It is with no small measure of sadness that Jefferson County Republicans mourn the loss of one of our own. Gladys Price Forgety passed away January 4th-her recieving of friends and funeral was this evening. Ms. Forgety was very active in the Jefferson County Republican Party, in her church, Trentville United Methodist, and she loved to meet and make connections with all kinds of people.
Ms. Forgety was so active in Republicanism that Jefferson County Republican Chairman Hobart Rice and State Senator-elect Mike Faulk were among those to be found at her receiving. My guess would be that others were there also that I didn't know about. See, I didn't know that Ms. Forgety had passed until Nicole told me this evening. She didn't know until her mother called her shortly before she left work, and she just had time to make sure she got there to pay respects for the both of us. I was very sorry that our short notice made it impossible for me to join Nicole.
Nicole came to know Ms. Forgety because she is the mother of one of her Jefferson County High School Teachers, Ms. Linda Phipps. Nicole was involved in INTERACT in high school, and students from INTERACT used to help serve the Jefferson County Lincoln Day Dinner. When I think of the reality that Republicans now have a majority in this State, this is a tribute to the quiet work of people like Ms. Forgety, who was a fixture in local party affairs almost up to the day she died.
Jefferson County Republicans-and so many in the community-feel a void at her passing.
David Oatney returns to the airwaves and attempts to answer where he disappeared to. The campaign for Governor of Tennessee in 2010 is already underway, and the 106th General Assembly has yet to even convene.
Diane Feinstein, who has always been a member of the "Rules Don't Apply To Me Club" in the Senate, thinks that failure to seat Roland Burris "has ramifications for gubernatorial appointments all over America." Senator Feinstein is correct, in that the rejection of Burris serves as a reminder to Governors and State officials all over America that Senate and constitutional rules must be followed.
There are also those who have called the Senate action "an affront to democracy." One old friend of mine called the refusal to seat Roland Burris " a coup on American democracy." The Constitution says something entirely different:
Article I, Section 5:Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of its own members, and a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members, in such manner, and under such penalties as each House may provide.
The framers of our Constitution did not create a democracy. We do not pledge allegiance to "the democracy for which it stands" or sing "the Battle Hymn of the Democracy." We were given a free government, yes, but not a democracy-the framers thought democracy was equivalent to mob rule. So what kind of government are we supposed to have in this country?
Aricle IV, Section 4.The United States shall guarantee to every state in this union a republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against invasion; and on application of the legislature, or of the executive (when the legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence.
It is on occasions such as the Blagojevich scandal and the resulting Senate rejection of Roland Burris' appointment that Americans desperately need to be reminded of the kind of government that we are supposed to have.
One of the many things that I admire about Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey is his straightforward-and often blunt-honesty. Ramsey admitted to the Kingsport Times-News that whether he follows through on the notion of running for Governor in 2010 depends on one factor alone:
Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey’s decision whether to run for governor in 2010 will hinge on one prime concern — money. The Blountville Republican, during a meeting Monday between members of the Times-News Editorial Board and Northeast Tennessee lawmakers, wouldn’t say how much money he would have to raise for a possible gubernatorial campaign.
But Ramsey, who expects to be re-elected as lieutenant governor and state Senate speaker by Senate members next week, seemed more concerned with Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam’s anticipated GOP bid for the governor’s job because of his ability to personally finance his own campaign.
“On name recognition alone I probably would be in the lead right now statewide, but it’s amazing what a few million dollars on television can change,” Ramsey said. “If I can’t raise the money that I think would be adequate or enough to win, then there’s no need to be getting into it.”
Should Ramsey choose to run, obviously my support goes to him. However, Ron Ramsey is right that it will take volumes of cold hard cash to beat Bill Haslam in a primary. I would love to see Haslam's clock get cleaned by anyone, and his primary defeat would bring about in me a brief Heathian moment ("Rejoice, Rejoice, Rejoice!"), but it will likely take someone who can match Haslam dollar for dollar. We already know what Haslam money is capable of, because in 2006 that money helped buy a Republican primary and ultimately a federal Senate seat for Bob Corker.
