Volunteer Taxi: American Dream to Serve as Nashville’s First Driver-Owned Taxi Company Deferred by Racism, Politics.

Nashville, TN June 12, 2012, Representatives from organizations including the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Coalition, the NAACP, and the Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship have enlisted their support to the  sixty–one Ethiopian taxi drivers hoping to become Nashville’s first owner-operated taxi service.

On June 13, 2012, members of the Metro Council, during its 4:30 departmental budget hearings, will have an opportunity to ask the Transportation Licensing Commission: Why after nearly a year, Volunteer Taxi has not been able to serve our community, when they have met all of the standards asked of them?

In the year-long saga, the members of Volunteer Taxi have faced an uphill battle to better the lives of their families. First, in the form of vocal opposition, physical intimidation, and firings from existing taxi companies.

Secondly, Transportation Licensing Commission Executive Director Brian McQuistion, who is supposed to serve as an unbiased servant to the Commission members, voiced his opposition to Volunteer Taxi. When he was asked by the Metro Council Minority Caucus why he opposed awarding permits to Volunteer Taxi, he stated that more taxis on the road, meant less money for taxi drivers, and that the drivers would then resort to prostitution, drug deals, and overcharging customers to make a living.

Thirdly, racially and ethnically insensitive remarks made by a taxpayer subsidized taxi inspector painted all Muslim taxi drivers as terrorists! Finally, on December 20, 2011, Volunteer Taxi received approval for permits. However, the permits were conditioned upon available funding in the upcoming Metro budget, effectively forcing Volunteer Taxi to lobby for the Transportation Licensing Commission and for their right to be on the road serving our great city.

According to a study conducted by Sekou Franklin, Ph.D., taxi drivers in Nashville are paid less that the federal minimum wage and are among the lowest paid workers in the United States.  “We need no study to tell us that we are overworked and underpaid; we live this every day and night,” said Adugna Denbel, Secretary of Volunteer Taxi.  “We fled horrible conditions in our old countries, but now we yearn to be free from the undue burdens and hardships from the taxicab owners here who maintain a paternalistic system, with no advancement.” 

Under the current taxicab company system, the taxi drivers, not the owners, are responsible for purchasing their own health insurance, their own vehicle and paying all of the expenses related to the operation, such as fuel, repairs, maintenance and liability insurance. In most cases, drivers are also responsible for repairs to GPS dispatch technology provided by the taxicab company.

Additionally, taxi drivers are forced to pay a weekly fee of between $150-$210 per week ($7,800 - $10,920 annually) for the right to work for the taxi company. “We are not asking for any handouts, only for the opportunity to take care of our families by exercising the American Dream through our market economy and we pray that our dreams are not deferred by racism and politics,” says Mr. Denbel.

My Comment:
It is past time to let freedom reign in Nashville! Let immigrant and native born Americans pursue the American dream. End the paternalistic system of protectionism and crony capitalism and regulating to protect the rich and well-connected. It is time the Metro Council and this community embraced competition, innovation and free markets.

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Alexander: "Clean air means better jobs for Tennesseans"

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) today said he would vote to uphold a new federal clean air rule "because healthier air means better jobs for Tennesseans—every one of Tennessee's major metropolitan areas is struggling to meet standards that govern whether industries can acquire the air quality permits to locate here."

In remarks delivered on the floor of the senate, Alexander said, "This rule requires utilities in other states to install the same pollution controls that TVA already is installing on its coal-fired power plants. TVA alone can't clean up our air. Tennessee is bordered by more states than any other state. We are surrounded by our neighbors' smokestacks. If we want more Nissan and Volkswagen plants, we will have to stop dirty air from blowing into Tennessee."

Please watch this video with an open mind.

Three of the worst cities for asthma in the country are in Tennessee; Chattanooga, Knoxville and Memphis. Some of our rivers are so polluted with mercury that one can not eat the fish from those rivers. Mercury causes brain damage in more than 315,000 children a year and half of the man made mercury comes from coal fired power plants.

