Cammack To Use His Financial Wizardry For Good Instead Of Evil
Posted on April 12, 2009 at 11:44 pmGubernatorial candidate Ward Cammack in a blog posting on the TNDP’s new social networking site gives his take on the financial crisis and more specifically the company formerly known as AIG. Spokesman Mark Brown tells us what to take away from the keen financial analysis of Cammack:
Ward has an understanding of the current economy that is unmatched in this field of candidates. To put it bluntly, the 21st Century economy is a complex beast, and we’re presently going through a reset. It’s important that we have political leaders that understand what’ s going on and can see beyond the old paradigms.
Yes, this is similar to some of the risks municipalities were taking with derivatives. Three of our opponents (Herron, McMillan, and Ramsey) voted to allow municipalities to purchase these, and I’m not sure any of them understood what they were voting for. Ward understand the complexities of contemporary financial transactions.
Throughout the campaign, we’ll use our online communications to address various issues. Some of them might not seem campaign related, but, to borrow from Mayor Dean, it’s all connected.
MORE: Post Business
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Yeah, You Might Want To Go On And Do That
Posted on April 2, 2009 at 3:47 pmThe Mayor warns Chief Serpas that cuts may be coming so he should definitely apply for a federal grant to keep cops on the streets:
The federal Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program was created under the President Bill Clinton administration. The Department of Justice program gives federal dollars to local governments to hire more cops. In the case of the Metro Police Department, it would mean 120 additional officers over an 18 to 24 month span.
The grant pays the officers’ salaries and benefits for the first three years, then puts Metro on the hook after that.
“I would ask you to go ahead and apply,” Dean told Serpas. “Obviously that is a process that begins us by making the application, we’ll see where that goes. I think right now we need to make the decision and I’m asking you to go ahead and apply.”
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Ward Ain’t Playin’
Posted on February 19, 2009 at 2:39 pmKen Whitehouse reports on what one of the lesser known candidates for governor is bringing to the table:
Not very well known, if it all, in most Democratic circles, Cammack’s announcement didn’t seem to ruffle the feathers of any other potential candidates.
That should change with this bit of inside baseball news.
The powerhouse political firm of Murphy Putnam Media has joined up with Cammack’s campaign, according to the Cammack team. Haven’t heard of them? They did a few other political campaigns you may remember like Gov. Phil Bredesen, Mayor Karl Dean, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and a fellow named Barack Obama media.
In other words, this news shouldn’t be taken lightly by any Democratic gubernatorial aspirants.
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Brady Banks, Emerging Leader In The Progressive Faith Community
Posted on February 1, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Brady Banks, the director of Karl Dean’s Office of Neighborhoods, has been chosen as a recipient of the 2009 Faithful Democrats Fellowship For Emerging Leaders.
The fellowships are sponsored by Faithful Democrats and are given out annually to “top emerging leaders in America’s progressive faith community.”
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Inevitable?
Posted on December 4, 2008 at 11:34 amJeff Woods takes the Dean administration line and suggests Metro Schools drop its director search:
It’s time to give it up. Instead, the board is talking about signing the new schools director to a three- or four-year contract. When Mayor Karl Dean takes control of the district next year–an event that’s almost inevitable–then we probably will wind up buying out this contract to get rid of this superintendent. That’s wasting money when the district is facing spending cuts and layoffs
SEE ALSO: Amy Griffith Graydon
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The Education Mayor
Posted on December 3, 2008 at 6:17 amKarl Dean travels to New York to lean more about mayoral-controlled school systems:
“He’s clearly trying to educate himself on how mayoral control works,” said Board of Education Chair David Fox. “I just assume he’s doing due diligence on that, since he has made it clear that he is preparing himself to govern the system if he has the opportunity.”
SEE ALSO: Smart City Memphis
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Three Amigos Fiesta
Posted on September 22, 2008 at 1:12 pmA protest by English-Only supporters will take place in on Wednesday in Nashville:
It’s labeled a “surprise,” but there’s a web site up, and fliers were being passed out at the Titans game yesterday, disturbing some critics of the English-only effort.
Where Was Primetime Karl?
