Since History proves these officials utterly wrong - then what is the real reason behind their desire to fly a flag of the county's enemies?
UPDATE: The outcome was a Big Fat NO.
Showing posts with label local politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label local politics. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Confederate Ignorance in Greene County
It's pretty clear the Greene County Commissioners who think flying a Confederate flag is historically vital have zero knowledge of the history of their own county and of East Tennessee.
UPDATE: The outcome was a Big Fat NO.
UPDATE: The outcome was a Big Fat NO.
Monday, August 15, 2011
On Politicians Who Create Economic Turmoil
Tom Humphrey's Sunday column in the KNS on how much Tennessee (and every other state) depends on Federal funding, despite political claims that Federal funding is a critical problem weighing down the local, state and national economies, is a great read. And the article certainly is generating reader reactions that run from A to Z on the role of government, deficits, and debates which are dominant on the political scene.
"About 40 percent of this year's total $30 billion state budget is federal money — and that's down from the last year, when the stimulus money was flowing in. If you count tax dollars only — not $5 billion in license fees, college student tuition and the like that still counts as state money in the overview — the federal total is much closer to half, about $12 billion federal versus the state's $13 billion."
As I've mentioned before, my congressman, Rep. Phil Roe derides President Obama's spending plans while still celebrating them when they arrive.
It's clear the economic debate has multiple layers - what role should government play, what relationships between business and government work and which do not, and as always, how does the public engage with their representatives to establish the type of governance we want.
So much of the debate is stalled totally by politicians like Rep. Roe, who vowed to seek the failure of an Obama presidency at all costs, a vow made with no consideration for the effects it might have. It's a campaign strategy and not an economic policy - and it's deeply destructive.
As Humphrey writes:
"What we have here is a mixed message. Our politicians, particularly the Republicans now running the state show, roundly denounce federal deficit spending while happily handing out federal checks to hometown folks.
"About 40 percent of this year's total $30 billion state budget is federal money — and that's down from the last year, when the stimulus money was flowing in. If you count tax dollars only — not $5 billion in license fees, college student tuition and the like that still counts as state money in the overview — the federal total is much closer to half, about $12 billion federal versus the state's $13 billion."
As I've mentioned before, my congressman, Rep. Phil Roe derides President Obama's spending plans while still celebrating them when they arrive.
It's clear the economic debate has multiple layers - what role should government play, what relationships between business and government work and which do not, and as always, how does the public engage with their representatives to establish the type of governance we want.
So much of the debate is stalled totally by politicians like Rep. Roe, who vowed to seek the failure of an Obama presidency at all costs, a vow made with no consideration for the effects it might have. It's a campaign strategy and not an economic policy - and it's deeply destructive.
As Humphrey writes:
"What we have here is a mixed message. Our politicians, particularly the Republicans now running the state show, roundly denounce federal deficit spending while happily handing out federal checks to hometown folks.
As a political service, this practice seems to have pretty high ratings right now. But, it is submitted, the outlook for the longer term is negative."
It is more than a mixed message - it's patently deceptive.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Congressman Roe Jokes About Death of President Obama
While speaking to the Johnson City Rotary Club, 1st District Congressman Phil Roe made what the Johnson City Press called a "slip of the tongue'' - saying he was glad that Obama was killed, rather than saying Osama was killed. Then he added "Well, I guess you know who I'll be voting for in November!"
Ha. Ha. It's a joke to him - and shows in his mind he equates the ruthless, brutal killer Osama bin Laden with the president.
Without a doubt, in all the heated reporting on OBL's death, many a newsperson and commentator often made the same error - but I never heard anyone once embrace the error and joke about it like my congressman did.
Rep. Roe also made a loopy prediction that a Federal Government shutdown was ahead in August, blaming the likely option of a vote to increase the Fed's debt limit. The fact is, every time the 1917-era law creating the "debt limit" has been reached, Congress has raised it. It's a pretty meaningless "law".
Still, Rep. Roe had his PowerPoint presentation to show off just how evil Democrats are destroying America by daring to spend money. All the recent cheers of success via Congressional Republicans that they cut $38 billion in the budget are also meaningless. They cut money to programs which weren't active and when all the actual computations were made, the cuts amounted to just over $350 million.
In an effort to aid my congressman, here's one simple graphic to show why the debt is so large and where most of it comes from.
And to go with the above graph, here is a breakdown of the numbers and how the graph was created. Here's a sample of some of the facts Rep. Roe does not want his district to know:
"Without the economic downturn and the fiscal policies of the previous Administration, the budget would be roughly in balance over the next decade. That would have put the nation on a much sounder footing to address the demographic challenges and the cost pressures in health care that darken the long-run fiscal outlook."
Ha. Ha. It's a joke to him - and shows in his mind he equates the ruthless, brutal killer Osama bin Laden with the president.
Without a doubt, in all the heated reporting on OBL's death, many a newsperson and commentator often made the same error - but I never heard anyone once embrace the error and joke about it like my congressman did.
Rep. Roe also made a loopy prediction that a Federal Government shutdown was ahead in August, blaming the likely option of a vote to increase the Fed's debt limit. The fact is, every time the 1917-era law creating the "debt limit" has been reached, Congress has raised it. It's a pretty meaningless "law".
Still, Rep. Roe had his PowerPoint presentation to show off just how evil Democrats are destroying America by daring to spend money. All the recent cheers of success via Congressional Republicans that they cut $38 billion in the budget are also meaningless. They cut money to programs which weren't active and when all the actual computations were made, the cuts amounted to just over $350 million.
In an effort to aid my congressman, here's one simple graphic to show why the debt is so large and where most of it comes from.
And to go with the above graph, here is a breakdown of the numbers and how the graph was created. Here's a sample of some of the facts Rep. Roe does not want his district to know:
"Without the economic downturn and the fiscal policies of the previous Administration, the budget would be roughly in balance over the next decade. That would have put the nation on a much sounder footing to address the demographic challenges and the cost pressures in health care that darken the long-run fiscal outlook."
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Cutting $40 Billion in Tax Subsidies Gets a Big No From Rep. Roe
My Congressman, Republican Phil Roe, wants to cut spending - just not when it comes to tax subsidies to giant oil companies. He's marching in step with every Republican in Washington who just voted against a measure to end those subsidies.
He'll support cuts in education, job training, community block grants, health care -- but giant oil companies will continue to get our tax dollars.
So while Rep. Roe echoes the claims that the U.S. government is "broke" - we're giving away billions.
"Also note, ending the subsidies would save the federal government tens of billions of dollars, making a significant dent in the deficit-reduction campaign that Republicans pretend to care about. It's a reminder that the GOP's commitment to fiscal responsibility is shaped in large part by who'll suffer as a result of the cuts -- working families can feel the brunt of the budget ax, under the GOP vision, but ExxonMobil can't." (via Steve Benen)
Cutting $40 billion in tax subsidies gets a big No from Rep. Roe - even though the biggest 5 oil companies made $1 trillion in profits over the last decade.
Just last week, Rep. Roe said:
"Now as part of our focus on job growth, committees in the House are working to remove unnecessary regulations, and we’re aggressively looking at new ways to cut spending."
I guess education, job training, the elderly, the sick, and those most in need must be sacrificed to insure the profits of giant corporations.
"Phil Roe has not created even one job in this state though he’s now in his second term as TN-1 Rep. Not one job. I challenge anyone to prove otherwise including Roe himself." (via Ablogination)
SEE UPDATE HERE.
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
City Fires All 1,926 Teachers In Budget Battle
Is it education reform or is it just a slash and burn policy aimed at cutting teacher pay and union representation?
The school board in Providence, Rhode Island voted 4-3 last week that to reduce a budget shortfall, all 1,926 teachers would be fired ... and then re-hired later this year. Or at least, some would be re-hired. However, termination instead of layoffs means an end to seniority and an end to benefits. In essence, rehires would all be starting at the base rate of pay.
"Given where we are in the budget process, we needed to retain the maximum flexibility we could to manage what inevitably will be significant cuts to the school budget,’’ said Melissa Withers, a spokeswoman for Mayor Angel Taveras. ‘We could not afford any situation where we would have more teachers on the payroll than we could pay.’’
---
"When you terminate someone, your financial obligations to them end. With a layoff, depending on the kind of layoff, there are all kinds of provisions that you still may have financial obligations to that teacher.’’
More here.
The school board in Providence, Rhode Island voted 4-3 last week that to reduce a budget shortfall, all 1,926 teachers would be fired ... and then re-hired later this year. Or at least, some would be re-hired. However, termination instead of layoffs means an end to seniority and an end to benefits. In essence, rehires would all be starting at the base rate of pay.
