The Tennessee Center for Policy Research, a Tennessee think tank, has created their first Legislator’s Guide to the Issues. It attempts to address some of the most pressing issues facing Tennesseans by clearly stating the problem, making a recommendation to fix it, and a factual analysis supporting the recommendation. For example:

• Transparency:
  Create an online check register posting every dollar spent by state government.
• Government Reform:
  Require methodology to be included in fiscal impact analyses.
• Third Party Ballot Access:
  Permit ballot access by third parties rather than requiring third party candidates to run as “independents”.
• Education:
  Eliminate Tennessee’s salary schedule to allow pay increases at the local and school level for our state’s most effective teachers.
• Charter Schools:
  Eliminate the requirement that students be in a “failing” school before being eligible for a charter school program, and strike the student low achievement eligibility requirement.
• Eminent Domain:
  Forbid any government entity from taking private property and transferring it from one private party to another private party.
• Health Insurance Costs:
  Urge Congress to permit the interstate purchase of health insurance so as to open up the health insurance market for Tennesseans.

While I hardly agree with all of TCPR’s recommendations (particularly in the area of transportation), I am pleased that TCPR has taken this important step in establishing their credentials with state legislators, as well as voters. And the formal addition of their analysis and recommendations can only improve the public debate on policy in Tennessee.

The Tennessee GOP Chairman Robin Smith adds her perspective to the Kent Williams’ dustup. In part:

In one last incredible insult, Rep. Kent Williams caucused with the other 49 Republican members of the majority during the 30-minute recess that immediately preceded the nominations and vote for Speaker. During that time, Representatives Jason Mumpower, Glen Casada and Charles Sargeant joined Kent Williams in prayer. Rep. Williams offered no indication that less than a half-hour later he would not honor his previous pledges to vote for the nominees of the Republican Caucus.

In conversations with members of the Legislature, I have now spoken with at least two other Republican Members of the House who were contacted in addition to Kent Williams to be nominated as Speaker by the Democrats.  So, of the three members approached to participate in this deal, only Kent Williams agreed to conspire with the Democrats. This speaks to the character of Williams, but more importantly, to the character of the 49 honorable men and women who serve us so well in the House. I am proud as Chairman to stand with them on principle and the values of the majority of Tennesseans.

As of the last election Republicans control both houses of the Tennessee legislature for the first time since reconstruction. The Senate Republicans elected a Republican leader last election cycle so they have things firmly in hand.

But the House Republicans are new and still figuring things out. After seeing the disastrous results of the Senate’s attempts at “bi-partisanship” last election cycle, the House Republicans agreed to the last man to vote for a Republican Speaker. And they did. 49 Republicans voted for Jason Mumpower.

Unfortunately, Democrats unanimously voted for moderate “Republican” Kent Williams – as did Kent Williams. Final vote, Mumpower 49, Williams 50.

What price will be paid to Democrats by Williams for giving him his power remains to be seen. For now, there isn’t a Republican in Nashville that Williams can rely on. And that is bad, even for a turncoat RINO.

Read the entire story, as related by an eye witness Family Action Council president David Fowler.

Journalist Ken Marrero was also on hand.

Blue Collar Muse has the Tennessee blogger reaction roundup.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal tells this:

Williams said he approached Democrats about being a candidate for speaker about two days ago. When it became apparent there were not enough votes to re-elect Naifeh, Democrats threw their support behind Williams to ensure at least a share of power.

In other words, Williams secretly conspired with Democrats in a blatant power grab.

Williams said that legislation Republicans have long sought to pass, including an anti-abortion constitutional amendment and more lenient gun bills, will make it to the House floor for votes under his tenure.

“I’m not going to stack committees against anything,” he said.

That remains to be seen. And given Williams’ behavior, the only thing we know is that he cannot be trusted.

Rep. Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) agrees, and today called on Williams to resign:

“I do feel that a falsehood was perpetrated yesterday on members of this body, to the people of Carter County (Williams’ home), to the people of this state,” said Kelsey, who then recited a Bible verse from Exodus that “The Lord admonished but selected capable men from all the people, men who fear God, truthful men who hate dishonest gain.

“And Mr Speaker, I feel personal ambition was put ahead of the State of Tennessee. It was done by a member of this body. We all make mistakes. I make as many as anyone. But I feel this mistake can be corrected,” Kelsey continued. “If that member would resign his seat and go back and run in his county under correct information, giving truthfulness to the people of his county as to what his intentions were and are in regard to how he would like his party affiliation to be and how this body would be run.

