T.K. Owens: "An Independent who can work with both major political parties."

Rising energy prices, healthcare care costs, and college tuition rates are threatening to permanently derail the American dream for the majority of Americans. East Tennessee deserves a real voice, someone who will fight for the best interests of all hard-working East Tennesseans, not the big-business special interests who have controlled our region's destiny for far too long.

My motivation for entering this race is my deep concern for the future of this region and this country. We are at a critical point in our nation's history: action must be taken now to put us back on the path of prosperity and equality. East Tennesseans don't want a hand-out, but if given a helping hand we will work hard to take advantage of the opportunity to improve our lives and the lives of our families. I want to provide that helping hand by bringing more jobs to this region, increasing access to healthcare, and improving our schools.

Who I am:

Some of you might know me because I've been in the field of education, teaching at colleges and universities in our region, for over 16 years. Others might know me as a musician -- I've been writing, singing and playing music in this area for almost 20 years. I am a proud life-long East Tennessee resident.

• I was raised in MORRISTOWN, where I attend Hillcrest Baptist Church, graduated from Morristown-Hamblen East High, and also attended Walters State Community College where my father was a vocational-technical education faculty member for over thirty years.

• I moved to JOHNSON CITY in 1988 to attend ETSU, graduating in 1991 but returning to the Tri-Cities in 1993 after finishing graduate school at UT-Knoxville.

• While studying at ETSU, I tutored high school kids from WASHINGTON and CARTER counties working to become the first in their families to graduate college; later I taught for as similar program at TUSCULUM COLLEGE in GREENVEVILLE, assisting youth from GREENE, UNICOI and HAMBLEN counties.

• While at UT, I worked for a program serving HAWKINS and Grainger counties attempting to locate poor seniors who weren't receiving their earned Social Security benefits.

• I taught English and Speech to adult students in BLOUNTVILLE at Northeast State Technical Community College for two and a half years. I also worked as an administrator and instructor in BRISTOL for a year and a half at Virginia Intermont College, where I taught in their Adult Degree program.

• I have been an administrator and instructor at East Tennessee State University in JOHNSON CITY for the past ten years. I am the director of the university's Writing & Communication Center: I run a tutoring lab for students who struggle with writing and speaking, lead workshops on writing and speaking for students and faculty, and sometimes teach writing, literature, or study skills courses.

• I currently live in KINGSPORT with my wife, son, and new-born daughter, as well as two cats and a dog.

My message:

I care about this region, and like many of you I'm frustrated with the lack of leadership displayed by our current representative and his party. It's time that our region was represented by someone who understands real East Tennessee values like hard work, family, responsibility, fair play, and compassion, someone who will represent the best interests of Tennessee families, someone who will provide honest and effective leadership as the voice of our region in Washington.

Washington is suffering from a "can't do" problem. For far too long, politicians have been telling us all of the things that America can't do. I say that we can ...

- Make healthcare affordable and accessible to all Americans.

- Enforce fair trade policies that will protect East Tennessee jobs.

- Reduce energy costs and end our dependence on non-renewable energy by investing in alternative energy technology and encouraging the growth of Green Power industry in East Tennessee.

- Provide our children with the world's best education while improving educational opportunities for hard-working college students and adults re-training for 21st-century jobs.

- Put an end to corporate welfare and tax loopholes that allow foreign and US-owned corporations to avoid paying their fair share.

- Eliminate the shameful phrase "working poor" from our vocabulary by ensuring that any American working full-time can earn a living wage.

- Protect and ensure equal rights for all Americans regardless of gender or race.

- Be a beacon of freedom and hope to the world by maintaining a strong military and pursuing smart solutions to global problems.

Together, we can fulfill the promise of America.