This election year, we are seeing a trend by democratic candidates to label themselves as “Conservative Democrats.” Good news is that the label is an oxymoron and visits by Nancy Pelosi prove that - here’s why: The democrats who control the national party are on record as being pro-abortion, anti-gun, anti-military, pro-gay marriage, pro-big government, pro-higher taxes and pro-socialism…these are the ideals and platform of the present day Democratic Party, whether you’re in Brewton, AL or San Francisco, CA - and they are far from “conservative.” If Alabama Democrats were against this platform, then the thought of Nancy Pelosi or Howard Dean stepping foot in this great state would have sent them running, but they didn’t - they embraced her. Although that embrace may appear to some as being southern hospitality, I can assure you that should any Alabama Democrat be elected to Congress this year, Nancy will be expecting a vote her way for every dollar she, Howard Dean etc…raised for them. Unfortunately, for those who buy into the notion of Democrats being conservative, that vote will be cast far to the left. Alabamians need to understand this now, so that they are not left puzzled if that “Conservative Democrat” gets elected and is voting in a manner that does not represent their values and beliefs.
Today’s Democratic Party subscribes to the theory that “the ends justifies the means,” and will stop at nothing to win, even if that means misleading voters and trying to run as “conservatives.”
The Republican National Committee (RNC) today launched a new Web site encouraging voters to ask Barack Obama questions about the important issues facing America.
CanWeAsk.com provides Americans with an opportunity to submit text or video questions for Barack Obama regarding the issues he has failed to address or refused to answer, including:
•Why, as an Illinois state Senator, did he vote “present” over 130 times instead of “yes” or “no” on difficult issues like abortion, crime, and guns?
•On fiscal responsibility, how he intends to pay for over $660 billion in his new spending proposals and whether he can do it without raising taxes on families and small businesses?
•Why he voted against funding for our troops after promising not to use them as pawns in a war funding debate?
•Why did he tell donors in San Francisco that the economy has driven small town voters to “cling” to guns and religion?
The AP has just released an article which states that Paul Hubbert (AEA) and the Dems are admitting defeat on the double dipping bill. The Alabama Republican Party would like to thank Governor Riley, the State Board of Education, Chancellor Bradley Byrne and the Legislators who voted against this legislation, for their tireless effort to end this corruption created by the AEA/Democrats within the 2-year system. The AEA’s defeat on this bill equals a big win for ethics in Alabama.
If you would like to help us in our efforts to make sure we beat the well-funded AEA/Democratic Party in 2010, and end the Democrats culture of corruption, please donate by clicking here.
Bringing Nancy Pelosi to Birmingham was certainly an interesting choice by the Alabama Democrats. I can’t for the life of me figure out who thought that was a good idea, for several reasons. First, she opposes the tanker deal in Mobile - and did nothing to clarify that position while in Alabama. How do you pay money to see someone who does not believe in job creation within your state - let alone clap and cheer for her? Second, her stance on the issues is a killer if you’re a democratic candidate in the state - can you see bobby bright being successful running on a anti-gun platform in CD2? Joe Turnham certainly made that choice for him when Pelosi stepped off that plane, sponsored, backed and cheered by the Aladems. Last, does anyone see the irony in the event being held at the “healthsouth conference center”? Guess Don didn’t need directions to the place - and again, i reiterate, only the Alabama Democratic Party would give a “hero’s welcome” to a convicted felon. All of this begs the question of who is actually in control of the Alabama Demos and how far to the left has their party actually drifted.
I could ramble on about how recent decisions in the legislature to continue double-dipping are so ethically wrong, but i figured i would just let you take a look at what others around the state think. When will the Democrat’s culture of corruption come to an end in Montgomery? Hopefully 2010.
Here is a round up up how the media feels about double dipping, why don’t the Democrats get it?
What, other than greed and corruption, would cause the Democrats to continue turning their backs on an entire state that is demanding an end to double-dipping?
Maybe Nancy Pelosi will have some insight when she graces the state next month…more on that next week.
Would you care if someone had the ability, even without your approval, to vote for you in the November election - and they voted for Obama/Hillary but you would have voted for McCain? I bet you would. Well that is the equivalent of what Representative Randy Hinshaw (D-Madison) did on Tuesday to some fellow representatives, and at least one who was out of the country. Hinshaw was asked about this today on a radio show in Huntsville, and his reply “I voted some machines to get to 63 votes”(that’s how many were needed to pass the bill) WHAT? Are you kidding me? Surely a double-dipper like Rep. Hinshaw wouldn’t cheat and cast a “yes” vote for another Representative, who would have voted “no”, on a bill that would raise taxes on over 1 MILLION RESIDENTS for a net tax increase of $345million? That’s right folks, he voted YES on a Republican’s machine, who was out of the country, and would have voted NO - on a bill to raise taxes for 1 million people! Pretty big vote! Hinshaw laughed throughout the entire interview with such arrogance that the people of Alabama should be ashamed that someone like this could ever get elected - i wonder if he cheated like this to get elected too? It is this “do whatever it takes” attitude that has completely corrupted the Alabama Democratic Party. The smug Hinshaw also said that something like this “could never happen to him”, because he has people watching his machine like “hawks” and that they would “flog” anyone who tried to get near his machine. Even funnier, they are watching his machine today (thursday) because he TOOK THE DAY OFF while the House is in session. What representation. The Democratic Party should be ashamed, and publically denounce this type of blatant corruption and arrogance.
