Just because you cover your eyes doesn't mean it's not still happening. Democrats are pushing to ban earmarks that go to for-profit entities while Republicans are trying to upstage that by calling for an outright ban. If the word "earmark" makes you think of pork and makes your blood pressure rise you're in the majority, but you've been fooled. Since your confidence in "them" is near an all-time low they want to fool you some more to get you off their ass.* Tell them to stop toying with your emotions and get back to work

if earmarks are banned and more lobbyists instead go straight to working with federal departments and agencies, all of the transparency progress that has been made in recent years gets lost. Plus, the federal-money-securing game goes from elected lawmakers to anonymous federal officials who are wholly unaccountable.

One more thing. In 2007, Congress rolled 9 of their 11 annual appropriations bills into one big continuing resolution, which they said they would be banning earmarks for. Technically, they stayed true to their word — the bill had no earmarks in it. But here’s what really happened — after they passed the resolution, members of Congress immediately started lobbying federal agencies and departments themselves to pressure them into directing funds to interests in their states and districts who have lobbied them. Investigative reporting canalert us to some of this activity, but this kind of insider Washington game will never be held to account the way congressional earmarks that are published online on a single website before there’s a vote, like President Obama called on Congress to do in his State of the Union.

*Nashville Public Radio: Lamar! throws something Marsha Blackburn has been "after for a long time" under the bus, and I would like to thank him for it.

For Federal judges, anyway. The House has approved a bill sponsored by Rep. Steve Cohen that adds 13 new Federal bankruptcy judges, including one in Cohen's district.

The bill also converts 22 temporary judges into permanent status, and extends two other temporary positions for five years. To pay for the thirteen new judges, the bill raises the filing fees for Chapter 7 and 13 cases by $1 and for Chapter 11 cases by $42.

"In the last year, the number of personal bankruptcy claims increased 32 percent from 2008, in large measure because of job loss, medical bills and home foreclosures," Congressman Cohen said. "Many constituents in the 9th District have been adversely affected and need help. Shelby County has the highest overall bankruptcy filing rate of any county in the nation, and Tennessee had the second-highest filing rate of any state."

This year has been a good year for water so far. Basically nothing has moved - good or bad. I think legislators may be more interested in getting back home to run for office. Either way, it's an improvement from last year.

Thanks to all those folks who have called their legislators and told them what you think about clean water.

Renee

Knoxville News Sentinel reports...

Boy, we'd forgotten how much fun it is raising a puppy. They have unlimited energy, lots of curiosity, many needs, and really sharp teeth!

Anyway, it reminded me of something I wrote back in 1998 after the first time around:

A Study of Human Behavior
by Dr. Ranger P. Snufflebutt, PhD.
Dept. of Anthropomorphology,
Great Den of Knowledge Barkiversity

(Click image for bigger.)

Snapshot of a Heron with lunch, Maloney Rd. Park.

Two Man Gentleman Band and Kevin Abernathy

Update: This was supposed to go in the Events calendar. Blue Plate Special noon today at the Square Room, Market Square, Downtown.

Just watching the American Idol eliminations for this week. Are they kidding? As Lilly said, "I don't know what America wants." I guess Crystal will be next, and then I'll be done watching. (Mostly agree with the other eliminations, though.)

Two scientists who authored the Science paper "Mountaintop Mining Consequences", Dr. Dennis Lemly and Dr. Orie Loucks, testified before the Senate and House Environment committees on Tuesday. It was amazing.

Bernie Sanders (I-Sanity) shows the character that can get this done.

Previously: Grayson's Public Option Act .

The Civil Rights legislation of the 1960s didn't happen with unconstitutional Senate rules and neither should a seminal to our times legislation such as health care be stopped with the "supermajority."

Per KNS:

Davis also argues that in 2008, when a group of citizens filed petitions with the Election Commission to put several Knox County charter changes on the August ballot, that the Election Commission allowed non-registered individuals to sign voter registration applications forms and sign the charter amendment petitions "simultaneously."

So did Davis turn in voter registeration apps for her unregistered petition signers, "simultaneous" with her candidate qualifying petition? The article doesn't say she did..

Also per KNS:

When those individuals signed the charter petition, some became registered voters after the deadline for turning in the charter amendment petitions, Davis argues.

