What it means to fight for Tennesseans

This past President’s Day, I was reminded of George Washington - elected the first President of the United States and Served from 1789-1797. Following his second term, the first president, former commanding general of the Continental Army, and victor over the world-dominating British Empire decided to step down. His supporters (nearly everyone who had a vote for the US Presidency) urged him to stay and serve as President for the reminder of his life. There was even a crypt constructed for him, which you can still visit today, beneath the rotunda of the US Capitol. Instead, Washington declined a third term, insisted that he would set the example of serving two consecutive terms, and return home to Mt. Vernon. Under no circumstances was he to be buried at the US Capitol, instead opting for a place next to Martha Washington at their home on the Potomac.

While I’m no Washington, I did do my best to follow his lead: serve your country, take the responsibility seriously, and then go home.

After serving three terms in the Tennessee General Assembly, I determined a fourth run was not what the founders (or my wife) had in mind. Following my retirement, I received many flattering and potentially lucrative offers to join the lobbyist corps. I toyed with that for a few months but decided against it. Back home in Dickson, Tennessee, I continued my career at Benefits, Inc. – an employee benefits advisory firm serving clients nation-wide by crafting benefit strategies that assist them in attracting and retaining the best talent available.

Since I left the legislature, a dangerous trend has emerged in Tennessee and it came in the form of big government overreach that would make the framers of Obamacare jealous of the price controls and top down mandates Tennessee was able to implement. Tennessee’s new regulations preempt the Employee Retirement and Securities Act (ERISA) of 1974, they artificially increase costs on employers who self-insure their health plans, and slam the door on innovation and creativity in designing benefit strategies that provide excellent access to care for Tennesseans without bankrupting their employer in the process. My clients are feeling the strain, and my hunch is, you are too. This lurch toward big government regulations has convinced me that it was time to get involved and use my knowledge gained from service to serve my industry as well as my clients.

I was honored to be contacted by the leadership at the Tennessee Employer Benefits Alliance (TEBA) who asked me to serve as the Chairman of the Board of Directors starting this past January. Over the coming weeks and months, I look forward to meeting with you, listening to your experience as a Tennessee employer, and see if there are ways we can advocate on your behalf.

I hope you will join me in these efforts as we defend our rights from misguided legislation and advocate for a return to a Tennessee that was welcoming to businesses like yours. Defending your rights and your employee’s well-being is a call that is worth answering and one that I hope you will consider as well.

I look forward to visiting with you soon.

Michael G. Curcio