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TN Republicans Voting to Expel 3 Democrats from State House of Representatives

"Oh. My. God. It was terrible, officer. Really, really terrifying! They had bullhorns!! Two of them!!! And they weren't afraid to use them.

They had us petrified. Ready to hide under our desks. It must have lasted for minutes. Maybe even as much as five or more.

We were so upset by the attack that we were only able to work on forty nine pieces of legislation after it was over.

Worst thing that ever happened to me!"

MTG: Assault! Assault! Audible damage to everyone's ears! Call the police!
 
We were so upset by the attack that we were only able to work on forty nine pieces of legislation after it was over.

And honestly, only 48 of the pieces of legislation were complaints, restrictions and condemnations of things we consider "woke". How is a legislative body supposed to function?!
 
Justin Jones reinstated.
To loud cheering from the public galleries. Have been trying to find a better clip of his return, but the faces of the GOP reps at the time (in other footage I've seen) were...heartwarming :D Jones was nominated for reinstatement by a political rival of his in Nashville.
 
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I didn't find any bills by Gloria Johnson or by Justin Pearson.
But I did find one by Justin Jones. No summary so I'll take a sample.


"Demilitarization Of Police Act" House Bill 1236, Senate Bill 1526


This bill requires that, on or before October 1, 2023, each law enforcement
agency must create an inventory of all property the agency has acquired
through a United States department of defense program and still possesses,
and equipment as described above that the agency possesses. For each item
in the inventory, the agency must describe the demonstrated need for the
agency to possess that property and equipment, the training that is provided
for officers to use that property and equipment, and the annual storage and
maintenance costs to keep the property and equipment. ... If the agency is
a local law enforcement agency, then the inventory report must be submitted
to the governing body of the jurisdiction that funds the agency. The governing
body must review the inventory list and may approve the inventory in whole
or in part, by adoption of a resolution. This bill requires that any inventory
disapproved for use must be transferred to the department of general
services for disposal.


As you can see, it's a bit bland for a piece of legislation. I didn't find anything
about banning assault rifles anywhere, but it could be that the it hasn't got a
fiscal note attached telling how much it will cost.

I did, however, find a bill by Warner on bringing weapons on to school
property. The summary attached I don't feel accurately reflects what's
in this much longer bill, but it does have a touch of Tennessee Sunshine
Sauce in it.


"Back On Track Act" House Bill 0977, Senate Bill 0827

As introduced, allows law enforcement officers to carry a firearm when
under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances and certain other
circumstances; deletes the prohibition on carrying firearms and other
weapons on higher education campuses and in parks; prohibits the carrying
of weapons in K-12 schools except by certain persons, including any person
permitted to carry a firearm under federal law.


What blows my is the size of the bill numbers. They've only been in session
for a few months and they have thousands of bills. With all that writing,
how do they find time to eat and sleep, let alone do their legislative duties?
 
What blows my [mind?] is the size of the bill numbers. They've only been in session for a few months and they have thousands of bills. With all that writing, how do they find time to eat and sleep, let alone do their legislative duties?
They have their favourite (on payroll?) lobbyists write the bills for them.
 
And in an attempt to engage in some damage control, we have this:

From: CNN
Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee on Tuesday urged the state’s legislature to pass additional gun control measures...Lee signaled that he plans to sign an executive order strengthening the state’s gun background checks by setting a 72-hour clock for new criminal activity. Lee said it will also ensure courts will provide timely and accurate information to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations. The executive order will also require the TBI to analyze the current process for sharing information during the process of buying a gun so changes can be made if necessary...

The cynic in me thinks Lee is only doing that because the republicans got some bad publicity from the way they handled the shootings (and expulsion of Democrats from the legislature.) Given that in the past he has been pro-gun (signing bills that eased gun regulations) I doubt he would have made the move if he didn't think it might hurt the republicans not to do SOMETHING.
 
Honest real answer. "Every accusation is a confession"

So the angle will be whatever is the most blatantly hypocritical, that specific kind of chip on the shoulder "Dare you to notice it" hypocritical. They will accuse the Democrats of whatever it is they are doing the most in the most obvious way.

So yeah going with "Appeal to dignity, appeal to the process." With Republicans showing so much open contempt for those things. That will achieve the "Man with no pants runs up to you screaming at you about how your fly being down makes you the worst person ever" tone that literally all their arguments these days have.
Yeah but his fly isn't down!
 