The relevant question here would seem to be whether the Election Commission certified the charter amendment petitions before registering some of the new voters who signed it. Again, the article doesn't comment on whether this happened (but I never before read anything to indicate that it did)...

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/mar/11/commission-candidate-wannabe-el...

It is my theory that outrage passes for foreplay in most Republican homes. They watch Glen Beck and then get frisky. How else could you explain his popularity? - Juanita Jean Herownself or Susan DuQuesnay Bankston, one t'other.

Sen. Majority Leader Reid has announced that the Senate will move forward with reconciliation to approve health care reform.

The letter...

Pelosi: "It is not something that we are going to drag out, because the decisions are made."

Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Kim McMillan, will be a guest on the Hubert Smith show this Sunday at 10:00am Eastern Time on 90.3 The Rock WUTK-FM. Listeners can also tune in at www.WUTKradio.com

This will be a great opportunity for people in East Tennessee to hear Kim McMillan's message of educational growth and partnership for the economic future of Tennessee. Kim's appearance on the Hubert Smith show will mark the second time in as many weeks that Kim McMillan has reached out to the East Tennessee community. Last Friday she spent the day in Roane County meeting with Tennesseans at several public events. Then she attended the opening of the East Tennessee Regional Headquarters of the Democratic Party in Knoxville with the Chair of the TNDP, Chip Forrester and local party chair, Gloria Johnson. Saturday, Kim delivered the keynote address to the largest gathering in several years of the Boyd Cloud Democratic Club!

Kim's campaign remains strong and is growing its grass-roots base to reach across all 95 counties of Tennessee and engage all Tennesseans in moving the state and its citizens forward in 2010 and beyond! To learn about Kim, please visit http://www.kimmcmillan.com

I remain as excited and engaged as a volunteer in Kim's campaign since I first met her in 2008! I urge everyone to tune in to Hubert Smith's show to listen to her message, learn about her experience, and to call in with questions and ideas for Kim McMillan!

Angela Danovi
Knox County Volunteer for Kim McMillan!

Corker says pressure to pass health care reforms derailed negotiations on financial reforms.

Dodd is moving ahead on financial reforms without Corker.

RELATED: Meet Sen. Corker's Payday Lender Friend

are now on line. P-cards are available here and T-cards are available here

Dwight Van de Vate
Chief Administrative Officer
Knox County Government

McWherter is the anointed, and this is "good for the party."

OK, then.

Personally, I don't see it. McMillan and McWherter would both be fine governors, I'm sure. And both are vulnerable to getting beat like a rented mule by Haslam, especially in the current political climate.

But with McWherter v. Haslam, what do you get? Businessmen? Check. Rich and influential daddies? Check. Governing experince? Hmmm. McWherter's name might carry some weight, but the Haslam political machine carries large caliber ammunition and big sacks of money.

And with a business-friendly, moderate Republican v. a business-friendly, moderate Democrat, Republicans and independents who mostly lean Republican in Tennessee will go with the real deal every time. Ask Harold Ford, Jr.

At least with McMillan v. Haslam you get a Democratic candidate with actual experience in state government from the House to the Governor's office, and, bonus, a self-made, successful woman. So there would be differentiators, and voters would have a clear choice. Then we could have a real election and let the chips fall where they may.

This is a new event for the library so we want to make sure everyone knows about it. It's a cake decorating competition so there should be some cool cakes to see (90 plus entries). And cakes and cookbooks for sell. Plus a magician and Sean McCullough making music. Benefiting Imagination Library.

More info after the jump...

Kleinheider with the news and the analysis.

PREVIOUSLY: All aboard the State Senate Crazy Train

On Thursday, March 11th, City Council is holding a workshop on the East County Sector Plan, including the Midway Road business park recommendation, at 5:00 pm in the Small Assembly Room.

I would encourage you to attend to learn more about this important and complicated issue, which affects all of us as Knox County taxpayers. Those of us who have been working on the Midway Road issue for years believe this is a classic example of urban sprawl, placing an employment center on the rural fringe and extending infrastructure to support it. The Development Corporation would like to equate Midway Business Park with new jobs. However, they do not have any prospects for this business park and they have several empty or near-empty business parks they can't fill already.