Thursday, November 30, 2006
Republican State Senator Wants to Track Your Movements
When I read this sort of article about a Republican State Senator here in Tennessee wanting to strap GPS devices to the cars of Tennessee citizens in the name of increased revenue...
And people wonder why I'm not giddy over state Republican politics. Between the implementation of TennCare, the Sundquist-led movement for a state income tax, the shepherding of Bredesen's pre-K bill that will eventually lead to an explosion of the state budget, meaningless ethics reforms that did next to nothing, this apparent attack on civil rights - well, you get my point.
Yes, it would be so much worse if we had a General Assembly dominated by the Democrats. I understand that. We would have an income tax and one of the highest tax burdens in the South if Democrats like Bob Rochelle had their way. However, I'm not interested in the worst case scenario. I want to know why we, as Republicans, can't do better. I want the best case scenario - one with limited government, a low tax burden on Tennesseans and Tennessee businesses, and decent, ethical public servants and without government intrusion on personal liberty.
And if TDOT can't operate on its current budget, then defund the whole daggone agency, throw out the incompetents, and start over. Bredesen promised TDOT reform in 2002 and did nothing about it.
It's a shame that Tennesseans didn't hold him to his campaign promise in 2006. It's an even bigger shame that they may be the ones to pay for his mismanagement in the form of lost personal freedom.
And people wonder why I'm not giddy over state Republican politics. Between the implementation of TennCare, the Sundquist-led movement for a state income tax, the shepherding of Bredesen's pre-K bill that will eventually lead to an explosion of the state budget, meaningless ethics reforms that did next to nothing, this apparent attack on civil rights - well, you get my point.
Yes, it would be so much worse if we had a General Assembly dominated by the Democrats. I understand that. We would have an income tax and one of the highest tax burdens in the South if Democrats like Bob Rochelle had their way. However, I'm not interested in the worst case scenario. I want to know why we, as Republicans, can't do better. I want the best case scenario - one with limited government, a low tax burden on Tennesseans and Tennessee businesses, and decent, ethical public servants and without government intrusion on personal liberty.
And if TDOT can't operate on its current budget, then defund the whole daggone agency, throw out the incompetents, and start over. Bredesen promised TDOT reform in 2002 and did nothing about it.
It's a shame that Tennesseans didn't hold him to his campaign promise in 2006. It's an even bigger shame that they may be the ones to pay for his mismanagement in the form of lost personal freedom.
Permalink posted by Rob Huddleston @ 3:43 AM 
