Tennessee stayed Red, selecting John McCain as its presidential choice over Barack Obama, 30,167 to 25,702, a disappointment to the Clarksville for Obama organization, which ran a strong and well-organized Democratic effort on Obama’s behalf.

Republican Lamar Alexander retained his U.S. Senate Seat handily with 32,006 over his closest challenger, Democrat Robert D. Tuke, with 16,329.

Marsha Blackburn (R) comfortably held her seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, 22,573 to 13,150 over challenger Randy G. Morris.

John Tanner held his U.S. House of Representatives 8th District seat with 97% of the vote, or 6,420 votes.

Democratic Challenger Tim Barnes took the District 22 State Senate Seat, ousting incumbent Rosalind Kurita, 27,996 to 15,700.

Joe Pitts easily retained his Tennessee House of Representatives 67th District seat with 12,519 votes (97,26%).

Tennessee House of Representatives 68th District seat was retained by Curtis Johnson with 18,172 votes (97.94%).

The much touted Wheel Tax Referendum was soundly defeated, 32,924 to 18,353.

With 99.085 (28,282 votes), Judge Charles Smith retained his judiciary seat.

City Council races are as follows:

Ward 3: James Lewis, 1243; Vincent S. Kruk 345.

Ward 4: Wallace Redd, 1358; Edward Fowler, 672.

Ward 5: Candy Johnson, 1501; Gary K. Brown, 611, Aaryn Coyle, 268.

Ward 8: David Allen, 2517;  Jim Doyle, 1359, David Cutting, 633.

Ward 9: Joel Wallace, 2035.

Ward 12: Jeff Burkhart, 2297; Wayne Harrison, 1981.

In Houston County Barnes garnered 1907 to Kurita’s 1079.

St. Bethlehem School (District 1) had heavy turnout in the first two hours of voting

At the Jaycee’s on Hwy 48 (District 5), “we’ve had more people in the first hour than we had in the entire primary election.” The words “steady stream” and “heavy” turnout were heard at virtually every polling place. The early voting period saw a 40% turnout, and given the number to this hour, another 30-40% could vote by days end.

Campaigners with Obama/Biden and McCain/Palin joined up with Tim Barnes and Rosalind Kurita supporters to stake out visible spots at all polling sites.

Registered voters have until 7 p.m. to get in line to cast their vote; a significant turnout is expected as the “after work” voters arrive.

When the Supreme Court made the wrong decision to decide the presidential election in favor of Bush and not count the votes, I was dismayed.  My vote was stolen.  We all know the ramifications that has had over the past eight years.

1 Person, 1 Vote?

Jessica Cameron made a statement at last night’s session without saying a word.  She is a veteran of the Iraq war and a strong advocate for the environment.  Last year, she was the president of the APSU’s Students Organized to Advance Renewable Energy.

Protesting last night's tri-county convention and its selection of Tim Branes as state Senate District 22 candidate, Jessie Cameron protested the disenfranchising of 4000+ Kurita votes in the primary.

We felt pretty helpless and uncounted in our seats watching the hearings since neither bill we supported was even voted on in committee. However, we could tell that phone calls and emails to Senators and Representatives really have an impact on what happens in session.

While visiting our Clarksville Senator co-sponsoring this bill, Rosalind Kurita, she reminded us that Senators and Representatives have a rough and winding road to get bills passed – enduring frequent delays and other obstacles. Experience is critical to getting things done within this system. Senator Kurita was enthusiastic when she told us about her role on the Governor’s new task force to develop a Tennessee Comprehensive Energy Policy.

We also met with our Representative, Joe Pitts. “How are our issues doing?” asked Rep. Pitts as he took time out of his busy schedule to say hello and take a picture with Rossview High School students, Faith Robinson and Nicole Donnelly.

*SB 3822 Finney R.: Issuance of permits for surface mining.

This bill prohibits the department of environment and conservation from issuing permits related to surface mining until a new programmatic environmental impact statement (EIS) addressing direct and indirect site specific and cumulative impacts is completed and a record of decision is published in the Federal Register by the office of surface mining.

Recommended action: Support this bill, attend the committee hearing. This bill would stop mountain top removal in Tennessee.

The Senate committee did not vote on 4/2/08 and re-scheduled the hearing for 4/9/08. Unfortunately, a House subcommittee voted to kill the bill and adjourned for the year. Therefore, this bill cannot be passed this year. However, let the Senators know your views because it will probably resurface next year.

