They're almost as bad as NES

IG: Over 1,000 IRS workers misused gov't charge cards, agency lenient on discipline 

More than 1,000 IRS employees over a two-year period misused their government credit cards, and the agency has a tendency to be overly lenient in disciplining them, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration said in a recently released audit report. (link)

That  sounds very familiar, just a larger agency with more people than the Nashville Electric Service. NES had hundreds of misused charge cards and and Amazon accounts, instead of more than 1000.  No one ever lost a job or went to jail due to malfeasance at NES and the agency was lenient on discipline. That sounds a lot like the IRS. You may have missed it. Except for Channel 5, our local media did not cover the scandal very much and the Council never took any strong action. It is not over however. The tenacious citizen activist Ken Jakes continues to seek justice. To read the comptrollers report about our own corrupt government agency, see here . For a lot more information about the NES scandal including viewing the channel 5 report follow this link. 

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Fair Board and State Fair association to talk long term goals in Joint meeting.

The Board of Fair Commissioners will meet in a Special Joint Meeting with the Tennessee State Fair Association Board of Directors,on June 18th, at 1PM.  The meeting will take place at
Metro Southeast, 1417 Murfreesboro Pike, Green Hills Room, Nashville, TN. An agenda item for discussion is "Long-term goals for the Tennessee State Fair" and "strategies for working together." To see the agenda, follow this link.

The Fair Commissions Board is the metro agency responsible for the fair grounds. There duties and function are these:

 It shall be the duty of the Metropolitan Board of Fair Commissioners to exercise all the powers and perform all the duties heretofore or hereafter imposed on the Board of Fair Commissioners of Davidson County, within the limitation of its budget appropriation and funds otherwise available, employ and fix the compensation of such personnel as may be necessary; and to perform such other duties as may be imposed upon the Board by ordinance.

All activities being conducted on the premises of the Tennessee State Fairgrounds as of December 31, 2010, including, but not limited to, the Tennessee State Fair, Expo Center Events, Flea Markets, and Auto Racing, shall be continued on the same site. No demolition of the premises shall be allowed to occur without approval by ordinance receiving 27 votes by the Metropolitan Council or amendment to the Metropolitan Charter.

The Tennessee State Fair Association Board of Directors is a state agency responsible for the state fair. This is there mission:

The specific purpose for which the new board was formed is to promote the education of agriculture, horticulture, the creative arts, performing arts, industry, commerce, recreation, economic development, natural resources, and related areas to the public, through the planning, promotion, conduct, and operation of an annual Tennessee State Fair.

There is no State requirement that the State Fair be held at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds. The State Fair could choose to go elsewhere or Metro could chose to host a fair that is not the state fair, or at least that is the assumption they are operating under. Last year, a dispute over money almost led to the Fair grounds not hosting the state fair and instead hosting another entity to bring a fair to Nashville. To read about the conflict last year, follow this link.

The amendment to the charter listed above in red specifically says the Fair Commissions Board will continue to host the Tennessee State Fair, however the city cannot compel the State to hold the State Fair at the fairgrounds. Our State Fair is not on as large a scale or as an important an event as other state fairs.  Some county fairs in Tennessee are larger and more prestigious than our state fair.  The Tennessee Valley A and I Fair in Knoxville is a bigger deal than our "state" fair. The future of the State Fair and the fair grounds continues to be uncertain. It is important that these two agencies work closely together.

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Southeast Nashville Conservatives' Breakfast

Saturday, June 15 

Shoney's Bell Road @ Cane Ridge Road Antioch (I-24, Bell Road Exit) 

Breakfast &Social: 8:30 am - 9:00 am 

Meeting: 9:00 am - 10:00 am 

Guest Speaker State Senator Ferrell Haile, D.PH.

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Report on the Tennessee Republican Minority Coalition at The Standard

by Chase Montgomery

 
Wednesday night at The Standard Restaurant in Nashville was a sight to see. A group of individuals from all different backgrounds and walks of life coming together in support of their common political beliefs, and it was not a Democratic Party event. On the contrary, It was the kick off fundraiser for the Tennessee Republican Minority Coalition, a group that aims at uniting republicans of all walks of life in a common cause.

