TN Republicans - Baby Killers

[Smith]

Who said the media is out of touch and dead! This sums up the left and the media in two articles. Ironically the CA article was in the Tennessean's Sunday paper, but omitted from the website. What they omit is any information as to what all this money is going for except to say studying the reasons and then try to tie in the racial component. Nice!

NASHVILLE -- Despite pleas by children's advocates and testimony that babies will die, Republicans on the state Senate Finance Committee stripped funding for an infant-death reduction initiative that officials say is reducing Memphis and Tennessee's high rates of infant mortality.The committee voted 7-4, on straight party lines Thursday night to reject an effort by Senate Democratic Leader Jim Kyle of Memphis and others to restore the state budget funding for the governor's Office of Children's Care Coordination and the grants it administers across Tennessee.

Republicans hold a 19-14 Senate majority, and the budget alternative they first unveiled May 11 has called for cutting the program's $4.6 million budget in half for the fiscal year that starts July 1, then eliminating it entirely the following year.

But Bob Duncan, director of both the Office of Children's Care Coordination and the Cover Kids health insurance program, said that effectively eliminates the program and its grants for local services in Shelby County and across Tennessee on Dec. 31. Asked what would happen if that occurs, he said, "You will see an increase in babies dying."

After rejecting Kyle's request to restore the funds, the committee approved the GOP budget alternative and sent it to the Senate floor for a vote set for Wednesday.

The infant mortality program is part of a stalemate over the budget between the House and Senate that has kept lawmakers in session for weeks beyond the mid-April adjournment leaders targeted -- costing taxpayers $24,400 a day in expense pay to lawmakers and $19,500 in weekly travel reimbursements.

Much of the budget fight has focused on larger spending projects that Republicans describe as "pork," including a $16 million fish hatchery in East Tennessee, $5 million for the National Civil Rights Museum and $4 million to demolish four large abandoned buildings at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis.

Kyle and Senate Republican Leader Mark Norris of Collierville are the only two Shelby County lawmakers on the Finance Committee.

Norris voted the party line to remove funding from the program, begun in 2004 and expanded in 2006 by Gov. Phil Bredesen and the legislature to address infant-death rates that are worse in some Memphis neighborhoods than in many third-world nations.

Children's health advocates were stunned as word spread Friday.

"I think the action by the committee is very disappointing and disturbing, and if their action is sustained through the full Senate and is the outcome of the state budget, it will have very very serious negative affects on the successful efforts we've made thus far on reducing infant mortality rates here in Shelby County and across the whole state," said Yvonne Madlock, Shelby County director of health services.

Deborah Clubb, executive director of the Memphis Area Women's Council, said the committee's vote "will shut down all of the effort that began five years ago ... to address the horrific rate of dying babies in Shelby County."

"It's bizarre that fish hatcheries in East Tennessee stand a better chance of being funded than programs that directly impact our infant mortality rate, saving African-American babies, through funding by the Governor's Office of Children's Care Coordination," Clubb said.

" African-American babies are dying at three times the rate of Caucasian babies."

Tennessee lawmakers who fight for laws to "choose life" now want to cut funding that helps keep the babies alive once they are born.

Have they no shame? No moral compass whatsoever? Tennessee ranked an abysmal 47th in the nation for the number of babies who die before their first birthday in 2003, and Gov. Phil Bredesen dedicated $4.6 million — matched dollar for dollar by federal money — to stop that.

Guess what Senate Republicans stripped from the state budget late last week? Yep. The folks who fight abortion as immoral and anti-Christian don't seem to care too much what happens once a mother gives birth. Can you imagine how they'll explain that on Judgment Day?

"Well, Lord. It was like this. We believe life begins at conception, and we're against ending those lives. Once the babies are born? You're on your own, kiddo. It's a tough world. And we don't tolerate slackers.

It's heartbreaking hypocrisy.

"If you are going to have a baby, let's give that baby a fighting chance," said Bob Duncan, head of the Governor's Office of Children's Care Coordination, which is on the chopping block. "This is real stuff. This is lives that are being saved and babies getting a chance to live. It just breaks my heart to know what is going to

happen." If the Senate's budget passes, this office will close.

What is going to happen? Newborns are going to die. It's that simple. Politicians cannot hide the chilling statistics: In 2006, nine out of every 1,000 babies born in Nashville died before their first birthday. Today, thanks to this program that rate is down to six out of 1,000 births.

"There are three babies alive today that wouldn't have been in 2006," Duncan said.

Preventing answers

It's progress. But it's not enough. The money state senators cut is used to methodically study infant mortality across the state. Area by area, why are babies dying?

