U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn continues her shameless demagoguery by claiming an independent panel of experts’ findings concerning mammograms would lead to health-care rationing by the federal government, Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Chip Forrester said.

“Once again Mrs. Blackburn puts partisan politics before the good of the people she represents here in Tennessee,” Forrester said. “She is totally misrepresenting the facts. First of all, that panel has nothing to do with the health-care debate going on in Congress.

“The panel is made up of medical experts who use purely analytical evidence to try and come up with recommendations that help doctors and their patients make informed decisions. Secondly, she makes an incredible leap from what is merely a set of recommendations to the federal government is going to ration health care to women.

“Mrs. Blackburn is a shameless shill for the far-right wing of her party who will say and do anything to promote an extreme agenda. She could do more for the people of Tennessee if she would work as hard at trying to solve problems as she does at trying to create them,” he said.

Forrester pointed to the following examples as proof of Blackburn’s demagoguery:

• Blackburn said Hurricane Katrina was not a real emergency during a House floor debate about deficit-reduction legislation before voting against the measure.
• Blackburn criticized a stimulus package approved by Congress and used by the state to put unemployed Tennesseans to work in Perry County, a county she represents that at one point recorded a jobless rate above 27 percent.
• Blackburn sponsored legislation requiring future presidential candidates to show their birth certificates proving Constitutional requirements to serve during a debate questioning President Barack Obama’s birthplace.

“Mrs. Blackburn should focus her time and energy on helping Tennesseans get jobs, send their children to school and overcome poverty instead of scaring them with false claims that the government is rationing health care and trying to promote suicide among ill senior citizens,” Forrester said.

“Her tactics are despicable and should be rejected by all Tennesseans, whether they are Republicans, Democrats or Independents. We have too many problems to waste on disingenuous rhetoric meant to scare and divide us,” he added.