Help Support Rory Bricco Bid Against Naifeh

[Guest dotsun]

I'd like to move on from Mr. Bricco and pipe dreams about eliminating welfare.

The reality is that the Tennessee House has 99 members. That means that the party that has 50 members controls the body. Right now, the Republicans have 46 members. Assuming that no Democrats would vote to make the Speaker a Republican, that means the Repubs need to pick up 4 seats, while losing none of the seats they now hold. I might also remind folks that following the 2004 election, 9 Republicans voted for Jimmy Naifeh as Speaker after moderate Democrat Frank Buck declined to run against Naifeh for the position.

So, it seems to me that plan "A" is to make sure current Republican seats remain Republican and find vulnerable Democrat seats and try to replace those folks with Republicans.

Plan "B" is to find a pro-gun popular Democrat, get all of the Republicans to vote for him and at least 4 Democrats who will support him as Speaker.

No point in throwing money down a rat hole supporting unelectable candidates. Put your money where it might do some good.

Plan A is much more likely to come to fruition, IMO. Unfortunately, I've yet to find out who is running against my house democrat from the tn gop. All the house seats are up for election this year, right?

[Marswolf]

Actually, I think plan "B" is more likely to work.

[Guest Len]

All House seats and half the Senate are up for election this year. So far there have been about 10 announced retirements/I'm running for something else, equally divided between the two parties. Percentage-wise, this means the Republicans are taking a *slightly* bigger hit in terns of % of open seats they must defend. Although my estimate is that more of the Democratic seats up for grabs are "winnable" for the GOP than the other way around. The Senate looks to be more stable, with only 1-2 seats looking like they could change hands. Moving back to the House, I see a scenario where the GOP could pick up a couple of seats, but it is highly unlikely that they could take control.

I have no idea about the dynamics of Tipton County politics, but it would seem to me a pro-gun Democrat would do well in that county, while the Speaker's votes would put him at odds with many of his constituents. However, two things work in his favor. One is that he brings home the bacon (and other forms of pork...) as Speaker. The other is that the local GOP can't seem to muster up anyone better than Mr. Bricco.

This brings us to Mars' "Plan B." There are pro-gun Democrats in the House. A moderate Democrat could be palatable to the overall house. If the Republican caucus would unite behind a Democrat other than Naifeh, he would be gone. It is that simple. But, if the GOP holds its seats or picks up a couple, I doubt they'd go for that, instead trying to do what they did in the Senate -unseat the Speaker with the help of a maverick Democrat or two.

I think the RTKBA movement sometimes forgets that a pro-gun Democrat would be just as good for the cause as a Republican. Especially considering the national trends point to a Democrat year. Even if McCain wins the White House, looks for Democrats to pad their majorities in both houses nationally. The majority of Governors are Democrats, the majority of state-level legislators are Democrats. Do the math, and see what the more likely scenario is. Putting our hopes on a fringe candidate with baggage is not the best way to get where we want to go.

[waynesan]

If you go to Naifeh's page on the Legislature website http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/

you will see a Summary of Constituent Survey . I don't know how this survey was conducted but you will see that according to Naifeh, over 80% of respondents do not approve of allowing guns in restaurants that serve alcohol. So at least for his district he seems to be voting the way his folks want him to. And if you look at all the organizations he belongs to and boards he serves on it seems to me he is as entrenched as that district's representative as he could possibly be. I think it would be easier to unseat Ted Kennedy than it would be to unseat Naifeh.

I agree that Plan "B" seems the way to go.

[Guest TNDixieGirl]

I think it would be easier to unseat Ted Kennedy than it would be to unseat Naifeh.

You nailed it right there.

[saintsfanbrian]

Wayne,

The problem is that his district is not the entire state and he alone is not giving the rest of the districts a chance to have their say. Now, that being said, surveys and statistics are skewed. You can always word a question so you get the response that you want.

I.E. Do you think people should be allowed to carry guns in bars while they are drinking?

Majority of people would say no. All he has to do is say that the respondents did not want guns in bars.

[Marswolf]

Putting our hopes on a fringe candidate with baggage is not the best way to get where we want to go.

Fringe? I'd say he far removed from being fringe, and not in the good direction. Women would vote for Satan first. I'm not sure he'd even get his wife's vote. "I man! I rule marriage! Bible tell me so. Uh!!!"

[robin48]

Fringe? I'd say he far removed from being fringe, and not in the good direction. Women would vote for Satan first. I'm not sure he'd even get his wife's vote. "I man! I rule marriage! Bible tell me so. Uh!!!"