Despite the "A list" of speakers there was little mentioned about the purpose of the group. So allow me to expand on this point. Our purpose is a concise and simple one; get groups of people with similar values of faith, family, freedom, and fiscal responsibility to unite in their efforts to uproot an ever continual socialist leaning government. Once again it is a simple purpose indeed. I think President Woodrow Wilson put it best "If you come at me with your fists doubled, I think I can promise you that mine will double as fast as yours; but if you come to me and say, 'Let us sit down and take counsel together, and, if we differ from each other, understand why it is that we differ, just what the points at issue are,' we will presently find that we are not so far apart after all, that the points on which we differ are few and the points on which we agree are many, and that if we only have the patience and the candor and the desire to get together, we will get together.”

If we can get the Minority groups to rally around the Republican Party and the 60 percent of values that they have in common rather than the 40% of trivial differences between them then we can effect positive change for years to come.

Chase Montgomery is the Director of Media Relations for the Tennessee Republican Minority Coalition.  He is a graduate of the University of Alabama and works in the financial services industry.  If you would like more information about the Tennessee Republican Minority Coalition, please contact Chairman Tony Roberts, 615-720-1147.

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Bob Corker still seeks answers about the CIA cash to karzai

GOP Sen Corker presses Obama on Karzai CIA cash claims
Yahoo! News (blog)
Sen. Bob Corker, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is still trying to get answers from President Barack Obama regarding Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai's claims that he has been getting deliveries of CIA cash for years.

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Tennessee Charter School Seniors Are College Bound!

TCSA - As graduation ceremonies cap off the 2013 school year, charter school seniors are leaving behind a remarkable legacy. The Tennessee Charter Schools Association (TCSA) is pleased to announce that 88 percent of Memphis charter school seniors have been accepted to post-secondary institutions, earning more than $19 million in scholarships and grants. “These students should be extremely proud of what they have achieved,” said TCSA Executive Director Matt Throckmorton. “Years of hard work, perseverance, and scholarship have prepared this group of seniors to become leaders in their communities. We are honored to commend these scholars, along with the families, teachers and school leaders who have encouraged them to excel.” Highlights of each of the five Memphis charter schools boasting graduating seniors follow.

City University School of Liberal Arts

• 100 percent of students in the senior class received acceptance letters to post-secondary institutions 
• 94 percent of the class was accepted to four-year colleges and universities 
• The class received over $7 million in scholarships and grants

Memphis Business Academy

• 45 seniors received a total of 117 letters of acceptance to post-secondary institutions 
• The class earned more than $1.1 million in grants and scholarships 
• Students will be studying at more than 20 different colleges and universities in the fall, including Middle Tennessee State University, Spelman College, Aeronautical University of Embry Riddle, and Emory University.

Memphis Academy of Health Sciences

• 94 percent of students in the senior class were accepted into post-secondary institutions 
• The class, more than half of which are free and reduced lunch students, received more than $1.3 million in scholarships and grants 
• Salutatorian Jemelah Brassell received $245,608 in scholarships and grants and was accepted to six schools, while valedictorian Kierra Wheeler received $278,032 in scholarships and grants and was accepted to nine institutions of higher learning.

Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering

• 97 percent of the senior class earned high school diplomas 
• 47 graduates have been accepted into more than 30 different colleges and universities 
• Valedictorian Jordan Spearman was accepted to four institutes of higher learning, including the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and Vanderbilt University and earned more than $100,000 in scholarships and grants

Soulsville Charter School

• 100 percent of the class of 2013 was accepted to more than 90 different four-year colleges and universities, including Wake Forest University, Tufts University, Morehouse College and Rhodes College. 
• The graduating class received more than $9.2 million in scholarships and grants Valedictorian Stephanie Brownlee received a $250,000 scholarship to Brown University

TCSA also congratulates the first graduating classes of two Chattanooga charter schools, Ivy Academy and Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy. Graduates from these two schools have been accepted into colleges and universities across the country, including Xavier University, the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Louisiana State University, East Tennessee State University, Alabama A & M University, Middle Tennessee State University, Fisk University, and Tennessee State University.

My Comment:  This is phenomenal. Everyone should be celebrating this achievement. Unfortunately, some are more concerned with egalitarian outcomes than they are with some students achieving phenomenal success. If all students can't achieve this kind of success, they reason, then none should do so.

My cousin, Thomas Carter Upchurch is an assistance principal at the Soulsville Charter School. His students are all Black, most are from single mother homes, are on free or reduced lunch programs and many come out of public housing. Soulsville added a grade a year over a several year period and last year was the first graduating class of the school and 100% of the students last year got accepted to college. I understand that almost all of them also got scholarships.  If not for this charter school, probably none would be headed to college, most would be drop outs, some would be in prison by now, some would be dead and about half of the girls would have already had there first child or be pregnant. What is happening in some charter schools is almost a miracle. We should create more charter school and try to learn what makes schools like Soulsville work and try to replicate it in non-charter public schools.

