Local Democrats were quick to squall over the election of Daniel Herrera as chairman of the Knox County Republican Party. When was the last time the Knox County Democratic Party elected a young Hispanic as the local leader of their own party? It was the 12th of Never.
The Democrats put out a press release claiming Knox County Republicans “had decided to double-down on Trumpism, right-wing rhetoric and losing policies.” Really? Donald Trump carried Knox County with 56% of the vote and if we want to discuss rhetoric, let’s talk about the kind of talk Democrats like, which has less to do with Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy than left-wing nut cases like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and that elderly Communist Bernie Sanders. As to losing policies, your election steal bill and killing of jobs for Americans will surely prove to be a losing issue in 2022. Nor will your widening of the welfare state likely meet the approval of hardworking Americans.
The Knox County Democrats proclaimed themselves a “big tent party” which will come as news to former State Representative John DeBerry who was thrown off the ballot because he was opposed to abortion and voted for vouchers to give Black children better educational opportunities. The local Democrats claim they are for “competent, effective, honest and fair government.” Really? Does the orgy of spending and hiding Joe Biden in the basement of the White House meet that criteria? I don’t think so.
Local Democrats claim in their press release to have gained “14 points county-wide over Republicans.” We’ve heard that before, for instance in the congressional races between Tim Burchett and Rene Hoyos. Last time Hoyos claimed polls showed she and Burchett were in a dead heat. Never happened. Hoyos won 34% of the vote in 2018 and 33% in 2020. Does that sound like a gain to you? It must be that Democrat math at work, probably taught by a member of the teachers’ union.
Local Democrats claim Republicans have been leaving the GOP in droves. What evidence is there to support this particular claim? They cite “prominent” Republicans like former election administrator Cliff Rodgers. That’s like saying a movie extra in Star Wars is as prominent as Harrison Ford.
Local Democrats flung the accusation Knox County Republicans “continue down the path of misinformation, inflammatory rhetoric, Q-anon conspiracy theories, and pro-Covid policies.” Let’s call that what it is in plain terms: a lie, an absolute, unmitigated lie. The Democratic Party was once that of the working person; not any longer. Wasn’t it Barack Obama who lamented Americans were still too wedded to their “God and guns”? It was a Democrat who placed “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance to our country. You don’t see Republicans taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem. These are the paladins of the cancel culture.
You won’t find Republicans trying to erase God from the life of our country. These are the same people who stand for banning books by Dr. Seuss when the Democratic Party used to stand forthrightly for free speech. Now they support free speech only when there is no dissent to their own political dogma. Democrats talk about racism, yet they boast the most openly, brazenly and utterly unrepentant anti-Semites in Congress today.
As to nutty conspiracy theories, these are the very same people who insisted for four years the Russians had stolen the 2016 election from Hillary Clinton and for Donald Trump. Even after an expenditure of $50 million or more and all sorts of investigations, Robert Mueller and his professional Democrat staff couldn’t find or produce a single, solitary shred of evidence.
As to “pro-Covid” policies, that’s another bald-faced lie. Remember the “gold standard” of Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York? If ever there was a governor who produced pro-Covid policies, it was Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat who sent Covid-positive patients into nursing homes, killing literally thousands of seniors and then lied about the number of dead. The states with the highest death rates have pretty well been “Blue” states. Democrats and the fake news mainstream media have tried to tear apart the efforts of Republican governors like Ron DeSantis of Florida and Greg Abbott of Texas, yet those states are faring far better than the Democratic bastions of New York and California. And let’s just go ahead and point out the “Blue” states are having to be bailed out because they are pretty well bankrupt they’ve been run so well. Does that sound “competent” to you?
The Democrats, once the party of “Women Must Be Believed” have since fallen largely silent with the accusations against Joe Biden and Andrew Cuomo.
The “competent government” local Democrats say they support is as far from faith and family as the sun is from the frozen planet of Pluto. These are the same people who wish to defund the police, literally empty out the prison populations into society, and say and do nothing while anarchists burn down cities.
