Don't expect Tenncare recipients and members of the education syndicate to start it. More money for education? Why?
Posted on 05/10/2002 3:38:39 PM PDT by gg188
Legislative leader of Tennessee tax jihad says those who oppose higher taxes, those who host talk radio, and those who listen to and who call talk radio "have no morals [and] They're about the lowest class I can think of."
Threats, rage ratchet up tensions on Capitol Hill
By Rebecca Ferrar, The Knoxville News-Sentinel
May 10, 2002
NASHVILLE - As a proposal for a state income tax works its way through the legislature, the rhetoric and tension on Capitol Hill is mounting.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has questioned a man about a death threat Tuesday against House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, who has proposed the plan.
Other lawmakers said they have received less threatening calls at home. And an anti-income tax group issued a "terrorist alert" against Naifeh (D-Covington), Gov. Don Sundquist and Sen. Robert Rochelle (D-Lebanon), a leading income tax proponent.
Meanwhile, extra state troopers have been sent to the Capitol, where a tax protest last year turned violent.
Naifeh laid the blame on anti-tax talk radio show hosts, who he said cross a line by inciting such reaction. "But they have no morals and we just have to deal with people like that," he said.
Asked for clarification, Naifeh said he was referring to "talk show hosts and the people they incite. They're about the lowest class I can think of."
But two Nashville talk radio hosts who have played prominent roles in the anti-tax movement said they don't incite threats or violence.
They said lawmakers are to blame for Tennesseans' anger because they are pushing an unpopular tax, often in closed-door meetings.
TBI spokesman Jeanne Broadwell said the agency investigated the threat against Naifeh and turned its findings over to Nashville Dist. Atty. Torry Johnson.
Johnson said in a press release Thursday that no decision has been made about prosecuting the man.
Bertha Walker, a secretary in Naifeh's office, said the TBI told her the man was chagrined and wanted to apologize.
Steve Gill hosts a morning talk show and is critical of an income tax. But he said he has never incited anyone to violence.
"...Anybody who violates the law by making threats ought to be prosecuted," Gill said. "If lawmakers violate the constitution by making secret deals to transfer anything in exchange for a vote on the income tax, they ought to be prosecuted too."
Said talk show host Steve Valentine, "What I've been doing as a responsible talk show host is urging people to show restraint.... I can't control who listens to the radio station. I'm not responsible for anybody who calls Jimmy Naifeh. He's brought that on himself."
State Reps. Charles Curtiss (D-Sparta) and Tommy Head (D-Clarksville) said anti-tax callers to their residences threatened to mount protests outside their homes.
"My family is not up here doing this," Head said. "If they want to talk to me, fine, but leave my family out of it."
The "Income Tax Terrorist Alert" was the headline on an E-mail message to readers of the Web site of the Tennessee Tax Revolt.
"We must stop these terrorists," the E-mail says. "...On Tuesday, the people who have terrorized Tennesseans for three years, Sundquist, Naifeh and Rochelle managed to get an income tax passed out of committee in the House. As usual, it was done with an unrecorded voice vote with no debate...
"Stop what you are doing! Go to our Web site and call the undecided members of the House, call them once and then again and again. Stop this outrage!"
The group was formed by some of the 1,000 or so protesters who stormed the Capitol last year to protest what they thought was the impending passage of an income tax. Rocks were thrown, windows were broken and some protesters pounded on the Senate chamber doors as they chanted against an income tax.
Ben Cunningham, a member of Tennessee Tax Revolt, said he used the word "terrorist" because Naifeh, Sundquist and Rochelle are trying to "force" an income tax on Tennesseans.
"There's frustration," Cunningham said. "There was no intent to incite anybody."
Beth Womack, spokesman for the Department of Safety, said extra troopers have been sent to the Capitol.
"Based on history, when (legislators) are talking about tax votes, and with the outburst of the public last year," Womack said, "it seemed necessary to take some extra security measures."
Contact Rebecca Ferrar at (615) 242-7783 or rferrar@mindspring.com.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
This guy is the scum of the earth. A demagogue of the first order. The living, walking, talking embodiment of the saying, "we get the government we deserve." It is a disgrace beyond imagination to the memory of great Tennesseans from Alvin York to Davey Crockett to Sam Houston to Nathan Bedford Forrest for people like Naifeh and Sundquist to besmirch the reputation of this once great state.
Don't expect Tenncare recipients and members of the education syndicate to start it. More money for education? Why?
They used to shoot and tar and feather people like this back in the 19th century
This country was born of a revolution, paid for in life and blood by those would not bend or bow to those that would oppress. Perhaps that is what will again depose those of the STATE that think they are our masters.
Woops. Problem with democracy vs. republic: majority of taxes paid by minority of voters. Majority of voters able to vote themselves the largesse of the minority of the citizenry. Plurality elects, plurality levies taxes. MINORITY actually PAYS taxes. TINY minority pays MAJORITY of taxes. ERGO: Naifeh and his ilk.
The US Constitution (before LBJ) was very clear on the fact the the States could set their own voter requirements.
Those were the good 'ol days, weren't they? :-)
The word "FREEDOM" means free from government oppression, and the taking of property by ever-growing, myriad levels of government is a wanton form of slavery.
The lowest class I can think of are tyrants who believe that taking other people's money by force is good.
Wise reminder! Thanks!
I quite agree, that is why I said tax those that voted for the socialists.
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