoegocrat writes
    July 30th, 2008 8:10 am

    I’m so torn — a part of me wants her to stay because she is such a perfect example of why Republicans are unfit to govern, but then again, another part of me would be perfectly happy never to see or hear from her again.

13. MannyG writes
    July 30th, 2008 10:18 am

    AJ I didn’t say you supported it but is your argument that a huge socialized medicine program is the same as distance education program for sick kids? A huge unfunded entitlement program on the taxpayers versus a program that was three-quarters privately funded?

    Also Mickey, thank you for the stream of conscience post. I always wondered what it sounded like in your head

14. Tim writes
    July 30th, 2008 10:59 am

    Sounds like the ramblings of a mad man doesn’t it MannyG? Leatherwood was on Fleming’s radio show and said that a fundamental difference in him and Congressman Blackburn was SCHIP. Fleming played it again recently. While he may not have come right out and said “I support SCHIP” he claiming a fundamental difference would mean he supports it. He has also attacked her for not supporting it, which means he supports it. I went through this very simple math yesterday with Mickey and for some reason 1 + 1 = 85 with this guy. The reporter covering this story is lousy. Did he even bother to look into what SCHIP is all about or did he just use Leatherwood’s logic and pick out one part? At some point, as a man, you have to own up to your actions. Leatherwood at 50 something apparently is yet to learn this lesson. All he needs to do is come out and say he made a mistake instead of looking like a fool and claim he didn’t say something he so clearly did. Its time he learns how man up instead of whine and cry like a little boy. Here is a link to a good article on exactly what I am talking about:
    http://westinwesttn.blogspot.com/2008/07/thin-skin-of-tom-leatherwood_29.html

15. Mikey writes
    July 30th, 2008 11:23 am

    I got that same call from the pollster. I told her I had already voted for Leatherwood, because while I don’t really jibe with him politically, Marsha Blackburn is a corrupt hack who is nothing but a neo-con fool, interested in only enriching herself and her family. She is nothing but a white Nashville Republican version of John Ford in that regard. Funny how her supporters are the loudest in screaming about Ford corruption but tellingly silent about Marsha….moreover, Mike Matthews should have drilled her on her support for Corker and Lamar, while criticizing Leatherwood. She may win, but hopefully this will leave a permanent stain on her political record that will prevent her from winning any other office in the future. She’s slime.

16. Frank J. writes
    July 30th, 2008 12:46 pm

    I really hope Marsha runs for Governor in 2010. If Tom doesn’t beat her this year, that will open up the House seat for him or some other competent and hopefully we will have other choices for Governor in the GOP primary that will finally rid us of the embarassment that is Congressman Blackburn. I do wonder, however, how that would effect her daughter and son-in-law’s careers as a fundraiser and lobbyist?

17. Timmy writes
    July 30th, 2008 1:36 pm

    http://alexander.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Columns.Detail&Column_id=7a588bf1-785d-48d5-8578-23879716cc87&Month=10&Year=2007

18. MannyG writes
    July 30th, 2008 2:10 pm

    The Senate version didn’t have healthcare for illegals in it Timmy-boy, the House version did.
    Once again you Leatherwood folks need to read the WHOLE bill

19. Tim writes
    July 30th, 2008 5:02 pm

    It is weird that the Leatherwood supporters are as ignorant as he is. These people don’t do their homework, understand the definition of ‘condemn’ or understand that Rep. Blackburn is a true CONSERVATIVE. We should be lucky if she runs for Governor in 2010 because she is what this state needs, in any way we can get/keep her. I am sure her son-in-laws career as a lobbyist will be fine just like it was before Blackburn ever went to Washington. Her daughter will continue to work on a percentage based salary that is lower than that of the industry norm. It is perfectly legal and ethical. I am glad to see Leatherwood supporters continue to bring up the same nonissues that we have seen since April and not face any real issues, including the one issue, SCHIP, Leatherwood actually claims to support. Oh, no, wait he does not support that any more because Blackburn pointed out that it includes health care for illegals, so now he does not support it and claims he never did, even though he said on Fleming it was their “fundamental difference.”

20. TCL writes
    July 30th, 2008 5:42 pm

    Why didn’t the reporter just hand her a copy of the article and ask her where it said Leatherwood supported healthcare for illegal immigrants? That would have gotten her off message, and just proved she’s an empty suit.

