Vote! Important issues to be decided in November

By Jay Albrecht, The Covington Leader
October 27, 2006

For me, the election coming up on Nov. 7 is not quite as exciting as it was in August, when we had several local races up for grabs.

Nevertheless, the November ballot is chock full of very important decisions that will affect the future of this county and state. Now that early voting is already underway (and will go on through Nov. 2), it's high time to be making some choices.

Arguably the biggest race to be decided is for Tennessee governor. The importance of that race lacks its deserved hype with most polls showing that race to be over before it even started. Current Governor Phil Bredesen is expected to be the easy winner in that race. Of course, nothing is a sure thing until the final votes are tallied, or at least that's what contender Jim Bryson must be hoping.

Maybe the most hotly contested race is that for U.S. Senate, featuring Harold Ford Jr. and Bob Corker. This race has gotten a bit dirty at times, with both sides throwing some unexpected jabs at each other. Sometimes I think the proverbial mud has turned into bricks.

You have the Democrat, Ford Jr., who is a wealthy black man from a well-known political family in West Tennessee. Ford currently serves as a U.S. Congressman and is widely touted to have a very liberal voting record. The Republican, Corker, is a wealthy white man who served as Chattanooga's mayor during that city's transformation. Corker has been questioned repeatedly about some of the business dealings that led to much his considerable wealth and is believed by some to be a rubber-stamp man for President Bush.

Both of these men have brought out the bad in the other in the numerous television commercials seen across the state. These "attack" ads have been the talk of those keeping track of politics and have turned off many to the entire campaign.

So, is this a West versus East Tennessee race? A black versus white issue? How about Democrat versus Republican? Any way you cut it, you have two pretty solid candidates facing off, either of which can serve Tennessee well. It's too bad they've both been caught up in playing up the other candidate's negatives instead of their own positives.

There are also two interesting amendments to be considered on the November ballot.

Amendment 1 asks voters if Tennessee should amend its Constitution to state marriage is only between a man and a woman.

While this newspaper has not endorsed particular political candidates for office under my watch, I feel safe in speaking out on this topic. I am completely for Amendment 1. We should preserve the values of marriage as much as possible and this is one way to do just that.

This should not be about saying homosexuality is right or wrong, but about saying it does not belong in marriage. It's one thing to privately act as you feel you should, it's quite another for couples of the same sex to flaunt it in everyone's face through marriage. That's where I have to publicly draw the line and say "no go." I hope voters in this state do the same by voting "yes" to Amendment 1.

Amendment 2 deals with property tax relief for seniors. This measure seems hard to fight in that it potentially provides relief to a segment needing it dearly - seniors on a fixed income. If this amendment passes, local legislative bodies will ultimately decide if they want to enact this measure in their county and what levels of income will qualify for the property tax relief. I see very little risk in this amendment and think it could be a welcome addition for our seniors.

There are other races on the ballot as well. These are just some of the highlights. Educate yourself prior to stepping into the voting booth so you will be prepared to make the decisions that work best for you.

As with any election, it's your vote that makes all the difference. Get out and vote, no matter which way you think on the issues. Let your voice be heard so a true representation of Tipton County, Tennessee can be a factor in deciding all of these races.

Most of all, by voting, you are taking full advantage of one of the most critical rights we have here in America. Let's not forget how many people in other countries would love to be in our shoes.

Mark Norris Official Web Site

Mark Norris Personal Web Site

Tennesse Senate Republican Caucus

Senator Mark Norris
303 War Memorial Building,
Nashville, Tennessee 37243-0232
Phone 615-741-1967
1-800-449-8366

Email: Sen. Mark Norris