NewscomaGot A Two-Pack Habit And A Motel Tan

Late last month, an email went out from an administrative assistant working for a Republican elected official  in the legislature here in the state that was titled “Historical Keepsake Photo.”

The photo was this:

This was sent to me recently by another legislative staffer who was offended by it, as I am.

I talked to my local rep, Mark Maddox about it, and described the picture to him at a recent fund raising event. I think he was as appalled as I was. I was going to post it last week but there was a death in my family and I had to think about it.

Because it made me mad.

But, you know, people need to know that this stuff is going on. I would be just as angry if a democratic staffer had sent it.

Dammit, Tennessee, haven’t we moved past this kind of crap. I’m serious.

Leaders and their staffs need to be just that. LEADERS! And they have done a pretty suspect job this year if you ask me.

We live in a world of uncertainty and a lot of hurt. In Tennessee, it’s more important to pass dog bills than the budget. But, I guess we can find the time to send out junk, racist emails. Jeez.

Racist imagery matters.

I decided to release it because we need to think about our actions. How does this kind of behavior effect our children? It’s just ridiculous and it’s wrong.

I expect better of anyone elected to position that my tax dollars pay. I guess I give folks too much credit.

Yes I am on a soapbox and I’m not getting off of the damned thing.

Update: The email I received says the staffer is Sherri Goforth, who works for Diane Black.

UPDATED:

Christian Grantham talks to Ms. Goforth, who admits she sent the email.

When I asked her if she understood the controversial nature of the photo, Goforth would only say she felt very bad about accidentally sending it to the wrong list. When I gave her a second chance to address the controversial nature of the email, she again repeated that she only felt bad about sending it to the wrong list of people.

I sent it to the wrong list of people? Huh.

UPDATED:

People are talking.

Open Pen

Daily Kos

The Associated Press via Eyewitness News

Gawker
Sandy
Mancini
Silence
Grantham

Aunt B

Jim Voorhies

Southern Beale
Humphrey
Cracker

Think Progress

Ablogination

Cuppa

GoldnI
Atlantic
Wonkette

Lean Left

Pith In The Wind one and two

Scott Adcox

TNDP

Adam Kleinheider

Cari Kumari

It’s not often that I get to show off Hoots to bloggers from across the state. On Thursday night, there was a small gathering at the local watering hole for yours truly and Vibinc decided to bring his bad self to Hoots to attend.

The party was a success and Vibinc decided to stay the night at Casa Coma where he experienced the everyday issues that go with two tween girls (boyfriend stuff), our version of the Bumpus’ dogs which are at best overwhelming, one damn good jukebox (actually two over the course of the day) and one unfortunate toupee as he described it.

The Bumpus’ Dogs have nothing on ‘Coma Dogs

As we decided to enact our plan for world domination yesterday morning, a variety of events swirled around into the decision that one of the two Memphis Steves stay an additional night. World domination cannot be done in a matter of hours so more planning was needed. Of course if we told you what our plans were, we’d have to kill you so I will keep you all safe and say nothing on our role in the upcoming apocalypse.

For about an hour last night, Steve decided that his only option was to move to Hoots as he had a momentary moment of smittenness with this silly place and the people that he encountered throughout the time he spent here. Squirrelly, Badger and I looked at each other knowingly that his infatuation would be gone by morning but we fed the flames of him having a “summer” home here in Hootstropolis. He met friendly republicans (I feel this is crucial in every setting because it’s difficult at times to realize that not everyone as extreme in real life as they are online and that folks sometimes CAN have a conversation despite political differences), I showed him some of the cool architecture in the area, there was a pool room burger devoured at Caddies and political talk with one of my former bosses who works in development.

Heck, he even met my dad.

He also got to watch Beer Wars between two local companies which I think would make a fine series on the Discovery Channel. Of course, I’m amused easily. I think Vibinc was tickled by this moment of Hopps and Barley drama between competing distributors. Ahh, Friday afternoon shenanigans are always funny, my friends.

