This past Wednesday the Tennessee House Local Government Subcommittee passed with a 5-4 vote to move forward with the wine in grocery stores bill. One of the 4 no votes was Richard Floyd. If you don't know Richard he is a fine man but this time he let his personal opinion get in the way of what I am sure most of his constituents want and that is to buy wine where they shop for groceries 

There have been several opinions polls and most if not all of those reveal that the majority of Tennesseans want to have the choice of buying wine where they shop. The liquor industry has done their best to stop this bill from passing and we don't need someones view on buying wine in a grocery store to defeat this bill.  

Richard, you really messed up this time. You were elected to do what the voters that put you into office wanted, not vote your personal opinion as to where someone needs to go to buy a bottle of wine for dinner. I respect your personal views on this but you seem to have no use for mine or the majority of the voters in the state of Tennessee.  

I have heard all the arguments about if the bill passes there will be more underage drinkers etc. In case you are so out of touch with things here you can buy beer at Bi-Lo as well as Publix and Wal-Mart. One of the reasons that Costco built their new place just over the line in Georgia was the fact that you can't buy wine in a grocery store in Tennessee. How many tax dollars go to the state of Georgia because of that? Take a ride just over the state line sometime Richard and ride through the parking lot and see how many cars with Tennessee plates are in that lot. I am sure that everyone there is not buying wine but the fact remains that they are spending taxable dollars in another state. I am very sure that Hamilton County would love those very same dollars spent here. 

Richard, it's time for you and the rest of the no voters to step up to the plate, put your personal religious feelings aside and do the right thing for the State of Tennessee.

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I agree with Mr. Collier on the merits of the wine in grocery stores bill, but I disagree on his assertion that Mr. Floyd was “elected to do what the voters that put [him] into office wanted, not vote [his] personal opinion.”  

In a representative democracy, we do exactly that. We elect people based on their beliefs knowing they will most likely go vote according to their will, and not necessarily the will of the majority. If the voters in his district decide they no longer like the way he votes, they can choose someone else to represent them.  Until then, he is entitled to vote according to his beliefs, even if he is wrong in this case (and on the Chattanooga Whiskey bill).

Mike Willingham 

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I would like to thank Mike Willingham for his very insightful comments.  I too agree with the legislation that allows wine in grocery stores. But, I deeply respect Richard Floyd and his convictions.  The fact that I disagree with him on this one piece of legislation does not lessen my respect for him or my intentions of voting for him in the future.   

I want leaders who vote their conviction.  They should lead with what they think is best.  The voters should evaluate them every election cycle.  Legislators who vote by the polls instead of their conviction are not leaders and have no conviction.  

Chris Clem