You can listen to this amazing interview by clicking here. The interview comes at about the halfway mark of the 8am hour of today’s show - 4.17.08:
The arrogance that is on display by Democratic legislators shows that they believe that they are untouchable - again they vote to continue the abuse of the 2-year college system. An entire state has seen first hand the culture of corruption that the Democrats have created in Montgomery, yet the arrogant, untouchable majority keeps insulting the people. Today’s Birmingham News has an editorial exposing this corruption AGAIN. How many articles have to be written, how many arrests have to be made, how many people have to say STOP ABUSING THE SYSTEM before the Democrats realize that it is wrong? Hopefully the answer to that question will come at the ballot box in 2010, when the people vote to kick the culture of corruption, and the majority, out of Montgomery.
Much like Hillary Clinton has trouble recalling the details of her “Bosnia Trip”, Alabama Democratic Party Executive Director Jim Spearman is evidently having trouble remembering the party switching trend in Alabama. Today’s Birmingham News has an article regarding the recent “double-reverse” of John Amari, who recently switched back to the Democratic Party to run for a judicial post. The following is an excerpt from the Bham News (sorry, I can’t find a link online):
Jim Spearman, executive director of the state Democratic Party, views Amari’s return to the fold as an emerging trend in state politics. “I think we are seeing more and more of this,” he said
This provided some good Wednesday morning humor, thanks Jim…First, to have a “trend” i think you need to have multiple instances occurring frequently, so i encourage the Dems to name recent party switchers on their side…The truth is, sorry Jim, that significant party switching has come from Democrats jumping ship to the Republican Party (See Senator Jimmy Holley and the other 140 or so in the past 20 years). Hillary had no sniper fire, and the Aladems are definitely not “seeing more and more” Republicans switching parties - Although this is a very small issue, it speaks to the credibility of everything coming out of the Democratic Party these days.
A proposed bill to eliminate the tax on groceries sure does sound good doesn’t it? Sounds like a win-win, right? Wrong. What the Democrats are not telling you is that while the bill does eliminate the grocery tax, it also increases taxes on those families making $50,000/year or more. That’s right, the void left in the budget after the grocery tax will have to be filled, so the Democrats are introducing a measure in the bill that would actually result in a $345million TAX INCREASE on the majority of hard-working families - i’d rather pay the extra 4% tax for a banana. Unfortunately, the Democrats are pulling on the heartstrings of the people in an effort to put more of our money in the coffers that they control in Montgomery.
Luckily, the Governor has introduced a bill that will result in REAL TAX REFORM (HB 145). Under Governor Riley’s “Middle Class Tax Cut”, 90 percent of Alabamians will receive a tax cut and NO ONE will receive a tax hike. (click here to view fact sheet on Governor Riley’s proposal)
(Click HERE to see the Governor discuss the reality of the grocery tax bill)
No one will dispute that eliminating the tax on groceries is a great idea, but raising taxes to do it is simply bad judgement. Sure, it looks good on paper and in campaign literature, but at the end of the day, Alabamians don’t care about your campaign literature - they care about having more money in their pockets.
The Opelika-Auburn News recently ran two opinion columns on the Governor’s proposed legislation, which was killed by the Democrats, that would have created an independent transportation commission. One column was written by Alabama Democratic Party Chairman Joe Turnham (click here), and the other by Alabama Republican Party Chairman Mike Hubbard (click here). In comparing these two articles, it becomes crystal clear the difference in philosophy between the Alabama Democrats and the ALGOP. Joe Turnham’s article reveals the underlying problem with the Alabama Democratic Party - the obsession with maintaining control in Montgomery, no matter the cost to the state. Turnham writes, “the legislation would have allowed the governor himself to stack the political deck for years to come…” Joe Turnham and Paul Hubbert don’t care that the bill had some bi-partisan support, they don’t care that it would have led to more oversight - but rather, they assume that this bill would take power out of their hands, and they assume that one of the most ethical governor’s this state has ever seen would “stack the deck” against them. How do you know that Joe? Paul? You don’t, but you do know that it would have taken some control out of your stacked deck in the legislature. On the contrary, Chairman Hubbard’s article recounts how Alabama is at the bottom of road studies, and how time and time again the people of Alabama have suffered through incomplete road projects due to an administration change - a practice that would have stopped with the creation of an independent commission. Chairman Hubbard goes on to show how Governor Riley has made every effort to make the ALDOT MORE transparent, going so far as moving the transportation office out of the Alabama State House (ironically, the move to the state house was by Don Siegelman - hmm) and back to the ALDOT Building. Conclusion - ALADEMS article focused on power, control & conspiracy. ALGOP article focused on governmental transparency, progress and change.
At the end of the day, thanks to the Democratic majority, the legislation failed. However, it has left us with some good examples of where the parties stand and the change that needs to occur. Perhaps Joe Turnham actually had a great point in the last line of his column “But we must be vigilant as voters that we don’t give up the ultimate accountability; the ability to remove from office by way of the ballot box those officials who don’t meet the needs of our communities.” - Good point, Chairman, and hopefully those in your party who are more concerned about keeping control, and the culture of corruption that the Democratic Party is so fond of in the legislature, will find that out in 2010.
