I love watching the Olympics almost as much as my wife. And of course, we root hardest for the athletes from our country.
But it is most difficult to hear NBC and CNBC talking heads boast of how great China's games have been and how few protests they've seen.
What's wrong with protests? They are representative of a free people using their liberties to the utmost. Yet CNBC and NBC know the real truth that has been provided by the print media about these games. They're just looking the other way.
The Chinese to get the games had to agree to set up seven protest zones around Beijing. But the Chinese government must approve permits for people to protest. And they've turned down a lot of permits, particularly requests for their own people.
Two Chinese women in their late '70s -- who continuously applied for permits to protest -- were sentenced to one-year in an re-education labor camp. Chinese parents who protested the poor construction of schools that claimed the lives of their children during the recent earthquake in central China also were arrested -- this time last month.
Yes, the Chinese produced a most beautiful opening ceremonies. But more print media reports have produced revelations that human beings were put through 16-hour practice days. They lived in tough conditions in apartments on the outskirts of the city. And many had to wear adult diapers because they were required to stand in place for hours.
These revelations have not made it on the air at CNBC and NBC in telecasts from Beijing. Why? First, that would eat into big profits the network is making. Second, they could have their satellite connections pulled by the Chinese government. And that would cost money.
Finally, 10 American citizens were arrested for protesting over Tibet. They had prviously protested without incident. But since their latest protest came in the last days of the Olympics, they were arrested and sentenced to 10-days in detention. Protestors usually are just asked to leave the country. So sentencing U.S. citizens to imprisonment is unacceptable.
So as the Olympics come to an end and the Chinese produce a thrilling closing ceremony, remember the old women sentenced to labor-re-educaton prison simply for asking to protest the poor price given for their homes to make room for Olympic facilities. NBC did report initially report on criticism on the poor prices. But the arrest and sentencing have not been mentioned, or at least from my dedicated viewing not prominently on prime time.
Remember your fellow citizens put into Chinese jail for simply speaking their minds.
Remember the poor folks participating in the closing ceremonies and the horrible conditions they've endured.
And remember the big bucks NBC is reaping, partly because of the incidents they're not mentioning. For me, China is finishing these games with the world's greatest fears about it confirmed.
I wouldn't mind NBC staying quiet about these human rights violations if its talking heads didn't in turn so gushing praise the Chinese government.
But money always talks loudest as the Chinese again walk away from human rights.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Obama needs a woman, and I don't mean for sex
NBC News revealed new poll resuls this evening that showed Republican Sen. John McCain has pulled within three percentage points of Democratic Sen. Barack Obama in the race for the presidency. In polling, three percentage points are a statistical dead heat.
And news media pundits are sending out conflicting signals tonight that Obama will pick either Sen. Joe Biden or Sen. Evan Bayh for his running mate on Saturday. Biden brings more to a ticket than Bayh. He is a class guy and foreign policy expect. But neither MAN offers any excitement that Sen. Hillary Clinton would bring as a running mate, or another female politico of substance.
The glow is off the Obama campaign. Next week's Democratic National Convention offers some hope of reinvigoration, but then McCain gets to trump Obama's pick publicity-wise with his own VP choice. And talk of McCain picking Sen. Joseph Lieberman makes a McCain presidency more acceptable.
Also to my liking is all the grief being hurled at McCain by radio talk jock Rush Limbaugh over possibly picking McCain. If Rush hates it, then it has to be good for America.
A bipartisan ticket of McCain-Lieberman gives me hope that McCain would be about dishing out payback to conservatives such as Limbaugh if he gets to the White House. And that could mean immigration reform with a new process toward legalization of undocumented human beings. That could mean something closer to universal health care and affordability than this nation has ever had. That could mean Supreme Court choices not geared to how a nominee stands on abortion.
Liberman is pro-choice. McCain is against abortion.
Obama's inexperience has shown up since he defeated Clinton. His comment on the Russian invasion of Georgia was shockingly ridiculous. Then he went on vacation. National security moms are going to determine the election in November. Obama deeply worries them.
McCain is much more a threat to capture the presidency than he was before Obama clinched the Democratic nomination. That's Obama's fault. And it is his weakness that any convention bounce or picking yet another man for his ticket cannot hope to cover.
For some strange reason, I expect more of the Democrats to recognize the need for a woman on the ticket to truly make it historic and invincible. Creating change in Washington must be preceded by change in the good ol' boy system that dominates politics of both parties. Biden and Bayh represent more of the same. And picking either of them will make voting for McCain more palatable.
And news media pundits are sending out conflicting signals tonight that Obama will pick either Sen. Joe Biden or Sen. Evan Bayh for his running mate on Saturday. Biden brings more to a ticket than Bayh. He is a class guy and foreign policy expect. But neither MAN offers any excitement that Sen. Hillary Clinton would bring as a running mate, or another female politico of substance.
The glow is off the Obama campaign. Next week's Democratic National Convention offers some hope of reinvigoration, but then McCain gets to trump Obama's pick publicity-wise with his own VP choice. And talk of McCain picking Sen. Joseph Lieberman makes a McCain presidency more acceptable.
Also to my liking is all the grief being hurled at McCain by radio talk jock Rush Limbaugh over possibly picking McCain. If Rush hates it, then it has to be good for America.
A bipartisan ticket of McCain-Lieberman gives me hope that McCain would be about dishing out payback to conservatives such as Limbaugh if he gets to the White House. And that could mean immigration reform with a new process toward legalization of undocumented human beings. That could mean something closer to universal health care and affordability than this nation has ever had. That could mean Supreme Court choices not geared to how a nominee stands on abortion.
Liberman is pro-choice. McCain is against abortion.
Obama's inexperience has shown up since he defeated Clinton. His comment on the Russian invasion of Georgia was shockingly ridiculous. Then he went on vacation. National security moms are going to determine the election in November. Obama deeply worries them.
McCain is much more a threat to capture the presidency than he was before Obama clinched the Democratic nomination. That's Obama's fault. And it is his weakness that any convention bounce or picking yet another man for his ticket cannot hope to cover.
For some strange reason, I expect more of the Democrats to recognize the need for a woman on the ticket to truly make it historic and invincible. Creating change in Washington must be preceded by change in the good ol' boy system that dominates politics of both parties. Biden and Bayh represent more of the same. And picking either of them will make voting for McCain more palatable.
An August Saturday at Vanderbilt shows what the ideal looks like for Nashville and the nation
It was only by medical accident that I was on the Vanderbilt University campus on the third Saturday in August.
Little did I know that the Saturday that brought me there was probably the busiest one of the year on this "shining city on a hill," as President Ronald Reagan once called the United States of America.
The campus was swarmed by families and children, young adults and the very old. The smiling faces were colored black, brown, bronze, tan, pinkish and every hue in between. The license plates on the vehicles were from across the nation. The race and ethnicities of the human beings seemed to be of every one we've seen in the Beijing Olympics. And the languages spoken were English, Chinese, Spanish, Arabic and tongues I could not make out due to my ignorance.
