Sabi 'Doc' Kumar Tennessee State Representative - District 66 - Robertson County
To Keep In Touch
with the People
of Robertson County
I have regularly expressed
My Thoughts in Press Articles Published in
The Robertson County Connection
The Robertson County Times
The Tennessean
SmokeyBarn.com
I am grateful to these Newspapers for Helping Us Keep in Touch!
This is a List of Published Articles
The Text is on the Right
The Latest are at the Top
The List
77. Explaining The Expulsions
76. 113the General assembly Opens
75. Faith and Hope for 2022
74. Healthcare Heroes Deserve Our Gratitude
73. Vaccines are a Gift from God
72. Uncle Joe is Sending Dough
71. A Lemon Law for Tractors
70. The Vaccine Story
69. Speaking From the Heart!
68. An Extraordinary Session
67. The Mask, the Science and Liberty
66. To Mask or Not to Mask?
65. Tennessee Fights the Corona Pandemic
64. The Health of Our State
63. Prayer at the Legislature
62. Daylight Saving Time
61. Robocalls
60. Do You Wanna Be the Speaker?
59. They Aren't Working, Doc!
58. Tumultuous Times in the House
57. Faith and Addiction
56. Prayer at The Legislature
55. A Good Government
54. The Slippery Slope of Negative Campaigning
53. Six Reasons to Vote
52. Legislation: Breast Cancer and
Breast Density
51. God Bless the Graduates!
50. Thank you Robertson County
49. Ken Gamble and the Orange Heart
48. The Social Promotion Conundrum
47. Scenes of Robertson County at the Legislature
46. Pleasures of parades
45. Me and My Shadow
44. Christopher Columbus and the Eclipse
43. The Story of Fourth of July
42. A Memory That Brings Us Together
41. Political Polarization and Our
National Mood
40. About The Gas Tax
39. Eleven Myths of Medical Marijuana
38. The State of Tennessee Has
Money for You!
37. The 110th General Assembly
36. The Anxiety of Election 2016!
35. The Most Dangerous Traffic Spot
in Robertson County
34. Vote for Doc!
33. Feeling Special at the Legislature
32. The Check From Uncle Sam!
31. It is My Honor!
30. Do Local Elections Really Matter?
29. On Being American
28. Obamacare Fails to Solve
Healthcare Problems
27. The 109th General Assembly
Comes to A Close
26. Bless My Heart!
25. Death and Dignity
24. Medical Marijuana Is
Already Available
23. The Dialogue of Democracy
22. A Beautiful Storm
21. Y'all Come!
20. The Joy of Giving
19. A Family Adventure
18. Honoring Our Veterans
17. Growth in Robertson County
16. Your Opinion Matters
15. Remembering 9/11
14. Back to School in Robertson County
13. Terror in Our Homeland
12. Following the Money
11. Turning of The Tassles
10. Making Decisions in the Legislature
9. Legislative Session of 2015
8. The Making of A Law
7. A Cure for the Common Core
6. Who Decides Which Textbooks
Our Children Read?
5. Ready for the Education Committee
4. Health Care Options
3. Organization Week at the Legislature
2. New Representative Thoughts
1. The American Future.
77. Explaining The Expilsions
Sabi Doc Kumar
Robertson County Connection April 24, 2023
On April 6, 2023 the Tennessee House of Representatives expelled Representatives Justin Jones (Nashville) and Justin Pearson (Memphis). Rep Gloria Johnson (Knoxville) escaped expulsion by one vote.
“Tennessee state Rep. Kumar on expelled lawmakers: 'They are speaking out of order” is the headline on a major national TV network, implying that it was the sole reason for expulsion of the two Legislators!
Of course, there is more to it than that!
The Background: These ‘Tennessee-3’, as they have become known, have constantly acted with antagonism, insults and disruption of legislative functions since their arrival. A cycle has emerged whereby they insult sincere, kind lawmakers, apologize, re-offend and re-apologize. Slurs such as ‘racist’, ‘fascist’, ‘white supremacist’ are hurtful, and do not allow civil discussion. They indulge in long, unrelated social cause speeches during the time that is meant to honor Tennesseans who have passed away, to celebrate achievers in arts and sports, and for special guests. These speeches are often not relevant to legislative matters at hand. They disrupt Committee proceedings, combat the Chair persons and complain of their “voice being silenced”, while monopolizing the time, of which every member has the same privilege. A roll call vote is answered not as yes, no or present, but as “Hell No, this is a state where babies have babies …” and a speech on matters not related to the topic.
The Tragedy: On March 27, the horrific shooting occurred at the Covenant Presbyterian Elementary School with loss of six innocent lives and the shooter. The event shocked the our community and our state. Governor Lee acted quickly to protect our schools and children by allocating $140 million towards safety of all schools. Tragedy like this affects all hearts and minds. We struggle, privately and in public, about what we could do and should do. Considering the prevalent public shootings in our country, if solutions were easy, those would have been implemented after Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland, Uvalde and others.
Just last year, the federal government failed to pass meaningful measures in the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
The Final Straw: On the morning of Thursday, March 30, we were still processing our thoughts about public safety. There was a significant presence of demonstrators advocating gun control.
Considering the recent shooting, I was concerned about safety of hundreds of children bussed to our Capitol without proper security.
In the middle of the legislative session, these three representatives moved aggressively to the podium in the House Chamber, started banging the podium and incited the galleries to unruliness, noise and chaos. Speaker Sexton, unable to control the proceedings, declared recess for safety of the members and staff. Minority Leader Karen Camper (Memphis) angrily pushed and hurtled these representatives to a side room. Later, we re-convened and finished the business of the day amid a sense of shock and concern.
By this action, the Tennessee-3 became famous but they took attention away from the Nashville Tragedy. They made it about themselves. The community needed time to mourn and to heal. We needed to join and work together towards solutions.
The Next Step: Legislatures function by strict rules and decorum. This assures that all voices and opinions are heard in an orderly manner with equal privilege of time on the microphones. That structure had been broken in the Tennessee People’s House. These three members took the House hostage. We had a responsibility to protect democracy in our free state, restore function and dignity of the People’s House and assure safety of members and staff.
The Tennessee Constitution: Article II Section 12 reads, “Each House may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a member”. Options for disciplinary action were considered seriously. Innumerable requests, warnings, “out of order” gavels and committee adjustments had been previously applied to these representatives without effect. Censure, being a piece of paper, was unlikely to impress them. Suspension was considered. We also wondered what the consequences would be if their actions had occurred in the US Capitol!
Most members felt that unprecedented actions deserve unprecedented consequences. Expulsion was voted as necessary, with awareness that they will likely be re-appointed by the local municipalities, who have lately looked forward to combat with the legislature.
Protecting Democracy: It is not truthful for these representatives to claim that they were acting to ‘protect or restore democracy’. Taking the seat of democracy, hostage in our Capitol, is no way to do that!
Rep Jones was arrested and banned from the Tennessee Capitol in 2019, for assault, when he threw a drink at an elevator full of legislators. Yet, he was welcomed to the Legislature upon his election in 2022. That is Democracy and fairness in Tennessee.
First Amendment: It is equally untrue to claim that these representatives were exercising their First Amendment Right to free speech. Their First Amendment Rights are not better than those of others. By taking over the House, they silenced other voices. They claim to collectively represent over 200,000 Tennesseans but they have not done so. They have only protested and demonstrated.
The Race Card: It is hypocritical of Rep Jones to call me a “brown face” (on Video), without provocation, while claiming to fight racism.
It is hypocritical of Rep Johnson to claim racism as the reason that she, being white, was not expelled. She received 65 (of the 66 votes needed) to expel her. She escaped by one vote because two members had to leave due to health and family needs. Racism played no role.
To use the race card while claiming to fight racism is dishonest.
The National Leadership: I am disheartened to see that our national leaders have exploited this tragedy.
Vice-President Harris hurried to Nashville to “honor the Tennessee-3” but did not visit the Covenant Community to express sympathy and pay homage. Really!
President Biden called Tennessee’s Legislative actions, “Shocking, undemocratic, and without precedent”. Presidential pronouncements matter! Taking hostage of the seat of our democracy should not be endorsed.
President Obama, a constitutional law professor, weighed in by calling the expulsions to be “a broader erosion of civility and democratic norms” Is it civility and a democratic norm to take over an elected House of Representatives in the United States?
These leaders chose to ignore the racist slur by Rep Jones towards me.
The Reappointment: Tennessee constitution requires that a vacant seat in the Legislature be filled with interim appointment by local municipality. It is a prudent path that places trust in local government. The framers of the Constitution did not expect that the provision will be used to over-ride the will of the Legislature.
Renomination of these representatives by local municipalities is akin to the military issuing a dishonorable discharge and the recruiter re-enlisting the same person! The Legislature being committed to respect of the law, these two representatives have been re-seated.
Hope: It is my hope and prayer that lessons have been learned. I hope that these representatives will return to serve and represent their constituents, transition from being protestors to being representatives of the people who elected them.
The Tennessee-3 are bright and intelligent Tennesseans. Their voices matter. They should listen to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who said, “Fight for the things that you care about, but do so in a way that will lead others to join you.”
So, help us God!
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76. The 113th General Assembly Opens
Sabi Doc Kumar
Robertson County Connection Jan 29, 2023
The 113th Tennessee General Assembly Opens
It is a grand spectacle and a vibrant scene in our Capitol as the Tennessee General Assembly convenes on the 2nd Tuesday of January each year, as mandated by the State Constitution. Having served in the Tennessee Legislature for the past eight years, I am still awed when I enter the majestic chambers of the Tennessee House of Representatives. The high ceilings, the columns, the chandeliers and the stately furnishings create an aura of power and authority. Yet, the gallery brimming with visiting citizens reminds us that it is the “People’s House” and we are here to serve only if the people allow us that privilege!
I see the crowd of Representatives that comprises a mixture of the newly elected and duly returned. As they mingle and greet, I see a sense of the duty to serve and a gratitude for the opportunity. It is only a matter of minutes, and I realize that the politicking has also begun!
Welcome to the 113th Tennessee General Assembly! Both Chambers of the Assembly, the House and the Senate, are in session. The members, collectively, are also called ‘Law-Makers’. To justify the title, we will introduce about 1500 bills and about one half of these will become new laws this year. It is amazing that despite the five to six hundred new laws being passed each year, or five to six thousand new laws being passed each decade, we the citizens, manage to live rather free and independent lives. Thanks be to the constitutional freedoms enshrined by the forefathers and founders of our nation and God’s guidance that made it all possible.
The Legislature comprises two chambers. The House of Representatives is 99 members strong. Among these, there are 75 Republicans and 24 Democrats. The Senate comprises 33 members of which there are 27 Republicans and 6 Democrats.
The significant domination of the Republicans in the Tennessee Legislature reflects the conservative values of our citizens. Tennesseans have overwhelmingly supported candidates who are pro-life and pro-2nd amendment, who believe in individual liberty, prudent financial management, low taxes and a small but efficient government that serves the people and supports a good business environment.
The results have been remarkably good. Tennessee is the most well managed and financially sound state in the country. Our budget is balanced with a surplus in most years. We have no debt. Our roads are paid for. Our state pensions are fully funded. Our economic growth has been remarkable, with low unemployment and beckoning opportunity for workers and business entrepreneurs.
The economic boom has highlighted the need for infra-structure building and improvements to relieve traffic congestion and improve road safety for our citizens. Our good economic fortunes impel us to do better in educating our children, caring for vulnerable citizens that include our children in poor social and economic circumstances and those in need of better healthcare. Major infra-structure, educational, child care and other initiatives are under consideration by the General Assembly, working with our honorable Governor Bill Lee.
Each session of the General Assembly opens with prayer by an invited community pastor, serving as the Chaplain of the Day. Tennesseans are assured that we seek guidance from God Almighty as we conduct the People’s business. Thanks be to God!
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75. Faith and Hope for 2022
Sabi Doc Kumar
Robertson County Connection Jan 4, 2022
Faith and Hope for 2022
As we welcome the ‘New’ Year, a part of us actually wishes for the ‘Old’! Today we are told to be with a ‘New Normal’ but a part of us wishes for the ‘Old Normal’!
The Old Normal was a freedom to go places, visit family and friends and hug the strangers we met, without concern of catching Covid. While the virus is making its rounds, ‘changing its clothes’ by mutating, adapting new names from Greek alphabet, our scientists are coming up with great new treatments. The ultimate victory will require Faith and Hope!
Here is, with Faith and Hope, asking four things for 2022!
Pandemic be Gone!
During the 2nd grade year of our daughter’s elementary school, her teacher had a wonderful rhyme that diverted her kids grumbling when it was raining during recess: “Rain, rain go away, Mrs. Chason’s Class wants to play!” I find myself paraphrasing this, for the virus to go away!
Pandemic life changed social contact to social distance. It threatens health and well-being for us, our family and our friends. Families have lost members. We live with an anxiety to protect ourselves and our loved-ones. Decisions have to be made about vaccination, masking and which functions to attend. Sudden slowing of fast pace in our lives was like a ‘race car entering a dead-end street’.
A silver lining is that this New Normal has given us a pause to think and consider the important things in life. We discovered more family time to spend together. We discovered what our kids were learning, or not learning, in school. Many of us discovered the magic of work from home. Many of us stepped away to start new journeys in work. We discovered the essential need for our essential workers and their courage. We discovered sacrifices and heroism of our healthcare workers. We discovered, again, the miracles and the ingenuity of our science and scientists!
Bring Us Together!
In my memory, the last time that America was united as a nation was in the year 2001, after the tragedy of 9/11. Remember the feeling! We were all Americans, not the divided groups and minorities as we are today. Since that time, I had developed a sense of comfort that, in a time of crisis, Americans will come together. Sadly, over the last two years, in the face of Covid, we are divided. We can disagree about the best way to counter a viral threat but extreme polarization is dangerous. We have extremes in political ideology, confusing messages and wavering leaderships.
I pray for a statesman to emerge on our national scene, someone who would lead us towards listening and understanding each other, willingness to compromise and achieve a sense of togetherness. We need a peace-maker!
Restore Our Freedoms!
In today’s hyperactive media environment, opinions proliferate at lightening speed. Words can reach and influence the thinking of millions. Some fail to consider that a post on the internet may not be true. Confirmation Bias is prevalent. We look for and believe what we want to believe and ignore what does not suit our purpose. Big Tech and Social Media are able to use our human weakness and draw us into their influence, not only to sell us gadgets, music and clothing but even political ideology. These influences are addictive and glue us to the screens.
I hope that we act to liberate our thoughts and especially the thoughts and minds of our young and adolescent. We, as parents, our government and the Big Tech companies have a moral responsibility.
Educate Our Students!
We know about ‘summer slide’, the loss in learning that occurs for students during summer break from school. That loss has been magnified four times or more during the last two years of school because of pandemic disruptions. Unless we quickly catch-up, our students will not be able to learn the material for the coming grades because they do not have the foundation to understand the new material.
Tremendous amounts of Federal Money is coming under the ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) program. Tennessee will receive between $4-6 billion, which is an addition of 70-90% to the existing annual budget for our Department of Education! I have two concerns about this effort. First, a sense of complacency that develops when government feels it has done their part by pouring in money. Second, the money may be diverted from student education and there may not be measurable accountability that the needed improvement occurred.
I personally know that education changes lives! I am where I am because of my education – and what mom did for me! Parents, teachers, school staff and government must help our students, in every way possible, not to allow the pandemic to set them back in their education. The effects of this calamity will be long lasting!
A new year provides new opportunities. Let us use our Faith and Hope to accomplish these four! Happy New Year and God Bless!
Sabi ‘Doc’ Kumar, MD represents District 66 Robertson County in the Tennessee House of Representatives. He can be reached by email at Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov Phone: 615- 741-2860
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74. Healthcare Heroes Deserve Our Gratitude
Sabi Doc Kumar
Robertson County Connection Oct 31, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented stress for medical workers that people outside the profession can't understand.
Sabi "Doc" Kumar
Guest columnist Online: oct 25, 2021 Paper edition: Oct 31, 2021
Sabi "Doc" Kumar M.D. represents District 66 in the Tennessee House of Representatives.
“Call your doctor right away!” This advice, often given, does not say to do this during business hours. Returning calls and caring for patients day or night is expected in medical practice. Despite the demands and inconveniences, most health care professionals find their work to be rewarding and satisfying. As a physician, I know this first-hand.
A Gallup public poll about honesty and ethics gave a 90% positive rating to nurses and nearly 80% to physicians. Almost 90% of Americans felt that first responders deserve more appreciation. These findings are valuable beyond monetary rewards. A sense of mission and a desire to serve is prevalent in health care. One of my mentors taught me that we have a chance to help fellow human being every time we come to work. This may be as small as getting a patient an additional pillow, a warm blanket or ice chips for a dry mouth. Or it may be a life-saving operation or time spent on the phone to resolve administrative and insurance issues. The opportunity to do such good is meaningful.
Risk of exposure hangs over medical workers
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented stresses to life and work for these very essential workers. Most significant has been the risk of exposure to serious illness for themselves and their families. This concern is magnified for those with elderly parents, grandparents or vulnerable friends and family. Having to scramble for protective equipment, and being unsure of its reliability, has added further anxiety. Great advances in medicine and science have made the curing of disease and saving of lives routine. COVID-19 has taken away that sense of comfort.
The overwhelming number of deaths
Loss of life is a traumatic event, even for professionals trained for these circumstances. With COVID-19, experienced professionals have been overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of deaths they've seen. I know of a nurse who in a single shift endured three deaths on her watch. Imagine her drive home. Imagine the dinner table for her family that evening. Is it possible to sleep? The psychological trauma of being a witness to such tragedy is deep. Nurses are the consolers to families who cannot be by the bedside of a dying patient. There is no hug, no kiss, no holding of hands, only screen images and efforts towards respect and dignity.
Triage decisions place tremendous cognitive and psychological burdens upon the medical mind. Who goes home, who is admitted to the hospital and who goes to the intensive care unit? Who is placed on the ventilator and when? Though rare, rationing and delay of care have occurred, leading to difficult ethical dilemmas. Despite the reality that death cannot always be avoided, a sense of guilt and personal failure occur when the goal is to be right every time.
These health care heroes feel isolated. While their lives are affected by the scenes above, our society at large is not fully aware of their struggles. They ask why there is so much suffering. They struggle with giving empathy, not assigning blame, to the patient who is fighting for breath but is unvaccinated. Overwhelming fatigue for them and lack of beds for those with non-COVID illnesses may have been avoidable.
Strength and understanding in these circumstances come from the support of friends, family, co-workers sharing the same journey, mental health professionals, our inner core and spirituality. I am grateful that the COVID pandemic has not taken away the missionary zeal among most. Considering the challenges and stresses, our health care heroes deserve our lasting gratitude. Let us remember to tell them every time we see them. God Bless!
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73. Vaccines are a Git from God!
Sabi Doc Kumar
Robertson County Connection Aug 17, 2021
In an economic downturn, business activity slows. Duh! Government income from sales tax revenue goes down. Costs of government programs go up because more people are unemployed and become dependent upon government aid. So, what should the government, and the elected officials, do when faced with such difficult times? As usual, there are three options:
The first is to do nothing, just hope and pray for American ingenuity and early recovery.
The second is for government to cut expenses by reducing services and raise taxes to increase revenue. Folks don’t really like these actions because it makes life difficult.
The third is the ‘Keynesian Approach’, based on the macroeconomic theories of English economist John Maynard Keynes (1833 – 1946). He advised that governments borrow money to pay for expenses of running the government, stimulate the economy and as the economy recovers, tax revenues will increase so that the debt can be paid off. Political demands being what they are, re-payment of debt does not happen because our elected officials get glory for doing things, which means spending money to do things and not paying off debt. Fiscal conservatives worry, seriously, about the tremendous national debt that we are placing upon the shoulders of the next generations.
In ‘An Open Letter to President Roosevelt’, published in the New York Times on Dec 31, 1933, Keynes advocated his ideas to accomplish the “double task of Recovery and Reform” for America. The New Deal and Public Works Programs saved capitalism, restored faith in American economic system and revived hope among American people despite the Great Depression.
Today, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic related economic downturn, a Keynesian approach ‘on steroids’ has been applied in full force. Americans have received Direct Payments of $1200, $600, $1400 in Rounds I, II and III at a cost of almost $900 billion. The CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, & Economic Security Act) carried a $2.3 trillion price tag. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) cost $1.9 trillion. These major initiatives include money for everything from health and education to state and local governments. We will spend $5-6 trillion on multiple programs. US government revenue (income) is about $3.5 trillion yearly. We will borrow the rest.
This borrowing has caused our yearly budget deficit to increase from $585 billion in 2016 to $3.1 trillion in 2020. Our total national debt stands at over $23 trillion. This equals almost 100% of our yearly gross domestic product (GDP) and is the highest since World War II. Most of the US Debt, in the form of Bonds, is owned by the public. China and Japan own about one trillion each.
‘Uncle’ Joe, i.e. the federal government, is sending us a lot of money. State of Tennessee will receive around $30 billion. This will add about 70% to our annual budget of $42 billion. Tennessee schools will receive almost $4 billion. Robertson County Schools will receive over $21 million. Our County will receive $14 million and our cities will receive $13 million. This is real dough!
Among the good things, extended and additional Unemployment Benefits from the federal government during the pandemic, were very helpful to our workers. These benefits were generous. As a result, some workers were actually earning more by staying on unemployment. Human nature being what it is, some workers were not inclined to go back to work. This created a shortage of workers that made it difficult for some businesses to operate or stay open. This situation is being corrected.
Covid-19 took away precious lives. Families coped through faith and love for each other. Through many difficulties and disruptions, our local, state and federal governments have worked to help and protect citizens. Financial help was available. My office and I were able to help numerous citizens get state benefits. Americans have realized the Blessings and the responsibilities of financial rewards. They have spent prudently and supported our communities. They have saved money, with a realization that government was helpful this time but it is our responsibility to have savings available in case of a personal emergency. These are good lessons. As we return to a near normal life, we thank God for guiding us through these times.
The large amount of borrowed money by the federal government is a Concern to many, a Blessing for some and a Responsibility for all. I pray that we use it wisely! I pray that we do not overstep the limits of safe debt! May God Protect and Bless our Nation!
Sabi Doc Kumar MD is State Representative, District 66 - Robertson County. Reach him at Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov.
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72. Uncle Joe is Sending Dough!
Sabi Doc Kumar
Robertson County Connection Jun 15, 2021
In an economic downturn, business activity slows. Duh! Government income from sales tax revenue goes down. Costs of government programs go up because more people are unemployed and become dependent upon government aid. So, what should the government, and the elected officials, do when faced with such difficult times? As usual, there are three options:
The first is to do nothing, just hope and pray for American ingenuity and early recovery.
The second is for government to cut expenses by reducing services and raise taxes to increase revenue. Folks don’t really like these actions because it makes life difficult.
The third is the ‘Keynesian Approach’, based on the macroeconomic theories of English economist John Maynard Keynes (1833 – 1946). He advised that governments borrow money to pay for expenses of running the government, stimulate the economy and as the economy recovers, tax revenues will increase so that the debt can be paid off. Political demands being what they are, re-payment of debt does not happen because our elected officials get glory for doing things, which means spending money to do things and not paying off debt. Fiscal conservatives worry, seriously, about the tremendous national debt that we are placing upon the shoulders of the next generations.
In ‘An Open Letter to President Roosevelt’, published in the New York Times on Dec 31, 1933, Keynes advocated his ideas to accomplish the “double task of Recovery and Reform” for America. The New Deal and Public Works Programs saved capitalism, restored faith in American economic system and revived hope among American people despite the Great Depression.
Today, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic related economic downturn, a Keynesian approach ‘on steroids’ has been applied in full force. Americans have received Direct Payments of $1200, $600, $1400 in Rounds I, II and III at a cost of almost $900 billion. The CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, & Economic Security Act) carried a $2.3 trillion price tag. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) cost $1.9 trillion. These major initiatives include money for everything from health and education to state and local governments. We will spend $5-6 trillion on multiple programs. US government revenue (income) is about $3.5 trillion yearly. We will borrow the rest.
This borrowing has caused our yearly budget deficit to increase from $585 billion in 2016 to $3.1 trillion in 2020. Our total national debt stands at over $23 trillion. This equals almost 100% of our yearly gross domestic product (GDP) and is the highest since World War II. Most of the US Debt, in the form of Bonds, is owned by the public. China and Japan own about one trillion each.
‘Uncle’ Joe, i.e. the federal government, is sending us a lot of money. State of Tennessee will receive around $30 billion. This will add about 70% to our annual budget of $42 billion. Tennessee schools will receive almost $4 billion. Robertson County Schools will receive over $21 million. Our County will receive $14 million and our cities will receive $13 million. This is real dough!
Among the good things, extended and additional Unemployment Benefits from the federal government during the pandemic, were very helpful to our workers. These benefits were generous. As a result, some workers were actually earning more by staying on unemployment. Human nature being what it is, some workers were not inclined to go back to work. This created a shortage of workers that made it difficult for some businesses to operate or stay open. This situation is being corrected.
Covid-19 took away precious lives. Families coped through faith and love for each other. Through many difficulties and disruptions, our local, state and federal governments have worked to help and protect citizens. Financial help was available. My office and I were able to help numerous citizens get state benefits. Americans have realized the Blessings and the responsibilities of financial rewards. They have spent prudently and supported our communities. They have saved money, with a realization that government was helpful this time but it is our responsibility to have savings available in case of a personal emergency. These are good lessons. As we return to a near normal life, we thank God for guiding us through these times.
The large amount of borrowed money by the federal government is a Concern to many, a Blessing for some and a Responsibility for all. I pray that we use it wisely! I pray that we do not overstep the limits of safe debt! May God Protect and Bless our Nation!
Sabi Doc Kumar MD is State Representative, District 66 - Robertson County. Reach him at Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov.
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71. A Lemon Law for Tractors!
Sabi Doc Kumar
Robertson County Connection Apr 27, 2021
Mr Lynn Jones has put thousands of patients to sleep over a period extending beyond three decades at the old Jesse Holman Jones Hospital and, later, at the NorthCrest Medical Center, for the purpose of anesthesia. Lynn is a certified Registered nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). It has been my good fortune to work with Lynn! Considering his western heritage from Oklahoma though, the cowboy in Lynn used his anesthesia income to support his urge to farm. Farming, as we know, can be an expensive adventure!
We have kept in touch over the years since Lynn retired. Lynn and his wife Marcy have been good friends and supporters of my work as State Representative for District 66, Robertson County.
Lynn contacted me two years ago to draw my legislative attention to the matter that farm machinery can be very expensive but there is no Lemon Law for such equipment, as it exists for automobiles. The need appeared obvious. We must protect our farmers from the high costs of a Lemon Tractor or other expensive machinery that fails to perform as expected.
