How to waste time without really trying

Still showing their stupidity ... and wasting money:

When they weren't making laws, lawmakers passed around praise
By JESSICA FENDER
Staff Writer
Tennessee lawmakers sponsored more resolutions than
anything else this legislative session, lauding people like pop star Justin Timberlake and expressing solidarity with a Turkish religious movement, among other endeavors.

A Tennessean review of more than 6,000 records shows that 42 percent of all measures filed were resolutions with no force of law.

And while not all passed — Timberlake didn't, religious freedom in Turkey did — the drafting of such "memorial" resolutions cost about $70,000, by staff estimates.

Most resolutions honored local teachers, soldiers, sports teams, administrators or students for outstanding achievement.

Among them was Hendersonville Christian Academy valedictorian Jamie Wallmark, 17, who earned a
4.125 grade point average.

Being honored on the Senate floor meant a lot, she said, especially because she knows lawmakers are busy.

Resolutions cost time, money But lawmakers' busy agendas are precisely the problem when it comes to penning a deluge of resolutions, said John Summers, a lobbyist and Metro councilman who represents part of west Nashville.

While most are quickly dispatched, they can still "grind business to a halt," said Summers, who said
the Metro Council had a similar problem in the past.

"Clearly there are individuals that deserve recognition," he said. "And clearly there are some
resolutions that are there for political purposes by the sponsor."

About 100 of the 1,699 resolutions filed established study committees, ratified the legislature's rules or made a first step toward amending the state Constitution.

Rep. Tom DuBois, R-Columbia, introduced 167 congratulations, memorials and proposals to rename stretches of highway — the most by far of any legislator.

Why am I not surprised?

To quote Gilbert Gottfried, in Iago mode: "That's incredible ... I think I'm going to have a heart attack and die from that surprise."

Insert eyeroll here.

Legislature leans to the mundane
Session is noted more for tweaks than overhauls
By JESSICA FENDER Staff Writer
Tennessee lawmakers spent about a third of their efforts this lengthy legislative session rewriting city charters, changing the way plumbers are licensed and mulling
other similarly narrowly focused rule changes, records show.

The volume of approved housekeeping bills overshadowed the number of successful education, crime and transportation proposals combined, according to a Tennessean analysis of more than 6,000 pieces of legislation filed this session.

Lawmakers say they have a responsibility to oversee every facet of the state — no matter how small — and constituents often directly request the seemingly minor tweaks to government rules.

Political analysts of the academic and armchair varieties alike say the 23-week legislative session, which cost the state $2.3 million, yielded few major initiatives outside of a 42-cent cigarette tax increase that took effect Sunday.

And some voters worry that lawmakers tinkered with local governments, licensing boards, public employee benefits and the like at the expense of bigger-picture issues.

Gallatin headhunter Frank Greggs, 66, wanted officials to focus more attention on immigration and open government reform.

There "are local issues that are dear to my heart, but I go to city hall for that," Greggs
said. "The big thing for me is that the legislature do what's good for the masses."

Crime was a top issue. About 12 percent of successful bills addressed crime, including some touching on illegal immigration. Nine percent addressed transportation issues, and an additional 8 percent focused on education.

That's compared with 30 percent dealing with the way government governs.

The newspaper analyzed data provided by Brentwood-based M. Lee Smith Publishers, which operates a commercial subscription service that tracks
legislation.

It's no surprise that rule changes ate up such a large chunk of the legislature's efforts, said John Vile, chairman of the political science department at Middle Tennessee State University.

Many states, Tennessee included, put constitutional restrictions on local governments, which mean even small changes to city and county operations need approval.

"It seems inefficient to me," Vile said.

Impact can still be big. Not all of the rule tweaks that passed this year have a limited scope. One would allow the Tennessee Highway Patrol to enforce immigration laws statewide, for example.

But the bulk do things like boost the daily pay of supervisors of soil districts (from $15 to $30), add a public safety official to the board overseeing state employees' retirement and regulate helicopter rides in Pigeon Forge.

