Blackburn backs tax fairness for Tennessee families

Rep. Marsha Blackburn

By Ripon Advance Reports  |  April 15, 2015 - U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) vocalized her support Tuesday for legislative efforts being implemented to make the tax code more equitable for families across the United States.

 

“Hard-working Tennesseans pay their share of taxes just like citizens of every other state,” Blackburn said. “They should not be punished because they pay state and local sales taxes rather than an income tax.”

If passed, the State and Local Sales Tax Deduction Fairness Act would institute the ability for Tennessee residents to deduct their state and local sales tax from their federal income tax.

“I am so pleased to join my colleagues in pushing forward legislation to provide tax fairness for hard-working taxpayers who live in non-state income tax states,” Blackburn said. “Making permanent the sales tax deduction, line 5B of a federal income tax form, is an issue Congressman Brady and I have been working for over a decade now.” Backed by Blackburn along with Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX), the House will vote on the act later this week.

“I hear from constituents every single day who are fed up with the unfairness and the overreach of the IRS,” Blackburn said. “They are sick and tired of working so hard to live within their means and sending money to a government that refuses to live within its means. It’s basically immoral.”

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SPIRITUAL CORRECTNESS: Is It A Danger? An Evening with Jay Sekulow and Allen West!

The Republican Women of Williamson County Proudly Present:

Allen West

Jay Sekulow

 SPIRITUAL CORRECTNESS: Is It A Danger? 

Wednesday, April 29th, 2015 

VIP Meet & Greet: 4:30 - 6:15 PM CST  

Speakers & Banquet: 6:30 - 8:30 PM CST

Begin your evening with a very special offering of a "Meet and Greet" from 4:30 to 6:15 pm enjoying a cocktail or beverage and appetizer while mixing and mingling with Mr. and Mrs. Jay Sekulow and Lt. Colonel Allen West. This purchase option is limited to Sponsorships and VIP Ticket Holders and is being limited to a capacity of 60 people. Dinner will begin at 6:30 pm followed by Mr. Sekulow and Lt. Colonel West speaking on the defense of our religious liberties right here in the US and the persecution of Christians and Jews here and around the world!!! (link)

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Kane Campaign Announces Campaign Team. Nashville-Based Team Has Record of Local Success.

Jeremy Kane

Press release - The Jeremy Kane for Mayor campaign today announced new additions to its campaign team with deep Nashville roots.

Seasoned political operative Siobhan Harley has joined the campaign as deputy campaign manager. Veteran communication strategist, Mike Kopp, will assist with communications and direct mail. Alan Seacrest, a nationally-recognized pollster and former executive director of the Tennessee Democratic Party, will serve as the campaign’s pollster. Brandon Tucker and Nate Lerner are now leading the campaign’s cutting-edge field operation.

Giovanni Hashimoto joins to work on a portfolio including digital, press, and campus outreach.

The new additions join campaign manager Darden Copeland of the Calvert Street Group, Linus Catignani who is leading the fund-raising efforts with the help of Finance Chair David Ingram, Treasurer Pam Martin, and former Councilmember Vivian Wilhoite. In addition, local creative agency, Mountain, is providing support on digital strategy, web development, and engagement, while local video production company, Make It Pop!, has produced web videos for the campaign.

“We’re well on our way to building a grassroots campaign that will reach everybody in every neighborhood,” said Jeremy Kane. “I’m proud to have the support of a talented and diverse team that understands campaigns are won with front-porch conversations and a commitment to the values that make Nashville great. They represent the best in their fields. I’m excited to work together to build a better Nashville for all of us.”

Siobhan Harley, Deputy Campaign Manager, manages public affairs campaigns at the Calvert Street Group. Previously, she ran the successful underdog campaign of Tampa’s current Mayor Bob Buckhorn and later served as Special Assistant to the Mayor where she led efforts to increase transparency, innovation, and citizen engagement. Her prior experience also includes Obama's 2008 presidential race as well as a handful of state and local campaigns.

Mike Kopp, veteran communication strategist brings more than 30 years of experience from creative, corporate, and political initiatives. Kopp served eight years as the communications director and press secretary for Al Gore. He has been involved in more than 250 corporate and political campaigns. He is currently a Partner in the All Good Factory, an artist management agency based in Nashville, and was instrumental in saving Studio A and Music Row.

Alan Seacrest, brings over 30 years experience as a leading national strategist and pollster. He has won statewide, congressional, and mayoral races across the country and in Tennessee, he helped elect former congressmen Lincoln Davis and Gordon as well as former Mayor Bill Purcell. He recently served as the Executive Director of the Tennessee Democratic Party.

Brandon Tucker, a graduate of Fisk University, has made his mark as a leading field operative on campaigns across the country. Tucker comes to the Kane campaign from the United Food and Commercial Workers International where he served as political coordinator. Previously, he served as political director to President Obama’s former Chief of Staff Bill Daley and as deputy field director to Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s election.

Nate Lerner, Field Director, has worked on five campaigns in less than three years, including the 2012 Obama campaign and a Pittsburgh Mayoral race where he helped build and run the largest ground game in the city's history leading to a resounding victory over the establishment backed and better funded candidate. More recently, he oversaw field and political operations in Southwest Arkansas for Mark Pryor's US Senate campaign. An avid fan, he looks forward to watching the Nashville Predators in the Stanley Cup this year.

Giovanni Hashimoto, Director of Digital Engagement, joined his first political campaign while in high school. His recent experience since includes stints as the communications associate at Ready for Hillary PAC and as the press fellow at the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. He also recently served on the national communications team for the College Democrats of America.

