Archive for the ‘Guns’ Category

Guns In Bars Shot Down, Ruled Unconstitutional

Saturday, November 21st, 2009

guns-booze-296x300Republicans controlled this year’s session of the Tennessee legislature for the first time since reconstruction (1870’s). They took over in a time of unprecedented economic hardship and sagging revenues, adding up to a budget mess that required quick action. What did republicans do with their newfound leadership opportunities? They plugged the budget holes with the very stimulus money they protested, passed “Guns in Bars”, and headed home with their pockets full of per diem checks.

All the while, far right Tennessee Republicans made impassioned speeches about “following the Constitution”, the evils of the stimulus package (yet spent it to plug budget holes), and “limited government”. They even formed a committee to study secession.

Now a Chancery Judge has ruled that the “Guns in Bars” law is unconstitutionally vague, citing that it is problematic for police and small business owners (you know, the ones republicans claim to protect). Following the Constitution to the letter is the one thing all republicans pride themselves in and espouse constantly. This year, when they finally took power for the first time since reconstruction, they couldn’t even do that. The City Paper has the story

In her ruling, [Chancellor] Bonnyman agreed the law was too vague and “does violate the due process rights of the public in general and plaintiff gun permit holders.” The chancellor based her decision on the fact that permit holders cannot determine whether or not they are in violation of the law.

“The principle business being conducted cannot be known to the ordinary citizen,” Bonnyman said. “Inquiry would not be satisfactory or helpful.”

It’s not clear whether or not the Attorney General will appeal the ruling, which effectively eliminated the statute from the law. The legislature is likely to address a new version of the bill in the next session but it is unclear whether or not a guns-in-bar provision will see the same support.

Metro Police Chief Ronal Serpas spoke out in support of Bonnyman’s decision, and said his one concern he had was that the ruling would allow the issue to “again take center stage during the next legislative session instead of the vitally important issue of keeping convicted felons behind bars.”

Posted in ARRA, Budget, Business, Crime, Economy, Guns, Legislation, Public Safety, Radical Republicans, Rep. Brian Kelsey (R-83), Rep. Donna Rowland (R-34), Rep. Joe Carr (R-48), Rep. Stacey Campfield, Republican leaders, Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13), Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16), Small Business, Tax and Spend Republicans, Tea Parties | No Comments »

Business owner challenges ‘guns in bars’ law

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

A Nashville businessman is challenging a new law Republicans spent a lot of time trying to get passed this year. Restaurant Owner Randy Rayburn says lawmakers who spent all that time on Capitol Hill getting this crazy “guns in bars” law passed have “told more fairy tales than the Brothers Grimm.”

The case will center on claims that the law would create a public nuisance that threatens the safety of the public, and violates the constitutional rights of restaurant/bar owners, patrons and employees.

Randy Rayburn, owner of the Sunset Grill, Midtown Cafe and Cabana, said advocates pushing the law falsely claimed that nearly 40 other states had similar laws. He said the law creates increased liability for him and other owners and is a matter of public safety.

“They’ve told more fairy tales than the Brothers Grimm,” Rayburn said. “Tennessee is the only state that has a law that specifically authorizes gun permit carriers to carry their weapons into establishments that serve 50 percent or more alcohol.”

Posted in Guns, Legislation, Public Safety | No Comments »

Fair elections in Tennessee held hostage by Republican agenda

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

A battle is brewing in the state over a new law requiring the use of paper ballots in the 2010 elections, and Secretary of State Tre Hargett says the legislature was too busy with other things to fix it.

Last year the House and Senate passed the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act (TVCA) requiring every county in the state use paper ballots in next year’s elections. The bill passed almost unanimously, and the Gov. signed the bill into law. But the newly appointed Secretary of State has spent the last nine months complaining about the law instead of working to implement the expressed will of the people of Tennessee.

Yesterday the Secretary of State’s office issued a questions and answers document on the TVCA outlining his office’s complaints about the new law. Chief among the complaints was the lack of time his office now has to fully implement the use of paper ballots in 2010.

Over the past nine months, however, Secretary of State Tre Hargett and State Election Coordinator Mark Goins have been busy instead working through Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13) to delay the law’s implementation until after the 2010 elections.

