Jeff Woods

Prayer Gone Wild at the State Capitol

On January 14, 2010, in Religion, State Politics, by Mary Mancini

Religious Icons Jeff Woods from Pith in the Wind takes notice today that the even though the session is only two days old the legislature’s “Ministers of the Day” are bringing it with the bombast big time:

Today, retired Tennessee National Guard Lt. Col. Courtney Rodger–an invitee of House holy warrior Tony Shipley–insisted in her prayer that America is a Christian nation, no matter what certain unnamed “godless and apathetic” commie rats may say. We’re not a Judeo-Christian nation, mind you, or a nation of Christians and Jews and Muslims and many different faiths who share a certain set of values. No, we are a Christian nation. Got it?

Speaking of American soldiers in the Middle East, Rodger said: “We pray that their sacrifices are not in vain, lost to a godless and apathetic nation. For it has been declared to the world that we are no longer a Christian nation. But as Americans, we cannot turn our backs on our history for it cannot be erased.”

Seems to me that the easiest way to make this process more in tune with our nation’s founding principles is to invite ministers of all faiths to say the opening prayer. To make it even more representative of the people of the state, the number of days in the session given to each religion could be divided based on the percentage of the different faiths represented (with at least one day promised to each).

Tennessee’s religious majority is Christian so obviously a Christian prayer would be said most days. But based on the other percentage of religions, there can be x number of Hebrew, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, etc. prayers.

And maybe one day there can even be no prayer at all but a simple moment of silence instead.

I mean, the legislature represents all people of the state no matter what their religious affiliation, right? So, this seems like a perfectly reasonable way to move forward. Why would anyone have a problem with it?

New TNGOP Slogan: “Do as I say, Not as I Do”

On November 2, 2009, in Liberate Your Radio from The Right, by Mary Mancini

The AP’s Erik Schelzig highlights the hypocrisy that is the Tennessee Republican Party and – surprise, surprise! – his story involves the TNGOP’s number one legislative priority (jobs and good education for all Tennesseans, be damned!):

Supporters of blocking public access to the names and addresses of Tennesseans with handgun carry permits appear to have a hard time keeping their hands off the records.

An Associated Press records search has found copies of the state’s database of more than 257,000 handgun permit holders were recently requested by the National Rifle Association, the state Republican Party and a direct mail contractor that has done extensive work for the GOP’s legislative caucus.

Asked about those requests, House Republican Caucus Chairman Glen Casada says he opposes using the database for political purposes like campaign fundraising or get out the vote efforts.

(Fist bump: The Scene’s loveable curmudgeon.)

Tagged with: alcohol • Glen Casada • Guns • Jeff Woods • Nashville Scene • National Rifle Association • Republican Party • Screaming Tightie Righties • Tennessee

TN GOP: Tree-Hugging Poseurs

On October 12, 2009, in Liberate Your Radio from The Right, by Mary Mancini

The people who did this are not our friends.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, just because you say something often and loudly doesn’t make it true.

Take the curious case of “environmentalist” Rep. Frank Niceley (R-Strawberry Plains) who, along with Rep. Joe McCord (R-Maryville) and several other GOP state reps, were graded by the Tennessee Conservation Voters and found to have not-so-good records on the legislation that would keep Tennessee beautiful and its drinking water safe.

Tom Humphrey at Knoxville News Sentinel has the quote:

“The people who give these ratings are paid environmentalists,” Niceley says. “I was an environmentalist before most of these boys were born.”

Oh yeah? Well put your actions where your words are, fella, and maybe we’ll believe you.

Woods at the Nashville Scene breaks it down:

These are the cave men who made it easier in this year’s session for road-builders and real-estate developers to pave over Tennessee’s streams. Under the fabulous new law they rammed through the legislature, here’s how we’ll deal with pesky burbling brooks interfering with development plans: The developer only has to hire a “consultant” to write a report concluding that the stream isn’t a stream at all. No, it’s merely a “wet-weather conveyance” and therefore unworthy of any protections under environmental law….

And that’s just one of the environmental degradations brought to Tennessee by these lawmakers. Once again, they also managed to kill legislation to prohibit coal companies from blowing the tops of our mountains. Thanks to them, they’ll soon have to sing “Rocky Top-less” at Neyland Stadium on Saturdays.