Previous Announced:

• Darden Copeland, Campaign Manager, has worked on presidential, congressional, gubernatorial, and local races in Nashville and across the country. He organized the “Save My Fairgrounds” effort in 2011. 
• David Ingram, Finance Chair, is a Nashville native. He serves as Chairman of Ingram Entertainment, the largest distributor of DVDs and video games in the United States, and is the Founder and Chairman of DBI Beverage Inc., the second largest beer distributor in California. 
• Linus Catignani, Fundraising, is a native of Nashville, Tennessee and partner at LCM Strategies, a social media and online content management company that manages political and non-profit clients. He has led successful fundraising operations for a number of notable Republicans, including Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee. 
• Vivian Wilhoite, Outreach, brings over 10 years experience as both an elected official and campaign strategist. She was first elected to Metro Council in 2003 and represented District 29 for eight years. In 2014, she served as a key strategist in District Attorney General Glenn Funk’s successful campaign. 
• Pam Martin, Treasurer, President of Cushion Employer Services and a longtime civic leader, served as co-chair of Mayor Karl Dean's 2007 campaign for mayor, as well as a member of his initial transition team. Martin was appointed by Gov. Bill Haslam to serve on the Tennessee Ethics Commission and has also chaired the Mayor's Minority Business Advisory Council the Metropolitan Tourism Commission. She currently serves on the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. Mountain, Creative, a Nashville-based team of culture makers, thinkers, problem solvers, and doers that specialize in storytelling through digital strategy, social content development, PR campaigns, strategic partnership alliances, and brand development. 
• Make it Pop, Digital Video Founded in 2012,is focused on creating unique, attention grabbing video, and animation content.

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Caffinated Conservatives meet Saturday 25th Noon-2PM at Bagel Face Bakery

From Stephen Clements:

Hi everybody,
Saturday the 25th from NOON - 2 PM at Bagel Face Bakery (700 Main Street), come meet Vice-Mayor candidate David Briley and hear his sales pitch for your vote! The Vice-Mayor basically runs the Metro Council, so definitely bring your questions and comments (along with your appetite for bagels and coffee)! All opinions welcome!
To learn more about David Briley, visit his website here: http://www.davidbriley.com/

Stephen Clements

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Candidates ordered to refund runoff campaign funds

by Joey Garrison, The Tennessean, April 16, 2015 - Four Nashville mayoral candidates will have to refund money they prematurely raised for a runoff election they hope to compete in but one that won't necessarily take place. The Davidson County Election Commission on Thursday issued a letter ..... Bill Freeman, Jeremy Kane, Charles Robert Bone and Megan Barry have each raised money for not only their race in August, but also a Sept. 10 runoff that would occur between the top two finishers if no candidate collects at least half the votes. (read more)

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Does that mean Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, and Jeff Flake are traitors, too?

"Republican Senator Bob Corker Is A Traitor." says Richard Viguerie of CHQ.

I guess if one thinks Bob Corker is a traitor for getting the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to pass his bill requiring the President to submit any treaty lifting sanctions on Iran back to the Senate for ratification, then every one of the members on the Foreign Relations Committee are also traitors for voting for it. That includes Rand Paul, Marco Rubio and Jeff Flake. If these three leading conservatives are traitors, then there are not many Republican leaders who are not traitors. Here is the membership of the Foreign Relations Committee that unanimously passed the bill: link.

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"Republican Senator Bob Corker Is A Traitor." says Richard Viguerie of CHQ

In my previous post commending Bob Corker for his accomplishment in getting the Iran deal accomplished and in acknowledging the recognition he is receiving for that accomplishment, I mentioned those who oppose any compromise and said of them:

An all-or-nothing, scorched-earth, take-no-prisoners position accompanied by bombastic rhetoric and demonizing of everyone who does not agree with you 100% is not conducive to good governance. Persuasion and compromise and listening to the other side is still how things usually get done. ...

 ... Bob Corker got the Iran deal done by hard negotiations and reasoned persuasion and compromise. A bumper-sticker type denunciation of the opposition may get a Senator face-time on TV and the base may like the red meat, but it rarely produces results.

Well, it did not long to find an example of what I was speaking.  After my Bob Corker blog post, I went back to reading emails and this was the first one:

 Republican Senator Bob Corker Is A Traitor 

By George Rasley, CHQ Editor  -  In caving to Obama on the Iran nuclear weapons treaty, Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee has betrayed the constitutional principle of Senate advice and consent on treaties. The world will be a much more dangerous place for his inexplicable failure to grasp the existential threat a nuclear armed Islamic Republic of Iran poses. And in that willful blindness he has betrayed the United States and all peoples across the globe who share the values of freedom of conscience, freedom of religion and freedom of speech. Read and Comment

Richard Viguerie is often called the "funding father" of the modern conservative movement. He has been a lead fund raiser for conservative causes since the days of Barry Goldwater.  He was doing direct mail, before the days of computers. He was at one time cutting-edge. I have had respect for his contribution to the movement.  I fear however, that as more and more groups try to compete for the dollars of conservative contributors, that activist leaders have to use more extreme language and be more "pure" in their ideology to get people to turn loose of their money. 

On the other hand, maybe the view expressed above really is the view of Vigureie's CHQ. If it is, I think he is dead wrong. If Iran does not get a nuclear weapon, we can thank Bob Corker. As I said in a previous post, what Corker accomplished should not have even been necessary, but it was.  The Corker bill is not perfect, but without the Corker bill, Obama was going to cut a deal with Iran that would not even be reviewed by Congress.

