Login | Create New Account | Facebook | Twitter
Homes | Jobs | Wheels | Worship | IShopTheTri | Move To Kingsport | Kingsport Chamber of Commerce
Print
Williams betrayed party, constituents and himself
It’s ultimately impossible to know whether Tennessee state Rep. Kent Williams is immune to irony or merely hypocritical. Either way, the newly elected House speaker’s call for “bipartisanship” has to be regarded with more than a little skepticism. After signing an earlier public pledge to support the nominee of his party, Williams, a Republican from Carter County, broke that promise in exchange for the top House slot long occupied by Democrat Jimmy Naifeh. The Elizabethton Republican was elected speaker courtesy of all 49 House Democratic votes — and his own. Magnanimous in his mendacity, Williams claimed his election presaged a sea change in how the chamber does its business and actually went on to lecture his fellow Republicans, whom he had betrayed only moments before, about the need for bipartisanship and collegiality. “It’s time that we work for the people of Tennessee and time to end the infighting and the bickering,” Williams said solemnly — and without a trace of self-consciousness. This, right after the House erupted over Williams’ betrayal; this, after Williams drove a stake into any notion of bipartisanship. Seconds after chastising members of the House chamber about the need for change, Williams’ first official act as speaker was to re-appoint the Democratic speaker pro tem, Lois DeBerry, for the number two position in the House. And then, to rub in more salt, he handed the gavel to Naifeh, asking him to conduct the balance of the day’s legislative business. Williams’ defection from his party — and the Republican constituents who elected him — is a major blow for Republicans in the General Assembly who had hopes of advancing several long-stymied legislative initiatives such as expanding charter schools and making the state more business friendly. But Williams’ greatest betrayal was not to his fellow Republicans or even to the voters of his district who elected someone they had every reason to believe would support his party’s interests in the legislature. Rep. Williams’ greatest betrayal is to himself. To barter away the trust others once placed in him is a loss that he will never regain. No one forced Rep. Williams to sign a pledge that he would support his party’s nominee for speaker. He did that of his own free will. To publicly make that pledge, only to break it for his own personal aggrandizement, is deeply dishonorable and obviously retards the positive change he claims to seek. For Tennessee Republicans who are still reeling from Williams’ defection, however, there is yet some solace to be found in all of this: they aren’t in charge. Moreover, Williams’ elevation to the office of speaker is self-evidently not a triumph of open persuasion and bipartisanship but of connivance and chicanery. Williams appears a mere puppet of former Speaker Naifeh and his fellow Democrats. As such, they continue to hold the reins of power and will be answerable to the people of Tennessee for how they navigate the bleakest economy in a generation. And after shattering the trust and good will of half the House membership on the first day of the General Assembly, Tennessee Democrats are not, to put it mildly, off to a good start.
To comment, you must register.
Comments are the sole responsibility of the registered user participating in online discussions. You agree not to post comments off topic, abusive, obscene, defamatory, vulgar, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned.
- Teacher aide on leave over allegations of improper relationship with student; Teacher accused of having sex with student
- Abingdon woman killed when street racer crashes into her car
- Rain today, snow tonight and Wednesday
- Internet rape case flags dangers of Internet anonymity
- UFOs come to ETSU
- Tenn. officials address child sexual abuse report
- Tenn. lawmakers override veto on menu labeling
- Nearly 20-year sentence given in Johnson City child porn case
- Installation of Johnson City red light cameras not speedy process
- Blue Devils, Lady Knights turn tables
Most Popular News
Today | Week | Month | Year
Featured Blogger
7th Heaven: Schumacher eyes seventh straight NHRA Top Fuel title
By Dave Ongie - 2-3-2010
When Alan Johnson and Tony Schumacher split up prior to last season, it seemed like the NHRA's entire Top Fuel division was licking its chops. But Sc...- Shows for kids aren’t child-friendly
- Elizabethton police dog euthanized after being stabbed by boys
- Pizza delivery driver faces DUI, drug possession charges after hitting parked cars
- Police identify man killed in Sullivan Gardens crash
- East Tennessee teacher suspended after allegations of student relationship
- Fugitive crashes during police chase in Kingsport
- Tenn. officials address child sexual abuse report
- In latest blow, Toyota recalls 437,000 Prius and other hybrids globally for brake problems
- Abingdon woman killed when street racer crashes into her car
Most Discussed
Today | Week | Month | Year
topjobs
Browse Premiere Local Businesses
Home | Login | Local News | Obits | Sports | Business | Opinions | Blogs | Classifieds| Business Profiles
Web Feeds/RSS | Contact Us | Customer Service | Privacy Statement | Common Questions | E-Edition | Subscriptions | Site Map
© 2010 Kingsport Publishing Corporation - Innovation by Times Digital Group
I got a donkey that spend all mornin in creasy greens and all afternoon brayin and breakin wind and still make more sense than that thomas guy.
