This is a phenomenal piece. Thanks for finding and posting it. It is a window into so much around here. I was watched all of this closely from the activist perspective with some connections inside. My takeaways. First, Bill L. was responsible for Haslam's success here politically and keeping him from ever getting near the right wing agenda. Haslam can get credit for letting Bill L. redefine how local politics was done. Larry Martin and Bill L. are friends and Larry was also tremendous as the operating and finance person to complement Bill L. on policy and communications. The two of them argued long and hard that Haslam should bring Madeline Rogero in to the adminstration. Thankfully Haslam agreed. I think the author makes Knoxville more right wing than it is but he has a lot of insight into how a few dedicated people like Madeleine Weil can make all the difference. I love how he shows Madeline Rogero as tough and practical. Finally Bill L. never gets enough credit for coming online and shooting straight with just about everyone.

That's a fantastic article. It's the most positive thing I've read about Knoxville in a long time or maybe ever. And it's in a progressive publication. Go figure.

Author Zack Beauchamp also nailed the personalities and the weird city politics. Great insights by someone not from around here. Maybe that's an advantage.

The discussion about avoiding the term "climate change" was interesting, too. It never occurred to me that was going on, but it worked.

It works because it's logical. As I've said many times, if we can shift the conversation from "global warming" to sustainability, investing in renewable energy while reducing dependence on foreign oil (national security benefit) and making government, business, industry and residences more efficient while saving money (including taxpayer money) and creating jobs, and oh by the way helping the environment in the process (reducing carbon emissions eliminates all kinds of other emissions and nasty side effects of things like coal), it's a win-win with something for everybody.

The article does a good job of highlighting how this type of messaging strategy can get consensus and results.

There was a lot of good information but it started with a tone of "us vs them" that I find offensive.

And just plain wrong. "staunchly conservative"???? try right leaning moderate if not mostly apathetic. "Coal country" off by 30 miles.

"rapid change, spearheaded almost exclusively by a tiny group of people, is a testament to the ways in which government, rescued from the clutches of enshackling ideologists" Hyperbole much? Who are these ideologists who have been enshackling us? Will someone please tell me of an example of being "rescued from the clutches" of an ideologist? Are there pickets blocking the gate at the Prius dealer?

Interesting that there is no mention of Tim Burchett? Does anyone know his conservation policies? My guess is he would embrace policies that save the taxpayer money. But a conservative conservationist wouldn't fit into the "us vs them" mold.

We're surrounded by coal country on all sides, so I see no reason not to call us coal country.

[golf clap] credit when due. Good job y'all.

Coal is played out in Tennessee. That's why we're fighting over mountaintop removal. That's pretty much what's left.
However, I think this is a fabulous article.

Actually, I just picked up on the coal mention because I found it interesting.

The real error is in the lede. Since when did Jeff Foxworthy call Knoxville home? Dude's an Atlanta guy.

"The real error is in the lede."

No, it's not.

You might be surprised that the same town that Jeff Foxworthy calls home is a green haven. I’m not talking about the famous comedian. I’m referring to a man who, when not using Foxworthy as his nom de guerre, identified himself as “The Educated Redneck.” ...

Oops
(embarrassed)
Need coffee

OK, then. :)

Did the story cause you to worry about falling into "the clutches of enshackling ideologists"? Are you looking over your shoulder more now?

I'm happy that the article made 3 women and a man look good. But I felt an undertone to make everyone else look bad. What about all the prople who bought Prii or traded their cars during cash for clunkers. Everyone who insulated their homes or installed better windows. The folks at CAC with their low income weatherisation programs and TVA with its "Energy right" program.

This is about government action. They make public policy and that has not been going so great in Tennessee. If they look good the rest of us don't look bad. Are you going to take away from what Madeline has done because someone did not get a shout out in this article for buying a Prius. Anyone who buys a Prius is just as admirable here or anywhere else. I just don't understand how you could turn this into something that made anyone around here look bad. We elected these people and the article makes clear we support them.

I just felt an undertone of Madeline et al riding in on their white horses to rescue us from ourselves. I realize that feeling is as much about me as the article. And you are right. We are the ones who voted her in.

I just thought the article started out overblown. "The crazy true story of how a handful of climate advocates painted a red town green" The next headline was about global warming causing brain eating bacteria to thrive in our nation's lakes. Sounds like "National Enquirer meets Sierra club bulletin".

May not have been the greatest writing in the world, but ThinkProgress is not The New Yorker and we know how jounalists are (not) being paid these days. (How much did anyone pay to read this? But I digress.)

At least for me it got the point across of revealing that our current mayor has played a more active role than most thought in strategically transforming the city government's energy policies. And that the results are impressive indeed.