Of course, the Hoots blogger brigade was spot on about his moment of wanderlust and admiration of our little plot of land last night in this western division of the great state of Tennessee, but I always think it’s cool when I get to show off aspects that remain under the radar here. Why folks don’t hire me for economic development, I have no idea. I’m a natural. Heh.

As he was headed out the door this morning, the Bumpus’ dogs howled and barked their disapproval at his entering their world and leaving so abruptly without their permission.  Vibinc headed back to Shelby County to check on his friends and his house after last night’s storm and I think he got to see inside the world of Newscoma and her alter ego, Trace.

I hope he’s not emotionally scarred.

This has been an eventful week in Tennessee and in Hoots.

No one is shocked that the House and Senate overrode the governor’s veto on guns in restaurants/bars, but signs are being thrown up around here quicker than you can say Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill.

William Howard Hobbs is out as communication director of the TNGOP, which quite frankly surprises me. There are many times that I would scratch my head, roll my eyes, shake my fist to the sky and sigh deeply with some of his antics, but no one can say that the man wasn’t stealth with his pressers. Jackson Baker, however, was not surprised at all.

Steve Ross is on top of what’s happening in Memphis. A quick recap has to do with the Memphis Sexual Assault Resource Center and that two rape victims were turned away from the center because they didn’t have the staff to help them. Ross is following the press conferences and breaking down the funding trail. It’s sad actually because MSARC used to be the model for the south in victim’s assistance. Now it appears that politics may be standing in the way to help victims.

GoldnI made this point earlier this week regarding bloggers in Nashville. I think it needs to be revisited.

The importance of that information cannot be emphasized enough.  Bloggers want to help!  Bloggers want to be a part of the conversation.  But we can’t do that if we have no idea what’s going on, and that’s where we need the help of those in the legislature who can feed us that information.  You can’t be angry at us for not saying the “right” things if all we’re hearing is the “wrong” things.  If I could have said one more thing to Mike Turner, to paraphrase Jerry Maguire–”help us help you.”

I’ve had a bit of a writer’s block regarding meeting Ward Cammack. I own it. I headed into the Tech Center in Henry County about ten days ago to meet the candidate for governor and we talked about unemployment in northwest Tennessee. Little did I know that I would be a statistic the very next day. So, needless to say, writer’s block.

Let’s take a moment to bask in the irony.

There is much to say about Cammack. He is saying things regarding making Tennessee more of a global industrial powerhouse on issues that may not have been addressed in the past consistently. He wants us to look at alternative ways of bringing global industry into our state that relies on environmental industry as well as facing the realities that if we don’t think outside the box with a bit of business moxey then we have a hell of a time on our hands.

I think that GoldnI stated it well when she wrote last month that Cammack was looking at a green economy as a long-term business model.  Cammack mentioned in our meeting that we need to look at not only sustainable energy as a viable source not only for the economy but as a reasonable method in combating any more enviromental faux pas in the future. We also discussed the issue of the Tennessee River’s boundary issue between this state and Georgia from last year. I, of course, went and discussed this issue with the farmers I know that agreed this a bigger deal than we sometimes hear or think about.

I trust my local farmers. They know this stuff.

His knowledge on agribusiness is pretty impressive and we discussed the issue of small farmers owning their own land in comparison to those same farmers selling out due to rising costs to corporate agricorporations. This has always bothered me and he did go into detail about how his long-term “Green” business model could possibly assist local farmers just trying to keep ahead of next year’s yields and this year’s prices on fertilizer, which are out of control. We want Tennesseans owning Tennesse farmland. On this, Cammack and I agree.

My main primary objective in the discussion was how does someone from Nashville who has worked in business understand the considerations of an area in northwest Tennessee that is sometimes lost in the political discussion at this period of time. I also asked point blank about how he feels he will be received in an area that has two candidates (Roy Herron and Mike McWherter) with deep roots in Obion and Weakley Tennessee also with the lingering and powerful legacy of Ned McWherter in the shadows.