"Given where we are in the budget process, we needed to retain the maximum flexibility we could to manage what inevitably will be significant cuts to the school budget,’’ said Melissa Withers, a spokeswoman for Mayor Angel Taveras. ‘We could not afford any situation where we would have more teachers on the payroll than we could pay.’’
---
"When you terminate someone, your financial obligations to them end. With a layoff, depending on the kind of layoff, there are all kinds of provisions that you still may have financial obligations to that teacher.’’
More here.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Rep. Don Miller's Legislation Lacks Jobs Plan, Attacks Unions Instead
Elected to the Tennessee General Assembly last fall, State Rep. Don Miller of Morristown has not been front and center in the news. So finding out what he's been working on, what bills he has submitted and supported -- you'll have to dig that out on your own.
Fortunately, the state's General Assembly website offers a brief peek at his proposals.
Removing the rights of union members is a priority for Rep. Miller.
For instance, his bill, HB1833, would make it a crime for any state employee to engage in a strike or "work stoppage". As of this date, there is not a summary of the bill introduced other than a one-line summation. But have strikes crippled Morristown, Hamblen County or Tennessee in recent years? Why make a legitimate form of free speech a crime?
He's a co-sponsor of HB0130, which "abolishes teachers' unions ability to negotiate terms and conditions of professional service with local boards of education." As with the legislation creating chaos in Wisconsin, the proposal is aimed at outlawing collective bargaining. But unlike Wisconsin, this isn't meant to curb collective bargaining on insurance premiums or pensions, but all negotiations.
I fail to see how deconstructing labor unions will create jobs in this community -- and creating jobs was supposed to be a priority, according to what remains of his political campaign online.
Another bill he's introduced, HB1837, would change the law to allow for the Morristown Utility Commission to sell cable and internet service 10 miles outside of their service area ... I suppose that might mean a few extra jobs for the utility company.
Mostly all I'm seeing from Rep. Miller is that he is working for the national Republican party, as they create ways to remove rights from labor unions and workers, and attempt to stall the Health Care Reform Act. I suppose, as a newcomer to the political landscape, he has to, as they say "dance with the one that brought him to the dance".
State Senator Steve Southerland, meanwhile, has introduced legislation to redefine the legal definition of "rickshaw" in Tennessee. A long list of all legislation he has introduced is here.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Who's Paying For Those Political Ads?
Along with a bulk mail ad for the Hamblen County Republican seeking a seat in the state legislature, Don Miller, there was another ad mailer which called Miller's opponent, Larry Mullins, the Democratic candidate, a "democrat" who was to blame for all the ills of the nation. Gasp! Democrats!!! In East Tennessee??
This ad says it was paid for by a group called the Republican State Leadership Committee Inc.
Who are they and where does their funding come from? Not Hamblen County - the group is based in Alexandria, VA. They're backed by major Wall Street firms and PACs who seek to protect the status quo.
A web search via The Virginia Public Access Report lists some 8 pages of donors (none by individual names, just by the corporations which send them cash). Here's a sample from the first page, dating donations from 2009 to 2010:
Why so much money from out of state aimed at our small county? Because next year the state will be re-drawing political districts based on the most recent census, and more Republicans in the legislature will help create political districts. The Wall Street Journal reports:
"The three main Republican groups that focus on state-wide races plan to spend more than $100 million on the November elections. That's about double the $44 million they spent on state races in 2006.
Here's Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander talking about campaign donations back in 1999 (via HuffPost):
"I support campaign finance reform, but to me that means individual contributions, free speech and full disclosure," said Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) declared, back in 1999. "In other words, any individual can give whatever they want as long as it is disclosed every day on the Internet. Otherwise, you restrict free speech and favor super-rich candidates -- candidates with famous names, the media and special interest groups, all of whom can spend unlimited money."
This ad says it was paid for by a group called the Republican State Leadership Committee Inc.
Who are they and where does their funding come from? Not Hamblen County - the group is based in Alexandria, VA. They're backed by major Wall Street firms and PACs who seek to protect the status quo.
A web search via The Virginia Public Access Report lists some 8 pages of donors (none by individual names, just by the corporations which send them cash). Here's a sample from the first page, dating donations from 2009 to 2010:
| $250,000 | American Justice Partnership | Washington, DC | 06/26/2009 |
| $175,000 | American Justice Partnership | Washington , DC | 10/21/2009 |
| $150,000 | American Justice Partnership | Washington , DC | 09/22/2009 |
| $150,000 | American Justice Partnership | Washington, DC | 10/09/2009 |
| $150,000 | Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America | Washington , DC | 10/14/2009 |
| $130,000 | Reynolds American | Winston Salem , NC | 10/14/2009 |
| $100,000 | American Justice Partnership | Washington, DC | 09/25/2009 |
| $100,000 | Devon Energy Corporation | Oklahoma City , OK | 10/02/2009 |
| $100,000 | Living Essentials | Novi, MI | 08/11/2009 |
| $80,000 | Exxon Mobil Corporation | Houston, TX | 06/12/2009 |
| $70,000 | Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation | East Hanover , NJ | 10/23/2009 |
| $65,000 | Monsanto Company | St. Louis , MO | 10/26/2009 |
| $65,000 | UST Public Affairs Inc. | Stamford, CT | 05/15/2009 |
| $65,000 | Verizon | Folsom, CA | 07/02/2009 |
| $55,000 | AT&T Services, Inc. | Dallas, TX | 01/16/2009 |
| $55,000 | General Electric Company | Fort Myers, FL | 05/29/2009 |
| $50,000 | Ace Cash Express, Inc. | Irving, TX | 08/14/2009 |
| $50,000 | AT&T Services, Inc. | Dallas, TX | 01/09/2009 |
| $50,000 | Edison Electric Institute | Washington, DC | 01/09/2009 |
| $50,000 | Entertainment Software Association | Washington, DC | 04/30/2009 |
| $50,000 | Hewlett Packard | Colorado Springs, CO | 08/14/2009 |
| $50,000 | ServiceMaster | Memphis , TN | 10/23/2009 |
| $50,000 | The Home Depot USA | Atlanta, GA | 04/17/2009 |
| $45,000 | Community Financial Services Association | Alexandria | 03/06/2009 |
| $45,000 | Intuit | San Diego, CA | 02/06/2009 |
| $40,000 | Allergan Inc. | Austin, TX | 02/27/2009 |
| $40,000 | Allstate Insurance Company | Northbrook, IL | 09/22/2009 |
| $40,000 | AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP | Wilmington, DE | 01/23/2009 |
| $40,000 | AT&T Services, Inc. | Dallas, TX | 02/13/2009 |
| $40,000 | eBay Inc. | San Jose, CA | 03/13/2009 |
| $40,000 | Fox Group | Beverly Hills, CA | 09/03/2009 |
| $40,000 | Great Southern Wood Preserving, Inc. | Abbeville, AL | 05/21/2009 |
| $40,000 | Kraft Foods Global, Inc. | Northfield, IL | 07/24/2009 |
| $40,000 | Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company | Springfield, MA | 08/21/2009 |
| $40,000 | National Restaurant Association | Washington, DC | 04/03/2009 |
| $40,000 | Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation | East Hanover, NJ | 03/13/2009 |
| $40,000 | Pfizer Inc. | New York, NY | 03/26/2009 |
| $40,000 | Purdue Pharma L.P. | Stamford , CT | 10/15/2009 |
| $40,000 | Select Management resources LLC Operating Account | Alpharetta, GA | 04/03/2009 |
| $40,000 | State Farm Automobile Insurance Company | Bloomington , IL | 10/09/2009 |
| $40,000 | VISA U.S.A. Inc. | San Francisco, CA | 09/14/2009 |
| $40,000 | Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. | Bentonville, AR | 03/13/2009 |
| $40,000 | Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. | Bentonville, AR | 03/13/2009 |
| $40,000 | Yahoo! Inc. | Sunnyvale, CA | 09/14/2009 |
| $35,000 | ACLI Political Activity Fund | Washington, DC | 04/17/2009 |
| $35,000 | Best Buy Purchasing LLC | Minneapolis, MN | 07/02/2009 |
| $35,000 | Dominion Resources Services, Inc. | Richmond | 05/29/2009 |
| $35,000 | Pitney Bowes Inc. | Stamford, CT | 02/20/2009 |
| $35,000 | Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. | Bentonville , AR | 10/14/2009 |
| $30,000 | BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina | Columbia, SC | 06/12/2009 |
Why so much money from out of state aimed at our small county? Because next year the state will be re-drawing political districts based on the most recent census, and more Republicans in the legislature will help create political districts. The Wall Street Journal reports:
"The three main Republican groups that focus on state-wide races plan to spend more than $100 million on the November elections. That's about double the $44 million they spent on state races in 2006.