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Video, Summary and Commentary on the School Board meeting of 6/11/2013

"Balanced" calender and Policy on Academic Excellence dominate the meeting.

This meeting of the school board is two hours long. For anyone wanting a clear understanding of what the school board is doing, I suggest you follow along on the agenda as you watch the video. The School Board produces great agendas.  One can see all of the documents that School Board members see.  This agenda is 170 pages long. You can download your copy here: Agenda..



Public Comments:
During the public comments section  of the meeting (starting at 5:30 in the video), Chris Moth a parent of a child at J.T more speaks about the positive things happening at J. T. Moore  and  criticizes Boy's Prep Charter School in particular for their marketing which disparages regular public schools and, he criticizes charter schools in general and says it is time to take a breather from charter school proliferation.

Other parents speak out against the massive number of test children are required to take and ask for more information about which test are given and when test will be given.

The Budget:
Will Pinkerton gives a brief overview of the budget. To see a copy of the final school budget go to page 32 in the agenda.

A "balanced "calender:
Starting at 22:50 in the video there is a presentation and a discussion about the 2014-2015 school calender. This topic takes about 50 minutes. Part of the discussion focuses on "intersessions," which is  the spring and fall breaks designed to give struggling students extra instruction, so they can catch up. Instead of intersession, the School Board may add extra school days for everyone. Board member Michael Hayes asked if the board may add additional teacher work days without additional salary. Dr. Register says they may, but he would not recommend it.

Board member Elissa Kim makes a great point about the policy of greater school autonomy and how it relates to the school calender. "This is were the rubber hits the road," she says.  She ask if schools can adjust the calender to fit their own needs.  They cannot. She says that needs may differ drastically from school to school and she believes schools should have more autonomy to make those decisions. "I do not believe charter schools should be the only ones with autonomy," she says. "The needs of the schools are so vastly different that trying to manage it as a monolithic entity is just ...tough." I am really impressed with Ms Kim. To see her comments, see 53:09 in the video.

To see how The Tennessean covered the calender topic, follow this link: Nashville schools may drop intersession breaks.

Board Policy on Academic Excellence:
The Board adopts a resolution proposed by Board member Will Pinkston that establishes Board Policy on Academic Excellence. Board member Michael Hayes argues the standards are not nearly ambitions enough.  "I hope we can push ourselves and set the goals higher," he says. One of the goals which he argues is not high enough is that "upon or before the conclusion of the 2017-18 academic year, 50 percent of MNPS high-school students score 21 or higher on the ACT assessment of college readiness."  To see a copy of the resolution go to page 155 of the agenda. To see the discussion in the video see1:03:22 to 1:28:55.

Technology: There is a presentation on a technology plan for the classroom. To view the video presentation go to 1:29:17 and to see the handouts and learn more go to page 157 in the agenda.

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Alexander Votes To Defend States’ Rights On Common Core Education Standards

Alexander Votes To Defend States’ Rights On Common Core Education Standards  

The Chattanoogan.com, June 12, 2013 - Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tn.) on Wednesday defended states’ rights on common core education standards when he voted against requiring states to obtain approval from the U.S. secretary of education on their education standards and tests.

Referring to the Democratic education bill, the subject of today’s committee meeting, Senator Alexander said, “If your proposal passed, and the state of Tennessee – which adopted the ‘common core’ standards before the secretary ever included it in Race to the Top or anything else, and even helped write the standards – then wanted to change its standards, it would have to amend its state plan, send it to the secretary, he’d peer-review it, and he could approve it or disapprove it. That’s my objection. That transfers authority to Washington from the states. (read more)

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With Tea Party support, Tennessee's Alexander looks safe

With Tea Party support, Tennessee's Alexander looks safe 

The Examiner,Jun 12, 2013, Washington D.C. - Two-term Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander has pulled off a surprise for Washington-based Tea Party groups eagerly looking for a more conservative alternative to make a primary challenge in 2014: He's already the movement's cup of tea.

