If you’re not registered, go do it TODAY!

Early voting for the August 7^th Primary (and County General Election) starts on Friday, July 18^th.

Call your local County Election Commission to get exact locations and times. Counties are required to allow early voting at the Election Commission offices, some set up early voting locations at other places as well.

Early Voting continues from Friday, July 18^th through Saturday, August 2^nd, 2008.

The August Primary Election (also the County General Election) is on THURSDAY, August 7^th, 2008.

Primary and County elections typically have much lower turnout than the November general election, which is shameful.

Register today! Vote – either during early voting, or on THURSDAY, August 7^th, 2008.

• Rob Shearer (aka RedHatRob)

Residents can register in person at several locations, such as county clerk’s offices, public libraries, register of deeds offices, Dept. of Safety offices

Today is the last day for Tennessee voters to register for the Aug. 7 election.

Voter registration information is available online at www.state.tn.us/sos/election/.

Continue…. 

MDHA’s authority to steal this property from Miss Joy comes by declaring the area ‘blighted’. However, what I saw with my own eyes was Miss Joy’s small neatly kept business. She’s got flowering plants out front. The property is fenced, no doubt since over the years she’s been there this area hasn’t always been nice. The fence is in good repair, unlike the motel’s next door which is majorily out of plumb. Her trash can is secured to the fence and it’s obvious this property is regularly maintained.

However, the rest of the area. The part LionStone already has control of, if I understand things correctly, is in shameful condition and if the word ‘blighter’ can only be applied to one or the other—it’s LionStone that should hands down get the label.

On my walk around I saw two sections to this very large LionStone lot. Half was asphalt in sore need of attention with cracks and potholes and the rest bare ground with a solid weedy border encircling it. There were several large mosquito attracting puddles, plenty of trash (including some kind of two foot cylindrical filter amongst the Styrofoam clamshells and drink cups and a plywood box stuffed with trash), overgrown or dead hedges left over from the Shoney’s restaurant, tall grass, thistles in full bloom, stick-tights and other vegetative opportunists. The overgrowth was so bad along one part of the sidewalk I was forced to walk in the street. The contrast between this LionStone property and the landscaping and thriving businesses along side on Demonbreun was stark. If anyone is bringing down the property values and beer buzz in those establishments–it’s LionStone.

Here’s a photo of one of three puddles after several days of dry weather.

Lots of weeds, nearly all with a variety of litter caught within.

These are dead hedges about 4 feet tall.

Along Division Street it’s thick with weeds.

This is some sort of trash box on the LionStone property.

In the shadow of the trees left behind after the Shoney’s Restaurant was demolished there was a man doing a steady business out of his trunk and on his cell phone. I didn’t dare point my camera in his direction. Further down, there were a couple of private ambulance employees in their cab who seemed startled to see me walk by with a camera and shortly moved on. (Apparently, Channel 5’s Phil Williams and his exposes on extra long employee breaks came to their minds.)

If this were my neighborhood, I’d have called codes on LionStone long ago and demanded a prompt mowing, trash removal and filling in of the puddles and potholes that could be mosquito breeding grounds. I’d also have checked with the local police department to ensure a trespass waiver was on file and the property posted to ensure that the fellow doing a steady business from the trunk of his car was encouraged to move on.

It’s landlords like LionStone that make neighborhood’s blighted, not Miss Joy. It’s just wrong that the property owner being a responsible neighbor is the one being forced out.

If you haven’t written your councilman and the mayor yet. Please take a few minutes to do so. YOUR property is at stake if we allow the city to take property merely because it will generate more tax revenue.

For further reading checking out my first post on this “Bogus Blight” and Blue Collar Muse’s “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” Part I and Part II.

Kay Brooks

Possibly anticipating the nation’s outrage over Kelo, Justice John Paul Stevens, writing in his Kelo opinon, said, “… nothing in our opinion precludes any state from placing further restrictions on its exercise of the takings power.” In the aftermath of Kelo, according to Property Fairness, 27 states, including Tennessee, took Justice Stevens’ encouragement and attempted to do exactly that in 2006.

The problem, of course, is not in the attempt but in the accomplishment. The Tennessee Bar Association published an excellent analysis of Tennessee’s new law. The short version is that, in Tennessee, little was accomplished beyond political posturing. It is Tennessee’s 2006 failure to further restrict its takings power which leads directly to MDHA’s 2008 actions against Joy Ford. (more…)

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

It is here, a 30 second read into the birth of our nation, we find the most important right which government is to secure, the Pursuit of Happiness.