The proposed regulations to clean up coal plants has been in the works since 1990. This is not a surprise.  These rules are not draconian. The utility companies will have six years to implement the rules.

Unfortunately, in today's extreme partisan environment and with a right wing political fringe that attacks any environment initiative as either Agenda 21 policies or a War on Coal designed to make coal too expensive to burn, we are seeing the tea party and many others on the right taking up the cause of dirty air.

I am not joining the war for dirty air. I applaud Senator Alexander for advocating for clean air.

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Gov. Haslam Special Guest at Debra Maggart event June 13

You Are Invited

To Attend A Reception in Support of

State Representative Debra Young Maggart

With Very Special Guest

The Honorable Bill Haslam

Governor of Tennessee

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

5:00 PM to 6:45 PM

at The Home of Ted Lyon

2221 Cages Bend Rd.

Gallatin, TN

$150 per couple or $75 per person

Please RSVP to Matt Herriman at msherriman@gmail.com

or 615-207-5424

Host Committee List To Follow

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Dawn White Refused to Debate Richard Garvin

White Campaign Responds to Debate Request

Murfreesboro, TN   --  June 12, 2012  --  We have received our opponent’s request for a debate.  As Dawn White’s campaign manager, my response is below. 

“Dawn White believes candidates should personally make an effort to take their messages directly to the voters, and she is doing exactly that.  To learn about a candidate, voters should not have to attend a staged event where they will only hear rehearsed political rhetoric and canned answers.  

Dawn White is working hard to share her message of economic growth and opportunity, education reform and smaller, smarter government with residents of the 37th District.  She has already personally reached out to thousands of voters, and is committed to personally meeting every voter she possibly can during this race to hear their concerns and earn their support.   Through her personal work ethic, Dawn has shown that she will be a true representative of the people who will work tirelessly on their behalf. 

I understand Mr. Garvin’s need to garner free publicity and to attempt to prove himself as a Republican.  On several occasions, Richard Garvin has publicly stated that he voted for Barack Obama.  In fact, he had never even voted in a Republican primary until after he declared his candidacy for this very seat just a few short months ago.  The Republican nominee should be someone who will make decisions using common sense and conservative principles.  I seriously question Mr. Garvin’s credibility as a conservative.  No one who has truly been a conservative for years as our opponent claims to have been would ever have considered voting for Barack Obama. 

Dawn White is a lifelong conservative Republican who has worked to support conservative principles and candidates for years.  Candidates should be judged by their records and actions, not just by their words.  Dawn White is the only conservative in this race.  For these reasons, Dawn will not be debating Mr. Garvin.  Dawn looks forward to participating in the traditional televised League of Women Voters forum in the fall if she is the Republican nominee.”                                                                                                           -

Amelia King Bozeman, Campaign Manager
Dawn White for State Representative
615.456.4374
amelia@votedawn.com          

The Dawn White-Richard Garvin race is the race that has become entwined with the 9-12 Project-Tim Rudd controversy.  Tim Rudd is a member of the State Republican Party Executive Committee and is a paid consultant to Dawn White. To my way of thinking, if that is not a prohibited conflict of interest, it should be. 

Tim created controversy when he urged Republican candidates for office to boycott a 9-12 Project debate and vetting process. 

I am dismayed that one would characterize a debate as "a staged event where they will only hear rehearsed political rhetoric and canned answers." Someone should have told Lincoln and Douglas that or Nixon and Kennedy. I think a debate is one of the best ways to make a decision about a candidate. With questions not known before hand, it is often difficult to give canned answers in a debate. A debate can allow one to judge a candidate's depth of knowledge and quickness of mind. A lot can be revealed in a debate, that cannot be revealed in a standard campaign appearance. Why is Dawn White afraid to debate?

