Candidates that Support the Fairgrounds

Top Stories

The Tennesssean's 2011 Metro Council Candidate Comparison

The Tennessean has surveyed all of the candidates for at-large and district council races.
Questions asked include the following:

• Should Metro government commit in the near future to any more large public building projects?
• Would you support an increase in property taxes in order to maintain Metro services at their current level?
• What should be Metro's transportation policy?
• How would you assess the state of Metro Nashville Public Schools? 

The feature on the The Tennessean web site had a drop down box to select the district and the question and you can see how each candidate that answered the survey answered that question.

To go to the survey, click here.

Top Stories

District 20 has a hot issue

Waste transfer facility emerges as campaign issue in District 20 council race.

Top Stories

Why I am Voting for 2 and not 5 in the At-large Race

In the upcoming election, I am only voting for Ken Jakes and Eric Crafton in the at-large race. While one may vote for five at-large candidates, one does not have to and if you vote for fewer candidates your vote carries more weight. By voting for one candidate instead of five you are denying four other candidates a vote. Here is the way at-large candidates are elected: Of all votes cast, if any candidate gets 10% of that total, that person is elected and does not have to face a run-off. After any candidate who gets 10% of the vote is taken out of consideration, then there will be a runoff between the top vote-getters, two candidates for each remaining seat.

We have 18 candidates running for at-large. Assume 25,000 people vote and each voter votes for five candidates, that is 125,000 votes cast. Assume one candidates gets 12,500 votes. That candidates is elected and does not have to have a run-off. That leaves four seats to be filled. The next eight candidates with the most votes will compete in a run off for the remaining four seats.

Now, assume 25,000 people vote and 20,000 of them vote for five candidates and 5000 people vote for only one candidate. That would be a total of 105,000 votes cast. To win without a run off would require 10,500 votes. Assume one candidate gets 10% of the votes cast, the next 8 candidates split 62% of the vote and the remaining 10 candidates only get only 28% of the votes cast. The candidate getting 10,500 votes wins and will not have to be in a runoff. The eight candidates split 65,300 votes and the bottom ten split 29,200. Assume the eight candidates who make the runoff get these votes totals: Candidate 1 gets 5,000 votes: Candidate 2 gets 6,000 votes: Candidate 3 gets 7,000 votes; Candidate 4 gets 8,000 votes; Candidate 5 gets 9,000 votes; candidate 6 gets 10,000 votes; candidate 7 gets 10,100; and candidate 8 gets 10,200. In this case a candidate who got 5,000 people to vote for him and him only makes it to the runoff. You may play with the numbers and make different assumptions but voting for fewer candidates makes your vote carry more weight.

While I am only voting for Crafton and Jakes, there are two other candidates I hope get elected. If you feel you must vote for more than two candidates, I recommend Tim Garrett and Charlie Tygard. Charlie Tygard is a conservative, is thoughtful and pragmatic and well qualified. He is a Republican.

Tim Garrett is a Democrat and has served in the State Legislature as a Democrat. Nevertheless, I like Tim Garrett. He is a conservative Democrat and is a common sense legislator. He is smart, does his homework and is conscientious. In addition, Tim Garrett is just a nice guy. Any time I have ever written Tim or called him he has called me back. Last year when we were fighting to get early voting restored, after the election commission had drastically reduced the number of voting places and days of early voting, Tim Garrett was one of the first to go to bat to get early voting restored.

While I like Charlie Tygard and Tim Garret, I am not going to vote for them in this first round. In 2007 Garrett was the only candidate to get elected in the first round and avoided a run-off, so I am sure he can get in the run-off without my help. I feel pretty certain that Charlie Tygard will also make the run-off without my vote, so I am going to vote for only Jakes and Crafton and hope they make the run-off.

Top Stories

Limo drivers stage 'freedom ride' against Nashville's minimum fares

Nashville limo drivers will take part in a “freedom ride” Monday in protest of a city ordinance that imposes a price floor on limo and sedan fares.(link)

Comment
I am very disappointed that there was not a single vote against this price-fixing bill when it passed the Metro Council last year. It is my hope that with a new council elected we will elect a few new council members who value free enterprise and will champion the cause of the econo limo drivers . I hope some of the good councilmen who I know have conservative values will be reelected and will revisit this issue and vote there values next time.

Top Stories

Ken Jakes and Eric Crafton for Councilman At-large

In the upcoming election I am supporting Ken Jakes and Eric Crafton.

Ken Jakes, when referred to in the newspaper, will often be referred to as "metro critic Ken Jakes." Ken has taken on various department of Metro government when he suspected wrong doing. Recently Ken became agitated that the Chamber of Commerce was supporting Mayor Dean's effort to destroy the fairgrounds. Ken wondered how much money the city paid the Chamber. He made a request of the finance department for that figure and after waiting more than the required seven days he contacted the State of Tennessee Comptroller's Office and complained. After the Comptroller's office got involved he got his answer and discovered that the total provided by metro to the Chamber from 2006-2010 was $10,552,682.30. That is a lot of money. Do you reckon that kind of money would influence the Chamber?

