The World Around You

I agree with Steven’s endorsement of the latest Harry Potter novel. I have not read the Potter books, preferring the outstanding audio versions read by Jim Dale. I finished the latest book last week and also felt it may be too much of a cliffhanger to take. Now, on the flip side, something dramatic needed to happen to set in motion the events of the final book in the series. Many are more distressed knowing that the next will be the last, than that this one leaves so much left unanswered.

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A Hoover Republican can’t even wait for the candidates to say what they stand for before attacking,

A billboard in downtown Montgomery exclaims, “I’d rather have Don’s lottery than Bob’s or Lucy’s taxes. Wouldn’t you?”

The billboard purports to be paid for by a Hoover Republican. However, Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley hasn’t proposed any taxes so far in her campaign. Gov. Bob Riley did, but the proposal was defeated by voters.

This is what Lucy Baxley will be facing throughout the campaign, being grouped in with people she has never claimed to be affiliated with. She took great pains to avoid fully endorsing
Governor Riley’s tax reform plan, yet some will still try to blame her for the idea.

UPDATE: Mac is also unsurprised.

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The Alabama GOP Executive Committee members clearly favor the sitting Governor, this is not really a surprise. However, the level of support should be somewhat comforting to Governor Riley, 72% of those who responded favored him.

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Joe Turnham is being pushed for the post of head of the Alabama Democratic Party again. The petition seems to be a direct response to the support that has been expressed by some for Giles Perkins. The race is definitely heating up. I think Susan Parker is the best candidate, but she won’t campaign for the post and therefore has no chance of winning.

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Caltech astronomers are tracking an object that they believe should be classified as the 10th planet in our solar system. As the piece points out, there has been great debate over whether Pluto should really be classifed as such, but the status quo remains. These researchers make a strong argument that an object twice as big, though three times further from the Sun, deserves the same designation.

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Michael Reagan’s latest column is headlined, ACLU vs. America. His entire argument rests on his perception that Christian = American. There are tens of millions of Americans who would beg to differ with this equation.

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Poor Senator Sessions, it is a horrible picture.

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The Alabama Democratic Party blog links to another blogger who claims to have video showing the President flipping off the press corps. Anyone with sight can tell that is not the case, yet the ADP runs with it anyone. It’s irresponsible and makes them look stupid.

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I was hacked earlier this week. I decided to use the opportunity to upgrade to the latest version of WordPress and to redesign the site. Comments and concerns are welcome. Thanks for continuing to visit.

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Add adequate criminal defense to the poor to the list of things Alabama can’t afford. Here’s a radical thought, can Alabama afford NOT to give adequate defense to indigent defendants?

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Via Poliblog, British police shot the wrong man last week. Tragedy built onto tragedy, no doubt. I hope the reasons behind the error are fully revealed so as not to repeat such a horrible error.

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My weekly column was published this week in the Wednesday and Saturday editions of the Prattville Progress:
I’ve written a great deal about the problems Alabama faces and the day-to-day political developments that often frustrate all of us. Yet, as I read the introduction to Dr. Wayne Flynt’s new book Alabama in the 20th Century, I was reminded that there is an undercurrent to my opinions that I may not have fully fleshed out for you.

Dr. Flynt brought to the front of my mind a conversation I recently had with a friend and colleague. We were discussing the upcoming gubernatorial election and the difficulties the different candidates might face in getting their message across to the voters. We were talking about the root issues that are continuing to hold Alabama back and we ended up discussing the fact that we both lived much of our lives outside the state. There is no doubt that those of us who have lived outside of Alabama are often more frustrated than those who have lived here their whole lives, because we know it can be different.

As we got to this point in the discussion I expressed a thought that I probably don’t express enough. Yes, many Alabamians choose to leave the state because of a perceived lack of adequate opportunity, but there are also a large number of us who have chosen to come here and adopt Alabama as our home. Dr. Flynt stated one reason well in his book and his statement resonated in the conversation I had with my colleague, “Some will say I spend too much time on the negative and not enough on the positive, that my historical glass seems perpetually half-empty rather than half-full. To me, the fullness or emptiness is of less interest than the halfness. Why does a state with so much human and natural potential settle so often for mediocrity? Why are Alabamians’ expectations so low when excellence is so often in their grasp?”

