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 [ Text Menu: Today's Stack of Stuff | Audio | About Ralph | Contact Ralph | Ralph Rant! ]May 22, 2013 
Stay tuned! Ralph will soon be adding the topics for today.
Check out the top 10 topics from last week.
 Ralph Rant: Yes, it's a scandal
  RealClearMarkets editor John Tamny writes this week that it’s naïve to call the IRS operation to deny tax exempt status to Tea Party groups for 27 months, most of which fell before the 2012 election, a “scandal.” Tamny suggests the IRS is used by all presidents as underground political hit squads. He presented it as almost an “understood” that only ignorant people might refute. I offer myself as one of those ignorant people. Yes, John, this is a scandal.
  ralphbristol.com: Yes, it’s a scandal    
 House Republicans want more Benghazi documents
  House Republicans are seeking more documents from the Obama administration on the Benghazi terror attack, praising the release of 100 pages of internal deliberations as an encouraging step but claiming the administration should do more. The administration gave no indication that more documents would be forthcoming. White House spokesman Eric Schultz said the decision to make the records public was an "extraordinary step." He said "hopefully" Washington can now move beyond the controversy. Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez also said on the Senate floor Thursday that the issue has been "fully vetted." The office of House Speaker John Boehner called the release "long overdue," but sided with those who want to see more. Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said "there are relevant documents the administration has still refused to produce" and said they hope the "limited release of documents is a sign of more cooperation to come." Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, told Fox News, "While these hundred are good and they shed light on what happened, we have nearly 25,000 that they haven't released," He noted the documents released late Wednesday for the most part covered just two days of communications.
  Fox News: Republicans press for more documents on Benghazi, Dems say case closed    
 College sues over state charges for billboard advertising
  Berry College is suing Tennessee’s higher education commission in a dispute over billboard advertising. Berry College says in the federal lawsuit that the Tennessee agency has threatened to sue the school if it continues to advertise in that state without registering and paying fees of more than $20,000 a year. Berry maintains in the lawsuit that the Tennessee Higher Education Commission has threatened other schools with such requirements in order to reduce competition from out-of-state institutions. The school’s lawyers say other schools have removed their ads over the issue rather than risk civil and criminal sanctions. A law that’s central to the dispute is Tennessee’s Postsecondary Education Authorization Act, which Berry says is being improperly used to keep out-of-state schools from advertising. According to Berry President Stephen Briggs, the issue is larger than billboard advertising. “In this instance it is a billboard, but presumably the commission could claim the same about newspaper or magazine advertisements, or even Internet ads targeted to Tennessee IP addresses,” he said. [or radio?]
  rn-t.com: Update: Berry College issues statement about Tennessee lawsuit    
 Liberals challenge Holder over AP phone records grab
  Even liberals are turning on Attorney General Eric Holder over the raid on AP phone records. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., said it appears the department's actions "have, in fact, impaired the First Amendment… confidential sources are now going to be chilled in their relationship with the press," she said. And on Thursday, President Obama backed up and the raid. Obama added that he would make "no apologies" on the issue of pursuing leaks. On his Twitter account, Liberal radio host Bill Press wrote: "What 'breach of national security' are we talking about re the AP story? It's BS and Holder should be fired." Republicans are still hardest on Holder, with many asking him to resign, but Democrats too are pressing him for answers on why the department found it necessary to grab the AP phone records -- which was done as part of an investigation into what Holder calls “sensitive intelligence leaks.” The AP insists that it was aware of the potential danger, and waited for it to pass before releasing the associated story.
  Fox News: Holder facing liberal backlash over AP records grab    
 White House releases Benghazi emails
  More than 100 pages of emails released by the White House on Wednesday depict a long, often tense debate about what should be contained in public "talking points" about last year's deadly assault in Benghazi, Libya. Senior administration officials said the emails—which the White House released to try to quell a partisan controversy—encompassed a two-day discussion among several agencies as officials wrote and rewrote the talking points on the Sept. 11, 2012, attacks. Republicans have charged that the White House had political motives—less than two months before the presidential election—for changing the talking points to remove references to terrorist involvement in the assault. The e-mails confirm objections by then State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland to a line about prior CIA warnings in Benghazi. Senior intelligence officials disclosed Wednesday that Michael Morell, then CIA deputy director, agreed with Ms. Nuland. He eventually took over the editing process, deleting mentions of past threats. From start to finish, the document included the now-disproved assertion that the attacks in Benghazi were spurred by a protest over an anti-Muslim video that had originated in the U.S.