The Declaration establishes three foundational rights. The Constitution generally amplifies them, outlining ways government may not prevent us from exercising them. Our Right to Life is partially expressed in our Right to Keep and Bear Arms to defend that Life if threatened. Our Right to Liberty is partially expressed in our Right to Due Process to ensure any restraint on that Liberty is just.

One Right listed in the Declaration is different. It has no amplification in the Bill of Rights. The least discussed, it is the most important - the Pursuit of Happiness.

(more…)

Why do I think that?

I just read a preview for a new hard-cover novel scheduled for release on August 5 by John Ringo, entitled The Last Centurion. Here’s the two-sentence blurb:

“In the second decade of the 21^st century the world is struck by two catastrophes, a new mini-ice age and a plague to dwarf all previous experiences. An American Army officer struggles to prevent the fall of his homeland – despite others’ efforts to stop him.”

Thank about that. An author thinks a surprising, but plausible plot line for the near future is the occurrence of a “mini ice-age.” It’s a delicious premise, of course. It has all sorts of possibilities for skewering the elites and marveling at their surprise and come-uppance. I can just imagine the dialog: “How much good are your compact fluorescent light-bulbs doing you now?”

Sounds like a good summer read. . . (while contemplating Global Warming!)

• Rob Shearer
  (aka RedHatRob)

Connecticut votes in November on whether or not to hold a Constitutional Convention to amend or revise its constitution. Some want to do so to give citizens the right to directly petition their government via the Initiative and Referendum (I&R) process. I&R allows an issue to be voted on by putting it put on the ballot by citizen request as opposed to legislative action.

The I&R process is not well liked by politicians as it usually limits what they can do. It may curtail their ability to raise taxes at will or to take your property if you don’t want to sell. As such, it is not easy for citizens to actually get something on the ballot. I&R may be granted by a state’s constitution but laws governing the process are made by the legislature. Lawmakers determine how many signatures are needed to get an issue on the ballot and the length of time available to collect them. Such power often impedes the process so effectively it’s a wonder initiatives manage to get on the ballot at all. But If Mr. Satter had his way, you wouldn’t even have that right. Mere citizens aren’t qualified to speak to issues.

(more…)

This is the equivalent of the New York Times praising President Bush for his leadership and communication skills and his masterly command of US foreign policy.

How long will it be before the US media must finally admit that the surge has succeeded? And further that Bush’s foreign policy in Iraq has actually worked?

I’m not holding my breath, but if Der Spiegel is forced to admit the truth . . . then anything is possible.

• Rob Shearer
  (aka RedHatRob)

One of the accomplishments of the 2008 session of the Tennessee Legislative was an updating of the Tennessee Open Records Act. The amendments to the act took effect yesterday, July 1, 2008.

SB3280 has been assigned Public Chapter Number 1179 by the Secretary of State. You can get the complete text and the signature page showing where Naifeh, Ramsey, & Bredesen signed by clicking on that link.

There are three significant changes in the law – all of them good:

This is an important clarification. All those office files (word, excel, & powerpoint) are public records. Not just a print-out of the contents, but the files themselves. Public. Records.

The law incorporates and reasserts the principles presented by the study committee created by Chapter 887 of the Public Acts of 2006:

(i) The state policies and guidelines shall reflect the policy that providing information to the public is an essential function of a representative government and an integral part of the routine duties and responsibilities of public officers and employees;

(ii) That excessive fees and other rules shall not be used to hinder access to non-exempt, public information;

(iii) That, in accordance with § 10-7-503(a)(7)(A), no charge shall be assessed to view a public record unless otherwise required by law;

(iv) That the requestor be given the option of receiving information in any format in which it is maintained by the agency, including electronic format consistent with Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 1; and

(v) That when large-volume requests are involved, information shall be provided in the most efficient and cost-effective manner, including but not limited to permitting the requestor to provide copying equipment or an electronic scanner.

Go forth and make use of your newly enhanced rights to request and inspect the public records of your government.

• Rob Shearer
  (aka RedHatRob)

First, it hasn’t taken long for players on the Left to start marching to the beat of misinformation, deception and lies that must be part of Obama’s campaign if he is to win. He cannot be seen for who he really is or he will lose. Second, this is the Union’s marquis, not just Greg Stallings’. How many members believe gas prices are Bush’s fault?

Lies and deception? Those are harsh words. However, the question is, are they justified? An objective consideration of facts says they are. The sign’s point is the price of gas has increased from $1.46 p/gal to over $4.00 p/gal since 01/01. It was Bush’s watch so it must be Bush’s fault. Voters should, therefore, punish Bush and the GOP for their mismanagement and vote Democrat this Fall.

However, questions must be asked. Can only politicians impact price or might other factors explain the increase? If politicians are to blame, might a politician other than Bush be responsible? (more…)