Summary: Featuring guests Juvenile Court Clerk candidates Jeff Brousal, Howard Jones, Vic Lineweaver, Karen Johnson, and David Smith; Plus, the Media Matters for America Smackdown with Karl Frisch.

Listen to the entire show in two parts or scroll down to listen to each of the separate Juvenile Court Clerk interviews.

It’s the Circle of Clerks, Part 1 We start the show off with some flood relief info and welcome and the Media Matters for America Smackdown with Karl Frisch. Then, it’s the first two of what supposed to be 6 but turned out to be 5 (Vivian Wilhoite got her a.m.’s and p.m.’s mixed up) interviews with Democratic primary candidates for Juvenile Court Clerk. First up this hour is Jeff Brousal followed closely by Howard Jones. [25.47MB Click on the arrow below to listen or download mp3]Download audio file (liberadio20100517part1.mp3)

It’s the Circle of Clerks, Part 2 In this hour we talk to three more of the Democratic candidates for Juvenile Court Clerk – Vic Lineweaver (the incumbent), Karen Johnson, and David Smith. Because it seemed like too bold an assertion to make on the eve of an election, we contacted Councilwoman Megan Barry for confirmation of the statement made by candidate Karen Johnson that she “recruited” Ms. Johnson to run for Juvenile Court Clerk. Councilwoman Barry said she often advises those who reach out to her to get involved in the democratic process. However, Ms. Barry stressed to us that she did not recruit Ms. Johnson to run for the office of juvenile court clerk. Election day is tomorrow, May 18. Go to Nashville.gov/vote for information about polling changes due to the flood disaster as well as to view a sample ballot.[19.82MB Click on the arrow below to listen or download mp3]
Download audio file (liberadio20100412part2.mp3)

Jeff Brousal
[Click on the arrow below to listen or download mp3]
Download audio file (liberadio20100517brousal.mp3)

Howard Jones
[Click on the arrow below to listen or download mp3]
Download audio file (liberadio20100517jones.mp3)

Vic Lineweaver
[Click on the arrow below to listen or download mp3]
Download audio file (liberadio20100517lineweaver.mp3)

Karen Johnson
[Click on the arrow below to listen or download mp3]
Download audio file (liberadio20100517johnson.mp3)

David Smith
[Click on the arrow below to listen or download mp3]
Download audio file (liberadio20100517smith.mp3)

Summary: Featuring guest Neal Darby, Jr., Senior Partnership Specialist Team Leader with the U.S. Census Bureau.

Don’t Confuse Your Census with Your 1040, Part 1 The Liberadio(!) “To Do” list is long this week and includes marijuana jokes, coveting the Seattle Center Monorail (and flume ride), and a historic march. Plus, love him or hate him, you know Barney Frank would never try to bite the head off a baby bunny – or would he? And we are disgusted with Sarah Palin’s unchallenged and unrelenting display of disrespect for the highest office in the land and chagrined – again – at what Tennessee Republicans and, therefore, Tennessee Democrats have decided is going to be the issue to talk about in this campaign. Then, we begin the breakdown of what’s going on with voter roll purges in Benton County. [28.14MB Click on the arrow below to listen or download mp3]Download audio file (liberadio20100412part1.mp3)

Don’t Confuse Your Census with Your 1040, Part 2 We talk to Neal Darby, Jr., Senior Partnership Specialist Team Leader with the U.S. Census Bureau and he answers all our questions about the 10 questions. Then, we continue our discussion about the controversial Benton County voter roll purges – who was affected, why, and why can’t we locate the laws that the election administrator said were followed during the purge process? [19.82MB Click on the arrow below to listen or download mp3]
Download audio file (liberadio20100412part2.mp3)

The article is not online yet but here are the highlights:

It was almost 20 years ago, at a convention of the American Birding Association in California, that I first heard an industry spokesperson try to foist off the argument that strip mining creates a new habitat that is bird friendly.

He was hooted and shouted down right on the spot. Normally birders are polite people who listen carefully and then wait for the discussion period. This kind of junk science was such an affront that nobody was willing to wait….

The power industry quickly gave up trying to bamboozle birders with this sort of statistical flimflam…

Almost two decades later, the power industry has finally found someone stupid enough to buy this argument, U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp….

