It's a good bet Hamilton County commissioners today have some buyer's remorse on their choice of Jim Fields to lead the commission after he pushed a vote on a controversial proposed constitutional amendment that would give the General Assembly power to regulate abortion.
County residents, too, likely have some buyer's remorse over their commissioners' recent votes. If they don't, they should. The commissioners have no business voicing support or non-support of abortion or an abortion amendment. They were elected to oversee our county.
You might remember that our County Commission in March wouldn't discuss in a public meeting what new schools to fund and build, opting instead to thwart the state's Open Meetings Act by allowing each commissioner to meet privately with County Mayor Jim Coppinger to work through new school options.
Yet this week they spent much of their Wednesday meeting talking about and voting 5-2 to pass a resolution expressing "agreement and support" for the statewide adoption of Amendment 1, which states: "Nothing in this [state] Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion. The people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother."
A majority of Hamilton County commissioners even acknowledged during their misguided vote that they had no business entering the statewide debate over whether Tennessee's General Assembly should have the power to regulate abortion, but still they voted to support it.
Commissioners Chester Bankston, Randy Fairbanks, Marty Haynes, Sebrena Smedley and Jim Fields voted to give the commission's endorsement to the amendment -- an amendment that, in all likelihood, would if passed make choice far more difficult in Tennessee.
Commissioners Greg Beck and Warren Mackey voted against supporting the amendment, saying it was not the commission's place to endorse or oppose a statewide ballot issue. Commissioners Tim Boyd and Joe Graham shared that sentiment, but they abstained rather than casting votes.
The abortion amendment resolution found its way to the agenda after Fields added it last week at "a constituent's request." Remember that, folks, when you want more support for schools. Just send a request -- right?
That's apparently what former state legislator David Fowler did. A longtime abortion foe, Fowler is now president of Family Action Council of Tennessee, a nonprofit that advocates for socially and religiously conservative political issues. Fowler has acknowledged that he was one of many people sending emails to commissioners and local church leaders. But he said he didn't intend for his emails to be harassing in nature.
At the start of Wednesday's meeting -- after Fields and fellow commissioners had been bombarded by calls and emails for and against the resolution -- Fields tried to pull the item. But Fairbanks moved to pass it, and Haynes seconded.
Why? Haynes said personally disparaging, untruthful emails had been circulated about him after he did not move to support the item in committee last week. This week, he said he was voicing his personal support on "moral grounds."
"I'm not any more important than anyone else in this room. My opinion matters one vote in November," Haynes said before his commission vote Wednesday. "We are taking a public stand this morning on a matter that is private to a lot of people. I don't think how we vote on this one way or the other will change one vote in Hamilton County or change one person's mind."
Funny -- we thought endorsements are meant to sway people. If not, why are all commission candidates so quick to tell us they've received the endorsement of first one or then another group?
But for the sake of staying on point, let's be clear: We think it's not the commission's place to try to influence voters or change minds on Amendment 1.
What is their place is to build an education system and a jobs infrastructure that will positively shape young and old minds in Hamilton County.
If these commissioners would spend half as much time publicly debating schools and school funding as they spent during these past two meetings and the past week on abortion, they would change more than minds.
They would change lives.