My research into the matter revealed that the present Consumer Protection Law, is called the Uniform Commercial Code. Now, Hold on to your hat: “Under this law, a sales contract generally implies warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose unless such warranties are excluded or modified. Additionally, present law requires certain warranties for particular types of products, such as the "Lemon Law" for sales of new motor vehicles.” Wow!
I have to read this legal stuff slowly and a few times over to understand words and phrases like “merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose”. What it means is that a purchase (sales contract), includes (implies) a warranty that the stuff we bought is fit for use (merchantability) and will do what we bought it for. Got it!
“Additionally, present law requires certain warranties for particular types of products, such as the "Lemon Law" for sales of new motor vehicles.” So all we needed to do is to add farm machinery including tractors to the current law. No problem! I had a Bill drawn with the help of Legislative Legal Services to accomplish this. It allows for replacement of machinery if, during the first 12 months or 600 hours of use, the machinery requires three repairs costing 30% or five repairs costing 50% of the purchase price of the machinery.
Our Farm Bureau friends who monitor the Legislature for any Bills that might affect the farmers in Tennessee noticed this good piece of Legislation! Stephan Maupin and Kevin Hensley are the great people who work for our Farm Bureau at the Legislature. They evaluated the legislation that I had proposed, suggested changes to make it stronger and contacted the manufacturers including John Deere, Caterpillar, Ford and others to get their support. The Dealers and financial institutions who loan the dollars for these big purchases were also included and were willing to give their support. With the leadership of Stephan and Kevin, it was a delight to see all stakeholders come together in support of our farmers!
I passed the Bill through the Consumer Affairs and Banking Subcommittee, Commerce Committee, Calendar and Rules Committee and the House of Representatives! Senator Niceley, himself a farmer, is very influential in the Senate and he got it passed in the Senate. Governor Lee will sign it. And we have a law that protects our farmers from being stuck with a Lemon Tractor! Thanks to our farmers, who feed the world! God Bless!
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70. The Vaccine Story
Sabi Doc Kumar
Robertson County Connection Jan 12, 2021
My wife, Ms. Linda and I both remember the famous poster that hung in the medical clinics at my medical school and her nursing school. It portrayed the English physician Edward Jenner, in 1796, inoculating eight-year old James Phipps with pus scrapped from the cowpox infected hands of Sarah Nelmes, a milkmaid who caught the cowpox infection from Blossom, her beloved cow! It was folklore that milkmaids who get cowpox infection do not develop smallpox. Dr. Jenner wondered if this was true. He decided to follow the advice of his mentor, the famous John Hunter, physician to the King, who said, “Don’t think! Try!”
It was thought that if a person recovers from an infection, they may become immune to future infections from the same organism. In 1796, the science of vaccination did not exist. Antibody formation, or testing for it, were not known. Dr. Jenner wanted to know if inoculation of James Phipps with cowpox made Phipps immune to smallpox. So, he injected this brave little boy with real smallpox virus in increasing doses. James Phipps was able to tolerate lethal doses of smallpox virus without getting sick. He was immune!
It is not surprising that this experiment occurred before the existence of what is, today called, “Informed Consent”. This was based on trust. James’ mother was by her son’s side.
The science of immunization is well illustrated by the above experiment. Our body identifies bacteria, viruses, other organisms and even certain cancers as foreign invaders. This recognition is based on specific proteins, on the surfaces of these invading organisms. Our immune system is then triggered to mobilize our modes of defense. These include specific antibodies that kill the invaders, special white blood cells that engulf them and our lymphatic system that traps them. James Phipps had developed immune defenses against Smallpox in response to a ‘tiny’ dose of cowpox, a living virus.
This became the basis of the field called immunization by vaccination. Although, Smallpox vaccine is a great example of use of a live virus, concerns about the injection of even a tiny amount of a lethal organism into the human body led to search for alternatives. Scientists discovered that it is a specific protein, in the invading organism, that triggers the human immune response. A vaccine, therefore, must contain that specific protein from the infecting organism. This protein element may be in the form of live (Smallpox), killed (Hepatitis), or weakened (Shingles) virus. The latest technologies can create these specific proteins in a lab or send a message to create antibodies through a messenger mRNA. This has been done successfully with Covid-19 vaccine. It does not interfere with our DNA.
Fortunately, these vaccines have been Safe and Effective. We must admire the over 70,000 volunteers who offered themselves as test subjects to determine it these vaccines were safe enough and if they were effective enough, for public use. God Bless them for their service to humanity.
Creation of the current Covid-19 vaccines at ‘Warp Speed” has been a major scientific accomplishment. Significant challenges exist in regards to large scale manufacture, distribution, administration to and acceptance by our citizens. We have arrived at the administration phase. As your State Representative and as a Physician, I serve on the Governor’s Vaccination Taskforce. A phased plan for vaccination was developed. The frontline healthcare workers, who are caring for Covid-19 patients, have a high risk of being exposed. Certainly, they should be vaccinated and protected in the first phase. The assignment of phase numbers did get complicated. We should have called these Phase 1,2,3,4 and 5. But that would have been simple! So we have the following:
Phase Eligible Populations https://covid19.tn.gov/covid-19-vaccines/vaccine-phases
1a: 1a1 First responders
Inpatient health care workers, workers with high-risk exposure to COVID-19
Long-term health care facilities
People age 18 and over who are not able to live independently
1a2 All other health care workers, Funeral home and mortuary workers
Seniors 75 Yrs age and over phased in
1b School and child care facility workers
First responder agency administration workers
Seniors 65 Yrs age and over phased in
1c People age 16 and over with high-risk health conditions
Phase 2 a Critical infrastructure: Social, Commercial Ag and Food, Corrections Staff, Public Transit
Age 55 Yrs and over phased in
Phase 2 b Critical infrastructure: Transportation, Telecom, Utilities, Energy
Phase 3 Congregate living facilities, Corrections, Grocery store workers
Age based Phase in: 45 +, 35 +, 25+, 16+.
Two logical Questions follow: “What Phase of Vaccination is my County in?” and "Can I get my Covid-19 Vaccine yet?" This online Link below should help in answering these questions.
https://covid19.tn.gov/covid-19-vaccines/eligibility/
You will be asked a few questions to determine Eligibility. Click on 'Next'. Then choose Robertson County from the Drop menu. Click 'Next' and continue answering the Questions until you get the information about your Vaccine Eligibility. If you find that you are eligible at this time, click on the red bar: 'Health Dept Vaccine Availability', check the situation for Robertson County and, if the vaccine is available, call the Health Dept number provided for an appointment.
Considering the difficult times that we are living in, let us do our part to defeat Covid and reclaim our lives, and our American Dream! God Bless the USA!
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69. Speaking From The Heart!
Sabi Doc Kumar
Robertson County Connection Dec 9, 2020
Dear Robertson County,
It has been the High Honor of my life to serve our community as a Surgeon for the past 43 years! My family and I are grateful for the kindness that you have shown and the confidence that you placed in me as a Surgeon. Mrs. Linda and I are Blessed to have raised our daughter Nina, who is now a real Legal Eagle with a serous job as a healthcare attorney!
I am in the process of closing my surgical practice. Yes, I am avoiding the R word. I had hoped that we will have a great gathering of friends, patients, co-workers and well-wishers to reflect and reminisce of those years! The Covid-19 pandemic has taken that away from us, for now. The Love is in our hearts, always!
The year was 1977. I was finishing my surgical training in Miami, when I visited Robertson County at the invitation of Sam Ramsey, Jesse Holman Jones Hospital Administrator at the time. Sam and Sandy were gracious hosts. They invited several couples to meet me at Wingo’s for dinner. It was a memorable evening. All encouraged me to come, work and live in this community. They wished me well even if I chose not to come. The group included Joe and Amelia Moore, Hugh and Sarah Barber, Charlie and Marty Ralph, David and Florence Fisher. That was also the first time I had a pecan pie! Certainly, I was coming!
It was a great opportunity to practice my art and craft of Surgery along with Dr Carroll Looney. The local physicians, including Drs. Hayes, Webster, Turner, Quarles, Jackson and Elder, received me with kindness. My surgical work progressed quickly. I felt a sense of belonging, even though I was the “foreign doctor”. For me, being a “foreigner” was a fact rather than a problem. Wise words had come to me from Morton and Shirley Schultz. I had stayed in their home when I was a student in Miami. “Do not be concerned if you are considered a foreigner, because you are. In fact, there are people in Springfield to whom a visitor from Nashville is a foreigner too”, they had said!
Compared to Miami, the cultural, geographic and scenic change in middle Tennessee was remarkable. I was a bit overwhelmed, but the surgical work was rewarding. I was offered a good income guarantee for the first year. I thought I could get rich in about three years and then go live in San Francisco! I was young! As we do not usually know, God had a different plan. Ms. Linda made her bright appearance in my life. To paraphrase Dave Loggins, she convinced me that, “Frisco ain't our kind of town / There ain't no gold and / There ain't nobody like me / I'm your number one gal in Tennessee." And, that was just 39 years ago!
With establishment of good surgical practices, our medical community grew quickly with the arrivals of Drs. Bassel, Crunk, Dressler, Lewis, Bazaldua, Satpathy and Krueger. Moving from Jesse Holman Jones to build NorthCrest was the major step in 1995. Several community leaders, county commissioners and physicians worked together to make it possible. Mr. Bill Jones, Sr., Mr. Stokes Brown and Mr. Dee Reid played major roles. We are grateful to them for their foresight and contributions to enhance medical care in our county.
It has been my privilege to bring high quality surgical care to our community. Operations that were routinely performed in Nashville are now routinely performed at NorthCrest. This has saved lives in emergency situations, made medical care more available and added to jobs and growth in our county. A special note must be made of the comfort in medical care received in ‘our hometown’, provided by the staff and the people we personally know! Believe me, this can be very reassuring!
I look forward to working on Mrs. Linda’s ‘To Do-List’! I am honored to serve as your State Representative and will continue to work for the progress of our people and our community. I am developing two more surgical patents through our Nashville Surgical Instruments, located in Springfield.
A special project is a coffee table book of Sunday School Limericks that I am writing! I have taught a Sunday School Class, monthly, at Springfield First United Methodist Church for many years. It became a custom that I ended each class with a Limerick based on the scripture for the lesson. Over the years, I have created 130 plus Limericks. These are worthy of a book, I think! Here is an example:
In Matthew 4:19, Jesus says to the Fishermen, “Follow Me”, in Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus tells them that they are the Salt (Knowledge) and the Light (Wisdom) of the earth. The Kumar Limerick summarizes:
You Are Invited,
Jesus is Excited,
Follow Me, Says He.
And You Will Be,
Salted and Lighted!
In the meanwhile, the Prayer from My Heart is that Covid goes away, soon. Lives are healed. I can visit all the Coffee Clubs, attend all the Social Functions and Fish Fries, ride in 4tth of July and Christmas Parades, shake hands and hug everyone! I am glad that I came and I stayed in our community. It was God’s plan. I just followed His command to “Bloom Where You Are Planted!” God Bless our People and our Nation!
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68. An Extraordinary Session for Extraordinary Times!
Sabi Doc Kumar
Robertson County Connection Aug 25. 2020
In the preamble, the first paragraph on page one the Constitution of the State of Tennessee states that it did “On the sixth day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six ordain and establish a Constitution”. Article II of this Constitution is devoted to the powers given to the General Assembly. This body is also called the Legislature and consists of two separate Chambers. The Tennessee House of Representatives is the larger body with 99 members. Each member represents approximately sixty-five thousand citizens. It is called the People’s House! The Tennessee Senate is the upper house with 33 members, each representing approximately two hundred thousand citizens!
Section 8 under Article II of the Tennessee Constitution mandates that the General Assembly of the State of Tennessee convene on the second Tuesday in January of each year. Contrary to a perception that the Legislature meets all the time, these sessions usually end in the month of May each year. When certain matters require Legislative action during the June – January Legislative recess, a special session of the Legislature may be called to attend to the People’s Business. This call must come from the Governor or a petition signed by two-thirds of the members of the General Assembly. This is legally called an “Extraordinary Session”.
Considering the extraordinary times that we live in, this name was appropriate for the Legislative Session of August 10-12, 2020. The session was called by Governor Bill Lee. There were three urgent matters that required Legislative action. I can report to you that all three matters were considered, and appropriate action completed within three days.
House Bill 8001 addressed the urgent need to provide Liability Protection for citizens and entities from unjustified lawsuits arising from Covid-19. It is important that the innocent be protected and those who are possibly guilty face their day in court. The common situation will be of an employee coming to work, school, healthcare facility or a place of worship and filing a lawsuit claiming that they contracted the virus at that place. Although it is not possible to prove that the infection occurred at the alleged place, or was caused by the defendant, costs of legal defense can be a heavy burden upon the defendants. Medical liability for caring of a condition that has no definite treatment can be overwhelming, especially when the care providers have taken great risks in serving the patients and families. Considering the suffering due to the economic downturn, legal costs can be overwhelming. Certainly, immunity under HB 8001 does not extend to situations of gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Date of effectiveness of HB 8001 was of concern. Constitutionally this law cannot be retroactively effective. The lawsuits filed prior to the call for this Extraordinary Session will proceed through the legal channels. There is a sense of unfairness about this. A lawsuit filed on Friday, July 31, 2020 is accepted by the courts but the same claim filed on Aug 3, 2020 is not. This is legal injustice, indeed!
HB 8002 addressed the matter of Telehealth. In this time of Covid related precautions, delivery of healthcare has been complex and very challenging. This bill requires health insurance companies to cover health services provided by use of video communication. This prevents patient travel to doctor offices for certain conditions. It avoids unnecessary patient exposure to virus and helps physicians serve patients in the most convenient way. Not all conditions can be treated by telehealth, of course.
HB 8005 enhanced penalties for certain criminal behaviors and made the penalties stick. Those who vandalize state and private property or assault citizens and law enforcement officers under the pretense of exercising their first amendment right of peaceful protest, will face real consequences. Camping on the Capitol grounds was also prohibited. The First Amendment “right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances” was strongly protected!
Having secured the above objectives, the General Assembly adjourned sine die which, in Latin, means an adjournment without setting a date for return. I am proud to serve for you in the General Assembly. Thank you for the privilege! God Bless!
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67. The Mask, the Science and Liberty!
Sabi Doc Kumar
Robertson County Connection July 14, 2020
Living in Tennessee every winter, we see people’s breath when they are outside. We see it on TV among players on the football field. Tiny droplets of moisture in our breath become condensed to a cloudy mist as they cool down to 45 degrees or below. We can see that we breathe the same air into our lungs that came out of the lungs of the person next to us. God gave us this ‘Air that We Share’. If that air contains the influenza or a Corona virus, such as Covid-19, we breathe it into our lungs.
After inhaling the virus, whether we get sick or not, depends on the battle that our immune system fights against the virus. Lesser the number of enemy soldiers (virus particles) that enter our body, better the chance of victory for our immune system. A mask is a physical barrier against the number of virus particles that might enter our breathing passages. Type of material and the fit of the mask are important. It is certainly better than allowing free entry, and welcome the virus into our lungs.
Scientists have studied the misty winter cloud that we create when we breathe out. In the lab, they use a Laser Light Scatter method. Our breath is a mixture of air and moisture with small, medium and large liquid droplets. These droplets carry the virus. While talking, we put out ‘talking droplets’ with small amounts of virus. Coughing, sneezing, yelling or singing put out large droplets with a lot of virus. These settle down on surfaces usually within six feet. It is the medium sized droplets that disperse most of the virus. As their moisture evaporates, virus hangs in the air. A mask is protective in these situations.
I am a surgeon. In my field, the value of a surgical mask is proven. I knew a surgeon whose patients were developing staph infections. A smart infection control nurse took a culture from his throat. It grew staph. She also noticed that his mask was not covering his nose. A proper fit matters. When he wore the mask properly, the results were good! The mask protected his patients.
Masking mandates have been imposed in Germany, Italy, China, Argentina, New York and many cities in the US. These were successful. A mask, at this time, is the next best thing to a vaccine, which we do not have yet!
I, and my fellow healthcare workers, wear masks to protect the public. We know that we can become infected any day. We could have received a negative test the day before. We also know that people are infectious to others even before they feel sick. Over half of the infections occur in this way. It is a moral duty for us to mask so that we do not spread the infection. We must protect others.
A few common questions are:
“I am healthy. I am strong. I can handle it. It is no more than a slight flu or not even that! Why do I need a mask?”
This person is at a high risk for infection. By being infected, you become a “carrier” of the virus, even if you are not sick. You can pass this infection to a person who gets seriously sick. Corona is a “new” virus. We do not know the long-term behavior or consequences of this new infection, even for you.
“I have certain rights guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States! The mask mandate takes away my Freedom and Liberty!”
I have great respect for this statement. As an immigrant, I am most grateful for the freedoms we enjoy in America! We do have a public health emergency. Generations before us went to wars to protect the freedoms that we enjoy. Hundreds of thousands gave their lives. We are just being asked to wear a mask for a while. We obey rules regarding traffic lights, speed limits, seat belts, DUI laws, no smoking in public places and many more.
I note that the above examples are laws passed by elected representatives in Legislatures. Whereas mandates are issued by state and local officials under emergency rules. I have personal concerns that, with this precedent, can government impose other intrusive mandates under emergency authority?
We have discussed these concerns at the Tennessee General Assembly. It is under consideration that a declaration of emergency lasting beyond sixty or ninety days be approved by the Legislature.
Strong protections for Freedom and Liberty are enshrined in our Constitution. We must protect those! We must also be good stewards and show personal responsibility to protect fellow citizens!
Respect and empathy must go to our Leaders who make difficult decisions with limited information and a good heart! We are faced with an uncertain future that no one has seen before, not even our experts!
In John 13: 34, Christ tells us to love one another. This is an especially critical time for our nation. Let us follow His Command! God Bless!
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66. To Mask or Not to Mask?
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar
Robertson County Connection May 20, 2020
“At age 83, I never thought I’d drive up to a bank teller window, wearing a mask, and ask for money!” exclaims a beloved senior friend of ours. She reflects upon this unprecedented time we live in. Our lives, health, social and economic well-being are threatened by the Corona virus pandemic, also called Covid-19 (Corona Virus Disease 2019).
Corona virus is highly infective and appears to spread quickly. Since there is no current treatment or vaccine, our efforts have focused on prevention.
Corona virus enters through our breathing passages and settles in our lungs. The spread of the virus happens from the breathing droplets of an infected person. The droplets travel farther when the person coughs or sneezes. This is why we need a ‘social distance’ of six feet. An infected person may not be sick at the time and may not know that they are carrying or spreading the virus. They may have had a mild illness or they may be in the ’incubation period’. This is a period, of 10-14 days, during which a person has contracted the virus but has not developed symptoms, yet. During this time, there is a battle between the virus and their immune system. If their immune system wins, they do not get sick or their illness is mild. If their immunity was not able to overcome the virus, the person will get sick, sometimes seriously.
The virus can settle on objects including door handles, packages or counter tops. As we touch these, the virus gets on our hands. If we touch our face or nose, without washing hands, the virus will get into our breathing. This is why washing of hands and dis-infection of surfaces, and objects, is recommended.
Many states and healthcare experts now recommend that, when in public, citizens wear a mask, to prevent the spread of Corona virus. The reason is that if our nose and mouth are covered, the entry of the virus into our breathing passages will be prevented or decreased. Similarly, by wearing a mask, persons who are carrying the virus will not shed as much of the virus into the air. For the mask to give us protection, we must understand four things.
First, the mask should be made of material that allows us to breathe through it and filters the air so that no virus, or very little virus, enters into our breathing. Many types of materials are available. Cotton is comfortable and can be washed and dried. Depending on the thickness, several layers are needed. Quality of commercially available masks is variable and we may not know their test results or effectiveness. On a simple note, U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, has a useful ‘How to Make Your Own Face Covering Video’ that you can watch at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPx1yqvJgf4
Second, it is most important that the mask fit properly. It should cover our nose and mouth. It should be snug and provide a seal all around the edges of the mask so that any virus in the air does not sneak into our breathing. Usually, the masks are loose and do not fit properly at the nose. For a cotton mask, there are several ways to create a seal that fits around the nose. These include crafting wires from the florists, aluminum foil, twist ties from bread loaves or trash bags, a paper clip that is opened and molded to fit, a pipe cleaner, etc. Caution: these must lie inside the folds of the mask material and not dig into the skin.
Third, patients with breathing conditions should consult their healthcare provider for the right mask and fit so it does not interfere with the oxygen they need.
Fourth, we should know that the virus may have settled on the outside of the mask. We should remove the mask without touching the outside and wash it.
Yes, I believe, we should wear a mask when we are out in public! It protects us and protects others. We should practice social distancing and good hygiene, as well! These practices do help to prevent the spread of Covid-19! Things appear to be improving. Let us do our part for us, our families and our fellow Tennesseans! God Bless!
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65
Tennessee Fights the Corona Virus Pandemic
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar
Robertson County Connection Mar 22, 2020
Corona Virus belongs to the family of influenza viruses. We confront the ‘flu’ season every year. We have vaccines to prevent it and anti-viral drugs to treat it. Yet, there were about 30,000 deaths from influenza during the 2018-19 season. Now, we face a new virus called Corona 2. This virus has lived in animals. It is new to the human body. The first case originated from the Huanan Seafood Market in the Chinese city of Wuhan. This market sells many strange and wild animals, slaughtered under unhygienic conditions. The virus appears to have infected a human in December 2018. A Chinese physician, Li Wenliang, was the first to recognize this new viral disease in 2019. Instead of being honored, he was jailed for reporting “false information” and causing panic. Sadly, Dr. Li died of pneumonia, due to Corona virus, in February 2020.
United States began health checks on all travelers, coming from China, on Jan. 21, 2020. Four days later, a man in Washington State, who had recently returned from Wuhan, was found to be infected. Washington State and Federal authorities worked to contain spread.
This virus spreads through contact with an infected person, exposure to cough or sneeze of an infected person, or virus contact from contaminated surfaces.
What We Can Do:
Distance Ourselves from others in public, by at least six feet. In case we come across a person who is infected, we should be outside the range of their virus spray if they cough or sneeze.
Wash our hands! Wash our hands! Use soap and water for 20 seconds, or use a sanitizer, to remove the virus that may get on our hands from surfaces and doorknobs we touch.
Avoid touching our eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Clean and disinfect surfaces around us where the virus might settle: tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
Cough (or sneeze) in a tissue and facing away from people. I do not agree with the advice that we cough on our sleeve and greet others with elbow bumps! We must wash our hands after coughing.
Stay home if we are sick
Wear a facemask when in public, or at home if family members need protection or are sick.
Teach Children to take precautions depending on their age.
Older Adults with underlying conditions are more vulnerable and should be particularly careful.
Symptoms occur 2-14 days after exposure. Common symptoms are dry cough, fever, shortness of breath. A runny nose or sore throat may occur. Warning signs include difficulty in breathing, pain or pressure in chest, confusion, inability to arouse, bluish lips or face.
Testing is free and available for those with symptoms. It is best to call before going to a testing center so you can be screened over the phone. Testing requires swabs of the nose. There was an initial shortage of test kits but these are now more available. There are drive-through facilities in high demand areas. Results are available in a day or two. Purpose of testing is to prevent spread of virus and possibly treat with one of the drugs (Hydroxychloroquine). Treatment of a patient is the same whether the test is positive or negative.
Those who are sick should stay home and separate themselves from family by staying in a sick room, if possible. They should be in touch with the doctor by phone. They should not go to public places or use public transportation because this will spread virus. Call the doctor’s office, emergency department or the clinic before you go so they can take precautions to avoid exposure of other patients and healthcare workers. The illness is mild in most healthy people. Hospitalization maybe needed in about 1 out of 10 cases.
Our healthcare system is the best in the world. We have more hospital beds, Intensive Care beds and ventilators per capita than almost all other countries. Our industry can mobilize to manufacture respirators and we can improvise empty convention centers and other spaces to hospital beds.
Effects on Our Lives
The Economic Impact of the Corona virus is going to be very severe. There will be loss of income for most families. Travel, hotel, restaurant, retail, manufacturing, education, sports, entertainment and almost all sectors of our economy are suffering. The financial markets are a measure of future economic activity and are in a major downturn. Federal government has committed over $2T (Trillion!) for unemployment benefits and business assistance. More dollars will follow. The question is how much can we afford? Fortunately, Tennessee’s unemployment security fund is over $1.1 B and we have almost $1.5B in our rainy day fund.
The Social Impact of less personal contact with friends, and office co-workers, lack of sports entertainment, absence of the bustling restaurant scene, closures of gyms can leave us feeling lonely and affect our mood and well-being.
The Stress of income loss, being confined to the home, caring for children out of school, concerns about their education, keeping the family engaged, possible interruptions in food and medical supplies and negative effects of the news media reports can cause personal difficulties.
Cancellation of Church services is a deep loss at such times. But, God is always with us!
What the Government Can Do
At the federal level, President Trump and the political parties do appear to be moving towards a package of economic assistance for individuals and businesses. Direct payments to citizens are expected within weeks. The State of Tennessee, Governor Bill Lee and the Legislature are committed to help Tennesseans through this difficult time. On Thursday, March 19, 2020, our Legislative Session ended at 11:19 pm after passing a balanced State Budget! We approved a$150M Health and Safety Fund for expenses related to Corona virus. We doubled the direct grants to cities and counties. We added $350M to our state rainy day fund to increase our readiness. We increased temporary payments for needy families to $1,000 per month. We added $30 M to Tennessee Emergency management Agency (TEMA), in part for assistance in the recent tornado related tragedies. The need for all these efforts did lead to decreases in other budgeted expenses including the mental health trust fund, state and teacher pay raises, rural assistance fund and grants to many causes. A planned cut in professional privilege tax was canceled. Difficult times call for difficult decisions. Certainly, not everyone will be pleased.
This is a time to remember that we should all have a personal rainy-day fund to be ready for times like these. Our State is financially well prepared. We have dedicated scientists and public servants. I have great faith in American ingenuity. With prayer and love for each other, we should overcome the challenges of this time. Let us join our Governor and leaders in prayer for our State and our Nation. God Bless!
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64
The Health of Our State
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar
Robertson County Connection, Feb 28. 2020
It is always great to hear the shout, “We are Number One!” There is a special joy when the subject of the shout is our great State of Tennessee. We heard this shout recently when Tennessee was rated number one in the nation for financial soundness. We are, financially, the best managed and the best run state among all the fifty states in our great United States of America. We have no debt. Our budget is balanced. Actually, we are beyond balanced. We have a budget surplus of several hundred million dollars. Our state pensions are fully funded. We have over one billion dollars in our savings account, also, called the rainy-day fund. We have AAA bond ratings. Certainly, all this is the result of good economic conditions, booming business activity stimulated by low taxes, conservative economic policies and a business-friendly environment. Yes, we should celebrate our success and be grateful for God’s many blessings!