I am concerned that Richard Garvin voted for Barack Obama and is only a recent Republican convert. At a recent First Tuesday event, I asked Richard about that and he said that he made a mistake. Garvin, who is African-American said that the fact that Barack Obama is an African-American influenced his decision. I offered him the opportunity to fully address the issue of his having voted for Obama and his conversion to the Republican cause. If I get a more detailed response from Garvin that addresses that issue, I will post it. 

This is an interesting controversy and race. Tim Rudd is supporting Dawn White who pays him for campaign services. Dawn White is perceived as the "establishment candidate," yet she is the long-term Republican and Garvin is a recent Republican convert who voted for Obama.  

Tim Rudd has been a big supporter of Lou Ann Zelenik, who is the anti-establishment candidate who believes the First Amendment does not apply to Muslims. When campaigning for Zelenik, Tim Rudd was complementary of the 9-12 group; now he is critical.

 Zelenik has been popular with many of the 9-12 people in a race for the US. House; but many of the same people favor Garvin is this race for a State House seat. Politics can be irrational, and people's alliances can be short-lived and hard to explain.  

To learn more about the 9-12 Project-Tim Rudd issue, see the following:

Tim Rudd evades the question. Criticizes Matt Hurtt and 9-12.

SHIRLEY COLUMN: Rutherford County Republican leaders try to sink Tea Party's ship

J. Lee Douglas of 9-12 replies to Tim Rudd in open letter

Local Republicans divided over conservative organizations

Tim Rudd: I am not picking a fight with 9-12.

Who does Tim Rudd work for and is that the reason for the 9-12 letter?

A split in conservative ranks: Why is Tim Rudd picking a fight with 9/12?

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Tim Rudd evades the question. Criticizes Matt Hurtt and 9-12.

Following my post Who does Tim Rudd work for and is that the reason for the 9-12 letter? I wrote Tim and asked him, "would you care to comment to the charge that you are a paid consultant for Dawn White and that, that is the reason for  your letter urging Republican candidates to boycott the 9-12 group?" 


I received a reply and am printing it below. As you can see from his response, I did not really receive a response to the question I asked. Instead of addressing the issue of the appropriateness of being a paid consultant for one of the candidates and if that was the motivation for his attack on the 9-12 group, I got a response which was a criticism of  Matt Hurtt and the 9-12 group.


Despite feeling he did not actually answer the question I asked, not wanting the throw more gasoline on the fire I was going to just let this issue die, but after the recent revelation that Tim Rudd sought third party vetting, including supporting a 9-12 debate when it benefited the candidate he was supporting, I thought his response to my inquiry was relevant. 

His response is posted below.

Rod,

I have made my position on vetting and the Republican Party's right to carry out the selection process of its nominees very clear for years. In the past I took that position to prevent Democrats crossing over to effect the outcome of an election or running rouge candidates to take away votes from another candidate. Since I'm on record for supporting closed primaries for this reason long before the Tea Party or 9/12 came into being, I think it would hypocritical to change my position now. The seasoning is sound. My position on this issue had nothing to do with any candidate I am currently working with since I've held this position for nearly two decades.

I have no objection to any group hosting a debate as long as that group is open, unbiased, fair and not intending to endorse. When the news media, Chamber of Commerce or the League of Women Voters hosts such events they do not usually endorse candidates. The specific problem I have with the Rutherford County 9/12 group is its leaders have been very open that they are supporting one candidate over another. Just as Republican candidates differ in their views and actions, so do organizations like 9/12. I think Lee Douglas and 9/12 groups throughout Middle Tennessee have done an excellent job and have been a pleasure to work with. The local Campaign for Liberty has been neutral and fair and has gone out of their way to be ethical. The same can be said regarding the local John Birch Society and the Middle Tennessee Tea Party (Volunteer Tea Party).

