Corker came by work

Today at work the last of the Tennessee Senate candidates came by. This time it was Corker's turn. Unlike when Ford visited the news media was waiting outside to greet him. I decided to wait until after lunch to get a picture with him. There is nothing really to report besides the picture. Between the Ford and Coker visits I guess now I can say I have met the next Senator from Tennessee.

Thanks Jason for taking the picture.

more Tennessee politics

Joe Public has a nice write up on the three Tennessee Republicans running for the opening Senate seat. My take on it is that if Corker wins the primary he will lose the election. I am probably totally wrong about this, but I think the large majority of those who will vote for Hilleary and Bryant will not vote for Corker for ideological reasons.

I grew up in the New Orleans area and there was once a gubernatorial election between Edwin Edwards and David Duke. A lot of people voted for Duke because they knew what his sins were. They did not vote for Edwards because they knew he was sneaky and involved in things that were shady if not outright illegal.

I think many die hard Republicans will feel the same way come November if Corker wins the primary. It is not that I think Corker is involved in anything illegal. I just think his party switch from pro-choice lib to shinny republican back in the early nineties is a big issue for most Republicans. Also, I think his TV ads which have been proven by several nonpartisan watchdog groups to be lies about Hilleary and Bryant will solidify the non vote of those who vote for Bryant and Hillary in the primary.

For me I think I would be willing to lose that seat to the dems for a term and place a real conservative in the seat the next time around. The way conservative Senate sets go in this state is if Corker gets in he will be in for a long time, and that is not a chance I or many other true conservatives are willing to take.

Ed Bryant bling

I've decided to do my bit and add a cube ornament to the ole' cube. Enjoy. :-)

Hamdems Embarrass Themselves Further

I will be the first to admin that I don't want Corker in office though, for far different reasons then that of the Hamdems. But really, could the hamdems possibly stoop any lower? I've read more posts then I could count on one hand where I was embarrassed for them after reading their blog. I have to say that this one takes the cake. If it had been about Chelsea Clinton they would be in an uproar about how sick Republicans are for bringing someone's kid into the political arena. Instead they in some sick way try to make it something to laugh at.

Blogging for Bryant blog

I guess I got quoted over on the Blogging for Bryant blog....

our two biggest issues\concerns

Leslie and I were discussing politics at the table last night, and we both reaffirmed that our two biggest issues\concerns this election are:

1. Abortion
2. Fiscal Responsibility

From the research I've done I like Ed Bryant's stance on both. I like that Citizens Against Government Waste gave him a 92% back in 2000.

I think Ed Bryant is my man

The text below was taken from here Ed Bryant on Abortion Do everything to help protect the sanctity of life Ed Bryant reaffirmed his commitment to protect the sanctity of life. "I always have and will continue to do everything that I can to help protect the sanctity of life," stated Bryant. "It is government's main responsibility to protect life and that is why, as a member of the Judiciary Committee in Congress, I worked to ensure that the sanctity of life was protected and that the law would recognize that life begins at conception. The sanctity of life is a fundamental part of our traditional values, and in the US Senate, I will continue to take a stand for the protection of innocent life at all stages."

In Congress, Bryant received a 100% voting record with National Right to Life and was honored to receive Tennessee Right to Life's endorsement for this election. As private citizens, both Congressman and Mrs. Bryant have served on the boards of two crisis pregnancy/women's resource centers and have given both their time and financial support to many organizations that protect the sanctity of life.

Source: Campaign website, www.edbryantforsenate.com, press release Jan 23, 2006

Voted YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad.

Vote to adopt an amendment that would remove language reversing President Bush's restrictions on funding to family planning groups that provide abortion services, counseling or advocacy. Reference: Amendment sponsored by Hyde, R-IL; Bill HR 1646 ; vote number 2001-115 on May 16, 2001

Voted YES on federal crime to harm fetus while committing other crimes.