I am from Tipton County, and I have friends at the Dupont plant that have been there for years. He was not named as a defendent in the court case. I think anyone is better than Emperor Naifeh in any event. He is quite poular in Tipton County. Can he beat Naifeh. That will be tough. I do believe he is a viable candidate.

[saintsfanbrian]

If he is a viable candidate then by all means get out there and volunteer/rally for the man. If the consensus in Tipton County is that Naifeh needs to go, then what can I do to help. If Bricco is just a lame duck candidate so the GOP can say well we tried then forget it. I would rather put my effort in to getting rid of some of the Dem's here in Memphis

[analog_kidd]

I live here in Oak Ridge. In the past few years our local city government has been grasping at straws to come up with ways to make some revenue. In the process, they accept just about any hairbrained idea, even if there is a slight chance it will succeed, and don't really put any thought into planning or future reprocussions.

Anyway, some of the things they wanted to pass didn't really sit very well with the majority of the citizens. A grassroots group got together, passed around a petition to put the issue to a vote by the citizens. Our city charter provides for this checks and balances method of overturning bad legislation. It worked, they forced the issue to a vote in the general election and it was overturned.

Now, my question is, is there any such thing in the TN state government? Can we get a petition circulated that would force either a vote among the general public, or even better force the issue to go to the floor of the House and get out of committee?

[Guest Jason F.]

we do not want a vote of the general public. The media and the special interest groups can leverage too much control on a general election. All it would take is for one good anti gun commercial to hit heavy rotation or one good news story about drunks with guns in bars to send people to the polls against such a bill. Get some backing from someone like the NRA to get some commercials on TV and the only thing that will happen is the Gun owners of TN will look like a bunch of vigilantly trigger happy nuts.

[Guest GLOCKGUY]

Now, my question is, is there any such thing in the TN state government? Can we get a petition circulated that would force either a vote among the general public, or even better force the issue to go to the floor of the House and get out of committee?

i would love to see bill 702 go to all the people in TN to vote on it and just see just how many people are really against it

[robin48]

If he is a viable candidate then by all means get out there and volunteer/rally for the man. If the consensus in Tipton County is that Naifeh needs to go, then what can I do to help. If Bricco is just a lame duck candidate so the GOP can say well we tried then forget it. I would rather put my effort in to getting rid of some of the Dem's here in Memphis

Oh I am helping. You have a difficult task in Memphis also. I would be more than glad to help there also

[Marswolf]

I don't think a public vote on restaurant carry would pass. The public doesn't understand that the people they really need to fear will carry in a restaurant anyway and that the current law just makes them an easier target.

[Guest SouthCountryMom]

I have known Rory Bricco for almost 30 years and he is a solid citizen who works hard and is good to all people. I also know the woman who brought the lawsuit against the company he works for naming several men who she alleged to have been hostile to her. At one time I knew her rather well. She was a woman who had been hurt by men and was embittered. I think that she must've had difficulty forgiving all other men for the hurt she'd suffered earlier in her life.

In my reading of the successive transcripts of this case Rory Bricco was not named in the early days of the case and was never subpoenaed or called upon even to give testimony or deposition. His name only began to be mentioned and more details seemed to be added during the appeals for the cap to be removed from the limit that this woman might hope to be awarded monetarily.

The Bricco family never even knew of the mention of Mr. Bricco's name in higher appeals later until Mr. Bricco's son happened to Google his father's name one night years after the fact.

Apparently not one judge checked to see if all of the men named had even gotten to defend themselves or have a say in the face of the accusations leveled at them. Now it is a matter of historic record and nothing can be done about it.

This is one reason Rory decided to get into politics. Our judiciary and litigious society seem to be running amok and the well meaning citizen is all too often the victim of frivolous litigation which he must then fight with resources he often doesn't have.

Rory Bricco is a good man who is good to all around him. He believes that all humans are created equal and he treats them accordingly. He is solid, strong of character. He is a man of intelligence, sound ideas, and energy. He is a large man, but a gentleman. They call him 'The Brick.'

He is a man who has strong convictions and will fight for our constitutional rights and freedoms.

He will fight for our right to keep and bear arms.

He will fight for the notification and the consent of parents before elementary and jr. high aged girls are carried across the state line for abortions.

He will fight for our fine teachers to be able to speak the Truth in our public schools.

Visit his website at www.rorybricco.com to find out where he's speaking or greeting people. Go and get to know him before you make up your mind about him. Click on his link My Turn to Speak to read his defense which has been unheard for these many years.