Indeed, Vanderbilt on this August Saturday was also a Tale of Two Cities, as then New York Gov. Mario Cuomo called the same America Reagan cited in 1984.
Within the borders of Vanderbilt, there was immunity to the virus sickening the rest of Nashville and Davidson County. The campus was open, friendly, optimistic, laughing, smiling and tolerant of all the differences of the people descending upon it. In fact, there was sense of welcoming, of actually wanting all these differences for a higher purpose that goes with learning, enlightenment and progress.
It took me 15 minutes to walk from my car parked in a space at least five blocks from Vanderbilt Medical Center. And I enjoyed every step. I was like a child in a toy store at Christmas. It seemed as if I had been transported to Beijing, or the United Nations in New York. The world was in my view and within my hearing. And it was marvelous to behold.
My words written here are so inadequate to describe the environment it was my honor to intrude upon. But this surprise on an August Saturday was confirmation of the dream that remains America, that ensures this country remains the strongest in the world. On the campus, the ideas and passions of all the nations have been assembled, to first learn and then to contribute and heal.
Truly, Vanderbilt as a university and a place of healing is Nashville's and Tennessee's most precious treasure. It renews and refreshes amid the ravages of intolerance outside its borders.
No, Vanderbilt is not a perfect place. Nashville's largest employer should establish a living wage minimum of $12 an hour for every worker. That kind of leadership would then set the moral bar for other employers in Nashville and start to address the ills of the "Two Cities" of America that Cuomo cited in 1984.
Almost a quarter century later, the Two Cities are even more distinct in this nation.
If you missed being on campus last Saturday, which was the time for incoming freshman to take residency, then mark your calender for the third Saturday in August in 2009. Get there early, then walk or simply stand and soak in the world and all its languages and all its hope for a better future because of a better place called Vanderbilt University.
Little did I know that the Saturday that brought me there was probably the busiest one of the year on this "shining city on a hill," as President Ronald Reagan once called the United States of America.
The campus was swarmed by families and children, young adults and the very old. The smiling faces were colored black, brown, bronze, tan, pinkish and every hue in between. The license plates on the vehicles were from across the nation. The race and ethnicities of the human beings seemed to be of every one we've seen in the Beijing Olympics. And the languages spoken were English, Chinese, Spanish, Arabic and tongues I could not make out due to my ignorance.
Indeed, Vanderbilt on this August Saturday was also a Tale of Two Cities, as then New York Gov. Mario Cuomo called the same America Reagan cited in 1984.
Within the borders of Vanderbilt, there was immunity to the virus sickening the rest of Nashville and Davidson County. The campus was open, friendly, optimistic, laughing, smiling and tolerant of all the differences of the people descending upon it. In fact, there was sense of welcoming, of actually wanting all these differences for a higher purpose that goes with learning, enlightenment and progress.
It took me 15 minutes to walk from my car parked in a space at least five blocks from Vanderbilt Medical Center. And I enjoyed every step. I was like a child in a toy store at Christmas. It seemed as if I had been transported to Beijing, or the United Nations in New York. The world was in my view and within my hearing. And it was marvelous to behold.
My words written here are so inadequate to describe the environment it was my honor to intrude upon. But this surprise on an August Saturday was confirmation of the dream that remains America, that ensures this country remains the strongest in the world. On the campus, the ideas and passions of all the nations have been assembled, to first learn and then to contribute and heal.
Truly, Vanderbilt as a university and a place of healing is Nashville's and Tennessee's most precious treasure. It renews and refreshes amid the ravages of intolerance outside its borders.
No, Vanderbilt is not a perfect place. Nashville's largest employer should establish a living wage minimum of $12 an hour for every worker. That kind of leadership would then set the moral bar for other employers in Nashville and start to address the ills of the "Two Cities" of America that Cuomo cited in 1984.
Almost a quarter century later, the Two Cities are even more distinct in this nation.
If you missed being on campus last Saturday, which was the time for incoming freshman to take residency, then mark your calender for the third Saturday in August in 2009. Get there early, then walk or simply stand and soak in the world and all its languages and all its hope for a better future because of a better place called Vanderbilt University.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Son of undocumented immigrants wins first Olympic gold for United States in wrestling
Despite the passionate attempts of haters and whiners in this nation, the good of human beings without documentation in the United States cannot be denied.
Henry Cedujo, a 21-year-old son of undocumented immigrants from Mexico City, won a stunning gold medal match over his Japanese opponent today to finally give HIS country -- the United States of America -- its first top finish in wrestling.
"He has done an unbelievable job coming from the environment that he came from," his coach, Terry Brands, told The Los Angeles Times. "Could be in prison. Could be a drug runner. Could be this, could be that. He's done an unbelievable job of not being a victim."
Dedication. Hard work. Faith. Overcoming great odds. That's the story of Cedujo and his mother who raised six children here by herself in three different states. He watched his heroic mother and learned, working two jobs himself to keep food on the table while still training to be an Olympian.
Cedujo is representative of an undeniable truth: human beings with the universal virtues that make dreams come true are a benefit to any nation lucky enough to have them. Some are Muslims. Some are our Jewish brothers and sisters. Some are Hindu. Some are Christians. Some don't believe at all, except in propeling themselves according to heroic standards that inspire everyone around them.
Just think. The undocumented parents and their American children being driven from Nashville by the heinous 287g deportation program could be the next U.S. Olympic champions in London in 2012 or perhaps Chicago in 2016 ... or the next researcher who discovers the cure for cancer.
But the haters and whiners don't want to think. Here is a sampling of the reaction to Cedujo's story on the website of ALIPAC -- Americans for Legal Immigration PAC ALIPAC:
When anchor baby law is passed will his medal be taken away?
He should not be in America.
--------
He's winning in the Olympics while tens of thousands more illegals are robbing, killing and raping as members of gangs across the country. I will gladly take an Olympic loss and save an American's life any day. F the liberal media and what they are doing to destroy our country
---------
Did the parents go to China to watch him? If so, what documents did they use to travel? Since this article "outs" them as known illegal aliens, they must be deported once caught.
-----------
An anchor baby is NOT a REAL American because his PARENTS are ILLEGALS!
Makes you want to take a shower, doesn't it, to wash all this hate off.
Alfred Rascon could be considered what these haters call an "anchor baby", a child born in America to undocumented immigrants. Before he was 18, he convinced his parents to sign a release form allowing his entrance into the U.S. Army. During the Vietnam War.
He trained as a medic. And in a crucial battle, this American of Mexican descent shielded his wounded comrades from gunfire and grenade shrapnel and allowed for their rescue. He refused to be evacuated for his wounds until his comrades were first transported out on the rescue helicopter.
For his heroism and action beyond the call of duty, Rascon received the Medal of Honor -- one of more than 40 Hispanics who have been so recognized for life-saving gallantry on the field of battle for the red, white and blue.
