A Donald Trump Comic Book

A night of Stars and Cars with Lt. Col Allen West, Sunday March 6

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-night-of-stars-and-cars-with-former-congressman-lt-col-allen-west-tickets-21638030933

Click here to Register. This is tomorrow, but if the registration website will let you register then I assume registration is not closed. I wish I could attend.

The First Tuesday link is here.

iZone schools are rapidly outpacing the competition in achievement

By Amelia Hamilton, Watchdog. org - In many cities around the country, innovation schools — those given more autonomy than traditional schools traditionally have — are able to make changes and try new solutions to meet the needs of their students.

Innovation zones (iZones) have a presence in both Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee. There are three schools in Nashville which make up the “iZone” created in the summer of 2011 to turn around low-performing schools by engaging in strategic redesign. Memphis iZone schools have become a model for other cities to emulate.

Four years ago, 69 out of 85 Memphis schools were in the bottom 5 percent in the state for academic success, making it the lowest-ranking city in Tennessee. The iZone launched in 2012 with seven schools, the principals of which had the authority to hire, fire, rewrite curriculum, lengthen the school day, and provide bonuses to attract teachers.

The program is working, and iZone schools are rapidly outpacing the competition in achievement. There are now 18 schools with steady gains in test scores. “These are the same kids that people said were failing,” Sharon Griffin, regional superintendent for the Memphis Innovation Zone, told the Tennessean. “Memphis is becoming a national proof point that it can be done.” (read more)

Move to defund UT's Office of Diversity advances

The Senate Education Committee Wednesday unanimously voted to recommend that the Senate Finance Committee strip all state funds from the Office of Diversity at UTK. You may recall that office tried do ban baby Jesus, Santa, and egg not during Christmas and in another action urged students to not use pronouns such as "he" and "her" and instead use weird new made up pronouns such as "ze" and "xe."  I hope the legislature follows through and completely defunds this office. To read more about these issues follow these links:

News Coverage and Outrage over UT's Politically Correct, Gender Neutral Pronoun Policy

New pronouns created by UT Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Xe should have xem job eliminated.

UT bans Christmas. Do not disguise a Christmas Party as a "holiday party." Baby Jesus and Santa banned.

 

TNGOP Releases Preliminary Congressional Delegate Allocations -- Districts 1-7

Press release, NASHVILLE, Tenn.-March 3, 2016--The Tennessee Republican Party has released the preliminary congressional delegate allocations for Tennessee. Congressional Districts 1 - 7 based on the unofficial results of the 2016 Presidential Preference Primary. Please note these are based on results that are not officially certified. Tennessee is responsible for awarding 58 total delegates to the candidates who crossed the 20% threshold at either the statewide or congressional level in the state.

At-Large Delegates (Previously Released)
Donald J. Trump: 15
Ted Cruz: 10
Marco Rubio: 6

Congressional District 1 
Donald J. Trump: 2
Ted Cruz: 1

 Congressional District 2
Donald J. Trump: 2
Marco Rubio: 1

Congressional District 3
Donald J. Trump: 2
Marco Rubio: 1

Congressional District 4
Donald J. Trump: 2
Ted Cruz: 1

Congressional District 5
Donald J. Trump: 2
Marco Rubio: 1

Congressional District 6
Donald J. Trump: 2
Ted Cruz: 1

Congressional District 7 
 Donald J. Trump: 2
Ted Cruz: 1

Congressional District 8 TBD

Congressional District 9 TBD

Combined Delegate Totals (Will Be Updated):
Donald J. Trump: 29
Ted Cruz: 14
Marco Rubio: 9

**To reiterate, we are still awaiting tallies from selected counties and precincts. These are preliminary numbers. These totals will be updated as final results come in.**

Quick facts about Tennessee's Presidential Primary -
2008 GOP Turnout: 553,005
2012 GOP Turnout: 554,573
2016 GOP Early Vote Turnout: 257,209 (+62% higher than 2012 EV)
2016 GOP Total Turnout: 854,792* (+300,219 more voters than 2012 GOP Turnout)

Previous Delegate Allocations:
2008 
Huckabee 25
McCain 19
 Romney 8

2012 
Santorum 29
Romney 17
Gingrich 9

*-Denotes unofficial results.

Former State representative Stacey Campfield channeled his inner Donald,

Former State representative Stacey Campfield channeled his inner Donald to post to Facebook his thoughts on the upcoming Republican National Convention. 