I believe even Wamp, who has crossed swords with bird watchers numerous times in his district, had more sense than to frame his argument to those he has offended throughout his legislative career.

Brooks then explains the difference between desirable birds and the ones Mr. Wamp is referring to like non-native starlings, which “thrive on wasted environments and roosts on powerlines.”

Apparently there is a huge difference and the people in upper East Tennessee know it.

Brooks calls Rep. Wamp a dim bulb, too, probably because he thought calling him a “bird brain” might insult the people who know the difference between a pigeon and a Ruffed Grouse (see picture of said Ruffed Grouse).

UPDATE: Clearly, Mr. Wamp is not in touch with the people. Does anyone besides John Rich and the other 20-percenters living in the state care more about the 10th amendment than they care about a clean water and a healthy eco-system?

Last night Newschannel 5’s Scott Arnold reported that the bill wasn’t even Sen. Beavers’ idea but the brainchild of a Washington D.C.-based group (founded in 1973 by anti-good government conservative corporatist Paul Weyrich) who have spent a ton on political contributions and whose sole mission is to set the stage for a showdown between the states and the federal government.

Oh, the places we won’t go with the weird and self-serving priorities of the TNGOP!

In addition, according to a report in the New York Times, “five of the 24 members of its ‘free enterprise board’ are executives of drug companies and its health care ‘task force’ is overseen in part by a four-member panel composed of government-relations officials for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association of insurers, the medical company Johnson & Johnson and the drug makers Bayer and Hoffmann-La Roche.”

Beavers fiddles, while Tennesseans lose everything.

Here’s what we are doing: We are working hard to lay the groundwork for a broad-based permanent collaboration between progressive issue organizations, think tanks, advocacy groups, faith organizations, labor unions, social clubs, business and trade associations, loose coalitions of like-minded citizens, bloggers, and any others want to work towards building a better future for all Tennesseans.

The work we are doing is non-partisan and exists completely outside the Tennessee Democratic Party (TNDP) – but not because, as made up speculated in PITH, we have “turned against” or have become “disillusioned” with Chip Forrester (current Chairman of the TNDP).

Pure fiction.

All Tennessee Democrats, including everyone at the TNDP headquarters, are working long hours and each are doing the work of at least three people. I have so much respect for them.

The difference between what we are trying to do and what the TNDP does is partisanship – plain and simple. Their work is partisan – ours is not.

Nor are we doing what we’re doing because we are “thoroughly convinced that Tennessee is filled with throngs of Rachel-Maddow-loving lefties.”

More fiction.

Our work is not about left or right – it’s about leading with the issues that unite us – not what divides us – and there are so many that do. Doesn’t someone who is socially conservative want clean drinking water for their children? And doesn’t someone who is socially liberal want the much-needed repairs to local infrastructure that will not only allow for commerce to continue uninterrupted in their community but bring jobs to that community as well? And doesn’t everyone want a good job with a fair wage that will enable them to take care of their family? Doesn’t everyone want to be able to afford to send their kid to college?

What we are doing is far removed from the culture wars exaggerated and manipulated by partisan politics – including Pith’s stable of smug anonymous insiders – which is probably why they feel the need to drag it through the mud.

Cities of Service is a bipartisan coalition of mayors from across the country, representing more than 38 million Americans in 80 cities, dedicated to engaging more Americans in service and channeling volunteers toward each city’s most pressing challenges.

Each of the winners displayed a strong commitment to service and outlined thoughtful, thorough, and creative approaches to expanding local opportunities for volunteers to make an impact in their city. Of the ten grant recipients, five are founding members of the Cities of Service coalition, including Nashville.

“I first learned of this funding opportunity when I joined Mayor Bloomberg in New York in September for the formation of Cities of Service. These are tight times for city budgets. This grant will allow us to have dedicated staff for developing service opportunities, something we wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise. I look forward to engaging our citizens to in our cities greatest needs and priorities, especially education,” Nashville Mayor Karl Dean said.

Have questions about Cities of Service – or maybe there’s something else on your mind? Mayor Dean will be available today at 1 p.m. at the art service project at the Nashville Rescue Mission.