Wake up, America, and reject the venom of the haters who would even denigrate an Olympian for winning a gold medal for his and our country. Brush off their historical bigotry lest it settle in your consciousness like a cancer. Embrace the embracers of the American Dream of all colors, creeds and ethnicities.
Our nation has been and will continue to be better and stronger for it.
Henry Cedujo, a 21-year-old son of undocumented immigrants from Mexico City, won a stunning gold medal match over his Japanese opponent today to finally give HIS country -- the United States of America -- its first top finish in wrestling.
"He has done an unbelievable job coming from the environment that he came from," his coach, Terry Brands, told The Los Angeles Times. "Could be in prison. Could be a drug runner. Could be this, could be that. He's done an unbelievable job of not being a victim."
Dedication. Hard work. Faith. Overcoming great odds. That's the story of Cedujo and his mother who raised six children here by herself in three different states. He watched his heroic mother and learned, working two jobs himself to keep food on the table while still training to be an Olympian.
Cedujo is representative of an undeniable truth: human beings with the universal virtues that make dreams come true are a benefit to any nation lucky enough to have them. Some are Muslims. Some are our Jewish brothers and sisters. Some are Hindu. Some are Christians. Some don't believe at all, except in propeling themselves according to heroic standards that inspire everyone around them.
Just think. The undocumented parents and their American children being driven from Nashville by the heinous 287g deportation program could be the next U.S. Olympic champions in London in 2012 or perhaps Chicago in 2016 ... or the next researcher who discovers the cure for cancer.
But the haters and whiners don't want to think. Here is a sampling of the reaction to Cedujo's story on the website of ALIPAC -- Americans for Legal Immigration PAC ALIPAC:
When anchor baby law is passed will his medal be taken away?
He should not be in America.
--------
He's winning in the Olympics while tens of thousands more illegals are robbing, killing and raping as members of gangs across the country. I will gladly take an Olympic loss and save an American's life any day. F the liberal media and what they are doing to destroy our country
---------
Did the parents go to China to watch him? If so, what documents did they use to travel? Since this article "outs" them as known illegal aliens, they must be deported once caught.
-----------
An anchor baby is NOT a REAL American because his PARENTS are ILLEGALS!
Makes you want to take a shower, doesn't it, to wash all this hate off.
Alfred Rascon could be considered what these haters call an "anchor baby", a child born in America to undocumented immigrants. Before he was 18, he convinced his parents to sign a release form allowing his entrance into the U.S. Army. During the Vietnam War.
He trained as a medic. And in a crucial battle, this American of Mexican descent shielded his wounded comrades from gunfire and grenade shrapnel and allowed for their rescue. He refused to be evacuated for his wounds until his comrades were first transported out on the rescue helicopter.
For his heroism and action beyond the call of duty, Rascon received the Medal of Honor -- one of more than 40 Hispanics who have been so recognized for life-saving gallantry on the field of battle for the red, white and blue.
Wake up, America, and reject the venom of the haters who would even denigrate an Olympian for winning a gold medal for his and our country. Brush off their historical bigotry lest it settle in your consciousness like a cancer. Embrace the embracers of the American Dream of all colors, creeds and ethnicities.
Our nation has been and will continue to be better and stronger for it.
Tough times at The Tennessean are cause for support of the many good people there
With all the difficulty that Tennessean employees have faced in waiting through a weekend over upcoming layoffs, the best thing we can do for them is to express our support and prayers.
Ten people will be laid off. News on who will be cut is expected tomorrow. Forty jobs that have gone unfilled will be eliminated.
I can only pray for the good folks there that those who are laid off will be able to navigate a trying job market in an economic recession.
When I lost my job at The Tennessean in Aug. 2007, it was one of the most difficult times of my life -- emotionally and financially. The following months brought our household close to economic ruin as my medical bills for leukemia continued to mount. So I am hoping and praying for better for my colleagues.
One thing these good people don't need is the kind of smart-ass blogging from the Nashville Scene's Pete Kotz and P.J. Tobia. If any newspaper in Nashville is the victim of the ills of corporate journalism, it is the Scene in the hiring of Kotz. That corporate decision has produced changes at the Scene that make it resemble more of a weaker version of a Gannett newspaper.
Big space has been given to tomato festivals, while Not Necessarily the News has been missing in action. The edge the Scene once possessed under Liz Murray Garrigan has been reduced to a dull blade under Kotz. The corporatization of the Scene since Garrigan left has been sad to watch.
So to my friends at The Tennessean, keep your heads up. I know you don't have good leadership there at the top, but you've made the best out of a bad situation. Your dedication to your craft is to be admired.
If any of you need any help in your transition into layoff, drop me a line, and I'll share with you what I have learned about keeping benefits as long as possible and seeking opportunities.
If anyone is setting up a fund to help those who are being laid-off, please let me know, and I'll contribute and publicize it.
Each of you and your families are in my thoughts and prayers, and those of my wife, too.
Ten people will be laid off. News on who will be cut is expected tomorrow. Forty jobs that have gone unfilled will be eliminated.
I can only pray for the good folks there that those who are laid off will be able to navigate a trying job market in an economic recession.
When I lost my job at The Tennessean in Aug. 2007, it was one of the most difficult times of my life -- emotionally and financially. The following months brought our household close to economic ruin as my medical bills for leukemia continued to mount. So I am hoping and praying for better for my colleagues.
One thing these good people don't need is the kind of smart-ass blogging from the Nashville Scene's Pete Kotz and P.J. Tobia. If any newspaper in Nashville is the victim of the ills of corporate journalism, it is the Scene in the hiring of Kotz. That corporate decision has produced changes at the Scene that make it resemble more of a weaker version of a Gannett newspaper.
Big space has been given to tomato festivals, while Not Necessarily the News has been missing in action. The edge the Scene once possessed under Liz Murray Garrigan has been reduced to a dull blade under Kotz. The corporatization of the Scene since Garrigan left has been sad to watch.
So to my friends at The Tennessean, keep your heads up. I know you don't have good leadership there at the top, but you've made the best out of a bad situation. Your dedication to your craft is to be admired.
If any of you need any help in your transition into layoff, drop me a line, and I'll share with you what I have learned about keeping benefits as long as possible and seeking opportunities.
If anyone is setting up a fund to help those who are being laid-off, please let me know, and I'll contribute and publicize it.
Each of you and your families are in my thoughts and prayers, and those of my wife, too.
Metro Charter limits on damages don't mean squat in federal district court but a lot of patience does
A reader showed he or she was not listening during 8th Grade Civics class with his response to my previous blog on Mrs. Juana Villegas (DeLaPaz) and the torture she and her newborn suffered at the hands of Nashville law enforcement authorities.
