Infernal Pastimes of a Sunspot Mind

Rep. Mike Kernell, a Democrat who serves in House District 93, was summarily relieved of his wallet, cell phone, and handmade dress pants by a gun-wielding robber outside his Sherwood Forest home.

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Weston Wamp, one of 3 Republicans challenging U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann in the August 2 primary for the Third House District, today released his third campaign ad.

In it, he congratulates Congress for record-setting national debt. The candidate does his own voiceover, with a bed of folk-inspired indie rock featuring a mandolin and strummed guitars and…wait. I recognize that Fender guitar tone. Yes, the music is from none other than Chattanooga’s own Land Camera. Listen to this track, then come back and watch the ad.

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Gov. Bill Haslam:

We will review the entire Supreme Court’s opinion to fully understand its impact on the State of Tennessee. From initial reports, it appears the individual mandate has been ruled Constitutional and has been upheld. My primary issues with ObamaCare are that it takes away the flexibility for states to encourage healthy behavior, will cost Tennessee hundreds of millions of dollars, and does nothing to solve the crisis of the cost of health care in America. What was unanticipated is the section of the opinion that says states cannot be forced to expand their Medicaid program. This particular portion of the ruling is significant, but it is premature to know the exact ramifications. Now it is up to Tennesseans and Americans to turn their attention to the November election. By electing Mitt Romney, we can be sure that the entire law will be repealed.

Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey:

It is intensely disappointing that this court failed to recognize what constitutionalists and conservatives know deep in their hearts: A federal government which can coerce its people to buy a product is a government unrestrained and out of control. Democrat Governor Phil Bredesen called Obamacare the ‘mother of all unfunded mandates’ and stated it will cost Tennesseans 1.1 billion dollars in the next few years. However, the fight does not end here. The court may have made its decision today but the people have yet to speak. When they do, Mitt Romney will be elected president and I will do all I can to aid him as he fulfills his solemn promise to repeal this insidious law.

U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann:

The Supreme Court made the wrong decision today. The Constitution places specific limits on the government, and the court unfortunately did not recognize those limits in allowing Obamacare to stand. While the Supreme Court may consider the individual mandate a tax, the Obama administration repeatedly claimed that this was not a tax when they tried to pass Obamacare. Like many conservatives, I believe the individual mandate cannot be justified as a tax. Not only does Obamacare force Americans to buy insurance whether they want it or not, but it also forces Americans to subsidize birth control even if it violates their faith. Additionally, the law creates IPAB, the Independent Payment Advisory Board. This board is anything but advisory. It has the power to control Medicare payments, and its decisions carry the full force of law. The results of Obamacare are clear: Higher healthcare costs, hundreds of billions in tax increases, top down government control of healthcare, and a continuation of our massive deficits. Now, it is time for Congressional Republicans to demonstrate our commitment to smaller government, and continue the fight to repeal Obamacare. Our healthcare, our nation’s finances, and our national character demand nothing less.

U.S. House 3rd District candidate Bill Taylor (D):

That the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act this morning is “a victory for the common man,” said Bill Taylor, Democratic candidate for Congress in the 3rd District. “The ACA was created to stop the unfair advantage that insurance companies have gained over people’s ability to afford healthcare. “Our country currently ranks 37th in the world in terms of quality of healthcare. This decision will help us move forward in creating a system of affordable, quality care that is available to everyone.” Taylor noted that there is “still work to be done to make the healthcare system more efficient and workable. As an expert in healthcare, I can help to move this process forward in Congress in a leadership way.”

U.S. House 3rd District candidate Weston Wamp (R):

@Public_Interest Busy going door to door. The ruling is disappointing, but shows the need for people in Congress who understand Constitution

— Weston Wamp (@westonwamp) June 28, 2012

More will be posted as they become available.

More at Post Politics. Still more at Chattanoogan.com.

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Rep. Frank Nicely posted the below picture on his Facebook page, and, with his express permission, I am sharing it with you.

Nicely is running for the District 8 Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Mike Faulk, and faces 3 other Republicans in the August 2 primary. I don’t in any way mean to wade into picking favorites in this race, but I heartily endorse this behavior as a citizen of Tennessee:

A Facebook commenter identifies the body of water as the French Broad River. Nicely identified the man on the right as Charles Williamson, who’s running for House of Representatives in District 50.

