As of 1/1/2008, The Tennessee ConserVOLiance is now longer hosted on a free WordPress platform. We are grateful to WordPress for providing free hosting for us for our beginning. However, it quickly became evident that free hosting would not be sufficient to meet the needs we have for our plans, dreams and visions for our future.

Thus, we are keeping the same WordPress platform that we all know and love but are moving to personally hosting our blog over here: The Tennessee ConserVOLiance.

Please change any links you have to this site to our new site and then bookmark the new one. We’ll be there for quite some time!

Thanks for coming by and for your support! See you at the new location!!

EDITOR’S NOTE: All posts and comments here have been moved to the new site. Please add your comments over there at the appropriate post so as to contribute the most to the conversation. Thanks.

Writer Jeffrey Lord has a rambling, bullying op/ed at The American Spectator On-line about some Mike Huckabee statements in reference to American corporate greed as reflected in CEO salaries. I say “bullying” (and “rambling”) because Lord spends way too much of the piece beating up on a strawman . . . perhaps he’s actually building the strawman for most of that copy–I don’t know.

But the important thing to remember is that such rhetoric is usually called forth in service to some other purpose, and it isn’t “Conservatism” with a capital “C” or “the movement” (unless you’re referring to a particular candidate). I will say up front that populist rhetoric from a candidate raises a red flag with me. That’s probably because Democrats have long used those words or themes to demonize the affluent, foster class envy and argue for redistributing wealth (read: trusting gov’t to determine what is a fair distribution of material things). Jeffrey Lord hammers that point and loosely connects it with allowing gov’t to determine whether human life in the womb should be protected). From the beginning of his article:

“CEO pay and abortion.

On the surface, there would appear to be no connection. But that appearance would be wrong.

One of the more startling aspects of this GOP primary season is to hear a serious Republican candidate like Arkansas ex-Governor Mike Huckabee make an issue of executive pay in the private sector. Huckabee is not thrilled at the salaries paid various CEO’s (not, I should say, this one!) by the freely elected boards of directors of free market companies. He leaves hanging the populist implication: let the government decide who gets paid how much compensation.”

But as I’ve observed this campaign and thought about the 2006 campaign and witnessed how the Left (and its willing accomplice–the MSM) has much of the populace effectively sensitized to inequities in our system and in our economy. That’s fine; nothing new there, but the problem comes when we (Conservatives or Republicans) categorically dismiss concerns about inequities in economic outcomes while ignoring inequities in economic policy. So-called “corporate welfare” and government bailouts and corporate lobbying scandals reflect that government is very involved in how corporations are run and how much profit corporations “make” and so on and so on. Something can be wrong or immoral and still legal. And law or government policy is a mishmash of such distinctions.

Mike Huckabee isn’t proposing–as Jeffrey Lord and other interested parties have implied, that government regulate the salaries of CEOs. But what Huckabee is saying sure resonates with almost all those Americans who are not able to have their cake and eat it, too when it comes to advocating for a market free of government interference.

Also at WisdomisVindicated.

Agents have seized 31,000 packs of cigarettes along state lines

The state Revenue Department says agents monitoring traffic across state borders have seized more than 31,000 packs of cigarettes since September.

The seizures are part of a heightened enforcement program launched because Tennessee’s cigarette tax is now higher than all neighboring states’.

Tennessee’s tax on each pack of cigarettes jumped from 20 cents to 62 cents in July.

State law only allows people to bring up to two cartons - or 20 packs - into Tennessee.

Agents seized 8,104 packs in December, which was down from the 11,567 packs seized the month before.

Don’t the cops have any REAL criminals to deal with, like say, in the Capital building in Nashville? How about illegals invading the state? Odds are, if the weasels in Nashville hadn’t decided to raise the flippin’ tax, they wouldn’t be wasting even more money on catching those evil smokers. I wonder how the tax hike compares to the bucks spent on catching said ‘criminals’ comes out, not to mention the loss of state revenue?

Cross posted at An Ol’ Broad’s Ramblings

A letter of hope and purporting progress in Iraq from the “true” Man of the Year.

