Guilt By Association
Matt Pulle over at the Nashville Scene has a bug up his arse over the Waller Lansden law firm and the people who work there. First, he questioned whether Tom Lee, James Weaver, or Mike Stewart could consider themselves Democrats and still represent interests counter to the tree-hugging socialist image of the Democratic party. My answer is simply that there are many different kinds of Democrats with different issues, and one position outside the mainstream of the Democratic party (especially if it is your job to represent that position) does not make you a de facto Republican.
Now, he's jabbing Mike Stewart, who is running against Eric Stansell for the 52nd House Seat, for working there with Bob Boston, who is also on the board of the Belle Meade Country Club.
Say what you will about the Belle Meade Country Club, maybe it is just a white Republican haven...but that makes sense, considering Bob Boston is a white Republican who has donated to his fellow white Republicans Fred Thompson and Bob Corker. Yes, Waller Lansden has over 175 lawyers on staff, and (surprise!) more than a few have ties to the GOP, and nothing says GOP like a good ol' fashioned exclusive country club.
When it comes to the race between Stansell and Stewart, I really don't have a dog in that hunt. I don't live in the district, and if I did, I would be torn between the two, as I think they are both pretty good candidates...and I might even lead towards Stansell just because he's the underdog. But this notion that someone is or isn't a Democrat because of where they work and who they work with, is kind of ridiculous. In 2004, I supported a Presidential nominee who had been a Prosecutor. In 2007, I supported a Mayoral nominee who had been a Public Defender. I doubt Karl Dean cared all that much for many of his clients, and I'm sure John Kerry would've liked to avoid having to prosecute some of their cases; but thems the breaks.
Granted, a private corporate law firm is different, but still, the goal is to make money, pay the rent, pay the salaries, etc...whether they represent companies that have a less than savory environmental record is not my top concern, it is how they plan on voting (if running for office) on those issues that I care about.
3 comments:
In the legislature, ties to corporate interests really don't bode well for average Tennesseans, even if many of these average Tennesseans are working for corporations.
If you receive campaign contributions from mostly business interests, who do you think will get the special attention when they come calling. Happens every day. Just a fact.
Pulle works for the Scene fercrissakes. By Pulle's own logic, he has the burden of showing he's not pro-"Have sex. Get Paid. Men,"
Similarly, he worked with Garrigan all those years. If he weren't such a wanker on his own, that would definiitely make him wanker-by-association.
Really though, Pulle just hates lawyers. I wrote a letter to the editor once in response to an article he wrote bashing the fees received by a law school professor of mine for work done for the state. I guess I struck a nerve (I merely suggested that by Pulle's logic, I felt that Pulle ws being paid too much for his "professional" services). I have never heard of this happening before, but rather than publish it, Garrigan e-mailed me back. Clearly the irony was lost, so I then responded with a letter to the "other editors" suggesting that Garrigan was paid too much for her "professional" services (and offering to do it for free since it obviously didn't require much actual skill or talent). I never heard back.
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