The base may love this red meat dished out by CHQ and "Republican Senator Bob Corker is a Traitor" is what I mean by "bumper-sticker type denunciations."  I think it is despicable.

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Time picks Corker as one of world's 100 most influential

Senator Bob Corker

WASHINGTON — Time magazine has named U.S. Sen. Bob Corker as one of its 100 most influential people in the world.

“I am grateful that Tennesseans have given me the tremendous privilege of serving them in the United States Senate, and I am deeply humbled by this honor,” said Corker, a Chattanooga Republican who serves as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“I wake up every day trying to find ways to move our country ahead,” Corker said, “and for as long as Tennesseans afford me this opportunity, I will remain focused on solving the big domestic and foreign policy issues facing our nation.” (link)

Our View: Corker shows leadership on world stage  

Daily News Journal - Tennessee through its history has taken pride in leaders from the state who have moved from sometimes rustic settings to national and world stages. ...

Corker also this week won a victory in building a bipartisan consensus to support a bill that would give Congress an opportunity to review the deal between the United States and Iran on limiting Iran's nuclear program, specifically barring the development of a nuclear bomb by Iran.

While that bill is not yet through Congress, President Barack Obama already has agreed not to veto the bill, if it should win full approval. ....

In an era of congressional gridlock, Corker brings a refreshing level of pragmatism in his leadership of the Foreign Relations Committee.

While the notion of pragmatism may be damning praise for those who see everything in stark ideological terms, we think Corker is exhibiting the common sense that now seems sorely lacking in Congress – on both sides of the aisle.

My Comment: I think the praise being heaped on Bob Corker is well deserved.We need more   statesmen in Congress like Bob Corker. We need more people who can get things done.

In my view, the well of good will and compromise was poisoned when Democrats pushed though Obamacare without allowing a single Republican amendment to be considered, and before the bill had even been read, on a strictly partisan vote without the support of a single Republican and used bribery such as the Corn husker kickback and the Louisiana purchase to even get sufficient Democrat votes to pass it.  The well of goodwill and compromise and respect for the opposition was further poisoned by a president who pushed the limit on ruling by fiat, by administratively making over 30 changes to the health care law after it was passed and by declaring he would not enforce immigration law and other unilateral actions more characteristic of a monarch than a president.

Despite the actions that led to the current climate of ill will, we still need pragmatism and compromise, and civility and respect toward those with whom we may disagree.  An all-or-nothing, scorched-earth, take-no-prisoners position accompanied by bombastic rhetoric and demonizing of everyone who does not agree with you 100% is not conducive to good governance. Persuasion and compromise and listening to the other side is still how things usually get done. That is not how Democrats got Obamacare, but look where that left us.

If we wait until we have the votes to get a 100% of what we want without compromise, nothing may get done. We may wait a long time.  Bob Corker got the Iran deal done by hard negotiations and reasoned persuasion and compromise. A bumper-sticker type denunciation of the opposition may get a Senator face-time on TV and the base may like the red meat, but it rarely produces results.

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Liberty on the Rocks, Thursday, April 16

Liberty on the Rocks, Thursday, April 16, 2015 5:30 PM, Mafiaoza's 2400 12th Ave S, Nashville, TN 37204
Liberty on the Rocks is a great place to meet other people, have a beer and some great food. We promote thoughtful and rational discussion on a wide range of topics. (link)

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Petition drive for charter amendment to reduce the size of the Metro Council to 27 and expand to three the term limit

by Council member Emily Evans

Emily Evans

On September 1, 2015, Nashville will welcome a new Mayor, a new Vice Mayor and no less than 27 new Council Members. This turnover, brought to you by term limits, is unprecedented in our city’s history. When Mayor Bill Purcell was elected, he was joined by a new Vice Mayor and just 19 new Council Members. For a host of reasons, Council Member terms are coagulating around the eight years of the Mayor’s administration. We are, then, on track to have a government that changes hands almost entirely every eight years. However, you may feel about term limits the current situation cannot be a good one for Nashville.

In May of last year, Council Member Charlie Tygard and I proposed a charter amendment to address this issue. Knowing well that changes to the term limit law have been rejected three times by voters by increasingly wider margins, we proposed a compromise. In exchange for relaxing the term limit law slightly, voters would get a slightly smaller, more efficient Metro Council. Our amendment would have changed the maximum term limit a Council Member could serve from two four year terms to three four year terms while reducing the size of the body from 40 members to 27.

We took the amendment to the Charter Revision Commission, headed by Dewey Branstetter whose father Cecil was one of the authors of the 1963 Metro Charter. Recognizing the problem – the intractable position of voters with respect to the term limit law despite the consequences – the Charter Revision Commission approved a reduction in the size of the Council as part of a larger compromise. With that endorsement, CM Tygard and I asked for approval of the full Council to submit the measure to the voters in August 2014. We were denied.* The Council did not want to afford voters the opportunity to weigh in on this important issue.

The Metro Charter allows amendments to get to the voters two ways: a Council vote or a petition drive. Having been shot down by our colleagues, we decided to engage the grass roots and get the amendment on the ballot via a petition drive. For the last several months, several concerned Council Members, business leaders and neighborhood activists have been hard at work circulating petitions and gathering signatures. Today we have about 5,000 verified signatures and plan to mail more cards throughout the month of April. We must submit at least 6,845 verified signatures by May 18, 2015.

If you believe, unlike the Metro Council, that voters should have the opportunity to vote on this important issue, you can download, print and mail a petition (must provide original signature) at www.councilnext50.com. Thank you for your consideration.

