December 29, 2011
As the world turns in Alabama politics another year is fast coming to a close. Dr. Robert Bentley is completing his first year as governor. He inherited a ship of state that was analogous to walking onto the deck of the Titanic. His predecessor, Bob Riley, did not do him any favors. Riley depleted every rainy day account available. In addition, the manna from heaven that came from Washington in the form of stimulus money has now run its course. The state coffers are in dire straits. The cupboard is bare and the state is facing financial problems unseen in state history.
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December 22, 2011
We are in the midst of the holiday season with Christmas just around the corner. However, we are also in political season. Traditionally we have held our primaries in June but earlier this year in a cost saving measure the legislature changed the date of our primary. In order to have one primary instead of two they combined the presidential and general election primary into one date. That day is March 13. Thus, qualifying is fast approaching. The last day to qualify for the March 13 primary and November 6, 2012 General Election is January 13. Therefore, you might be seeing campaign ads rather than holiday greetings on television and you might be getting a campaign solicitation letter with your Christmas cards.
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December 15, 2011
The 2012 Legislative Session is looming. It begins in two months with the paramount issue being the reapportionment of their own legislative districts. All 105 House seats and all 35 Senate seats will be on the drawing board. They may have all been singing out of the same songbook last year but this issue will cross party lines. Redistricting gets personal. They will lay down their partisan badges when it comes to self preservation. As former Speaker of the House Jimmy Clark once told me, “Steve old boy the cardinal rule in political redistricting is you take care of yourself and the hell with everybody else.”
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December 08, 2011
Continuing from last week on our study of Alabama’s former governors and their official home county determination, what we have determined is that it is that it is difficult at best to tell what constitutes their home county. We will continue with Barbour County governors since they lay claim to the most. Last week we studied three of their six. John Gill Shorter and William Jelks were born elsewhere but lived most of their adult lives in Barbour. Braxton Bragg Comer was born in Barbour but spent most of his adult life in Anniston, Sylacauga and Birmingham. Their fourth governor was Barbour County through and through. Chauncey Sparks was born in Barbour County, practiced law in Barbour County, served as governor during World War II and died in Barbour County.
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December 01, 2011
Barbour County is known as the Home of Alabama Governors. It claims six former governors. Indeed, this is the most of any other Alabama county.
The best source on the history of our governors is a book by Samuel “Skeeter” Webb and Margaret Armbrester entitled “Alabama Governors.” The authors give a brief biographical sketch of every Alabama governor beginning with our first governor, William Wyatt Bibb.
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November 24, 2011
A few months ago I compared the route taken to Washington by our congressmen of 50 years ago to the paths of our delegation on the Potomac today. When their steps were studied it was amazing how similar the Alabama delegation of the 1960’s ascension to the Halls of Congress was in comparison. They all essentially had the same journey. They were born and raised in Alabama, went to the University of Alabama, were members of the Machine fraternity at the Capstone, went to law school at Alabama, then returned to their hometowns to practice law before being elected to Congress, usually at a fairly young age. Many, if not most, had taken a short detour to serve in the military either in World War I or World War II. They also became active in the American Legion, which appeared to be an essential emblem to enter politics in that era.
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November 17, 2011
The Electoral College process of selecting a president rather than electing our nation’s chief executive diminishes Alabama’s importance in next November’s general election. Alabamians will vote for the Republican nominee whoever they are in the fall of 2012.
Even though our proclivity for voting Republican for president renders us irrelevant in the general election, we will be able to put our two cents worth into who that person will be on March 13 in our Republican presidential primary.
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November 10, 2011
The 2012 presidential contest has begun and is in full swing. President Barack Obama is running hard and raising tons of money. The GOP field is formulating and these aspirants are also out shaking the money tree.
It cost a lot to run for president. These funds will be raised in all 50 states. Sadly, however, the campaign dollars will only be spent in about a dozen states. We in Alabama will not be part of the presidential election process. However, neither will the two largest states, California and New York.
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November 03, 2011
The 2012 elections are one year away. The presidential contest will be the marquee event. We will not have many state offices up for grabs. Most of our high profile posts are on the ballot in gubernatorial years. Most of the action next year will be for state judicial seats.
Because we are now a one party state when it comes to statewide positions all of the action will be in the GOP primary. Our courts have actually been controlled by the Republican Party for close to two decades. Our state appellate judiciary is 100% Republican. Our Supreme Court is nine out of nine. Although five of the nine Supreme Court seats are up for election, it is a safe bet that all nine seats will be held by Republicans when the votes are counted and the dust has settled next November. The Democrats may not even field candidates.
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October 27, 2011
There was never a more ruthless, cutthroat, no holds barred man to sit in the Oval Office than Lyndon Johnson. His biographer, Robert Caro, describes Johnson as the quintessential backroom brawler.
Johnson came up in the tough frontier world of rural Texas politics. He carried those Texas spurs to the halls of congress and later to the White House. He was the most effective majority leader that Washington has ever seen because he was the meanest gunslinger on the Hill. He meant to get things accomplished even if it meant using intimidation. He was successful because he was shrewd and feared. He carried this win-at-all-costs attitude with him to the White House.
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