What should have been a historic day for Tennessee Republicans instead has become one of shock and frustration at the back room wheelings and dealings that Kent Williams made with Democrats in the state House of Representatives to make himself Speaker. The only truthful part of his acceptance was this jewel:"I'm a Republican but not for much longer because you guys are going to kick me out, probably."
Can you blame them? It's interesting that he had to be protected by the Tennessee Highway Patrol while at the podium and when he was escorted out of the chamber. Looks like you're not a very popular guy right now, Kent.
The clincher was the first thing he did as Speaker: Allow Jimmy Naifeh to preside from his pedestal the rest of the day. Unbelieveable. (I'm sure this was part of the deal too.)
If Kent Williams believes everything will be hunky dory with his Republican colleagues from now on, he's sadly mistaken. Of course, the trouble now is the rogue member of their party is now in control of committee chairmanships and appointments, so they can't be too venomous in their reactions.
So much for that signed unity pledge to support a Republican for the office (which was supposed to be Jason Mumpower, not Williams) or what he told the Chattanoogan back on November 7, 2008:
“I want to state today, unequivocally, that I pledge to vote for a Republican for Speaker of the House. I have every reason to expect that the Republican nominee will be Leader Jason Mumpower. We are grateful that the people of Tennessee have given us the opportunity to lead. We will make them proud.”
Yep, you've sure made the folks back home proud. One more lying politician to add to the bunch.
UPDATE: The nerve of this guy! Here's his response to why he didn't vote for House Republican leader Jason Mumpower: "I think I'd make a better speaker and a better leader."
16 comments:
If I was a Republican who had regular contact with Williams, I'd go to a toy store and buy one of those packages of toy money, the kind with the plastic silver coins.
Whenever I ran across Williams -- meetings, lunch, caucus, whatever -- I'd take a couple of the coins out and toss them on the table and say, "Here's your 30 pieces of silver."
See how long he can take that.
BTW, don't kick him out of the GOP caucus! They Democrats will take him and then it'll be an official Democratic majority for two more years. If he wants to quit, he needs to walk out.
Also, so much for redistricting in 2010. Naifeh must be laughing his ass off tonight.
He reminds me of a true American... a MAVERICK... like good ol' John McCain.
absolutely. THIS is maverick quality behavior. The requirement of incoming Republicans to sign a pact to elect other Republicans when the opportunities arose is juvenile. This is the State of TN House, not some beer drinking fraternity. This made it beyond obvious that the Republicans have no interest in the well-being of TN, but only their mad power grab and egos. Further evidenced by their desire to oust the constitutional office holders and replace them with people that have no relevant qualifications aside from the (R) next to their names. The general election of 2008 should have shown Republicans something after being handed such heavy losses. Guess that the party really does lack introspection.
Michael, Naifeh may be laughing but it's while he's looking at Kent's ass tonight.
And anonymous, you think Jimbo & Co. are Sunday School teachers? A new thug is better than the same old thug. At least it's a new face.
Jimbo was not even close to a fraternity. More like incestual family.
So it's not a fraternity? Please tell me how many democrats voted for a Republican. Also please tell me how many Republican chairmanships were given to Republicans by Naifeh, the crook. Mr. Williams is a liar and certainly participated in backroom politics with the democrats and that is not good for any Tennessean regardless of political party affiliation. Mr. Williams planned this with Odom and Naifeh and he is certainly unqualified having NEVER sponsored nor co-sponsored one bill. He was inept and couldn't run the session lacking knowledge of parliamentary procedure. I guess he was the only puppet the dems could control. He is a fool if he thinks the demcrats will respect him.
As a reminder, the Republicans did quite well in Tennessee in 2008.
Funny how Ron Ramsey and the cabal thought that Rasalin Karita switching sides was good and "patriotic", but when the same is done to them it's "a farce" and "theft".
The fact that State Troopers, a half dozen of them, had to be put in position around the podium to protect the new speaker just proves what kind of thugs the TN GOP have become.
