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For purposes of time, I gave Bob (I'm just going to periodically refer to him as "Bob" hereafter) the benefit of the doubt in the primary contest, and invited him to describe what his foremost priorities would be if elected to the Senate.

Not surprisingly, he started with energy policy. (Today saw a major release on the topic, which at the time was news to me; although, serendipitously enough, "EnerG" was the first heading on my notepad going in.) He referred to the cap-and-trade system being debated in the Senate, and vowed to re-introduce this measure if Congress cannot override President Bush's presumed veto.

He said he would also work to eliminate subsidies to oil companies, and introduce a "windfall profits tax" on said companies if they did not lower their prices. I wondered that such a "strongarm" measure would be employed. Bob responded with a steely "some call it 'jawboning'; and yes, that is exactly what we will do."

We then discussed alternative and renewable energy sources. I could sense the advocate coming out when Tuke talked about the worldwide grain shortage that has, in part, been caused by what he considers careless policy aimed at growing corn for fuel. I asked about Mike Padgett's proposal to use genetically modified sugarcane instead of corn. He disagreed with that as well, and stated that arable land should be reserved for food production, while switchgrass can be grown in areas that can't be tilled.

Nuclear energy came up next, and on this, too, Bob disagreed with his principal Democratic opponent. He doesn't believe that we should invest in more nuclear plants until we have discovered a way to make nuclear waste safe. "Yucca Mountain is not the answer," he declared.

Another top priority we talked about is the ongoing war in Iraq. I asked if he felt the Iraqi government and security forces are up to the challenge of taking on their own challenges. No, came the answer, they are largely propped up by the American presence; but we need to withdraw from that country regardless, because our armed forces shouldn't be refereeing an ethnic civil war.

It seems that Tuke would push to send more troops back to Afghanistan, and even into Pakistan, rather than bring them all home immediately. The goal, obviously, would be to go after the terrorists that targeted New York and Washington on September 11, 2001. The 82nd Airborne and Marines should not have been diverted from Afghanistan to Iraq, he said.

Bob also feels very strongly about how troops are treated once they are home, either between deployments, or for good. One of his goals as a Senator would be to make sure that soldiers get to spend at least the length of a deployment at home, between deployments.

He expressed hope that the Webb GI Bill, which has passed the Senate, can be reconciled with the House version and signed into law by the time he would be sworn in, if elected; but if for some reason it is not, he would work to ensure its enactment. "I went to law school on the GI bill.…It makes me mad that Senator Alexander opposes" this improvement.

Our last policy discussion was on healthcare, and on this topic, I found very little difference between what Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has proposed and what Bob Tuke says he will champion. Hypothetically speaking, a President Obama would have a strong ally in a Senator Tuke on this matter.

Both favor a universal coverage that is at the same time voluntary (but you'd have to be "stupid" to not sign up for it, says Bob). However, a single-payer system is not in the prescription, as private enterprise "will do things just a little bit better." I pointed out that many people in Chattanooga are employed in the insurance industry.

"Insurance companies will make plenty of money" under such a plan, he predicted. Though the margin on a universal plan that has restrictions on rates and allows no exclusions would be slender, Tuke feels that companies would offer — and consumers would buy — premium supplemental coverage that would satisfy both the insurers' income requirements and the customers' comfort levels. Our time was running low, and I wasn't able to add a discussion about prevention versus the cost of care.

I didn't bring up the "march across Tennessee" with the candidate; however, Will made sure to mention that one section of it will be covered this Saturday in Chattanooga, and it will culminate at the Democratic Party headquarters on Patten Parkway at 4:30pm.

Bob Tuke ended our visit with a synopsis of why he feels Tennesseans should elect him to this office. He cited service to our country as a Marine, experience in adoption law and legal services for a low-income healthcare provider, and a wealth of experience in the private sector as his primary qualifications. "I know how to craft legislation that helps people," he mused.

I want to offer my sincere thanks to the campaign for allowing me this opportunity, and I look forward to watching this race develop over the next two months.

Even more, I hope that these reports help Chattanooga and Tennessee voters to inform themselves about the candidates and what each would endeavor to accomplish in the Senate.

The manufacturing guys over at Evolving Excellence had a good post today on "big oil" relatively low profit margins, but with a twist. Did you know the endowments of Harvard, Yale, and others went up over 20% last year? Those private universities are just sitting on the cash, while Big Oil is at least reinvesting in new energy sources (even green) and paying dividends to help support little old ladies in retirement. They reference one WaPo article that says Big Oil profit could educate 60,000 kids... well the increasing endowments at Harvard could let Harvard build a dozen more Harvards and educate that many kids each year. Who should get nailed with a windfall profits tax?

http://www.evolvingexcellence.com/blog/2008/06/windfall-profit.html

Ken

Don't worry Mr. Tuke, these reports have definitely helped educate this Tennessean. You don't have even the slightest chance to win this seat.

First of all, cap-and-trade legislation will only make gas prices increase substantially. Secondly, imposing more taxes on "big oil" companies will do nothing but increase the price. We have to have gas to live, so why would they lower their prices? Impose more taxes on my company, and all I'll do is raise prices so high that the taxes don't hurt me.

Come on people, this is the same rhetoric we hear time and time again from Democratic candidates. They're anti-capitalism and want to give everything away. You always want to "help the little person" but you don't realize by hurting the "big people" you're hurting the "little person."

Implement "confidential time line" for troop withdrawal? How do you know the current administration hasn't already done that? Well, it wouldn't matter, the Democrats believe we should tell our enemy everything by making it public!

Do us all in Chattanooga a favor, Mr. Tuke. Stay away.

I too hope that these reports help Chattanooga and Tennessee voters to endeavor to accomplish in the Senate. Here is some information on foreclosure:

Foreclosure is the legal and professional proceeding in which a mortgagee, or other lienholder, usually a lender, obtains a court ordered termination of a mortgagor's equitable right of redemption.

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Seasol

[url="http://auctions.fastrealestate.net/"]foreclosures[/url]

I too hope that these reports help Chattanooga and Tennessee voters to endeavor to accomplish in the Senate. Here is some information on foreclosure:

Foreclosure is the legal and professional proceeding in which a mortgagee, or other lienholder, usually a lender, obtains a court ordered termination of a mortgagor's equitable right of redemption.

========================

Seasol

[url=http://auctions.fastrealestate.net/]foreclosures[/url]

I too hope that these reports help Chattanooga and Tennessee voters to endeavor to accomplish in the Senate. Here is some information on foreclosure:

Foreclosure is the legal and professional proceeding in which a mortgagee, or other lienholder, usually a lender, obtains a court ordered termination of a mortgagor's equitable right of redemption.

========================

Seasol

foreclosures