He answered the questions, citing that his plan is innovative and would stand through the upcoming generations He also mentioned that addressing nontraditional methods of economic development would  directly impact areas that have been stricken with impossible economic disasters such as manufacturing loss and agricultural financial uncertainty.

Much of what he said to me is obviously on his website and you can read his own words here.

As for switching parties, he said simply, “I’m a convert.” For yellow dogs and die-hard Republicans, this might not be the answer you wanted, but for the undecideds it is unclear if this will sway them one way or another. I have no answer for that.

On another plane, he did talk about training Tennesseans who might not have the opportunity to go to college about tech school possibilities in training for his long-term plan. As I know a great deal of folks that cannot currently afford college, I do believe this will most likely translate well in this area. He by no means said people shouldn’t go to college, but he did evangelize that training methods were available during this tough economic climate.

I focused on issues I though other rural communities in this area might be interested in. Other bloggers/journalists have spotlighted his tax stand and other issues he has come out on, which is also being spotlighted on his blog in the Ask Ward section, which I also think is pretty clever.

Ask him if you want to know.

Let’s be clear. I’m not endorsing anyone at this stage of the race. I hope to talk to other candidates in the coming weeks on their knowledge and impression of northwest Tennessee.

I will say that Cammack has been very accessible. And, I hope that he will continue to be over this long campaign.

Most of my concentration in the next bit will be how candidates, such as Cammack, interact outside of the confines of Nashville in rural areas that have different issues than urban areas and how they balance both very important subjects. I’m also intrigued on what their “business model” is to assist of all of the state and if they have an agenda for economic development for all three grand divisions.

Thus far, pretty good marks, answered the questions and we will see what happens next in his campaign.

(Sing title to Cowboy by Kid Rock. It rather works.)

Have you ever had a day where it went so slow that it felt like I was riding the back of a turtle that was leaving Hoots and had to be in Vegas by the end of the work day?

I did see one of my coworkers pull her cell phone out of her bra when it rang and talk to her husband about she wanted Loretta Lynn’s Greatest Hits CD while “I’m the Happiest Girl in the Whole USA” serves as her ringtone. This rather endears her to me.

As I think the most viable line of employment for me these days is being a bona fide hobo, it was not a day of fun and revelry. I had to go try to figure things out last night and I realize I’ve got some pretty big decisions to make in the coming weeks. As I am really not in the mood to be an adult right now, I’m not looking forward to things I must do, I thought I would just share my random dark thoughts.

I realized that I most likely need a new hobby. While we wait for me to determine what I actually need to do, let’s do a link dump.

• Guns, Guns, Guns are the Tennessee Legislature’s favorite topic. I still maintain that the locals have not heard from their elected officials. Bluto has a good write-up about this.
• See Rock City!
• We’ve done puppies at Chez Coma. Le Blanc has kittens.
• I concur. Jack Lail has a petition worth signing. Read The Bill to be sent to our representatives. If this wahoos are going to vote on this stuff that we have to live with, then they at least need to know what the bill says. (Filed under This-Should-Be-Obvious.)
• Get that pitchfork back out of the shed. AIG is at it again with the bonuses.

Now on to various annoying autobiographical stuff. You know that I’m bored and tired. I think I’ve been a harpy about that one little fact this week. So, in a dream quest that was much more exciting than my real life, I hung out with a blogger during my nocturnal wanderings.

Last night I dreamed about Nashville’s very own Aunt B. We were in Memphis eating crepes and a very young Keith Olbermann was showing us around Beale Street. Then we went to Graceland w/Olbermann because we were both convinced he had psychic powers and we wanted to channel the ghost of Elvis’s mother Gladys. Olbermann grew very tiresome to us, so we just left him and drank tea in some spinning restaurant that oddly looked like the one at the Doubletree in Nashville.

Dreams don’t have to make sense.