Rather than spend the greater part of the past year addressing their concerns with the law through Capitol Hill, the Secretary of State’s office has done nothing but waste time. Tennessee voters shouldn’t be surprised.

In the last legislature, the Republican controlled House and Senate wasted months on abortion, guns and booze bills. When they finally decided in the last minutes of session to get around to important issues like election reform, they failed the people of this great state.

A paper ballot advocate in Columbia, TN was recently visited by the TBI after the Secretary of State made an “unsubstantiated” terrorist threat claim against the man. Bernie Ellis had merely referenced the Battle of Athens on a blog. And that’s just the latest example of how Republicans are handling the laws that govern our election process.

Here in Rutherford County, the Election Commission Chair Tom Walker attempted to violate state law and told several people he didn’t care what the state law says. Another Republican election commissioner, Dorris Jones, was quoted as saying “We’ve got some crazy laws in this county.” Sen. Ketron’s success in declawing the state’s Ethics Commission conveniently makes investigating corrupt law makers a lower priority for the Registry of Election Finance.

There is a reason the Republican controlled House and Senate delayed addressing concerns over the use of paper ballots in 2010. Protecting the constitutional right we have for our vote to count in 2010 was trumped this year by a Republican legislative agenda more focused on abortion, guns in bars and booze bills. When given the chance to serve the people of Tennessee, Republicans chose instead to pander to fear, erode the safe guards of our liberties and freedoms, and ignore the priorities of Tennessee’s working families.

Posted in 2010, Abortion, Elections, Ethics, Guns, Legislation | 1 Comment »

Guns in parks could cost Murfreesboro millions

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

The price tag for that new law that will allow people to legally carry their guns into the ball parks and playgrounds is starting to add up.

If guns are allowed in Murfreesboro’s parks, the city can expect to lose Spring Fling and the $3.4 million in tourism dollars the week-long high school spring sport state tournaments bring each year.

That was the response by TSSAA Executive Director Bernard Childress on Monday when asked about the high school association’s stance on guns being allowed at parks where high school state tournaments are held.

“We don’t have a written policy,” Childress said. “But if anyone had a gun where our kids are, we wouldn’t be there. There is no way possible that we’d allow a gun in one of our events.

“As much as we’d like Murfreesboro to be in consideration for Spring Fling, I just don’t see how we could recommend them if guns are allowed in their parks.”

Councilman Toby Gilley says we should be able to take our guns to the ball park.

Councilman Toby Gilley: more than a day late and a dollar short.

Murfreesboro Councilman Toby Gilley is a vocal supporter of allowing people to carry guns in our local parks and has said all along that Murfreesboro should leave the new law alone.

Now that $3.5 million in revenue to local businesses is at stake, Gilley thinks his new right should now come with confusing conditions and exceptions not clearly allowed by the law he eagerly supported.

“I think we could perhaps compromise that when we have certain events here (like Spring Fling) we don’t allow them,” Gilley said. “Maybe we don’t have a blanket law having it in effect all the time. We can have it up to the event holder’s request.”

Gilley favors the city following a state law that allows people with gun permits to carry firearms into parks provided that the council takes no action to uphold its existing ban before Sept. 1.

City Manager Roger Haley, however, and Police Chief Glenn Chrisman, Parks and Recreation Director Lanny Goodwin, and Golf Course Director Tracy Wilkins recommend keeping the gun ban in place.

Since Rutherford Republicans have cited results of DNJ online polls in the past as justification for silly laws, maybe we can send Toby a message by voting in the DNJ’s new poll on this subject.

Posted in Business, Crime, Economy, Guns, Legislation | 9 Comments »

Our Chairman’s 2009 TN Legislature Wrapup…

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

Hello fellow Democrats. I’m pleased to inform you that this year’s session of the Tennessee Legislature has finally come to an end. It was a long and arduous one for our own Curt Cobb and Kent Coleman, who had to wade through 142 gun bills and several booze bills sponsored by our republican Senator Bill Ketron and Rep. Joe Carr . At last, republicans proposed a budget that killed recruitment dollars for a private solar power plant that would bring 30,000 jobs to Tennessee , put Pre-K education on the chopping block , gutted the Ethics Commission , repealed the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act , stripped funding for MTSU’s Education Building , halted badly needed road and bridge projects, and even refused to erect statues for Tennessee’s Nobel Peace Prize recipients! Senate Minority Leader Jim Kyle (D - Memphis) likened it to cuttin’ and runnin’ and Governor Bredesen called it “stupid” . Our republican Senators Jim Tracy and Bill Ketron quickly voted for this “stupid” budget, and refused to help MTSU and its Education Building project. Luckily, Democrats in the House were able to fix most of this disastrous budget and forced Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey (R-Bristol) to surrender . We won this round.