*Council Members that supported the people’s right to vote were: Tygard, Bennett, Glover, Stites, Evans, Holleman, McGuire, Dominy, Todd, Mitchell. 
Council Members opposed to letting the people vote were: Barry, Steine, Garrett, Matthews, Harrison, Hunt, Banks, Scott Davis, Westerholm, Anthony Davis, Pridemore, Pardue, Stanley, Claiborne, Moore, Allen, Gilmore, Baker, Blalock, Johnson, Potts, Bedne, Dowell, Duvall. 
Councilman Chris Harmon abstained.

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Happy April 15th Comic Book

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How to get business with Metro if you are not Black or female.

I have not watched this and I won't. I am not a small business man. I am not looking for work.

Here is how it really works: If you are the sole proprietor of a family business, name your wife, daughter or trusted girl friend as "President" of the company and you be her employee, or form two companies, and she is "President" of the company when trying to get metro work.

If you are a small businessman, say for instance you own a janitorial service or a brick laying company and you run one crew and the other crew is run by a Black man who does a good job, then let the Black man be the company president when trying to get metro work and you be his employee. I have seen it happen. Don't pass up the opportunity for preferential treatment just because you are a white male.  It also helps if you have influential friends.

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Senator Corker is a statesman and a leader of the type we have not seen in a long time

Today the Senate Foreign Relations Committee under the leadership of Committee Chairman Bob Corker and ranking member Ben Cardin (D-Md.), voted unanimously to support a bill requiring that any deal with Iran come back before the Senate for final approval.

A month ago no one would have thought this could happen. Those who said Congress should have final approval of any Iranian deal were denounced as opposing diplomacy and advocating war. By consistent persuasion Senator Corker got Democrats to join him in taking the position that any deal the President reaches with Iran must come back to the Senate for review and approval.

Corker is often condemned by those on the extreme right for his willingness to “reach across the aisle.” A month ago Democrats were willing to let the Obama administration alone determine what was a good deal with Iran; now enough Democrats have joined Republicans to force the President to seek the advice and consent of Congress. While it may be satisfying to demonize those in the other party, achieving results is more important. One cannot achieve much unless one is occasionally willing to negotiate with those in the other party.

One thing this deal affirms is that both Democrats and Republicans love this country and both want Congress to exercise their constitutional responsibility to confirm treaties and neither wants Iran to become a nuclear power. If Iran fails to get a nuclear weapon, we can thank Senator Corker; more brash Republican could not have achieved this success. Denouncing Obama and sitting on the sidelines and watching Obama let Iran become a nuclear power may have may have given some Republicans satisfaction but it would not have stopped the administration from signing a bad deal. A nuclear armed Iran would have set off a major arms race in the Middle East and made the world a much more dangerous place. Senator Corker is a statesman of the type we have not seen in a long time. We owe Senator Corker a debt of gratitude for persuading the Senate to exercise its legitimate authority.

 It appears the bill passed out of the Senate Foreign Relations committee will have enough votes to override any Presidential veto, which pretty much assures us the president will not veto it. Seeing Corker had lined up the 67 votes to override a veto, the President became much more cooperative. It also appears that once the Senate passes the bill, there are votes to pass it in the House. All treaties are supposed to be confirmed by the Senate and this bill to insure that happens should not have even been necessary but this President likes to rule by fiat and finally even members of his own party have thought he had gone too far.

It was Congress that originally imposed sanctions on Iran, and now it will be Congress that lifts the sanctions, if they are lifted. Sen. Jeff Flake made this point on Tuesday on CNN's The Situation Room saying, "Congress imposed the sanctions and only Congress can lift them permanently. “So we always had a role and I'm glad the White House recognizes that now,” he said.

Republicans who had proposed amendments which could have killed any deal with Democrats who had joined Republicans in supporting Corker's bill were persuaded to withdraw their amendments. One amendment was a requirement for the administration to certify that Iran does not support terrorism. That would have killed the deal. We should not let the perfect be the enemy of the good and to get Iran to renounce terrorism is unrealistic and keeping them from getting nuclear weapons is more important.

Corker was able to keep people focused on the primary objective. There are a lot of strong personalities on the foreign relations committee and some of the people on that committee want to be President. They are to be commended for not letting their ambitions or egos get in the way of what is best for the country. With a less capable leader than Senator Corker, partisan rancor and political ambitions could have made what was achieved impossible. It is almost hard to believe than anything could pass the Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously but it did.

In a face saving move, seeing he was going to lose, Obama said he could support the bill if it went through congress in its current form. It did. That is diplomacy; each side letting the other side save face and compromise without losing sight of the bigger objective. The bill passed today requires Obama to submit the final agreement to Congress, which will then have up to 52 days to act on the deal, including an initial review period of 30 days, a period to make any changes and a period to override a Presidential veto, should the President veto any Congressional changes.

To learn more about what happened and Senator Corker's role in this development and to see some video, follow these links: What's in that Iran bill and why all the fuss about it; John Boehner: Congress 'absolutely should' review Iran deal, The Republican Senator Who Is Key to the Iran Deal, and Corker works overtime to get last few votes to ensure Congress has mandatory review of Iran nuke deal.

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Bill Freeman panders to Feminist with phony gender wage gap issue

Freeman Press Release:

Bill Freeman Promises Executive Order to Close Gender Wage Gap on Day One

Chairman of Freeman Webb Inc., Bill Freeman, candidate for Mayor of Nashville, today promised to sign an executive order to eliminate the gender pay gap within Metro Government on his very first day in office.

