Integrity vs Political Expediency

Expediency - the doing or consideration of what is of selfish use or advantage rather than of what is right or just; self-interest.

Unless something goofy happens, we will not be electing a new TN house Speaker until January 2011. In the meantime, the debate whirls around letting current Speaker Kent Williams back into the Republican folds after his dastardly dash to the leadership position this past January. On Saturday, the GOP State Executive Committee will address the Williams reinstatement case.

The memory of the Speaker gamemanship maneuver still stings for some. Many of us political junkies were at the capitol that day for the historically significant vote. The GOP house majority had only been seen once in over a century. The message from the people had said "change"...and that included Tennessee as well. Thug rule had permeated the Tennessee legislature for way too long. The Tennessee Waltz was only a thumb in the dike. The people spoke loud and clear. And then the beast we call "politics" entered the room.

There were several of our brethren celebrating at Williams' victory party that night because they knew their chairmanships or other coveted appointments would be given by Williams. That is how the game is played.

To be fair, Williams didn't do a bad job as Speaker this past session, however, he did fragment a purpose...which I guess was the goal of the politicians all along. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. No matter what side of the aisle you sit on. It is always the people who lose when the devil gets his way.

So if I were sitting on that panel, I would have to go with Oscar Brock on this one. Integrity trumps expediency. I wish Jimmy Stewart's Mr. Smith would come to Nashville on Saturday.


GOP leadership seeks to block Williams from rejoining party

By: Andy Sher

NASHVILLE — Eighteen Tennessee Republican Party Executive Committee members are urging colleagues on the 63-member panel to reject any attempt to restore the GOP credentials of state House Speaker Kent Williams.

A letter to executive committee members dated Saturday warned that “the possibility exists that a motion to restore Kent Williams’ credentials as a bona-fide Republican will be raised at the next meeting of the State Executive Committee.” The panel meets Saturday.

“We pledge to uphold the decision of the State Executive Committee to bar Mr. Williams from appearing on the ballot as a Republican and ask for you to join our stand on principle in this matter,” said the letter from the group of 18, which includes Oscar Brock of Lookout Mountain and Dr. John Stanbery of Cleveland.

In January, Rep. Williams, of Elizabethton, voted with all 49 House Democrats to elect himself speaker over Republican Leader Jason Mumpower, of Bristol.

Then-Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Robin Smith, citing support from state executive committee members, later invoked her power to keep Rep. Williams from seeking re-election to the House as a Republican.

Since then Rep. Williams, who describes himself as a “Carter County Republican,” has sought to get himself reinstated. He supported Republican House members’ positions on a variety of issues this past legislative session and gave money to Republican Pat Marsh of Shelbyville, who ran in and won a special election.

A number of state House Republicans support his reinstatement.

Speaker Williams was not available for comment Monday.

Mrs. Smith gave up the chairmanship to run for Congress. Her successor, Chris Devaney, has said he is inclined to listen to executive committee members on the issue.

Mr. Brock said he’s standing on principle and doesn’t want to yield to “political expediency.”

“I think there’s times when honor and honesty and integrity matter, and this guy has displayed none,” Mr. Brock said.

“We think we have the vote to keep it (reinstatement) from happening, which I suspect and hope means the motion won’t be brought.”

Tennessee & John Jay Hooker

One of my personal and professional fascinations is researching the reasons behind why laws were originally passed. It is kind of like CSI for the political junkie mind. I did the same thing when I tried to understand the art world, but I decided to stick with politics after I learned of the sordid story between Gauguin and Van Gogh and the real reason Van Gogh cut off his ear...the art mind is just way too out there for my conservative leanings. Now, I just prefer to appreciate the beauty of art. Hmmm...I guess I can translate that thought process to other people's feelings on politics. Egads!

Oh well, back to politics. Personally, I think we need to start repealing laws right and left because each law that is passed seems to shackle somebody to something. A few laws that get passed are truly done in this vein of thought, those laws are sometimes called "enabling legislation" (and yes, we have gotten much more of these this year). However, it seems the majority of laws that get passed each year are not enabling legislation at all but just more legislative slavery. The less nefarious ones are passed because of knee jerk reactions to tragedy or intentional malfeasance, they are sometimes called "public welfare legislation". The darker ones invariably get passed to benefit somebody in power under the GUISE of public welfare legislation because that is the only way they can get passed. It is a very, very old game. I see alot of it in organizational behavior, and unless you know how the game is played, many "good-intent" players don't realize the repercussions of the maneuvering until the deal is done. Machiavelli still has many dedicated and passionate disciples among us.

The best defense to this legislative slavery and abuse of power is an informed citizenry...and a demand for less government control. Our founding fathers knew what we were in for when our country was birthed. They were the parents who risked their own lives for their children's future. And like any good parent, they did their best to put the tools in our hands to keep us free from the tyranny they themselves had fought against...but they did warn us that without moral fortitude in the public arena, man's sinful nature would take over.

Sometimes I wonder if we haven't pawned off many of those cherished tools to Guido the killer loan shark for a spring break trip to Daytona Beach...but I digress.

Today, I was perusing my usual news sources and found this video gem. I can't remember a better 20 minutes of oratory than what John Jay Hooker gave last week in committee. It speaks to me on so many levels. And this man's command of Tennessee history and the art of old school oratory is breathtaking. Thanks SC for this one. You were dead on.

As Rosa Parks once said..."Not all laws are just laws". And John Jay Hooker confirms why and how a constitutionally flawed law came to be. Definitely a Wizard of Oz unveiling after my own heart.

Click on the link below for this amazing moment of political clarity.

http://dailydocket.blogspot.com/2009/05/john-jay-hooker-against-retention.html