The McNairy County Democratic Party Steering Committee will meet at the the headquarters in Selmer on Monday, January 23rd at 6:00 PM. This committee consists of the county party officers and all district chairs. Anyone else interested in being on the steering committee is welcome to attend.

The 2nd District will be sponsoring the January Monthly Meeting and Supper on Friday, January 27th at 6:00 PM at the headquarters in Selmer. They will be serving soup, chili, desserts, and drinks. Everyone is welcome to attend.

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.”

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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.

The Hardin County Democratic Party Annual Christmas Party is Thursday, December 1st at 6:30 PM at Pickwick Inn . Everyone is welcome to attend. There will be great food and friendship. The special speaker for the evening is Mike McWherter. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the door.

The 7th District McNairy County Democrats are sponsoring a breakfast on Saturday, December 3rd at 8:00 AM at the Michie Civic Center in Michie, Tennessee. For a great breakfast and good Democratic friendship, make plans to attend. District Chair Jay Poindexter welcomes all McNairy and Hardin County Democrats.

The McNairy County Democratic Women will have their Annual Christmas Party on Monday, December 5th at 6:30 PM at the decorated headquarters in Selmer. The Democratic Women will be collecting wrapping paper and tape for the Carl Perkins Child Abuse Center. Bring your favorite finger foods and join us as we celebrate the Christmas season. Everyone is invited!

The McNairy County Democratic Party Annual Christmas Party will be at the McNairy County Democratic Headquarters in Selmer on Friday, December 16th at 6:00 PM. Everyone is encouraged to bring your favorite finger foods. Everyone is welcome!

Rep. Mike Stewart

NASHVILLE – In response to Mitt Romney’s dangerous plan to voucherize our veterans’ health care, Tennessee State Rep. Mike Stewart, a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, released the following statement today ahead of Romney’s fundraiser in Knoxville:

“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.”

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

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.”

The 7th District McNairy County Democrats are sponsoring a Breakfast on Saturday, November 12th at the Michie Civic Center from 8:00 AM until 9:30 AM. Everyone is welcome to attend! Come out and support the efforts of the 7th District Democrats.

The McNairy County Democratic Women will have a dinner meeting on Monday, November 7th at 6:30 PM at the McNairy County Democratic Headquarters in Selmer. The featured speaker will be State Executive Woman Diane Davis. Everyone is welcome to attend and men are welcome!

The McNairy County Democratic Party will have the November Thanksgiving Dinner on Friday, November 18th at 6:00 PM at the Headquarters in Selmer. Each District is asked to bring dishes of meat, veggies, bread, desserts, and drinks. All executive members are encouraged to attend and bring a dish. For more info, contact your District Chair (Albert Brown, Stephen Browder, Paul Simpson, John Lacefield, Wayne Elam, Ray Prather, or Jay Poindexter) or County Chair Jeff Lipford, Secretary Leanne Jones, or Vice-Chair Pat Lewis. Each district is also encouraged to bring items for a silent auction.