Thursday 4/27/2006 DAILY NEWS DIGEST
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1146129807248200.xml&coll=2 – Moore attacks Riley on links between government decisions and political contributions to Riley campaign.
http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1146129402248200.xml&coll=2 – Alabama’s child restraint law to take effect July 1.
http://www.al.com/opinion/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1146129436248200.xml&coll=2 – Commentary on state’s sales tax holiday, and cautions legislators and officials not to confuse that action with “real relief” for poor and middle-income families.
http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/1146129310248220.xml&coll=1 – Mayor proposes that Huntsville join state’s sales tax holiday.
http://www.al.com/opinion/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1146129524248220.xml&coll=1&thispage=1 – Editorial praises sales tax holiday and raising income tax threshold as two “big breaks for families.”
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060427/NEWS02/604270329/1009 -Judicial Inquiry Commission dismisses complaint against Justice Tom Parker.
FROM TODAY’S ANNISTON STAR:
Slacking off on the court
In our opinion
04-27-2006
“Umm, Parker, take a break,” the Honda plant foreman says. “We need to have a talk.”
“You see, Tom,” the foreman continues, “I’m afraid we’re going to have to let you go.”
“But why?” Tom asks.
“Well, the short answer is you’re not pulling your load. For heaven’s sake, man. We make Hondas at this plant. Your coworkers have produced plenty since the year started. So far as we can tell, you’ve made only one in over a year of showing up at the plant.”
Tom shuffles away under a black cloud. Apparently, he liked the idea of having the title of a Honda plant worker more than actually manufacturing cars.
Alabamians, as the governor likes to point out, are famous for their serious work ethic — especially among automakers like Honda in Lincoln, Mercedes Benz in Vance and Hyundai near Montgomery.
We instinctively comprehend when someone’s not pulling the weight, no matter the job.
Thus, it’s easy to do the Alabama Supreme Court math and figure out there is a slacker on the payroll. From Jan. 1, 2005, to Jan. 1, 2006, Tom Parker produced one opinion on behalf of the court during his rookie season on the bench. Two other newcomers to the court produced 38 and 28 opinions, respectively, during those 12 months.
Parker defends himself by saying, “Obviously, I had not been a judge like my colleagues and admittedly I was slow getting started. But that’s on the up-tick.”
In the real world, we — the voters of the state — are Parker’s foreman. We know he goofed off on the job while trading in deception and demagoguery. It was his claim during the 2004 election that an amendment to remove racist language from the state Constitution could lead to a court-imposed tax on Alabamians. At the time, Parker’s claim was convincingly disputed by Gov. Bob Riley, members of the governor’s staff, legislators who crafted the measure and anyone else willing to take an honest look at the issue.
Never mind. Parker got the job and the chance to remove the stain of racism from our governing document was defeated.
Citizens of Alabama prize hard work and honesty. They’re getting neither from Tom Parker.