Posted on September 20, 2008 at 12:52 pmJackson Miller wonders where Nashville’s city leadership were while it citizens were searching all over town, many in vain, for stations that had gas to sell:
Why did Mayor Karl Dean not give a prime time televised address explaining the gas supply situation? Maybe he was too busy to give a televised address; maybe he was driving all over town looking for gas.
SEE ALSO:
Nashvillest
Enclave
Six Meat
Clark Stooksbury
Glen Dean
Christy Frink
Chez Beziat
Enclave
Avalon Farmblog
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Replacing Ross
Posted on August 15, 2008 at 8:23 amKen Whitehouse reports on the unfortunately early chatter on who may replace the late, great Nashville Public Defender Ross Alderman:
While it may seem “too soon” for many, speculation is rampant as to who will take Alderman’s seat.
The post has been an unlikely launching pad for notable figures in the city, chief among them is current Nashville Mayor Karl Dean. He served as public defender before heading up the Metro legal department at the request of former Mayor Bill Purcell, whom he succeeded in office.
Purcell himself served in the office from 1981 to 1985. Other prominent alumni are former Davidson County Circuit Court Judge Walter Kurtz, and noted MTSU professor Dr. Bill Shulman, to name a few.
When Alderman last ran for office in 2006, he fended off an unexpected challenge from Kelvin Jones, executive director of the Metro Human Relations Commission. Many in the legal community expect Jones to take another shot. And that possibility has some in the courthouse crowd talking.
Read the whole piece.
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Mayor Shines Brightly On Legislative Candidate In Mailer
Posted on August 7, 2008 at 12:53 pmPost Politics has obtained a mailer sent out to targeted voters in the 52nd state house district this past Monday and paid for by the Committee to Elect Mike Stewart featuring what would seem to be an explicit endorsement of the candidacy of Mike Stewart by Mayor Karl Dean.
“Mike has been a friend of mine for a long time. He will make a great public servant.”
Reached for comment Janel Lacey, Press Secretary for the Mayor, confirmed the quote was authentic and used with permission but did not respond to whether the words on the mailer amounted to an endorsement.
Karl Dean, as well as his wife Anne Davis, had been revealed last month as financial backers of the campaign. Stewart’s opponent, Eric Stansell, received a donation from Dean’s runoff opponent in the Mayor’s race, former Congressman Bob Clement.
Stewart faces Stansell today in the Democratic primary for state house in the 52 District.
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Milk, Cookies And Litigation
Posted on July 29, 2008 at 2:20 pmJeff Woods on meetings in the black community which could lead to a lawsuit challenging the Metro Schools rezoning proposal — unless the Great White Mayor or a reconstituted school board intervene:
“Everybody in the meetings understands that, if the new school board doesn’t change this or doesn’t overturn it, then really the reason we’re meeting is to prepare for a lawsuit,” the source says. “There’s no question they will sue.”
The role of Mayor Karl Dean in all this is uncertain. Black leaders hope he’ll urge the new school board to undo the rezoning plan, but the mayor hasn’t committed yet.
“I get the clear impression that Dean’s not happy that a large part of the community is upset about this,” our source says. “I think he understands that regardless of whether there’s a lawsuit, it’s not good for the community to be split. We’re hoping he gets in there to knock some heads together or gives out some milk and cookies or whatever it’s going to take to get everybody moving in the same direction.”
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The Mayor’s Blessing
Posted on July 8, 2008 at 12:14 pmMichael Cass reports that 52nd District State House candidate Mike Stewart has released the name of one very special donor:
Mayor Karl Dean contributed $1,000 to Mike Stewart’s campaign for the state House District 52 seat, Stewart campaign aide Elizabeth M-K Sullivan said today.
Stewart was a Dean supporter last summer, so the mayor is returning the favor for the Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis attorney, who is competing for the Democratic nomination to succeed Rep. Rob Briley.
SEE ALSO: Stewart outspends Stansell — by alot.
Give The Man A Cigar — And A Bus
Posted on May 20, 2008 at 8:14 pmThomas F. “Freddie” O’Connell was unanimously approved tonight by both the Rules Committee and the full Metro Council for a five year term on the Metro Transit Authority’s Board of Directors.
All hail Biodiesel.
