Wednesday 2/28/2007 DAILY NEWS DIGEST

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/11726551123410.xml&coll=2 – Industrial incentive bill gains quick committee approval in special session.

http://www.al.com/opinion/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/opinion/11726544303410.xml&coll=2The Birmingham News questions appeal in long-running child welfare case.

http://www.al.com/news/press-register/index.ssf?/base/news/1172658363269110.xml&coll=3 – Debate begins today on industrial incentive measure.

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/1172657821268850.xml&coll=1 – Student’s documentary tells the story of Alabama’s constitution.

http://www.dailyhome.com/opinion/2007/dh-editorials-0228-0-7b27v2101.htm[...]

“You can never have too much transparency.”

Lt. Governor Jim Folsom marches with the parade of folks who support banning PAC-to-PAC transfers and says we’ll see legislation lowering the amount of unreported money that lobbyists can spend on legislators.

I’ve stated publicly and still am supportive of [legislation on PAC-to-PAC transfers]. I think we need to address that. You’re going [...]

Tuesday 2/27/2007 DAILY NEWS DIGEST

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/117256812431630.xml&coll=2 – Questions arise over incentive funds as special session gets underway.

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/117256773531630.xml&coll=2 – Both ETF and General Fund expected to grow in FY08.

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/1172571323204170.xml&coll=1 – Chair of Legislature’s Contract Review Committee warns agencies not to bypass committee by contracting with universities.

http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070227/NEWS/702270340/1001 – GOP threatens [...]

Introducing the Alabama Line

Alabama Line Flag

Alabama Line FlagPolitical Parlor‘s Alabama Line was created by insiders across the political spectrum who gave their takes on the 2008 U.S. Senate and U.S. House races, and the 2010 Governor’s race.

Considerable care went into thinking this through. Of course, your mileage may vary.

The plan is to update the Alabama Line when information becomes available that would change what is presented here.

So without further ado… here is the Alabama Line complete with odds of candidates winning these various races… (remarks on candidates are kept quite short so that the Alabama Line may also fit into the sidebar)…

Continue reading “Introducing the Alabama Line”

Monday, 2/26/2007 DAILY NEWS DIGEST

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/117248169291080.xml&coll=2 – Governors of Florida, Mississippi back Alabama’s efforts to lure huge steel manufacturing facility.

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/117248150491080.xml&coll=2 – Legislature to convene today for special session, primarily to provide mechanism for funding huge incentives to lure steel plant to state.

http://www.al.com/opinion/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/opinion/117248142391080.xml&coll=2The Birmingham News criticizes State Board of Education [...]

Sunday 2/25/2007 DAILY NEWS DIGEST

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/117239544572970.xml&coll=2 – Corts’ problems with Board of Education said to have begun almost immediately after he assumed interim chancellor’s position.

http://www.al.com/opinion/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/opinion/117239530172970.xml&coll=2The Birmingham News calls for legislators to put aside partisan differences to enact needed legislation in special session.

http://www.al.com/opinion/birminghamnews/jkennedy.ssf?/base/opinion/117239500972970.xml&coll=2 – Joey Kennedy’s commentary on the decision by James Tucker, plaintiff counsel in long-running child welfare case, to appeal dismissal decision.

http://www.al.com/opinion/press-register/index.ssf?/base/opinion/117239913090890.xml&coll=3 - Press-Register calls for legislature to increase restrictions on young drivers in effort to improve state’s driving safety.

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/news/117239903791130.xml&coll=1 – State Medicaid Agency accused of “money laundering” in new contract for lobbyist.

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/070225/request.shtml – Decatur area lawmakers back proposals in special session.

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20070225/NEWS/702250339/1013/TL06 – “Alabama Exposure,” Dana Beyerle’s weekly political roundup for the NYTimes regional papers.

After the jump there are two stories from The Anniston Star with the headlines “2 Top Education Issues Up for Debate in Legislature” and “Riley Proposal Faces Obstacles.”

Continue reading “Sunday 2/25/2007 DAILY NEWS DIGEST”

Senate Democrats Ask About the Rush

On the subject of the special session, the Alabama Senate Democratic Caucus is circulating a letter to the editor. (You may see it as early as tomorrow in some papers.)

Thanks to a reader, you may read the full text of the letter below or see the original here (pdf).

