Tennessee, as most states in the country, has some serious issues:

AGENDA 21: We believe that UNITED NATIONS Agenda 21, ICLEI (International Council on Local Environmental Initiatives), Offices of Sustainable Development, Smart Growth, Communitarianim, and affiliated projects are the GREATEST THREATS TO THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, and the PERSONAL, PROPERTY, and CIVIL RIGHTS OF OUR CITIZENS, EVER. Check out our Agenda 21 pages, educate yourself on what's really happening with Agenda 21. Look, I'm not a Conspiracy Theorist by nature, but I was subjected to an Agenda 21 policy by my opponent in this race. That's why I'm running. To expose it. To STOP it. The Governor of Alabama recently OUTLAWED AGENDA 21, in all of its forms, in the state of Alabama. It's that real. On face value some of it sounds good...reasonable, but when you learn how - when it gets enacted - what sounded good gets turned into REGULATION, making it MANDATORY. That's when it gets dangerous. And the stories are frightening. I wouldn't have dreamed what happened to me could have happened in this country...but it did...and it does...everyday!


CORRUPTION: Our state is replete with corruption, by and among the state agencies, individually and collectively. It's well documented. For example, I've shared the details of a $56 MILLION DOLLAR BANK ACCOUNT that is off the state books! It currently has $13 Million in the account! The MONEY COMES FROM THE STATE SELLING YOUR RIGHTS to the water and waterways of TENNESSEE. My opponent, Sen. Mark Norris, attempted to make that process legal. Now, why would you try to make that process legal. , stripping the Citizen's of the state of TN of their water rights. while putting the money in a PRIVATE BANK ACCOUNT?!?! Sen. Norris, an attorney specializing in Petroleum Marketing, sits on a committee for the railroad, and we contend that he is trading off your rights so that our Governor can cut a $30M NET deal to supply diesel fuel to a new railyard. (The developer told us directly.) When HIS SPONSORED BILL, SB2211, came under fire, Sen Norris tried to REMOVE HIS NAME FROM THE BILL, BUT REFUSED TO PULL THE BILL ITSELF. We think that is corrupt. Whom is he representing...selling your rights?

LIFE, ABORTION, BIRTH CONTROL: I'm PRO-LIFE, Anti-Abortion, and against Government sponsored birth control.

EDUCATION: Tennessee has a real problem with education. Despite all of the work, and praise lavished on some of our legislators, Tennessee Education ranks number 44 out of 50, according to the American Legislative Exchange Council's Report Card on American Education . Furthermore, Tennessee students ranked second to last on the ACT in 2011. Tennessee is one of eight states that requires the ACT for all students, according to Education Week. Although Tennessee has fared much better in 2012, In the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which has results are culled from four separate tested areas, Tennessee scored in the bottom 10 of 50 states in all four areas.

It's not just statewide, it's particularly bad in Memphis. We have school board members engaging in dramatic scenarios in order to advertise their own church events. They should simply be removd from the board. The issues are too critical without having to put up with theirbuffoonery, dramatics, and self-serving actions.

Teacher Tenure and Charter Schools are also big issues in the state. I'm currently consulting with some education interests and teachers in order to cull a realistic scenario that will satisfy - or at least be acceptable - to all. The bottom line is that we have to re-vamp our system for the 21st century, training our students for the vocations that are out there, not simply turning out more of the same.


HEALTH CARE: Don't believe what you hear, that the Republicans are going to fix the state's Health Care system. It's not true. If they had any motivations to do so, they would have started already. There will be no significant change in Tennessee Health Care Policy under the currecnt system and structure.

Why? Simple. Because under the current structure there is a panel assessing the different Health Care offerings in the market,, deciding on the best - among the offerings - package for the state of Tennessee. The problem is that the panel works, and gets paid, on commission. Therefore, they simply decide among the packages at a specific level, unmotivated to significantly cut overhead, administrative costs, or unnecessary expenses. For every dime - or million dollars - they would cut in cost, they would cut their own commissions. When is the last time you saw that happen?!? And whom do you think is lobbying our politicians in Nashville to keep those Health Care dollars flowing? Ahh Yes! The Health Care Industry. Donations, Political Action Committees (PACS), and special deals of all kinds. Follow the money.

Thus, there will be no significant change in Tennessee Health Care until the Modus Operandi can be changed.

We've got a video coming on this shortly!


GUN CONTROL: I'm for the right to bear arms. Period. That's provided for in the U.S. Constitution. The great Japanese warrior Admiral Yamamoto, in consulting with his military counterparts, advised NOT TO ATTACK the U.S. mainland, on account that he deemed there would "be a gun behind every blade of grass." That RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS will still provide a significant deterrent, not only to our enemies, but to those traitors inside our own government who might have the idea of perpetrating some treasonous crime upon us.


TAXES, THE ECONOMY, JOBS: First of all, we've got to get this President OUT of the White House. It is imperative to the economic growth and well being of our country. I believe that he is purposely compromising our country in order to bring about a change that we do not believe in. Sovereignty, Personal Rights, Property Rights, Civil Rights, Gun Rights, Religious Freedom...that's where we should be. We need lower taxes, less regulation - but not to the point of abdication of responsibility. Low taxes, a flat tax code, and a responsible, enforceable, immigration policy.


RELIGIOUS ISSUES: Separation of church and state does not mean separating the church from state. Freedom of religion does not mean freedom FROM religion. Churches should retain their own separation from political and governental involvement and regulation, yet still be free to express their own doctrine, philosophy, and belief system without being admonished, fined, or otherwise regulated for hate speech, political action, or politically incorrect activity. The problem is that our Founding Fathers held these truths to be SELF EVIDENT, that all men are created equal and endowed by their CREATOR with certain inalienable rights, among them LIFE, LIBERTY, and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS. Yet, in the 21st century, our society is removing the basic premise that we have a CREATOR, and that our RIGHTS ARE GOD GIVEN. We've taken Prayer out of the schools and replaced it with New Age Philosophy. We've replaced Abstinence and Religious Purity with Safe Sex Education and Condoms. As mirrored in our society, 50 years ago the greatest problem in school was chewing gum, today it's semi-automatic weapons. Is it any wonder that we are getting the results we are.


GAY RIGHTS: Marriage is defined as the spiritual/religious union between one man and one woman. With the premise that there is a Creator and that he gives us our rights, and that our Creator has provided us with a Holy Book of do's and don'ts, we have to conclude that the argument is over. However, for those who do not believe in the Creator and the Holy Book as a foundation for our governmental institutions, an argument is made that their LIFE, LIBERTY, and PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS RIGHTS include marriage. I understand that argument. I do not agree. I do not accept the premise that one can argue the contents of the foundational documents while simultaneously ignoring - and/or all together denying - the premises presented in those documents.

DON'T FORGET! SEND YOUR ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS TO Campaign@Degan4Senate.org.