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Like many, I’ve been anxiously awaiting the results of this year’s Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP); but remember, schools that consistently perform very well can get dinged on “value-added” measurements simply because there’s not much room to go up. It’s complicated, but the bottom line is that today’s news is good.

Here’s the press release from Governor Haslam’s office:

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and State Education Commissioner Kevin
Huffman today announced that statewide student performance on the 2012 Tennessee
Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) improved for the second year in a row, as the state
continues to push toward academic achievement through its First to the Top education reforms.

Students reached higher levels of proficiency in 23 of 24 TCAP achievement tests in grades three
through eight. Achievement also increased on most high school “End of Course” exams.

“The continued success of students is a testament to how much work Tennessee teachers have
done in the classroom,” Haslam said during the event at West End Middle School in Nashville.
“We’re so proud of our students, teachers and parents for supporting statewide efforts to improve
education, and it is exciting to see gains for a second year in a row.”

TCAP results show that after two years of steady increases, half of students in grades three
through eight were reading at grade level or above during the 2011-12 school year.

Additionally, 47 percent of students scored proficient or advanced in math — about 55,000 more
than were on grade level two years ago. More than 60 percent of students were proficient or
advanced in science — 38,000 more students than in 2010.

In high school, more than half of students scored proficient or advanced in English I, English II,
Algebra I, biology and history for the first time since Tennessee raised its standards three years
ago.

“The growth we’ve seen on statewide assessments over the past two years is an impressive start,
and shows that we are on the right track,” Huffman said. “But we still have considerable work to
do to improve student outcomes and narrow the educational gaps that exist in our schools. For
now, we celebrate this success, as it gives us the encouragement we need to press forward with
the hard work ahead.”

To improve the quality of education in Tennessee, TCAP Achievement tests and End of Course
exams became aligned with more strategic and rigorous standards in 2009, a result of the
Tennessee Diploma Project. In the face of higher standards, students have demonstrated growth
on the assessments each year as Tennessee strives to become the fastest-improving state
educational system in the nation.

The governor and commissioner were joined for the announcement by House Speaker Beth
Harwell (R-Nashville) and Senate Education Committee Chairman Dolores Gresham (R-
Somerville).

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President Barack Obama, former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney. Barack Obama. Mitt Romney. Obama. Romney. Obamnnnnnnotgonnagothere.

Looking for something different? Leaving aside (but only for the moment) former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, here’s a candidate running for the Oval Office who offers a different perspective on things than the mainstream candidates do.

Peta Lindsay, the Party for Socialism and Liberation’s candidate in the 2012 presidential election, has been included in “The Jezebel 25: Kick-Ass and Amazing Women We Love.” See: http://jezebel.com/jezebel-25/.

The list was released by leading feminist website Jezebel.com, which boasts 3 million readers in its five year history, “to honor 25 game-changing women who we think embody what we’re all about: names you may know, names you should know, and names you’ll be hearing much more about in the future.”

Ms. Lindsay was previously featured by Jezebel in a February 17 article titled “Introducing Peta Lindsay, Your Young, Black, Female Presidential Candidate.” See: http://jezebel.com/5885738/meet-peta-lindsay-your-young-black-female-presidential-candidate.

In writing about Ms. Lindsay, Jezebel editor Dodai Stewart highlighted her record of activism and leadership on struggles for women’s rights and economic justice, and against racism and imperialist war:

Even though she’s technically not old enough to hold the position, political activist Peta Lindsay is a black feminist running for president. A graduate of Howard University, Lindsay is an advocate for the rights of working people, and believes in prioritizing the leadership of working class women and women of color, who have often been historically sidelined in feminist struggles. Lindsay, who has been a feminist since childhood and got involved with the anti-war movement at the age of 17, says her campaign is in the tradition of the legendary Shirley Chisholm: “Knocking down barriers, demanding inclusion, refusing to be put ‘in our place.’ I don’t meet the criteria of the ‘typical’ candidate in a lot of obvious ways, and like Chisholm, I know the political and media establishment will use that to ignore or discredit my campaign. Considering all the racist attacks she faced, including assassination attempts, I bet her advice to me would be: ‘Don’t let the odds intimidate you, don’t be turned away, ignore the haters.’”-DS

