I'd say your evaluations are accurate and pretty much sum it up.

Some might argue that Finney is the lesser of two evils because he's ineffective and doesn't accomplish much. Overbey is the connected, establishment candidate who might actually be able to pass bills.

Seeing as how neither is likely to suppoprt progressive legislation (with the exception of environmental measures* such as the mountaintop removal ban bill, which did not pass), and any bills that either might pass would most likely not appeal much to progressives, perhaps the candidate least likely to accomplish anything is the preferred candidate.

*On environmental measures, the Tennessee Conservation Voters group scored Finney as 6, the top score shared with Kurita in the Senate. In the House, Overbey scored zero.

Finney for all the same reasons R stated.

So nice to see you posting again Elrod. I have sure missed reading your writings.

I have not studied the two candidates all that much. I am aware of Finney on the "the mountain-top removal ban".

I'm guessing Overbey is another one of the good ole boy crowd based on all of his campaign signs I see and the people who are supporting him.

I'm thinking Finney but I can't say for sure.

Also, if you just want to waste a protest vote, there is another R in the race, Jim Bishop. I don't know anything about him.

Also, there will be an I on the ballot in August, Ira Lapides, who has actually shown up at a couple of forums, although I don't know anything about him at all.

I was put off by some of the things you mentioned about Finney in the last race, but have been won over by him for this one. I care about the environment. I don't believe Overbey does. And besides, there doesn't seem to be a good reason for Overbey to run against him EXCEPT that he can't be controlled by the Good Ole Boys, and to me, that's a great thing.

"Men are equal; it is not birth but virtue that makes the difference." --Voltaire

There is the other "forgotten" race. People get to choose who will be their district 6 School Board representative. Because the race is non-partisian (the candidates are not supposed to claim whether they are Republican or Democrat), the vote on August 7th will be the final vote. Booty Miller is not running again. The two that are running are Patricia Bell and Brad Long. Mr. Long is a School Bus driver, as well as other jobs. He has no children other than those on his bus. Ms. Bell works for TBC Solutions and has five children, three of whom are grown. She has served in various capacities at various PTOs (William Blount, Lanier, Carpenter's Middle). some people have said this is an important race. Regardless if you think it is important or not, vote on August 7th.

Well I thought you folks over there had listened to me earlier about my thoughts in the Blount Today of this here race. By the way the Blount Today reminds me of the Maryberry Press, down home journalism. Obviously yall have'nt seen the Finney Talks Bestiality on youtube:

(link...)

Be sure not to let your kids see this one.

This has been the talk of Maryberry and tops the story of Earenst "T'S" house trailer blowing over because the wind got a holt of his 6ft satellite dish mounted on top. It wuz like a sail on a big boat.

Enough of this non sinse and liets get to the real issue at hand. Folks I've got a sister that lives up on the mountain on Waldens Creek in Sevierville and boy them folks are mad as a bubmble bee stuck in a horses nose over the School Funding. All that money Mr. Finney voted for last year to send to Memphis has stirred up more dust than a cow with dirreha walking down a dirt road. Its bad enough that the good folks in Sevier have lost that money, but Memphis! Crap!!

Also, Mr. Overbey seems to be too much of a gentlemen to be slinging chitlins like the Finney. I would encourage you to look real hard at the true values of the dedicated Statesmen Mr. Overbey before you head off to the voten booth.

Floyd the Barber
RFD 3
Maryberry NC

Folks, I'm back for another thing or two to say. Over here in Maryberry we have politics like everywhere else. Finney a progressive man, hum. That's like saying Sara our switch board operator is secretly dating Barney behind Thelma Lou's back.

Come 'on, if Finney's truly a progressive man, why would you consider voting for a man who wastes his colleagues time on the senate floor trying to push ridiculous bills that only embarrass your state? This was big time Barber Shop talk here and when this appeared on CNN and US Today, the calls came in across the country to Nashville seriously wanting to know if this was a huge problem in TN! I'm glad I live in NC. Pretty embarrassing and a baahhd bill! visit you tube and search Finney Talks.
As far as doing the bidding of the Lambert's, you got that one wrong too. The family is split with Peggy Lambert and the old Republican guard supporting Finney because they can keep him under control. Overbey, on the other hand works across the aisle with democrats to get things done for the people, not the party. Seems to me that is progressive!

I really need to just come across the mountain and appear in person and set the record straight. My sister over in Waldens Creek wants to go down to blount county and sit down with Mr. Finney and play a game a checkers with his and if he looses he drops out of the race.

Floyd the Barber
RFD 3
Maryberry NC

Overbey progressive. Hahaha. Thanks for the laugh, Floyd. The problem you republicans have with Finney is that he pretty much exactly represents the Blount County majority's 19th century way of thinking. The fact that it's an embarrassment, and it is, is on y'all.