"We basically can do a community review of every infant death, the community issues, the family issues, all the systems that could have intervened," said Dr. Bill Paul, head of the Metro Health Department.

Using an evidence-based practice — meaning it has been proved to work — the state funds programs at nonprofits, hospitals and health departments that treat pregnant mothers so babies are born on time, not prematurely, and at a healthy weight. And they continue monitoring and offering services after the baby is born. Specific examples include prenatal vitamins, nutrition counseling, help quitting smoking, regular physician visits and distribution of safe bassinets.

How can any reasonable person turn that into a political football? It's one thing to get into a fistfight in the waning days of the legislative session over projects like a fish hatchery and museums.

But this? If the house doesn't put the money back, Senate Republicans will have balanced the state budget on the fragile backs of newborns, who cannot vote. And Tennessee babies will keep dying.

Pro-life? Really?

[SHbicycle]

"Tennessean"

[Currently]

When my daughter got "involved" with a bad boy from the projects that she was going to "turn around", she got pregnant and true colors emerged.

We invited her back into our home, rent free, to get her act together.

Just two rules, you don't go partying on weekends and you take care of your kid.

Somehow, the NHDHS heard about this and called the house to "offer" their services. I quite firmly stated that they were not to call back and that their offer for help was not wanted. We are quite capable of taking care of our own. When the lady insisted, I made it very clear to her that she was not to call back again. After stuttering goodbye, never heard from them again.

My daughter got her act together, banked close to $20k while she lived with us and I had the pleasure and privilege of sharing my granddaughters first two years of life with us.

I did my best trying to turn her into a tomboy by watching Horsepower TV every Saturday with her, but despite my best efforts, she turned into a girlie girl. She really got a kick out of the female host of that show.

If this country would only go back to accepting accountability for their actions and not looking for a free ride for their "mistakes" becoming dependent on institutionalized welfare ...

She is now married with a good man that adopted her, my granddaughter now has a good life.

No taxpayer money was spent.

WTF are these newspapers and liberals doing to our country?

/rant

Edited May 31, 2010 by Currently

[Guest SUNTZU]

When my daughter got "involved" with a bad boy from the projects that she was going to "turn around", she got pregnant and true colors emerged.

We invited her back into our home, rent free, to get her act together.

Just two rules, you don't go partying on weekends and you take care of your kid.

Somehow, the NHDHS heard about this and called the house to "offer" their services. I quite firmly stated that they were not to call back and that their offer for help was not wanted. We are quite capable of taking care of our own. When the lady insisted, I made it very clear to her that she was not to call back again. After stuttering goodbye, never heard from them again.

My daughter got her act together, banked close to $20k while she lived with us and I had the pleasure and privilege of sharing my granddaughters first two years of life with us.

I did my best trying to turn her into a tomboy by watching Horsepower TV every Saturday with her, but despite my best efforts, she turned into a girlie girl. She really got a kick out of the female host of that show.

If this country would only go back to accepting accountability for their actions and not looking for a free ride for their "mistakes" becoming dependent on institutionalized welfare ...

She is now married with a good man that adopted her, my granddaughter now has a good life.

No taxpayer money was spent.

WTF are these newspapers and liberals doing to our country?

/rant

We need a +1 button. Nice to see a family sticking together.

[Guest Catdaddy]

Interesting that the program was to study why the babies die. It didn't say they were able to do anything to stop the behavior/conditions that caused the deaths.

[robin48]

When my daughter got "involved" with a bad boy from the projects that she was going to "turn around", she got pregnant and true colors emerged.

We invited her back into our home, rent free, to get her act together.

Just two rules, you don't go partying on weekends and you take care of your kid.

Somehow, the NHDHS heard about this and called the house to "offer" their services. I quite firmly stated that they were not to call back and that their offer for help was not wanted. We are quite capable of taking care of our own. When the lady insisted, I made it very clear to her that she was not to call back again. After stuttering goodbye, never heard from them again.

My daughter got her act together, banked close to $20k while she lived with us and I had the pleasure and privilege of sharing my granddaughters first two years of life with us.

I did my best trying to turn her into a tomboy by watching Horsepower TV every Saturday with her, but despite my best efforts, she turned into a girlie girl. She really got a kick out of the female host of that show.

If this country would only go back to accepting accountability for their actions and not looking for a free ride for their "mistakes" becoming dependent on institutionalized welfare ...

She is now married with a good man that adopted her, my granddaughter now has a good life.

No taxpayer money was spent.

WTF are these newspapers and liberals doing to our country?

/rant

Good job and well said.

