As illustrated last week in the sad case of state Rep. Rob Briley and as more or less acknowledged by Tennessee’s Democratic and Republican chairmen, our two major political parties have developed different approaches to politicians in trouble. You might say that Republicans offer the accused a boot, the Democrats a kid glove. Briley, a Democrat, allegedly engaged last weekend in a round of remarkably stupid and dangerous behavior, especially for a man House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh accurately described as capable of displaying brilliance in the legislative arena. The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which decides what should be...
