July 06, 2005
Even though 2005 is not an election year it does not mean that politics is not alive and well in Alabama. The political pot is boiling under the surface. It will explode into full combat later this year with the Governor’s race looming on the horizon for 2006. The fundraising, jockeying, and skirmishing is under way preparing for the battle.
June 29, 2005
Many of you have asked the question of why, when Alabama is considered such a Republican state when it comes to Presidential politics, is the Alabama Legislature so predominately Democratic. It is quite an anomaly.
June 22, 2005
Tip O’Neal, the famous old Irish political pol who represented Boston for three decades in Congress and rose to become Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives never forgot where he was from and who sent him to Congress. He believed in taking care of the home folks. His most famous saying was “all politics is local.”
June 15, 2005
As mentioned last week, the race for 2006 campaign dollars begins this month. It is my belief that Political Action Committees, which are the largest contributors to state races, will concentrate their resources toward Legislative and Senate races. They will not ignore the Governor and Lt. Governor races, but the large amount of funds spent on those races in the past will drift towards the pivotal State Senate, which is where the power rests.
June 08, 2005
The bell has rung to begin fundraising for next year’s 2006 Election. Alabama’s law allows candidates to begin raising campaign money one year prior to the party primaries, which will be June 6, 2006.
June 01, 2005
The just completed Regular Session of the Legislature frankly was a failure. The only thing the Constitution requires the Legislature to do is pass the budget. They were in session three and a half months and failed to pass the General Fund Budget. The Senate, which is where the blame rests, never even took up the budget. Now because there is no General Fund Budget Gov. Riley must call the Legislature into a Special Session costing taxpayers over $400,000.00, an expense which must come out of a woefully broke General Fund. A Fund that is so under funded that the budget passed by the House was strapped together with $250 million dollars of one-time money. It is a train wreck waiting to happen and the wreck will occur next year as elections are ongoing.
May 18, 2005
In the expected face-off battle between Bob Riley and Roy Moore in the 2006 Republican Primary for Governor, Riley won the opening salvo with the selection of Twinkle Andress as the new chairman of the State Republican Party. Twinkle has made history as the first female to serve as chair of a major political party in Alabama. She is a stalwart Riley backer and moved to the GOP position directly from Riley’s cabinet.
May 11, 2005
Many of you seemed to enjoy my story about Miss Mittie last week and her legendary prowess as the oracle of Goat Hill. She was such a peculiar looking sight in her floor length black dress and hat, always knitting and never looking up. It was like she had eyes in the top of her head. Miss Mittie would hardly look at you, much less talk to you, unless you had won her trust. She almost whispered when telling you where a legislator was or what was going on in each legislative chamber.
May 04, 2005
As a youngster I spent my summers working as a Page in the State Legislature. It was an invaluable learning experience and a glimpse into the world of politics, but it was a lot simpler time. When I observe today’s Legislature the most striking difference is computerization. In the 1960s the telephone was our most advanced technology. However, I fondly remember a little lady named Miss Mittie who was far superior to any computer.
April 27, 2005
As mentioned last week, two Democrats, Don Siegelman and Lucy Baxley, have geared up for the 2006 Governor’s Race. They will fight it out in the June Democratic Primary to face the nominee of the surging Republican Party.