  Wall Street Journal: Benghazi Emails Released    
 Republicans turn up IRS heat
  Republicans in Congress want to look deeper into the new discovery that the IRS was turning over confidential information contained in Tea Party applications for tax exempt status. The focus of the new inquiry will center on groups like Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS, which many Democrats complained wasn't entitled to 501(c)(4) status because it engaged in too much campaign activity. Its confidential application was among a number provided by the IRS to ProPublica, a news organization that was investigating whether groups that held themselves out as "social welfare" organizations were overstepping limits on political activity. ProPublica said in a news article earlier this week that it obtained the applications from the Cincinnati office of the IRS—the same office that singled out for extra scrutiny applications for 501(c)(4) tax-exempt status from groups with names referencing "tea party" and "patriot." An IRS spokeswoman didn't respond to a request for comment. A Crossroads GPS spokesman has said that it has been told the IRS is investigating. Its application is still pending.
  Wall Street Journal: Republicans Step Up IRS Scrutiny    
 Opinion: Promote taxpayer odvocate to IRS commissioner
  The Wall Street Journal editorial page writers disagree this morning with President Obama’s choice of a new IRS Commissioner, and recommend instead, National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson. Obama named one of his budget functionaries, Danny Werfel, as the new acting Internal Revenue Service commissioner Thursday. Ms. Olson, the WSJ’s choice, is the ombudsman for the public inside the IRS. Her office gives aid to individuals and businesses when the tax men are jerking them around. She also makes recommendations to Congress about modernizing the IRS and the tax code. She has held the post since 2001. In its editorial, the WSJ gives examples of IRS abuse Ms. Olson has been bringing to light, and fighting inside the agency, probably without the power she needs to make much difference from the position she holds – but as commission, she could stop the abuse, if maintains the same mindset she appears to have now.
  Wall Street Journal: Nina Olson for IRS Commissioner    
 Second federal court invalidates Obama appointees
  A second federal appeals court has found President Obama exceeded his power when he bypassed the Senate to appoint members to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The ruling by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia once again threatened to upend the NLRB's decisions. And it has the potential to stall the board entirely, as well as challenge other federal agencies that have similar appointees. For now, the Obama administration has tried to disregard the court decisions -- it has already appealed a similar ruling, from a Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., to the Supreme Court. In the 2-1 decision from the Philadelphia court, judges said Obama had no constitutional authority to install attorney Craig Becker to the labor board in 2010 while the Senate was adjourned for two weeks. This is what's known as a recess appointment. But the court said that under the Constitution recess appointments can be made only between sessions of the Senate, not any time the Senate is away on a break. The administration argues that such an interpretation would invalidate hundreds of recess appointments made by presidents over more than 100 years. Obama has made 32 recess appointments during his presidency, nearly all of which would be considered invalid under the interpretation of these courts. The rulings could also threaten the recess appointments of previous presidents. President George W. Bush made 141 such appointments in eight years.
  Fox News: Second court invalidates Obama appointments to labor board    
 Smyrna seeks 46% property tax hike
  The Smyrna Town Council this week unanimously approved first reading of a 46.1 percent property tax increase to avoid depleting reserves or cutting more city jobs. Smyrna Mayor Tony Dover noted that that town cut 34 positions and used up more of its reserves for this fiscal year that ends June 30. “We cannot continue to eat into that ending fund balance,” he said. Councilman Marc Adkins also noted that many of the town’s charities have had to take smaller subsidies as a result of the cuts.The action was the first of two required votes on the budget plan to make it official for fiscal year 2014, which starts July 1. The final vote could come June 11. The budget proposal calls for a 35-cent increase in the property tax rate to help pay for a $33.2 million spending plan. The owner of a house appraised at $150,000 pays $284.81 at this time and would pay $131.25 more per year if the rate is increased by 46.1 percent. An increase in the property tax rate will help to increase general fund revenues from $32 million this fiscal year to about $35.8 million next fiscal year. The town needs to stop taking $2.6 million annually from its reserves, said Rex Gaither, Smyrna Financial Director. “It’s clear, this is not enough to put us on a sustainable path,” Gaither said. Smyrna officials hope to replenish the reserves from $13.7 million to $16.4 million to provide them with more capacity to borrow in the future for bigger projects to help the town be competitive in attracting industry, Town Financial Director Rex Gaither told the council.
  dnj.com: Smyrna Town Council endorses 46.1% tax hike    
 Justice dept. allows terrorists to fly commercial
  The justice department allowed "a small but significant number" of terrorists into America's witness protection program and then failed to provide the names of some of them for a watch list that's used to keep dangerous people off airline flights, according to the Justice Department's inspector general. As a result of the department's failure to share information with the Terrorist Screening Center, some in the witness protection program who were on a government "no-fly" list (but now have new identities) were allowed to travel on commercial flights, the department's watchdog said. The Justice Department said it had remedied the problem with a restrictive travel policy that prohibits program participants with no-fly status from traveling on commercial flights. The department declined to say how many people in the program actually flew.
