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?

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Stacey Campfield responds to his critics over the Holocaust -Obamacare comment.

From Stacey Campfield's Facebook page:

I regret that some people miss the point of my post. It was not to offend. It was to warn. To draw attention to Obamacare and the slippery slope that I see occurring in the lives of myself, my constituents, and the rest of the country with the continued taking of freedom by the federal government.

In no way was my post meant to diminish or detract from the pain, suffering and loss of human life that occurred during this dark time in human history. Instead the post was meant to draw attention to the loss of freedom that we are currently experiencing. I stand by my steadfast opposition to Obamacare.

My position and record on the sacredness of human life and protecting that life speaks for itself. 300 million Americans are at risk from government bureaucrats deciding who should be given life saving medications and who should be denied. Every citizen now faces the possibility of their tax dollars going to pay for a government funded abortion. At no point in our history have we ever faced a federal government and administration with a lower regard for human life, and that is something that I cannot and will not allow to go unchallenged.

I will continue to stand up against the government takeover of the nations healthcare. I will continue to support freedom and life.

Stacey Campfield

 My Comment: Stacy, I got the point. The point is that if people are going to be punished for not doing something, then it is not very praise worthy or much of an accomplishment when most people do it.  A better analogy would be comparing Obamacare sign ups to the 99% of the people who were supposed to file income taxes and actually filed income taxes. Your example of the holocaust and free train rides was insensitive and repugnant.  You should have said so succinctly with humility and let it go at that.

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TNGOP Chairman Devaney Releases Statement on Stacey Campfield’s “Ignorant and Repugnant” Remarks

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Chris Devaney released the following statement after reading a blog post from Stacey Campfield: "While Stacey Campfield routinely makes remarks that are over the top, today's comments are ignorant and repugnant. No political or policy disagreement should ever be compared to the suffering endured by an entire generation of people. Those comments have no place in our public discourse. He should offer an apology to members of the Jewish faith immediately."

Here is the Campfield offensive remark:  "Democrats bragging about the number of mandatory sign ups for Obamacare is like Germans bragging about the number of mandatory sign ups for "train rides" for Jews in the 40s." (link)

My Comment: I agree with Devaney. Campfield's comment was in very poor taste. He should issue an apology.

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Guns in Parks passes Senate 26-7. See how they voted.

Today the "guns in parks" bill passed the Senate by a vote 26-7.  In 2009 the state passed a guns in parks bill but gave city and county governments the ability to opt out of the new law. Nashville was one of those cities that opted out, banning all guns in parks.

This session, Sen. Stacy Campfield proposed SB 1496 which permits a person with a handgun carry permit to carry a firearm in any state, county or municipal park or other recreation area and deletes provisions allowing local governments to prohibit carrying in parks. 

All Republicans senators voted for the bill except for Doug Overby of Maryville.  The six Democrats who voted against the bill were Charlotte Burks, Lowe Finney, Thelma Harper, Doug Henry, Jim Kyle, and Reginald Tate.

The House has delayed consideration of the bill to, according to House Speaker Beth Harwell, make the language “a little more palatable to our local governments.”

“We believe in Second Amendment rights. We want to be sensitive of that," said Harwell. "We also want to be very sensitive of the fact that local governments have their place to play as well. These are local parks financed by our local government, patrolled by our local governments, so I think they should have some say,” she said.

Republican Governor Bill Haslam has said he has concerns about the bill.


I myself am not concerned that people with handgun carry permits are carrying guns in parks. The bad people with guns you have to worry about do not have handgun carry permits and they are not deterred by a "no guns allowed" sign.  I favor Campfield's bill. On the other hand, I would not oppose some limited leeway to let cities have the authority to ban guns in child play areas or at concerts where alcohol is served or at sporting events. I think those situations are different than a trail in an isolated area.

One of the arguments that does not impress me is that the State telling cities what they may and may not do is the same as the Federal government dictating to the states what they may and may not do. Many liberals will make that comparison and allege that conservatives who want to limit the authority of cities are hypocritical when they themselves oppose the Federal Government dictating to States.

There is major difference. States have sovereignty; cities do not. The federal government is a creation of the states, states are not a creation of the cities within the state.  Any power a city has is because it is granted by the state. The power of the federal government is power relinquished by States to the federal government. The Federal government can not abolish a State; a State could withdraw the charter of a city. Federal is to State, is not the same relationship as State is to city. It is not the same at all.

The State is within its rights to ban a city from granting protected victim status to homosexuals, to let the decision on approving charter schools reside with the State, or prohibiting a city from banning guns in city parks.

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Nashville could not ban guns in city parks under Sen. Stacey Campfield's bill

From WBIR:
Nashville and many other Middle Tennessee cities could be forced to remove bans on handguns in their parks if a push under way in the Tennessee legislature succeeds.

Gun rights advocates and several lawmakers are throwing their weight behind legislation that would overturn local restrictions on handguns in public parks, five years after cities and counties were told they could opt out of a state law that opened parks to handgun owners.(link)

My Comment:  
In August 2009 the Metro Council voted to ban handguns in Metro Parks by a vote of 22 in favor and 18 opposed. Had I been in the Council I would have joined those opposing the ban.  I am not concerned that licensed handgun permit holders are going to commit gun violence in the parks and I do not think armed thugs without permits are going to be deterred by a ban.

