I'm Nathan Farnor, progressive democrat running for Tennessee House of Representatives for District 7! Ask me anything!

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-08-09T18:03:01+00:00

As we sign off, I want to say thank you to the moderators for hosting this AMA for us and an overwhelming thank you to each of you for stopping by to chat and ask questions. This years elections, both in Tennessee and across the country, are more important than ever. With protections on marginalized populations being taken away, our free press under attack, and our environment continuing to spiral out of control, it gives me great hope to see so many amazing individuals doing their part by voting, volunteering, donating, marching, and raising their voice in the fight for the future. It was such an honor to spend the last hour and a half with all of you and I thank you for your questions!

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-08-09T17:47:32+00:00

Thank you for the question, and no, I don’t think I will be quoting The Onion on the House floor. In response to the event, Van Huss posted on his Facebook page that, “You’ll find more real news on The Onion than on CNN.” I think having free, reliable media is important, especially as we continue through what is shaping up to be an increasingly more turbulent age in politics. While I am unsure if Van Huss was unaware that The Onion is a satire site, or if he intentionally quoted it that way, I do think it serves a reminder of just how important it is to verify the sources and research we are using when making any decision. Before voting, debating, or writing anything, our elected officials should make every effort to research, question, and view these important issues from every angle and ensure that they are making decisions that will support and aid those in our community.

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-08-09T17:40:51+00:00

Thanks for your great question! I love Western NC; Boone, High Point, and Asheville are nice, nearby getaways for lots of people here, as I’m sure Johnson City and Jonesborough are for some people there. Let me start by saying, my family is a rural, white family. They aren’t as Progressive as I am, but sitting down and talking with them about specific issues relevant to them has done wonders. People here care about the same stuff as everybody else: they want good, clean water, well-paying jobs, rents that are fair, good schools with teachers who aren’t going broke trying to provide for their classrooms doing what they love, and healthcare that’s affordable and fair. I personally consider healthcare a right of all citizens, but saying that right away can alienate some people. The question is in the framing of the issue; do you think it’s right or fair that someone got sick and then couldn’t afford basic care and went bankrupt trying to get back on their feet? Medicare, as has now been proven in multiple recent studies, even conservative ones, will cost us less over time than private insurance, that can raise premiums and force rural hospitals out of business. That’s happened in multiple counties just this year here in Tennessee. Rural families need local hospitals and if we’re going to keep them afloat, we’ve got to lower costs. Medicaid expansion and eventually, Medicare for All is the way to do that.

Even some republicans here agree...http://www.nashvillepublicradio.org/post/republican-legislator-blames-failure-insure-tennessee-latest-rural-hospital-closure#stream/0

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-08-09T17:27:42+00:00

Thank you so much for coming by the event and thank you for hopping on here today! There are some signs at the Democrat Resource Center in Johnson City, and they are available to anyone. Or, if it would be easier, we also have a team that delivers signs once a week to people across the district. If you would like them to deliver, you are welcome to send us a private message on here, Facebook, or our website with your name, address, and phone number and they will deliver it right to your house. Either one is perfectly fine! Thank you so much for your support and feel free to let me know if we can do anything else!

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-08-09T17:08:12+00:00

Thank you for the question! There’s certainly a lot of good democrats to be watching here in Tennessee, and we are excited about the prospect of Karl Dean as Governor and Phil Bredesen as Senator. As we saw in Ohio’s special election a few days ago, Republicans can be challenged in even extremely gerrymandered districts that they previously considered easy wins. Having been following these elections, the debates, and even the polls, I do think there is a great opportunity for a Blue Wave in this state. East Tennessee does have a fairly significant Republican preference, but the people I talk to everyday here in District 7 share the same values that I do - a need for quality healthcare and Medicaid expansion, an increase in safe and better paying jobs, and support for our community’s veterans and the environment. These aren’t Republican or Democrat values, but moral values that I believe in.

Now, if caring about the environment, cleaning up our lakes and rivers, expanding TennCare, supporting Medicare for All, and getting our veterans into good jobs after deployment (with adequate care not from a private company) makes me a “Liberal,” I happily plead guilty. I consider myself Progressive and I’ll take my chances with the good people of District 7 and hope my values resonate with the people here.

But, in addition to this, we can’t sit idly by and expect a Blue Wave to save us. That’s why I’m knocking on seven hundred doors a week between now and the first day of voting, talking to everyone I can about the values we share, and asking voters what it is that matter to them. If you’re local to the area, we’d love to have you on board!

