Edit~For the first time in decades, state Democrats have a real shot at victory. But can they put their hatred of Joe Reed and his bunch aside and capititalize?

Poor Alabama Democrats, (and EYE use that term loosely), thanks to the Alabama Republican Party being exposed as the corrupt crooks they are,   Alabama Republicans have handed the Democrats a golden opportunity to make a comeback.  Ye Haw!

Governor Robert Bentley, who modeled himself as a Christian candidate dedicated to family values, has found himself wrapped in an adulterous sex scandal. Speaker Mike Hubbard, who ran a campaign based on weeding out corruption in the state house, was recently convicted on 12 felony counts of corruption. And Chief Justice Roy Moore, whose only job is to uphold the values of the Constitution, was suspended—again—for ignoring the ruling of the supreme court and violating the separation of Church and State.

 There's only one big, black, problem for Alabama Dems......

Joe Reed, party boss of the State Democratic Executive Committee (of which there are roughly 50+ vacancies), and Nancy Worley, chair of the Alabama Democratic Party, have managed to deal out as much damage to the Democrats as the Republicans have—if not more. Their ineffective leadership and shameful obstruction have led to a disorganized Party and a brutally apathetic voter base.

If the Democrats want to take full advantage of the Republican train wreck, they'll have to do more than vote. They'll have to actively take the party back.

RedEye's translation:  If the Democrats want to take full advantage of the Republican train wreck, they'll have to do more than vote.  They'll have to actively take the party back from Joe Reed and his bunch.

I was pleased to learn the Alabama Democratic Party, under the capable and effective leadership of Acting Chair Nancy Worley, and Minority Affairs Chair Dr. Joe Reed, were able to Stonewall the latest attack  on African American influence within the SDEC.

There is an organized, media ... enabled, effort to take the Alabama Democratic Party back to before.

This poses the biggest problem for black voters today, which is that Democrats running for state or national office aspire to win black votes without appearing to be beholden to black voters. This is especially true of the three Democratic presidents since Kennedy and Johnson. Black support was crucial to the elections of Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton (each received over 80 percent of black votes), but both distanced themselves from policies that might seem to disproportionately help black people.

Back to a time when the Alabama Democratic Party didn't cater to blacks at the expense of whites. 

The Alabama Democratic Majority was formed because the Alabama Democratic Party was seen as the party of black citizens (like that's a bad thing) and it drove white men out in droves. I remember being at a local Democratic County Meeting where the topic was how to get white men to come back to the democratic party. I said then, and I say now, the only way to get white men to come back is for the Alabama Democratic Party to turn it's back on it's core principals and beliefs. In other words, turn into the Alabama Republican party.

A time when African Americans didn't have a seat at the table.

To combat the continuing absolute racism of the Alabama Democratic Party, some of us created another Democratic Party, the National Democratic Party of Alabama (NDPA), went through a difficult struggle, and elected the first blacks to office in Alabama as Democrats! But the ADP fought as a fully segregated party for almost 10 years as the NDPA came to hold over 100 elected offices,more than any other state!!! Then and only then did the ADP want us, and we forgivingly moved into the ADP. But of course its leadership remained fully racist and we have been struggling to change that ever since. But racists continued to run for and hold office as Democrats. It never fully changed. That makes it clear why people are still very suspicious of attitudes in the ADP.

 A time when the democratic party was the republican party.

Seriously, where is my democratic party? The party of Lyndon Johnson, John Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey and other proud, unashamed liberals?

The party that stood up for women's rights, civil rights and human rights?
The party that didn't throw the traditional base under the bus just to be elected?
The party that was the home of progressives and liberals?

EYE have a question for Alabama Democrats, would you rather lose and blame it on Joe Reed and his bunch, or are you going to take advantage of the republican train wreck and win?  Time will tell the truth.

“I am not a member of any organized party – I am a Democrat.”~Will Rodgers

Welcome the new additions to RedEye's Blog Roll!

Greetings Readers, Lurkers, Commentators and Others! EYE would like to take this opportunity to introduce to some, and welcome others, to the latest additions to my Blogroll.

Welcome Capitol Heel!  EYE am looking forward to you helping me keep an EYE on the Reddest State in the Union and our country! Love the graphic! 

Why Capitol Heel?

Many refer to politics as a “man’s sport” but it is our hope that Capitol Heel will lift up the accomplishments and stories of women who are working within our political system, while encouraging other women to become politically involved.
Through Capitol Heel we wish to provide a place where women can receive advice and also gain insight based on the experiences of women who are active within our systems as either advocates, campaign staffers, movement builders, or elected officials.

Welcome Larry Lee on Education!   Education is the HOPE of our Republic.  Thank  you for telling us what we need to know about what's going on in the Education field, locally, statewide, and nationally.

About Larry Lee

 My interest in public education began in 2008 when I ran the Center for Rural Alabama at the Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries. One project was a study of 10 high-poverty, high-performing rural schools. Two colleagues and I spent months trying to figure out why they did so well in the face of so many challenges. We drove 10,000 miles and interviewed more than 300 people in communities from one end of the state to the other. I went to more PTO meetings, Fall Festivals, Native American Days and other school and community gatherings than I will ever recall.

Welcome Strangers in a Strange Land!  You have earned your way onto my Favorite Blog/Blogger list, and it's not just because you of your critical thinking.