Those are also the type of bills that are easier to pass than those addressing the
issues at the top of voters' priority lists; they steer clear of ideological quagmires in most cases, said Brenda Erickson, research analyst with the Denver-based National Conference of State Legislatures.

"Changing education funding is very complicated, very controversial," Erickson said. "Changing the way barbers are governed is a little less complicated."

Just because these "protocol" bills seem mundane, doesn't mean they are "frivolous" or have little effect on the average voter, said Sen. Thelma Harper.

The Nashville Democrat leads the Senate committee that hears these proposals, and she is a prolific filer of them herself.

Voters need to know that their public servants are being treated fairly and that the boards licensing beauticians, dialysis clinics and veterinarians are reputable, she said.

Ultimately, that duty rests with the state. Voters probably don't see the impact of the protocol bills "until something goes wrong," Harper said. "Then they say, 'That's your job. Why didn't you know? Why didn't you do your job?' "

Source: The Tennessean, www.tennessean.com

Which is cheaper?

Today marks the beginning of a new cigarette tax in Tennessee.

The Tennessean did an article on smokers stocking up yesterday before having to pay 42 cents more per pack. (The money, incidentally, goes to education and the state's trauma care centers.)

In the "things that make you go 'hmmmm ...'" department was this gem:

Or they could drive to Kentucky. That's what Cynthia Brown said she plans to do for her weekly carton.

"That's just the way it goes," she said. "But that doesn't make it any easier to accept."

According to the article (which I have to trust, since I neither smoke nor buy cigarettes), "a $26.77 carton Saturday will cost $30.97 today." Using my handy-dandy calculator, that's a difference of $4.20.

Gas is at $2.69 to $3.09 per gallon in Cynthia's corner of the world, according to Nashville Gas Prices.com. And Google Maps indicates its 41.6 miles to the Kentucky border.

So ... why would smokes be cheaper in Kentucky? After you factor in the gas and wear-and-tear on the car on a weekly basis?

It seems to me there are two cost-effective alternatives here: Suck it up and pay the tax. Or quit. Either is going to be cheaper than a weekly trek to the Bluegrass State.

(I wonder why they don't call it "the Bluegrass Commonwealth"?)

Other laws in effect in Tennessee today:

• School resource officers must be sworn police officers.
• Parents face fines if their children don't wear helmets on motorcycles or ATVs.
• Partners seeking divorce must go through mediation. And if children are involved, there's a waiting period.
• Students who gang up to fight an individual student face a mandatory one-year-expulsion.
• A new misdemeanor is removing a radio collar or microchip from a dog without the owner's permission.
• Driving a motorcycle with the front tire off the ground will be considered reckless driving
• Prisoners flashing prison guards face indecent exposure charges.
• Make a non-emergency call to 911 and you'll face a fine of up to $500.
• The tax on food drops one-half cent.
• It is now illegal to have sex with an animal.
• Anyone charged with vehicular homicide is not eligible for any form of diversion, which can get the charge removed from their record.
• The minimum sentence for offenders convicted of child rape increases from 15 to 25 years. That is where the judge starts, and then considers enhancing factors that can increase the sentence or mitigating factors that can decrease it.
• Drivers can now use deadly force if they believe they are in immediate danger from a carjacker.

Sources: WBIR-TV and Bristol News

Brilliant ... just brilliant

I long for the day when I can come to this blog and say, with no sarcasm whatsoever, "Look! Our state legislature has done a wonderful thing! Kudos!"

But, alas, I cannot. This is not Camelot, and they are ... well, who they are.

This latest effort goes into effect tomorrow. To wit:

Everyone shows ID for beer in Tenn.

By LUCAS L. JOHNSON II, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 18 minutes ago

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Comer Wilson hasn't had to show his ID to buy beer in a while. Maybe it's the 66-year-old man's long white beard.

Starting Sunday, gray hair won't be good enough. Wilson and everyone else will be required to show identification before buying beer in Tennessee stores — no matter how old the buyer appears.

