On the first anniversary of President Barack Obama's $787 billion federal stimulus package, Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, a Republican candidate for governor, issued a statement criticizing the effort.
"The good news jobs are not going to come from top-down Washington ideas but from bottom-up Tennessee ideas, small businesses and utilizing the state's regional assets in economic revitalization," he said.
Mr. Haslam said the stimulus was "papering over real problems with Tennessee taxpayer dollars."
A news release from the White House argued that the stimulus created or preserved 2.4 million jobs, but Mr. Haslam said the unemployment rate has "skyrocketed."
congressional hopefuls sound off
Art Rhodes, Tommy Crangle and Chuck Fleischmann, all candidates for Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District, issued statements this week laying out economic ideas.
Mr. Rhodes urged passage of a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
"Our government has forgotten how to live within its means and that is why I have called for passage of a balanced budget amendment not just a 'pay-as-you-go' provision that can be overridden by political will," he said.
Mr. Crangle espoused his ideas about energy in a Wednesday statement.
"Since the manmade global climate change agenda has been debunked, we can consider an energy policy without this unnecessary distraction," he argued. "Energy is not as complicated as it is multifaceted. We just have to understand its facets and then go after it, wherever it is."
Mr. Fleischmann touted the fact that he had signed the Americans for Tax Reform taxpayer protection pledge.
"I know that lower taxes are what create a prosperous economy, and lower taxes are what are best for all Tennesseans," he said.
senators upbeat on nuclear
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., a longtime proponent of nuclear energy, issued a statement this week calling the U.S. Department of Energy's loan guarantees for new nuclear plants "a welcome change."
"All Republican senators -- and a growing number of Democrats -- support building 100 nuclear plants as the first step in a clean energy policy," he said. "President Obama deserves credit for moving ahead with these guarantees as well as for recent superior appointments to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission."
Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, both R-Ga., praised the Obama administration's approval of $8.3 billion in loan guarantees for two new reactors at Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in Waynesboro, Ga.
"This announcement represents a step in the right direction," Sen. Chambliss said. "The power generated by Vogtle is safe, reliable, emissions-free and environmentally responsible, and I am pleased the administration approved this loan to build additional nuclear units."
twitter updates
Twitter is a social networking tool politicians often use to send updates to supporters. Here's what some local and state officials and candidates were saying this week:
* Bradley County Sheriff Tim Gobble, Republican candidate for Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District, Monday: "God gave humans dominion over the earth. Let's use the resources God gave us while being good stewards of the earth for future generations."
* Former Tennessee Republican Party Chairwoman Robin Smith, candidate for Tennessee's 3rd Congressional District, Wednesday: "A yr ago, spending billions promised 2 save jobs. Can we agree-Folks do better 2 keep UR $ & biz create jobs, not govt."
* State Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, Wednesday: "think the our legislature should grandstand less and try to help our middle class families more"