The Press Release That Writes Itself
Posted on February 27, 2009 at 4:35 pmThe TNGOP responds to efforts to revive talk of a state income tax:
“It is unthinkable that Democrats in DC and Nashville want to raise taxes during a recession, and all the more unthinkable that Tennessee Democrats are proposing to create a new and unconstitutional state income tax at a time when thousands of Tennesseans are losing their jobs,” said Robin Smith, Chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party.
“The Tennessee Democrat Party must feel emboldened to follow their leaders in Washington D.C. who are pushing for huge tax increases and mammoth increases in government spending and the national debt,” Smith said.
“Not satisfied with a pork-laden ‘emergency’ bill that will add more than $1 trillion to the national debt, President Barack Obama is now proposing $1 trillion in new taxes and $1.75 trillion in deficit spending that will have to be repaid with higher taxes in the future. And Democrats in Congress – including Tennessee’s John Tanner, Bart Gordon, Jim Cooper, Steve Cohen and Lincoln Davis – are all going along for the ride.”
TNDP Chairman Chip Forrester has a few words on the issue as well:
The Tennessee Dem. Party had no knowledge of any income tax bill being proposed. We would certainly not advocate anything of the sort. The comments by the Tennessee GOP are just another way to muddy the waters over the terrible economic crisis facing working men and women in an attempt to rally Republicans to oppose the president’s plan. It shows a willingness to throw working men and women under the bus when the stimulus package will provide jobs, allow people to save their homes, and allow small businesses to keep their doors open.
Comments
57 Responses to “The Press Release That Writes Itself”
Tate will get nowhere on this. Nothing to see here except Hobbs’ hysteria. Go about your weekend.
I hate to say that I told you so, but . . .
When Forrester became Democrat Party chairman, I sounded the alarm that he was a leader of the income tax push the last time around. Now he runs the party. I warned that it wouldn’t be long before another income tax push began, especially with Justin Wilson, the man that wrote the last income tax bills, in charge of state tax policy.
Let’s also remember that Don Sundquist, the father of the income tax, bankrolled the campaigns of three new state senators. If Forrester delivers his 14 Democrats and Sundquist delivers his three, there are enough votes to pass an income tax in the Senate.
Long shot odds of passage? Yes, but we had best keep our eyes on Forrester and Wilson. The income tax forces are tenacious.
Ah, so Tate just gave Hobbs and Smith something to jerk off over before the weekend.
They should be sending him thank-you notes.
This bill won’t leave committee
This is one of the few times I’ll admit: Hobbs nailed it. Chip is, as I warned, a pro-income tax liberal activist who led efforts on the state Democratic Executive Committee to pass a job-killing income tax. Welcome to the new Party. Same as the old Party.
Thanks libs! This will look great on a mailer.
Did anyone ask Freeman how he feels?
Get a youtube?
Exec Committee vote?
Okay, an income tax is unconstitutional. Has Chipper ever read the Tennessee constitution? Maybe we should all mail him copies.
Now, all of the Chipinista trolls are going to descend on this thread to stamp their little feet, cry, and say that we’re full of shit, but I want them to take note of this:
Every single thing that the many anti-Chipinista commentors have said about your lord and master has come true. We told you he is an income tax advocate and would push for a state income tax as the leader of the Tennessee Democrat Party. Less than a month after his election, Democrat legislators file the bill to create an income tax.
Coincidence? I don’t think so.
Is Freeman a pro-income tax Republican or an anti-income tax Republican? Remember, half the Republicans (Sundquist, Wilson) were for the income tax and half of them (Gill, Beavers) were against it.
Please Mr. Heatseeker, please let us just try to get Started. We will move forward. I will take you to lunch or whatever but you are causing a stir in the blog world from here to Knoxville to Memphis. Just how about a week off?
Its like Hannibal would say to the Face, B-A, and Murdock, “i just love it when a plan come together.”