The local GOP has actually worked very well with members of the local 9/12 and Tea Party. It is the leadership and their tactics and siding with one campaign or another that has caused friction. If you disagree with them on any one issue you are the enemy, a Rhino or a part of the establishment. My differences are with the 9/12 leadership in Rutherford County only. I sincerely feel they have lost all credibility. The local 9/12 group is trying to make this more than it is. A local matter.

I took a personal position on an issue that I have long and publicly held. Now I find myself, my Party and those I work with under assault. Just for the record, I've not heard a single derogatory or negative comment from any Republican candidate I know regarding the 9/12 Project or Tea Party or their members.

Matthew Hurtt and I have a long, long antagonistic relationship. When he was in the MTSU College Republicans, he came to the local GOP and asked for us to help him raise funds for an alternative campus newspaper. He then used those funds to buy a laptop and printed a couple of issues. He used the issues to attack local elected officials and then did not understand why those same Republican officials would not give him more money to continue attacking them. I chastised him for attacking the Party for welcoming former Democrats who publicly and proudly embraced our conservative GOP principles. I pointed out that if we had rejected all Democrats that switched Parties, we would have had no Ronald Reagan.

He has attacked me ever since. I remember a day he came into the GOP office and set down in the corner twitting as a group of us were talking about issues and family. He spoke up and asked us about a rumor regarding a local elected official. We said we did not know and went back to our discussion. He then left.

Later that day I got a call from that elected official asking why I was meeting with Mr. Hurt and talking about her personal life. Matthew had tweeted he was in a meeting the Republican leaders and myself talking about those rumors. The lied and mislead people then and continues to do so to this day.  Mr. Hurt has a long history of attacking anyone and everyone he disagrees with. It is a shameful waste of talent.

Hope this answers your questions.

Tim Rudd

I still think Tim needs to answer the question: Was his attack on the 9-12 group motivated by his being a paid consultant for one of the candidates? 

Also, I think we should ask the State Party: Is it appropriate that a member of the State Executive Committee is allowed to be paid for work they do on behalf of a candidate in a Republican primary?  Should not members of the State Executive Committee refrain from openly supporting candidates in the primary?  

For more information on this controversy, see the following post:

SHIRLEY COLUMN: Rutherford County Republican leaders try to sink Tea Party's ship

J. Lee Douglas of 9-12 replies to Tim Rudd in open letter

Local Republicans divided over conservative organizations

Tim Rudd: I am not picking a fight with 9-12.

Who does Tim Rudd work for and is that the reason for the 9-12 letter?

A split in conservative ranks: Why is Tim Rudd picking a fight with 9/12?

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Susan Lynn announces re-election plans for District 57 State House seat

MOUNT JULIET, TN— Susan Lynn has officially announced her re-election plans for the House District 57 seat in the August Republican primary.

At a gathering of supporters and friends, Lynn stated, “As your representative, I worked hard every day to help our district. I returned your phone calls, answered your emails and helped you with your state government issues – it was one of the greatest privileges of my life. I hope to continue in the mission of public service on which I embarked when first elected in 2002.”

Lynn has earned a reputation for being a conservative champion of limited government, states’ rights, capitalism, and our constitutional freedoms. She mentioned several examples of her work such as the Regulatory Flexibility Act, Tennessee State Sovereignty Resolution, the Religious Freedom Protection Act and reducing the sales tax on food by a full 1 percent. Lynn stated that she is proud to share her conservative record at www.susanlynn.net.

Lynn continued, “I remain firmly against a state income tax, a firm advocate for 2nd Amendment Rights, and firmly committed to upholding the sanctity of life. I strongly supported education in our state and brought many much needed TDOT projects to our fast growing district including Mt. Juliet Road and Rt 109. The citizens of our district are conservative; I am proud to share my faithful conservative record with them."