Justin Pearson reinstated.

" The second of two Black Democrats expelled from the Republican-led Tennessee House will return to the Legislature after a Memphis commission voted to reinstate him Wednesday, nearly a week after his banishment for supporting gun control protesters propelled him into the national spotlight.

Hundreds of supporters marched Justin Pearson through Memphis to the Shelby County Board of Commissioners meeting, chanting and cheering before entering the commission chambers, where officials quickly voted 7-0 to restore him to his position.

“The message for all the people in Nashville who decided to expel us: You can’t expel hope. You can’t expel justice,” Pearson said at the meeting, his voice rising as he spoke. ”You can’t expel our voice. And you sure can’t expel our fight.”"

https://apnews.com/article/35fd0a2e366e98fa170c4f7348246d03
 
Joined in with a bullhorn, you mean? That's the part that is getting glossed over. I think expelling them was stupid (and as we have seen, pointless), but it's not as if they were just innocently exercising their rights to protest.

So you think that an elected public servant shouldn't raise the concerns of his constituents in the forum he was elected to. That's a mighty strange view of representative politics you have.
 
So you think that an elected public servant shouldn't raise the concerns of his constituents in the forum he was elected to. That's a mighty strange view of representative politics you have.

I think the use of a bullhorn does deserve censure, but not expulsion. The use of such things on the floor does interrupt business.

That said, there were far more egregious actions by the GOP that didn't get any form of accountability applied, so there is a good argument to be made that if you're not going to apply it to GOP pissing on chairs (literally), then it isn't just to apply it to bullhorns when there is already a lot of noise from lawful protests.
 
So you think that an elected public servant shouldn't raise the concerns of his constituents in the forum he was elected to. That's a mighty strange view of representative politics you have.

That's a classic strawman if ever there was one. He said nothing of the sort.
 
Originally Posted by Norman Alexander View Post
As I heard it, the protestors barged into the public gallery of the House and started protesting. The three politicians in question joined in with that protest from the House floor.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tenness...t-happens-now/

Joined in with a bullhorn, you mean? That's the part that is getting glossed over. I think expelling them was stupid (and as we have seen, pointless), but it's not as if they were just innocently exercising their rights to protest.

So you think that an elected public servant shouldn't raise the concerns of his constituents in the forum he was elected to. That's a mighty strange view of representative politics you have.

That's a classic strawman if ever there was one. He said nothing of the sort.

No it's simply a distillation of Brainster's words down into their essentials.

No, it's not. And not a single member has agreed that's what he was saying at all. Please point out exactly where Brainster says or even implies that using a bullhorn is saying that "an elected public servant shouldn't raise the concerns of his constituents in the forum he was elected to." He was saying they used a bullhorn. Period. Sometimes it's just best to put the shovel down and move on. This is one of them.
 
Aside from the question of whether or not he lives in his district, Tennessee Republican Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton is facing rumors of an affair with a female lobbyist.

Your Cheating Heart: Cameron Sexton Is Having A Bad Week

Tennessee Republican Speaker of the House and card-carrying member of the Party of Family Values, Cameron Sexton, may be having the worst week of his entire career. The latest news is that he appears to be having an affair with a pretty blonde lobbyist named Megan Lane...who also happens to be married. And Megan's husband is none other than THE DEPUTY COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR for Governor Bill Lee. Cameron Sexton is ALSO married. With kids.

Admittedly, this is not the greatest source. Has anyone seen anything about this from a more reliable source?
 
Aside from the question of whether or not he lives in his district, Tennessee Republican Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton is facing rumors of an affair with a female lobbyist.

Your Cheating Heart: Cameron Sexton Is Having A Bad Week



Admittedly, this is not the greatest source. Has anyone seen anything about this from a more reliable source?
This sort of horrible revelation about some loudmouth wannabe political or religious tsar has become routinely predictable. Goes like this:

1) Mini-Hitler mouths off in public against [hate-subject].
2) Mini-Hitler rebuked soundly, drawing attention.
3) Mini-Hitler caught deeply and embarrassingly indulging in [hate subject] themselves.
4) Mini-Hitler splutters with indignation, or feigns deep regret.
5) Suckers still support Mini-Hitler regardless.

We are just waiting for steps 4 and 5 now.
 

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