But, we weren’t able to save the Ethics Commission, even though Rep. Kent Coleman tried his best to stand up for ethics in government. We also have to live with guns in bars, and paper-verified voting was postponed for another year even though we’re sitting on $34 million to implement it! Bottom line - we need more Democrats in the Tennessee Legislature. This website offers ways to get involved, contribute to the effort, stay updated on the issues, and stay connected. Your continued help and involvement is appreciated.

Sincerely,
Jonathon Fagan
Chairman, Rutherford County Democratic Party
(615) 604-4211
han.d.man.2@gmail.com
www.rutherfordcountydemocrats.org

Posted in Budget, Education, Elections, Energy, Ethics, From the Chair, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Guns, Jobs, Legislation, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, MTSU, Rep. Curt Cobb (D-62), Rep. Kent Coleman (D-49), Republican leaders, Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13), Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) | No Comments »

Senators Bill Ketron (R-13) and Jim Tracy (R-16) try to scuttle Education Building

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

Senators Bill Ketron (R-13) and Jim Tracy (R-16) ran to the media to take credit for funding a needed building project at MTSU, but behind closed doors they’ve pledged allegiance to the Republican Party to defund it.

The Rutherford County Republicans have pledged to pull the plug on construction jobs at MTSU and the on site progress for a new education building for the state’s largest university.

According to David Gregory, vice chancellor for administration and facilities with the Tennessee Board of Regents, the $29.8 million project was funded in the 2007-2008 budget year as a Board of Regents capital outlay project, with a funding structure consisting of $17.3 million in cash and $12.5 million or in bonds.

Of that, $1.7 million has already been allocated in design fees and programming fees to the new building near Cummings Hall and the new roundabout on the MTSU campus. In addition, another $260,000 plus in construction management and site utility construction has been obligated.

Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey and Senators Ketron and Tracy are united in their opposition to improvements in education, health care and jobs. All three Republicans have opposed federal stimulus funds in all three areas, oppose recurring funds for pre-k education and now want to make major cuts in promised funds to MTSU.

Friday, the Senate Finance Committee passed Republican revisions to the governor’s budget plan eliminating the authorization of bonds for several higher education construction projects, including the MTSU project.

Some hope that will be changed on Tuesday, when the full Senate takes up the budget.

“I would say to you, we don’t build those buildings now, we will be unable to build them for some years to come because of the state finances,” said Democratic Sen. Jim Kyle.

MTSU was founded 98 years ago as a teachers college. University officials hope to mark the 100th anniversary by opening a building devoted to education teachers.

Senators Ketron and Tracy have spent months pushing a Republican agenda focused on abortion, guns and booze. When it comes time for leadership on issues that matter to working families of Rutherford County, they both choose cuts in education, health care and jobs instead of the hard work it takes to improve the quality of our lives.

Posted in Abortion, Economy, Education, Guns, Health care, Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13), Sen. Jim Tracy (R-16) | No Comments »

Gov. Bredesen calls TN GOP budget plan what it is - “stupid”

Thursday, June 11th, 2009

Gov. Phil Bredesen used one word to describe the budget plan cobbled together at the last minute by state Republican lawmakers: “Stupid.”

State Republicans propose major cuts in education, health care, and jobs after wasting several months on abortion, guns and booze legislation and ignoring the priorities of working families.

Tennessee Republicans have also proposed knocking Tennessee off the top of another good list by cutting funds to our state’s nationally recognized leadership in clean energy jobs. In a report released today by the Pew Environment Group, Tennessee ranks 3rd in the nation for creating clean energy jobs.

The GOP proposal would remove funding for the state to acquire land for a West Tennessee megasite that would be used to attract large manufacturers and more jobs to the state.