“Mr. Speaker, that member is you and I call on you to go back and run as an independent or Democrat,” Kelsey said.

It will be interesting to see how Williams does next election cycle. There will probably be a lot of money pouring into that district in an effort to unseat Williams. But in my opinion it will be unsuccessful. Having a representative in the driver’s seat will look to pretty good to the locals, even if he is a low-down stinkin’ RINO.

I have posted my rather extensive notes from Tom Leatherwood’s talk to the Shelby County chapter of the Tennessee Firearms Association over on TennWatch. Leatherwood is challenging incumbent Marsha Blackburn for Tennessee’s 7th congressional district.

Mickey’s on another rant (I know, that’s no surprise) over at Blue Collar Republican. This time, he lumping congressional candidate Tom Leatherwood in with (and I quote) "Marsha ‘Queen of Pork’ Blackburn".

Yep, Mickey’s taking Tom Leatherwood to task while Tom’s a candidate who hasn’t yet had the opportunity to do any federal pork barrel spending.

And at the local level as Shelby County Register, Tom Leatherwood actually reduced costs, lowered fees, and radically increased services. Just take a look at the Register website that came about due to Tom’s leadership. [I often use the GIS feature, and you can too. For instance, here's the house that the mayor of Bartlett lives in. Neat, huh?]

That’s right, Tom Leatherwood succeeded in pulling Shelby County into the 21st century, and did it while keeping the Register of Deeds a profit center for the county. Not bad for a civil servant these days.

Now then, let’s examine Mickey’s "Queen of Pork" accusation leveled at the sexiest woman in congress.

When it comes to measuring pork and looking out for the taxpayers, I have two favorite sources: the Citizens Against Government Waste and the Club for Growth.

According the Citizens Against Government Waste, there were 44 critical spending bills in the 2007 congress, of which Marsha Blackburn voted what they consider to be "the right way" on 43 of them. She has a 98% rating for 2007 from CAGW, earning her the label "Taxpayer Hero". In fact, she could have voted the "wrong" way another eight or nine times and still been considered a Taxpayer Hero.

Marsha enjoys a lifetime rating of 91% from the Citizens Against Government Waste, putting her solidly in the middle of the "Taxpayer Hero" category.

Turning now to the highly respected Club for Growth, let’s examine the 2007 Club for Growth RePORK Card where Blackburn earns a score of 94% for her voting record last year.

When Mickey says "Queen of Pork", he means every single member of congress because they don’t go up there and consistently vote "no" on every single appropriations bill that ever comes up. Mickey, I love ya like a brother — OK, maybe more like that crazy uncle that got put in a home a few years ago and nobody talks about anymore at the family reunions but everyone still has a few fond memories.

While I am not yet certain of who I will support in the primary for the 7th congressional district of Tennessee, but I do know that I am privileged to have the choice between two very fine candidates.

I also know that Tom has picked a very difficult fight and I give him about a 3% chance of winning. Not only is Marsha an entrenched incumbent, she is viewed as a rising star in the Republican party, makes frequent appearances on political talk shows and has about a million dollars in her campaign war chest. She’s going to be tough to beat.

But I have to admit that it would be nice to be represented by someone from Shelby County instead of someone from over 200 miles away. The 7th district stretches from Mississippi to Kentucky as it weaves it’s ludicrously gerrymandered path across the state and Blackburn is from Franklin, just south of Nashville.

Cross posted at Volitics, aka TennWatch.

Memphis has long been known as "America’s Distribution Center". In addition to people, a lot of goods move through Memphis every year. After all, Memphis International handles more cargo than any other airport in the world, and Memphis is home to the second largest inland port in the country, services five Class 1 railroads, and is a conduit for over 200 trucking firms.

Memphis is the logistics center of America. 17 percent of the work force works in logistics, the most of any metropolitan area in the country. Intermodal transportation is the railroad’s fastest-growing freight category, and Memphis logistical operations continues to grow. Just last year, Canadian National Railway began a 2 1/2 year, $100 million project to expand their operations in Memphis.

So it is no wonder that the topic of another bridge over the river to connect Memphis and Arkansas pops up from time to time. We only have two, and the big I-40 bridge was opened way back in 1972.

Tentative plans call for installing a bridge at the southern edge of West Memphis, through the city’s industrial park and the river port. The bridge would cross the Mississippi River there and reconnect with Interstate 55 south of President’s Island near downtown Memphis.

