My advice to the TN GOP

Yes, you got screwed today. Some shrewed political manuevering changed the playing field in a matter of minutes.

Representative Mumpower was set to be Speaker and learned a powerful and embarassing political lesson today, you never count your chickens before they hatch.

I'm not sitting by the phone waiting for it to ring to offer my advice, but here is what I would suggest to the, I'm sure, seething GOP up at the State Capitol.

There is an opportunity here. It is clear the Democrats don't want to give up power. Jimmy Naifeh has shrewdly placed his puppet speaker in his place.

Republicans, regardless of what happened today, do have a slim majority. We were elected to that majority becuase our common sense conservative principles were accepted by the people of Tennessee.

Republicans should come out with the following statement:

"While we are dissapointed with the results of today's leadership elections, we are still committed to working to create opportunities for all Tennesseans at this critical time in our state.

We will work with Speaker Williams to make sure that all Tennesseans are proud of their elected officials, but more importantly, tackle the very tough issues facing our state.

At a time when Tennesseans are struggling to pay their electric bills, pay their mortgage, keep their jobs and put food on the table, we firmly believe that it is time to put people before politics.

There will be a time and place for the events of today to be dealt with, but right now, it is time to put politics to the side and start working together to ensure our government effectively works for all Tennesseans."

This is a bitter pill to swallow for Republicans, but we must be statesmen. We must be good winners and good losers.

We were outplayed today by Democrats, but we must remind ourselves that regardless of the trickery, regardless of the sneakiness, that Republicans were elected to do the peoples work, not participate in politics.

The Democrats' backroom dealing and good ole' boy club put them in this predicament and it is obvious they didn't learn their lesson in November.

They did everything they could to hold on to power, but if Republicans focus on what they are elected to do instead of sulking over the events of today, we can increase our majority in 2 years.

Let the Democrats be dirty, be the bigger people and get to the people's business.

UPDATE:

The statement by the TN GOP. Not exactly what I was hoping for, but certainly understand why they are moving forward as they are.

I watched coverage on this historic day last night, in particular, a call in show done by the local CBS affiliate. It is evident that there are many Tennesseans that are very angry about what transpired at the Capitol.

Tennesseans are fed up with politics. They are fed up with backroom deals. They are fed up with politicans placing self interest and power over what the citizens of this great state have elected them to do.

I think what many Tennesseans saw yesterday was a group of men and women more concerned about who was in power than they were about the MAJOR problems facing this state.

I will be shocked if ANYTHING is accomplished this session, and frankly, the backroom deals and the desperation of TN House Democrats to remain in power is to blame.

What a shame, what a pity.