Alabama Politics in
Doc’s Political Parlor
& Home of Lawn Mower Repair

April 1, 2008

Red and Blue Songs

Filed under: Top 10, Off-Topic — Danny @ 11:23 am

Top 10 Red and Blue SongsI enjoyed the article in yesterday’s Press-Register from Sebastian Kitchen about the “group of lawmakers singing and playing country, rock and bluegrass music at the Goat Hill Tavern” on Wednesday nights.

Being that it is a bi-partisan group, I wondered what blue or red songs they might include in their playlist.

So here you go…

Top Ten Red and Blue Songs

10.  “Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue” - Back when pop radio played country songs, this Crystal Gayle song went to #1 on the country chart and #2 on the pop chart.

 9.  “Little Red Corvette” - This song was a first introduction to Prince for many.

 8.  “Red Headed Stranger” - Title track of Willie Nelson’s multi-platinum blockbuster album which also has the list-appropriate “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain.”

 7.  “Blue Moon” - The Rodgers and Hart ballad is probably known more widely as a doo-wop ballad by the Marcels.

 6.  “Blue Bayou” - The Roy Orbison original and the Linda Ronstadt cover are both terrific.

 5.  “99 Red Balloons” - No doubt the catchiest song ever written about the Cold War. The song was a hit for Nena in its original German and later in English.

 4.  “Blue Suede Shoes” - Sun Records’ 1st million-seller was a chart-topper for Carl Perkins. Many remember it for Elvis Presley’s later version.

 3.  “Red Red Wine” - Neil Diamond’s song is probably remembered more for the reggae version recorded by UB40. The B-side of Diamond’s original was a cover of the list-appropriate “Red Rubber Ball,” a personal favorite co-written by Paul Simon for The Cyrkle.

 2.  “Lil’ Red Riding Hood” - The follow-up to “Wooly Bully” for Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs

 1.  “Devil with the Blue Dress On” - The most famous version is the medley with “Good Golly Miss Molly” recorded by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels.

Honorable Mention by Category:

Wardrobe - “Lady in Red” and “(She Wore) Blue Velvet”

Christmas - “Blue Christmas” and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”

Neil Diamond (again) - “Song Sung Blue” and “Forever in Blue Jeans”

Miscellaneous - “Snoopy vs. the Red Baron” (a personal favorite), “Mr. Blue Sky,” “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” “Crystal Blue Persuasion” and “Bluer than Blue.”

Share This

March 14, 2008

Most Influential Non-Elected Alabamians - Complete

Filed under: Top 10, Misc. AL Politics — Danny @ 11:41 am

Most InfluentialFor ease of viewing the whole list and for future reference, here is our complete list of the Top 40 Most Influential Non-Elected Alabamians that the Parlor has been posting in pieces this week.

You may enjoy reading the comments already made on the previous posts (The first post with numbers 31-40 is here, 21-30 here, 11-20 here, and the Top Ten). If this post happens to be the first you have read of this list, then you may particularly enjoy reading the introduction. The introduction explains a bit about the criteria involved and how it came to be that, except for the Top Ten, the list is presented in unranked tiers of ten names.

Here is the complete list.

Top 40 Most Influential Non-Elected Alabamians

(more…)

Share This

Related Articles:

March 13, 2008

Top 40 Most Influential Non-Elected Alabamians, Part 4

Filed under: Top 10, Misc. AL Politics — Danny @ 8:19 am

Again, I am grateful to the many political insiders on both sides of the aisle who freely gave time and input to putting together this list of non-elected Alabamians who most influence Alabama politics and policy. Time and time again I would go back to them, saying, “Help me understand how this person wields influence.” Or, “What about this name? Should this name be included?” Each contributor’s own list would look at least a little different, but their collective input shaped the list we have here, and I appreciate the considerable time and interest they gave to this.

The introduction to the list is here. Numbers 31-40 are here, numbers 21-30 are here, and numbers 11-20 are here.

#1 - #10 of the
Top 40 Most Influential Non-Elected Alabamians

10.  Jere Beasley –The former Democratic Lt Governor and nationally prominent plaintiff’s attorney virtually bankrolls Alabama trial lawyers’ political efforts out of his firm’s coffers, Most Influentialbut has good relationships across the aisle, e.g. with Troy King and Rob Riley.

