My decision to continue in public service is simple. My son lies in Arlington National Cemetery alongside thousands of other patriots who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country. I, too, spent decades in uniform protecting the precious rights and liberties passed on from our founders and previous generations. Consequently, defending our rights as well as our liberty and prosperity remains a sacred and immutable debt of honor to me. As a result, I refuse to abandon that debt merely because the defense is to be political rather than martial.
While in the General Assembly, I have remained consistent in satisfying that debt by diligently discharging my oath of office. To help ensure constitutional adherence, I chair the Government Operations Committee, overseeing more than 200 executive branch boards and agencies, which the state has too many of. Consequently, I have successfully led efforts to vacate more than 20 of these boards or agencies for failure to satisfy performance metrics or meet constitutional and legal requirements. I have led our committee through reviewing and approving or disapproving hundreds of their proposed rules to ensure legality, constitutionality and equal opportunity. Over one thousand have been identified for repeal.
Equality of opportunity does not mean equality of outcome. The opportunity to succeed is, inherently, the opportunity to fail, also. Nonetheless, every law-abiding citizen is divinely endowed with the unalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The government should never pick winners and losers via state agency regulatory schemes.
However, beyond government interference, our rights and safety are being seriously threatened on many fronts, chief among them are criminal cartels. They are engaged in slavery, euphemistically labeled as human trafficking. Even worse, they are responsible for an array of crime waves revolving around rape and murder of innocent Americans, in addition to holding the primary responsibility for the epidemic of opioid death in our nation. Our federal government has failed, leaving only the states to combat these gruesome endeavors.
That is why I have stood with my General Assembly colleagues to add 160 new highway patrol troopers and 95 new homeland security agents over the last two years. I have proudly co-sponsored bills to deploy Tennessee National Guardsmen to the Texas border to help secure our border. Additionally, I sponsored a bill requiring proof of citizenship to get a Tennessee driver’s license. This common-sense step is an additional tool to prevent illegal aliens from voting in our elections.
Not only have I fought against the cartels’ war on American society, I have fought to reign in the country’s largest national teacher’s union and their Tennessee branch, the TEA. This organization customarily and unscrupulously advocates for abortion on demand, drag queen story hours, and transgenderism, from boys in girls’ sports to mixed locker and shower rooms. These advocates demand we not only abandon the science of biology, but also sacrifice objectivity, common sense and freedom of speech.
My fellow conservatives and I have successfully challenged such items of the cultural Marxism agenda, which has resulted in Tennessee remaining free from the most radical aspects of their agenda. Children belong to their families, not a state-run school system. By law, parents have the right to direct their children’s education and upbringing.
Since entering public office in 2010, I have prioritized Tennessee students by protecting parental rights and improving student educational achievement. That year, most national education organizations ranked Tennessee 49th. In stark contrast, a 2017 Stanford University analysis cited Tennessee as one of the fastest-improving states for education. In 2020, the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE), again, cited Tennessee as one of the fastest-improving states in educational achievement.
While we are not yet ranked where I want us to be, the rate of educational improvement is still one of Tennessee’s claims to distinction. Other important state distinctions include a Triple A bond rating by all three national credit agencies, U.S. News and World Report ranking us 6th best in the nation for roads and 2nd for lowest debt. Furthermore, the National Conference of State Legislatures ranks Tennessee as the 3rd lowest-taxed state in the nation and the lowest-taxed state per capita.
The threats to our liberties and prosperity can be obvious, or subtle and complex. Consequently, I humbly ask for you to support me. I have led the fight against Big Pharma when they lobbied for higher drug prices under the guise of regulation, intervened during COVID to stop the Board of Medical Examiners from illegally threatening doctors over patient prescriptions, and demonstrated the ability to force government to provide efficient, honest service.
Today’s challenges call for true conservative leadership tested with experience in fighting for this county and this state.
John Ragan, of Oak Ridge, represents District 33 in the Tennessee House of Representatives. District 33 includes part of Anderson County.
John Ragan seeks re-election to House; ‘champions conservative values’ #John #Ragan #seeks #reelection #House #champions #conservative #values
Source Link: https://www.oakridger.com/story/news/politics/2024/07/09/john-ragan-seeks-re-election-to-house-champions-conservative-values/74331850007/
John Ragan seeks re-election to House; ‘champions conservative values’ – #WP10 – BLOGGER
John Ragan | Special to The Oak Ridger My decision to continue in public service is simple. My son lies in Arlington National Cemetery alongside thousands of other patriots who paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country. I, too, spent decades in uniform protecting the precious rights and liberties passed on from our …
John Ragan
| Special to The Oak RidgerMy decision to continue in public service is simple. My son …
