EXIT 196

By Betsy Thorpe

Dozens of travelers leave Interstate 40 at Exit 196 everyday, some to visit friends and family, others for fuel, refreshment or lodging. They all have a story to tell and we are here to share a tale or two that we heard at Exit 196.

It recently came to our attention that the actions taken by Nashville students during the 1960 Sit-in Movement were covered in part by Douglas Underwood, news photographer for Nashville's CBS affiliate, WLAC TV. Working from the basement of the L&N building in downtown Nashville Mr. Underwood had easy access to the lunch counter demonstrations and was a witness to many of the historic Civil Rights events that occurred in the city that year--- from February through May.


Nashville was a principal training ground for some of the nation’s most influential leaders in the civil rights movement, many of whom were schooled in the techniques of nonviolent protest. Along with the Nashville community, a group of young Nashville college students organized the Nashville sit-ins, city marches, and an effective downtown store boycott that led to the desegregation of public accommodations in the city. The Nashville protests came to serve as models for later protests throughout the South, and its leaders went on to make pivotal contributions to the success of the civil rights movement, including the Freedom Rides of 1961, the formation of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Southern Student Organizing Committee, historic protests in Selma, Alabama, and the 1963 March on Washington.



In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Nashville Sit-in Movement, a special exhibit titled "Visions & Voices: The Civil Rights Movement in Nashville & Tennessee" will be on display in the Courtyard Gallery of the downtown branch of the Nashville Public Library through May 22.]

In 1963 the Douglas Underwood family moved to a farm located near what is now Exit 196. He later founded the Westview News a family owned weekly newspaper that he operated until his untimely death in 1995. The memory of Douglas Underwood remains strong at Exit 196 and we are very proud that he chose to call our community home. We look forward to hearing more about the events he witnessed and documented throughout his life as an esteemed local journalist.

Weekly Address By President Barack Obama February 20, 2010

The President points to outrageous premium hikes from health insurance companies, especially those already making massive profits, as further proof of the need for reform. Looking ahead to the coming bipartisan meeting on reform, the President urges members of Congress to come to the table in good faith to address the issue.



Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
February 20, 2010

The other week, men and women across California opened up their mailboxes to find a letter from Anthem Blue Cross. The news inside was jaw-dropping. Anthem was alerting almost a million of its customers that it would be raising premiums by an average of 25 percent, with about a quarter of folks likely to see their rates go up by anywhere from 35 to 39 percent.

Now, after their announcement stirred public outcry, Anthem agreed to delay their rate hike until May 1st while the situation is reviewed by the state of California. But it’s not just Californians who are being hit by rate hikes. In Kansas, one insurance company raised premiums by 10 to 20 percent only after asking to raise them by 20 to 30 percent. Last year, Michigan Blue Cross Blue Shield raised rates by 22 percent after asking to raise them by up to 56 percent. And in Maine, Anthem is asking to raise rates for some folks by about 23 percent.

The bottom line is that the status quo is good for the insurance industry and bad for America. Over the past year, as families and small business owners have struggled to pay soaring health care costs, and as millions of Americans lost their coverage, the five largest insurers made record profits of over $12 billion.

And as bad as things are today, they’ll only get worse if we fail to act. We’ll see more and more Americans go without the coverage they need. We’ll see exploding premiums and out-of-pocket costs burn through more and more family budgets. We’ll see more and more small businesses scale back benefits, drop coverage, or close down because they can’t keep up with rising rates. And in time, we’ll see these skyrocketing health care costs become the single largest driver of our federal deficits.

That’s what the future is on track to look like. But it’s not what the future has to look like. The question, then, is whether we will do what it takes, all of us – Democrats and Republicans – to build a better future for ourselves, our children, and our country.

That’s why, next week, I am inviting members of both parties to take part in a bipartisan health care meeting, and I hope they come in a spirit of good faith. I don’t want to see this meeting turn into political theater, with each side simply reciting talking points and trying to score political points. Instead, I ask members of both parties to seek common ground in an effort to solve a problem that’s been with us for generations.

It’s in that spirit that I have sought out and supported Republican ideas on reform from the very beginning. Some Republicans want to allow Americans to purchase insurance from a company in another state to give people more choices and bring down costs. Some Republicans have also suggested giving small businesses the power to pool together and offer health care at lower prices, just as big companies and labor unions do. I think both of these are good ideas – so long as we pursue them in a way that protects benefits, protects patients, and protects the American people. I hope Democrats and Republicans can come together next week around these and other ideas.

