ACLU sues Davidson County, state over ballot issues; parties seek a fix for voters
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Saturday, November 05, 2022
Is a Prison-labor ban a smart move? I am voting against Amendment 3.
By Chandra Bozelko, Wall Street Journal, Nov. 4, 2022 - I worked in York Correctional Institution’s kitchen for five years. I earned 75 cents a day for the first year, then got a raise to $1.75 a day. That job is the reason I’m alive. The work was menial, but it provided physical and mental escape from the Connecticut prison cell where I was serving a sentence for larceny, identity theft and improper use of a credit card.
A movement against prison labor seems to be gaining ground. The 13th Amendment outlawed slavery and involuntary servitude, “except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.” The constitutions of 19 states have similar language. On Tuesday voters in five of them—Alabama, Louisiana, Oregon, Tennessee and Vermont—will decide whether to rewrite their charters to abolish that exception.
Colorado voters led the way by passing a similar ballot measure in 2018; Nebraska and Utah followed in 2020. So far these measures have had no effect on the state’s prison-labor programs, although litigation is pending against Colorado’s. If it succeeds, the state may have to pay prisoners minimum wage if they work at all.
Rod's Comment: It appears to me that the same concerns expressed in the above article could apply to Tennessee should the voters adopt Amendment 3 in the upcoming election. I have not read anything to allay my concerns. I am voting "no" on Amendment #3.
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Florida Bans Puberty Blockers and Transgender Surgery for Minors. Tennessee should do the same.
By BRITTANY BERNSTEIN, National Review, November 4, 2022 - The Florida Board of Medicine and state Board of Osteopathic Medicine voted Friday to ban puberty blockers and sex-reassignment surgery as treatments for transgender minors in the state. ... Florida is also one of at least nine states that prohibits Medicaid coverage of gender-transition services.
... More than 70 percent of children with gender dysphoria “typically outgrow” it, ... A clinic that offered gender-transition services for children in England was closed down after NHS England found it was “not a safe or viable long-term option.” (link)
Rod's Comment: We need to stop the mutilation of children and ban the chemical castration of children in Tennessee. If Tennessee is not one of the nine states that prohibits Medicaid coverage of gender transition services, it should be.
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Thursday, November 03, 2022
An unknown number of voters have cast ballots in the wrong congressional race in Nashville
by Rod Williams, Nov. 2 - According to the Associated Press, some Nashville voters have cast ballots in the wrong congressional districts. Some voters in the 7th Congressional District were grouped wrongly with the 6th or the 5th. This mistake involved only one prescient and 1,350 voters live in that precinct.
In the 7th Congressional District, Democrat Odessa Kelly is running against Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Green. Green will most likely win in a landslide, so this error will not change the outcome.
In the 6th, incumbent Republicans John Rose is being challenged by Democrat Randal Cooper but Rose is expected to handily win that race so this SNAFU should not impact the outcome of the election.
While the original AP story did not say the mix-up impacted the 5th Congressional Districts, other reports say this impacts both the 5th, 6th, and 7th. In the 5th, Republican Andy Ogles is running against Democrat Heidi Campbell. If the race is close, no matter which way it goes, the losing candidate could claim that had people who live in the 7th not voted in the 5th, he would have won the election.
Mistakes happen and there is no provision for an election do-over. It can be determined which voter voted in the wrong district, but no way to know how they voted. This is an unfortunate occurrence at a time when many Republicans do not trust election integrity and when Democrats think there was something inappropriate about the redrawing of district boundaries.
Despite Republicans controlling the redistricting process and all affected counties having Republican-majority election commissions, many Trumpinistas are ready to believe the most far-fetched conspiracy theory. Should Ogles lose by only a handful of votes, one can be certain that Trumpinista Republicans will blame the "deep state" and "insiders" for stealing the election.
Democrats are loudly blaming the mix-up on redistricting. “This is the result of a racist, bigoted, money-hungry Republican Legislature who is doing everything to hoard power to keep the system rigged against everyday working-class people,” said Nashville resident Odessa Kelly, the Democratic candidate for the 7th Congressional District seat. (*)
I hope Andy Ogles wins this election, but whichever candidate wins I hope it is by such a significant margin that the election results are not in question.
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Bellevue Breakfast Club - Nov. 5th. Featured speakers Congressman Mark Green (TN7) and former Mayor Andy Ogles (candidate TN5)
From Lonnie Spivak:
 |
| Congressman Dr. Mark Green (TN7) and Former Mayor Andy Ogles (TN5) |
Greeting Breakfast Club Members,
It is hard to believe we have made it through two years with Joe Biden and his cabal "in charge" of the country. FINALLY we get our chance to send a message with a RED WAVE in the 2022 mid-term elections.