Another idea is to build a bridge just north of Marion. The bridge would merge with the northern loop of Interstate 40 in northwest Memphis.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation conducted a study several years ago and recommended crossing the Mississippi River in south Arkansas as part of the Interstate 69 proposal. Interstate 69 is a proposed traffic corridor running from Evansville, Ill., to Houston.

Officials with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department said a new Mississippi River bridge will cost between $ 450 million and $ 710 million, and it would take five to 10 years to build.

Another reason for the bridge is the amount of traffic that rolls through West Memphis, Arkansas:

A new bridge would alleviate much of the truck transport traffic that rolls through West Memphis, said Ward Wimbish, director of economic development for the city of West Memphis. The 1. 5-mile stretch of roadway in the midst of the Crittenden County city doubles as Interstate 44 and 55 and is the third most congested area in the country, highway records indicate.

The two existing bridges see more than a hundred thousand vehicles a day roll across their structures. Think of the impact if a terrorist attack takes out one of them.

It’s time for a third bridge.

Tennessee’s Narcotics Officer of the Year for 2006 was charged with taking regular payments from drug dealers and selling anabolic steroids:

Some two dozen Memphis police officers have been indicted for public corruption since 2004, but Valentine’s arrest is particularly troubling to officials because he also held supervisory duties.

According to an affidavit, Valentine received regular payments from drug dealers for three years in exchange for assisting the movement of one marijuana shipment per month. The arrangement ended in 2000 when one of the traffickers’ associates was arrested.

An informant said Valentine also worked with him in the spring and summer of this year in buying and distributing anabolic steroids.

Bad people are found in almost any job, including those who pledge to protect and serve. Yet they remain trusted by the public, a sentiment I don’t understand. Yes, most cops are good people, just as are most politicians. But I won’t trust a cop with my life any more than I trust a politician with my bank account information.

Remembering that all politics are local, join your state gun rights organization, whether you get a carry permit or not. Keep the criminals guessing as to who may be armed. Because you never know who the criminals are, and may not find out until it’s too late.

And you thought this stuff went out in the first half of last century along with the phrase, “Dadburned revenuers!”

Four people are behind bars in Tennessee this morning after police find a huge moonshine distillery.

Police found 600 gallons of mash … ready to be cooked into corn whiskey in the distillery hidden deep in the woods of Fayette County… just east of Memphis.

And it didn’t stop there they also found 100 gallons of already bottled moonshine ready to be sold.

Tennesseans use more prescription drugs than any other state — an average of 17.3 prescriptions per person in 2005 according to BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. Yet the state of Tennessee ranks 47th when examining the health of its citizens!

Consequences of improper drug use in Tennessee include an annual $761 million cost for adverse drug events, and $593 million for accidental poisonings in 2003.

Tennessee ranks second in drug spending, at $1,192. That’s what happens when crackheads call ambulances when they need a fix and we give them methadone instead of sending them to jail.

So the Democrat governor of Tennessee decided to put a portrait of a Muslim girl on his Christmas card. It’s his card, right? It’s not like I’m going to get one, right?

The problem is that this card is a political statement. After all, in the end everything is political. Heck, my Christmas card in 2002 had a real pretty red, white and blue Christmas tree ball on the front and was imprinted with, “May God Watch Over or Troops in Action and Our Commander in Chief”.

As I said, everything is political —doubly so when it comes from a politician (I’m just not as subtle as the governor).

So what’s Bredesen trying to say? Love your enemy? Muslims deserve Christmas too? Peace, at any cost?

Bredesen tries to explain with this on the back of the card:

While it may seem odd to put a portrait of a young Muslim woman on a Christmas card, this Season reminds us that He loves His children most of all.

Really governor? There aren’t children here that you could have put on your card, as in someone from Tennessee? Perhaps a chronically ill indigent that you kicked off the rolls of TennCare. Or an illegal alien that you wish to have identification so they can continue living here. Or one of the corrupt THP officers that you protect. The possibilities are endless.

Make of it what you will, pandering or political correctness or political blundering. Democrats will forgive and Republicans will cry foul, as is the way of the world.

Of course, it could be what AC at Volunteer Voters says it is, a form of rich white liberal disease called competitive altruism:

What I mean by that is that these men tend to bend over backwards, not to embrace and and celebrate the traditions in which they were raised and through which they have thrived, but they instead, in attempt to show how open-minded and benevolent they are, “reach out” and prop up other culture and faiths.

It is not even to curry the favor or the political power of the minority or foreign culture they embrace. It is essentially a status game they engage in with other elite whites.