Published by jen June 6th, 2007
in National and State.
First the University of Tennessee turned down the RIAA/Napster music tax in 2004 that would’ve forced each student to pay a mandatory $9.99 per month fee regardless of whether or not the student wanted or ever used the service (given the university’s size that would’ve added up to almost $2 million dollars a month for a service no one wanted). The tax proposed was a mob-like protection money scheme that amounted to “you pay us X amount per month for the use of our services (Napster is a rental service and songs expire when you stop paying) and we (the RIAA) won’t sue.”
Continue reading ‘List of TN Lawmakers that sold out to RIAA’
Published by jen May 31st, 2007
in State.
Say goodbye to your constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures and open up your wallet while you’re at it –this thing’s gonna cost. The Johnia Berry Act of 2007 has been signed by Governor Bredesen. It’s another “feel good” law, popular with both the public and legislators because it appears aimed only at criminals, but the law is unmindful of the rights laid out in the Constitution.
According to the City Paper,
“The state Attorney General has opined that the legislation is “constitutionally suspect” for reasons that, in part, include that those arrested have greater privacy rights than those convicted of violent crimes.”
Continue reading ‘Bredesen Signs DNA Database Law’
Published by jen May 25th, 2007
in State.
Six Tennessee legislators voted against the Rosa Parks Act, an act that would expunge the records of those that were charged with breaking old (and might I add unconstitutional) segregation laws. The legislators (all republican and all in the House) are:
Rep. Kevin Brooks, R-Cleveland
Rep. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville
Rep. Chris Crider, R-Milan
Rep. Bill Dunn, R-Knoxville
Rep. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald
Rep. Donna Rowland, R-Murfreesboro
Continue reading ‘TN List of Shame’
Published by jen May 22nd, 2007
in State.
A belated Mother’s Day Treat! Time has been fleeting these past few weeks as things have heated up in Maynardville (the stories we’re covering and researching for the newspaper have taken away from the blog). That said, I came across a wonderful list of Tennessee’s women bloggers put together by Jack Lail, Michael Silence, and Newscoma’s Tracy Sharp.
Check it out here.
Technorati Tags: tn bloggers, tn women bloggers, tennessee women bloggers.
Update: Jack Lail’s Blog
Published by jen March 30th, 2007
in State.
Two partisans enter…two partisans agree!??! No, the chainsaw didn’t run out of gas and the hammer didn’t break in mid-strike. Rather, the idiocy of two separate initiatives by Gov. Bredesen has brought right and left together. I’m talking about two issues: tobacco taxes to fund education and toll roads to fund new roads, quite eloquently brought up and torn asunder by fellow blogger Mike Faulk over at Mountain ‘Publican.
Continue reading ‘This ain’t how it’s supposed to go in the Thunderdome’
Published by jen March 26th, 2007
in Local and State.
In what has been interpreted as an act of war by some state republicans, Union County’s native son, Senator Mike Williams, declared his independence last Wednesday by announcing that he was leaving the GOP to become a political Independent. His decision returns the balance of power in the state senate to an even 16-16 split between Republicans and Democrats.
Williams explained his decision to leave stating that, “Some in the party are leading us down a path of bitterness and divisiveness and, in doing so, they have left me. I have not left them.”
Williams, who is known for voting his conscience even when it strays from the party line, first found himself in GOP crosshairs after his vote for John Wilder in 2005. Back then, he crossed the aisle along with fellow Republican Senator Tim Burchett of Knoxville to give Wilder the votes needed to retain his position as Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the Senate. While Burchett was forgiven by party loyalists, Senator Williams was not. The intervening years saw a build-up of GOP scorn for Williams that culminated in online Mike Williams “watches,” that monitored the senator’s every move. The 2006 midterms produced a 17-16 split between senate Republicans and Democrats and yet another opportunity arose for the control of the senate to go to either party.
Continue reading ‘Senator Mike Williams: A Declaration of Independence’
Published by jen January 27th, 2007
in State.
In a move that will surely grab headlines, if not actually address or solve our state’s problems, State Rep. Stacy Campfield is proposing that the state of Tennessee institute a tax on pornography and the adult industry.
According to the News Sentinel:
Some people questioned about the proposal, including Gov. Phil Bredesen, said it may be unconstitutional. Campfield, R-Knoxville, said the proposed tax would apply - at the least - to sexually oriented materials that legally cannot be sold to persons under age 18. This would cover videos, books, magazines and sexual devices, he said. Movies with an “R” rating or lower would not be taxed, but those with an X rating would, he said.
The bill is in the process of being researched and drafted, he said, with many details unresolved. Campfield said he is “exploring” a broader definition of what would be taxed, perhaps adding exotic dance clubs - “lap dancing and that sort of thing.”
Continue reading ‘Tennessee Legislator Says: Let’s Tax Porn!’
Published by jen January 9th, 2007
in Local and State.
More on this later but for now check
here The surprise of the day is Democrat Rosalind Kurita crossed the aisle to vote Ramsey and Mike Williams voted Ramsey as well. The vote was 18-15.
Published by jen January 2nd, 2007
in State.
In an attack more worthy of a rabid pundit than a legislator, Knoxville’s State Representative, Stacey Campfield, decided it would be a good idea to post the mugshots of a couple that he doesn’t like to his blog and award them with a lump of digital coal.
Their offense was apparently being the owner and the wife of the owner of Knoxville’s Metro Pulse, a news zine that Campfield dubs a “Looney left news rag,” as well as being two individuals he doesn’t like. I echo TnProgressive’s sentiments on the matter in that I expect this kind of thing when I go to Drudge, Limbaugh, or Hannity –even us bloggers and regular media personnel, but not from a state representative.
Continue reading ‘State Legislator Stacey Campfield Attacks Private Citizens’
Published by jen December 29th, 2006
in State.
That’s what the Nashville City Paper is calling it anyway and I tend to agree. The year 2006 revealed the corruption that’s been festering under the skin of our state’s political and economic system for quite some time –lest we forget that it wasn’t so long ago that Senator Bill Frist’s family owned HCA/Humana pulled off the biggest corporate fraud of its day without so much as one person going to jail. What was our state’s response? Why, we made him a US Senator.
Yet Bill Frist’s and his family’s scandals, although some of largest and most “high profile,” are far from being the first major ones we’ve produced. Tennesseans, as the Nashville City Paper’s review of 2006 shows, seem to have a knack for producing and attracting corrupt politicians and nefarious businessmen intent on defrauding both citizens and the state’s coffers.
Continue reading ‘2006: Tennessee’s Year of Corruption’
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