TO
ADDRESS
ADDRESS THE ISSUE IS FACING TENNESSEANS A DAY FROM TEN NEWS.
THIS IS INSIDE TENNESSEE.
GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO
INSIDE TENNESSEE.
I'M YOUR MODERATOR JOHN BECKER.
WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE WITH US
TWO VETERANS OF THE SENATE IN
NASHVILLE AND JOINING US THIS
MORNING SENATOR AND DOCTOR
RICHARD BRIGGS AND ALSO THE
LEADER OF THE KNOX COUNTY
DELEGATION, SENATOR BECKY
DUNCAN MASSEY, BOTH REPUBLICANS
AND IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH
US VIRTUALLY WITH US AS WELL.
OUR REGULAR PANELIST DON BRASH
WHO'S A DEMOCRAT.
HE'S ALSO RUNS HIS OWN LAW FIRM
AND SUSAN RICHARDSON WILLIAMS
IS A REPUBLICAN AND SHE RUNS
HER OWN PR FIRM.
GOOD TO HAVE ALL OF YOU WITH
US.
AND ONE DAY SOON HOPEFULLY
WE'LL BE TOGETHER.
LET ME JUST ASK YOU, SENATORS,
AS WE KICK THIS OFF, WE'VE
ASKED OUR LAST COUPLE OF GUESTS
TO GRADE GOVERNOR BILL LEE ON
HIS REACTION TO THE CORONAVIRUS
AND HOW HE'S LED THE STATE
THROUGH THAT CRISIS.
SENATOR BRIGGS, AS A DOCTOR
GIVE HIM A LETTER GRADE AND
THEN TELL US WHY AND THEN
SENATOR MASSIE, YOU'LL DO THE
SAME.
I >> WOULD GIVE HIM PROBABLY A
B OR MAYBE A B MINUS SOME MAYBE
A LITTLE BIT MORE CRITICAL.
BUT I HAVE MADE A LOT OF
EXCUSES FOR HIM AND I DON'T
MEAN THAT IN A NEGATIVE FASHION
.
THIS IS A NOVEL VIRUS.
IT MEANS WE'VE NEVER SEEN IT
BEFORE EVEN THE WORLD'S EXPERT
WHICH IS DR. FAUCI HAS CHANGED
WHAT HE'S DONE OVER THE COURSE
OF THIS.
THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME THINGS
THAT IN RETROSPECT WE COULD
HAVE DONE BETTER BUT I DON'T
LIKE TO BE A MONDAY MORNING
QUARTERBACK.
I THINK OVERALL WE'VE DONE
FAIRLY WELL.
SENATOR >> MASSIE, YOUR TAKE ON
THE GOVERNOR'S LEADERSHIP?
WELL >>, I WOULD SAY A BIGGER
BIG PLUS BECAUSE A LOT OF WHAT
SENATOR BYRD SAID IS YOU OUT
THERE WAS A LOT OF CHANGING
INFORMATION AND THERE WERE A
LOT OF DECISIONS THAT HAD TO BE
MADE WITH THE INFORMATION THAT
WAS AT HAND.
YOU KNOW, I SAID LISTEN TO THE
EXPERTS WILL WHICH EXPERTS
BECAUSE YOU NO OFFENSE, DON,
BUT YOU COULD TALK TO THREE
ATTORNEYS AND GET FIVE OPINIONS
,THE SAME KIND OF INFORMATION
COMING IN ON ALL SIDES.
SO I THINK WITH THE INFORMATION
THAT I HAD AT HAND, I THINK >>
OVERALL THE THE WE WENT IN THE
RIGHT DIRECTION ABSOLUTLEY ALL
OF US PROBABLY COULD GO BACK
AND SAY WELL IF WE KNEW THEN
WHAT WE KNOW NOW THIS IS WHAT
WE WOULD HAVE CHANGED.
BUT I THINK WE MAKE THE BEST OF
IT.
SENATOR >> BRIGGS, I WANT TO
STICK WITH HEALTH CARE BECAUSE
THAT HAS BEEN A BABY TOPIC OF
YOURS AS A SURGEON YOURSELF.
LET'S TALK TO US AND OUR
VIEWERS ABOUT WHERE WE STAND
WITH HELPING THE LEAST
FORTUNATE AMONG AMONG US THAT
HAS BEEN A PRIORITY OF YOURS.
IS THERE AN APPETITE IN THE
LEGISLATURE FOR SOME KIND OF
FILLING THE GAP FOR SOME THREE
HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE WHO
DON'T HAVE INSURANCE IN THIS
STATE >>?