He is a champion of young, old, male, female, no matter your religion, race or color of your skin.

I'm supporting The Brick.

[Marswolf]

I'm not going to spend much more time on this topic but just make a few quick comments.

If calling the men mentioned in the suit would have been beneficial to the defense, they would have called them. Basically, they just agreed with the plaintiff and let the matter go because calling Bricco and company would have hurt the defense, not help it. I don't know why that is hard to understand.

Bricco has shown he considers women to be inferior to men, based on his interpretation of the Bible. Men should not take orders from women even in an industrial setting according to him.

Bricco thinks that so-called Creation Science should be taught in schools. But there is nothing scientific about Creation Science. It's pure religion with no scientific backing.

Bricco is just another religious nut. I'm sure he has strong backing and support from other religious nuts.

He has zero chance in unseating Naifeh.

[Guest SouthCountryMom]

I was in Nashville yesterday and spoke with some of the leadership and some supporters on Catpitol Hill. There seems to be much enthusiasm about Rory Bricco's run in the 81st district.

If you do not agree with everything Mr. Bricco believes in then I'd say that would be relational with the relationship that anyone has with anyone else. I don't agree all the time with my best friend.

I know quite well some of those who work directly with him and under him in his present position and I will say that he is well thought of for his 'people management' skills (is it just me or does that little phrase just seem awkward--people management?) in the workplace. It has been pointed out to me that in all of his years there he has gotten along easily and successfully with women, men, other races and creeds. He likes people and they like him, it seems. This particular woman we spoke of earlier had trouble getting along with many, many of her co-workers. It was not just Mr. Bricco and without the benefit of any testimony and/or examination of same within the court, we cannot judge whether the things written in the text of the appeal are even true! I've NEVER heard him make such comments as were attributed to him in that text!

I wish to say that I agree with the fact that we'll make eating establishments easy targets by banning guns there! We have to find ways of educating differently and treating this prob at the root, not symptomatically.

[Guest GLOCKGUY]

i really dont know who Rory Bricco is but i think he would be better then that piece of crap Naifeh

[Marswolf]

I think we should be attacking the Speaker outside of his political base. He has ruffled feathers within his own party. With the right Democrat candidate for Speaker and organized support from the Republicans, it should be possible to displace him from his lofty perch. I'll talk to Mumpower about it.

[mdmoseley]

I didn't read all the posts so this might have been mentioned but I think Rep Nicely would be a great replacement for speaker!! The guy has great common sense based on the last CP&P two weeks ago.

[Marswolf]

I didn't read all the posts so this might have been mentioned but I think Rep Nicely would be a great replacement for speaker!! The guy has great common sense based on the last CP&P two weeks ago.

Thanks for the tip. I think I'll be working in that direction.

[robin48]

I'm not going to spend much more time on this topic but just make a few quick comments.

If calling the men mentioned in the suit would have been beneficial to the defense, they would have called them. Basically, they just agreed with the plaintiff and let the matter go because calling Bricco and company would have hurt the defense, not help it. I don't know why that is hard to understand.

Bricco has shown he considers women to be inferior to men, based on his interpretation of the Bible. Men should not take orders from women even in an industrial setting according to him.

Bricco thinks that so-called Creation Science should be taught in schools. But there is nothing scientific about Creation Science. It's pure religion with no scientific backing.

Bricco is just another religious nut. I'm sure he has strong backing and support from other religious nuts.

He has zero chance in unseating Naifeh.

You hate all Christians or just certain ones?

[Guest SouthCountryMom]

we do not want a vote of the general public. The media and the special interest groups can leverage too much control on a general election. All it would take is for one good anti gun commercial to hit heavy rotation or one good news story about drunks with guns in bars to send people to the polls against such a bill. Get some backing from someone like the NRA to get some commercials on TV and the only thing that will happen is the Gun owners of TN will look like a bunch of vigilantly trigger happy nuts.

Yes, you are right but, more importantly, the Constitution should not be put to a vote. It is what it is and OH! what a blessed nation we are for having such an inspired document as our Constitution.

Ummm...I know I'm preaching to the choir here...

[Marswolf]

You hate all Christians or just certain ones?

More like feeling very sorry for the ones who refuse to use the wonderful brain that God gave to them.

[robin48]

I believe most Christians use their brains. Like most folks we aren't perfect at least I am not. I can be hot-headed, impulsive, impatient and I'm ashamed to admit there are times I have been downright hateful. But I keep running my race. Have a great weekend.