I wrote that the next step in her case would be the filing of a big-dollar lawsuit against Metro taxpayers, the mayor, sheriff and Berry Hill authorities. The reader responded that Mrs. Villegas could only collect up to several hundred thousand dollars according to limits under the Merto charter. The reader also called Mrs. Villegas a criminal, which somehow excuses what was done to her.
WRONG, a mundo, as The Fonz was fond of saying on the old sitcom Happy Days.
There is something called federal court. And Nashville has one downtown. Often, when civil rights of an individual are greviously violated, lawsuits are filed against the offenders in this court.
In this court, Metro's legal limit on damages doesn't mean squat. Federal law supersedes local law when it comes to matters of civil rights.
Mrs. Villegas can sue for actual damages and for emotional damages, also known as punitive damages. A federal jury -- that would have to include some mothers -- would hear her case. They are not bound in delivering an award of whatever size by the Metro Charter.
Now Metro can appeal any jury decision and damages awarded. And that makes such lawsuits difficult to advance, even just to get the facts of a case adjudicated let alone get damages awarded.
For instance, Metroplitan Nashville is the defendant in a lawsuit over an alleged wrongful firing in 2002 of a school district employee. The plaintiff, Vicky Crawford, claims that she was fired after participating in an internal sexual harrassment investigation of a district executive.
That case has been going on for six years now. The case is now before the U.S. Supreme Court, from which a decision is expected following the summer recess on a part of civil rights law upon which Crawford is trying to sue.
The facts of the case still have not been heard by a court. And obviously, those facts are in dispute. Metro claims no wrongdoing.
Vicky Crawford is supported in her interpretation of civil rights law that should allow her lawsuit to go forward by a prominent local law firm and the law school for the University of Washington. The Bush administration also supports her position as far as the law allowing her lawsuit to go forward -- not the facts of the case.
A favorable ruling for Crawford would return the case to the local federal district court for ajuducation of allegations. If Crawford wins on the facts, then damages would be decided. But any kind of decision on either matter could still be some time away.
So that's about how simple and complicated it is in filing a civil rights lawsuit. Anyone can sue for anything. But getting damages -- even beyond the Metro Charter limit -- requires a lot of endurance no matter how strongly one feels they have been wronged.
I wrote that the next step in her case would be the filing of a big-dollar lawsuit against Metro taxpayers, the mayor, sheriff and Berry Hill authorities. The reader responded that Mrs. Villegas could only collect up to several hundred thousand dollars according to limits under the Merto charter. The reader also called Mrs. Villegas a criminal, which somehow excuses what was done to her.
WRONG, a mundo, as The Fonz was fond of saying on the old sitcom Happy Days.
There is something called federal court. And Nashville has one downtown. Often, when civil rights of an individual are greviously violated, lawsuits are filed against the offenders in this court.
In this court, Metro's legal limit on damages doesn't mean squat. Federal law supersedes local law when it comes to matters of civil rights.
Mrs. Villegas can sue for actual damages and for emotional damages, also known as punitive damages. A federal jury -- that would have to include some mothers -- would hear her case. They are not bound in delivering an award of whatever size by the Metro Charter.
Now Metro can appeal any jury decision and damages awarded. And that makes such lawsuits difficult to advance, even just to get the facts of a case adjudicated let alone get damages awarded.
For instance, Metroplitan Nashville is the defendant in a lawsuit over an alleged wrongful firing in 2002 of a school district employee. The plaintiff, Vicky Crawford, claims that she was fired after participating in an internal sexual harrassment investigation of a district executive.
That case has been going on for six years now. The case is now before the U.S. Supreme Court, from which a decision is expected following the summer recess on a part of civil rights law upon which Crawford is trying to sue.
The facts of the case still have not been heard by a court. And obviously, those facts are in dispute. Metro claims no wrongdoing.
Vicky Crawford is supported in her interpretation of civil rights law that should allow her lawsuit to go forward by a prominent local law firm and the law school for the University of Washington. The Bush administration also supports her position as far as the law allowing her lawsuit to go forward -- not the facts of the case.
A favorable ruling for Crawford would return the case to the local federal district court for ajuducation of allegations. If Crawford wins on the facts, then damages would be decided. But any kind of decision on either matter could still be some time away.
So that's about how simple and complicated it is in filing a civil rights lawsuit. Anyone can sue for anything. But getting damages -- even beyond the Metro Charter limit -- requires a lot of endurance no matter how strongly one feels they have been wronged.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Obama paints himself into a corner with VP pick this week for Democratic ticket
Sen. Barack Obama continues to make the 2008 presidential race close, this time with his bumbling and stumbling over Russia's invasion of Georgia.
Now he is left with poor choices for a running mate this week because of his ineptness on foreign policy.
The Democrat should pick a woman as a runningmate. Sen. Hillary Clinton's historic candidacy needs to be recognized by more than a roll call vote at the upcoming Democratic primary.
But his silly first response to Russia's invasion by criticizing Sen. John McCain's campaign having a lobbyist for Georgia has now made the need for a foreign-policy heavy VP pick a must. And undecided voters like myself are left cold.
Former Sen. Sam Nunn is not my choice to be one heartbeat from the presidency. Sen. Joe Biden lost in the primary, so why would I want him now? Sen. Evan Bayh looks like the right, clean cut candidate. But what has he done in Congress to distinguish himself other than hold a Senate seat in red state Indiana?
The 2008 presidential race is far from historic if three white men are the finalists for be Obama's VP. Women -- who do the most voting in this nation -- get denied again.
Obama has made this race closer than it need be. And his VP choice this week will not be that great of a help in opening up a big lead over McCain.
Now he is left with poor choices for a running mate this week because of his ineptness on foreign policy.
The Democrat should pick a woman as a runningmate. Sen. Hillary Clinton's historic candidacy needs to be recognized by more than a roll call vote at the upcoming Democratic primary.
But his silly first response to Russia's invasion by criticizing Sen. John McCain's campaign having a lobbyist for Georgia has now made the need for a foreign-policy heavy VP pick a must. And undecided voters like myself are left cold.
Former Sen. Sam Nunn is not my choice to be one heartbeat from the presidency. Sen. Joe Biden lost in the primary, so why would I want him now? Sen. Evan Bayh looks like the right, clean cut candidate. But what has he done in Congress to distinguish himself other than hold a Senate seat in red state Indiana?
The 2008 presidential race is far from historic if three white men are the finalists for be Obama's VP. Women -- who do the most voting in this nation -- get denied again.
Obama has made this race closer than it need be. And his VP choice this week will not be that great of a help in opening up a big lead over McCain.
Mrs. Villegas' torture case far from over; now comes the mega-million-dollar lawsuit and pursuit of criminal changes against Nashville authorities
The next big event in the torture case of Mrs. Juana Villegas (DeLaPaz) following the dropping of all local, traffic tickets against her will be a lawsuit -- for millions of dollars ultimely payable by the taxpayers of Davidson County.
