Haslam Democrats get cold shoulder

Thu

Nov 29 2007

10:36 am

By: R. Neal

An interesting tidbit in this week's Metro Pulse:

No Free Ride

The Knox County Democratic Party has declined to pay for a traditional float for the Martin Luther King Day Parade to carry East Knoxville elected officials.

Click the link and scroll down to see why.

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Good for them.

Submitted by bizgrrl on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 10:56am.

Good for them.

Don continues to interject

Submitted by CBT on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 12:27pm.

Don continues to interject partisanship into non-partisan races. Yes, Bailey is a known Republican. But, lots of Democrats lined up behind Joe, not just those from East Knoxville. I can almost assure you that this public slight will not be forgotten by Armstrong, Jordan, Strickland, Brown and Anderson. These are important folks and can make life better or worse for a Party Chairman. I suppose we can count on Don to be examining host committees for every candidates in next year's election. That could get interesting.

Local parties struggle enough to remain relevant without a public snub of prominent elected officials. Moreso for the Democrats who have a half-dozen 'factions' already.

Yeah, Chad -- they'll

Submitted by Bbeanster on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 1:12pm.

Yeah, Chad -- they'll probably do something retaliatory like line up and support the next Republican mayoral candidate.
That's never happened before, has it?
My point, without the sarcasm, is that these folks support the frontrunner, regardless of party. It's all about patronage and keeping power concentrated in the hands of the few.
And, as a non-party person, it doesn't make sense to me that the Dems should reward that behavior.

What Bean said. "The

Submitted by Rachel on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 1:40pm.

What Bean said.

"The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones." - John Maynard Keynes

Chad: I'll for certain keep

Submitted by knoxrebel on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 4:57pm.

Chad:

I'll for certain keep my eye out for your name on Democrat "host committees" over the next few months. Seriously, if Democrats vote, Democrats win. You can continue this charade of "non-partisanship" all day long, my friend, but the facts simply don't support you. Ray Abbas is a Democrat, one that I think has a future in public service. Joe Bailey is a Republican. That doesn't mean he's a bad guy. I do not know him at all. I know his record. This was a race where there was a clear-cut choice between a die-in-the-wool Democrat and a Reagan Republican. We were unsuccessful at getting Democrats out to vote. We will do our best not to allow that to happen again. Abbas ran a respectable race, winning or coming close in 28 out of 48 wards. If elected Democrats (and other Democrats) had supported him . . . well, you never know. As far as anything being "race-related" goes, well, that's a shameful proposition. We're not going to pay for a Trolley for folks to ride, but we are having a presence in the MLK Day Parade, as we did in the Veteran's Day parade, and will do in the Christmas Parade. I am not the least bit ashamed to say it is disappointing that many in our Party failed to step up when it counted.

Let Us Unite

Submitted by bill young on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 2:17pm.

Mr.Abbas was not the nominee of the Democratic Party because he was running for city council which by statute is non-partisan & by defination"not controlled or influencedby,by,or supporting,any single political party."

On the other hand,Mr.Armstrong,Mr.Strickland & Ms.Jordan have all been nominated by the Democratic Party.

The Knox County Democratic Party by-laws are specfic concerning "support(of)candidates for office nominated by the Democratic Party."(Art.VIII).Therefore,there is no violation of the by-laws on this matter because Mr.Armstrong,Mr.Strickland nor Ms.Jordan are,at this time,nominees of the Democratic Party.

In non partisan city elections I have voted for candidates my fellow 1st district Democrats did not support.But in partisan elections we put our differences,in non partisan city elections, aside & work like hell to elect Democrats

I challenge every district to equal the 1st district's support for the Democratic ticket.

It's tough being a yellow dog Democrat these days.I support Democratic County Commissioner Mark Harmon..which makes some Democrats mad & I've voted for Armstrong,Strickland & Jordan which makes other Democrats mad.Plus,I like the Governor...which makes another bunch of Democrats mad.

With unity..WE CAN WIN!!

I say

Let the Republicans have a three-ring circus

Let the Republicans have petty partisan fights over
politcal patronage.

Let the Republicans be the the Party of backroom deals.

My fellow Democrats

Let us unite in the glorious sunshine of good government.

The whole thing seems petty to me...

Submitted by Carole Borges on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 2:52pm.

Is there a precedent to this? Have they funded floats before? Why do I get the feeling that the Diane Jordan issue and other recent controversies have suddenly made some people feel it's okay to be a bit nasty towards all the African American politicans here. Any donations given to the Knoxville Democratic Party should go to support elected Democrats in any way legally and morally possible. I'm afraid fear of supporting the "wrong" people is driving just about every decision made these days.