It gives me great pleasure to introduce our VIP speakers for our November meeting. Because Bellevue straddles two congressional districts with the newly redrawn lines, I am honored to have both Congressman Dr. Mark Green (TN7) and Former Mayor Andy Ogles (TN5) with us the first Saturday in November.
Please join us Saturday, November 5th, 8:30am at Plantation Pub, 8321 Sawyer Brown Rd., Nashville, TN 37221 as we welcome two great Tennesseans. I am sure there will be a lot of inside baseball as we head to Election Day.
Our friend Michelle Forman needs volunteers to help her get across the finish line. Please let me know if you have time to either knock on doors or make phone calls for her as we enter the final stretch.
Thank you all and I will see you soon.
Lonnie
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Rep. Susan Lynn's views on the Proposed Constitutional Amendments
From Representative Susan Lynn:Representative Susan Lynn
Hi there,
I have been asked for my views on the Constitutional Amendments that are on the ballot.
Here is how I am personally voting on each,
Amendment 1 - YES
Amendment 2 - YES
Amendment 3 - NO
Amendment 4 - YES
Here is why I have decided to vote as I have,
Amendment 1 – Simply adds the right-to-work to our Constitution. It is current law and Tennessee is a better state because we are a right-to-work state.
Amendment 2 – Adds a process whereby the Speaker can step-in as acting-Governor should the Governor because incapacitated (such as with covid). The process includes a mechanism for him to resume his duties when he is again well.
Amendment 3 – This changes language in the Constitution regarding prisoners. Our current Constitution makes it clear that inmates lose certain constitutional rights. This provision states that “Nothing shall keep a prisoner from working…” Right now, having a job if you are an inmate is a merit-based system based on good behavior and other positive factors. They are paid less than minimum wage. Some of their pay is held back in savings for when they exit the institution and some, they are permitted to spend in the PX. We do not have enough jobs for all inmates, nor the money to pay all inmates. I am very concerned that we will be sued by inmates demanding a job and demanding at least minimum wage. We provide every inmate with free room, board, and medical care…imagine if we are literally paying them a wage to be in jail.
Amendment 4 – This simply takes obsolete language out of the state Constitution that was deemed unconstitutional many years ago by a court.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
Rep. Susan Lynn
Rep. Susan Lynn
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Wednesday, November 02, 2022
Tuesday, November 01, 2022
We should be better than Paul Pelosi conspiracy theories and better than blaming the attack on MAGA extremism.
by David Marcus, The Spectator, November 1, 2022 - ... Democrats pounced, as usual, on their claims of MAGA extremism; meanwhile, too many on the right have indulged in disgusting conspiracy theories about the assault.
... Meanwhile, Charlie Kirk — whose organization Turning Point USA has made him one of the most influential voices on the right, especially among young conservatives — took to social media to ask a “patriot” to bail out David DePape, the suspected attacker, in order to get at the truth. Aside from this sounding a lot like Kamala Harris pitching for people to bail out 2020 rioters, it would put someone who seems to be a dangerous lunatic back on the streets.
Across conservative Twitter, though thankfully not in responsible outlets, all kinds of weird conspiracies about what DePape was doing at the Pelosi residence have been bandied about. Most share in common a vilification of Paul Pelosi and an absolute dearth of anything approaching actual evidence. The general attitude seems to be that these voices don’t trust the authorities, and are just asking questions, even if the questions just happen to paint Pelosi as some kind of sex fiend. This is not good enough.
Let’s be clear: the Democrat chorus that this attack is the fault of Donald Trump and MAGA extremism is ridiculous, as are their appeals for Republicans to stop running attack ads a week before the election. By all accounts, DePape is a deranged man and there is little to suggest that anyone is responsible for his behavior but himself.
If conservatives adopt these despicable tactics, they will lose the war for our culture and society before a shot is even fired. You beat conspiracy theories with truth and facts, not by inventing more and more disgusting conspiracy theories of your own. (link)
Rod's Comment:
I watched the Sunday news shows and all condemned the attack and laid the blame at the feet of the supporters of Donald Trump who, they say, created an environment where this is encouraged. This is BS! Hard-hitting political ads and strong rhetoric are nothing new. I have been around a long time and I remember when Democrats ran ads against Barry Goldwater of a girl picking daisies and then a nuclear explosion occurred because that is what would happen if people elected Barry Goldwater the ad implied. You can't get much nastier than that and it has not stopped.
While I wish both sides would tone down the rhetoric, Dems have painted Republicans as warmongers and bigots and people who would push grandma over a cliff for as long as I can remember. Demonizing the other side is not a one-way street. Both sides do it.
Following the attack on Paul Pelosi's, mainstream newscasters almost all condemned political ads critical of Nancy Pelosi. Whichever party wins the House will pick the next Speaker, so certainly in every house race, Nancy Pelosi is on the ballot. She is fair game. The ads I saw attacking Nancy Pelosi were reasonable and none implied she should be subject to physical violence. I remember when Dems ran ads against Mitch McConnell.