You will see in time.
It’s pretty absurd we don’t have an income tax, honestly.
He’s apparently a racist campaign funding democrat-republican.
Serious question, Reality. I know that Freeman is a Republican that has funded the racist campaign tactics of the Tennessee Republican Party and its candidates. I don’t know why Chip made him our treasurer.
I would like to know if he is a pro-income tax Republican or an anti-income tax Republican. I assume that he must be a pro-income tax Republican since he went to work for Chip.
HEY julia buckwild…it was good seeing you last night. but next time, please dont leave me stranded in the middle of that corn field alone.
Even TN Dems aren’t dumb enough to push this. Are they?
Hey Buck…what time is that rally tomorrow? I made the sign just like you wanted. It says “We are organizing OUR community for more taxation…R U?” hope thats what you wanted. OK, see you at the capitol, just tell me the time.
No, Hughes, I won’t let you start a push for an income tax. An income tax violates the state constitution. I will oppose one even if I have to come to Nashville, sit in Chipper’s driveway, and honk my horn.
As for Chipper’s response, it’s typical Chipinista communication strategy. Try to change the subject. Do you expect us to believe that it’s pure coincidence that within a few weeks of your becoming chairman an income tax bill gets filed by Democrat state legislators? Come on. We’re not that gullible.
I would like to know if he is a pro-income tax Republican or an anti-income tax Republican. I assume that he must be a pro-income tax Republican since he went to work for Chip.
I have no idea what he is. I had never heard of the guy before he dropped some coin and bought himself a front pew in the Church of Perpetual Chipness.
But he’s y’all’s problem, not mine. I just sit back and enjoy the show.
Ah, this is hysterically funny. I keep waiting for this: THE LIBERALS ARE COMING! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES, THEY’RE GOING TO TAKE YOUR MONEY AND YOUR DAUGHTERS AND GIVE THEM TO MUSLIMS THROUGH AN INCOME TAX, THEN THEY’LL TAKE OUR BEER AND BARBEQUE! AAAAAHHHH!
Oh, and I forgot: It’s all Chip’s fault, that bastard.
Excuse me while I go pray to his image.
/Snark
I keep waiting for this: THE LIBERALS ARE COMING!
Not sure why you’re still waiting. It happened last year.
And..uh, it worked. Tennessee kinda said no thanks to teh liberals.
SnarkSnark
Left Hand Wanker, why are you so afraid to actually address an issue? Stop just pounding your little hands on the table and blubbering.
During the previous battles, Chipper passed a resolution through the TNDP executive committee calling for the creation of an income tax. Now he becomes party chair and almost immediately, Democrat legislators file a bill to create an income tax. I find it difficult to believe this is just a coincidence.
As for Chipper’s denials, I’ll remind you that Don Sundquist also claimed to be against an income tax.
Was it very smart for Chip to publicly slam the Democratic legislators that sponsored this bill? To say that he and the party don’t support them?
Tennessee needs an income tax, especially if we get rid of the regressive food tax. Why did Chip publicly slam the many Democrats and Republicans that agree with me? He used to agree with us. Has he abandoned his principles now that he is party chair?
What’s wrong with a 4% flat tax?
I really would like to see a progressive income tax
Me too, DCO, it makes sense, especially when combined with a dramatic reduction in the sales tax, and outright removal from food.
Great. So it appears most Democrats on this thread are pro-income tax. Except Chip, who purportedly is against it — except for the fact that he led the charge for one on the Executive Committee. Here’s a question: Where does the high priestess of the Chipinista, Jennifer Buck Wallace, stand on the income tax? Any good progressive, of course would favor it. But is this Femme Chip a weasely little spineless, feckless wimp like her mentor Chip?
Lets hope that Buck Wallace is for it. If she is, then lets also hope the chipster puts her in charge of the campaign to get it passed. If we are lucky she will do a repeat performance of what she did with the Obama Campaign in TN.
