We The Peeple

 Peep raid on Bin Laden Hideout, image courtesy Washington Post

 A sure sign of a society of immense luxury - a society which creates a huge range of dioramas on political/social themes using the wee marshmellow candies known as Peeps.

The annual Washington Post contest includes RePeeplican Debates and OccuPeep protesters.

Gov. Haslam and the Goldilocks Complex

I'm calling it the Goldilocks Complex - governors are doing too little or too much but precious few are doing their jobs jes' right.
 
I've been trying to be optimistic in puzzling out the nature of Gov. Haslam's politics, glad that he isn't making headlines like, say, Jan Brewer or Rod Blajojevich or Bob McDonnell or Scott Walker or ... well, the list is like a list of Huey Long wannabes. More and more it seems governors are using their office to advance themselves more than advance their individual states.

Sadly, Gov. Haslam seems to be missing-in-action on so many critical issues - like knowing what bills are in the Tennessee legislature as I mentioned yesterday.

Besty Phillips at the Nashville Scene sums it up pretty well:

"It's the end of March. The state legislature is planning to wrap up in April. And the governor hasn't seen or doesn't know how he feels about the bills winding their way through the process? The bills he either has to sign into law or veto?

Either Haslam is incompetent, or someone on his staff is. Say what you want about our legislature, every single bill in all its iterations is available to read and track for free on the General Assembly website. There is simply no excuse for Haslam not to be up to date on what legislation is in the pipeline. "I don't know" and "I haven't seen the bill" at this late stage in the game is just a flabbergasting thing for Tennessee's governor to admit. Why isn't he following these bills?

The man whose set himself the task of completely overhauling how the state works seems not to know how it works to begin with. I find that frightening".

Gov. Haslam Confused About How Laws Are Made

Seems Gov. Bill Haslam does not know how government works.

I sent him a letter encouraging him to not sign the anti-science bill which is on his desk right now. He sent back an email today saying:

"After careful review of your letter, I have determined that the Tennessee Department of Education is the appropriate agency to address this type of inquiry, and therefore have forwarded your letter to Commissioner Kevin Huffman's office for consideration."

No, see, the new law before you, right now, is your responsibility since the legislature stripped away the ideas of debating policy from the state's Dept. of Education.

Now if this response means that Gov. Haslam will not sign Senate Bill 0893 and instead veto it and say "this is a decision best left to the Dept. of Education" then I would be stunned. And will write an apology.

Gov. Haslam does seem to comprehend and understand political games though - check out how he handles the anti-science bill as reported by Tom Humphrey:

"Haslam was asked his views on the bill last week after announcing plans to use federal funds to build three new Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) schools in the state.

"I don't know that I have any great insight there for you on that one," Haslam said, adding that he had heard of the bill but knew little about what was involved. The governor said he plans to ask state Board of Education officials about it.

"I think it is a fair question as to what the General Assembly's role is, I think that's why we have a State Board of Education," he said. "I think the General Assembly, though, does represent people and their votes and thoughts matter there."

Way to say nothing at all, Gov. Haslam.

Rest assured, you will be saying plenty - and none of it good - if you sign the bill and make it a new law. 

UPDATE: The Goldilocks Complex


See Also:

" ... these attempts to rewrite our curriculum by some legislators are not about helping our children become independent, rational thinkers capable of understanding and evaluating alternative theories of life; witting or not, these legislators are stooges for an agenda that would shackle our children to a life of ignorance."

Legislation for Hillbillies

2-Year-Old Rocks The House

Even at the age of 2 years old, he sure knows how to have a rockin' good time. The boy just owns the floor and the entire room. Check out his bow at the end. Thankyou, thankyouverymuch. He can also do some classy ballroom dancing too. Helps if mom and dad run the dance studio I guess.

But when you take in what Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart could write and perform at age 11, everyone the planet is a slacker. (And he started younger, age 4.) See how behind you are in your accomplishments?