Tanner speaks to Chamber of Commerce members

Congressman John Tanner was the guest speaker at Tuesday's Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce luncheon. He spoke about area projects as well as health care and the economy. He then took questions from the audience. [Click to enlarge]

Members of Dyersburg's Army National Guard 168th Military Police Battalion presented the colors for the event. After lunch was served, Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber President Allen Hester provided members with a brief overview of the chamber's mid-year progress report. Chairman of the Board Wendell West then introduced Tanner to the audience.

In Tanner's presentation he mentioned the economy as being in tough shape, but was optimistic about area projects.

This audience member (standing) asked Congressman Tanner why representatives were asking citizens to accept the same health-care insurance they themselves would not have. She also asked why he refused to meet with his constituents at meetings. Tanner responded by saying he has the same health insurance as any other federal employee. He also said he was gathering information from individuals, rather than groups, since health care is a personal issue. He would come back in the fall and hold traditional meetings. Until then he will do two more telephone conferences.

"There are some exciting things I believe are going on in our part of the state and our part of the world that will help us all together, leave this place a better place," said Tanner.

He said I-69 was progressing and construction is close to connecting Troy, Tenn. to the Kentucky line.

Tanner was in Haywood County earlier Tuesday morning for a meeting and said the megasite there is a positive feature for West Tennessee.

"What's good for Haywood County, is good for Crockett County, is good for Lauderdale County, is good for Dyer County, is good for Madison County, on and on and on," said Tanner. "That's going to be a big deal."

Congressman Tanner (left) speaks to members of the Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce during Tuesday's luncheon. Sitting at the head table are: (from left) Chamber President Allen Hester, Rep. Judy Barker, Dyer County Mayor Richard Hill, Dyersburg Mayor John Holden, Trimble Mayor James Davis and Chairman Wendell West.

Next, Tanner talked about a project that he said was a real passion of his - the Port of Cates Landing.

"In my judgment this will be the biggest game-changer in the history of Northwest Tennessee," said Tanner. " This will be the largest deepwater slackwater port on the Mississippi River this far north from New Orleans. And that fact alone, it is a huge deal."

Tanner cited the Mississippi River drains two-thirds of the United States and has never been developed like the East and West Coasts. And the Port of Cates Landing will be an essential part of the area's infrastructure, thus bringing in jobs.

"As we invest in infrastructure, that brings job creation," said Tanner. "And if we can invest in the infrastructure that would bring this job creation we then have the ability to do all the rest of the stuff that we deem important like education, health care, so on."

Tanner then acknowledged there was a problem with the hot topic of health-care reform. He said he has been speaking with a wide range of people on how to fix the problem.

"There is a level of high anxiety in the country right now," said Tanner.

He stated factors like 9-11, the near collapse of the financial system and the cratering of the stock market have all added to the country's waning confidence.

Congressman Tanner speaks with members of Dyersburg's Army National Guard 168th Military Police Battalion. They presented the colors for Tuesday's luncheon. The unit is currently stationed in Iraq and is expected to arrive in the United States in the fall.

"You put all that together and it's no wonder you have an emotional reaction to the health-care proposals," said Tanner.

He said businesses are finding it more difficult to provide the kind of health insurance they want for their employees because of increasing premiums.

"One of the goals of any kind of reform that might come down the pike, has to be cost containment, and fix what is broke in the system where there is duplication, where there is waste ... we all know it's there," said Tanner. "So that we can lower health insurance premiums for everybody that's paying."

Judy Long of First Citizens National Bank speaks with Congressman Tanner after the luncheon. [Click to enlarge]

Tanner then said people who do not have health insurance are receiving the most expensive and inefficient health care imaginable through emergency rooms.

In closing, Tanner said a vote on a stimulus bill is quite a ways off and this is just the first step. He said people being conscious about the debt and addressing what is wrong with health care are two good things at the moment.

"At the end of the day, let's don't get so worked up that we can't sit there and talk about an American problem and try to fashion an American solution," said Tanner.

He closed his presentation with a quote from Winston Churchill.

"The Americans will eventually get it right but only after exhausting every other conceivable possibility."

Tanner then fielded some questions from the audience. Glendora Greenway asked what is the timetable for health-care reform. Tanner said both the left and the right must come together and next the solution must make good business sense.

"It may be this fall, I think it will be late fall, if it happens at all," said Tanner. "And if it happens at all, it will be in incremental bills."

Another audience member asked why our representatives were declining to be covered by the same insurance they are asking citizens to take. She also asked why he would not meet with constituents.

Tanner responded by saying he voted against the public option plan that would ask people to be on the insurance. He said he has the same health care as any other federal employee has, which is Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

Responding to the second question, Tanner said he was there at the luncheon answering questions.

The audience member interrupted, saying they had to pay to be there.

He said his time would be better spent talking to individuals about health care because it is a personal issue. He is holding telephone town halls this month and will come back in the fall and hold traditional meetings. Telephone town halls are similar to conference calls, which allows thousands of constituents to hear Tanner talk about issues.

"Last night, the AARP hosted a tele-town hall," said Tanner. "I spoke with 6,300 people last night. I couldn't see that many people in two years. And the elderly people who have called us, have said for the first time, 'I can attend a town hall'."

Tanner said he thought, during the August recess, this method of communication would be more productive.

"I mean this sincerely, I'm trying to do what I think would help me more when I go back in September, and that's individually talking to people, to businesses, to providers where I can get one on one," said Tanner.

He will hold two more telephone town halls on Aug. 28 and 31.