Comment Archives: Stories: Politics
Re: “Haslam Cautions Fellow Republicans at Lincoln Day Dinner”
I would think that enlisting a corrupt and ideological powerful government bureaucracy to purposely hinder, impede and stomp out “exemption status” for politically active organizations, with the sole intentions of starving their political opponents of campaign money (and it “was” all about the money), and having leaders in high political offices lying through their ideological teeth to cover up their shameful incompetence and negligence of duty in the massacre of Americans in Benghazi, Libya by organized terrorists virtually on the 2012 election eve should certainly be factored in your analysis, too, eh, Governor?
When will the spineless Republican Party finally figure out that endorsing and running liberal weasels and milquetoasts for presidential candidates will never fire up the moderate and independent voting masses? Will they finally figure out why some of their own party members simply chose to “sit out” the past two presidential elections, too?
Personally, I think that the upper echelon of the Republican establishment (read: blue bloods) vividly remembers Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s rise to power, reining their ilk in and riding roughshod over them, while enjoying a 85% approval rating from her constituents, literally scares the hell out of them happening on a national level…
Re: “John Willingham, Barbecue Maven and All-Around Achiever, Dies at 80”
I truly wish whoever it is that owns/bottles/markets Willingham's sauces and rubs would consider opening a restaurant here. When it was on Brookhaven Circle, Willingham's was where I would always take guests for, in my opinion, the absolute best Memphis BBQ ribs. Bring back the W'ham!!
Re: “John Willingham, Barbecue Maven and All-Around Achiever, Dies at 80”
I will always remember meeting John in 1993 at Memphis In May. And, I will forever carry his words of advice in my heart and head, "It' ain't braggin' if you can do it!" Thanks John for being such a great man and character. Those of us in the barbecue community will do some cooking in your honor. Memphis, you have truly lost a GREAT MAN!
Re: “John Willingham, Barbecue Maven and All-Around Achiever, Dies at 80”
Everyone in heaven is so lucky because now they get to eat your BBQ . Peace to your family and loved ones.
Re: “Council Changes Names of Forrest Park, Confederate Park, and Jefferson Davis Park”
Just proves our city council and the ones who elected them are all jackasses! Worry about the killing and raping and other crimes caused by those who oppose the names of these parks and put a stop to that! Renaming a park because of bullshit people who have nothing better to do than bitch and moan! Earn your pay city council. Try bringing your city together and taking care of your people rather than bring up shit that turns memphians against each other! SELFISH JACKASSES!!!
Re: “John Willingham, Barbecue Maven and All-Around Achiever, Dies at 80”
R. I. P. : JOHN WILLINGHAM. YOU SHALL BE MISSED ON SO MANY LEVELS! YOU WERE TRULY AN AMERICAN ORIGINAL.
Re: “John Willingham, Barbecue Maven and All-Around Achiever, Dies at 80”
John Willingham was a good man and an even better barbecue chef, a statement which I hope attests to the heavenly quality of his ribs. He and I were on opposite sides of the political divide, but that never once figured into our personal relationship, or even, to wit, our political associations. He was always willing to hear the other side of the story, and he was absolutely fearless when he believed he needed to take an unpopular stand on a matter of principle. I owe him a great deal of debt for the times he has helped me, and that's probably only a small portion of the goodwill he will take with him into the hereafter.
Re: “John Willingham, Barbecue Maven and All-Around Achiever, Dies at 80”
I'll miss seeing his signs in yards every election.
Re: “John Willingham, Barbecue Maven and All-Around Achiever, Dies at 80”
A GOOD MAN, friend, mentor. Brilliant. Open-minded. I'm a better person from your influence. Godspeed.
Re: “John Willingham, Barbecue Maven and All-Around Achiever, Dies at 80”
He had a heart of gold. My friend, you will be missed.
Re: “Cohen Hits Passage of House Bill on Overtime”
For once Cohen is correct.
