A Voter ID laws Comic Book

 

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Former scumbag disgraced judge, Casey Moreland, gets out of federal prison this weekend.

by Rod Williams, April 9, 2021 - Remember Judge Casey Moreland? You should.  He was the Davidson County General Sessions judge who pled guilty to obstruction of justice, retaliating against a witness, theft from a federally funded program, destruction of records and witness tampering. Details of his offences included swapping favorable treatment of women who appeared before him in court in exchange for sex. It also involved stealing money from a non-profit foundation he sit up to help people who needed substance abuse counseling services and could not afford it.  In the investigation of these crimes it was exposed that he hosted trips for other judges and lawyers and supplied prostitutes and marijuana. 

Corruption appears to have been a way of life for Moreland, not a lapse in Judgment. There was the case reported in the Tennnessean on March 21st of this year involving Circuit Court Judge Michael Binkley of Williamson County that reveals more of Moreland's corruption.  In a case before Judge Binkley, Binkley slapped a fine of $700,000 on one of the lawyers arguing a lawsuit.  This huge fine reportedly appeared to be prejudicial and vindictive. This led to a state appellate court booting Binkley off the case and striking down his sanctions order. In the process of this action, it was revealed that Binkley had been caught in a prostitution sting in 2010, two years before he was elected to the bench. But, get this! Former Davidson County General Sessions Court Judge Casey Moreland had erased all record of it the same day Binkley was arrested.  Had this not been done, Binkley would never have been elected as judge.

Judges once elected are hardly ever scrutinized and are hardly ever defeated when running for reelection.  How many people did Moreland punish for prostitution or marijuana arrest?  How many blowjobs did he get for reducing some poor women's sentence? When a judge shares pot and whores with an attorney who will appear before him in court, can one expect impartial justice? How many judges are just as corrupt?

Lawyers, other justices, and other elected officials and Democrat Party insiders have to know this stuff goes on, yet they keep quite about it and let it continue. Just how corrupt is the judicial system? I don't know, but I assume the corruption runs deep. Shame!     

Ex-judge Casey Moreland pleads guilty to federal charges after investigation

Casey Moreland

Casey Moreland

May 24, 2018 - The Casey Moreland scandal is a disgusting tale of corruption, bribery, embezzlement, obstruction of justice, greed and taking advantage of the powerless by the powerful.  I hope they throw the book at him.

Nashville is probably no more corrupt than many other cities but power corrupts. Casey Moreland is an example of why we need a vibrant press, an engaged political opposition, citizens who are paying attention, and a healthy skepticism and distrust of government.  For more on the Casey Moreland affair follow these link: here, here, and here.

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Here are the 10 Safest Cities in Tennessee for 2021

 

Life-time health insurance for former council members drastically reduced

by Rod Williams, 4/8/2021 - After an effort of more than ten years, finally the provision of life-time health care insurance for former council members has been curtailed.  It has not been completely eliminated but significantly reduced.  The bill reforming this benefit for former council members passed Tuesday night. 

Currently, and it has been this way since sometime in the eighties, once a council member leaves office, he may continue to receive Metro health insurance under the same terms as a current metro employee.  The former councilman pays 25% of the premium. We are the only city in America providing such a generous benefit to former council members.

As changed, former two-term council members would continue to get the metro health benefit for two years and would pay 25% of the premium.  Then, for two years they would pay 50% or the premium and then the portion paid by the former councilmember would increase to 75% of the premium. When they reach age 65, the Metro insurance becomes their secondary insurance to Medicare.  Probably most would drop it at that time because there are better plans for a secondary insurance rather than paying 75% of the premium for Metro insurance.