“The Metro Human Relations Commission published a telling Inclucivics Report in January that clearly shows an employment as well as wage disparity between white male employees and female, black and Latino employees. However, I was discouraged to see that throughout the entire 18 page report just one chart was dedicated to the disparity between the male/female makeup of metro government,” said Freeman.

The MHRC report shows that nearly two-thirds, or 63 percent, of Metro employees are male. However, men make up only 48 percent of the overall population in Nashville. The report also states that those working in upper level salary positions (income brackets above $40,000) are overwhelmingly white male employees, whereas those employees working in lower level salary positions (below $40,000) are hugely over represented by minorities and women.

“As Mayor I will direct each department head to examine and define any discrepancies in pay between men and women of the same job function. Over the next several years, getting every woman to the same salary as her male counterparts will be an integral part of our annual budget. While I cannot go back and mend past mistakes of others, I will work as long as it takes to move Nashville forward,” said Freeman.

“What we also need to do is institute training in all departments that focuses on creating a representative and inclusive workforce. Recruitment should strive for diversity and inclusivity and an annual report card should be compiled to track the departments’ progress towards meeting such goals.”

“I believe that it is imperative that our city’s government be wholly representative in gender and in race,” said Bill Freeman. “Government exists to represent the needs of its people, and if those people are not being represented effectively, then by definition, government has failed.

“Since its inception, Freeman Webb Inc. has worked tirelessly to create a workforce that mirrors Nashville’s diverse population. I have seen firsthand the value of diversity in the workplace and Freeman Webb has reaped the benefits. As Mayor my approach will be no different. I will not let women and minorities continue to fall behind in pay and employment equity.

“Growing up with five sisters I learned that Nashville women are leaders, entrepreneurs, leaders of industry, mothers, caregivers and so much more, and they deserve equal pay for equal work. What makes Nashville great is its sense of community and when one section of that community succeeds, we all succeed,” said Freeman.

Bill Freeman is the co-founder and current chairman of Freeman Web Inc. real estate management company. Bill is a devoted husband to his wife, Babs Tinsley Freeman, father to their three sons, and grandfather to two girls. In the past he has served on the board of directors of the Nashville State Community College Foundation as well as on the boards of the Tennessee State University Foundation, the Nashville Area YMCA, the Nashville Public Television Council and Children’s House.

#

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Vic Lineweaver arrested for drunk driving.

Vic Lineweaver

Vic Lineweaver, former metro councilman and former disgraced one-term Juvenile Court Clerk who is seeking to regain a council seat he held in the 80's  represented the Bellevue community, was arrested yesterday for drunk driving, (link).

The 35th District seat is also being sought by Dave Rosenberg and Lonnie Spivak.

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Bob Corker Addresses 2015 NRA Meeting

Helping kick off the National Rifle Association's three-day annual meeting Friday, Bob Corker told the crowd of thousands gathered at the Nashville's sprawling Music City Center that he's confident that his record on gun-rights speaks for itself.

“I don’t have to tout my Second Amendment record, I have a record to prove it,” said Tennessee's junior United States senator. “I don’t have to tout it, OK.”

So instead of talking about Americans' right to bear arms, he spent the bulk of his five minute speech touting his top political priorities: Preventing Iran from arming itself with nuclear weapons and arming the Republican Party with a presidential candidate that can win the White House in 2016.

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Who is runnng for Mayor, Vice Mayor, Councilman-at-large, and District Councilmen. (update #8)

This is update #8 on who is running for Mayor and seats on the Metro Council. Since the last update on March 3rd, a lot of new candidates have thrown their hat in the ring. Most candidates have picked up qualifying petitions and most have appointed treasurers. Many filed campaign reports for the period that ended January 15 and some of them have raised a lot of money.  Eleven candidates for Council had raised over $10,000 by the end of the January 15 period and four of them had raised over $20,000!  That is a lot of money and that was for the period ending January 15th. To see who raised the money in the first reporting period see my summary at Who has the money in the race for Vice Mayor, Council-at-large, and District Council.

Today, April 10th was the deadline to file reports for the period that ended March 30th.  As soon  as the election commission has posted those reports, I will be analyzing them and posting a summary of how much money each candidate has raised, but also doing a report on who is contributing to which candidates. You can tell a lot about a candidate by know who is financially supporting their campaign.

Of the candidates who picked up qualifying petitions, 33 candidates have submitted petitions and the required number of names have been verified.  Unless they should be challenged for some reason such as occupancy or something else, those candidates will be on the ballot unless they choose to withdraw their candidacy.

I have examined an updated list of everyone who has picked up a qualifying petition and a list of everyone who has appointed a campaign treasurer. It should be noted that many times people pick up a qualifying petition and then do not turn it in, so all of the people listed may not be serious candidates. Also and on the other hand, there could still be candidates emerge who have not yet declared. Below is the codes I have used for understanding what actions the candidates have taken toward their campaign.

"(T)" means the candidate has filed a treasurer's form. Candidates are not permitted to begin raising money until this form is filed.
"(D1)" means the candidate has filed a campaign disclosure for the period ending Jan. 15th. Candidates who did not appoint a treasure prior to January 15 were not required to file a campaign disclosure.
"(QP)" means the candidate has picked up a qualifying petition.
"Link" is a link is a link to the candidates website or news items about the candidate. "(V)" meant the candidate has turned in a qualifying petition and the required number of names on the candidate's qualifying petition have been verified.
If the name is in italics that indicates that person is the incumbent.

I have made an effort to find out who the candidates are and have given a brief one-sentence bio on some of the them and if I could find a campaign website, facebook page or a news story about the candidate I have linked to that. 