To members of Congress, I would simply say this. We know the American people want us to reform our health insurance system. We know where the broad areas of agreement are. And we know where the sources of disagreement lie. After debating this issue exhaustively for a year, let’s move forward together. Next week is our chance to finally reform our health insurance system so it works for families and small businesses. It’s our chance to finally give Americans the peace of mind of knowing that they’ll be able to have affordable coverage when they need it most.

What’s being tested here is not just our ability to solve this one problem, but our ability to solve any problem. Right now, Americans are understandably despairing about whether partisanship and the undue influence of special interests in Washington will make it impossible for us to deal with the big challenges that face our country. They want to see us focus not on scoring points, but on solving problems; not on the next election but on the next generation. That is what we can do, and that is what we must do when we come together for this bipartisan health care meeting next week. Thank you, and have a great weekend.

Exit 196

Dozens of travelers leave Interstate 40 at Exit 196 everyday, some to visit friends and family, others for fuel, refreshment or lodging. They all have a story to tell and we are here to share a tale or two that we heard at Exit 196.



Last week, at Exit 196 we heard that Mayor Karl Dean and The Conservancy for the Parthenon & Centennial Park had announced that Seattle based landscape architects would lead the design team for the Centennial Park Master Plan. Sylvia Rapoport, President of The Conservancy for the Parthenon and Centennial Park told us that "Mayor Dean charged the Centennial Park Master Plan Committee with one overarching purpose: to revitalize a park that is at once a prime player in Metro Nashville’s network of greenspaces while also serving as Nashville’s central park. This revitalization involves much more than a general sprucing up. The committee’s objective is a long range plan that acknowledges past and future simultaneously, respecting the tradition of Centennial Park as a showcase for Nashville’s culture, arts and history, while transforming the park into a model of sustainable ecological practice and horticultural excellence."

The Conservancy for the Parthenon & Centennial Park was first established in 1982 as the Athena Fund. Its original purpose was to raise funds to recreate the statue of Athena, which once stood in the ancient Greek Parthenon. They later worked to gain further funding for the gilding of Athena. The Conservancy supports the Parthenon educational programs, symposia speaker series, ongoing exhibits, Greek theatre and other special projects. In 2006 the Conservancy began a cultural exchange with Greece to connect Nashville's Parthenon with the ancient Parthenon, the New Acropolis Museum, Benaki Museum and the city of Athens. The Conservancy mission has now expanded to include a commitment to enhancing, restoring and preserving Centennial Park and it's monuments. In 2008 the Conservancy succeeded in having Centennial Park placed on the National Registry of Historic Places.


At Exit 196 we have confidence in the Conservancy's ability to oversee the maintenance of Centennial Park's historic integrity and we look forward to learning more about the proposed plans to improve the sustainability of one Nashville's greenest spaces, but most of all we appreciate our city's leaders commitment to preserving this magnificent park for the enjoyment of Nashville's future generations

Weekly Address By President Barack Obama, February 13, 2010

Weekly Address: Pay As You Go
February 13, 2010
The President, having just signed the "Pay As You Go" law, discusses the importance of this fundamental rule to getting budget deficits in check. Ensuring that new spending and tax cuts are offset was a important factor in creating the budget surplus of the late 1990’s.



Weekly Address: President Obama Praises Restoration of Pay-As-You-Go

Hours after signing pay-as-you-go legislation into law, President Barack Obama praised this step towards restoring fiscal responsibility and called for both parties to set aside politics and do the hard work of addressing the deficit. To this end, since the proposed Fiscal Commission was recently blocked in the Senate – by a handful of Republicans who had previously backed the idea -- the President will create this commission by executive order. The President believes it is time for Washington to once again take responsibility for every dollar it spends.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
February 13, 2010

All across America, people work hard to meet their responsibilities. You do your jobs, take care of your families, pay your bills. Sometimes, particularly in tough times like these, you have to make hard choices about where to spend and where to save. That’s what being responsible means. That’s a bedrock value of our country. And that ought to be a value that our government lives up to as well.