Finally, this has been around the tubes the last couple of days and we just got our Internet back at the house yesterday. Your moment of Tennessee government zen with a tip of the hat to Christian Grantham:

An ongoing conversation that was played out yesterday with five different people concerns Sen. Roy Herron and Mike McWherter both running for governor. I keep getting asked questions about why the Dresden politician and the son of popular former Governor Ned McWherter are both in the race.

As neither of them have me on speed dial and do not call me, all I can say is “I don’t know.”

I must say that it is curious. McWherter the son. is actually from Union City, has lived in Nashville and currently resides in Jackson and is a successful businessman. He is a relative of Rep. John Tanner on his mother’s side. His dad has a home here and one at the lake. He was a major player in getting Lowe Finney elected to the Senate. He also danced with running against Sen. Lamar Alexander and opted not to do it, which is still a bit stinging to some dems in the state.

Herron is also from the area. Been around awhile, knows politics pretty well, etc.

The connecting factor actually is Ned on this one. Politics is pretty tight knit around here. Mike has his website up (although it needs a ton of work if you ask me) says he’s in and is granting interviews. Roy has released one statement, says he’s in and has said he won’t officially announce until later this spring.

It’s a long time to next year’s elections so this could go anyway.

The questions that I keep getting asked from the fine people in Hoots is where does Ned stand on all of this.

Who knows?

I spoke to several younger folks who do not remember the days of Ned as Speaker of the House and as governor. We sandwichers and the older generation remembers what he did in Nashville but for a new generation, his tenure is what they studied in history class. They don’t remember the Nilla Wafers statement he made the day he took office which landed him in People magazine (here’s the actual article from 1987. Thanks Innertubes!)

So what’s going to happen? As those who care about politics in Hoots buzzed over the weekend regarding these two whippersnappers being tied to one of the most powerfully political icons from West Tennessee, the issue comes down to one question.

Which candidate, McWherter or Herron, is the anointed one of Ned McWherter? I’m going with his kid but that’s just me.

It would probably behoove both of them to start talking to their local party and let them in on what’s going on, because right now, it’s just confusing.

I’ve been tooling around the TNDP site for the last few days and think it’s a mighty fine thing to behold. I wanted to give it a few days before I started talking about it. When any new website/blog starts there is usually a heady anticipation about it with lots of buzz, and either it falls off or evolves into something better/worse.

After a bit of scrutiny, I think this site is the real deal. I hope to see an upward and forward progression using these available tools as we head toward 2010.

So, I did what anyone like me would do, sent out some invitations to join to people I know and then sat back to wait to see what would happen on the site.

Ning sites are really cool, in my humble opinion, and this one is interactive. I have to say that one of my biggest criticisms about the TNDP over the past couple of years was not having a communicative tool in which to have more instant communication. From our standpoint in the west, and I’m guessing the folks over in the eastern part of the state go through this too as I can’t speak for them, was being geographically confined by location and missing out on some information. The site has opened up some of those lapses and I applaud the folks that did this.

Now, I get to play political multimedia critic and talk about a few things.

• Hoots is extremely underrepresented in the membership drive on the site. Guys, get cracking. We have an outlet and a tool now to participate in the social media aspect of this site so join up. I’d also like to see my legislators, Rep. Mark Maddox and Sen. Roy Herron on this site as well. That shows great leadership and a sense of unity. This also includes our county chair and members of the local party. I realize this sort of technical ideology is all new and stuff, but it’s time to get it going on.
• Mark Brown, who is Ward Cammack’s dude, seems to be utilizing the features of the site better than any candidate’s team right now. Videos, editorials and interactivity are coming from the Cammack camp right now and much of it is happening at the TNDP site. I tip my hat. Or Brown’s hat. Well, there is hat tipping somewhere. And, as GoldnI says, you will know him regardless if you want to or not because he’s hit the ground running.
• The county chairman’s feature articles are excellent. I like that a great deal and am glad to see the spotlight turned on each of the countys’ chairs.
• One bit of advice that I would share with the candidates for governor or any politician, especially the ones I met last week, is that if you are on Twitter, join everyone that has joined you back. And if you are actually doing the Twittering, because some people let their handlers do it, then participate. Yes, it does get noisy, but on the other hand, you will have instant feedback on what you are doing in the legislature. This is better than any poll you could ever pay a lofty commission for while getting immediate results. Thank me later for this bit of advice later over a beer because it’s the best feedback I could ever give you. Legislators who are excelling here are Sen. Jim Kyle and Sen. Andy Berke. (I hear Zack Wamp is doing that as well, but I’m talking democrats right now.) The TNDP asked a question yesterday about guns in parks but I couldn’t DM my response so make sure your direct messaging system is working on any microblogging site. It might have been me, and I own that. One thing that I like is reading Kyle talking about being a dad and his daughter’s disappointment over a lost competition where you could tell he was disappointed for her or Berke talk about everyday stuff as well as legislation. It breaks down the fourth wall, if you will, between an us and them sort of mentality. This works for a lot of people because it’s more personal. Regardless of what you may believe, it’s effective.
• Many of the bloggers talk a great deal off the radar quite a bit. I’m just saying. The new site allows more people to be in the conversation with much more specific information.

Those are just some initial thoughts.

Yes, there was a tea party in Hoots but I must confess I only saw some of it from a distance and didn’t officially go as I had about seven things going on at once yesterday and not enough Newscomas to deal with each thing.

You know the movie “Being John Malcovich”? Well, that scene where are all the people with Malcovich’s face on it is what I needed yesterday for most of the day to get everything done I needed (and wanted) to do.

Hoots isn’t very big, but you could see and hear the party from down the block where I was. I won’t lie, I only got a few glimpses and it appeared to be spirited.

There was a bit of excitement from many of the local folks I talked to about the event throughout the day (including several of my staff as we are a diversified lot) and the one thing I will say (in a very positive way) is that the Tax Day Tea Party did inspire some rather decent conversations and interesting debates. One thing about Hoots is that the debates 99 percent of the time remain civil and usually there is that one percent that goes haywire and there are tears. There was none of that yesterday, it was more about a debate. (And due to these conversations I had last night, I missed eating my beloved crawfish at the Rodeo supper) but I’d rather chat anyway.

I asked one huge supporter of the Tea Party who attended (until he got cold) on what was he personally protesting. He took a moment and I didn’t really get an answer from him other than he was tired of paying high taxes. (I concur, but I also know that we are going to have to dig ourselves out of a lot of things from the last ten years and I told him that.) The conversation turned into that he really didn’t like Barack Obama, which was a given considering whom I was talking to, but it also went into the direction of the former administration. We also discussed the latest tax credit in a very civilized fashion. I had a political dude with me and I will say that I was pleased he got to hear what was troubling a lot of local folks as the conversation melded into local political happenings in Hoots, which I give HIGH scores about because there is more going on than Tea Parties such as long-term quality of life in our area

More political folks of all persuasions and positions need to do this. I extend an open invitation to all of them as folks in Hoots probably won’t know you anyway, but I get to set the rules if you come because there won’t be a mic and there won’t be pontificating. There will be listening, which Dude did and I’m grateful. There is a lot you can learn over a cup of coffee or a beer, campers.

I am a fan of civil protest no matter where it comes from and for whatever reason, and this one had wings all over the country. I was taught that as American citizens we have that right. So folks, have at it. The main thing, as I sit on the sidelines on this issue, is that sending a message is great. I’m still not sure if this will make a difference to the folks in Washington that people were sending out there, but then again, it might. I’m also wondering if most people knew exactly the mission of the protest but that’s just me. People, no matter what their political persuasion is, want to be valued and when they aren’t, some of them will take it to the street.

I hope I’m given that courtesy in the future as well.

The squeaky wheel gets the oil, as my grandfather used to say.

