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.

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!!!!

Andy Holt in Hawaii????

Why is our state rep, Andy Holt, not in Nashville you ask?  He's in Hawaii.  Now, if I cared even in the slightest about my constituents I would not be in Hawaii.  I would be representing my district.  I received information from a friend in Nashville that he was not in the first day of session.  I took it upon myself to call his office in Nashville to find out what was going on.

- Was Representative Holt in Legislation yesterday?
- No ma'am he wasn't.
- Is there a reason why he is not representing his constituents?
- He's out of town receiving an award.  He's out of state.
- Can I ask what state is he in?
- He's in Hawaii.
- Well that sounds more like a vacation than receiving any kind of accolade to me.
- Would you like to speak to Mr. Holt?
- Absolutely.
- Let me get your information and I will give him your message.


Now I have received information that Mr. Holt is in fact in Hawaii (on a tropical vacation that his constituents can only dream of) competing for an award at the American Farm Bureau's annual convention.  I don't see dates listed, but a post from January 5th state that it was currently going on.  


Now, Mr. Holt has returned my call, from Hawaii, answering all of my questions in a typical know-it-all can't be wrong fashion.  He kept reiterating the fact that since he is in the majority party in the Legislature, and that he was given blessings from Speaker Harwell to miss this week.  When I asked about redistricting and other votes this week he said that his vote didn't really matter (not something I want to hear from my Rep) because the minority party would not be getting any changes that they want in terms of redistricting.  He did say that he will be back this Saturday, and back in Nashville Tuesday unless the vote is postponed to Sunday.  The GA is closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  Frankly, I am shocked that he did respond.  However, I think he may have thought that I was a Republican with his constant mentioning of the majority party and his disregard for the minority party.  


Frankly, I don't care who you received blessings from.  You were voted in. stupidly in my opinion, by the residents of the 76th and your concern is competing for a 2012 Chevy Silverado or 2012 GMC Sierra as well as fully paid registration for next year's convention in Grand Rapids.


Now if you see what I have brought up to be a problem, then I encourage you to call Rep. Holt's office in Nashville and express your thoughts of him being in Hawaii and NOT Nashville.

Andy's Nashville Office Contact Information

301 6th Avenue NorthSuite 

205 War Memorial Bldg

Nashville, TN 37243

Phone (615) 741-7847

Fax (615) 253-0293 

email: rep.andy.holt@capitol.tn.gov

On A Side Note: While speaking with Mr. Holt I did inquire about redistricting.  He did say that Huntingdon will no longer be in the 76th, but rather the 79th (Curtis Halford's district).  Bruceton and Hollow Rock will remain in Andy's district.