SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2011 Some Cities Object to Being Carved Up by Redistricting (New York Times)

There are no guard towers, or Checkpoint Charlies, or even walls. But scores of American cities, counties a metropolitan areas are being divided again splitting apart families, neighbors and, most important, voters w similar interests and needs as states engage in the once-a-decade process of drawing the lines of ne Congressional districts. And mayors and local officials in many places are none too happy about it. Austin, a libe island in Texas that has long been carved into multiple districts, would still be divided in three under a plan th was drawn up last week by a Texas court. In North Carolina, where Republicans drew maps that are expected give them a big advantage, a lawsuit complained that one of the new districts seeps into pieces of 19 differe counties and has so many twists and turns that its perimeter is 1,319 miles long. Toledo was splintered into thr Congressional districts in the map that Ohio Republicans passed this fall to the dismay of its mayor, Michael Bell, who worried that his citys clout in Washington would be diluted if its representatives had to weigh t competing needs of different areas. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/us/politics/mayors-concerned-as-redistricting-carves-up-urban-areas.html? ref=todayspaper

GOP Governors Gather for Annual Meeting (C-Span)

The Republican Governors' Association held its annual meeting this week in Orlando, Florida. During the eve they elected Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell as their new chairman. In this session from the meeting, t governors heard from some state executives about economic and budget issues and other challenges they' faced in office. Taking part in the discussion are Indiana's Mitch Daniels, Susana Martinez of New Mexico, Florida Rick Scott, Ohio's John Kasich, Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, and Scott Walker of Wisconsin. http://www.c-span.org/Events/C-SPAN-Event/10737425983/

Under NCLB waiver, schools able to celebrate accomplishments (N-S/McCoy)

When Norwood Elementary Principal Elizabeth Lackey first began studying her students' proficiency scores, t information overwhelmed her. Then she began looking at the children who were close to meeting proficiency mathematics and reading. The calculations from that analysis remain on the dry eraser board in her office: students in mathematics and 44 students in reading, broken down by grade level. Included in that group are fourth-graders who were near to making their goal. To Lackey, they represent more than a collection of statistic "Now I know those 11 children," she said. "There are 11 little faces attached to that number, and we say those a 11 children that we are going to pull out today and work with. That has been the key for us looking at all of o data." This year at Norwood, Lackey said students are being broken up into smaller groups based on th proficiency levels. They have more uninterrupted instruction time, especially in math and reading. And educato are already seeing improvements. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/04/under-nclb-waiver-schools-able-to-celebrate/

Imagination Library wants to grow in Montgomery County (Leaf Chronicle)

It's a known fact that the first five years of child's life are the most important as they reach new developmen milestones. To contribute to that development, the Imagination Library and the Governor's Books from Bi Foundation continues to promote literacy by providing free books to children from birth until they reach 5 years o Dolly Parton's Imagination Library was created in 1996 by the country singer as a gift to the children in h hometown of Sevierville and was later expanded to the entire state with the creation of the Governor's Books fro Birth Foundation in 2004 by Gov. Phil Bredesen. Imagination Libraries are organized in all 95 counties. Nearly percent of Tennessee children currently are enrolled in the program, 210,000 Tennessee 5-year-olds have alrea "graduated" from the Imagination Library, and 347,573 children have participated in the program since it began

2004, according to its official W eb site. Contrary to popular belief, Parton does not fund the program, which is fr to participating children. It costs $24 per child for purchase and delivery of 12 books a year. http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20111204/NEWS01/112040334/Imagination-Library-wants-growMontgomery-County

Preservationists expect surge in battle interest (Tennessean/Walters)

A candelight ceremony marked by songs, a handful of Civil War re-enactors and little more than 150 attende quietly commemorated the 147th anniversary of the Battle of Franklin this year. As in years past, the event w somber and understated. Yet it is future ceremonies and broader year-round tourist interest in Franklins ties to t Civil War that excite local preservationists.State officials have been paying particular attention to Franklin t year. Gov. Bill Haslam announced a $500,000 grant to help pay for a new $869,000 road off Lewisburg Pike into the citys battlefield park in Franklin. The city would be responsible for the balance. The Tennessee Civil W National Heritage Area will give Franklin a $240,000 grant to pay for kiosks at the 110-acre park, which was pa for with $5 million in city and private donations in 2005. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111204/W ILLIAMSON10/312030005/Preservationists-expect-surge-battleinterest

