There was a time-and it was not very long ago at all-when many of our government leaders were skeptical of bloggers and social media, and many doubtless believed that those on both sides of the political aisle who participate in internet-based social media by using it as a tool for political activism as a strange lot, not indicative of the political mainstream. Both the 2008 and 2010 election cycles showed leaders within both political parties and at all levels of government that social media can, will, and does impact the outcome of elections.
We often hear people talk about the rising cost of education and say that there is no choice to to engage in these kinds of tuition hikes since the cost of delivery of the educational product has increased so dramatically over the years. However, it has always been more than a bit curious that both tuition and salaries at public universities (and indeed, at most private ones who accept public money) have skyrocketed as the infusion of massive amounts of federal monies in the form Pell Grants, federally-backed student loans, and other federal cash has made its way into the higher education system. Rather than use the funds as they were intended-to keep the cost of education down and make it affordable for the average family-most public universities, including the University of Tennessee, have raised tuition steadily at the same time the federal dollars that were pumped into higher education have increased over the years, according to Dr. Richard K. Vedder of the Independent Institute.
Now Who Had a Mandate to Govern?
Tennessee Democrats, liberals, and those who are generally opposed to conservative governance are going bananas over a Vanderbilt University poll which supposedly shows that support for the General Assembly now stands at 45.8%, down from 65.6% in January. The Democrats are acting as though this somehow signals the beginning of the end for the Republican majority, but they all need to be reminded that the General Election is next year, not this year. Further, both Republicans and Democrats, as well as the Democrats' passive allies in the mainstream media, would do well to remember that precisely none of what has occurred since January is a surprise.
Was This A Duh Moment?
Instead of mere communication with another person in an inappropriate way, you can be deemed a criminal for posting an image that someone deems "emotionally stressful" on your website or Facebook page. This new provision could be especially dangerous to bloggers and online political reporters who use the internet as a means to share commentary, and include words and pictures which are definately going to be emotionally stressful to their political opponents. The so-called "cyber-bullying" law has the potential to lead to government bullying of citizens who are exercising freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
Tennessean political reporter Chas Sisk announced via the political blog In Session on Friday that the Shelby County Health Department has agreed, under pressure from Governor Bill Haslam and Lieutenant Governor Ron Ramsey, not to pass federal "family planning" grant money on to Planned Parenthood. Shelby County, it should be recalled, has been the lone holdout, begging "time" to complete its contracts and "provide services" to clients. The move by the State's most populous county is good news for both pro-life and conservative activists in Tennessee, but if the contents of a letter from the Director of the Shelby County Health Department, Yvonne Madlock, to Tennessee State Health Commissioner Susan Cooper dated Wednesday are to be believed, the saga of Planned Parenthood funding in this State may not be over yet.