I normally try to keep my posts\u00a0on the fun, lighter side of life in Music City, but there’s just something about election time that begs me to break out my trusty soap box and encourage readers to educate themselves about\u00a0serious issues and then VOTE!<\/p>\n
Sure we’ve\u00a0talked AMP and the traffic frustrations West End’ers face daily… and we’ve\u00a0talked Common Core and the myriad of frustrations that issue brings…\u00a0but when legislators start proposing amendments to our state constitution, those are real game changers that get my\u00a0attention!<\/p>\n
This election year, Tennesseans will have four proposed amendments to vote on. Amendments 3 and 4 seem pretty benign… no state income tax and allowing gaming\u00a0to support\u00a0veteran’s charities.\u00a0 It’s Amendments 1 and 2 that are cause for concern… some\u00a0might even say “cause for alarm!”<\/p>\n
Let’s start with Amendment 2… this proposed change affects the way\u00a0our State Supreme Court and Appellate Court Judges are chosen.\u00a0\u00a0 Right now, citizens vote for\u00a0those judges at election time, but Amendment 2\u00a0proposes to remove\u00a0our vote.<\/p>\n
That’s worth saying again.<\/p>\n
Amendment 2 proposes to remove our vote<\/strong>!\u00a0 (At first, anyway…)<\/p>\n If this amendment is passed, Tennesseans will no longer vote for State Supreme Court and Appellate Court Judges.\u00a0 Instead, the governor will choose them with\u00a0a two-thirds\u00a0majority approval in both state houses. Then… after their 8-year term, we get to vote whether to keep them on the bench or not.<\/p>\n There’s not much debate or hype to be found\u00a0about this proposed amendment, but the government attempting to take away our collective voice on any issue is a very\u00a0serious matter.<\/p>\n And now for the real hot button…\u00a0 Amendment 1.<\/p>\n This amendment\u00a0proposes changes regarding our abortion laws,\u00a0and nothing stirs\u00a0emotions on both sides\u00a0quite like this debate!<\/p>\n According to\u00a0the State’s website\u00a0this is the paragraph that Amendment 1 (if passed) will add to our Constitution…\u00a0 “Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion. The people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother.”<\/p>\n According to their website, www.YesOn1Tn.org<\/a>, the pro-life camp sees\u00a0Amendment 1\u00a0as a necessary change\u00a0to “promote the protection of innocent human life”, “provide safeguards to women considering abortion”, “stop Tennessee from being a destination for out-of-state abortions”, and “require inspection, licensure, and regulation of abortion facilities in our state.”<\/p>\n On the other side of the debate at, www.VoteNo1Tn.org<\/a>, pro-choice advocates are concerned that\u00a0Amendment 1\u00a0will\u00a0“insert the government into our most private moments, and could\u00a0even ban abortion without exceptions for rape, incest, or health of the woman. You don\u2019t have to be pro-choice to agree that Amendment 1 goes too far.”<\/p>\n No matter which side you’re on, these are very serious issues that deserve our attention… and our vote!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I normally try to keep my posts\u00a0on the fun, lighter side of life in Music City, but there’s just something about election time that begs me to break out my trusty soap box and encourage readers to educate themselves about\u00a0serious … Continue reading