What About Us?

The poor make life good for the wealthy in a regressive tax structure. Tennessee has the worst in the country! Carol Abney, CPA returns to tell us how the American Rescue Plan helps struggling businesses and families in distressed Clay County after Covid. The monied GOP supermajority sends in the suits to tell them what to do. The hospital is still closed.

Getting to the polls to exercise our right to vote and participate in Democracy should not be so difficult.  Former Congressional candidate Chris Hale discusses how federal bill HR-1 would make it easier for rural voices to be heard not drowned out by extremists, big contributors and unfairly drawn voting districts. 

It is obviously time to standardize to stop the divisions that threaten who we are as Americans and Tennesseans.

Despite the state's rural initiative in 2018, Tennessee is home to 9 distressed counties where poverty has become persistent and generational. 30 more are at risk. Grundy County in Middle Tennessee in one of them. 

Native resident Emily Partin has marshaled resources to improve the lives of children and families by renovating the old Tracy City High School to house multiple support programs. Could this be repeated in other rural counties?

Tamara Bates (political advisor of the TNDP) and Sandy discuss voter suppression that already exists in our state. Other red states try to go as low as Tennessee in stripping the right to vote from citizens. Restrictive photo ID’s, limited absentee balloting, no Sunday voting, no drop boxes, waiting periods and court battles for anything that would make the practice of democracy more convenient for working people, students, young, rural and senior voters. Protecting the voting box means protecting it from you with our conservative GOP majority.

Executive Director of the Cumberland Center for Justice and Peace Lisa Rung talks about her organization's activism and outreach. 

They sponsor a variety of activities in rural communities that think globally and act locally... Maybe your group could use some fresh ideas: cumberlandjusticeandpeace@gmail.com

For Black History Month and in honor of Rosa Parks' birthday (February 4th!), we take a look at her life, including the importance the Highlander Folk School in Monteagle, Tennessee had on her life and activism. Another connection Parks had to Tennessee were the words spoken by then-Senator Frist as she was lying in state in the US Capitol Rotunda.

What About Us? is honored to be a part of the TN Holler Podcast Network.

Perceived problems with the 2020 election are historical but many things like government IDs, long lines, limited hours, closed polling places, intimidation and misinformation have been chipping away at our ability and willingness to vote for years.  We the people will need to overcome voter fraud in all its forms or risk losing our right to self-govern.

What About Us? is honored to be a part of the TN Holler Podcast Network.

Dr. John Palisano, former Professor at the University of the South, joins again to talk about the Coronavirus and why it has proven to be so deadly, but also about the amazing science and technology that will bring us vaccines in the next few weeks.  How do vaccines work and why it is so important to get one? Effective and safe - welcome back science, we missed you!

What About Us? is honored to be a part of the TN Holler Podcast Network.

Anne Ferrell Quillen is the President of the recently formed and awesome TNDP rural caucus.  Although rural areas are represented by elected officials, they don’t seem to have us in mind when they vote with the GOP supermajority. Expanding Medicaid for rural hospitals, funding for public schools and infrastructure, and developing economic opportunities for our businesses, communities and way of life are all essential issues for rural Tennessee. We do make up 93% of the state. Let’s elect some homegrown candidates to make some change.

What About Us? is honored to be a part of the TN Holler Podcast Network.

Carol Abney, candidate for TN House District 38, knows about distressed counties and closed rural hospitals. Fentress and 3 other TN counties were removed from the bottom 10% of economic performers across the country but 2 more in this district remain on the list.  A licensed CPA, Carol discusses the tax burdens, limited resources, inaccessible medical care, and lack of job opportunities that keep rural residents distressed.  The TN Rural Initiative provides" window dressing” when real financial support from the state government is needed.

What About Us? is honored to be a part of the TN Holler Podcast Network.

What if we studied a truer version of history, with all its failed and bloody battles, gruesome beatings, lynching, slavery and theft of land from Native Americans? Would we be a better nation, a better people?  Dr. John Willis, professor of Southern History at the University of the South tells a true story of what residents of a rural Tennessee town experienced in the lawless conditions late in the Civil War.

The TN budget was cut by $1 billion in June due to reduced revenue from the COVID 19 and financial crises.  The rainy day fund and Gov Lee's pet voucher program are  "safe" but public school teachers and schoolchildren were kicked to the side of the curb. But public school teachers and children were kicked to the side of the road again. State Senate candidate for District 14 Chase Clemons discusses how rural Tennessee values for quality education are not shared by our representatives in the General Assembly.

Candidate for State Senate District 16 Sheila Younglove talks about how TN policies affect the lives of mothers and women in the state. From unspent federal dollars for temporary assistance, high rates of gun violence against women, refusal to expand Medicaid, or even post-partum benefits, the health and safety of women is not a priority for our legislators.

Dr. Susan Andrews, Medical Director of Beersheba Springs Medical Clinic in underserved Grundy County laments the sluggish national and state responses to the Covid 19 and economic crises. The least Tennesseans can do is wear a mask, social distance and avoid gatherings. Why can’t many even do that?

A Black American died under a policeman's knee on May 25 and the country said "enough".  Will we as rural Tennesseans say enough as well?  For over 150 years, the uplifting of symbols and leaders of a lost Civil War defined the South but now we have to choose how we define our future.

Are we anti-abortion, pro-choice, or pro-life? It's an issue we have debated, fought over with cruelty and violence, and divided ourselves over at least since Roe vs. Wade in 1973.  Why, when we all agree that life is precious? What does it truly mean to be pro-life?

Refugee policy from the US to a rural Tennessee county government.

What is a virus, why is hand washing so important, and aren't vaccines dangerous too?  You've heard what to do to prevent coronavirus but why? Dr. John Palisano is a biologist with experience in studying viruses and will give us the science and history of viruses and tell us what we can do to protect ourselves.

Dr. Jon Evans, Botanist at the University of the South reminds us that we need to know about science in order to demand legislation that reflects our values-like clean water. The Clean Water Act of 1972 and other environmental policies are rapidly being rolled back. Is a dirty planet what we want?

Rural Tennesseans want accessible, affordable, quality health care. They want their hospitals to stop closing. Governor Lee and the legislature answer, not with Medicaid Expansion, a proven commodity for over 30 states but an untested Medicaid Block Grant. Not only is its legality questioned but not a single hospital or uninsured individual would be saved.

Jesse Wilson is a traditional farmer in that she has animals and grows food. Our farmers are aging, young farmers face incredible challenges. What will our rural communities look like if large corporate farms prevailed?

We begin Season 2 of "What about us?" A  discussion of policies that impact rural Tennesseans with interviews, discussion, and personal stories on a variety of topics such as health care accessibility, small businesses, employment, education, and the environment. We hope you'll join us, be on the lookout for the first episode of Season 2, coming soon!

Lauren Newman with a degree in environmental sustainability and chemistry debunks hysteria about the New Green Deal. It is not a policy or legislation but a resolution for what America needs to do to avoid a climate disaster. Get on it, future generations depend on it.

How to stop the Tennessee's Medicaid Block Grant Proposal.