East TN Conservative

Packing up

2009-02-09T21:45:00.003-05:00

Please update to my new site http://easttn.blogivists.com/ I will be parked over at the dontgo movements blog site Blogivists

Alderman Shull’s perspective on the Kingsport Aquatic Center

2009-02-04T13:50:00.001-05:00

From Kingsport TN Government

I think that your readers may be interested in a quick history on the Aquatic Center.

Before I joined the BMA the board established a fund to repair the Legion Pool. Previous Boards “raided” that fund. The City tried patching the pool several times, but the pool continued to leak.

The BMA then considered starting over again with a new pool in current location. Then the board began entertaining the idea of also having an indoor pool,quickly emerged into the Aquatic Center concept.

Let’s pause - the entire BMA agreed that the current situation – leaking old pool was unacceptable. But then the differences in opinions began to emerge as the City staff provided different versions of an Aquatic Center. While ALL members requested that the City manager discuss the situation with the YMCA, it was never immediately agreed upon (as was inferred last night at the BMA business meeting) that the city would enter the type of agreement with the YMCA that we seem to be headed toward.

Last summer we had a special called session to decide 2 issues: 1) Location of the pool, and 2) Should it be co-located with the YMCA. I voted against BOTH for the following reasons.

- The Meadowview is not the ideal location for the pool. I won’t elaborate here, but I would be glad to discuss further with any citizen. I favored the Legion Pool area

- Co-locating with the YMCA gives them a tremendous competitive advantage over the other fitness center operators. In effect, the city would be subsidizing an already NON-PROFIT organization to the detriment of tax-paying enterprises in the city (Great Body Company and others).

I asked the question of Mr. Gray, the YMCA Board President, that night - what would the Y do if the city built a world-class outdoor pool at the legion area? He replied that they would go forth with their plans (an outdoor & indoor pool plus fitness center) at their site behind K-Mart. He ALSO assured us that they had the funding to do this.

I immediately proposed to my fellow members that we build the city facility at Legion (a great new outdoor pool) and let the YMCA build theirs. Please note that the citizens of Kingsport would then have two options for indoor swimming - the Dobyns-Bennett pool and the YMCA.

Not only do I believe this to be the best option, I’m even more strongly for it considering the Recession that we are now in. What’s wrong with saving tax-payer dollars.

As a side note about the DB pool. It belongs to the citizens - we simply need to get that point across to the BOE.

One other point - under the current concept the Y will only build a fitness center (no pools) right next door to the City Aquatic Center. This will save them a lot of money. I have nothing against the Y. But I’m interested in saving the City money.

Thank you.

Pat Shull, Alderman

Mass Catholic Conversion?

2009-01-29T12:41:00.001-05:00

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has decided to recommend the Traditional Anglican Communion be accorded a personal prelature akin to Opus Dei, if talks between the TAC and the Vatican aimed at unity succeed, it is understood.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is reportedly recommending that the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC) be offered the status of personal prelature. The Traditional Anglican Communion is a group of approximately 400,000 Anglican’s that have broken away from the Anglican Communion seeking to preserve their Anglo-Catholic traditions. They formerly requested entry into the Catholic Church in 2007. These reports are emanating from an Australian Catholic weekly called The Record.

Full story here.

Mitch McConnell Needs Some Balls

2009-01-29T10:11:00.001-05:00

…and it appears we’re going to have to give him some help.

Operation Send a Pair

The DontGo Movement is teaming up with RedState to launch the new “Send a Pair” campaign. The campaign is in place to help Mitch McConnell obtain some much needed “boldness”. Apparently, Mitch McConnell isn’t able to locate a pair of his own, so we’re going to give him some assistance.

Mission: Locate any items that could resemble a “pair” if you catch the drift,, and ship them to Mitch McConnell with a your opinion about the apparent lack of will to take a serious stand on issues important to the movement.

These items could be golf balls, novelty items (think Spencers, eBay, Amazon for inspiration), or real items such as various “dried scrotum” products found in grocery stores (make sure we can actually ship this sort of thing first). RedState has a good set of balls for sale here.

Be creative, be blunt, but most importantly… be specific in your message as to why you’re helping out by sending these.

(We’ll gladly post an video, audio, or pictures you take of this)

Target: Mitch McConnell

Mitch McConnellShip to: Sen. Mitch McConnell

601 W. Broadway

Room 630

Louisville, KY 40202

Phone: (502) 582-6304

Be sure to catch pictures or video of what you’re sending so we can post it here!

The Send a Pair Project is a collaborative effort of the DontGo Movement and RedState.com

Prayer from by St. Thomas Aquinas

2009-01-28T16:43:00.001-05:00

Almighty and ever-living God, I approach the sacrament of your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. I come sick to the doctor of life, unclean to the fountain of mercy, blind to the radiance of eternal light, and poor and needy to the Lord of heaven and earth. Lord, in your great generosity, heal my sickness, wash away my defilement, enlighten my blindness, enrich my poverty, and clothe my nakedness.

May I receive the bread of angels, the King of kings and Lord of lords, with

humble reverence, with the purity and faith, the repentance and love, and the determined purpose that will help to bring me to salvation. May I receive the sacrament of the Lord's Body and Blood, and its reality and power.

Kind God, may I receive the Body of your only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus

Christ, born from the womb of the Virgin Mary, and so be received into His

mystical Body and numbered among his members. Loving Father, as on my

earthly pilgrimage I now receive your beloved Son, under the veil of a

sacrament, may I one day see Him Face to face in glory, who lives and reigns

with You for ever. Amen.

Life or death, this is how they voted

2009-01-28T16:27:00.000-05:00

From olbroad

Florida’s junior senator, Republican Mel Martinez, called on his Senate colleagues today to reinstate a policy that prohibits U.S. tax dollars from going to international organizations responsible for performing and promoting abortions.

During the debate on reauthorizing the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), Martinez offered an amendment to reinstate the policy. The amendment was defeated by a vote of 37 to 60.

“The core of this argument is whether U.S. taxpayers ought to be forced to fund efforts abroad that utilize abortion as a means of family planning,” said Martinez. “If we want to continue fostering a culture of life, where every life is considered sacred, every child is celebrated, and life at all stages is given the dignity it deserves, then we will reinstate this policy.”

The Mexico City Policy was first implemented in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan. President Obama rescinded the policy Friday.

Corker screws us again

2009-01-27T13:57:00.001-05:00

Way to go, not that we aren't used to it. When Sen. Robert Byrd has more backbone than you there is a problem. Please someone run against this man next term.

This is why the 17th amendment sucks..

WOW

2009-01-27T13:43:00.001-05:00

Obama killed 16 in Afghanistan

2009-01-26T08:26:00.001-05:00

If the press can do it to President Bush I can do it also

Here

Change

2009-01-22T10:36:00.001-05:00

Yesterday we were not giving money to organizations overseas that provided abortions, today we are - Change.

Yesterday before noon the official White House site did not promote abortion, now it does - Change.

Yesterday we had a President that did not consider that the question of human life was above his paygrade, now we do - Change

Yesterday we had a President who signed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban, today we have a President who voted for infanticide - Change

From whitehouse.gov.

* Supporting Stem Cell Research: President Obama and Vice President Biden believe that we owe it to the American public to explore the potential of stem cells to treat the millions of people suffering from debilitating and life-threatening diseases. Obama is a co-sponsor of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007, which will allow research of human embryonic stem cells derived from embryos donated (with consent) from in vitro fertilization clinics. These embryos must be deemed in excess and created based solely for the purpose of fertility treatment.

* Supports a Woman's Right to Choose: President Obama understands that abortion is a divisive issue, and respects those who disagree with him. However, he has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority in his Adminstration. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in that case.

Change from life to death

Vatican news: Pope may pardon Lefebvre's bishops

2009-01-22T10:33:00.001-05:00

ANSA reports

Official sources at the Vatican would neither confirm nor deny to ANSA whether the reports printed in the dailies Il Giornale and Il Riformista were true. Msgr. Lefebvre, who died in 1991, was excommunicated in 1988 along with four bishops he ordained without permission from the Vatican.

Mitt Romney sends this message to the gathering in Washington Today

2009-01-22T09:37:00.001-05:00

Today in Washington , many thousands of American women and men have proudly gathered on the National Mall for the March for Life. In a city of many competing political interests, these marchers have come to speak for only one cause: the goodness of every life, and the rights of the unborn.

Thirty-six years ago, those rights were denied by our highest court, in a decision that also denied the rights of all Americans to resolve the abortion issue through democratic debate and legislation. To their great credit, the organizers of the March for Life never let this anniversary pass without speaking to the conscience of America , and calling our nation to uphold its highest ideals in the protection of human life.

America owes these marchers a debt of gratitude for their perseverance in a noble cause. I am honored to count myself as their friend and ally. And because of their dedication and their goodness of heart, I am certain that one day this cause will prevail.

ERIK SCHELZIG personal hack fest on Rep Jason Mumpower

2009-01-22T08:52:00.001-05:00

I noted TimesNews running the story. Now they are running everything he spits out.

Memo on Kent Williams' alleged acts prompts criticism, ouster call

GOP lawmaker hits Repubs on harassment release

TimesNews is also running the same stories. cept they are just listing them as Assocaited Press.

From these articles note Rep. Dale Ford again coming to the aide of House Speaker Kent Williams

State Rep. Dale Ford today downplayed a memo released by House Republican Leader Jason Mumpower's office that recounted another Republican lawmaker's claims she was sexually harassed by Williams in 2007.

"There's not a woman in Nashville that's afraid of Kent Williams," Ford said in a phone interview from his Jonesborough home. "He's one of the most unlikely people in the world to sexually harass anybody."

Ford shared an office suite with Williams, of Elizabethton, when both Republicans were freshman lawmakers during the last two-year General Assembly.

"They're just trying to trash Kent Williams," Ford said.

The original story never mentioned that Rep Jason Mumpower had been asked in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. It was worded that Rep Jason Mumpower released the memo on his own merit.

Rep. Susan Lynn speaks about he problems with sexual harassment and the new speaker.

Blue Collar Muse has a right up about Did the release of a memo violate the Confidentiality provision of the General Assembly’s Sexual Harassment Policy?

WTF

2009-01-21T09:21:00.001-05:00

TimesNews allows hackjob on Mumpower?

2009-01-20T23:29:00.001-05:00

From a Associated Press article Look here

"The allegations were made just days after Williams surprisingly won the election for speaker when he gained the support of all 49 House Democrats to eke out a one-vote edge over Mumpower, who had the backing of the GOP caucus."

It never mentions the Nashville post asked for the records. As the post puts in its article here.

They word it as Rep Mumpower is doing this in spite.

NashvillePost.com obtained through a public records request to Mumpower’s office a copy of a memo written by Mumpower on April 17, 2007 stating that, on more than one occasion, Williams was called into meetings with his caucus leadership over his alleged behavior towards a female colleague.

Is this a hackjob or does someone have half the story?

Rep Dale Ford defends Kent Williams

2009-01-19T10:44:00.001-05:00

Here. Blames the vote on 4 Republicans, believes House speaker Williams's word is gold. Seems to be a habit .

another impact

2009-01-16T16:47:00.001-05:00

Circuit City to shut down

Court filing shows bankrupt electronics retailer seeks approval to sell merchandise in its remaining 567 stores.

"This is very significant. It shows you how bad things are for the retail industry," said George Whalin, president and CEO of Retail Management Consultants.

Not doom and gloom, move along.......

Economy hitting Kingsport

2009-01-16T16:42:00.001-05:00

Wellmont Health System will be laying off 86 employees at its facilities in Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and Southeast Kentucky. An additional 60 positions that are vacant will not be filled.

Meanwhile, Mountain States Health Alliance says 109 positions will be cut from their facilities.

Story here

“I do not believe all of the doom and gloom about the economy” ...Vice Mayor Mallicote

Nothing to see here move along

Eric McFadden founder of Catholics for Kerry busted for running prostitution ring

2009-01-16T10:09:00.001-05:00

He was appointed by Ted Strickland, pro-abort Democrat governor of Ohio, in February 2007 to head the Ohio Office of Faith Based Initiatives.

McFadden also served as head of Catholic outreach for the Clinton campaign in 2008.

Well when you don't have fundamental morals what can you expect?

Full story here

Kent Williams audio support of Mumpower

2009-01-16T09:35:00.001-05:00

A audio clip I made of Kent WIlliams talking about his support for Jason Mumpower... here.

This was a audio interview on am 910 WJCW January 6, 2009

full interview here

Credit to Kingsport, TN Government blog. That found the link

Let’s boycott Kent William’s “Dinos Restaurant”

2009-01-15T14:11:00.001-05:00

I certainly hope East Tennesseans and citizens in the Elizabethton area repay Republican traitor Kent Williams by boycotting his restaurant.