"It's the stupidest law I ever heard of," Wilson said. "You can see I'm over 21."

Tennessee is the first state to make universal carding mandatory, says the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association. However, the law does not apply to beer sales in bars and restaurants, and it does not cover wine and liquor.

Supporters say it keeps grocery store and convenience store clerks from having to guess a customer's age. Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen said it's a good way to address the problems of underage drinking. And the 63-year-old governor said he personally won't mind the extra effort to buy beer.

"I'll be very pleased when I'm carded, and in my mind I'll just imagine it's because I look so young," he said.

Rich Foge, executive director of the Tennessee Malt Beverage Association, said he expects there might be some initial resistance from the beer-buying public.

"But once people live with it for a month or two, it's going to go fine," he said. "It gets routine after a while."

Jarron Springer, president of the Tennessee Grocers and Convenience Store Association, said he understands the law "may seem a little odd" to people who are obviously older than 21, but he said it's necessary to make sure no one slips through the cracks.

"If we're going to hold clerks accountable for their actions, then there's no room for discretion," Springer said. "It's either all or nothing."

The blanket requirement makes it easier for stores to comply, said Steve Schmidt, spokesman for the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association

"There's no need to judge whether someone looks 21, 25 or 30," he said. "It's a set, consistent standard across the entire state."

Richard Rollins, who owns a convenience store in Nashville, is already using a computerized scanner to check everyone's driver's licenses when they buy beer.

"We just say we're trying to keep our beer permit, and this is the safest way," Rollins said.

But it has stopped Jeff Campbell from shopping at Rollins' market.

"I don't mind them asking for my ID, but they don't need my driver's license number," said Campbell, 43. "I'm just buying a six-pack. All they need to know is how old I am."

Rollins said scanning licenses has proved beneficial in other ways, such as catching criminals. When one customer tried to make a purchase using a counterfeit bill, Rollins said police were able to track him down because the receipt from the scanner showed his name and license number — and his address.

The new law, which expires after a year unless the Legislature decides to renew it, also creates a voluntary training program for vendors and their employees.

Participating businesses would face lower fines if found guilty of selling beer to a minor, and their beer permits cannot be revoked on a first offense. However, they face fines of up to $1,000 for each underage sale and they lose their status if they commit two violations in a 12-month period.

Another violation could mean suspension or revocation of a license, and fine of up to $2,500.

Noncertified vendors can face those penalties on a first offense.

Marylee Booth, executive director of the Tennessee Oil Marketers Association, which represents gas stations and convenience stores, said the intention is not to hurt vendors, but to help them protect minors.

"We're doing everything we can to keep minors from buying beer," Booth said. "This is just one more tool we want to try."
___
Associated Press writer Erik Schelzig contributed to this report.

My question is, what's wrong with the cashier carding if she is unsure? It's been more than a few years ago since I worked in a convenience store, but that's exactly how I did it. A few would resist, but they'd haul out their IDs when they saw that the transaction wouldn't be completed unless they showed me proof of their date of birth.

Obviously, these men and women are out of touch with reality if they think this one little law will curb underage drinking. Most of these kids have a older-than-21 friend who is more than happy to make the buy.

To me, it appears some high-positioned lobbyists have courted our solons to ensure that their clients don't have to shoulder a bit of responsibility and common sense. And it worked.

Way to go, Tennessee representatives and senate! Insert dripping sarcasm here.

Lowering the standards

Earlier this year, those great bastions known as the Tennessee General Assembly decided that it's OK if your city or county mayor and their boards didn't graduate from high school.

Now they're looking at lowering -- yes, lowering -- the GPA required for the state's lottery scholarships.

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/state/article/0,1406,KNS_348_5499206,00.html

Right now, it takes a 3.0 GPA -- a B -- to qualify for the what will be $4,000-a-year gifts under Gov. Bredesen's education plan. To keep it, they must sustain a 2.75 GPA the first year of college and a 3.0 subsequent years.

