EYE don't condone the Bloomberg endorsement but EYE understand the Bloomberg endorsement

By J.D. Crowe | jdcrowe@al.com

So, the white male-dominated Alabama media have their knickers in knots because Joe Reed's ADC endorsed former New York Mayor Micheal Bloomberg for President in the Democratic primary.  The same white male-dominated media who give Senator Doug Jones a pass for voting to confirm William Barr Attorney General of the United States of America and who bucked his party to vote with Republicans 53% of the time his first year in office and 36% of the time his second year in office.  The same Senator we have to wonder if he is going to pander to the right and throw his base under the bus every time there is an important vote.  But EYE digress.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

With the prodding of Sen. Doug Jones, the national party ordered the Alabama party to change bylaws that ensured Reed’s permanent lock on the executive committee. England’s son, state Rep. Chris England, won a party election for chair, which most ADC members boycotted.
It seemed, for a moment, Reed’s hold on the state party had broken.
Then comes Bloomberg.

Let's recap 

This whole saga started last August, when Jones led a failed coup of the Alabama Democratic Party during its election of officers, including an unsuccessful attempt to unseat Chairwoman Nancy Worley. Worley was the preferred choice of the Alabama Democratic Conference (ADC), which is known as the “black political caucus” of the state party.
Since then, formal challenges about that election were filed with the DNC, which is now attempting to force the state party to hold a new election of officers and drastically change the structure of the State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC) in a manner which would include less African Americans.

Fast Foward 

The two sides in a dispute over the leadership and governance of the Alabama Democratic Party will go to court-ordered mediation next week.
Representatives of factions loyal to Alabama Democratic Party chair Christopher England and former chair Nancy Worley should meet for mediation in Montgomery on Feb. 6. Meanwhile, Worley, who does not recognize the actions of the England group, has called a meeting of the executive board of the State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC) on Feb. 7.

 Back to the future

Joe Reed, the chair of the Alabama Democratic Conference and vice-chair for minority affairs in the state party, said he believed the State Democratic Executive Committee's (SDEC) move in November to elect new leadership and remove Worley and vice-chair Randy Kelly violated a 1991 agreement governing the representation of African-Americans on the SDEC.

"I think it's time for us to go into federal court, because they're violating a federal court order," he said.

The past is prologue 

The feud began last August, when Jones made known he wanted Worley to step aside. But Worley ran for another term — beating back the entire slate Jones supported.
“He went after Nancy’s seat. He lost,” said Joe Reed, a civil rights veteran who heads the Alabama Democratic Conference, the state’s principal African American Democratic club, and Worley’s most powerful ally. “Doug’s slate lost. He came back. He got with Perez. They then came up with a scheme to challenge Nancy’s election.”
Two groups of Alabama Democrats did challenge the election results, and Worley’s handling of the meeting, in an official complaint lodged with the DNC. A detailed report found a series of rules and parliamentary violations and raised questions about the accuracy of the vote count.
In February, after that investigation, the DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee vacated the August election results and ordered the state Democratic Party to come up with new bylaws meant to increase representation of minority and members of the LGBT community among party leadership.

It's about controlling the black vote

But in Bloomberg, Reed has a special opportunity: A viable candidate who needs his help.
Bloomberg has bypassed the first four states, putting all his effort into Super Tuesday states, of which Alabama is one.

The Alabama Democratic Conference which represents the majority of the membership of the Alabama Democratic Party is under constant and sustained attack from the minority.  evidently, Mike Bloomberg offered a lifeline.

I have spoken to three black NYC political operatives who are quietly thinking about joining the campaign, which is gaining momentum, hiring nationwide, and paying top dollar. These aren’t mercenaries but self-defined pragmatic progressives who believe Bloomberg has the best chance at an electoral victory against Trump in November. I have spoken to a friend who says his black fraternity’s message boards—full of college-educated black men of diverse financial backgrounds, in various professional sectors, living in towns and cities across the country—are full of favorable talk about Bloomberg. As I’m writing this on a trip to Los Angeles, I was surprised to hear my friends here—a diverse group of fortysomething progressives in different professions and from different backgrounds—saying not only that they thought Bloomberg could win but they were inclined to support him."

"A lifeline is not pretty or perfect "

EYE am just saying

First Shots Fired in the Democratic Civil War! YeeHaw!!