Dino’s Restaurant

420 E Elk Ave

Elizabethton, TN 37643

(423-542-5541)

Why would anyone support a business owned by someone who has no integrity and is willing to sell his soul for power.

I know that Redstate has an effort going on right now to send silly putty to Williams but I’d rather try to hit him where it hurts, in his pocket book. That seems to be what is most important to Kent Williams, not his honor or integrity.

From bearcreekledger.com

Bend over Tennessee

2009-01-15T13:56:00.001-05:00

The demons are at it again, trying to swindle back into the house speakers chair. A resolution can to the floor the FIRST ONE was to backdoor Jimmy Naifeh back in a speaker. Power corrupts and, this man can not live without it.

introduced by Democrat Craig Fitzhugh from Ripley, resolves to establish the position of "Speaker Emeritus" as a legislative office "... with unique qualifications and requirements to evidence the magnitude of accomplishment, dignity, and character of any person qualified to hold such position..." and to recognize Jimmy Naifeh Tennessee's first "Speaker Emeritus". Unsurprisingly, the minimum qualifications for such a position are precisely and exactly met by Jimmy Naifeh. Indeed, the qualifications for said office are identical to the details of Naifeh's career.

". a minimum service of 18 years as Speaker of the House of Representatives, a minimum service of 14 years in other leadership positions associated with the House, and receipt of the coveted William M. Bulger Excellence in State Legislative Leadership Award ..."

Near the end of the resolution's text, we find the real purpose of the Legislation.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Speaker Emeritus may perform such functions and duties as are assigned by the Speaker of the House.

Story here

TN School boards seek power to tax

2009-01-09T10:55:00.001-05:00

TN School boards seek power to tax

Tennessee school boards will begin this year to try to get the power to levy their own taxes. Tennessee is one of e11 states that does not give funding powers to local school boards. Some school boards go through the legislature to hike local taxes for schools. Most have to depend on their local city or county council. It would take a constitutional amendment for the school boards to get the power themselves. That requires the legislature pass it with a simple majority, then pass it again with a two-thirds majority, and finally submit the proposal to the public in a statewide election. School boards argue that their hands are tied because accountability laws demand they improve education, but they have no power over funding. Naturally, they think lack of money is their problem.

Full story here

You want crazy and stupid this is it.

Food sales tax targeted

2009-01-05T11:32:00.001-05:00

Bill that would lower rate to 4.5% aims to relieve burden on poor

That rate sends some Tennessee residents across the border to states with a lower tax on food. Take Margaret Elliot, a 90-year-old resident of Portland in northern Sumner County. Her daughter, Carol Curry, takes Elliot about twice a month to Kentucky to buy food. Kentucky is one of 36 states with no sales tax on food, but that state has a broad-based income tax. Curry has been taking Elliot across the line to Franklin for at least 10 years. "She likes to go up there to Save-A-Lot or Wal-Mart to get the groceries where she can save her tax money," Curry said of her mother, who is on a fixed income.

Story here

The people setting these high taxes locally like the the ones in K-town. Do not believe we go to neighboring states to do our food commerce. I got news for you, over taxed is over taxed and we will find the bargain, supporting MeadowView is not a bargain it is a BURDEN. I go to Food City in VA and save quite a bit and free gas to top it off. If there was a Wal-Mart in Gate City it would run ours out of town. The Food City in KPT has some of the highest prices. Guess they have to pay for some of that new building.

Sloppy Day

2009-01-02T14:22:00.001-05:00

Sloppy weather today, we had a bit of snow and ice. Look forward to the Kingsport BMA to contract a consultant about building a ski resort at MeadowView. HAHA

The Awakening

2008-12-30T15:36:00.001-05:00

The most feared thing by several on the BMA is happening. People are starting to realize what is going on and are starting to be vocal about it. Here and here .

More and more money going out to "consultants ", People twisting and turning data into make believe, and population dwindling.

There is a national trend among Conservatives with a revolt. Tennessee is leading the charge, turning into a completely red state for the first time in many years. East TN is leading the state on its new path. Will the people of Kingsport do their part and get rid of the spenders? Will we step up and take our local governments back? Realize that the money they spend is our money and our kids future? I think we will.

The reason for our population problems are simple... Jobs. My graduation class and those in front and behind of mine get a education and move to Knoxville and Nashville. There are simply no jobs for the education we receive. Now those that do not expand on their education are having hard times to get jobs as well. Retail simply don't solve the problem. It is good for high school jobs and these are mostly part time jobs at best. So we will get a higher education center to push even more people out of our town. On top of this we put up red-light cameras, funnel money in a part of the town no one goes to (MeadowView), have higher taxes than the leading city in the Tri-Cities area. People shop at the neighboring state for food and cigarets. Communities being destroyed. The more voice we have standing up and out the better we are. Remember this is our Government this is our tax money. Not Eastman's

dontgo Launches First State Movement

2008-12-09T15:15:00.001-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 7, 2008

CONTACT: Juliana Johnson
(312) 575-9500 (office)

(847) 691-9278 (cell)

julianatjohnson@gmail.com

PRESS RELEASE:

"#dontgo Launches First State Movement"
Tennessee News Platoon is Launched!

On Monday, December 8^th www.dontgomovement.com will unveil the Tennessee News Platoon. The website, www.Tennessee.NewsPlatoon.com, will work to promote local government transparency and accountability, provide a news platform for local activism networks, and aggregate the top news stories happening across the state.

State Representative Stacey Campfield (TN-18) states, "I look forward to #dontgo getting together; we'll be able to finally get out our clear concise message that will push for open government and good conservative values. Now more than ever we need people out there rallying conservatives to get more involved and to spread our message. I strongly feel that #dontgo will be able to help in making this happen."

#dontgo originally began as a simple Twitter tag that the founders used to track the energy debate by the US Congress on August 1^st. Hundreds of activists, including members of Congress, began using the tag not just to track the energy bill, but to energize supporters and champion fiscal conservative values. Soon thereafter the sitewww.dontgomovement.com was created and to date has over 30,000 opt-in email subscribers.

The #dontgo Revolution uses web-based strategies and tactics to advance free-market values. Its mission is to develop a fifty state strategy of blogs and internet social networks that would activate more free market conservatives in their communities leading into the 2010 elections.

#dontgo was created by Eric Odom and Allen Fuller.

###

Something some on the Kingsport BMA could learn from

2008-12-09T13:43:00.000-05:00

From here

The words you’re hearing and reading everywhere you turn in America right now — “government money” — these words are meaningless. They are a cruel delusion. There is no such thing as “government money.”

Our government does not now have, nor has it ever had, a single penny of its own. Our government makes no goods. Our government provides no saleable service. Our government has never, ever, ever, ever produced a single commodity or penny of wealth for anyone under the sun.

Our government is nothing really but a mooching relative permanently taking up residence upon our living room couch, eating our food, drinking our beer, consuming our munchies, and leaving us nothing but its garbage.

During my two-year tenure on the “government money” payroll, I learned the foundational error that now greatly accounts for the financial meltdown of America and a public debt of nearly a trillion dollars.

Our civil engineering department had a yearly budget, paid for by “government money.” The object of the budget writers was to get more money in the coming year than they had gotten in the last year. To this end, whenever the fiscal year’s end approached, there was a mad dash — fully sanctioned by every university employee, from the president to the deans to the department heads to the lowliest secretary — to spend, spend, spend until not a single penny was left in the budget unspent.

Frivolous, wasteful, purely gluttonous spending on completely unnecessary things was the order of the day and every employee got quickly into the hang of it. Imagine an outlandishly high credit limit on a credit card for which the bills never arrive at one’s own door. No luxury was considered too luxurious in the mad dash to spend every penny of allocated “government money.” The theory was that if a budget wasn’t spent out, then the higher-up bureaucrats would cut next year’s budget instead of increasing it.

From here

In my six years as City Manager in Mt. Juliet, I was most proud that my team of department heads managed to turn unspent money back in to the city’s general fund every year for six straight years. The amount averaged about 6%. We were able to do this because of a conscious decision on the part of the senior staff that this was the right thing to do, and my pledge to them that they would not be penalized when the next year’s budget was being formulated. To back that up, we froze purchase orders about 5 days into the last month of the fiscal year. The finance department had orders NOT to issue ANY purchase orders. Emergencies and exceptions had to be negotiated with the City Manager.

It worked. We saved the City about $2.5 million over six years.

There is another innovative practice I have heard about, but never got a chance to implement. In Oregon, City Manager Scott Lazenby has led his city in adopting a two-year budget. Department heads are ecouraged to economize wherever possible. Any operating funds NOT spent during the first fiscal year are kept in the department budget and can be used for capital projects (subject to approval by the City Manager and City Council). It appears to work well.

My $.02 is that if leaders (both elected and appointed) pay attention, lay out the ground rules clearly, and lead by example that the budget excesses can be avoided.

Chip Saltsman has officially thrown his name into the RNC Chairman race

2008-12-09T09:29:00.001-05:00

“[The Huckabee campaign] is part of my resume but it doesn’t define me politically,” Saltsman explained. “I’m not sure if you look at my history that you’d think I was a Huckabee guy. You could just as easily say I’m a Bob Corker guy, a Lamar Alexander guy or a Frist guy.”

Saltsman certainly made no apologies for his association with Huckabee and spoke with pride of his “13 months” on the campaign but he did make sure to put a bit of distance between himself and the Huckabee message. Saltsman made it plain that he was a straight politics guy in his role as campaign manager — a hired hand — not the idea man.

Quotes from here

Corker, Lamar, and the Huck.......... Naaaa gonna pass on this endorsement. These are the people that hurt our party. They cloud the vision of principals we hold on to. I don't want a "politics guy" I want core principals, all the candidates he has helped do not share the same ones as I do. I usually support the local guy, not this time.

Dont forget this one

Huckabee backs up his claim to be a “paradoxical Republican.” While he is decidedly not a fiscal conservative and makes statements to distance himself from conservatives in his party, his national campaign manager John "Chip" Saltsman wrote to the American Spectator insisting that, “Without doubt, Mike Huckabee is a fiscal conservative who cut taxes almost 100 times in the state of Arkansas and returned almost $400 million to Arkansas taxpayers, including the first broad-based tax cut in the history of the state.” He goes on to say that, “A fair appraisal of Governor Huckabee's record reveals that he is an authentic, consistent conservative whose goal is to reduce both taxes and spending when he is President.”

If all I wanted is a for hire guy then get the guy that ran Obama's campaign. I want someone that knows the core principals and will use that to take us into the future.

A NEW DIRECTION FOR KINGSPORT

2008-12-04T08:50:00.001-05:00

A NEW DIRECTION FOR KINGSPORT

Patrick W. Shull, Alderman, City of Kingsport

There is a growing dissatisfaction among many Kingsport citizens regarding the direction taken by the current administration of our city government. In a nutshell, the city leadership has gone too far, too fast in spending taxpayer funds in an unfocused effort to be “progressive”, thereby raising municipal debt to dangerous, unprecedented levels. While some of the actions taken by the Board of Mayor and Alderman (BMA) have been very positive, the cumulative effect of major spending decisions over the last 3 plus years has jeopardized the long-term financial health of the city, caused much of the citizenry to seriously question the wisdom of certain decisions, and distracted the city from addressing several areas of concern. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to highlight problem areas and recommend solutions to those problems.

Municipal Debt: As recently as 2006 the City of Kingsport was on target to bring the overall debt down to the $100 million mark. Since then, however, the debt has soared until it is now projected to exceed $200 million by early 2009. So far, the city is still under the legal thresholds for municipal debt. But the looming danger is that the current economic recession that the United States is experiencing will result in a downturn in city revenues via sales tax receipts and state shared taxes. As of this writing Kingsport’s unemployment is rising, our bond ratings may be downgraded, and we look poised to start experiencing the severe economic problems already being faced by national and state governments. The massive debt that the BMA has incurred equals a future tax increase.

Solution: The BMA must start prioritizing spending, something that it has refused to do during the current administration. The next budget should be tailored to begin paying down debt, not continually increasing it. We should limit the growth of the city workforce to the rate of growth of the city. And, we simply cannot begin any new major projects unless we identify a method of paying for it which does not increase the current debt level. Further, the main thrust of major capital projects should be improving the infrastructure for the long term benefit of all citizens. This will require the ability to distinguish between “needs” vs. “wants”. Finally, the BMA must resist the temptation to raise taxes, the exact wrong thing to do in the middle of a recession.

Annexation: The city has established a pattern of annexing “targets of opportunity”. Annexation is important to the long-term growth of the city, but it needs to proceed in a reasonable, planned pace. The major costs of annexation are heavily weighted on the front end and borne by the current city taxpayers – not the annexed areas.