Many opponents of the State telling cities what they may and may not do, allege that  it is hypocritical to oppose the Federal government dictating to the states and yet embrace the State dictating to the cities. There is major difference. States have sovereignty; cities do not. The federal government is a creation of the states, states are not a creation of the cities within the state.  Any power a city has is because it is granted by the state. The power of the federal government is power relinquished by States to the federal government. The Federal government can not abolish a State; a State could withdraw the charter of a city. Federal is to State, is not the same relationship as State is to city.

The State is within its rights to ban a city from granting protected victim status to homosexuals, to let the decision on approving charter schools reside with State, or prohibiting a city from banning guns in city parks. I support Campfield's bill.

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Update 2, Tampa in the tailights: Final Report

Remembering Tampa  
By: Tennessean (Diary), September 1st at 11:14 PM
Our Tampa odyssey began early the Saturday morning preceding the convention. We arrived in Tampa around lunch time, and the airport was abuzz with arriving delegates and greeters from Tampa, including a barber shop quartet which serenaded arriving visitors. My wife and I grabbed the keys to our rental car and headed west to Safety Harbor, a small Tampa suburb where the Tennessee delegation would | Read More »
  
 'Don't Say Gay' at the GOP Convention: A View From the Floor
Huffington Post
There he was, the first person I literally ran into on the floor of the Republican National Convention in Tampa: Tennessee State Senator Stacey Campfield, the man who authored his states notorious "don't say gay" bill, which, if passed, would ban any ...

Tennessee Delegation Returns from RNC in Tampa
NewsChannel5.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn.- The Tennessee delegation has returned from the Republican National Convention in Tampa, and representatives said the event was a success. Fifty eight delegates, 55 alternates and a total of 250 people represented Tennessee at the ...

Kathleen Starnes
Found this in my telephone thought I would share Romney boys, Ben and Craig

Carol M. Swain shared Professor Carol M. Swain, Ph.D.'s photo.

Last Wednesday we participated in a forum on Blacks and the Republican Party held at Stetson University in Tampa, FL.

Voters in Appalachia Struggling to Identify With Presidential Candidates
Voice of America
KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — Outside the growing city of Charlotte, North Carolina - host to the 2012 Democratic National Convention - a different section of America watches. VOA's Kane Farabaugh looks at how people who live just a few ... Johnston says he ...

Dems call for diversity training for lawmakers
Clarksville Leaf Chronicle
Meanwhile, Campfield, who is a delegate to the Republican National Convention in Tampa, wrote on his blog that Summerville's reference to a rat's behind has become a “catch phrase” among members of Tennessee's delegation to the convention. As for the ...

Joe Fuller posted in Nashville Liberty on the Rocks 

RNC/GOP Corruption 2012While we were in Tampa, Florida on August 26, 2012 we ran across several Ron Paul delegates who offered to share their experience with the GOP corruption that has been ongoing this year.www.youtube.com

Greg Johnson: Tampa showed Romney is the obvious choice
Knoxville News Sentinel
Tampa, Fla. — Begun under ominous clouds, the Republican National Convention ended on a bright Thursday. Dreary with doubt on the canceled Monday, the mood of the GOP faithful lightened significantly after Condolezza Rice, Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney ...

Ayla Brown Serenades Tennessee GOP | Heard on the Hill
Fresh from her stint on the Republican National Convention main stage — our ... to Tampa's ...


Tennessee Republicans leave convention with momentum, optimism
Knoxville News Sentinel
Paul Ryan, R-Wis., pose for photos with campaign staff before a walk through on the stage of the Republican National Convention on Thursday in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci). TAMPA, Fla. — Tennessee Republicans leave their party's national ...

Claire Crouch posted in Cocke County Republican Women 

Two friends of mine and I met privately with Sharon Day, Vice Chair of RNC, in her suite in Tampa. Had an excellent meeting and a really good time. Thank you Sharon. My friends Kathleen Starnes and Beth Campbell went with me to meet with Sharon Day, Vice Chair of the RNC at our convention last week. Thank you Kathleen for the great picture.

Claire Crouch: Paggy Lambert, our National Committee Woman from TN, and I ttending one of the many receptions at the RNC convention. Peggy and her counterpart, John Ryder do an excellent job representing TN.



For more reports from Tampa see Report #1, Report #2, Report # 3, Report # 4, Report # 5, Report # 6, Report #7, Report # 8 , Report # 9 and Report 10.

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The Nashville Scene's hit job on Newt Gingrich's First Tuesday event

Newt Gingrich's appearance in Nashville yesterday was widely covered by local and national media. Most media factually reported the events of the day and if they had a bias they hid it. While most members of the working press may be liberal, most journalist try to adhere to a code of ethics and strive for at least a semblance of fairness, truthfulness and objectivity. Not the Scene's Jeff Woods.