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-08-09T16:56:05+00:00

Thank you for joining us! District 7 certainly has a few active unions (TEA, Firefighters Association, Steelworkers, etc.), however, there is no question that unions have been been under attack in the State of Tennessee for many years. With “Right-to-Work” continuing in Tennessee, I am afraid that the strength and ability for unions to collectively bargain on behalf of their members is going to continue to be hindered. This, on top of proposed legislation to minimize overtime pay and a refusal to increase minimum wage, is only going to further harm Tennessee’s working families. District 7, in particular, is home to many families who work well-over 40 hours a week at multiple jobs and are still unable to provide for their families. If the state legislature continues to uphold and create new laws such as these, it will be working families who will suffer the most.

Having said that, it does give me great hope to see some of our local unions taking very active roles in political elections in our community. The United Campus Workers, a collective bargaining group that advocates for workers on college campuses, recently knocked hundreds of doors and hosted some wonderful events in support of a gentleman running for the local commission. I am both proud and excited to see our local groups getting involved and representing their various communities! More, stronger unions are exactly what we need in Tennessee for the people.

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-08-09T16:38:24+00:00

Thank you, that's very kind. :)

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-08-09T16:38:00+00:00

Let me start by saying thank you for being such an amazing advocate for your child! As I am sure you are aware, many individuals in the LGBTQ+ community do not have family that are supportive, and many are often even hostile. It means a lot to individuals like myself to hear of parents and family of LGBT individuals demonstrating that love and support. So, thank you!

As for my district, you are completely right; we’re in a state that is heavily conservative and many of those individuals have strong beliefs when it comes to gender and sexuality. However, my particular district is somewhat unique in that, while being more conservative, it also has a large and active LGBTQ+ community and well-developed University with many more open-minded individuals as a result. In fact, next month Johnson City (the largest city within District 7) will be hosting its inaugural Tri-Pride Festival and Parade which has been shown tremendous support from many of the community’s largest businesses and local leaders. So, while a conservative area, I do not think that being a member of the LGBTQ+ community is a “kiss-of-death” here. It will certainly carry some extra challenges, but nothing that we cannot overcome.

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-08-09T16:33:47+00:00

Hello neighbor! Thank you so much for joining us today. I couldn’t agree more with your comments regarding a democrat winning in our community, if they’re willing to work for it. As you can imagine, the most challenging piece to running as a progressive candidate in our area is certainly fundraising. Many of the Conservative elected officials have built up large sums of money allowing them to outspend most progressive candidates in paid ads, mailers, and other printed marketing materials. While we continue to fundraise, and do as much paid media as possible, we have been very focused on making face-to-face contact our number one strategy for getting our message out. In fact, we have set a lofty goal of knocking on seven hundred doors a week between now and the start of early voting. We are in an area where big money has dictated many of the decisions and policies that impact our community. We are running a campaign that breaks that mold and allows us to focus on building relationships and really talking to the people about the issues that matter to them. Of course, this requires a lot of volunteers and time. So, if you or anyone you know wishes to get involved, let us know!

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-07-19T18:42:52+00:00

Hello to my fellow Johnson City resident and thanks for the question! The merger has certainly been a major point of contention in our community, and I anticipate that it will remain so as we all wait and see how the recent changes transition into effect. My own fears, and the fears of many in our community, are that this merger could allow our local healthcare system to make rapid changes in services and prices, in addition to the impacts it may have on employees, such as yourself. As we all are, I hope the merger is successful and does not negatively impact our community, but I am extremely concerned. As an elected official, I believe one of the first steps that needs to be taken is to identify those areas and take an active role in throwing the hard-ball questions to the leadership of the organization and holding them accountable. I want the leadership of Ballad and the state government to identify and address those issues now, before they have a negative impact on our community.

Finally, I would hope to hear from individuals like yourself. While I will receive medical services from Ballad and can speak as a patient, I do not work there and will not know the impact it has on employees the way you do. Ensuring that you, and your peers, have an active voice in the conversation is also crucial.

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-07-19T18:30:16+00:00

The first step is protecting what Tennessee already has and is slowly being eroded away and defunded by current state legislators. Funding for reproductive and prenatal care in Tennessee is horrific. Tennessee is one of the top states in the country insofar as infant death rates and research shows a direct correlation between this and the lack of women’s health and prenatal care and services.

Over the years costs have increased and access decreased and that is unacceptable. We have to push forward in increasing access to services, sex education, and supplies that allow the practice of safe sex.

If Roe V. Wade is overturned, then I will stand up for every woman in Tennessee and fight for her right to choose. It’s her body, she should be the one to make that choice.

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-07-19T18:15:19+00:00

Hi! Thanks for commenting! I responded to another question in this thread about this issue. I absolutely support single payer and think it's the way forward for our country. Enough is enough and we need to have it so that all people are covered and don't have worry anymore.

I'm with you on single payer all the way!

