Tennessee state legislators should spend more time on the economy and less on issues like how sex should be taught in schools or expanding the rights of gun owners, citizens of the state overwhelmingly told the Vanderbilt Poll.

State legislators adjourned the 107th General Assembly on May 1. The session was “dominated by debates over guns, classroom instruction about sex and Gov. Bill Haslam’s efforts to overhaul state government operations,” summarized the Associated Press.

Bills were passed to prohibit teachers from promoting “gateway sexual activity,” to require Amazon.com to begin collecting Tennessee sales taxes in 2014 and requiring state agencies to verify immigration status before approving public benefits. Among the bills that failed were attempts to ban teachers and counselors from discussing homosexuality with elementary and middle school students and guaranteeing employees the right to store firearms in vehicles parked at work.

A total of 1,002 Tennessee adults, 75 percent of them registered voters, were interviewed May 2-9.Men and women, blacks and whites, wealthy and not-so-wealthy all agreed that the emphasis of state lawmakers on social issues is a misstep.

Fifty-seven percent said that the economy should be the top priority of state lawmakers, followed by education (22 percent) and health care (14 percent). Forty-two percent believe that legislators “spent too much time addressing social, cultural or religious issues” and 56 percent said they spent “too little time addressing economic issues.”

“While we typically have little or no idea what the average Tennessean thinks about the issues that are debated in the state legislature, the Vanderbilt Poll provides a unique opportunity to compare what the state legislature did to what citizens in the state think,” said Josh Clinton, professor of political science and a co-director of the Vanderbilt Poll. “This is critical for assessing the performance of a representative democracy. We find, for example, that a majority of Tennesseans at least somewhat disagree with limitations on teachers’ collective bargaining rights and limitations on tort damages, but a majority agrees with the laws that were passed requiring state-issued photo IDs to vote and the decision not to outlaw the ability of businesses to keep firearms out of vehicles parked in their parking lot.”

The latest Vanderbilt Poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. It included both landline and cell phone interviews and was conducted by the standards of theAmerican Association of Public Opinion Research. The results were weighted to ensure that the sample was representative of Tennessee in terms of age, gender, education, region and race/ethnicity.

Questions were also asked about the presidential race between President Obama and Mitt Romney and whether citizens approved of the job performance of prominent public officials and the legislature.

Twenty-eight percent of those polled approved of how the legislature was doing its job. That was the lowest ranking given to an array of public officials or bodies headed by Gov. Bill Haslam, whom 61 percent of those polled believe is doing a good job. President Obama scored 43 percent approval for his job performance.

“Haslam is a popular governor and even has the support of most Democrats,” said John Geer, co-director of the poll and holder of the Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair in Political Science

Mitt Romney will likely win Tennessee in the November presidential election, according to the poll.Among the registered voters polled, Romney leads the state 48 to 40 percent.

“Mitt Romney is still consolidating his support in the state and looks very likely to win this state comfortably in the fall,” Geer said.

The Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions at Vanderbilt University aims to foster an engaging intellectual environment to explore how political institutions shape political debate, ameliorate conflicts and influence public policy.

WASHINGTON – Congressman Marsha Blackburn (TN-7) today congratulated University of Tennessee Coach Emeritus Pat Summit on being named a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

“After 1,098 career wins over 38 seasons, Pat Head Summitt isn’t just the all-time winningest coach in NCAA history, she’s a living legend. Pushing excellence both on and off the court, Coach Summitt has prepared her players to be successful women when they hang up their jerseys. One of Clarksville’s own, Coach Summitt has dedicated her career and magnificent journey to the great game of women’s basketball and the 161 student-athletes she's championed. I congratulate her as she will receive the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.”

Congressman Marsha Blackburn (TN-7)

Congressman Marsha Blackburn (TN-7) issued the following statement regarding the Obama Administration's block of the Keystone Project.

WASHINGTON - Congressman Marsha Blackburn (TN-7) issued the following statement regarding the new defense strategy announced by President Obama.

"In light of the current geopolitical environment, the plan announced by President Obama today for our nation's military is at best an ill-advised attempt to lower defense spending. The Obama defense strategy is a significant departure from past administrations that could cripple America’s fighting forces and render aid to those who seek to do us harm. I'll be the first to say that we must do everything we can to get our fiscal house in order and that includes taking a fine-toothed comb to all federal agencies; but it should not be done at the expense of our men and women in uniform.

"While we do need to cut excess waste and rein in run-away bureaucracies, we have a sacred obligation to support those who serve to protect this country from harm. I have serious concerns that the President’s plan will leave our Armed Forces unprepared to meet the future challenges we may face and that it may unfairly reduce the benefits of our veterans and their families who have served nobly over the last ten years in the Global War on Terror. There is a great difference between cutting what is expensive and unnecessary and boldly announcing strategic guidance that is just plain wrong. America's patriots deserve better from their Commander-in-Chief."

WASHINGTON - Congressman Marsha Blackburn (TN-7) issued the following statement on Monday's announcement that the Supreme Court will review President Obama’s healthcare law.

“This decision by the Supreme Court is a step in the right direction toward finally striking down President Obama’s job-killing healthcare law. It’s time to repeal and replace Obamacare.  My bill, H.R. 371, would get government out of the way by providing the American people with the freedom to choose the health insurance plan that best fits their individual and family healthcare needs, regardless of which state they call home.”

Tonight, President Obama addressed the Nation to announce that the United States has killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda.