Newscoma

I’ve been told a lot about politics over the years, some of it good and some of it downright offensive, but the best thing that I ever learned that has stuck with me for roughly 20 years came from a man named Jimmy Westbrook, who is a county commissioner in our fair county, and who has a pretty illustrious career of 40 odd years in the state as well.

We were going through a very local, and contentious, fight about school consolidation at that time.  It was ugly and I mean downright vicious. People would shout at commission meetings, it took up pretty much all of  my time as a very young, and arrogant, buck reporter at the local radio station. These guys made teabaggers look like puppies because this was personal and it was local. One night the room was so full that I ended up having to sit in the the chair of the county executive (they are now called mayors) while he squeezed into a very tight table of 20 commissioners, all on different sides of the issue. It was a warm evening and as people came in from their day jobs at the field, or from the factories, the room smelled a bit ripe with sweat and anger.

It was one of the few times in my life that not only could you feel the coils of hostility, but you could smell fury. Don’t mess with people’s community, church or kids and that was the elephant that protesters brought into the room.

The meeting wasn’t that much different than many of them during that particular issue. There was shouting, an occasional fist wave and I remember one particular commissioner, who I won’t name, looking pretty much terrified. These people were angry that the commission wanted to shut down four of six high schools. They saw their communities potential deaths with that action, which came down to countywide matching funding and having to accommodate bonds bricks and mortar projects as well as maintaining what we already had..  Proponents felt two larger schools would give more opportunity and extra state funding. Some of the older schools were in disrepair and they knew that it was going to cost hand over fist to get them up to code. And this was long before the recession that we are undergoing now hit.

It was a dilemma.

Nothing was really resolved that night and the meetings would continue for weeks with much the same results. I remained neutral even though I did have an opinion which doesn’t matter now. I edited sound diligently every night (on carts, you old time radioheads and even won a few awards for my efforts) and each morning we would have those one to two minute soundbites. As it continued, we broadcast the meetings live because it was all that anyone was talking about.

It was the big news.

On that particular night, Westbrook, who is one of those bulldog politicians with a booming voice who can roll his eyes at what he perceives to be unseemliness very easily, tried to make the peace that night because he realized that no one was in the mood to talk. I don’t remember everything he said as he had the floor, but basically it was that no one was going to be able to have a conversation when they were mad as rip and that everyone needed to clear their heads.

That’s the way things are done here in Hoots.

After the meeting, I asked for a quote to use on the next day’s broadcast, which he gave me. After I had put the mic away, I asked him if this was ever going to get better. I was exhausted, the commissioners were exhausted but more importantly, the entire county was worn the hell out from the sheer emotion of it all.

“The thing is that we all need to live together. After any bit of politicking, you need to be in the right mind, that even if you disagreed on something completely, to be able to sit down and have a cup of coffee or a beer with that person you were arguing with before. That’s the way things work. Some times you are going to win, and other times you are going to lose, but we still live together. We forget that sometimes.”

“Do you think we will ever get back to that point?” I asked.

“I do, but I also want you to know that if you are able to have that cup of coffee,” he said. “Then the other sides knows you mean business when you pick a battle you believe is worth winning.”

That’s how I remember it. My grandfather, who was a republican, taught that lesson as well although he died nearly a decade before the consolidation issue hit the county. I guess those were just different times.

We all have to live together.

The issue, as controversial things do, winded down after time. Other issues replaced that one but maybe with not the fervor that the school one did.

I learned something from both men at different times in my life.

So if you were ever wondering, that’s where I came from. You may disagree with me sometimes, but I’ll buy you a cup of coffee and we’ll talk about it.

We can at least figure it out if we are having a conversation because, as they said, we have to live together despite it all.

Editorbates writes a post about the current conversation in Washington of giving taxpayers another economic stimulus package.

I fought hard to dissuade my state representatives not to pass the bill that would grant $700 billion to help credit corporations. With the latest buzz floating around on the net about sending a “stimulus” check to those of us who are already indebted to the corporate bailout just makes my stomach turn.

Do people in Congress really think that will make us forget the anguish we have suffered at their hands less than a month ago. It seems as they’re sitting back going, “oh, just throw them a couple hundred dollars tax-free and they’ll shut up.”

No thank you, keep your damn money, oh wait, keep MY damn money and next time if you want to know what my opinion is, ask me before speaking on my behalf.

Read the rest at Weakley County Democrats because she’s kicking some butt.

Remember a couple of weeks ago when I was ranting at the Tennessee Democratic Party.

Remember the young woman that called the TNDP and was basically dismissed. Well, she’s taken action and started her own blog called Weakley County Democrats.

I love to see people take the bull by the horns. So, go say howdy to Editor Bates.