While all people should condemn violence, Democrats have no room for self-righteous superiority. During the Antifa/BLM violence of 2020, police were attacked and injured and killed, millions upon millions of dollars of property damage occurred, and White people were at random beat simply because they were White. In Antifa-controlled autonomous zones, people were murdered and women were raped and good liberals stood by and understood the outrage and sent money to BLM. Don't tell me it is Republicans that created an atmosphere where political violence is acceptable. This didn't start with Donald Trump.
Don't forget the atmosphere liberal activist and the Democrat Party lap dog press created after the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade. An upset supporter of abortion rights tried to kill Judge Kavanaugh. I did not hear libs call for moderating the outrage.
I am dismayed at the nutty conspiracy theories circulating around this attack on Pelosi's husband and that some Republicans are implying there is more to it than what meets the eye. I used to think Democrats were the party of naive gullible fools and the Republicans Party was the party of sane rational people. Not anymore. I think there are more nut-jobs on the right than on the left these days. Unfortunately, Alex Jones and Marjorie Taylor Green are now mainstream Republicans.
(Rereading the above, I realized I used the term "fair game." I am not implying that Nancy Pelosi is fair game as in legal deer hunting season "fair game." One should not have to clarify that, and I am not going to make a habit of it. I am not going to be so aware of how someone else (some mentally deranged someone else) could misinterpret what I say, that I engage in self-sensorship of normal political discourse. Saying things like a candidate is "targetted" or is "fair game," are acceptable expressions and are not a call for killing the person.)
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Term sheet sheds light on details of new $2.1B Tennessee Titans stadium deal. Download it here.
By Jon Styf, The Center Square, Oct 20, 2022 -Members of the Metro Nashville City Council will be asked to approve a term sheet and legislation to enact a 1% hotel-motel tax starting Feb. 1 with its initial consideration of both to begin at the board’s Nov. 1 meeting.
The term sheet outlines plans for the projected $2.1 billion new stadium for the Titans, including the order of financing and how a fund that includes the hotel tax and sales tax at the stadium and outside the stadium can be used. The stadium is expected to be ready for the 2026 NFL preseason. The lease will be for the term of the bonds — about 30 years — with three five-year renewal options.
The term sheet was presented to the Metro Nashville Sports Authority by Deputy Mayor Sam Wilcox on Thursday.
The terms include the state of Tennessee contributing $500 million, Nashville contributing $760 million from its Sports Authority from the sales and hotel tax fund and the Titans, represented by an entity that will be called StadiumCo, will need to prove it can provide $840 million from the sale of personal seat licenses, an NFL loan and private financing.
The deal states, however, that the team would not be required to provide full operational financial information or audit rights. A letter from Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk, explaining that she cannot provide a guarantee she will not sell the team due to NFL rules, was included with the term sheet.
"I recently learned that your team has expressed a concern about a potential sale of the Titans and proposed a contract provision to address that concern," Strunk wrote in the letter to Nashville Mayor John Cooper.
"We fully expect to keep the Titans in Nashville," Strunk wrote. "Thankfully, NFL rules do allow us to make that commitment as part of the deal, and we were happy to include it in the term sheet. Perhaps more important, I should add that throughout this process we have never considered the possibility of relocating the team."
The $2.1 billion stadium cost will include the cost of demolishing the current Nissan Stadium. The Titans are responsible for paying off $30 million of bonds on the current stadium. The team has hired Manica Architecture, which build Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium, to complete the project.
The sales and hotel tax fund will first pay for the sports authority bonds. The team will not backstop the bonds and the city will be responsible from its general fund for backstopping them if required. The team will pay $3 per ticket sold for non-football events into the fund as well as continuing to pay a $3 ticket tax for Titans games into the fund as rent.
The Sports Authority will sign a separate agreement with Tennessee State to use the stadium.
If the stadium project cost exceeds $2.1 billion, the team will have to prove why that additional cost is necessary and prove it has the additional funds to pay for it.
The new terms include a "first-class" condition requirement with comparison stadiums being Allegiant Stadium, Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium and U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. A similar requirement has been used to say that Metro Nashville would have to pay between $1.75 billion and $1.95 billion to fulfill its obligations in the case the Titans were to take a team option to extend their current lease at Nissan Stadium. To this point, the Titans have not exercised that option.
If there is excess sales and hotel tax following the revenue bond payment, it can be used to fund capital projects and maintenance at the stadium. If those funds are not sufficient for a project, the Titans would be responsible for the cost.
If the Capital Repairs Fund cap is met, excess funds can be paid up to $25 million to Nashville’s general fund and then excess would be sent to a reserve fund. If the reserve fund meets 120% of its goal, and the revenue bonds are paid off, Metro Nashville would then have the option of ending the hotel tax.
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