A new poll from Vanderbilt University's Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions found that 62 percent of Tennessee voters who describe themselves as Tea Party activists approve of Alexander, a one-time presidential candidate and education secretary under former President George H.W. Bush.(link)

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June 18th Metro Council Agenda now available

If you will wait, I will read if for you. If you just can't wait, here it is: Metro Council Agenda.

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Beating the bushes to beat Lamar: You can't beat somebody with nobody

Campaign Without a Candidate 

Metro Pulse, June 12, 2013- An organization has been formed to find and support a candidate against U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander in next year’s Republican primary. The Real Conservative National Committee will have volunteers canvassing the five major metropolitan areas of Tennessee on Saturday (June 15), organizing a ground game as part of its “Beat Lamar” campaign. The goal is to knock on a total of 5,000 doors in Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, and the Tri-Cities.

Alexander has been expecting a challenge from the right and has been amassing a campaign war chest. FreedomWorks, a conservative Super PAC, has been around the state interviewing potential candidates, including Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett.(link)

The Real CNC invites you to participate in Beat Lamar Alexander Ground Game Day Saturday, June 15, 2013 

The Real CNC - Join conservative activists throughout Tennessee in this day of door to door canvassing. This is the first step you can take to help conservative candidates challenge incumbent RINOs in the House and Senate in the 2014 Republican primaries! The Real Conservatives National Committee intends to change the way the Republican primary election game is played so as to give qualified, boat-rocking conservative candidates like Ted Cruz and Rand Paul far better chances of defeating establishment Republicans.(link)

Who will run against Lamar? 

Glenn Thomas Jacobs, AKA "Kane"

If the best they can come up with to run against Lamar is the professional wrestler known as "Kane," I don't think Lamar has anything to worry about. Glenn Jacobs is a libertarian and a Ron Paul supporter. He considers the tea party "too Republican" for his taste (link). He  blogs, mostly on economic issues, and advocates going back on the gold standard and abolishing the Federal Reserve. You can find his blog at this link:Adventures of Citizen X.

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Rep. Joe Carr Sends “Open Letter” to Senators Alexander and Corker

Press Release, June 11, 2013 - Representative Joe Carr delivered an open letter to Senators Alexander and Corker urging them to oppose the “Gang of 8” amnesty legislation up for debate in the US Senate. The letter, signed by Carr, the Nashville Tea Party, Tennessee Republican Assembly and 40 other Republican lawmakers and conservative leaders cited the legislation’s devastating financial burden on American taxpayers, the provisions expanding government bureaucracy and regulations and the failure of the federal government to secure the border and enforce existing immigration laws.

Carr, an expert on immigration policy who led the successful fight to reform Tennessee’s illegal immigration laws in 2011, argued that the Schumer-Rubio plan undermines existing US laws and does nothing to curb illegal immigration. “I am an ardent advocate of legal immigration. Immigration positively impacts our country and makes us a stronger, more vibrant nation. Illegal immigration does just the exact opposite. It has put a tremendous strain on our healthcare providers, reduced the number of jobs available to law-abiding citizens and created a culture of dependency on government. The Gang of 8 amnesty bill will only exacerbate the problems endemic to our broken immigration system,” Carr added.
Carr’s persistent leadership resulted in Tennessee passing some of the toughest illegal immigration laws in the country. His e-verify legislation, passing the House 96-0, ensures the integrity of Tennessee’s workforce. He also pushed through legislation requiring anyone seeking public benefits to prove they are in the country legally.

Carr stated the solution to national immigration reform begins with securing the border and enforcing existing laws. “The Obama administration, the previous administration and Congress have all collectively failed to secure the border. The American people are understandably skeptical that immigration reform will occur under this administration and Democratic controlled Senate. They understand that it makes absolutely no sense for lawmakers to craft an overly complex, Obamacare-style immigration bill while we don’t even enforce existing laws on the books,” he said.

“The American people have a crisis of confidence in the federal government. We’re urging Senators Alexander and Corker to lead on immigration reform by rejecting the Rubio-Schumer amnesty bill and demand Congress fulfill its Constitutional duty to secure the borders. Our leaders in Congress swore an oath to uphold the Constitution, but that oath is being violated. Everything else is really tertiary. Only after our leaders resolve to respect the Constitution and the rule of law, will we regain the trust of the American people and have the moral foundation in place to reform our immigration system,” Carr said.

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What happened at the June 11 Council meeting: Capital improvement budget passes. ARC moves forward

Josh Stites' Charlotte Ave amendment to ARC funding fails on voice vote.