As far as the action in the House, here are the votes for and against the bill. Legislators voting for the bill were Reps. Frank Buck, D-Dowelltown; Brenda Gilmore, D-Nashville; and Mike Kernell, D-Memphis.

Those voting no were Reps. William Baird, R-Jacksboro; George Fraley, D-Winchester; Joe McCord, R-Maryville; Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains; and John Tidwell, D-New Johnsonville.

Some of this information was obtained from Knoxnews.com

The Senate met to discuss the same bill.

Senate Environment, Conservation & Tourism Committee members: Chair Kilby (D), Vice Chair Bunch (R), Secretary Jackson (D), R. Finney (R), Herron (D), Ketron (R), Roller (D), Southerland (R), M. Williams (I).

Senator Kilby, Chair, wanted to drop this bill several times but Senator Finney and Jackson argued successfully to put the bill back on the calendar for next week. They had to force the issue. Senator Bunch wanted to delay the vote for further study about the fiscal impact.

Debbie Boen overheard Senator Kilby telling someone in the hallway after session that he tried and tried and tried to kill it, but they wouldn’t let him. That’s how it went. We heard expert testimony to the effect that there is no agency or law that determines exactly how mountain top removal will be regulated and by whom.

Please thank Senators Finney and Jackson for insisting on taking action on this bill. Thank chair Tommy Kilby and Senator Bunch for taking the issue seriously at this time. Let him know that this is a very important issue to us and Tennessee and we want the Senate to lead our state in saving our mountains.

Bottle deposit bill

The other bill we were most interested in supporting, the bottle deposit bill, was put off for a week because there was no time to hear the case. Container deposit bills change behavior and are the single most effective tool yet devised to significantly and permanently reduce litter—more effective than curbside recycling, more effective than penalties, more effective than education programs, and certainly more effective than prisoner pickup programs.

Senate Government Operations — Wednesday at 2:00 pm
MEMBERS: Chair Harper (D), Vice Chair Marrero (D), Secretary O. Ford (D), Bunch (R), Crowe (R), J. Johnson (R), Stanley (R), Watson (R), Williams (I).

*SB 1408 Jackson: TN Deposit Beverage Container Act of 2007 (AKA the Bottle Bill). Requires deposit beverage distributors to pay a fee to the department a fee of one-half of one cent (increasing to three cents by July 2008) per deposit container and a separate deposit of 5 cents on each beverage in a deposit container manufactured in or imported to the state.

Recommended action: Support this bill, attend committee meeting.

SB 1408/HB 1829 creates the TN Beverage Container Act to increase recycling rates and reduce litter. This bill would place a refundable deposit on containers of beer, soda and other designated beverages. A large, nonpartisan coalition of organizations, including the Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs, Cumberland Harpeth Chapter of the Audubon Society, Scenic Tennessee, TN Conservation Voters, Tennessee Scenic Rivers, Loudon County Commission, Maury County Commission, Maury County Farm Bureau, Lebanon Beautification Board, Davy Crockett Ruritan District, Trout Unlimited, Keep Bristol Beautiful, Kiwanis Club of Tellico Village, Recycle Rutherford, Boone Watershed Partnership, League of Women Voters of Tennessee and Tennessee Sierra Club support this legislation because:

• A recent survey conducted by UT in which registered voters were asked if they would support a 5-cent refundable deposit on beverage containers as a way to reduce litter and increase recycling rates in Tennessee. An amazing 80.4 % of those polled said they would support such a bill–with almost half saying they would support it.
• Improved recycling rates generate lower landfill costs. Many Tennessee counties currently pay in excess of $30/ton to landfill solid wastes.
• In 2005, Tennessee was found to generate a total of almost 4 pounds of litter per person per year in Tennessee. In Maine, the state whose bottle bill most closely resembles the one we propose for Tennessee, the total litter generated per person was 4 ounces of litter per year.
• TDOT is spending $5 – 6 million per year picking up trash along state roadways. Counties are spending up to $6.5 million per year on litter collection and cities are spending millions to pick up litter on their streets.

We need a new strategy.

Numerous surveys have found that in states without a bottle bill, beverage containers can make up the single largest category of roadside litter—typically 40 to 60 percent of the total Funds generated from unclaimed deposits are earmarked for continued funding of the county litter grants program.