If you are a candidate and I missed your website or Facebook page and you would like it listed, please send me the link. I will also post any candidate's press release announcing their candidacy. I also welcome other press releases and position papers.

Where I have made endorsements, the candidates name is bold and in red typeface. I will be making more endorsements as time goes on but I may not make an endorsement in every race, as I may not have enough information to make an informed decision in each race or some districts may have candidates so equally distasteful that I don't care who wins.  Winnability is a factor in who I support as well as experience and philosophy of government and leadership potential.  I will be making a modest campaign contribution to those whom I endorse.

Below are the people running for Mayor:

• Megan Barry, progressive Council-member-at-large.  (link) (T)(D1)(QP)
• Charles Robert Bone, an attorney (link)  (T)(D1) (QP)
• Linda Rebrovick, Consensus Point president and CEO. A Republican. (link) (T)(D1)(QP)
• Kenneth Eaton, owner of Eaton's Used Cars and other business interest. He is a Republican.  (link) (T)(D1)(QP)
• Jeremy Kane, CEO and President of Lead Academy (link)  (T)(D1)(QP)
•  David Fox, a former Tennessean business reporter, former Titan Advisor, former school board member. He is assumed to be a Republican and has a Republican campaign team. (link. link).  (T)(D1)(QP)
• David Freeman, local businessman and major fund raiser for the Democratic party. (link) (link) (T)(D1)(QP)
• Howard Gentry, former Vice Mayor, came in third when running for mayor in 2007. The only African-American in the race. Currently serves as Davidson County Criminal Court clerk. (link) (T)(QP)
• James B. Johnson, (T)(D1)(QP) This person I assume is no longer running.
• Melvin J. Barnes (QP)

Tim Garrett

This is who is running for Vice Mayor:

• Tim Garrett, Councilman-at-large and former state representative. He is in the funeral home business. He is a Democrat, but he is a reasonable, fiscally conservative Democrat and a very nice guy with a depth of knowledge about Nashville. The job of Vice Mayor is to conduct Council meetings and to appoint the members of Council to committees. It is a fine balance between running efficient meetings and stifling debate. I think Garrett will strike the right balance. I think he will be fair and thoughtful in making committee assignments. With so many good people leaving the council, we need someone with institutional knowledge in the Council. Tim Garrett will be a great vice mayor. (T)(D1)(QP) (V) (link)
• David Briley, grandson of former Mayor Beverly Briley, an attorney with Bone McAllester Norton, former candidate for mayor. (T)(D1) (link)

There are no incumbent Council members at-large. They have all been "termed-out." These are people who have said they are running for Council-at-large or assumed to be running: 

• Karen Bennett, currently a member of the Metro Council representing District 8. She is a member of the Republican Party State Executive Committee. (T) (QP) (V) (link)
• Walter Hunt. He is currently serving as the Councilman from District 3, he is a retired substitute teacher and served in a high level  capacity in the Boner administration and is a member of the Davidson County Democratic Party executive committee.  (T)(D1))QP)(V). (link)
• Ken Jakes, he owns a produce company and is a citizen activist who has often exposed government waste and corruption.  He has previously sought the position, garnering the most votes other than the five incumbents. (T)(D1) (QP) (V) link,  (link to everything ever published in this blog about Ken Jakes and learn of his work for honest and open government.)  
• John Lasiter. He previously served in the Council represented District 18 in 2007. He is openly gay. (T)(D1) (QP) link, link,  link,
• Don Majors, who has been working in constituent services for Rep. Jim Cooper, is leaving that position to run for council. He previously represented the Maplewood area in the 90s and early aughts. (T)(D1)(QP) (link)
• Lonnell Mathews, Jr., currently representing District 1 and termed out. He is African American.(T)(D1)(QP)(V)  (link)
• Bob Mendes, an attorney, chairs the board of Nashville Electric Service.(T)(QP)  (link)
• Jim Shulman. (T)(D1)(QP)
•  Robert Duvall, currently a district councilman, term limited out, former unsuccessful candidate for the State House, and current Chairman of the Davidson County Republican Party.
•  Sandra Moore, she is Council member in District 17 who is termed-out. (T)(QP)(V)
• Al Carota (link) (T)(QP) (V)



Ken Jakes

• Erin Coleman. is President of YAD consulting.  (QP)
• Frank Harrison, is currently a termed-out member of the Metro Council representing District 2.  (T)(V)
• Sharron Hurt,  President and CEO of JUMP-Jefferson Street United Merchants Partnership, an organization dedicated to revitalizing the businesses on Jefferson Street and bringing commerce to the North Nashville Community.(T)(QP)(V) (link)
• Leroy Johnny Ellis (QP)
• Erica Gilmore, currently a district councilman representing District 19 and termed-out.  She is alos a State Representative.  (QP) link
• Martin Holsinger. I assume this is the same Martin Holsinger who is a member of the Green Party who once ran for the State House. If not the same person, please correct me. (link) (QP)
• Phillip Joseph Hosteller, Jr. (QP)
• Jason Holleman, a termed-out Councilman representing District 24. He briefly ran for the State Senate in the  Democrat primary last year. (link) (link) 

Below are the people who are running for a District council seats or who may be running for District Council seats and any links to there websites other information. Most of the current Council members are "termed-out," meaning they have served  two terms and are not eligible to seek reelection. The names of incumbents who are seeking reelection are italicized in the list below. Three Council members, Josh Stites in District 13, Brady Banks in District 4, and Chris Harmon in District 26 are not termed-out but have chosen not to seek reelection.

District 1.