 9.  Jerry Newby – The head of ALFA which plays hard and heavy in a lot of Alabama elections and policy battles, probably the second most powerful interest group after AEA.

 8.  Bradley Byrne – Chancellor of the Two-Year College System is a powerful job in charge of dozens of campuses across the state; Byrne is an aggressive leader in the role with an eye on an even more powerful post.

 7.  David Bronner – The head of Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA) handles billions of dollars every day and pretty much gets what he wants out of state government.

 6.  Bill Canary - The President of the Business Council of Alabama is arguably Gov. Riley’s closest ally, and BCA is in the thick of many political scrums.

 5.  Fine & Geddie – Joe Fine and Bob Geddie are the two most powerful contract lobbyists in Alabama. Period. Just check out their client list sometime.

 4.  Rob and Minda Riley – Folks on both sides of the aisle acknowledge the Govlings’ considerable influence on their father’s administration.

 3.  Charles McCrary – He’s the CEO of Alabama Power, the single most powerful company in Alabama politics. Other companies trail far behind in their political influence.

 2.  Jim Main – The state Finance Director oversees large sums of money, contracts, the state’s moneyed interests. Less experienced legislators try to see the Governor about advancing their cause; budget chairmen and those in the know see Jim Main.

 1.  Paul Hubbert – The head of the Alabama Education Association and legislative puppet-master was a unanimous choice for #1 among contributors. “The most powerful man in the state, no one else is close,” said one contributor.

How would your list look different? Are there egregious errors here? Notable omissions?

Share This

Related Articles:

March 12, 2008

Top 40 Most Influential Non-Elected Alabamians, Part 3

Filed under: Top 10, Misc. AL Politics — Danny @ 10:17 am

Insiders immersed in Alabama politics helped the Parlor create the list of the Top 40 Most Influential Non-Elected Alabamians in the realm of state politics and policy. Who are the folks who can pick up the ball on a policy proposal and move it down the field?

Numbers 31-40 are here, and 21-30 are here. The first three tiers or groups of ten are presented unranked within those groups; a little more about that can be found here in the introduction.

We are up to numbers 11 to 20.

#11 - #20 of the
Top 40 Most Influential Non-Elected Alabamians
(Alphabetical Order)

    Most Influential
  • Tom Hamby - The head of BellSouth Alabama has a powerful personality and works very aggressively in the policy arena.
  • Johnny Johns - The head honcho of Protective Life Alabama is part of the business triumvirate (with McCrary and Hamby) that has the loudest private sector voice in Alabama’s business policy.
  • Mac McArthur - The Alabama State Employees’ Association is the second most powerful union in the state, and their Executive Director, who was once thought to have his own statewide ambitions, is an incredibly influential personality with friends on both sides of the aisle
  • Milton McGregor - Gambling magnate makes money hand over fist in a capacity that most people think is illegal to do in the state. Uses it to influence politics, and as one contributor said, “Lord knows he’s aggressive.”
  • Bill O’Connor - Former BCA President is now the right hand of Speaker of the House Seth Hammett.
  • Joe Perkins - The Matrix founder is a legendary figure with a fearsome reputation among Alabama politicos; works in the shadows. Probably at his zenith of influence in the Siegelman years, still very close to the House Speaker and is a consultant to many CEOs.
  • Steve Raby - Former Heflin Chief of Staff and Democratic consultant is “Lowell Barron’s guy” and has the ear of Paul Hubbert. Runs the Senate races for the majority and is the GOTV guru for Alabama Dems.
  • Joe Reed - The #2 man at AEA and leader of the Alabama Democratic Conference is not as powerful as he once was, but still extremely influential in his spheres.
  • Julian Smith - One of the most powerful and least known lobbyists in Alabama. He has been with political heavyweight Alabama Power for decades.
  • Steve Windom - In addition to having served as Lt. Governor and State Senator (which comes with residual influence), he has raised large sums of money for candidates across the state. Very close to Governor Riley but on good terms with Democratic legislators as well.

Top Ten tomorrow.

Share This

Related Articles:

March 11, 2008

Top 40 Most Influential Non-Elected Alabamians, Part 2

Filed under: Top 10, Misc. AL Politics — Danny @ 9:37 am

Many political insiders of all stripes and types helped the Parlor create a list of Alabama’s Most Influential Non-Elected Alabamians in the realm of state politics and policy. These are the folks you most want on your side when you want a champion for your policy idea.