Re: “Cohen Hits Passage of House Bill on Overtime”
Just what R's need to p--- off more people. Why don't they wait until June or July to lose next years elections. I can't hold my nose long enough to vote Dem but it looks like there is no sense in voting otherwise.
Re: “Mike Ritz: It Ain’t Over Yet”
@TBT
I hear you loud and clear on your issues with disclipline.
I also hear that the munis will have some job openings soon.
Re: “Mike Ritz: It Ain’t Over Yet”
@AP,
Yes, I believe the fight will continue until Mays gives the blessing on the munis. I don't like being a pessimist all the time, but I don't see those 7 board members running the show on the board by themselves. I don't think Mays will allow a pro munis majority to rule the board. If he did, it would make things a lot easier, but I don't think it will be the case. The law, legislature, and time are on the munis side now. I think it is now a game of "legal attrition."
I am for MCS/MCS 2 cleaning/ rebuilding their own house. I don't see that happening, although some of the changes agreed to by the board are going the right direction. Notice, some.
They can't get teeth into their discipline policies and the policies need to be over-hauled in this area. Until they start doing something about students who break the rules, who are habitual class and school cutters, who are constantly insubordinate to their teachers, constantly tardy, constantly use their cell phones, - much less those that get in fight after fight and they are back only after a scant few days each time, those that commit vandalism, steal items in the school. See, in my view these kids are not punished. No one from the middle class would want their children going to the urban schools in Memphis. They are unable to sufficiently punish the "wrong doers."
Re: “Mike Ritz: It Ain’t Over Yet”
Has no one noticed the absence of the great communicator oldtimer? He must be very very sick or worse not to be adding his legal opinion here.
Re: “Mike Ritz: It Ain’t Over Yet”
@TBT
Well, could be.
But the SCC is not in a great position. First, these negotiations will be between the school boards, so what issues do the munis have to negotiate with the SCC? The SCC has no legal standing on the facilities, especially on the buildings, which are public property and not the property of the SCC. Besides, has not the SCC taken the (legally indefensible) position that the buildings "belong' to the Uniifed System? What would be the legal basis for any SCC lein? If the Memphis insists that they have some "ownership" position in the county school buildings, then the suburbs have an ownership position in the school buildings located in Memphis. That is not workable.
I think all we are going to see from the SCC is some blustering. If they want to go to court over the resegregation issue, that is their right, but they are going to lose on the law. There are now several court cases that establish the principle that the munis have the right to zone school access to only bona fide residents if they wish. We don't want to do that, but we could.
I have no doubt the SCC will make it as difficult as possible, but that is OK, it is expected. I just don't think there is much they can do at this point to stop the munis. The Unified BOE, as Grove points out, willl be collaborative if the current elected seven are the only members. Even if Judge Mays orders elections in December, we can reach an agreement with these seven before that time. If he allows the SCC to appoint their cronies in September, it will mean another round of court hearings on the buildings, but this time, the BOE must find the cash for a fight and they are going to be up against at least two prior court decisions that go directly against them. Not to mention the legislature which will act if they need to do so. Not a formula for success.
In the larger sense, the Unified System and the munis have something to offer each other. There are ways each can use the other to save money and improve the delivery of education. We are willing to stop fighting, start collaborating, and get on with working together for the benefit of the children. What we don't know yet is the posture of the Unified BOE. If they want to fight, what else can we do but fight as well?
Re: “Fallout From GOP Falling-Out”
When and why did we start electing stupid people to be in charge of state government? And where have the dems fled to?
Re: “Mike Ritz: It Ain’t Over Yet”
@AP & GR,
I have my doubts that Ritz & Co. will go down that easily. I don't think that they will just lay down like lambs. I would not think they will do any deal until all the main court possibilities are moot and Judge Mays tells them so. I believe they will try to shake the munis down for substantial alimony, as short a wedding as it will be. (With a lien on the school buildings, if you will). They will want some type of money arrangement to support MCS 2 in perpetuity. After all, they do want to keep playing sports, which in some schools, seems to be more important than academics.
