Sneaky……..

We all know about the Right's endless battle to disenfranchise whole swatches of potential voters….."those people."

We have heard ad infinitum about about the rampant "voter fraud' being committed by those same people, with the help of the Dems, of course. 

We cringe at the mention of the SCOTUS vote on Citizens United, which undoubtedly had a major influence on the midterm elections…even though a scant 35 percent of our eligible voters bothered to even do so, probably disgusted with the whole thing. ( http://tinyurl.com/p9ovqrc )

But here in Tennessee where the color red is as vibrant as Volunteer Orange to UT in my city of Knoxville, the Religious Right has found a NEW way to influence election outcomes in their usual covert way. Well, it's really more like FOX Folks telling women and young people not to vote. 

According to Tennessee's constitution, the number of votes for passage of an amendment to said constitution must equal half of the total votes cast for the governor. Voting just for the amendment itself doesn't cut it, and the outcome was might close. This should be really interesting.

"Essentially, the plaintiffs charge, only the votes of people who voted in the gubernatorial election should be tabulated in the amendment referendum. The lawsuit cites several sources, including a website and a Nashville Catholic church’s Oct. 12 Sunday program, in which supporters of Amendment 1 inform fellow supporters that not voting in the governor’s race and casting a “Yes” vote for the amendment will effectively “double” their vote by lowering the number of votes cast in the governor’s race."

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/state/opponents-file-challenge-to-amendment-1_62168976

Does this remind you of anything?

"We don't want everyone to vote, because when everyone votes…we lose."

Same BS, different day.

NeeNee NaNa Noo Noo

Is everyone else getting as sick and tired of these childish, ill-mannered antics of the GOP as I am?

These are the folks that we voted in (well, not me!) to make rational decisions for our well being, to compromise on ideas, and to make the future more secure for our country.

What we got instead was hatred, obstruction and this: 

http://www.chattanoogan.com/2013/8/2/256167/Roy-Exum-The-Carefully-Planned-Snub.aspx

"Early Tuesday morning, some hours before President Barack Obama would visit Chattanooga, that day’s editions of the Knoxville News-Sentinel hit the streets and a prominent story written by veteran political writer Tom Humphrey carried the headline, “Tenn. GOP ready to roll out the unwelcome mat for visiting Obama.”

and this:

http://juanitajean.com/2013/08/07/and-dammit-its-his-fault/

"Obama foes (in AZ) at one point sang, “Bye Bye Black Sheep,” a derogatory reference to the president’s skin color, while protesters...raised a sign saying, “Impeach the Half-White Muslim!”

Gearing up for the next election...3 years away:

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/08/06/2418921/slap-hillary-game/

"The Hillary Project, a super PAC that calls itself the “only thing standing between” former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (D) and the White House, has posted a video game in which players are encouraged to slap Clinton across her face."

When President Obama manages to get some bills passed into law, even THEN the Repubs take the low road:

" Some legislative foes of Obamacare have stated publicly that they won't help their constituents to learn the law and reap its benefits. Kansas congressman Tim Huelskamp said last month: "It's much easier to say, 'Call your former governor'"

Or even more despicably underhanded:

"The highest-ranking Senate Republicans, Mitch McConnell and John Cornyn, fired off a June letter to the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, PGA, and NASCAR, warning that it would damage the leagues' reputations if they dared partner on a public ACA education campaign."

http://www.newsworks.org/index.php?option=com_flexicontent&view=items&id=57131:obamacare-and-the-politics-of-sabotage

Forgetting their love of the First Amendment and free speech:

On Monday night, Sean Hannity welcomed Priebus on his Fox News show and applauded his proposal. And Priebus -- in a candid moment -- made it clear it was time for the Republican Party to "stand up to networks not in the business of promoting our party and not in the business of promoting our candidates."

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/06/opinion/obeidallah-rnc-threats/index.html

So, Republicans, spare me the Christian conservative "we are a big tent" caring Party of The People crap. Actions definitely speak louder than words........and you guys have a BULLHORN.

THIS Is What We Need To Say...

I live in a Red State...a very red state. For example....our neighbor is a good person, a hard working single gal, nice to talk to. But she is sort of a TPer and has a concealed carry permit. (I do not even like guns.) Another person is an "Obama is Gonna Let the UN Take Over The Country" pusher. You didn't see many Obama stickers on cars on my road. But another neighbor (a fellow Dem) used to be a Forensic Accountant with the FBI, living in DC. (Follow the money....) 

