even your OWN party doesn't want you, andy holt!

That's right folks.  Many moderate Republicans in Nashville want Andy Holt out.  I have to admit, you must be pretty awful if your own party doesn't want to keep you in office.  In fact, the support coming out from all over the state, and probably even further, for opponent and Democrat Mark Maddox is astonishing.  This blog has reached across the state too, as I have been getting inquiries about what people can do to help campaign for Mark and get Andy out of office!  I have never seen support, for a candidate at the state level, in my short time here in Tennessee.  To be honest, it couldn't go to a better candidate.

What happened in 2010, not only here in West Tennessee but across the state, was defeating for democrats. There was a huge backlash from Republicans because of our support for our President and those elected Democrats in Washington.  It's an obvious reason why, and certainly those here in the South cannot deny it no matter how sad it is.  However, what I am seeing at the emergence of the 2012 campaign season is a completely different outlook to what we saw, and inevitably knew was coming, in 2010.  The legislature in this state has taken away rights from anyone who isn't in a high enough tax bracket.  Hitting everyone from teachers, to union employees, to women as a whole, to the working class (which if I'm wrong makes up much of Tennessee).  They fought to increase privileges for the rich and fortunate, in exchange for about 3 dollars a year savings in sales tax.  They introduced legislation to bring slaughterhouses for horses to Tennessee.  A bill that would protect teachers who allow the criticism as such scientific theories like evolution in their classrooms.  This opens a whole new door about where the separation of church and state comes into play.  It wasn't eight months ago that I sitting in a biology lecture at UT Martin listening to an older woman insisting that the bible has proven theories that creationism is in fact certain and the only real and logical scientific theory.  She went on and on, and I won't waste your time with her gibberish.  Yes, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but when you start bringing religion into the class that can, and very well may, offend another classmate of mine because they might not be Christian, or they are a Christian and completely accept evolution, but is being told they are wrong and going to hell for doing so IS A PROBLEM.  I will go a little further and say that when you start criticizing these ideas at a younger age where students are much more impressionable you will not only be improperly educating our future, you are further lowering our state's "excellence in education."  We have fallen back to 47th in the country.  FORTY-SEVENTH!  We're at the top with spending (thanks to Race to the Top), but at the opposite end in terms of the quality of our education.  Yet, we want to protect teachers that allow students to spew fallacies and criticize theories proven true over and over again.  We went from a pretty good moderate environment within the state in 2008 to as far right as possible in just a couple years.  To me, that's scary.  And guess what...it is to a LOT more people now, as well.

So with that being said, I'm going to make a guess.  With as much disgust there is across the board.  Here in the state of Tennessee , including the federal level too, there will be a turnover in incumbents.  I can almost guarantee that Andy Holt will not be in office again next January, and some West Tennesseeans (not myself sadly) will be able to breathe a collective sigh of relief from the tyranny that is Andy Holt.

I encourage more folks that are interested in donating, volunteering, making calls or anything on behalf of Mark Maddox to please let me know.  I want to see all of Weakley County and the portions of Obion & Carroll now in the 76th covered with Maddox for State Rep signs, bumper stickers, or anything with his name on it for that matter.

Thank you Mark Maddox.....three more to go

Word on the street that I've heard today is that former Representative for the 76th, Mark Maddox, will be repeating his run from 2010.  For any blue viewed person here in West Tennessee we can breathe a little easier.  Sadly, Mr. Maddox will no longer be representing me personally in the Tennessee Legislature....due to redistricting of course.  I'm currently stuck with Curtis Halford, and no democrat to run against him at this time.

This brings me to Roy Herron's soon-to-be open State Senate seat.  I'm not quite sure why we are not finding Democrats to run campaigns for these seats.  No one has, as of yet, stepped up as a potential Democratic candidate against Herron.  If people aren't really paying attention to the outlook here in Tennessee, right now is the time for Dems to strike.  The perfect time to take back our seats and our state.  As we saw in our state's primary on Super Tuesday, Tennessee went to right-wing extremist, Rick Santorum.  Turnout was not impressive.