The "whereas" section of the bill (with portions highlighted by the me)  explains why this change needed to occur:

WHEREAS, in 2019, Metro Council members received a $8,100 raise approved in the prior term which was recommended by the Department of Human Resources under the belief to properly compensate Metro Council would help to promote a more diverse and inclusive Council body; and

WHEREAS, the citizens of Davidson County expect the Council to manage taxpayer money wisely, yet over $800,000 per year is spent on a benefit for Councilmembers that is not offered to other part-time Metro Government Employees; and

WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Government spent $837,438 health insurance benefits for both current and former Metro Council Members in 2020. This cost is expected to increase to $1,208,134 by 2024; and

WHEREAS, July 17, 2020 the Metropolitan Council passed a $1.066 property tax rate increase in the USD ($1.033 in the GSD), constituting the highest increase in the history of Metropolitan Nashville; and

WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Government is $4.5 billion in debt, with depleted reserves; and 

WHEREAS, in 2014, the Mayor's Office contracted with an independent consulting company (Deloitte Consulting LLP) to provide data upon which Metro could make decisions about current pay levels. This study revealed that none of Metro Nashville's peers offer retiree medical coverage to council members. To be consistent with common practice, the study recommended that Metro eliminate lifetime medical coverage for Council Members; and

WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council should remove the lifetime health insurance benefits for Council members after they leave office.

I would add one more reason:

WHEREAS, when this benefit was passed sometime in the 80's, Metro did not have many former Council members.  It was not uncommon for  members to serve twenty or thirty years and be old men when they retired, so this benefit was not very costly.  Now, with term limits and younger people serving, there are a lot of former council members and being younger, they can receive the benefit for a much longer time. 

 This change does not effect current former councilmembers or current members who will have served two-terms by 2027.  They still will get the current level of benefit.  Members elected from now on will get the reduced benefit. 

While I would like to see the benefit eliminated in its entirety, there is no doubt that something stronger would have failed. Since 2012, efforts to end the benefit failed on four separate occasions. 

The lead sponsor of this bill was Council member Tonya Hancock.  She is commended for her taking on this fight. The bill passed by a 34-3 vote.  

Council members Emily Benedict, Colby Sledge and Tanaka Vercher were the only "no" votes.

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Study: Tennessee's violent crime rate 3rd highest among 50 states

(The Center Square) – Violent crimes in Tennessee numbered 595.2 per every 100,000 residents of the state as of 2019, the third-highest rate among the 50 states, according to a new analysis from the website 24/7 Wall St. 

The total number of murders in Tennessee in 2019 came in at 498, according to the 24/7 Wall St. analysis of FBI crime data, while the state’s poverty rate was estimated at 13.9%. The study’s authors pegged Memphis as the most dangerous city in the state.  

Nationwide, the violent crime rate for 2019 was found to be 366.7 incidents per 100,000 Americans, according to 24/7 Wall St. The violent crimes tracked in the study were aggravated assaults, robberies, sexual assault and murders or non-negligent manslaughters.  

The poorest states also tend to have the highest rates of violent incidents, the study’s authors concluded. New England states, which have relatively high incomes and less poverty, were among the safest in the nation, while many lower-income Southern states had the highest violent crime rates, the analysis found.  

The most dangerous cities in Hawaii and Alabama could not be pinpointed because of a lack of municipal crime data in those states, according to 24/7 Wall St.

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Nashville is home to more billionaires who control more wealth than any other city in Tennessee

by Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. via The Center Square Apr 5, 2021- There are nearly 2,400 people worldwide whose individual net worth exceeds $1 billion -- and more than one-quarter of them live in the United States.  All told, there are over 250 cities and towns across the country that at least one of the world's ultra wealthy calls home. 

Using data from Forbes' Real Time Billionaires list, 24/7 Wall St. identified the city in every state with the most billionaires. The combined net worth of the billionaires in some U.S. cities exceeds the entire annual GDP of many states. 

The U.S. cities that are home to the most billionaires are often closely tied to the sources of their wealthiest residents' net worth. For example, many of the wealthiest people in the country have made their fortune through some association a successful company -- and these people often live in close proximity to these companies. As a result, many of the cities on this list have high concentrations of companies in well-paying industries like finance, tech, and oil. 

In Tennessee, Nashville is home to more billionaires who control more wealth than any other city. A total of three billionaires live in Nashville with a combined net worth of $20.7 billion. Of Nashville residents with a minimum 10-figure net worth, Thomas Frist Jr is the wealthiest, worth an estimated $8.2 billion. Although Franklin, Tennessee is also home to three billionaires, their combined net worth of $6.9 billion falls short of the combined wealth of billionaires in Nashville. 