[Mike.357]

We invited her back into our home, rent free, to get her act together.

Currently, I am happy it worked out for you, you are blessed and lucky.

[Currently]

She is a good kid, more than a little stubborn, but she was well brought up.

Mom (SWMBO*) deserves that credit a lot more than I do.

Family is important to me.

My folks did all they could to help me to where I am at.

The least I can do is the same for my children.

*(She Who Must Be Obeyed)

[Guest 6.8 AR]

When my daughter got "involved" with a bad boy from the projects that she was going to "turn around", she got pregnant and true colors emerged.

We invited her back into our home, rent free, to get her act together.

Just two rules, you don't go partying on weekends and you take care of your kid.

Somehow, the NHDHS heard about this and called the house to "offer" their services. I quite firmly stated that they were not to call back and that their offer for help was not wanted. We are quite capable of taking care of our own. When the lady insisted, I made it very clear to her that she was not to call back again. After stuttering goodbye, never heard from them again.

My daughter got her act together, banked close to $20k while she lived with us and I had the pleasure and privilege of sharing my granddaughters first two years of life with us.

I did my best trying to turn her into a tomboy by watching Horsepower TV every Saturday with her, but despite my best efforts, she turned into a girlie girl. She really got a kick out of the female host of that show.

If this country would only go back to accepting accountability for their actions and not looking for a free ride for their "mistakes" becoming dependent on institutionalized welfare ...

She is now married with a good man that adopted her, my granddaughter now has a good life.

No taxpayer money was spent.

WTF are these newspapers and liberals doing to our country?

/rant

I'm glad to see everything working out. +1

If the program wasn't there, I wonder how many babies would die. I doubt the program does anyone any good. Studying infant mortality doesn't save

anything.

[Smith]

I'm glad to see everything working out. +1

If the program wasn't there, I wonder how many babies would die. I doubt the program does anyone any good. Studying infant mortality doesn't save

anything.

It's government. They spend millions of dollars studying how families work best to find out families work best. Of course they couldn't just go read history books or learn from the past. There must be an unknown better way to do things. as the scripture says, "there is nothing new under the sun." Technologies may change but human nature does not.

Thing is the more government programs there are to "prevent" these things the more the problems have escalated. Just look at the black community. single mother households, abortion rates, mortality rates, poverty rates, property ownership, ect have all escalated to the negative in dramatic fashion in direct proportion to the amount of government money and programs fashioned to prevent it.

[Guest Jamie]

Technologies may change but human nature does not.

Yup. And until it does change, we're going to keep having the same old problems, just as we always have.

It's government.

Uh huh... The problem though is that the government is made up of...us.

J.

[Smith]

Uh huh... The problem though is that the government is made up of...us.

J.

No it's not. It's made up of mostly leftist who know what's best for us.

[Guest Jamie]

No it's not. It's made up of mostly leftist who know what's best for us.

It's made up of humans. And therein lies the problem.

J.

[Guest SUNTZU]

It's made up of humans. And therein lies the problem.

J.

Jamie, its this type of thinking that is going to lead to the Rise of the Machines.

[Guest HvyMtl]

Just think of all those poor fish! No aid to spawn, no aid to hatch, no aid to feed, no aid to be shipped all over the state...

Oh. Sorry. Wrong thread...

[Smith]

Just think of all those poor fish! No aid to spawn, no aid to feed, no aid to be shipped all over the state...

Oh. Sorry. Wrong thread...

Actually, it's spot on.

[Guest Jamie]

Jamie, its this type of thinking that is going to lead to the Rise of the Machines.

Could be.

Hmm... That pic does makes me wonder what Obama might look like, under that skin...

J.

[Guest jackdm3]

[Smith]

I find it humorous the turns threads take! From Republican baby killers to Terminator 3! Haha.

Edited June 1, 2010 by Smith

[Guest SUNTZU]

I find it humorous how the turns thread take! From Republican baby killers to Terminator 3! Haha.

Yet its always interesting. I personally think most of the crap is just the media looking to gain viewers and sell papers.

[Smith]

Well, it is the only thing I read in their paper.

[Guest Ae-35]

Has anyone asked why we need another fish hatchery? We have one in Unicoi county ,and it provides Rainbow trout fingerlings for all the state and sends rainbow fingerlings all the way west to Mo. and north to Mn. I see it as just a "pork project" for the speakers home county ( Carter) , also we get Walleye fingerlings back from , Mo. and Mn. to stock in lakes all over the state !!!! It's just the speakers way of trying to buy votes in Carter county because he's in real trouble with the GOP in Carter county.