As we smile about the financial Health of our State, as a physician, I am concerned about another ranking. If we flip the narrative from ‘The Health of our State’ to the ‘State of Our Health’, there are big reasons to be concerned! Sadly, we are Number 45 in Health Rankings, among the fifty states!
We Tennesseans are among the most kind, giving and friendly people. Our hospitality is generous. But, we do have some bad health habits. Tennessee Department of Health has clearly defined “The Big Four” problems in our health: obesity, tobacco use, drug and alcohol abuse and lack of physical activity. We are familiar with all of these and it should not surprise us. Health consequences of these conditions are numerous and include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, many cancers, drug overdoses, motor vehicle accidents and even arthritis. The economic costs of these conditions are tremendous! These costs not only drive up our health insurance premiums, deductibles and co-pays, they cost us in the form of higher taxes that go towards funding Tenncare and other state programs.
Whereas, individual and personal responsibility for our health belongs to us, Public Health is the responsibility of a good government. While we should watch our diet and eat healthy, avoid illicit drugs, alcohol and tobacco use, the government has the responsibility to assure a healthy environment, clean air and water, and to protect us from external spread of disease such as the present corona virus.
As your State Representative and as a Physician, it is my privilege to serve on the Tennessee Chronic Disease Prevention Taskforce. We have gathered data on the ‘big four’ and more chronic diseases that affect Tennesseans. We have experts in these fields to analyze the data. It is our responsibility to take a long-term view and find pathways to ‘prevent’ these chronic diseases.
It is clear to us that long-term prevention strategies require a change in culture that promotes healthy eating, more physical activity and avoidance of harmful substances. This must begin in childhood! It should begin at home but our schools, too, should be the training grounds for a healthier life, in addition to the academic learning that they provide.
“Whole Child Initiative” is a state program that integrates the above needs. As we provide good nutrition to our children, we must also assure that they learn about nutrition so that it becomes a way of life leading to good health for life! We have to overcome the difficulty that our southern cooking is sooo good and we eat tooo much! Help us, O God! Thus I pray!
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63
Prayer at the Legislature
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar
Robertson County Connection, Jan 28, 2020
The 111th General Assembly of the Great State of Tennessee convened, as required by the Tennessee Constitution, on January 8, 2019. Legislative sessions always open with significant elements of pomp, ceremony and procedure that flavor the institution with an air of majesty and tradition. The spectacles of the opening ceremonies and rituals bring order and dignity to the proceedings. A very important part of these opening ceremonies is the offering of a prayer.
Prayer brings God, and His presence, closer to us. Prayer makes it possible that God’s invisible hand is on our shoulder. That is how we receive His wisdom, courage and clarity. We know that prayer changes things in our lives. Our prayer can be personal. It can be for our friends, family, co-workers, leaders, our community, our state, our nation and, indeed, our universe. At the Legislature, it is important that our elected officials feel the presence of God as they participate in making important decisions that affect so many lives. Despite our different beliefs, an opening prayer is performed in all Legislative Chambers in the United States.
The constitutionality of legislative prayer was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1983. In its decision on Marsh, Nebraska State Treasurer, et al v. Chambers, the court ruled that Congress and state legislatures do not violate the U.S. Constitution's separation of church and state even when clergy are paid to lead daily devotionals. Chief Justice Warren Burger's opinion held that the use of legislative prayer "has become part of the fabric of our society" and that it is not "an establishment of religion, or a step toward establishment; it is simply a tolerable acknowledgement of beliefs." It is remarkable that such a simple belief did not get translated to School Prayer.
It is a virtue in the great State of Tennessee that each session of the Legislature opens with a Prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag and our Republic. This is the moment that we reflect upon the sacrifices of those who have, and those who continue, to defend our nation and our values. I was, truly, honored to be asked to be ‘The Chaplain of the Day’ on Friday, January 18, 2019. The Scripture tells us that God listens to Prayer. With the members of the Tennessee House of Representatives of the 111th General Assembly, valued staff and honored guests in the gallery, all standing, I prayed:
Almighty God
We thank you for the Gifts of Life and Liberty,
Love & Family,
And This Amazing Creation of Yours that We call Our Universe.
We thank you for the Air that we Breathe, the Water that we Drink and
the Earth that we walk upon.
We Thank You for the Seed That we Sow and the Fruit that We Harvest.
We are Grateful, O Lord, for the Gift of Democracy
And a Republic that is Of the People, By the People and For the People.
May we always remember that we are here to serve
And Whom we serve.
We pray for Wisdom that comes only from You
And the Courage to follow your Command.
We pray that our actions, decisions and demeanors are pleasing to you!
We know, O Lord, that we will disagree,
Help us to remember Your Command to Love Each Other!
Thus, we Pray in the Name of your Son!
Amen!
Considering that this session marks a new beginning for our Legislature, our newly elected Governor and his administration, let us pray for all success for our state and her people! May God Bless!
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62
Daylight Saving Time
Sabi ‘Doc’ Kumar
Robertson County Connection, Nov 26,, 2019
If you could “save time in a bottle”, would it be Daylight Saving Time, also called DST? In Robertson County, we are almost evenly divided about the benefits and the difficulties of this twice a year ritual in which we continue to ‘Spring Forward and Fall Back’.
It all began with my favorite founding father, Ben Franklin, when he was the US Ambassador to France in 1778. Making fun of the late night habits of the Parisians, Franklin thought that they could save on candles by getting to bed early, and rising earlier in the morning to use more of the natural day light. Franklin expressed his opinion in a ‘tongue-in-cheek’ article in the Journal of Paris titled, “An Economical Project for Diminishing the Cost of Light”.
It was not until 1916, during World War I, that Germany and other European countries implemented DST to conserve fuel. United States passed a law to enforce DST in 1918 but the idea was unpopular and the law was repealed after World War I. DST was, again, enforced during World War II and was known as “War Time”. After WW II, DST was observed, irregularly, by some states and municipalities. During the 1970s energy crisis, DST again made sense for conserving fuel and energy. Interestingly, DST is generally not observed in countries near the equator, where sunrise times do not vary enough to justify it.
The transportation industry found the lack of consistency in DST changes to be confusing and pushed for a uniform federal regulation called the Uniform Time Act of 1966 which was amended in 1996. Under this Act, moving an area on or off DST is accomplished through Legislative action at the state level and subsequent approval at the federal level.
Early this year, the Tennessee Legislature passed and Governor Bill Lee signed a law that permits Tennessee to stay permanently in the Daylight Saving Time. This means that we would “Spring Forward” and stay in that time permanently, if our state law is approved by the federal government.
Our Legislature felt that it made sense to adopt DST permanently for many reasons in addition to conservation of energy and better use of daylight. DST clock shifts complicate timekeeping, disrupt travel, billing, record keeping, medical devices, heavy equipment, and especially sleep patterns. During an autumn transition from 02:00 to 01:00, a clock reads times from 01:00:00 through 01:59:59 twice, possibly leading to confusion. People who work across time zone boundaries need to keep track of multiple DST rules, as not all locations observe DST or observe it the same way.
Medical harms of the clock shifts are considerable! There is an increase in heart attacks, stroke, depression and suicides, work place injuries due to hormonal imbalance and disturbance of our circadian rhythm. Students’ test scores suffer. Employee work efficiency is known to fall. In 2017, researchers at the University of Washington and the University of Virginia reported that judges who experienced sleep deprivation, as a result of clock shift, tended to issue longer sentences! No wonder patients frequently ask me if I got a good night’s sleep when I see them before surgery!
One fact is certain. No matter how or when we set the clock, there will always be 24 hours in a day!
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61
The Real Solution to Robocalls
Sabi ‘Doc’ Kumar
Robertson County Connection, Sep 3, 2019
A very dear friend of mine, recently, turned 65. It is a milestone in our lives. It is a happy occasion, with mixed feelings about aging and times past. Of course there are, also, the obligatory jokes about wheelchairs and nursing homes. These are funny and help to soften the serious edge about the ‘golden years’.
The phone rang at breakfast. She still has a landline. It was not a ‘Happy Birthday’ call. Instead, the caller enthusiastically offered her a great deal on pre-final arrangements, reminding her to spare her would-be survivors from such burdens and decisions. The man was remarkably cheerful about the subject. An hour later, the call was from a service that would provide her with instant emergency help in case of a fall, by the push of a button that she could wear around her neck. This was followed by the single-day installation offer for a walk-in tub, assuming her inability to climb into one. Other offers towards loan consolidation, medicare insurance plans and free cruises, for which she needs to pay to register, continued to pour in.
Certainly, some of the above services can be valuable, and even life-saving, in the right circumstances. But, my ‘very dear friend’ had mixed feelings, that varied from concern about the future, fear of disability and anger towards unscrupulous callers exploiting the elderly. Planning for our later years in life is an important responsibility that we must undertake with proper thought and discussion with family and friends. Purchase of a service from a robocaller may not be the best course.
We have all, been annoyed by the untimely, persistent and pesty nature of robocalls. Fraudulent sales, demand for alleged taxes that are really, not due, computer hacking and other threats have occurred. In 2003, the U.S. government established a National Do Not Call Registry. Citizens could call 1-888-382-1222 and register their phone number so that they do not receive unsolicited calls. Cell phones calls and Do Not Text were later added to this registry. The callers are liable for fines up to $ 40,000 for each violation!
The enforcement of this Registry has been a failure. There were 124 million robocalls placed to phone numbers in Tennessee during the month of June, 2019 alone. The yearly volume is almost 1.5 billion calls! The robocallers are technologically far ahead of law enforcement. Most robocallers are located outside the U.S., beyond the reach of law. They are able to ‘spoof’ the phone numbers so that a call is not coming from the number it appears to be coming from. In response to complaints from citizens, the Federal government recently passed the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act! A clever name indeed, isn’t it? The smart law graduates deserve a trophy for inventing a very good name for this law! Under this law, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is asked to close loopholes in the law, require phone companies to provide better tracing, create a database and stiffen the penalties. The current fine of $ 40,000 per violation is apparently not enough! I have serious doubts about the success of this law.
The better way to curtail robocalls is to charge the callers by the volume of calls placed. A charge of a penny (or even half a penny) per call will cut down the volume of robocalls. It will decrease the cost to the citizens who use the phone for legitimate every day needs. The phone companies will make more money from those who use their services more. That is only fair. Presently, we the citizens are paying for the lines, poles, equipment and personnel. That is not fair. This idea has been encouraged by many. Pray that our Congress will listen. God Bless!
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60
Do You Wanna Be The Speaker?
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar
Robertson County Connection, Jul 27, 2019
Would you like to be the Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives? You may not make it, but you can certainly try! Surprisingly, the Constitution of our Great State does not list the qualifications for a Speaker of the Tennessee Legislature. Section 11, Article II states that, “ The Senate and the House of Representatives, when assembled, shall each choose a speaker and its other officers; be judges of the qualifications and election of its members..”. Constitutional scholars believe that you do not have to be a member of the Legislature to become Speaker. A member has to nominate you and it will be necessary to have a second. Then the members of the House will vote. It is expected that they will vote for one of their own!
The Speaker of a legislative assembly is a presiding officer. The title was first used in the English Parliament in 1377. Responsibilities of a Speaker are complex today, as compared to olden times when the official role was to moderate debate, make rulings on procedural matters, announce results of votes, appear strict and be an authority on the podium. The Speaker decides who is allowed to speak on the floor of the House. This can influence debate and change outcomes on key issues. The Speaker has the privilege to discipline members who defy decorum and procedures of the chamber. The Speaker represents the legislative body in celebrations and ceremonies.
The Speaker also has major administrative responsibilities. He manages the office, House and legislative staff. The Speaker decides the number and structure of House committees. Most importantly, he appoints members to these committees. It is expected that the members will serve on committees where their professional and life experiences will be of value in making laws and decisions. The Speaker can influence outcomes on important societal matters through the members he appoints. Generally members are expected to vote their ‘district’, i.e. they vote according to the preferences and values of their constituents or vote their ‘conscience’. It is a sweet Blessing when these two are the same!
Since the Speaker is elected by members of the House of Representatives, the person, naturally, belongs to the majority party. A memorable coup occurred, in Tennessee House of Representatives, in 2009. The Republicans were a razor-thin majority by a count of 50-49. Representative Kent Williams, a Republican, made a secret deal with Democrats to support him for Speakership. With the vote tied at 49-49, he cast the tie-breaking vote to become the Speaker himself. The shocked Republicans expelled him from their Party but he was the Speaker!
It was not as dramatic, but on Wednesday July 24, 2019, the Republican Caucus of Tennessee House of Representatives met to name a Speaker-elect to replace the current Speaker, Glen Casada. There is sadness in this matter. Speaker Casada accomplished a great deal as he presided over the House session this year. Important legislation, that will improve the lives and well-being of Tennesseans, was passed. However, personal indiscretions and possible irregularities led to the need for his resignation as he lost the confidence of our members.
Fortunately, we have a deep bench of dedicated and capable members willing to serve. Six of the members offered themselves for service. After four rounds of voting, we nominated Chairman Cameron Sexton of Crossville. Linda and I have known Cameron and his family. I am certain that he will restore integrity and independence of our members. Speaker Sexton has strong moral values and principles. Let us wish the very best for him and his family. His success will also be success for Tennessee! God Bless!
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59
They Aren't Working Doc!
Sabi 'Doc Kumar
Robertson County Connection, Jul 2, 2019
Smokey Barn News, Jun 30, 2019
So said a ‘distinguished Southern Gentleman in overalls’, as he slid into the bench across the table from me, at the 63rd Annual Martin’s Chapel BBQ. I have heard this lament, off and on, and ever since I was able to get the Highway 431 South widening project started. The project had been on the books, and in somebody’s desk drawer, for years. As I have said before, road construction is harder than doing surgery! With time, the question has changed from, “When are they going to get started?” to “When are they going to finish?” This reminds me of a road trip with my family and the forever question, “Are we there yet?”
As I prepared to answer the question, the ‘distinguished Southern Gentleman in overalls’, he engaged the folks in conversation about the severe winds, heavy rains, fallen trees and summer garden. Then, he got busy with a few plates of barbecue. I can understand. It is very good barbecue and, after all, it is the reason we were there!
I did want to answer the matter raised by the ‘distinguished Southern Gentleman in overalls.’ I did not want him to think that I had dodged his question. After an appropriate pause in conversation, and a few more seconds and thirds of the very good barbecue, I asked, “So, are you concerned about the construction on 431?” “There’s been nobody working for six weeks, Doc! They have got the speed limit cut down to 45. It needs to be moved up when they are not working!” I wondered if he had been pulled over. I did not mention the hazards of barrels, uneven lanes and lingering equipment in road construction area.
I agreed with the ‘distinguished Southern Gentleman in overalls’ that there had been no construction activity for several weeks. Why don’t the road builders work until a project is finished and then move on? I have asked this question.
What I learned was that there is no delay! The road builders have a contract with the State to finish a project by a specified date. If we want it faster, we pay more. The State does not ask them to work quickly, as long as the project is finished by the completion date. The current leg, of Highway 431 widening, is to be completed by August 2020. If the traffic is not moving on the new lanes by then, the road builders are fined two thousand dollars a day. The State likes that! We collected almost $60,000 in fines for completion delay of Phase 1. Considering that we have forever, lived without this five-lane road, a few weeks delay brings no harm and the State gets some money back!
Other reasons for lack of construction activity include a change in design, as area citizens and I worked to have the planned median changed to a turn lane, heavy rains, soft and muddy ground, crew diversion to other parts of the State because of rain and flood damage to roads or unexpected emergencies. Expect to see crews absent for weeks and then working on weekends as the project deadline approaches!
We live in times of frustration, powered by social media, and the urge to ‘yell at them’. That, my friends, is a bad idea. I want the folks at TDOT to be our friends! Many of them live in our county. We will need them to plow the snow off our roads every winter and repair the potholes every spring!
“Appreciate what you are doing, Doc,” said the ‘distinguished Southern Gentleman in overalls,’ as we finished the chocolate, pecan and nuts pie. God Bless!
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58
Tumultuous Times in the House
Sabi 'Doc Kumar
Robertson County Connection, Jun 11, 2019
On June 1, 1796, Tennessee became the 16th state of these great United States of America! As my wife Linda and I celebrated the 223rd Birthday of our state, we looked back on the 2019 session of the Tennessee House of Representatives in the111th General Assembly. Despite good legislative achievements, the end of the session was marred by reports of offensive racial and sexual text messages between our Speaker and his chief of staff. It was tragic to witness the spectacular failure of these successful men. They were so fortunate and they had achieved so much!
The Tennessee House is a majestic Chamber! I am, always filled with awe as I enter and think of the leaders that preceded us. They, too, served in times that were good or and times that were trying. Although the election of November 2018 maintained the Republican super-majority in the House and the voters approved of the socially and fiscally conservative policies that have achieved economic success for our state, there were 30 freshmen among the newly elected 73 Republicans and 26 Democrats. This was a remarkable change. We also elected a new Governor and a new Speaker. These changes brought new priorities and directions.
After the grand ceremonial opening, we were excited to start work and conduct the people’s business.
We passed a balanced budget that included another significant increase in educational funding, teacher salaries, funding for school safety of our children, additional contributions toward economic development, mental health and criminal justice. We cut taxes by $35M. We added $239M to our rainy day fund, which is now over $1B strong. This adds to the financial strength and business confidence in our state.
We passed several bold legislative measures. These included: a pilot project allowing school vouchers for eligible students in failing inner city schools, allowing online sports betting with revenues earmarked towards education scholarships, asking federal government to provide Tenncare funds as a block grant so the state can manage these more efficiently.
We failed to address major problems including surprise medical bills, epidemic of electronic cigarettes and vaping among youth, need for more nurses in public schools. “Medical” marijuana bills failed, because these benefit the growers and sellers more than the patients. Proper medical supervision is not possible because of federal licensing laws.
We honored our veterans by recognizing those exposed to Agent Orange, during the Vietnam War, and Mr. Ken Gamble for his efforts to provide The Orange Heart Medal to these heroes through a non-profit organization. We also invited and honored Mr. James Edwards, the Tennessee Cowboy Poet! Both of these occasions warmed our hearts!
We did a few other things, including tax exemptions for ammunition, small gyms and car washes. Some utilities were “rounding up” your monthly bill to the next dollar. They will now need your permission to do so. We did not allow service of liquor at the Knoxville Zoo!
Tragedy befell when it was discovered that our Speaker had tolerated highly inappropriate text conversations from his chief of staff. We were deeply offended. The Republican Caucus met and passed a motion of “No Confidence” in our Speaker, who submitted a letter of resignation effective August 2. This may change. We will elect a new Speaker. There are several good candidates. I pray that our integrity and good moral values will be restored and upheld. We owe it to our good citizens. God Bless Tennessee and the United States of America!
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57
Faith and Addiction
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar
The Robertson County Connection, April 9, 2019
When Stevie Wonder’s, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours” becomes “Saved, Healed, Delivered, I’m Yours”, the church is rockin’! This congregation is different. The focus is on recovery from addiction, through faith and prayer.
A few weeks ago, my wife and I visited the Covenant Confirmers Church in Springfield. It is also, called the ‘Biker’s Church’. Most attendees and staff are motorcycle riders. Though we arrived in my little red Mercedes, we were greeted and treated as if we were bikers! Actually, we are Methodist. And, we are traditionalists. Our church does offer a contemporary service where the music is spirited and high in decibels. More of our church members attend that service than the traditional. We prefer the quieter, traditional setting.
It was a bold step for us. The theme in the entry foyer, classrooms and the sanctuary was motor cycles. Two very big Harleys flanked the stage, under theater lighting. The pulpit was a beautifully modified Harley too!
Considering, the Covenant Confirmers Church serves the addiction community among bikers, it is clear that a biker will feel at home as soon as they arrive. They will find the church staff to be in jeans and leather, just like them. They will not be concerned about how they are perceived or looked upon. I can imagine the looks they will get, if they had the courage to visit our traditional church setting! Although, all of us go to church to pray and seek God, there is certainly a different social and cultural aura based on ethnic and denominational traditions. Going to a church in search of recovery from addiction is a very major step in that journey. The ‘Biker’s Church’ provides a comfort and welcome without the concern of ‘strange looks’!
Pastor Ron Baptiste´ is a remarkable man, of Native American descent, with a mystic presence. ‘Pastor Ron’ and his wife, Pastor Cricket, are motorcycle riders who personally know the scene and the culture of riding and addiction that may capture some. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) dominated Ron’s early life. He was just three months old when he developed a rare childhood cancer on his face. The first six years of his life were spent in hospitals and under medical care. Multiple operations were necessary, as doctors worked to reconstruct his face. Not unexpectedly, the resulting deformity attracted teasing and ridicule at school. So he responded by beating up the school bully! “All of a sudden at lunch, all these little girls are bringing me their ice cream,” he remembers. As Ron learned that violence made him accepted and popular, it became a way of life. “Violence is like a drug. That was my first real addiction,” he says. He started carrying weapons, even to school. A period of alcohol, drugs and crime followed, leading to prison. When he came out of prison, he fell back in to the same life. Finally, under threat that he may lose his family, he sought Christ. He tells of a vision in which Christ came and sat down with him on the floor. He cleaned out his cupboards of alcohol and drugs. He cleaned out his heart and mind and filled it with God! “Just because you have done some things wrong, God doesn’t stop loving you,” he tells his congregation.
The Covenant Confirmers Church is a Certified Faith-Based Recovery Congregation under the program initiated by former Governor Bill Haslam. In addition to Sunday and Wednesday church services, it also provides a family support group, narcotics anonymous programs and a free medical clinic. Pastor Ron’s sermon focused on the recovery needs of his congregation. It was rich in Biblical references. It was, truly, a spiritual experience!
The road to recovery from addiction is complex and long. There are many options. For these bikers, and their families, the Covenant Confirmers Church provides a great promise with the love and support that they need. May God continue to bless this journey for all!
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56
Prayer at the Legislature
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar
The Robertson County Connection, Jan 28, 2019
The 111th General Assembly of the Great State of Tennessee convened, as required by the Tennessee Constitution, on January 8, 2019. Legislative sessions always open with significant elements of pomp, ceremony and procedure that flavor the institution with an air of majesty and tradition. The spectacles of the opening ceremonies and rituals bring order and dignity to the proceedings. A very important part of these opening ceremonies is the offering of a prayer.
Prayer brings God, and His presence, closer to us. Prayer makes it possible that God’s invisible hand is on our shoulder. That is how we receive His wisdom, courage and clarity. We know that prayer changes things in our lives. Our prayer can be personal. It can be for our friends, family, co-workers, leaders, our community, our state, our nation and, indeed, our universe. At the Legislature, it is important that our elected officials feel the presence of God as they participate in making important decisions that affect so many lives. Despite our different beliefs, an opening prayer is performed in all Legislative Chambers in the United States.
The constitutionality of legislative prayer was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1983. In its decision on Marsh, Nebraska State Treasurer, et al v. Chambers, the court ruled that Congress and state legislatures do not violate the U.S. Constitution's separation of church and state even when clergy are paid to lead daily devotionals. Chief Justice Warren Burger's opinion held that the use of legislative prayer "has become part of the fabric of our society" and that it is not "an establishment of religion, or a step toward establishment; it is simply a tolerable acknowledgement of beliefs." It is remarkable that such a simple belief did not get translated to School Prayer.
It is a virtue in the great State of Tennessee that each session of the Legislature opens with a Prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag and our Republic. This is the moment that we reflect upon the sacrifices of those who have, and those who continue, to defend our nation and our values. I was, truly, honored to be asked to be ‘The Chaplain of the Day’ on Friday, January 18, 2019. The Scripture tells us that God listens to Prayer. With the members of the Tennessee House of Representatives of the 111th General Assembly, valued staff and honored guests in the gallery, all standing, I prayed:
Almighty God
We thank you for the Gifts of Life and Liberty,
Love & Family,
And This Amazing Creation of Yours that We call Our Universe.
We thank you for the Air that we Breathe, the Water that we Drink and
the Earth that we walk upon.
We Thank You for the Seed That we Sow and the Fruit that We Harvest.
We are Grateful, O Lord, for the Gift of Democracy
And a Republic that is Of the People, By the People and For the People.
May we always remember that we are here to serve
And Whom we serve.
We pray for Wisdom that comes only from You
And the Courage to follow your Command.
We pray that our actions, decisions and demeanors are pleasing to you!
We know, O Lord, that we will disagree,
Help us to remember Your Command to Love Each Other!
Thus, we Pray in the Name of your Son!
Amen!
Considering that this session marks a new beginning for our Legislature, our newly elected Governor and his administration, let us pray for all success for our state and her people! May God Bless!
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55
A Good Government
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar
The Robertson County Connection, Oct 23, 2018
A government that is “of the people, for the people, by the people,” certainly, should listen to the people! Otherwise, it has been called a government “of the asses, for the masses, by the classes!” Being a small part of the large enterprise, that is our government today, it is my hope that I am a part of the good government, a government that listens to the people!
One form of listening is that voters convey their opinions to the government through voting. Voting, however, occurs every two years or later. People’s voice must be heard, in between elections, especially, for issues that are not big enough to be on the ballot.
I listen to constituent needs and issues. As a physician, in this community for over 40 years, it is my habit to return patients’ calls, give advice or medication and treat problems. As a state Representative, I have carried that habit into my public service.
In the current, and ongoing, widening of Highway 431 South, there was a need for the government to listen to the people. The first phase in widening of this highway extended from Memorial Boulevard to Batson Parkway. It has become a five-lane highway with a turn lane in the center. The second phase is widening of this highway for additional 3.2 miles from Batson Parkway to the Robertson-Davidson County Line. Because it was not a commercial artery, this widening was designed to have a concrete median in the center, instead of a turn lane. However, there is new business development along this highway. A concrete median will hinder access to businesses along this highway. Government needs to listen to the people!
Upon receiving initial calls, I arranged that officials from Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) speak to business people in the area. They did, but that is all they did! So, I arranged that they visit these gentlemen. They did, and that is all they did. Weeks and months passed between these efforts. At the time of the next call with one of the business owners, we made different plans. I arranged for the “431 South business group” to meet with the Assistant Commissioner and the Chief Engineer of TDOT at their office in Nashville. Citizens were able to tell the government what they needed! The Commissioner and TDOT officials listened. They were kind and friendly. I stressed that government is to serve the people.
Again, several months passed as I continued to follow up with calls and emails. The difficulties were that design and engineering, for the project, had been finished. Federal funds and approval had been obtained. The project had been bid and a contract had been awarded. Initial construction had started. It was just too late to change a median into a turn lane. I repeated that in 10 to 20 years from now, the concrete median will be a hurdle to business.