Petraeus Letter to the Troops

Petraeus Letter to the Troops
“Hope has been rekindled.”
12/29/2007 12:00:00 AM

Editor’s Note: On December 28, General David Petraeus, commander of Multi-National Force Iraq, sent the following letter to his troops.

Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and Civilians of Multi-National Force-Iraq:

As 2007 draws to a close, you should look back with pride on what you, your fellow troopers, our Iraqi partners, and Iraqi Coalition civilians have achieved in 2007. A year ago, Iraq was racked by horrific violence and on the brink of civil war. Now, levels of violence and civilians and military casualties are significantly reduced and hope has been rekindled in many Iraqi communities. To be sure, the progress is reversible and there is much more to be done. Nonetheless, the hard-fought accomplishments of 2007 have been substantial, and I want to thank each of you for the contributions you made to them.

In response to the challenges that faced Iraq a year ago, we and our Iraqi partners adopted a new approach. We increased our focus on securing the Iraqi people and, in some cases, delayed transition of tasks to Iraqi forces. Additional U.S. and Georgian forces were deployed to theater, the tours of U.S. unites were extended, and Iraqi forces conducted a surge of their own, generating well over 100,000 more Iraqi police and soldiers during the year so that they, too, had additional forces to execute the new approach. In places like Ramadi, Baqubah, Arab Jabour, and Baghdad, you and our Iraqi brothers fought–often house by house, block by block, and neighborhood by neighborhood–to wrest sanctuaries away from Al Qaeda-Iraq, to disrupt extremist militia elements, and to rid the streets of mafia-like criminals. Having cleared areas, you worked with Iraqis to retain them–establishing outposts in the areas we were securing, developing Iraqi Security Forces, and empowering locals to help our efforts. This approach has not been easy. It has required steadfastness in the conduct of tough offensive operations, creative solutions to the myriad problems on the ground, and persistence over the course of many months and during countless trying situations. Through it all, you have proven equal to every task, continually demonstrating an impressive ability to conduct combat and stability operations in an exceedingly complex environment.

Your accomplishments have given the Iraqi people new confidence and prompted many citizens to reject terror and confront those who practice it. As the months passed in 2007, in fact, the tribal awakening that began in Al Anbar Province spread to other parts of the country. Emboldened by improving security and tired of indiscriminate violence, extremist ideology, oppressive practices, and criminal activity, Iraqis increasingly rejected Al Qaeda-Iraq and rogue militia elements. Over time, the desire of Iraqis to contribute to their own security has manifested itself in citizens volunteering for the police, the Army, and concerned local citizen programs. It has been reflected in citizens providing information that has helped us find far more than double the number of arms and weapons caches we found last year. And it has been apparent in Iraqi communities now supporting their local security forces. Continue...

Many political people I have been talking to, have been totally discounting John McCain. I too was guilty of this until today when it occurred to me that McCain’s best friend in this race is Mike Huckabee. I say this because McCain is in 2nd place in New Hampshire and with Iowa most likely going to Huckabee the momentum for Romney will diminish and may give McCain a boost.

Ironically, McCain has began his straight talk express and admits he is counting on Michigan and South Carolina 2 states where independents can vote in the primary. McCain was what most considered to be a front runner early on until he went all out for the immigration reform bill that would have legalized millions of illegal aliens. This failure early on is why McCain is relying so heavily on independents.

In my opinion, McCain has no ability to truly lead and has failed to do his job effectively in the Senate by supporting bills that reward criminals, raise taxes, spend spend spend, and continues to lobby for millions of aliens to be made legal.

One final note, how can a man like McCain expect to win conservatives and Republicans while getting endorsements from liberals. JUST SAY NO TO MCCAIN

The newest member of our crew is an intelligent, irreverent, insightful and incognito member of the Nashville corner of the Tennessee blogosphere known as Joltin’ Django. He blogs at the cleverly named The Nigh Seen Creeder.

