About an hour ago, both the House and the Senate of the Tennessee General Assembly adjourned for the year without passing HB0614/SB0872 – the bill that would have delayed implementation of the paper ballot bill.
The Tennessee Voter Confidence Act lives to fight another day. And that day will probably include more obstacles from the Secretary of State’s office before actual, you know, implementation. Just sayin’…
Big thank you to every Tennessee Senator and Representative who voted no to delay and yes for secure and verifiable elections.
But a special mention to Senator Tim Burchett (R-Knoxville) who, unlike all of his Republican colleagues, knew the right thing to do for secure and verifiable elections in Tennessee and voted with his conscience instead of with his party.
On May 13, Governor Bredesen introduced the Volunteer State Solar Initiative, a solar-energy development program that would use approximately $62.5 million in federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to create jobs and explore renewable-power production in Tennessee.
Joining him that day for the photo op were key legislators, including Republican Senators Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge), Tim Burchett, and Delores Gresham. Don’t they look nice?
But today was a new day in which Senate Republicans, led by McNally, called for the rejection of the stimulus money, a rejection of the innovative solar project, and a rejection of the jobs it would create.
A pattern of debating and introducing debunked accusations, unnecessary legislation, and frivolous resolutions would make any outside observer think Tennessee’s Republican State legislators live in a place where there’s nothing better to do.
First, GOP House members clamor to jump on the “I-will-not-accept-that-he-won-let-me-see-his-birth-certificate” train to Kooktown. Then, instead of focusing on our failing schools, high unemployment, and inadequate health care, they introduce unnecessary gun bill after unnecessary gun bill (did anyone catch Senator Mae Beavers on Glenn Beck’s TV show?). And then there’s HJR108 by Rep. Susan Lynn which “Urges Congress to recognize Tennessee’s sovereignty under the tenth amendment to the Constitution.”
So what’s next, you ask? Well, in the midst of a budget crisis and severe unemployment throughout the state, the Senate Finance, Ways and Means committee will take up HJR0369, introduced by Rep. Mike Bell (R-Riceville) and carried in the Senate by Sen. Tim Burchett (R-Knoxville), which “Urges United States Senate to reject ratification of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.”
Behind this inconsequential, time-consuming fight is Bobbie Patray, state president of the Tennessee Eagle Forum, who has very specific reasons why this “urgent” resolution needs our lawmakers’ attention – and none have anything to do with, you know, actually fixing the many problems we face as a state.
“First,” a posting on their website states, “ANY United Nations treaty is suspect on its face.” Don’t ask why because if you don’t already know then you’re probably not from around here. And second, “The United Nations has no business telling parents how to raise their children.”
Which makes one wonder, why can’t Bobbie Patray read? And why does she insist on wasting our time?
Senator Burchett said in yesterday’s Finance, Ways, & Means committee meeting that he is carrying the bill to protect parental decision-making rights on education. The evil U.N. and it’s nasty Convention on the Rights of the Child, says Sen. Burchett, would remove a parent’s right to make decisions regarding the education of their children:
Senator Burchett:Basically, what that did was it took away a lot of the powers of parents, in my opinion, and intruded into a lot of different areas of their life. The part that caught my eye was – I’m sure most of you all know about Article 29 of this piece of legislation. I’m just kidding, I know you don’t. But it limits the rights of parents and others to educate children in private schools. It also…it takes away the parental rights we have in this country. I think it’s, in my opinion it’s really an attempt by the United Nations to bring our children under universal control and it creates more of an, well, in my opinion a one-world government situation and I urge for its passage.
“Article 29!,” is Sen. Burchett and Patray’s rallying cry, as if either one of them has committed the demon statute to memory.
