Blackburn rallies local GOP

A Marine color guard presented the U.S. flag during Saturday night's Bedford County Republican Party banquet. (T-G Photo by John I. Carney) [Click to enlarge]

The banquet was held at the Blue Ribbon Circle on the Celebration grounds.

Blackburn said the party's losses in 2006 were the result of a loss of focus on key messages.

"Republicans lost because Republicans lost their way," she said. She said, however, that the party is poised to make gains in state government this year, solidifying its hold on the State Senate and possibly taking control of the House as well.

(T-G Video by John I. Carney)

Blackburn, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, scoffed at the Democratic response to the current energy situation.

"The liberal elite in Washington don't want to talk about answers...." she said. "Their energy policy this year is, 'let's outlaw the light bulb.'" She was critical of legislation to outlaw normal incandescent bulbs in favor of energy-saving fluorescent models, noting that the fluorescent bulbs contain mercury and require detailed instructions for dispoal or for what to do if the bulb breaks.

Earlier in the week, Tennessee Democratic Party Chair Gray Sasser had called high gas prices a Democratic issue; Blackburn called them a Republican issue, saying that the increase in gas prices had come since the Democrats took control of the U.S. House. She said the key to reducing America's dependence on foreign oil is to increase domestic production and domestic refining capability. When Blackburn's daughter was born in 1977, there were 324 U.S. oil refineries; there are now 149, she said.

State Sen. Jim Tracy (T-G Photo by John I. Carney) [Click to enlarge]

On the issue of the economy, she was sharply critical of what she called a Democratic tax increase of $683 billion over the next five years. If that figure were equally applied to all income groups, it would equate to $2,668 per Tennessee taxpayer per year.

She said the rising cost of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security must be brought under control, or by 2030 all available tax revenues will be needed to pay for those programs and the interest on the federal debt.

"Political freedom and economic freedom are always linked," she said.

On the issue of Iraq, Blackburn said U.S. troops are frustrated that citizens on the home front don't hear about the progress that is being made. She characterized the Iraq war as a war on terrorism and said it was necessary to fight terrorists in Iraq in order to keep from fighting them in the U.S.

State Sen. Jim Tracy, who introduced Blackburn, called her "the most conservative female member of Congress." He noted that as a state legislator, she had led the fight against a state income tax and credited her with preventing its passage.

Blackburn, similarly, praised Tracy and noted that she'd brought him to her home county, Williamson, for various speaking engagements.

"We have kind of adopted Jim," she said.

Tracy is seeking re-election this year. Also present for Saturday's banquet was Barbara Blanton, a local Republican stalwart who is challenging Democratic State Rep. Curt Cobb for the 62nd House District which includes Bedford County. Blanton led the Pledge of Allegiance during Saturday's program.

Local Republican Party chair Deborah Bailey emceed the event, which included a salute to all of the veterans in attendance, led by Bailey's husband Dr. Carl Bailey.