There's Dead and Then There's Dead

Such is the Internet. I've been reading this story, about Joe Cooper calling the income tax a dead issue, it seems for a couple of days now, but it may only be a day or two. Nonetheless, the Commercial Appeal finally got around to it, in a parellel way, via an AP story.

Seems House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh wants folks to believe the income tax is a "dead issue." Well, Tennesseans have been hearing that for decades now and it still keeps coming back, like a body that won't stay buried. But he uses weasel words:

"In the 103rd General Assembly, the income tax is a dead issue in both
the Senate and the House," Naifeh said. "The revenue stream we
adopted in the 102nd Assembly is the funding stream we're going to be
using in the next few years."

Do you believe that for a single second? When the Legislature begins to run into problems with funding requests, the papers will harp on the inadequacy of the present system and bash those who set it up. Note, too, how Naifeh carefully limits his remarks to the 103rd session.

I'm sorry, but this is nothing more than re-election rearing it's "save my hide" head. Naifeh's got a challenger who seems slightly credible and that's got him worried.

I'm going to use this story, mentioning as it does Antonio Lopez' write in candidacy, to point out that at least one, and maybe more, write-in is experiencing difficulty. Lopez is still waiting for the State to certify his results. And, according to a story linked from Tennessee Tax Revolt, under the August 8 date, Karen Bennett in the 52nd district is having problems having votes counted. The Tennessean has the story as well.

And, in an even further aside, kudos to Tennessee Tax Revolt for finally making the paper! The CA has had a policy of not mentioning any of the websites that have sprung up in the wake of the most recent budget mess, except in a general and derogatory way. The story I first mentioned above names them! Great work, folks. One sure sign of progress is when your enemy is finally forced to acknowledge you.

Until next time, that is all.
Your Working Boy