Labels: Sports
posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 7:33 PM
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There wasn't a Republican candidate in Hawkins County who wasn't there, so when trying to mill about the room and promote my candidacy I was competing with the many other candidates who were present (I've also never seen such interest before in a race for county road commissioner). My opponent also made it to the event earlier than I did so he had his cards on all tables-I had to mill through the crowd. I did, however, get to encounter more voters this way-and got to talk directly to many of them, including a few Hawkins County Commissioners. Of course you hope that nice hellos and pleasant political exchanges translate into votes. One person I did get to say hello to was former Congressman Bill Jenkins, who was as gracious as ever.
Angie Gibson-Herrell and her husband Michael and I talked for a good ten minutes. She is as lovely, gracious, and intelligent in person as she often appears to be on the internet, and Michael is running for Hawkins County School Board in the 7th District. If anyone can be relied on to support you when they promise to, I know that Angie and Michael will-I appreciate them and all of the wonderful folks in Hawkins County willing to take a chance with me on the Republican State Executive Committee.
Labels: Conservatism, Local politics, Republican Party, Tennessee politics
posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 11:30 PM
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I haven't talked to Curry Todd about this, but I'd bet the ranch that he doesn't want the restaurant/bar differentiation in the bill. The Tennessee General Assembly is hedging on this issue once again when it needs (as it has once before) to take a firm stand-either this bill is something the General Assembly is willing to support or it is not.
If fear of the press is what is causing the Legislature to defer action, Representatives and Senators should remember that no amount of rewriting this legislation will make it palatable to the mainstream media, which tends to lean further to the Left than most Tennessee voters do.
Labels: Conservatism, Democrats, Republican Party, Tennessee politics
posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 1:37 PM
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The income tax amendment has obviously been stalled because of an unnecessary fiscal note. During their years of absolute power, Democrats used to quietly put popular Republican proposals to death by adding amendments to them which entail spending more money than is needed to carry out the provisions of the legislation. In the Tennessee House of Representative, Democrats still have the numbers and the committee apportionment to utilize this tactic. Democrats know that if this amendment passes, they'll never again be able to hang an income tax over our heads as a cheap political threat-and of course that can't be allowed to happen.
Labels: Conservatism, Democrats, Elections, Local politics, Political correctness, Republican Party, Tennessee politics
posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 7:22 PM
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How much money someone makes is none of my business or anyone else's. As I said earlier this year in a column defending Bill Haslam from attacks because he refused to release all of his income from Pilot Corporation, someone's personal income or lack thereof does not have anything to do with their qualifications for office. If Mike McWherter wants to release his income as a symbol of personal transparency, good for him-but frankly, it is neither here nor there how much he makes.
Labels: Conservatism, Democrats, Elections, Republican Party, Tennessee politics
posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 4:05 PM
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Knox County Commissioner Greg "Lumpy" Lambert has come out and admitted the obvious. He says that former Knox County Sheriff Tim Hutchison was involved in the infamous deal-making on what East Tennesseans know as "Black Wednesday," January 31, 2007. That was the day that the Knox County Commission voted to replace 12 term-limited county commissioners removed by a court decision without any public input and with a series of backroom and hallway political brokerages, the results of which all of East Tennessee could see.
Labels: Democrats, Local politics, Republican Party, Tennessee politics
posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 12:01 PM
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Labels: Faith, Holy Mother Church
posted by Deacon David Oatney @ 12:11 PM
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