Ken Jakes played an important role in the recent effort to force Joe Torrence out of office. Also, when Ken suspected wrong doing on the part of the Chairman of the Fair Board he filed a formal complaint with the attorney of Davidson County asking him to start proceedings for the removal of Katy Varney as chairman of the Fair Board.

Ken Jakes is a thorn in the side of corrupt, incompetent and arrogant bureaucrats and politicians. He is tenacious and untiring. Anyone who believes in honest, open government should vote for Ken Jakes.


Eric Crafton is the other person I am supporting for Council at-Large. I often watch the council meetings and I am never disappointed when Eric takes to the floor. He ask the questions that I want asked. He ask, "why are we doing this?" He ask, "How much will it cost us." And, he offers insight into the issue at hand and clearly explains why he is taking the action he is taking when a controversial issue is being discussed. He thinks and communicates clearly.

Eric is probably one of the smartest people serving in the Council. He is a 1989 graduate of Vanderbilt University where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in math and Economics. While serving in the Navy stationed in Japan, in 1994 he attended Keio University and earned a degree in Japanese and Political Economy. He is fluent in Japanese. Considering some of the other members of the Metro Council, we need some really smart people serving in that body.

Eric is a solid conservative, prudent and fugal. He is one of the good dozen who last year supported a bill sponsored by Councilman Jim Gotto that would have curtailed the abuse of eminent domain. Eric is not afraid to be identified as a Republican and last year he carried the Republican banner in the August election in an uphill battle for Juvenile Court Clerk being the first Republican to run for a County office in 38 years. Eric did not win that race but made a very respectable showing. During that campaign, I got to know Eric. Eric is a good man. He really had a vision for what to do with that office and has a real heart for children.

Eric has been a good district council and he loves public service. He studies the issues, he is level-headed and thoughtful. His motive is do what is best for the city. He deserves to stay in the Council as a Councilman at-large.

Top Stories

Enviornmentalist Bruce Wood to speak to West Nashville Summit

RISE AND SHINE

FOR THE

WEST NASHVILLE EGGS AND BACON SUMMIT

Meeting at 

Shoney's

365 White Bridge Pike, Nashville

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Fellowship, Dutch Treat Breakfast 8:30 AM, meeting 9:00 AM

with Special Guest Bruce Wood  Bruce Wood is president of BURNT a 22 year old Nashville citizen's environmental group.  BURNT was instrumental in stopping a $200 million expansion of the downtown incinerator at the base of Broadway, stopping a planned $100 million garbage processor on Rolling Mills Hill, closing the North Nashville Rendering Plant, and a liquid hazardous waste processor in cockrell Bend.  Each of these decisions enhanced the value of commercial real estate in key parts of Nashville.    Now, BURNT is working on state wide solid waste reform.  Citizens, business, and local governments pay $1.2 billion annually to landfill waste---$1.2 billion is almost 5% of our non-federal state budget. "BURNT demonstrates that citizens can create a cleaner environment which benefits business," says Wood.   Moderator: Matt Nemeth

My Comment

On Saturday, Bruce Wood will step into the lion's den to talk about BURNT's roll as a leading local environmentalist organization. BURNT has been around for a long time being vocal and controversial, trying to sell its view of recycling, trying to force government regulatory agencies to do their job and as many would view them, generally being a constant pain in the ass.

When it comes to recycling, BURNT has a fringe or visionary proposal, depending on your point of view, called “wet-dry.” I am sure Bruce will explain it. With mosquitoes so bad this year, you might want to ask Bruce why BURNT opposes spraying for mosquitoes. If you have noticed those “no spray” signs around town, that is the work of BURNT.

I have know Bruce for a long time. He is like the energizer bunny; he never gives up. He keeps going and going. I served in the Metro Council at a time when the city was trying to site a new landfill, when recycling was just emerging and when the money pit known as the thermal plant incinerator was trying to expand. I often found myself allied with BURNT on various issue. The downtown incinerator did need to be closed and the rendering plant was a sickening smelly nuisance when the wind blew the wrong way and the weather was just right. Some of what BURNT contributed in achieving needed to be done.

Just because a Republican breakfast group has a guest speaker, it does not indicate that the Party or the group is endorsing the speaker’s point of view. I urge you to come hear what Bruce Wood has to say, be challenged in your thinking about environmental issues, and ask Bruce the hard questions.

Top Stories

Neighborhood Defense Fund Endorses In Metro Races

According to their press release:

The Nashville Neighborhood Defense Fund is a group of neighborhood activists whose goal is to support candidates for office who are committed to protecting and preserving Nashville’s neighborhoods.

The NNDF is not directly affiliated with any neighborhood association. Our members are active in their neighborhood associations and related organizations. Many serve in leadership roles.The NNDF has members from over 30 neighborhoods throughout Nashville and Davidson County.

Two of the leaders of the NNDF are former Metro Councilman John  Summers and John John Stern, a long time neighborhood activist.

I have highlighted in red the candidates that I am supporting who also got the support of NNDF.

