Friday, March 20, 2009
Legislature / Politics / Woods Thelma Harper Joins Supporters of Kill Old People Cheap Act
Posted by Jeff Woods on Fri, Mar 20, 2009 at 9:23 AM
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The NAACP joined AARP this week in calling for the defeat of legislation placing a $300,000 cap on damages that Tennessee nursing homes ever would pay for abusing and neglecting their patients. Here's what NAACP state president Gloria Sweet-Love had to say:
"This is one of the most deceitful and unjust pieces of legislation we have ever seen. The light must be shined on the nursing home industry in Tennessee and the NAACP intends to be the torch bearer. The industry is trying to cloak their intentions by calling the bill the Choose Care Tennessee Act, there is nothing in this bill that will increase care in nursing homes. This legislation unfairly limits victim's rights and punishes the elderly at their weakest. It comes at a time when the quality of care in Tennessee nursing homes is at a record low and profits of nursing homes operators continue to soar."All of which is true. In fact, the quality of care in Tennessee nursing homes ranks 47th worst in the country, according to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. So how do you explain the momentum this bill seems to be gaining? Eight new lawmakers have signed on to it, making 18 of them now in all. Oddly, given the NAACP's strong opposition, the bill's new champions include Nashville's very own Sen. Thelma Harper, who is black. Pith is going out on a limb here to say some of these fine elected officials have been influenced by campaign cash. Yes, we know, it's hard to believe. The nursing home industry has doled out $134,000 this decade to legislators, including $23,000 to its bill's prime Senate sponsor, Jim Tracy, $16,000 to Sen. Jack Johnson, $19,500 to Sen. Bill Ketron, $5,000 to Sen. Paul Stanley, and $13,500 to Sen. Randy McNally. Among House sponsors, GOP leader Jason Mumpower has been given $16,500, Speaker Pro Tem Lois DeBerry $12,500, Deputy Speaker Steve McDaniel $8,000, and GOP caucus chair Glen Casada $3,600. Harper has gotten only $1,000, which means one of three things: (1) She sells out cheap. (2) She's expecting to cash in later. (3) She honestly thinks it's a good idea to strip grandma of the right to hold her nursing home accountable for treating her like a piece of garbage.
Comments (3)
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Why not? Odum, Forrester and the bunch are selling the Tennessee Democrat Party to . . . well, shit, it ain't even the highest bidder. They're selling it to anyone that's got a buck. Harper might as well get hers.
TNDP - R.I.P.
Posted by
Heatseeker
on March 20, 2009 at 10:57 PM
I think you're right, Heat. The shamelessness continues to mount. That ship isn't just rudderless; it doesn't even have sails. Shouldn't someone petition the national party for an intervention, or at least call a doctor to see if anyone's heart's still working?
Posted by
pete kotz
on March 21, 2009 at 11:51 AM