The government, finally, listened! We are truly thankful to Assistant Commissioner Paul Degges and his staff. The design is changed and the concrete median will be replaced by a turn lane. It was a gratifying experience for me and the Highway 431 South business community. A high compliment to me from a member of this group was that I am a “Representative” and not a “politician”! I am thankful for the role these businessmen played in making our government good! God Bless!
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54
The Slippery Slope of Negative Campaigning
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar
The Tennessean Sep 23, 2018
The urge to attack an opponent is not a new disease! Candidates in the recent primary election season, however, seemed to be exceptionally prone to it. Tennessee voters saw an avalanche of negative campaign ads and mailings. Being a relative newcomer to politics, I was surprised that folks who know each other and see each other up close at various functions and forums, are able to attack each other, sometimes even with non-truths.
From a political science perspective, negative campaigning is the spreading of negative information about an opponent to damage their public image. Notwithstanding the moral and ethical admonitions, negative campaigning has existed, at some level, ever since the first lie was invented. But not all negative statements are lies. It may really be necessary to bring certain facts about an opponent to public attention in order to inform. Frequently though, facts are stretched or modified, to the advantage of the messenger. Indeed the need to inform the public of certain true and critical facts about an opponent may rise to the level of duty in an effort to protect citizens from the dangers and deficiencies of a candidate. In their book, “The Positive Case for Negative Campaigning”, Mattes & Redlawsk made the case that negativity provides full information about candidates, because candidates themselves, will not reveal their shortcomings.
The common weapons of negative campaigning include attack ads, contrast ads, ‘dirty tricks’ and other! Attack ads hammer on the real or imagined negative attributes of an opponent. Fears about the consequences of a candidate being elected, to the office sought, are fed and inflamed. To a varying degree, these messages can be vicious. Human nature being what it is, negative ads are more memorable than positive ads. Contrast ads draw distinctions between candidates to highlight the positives of the favored candidate against the negatives of the opponent.
The so-called ‘dirty tricks’ can be rather complex and sophisticated. True or ‘fake’ damaging information, about a candidate, may be leaked to the press or social media. It may come from a third party acting as a proxy openly or in secret. This gives the candidate a cloak of deniability and, possibly, some protection from a backlash. False information may be transmitted to the opposing campaign through a remote channel with the expectation that they will use it and then be embarrassed by the falsehood. Another tactic is ‘push polls’ in which negative information about a candidate is implanted in the public mind in the form of a poll question.
It is unpredictable if negative attacks will backfire and when that might happen. The timing of these efforts is crucial. If attacks are launched early, the message loses its edge by the time of election and if launched late, it may indicate desperation.
A startling development in negative campaigning has been the role of the media, who deliberately report and discuss news with a clear political bias. A reassuring sign has been that most citizens have recognized this phenomenon. Some true believers on both sides, of course, are actually thrilled about it. Never mind the ethics, the ratings are great!Considering that negative campaigning suppresses voter turnout, it takes away from democracy. The best route to success should be the message of hope, service and the contribution that a candidate will make. Just old-fashioned goodness! It seems to work most of the time, but there are no guarantees. Its politics!
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53
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar Robertson County Connection Jul 17, 2018
Six Reasons to Vote
As Linda and I went to the 4th of July activities around Robertson County, the spirit of America and American Democracy was vibrant indeed!
The ceremony at Thomas Kilgore cemetery honors a pioneer and veteran of the American Revolutionary War, who founded the town of Cross Plains. A re-enactment of the period, conducted in 18th century costumes, surrounded by the morning dew and the mist has a scenic quality that reminds us that a Republic was created and Monarchy was banished. When asked, “What have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” Ben Franklin answered, “A republic, if you can keep it!” The first reason to vote is to keep our republic and honor the founders of our nation.
We, then, rushed to the City of Greenbrier for the 4th of July Parade! The heat index was climbing but citizens lined the parade route to enjoy the spectacle. Kids loved candy as it rained down upon them. The shrieks of joy! The School band, local businesses, churches, volunteer groups and political candidates were all there. The 2nd reason to vote is to show respect for the citizens who have offered themselves for service to our community. It takes courage, planning, support of friends and family and a willingness to participate in the great dialogue of democracy.
We made a refreshment stop at the Center in Springfield for the Opening Ceremony of the Tennessee Dixie Youth Baseball Tournament. All Star teams from across the state were there, bubbling with energy, ages 5-12. Thanks to the parents, coaches and volunteers. The 3rd reason to vote is to sustain our democratic traditions for the next generations!
The next event was the 4th of July Picnic in Adams. The Volunteer Firefighters installed a Dunking Booth welcoming political candidates, game for a noble dunk, to support the community. The 4th reason to vote is that you know what your candidates stand for, whether they dunk or not.
After a hydration break, we were back in Cross Plains, The park is a vista of green all around, the central gazebo has a welcome breeze swaying the red, white and blue buntings. There is great music. The veterans conduct a patriotic flag raising ceremony. The National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance follow. There are political speeches by candidates. There is inspiration and Love for Country. The 5th reason to vote is that “apathy gives us the government” we do not like! Voting gives us the right to complain with integrity!
The evening of the 4th, of course, is full of excitement with fireworks, after the family picnic that brings summer joys of hot dogs, burgers, potato salad and numerous desserts! There were several fireworks displays around our community to celebrate the 242nd birthday for America. The 6th reason to vote is the excitement of watching the fireworks of election night and the surprises.
Early Voting is July 13-28. There are three parts to the upcoming August 2nd Election. The first part is the Robertson County General Election for County Mayor, Clerk, Sheriff and certain County Commissioners. Please be aware that the County General Elections are non-partisan, which means that the candidates are not running as members of a political party. The second part includes the Tennessee State Primary election for State Representatives (that is me!), State Senate and Governor. The third part is the Primary election for the US House of Representatives and Senate. For the State and Federal Primary elections, you will be asked whether you want to vote in Republican or the Democratic Primary. Your ballot will allow you to vote for candidates in the Party that you choose. Choose Wisely!
Election day is August 2. After Primary Elections choose the nominees of each political party for State and Federal offices, the General Election will be on November 6. Expect a lot of campaign activity from first week of August to first week in November. There will be signs, advertisements, banners and barbecues!
Let us honor the founders of our Republic and vote. Let us understand the candidates and support those who uphold our Tennessee values. Let us hope that our candidates are good and honest. Let us ask them to avoid mudslinging. Let us ask them to serve for the love of God and Our Country! Let us pray that God continue to Bless America and her people!
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52
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar Robertson County Connection Jun 12, 2018
Legislation: Breast Cancer and Breast Density
As a surgeon, I see women with breast cancer. They are often surprised and hurt when they are told of the diagnosis. It is a difficult task. Physicians take courses on how to deliver such news to patients. I find that offering hope and a realistic but positive outlook is the best way to inform patients about such diagnosis.
Breast Cancer is the most common cancer among women. One in eight women are at a lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. It is a disease that spares no group or class. Nancy Reagan, Betty Ford, Happy Rockefeller and Angelina Jolie have suffered from it. So did my mom!
With tremendous advances in medical science, cure rates approach 100% with early diagnosis and treatment. Yes, early diagnosis is key. Cure rate for advanced breast cancer is as low as 20%. Early diagnosis saves lives! In order to discover breast cancer at an early stage, annual physical examination and breast x-ray, called mammography, are recommended for women over 40 or 50 years of age, depending on family history and risk factors. This is called a screening mammography.
Mrs. B had been concerned. Her mother had breast cancer. She knew that a positive family history increased her chances of developing breast cancer. She had regular yearly breast examinations and mammography. Last year, as always, she had her annual screening mammography. No cancer was found but the report mentioned that she had ‘dense breast tissue’. It also said that this type of tissue is ‘not abnormal’. Hidden in the complicated medical language, of the report, was the message that dense breast tissue can make it difficult for x-rays to see breast cancer. The recommendation for more tests (like ultrasound) was vague. Mrs. B and her nurse practitioner thought that things were fine since the mammogram did not find cancer.
Sadly, some months later, Mrs. B was found to have a large breast cancer. With good medical therapy and God’ grace, she is doing well and we pray for a successful outcome.
Mrs. B is a resident of Robertson County. She wrote to me about her breast cancer, not because I am a surgeon but because I am a State Representative. Her concern was that discovery of breast cancer may be delayed among other women who have dense breasts. One could not help but admire a lady like her! While fighting her own cancer battle, she was concerned about other women who might suffer.
I knew that women who have dense breast tissue, as seen on mammography, have increased risk of breast cancer and should be properly informed. A Tennessee law, passed in 2014, requires that these women receive a notice explaining the matter. The language of the notice, however, is confusing.
As your State Representative, I worked with Mrs. B and the Tennessee Radiological Society to develop new language for the ‘breast density letter’. I consulted with the legislators who had passed the previous law. Sen. Janice Bowling sponsored this legislation in the Senate. We wanted the letter to be clear, easy to understand and without medical jargon. Tennessee Radiological Society representatives, including the president, were most helpful. House Bill 2364 was passed into law and signed by Gov Bill Haslam on April 23, 2018 to become Public Chapter 750.
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51
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar Robertson County Connection May 22, 2018
God Bless the Graduates!
May is the month of flowers and spring plantings as we look forward to the joys of summer! It is, also, the month of Graduations. There are eight high school Graduations in our county and a host of Homeschoolers completing their high school studies! There is excitement among graduates and their families as they anticipate a new beginning in a new chapter of life. Graduates look towards stepping out from the cocoon that has nurtured them for years and into a world not populated by familiar faces and friends. They, also, get a lot of advice!
A very wise old man once said, ”When you plan for a Day, Plant a Garden. When you plan for a Decade, Plant Trees. When you plan for Life, Get an Education!”. I follow this with a personal message:
Congratulations Graduates! A high school graduation is an important milestone in your education and life. You have now started a journey. Please don’t ever stop learning. It is a life-long process!
If you, already, have plans to enter a business, farming or join the military to defend our nation, I wish you the best and God Bless.
If you are going to college, please, plan ahead. Look at ‘the toughest’ course that you will be taking this fall and put it away through the summer. Tremendous online resources, like Khan Academy, are available and you guys are smart about using those. You will arrive smart. Such preparation should take away academic stress. You will enjoy college. Your parents and I will be proud of you!
If you are uncertain or just tired of school, please, find out what you like to do, find your passion. Consider a Tech course in the field that you enjoy. For Example: A One Year Licensed Practical Nurse course will double your income for Life!
There are similar options in other fields. Please, look around, because a one year effort can really double your income for life. It is worth it!
And, if you are interested in a career in the Health Professions, you are welcome to come and talk to me. I will tell you the three things that you should do for professional success. I also invite you to come and shadow with me. Please, call my office and we will make arrangements for you. You can spend a day, or more, with me in my surgery office or the Legislature. We will see patients together, discuss medical, human and social aspects of disease and relate to families and people.
You can come with me to surgery. We will show you some blood and see how tough you are! If you become woozy, I promise not to tell mom or dad or anyone else! You will overcome! If you are interested in a particular medical field, I can introduce you to physicians or surgeons in that field and you can observe and spend time with them. We are fortunate to have NorthCrest Medical Center as a valuable resource in our community.
My wife, Linda, and I have always attended all of the eight graduations in our county but this year we may not be able to attend all. Even if we are not there, our heart and our prayers are with each of you!
We do wish you all success! Remember all that your parents did, and will continue to do, for you. Remember the special teachers who loved, taught and nurtured you. Stay in touch with friends. And, above all, may God be forever with you and you with Him!
Congratulations Graduates of the Class of 2018! God Bless and Go get ‘em!
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50
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar SmokeyBarn News Apr 12, 2018
Thank You Robertson County!
Yes, My Friends! I thank you for the honor to serve as your State Representative in the Tennessee Legislature, from District 66 since 2014. I am proud of my service and I wish to continue. I ask for Your Vote and Support because:
1. I Have Served the People.
I always respond to all calls, messages, emails and letters. It is a habit because, as a surgeon, I have done this for my patients over the last 40 years. When we receive a call from you for help, I and my staff are able to give advice or connect you with the right person in government. We also follow up and make sure that you received the help that you needed. Life being what it is, not all problems can be solved. When such is the case, we explain why and folks understand.
A particular joy has been to attend all of the eight High School Graduations in Robertson County. I see bright young people and I invite them to come and shadow with me as a Surgeon or as a State Representative. Many have done so. It is a blessing to guide and inspire them.
2. I Have Served The Community.
I was elected to be your State Representative on November 4, 2014. Just ten days later, on November 14, 2014, I met with the TDOT Commissioner. I had not even been sworn in yet! The plans about widening of highway 431 and a traffic signal at the junction of highways 49 - 257 have existed for years. I worked to make it happen. Construction is inconvenient, but the new roads are going to be beautiful!
My wife Linda and I have a special place for Veterans in our hearts. We visit, support and honor our Veterans!
3. I Have Served The State.
I have stood for our Common Sense Conservative Values: Love of God, Country and Sanctity of Life. I have worked to lower taxes, improve government, support 2nd Amendment and a balanced budget (Yes!). I pushed for the largest ever increase in K-12 funding for our public schools and raises for our teachers.
4. I Give Back to Our Community.
I donate my salary to local causes and civic organizations.
This is my way to give back to a community that has given me everything that I have, including my wife Linda – 36 great years!
5. Looking Ahead
I have set a foundation of trust, friendship, and honesty with citizens and fellow legislators. They seek and value my opinions. My newspaper articles have regularly kept you informed. I have passed and supported meaningful laws.
I must thank my wife Linda and our daughter Nina for their love, support, help -- and a little criticism, when necessary!
My Friends, elections are key to our democracy. Please pray for God’s Guidance and think seriously. I ask for your vote and thank you for the trust you have placed in me! God Bless You and Our Nation!
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49
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar Robertson County Connection Apr 3, 2018
Ken Gamble and the Orange Heart
Most of us know of a veteran who has received a Purple Heart. It is our nation’s expression of gratitude to the brave soldiers who have suffered an injury or made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. The 29th of March, last week, was remembered as Vietnam Veterans Day. When I meet with veterans in our community, memories of that war are painful. Our nation suffered the loss of over 58,000 American soldiers. The mission of the war was to avoid the spread of communism but it did not appear to be a just cause in the minds of many citizens. Because of the strong anti-war sentiment in the country, our soldiers, who were forced to serve under the draft, did not receive the respect and gratitude that these brave men and women deserved.
Beyond the personal and emotional sacrifices during that war, certain long lasting effects of the injuries suffered continue to linger to this day. Among these are the effects of exposure to Agent Orange.
Agent Orange is an herbicide and defoliant chemical. It was widely used in Vietnam, by the U.S. military, as part of the herbicidal warfare program called ‘Operation Ranch Hand’ from 1961 to 1971. This orange powder was sprayed, over the land, from helicopters or low-flying aircraft. It destroyed vegetation and crops. The goal was to destroy crops, defoliate rural and forested land and deprive enemy guerrillas of food and cover for their activities. It allowed clearing of sensitive areas around military bases. United States military sprayed nearly 20,000,000 gallons of Agent Orange during this time.
In addition to the damaging environmental effects, this chemical has caused major physical injury to the 2.6 million Americans who were exposed. Only 800,000 are still alive.
Agent Orange is a dioxin. It is a cancer causing chemical that enters the body through physical contact or ingestion. Dioxin moves into the human cell nucleus where it attacks the genes and causes a number of serious illnesses. These include leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, Ischemic heart disease, soft tissue sarcoma, amyloidosis, diabetes and cancers of throat, prostate, lung, colon and certain other conditions. The genetic damage, from Agent Orange, in some cases, has affected the next generations among those who were exposed. Conditions such as spina bifida and other abnormalities in their children and grandchildren have occurred.
Sadly, the victims of Agent Orange have not received the honors that they deserve. With 300 deaths occurring every day among them, they continue their march to join their fallen comrades whose names are on the Wall in the Vietnam Memorial, Yet, their names will not be engraved on that Wall. These men and women will not be remembered as fatalities of the Vietnam War, even though they truly are.
Ken Gamble, a Vietnam veteran and a victim of Agent Orange, has worked to honor these fellow victims. It is his dream to offer an Orange Heart Medal to all who were exposed to Agent Orange. He believes that the Orange Heart Medal serves as a memory of the chemical warfare exposure suffered by these soldiers. It also allows that memory to live as the Orange Heart Medal will be passed on to the generations to come.
I am grateful to Ken and his fellow veterans for their service to our country. A remarkable fact about these veteran soldiers is that when they left the military service, they did not stop serving. Instead, they have created a caring community of veterans that continues to serve those in need. Thank you Ken. Thank you Veterans. God Bless!
I invite you to visit and support the Orange Heart Medal Foundation at www.OrangeHeartMedal.org.
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48
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar Robertson County Connection Mar 23, 2018
The Social Promotion Conundrum
Sabi Doc Kumar MD
Under the leadership of Governor Bill Haslam, our state has made significant progress in education. From perennially being in the second last spot (49 out of 50 states), Tennessee has moved to number 35 in National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) ratings. In this report card, we are the fastest improving state!
As a Legislator and a member of the Education Instruction & Programs Committee in the Tennessee House of Representatives, I am concerned about another statistic. Only 43% of our public school 3rd graders can read at grade level by the end of their school year. It is accepted wisdom that students learn to read up to the 3rd grade and then they read to learn. Learning is, naturally, impaired if a student cannot read to understand materials in other subjects. Research has shown 3rd grade reading to be a milestone in a child’s education. Our current goal is to achieve 75% third grade reading proficiency by 2025. I am concerned that even if we achieve this goal and celebrate success, we will be leaving 1 out 4 public school children in a state of poor literacy.
Sociologists have used 3rd grade reading scores to predict literacy rates, high school dropout rates, potential for crime and number of prison beds that will be needed. Yet we are promoting more than half of the public school students from 3rd grade without achieved proficiency. Considering that this is such a transformative event, I as a lawmaker, felt that there should be a law against it.
I discovered, to my dismay, that there really is a law against it. On June 13, 2011, a newspaper headline blared, “Tennessee law ends social promotion of third-grade students”. Yet, today, 57% of public school students are being ‘socially’ promoted. The reason is that the law, as passed, was a compromise and an effort to save an expense of several hundred million dollars. TCA § 49-6-3115 reads, “Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, a student in the third grade shall not be promoted to the next grade level unless the student has shown a basic understanding of curriculum and ability to perform the skills required in the subject of reading as demonstrated by the student's grades or standardized test results. However, such student may be promoted if the student participates in an LEA approved research-based intervention prior to the beginning of the next school year”.
So a student, not eligible by standardized tests, can be promoted based on class grades even if no research-based intervention (reading help) is planned. Well, how does a student achieve class grades worthy of promotion even though he or she cannot read? The answer came from a cynical, retired teacher, “These kids are trouble, Doc. What do you do with trouble? You pass it on!” This statement, though true, is painful to hear.
During the November 2017 ExcelInEd Summit in Nashville, I discussed the end of social promotion in Florida with former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. It propelled his state from number 26 to number 6 in education ratings. The key strategies were to inform parents, in advance, that students who do not achieve proficiency will be retained and, most importantly, hire additional educators with strong tools to facilitate student learning. Retention rates rose to 14% for the first year and then settled to the previous norms.
As we worry about the world that we will leave for our children and grandchildren, we should worry about the effects of poor literacy on our society. Our state budget surpluses, have allowed us to invest the largest ever sums of money towards education. It is time to invest to eliminate social promotion that condemns so many lives. In Mark Twain’s Big River, mama knew the value of reading as she told Huck, “Looka here Huck, do you wanna go to heaven / If you don't learn to read then you can't read your Bible / And you'll never get to heaven cause you won't know how”. We should listen to mama!
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47
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar Robertson County Connection Jan 23, 2018
Scenes of Robertson County at the Tennessee Legislature!
The cold weather of January also marks the beginning of the annual Legislative Session of the Tennessee General Assembly. A major change in the legislative scene this year is the move of the Legislator Offices from the historic War Memorial Building, (affectionately called the WMB) to the newly renovated Cordell Hull Building (affectionately to be called the CHB). It is a welcome move as the old WMB certainly needs repairs and re-assignment to a useful purpose. The move to the CHB has the feel of moving into new dorms. The hallways are long and most offices are similar. The new carpet smell and the old terrazzo floors are a contrast. The spaces are bright and airy. The walk from the CHB to the State capitol, through a long underground tunnel, is about 15 minutes. It should keep us healthy!
My office is on the 6th floor and overlooks the dome of the Municipal Auditorium. With some difficulty in overcoming the bureaucratic hurdles, we re-painted my office in patriotic red, white and blue colors, at my personal expense. We added decorative wallpaper that has the tri-stars of our state flag. We will hang about 90 pictures showing scenes from Robertson County. These include the people and the places, the barns and the brooks, the trees and the tobacco leaves! Please come and visit this piece of Robertson County at the Legislature. It is yours, the people’s house. Please let us know when you are coming by calling Matthew at 615-741-2860 or email me at rep.sabi.kumar@capitol.tn.gov. Matthew is my new assistant. He is a remarkable and helpful young man. If I can be of service with a state matter, please contact us. I will do all that I can for you and our county. I promise.
The 2nd session of the 110th General Assembly of the State of Tennessee opened on Tuesday, January 9, 2018. These early sessions are mainly ceremonial. The legislative process is not in full swing until the bills have been introduced and passed through the committees to reach the floor of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Legislature is in session, usually, from early January to end of April or early May. The weekly sessions start every Monday at 5 pm. This allows the Legislators, from farther ends of our state, to drive in to our capitol city of Nashville. These sessions last a few hours. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are busy days as various committees meet to vote on proposed bills. The House meets again on Thursdays from 9 am to noon. As we adjourn for the week, this schedule allows the Legislators to drive back to their home districts.
The Governor will give his State of the State address on Jan 29. This will unveil his proposed legislation and budget. These are very good times in our state. Our unemployment rate is the lowest in the nation and our economy is booming. We have made progress in education. We have a substantial rainy day fund and a budget surplus. The Governor and the Legislature (that is us!) deserve credit for good policies.
Finally, let us not forget that these are critical times for our nation. Please join me in prayer. The Legislature will consider major issues that affect our lives and the lives of our fellow citizens. I pray that my fellow Legislators and I will work together to reach the best solutions. God Bless our State and our Nation!
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46
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar Robertson County Connection Dec 12, 2017
The Pleasures of Parades
A parade is a ‘procession of people’ to celebrate an occasion! Participants are often in costume, accompanied by marching bands, floats, antique or decorated vehicles and balloons. Sounds like fun!
It is, indeed, a pleasure for Linda and me to participate in all eight Christmas Parades in Robertson County. The first parade, in Springfield, held on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, heralds the advent of the special season that is Christmas! A remarkable achievement this year was that the organizers adjusted the schedule, at the last minute, to avoid rain. Such victory over weather is rare. I tried to credit Mayors Schneider and Bradley but they are too modest. Main Street was festive!
The parade in Adams, the following Saturday, has a special flavor in this artsy enclave. Music, awards and refreshments follow the parade at the Omer Gene Brooksher Pavilion. Mayor Mantooth hovers over the festivities like a matriarch! As we continue to hope that weather will cooperate, the Ridgetop parade, one week later, is an evening event that starts after sun set. This night time parade brings the joy of Christmas lights. The parade ends at Ridgetop Station Park with loads of cookies, hot cider, hot chocolate, Christmas carolers and Santa to the delight of kids!
The biggest day is the following Saturday with parades in Cross Plains, White House and Greenbrier. All in one day! Linda and I are thankful to the Organizers for scheduling the events so that we can rush from one to the next in pure jubilation! We start in Cross Plains at 10 am, grab lunch and line up in White House before noon and make it to Greenbrier by 3:30pm. There is a change in pace according to the particular character of each of these special communities.
Cross Plains has the special charm of the old world and warm people. A trip to Thomas Drugs’ Old Soda Fountain is nostalgic and glamorous. Thanks to Dan and Debbie Green for carrying on the tradition. The parade in White House was big in many ways. I had the fun of climbing onto a truck that is truly ‘souped-up’ and ‘lifted-up’ on tires taller than me. As I sat high, in the cabin of this immense machine, Ken Gamble, a veteran and a wise man, declared that I was the original “elf on the shelf”! It was great to see Mayor Arnold watching the parade and so proud of his city!
We arrived in Greenbrier in time to follow Mayor Dawson in a big and a beautiful parade. As we ended the parade, the official lighting of the Christmas Tree at City Hall was magical, through a child’s eyes. Free hot dogs, chips, drinks and hot chocolate certainly warmed our hearts as we listened to the music!
Parades in Orlinda and Millersville will follow this weekend. There is uniqueness and character in all of these places. It is always a pleasure to visit with Kevin Breeding at the Orlinda City Hall and Gay, Joy, Doris and David at the Senior Center. These folks are the heartbeat of the community and they do so much to make life vibrant. The Community Center in Millersville is always packed with people and the welcome smell of chili on a cold day!
For Linda and me, a great memory is the scrambles and shrieks of excited kids as they gather candy tossed to them! Indeed candy is dandy, but we must watch for the safety of these children!
Let us remember that, in all these celebrations, the reason for the season is written on our hearts. Says Jesus, in John 15:12, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you”. Merry Christmas and God Bless!
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45
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar Robertson County Connection, Aug 21, 2017
Me and My Shadow
As the fall semester ends, I think of our young students and hope that they are doing well in their studies. As your State Representative, it has been a special privilege for Linda and me to attend High School Graduations in our county. Yes, we attend all eight graduations every year! When I speak, and present proclamations at these ceremonies, I invite the students to come and follow me for a day in my surgery practice. This is called shadowing. I know I am short but I hope for a tall shadow!
I want these graduates to become excited and inspired about healthcare professions. Healthcare provides good jobs. Most importantly, we have the opportunity to help people every day when we are at work. It may be little things like ice chips to a patient with a dry mouth, an extra pillow or a warm blanket for comfort. Or it may be a major operation, help in dealing with an insurance issue or listening and giving reassurance. When these students come to shadow me, we see patients together and they are able to see how to relate with patients and families. I also invite them to surgery. I tell them that we will show them a little blood and find out how tough they really are!
As I listen to the goals and aspirations of these young students, I discover that they have a desire to succeed and they are willing to work. They are confident about their future. They have a destination but no road map. That is when I tell them about the three things necessary for success: knowledge through hard work, ability for research and learning and a kind heart!
Our students know that they need good grades. I remind them that they will compete with others who also have good grades. So they need ‘very good’ grades. The way to achieve that is to prepare ahead and study smart. I ask them to find out what is going to be their most difficult subject for the coming year and master that subject during the summer. Internet resources, such as Khan Academy, are free. The plan is that when they arrive for the fall semester, the hard work has already been done. This prevents stress and anxiety, allows the student to concentrate on other subjects and to enjoy the journey. I did that with organic chemistry in my junior pre-med year with good results! The summer effort shows the ability to work.