McCord fell only one vote short of a majority for his bill to weaken standards for the amount of selenium that coal mines may release into Tennessee streams. Critics warned it could cause massive fish and wildlife kills and jeopardize human health, too. But McCord assured everyone that selenium is perfectly safe. It’s so good for you they put it in vitamin pills! You need “your daily dose of selenium,” McCord said. Oh well, there’s always next year.

Next year. Ah, yes. Can’t wait to see – not hear – what these tree friends come up with in January.

Tagged with: Environment • Frank Nicely • Jeff Woods • Joe McCord • Knoxville News Sentinel • Nashville Scene • Tennessee • Tennessee Conservation Voters • Tom Humphrey

Bizarro Hill Update

On May 19, 2009, in Liberate Your Radio from The Right, by Mary Mancini

Woods at Pith has the “We’re making a spectacle of what we pretend to want and are going to pass legislation that does just the opposite of what we pretend to want” HB1756 discussion wrap up:

State House Republicans are desperately trying to piss on the evil Planned Parenthood’s leg this session, but they’re missing the mark with a bill that just passed the House Health and Human Resources Committee. Aimed only at Nashville and Memphis, where too many poor women are getting pregnant to suit the Republicans, the legislation by Rep. Joey Hensley directs the administration to give priority to the county health departments in distributing federal family planning money. Unfortunately for the wingnuts, those departments don’t want the money and have never applied for it. Their staffs aren’t large enough to provide the services. Therefore, it’ll keep going to Planned Parenthood.

The committee voted 13-8 for the bill over the protests of Democrats. Rep. Joanne Favors, D-Chattanooga, turned her ire on Hensley, who is a physician. “I don’t know what your agenda is,” she scolded him, “but it’s certainly not because you’re concerned about patients.”

Afterward, the ACLU’s Hedy Weinberg said, “They claiming they’re trying to stop abortions, but Planned Parenthood actually prevents unwanted pregnancies through quality family planning services.”

Tagged with: Jeff Woods • Pith in the Wind • Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee • Tennessee Republican Party • Wack Priorities

Pithy SJR127 Update

On May 4, 2009, in Liberate Your Radio from The Right, by Mary Mancini

Jeff Woods of the Nashville Scene has a gift. He’s like a writer with frickin’ laser beams that zero in on the most relevant bits of a discussion, committee meeting, floor session or interview.

This morning he turned his glowing eyes on our interview with Hedy Weinberg, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, and her prediction that SJR127 – which would remove any abortion rights protection from the state constitution – will pass in the House this year:

“The agenda of the legislature this year is to take away women’s reproductive rights. … It’s taken them about six years, but I’m afraid this year they will pass in both chambers SJR127. … I have to admit that this is unfortunately getting bipartisan support. Republicans are not the only ones who are anti-choice in Tennessee.”

Our full interview with Hedy will be online later today, but in the meantime, go read what Woods has to report.

Tagged with: ACLU • Hedy Weinberg • Jeff Woods • SJR127

Tennessee’s own Rashomon

On January 13, 2009, in Liberate Your Radio from The Right, by Mary Mancini

There are always more than two sides to every story.

WSMV’s Cara Kumari is reporting that newly elected Speaker of the House Rep. Kent Williams (R, the Fightin’ 4th!) says he approached the Democrats about becoming speaker, “simply because he wanted to be speaker.”

The Scene’s Jeff Woods writes that House Democratic leader Gary Odom (D, the Fightin’ 55th!) traveled to Elizabethton to see Williams and “Out of the blue, Odom asked Williams how he’d like to be the speaker of the House.”

Tagged with: Cara Kumari • Gary Odom • Jeff Woods • Kent Williams • Nashville Scene • Rashomon • WSMV

LIBERADIO(!)

with Mary Mancini & Freddie O'Connell

Prayer Gone Wild at the State Capitol

New TNGOP Slogan: “Do as I say, Not as I Do”

TN GOP: Tree-Hugging Poseurs

Bizarro Hill Update

Pithy SJR127 Update

Tennessee’s own Rashomon

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