Let me tell you, I'm going to post about the Republican convention. And it's going to be a great post. Its going to be a great big beautiful post. People love my facebook posts. I have people coming up to me all the time,  many many people saying, "That's a great status" and they are right because I know how to post a great status. I have been posting statuses all my life and no one can post a status as great as I can. When I post about the convention people are going to say, "That is a great post, he really knows how to post about the Republican convention." No one will be able to post about the convention as big or as great as I can. People may try but they are losers. They won't be able to post about the convention like I can because they've never created a great post in their life. Believe me, all right. People may yell and scream about their posts but they are just posting for their special interest friends. Those guys are losers; I am a winner. I don't have to listen to them because I am self funding my own way to the convention. When I post about the Republican convention it will be so huge.  I will make the Democrats pay for it. But rest assured, it's going to be a great big beautiful post and we are going to start winning again. OK?

Republican Delgate list.

This is an early list subject to change. Check back for an update. To understand how delegates are selected, see this post: A Primer on the 2016 Tennessee Republican National Convention Delegate Selection process.

What happened at the March 1st Council meeting: New regs for payday lenders, Farmers Market deal, and $3.49M subsidy deal for Lifeway Gulch development

To see my analysis of this meeting's agenda and to get a link to the Council agenda and the agenda staff analysis, follow this link.

Below are the highlights of the meeting:

BILL NO. BL2016-132 on Public Hearing is an attempt to regulate alternative financial service businesses such as pawn shops, payday lenders, and check cashing business, and title loan companies, not by trying to define the products or service they provide but by saying they are alternative financial service companies if they operate outside normal banker's hours. See my commentary and a response to my criticism from Councilman Jeff Syracuse at this link. Surprisingly, no one from the public speaks in favor or against the bill. I would have thought there would have been. It passes without opposition.

BILL NO. BL2016-139  on Public Hearing is a bill to rezone a piece of property in a residential area from residential to SP in order to allow a nursing home to be build on that location. There is opposition but the bill passes Second Reading. Over the years of watching the Metro Council, I have seen this before. I do not understand the opposition to nursing homes.  Old people in wheel chairs do not commit much crime and unfortunately, for those in nursing homes who are often neglected, nursing homes are not generators of large traffic volume.  In my view, the zoning code needs to be changed so that nursing homes are not considered a medical facility but consider a residential use. Nursing homes need to be in quite residential areas and we need lots of nursing homes, so people can locate their loved ones near them rather than miles away. As I have had to care for my invalid wife, and for a few months she had to spend time in a nursing home, I have become more aware of the difficulty in finding quality nursing home care. It is sad to see many people in nursing homes who are treated with indifference by nursing home staff and who seldom get visitors. If you must put a relative in a nursing home, it is important to check on them on a regular basis to make sure they are getting proper care.  It is easier to check on them if they are in a nursing home nearby and in order to have that situation, we need more nursing homes and they need to be scattered and in residential areas. Two neighborhood groups near the proposed rezoning take a position against it. To watch the discussion see time stamp 15:03 - 35:27.

BILL NO. BL2016-140  and BILL NO. BL2016-141 on Public Hearing effect an already approved Planned Unit Development by reducing the number of units.  The only reason this interest me is that I am always concerned when we take away property rights and to reduce the number of units from a plan that was previously approved is a taking of property. Due to public safety concerns or other factors there may be times when a plan may need to be amended or have additional conditions imposed but that should only be done with extreme caution. To see the discussion go to time stamp 35:34 - 55:30.

RESOLUTION NO. RS2016-102  which takes out the north shed portion of Farmers Market and turns it back over to the State passes on the consent agenda.
RESOLUTION NO. RS2016-145 by Councilman Coleman  request that the proceeds from the proposed buy-out of the lease for state-owned property at the Farmers Market Facility be directed back to the Farmers Market capital improvements and operating budget. It passes on consent. I think it is bad policy to give the Farmers Market another $4 million dollars in subsidy. The money should go to the general fund and if it is necessary and wise to further subsidize the Framers Market, then it should be done though the regular budgetary process.