See: http://jezebel.com/5920640/the-jezebel-25-kick+ass-and-amazing-women-we-love/gallery/3

The Party for Socialism and Liberation is running Peta Lindsay, along with vice-presidential candidate Yari Osorio, to highlight the issues facing working people and the socialist alternative to capitalism. In doing so, the PSL hopes to strengthen the mass movements in the streets, where real change comes from. See: VotePSL.org

The PSL is running on a ten-point program that includes recognizing a job as a guaranteed right, along with health care, education and housing, in addition to full equality for oppressed groups such as women, immigrants, LGBT people, and Black and Latino communities under the heel of mass incarceration and police brutality. See: http://www.pslweb.org/votepsl/2012/statements/10-point-program-lindsay-osorio-2012.html.

Perhaps socialism isn’t your bag, but the point here is that each of us should look for candidates that represent us as closely as possible—not merely for the one of only two options that is the easier for us to stomach.

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U.S Rep. Chuck Fleischmann’s office sent the following:

Congressman Chuck Fleischmann made the following statement after the Supreme Court upheld part of Arizona’s S.B 1070 law, while striking down other provisions.

“The Supreme Court decision today underscores the need for the federal government to step up and enforce our nation’s laws. The very fact that Arizona saw the need for S.B. 1070 is the result of the Obama Administration’s failure to secure our border. While the Supreme Court did strike down parts of the law, they upheld the law’s core provision. The State of Arizona has to live with the consequences of illegal immigration daily, so I am not surprised that they saw the need for this action. It is my hope that the Obama Administration will finally step up and start enforcing federal immigration law,” Fleischmann said.

Passed in response to the Obama administration’s lax enforcement of federal immigration law, S.B. 1070 allows Arizona law enforcement to ask about immigration status during a lawful stop if there is a “reasonable suspicion” that a person is here illegally. Although the Supreme Court struck down some provisions, this part of the law was upheld.

The Hamilton County Democratic Party issued a statement as well:

Today’s Supreme Court decision striking down most of the provisions of
Arizona’s anti-immigrant SB 1070 is also a civil rights victory for the growing
Hamilton County Latino population, Hamilton County Democratic Party Chairman
Paul Smith said today—and a warning to far-right Tennessee legislators not to
attempt to pass similar legislation.

“The President and the administration won their case when they argued
immigration matters come strictly under federal jurisdiction,” Smith said. “We
agree with reports that conclude this ruling is ‘likely to have widespread
implications for other states that have or are considering similar laws.’”

In deciding Arizona v. U.S. (11-182), the Court struck down provisions including:

•Authorizing police to arrest immigrants without warrant where “probable cause”
exists that they committed any public offense making them removable from the
country.

•Making it a state crime for “unauthorized immigrants” to fail to carry registration
papers and other government identification.

•Forbidding those not authorized for employment in the United States to apply,
solicit or perform work. That would include immigrants standing in a parking lot
who “gesture or nod” their willingness to be employed. (Source: www.cnn.com)

The 2010 U.S. Census shows that Hamilton County had, at the time of the
census, 14,993 residents of Hispanic origin. And although the ongoing economic
downturn has caused some immigrants to return to their countries of origin,
many more have stayed. Of those that are undocumented workers, Smith noted,
a frequent right-wing criticism is that they “take” from federal, state and local
programs. “But a national 2011 study by the Institute for Taxation and Economic
Policy showed that in 2010, undocumented immigrants paid a total of $11.2
billion dollars in taxes. Of that, $8.4 billion was in state taxes and $1.6 billion was
in property taxes. These people are, in fact, contributing a great deal.”

Importantly, the Court’s decision helps defend the rights of all people in
the country legally to be protected from illegal search and seizures, said
Smith. “While we wish the entire law had been declared unconstitutional, we
believe this is a victory. The Democratic Party stands squarely behind the rights
of all citizens, no matter the color of their skin.”

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Here are some additional thoughts, beyond the Nooga.com story, on Saturday’s Tea Party debate among three of the GOP candidates running for the U.S. House 3rd District seat.

Who won the debate?