Divided Alabama Democrats defy DNC in chaotic meeting filled with yelling and accusations

Alabama Democratic Party Chairwoman Nancy Worley and Vice-Chair Randy Kelly bought out the big guns and fired the first shots in the battle for control of the soul, EYE mean control of the Alabama Democratic Party.

Alabama Democratic Party chairwoman Nancy Worley and vice chairman Randy Kelly filed a complaint on Wednesday with the Montgomery County Circuit Court asking for a temporary restraining order to block a scheduled meeting this Saturday, and also asking for an injunction against the breakaway ADP group.

Judge Greg Griffin has set a hearing for Thursday morning on the matter.

He will rule on possibly the oddest lawsuit in some time — one that asks the court to prevent a group of people from meeting in order to elect new ADP leadership, despite Worley and Kelly neither recognizing the legitimacy of the breakaway group nor the power of the Democratic National Committee to authorize the meeting.

Actually, Judge Greg Griffin will rule whether the minority has the right to rule the majority because that's what this war is actually about.  The 'breakaway group" sees this as Custer's EYE mean their stand, EYE mean chance to take their party back from Joe Reed and his bunch.

That’s at the heart of what started this mess in the first place. After Worley was re-elected in September 2018, several State Democratic Executive Committee members filed a challenge claiming that various issues should make the elections invalid. Among the complaints was an allegation that the ADP’s bylaws were seriously out of line with the DNC’s and failed to provide proper voices to a number of minority groups, including LGBTQ people, Hispanics, Asians and youth.

The complaint also stated that because of those flawed bylaws, the party was being controlled by vice chairman for minority affairs Joe Reed.

Actually, this mess started with Senator Doug Jones's failed takeover of the Alabama Democratic Party when the #SoreLosers convinced DNC Chairman Tom Perez the SDEC Minority Caucus were a bunch of lying, election stealing racist. 

The feud began last August, when Jones made known he wanted Worley to step aside. But Worley ran for another term — beating back the entire slate Jones supported.
“He went after Nancy’s seat. He lost,” said Joe Reed, a civil rights veteran who heads the Alabama Democratic Conference, the state’s principal African American Democratic club, and Worley’s most powerful ally. “Doug’s slate lost. He came back. He got with Perez. They then came up with a scheme to challenge Nancy’s election.”

Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying at the absurdity of politics.

Barry Ragsdale, an attorney representing some of the defendants, said Worley and her supporters were "trying to delay the inevitable."
"It was probably inevitable we would end up here," he said. "To try to tell people they can’t go to a meeting or get together with like-minded folks to talk politics, that's not what Democrats do."

Uh...there is a difference between a get together with like-minded folks and trying to hijack the Alabama Democratic Party. 

Instead, however, there are those who want us to change our Bylaws to create a Diversity Caucus and manipulate the numbers to achieve unfair results because of a urinating contest between Senator Doug Jones and black Democratic leaders in Alabama over control of the ADP. You were drawn into this “shower,” by virtue of your position; this should not be. This demand on Alabama is not required of any other states. Except for the Vice President of Youth Affairs, Senator Doug Jones backed an all-white slate of officers for the SDEC when Blacks constitute 70% of the Democratic electorate in Alabama. They all lost. We should not be asked or expected to cooperate or accommodate racism to placate anyone. Your energy and influence should be focused on helping us increase the number of registered voters and voter turnout in the Democratic Party.

EYE report.
You decide.

ar

“Let the word go from this time and place: You can’t cuss the party during the day and beg from us at night.”

Cue in The Gambler

Alabama Dem leader Joe Reed on Doug Jones' failed power move: "George Wallace tried it, too"

So while Alabama Republicans are fielding candidates running on defending our way of life and our values (sic) Alabama Democrats, and EYE use that term loosely, are forming a circular firing squad.  YeeHaw!

“This was not necessary,” Reed says. “We lost a whole year fighting among ourselves when we should have spent the whole year working the highways and byways of Alabama to help Doug Jones. But he spent all his time fighting us.”

Let's recap.

England and a faction of the State Democratic Executive Committee that supports new leadership and new party bylaws scheduled a meeting for Nov. 2 to hold the elections. The Democratic National Committee, which ordered new elections and bylaws, recognizes that as the official date.
Worley and her supporters on the SDEC scheduled a Nov. 16 meeting.
Worley has said the dispute is probably headed for court.