BILL NO. BL2016-149  on Second Reading authorizes Metro to enter a participation agreement for the construction of public infrastructure improvements and to accept a donation of property for a park. The ordinance obligates Metro government to spend up to $3.49 million in infrastructure costs such as sidewalks and sewage and the owner of the property would give 1.26 acres to Metro for a park. While $3.49 million dollars is a lot of money, this development gets no TIF (Tax Increment Financing) nor a PILOT (payment in-lieu of taxes) deal.  This is an incentive deal to keep Lifeway headquarters downtown.  Several councilmen raise questions asking if this is a good deal for the city. While I think it is healthy to have open discussion on the Council floor, some of this discussion is normally questions that would have been answered in Budget and Finance Committee. Despite all of the discussion, the bill passes on a voice vote with no audible "no" votes. (see time stamp 1:14:47 - 1:44:47)
Here is The Tennessean's report on this bill: Metro Council advances LifeWay bill despite questions.

SUBSTITUTE BILL NO. BL2016-99  on Third Reading which would strengthen the Human Relations Commission by removing the term limits for members of the Commission passes on a voice vote. This is disappointing.  I hoped someone would take this opportunity to speak against this useless agency which serves no purpose but to promote political correctness.  If I were serving in the Council, I would have asked to be recorded as voting "no."

"A county-level look at Super Tuesday" and "Analysis: Trump win trouble for Tennessee GOP establishment."

A county-level look at Super Tuesday, in the Nashville Post, by J. R. Ling is a good read for political wonks who want to know where Trump won big compared to where Joe Carr did well in his race against Lamar Alexander and other races.  Those who are looking for patterns and trying to understand the rhyme and reason of Tuesday's race will appreciate this piece. The Tennessean also has some analysis in an article, Analysis: Trump win trouble for Tennessee GOP establishment. The Tennessean piece also has a state map and you can click on a county and see how many votes each of candidate got in that county.

(update 3) What's on the March 1 Council agenda: Gun shows at the fair grounds, new regs for payday lenders, ....

Please see the text in red typeface below for update # 3 additions.

The Metro Council will meet Tuesday March 1st. Council meetings are really, really boring if you do not know what the council is doing.  If you have a copy of the agenda and the Council staff analysis of the agenda, then the meetings are not really, really boring, they are just boring. To get your own copy of the Metro Council agenda, follow this link. To read the Council staff agenda analysis follow this link.

There are ten appointments to Boards and Commissions on the agenda for Council confrimation but as is the norm, they will all be approved unanimously.

There are three resolution and fourteen bills on public hearing.  The three resolutions are to allow establishments that already have a liquor-by-the-drink license to have a license to serve beer despite not meeting the distance requirements from a certain entity. Beer license are a Metro license and a liquor license is a State license. To serve beer you must be a certain distance from daycare centers, parks, homes, and churches. The same distance requirements do not exist for liquor, so some establishments end up without a beer license but they do have a liquor license. If those cases, the council, after holding a public hearing, can approve them to get a beer license. I think this should be changed so it is automatic and does not require a public hearing or council action, however that is not the case.

Most of the bills on public hearing are zoning bills and would interest no one except nearby neighbors. I don't read each zoning bill or form an opinion on their merits. I only report on those that have broader implication or are that I suspect will be exceptionally controversial. Below are the ones I find on interest.

BILL NO. BL2016-132 is an alternate to bill  BILL NO. BL2016-117  which was deferred last council meeting. This bill is an attempt to regulate alternative financial service businesses such as pawn shops, payday lenders, and check cashing business, and title loan companies, not by trying to define the products or service they provide but by saying they are alternatvie financial service companies if they operate outside the hours of 8AM to 6PM Monday through Friday and 8AM to 1PM on Saturday. Dumb idea! So, if a bank should decide that it wants to stay open all day on Saturday or until 2PM rather than 1PM, it is then considered an "Alternative Financial Service."

The regulations these "alternative financial service" companies would be subjected to are distance requirements from each other. A 2008 zoning change said these companies had to be at least a quarter of a mile apart. The industry created new products that were also alternative credit type, high interest loans but were different enough that they did not fit the definition in the 2008 ordinance. So while bill 117 tried to define the new products to make them fit into the category of "Alternative Financial Services," this tries to defines them as financial service companies operating outside of current banker hours.

In my view, we should butt out and let these Alternative Financial Services locate wherever they want to in accordance with otherwise compatible zoning. I am not a fan of these pay day lenders and related subprime lenders.  I have spend most of my career in a field where I counsel low income people. I have tried to educate them not to use these type services and have tried to educate them to use standard financial services. I think pay day lenders and title loan companies are kind of slimy and prey on ignorant poor people. However, if only used in an emergency, using a pay day lender is no more predatory than the late fee associated with bouncing a check or the reconnect fee for having your water turned back on.  This is a bad bill and needs to be defeated even if one agrees with the intent. To identify a type of business by their hours of operation is a bad way to define a business. Some day banks may not want to keep "bankers hours" and may want to be more accommodating to their customers. This bill would stop them from expanding their hours of operation.