Groups supporting Democratic candidates in state races will spend about the same amount. The Democratic governors group and the state-legislative entity are on pace to spend a total of $62 million.
"The fortunes of Democratic state legislators are truly the firewall for Democrats this year," said Michael Sargeant, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee's executive director.
The Republican State Leadership Committee created the Redistricting Majority Project, whose sole purpose is "dedicated to keeping or winning Republican control of state legislatures that will have the most impact on Congressional redistricting in 2011." The group is on pace to raise and spend $40 million to help GOP candidates in state races.
The state races can be critical in determining control of Congress."
Here's Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander talking about campaign donations back in 1999 (via HuffPost):
"I support campaign finance reform, but to me that means individual contributions, free speech and full disclosure," said Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) declared, back in 1999. "In other words, any individual can give whatever they want as long as it is disclosed every day on the Internet. Otherwise, you restrict free speech and favor super-rich candidates -- candidates with famous names, the media and special interest groups, all of whom can spend unlimited money."
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Debates Ahead For Hamblen County State Candidates
The Morristown/Hamblen County chapter of Citizens for Accountability is hosting a candidate debate Sept. 30th in Morristown. (via)
"The first debate will be between State Representative candidates Don Miller (R) and Larry Mullins (D). The second debate will feature State Senate candidates Senator Steve Southerland (R) and challenger Jack West (D).
The debates will take place in the Community Room at the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post 5266 located at 2503 East Andrew Johnson Highway in Morristown, TN. Attendance is free and open to the public.
The debate for State Representative for Tennessee’s 10th district will begin at 6:00 PM on September 30th. Republican nominee Don Miller and Democrat nominee Larry Mullins will each give an opening statement before fielding questions from the debate moderator. AtCit the conclusion of the debate, each candidate will give a closing statement. Questions will be chosen from those submitted to Citizens for Accountability by the public.
Following a short break, the State Senate candidates will take the stage at approximately 7:15 PM. State Senator Steve Southerland, Republican, is seeking re-election to Tennessee’s 1st district which encompasses Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, and Unicoi Counties. He is being challenged by Jack West, Democrat. The Senate candidates will give an opening statement, field questions from the debate moderator, and give a closing statement.
Residents of Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, and Unicoi Counties may submit debate questions by e-mailing questions to Citizens for Accountability morristownhamblencfa@gmail.com or mailing questions to Debate Questions, P.O. Box 165, Morristown, TN 37815. All submissions are confidential, and selected questions will not be available to the candidates or to the public until the debate."
SHOCKING NEWS UPDATE: Or Not So Shocking -- The state Republican Party puts up a billboard to inform voters that - gasp!! -- Larry Mullins is a Democrat!! A-a-and, on top of that, he's been a Democrat for a long time!! He went to the last Democrat Presidential Convention! So what's next? Maybe the state's Democrats will buy a billboard informing residents that Don Miller works for a church!! OMG!!!
SHOCKING NEWS UPDATE 2: Across Tennessee's political blogosphere, the talk today is Larry Mullins here and here.
"The first debate will be between State Representative candidates Don Miller (R) and Larry Mullins (D). The second debate will feature State Senate candidates Senator Steve Southerland (R) and challenger Jack West (D).
The debates will take place in the Community Room at the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post 5266 located at 2503 East Andrew Johnson Highway in Morristown, TN. Attendance is free and open to the public.
The debate for State Representative for Tennessee’s 10th district will begin at 6:00 PM on September 30th. Republican nominee Don Miller and Democrat nominee Larry Mullins will each give an opening statement before fielding questions from the debate moderator. AtCit the conclusion of the debate, each candidate will give a closing statement. Questions will be chosen from those submitted to Citizens for Accountability by the public.
Following a short break, the State Senate candidates will take the stage at approximately 7:15 PM. State Senator Steve Southerland, Republican, is seeking re-election to Tennessee’s 1st district which encompasses Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, and Unicoi Counties. He is being challenged by Jack West, Democrat. The Senate candidates will give an opening statement, field questions from the debate moderator, and give a closing statement.
Residents of Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, and Unicoi Counties may submit debate questions by e-mailing questions to Citizens for Accountability morristownhamblencfa@gmail.com or mailing questions to Debate Questions, P.O. Box 165, Morristown, TN 37815. All submissions are confidential, and selected questions will not be available to the candidates or to the public until the debate."
SHOCKING NEWS UPDATE: Or Not So Shocking -- The state Republican Party puts up a billboard to inform voters that - gasp!! -- Larry Mullins is a Democrat!! A-a-and, on top of that, he's been a Democrat for a long time!! He went to the last Democrat Presidential Convention! So what's next? Maybe the state's Democrats will buy a billboard informing residents that Don Miller works for a church!! OMG!!!
SHOCKING NEWS UPDATE 2: Across Tennessee's political blogosphere, the talk today is Larry Mullins here and here.
Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Rep. Roe's Health Care Plan: 'Heal Yourself'
Busy seeking re-election to Congress, 1st District Republican Phil Roe offers his Health Care Plan to the Johnson City Press -- if you're sick, it's your fault and you should heal yourself.
"He said instead, to lower health care costs, Americans should take more responsibility for their own health by using a health savings account, which would provide care up to a set amount using an individual’s personal savings toward their health care."
Forget health insurance. Just save some money up and spend it yourself. And stay away from a doctor and just don't make the mistake of being sick.
"He said instead, to lower health care costs, Americans should take more responsibility for their own health by using a health savings account, which would provide care up to a set amount using an individual’s personal savings toward their health care."
Forget health insurance. Just save some money up and spend it yourself. And stay away from a doctor and just don't make the mistake of being sick.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Hamblen County Mayor, Sheriff Candidates Debate Tonight
Debates between Hamblen County Sheriff Candidates followed by debate between Hamblen County Mayoral Candidates will be held tonight at 6 pm at the West Hamblen Volunteer Fire Department at 6301 W. A. J. Highway, sponsored by the local group, Citizens for Accountability
6:00 PM Candidates for Hamblen County Sheriff
Ernie Burzell, Democrat
Esco Jarnagin, Republican
7:00 PM Intermission
7:20 PM Candidates for Hamblen County Mayor
John Litz, Democrat
Bill Brittain, Republican
6:00 PM Candidates for Hamblen County Sheriff
Ernie Burzell, Democrat
Esco Jarnagin, Republican
7:00 PM Intermission
7:20 PM Candidates for Hamblen County Mayor
John Litz, Democrat
Bill Brittain, Republican
Monday, April 19, 2010
Congressional Candidate Challenges the Space-Time Continuum
1st Congressional District candidate Mike Clark of East Tennessee is not just running for office according to writer Hank Hayes at the Kingsport Times-News ... he is challenging the very order of the Universe!
Is that an exaggeration? Take a read of Hank's article: the headline reads "Clark Bucks History In Run For 1st Congressional District"
"ELIZABETHTON — Democrat Mike Clark kicked off his campaign Saturday to run against political history in Northeast Tennessee’s GOP-controlled 1st Congressional District.
I understand the thought pattern here, the "narrative" being spun by the politicos of East Tenn -- "why Joe, honey," they say to me while giving me the benefit of their Timeless Wisdom, "you just have to understand that no Democrat has been elected to hold that seat in Congress since, well, that awful war of secession, and we've always voted Republican since then."
Perhaps the politicos are right - voters today make their decisions based on events from the 19th century. I know a heap of folks who live up in here who never want to waver past the line demarcating the 19th and 20th, much less the 21st century.
But I also know that for this election cycle, Hayes and the KPT have been actually reporting on a Democrat candidate's existence, something they were loathe to do until most recently. (also see this follow-up)
So things can change, especially in the media and especially in our 21st century on that new-fangled YouTube page. And from what I'm reading in the Morristown newspaper, Democrat State House Representative John Litz, now seeking the Hamblen County Mayor seat, is raising more money for his campaign than his Republican opponent, Bill Brittain.
A full draft of Mike Clark's speech follows at this link, and here's a bit of it I thought a lot of residents here in East Tennessee might like to hear about:
"You know, as I'm beginning my travels across the First District of Tennessee, one question - well, besides, "Who the heck are you?" - that I keep getting asked is, "Does a Democrat actually stand a chance this November? After all, this is a red state and East Tennessee hasn't elected a Democrat Congressman since, oh, 500 years, or something like that …"
Actually, the last Democrat to go to Washington from East Tennessee was Robert L. Taylor, and he took office in 1878 and was defeated for reelection in 1880 - leaving office in early 1881. That's 129 years and counting since this district sent a Democrat to Congress.