Yeah. Let’s get the TN Obama organization fired up again. First time around, it was about as effective as a limp weenus at a Greek orgy.
Is Chip going to let us down again? He hires a racist Republican for treasurer and then he publicly reverses his position on the income tax.
Why are we afraid of the Republicans? I agree with LWC. An income tax in exchange for the sales tax on food. It’s time to do it.
Chip needs to grow a spine and stand with us.
Isn’t this vintage Chipper. He gets Tate to file an income tax bill. Then, at the first hint of public crticism, he throws Tate under the bus and says, “I didn’t do it.”
See, Senator, this is what you get when you deal with this guy.
I’m sure before we know it, the chipster will have Deacon Braisted and the rest of the chipinista singing the praises of Sen. Tate and telling the world how great the income tax idea is. (Of course this will be after braisted goes through his usual period of searching his soul for what is right)
Of course Forrester has a staff full of lib income tax lovers. Freeman. Buck Wallace.
He’s got Addison Pate working the legislature for him. Everybody knows Addison’s a big lib income tax lover.
Looks like Forrester can’t count votes.
I heard that BuckWild and Addy Tater where going to run the chipsters campaign for governor.
It’s not like Forrester has been able to get anyone else to run for governor.
I heard kim mcmillan was running. isnt she one of his income tax buddies?
Like Chipper, McMillan now claims she is against an income tax. I believe both of them about as far as I can throw them.
What’s that I hear: Stunned silence from the Chipinista? Are they just ignoring the criticism, hoping it will go away? Or are they bracing themselves for the next round of bad news about Chip and his poor judgment? What will it be next … Tick, tock, tick, tock.
Chipinista? Chipineeeeesta, come out, come out wherever you are.
Did Chipper tell you he was going to have an income tax bill filed? Were you waiting in breathless anticipation?
YOOOOO HOOOO. BuckNasty…Heard the convention left town…sorry your friends are gone.
White dem chairman slams black dem lawmakers for filing legislation dem chairman an party support.
Racism!
That’s a good question. How pissed do you suppose Tate is that Chipper talks him into running this income tax bill and then takes a dump on his head at the first sign of criticism? Notice that Chipper was very careful to say “The Tennessee Democratic Party knew nothing about this.” Wasn’t me? Uh, uh. No way.
What a backstabbing piece of shit.
Where is Deacon Braisted in all of this. It’s funny how he gets quiet when his guy fucks up.
Someday … after Chip has rejoined Mike and Robbie and Bub and that shaggy dog … and when Freeman is still covering both sides and turning Tennessee into a hellhole such that we hope all of his developments have been built over old phosphate mines … yes, someday after all the operatives have been paid and are using printouts of their commentary on this blog as clips toward their next jobs … someday after all of this online newspaper’s editors have regained consciousness and are contemplating their new Google ranking in searches of the f-word … yes, on that someday we must hold a Heatseeker retrospective of those unforgettable classic threads containing such gems as “plummeting to new levels of suckage” and … all that other stuff.
I’ve laughed, baby, till I can’t laugh any more. It’s been a great cure for the winter blues. In the immortal words of Ernest Tubb: “Thanks. Thanks a lot.”
And … by the way, guys … if you notice you’re running a quart low … testosterone is available in a gel now.
Ive never seen someone bring out so many responses on a deep south political blog than Chipper has. Roy Moore had a decent number a few years ago. John Ford is also up there. But no one else has gotten this big of a rise out of people down here. No matter reason though, I agree with Ms Locke…this has been very entertaining…
Yep. People do despise Chip. If this were football, he’d be: “Number 49 on the field. Number 1,211 in our hearts.” New levels of suckage, indeed.
Donna and Dan T., glad I could be of service to you. Can I spread that testosterone gel on toast?
And by all means, let’s get Chipper a couple of 50 gallon drums of it.