Ability to research is important in healthcare. This does not have to be with a mouse in a lab. It can be a survey of a medical condition and it can be published in the local paper. This shows the student’s ability to see a problem, gather data and present it in a manner to publish.
Considering the need for compassion in our world, our students must show this by a good record of service and volunteering. Selfless giving is good for the soul and pleases God!
I also impress upon these students that America is a land of opportunity. Financial resources are available for technical, university and professional school. I caution them about student loans. I wish these bright, young students well as they embark on the journey of personal and professional success. I pray that they will be a blessing to our society. God Bless them all!
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44
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar Robertson County Connection, Aug 21, 2017
Christopher Columbus and the Eclipse
It is true that knowledge is power! The knowledge of astrology and an almanac saved Christopher Columbus from starvation, in 1503, during his fourth and final voyage from Spain to the New World, that we call America today.
Lost on the seas during his first voyage in 1492, Columbus came ashore an island that saved his life. He named it San Salvador, which means ‘Holy Savior’. During his fourth voyage, an epidemic of shipworms ate holes in the planks of his ships. The ships were disabled before he could get to San Salvador. So he was marooned on the island of Jamaica. Initially the native Arawak Indians were kind and hospitable to his crew. They provided food and shelter. After six months, the locals felt that these folk had over-stayed their welcome. There were arguments and fights. A famine was also threatening!
Because he had knowledge, Christopher Columbus had a plan. Like most sailors, he traveled with an almanac. As he studied the tables, he discovered that on the evening of Thursday, Feb. 29, 1504, a total lunar eclipse would occur. After confirming his facts, Columbus told the Arawak Chief that God was angry with him and his people. Three nights hence, Columbus said, God will obliterate the rising moon to show his wrath and more evils will soon be inflicted upon them. On the appointed evening, as the sun set in the west and the moon emerged from the eastern horizon, something was terribly wrong. When the moon appeared, it had an angry appearance. In place of the brilliant winter moon it was a red ball in the eastern sky.
The Arawak were terrified. With great howling, they came running with food, beseeching the admiral to intercede with God on their behalf. They promised to cooperate with Columbus and his men if only he would restore the moon. The great explorer told the natives that he would retire to confer privately with God. An hour later and moments before the end of the total phase, Columbus reappeared. He announced that, due to his appeal, God had pardoned them and would allow the moon to return. The grateful Arawak then kept Columbus and his men well supplied and well fed until a relief caravel from Hispaniola arrived and he returned to Spain.
There are many myths based on the alignment of the stars in our great universe. Some believe that the eclipse is a duel between the Sun and the Moon as they come face to face. If the Sun wins, we will survive. If the moon wins, the world will be dark and we will perish!
Eastern philosophers have analyzed the alignments of the planets to the relationships of the full moon to the rising ocean tide, the change in human moods and emotions, movements of the stock market and even wars and conflicts among people. It is a known practice to ask an astrologer to draw the exact alignment of the planets at the exact time of the birth of a child or a future king. These tables are believed to offer predictions for the future.
I hope that your eclipse experience was memorable. Let us remember to marvel at the immense beauty and mystery of God’s creation! Thanks be to God!
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43
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar Robertson County Connection, Jul 4, 2017
The Story of the Fourth of July
“The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary!”
These words were written by John Adams, the first Vice President and later, the second President of the United States, in a letter to his wife, Abigail, on the 3rd of July, 1776. No, President Adams was not confused about the date of the Independence Day of our country! He wrote these words to his dear Abigail, after he voted in the Second Continental Congress to approve a Resolution for Independence of the United States.
Let us explore history to learn why we celebrate the Independence Day on the 4th of July.
The American Revolutionary War started on April 19, 1775 at the Battle of Lexington and Concord. The legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain, however, occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve the Resolution of Independence. After this vote, Congress reviewed and approved the Declaration of Independence. This Declaration is an historic and a poignant document. It explains the decision of the American people to be a new and independent country. It declares the God given rights of the American people that cannot be taken away by a king or a government. The Declaration was prepared by a Committee of Five patriots. This committee included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman and Thomas Jefferson, who was the principal author. Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration and approved it two days later on July 4, 1776. Although grateful for the approval, Thomas Jefferson agonized over the revisions to his masterful work. This historic document was actually signed on August 2, 1776.
These happenings of 241 years ago are of great historic interest. Two members of the Committee of Five went on to be President of the United States. John Adams defeated Thomas Jefferson to become the second President, taking the place of George Washington. Four years later, Jefferson defeated Adams to become the 3rd President. This competition, as expected, created much dislike between these two great men. They did not speak to each other for over a decade. Towards the end of life, an effort of rapprochement by Abigail did not bear fruit. Fate is a great equalizer, however! Both men died on the 50th anniversary of the American Independence, July 4, 1826, within hours of each other. "Thomas Jefferson survives", were the last words uttered by John Adams, on that day. He did not know that Jefferson had died several hours before.
It appears that July 4 is a fateful day in American history! In addition to Presidents Adams and Jefferson, President James Monroe, another founding father, also died on July 4, in the year 1831 and President Calvin Coolidge was born on July 4, 1872.
With such grand historical events, it is fitting that modern America has added her own touches to this special day. The 4th of July is the biggest hot dog holiday of the year!
We have also added fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, political speeches and ceremonies! Happy Birthday America! God Bless!
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42
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar Robertson County Connection, Jun 6, 2017
A Memory That Brings Us Together
Linda and I hope that you and your family had a great Memorial Day and weekend. It is time that we spend with friends, family and neighbors, as we explore the joys of summer. It is also the time that we pause and reflect upon the meaning and the significance of Memorial Day. In these divisive times, Memorial Day is the memory that can bring us together as Americans.
We say thanks to our active military on the Armed Forces Day, show our gratitude to the retired military on Veterans Day and pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for our country on Memorial Day. We remember our Fallen Heroes and pray that no Heroes ever have to make that sacrifice for our nation again.
At the keynote address that I gave for the Memorial Day Service at the Memorial Gardens in Springfield on May 27, I was honored to have banners on either side of the podium that listed the names of Robertson County citizens who had given their lives for our country. The attendees included Boy and girl Scout Troops and elementary school children. These young Americans have not witnessed history but appeared to absorb the memories of this occasion. Also present were military families and veterans of the Vietnam, Korean and the Second World War. The memory of our soldiers brought us together! Similarly, our community and leaders gathered at Liberty Park in Greenbrier on May 29. Lt Col Chris Orndorff, veteran and author with a great record of service to our country, gave an inspiring keynote address.
We believe in the Exceptionalism that is America. We are endowed with great freedoms by our Constitution. It is a Constitution that is based on Godly Values. Our Honorable Mayor Howard Bradley has reminded us that we have the freedom to go, or not go, to the Worship House of our choice, pray and worship according to our choice based on our traditions. Our worship may be simple or ornate, traditional or contemporary, somber or filled with spirited music. We read and participate in literature and media of our choice that is un-censored. We vote by secret ballot without fear. In each of these actions, we exercise and celebrate the freedoms that we have. We owe these freedoms to the heroes who serve and protect us. We owe them everlasting gratitude. Peace is a fragile thing that needs constant defense.
Ronald Reagan told the story of Audie Murphy and his remarkable courage. “For what else would you call it when a man bounds to the top of a disabled tank, stops an enemy advance, saves lives, and rallies his men, and all of it single-handedly. When he radioed for artillery support and was asked how close the enemy was to his position, he said, “Wait a minute and I’ll let you speak to them.” With stories of such bravery & calm in the eye of a storm, on Memorial Day, we honor our heroes. We come not to mourn but to praise. What we lose from their absence, we gain in inspiration.
Let us remember across this great country, where our fallen heroes lie, the silence in the cemeteries, sings the National Anthem. On their grave the rain falls from the eyes of a grateful nation! The Glory is theirs. The Duty is ours! God Bless our heroes and their families. God Bless The United States of America!
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41
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar The Tennessean, May 5, 2017
Robertson County Connection, May 16, 2017
The Robertson County Times, May 24, 2017
Political Polarization and the National Mood
Sabi ‘Doc’ Kumar MD
For the past several years, we are aware of political polarization in Washington. Based on ideological grounds, there has been increasing separation among our elected and appointed elite. Sharing a meal, time at the gym or participation in groups including Bible study or a music band are known to have split along party lines. We heard about this divide, vaguely. It did not touch our lives. It was far away, in Washington. Most of us do not move in those circles.
Then the disease of polarization moved out of Washington and spread to the rest of our nation, especially over the last election cycle. Civility, kindness, courtesy, listening to others, all became quaint, old-fashioned values. The players on the national stage adopted, and stayed in, the attack mode. The media loved it, propagated it and enjoyed the fruits as ratings climbed. Instead of the finale, that should have brought closure at the end of an epic drama, our nation moved to a new stage, called hyper-polarization. Through human history, wars and struggles have been, usually, followed by a period of peace and relative tranquility as mankind ponders, for a while, the folly of it all. I hoped for the wise, the peacemakers, the intellectuals to take the stage and work to restore values lost.
Instead, hyper-polarization has taken over. It has affected our national and societal mood. Freedom of speech, expression of our beliefs and the right to demonstrate are sacred to our democratic values. Democracy is a dialogue and all sides have a role to play in that dialogue. Hyper-polarization, however, works to drown and silence the opposing voices.
It is time that we examine the effect on our national mood and our psyche. As I walk from the Legislative Plaza to the Capitol for each legislative session, the hallways are lined with demonstrators. They are welcome. It is the people’s house. But the visitor’s demeanor is aggressive. The shouts are loud. The signs are in the ‘attack mode’. In the din and the echoes of the Capitol, it is difficult to understand what they are saying. Legislators ask each other what the demonstrators are about. Sometimes the cause a group is shouting about is neither before the legislature, nor a state matter. I try to smile and acknowledge and thank the demonstrators for being there. They do not respond. They do not smile. They do not make eye contact. I am puzzled. If they want to express a cause to me, why would they not talk to me, I wonder.
Many of the demonstrators are children. A haunting scene has been a 12 year old girl pushing a sign towards me that says, “Hypocrite!” I am more than five times her age. Do her parents not teach her to respect elders? Does she know what the sign means? Does she understand the cause? Does she know the other side of the cause? Does she know that she should know the other side of the cause? Does she think that she can insult people and expect them to support her cause?
That is too much to ask of a 12 year old, I tell myself. But, I do know that, age 12 is an important time to teach her about respect. If she is not taught to respect age, authority or leadership, will she respect her parents? I hope that we will remember to teach our children the values that will serve them, and our nation, well.
Sabi ‘Doc’ Kumar MD is State Representative from District 66, Robertson County.
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40
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar The Robertson County Connection, Mar 30, 2017
About The Gas Tax
Our beloved state of Tennessee is blessed with good economic conditions at this time. We have a balanced budget, low unemployment, AAA credit rating and a well-funded retirement plan. This is the result of sound fiscal and conservative policies. One result of this economic boom is traffic congestion. Because two out of three Robertson county residents work outside the county, we are greatly affected by the traffic woes in middle Tennessee.
We need good, safe roads without congestion. Tennessee roads are considered among the best in the nation. It is good that we have no debt related to road construction or maintenance. As our economy continues to flourish, we must build and maintain better roads and bridges. We pay for this need through the Transportation Fund. Several years ago, in hard times, the Transport Fund was raided and about $260M was taken to pay other expenses. That money has been returned. We have a backlog of hundreds of projects for roads and bridges.
We must fund road construction and maintenance. The question is how. The major issue during the current Legislative session has been whether we should raise the fuel tax to pay for it. The current State taxes, per gallon, are 23¢ for gas and 18¢ for diesel. Diesel used for farm equipment is exempt from tax. To this is also added a per gallon federal tax of 18¢ for gas and 24¢ for diesel. Governor Haslam has proposed a per gallon increase of 7¢ for gas and 12¢ for diesel. This will generate an additional $270M a year for the Transport Fund. A certain amount will go to the cities and counties.
I want to repeat that we must fund road construction and maintenance. But should we do this with a tax increase? Let us consider the pros and the cons and the alternatives.
The Case for a Fuel Tax Increase is that our taxes are low. We have not had a fuel tax increase since 1989. With inflation, 23¢ from 1989 is worth 11¢ now. Vehicles are much more efficient now and use less gas today, which lowers consumption. (Although people drive more now than in 1989). The increase is small, about the cost of one lunch per month.
The Case Against a Fuel Tax Increase is that, ideologically, the Legislature is against raising taxes. We have a tremendous Budget Surplus. We had almost $1 billion extra cash last year and will, most likely, have the same this year. The extra cash has been used to add to our savings account (the rainy day fund), education funding and university buildings. Governor Haslam wants to cut business tax, Hall income tax and sales tax for groceries by half a cent. As the Governor’s proposal moves through about six committees, it is being constantly changed. Our transportation needs are ‘critical’. Yet none of the extra cash is being put into this cause. The question is why the extra cash that is to be used for tax cuts cannot be put into the Transportation Fund, eliminating the need for a tax increase.
The alternative proposals include transfer of a quarter of a cent of the sales tax revenue or transfer of a part of the sales tax revenue from the sale of automobiles to the Transportation Fund. Both of these will bring in about the same amount of money as the gas tax.
I hope that I have been able to inform you. It is my duty. Please Pray for Wisdom. And give me your opinion at 615-741-2860 or Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov. God Bless!
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39
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar The Tennessean Mar 7, 2017
Robertson County Connection,
The Robertson County Times
Later Dates
Eleven Myths of Medical Marijuana
Tennessee lawmaker and physician addresses realities of medicinal pot.
Sabi "Doc" Kumar is a surgeon and state representative from District 66, Robertson County.
Marijuana has medical value in certain conditions. Benefits for many more conditions are claimed, but medical proof is lacking. In some conditions, marijuana may help only a few patients. I believe that if medical marijuana helps a patient, they should have it. The decision should be based on medical science and not social media. The decision should be between the patient and their physician. Considering that FDA-approved "medical" marijuana is available in pill form, this should be the chosen method of prescription. The patient should be under medical care so that the use and dose are correct.
Sadly, a matter that should be medical has become political. Misunderstandings and myths prevail. We must balance patients’ needs with societal consequences of plant marijuana legalization. Expert testimony before the Ad Hoc Taskforce on Opioid Abuse last month provided valuable answers. Many myths (in italics) were clarified:
1. Marijuana is safe: In Colorado, marijuana-related traffic deaths increased from 10 percent to 21 percent in five years. Today, 77 percent of DUIDs (driving under the influence of drugs) involve marijuana. Marijuana contains 50 percent to 70 percent more carcinogens than tobacco. Psychosis and impairment of the developing (teenage) brain with decrease in IQ are well known.
2. Marijuana Overdoses never happen: Woodstock marijuana had a THC — the main substance in marijuana — content of 3 percent to 5 percent. Today, THC content is up to 40 percent. Concentrates can achieve 90 percent content. Marijuana-related hospitalizations in Colorado increased from 6,305 in 2011 to 11,439 in 2014. Most overdoses are due to edibles. Beware of brownies!
3.Marijuana Cures so many illnesses: Given the patchwork of state laws, marijuana is a cure for Crohn’s Disease in one state but not so in the next state. These laws are not based on science.
4. Double Blind Studies: These are not possible with marijuana. Study subjects cannot be blinded. They know if they are receiving placebo or the real thing because of the distinct smell and the high!
5. Marijuana is "natural," a plant! So is tobacco or broccoli. God gave us both. He also gave us the brains to know which is safe.
6. Marijuana is Not Addictive: “… Offenders facing jail time cannot stay away from it. When a man is willing to give up freedom for it, if it is not addiction I don’t know what to call it," Judge Ken Goble, General Sessions Court, Montgomery County, testifying before Ad Hoc Taskforce on Opioid Abuse, Feb 16. National Institute on Drug Abuse puts the number at 30 percent.
7. Marijuana is not a Gateway Drug: Economics changes behavior. When marijuana prices dropped because of legalization in Colorado, drug cartels competed by dropping the price of heroin. Vulnerable users switched. The National Institute on Drug Abuse confirmed this month that marijuana use raises the risk of Substance Use Disorder (SUD).
8. There is no diversion from growers, each plant is tagged. We cannot tag each leaf and bud on each plant. In 2015, there were 394 seizures of diverted marijuana by the Colorado Highway Patrol. Tennessee is a destination.
9. Opioid deaths decreased in states with legal marijuana: It is sad to think that trading one addiction for another is better. As noted above, when marijuana enters a market, drug cartels compete by lowering the price of heroin. So opioid deaths decreased because heroin use, and deaths, increased.
10. Marijuana brings jobs and tax revenue: When employers come to a state, they want to know if the workforce is educated, will they pass a drug test, and will they show up on time. Fifty of the 64 counties in Colorado now prohibit or limit marijuana growing facilities. They do not want those jobs because of diversion and difficulties in handling drug sale money.
11. The Entourage Effect: Because there are more than a hundred trace cannabinoids in marijuana plant, the thought is that there is magic in one of those compounds or the compounds work better together. There are also more than 70 carcinogens in marijuana. In the FDA approved pill form, these have been removed.
I hope that we can serve our patients by providing them “medical” marijuana, under medical supervision, and not a street drug.
Sabi "Doc" Kumar is a surgeon and State Representative from District 66, Robertson County.
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38
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar The Robertson County Connection, Feb 21. 2017
The State of Tennessee May Have Money For You
Office of the Tennessee State Treasurer says that citizens of Robertson County have $ 6,574,147.68 in unclaimed property and funds that are being held by the Treasurer. This fortune is waiting to be claimed by our citizens. This is really true. You can check it out at: www.claimitttn.gov.
I received this information in a letter from David H. Lillard, Jr, Tennessee State Treasurer. The letter further explained that the Department of Treasury administers the Division of Unclaimed Property to “help re-unite owners with their funds”. I did not know that our great State operates a “Lost and Found” department. As I learned more about it, I was impressed. I thought this was the good side of government! Despite the negative news of the day, our faith in mankind should move up a notch as we consider the honesty of the businesses and state agencies who have turned these assets over.
Considering that it is my duty to represent your interests at the State, I called the Treasurer’s office to learn more. I did not expect to find a treasure for me, and I did not. I did find that a family member has $150 waiting for them! I was curious and I wanted to learn where this money and property come from. A day later, I received a response. It appears that these unclaimed assets are mostly bank accounts, stock certificates, checks, unclaimed wages, refunds and gift certificates. The assets are discovered, usually, by auditors of the State or a business. When there is no response from the owner of the assets and efforts to locate the owner are unsuccessful, the assets are, by law, turned over to the State Division of Unclaimed Property. These come from banks, businesses and various departments of State government.
The information from the State Treasurer’s Office stressed that there is no fee for Tennesseans to claim their property. You do not need a broker, agency or service that wants to help you, for a fee. There is no time limit. The assets can be claimed after any length of time. The Division of Unclaimed Property is presently holding $789.2M. This office received assets worth $ 82M during 2016. They returned $ 34M to claimants during 2016. There were more than 41,000 claims filed. The average pay out was $ 800. The largest amount paid was $ 1.2M to an elderly widow.
Before you rush to search for your share of the pie, the department has some advice. The best places to search are www.claimittn.gov or www.MissingMoney.com. Be aware that the names of the owners are listed as submitted to the state. These may be incorrect and that may be the reason that the owner could not be found. When you search a name, search also for common misspellings or other ways the name might be listed. If applicable, search for the name of your business also.
And if you do really discover and collect a very big or a very small fortune, I ask you to do three things. First, remember to send me a thank you note. Second, please donate a portion to your church or charity. Third, do something fun! May the good fortune be yours. God Bless!
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37
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar The Robertson County Connection, Jan 7, 2017
The 110th General Assembly
Politically, 2016 was a year like none! Our national scene was polarized. Opinions on the far sides of the political spectrum were extreme. Respect for the other opinion, art of listening, courtesy and civility were lost. Fortunately, the mood in the local elections was not greatly affected by the big national tidal wave. Whereas, the presidential election was so unpredictable, state and local elections stayed predictable.
Tennesseans stayed true to our conservative Tennessee values. Of the 99 seats in the House of Representatives, 74 will be filled by the Republicans and 25 by the Democrats. The State Senate, likewise, will continue to be dominated by the Republicans 28-5. These are super-majorities for the conservatives. We are grateful for the confidence that voters have shown. We must remember the responsibility that we have to justify the expectations of our voters.
Since our State elects a new General Assembly every two years and this is the 110th such election, it means that we have been doing this for 220 years. Tennessee became a State of the Union on June 1, 1796. Originally, this territory was a part of the state of North Carolina. The residents of the future state of Tennessee felt that their needs were neglected. They wished for better security and more freedom to navigate the Mississippi river. In an effort to meet these needs, the state of Franklin was created in 1786. John Sevier served as the first Governor. In the census of 1796, the territory that is Tennessee, today, achieved the census to become the new and great state of Tennessee.
At this time, we in Tennessee enjoy good economic circumstances. Our budget is balanced. We have no debt. Our state pensions are fully funded. This is in comparison to Illinois where the state employee’s pensions are funded at only 10 percent. Our rainy day fund, which I call the savings account, is $ 670 million strong. Unemployment is low. Our financial rating is AAA. Our industries in agriculture, music, healthcare, tourism, services and manufacturing are flourishing. We continue to improve in education. All this is a result of good conservative fiscal policies and a regulatory environment that promotes commerce. Our other major needs are the support that we owe our Veterans and improvement of our roads and transportation infra-structure.
The hot button issues for the coming session are likely to be management of a budget surplus that may be close to one billion dollars! This is the time for careful management. A $750 M budget surplus, last year, well was used to contribute to capital improvements at our universities, increased funding for K-12 education, a deserved raise for our teachers, addition to the rainy day fund and restoration of the money that had been taken from the transportation fund. Restoration of Veteran’s benefits is a priority. Governor Bill Haslam has met with us in small groups and will formally submit the budget proposal later this month.
We have to remember that good times do not last. We must be careful with the public money and commit wisely. I feel truly honored to represent you and pray to God that we will have the wisdom to justify the public trust!
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36
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar The Robertson County Connection, Oct 28, 2016
The Anxiety of Election 2016
If shaking of our heads, from side to side, would work as exercise, we will be a very fit and healthy nation, indeed! I am certain that you, also, have noticed this to be the most common response among folks when the matter of Presidential election comes up. Almost all agree that, at the national level, this is the most unusual election of our lifetime. All other news, especially international news, has been replaced by the reality TV spectacle of the current election. Coverage of this election is easy to produce, inexpensive and has great ratings. The media is making money and loving it! We worry about the fate and the future of our nation!
The national mood is of division and polarization. Extreme wings of our political spectrum are so vocal and so demanding. We used to look upon our journalists as trustworthy reporters of happenings around the world. I remember Walter Cronkite as the most trusted man in America. He reported, in turbulent times, in a manner that reassured us and informed us. Today the journalists openly present themselves as representatives of a campaign. Thoughtful analysis is not on the menu, only ingenuous twisting and pivoting of ‘points’ to their candidate’s favor or mudslinging at the opponent. Compromise is considered to be a philosophy of weakness. If we agree with a person ‘most of the time’, we considered them to be a friend. Today a one hundred percent allegiance is demanded, or else. Name calling, insulting, spinning and twisting of the truth are standard practice. Sadly, the national discourse has affected the local races too. Hence the shaking of our heads, from side to side!
Our country is a strong democracy. We have great traditions of respect for our constitution and for defense of liberty and freedom. The Presidential Oath of Office specifically includes the text that the elected person “will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States". Every person elected to an office in the State of Tennessee, is required to take an oath to support the Constitution of this State and of the United States. Considering the weight of this responsibility, certain abilities and attributes are necessary for these office holders. The President of the United States is correctly billed as the ‘Leader of the Free World’. Our obligation is to elect a person who will step up to fill that role and not relinquish American leadership of the world that has been earned with great sacrifices of our soldiers, veterans, scientists, inventors and entrepreneurs. At this time of turmoil on our planet, the world needs strong American leadership as much as America needs strong leadership! We need leaders who are role models for our young people. We want to be proud and be able to point towards our leaders as we tell our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren what they should grow up to be!
The choices at the national level are difficult and we face critical decisions about the direction of our society and our country. My hope is that this national circumstance leads us toward prayer, and toward God, just as we do when faced with difficult choices in everyday life. God Bless Our Nation! ___________________________________________________________________________________________
35
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar The Robertson County Connection, Oct 26, 2016
The Most Dangerous Traffic Spot in Robertson County
Even before I was elected to be your State Representative, I knew that the intersection of Highways 49 and 257 was a dangerous spot. We passed through it when we visited my wife Linda’s parents. Many accidents have occurred at this intersection. I have personally known people who were seriously injured. One of them is a good friend, and a nurse, at NorthCrest. When I visit the popular breakfast spot at the junction of 431 and 257, we often discuss the need for a traffic light at the 49-257 intersection.
I thought that conversion of the existing caution light to a traffic signal would be fairly simple. So, I took on this task early. I was elected on November 4, 2014. I met with the TDOT Commissioner, John Schroer, on November 14. This was before I had been sworn in. Commissioner Schroer was very gracious as we discovered that we were both Methodists. I was told that it should occur in the fourth quarter of 2016. I thought that was too long. Then I learned the seven steps to this project.
The first step is a Road safety Audit (RSA). This is an evaluation of accidents at the site, analysis of causes of these accidents including time of the day or night, light conditions, weather, direction of travel etc. Obviously, accidents that involve fatalities or injuries carry more weight than property damage. The Audit Team visited the site, drove from and into all directions, took photographs, inspected road markings and examined maps. The following week, I attended a meeting. The project was approved.
The second step was project planning. It was determined that there is need for turn lanes as well as a traffic signal. That increased the project cost to about $ 200,000.
So the third step was funding. This had to, by law, come from Penalty Highway Safety Improvement Program (PHSIP), under the control of Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). We waited till December 2015, when US Congress slowly passed the FAST Act (Fixing America’s Surface Transport)!
The fourth step is the Right of Way (ROW) purchase because turn lanes are to be added. This process includes appraisal, review, inspection, offer, negotiation, possible condemnation, preparation of paperwork. All this can take 7-10 months! I offered to intervene so we could speed things up. I discovered that it is illegal, for me, to talk to a property owner because that can be considered undue pressure!
The fifth step is utility relocation. The utility company has to be consulted for coordination and has 120 days to respond. Codes require that the existing wooden poles for the caution light be replaced by metal poles for the traffic signal. Replacement of the poles means that ground will be “disturbed”. If that is done, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires an “environmental” study! This becomes the sixth step.