Named on the lawsuit will be Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall, Metro Mayor Karl Dean and a few other folks with titles of authority. These officials represent you the taxpayers of Nashville. And you pay for their wrongs that go against the sense of common decency and the constitutional protections of the United States of America and the state of Tennessee.
Metro Nashville will automatically have to incur legal fees just to fight the lawsuit. That's going to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. And even a settelment of the lawsuit, which would be best for Nashville, will have to be at a seven-figure amount. And taxpayers will have to pay that in a very tight budget year.
Such is the cost of public policy under the 287g deportation program that was not needed here, except for Hall's political career. Such is the cost of policy that is put into the hands of the Keystone Kops of Berry Hill, which is notorious for supporting its government with speed traps. This time, the trap was sprung on them.
So taxpayers will have to determine with 287g and politicians like Hall and Dean whether deporting people who are committing no violent crime is worth millions of dollars in public money that could have gone for public services. All charges against Mrs. Villegas' were dropped Friday concerning any violation of traffic laws and not possessing a driver's license.
The ACLU, which is investigating obvious racial profiling in this case, will also get involved legally. It will either petition the local U.S. attorney to file federal charges against the Berry Hill Police Department and Sgt. Timothy Coleman for violation of the new federal law against racial profiling or violation of Mrs. Villegas' civil rights and that of her newborn son -- an American citizen. Civil rights violations would most assuredly include the sheriff's department, too.
In addition, Sgt. Coleman's record will be investigated for similiar wrongs concerning people of color. A Berry Hill judge would not allow Mrs. Villegas's attorney to question Coleman on Friday about his record.
All that we do know now is an unnecessary arrest was made of a very pregnant woman before July 4, 2008. The video on Coleman's patrol car did not work to back up his contentions. He did not explain to Mrs. Villegas what she was being arrested for. He put Mrs. Villegas' three children in the control of a relative she did not agree to take the children, thus putting them at risk. And he set in motion the torture she and her newborn would endure at the hands of the sheriff's department.
While Mrs. Villegas still faces deportation for being illegally in the country, she still can collect a substantial award from Mexico and live comfortably there with her husband and her four American children. She can also return here to testify in criminal proceedings against Nashville authorities. And the abuse of her newborn was committed against an American citizen.
So her case is far from over. And as long as politicians like Dean and Congressman Jim Cooper continue to support Hall's 287g deportation program, they continue to put Metro taxpayers at risk. Mrs. Villegas' case was not an isolated one for Nashville Hispanic families. It was just one that finally got the needed media coverage to make an initial difference.
Now, let justice be done.
Named on the lawsuit will be Davidson County Sheriff Daron Hall, Metro Mayor Karl Dean and a few other folks with titles of authority. These officials represent you the taxpayers of Nashville. And you pay for their wrongs that go against the sense of common decency and the constitutional protections of the United States of America and the state of Tennessee.
Metro Nashville will automatically have to incur legal fees just to fight the lawsuit. That's going to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. And even a settelment of the lawsuit, which would be best for Nashville, will have to be at a seven-figure amount. And taxpayers will have to pay that in a very tight budget year.
Such is the cost of public policy under the 287g deportation program that was not needed here, except for Hall's political career. Such is the cost of policy that is put into the hands of the Keystone Kops of Berry Hill, which is notorious for supporting its government with speed traps. This time, the trap was sprung on them.
So taxpayers will have to determine with 287g and politicians like Hall and Dean whether deporting people who are committing no violent crime is worth millions of dollars in public money that could have gone for public services. All charges against Mrs. Villegas' were dropped Friday concerning any violation of traffic laws and not possessing a driver's license.
The ACLU, which is investigating obvious racial profiling in this case, will also get involved legally. It will either petition the local U.S. attorney to file federal charges against the Berry Hill Police Department and Sgt. Timothy Coleman for violation of the new federal law against racial profiling or violation of Mrs. Villegas' civil rights and that of her newborn son -- an American citizen. Civil rights violations would most assuredly include the sheriff's department, too.
In addition, Sgt. Coleman's record will be investigated for similiar wrongs concerning people of color. A Berry Hill judge would not allow Mrs. Villegas's attorney to question Coleman on Friday about his record.
All that we do know now is an unnecessary arrest was made of a very pregnant woman before July 4, 2008. The video on Coleman's patrol car did not work to back up his contentions. He did not explain to Mrs. Villegas what she was being arrested for. He put Mrs. Villegas' three children in the control of a relative she did not agree to take the children, thus putting them at risk. And he set in motion the torture she and her newborn would endure at the hands of the sheriff's department.
While Mrs. Villegas still faces deportation for being illegally in the country, she still can collect a substantial award from Mexico and live comfortably there with her husband and her four American children. She can also return here to testify in criminal proceedings against Nashville authorities. And the abuse of her newborn was committed against an American citizen.
So her case is far from over. And as long as politicians like Dean and Congressman Jim Cooper continue to support Hall's 287g deportation program, they continue to put Metro taxpayers at risk. Mrs. Villegas' case was not an isolated one for Nashville Hispanic families. It was just one that finally got the needed media coverage to make an initial difference.
Now, let justice be done.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Criticism of Bredesen over THP right on target; the emperor indeed has no clothes
Kudos to Tennessean columnist Gail Kerr for criticizing Gov. Phil Bredesen over his failure to keep his promise to clean up the sexual harrassment and corruption mess at the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
Kerr rightly cited the danger to women stopped on Tennessee's highways and Bredesen's seeming indifference for so long to the threat. The Volunteer State's good 'ol boy system allows such overt sexism to exist in so many forms including sex acts with porn stars and sexual harrassment of female truck drivers. Then there are instances of traditional corruption.
The entrenchment of this Little Shop of Horrors in our law enforcement system makes everything even more reprehensible and disgusting.
Such sharp criticism of the governor is somewhat new for Kerr. She has been a strong supporter of his policies as Nashville mayor and now as Tennessee's governor. So Bredesen really has nowhere to hide on this failure cited by Kerr.
Bredesen is most weak when it comes to issues involving people, which by definition is what politics is all about. The governor is quite adept at giving away tax dollars for big deals, most recently with Volkswagen. But as writer Jeff Woods of the Nashville Scene rightly pointed out in his thorough "Philbot 3000" cover story last week, the governor suffers from an attention deficit disorder. He lacks concentration on matters beyond the moment. He now shows fatigue at being governor. It really doesn't seem to interest him anymore.
And if people outside of corporate executives are involved, he gets most uncomfortable and distant.
Former Scene editor Liz Murray Garrigan confessed her deep disappointment with Bredesen as a policymaker and moral figure in a column earlier this year. More and more local and state journalists are discovering the emperor has no clothes.
I hope that a Tennessean story earlier this week about the abject failure of the state of Tennessee to prepare its children for college will encourage Kerr to reconsider a previous column. It touted the good of Bredesen and Mayor Karl Dean working together to run Metro public schools.
