The World Around You

The Montgomery Advertiser editorial page again gets it right,

Not one member of the Alabama Legislature got there by magic. All 140 members were elected, not by some sinister force or some outside influence, but by the people of this state.

In short, they were put there by the people through the process of democracy. They stay there, or don’t, through the same process.

This is the stuff of grade-school civics books, to be sure, but the points were raised again this week in some challenging remarks by Mike Warren, chief executive of Energen Corp., in support of Gov. Riley’s tax and accountability package.

Responding to opponents’ description of the tax revenue in the package as a “slush fund,” Warren noted that the use of the funds can be monitored by any citizen who cares enough to do so and any legislator who tries to misuse the money can be voted out of office.

“The real truth is, the governor and the Legislature on a bipartisan basis have stuck their necks out for this plan, and the money is going to be spent like it should be spent,” he said. “The further truth is, if it’s not, if the Legislature attempts to undermine the clear intention of this legislation and the clear expectation of the voters, we’ll get’em. If they try it, we’ll vote’em out.”

The people of this state have no right to continue to talk about “Montgomery politicians”. These people only exist as long as you allow them to. The people have the power. The politicians come from our communities all over this state. From Luverne and Decatur and Huntsville and Mobile and Tuscaloosa and Opp and Dothan and Selma and Anniston. If they are not doing their job, then DO SOMETHING. The automatic response is, of course, “but MY representative isn’t the problem.” The next time you hear this, remember that those other representatives are elected by their communities to represent their interests, which may be different from yours.