Vote to pass a bill that would make it a federal crime to harm a fetus while committing any of 68 federal offenses or a crime under military law. Abortion doctors and women whose own actions harmed their fetuses would be exempt. Reference: Bill sponsored by Graham, R-SC; Bill HR 503 ; vote number 2001-89 on Apr 26, 2001

Voted YES on banning partial-birth abortions.

HR 3660 would ban doctors from performing the abortion procedure called "dilation and extraction" [also known as ?partial-birth? abortion]. The measure would allow the procedure only if the life of the woman is at risk. Reference: Bill sponsored by Canady, R-FL; Bill HR 3660 ; vote number 2000-104 on Apr 5, 2000

Voted YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion.

The Child Custody Protection Act makes it a federal crime to transport a minor across state lines for the purpose of obtaining an abortion. Reference: Bill sponsored by Ros-Lehtinen, R-FL; Bill HR 1218 ; vote number 1999-261 on Jun 30, 1999

Why I've decided not to vote for Bob Corker.

So this is the view I get when looking out of the window here at work. It is Bob Corker's campaign headquarters. To start this out, I have to say that I never really liked Bob Corker as mayor of Chattanooga. I lived in Red Bank at the time of his election, so I never got a chance to vote for or against him. That being the case, I never really took the time to look into his stance on the issues.

But, now that he is running for a Senate seat I have begun the process of looking into him and the other candidates. A few weeks back I dropped by his Campaign headquarters to see if I could get some information on how he stood on the issues. The guys working there were really nice, helpful, and eager to get information in my hands.

By the time I walked out I was feeling pretty good about Corker, and thought that my intuition might have lead me in the wrong direction.

Skip forward a few weeks ...

So, today I got an e-mail from the Ed Bryant campaign entitled "Bob Corker Conservative Fraud Watch". The subject caught my eye and I decided to read the thing. You can skip down and view it below the fold if you want. After reading it I decided I would head over to Corker's site to see what he had to say about his stance on abortion.

Here it is:

If I had not read Ed Bryant's email I would have read Corkers statement on faith and family and would have thought that he was a solid Pro-Life candidate. But, in light of Bryant's e-mail Corker leaves way too much wiggle room in his Clinton-esque statement on faith and family. If you are truly a pro-life republican you should start with Roe vs. Wade and then move into these stop gap issues like partial birth abortion and parental consent.

I sure hope Corker does not win the primary because I'm not sure who I will vote for if he does.

Bob Corker Conservative Fraud Watch     MEDIA ALERT     Read the Fine Print on Bob Corker's "Blueprint for Tennessee"   ... Higher Taxes & Abortion Rights   (BRENTWOOD, TN)  Former Don Sundquist Finance Commissioner and Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker has invited the news media to scrutinize his claim to have "used conservative principles to achieve positive results" today when he unveils his "Blueprint for Tennesseans" at campaign stops in Athens and Cleveland.   Taking Corker up on his challenge to be judged on his record of "using conservative principles," Ed Bryant, former federal prosecutor and four-term member of Congress, suggested he answer the following simple questions based on his well documented record:   What "conservative principle" led Bob Corker to raise property taxes on Tennessee homeowners?  (Chattanooga Times Free Press, 8/22/01)     What "conservative principle" moved Bob Corker to support abortion rights?  (Knoxville News-Sentinel, 7/28/94)     What "conservative principle" fueled Bob Corker's refusal to protect Tennesseans from a state income tax?  (Commercial Appeal, 6/15/93)     What "conservative principle" led Bob Corker to believe abortion is "not a government issue"?  (Republican National Coalition for Life Candidate Questionnaire, 7/9/94)     What "conservative principle" caused Bob Corker to team up with Don Sundquist to create a new hotel/motel tax on top of the existing Hamilton County hotel/motel?  (Chattanooga Times Free Press, 2/27/02)     What "conservative principle" inspired Bob Corker to raise fees on Tennessee's businesses and homeowners by $2.3 million?   (Chattanooga Times Free Press, 9/17/01)     # # #