From my libertarian buddy and cohort, Sadcox:

There was a pretty varied cross section of people. Lots of “Fair Tax” signs (I’ll post later why I have a hard time getting on board with that), lots of Ron Paul supporters, and thankfully not much bashing of President Obama directly. I think most people understand that this didn’t start with the current administration, but was going on before they got there. I mean, sure, he voted for out of control spending when he was in the Senate, but it’s not really fair to hold him accountable for silly things like his record.

I had wondered if this was a progression of the Ron Paul machine from the campaign spilling over but I wasn’t sure. There really wasn’t much bashing of Obama from Hoots either although he did come up in the conversation.

Then I saw this from Goldni and it made me rather sick inside.

With all of these things said, I guess you can tell I wasn’t really all about the Tea Parties but I do believe people have the right to do it.

And, as I ponder yesterday’s events, I can only wonder if the nationwide Tea Party story (I think about these things) will have wings next week or we, as a nation and as we are apt to do, will move on to the next story that sets teeth grinding.

I’ve seen some fabulous stuff on the ‘tubes today and I want to just hug each post. Instead, as that would be a weird practice to do, I will just do the oft-forgotten and always enjoyable link dump.

• John at Lake Neuron is in a play and gives us a look at what happens when things that aren’t supposed to happen do.
• GingerSnaps gives words of advice on how to communicate with a friend or loved on who is unemployed.
• I’ve seen this and it never ceases to make me just look at it. Usually, I get so caught up in it looking at it, that I start that mindless drooling at the Mindfield.
• Kat Coble has been blogging like a maniac and it makes me happier than a pile of crawfish and a very cold brewski.
• Hey, I blog at other places too about news.
• Lovely tribute to a mother.
• Go see why I like Spots.
• The Daily David.
• You know you are a mommy warrior when you eat snot and live to tell the tale.
• A very good day.
• Go to Grey Street Girl and just love on her blog because I do.
• The kitten formerly known as Jack Bauer (and may still be known as Jack Bauer) has been adopted. Detail here.

And, our photo of the day gives me joy and nightmares at the same time. A.) I love rural community festivals and B.) Catfish frighten me because they get as big as trucks.

I HAVE PROOF:

So Cherry Jones and her very cool sister Susan are in Paris today setting up a way to raise money for the downtown area. As Paris natives, they like their humble abode and want to make it better.

Which, as a big fan of Hoots, you know I am in total support of.

SQ and I meandered over to our adjoining county, a place we really like and to be honest I could live in very easily, to see what was going on.

We talked about Cherry being on 24 and all the stuff she brought from the set to auction off to help the town. I think I was charmed that she picked up artillery shells that that pesky Jack Bauer left on the ground after taking care of a bunch of bad guys, a cigar box from the 150th show party the cast had (all signed and everything), about 12 scripts (also signed) and a 24 official bicycle.

Jones is coming back April 18th to Paris to sell photos and some other stuff to raise money. They are having an auction of all the groovy stuff she brought back from the 24 set, and if you are a Keifer Sutherland fan, there is a ton of signed stuff.

Cherry Jones is cool. She showed Steph and I a picture of a cat on her cell phone. I, as I was quite smitten with her sister, tried to give them a puppy because that’s how I roll.

I’m going to have Mabel’s picture made with her in honor of the fund raiser. As Mabel ran for president, I think it’s only fitting that she get her photo with a president.

Seriously, Susan and Cherry were charming. I think what they are doing is just absolutely wonderful.

And, Susan, send those cat pictures and we will find them a home. On the other hand, you really need a puppy as does Cherry. Heh.

(See the power of the cute puppy. Mabel approved. And buy some of their stuff for Paris. Also Mabel approved.)

Michael is one of my favorite guys ever. In the spirit of disclosure, you need to know that.

He wrote a post that I had to go back and read a few times because it hits on something that you don’t want to admit or even talk about. You realize that sometimes one thread weaves itself with another and you don’t know why until it hits you a couple of days later.

