Update: The sympathy vote and how we seat judges in TN

Sorry, but sympathy (for another member's ego) is no basis for supporting a particular policy in the state senate ("Wilder’s judicial plan on rocks as Senate tempers ignite" on Nashville City Paper).

From John Rodgers' report:

One of the signature achievements of former Lt. Gov. John Wilder’s legacy — Tennessee’s method for selecting judges — took another step toward extinction today, causing tempers to flare and accusations of mistreatment to fly.

Wilder (D-Mason), a member of the Senate for 44 years and lieutenant governor and Senate speaker for 36 of those years, is retiring this year from the Senate. The state’s current method for picking judges, called the Tennessee Plan, is one of his top achievements.

. . . .

Tempers flared after the legislation was effectively killed.

Senate Democratic Leader Jim Kyle of Memphis was seen in a hallway confrontation with Sen. Rusty Crowe (R-Johnson City), a member of the government operations panel.

. . . .

Kyle said the Republicans mistreated the 86-year old Wilder by “essentially making John Wilder beg them to vote for the bill.”

“I thought it was a real sad day to treat a member like that,” Kyle said afterwards. “The manner in which John Wilder was treated today would be inappropriate for any senator, particularly a fellow who’s been here for 40 years.”

Sen. Dewayne Bunch (R-Cleveland), another GOP member of the committee, called Kyle’s accusation “ludicrous.” "

Way to go, senate Republicans.

UPDATE: Ironically, TN Democratic Party is complaining that Republicans are trying to reform our judicial selection process so as to appoint activist judges to the state bench. Yes, Dems, and up is down. Oh, and they're outraged at how Sen. John Wilder was treated, too. Give me a break.



Prior posts on this issue here.