Well, that's why we are here today. We didn't bring the DeLorean from 'Back to the Future,' we can't hit Mr. Peabody's WayBack Machine. We don't have the ability to go back and change the past - we have to create a new future ourselves. Starting here. Starting now.
Can a Democrat win in November? They say we can't. They say the odds are stacked against us. They say Democrats in East Tennessee are disheartened. There aren't enough Democrats to win, they say.
Well, let's look at a few other things they said:
They said an African-American could never be elected president … but he was. We made history.
They said we'd never get meaningful health care reform - and we did. We made history.
It isn't going to be easy. It's going to take dedication and a lot of hard work. But we know that. We need to build on 2008, return everyone we can to the polls this November and bring in a lot of new voters too. We cannot let our spirit down. We have to keep it in mind that we have the right values, we have the right views on the issues facing America, and the First District, today. And we have an outlook that is positive, not negative. Republican leader Newt Gingrich says that if and when the GOP gains the majority in Congress, they're going to repeal everything we've worked hard to obtain - not just health care, but in education, the economy, banking reform - back, back, back to the failed policies of the past; the nasty politics of the past.
You can't go back to the future, despite catchy movie titles. You have to move forward, dare to try - we have to fight like our future depends on it. There is no other choice than to reject the failed policy of the past and instead keep moving forward to prepare for the needs of the future. Yes to innovation, Yes to common sense solutions, Yes to America's children!
Our opponent is not a Yes person, apparently. He's hard to reach - forget the open door, he has open line Friday over the telephone."
Is that an exaggeration? Take a read of Hank's article: the headline reads "Clark Bucks History In Run For 1st Congressional District"
"ELIZABETHTON — Democrat Mike Clark kicked off his campaign Saturday to run against political history in Northeast Tennessee’s GOP-controlled 1st Congressional District.
At an event held at the Carter County Courthouse in Elizabethton, Clark announced he’ll challenge first-term GOP incumbent U.S. Rep. Phil Roe for a congressional seat Democrats haven’t held since Reconstruction in the 19th century.
I understand the thought pattern here, the "narrative" being spun by the politicos of East Tenn -- "why Joe, honey," they say to me while giving me the benefit of their Timeless Wisdom, "you just have to understand that no Democrat has been elected to hold that seat in Congress since, well, that awful war of secession, and we've always voted Republican since then."
Perhaps the politicos are right - voters today make their decisions based on events from the 19th century. I know a heap of folks who live up in here who never want to waver past the line demarcating the 19th and 20th, much less the 21st century.
But I also know that for this election cycle, Hayes and the KPT have been actually reporting on a Democrat candidate's existence, something they were loathe to do until most recently. (also see this follow-up)
So things can change, especially in the media and especially in our 21st century on that new-fangled YouTube page. And from what I'm reading in the Morristown newspaper, Democrat State House Representative John Litz, now seeking the Hamblen County Mayor seat, is raising more money for his campaign than his Republican opponent, Bill Brittain.
A full draft of Mike Clark's speech follows at this link, and here's a bit of it I thought a lot of residents here in East Tennessee might like to hear about:
"You know, as I'm beginning my travels across the First District of Tennessee, one question - well, besides, "Who the heck are you?" - that I keep getting asked is, "Does a Democrat actually stand a chance this November? After all, this is a red state and East Tennessee hasn't elected a Democrat Congressman since, oh, 500 years, or something like that …"
Actually, the last Democrat to go to Washington from East Tennessee was Robert L. Taylor, and he took office in 1878 and was defeated for reelection in 1880 - leaving office in early 1881. That's 129 years and counting since this district sent a Democrat to Congress.
Well, that's why we are here today. We didn't bring the DeLorean from 'Back to the Future,' we can't hit Mr. Peabody's WayBack Machine. We don't have the ability to go back and change the past - we have to create a new future ourselves. Starting here. Starting now.
Can a Democrat win in November? They say we can't. They say the odds are stacked against us. They say Democrats in East Tennessee are disheartened. There aren't enough Democrats to win, they say.
Well, let's look at a few other things they said:
They said an African-American could never be elected president … but he was. We made history.
They said we'd never get meaningful health care reform - and we did. We made history.
It isn't going to be easy. It's going to take dedication and a lot of hard work. But we know that. We need to build on 2008, return everyone we can to the polls this November and bring in a lot of new voters too. We cannot let our spirit down. We have to keep it in mind that we have the right values, we have the right views on the issues facing America, and the First District, today. And we have an outlook that is positive, not negative. Republican leader Newt Gingrich says that if and when the GOP gains the majority in Congress, they're going to repeal everything we've worked hard to obtain - not just health care, but in education, the economy, banking reform - back, back, back to the failed policies of the past; the nasty politics of the past.
You can't go back to the future, despite catchy movie titles. You have to move forward, dare to try - we have to fight like our future depends on it. There is no other choice than to reject the failed policy of the past and instead keep moving forward to prepare for the needs of the future. Yes to innovation, Yes to common sense solutions, Yes to America's children!
Our opponent is not a Yes person, apparently. He's hard to reach - forget the open door, he has open line Friday over the telephone."
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Candidate Mike Clark On Coal And The Recent Coal Mining Disaster
1st District Congressional candidate Mike Clark sent out the following comments via e-mail, focusing on safety and accountability in light of the deadly coal mine disaster in West Virgina.
Clark writes:
"The issues surrounding the extraction and use of coal in this country continues, in a debate that is contentious yet necessary to address the future energy needs of this nation.
But the recent disaster at Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia really has little to do with any discussions of coal mining as part of future energy policy, and everything to do with the willful neglect of a company who's history of infractions grows more legendary by the day.
Upper Big Branch - only one in Massey Energy's large chain of non-union mines - was cited, according to press reports, for 600 violations in just over one year - two delivered to the company the very day of the deadly explosion that killed 25 workers, with four still missing. Many of those previous violations were for inadequate venting of methane - the problem that is widely considered to have contributed to the disaster April 5, the worst in the United States since 1984 and potentially the worst since 1970.
Most coal companies, and especially those represented by union workers, take precautions in the interest of safety. I believe most coal company owners sincerely care about the safety of their employees.
I am not prejudging Massey in this particular case. Perhaps there were system failures of one type or another. But the record is clear. If Massey existed as an individual who had violated law 600 times in one location alone, Massey would be jailed; yet the company is allowed to continue operations seemingly unfazed.
I call on our representatives in Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, to demand and/or initiate a serious and sweeping Congressional inquiry into Massey Energy and its subsidiaries, focusing on safety issues, environmental issues, and exploring all contracts between the United States government and any division of this company - particularly its contracts with the Tennessee Valley Authority, considered to be the largest user of coal in the country; all contracts with Massey should be immediately suspended pending the outcome of this investigation. Six hundred violations in one location alone simply cannot be ignored or left to the normal processes of appeal and adjudication. Twenty-nine families in West Virginia, countless co-workers and friends - and a grieving nation - demand something more.
If, as a result, Massey is forced to lay off employees, unemployment benefits should be fast-tracked to insure workers aren't left in the lurch due to this government action. Any fines or penalties ultimately levied - if so decided by a court of law - should be paid in a timely manner with interest and should at minimum be pegged to the total amount of unemployment payments issued during the investigation process.
East Tennesseans, like all Americans, pay our tax money faithfully, and with the understanding that government will be good-faith stewards of our dollars. In this time of economic distress, we need to insure that our money is spent wisely; TVA, or any government agency, should not enable this company or subsidiaries to continue business as usual. Our tax money and our energy payments directly enable this company to flagrantly violate laws designed to protect its workers; our money should be spent with companies that play by the rules.
We value rule of law; we value the safety of the miners, who walk with danger to power our necessities and our luxuries, who help improve the quality of our lives. We should demand our government spend our money with companies that treat its employees with all the dignity and respect they deserve. Companies are not individuals - they are businesses, subject to local, state and federal government rules and regulations.
In the end, it comes down to what we as a nation value most - the rights of a single corporate entity, or the rights and safety of individuals. No longer should the taxpayers fund outlaws who scoff at regulations designed to protect the very people who work every day to earn that company its profits."
Clark writes:
"The issues surrounding the extraction and use of coal in this country continues, in a debate that is contentious yet necessary to address the future energy needs of this nation.
But the recent disaster at Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia really has little to do with any discussions of coal mining as part of future energy policy, and everything to do with the willful neglect of a company who's history of infractions grows more legendary by the day.
Upper Big Branch - only one in Massey Energy's large chain of non-union mines - was cited, according to press reports, for 600 violations in just over one year - two delivered to the company the very day of the deadly explosion that killed 25 workers, with four still missing. Many of those previous violations were for inadequate venting of methane - the problem that is widely considered to have contributed to the disaster April 5, the worst in the United States since 1984 and potentially the worst since 1970.
