Redistricting Quandry
There is more at stake in the coming General Election than
which party will be in legislative control:
What national constituency maps really highlight-whether such models intend to or not-is the importance of elections for State Legislatures in Tennessee and around the country. Parties that control their respective Legislatures in any given State control the process whereby congressional and legislative district lines are redrawn after a federal census, which is one reason why Tennessee Republicans are so keen to let the world know that they are favored to pick up seats in the State House of Representatives this year. Whatever your political party, those who are in-th-know politically realize that there is much more at stake in the 2010 General Election than which political party controls Congress or the General Assembly, but literally which party could control those institutions for years, and perhaps decades to come.
Labels: Congress, Conservatism, Democrats, Elections, Federal politics, Local politics, News Media, Republican Party, Tennessee politics
Pot, Meet Kettle
Today in Tennessee politics,
the pot calls the kettle black:
Tennessee House Republicans, on the cusp of expanding their majority in the House to allow for the electing of officers of their choosing, do seem to have been trying to encourage lobbyists to give to Republicans. This was far less obvious and politically forceful, of course, that the Democrats used to tell lobbyists and their firms that it was in their interest to give to the majority party to remain in the good graces of their Leadership. Mike Turner, who is one of the most politically astute figures in the General Assembly, says Democrats contact lobbyists to "tell them to be fair."
Labels: Conservatism, Democrats, Duh, Elections, News Media, Political correctness, Republican Party, Tennessee politics
Supporting But Not Endorsing?
There are times in an election year when
politicians best not speak:
Beth Harwell is a former Tennessee Republican Chairman, so she knows that appearances matter in an election year, especially one in which your party has the opportunity to do rather well. It is really fine for Harwell to voice her personal support for Senator Henry to Doug Henry, but any appearances of a party that is not united is something that the mainstream news media can and will exploit to try and benefit the Democrats as a whole. Mentioning anything about a personal preference that would not favor the Republican nominee allows the press to paint Republicans as disunited, however much of an exaggeration that might be.
Labels: Conservatism, Democrats, Elections, Local politics, News Media, Political correctness, Republican Party, Tennessee politics
He's Coming To Take You Away...
Former Tennessee Governor Don Sundquist
is the Democrats' new boogeyman:
There is another political leader, however, who turns as many stomachs among Tennesseans as Obama-former Republican Governor Don Sundquist, who gave us the last serious attempt to initiate an income tax in this State. So powerful is disgust with Sundquist that Bill Haslam has thus far refused to mention Sundquist's name despite his family's historic support of the former Governor, and is instead attempting to wrap himself in the image of his opponent's father and of the current Governor. Meanwhile, the Democrats are attempting to gain political traction by shouting "Don Sundquist, Don Sundquist, Don Sundquist," as though Sundquist is the boogey man who is coming to a house near you to eat children.
Labels: Conservatism, Democrats, Duh, Elections, Republican Party, Tennessee politics
