The World Around You

Dan is confirming he is considering a run for state auditor in 2010. Now, he is a Republican I would support.

Daily Dixie: Dan for State Auditor?

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I love the conclusion of the Mobile county health officer, Dr. Bert Eichold, when presented with the findings of a new survey that ranks Alabama 48th on the list of green states.

“There are obviously multiple leadership opportunities in the state of Alabama to help make us greener and healthier”

Alabama rates low in ‘green’ survey- al.com

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…with the conclusion, but the Birmingham News editorial board makes a very persuassive argument for why state employees shouldn’t get all the holidays that are given today. Good luck getting the legislature to act on it though.

Government employees in Alabama receive an excessive number of paid holidays- al.com

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Rick Harmon has an excellent piece today on the demise of the area around the Troy Highway and the Southern Boulevard in Montgomery. It is a sad time for that area of the city and Montgomery as a whole.

montgomeryadvertiser.com :: Theater’s life cycle syncs closely with area’s

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There is a good piece on the success of Alabama bloggers in the Birmingham News today. Check it out.

Birmingham, Alabama bloggers aim for online careers- al.com

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Professor Susan Pace Hamill (many Alabamians hero), got a Christmas Day write up in the New York Times. I think it’s a little heavy handed, but publicity is publicity.

Professor Cites Bible in Faulting Tax Policies - New York Times

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Umm…ewww!

Strange & Unusual - Alabama Man On The Run After Sucking Out Girlfriend’s Eyeball

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I do enjoy hearing about the things government is doing right from time to time, and this is definitely one of them. The prescription drug database is an important tool in combating prescription drug abuse, and I’m pleased to see it highlighted in the media.

Alabama is making it easier for pharmacists, doctors and law enforcement to monitor prescription drug sales and spot abuse, illegal sales and suspicious prescribing. Doctors, medical license boards and others have checked the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program database more than 30,000 times since it became functional last year. The database tracks filled prescriptions for class II through class V drugs as defined by Alabama law and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.

That includes OxyContin, Xanax, Valium and other painkillers, but not drugs such as antibiotics, for example. Drugs given on-site in hospitals, nursing homes and in-patient hospices also are exempt. The database collects weekly information on filled prescriptions dispensed by doctors, pharmacists, dentists, optometrists and veterinarians.

The practitioners and pharmacists are able to sign in to the database to see if their patients are going to multiple physicians and pharmacies to obtain drugs. Checking is not required, but it is an option for a doctor or a pharmacist if they become suspicious.

“It’s immensely beneficial to me. I wish more people would use it,” said Harrison.

Alabama’s drug database helps spot patients, doctors misusing or selling prescription drugs- al.com

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Both in the world of political news, and political blogging, this is a very quiet time of year. I apologize for the lack of content, but there really hasn’t been a lot of news to report. I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season and you will continue to stop by the rest of this year, and into 2008.

As the presidential race heats up, there will be plenty to discuss, and it figures to be another exciting Alabama legislative session too. I look forward to being there throughout, along with celebrating my 5th blogiversary in April.

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…B.S. No mention of the fact this is the first time this Governor has ever given an extra day at the holidays (common practice for many businesses), or the fact that along with getting more holidays, many state workers get paid less than their private sector counterparts for the same work.

Many state workers would be willing to give up a holiday or to, in exchange for a pay raise. Many people remember that these days were initially granted in lieu of pay raises the state couldn’t afford.

Alabama state employees beat U.S. average for paid holidays- al.com

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Sen. Jimmy Holley is going to switch from the Democratic to the Republican Party prior to the next legislative session. I agree with Danny that much will be made of this, while it will ultimately mean little.

BREAKING: Dem Senator Switches Parties » Doc’s Political Parlor

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The dance continues…between Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright and the Democratic Party over the Alabama 2nd Congressional District race. I take it as a very positive sign that they are actively recruiting him, and promising key committee seats in the process.

This is getting really interesting…

Bobby Bright’s Marathon Party Dance » Doc’s Political Parlor

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Pretty slick…Maui in December for the Governor and other state officials. You can’t fault them for trying, but how effective this event will be in bringing business to the state is pretty questionable in my book.

Ala. officials head to Hawaii to recruit business - NewsFlash - al.com

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Funding deficiencies are everywhere. Jimmy Fry, the director of Legal Services Alabama is a friend of mine, and he and the Chief Justice are absolutely correct, the lack of funding for legal services to the poor is yet another shameful practice that needs to be rectified.

Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb and other officials want a permanent revenue source from the state. “It is crucial to keep all of the lawyers at work,” she said. “We are not meeting the need now.”

Cobb and Jimmy Fry, executive director of the group, said Alabama is one of only seven states that does not supply funding to Legal Services. Cobb described the situation as an embarrassment.

Legal Services Alabama provides free counsel to low-income people who are U.S. citizens. Under the terms of its general guidelines, a family of four making below $20,000, might qualify for its help.

Cash crisis shrinks staff, threatens help for low-income clients - Breaking News from the Press-Register - al.com

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Leaders on both sides of the aisle are finally recognizing that our so-called “prison problem” is as much a mental health and substance abuse problem as it is a crime issue. We don’t adequately care for people with mental illness or drug or alcohol addiction. Invest in care for these citizens, and you won’t have them committing crimes and taking up prison space.