(And Democrats for not running anyone for this seat, or for Overbey's seat in the House. But it's kind of hard to run candidates who talk logic and stuff to folks who want to ban the theory of evolution from high school biology books.)

Come on, please! If you call yourself a progressive man, then don't be so misinformed! Get the facts, study the 2 men and it's a no-brainer. A progressive man? Finney? A man who wastes time on the senate floor much to the chagrin of his colleagues, who were visibly squirming and embarrased, talking about a new bestiality bill? (which made world news)! A man willing to take on the Dept of Education re: banning the theory of evolution in our schools?(alas!)A man that has his own agenda? A man who ONLY works with/for his party? And if you have a problem that doesn't fit into his agenda, and contact him, don't be alarmed when you don't hear from him. That's not my definition of progressive. How about this.. Overbey, a man who works for the people with Republicans AND Democrats to bring money to our state and community at the risk of being shunned by the old guard of his own party for doing so (and was), a man who was able to bring millions of dollars for a civic center, and man who got millions of dollars for a new Pellissippi state campus, a man who gets funds for the Children's Advocacy Center and Secret Safe place for Newborns,funds to continue a program for children with disabilities, a man who promotes and speaks to Adult Education graduates every year, a man who promotes and secures funds for our local school systems (and doesn't vote to send our education dollars to Memphis as did his opponent), a man who tries to bring business to TN (unlike his opponent who was named one of the 5th worst senators for business in TN by a business magazine), how about a man (Overbey) who was recently named THE most effective legislator in TN? Don't we need to educate our students in order to get jobs? In tough economic times or good economic times, I ask you, who is the progressive man you would want to work for you in Nashville? A man who works for the people or a man who only works ONLY for the Republican party? Extremism is not progressive, last time I checked. Aren't we all suppose to be represented?

sincerely,
scout

But I think you are missing the point. Some folks are interested in the least effective republican to send to Nashville so as to minimize further damage. Finney fits the bill. If he's an embarassment, that's a bonus that might cause Blount Co. republicans to reflect on their choices and their direction. Oh, wait. They did. And they elected Finney.

I said this on another post, but I think it applies here as well.

It is apparent to me that Doug Overbey is the only person in the race who can actually get things done for our county, not just make political statements. As a conservative who looks at this blog, I disagree with much of what Ray Finney has stood for, including voting against new school funding for us and introducing environmental legislation I think will do us little good, hurt jobs, and worsen our energy problem. Doug Overbey is an effective legislator; a true conservative, yes, but someone who can also work with others to promote common sense reforms. He can work across the aisle as well as anyone I have ever seen. I think that is better than someone who can't work with anyone of either party well anymore, and can just make political statements while being unsure if he is a liberal or a conservative anyway.

As a conservative Republican, it is a breath of fresh air to have someone who will actually accomplish things that help our state by working with others, yes even liberal Democrats. Lamar Alexander is a conservative as well, but he is willing to work with Democratic Senators to get things done with our energy problem, including getting plug-in hybrids and clean nuclear power to the people. Ray Finney does little good for East Tennessee; I think it is crazy for conservatives to support him. Just putting that out there.

responding to R. Neal:

I guess I am the one misinformed. So as progressive, you mean how fast can we get the Republican Party to fall by electing a senator who cannot work with both parties and make sure Tn falls to the bottom of every category from education, jobs, elderly care, roads, children's services, etc, by electing a senator who is basically ineffective and who will only work with ultra conservatives on his own agenda? You're right, Finney is your man.

scout

Re: Floyd the barbers post on Overbey vs. Finney, Fankly, I'd reather see Mr. Finney worrying about real problems like the beastiality he and Memphis are performing on the citizens of Bount & Sevier than what Farmer Joe in Walland does to his cows (& pit bull, if he's brave enough!!)

While Finney has done SOME good, like the bill to protect animals from antifreeze, he has spent far too much time messing with inconsequential matters & not enough with the meat of issues that are close to the people of his region. Overbey will probably be THE ONLY REPUBLICAN I'll vote for this time, although I used to be registered as one.

On Saturday I received in the mail the latest flyer from the Overbey campaign. The yellow school bus and the headline "Why Are Our Education Dollars Going to Memphis?" on the front of the glossy flyer sent a chill through me.

Whatever one may think of the education bill of which the new BEP formula was part, to assert that Memphis received education funding that should have come to Blount County as an increase in our BEP allocation is both simplistic and -- in the context of a hotly contested electoral campaign -- not so subtly racist.

In case readers miss the message of the yellow school bus and the pairing of Memphis and Blount County, inside the flyer are photographs of TN State Senator Ophelia Ford and Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton (both of whom are African American) and -- inexplicably -- US Congressman Steve Cohen. Congressman Cohen has no vote in the TN state legislature, so why is he pictured in this offensive campaign flyer? The only explanation I can come up with is that Congressman Cohen is Jewish. What that has to do with the issue is for all of us to guess.