I am really disappointing by the staff analysis of this bill. Instead of simply explaining what the bill would do, it engages in advocacy.

I received the following email from bill sponsor Councilman Jeff Syracuse explaining his bills: "My bill actually does something to help differentiate financial institutions from the AFS industry for the first time, which is something that is fairly well supported by the industry.  I'm also introducing an amendment that makes it an and/or situation where the distance requirements stand even if they fall outside of the hours of operation definition.

I'm basically doing what Donelson (and other areas of the county) needs to escape the bonds of an over-abundance of these businesses keeping us from being able to redevelop properties into more meaningful and positive businesses.  I'm a free-market guy, but these businesses are dragging us down.  I wish the free market could solve this on its own, but it's only going to spiral down in a worse way if we allow the industry to come up with new business models in order to skirt around established zoning ordinances.  My intent is to simply put an end to the game of legislative whackamole with this industry.  I believe I've achieved that.

Regards,
Jeff"

BILL NO. BL2016-135 rezones property at 4th Avenue and Chestnut St.  This is a welcome development in this depressed neighborhood close to downtown. Here is a link to a Tennessean story on this development: Large Wedgewood-Houston project faces key vote. This will increase property values in this part of town. Those who oppose evil "gentrification" should oppose this bill. 

Thee are 13 resolution's on the consent agenda. Resolutions on "consent" are all lumped together and are passed by a single vote of  the Council.  A resolution is taken off of consent if it fails to gain unanimous approval from the committee to which it is assigned.  Also, any council member may, from the floor, object to a resolution being on consent or may ask to have his dissenting vote or abstention recorded.  This is the only resolutions of interest:

RESOLUTION NO. RS2016-102  which takes out the north shed portion of Farmers Market and turns it back over to the State is back on the agenda after being deferred two meetings. It is revealed that the $4M that the State is going to pay Metro for releasing the northern sheds, will not flow back to the Metro General fund but will go to subsidize the operation of the Farmers Market. I do not like that and think the money should go to the General Fund and any additional subsidizing of Farmers Market should have to come before the Metro Council. In my view the Farmers Market should not have to be subsidized. I like Farmers Market but think it should be able to cover its own operating cost. One of the amendments to this bill would remove the prohibition against selling alcoholic beverages at the Farmers Market. I'll drink to that!  On occasion, metro has ignored the current prohibition and allowed the sale of alcoholic beverages. 

RESOLUTION NO. RS2016-142  request that the appropriate Metropolitan Departments review the possibility of turning vacant Metro-owned buildings into affordable housing in the Davidson County area. After the review, the agencies would report back to the Council. I support this resolution

There are 19 bills on First Reading. I have not read them. First Reading is a formality that gets bills on the agenda and they are passed all lumped together by a single vote. Bills do not go to committee until after they pass First reading. There is one bill on first reading however, that may prove controversial. I support this bill.

BILL NO. BL2016-161  Here is The Tennessean's report on this bill:
Bill would block off dates for fairgrounds gun shows 
A Metro Nashville councilman wants to order the city-owned fairgrounds to block off weekends next year to reserve space at its facilities for future gun shows. Councilman Steve Glover has followed through on legislation he promised after the Metro Board of Fair Commissioners last week opted to stand by its controversial December vote to halt future gun shows at the fairgrounds until gun show operators agree to new safety parameters.

There are seven bills on Second Reading. This is the only one that I find of much interest.

BILL NO. BL2016-147 is a liberalization of a blighted property grant program. I am not necessarily opposed, but hope the Council carefully considers this program change. I tend to oppose programs than put Metro in the position of picking winners and losers.    

There are 13 bills on Third Reading. This is the only one of interest.

SUBSTITUTE BILL NO. BL2016-99  would strengthen the Human Relations Commission by removing the term limits for members of the Commission. In my view this useless agency should be abolished instead of strengthened. They serve to indoctrinate people in  political correctness. Any thing of value they do could easily be done by other agencies.  One of the offensive things they do is sponsor the Youth Pavilion at the Gay Pride Festival. This bill should be defeated.

