vibinc

Progressive Politics from Memphis

  • 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…

  • Kittens lash out at ice cream, apple pie, and background checks

    A recent You Gov poll found that Americans have a very high opinion of many things both cute and cuddly, as well as cornerstones of American culture. These include: Ice cream – 93% Apple pie – 81% Kittens – 76% Child Labor laws – 71% Baseball – 67% Its not that surprising that the two…

  • Political Haiku for the week of 4/12/13

    One of the things almost everyone mentioned in my reader survey is the lack of haiku on the blog. With that in mind, here’s the first installment, of what I hope to make a weekly series… Political Haiku of the Week! Campfield runs from child, On his way to his latest loss, What a punk…

  • 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…