There will be no Daily Dose until Monday, August 11 as I am vacationing outside of our great state. In my absence, you can stay up to date with TN political news of course at A.C. Kleinheider's essential Post Politics blog. Or if you are interested in the latest in the McCain - Obama showdown, be sure to check out The Hotline's On Call blog or and the other great state affiliates of the Hotline Political Network.
Tax Free Weekend This Weekend -- Don't forget you can get clothing items and computers under $100 without having to pay the state's sales tax this weekend. Economists are debating the impact of the sales tax holiday this year, which they say will be less of a homerun than in year's past. Tradtionally, shoppers who come to take advantage of the tax free savings typically spend that extra money on other taxed items. But this year, because of a slow economy and fuel costs, consumers could be less willing to spend money on non-necessary items. In recent weeks, Gov. Bredesen has changed his stance in favoring a sales tax holiday to opposing it in the future. Opposition to the tax holiday could have consequences if other surrounding states decide to keep their sales tax holidays, TN could lose out on even more revenue opportunities than it gives up in the holiday.
TN to Get Tougher Edu Standards -- Tougher standards for graduation, including more difficult math and science courses, are coming to TN. The class of 2013 and every class thereafter will be required to take four years of math, instead of three, including the higher level Algebra II, which currently is not required for a high school diploma. Additionally, all students still must take three years of science, but now they'll be required to pass chemistry or physics in addition to biology. The effort is a push on the part of a 33 state coalition to standardize state school standards across the country.
Hammond Leads Donations in Hamilton -- GOP Sheriff candidate Jim Hammond leads contributions in the Sheriff's race in Hamilton Co. According to financial disclosure forms filed with the election office, Mr. Hammond received a total of $120,675 in contributions between March 28 and July 28. Contributions to Democrat Greg Beck totaled $20,785, while Independent candidate Jim Winters reported $1,950 in contributions.
On July 29, for instance, Amnesty International published a report critical of the Chinese government's human-rights policy. According to an Amnesty statement, "there has been little progress towards fulfilling the Chinese authorities' promise to improve human rights, but rather continued deterioration in key areas."
Paris-based Reporters Without Borders in a statement on its Web site has condemned the Chinese government's censorship policy and the International Olympic Committee's willingness to go along with it. "The organization also condemns the cynicism of the Chinese authorities, who have yet again lied," the Reporters Without Borders statement said, "and the IOC's inability to prevent this situation because of its refusal to speak out for several years."
On July 29, the group issued a report on the government's treatment of people opposed to the demolition of housing and the eviction of residents in Beijing to make room for Games venues. Human Rights Watch focused on Ni Yulan, an activist whom it said the government will put on trial Aug. 4. "To try her on the eve of the Games is an extraordinary insult to those who lost their homes to the Beijing Olympics and shows contempt for human-rights concerns raised by the international community," said Sophie Richardson, the NGO's Asia advocacy director, in a Human Rights Watch statement.
Greenpeace in a recent report praised some of the government's work to improve the environment before the Games. "A number of Beijing's achievements represent best environmental practice," a Greenpeace report published on July 28 said. "In our analysis from the information available, Greenpeace found that Beijing achieved and in some cases surpassed original environmental goals," the group added, although the NGO's report said leaders "also missed some opportunities that could have ensured a better short- and long-term environmental Olympic legacy for the city."
Gov. Opposes Early Retirement Incentive -- The reason that Gov. Bredesen has received tepid response for the state's buyout proposals is to offer voluntary retirement options to those at or near retirement age who did not guy a buy-out offer, according to State Employee Association Executive Director Jim Tucker. Gov. Bredesen has signaled more than once that the target number of buyouts accepted will probably not reach the state's target by Tuesday's deadline. Gov. Bredesen says he may be willing to extend the number of buyouts to other employees, but he opposes offering early retirement on the grounds that it will cost more and the state will likely have to hire back some of the employees it lets go. Tucker said the administration’s targeted buyout plan doesn’t appear to be working despite the administration having paid a private firm $500,000 to develop it.