Yet, over the past decade, this hasn’t always not been the case. Ten years ago, we had a big budget surplus with projected surpluses far into the future. Ten years later, those surpluses are gone. In fact, when I first walked through the door, the government’s budget deficit stood at $1.3 trillion, with the budget gap over the next decade projected to be $8 trillion.

Partly, the recession is to blame. With millions of people out of work, and millions of families facing hardship, folks are paying less in taxes while seeking more services, like unemployment benefits. Rising health care costs are also to blame. Each year, more and more tax dollars are devoted to Medicare and Medicaid.

But what also made these large deficits possible was the end of a common sense rule called “pay as you go.” It’s pretty simple. It says to Congress, you have to pay as you go. You can’t spend a dollar unless you cut a dollar elsewhere. This is how a responsible family or business manages a budget. And this is how a responsible government manages a budget, as well.

It was this rule that helped lead to balanced budgets in the 1990s, by making clear that we could not increase entitlement spending or cut taxes simply by borrowing more money. And it was the abandonment of this rule that allowed the previous administration and previous congresses to pass massive tax cuts for the wealthy and create an expensive new drug program without paying for any of it. Now in a perfect world, Congress would not have needed a law to act responsibly, to remember that every dollar spent would come from taxpayers today – or our children tomorrow.

But this isn’t a perfect world. This is Washington. And while in theory there is bipartisan agreement on moving on balanced budgets, in practice, this responsibility for the future is often overwhelmed by the politics of the moment. It falls prey to the pressure of special interests, to the pull of local concerns, and to a reality familiar to every single American – the fact that it is a lot easier to spend a dollar than save one.

That is why this rule is necessary. And that is why I am pleased that Congress fulfilled my request to restore it. Last night, I signed the “pay as you go” rule into law. Now, Congress will have to pay for what it spends, just like everybody else.

But that’s not all we must do. Even as we make critical investments to create jobs today and lay a foundation for growth tomorrow – by cutting taxes for small businesses, investing in education, promoting clean energy, and modernizing our roads and railways – we have to continue to go through the budget line by line, looking for ways to save. We have to cut where we can, to afford what we need.

This year, I’ve proposed another $20 billion in budget cuts. And I’ve also called for a freeze in government spending for three years. It won’t affect benefits through Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security. And it will not affect national security – including benefits for veterans. But it will affect the rest of the budget.

Finally, I’ve proposed a bipartisan Fiscal Commission to provide recommendations for long-term deficit reduction. Because in the end, solving our fiscal challenge – so many years in the making – will take both parties coming together, putting politics aside, and making some hard choices about what we need to spend, and what we don’t. It will not happen any other way. Unfortunately this proposal – which received the support of a bipartisan majority in the Senate – was recently blocked. So, I will be creating this commission by executive order.

After a decade of profligacy, the American people are tired of politicians who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk when it comes to fiscal responsibility. It’s easy to get up in front of the cameras and rant against exploding deficits. What’s hard is actually getting deficits under control. But that’s what we must do. Like families across the country, we have to take responsibility for every dollar we spend. And with the return of “pay as you go,” as well as other steps we’ve begun to take, that is exactly what we are doing.

Thanks.

Surprising fact regarding Nashville Civil Rights Movement revealed to Pat Nolan on "Inside Politics"

"My guests on INSIDE POLITICS are three of Nashville's lunch counter sit-in protestors now being honored for their courageous acts of 50 years ago. Watch at 5AM Sunday on WTVF as well as on NewsChannel5 Plus, Comcast and Charter Cable channels 250 at 7PM Friday, 5AM & 5:30 PM Saturday, 5AM and 12:30 PM Sunday."

"One surprise: the famous and climatic confrontation with Mayor Ben West: He may have known what questions were coming."

Pat Nolan

Black History Month Resources Available at Tennessee State Library and Archives

Unidentified Woman In A House Located On Kensington Street
Nashville Tennessee, 1918
Courtesy Tennessee State Library And Archives


In celebration of Black History Month, the Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA) is highlighting two collections relating to the state’s African-American history that have been added within the last year.

Last fall, TSLA added a collection called Guide to African-American Genealogy-Related Documents Prior to 1865, which includes a large selection of Supreme Court cases, state acts from 1796 through 1850, legislative petitions from 1799 to 1861, church records, correspondence, diaries, memoirs and other documents.

