2006 August | Doc's Political Parlor

“Definitely” a Write-In Candidate for HD 54

Posted by Danny, on August 31st, 2006, at 7:07 am

In an AP story Saturday about Patricia Todd’s reinstatement as the Democratic nominee for HD 54, “one Hendricks supporter, Birmingham activist Frank Matthews, said he expects there will be a write-in candidate in the race in the Nov. 7 general election.” Patricia Todd will be the only name actually on the ballot.

I wondered if [...]

Thursday 8/31/2006 DAILY NEWS DIGEST

Posted by G, on August 31st, 2006, at 5:48 am

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1157016000306850.xml&coll=2 – Increasing minimum wage becomes major issue for Baxley campaign, Riley campaign says such action would harm Mom and Pop businesses.

http://www.al.com/opinion/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1157016301306850.xml&coll=2 – Editorial calls for legislature to resolve case regarding voting rights for convicted felons by either defining moral turpitude or removing from the constitution the prohibition against voting by certain felons.

[...]

Mis-measuring Poverty

Posted by Danny, on August 30th, 2006, at 12:54 pm

Since the state’s poverty numbers are in the news, now is a good time to share this article explaining how the federal poverty level was defined and why it is an inadequate measure.

Control of the Senate

Posted by Danny, on August 30th, 2006, at 12:17 pm

Got more to write about than I can keep up with.

Perhaps you saw this already, but I did want to call attention to a Sunday Birmingham News article about the battle for the control of the state Senate. We have tried to stay on top of this here and, if you haven’t already, [...]

The Company We Keep

Posted by Danny, on August 30th, 2006, at 9:43 am

I am not surprised that questions would arise about the family of Judge Terri Willingham Thomas (Republican candidate for Place 3, Court of Civil Appeals) and their ties to white supremacist groups once they were made public. Political candidates and occasionally other public figures are routinely pilloried for their memberships in all-white, exclusive [...]

Wednesday 8/30/2006 DAILY NEWS DIGEST

Posted by G, on August 30th, 2006, at 7:02 am

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1156929802222610.xml&coll=2 – State’s poverty rate remains among highest in nation.

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1156929749222610.xml&coll=2 – State reduces backlog of prisoners in county jails.

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1156929853222610.xml&coll=2 – Gees Bend ferry finally returns.

http://www.al.com/opinion/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1156930275222610.xml&coll=2 – Editorial praises Kids Count Data Book, urges state leaders to use information to improve lives of state’s children.

http://www.al.com/opinion/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1156930097222610.xml&coll=2 – Editorial reviews success of sales [...]

State Republicans’ “Contract with Alabama” Coming

Posted by Danny, on August 29th, 2006, at 1:57 pm

The state Republicans’ “Contract with Alabama” will be released next week after Labor Day. Here are a few other points I have learned about the plan and its release.

It will be released as the Governor’s proposals. State Republican legislators “are on board with it.”
Coordinating the discussion of the proposals among all the interested [...]

Low State Taxes

Posted by Danny, on August 29th, 2006, at 6:53 am

The Times Daily had an AP story this weekend reporting that Alabama has the lowest taxes per capita in the nation. (This may be the same story we had here at at the beginning of the summer.)

Which brings us to the Covenant for the Future from the Alabama Legislative Democratic Leadership [...]

Tuesday 8/29/2006 DAILY NEWS DIGEST

Posted by G, on August 29th, 2006, at 6:51 am

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1156843087222100.xml&coll=2 – Riley pledges to lead state to new heights if reelected.

http://www.al.com/opinion/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1156843041221670.xml&coll=1 – Editorial praises actions of State Democratic Executive Committee in distancing party from Larry Darby and in restoring election of Pat Todd in House District 54 dispute.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060829/OPINION01/608290301/1012/OPINION – Editorial questions whether the lessons from Katrina have better prepared us for [...]

Bully for them

Posted by Danny, on August 28th, 2006, at 12:58 pm

Regarding the article (mentioned last post) about Terri Willingham Thomas, the Republican nominee for Place 3 on the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, and her family’s ties to white supremacist groups like the KKK and the Council of Conservative Citizens…

Leonard Dixon, CCC Board member, says this about the Southern Poverty Law Center:

“The Southern [...]

The Parties Are Two Tents

Posted by Danny, on August 28th, 2006, at 12:06 pm

Patricia Todd shows that the Democrats have a big tent. Larry Darby found out that it is not that big.

Terri Willingham Thomas, the Republican nominee for Place 3 on the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals, may push the Republicans to figure out how big their tent is.

A Good Day for Democrats

Posted by Danny, on August 28th, 2006, at 8:59 am

On Patricia Todd being named the Democrats’ nominee for House District 54…

The system worked. Order was restored. No death wish in evidence.

The attempt to unseat Patricia Todd as the Democrats’ nominee for House District 54 was more about self-serving factionalism than anything else. Granted, there were sensationalizing factors: Todd could be the [...]

Monday 8/28/2006 DAILY NEWS DIGEST

Posted by G, on August 28th, 2006, at 5:52 am

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/opinion/editorials/060828a.shtml – Editorial praises state Democratic Executive Committee for restoring election in House District 54 to Todd.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060828/NEWS/608280327/1001 – Family of GOP appellate judge nominee had ties to KKK, Citizens’ Council.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060828/OPINION01/608270302/1012/OPINION – Editorial commentary on reports that PSC members Jan Cook and Jim Sullivan used campaign funds for personal expenses.

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060827/APN/608270644 – A [...]