January 6, 2008

It Matters Who Governs

I had the pleasure of appearing on This Week with Bob Mueller on Nashville's WKRN Channel 2 Sunday morning - actually, it was taped Friday afternoon. You can watch the segment, which also features City Paper reporter John Rodgers and Tennessee Democrat Party Chairman Gray Sasser, by clicking play.

Toward the end of the discussion, you'll notice Sasser try to tap dance away from the abortion issue as fast as he could. Why would he do that? Politics. Rather than grapple with the "difficult" issue, Sasser wants legislators to work on issues that unite people. He wants legislators to ignore "difficult" issues like abortion.

That's because pro-abortion Democrats are vulnerable on election day in many districts across this state, says former state Rep. David Fowler, now the head of Family Action of Tennessee. He explains in this lengthy piece posted at Chattanoogan.com, which also explains the urgency of Senate Joint Resolution 127. It's a pro-life piece of legislation that has passed the Senate multiple times and would very likely pass the House if Speaker Jimmy Naifeh would let it get to the floor for a vote. He won't, of course.

But a Republican Speaker would.