  MyWay.com: Justice Dept. faulted over terrorist identities    
ABC Analyst: IRS decision goes close to Obama
  May 21, 2013 - ABC political analyst Trey Hardin talks about his blunt assestment of the origin of the IRS scandal. “I can say with a very strong degree of certainty that people very close to the president not only knew but authorized that,” said Hardin, and much more.
Ralph's Steeplechase experience - part one
  May 13, 2013 - Here's the first of my two-part report on my first Steeplechase experience, and what may be the best steeplechase rase in the nation.
Ralph's Steeplechase experience - part two
  May 13, 2013 - This report includes interviews with the track announcer, the veteranarian, a horse owner and the man in charge of logistics for the race.
Opponents rise against BRT
  May 15, 2013 - In this premeditated Ralph Rant, I break the news of a new group that has formed to oppose Nashvill'e planned Bus Rapid Transit on West End Ave.
Rick Williams, BRT opponent, speaks out
  May 15, 2013 - Rick Williams is a member of the steering committee for TNResponsibleTransit, the group opposing the planned Nashville Bus Rapid Transit on West End Avenue. You can reach him at TNResponsibleTransit@gmail.com. This is the group's debut media interview - in its new campaign to stop BRT.
Tennessee Tea Party leaders respond to IRS scandal
  May 13, 2013 - Ben Cunningham, founder of the Nashville Tea Party and Mark West, President of the Chattanooga Tea Party, respond to the IG report that busts the IRS for targeting Tea Party Groups for harassment in 2011, prior to the 2012 election.
Legislative Townhall Meeting in Franklin - part 1
  April 27, 2013 - First half of the state legislative townhall meeting in Franklin with the Williamson County delegation - Sen. Jack Johnson, Rep. Charles Sargent, Rep. Glen Casada and Rep. Jeremy Durham.
Legislative townhall meeting in Franklin - part 2
  April 27, 2013 - Second half of the legislative townhall meeting in Franklin, covering the 2013 legislative session with Sen. Jack Johnson, Rep. Charles Sargent, Rep. Glen Casada and Rep. Jeremy Durham.
Sen. Rand Paul on guns, immigration, taxes
  April 18, 2013 - U.S. Sen. Rand Paul discusses the failed gun bill, the immigration reform bill ahead, and the right strategy on taxes.
Leahy launches 'The Real Conservative National Committee'
  April 4, 2014 - Author, Breitbart correspondent and tea party activist Michal Patrick Leahy discusses a new organization formed to improve the ground game needed to help elect more conserative candidates to Congress, starting in 2014 with the GOP primary for U.S. Senate
Corker sees positive signs in Obama outreach
  March 6, 2013 - Sen. Bob Corker discusses spending reforms on which Republicans and Obama might agree, and should, he says, be working on. Corker is one of a handful of Republicans to which the president has reached out with phone calls and dinner meetings to try to seek common ground on fiscal reforms.
Ralph Rant - Woodward v. Obama
  March 4, 2013 - Anatomy of the sequester - the closing arguments in Woodward v. Obama.
WEB EXCLUSIVE: EEOC Commissioner slams new guideline on criminal BG checks
  Feb. 23, 2012 - An EEOC commissioner levels damning charges against her fellow commissioners' action to issue updated guidelines that pose the threat of lawsuits against private businesses that conduct criminal background checks on employee prospects - even if state law demands it. This is a major challenge to the 10th Amendment by a seemingly rogue group of federal regulators.
Duet: Fudge and Obama
  Jan. 22. 2013 - Enjoy (and share) this short montage featuring Rep. Marcia Fudge, the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus and President Barack Obama. Fudge was participating in a Washington University Panel discussion and Obama is delivering his 2nd inaugural address.
Analysis: Obama's 2nd inaurugal
  Jan. 22, 2013 - Here's my analysis of President Obama's 2nd inaugural address. George Washington, he ain't. High marks for the poetry - the "music" if you will, but the message, the "lyrics" didn't match the music.
PARODY ALERT - The future of Day to Pray
  Jan 17, 2013 - The inventor of the time machine offered me a ride to the future. I chose Jan. 17, 2060 to see what kind of world my grandchildren would be living in when they're my age. Please don't tell Mike Huckabee what I found.
Sen. Jack Johnson suggests local control of wine in grocery stores
  Jan. 15, 2013 - Among other things, Sen. Jack Johnson of Franklin discusses a new wrinkle in the wine in grocery store debate. He also reacts to the news that a $125 million state investment in a solar company is in jeopardy.
Rep. Carr announces 10th amendment caucus
  Jan. 15,2013 - Rep. Joe Carr discusses the 2nd amendment debate through a 10th amendment prism and announcec the formation of a 10th Amendment Caucus.
Age highlights economic freedom
  Jan 12, 2013 - Things start happening to people in their late 50s and early 60s that are fairly remarkable. This premeditated Ralph Rant just might be the prologue to my (eventual) audio book.