Solution: Kingsport needs a 360 degree comprehensive annexation plan. Because the Regional Planning Commission is an arm of the city, we have the obligation to plan annexation in a careful, rational manner, which considers the concerns of all the stakeholders including the county government and citizens within the urban growth boundary. Simply jumping around as we are now only serves to unduly alienate our county constituencies and incur unnecessary un-programmed expense.

Economic Development: This term is probably the most imprecise term in the BMA lexicon. Because it lacks definition, the current administration has justified a number of questionable actions by citing them as good for economic development. The public has grown weary of targeted tax breaks and fancy projects aimed at pleasing narrow constituencies. Our citizens take a dim view regarding the millions of dollars spent on projects while at the same time they are running over pot-holes in our streets.

Solution: The next administration must reach an understanding among the BMA members and our citizens about the proper role of the city government in the local economy. Traditionally the most productive role the city can play is to help create a climate where the private sector can thrive by: providing superb schools; world-class infrastructure: outstanding public safety; low taxes; excellent public services; and assurance that all citizens will be treated fairly by their government.

School Support: Sullivan County has over capacity in its school system while simultaneously experiencing a decline in school age population. Conversely, the City of Kingsport is building a new elementary school and is projected to have increases in school age children. Simply put, this situation is a waste of Sullivan County taxpayer dollars which affects the majority of Kingsporters. This appears to be a “political” problem beyond the ability of the county and city school boards to solve.

Solution: Kingsport must call for an Education summit between all city/county players. State law provides ample authority for school districts located in the same county to cooperate in the best interests of the public. It is certainly within the public interest to resolve this problem and stop wasting money.

City Employee Retirement Costs: The city is one of the few remaining employers with a Defined Benefit Retirement Plan. This is increasingly becoming unaffordable. The longer we wait to fix this situation the more expensive resolution will become.

Solution: The city staff must provide a transition plan soon which converts the city to a Defined Contribution system. At this point there is still a small window of time remaining where this can be done and still keep faith with the current work force regarding their future benefits.

Under-represented Citizenry: There are no Aldermanic districts in Kingsport, all BMA members are elected at large. As the city population has increased, especially due to growth from recent immigrants, many citizens have become disenchanted with their elected representatives, several whom they view as representing special interests and being “out of touch” with regular, ordinary citizens.

Solution: Kingsport needs four districts with a neighborhood blend of various levels of socio-economic status. The resulting BMA would have four Aldermen representing districts, and the Mayor and two Aldermen elected at large. This would provide a better balance of competing interests.

“Distant” Local Government: The majority of the BMA recently passed two controversial measures affecting the Meadowview area despite the majority of Kingsport citizens being opposed. A strong perception exists among the electorate that the BMA is only concerned with the views of an “elite” and not the majority of citizens, and is unwilling to change. The current leadership does not hold “town hall” meetings, and often rush resolutions and ordinances through the process before the citizens have had time to “catch-up” with what is occurring. And the current leadership is not reluctant to wield the enormous power of government in questionable ways.

Solution: New leadership in City Hall is needed to reach out to all citizens. The BMA needs to seriously consider the views of many, not just a few. The next BMA needs to be focused on maximizing citizen freedom, not pleasing elite constituencies.

Lack of Leadership Vision: The current administration has never presented a coherent vision of Kingsport’s future which ties various major projects together or prioritizes spending in a logical, considered manner. Instead the BMA approaches business in an incremental, “one-project-at-a-time” manner. This approach has been a model of adhocracy which renders it impossible for the public, or even other elected officials, to ascertain exactly what we are trying to accomplish.

Solution: The next administration needs to develop and explain a vision of Kingsport’s future which the public can understand and embrace. There are several potential contributors to this process which are currently shut out in favor of selected interests. This vision can be linked to the budget and future planning in a systematic way.

Alderman Shull is on top of things once again. These are so simple they are over looked from the people that don't care about its tax payers and the future. Thank you Alderman Shull

TimesNews website.

2008-12-03T15:39:00.001-05:00

Is it just me or has anyone else noticed anything with the KTP BMA get pushed off the front page really quick?

Pic of the new UT coach Kiffin

2008-12-02T11:29:00.001-05:00

House GOP elects Mumpower majority leader

2008-12-01T15:50:00.001-05:00

House Republicans made Jason Mumpower majority leader on Monday, positioning the Bristol lawmaker to eventually take over the speakership from the long-time Democratic speaker, Jimmy Naifeh.

“My friends, this is the first time in history that House Republicans have been gathered on this floor as the majority party,” Mumpower said.

Story here

Thank God!

East TN is now in control!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T11:15:00.001-05:00

The George Washington 1789 Thanksgiving proclamation. I want to start with that. We'll take a break and come back with the Real Story of Thanksgiving. First, here's what George Washington proclaimed in1789:

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor -- and where as both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government or their safety and happiness."

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be -- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks -- for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation -- for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the tranquility [sic], union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed -- for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted -- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions -- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually -- to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed --to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn [sic] kindness onto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord -- To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease [sic] of science among them and us -- and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

George Washington

Take a drive.

2008-11-25T09:19:00.001-05:00

Get in your car this week drive to Lynn Garden. Take a gander at what the city does for its roads, how it helps small business. The city destroyed this once great community. Local small businesses are closing shop, crime rate up. This is annexation a community closest to the center of Kingsport has been long forgotten. Now MeadowView is the center of Kingsport. It's where all tax money flows after all. Drive across the Lynn Garden Stone drive bridge. Drive in the center or the roads will shred your tires. I know most go through here on the way to VA to buy food so the next time open your eyes a bit and look around. Drive through the neighborhoods

Wondering

Jun 12, 2008

"Just when will the promised sidewalks show up in Lynn Garden? It has been 20 years since annexation, they are long past due. This is the way that Kingsport and any other city that forces annexation works. They make all kinds of promises that they have no intention of keeping just to get more tax money!"

We have lost a School, post office, hardware store, and Grocery store. Most importantly we lose the community.

Dale St. John

"I lived in Lynn Garden when the annexation took place there. All it does is divide a community, hurt the schools and cause bad feelings from which it never fully recovers. The thing that makes me boil is that one of the leading proponents of the drive to annex did not live in Lynn Garden. This person managed a business there. He is long gone,not living in Kingsport or dealing with any of this.He was a good man, but either did not understand the consequences or did not care. Oh, at first you did not have to tap on to the sewer, but when they dynamited to install the lines, it messed the septic systems up and you then had to get the city sewer any way or shell out to fix your the damage it caused your own. What has happened to Lynn Garden since? Just look at some the stories of businesses that have closed. Annexation like this causes bad feelings among people who were neighbors for years, which leads to loss of community. It lost its identity and the residents have never felt they are a part of Kingsport and probably never will. This is what annexation caused and has never found a cure for, which is evidenced by closing of schools, low enrollment for existing schools and in many cases the loss of local businesses."

I will be interviewing local businesses soon about this. Get their take on what the city means to them and how it has works for the Lynn Garden community.

Also a report on how the City swayed someone not to move to Lynn Garden.

Take a look here under Comments to get a feeling of how people in Lynn Garden

Change

2008-11-21T13:04:00.001-05:00

Change, naaaaaa

Adviser says Fred Thompson plans return to acting

2008-11-21T09:57:00.001-05:00

By ERIK SCHELZIG – 11 hours ago NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson is going back to the small screen after his foray into Republican presidential politics over the last year. Thompson, best known on TV for his role as a gruff district attorney on NBC's "Law & Order," dropped out of the crowded GOP primaries in January after his much-anticipated presidential campaign failed to gain strong support among conservatives. He campaigned heavily for eventual nominee John McCain, and had recently tried to gain support to be in charge of the Republican National Committee. But his former finance chairman, B.C. "Scooter" Clippard, said Thompson told him Wednesday that he was returning to acting and dropping his RNC bid. "He seriously considered it, but he called and said that it was not in the cards," Clippard said. Clippard said he did not know which television programs might be interested in Thompson. "He has some wonderful opportunities back in the television market that probably financially far outweigh being chair of the RNC," Clippard said. Thompson, 66, was a lawyer and character actor before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 1993, only to turn his back on politics after his first full term in favor of a full-time acting career in 2002. Thompson began his acting career playing himself in the film "Marie" in 1985, about a high-profile legal case he handled in Tennessee. And while his presidential ambitions didn't pan out, at least Thompson got to play the commander in chief as Ulysses S. Grant in the 2007 TV movie "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee."

Oh Well

Pope Had `Prophecy' of Market Collapse in 1985, Tremonti Says

2008-11-20T13:15:00.001-05:00

By Flavia Krause-Jackson and Lorenzo Totaro

Nov. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Pope Benedict XVI was the first to predict the crisis in the global financial system, a ``prophecy'' dating to a paper he wrote when he was a cardinal, Italian Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti said.

``The prediction that an undisciplined economy would collapse by its own rules can be found'' in an article written by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who became pope in April 2005, Tremonti said yesterday at Milan's Cattolica University.

German-born Ratzinger in 1985 presented a paper entitled ``Market Economy and Ethics'' at a Rome event dedicated to the Church and the economy. The future pope said a decline in ethics ``can actually cause the laws of the market to collapse.''

Pope Benedict in an Oct. 7 speech reflected on crashing markets and concluded that ``money vanishes, it is nothing'' and warned that ``the only solid reality is the word of God.''

The Vatican's official newspaper, l'Osservatore Romano, on the same day criticized the free-market model for having ``grown too much and badly in the past two decades.''

I think we see some ethics problems localy.

Kingsports good guys

2008-11-18T13:17:00.001-05:00

KINGSPORT — Alderman Pat Shull suggested City Manager John Campbell’s salary be frozen at its current level as a way to show Leadership during this year’s budget process. Shull made the suggestion during last week’s Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting, specifically during a discussion on the city’s fiscal year 2009 budget. The BMA voted 5-2 to approve the $65 million general fund budget and unanimously to approve next year’s water and sewer budgets. Shull and Alderman Ken Marsh voted against the general fund budget. Alderman Ken Marsh and Pat Shull proposed putting off the expansion plan, and giving the tax money that would be used to fund the expansion, back to taxpayers, by lowering property taxes. the board voted the proposal down by 5 to 2. “I think the citizens of Kingsport need to realize a majority of the board turned down a plan to reduce their property taxes”, said Alderman Pat Shull.

How about we let MeadowView do it on its own? Cool concept eh Mayor? If the market don't allow for this why should we force it? Listen to these two not that voice inside your wallet. (our wallet)

KINGSPORT - Alderman Pat Shull and candidate Richard Samples believe Mayor Dennis Phillips is rushing the vote on the proposed kingsport higher education center, arguing the public needs more information and time to study the issue before the Board of Mayor and Aldermen votes on the matter. Shull said he would like to hear more about why the center has to be downtown and not at the East Tennessee State University campus at Allandale. Shull said the city should also consider the city's debt and other capital projects when discussing the higher education center. "The proponents of this thing feel so strongly about it, they've internalized it. It's almost emotional, like asking someone about their religion," Shull said. "I think this has caused them to not understand, for other people it's not intuitive that this is a good thing." Alderman Pat Shull said the BMA has not had a discussion about the proper use of the regional sales tax, adding he does not support the executive conference wing project at this time. “Not right now, since we’ve not have full debate on it. We didn’t have a good debate and discussion about it,” Shull said. “A majority of the BMA is operating on the principle that we can do it all and not raise taxes. I’m not advocating we raise taxes, and I don’t believe we can do it all.” Shull said he would like have a discussion on the regional sales tax, including using the revenue for capital projects or for allowing a reduction in property taxes. “I’d like to look at all those things.”

I would like to thank Aldermen Shull for being available to the public on the internet and in person. Aldermen Shull and Marsh do keep trying to give us back our money and trying to take a second look at things before we go spending into the night.

Sources timesnews

The Tax and spend and spend and spend solution

2008-11-18T09:34:00.001-05:00

Tax

"The Board of Mayor and Aldermen established the VEP last year to fund a variety of tourism related projects, with the funding coming from a recently approved 2 percent increase to the city’s hotel/motel tax."

Tax

Alderman Marsh presented a resolution at the October 21, 2008 Kingsport Board of Mayors and Aldermen to eliminate the quarter percent sales tax that voters approved in 1992 to fund the Meadowview Convention Center. The quarter percent regional sales tax had served its purpose and the convention center debt was paid off in 2008.

Spend

Last year’s projects came to $310,240, which included a 13 percent reserve of $40,240. However, revenue estimates for that year have come to $298,855. The projected revenue for next year is $325,000, while the total amount requested for projects next year is $285,000.

The first major project earmarked under the VEP was the Bays Mountain Park planetarium replacement and renovation project. The $1.3 million project is under way and includes a new digital star projector, surround sound, an LED lighting system, new floor and seating.