Article 29 does address the education of children. It states:
1. States Parties agree that the education of the child shall be directed to:
(a) The development of the child’s personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential;
(b) The development of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and for the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations;
(c) The development of respect for the child’s parents, his or her own cultural identity, language and values, for the national values of the country in which the child is living, the country from which he or she may originate, and for civilizations different from his or her own;
(d) The preparation of the child for responsible life in a free society, in the spirit of
understanding, peace, tolerance, equality of sexes, and friendship among all peoples, ethnic, national and religious groups and persons of indigenous origin;
(e) The development of respect for the natural environment.
Oh horror! The U.N. wants children all over the world to reach their fullest potential! How dare they encourage in children a healthy respect for rights, freedoms, and…their parents! Tolerance? Bah! Equality? Who needs it! And what’s with section (e)? Who do they think we’re raising here, a generation planet-respecting young people?
As ridiculous as opposition to this document is, what’s worse is the intellectual dishonesty when presenting their case. Because while they are riling up State Legislators with cries of “State’s rights!” and “One World Government!”, they’ve – oopsie – left out a very significant section of Article 29:
2. No part of the present article or article 28 shall be construed so as to interfere with the liberty of individuals and bodies to establish and direct educational institutions, subject always to the observance of the principles set forth in paragraph 1 of the present article and to the requirements that the education given in such institutions shall conform to such minimum standards as may be laid down by the State.
Can we please ignore Ms. Patray and her unnecessary battle and get back to a fight for Tennessee families that is worth fighting for – our failing schools, our shameful infant mortality rate, and rapidly expanding unemployment?
HJR0369 will be heard in the Senate Finance Ways and Means committee again today, Wednesday, June 11, at 3:00 PM.
An editorial in the City Paper by that smarty-boots A.C. Kleinheider says that Godwin’s Law, and not Senator Andy Berke’s religion, was what made Senator Dewayne Bunch’s “nutritional Nazi police” comment on the floor of the Senate so insulting.
His point is well taken, but Godwin’s Law – which states that “the person who first makes an unwarranted reference to Nazi Germany or Hitler in an argument loses that argument automatically” – and sensitivity to someone’s feelings are not necessarily mutually exclusive. And there are exceptions.
Case in point, Senator Bunch’s bill passed AND he immediately – before any of us “progressive activists” calledhim out – felt the need to apologize to Senator Berke.
In other words, Senator Bunch hyperbolic comment created discomfort for many reasons.
Here’s the video again. Why? Just because Senator Burchett’s reaction (top left) is fun to watch.
‘Cause nothing says “let’s try and be reasonable about legislating nutrition in public schools” like a Third Reich reference, Senator Dewayne Bunch (R, the Fighting’ 9th!) let his Seinfeld-loving freak flag fly in response to a question from Senator Andy Berke (D, the Fightin’ 10th!) about SB0421, his bill which would allow the sale of 12 ounce beverages in middle schools.
Senator Berke: I know we had some discussion about this in Senate Education Committee. We talked about the fact that the nutrition guidelines for a state and federal purposes were not being supplanted by this, do we know whether those are total by particular product or whether those are by ounce …because that could make a difference in how thi particular bill has effect.
Senator Bunch: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In a currently…if you’re trying to be the nutritional Nazi police on school campuses, then we need to have someone there to keep them from buying more than one product if it’s 8 ounces. If there’s an issue of nutrition with buying two – they can simply buy two and circumvent that. So, it’s my understanding this does nothing to change the nutritional – the guidelines at all – they still must meet state and federal guidelines. So there is nothing changed nutritionally at all, it just permits a larger product and basically that’s the way they come. Most vendors produce those in 12 ounce packages and not 8 ounce so this simply allows a greater selection of vendors to be able to get on campus.
Watching the video, you can see clearly that Senator Bunch is nonplussed by his gaffe. Senator Burchett (R, the Fightin’ 7th!), in the background to the left, reacts immediately with wailing and gnashing of the teeth (or as close to that as a state senator who realizes his colleague just said something really offensive can get).
Later, a clearly verklempt Senator offers his apology:
You know who might, just might, be offended by your “comedy” reference, Senator Bunch?
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