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Michael Steele Paints a Bulls-Eye on Kent Williams' Back
Michael Steele says he's painted a bulls-eye on Kent Williams' back because he betrayed every Republican in the State. How so, Mr. Steele? He was elected Speaker, and the Republicans still held the majority. Was it because perhaps, that Jason Mumpower had a secret agenda that was thwarted by Williams? Why was it so important that Mumpower hold the post instead of another Republican?
No matter, Steele's comments are just another example of the psycho approach to governance that the Republicans have. They'll kick out someone who got support from the dreaded Democrats, because he shows that he's not out for one-party rule, which is what Republicans make no bones about declaring.
I dread what the next few years hold for Tennesseans if we don't manage to regain a Democratic majority. Republicans have already shown how stupid they are with the Guns in Alcohol Establishments bill. Their push to get Elections Administrators replaced with Republicans, whether by deceit or fairness, shows they don't give a damn about the voting public. They blantantly violated the Sunshine Law in the Sullivan County Elections Administrator firing and hiring of Jason Booher. What a sham, since Booher was fired from Sheriff Wayne Anderson's 2006 campaign for being arrested for DUI and striking an officer. But of course, if you have the right friends, you can get your record expunged. If that had been a Democrat??!!!
Read the story acout Michael Steele from today's Times-News....
http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9014045
RNC Chairman: 'Kent Williams betrayed every Republican in this state'By Hank Hayes
Published May 23rd, 2009
KINGSPORT — Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele called out self-proclaimed Carter County Republican Kent Williams Saturday night for engineering his surprise election last January as Tennessee House speaker over House GOP Leader Jason Mumpower.
Steele’s sharp criticism of Williams drew approving applause in the crowd of about 600 Republicans who attended the Sullivan County Republican Party’s Reagan Day dinner at the MeadowView Marriott.
Williams got his and the votes of 49 House Democrats to secure his election as House speaker over Mumpower, a Bristol Republican.
Afterward, Tennessee Republican Party Chair Robin Smith stripped Williams of his Republican Party affiliation.
Smith watched and listened from the head table as Steele unloaded on Williams.
“Kent Williams betrayed every Republican in this state,” Steele said. “Your chairwoman (Smith) immediately said ‘We’re going to get this thing worked out right.’ You don’t have to ever worry about people forgetting that (Williams) name again, because I can tell you one thing, when 1,172,000 people vote the Republican Party to control the state legislature and one man takes it away from them, I got a bull’s eye right on his back, and we’re taking him out. I want you to know we’ve got our targets, too.
“We remember those who serve well, but we also remember those especially who turn their backs on the party, who snatch victory away, not from the party, but from the people. So let the message go out — we come to play, we play hard and we intend to win, completely.”
Williams was not immediately available to respond to Steele’s comments.
Mumpower did not mention Williams during his remarks, but praised county Republicans for electing Tony Shipley over then-incumbent Democrat Nathan Vaughn to represent the 2nd House District.
“You made a decision to put a showhorse out to pasture and elect a workhorse,” Mumpower said.
Steele was also at the dinner to reject any perceptions that the Republican Party has turned inward and is giving up after two election cycles resulting in Democrat takeovers of Congress and the White House.
He illustrated his point by telling a story about a conservative and liberal walking down the street and coming across two men down on their luck.
The conservative, said Steele, picks the first man up, offers him a job and gives him $20 bucks to get started.
Steele said the liberal gives the second man a phone number for the local welfare office and takes $50 out of the conservative’s pocket to give to the man.
He then accused the current Congress and President Barack Obama’s administration of reckless spending and promoting wealth redistribution.
“When the president said he wanted to spread the wealth, he meant it, and they are trying their best to do it,” said Steele. “Meanwhile, small businesses are closing, families are losing their homes and the president and the Congress passed a $3.6 trillion budget that quite frankly spends too much, taxes too much and borrows too much. ... They are planning for an America that is more dependent and less industrious and less ambitious than our nation’s ideals. ... This is not the kind of America Republicans will allow to happen. America needs us now more than ever.”
He said a “whole lot of people have been drinking that Obama Kool-Aid.”
“We will not be afraid to agree with the president when we believe what he’s doing is good for the country, but we absolutely will not be afraid to disagree with the president when we believe his actions are hurting and killing the free enterprise market system of this country that is stripping families of their ability to save for their futures,” Steele said. “We’re going to take the president on. The honeymoon for him is over.”
Steele praised U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-1st, for helping “maintain that goose egg” for House Republicans voting against the Obama administration’s $787 billion stimulus plan.
He also encouraged the crowd to make a Republican Tennessee’s next governor.
Two of the four candidates seeking the GOP nomination spoke at the dinner, including Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey of Blountville.
Ramsey said he gets asked a lot why he wants to be a governor during challenging economic times.
“Most of this (federal) stimulus money runs out in January 2011,” Ramsey said. “Guess when the next governor comes in? January 2011. We will need someone who’s been there, someone who especially has been there, who’s not only talked the talk but actually walked the walk. ... I am that person.”
U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, a Chattanooga Republican, made the case for his candidacy.
“I have a 100 percent voting record on life, marriage, guns, taxes and immigration,” Wamp told the crowd.
Two surrogates spoke for the other two GOP gubernatorial hopefuls — Shelby County District Attorney General Bill Gibbons and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam — who were not at the dinner.
Haslam’s spokesman, Buddy Sexton, said he felt like Florida Gators football coach Urban Meyer walking into the University of Tennessee’s locker room after seeing all of Ramsey’s supporters.
“This is ground zero for Team Ramsey,” Sexton said.