The introduction is here, and Part One is here. Plus, a reminder that the list is presented in groups of ten, but unranked within those tiers except for the top ten.

On to Part Two…

#21 - #30 of the
Top 40 Most Influential Non-Elected Alabamians
(Alphabetical Order)

    Most Influential
  • Bill Blount - All hands describe the bond broker and former Democratic Party Chair the same way, “He’s [Birmingham Mayor] Larry Langford’s guy.” Langford, Langford, Langford.
  • Tom Coker - One of the more powerful contract lobbyists in Montgomery.
  • Peck Fox - Former Folsom Chief of Staff and current top “political guy” for Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom. Not a weak place to be.
  • Jack Hawkins - Troy University Chancellor has worked hard to gain the attention and respect of many in Montgomery including Republicans and Democrats.
  • Quentin Riggins - Has become very influential at the Business Council of Alabama. Worked as legislative liaison for two governors (Riley and James) and legislative analyst for House Speaker Seth Hammett.
  • Dowd Ritter - The head of Regions Financial Corporation easily leads the second tier of Birmingham CEOs who are active in Alabama policy and politics.
  • Dave Stewart - He runs the Office of the Governor and in this case - Policy. Makes most decisions in the Governor’s office that Riley doesn’t.
  • John Teague - Ex-state senator who, like Coker, tends to get what he wants for his clients. Has a wide array of clients and associates.
  • Neil Wade - Director of the Alabama Development Office while Alabama’s reputation as a desirable location for business and industry has grown by leaps and bounds.
  • Jim Williams -The Executive Director of the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama (PARCA) has become one of the most influential policy people in the state. He has the ear of many in Alabama, including the current Administration.

Part Three tomorrow.

Share This

Related Articles:

March 10, 2008

Top 40 Most Influential Non-Elected Alabamians, Part 1

Filed under: Top 10, Misc. AL Politics — Danny @ 9:27 am

Who are the most influential, non-elected Alabamians in the realm of Alabama politics and policy?

Who can pick up the ball on an idea and move it down the field? Who are the movers and shakers that make things happen? Who has influence and wields it in the arena of politics and policy?

This earlier introduction explains a bit more about the process - including that the list will be in unranked tiers of ten except for the last ten which will be ranked.

#31 - #40 of the
Top 40 Most Influential Non-Elected Alabamians
(Alphabetical Order)

    Most Influential
  • John Anzalone - The Democratic pollster has done work with Alabama Democrats at all levels and prominent interest groups like the State Employees, trial lawyers, and even BCA, offering strategy on how to help with policy issues. Doesn’t help with this ranking, but he has more than a dozen members of Congress from other states among his clients. One contributor said, “If I were running a campaign, he would be my first call.”
  • Ginger Avery-Buckner - Longtime Executive Director for one of the more powerful interest groups in the state, the Alabama Association for Justice, formerly the Alabama Trial Lawyers Association, and is recognized nationally as one of the more experienced and effective state trial lawyer directors.
  • Brett Blackledge - The Birmingham News Pulitzer Prize winner is shaking up Alabama politics. Clearly important, would rate higher if he better fit the criteria, but instead divided the panel of contributors on whether he belonged on this list.
  • Randy Brinson - New-ish head of the Christian Coalition of Alabama flexed some muscle on behalf of Mike Huckabee’s presidential campaign. He’s expected to be influential in Alabama, and has bi-partisan ties that could transform the CCA from the Giles era.
  • Dan Ireland - Outgoing Executive Director of Alabama Citizens Action Program (ALCAP) and a leader among Baptists, influences some legislators.
  • Bobby Lowder - Colonial Bank founder and president is a force to be reckoned with when he’s engaged on an issue, but his interest in state politics waxes and wanes. Though not involved like he was in the late 90s, Lowder is still keeping a toe in the political waters.
  • Gary Palmer - A founder of the Alabama Policy Institute, he influences some individual legislators and is a staple of Alabama op-ed pages.
  • Dax Swatek - He’s the top establishment GOP consultant in the state and has the ear of Governor Riley, state party chair Mike Hubbard, and others.
  • Joe Turnham - The state Democratic Party Chair is only one of many at the reins of the ADP. Had a solid 2006 and may take one more stab at high office down the line.
  • Sharon Wheeler - She’s the top staffer to the Democratic Senate Caucus and very active in politics and policy. “Runs the Senate,” says one GOP’er.