Mayor: Karl Dean
Vice-Mayor: Diane Neighbors
At Large: Megan Barry
Sam Coleman

Tim Garrett

Kenneth Jakes

Vivian Wilhoite
District 1: Lonnell Matthews
District 4: Brady Banks
District 6: Bob Borzak
District 11: Darren Jernigan
District 13: Marilyn Robinson
District 14: Bruce Stanley
District 15: Phillip Claiborne
District 16: Anna Page
District 17: Sandra Moore
District 18: Burkley Allen
District 19: Erica Gilmore
District 20: Mary Carolyn Roberts
District 21: Edith Taylor Langster
District 22: Seannalyn Brandmeir
District 23: Emily Evans
District 24: Jason Holleman
District 25: Sean McGuire
District 28: Duane Dominy
District 31: Fabian Bedne
District 32: Jacobia Dowell
District 33: Robert Duvall
District 34: Carter Todd
District 35: Bo Mitchell

Top Stories

Josh Stites Fundraiser

Josh is one of the good candidates. I will be attending.

Top Stories

Metro Council Candidates Forum

 If you know of any candidate forums, please send me the information and I will post it. Rod

*****

The Nashville Branch of the NAACP is holding a candidates forum from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday 7/12/2011 at St. James Missionary Baptist Church, 600 28th Ave. North. This is a forum for all council districts and at-large council seats. The event is free and open to the public.

*****

Top Stories

Why are they tearing up perfectly good sidewalks?

Why in the world are they tearing up perfectly good sidewalks and curbs on Wedgewood Avenue between 12th Ave and 28th Avenue and replacing them with new ones. This is an area not far from my house and is part of my regular exercise route. I walk those sidewalks almost every day. The ones being torn up are not even cracked. They have already made the existing sidewalks meet the ADA standards. They did the same thing on 10th Avenue South. The ones on 10th had some wear. There were some cracks, but they certainly did not need to be torn up and replaced.

The Tennessean or one of the news channels needs to investigate this waste. A member of the Metro Council needs to call for hearings. I am all for sidewalks. I want to live in a walkable city. I like greenways, and bike paths and sidewalks, but why instead of tearing up perfectly good sidewalks and putting in new sidewalks do they not extend sidewalks to parts of town without sidewalks? This is just nuts! I would like to know how many millions of dollars have been wasted building sidewalks stupidly. (For more on how we build sidewalks stupidly.)

Top Stories

Herman Cain coming to Nashville

Top Stories

BELLEVUE CANDIDATE FORUM

22^nd District – Seanna Brandmeir, Sheri Weiner

35^th District – Tonya Jones, Bo Mitchell

At Large Candidates

 Monday, July 11, 2011

6pm

Cross Point Church

7675 Memphis-Bristol Highway
Nashville, TN 37221-1754

Top Stories

The Battle for Free Speech at Vanderbilt University

Kenny Tan

As a Vanderbilt freshman last fall, I was excited about the university’s vision of “intellectual freedom that supports open inquiry.” This year’s freshmen, however, face conflicting forces that will either threaten or vindicate this vision of liberty, showing students what Vanderbilt is really all about.

Vanderbilt’s official blog for first-year students, Common Place, includes a “Free Speech Zone” feature where speech, for now, is not actually free. This feature is an online forum in which students, faculty and staff may post their views. Yet one of the forum rules is “No hate speech.” (link)


Comment
Kenny Tan is a rising sophomore at Vanderbilt, where he serves as president of the campus Young Americans for Liberty chapter. This article appeared a few days ago in The Tennessean. I applaud The Tennessean for publishing it and I applaud Kenny Tan for writing it and for standing up for freedom at Vanderbilt.

It continues to amaze me how liberals think they are for free speech when what they really are for is free speech for those who share their views. Liberals are for free speech as long as we don't engage in "hate speech" and "hate speech" can be hard to define. It is a moving undefined target that may simply be insensitivity.  Liberals are for free speech but want to kick conservative radio talk show host off the air.  They want those who disagree with Rush, Beck or Hannity to be given free air time to rebut the argument of those who pay for their own air time. For a liberal, "fairness" trumps freedom and they yearn for a return of the old fairness doctrine.

Liberals claim to value free speech but wish to deny free speech to corporation. They claim to value free speech but routinely shout down conservatives on campuses. They claim to value free speech but routinely support mandatory student fees that force conservative and non-political students to pay the speaking fees for left wing radicals. Forcing other to subsidize speech with which they disagree is not free speech.  Liberals are phonies who do not really believe in free speech but are so deluded they don't recognize it. 

It takes courage to be a conservative on an American campus and challenge the prevailing liberal group-think. I am glad to see Young Americans for Liberty continuing the battle for freedom on college campuses.

Top Stories

More DCRP picnic news

Sen. Jack Johnson (R-23) was honored with the Davidson County Republicans' Winfield Dunn Leadership award for 2011. Tootie Haskins, a Republican Party leader who was the 2009 Winfield Dunn awardee, presented the tribute at the annual DCRP picnic.

The above picture and caption is from blogger Dur's Vue. too. She post this, plus a post on the Marsha Blackburn light bulb bill which Marsha spoke about on Saturday and reports on the presidential straw poll. 

Top Stories