News and Updates from the Tennessee Democracy Forum
June 7, 2022 Tennesseans Back Pro-Democracy Measures to Check Power of President and Nearly 4 in 10 Say They Would Definitely Oppose a Candidate Who Voted Against Election Certification After January 6th January 6 Committee Hearing and Poll Results Will Be Focus of Second Conversation on Democracy with Conservative Commentator Bill Kristol, Live in Chattanooga On the eve of Thursday’s scheduled prime time hearing of the January 6th Committee, a poll conducted by Embold Research for the Tennessee Democracy Forum found that Tennesseans strongly support pro-democracy measures that would check presidential power. Voters were asked their views on provisions of…
Read MoreTennesseans Divided on Key Democracy Topics Including 2020 Election Results and Whether January 6th was an Insurrection Former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman and Ambassador Norm Eisen (ret.) to Speak at First Ever Tennessee Democracy Forum Conversation on Democracy with Discussion Highlighting New Polling CHATTANOOGA, TN., May 18, 2022 – According to a poll conducted by Embold Research for the Tennessee Democracy Forum, only a slim plurality of Tennessee voters (46% – 44%) believe that Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election – despite the fact that the results are unquestionable and were certified, counted, and officially audited by trusted local…
Read MoreFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 11, 2022 at 1 PM ET | 12 PM CT Opposition Strong Across Gender and Geography and 2020 Trump Voters Split; Majority Say Teacher Salaries are Too Low Just two weeks after Tennessee legislators voted to give an appointed commission power to effectively issue blanket bans of challenged books, a new statewide poll of voters finds that Tennesseans are opposed to bans on textbooks and school library books based on content about race, gender or sexuality. According to a new poll conducted by Embold Research for the Tennessee Democracy Forum, 68% of voters were opposed…
Read MoreHOME REGISTER FOR CONVERSATIONS ON DEMOCRACY LEARN MORE Poll: 68% of Tennesseans oppose book banning May 11, 2022 | by Meghan Mangrum, Tennessean Most Tennesseans are opposed to banning books, despite lawmakers’ recent efforts to restrict what is available in school libraries, a new poll finds. The poll, conducted in April, surveyed 1,125 registered voters in Tennessee on whether they support bans based on content about race, gender or sexuality. More than 58% of voters polled were strongly opposed to book bans, with another 10% somewhat opposed, the poll found, even as Tennessee lawmakers have made headlines after threatening to “burn” books considered…
Read MoreMarch 30, 2022 | by Staff Report Bill Kristol, a neoconservative author, former chief of staff to Vice President Dan Quayle and avid “Never Trumper,” will appear at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on June 13 as one of a half dozen “Conversations on Democracy” being organized by the Tennessee Democracy Forum. Each of the conversations – both livestreamed and in-person – will be an hour-long discussion of economic and political democracy focused on ongoing national and statewide issues. David Eichenthal, a former city chief financial officer under then-Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker, is hosting the discussions, which will be…
Read MoreTennessee Democracy Forum Launches “Conversations on Democracy” March 30, 2022 Bill Kristol, Former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman, Bob Shrum, Scholars and Practitioners Lead Bipartisan Roster of Speakers Focused on Building Pro-Democracy Movement in Tennessee Chattanooga, TN – The Tennessee Democracy Forum today announced that it will host a series of a half dozen “Conversations on Democracy” to build support for a pro-democracy movement in Tennessee. Each conversation – both live remote and in person – will be an hour-long discussion of economic and political democracy focused on ongoing national and statewide issues. The Conversations will be…
Read MoreJanuary 17, 2021 | by David Eichenthal For the last year, the inability to mount an effective response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been the worst public policy failure of my lifetime, needlessly costing the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans and putting our economic security at risk. And, in the last two weeks, elected leaders have attacked our democracy’s core tenet – that free and fair elections are the basis for a peaceful transition in power. As a lawyer and having spent most of the last four decades working in and for government, I have always believed that public service…
Read MoreBy David Eichenthal | July 19, 2021 I ultimately decided against running for Congress in a red district. But my research found a way for Democrats to make inroads in such places. Political pundits seem united in their belief that Democrats will struggle to hold the House of Representatives in 2022. The historical precedent that the party out of power in the White House always gains in the midterms and the likely impact of partisan and racial gerrymandering has fostered a consensus that Democrats will lose seats. They’re wrong. Democrats have the opportunity to widen the playing field in 2022 with the right candidates, a message…
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