Wednesday, May 28, 2008

What is a Nashville Democrat?

If you caught Sunday's edition of This Week with Bob Mueller, you heard a comment from panelist Liz Murray Garrigan of the Nashville Scene about Nashvillians telling her that Gov. DINO of Tennessee would be good VP choice for the Democratic presidential ticket.

Liz is the best political writer in the state. And the comments she fields about Phil Bredesen being VP stock for the Democratic Party ticket must drive her mad for their far removal from reality. In a fine column a month or so ago, she called out Bredesen for his betrayal on many issues. Gov. Dino's most frequent excuse has been that he did not have the time for the issue.

Gov. DINO -- a Democrat In Name Only who is a Flintstones' dinosaur when it comes to proposing, supporting and preserving progressive political policy -- has cut state health care rolls, threatened the employment of the working poor in state jobs and proposed to maintain a $100 million goody bag for corporations under the "one size fits all" category of economic development. Meanwhile, Tennessee families being buried by rising medical bills saw any help for them snuffed out this legislative session.

Yet, Nashville Democrats continue to tout Gov. DINO as someone worthy to be on a national ticket of change. Former Rep. Harold Ford, Jr., not of Nashville, has even said the same. Do these people not want a new political party in the White House? Gov. DINO would be a better fit as Sen. John McCain's running mate on the GOP side, since he has run state government as if Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn was in the executive mansion. The only real difference between him and Blackburn is that he knows how to keep his campaign finance books in accordance with the law.

So when it comes to that political animal called Nashvillius Democratus, I just don't know. Could someone tell me what qualities and positions on issues distinguish this being from the GOP counterpart? So far, it looks like they're more stuck on celebrity and wealth, which should help Miley Cyrus when she decides to run for governor.

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