Another funny note is that people seem to have forgotten than Ron Ramsey and his fraternity made no attempt to hide the fact that they were funneling money into Kent Williams' opponent's campaign and speaking against him LONG BEFORE any of this happened.
Sounds like the House GOP got just what they deserved.
I have no problem with the back-and-forth discussion, but any future posts with excessive cursing (such as the one by Anonymous)will be deleted. Thank you.
OK, hotshot, then I'll just repeat what another poster said: "Sounds like the House GOP got just what they deserved." Welcome to the 21st Century, Wingnuts. Take your Taliban agenda to Afghanistan. Maybe Tenn. will move from 50th in national education ranking to 49th with the neocons shut out?
I AM A REPUBLICAN AND SO IS MY HUSBAND. I APPLAUDE KENT WILLIAMS. HE IS REACHING OUT EVERYWHERE FOR THE BETTERMENT OF CARTER COUNTY AND TENNESSEE. IF GOD BE FOR YOU WHO CAN BE AGAINST YOU. KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT. YOU WILL BE ELECTED AGAIN. SIGNED RESIDENTS OF LONG HOLLOW, ELIZABETHTON, TENNESSEE. THANKS
Since it says in the Bible, "Thou shalt not lie", I have a difficult time thinking God would put his stamp of approval on Williams' behavior.
If you condone this behavior you are no better than he is. Somehow I don't believe the honest, hardworking citizens of Carter County will re-elect a man without integrity. I sure won't vote for him.
Oh yeah, you conservatives are so godly..*sarcasm*...It also says in the Bible "Thou Shall Not Kill..." Hello, War? Hello, Death Penalty?
Anon, you are a purile idiot.
It says thou shalt not MURDER. Read the aramaic and old Hebrew texts. The word is clearly MURDER, not kill. War is permitted as is execution.
So back it up and shut it up if you cannot refrain from lying. Typical liberal in that you know nothing of what you speak.
Secondly, Williams is a LIAR. He signed a pledge and said he would vote for the GOP candidate for Pro Tem, and did the complete opposite. Unlike Kurita, he had given his written and spoke word to support his party in purging the mafiosi Nafieh and the Dem stain from the capitol.
Instead, he preferred breaking his word, abandoning his promise, double crossing his party, and reversing himself to the voters in his district, all so that he could bend over for Naf and the Dems, and appoint them back to their positions where they have corrupted Tenn.
He is the most despicable person in Tn right now, a man with no convictions nor values, and apparently a man with little intelligence either. He appears to have all the foresight and morals of a gerbil.
Present me with your biblical interpretations of "murder," David Duke. My bible has always said, "Thou Shalt Not Kill," even grabbing a goose-stepping GOP wingnut fascist by the neck and wringing it, or executing the black prisoner that raped your lily-white daughter, or killing the Taliban. That is wrong according to my Bible, no matter how much you want it done.
Williams just double-crossed the would-be double-crossers. Touche! Tough luck...go sulk.
Is it my imagination or is Anonymous a paranoid schizophrenic personality?
Of course this upsets people who treat state and national government like some kind of high school football game. The conservatives I know don't really care about the quality or value of any platform; if it's a R push then it's sanctioned by Jesus Christ and must pass and if it's from the D then it must be the work of evil.
To be fair I know Democrats who have the same short-sightedness with respect to their own party. But here's a thought:
Maybe (just maybe!) a government should be about serving the people who support it without extreme childish prejudice toward one's own party no matter what is at stake. You think?
What Williams did was bold and could be a personal power play but frankly I think he's onto something BIG here. This kind of effort toward change will not be lost on those who know our state and country badly need major renovations at the political level.
Again, those who only have an interest in seeing their team win, no matter who is harmed in the process, simply won't be able to grasp this and other political feats in the coming years. These individuals have my sympathy as it's going to be a rough ride for them over the next 10 years.
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