Lynn served the 57th district from 2002-2010 in the State House. In 2009 she declared her candidacy for the 17th district State Senate seat after the incumbent senator announced her retirement. Some ten months later when the incumbent reversed that decision, Lynn found herself in an unfortunate primary that she did not want. Lynn did not reach an overall majority of votes but her numbers within the precincts of the 57th district were strong at 58 percent of the vote.

Lynn said, “I was both surprised and honored to receive such a sound endorsement from the people of the district. The voters know me and my faithful commitment to them, and it is the voters that have urged me to seek public office again."

This Session the General Assembly voted on a redistricting plan which takes effect after the November General Election. While Lynn’s residence hasn’t changed, the new district will border her back yard. Upon winning the primary, Lynn and her husband will establish residence within the upcoming legal boundaries before the general election.

Lynn wrapped up her remarks by stating “I ask for the honor of your vote which would allow me to serve you again in the Tennessee General Assembly. I truly did my best; working hard to be the most effective, attentive and responsive legislator; that commitment to you will never change. My past service has proven that I have the experience necessary to meet the many needs our area.”

Lynn is the manager of regulatory compliance at Simplicity Creative Group; owned by private investors the company makes over 20,000 products. As representative of the 57th district, Lynn served as the chairman of the House Government Operations Committee, a member of the House Calendar & Rules Committee, the House Commerce Committee and the Small Business Sub-Committee. Lynn served as National Chairman of the Commerce Insurance and Economic Development Task Force for the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) for four years. Lynn is a member of First Baptist Church in Mt. Juliet. A resident of Pointe Barton subdivision, Susan is married to Michael, her husband of 30 years. Both their son and his wife are Tech Sergeants in the Tennessee Air Guard, and their daughter and her husband work for Publix Supermarkets in the two Mt. Juliet locations. They also have a three-month-old grandson.

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Below are a batch of Council budget hearings. I watched most of the Mayor's budget hearing, but can not watch the Council budget hearings as fast as they are produced. In addition to blogging, I have a life. If anyone watches these and has an insight, please share it.

To really understand the difficult task facing the Council, one needs to watch the hearings. In addition to understanding the difficulty of cutting the budget, watching the hearing will reveal which council members are really studying the issue and thinking and asking the hard questions. I know their are questions, I would like to ask. I want to see if anyone ask them.

If I watch any of these and provide commentary I will update this post.

  06/07/12 State Fair

06/07/12 Sports Authority

 

06/07/12 Parks

06/07/12 Municipal Auditorium

06/07/12 Library

06/07/12 Human Resources

06/07/12 Finance

06/07/12 General Services & Farmers Market

 This is one I want to watch. I am not convinced that the Farmers Market deserves a major increase in their subsidy. Farmers market has been terribly mismanaged. If they can't pay their operating cost, then cut them back; don't expand the subsidy. 

06/07/12 ITS & Metro 3

 

06/06/12 Community Education Commission

 

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Dean Tugs at heart strings to sell tax hike

Dean Tugs Heart Strings Selling Tax Hike to Rotary

Monday, June 11th, 2012, by Blake Farmer, WPLN News

 Nashville Mayor Karl Dean made a more personal plea for a 53-cent property tax hike Monday. He found a receptive audience with the influential Downtown Rotary Club. Most of the increase is slated for Metro Schools. It would be used to bump starting pay for teachers from $35,000 to $40,000. Another big chunk would go toward renovations particularly in Southeast Davidson County, which has the city’s fastest growing population.(read more)

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean speaks to Downtown Rotary Club at the Wildhorse Saloon.

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SHIRLEY COLUMN: Rutherford County Republican leaders try to sink Tea Party's ship

by Stephen Shirley, dnj.com, June 10, 2012

(excerpt) It is interesting to note that Rudd’s opinion on involvement from outside groups seems to have changed pretty dramatically in the past two years. In 2010, during the campaign for the Tennessee’s 6th Congressional District, Rudd wasn’t nearly as outspoken when, as campaign manager for Lou Ann Zelenik, he had his candidate take part in numerous candidate forums sponsored by groups unaffiliated with the GOP.