This I can go with. High school stoners need a new place to see pink floyd in lights. Honestly I do like Bays Mountain I send out of towners there It is a great place for the area and us.

Spend

"The committee budgeted $60,000 last year for a way finding and sign study and has budgeted another $60,000 in next year’s plan. Part of that money will go to the study, while the remainder would go to purchase and install decorative signs throughout the city."

If we pride ourselves on being friendly why do we need ugly signs? Now if MeadowView is working why not have an info center there? Is not this place supposed to be the reason and place outsiders are coming to?

"Andy King, general manager of MeadowView Conference Resort and Convention Center, said the $60,000 would be a drop in the bucket toward putting up new signs."

That drop in the bucket could pay off my mortgage. I’m bringing my bucket to the next BMA.

Spend

"$40,000 to explore possible wedding venues throughout the city"

What? Are we going to compete with Gatlinburg? Just include a Chapel in MeadowView. Or staff it with a Justice of the Peace. This is just plain wrong. Who did this money go to really?

Spend

$10,000 for landscaping in the Meadowview area, $15,000 for visitors center planning.

Again a info center at MeadowView.

Spend

"Kingsport is planning an $8 million renovation and expansion project for the center.
Conceptual art and layout drawings exist for the new facility, which calls for demolishing 13,600 square feet of the existing building, renovating the remaining 46,000 square feet, and adding just over 50,000 square feet of new space — 30,900 of which will be a new nonprofit center."

I dot have a problem with non-profits. I do have a problem with the city doing this. This is still our money. This would take away from a profit making LOCAL small business. Plus we throw in

"city would furnish everything in the office, including utilities, janitorial services and common areas for restrooms, kitchen space and meeting rooms."

Next rate hike, remember that one.

“It’s still an ideal spot for us, it would be,” he said. “But if we lease it, then we’d end up paying the utilities, so I still think we’re getting the best deal at the nonprofit center.”

And this one

"Kingsport is allocating space, computers and furniture for the nonprofit Douglass Alumni Association and the Sons and Daughters of Douglass Web site, free of charge."

Spend

"The BMA voted last week to locate a $12.6 million aquatic center in the Meadowview area of town on a 10-acre site between the driving range and Cattails golf course located off Wilcox Drive."

Do I have to even complain at this point? I would guess there are 10 to 30% of people in KPT that have never been close to MeadowView. Much less willing to go that far out of the way to get wet.

Spend

"The Board of Mayor and Aldermen authorized $11.27 million in bonds Tuesday night to fund the construction of the Kingsport Center for Higher Education."
"The city has spent $1.15 million toward the purchase of several downtown buildings to be used in connection with the higher education center and possible future expansion sites."
"On Tuesday, the BMA voted to authorize the purchase of the Carriage House property for $270,804, which will be used in connection to the higher education center. The BMA deferred taking action on purchasing the A-Hood Bonding building for $128,300 and selling a portion of the Tri-Cities Linen building to A-Hood for $45,923 to be used as their new home."
"Last year the city earmarked roughly $2 million for land acquisition from the city’s target fund balance of $11.4 million. Alderman Ken Marsh suggested on Monday taking $2 million from the city’s general fund balance and reallocating it to the target fund balance. Marsh argued this would allow the city to reduce the initial bond issuance of $13.2 million by $2 million. The city had always planned to pay back the target fund balance the $2 million from either the bond issuance or from excess cash"

“If we don’t do the $2 million, we don’t have to spend it,” Phillips said. “If we do this, we have $38,000 in the excess fund balance, and that guarantees we won’t consider anything on the Veterans Memorial or the American Legion until after July 1 unless we take it out of the AEP building money.”

City officials estimate the Academic Village will amount to a $20 million local investment in higher education and bring 2,100 students to downtown Kingsport.

Where are they parking again? Where will they go swimming? Are we going to bus them for free?

This is just in one year. And not even all of the spending the city has done. For every project they paid someone to look at it. It is not going to stop. Here is the outlook of today’s reality.

"Kingsport lost 543 jobs during the quarter, Johnson City lost 785 jobs, and Bristol lost 173 jobs"
"Kingsport’s unemployment rate increased from 4.21 percent to 6 percent in the quarter"
ETSU economist Steb Hipple said employment in the region has declined over the past three quarters while inflation has worsened. “All doubts are now removed — the U.S. economy is in a recession,” Hipple said.

I tend to notice we are a few months behind the times on economic impact. So it’s only going to get worse as we spend away with no second thought from the BMA

Source timesnews.net

Please thank these people. Do it from a distance tho they will tax you somehow.

Mayor Dennis Phillips
Vice Mayor Ben Mallicote
Alderman Larry A. Munsey
Alderman Jantry Shupe
Alderman Valer

Alert from "Kingsport, TN Government" blog

2008-11-17T16:34:00.001-05:00

His amazing blog here.

Get out of that easy chair!! There are two important BMA meetings on November 17 and 18, 2008 to discuss and vote on new bond debt (MeadowView expansion, road projects, parking garage, V.O Dobbins Center, etc). If you have a concern about the City of Kingsport debt approaching $190 million and a concern that Kingsport could possibly have a quarter billion dollars of debt in the next three years. Go to the meetings and express your views. The Work Session meeting is on Monday November 17, at 4:30pm in the 2nd floor conference room and the Business Meeting starts at 7pm on November 18 in the 2nd floor courtroom. You can speak early in the meeting (instead of waiting until the end), because the bond issue is on the agenda. Both meeting are at the City Hall building. Get involved and make your views known!! It's your money they are spending.

Please show up, and be VOCAL. As the nation and state are loosing money we are starting to see it here. We have already paied off the MeadowView scam. That money belings to us and should be given back.

Eastman VS We the people

2008-11-17T09:28:00.001-05:00

We the people get tax hikes and have spent $25.7 million for the current convention center and Cattails golf course. Eastman gets $28 mil in tax breaks WE the people LOOSE. But this is for the future "Over the next five years, Eastman plans to invest more than $1.3 billion in its Kingsport headquarters operation. The company plans to modernize the plant, investing about $265 million every year at the Kingsport site through 2012." What? Eastman Chemical Co. is eliminating about 40 headquarters jobs by the end of the year as it restructures and keeps its budget at current levels.

Rino Season Is Now Open

2008-11-14T08:40:00.001-05:00

by Ted Nugent

11/12/2008

My specialty is making Fedzilla punks squirm and turn into a puddle of sweat and drool. Therefore, in the spirit of famous butt kickers Generals Chesty Puller and George Patton, I say we launch an attack on all fronts. Uncle Ted hereby declares it is open season on RINOs. No bag limits or permits required. Conservative ideas, arguments and votes are the weapons we will use. Hunt them down and shine a blazing light on these RINO turncoat cockroaches. Zero in the “we the people” crosshairs of your voting assault weapon and aim for the RINO pumpstation. Double tap center mass. Whack em and stack em, track em and hack em, pack em and give em no slack. Let’s do to the RINO beasts what we did to the passenger pigeon. Force out of the Republican Party out the subspecies known as RINOs.

We must not make the mistake of keeping the GOP tent so big that there’s room for RINOs. They are in the business of producing conservative defeats. Instead, join me in the new Conservative Revolution. Let’s go out and win another one for the Gipper.

Lets GET EM!!

SC priest: No communion for Obama supporters

2008-11-14T08:17:00.001-05:00

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - A South Carolina Roman Catholic priest has told his parishioners that they should refrain from receiving Holy Communion if they voted for Barack Obama because the Democratic president-elect supports abortion, and supporting him "constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil."
The Rev. Jay Scott Newman said in a letter distributed Sunday to parishioners at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Greenville that they are putting their souls at risk if they take Holy Communion before doing penance for their vote.
"Our nation has chosen for its chief executive the most radical pro-abortion politician ever to serve in the United States Senate or to run for president," Newman wrote, referring to Obama by his full name, including his middle name of Hussein.
"Voting for a pro-abortion politician when a plausible pro-life alternative exits constitutes material cooperation with intrinsic evil, and those Catholics who do so place themselves outside of the full communion of Christ's Church and under the judgment of divine law. Persons in this condition should not receive Holy Communion until and unless they are reconciled to God in the Sacrament of Penance, lest they eat and drink their own condemnation."

WOOT! The Church is standing up. Slowly, but still

Whatever you did unto one of the least, you did unto me

2008-11-12T09:31:00.001-05:00

The blood of the innocent is on your hands now.

Obama's transition co-chairman, said the transition team is
reviewing hundreds of Bush's executive orders, CNN reported Wednesday.

Also under scrutiny are the so-called gag order on international aid
organizations that either counsel or perform abortion, another
concerning oil and gas drilling on federal lands and the closing of the
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, military prison, Podesta said Tuesday.

John Podesta, Mr. Obama is beginning a review of Mr. Bush's executive
orders as President, and might rapidly overturn some of them - such as
those restricting stem-cell research

That did not take long. Let the killing of the innocent begin.

BALTIMORE (AP) - The nation's Roman Catholic bishops vowed Tuesday to
forcefully confront the Obama administration over its support for
abortion rights, saying the church and religious freedom could be under
attack in the new presidential administration.

In an impassioned discussion on Catholics in public life, several
bishops said they would accept no compromise on abortion policy. Many
condemned Catholics who had argued it was morally acceptable to back
President-elect Obama because he pledged to reduce abortion rates.
"I
cannot have a vice president-elect coming to Scranton to say he's
learned his values there when those values are utterly against the
teachings of the Catholic Church," Martino said. The Obama-Biden press
office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Please Bishops stand up. The souls with no voice need yours.

"What
are the bishops going to do now?" Korzen said. "'They have burned a lot
of bridges with the Democrats and the new administration."

Burn them all. Let me see if I can help. You are murders you support death. Please do not come to Communion until you confess and I think it should be a public confession as well. There is alot of blood on your hands.

Whatever you did unto one of the least, you did unto me

Court records name GOP analyst in Web smear campaign against Nathan Vaughn

2008-11-11T13:45:00.001-05:00

Cmon boys you gotta respond to this. Or you will loose KPT for a long time.

Published 11/11/2008 By Hank Hayes

A restraining order was issued two months ago to a person identified as a Tennessee House GOP research analyst accused of using the Internet to allegedly defame state Rep. Nathan Vaughn of Kingsport, the Times-News has learned....

The Web content, according to the court filings, did not identify the persons who paid for and authorized the sites.
Gilmer, identified as the research analyst, was also identified as an aide to House GOP Caucus Chairman Glen Casada of Franklin.
Neither Mumpower nor Gilmer immediately responded to e-mails and phone calls seeking comment.

Full story here

Kingsport, you the people pad our pockets.

2008-11-11T08:30:00.001-05:00

Alderman Marsh presented a resolution at the October 21, 2008 Kingsport Board of Mayors and Aldermen to eliminate the quarter percent sales tax that voters approved in 1992 to fund the Meadowview Convention Center. The quarter percent regional sales tax had served it’s purpose and the convention center debt was paid off in 2008.

The resolution was to use a portion of the regional sales tax to reduce the property tax rate for citizens. The citizens of Kingsport could have received a reduction in their city property tax, but the resolution was quickly voted down by the “gang of five”. (Mayor Dennis Phillips, Vice Mayor Mallicote, and Aldermen Munsey, Joh, Shupe) See Kingsport Times-News article “Marsh urges scuttling MeadowView expansion

The decision of the “gang of five” showed their true colors by voting against the citizens for a property tax refund and instead voting for special interest groups.

Alderman Shull and Marsh have in the past tried to discuss the future of the regional sales tax, but Mayor Phillips would always table the discussion. It is my feeling that Mayor Phillips had no intention of ending the regional sales tax and had plans to use it for MeadowView Convention Center expansion.

The October 21, 2008 BMA meeting got a little heated with Vice Mayor Ben Mallicote going on the attack, Alderman Joh stated that Aldermen Shull and Marsh were just sore losers. Mayor Phillips stated that without MeadowView the city would have to raise taxes. He also made a statement that MeadowView is needed to keep from reducing police and fire protection and doing trash pick-up every two weeks. Mr. Mayor, stop the spin, it may be news to you, the convention center has been operating at a loss and the taxpayers are in fact keeping the convention center in business. The voters of Kingsport are smarter than you think, Mayor Phillips.

Maybe, I will in the future do a post about the wasteful spending in the City of Kingsport by Mayor Phillips and his gang.

Full story here

I will NOT vote for ANYONE that steals my money. THATS YOU KPT ALDERMEN.