Seems very strange to me - though it doesn't affect me in any way, I have an opinion. No one seems to be the least bit concerned that one representative or group of reps hounded others to pledge their allegiance to one man. Not to help their constituents (you know, those saps who voted them into office???). No. In fact, they have stated emphatically they had pledged their allegiance to other Republicans. That seems okay to posters here, but having a mind of his own and not going with the pack is bad? What's wrong with this picture? I'd think these constituents would be flabbergasted that Williams was more interested in the voters than in the party line. He's a Republican, for crying out loud. He's not one of them stinkin' liberal democrats they're always bad-mouthing. What's the fuss? All those apartments leased in Nashville by people who were so sure of their successful takeover? All those promised jobs that can't be filled? Or is it simply that Mr. Williams voted for himself (just like his opponent did) and thus with the stinkin' dems? Yep. That must be it.
Yawn.
LOL thank you Mr. Stone. Ms. Phelps pretty much takes care of herself here.
"...from sittin round the computer all day, exercise daily, bathe with some stringent anti-bacterial soap, get your prostate checked annually, get a haircut and GET A LIFE!" "...your own vile, lowly standards" "...pea brain" "...You needlessly present yourself like a real piece of white trash." Mr. Thomas, your direct attacks speak volumes of your character.
Nice try thomas, but you're very predictable. First of all, you're a bit off base with the intellectual property quip, in your case the it's the intellectual part. Secondly, by my count you have posted comments to this website numbering 116 to my 61, so by your own definition, smears about time spent on a computer and hygiene probably apply more to you, than me.
An open letter to those who sing praise to George W. Bush: so doing you sing praise to a charlatan. You sing praise to a man who masqueraded as a Republican while all the while collaborating with Corporate interests to pursue their party interests. You sing praise to a man who overtly represented himself as a Republican while subvertly calculating to violate his formal pledge (not unlike a solemn oath) to his colleagues and the voters who supported him. Sorry folks, I never took those kinda singing lessons. To sing praise to someone from any party who could be this obscenely dishonest is to sing praise to your own vile, lowly standards.
Insults and criticism? Hamstrung and labeled? Sounds an awfully lot like a misguided persecution complex that came from a few getting thrown to the lions ages ago.
I have never seen so much whining in my life. Just imagine what the TN-GOP would sound like if Williams had voted for a Democrat! Williams voted for a Republican just not a radical Republican. He did this state (and even the TNGOP) a great service by following his conscience.
The TNGOP is accusing Williams and the Democrats of all sorts of underhandedness but I watched how things went down and saw where Republicans tried to call for a vote BEFORE anyone other than Mumpower could be nominated. And you know what? Saddam Hussein and a host of other tinpot dictators also 'won' elections by being the only candidate so stop pretending that the TNGOP is just an innocent victim.
BTW, Mumpower also voted for himself but I don't hear republicans complaining about how that was self-serving.
Since 2000, I have come to observe the backhanded, unethical political policies practiced by the republican party in an attempt to tip the scales permanently in their favor, but I never realized they were such crybabies! They can sure dish it out but they just can't take it. I seriously doubt there will be much sympathy for mumpower or ramsey or any of the republican charlatans. The Gregorys may even stop flying them to Nashville on their corporate jet!