Like the last one, it was pretty much a draw between U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann and Weston Wamp. Each was able to articulate a rhetorical starting point and defend it, even if each was light on real substance. Ron Bhalla gets points for earnestness and civic responsibility, but struggles to broaden the scope of his narrative much beyond his idea to have every one of his constituents vote on every bill that comes before the House.

The most “TV friendly” exchange came after Wamp reminded the audience of Fleischmann’s seeming waffle on last year’s debt ceiling debate, and his private meeting with Speaker John Boehner followed by a public change of heart. “I’m sorry, Weston, I didn’t know you were in that room,” Fleischmann retorted, and then went on to describe the content of the meeting, including the fact that cigarettes were smoked (by Boehner, not by himself).

Wamp used that tidbit to levy the old “smoke-filled room” cliché later in the discussion, as he sought to portray Fleischmann as servile to the party establishment’s Washington-insider mechanisms.

A weaker attack came when Wamp used his submitted question to ask Fleischmann to confirm that he stood by sworn deposition in the Winslow v. Saltsman/Fleischmann lawsuit, namely, that he had not fully previewed all campaign ads in the 2010 cycle. Fleischmann essentially responded [paraphrased], “Of course I stand by sworn statements; that’s why they are made under oath. Moving on, then?”

The legal battle stemming from a bitter primary election two years ago makes a great workout gym for strengthening journalism skills, but Wamp risks throwing away valuable voter engagement if he pursues this line further. Reporters and politics junkies eat it up, but the average person “jes’ don’t care.”

Who won the poll?

A poll was handed out after the debate, and the slips of paper were collected along with donations to defray event expenses. Actual vote counts were not provided, but the Tea Party group published percentages on its Facebook page. These numbers demonstrate Wamp’s ability to draw a friendly crowd, at the very least:

1. Weston Wamp: 57%
2. Chuck Fleischmann: 26%
3. Other / Undecided: 13%
4. Ron Bhalla: 4%

Who asked the best question?

It wasn’t clear whether all of the questions were submitted by Tea Party members (except those submitted by candidates), or if the moderators brought some of their own, but Brian Joyce’s question to Wamp about why he criticized Fleischmann a month ago for not securing funding for the Chickamauga Dam lock infrastructure project, and then this past week criticized him for not holding the line tight enough on spending, was the best one.

Honorable mention goes to Gregg Juster for the question addressed to the milk jug.

Who will win the primary?

Congressional incumbents are very difficult to defeat. That said, perhaps the best chance one would have is during an incumbent’s freshman term, and in a party primary (unless the district is more evenly balanced).

It is no secret that many Republicans in Hamilton County were displeased with Fleischmann’s win over Robin Smith in 2010. What has never been clear, ever since Smith herself declined a rematch, is how many of the formerly disgruntled have patched things over and are willing to at least tepidly support Fleischmann.

Obviously Wamp has tapped into some new money as well as drawn a lot of his father’s friends to his side; but how much of that will translate to actual votes on primary day is not easy to predict. Turnout among Wamp’s younger admirers may be key here.

The Mayfield candidacy is the most interesting. He and his team seem to be betting on pure name recognition, although one suspects that broadcast advertising will show up at some point. You may be thinking that name recognition is a bad strategy for a primary, when only activists show up, and you’d be mostly right.

What you may not have considered is a quiet insurgency among said activists to support Mayfield as the anti-incumbent who has life experience (Wamp’s deficit), even if he’s light on policy specifics. There’s no evidence that such a thing exists; but it could really change the game.

How this vote will split, and who will benefit from that, is not something that can be determined with much certainty right now. Even Bhalla’s weaker effort gets to be a factor with this many variables in play.

Expect another update around the time early voting begins, unless something major happens before then.

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The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that Dean Foods, a conglomerate food producer that owns many recognizable brands (including Mayfield Dairy), has received hundreds of millions of dollars in federal government contracts since 2000 (the earliest year records are available).

The Mayfield subsidiary has received several million over the same period, almost exclusively from the Department of Defense.

Does this present a problem for Scottie Mayfield’s bid to become the next U.S. Representative of Tennessee’s Third District? Whether or not you think it should, it probably won’t. U.S. Sen. Bob Corker had leasing contracts with the U.S. government prior to seeking federal office. (Corker sold most of his real estate holdings, the source of most of his federal contract income, before taking office.) Plenty of other elected officials own or preside over firms that do business with the American people.