WELL, WE PASSED THE CONTROVERCY
BLOCK GRANT BILL DURING THE
FIRST WEEK OF THE SESSION THAT
WE WERE IN THEIR I THINK A LOT
OF THE OBJECTIONS THAT PEOPLE
HAD TO IT WAS THAT THERE WAS A
LOT OF UNKNOWN.
THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT WAS
GOING TO GO.
I VOTED AGAINST THE BLOCK GRANT
BILL TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE
GOING TO PERMIT 10 CARE TO
START NEGOTIATIONS WITH CMS IN
WASHINGTON OVER THIS.
BUT I LOOK VERY CAREFULLY AT
THE BILL THAT CAME BACK AND
THIS WAS THE THIRD REVISION
THERE WAS WHTE SEE THE MATZE
AND TEMPEARTURE AGREED ON IS
THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THE
FLEXIBILITY TO ADD BENEFITS BUT
IF ELIGIBILITY WAS AFFECTED IN
A NEGATIVE FASHION OR IF
BENEFITS WERE IN A NEGATIVE
FASHION THEN THE >> STATE WOULD
HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO GET PERMISSION TO
INSTITUTE THOSE THEY WOULD NOT
IN A POSITIVE MANNER AND IT'S A
VERY COMPLEX BILL BUT THE BILL
BUT I THINK IT DOES GIVE HOPE
IF WE CAN MANAGE THE PHARMACY
BENEFIT ON THIS AND I HATE TO
SPEAK FOR SOMEONE ELSE BUT I
BELIEVE GOVERNOR BREDESEN A
NUMBER OF YEARS AGO WHEN HE
FORCED
FORCED TO
FORCED TO DISENROLL ABOUT TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND TENNESSEANS, HE WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO MANAGE THE
PHARMACY BENEFITS AND THAT MAY
BE ONE WAY THAT WE CAN EXPAND
BENEFITS OR MAYBE WE CAN EVEN
ADD SOME PEOPLE THROUGH BELGE
TO THE MEDICAID PROGRAM DON.
AND SUSAN, LET'S BRING INTO THE
DISCUSSION NOW.
EITHER OF YOU HAVE A QUESTION
ON HEALTH CARE FOR EITHER OF
THEM >>.
I DO AND I'D LIKE TO SORT OF
CIRCLE BACK TO DR. BRIGGS.
SENATOR BRIGGS, YOUR GRADE ON
GOVERNOR LEE UNDERSTANDING
POLITICS ARE IN PLAY ALWAYS FOR
ALL OF US AT SOME LEVEL I
THOUGHT WAS A LITTLE GENEROUS
AND I SAY THAT IN LIGHT OF SOME
OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS YOU'VE
MADE, IT JUST STRIKES ME THAT
DESPITE SENATOR MASSIE'S
COMMENTS THAT YOU TALKED TO
THREE LAWYERS GET FIVE OPINIONS
THE THINGS THAT WERE CONSTANT
FROM THE MEDICAL WERE SOCIAL
DISTANCE WEAR A MASK, RESTRICT
LARGE GATHERINGS AND GOVERNOR
LEE SIMPLY WOULDN'T DO THAT.
HE ADVISED AGAINST IT AND HE
LEFT IT TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO
CHOOSE WHAT THEY WOULD DO.
NOW WE'VE GOT LEGISLATION
THAT'S TRYING TO COME THROUGH
THAT WANTS TO EVEN STRIP THAT
AUTHORITY FROM THE LOCAL
GOVERNMENT AND HAVE THE STATE
SAY THERE CAN'T BE RESTRICTIONS
.
I'M CURIOUS TO HOW YOU FEEL
ABOUT THOSE PARTICULAR TOPICS
WHEN IT COMES TO THE PANDEMIC
>>.
AGAIN, IN RETROSPECT MAYBE
KNOWING WHAT WE KNOW NOW WE
WOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING
DIFFERENT.
BUT BECAUSE THIS IS NEW AND WE
DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO BASE,
IT IS WHY I GAVE HIM A B MINUS
BECAUSE IT'S WHEN WHEN YOU HAVE
NO GUIDELINE, NO ROADMAP TO GO
OUT ON SOMETHING YOU KNOW
SOMETHING TO THE EXTENT OF THIS
IS THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS GOING TO
GIVE IT RIGHT AND I DON'T WANT
TO BE A MONDAY MORNING
QUARTERBACK ON THAT LOOKING >>
TO WHERE WE NEED TO GO IN THE
FUTURE.
MY BIGGEST CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS
IT WHO IS GOING TO BE IN CHARGE
OR HOW WE'RE GOING TO WHAT
WE'RE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT NOW
>> WE'VE >> GOT TO REMEMBER
THAT THE NEXT PANDEMIC MAY BE
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AND WE
DON'T WANT TO DO WHAT THE
MILITARY HAS DONE AGAIN AND
AGAIN.