Part Two tomorrow.

Share This

Related Articles:

Most Influential Non-Elected Alabamians, Introduction

Filed under: Top 10, Misc. AL Politics — Danny @ 8:51 am

Most InfluentialWho are the most influential, non-elected Alabamians in the realm of Alabama politics and policy?

Who can pick up the ball on an idea and move it down the field? Who are the movers and shakers that make things happen? Who has influence and wields it in the arena of politics and policy?

I solicited input from a broad range of elected officials representing every branch of government and political insiders including lobbyists, consultants, policy folks, and party people. This list and its comments could not have been made without their considerable input, and I thank them. Almost 20 people in all contributed, and this list is their product.

A caveat for your consideration: One lobbyist told me that no matter how good the list is, there is probably someone in the shadows pulling some strings that no one knows about.

That said, let’s get on with what we have.

The list here will be in tiers of ten names but unranked within the tiers, except for the final ten which is ranked. Every contributor realized what a difficult task we had undertaken, and the idea behind ranking the names in tiers is that a discussion here of what is power in the realm of Alabama politics and policy, who has it, and how is it wielded in general terms seemed far more interesting than getting bogged down in an argument of whether John Somebody should be ranked 37th or 34th. As one contributor offered, “If the debate is over what tier a name belongs in, I think you’ll get more substantative debate about influence, strength, etc.”

Part One is next.

Share This

Related Articles:

December 19, 2007

Oh, Yeah! Christmas Wish List!

Filed under: Top 10, Misc. AL Politics — Danny @ 9:49 am

Santa’s helpers and Political Parlor elves around the state are reporting back what various folks in Alabama politics have on their Christmas wish lists. Without further ado, we are happy to present the Top Ten Christmas Wishes in Alabama Politics.

(Feel out of the loop? Click on the number for each item to be taken to a link that may provide some helpful background info for the item.)
 

Christmas lights

Political Parlor’s
Top Ten Christmas Wishes in Alabama Politics

10.  State Sen. Zeb Little hopes Santa Claus can get him a refund for all those "Sheila Kretzschmar for State House District 12" signs stacked up in his garage.

 9.  Gov. Bob Riley wants a longer coat. You know, one with tails.

 8.  Former Judge Herman Thomas has been bad this year, so all he gets is a paddle. Which actually kinda works out okay.Wrapped Christmas Presents

 7.  State Rep. Mickey Hammon wants Santa Claus to do his job and go back home.

 6.  Sen. Hinton Mitchem would like just one more teensy-weensy vote for his caucus.

 5.  Ron Sparks hopes Hillary will hire a male secretary - of Agriculture.

 4.  Sen. Scott Beason wants some evidence that Santa speaks English before he drives that sleigh around here.

 3.  State Finance Director (and Supreme Court hopeful) Jim Main hopes Santa can bring him a resume' that somehow, somehow, doesn’t have Beasley/Allen on it.

 2.  Partisans wish Peace On Earth, Goodwill to Men, except to those #%&&!!!s on the other side.

 1.  The state Senate wants a ban on Pac-to-Pac transfers. No, really, we mean it this time, Santa. Seriously. Santa?! Please! Wait! Listen! SANTA!

Haven’t had enough? Then check out the Second Ten Christmas Wishes in Alabama Politics! And more!

Many thanks to many contributors for the list.

Merry Christmas to you and all of yours!

Share This

June 25, 2007

Parlor’s Top 10 Memorable Moments of Session - Complete

Filed under: AL Senate, AL House, Top 10, AL Issues — Danny @ 2:41 pm

Below is the final list (Political Parlor’s Top 10 15 Most Memorable Moments of Session) gathered in one place. I would have enjoyed getting this out a little quicker without it dragging out as it did, but it’s all here.

Click on the #’s of the list to be taken to the original post for more elaboration on the items.

Political Parlor’s Top 10 15
Most Memorable Moments of Session

#15.  Favorite quote of the session.

#14.  Speaker of the House Seth Hammett restructures House Committees.

#13.  Sen. Bradley Byrne resigns.

#12.  Special session and constitutional amendment for industrial incentives

#11.  Mike Hubbard wears two big hats.

#10.  Blogging legislators.

 #9.  Apology for slavery.

 #8.  Constitution reaches 799 amendments.

 #7.  PAC-to-PAC transfer bill dies in Senate - again.