Keeping It Real
Posted on May 15, 2008 at 8:13 amChris Sanders comments on Karl Dean’s use of the word “good” in his State Of Metro address:
“Good”–there’s that word. “Ladies and gentlemen, as we approach the mid-point of 2008, the state of Metro is good.” The budget situation is not good and the dropout rate is not good. What does he mean? Unlike some spectators, I took “good” as a fairly mild description. It certainly contrasts with the President’s description of the state of the union as “strong” or “has never been stronger.” I think it was an attempt to avoid exaggeration. He lists a number of features of the city that are good. He may also ironically be borrowing a page from Bob Clement via Jim Collins when he closes by saying, “The destination our city arrives at will be great.” He acknowledges that the “path we take will not be easy.” Good becomes a great deal more understandable in that context.
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Get Ready For Freddie: Biodiesel Motorist Mayor’s Pick For MTA Board Of Directors
Posted on May 6, 2008 at 7:27 pmLikely as I type, the name of Thomas F. “Freddie” O’Connell, internet strategist for NashvillePost.com’s parent company, is being submitted by the Mayor’s office at tonight’s council meeting to fill an expiring term on the Metro Transportation Authority’s Board of Directors.
O’Connell, whom you may know as the half of the dynamic duo of Liberadio(!) Monday mornings on WRVU, was chosen by Mayor Karl Dean, according to spokeswoman Janel Lacy because he is “a regular bus rider and an avid proponent of public transporation.”
Uh, yeah, I suppose you could say that. Let’s make it plain: the man likes his buses, he wants more of them, and he wants them going more places more often. That much he has made clear.
A man committed to keeping his carbon footprint to a minimum, O’Connell only recently bought a car after years of relying solely on public transportation for his mobility. His recent move to the North End combined with the lure of Daryl Hannah’s wheels proved too tempting for the principled environmentalist and former state house candidate to resist.
As for how this outside agitator advocate feels about being snuggled into the bosom of the public transportation establishment, O’Connell couldn’t be more pleased at the opportunity to serve his hometown and offer a fresh prospective, “I look forward to discovering creative solutions to transit issues with the current board.”
O’Connell continues, “With gas prices increasing demand for mass transit, but costs for all transit, I expect this to be a challenging responsibility.”
After O’Connell’s name is submitted tonight, he will be called to appear before the Metro Council’s Rules Committee at the next council meeting on May 20th for a preconfirmation Q&A before a vote of the full council makes Freddie O’Connell an official member of the MTA Board of Directors for a full five year term.
Is There A Mad Monk Of Homelessness?
Posted on April 21, 2008 at 10:20 amThe White House’s “homelessness czar”, Phil Mangano, came to Nashville on Friday to meet with city leaders:
Mangano is a strong believer that it is cheaper for a community to house a homeless person than to pay when he or she is put in jail or goes to the emergency room. He says it’s even more important than the nation’s foreclosure crisis.
Asking Why
Posted on April 18, 2008 at 11:59 amChris Sanders asks why sexual orientation was left out of a recent bill seeking diversity in Metro contracters:
Other local governments have supplier diversity initiatives that include the GLBT community. Even the U.S. Department of the Interior signed a memorandum of agreement with the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce on supplier diversity. The second reason given is that GLBT community leaders didn’t ask for an addition to the bill. Strictly speaking, that is true, but I think it’s also fair to ask whether any Metro officials thought to include our community and if not, then why not?
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Parking By Appointment
Posted on April 17, 2008 at 7:17 pmMayor Karl Dean gives a former colleague from the Purcell days an appointment:
[Ivanetta] Davis Samuels, who left city government to take a job as director of corporate compliance and risk management with Meharry Medical College, was appointed to the Metro Arts Commission by Purcell a little more than a year ago. Pending confirmation by the Metro Council next month, she’ll leave the arts commission to join the parks board, replacing Susan Short Jones, whose five-year term expires April 30.
Davis Samuels, an attorney, also worked for Dean in both the Davidson County public defender’s office and the Metro Law Department and took classes he taught at Vanderbilt University Law School.
Dean recently reappointed Davis Samuels’ husband, Dr. A. Dexter Samuels, to the Metro Airport Authority. Purcell appointed Samuels in August to finish out a term that recently expired.
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