State offers protection to employees after snafu (Associated Press)

The state of Tennessee is offering credit protection to nearly 2,000 employees who canceled their health or den insurance after officials mailed out their personal information in October. Each mailing included a certifica containing the information of the recipient and three other letters aimed at other members of the plan. Sta officials say 1,770 certificates were mailed to the wrong address. Each included name, address, employee number, healthcare insurance coverage dates and Social Security number, which was not identified as such b appeared at the bottom of each certificate. The state is offering affected employees a year's credit protecti through Lifelock free for one year. Each has been mailed a letter about the program and has until Dec. 28 to si up. http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=tennessean&sParam=38072277.story

Driver centers issue photo IDs (Chattanooga Times Free-Press/Pantazi)

A man walked into a building off Bonny Oaks Drive, turned in his drivers license, took off his fake Ray-B Wayfarer eyeglasses and New York Yankees ball cap and had his picture taken. Antonio Brown hasnt missed election since he was 18, and he wasnt about to miss the 2012 season either. W hen he heard that Tennessee h passed a law requiring a picture ID to vote, he thought it was a good idea. Its fair for everybody, he said. S when the 27-year-old heard that some drivers license centers would be open the first Saturday of every month issues photo IDs, he decided he needed to come as soon as he could. He didnt want to wait until later to qualify vote. Its important, he said. While Brown showed up at the drivers license center at 6502 Bonny Oaks Dri about 2:30 p.m. Saturday, most of the people who received new licenses that day had come in the mornin Department of Safety District Supervisor Caroline W alker said most of the people receiving new licenses a elderly, and the elderly, she said, tend to wake up early. As of 2:30 p.m., she said 66 people had received a ne license.http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/04/driver-centers-issue-photo-ids/?local

Flooding expected today, Monday Residents urged to prepare now (Jackson Sun)

West Tennessee could get 6 inches or more of rain between early today and Tuesday morning, and emergen management officials are preparing for the possibility of extensive flooding. "If you were affected by the May 20 floods, you need to get ready," said Marty Clements, Madison County Emergency Management Agency direct "We are preparing for the worst. "We try to let the public know as soon as possible," he said. "If they will go ahe and evacuate low-lying areas now, this makes it safer for them and responders." Ryan Husted, a meteorologist the National Weather Service in Memphis, said heavy rains will start this morning with 5 to 6 inches, possibly mo expected to come down steadily by Monday night or Tuesday morning. He said thunderstorms and flash floodi are not expected, but that the water will rise slowly in low-lying areas, close to creeks and rivers, and that som places east of Jackson could receive mixed precipitation of rain and snow as temperatures will remain lo Clements urged individuals to make preparations now and move valuable belongings that could be affected flooding. He urged businesses to think of their merchandise and employees. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20111204/NEWS01/112040314/Flooding-expected

Polk County remap ready for vote (Chattanooga Times Free-Press/Leach)

The Polk County Redistricting Committees fifth plan, dubbed Plan 2B, promises minimal changes to Districts 1 a 2 and now awaits approval by the County Commission. Plan 2B includes a reduced cost for voter notification a no need to add and pay for more commissioners, Commissioner Isaac Bramblett said. The new redistricting w only affect about 250 people, said Redistricting Committee Chairman James Woody, who indicated that most the changes occur along the borders of Districts 1 and 3 in West Polk. The plan reduces the overall populati variation between the countys three districts from 21 percent to 16 percent, according to Bramblett. This does meet the states 10 percent standard, which aims to ensure proportional representation. But the state comptrolle office also said local officials may justify noncompliance with consistent and nondiscriminatory redistricting policie The core problem is that population has fallen in East Polk, which comprises the whole of the 3rd District, a grown in the 1st District, which includes Benton and the northwest portion of the county. The Cherokee Nation Forest, which separates the 3rd District from the rest of the county, presents further complications. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/dec/04/polk-county-remap-ready-vote/?local

