think before you post...again

When you are running for office, or are in office, I would think that one would think before posting.  Publicly posting status messages on facebook where people can see is not the smartest thing in the world.  It's open information and gives people a real insight into a candidate or someone they may have casted a ballot for previously.  For instance, a post that Andy Holt made on his facebook page earlier this week that received eighteen comments and twelve "likes."  Here is the post

Now folks went on and on with ignorant comments, and that is fine and all.....until you get to this post:.  There is a comment from a Jeni Hines.  Upon further research, Jeni (or Jennifer) Hines is the legislative aid to Representative Joe Carr of Murfreesboro.  Sorry, but if one of my employees was on facebook asking "Who's butt should I kick, Andy?" then I'd be seriously reconsidering the type of person that I hired.

Again, this is just another example of the kind of people Andy seems to surround himself with.  If he associates with people that conduct themselves in this way there's not telling what more we will learn about Representative Holt in the coming weeks before the election.

Just another thought for constituents of the 76th District here in Tennessee to think about before hitting the polls this November.

If you feel that Ms. Hines did not conduct herself in the manner that one in her position should do then I encourage you to email her boss, Joe Carr, at then email Speaker Beth Harwell  letting her know that you don't like it either.    And lastly, I would encourage you to let Mr. Holt  know how you feel too about him making unsubstantial remarks about Mark Maddox and how his friends, especially those like Jeni Hines, make threatening remarks and you don't appreciate it.

the unspoken rules of campaign season

During the campaign season, one would like to believe that there are unwritten or unspoken rules that are understood by candidates running.  When unfortunate or unexpected situations arise, like the loss of a loved one that is the family member of someone running for office, their opponent usually suspends their campaign, at least publicly, during the time of mourning.

   Tennessee House District 76 Democratic candidate, Mark Maddox, lost his sister, Janet Maddox, earlier this week.  Here is her obituary, as listed, on the funeral home's website:

Services for Miss Janet Leigh Maddox, 51 of Dresden, will be held August 9, 2012 @ the Dresden Cumberland Presbyertian Church @ 2p.m. in Dresden, TN., with burial to follow in the Sunset Cemetery also in Dresden. Ms. Janet's visitation will be held August 8, 2012 @ Dresden Cumberland Presbyterian Church from 4 til 8 p.m. It will resume August 9, 2012 @ 10a.m. til funeral time. Janet is the daughter of Sam Maddox & Bonnie Jones. She is also survived by her Step-Father Kenneth Jones, two brothers, Mark(Kerri)Maddox of Dresden, TN.& Ricky(Bianca)Jones of Tulsa, OK. She was preceded in death by one brother Tommy Maddox. The Family has requested in lieu of flowers all donations maybe made to CDS Center in Martin, TN. or Dresden Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Dresden, TN.

First, and foremost, I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the Maddox family for your loss of beautiful Janet.  I have heard such wonderful and inspiring stories about her, and I know that her impact on the lives of many will continue on.  For those of you who do not know Janet, she was part of  Community Developmental Services (CDS) and the Maddox family are big advocates of this program, and what it does for members of their community.  The Maddox family, as mentioned in the obituary, asked that donations be made to CDS or the Dresden Cumberland Presbyterian Church in lieu of flowers.

Janet passed on Monday morning.  At 10:23am, that same day, State Representative and current Republican candidate Andy Holt had the audacity to notify all members and staff of the Tennessee State Legislature via an email from his assistant Donna Anderson of the loss of Janet:

Rep. Andy Holt just learned this morning of the passing of Janet Maddox, sister of former Rep. Mark Maddox. We will give more information as it becomes available. Please remember the Maddox family during this time of sorrow.

While it was a nice thought, it apparently was only a thought, and not fully thought through.  In my opinion, Andy had NO right whatsoever to take it upon himself to make this known to everyone.  I know that if I was running for office, and an incident like this occurred just a few hours after the passing, I would not take kindly to my opponent for doing something he had no business in doing.  Some people might feel that this isn't horrible or as tasteless as I find it to be, but it does get worse.  I made the mention of an unspoken rule known by anyone running for office to temporarily suspend their own campaign, AT LEAST PUBLICLY, for a period of time for the candidate and their family to grieve peacefully.  Unfortunately, Mr. Holt doesn't believe that these sort of unspoken rules apply to him.  Not only did he take it upon himself to notify the legislature of Janet's passing, but he even had someone put an Andy Holt Conservative for Congress sign up within 100 feet of Mark's mother, Bonnie's, home.  His mother had to pass this sign at least five different times this day while going back and forth making arrangements for Janet.  Call it a coincidence or maybe plain ignorance....no matter what you call it, I would bet on it that this was pre-meditated by Andy, or his campaign staff, without a doubt.  Not only is this tacky and tasteless, but it truly shows what kind of a character Andy Holt really has.  Not to mention, there is nothing conservative about crass ploys like this during a campaign.  The more people I talk to about Andy Holt and how he consistently believes that nothing ever applies to him...kinda like he thinks that he is the supreme ruler of his land......in Andy Holt world that is....the more people are completely turned off by him.  Andy, do you really have no shame?  Next time you try to pull something like this i IMPLORE you to think, think, and think again.  My mother always told me to think before I speak or act......it's unfortunate that no one taught you how to do the same thing.

Lastly, I would encourage those that are in as much shock as I am over the way Andy Holt has conducted himself this past week to counter his ignorance by either making a donation to CDS or the Dresden Cumberland Presbyterian Church in honor of Janet Maddox or to Mark's campaign that he is running against Andy Holt.  Let's respond in a positive manner to Mr. Holt's negative one.

Election Day Issues - Weakley County

Well it seems as though Tennessee's Primary on August 2nd did go not off without a hitch.  After the disaster in Shelby County with around 1000 early voters were given incorrect ballots, the question remained of what else would happen leading up to August 2?  Well, at a polling station in Weakley County in the town of Dresden something almost did happen.  A woman by the name of Nicolle, walked into to her designated polling location and showed her VALID state photo ID as now required due to the passage of a law in Tennessee in 2011.  The elderly woman working the poll asked for her voter registration card.  Nicolle told her that she didn't have her voter registration card.  The elderly woman then told her that she would be unable to vote if she didn't have it.  Fortunately, this voter, was VERY familiar with the voter ID law and knew what the specific requirements were to vote in Tennessee.  She flat out told the woman that she knew that she didn't need her voter registration card, and after a short time, that included another elderly woman trying to tell her the same thing, she finally did get to cast her ballot.  This pegs the question....How many other voters at this polling location that day were turned away because they didn't have their state-issued photo ID AND their voter registration card????  Sadly, there probably were others that were not as familiar with the requirements to vote in Tennessee, and chalked it up as an "oh well, maybe next election."

How and why are we letting people work the polls that do not know the proper requirements that are and are not needed to vote in the state of Tennessee?  How does this Election Commission who has vehemently backed their state-issued photo ID law requirement allow mistakes to be made at a voters' expense?  Their argument of voting fraud is a joke.  As you can see, the error that was made in Memphis, and locally in Dresden, will continue to discourage voter's from actually voting in elections.  Voter turnout will continue to drop due to restrictions, valid or not, put (or falsely put) into place.

How do we fix this issue?  How do we stop discriminating in the state against the elderly, minorities, and youth voters with this law and the intentional ploys they try to pull to stop voters from actually voting?  This is yet another reason why folks need to educate themselves, not only on law requirements, but on candidates, so they know that they are voting for someone with their best interests at heart.....not voting against their own interests.