Letter to the Editor
To the Editor,
I support Representative John Ragan for Tennessee House District 33. Rep. Ragan is not a single-issue incumbent. However, he is being challenged by single-issue challengers. Rep. Ragan[’s] legislative duties covers a vast breadth of legislation so numerous that for brevity only three areas will be discussed as to why I support Rep. Ragan: the Tennessee economy, the education of Tennessee children and the protection of Tennessee children.
• The Tennessee economy: Rep. Ragan has placed Tennessee in an economically enviable position. U.S. News & World Report rankings place Tennessee first in the nation for roads, second-lowest debt in the nation, fifth-most fiscally stable in the nation, sixth-best economic growth in the nation, and 12th-best economy in the nation.
Cato Institute rankings position Tennessee [as] fourth-most economically free in the nation; and the National Conference of State Legislatures’ ranking put Tennessee [as] third-lowest taxed in the nation.
• The education of Tennessee children: Rep. Ragan[’s] work on numerous education committees is exemplary. His dedication to providing [for] the education of Tennessee children resulted in Tennessee moving from “one spot above the bottom” to 22nd in average academic achievement by the National Assessment of Education Progress.
The State Collaborative on Reforming Education cited Tennessee as one of the fastest-improving states in educational achievement.
• The protection of Tennessee children: Mr. Ragan achieved the outstanding educational improvements by openly defying the nation’s most- powerful, yet morally corrupt teachers’ union: the National Education Association, and their Tennessee branch, the TEA.
This organization advocates abortion on demand, drag queen story hours, and transgenderism from boys in girls’ sports to mixed locker and shower rooms. These amoral activists imperiously demand [that] we not only to (sic) abandon the science of biology, but also sacrifice objectivity, common sense and freedom of speech.
This organization is in lockstep with the American Library Association, whose past president, Emily Drabiski, pledged to “queer the libraries,” thus exposing children to sexually explicit books in taxpayer-funded libraries in Anderson County.
Because of Rep. Ragan’s love for children, “Tennessee remains free from the most-repugnant aspects of their agenda.
In conclusion, Rep. Ragan has worked diligently to place Tennessee in a very enviable economic position, which benefits all Tennesseans and Anderson countians.
Rep. Ragan’s tireless work on education committees has improved the education of the children across Tennessee and Anderson County.
Rep. Ragan’s unflinching bravery against the NEA, TEA and the ALA has protected the most-valuable resource of Tennessee and Anderson County: the children!
These are but three areas of Rep. Ragan’s breadth of work for Tennessee and Anderson County that set him apart from all the single-issue challengers. Therefore, I am proud to support Rep. John Ragan for Tennessee House District 33.
E. Anthony T. Allen,
Commissioner, District 6
(Oak Ridge)