It would also scuttle Bredesen’s plan to spend $62 million in federal stimulus money to build a solar generation plant at the site near Brownsville and establish a solar research institute at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

One of the bad lists Tennessee tops is infant mortality rates. Rather than save the lives of babies and enhance the quality and culture of life in Tennessee, Republicans propose to cut needed funding to fix the problem.

“Some of these cuts are personal. The House spent two months talking about abortion this year, and now we’ve got a budget cut to eliminate the infant mortality money. That borders on being hypocritical as to what you believe in, whether you are pro-family or pro-life. It’s a study on infant mortality. It’s a study on how to keep these babies alive. I’ve got zip codes in my hometown with infant mortality rates of Third World countries. We’ve got to figure out how to stop that and we don’t need to wait until we’ve got a budget surplus to do it.”

Check back later for more focus on the role Rutherford County’s Republican delegation is playing in the state party’s proposed cuts in education, health care and jobs.

Posted in Abortion, Budget, Economy, Education, Guns, Health care, Jobs, Rutherford County Republican Party | 4 Comments »

Tennessee Democrats pledge to take back House from right-wing zealots

Tuesday, June 9th, 2009

With a one seat advantage in the state house, Tennessee’s Republican Party has empowered radical voices who spent the entire legislative session focused on abortion, guns and booze while the priorities of working families were ignored.

Rutherford County’s Republican delegation has sponsored legislation to deny our county’s growing unemployed the benefits they deserve. They’ve protested in the streets against enhanced health care for our veterans and millions for our schools. Rutherford County Republicans have said they want nothing to do with the jobs being created in our county and the help to retrain workers.

This is the real agenda of the Tennessee GOP, and if given more power in 2010, Republicans will redraw district lines and ensure their radical agenda has a regional foothold in American politics for years to come.

When the census is complete in 2011, the Tennessee General Assembly is charged with drawing new lines on congressional and state legislative districts.

With the state’s Republican Party taken over by “right-wing zealots,” Mr. Forrester said, the Democratic Party has developed a strategy to regain the House.

The House now has a one-member Republican advantage.

“We know we have enough money,” Mr. Forrester said. “We don’t know if we have enough boots on the ground.”

He said the party plans to target eight to 12 state Senate and House seats, while also making sure every state House and Senate seat up for election and held by a Republican has a Democratic challenger.

This is where we put a stop to it. This is where America’s Democratic party was born, and this is where your hard work starts to move Tennessee forward.

Posted in 2010, Abortion, Guns, Legislation, Rutherford County Republican Party | No Comments »

Rutherford County Republicans focus on guns and booze as recession priorities

Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

Sam Stockard at the Daily News Journal hit the nail on the head. In the middle of one of the worst recessions to hit our nation, Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13) and Rep. Joe Carr (R-48) spend most of their time working hard for the liquor industry and making sure people can take their guns to the saloon.

This could be called the Year of Guns and Booze in the state Legislature.

During one of the worst economic years in history, legislators have put their focus anywhere but on the budget. In addition to a load of bills dealing with weapons, including allowing conceal-carry permit holders to take their guns into bars, restaurants and state and local parks, legislation allowing new distilleries and wine in grocery stores is getting notice.

Two local legislators are sponsoring a bill to make it easier for distilleries to open.

Rutherford County deserves leaders in the Senate and House that work hard for our families, not special interests.

Posted in Ethics, Guns, Legislation, Public Safety, Rep. Joe Carr (R-48), Rutherford County Republican Party, Sen. Bill Ketron (R-13) | 2 Comments »

Rep. Joe Carr (R-48) supports gun-toting felons

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

joecarrLast week, Murfreesboro Rep. Joe Carr (R-48) voted against a bill designed to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Rep. Carr was one of only five legislators who voted against the bill. It passed with wide bi-partisan support from 91 other legislators who stood up for common sense legislation to protect families from armed criminals.

“What this bill will do is keep guns in the hands of good, responsible individuals and help keep guns out of the hands of criminals and folks that the law says should not have access to firearms,” Pitts said.

The bill passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 91-5-1. Those voting against the measure included  Representatives Joe Carr (R-Murfreesboro), Vance Dennis (R-Savannah), Joshua Evans (R-Greenbrier), and Eric Swafford (R-Pikeville). The legislation must now pass the Senate before it can be signed into law.

Posted in Crime, Guns, Public Safety, Rep. Joe Carr (R-48) | No Comments »