• Ruby Baker, (link) (T)(D1)(QP)(V)
• Lioniel Green, Jr.. (T)(QP) Former officer in US Army, served in Iraq, on the board of the charter school Purpose Prep and Northwest YMCA. (link) (T)(QP)
• Rueben Dockery, he is a former candidate for the State Senate (link) (T) (QP)(V)
• John H. Montgomery, (T) (QP)(V)
• Johnathan Richardson, Democrat, (link) (T)(QP)
• Jerry Stange, (QP)(V)
• Roosevelt Williamson, A retired Air Force Major, he has taught Junior ROTC at Whites Creek High School for the last 21 years. Prior to teaching at Whites Creek, he had a successful career in the Air Force, primarily in Space and Missile career field, with assignments in missile operations, missile maintenance and missile test and evaluation. (link)(QP)
• Sylvester Armour (QP) (V)
• Nick Leonardo, several YMCA affiliations (link) (QP)
• Lethia Mann (QP)

District 2.

• Carrie Searcy is an attorney  focused on criminal defense, family law, and personal injury with the law firm of Edward J. Gross. (link) (T) (D1)(QP)
• Robert "Bobby" Stockard, (link)(T)(D1)(QP)(V)
• Decosta Hastings, He is a member of the Davidson County Democrat Party Executive Committeeman.(link) (T)(QP)
• Danavan Hylton, President and Owner of Hoshana Management Group (link) (T)(QP)
• Melvin Black, He is a former member of the Metro Council. (link) (T)(D1)
• Charles Covington, (QP)
• Laura Fortier, (QP)
• Andre Southall, (T) (QP)
• Bobby Stockard (T)
• Ben Wiley (QP)

District 3.

• Brenda Haywood,retired teacher, wellness consultant, Talk Show personality with 760 AM the Gospel Radio, (link) (T)(QP)
• Helen Hughes, (T)(QP)
• Timothy R. Coleman, (T)(QP)(V)
• Myka Godwin (QP)

District 4.

• Robert Swope, has had a successful career in the music business. He has leadership ability and

  

  Robert Swope

  is a strong conservative. Mr. Tuttle is also a good conservative but I have talked to Mr. Swope and believe he is the better choice of two very good candidates. (T)(QP) (link)(link)
• Peter Tuttle, (T) (QP)(V)

District 5.

• Joseph Zerbee, (T) (D1)
• Scott Davis, he is the incumbent, If the choice boils down to Sarah Martin or Scott Davis, Davis would be  the better choice. T)(QP)  (link)
• Sarah Martin,  She is a liberal, works in the non-profit sector, neighborhood activist. She is a liberal, works in the non-profit sector, neighborhood activist. (T)(QP) (link) (link) (link)

District 6.

• Peter Westerholm, He is the incumbent and one of the more liberal members of the council (T)(D1)(QP)(link)
• Brett A. Withers,, a community activist. If this is the choice, Withers would be the better choice.(T)(QP)(V) (link) (link)

District 7.

Steve Clements

• Anthony Davis, he is the incumbent councilman. (T)(QP)
• Stephen Clements, a Republican who heads the Caffeinated Conservatives group, works for the State of Tennessee, former Army officer, active in Madison Now and other civic affairs. (T)(D1) (QP)(V)  (link) 

District 8.

• Nancy VanReece, (link) (link)  (T)(D1)(QP)
• Ramona Gholston,(link) (link)  (T)(QP)
• Chris Swann,works at Olympus Corp. and has spent more than 20 years in the medical field. He is a conservative (link) (link) (T)(QP)
• Robert Sawyers,Sr., (T)(D1)(QP)
• Danny Williams, (QP)
• Nina Ground (QP)(V)

District 9.

• Bill Pridemore, He is the incumbent seeking reelection. (T) (QP) (V)

District 10.

• Doug Pardue, He is the incumbent seeking reelection. (QP)

District 11.

• Larry Hagar, He is the incumbent, elected in a special election in August 2014. In the short while he has been in office, he has voted the right way on the few controversial votes. He deserves another term. (T)(QP)(V)
• William Cyril Guthoerl, He is a conservative and I supported Guthoerl in his two previous races for this seat, however, Hagar has voted the right way since he has been in office and I am supporting Hagar. I spoke to William in early March and he said he is still considering running. I discouraged him. He has not appointed a treasurer or picked up a qualifying petition as of 4-10-15.

District 12.

• Steve Glover, He is the incumbent seeking reelection. (T)(QP)

District 13.

• Holly Huezo, (QP)(V)
• Furtesha Carter (T)(QP)
• Mark Cole (QP)
• Joseph Derryberry (QP)

District 14.

• Kevin Rhoten, a former Tennessee state attorney and legislative liaison in Gov. Pill Bredesen's administration. (T)(D1)(QP) (link) 

District 15.

• Jeff Syracuse,  retired from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel. (T)(D1)(QP)(V) (link)
• Eric Pearson. (QP) (Eric Pearson is blogger and his blog is http://www.militianews.com/)
• James P Garrett (QP)

District 16.

• Tony Tenpenny,  He is the incumbent.(QP)
• Michael Freeman. (T)(QP)(V)
• Chris Austin, He is the son of former Councilman Jerry Austin. (QP)

District 17.

• Christopher Cotton,an attorney and Vice Chair of the Davidson Coney Democrat Party (link)(link) (T)(QP)
• Colby Sledge, A community activist, public relations professional with McNeely, Piggott and Fox and former employee of the Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus. (link) (T)(D1)(QP)
• Paula Foster. She is endorsed by the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. She is practicing privately as a clinical social work supervisor and therapist as well as a practicing faculty member for the Vanderbilt School of Nursing. She lives with her "wife." (link) (link) (T)(D1)(QP)
• Tony Watson, (link) (T1)(QP)

District 18.