Health fraud prosecutions net $100 million in TN this year (Tennessean/Gonzalez)

$2,000-plus charge for carryout is one example, prosecutors say The ambulance rolled into the restaurant parki lot ahead of the dinner rush. A federal agent, parked nearby, watched through his windshield as someone climb from the passenger side. Moments later, the passenger returned with a bag of food. Murfreesboro Ambulan Service later billed the ride to Medicare as two separate trips to a dialysis clinic, according to documents filed federal court, with two patients laid up on stretchers, at more than $2,000 altogether. In federal charges agains Murfreesboro couple and their son, prosecutors claim that the man who retrieved the food was one of the patien After last years health-care reform law gave prosecutors expanded enforcement tools, President Barack Obam pledged that auditors would cut deeply into fraud he estimated at tens of billions of dollars each year. Efforts Tennessee alone have netted court orders and settlements recouping more than $100 million this year, up from million the year before, authorities said. It used to be that if you were a U.S. attorney, the fraud cases didnt see like the sexiest thing in the world, said Patrick Burns of the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Taxpayers Again Fraud. Suddenly, fraud fighting, instead of having been a career liability, is in fact a career-maker. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111204/NEWS01/312040059/Health-fraud-prosecutions-net-100-million-TN year?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

Journalist detained as Occupy Nashville holds statewide assembly (Tenn/Haas)

Another journalist was rounded up in a small batch of Occupy Nashville arrests early Saturday morning, though charges were filed against him. Matthew Hamill, who hosts This Occupied Life on 107.1 WRFN-LPFM, Radio Fr Nashville, was videotaping the arrests of four Occupy Nashville protesters who marched down Lower Broadw when a Metro police officer grabbed him from behind. Im with the press, Im with the press, Hamill sa repeatedly, according to video of the incident posted on YouTube. The gathering crowd chants, Hes media. dont care, the officer replies at least twice. Hamill says he was detained for about 30 minutes and let go witho having any charges filed against him. The four protesters werent so lucky and were given misdemeanor citatio for disorderly conduct after, police say, they refused to protest on the sidewalks instead of in the middle of t road. Hamill is the third journalist to be detained by authorities while covering Occupy Nashville activities. T Tennessee Highway Patrol previously arrested a Nashville Scene reporter and a student journalist covering ma arrests in the plaza. Those charges were later dropped. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111204/NEWS/312040055/Journalist-detained-Occupy-Nashville-holdsstatewide-assembly?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Democrats target Fincher (Jackson Sun)

Amidst campaign plans to seat a Democrat in U.S. Rep. Stephen Fincher's 8th Congressional District se Democrats accuse Fincher of abandoning the people who sent him to Washington. Democrats said Fincher h backed out of campaign promises to voters, prioritizing big banks instead of Tennessee farmers. "Congressm Fincher has put the special interests before his constituents since he got to Washington," Adam Hodge of t Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said in an e-mail to The Jackson Sun. Chris Devaney, chairm of the Tennessee Republican Party, responded to Hodge's remarks in another e-mail. "The Democra Congressional Campaign Committee is nothing more than a Washington, D.C. political organization that does really have a clue what Tennessee farmers need," he said. "Before they try to bring their D.C. smear tactics Tennessee, they need to wise up on agricultural issues." Hodge listed Democratic state senators Lowe Finney a Roy Herron, who lost against Fincher in the 2010 congressional election, as potential candidates for the 8th Distr 3

seat next year. Herron, of Dresden, confirmed in a phone interview that he plans to run against Fincher again 2012 but did not release a statement. Finney, of Jackson, did not return calls seeking comment. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20111204/NEWS01/112040316/Democrats-target-Fincher

Lincoln Davis thinks Democrats need a message adjustment (N-S/Vines)