In the latest DNC enabled escalation of the ADP infighting Rep. Chris England and former Rep. Patricia Todd have entered the fray to lead the new Alabama Democratic Party. 

B-But Tabitha Isner 

B-But Will Boyd.......

B-But Myron Penn..... 

B-But Vivian Figures.....

This divisive DNC enabled #DoOver is threatening Doug Jones's re-election.

The feud began last August when Jones made known he wanted Worley to step aside. But Worley ran for another term — beating back the entire slate Jones supported.
“He went after Nancy’s seat. He lost,” said Joe Reed, a civil rights veteran who heads the Alabama Democratic Conference, the state’s principal African American Democratic club, and Worley’s most powerful ally. “Doug’s slate lost. He came back. He got with Perez. They then came up with a scheme to challenge Nancy’s election.”

But maybe that's the plan... 

Jones faces a strongly contested re-election effort in November of 2019. For Democrats to have any realistic hopes of taking control of the U.S. Senate from Republicans they need to hold on to Jones’s seat.

EYE report. 

You decide. 

Who will win the #BattleAtGoatHill for control of the #DemocraticPartyPlantation in #SweetHomeAlabama?

Cue in Back to life back to reality.  



#SweetHomeAlabama made national news for all the right (no pun intended) reasons yesterday with the election of Steven Reed as the first African American  Mayor of Montgomery, AL.  Yes, Black and White, young and old, rich and poor Alabamians were rejoicing together with HOPE for Change we thought we could believe in humming We Shall Overcome then BOOM!  The DNC enabled by the white male-dominated media dropped a bomb on the celebration.


Let's recap:

This whole Civil War started when the SDEC Minority Caucus foiled Senator Doug Jones's attempt to take the Alabama Democratic Party back to before.

The DNC is on the side of the Minority b-but it's not racial.

Stay tuned.

"This night is not the end this night is just the beginning" ~Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed shows us how to win elections in #SweetHomeAlabama

The votes have been counted and ALL the people have spoken in Montgomery, Alabama.  

Alabama's capital, a city once known as the cradle of the Confederacy and later the birthplace of the civil rights movement, elected its first African American mayor Tuesday.

EYE would like to thank those in the white male-dominated Alabama media for their remarkable restraint and not enabling the racism by advertising Steven Reed is the son of the most hated Black Man in Alabama until after the election.

Reed was already the first black probate judge elected in Montgomery County and was one of the first to issue marriage licenses to gay couples in the state. His father, Joe Reed, is the longtime leader of the black caucus of the Alabama Democratic Party. Woods, who owns WCOV-TV, is the son of the late broadcasting executive Charles Woods, a perennial Alabama candidate for more than 30 years.

And then there is this: 

Reed also expands on the legacy of his father, Joe Reed, a local politician who has served as chairman of the Alabama Democratic Conference for decades. According to the Post, the elder Reed was elected to the Montgomery City Council In 1975—along with three other black elected officials, they were the first black politicians to hold office in Montgomery since Reconstruction.

Psst, DNC.  This is what happens when all the fingers on the hand work together.

Reed secured 67 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s runoff election, beating his opponent, local tv station owner David Woods by 16,000 votes, reports CNN.

So now comes the hard part.  Will the first African American Mayor of the Cradle of the Confederacy be allowed to actually govern or will he be another black/brown face that doesn't want to be a black voice?

The Washington Post reports Pressley said she's not interested in bringing "a chair to an old table."

“This is the time to shake that table. ... We don’t need any more brown faces that don’t want to be a brown voice,” Pressley reportedly said during the event. “We don’t need any more black faces that don’t want to be a black voice.”

Pressley's comments followed a tumultuous week of Democratic infighting, as establishment Democrats continue to clash with a new wave of elected progressives in the party.

 Time will tell the truth. 

Democrats have become consumed by nasty fights over racial politics, even as the 2020 White House contenders ramp up their outreach to the black and Latino voters who will play a critical role in determining the party’s presidential nominee.

Congratulations Mayor Reed.  EYE hope you can and will keep your winning coalition together and refrain from listening to those who advise you to throw your base under the bus. 

Psst! #DNC Chairman Tom Perez Please Let Our Party Go!