The 17th Amendment

2008-11-10T13:06:00.001-05:00

I am all for getting rid of the 17th. Term limits do nothing

From the weblog Banging the Drum:

There is another date other than 7 December 1941 that will live in infamy. The other date is 8 April 1913, the date that the Seventeenth Amendment was ratified. On that date the Congress and states changed Article 1, Section 3 of the Constitution that required each State Legislature to select two Senators for representation in the United States Senate. The Amendment requires instead that each Senator be elected by popular vote of the people rather than be selected by their respective State Legislators, to wit, “The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state, elected by the people thereof, for six years, and each Senator shall have one vote”…….. The 16th, 17th, 18th (Prohibition) and 19th (Woman right to vote) Amendments were conceived during the “Progressive” movement that was gaining influence at the time and you will of course recall that the 16th Amendment allowed the Congress to lay and collect taxes on incomes. The “Progressive” movement has morphed into the “Liberal” movement of today and these two terms have come to mean that force is required to change people’s actions for the good of all, and Brothers and Sisters, as I have said on many occasions before: Taxes Are Power and the 16th is the single most important enabler of the power requirement that can force change. This Amendment was the legal basis for enacting legislation that began the collection of payroll taxes in 1937 for the Social Security Program...

The importance of the original Constitutional requirement for Senator selection cannot be overstated because the Article 1, Section 3 requirement was carefully crafted to complement the Bicameral organization of the legislative branch of Government. I really don’t think I command enough of the reader’s respect to provide the reason for this, but perhaps one of the Country’s founding fathers could. I’m referring to James Madison and in the Federalist Paper No 10 he explained the reason for Bicameralism, “Before taking effect, legislation would have to be ratified by two independent power sources: the people’s representatives in the House and the State legislatures’ agents in the Senate.” This requirement would not only provide the means to ensure the concept of Federalism but would thwart the influence of special interests because of the requirement of satisfying two separate constituencies. Mr. Madison further explained the concept in Federalist Paper No 51: “In republican government, the legislative authority, necessarily predominate. The remedy for this inconveniency is, to divide the legislature into different branches; and to render them by different modes of election, and different principals of action, as little connected with each other, as the nature of their common functions and their common dependencies on the society, will admit.” You may be surprised to learn that the original method of Senator selection was so important that it was one of the few principals that enjoyed nearly unanimous approval by the founding fathers. Because of the Seventeenth Amendment, the authority of each State has been greatly reduced and due to the power of incumbency, each Senator has become a Potentate instead of a representative in a Senate that is coming to resemble the Senate of Rome in its last days. Also, because the Senators are now elected, special interests have a corruption avenue equal to that in the House of Representatives to funnel money and power to ensure election and satisfy plain old greed in exchange for favors in the legislative process. Indeed, the current financial catastrophe we find ourselves in can be traced directly to the influence of special interests in causing the Gramm-Leach-Blily (GLB) act in 1999 to become law. That law was enacted in spite of repeated warnings by knowledgeable and responsible people that its enactment would produce a financial crisis of Biblical proportions. The GLB act repealed part of the Glass-Steagall act of 1933 that was enacted to prevent the kind of financial crisis that produced the great depression. The GLB act removed most all restrictions and separations between commercial banks and all other investment and financial entities. Viola, financial crisis circa 2008, and all because special interests have gained a foothold that the founding fathers tried with all of their wisdom to prevent. I could even make the case that Article 1, Section 3, of the Constitution addressed the most fundamental special interest problem indigenous to a mature society. The special interest that I’m referring to is the special interest of the Cities versus the rest of the country. The cities always attract the most intellectual and financial capital and this concentration of wealth always demands more and more resources from the rest of the country. The ever-increasing demands of the Cities always causes a schism to develop between the whole of the people because one cannot exist without the other yet the cities keep making demands that would cause the rest of the country to fall into ruin (much like Rome in its final days). The cities can do this because there have the greater population concentration and can easily overwhelm the rest of the country with superior political power especially within a “one man, one vote” system. I refer you to the USA Today 2004 Presidential Election map down to the county level (commonly referred to as the “Red/Blue map) that clearly shows the cities (population areas) voting one way and the rest of the country another. The requirement that Senators be agents of the State instead of being directly elected by the people addressed the City/Country schism in a remarkable and effective way. I invite you to consider other areas that the 17th Amendment ratification may have influenced upon but suffice to say, the consequences of the 17th Amendment are far reaching and quite possibly damaging to our country as well.

A fight: East vs West

2008-11-06T10:08:00.001-05:00

Beth Harwell ( co-chair of John McCain's campaign in Tennessee) Looks to push aside Jason Mumpower from the speaker spot. We must get the word out WE want our great state ran by Jason Mumpower and east TN for a change.

http://www.new.facebook.com/people/Jason_Mumpower/1177013296

Obamatics hit TN

2008-11-03T09:54:00.001-05:00

NASHVILLE - Tennessee Republican Party challenges the last minute changes authorized by the Tennessee Division of Elections. Three days before the election will take place State Election Coordinator Brook Thompson notified a Republican Election Commissioner of significant changes his office had made to voter identification (voter ID) standards that will now include out of state driver’s licenses.

Robin Smith, Chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party, stated, “In order to be registered to vote in Tennessee a voter is required to be a resident of Tennessee. But now the state election office is loosening standards and allowing people to use out of state driver’s licenses to vote in Tennessee.” Smith continued, “Something doesn’t add up. With numerous reports warning of fraudulent voter registrations taking place in other states we asked the Division of Elections maintain current voter integrity standards not loosen them. I call on Secretary of State Riley Darnell and Election Coordinator Brook Thompson to immediately end this practice. Loosening standards and undermining the law in Tennessee or its intent put the integrity of the elections in jeopardy by and will just encourage fraudulent voting here in Tennessean.”

Tennessee Code Annotated section 2-7-112 (03-C-ii-c) provides instruction for ‘evidence for identification’ to verify a voter’s identity and clearly states that “…a valid voter’s registration card, a Tennessee driver license, social security card, credit card bearing the applicant’s signature or other document bearing the applicant’s signature.”

Voters can provide additional documents to verify their Identity, but it is clear that the law was written to have only state residents participate in electing Tennessee officials.

Smith continued, saying, “Thanks in part to legislation blocked by Democrats in the past, there is very little that can be done to ensure that someone who has already voted in Alabama cannot then vote in Tennessee. The least we can do is to not allow an Alabama drivers license to be used as proof of Tennessee residency and identification.”

Other issues have also emerged during early voting, including recent voting machine irregularities that have occurred with no promise for immediate correction. In multiple counties, voters have attempted to vote for John McCain for president on the [ESS iVotronic] touch screen systems but instead, votes were displayed for Barack Obama. Despite the request for immediate intervention, information was provided by a technician acknowledging the issue with blame being cast to ballot layout, approved by the Secretary of State’s office, and the calibration of the machine to be for an individual 5 feet 2 inches in height.

In addition, the process for certifying poll watchers for county election sites was challenged by Brook Thompson despite previous approval; the questionable use of interpreters accompanying voters who could neither speak nor read English was permitted; and threats to halt poll watcher training were leveled against Republican Election Commissioners.

“Tennesseans deserve confidence in the voting process. Amid national stories of deliberate fraud, the Tennessee Republican Party stands prepared to file civil and criminal charges in any case proven to attempt to defraud the voting process,” continued Chairman Smith. “The disgust of the public toward politics is justified when incompetence and willful disregard for our laws is on full display. We urge Secretary of State Darnell to intervene immediately to make any corrective and necessary punitive action.”

Tennessee Law about getting a driver licence

New residents holding a valid out-of-state driver license must obtain a Tennessee driver license no later than thirty (30) days after establishing residency. All out-of-state driver licenses must be surrendered. Tennessee law does not allow a resident of this state to hold more than one valid driver license.

New residents must provide two (2) proofs of their current valid Tennessee residence address as well as proof of citizenship or legal presence and Social Security Number.

YEA something isn't adding up.

OUCH

2008-11-03T09:44:00.001-05:00

ATLAS SHRUGS: Jerrold Nadler admits Obama is "Not Politically Courageous"

Obamunism

2008-10-29T10:12:00.001-04:00

We cannot expect the Americans to jump from capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving Americans small doses of socialism until they suddenly awake to find they have
Communism." - Soviet Leader Nikita Khrushchev, 1959

"This Is Madness, People": In Surprise Cameo, Scranton Bishop Repudiates USCCB, Dems, Et al.

2008-10-28T16:12:00.001-04:00

Showing up unannounced at a parish forum on the elections in his Northeast Pennsylvania diocese, the author of one of this campaign-season's strongest letters from a US hierarch didn't come without something to say... plural:

A presidential election forum at St. John’s Roman Catholic Church on Sunday centered mainly on abortion.

The argument and audience, however, erupted when Diocese of Scranton Bishop Joseph F. Martino unexpectedly arrived and vehemently expressed his distaste for what was said about the church’s stance on voting for pro-choice candidates and the exclusion of his anti-abortion letter at the forum, which recommends voting against pro-choice candidates for moral reasons....

According to the USCCB’s “Faithful Citizenship” statement, approved by the full body of U.S. bishops in 2007, “a Catholic cannot vote for a candidate who takes a position in favor of an intrinsic evil, such as abortion or racism, if the voter’s intent is to support that position. At the same time, a voter should not use a candidate’s opposition to an intrinsic evil to justify indifference or inattentiveness to other important moral issues involving human life and dignity.”

Martino, who arrived while the panelists were stating their viewpoints, took issue with the USCCB statement, which was handed out to everyone at the meeting, and also that his letter was not mentioned once at the forum.

“No USCCB document is relevant in this diocese,” said Martino. “The USCCB doesn’t speak for me.”

“The only relevant document ... is my letter,” he said. “There is one teacher in this diocese, and these points are not debatable.”

His letter, published Sept. 30 and circulated throughout the diocese, states that a candidate’s abortion stance is a major voting issue that supersedes all other considerations due to its grave moral consequences.

“Health care, education, economic security, immigration, and taxes are very important concerns. Neglect of any one of them has dire consequences as the recent financial crisis demonstrates. However, the solutions to problems in these areas do not usually involve a rejection of the sanctity of human life in the way that abortion does,” the letter says. “Another argument goes like this: ‘As wrong as abortion is, I don't think it is the only relevant ‘life’ issue that should be considered when deciding for whom to vote.’ This reasoning is sound only if other issues carry the same moral weight as abortion does, such as in the case of euthanasia and destruction of embryos for research purposes. ... National Right to Life reports that 48.5 million abortions have been performed since 1973. One would be too many. No war, no natural disaster, no illness or disability has claimed so great a price.”

The letter also states that Catholic public officials who “persist in public support for abortion” should “not partake in or be admitted to the sacrament of Holy Communion.”...

“No social issue has caused the death of 50 million people,” he said, nothing that he no longer supports the Democratic Party. “This is madness people.”

Martino also said that he wanted to persuade Father Martin Boylan, of St. John’s, to cancel the forum.

After his comments, most of the audience stood and clapped loudly while some were angry that the bishop usurped the forum.

About a quarter of the audience left after the bishop’s comments, which preceded the last half of the forum, a question and answer session with the panelists.

Martino exited shortly after his comments.

“Bishop Martino was aware that the forum at St. John ... was being held. He attended with the intention of listening to the presenters, and how they might discuss Catholic teaching,” wrote Bill Genello, a diocese spokesperson, in an e-mail exchange on Monday. “Certain groups and individuals have used their own erroneous interpretations of Church documents, particularly the U.S. Bishops’ statement on Faithful Citizenship, to justify their political positions and to contradict the Church’s actual teaching on the centrality of abortion, euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research.”

“ ... He reminded those in attendance, and by extension all the faithful of the Diocese of Scranton, that groups such as Catholic United ... and other like-minded groups and individuals who make statements about Catholic teaching do not speak with the same authority or authenticity as their bishop.”

The Scranton prelate was absent from last November's USCCB meeting in Baltimore which -- in a rare show of (near-)unanimity -- passed the Faithful Citizenship statement with 98% approval from the nation's hierarchy.

The American Dream tax

2008-10-28T16:11:00.001-04:00

New slogan to use... The American Dream tax

Trick or trick

2008-10-23T10:50:00.001-04:00

No Jesus in VA State Police

2008-10-21T11:08:00.001-04:00

Chaplains step down over prayer decision
By NATE HUBBARD/Staff
If there’s no place for Jesus, it’s no place for Senior Trooper Rex Carter.
Carter, a Smyth County resident who works out of the Virginia State Police’s Division Four headquarters in Wytheville, resigned his role as a police chaplain when the department issued a new policy asking prayers offered at VSP-sponsored public events to be nondenominational.
Regular gatherings covered by the new policy include graduations and an annual state police memorial service. The policy doesn’t apply to private funerals or prayers said with individuals or families.
“The recent policy dealing with the prayer at state police public events is a policy that just by my own convictions I could not agree with and therefore decided to leave the chaplaincy program,” Carter said, explaining that his faith requires him to pray specifically to Jesus Christ.
Six out of the 17 chaplains around the state have resigned, said Corinne Geller, VSP public relations manager.
Two other chaplains that Carter said also resigned, 1st Sgt. Mike Honaker of the Pulaski County office and Trooper Greg Barnett of the Buchanan County office, could not be reached for comment.
The chaplain position is a volunteer role taken on by troopers in addition to their regular law enforcement duties. Carter and the other chaplains who tenured their resignations therefore remain employed with the department in other capacities.
According to a VSP news release, the new policy instituted by Col. Steven Flaherty, VSP superintendent, came in response to a July ruling by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Turner vs. City Council of Fredericksburg.

