Why Dr. Joe Reed should be the next chairperson of the Alabama Democratic Party

Alabama Democratic Conference chairman Dr. Joe L. Reed would be the perfect person to lead Alabama Democrats out of this Godforsaken wilderness where Election 2010 stranded us.

For one thing, Dr. Reed would chase all the pseudo dims, neoliberals, progressives, conservadems, moderates, and independents out of the democratic tent once and for all. With *ahem* democrats like these who needs republicans? Democrats have to rise up and take their own party back from the infiltrators. That time is long overdue in Alabama.

Dr. Reed is not afraid of the right-wing bully. He wouldn't capitulate to republicans on any level. Dr. Reed has a history of fighting for the values real democrats share whether that be taking them on in the elections or in the media. He definitely wouldn't be republican lite.

Joe Reed is known as a “fighter for fairness” for black representation. In 1975, Joe Reed led the efforts to get equitable representation for blacks on the Montgomery City Council. His efforts resulted in four (4) blacks of nine (9) being elected. He served on the Montgomery City Council for 24 years. In the Democratic Party today, Alabama’s black representation exceeds all other states in the nation. For over 40 years he has led the effort to get more blacks elected and appointed to public office, including federal marshals, federal and state judges, members of the boards of registrars, legislators, county commissioners, city councils, and school boards. Due largely to his leadership, today Alabama has more black elected officials than any state in the nation. He drafted two (2) plans that increased black representation in the Alabama House of Representatives from 13 to 27; and in the Senate from 3 to 8 in 1982, and 1992, respectively. He also drew a reapportionment plan that provided for 25% (two of eight) majority black districts on the State Board of Education. Alabama is the only state in the nation where the Legislature reflects the state’s population of blacks and whites. Dr. Reed’s congressional plan also led to Alabama’s gaining a black congressional seat

The ADP needs a chairman who will kick the pseudo-Democrats out of the party. It's time for them to GO.

My definition of Blue Dog/ConservativeDemocrats are candidates and elected officials whom identify themselves as "Democrats" to garner the African American vote, and "Conservative" to garner the White votes. In reality they are social conservatives, also known as Republicans.

In my opinion moderates, undecideds,swing voters, blue collar voters, working class voters, nascar dads, security moms, walmart moms, in the middle voters, values voters,evangelical voters, christian right and libertarians are code words developed and used by the media to manipulate public opinion. In reality these groups are social conservatives, also known as Republicans.

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. Minority voters are tired of their loyalty being taken for granted.  We are tired of being expected to be seen but not heard. The ADP wants our votes but they don't want to address our issues.

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 ALGOP 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. He certainly wouldn't award no-bid contracts to fight for Alabama with a blog.

bluebearcat makes the best case for a chairperson like Dr. Joe Reed;

Democrats running in heavily Republican district had an obligation to do the best they could to get elected or re-elected; part of that involved saying and doing things that undermined the overall message of the Democratic party. I don't begrudge them that. However, our party cannot be run by the folks that are in that position.

We need to find a message for our state party that recognizes that matters where we will undoubtedly differ with the national party (gun rights), matters where we will respect an individuals own conscience (abortion), and matters where we believe the cause of justice is more important than politics (discrimination). But we ought to all rally around expanding economic opportunity and better government services in this state.

Yep, Joe L. Reed is just what the Doctor ordered for the ADP.

unless we start vetting names and start a Draft movement. like the Howard Dean DNC movement started by net roots. if you haven't read that story it's fascinating and exactly what needs to be done here.
so this list of qualities is great but time to put it in to action if you really want to do affect State politics.

come up with a name then start petitions and a full fledged draft movement.

If the ADP keeps doing what it's always done, it will get what it's always got.

The Democratic Party is suffering from an atrophy of character. We have lost any conceivable moderates to attrition, because the Republican Party at least has the ability to define who it is – regardless of the fact that they’re the drunk guy at the holiday party, at least everyone remembers that guy’s name. Our fixation on “the bad guys” does no good if we’re not worth listening to in the first place. We need deliberately distinct leaders and we need to be unabashedly unafraid to support those leaders in bringing back the fundamentals of what matters to Democrats and -- as one insider so eloquently put it recently -- "the tangible consequences of voting for them."

If the GOP infused, media-enabled Tea Party can do it, we can do it too.