From The Tennessean:

Council approves $300M capital spending program

by Michael Cass, June 11, 2013- The Metro Council approved Mayor Karl Dean’s $300 million capital spending program Tuesday, sending the mayor’s controversial bus rapid transit plan to the next station while pumping nearly one-third of the new money into school building and renovation projects.

Dean’s plan includes $7.5 million for final engineering and design of the mass transit project known as “The Amp,” a 7.1-mile rapid bus line from the Five Points area of East Nashville to the White Bridge Road area along West End Avenue. The Metro Transit Authority will only spend the money if the federal government — an essential partner — selects Nashville for the next stage of project development.(link)

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Councilman Josh Stites wants BRT route study for Charlotte Avenue

Josh Stites

Good for Josh Stites.  I don't know the best route for the proposed BRT but do think other routes ought to also be considered..  There is a lot of opposition to the West End portion of the proposed route and concern about the impact on West End vehicular traffic, and there are people who actually want a Charlotte route. Charlotte would be less disruptive. 

I accept that the ARC needs to connect two destinations and it needs to go downtown. Connecting White Bridge Road and Five Points makes sense and passing by universities and hospitals makes sense. Also, Mid Town is set to have increased density and mass transit needs density to work. I would think a route that connects Green Hills to downtown would also make a lot of sense. We need to start somewhere and that route may be in the future.   If we want to create a mass transit system that is used my more than just the urban poor, the West End route is more attractive than the Charlotte route. However, before we fund any route we should at least look at other options and have some public input.

Nashville councilman wants BRT route study for Charlotte Avenue

by Michael Cass, The Tennessean, June 11, 2013-A Metro councilman wants to amend Mayor Karl Dean’s capital spending plan to require the Metro Transit Authority to study the feasibility of a bus rapid transit route along Charlotte Avenue.

The amendment, filed by Councilman Josh Stites for a council vote tonight, would preserve the $7.5 million in engineering funding Dean is seeking to advance the project known as The Amp. But while Dean has said the proper route is from the Five Points area of East Nashville to the White Bridge Road area of West Nashville along West End Avenue, Stites’ plan for the funding would “include a feasibility study of the use of Charlotte Avenue as an alternate route. (To read more and see an animation that shows riding bus rapid transit in Nashville follow this link.)

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A Conservative Case for Prison Reform

by Daniel Horwitz

In the op-ed section of today’s New York Times, conservative icon Richard Viguerie makes a compelling case that our nation’s criminal justice system offends foundational conservative values and requires comprehensive reform.  Citing the right’s commitment to reining in out-of-control government spending and promoting both public safety and compassion, Viguerie argues that America’s prison system violates several principles that lie “at the core of conservative philosophy,” and calls upon conservatives to subject our national system of mass incarceration “to the same level of skepticism and scrutiny that we apply to any other government program.”  Ultimately coming to the conclusion that our entire criminal justice system is “another government spending program fraught with the issues that plague all government programs,” Viguerie joins prominent G.O.P. leaders like Jeb Bush, Newt Gingrich, Grover Norquist and the NRA’s David Keene in demanding “an alternative to government-knows-best programs that are failing prisoners and the society into which they are released.”

Due in large part to the devastating and vastly disproportionate effects that the War on Drugs has had on low-income and minority communities, until recently the case for comprehensive criminal justice reform has primarily been advanced by members of the political left.  Although, as I have previously argued on this blog, there is really no reason why those on the right shouldn’t also be able to support ending America’s drug war, Viguerie’s larger point that conservatives ought to be furious about our bloated, ineffective and inhumane criminal justice system as a whole is an incredibly persuasive one.  Building on the work of the cleverly-titled “Right  on Crime” campaign (which supports overhauling America’s criminal justice system in the name of constitutionally limited government, individual liberty, personal responsibility, Christianity, and free enterprise), Viguerie contends that “conservatives known for being tough on crime should now be equally tough on failed, too-expensive criminal programs,” and should be demanding “more cost-effective approaches that enhance public safety and the well-being of all Americans.”  Similarly, given the vast number of families that have been torn apart by our overly-incarcerative criminal justice system  (not to mention today’s horrendous allegations of inmate abuse inMississippi), Viguerie’s additional contention that the sheer inhumanity of prisons should shock the conservative conscience seems equally compelling.

