In the latest edition of our "Candidate Spotlight", I sat down with Tennessee State Representative Gloria Johnson, a member of the ‘Tennessee Three,’ to talk about her campaign for the US Senate against incumbent Senator Marsha Blackburn.
Marsha Blackburn is one of the best examples of poor Southerners voting against their own interests. She has done considerable damage to the people who voted for her. Among her efforts to undermine and destroy the lives of her constituents:
Wants to repeal the ACA and opposes Medicaid expansion.
Failure to repeal ACA, even for people with pre-existing conditions, was called a disgrace by her.
Opposed to any Federal childcare assistance — calls it communism.
Unclear and contradictory positions on violence against women.
Called the 1965 Supreme Court ruling on contraception as unsound.
Voted against the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
Voted against the Pay Check Fairness Act.
I could go on. If people in Tennessee want to continue with the above and more, then there is nothing further to say.
The ignorance of candidates like Marsha Blackburn is deeply troubling. Calling Federal childcare assistance communism indicates she has absolutely no understanding of Karl Marx's theories and predictions as outlined in Das Kapital and the Communist Manifesto.
When I was in college in the 1960's, I had a conservative uncle who was appalled when he saw me reading the works of Karl Marx. He asked if SUNYA was teaching communism. I tried to explain that they were teaching about communism, not teaching us to be communists. I explained that to fight communism effectively you needed to understand it. To no avail.
I believe that keeping Blacks and other minorities in their place and creating a patriarchal White Christian Autocracy is more important to these ignorant people than legislation that would help poorer citizens get a good education and a chance to improve their lives.
If we can directly message the misguided people who are helped by the programs you list and prove that MAGA/Trump wants to take this government help away from them, we would easily win. They must be convinced that MAGA is using them to generate wealth for the top 1% at their expense.
From what I have seen down here, as opposed to when I was in New Jersey, is that the voters put cultural issues as a higher priority than actually helping constituents. I have seen legislators in North Carolina, after they are elected, do not even devote one dollar to constituent services in their offices. No staff, nothing, that could help their constituents. It is terrible and when I point this out, I usually get stone faces. So it goes.
I will never forget how profoundly grateful I was when she stepped up against the fascists in the TN statehouse. I was so happy, I thought brilliant!!! Her courage and strength will be one of those memories I will look back on and cherish. People like her have kept me going. We got some strong and highly intelligent women out there jumping in!!! Yay! Sending a token of gratitude now.
Marsha Blackburn was a home economics teacher before she got inducted into politics. She displays a dull, and unimaginative persona in hearings and exemplifies the narrow minded philosophy of white Christian Nationalism. I can only look at Tennessee voters from a safe distance and ponder what the hell is wrong with them? Perhaps I know the answer but do not want to convey it here.
I've been impressed with Gloria since the Tennessee Three. She is an inspiration and she is brave in a political environment where you see nothing but feckless, self-serving, sycophantic cowards who kowtow to Trump and all things MAGA. I'm donating. Thanks for having her on, Steve.
Hey John, Don’t they have lots of poisonous snakes, bugs, creepy crawly critters there? Maybe…just maybe Blackburn likes to sit out on the patio late at night with with her Virginia Slims … maybe she falls to sleep after her 4th Mint Julep in her pewter cup… and then maybe one of those hungry buggers finds her leg 🦵
It is something I have never witnessed until I moved to the South. I have never seen so many elected officials working in the diametric opposite direction of what their constituents need.
I watched her through the TN statehouse debacle. Great job!
Marsha Blackburn is one of the best examples of poor Southerners voting against their own interests. She has done considerable damage to the people who voted for her. Among her efforts to undermine and destroy the lives of her constituents:
Wants to repeal the ACA and opposes Medicaid expansion.
Failure to repeal ACA, even for people with pre-existing conditions, was called a disgrace by her.
Opposed to any Federal childcare assistance — calls it communism.
Unclear and contradictory positions on violence against women.
Called the 1965 Supreme Court ruling on contraception as unsound.
Voted against the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
Voted against the Pay Check Fairness Act.
I could go on. If people in Tennessee want to continue with the above and more, then there is nothing further to say.
The ignorance of candidates like Marsha Blackburn is deeply troubling. Calling Federal childcare assistance communism indicates she has absolutely no understanding of Karl Marx's theories and predictions as outlined in Das Kapital and the Communist Manifesto.
When I was in college in the 1960's, I had a conservative uncle who was appalled when he saw me reading the works of Karl Marx. He asked if SUNYA was teaching communism. I tried to explain that they were teaching about communism, not teaching us to be communists. I explained that to fight communism effectively you needed to understand it. To no avail.
I believe that keeping Blacks and other minorities in their place and creating a patriarchal White Christian Autocracy is more important to these ignorant people than legislation that would help poorer citizens get a good education and a chance to improve their lives.
If we can directly message the misguided people who are helped by the programs you list and prove that MAGA/Trump wants to take this government help away from them, we would easily win. They must be convinced that MAGA is using them to generate wealth for the top 1% at their expense.
From what I have seen down here, as opposed to when I was in New Jersey, is that the voters put cultural issues as a higher priority than actually helping constituents. I have seen legislators in North Carolina, after they are elected, do not even devote one dollar to constituent services in their offices. No staff, nothing, that could help their constituents. It is terrible and when I point this out, I usually get stone faces. So it goes.
I will never forget how profoundly grateful I was when she stepped up against the fascists in the TN statehouse. I was so happy, I thought brilliant!!! Her courage and strength will be one of those memories I will look back on and cherish. People like her have kept me going. We got some strong and highly intelligent women out there jumping in!!! Yay! Sending a token of gratitude now.
I LOVE Gloria Johnson!!! Have already donated (from CA), more than once, to her campaign. She is amazing! Steve, thank you for this!
Blackburn is a living scowl. She is absolute Confederacy without a trace of Scarlett. Nobody in politics can match her for her boiling hate of Blacks.
Excellent interview!! Every voter in Tennessee should watch this!
Marsha Blackburn was a home economics teacher before she got inducted into politics. She displays a dull, and unimaginative persona in hearings and exemplifies the narrow minded philosophy of white Christian Nationalism. I can only look at Tennessee voters from a safe distance and ponder what the hell is wrong with them? Perhaps I know the answer but do not want to convey it here.
There is a large enough segment of voters in Tennessee who support Blackburn even though the reality is she has no use for them.
That speaks volumes about those Tennessee voters. She is less than qualified or competent to serve as a U.S. Senator.
Gloria Johnson is a political hero.
I've been impressed with Gloria since the Tennessee Three. She is an inspiration and she is brave in a political environment where you see nothing but feckless, self-serving, sycophantic cowards who kowtow to Trump and all things MAGA. I'm donating. Thanks for having her on, Steve.
So glad she is running in spite of the gerrymandering. Thanks for the introduction.
Hey John, Don’t they have lots of poisonous snakes, bugs, creepy crawly critters there? Maybe…just maybe Blackburn likes to sit out on the patio late at night with with her Virginia Slims … maybe she falls to sleep after her 4th Mint Julep in her pewter cup… and then maybe one of those hungry buggers finds her leg 🦵
It is something I have never witnessed until I moved to the South. I have never seen so many elected officials working in the diametric opposite direction of what their constituents need.