Joltin’ has been penning his posts and pinning Progressives to the pavement at The Nigh Seen Creeder since August of 2006. He’s attracted quite a following and it’s no wonder since he generally has stuff up at The Nigh Seen Creeder that you won’t find anyplace else. Don’t believe me? Consider that in just the last week he’s posted about the move among the GOP elites towards John McCain along with a fascinating look into the world of a fearless blogger from Castro’s Cuba who dares to tell a far different story than Danny Glover and Michael Moore.

With stuff this good you just can’t help but come back for more. It’s why we’re excited to be able to have The Nigh Seen Creeder’s stuff here at The ConserVOLiance! Head over and give him a good read and then come back for more right-of-Center goodness over here!

For the ConserVOLiance,

Blue

Our newest member is no stranger to the Tennessee blogosphere. The Tennessee ConserVOLiance is proud to welcome David Oatney from The World According to Oatney to its ranks!

David is a prolific blogger! He’s been blogging at his blogger site for a little over three years now and still posts almost every day! When you get to his place, check out his archives! Obviously not a newcomer to the notion of communicating with large numbers of people at the same time, David also has a radio background. Not only did he have a sports talk show he co-hosted at one point but he recently celebrated his one year anniversary of his Internet radio show, Oatney on the Air!

Per his profile, David is a man of faith, morals and politically Conservative values. His passion is sharing these things and the impact they have on his life with his readers and listeners. Given his popularity and presence in the Tennessee blogospher and beyond, it would appear his passion is paying off. We’re certainly excited to have him as a part of The ConserVOLiance. I know you will be, as well.

Head over and give his stuff a read … and a listen … you’ll be glad you did!

For The ConserVOLiance,

Blue

Does anyone else get numerous ‘gimme monies’ from the RNC? Oddly enough, since I quit giving anything to them, they have slowed down a bit. It might also have something to do with the fact I have told them, repeatedly, until they stop acting like Dhimmicrats, they won’t see of dime of my money! Ok, Mr Ol’ Broad’s money, but still.

Instead, I decided after the 2006 elections to give money directly to the candidate instead. The ONLY candidate I have donated money to, is Fred Thompson. Why? Glad you asked. In my opinion, he is the one candidate who stands on many of the same values and principles that made this country great: life, low taxes, national security, immigration, conservative judges, 2nd Amendment, plus many more.

While I can’t be 100% behind any candidate, I AM closer to 90% behind this one.

Fred might not be as charismatic as a few of the other candidates, but I have to ask myself this question: Do I want a leader, or do I want someone who knocks my socks off? The answer is simple. I want a leader. A REAL one. A leader who will stand up for his principles. One who won’t cave into to our enemies, or liberals (one in the same IMHO). A leader who isn’t afraid to do the right things, not necessarily the popular ones. I don’t not want a president who sticks his, or her, finger in the wind every time he, or she, has to make a decision. I want strength of character, courage, and old fashioned common sense!

NOW!

Let’s not allow the liberal press decide for us who our next president will be. Let’s punch ‘em in the eye and let ‘em know, “We’re mad as hell, and we aren’t gonna take it anymore!”

How ’bout we burst the blogs for Thompson?

Cross posted at An Ol’ Broad’s Ramblings (with video)

Our newest member is a grizzled veteran of the PoliWars online. It’s Brian Hornback from Southwest Knox County blogging at Brian’s Blog.

Brian’s been blogging at his home at Blogger for almost three and a half years! That pretty much makes him a general in the conflict. Since his start in August of 2004, Brian has seen his share of good and bad and still keeps at it on a regular basis posting multiple times per week after all this time. He’s also honed his skills and contacts during that time and there are few folks that cover Knox County better than Brian.

Per his blogger profile, “Brian is the husband to one wife (the first and only) and is father to their three children. Brian and his family are active members of First Baptist Church, Concord. Brian is very active in community affairs.” Between family, church, work and his community affairs, I’d say he’s very active - period!

We’re glad to have Brian on board. Please stop by and give his stuff a read. Leave him a comment so he knows you’ve been by and tell him “Howdy!” from all of us at The ConserVOLiance!

For the ConserVOLiance,

Blue