To determine the city in every state with the most billionaires, 24/7 Wall St. compiled data from Forbes' Real Time Billionaires list. Data on residency and net worth came from the list, which is updated every five minutes to reflect changes in stock prices and private company valuations. In cases where the number of billionaires in two cities within the same state was a tie, the city with the highest total billionaire net worth was given preference. Data is current as of March 29, 2021. This is the city in every state with the most billionaires. (To continue reading and see the list follow this link.)

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Tennessee lawmakers considering government ban on COVID-19 vaccine passports

By Jon Styf,  Apr 7, 2021, (The Center Square) – A measure to prevent any government in Tennessee from requiring a COVID-19 vaccine passport is making its way through the General Assembly. 

Amended House Bill 575 is supported by Gov. Bill Lee, who worked on the language with House sponsor Rep. John Ragan, R-Oak Ridge, and Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville. 

“I oppose vaccine passports,” Lee tweeted Tuesday in a statement also read by Ragan to the Tennessee House Health Subcommittee. 

“The COVID-19 vaccine should be a personal health choice, not a government requirement. “I am supporting legislation to prohibit any government-mandated vaccine passports to protect the privacy of Tennesseans' health information and ensure this vaccine remains a voluntary, personal decision,” Lee said.

The bill would not stop a business from requiring a vaccine passport. The move is similar to those made by Republican governors in Texas and Florida. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently issued executive orders that said governments cannot require the passport for COVID-19 vaccinations. 

Subcommittee member Rep. Robin Smith, R-Hixson, said she supported the bill but believed it could go further related to HIPAA medical privacy laws. Ragan said he has a health condition that has prevented him from wearing a mask, using a shield instead, and he has not run into issues when he explains he has a medical condition. Ragan said that at least one Tennessee county has passed rules requiring a vaccine passport or something similar already. 

The bill will head to the full House Health Committee.

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Take a break: Let me show the bouquet I made from flowers out of my yard.

 

I had a delightful Easter with my daughter, son-in-law, and grandson.  We enjoyed French 75 cocktails, a delicious dinner of lamb and other delicious side dishes with a good Boudreaux wine.  It was a delight hunting Easter eggs with my grandson.

This is bouquet I made for the occasion.  All of the flowers came out of my yard.  There are Irises, Wisteria, money plant, Vinca, Hyacinths, another blue flower the name of which I don't know and the yellow flower is from a bush, the name of which I don't know. 

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Illegal aliens eligible for Metro to pay their rent and utilities. No Soc. Sec. # required for rental assistance program.

 Eviction moratorium offers more time to pay, while these programs cover what you owe 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — ...The Housing Opportunity Partnership and Employment (HOPE) was made possible after Mayor John Cooper applied for and received $20.8 million for MAC to cover past due rent and utilities. 

Lisa McCrady of MAC says this new funding expands their previous rent assistance to make it far more inclusive than ever before. ....

...One notable requirement that no longer exists is the need for a social security number. McCrady says this ensures we can help even the undocumented tenants who often find themselves without options. She says many have been too worried about their status to claim benefits, making this a potential game-changer.

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Arkansas's Republican governor vetoed a ban on puberty blocking drugs and genital mutilating transition therapy. When the similar bill passes in TN, Gov. Lee should sign it.

by Rod Williams- Arkansas Republican governor Asa Hutchinson vetoed a bill that would ban doctors from performing gender transition surgery or offering puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones to minors. The bill “would put the state as the definitive oracle of medical care, overriding parents, patients, and health care experts,” Hutchinson told reporters at a press conference on Monday. “While in some instances the state must act to protect life, the state should not presume to jump into the middle of every medical, human, and ethical issue. This would be, and is, a vast government overreach." (link)

I certainly do not agree with the governor on this issue.  The Republican governor was wrong to veto this bill.  Shame on Governor Hutchinson. Fortunately, the Arkansas legislature can override the governor's veto by a simple majority vote.  They should do so. 

A bill similar to the Arkansas bill is working its way through the Tennessee legislature. The Tennessee legislature does not need to defer this bill.  It is common sense and is needed and needs to pass and when it does pass, Governor Lee needs to sign it.  