Sen. Jack Johnson opposes open meetings move
  Jan. 9, 2013 - State Sen. Jack Johnson (R-Williamson Co.) calls "foul" on a Democrat colleague over the question of the General Assembly exception to the Open Meetings law.
Rep. Joe Carr opposes bill sponsor limit
  Jan. 9, 2013 - Rep. Joe Carr (R-Rutherford Co.) explains his opposition to the proposed 15-bill sponsor limit for House members.
Attorney Ross Booher argues case for Charter School "state authorizer"
  Jan. 7, 2013 - Ross Booher, the attorney for a charter school who battled the Metro Nashville School Board, makes the case that the state would make a more objective judge of charter school applications.
Bonfire anyone?
  Jan. 7, 2013 - In this premeditated Ralph Rant, I invite Tea Party groups to join me at a bonfire April 15th. Let's all pour some fuel on to the grassroots fire it will take to eliminate the corruption in the federal income tax system. Symbolically burn your own rewards to let Congress know we want them to eliminate deductions and credits - and lower rates accordingly.
School Security Roundbatle
  Dec. 20, 2012 - This is the "raw" tape of the roundtable we broadcast in seven parts on Nashville's Morning News. (It's 38 minutes long, so it will take a while to load)
Tennessee to consider Texas 'armed teacher' plan
  Dec. 18, 2012 - Rep. Joe Carr of Lascassas says he will pursue a plan in the next session of the general assembly to allow local school district to train and arm teachers if they so choose. Texas already does this, and at least one Texas district is taking advantage of the local control.
New monster a 'committee' production
  Dec. 18, 2012 - There is a growing population of a new menace walking among us, and he may be a unique product of the "village" it supposedly takes to raise our children.
Parents, wake up! Your children are killing your children
  Dec. 17, 2012 - The Connecticut massacre of first-graders turned up the spotlight on a relatively new menace unleashed on society, and regardless of who or what created it, only parents can stop it.
Johson warns: Medicaid is going to expand
  Dec. 13, 2013 - State Sen. Jack Johnson warns Medicaid is going to expand in Tennessee, through the "woodwork effect" when Obamacare chases reluctanct people (alaready qualified) into the program - regardless of whether Gov. Haslam accepts the expansion of Medicaid prescribed by Obamacare. I sneak in some analysis of the legislature's posture on the issue.
Sen. Jack Johnson opposes, but holds out final judgment on Medicaid expansion
  Dec. 12, 2012 - State Sen. Jack Johnson has all the reasons - including one no one else has discussed before - to turn down President Obama's "offer" to expand Medicaid, but he's leaving his powder dry in respect for Gov. Haslam's perceived predicament on the issue.
Tennessee needs 10th Amendment Caucus
  Dec. 5, 2012 - Ralph challenges State Rep. Joe Carr to instigate a 10th Amendment Caucus in the legislature.
Ralph Rant: Bipartisan gang attacks producers
  Dec. 14th, 2012 - This fiscal cliff negotiation may be the second worst performance in modern Republican history.
Ralph Rant: Corker crowned King of means testing
  Nov. 30, 2012 - The headline pretty much speaks for itself.
Medicaid expansion more than budget issue
  Nov. 1, 2012 - I respectfully disagree with Gov. Bill Haslam that the decision whether Tennessee should accept the expansion of Medicaid prescribed in Obamacare is "largely a budget issue."
Alexander on coal regs - Round 2
  June 14, 2012 - Sen. Alexander returns to respond to some of the reaction to his stand on new coal plant regulations.
Alexander defends coal regulations, says he will run again
  June 13, 2012 - Sen. Lamar Alexander defends his stand in favor of new coal plant regulations - explains why he belives Medicaid is to blame for higher college tuition - and says he intends to run for reelection in 2014.
Exclusive: The first hand account of "The Last Man to Die"
  May 11, 2012 - A 92-year-old Cookeville, TN WWII veteran solves a 67-year secret behind one of the most famous WWII photographs.

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Ralph Bristol is a 30-year veteran of radio and TV broadcasting. He is a US Air Force veteran and holds a BS degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Ralph was a radio and TV reporter, anchor and news director in Missouri and Illinois before joining WORD Radio in Greenville/Spartanburg, SC in 1995.

In the spring of 2007, Supertalk 99.7 WWTN beckoned Ralph to Nashville. Ralph defies political labels, and has no partisan loyalties, but can best be described as a libertarian/conservative. Ralph writes and speaks extensively on education, tax and economic issues. In his spare time, Ralph terrorizes golf courses, invents useful things with sharp tools and dead wood, and entertains audiences with irreverent humor and contrarian insight. Invite him to speak to your group at your own risk.