Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Politics / Woods Naifeh Outsmarts Republicans Again
Posted by Jeff Woods on Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Like Wile E. Coyote chasing the Road Runner, House Republicans never seem to win in the end. In one of the craziest days in the history of the Tennessee General Assembly, a Republican finally was elected House speaker--it just wasn't Jason Mumpower.
Jimmy Naifeh did it to them again. He's smarter than he seems. It was a raucous session complete with catcalls, boos, and derisive laughter from Republican lawmakers and supporters in the gallery. Democrats nominated two-term Republican Rep. Kent Williams for speaker, and then promptly elected him 50-49, with Williams voting for himself. Mumpower and friends, a surprised "we-are-so-fucked" look on their faces, sat in stricken silence as the vote was taken. Some Republicans actually cried. Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey called it "a travesty." Later, the new House coalition of Democrats-plus Williams elected Democrat Lois DeBerry over Republican Beth Harwell as speaker pro tem.
"Any more outbursts," Naifeh warned more than once, "and I'll have the people removed from this chamber."
There were cries of "traitor," and Channel 4 reports a trooper had to go into the gallery and calm down one guy. Republicans booed as Williams went to the House well to speak. "I'd appreciate it if everyone in this chamber would just hear me out," Williams shouted. "I'm a Republican but not for much longer because you guys are going to kick me out, probably."
"It's time to end the in-fighting and bickering and just looking out for yourselves," he said to loud snickering in the chamber.
Then to add insult to injury, Williams said to more boos, "Today comes the end of the reign of a great speaker, Jimmy Naifeh."
We're thinking Republicans now are regretting campaigning against Williams in his party primary last year. State GOP chair Robin Smith immediately issued a denunciation of Williams.
"Kent Williams has betrayed his constituents and the people of Carter County in breaking his pledge - his signed oath - to vote for the nominee of the Republican caucus for Speaker of the House. He lied, in a quest for personal power, in league with Democrat Speaker Jimmy Naifeh and House Minority Leader Gary Odom, in their desire to retain power despite the results of the 2008 elections."
In an unusual move, Highway Patrolmen stood guard at the podium when Williams walked up to it, and troopers surrounded Williams as he left the chamber and ducked into the speaker's office. I think it's safe to say that emotions are running a little high here.
In a brief press conference, Williams talked about what he'll do as speaker. He promised to appoint Republicans to at least half the committees. The Q&A follows after the jump.
Williams: Yes. Abolutely, that'll be the No. 1 priority. That will come to the floor, I can assure you of that.
Q: What else?
Williams: Some of the gun bills that have been killed over the years. There won't be any committees loaded down to kill legislation. That's not going to happen.
Q: So who's in control, Republicans or Democrats?
Williams: Republicans are in control. 50 to 49.
Q: People across the state outside of upper East Tennessee don't know you. How do you consider yourself, conservative or moderate?
Williams: I consider myself a conservative. I'm not for any new taxes. I'm for cutting spending. You know, sometimes recession isn't bad. Sometimes recession will show us in government that we can reduce our budgets and live within our means. But I would consider myself a conservative.
Q: Did you do this to take revenge against Republicans who campaigned against you in your primary last year?
Williams: There were Republicans who campaigned against me but that's in the past. That's done. That's over. I can't go back and change that. But that's over. There's no bitterness.
Q: Why not vote for Mumpower then?
Williams: I think I'd make a better speaker and a better leader.
Q: When did the Democrats first approach you about this?
Williams: The Democrats didn't approach me. I approached them.
Q: And what did you say?
Williams: I told them I'd like to be speaker of the House. It was maybe a couple of days ago, I don't know.
Q: What did the Democrats say to you? OK?
Williams: Evidently.
Q: What about the infamous pledge? The 50 signatures?
Williams: That we would vote for a Republican. Yes, I voted for a Republican.
Comments (7)
Showing 1-7 of 7
Is there a video anywhere of Mumpower's face showing how shocked he is that Naifeh just kicked him in the 'nads? If he keeps this sort of thing up, Naifeh will become Rasputin for Republicans.
like
dislike
This is better than every episode of The West Wing ever aired. Jeff Woods, you are a treasure.
Who said that there wouldn't be anything done the first day of the session? It will be a great session.
Odom said he approached Jimmy's manboy about becoming speaker. Get your story straight Kent or Jimmy will whip you silly.
Perhaps, just perhaps, this little stunt will give the voters the reason they need to vote in even more republicans in the next election cycle. If 50-49 won't get the job done, perhaps 6 or 8 more republicans will get the job done. This should get under every right-thinking, conservative, fair-minded person's skin and we should remember it next election. Things won't get better until the masses have really had enough. I have said it many times, "The problem with conservatives is that we are 'conservative'". We are not "activist" enough. We tend to put up with way too much and we allow things to get way too far out of hand before we take action. We need to learn to be "pro-active activists" rather than always being "reactive". Being reactive means the damage was already done and you are trying to recover. It's like when you get into a fist fight, the authorities say, "Who threw the first punch", as if that is the person who should be disciplined. Well, I didn't want to "start" fights when I was growing up, but when it became evident that there was going to be a fight, I always wanted to be the one who threw the first punch. Whenever I didn't throw the fist punch my chances of winning the fight were slim, however, I can't every recall losing a fight in which I threw the first punch. The first punch just always seemed to take the steam out of the other guy. In fact, once I learned that one little trick, I can't recall ever losing another fight (and I was in several). Most of the time, if I was fortunate enough to get the first blow in, the other guy never touched me. It's hard to lose a fight if the other guy can't even put his hands on you.
We need to develop a system outside the political structure to develop a cohesive grassroots organization that is extremely active all of the time. The attitude should be that we want everyone to have a say, that we want to be fair and above board on everything we are dealing with, but if anyone tries to force us into a fight, we are going to knock their block off with the first punch. Instead, republicans seem to always be sticking their chins out and then wonder why we take a bunch of knock-out punches. I for one am tired of having to get back up off of the canvas. I so much more enjoy watching the other guy have to get up on his feet again. There is nothing more satisfying than knocking your opponent off his feet, nothing more satisfying that is other than being friends instead of fighting.
The goal of politics should be to come to a consensus on what is best overall for all of the people. Politics should not be about fighting to provide for the desires of select groups of individuals. There should be a basis for how we govern, a foundation upon which everything we do is measured and developed. Republicans should endeavor over the next several years to develop a new (or dust off the real set) set of morals, ethics, philosophies that a vast majority of voters can identify with and publish those ideals and then get them in the hands of voters. At the same time, we need to look at the democrats and what they stand for, we need to analyze what it is about their position that is appealing to the left, and then we need to determine if there is a republican solution for the needs of the left that they can accept and live with. If we can't provide them with the relief and comfort they seek and still hold on to our morals, ethics, and philosophies, we need to develop our knock-out punch in that area. If we can provide them with the relief and comfort they seek, while still holding on to our beliefs, then we probably need to do so. We need to present ourselves as a party that is working hard to meet the needs of the masses in a very honest and fundamental way. Always remember, if you can take a bunch of arrows out of the other guy's quiver, he has less arrows to shoot at you and you have more to shoot at him. In the Navy we had a saying, "Peace through superior fire-power"! I believe Reagan said, "Peace through strength". We become stronger by shoring up our own party and by tearing away at the base of the other guys by meeting the needs of their constituents better and more fully than they.
