The town that is Phil Bredesen's Lazarus
As most regular readers are probably aware, we raised no small fuss here at The World upon learning that Governor Phil Bredesen and his wife are building a 13,000 square foot "entertainment center" under the Governor's Mansion, and doing so without taking the concerns of their neighbors into consideration. First Lady Andrea Conte (the woman who refuses to take her husband's name) has as much as said that the concerns of the neighborhood do not matter, that they are beginning construction on the monstrosity, and they do not care what the neighbors think of the noise and traffic at the mansion where our snotty, snobbish Governor and his apparenty uppity, Bertha Better-than-you wife don't even live.
The Governor and the First Lady are clearly not too big on loving their neighbors, but Bredesen was re-elected due in large part to the positive public perception of his fiscal record. Now that he isn't up for re-election anymore, he isn't answerable to anyone-and we see that he is fiscally irresponsible too. His little party room is going to cost taxpayers a whopping $3.86 million!
Meanwhile, the little town of Orme, Tennessee is thirsty. In Orme, they can only have water for three hours a day, because the creek and spring where the town normally gets its water have nearly dried up due to this year's severe drought. The people of Orme only needed $377,000 to connect to the Bridgeport, Alabama water system-money the Governor could easily have provided them from the descretionary funds the General Assembly allots him before they adjourn. Orme has gotten nothing from Nashville, apparently the Governor's party room is more important than a nearly-dying Southeast Tennessee town.
Fortunately for Orme, Senator Bob Corker has come through with a federal grant for them so that they can resolve their water needs-at least for now. The federal government shouldn't have to take care of Orme and its people, that is the job of the Governor that they elected who could have acted to halt the emergency and failed them miserably, but he can build a social hall under the mansion where he and his wife do not even reside.
The whole episode reminds me of a parable of Christ where the Savior reminds us of what will happen to those who simply ignore the needs of others:
And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, full of sores,
Desiring to be filled with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table, and no one did give him; moreover the dogs came, and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. And the rich man also died: and he was buried in hell. And lifting up his eyes when he was in torments, he saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom: And he cried, and said: Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, to cool my tongue: for I am tormented in this flame. And Abraham said to him: Son, remember that thou didst receive good things in thy lifetime, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted; and thou art tormented.
And besides all this, between us and you, there is fixed a great chasm: so that they who would pass from hence to you, cannot, nor from thence come hither. And he said: Then, father, I beseech thee, that thou wouldst send him to my father's house, for I have five brethren, That he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torments. And Abraham said to him: They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. But he said: No, father Abraham: but if one went to them from the dead, they will do penance.
And he said to him: If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe, if one rise again from the dead.
Orme is Phil Bredesen's Lazarus.
(Hat tip: Bill Hobbs)
Labels: Tennessee politics
posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 3:30 AM
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