Most coal companies, and especially those represented by union workers, take precautions in the interest of safety. I believe most coal company owners sincerely care about the safety of their employees.
I am not prejudging Massey in this particular case. Perhaps there were system failures of one type or another. But the record is clear. If Massey existed as an individual who had violated law 600 times in one location alone, Massey would be jailed; yet the company is allowed to continue operations seemingly unfazed.
I call on our representatives in Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, to demand and/or initiate a serious and sweeping Congressional inquiry into Massey Energy and its subsidiaries, focusing on safety issues, environmental issues, and exploring all contracts between the United States government and any division of this company - particularly its contracts with the Tennessee Valley Authority, considered to be the largest user of coal in the country; all contracts with Massey should be immediately suspended pending the outcome of this investigation. Six hundred violations in one location alone simply cannot be ignored or left to the normal processes of appeal and adjudication. Twenty-nine families in West Virginia, countless co-workers and friends - and a grieving nation - demand something more.
If, as a result, Massey is forced to lay off employees, unemployment benefits should be fast-tracked to insure workers aren't left in the lurch due to this government action. Any fines or penalties ultimately levied - if so decided by a court of law - should be paid in a timely manner with interest and should at minimum be pegged to the total amount of unemployment payments issued during the investigation process.
East Tennesseans, like all Americans, pay our tax money faithfully, and with the understanding that government will be good-faith stewards of our dollars. In this time of economic distress, we need to insure that our money is spent wisely; TVA, or any government agency, should not enable this company or subsidiaries to continue business as usual. Our tax money and our energy payments directly enable this company to flagrantly violate laws designed to protect its workers; our money should be spent with companies that play by the rules.
We value rule of law; we value the safety of the miners, who walk with danger to power our necessities and our luxuries, who help improve the quality of our lives. We should demand our government spend our money with companies that treat its employees with all the dignity and respect they deserve. Companies are not individuals - they are businesses, subject to local, state and federal government rules and regulations.
In the end, it comes down to what we as a nation value most - the rights of a single corporate entity, or the rights and safety of individuals. No longer should the taxpayers fund outlaws who scoff at regulations designed to protect the very people who work every day to earn that company its profits."
Monday, March 29, 2010
Mike Clark Runs For 1st District Congressional Seat
In the last few weeks I've noticed the growing presence of a Democrat candidate in the 1st District, Mike Clark, and he's been organizing quietly on numerous social media outlets - but starting today, he's making a more formal series of announcements.
Mike contacted me today via email about his campaign and offered the following comments:
Mike Clark, a Johnson City native, has announced his bid for the First Congressional District seat currently being held by Republican Dr. Phil Roe.
Clark is running in the primary campaign as a Democrat. He is the Editor of The Loafer (a weekly entertainment magazine in the Tri-Cities), and is married and the father of three children - Carissa, Jenna Kay, and Joshua.
"I'm running because this area needs to hear another voice and be given the opportunity to vote for a different philosophy than one which never proposes, but only opposes," Clark says.
Mike Clark for Congress officially kicks off Saturday, April 17, 2010 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Carter County Courthouse in Elizabethton. The site was not chosen at random.
"The last Democrat to represent this part of East Tennessee in Washington was Robert L. Taylor, who left office in 1881. We hope to go back to that county and start something fresh - perhaps we can begin a new tradition of voting in the First District," Clark says.
Clark says his focus in the campaign will be on jobs, education and the environment - three things he considers linked when thinking about the future of this country, and especially about the future of East Tennessee.
"Washington thinks its a bad thing to bring money back to districts anymore, especially when it might actually make a difference in people's lives. We need a representative in Washington who isn't afraid to defend the needs of his constituents to leadership in Washington of either party - and I won't feel the need to carry water for people just because I'm a Democrat.
"We need for jobs to come back home and we need new jobs; we need environmental programs that are sane and sustainable, and we need education to teach children - and adults - how to perform these new jobs for fair wages. We need sensible plans that will lift all segments of society - from large businesses to the smallest child."
Clark is also keen on helping veterans. "I have members of my family serving overseas, and members of my family who served in the past - my father in World War II. It is absolutely appalling that any veteran is hungry and homeless. We have a duty to see that veterans always have a home, and if I'm elected this is a fight I will take on ... to ensure that we once again treat our veterans with the dignity they deserve."
Clark knows the path will be rough, and the odds are long. "We're gonna work hard, work the grassroots and send the message out. The response has been tremendous so far, and we're only getting started."
Mike Clark can be found on the internet at MikeClarkForCongress.com and on Facebook, by typing in Mike Clark for Congress.
I've written before on my deep dissatisfaction with Rep. Roe who holds the seat now - and more importantly, that the 1st District deserves more than they've gotten over the last 130 years with only one party - the Republicans - controlling access to Congress. It's especially true now since Rep.Roe's only strategy for governing is to stall and stonewall in Congress rather than working to move our community and nation forward into the 21st century.
In coming days and weeks, I'll have more on Mike's campaign and perhaps an interview as well. Getting the attention of residents in the 1st District is no simple task - local traditional media like newspapers, radio and television must step in to inform the public that a choice exists, that there are issues to be debated and discussed, and that part of the job of the press is to challenge and question our elected officials and to keep residents informed about elections and candidates.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Congressman Roe's Feeble Email on Education In Tennessee
Must be an election year, as for the first time, 1st District Congressman Phil Roe is shooting out an email proclaiming how good it is to get an education. What daring! What bravado!
In emphasizing the importance of a good education, the email from Rep. Roe (who sits on the Congressional committee for Education and Labor) says of No Child Left Behind laws:
"However, the law’s requirement that all schools meet certain standards are faced with severe punishments that are not realistic and are demoralizing our educators in public education."
Rep. Roe seems to need some after-class work on language skills. (Are needing? Are needs work?)
The well-worn (or just plain empty) language he uses in this email trots out some standard (make that bland and incorrect) notions on economic growth and education:
"I believe there is a direct correlation between the strength of our economy and the education that we provide to our young people. The better quality of education we can provide our children, the more opportunities they are afforded in life, and the higher chance they will be able to acquire a job. Economic research has found links between higher levels of cognitive skill—defined as “the performance of students on tests in math and science”—and economic growth. Specifically, Eric Hanushek, Dean Jamison, Eliot Jamison, and Ludger Woessmann write in the Spring 2008 issue of Education Next that countries with higher test scores experience far higher growth rates. In their research, they have found that a highly skilled workforce can raise economic growth by about two thirds of a percentage point every year.
And perhaps Rep. Roe should have taken more notice on the legislation just passed at the state level aiming to increase the number of students who actually graduate from high school. Or take stock of the fact that most Tennessee students heading into college need remedial classes:
"Right now, more than half the students who start college in Tennessee need remedial course work, repeating the same math, reading and writing courses they took in high school. Universities will get out of the business of remedial education.
To make sure Rep. Roe is shoring up his base here in the 1st District, his email also takes time to ask your opinion on "Health Care Reform"(CORRECTION: make that "Health Care Survey" but still, another poorly played political 'gotcha' question) by asking you for your opinion on abortion, and concludes with a few swipes at President Obama.
Pretty feeble stuff - the hallmark of a 1st District congressman.
In emphasizing the importance of a good education, the email from Rep. Roe (who sits on the Congressional committee for Education and Labor) says of No Child Left Behind laws:
"However, the law’s requirement that all schools meet certain standards are faced with severe punishments that are not realistic and are demoralizing our educators in public education."
Rep. Roe seems to need some after-class work on language skills. (Are needing? Are needs work?)
The well-worn (or just plain empty) language he uses in this email trots out some standard (make that bland and incorrect) notions on economic growth and education:
"I believe there is a direct correlation between the strength of our economy and the education that we provide to our young people. The better quality of education we can provide our children, the more opportunities they are afforded in life, and the higher chance they will be able to acquire a job. Economic research has found links between higher levels of cognitive skill—defined as “the performance of students on tests in math and science”—and economic growth. Specifically, Eric Hanushek, Dean Jamison, Eliot Jamison, and Ludger Woessmann write in the Spring 2008 issue of Education Next that countries with higher test scores experience far higher growth rates. In their research, they have found that a highly skilled workforce can raise economic growth by about two thirds of a percentage point every year.
If we create a better education system, I believe we will solve problems like health care and energy because people will simply be able to make the right choices for themselves."
And perhaps Rep. Roe should have taken more notice on the legislation just passed at the state level aiming to increase the number of students who actually graduate from high school. Or take stock of the fact that most Tennessee students heading into college need remedial classes:
"Right now, more than half the students who start college in Tennessee need remedial course work, repeating the same math, reading and writing courses they took in high school. Universities will get out of the business of remedial education.