Full Story here

Nothing but crickets in the local media.

Texas Catholic Bishop steps up to Gods side, follows Church teaching.

2008-10-14T08:33:00.001-04:00

This should not make news being it what they are supposed to do but, this day and age....

Bishop Kevin Farrell of the Diocese of Dallas and Bishop Kevin Vann of the Diocese of Fort Worth says in part: "To vote for a candidate who supports the intrinsic evil of abortion or `abortion rights' when there is morally acceptable alternative would be to cooperate in the evil - and, therefore, morally impermissible."

Sums it all up

2008-10-13T09:49:00.000-04:00

<a href="http://video.msn.com/?playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:b378adf3-b6f1-486f-985a-82b70a99ac35&showPlaylist=true" target="_new" title="Greatest Movie Line Ever">Video: Greatest Movie Line Ever</a>

Time

2008-10-07T13:17:00.001-04:00

Time and time again we ignore the knowledge given to us by the people that made our Republic great. Every crisis we face we never look back to find incite into the wisdom that was given to us by our founding fathers. We try to circumvent our own beliefs to appease all people for the short term gain and not doing what is right and just for the long term stability of the Republic. Of course most people do not know this is a Republic and expect something for nothing. Who can argue with this wisdom?

"Beer is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy."
- Ben Franklin

We can not "expand" the ideals of the fathers of this Nation we must root our ideas in these.

What They Said About Fan and Fred

2008-10-02T14:40:00.001-04:00

From WSJ.com

House Financial Services Committee hearing, Sept. 10, 2003:
Rep. Barney Frank (D., Mass.): I worry, frankly, that there's a tension here. The more people, in my judgment, exaggerate a threat of safety and soundness, the more people conjure up the possibility of serious financial losses to the Treasury, which I do not see. I think we see entities that are fundamentally sound financially and withstand some of the disaster scenarios. . . .
AP
Clockwise from top left: Sen. Thomas Carper, Rep. Barney Frank, Sen. Robert Bennett, Rep. Maxine Waters, Sen. Chris Dodd and Sen. Charles Schumer.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D., Calif.), speaking to Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel Martinez:
Secretary Martinez, if it ain't broke, why do you want to fix it? Have the GSEs [government-sponsored enterprises] ever missed their housing goals?
* * *
House Financial Services Committee hearing, Sept. 25, 2003:
Rep. Frank: I do think I do not want the same kind of focus on safety and soundness that we have in OCC [Office of the Comptroller of the Currency] and OTS [Office of Thrift Supervision]. I want to roll the dice a little bit more in this situation towards subsidized housing. . . .
* * *
House Financial Services Committee hearing, Sept. 25, 2003:
Rep. Gregory Meeks, (D., N.Y.): . . . I am just pissed off at Ofheo [Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight] because if it wasn't for you I don't think that we would be here in the first place.

More of the story here

Being Black, independent, and for McCain

2008-09-30T17:02:00.001-04:00

Being Black, independent, and for McCain

Rein

2008-09-30T11:53:00.001-04:00

Rein

Whats that odd smell?

2008-09-30T10:21:00.001-04:00

Something is a foot. Most all nations taking control of their banking. It being pushed in our face like baby food, especially so close to election time. Most of the people feel real uneasy about all of this. The bill would have allowed an appointed position total control of buying selling in what would almost amount to a national bank, even as far as allowing them to buy in foreign investments. Something dead fishy about it if you ask me. Someone somewhere is pulling strings and trying to move is someplace the people do not want to go.

Freedom sometime cost, sometimes it not blood. I prefer freedom over the direction this is going.

Gov. Blunt Statement on Obama Campaign’s Abusive Use of Missouri Law Enforcement

2008-09-29T09:36:00.001-04:00

JEFFERSON CITY - Gov. Matt Blunt today issued the following statement on news reports that have exposed plans by U.S. Senator Barack Obama to use Missouri law enforcement to threaten and intimidate his critics.
“St. Louis County Circuit Attorney Bob McCulloch, St. Louis City Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce, Jefferson County Sheriff Glenn Boyer, and Obama and the leader of his Missouri campaign Senator Claire McCaskill have attached the stench of police state tactics to the Obama-Biden campaign.
“What Senator Obama and his helpers are doing is scandalous beyond words, the party that claims to be the party of Thomas Jefferson is abusing the justice system and offices of public trust to silence political criticism with threats of prosecution and criminal punishment.
“This abuse of the law for intimidation insults the most sacred principles and ideals of Jefferson. I can think of nothing more offensive to Jefferson’s thinking than using the power of the state to deprive Americans of their civil rights. The only conceivable purpose of Messrs. McCulloch, Obama and the others is to frighten people away from expressing themselves, to chill free and open debate, to suppress support and donations to conservative organizations targeted by this anti-civil rights, to strangle criticism of Mr. Obama, to suppress ads about his support of higher taxes, and to choke out criticism on television, radio, the Internet, blogs, e-mail and daily conversation about the election.
“Barack Obama needs to grow up. Leftist blogs and others in the press constantly say false things about me and my family. Usually, we ignore false and scurrilous accusations because the purveyors have no credibility. When necessary, we refute them. Enlisting Missouri law enforcement to intimidate people and kill free debate is reminiscent of the Sedition Acts - not a free society.”

Is this the start to the SSO?

Shocking Video Unearthed Democrats in their own words Covering up the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Scam that caused our Economic Crisis

2008-09-29T09:06:00.001-04:00

Shocking Video Unearthed Democrats in their own words Covering up the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Scam that caused our Economic Crisis

What Caused Our Economic Crisis?

2008-09-26T10:11:00.001-04:00

Burning Down The House: What Caused Our Economic Crisis?

Reid tries to sneak oil shale ban back into legislation

2008-09-25T12:40:00.001-04:00

LIAR, SCUM, DESTROYER OF AMERICA Harry Reid

Sen. Jim DeMint’s office reports just now that Harry Reid is trying to sneak the oil shale ban — backed by House Democrats — back into legislation under cover of the bailout frenzy.

Details:

We’ve just been alerted that despite House Democrats relenting on extending bans on offshore drilling and oil shale in the continuing resolution (CR) appropriations bill, Democrat Senate Leader Harry Reid has decided to sneak an extension of the oil shale ban through as Congress fights over the financial bailout. Oil shale in America’s West is estimated to hold be between 800 billion and 2 trillion barrels of oil — that is more than three times the proven oil reserves in Saudi Arabia alone.

Here is the text of Reid’s proposed new ban on oil shale, that he is trying to add as an amendment to the CR or move seperately as a “stimulus” package, or we should say an anti-stimulus package if this is included.

Sec 1602 continues ban on oil shale. The language follows:

SEC. 1602. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including section 152 of division A of H.R. 2638 (110th Congress), the Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009, the terms and conditions contained in section 433 of division F of Public Law 110–161 shall remain in effect for the 19 fiscal year ending September 30, 2009.

It would be an insult to all Americans if Senate Democrats worked to bailout Wall Street while damaging our future prosperity by banning development of vast energy reserves in oil shale.

Americans for Prosperity responds:

“Only in Harry Reid’s Washington could a ban on energy production and the thousands of manufacturing jobs it would create be considered an ‘economic stimulus.’

“Somebody needs to ask Harry Reid how blocking private companies from creating good jobs and lowering the cost of energy for millions of American families will do anything to get our economy back on track. No wonder Congressional approval levels are at historic lows and we find ourselves in this economic situation.

“Every Senator who truly cares about an economic recovery should tell Harry Reid to remove this cynical provision from his so-called ‘economic stimulus’ bill immediately, and if he refuses to do so, they should vote against this bill.”

Redstate: Get on the phone right now…

Call your Senator right now at (202)224-3121 and tell him to tell Harry Reid not to put the drilling ban back in the continuing resolution.

Section 1602 of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2008 needs to get tossed.

Military Personnel can’t be the subject of a hate crime?

2008-09-25T09:20:00.001-04:00

If this is not a "hate crime" then there is no such thing. This shows that "hate crimes" are a faux and where never meant to provide justice.

Story here
DALLAS — Dallas police are looking into a shocking crime against an Iraq War vet that took place on a college campus.
Overnight Tuesday, someone took vandalized 23-year-old Army veteran Viktor Whitlow’s vehicle while it was parked at Dallas Baptist University. Ironically, the mascot at DBU is the Patriot.
The vandals used a box cutter to destroy the inside of his jeep, they slashed five tires and smashed through the windshield. Perhaps the most shocking detail to the vandalism was the message spray painted on his hood.
In red paint the vandals spraypainted the message, “Soldiers are murderers.”

The message was quite a shock to Whitlow, who has been deployed twice to Iraq ans an Army reservist.
“It makes you seem like a murderer — a cold blooded killer and that’s not the case,” said Whitlow.
Dallas police said Whitlow’s case is not considered a hate crime because military personnel cannot be members of a hate crime.

See Video here

Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae

2008-09-23T13:07:00.001-04:00

September 11, 2003
The Bush administration today recommended the most significant regulatory overhaul in the housing finance industry since the savings and loan crisis a decade ago.
Under the plan, disclosed at a Congressional hearing today, a new agency would be created within the Treasury Department to assume supervision of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored companies that are the two largest players in the mortgage lending industry....

”These two entities — Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — are not facing any kind of financial crisis,” said Representative Barney Frank of Massachusetts, the ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee. ”The more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies, the less we will see in terms of affordable housing.”
Representative Melvin L. Watt, Democrat of North Carolina, agreed.
”I don’t see much other than a shell game going on here, moving something from one agency to another and in the process weakening the bargaining power of poorer families and their ability to get affordable housing,” Mr. Watt said.

The 2003 story here

Now who caused this again?

Traffic cam stats from VDOT

2008-09-23T10:18:00.001-04:00

Article from thenewspaper.com

Key Statistic:
Further analysis indicated that the cameras are contributing to a definite increase in rear-end crashes, a possible decrease in angle crashes, a net decrease in injury crashes attributable to red light running, and an increase in total injury crashes. Page xiii

Summary of Empirical Bayes Method (Level 4 Analysis)

[Editor's note: only Fairfax County data reflects the most rigorous analysis. Other cities did not provide volume, yellow time, and data on other key factors.] The latter half of Appendix D shows the results of an Empirical Bayes analysis for Fairfax County crash data only. These results suggest the following:
The cameras are correlated with an increase in total crashes of 8% to 17%.

The cameras are correlated with an increase in rear-end crashes related to the presence of a red light; the increase ranges between 50% and 71%.

The cameras are correlated with a decrease in crashes attributable to red light running, and the decrease is between 24% and 33%.

The cameras are correlated with a decrease in injury crashes attributable to red light running, with the decrease being between 20% and 33%.

The cameras are correlated with an increase in total injury crashes, with the increase being between 7% and 24%.

Items in the Kingsport 2008-2009 budget

2008-09-23T10:13:00.001-04:00

Kingsport Ballet $5,000

Summer Concert $70,000

Kingsport Theatre Guild $5,000

Kingsport Art Guild $2,000

Symphony of the Mountains $5,000

Art Council of Greater Kingsport $7,000

Kingsport Housing Redevelopment Authority - Lincoln Street property $200,000

Kingsport Housing Redevelopment Authority - redevelopment program $63,000

Kingsport Chamber Foundation $110,000

Kingsport Tomorrow Inc community program $23,000

Networks $225,000

Downtown Kingsport Association $40,000

Children Advocacy Center of Sullivan County $5,900

First Tennessee Development District $3,200

Sullivan County Humane Society $36,000

First Tennessee Resource Agency $10,900

Kingsport Chamber of Commerce - Move to Kingsport $45,000. Plus Kingsport will pay another $45,000 matching funds

Holston Business Group $50,000. Plus a percentage of the city annual budget.

Kingsport Chamber of Commerce gets a large percentage of the hotel tax

City Manager got a 4% pay raise on July 1, 2008 plus his performance increase

Data from Kingsport TN Government

"Red Light Cameras in the Volunteer State"

2008-09-23T10:11:00.001-04:00

“The only thing that increases is the amount of money going from the pockets of drivers into the pockets of the cities and the red light camera companies.”
Municipalities often cite safety as their primary concern in turning to red light cameras. Revenue, however, appears to be the true motivation behind the spike in the installation of red light cameras by Tennessee cities. For example, Kingsport’s revenues from fines soared 347% in the year after installing cameras.

