Why Does It Always Have To Be Tennessee?

The Lt. Governor from my home state of Tennessee isn't sure that President Obama is a citizen of the United States of America.

Well I AM sure that Ron Ramsey is an ASSHOLE!

Ashamed Of My Hometown Mayor

I saw this coming from a mile away and I can only hope that black folks in Memphis do not fall for this kind of blatant race baiting from a man who from all appearances has lost his mind and will be an embarrasment should he be elected to represent them.

MEMPHIS — A Congressional race in Tennessee has become freighted with racial overtones almost a year before the election, with a prominent black politician saying the white incumbent cannot properly represent black voters.

The black candidate, former Mayor Willie W. Herenton of Memphis, has argued that Tennessee needs a black voice in its currently all-white delegation. He is running a blistering campaign against Representative Steve Cohen, a fellow Democrat with a precarious hold on the majority black district.

“To know Steve Cohen is to know that he really does not think very much of African-Americans,” Mr. Herenton said in a recent radio interview on KWAM. “He’s played the black community well.”

The primary election in August 2010 pits an unlikely officeholder — a Jew in a deeply Christian region, a middle-age white man known for fighting for blacks and women — against a prominent challenger. Already, the campaign has proved how deeply race still infuses much of politics in the South, even after the election of a black president.

The candidates are battling to represent the Ninth Congressional District, a low-income area that envelops Memphis and is more than 60 percent black. The district was redrawn and renumbered in 1973, increasing the percentage of minority voters, and for three decades it elected the state’s only black members of Congress since Reconstruction, Harold E. Ford Sr. and his son Harold E. Ford Jr.

But in 2006, Mr. Cohen defeated a divided field of black candidates. He coasted to re-election last year against a little-known black corporate lawyer.

The Herenton campaign argues that Mr. Cohen is an anomaly.

“This seat was set aside for people who look like me,” said Mr. Herenton’s campaign manager, Sidney Chism, a black county commissioner. “It wasn’t set aside for a Jew or a Christian. It was set aside so that blacks could have representation.”

Guess The Offense

The Mayor of Clarksville Tennessee, Republican Johnny Piper, is in trouble over an email that he forwarded. I am going to first show you a part of his response to the controversy and then ask you to guess what the subject might have been.

I have several good Muslim friends.

Now go check out the email he sent out and note that he doesn't feel the need to apologize at all.

And all the while GOP operatives are busy trying to scare parents into not letting their kids hear the President's speech to them. Go figure.

(h/t ThinkProgress)

My Home State Is Run By WingNuts

I couldn't be more embarrased to be from Tennessee right now. Seriously

Sneak Attack

Updated: With video

I am a little late getting to this one but I have to post about it to represent for my Tennessee Democrats. It seems that the Dems in the Tennessee House of Representatives have pulled off some what of a coup with the help of a moderate Republican. From the Nashville Post:

It is now official: There is a Republican speaker of the Tennessee State House. But his name is not Jason Mumpower.

The Tennessee House of Representatives officialy installed East Tennessee Republican Rep. Kent Williams of Carter County as the Speaker for 106th General Assembly.

Democrats pulled the old switcheroo and put Williams into office to cries of "traitor" from some members of the Republican caucus. Williams had been considered a target for a Democratic vote but had maintained all along that he would vote for a Republican. In the end, he did, voting for himself.

snip

Today's drama began when Democratic Leader Gary Odom motioned for a 30-minute recess after members were sworn in, to which Mumpower vehemently objected. As Speaker of the 105th General Assembly, Naifeh still presided and quickly gaveled for the recess.

Mumpower then called for a vote, which he lost when freshman Republican State Rep. Terry Lynn Weaver of Lancaster voted with Democrats. As the vote was made official, Republicans could be heard shouting for her to change her vote, which she did not do in time.

Republican legislators claimed after the vote that she had hit the wrong button. Nevertheless, it was an inauspicious beginning to her legislative career and the new Republican majority.

When the House came back, Mumpower was nominated by his colleagues. Then things became more tense when Naifeh recognized Republican State Rep. Glen Casada of Franklin. Casada called for nominations to cease, a motion that was seconded – all this before Democrats placed Naifeh's name in nomination.

snip

When the House came back, Mumpower was nominated by his colleagues. Then things became more tense when Naifeh recognized Republican State Rep. Glen Casada of Franklin. Casada called for nominations to cease, a motion that was seconded – all this before Democrats placed Naifeh's name in nomination.

Democrat leader Odom was outraged and called for "fair elections" and blasted Republicans for trying to close the vote before he could put forward a Democratic nominee.

snip

After a brief discussion, Mumpower withdrew his objection and then gave the floor back to Naifeh. Then came the surprise. Odom and the Democrats nominated Republican Rep. Kent Williams for the position of Speaker of the House. All of the Democrats voted together for Williams.

Now when you think about it thats some diabolical shit the Dems pulled off and definitely not the kind of move you would normally associate with liberals. But there are some other juicier details out there about this as well.

From Wonkette:

AMAZING! Acting in a clandestine pact, the 49 Democrats in Tennessee’s House shocked Nashville just one hour ago by nominating and then voting en masse for Kent Williams (a moderate Republican from Elizabethton in Carter County) for Speaker to lead the 99-member chamber. The official Republican nominee, Jason Mumpower (a wingnut from Bristol in Sullivan County) was left speechless, clutching the family bible that he had brought in preparation for taking the Speaker’s oath of office.

This is HUGE! The R’s had promised bans on gay adoption and fostering, new concealed weapons laws, new constitutional limits on abortion, new anti-immigrant legislation, and mandating the teaching of “intelligent design” in public schools. Because the Tennessee House operates under a strict committee system and the Speaker appoints all committee chairs, though, it is unclear whether Republicans will be able to get any of these measures to the floor of the House. In addition, the re-election prospects for the long-serving and widely-respected Comptroller and Treasurer (both Democrats) is now much more promising; the General Assembly votes for these constitutional offices tomorrow.

Now keep in mind that this is the first time the Republicans have had a majority in the House in Tennessee in decades. This is Blago level shit! Man all I want to know is who came up with the plan so we can send his or her ass to Washington to take Harry Reid's place. Thats some change I could believe in!


Damn I love youtube!