Reporter Jaime Sarrio wrote: Fewer than one in five Tennessee high school graduates left school this year ready to go on to college, based on the test most take before continuing their studies.
For the third year in a row, Tennessee students taking the American College Test averaged 20.7 of a perfect score of 36 — lower than the national 21.2 average. The ACT determines college readiness.
Results for individual schools and districts will not be available until the state report card is released in November.
Students who meet test benchmarks, which are different for every subject, have a better shot of passing core college-level courses, according to the ACT's high school profile report released today.
The ACT is the test of choice in Tennessee and several other states. The SAT is the other widely known college entrance exam. Results show the majority of the state's 50,000 test takers will not be ready for algebra or biology. And, despite English scores above the national average, only 18 percent of students will be ready in the four subjects covered by the test — reading, math, English and science.
The story is shocking. Taxpayers should question if they're getting their money's worth. And Bredesen has been at the helm of Tennessee education for six years now.
So his takeover of Metro public schools should be greeted with horror. The man failed Metro children with his core curriculum program as mayor. As governor, he simply has spread his mismanagement.
THP, state education, TennCare, sales tax holidays, state employee layoffs, $11 million in state money for a political theme park under the governor's mansion, cutting home health care for the most vulnerable ... the list is growing longer of failures by a political figure who has been given so much support for so little in return.
Kerr rightly cited the danger to women stopped on Tennessee's highways and Bredesen's seeming indifference for so long to the threat. The Volunteer State's good 'ol boy system allows such overt sexism to exist in so many forms including sex acts with porn stars and sexual harrassment of female truck drivers. Then there are instances of traditional corruption.
The entrenchment of this Little Shop of Horrors in our law enforcement system makes everything even more reprehensible and disgusting.
Such sharp criticism of the governor is somewhat new for Kerr. She has been a strong supporter of his policies as Nashville mayor and now as Tennessee's governor. So Bredesen really has nowhere to hide on this failure cited by Kerr.
Bredesen is most weak when it comes to issues involving people, which by definition is what politics is all about. The governor is quite adept at giving away tax dollars for big deals, most recently with Volkswagen. But as writer Jeff Woods of the Nashville Scene rightly pointed out in his thorough "Philbot 3000" cover story last week, the governor suffers from an attention deficit disorder. He lacks concentration on matters beyond the moment. He now shows fatigue at being governor. It really doesn't seem to interest him anymore.
And if people outside of corporate executives are involved, he gets most uncomfortable and distant.
Former Scene editor Liz Murray Garrigan confessed her deep disappointment with Bredesen as a policymaker and moral figure in a column earlier this year. More and more local and state journalists are discovering the emperor has no clothes.
I hope that a Tennessean story earlier this week about the abject failure of the state of Tennessee to prepare its children for college will encourage Kerr to reconsider a previous column. It touted the good of Bredesen and Mayor Karl Dean working together to run Metro public schools.
Reporter Jaime Sarrio wrote: Fewer than one in five Tennessee high school graduates left school this year ready to go on to college, based on the test most take before continuing their studies.
For the third year in a row, Tennessee students taking the American College Test averaged 20.7 of a perfect score of 36 — lower than the national 21.2 average. The ACT determines college readiness.
Results for individual schools and districts will not be available until the state report card is released in November.
Students who meet test benchmarks, which are different for every subject, have a better shot of passing core college-level courses, according to the ACT's high school profile report released today.
The ACT is the test of choice in Tennessee and several other states. The SAT is the other widely known college entrance exam. Results show the majority of the state's 50,000 test takers will not be ready for algebra or biology. And, despite English scores above the national average, only 18 percent of students will be ready in the four subjects covered by the test — reading, math, English and science.
The story is shocking. Taxpayers should question if they're getting their money's worth. And Bredesen has been at the helm of Tennessee education for six years now.
So his takeover of Metro public schools should be greeted with horror. The man failed Metro children with his core curriculum program as mayor. As governor, he simply has spread his mismanagement.
THP, state education, TennCare, sales tax holidays, state employee layoffs, $11 million in state money for a political theme park under the governor's mansion, cutting home health care for the most vulnerable ... the list is growing longer of failures by a political figure who has been given so much support for so little in return.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Tortured Nashville mother begins journey for justice Friday
Mrs. Juana Villegas (DeLaPaz) takes her first step toward justice for her torture and the abuse of her newborn in a court hearing this Friday in Berry Hill.
Berry Hill is a governmental entity inside the Nashville city limits and Davidson County border. It was there, three days before she was scheduled to deliver her fourth child, that Mrs. Villegas' inhumane treatment at the hands of local law enforcement authorities began.
A video report by WKRN Channel 2 contains an initial statement from the county sheriff's department that Mrs. Villegas was stopped by Berry Hill police for driving a vehicle without an operator's license. Since the vehicle was moving, that would make the stop by Sgt. Timothy Coleman to be one of racial profiling. That's against the law.
The sheriff's department takes all people arrested -- no matter the reason -- and holds them for the courts. If you are an expectant mother and have a previous non-violent record, you're in for a hell of an experience. And if you're in this country without proper documentation, then you are even more at risk because of the 287g deportation program.
The sheriff's department, in a response to a post on this blog, now says its initial statement on why Mrs. Villegas was initially stopped was a mistake. You can go to the blog post for last Thursday and check out the video and various comments,
Mrs. Villegas will be arraigned on a charge of reckless driving, with by reported accounts seems to point to passing a vehicle in the wrong lane. Such is the threat Mrs. Villegas posed to safe and secure Nashville.
Some well-meaning advocates of Mrs. Villegas are asking for a massive turnout at the hearing. I do not know if that is wise. All you'll get is a like crowd of people on the other side of this matter. And Mrs. Villegas will be further embarrassed for a much broader wrong she did not bring on herself.
I'll keep you updated on her situation and any need for you as a person of conscience to act. Mrs. Villegas' case is part of my agenda, as it has become for people across this area and country who do not believe in expectant mothers being treated so cruelly by a nation supposedly under God.
Berry Hill is a governmental entity inside the Nashville city limits and Davidson County border. It was there, three days before she was scheduled to deliver her fourth child, that Mrs. Villegas' inhumane treatment at the hands of local law enforcement authorities began.
A video report by WKRN Channel 2 contains an initial statement from the county sheriff's department that Mrs. Villegas was stopped by Berry Hill police for driving a vehicle without an operator's license. Since the vehicle was moving, that would make the stop by Sgt. Timothy Coleman to be one of racial profiling. That's against the law.
The sheriff's department takes all people arrested -- no matter the reason -- and holds them for the courts. If you are an expectant mother and have a previous non-violent record, you're in for a hell of an experience. And if you're in this country without proper documentation, then you are even more at risk because of the 287g deportation program.