 #6.  Lt. Governor Jim Folsom breaks the Senate logjam.

 #5.  Sen. Poole’s payback.

 #4.  Senate shutdown.

 #3.  Democrats organize a Senate majority.

 #2.  The pay raise.

 #1.  The punch.

What is overlooked? What should merit at least an honorable mention? Would you put them in a different order? I would be interested to know.

Share This

Related Articles:

Top 10 Most Memorable Moments of Session (Part Five)

Filed under: AL Senate, Top 10 — Danny @ 11:27 am

Concluding the list of the Political Parlor’s top 15 most memorable moments of the legislative session…

Political Parlor’s Top 10 15
Most Memorable Moments of Session

Continued…

#1.

The punch. What else? They will be talking about this one for years to come. (Unless, of course, it’s overshadowed by a melee on the Senate floor next year.)

Sen. Charles Bishop (R - Arley) provided coarse bookends to this year’s Senate session. He started the session by referring to colleagues as “pinheads” and ended it with a bang - on Sen. Lowell Barron (D - Fyffe). Caught on videotape by Alabama Public Television, the punch has been seen over 150,000 times on YouTube in several uploaded videos. (See the video here.)

Bishop claimed that Barron’s use of an epithet provoked him. Senators present say they did not hear that, though all sides agree that Bishop himself was cursing. Bishop has said someone will corroborate what he claims Barron said, but so far no one has. As if all that mattered.

Bishop has a history of fights, near-fights, and threats. (A member of the Senate Leadership’s staff has provided a timeline.) When Bishop was running for the Senate in 2006, a lobbyist I know referred to him regularly as “the last Senator to take a swing at someone on the Senate floor” in reference to an earlier incident. Bishop has never apologized for hitting Barron, though he regrets it happened on the Senate floor.

The Senate Ethics and Conduct Committee will consider what consequence, if any, should follow.

Should Bishop step down? I don’t know. But if he were representing my district, I think I would prefer a new senator. Not simply because of the pattern of incivility shown by my elected official that has escalated into violence, but because I would want effective leadership for my district in the Senate for the next three years. The Rules Chair (i.e., Lowell Barron) is the last person in the Senate you want to engage in a grudge match. Will my district’s local legislation get a hearing if I am counting on Charles Bishop to get it through Lowell Barron’s Rules Committee?

This is not the most important moment of the session, but it is the most memorable by a longshot.


Sen. Charles Bishop punches Sen. Lowell Barron

Share This

Related Articles:

June 24, 2007

Top 10 Most Memorable Moments of Session (Part Four)

Filed under: AL Senate, AL House, Top 10, AL Issues — Danny @ 8:11 am

Winding down our list of the Political Parlor’s top 15 most memorable moments of the legislative session…

Political Parlor’s Top 10 15
Most Memorable Moments of Session

Continued…

#3.

Democrats organize a Senate majority. Over a year ago, before the primary elections, the Political Parlor identified the number one question on people’s minds about this session to be “who will control the state Senate?” Last year, the Senate Republicans were just short of the 21 votes necessary to re-organize the Senate in the middle of the quadrennium, but barring big changes, they would have the 18 votes needed to claim a majority at the beginning of a new quadrennium with the help of Democrats like Gerald Dial, Jimmy Holley, and Jim Preuitt.

Even though long-time incumbent Gerald Dial surprisingly lost a Democratic primary battle with newcomer Kim Benefield (aided by a campaign funds from the Democratic majority), the Republicans were reporting that they would have seven Democrats caucus with them to provide a 19-16 majority. Even the morning of the organizational session, the news reported that the the Republicans’ coalition was holding. Jim Preuitt (D - Talladega) was expected to be the President pro tem for the coalition and appeared confident that he had the votes. Gov. Riley reportedly was telling people that he had the votes.

Democrats Phil Poole (D - Moundville) and Rodger Smitherman (D - Birmingham) were expected to be two of the seven Democrats to side with the Republican coalition, but in an unexpected surprise to many senators, they voted with the Democrats.

For the third straight quadrennium, Republican Senators hoped to have enough Senate Democrats join them to form a majority only to fall short.

