The best recent discussion I've seen of this issue was by Frank Cagle in a recent Metropulse. "Us vs. Them": (link...).

There does seem to be an undercurrent of sleaze in the GOP. I wonder whether this might tear apart the Republican party.

I was doing a riff on a recent thread. But if you want to really talk about which party is the king of scandal, malfeasance or the like, bring it on.

What is Ed Shouse’s lasting memorial he left after who knows how many years on City Council???

I guess a $160,000,000+ convention center which is completely over priced and under utilized?

In the coming election it is conventional wisdom among the power structure that the good old boys will be turned out. But the good old boys who comprise the majority of the local population may have a different idea. Stay tuned.

I had missed this article by Frank Cagle, but appreciate his insight. Even though none of my immediate family works at the Courthouse, I do come from a political family "from around here."

My grandfather, Oscar Clark, served on the old county court from District 6 and was friends with Charter Doyle, Mildred's father. (This goes way back, newbies.)

Grandpa voted for Mildred to be appointed school superintendent and she made him a principal. (He was a good one.)

When my dad and uncle returned from World War II, both were hired by county government -- Dad by the property assessor where he made chief deputy before leaving to work for Home Federal Bank.

My uncle and aunt had school bus contracts until this day, although they basically are farmers.

Frank nails it when he says there's a political class that populates and dominates local government. And although we might feud amongst ourselves, we'll always prevail because the newbies in the McMansions don't care as much as we do.

Let's see how Feb. 5 plays out... -- s.

Sandra - why does the old time political class care so much more than the McMansion newcomers?

I think because it's a way of life for the old-timers. I discussed local politics with my dad until he died and now I discuss it with Bean almost daily.

I remember going to town on Saturdays with my grandpa and sitting with him at a parking garage where politicians from across the county gathered to break the sunshine law (before there was one). My grandma went shopping while I listened to political lore and intrigue.

Local politics is a game, a sport that's looked down on by the McMansion types -- if they think about it at all -- but there is bigger-than-life drama in the feuding and fussing of Victor and Kessel and Shurf Tim and the Lowes (Mike, Tommy and Ed). Damn, it's fun! -- s.

Pretty sad, Sandra.
A lot of us had begun to look to you as a light in the darkness, but now your blind loyalty to Tim Hutchison forces you to support corrupt, dimwitted crooks who carry out his agenda, like the pathetic pseudocops Tramel and Scott Moore.
These guys got more nerve than a hog's got ass. Ragging on Shouse for his pension when Tramel voted himself and the High Sheriff a pension deal that will bankrupt this county? Making fun of Shouse's neck hinge when Tramel is owned, lock, stock and beerbelly, by Hutchison?
4th District voters need to take a good look at this web site and pay particular attention to the county job application.

(link...)

Hey, whatever.

I won't engage in dialogue with somebody who can't sign their name. -- s.

Sandra,
When you say politics is "a way of life" for some of the old time politicos, that sounds an awful lot like Diane Jordan's "it's a lifestyle" comment. Perhaps that's what some of those "uppity fer'ners" in west Knoxville find offensive: that many old time politicos look at Knox County political positions as their lifestyle - as if the City County Building (and its various appendages) was little more than their family business.

(BTW, one does not need be an old time politico to treat the taxpayers' money as your own. See Ragsdale, et al for an example.)

there wasn't much else on the ballot then either. Harmon is a lot like Shouse, when they were on city council, they were employable. When they rolled off city council they became unemployed, such that they continued to look for work through the gub'ment. Harmon actually works for the city and the county and Shouse used to work for the railroad, but he can't do much for them if he's not in office.

The city prior to Haslam spent money like a drunken sailor lost in a port and when the trough ran dry, they'd just annext a few more thousand residents and raise a few more thousand dollars to fix it all. That thinking has to stop and stop now. The government cannot redevelopment downtown, cannot put 500 people to work, and cannot improve the quality of life in our community unless they are willing to downsize the role of our government by 50 percent, focus on improving the quality of education, get rid of the rest of this junk that takes up payroll and tax dollars.

Rachel,

In the 4B seat, Republican primary, who would be your choice (if it's not Shouse or Trammel)?

This race will be interesting. Shouse has lots of friends and name recognition in the 4th. But, that probably helps and hurts. In a non-partisan city election, Shouse probably got a lot of Republicans and Democrats in the 4th Commission district. In a strictly partisan race, it's tougher. Plus, with a Presidential primary, there won't be much of any cross over. Smelcer may take some votes should would get without Jim in the race. Trammel has probably gotten some votes with his message of accountability. He's also apparently raised some good money to get his message out.

For you political junkies, the precinct breakdowns for Dist. 4 will be interesting. I'm assuming Mr. Mackay will still be able to get those to us after the election.