In addition, it allots funds to reimburse counties or any lost tax revenue under the proposed change to the “greenbelt law.” Fifty percent of what is left will go to the distributors in the same proportion as they paid deposits in the first place; and the rest will be used for related purposes, such as litter control or recycling projects

States that tracked litter pre- and post-bottle bill reported a decrease in beverage container litter of as much as 84 percent , while overall litter decreased by as much as 64 percent . Container recycling rates increased from 10 % to 85% of containers sold and overall recycling rates in bottle bill states are an average of 30-35% compared to 10% in Tennessee.

Related links

• TN Scenic Vistas (TN Sierra Club)
• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
• Save Our Cumberland Mountains (SOCM)

Senator Rosalind Kurita, Speaker Pro Tempore, and Rep. Joseph Pitts of the 67th District are featured guests.

The MCDP is also asking for donations of American-made toys for the annual Fire Fighters Toy Drive. Toys may be brought to the party. the public at large is also asked to support the Firefighters toy drive with donations of toys that can be dropped off at any fire station in Clarksville.

For more information, call 931-216-9795 or 931-801-4821. Information on American made toys can be referenced at Clarksville Online’s Nov. 25 story, Toy Shopping? Buy Made in the the USA“.

When Democrats from five Tennessee counties gather at the Charles Hand farm, Ben Johnson is sure to be there with his campaign buttons, lapel pins, and bumper stickers. Johnson, who lives in Lebanon, Tennessee, was quick to point out that he makes his wares “for democrats only,” and will use only Union vendors to print his products.

In fact, the theme of the day was a strong support of Unions throughout the area. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), which represents Trane workers locally, was a major sponsor of today’s event.  The strong Union presence was in honor of the Labor Day event.

According to the Department of Labor, Labor Day was first celebrated in New York City on Tuesday, September 5, 1882. By 1894, the US Congress had passed its recognition of Labor Day as a national holiday to be celebrated on the first Monday of September of every year.

The Ballistic Pintos of Old Hickory, TN performs at the Charles Hand Farm. Photo by David W. Shelton

The strong Union presence was matched by a sincere excitement of area Democrats who had a single mission in mind for next November’s election, as voiced by Kim McMillan, senior advisor to Governor Phil Bredesen: “Tennessee is and will be a blue state.” This was a message that was voiced by nearly everyone who spoke at the event.

Speakers were quick to point out that their mission wasn’t to put an end to the Bush regime, but rather send home those who they say “empowered” him. One target is the US Senate seat currently occupied by former governor Lamar Alexander. McMillan introduced Mike McWhorter, the son of another former governor—Ned McWhorter—as a possible candidate. His mission, McMillan said, would be to “send Lamar and that plaid shirt back home.”

McWhorter has not officially announced his candidacy, but said that he was seriously considering the option. He pointed out several issues that he would address, including the war in Iraq, which came up often throughout the night. Republican policies in Iraq, he said, “are wrong.” He also said that the current administration is “mortgaging our country’s future” with an “out-of-control” national debt.

Tennessee’s Democratic party president Gray Sasser addressed a general excitement for the future for the party in the state, and said that the party’s primary goal is “to make darn sure that no red pickup truck will ever get anywhere near the White House next November.” The reference was to the popular “red pickup truck” senatorial campaign led by former Republican US Senator Fred Thompson, who announced his candidacy for the Presidency this week.

Other speakers for the event were 5th District Congressman Jim Cooper, TN AFL/CIO president Jerry Lee, and the keynote address was provided by the R. Thomas Buffenbarger, International President of the IAM union. Buffenbarger has served as president of that union since 1997.

The day wasn’t all speeches and rhetoric, though. Music was provided by the Ballistic Pintos, a country group out of Old Hickory, Tennessee. The group featured drummer Richie Albright who often played with Waylon Jennings, and vocals by Bobby Keel.

State Senator Rosalind Kurita talks with attendees at the Labor Day Celebration. Photo by David W. Shelton

There was a dart competition between unions, for which a trophy was awarded to the United Auto Workers, who apparently “played only slightly less badly that everyone else.”

Attendees had an opportunity to vote for their nominee for the President of the United States of America. In an informal (and unofficial) straw poll, Hillary Clinton was the clear favorite, with John Edwards coming in second.