21. A.J. writes
    July 30th, 2008 6:44 pm

    I got the mailer - it said “Tom Leatherwood SAYS he supports taxpayer funded health care for illegal immigrants.”

    Did Tom Leatherwood ever SAY that? He most certainly did not. Mrs. Blackburn is willing to lie to her constituents just to keep her job. Apparently honesty is another value that isn’t very important to her.

22. Novak writes
    July 30th, 2008 7:15 pm

    What are you talking about A.J and TCL? Has the Tom Leatherwood for Congress Campaign HQ turned into a summer camp for special needs children??? Of course Tom Leatherwood said that he supports free health care for illegal immigrants. He has repeatedly said that he supports SCHIP. Let me spell this out for the both of you since you both obviously have extremely low IQ’s:

    FREE HEALTH CARE FOR ILLEGALS + MED FUNDING = SCHIP

    OR

    BANANAS + PEANUT BUTTER = PEANUT BUTTER & BANANA SANDWICH

    Now go back to your cubby holes, pull out your blankets and take a nap before you say something else that embarrasses yourselves.

23. Mickey writes
    July 30th, 2008 7:18 pm

    Prescription Drug Benefit.
    The final version (conference report) of H.R. 1 would create a prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients. Beginning in 2006, prescription coverage would be available to seniors through private insurers for a monthly premium estimated at $35. There would be a $250 annual deductible, then 75 percent of drug costs up to $2,250 would be reimbursed. Drug costs greater than $2,250 would not be covered until out-of- ocket expenses exceeded $3,600, after which 95 percent of drug costs would be reimbursed. Low-income recipients would receive more subsidies than other seniors by paying lower premiums, having smaller deductibles, and making lower co-payments for each prescription. The total cost of the new prescription drug benefit would be limited to the $400 billion that Congress had budgeted earlier this year for the first 10 years of this new entitlement program. The House adopted the conference report on H.R. 1 on November 22, 2003 by a vote of 220 to 215 (Roll Call 669).
    Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR this bill.

24. Mickey writes
    July 30th, 2008 7:19 pm

    N0vak who votes for socialized meds?

25. Novak writes
    July 30th, 2008 7:36 pm

    Mickey, as always you are just plain wrong. There is no point in even trying to correct all of your errors.

    But on a side note, how is Austin Farley doing? I saw on the news that there was a shoot out over off of Summer Ave and I thought that he might have been caught up in the middle of the whole thing considering that he works for a used car lot over off of Summer Ave.

26. TCL writes
    July 30th, 2008 7:42 pm

    Doesn’t SCHIP stand for State Children’s Health Insurance Progam?

    Rep. Blackburn tried to say Leatherwood is for a small part of the the SCHIP program that he was referring to in the article. SCHIP is a comprehensive program to help states pay for health care for children. She voted against helping Tennessee state government pay for children’s health insurance. That is what Leatherwood meant he said he was for.

    I may have missed it somewhere, but someone please show me what kind and how much health care illegal immigrants can under that bill.

    I am not associated with Mr. Leatherwood at all. I don’t even live in the 7th district. I just have seen how poor of a public servant Rep. Blackburn has been.

27. AlanR writes
    July 31st, 2008 8:25 am

    Leatherwood needs to grow up. If you’re going to attack someone for voting against one small provision of a large bill, you better be ready to take the heat for all the other things in the bill. Maybe Leatherwood has forgotten his days in the senate when he held up health care money until the abortion language fit his view. Did that mean he was against funding for Medicaid? According to Leatherwood’s current logic, the answer would be yes. Blackburn is no prize, but she’s a tougher SOB than Leatherwood. If Leatherwood can’t take this punch he’ll never survive Washington.

28. JDS writes
    July 31st, 2008 10:55 am

    Go Tom!

    http://votetomleatherwood.com

29. MannyG writes
    August 1st, 2008 1:24 am

    Yes, go Tom. Go away.
    Go back to your office. Close the Door and keep your head down. Just like you did in the state senate.

30. Mickey writes
    August 1st, 2008 7:04 am

    Hurts when the ‘liberal’ news have to point out that our ‘conservative’ congressman is a liar. Some people refuse to believe…. I believe.