It seems TNDP Chair Gray Sasser is taking a lot (most?) of the heat for the Kurita decision.
In fairness, it wasn't his decision. It was the 33-member TNDP Executive Committee's decision. We haven't seen the minutes or the roll call yet. I don't know if Gray Sasser even has a vote.
And I don't know anything about the internal goings on in the state party apparatchik (or Nashville or Memphis politics where most of it seems to originate) or how complicit Sasser may or may not be in the beefs of one sort or another many of us have with the guy, but it hardly seems fair to blame him for all the ills of Tennessee Democrats. He has a pretty tough job given the political climate in our state. It ranks right down there with the guy who shovels elephant shit at the circus. Oh, wait...
Submitted by Andy Axel on Mon, 09/15/2008 - 12:31.
In fairness, it wasn't his decision. It was the 33-member TNDP Executive Committee's decision. We haven't seen the minutes or the roll call yet. I don't know if Gray Sasser even has a vote.
In fairness to the frustrated, he certainly did himself no favors by going to the press in the wake of the decision and saying that the executive committee did the right thing in seizing control of the primary process (while punting the actual decision to the county committees).
This whole episode demonstrates a lack of leadership.
__________________________________
Paid for by Slightly Silly Citizens for Tarquin Fintim Limbim Whimbim Lim Bus Stop F'Tang F'Tang Olé Biscuit Barrel '08.
Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 09/15/2008 - 15:27.
Rumor has it a lot of it's coming from the West Tennessee portion of the aristocracy...to judge from the campaign contributions to Tim Barnes from the McWherter family.
Same source says Wilder himself came to a Barnes fundraiser this summer and made such an incoherent speech that Barnes disavowed himself and said he hadn't invited Wilder.
(Hi guys. Sorry I've been quiet. Have been off rabble-rousing on some of the national blogs. Good to see you taking this on.)
Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 09/23/2008 - 13:22.
"Same source says Wilder himself came to a Barnes fundraiser this summer and made such an incoherent speech that Barnes disavowed himself and said he hadn't invited Wilder."
Where can we get a copy of these wild Wilder babblings?
Submitted by LeftWingCracker on Thu, 09/18/2008 - 00:27.
Y'all, there's more to this than meets the eye. I've been talking to my folks out here, and this was a planned attack by the Goopers. One of the things I learned is that Ramsey personally blocked a couple of Republicans who wanted to run for Senate 22, telling them that they were protecting Kurita.
Which, of course, is why she refused to commit to voting for ANY Democrat for Speaker. And, of course, why I am supporting Barnes in the general, as I did in the primary.
Where the TDP screwed up, other than not pushing for party registration, is by not denying her the right to run as a Democrat in the first place, which would have been their legal right to do, just as they were within legal precedent to void the election based on irregularities.
Ultimately, the parties are responsible for determining who may or may not run under their banner. They should have taken a proactive course in the spring, forcing her to run as the Republican she has become.
I will have more on this later, I'll crosspost here and LWC.
Submitted by Eleanor A on Thu, 09/18/2008 - 19:51.
I'll say it again: You name names on "your folks," and I'll be willing to take you more seriously, personally. Otherwise this is a bunch of thirdhand innuendo from people who may or may not have agendas - personal, financial or otherwise.
Frankly, I think it's pretty shocking, watching a bunch of Democrats piling on to elect some dude with zero legislative experience - at the cost of throwing out somebody with 12 years of seniority and a ton of awards and accolades.
And I'll say it: And who are quite enthusiastic in regard to reducing the numbers of women in the TN State Legislature from a paltry 16% to an even more pathetic number. I sure as hell don't see Jim Kyl out busting his ass on women's issues, unlike a certain diminutive Senate leader from Clarksville.
______________________________________
“Don't wait. The time will never be just right.” - Napoleon Hill
Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 09/23/2008 - 13:28.
"...Ramsey personally blocked a couple of Republicans who wanted to run for Senate 22..."
That is a patent falsehood.
ANYONE in the state of Tennesse can run as anything they want. All they need is 25 (read: twenty-five) registered voters signing a petition in the district up for grabs and that person is a candidate. Now party support of that candidate may be another thing entirely. But Ramsey could not block anyone from running just as a matchstick couldn't block the mighty Cumberland River from running.
Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 09/19/2008 - 14:57.
I am a partisan Democrat & support Democratic nominees..I would if I could vote Barnes.
It's a wonderful day here in foothills of the Smokies.. as I look out my window @ Neyland Stadium & counting down the hours till the Gator-Vol kickoff I decided to blog away..so here goes.
I quote Greg Johnson's Knoxville N-S column today(if you dont want to ruin your day dont go there..just take my word for it)."(Barnes) did have legal grounds for his appeal."There is a state law that requires the voter to be a bona fide member of the party to vote in the primary of that party."Brook Thompson told (Mr.Johnson)by phone.."
Futhermore,the federal courts have loathed to rule against the major political parties ability to conduct their own affairs defining "political parties as private associations & as such have a 1st Amendment right to exclude those that disagree with them & stucture their affairs as they see fit."(got this quote from googling political party 1st Amendment..but didnt write down the source).
Therefore,seams to me,since the federal courts generally agree(Voting Rights Act violations are always the exception) that the political parties have a 1st Amendment right to free association & the right of political parties to free association is codified in Tn law..dont see a federal court ruling in favor of Senator Kurita.
Maybe,maybe,maybe Kurita's lawyers could reach back to the early 1900s when the first party primaries were conducted.In those days the primaries were a method to break the ward healers & political bosses lock on the parties nominating process.The political bosses argued the 1st Amendment right to free association.However,the federal courts ruled that the peoples right to vote superseded the political parties right to free association.In my opinion,today,that argument wont go far in federal court.
OTH,with the winds of change blowing hard,the arguement that the people not the partisan political bosses run this state is the sweet spot in this election.
Finally,in the big picture & there aint no bigger picture than the presidential election..both McCain-Palin & Obama-Biden are running on reform platforms.Certainly there is a great debate on which ticket's reform one is for BUT if the confluence of the forces for reform in the 22nd district is Citizen Kurita's write-in campaign..well lets just say..there is trouble in River City & that spells DEFEAT for Barnes.
By the way..anybody out there ever seen the bumper sticker...BUCK FAMA?..switch the B & the F and see what that spells.
But any way you spell it with Florida it's still..you get the picture.
Go Vols,
Bill Young blogging from the epicenter
of Big Orange Country.
In fairness to the frustrated, he certainly did himself no favors by going to the press in the wake of the decision and saying that the executive committee did the right thing in seizing control of the primary process (while punting the actual decision to the county committees).
This whole episode demonstrates a lack of leadership.
__________________________________
Paid for by Slightly Silly Citizens for Tarquin Fintim Limbim Whimbim Lim Bus Stop F'Tang F'Tang Olé Biscuit Barrel '08.
going to the press in the wake of the decision and saying that the executive committee did the right thing
Missed that. Doesn't surprise me, though. I bet a lot of this is coming from above his pay grade. Transparency isn't one of TNDP's strong suits.
Rumor has it a lot of it's coming from the West Tennessee portion of the aristocracy...to judge from the campaign contributions to Tim Barnes from the McWherter family.
Same source says Wilder himself came to a Barnes fundraiser this summer and made such an incoherent speech that Barnes disavowed himself and said he hadn't invited Wilder.
(Hi guys. Sorry I've been quiet. Have been off rabble-rousing on some of the national blogs. Good to see you taking this on.)
Sorry, that was me. Apparently I've forgotten how to hit 'submit' properly. :)
______________________________________
“Don't wait. The time will never be just right.” - Napoleon Hill
"Same source says Wilder himself came to a Barnes fundraiser this summer and made such an incoherent speech that Barnes disavowed himself and said he hadn't invited Wilder."
Where can we get a copy of these wild Wilder babblings?
Jim Boyd
spamcatcher@cooljim.com
Y'all, there's more to this than meets the eye. I've been talking to my folks out here, and this was a planned attack by the Goopers. One of the things I learned is that Ramsey personally blocked a couple of Republicans who wanted to run for Senate 22, telling them that they were protecting Kurita.