If one only reads the news stories about the Arkansas and Tennessee bills, then I am sure some may think that an absolute ban on sexual transition therapy for minors is wrong because there is the rare case of the person born with a ambiguous genitalia. About one in 1,000 babies are born with ambiguous genitalia but true hermaphroditism is rare and occurs only about once in 83,000 births.  Both the Arkansas bill and the Tennessee make exceptions to the ban for special cases where there is a medical need for such medical procedures. Exceptions should be made for one with a rare medial condition that needs treatment, but not for one who is simply experiencing gender dysphoria.

There are lots of young children who may wish they were of the opposite sex at some time in their young childhood. Little boys may want to be like mommy or little girls may want to be like daddy.  Parents should not take them so seriously; after all, they are children.  Administering hormone blocking drugs or performing sex reassignment surgery is not as simply as changing from wearing boy's clothes to wearing girls clothes.  This is radical treatment and risky surgery.  It involves numerous surgeries to make a convincing girl out of a boy and not yet possible to make a convincing boy out of a girl.  And the treatment can never be stopped. And, if one changes their mind after the transition has started, they may be a freak for life. Even hormone blockers and hormone therapy can have a profound impact on one's appearance and size and physical characteristics for the rest of their life.

Some people do start the process of transitioning and then change their mind and attempt to reverse the process.  The term for this is "Desistance."  Desistance rates for adults are relatively low. Desistance rates among young children are much higher. Among children referred to gender clinics for either gender dysphoria or gender non-conformity, most changed their mind by the time they were in their 20's (link).  Some of the changes cannot be undone.  Even in the best of transition cases, there are serious side effects.  Gender reassignment has serious medical consequences and side effects including the risk of death.  

Many people who grew up to be normal males or females, at a young age, thought they were really the opposite sex in the wrong body.  Much of this is the result of media attention to the issue.  Now, that children are giving an option of thinking they may be of the other sex despite their genitalia telling them otherwise, and facing the challenges and confusion of experiencing puberty, some are thinking they may be transsexual.  Previously, they did not even know that was an option. It has been glamorized and people who have switched genders have been portrayed as heroic. 

This phenomena of children claiming to be transsexual and seeking a sex change is growing.  If you normalize and accept any behavior or perversity, you will have more of it.  Data shows that a child is more likely to come out as "trans," if they have a classmate or other acquaintance who has done so. 

Some advocates of sex change therapy will argue that a sex change is the appropriate response to gender dysphoria because people experiencing this condition are subject to a miserable existence and even suicide.   A sex change is not a cure for what ails them.  Even among people who have undergone gender reassignment procedures, suicide rates, psychiatric morbidities, and mortality rates remain markedly elevated above that of the general population.

While adults can weigh the risk and decide for themselves the risk and benefits, society has an obligation to protect children. I am not one who thinks the state should be quick to tell parents how to raise their children.  I would not have the state take the child away from a family because they belonged to a strange religious cult or adhered to a minority political belief system. If they want to raise little Johnny as a Nazi or a Communist or a nudist or a Muslim or a global-warming-denying, evolution-denying Christian fundamentalist and who use corporal punishment to discipline the child, the state should not interfere.  If they want to dress little Johnny as Jennie, and put her in lace and dresses, the state should not consider that any of the state's business.

If, however, a parent denies food and medical care to a child or physically or sexually abuses a child then that is the state's business.  Some of this is a judgment call and the dividing line between where the state does have an interest and where it does not is sometimes a blurred shade of gray.  However, allowing a parent to stop the process of puberty or allow sexual organs to be mutilated is not a judgement call. It is wrong.  Society has an obligation to protect these children.  

Opponents of legislation prohibiting puberty blockers and sexual reassignment surgery for children have portrayed proponents as intolerant, ignorant, transphobic and uncaring.  Popular culture and the mainstream media align with the opponents of these laws.  We should not let the disapproval of the ultrawoke and the glamorous Hollywood elites dissuade us from protecting children. 

The legislature needs to pass HB578 and Gov. Lee needs to sign it. 

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