DNC chairman Tom Perez showed up on Fox News Sunday to show the hypocrisy of the Democratic party when it comes to African-American issues while begging for the black vote to win elections.

EYE am posting this open letter to DNC Chair Tom Perez written by members of the Alabama State Democratic Party Executive Committee regarding the ongoing re-fighting of the Civil War and the Valentines Day Massacre in #SweetHomeAlabama and the battle between the DINO's and the Real Democrats.:

Lets recap

This whole saga started last August, when Jones led a failed coup of the Alabama Democratic Party during its election of officers, including an unsuccessful attempt to unseat Chairwoman Nancy Worley. Worley was the preferred choice of the Alabama Democratic Conference (ADC), which is known as the “black political caucus” of the state party.
Since then, formal challenges about that election were filed with the DNC, which is now attempting to force the state party to hold a new election of officers and drastically change the structure of the State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC) in a manner which would include less African Americans.

And then there is this, this, and this.

EYE am beginning to think the #DNC is trying to depress the black vote in #SweetHomeAlabama.

Alabama Issues with Janet May
1 hr


September 13, 2019

Mr. Tom Perez, Chairman
Democratic National Committee
430 South Capitol Street SE
Washington, DC 20003


Dear Mr. Perez:

The Chairwoman of the Alabama Democratic Party (ADP) Nancy Worley informed us recently that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has withheld State Partnership Program Funds from the ADP since August 2018. This seems very suspicious particularly since this occurred immediately following the re-election of the chairwoman and vice-chair of the ADP.

The record reflects that the ADP State Partnership Funds were allocated to us, like all other states, until the defeat of Senator Doug Jones’ candidates at the August 18, 2018 reorganization meeting of the State Democratic Executive Meeting (SDEC). The $120,000 that the DNC has deprived the ADP has prevented us from building an effective organization which could be very helpful in reelecting Senator Doug Jones and a good Democrat for president in 2020. It is abhorrent that we are compelled to write this letter on behalf of the Democratic voters in Alabama to get the DNC to release to us the same funds that all other states are receiving. Instead, however, there are those who want us to change our Bylaws to create a Diversity Caucus and manipulate the numbers to achieve unfair results because of a urinating contest between Senator Doug Jones and black Democratic leaders in Alabama over control of the ADP. You were drawn into this “shower,” by virtue of your position; this should not be. This demand on Alabama is not required of any other states. Except for the Vice President of Youth Affairs, Senator Doug Jones backed an all-white slate of officers for the SDEC when Blacks constitute 70% of the Democratic electorate in Alabama. They all lost. We should not be asked or expected to cooperate or accommodate racism to placate anyone. Your energy and influence should be focused on helping us increase the number of registered voters and voter turnout in the Democratic Party.

Blacks got their position in the ADP largely because whites left it. We should not be penalized for our loyalty. White voters should not resent blacks on the SDEC or disparage them publicly for insisting on fairness for everyone. It is incumbent upon all Democrats to recruit new Democrats daily, through their friends, their families, and common concerns.

In closing, we acknowledge your authority as DNC Chairman to achieve the outcome and results you desire through the committee system and perception. But the central question now must be is it fair? Please remember that the ADP, its officers and members are committed to carrying out the order of the Credentials Committee issued February 14, 2019. We are also equally steadfast in fulfilling our commitment to all minorities based on their strength in the Democratic electorate as the national rules require and our own bylaws respect. As members of the DNC, we appeal to you to insist that Alabama be treated the same way that all other states in the Democratic Party are treated. The Black voters in Alabama that you are challenging are Democrats too!

Be advised, the ADP is committed to ensuring that every minority group receives fair representation in all governing areas, but is not committed to any official, senator or otherwise, controlling the ADP. We believe that all states should recognize minorities based on their contribution to the Democratic Electorate.

The ADP is committed to carrying out the Credential Committee’s order issued February 14, 2019, but again, Alabama should not be judged by a different set of rules than other states. We are requesting you remit $120,000 to the Alabama Democratic Party immediately so we can move forward in building a strong Democratic Party in Alabama.

Respectfully,

Janet May
DNC Committeewoman

Charlie Staten
DNC Committeeman

The DNC Credentials Committee Overturned the ADP Election because of alleged "voting irregularities"

Fighting Voter Suppression

Let that sink in.