TSLA also added a new collection, Reconstruction and the African-American Legacy in Tennessee, to the Tennessee Virtual Archive (TeVA) within the last year. That collection, which includes photographs, scrapbooks and other images, can be found on the web at: http://teva.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm4/reconstruction.php

“We are very fortunate to have a wide selection of resources about African-American history at the State Library and Archives,” said Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “These resources are available and intended for use by Tennesseans year-round. However, due to the heightened interest of researchers during Black History Month, we want to call attention to some of the newer materials we have available. Researchers may also find many of our older collections of interest, including This Honorable Body, which recounts the story of 14 African-American legislators, many of them former slaves, who served in the Tennessee General Assembly between 1873 and 1889.”

TSLA also added a new collection, Reconstruction and the African-American Legacy in Tennessee, to the Tennessee Virtual Archive (TeVA) within the last year. That collection, which includes photographs, scrapbooks and other images, can be found on the web at: http://teva.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm4/reconstruction.php

Zach Wamp To "Kick Off" Gubernatorial Campaign In Nashville February 16

Historic Supreme Court Chambers Inside Tennessee State Capitol Building

Republican Congressman, Zach Wamp will officially announce his candidacy in Tennessee's upcoming gubernatorial race at an event held on February 16, in the historic Supreme Court Chambers. Wamp is scheduled to make his announcement at 10:00 am. The old Supreme Court Chambers are located on the first floor of the State Capitol Building.

Community Offers Aid To Of Vandalized South Nashville Mosque

Vandalized Mosque In Nashville

Responding to Wednesday's act of vandalism against the Al-Farooq mosque in South Nashville a group of more than 30 people came together this morning to remove graffiti, and to reaffirm our collective spirit as a welcoming city, by repainting the building's walls.


A helping hand reaches out to members of South Nashville's Al Farooq Mosque

One long time member of Nashville's Islamic community (who was not present at this morning's event) stated that until this week his family has always felt safe and welcome in Nashville. He said "not even after 9/11 did we feel like targets, just this week after Inside Islamville aired did we feel that some people who have been friends to us and known our family and business for years, watched the children grow together, are now looking at us with suspicion in their eyes." Elias Feghali,of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition said that “While the events of this week certainly shocked Tennesseans of all creeds and colors, Muslims in our state have been on the receiving end of hatred and violence before." Feghali also related how the individuals who vandalized Al-Farooq are examples of a dwindling extremist minority and that their acts tarnish the name of the vast majority of Tennesseans who reject intolerance and welcome newcomers regardless of their faith.

Yesterday Mayor Dean and Metro Police Chief Serpas, visited the mosque to express their concern over the crime and to assure the community that this incident will be fully investigated. The act of vandalism is now being treated as a hate crime by both the Metro Police Department and the FBI.

Tomorrow The Islamic Center of Nashville will host an open house featuring an interfaith discussion panel titled “Nashville Stands with the Muslim Community: Why Violence Against One Community Hurts Us All.” The open house will begin at 11:00 am. Ethnic foods will be available and the public is invited to attend. The Islamic Center of Nashville is located at 2515 12th Avenue South.

Weekly Address By President Barack Obama, February 6, 2010

Opening Doors for Small Business

Reiterating once again his commitment to small business as the engine of our economy, the President urges Congress to move forward immediately on steps to help them expand and create jobs. These proposals include using $30 billion in TARP funds to create a new Small Business Lending Fund to provide capital to community banks to increase lending to small businesses, offering a new tax credit for over one million small businesses that hire new workers or raise wages, and providing targeted support for the most innovative small businesses with the potential to export new goods and products.



In this week’s address, President Barack Obama said that America’s small businesses are key to rebuilding the economy on a new, stronger foundation and creating jobs. He called on Republicans and Democrats in Congress to pass – without delay – a series of proposals that will help American small businesses thrive. These proposals include using $30 billion in TARP funds to create a new Small Business Lending Fund to provide capital to community banks to increase lending to small businesses, offering a new tax credit for over one million small businesses that hire new workers or raise wages, and providing targeted support for the most innovative small businesses with the potential to export new goods and products.


Remarks of President Barack Obama
As Prepared for Delivery
Weekly Address
February 6, 2010

Even though our economy is growing again, these are still tough times for America. Too many businesses are still shuttered. Too many families can’t make ends meet. And while yesterday, we learned that the unemployment rate has dropped below ten percent for the first time since summer, it is still unacceptably high – and too many Americans still can’t find work.

