News Briefly
If you can’t beat them, kill them
Metro school board members and schools director Pedro Garcia think they may have found the silver bullet to destroy the city’s teachers’ union. The Tennessean, in a rare fit of investigative sleuthing, has discovered that the union was apparently never authorized to negotiate for teachers. So Garcia and the school board have vowed to eliminate it, and a weaker union—Professional Educators of Nashville— may replace the current one. So long. Farewell. You will not be missed.
Roaming bands of killer coyotes invade city
Having crossed the Mississippi River years ago from their western habitat, scattered packs of coyotes are now said to be moving into Nashville. Several homeowners have complained that the coyotes are eating their pets for supper. In particular, a lot of cats are missing. Please bring Fluffy in at night.
Who says the art of oratory is dead?
In a speech that brought a crowd of state and federal judges to their feet, big-time federal appeals court Judge Gil Merritt delivered a scathing indictment on the death penalty. Describing it as being based on “the emotion that seeks revenge,” he said he had encountered two cases where he had “serious doubts” about a convicted man’s guilt. Merritt asked the Tennessee Bar Association to look at ways to eliminate trial errors.
The swift, deadly counterpunch
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Bob Clement thought he would go on the offensive against Republican Lamar Alexander in a debate this week. He attacked some much investigated business deals of Alexander’s. Then Alexander shot back that Clement had no room to talk—he once served on the board of a bank controlled by the Butcher brothers, who were two of the more notorious white-collar criminals in 20th century America. “I don’t know what he’s talking about—I’ve never served on the Butcher bank boards,” Clement responded. The Alexander camp then produced numerous press accounts of Clement’s board membership. This race is so over, it never got started.
Meanwhile, in the goobernatorial race...
Even as Republican Van Hilleary continued pounding on Democrat Phil Bredesen, unloading mega-tonnage negative ads on him and attacking him in a debate, Bredesen seemed to be remaining calm despite pleas from supporters to load his elephant gun. “I just think it’s Bredesen’s way,” said radio commentator Tommy Burnett, “although I wish he would be more forceful.” So do others.
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