I want you to read this... it's a message from Governor Bob Riley telling how he and ALGOP Chairman Mike Hubbard (now Speaker of the Alabama House) managed to plan, organize, and carry off last Tuesday's election results. Read the letter yourself.
http://tinyurl.com/2ap539v
Now, having read that message several times, I must tell you I'm a bit peeved. This message clearly says that Riley thinks Alabamans LOVE the Republicans. We support THEIR agenda.
But we don't. From the rumblings I'm hearing already, the GOP is dissing the Tea Parties and the politicians who backed them. They are planning paybacks against the Democrats, and preparing to enact their own agenda.
But what about those of us who supported them because we want smaller government? What about the Tea Party activists who energized the independents? What about OUR concerns?
Forget it.
It won't happen. The "new leadership" is really the old leadership... the same people in charge. We're not going to see a small government agenda, because now it's THEIR turn to exercise all this wonderful government power. Why give it up?
You know how bad it was when the Democrats got control of the White House and both Houses of Congress? Well, the Republicans have control of the Governor's office and both Houses of the Legislature. It's not going to be pretty, and it's not going to have anything to do with small government.
The Republican leadership believes it has a mandate... but I wonder if their interpretation is the same as that of the voters? Obama had a mandate... he thought. Will the Republicans behave similarly?
I don't know. What I DO know is that the same old politicians are in charge of the GOP, and that's a bad recipe for meaningful change.
Friday, November 5, 2010
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How can you make a statement saying "The "new leadership" is really the old leadership... the same people in charge?"
ReplyDeleteThat is so far from the truth it is laughable - the leadership has changed ideologies completely with leaders that are committed to reform for the state.
What leaders would you like to see elected for (as you call it) "meaningful change?"
Budget realities will shrink government soon enough. Knowing the D's are champing at the bit to paint the R's as tax raisers will also help.
ReplyDeleteThe task of small government advocates is to convince the congregation less government, (e.g abolition of zoning boards, closing the state stores, your senator does not have a check to deliver, only violent offenders in jail, selling off the county/city water system) is good and something to press the Legislature on. Too many are for it until they stand in line half a day to get new car tags, their kids have to walk to school, etc.
Has it? Has it really? Let's see, the majority leader for the Senate will be... the same guy who was the minority leader. Wow, my mistake.. big change in GOP leadership, there.
ReplyDeleteLook, independents didn't flock to the Republicans because we loved their same old message. Nope, we want a small-government antidote to Democrat excesses... something the GOP hasn't been stellar at providing. By putting the same old Republcans in charge of the new majority, they're telling us we're not going to get the change we want.
What would be meaningful change? From a procedural standpoint, I'd like to see a legislature that actually processes bills. The Democrats sat on them if the leadership didn't like them, regardless of the amount of committee or general support they enjoyed. They also rejected Republican-sponsored bills fairly regularly. A real change would be a Legislature that deals with bills impartially, and advances even bills that seem likely to fail.
Instead, early indications are that the GOP will act just like the Democrats, only in reverse. Punish the Democrats!
They have little interest in reforming government. Now that they're i charge, by gum, they want to USE that political power!
While it would be entertaining to see the legislature actually debate, make yea or nay votes, who is the better king, Stork or Log?
ReplyDeleteAre you asking if the Republicans will be better than or worse than the Democrats? Actually, that has yet to be determined. Early indicators are that they will behave remarkably similarly to the Democrats.
ReplyDeleteRemember Aesop and the fable of King Stork and King Log?
ReplyDeleteThe frogs prayed for a king. They were sent a crowned log who just laid there. Unhappy, they prayed and were sent a Stork, Who promptly began sticking his beak into their pond and ate most of the them. They prayed then for their old king. The stork went away, the log returned. They multiplied and were happy once more.
Alabama's political parties are generally Storks, the urge to "improve" things, redress old wrongs, and generally control things to their advantage is strong. Consider the monopoly status the gaming magnates seek or the fact carrying a pocket knife of any size is grounds for arrest or the various proposals to require beer kegs have traceable serial numbers.
Well, asking them to actually function and consider bills isn't the same as asking them to be an activist legislature. By definition, letting bills be voted on insted of killing them in committee takes up more time... thus allowing for fewer bills.
ReplyDelete(grin) Or so one can theorize.