vibinc

Category: State Politics

  • Put your money where your mouth is

    If you’re like me, and watched in horror as the Tennessee General Assembly considered, and often passed one bad GOP sponsored bill after another, bringing shame to our state, you’re probably wondering what you can do about it. If you thought Stacey Campfield and his bevy of bills that would harm regular Tennesseans was dispicable,…

  • Just another session wrap-up post

    On Friday, the Tennessee General Assembly adjourned for the year, an event that was largely overshadowed by a series of national and statewide events that dominated coverage last week. There have been a lot of post-session roundups. From the measured but extensive coverage of Tom Humphrey, to the more snark driven flourishes of Jeff Woods.…

  • cRAAM Session

    Yesterday was a pretty huge day, and I’m not talking about the massive CNN fail regarding an arrest in the Boston bombing case. Nope, I’m talking about right here in Tennessee. Here’s what Senator Jim Kyle had to say about the Ram-it-through budget session yesterday. Gramatical errors in the heat of battle, and on twitter…

  • Pennies from Haslam

    According to a poll released in January, Bill Haslam has a 68% approval rating in Tennessee. Elected as a moderate, the words out of the Governor’s mouth certainly don’t lead anyone to believe he’s a firebrand. Of course, word and deed are two different things. The truth is, Gov. Haslam’s positions further a system of…

  • The Oliver Twist Act

    Yesterday, the House Government Operations Committee recommended passage of HB0261 aka The Oliver Twist Act. The bill, if passed and signed by the Governor, would reduce payments to families on certain government assistance if their child does not meet state educational standards. Yes, there are provisions for intervention, including tutoring and parent-teacher conferences, but that…

  • Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice…

    Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable… Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals. – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Forty-Five years ago today, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed by an assassin’s bullet as he stood on the balcony…