But what we must remember at a time like this is that we are not helpless in the face of our difficulties. As Americans, we make our own destiny. We forge our own path. And I am confident that if we come together and put aside the politics that keeps holding us back, we can do that again. We can rebuild this economy on a new, stronger foundation that leads to more jobs and greater prosperity.

I believe a key part of that foundation is America’s small businesses – the places where most new jobs begin.

These companies represent the essence of the American spirit – the promise that anyone can succeed in this country if you have a good idea and the determination to see it through. And every once in awhile, these ideas don’t just lead to a new business and new jobs, but a new American product that forever changes the world. After all, Hewlett Packard began in a garage. Google began as a simple research project.

Government can’t create these businesses, but it can give entrepreneurs the support they need to open their doors, expand, or hire more workers. And that’s what we’ve always done in this country. The folks at Southwest Windpower in Flagstaff, Arizona started their company in a small home. Since getting a loan from the Small Business Administration, they’ve sold 160,000 wind turbines to about 90 different countries, and are hiring even more workers today. When Sam Ko walked into one of the SBA’s small business development centers in Illinois, he didn’t have any business experience at all – just a patent for a new metal manufacturing technology. He was given a loan and a business plan, and today his company is still growing, with offices all over the Midwest.

Last year, the steps we took supported over 47,000 loans to small businesses and delivered billions in tax relief to small business owners, which helped companies keep their doors open, make payroll, and hire workers. But we can and must do more. That’s why I’ve proposed a series of steps this week to support small business owners and the jobs they create – to provide more access to credit, more incentives to hire, and more opportunities to grow and sell products all over the world.

Because financing remains difficult for good, credit-worthy small businesses across the country, I’ve proposed that we take $30 billion from the TARP fund originally used for Wall Street and create a new Small Business Lending Fund that will provide capital for community banks on Main Street. These are the small, local banks that will be able to give our small business owners more of the credit they need to stay afloat. We should also continue to waive fees, increase guarantees, and expand the size of SBA-backed loans for small businesses. And yesterday, I proposed making it easier for small business owners to refinance their mortgages during these tough times.

To give these companies greater incentives to grow and create jobs, I’ve proposed a new tax credit for more than one million small businesses that hire new workers or raise wages, as well as the elimination of all capital gains taxes on small business investment.

Finally, we should provide targeted support to the most innovative small businesses – the ones with the greatest potential to export new goods and products all over the world. A lot of these companies – like the wind turbine manufacturer I mentioned – are the foundation on which we can rebuild our economy to compete in the 21st century. They just need a little help securing the financing they need to get off the ground. We have every incentive to help them do that.

Next week, Congress will start debating many of these proposals. And if anyone has additional ideas to support small businesses and create jobs, I’m happy to consider them. My door is always open. But I urge members of both parties: do not oppose good ideas just because it’s good politics to do so. The proposals I’ve outlined are not Democratic or Republican; liberal or conservative. They are pro-business, they are pro-growth, and they are pro-job. Leaders in both parties have supported similar ideas in the past. So let’s come together and pass these measures without delay. Let’s put more Americans back to work, and let’s give our small business owners the support to do what they’ve always done: the freedom to pursue their dreams and build our country’s future. Thanks for listening.

Inaugural National Tea Party Convention "Sold Out" At Nashville's Opryland Hotel

Nashville's Opryland Hotel and Convention Center, site of this weekend's Inaugural Tea Party Convention, boasts the "largest non-gaming, in-hotel exhibition space in the world," making the event's organizers claim to a sold out convention sound impressive. However, with only 600 available tickets the claim assumes an almost deceptive tone. One would think that a national "grass roots" movement aiming to change the social and political course of our nation could, and would, accommodate more than 600 delegates to an event held in one of the world's most commodious meeting places, a locale that often hosts national conferences attracting tens of thousands participants.

The decision by Tea Party leaders to deny local (Nashville) media access to the convention was surprising to say the least. I consider myself a "grass roots" reporter, often relating my common thoughts about significant events that occur within in my community and I was a bit disgruntled when I was denied press credentials to the Tea Party Convention. But when I learned that all local media, including the city's corporate newspapers and television affiliates we were banned I was surprised and offended. I was surprised that the leaders of a movement that hopes to gain "grass roots" support would deny media access to reporters at the "grass roots" level. I was offended by the idea that the Tea Party felt Nashville's local media was not qualified or important enough to cover their small event. However, after giving the issue some careful thought I decided the reason the Tea Party snubbed the local Nashville press was to "punish" us for our city's part in electing Barack Obama president. That is a reason I proudly embrace.

