According to the progressive wing of the Alabama Democratic Party Dr. Joe Reed is the last person to lead the ADP for the following reasons;
1. It would be a disaster.
2. Joe Reed went to court to have his name put back on a building at Alabama State University, where he served on the board of Trustees.
3. Reed as De facto party chair has been a disaster. This is a case where past performance does guarantee future results...
4. Reed is not only a disaster, he's a disgrace and an embarrassment to representation of who we are and what we represent. He DOES NOT represent what we stand for on any level.
5. It's time for a fresh face, like Justice Mark Kennedy.
6. Joe Reed is part of the old guard who just can't let go. He has some power in Montgomery but he certainly can't represent the broad base. He is too racist and dictatorial. Note; there is no evidence of Reed being too racist.
7. Joe Reed spent time doing George Wallace's dirty work, telling black leaders this is not the time to move, wait before he ultimately saw the light and got himself in front of the movement that he had tried to thwart. Note Justice Mark Kennedy is married to Peggy Wallace, daughter of George Wallace.
8. Joe Reed is the epitome of out-of-touch. He epitomizes the racial bias that some older Southern blacks harbor towards Southern white, especially white progressives (Patricia Todd). He has expressed his bias against anyone who doesn't stand to further his bias agenda. Reed will generate a false sense of "not one of us" towards a black politico that actually attempts to push for a pluralistic platform. Let's not forget his homophobia, see Patricia Todd situation for proof. See the Patrica Todd situation here.
9. We need a clean break from the past. We need someone who can bridge the gap between the Davis folks and the Sparks/Reed folks.
The Democratic Wing of the Alabama Democratic Party believe Joe Reed is just what the Doctor (as in Howard Dean) ordered at this critical juncture for the following reasons;
1. Dr. Reed as chair would chase all the pseudo dims out of the party. It' no way they are going to be lead by a black man like Joe Reed. Artur Davis yes, Reed no.
2. Dr. Reed would not pander to the right at the expense of the traditional democratic base i.e. women, minorities, LBGT, labor, public school teachers and support personnel.
3. Dr. Reed has a history of fighting for fairness and black representation.
4. Dr. Reed is not afraid of the right-wing bullies.
5. Dr. Reed is not republican lite and will not pander to the right at the expense of the traditional base and traditional democratic values.
6. Dr. Reed is also the perfect person to raise money -- and diversify sources of support for the party. There are untapped resources within the ADP. Dr. Reed has the ability to recruit and welcome disenfranchised/marginalized Democrats into the party.
7. Dr. Reed is more than capable of managing the party effectively --making sure papers are filed on time, candidates are vetted, election results certified, etc. AND make sure the ADP doesn't let the AL GOP get away with anything whatsoever outside the rules. In other words, be ready to pound the table, call BS and file suit if anybody tries any election-related funny business.
Note the difference in the two lists, the anti-Reed sides reasons are all personal and emotional, whereas the pro-Reed side states separate the political from the personal and states just the facts.
I don't know if there is a bridge between the progressive wing and the democratic wing of the democratic party. The ideological gaps are just too wide and run too deep. So maybe the Alabama Democratic Party is a thing of the past and we need to make a new plan. Maybe we should let the progressive wing have the ADP and the democratic wing of the democratic party should all switch to the republican party.
If you can't beat em, join em?
1. It would be a disaster.
2. Joe Reed went to court to have his name put back on a building at Alabama State University, where he served on the board of Trustees.
3. Reed as De facto party chair has been a disaster. This is a case where past performance does guarantee future results...
4. Reed is not only a disaster, he's a disgrace and an embarrassment to representation of who we are and what we represent. He DOES NOT represent what we stand for on any level.
5. It's time for a fresh face, like Justice Mark Kennedy.
6. Joe Reed is part of the old guard who just can't let go. He has some power in Montgomery but he certainly can't represent the broad base. He is too racist and dictatorial. Note; there is no evidence of Reed being too racist.
7. Joe Reed spent time doing George Wallace's dirty work, telling black leaders this is not the time to move, wait before he ultimately saw the light and got himself in front of the movement that he had tried to thwart. Note Justice Mark Kennedy is married to Peggy Wallace, daughter of George Wallace.
8. Joe Reed is the epitome of out-of-touch. He epitomizes the racial bias that some older Southern blacks harbor towards Southern white, especially white progressives (Patricia Todd). He has expressed his bias against anyone who doesn't stand to further his bias agenda. Reed will generate a false sense of "not one of us" towards a black politico that actually attempts to push for a pluralistic platform. Let's not forget his homophobia, see Patricia Todd situation for proof. See the Patrica Todd situation here.
9. We need a clean break from the past. We need someone who can bridge the gap between the Davis folks and the Sparks/Reed folks.
The Democratic Wing of the Alabama Democratic Party believe Joe Reed is just what the Doctor (as in Howard Dean) ordered at this critical juncture for the following reasons;
1. Dr. Reed as chair would chase all the pseudo dims out of the party. It' no way they are going to be lead by a black man like Joe Reed. Artur Davis yes, Reed no.
2. Dr. Reed would not pander to the right at the expense of the traditional democratic base i.e. women, minorities, LBGT, labor, public school teachers and support personnel.
3. Dr. Reed has a history of fighting for fairness and black representation.
4. Dr. Reed is not afraid of the right-wing bullies.
5. Dr. Reed is not republican lite and will not pander to the right at the expense of the traditional base and traditional democratic values.
6. Dr. Reed is also the perfect person to raise money -- and diversify sources of support for the party. There are untapped resources within the ADP. Dr. Reed has the ability to recruit and welcome disenfranchised/marginalized Democrats into the party.
7. Dr. Reed is more than capable of managing the party effectively --making sure papers are filed on time, candidates are vetted, election results certified, etc. AND make sure the ADP doesn't let the AL GOP get away with anything whatsoever outside the rules. In other words, be ready to pound the table, call BS and file suit if anybody tries any election-related funny business.
Note the difference in the two lists, the anti-Reed sides reasons are all personal and emotional, whereas the pro-Reed side states separate the political from the personal and states just the facts.
I don't know if there is a bridge between the progressive wing and the democratic wing of the democratic party. The ideological gaps are just too wide and run too deep. So maybe the Alabama Democratic Party is a thing of the past and we need to make a new plan. Maybe we should let the progressive wing have the ADP and the democratic wing of the democratic party should all switch to the republican party.
A modest proposal: Every voter in Alabama should register as a Republican.
Anyone who fails to do so effectively forfeits his vote, just as Republicans forfeited their votes when Democrats, if you could call them that, were in the same position Republicans enjoy today.
Alabama is and never was a "one-party" state; it was a no-party state in which the party primary allowed all factions to do battle.
In years past Alabama produced a fair number of progressives: Hugo Black, Jim Folsom, Lister Hill, Carl Elliott, to name a few.
It might be possible to do this once more if everyone registered as Republican. At the least this would exerting a moderating influence on any serious candidate.
Registering as a Republican would not prevent any voter from voting Democratic in presidential election -- just as "Democrats" of old voted for Eisenhower, Goldwater, Nixon, Reagan, etc.
I'm perfectly serious about this: If I were still living in Alabama, I would be a card-carrying registered Republican.
If you can't beat em, join em?
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