The “better place for all” local Democrats say they support here in Knox County is, in truth, their warped vision of a socialist utopia where you, the taxpayer, keep homeless people in a hotel for roughly $8 million tax dollars each year. That same paradise promises “peace” officers and social workers instead of policemen and restorative practices instead of real, actual justice for victims of crime. Have you heard any local Democrats cry out for justice for the murdered Black teens in East Knoxville, Janaria Muhammad, Stanley Freeman, Jr. and Justin Taylor? They will holler “Black Lives Matter”, they will protest, but they won’t do a blessed thing to bring killers to justice. Their brand of “social justice” is a mere shadow of the closure needed by the actual victims of crime.
If local Republicans and Democrats run on what they actually stand for, the “people-centered solutions” Knox County Democrats say they support won’t bear the slightest scrutiny because it simply isn’t true.
GOP Convention
Knox County Republicans, if you didn’t pick up on that tidbit from the above, gathered together in convention at Crown College. Two candidates vied for the party chairmanship. The candidates were former state Representative Harry Brooks and attorney Daniel Herrera. Both made good, solid speeches to those gathered. Harry Brooks, who is nothing if not an honorable man, was as gracious in defeat as he always was in victory.
Herrera is 28 years old and Hispanic. Congratulations, Daniel and I predict Herrera’s counterpart, Matt Shears, a pleasant young man in his own right, will prefer campaigning by press release. I would bet just about any amount of money Shears is going to stay well away from Daniel Herrera’s ability to talk. I would also guess Matt will be pretty scarce on the hustings until his term expires, but I, for one, would love to see the two party chairs debate the merits of the two political parties before a live audience. Doubtless, young Matthew would plead it wouldn’t be safe with the COVID-19 and all, but Biden has promised every American will be vaccinated by May, so how about a date of sometime in June, Matt? Save a ringside seat for me.
Speaking of Democrats. . .
Appointed City Councilman Tommy Smith of South Knoxville kicked off his campaign with an outdoor event last Sunday. If the Republicans gathered at Crown College last week, the Democrats converged on South Knoxville. We all hear the races inside the City of Knoxville are non-partisan and that has served the socialists pretty well over the last few election cycles. That looks to be coming to an end with a concerted effort to field candidates who actually want to do something about the crime and violence that is spreading rapidly throughout Knoxville.
Smith, who was appointed to the council when Stephanie Welch was given a whopping six figure a-year job by Mayor Indya Kincannon, was feted by Democrats galore. Smith, a Democrat, endorsed Rene Hoyos, when she ran against Tim Burchett. Rene came by to return the favor and ex-mayor Madeline “Recode” Rogero showed herself. Smith has assembled a flight of campaign workers whose credentials would satisfy no less than AOC. Nary a Republican was to be found.
You will remember Democrat Amy Midis faced off against socialist Amelia Parker, who by the way, has never come out for enforcing the law to bring to justice the murderers of three Black teenagers in East Knoxville. Neither has Smith for that matter, although he has made the bold statement that the “gun violence” has to stop. If the murderers aren’t arrested and incarcerated, I doubt a time-out in detention is going to make students any safer while going to and from school. In the Midis – Parker race many conservative or Republican voters chose not to vote in that particular race. Amelia Parker posted a narrow win over Midis.
There are going to be at least four well-funded, hardworking candidates to give voters a choice in the city elections who will stand up and fight for families and for victims. Let’s hope there is a fifth candidate in South Knoxville.
A Special Thanks to Tennova
I want to close this editorial on a happy note. I want to give a special thanks to the folks at Tennova North in Powell. My wife, Kim, and I went last Monday for our COVID-19 vaccination and the folks there simply blew us away with their efficiency and professionalism. Add to that an obvious concern for the people they were serving and it really made an great impression on us both. It was superbly well organized from beginning to end and what could have easily been a very stressful occasion was made as simple and as pleasant as possible under the circumstances. The entire experience was one of those rare occasions when everything really was about the people being served.
To the Tennova employees and the score of community volunteers, The Knoxville Focus, my wife Kim and I offer you a sincere and hearty THANK YOU!