The key to achieving more and being more is reaching for excellence. I work with people in social services in this state and they are the most hardworking and dedicated individuals I have ever met. Yet, the more excellence I see exhibited every day all over this state the more I wonder why there seems to be a tacit acceptance of the way things are. Alabamians are not mediocre, so why do we settle for mediocrity when it comes to our educational system, our political system, our health care system, our social service delivery system and so many other public and private structures?

The answer lies in a belief that something different and better is possible. As I said, those who have lived in other parts of the country know its possible, but we often struggle with transferring that belief to our fellow Alabamians. The unknown seems to be scarier to people than the deficient known. Sure, we could make things better, but we could also make them worse, so why change? As long as this defeatist attitude reigns the massive potential Alabamians possess will never be fully realized.

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My deepest sympathies go out to the families of those killed in the Sinai today. Add Egyptians to the list of people who are confident we are winning the “war on terror”.

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This “cute white blonde girl missing in Aruba” story is really out-of-control. How many people go missing within Alabama, the United States and countries all over the world everyday. Are we going to boycott everyone who the person’s family deems to be unresponsive in the search? Just another example of political expediency and idiocy from our elected officials.

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Fairhope wants to ban sex offenders from their city. This is hardly surprising given the push to strengthen notification laws, but I believe this would clearly cross the consititutional line. You know that won’t stop cities from giving it a shot in light of current public fervor.

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This headline from the Mobile Register is extremely deceiving, as so many of them are. One of the purchases was between state agencies and it is unclear whether the other purchase could have been bid and whose responsibility it was to bid it.

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The Shelby DA wants to bust up illegal poker parties at local businesses. I don’t have an issue with that, but I found interesting which portion of law enforcement is performing the task:

Seven members of the Shelby County Drug Enforcement Task Force confiscated poker tables, cards and chips from the building that houses the Coffee Kettle coffee shop and Davenport Bonding Co.

I’m glad that the drug problem is so under control in Shelby County that they have free time to pursue these kinds of arrests.

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If a deal was struck on the general fund budget before the special session, it didn’t take long for it to breakdown. If the Senators think “they deserve it” is a sound enough reason to vote for a raise the state can’t afford, they are demonstrating a great deal of ignorance. Of course state employees deserve to have their salaries at least remain level by keeping up with inflation, but the proposal made by the Governor and passed in the House budget committee allows for a six percent raise if the funds are available. Senators need to check their egos on this one and pass the budget as proposed.

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Well President Bush has made a statement with his nomination, but its not the statement many thought he would make. He didn’t nominate a woman and he didn’t nominate a Hispanic, he nominated a young white man. White men rule! (Literally)

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It’s not everyday you see a former cabinet member sue a Governor. Of course, this is Alabama and we are a little over a year away from an election. Also, this was not Governor Riley’s Conservation Commissioner, but former Gov. Folsom’s. There is no doubt that the Gulf State Park deal violates the principle of Governor Riley’s promise to “bid before we buy”, but the details of this particular project may or may not be against the law.

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Ready or not, the legislators are back in Montgomery. Lets hope they can stay focused for five minutes and get the business at hand accomplished in short order.

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the eminent domain case is something that is easy for people to get their minds around. Evidently that even extends to Alabama legislators. Go figure.

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Governor Riley yesterday revealed his priorities for the special session that will begin next Tuesday.

Give prisons an extra $22.4 million this year from the state General Fund.

Give 4 percent across-the-board raises to 36,000 state employees.

Impose tougher penalties against sex offenders. Attorney General Troy King and others plan to outline details of the bill Monday.

Make it harder for local governments to condemn private property.

Conform Alabama’s unemployment law to federal law to save state businesses $630 million a year in federal tax credits.

Lower the blood alcohol level needed to convict drivers of commercial motor vehicles of drunken driving.

Erase from accident reports the Social Security numbers of the drivers involved.

Extend tax exemptions for companies making films in Alabama.

Conform state law to meet federal rules for the financial requirements for operators of solid waste landfills.

These are all achievable goals if the legislature is willing to work together.

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