The Alabama Democratic Party has 90 days to hold an election for its chairman and vice chairman positions.
That’s according to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), which has vacated the state party’s 2018 officer elections following a vote by the credentials committee on Thursday afternoon.
Current Party Chair Nancy Worley and her Vice Chair Randy Kelley will also be allowed to continue serving in their respective roles until the election, which will be overseen by the DNC, takes places.
The DNC’s decisions follows an evidentiary hearing held Monday regarding two complaints lodged against the 2018 officer elections.
“With (Worley) and (Kelley) presiding over the meeting,” one complaint read. “The elections were conducted in a sloppy and haphazard manner that was easily susceptible to manipulation. The elections were deliberately manipulated in order to favor Worley, Kelley and all other incumbent SDEC officers.”
Worley had won re-election in August by a narrow margin of 101-89 against a challenger who was backed by U.S. Sen. Doug Jones. According to the AP, one challenge alleges that, while these 190 votes were recorded only 142 state committee members signed in to the meeting.

That's right (pun intended) the party that Booed Representative Maxine Waters and mocked members of the House of Representatives who were trying to tell them there were voting irregularities not once but twice, overturned an election over alleged voting irregularities. 

“Is there one United States senator who will join me in this letter of objection?” Waters said to boos from Republicans. None did.
As Waters began to speak, House Speaker Paul Ryan was seen seated behind Biden laughing at the overture.
After the vote, Biden told some of the House Democrats who tried to object why he had cut them off.
“Basically, it was the rules and we understand that,” said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, who led the effort to object to Trump’s election.
Trump received 304 electoral votes, compared with the 227 won by his Democratic challenger, Hillary Clinton, according to the official vote tally.

Although the white male dominated media claims the DNC (Democratic National Committee) overturned the ADP it was the DNC Credentials Committee who did the dirty deed.  There is just one problem...EYE can't find where the DNC Credential Committee has the authority to overturn and supervise a state party election.

Credentials Committee:
The Credentials Committee is responsible for resolving any questions regarding the seating of delegates and alternates to the Convention. This committee is expected to meet sometime prior to the Convention.
Responsibilities:
Assumes jurisdiction over any credentials challenges not resolved by the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee 57 days before the Convention, or challenges filed after that date.
Recommends final resolution of any outstanding challenge or dispute related to the seating of delegates and alternates.
Issues a report that is considered as the first item of business at the National Convention.

The DNC Credentials Committee made a recommendation but the DNC has the final say so it's not over. 

HOW IS BUSINESS BROUGHT BEFORE THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE?

DNC members often make proposals on national issues, Party policies, and procedures. Before a matter is considered by the full membership, it is reviewed by one of the DNC’s standing committees. Each of the DNC’s standing committees have about 30 members who represent a cross-section of the membership of the full committee. These committees report their recommendations on the matters before them to the full DNC, which in turn debates and votes on the recommendations.

The Credentials Committee is responsible for hearing disputes about the credentials of National Committee members, and making a recommendation about whom the DNC should seat. 

So time will tell if the DNC is going to overthrow the election of Nancy Worley and Randy Kelly and supervise a new election.  And if they do vote to overturn the election, who is going to supervise the DNC Credentials Committee?   If the recommendation to overturn the election due to alleged voting irregularities is upheld by the DNC it will set the ADP on a course of no return.

And what do you have if you get rid of Reed and his bunch of people?

The Dixiecrats were a political party organized in the summer of 1948 by conservative white southern Democrats committed to states' rights and the maintenance of segregation and opposed to federal intervention into race, and to a lesser degree, labor relations. The Dixiecrats, formally known as the States' Rights Democratic Party, were disturbed by their region's declining influence within the national Democratic Party. The Dixiecrats held their one and only convention in Birmingham.

Be careful what you ask for. 

A DNC #ValentinesDayMassacre in #SweetHomeAlabama

EYE know it's been a while but I felt compelled to get back in the saddle in light of the recent attempt to overthrow Alabama Democratic Party Chair Nancy Worley and replace her with a white male after a coup engineered by Alabama Senator Doug (DINO) Jones failed.