The plan, which, sadly, has the support of Bredesen, is to lower the GPA to 2.75 for those later college years.

We're giving these kids free money, folks. Isn't the least they can do is work for it?

Things happen, and I understand that. But wouldn't it be better to impose a probationary semester to give students a chance to improve?

Lowering the standards is one of the factors putting us behind in education. It's simply not acceptable, in my opinion, to drop the requirements.

What kind of message does that send to young people? Oh, yeah -- I forgot. This legislature doesn't CARE about the impression their actions make on the state's youth. Silly me.

Would that be a full moon or a new moon?

Oh dear Lord. Just when I thought things couldn't get worse with those buffoons who collectively call themselves the Tennessee General Assembly.

It seems now that, at the behest of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, the great solons are looking to pass a bill to make it a misdemeanor for prisoners to expose their buttocks. Mooning, as you will.

I have a lot of questions about this one. What if Byron "Low-Tax" Looper decides to drop his drawers? He's a lifer; what the hell does he care if he gets slapped with a misdemeanor?

The great lawmakers have pointed out that there are now a lot of female corrections officers who are getting exposed. Ummmm ... isn't that one of the casualties of the job? (And no, I'm not a corrections officer, nor do I care to be one. I see lots of asses daily without having someone show me theirs.)

One of my former co-workers used to expose his ass to us on a daily basis. His jeans were baggy, and it was nothing for us to look over and see a whole new ... uhh ... side of J. Should he get a misdemeanor charge? I'm a female, and it was a sight I sure as hell didn't want to see.

But you've got to see this. You can't make this stuff up.

Imagine, if you will ...

My beautiful, brainy Girl has decided to ditch high school. Her rationale might go something like this:

Mom, there are a lot of things I could do. I could be mayor! Or on city council ... or, if I want it, county mayor someday!

Thanks to those idiots we refer to in nice company as the Tennessee General Assembly, she and other youngsters across the Volunteer State could make such a valid claim. Because those esteemed solons -- the same ones who think some of us love our pets too much -- rejected a bill requiring elected officials to have a high school diploma.

Bill on officials education is killed

Dumbasses. Truly dumbasses.

... critics said the proposed law would undermine voters' rights to choose among a variety of candidates and that education does not necessarily assure quality.
"This is punishing individuals who may not, for whatever reason, have the educational level that someone thinks they ought to have," said Rep. Gary Moore, D-Nashville. "A person's education level, in my opinion, doesn't really hinder the ability to serve."

These legislators have proven time and time again how unimportant education is to them. What the hell is wrong with requiring a high school or GED? I remember one commissioner in my county who couldn't read. Do we really want someone in running or city or county who is unable to read -- let alone understand -- the matters before him?

Further, is this the message we're anxious to send young people? Hey, education is overrated -- you, too, can lead your county! But not on school board or as sheriff. Because:

Under current state law, there are no educational requirements for any officeholders except sheriffs and school board members, who must show they have a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma.

So, it's OK for the men and women who are setting my tax rate not to have a high school diploma, but the sheriff better have one.

We had a sheriff in my hometown who I know didn't finish high school, yet he solved a murder. They had the accused but lacked the dead bodies. This guy found them. How?

He drove all over the county and watched the skies, looking for buzzard action.

Given my choice, I'll take an educated county mayor over an educated sheriff any day.

Where is the love?

For Justin Timberlake, it's not in the Tennessee General Assembly.

Republicans put brakes on plan to honor Timberlake

I'm no Justin fan, but I can't deny he's at top form in his genre. It's not like they're applauding his part in The Great Superbowl Wardrobe Malfunction -- they're simply saying, "Hey, Justin: Good work on the pop front. See ya!"

On the other hand, get a load of Ophelia Ford's resolution. I picture the walls of her office and bedroom plastered with pinups of Justin from butchered copies of Tiger Beat and Bop. Can we say, "Oh Juuuuuuuuustinnnnn!" Insert high-pitched scream here.

Complete text of the state Senate resolution to honor Justin Timberlake