And, I would advise that the TNDP pay attention because Bates is fearless, passionate and dedicated. And she is about the legacy of the party that she loves as well as how national issues affect local people.

Go now please.

I love you. I do but sometimes folks have to practice tough love with the things they care about.
You guys, well, I thought you knew better but you don’t, and what I’m talking about is that I think you need to come to Hooterville and talk to some of the people I’ve been talking to the past few days. Go to all of the Hootervilles, not just mine.

You are blowing it, in my opinion, when it comes to rural voters and in many ways, you are disenfranchising younger voters here.This isn’t good, Nashville leaders.

There is a world outside of Nashville.

And, I mean this, you guys act like there isn’t sometimes and that’s a damn shame. You have young people here that want to be involved in the political process, are talking to me, and yes I work at a newspaper, that they are constantly not getting their needs met. But, with that said, the GOP is doing dandy here. New building, an air of excitement, recruiting new members, selling McCain buttons enthusiastically and creating new partnerships by reaching across the aisle to a large degree.
Heck, I’m a liberal and I’ve had a great time with the local GOP. They are rocking it.
Earlier this week, I talked to several people in their 20s and 30s who lean to the left who do not feel comfortable with the college democrats due to their age and in the local democratic party because there tends to be too much established fellowship. This isn’t your fault and I’m not blaming you but a little updated training might help from your end. They wanted to put up signs, they wanted buttons, they wanted a rally.
But, and this is just dang unforgivable, is that between 20,000 and 30,000 people were here for the Tennessee Soybean Festival and other than a handful of kids from the college running a voter registration drive, the democrats were invisible. Thousands and thousands of college kids were at the Corey Smith outdoor free concert where there were dozens of vendors when you could have come and made a huge splash and, umm …
You get my drift?
You missed a huge opportunity. Rural communities want to be involved. Engage them and pay attention.
Several years ago, I went to several meetings at the local party and was one of those young voters who felt left out. I wanted inspiring conversations, events to feel excited about. As I recall, I went to one meeting with now Sen. Lowe Finney. I can’t speak for him but I can say that I didn’t get my needs met. After a while, I gave up.
This is the county that has Ned McWherter and his legacy. But there are other counties just like mine that need leadership from the state office. I set up a website for these young voters yesterday. Have you not sent out instructions to rural communities who need your guidance about online networking, talking points and utilizing social communication sites like Twitter or Friendfeed? I’m just asking because I know I haven’t seen them but you might have. Are you talking to established rural party leadership about how to recruit young people.

Gray, we had 4.4 percent of our registered voters vote here in August.

I don’t know about other rural counties but don’t you think you need to reach out to these places that feel that voting is a waste of time because they aren’t being engaged. Yes, McCain will take Tennessee but I’m talking long-term here, not just one race. And, quite frankly, the GOP is getting it done in rural areas in Tennessee.
One young voter called the TNDP on Tuesday and was somewhat dismissed. She was devastated. I put out a call about needing some help to the Memphis Bloggers who were Johnny on the Spot and a call out to Twitter, with many people responding from Nashville.
I had to think about it. It’s more than just this race, it’s the future of this party when it comes to rural young voters who want participating. And it’s about guiding people into a new generation.

If this race is about change, you have people who want change and are willing to work for it, give them a hand. Remember, one of them called you so they are reaching out. I realize it’s a county in the middle of nowhere but voices are of value everywhere.
Guide them.
I contacted my local representatives.

We, and I say we because I’m not just griping are taking action to encourage young voters here and we, are going to try to help some of these kids. Rep. Mark Maddox and I are on it, but you have to help too. We are putting our money where our mouth is.
Politics in this state is not just in Nashville. We are not just a bunch of rednecks who need to be dismissed. One of your rising stars in the state senate started here. He was the same young man who went to that meeting with me so many years ago.
So please, help out the little guys because each vote counts in every election.
We aren’t asking you to do it, we are just asking you to be involved with everyone and not the select few.
Keep up the good work but expand it. That’s all I’m asking. I know this area, trust me on this one. I trust you will take this constructive criticism as it was meant. Not as a slam, but as an opportunity for growth.

Tough love is hard. If I pissed you off, well, too bad.
Love hurts.

Respectfully,
Newscoma

Roughly 800 people out of 18,000 people (Edit: Registered voters for clarification) in this county voted last Thursday.

That’s pathetic.

Or is this an indication of some greater problem.

I’m thinking about it.

I’m up and at ‘em this morning in where I slept longer than a vampire last night although I guess it could be said that vampires sleep all day.

Let’s just say that sometimes my groovy and rocking lifestyle is not conducive for regular sleep. You know how that goes. (snark)

(more…)

Dog-fighting in the home town.

Man, this burns me up. I’m not naive, I know these things happen, but it still just grosses me out.