Are We Missing John Ford in Nashville?

Memphis, Tn - Even years before the Speaker of the Senate's gavel was wrested from the previously cement grip of the late and legendary John Wilder, at least one member of the once vaunted Shelby County legislative delegation was already lamenting the prospect of losing political clout on "The Hill."

"We've got a yellow streak up our back a mile wide. We run. We hide. We don't stand up like the people of character that we used to be," said John Deberry in 2005.

Senator Bevery Marrero remarked, "Quite often, we don't see or know what they're going to do until all of a sudden a bill appears before us which is an unfortunate thing. Then we're caught by surprise."

"We had no notice. We being the majority of the delegation members...had no notice of any of these bills," said Representative G.A. Hardaway.

It's easy to sense the bitterness, the frustration, and the utter helplessness felt by the majority of the current 22-member Shelby County legislative delegation. Outmaneuvered, outmanned and out of answers as to how to expand and protect the interests of the state's largest constituency against a Republican juggernaut.

Yet, it is just as easy to realize it was through a combination of blind ambition, political attrition, defection, greed, death and the unforgiveable loss of past delegation members ethical compasses that Memphis and Shelby County finds itself the "ugly step-sister" of the Tennessee General Assembly.

"I long for a more civilized time when we could sit down together and work things out and try to be a little more pragmatic and talk to one another. But, that doesn't appear to be the way things happen," said Marrero.

It is at this point, we get into the true direction of this story I have intently muddled over for weeks. I don't want this to be a total denunciation of our present group of county legislators. They do enough of that between themselves. Neither, is it a blind retrospective of past glories the delegation once achieved when led by the later disgraced Kathryn Bowers, Roscoe Dixon and the bombastic John Ford.

"The void that I leave is going to be tough. They not going to fill that and whoever gets elected it's gonna take them a while," claimed Ford as he left office.

But, it was a delegation blessed with the longevity, political deftness and sage counsels of the late Ulysses Jones and Larry Turner. A delegation once buoyed by the tenacity of former State Senator Steve Cohen on the lottery passage and the family sensitive daycare reform legislation spearheaded by former State Representative Carol Chumney.

Yes, things have changed in numbers since those halcyon days. As previously noted, the heavily Democratic current delegation is often forced into an Alamo-type posture against relentless Republican opposition. With a new state redistricting plan in place the delegation will shrink by two representatives and one state Senator for the foreseeable future.

"I think it's divisive and I think it will further tear the Shelby County delegation apart," said Representative Antonio Parkinson.

So, what could the beleaguered Shelby County Delegation do to maintain a semblance of effective representation? Number one is to think small.

Gone are the days when John Ford & Company could secure millions in appropriations for The Med, for highways and start-up money for the National Civil Rights Museum.

This delegation should narrow their focus on measures for moderate job creation, modest health care initiatives and steering federal grants toward constituents whenever possible.

Number two is to pony up to other urban delegations from across the state. Cities like Nashville, Chattanooga and Knoxville figure to financially suffer just as much Memphis by a redistricting plan heavily weighted toward rural and suburban areas encompassing power. Forming bi-partisan coalitions on urban issues could work.

Number three is to make every attempt to keep contact with the power elite in Mark Norris and Curry Todd. While agreements on schools and annexation appear out of the question, what about common ground like supporting Norris' crime bill. Realize that to vilify them only drives a wedge deeper into the delegation.

Number five is to keep in the mind delegation members, the seat you have is not an entitlement. If you feel you can't do the job of solid representation, then step aside.

Even John Ford had to face up to politics greatest inevitability.

"Let me tell ya. There is a politics that is like this. You stay in it. You do the best you can. You move on. No one in public office is indispensable," said Ford back in 2005.