Jones At It Again -- State Rep. Ulysses Jones is at his pet project again - an attempt to turn back the reforms of TN Waltz and weaken the state's new requirements against accepting meals from lobbyists. The current law prohibits lobbyists from funding meals for lawmakers and limits groups or individuals who employ lobbyists from spending more than $50 per legislator per meal. The law doesn't apply to individual constituents or groups that don't employ lobbyists. But those reasonable limits seem unreasonable to Jones, who wants to end the limits and simply offer public disclosure of all meals instead. He said he also might support spending limits of $88.20 per meal or $1,000 per group per year limit on meals.
Kurita v. Barnes Endorsement Fight -- In the State Senate primary going on in Clarksville, State Sen. Rosalind Kurita just picked up some mega endorsements to quiet the endorsements primary opponent Tim Barnes released this week. Barnes announced earlier the endorsement Clarksville’s Labor Organizations United Together, which is a union of all the major unions in Clarksville, including the Montgomery Co. Teacher's union. In addition to major union endorsements, Barnes also picked up the endorsement of the APSU College Democrats. Kurita, however, announced a string of endorsements first from NRA - an unusual endorsement for a Democrat, the TN Nurses Association and the Conservation Action PAC, an environmentalist group.
Residency Requirements on Election Day or Filing Deadline? -- That's the issue being discussed in Chattanooga, where former Rob Healy, a former city parks and recreation director, is asking state officials whether he would qualify for the election in March of next year after just having moved to the city. State Election Coordinator Brook Thompson and City Attorney Randy Nelson have both said the deadline for residency is measured from the filing deadline - and thus Healy would not be eligible to run, however the issue will ultimately be settled by a lawsuit.
Cohen Slavery Apology Passes House -- Congressman Steve Cohen's bill apologizing for slavery and Jim Crow legislation has passed the US House. After a lengthy plea by Cohen in the well, the bill passed on a voice vote. Cohen: "Only a great nation can recognize and admit its mistakes and then go forth to create, indeed, 'a more perfect union' that works to bring people of all races, religions and creeds together in unity as Americans." Sen. Tom Harkin is considering introducing a companion measure in the Senate. A total of 120 lawmakers, including two Republicans, co-sponsored the resolution, which is also supported by Senate candidate Bob Tuke, according to a recent press release. Critics of the bill say it is an election year ploy on the part of Cohen, who faces an uphill reelection bid in a majority black district. More here.
Judges On the Ballot Too -- Voters on Aug. 7 have an opportunity to reject Gov. Phil Bredesen's appointments of two Tennessee Supreme Court justices and five other appeals court judges, but it's a pretty safe bet they will not. Of the 146 judicial retention elections held since the state's system for selecting top judges was established, 145 resulted in a win for the incumbent judge. That system is to change if Republicans in the State Senate have anything to do about it. They want to scrap the so-called "Tennessee-system" for electing judges whereby a group of lawyers select nominees who are then chosen by the Governor and then confirmed in a "retention question" on the ballot. The state constitution specifies that judges should be elected and the TN system is a way to satisfy this requirement, albeit in an fairly undemocratic way. Judges, however, seem to favor the system, which they say allow them to rise above political campaigns.
Corker Criticizes Budget Accounting -- Sen. Bob Corker said the administration's budget estimate, "is not an honest view of our country's budget deficit." Corker says the budgets are inaccuarate because they include not additional funding for Iraq and Afghanistan in 2009 or beyond and the alternative minimum tax will be patched only for tax year 2008. Corker: "This is not an honest view of our country's budget deficit and the administration knows it. Their failure to include a realistic assessment for war spending and refusal to make accurate assumptions about the alternative minimum tax is disappointing and does not set the right tone for having a serious discussion about our country's dire fiscal situation."
So Long Long -- Saying he had made a number of statements that reveal a "blood-thirsty" disposition, federal prosecutors urged a jury not to give any leniency to former Hamilton Co. Sheriff Billy Long. The defense for their part have argued that Long qualifies for a federal sentencing provision called the "safety valve." Judges can use the safety valve to disregard mandatory minimum sentences for certain drug crimes when defendants meet a set of criteria including having no prior criminal history. Mr. Long pleaded guilty May 5 to 19 counts of extortion, six counts of money laundering, one count of providing a firearm to a convicted felon and one count of possession with intent to sell cocaine.