The Nashville Scene's coverage of the First Tuesday Newt Gingrich event made no attempt at fairness or objectivity. It was a hit job. Even in opinion pieces, most writers do not resort to juvenile name calling. But that is standard fare for the Scene's Jeff Woods.

"A glittering galaxy of Tennessee's craziest Republicans came out to hear Newt Gingrich speak this afternoon in downtown Nashville," begins his article. "Robin Smith, Stacey Campfield, Mae Beavers, Tony Shipley, Jim Gotto and Lou Ann Zelnik were among the many wingnuts crammed into a room at the offices of the Waller Lansden lobbying/law firm for Gingrich's appearance." From there it gets worse.

He reports that Senator Stacy Campfield was "snubbed" at the event by not being introduced when other dignitaries were introduced. "Tim Skow, president of the GOP club hosting Gingrich, introduced a gang of elected officials," writes Woods, "but pointedly refused to acknowledge Campfield." "Is Campfield now an embarrassment even in this crowd?" he writes.

Why would Campfield be considered an embarrassment? Woods does not explain. I can guess it is because he is the sponsor of the so called "Don't say gay" bill which would prohibit teachers from discussing homosexuality in the classroom in the lower grades. This has sent some liberals off the deep end. I have not really given much thought to the issue but I certainly don't find that the bill makes Senator Campfield one who would be an embarrassment.

Even if one does not agree with some of the legislation that a particular elected official has sponsored, if other dignitaries of equal rank are being introduced, I don't know of any moderator who would purposely single out one person to fail to recognize. That violates protocol. That would simply be poor manners. It just isn't done.

I asked Tim Skow about the failure to recognize Campfield and he explained that it was simply an oversight. "Because you mentioned his comments, I wasted the time to look at what Mr. Woods wrote," said Tim. "Must admit, I roared with laughter at any suggestion of 'snubbing' of Senator Campfield. All I can say is consider the source of the comments.. and that I suspect Mr. Woods has fallen off his prescription medications again". 

Tim is being less outraged than I would be, but just "considering the source" is probably the best response to reporting like this. I know the Scene strives to be youthful and hip and "with it" and this is the kind of reporting you get when that is more important than fairness, truthfulness and objectivity.

I usually read the Scene. I like to keep up with the art and entertainment news, restaurant reviews, movie reviews and music industry news. In fact, I think they do a pretty good job of that coverage. When reading the Scene's coverage of news events however I do not expect facts. Facts might get in the way of attitude. The Nashville Scene is like The Rolling Stone with an underpaid and less talented staff. The Scene is to newspaper journalism what The Colbert Report is to television journalism. Consider the source.

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Campfield wants the unemployed tested for "hardcore illegal drugs," like marijuana

Sen. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, has said he plans to push three bills calling for drug testing in the 2012 legislative session.  One bill would address people on welfare, another for those drawing unemployment compensation, and another for those receiving workers' compensation benefits.

While Governor Haslum and House Speaker Beth Harwell are having reservations about the bill, Lt. Governor Ramsey has endorsed this effort saying, "I'm in favor of drug testing for people who are on any kind of benefits, whether it's unemployment compensation or worker's compensation, whatever it is, because I don't think we need to be supporting that lifestyle with government money," Ramsey said.(link)

I understand the concern. There are too many people for whom government handouts become a way of life and it becomes easier to lay around in a drug and alcohol induced stupor all day rather than get their act together.

Nevertheless, I am not on board.  If you start with welfare, unemployment benefits and workman's comp, what is next?  Food Stamps? TnCare? Hope Scholarships? Government guaranteed student loans? Small Business loans?  Crop price support payments? People who take the mortgage interest deduction on their income tax?

I don't want a government big enough to make me pee in a cup unless government has a warrant issued for probable cause. There is something about people being "secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures" that kind of resonates with me. I don't think you give up your forth amendment protections when you receive unemployment insurance.

My other concern is that it is simply not going to be cost effective and will catch very few drug users. Drug users know how to get clean for a drug test. To be effective at all, drug test have to be a surprise and random. The Florida experiment has caught very few users and has been expensive for the state. Campfield has said under his plan, the applicant would be required to cover the cost without state reimbursement. He estimated the costs could be kept to "only $4 or $5" by limiting the tests to "hardcore illegal drugs," such as cocaine, heroin and marijuana.

In recognition of Campfield's declaration that marijuana is a hardcore illegal drug, here is a little "Reefer Madness."

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Briley Berates Rep. Stacey Camfield over Child Support Paternity Bill

I think men should be forced to pay child support for children they produce. The state should aggressively pursue child support collection. However, it is an outrage that a man must pay child support for children that are not his own, unless he has adopted the children. That often occurs. Representative Stacey Campfield introduced a bill in the state legislature that would correct this injustice in Tennessee. Unfortunately, the House Judiciary Committee last week referred the bill for "summer study" which essentially kills the bill.

In this YouTube video Rep. Rob Briley lashes out against Campfiled, asking his views on infidelity, pre-marital sex and child support. This video was the subject of an article in this morning's Tennessean.

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