Speaker Beth Harwell and Governor Haslam try to gain iron-grip control over TN legislature
The latest news coming from Nashville Tennessee this week can be best described as a “Power Grab” by lawmakers and Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam and House Speaker Beth Harwell.
The recent steps taken by these two political puppets is clearly a step in giving the legislative branch of our representative government less power while taking the representation out of our state legislatures hands and puts the power to manipulate legislation in the hands of the speaker and the leftist Governor and out of the hands of the people they represent.
In a recent proposal made by TN House Speaker Beth Harwell, obviously made from a request by the Governors desk, calls for TN Legislators to have the ability to only sponsor and submit 10 bill proposals in a legislative session with many exemptions and no restraints on the Governor, giving him dictatorial powers only realized by a few states.
The TNR article below reports the following exemptions giving the Governor more dictatorial power.
Proposed exemptions in the 10-bill cap include:
+ Bills dealing with cities and counties
+ Sunset bills
+ Memorializing or congratulatory resolutions that are not referred to a standing committee
+ Resolutions confirming appointments or authorizing charitable events
+ Resolutions that are procedural in nature that are not referred to a standing committee
Harwell’s office defended granting the governor and his staff special latitude under the measure.
“Much of the legislation presented by the administration has more to do with the nuts and bolts of running state government, and is necessary to the process,” Harwell spokeswoman Kara Owen told TNReport in a statement. “Further, we certainly want to allow members the latitude to use their ten bills for their districts’ priorities, so we feel the exemption to Administration is needed.”
Speaker Harwell and the Governor are citing costs as the driver of this proposal that limits representation from our state representatives. Some legislators are capable of submitting 90 to 100 bills in a session and some representatives have a reputation for “getting a great number” of those bills passed. State budget advocates say it costs a great deal of money to research each bill and apply “numbers” to each bill, stating less bills equals less money spent unwisely. Many citizens who feel bill proposal limitations are a way to deflect their voice and limits the power if the people using their representatives to legislate protection of their rights as members of a constitutional republic.
If this proposal goes forward and is approved by the legislature and ultimately the Governor, large special interest groups and lobbyists with endless money influence will rule our Tn State Legislature and will take the power of the people away and into the hands of a bureaucrat with deep pockets.
It is rumored in Nashville that many lobbyists and special interest groups are already lobbying for their place in line with each legislator, “I get the 2nd and 3rd bill of 10, so and so got your ear last year, one of those spots belong to me!” What a tragedy this Harwell proposal creates. The power of the people taken away at the expense of big government with constraints on those that represent them and lay prey to special interests.
One can argue that “I thought you wanted smaller government, sir? Yes smaller government is always better but smaller government with less representation is not a favorable solution.
Let’s get on the phone and let this RINO darling know that we want equal and unfettered representation in our State House. We the people on occasion suggest model legislation also with issues that affect us. In my opinion this move by the Governor and Speaker Harwell limits our ability to be represented in our own state.
Call the numbers below and quickly as this issue is being debated this week and a decision will be made soon. Let’s let Harwell and Haslam know that dictatorships are not well thought of in the state of Tennessee!
They together are trying to railroad a rules change to stop conservative policies from being implemented. Let’s not let this takeover of our representative government by a few puppets who are deadset on limiting the power of the people.
Here is the story:
http://tnreport.com/2013/01/05/harwells-bill-limit-proposal-filled-with-exemptions/
Call or email her office and tell her NO rules changes!
speaker.beth.harwell@capitol.tn.gov
(615) 504-5398
(615) 385-0357
(615) 741-0709
Bradley County News Network 