Instead, students who need remedial course work will be steered into community college, where classes are smaller and tuition is half the price of university courses. Universities, meanwhile, will be able to free their professors and resources to focus on more advanced courses.
This sounds fine in theory to the community colleges, where more than 60 percent of students already take remedial coursework, and the schools have spent years fine-tuning their outreach efforts. But Tennessee is in the middle of a budget crisis, and it will cost money to provide the teaching staff, equipment and classroom space to handle the thousands of new students who will be diverted into the two-year schools.
To make sure Rep. Roe is shoring up his base here in the 1st District, his email also takes time to ask your opinion on "Health Care Reform"(CORRECTION: make that "Health Care Survey" but still, another poorly played political 'gotcha' question) by asking you for your opinion on abortion, and concludes with a few swipes at President Obama.
Pretty feeble stuff - the hallmark of a 1st District congressman.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Citizens For Accountability Target Morristown, Hamblen County Government
Some local residents have decided the city and county government in Morristown and Hamblen County needs some rigorous oversight and dedicated input to improve how they function.
Citizens for Accountability has launched a website to provide information about how these local governments operate, where they have failed and what needs to be done to improve conditions overall. WBIR offered a small feature on their efforts in their Tuesday news report.
One comment from that report by interim city administrator Lynn Wampler stands out -- that to get accurate information about city government, residents should attend the council meetings rather than visit the CFA website. However, with the meeting time of 4 pm, it's a tough to schedule or plan to attend.
What to do to change that? A very simple act, something the city has refused to do, is to record and replay the meetings for broadcast on the local cable Government and Education Channel. The county government has been doing this for years. The city refuses to participate or even investigate how to use very ordinary technology to inform and educate the public.
Why? Why not allow for meetings to be rebroadcast? Why allow only after-the-fact reporting from local media of city meetings?
Maybe the city council and mayor and city administrator want to keep their actions cloaked and obscured because what has been taking place has not been legal under state guidelines ....
Writer and blogger Linda Noe offers some perspective on the current financial mess in the city at the CFA website:
"This year the City is “caught” with a 6/30/09 deficit that it can’t erase with another illegal, unauthorized loan. While there is no official loan, the auditors are apparently going to report that “$1 Million + is due from the General Fund to the Sewer Fund” and “$1 Million + is due to the Sewer Fund from the General Fund.” Sounds like a loan but it just doesn’t use the word loan. When state officials get the city’s audit, they will likely see and know what’s going on this time and report that the city is in violation of state law.
Citizens for Accountability has launched a website to provide information about how these local governments operate, where they have failed and what needs to be done to improve conditions overall. WBIR offered a small feature on their efforts in their Tuesday news report.
One comment from that report by interim city administrator Lynn Wampler stands out -- that to get accurate information about city government, residents should attend the council meetings rather than visit the CFA website. However, with the meeting time of 4 pm, it's a tough to schedule or plan to attend.
What to do to change that? A very simple act, something the city has refused to do, is to record and replay the meetings for broadcast on the local cable Government and Education Channel. The county government has been doing this for years. The city refuses to participate or even investigate how to use very ordinary technology to inform and educate the public.
Why? Why not allow for meetings to be rebroadcast? Why allow only after-the-fact reporting from local media of city meetings?
Maybe the city council and mayor and city administrator want to keep their actions cloaked and obscured because what has been taking place has not been legal under state guidelines ....
Writer and blogger Linda Noe offers some perspective on the current financial mess in the city at the CFA website:
"This year the City is “caught” with a 6/30/09 deficit that it can’t erase with another illegal, unauthorized loan. While there is no official loan, the auditors are apparently going to report that “$1 Million + is due from the General Fund to the Sewer Fund” and “$1 Million + is due to the Sewer Fund from the General Fund.” Sounds like a loan but it just doesn’t use the word loan. When state officials get the city’s audit, they will likely see and know what’s going on this time and report that the city is in violation of state law.
This three-year fiasco highlights a number of serious problems at the City Center:
1. Auditors that have allowed illegal, unauthorized loans (Sewer Fund to General Fund) for 2007 and 2008 without reporting them to the Mayor and Council.
2. Budget and Finance Personnel who have been a party to these illegal, unauthorized loans without reporting or seeking approval of the Mayor and Council.
3. A former City Administrator who was a major player in these illegal, unauthorized loans without reporting or seeking the approval of the Mayor and Council.
4. A Mayor and Councilmembers who did not take the time to examine the yearly audits, ask questions, and get answers. [The cash poor condition of the General Fund was evident in the audits--but you had to actually open the audit and look at a few key pages to see that unauthorized loans were being recorded in the audits to "cover up" the dire financial condition of the City].
Elected office is not just a fancy title with a nameplate and special parking place. It is a high calling when you are entrusted with other people’s money. Elected officials ask to be put into office. If given the opportunity to serve, they have an obligation to give whatever time it takes and to do whatever is necessary to see that taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and legally."
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Limited Online Access to Local Government
Sunshine Review is a website tracking transparency in government and it also compiles state by state reviews on how much information is available to the public via local and state government websites. Tennessee has a token presence online but more than one-third of the counties don't even have a website (35 counties have no website).
Hamblen County scores an "F" for their website, despite some recent improvements (more on those new changes is here at noe4acccountability). UPDATE: Speaking with County Mayor David Purkey, he points out there are several errors in the Sunshine Review evaluation, noting that the most recent county audits are available via the Hamblen County website, which the SR scores incorrectly, also that vendor info is available. Other improvements are underway but Purkey again pointed out that the scoring had old information and was not current.
Statewide, the current status of online information has plenty of gaps:
Hamblen County scores an "F" for their website, despite some recent improvements (more on those new changes is here at noe4acccountability). UPDATE: Speaking with County Mayor David Purkey, he points out there are several errors in the Sunshine Review evaluation, noting that the most recent county audits are available via the Hamblen County website, which the SR scores incorrectly, also that vendor info is available. Other improvements are underway but Purkey again pointed out that the scoring had old information and was not current.
Statewide, the current status of online information has plenty of gaps:
- 21 Tennessee counties put their budgets on their websites.
- 23 counties include information on their websites about public government meetings.
- 51 include information about the county's elected officials.
- 56 include information about the county's administrative officials.
- 12 give information about permits and zoning in the county.
- 16 of the counties put information on their websites about audits that the county government has had performed.
- None of the counties provide information about their contracts with county vendors.
- None of the county websites disclose whether or not they belong to any taxpayer-funded lobbying associations.
- None of the counties provide information on how to request public records using the Tennessee Open Records Act.
- 16 county websites provide some information about county taxes.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Sen. Alexander Writes Fairy Tales Heard From FOX and Glenn Beck
Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander has - as a friend of mine says, "Had the cheese fall off his cracker".
Sen. Alexander and a handful of other senators who seems to take all their marching orders from FOX news (see video below) sent a letter to President Obama wailing that our Constitution is on the edge of destruction because (as FOX and Glenn Beck told him) there are "czars" running national offices. And he it utterly wrong. Congressman Joe Wilson might use a different phrase ...
ACK at Post Politics mentioned Alexander's letter today, which says in part:
"We write to express our growing concern with the proliferation of "czars" in your Administration. These positions raise serious issues of accountability, transparency, and oversight. The creation of "czars," particularly within the Executive Office of the President, circumvents the constitutionally established process of "advise and consent," greatly diminishes the ability of Congress to conduct oversight and hold officials accountable, and creates confusion about which officials are responsible for policy decisions."
The Senator (and all those who signed the letter, Sen. Susan Collins, Sen. Chris Bond, Sen. Mike Crapo, Sen. Pat Roberts, and Sen. Robert Bennett) seems to be in dire need of a history lesson. At the least, he could read some of the writing of Steve Benen at Washington Monthly, who wrote on Sept. 7th:
"On Fox News yesterday, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said the president's use of czars is "an affront to the Constitution."
It's also worth a mention that it was the Press - not any of the presidents - who coined the term because the long job titles these officials have are awfully long words and long words may give them migraines or something. As for Beck, his goal is to scare the bejebus out of anyone and everyone who likes America and is cognizant of history.
Rachel Maddow notes that the deep-seated and greatly misunderstood ramblings of Sen. Alexander are more akin to a comedy skit via Saturday Night Live featuring the always confused Emily Litella:
Sen. Alexander and a handful of other senators who seems to take all their marching orders from FOX news (see video below) sent a letter to President Obama wailing that our Constitution is on the edge of destruction because (as FOX and Glenn Beck told him) there are "czars" running national offices. And he it utterly wrong. Congressman Joe Wilson might use a different phrase ...