Mental patients crowd prisons | TuscaloosaNews.com

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I was fortunate to have known Judge Dorrough well and I thought very highly of him. I share the Governor’s sentiment that he was a good man who worked hard for Alabama’s children, and he will be missed.

My heartfelt condolences go out to his family and the staff at the Department of Children’s Affairs.

MONTGOMERY – Governor Bob Riley regretfully announced Wednesday that Richard Dorrough, who served as a member of the Governor’s Cabinet in the position of Commissioner of Children’s Affairs, has passed away after a long battle with cancer.

“Commissioner Dorrough was a great man and a very thoughtful leader. He had a heart of gold and throughout his career he worked hard to improve the lives of children. He will be terribly missed,” said Governor Riley.

Governor Riley appointed Dorrough in January 2005. He was instrumental in developing the Governor’s new voluntary First Class Pre-K program, and he helped to further develop the Children’s Policy Councils across the state.

Previously, Dorrough served as the senior judge of the Montgomery County Family Court. He was appointed to the court in 1984 and was elected and re-elected to that office three times. As the presiding judge of the Montgomery County Family Court, Judge Dorrough started numerous programs to assist families and Teen Court to address minor juvenile offenses. In 1998, Judge Dorrough was named “Judge of the Year” by the Family Law Section of the Alabama State Bar Association.

Dorrough had been an active leader in civic affairs. He served as chairman of the Children’s Policy Council for Montgomery County and was past president of the Montgomery Kiwanis Club and past lieutenant governor for the Alabama District of Kiwanis. Dorrough received his law degree in 1970 from the University of Alabama School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis in 1967.

Riley Cabinet Member Dies | Mobile AL Alabama Pensacola FL Florida

UPDATE: The Advertiser summed it up well in an editorial this morning.

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I’m very familiar with the impaired professionals programs in Alabama, there is one for lawyers and one for doctors that both have excellent directors. These programs are important and the incidents that have come to light need to be evaluated against the large number of professionals who were able to seek help and keep their careers intact at the same time.

Unpartisan.com: Programs Let Addicted Docs Practice

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All of a sudden Alabama AG Troy King comes flying out of the shadows to “save the day” in the case of Leon Prince (the man who was being sent by Frazier to Mount Meigs to minister to children, but, it turns out, was a convicted sex offender). King says this man should be registered as a sex offender, when the law says he doesn’t have to be…

Bence said his office has been in contact with the Department of Public Safety — which is in charge of listing Alabama’s sex offenders — for several days to find a way to make Prince a registered sex offender.

How can you make someone register, who isn’t required to under the law? Say the law is something it isn’t, that’s how…welcome to Mr. King’s world.

montgomeryadvertiser.com ::  King wants sex criminal to be registered

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Now here’s a parent I can respect: Dad sells son’s 90-dollar video game online for more than 9000 - Yahoo! News

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Some people in this chamber love the Constitution more than the love the safety of this nation.

We should all send President bush a letter thanking him for protecting us.

Wow…he really is a piece of work…

Left In Alabama:: Sessions on the floor of the senate

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I can certainly appreciate anyone is passionate about politics, but Brian is just flat wrong:

The result is that support for replacing the federal income tax with a national consumption tax is broad and deep - especially among the politically engaged.

A poll done by the Tax Foundation came to a very different conclusion:

We then asked people what system they would prefer for collecting federal taxes: the current system with deductions; a flat-rate system with no deductions; or a national sales tax. By nearly a 2 to 1 margin, respondents favored a flat-rate system with no deductions over the current system or a national sales tax.

While the same poll indicated that outright opposition is declining, that doesn’t equate to support. As for Brian’s argument that the so-called “Fair Tax” deserves more consideration than a new constitution for the State of Alabama because at least there is a fully-fleshed out plan we can debate on its merits…

All of us are more than willing to debate Mr. Huckabee’s, or anyone else’s, tax plan, but we also have a right to state our belief that going down the road to a national sales tax is not where we want to head. Whereas, many of the same people do want to head down the path toward a new constitution in Alabama, no matter the result.

Flashpoint » Blog Archive » As Huckabee rises, the FairTax follows

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It’s not looking good for the Alabama education budget this year.

<blockquote>

State Finance Director Jim Main said it was too early to
be definite, but withdrawals of anywhere from $100 million
to $300 million were possible, perhaps as soon as February.

Teachers’ lobbyist Paul Hubbert predicted $400
million or more could be withdrawn.

And the money problem likely isn’t just a one-year
deal.

The more Riley spends from savings to maintain budgeted
education spending in the 2008 fiscal year, which began Oct.
1, the worse the state’s revenue outlook will be for
next year.

Hubbert said state education spending in the 2009 fiscal
year could be lower than this year’s budgeted spending
of $6.7 billion.

“Well, I hope not, but that’s certainly a
possible scenario,” said Hubbert, who is executive
secretary of the Alabama Education Association.</blockquote>

Birmingham News: Alabama may have to dip into reserves to fully fund education in 2008

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