Which, of course, is why she refused to commit to voting for ANY Democrat for Speaker. And, of course, why I am supporting Barnes in the general, as I did in the primary.
Where the TDP screwed up, other than not pushing for party registration, is by not denying her the right to run as a Democrat in the first place, which would have been their legal right to do, just as they were within legal precedent to void the election based on irregularities.
Ultimately, the parties are responsible for determining who may or may not run under their banner. They should have taken a proactive course in the spring, forcing her to run as the Republican she has become.
I will have more on this later, I'll crosspost here and LWC.
I'll say it again: You name names on "your folks," and I'll be willing to take you more seriously, personally. Otherwise this is a bunch of thirdhand innuendo from people who may or may not have agendas - personal, financial or otherwise.
Frankly, I think it's pretty shocking, watching a bunch of Democrats piling on to elect some dude with zero legislative experience - at the cost of throwing out somebody with 12 years of seniority and a ton of awards and accolades.
And I'll say it: And who are quite enthusiastic in regard to reducing the numbers of women in the TN State Legislature from a paltry 16% to an even more pathetic number. I sure as hell don't see Jim Kyl out busting his ass on women's issues, unlike a certain diminutive Senate leader from Clarksville.
______________________________________
“Don't wait. The time will never be just right.” - Napoleon Hill
"...Ramsey personally blocked a couple of Republicans who wanted to run for Senate 22..."
That is a patent falsehood.
ANYONE in the state of Tennesse can run as anything they want. All they need is 25 (read: twenty-five) registered voters signing a petition in the district up for grabs and that person is a candidate. Now party support of that candidate may be another thing entirely. But Ramsey could not block anyone from running just as a matchstick couldn't block the mighty Cumberland River from running.
I know... I've been there.
Jim Boyd
Link...
So, how do you explain Lenny Ladner running as a Democrat in the primary for U.S. Senate?
I am a partisan Democrat & support Democratic nominees..I would if I could vote Barnes.
It's a wonderful day here in foothills of the Smokies.. as I look out my window @ Neyland Stadium & counting down the hours till the Gator-Vol kickoff I decided to blog away..so here goes.
I quote Greg Johnson's Knoxville N-S column today(if you dont want to ruin your day dont go there..just take my word for it)."(Barnes) did have legal grounds for his appeal."There is a state law that requires the voter to be a bona fide member of the party to vote in the primary of that party."Brook Thompson told (Mr.Johnson)by phone.."
Futhermore,the federal courts have loathed to rule against the major political parties ability to conduct their own affairs defining "political parties as private associations & as such have a 1st Amendment right to exclude those that disagree with them & stucture their affairs as they see fit."(got this quote from googling political party 1st Amendment..but didnt write down the source).
Therefore,seams to me,since the federal courts generally agree(Voting Rights Act violations are always the exception) that the political parties have a 1st Amendment right to free association & the right of political parties to free association is codified in Tn law..dont see a federal court ruling in favor of Senator Kurita.
Maybe,maybe,maybe Kurita's lawyers could reach back to the early 1900s when the first party primaries were conducted.In those days the primaries were a method to break the ward healers & political bosses lock on the parties nominating process.The political bosses argued the 1st Amendment right to free association.However,the federal courts ruled that the peoples right to vote superseded the political parties right to free association.In my opinion,today,that argument wont go far in federal court.
OTH,with the winds of change blowing hard,the arguement that the people not the partisan political bosses run this state is the sweet spot in this election.
Finally,in the big picture & there aint no bigger picture than the presidential election..both McCain-Palin & Obama-Biden are running on reform platforms.Certainly there is a great debate on which ticket's reform one is for BUT if the confluence of the forces for reform in the 22nd district is Citizen Kurita's write-in campaign..well lets just say..there is trouble in River City & that spells DEFEAT for Barnes.
By the way..anybody out there ever seen the bumper sticker...BUCK FAMA?..switch the B & the F and see what that spells.
But any way you spell it with Florida it's still..you get the picture.
Go Vols,
Bill Young blogging from the epicenter
of Big Orange Country.
Florida beats us bad..Auburn looms..GO VOLS!!!!!!!!!!