The seventh and final step is installation. The TDOT Engineers, Legislative Liaison, the Chief Engineer and the Commissioner have really been helpful. These are good Tennesseans. But we do not have the traffic signal yet!
I continue to work, and pray that another accident does not happen while the process is moving.
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34
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar The Robertson County Connection, Oct 19,2016
Vote for ‘Doc’
Yes My Friends! It is my Honor to serve as your State Representative to the Tennessee Legislature. I have really enjoyed my service during the last two years. I certainly want to continue and I Ask for Your Vote because:
I Have Served the People.
I have answered all calls, messages, emails and letters as your State Rep just as I have, as a surgeon, for the last 39 years. When I receive a call for help with a state matter, I am able to connect with the state official who can help. Life being what it is, not all problems can be solved. When such is the case, I explain why and listen to my fellow citizens. Folks understand.
A particular joy has been to attend High School Graduations in our schools. It is reassuring to see bright young people moving to the next chapter of their lives. I have invited them to come and shadow with me as a Surgeon or as a State Representative. Many have done so. It is a blessing to guide and inspire them.
Yes, I also have had about one and a half people disagree with me strongly. I say one and a half because one of the two actually came around and became nice. The other was almost nasty. We all need that in life!
I Have Served The Community.
I was elected to be your State Representative on November 4, 2014. Just ten days later, on November 14, 2014, I met with TDOT Commissioner John Schroer. I had not even been sworn in yet! I met about widening of highway 431 and the need for a traffic signal at the junction of highways 49 - 257. Construction is inconvenient. But it is going to be great!
When a kid’s summer program needed help with state regulators, when a city needed relief from a building moratorium, when building permits were delayed, when a Special Ed child needed their educational plan revised, when our law enforcement was concerned about forfeiture laws, I was able to intervene and get things done.
I have visited, supported and honored our Veterans.
I Have Served The State.
I have proudly stood for our Common Sense Conservative Values at the state level. This has meant lowered taxes, a balanced budget (Yes!), AAA finance rating for our state and a solid rainy day fund. I pushed for the largest ever increase, of $ 262 million, in K-12 funding to support our public schools and $ 104 million towards raises for our teachers. Tennessee is the fastest improving state in education. We now rank number 34 (up from 49) among the 50 states!
I have stood firmly for our Values: Pro-Life, Constitution and Second Amendment: a mistake on my NRA rating has been corrected on their website!
I Have Given Back to Our Community.
As you know, I ran for this office so I could give back to my community that has given me everything I have, including my wife Linda – 35 great years!
I donate my legislative salary to local Charities. I do not accept expense money from state.
Looking Ahead
I have set a foundation of trust, friendship, intellectual depth and honesty with the citizens and fellow legislators. I plan to build upon it. Fellow Legislators have sought and valued my opinions in matters of healthcare, business and education. My priorities for the next year include healthcare, education and a strong economy. Restoration of tax assistance for our Veterans and the disabled is a priority!
My Friends, this is a critical year and a critical election for our nation. Please pray for God’s Guidance and think seriously. I ask for your vote and thank you for the trust you have placed in me! God Bless You and Our Nation!
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33
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar Robertson County Connection Sep 26. 20
Feeling Special at the Legislature
Upon a Proclamation issued by Governor Bill Haslam, under Article 3 Section 9 of our state constitution, the 109th General Assembly of the Tennessee Legislature met for a Special Session on September 12-14, 2016. The names given, to this event, were a ‘Special Session’ or ‘Extraordinary Session’. In reality, it was both. I have a special feeling each time I enter the majestic House Chamber. What an honor and privilege! I always remember the good people of Robertson County who sent me there and whom I serve!
The reason for the session was that we make a correction to the law that applies to citizens between 18 – 21 years of age, who are convicted of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs. A variation had occurred between our state law and the federal law. The federal government threatened to withhold $ 60 M in highway funding if we did not fall in line.
The problem arose from good intentions, but there was an oversight. We agree that DUI is a dangerous and terrible offense. It can, and often does, have tragic consequences. We should do all we can, to discourage such behavior. This includes awareness, education and punishment for violators. So we passed a law that made the penalty for under-age DUI to be the same as for an adult. It seemed proper that consequences of DUI for a 20 year old should not be lighter than those for a 21 year old. It followed that if the punishment for a 20 year old is the same as for an adult, the threshold, i.e. the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) allowed, should also be the same. So, we passed that a BAC of 0.08% or higher be considered DUI for underage drinking, just as it is for adults. It passed by a vote of 97-2 in the House and 33-0 in the Senate. The federal law, however, allows a BAC of only 0.02% for underage drinking. This 0.02% level is set to accommodate a person taking a cough syrup or other medicine containing alcohol. The federal government was insistent that our law be changed to conform with federal law.
Our Governor, Attorney General and Congressional representatives explained to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration that Tennessee also has a zero tolerance law regarding underage DUI and, therefore, we are in compliance with federal law. But the federal authorities were not agreeable.
The cost of a Legislative session is about $25,000 per day to our state, considering that 99 Representatives and 33 Senators return to the Capitol. The session lasted three days and saved $60 M in federal funds. On a sad note, while in session, we also acted to expel one of our members accused of sexual harassment offenses against the legislative staff.
I noted, on the floor of the House, that the Federal Government is selective in enforcement of Laws and Constitutional demands. Federal marijuana, marriage, and immigration laws are openly ignored by states and cities without consequences.
I pray that our nation will return to the respect and enforcement of law in a consistent and open manner.
God Bless!
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32
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar The Robertson County Connection, Aug 30, 2016
The Check from Uncle Sam!
As your state representative, I discovered that the United States government pays about forty percent of the annual Tennessee State Budget. That is about $ 14 billion of about $ 36 billion total expense, of our state government.
I assumed that this money comes to us from the taxes paid by our citizens and businesses. I thought the federal government collects these taxes, keeps what it needs for federal expenses, such as defense, and returns the rest. That is how it should be, I thought. I should know better. Anything related to government has to be far more complex! Considering the matters of money and budgeting, things become super-complicated!
In an effort to understand how the states’ share of the federal jackpot is determined, I wrote to Mr Justin Wilson, Comptroller of the State of Tennessee. I asked him to educate me. Justin is the mold for a grand old southern gentleman. He remembers birthdays and finds a way to complement all. He is our financial conscience. He preaches prudence with tax dollars. He comes to our offices on Saturdays before Easter and hides Easter eggs! I had reached out to the right person. I learned a lot.
Thirty states, in the union, receive more in federal spending than they pay in federal taxes, while the other twenty states pay more in federal taxes than they receive in federal spending. New Mexico and Mississippi are the largest net beneficiaries. New Jersey and Illinois are usually the largest net contributors. States in the Northeast, Great Lakes, and Pacific are generally net contributors, while Southern and Great Plains states are generally net beneficiaries.
Tennessee is a net recipient of federal funds and is in the middle of the range.
The determination about which state receives what is a grand Constitutional calculation. The U.S. Constitution requires that ‘direct taxes’, collected from the people, be apportioned back to the states according to their population, so that per capita revenues to the states would be equal for all citizens.
In 1913, the 16th Amendment to the Constitution was adopted. This was in response to the 1895 US Supreme Court ruling, in Pollock vs Farmer’s Loan & Trust, that ‘indirect taxes’ derived from rent, dividends and interest were in the same category as ‘direct taxes’. Since that time, taxation as well as spending per capita has ranged widely between the states.
So what rate of return are we, the Tennesseans, getting on our taxes? It is more complicated than just adding the moneys received by the various departments of our state government. Additional moneys received include veterans, retirement and disability benefits, student aid, research and other grants, federal contracts, wages to federal employees and military personnel.
Do we want more money from the federal government?
My friends, this is a serious question! Federal money comes with strings that pull on our liberties, freedoms and moral values. It is adding to our gigantic national debt, for which we will be accountable. Federal threats to ‘withhold funding’ if we do not obey their social agenda should give us serious pause.
With the current conservative, business-friendly policies, our state economy and financials are strong. God Bless Tennessee and the hard working Tennesseans!
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31
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar The Robertson County Connection, Jul 30, 2016
It is My Honor!
Yes, My Friends! It is my Honor to serve as your State Representative to the Tennessee Legislature from District 66, Robertson County. I have really enjoyed my service during the last two years. I certainly want to continue and I ask for your Vote! I ask for Your Vote because:
I Have Served the People.
I am proud to claim that I have answered all calls, messages, emails and letters. It is a natural habit because I have done this, as a surgeon, for the last 39 years. When I receive a call for help with a state matter, I am able to help or connect with the right person who can help. Life being what it is, not all problems can be solved. When such is the case, I explain why and listen to my fellow citizens. Folks understand.
A particular joy has been to attend High School Graduations in our schools. It is reassuring to see bright young people moving to the next chapter of their lives. I have invited them to come and shadow with me as a Surgeon or as a State Representative. Many have done so. It is a blessing to guide and inspire them.
Yes, I also have had about one and a half people disagree with me strongly. I say one and a half because one of the two actually came around and became nice. The other was almost nasty. We all need that in life!
I Have Served The Community.
I was elected to be your State Representative on November 4, 2014. Just ten days later, on November 14, 2014, I met with TDOT Commissioner John Schroer. I had not even been sworn in yet! I met about widening of highway 431 and the need for a traffic signal at the junction of highways 49 - 257. These plans have existed for many years but I was able to push so that we, now really, have construction in progress on highway 431. Construction is inconvenient. My wife complains about it a few times a day. But it is going to be great!
When a kid’s summer program needed help with state regulators, when a city needed relief from a building moratorium, when building permits were delayed, when a Special Ed child needed their educational plan revised, when our industrial board was concerned about a bill that would interfere with their function, when snow removal was delayed, when our law enforcement was concerned about forfeiture laws, it was my blessing to be able to intervene and get things done.
I have often visited, supported and honored our Veterans.
I Have Served The State.
I have proudly stood for our Common Sense Conservative Values at the state level. This has meant lowered taxes, a balanced budget (Yes!), AAA finance rating for our state and a solid $700 million rainy day fund. I pushed for the largest ever increase, of $ 262 million, in K-12 funding to support our public schools and $ 104 million towards raises for our great teachers. Tennessee is the fastest improving state in education. We now rank number 34 (up from 49) among the 50 states!
I have stood firmly for our moral values: Pro-Life, Fiscal Prudence and Second Amendment.
My Legislative accomplishments have included the Patient Empowerment Act that allows physicians to provide care to non-insured patients for defined monthly payments without being subject to insurance regulations, availability of emergency treatment for serious allergic reactions in public places, law enforcement efforts to inform families about drug and alcohol as a factor in major vehicle accidents before releasing such information to media.
I Have Given Back to Our Community.
As you know, I ran for this office so I could give back to my community that has given me everything that I have, including my wife Linda – 35 great years!
I have, every year, donated my salary to local causes and civic organizations. I do not accept expense money from the state. I am giving back and I am thankful for the privilege and the blessing that it is!
I am grateful to the Robertson County Connection for allowing me to publish 30 (thirty) articles in this paper during the last year and a half. These have allowed me to communicate and be in touch with you!
Looking Ahead
I have set a foundation of trust, friendship, intellectual depth and honesty with the citizens and fellow legislators. I plan to build upon it. Fellow Legislators have sought and valued my opinions in matters of healthcare, business and education. Some of my priorities for the next session include bills to assure continuity of medical care, medical care by volunteer providers for those without insurance, prevention of surprise medical bills in out of network situations, pilot Leader In Me educational programs, pilot Horizon summer educational programs, mandatory sobriety monitoring for repeat DUI offenders and for those who committed their offense while under the influence.
Restoration of tax assistance for our Veterans and the disabled is a priority!
My Friends, this is a critical year and a critical election for our nation and for our society. Please pray for God’s Guidance and think seriously. I ask for your vote and thank you for the trust you have placed in me! God Bless You and Our Nation! _______________________________________________________________________________________
30
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR The Robertson County Connection, Jul 26, 2016
Do Local Elections Really Matter?
“This is the Most Important Election of Our Lifetime!” This phrase has been used often. We have heard it often. Well, my friends, it appears that this time, it might really be true. This is the time to think seriously about how we vote. This is the time to pray deeply! With controversial nominees for both major political parties, the national election has captured our attention. National media has played up the controversies, conflicts and personal attacks to boost ratings and profits. For a while, world events were scarcely reported because the sensationalized national news was low cost, easy to report and generated the buzz. In the frenzy of the 2016 Presidential election, let us not forget the importance of local politics
We are not likely to meet Obama, Clinton or Trump at the grocery store but we do come across our local officials. These include the mayors, county commissioners, aldermen, sheriff, court clerks, trustees, registrars and property assessors. Our School Board members make critical decisions about the education of our children. They decide how our $ 92 million budget is spent, which new schools are built, which schools are renovated, which text books our children read. These community leaders are known to all of us and we can discuss our concerns with them.
Local government is the government that matters daily in our lives. Our County Commissioners vote on so many important aspects in our community. This includes our schools, roads, law enforcement, property taxes, zoning and other matters. We can attend our county commission meetings and know how they manage a budget of $ 145 million. If a pothole develops on our street, we can call our town hall to get it fixed. When a traffic accident happens in town, an officer of the local police or sheriff’s department will usually be the first responder. Parents trust their local government when they put their kids on the school bus in the morning so they can go to the local public school.
A government that is closer to us, the people, is the government that affects us most. I have personally enjoyed the politics of Small-Scale Democracy! When constituents call me about problems that are really under the control of the mayor, I am honored and happy to call the mayor.
Although not elected, we must recognize the civic volunteers in our communities. These are the leaders who run the local civic organizations. These are the volunteers who work at our local hospital and in many organizations that help the needy. These are the volunteers who work the elections at local polling stations. I treasure the traditions that they have developed, and that includes the favorite pies that each of them has always brought on election day. Where else can you go to vote, have your ID checked by a friend, vote and get a piece of a pie on the way out! That is my reason to vote! God bless our local leaders and volunteers!
Issues of concern to our communities have the potential to pique the interest at state and national levels. So, I ask you to express your commitment in local government and always vote in local elections. Folks, local elections do really matter!
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29
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR The Robertson County Times, Jun 29, 2016
The Robertson County Connection, Jun 27, 2016
On Being American
Two hundred and forty years ago, on the 4th of July, our founding fathers established a new nation and became Americans. Today, it is an important time for us to renew our thinking and to understand what it means to be an American.
To me, the advice on this matter was given to me by two mothers, my Indian mother and my American mother! I arrived in New York on December 3, 1970 from India. My mother visited me in 1972 and 1974, staying for about three months each time. In 1981, as Linda and I were ready to get married, my mom came to America again. Since I am an only child, and considering mom’s age, Linda and I wanted her to stay and she was happy to be in America. She was particularly happy that I had done well and had a successful surgical practice in Springfield, Tennessee. As she met people in Robertson County and experienced the warmth and the kindness, she told me, “Sabi, people in America have loved you. You should love them back. You should love their society.” This was an eloquent statement with depth and simplicity of ‘old country’ values. The translation was, "This is my home. I should belong and assimilate. I should honor the kindness that I have received".
America is the Land of Opportunity, the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. I know this to be true. That is why I arrived in America 46 years ago with thirty seven dollars in my pocket. I, also, had something of immense value. And that was a medical degree. I had an internship waiting for me in Miami and a local family who had accepted me to stay with them as a foreign student. On the flight from New York to Miami, an attorney who was sitting next to me, realized how lost I was. I had not called my host family to tell them that I was arriving! I did not know their phone number. I did have an address. So my new friend drove me to the home of my host family.
My host family was Shirley and Morton Schultz. Morton has passed away and Shirley has moved to Grand Junction, CO, to be with her daughter. Shirley is a remarkable lady. She has been the American mom to many visiting students. When Miami became heavily Spanish with Cuban arrivals, Shirley went to the University of Miami to learn and become fluent in Spanish. At age 85, she spent a summer in a Chinese village teaching English. She is 94 and has taken Shakespeare courses in Grand Junction!
By example, Shirley showed me what it means to be an American. And she gave me plenty of advice! When I was leaving Miami to come to Springfield she said,”Sabi, don’t be concerned if people see you as a foreigner. You are. You have to realize that, to some people, a person coming to Springfield from Nashville is a foreigner. Be a part of the community and they will love you just as we do.”
For me, being an American, means to belong and not demand. Thank You, America and God Bless!
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28
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR The Tennessean: May 29, 2016
Obamacare Fails to Solve Healthcare Problems
In 2008, Presidential Candidate Barrack Obama promised, “If you don’t have health insurance, you’re going to be able to buy the same kind of insurance that Senator McCain and I enjoy as federal employees. Because there’s a huge pool, we can drop the costs”. Considering a Democratic majority in Congress at the time, the promise was deliverable.
Instead, we have a failed promise and numerous problems.
1. The Individual Mandate requires all to have health insurance or pay a penalty. For a young invincible, insurance costs thousands more than the penalty. We know that people should have insurance. We also know that broccoli is good for us. Can the government make us eat broccoli?
2.The Employer Mandate requires employers with more than 50 full time employees to offer health insurance for those working over 30 hours a week. So, many employees get to work 29 hours. Although under-employed, they are considered employed. Employers do not have to cover them. Former Governor Phil Bredesen warned that it is cheaper for an employer to pay penalties than provide health insurance.
3. Despite Obamacare, 30 million Americans remain un-insured. Approximately 11.3 million have signed up. Many of them are deceptively under-insured. Deductibles and co-pays can be 10-20% of a family’s yearly income. Cost of care for many common illnesses being below the deductible, enrollees have to pay out-of-pocket. Under threat of penalty, they are forced to buy insurance that does not serve their needs.
4. Subsidies for out-of-pocket expenses are not available to those who can afford only the Bronze plans. Considering the purpose of a subsidy is to help the needy, this is reverse logic.
5. The poorest in our society, with incomes at or below 138% of federal poverty level, are not covered. They were left to the circumstances of their states, hoping for Medicaid expansion. An added deception is that if a state expands Medicaid and accepts federal funds, federal payments for uncompensated care may be lost.
6. Insurance subsidies help families with incomes up to $94,400. These subsidies are not scaled but jump from one level to next. If a family makes $100 more, a move to the next bracket can cost them $3,000 in lost subsidies. This creates uncertainty and a disincentive to hard work.
7. Electronic Health Record is a major boondoggle. The promise was efficiency and lower costs. Instead, a computer screen now stands between the doctor and patient, limiting communication. Software systems available do not communicate with each other. Software costs are $63,750 per physician, millions for each hospital, plus yearly fees. Federal subsidies for these purchases assure higher expense. User dissatisfaction is 70%. Emphasis is on data collection and not efficiency, nor patient care.
8. CMS Innovation Center is to devise “innovative payment and service delivery methods”. So far, 26 methods are being developed for a cost of $10 billion!
Although insurance is no longer denied because of pre-existing conditions and lifelong medical expenses are no longer capped at $1,000,000, Obamacare has failed to provide Americans with insurance like the one President Obama and Senator McCain carry.
Medical illness is a threat to our health, life and financial well-being. Insurance hassles add stress and impair recovery. As a physician and a State Representative, I say Obamacare has failed to provide a solution for America’s healthcare needs.
Note: This Article was published by The Tennessean as a Point - Counter Point Feature in the Opinion Section of the Sunday May 29, 2016 edition. The Counter Point was written by
Stephen Entman MD, Professor of Ob-Gyn at Vanderbilt University).
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27
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR RC Connection: May 16, 2016
RC Times: June 8, 2016
109th General Assembly Comes to A Close
Do you think that Tennesseans should be allowed to have pet skunks? Do you think that fantasy sports are a game of skill or gambling? Let us also remember that Law is an instrument to create a just and a fair society!
The 2016 session of the 109th Tennessee General Assembly ended April 22, one day earlier than last year. The session lasted 13 weeks. During that time, the legislature made laws, passed a budget, and honored our citizens and our state. I am amazed at the breadth of intellectual challenges the law-makers face during a legislative session. Within an hour, we may vote on matters of health, education, insurance, banking, commerce, justice, transportation, etc. The number of those challenges is equally remarkable.
During this session alone, 1,271 bills were introduced in the Tennessee House of Representatives! Of these, we passed 654 bills. Considering that a bill is a draft for a proposed law, the bills passed by the House have to be passed by the Senate also, and then signed by the Governor before becoming the law of the land. The last sentence of each bill is especially meaningful. It states that, “This act shall take effect on (date), the public welfare requiring it.” This is an important reminder of the reason that we are there and why the citizens sent us there. I pray that we always remember this.
I have tried to put all these bills in groups according to their effect or function. It is not easy but I believe four major groups will include the vast majority of bills introduced. The first group honors a cause or a citizen, renames a road or a landmark. Second group are bills that protect us, our rights and address our safety. Thirdly are the bills that correct injustices in society or solve problems. Fourth is the work of managing income and expenses for the state.
Our state budget is almost $36 billion. It is a balanced budget, as required by the Constitution of our state. For the second year in a row, we are blessed with good economic growth and revenue. We have a budget surplus. Our comptroller warned us to be prudent and not spend it away. A known risk is to commit to recurring annual expenses without realizing that economic circumstances can change. We put $100 million in our rainy day fund, increased K-12 education funding by $262 million (the largest increase ever in the history of our state), added $104 million to raise teacher salaries, returned $142 million to the Road Building fund, and gave a tax break to our citizens by lowering the Hall Income tax from 6% to 5%. No taxes were raised.
The other remarkable event of the session was a veto of the bill naming the Bible to be the State Book of Tennessee because of constitutional concerns and a feeling that the word of God deserves a higher place. The true meaning of the Bible is in our hearts. Pray that we are all so blessed!
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26
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR Published: April 18, 2016
Bless My Heart!
As your State Representative, I am blessed to visit and meet with a lot of friends and citizens. I am invited to a lot of functions and events. It is frequent that I meet folks who have been my patients or someone in their family has been my patient. It is great to catch up. Considering that I have been in Robertson County for almost 39 years, and considering that I have about 50 patient and family member contacts a week, and allowing for some vacation time, it amounts to over 90,000 patient contacts over time. Certainly, a lot of these contacts are repeated. And that is a good thing!
I hear from friends and citizens usually by phone, email or a Facebook message. The most common need is for help from a state agency. We are usually able to help. As skeptical as we are of government, our state agencies have been very responsive to my inquiries on behalf of citizens. Not all problems can be solved but folks appreciate an honest, helpful answer. Representatives from many Departments of the state have visited Robertson County upon my request and met with our citizens.
The second most common call that I receive is about a bill that is being considered by the legislature. I remind citizens that over 90% of the bills that reach the floor of the House are passed. These bills have been examined and approved by at least four committees before reaching the House floor. The work of these committees is trusted. Representatives are, also, open to concerns from fellow members and their constituents. Recently, a Representative gave me his cell phone number so that one of our citizens could call him to discuss their concern about a change in law!
The third common call is about a problem that is under the control of the federal government. We have good communication with our congressional offices and we make sure that our citizens are connected with the officials who can help.
I try to answer all inquiries but rarely, one gets missed. I do regret when that happens. Recently, I got into a bit of hot water even though I had the best of intentions. This occurred when a message expressed concern and frustration about the failure of the TN Ready testing software in our schools. Teachers had worked very hard to prepare students for the testing. The delivery of the paper test materials was also delayed. I felt sympathy for our teachers and students. In my sincere effort to express concern for their hard work, I used the phrase, "Bless your Heart!" To my surprise, I have learned, that there are different meanings to this phrase and one of these implies "stupidity". I have always used it as an expression of sincerity that, "May the Good Lord Place Blessings upon Your Heart."
Recently, I heard Jay Johnson using this phrase in a very kind manner towards a waitress. I told him of my quandary. He suggested that I write an article to explain it. So thank you, Jay, and sincerely "May God Bless your Heart!"
Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov; (615) 741-2860
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25
State Representative Report
Sabi Doc Kumar, MD Published: March 22, 2016
Death and Dignity
As a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, I first met John Jay Hooker in the Health Subcommittee hearing room. It was the early part of 2015. He was a commanding presence as he pleaded the case for a 'Death with Dignity' legislation. Previously such legislation was called 'Physician Assisted Suicide'. He looked well and happy despite the diagnosis of advanced melanoma. He approached me personally to make the point that he should have the option not to suffer with advanced cancer. We talked about my oath as a physician, and commitment to preservation of life.
As I learned of Mr. Hooker's passing a few weeks ago, I have thought deeply about the end of life issues, suffering and options available to us. I also hope, and believe, that Mr. Hooker's end was peaceful and dignified.
Inevitability of death is known in an ancient legend that tells of a king's most loyal servant asking for the fastest horse so he can rush away to Jerusalem. When the king asked him why, he explained that the Angel of Death was following him around the palace. The king gave him his fastest horse and asked the Angel of Death why he was scaring his loyal servant. The Angel said he did not mean to do so because they are meeting in Jerusalem tomorrow anyway.
Considering this inevitability, it is fitting to consider what we wish for our end of time. When a cancer doctor asked a group of his patients about what their concerns and wishes were, the vast majority hoped they would not suffer in pain. They did not want to linger, be a burden to their family or be abandoned. The majority of them had adjusted to the fact that they were going to die from their disease, yet they also wished for time. They wished for time to say goodbye. This goodbye included being able to say, "Thank you. Forgive me. I forgive you. I Love You". Having financial affairs in order was important, as well. Sadly, not all of us will have the luxury of such time. In certain situations that can be a blessing, too.
The desire to end life comes from the fear of suffering at the end of life. It has been touching to see so many of my patients exhibit grace and courage towards the end of their lives. Families come together. An open discussion of expectations is possible. These Godly people have taught me that fear can be overcome by surrounding ourselves with loved ones, a caring medical team and blessings from our faith. A Hospice team can provide support and comfort. Feared indignities of tubes and incapacitation can be considered and possibly overcome. A Living will helps to express and document our wishes
"Physician Assisted Suicide" is a contradiction of terms. Physicians are not needed for administration of life ending medicines. Their purpose is to promote, maintain and restore our health. Death is more dignified, without suicide. Let us not allow the science of how to die outpace the blessing of life and faith.
Email: Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov / Phone: (615) 741-2860
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24
State Representative Report
Sabi Doc Kumar November 23, 2015 THE TENNESSEAN
'Medical' Marijuana is Already Available
With options available by prescription of a physician, there is no need to make pot more accessible.
As a physician, I am amazed by the miracle of healing when I see people recover from injury and illness. I am also touched by the sadness and misery of pain that illness brings.
Medical use of marijuana plant as an appetite stimulant, muscle relaxant, anti-convulsant, and for relief of pain and vomiting was first discovered in 1839 by William O'Shaughnessy, an Irish physician working in India.
It is, however, a mind-altering substance with major psychotropic effects, especially on the developing and teenage brain.It is also a gateway drug, leading to advanced drug use and addiction. Driving under its influence is hazardous.