My Thoughts on The National Tea Party Convention...They Are All Mad

Alice: But I don't want to go among mad people.
The Cat: Oh, you can't help that. We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.
Alice: How do you know I'm mad?
The Cat: You must be. Or you wouldn't have come here.

Weekly Address By President Barack Obama, January 30, 2010

Weekly Address: Reining in Budget Deficits

The President pledges to rein the deficit, citing three specific steps to this end. He praises the Senate for restoring the pay-as-you-go law, discusses his proposal for a freeze in discretionary spending, and calls for a bipartisan Fiscal Commission to hammer out further concrete deficit reduction proposals.


President Obama Pledges to Rein in Budget Deficits

In his weekly address, President Barack Obama promised to rein the deficit, citing three specific steps to this end. He praised the Senate for restoring the pay-as-you-go law, which in the 1990’s contributed to the $236 billion surplus at the end of the decade. It is no coincidence that after ending PAYGO, that surplus became a $1.3 trillion deficit. He has also proposed a freeze in discretionary spending, which will increase investments in jobs creation and middle class tax cuts while cutting spending for redundant or ineffective programs. And finally, the President called for a bi-partisan Fiscal Commission to hammer out concrete deficit reduction proposals.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
As Prepared for Delivery
Weekly Address
January 30, 2010

At this time last year, amidst headlines about banks on the verge of collapse and job losses of 700,000 a month, we received another troubling piece of news about our economy. Our economy was shrinking at an alarming rate – the largest six-month decline in 50 years. Our factories and farms were producing less; our businesses were selling less; and more job losses were on the horizon.

One year later, according to numbers released this past week, this trend has reversed itself. For the past six months, our economy has been growing again. And last quarter, it grew more quickly than at any time in the past six years.

This is a sign of progress. And it’s an affirmation of the difficult decisions we made last year to pull our financial system back from the brink and get our economy moving again.

But when so many people are still struggling – when one in ten Americans still can’t find work, and millions more are working harder and longer for less – our mission isn’t just to grow the economy. It’s to grow jobs for folks who want them, and ensure wages are rising for those who have them. It’s not just about improvements we see in quarterly statistics, but ones people feel in their daily lives – a bigger paycheck; more security; the ability to give your kids a decent shot in life and still have enough to retire one day yourself.

That’s why job creation will be our number one focus in 2010. We’ll put more Americans back to work rebuilding our infrastructure all across the country. And since the true engines of job creation are America’s businesses, I’ve proposed tax credits to help them hire new workers, raise wages, and invest in new plants and equipment. I also want to eliminate all capital gains taxes on small business investment, and help small businesses get the loans they need to open their doors and expand their operations.

But as we work to create jobs, it is critical that we rein in the budget deficits we’ve been accumulating for far too long – deficits that won’t just burden our children and grandchildren, but could damage our markets, drive up our interest rates, and jeopardize our recovery right now.

There are certain core principles our families and businesses follow when they sit down to do their own budgets. They accept that they can’t get everything they want and focus on what they really need. They make tough decisions and sacrifice for their kids. They don’t spend what they don’t have, and they make do with what they’ve got.

It’s time their government did the same. That’s why I’m pleased that the Senate has just restored the pay-as-you-go law that was in place back in the 1990s. It’s no coincidence that we ended that decade with a $236 billion surplus. But then we did away with PAYGO – and we ended the next decade with a $1.3 trillion deficit. Reinstating this law will help get us back on track, ensuring that every time we spend, we find somewhere else to cut.

I’ve also proposed a spending freeze, so that as we increase investments in things we need, like job creation and middle class tax cuts – we cut spending on those we don’t, like tax cuts for oil companies and investment fund managers, and programs that are redundant, obsolete, or simply ineffective. Spending related to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security will not be affected – and neither will national security – but all other discretionary government programs will.

Finally, I’ve called for a bi-partisan Fiscal Commission – a panel of Democrats and Republicans who would sit down and hammer out concrete deficit-reduction proposals by a certain deadline. Because we’ve heard plenty of talk and a lot of yelling on TV about deficits, and it’s now time to come together and make the painful choices we need to eliminate those deficits.