The constitutionally dubious red light camera programs used by numerous cities in Tennessee actually make intersections more dangerous, according to a report issued today by the Tennessee Center for Policy Research.
The report, titled Red Light Cameras in the Volunteer State: Unsafe, Unconstitutional, and Unnecessary, also finds that over half the money collected by cities goes directly to the companies who lobby to provide and service the red light camera systems.
Texas and Virginia have taken the cameras out of service because they have found them to be unnecessary.Simply extending yellow light times by as little as 1/2 to 1 second has solved their problems.

Follow the Money:
The Real Reason While cities claim that safety, deterrence, and cost-
reduction are their ultimate priorities in camera system installations,
revenue statements indicate otherwise. Cities that employ the devices
see a dramatic spike in revenue for traffic violations. Revenues
collected by the City of Kingsport during the 2006 calendar year, just
before camera installation, totaled $342,150 for traffic fines, parking
fines, and code enforcement fines.10 From 2001 to 2006, such fines
ranged from $167,998 to $358,014 per year.11 Traffic cameras were
installed on Dec. 27, 2006. 12 Not surprisingly, fines skyrocketed.
Kingsport collected $1,529,823 in the year after the cameras were
installed, more than four times the revenue from the previous year (see
“Figure 1: Kingsport Fine Collections,” right).
While cameras may reduce T-bone collisions, they actually increase rear-end collisions.
Cities are required to send an average of 63 percent of each fine to the companies that installed the cameras.
Numerous state and federal constitutional issues arise from the use of the cameras, from procedural matters to placing the burden of proof on the defendant rather than the prosecutor.
Simply adjusting the length of a yellow light has been shown to reduce accidents by as much as 40 percent.
Read the full report here

$67,440,000

2008-09-17T20:58:00.001-04:00

$67,440,000

This is how much Mayor Dennis Phillips has spent of our money.

Less than a year to go we will have to add V.O. Dobbins Renovation, Aquatic Center, MeadowView Convention Center, etc. to the equation. Aldermen Marsh and Shull seem to be the only ones on our side most of the time.

Wonder who is getting the big wallets out of this? It sure isn't the tax payers.

From Kingsport, TN Government blog

The Kingsport, Tennessee Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to spend $819,000 for an architect to design the $12.5 million expansion at the Meadowview Conference Resort and Convent Center. This was brought quickly to a vote without much detailed discussion or input from the public.

Again, this vote was another example of railroading a vote. Alderman Marsh expressed concern that this was voted on within 24 hours and that there had not been ample time to study the the financial numbers. He also asked what is in it for the citizens of Kingsport. He said that this is more for the special interests of certain people. He attempted to defer the vote to the latter part of October, but Alderman Marsh's and Alderman Shull's votes were not enough to postpone the vote.

the Logan Act

2008-09-15T12:34:00.001-04:00

I think obama just broke the law.

the Logan Act

§ 953. Private correspondence with foreign governments.

Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

This section shall not abridge the right of a citizen to apply himself, or his agent, to any foreign government, or the agents thereof, for redress of any injury which he may have sustained from such government or any of its agents or subjects.

1 Stat. 613, January 30, 1799, codified at 18 U.S.C. § 953 (2004).

Story here
WHILE campaigning in public for a speedy withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Sen. Barack Obama has tried in private to persuade Iraqi leaders to delay an agreement on a draw-down of the American military presence.

Panic buying: Tri-Cities motorists see prices spike, outages and angry consumers across the region, state

2008-09-12T12:36:00.001-04:00

Gas lines all over north east Tennessee.

TimesNews reporting
Local and state consumers were in what can only be described as panic buying mode Friday as gasoline prices spiked.
There were reports of long lines at gas stations in Gate City early today as motorists there tried to fill up before the price hikes hit their town. At Kingsport's West Stone Drive Wal-Mart, the adjoining gas station had more than 25 cars waiting to fuel up.

The Chattanooga Times Free-Press
The Greeneville Sun
Knoxville News Sentinel

TN Open Records Advisory Committee.

2008-09-12T10:49:00.001-04:00

You remember the hearings that where follow up to the new TN open records law where they would determine fees?

Video stream 1
Video stream 2

They fail to see that they work for us the people. Government is it's own business working only for its self.

YEA

2008-09-06T12:40:00.001-04:00

It's not about you, It's about a agenda

2008-09-05T09:30:00.001-04:00
BIG DILEMMA: OPRAH BALKS AT HOSTING SARAH PALIN; STAFF DIVIDEDFri Sep 05 2008 08:55:46 ET

Oprah Winfrey may have introduced Democrat Barack Obama to the women of America -- but the talkshow queen is not rushing to embrace the first woman on a Republican presidential ticket!

Oprah's staff is sharply divided on the merits of booking Sarah Palin, sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT.

"Half of her staff really wants Sarah Palin on," an insider explains. "Oprah's website is getting tons of requests to put her on, but Oprah and a couple of her top people are adamantly against it because of Obama."

One executive close to Winfrey is warning any Palin ban could ignite a dramatic backlash!

It is not clear if Oprah has softened her position after watching Palin's historic convention speech.

Last year, Winfrey blocked an appearance by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, timed to a promotional tour of his autobiography.

Oprah and executive producer Sheri Salata, who has contributed thousands of dollars to Obama's campaign, refused requests for comment.

Developing...

HAHHA

2008-09-04T13:58:00.001-04:00

Representative Nathan Vaughn

2008-09-04T10:41:00.001-04:00

Remember

Current Office: State House
Current District: 2
Office Seeking: State House
District Seeking: 2
Party: Democratic

Complete Bio

Recent Key Votes
Tennessee Tollway Act (Yea)
2007-06-11 - Vote to pass a bill that authorizes the state to develop tolled roads and bridges....

Cigarette Tax Increase (Yea)
2007-06-04 - Vote to pass a bill raising the tax on cigarettes by 40 cents per pack and placing that tax revenue in the general fund....

Action alert: Tennessee public records access

2008-09-04T09:30:00.001-04:00

Submitted by R. Neal on Wed, 2008/09/03 - 4:47pm.

Dorothy Bowles, U.T. Professor and member of the East Tennessee Society of Professional Journalists, alerts us to a proposal that would make it more difficult and expensive for citizens and journalists to access public records.

The deadline for public comment, which was only announced this week, is noon tomorrow (Thursday) and the hearing is on Friday. You can submit your comments here: open.records@state.tn.us

Dorothy has provided the following background info:

• Fee proposal summary

• Fee proposal issues

• ETSPJ comments on fee proposals

She explains more after the jump...

From Dorothy Bowles:

As you know, the recently enacted TN Open Records Act established a legal counsel's office to set fees for record requests in an attempt to have some consistency across the state.
Unfortunately, the statute allows for BOTH copying costs and labor costs.

The statute also established an Advisory Committee on Open Government, and I was appointed one of the members of that committee.

FRIDAY (yes, day after tomorrow) a public hearing will take place on a proposal that was only this week distributed by the legal counsel's office. Written comments will be accepted through NOON tomorrow.

Written comments can be submitted via e-mail to open.records@state.tn.us

I will attend the hearing and do everything I can to have open records without huge fees. But I expect that records custodians and their bosses across the state will storm the hearing. After all, it's part of their regular workday, whereas citizens would have to take a day off work to attend.
We need folks who believe that the taxpayers own public records and should be able to examine them to send comments to Nashville, but time is short.

USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities

2008-09-03T15:39:00.001-04:00

Fact sheet by the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities. Click here to print as a PDF.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law” (No. 2271).
In response to those who say this teaching has changed or is of recent origin, here are the facts:

From earliest times, Christians sharply distinguished themselves from surrounding pagan cultures by rejecting abortion and infanticide. The earliest widely used documents of Christian teaching and practice after the New Testament in the 1st and 2nd centuries, the Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) and Letter of Barnabas, condemned both practices, as did early regional and particular Church councils.

To be sure, knowledge of human embryology was very limited until recent times. Many Christian thinkers accepted the biological theories of their time, based on the writings of Aristotle (4th century BC) and other philosophers. Aristotle assumed a process was needed over time to turn the matter from a woman’s womb into a being that could receive a specifically human form or soul. The active formative power for this process was thought to come entirely from the man – the existence of the human ovum (egg), like so much of basic biology, was unknown.

However, such mistaken biological theories never changed the Church’s common conviction that abortion is gravely wrong at every stage. At the very least, early abortion was seen as attacking a being with a human destiny, being prepared by God to receive an immortal soul (cf. Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you”).

In the 5th century AD this rejection of abortion at every stage was affirmed by the great bishop-theologian St. Augustine. He knew of theories about the human soul not being present until some weeks into pregnancy. Because he used the Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament, he also thought the ancient Israelites had imposed a more severe penalty for accidentally causing a miscarriage if the fetus was “fully formed” (Exodus 21: 22-23), language not found in any known Hebrew version of this passage. But he also held that human knowledge of biology was very limited, and he wisely warned against misusing such theories to risk committing homicide. He added that God has the power to make up all human deficiencies or lack of development in the Resurrection, so we cannot assume that the earliest aborted children will be excluded from enjoying eternal life with God.

In the 13th century, St. Thomas Aquinas made extensive use of Aristotle’s thought, including his theory that the rational human soul is not present in the first few weeks of pregnancy. But he also rejected abortion as gravely wrong at every stage, observing that it is a sin “against nature” to reject God’s gift of a new life.

During these centuries, theories derived from Aristotle and others influenced the grading of penalties for abortion in Church law. Some canonical penalties were more severe for a direct abortion after the stage when the human soul was thought to be present. However, abortion at all stages continued to be seen as a grave moral evil.

From the 13th to 19th centuries, some theologians speculated about rare and difficult cases where they thought an abortion before “formation” or “ensoulment” might be morally justified. But these theories were discussed and then always rejected, as the Church refined and reaffirmed its understanding of abortion as an intrinsically evil act that can never be morally right.

In 1827, with the discovery of the human ovum, the mistaken biology of Aristotle was discredited. Scientists increasingly understood that the union of sperm and egg at conception produces a new living being that is distinct from both mother and father. Modern genetics demonstrated that this individual is, at the outset, distinctively human, with the inherent and active potential to mature into a human fetus, infant, child and adult. From 1869 onward the obsolete distinction between the “ensouled” and “unensouled” fetus was permanently removed from canon law on abortion.

Secular laws against abortion were being reformed at the same time and in the same way, based on secular medical experts’ realization that “no other doctrine appears to be consonant with reason or physiology but that which admits the embryo to possess vitality from the very moment of conception” (American Medical Association, Report on Criminal Abortion, 1871).

Thus modern science has not changed the Church’s constant teaching against abortion, but has underscored how important and reasonable it is, by confirming that the life of each individual of the human species begins with the earliest embryo.

Given the scientific fact that a human life begins at conception, the only moral norm needed to understand the Church’s opposition to abortion is the principle that each and every human life has inherent dignity, and thus must be treated with the respect due to a human person. This is the foundation for the Church’s social doctrine, including its teachings on war, the use of capital punishment, euthanasia, health care, poverty and immigration. Conversely, to claim that some live human beings do not deserve respect or should not be treated as “persons” (based on changeable factors such as age, condition, location, or lack of mental or physical abilities) is to deny the very idea of inherent human rights. Such a claim undermines respect for the lives of many vulnerable people before and after birth.

For more information: Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration on Procured Abortion (1974), nos. 6-7; John R. Connery, S.J., Abortion: The Development of the Roman Catholic Perspective (1977); Germain Grisez, Abortion: The Myths, the Realities, and the Arguments (1970), Chapter IV; U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, On Embryonic Stem Cell Research (2008); Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae (1995), nos. 61-2.

Judgement.... To crossover voters

2008-09-03T11:43:00.001-04:00

My party doesn't do a good job at explaining this. We do not look at race, gender, or creed and try to divide based on that. We look at ideals. It is why you don't see much fanfare about Colin Powell, Margaret Spellings, Carlos M. Gutierrez, Norman Y. Mineta, Elaine L. Chao, Roderick R. Paige, Karen Hughes (Bushes top adviser), and Condoleezza Rice to name a few. At the time they where the right people for the job, not the right color or gender to make people happy. I know our ideals are not the same on most 90% of things but I do hope people can now start to see the split and divide the Democrat party does with race, gender and wage class.

When it is all said and done. We will love Gov, Palin even more if elected VP not just that she is a Woman, but that these attacks helped strengthen her character harden her ideals, in turn making the next step for equality even easier.

To put it best
"As soon as we have a goal of diversity, we are judging people by skin color or heritage," said institute spokeswoman Diane Schachterle. "An argument could be made that the consideration of race or ethnicity would deviate at least partially from a colorblind society.