The sheriff's department, in a response to a post on this blog, now says its initial statement on why Mrs. Villegas was initially stopped was a mistake. You can go to the blog post for last Thursday and check out the video and various comments,
Mrs. Villegas will be arraigned on a charge of reckless driving, with by reported accounts seems to point to passing a vehicle in the wrong lane. Such is the threat Mrs. Villegas posed to safe and secure Nashville.
Some well-meaning advocates of Mrs. Villegas are asking for a massive turnout at the hearing. I do not know if that is wise. All you'll get is a like crowd of people on the other side of this matter. And Mrs. Villegas will be further embarrassed for a much broader wrong she did not bring on herself.
I'll keep you updated on her situation and any need for you as a person of conscience to act. Mrs. Villegas' case is part of my agenda, as it has become for people across this area and country who do not believe in expectant mothers being treated so cruelly by a nation supposedly under God.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Contact your Metro Nashville council member now and urge support of Councilman Steine's courageous resolution tonight
The Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition(TIRRC) issued the following statement concerning tonight's Metro Nashville Council meeting and an initiative by Councilman Ronnie Steine.
Authored by Catalina Nieto with TIRRC, the following statement outlines the reasoning behind Councilman Steine's resolution, hopefully pushed tonight, putting Nashville's representatives on the record concerning the English-Only referendum petition driven by Councilman Eric Crafton.
All Davidson County residents are encouraged to call their council representatives and urge support of Councilman Steine's courageous resolution. The following council member names were added at the end of the statement for specific contact. If you can go to the meeting, be there by 5 p.m. to get a seat.
I'll add a personal note: if you don't live in Davidson County, still contact these council representatives as a frequent visitor to Nashville who spends money here or is considering Nashville as tourism/convention/meeting destination.
Councilman Ronnie Steine has put before our City Council a resolution that will be brought to the floor of the Council for consideration and vote Thursday August 6, 2008. The purpose of this resolution is to request that the citizens of Nashville and Davidson County not sign the English-only Charter amendment petition cards and not support it if placed on the ballot.
The people of Nashville deserve to know where the Metro Council stands on the English-only ballot initiative. Councilman Crafton is using his public position as a council member to promote this initiative, and is not acting as a private citizen. Therefore, it is appropriate and necessary for each council member to provide leadership, and clarify his or her position on whether Nashville needs an English-only charter amendment. When explaining the reason for his English-only campaign, Crafton himself has argued that actions of the Metro Council are a good way to gauge public support for this effort.
The English-only ordinance that Mayor Purcell vetoed in 2007 was bad for Nashville . The current English-only ballot initiative is much worse, with no exceptions for public health or safety. The English-only ordinance that passed the Metro Council in 2007 (and was later vetoed by Mayor Purcell) included an important exception: “when necessary to protect or promote public health, safety or welfare." The current English-only ballot initiative is absolutely clear: “all official government communications and publications shall be published only in English.” No exceptions.
Contact these specific council members:
Charlie Tygard
Work Phone: (615) 256-7146
Home Phone: (615) 646-3295
Cell Phone: (615) 243-3295
charlie.tygard@nashville.gov
Carl Burch
Home Phone: (615) 883-3695
carl.burch@nashville.gov
"Rip" Ryman
Home Phone: (615) 859-0409
rip.ryman@nashville.gov
Parker Toler
Work Phone: (615) 376-2952
Home Phone: (615) 373-1512
parker.toler@nashville.gov
Sandra Moore
(615) 386-9246
sandra.moore@nashville.gov
Darren Jernigan
Office: (615) 291-6711
Home: (615) 847-8483
darren.jernigan@nashville.gov
Pam Murray
Home Phone: (615) 248-3556
pam.murray@nashville.gov
Erica Gilmore
(615) 862-6780
erica.gilmore@nashville.gov
Vivian Wilhoite
Home Phone: (615) 589-2003
vivian.wilhoite@nashville.gov
Sam Coleman
Home Phone: (615) 641-5168
sam.coleman@nashville.gov
Lonnell Matthews, Jr.
Office: (615) 291-6701
Home: (615) 876-2319
lonnell.matthews@nashville.gov
Authored by Catalina Nieto with TIRRC, the following statement outlines the reasoning behind Councilman Steine's resolution, hopefully pushed tonight, putting Nashville's representatives on the record concerning the English-Only referendum petition driven by Councilman Eric Crafton.
All Davidson County residents are encouraged to call their council representatives and urge support of Councilman Steine's courageous resolution. The following council member names were added at the end of the statement for specific contact. If you can go to the meeting, be there by 5 p.m. to get a seat.
I'll add a personal note: if you don't live in Davidson County, still contact these council representatives as a frequent visitor to Nashville who spends money here or is considering Nashville as tourism/convention/meeting destination.
Councilman Ronnie Steine has put before our City Council a resolution that will be brought to the floor of the Council for consideration and vote Thursday August 6, 2008. The purpose of this resolution is to request that the citizens of Nashville and Davidson County not sign the English-only Charter amendment petition cards and not support it if placed on the ballot.
The people of Nashville deserve to know where the Metro Council stands on the English-only ballot initiative. Councilman Crafton is using his public position as a council member to promote this initiative, and is not acting as a private citizen. Therefore, it is appropriate and necessary for each council member to provide leadership, and clarify his or her position on whether Nashville needs an English-only charter amendment. When explaining the reason for his English-only campaign, Crafton himself has argued that actions of the Metro Council are a good way to gauge public support for this effort.
The English-only ordinance that Mayor Purcell vetoed in 2007 was bad for Nashville . The current English-only ballot initiative is much worse, with no exceptions for public health or safety. The English-only ordinance that passed the Metro Council in 2007 (and was later vetoed by Mayor Purcell) included an important exception: “when necessary to protect or promote public health, safety or welfare." The current English-only ballot initiative is absolutely clear: “all official government communications and publications shall be published only in English.” No exceptions.
Contact these specific council members:
Charlie Tygard
Work Phone: (615) 256-7146
Home Phone: (615) 646-3295
Cell Phone: (615) 243-3295
charlie.tygard@nashville.gov
Carl Burch
Home Phone: (615) 883-3695
carl.burch@nashville.gov
"Rip" Ryman
Home Phone: (615) 859-0409
rip.ryman@nashville.gov
Parker Toler
Work Phone: (615) 376-2952
Home Phone: (615) 373-1512
parker.toler@nashville.gov
Sandra Moore
(615) 386-9246
sandra.moore@nashville.gov
Darren Jernigan
Office: (615) 291-6711
Home: (615) 847-8483
darren.jernigan@nashville.gov
Pam Murray
Home Phone: (615) 248-3556
pam.murray@nashville.gov
Erica Gilmore
(615) 862-6780
erica.gilmore@nashville.gov
Vivian Wilhoite
Home Phone: (615) 589-2003
vivian.wilhoite@nashville.gov
Sam Coleman
Home Phone: (615) 641-5168
sam.coleman@nashville.gov
Lonnell Matthews, Jr.
