At over 90 miles per hour, he had his penis out [the window]… he was masturbating… and that’s when it got really, really bad.
![Tennessee Republicans realize bill doesn’t suck quite bad enough.
Steve Benen:
[Religious bigotry is on display] in Tennessee, where a plan to transfer taxpayer money to religious academies is running into trouble as GOP lawmakers slowly realize that all religions will be eligible for public funds (via Adam Peck).
“This is an issue we must address,” state Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) said. “I don’t know whether we can simply amend the bill in such a way that will fix the issue at this point.”
State Sen. Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) and Tracy each expressed their concerns Friday over Senate Bill 0196, commonly called the “School Voucher Bill” and sponsored by fellow Sen. Mark Norris (R-Collierville), which would give parents of children attending failing public schools a voucher with which to enroll in a private school.
If Bill Ketron’s name sounds familiar, he’s the guy who complained about a mop sink he thought might be used in Muslim worship.
No, they can’t “simply amend the bill in such a way” as to exclude Muslim schools. Nor Jewish or Wiccan or atheist or Satanic schools, for that matter. The Supreme Court will put up with a lot from rightwing Christian fanatics, but I can guarantee that wouldn’t fly.
But imagine how completely removed from logic these people must be. Here they are, complaining that taxpayer money may go to a religion they don’t support or belong to, while trying to “fix” a bill designed to take taxpayer money and give it to religions those taxpayers may not support or belong to. And they seem to have no idea what would be the problem with that. It simply never occurs to them that they’re trying to do the very thing to others that they find so worrisome now.
Tracy and Ketron have almost literally been blinded by their own hatred. The people of Tennessee don’t need to be saved from Muslims, they need to be saved from American Taliban like their own Republican legislators.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/ac653f3eb7bb692e213278f817cab3d0/tumblr_mkqwmepwF31qfengno1_1280.jpg)
Tennessee Republicans realize bill doesn’t suck quite bad enough.
[Religious bigotry is on display] in Tennessee, where a plan to transfer taxpayer money to religious academies is running into trouble as GOP lawmakers slowly realize that all religions will be eligible for public funds (via Adam Peck).
“This is an issue we must address,” state Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) said. “I don’t know whether we can simply amend the bill in such a way that will fix the issue at this point.”
State Sen. Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) and Tracy each expressed their concerns Friday over Senate Bill 0196, commonly called the “School Voucher Bill” and sponsored by fellow Sen. Mark Norris (R-Collierville), which would give parents of children attending failing public schools a voucher with which to enroll in a private school.
If Bill Ketron’s name sounds familiar, he’s the guy who complained about a mop sink he thought might be used in Muslim worship.
No, they can’t “simply amend the bill in such a way” as to exclude Muslim schools. Nor Jewish or Wiccan or atheist or Satanic schools, for that matter. The Supreme Court will put up with a lot from rightwing Christian fanatics, but I can guarantee that wouldn’t fly.
But imagine how completely removed from logic these people must be. Here they are, complaining that taxpayer money may go to a religion they don’t support or belong to, while trying to “fix” a bill designed to take taxpayer money and give it to religions those taxpayers may not support or belong to. And they seem to have no idea what would be the problem with that. It simply never occurs to them that they’re trying to do the very thing to others that they find so worrisome now.
Tracy and Ketron have almost literally been blinded by their own hatred. The people of Tennessee don’t need to be saved from Muslims, they need to be saved from American Taliban like their own Republican legislators.
![Tennessee offers proof that bigots are stupid.
Mediaite:
Vocally “anti-Sharia law” GOP lawmakers in Tennessee had their fears quelled this week when they were assured that a mop sink in one state Capitol building was not secretly installed for use as a Muslim foot-washing station.
Tennessee’s legislature has long been the stage for some “anti-Sharia” efforts, including a 2011 bill proposal to make following certain tenets of the Muslim code a felony. The law, pushed by GOP lawmakers Sen. Bill Ketron and Rep. Judd Matheny, would have made illegal the Muslim practice of foot-washing before prayer, as well as some religion-specific dietary restrictions.
Of course, when you believe Sharia law is creeping into every facet of your daily life, you will likely believe that recent renovations to the state’s House Chamber building included the installation of a sink for Muslims to wash their feet before praying.