I am a small-town boy from Talladega, Alabama. I was born in 1965, so I’m either a young baby-boomer or an old Gen-Xer. After 12 years in Alabama’s mediocre public schools, I was lucky enough to score scholarship money to attend Birmingham-Southern College, where I acquired my interest in things political, and particularly the politics of Alabama. I majored in political science and worked as a researcher for a political polling firm run by my major professor and first great mentor, Natalie Davis. Studying liberal arts at BSC taught me to think critically. I attended law school at Alabama, but I remain an Auburn fan (see the critical thinking in action?).

Welcome to my Blog World!  Read on.  Read often. 

EYE am trying to figure out how this "Make America White Again" thingy is supposed to work....

So, an independent (code for republiKlan) candidate for congress from Tennessee is vowing to "Make America White Again" if he's elected.  First of all, America was never all White, so EYE don't know where the again is coming from, unless he's talking about when the illegal Pilgrims illegally invaded America and stole the land from the original occupants, who were so not White.  But EYE digress.

If Trump and his followers are elected, how do they plan to make America White Again?  EYE mean, are they going to round up all the people of color and ship them back to Africa?  Or, are they going bring back slavery and force them to live on plantations and work for free?  If people of color are allowed to stay in America will they still have to pay taxes, or, will the government take care of them? 

Do they really think people of color are going to go willing, or are they planning to use military force? Which might be difficult, considering the number of active duty minorities currently serving in the military.

EYE am really trying to figure out what the Make America White Again plan is so EYE can be ready.

Are we safe yet? What Color is the Terror Alert? Are your ducks taped, and your water bottled? #GOPHypocrisy

Remember the good old days of Bush and Company's Homeland InSecurity Advisory System, and the color coded "Terra Lerts" that would appear just before elections?

Remember how Bush and Company kept us "safe" after 9/11?

Remember how the man who gave us Sarah Palin blamed President Obama for the Orlando Mass Shooting?

Remember all of them/this on election day. 

EYE know EYE will.

Let the #GOP define themselves #TrickleDownRacism

 

Let them reveal who/what they really are.

"The Republican Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said, "he knows Donald Trump is a textbook racist," but he is better than a Democrat!!" ~D.L. Hugley

If you vote for Trump this is who/what you really are too.

That is all.  For now.

"Republicans, look at your nominee over here. It’s a grotesque sight."

Read all about it.

Now that Trump has secured the nomination, Republican officeholders are shocked to discover that his racism continues?
A month ago, the Trump campaign chose prominent white nationalist William Johnson to be one of its delegates. The campaign blamed a “database error” and Johnson resigned, but the racist American Freedom Party claims it has “more delegates” on Trump’s list. Another Trump delegate was indicted recently on federal child-pornography and weapons charges, and Mother Jones magazine, which discovered Johnson’s selection, on Friday reported that another Trump delegate, David Riden, has said that U.S. leaders who abuse the Constitution should be “killed by American citizens with weapons.” And the Chicago Tribune reported that Illinois Trump delegate Lori Gayne uses the social-media handle “white pride” and said: “I’m so angry I don’t even feel like I live in America. You can call me a racist.”

Don't worry.  EYE will. 

You are either with Donald Trump, or you're with America.

EYE believe Donald Trump is the republican nominee for President of the United States of America because good people sat back and did nothing when he offended women, Hispanics, African Americans, Muslims, even those with disabilities. EYE want to know how long are Americans of goodwill going to sit back and say nothing? Are Donald Trumps values America's values? Just remember, silence equals consent.


First they came for the......(fill in the blank).

Think about it.

Alabama State Senator Paul Sandford's 2000 foot bill is a pile of #HypocrisyInAction

Let's recap:
State Senator Paul Sandford (R. Hypocrite HSV) sponsored SB 205,  making it illegal for poor women to have access to quality health care within 2000 feet of a public school in Alabama.  Why? Because it's more important  anti choice protesters have the right to exercise their first amendment rights within 2000 feet of a public school.  Sigh  

A state senator has filed legislation that would require north Alabama’s only abortion clinic to move, again.
Sen. Paul Sanford, R-Huntsville, filed the legislation today, saying he didn’t want a repeat of last year, when similar legislation passed the House but stalled in the Senate.

Senate Bill 205 would prohibit an abortion clinic from operating within 2,000 feet of a public school. Rep. Ed Henry, R-Hartselle, carried the bill in the House last year and has said he will again this year, but he hasn’t yet filed it. 

The Alabama Women’s Center for Reproductive Alternatives in Huntsville is across the street from Edward H. White Middle School. The clinic moved to that location in 2014 after being forced out of a building on Madison Street in downtown Huntsville — within sight of the Huntsville Hospital main emergency room — in order to comply with the 2013 Women’s Health and Safety Act and its regulations on building standards.

Mind you, this same Senator,  who is so concerned about children being exposed to anti choice protesters, isn't concerned at all about the health and safety of the children who will be exposed to Silica dust particles because their school is being re-located to a site less than half a mile from an active rock quarry, but EYE digress.

There is more than a whiff of hypocrisy.  H/T Left in Alabama

Children brought to protest in Huntsville, April 2016 – weeks before the 2,000 foot clinic bill passed the Legislature.

Child (with face blurred) accompanying his mother (and her graphic sign) to a Huntsville clinic protest in April 2016.

“We can put a restriction on whether a liquor store opens up across the street and make sure pedophiles stay away from schools,” Sanford said. “I just think having an abortion clinic that close to elementary-age school children that actually have to walk on the sidewalk past it is not the best thing.”

Protecting the children my Donkey. 

Psst!  Senator Sanford, how about passing a bill restricting public schools from being built less than half a mile from an active rock quarry if you really care about school age children.