Societal consequences of marijuana prevalence are being discovered in states that have legalized it. Policy Statement of American Academy of Pediatrics “opposes legalization of marijuana because of potential harms to children and adolescents.”
Studies of the medical uses of marijuana are not fully reliable because the accepted (and the gold standard) scientific method of a double-blind controlled trial cannot be applied to this research.
The distinctive smell and the intoxicating effects of marijuana do not allow for a control or placebo group that can be compared to the therapy group. Anecdotal healing effects of marijuana have been claimed for many conditions.
Recent reviews published in the Journal of the American Medical Association have shed light on this matter. Evidence shows that medical marijuana may be useful in treatment of epilepsy, glaucoma, nausea and vomiting due to cancer chemotherapy, anorexia resulting from HIV/AIDS, chronic pain, neuropathic pain, and spasticity due to multiple sclerosis.
Effectiveness of marijuana is poor in treatment of anxiety, sleep disorders, terminal cancer, diabetes, Tourette’s, Huntington’s chorea, Crohn’s disease, PTSD, Hepatitis and others. Risk of adverse events is significant.
Pharmaceutical companies now offer the chemical components of marijuana plant in the form of pills. Although the cannabis plant contains 80 cannabinoids and 400 other compounds, including carcinogens such as tar, the two main substances that contribute the vast majority of drug effects of marijuana are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).
These substances have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for recognized uses as Schedule III drugs. These are available on the prescription of a physician, much as a painkiller or an antibiotic.
Marinol and Cesamet are two drugs that offer THC in varying doses. Epidiolex contains CBD only and is meant for use in epilepsy. Sativex is a combination of THC and CBD.It is not yet available in the U.S. and is being tested for conditions of muscle spasticity. Cost of medical marijuana is comparable to the street price. Insurance plans may cover these costs.
This prescription method places the decision to use “medical” marijuana securely in the hands of the patient and his doctor, who can determine the need and the dose. Considering this availability, marijuana plant growing facilities with the need for tracking of plants, potential of diversion and other law enforcement problems, do not appear to be necessary.
Sabi ‘Doc’ Kumar is a Surgeon and State Representative from District 66, Robertson County.
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23
State Representative Report
Sabi Doc Kumar MD Published: February 25, 2016
The Dialogue of Democracy
It is said often, during an election year, that "this is a critical time," and "this is the most important election of our lifetime." These pronouncements may really be true this year. Considering the domestic, economic and foreign policy challenges today, we, the citizens have a crucial responsibility to vote. To protect the future of our country and for the sake of our children and grandchildren, we must make the right choices. We need leaders who will make decisions based on strong moral values, seek guidance from God and adhere to the constitution. Our actions will decide and determine the future of our nation, our world and our planet.
To influence the direction of our country, we must cast our vote and express our beliefs. The first step in this journey is to be registered to vote. If you are not registered to vote, I encourage you, strongly, to do so. If you are uncertain of your voter registration status, you can visit our county election office located at 511 South Brown Street in Springfield. You will find the staff to be kind and helpful. Remember to bring your photo ID, issued by state or federal government. Or you can check your registration status online at GoVoteTN.com.
If you know someone who is not registered to vote, ask them, to join the democratic dialogue of our nation and register to vote. If you are going to be travelling on the polling date or you are out of state for reasons such as attending college, you can vote early or by absentee ballot. Early voting is open at the County Office. It usually lasts for two weeks but closes one week prior to election.
Once you have confirmed that you are registered to vote, mark your calendar with the important dates for polling. Three elections will take place this year. All are important. Some will affect our nation at the state or federal level and others will impact our community locally. The first of these is the Presidential Preference Primary on Tuesday, March 1. You will choose to vote in the Republican or Democratic primary. The media coverage of candidates on both sides has been intense. You should search candidate positions and make a choice based on your values. The second election is the State Primary & County General Election on Thursday, Aug 4. In this election, you will vote to choose the Republican or Democratic candidates for federal and state office. I will be on the Republican Primary ballot for Tennessee House of Representative. County General Elections are non-partisan and you choose County Officers. Robertsonelections.com is also a valuable resource.
The big event of the year is on Tuesday, November 8. On that day, we will choose a new President. We will also vote for our federal and state representatives. It will be very exciting. You can volunteer as a poll worker and be a part of the excitement as events unfold. These elections will determine the future of our state, country and indeed the world.
Pray for God's guidance. Choose wisely. Ask His blessings upon our great nation!
Email: Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov Phone: 615- 741-2860
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22
State Representative Report
SABI 'Doc' KUMAR Published: February 3, 2016
A Beautiful Storm
My first thought at the time of extreme weather, such as the heavy snow recently, is about safety of families and citizens. Our law enforcement, first-responders, road crews, healthcare workers and many others, risk their safety to go to work and help others at such times. City, county, state officials, and workers mobilize to assist those stranded in the snow, involved in accidents or in need of other assistance. These are the times that bring out the best of love and caring among our friends, neighbors and co-workers. As much as we treasure our independence and liberty, these are the times that we call for help. Local, county and state governments have defined roles to fill in assisting, protecting and rescuing citizens from dangerous weather events and conditions.
After safety, my second thought is to look at the beauty of Nature. Yes, this usually happens when my wife, Linda reminds me of it. Saturday, after the Friday snow, was a full moon. There is something magical about undisturbed snow bathed in moonlight. Yes, it feels very cold to look at it and there is a chill that travels down the spine. That is when I appreciate the warmth of a home and a cup of hot apple cider.
Fortunately, there was no business at the legislature on the snow Friday. But I did have surgical work that had been scheduled. We considered postponement because of the difficult weather conditions. However, considering that patients and family have arranged time off from work, taken medicines to prepare for surgery and the sense of anxiety associated with surgical procedures, we just hoped that the snow would fall in the later part of the day.
Snow arrived early on Friday and quite soon our driveway was not passable. My patient had joked that, "If Doc can't get here, I will go by and pick him up. I sure don't want to have to take all this medicine again to prepare me for surgery next week". But angels do come to help. I called Plant Operations (maintenance department) at NorthCrest Medical Center and Alfred Boyter came to the rescue. He delivered me to the hospital and brought me back safely after we finished surgery. He did have to move a large tree limb out of the way when we returned. Alfred offered to take me grocery shopping if I needed to and instructed me to call him if I needed to go back to the hospital! The next day, another tree blocked the driveway. My good neighbor Blake Batson did the tree surgery with his chain-saw on this one.
This snow storm brought out the kindness in people all around. The surgery team that worked over the weekend risked their lives to come and help others. The sense of caring among co-workers was a thing of beauty. Instead of just saying bye, people reminded each other to "Be Safe". This is what I mean when I call it a "Beautiful Storm"!
We thank God for the beauty of Nature, His Creation and His People!
Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov Phone: (615) 741-2860
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21
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR Published: January 19, 2016
Y'all Come!
To add to the excitement of the New Year, the Tennessee Legislature will started the 2016 session on Tuesday, Jan 12. Long hallways at the Capitol, grand and ornate House and Senate Chambers, offices of the Representatives, Senators, legal and support services will all be filled with a buzz of activity. Advocacy groups, special interest groups, lobbyists, visitors, press and students will come from all parts of the state. All of us have different perspectives on the role and function of government. We each come with our own hopes, expectations and agendas. The Tennessee State Capitol is the seat of our state government. Our representatives work and serve there to keep the wheels of government spinning.
We receive and honor talented athletes, musicians, celebrities, volunteers and people with remarkable achievements and contributions to our society. I call these the 'goose-bumps' moments. It is such an honor to shake hands and pose for pictures with these citizens of our great state.
I invite you to come and visit me at the Legislature. I want you to see your state government in action and feel the vibes. You will enjoy the intensity of activities, going from committee hearings to legislative sessions. We can arrange a grand tour of the Capitol for you. There is a very interesting and remarkable history at the Capitol. I will introduce you to the legislature. They will acknowledge and applaud you, even if you do not agree with them politically! So call my office and let my Legislative Assistant Chris Rogers arrange a visit to the Capitol for you!
The Legislative session lasts from early January to end of April each year. On a weekly basis, the session usually starts on Mondays at 5 p.m. This allows representatives from the east, west and far corners of our state to drive in. These sessions last for a few hours. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are busy days. There are numerous committee hearings and meetings. Bills are presented, discussed and voted up or down in committees such as Health, Education, Insurance and Banking, Transportation, Justice, Finance, etc. On Thursday morning, the house meets again in Legislative Chambers. We vote on bills that have passed in committees. There is excitement as new laws are passed to be signed by the Governor. Different views on bills are presented. Sometimes the votes are very narrow. We strive to be honest, fair and prayerful in making voting decisions as these affect so many lives. Truly, it is possible for very wise and well-meaning people to disagree. We are respectful of such opinions. This session usually lasts till noon, allowing the representatives to drive back home. I drive back to Springfield to continue my surgical practice.
Human nature being what it is, sometimes representatives do act in a very partisan way. Yes, this is called politics. Emotions are played and manipulated. Personal and regional causes are advocated. Despite this, I have found my fellow legislators, legislative staff and leadership to be extremely courteous and responsive.
Let us pray and seek God's guidance for a meaningful session as we tackle the important issues of our times!
Email: Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov / Phone: 615- 741-2860
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20
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR Published: December 30, 2015
The Joy of Giving
"It is the most wonderful time of the year!" Indeed, the Christmas season brings out the Giving Spirit among us. We buy gifts for our friends and family. There is the joy of finding a 'very good deal,' a great sale, or just the thing that we were looking for. The children wait eagerly for Santa, the greatest bringer of gifts! We give a tremendous amount to charity. We give cash, goods, time and service. We volunteer and help. Annual charitable giving in the United States is estimated to be up to $350 billion, out of which $250 billion is donated by individuals. Yes, we Americans are among the most giving and generous!
At the Legislature, there are some frequently asked questions about charity. How much should our society do to help the needy? What is the role of government? What is the role of the individual? What is the role of faith-based charities? What is the role of non-profit organizations?
There are two ideological extremes of opinion about the responsibility of our society to the needy. Both want to help. Their goal is the same. The liberal viewpoint is that government can do it best. They want the government to collect money from the people in the form of taxes and then spend or give to those in need. Hence the name, 'tax and spend.' The conservative viewpoint is that people should work to help themselves as much as they can. Government should help them get up on their feet. People in need should not become dependent on the government, unless there is illness or injury. A famous quote is "Give me a fish and I will eat today. Teach me to fish and I will eat every day." Certainly it is better to teach a person to fish for themselves than to supply them every day. It brings purpose and satisfaction if a person can help themselves.
A well-balanced approach is when abilities of government, the individual, faith-based charities and non-profit organizations are used to help the needy in our society. America is a caring and giving nation with a big heart!
When I ran for election to the Tennessee House of Representatives, I declared that I will donate my entire salary to charity. I also promised that I will not accept expense money, called per diem, from the state. So I endorse the check and return it to the state. Distributing my salary to the local charities in Robertson County has been a true joy and a blessing. These Organizations and their Volunteers are the real heroes of our society. They teach us about unselfish giving. God bless them and, please God, bless them again! I am privileged to help.
I teach a Sunday School Class on every second Sunday at the First United Methodist Church. My lesson this month was, "Gifts Acceptable to God." I always end with a limerick. I am proud of this one:
What Stands Apart,
A Piece of Art,
Golden Strands,
Loving Hands,
Or A Gift of The Heart!
Email: Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov /Phone: (615) 741-2860
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19
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR Published: December 8, 2015
A Family Adventure
Holidays are here! As we enjoy (or cope with) the commercial boom, shopping in congested stores, travel, traffic, budgeting our expenses and too much food, the most important things really are God and family. We thank God for our blessings, and family is the most important of those.
It is very important that our government and Legislature promote family and family values. Social change has led to a decline in strength of the American family. Children who grow up in difficult family circumstances face greater challenges to succeed. Family gives us support and strength. I believe that most happiness comes from love and family. If I am very successful in my work and business, and I am rich, I might not be able to enjoy these blessings without love and family at home. If I am failing in work and business, and things were difficult, I might be able to cope and survive if I have love and family support.
When I ran for the Tennessee House of Representatives, family support was crucial. I could not take on this adventure without the support and enthusiasm of my family. It became clear, very early in the journey that someone has to hold the sign post so I can hammer it, remember to get bottles of water, or stand back and tell me if the sign is level or tilted which way! More seriously, this has become more clear to me every day of my service in the legislature. Many of you have seen us at community events. My wife Linda and, when possible, our daughter Nina are with me. Our daughter Nina is an attorney who gives me sound advice on legislative matters. I can trust her advice based on our shared family values.
My wife is a nurse by profession. Of course she does more than help with the signs! One particular outing to a function in Orlinda showed her love and care for the people of Robertson County. First, we met a gentleman who is in his nineties. He has three sons and divides his time equally between them. Linda, the psych nurse, talked to him about his earlier years and the challenges of aging. We then met a Korean War veteran. Linda's dad served in the Korean War and was injured. They talked about being a military family and the wonderful places they were able to see through service travel. Born in Ashland City, Linda graduated from High School in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. Then, we met old friends who used to attend church with us. They have returned from mission work in Africa and now operate an organic farm in Robertson County. Linda is the daughter of, and is herself, an avid gardener with strong knowledge of organic foods and farming. They had a great discussion and I listened! As you can see, my job is easy because God has blessed me with love and family.
For me family includes friends, co-workers, church members, patients and many, many fine folks throughout Robertson County. I pray the blessing of family for all!
Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov ; ( 615) 741-2860
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18
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR Published Nov 11, 2015
Remembering Our Veterans Every Day
Wednesday, November 11 was Veteran’s Day. It is a special and meaningful day that offers each of us a chance to thank our Veterans for their years of service and sacrifice on our behalf. However, we must remember that we owe our Veterans a tremendous debt of gratitude and thanks every day. On Thanksgiving, we thank God for the blessings we have. On Veterans Day we should thank God for those who made the blessings of liberty and freedom possible.
Originally known as Armistice Day to honor Veterans of World war I since 1918, it was named Veterans Day by the efforts of Raymond Weeks of Birmingham, Alabama who petitioned Gen Dwight Eisenhower in 1945 that this day honor all Veterans. Rightly Raymond Weeks led the Veterans Day Celebrations in Birmingham, AL every year from 1947 until his passing in 1985.
Over the years, I have often been touched by the sacrifices made by our Veterans and the families of our Veterans. They give up so much to serve our country. When our Veterans come home, they find a world that has changed so much from the world they remember. They face great challenges in life and adjustment. Circumstances or their mind set may be radically different. When I hear people criticize American involvement in wars abroad, I note that it is our Veterans who have ensured that our citizens have the freedom and ability to speak out. Veterans put the needs of our country above their own. That defines patriotism. When they arrive home, most of them do meaningful work and contribute to our communities.
My wife, Linda, and I were blessed to spend some time with American Legion Post 45 in Greenbrier recently. We have visited with our Veterans here before, and come away with a renewed faith in the goodness of America. We also plan to visit VFW Post 2120 as well as American Legion Posts 48 and 6. These Veterans have served in wars, braved combat and sacrificed so much. After military service, they have continued to serve at home. They care for their friends, neighbors and fellow Veterans in need.
There are immense life lessons to be learned from our Veterans. They work together. They support each other. They give up their own needs and desires to make our Country better. They represent the very best of Robertson County, State of Tennessee and United States of America. They are inspiring in their actions, sincerity and kindness. Their patriotism and love of country is an example for us to follow. Veterans make our world and community better. The following says it well:
On Veterans Day We Honor All
Who Answered to the Service Call
Soldiers Young & Soldiers Old
Fought for Freedom Brave & Bold
They Left Their Friends and Family
They Gave Up Normal Life
To Serve Our God & Country
Standing Up to Strife
I hope you join me in saluting and thanking our American heroes and patriots every day!
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17
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR Published: October 27, 2015
Growth in Robertson County
What brought you to Robertson County? Perhaps, you are like my wife, a local with family roots spanning many generations or even the founding of Robertson County! Or, perhaps you are like me. I came for a great career opportunity. Of course my wife claims that I came to meet her! When I arrived, I did not have family in the area. However, I have stayed in Robertson County for nearly 40 years because of the people. I was drawn to this area because of the beauty of the rolling hills and the small town values. But, it is the kindness of the people that has made it home!
I have spent some time over the past few weeks considering what brought me to Robertson County as I have attended events relating to Economic and Community Development, including one hosted by Governor Haslam. Tennessee, and particularly middle Tennessee, has experienced substantial growth over the last several years. By all accounts and measures, that growth will only continue and even increase in magnitude. Companies have relocated to our region in record numbers. Many new jobs have been created.
Simply put, I am in Robertson County because I believe it is a great place to work and raise a family. The friendships and the community have been very special blessings in our lives. While we often focus on Tennessee, I find myself looking for as many chances as possible to tell OUR story - the Robertson County story. We live in a very special place. We have beautiful farms and thriving industry. We have communities with a "suburban" feel and we also have rural communities, both close-knit and unique.
I am often asked my opinion regarding economic growth. I think economic growth is important. It is vital to our productivity, and even our enjoyment of life. Businesses give us jobs but businesses also offer culture and entertainment. Businesses come to areas where they will be successful. It is difficult to attract good things to areas that are lagging in economic growth.
However, growth may not always be positive. Many of you have mentioned to me that traffic has rapidly increased, even in our own Robertson County! Growth is a good and positive thing when there is a plan for growth. Growth is only good and positive when we continue to protect our pristine farm land, rural lifestyle and Robertson County values. As your State Representative, I want Robertson County to continue to plan for and experience positive growth.
I also need your help and input. When you visit a community doing something well that we could also do, drop me a note! When you see things that we could improve in our state, let me know. Finally, we must remember that success in any area, including economic growth, will only come if we work together. We may not always agree, but if we work together we will find success. Let us pray that we plan well and promote positive, good growth in Robertson County!
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar, Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov/(615)- 741-2860
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16
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR Published: October 5, 2015
Your Opinion Matters
In 13 months, our country will elect a new President. It seems far away! But, as you undoubtedly know, the election season is already upon us. It is difficult to miss the latest news from the campaign trail on television, newspapers and internet. It seems that with each cycle, the election and the campaigns start much earlier. A President is the face of our nation. Electing the next President of the United States is a tremendous responsibility, and one that we cannot and should not take lightly.
However, the next President will not decide what textbooks our children study from at school, what our city or county taxes are, or where certain businesses can be built. The next President will not decide where livestock can be raised or whether a new apartment complex can be built next door to our home or when and how often our garbage gets picked up. In many respects, our day to day life will not change when a new President is elected. Overwhelmingly, the decisions that profoundly impact and affect our day to day life are made by our local officials, at a local level.
The School Board decides what textbooks our children use, and even where our children may attend school. The County Commission and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen decide our county and city taxes, respectively. They also make decisions about zoning and where buildings or livestock can go. These decisions are significant, they are important and they affect our life in countless ways every day.
As your State Representative, when I talk to citizens in Robertson County, many are reluctant to get involved in local politics. I hear comments often such as: "I'm not a politician," or "I wouldn't have anything important to say," or "It doesn't matter what I think." Well, if you are not a politician, I think that is good. We need your fresh perspective, and your life experience. Each of us has had success, failure and some problems in life. What you say is important because, no one can say it like you! Your perspective is unique.
As your State Representative, I NEED you to be involved. Please register to vote now if you are not registered. Please Vote. Please ask your friends, family, co-workers and fellow church members to be registered and to remember to vote. We need all good voices to be heard. There is no question that two heads are better than one and that eight heads are better than four in a democracy. When frustrated with our leaders and government, let us not retreat. Let us speak up and be involved and work to put our nation on the right course. If you just do not want to speak up, please join us in prayer. We need God's wisdom upon our great nation, our great state and our loving communities. By joining together, the possibilities for accomplishment and our abilities to solve problems are limitless.
Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov; (615) 741-2860
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15
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR Published: September 10, 2015
Remembering 9/11
September 11, 2001 could also, like Pearl Harbor, be described as “a day that will live in infamy”. That is how President Franklin D. Roosevelt described the December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. On both of these occasions, American homeland was attacked. And on both of these occasions, American bravery and heroism were on display. Our fire-fighters, policemen and first responders showed courage and sacrifice. Our country recovered, restored and rebuilt. Our leaders responded with strength and unity. We were not Democrats or Republicans on that day. We were all Americans!
Certain events leave unforgettable memories in our minds. Sept 11, 2001 is certainly one of those events. Those of us who are old enough, remember where we were, what we were doing, who was with us and how we heard about an airplane striking the North Tower of World Trade Center in New York. We followed the events of the day as the South Tower and the Pentagon were also hit by planes. We watched in horror as the towers collapsed. The fourth plane was brought down by brave passengers, crashing it in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. This saved another intended terrorist target in our nation’s capital. Despite such heroism 2,996 lives were lost on that day.
I have particularly poignant memories of that day. I was scheduled to give an “expert medical opinion” in a legal action. Considering the events of the day, both parties, located in Texas, decided to drop their action, forever. It was more important to go home and hug your family on that day. Our daughter was in school, at that time, in New Jersey. From her school she could see the smoke rising over Manhattan. Fortunately, we were able to keep in touch. Parents of many of her classmates worked in the World Trade Center and Pentagon. Tragedies happened.
Consequences of both of these events are long lasting and the world has, indeed, changed forever. Air travel, public buildings and gatherings require vigilance and security. A sense of anxiety prevails at times. We worry about the safety of our children and family. As a physician, I am concerned about the long term effects of these emotions and feelings on our lives and wellness. There are tremendous fiscal and human costs on our society.
As a Legislator, I want to prevent terrorism. As we try to understand the causes of terror, we find the world today to be in great turmoil. Millions of people have been uprooted. Women, children and the elderly are all at risk. Radical factions kill others, even within the same religion, because they do not share their view of God.
How disappointed God must be! You and I believe in a God who commanded us to, “Love each other”. Luke 6:31 and Matthew 7:12 teach us the Golden Rule so that we treat others as we would want to be treated. Our challenge is to balance our love of God and humanity with a Position of Strength. God has made America a great nation. We must pray that His hand stays on our shoulder!
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14
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR Published: August 24, 2015
Back to School in Robertson County
This month - doesn't it seem earlier each year - our children in Robertson County and throughout Tennessee went back to school. A new school year is an exciting time! Our children come home with new knowledge, learned from our teachers' finely crafted lesson plans. Old friendships are restored, and new friendships are found. After school activities begin in full swing too: athletics, band, hobbies and yes, maybe, even a bit of homework. Undoubtedly our education system faces challenges. We know this to be true. Our teachers face the most of these challenges. Too often, they must manage with lack of resources, or find themselves in the position of being a substitute parent to students who have needs that extend far beyond the classroom.
Education is a highly debated subject in the Legislature. Maybe you believe we have compromised our standards. Maybe you believe wrong folks are in charge of education. Maybe you believe that we test our children too much, and on the wrong things. These opinions are valid and important. However, I find myself overwhelmed with tremendous pride and an incredible feeling of being blessed that we live in America.
Why? Because, in America, we educate all of our children! Yes, there are debates about quality and what that education is. But as a country, we give our children the opportunity to learn and be educated. Throughout the world, there are countries where your name, your money or even your gender determines if you will be educated and attend school. While we, in America, strive and compete to make our schools even better. Do we have problems we need to solve? Sure! But every child in America has the chance of a stronger, brighter future and a tomorrow that is better than today because of education. As a member of the Instruction and Programs Education Committee of the Tennessee House of Representatives, I will continue to work to improve education in our state. Recent results of ACT scores show significant statewide improvements. What we are doing, in Tennessee, is working!
Somewhere there is a school in America that is the worst school in our country (certainly it is not located in Robertson County)! Yet, within that school, within every single school in our great state and nation, there are special teachers. They stay late, work long hours and strive to impart knowledge to students. In so doing, they change our children's lives. They alter destiny each and every day. So, to our Robertson County families my prayer for each of you and your children is that this school year is a wonderful one and the best one yet! To our teachers, I say a profound, deep thank you. You teach, you inspire, you support and you love our children. Along the way, each of us can remember the great, special teachers that we had. Thank you for what you do and for continuing an important legacy. You invest in our children and you give them the gift of education that is priceless in value. May God bless each of you in this coming school year!
Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov; (615) 741-2860.
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13
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR Published: July 28, 2015
Terror in Our Homeland
Certain events leave a permanent memory. We always remember how and when we learned about tragedies such as 9/11. My wife Linda and I were away from home last week. As your state representative, I try to keep in touch with happenings at home even when we are away.
On the afternoon of Thursday July 16, 2015, my attention was drawn to CNN news as I saw a familiar face from Tennessee. It was Representative Gerald McCormick, majority leader of Tennessee House and the representative from Chattanooga. Having served in the legislature with Gerald, I have had the privilege to know him well. He was certainly troubled but, in his usual way, calm in the eye of the storm. In the CNN interview, Gerald updated facts briefed to him and other officials by the FBI. I learned that Gerald lives only about a mile from the area where the shooter Abdulazeez lived.
That is how Linda and I learned about the terrible tragedy in our homeland. Four marines had been shot to death by a gunman at a Naval Reserve Center in Chattanooga. The heinous criminal had to be shot to prevent further loss of life. Chattanooga police were brave and effective. A fifth soldier died later from his injuries. Linda and I were stunned. Just like all of you, we will never forget where we were and how we learned about this tragedy. We Tennesseans are welcoming and loving people with deep Christian values. We are not used to such acts.
As a physician, I am always sad to see loss of a life. This was especially overwhelming. These were the lives of brave soldiers who were serving our country. It is said that, "What Light is to the Eyes, What Air is to Lungs, that is What Liberty is to the Soul." It is because of the strength and sacrifice of our soldiers that America today, is the Land of Liberty and the Statue of Liberty is a symbol of Freedom across the world. We owe so much to our soldiers and their families.
The grief of the families of these soldiers is unmeasurable. We think of the joy when the soldiers who had served in Iraq returned and how they were received by us all. They were home and, that also means, being safe. The loss of lives of these soldiers is very painful. The Chattanoogans, as Gerald explained, are a caring community with Tennessee values who will rally around these special families. His own Christian values were evident as he expressed concern for the shooter's family, as well.
As we return home we think of what we, as a community of Tennesseans, can do to avoid such tragedies. Our citizens will be vigilant. Our leaders and legislators will work to protect our soldiers and citizens. A terrorist attack against any one of our citizens and soldiers is an attack against all of us. The goodness of America shall prevail. May God Bless America!
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar - Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov/ 615- 741-2860
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12
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR
Following The Money! Published: June 30, 2015
We are blessed with a vibrant community. There are many functions to attend each week and, sometimes, each day! Many of you have told me that you have enjoyed my articles in this paper. I encourage you to let the editors know. They are generous in allowing me to communicate with you through these writings.