Ramsey also may be underestimating the incredible power that he already has. In Tennessee, the Governor can do very little without legislative approval, and the General Assembly is so strong-both constitutionally as well as practically-that it can rightfully be said that the Speaker of the House and Lieutenant Governor (Speaker of the Senate) are the people who really run this State. Ramsey's position as Lieutenant Governor looks as though it will be safe for several years at this point, more than long enough for Bill Haslam to have cycled out of politics and Ramsey to have developed the extensive Statewide network that he will need to raise massive amounts of money so that any future Haslam-like threat can be beaten back.
Ron Ramsey has the important ally of time on his side, so it might be well for him to take the time to enjoy what he has achieved and take the years necessary to become a Statewide frontrunner regardless of how much money his opponents might spend.
“After significant reflection and conversations with loved ones, I have decided to remain a private citizen for the foreseeable future," Frist said in a statement. "I will, however, continue serving the people of Tennessee."
There are some who suspected that this might be the end result of the Frist saga for months, and it remains to be seen where this puts the Republican field. One has to believe that in the short term, Bill Frist's announcement will make Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam the frontrunner, only because the Haslams have more money than the late William Blount had land.
Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey is also indicating that he is "very interested" in running. I very much like Ron Ramsey, and will likely give him my personal support should he choose to make a run. However, I think Ramsey's odds are very long. He still doesn't have much name recognition in West Tennessee, and while I think he can be elected Governor-and I would love to see it-I am not so sure that he shouldn't wait out a couple of cycles and build up that recognition Statewide.
Democrats may believe that this gives them a leg up in 2010, but who do they have that can be a credible Statewide candidate? Tim McGraw, who still says that he will not run? Harold Ford Jr.'s star is slowly fading, and it is doubtful that he can win a Statewide race. We already know that former Democratic Party Chairman Bob Tuke cannot.
The 2010 election looks to be a very wild ride, indeed. Bill Frist is out, but there may be some very interesting candidates who decide to get in and stay in this already-begun campaign.
Maybe it is just me, but when a team goes 13-0, and clearly proves that they are capable of defeating any team in the country, they are the ones who deserve to be playing for a national title, if not to be called National Champions outright.
Oh, I forgot...we have the BCS, which prevents such exercises in sporting fairness.
On the second day of the year, we learn that at least five Democratic Governors are pushing for their own version of an economic stimulus package-worth a whopping $1 trillion:
Five Democratic governors today urged President-elect Barack Obama and the incoming Congress to pass a broad, $1 trillion economic stimulus package, placing particular emphasis on an item that hasn't been discussed much before - education aid to the states.
Governors have been most vocal about pushing for help in repairing and building infrastructure and boosting the federal share of funding for Medicaid, a government health insurance program for the needy.
There was, of course, no discussion whatsoever about how the Democrats intend to pay for all of this new speding. The standard reply is that they intend to raise taxes on "the rich." There are, of course, not nearly enough rich people in America to fund the entire federal budget, which is what the incoming Obama administration would seemingly have us all believe. Unless, of course, the President-elect defines "rich" as "all those who earn a living."
Because of increasing pressure from inside his own party, I fully expect Barack Obama to give an address to the nation within three months of being sworn in declaring that he will be unable to deliver on his promised middle class tax cuts. In response, expect the markets to tank even further in the new year.
* A drag queen being lowered in a giant shoe in Key West.
* Coolio scoping the back of CNN's Las Vegas correspondent while she was still reporting.
* A heavy metal band on stage in Dayton whose lead singer felt lead to ask, on international television, "what the f--k's goin' on, Dayton, Ohio," before beginning a performance of inaudible screetching. (This must be current Dayton Mayor Rhine McLin's idea of family entertainment.)
* Kathy Griffin discussing private parts of the male anatomy.
The Democrats aren't even in the White House yet, and the social and cultural Filth already think themselves licensed to flaunt their lack of couthe for the whole world to see, as if to say "we have now become the United States of Amsterdam."
I laughed through much of it, but wondered if I should cry.
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph-God forgive us, for what have we done to our country?
A conservative journal of social, cultural, and ecclesiatical affairs grounded in a realistic Catholic Christian worldview. It is my hope that this site will be a reflection of Christ,the teachings of His Holy Church, and of the basic vision of a Christian social morality.