• Burkley Allen. She is the incumbent (T)(D1)(QP)(V)

District 19.

• Freddie O'Connell,  President of the Salemtown Neighborhood Association, board member of Walk Bike Nashville. (link) (T)(D1)(QP)
• Bill Shick, an attorney, member of the Tennessee Democratic Party's executive committee. (link) (link) (T)(D1)(QP)
• Brian Mason, He is, a Republican and an international business consultant. He recently ran for the State Legislature. (I will try to confirm that he is still running. He has taken no action.)
• Amanda Harrison (QP)

District 20.

• Marisa Frank, (T)
• Frank Stabile (link) (T)(QP)
• Mary Carolyn Roberts (link) (link) (T)(QP) 

District 21.

• Leah P. Dupree, An attorney and legislative liaison for the Tennessee Department of General Services. (link) (T)(QP)
• Edward Kindal, (T)(QP)
• Mark Lollis, Jr (QP)

District 22.

• Sheri Weiner, The incumbent Council member, a Republican. A member of Budget and  Finance who asks good questions. (link) (T)(D1)(QP)(V)  

District 23.

• Thom Druffel,(link) (link) (T)(QP)
• Mina Johnson, very active in the West Meade neighborhood organization. (link)(T)(D1)(QP)(V)
• Timothy Lee, Tim Lee is a Republican and a former candidate for the state house. I like both Tim Lee and Jim Roberts in this race, however, I have already committed to Jim Roberts and am supporting his candidacy. (T) (QP)(V)
• Jim Roberts, former Republican candidate for Chancery Court Judge. (QP)

District 24.

• Allen Grant, (link) (link) (T) (D1)(QP)
• Nick McGregor, (link) (T)(QP)
• Kathleen Murphy, She is a government lobbyist and active in Democrat Party politics and the daughter of Mike Murphy. (link)(link) (T)(D1)(QP)

 District 25.

• Russ Pulley, (link) (T) (D1) (QP)

District 26.

• Jeremy Elrod, An attorney, employed at the Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Association. (link) (T)(QP)
• Brocks Parks, (QP)

Davette Blalock

District 27.

• Davette Blalock, The incumbent councilmember, A Republican.(link) (T)(D1)(QP)
• Gary Clement Ledbetter, Jr., (T)(D1)

District 28.

• Travis W. Danker, (link) (QP)
• Melissa Smithson, (link) (T)(D1)(QP)
• Tanaka Vercher, (link) (T)(D1)
• Daniel Lewis, is Chairman of the Davidson County Libertarian Party. I like Daniel and have in the past contributed to his campaign for another office. I would like to see one libertarian in the Council, but am supporting Melissa Smithson(QP) (link)

District 29.

• Karen Johnson. She is the incumbent Council member. I know and like Karen a lot.  Friendship would trump ideology unless her opponent was a very strong conservative with stellar qualities. Karen takes her duties seriously and is a good council member and is responsive to her constituents.  (link) (link)(T)(QP)
• Vicky Tataryn (QP)

District 30.

• Jason Potts, the incumbent council member. I hope someone jumps in this race. Potts needs an opponent. (link) (T) (QP)(V)

District 31.

• Fabian Bedne, the incumbent council member.  No doubt Fabian Bedne is a liberal, but he scored a point with me when he took an extremely free market position of advocating removing the cap on the number of taxis allowed to operate in Nashville, something I have heard no conservative in the Council do. He also seems to be one of those Council members who carefully studies the agenda and ask good question. He returns phone calls and will listen to other opinions. Unless someone runs against him who has strong conservative views and ability, I would probably support Bedne's reelection. (link) (T) (D1)(QP)

District 32.

• Jacobia  Dowell is the incumbent. She scored a point with me when she voted to "abstain" rather than vote for Metro benefits for same-sex couples. She also took what I consider a conservative position in advocating for a co-op taxi company to get more permits. She is thoughtful. Unless a challenger was conservative and had leadership abilities, I would support giving Jacobial Dowell a second term. (link) (T1)(QP)
• Troy Moody, (T)(QP)
• Gerald Proby, (T)(QP)
• William Kissie, (T) (D1) (QP)

District 33. (This is the District represented by Robert Duvall who  is termed-out.)

• Sam Coleman,  former Councilman, (T)(QP)
• Jimmy Gafford, (T)(QP)
• Timothy H. Herndon, (T)

District 34.

• Steve Butler, on the board of Matthew 25 and on the  board of Stem Preparatory Academy, a charter school.   (link) (T) (D1)(QP)
• Angie Henderson, (link) (T)(D1)(QP)

Lonnie Spivak

District 35.

• Lonnie Spivak, a Republican and a former Republican primary candidate for the 5th Congressional district. (link) (T)(D1)(QP)(V)
• Vic Lineweaver, A former Metro Councilman who went on to be elected Juvenile Court Clerk and extreme mismanaged the office. He was once arrested for failing to provide client files to the court. He was filmed by a local news station in his driveway getting his newspaper while on the phone claiming to be at work. Lineweaver lost his re-election bid. He has been trying to get back into politics every since. (Lineweaver arrested by Juvenile Court officers) (link) (T)(QP)(V)
• Dave Rosenberg, a supporter of State Rep. and Council member Bo Mitchel and a supporter of School Board member Amy Frogge. Those are two good reasons to vote against him. He has several Bellvue community involvements. (link)(T)(D1)(QP)(V)

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