Lincoln Davis, former Democratic congressman from Pall Mall, said in Knoxville on Saturday that Democrats a right on issues but wrong on messages in the minds of voters. The issues have been education, Medicare a "reaching out in a fair tax structure" since 1932, with the American public not agreeing in recent elections, he sa "Democrats need to change the way we message and present ourselves as Democrats," he told some 30 peop at the Boyd Cloud Saturday Morning Democratic Club meeting at Shoney's on W estern Avenue. Davis represent the 4th Congressional District for eight years before being defeated by Republican Scott DesJarlais in 2010. Wh Davis said he believes it is difficult for Democrats to get elected right now, including President Barack Obam because of issues like guns splitting the electorate and unchecked money that can be spent by corporate Americ he did say he thought DesJarlais is beatable. The incumbent, a Jasper physician, won the GOP nomination with percent of the vote. Several in the audience asked Davis if he thought Republicans were searching for anoth candidate after he said the 4th Congressional District could be redistricted to not be as rural as it is today. encompasses all or part of 24 counties from the Kentucky border through the Cumberland plateau to Alabama. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/04/georgiana-vines-lincoln-davis-thinks-democrats-a/

Anxiety cloaks medical resident funding (Commercial Appeal/Sells)

$100M payment cut may be off for now, but Tennessee's schools still worried The failure last month of t congressional supercommittee to achieve a budget compromise derailed a proposal that would have cut $1 million in payments to Tennessee's medical residents. But the idea hasn't disappeared, and that has health ca advocates deeply worried. Originally, the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction wanted to cut about percent of the money the government pays for the hours of care given to patients by residents -- those who ha graduated from medical school and practice medicine under the supervision of fully licensed physicians. Becau of the supercommittee's failure to reach a deal, automatic cuts now go into effect, including a 2 percent "trigger" c for Medicare, research, medical education and related health care expenditures. Those cuts, however, don't go in effect for more than a year -- and not at all, if Congress can identify other budget savings elsewhere. While percent is more palatable than the much-larger cuts before the supercommittee, no one is relaxing yet. "Everyo is still very anxious about this," said Aaron Haynes, director of graduate medical education at the University Tennessee Health Science Center. "Congress could act at any time and still make any cut. So, we watch this iss all the time." http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/dec/04/anxiety-cloaks-medical-resident-funding/

Memphis 'on standby' with incentives if buyer pulls up stakes (CA/Evanoff)

Memphis leaders say they will consider using incentives to keep Morgan Keegan & Co.'s 1,050 jobs in the ci Losing the prominent investment firm became possible after a St. Louis rival emerged this autumn as a possib bidder. "We would look at every way possible to keep their headquarters here," Memphis Mayor A C Wharton sa in an interview. Local officials worry the bulk of the jobs could go to the St. Louis office of Stifel Financial Corp. as cost-cutting move to help offset the $1 billion price on Morgan Keegan. While a sale isn't certain, Wharton sa officials would marshal an incentive package of still unknown size if a buyer intends to pull the work from Memph Founded in the city in 1969, Morgan Keegan became a civic powerhouse with an annual payroll exceeding $1 million. Handing out cash, however, might stir a political storm among local families raked by Morgan Keega failed mutual funds. W harton shrugged off that idea, describing the company as worth saving. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/dec/04/keeping-morgan-keegan-local/

OPINION Editorial: Unified effort led to great scores (Leaf Chronicle)

The Clarksville-Montgomery County School System has much to celebrate regarding graduations rates. Just sev years ago, the graduation rate for the local school system was 76 percent. By 2009, it had risen to 90.8 percent meeting the 90 percent established by No Child Left Behind as the goal for the 2013-14 school year. But it did stop there. Today, according to the Tennessee 2011 Report Card, the graduation rate has hit 93.5 percent. Su outstanding progress doesn't occur by accident. It takes a district-wide concentration on improvement along w support from parents and the community at large. In fact, CMCSS turned a corner in 2008 when school offici enlisted the help of the local community and businesses for "100% Graduation is Clarksville's Business." T program asks businesses, churches, civic groups and others to find ways to encourage high school students stay in school and earn that diploma. The program recognizes that high school graduation is the first rung on t ladder of lifetime success, and that students who are well-prepared when they leave high school becom productive employees and citizens. The schools worked to add after-school programs, virtual high school a credit recovery to improve student achievement and give extra help to those children who might have fall permanently behind in years past. http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20111204/OPINION01/112040306/EDITORIAL-Unified-effort-led-greatscores

