Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Good Times
It's amazing how a little taste of victory can change your outlook on life. A good win Monday in court has certainly raised my spirits during these dog days of summer.
Yes, it is true that Greg Mackay, a tried and true Democrat, remains as the Knox County Administrator of Elections. But that should not be a surprise to anyone. It surely wasn't to me. If I had any doubts as to what was going down, they were alleviated when I arrived at 7:40 A.M. on Monday morning at the City-County Building and witnessed Mackay glad handing and backslapping Election Commissioner Paul Crilly. The liberals of Knox County had already said that Crilly was in Mackay's back pocket, so it didn't take much to put two and two together and reinforce their assertion.
What is quite sad, though, is one exchange that occurred while I was answering questions from the Election Commission Monday morning. I was asked about Convenience Voting, and I stated that I believed there were more pressing issues related to Knox County elections than a total reconstruction of how we do elections, that this was not the right time for such a discussion. Chairman Heagerty asked me what I meant by that. I replied that, for instance, that our voting machines were not compliant with the HAVA 2005 standard nor the TVCA standard that must be implemented by 2010. Heagerty asked if it was my opinion that our current machines did not meet those standards, and I replied that it was my understanding that no machines in Tennessee at this current time met both standards. I could tell from the reactions in the room that the commissioners either a) didn't believe me or b) didn't know what I was talking about.
In either case, it's a poor reflection on their employee, Mr. Mackay, if he has not kept the commission apprised of this looming problem. To reinforce my contention (with a tip of the hat to A.C.), the Secretary of State put out some information yesterday regarding the TVCA which backs up what I told the Election Commission.
Much like when Mackay - despite being told that what he was doing was going to jeopardize Knox County's lease with Knoxville Center management - placed an early voting location in East Town Mall despite a prohibition on solicitation there, it appears that Knox County elections are still behind the curve. (How do I know that the election office was warned? Because I was the one who warned them.)
And before there are calls of "sour grapes," please note that I told the Election Commission that I cared not if they gave the job to me or some other qualified candidate. I was honest in that I had a great job come Tuesday morning either way and that I was not exactly looking forward to exiting the practice of law for such a political apolitical position. That probably didn't help my candidacy, but it was the truth. I just think it's a shame what happened to keep the status quo in Knox County.
Yes, it is true that Greg Mackay, a tried and true Democrat, remains as the Knox County Administrator of Elections. But that should not be a surprise to anyone. It surely wasn't to me. If I had any doubts as to what was going down, they were alleviated when I arrived at 7:40 A.M. on Monday morning at the City-County Building and witnessed Mackay glad handing and backslapping Election Commissioner Paul Crilly. The liberals of Knox County had already said that Crilly was in Mackay's back pocket, so it didn't take much to put two and two together and reinforce their assertion.
What is quite sad, though, is one exchange that occurred while I was answering questions from the Election Commission Monday morning. I was asked about Convenience Voting, and I stated that I believed there were more pressing issues related to Knox County elections than a total reconstruction of how we do elections, that this was not the right time for such a discussion. Chairman Heagerty asked me what I meant by that. I replied that, for instance, that our voting machines were not compliant with the HAVA 2005 standard nor the TVCA standard that must be implemented by 2010. Heagerty asked if it was my opinion that our current machines did not meet those standards, and I replied that it was my understanding that no machines in Tennessee at this current time met both standards. I could tell from the reactions in the room that the commissioners either a) didn't believe me or b) didn't know what I was talking about.
In either case, it's a poor reflection on their employee, Mr. Mackay, if he has not kept the commission apprised of this looming problem. To reinforce my contention (with a tip of the hat to A.C.), the Secretary of State put out some information yesterday regarding the TVCA which backs up what I told the Election Commission.
Much like when Mackay - despite being told that what he was doing was going to jeopardize Knox County's lease with Knoxville Center management - placed an early voting location in East Town Mall despite a prohibition on solicitation there, it appears that Knox County elections are still behind the curve. (How do I know that the election office was warned? Because I was the one who warned them.)
And before there are calls of "sour grapes," please note that I told the Election Commission that I cared not if they gave the job to me or some other qualified candidate. I was honest in that I had a great job come Tuesday morning either way and that I was not exactly looking forward to exiting the practice of law for such a political apolitical position. That probably didn't help my candidacy, but it was the truth. I just think it's a shame what happened to keep the status quo in Knox County.
Labels: Election Reform, Knox County Politics
Permalink posted by Rob Huddleston @ 8:02 AM 
Comments:
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Thank you for being an active soldier in the battle against liberal absurdity. Knox County, of course, is an accurate petri dish view of modern America.
# posted by 
: 1:22 PM
: 1:22 PM
You realize the "liberals of Knox County" web site is the only reason your blog has any traffic at all, right? I defend your right to your opinions, but you should be a little more gracious. Like, be a gentleman.
Julie -
Surely you see why I find it humorous that you took the phrase "liberals of Knox County" to be an insult. I suppose it would be interesting if I had meant it at an insult, but that a KnoxViews patron would see it as an insult seems to support some sort of liberal self-loathing.
And I do appreciate Randy's sites - all of them. He works hard for his cause, no matter how much I may disagree with some of his stances (although certainly not all of them).
Cheers,
Rob
Surely you see why I find it humorous that you took the phrase "liberals of Knox County" to be an insult. I suppose it would be interesting if I had meant it at an insult, but that a KnoxViews patron would see it as an insult seems to support some sort of liberal self-loathing.
And I do appreciate Randy's sites - all of them. He works hard for his cause, no matter how much I may disagree with some of his stances (although certainly not all of them).
Cheers,
Rob
I am a Californian so I do not much understand all the details of Knox County politics. I do enjoy Rob's occasional take on national politics and ideologies.
Mike -
Thanks for the compliment. My posts have been more random as of late, the time constraints of running a law firm and helping raise an 18-month-old boy eating into my time.
And consider yourself lucky to not know the details of Knox County politics. I often wish I didn't know much on the subject.
Cheers,
Rob
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Thanks for the compliment. My posts have been more random as of late, the time constraints of running a law firm and helping raise an 18-month-old boy eating into my time.
And consider yourself lucky to not know the details of Knox County politics. I often wish I didn't know much on the subject.
Cheers,
Rob
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