The Tennessee ConserVOLiance

Sen. John Wilder’s effort to revive his Tennessee Plan reauthorization bill failed in the senate just before 8 p.m. this evening. Sen. Rosalind Kurita (D-Clarksville) and Sen. Mike Williams (I-Maynardville) joined all Republican senators in voting not to bypass the Government Operations committee and bring Wilder’s bill directly to the floor of the senate.

What this signifies to me is that there is potential for change in our state. Some of you may think, “Merit selection was better . . . it was the best way for us to pick judges . . . and this is a step back for our state.”

Perhaps you’re right, at least about the best way to pick judges. But this is progress for our state, because despite months of soul force, personality-driven arm-twisting, and teeth-gnashing from the most powerful lobby in the state (”trial lawyers,” et al), a majority of state senators did what was right this evening.

Folks, the sky isn’t falling. In the coming year we can and will have a debate about what is the best way to select judges in our state. If the “Tennessee Plan” is not reauthorized (newsflash: reauthorization can be achieved by a simple majority vote in both houses), then we’ll simply revert to the system we relied upon from the time it was established by Jacksonian Democrats in the mid-1800’s until 1994. No biggie.

At the end of the debate, State legislators may conclude that elections are the best way to select judges; but if they conclude otherwise, they need to change the constitution to reflect that preference.

Let the debate begin.

www.tennplandebate.com

From around the state (and beyond):

Terry Frank
VoluntarilyConservative
Dan Pero
Bill Hobbs

Cross-posted at WisdomIsVindicated