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I don't really know the details of this issue and whether or not it is the local congressional rep or not that could have helped pushed this through.  I do know we had a number of years with two Republican Senators, both living in Nashville,  in a Republican administration and wonder why there is no criticism there or is this just another partisan blame game.  I know Congressman Cooper and he is definitely more of an introvert but I have never found him to be rude or disinterested.  He has always had a belief that much of our deficit spending is due to pork barrel spending by politicians wanting to make themselves look good as opposed to doing what is right...i.e. if everyone else is stealing I guess I can.  I read these posts often and just wonder why so many on here seem so unhappy, negative and miserable.  We have wonderful things going on in this city and you would think we are living in Gary Indiana from way too many of the posts on here.

I work with all types from both parties across the state, and I'm just telling you the general opinions... sure he has folks who love him. Obviously, he has no trouble getting reelected each time. 

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He is quite content because he has one of the safest seats in the House. I know several congressional aids who have worked with him.  On separate occasions, each of them has told me that he is generally despised in Congress. His own party members do not like him because they say he is a sanctimonious jerk (he has an unearned reputation for being fiscally conservative despite his votes for Obamacare).  The Clintons hate him because he put up a competing healthcare plan up against Hillary's plan back in 1994 and they still blame him for sabotaging her plans. I have actually sat at the same table with Cooper on three different times, and he does not bother to engage people in discussion, instead choosing to pontificate on his favorite leftist causes. On all three occasions, spread out over a fifteen year span, each time he sat at the table with a scowl on his face, ostensibly wishing he were somewhere else. And the GOP members don't like him because he is not a trustworthy ally on issues where bipartisanship could be found. So there is no wonder that both parties do not want to help him out. In fact, there have actually been other courthouse projects that have jumped ahead of Nashville's in funding (despite the GSA ranking) over the past 20 years. When a Tennessean reporter (about 5 years ago) asked him about why this happened, he answered, "I don't know."  Unfortunately, he will remain Davidson's representative until he decides to leave the office. 

I have spoken with him several times on the Federal Courthouse and each time he ha stated "we are working on it..." I saw him recently at a political function prior to the recent election and he was talkative, but not very interested in anything but shaking hands. He seems nice. His brother was running for council, so I assume he was only there for that.

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I have spoken with him several times on the Federal Courthouse and each time he ha stated "we are working on it..." I saw him recently at a political function prior to the recent election and he was talkative, but not very interested in anything but shaking hands. He seems nice. His brother was running for council, so I assume he was only there for that.

I helped at a wedding he was at this summer and yes, he was very quiet.  Not talkative at all.

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I am so sick of this 23 year ordeal. No wonder the conservatives hate the federal government, and I am starting to side with them. This is absolutely ridiculous! How much revenue from these lots has been wasted? Private development could have paid millions in taxes to Nashville Davidson County  if condo, apartment, or  hotel towers were built on the site! How much has the Federal Government cost Nashville in not developing this?

To quote Han Solo, "And I thought it smelled bad on the outside."

You've no idea of the everyday inefficiency that leads to massive cost overruns, waste, and excess that the US Government sees as the norm until you've seen it from the inside. Being a member of the military, working in a building that is mostly civilian bureaucracy, it shocks me every day with some of the stupid things I see. This court house saga is not shocking at all. Half-assed design and engineering that will lead to a substandard building both aesthetically and, likely, structurally.

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I have spoken with him several times on the Federal Courthouse and each time he ha stated "we are working on it..." I saw him recently at a political function prior to the recent election and he was talkative, but not very interested in anything but shaking hands. He seems nice. His brother was running for council, so I assume he was only there for that.

He gave me a tour of the Capitol Building once. He was very engaging and animated.  Spoke with him a few times since on various issues and he was always personable and responsive.

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To quote Han Solo, "And I thought it smelled bad on the outside."

You've no idea of the everyday inefficiency that leads to massive cost overruns, waste, and excess that the US Government sees as the norm until you've seen it from the inside. Being a member of the military, working in a building that is mostly civilian bureaucracy, it shocks me every day with some of the stupid things I see. This court house saga is not shocking at all. Half-assed design and engineering that will lead to a substandard building both aesthetically and, likely, structurally.

Reading that from you is quite sobering, since you normally respond on the "reserve" side. It does reinforce a common conviction. -==-

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  • 1 month later...

Dec. 11th will be another important deadline date in regard to the Federal Courthouse being approved or not for next year's budget...

http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/blog/2015/11/for-now-justice-delayed-in-nashvilles-quest-for.html?s=print

http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/real-estate/2015/11/20/new-nashville-federal-courthouse-project-limbo/75692490/

Edited by markhollin
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I wish we could get rid of this thread and the older courthouse threads.  I regret starting it back up 2 years ago.  We are never getting a new one. Period! This has been debated since 1992 and nothing has changed. After almost 24 years it's the same. This is like wanting your crazy uncle at Thanksgiving dinner to not discuss politics and religion. It's not going to happen.

The land needs to be sold to a private developer and I would not  mind seeing the city of Nashville sue the Federal Government and force them to sell the land. This debacle has cost the city millions in tax revenues. The lot is a horrific swath of urban blight. Enough already!

For our sakes, can the mods please lock this thread so we can save ourselves a bit of sanity?

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^ ^ ^ Yes…and the Customs House on the other side was a great companion. At least we still have that, along with Masonic Lodge, Hume Fogg HS, Christ Church Cathedral, Frist Center, Union Station, and the building that encompass the National Labor Relations Board/Manuel along those blocks of Broadway.

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