I am going to test your ability to enjoy my articles by talking about a subject that makes most people yawn! I am going to talk about our State Budget. Let us learn about where the money for state expenses comes from and where it goes. But first, let us review the basics.
A budget is an estimate of income and expenses for a period of time. As individuals and families, all of us do this as part of planning in life. We look at our income and our expenses. If we are fortunate to have money left over after paying for necessities, we divide the rest into savings and pursuits of pleasure. Depending on our nature, we may include charity in the necessary or discretionary.
Government budgets, however, are a completely different animal. The key word is: Unlimited. Governments can increase income by raising taxes or imposing new taxes. If there is fear that citizens will rebel against taxes, governments can just borrow money and leave payment to the next administration or the next generation! Income can fall as Governments can be 'surprised' by a downturn in the economy, although, they should not be. Government expenses are, also, unlimited. Everybody wants more from government. Politicians want to give more, because that can get them elected. Government expenses are not always based on needs or necessities. Calculations of "who gets what, when, and how" are frequently based on the influence of Client Politics and Political Interest Groups. Pork-barrel projects pump money into districts of important legislators. Of course, you know all this!
In Tennessee, we are much better. Our state law requires a Balanced Budget. The Governor and the Legislature follow this law. Our financial position is strong. We are rated among the top states fiscally. Our rainy-day fund is almost three quarters of a billion dollars strong. The conservative Republican Governor and Legislature have carefully controlled budget growth and kept our taxes low.
Income for the State of Tennessee was budgeted at almost $33 billion in 2015. There are four main sources. For each dollar received, 45¢ is state tax revenue ($15B), 40¢ is federal money received ($13B) and 15¢ is from other services. State tax revenue includes Sales, Franchise, Fuel and Banking. Alcohol, Tobacco and Inheritance are about $0.02 each. The $13B received from the Federal government is from taxes paid by our citizens and business. It is provided, mainly, for TennCare ($7B), Human Services ($3B), Education ($1.3B) and Transportation ($1B).
Expenses for the State of Tennessee were also budgeted at $33B, making it a Balanced Budget. For each dollar spent, 32¢ goes to TennCare ($10.5B), 30¢ to Education ($10B), 15¢ to Health & Social Services ($5B) and 5¢, each, to Transportation and Law Enforcement. The remaining 13¢ cover all the rest.
This is a very simple look at the Tennessee State Budget. There are many layers to this onion! Pray that my eyes don't water as I peel further!
Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov; 615- 741- 2860
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11
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR Published May 28, 2015
Turning of the Tassels
What a graduation season it has been in our beloved Robertson County! My family and I are passionate about the need and value of education in our lives. As your State Representative, I serve on the Education Instruction and Programs Committee. We believe that “the cost of ignorance is much greater than the cost of education”. It is my duty to stay in touch with our teachers and students so that I understand the educational needs of our community. The advice and input from our citizens allows me to consider meaningful legislation for the General Assembly session next year.
My wife, Linda, and I are filled with hope and optimism for our young folks. We attended six graduations in Robertson County this month! We watched the graduates fiddle with the caps and gowns. Proud parents, grandparents, families and friends filled the graduation halls. There were articulate speeches by the Students, our Director of Schools, Principals, Faculty and Community Leaders. State Senator Kerry Roberts and I, as your State Representative, presented Proclamations to honor academic achievements. It warmed our hearts to see that prayer to God was universal at these ceremonies. This is an important message to the young graduates.
A separate and special Graduation Ceremony was held for the Springfield High School Mock Trial Team graduates. This talented team won the Tennessee State Mock Trial Championship for the 2nd year in a row! They were in Raleigh, NC, competing in the National Championship at the time of the scheduled Springfield High School Graduation. The Honorable Judge Bill Goodman delivered a great graduation speech for our young Legal Eagles!
A very meaningful narrative developed as Linda and I listened to the advice given by the distinguished graduation speakers. I will not be able to give due credit to all but I will attempt to summarize the wisdom imparted to the graduates. They were told that this was a “threshold moment” in their lives as they cross over from one stage to the next. Other examples of such major transition include marriage, birth and occupation. Graduation is an occasion to pause and reflect. The Director of Schools, Mr. Mike Davis, advised the graduates to ask themselves three key questions. The first was, “Who am I?” This allows the graduates to develop a “moral compass”. The second question was, “Why am I here, what is my purpose in life?” The third question was, ”Where am I going?” The graduates were told to love what they do in life and to remember to laugh at themselves. Student speeches were also eloquent. The graduates were encouraged to be individuals and not fit the standard mold, with a standard gown, standard cap and standard diploma! They were told to be more than a mere spoke in a wheel and to be unique. The school years were compared to being in a cocoon and now they have grown the wings to fly away towards new adventures.
It occurs to me that we could all use most of the advice above. Graduation season is a time for each of us to pray and reflect! Linda and I personally wish great success to all of our graduates. We ask them to remember their Robertson County roots. Be happy and make others happy. Love one another, as God calls us to do. God Bless each of you!
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10
State Representative Report
SABI "DOC" KUMAR Published: April 22, 2015
Making Decisions in the Legislature
We make decisions every day. Some are trivial, others are crucial and the rest are in between. Most of our decisions affect our lives or the lives of our family, friends and co-workers. When you elected me as your State Representative and I arrived at the Legislature, making the right decisions became a very important responsibility. Decisions made at the legislature affect millions of lives.
As a surgeon, I make difficult decisions every day. I make those decisions by science, reason and prayer. My surgery training lasted seven years, in addition to medical school. Further experience has been added by 38 years of practice in the field. My faith in God has also strengthened over this time. I feel comfortable in my surgical decision making. I am honored that many of you have trusted me with these decisions.
The process is different for the learning of legislative decision making skills. Political science is a known field of learning but it certainly is not a science! It is important for a legislator to have a strong moral compass for guidance in decisions that affect public policy. That compass should not point to campaign money, personal benefits or chances for re-election. So, what are the important steps in making legislative decisions? I have followed my own moral compass that includes thought, prayer, analysis of facts and a commitment to do the right thing.
I learned an important lesson at the Robertson County Republican Party (RCRP) monthly meeting on Saturday, April 11. RCRP members are strong conservatives who are passionate about issues and beliefs. One member laid out two main principles for legislative decision making. His principles were concise and eloquent.
The first principle, he said, is to ask if there is justification for this action in the Bible? Ronald Reagan said, "Within the covers of the Bible are answers to all problems men face." As humans, though, we may not sometimes be able to find them. We must pray to God for guidance! The second principle, this RCRP member said, is to ask if the decision is constitutional. Study of the US and TN State Constitutions are, therefore, vital. Constitutional scholarship is needed in complex matters.
To the above vital principles, I want to add two more. The third principle should be to listen to the people. This advice is sound, but the opinions can vary widely. Reliable surveys are difficult for every topic, and are expensive. If we were to consider the subject of Insure Tennessee, for example, almost all members of the RCRP are against this program while most people, at the coffee clubs around town and the Chamber of Commerce, favor the program. The fourth and final principle, that I add, is to listen to your heart. This is based on life experiences, but also on emotion. So we come back to prayer!
I am thankful that I went to the RCRP. They meet at the Senior Center on Locust Street in Springfield, at 8:30, first Saturday of each month. All are welcome. Breakfast is served. Considering the difficult decisions we make at the Legislature, I welcome your input. If you do not like a decision that I make, please tell me. Let us talk.But please be civil and do not call me animal names on your Facebook page!
Rep. Sabi 'Doc' Kumar; Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov; 615- 741-2860.
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9
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR Published April 30, 2015
The Legislative Session of 2015
The 2015 session of the 109th General Assembly of the Tennessee State Legislature lasted from January 23 to April 23. The start of the regular session, this year, was delayed because of the winter snows and the Special Session to consider the Governor Haslam’s Insure Tennessee proposal. The session lasted about 13 weeks.
Despite the fact that we run on a platform of small government, the Legislators filed 1,402 bills! The House of Representatives passed 554 of these. These bills become law if similar legislation is passed by the Senate and is signed by the Governor. The Governor has three options when a bill, passed by the House and the Senate both, arrives at his desk. He has ten days to act. He may sign the bill to make it the law because “public welfare requires it”. He may allow it to become law without signing it. This happens when the Governor disagrees with actions of the bill. The third option is to veto the bill. The Legislature may over-ride this action by a majority vote.
Economically these are good times in our state. Business activity is up. Therefore, sales and other tax collections were higher than expected. According to the Budget, proposed by the Governor and approved by the Legislature, major beneficiaries of this windfall are the Rainy Day Fund, Education, Teachers’ and State Employees’ salaries and plans for a new State Museum. A modest decrease in the Hall Income tax was also included.
Among other issues, Insure Tennessee, the Governor’ proposal to provide health insurance to over 280,000 uninsured Tennesseans with federal dollars, failed twice in Senate committees. I supported the bill to develop new K-12 educational standards that will replace Common Core. We must maintain high standards and these will be developed by Tennessee teachers. I thought that the bill requiring High School Seniors to take a civics quiz before graduation was a good idea. As some of you saw, Fox17 News tested me on the subject. I answered all correctly! I supported bills to strengthen our 2nd amendment rights, preserve the sanctity of life by voting for a proper informed consent before abortions and enhanced safety through proper certification of clinics.
I supported approval of marijuana oil for childhood epilepsy. I played a key role in postponing approval of medical marijuana for other conditions. We assigned this matter to summer study and evaluation. On matter of pride, we passed a law so that a liquor can be called Tennessee Moonshine Whiskey only if it was made in Tennessee!
The most important moment for me, in this session, was my speech to the Tennessee House of Representatives during debate on the bill to name Bible as the Official State Book. I spoke for about 12 minutes and received a standing ovation. I supported this bill so that we may “Honor Our Heritage, Our Culture and Our Biblical Values upon which Our Great Nation and Our State were founded!” This quote of mine was carried on National Public Radio news, the following morning.
A video of my speech is available online at Capitol.tn.gov. Go to Videos, House, On Demand Videos, April 15, 2015. My comments begin at 1 hour, 34 minutes into the video. It is my honor to be your State Rep. God Bless you, and God Bless Robertson County!
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8
State Representative Report
SABI "DOC" KUMAR Published: April 7, 2015
The Making of a Law
The legislative sessions of the Tennessee General Assembly start every year in January. The session was delayed this year because of the snow, beautiful as it was. These sessions usually last to late April, depending upon the legislative load.
When you, the citizens of Robertson County, elected me as your State Representative, I was excited and looked forward to representing you at the state level. But we, the Representatives, are also Legislators. This means that we make laws. These laws greatly affect the lives of our citizens. It is certainly a responsibility that every lawmaker must consider seriously and with prayer.
It is a fact that my fellow Republicans and I run for election on a conservative platform. We promise you a small government. But when we arrive at the Legislature, we want to pass a lot of laws! This makes us look productive and hard working. Between 1,500 and 1,800 bills are introduced in the General Assembly each year and up to one thousand bills may become laws. That is a lot of laws, folks!
It is a long journey for a bill to become a law. A bill is a draft, or a suggestion, for a law that is needed to make our lives better or correct an injustice. A lot of the ideas originate from an interest group, a professional association or a commercial lobby. Other ideas come from State Government departments or the elected State Representatives, depending on their field of expertise, life experience or passion. The bills to allow wine in grocery stores, motorcycle riding without helmets, Insure Tennessee or open carry of fire-arms are a few respective examples.
For a bill to become a law, it goes through seven or more steps. The first step is legal drafting and introduction into the Legislative Calendar. A bill can only be introduced by the members of the Legislative Assembly. That means that a State Representative or a Senator introduces the bill into the House of Representatives and the Senate respectively. The Speakers of each of these two Chambers then assign the bill to the appropriate Sub-Committees. This is the second step. These Committees separately consider all aspects of the bill. Committees include health, education, insurance, banking, justice and government in both the House and Senate. The bill is presented, discussed and amended, if necessary. Proponents and opponents of the proposed law testify before the committees. If it passes by a majority vote in the subcommittee, it moves to the third step, which is presentation before the full committee. A similar process is repeated separately in each Chamber.
Upon approval of the full Committees, the bill is referred to the Finance Committee, if there is a financial impact. This is step four. Upon passage in the, usually difficult, Finance Committee, the fifth step is the Calendar and Rules Committee that schedules the bill for a vote on the floor of the House and the Senate Chamber. Most Bills (98 percent) that reach step six, the Chamber floors, pass and become a law if signed by the Governor. This signature is the seventh and final step.
So the ideal bill is the one that everybody likes and it does not cost any money!
Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov/Phone: 615- 741-2860
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7
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar
A Cure for the Common Core Published: March 17, 2015
I have always said that I am where I am in life, because of my education. And that Education changes lives. I am committed to working with our local and state leaders to improve education in our state and in Robertson County. I have spoken with teachers and educators at the local and state level. I am pleased to report to you that I have met experienced educators and legislators who care deeply about the education of our children. We want to have world class standards by which our students are taught. Selection of these standards has been controversial.
Common Core is a set of standards implemented for K-12 education in Tennessee four years ago. These standards were developed by the National Governors Association. The purpose was to create uniformity of learning at various grade levels in our country. When a family moves to another state, the children can resume their education at the same grade level. These standards applied to English language arts and Math.
The development and implementation of these standards, called Common Core, is flawed. Parents and teachers in Tennessee know what is best for our children! Common Core standards were developed and enforced without the involvement of Tennessee teachers. I firmly believe that the key to any successful educational effort is to, "Talk to Teachers, Talk to Teachers and Talk to Teachers!" This was not done and the result was confusion and misunderstanding. We should note, with pride, that with the dedication of our teachers and students, Tennessee was the fastest improving state in K-12 education in 2014.
In Tennessee, academic standards are normally reviewed every six years. Because of public complaints, Governor Haslam announced, a review and revision of our K-12 standards after only four years. Four steps were outlined. First, public input is sought at https://apps.tn.gov/tcas. I strongly encourage our citizens and educators to participate and register their input. This is our opportunity to be heard. Secondly, the public comments will be reviewed and analyzed by the independent Southern Regional Education Board. The third step will be for the State Board of Education to appoint separate Standards Review and Development Committees for English language arts and for Math. This will happen during the summer of 2015. The fourth and final step will be the presentation of recommendations by these committees to the State Board of Education.
Despite the Governor's efforts, the path to high quality K-12 educational standards remains controversial. There are additional bills in the Legislature to create committees and advisory teams comprised of Tennessee teachers, higher education faculty members, and parents to propose world-class, highly rigorous K-12 standards for use in public schools.
Whether to wait for the recommendations of the Governor's committees or to select one or more of the bills in the legislature presents a difficult choice for us. But that is what you elected me for! It is my duty to consider this enormous task with great care, analysis and prayer. I request that you do the same and join me in prayer. Your input and advice is always welcome.
State Rep. Sabi Kumar represents District 66 including Robertson County/Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov
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6
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar Published: March 3, 2015
Who Decides Which Textbooks Our Children Read?
When I am at the State Legislature, serving as your State Representative, many visitors come to “Meet and Greet”. All residents of Robertson County are welcome to come and visit me. I do suggest that you call and make an appointment so I can be there to greet you! It is a great experience. You would be surprised to see how full and fast paced the days are during the General Assembly Session!
As a member of the Instruction and Program Education Committee in the Tennessee Legislature, I received a visit from newly appointed members of the State Textbook and Instructional Materials Quality Commission (also called the Textbook Commission) last week. I have great respect for citizens in public service. We discussed the school textbook selection process. I want to make certain that textbooks prescribed for our children have high standards, good learning material and reflect the great values of our society. I encourage you, as a citizen, to participate in this process so that your voice is heard. Several citizens of Robertson County have expressed concerns about the textbooks that are being used in our schools. I think it will be good for everyone to understand the process by which the textbooks and teaching materials are selected. There are three main steps in this process.
The first step is the state level selection of textbook options available on a particular subject. This is the function of the Textbook Commission. The commission is appointed by the Governor with recommendations from the legislature. The commission has nine members with six educators and three members, not employed in education, who represent each of the three grand divisions of our state. The Commissioner of Education serves as the Secretary. The commission follows established policies and procedures including the need “to place principle above personal opinion and reason above prejudice in the selection of materials of the highest quality”. Subjects taught in our schools have been divided into six sections. Textbooks and materials for each section are reviewed by the commission on a six year cycle.
The second step is public review and comment. Parents and community members have the opportunity to review all textbooks and instructional materials selected, submit their comments to the commission, and speak before the commission during their fall meeting. This is a valuable opportunity and I encourage more citizens to participate in this democratic process at the state level.
The third step is local adoption. The policy states correctly that local school “districts are best positioned to choose which textbooks and instructional materials meet the needs of their students, educators, and community. Local school systems must then adopt books on the official list or submit a waiver request to the department to use textbooks or instructional materials not on the approved list”. Local Boards of Education appoint teacher committees to review the textbooks and instructional materials proposed and make final recommendations to the Board of Education.
Life has taught me enough to know that no system is perfect but our understanding and participation will make things better. I firmly believe that education changes lives. The responsibility of choosing the books that our children will learn from is a tremendous responsibility. We must seek guidance through prayer!
More information is at www.tennessee.gov/education/textbooks/adoption.shtml
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5.
State Representative Report
Sabi 'Doc' Kumar Published: February 23, 2015
Preparing to Serve on the Education Committee
"When you plan for a day, carry an umbrella. When you plan for a year, plant a garden. When you plan for life, get an education." These words, anonymously written years ago, state an important truth. Throughout my campaign, I highlighted my commitment to improve education in Robertson County. Simply put, I am where I am in life because of education and, of course, what mom did for me!
Education is an issue of great importance to me, because I came to this country 44 years ago with only $37 in my pocket. But I had something of far greater value: a medical degree. Over the years, I have realized the great value of that education. It has given me the privilege of serving the people and the community. It has been a blessing to me and my family.
When I come across a young high school graduate who is not interested and not planning to go to college, I ask them one question: Will you put in one more year in school if it will double your income for life? As you can imagine, most of these young people respond with attention. The fact is that an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) course will do exactly that. It will double a person's income for the rest of their life as compared to the minimum wage! It takes one year of training.
There is also further room for progress in this caring profession. Other similar options also exist. With the resources now available via the Tennessee Promise, our young people have more options for education and a better life. We cannot over emphasize the importance of education in the lives of our young people.
When I think about our teachers, I realize that there are remarkable similarities between a physician and a teacher. We both entered our professions because it was a calling. We both are charged with improving the lives of people (students or patients). Each student and each patient comes with their own unique set of problems. Our time of contact and our influence is limited. For both professions, our performance is measured by our results. Teacher performance is measured by test scores and graduation rates, while doctors are measured by mortality and infection rates.
Our current policy makers want to reward or punish us based on these narrow measurements. We are being treated as an industry and not as a profession.
It is my passion for education that led to my appointment to the Education (Instruction and Programs) Committee of the Tennessee House of Representatives. There are three things that I believe any lawmaker should do before implementing changes in education: 1) Talk to teachers; 2) Talk to teachers; and 3) Talk to teachers! Their classroom perspective and insight is invaluable. I am committed to helping our teachers. Let us work together to improve education and the future of children in our great County!
Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov; 615- 741-2860
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4
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR Published: Feb 17, 2015
Health Care Decisions
I made a promise to you, the citizens of Robertson County, that as your Representative in the Tennessee Legislature, I will work to improve healthcare. As a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives Health and Health Sub Committees, I plan to do exactly that.
I did not get a chance to vote on Governor Haslam's Insure Tennessee Plan. It was defeated in the Senate Health & Welfare Committee by a vote of 7 to 4. My Committee was in the process of hearings when the failure of this plan in the Senate committee made our hearings unnecessary.
Monday, February 2 marked the start of the Legislature's Special Session on Insure Tennessee. Governor Haslam had called this session to consider his plan that would have provided TennCare health coverage for over 200,000 uninsured Tennesseans. This plan was meant to cover Tennesseans with incomes below 138% of the federal poverty level, because they do not qualify for federal subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. It is the strange logic of Obamacare that these folks are too poor to qualify for a plan that is meant to help the poor with incomes below $16,000 for singles and about $32,000 for a family of four. I commend Governor Haslam for taking on this difficult problem. I admire my colleagues in the Legislature for hours of careful study, deep thought and a sincere desire to do what is best for Tennesseans now and in the future.
My responsibility is to be a compassionate physician to my patients and a responsible legislator to my constituents. I believe that we should focus on three goals. First, we should help only the deserving and avoid abuse of public funds. Second, we should commit that there will be no tax burden to the citizens of Tennessee, no hidden charges, administrative fees or cost shifting. Third, we should help our financially struggling rural hospitals. They are always open to provide care, regardless of patient ability to pay. No other business does that. Four hospitals have closed in Tennessee, in the last year. Such closures are painful for these communities because of loss of jobs and access to healthcare. Hospitals are often the largest employers in these communities. We should implement a market-based solution to our healthcare problems if, and only if, these three goals are met.
Proverbs 14:31 reminds us that generosity to those in need honors God. However, 2 Thessalonians 3:10 cautions that we must not give to those not willing to work. We must act compassionately, and also with sound fiscal responsibility. Is this possible? Absolutely! Tennesseans are lucky to have the spirit of volunteerism and compassion balanced with pragmatism. Add to that the American ingenuity for creating solutions and finding opportunities to solve problems and we should be able to achieve accessible and affordable healthcare. Now is the time for us to help the present and secure our future! As a physician and your State Representative, I will continue to do all that I can to improve healthcare and explore all possibilities.
Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov
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3
State Representative Report
SABI 'DOC' KUMAR Published: February 3, 2015
Organization Week at the Legislature
What an Organization Week it was for the 109th General Assembly during the week of January 12! Although I have been serving as your State Rep for several weeks now, it was a truly amazing experience to stand on the floor of the Tennessee House of Representatives and take an oath to serve you, the people of Robertson County.
Organization Week, as you can imagine, was a flurry of activities and events. I enjoyed getting to know many of my fellow Republicans and freshman legislators. These are remarkable and dedicated people and I am blessed to be among them. The culmination of the week was on Saturday. On that day, Speaker Beth Harwell announced committee appointments for the 109th General Assembly. I am pleased to share with you that I will be serving on the Health Committee, Health Subcommittee and the Education Instruction and Programs Committee! I look forward to applying my understanding of healthcare from the perspective of a doctor, patient and hospital to my work on the Health Committee and Health Subcommittee. I ran for this seat because I believed we needed a doctor in the House of Representatives to provide medical knowledge and input, and I look forward to being an important voice on healthcare issues.
Education is a passion of mine. I have always encouraged young people to plan for life by getting an education. It has been said that, "When you plan for a day, carry an umbrella. When you plan for a year, plant a garden. When you plan for a decade, plant trees. When you plan for life, get an education!" I hope to work with the many talented and wonderful teachers in Robertson County to improve education. I firmly believe that we will only improve our education system by working with the teachers. They are on the "front lines" and they know what works, in much the same way as I am on the front lines of healthcare.
My wife Linda and I capped off our week by celebrating the Inauguration of Governor Bill Haslam. It was a special time to be on the stage and be a (very) small part of history as our Governor took his oath of office. I saw an exercise in democracy in which people with different beliefs and values shared a stage to honor the office and institutions of our government. Now that the ceremonials are done, it is time to start the legislative work that you sent me to do. Please join me in prayer each day for guidance as we, in the General Assembly, face many challenges and tough decisions during this Session. Please remember to contact me with your concerns and suggestions.
Rep.Sabi.Kumar@Capitol.tn.gov. Phone: 615-741-2860.
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2
State Representative Report
State Rep. Sabi 'Doc' Kumar
Published: December 29, 2014
Thoughts From the New State Representative
I hope that all of you had a wonderfully blessed Christmas! What a busy, exciting holiday season it has been in Robertson County! Thanksgiving and Christmas had an extra meaning this year, as I officially became your State Representative on November 5, 2014.
Election as your State Representative is an honor and privilege. I am grateful to the citizens of Robertson County for the trust that you have placed in me. With your help and prayers, I hope to make a real difference.
Since November 5, I have attended many Legislative meetings and orientation events with a single purpose in mind: to learn the lay of the land as quickly as possible in order to help the residents of Robertson County.
Although there is no place like home and Robertson County, the meetings in Nashville have been productive and informative. People are kind, and willing to help. My fellow legislators are remarkable people, each working to make a difference in their community. I was pleased to learn that Governor Haslam sets aside several hours each week to meet with legislators. I plan to visit him frequently to discuss issues central to improving the economy and small businesses, education and healthcare in Robertson County.
Despite the busy schedule in Nashville, nothing is more important than events and priorities back home in Robertson County. I have especially enjoyed the wonderful Christmas parades throughout the County and visiting with folks. Our local communities are very special, with caring friends and neighbors.
Our Legislative Office has been receiving calls from constituents on a wide range of issues. My Legislative Assistant is Chris Rogers. He is a remarkable and helpful young man. Chris and I are working to help as many people as we can. If there is any way that I can be of service, please do contact my office at the email or the phone number listed above. I will do all that I can for you and our county. I promise.
Finally, I need your help! These are critical times for our state, and I hope you will join me in prayer as we prepare to begin the upcoming Legislative Session of the 109th General Assembly in January 2015. There will be major issues under consideration by this Legislature. These issues greatly affect our lives and the lives of our fellow citizens. I pray that my fellow Legislators and I will work together to reach the best solutions for the people.
As a New Year dawns, I hope you enjoy time with family and friends. If you are looking for a place to worship, please join me and my family at First United Methodist Church in Springfield. From our family to yours, we wish you a healthy and happy 2015.
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1
American Future
(Not Published)
America has been a dominant world power since the early part of the 20th century.
'Gloom and Doom' is not a new disease but at certain times in history,
this view becomes more prevalent.
Lately there has been concern mixed with speculation that
America has reached her zenith and is now on a course of decline.
In a recent book titled 'Balance", Hubbard and Kane studied dominant powers in history,
starting with Ancient Rome and progressing through Imperial China,
the Spanish and the Ottoman Empires,
Post 1858 Japan, Great Britain and California of the 60s.
There appear to be 3 common features
that lead to the decline of the great civilizations and dominant powers.
In order of occurence, these are:
1. Moral Decline
2. Spending beyond means, leading to increasing Debt
3. Centralization of Power in response to the economic chaos.
Certainly we can identify the first two and a half of these in our society today.
But
There is an abundance of human capital (Skilled and Educated Citizens)
in America today and that is our saving grace.
We are also Fortunate that We are Able to Study History
and Examine the Record of other Civilizations.
The Romans did not have that available to them.
For this reason, we should be Optimistic of the American Future.
It only takes One Election to change direction in a Democracy.
Let us work to accomplish just that!
May God Bless America and her People!