With that in mind, guess who was allegedly worried that a simple mop sink was secretly a post for Muslim foot-washing? If you guessed Ketron and Matheny, you win a good, hearty chuckle.
I have to admit, I did get a laugh out of this. These two seem to be determined to make complete asses of themselves. But the bigotry quickly takes all the fun out of it. If Ketron and Matheny get tons of mockery, it’s deserved mockery — but don’t forget the clowns who elected them.
They haven’t exactly covered themselves in glory. either.
[photo by JD Hancock]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/6eaf77a2a9ca8134977fa9625f1e2eea/tumblr_mka10nm7zM1qfengno1_1280.jpg)
Tennessee offers proof that bigots are stupid.
Vocally “anti-Sharia law” GOP lawmakers in Tennessee had their fears quelled this week when they were assured that a mop sink in one state Capitol building was not secretly installed for use as a Muslim foot-washing station.
Tennessee’s legislature has long been the stage for some “anti-Sharia” efforts, including a 2011 bill proposal to make following certain tenets of the Muslim code a felony. The law, pushed by GOP lawmakers Sen. Bill Ketron and Rep. Judd Matheny, would have made illegal the Muslim practice of foot-washing before prayer, as well as some religion-specific dietary restrictions.
Of course, when you believe Sharia law is creeping into every facet of your daily life, you will likely believe that recent renovations to the state’s House Chamber building included the installation of a sink for Muslims to wash their feet before praying.
With that in mind, guess who was allegedly worried that a simple mop sink was secretly a post for Muslim foot-washing? If you guessed Ketron and Matheny, you win a good, hearty chuckle.
I have to admit, I did get a laugh out of this. These two seem to be determined to make complete asses of themselves. But the bigotry quickly takes all the fun out of it. If Ketron and Matheny get tons of mockery, it’s deserved mockery — but don’t forget the clowns who elected them.
They haven’t exactly covered themselves in glory. either.
Live in one of these five states? They are the worst on voting rights.
Tennessee utility cuts basic services for undocumented people.
Decatur Utilities now prohibits illegal immigrants from obtaining electric, gas, water or sewer service, an official said Friday.
Stephen Pirkle, DU business manager and chief financial officer, said DU previously required residents seeking utilities to provide identification, but their immigration status was not relevant.
“We did not document or confirm whether or not they were citizens or aliens here legally,” Pirkle said. “Because of the new law, we are now going through the process to confirm that they are either a citizen or an alien here legally.
“If not, we will deny them service.”
But wait, we haven’t gotten to the good part yet.
In seeking a ruling that the immigration law was unconstitutional, the U.S. Department of Justice claimed that Section 30 would prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining power and water service.
State Attorney General Luther Strange argued in a legal brief he filed in August that the Justice Department’s claim was “misinterpreting, or at least exaggerating” the requirements of the law.
“Its fear that Section 30 would prohibit such aliens from having running water or sewer services, for example, has little basis,” Strange wrote.
“In a September decision blocking enforcement of some portions of the law, federal District Judge Sharon Blackburn did not block Section 30,” the report tells us. “Blackburn said the language of the section was confusing, but she concluded the section at least applied to commercial contracts and licenses. She did not address whether the provision applied to utilities.”
And, in case there’s any doubt as to whether this was the intent of the section, the bill’s sponsor makes it clear. “Our goal was to prevent any business transactions with any governments,” said state Rep. Micky Hammon, R-Decatur. “It’s just an extension of the goal of the entire bill — to prevent illegal immigrants from coming to Alabama and to discourage those that are here from putting down roots.”
They won’t have water, they won’t have electricity, they won’t have heat, they won’t have sewer. You just know Micky’s kicking himself because he couldn’t figure out a way to deny them food. After all, that’d kill those people off a lot faster.
