I am donating this post to Steve Ross

As you are aware, my friend Steve Ross is seeking to fill the unexpired term of former County Commissioner Mike Carpenter.  He will be facing Steve Basar in the August general election.

I know little or nothing of Mr. Basar, but I'm not here to tell you why you shouldn't vote for him, I am here to tell you why you SHOULD vote for Steve Ross.  If you have read his posts at VIBINC over the years, you understand that no one researches issues like he does.  He truly understands the short and long-term issues facing Shelby County, and takes positions based on that research and what will best serve his potential constituency.  He's not someone who will swoon at a lobbyist who pushes a project for a benefactor, but he will listen to all parties before making a decision.

Most of all, he is one of US.  No, I'm not talking about being a blogger and a Democrat, both of which he is, I'm talking about the fact that he is a WORKING person.  He works for Nolan's Audio-visual while working on his degree at the U of M while campaigning for Commission.

We deeply need someone of his depth and intellect in this seat, someone who sees things not in terms of how (AND WHOM) an issue would benefit, but also its long-term ramifications.  In short, he's not like the Commissioners who allowed sprawl to injure the City of Memphis so a few developers could benefit.

He would work for ALL of us, and that is something Memphis and Shelby County desperately needs, so I am asking you to support in the August general election in District 1.  Please visit the website at www.votesteveross.com (you can donate to him there) and like his campaign on Facebook!

Thank You, Mr. Speaker

A giant, an icon of Tennessee politics, a servant of the public.

Jimmy Naifeh has been all of that and then some in his 38 years in the Tennessee House of Representatives, 18 of those years as the longest serving Speaker in state history.

 Naifeh, 72, of Covington, announced on the floor of the House that he will not seek re-election to his seat this fall, a seat that had been made difficult, if not impossible, to win due to GOP redistricting. It is a damn shame he is leaving, because he has been great for his state, his party, and ESPECIALLY Memphis and West Tennessee.

Yes, I understand I have not always been charitable towards the Speaker, but I have always respected his ability to get things done for our state, to make government work FOR the average citizen instead of against it, as the GOP is doing now. When Speaker Naifeh led the House, none of these idiotic gun bills or anti-Memphis/urban area bills ever saw the light of day, and we were better off for that.

 Much of what Memphis has received from Nashville (which was usually not as much as we GAVE to state government) we got due to Speaker Naifeh, who worked closely with the Shelby County delegation.

It is my opinion that his 38 years was spent trying to ensure that every Tennessean, whether they lived in Germantown or Boxtown, Farragut or Austin-East, Brentwood or Palmersville, had better opportunities to achieve what they wanted than his father had when he emigrated from Lebanon those many years ago.

 He was even nice enough to meet with a bunch of crazy leftie bloggers from all over the state on more than one occasion, which we all appreciated.

Mr. Speaker, you have served this state faithfully and left a shining legacy of service for others to follow, and one can only hope that they DO, or we are all in big trouble.

Thank you, Speaker Naifeh.

I really didn't see that coming

I have to admit that I was surprised by Ed Stanton Jr.'s victory yesterday in the Democratic primary for General Sessions Court Clerk.  As you know, I feared that Stanton would pull enough votes away from Sidney Chism to enable indicted Clerk Otis Jackson to win renomination and kill our chances of victory in August.

OOPS.

Stanton's effort, which received a boost with the endorsement of Congressman Steve Cohen, showed great work throughout the county in edging the veteran Chism.  Jackson, fortunately, turned out to be a non-factor, finishing a distant third, ahead of only newcomers Karen Woodward and Marion Brewer.

Now, the county ticket for August looks like this:

ASSESSOR - Cheyenne Johnson, who easily turned away Steve Webster yesterday by a 4-1 margin.

ATTORNEY GENERAL - Carol Chumney (unopposed yesterday)

GENERAL SESSIONS COURT CLERK - Ed Stanton, Jr.

COUNTY COMMISSION, DISTRICT 1 - Steve Ross, who will face newcomer Steve Basar.  Basar upset culture warrior (and former office-holder) Marilyn Loeffel by a 51-49 margin.  It is a tough but not impossible road for Ross, whose thoughtful blog posts at VIBINC show the depth of research that he would bring to the issues that face the county.

Let's support this Democratic team as they prepare for battle in August!