This past week, 53 Democrats and Republicans voted for this commission in the Senate. But it failed when seven Republicans who had co-sponsored this idea in the first place suddenly decided to vote against it.

Now, it’s one thing to have an honest difference of opinion about something. I will always respect those who take a principled stand for what they believe, even if I disagree with them.

But what I won’t accept is changing positions because it’s good politics. What I won’t accept is opposition for opposition’s sake. We cannot have a serious discussion and take meaningful action to create jobs and control our deficits if politicians just do what’s necessary to win the next election instead of what’s best for the next generation.

I’m ready and eager to work with anyone who’s serious about solving the real problems facing our people and our country. I welcome anyone who comes to the table in good faith to help get our economy moving again and fulfill this country’s promise. That’s why we were elected in the first place. That’s what the American people expect and deserve. And that’s what we must deliver.

Thank you.

EXIT 196

By Betsy Thorpe

Dozens of travelers leave Interstate 40 at Exit 196 everyday, some to visit friends and family, others for fuel, refreshment or lodging. They all have a story to tell and we are here to share a tale or two that we heard at Exit 196.

Last fall on November 24, two days before Thanksgiving, Jimmy Johnson and Woodrow Luttrell, both of Bellevue were enjoying their evening "supper snack" at a local restaurant located near Exit 196 when, as was his custom, Mr. Johnson struck up a conversation with a family seated nearby. The family, consisting of a mother and three young children, were from Dickson and they happily conversed with Mr. Johnson throughout their meal time. Johnson , designated "Friendly Jimmy Johnson" by his friend, 93 year old Lutrell , is an outgoing fellow who is admired around Exit 196 for his congenial ways, and according to Lutrell, strikes up conversations with strangers where ever they dine because Johnson believes "people, especially children, like attention, and most people eating at these places usually enjoy conversation," however, the two men were very surprised to learn how much the family from Dickson enjoyed their conversation with Mr. Johnson. After the family left the restaurant Johnson and Lutrell were "floored" to learn that both their meals had been quietly taken care of by the woman from Dickson.

Lutrell said that after the two friends each lost their spouses in 2004 they " began chumming together a great deal and often travel to various Bellevue fast food places to eat what we call “supper snacks”.

On February 1st a celebration in honor of Jimmy Johnson's 90th birthday was held during lunch at Bellevue's Lakeshore Estates. In attendance were many residents of Lake Shore Estates including Mr. Johnson's good friend Mr.Woodrow Luttrell. Special guests included Jimmy Johnson's daughter Jo Ann Brooks and her husband Charlie, both of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and their daughter, Costa Morgan, of Franklin, Tennessee. Also present was Mr. Johnson's friend Dorene DuCharme who served cake and ice cream to the celebrants.

We want to wish Mr. "Friendly" Jimmy Johnson a very happy birthday and we hope he will continue to share "supper snack" conversation with all the local families and individuals that are fortunate to make his acquaintance at Exit 196.

Seattle Firm selected to design Centennial Park Master Plan

"Mayor Dean charged the Centennial Park Master Plan Committee with one overarching purpose: to revitalize a park that is at once a prime player in Metro Nashville’s network of greenspaces while also serving as Nashville’s central park. This revitalization involves much more than a general sprucing up. The committee’s objective is a long range plan that acknowledges past and future simultaneously, respecting the tradition of Centennial Park as a showcase for Nashville’s culture, arts and history, while transforming the park into a model of sustainable ecological practice and horticultural excellence."
Sylvia Rapoport, President,
The Conservancy for the Parthenon and Centennial Park

Mayor Karl Dean and The Conservancy for the Parthenon & Centennial Park announced today that landscape architects Gustafson Guthrie Nichol have been selected to lead the design team for the Centennial Park Master Plan. The firm was selected through a competitive process led by the Mayor’s Centennial Park Committee, which was appointed in November 2008 to oversee restoration of the park and its historical monuments and features. The development of the Centennial Park Master Plan is supported by private donations from HCA, Vanderbilt University and Shoney’s and will be completed over the next 10 months. “Gustafson Guthrie Nichol designs have enhanced signature public spaces across the country – from Millennium Park in Chicago to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston,” Dean said.