Longtime incumbent Nancy Worley defeated Montgomery attorney Peck Fox as chair of the Alabama Democratic Party after Sen. Doug Jones (D-Mountain Brook) nominated and backed the challenger during the intraparty elections.
Minutes before the meeting, Jones shocked Alabama’s political world by announcing his backing of the leadership coup. Alabama’s junior senator signaled that he wanted change and lamented that the state’s Democratic Party had not helped him enough during his victory over Judge Roy Moore in 2017.

So after the latest "hostile takeover" failed the Sore Losers went whining to the DNC (Democratic National Committee). 

Two challenges were filed saying multiple rules were broken to "stack the deck" in favor of Worley and Vice Chairman Randy Kelley. One challenge notes that 190 votes were cast when only 142 state committee members signed in at the meeting.

What part of the candidate with the most votes wins don't they understand?  But let's be clear, this isn't about broken rules, it's about a segment of whites within the Alabama Democratic Party who don't want to share power with blacks.  They want to dilute what little power African Americans have by diluting the minority caucus.

While I disagree with Dr. Reed on many issues, I do think he has a valid point when he notes that including women in the definition of “minority” in this section would have arguably undesirable consequences. It would put white women – who, due to the racial composition of House districts and the Bylaws, constitute a large number of SDEC seats – in the minority caucus, which was historically designed to insure racial equity. I know most of the proponents of recent Bylaw amendments, and I do not think for an instant that any of them contemplate actions that would make the SDEC unrepresentatively white. But that would be the exact effect of the Shadoin Amendment, in the form in which it was submitted.

When what sounds right is not right (pun intended) 

Just because something sounds like the right thing to do doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. Voter ID laws sound like the right thing to do until you look at the motive behind them. The motive behind the so-calleddiversity amendment is to dilute the power of the Alabama Democratic Conference. Links inserted for emphasis.
The Alabama Democratic Conference, formerly known as theBlack Political Caucus of Alabama, was established in 1960. Its leaders were African Americans who wished to encourage all voters, but especially other African Americans, to vote for the democratic candidate, who at the time was John F. Kennedy with vice president Lyndon B. Johnson. The founders of this influential group include Arthur Shores, Rufus Lewis, .Dr. C.G. Gomillion, Q. D. Adams, Isom Clemon, and Beulah Johnson.All of these individuals held respectable positions in their communities and were looked up to by the people, especially by other African Americans.

Bloody Coup Accomplished! The sore losers get a do-over.

Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it.
EYE say if they want a party that wants blacks to be seen and not heard, let them have at it.

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

The Martin Luther King Holiday is over, back to life, back to race baiting in #SweetHomeAlabama

Kyle Whitmire

Alabama Media Group's Kyle Whitmire shows what's wrong with Alabama, and why republicans are in control of all three branches of government.

Reed and ADC have effectively taken over the Alabama Democratic Party's executive committee and turned it into an overtly racist organization. There are whole swaths of Alabama not represented on that committee because Reed and his followers refuse to appoint otherwise highly qualified representatives on the committee from those districts.
The Alabama Democratic Party doesn't represent the state, but more importantly, it doesn't even represent Democrats in the state. It has turned into a barren plantation, abandoned by its owners after they salted the soil so nothing could grow there, but where the field hands keep tilling the dry dirt because the straw boss never stopped making them. And if anyone shows up at the gates offering real help, they're quickly chased away.

Nothing could be further from the truth, but blame it on Joe Reed and his bunch. 

Last year, then-party chairman Mark Kennedy and other key employees resigned from their positions, leaving to form the Alabama Democratic Majority, a group whose stated goal is to break the GOP legislative supermajority in the 2014. At the time, Worley – who was then interim chair – complained about ADM's staff taking items and information that belonged to the Democratic Party, not to them, such as login information for software accounts, paper supplies, and even allegedly their website, to which Worley says ADP no longer has access.

Many have characterized the strife as racial, with some pointing to Dr. Joe Reed as the culprit. Dr. Reed, who has long been a top politico in State affairs, has opposed every diversity amendment that has thus far come before the body. Dr. Reed is the minority chair of the party, and is also the chairman of the Alabama Democratic Conference, an activist group whose endorsement can mean more than half of the African American vote in many districts around the Yellowhammer state. 

While Dr. Reed claims that his objections are mostly technical – including the fact that women are included when they already comprise half the body – some say that his opposition is only an effort to prevent African American influence in the SDEC from being diluted, even  if at the expense of other guaranteed minority representation in the body.