Zelenik and every other candidate for the congressional seat, including Kerry Roberts for whom I worked, participated in a forum sponsored by the Wilson County Tea Party as well as one sponsored by the Tennessee Farm Bureau. Furthermore, all of the candidates took part in a luncheon held by the same local 9/12 group that Rudd is now telling to butt out of GOP affairs.  (read more)

It is interesting to see how Tim Rudd's opinion has changed on the issue of outside groups. Personally, I think it should be a conflict of interest for a member of the Executive Committee to be a paid consultant for a candidate as is Tim Rudd. To read more on this issue,  see the following:

J. Lee Douglas of 9-12 replies to Tim Rudd in open letter

Local Republicans divided over conservative organizations

Tim Rudd: I am not picking a fight with 9-12.

Who does Tim Rudd work for and is that the reason for the 9-12 letter?

A split in conservative ranks: Why is Tim Rudd picking a fight with 9/12?

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No member of Congress more conservative than Diane Black

National Journal's vote ratings for 2011 are out, and among the top 10 conservative members of the House,  each of them tied for No. 1, is Diane Black. (link)

There are those trying to paint Diane Black as a liberal, in order to advance the candidacy of Lou Ann Zelenik. It can't be done. There are zero members of Congress more conservative than Diane Black.  I doubt there is much difference between how Diane Black and Lou Ann Zelenik would vote.  They are both conservative. The main difference, as I see it, is that Lou Ann Zelenik does not believe the First Amendment applies to Muslims. Diane Black supports the Constitution.

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What happens at the June 12th Council meeting? Not much..

The only reason I can see for this meeting is to adopt the capital improvements budget. It must me adopted by June 15th. The capital improvements budget is a planning document that prioritizes capital improvement projects. It appropriates no money.

The operating budget nor the tax increase are on this agenda. The other items have already been explained on second reading and are not controversial. this should be a very short meeting.  Here is a link to the agenda which links to the analysis:  Nashville.gov - Metropolitan Clerk - Agenda

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Hold Rutherford mosque hearing. Shut up haters. Move on.

by Gail Kerr, The Tennessean, Jun 10, 2012

The haters are on the move again in Rutherford County.

Chancellor Robert Corlew III’s ruling that the county did not provide adequate notice of a planning commission meeting during which it approved a new mosque has set off comments like those made by Lou Ann Zelenik, who is running for Congress. She said the ruling shows the Muslims building the mosque have been guilty of “Islamic lying.”

Good grief. Please, please, Rutherford Countians, do not elect someone who would spew such ignorance.

And for Pete’s sake, county officials. Put this thing to bed once and for all. You’ve let the haters run their mouths for two years. Follow the judge’s orders. Advertise a new meeting. Hold it. Vote for the thing. And let’s move on. (read more)

I essentially agree. I would not myself classify all of the opponents of the Mosque as "haters" however, but the label may fit for some. I would say most are "people who do not understand or appreciate the constitution," or they are "misguided" or they are "people who have abandoned their values out of fear" or something else. 

Some politician however are pandering to the worst in people. I don't know if Lou Ann Zelenik is pandering or if she is so fearful of Islam that she is willing to abandon the Constitution.  Anyone who can take the position that Muslim do not have the right to build a Mosque and defend that view by  rationalizing that Islam, which is the world's second largest religion, is not really a religion could clearly rationalize their way into any position. I fear people who think like Lou Ann Zelenik more than I fear the Muslims of Murfressboro.

In world war II when FDR imprisoned 110,000 Japanese-Americans, that was a popular decision. Were all who supported that decision "haters?" They were people who were fearful that a minority among them may have loyalties to a foreign power or ideology and were not good Americans and that the country was in peril and so they were willing to abandon their principles, rationalize away constitutional protections, and abandon their values our of fear. I think that is what we are seeing today.

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