Jeff is running for the State Senate because it’s time for fundamental change in the Tennessee legislature. As a state senator, he will strive to replace the sideshow politics of recent years with a focus on identifying real solutions to the problems confronting citizens across the state. Below are a few of Jeff’s priorities and ideas for moving Tennessee forward. Over the coming months, Jeff will meet citizens from across the district and will continue to expand his platform.
Re-Imagining Education
Every child should have a meaningful opportunity for educational success. After winning the federal Race to the Top competition, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to re-imagine public education in Tennessee. Indeed, our state is poised to lead the nation in education reform. But it is not going to happen without forward-thinking, engaged leaders who will work tirelessly to meet our moral obligation to put kids first and reject excuses for failure. We must cut the dropout rate in half over the next four years and double the number of students completing some form of post-secondary education over the next eight years.
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Advocating Women’s Rights
Research indicates that unless the specific needs of women are taken into account when crafting public policy, those needs will be overlooked, and women will continue to be systematically disadvantaged. In recent years, our legislature has gotten off track when it comes to standing up for women.
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Building on the Strengths of Our Economy
Expanding Tennessee’s economy and creating new jobs must be a priority for the legislature. Almost 11% of Tennesseans are currently unemployed, which has a real impact on our families and communities. If we are to come out of the current economic downturn positioned for success, Tennessee must consistently focus on the jobs of the future. A few of Jeff’s ideas for getting Tennesseans back to work are:
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Protecting the Environment & Investing in Clean Energy
Environmental protection and the development of clean energy are critical to preserving our natural resources and to building our economy. We need our leaders to focus not only on conservation, but also on innovative ideas to promote sustainable communities and create new, green jobs. It’s time for our legislature to stand up to special interests and look to the future and offer tangible, pragmatic solutions that encourage all Tennesseans to be more mindful of their connection to the environment.
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Improving Health Care
Tennessee ranks in the bottom five of almost every national health ranking. We must do better, but our legislature is wasting time treating health reform like a political football. It’s time for us to implement insurance reform in a way that will work for Tennessee families, to expand preventative care for children and adults, and to focus on public health issues such as childhood obesity, access to fresh foods, and diabetes prevention.
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Moving Past Guns in Bars
During the last two years, our legislature has supported allowing guns in bars over the opposition of law enforcement and property owners, and over Governor Bredesen’s veto. While Jeff supports individual rights under the Second Amendment, this legislation runs counter to common sense and is bad for Tennessee businesses. Additionally, this initiative and the various versions before it wasted valuable time and resources that the legislature could have put toward countless other more important tasks.
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