Using the media to promote negative negative racial stereotypes in par for the course in #SweetHomeAlabama.  

The function of the ADC was never to inspire or support black Democrats. It was built to control them like slaves on a plantation, and Reed was the straw boss — the slave the overseer gives just enough authority to make him feel important. The straw boss doesn't challenge the status quo. He protects it. 

This is why Senator Richard Shelby (R. Tuscaloosa) is running ads saying he's standing up to Obama,  Congressman Mo Brooks (R. Huntsville) is using the public airways claiming Obama is the most racially divisive President since Slavery, and Judge Roy Moore is on TV again.

Psst Kyle Whitmire and the rest of the Alabama Media Group Editorial Board....  Joe Reed represents a constituencyy.  Joe Reed doesn't demand support from his constituents.  He earns it.  You attack him, you attack us.

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.

A RedEye  must read.

Judge #RoyMoore is on TV again, blame the Alabama Democratic Party/Majority, again

Roy Moore Should Be Known As "Hypocrisy Judge"

Yes, Roy Moore is on the TV, again, and we have no one to blame but the Alabama Democratic Party/Majority under the leadership of Judge Mark Kennedy, who wasted precious time and limited resources fighting Joe Reed and his bunch.  instead of fighting the Alabama GOP.

Why are some Alabama democrats trying to reinvent the wheel, I mean party? Not sure, but I think it has something to do with the perception the party caters and cow tows to black voters, like that's a bad thing. I mean, what's wrong with being the party of civil, equal and human rights for all people regardless of race, creed or gender? What are we...chopped liver?

Let's recap

Roy Stewart Moore is the chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. He was re-elected in 2012 to the position he held from 2001 to 2003. He replaced Chief Justice Charles Malone. His current term expires in 2018.[1]
In 2003, Moore gained national attention for refusing, as the elected Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from the state courthouse—despite contrary orders from a federal judge. On November 13, 2003, Alabama's Court of the Judiciary unanimously removed Moore from his post as chief justice. In the years preceding his election to the Alabama Supreme Court, Moore had successfully resisted previous attempts to have a display of the Ten Commandments removed from his courtroom.

How did we get here? 

In 2011, Moore initially considered a bid for the Presidency, but instead Moore chose to enter the race for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court once again. He ran in the March 12, 2012 Republican Primary against two candidates. They were the sitting chief justice, Chuck Malone, who had been appointed to the office seven months earlier and former Democratic Attorney General Charles Graddick, who had become a Republican in 1994. Moore unexpectedly defeated both without a runoff despite being heavily outspent. Surprised Democrats had expected Chief Justice Malone to win and did not run a serious candidate and only had a perennial gadfly nominee. Democrats quickly disqualified him and hand-picked Jefferson County Circuit Judge Robert Vance as his replacement. Vance, who also outspent Moore lost the General Election but garnered almost 48% of the vote.
In January 2012, the Montgomery Advertiser reported that the single-biggest donor to his campaign (having contributed $50,000 of the total $78,000 received by Moore until December 31, 2011) is Michael Peroutka, a longtime acquaintance of Moore's who is associated with organizations such as the Constitution Party and the League of the South and is a frequent guest on The Political Cesspool. In response, Moore said he did not share the ideas of those organizations.
After winning the Republican nomination for the Chief Justice position, on November 6, 2012, Moore was elected as Alabama Chief Justice over replacement Democratic candidate Bob Vance.

Now, let's go back to THIS:   Surprised Democrats had expected Chief Justice Malone to win and did not run a serious candidate and only had a perennial gadfly nominee. Democrats quickly disqualified him and hand-picked Jefferson County Circuit Judge Robert Vance as his replacement.   

As mentioned in last week's Election Brief, on Friday the Alabama Democratic Party held a hearing to determine whether Harry Lyon was fit to stand as the party's candidate for Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. He was to have competed against former Chief Justice Roy Moorein the general election. During the hearing, the committee provided evidence in the form of Lyon's private Facebook postings during the campaign. After being disqualified, he again took to the platform to express his opinion on the matter. Below is an excerpt from his page. The capital letters are carried over from the original posting.
“ I WISH THAT CHAIRMAN KENNEDY RENOUNCE HIS POSITION OF AGREEING WITH SAME SEX MARRIAGE AND BELIEF THAT HOMOSEXUALITY IS HEALTHY AS, IN MY OPINION, HIS DIRECTOR BRADLEY DAVIDSON, POLITICAL FRIEND DOUG JONES AND OTHER FREAKS OF NATURE EMBRACE. AMEN.”