Editorial: Local public bodies should move to disallow private meetings (J. Sun)

More than a month before the beginning of the 2012 Tennessee General Assembly, lawmakers are lining legislation to weaken the state's open meetings law. This year's attempt poses a serious threat to op government. We urge the Madison County Commission and other local public bodies that would be affected proposed legislation to take a public position against allowing private meetings of local government bodies. proposal by the Tennessee County Commissioners Association would allow up to a quorum of public bo members to meet in private. The idea is not new, and has been talked about before. But this time, a sta governing body association is actively promoting it, soliciting county commissions to endorse the idea, and backi state lawmakers to introduce legislation to allow such meetings. Several county commissions already have vot to support the proposal, and two have voted to oppose it. The W illiamson County Commission voted 22-0 support the measure. Obion County and Lewis County have taken a similar stance. Rhea County and Anders County have voted against the proposal. Other county commissions are being encouraged by the Coun Commissioners Association to take up the measure. The amount of support or opposition the proposal receiv from county commissions will have a lot to do with whether such a bill can succeed in the legislature. http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20111204/OPINION01/112040309/Editorial-Local-public-bodies-should-movedisallow-private-meetings

Gail Kerr: Last thing public needs is more business done in dark (Tennessean)

Imagine 26 of the 40 Metro Council members deciding, in secret, to raise your property taxes. They dont not taxpayers or accept their input. No vote is recorded. No minutes are taken. No reporters or cameras are allowed cover the decision. Then the full council passes it with no discussion and an unrecorded voice vote. Thats t dangerous, real possibility that will happen if the legislature passes a horrific proposal to water down the stat open meetings sunshine law. School boards could meet in private, so long as they are just shy of a quorum, a redo the lines that determine where your child attends school. Waste management boards could meet behi locked doors and decide to put a landfill in your neighborhood. A majority of the Metro Planning Commission cou meet on the sly and approve a new Walmart in your neighborhood. Basically they are rolling back 37 years good government that resulted from the sunshine law, said Frank Gibson, public policy director for the Tenness Press Association and the founding director of the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government. Gibson explain that this idea was first born in 2007 in Memphis, but died in a legislative study committee. Williamson Coun Commissioner Bob Barnwell launched the latest effort when he was president of the county commissione 5

association. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111204/COLUMNIST0101/312040036/Gail-Kerr-Last-thing-public-needsmore-business-done-dark?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|News

Editorial: New trials needed to cleanse judge's misconduct (News-Sentinel)

The enormity of former Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner's misconduct became pub Thursday when Special Judge Jon Kerry Blackwood ordered new trials for the four defendants in the 20 Christian/Newsom torture killings. Further, Blackwood said Baumgartner's drug use and abuse of his positi endangers every case that came before him from 2008 until he pleaded guilty to official misconduct in March a resigned. The four people convicted in the killings of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom Lamaric Davidson, Letalvis Cobbins, George Thomas and Vanessa Coleman will get new trials. Davidson had receiv the death penalty, Cobbins and Thomas life sentences, and Coleman a 53-year sentence. The victims' families w have to endure revisiting the gruesome murders. Both victims were sexually assaulted. Christian was stuffed into barrel and left to die, while Newsom's body was set on fire near the Chipman Street house where the defendan lived. As painful as those trials will be, they are necessary to ensure that justice is served. Baumgartner's behavi Blackwood ruled, tainted the proceedings beyond redemption. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/dec/04/editorial/

Richard Grant: Estate, gift taxes are a drag on TN economy (Tennessean)