If you go downtown into the city of Knoxville......it's as if you are in a different world. Art galleries. Music. Obama stickers on cars. Fresh markets. Cafes and bistros (including the one that asked Stacy Campfield to leave), Green initiatives. ( We really have solar and wind power starting in this area. Chattanooga, by the way, is very progressive and has internet now as fast as that in Europe.)

So it was heartening to me so see the following article in our daily newspaper (on line version, of course.)

I’m a Democrat because I believe in Jesus’ Golden Rule (“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”) instead of the politician’s Golden Rule (“Those with the gold make the rules”). I’m a Democrat because John 3:16 teaches: “For God so loved the world ” — not just the powerful or the powerless, not just those who look like us or think like us, but the whole world.

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2013/mar/02/roy-herron-strong-faith-led-to-democratic-party/

A lot of the comments make you cringe.....but not surprising to those of us who everyday plow through the insanity and twisted truth on the Right. It just makes me very sad that we cannot pierce through the veil of ignorance, racism, and the "don't-tell-me-I-don't-want-to-know-any-different" that passes for TRUTH and JOURNALISM today.

But hats off to the author of this intelligent article.

Give Us Lawyers, Guns and Money

NASHVILLE — The National Rifle Association is spending $75,000 to unseat House Republican Caucus Chairwoman Debra Maggart while asking all state legislators whether they will side next year with the organization, even if it means breaking with GOP leadership.

"As a legislator, would you follow the demands of party leadership even if they run contrary to the NRA's legislative agenda?" one survey item asks. ihttp://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jul/10/nra-spending-75k-to-unseat-house-gop-chair/

I see that Grover Norquist is alive and well as a clone in the NRA. This group is appealing to the basest of Southern instincts: gun control and the right to "pack" at any given time, at given place.

The NRA and the Tennessee Firearms Association have targeted Maggart for defeat because of her role in blocking a vote on a bill that would allow Tennesseans to keep guns in their locked cars in parking lots, even if the lots are owned by a company or government entity that prohibits firearms on its premises.

I don't believe that the colonists were this obsessed with "being armed" at the time the Constitution was being written. Why, if EVERYBODY was allowed to carry some type of gun anywhere, to "protect himself" from criminals, or opposing viewpoints and religions....we would have NO NEED for any type of police force, private or otherwise. Hmmmmm..........Of course, this is PURELY speculation on my part, and a coincidence that certain shadowy elements are involved:

Koch Industries has vigorously defended ALEC, and has assailed reporting that noted that the company, led by billionaire brothers Charles and David, is a long-time funder and leader of ALEC and that ALEC has long advanced the NRA agenda through "model" gun bills, including Florida's controversial SYG law that was ratified by ALEC in 2005.http://articles.cnn.com/2012-04-06/politics/politics_nra-alec_1_nra-officials-alec-gun-rights?_s=PM:POLITICS

Not all of the Koch money is going to large political pushes the country can see (but won't acknowledge)........a good portion is working it's way insidiously into our local legislation and everyday lives.

TENNESSEE HAS A METH PROBLEM

screamed the headline I saw today. Maybe...but I think that is a MINOR problem compared to the idiocy coming from our state legislators these days. We PAY these people with our tax dollars to come up with such doozies as a Proposal to Ban Sharia Law, and our crazy-quilt redistricting plan that has NO rational basis? (Actually, there's no rational basis for the ban, either.)

Of course it makes sense to the NRA for our citizens to be able to now lawfully carry their guns into a bar. (I've never seen that alcohol and guns would be a problem.....) If new legislation goes through, you'll soon be able to lawfully keep your gun in your car in the parking lot where you work. Always handy if you feel like using it during work hours, I guess. You might also be able to to use them on the deer that seem to "ravaging" our area. Or at least that was the why "all the coyotes were delivered  to this area to keep the deer population down" said another of our local politicians

There's also a proposal by one of our illustrious politicians that will prohibit using federal funds for any advertising campaign against any lawfully manufactured and distributed food, such as soda pop, candy, or snack foods. Guess he doesn't think balanced meals for kids is too important these days. And no, this wasn't brought up by the same TN guy who was "caught on fire" on Politifact for saying that "less than 10 percent of those in the House were wealthy."

Of course, we all VERY proud of our "Don't Say Gay" ordinance. And there is our very own Fool On The Hill spouting for all the world to hear that "AIDS/HIV was first spread by a man having sex with monkeys." And this same person cannot understand why he was asked politely to leave a restaurant because of the owner's personal objections to such remarks. But I'm sure he was in a hurry to go to Dayton, TN to view the museum commemorating the Scopes MonkeyTrial....