I’ve determined that the Chipinista’s silence must mean that today is their sabbath. On the first six days, Chip insulted elected Democrats, made creepy videos, recruited Repblican donors to serve as treasurer, hurled claims of racism, denied His love affair with the income tax, and generally acted like a dork. Then, on the seventh day, He rested. I suppose the nocturnal Chipinista are hanging upside down and resting in a cave in East Nashville right now, waiting on their spiritual leader to awaken them tomorrow so they can get back to work “organizing.”
If the Church of Perpetual Chipness weren’t so obnoxious, Harrison and Heatseeker would be real assholes.
Can I spread that testosterone gel on toast?
If they find out who you are, you will be.
If the Church of Perpetual Chipness weren’t so obnoxious, Harrison and Heatseeker would be real …
Everything is relative.
Are you serious, Donna? First, there is no way they can find out who I am. Second, if they did, I am a private citizen with First Amendment rights. If they can stop me from criticizing a political figure like Chipper, then we are all in big trouble. I’m not afraid of Chipper anyway. If a party chair had any power to go after people, he wouldn’t know how to use it.
I really don’t believe anybody is violent or would sink to that level of UN-intelligence as it regards to disagreements on a BLOG!! I just thought everything was said that could be said. Im not a defender of anybody per-say, unless its myself and my family (and Ty Cobb, Mrs. Locke!. lol) Hey, i’m doing three position papers, studying got Graduate mid-term and i had a date. So I’m sure that Monday will be a new day, and in the words of the great Jedi Yoga,” disagree we will, new day soon come”
On a sad note, Paul Harvey died tonight. He had a good radio voice and told good stories of people’s real life experiences. R.I.P Paul
You and I have different interests, different motives, in this, I believe, and I am ambivalent about Chip in place as regards the outcomes I wish for. I don’t care for some of the stuff he’s doing. As far as the Democrats go, if I were one, I’d be looking to Mike Turner for some useful direction right now.
Well I went to the Davidson Democratic Party Breakfast at the Hermitage this morning and Rep. Turner spoke in high regards of Chip and his working hard for the party. He spoke of the constant interaction between he and chip and noted that we have turned the corner on last week and are moving forward towards the all important 2010 election or as i like to call it, the 2010 Gerrymandering do-or die election.
Great that Chip turned the corner on last week. But guess what? This next week is a new week. More opportunities for Chip to screw up. More opportunities for Chip to be embarrassed. More opportunities for Chip to be shunned by various members of the senior Democratic leadership. Spin the Wheel of Chip’s Misfortune! What will it be next?I’m so giddy, I can hardly wait.
I’m glad, very glad, the young are involved in politics, but, AHughes, you are on the wrong side in terms of your sustainable future, not that we always have great choices.
(You can call me Donna; my kids’ friends do, and of course, baby boomers don’t age. We don’t believe in it. As proof, I’m listening to an oldies show out of Lawrenceburg at this moment.)
The Tennessee Democratic Party has turned the corner on what? Chip still has a man that funded racists Republican attacks as his treasurer, and, back to the original topic of this thread, he has turned his back on Senator Tate, the Black Caucus, and the many Democrats that belive Tennessee needs a progressive and flexible system of taxation.
Chip gained his position by promising that principles would matter when he was chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party. All I have seen so far is evidence to the contrary.
Has anyone decided if Chip is dishonest or incompetent libs?
I think both.
It’s dishonest to lie about being against an income tax when everyone knows you support it.
It’s incompetent to attack one of your own senators for doing what you asked him to do.
The TNDP is worthless. While they were messing around filing income tax bills that won’t get out of committee, the Republicans were holding a public protest against the president’s stimulus package. Did TNDP respond? Not that I saw.
Forrester needs to get his priorities straight. An income tax will never pass. Give it up.
Also, stop making the excuse that you need time to get set up. The state legislature is in session. The president is moving his budget. You should have hit the ground running.