Some taxes are just not worth the trouble. There are many ways in which a tax can end up costing us more th the revenue it generates. This is especially true when the tax rates are high, and the tax base is narrow enou that people can shift to other activities that are less heavily taxed. Resources shift into second-best uses. Tax reduce the ability of individuals to accumulate capital. Although some government spending is devoted to long-te capital projects, such as roads and bridges, most of it is shifted into consumption. As social programs become larger proportion of governmental spending, governments increasingly inhibit our ability to maintain and crea capital. With less capital, our future incomes will unfortunately be lower than they would have been. While t implies a lower future standard of living for individuals, it also implies a lower capacity for the future provision government services. With less capital and lower incomes than we might otherwise have had, the tax base lower. Future tax revenues cannot be as high as they would have been. Perhaps the purpose of the tax is not raise revenue but to discourage the activity that is being taxed. To discourage officially undesirable activities su as smoking and certain types of industrial pollution, we can estimate the amount of taxation needed to redu these activities to acceptable levels. We know that when we tax something, we tend to get less of it. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111204/COLUMNIST0110/312040026/Estate-gift-taxes-drag-TN-economy? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Editorial: Clean Air Act can only help economy (Tennessean)

Opponents of efforts to uphold the Clean Air Act have often over the years portrayed environmental groups a officials at the Environmental Protection Agency as Chicken Littles, scaring everyone by proclaiming that the sky falling. That image can lead one to wonder, if the air becomes polluted enough, could it fall? Science apparen hasnt delved into that possibility; no, researchers are much more concerned about people and their ability breathe safely. But back to Chicken Little: Lately, its the folks who want to see the Clean Air Act and other su initiatives go away who are behaving like alarmists. Perhaps because the evidence is so strongly convincing of t harmful effects of airborne pollutants, this group has resorted to painting environmental regulations as job killer Truly, just about anything that this group opposes, for whatever reason, seems to have become a job killer as w head into election year 2012. But perhaps it is easier to convince ordinary laypeople that this is true environmental rules, because you cant always look out your window and see the ecosystem crumbling. Howev if you are genuinely concerned about air quality, consider these statistics, courtesy of the Gannett Washingt Bureau: By 2020, the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 will prevent more than 230,000 early deaths. Reductio in premature deaths are estimated to result in $2 trillion in economic benefits versus the estimated $65 billion it w cost to implement the rules. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111204/OPINION01/312040042/Clean-Air-Act-can-only-help-economy? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Marsha Blackburn: Government had little to do with clean air (Tennessean)

6

At the end of December, many Americans across the country will join together to celebrate the anniversary of t Clean Air Act, which was first signed into law by President Nixon on Dec. 31, 1970. The goal of this act was qu simple: improve air quality in the United States. At the signing ceremony, President Nixon stated, I think that 19 will be known as the year of the beginning, in which we really began to move on the problems of clean air a clean water and open spaces for the future generations of America. However, as this date quickly approaches have begun to reflect upon the accomplishments of this law and what actual return taxpayers have received on investment made four decades ago. Has the undisputed improvement of our nations air quality been a direct res of the Clean Air Act, or was air quality already turning the corner and improving due to American innovation? If y analyze nationwide air quality and emissions data from the Environmental Protection Agency you will see that quality was in fact already improving before President Nixon signed the Clean Air Act into law. You probably wo be surprised to learn that urban cities generally have the worst pollution problems. However, according to t EPAs own data, sulfur dioxide emissions declined by 40 percent between 1962 and 1969. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111204/OPINION03/312040043/Government-had-little-do-clean-air? odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|p

Guest columnist: Congress should not mess with law's success (Tennessean)

Whether youre rich or poor, Democrat or Republican, a Vols fan or a Commodore fan, we all have a basic hum right to breathe clean air. For 40 years, the Clean Air Act has helped safeguard this right, challenging Americ brightest scientific minds to formulate programs that reduce air pollution and protect our health while allowing o economy and industrial output to grow. Its a telling sign of our progress that twentysomethings today have lit idea that urban centers were frequently shrouded in black soot from smokestacks belching god-knows-what in the air. In Chattanooga, which the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare named the most polluted c in the nation in 1969, drivers sometimes had to switch on their headlights in the daytime. So it boggles the mi that anti-environmental forces in Congress are now busily trying to eviscerate this landmark environmental la Under the guise of fiscal responsibility, big polluters and their political allies make dire proclamations th strengthening environmental protections will cost too much, produce too few benefits and send workers to t bread lines. Dont fall for it. History shows that Clean Air Act programs typically cost far less than claimed opponents, and often spur technological innovation, job creation and economic growth. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111204/OPINION03/312040044/Congress-should-not-mess-law-s-success odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Opinion|s ###