Fortunately, according to Viguerie, conservative lawmakers in Texas, Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont, New Hampshire, Ohio and South Dakota have already taken the lead in enacting reforms that have expanded alternatives to incarceration, reduced prison sentences for low-risk offenders, and saved taxpayers billions.  Will a conservative lawmaker here in Tennessee step up to the plate and exhibit similar leadership?  Or will our legislature continue to cower to the influence of Tennessee’s private prison lobby and give voters the false sense that we need to imprison non-violent, low-level drug offenders in order to be “tough on crime”?  Regrettably, given how many of our politicians are better  known for being corporate shills thanexhibiting any kind of political bravery, I’m sad to say that I have strong doubts that a meaningful criminal justice reform bill will make its way to Governor Haslam’s desk at any point in the near future.  In light of the growing chorus of conservative voices calling for an end to the madness of mass incarceration, however, perhaps that day won’t actually end up being so far off after all.

Daniel Horwitz is a recent graduate of Vanderbilt Law School, where he won the Damali A. Booker Award for legal and social activism and served as the Vice President of Law Students for Social Justice.  He can be contacted at daniel.a.horwitz@gmail.com.

What's on the Council agenda for June 11th

This meeting is a special “adjourned” meeting and should be a short meeting. You can get your own copy of the Metro council meeting agenda here: Agenda.  You can get a the staff analysis here: Metro Council Agenda Analysis.

There is one resolution: RESOLUTION NO. RS2013-710 issues up to $300 million in general obligation bonds to fund various projects in the Mayor’s 2013-2014 capital spending plan. This is the first step in the process of selling the bonds to finance projects. See the staff analysis if you want to know where the money is going.

There are no bills on first reading or second reading. 

There are fourteen bills on third reading and most of them authorize Metro water services to acquire easements for various water, sewer and stormwater projects.

ORDINANCE NO. BL2012-467 adopts the capital improvements budget for 2013-2014 through 2018-2019. The capital improvements budget is a planning document and does not in itself appropriate any money. The capital improvement budget list projects and categorizes them as to how they will be funded and prioritized them. How much debt service is in the operating budget and the interest rates determines how much money can be raised by the sale of bonds.

Many projects in the capital improvements budget never get funded. A capital project must be in the capital improvement budget, however, before it can be approved by the council for funding. This budget is amendable on third so if some councilman’s pet project did not make it into the capital improvements budget he could try to have it added.

The Charter requires the council to adopt the capital improvements budget no later than June 15th of each year. Once adopted, future amendments to the capital improvements budget must be approved by the planning commission, be recommended by the mayor, and then be adopted by resolution of the council receiving twenty-seven (27) affirmative votes. It is not very often that something gets added to the capital improvements budget during the year, once it is adopted, so if something is left out, it would be another year before it could be added under normal circumstances. 

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Senate Panel To Explore New Common Core Standards

Senate Panel To Explore New Common Core Standards

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As a thorn in mayor's side, Josh Stites starts to see results, if not credit

This is a good article on Councilman Josh Stites that appeared in Sunday's City Paper.

As a thorn in mayor's side, Josh Stites starts to see results, if not credit 

By Steven Hale Sunday, June 9, 2013- When Mayor Karl Dean proposes an economic incentives package, it passes. If you’re a reporter, Josh Stites is the Metro Council member you call when it does.

In less than two years in office he has developed an outsized profile for a first-term district councilman, bolstered by his consistent opposition to Dean’s economic development method of choice. When it comes to corporate tax breaks the administration frequently uses to keep companies in Nashville — or lure them here — Stites has been a “No” man on a council that is often maligned as a rubber stamp for the mayor’s plans. (read more)

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SENATOR LAMAR ALEXANDER: NEO-CON TROTSKYITE ????

By Rod Williams, Jan. 9, 2013- I am posting this article about Senator Lamar Alexander which appeared in the blog News with Views, as an example of how nutty and vicious some of the nutty right really is and to show the extend in which they will go in attacking those with whom they disagree.  The nutty fringe loves to name call. It is not enough that honorable people who agree on most things may have an occasional difference of opinion. To the nutty fringe, if you don't toe the line of what they see as what it is to be a conservative, then you are not simply mistaken; you are evil.

