Bredesen to Address Opioid Crisis, Focus on Healthcare

NASHVILLE, TN — Governor Phil Bredesen, 48th Governor of Tennessee, Democratic Candidate running for the United States (U.S.) Senate, is the candidate for the people that not only focuses on the issues but listens and offers solutions. Now that the campaign is less than a week away he remains consistent with his plans to attack high prescription prices, work on balancing the budget and provide space for women to highlight issues that are important to them. Governor Bredesen is not blind to immigration and realizes this is a federal issue. He is very candid with his viewpoint that “It’s not their fault they were brought here.” “There are a lot of people brought here as small children and there’s a moral obligation to help them stay here.”

He immediately confirmed that “The opioid crisis is another issue altogether.” The current Governor, Bill Haslam has pledged $25 to $30 million of his budget to deal with the opiod crisis and if passed a majority of this funding will go toward addiction prevention and rehabilitation. Governor Bredesen was asked about his approach to managing the opiod crisis for the State of Tennessee. According to Bredesen, “This issue has a large federal component.” “It is all about how you consider breaking the chain of addiction.” He indicated that when it comes to breaking the chain of drug addiction, you must make it more difficult to purchase the precursors of the over-the-counter components.”

Governor Bredesen then pointed the finger at the huge pharmaceutical companies. According to Bredesen’s campaign announcement a few months ago, it was stated that “Marsha Blackburn, at the behest of the pharmaceutical industry, co-sponsored a law that weakened DEA enforcement efforts against drug distribution companies that were supplying corrupt doctors and pharmacists who peddled narcotics to the black market. Bredesen stated, “They have been telling doctors, the drugs are not addictive, when they really are.” This is the U.S. Senator that will hold the pharmaceutical companies accountable for their actions. Bredesen was very logical during his interview when he also implied that the distributors must also be held accountable when he commented on how “distributors to small towns refuse to notice millions of pills being shipped in.”

If elected, as a U.S. Senator representing the people of Tennessee, this will be the voice that can assist in preventing the opiod deaths in many small towns that experience anywhere from one to six deaths per day from opiod overdoses. Since 2015, Tennessee has struggled with the opioid crisis more than many states. Bredesen is the only political candidate, thus far, that has verbally indicated that the pharmaceutical companies need to be held accountable after the prescriptions are written.

Phil Bredesen is committed to healthcare for the young and the elderly and wants to stabilize the current healthcare program so these vulnerable citizens can receive care and in his words, “not continue to use this issue as a political football.”

Phil Bredesen is for the people, for the community and has the ability to bring both Democrats and Republicans together on the issues by offering solutions in a simple format without complexities. As Governor of Tennessee, he balanced eight budgets, created the school tax holiday that stimulated the economy to the tune of over $100 million dollars and as U.S. Senator he will work on the deficit and cut corporate tax rates. He will work with the Justice Department for legislation and tools regarding police officers and constitutional rights regarding guns and police shooting incidents and behaviors.

Governor Phil Bredesen has gone into many communities and he came to Nashville with a message and he wants the residents to know in his own words that “He’s not going to Washington to be a warrior but he’s going to represent Tennessee and ensure there is an appropriate system of checks and balances for the state and there’s nothing he wants to do more than help open doors for other people.” He also wants to ensure that the Veteran citizens of Tennessee get help with their issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and that he can help fix the flawed Veterans Administration system.

Phil Bredesen is the candidate for the U.S. Senate that can bridge the gap between the parties, focus on the community, address the issues and provide solutions.

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