The Smell of Hypocrisy In the Morning...
After years of opposing it, Democrats want to lower the tax on groceries
in the name of political expediency:
Citizens need to be reminded that these are the very people who were in control of our State prior to 2008, and they were repeatedly given Republican proposals either to eliminate the tax on groceries or to significantly reduce that burden, which does weigh especially hard on both the poor and on those trying to get back on their feet financially. As it was, the Democratic leadership in the House found itself barely able to swallow an effort to cut the grocery tax a whopping one-half of one percent.
Labels: Conservatism, Democrats, Duh, Elections, Local politics, Tennessee politics
Under the Bus?
IS there an effort of some kind to
throw two Republican legislators under the bus?:
The fact that the nurses in the case were cleared of wrongdoing and their records restored as they had been before they were accused has been reported to be solely due to the actions of State Representatives Dale Ford (R-Jonesborough) and Tony Shipley (R-Kingsport). However, considering that the case of Reynolds, Stout, and Killebrew had supposedly been one that had been seen to involve the deaths of two hospital patients, it is highly unlikely that Tennessee Commissioner of Health Susan Cooper had not been aware of the original decision by the Board of Nursing to rescind the licenses of the three, and far more importantly of efforts that were underway to exonerate the three and clear their records. While Cooper and her office are far from immune to pressure from the General Assembly, the Tennessee Department of Health is an executive agency, and Commissioner Cooper was appointed to her post by Governor Bill Haslam, and in law and fact answers to Haslam and serves at his pleasure.
Labels: Conservatism, Local politics, Tennessee politics
Our Brother's Keeper
We must be reminded that it is we, and not the Government, who are our brother's keeper:
The works of MATS and shelters like it across the State and the Union has to go on, however, and MATS wasn't established as some sponge for government money, but to address a real need. Its Board of Directors are devoted not only to giving shelter to the homeless who need it, but setting them on a path-through life skills and job training-to be productive members of society. This kind of work is rooted in the charity of the Church that we find in Acts 6:1-6 when the first deacons were appointed and anointed. It is right that MATS should ask for an even greater share of help from area churches (who, in fairness, have helped and continue to help the work of MATS and other shelters) and parishioners, but it speaks volumes about all of our collective priorities that MATS is in need of greater financial help because of the loss of a government grant. The end of those monies should have been a bump in the road, not a massive pothole. We have become conditioned to believe that we do not need to care for the poor, the old, the neglected, the hungry, the homeless, or the lonely, because the government will do it. Caring for our neighbor is not the job of government-it is our own job, and is the condition upon which Christ told the Apostles that he would judge all those who profess to believe in Him.
Labels: Conservatism, Federal politics, Local politics, Tennessee politics
TBI Witch Hunt?
IS the TBI-long dominated-as was the Tennessee Highway Patrol-by those who are loyal to the Democrats who ran this State for so long now conducting
witch-hunts against Republican legislators?:
While the TBI won't confirm to media outlets that the two East Tennessee Republican State Representatives are the targets of their investigation, Shipley told The Examiner that he has indeed been contacted by the Bureau. "They [the TBI] contacted me by e-mail and asked if I would meet with their agents, which I agreed to do, and I have offered to meet with them at my home in Kingsport. I don't have anything at all to hide from the TBI or anyone else because neither Dale Ford or I did anything wrong-nothing but the jobs we are supposed to do as legislators." Shipley was quick to point out that various professional boards are authorized under legislative statutes that sunset, so the boards have to be reauthorized by the General Assembly from time to time. "These boards have legislative oversight, and if there is a miscarriage of justice involved, legislators have a responsibility to make that right in the first place, and then to see that someone's basic civil rights are not violated in this way again, which we are actively working on in summer study committee at this time," said Shipley.
Labels: Conservatism, Democrats, Elections, Local politics, Tennessee politics
Casey At the Bench
Remember those protestors from the State Capiol back in March who disrupted the work of the House and Senate. A Nashville Judge with
a history of favoring Democrats ruled in their favor:
Judge Casey Moreland was once "happy" to suspend a speeding ticket given to former Democratic House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh (D-Covington). Moreland was once investigated for allowing his probation officers to fudge their time cards and refused to make the contents of that investigation public. One has to wonder if the defense lawyers in this case weren't thrilled with who the presiding judge happened to be.
Labels: Conservatism, Local politics, Tennessee politics