The most recent cause of the nutty right is the anti-Common Core campaign. Now, not everyone who has reservations about Common Core is on the nutty right wing fringe. There are some on the left who disapprove of Common Core and some sensible Conservatives have legitimate reservations. However, the over-the-top alarmist see it as part of some major conspiracy.  This sensible effort to improve education that was initiated by the private sector and state governors, they see as "Obamacore" and view it as a program to create "Skinner/Pavlovian, dog trained, dumbed down, robotic children [who] will be perfect for the global work force." (link)

Unfortunately, many mainstream conservatives in a desire to fight the common liberal political enemy, rather than each other, never raise objections and let the nutty fringe dominate the movement. More sensible Republicans need the energy and manpower of the nutty fringe so they go along when I know that many of them must really be embarrassed.

The nutty fringe loves conspiracies. One of the causes they have taken up is the anti-Sharia fight, seeing creeping Sharia everywhere.  If Kroger sells halal meat, or a bank offers interest free financing or a cab company respects the desire of a Muslim cab driver to not have to advertise strip clubs atop his cab, they see the imposition of Sharia law. They really think elements of our government are conspiring to impose Sharia law in America.

Another cause is the anti-agenda 21 movement. To these folks, one day it is shady wide sidewalks, or bike share programs, or roundabouts and the next day it is off to the gulag. The most "informed" of the anti-Agenda 21 crusaders see this 20-year-old United Nations study on environmental sustainability as a plot to kill 96% of the world's population by poisoning them with aspartame and fluoride. You can't make this stuff up!

So, what about Lamar Alexander? Alexander is one of the more "liberal" Republican senators according to some rating organizations, mainly earning that label because of his support of the new START Treaty and because of his support for some environmental efforts. He also is accused of voting with Obama 61% of the time. We are at a point in our political alignment in which the most liberal Republican is far to the right of the most conservative Democrat. The most conservative Democrat is still a liberal and the most liberal Republican is still a conservative by any reasonable standard. That was not always the case. There really was a time when there were liberal Republicans and conservative democrats, but not any more. As far as voting with the President 61% of the time, a lot of votes are routine matters and would be the same legislation no matter who was President. In today's environment, I am sure Ronald Reagan would be too liberal for the nutty fringe of the Republican Party.  

I don't fault Alexander on either his support of START or very much of his environmental record. In my view START was a good deal for America. It appropriated $85 billion dollars to test our nuclear arsenal to make sure it really did work, the last six Republican Secretaries of State supported it, and it still left the US and Russia with essential equivalency in nuclear weapons each having enough to destroy the planet several time over. We still have about 1600 delivery vehicles and 6000 nuclear war heads even after the new START.

On the environment, Alexander has not taken any radical positions. He has not supported CO2 cap and trade. I do not agree with all of his proposals and votes on environmental issues, such as increasing funding for infrastructure support for electric cars. I think the market will respond if there is legitimate demand for electric charging stations.  I do agree with Alexander on clean air. I sort like clean air and clean water. He is a reasonable Senator who cares about the environment.

I am more conservative than Alexander. I oppose his recent effort to require vendors on the Internet to become tax collectors and think he was wrong on some other issues such as noted above.  I am not for ever tied to Alexander.  If he had a qualified and credible primary opponent, I would give consideration to voting against Alexander in a primary. The other person would have to have a lot going for him, however. I think Alexander is a good Senator. I think he is smart, and honest, and loves this country, and I agree with him more than I disagree with him and I think he has served our country and our state well.

Is he a neo-con Trotskyite? Neo-con has become a pejorative term with no real meaning. To call someone a "neo-con" is a way of saying, "I don't like you."  It is sort of like calling someone a RINO. It means the person doing the name calling thinks the other person is not a real conservative. There was a time when neo-con actually did have a specific meaning.  Neo-conservatives were people who were liberals and Democrats who became disenchanted with liberalism and became conservative but never abandoned some of their liberals tendencies, especially on social issue. It was an intellectual movement rather than a popular movement and had its origins with a hand full of people associated with the magazines Commentary and Pubic Interest. People like Daniel Bell, Irving Kristol, Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, and Regan's UN ambassador Jenne Kirkpatrick  are prominent neo-conservatives figures. Many of the leaders of the movement were Jewish and were academics. I don't think Alexander was ever a Democrat. I am pretty sure he was always a Republican. Being from east Tennessee, he was probably born a Republican. I don't think he fits the criteria for a "neo-con."

Trotskyite?  A Trotskyite is one who follows the political and economic theories of Communism advocated by Leon Trotsky and his followers, usually including the principle of worldwide revolution. I don't think that Alexander was ever a Trotskyite, Leninist, Stalinist, Maoist or Communist of any strip. I think he is a Presbyterian.

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