There's no racial element to

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 2:56pm.

There's no racial element to this. It's about party building, nothing more.*

I realize that's a foreign concept to East TN Democrats, and there will be some wrong turns and bumps in the road as we feel our way out of the darkness along the path toward Bill Young's light. (Heh.)

(*Note: I don't speak for the KCDP, that's just what I perceive is going on.)

Carole, with all due

Submitted by Bbeanster on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 5:17pm.

Carole, with all due respect, you have established a pattern on this board of making these kinds of accusations without knowing the history behind the events in question -- And, yes, I'll admit that I haven't forgotten you raking me over the coals for criticizing Cynthia Finch. Even though you retracted it later, your strong insinuation that I am a racist is not something I can get past.

I wasn't pointing to you Beanster

Submitted by Carole Borges on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 6:48pm.

I was only asking a question, not making accusations, and I don't think it's very accurate of you to make it sound like I am always going around accusing people on this blog of being racist.

Sure, I'm suspicious whenever there is a possibility that minorites (not just African Americans) are slighted or dumped on. It happens often enough to not make that a very weird trait.

I never insinuated you were a racist, and I am kind of shocked that you went there so easily. I'm very direct. If I thought you were a racist I would come right out and say it.

I was honestly asking if there could be any racial bias in the decision not to fund the float this year because of a fear that there has been so much discussion about African American committee members' wrongdoing.

Geesh! It seems to me a legitimate inquiry.

I guess the answer is no. It was purely political.

I truly had no idea that the Democratic Party demanded such fierce loyalty and that they would punish people for occasionally supporting candidates in the other party. That's why I wondered what OTHER reason there could be for their decsision about the float. Very naive I admit.

I voted for Abbas. I voted for Isa, too.

As I am not a total loyalist, I imagine I am not a voter that the Democratic Party would think important. That hurts my feelings.

So what do I do now? Register as an Independent?

I truly had no idea that the

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 6:58pm.

I truly had no idea that the Democratic Party demanded such fierce loyalty and that they would punish people for occasionally supporting candidates in the other party.

It has not been my experience that the Democratic Party demands fierce loyalty. They just expect elected Democrats to act like Democrats and help support other Democrats.

(I do not speak for the KCDP.)

There's nothing racial about

Submitted by Rachel on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 7:10pm.

There's nothing racial about this. As far as I can tell the KCDP is just tired of having some prominent Democrats publicly support Republicans. The Bailey/Abbas race wasn't the first time - they supported Haslam over Madeline, and I think Bailey over Charles Thomas four years ago.

I'm not much of a party person, but if you're gonna be one, take party money, etc. then you probably shouldn't expect to spend too much of your time promoting folks from the other party for public office without some consequences.

"The difficulty lies not so much in developing new ideas as in escaping from old ones." - John Maynard Keynes

"The Bailey/Abbas race

Submitted by Bbeanster on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 7:42pm.

"The Bailey/Abbas race wasn't the first time - they supported Haslam over Madeline, and I think Bailey over Charles Thomas four years ago..."

Exactly.

And don't forget Victor Ashe. Most of the above-mentioned went to the wall for Victor (and treated Danny and Melissa Mayfield like shit, too, btw).

It's all about power and patronage.

And history.

Carole, In Tennessee you do

Submitted by Pam Strickland on Fri, 2007/11/30 - 8:17pm.

Carole,

In Tennessee you do not register to vote by party. It's open registration. You live here and that's the only requirement -- to vote.

Being in a party is a much different thing. And if you say you are a party member in order to get ahead in this world, then the folks in that party are in their rights to expect you to help other members of that party to get elected. I think that the county party has a right to draw a line in the dirt with those Democrats who openly supported the nonparty candidate in a political environment.

As for jumping in with an automatic assumption that something is racial, it is my humble observation that point of view tends to create an interesting sort of racism. In my experience, getting to know the history of the people and/or the issue is vital to truly understanding the current situation in a wide variety of issues. When I first moved to Arkansas, I remember thinking that I knew everything because I had a journalism degree and my daddy was born in the Arkansas Delta and my grandmother had made sure I understood the importance not only of voting but of listening to the politicians as the campaigned. What I quickly learned is that the lay of the political land involved a million different things, some of them that most folks would never know. But the more I knew about what was available, the more likely I could make a qualified analysis of the event/issue at hand.

pgs

Pam Strickland

"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." ~Kurt Vonnegut

Good advice , Pam

Submitted by Carole Borges on Fri, 2007/11/30 - 9:20pm.