The day wasn’t without its lighter moments, which featured “the world’s smallest horse,” as described by his owner, local attorney Kevin Kennedy. He said that the miniature dwarf horse, “Twinkie the Wonder Horse,” is only 46 pounds and 16 1/2” tall. The equine miniature was a star attraction, drawing children from all over to pet a horse that was far smaller than they were.

Clarksville electrician Bill Edmonson provided democratic spirit by donning a donkey mask, which he kept on throughout the speeches. Edmonson offered plenty of applause and “thumbs ups” for the speakers.

She correctly states that Tennessee is one of the few states that still has the state legislature elect these officers. Kurita has sponosored a bill every year for as far back as I can remember wanting us to decide who the best person for these jobs should be, and the bill has never gotten out of committeee. This year Kurita got the bill out of committee.

Each year when I hear that she is proposing to have us elect these constitutional officers, I write her, friends, family, and the local paper expressing why I think this is bad idea. This year is no different, see my letter below:

Senator Kurita,

I would like to comment on your persistent attempts to change the way Tennessee elects its Constitutional officers. In past years, I have had letters published in the Leaf Chronicle against this idea and have not talked to anyone that thinks this is a good idea.

Tennessee’s constitution was designed so that the legislature would elect the constitutional officers, contrary to the clip they are playing on NPR this morning where you state they are “selected” by the legislature. The legislature is in the unique position of working with these officers on a daily basis. The legislature is designed by the state constitution to be the authority to determine if they should remain in or leave over these position

Having Tennesseans vote on whether the constitutional officers are doing a good job is assuming that Tennesseans know if they are doing a good job. With extremely low voter turn out in all elections, especially local elections for not well known positions, this idea would not seem to be prudent and definitely would not ensure that the best person for the job is selected because our knowledge base to elect them much smaller than the legislatures.

Turning the trusted positions into popularity contests hurts Tennesseans in a number of ways. First, it means that the officers (which work year ’round) would have to take time away from performing their duties and run a campaign. Secondly, Tennesseans could lose long term institutional knowledge that we have come to rely on. Can you imagine if William Snodgrass would have been defeated by lesser qualified candidate? The state government and Tennesseans would lose an immense amount of institutional knowledge that over the years proved very important over the decades Mr. Snodgrass served us.

Please take on your constitutional duties as assigned by our fore fathers and continue to internally ‘elect’ (not select) these officers for the good of all Tennesseans that rely on you and the legislature to make good sound decisions for us based on your unique, elected position.

As far as the other items in the survey, I am pro taxing cigarettes (as a former smoker) with the proceeds earmarked for our underfunded education system. By the way I am also for the state taking on the funding responsibility and relieving our local school boards of that problem. I think if we are to provide free community college tuition to students, we should first fully fund all college under the current formula.

And lastly I do not agree with the state stepping in on illegal immigration. I feel that immigration bills at the state, over 40 have been introduced, will in the long run, as in other states be found to be unconstitutional and/or flat out unenforceable.

Thank you for your years of service to me and all Tennesseans. If you having a email mailing list, that informs yopur constituents of your votes, activity and town hall meetings, I would very much appreciate being added to it.

Sincerely

Blayne

The real letter had my address and contact info. That was the letter I sent April 4, 2007. I sent it to numerous people, most responded that they had not heard of this idea of having the general public vote on these officers and were VERY INTERESTED in hearing Sen. Kurita’s response, which I would have gladly forwarded. Today is April 13th, just over a week since I sent that letter. No response as of yet. So I sent another letter. See below:

Senator Kurita,

I am disappointed that you have not responded to my response to your survey.

I, and others, looked forward to hearing your response, letting everyone know why you think this would be a good idea. We should all first understand the responsibility that we would bare if we elected these officers and since you want to bestow that responsibility to us, logic would follow you should also educate us to those responsibilities.

Sincerely

Blayne

I just want to voice my opinion. She votes on my behalf, and yours. I would expect at leats some sort of response within a week, especially since she ran an ad in the paper asking for my input. I doubt if the response to an ad in the Leaf Chronicle has produced such an overwelming response that not even a staffer can respond.

I also included a link to this forum and this article. and requested that she respond to ALL OF US via this public forum.  If I personally ever receive a response, that Senator Kurita does not post here, I will post it. However, I think it would be great if she posted her response, and by doing so inform us of what she is doing and why, instead of leaving that up to a spotty part time blogger like me.