Any candidate who wants to make a point about how public education is funded in Tennessee and wants my vote will not get it by suggesting that Senator Finney has colluded with Blacks and Jews in Memphis to take education funding away from white children in Blount County.

Doug Overbey should make a public announcement expressing his rejection of this flyer and the use of racism to mobilize people to vote for him.

SeeJaneRide

the pitiful offerings from the Blount Republican party. Not to be rude, but there is no choice. This is exactly why there should be a None of the Above option on the ballot. None of the Above would win this one by a landslide. Imagine forcing an election re-do in hopes of attracting candidates with a clue rather than those with so much self-serving baggage.

This is the most pathetic opinion I have ever heard. If you don't like any of the candidates then why in the name of God (sorry) don't you attempt to find good people and get them to run for public office!!! Isn't that what a THINKING civic minded, patriotic, real American would do? What right do you have to whine when you do nothing but sit back and choose the lesser of evils?

Your greatest hope is that the person you choose will work with Democrats to bring about more sane policies!!!!! Are you for real? Is this the best that citizens can do! God (sorry) I hope not.

Do you ever take the time to think about our situation or how it came to be? The reason that candidates pander to Christians is a RESPONSE to what has been happening to Christians. Have you been living in a cave?

The Democratic party was once the party of the Big Tent. Millions have been driven out by Jews and Liberals out of the Northeast who run everything with their money and who have a jihad against American religion, culture and heritage.

Leo Strauss taught that any group (Jews) could remove the old ruling class white Anglo Saxon Protestant elites (the ones who made America great for over 200 years-after all Christians ran EVERY court house in the land-why should we get Christians out of government but not Jews? duh) and take their places. First they had to discredit anglo saxon religion, culture etc. They did this using intellectual movements from psychology to propaganda ads on kids' Saturday morning cartoons. (you must have watched a lot of Bugs Bunny, too bad you didn't read any books).

Now you are tilting at windmills (if you don't recognize the allusion look it up). The United States has switched from a Bretton Woods economic model to a neoliberal one (no it doesn't have anything to do with "Liberals", look it up). This means that the government functions to help corporations and big business and does NOT represent The People.

Therefore we have nothing vested in either the Democratic or Republican candidates. BOTH are neoliberal candidates or they would never get the nomination of their parties. Duh.

We must find good people to run or support Independents. Reread your post. If you can read it and still think you need to support a Democrat or Republican then you should register as a Moron and make it official.

Where to begin?

This is a republican primary. But whoever wins this is going to represent all of us in Blount and Sevier counties.

If it's someone who actually won't get much accomplished and perpetuate gridlock hell for eternity, just to achieve the classic "cut off my nose to spite my face", well , Ray is your man.

If forward motion is preferable to static mind freeze, if non knee-jerk republican ideas and efforts count and actually help people of our area, regardless of their political affiliation, well, Doug deserves a good look.

Don't get me wrong, Doug is a committed republican to the core, way more than I who tends toward independent. But, I have no doubt about who would listen and hear and lead. What we are preparing to do on August 7th is too important to not "get it right."

Hey, ho. That's all I know.

.

This is the most pathetic opinion I have ever heard. If you don't like any of the candidates then why in the name of God (sorry) don't you attempt to find good people and get them to run for public office!!! Isn't that what a THINKING civic minded, patriotic, real American would do? What right do you have to whine when you do nothing but sit back and choose the lesser of evils?

Your greatest hope is that the person you choose will work with Democrats to bring about more sane policies!!!!! Are you for real? Is this the best that citizens can do! God (sorry) I hope not.

Do you ever take the time to think about our situation or how it came to be? The reason that candidates pander to Christians is a RESPONSE to what has been happening to Christians. Have you been living in a cave?

The Democratic party was once the party of the Big Tent. Millions have been driven out by Jews and Liberals out of the Northeast who run everything with their money and who have a jihad against American religion, culture and heritage.

Leo Strauss taught that any group (Jews) could remove the old ruling class white Anglo Saxon Protestant elites (the ones who made America great for over 200 years-after all Christians ran EVERY court house in the land-why should we get Christians out of government but not Jews? duh) and take their places. First they had to discredit anglo saxon religion, culture etc. They did this using intellectual movements from psychology to propaganda ads on kids' Saturday morning cartoons. (you must have watched a lot of Bugs Bunny, too bad you didn't read any books).

Now you are tilting at windmills (if you don't recognize the allusion look it up). The United States has switched from a Bretton Woods economic model to a neoliberal one (no it doesn't have anything to do with "Liberals", look it up). This means that the government functions to help corporations and big business and does NOT represent The People.

Therefore we have nothing vested in either the Democratic or Republican candidates. BOTH are neoliberal candidates or they would never get the nomination of their parties. Duh.

We must find good people to run or support Independents. Reread your post. If you can read it and still think you need to support a Democrat or Republican then you should register as a Moron and make it official.