Corruption of Blood
We can't be held accountable under the Tennessee Constitution
for what others do:
Section 12 is of special interest, because the provision against what in common law is called "corruption of blood" is a much clearer provision than the similar clause of the federal Bill of Rights. In ancient English common law-the legal system on which our own is based-the corruption of blood meant that the family members of a criminal were seen to be held responsible for that person's crime. The children of a murderer or a thief were seen to be as corrupt as that person. The family of a convicted criminal often had to forfeit their inheritance because of their family member's crime, even though they are completely innocent. This clause of our State Constitution guarantees that someone's family can't be held responsible for their bad decisions, and children can't lose their inheritance because of the bad behavior of their parents that they could not control.
Labels: Conservatism, Local politics, Tennessee politics
Quit Playing Pretend
It is time to face the truth about our fiscal situation:
We cannot continue to pretend that we as a nation can go on like this. Many of my liberal friends talk about cuts in government programs having an impact on the most vulnerable people in our society-the elderly, the disabled, and the working poor. These well-meaning folks argue that when cuts have to be made, they will disproportionately impact these groups. As a person with a disability, this writer is acutely aware of the impact that some cuts and reductions in spending will have on vulnerable subsets in our society. However, the election-year rhetoric about old ladies being left to rot and homeless people starving in the streets will go from rhetoric to hard reality under an administration of either political party unless tough decisions are made in very short order. We can either make the cuts we need to make to save ourselves now, or we will become as others, and be forced to make them later.
Labels: Congress, Conservatism, Democrats, Economy, Elections, Federal politics, News Media, Republican Party, Tennessee politics
State of the Union
Time to get real and
cut the fluff:
How the country would finance these proposals for more spending is an important question, especially since $3 trillion has been added to the national debt since 2009. More than this, though, because the President is proposing a non-discretionary spending freeze. That is important, Mr. President, and it is needed, but we can't have a real spending freeze while you put forth proposals to the people of this country that out of necessity require another large increase in federal spending. A spending freeze along with high speed rail? Mr. President, that really does sound like fuzzy math.
Labels: Congress, Conservatism, Democrats, Duh, Federal politics, Local politics, News Media, Political correctness, Republican Party, Tennessee politics
Will Ragsdale's Mess Come Fully to Light?
Thanks to the Cynthia Finch trial in Knox County, the corruption of Mike Ragsdale's time in office may come more fully to light:
Mike Ragsdale once likened Cynthia Finch to Jesus Christ, comparing calls for her removal to the cries of the mob to crucify Our Lord and Savior. Of course Finch was really only doing Ragsdale's bidding since the abuse of taxpayer money was commonplace during Mike Ragsdale's time as Knox County Mayor. With her back against the wall, Cynthia Finch subtly accused Knox County Commissioners of racism for questioning the allocation of grant money that was the responsibility of her office to organizations that she happened to play a leading role in. It was never found that Finch or her staff received "kickbacks" or "money off the top" from grant allocation, however, but no one knows just how much Ragsdale dirt will come out in the effort both to prosecute or defend Cynthia Finch. This could be as juicy as the News Sentinel Sunshine Law trial, and could finally expose the corruption of the Ragsdale Administration in full public view.
Labels: Conservatism, Local politics, Tennessee politics