ACK at Post Politics mentioned Alexander's letter today, which says in part:
"We write to express our growing concern with the proliferation of "czars" in your Administration. These positions raise serious issues of accountability, transparency, and oversight. The creation of "czars," particularly within the Executive Office of the President, circumvents the constitutionally established process of "advise and consent," greatly diminishes the ability of Congress to conduct oversight and hold officials accountable, and creates confusion about which officials are responsible for policy decisions."
The Senator (and all those who signed the letter, Sen. Susan Collins, Sen. Chris Bond, Sen. Mike Crapo, Sen. Pat Roberts, and Sen. Robert Bennett) seems to be in dire need of a history lesson. At the least, he could read some of the writing of Steve Benen at Washington Monthly, who wrote on Sept. 7th:
"On Fox News yesterday, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said the president's use of czars is "an affront to the Constitution."
I did some research last night, trying to find examples of Lamar Alexander criticizing the Bush administration's use of czars. After all, Bush/Cheney not only kept some of the czars left over from the Clinton and the H.W. Bush administrations, but also oversaw the creation of a "food safety czar," a "cybersecurity czar," a "regulatory czar," an "AIDS czar," a "manufacturing czar," an "intelligence czar," a "bird-flu czar," and a "Katrina czar." If Alexander is concerned about this "proliferation" of czars, surely he raised some concerns during the previous administration.
Except he didn't. As far as I can tell, Alexander never said a word. Apparently, Republican czars are fine; Democratic czars are un-American. Just because. Good to know.
I think I have a solution to this meaningless dust-up: stop using the word "czar." It's a meaningless word, anyway. It's not as if there's a single person in the executive branch with the word "czar" in their formal title -- it's just a colloquial political euphemism.
Take this report from last night, for example, and notice the "c" word isn't in it.
'President Obama has named Ron Bloom as the administration's senior counselor for manufacturing policy, the White House said Sunday night. The announcement came ahead of Mr. Obama's planned remarks at the A.F.L.-C.I.O.'s annual Labor Day picnic in Cincinnati.
'Since February, Mr. Bloom has been a senior adviser to Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner. He sits on the president's automotive industry task force. The White House said Mr. Bloom would continue that position and would expand his role to coordinate the administration's manufacturing policy with the Commerce, Treasury, Energy and Labor departments.'
Sounds reasonable, doesn't it? The president wants a special focus on the U.S. manufacturing sector, so he'll have a senior advisor who'll help oversee the White House manufacturing policy.'
"So, is Bloom the new "manufacturing czar" (a position created by George W. Bush)? Only if we choose to use the phrase. The alternative is to say that Ron Bloom will be advising the president on manufacturing policy. The "c" word has been deemed scary, but the job description is innocuous.
"This has broad applicability. The president has a "Guantanamo closure czar"? No, he has a guy at the Pentagon whose focus is on closing the detention facility there. There's nothing "czarist" about it. The president has a "Mideast peace czar"? No, he has a guy whose job it is to focus on negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. The president has a "Great Lakes czar"? No, he has a guy heading up the administration's efforts to improve water quality in the Great Lakes.
None of these jobs are controversial. It only becomes "an affront to the Constitution" when it's made to sound unnecessarily nefarious."
It's also worth a mention that it was the Press - not any of the presidents - who coined the term because the long job titles these officials have are awfully long words and long words may give them migraines or something. As for Beck, his goal is to scare the bejebus out of anyone and everyone who likes America and is cognizant of history.
Rachel Maddow notes that the deep-seated and greatly misunderstood ramblings of Sen. Alexander are more akin to a comedy skit via Saturday Night Live featuring the always confused Emily Litella:
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Secret Deals Between Jefferson County Government and The Railroad
Several citizens groups have formed to halt the plan to construct a Norfolk-Southern rail and truck facility, though the reporting via today's Knoxville News Sentinel pretty much implies the residents are out of luck and their county's landscape will be forever changed.
So far, the Powers That Be have excluded local residents from having any voice in this project, a tactic which serves only to alienate and anger residents -- isn't it time these kind of secret government-business deals end once and for all??
The KNS report by Ed Marcum says:
"Upset that local officials have signed confidentiality agreements with the railroad company and that the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce has excluded them from a meeting with Norfolk Southern, about 10-12 people have formed Jefferson County Tomorrow to take action.
You can contact the Jefferson County government offices via their web page.
You can contact the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce via their web page.
So far, the Powers That Be have excluded local residents from having any voice in this project, a tactic which serves only to alienate and anger residents -- isn't it time these kind of secret government-business deals end once and for all??
The KNS report by Ed Marcum says:
"Upset that local officials have signed confidentiality agreements with the railroad company and that the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce has excluded them from a meeting with Norfolk Southern, about 10-12 people have formed Jefferson County Tomorrow to take action.
They have set up a Web site, are arranging to get help from the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund, are talking with the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, distributing letters to property owners, collecting names on a petition and looking into legal options - all toward stopping a Norfolk Southern facility they say would take out a three-mile swath of farmland along Highway 11E in New Market.
"The point is this thing is growing," Alex Miller, a Jefferson County Tomorrow organizer, said of the group. "It is not going away, we are going to fight this to the very last minute. We will take this all the way, and Norfolk Southern and the county and the state need to understand that this is our homes we are protecting."
Summing up the group's concerns, Miller said it made no sense to put a huge industrial facility in the middle of prime farmland adjacent to an elementary school and next to railroad tracks but about 10 miles from Interstate 40 and in a county that already is in air pollution non-attainment from vehicle emissions.
Norfolk Southern proposes to build a $60 million intermodal facility on 280 acres along Highway 11E next to New Market Elementary School. Such a facility would allow trucks to bring in trailers or cargo containers that could be loaded onto flatbed railroad cars for shipment across great distances. The proposed facility would handle about 180 trailers or containers a day, plus about 67 additional trucks without separate trailers. Studies have projected it could be an economic engine for Jefferson County and East Tennessee, generating 1,801 jobs in New Market by 2020 and 2,600 to 2,700 jobs in Jefferson County by 2025.
But the way officials have handled the issue rankles many people, members of the group say.
Harvey Young said about a week ago Jefferson County's Chamber of Commerce held an informational meeting with Norfolk Southern officials. About seven members of Jefferson County Tomorrow tried to attend but were turned away by a law enforcement officer, Young said.
"They told us this meeting was by invitation only," he said.
Another issue is the confidentiality agreements some officials signed with Norfolk Southern, stirring concern about government secrecy. One of the public officials who signed a confidentiality agreement was Phil Kindred, Jefferson County Commission chairman and a commissioner in the district where the proposed facility would be built.
In a July newsletter to constituents, Kindred said that in October 2007, Norfolk Southern asked him and others on a county task force to sign a "confidentiality letter" about the project. Other officials included Jefferson County Mayor Alan Palmieri, Appalachian Electric Cooperative representatives Bill Underwood and Greg Williams, Industrial Development Board representative Ed Stiner, Chamber of Commerce President Eli Matijevich and Chamber Executive Director Don Cason.
Kindred said other residents also have signed agreements, bringing the total number to about 17.
The letter prohibited signers from sharing information until a decision was made to release a public announcement, Kindred said. Initially he was reluctant to sign, but he felt he would be able to learn more about a project that could have a huge impact on the county, he said.
Task force members believed a public statement would be forthcoming, releasing them from their pledge of silence, but the slowing economy caused the process to drag on, Kindred said.
"Although the local task force members felt an urgent need to inform the community and our Industrial Board, the process never seemed to reach that point and ultimately some of the information was 'leaked' to New Market residents," he wrote.
Leaked information prompted a July 2 public meeting at Jefferson Middle School. There, Palmieri confirmed he had signed the agreement and said he had also signed agreements for a NASCAR speed park complex, an amusement park and other proposals that never became public issues because they fell through. To jeers from the crowd at the public meeting, Palmieri said he has not withheld any information from the public.
Jefferson County Tomorrow members John Kramer and Jennifer Nicely wrote the mayor for copies of the confidentiality agreement, but received letters from Jefferson County's attorney, S. Douglas Drinnon, saying they were not available.
"I understand that the document you requested is not in the possession or custody of the Jefferson County mayor or any governmental agency of Jefferson County," Drinnon wrote. He did not return a call Tuesday for comment.
Miller said the group has been told that Norfolk Southern has all copies of the agreement. The group contacted Norfolk Southern but the company would not release any of those copies, he said."
You can contact the Jefferson County government offices via their web page.
You can contact the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce via their web page.
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Sen. Ramsey Fails At Tea Party Math
Cultivating his supporters for a run for Governor of Tennessee, Sen. Ron Ramsey spoke with a passion at a "tea party" rally in the Tri-Cities this weekend, but he (or the Johnson City Press typesetters and/or their reporter) failed to realize just when the Declaration of Independence was created.