All my life I have thought of myself as a devoted Democrat, but I guess I never really understood what that meant. I appreciate your clarifying the Party issue. I guess I'm really not interested in being a Party-girl. I thought about this float thing a lot and yes, I can understand the Party's perspective on this. I do get it--their job is to foster loyalty, not to reward people who stray from the Party's desire to elect their own. That makes sense. The reward to loyalty I suppose is funds. The Parties seem to have lots of funds. Too bad it's usually the people with the most money behind them that win, but I guess there are exceptions though.

Yes, the DPKC has paid for

Submitted by knoxrebel on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 5:53pm.

Yes, the DPKC has paid for "floats" or trolleys in the past. We may do it again. Carole, it was not petty to Ray Abbas when he picked up the News Sentinel and discovered that a bunch of elected Democrats (and a former one) were supporting a Republican running against him. If Ray was just some opportunistic young punk looking for a gov't job it would have been different. But he quit his job to run, is President of Love Kitchen in the 1st, and has volunteered thousands of hours helping homeless folks and other underprivileged people in the 1st and 2nd Districts. Fact is, if a Democrat supports Democrats, I'll support him or her all day long and will be there toughest defender. But if a Democrat supports Republicans, short of a familial ingredient to that equation, I'll not sit idly by. It is my job to take a stand. Does it matter? Probably not much, but I owed it to Ray Abbas to take that stand. Moreover, if a Democrat in the 1st supported a Republican against one of the elected officials over there, my response would be exactly the same. Joe Bailey did not need their support, Ray Abbas did.

I know and personally like

Submitted by cafkia on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 2:21pm.

I know and personally like most of the folks mentioned including Haslam. None of them can have my vote or support because of that behavior. Were they private citizens only, it would be difficult to fault them. However, since they have requested and gotten support from the local and state level Democrat organizations, it is particularly unseemly for them to deny the same to apparently qualified and capable candidates in the party of their own freely stated choice. I would not have a problem with them going into the booth and pulling the lever for whoever they think is the best choice but, when they utilize the public position on the bully pulpit that they got with party assistance to betray said party, it seems fair and reasonable that the organization retaliate. I think that there should be much stronger steps taken though, I haven't fully considered what they might be.

CAFKIA

-----------------------------------------------------------

It is impossible to defeat an ignorant man in argument.
- William G. McAdoo

UNITY

Submitted by bill young on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 4:10pm.

The by-laws per statute are silent on supporting candidates in non partisan elections.Therefore,no motion of the Executive Committee can have language concerning an individuals actions in a non partisan election.

However,the Committee has discretion in the disbursment of Party funds as long as the disbursment is in complaince with the by-laws.I have no reason to believe that the failure of the motion to fund the float was not in compliance.

Democrats cant get sidetrack with inside baseball

UNITY is the KEY to VICTORY!!!

KING DAY

Submitted by bill young on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 4:43pm.

In reading my postes on this thread its easy to see I love partisan rhetoric & the ends & outs of the by laws.

But it hit me.

At last years King Day..the preacher said

"Clowns lead parades..Prophets lead revolutions."

Dr.King was a prophet that led a revolution for justice.

I'll for certain keep my eye

Submitted by CBT on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 5:51pm.

I'll for certain keep my eye out for your name on Democrat "host committees" over the next few months.

While I have several Democrat friends, that's highly unlikely. As a former GOP Chairman I don't think it's appropriate. It would have to be some strange circumstance like my best friend or law partner running. But, please keep scanning those committee lists. I'll look for the updates.

Seriously, if Democrats vote, Democrats win.

In the City, if Democrats and Republicans turn out it's a close race. In the County, Democrats win when Republicans vote for them (see Phil Bredesen, Randy Nichols, Mike Padgett).

I am certain the race comments are not directed to me, though there's no seperation in your post. I mentioned nothing about race.

Chad, obviously the comment

Submitted by knoxrebel on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 5:58pm.

Chad, obviously the comment about race was a response to Carole Borges post. Thanks for pointing that out and I apologize if it was misleading at all. I have looked at many numbers over the past 2 months in the City that support the premise that if Democrats in the City vote, Democrats will win. Maybe we'll be able to test that one out in '09.

I think what you will find

Submitted by CBT on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 6:30pm.

I think what you will find is that in a citywide race whichever candidate can swing/pull some R's or D's to their side will be the winner. See Joe Bailey and Bill Haslam.