Coming oh-so-close and falling short can be a bitter disapointment. When your favorite team is blown out in the big game, you can only think, “Oh well, get’em next time.” But when your team loses the big game in a surprise on a last minute play, the disappointment is all the more keen as you dwell on what might have happened differently. Sen. Lowell Barron (D - Fyffe) suggested in a recent interview that a similar dynamic may be at work with Senate Republicans, “They already were organized but when it didn’t happen, I think they’re struggling with they can’t let it go.” I cannot help but wonder if the Senate Republicans’ frustration at the Democrats’ operating rules has been exacerbated by their bitter disappointment at very nearly forming a majority coalition only to be denied at the last moment.

Regardless, the long anticipated question of who would control the Senate was answered by a surprising turn of events.

#2.

The pay raise. Legislators approved the first pay raise for themselves since 1991 on an unrecorded voice vote. The bill provides for annual adjustments for inflation in the future via the Consumer Price Index, so expect no more unseemly votes on the issue.

Many objected to the amount of the pay raise, from $30,410 to $49,250 or 62%, for part-time jobs. But almost everyone objected to the manner in which it was passed.

The House and then the Senate each approved the resolution on a voice vote in less than a minute, leaving little time for debate. Some senators said they wanted a written record of Wednesday’s vote but were denied one.

Sen. Ben Brooks was one of the senators who tried to protest.

Sen. Ben Brooks, R-Mobile, described the blinding pace of the legislative action: “I tried to yell ‘No’, but it was hard,” he said. “He may have gaveled before I got the word out of my mouth. It was that fast.”

However, Rep. Randy Hinshaw (D - Meridianville) reported here in the Parlor that every legislator and the Governor knew ahead of time the amount proposed for a pay raise and that a voice vote was coming. “Everyone knew it was coming. Very few seem to want to admit it.”

Editorials railed. Birmingham talk radio personality Matt Murphy organized a protest in Montgomery that was attended by 200 to 250 people, many of whom took off from work to express their objections at the rally.

The Governor’s veto meant that legislators would vote on the record. Both houses overrode the veto with votes to spare. Though some complained about the hurried pace of the original voice vote, there was no debate in the House and little in the Senate on the vote to override the veto. (Only two senators spoke against the pay raise.)

Some legislators have filled out paperwork to refuse the pay raise, and others have said they would give it to charity.

The unproductive legislative session due largely to the Senate shutdown has made the pay raise appear all the more undeserved.

Gary Palmer echoed the feeling many of irate Alabamians when he wrote, “One thing that voters will not forget is the 62 percent pay raise.” But three years in the political realm is a long time.

To be continued…

Share This

Related Articles:

June 21, 2007

Top 10 Most Memorable Moments of Session (Part Three)

Filed under: AL Senate, Top 10, AL Executive Branch — Danny @ 9:31 am

Counting down the Parlor’s top 15 most memorable moments of the legislative session…

Political Parlor’s Top 10 15
Most Memorable Moments of Session

Continued…

#6.

Lt. Governor Jim Folsom breaks the Senate logjam. The Senate minority caucus, unhappy with the Senate rules, had shut down the Senate for weeks. Democrats in the state Senate had attempted to pass two sunset bills 460 times in this session so that it could move on to the state budgets and other items.

As long as either sunset bill was up for debate, no other bill could be considered without 60% of voting senators agreeing. Lt. Governor Jim Folsom, later citing the constitution’s language that “the budget was the paramount duty of the legislature,” allowed the sunset bills to be postponed indefinitely by an 18-17 vote. The minority caucus disagreed with Folsom over the legality of his action and spoke of taking the matter to court.

On the 27th day out of 30 possible in the session, the Senate began to consider the budget.

To have been such a brouhaha at the time, the matter quieted down rather quickly as the Senate got to work (and later passed the sunset bills). Some will ultimately say the Lt. Governor showed decisive leadership in moving the Senate forward in its duty. Others will feel that he has contributed even further to bitter acrimony in the Senate.

The Anniston Star:

It was not the way we would have wanted the stalemate ended. But considering the alternative — protracted special sessions, the decisions of school superintendents in limbo, agencies unable to plan for next year, teachers pink-slipped, skilled employees looking for other jobs — it might prove to be the best of a bunch of bad solutions.

In the end, a lot of good legislation did not get the hearing it deserved.

#5.

Sen. Poole’s payback. There are really three paybacks at work here. Payback to Poole by the Senate, payback by the Governor, and payback by Poole.