Another Comparison

2008-09-03T10:57:00.001-04:00

[Jay Nordlinger]
At the Democratic convention, there was a parade of sad sacks, or victims — testifying to the harshness and injustice of America, particularly when governed by Republicans. There have been “ordinary Americans” at the Republican convention, too. But they have talked about striving and overcoming. One woman said, “The most liberating day of my life was the day I stopped saying, ‘Why me?’” If I can grossly, grossly simplify: The Democratic convention seemed to emphasize the half-emptiness of the American glass; and this one is emphasizing the half-full.

WOW enough said

A Leading Hillary Supporter Defects to McCain

2008-09-02T13:00:00.001-04:00

By Tammy Haddad

John Coale, a prominent Washington lawyer, husband of Fox TV host Greta Van Susteren and a supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton, announced today that he was supporting John McCain for president. Coale, who traveled with Sen. Clinton, President Clinton and her family through out the primary season, complained of sexism, and said the Democratic Party is "being taken over by the moveon.org types" in an exclusive interview with Newsweek.com's Tammy Haddad. He said he tried to prevent Clinton's brother, Tony Rodham, from attending an August 18th meeting in Scranton, Pa. with McCain campaign surrogate Carly Fiorina. "I urged him not to go and told him it would embarrass his sister, but he has a mind of his own." Coale says Mr. Rodham asked Ms. Fiorina "about McCain's Supreme Court picks."

Video here

Hmmm more and more

Wasteful Spending Continues for the Three Little Pigs of Washington County

2008-09-01T14:55:00.000-04:00
By Drew Johnson
Everyone remembers the fairy tale about the “Three Little Pigs.” You may not know, however, that we have our very own version of the Three Little Pigs right here in Washington County. In the fairy tale version, the Three Little Pigs leave home to seek their fortunes, learning valuable life lessons along the way. The Three Little Pigs in the Washington County version are state legislators who leave home to spend your money, forgetting their promises of fiscal responsibility in the process. Washington County’s Three Little Pigs are state Sen. Rusty Crowe and state Reps. Dale Ford and Matthew Hill. All three of these state legislators, each of whom is Republican, claims to be a fiscal conservative and a responsible steward of your tax dollars. Unfortunately, for taxpayers, those claims appear to be fairy tales.
Full Story There are more and more people paying attention now that waste and spending have gone out of control.

Compare your Tennessee tax burden

2008-09-01T13:35:00.000-04:00
Have you ever wanted to compare the tax cost of living in your area versus other areas in Tennessee? Now you can, find out that in Kingsport you pay higher taxes than JCTY wonder how that happens? Kingsport giving tax breaks for new business over its citizens, still paying for Meadowview? Find out now

Tennessee pork for 2008

2008-08-31T15:03:00.001-04:00

The Pork Report exposes $260 million in waste, fraud and abuse of
tax dollars and offers enough examples to make any Tennessee taxpayer
cringe, including:

-- $6.5 million for boll weevil eradication - even though the
pests no longer threaten Tennessee's cotton crops;

Compare your budget
Paying 600$ to remove a mouse you might have in your house?

-- $1.7 million to fund a ferry service used by an average of 23
people per day;

Compare your budget
paying $100 a week for your neighbor to pick up your kid
to play at their house across the street.

-- $1.4 million to subsidize failing state-owned golf;

-- $420,000 for electric motors that were never delivered to
Memphis schools;

Compare your budget<
Paying $40 for a piece of candy for your wife and never gave it to her.

-- $200,000 in subsidies for fairs and livestock shows;

-- $27,620 to support a film festival that screened "Goodnight
Vagina" and "The Teat Beat of Sex;" and

-- $14,436 to replace dimmer switches in the Governor's Mansion
with fancier brass models.

Info from Tennessee Center for Policy Research (TCPR)

Please post your own comparisons.

Introducing FRED PAC

2008-08-28T12:57:00.001-04:00

I am posting the entire article. Please go to the RedState original post to leave comments to Senator Fred Thompson's article.

We have been waiting for this. He said a few months ago the website will be up on the day of the start of the convention!

The American people are waiting for us to step up, protect our values, defend our principles and our country.

Posted by: Sen. Fred Thompson

Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 10:53AM

32 Comments

Well, here we are again, my friends. We stand together at a time of great challenge and opportunity.

As conservatives, I think it’s fair to say that not everything has gone our way this election, and as many of us prepare to gather up in Minneapolis, we are faced with some tough choices. I truly believe that given those choices, if you care about judges who will make decision based on the Constitution, not their political leanings, if you care about shrinking a bureaucracy that will take more of your money and do less for you, if you care about the security of our homeland and the defense of freedom abroad, the choice is pretty clear.

I continue to look ahead with optimism and high expectations for the future … of our country, the Republican Party, and our conservative movement. That’s because by any measure, we live in the greatest country in the history of the world, and like generations of Americans before us, like conservative leaders before us, we have both the opportunity and the obligation to keep it that way and I know we can and we will.

We know what it will take. It means we stick to the fundamental, conservative principles that have unified us for over two centuries. It also means supporting leaders and causes who adhere to the principles that are the foundation of America and which we hold dear. They are:

The role of the federal government is limited to the powers given to it in our Constitution, and the bigger the government gets, the less competent it is to run our lives, and we must have leaders who understand that the market works best when it regulated and legislated least.

A dollar belongs in the pocket of the person who earns it unless the government has a compelling reason why it can use it better

We don’t spend money we don’t have or borrow money that our children and grandchildren will have to pay back, and we must have leaders who understand this and will listen to the will of the people.

The best way to avoid war is to be stronger than our enemies. But if we are in a fight, we win it because not doing so makes us more likely to be attacked in the future, and we must have leaders who understand this.

The federal judiciary is supposed to decide cases, not legislate from the bench or dictate social policy and we must have leaders and judges who understand this.

These are principles that made our country free, prosperous and strong. These principles are the foundation of a conservative movement that I have been faithful to. They are principles that we share, and they are principles that represent the future of our nation.

They are also principles we must support and defend, because these principles are under assault– from the extremist, big-government, high- taxing, weak-on-defense radical left and the Democrat Party.

That is why it is important that we accept the mantle of leadership. I’m going to do my part. I’m proud that I’ve been able to help good, honorable and conservative men like Rep. Tom McClintock in California, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder of Missouri, and Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell during this election cycle. I’m pleased to have helped state parties around the country raise money to put good conservatives in statehouses, and to put forward innovative, federalist-based policies. And I’m happy to carry our conservative message wherever I’ve been given the opportunity.

All of these endeavors are going to continue, and I want you to be a part of it. That’s why I’m pleased to announce the formation of FRED PAC. FRED PAC will help identify and support candidates on every level who support a platform of conservative, principles-based leadership and policies.

I want to make clear that FRED PAC is nothing like what has been set by others with an eye toward their own political futures four or eight years from now. I’m doing this with an eye toward OUR political future right now. We need conservatives on every level of politics winning, taking seats from Democrats and holding seats to rebuild our majorities. We need to develop and promote the kind of innovative, free market and principles-based policies that led to our great political victories in 1980 and 1994.

FRED PAC and its supporters will do all that. And perhaps most important, the support of FRED PAC will send a clear message to our fellow conservatives and supporters nationally that our causes and candidates who believe in our principles and who will defend them are in need of our help, leveraging the kind of support and activism that has served our movement well for two generations. Now it’s our turn to make it work.

The American people are waiting for us to step up, protect our values, defend our principles and our country. Together we can do something great for America. I welcome that challenge, and I hope you will join me in this effort.

OUCH

2008-08-28T12:48:00.001-04:00

REMOTE CONTROL : John McCain campaign ad

OUCH

Tennessee Democrats bicker in Denver

2008-08-27T14:50:00.001-04:00

HAHA you have to read the full story. Remember "unity" "change" all that crap.

DENVER - A caucus meeting of Hillary Clinton delegates from Tennessee quickly dissolved into a shouting match early today, illustrating that serious divisions remain among Democrats despite efforts to unite the party behind Barack Obama.
The drama unfolded shortly after a breakfast meeting held for Tennessee's delegation to the Democratic National Convention, which is taking place this week in Denver.

...."She just lost her clout," said Woods, chairwoman of the Knox County Democratic Party. "She should have kept her mouth shut, or she should step down."

VANCE DENNIS FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE Tennessee’s 71st district

2008-08-27T09:29:00.001-04:00

From his site.

“Our district is in need of a representative with the ability and tenacity to fight for the common-sense, conservative values that the people of Decatur, Hardin and McNairy Counties hold dear

Dennis has pledged to not raise taxes, and will be a strong voice against an income tax in Tennessee. “One of the fundamental factors that makes our state attractive for economic development is the absence of a state income tax, and I intend to fight against any attempts to impose an income tax on the citizens of Tennessee.” Dennis also advocates the return of excess tax collections by means of a reduction or elimination of the sales tax on food.

On the subject of illegal immigration, Dennis will encourage state and local law enforcement to assist in the fight to protect our borders. “It is obvious that our federal government is unwilling to take the necessary steps to protect our borders.

Dennis is pro-life, and supports SJR 127, a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow our legislature to place reasonable restrictions on abortions performed in Tennessee.

You can donate via paypal on his site.

House Republican Leader's GOP Leader Blog

2008-08-25T16:35:00.001-04:00

GOP Leader Blog

Don't forget they are still up there
It is a blog from day to day live activities from the GOP on the floor

Be patient

2008-08-25T16:15:00.000-04:00
I'm working on the colors around here.

Not even close

2008-08-25T13:44:00.000-04:00
John McCain now leads Barack Obama in the Volunteer State by twenty-four percentage points in Tennessee. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the Volunteer State shows McCain with a 56% to 32% margin. Full story here

Lost?

2008-08-25T12:42:00.000-04:00
"Some men change their party for the sake of their principles; others their principles for the sake of their party." ---Winston Churchill Most of the sites I visit are all around the same ideals, same principals. We are scattered. The party we once loved has neither leadership nor any forethought. There's a vast amount of info on the web tons of bloggers, there has to be away to keep the conservative ideals focused from local to state to federal. Are we willing to play in the game? Or are we going to stay in the stands yelling at the refs? At the current rate of liberal Republicans and the lost control of the GOP our Great Republic will destroy itself in no time. There are a few statesmen left, these great people the public do not know about, the media will make sure their voice is not heard. Is it to be up to us to carry the weight of our Republic on our shoulders and the voice of these great men to the masses? I don't know, I do know this isn't the party I love

John Quincy Adams

2008-08-25T12:20:00.000-04:00
"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." — John Quincy Adams Hmm may have to think about this one.

Administration says 'No Rebel Flags at South Game'

2008-08-21T15:34:00.001-04:00

By Taylor Maines
The Students were told that there were not to be any rebel flags at the first football came of the year at Science Hill High School, the staff said that the rebel flags are offensive to some of the students and staff that go there.

Story here

Im offended, hell im outraiged. I went to North and I hate the Rebels, but Im with them on this. FLY THE FLAG! Lets get a few 100 people together line up the roads and fly the damn battle flag. AGGGHHH
When will this crap stop.

North Carolina Congressman Heath Shuler

2008-08-19T14:52:00.001-04:00

Thursday August 21 7:00 pm

Former UT football great and current North Carolina Congressman Heath Shuler speaks about faith, character, and athletics, Seeger Memorial Chapel, Milligan College. Free.

Wanna meet a Dem? Ask him why faith has nothing to do with his party? Why they keep supporting killing of innocent life? Why he wont support drilling for oil?

New changes in the Dem party platform

The Democratic Party has proposed new language in their platform regarding abortion, which it hopes to ratify at the convention in Denver. Here it is:
The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v Wade and a woman's right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay, and we oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right. The Democratic Party also strongly supports access to affordable family planning services and comprehensive age-appropriate sex education which empower people to make informed choices and live healthy lives. We also recognize that such health care and education help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and thereby also reduce the need for abortions. The Democratic Party also strongly supports a woman's decision to have a child by ensuring access to and availability of programs for pre and post natal health care, parenting skills, income support, and caring adoption programs.
The current platform language is the following:
Because we believe in the privacy and equality of women, we stand proudly for a woman's right to choose, consistent with Roe v. Wade, and regardless of her ability to pay. We stand firmly against Republican efforts to undermine that right. At the same time, we strongly support family planning and adoption incentives. Abortion should be safe, legal, and rare.

DNC Chair Howard Dean Calls GOP the ‘White’ Party

2008-08-15T15:41:00.001-04:00

Here

Race-bating are we? This is the difference, we do not care about color. Ours is a party of ideals, Not, I repeat not ideals based on color or creed but of the individual not of gender but of IDEAS.

I call for him to resign, by the way.