I’m a pretty gregarious person. My grandmother used to say I was just naturally rowdy. And because of this, I went into radio and media. I like being a somewhat reluctant yet on my own terms community organizer (I like to do it under the veil of night.)

So, when I was reading about Michael being a textrovert, I realized the reason why it impacted me was because of a certain, hidden thing I’ve been avoiding talking about.

I talk a lot about how my dad has suffered hearing loss. He can hear certain tones, his hearing aids just overwhelm him due to the background noises and they irritate his ears. He can hear but there are times that you are talking to him and unless he’s looking at you, he sometimes misses what’s being said.

A few weeks ago, Sadcox and I were going to talk on Skype about NewsTechZilla. I panicked a bit, because, although I’m not as bad as my father, I’m starting to lose my hearing. I have a hell of a time with my cell phone and there are times I have to ask my staff twice what they just said because I didn’t get it all the first time.

Low talkers are not something I can hear in the least.

Sometimes it’s embarrassing.

It’s become a joke with the birthdaylicious Squirrel Queen as well as with Homer. They honestly really are the only two who knew that, although it’s not a terrible problem just yet, it is degenerating. One of the main reasons I’ve been looking for another job is my current insurance doesn’t cover hearing loss equipment which is expensive, campers. Then, Christian Grantham asked about me getting on Skype with him on his wonderful morning show online that he produces each morning. (Incidentally, John Carney of Lake Neuron fame will be on there next week.)

Garsh.

So, I’ve been using a set of headsets that Sadcox sent to me and testing them out because, by golly, I’m going to podcast if it kills me. I also keep my voice mail box full on my phone (I can’t hear the damned thing anyway. It’s sort of like the teachers on Charlie Brown) and now you know the reason.

So, as Mike said, I’d rather text.

But I’m going to move on through the fear and get cracking. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not devastating at this point, but I’m headed down the path that Big Daddy, who loves music more than he loves life, has gone down. I’ve seen him go through it. He has built tools around himself and so will I. Of course, once I need a hearing aid, I’m going to wear it.

You see, I’m going to contact the boys week, see if we can hear each other (or I can hear them, rather) explain the reasons why I’ve been a tittybaby and move through it. At this point, I’m just going to crank it up.

Hell, that’s the way I did it in radio so I’ll just do it again.

So, you see, Mike’s post gave me some clarity on why I’ve been backtracking.

Funny how that happens.

“Those of us who manage the public’s dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits and do our business in the light of day,” he said. “Because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.”

President Barack Obama

I sit staring at this blank screen today with a heavy heart.

There was a great deal of jubilation yesterday as this country swore in a new president. It was exciting.

Later in the afternoon, I realized that it is still politics as usual in Tennessee and in my home county.

Our local county commission has a resolution on the table that is called Reasonable Charges for copies of Public Records. I knew that it was coming where we would have to offset the costs of paper so I understood that.

What I didn’t know was the fine print. You see, the resolution cites that not only will folks have to pay for public records, they are also asking that citizens do these things:

• File paperwork for “Inspection/Duplication of Records Request” It’s more paperwork than you would think.
• Government offices can deny a records request
• They can charge you for labor charges. Let’s remember we are already paying salaries with tax dollars, but, yep, they can charge you an “hourly” wage.

Don’t believe me? Go here and see it for yourself on the state of Tennessee website.

My chief staff writer contacted Frank Gibson at the Tennessee Coalition of Open Government yesterday afternoon. I called Rep. Mark Maddox and will go meet with local leaders about it this morning.

What does this mean?

Let me break it down for you.

If you don’t have any money, you are basically screwed. The paperwork is ridiculously complicated. And there is a great deal of room for abuse. Tennesseans wanting to get public records are going to have to jump through hoops about it.

I am constantly amazed at every time I think we’ve taken five steps forward, I realize we have moved two steps back instead.