May 24, 2006
As the June 6th Republican and Democratic Primaries approach I am reminded of a bygone era when primary was singular. There was one primary, the Democratic Primary, which was the election. It was the whole ball of wax. There was no Republican Primary. They chose their candidates in a convention of sorts; you could have put all the participants in a phone booth. The candidates they selected and put on the ballot were token sacrificial lambs whose names appeared on the November general election ballots but none of them came close to winning. The winners were chosen in the Democratic Primary. It was tantamount to election.
May 17, 2006
One of the best races formulating within the GOP is the intra party Senate race between veteran Gardendale State Senator Jack Biddle and Gardendale Rep. Scott Beason. Biddle has served in the Legislature for over 30 years. He served terms in the House in the 1970’s and 80’s and was Chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee for one term. During this era practically the entire House ran as Democrats, more out of tradition and expediency than philosophy.
May 10, 2006
There is an old political adage that says “money is the mother’s milk of politics.” It is usually a true and valid maxim because the candidate with the most money usually wins. A more earthy expression might be that “money talks and anything else walks.” If these truisms exist then the primary contests for Governor are not going to be close. The early money reported in February gave Gov. Riley a 10 to 1 advantage over his Republican opponent Roy Moore. Riley had raised $3.8 million to Moore’s $310,000. The same disparity exists on the Democratic side where Lt. Governor Lucy Baxley out raised the beleaguered Don Siegelman 10 to 1. She had $1.2 million and Siegelman had a paltry $100,000. Therefore, you would have to say that Riley and Baxley will be favored to win their respective primaries in three weeks and face each other in the November battle for the brass ring. Early money success has given them both momentum.
May 03, 2006
The Democratic and Republican primaries are less than five weeks away. This is the first big step towards our biggest prize, the brass ring of Alabama politics, the Governor’s office. It is an eagerly anticipated spectacle that we Alabamians relish. The race usually starts four years in advance and this year is no exception. Bob Riley and Don Siegelman’s race four years ago ended in a virtual dead heat. They both began their 2006 campaigns the next day. Lucy Baxley started running and running hard about three years ago and Roy Moore entered the fray about two years ago when he was removed as Chief Justice for his vaunted display of his Ten Commandments monument.
April 26, 2006
At mid year last year it appeared that at least twelve serious candidates would run for Lt. Governor. However, as the qualification deadline ended only four Republicans and one Democrat answered the bell.
April 19, 2006
There is an old political saying that nobody’s life, liberty, or property is safe while the Alabama Legislature is in Session. If this adage is true then you only have a few more days to hide your billfold because the Session ends this Monday.
April 12, 2006
At the end of each Legislative Session I am reminded of an old saying that “nobody’s life, liberty, or property is safe as long as the Alabama Legislature is in session.” This criticism of Legislators, in general, is not unique to Alabama. Throughout the country polls will indicate consistently that the Legislative body, as a whole, is the most distrusted and unpopular segment of state government. However, ironically the same poll will indicate that their individual Legislator is very popular with them. In many cases in rural areas the local Representative will rival the local Sheriff in voter approval opinion surveys. It is apparent that they think the Legislature is a bunch of crooks and kooks, but they strongly think that their Legislator is not one of the crowd or at least is different.
April 05, 2006
An interesting question, which will be answered later this year, is whether the winner of the Republican Primary will ask for an endorsement or campaign help from President George W. Bush.
March 29, 2006
The water war between Alabama, Georgia, and Florida continues to rage after more than a decade. It appeared that a settlement had been reached two years ago and the papers were prepared for signing, but last minute negotiations failed and there has been no more progress made for an amicable peace treaty.
The State of Georgia is the villain in the deal. The bottom line is that Georgia does not really want a treaty because the culprit of the entire problem is the Atlanta metropolitan area. This metropolis is eating up all of the water needed by all three states.
This dispute actually dates back to 1990 when Alabama filed a lawsuit to try to stop Atlanta from using all of the water from the Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers and also Lake Lanier in Georgia. The lawsuit was put on hold after the states agreed to sit down and negotiate, leading to a Comprehensive Study Commission and then to compact negotiations from all sides agreeing to come to a resolution. The commissioners from all States have made progress while the suit has been stayed.This went on from 1991 through 1998. The States’ delegates ironed out temporary agreements during this seven year period, which allowed for existing water users to be able to increase water withdrawal amounts to meet reasonable needs over the period of time necessary for the States to negotiate a solution. Therefore, the delegates agreed to a live and let live provision accommodating increases in water needs. The ultimate goal was to develop an allocation formula for the equitable apportionment of surface waters by December 31, 1998.
After these preliminary efforts ended, several lawsuits were filed. Ultimately two parties who have significant vested interests in the water war, Alabama Power and the Army Corps of Engineers, have been invited into the legal fray.
In July of 2005 Alabama Power filed an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission which reflected over four years of work in cooperation with the many stakeholders who live around the affected lakes. As a good corporate citizen the Power Company was trying to help the folks around their lakes with a request to keep the water levels the same year round, even if it cost them money. Therefore, one of the central changes in the Coosa River projects would be to raise the lake levels during the winter time. To make this change would require an analysis of the flood control capabilities of the Weiss, Henry and Logan Martin Lakes.
This application for maintaining these water levels is on hold pending the Corps of Engineers approval. In September of 2005 the Corps of Engineers notified the Federal Energy Regulator Commission that because they and Alabama Power were both parties to the pending lawsuits they could no longer participate in the relicensing process and that they could not have any discussions with Alabama Power regarding the Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers.
As a result, for the time being Alabama Power’s ability to raise the water levels at Lakes Logan Martin, Weiss, and Henry is thwarted. Another albatross created by the never ending tri-state “water war.”
In the meanwhile on the Legislative front a major accomplishment is surfacing in the form of landmark progressive tax reform to relieve a black eye in our regressive income tax laws.
Currently Alabamians began paying income tax at $4600 per year, the lowest in the nation. Under the Knight-Lindsey Plan, which passed the House law week, the threshold will move a family of four from $4600 to $12,000 before they would began paying any Alabama income tax. Under the Plan a family of four with an income of $15,000 per year would save $260.
This Legislation is on a fast track and if it is passed by the Senate will be a significant accomplishment for this election year session which ends in three weeks.
March 22, 2006
In years of yore in past Governor’s races we would have colorful run for the fun of it candidates, the most notably being the legendary Shorty Price. Shorty’s antics could fill a book of its own. We have been short of these fun candidates in the past few decades. However, this year we will have on the ballot one Loretta Nall who will be the pro marijuana candidate. She will be the Libertarian Party candidate for Governor on the November ballot. Nall is President of the U.S. Marijuana Party.