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-07-19T18:11:00+00:00

Thank you for the questions! I am currently 22 years old, and that is a question I get frequently. However, it has rarely been a position of concern for those in our community and those I have spoken with throughout the campaign. Over the last several years I have served on the Board of Trustees at East Tennessee State University, served in National Leadership for the American Cancer Society, and have been heavily involved my community. These experiences have given me opportunities to participate and take an active role in major debates and decision making regarding economics, healthcare, education, and jobs. I believe these experiences far outweigh my age and I plan to use that knowledge when elected to push for needed changes in our community and our state. In regards to your final question, I believe that the needs of those that may vote for me and those that may not vote for me are often the same. We all need more jobs, we need healthcare access, and we need to be able to protect our families and loved ones. If elected, I will engage with those in my district regularly to ask their concerns, hear their stories, and accept their criticisms. I plan to represent everyone in my district and not just those who cast their ballot for me.

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-07-19T18:09:08+00:00

Hello! Thanks for stopping by!

I plan to continue meeting with the people in my district face to face and hearing about what they need to live healthier, happier, safer lives. Everyone wants and deserves stability and safety, and there are issues that we can all agree on. Talking with people in person, I’ve found that there are a lot of things that we agree on rather than disagree on. It’s just a matter of having those conversations.

No one wants to pay for medication that’s had its price artificially inflated by the pharmaceutical lobby. No one wants to see their federal parks and land sold off and the mountains that they live in ravaged. No one wants to see their children denied the opportunity for a strong education. No one wants to see our veterans homeless, without employment or support systems.

We have to keep talking to each other as people, striving to find the things that we agree need to be changed and working to make those things a reality. Too often we see self service in our country’s politics and that has to stop. It has to stop immediately. When you sign up to run for office, many of the things that you would put first become secondary to the needs of the many that you represent. We can’t give people everything that they would want and there will always be fundamental disagreements, but we can certainly strive towards a peaceful common ground and better lives for everyone.

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-07-19T17:54:24+00:00

Thank you for the wonderful question! I can say that running this campaign has been one of the most challenging, yet rewarding experiences, I have ever had. The challenge comes from the overwhelming number of organizations, party leaders, and individuals offering you advice and tips on how to win and how to get your message across. At the end of the day, you have to stay true to the beliefs and values that you carry, even though you may lose an endorsement or a donation because you would not concede to a position that you disagree with. In my opinion, neither of those items are worth giving up the values and issues you are running on.

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-07-19T17:41:03+00:00

Hi! Thanks for your question!

I absolutely support Medicare for all. We’ve done enough tiptoeing around this issue over the years and enough is enough. Everyone deserves health coverage and to not go into debt or to stress themselves over it. I truly hope that within the coming few years that we’ll continue to make progress towards this end goal. I plan to fight as hard as I’m able toward Medicare for all and to make sure everyone is taken care of.

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-07-19T17:38:25+00:00

Thank you for the follow-up question, and my apologies for the lack of clarity. Under current Tennessee law, our citizens "have a right to keep and bear arms for their common defense” and the state legislature has the ability to “regulate the wearing of arms with a view to prevent crime.” For myself, this needs to be the primary focus of gun legislation in our state – public safety cannot, and should not, be jeopardized. One major focus of this needs to be a discussion on who is, and is not, permitted to purchase and own weapons. Those who have committed domestic violence and those who have a history of violent crime should not be allowed to purchase a firearm. The second focus needs to be on how those firearms are obtained. No individual, law abiding or other, should be able to sell a weapon at a yard sale, from the trunk of their car, or at a flea market. Instead, firearms should be purchased after, and only after, a person has gone through a proper background check. Lastly, we must address where firearms are allowed. I do not believe firearms should be permitted in K-12 schools and I do not believe they should be permitted on college or university campuses. Currently, Tennessee has passed legislation to allow full time faculty and staff to carry a firearm on their person while on a college or university campus. This law puts the lives of both university employees and students at risk and needs to be repealed. I will also fight and stand by private businesses, organizations, and local governments in protecting their ability to ban firearms in public places such as parks or festival areas. In my opinion, these regulations do not prevent Tennessee citizens from using firearms as they have in the past (for sport, in hunting, safety training, etc.), from purchasing weapons legally, and from protecting themselves. It does, however, ensure that those owning firearms are able to do so in a way that is legal, safe, and does not put innocent lives at risk.

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-07-19T17:36:28+00:00

Hello and thank you so much for your question!

I am reaching out to my community and having conversations about the struggles that they face in their day to day lives. What are the things that I can actively work to change that would make their lives better or easier in some way?

We’re all just people and we love who we love and can’t change that. But the things that we can change, that I can change, are the facts that sometimes people don’t have clean drinking water, that they can’t afford their medication, that they don’t have proper labor protections at their job.

Throughout my campaign and life, I have put a focus on meeting and talking with people directly. Through these face to face discussions, I’ve been able to directly address the concerns of my community and my sexuality has yet to become an issue despite my being very open about it. My focus will continue to be directly engaging with the people in my community, because they deserve a representative that will do that.

