Making a difference is hard work-an uphill climb, and at first glance, often a lost cause. Such is the case with the congressional race in my district – Tennessee’s 7th. Much attention will be given to Tennessee’s 8th district with the retirement of popular incumbent Dem John Tanner. Or Tennessee’s 9th district where the megalomaniacal former Memphis mayor will try for a primary upset against uber-Dem Steve Cohen. In the face of these compelling races, TN-7 isn’t even a blip on the radar.
And why would it be? In 2008 the incumbent Republican defeated her Democratic opponent 68-31. That’s 3 points better than John McCain did in the same district. So why do I bother even writing about the race? Two reasons – 1) I live in this district, and 2) I am currently represented by one of the worst politicians in the country – Marsha Blackburn.
I wouldn’t doubt you if you greeted that last statement with skepticism. After all, Marsha didn’t shout out “you lie” during a Presidential address. She never suggested to Chris Matthews that “pro-American commissions” be established by Congress. She didn’t shout on the floor of Congress that Jack Murtha was a coward. Mrs. Blackburn isn’t one for red-faced tirades. Her’s is more of a quiet insidiousness. Her voice may not carry in the national debate, but her actions speak volumes. And it is with her actions that I take issue.
Or more to the point, it is with her inactions that I take issue. Mrs. Blackburn has served 4 terms. During her tenure, she has sponsored 15 bills. None have made it into law. She has co-sponsored 295, of which 3 have been made into law. That’s 310 at bats, and 3 hits. And remember, half of the time she’s been in office, she was a member of a Republican majority. But her horrible “on base” percentage can be better explained by the nature of the legislation that she proposes. Requirements that Presidential candidates produce their original birth certificate, for example. Or bills to regulate and oversee Obama’s “czars” when no such requirement was ever asked by her of the previous President.
Her legislation isn’t written to pass, it’s written to placate. It’s every bit the base pandering that the Jean Schmidts, Michelle Bachmanns, or Joe Wilsons of the world engage in. It allows her to assume an air of being above such uncivil discourse, but still lets her engage in the worst kinds of it. To what end? Re-election, and apparently family enrichment.
Consider that in 2004 Marsha Blackburn paid Political Concepts, LLC $46,935 to work on her re-election. What’s interesting about the company? It was founded by Paul Ketchel, who happens to be married to Marsha Blackburn’s daughter. And the company’s address is her daughter’s home. Incredible though this is to believe, there’s nothing illegal about paying your son-in-law from campaign dollars. But just because it’s legal doesn’t mean it’s right. Oh, did I mention that in 2004 Marsha ran unopposed?
So, sure, she didn’t break the law. She just paid her daughter’s husband nearly $50k to advise a campaign that she couldn’t possibly lose. And her daughter’s husband’s firm has been paid nearly a million bucks in taxpayer funds. And she’s continued to use campaign money to pay that same firm over $125,000 in consulting fees over the years. But, she assures us, these facts would never get in the way of her doing her job. Color me skeptical.
This is but a drop in the morality bucket where Marsha is concerned. Consider these criticisms from one of her fellow Republicans, Tom Leatherwood:
• Blackburn exceeded the federal limits for transferring money from her PAC bank account to her campaign bank account. She was also caught under-reporting contributions by over $61,000 and failing to accurately report over $50,000 in disbursements. She has been fined at least $1,500 by the Federal Election Commission.
• The pattern continues. According to recent FEC filings, Blackburn’s campaign failed to report over $100,000 in contributions, over $280,000 in expenses, and over $50,000 in book-keeping errors.
• While [Blackburn] was trying to rise in the ranks of Congress, deficits were rising to record levels: from $6.2 trillion to $9 trillion. She was not an observer of this rise; she was a contributor. Blackburn sponsored and supported earmarks and pork-barrel spending from the Appalachians to the Houston Zoo.
• Blackburn has allowed special interest to “privately finance” over $100,000 of travel during her tenure . . . trips to the sands of Ft. Walton Beach, to the ski slopes of Aspen, to Las Vegas, Chicago, California and more. This is another way that special interest groups gain influence in Washington.
• As Governor Don Sundquist’s appointed director of the Film, Tape, and Music Commission, Blackburn took state funded trips to France, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles and other locations. The Knoxville News-Sentinel reported that after one trip, she “was asked to justify her travel expenses” after they were questioned as “excessive”. Blackburn apparently became upset about having her reimbursement request questioned, burned her travel-related receipts, and turned in the ashes in a baggie with an attached note, “Copy of LA expense report as requested”.
Geez...stay classy, Marsha! Anyway, I’ve already gone on for much longer than I intended. Clearly this will need to be more than one diary. Suffice it to say that I’m not just going to sit on the sidelines for this one. While the national media weeps and gnashes its teeth about the Democrats fortunes, I’ve got my sights set on a Republican for the 2010 mid-term. Sure, it’s a cause worthy of St. Jude, but it’s one worth fighting as far as I’m concerned.
And as a wise man once noted, “this is a righteous war and the removal of so foul a brood” from the halls of Congress “is a service God will bless.” Right, Sancho Panza?