Our pool of elected Republican officials (i.e. Fincher, Holt, Wirgau, etc.) are proving to be worthless at the state and federal level.  Andy Holt has sponsored or co-sponsored useless legislation to increase gun rights/accessibility on college campuses, a bill targeted at unions and their ability to picket by making mass picketing a criminal offense, and a bill that we know is ultimately not meant to defend students that are not Christian, especially if used in conjunction with bill that allows those who say its okay to bully if their religious or political beliefs follow suit. (whatever happened to the separation of church and state that our founding fathers put there as a means to not allow religion to be forced on someone?)  If constituents would actually look at what their elected official (Holt & Fincher specifically) and what bills they sponsor, how they vote on other bills that would personally affect them, I would guarantee that they more than likely would not vote for them a second time and make them a one term wonder.  This is my plea.  Let's get Mark elected and get Andy "BOLT" Holt (because he bolted to Hawaii for a new truck and bolts from hard hitting questions that he knows he couldn't answer without backlash or negative reactions) out of office.  Let's get some Democrats on the ticket against Fincher, Halford and the slew of Republican contenders who have thrown their name in the hat for Senator Herron's seat.

If you or someone you know are considering running for office I encourage you to send me a message or comment with an email to contact you at so that we can get you in touch with the right people.  So Northwest Tennesseeans, let's bring our region and the entire state back to the great state it once used to be.  Let's take hatred, bigotry, and every other scare tactic the extremists throw at us out of play.  Smile. shrug it off, and know that what they do and say doesn't matter.  We are the party for the people of this state.  We are the party that does, not just talks.  So let's do it!!

One last note, Thank you Mark Maddox!!!!

where are the jobs?

everyday fox news is complaining about jobs, jobs, jobs. where are they? we need tax breaks in order for private sector growth......blah blah blah. the January unemployment rate dropped lower than anyone projected. 8.3%. the lowest it's been since February 2009. now since this state is a little behind in getting their January 2012 rate so we will have to deal with December 2011 rates. They are as follows: Gibson county - 11.9% Madison county & Jackson, TN 8.8% & 8.7% (respectively) Weakley County & Union City 12.1% & 15.2% (respectively) and finally Carroll County at 11.7%. Now the most disturbing thing I heard despite these still inanely high unemployment rates came from a friend who keeps up with these kind of numbers. the number of women unemployed in Carroll County is around 11%. now this might not seem so bad considering the aforementioned numbers, but we are ranked with the highest unemployment rate for women in the entire state of Tennessee.

this disturbs me. why you ask? because I am an unemployed female in Carroll county. I am a college graduate with extensive work experience. I have fantastic work ethic, and could an would do anything no matter if most people thought it to be below me. I have to help in supporting my family. it isn't something my husband should bear alone. I have had 2 interviews since I started actively searching for a job after leaving my last position de to scheduling conflicts with school. so in 3 months I've had two interviews. one of which would have had me driving 40 min one way for minimum wage and 20 hours a week. allowing me to contribute a measly 300-400 dollars a month that would have not helped very much (and was only a temporary position) and another that would have been ideal seeing as it was 4 minutes from my home, but according to careerbuilder's statistics in the 4 days it took for me to get called for an interview it had over 250 applicants. making my odds even slimmer. I've been continuously called by employers and having them tell me flat out that I am over qualified, they need someone permanent, and that someone like me would be actively looking for something better. I practically did everything to convince one woman that I would do anything to get this position (a medical receptionist) since it paid more than any other job i had seen in this area (a whopping 11/hr). I came to tennessee to go to school. I worked almost the entire time I was in school in some form or fashion. I left a job in Chicago making 15 an hour with full, great, very little out-of-pocket expense to me, and instead took a 50% pay cut with my first and every following job since I moved to Tennessee.

more recently, another red state that my family and i are considering relocating to has called me non-stop since applying for positions. I made a trip to Texas last week to fit in five interviews with five different companies that i was able to choose from that were interested in me. I was essentially offered one on the spot and was told I would hear back on the others this week. so this brings the question....why would I want to stay here? my representative is more concerned with passing gun, pro-bullying, anti-gay, anti-union legislation than something that would legitimately promote job growth. I had one friend who is a liberal say well here we pay no income tax. I responded with neither does Texas and they pay no sales tax on food. here our governor proposes ideas that would save the average Tennesseean just over three dollars a year with his grocery tax reduction. 3 dollars? keep it. instead he wants to get rid of the estate tax all together. probably something he or his family will benefit from in the future since they are millionaires. you know, someone who could afford to pay an extra tax. not someone like me. so while my president had been decreasing the unemployment rate republicans in this state are more concerned with ridiculous, outlandish waste of time legislation than helping people like me. ones that are being turned away everyday for not being G.E.D. or high school diploma only recipient or even a high school drop out. someone who wants to work. someone who has the experience and education to back it up. so andy holt, Curtis halford, bill Sanderson, Stephen fincher when are you going to get YOUR constituents back to work and stop your nonsense and ridiculous antics? until these statistics change you all continue to fail me and my neighbors. do something or these people will vote you out later this year. this unemployed woman will do everything to guarantee that. that I can promise!