Bill Lee Looks Refugee Gift Horse in Mouth, Considers Kissing

One doesn’t often arise from a peaceful slumber on a Saturday happy and well rested only to experience an almost instantaneous mood change. That happened today. Thanks, Bill Lee. Yeah, the same guy we endorsed as “Best Choice” for Governor of Tennessee. Our peaceful Saturday morning slumber was wrecked with limp-wristed political wavering.

The reason we’re hopping mad at 5:00 am on a Saturday morning is that Bill Lee didn’t immediately accept President Trump’s recent gift to states, an executive order allowing states to reject refugee resettlement within their borders. We wrote about this recently in our article, “President Trump Just Revolutionized America’s Refugee Program.” We were excited to think that the Federal Government would stop forcing states to permanently accept refugees that the states then had to eternally support. CCOT felt that state’s rights and self-determination were being uplifted in our highest halls of government.

Since even Liberal USA Today says that more than half of immigrants are on welfare, we assumed that Governor Lee would additionally see this as a clear-cut issue of food fiscal policy for Tennessee.

Joel Ebert and Natalie Allison reported on December 11, 2018 that Governor-elect Bill Lee said he supported Tennessee’s Lawsuit against the refugee resettlement program.

At the same time, Lee said he supports the state’s ongoing lawsuit against the federal government over refugee resettlement.
“I think that the state should be able to decide who comes into the state,” he said, calling the issue important in terms of public safety.

Bill Lee, as reported by NBC 10 News

If Governor Lee supported the state’s lawsuit against the Federal Government over refugee resettlement, why is he not immediately accepting President Trump’s offer? “Acta non verba.” Or, as folks in Williamson County say, “Actions, not words.”

It is important to understand what Governor Lee is and isn’t doing right now.

Governor Lee isn’t rejecting a specific group of refugees or economic migrants. Governor Lee isn’t talking to a community about whether or not it wants to accept a specific group of refugees or economic migrants.

Instead, the Governor is clearly signaling a policy change. Lee is transitioning from supporting the state‘s right to decide which refugees are resettled in Tennessee to a position that is in no way clear or consistent with past statements of behavior. Here is the exact AP quote:

Gov. Bill Lee says he hasn’t decided yet if he’ll accept President Donald Trump’s offer to let states refuse to accept refugees.

Associated Press

It is unclear why the Governor would not immediately respond to the AP that he plans to accept President Trump’s gift. This is, after all, an executive order granting the results the state failed to obtain in court.

Contextually, one must realize that this is not “immediate.” President Trump updated Federal Policy in this issue weeks ago. Our analysis of the executive order reveals no hidden traps. Is it possible that only minefield for Governor Lee to navigate on this issue is his liberal staff?

Signaling is important be and Governor Lee is signaling to everyone right now that he is changing positions on the Refugee Resettlement Program. He does not unequivocally support states rights on issues of refugee resettlement. Without further clarification, voters must question whether or not he any longer believes that Tennessee has the right to decide who comes here. This is dangerous for Tennessee, and destructive to everyone involved.

Conservative Christians of Tennessee has long held that the refugee program is destructive in its current form. US Policy should encourage Christian Ministries to meet and assist refugees as close to the point of conflict as is possible and prepare them to return to their point of origin to help rebuild the nations they have left.

Your can contact the Governor Lee’s office and voice your opinion at (615) 741-2001.