You might also look a tthe Phil Bredesen's first-race numbers in GOP leaning city wards. He didn't win in Knox Co. because of Democrats (though they certainly helped). He won because he was able to get some Republicans to vote for him and not his opponent, Van Hilleary. Remember that fairly long list of Republicans supporting Bredesen?

Help me out

Submitted by bill young on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 8:24pm.

How much money flows from the KCDP to the 1st district?

In the summer & fall of '06 the Democrats held early vote rallys @ 5 points..did the KCDP send any funds for the rallys?

In the '06 county general election Democrats organized @ the Magnolia Cafe' for election day..did the KCDP send any funds for 1st district get out the vote?

In the '06 state general election...did the KCDP send any funds for Harold Ford's first district hq?

I dont know..just askin.

CBT:I think that Republican list got longer the 2nd time ole Phil ran.The last time the Democrats won back to back for Governor in Knox County was with Clement in '62 & Ellington in '66.

Bill, I'm not quite sure how

Submitted by knoxrebel on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 9:23pm.

Bill, I'm not quite sure how much $$ flowed from the Party to the 1st before I became Chair in March. But since then, we have held the Party's annual fundraiser in the 1st District (Jacob Bldg) and will do so again in '08 (Convention Center), we have held several Board meetings in the 1st, we've actively participated in a parade and have two more lined up, we have thrown Ray Abbas an event at Love Kitchen in the heart of the 1st and invited hundreds, donating all of the leftover food (and there was about $1000 worth) from that event and another one at Victor Ashe Park to the Love Kitchen. So Bill, its a new day. I was involved in the Party years ago, helping Randy Nichols, Richard Baumgartner, and Joe Fowler. I got away from it to raise my daughter and got back involved the month she married. So, I'm an old hand, but I'm a new hand. I have been here most all of my life, but could not sit by any longer and watch the Party I love be destroyed locally and not try to do something. Maybe we'll succeed. Maybe we won't. It won't be for lack of passion and trying. The fact is, the Party has never been so far "in the black" for years that it had cash to hand out. But I have cut back on expenses, taken care of alot of recurring expenses on my own, and expect us to make a very nice profit from James Carville's visit for Truman Day '08. I'm also in the midst of a personal fundraising campaign targeting medium-large donors. We're making money off of shirts, stickers, buttons, etc and I won't miss an opportunity to make a few bucks for the Party while I'm here. So, if the 1st District wants more cash flowing its way, an opportunity is around the corner, but to get you have to give, and well, thus far, I haven't seen it.

Remember that fairly long

Submitted by R. Neal on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 8:29pm.

Remember that fairly long list of Republicans supporting Bredesen?

Thanks, CBT! I'm hoping you will continue to encourage more Republicans to support Democratic candidates in state and national elections. We need all the help we can get. Thanks again!

Don

Submitted by bill young on Thu, 2007/11/29 - 11:35pm.

With respect to money..It was a leading question because some on this thread believed the KCDC put money into 1st district races.I hadn't seen it.

However,I know the DNC poured money in here for Harold..Joe & Harry have or going to have a pretty strong fund raiser..County wide & statewide Democratic candidates/incumbents give some money for GOTV & district events...Tank & Diane did/do a good job & raise a little cash.We could always use more but we seem to have enough money to win.

We dont have alota money over here but we do have a ton of Democratic votes.Granted it takes more than us to win but if ya aint movin in the 85-95% range in the 1st..ya aint gonna finish first in the election.Nichols will tell you that..so will Baumgartner.

I'm with Joe,Tank,Sam,Mark & Diane & they're with me & together we win.

So have a talk with Joe,Tank,Sam,Mark & Diane..& lets work together & make the Democratic ticket the winning ticket in '08.

To Democratic Unity..my friend..to Democratic Unity

I'm hoping you will continue

Submitted by CBT on Fri, 2007/11/30 - 8:39am.

I'm hoping you will continue to encourage more Republicans to support Democratic candidates in state and national elections. We need all the help we can get. Thanks again!

Just the contrary. Democrats win in Knox County when Republicans elect them. No race should be taken for granted. This should encourage Republicans to 'stay home' and elect Republicans. The Bredesen race does show that certain Republicans can be swayed and, if Republicans don't watch out, Democrats win in Knox County.

The same is true for Democrats in the City elections. Given a fairly even split, if some move and support/vote for Republicans, Republicans will win. As a Bailey supporter I appreciate the Democrats who supported Joe Bailey.

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