This legislation reminds me of the Georgia Congressman who wanted the ten commandments posted everywhere, but didn’t know all of them.

–Democrats and Double Dipping–

The real battle over double-dipping starts in the 2008 June Republican Primary, not in 2010. If we lose Stephanie Bell and Randy McKinney in this year’s Primary, the Dems and AEA will proclaim victory. Stephanie Bell and Randy McKinney, along with Betty Peters and Governor Riley, first tried unsuccessfully to pass a policy banning double-dipping in the two-year college system at a state school board meeting last year in Decatur. The four then voted to hire Bradley Byrne as chancellor and were, ultimately, successful in their second attempt to approve a double-dipping ban. It appears the Dems and AEA are using the “Trojan Horse” strategy by promoting their candidates in the Republican primary. For example, Stephanie Bell’s primary opponent is known as a Democrat in his county. In fact, his latest [2006] campaign contributions include $300 to a Democrat statewide officeholder who is a Clinton delegate to the Democrat National Convention. He also contributed to a Democrat state senator. [Why are we allowing a Democrat to run in the Republican primary? Shouldn’t he be removed before the ballots are printed? After all, the party has removed other “Democrats” from the ballot.]

This is the perfect time for the Dems and AEA to use the Republican primary to knock out Republican officeholders, such as Stephanie Bell and Randy McKinney. Fewer people will vote in the June primary because there are no presidential candidates on the ballot and very few contested statewide and local offices. AEA has more money to focus on the state Board of Education races. AEA could easily spend $100,000 on its “planted” candidates in the primary. Unfortunately, Republicans have not provided the necessary financial support in the past [or present] to state school board candidates who must go up against education special interest groups. If we lose Stephanie Bell and Randy McKinney in the Republican primary, we lose the double-dipping policy and set the stage for a new majority which will inevitably replace Bradley Byrne as chancellor.

We can send a message and show our support for these courageous state board members who were among the first to stand firm on the double-dipping ban.The Republican party should remove Stephanie Bell’s opponent from the Republican primary ballot. [By the way, Stephanie Bell’s General Election opponent is on the NEA Board of Directors.] The 2010 election is too late. If Stephanie Bell and Randy McKinney lose in the primary, it will be even more difficult to garner support in the Legislature for a double-dipping ban.

–Pookie