Sen. Phil Poole (D - Moundville) switched his vote in the organizing session at the 11th hour (along with Rodger Smitherman, D - Birmingham) to give the Democratic caucus another Senate majority. Part of his payback was going to be $1 million in road projects for Tuscaloosa County. On the last day of the session, Republican Governor Riley dusted off the rarely used line-item veto and struck the earmark. (The $1 million remained in ADECA’s budget.)

After the veto was upheld in the House, Sen. Poole had his own payback by effectively killing in the Senate any bill by any House member who voted with the Governor.

Ugly politics all around.

Two Birmingham News editorials (”Riley’s remarkable roundhouse” and “Poole’s pound of flesh“) tell the story more fully.

#4.

Senate shutdown.

The Senate minority caucus of 12 Republicans and 5 Democrats fell a vote shy of organizing as the majority in the organizing session. The Democratic majority passed organizing rules that the minority felt were unfair, in that they “allowed for the majority to have an ironclad filibuster-proof control over the Senate.”

Mobile’s Press-Register:

Two of the rules of most concern are those allowing 18 senators, instead of the previous 21, to vote to stop debate on redistricting and on budgets, and another mandating roll call votes only when three senators request it. Before those rules were adopted in January, six senators could sign a document at the beginning of each legislative day asking for a roll call vote for the entire day.

With the rare exception (e.g., the pay raise and the ThyssenKrupp incentives), the Senate was completely shutdown for 26 of the 30 meeting days until Lt. Governor Folsom and the Democrats postponed indefinitely the sunset bills that were damming the process, as mentioned above.

One point I made previously… The Senate minority caucus came close enough to being the majority that they would have had their own proposed operating rules prepared. If the minority caucus had demonstrated by releasing their own rules that they were taking a high road with proposed rules that were more fair, the caucus would have nailed down its argument that the Democrats’ rules were unreasonable.

To be continued…

Share This

Related Articles:

June 20, 2007

Top 10 Most Memorable Moments of Session (Part Two)

Filed under: AL House, Top 10, AL Issues — Danny @ 8:31 am

Continuing the fun, here are more of the Parlor’s top 15 most memorable moments of the legislative session…

Political Parlor’s Top 10 15
Most Memorable Moments of Session

Continued…

#10.

Blogging legislators. Rep. Randy Hinshaw (D - Meridianville) and Rep. Cam Ward (R - Alabaster) agreed to blog here at the Political Parlor for the duration of the legislative session. Soon after, Rep. Mike Ball (R - Huntsville) and Rep. Patricia Todd (D - Birmingham) agreed to follow suit at Between the Links and Birmingham Blues, respectively. The legislators accepted the challenge with candor and grace. The Huntsville Times took notice with a big article on a Sunday in March (though it inexplicably misidentified the owner of this blog).

Thanks, Representatives Hinshaw, Ward, Ball, and Todd, for insiders’ perspectives. More information is good.

#9.

Apology for slavery. The legislature passed an apology for slavery. (Full text of apology here.) More Alabamians would benefit more from an increase in minimum wage for the first time in ten years, a tax structure that doesn’t tax the working-poor at a rate higher than any other state’s (pdf), or a state constitution that enabled good government instead of shackling it. But we didn’t get those things. We got the apology, and that had its own importance.

#8.

Constitution reaches 799 amendments. The longest constitution in the world got longer by five amendments passed this year by the legislature and then by a majority of the 9.6% of the voters who turned out. How many times would you fix your car before you decided you should start over with a new one?

#7.

PAC-to-PAC transfer bill dies in Senate - again. A bill to ban PAC-to-PAC transfers has passed the House for five consecutive years. Because both parties declared legislative platforms that supported passage of the bill, surely the sixth time would be the charm. No.

The bill to ban PAC-to-PAC transfers has become a symbol, a symbol of the legislature’s inability to give the people what they want (and to follow through on what the legislature says it wants), a symbol of the state government’s unwillingness to deny campaigns one of the washing machines used to launder campaign donations.

The papers and the blogs bemoan the death of the bill. Every year we excitedly run toward it like Charlie Brown getting ready to kick the football at last, but every year the Senate plays the role of Lucy, jerking it away from us. It’s not as if the bill is the end-all, the Holy Grail, the magic that will make all state politics good, just, and transparent, but it is a small positive step that continues to elude us.

The word is that there will be a legislative special session in the fall dealing with issues of ethics and transparency. Perhaps Lucy will bring the football.