Shipley predicted Republicans will retain control of the legislature and win the governor’s race in 2010.
“Republicans win when we act like Republicans,” said Shipley. “God matters, family matters. ...We believe in small government, low taxes and the sanctity of life.”
No matter, Steele's comments are just another example of the psycho approach to governance that the Republicans have. They'll kick out someone who got support from the dreaded Democrats, because he shows that he's not out for one-party rule, which is what Republicans make no bones about declaring.
I dread what the next few years hold for Tennesseans if we don't manage to regain a Democratic majority. Republicans have already shown how stupid they are with the Guns in Alcohol Establishments bill. Their push to get Elections Administrators replaced with Republicans, whether by deceit or fairness, shows they don't give a damn about the voting public. They blantantly violated the Sunshine Law in the Sullivan County Elections Administrator firing and hiring of Jason Booher. What a sham, since Booher was fired from Sheriff Wayne Anderson's 2006 campaign for being arrested for DUI and striking an officer. But of course, if you have the right friends, you can get your record expunged. If that had been a Democrat??!!!
Read the story acout Michael Steele from today's Times-News....
http://www.timesnews.net/article.php?id=9014045
RNC Chairman: 'Kent Williams betrayed every Republican in this state'By Hank Hayes
Published May 23rd, 2009
KINGSPORT — Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele called out self-proclaimed Carter County Republican Kent Williams Saturday night for engineering his surprise election last January as Tennessee House speaker over House GOP Leader Jason Mumpower.
Steele’s sharp criticism of Williams drew approving applause in the crowd of about 600 Republicans who attended the Sullivan County Republican Party’s Reagan Day dinner at the MeadowView Marriott.
Williams got his and the votes of 49 House Democrats to secure his election as House speaker over Mumpower, a Bristol Republican.
Afterward, Tennessee Republican Party Chair Robin Smith stripped Williams of his Republican Party affiliation.
Smith watched and listened from the head table as Steele unloaded on Williams.
“Kent Williams betrayed every Republican in this state,” Steele said. “Your chairwoman (Smith) immediately said ‘We’re going to get this thing worked out right.’ You don’t have to ever worry about people forgetting that (Williams) name again, because I can tell you one thing, when 1,172,000 people vote the Republican Party to control the state legislature and one man takes it away from them, I got a bull’s eye right on his back, and we’re taking him out. I want you to know we’ve got our targets, too.
“We remember those who serve well, but we also remember those especially who turn their backs on the party, who snatch victory away, not from the party, but from the people. So let the message go out — we come to play, we play hard and we intend to win, completely.”
Williams was not immediately available to respond to Steele’s comments.
Mumpower did not mention Williams during his remarks, but praised county Republicans for electing Tony Shipley over then-incumbent Democrat Nathan Vaughn to represent the 2nd House District.
“You made a decision to put a showhorse out to pasture and elect a workhorse,” Mumpower said.
Steele was also at the dinner to reject any perceptions that the Republican Party has turned inward and is giving up after two election cycles resulting in Democrat takeovers of Congress and the White House.
He illustrated his point by telling a story about a conservative and liberal walking down the street and coming across two men down on their luck.
The conservative, said Steele, picks the first man up, offers him a job and gives him $20 bucks to get started.
Steele said the liberal gives the second man a phone number for the local welfare office and takes $50 out of the conservative’s pocket to give to the man.
He then accused the current Congress and President Barack Obama’s administration of reckless spending and promoting wealth redistribution.
“When the president said he wanted to spread the wealth, he meant it, and they are trying their best to do it,” said Steele. “Meanwhile, small businesses are closing, families are losing their homes and the president and the Congress passed a $3.6 trillion budget that quite frankly spends too much, taxes too much and borrows too much. ... They are planning for an America that is more dependent and less industrious and less ambitious than our nation’s ideals. ... This is not the kind of America Republicans will allow to happen. America needs us now more than ever.”
He said a “whole lot of people have been drinking that Obama Kool-Aid.”
“We will not be afraid to agree with the president when we believe what he’s doing is good for the country, but we absolutely will not be afraid to disagree with the president when we believe his actions are hurting and killing the free enterprise market system of this country that is stripping families of their ability to save for their futures,” Steele said. “We’re going to take the president on. The honeymoon for him is over.”
Steele praised U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-1st, for helping “maintain that goose egg” for House Republicans voting against the Obama administration’s $787 billion stimulus plan.
He also encouraged the crowd to make a Republican Tennessee’s next governor.
Two of the four candidates seeking the GOP nomination spoke at the dinner, including Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey of Blountville.
Ramsey said he gets asked a lot why he wants to be a governor during challenging economic times.
“Most of this (federal) stimulus money runs out in January 2011,” Ramsey said. “Guess when the next governor comes in? January 2011. We will need someone who’s been there, someone who especially has been there, who’s not only talked the talk but actually walked the walk. ... I am that person.”
U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, a Chattanooga Republican, made the case for his candidacy.
“I have a 100 percent voting record on life, marriage, guns, taxes and immigration,” Wamp told the crowd.
Two surrogates spoke for the other two GOP gubernatorial hopefuls — Shelby County District Attorney General Bill Gibbons and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam — who were not at the dinner.
Haslam’s spokesman, Buddy Sexton, said he felt like Florida Gators football coach Urban Meyer walking into the University of Tennessee’s locker room after seeing all of Ramsey’s supporters.
“This is ground zero for Team Ramsey,” Sexton said.
Shipley predicted Republicans will retain control of the legislature and win the governor’s race in 2010.
“Republicans win when we act like Republicans,” said Shipley. “God matters, family matters. ...We believe in small government, low taxes and the sanctity of life.”
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