Office: (615) 291-6701
Home: (615) 876-2319
lonnell.matthews@nashville.gov
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
For this Brentwood resident, Leatherwood is the best choice for Congress
I live in Brentwood, TN., also the home city of "Congressman" Marsha Blackburn.
Tomorrow, I'll be voting for Tom Leatherwood for the Republican nomination for the Congressional seat held by Blackburn. That doesn't mean I'm a Republican. I belong to no political party, but the GOP ballot is really the only one that counts here in Williamson County. And it is my duty to vote.
I've followed Blackburn's career closely. She has definite beliefs, conservative ones. But her handling of finances with the state film office and now her congressional office leaves a troubling picture of a public official telling government to act better than she has with money from the people.
The best way to lead has always been by example.
But the example being left by too many Republican lawmakers across the country has been a negative one. Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens has just been indicted for charges showing he is tied too closely to lobbyists and the corrupt system in Washington than the integrity of his office. And that office belongs to the people of this nation, no matter how much pork you bring home to Alaska like the bridge to nowhere.
I don't believe in overlooking wrongs in Democrats or Republicans. I call them all out. And problems in handling someone else's money is a violation of a sacred trust, no matter the excuses.
Yes, all people including U.S. senators are innocent until found guilty. But just as with Operation Tennessee Waltz with the General Assembly, the Feds don't go after someone powerful unless they have all the goods on that person. Stevens is too powerful of a politican to challenge with a poor case of charges.
I'm not saying that Blackburn has or will ever face that kind of problem. She is not accused of breaking the law, just rules of the Federal Election Commission. That she told on herself publicly about breaking the rules does not make up for the years of letters from the FEC asking for correction. Rules that ensure fair elections in our republic -- particularly with finances -- are very important.
The reporting from Gannett News Service of her son-in-law making a big living in the same system in Washington is not against the law either. Neither is her daughter making a living off her campaigns, no matter how much her daughter charged for her business.
But these factors are indicative of a pattern that people in this congressional district would be wise to discourage. You cannot serve two masters -- making money and representing the people. Service requires sacrifice and conduct above question, not allowing family members to get a taste of campaign money and lobbying in Washington.
That may sound unreasonable. But that's the responsibility one must take on in representing the people, or every elected official starts rationalizing away their questionable conduct or that of their loved ones. Then the problems of integrity in Washington become too entrenched with both political parties.
Tennessee House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, a Democrat, has a wife who makes a living lobbying the General Assembly. That's wrong, even if it is not against the law. And I've written volumes in calling him out. So have Republicans.
Again, none of these things Blackburn has done is against the law. But it is indicative of conduct that can easily grow into something worse when you leave a lawmaker in office too long. They are only human beings. It is impossible to resist the corruption of the system.
Conversely, Leatherwood in the state Senate showed himself as someone who purposely kept himself apart of the system. That didn't make him a lot of friends among powerful Republican colleagues, many of who are still in the General Assembly. But his first duty was to the people he represented, not his political party.
Then Leatherwood left quickly before becoming too much of a part of the system at the General Assembly. His conservative credentials are quite apparent. I've derived my opinion on Leatherwood largely from reporting of John Rodgers with the City Paper. He is one of the best political reporters in the state at a still young age.
Yes, I obivously disagree on some big issues with Leatherwood. But I believe Blackburn's conduct is a warning sign, of someone too long in Washington. It is up to us as voters to open our eyes and sometimes save politicians from themselves.
That's my opinion. It also represents my reasoning behind my vote tomorrow as a citizen of this congressional district and a resident of Brentwood who has watched Blackburn career closely, praised it in the past, but now cannot overlook these warning signs.
Tomorrow, I'll be voting for Tom Leatherwood for the Republican nomination for the Congressional seat held by Blackburn. That doesn't mean I'm a Republican. I belong to no political party, but the GOP ballot is really the only one that counts here in Williamson County. And it is my duty to vote.
I've followed Blackburn's career closely. She has definite beliefs, conservative ones. But her handling of finances with the state film office and now her congressional office leaves a troubling picture of a public official telling government to act better than she has with money from the people.
The best way to lead has always been by example.
But the example being left by too many Republican lawmakers across the country has been a negative one. Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens has just been indicted for charges showing he is tied too closely to lobbyists and the corrupt system in Washington than the integrity of his office. And that office belongs to the people of this nation, no matter how much pork you bring home to Alaska like the bridge to nowhere.
I don't believe in overlooking wrongs in Democrats or Republicans. I call them all out. And problems in handling someone else's money is a violation of a sacred trust, no matter the excuses.
Yes, all people including U.S. senators are innocent until found guilty. But just as with Operation Tennessee Waltz with the General Assembly, the Feds don't go after someone powerful unless they have all the goods on that person. Stevens is too powerful of a politican to challenge with a poor case of charges.
I'm not saying that Blackburn has or will ever face that kind of problem. She is not accused of breaking the law, just rules of the Federal Election Commission. That she told on herself publicly about breaking the rules does not make up for the years of letters from the FEC asking for correction. Rules that ensure fair elections in our republic -- particularly with finances -- are very important.
The reporting from Gannett News Service of her son-in-law making a big living in the same system in Washington is not against the law either. Neither is her daughter making a living off her campaigns, no matter how much her daughter charged for her business.
But these factors are indicative of a pattern that people in this congressional district would be wise to discourage. You cannot serve two masters -- making money and representing the people. Service requires sacrifice and conduct above question, not allowing family members to get a taste of campaign money and lobbying in Washington.
That may sound unreasonable. But that's the responsibility one must take on in representing the people, or every elected official starts rationalizing away their questionable conduct or that of their loved ones. Then the problems of integrity in Washington become too entrenched with both political parties.
Tennessee House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, a Democrat, has a wife who makes a living lobbying the General Assembly. That's wrong, even if it is not against the law. And I've written volumes in calling him out. So have Republicans.
Again, none of these things Blackburn has done is against the law. But it is indicative of conduct that can easily grow into something worse when you leave a lawmaker in office too long. They are only human beings. It is impossible to resist the corruption of the system.
Conversely, Leatherwood in the state Senate showed himself as someone who purposely kept himself apart of the system. That didn't make him a lot of friends among powerful Republican colleagues, many of who are still in the General Assembly. But his first duty was to the people he represented, not his political party.
Then Leatherwood left quickly before becoming too much of a part of the system at the General Assembly. His conservative credentials are quite apparent. I've derived my opinion on Leatherwood largely from reporting of John Rodgers with the City Paper. He is one of the best political reporters in the state at a still young age.
Yes, I obivously disagree on some big issues with Leatherwood. But I believe Blackburn's conduct is a warning sign, of someone too long in Washington. It is up to us as voters to open our eyes and sometimes save politicians from themselves.
That's my opinion. It also represents my reasoning behind my vote tomorrow as a citizen of this congressional district and a resident of Brentwood who has watched Blackburn career closely, praised it in the past, but now cannot overlook these warning signs.
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