"I’m excited about these (events). It’s exactly how our country got started. If you look back 223 years ago today ... there were 56 men that walked out of a building there at Independence Hall and had the Declaration of Independence,” Ramsey said. “Just ordinary people just like us. Ordinary people with no political agenda other than they wanted to be free and that’s exactly what we’re doing here today."
Missed it by a few years, there Senator. 223 years would put the date at 1786, not 1776. And let's be honest too - there were crystal clear agendas - a desire to be the next governor for Sen. Ramsey,- and that the extraordinary writers of that declaration did indeed have very strong political agendas, from freedom to taxation to dreams of a new nation. I'd call those mistaken comments a Political Fail on a couple of levels.
I wrote some yesterday about the multiple mini-protests in East Tennessee, with numerous Republican officials in attendance. And what I wrote yesterday continues to amaze me - crowds of people decrying how bad Congress and the President are -- even though East TN has consistently elected only Republicans to Congress, for more than 120 years in the case of the 1st Congressional District.
Maybe the tea warriors need to think about getting someone other than Republicans elected as their representative if real change is their goal. Otherwise, just what are they protesting?
Maybe, as the photo from the Johnson City Press shows, the events are meant to simply praise certain cable news channels:
"I’m excited about these (events). It’s exactly how our country got started. If you look back 223 years ago today ... there were 56 men that walked out of a building there at Independence Hall and had the Declaration of Independence,” Ramsey said. “Just ordinary people just like us. Ordinary people with no political agenda other than they wanted to be free and that’s exactly what we’re doing here today."
Missed it by a few years, there Senator. 223 years would put the date at 1786, not 1776. And let's be honest too - there were crystal clear agendas - a desire to be the next governor for Sen. Ramsey,- and that the extraordinary writers of that declaration did indeed have very strong political agendas, from freedom to taxation to dreams of a new nation. I'd call those mistaken comments a Political Fail on a couple of levels.
I wrote some yesterday about the multiple mini-protests in East Tennessee, with numerous Republican officials in attendance. And what I wrote yesterday continues to amaze me - crowds of people decrying how bad Congress and the President are -- even though East TN has consistently elected only Republicans to Congress, for more than 120 years in the case of the 1st Congressional District.
Maybe the tea warriors need to think about getting someone other than Republicans elected as their representative if real change is their goal. Otherwise, just what are they protesting?
Maybe, as the photo from the Johnson City Press shows, the events are meant to simply praise certain cable news channels:
Monday, July 06, 2009
Rep. Phil Roe's Odd Tea Party
According to the OpenPen blog, 1st District Congressman Dr. Phil Roe (aka Dr No) had some fiery words to stir the crowd -- but just what was he calling on the crowd to do?
(Rep. Roe also made time to attend a few other "tea party" events, along with the former 1st District Congressman David Davis, State Senator Steve Southerland R-1st, of Morristown, and state Rep. David Hawk, R-5th, of Greeneville, but they did not speak and were not recognized by any of the speakers and other elected officials.)
Chris Lambert at OpenPen writes:
"While I have my own differences with the Tea Party crowds and some of the reasons that they claim have brought them together, I fully respect and appreciate their right to protest and gather to voice their concerns. But what really confuses me is their timing and I have to ask, where were they for the past eight and a half years? The timing is highly suspect in many eyes, coming right after a very heated campaign and election of a Democratic President. So why all of a sudden, have these protests started popping up? They rail against government spending and the economic collapse, two areas where the previous administration redefined our perception of the terms and set the stage for the greatest economic collapse since the Great Depression. Where were the Tea Party protests then? I ask because I would have considered joining them myself, if these are the two areas that are the most troubling to this group. I think all of us, irrespective of our political ideology, could get behind a movement to hold our government accountable for rampant and out of control spending across the spectrum of our government."
---
"Dr. Phil Roe, our Congressman, decided that he would use the opportunity to fill in the Tea Party protesters on just what he is doing in Washington – voting No at every opportunity on every issue, much like the rest of the Republican Party. He also had this interesting quote to give to the crowd:
Meanwhile, former congressman Davis offered this comment:
"The event’s keynote speaker, former U.S. Rep. David Davis, spoke out against politicians using the tax code as a tool for social engineering.
(Rep. Roe also made time to attend a few other "tea party" events, along with the former 1st District Congressman David Davis, State Senator Steve Southerland R-1st, of Morristown, and state Rep. David Hawk, R-5th, of Greeneville, but they did not speak and were not recognized by any of the speakers and other elected officials.)
Chris Lambert at OpenPen writes:
"While I have my own differences with the Tea Party crowds and some of the reasons that they claim have brought them together, I fully respect and appreciate their right to protest and gather to voice their concerns. But what really confuses me is their timing and I have to ask, where were they for the past eight and a half years? The timing is highly suspect in many eyes, coming right after a very heated campaign and election of a Democratic President. So why all of a sudden, have these protests started popping up? They rail against government spending and the economic collapse, two areas where the previous administration redefined our perception of the terms and set the stage for the greatest economic collapse since the Great Depression. Where were the Tea Party protests then? I ask because I would have considered joining them myself, if these are the two areas that are the most troubling to this group. I think all of us, irrespective of our political ideology, could get behind a movement to hold our government accountable for rampant and out of control spending across the spectrum of our government."
---
"Dr. Phil Roe, our Congressman, decided that he would use the opportunity to fill in the Tea Party protesters on just what he is doing in Washington – voting No at every opportunity on every issue, much like the rest of the Republican Party. He also had this interesting quote to give to the crowd:
“It’s not about firecrackers. It’s about 56 people standing up declaring themselves independent of a king and we might have to do it again,” Roe said.
That raises some interesting questions about Congressman Roe and what he feels is needed at this point. Looking at his words, it’s plain that he see’s President Obama as a “King”. Does Congressman Roe believe, like many others in the Tea Party protests, that another revolution is somehow warranted because of policy differences with the present administration? I thought we had a political system that was designed to prevent such horrific things from occurring, mainly through the ballot box and through such offices as the one that Dr. Roe now holds? So why is it that Congressman Roe feels that our current state as a nation rises to such a level as to suggest such a thing? It’s clear by his own presence at this protest that he was playing to the crowd, but does Congressman Roe have the backbone to refuse all Federal funds coming his way to our district? That’s the only way that he can put his money where his mouth is and prove to all of us that he really is standing against what he perceives as a threat to our “freedom”. And going further, how exactly are our freedoms being threatened by this administration? The last time I checked, the Bill of Rights is still intact (albeit after 8 years of being threatened in many ways).
I find it very strange that I didn’t see Dr. Roe in the streets a few years ago, when President George W. Bush was spending our country into oblivion and making some of the worst decisions on an international scale that have cost our country billions and an immeasurable amount in human suffering. Now, a new administration comes along that just happens to not be of the same political party of Dr. Roe, and he’s outraged and ready to take to the streets? Call me skeptical of his intentions."
Meanwhile, former congressman Davis offered this comment:
"The event’s keynote speaker, former U.S. Rep. David Davis, spoke out against politicians using the tax code as a tool for social engineering.
“They use it to control our behavior, steer our choices and change the way we live our lives,” Davis, a Johnson City Republican, said of the tax code. “Our elected representatives should only use taxes to fund the necessities of government, and they must put a stop to both social engineering and corporate bailouts.”
Before he spoke, Davis was asked if his remarks represented an unofficial kickoff to his 2010 campaign to unseat Roe.
“I haven’t decided whether I’m going to run yet,” said Davis, who lost to Roe in the 2008 GOP primary. “I’m keeping the door open. This event is really about freedom and liberty. ... We’ve lost our faith in God as a Christian nation. And we’ve lost our faith in the Constitution. If we get back to those two things, America continues to be a shining city on the hill.”
When asked why “Tea Parties” weren’t held when the policies of former President George W. Bush were adding to the national debt, Davis responded: “I think there should have been. The Republicans spent too much money. But this is not a Republican crowd. This is not a Democrat crowd. This is an American crowd. I think Americans right now are fed up with politicians.”
Part of me is rather proud that citizens feel duty-bound to speak out on how our government works. But the real work is done day-to-day, talking directly to elected officials, writing letters and making phone calls, encouraging discussion among friends and family, taking part in community groups whose goals include improving the quality of life on local, state and national levels.
But here's the problem in the 1st District - voters have allowed for only representatives from the Republican Party to hold office for over 120 years in Congress. Maybe that's the problem you should fix first.
VIDEO VIA THE KINGSPORT TIMES NEWS of the event:
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)