Barbara Foster, left, of Chattanooga, and Lauren Smith of Soddy-Daisy enjoy an early voting experience Friday at Northgate mall in Chattanooga.
By David Tulis
Three important constitutional amendments on the ballot give us common people a chance to defy the will of the elites whose concentration of power secures their economic security and that of commercial government. Two amendments require a yes vote for those who care for local economy and the health of the free market.
One requires a rebuff. That is Amendment 2. This tomfoolery of this plan is all the more irritating when we consider the deceit of its marketing. The amendment proposes that you yield a constitutional right to elect all judges in the state, but that you eagerly accept the “right” to vote on judges in retention elections eight years after any one of these robed lawyers have taken office.
Amendment 2, in other words, suffers you to give up the gold for the pyrite — the fool’s gold. It would have you revise the constitution to fit the state’s illegal and unconstitutional practice since 1971 of forbidding your right to vote and its substitution of retention elections. Tennesseans have been living under this retention system despite lawsuits seeking to overturn it. Their greatest defender on this point is John Jay Hooker, a liberal Democrat lawyer who has fought the illicit program repeatedly and who is running for governor to attempt to fix the disaster.
The plan fixes the constitution to align it with current practice, which is illegal and an offense against those whom the constitution refers to as the “free people” of Tennessee. It chops the feet of a constitutional right so we gangly Tennesseans can rest easy in a too-short bed.
Open politics vs. insider politics
The arguments for Amendment 2 appeal to the earnest desire of the people to maintain their rights and not piddle them away. Lacy Upchurch of the Farm Bureau in one TV spot says it “protects our right to vote for judges,” a statement that simply misleads because it suggests to the unwary that if vote against the amendment you’ll lose your right to vote for judges.
You already have, in current practice. You will for good, if you vote yes. You’ll be giving away your right. Former federal Sen. Fred Thompson inanely declares the bill “will make the constitution stronger.” Only because it will fix the breach that retention elections bring to the constitution — it will heal its violation over four decades. Arguments that the plan takes money, out-of-state influence and non-Tennessee cash out of judicial elections are also deceptive. Politics under our constitutional system run wide and shallow — every man gets to vote and to support his candidate. Under Amendment 2, politics will run narrow and deep; it will run among the lawyer class, among those in judicial conferences, DA conferences, political clubs, caucuses and Republican and Democrat party gatherings. Politics will belong to the elites only, and the people and their interests excluded. Statements by our luminaries that the amendment will bring stability, certainty, that it “protects our vote,” that it will bring “nonpoliticized” elections for judges are simply so much nose-blowing.
In sum: Amendment 2 steals your right to vote for judges. Vote no.
Future defense for preborn tots, prosperity
Prolife Amendment 1 — this proposal clearly deserves a yes vote, allowing the state at some point to regulate the industry that slaughters thousands of babies a year within the state’s borders.
Pro-free market Amendment 3 — This plan prohibits any effort by the state to absorb the marketplace in labor. It ordinarily soaks up that market by converting callings and professions of right into privileges. A privilege is a grant or favor from the state. A right is something you have from God, a liberty to exercise and defend as against the clamor and greed of the modern state. The amendment says the legislature “shall not levy, authorize or otherwise permit any state or local tax upon payroll or earned personal income or any state or local tax measured by payroll or earned personal income.”
Governor’s race — I heartily recommend Shaun Crowell of the Constitution Party. In a few words he explains how he came to the Constitution Party of Tennessee.
I became involved in politics in 2008 after the Banker Bailout Act (i.e. TARP, Emergency Economic Stabilization Act) was passed. It was at this point that I realized that the Republican Party for which I championed as the only conservative party was a fraud because they gave 700 billion dollars or more of your money to big failed banks and insurance companies. We heard the term “too big to fail.” I know that it was our conservative Republicans that failed us. I am now a member and vice-Chairman of the Constitution Party of Tennessee. As a candidate I am committed to the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Tennessee as well as to our party platform which I hope you will read and consider at www.cpotn.com Unlike the two major parties we hold our elected accountable.
Unlike any other political party, the Constitution Party recognizes the sovereignty of God and His jurisdiction upon the task of civil magistrate, saying in its preamble: “The Constitution Party of Tennessee acknowledges God for HIS blessings, guidance, protection and sustainment. We further declare that this organization’s bedrock foundation is the Holy Bible and the fundamental truths contained therein.
Listen to an interview with Mr. Crowell on Hot News Talk Radio on Monday scheduled for 1:30 Chattanooga time. (Online at hotnewstalkradio.com. On your smart phone through the Tunein radio app at hotnewstalkradio.)
Note: Amendment 3 says: Shall Article II, Section 28 of the Constitution of Tennessee be amended by adding the following sentence at the end of the final substantive paragraph within the section: Notwithstanding the authority to tax privileges or any other authority set forth in this Constitution, the Legislature shall not levy, authorize or otherwise permit any state or local tax upon payroll or earned personal income or any state or local tax measured by payroll or earned personal income; however, nothing contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting any tax in effect on January 1, 2011, or adjustment of the rate of such tax.
Civics lesson
Compare how two amendments propose making changes to the Tennessee constitution.
Amendment 4, top image, proposes a change that is honest. It tells you what language is being deleted, and states the new language. Amendment 2 on judges, below, DOESN’T TELL YOU what is being deleted (a constitutional right). What a cheat.