To be continued…

Share This

Related Articles:

June 19, 2007

Top 10 Most Memorable Moments of Session (Part One)

Filed under: AL Senate, AL House, Top 10, Party Politics — Danny @ 1:59 pm

This year’s legislative session is behind us, and so, just for fun, here are the Parlor’s Top 10, er… 15, most memorable moments of the legislative session. Or at least a start…

Political Parlor’s Top 10 15
Most Memorable Moments of Session

#15.

Favorite quote of the session. The Parlor’s favorite quote of the session comes from Rep. Duwayne Bridges (R - Valley): “You’re wrong. I don’t know what you said, but you’re wrong.” You can hear the audio here at Between the Links (with about 42 seconds left in the recording).

#14.

Speaker of the House Seth Hammett restructures House Committees. Hammett (D - Andalusia) shook up the committees when organizing for the new quadrennium. Some important committees, e.g. Rules and Education Appropriations, had only five Republicans and twice as many Democrats. House Minority Leader Mike Hubbard (R - Auburn) was not re-appointed to the Education Appropriations Committee, an important one to Hubbard’s hometown university.

On this subject, Friday night at the Red State Summer Dinner, a GOP House member told me, “I know I am supposed to be all partisan about this, but if we were in the majority, we’d be doing this to the Democrats.”

#13.

Sen. Bradley Byrne resigns. Sen. Bradley Byrne (R - Fairhope) resigned to accept Governor Riley’s appointment to clean up the two-year college scandals. Riley’s choice to stop the revolving door of leadership at the top of the two-year college program has been widely praised. Primary elections for the empty Senate seat will be August 7. Expect a Republican to fill the seat.

#12.

Special session and constitutional amendment for industrial incentives. A special session and a new constitutional amendment allow the state to sell up to $400 million in bonds to pay for industrial incentives, particularly for German steelmaker ThyssenKrupp AG who chose the Mobile area for a $3.7 billion steel plant. Which will probably happen, but…

#11.

Mike Hubbard wears two big hats. Rep. Mike Hubbard (R - Auburn) serves in two high profile party roles as state GOP Party Chair and House Minority Leader.

To be continued…

Share This

Related Articles:

January 12, 2007

Top Ten Election Winners: #7

Filed under: Campaign & Election, Top 10, Local Politics — Danny @ 11:43 am

In the state’s November elections, some winners and losers are worth noting. In our Top 10 Winners, we are up to number seven.

#7. Jefferson County Democrats

#7If state Democrats were handed an election night bouquet representing net gains in county courthouses around the state, Jefferson County was one of the larger roses.

Jefferson County Republicans campaigned aggressively. GOP Sheriff Mike Hale’s radio ads wanted voters to vote straight Republican to clean up “dishonesty and corruption in the county.” Billboards urged voters to “vote straight Republican.” And they had high hopes for the coattails of a popular GOP governor who carried the county.

In the end, of 11 contested judicial races, the Republicans put up eight incumbents, lost three of them, and did not win any of the open seats. The Democrats won six of the eleven races without even a single Democratic incumbent running to retain a seat. (Incumbents won the two non-judicial races: GOP Sheriff Mike Hale and Democratic Circuit Clerk Anne Marie Adams.)

The highest vote getter in the county in any race was Democrat Sherri Friday in Probate Court Place 2. (One Republican judge told a friend of mine, “You do not want to run against an over-the-mountain Democrat.”) At Probate Court Place 1, Riley appointee Mark Gaines fumbled so badly that the Birmingham News, who had endorsed him, editorialized that they were “deeply disappointed” by his “misleading and unfair allegations about his opponent, Alan King,” and that he “deserved to lose.” (And he did.)

About 15,000 more voters in the county (representing about 15% of the turnout) voted a straight Democrat ticket than voted straight Republican. And at least one county official is already making a little noise about switching from GOP to Democrat before the next election.

Marty Connors, former state GOP chair, noted the Democrats’ successes in the state’s courthouses after this election:

Connors did lament GOP losses in local seats, calling those “the real grass-roots level” that indicates the depths of a party’s true strength and public standing. “If there’s anywhere that we turned back the clock, that’s it,” he said.

Both parties produced bright spots on election night, and this was one of the brighter ones for the Democrats.

'Vote Straight Republican' Billboard in Jefferson Country

Share This

Related Articles:

— Next Page »

Powered by WordPress