http://www.metropulse.com/news/columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talk/?partner=RSSMetroPulse Stories: Frank Talk by Frank Cagleen-uscolumns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkhttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/jun/19/let-people-vote-courthouse-office-abuses-cry-refor/?partner=RSSI have always opposed taking away the people’s right to vote and have long advocated that Tennessee elect more people to office—a state attorney general and school superintendents, for example. Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:49:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-26152-735038columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNLet the People Vote: Courthouse Office Abuses Cry for Reform, But Abolishing Elections Isn't the AnswerMetroPulselet-people-vote-courthouse-office-abuses-cry-reforurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-26152-735038Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/jun/12/what-are-core-values-we-face-battle-over-future-ed/?partner=RSSGov. Bill Haslam’s education reforms hit a couple of speed bumps this past legislative session, but his reforms may hit a brick wall come next session. Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:46:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-26132-735032columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNWhat Are Core Values? We Face a Battle Over the Future of Education in TennesseeMetroPulsewhat-are-core-values-we-face-battle-over-future-edurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-26132-735031Change735032Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/jun/05/its-about-fairness-collecting-sales-tax-everybody/?partner=RSSIt’s not an Internet tax, dammit, no matter how many times lazy headline writers call it that. Wed, 05 Jun 2013 16:47:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-26103-735024columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNIt's About Fairness: Collecting Sales Tax From Everybody Should Mean a Tax Cut for the Rest of UsMetroPulseits-about-fairness-collecting-sales-tax-everybodyurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-26103-735024Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/may/29/megasite-aftermath-effort-now-stop-intermodal-new/?partner=RSSProperty owners in New Market opposed to Norfolk Southern’s plan to build a transportation transfer point, where trailer trucks will gather to be loaded and unloaded off trains, have hired the attorney that led the fight that stopped a proposed “megasite” on the other side of the county. Wed, 29 May 2013 15:16:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-26084-735017columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNMegasite Aftermath: Effort Now is to Stop the Intermodal in New Market with Focus on County GovernmentMetroPulsemegasite-aftermath-effort-now-stop-intermodal-newurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-26084-735017Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/may/15/ghostbuster-if-youre-rich-republican-who-needs-hel/?partner=RSSWell, the Ghostbuster for millionaire Republicans is Tom Ingram. Wed, 15 May 2013 14:25:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-26023-735003columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNGhostbuster! If You're a Rich Republican Who Needs Help, Who Ya' Gonna Call?MetroPulseghostbuster-if-youre-rich-republican-who-needs-helurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-26023-735003Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/may/08/one-party-no-party-haslam-ramsey-harwell-either-un/?partner=RSSOne-party rule means no-party rule. Wed, 08 May 2013 15:06:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25999-734996columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNOne Party is No Party: Haslam, Ramsey, Harwell Either Unite or Lose Control of State GovernmentMetroPulseone-party-no-party-haslam-ramsey-harwell-either-unurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25999-734996Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/may/01/train-wreck-you-cant-graft-obamacare-existing-busi/?partner=RSSPolitico reported last week that the Congressional leadership is having secret talks about how to exempt Capitol Hill staffers from the insurance exchanges required under the Affordable Care Act—aka Obamacare. Wed, 01 May 2013 14:24:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25974-734989columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNTrain Wreck: You Can't Graft Obamacare onto Existing Business ModelsMetroPulsetrain-wreck-you-cant-graft-obamacare-existing-busiurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25974-734989Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/apr/24/shock-and-awe-knoxville-hasnt-been-shocked-butcher/?partner=RSSWhen word hit news websites last week that the FBI had staged a shock-and-awe raid of the headquarters of Pilot Flying J, there was a common theme expressed in my round-robin of phone calls. Nothing this shocking has happened in Knoxville since the Feds raided and closed the Butcher banks in 1983. Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:05:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25951-734982columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNShock and Awe: Knoxville Hasn't Been This Shocked Since the Butcher Banks ClosedMetroPulseshock-and-awe-knoxville-hasnt-been-shocked-butcherurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25951-734982Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/apr/17/lets-not-do-it-killing-vouchers-good-idea-not-beca/?partner=RSSIt finally occurred to the legislators that if you give parents in inner-city Memphis or Nashville a voucher, they may spend it at a Muslim school. They have so far been stumped: How do you allow tax money to flow to a Catholic school, yet keep it from going to a Muslim school? Wed, 17 Apr 2013 14:28:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25915-734975columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNLet's Not Do It: Killing Vouchers a Good Idea, But Not Because of Muslim SchoolsMetroPulselets-not-do-it-killing-vouchers-good-idea-not-becaurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25915-734975Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/apr/10/commune-update-learning-about-permaculture-fun-eat/?partner=RSSI found it disconcerting this winter to look out my back window at the snow-covered ground and see huge heads of lettuce, cabbage, and other greens shining. Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:39:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25873-734968columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNCommune Update: Learning About Permaculture is Fun, But the Eating is Even BetterMetroPulsecommune-update-learning-about-permaculture-fun-eaturn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25873-734968Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/apr/03/we-need-bypass-haslam-needs-ignore-anti-obama-legi/?partner=RSSWhen your health insurance premium goes up this year—and it will—you can thank Gov. Bill Haslam and his Republican majority in the Legislature. But you can take comfort in the fact that they showed President Obama who’s boss by rejecting over $1 billion in federal funds. Wed, 03 Apr 2013 14:09:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25861-734961columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNWe Need a Bypass: Haslam Needs to Ignore Anti-Obama Legislators and Do What Needs to be DoneMetroPulsewe-need-bypass-haslam-needs-ignore-anti-obama-legiurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25861-734961Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/mar/27/megasite-fever-east-tennessee-needs-one-current-pr/?partner=RSSSince then, the Jefferson County Chamber has come forward to propose creating a megasite at another I-81 exit. It is rich farmland and the property owners are opposed to selling. Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:41:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25828-734954columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNMegasite Fever: East Tennessee Needs One, But Current Proposal is Not the AnswerMetroPulsemegasite-fever-east-tennessee-needs-one-current-prurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25828-734954Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/mar/20/feeding-guilt-when-things-get-renamed-it-costs-you/?partner=RSSI don’t take medicine anymore. I take medications. The only difference I’ve noticed is that medications cost more. Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:50:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25810-734947columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNFeeding Guilt: When Things Get Renamed, It Costs You More MoneyMetroPulsefeeding-guilt-when-things-get-renamed-it-costs-youurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25810-734947Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/mar/13/old-days-return-cities-onces-again-under-thumb-rur/?partner=RSSDecades ago when many Tennesseans left the farm to move to the major cities, it left sparsely populated rural legislative districts intact and city districts did not grow. City residents were under-represented and rural legislators remained in control of state government. Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:47:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25770-734940columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNOld Days Return? Cities Onces Again Under the Thumb of Rural, Suburban LegislatorsMetroPulseold-days-return-cities-onces-again-under-thumb-rururn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25770-734940Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/mar/06/law-making-hypocrisy-conservative-legislators-hate/?partner=RSSAll good conservatives believe that except when they don’t. Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:38:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25745-734933columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNLaw-Making Hypocrisy: Conservative Legislators Hate Mandates, Except When They Don'tMetroPulselaw-making-hypocrisy-conservative-legislators-hateurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25745-734933Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/feb/27/hes-still-lamar/?partner=RSSI think Washington pundits and the Obama administration may be surprised by Sen. Alexander’s votes. Alexander was a two-term governor, a cabinet secretary, a presidential candidate, and has served in the Senate. He’s accomplished all that because he is politically astute—by that I mean he won’t do anything stupid. Wed, 27 Feb 2013 19:54:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25721-734926columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNHe’s Still Lamar!MetroPulsehes-still-lamarurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25721-734926Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/feb/20/can-they-govern-former-back-backbenchers-should-kn/?partner=RSSIt was a fascinating prospect, after a hundred years of Democratic dominance of the state Legislature, to watch it change to a Republican majority. Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:48:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25699-734919columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNCan They Govern? Former Back Backbenchers Should Know: What They Do Now Has ConsequencesMetroPulsecan-they-govern-former-back-backbenchers-should-knurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25699-734919Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/feb/13/getting-attention-how-do-you-get-washington-listen/?partner=RSSSo if we can appoint people to office without an election, then why can’t we have the Legislature at least appoint the candidates for office? Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:53:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25663-734912columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNGetting Attention: How Do You Get Washington to Listen to State Issues?MetroPulsegetting-attention-how-do-you-get-washington-listenurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25663-734912Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/feb/06/tipping-point-here-are-facts-life-restaurant/?partner=RSSYou may have followed the controversy last week when a minister in St. Louis objected to a restaurant tacking on an 18 percent tip for a large dinner party. The bill had the tip crossed off and the minister customer wrote “I give God 10 percent, why do you get 18?” Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:17:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25644-734905columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNTipping Point: Here Are the Facts of Life in the Restaurant IndustryMetroPulsetipping-point-here-are-facts-life-restauranturn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25644-734905Change0Usablehttp://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/jan/30/spirited-debate-why-wont-legislators-listen-consti/?partner=RSSConsumers would like the convenience of picking up a bottle of wine the same place they buy steaks and potatoes. That convenience would lead to increased wine sales and a corresponding increase in state tax revenue Wed, 30 Jan 2013 15:28:00 -0000urn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25604-734898columns/knoxville-issues/frank-talkFrank CagleKnoxville, TNSpirited Debate: Why Won't Legislators Listen to Constituents Instead of Liquor Lobbyists?MetroPulsespirited-debate-why-wont-legislators-listen-constiurn:publicid:www.metropulse.com:news-Story-25604-734898Change0Usable