It would be nice if their were a "grand bargain." But those seem so difficult to get these days.
I would be in the group that would support a GB. But I think that would be a loss for Ritz and I believe he will go down fighting with the ship, as the ship slowly sinks into the ocean of urban darkness.
Re: “Mike Ritz: It Ain’t Over Yet”
That would be something else AP, if all of the battle and posturing ends with reasonable discussions and agreement.
I think if the school board stays as it is, that's exactly what we will see. They'll negotiate a deal over the buildings and the children now and for future years. Hopefully that works out, so we can all move on to getting back to the kids.
THIS WEEK'S ISSUE
SPECIAL ISSUES
Re: “Haslam Cautions Fellow Republicans at Lincoln Day Dinner”
Nightcrawler
I appreciate your rant, however you are completely off key to the majority of americans in this nation.
The so-called scandals you mention are not what is on the majority of voter's minds. Voters are worried about getting jobs and keeping them. They are more worried about drastic cuts that are mostly unneeded that is beginning to hurt everyday people.
The majority of voters are very good at separating real scandals from political bullshit.
Take what you write for instance. The late Ambassador Stevens was considered the foremost expert in Benghazi. The actual embassy is located in Tripoli. Benghazi was just a consulate. There was adequate security in Tripoli and an escape route readily available to the sea, if needed. Neither President Obama nor Secretary of State, Hilliary Clinton ordered Stevens to go from his secure location in Tripoli to Benghazi. He new how unstable the country was, yet, he took it upon himself to go.
Their were uprisings in other countries over the anti-muslin video and sparked riots and unrest in in other Islamic countries. Simultaneously the terror attack begin in Benghazi. It would automatically be assumed that this was another series of protests and riots over the video. That is the first initial report given to the state department and the white house. Even Obama hedged his bet when he spoke on Benghazi. He actually called it an act of terror. Susan Rice, Ambassador to the UN, nothing to do with embassy security planning was dispatched by the white house to talk to the American people. She had no expertise in terror, so she relied on expressly what the CIA told her to say. Did she lie? No, she never had any other information other than the talking points given to the white house and her by the CIA.
The problem with you saying that security should have been increased prior to the attack is absurd, it is hindsight. First of all, E-Mails shows that several weeks prior to this attack, General Pace, European Nato Commander at the time offered Ambassador Stevens added personal security in the form of an 18 man elite force of special forces. Ambassador Stevens refused. The agreement with that country was for only so many foreign (American troops) to be stationed there for embassy security. All host countries limit the amount of foreign solders allowed on their soil for embassy security. The host country is responsible for the perimeter security of foreign embassies on their soil. To further degress, it is a fact that the Gop cut money for embassy for the previous 2 years and the dems went along with it. Relief forces was not close enough to get there on time to make a difference. It takes several hours just to muster the troops. The pentagon alluded to all of this to the members, gop, of congress.
The IRS is an arm of the Department of Treasury. The secretary of that department oversees over 200,000 employees. there are well over 100,000 works in the IRS alone. The president is the chief executive officer overseeing all cabinet departments with over 1 million employees. He, the Secretary of the Treasury nor the acting Director of the IRS could micro-manage everything that went on. No CEO of any company, let alone one that is as large and diverse as the executive branch is could do it.
Other than the partisan politician in the Washington Beltway, the American people realize this. That is why it is just a blimp on the voters, the majority's radar. They understand that the President was not involved or even were aware of what was going on. the American people, the majority, are not as dumb and gullible as you gop conservatives think they are.
You lose presidential elections because your policies are not what the majority of the American people want. You do fine, until you open your mouth and say what you really believe. When you do that, you scare minorities, young white females, youthful voters, etc. You will never win national elections unless you change your policies. In the past you could play both sides of the street, however, now, communications are so numerous and fast, you can't get away with it anymore.
Now, Nightcrawler, I want you to tell these posters facts that you can point to that shows the president personally involved with these scandals that you bring up. If you can't do a credible job of that, then you will look foolish.