Voting Opinions

While there are some agreeable points in this amendment, I recommend voting NO. The concern is the final paragraph, which carries a real potential for abuse against anyone who dares to object to the GOP legislature.

The First Amendment guarantees citizens the right to peacefully protest. Yet we have seen protesters arrested with increasing frequency. This amendment would allow bail to be denied in cases of "rebellion" -- a term that is never defined in the measure. That undefined language is a door left wide open.

"The privilege of the writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in case of rebellion or invasion, the General Assembly shall declare the public safety requires it."

Without a clear definition of "rebellion," any protest could be labeled as such at the discretion of those in power. That is not a risk worth taking.

At its core, this amendment changes a single word in the existing text -- "but" becomes "and" -- with broader implications for how state property taxes are handled.

We all want to pay less in taxes. We also all want the things that taxes pay for: schools, roads, emergency services, libraries. Those two desires are in constant tension, and this amendment sits squarely in that debate.

I do not have a firm recommendation at this time. I encourage you to follow the link above, read the full measure, and decide for yourself.

This is a genuinely difficult one. I agree with many of the protections this measure would put in place for crime victims, and the intent behind it is not in question.

However, I find myself agreeing with State Sen. Jeff Yarbro: the substance of this measure would be better codified in Tennessee statutes than written into the state Constitution. The Constitution should be reserved for foundational principles, not policy that is better suited to the legislative code where it can be refined as circumstances change.

For that reason, I am leaning toward NO -- though I encourage you to read the measure in full and weigh it yourself.