Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Legislature / Politics / Woods Bye Bye Dewayne Bunch: We Miss You Already
Posted by Jeff Woods on Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 6:28 AM
Bunch is renowned for introducing ridiculous bills that never go anywhere and for making wacky arguments during debates. He's the Stacey Campfield of the Senate.
In the last session alone, Bunch entertained us all by:
(1) Pushing legislation to give state sanction to the diplomas of a freaky subset of home schoolers who hold the godless government in contempt and refuse to disclose what they're supposedly learning in their home schools.
(2) Raising questions during a committee hearing about whether it's a good idea to pass a law requiring wife beaters to surrender their guns. He worried it might inconvenience and confuse wife beaters, especially if they store their weapons in their barns or bass boats, and interfere with their Second Amendment right to bear arms.
(3) Calling people who are concerned about childhood obesity the "nutritional Nazi police." He did that in a debate with Sen. Andy Berke, the only Jewish member of the upper chamber.
Lately, as Republicans have gained power, Bunch actually has managed to make a few laws. Believe it or not, the legislature enacted his home school bill. But lest you think the Senate will lurch to the left with his departure, no worries: Rep. Mike Bell already is running for Bunch's southeast Tennessee seat. He was the House champion of the weird home schoolers.
Comments (9)
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Thank God! Bunch has been an embarrassment since he was sent to Nashville. I would like to think that ridding this district of Jeff Miller and Bunch we will do better in the future, but I've lived too long to not think it could get worse.
Maybe his successor will get school children the right to carry firearms in their backpacks.
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"I want to continue the tradition of having a principled, conservative voice in the state Senate," Bell said.
I'm still waiting on the tradition to begin. I hope another Republican runs in the primary.
Bunch used the word Nazi in front of a Jew? Oy Vey!
You've lost the edge, Woods. We conservatives expect better heat than this.
And weird home school kids? The same weird home schoolers like Tim Tebow who embarrass us all? Scary stuff!! OOOOOOOhhhhhhh.. Shiver. Shiver.
...that "R-4th Century B.C." was pretty funny when you read it. I'm still chuckling over it.
That Woods. He's hilarious.
How about "Bronze Age Bunch"...and I am just hoping that the GOPers won't get their panties bunched up in knots over Wood's article.
"Bell said Bunch met Monday evening with him and Reps. Eric Watson and Kevin Brooks, both R-Cleveland, to tell them his decision. Bell declined to elaborate on the why Bunch decided not to run.
"His reasons were his own," Bell said. The phone at Bunch's district office rang unanswered Monday night.
Bunch, 50, has served in the Senate since 2006 and had spent 10 years in the House. He was critical of Republican leadership last session for failing to establish a system of contested judicial elections in Tennessee. He was recently bypassed for a chairmanship in a leadership shuffle following the resignation of another senator."
"Another senator" - why didn't the Kingsport Times-News just flesh out the news report by listing "Senator Paul Stanley"?
Perhaps Bunch would have been selected for the Commerce Chairmanship if he had only hired some cute female interns to share with the other GOPers...
Excerpt from the Kingsport Times-News:
"Bell is the latest House member to seek a move up to the Senate. In the other races:
- Rep. Brian Kelsey is the Republican nominee in a special election to replace fellow Germantown Republican Sen. Paul Stanley next month.
- Rep. Susan Lynn, R-Mt. Juliet, wants to replace Sen. Mae Beavers who is leaving the Senate to run for Wilson County mayor.
- Rep. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, is mounting a bid to replace Sen. Tim Burchett, who is running for Knox County mayor.
All four representatives share an outspoken conservative bent, and Bell acknowledged that the ideological makeup of the upper chamber would be affected if all four succeed.
"I think it would just change the flavor of the Senate a little bit," he said."
"Flavor" --- right, Bell. Especially if you regard "nuttier that a squirrel turd" as being a flavor.
Who's Screwed Harder in Sex Scandals? Ramsey or Wamp?
http://blogs.nashvillescene.com/pitw/2009/08/whos_screwed_in_sex_scandals_r.php
Worth repeating here"
"And does anyone believe Ramsey didn't know what Stanley was doing in his love shack, as Phil Williams calls it? Ramsey has an apartment in the same complex. Stanley's roomie is the Christian wingnut Dewayne Bunch. No one knew a thing? Mark Brown scoffs:
No one has been damaged more by this scandal than Ramsey. His leadership has been called into question. His honesty is suspect. That's not a good combination for a gubernatorial candidate."
