The Alabama Republicans see an opportunity this election cycle to do something they have NEVER done before... control the state legislature with a majority in both houses. They think they have a chance to accomplish this in November, and have decided to do a state-level version of the "Contract with America." They call it the "Handshake with Alabama."
To read their proposed agenda if they obtain a majority in the Legislature, follow this link:
http://www.politicsalabama.org/2010_Republican_Handshake_with_Alabama_Agenda_Monday.pdf
The are promising the predictable: reduce state spending, block Obama's federal agenda whenever possible, creating jobs, ending corruption, and doing something about illegal immigration. Yes, they're really aiming to cash in on all the popular hot spots of the day.
Okay, let's look at this. The agenda looks good, though I'd really like to see a few more things in it. For example, what about pledging to reduce the ballot access and retention requirements for third-party and independent candidates? In 2006, 50% of the Legislature was elected with no opposition in the general election, so it seems to me that more candidates would be a good thing for Alabama voters.
But ignoring that, the agenda doesn't look half bad... though I have two major questions. Do they REALLY mean it, or will the "handshake" be forgotten just like most of the "Contract with America" was forgotten once the Republicans took power? The second question is, even if they DO really mean it, will they be able to hold their majority together to get these items passed?
A third concern is that the details, conspicuously absent from this agenda document, won't live up to the grandiose ideals. For example, everybody agreed that we needed to "reform" the health care system in some way, but nobody likes what Congress came up with. According to the latest polling data, 60% of likely voters think that ObamCare should be repealed.
Will the resultant legislation be like ObamaCare in that respect, or will it actually be worth considering?
The most important thing is that Republicans, assuming they manage to win majorities in both houses of the Legislature, don't get drunk with their new power and start acting like the Democrats have for all these years.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Did you really mean the Contract with America was forgotten once the Democrats took power, or the Republicans? I admit it's difficult to tell one from another.
ReplyDeleteThis is just more rhetoric from both major parties (after the ALADEM response).
Rather than shaking hands with GOP legislators I propose voters, who supposedly own and certainly finance our government, apply so much pressure on our legislators that they will finally pass Representative Mike Ball's constitutional amendment bill which would make Alabama the next state to have an Initiative and Referendum process voters could use, when necessary, to introduce real reform and accountability legislation that could bypass both the legislature and the governor and be put on a ballot for voters to accept or reject. When that happens we will finally have a government of, by, and for the people.
Ball's bill was known as HB201 in the 2010 legislative session and a copy of it can be read @ http://www.doctoriq.com/bama's%20I&R%20bill.htm
Yeah, typo, meant Republicans. Once they took power they just abandoned most of it.
ReplyDeleteI do support I&R, I just don't think it's a panacea that will solve everything. It has the potential to make things WORSE, even, if it isn't written right.
I hope to post tomorrow something highlighting weaknesses and ommissions in the "Handshake" agreement.