The Chairman of the Republican Party responded by noting that the removal of Lyon from the ballot showed "that Democrats are truly liberal and out of touch with Alabama values."
Stepping in to take on the role as the Democratic candidate is Judge Robert S. Vance, who has served on the Circuit 10 Court since 2002. He was most recently re-elected to the circuit court in 2010, when he ran without opposition.Vance mentioned that he did not enter the race before the March primary because he supported the work of current Chief Justice Charles Malone. 

EYE tried to tell some of Y'all this was going to be a Gang Banging, but did you listen?

The time to inform democratic voters the democratic nominee for the Supreme Court is a bigot is BEFORE the democratic primary not AFTER the fact. It's kind of like trying to UN-RING a Bell.

So, the ADP under the leadership of Chairman Mark Kennedy, was fine with a bigot on the ballot before they discovered a bigger bigot was on the ballot.   This illustrates the problem within the Alabama Democratic Party. There is a huge disconnect between the Big Cats and the Big Dogs within the ADP, which manifest itself in the Big Cats deciding who should represent the interest of Alabama's poor/black/brown citizens . The Big Cats and Dogs recruit/ select these so called "viable" candidates then when they don't win, blame it on Joe Reed and his Bunch.   

What Anonymous said

We had a choice of Roy Moore, Robert Vance, or Harry Lyons? Isn't that sad? I'm starting to think Harry Lyons might have been the best choice--and I'm not entirely joking about that.

It's 2016, EYE am Back!

My annual mental health break is over and EYE am back, raring to go! First, EYE would like to wish my readers a Happy New Year!  It is my HOPE 2016 will be the year for CHANGE we can believe in. If EYE offended anyone in 2015 by Keeping it Real,  EYE apologize.  NOT.  It's only going to get worse in 2016. The first day of the January marks the last day of Kwanzaa. EYE will continue to keep my eyes on the prize, be a voice for the voiceless, refuse to be marginalized, minimized and undervalued, and, to speak my mind with passion, courage and Faith.  That said, let's get busy.

So much stuff happened while EYE was on break EYE don't know where to start.  Since EYE keep an EYE on the Reddest of the Red States let's with a year in review of Sweet Home Alabama, where football dominates, public education, jobs, environmental protection, ethics, and  quality of life for children,  not so much. 

Much Ado was made about the brawl between Birmingham Mayor William Bell and City Council Member Marcus Lundy.  The media tried to make them the poster boys for Scumbags  and incompetence (code for stupid), but EYE must remind them, this is what elected officials do in Alabama.... and, it's not just the African American elected officials.

So, while the white, EYE mean, right wing of the Alabama Democratic Party tried to pull a coupe on Joe Reed and his bunch so white folks could regain control of the party, Alabama republicans were dismantling the already pitiful public education system.  If democrats spent half as much time fighting republicans as they did Joe Reed and his bunch, maybe the state wouldn't be first in football and last in everything else. 

Who knew the reason white democrats stayed at home in 2010 was because they believed Obama hadn’t done enough so they decided to stay home to “punish” Obama for not being the Savior they thought they’d elected in 2008 and stuck all of us with GOP majorities in Congress).  If anyone should have stayed home in 2010 because Obama was not the Savior they thought they elected in 2008 it should have been African American democrats, but we didn't, because we don't have the luxury of not voting.  The right to vote is sacred to African Americans.  It's steeped in blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice.  We can always be counted on to vote.  White democrats not so much.

African Americans vote even when we don't have anyone to vote FOR.  But that's going to change for me.  EYE will no longer vote a straight democratic ticket.  Just because someone is on the democratic ticket doesn't mean they are a democrat.  And no, an African American Pastor who moved to the state two years ago, who was an Independent (code for republican) before he was a democrat, whose deep personal belief is life begins at conception, and preserving second amendment rights  doesn't cut it. If EYE wanted a someone who shared his point of view EYE would be a republican.

Lot's more to talk about, stay tuned.

RedEye