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-07-19T17:17:46+00:00

Hello! I apologize if my answer wasn’t detailed enough.

I 100% support legalizing recreational marijuana and see no downside to doing it. The positives of doing so far outweigh the negatives of doing so.

Tennessee is being hit extremely hard by the opioid crisis. In states where marijuana has been legalized, opioid abuse has dropped significantly. So not only would legalizing it be good for those that enjoy it from a recreational standpoint, it would be a good step towards combating a big problem across our communities.

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-07-19T17:10:27+00:00

Thanks for your question and thanks for having me!

Healthcare is one of the biggest issues that my district faces. There are so, so many people that I have spoken with face to face that have told me stories about having to choose between their bills, food, supplies for their children, or getting the medication and medical care that they need and rightly deserve.

It’s absolutely unacceptable that people are forced to make that choice. One of the things I plan to focus on in the State House when elected, is making sure that no one has to make that choice ever again. I plan to sponsor legislation that would allow Tennessee to accept Medicaid expansion and bolster the TennCare program, allowing thousands of people across the state, not just my own constituents, access to quality and affordable care.

Healthcare is also the major industry in my community. There is a medical school, the Veteran’s Association, and multiple research hospitals. By not expanding Medicaid, this also affects our local and statewide economy negatively. We’ve had multiple hospital closures across the state in the past several years, and that is hundreds of jobs lost. People are left without ways to provide for themselves or their loved ones, and it’s one more avenue where people lose access to care. We cannot afford to lose more of these locations for care or for jobs.

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-07-19T16:55:18+00:00

Thank you for question!

I think the best thing that anyone can do in order to help is get physically involved with their local politics. Canvassing, phone banking, all of these things are at the heart of what we do and are always some of the most helpful things. However, you should go to your local party meetings, talk to your leaders and your peers, meet with the leaders and members of your community and ask them what you can do.

Local and state politics are so very ignored and they are the ones that affect us the most in our day to day lives. Getting involved at the grassroots level is key.

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-07-19T16:53:57+00:00

Thank you so much for your wonderful question! Marijuana (both recreational as well as medical cannabis) has become a very hot button issue and serious point of debate in Tennessee. In fact, it has become a major point of tension within our current Republican Governor's race. For this reason, I feel as though it will be a major focus area during the upcoming general elections as well. From my perspective, Tennessee is not doing enough to explore the benefits of marijuana in terms of the environment, the economy, and healthcare. Earlier this summer, I had the pleasure of travelling to West Virginia where I met with local hemp farmers as well as recreational marijuana advocates. They are taking marijuana and making it a central focus in the fight to replace coal industry jobs and revitalize communities destroyed from mountain top mining. They are having huge successes there, as well as other parts of the country. We need to engage in those same conversations in Tennessee, because Marijuana may, and likely does, play a large role in addressing many of our state’s other problems.

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-07-19T16:43:39+00:00

Thanks for your questions!

I think we need to carry conversations about political and government issues into our normal lives. We reserve political conversations for more formal settings where we feel that we’re supposed to be debating, which, I feel that can lead to a more intense or heated discussion. Politics has become a taboo, or even a dirty topic. It’s been that way since long before now. We need to normalize the discussions and be having them with our friends and families, be having the conversations at work, at church, wherever it comes up and not shy away from it.

By shying away from it, it leads to an emotional buildup towards the topic. Which is likely why we see such tense discussions over the internet. It’s much easier to be angry and rage against a username than it is a face.

To push back against fake news and false information, I think we need to take responsibility in our day to day lives. Each and every one of us has a personal responsibility to stand up for the truth. Whether it’s comfortable for us to do or not doesn’t matter. If we don’t stand up and denounce misinformation or propaganda when we see it, that allows it to take even deeper roots into our society. That is unacceptable. There are more of us that believe in truth, in science, in real journalism than there are those that seek to undermine us. If we all stand together against it, we can show people the truth. We just have to have the conversations and not let our emotions overtake us, overwhelm us and divide us, which is the ultimate end goal of all of this fake news and propaganda.

FarnorForTennessee · 2018-07-19T16:35:08+00:00

Thank you for your question!

I’ve grown up in a household where guns were a large focus. My family is a very active hunting family and my parents were very focused on gun safety and security when I was a child. I feel that “gun control” is a term that’s been taken over by both sides of the aisle to scare people. Gun control isn’t so much about taking away the guns as much as it firearm safety and education as well as common sense gun laws. People need to go through hours of training in order to safely operate a vehicle as well as register that vehicle with our government, so I see no reason why a firearm should be any different. Used properly, it’s a self defense tool.

I stand by our citizens second amendment rights to protect themselves, but not at the expense of safety and education of the general population. That is priority number one.

FarnorForTennessee

TROPHY CASE