Why I voted for Marco Rubio

Marco Rubio

Yesterday I cast my vote in the Republican primary and I voted for Marco Rubio. The position of all of the Republican candidates is similar. All pledge to secure the borders, cut taxes, grow the economy, reduce the national debt, balance the budget, scrap Obamacare and rebuild the military.  In voting for Rubio it came down to confidence he would actually do it, likability, and electability.  I like Rubio's personal life story, he seems genuine, and I think he could broaden the base of the party.

I am an advocate of free trade and was disappointing to see Rubio defend sugar quotas, but everyone has their faults and that is a minor concern.  Also, Rubio sometimes seems so programmed that he can not deviate from the canned speech, but every candidate has their standard stump speech and talking points. Also, Rubio has missed some important votes in the Senate.  Those are all minor criticisms however. 

Rubio is accused of being soft on immigration but I do not fault him for that. When he says he will secure the border first, I believe him.  I think the harsh rhetoric on immigration coming from some candidates will hurt Republicans and I also think it is simply unnecessarily hateful. I think anyone who thinks we are going to round up and deport 12 million or more illegal immigrants is simply living in a dream world.  Eventually we are going to have to let them come out of the shadows and legalized their status.  Also as a tactical political strategy, Republicans are going to lose future elections if we cannot attract minorities. By 2050  white non-Hispanics will be the minority in this country. We need to attract Hispanics to the Republican Party. I think Rubio would be the candidate most likely to woo Hispanics, young people, dissatisfied Democrats and independents to vote Republican. I think his personal story, his youth, his good looks and his message of optimism makes him the most attractive candidate. I also feel he is the one candidate who could straddle the divide between establishment Republicans and tea party Republicans.

Prior to settling on Rubio, I was initially torn between Scott Walker, Bobby Jindal and Marco Rubio. When the other two dropped out of the race I settled on Rubio.  Occasionally I have wavered between Rubio and Cruz. Cruz throws out the red meat and I like what he has to say, but I have my reservations also. It is widely reported that he is not very well liked by his colleagues in the Senate. If that is so, how can he build a coalition to pass an agenda? Also, when he did his famous "filibuster" on raising the debt ceiling in which he read Green Eggs and Ham, I thought it was a self-promoting stunt. The outcome of that vote was never in doubt. Cruz to me seems earnest and dedicated to principle but he turns me off by being a little to evangelical. I do not mean "evangelical" in the religious sense but it seems a little too preachy, or dogmatic. In my view, he comes across as a self-righteous televangelist. That is more style than substance however, but Cruz just does not seem that likable except to people who already like him. I doubt he is going to attract people to vote Republican who are not already Republican.

The other candidates have all had their moments in which I liked what they had to say but I was never tempted to vote for any of them. I am over the Bushes and do not want Jeb. Both John Kasich and Chis Christie never seemed conservative enough for my taste. I never got over fearing Rand Paul was too much of an isolationist in order to support his candidacy, although he said many other things I really liked.  I think Ben Carson is probably one of the nicest people running, but I don't know that nice can win and while there is something attractive about an outsider, I want someone with some relevant experience to be our next President.

So what about Trump?  Trump is the candidate I least want to see get the nomination.  Some of my good Republican friends are enthusiastic Trump supporters but, quite honestly, Trump scares me. He does not scare me as much as Hillary or Bernie and if he is the Party's candidate I will support him, but I hope he is not the nominee.  He scares me because I fear he will start a trade war.  I don't know enough to know that China's currency manipulation rises to the level of risking a trade war, but I am not ready to risk it.  I also do not buy the argument that we can impose tariffs on Mexico to make Mexico pay for a massive wall along the southern border. In my view, the mechanism that has been developed to lower tariffs under both Republicans and Democrats should not be abandoned. If we unilaterally impose tariffs there will be retaliation. I fear a trade war could lead to a world wide depression.

Also, I simply do not trust Trump. I do not believe he has any core values. I do not understand why he is the most hated candidate among Democrats because the reason I do not like him should make him more attractive to Democrats. I do not believe he is a real conservative. He had defended Planned Parenthood, he has justified using eminent domain to take the property of individuals for economic development, he has been soft on the Second Amendment and he has contributed money to Democrat candidates.  I am not certain he would appoint conservative justices to the Supreme Court. I understand some of his appeal. He refused to play the political correctness game and says what he thinks and people find that refreshing. I think, however, that Trump is a populist playing on popular resentments and fears rather than being a true conservative. Who knows how he would govern?

If you have not already voted, please cast a vote for Marco Rubio.