However, the news report may give Mayfield’s opponents a rhetorical cow patty to fling, since the candidate’s published statements on federal spending seem to conflict with his ability to be an appropriation destination.

On the other hand: if the government awarded no contracts to dairy farmers, where would the cheese come from?

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You’ve seen the ads for Republican candidates U.S. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann and Weston Wamp, which were released this week. But Bill Taylor, one of two Democrats running for the seat, says that he was advertising on television during the Belmont Stakes thoroughbred race. (Ed. note: the race took place on Saturday, June 9, not on May 9.) The press release follows:

3rd District Congressional Candidate Bill Taylor Opens Campaign Headquarter
Democratic candidate was also first with TV ads airing during Belmont Stakes

Bill Taylor, Democratic contender in the 3rd District Congressional race, today
announced the opening of campaign headquarters at 7047 Lee Highway, Suite
101 of the London Center. The headquarters will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30
pm Monday through Friday. Campaign materials will be available and volunteers
can register to help, schedule call time, and arrange canvassing territory. Noted
Taylor, “The campaign is gaining momentum with more than 15 events and
appearances scheduled before the end of June. These events are scheduled
in Monroe, Hamilton, Bradley, Roane, Anderson, Polk, and Union Counties.
And many events are already on the books for July.”

The candidate added, “We are very pleased with the response we are getting
from voters all over the district,” reviewing the travels of the last few months. Past
events have included two “Candidate Shootout Challenges” highlighting Taylor’s
support of Second Amendment rights.

Fundraising is also building for the campaign and will culminate this quarter with
the “Backroom Strategy Session,” an invitation-only event on June 28 at The
Bluewater Grille in downtown Chattanooga. “Our moderate, Southern Democrat
message is finding a receptive audience in the 3rd District,” Taylor said, “It’s a
reasonable approach to government the voters want.”

The Taylor for Congress campaign was the first to begin television advertising
with multiple ads airing during May 9’s Belmont Stakes on WRCB/Channel 3.

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No surprises here, but it seems that Rep. Debra Maggart’s work with business owners to prevent the so-called “guns in parking lots” bill (or Safe Commute Act, depending) from passing earned her a volley from the firearms lobby. The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund this week endorsed Maggart’s Republican primary opponent, Lt. Col. Courtney Rogers.

The pertinent part of their press release follows:

Fairfax, Va. – The National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) is announcing its endorsement of Courtney Rogers for the Tennessee House of Representatives in District 45 in the August 2 Republican primary election.

“Courtney Rogers is a staunch supporter of our right to keep and bear arms,” said Chris W. Cox, chairman of NRA-PVF. “Serving our country in the U.S. military for 28 years on sensitive and important missions, Lt. Colonel Rogers has demonstrated her leadership abilities which the state of Tennessee so badly needs today. Because of her outspoken support of our Second Amendment freedoms, Courtney Rogers has earned an “AQ” rating and endorsement from the NRA-PVF.”

In contrast, her opponent, Representative Debra Maggart, has undermined our Second Amendment rights. Just this past session, Rep. Maggart tried to kill life-saving legislation known as the Safe Commute Act through procedural maneuvering behind closed doors. The Safe Commute Act would have ensured that Tennessee’s 350,000 handgun carry permit holders would have been able to defend themselves against violence as they commuted away from home. NRA members throughout the state can rest assured that Lt. Colonel Rogers, once elected to office, will see that this wrong is righted.

Rep. Maggart has been contacted for a response.

The 45th District covers a portion of Sumner County, including Goodlettsville and Hendersonville. The winner of the August 2 primary will face Democratic Party candidate Jeanette Jackson in the November general election.

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Thanks to a contact in Rutherford County, the Tennessee House of Representatives page has new information about the candidates in the 34th, 37th, 48th, and 49th Districts.

Want to help your county’s or district’s voters with their important upcoming decisions? See anything out of place? (I had incorrectly listed Mike Williams as a Republican candidate in the 49th District.) Send info my way.

Don’t forget the state Senate, U.S. House, U.S. Senate, or Hamilton County.

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