![Tennessee State Rep. Curry Todd, Second Amendment Hero
Nashville Scene: Rep. Curry Todd, the champion of Tennessee’s guns-in-bars law, was jailed last night and charged with drunken driving and possession of a handgun while under the influence. Todd, R-Collierville, was stopped in his GMC Envoy at around 11:15 last night near Hillsboro Village. He failed a roadside sobriety test and refused to take a breathalyzer. Police say they detected a strong odor of alcohol on the legislator and found a loaded Smith & Wesson 38 Special in his car. A police affidavit says Todd was unsteady on his feet, “almost falling down at times,” his speech was slurred and he had watery and bloodshot eyes. Todd was “obviously very impaired and not in any condition to be carrying a loaded handgun,” police say.[…] In urging the House to pass his law, Todd said: “I just ask you to vote your conscience to protect the rights of law-abiding citizens to protect themselves and their families.” Todd is chairman of the House State and Local Government Committee. There’s no word yet on whether House Speaker Beth Harwell will remove him as chairman. You might recall it was Todd who last year compared pregnant undocumented workers to breeding rats during a public hearing on prenatal health care.](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsytrvOHbH1qfengno1_400.jpg)
Tennessee State Rep. Curry Todd, Second Amendment Hero
Nashville Scene:
Rep. Curry Todd, the champion of Tennessee’s guns-in-bars law, was jailed last night and charged with drunken driving and possession of a handgun while under the influence.
Todd, R-Collierville, was stopped in his GMC Envoy at around 11:15 last night near Hillsboro Village. He failed a roadside sobriety test and refused to take a breathalyzer. Police say they detected a strong odor of alcohol on the legislator and found a loaded Smith & Wesson 38 Special in his car.
A police affidavit says Todd was unsteady on his feet, “almost falling down at times,” his speech was slurred and he had watery and bloodshot eyes. Todd was “obviously very impaired and not in any condition to be carrying a loaded handgun,” police say.
[…]
In urging the House to pass his law, Todd said: “I just ask you to vote your conscience to protect the rights of law-abiding citizens to protect themselves and their families.”
Todd is chairman of the House State and Local Government Committee. There’s no word yet on whether House Speaker Beth Harwell will remove him as chairman. You might recall it was Todd who last year compared pregnant undocumented workers to breeding rats during a public hearing on prenatal health care.
Stories to Watch: 3/6/11
I made a bunch of sourdough pancakes earlier this week and froze them. Turned out great — you just throw them in the toaster like those toaster-waffle-things and you’re good to go. My breakfasts have improved immeasurably. Now here’s the news…
Tennessee joins in the labor fight.
Most ridiculous item of the day: an editorial in the Sunday edition of the Wisconsin State Journal praises Scott Walker for getting tough with deficits and spending, saying, “Walker is largely doing in his budget proposal what he said he’d do: Fix the budget mess without raising taxes.”
The problem? WSJ’s own front page contradicts that with a story about a tax-hike on low-income families to cover giveaways to businesses. Since when does “largely” mean “not?”
It’s Sunday, so that means it’s time to have President McCain on a Sunday talk show. He comes on, says something completely wrong, and goes to find the signup sheet for next week’s shift.
The Republican push to keep people out of the voting booth. The good news for me; the Wisconsin Republican version of voter ID is so poorly written and thought out that it amounts to a poll tax. “The legislation, as written, appeared to have constitutional problems that would shred it in court,” wrote Dave Weigel Thursday. Keep overreaching for the stars, GOP! Democrats will thank you.
Finally, Gov. Walker lays off thousands. Oops! Messed that up… Governor Walker pretends to lay off thousands. The Wisconsin GOP have really been running a doorbuster sale on threats lately.
Stories to Watch: 1/19/11
Using Chrome more now, but I’ve got to say that my opinion of scribefire for the browser has changed. I started out thinking it was just OK, now I’ve concluded it’s worthless. Right now, I’m blogging directly to blogger’s editor, which I haven’t done for a long time. This time, I’ve suped it up with Zemanta, so expect a lot more tags at the bottom of the post (as if you care). Now here’s the news…
Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennesee says that GOP lies about healthcare reform resemble the work of Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels. True enough, but maybe this isn’t the best time to bring that up. Conservatives — who have no problem comparing a certain Democratic president to Hitler — were, as always, quick to play the victim card. It’s possible to point out that Republicans are shameless liars without tempting Godwin. Just sayin’.
Hillary won’t commit to a second term as Secretary of State. Expect the baseless CLINTON WILL RUN AGAINST OBAMA! speculation to start any second now.
In what may be a sign of progress, Gabrielle Giffords will be moved from “University Medical Center to Houston’s TIRR Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation hospital, which specializes in helping people recover from brain injuries.”
Seriously, can John Boehner be bothered to show up for anything?
Finally, the most trusted name in news? PBS. Fox News is in fourth place, but that’s down 16 points from last year’s PPP TV news poll.