Continue reading “Senate Democrats Ask About the Rush”

Related Articles:

Waiting for His Call

Still no copy available of the official call for the special session.

At this writing, the first blurb on the Governor’s official web site is entitled “Governor Riley Calls Legislature into Special Session.” The body of the first blurb reads

Friday, February 23 – MONTGOMERY—Governor Bob Riley has called the legislature into [...]

Saturday 1/24/2007 DAILY NEWS DIGEST

http://www.al.com/opinion/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/opinion/11723088488770.xml&coll=2The Birmingham News suggests that state follow the lead of Minnesota in developing a merit selection process for judges to replace partisan elections.

http://www.al.com/news/press-register/index.ssf?/base/news/1172312321261150.xml&coll=3 – U.S. Senators from Mississippi, Florida join colleagues from Alabama to urge Mobile as site for huge steel manufacturing plant.

http://www.al.com/news/press-register/index.ssf?/base/news/1172312157261150.xml&coll=3 – Democratic legislators want [...]

Coming Monday

In the back of the shop, the usual crowd was gathered around an old Evinrude 2-cycle that Doc had pulled apart, when talk came around, as it often does, to politics. Lots of jawing over many days, lots of input from people across the political spectrum, and pretty soon they figured that they’d answered [...]

Special Session Has Call Waiting

Editorials across the state are supportive of the news that last week Governor Riley called a special session (beginning this Monday) reportedly to deal with incentives to lure industries and jobs to Alabama and to “create irrevocable trusts to pay billions in health care costs for retired teachers and [...]

Friday 2/23/2007 DAILY NEWS DIGEST

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1172222638290070.xml&coll=2 – State Board of Education delays discussion of Interim Chancellor at request of Governor.

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1172222638290070.xml&coll=2 – Rep. Artur Davis (D) says nation’s health crisis growing.

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1172222545290070.xml&coll=2 – Plaintiff’s appeal court’s decision to end long-running child welfare case.

http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/opinion/editorials/070223.shtmlThe Decatur Daily calls for the [...]

Thursday 2/22/2007 DAILY NEWS DIGEST

 http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1172135798108060.xml&coll=2 – State Board of Education members question leadership of Interim Chancellor.

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1172135944108060.xml&coll=2 – Victims’ advocate testifies before grand jury investigating former community college chancellor.

http://www.al.com/opinion/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1172135730108060.xml&coll=2The Birmingham News agrees with Interim Chancellor’s suggestion that the state needs a separate board to oversee community college system.

[...]

Wednesday 2/21/2007 DAILY NEWS DIGEST

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1172054078189410.xml&coll=2 – Interim chancellor wants new board to oversee community colleges.

http://www.politicalparlor.net/sanders-senate-sketches/senate-sketches-1029/ – “Senate Sketches,” the weekly column by Sen. Hank Sanders (D-Selma) to his constituents.

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1172053736189410.xml&coll=2 – Groups receive $7.3 million to combat homelessness in Birmingham metro area.

http://www.al.com/news/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/news/1172054262189410.xml&coll=2 – Riley pushes plan to increase borrowing capacity for economic [...]

HD 22: Dem Runner-Up Endorses GOP Nominee

I’ve received a report that Don Webster, 2nd place finisher in the HD 22 Democratic primary, endorsed GOP nominee Wayne Johnson for the March 6 special election at a campaign event tonight in Maysville.

Don Webster finished second to Butch Taylor in the Democratic primary. Taylor was a few votes shy of winning an [...]

Legislative Dispatch

A Look from the Rearview Mirror

This Thursday will mark the last day of the legislative Session.  For some, it was a Session that seemed would never end.  For others, it was one that ended much too quickly.  It may be early, yet, to write an obit on this Session, but as we approach the finish line, some perspective may be in order.

[...]

Putting Students First

As you know, a very important piece of legislation will be presented for our consideration in the House tomorrow in Montgomery – Senate Bill 310 – the “Students First” tenure and fair dismissal reform bill. Like me, many House members have been inundated with phone calls and emails from opponents of this bill, and some have been [...]

Legislative Transparency

There are a lot of issues to debate before we begin the final days of this session. In fact, I am quite certain there will be some comments on this post debating many of them. Before we get into the last seven day of the session I wanted to bring up a topic that [...]


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