WE DON'T WANT TO PREPARE TO
FIGHT THE LAST WAR.
WE'VE GOT TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE
AND THINK OF THE WORST CASE
SCENARIO.
WHAT IF WE HAVE A SARS THAT'S
30 TIMES THE MORTALITY OF THIS
THE MURSE WHICH WE HAD IN 2009
WHICH BY THE WAY BOTH SARS AND
MURSE WERE CORONAVIRUSES IN
ASIA AND THE OTHER ONE WAS IN
THE MIDDLE EAST OR HEAVEN
FORBID WE HAVE AN EBOLA THAT
HAS A 90 PERCENT MORTALITY ARE
THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO
PUT IN PLACE TODAY GOING TO BE
EFFECTIVE FOR SOME TERRIBLE
PANDEMIC THAT COULD COME AROUND
AGAIN?
AND THAT'S WHAT MY CONCERN IS,
IS THAT WHATEVER >> WE DO WE
HAVE TO HAVE A MECHANISM IN
PLACE.
WE HAVE TO HAVE THE AUTHORITY.
NO ONE SHOULD HAVE
UNACCOUNTABLE ABSOLUTE
AUTHORITY BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE A
WAY TO BALANCE THAT AND THE
NEXT PANDEMIC ISN'T SO BAD.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT TO SHUT
DOWN THE ECONOMY, CUT OFF
BUSINESS, TAKE KIDS OUT OF
SCHOOL.
AND BY THE WAY, BY THE WAY, DON
,THAT'S ANOTHER THING >> WE
LEARNED WE THOUGHT CLOSING THE
SCHOOLS WERE THE RIGHT WAY AND
NOW THE CDC THROUGH THEIR
RESEARCH THAT THEY DID UP IN
WISCONSIN FEELS THAT THE KIDS
AND THE TEACHERS ARE ACTUALLY
SAFER IN ANY CLASSROOM
INSTRUCTION THAN THEY MAY BE AT
HOME.
SO >> WE DON'T ALWAYS HSOT
WHERE IT'S GOING TO LEAD >>.
RIGHT.
AND DR. BRIGGS, I AGREE WITH
THE SENTIMENT THAT WE DON'T
WANT TO FIGHT THE LAST WAR.
BUT DON'T YOU AGREE THAT WE
STILL HAVE TO WIN THIS WAR AND
THAT'S WHY I WAS VERY
PARTICULAR WITH THE TOPICS I
BROUGHT UP ON SOCIAL DISTANCING
,RESTRICTING LARGE SOCIAL
GATHERINGS AND WEARING A MASK
AND YET WE DO NOT HAVE
GOVERNMENT EVEN SAYING BASIC
THINGS THAT VIRTUALLY ALL
SCIENCE BEST I CAN TELL SAYS
WAYS WE CAN REALLY FIGHT THIS
VIRUS >>.
YEAH, I'LL LET BECKY WAY GO
AHEAD.
WELL, I'M SORRY.
>> GO AHEAD.
DR. BREAKS AND THEN I'LL BRING
I'LL BRING IN SENATOR MARCY.
LET ME LET ME SAY, DON, YOU
KNOW WHEN WE SHUT DOWN THE
ECONOMY WE CLOSED BUSINESSES
OVER I THINK NOW WE'VE HAD A
MILLION PEOPLE IN TENNESSEE
THAT HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS THAT
HAVE APPLIED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT
BENEFITS.
WE'VE HAD SMALL BUSINESSES THAT
ARE GOING TO GO BANKRUPT.
THAT WAS A BIG DEAL.
I DON'T THINK IT'S SUCH A BIG
DEAL TO ASK PEOPLE TO WEAR A
MASK TO STAND A FEW FEET APART
FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE JUST TO
SAY THAT THEY HAVE THE RIGHT
THE FREEDOM TO DO IT.
THE PRICE OF FREEDOM IN
TENNESSEE BUT NOT DOING THAT
HAS BEEN A MILLION TENNESSEANS
LOST THEIR JOBS.
MOM AND POP PLACES THAT HAD
THEIR ENTIRE LIFE SAVINGS AND
THEIR BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN LOST
.
WE'VE HAD OUR OUR CHILDREN ARE
FALLING BEHIND IN SCHOOL
BECAUSE SOMEONE WANTED OUR
FREEDOM NOT TO WEAR A MASK AND
NOT TO STAND TOO CLOSE AND NOT
TO GO TO TO SOME SORT OF
GATHERING.
I THINK THAT'S A VERY SMALL
PRICE TO PAY HSOT THOSE PEOPLE
THEIR LIVES HAVEN'T BEEN SO
DISRUPTED