The Alabama State Democratic Party is politically, morally, and financially bankrupt. Blame "Joe Reed and his bunch"

 

Once again we have a one sided news article about goings on within the Alabama Democratic Party, basically blaming Vice Chairman Joe Reed because  The Alabama Democratic Party is almost bankrupt, facing a looming debt of nearly a half-million dollars and having less than $20,000 of total cash in hand.

Shortly after becoming chairman, Kennedy was able to convince one of the three banks owed most of the money -- $276,000 -- to put the loan into forbearance. A second bank agreed that the party could make payments on the interest owed, not the principal and a third bank, owed only about $18,000, is being repaid."Those agreements gave us breathing room," said Kennedy.                                                     
But Kennedy's efforts to financially stabilize the party have been dealt a major blow by a majority on the party's Executive Board. The board in meetings in February and March voted to order Kennedy to undo the agreements he had worked out with the banks, an order that would, Kennedy said, effectively bankrupt the party in a short amount of time.  The board acted at the urging of Democratic Party Vice Chairman Joe Reed, who for years has been one of the party's major players.

Kennedy's efforts to financially stabilize the party weren't dealt a major blow by a majority on the party's Executive Board, they were dealt a blow when the Red Republican Super majority passed legislation that banned PAC-to-PAC transfers, and in so doing effectively financially crippled the Democrats but not the GOP. But here is the kicker, the Red Republican Super Majority was  enabled by some (not to confused with all)  cough cough  democrats.

A review of party financial records shows it owes three banks almost $489,000 stemming from loans given over the years that have allowed the party to stay afloat. The loans, along with dollars given to the party from political action committee transfers, particularly the Alabama Education Association, have been the life blood of the party, said state Chairman Mark Kennedy.
But a newly elected Republican Party super majority in late 2010 passed legislation that banned PAC-to-PAC transfers and in so doing effectively dried up new dollars coming into the party, said Kennedy. For decades the ability of PAC's to transfer dollars between themselves made it difficult to determine where political contributions originated and ended. It was a practice supporters of both political parties used and it was a practice long seen as a corrupting influence on state politics because it often allowed the source of dollars into political campaigns to stay hidden.
"The reforms the Republicans passed in 2010, whether you think they were good or not, what they did was effectively cut off our dollars from PAC's," said Kennedy.

So, how does that ethics reform and pac to pac transfer ban thingy working out for you now?  The Black wing of the Alabama Democratic Party (ADC), under the leadership of Joe Reed challenged the pac-to pac transfer ban.

MONTGOMERY — A black political organization has filed a lawsuit challenging a new state law that bans the transfer of campaign contributions between political action committees, even though blacks in the House and Senate voted for the legislation.
The lawsuit by the Alabama Democratic Conference, the black wing of the state Democratic Party, was filed earlier this month in federal court in Birmingham. It says the ban on PAC-to-PAC transfers violates the ADC’s free speech rights and hurts its efforts to get black voters to the polls. ADC chairman Joe Reed says the ban restricts the Democratic Party’s ability to transfer money to the ADC’s efforts to get out the vote in black communities.
“It has the effect of undermining the black vote. It’s directly tied to the role the Democratic Conference has played in the political process,” Reed said.

Can you hear him now? Note, the Alabama Democratic Conference not the Alabama Democratic Party filed the suit which a federal judge overturned part of.

a federal judge late Wednesday ruled that the Alabama Democratic Conference can continue to accept money from outside political groups for get-out-the-vote campaigns and other voter education programs despite last year's ban by the state Legislature on PAC-to-PAC money transfers.

So here we (The Alabama Democratic Party) are, on the verge of bankruptcy politically, morally and financially.

"Unlike the Republicans, we just as a party have not developed the kind of broad donor base a modern political party needs and the Republicans have," said Kennedy. "Since becoming chairman in 2011 one of my primary goals has been to begin to bring financial stability back to the party and begin the kind of outreach to potential donors that will allow us to not only be stable financially but to grow the party in communities across this state."

It's unfortunate, but potential donors will not donate as long as Joe Reed and his bunch have a seat at the table.

Kennedy has my support as long as he's opposed to Reed. Reed is the problem and as long as he's there, white Democrats in Alabama will continue to be on the endangered list. What Reed doesn't realize is that the money that used to come to the party is drying up and there is no budget for useless staffers any more.  yellerdog

And so what are the lessons here?

African-Americans are vital to the election process of this great nation. This vibrant and resilient community has suffered disenfranchisement on numerous levels throughout the 400 years since our ancestors first arrived on the shores of the new world. For too long our story has been written with a dialogue that is entrenched in the language of doubt and struggle. But we are now writing a new story.
The Alabama Primary showed that we are voters who count. We are not simply concerned, but we are aware. And we will not suffer fools or foes, regardless of race, not even our own. Artur Davis’ loss proves that ignoring African-American voters is the best way to lose an election.

Democrats don't want us and republicans won't have us.  What to do and where to go?  

 Efforts to reach Reed for comment were not successful.

Monday oxyMorons

Rep. Dary Issa (r. CA) says the Obama administration is one of the most corrupt administrations in history.  What did the Obama administration do...take us to war based on DEAD WRONG intelligence to look for WMD that was NOT there without an exit plan? Did they raid the surplus to give the rich a tax cut? Did they out an undercover CIA agent? Did they spy on Americans without a warrant? Can't wait to see the proof of the Obama administrations corruption.

Rep. Jo Bonner (r.AL) takes house ethics chair. No comment necessary.

Sewell '86 ready to represent Selma...once she figures out her way around committe assignments.

Her political director, Terri Sharpley, explained that another important step is reaching out to local leadership in the district.

“One big project that we are working on right now is to have a series of policy roundtables throughout the district and invite the local leaders to come and to voice their concerns about what’s going on in their area and also see what source of ideas they have for how Terri can work cooperatively with them,” Sharpley said.

Alabama has two anti health care reform, anti repealing DADT representatives on the Armed Services Committee

Brooks said he had to apply for one of 13 openings on the Armed Services Committee, and that there were twice as many applicants. He said the process to secure a seat on Science and Technology was not as competitive.

U.S. Rep. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery, also won a seat on Armed Services, giving Alabama two freshman lawmakers on the committee.

Last week, U.S. Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon, R-Calif., was named as the new chair of Armed Services. And McKeon and Brooks might just have something in common.

On Wednesday, a week after being appointed chair, McKeon had already sent a letter attacking the agenda of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. McKeon complained that Pelosi appeared to place a higher priority on repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" than on passing the defense budget for fiscal year 2011. On Thursday, McKeon also announced the direction for the committee: "In the 112th Congress, I intend to place the Armed Services Committee on a war footing with a renewed focus on winning in Afghanistan."

I hope they know what they're doing...

Specifically, he said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle helped lobby to secure the assignments, as did political fundraisers Linda Maynor, Joe Ritch and Joey Ceci. He mentioned several other community leaders with connections to Washington, including former Texas Congressman Bill Archer.

"We also had some assistance from (former) Congressman Bud Cramer," said Brooks. "He placed some calls."

Defense budget may be be more appealing target for cuts

A new Congress under pressure to cut spending and the federal deficit will likely make the defense budget a more appealing target for cuts in 2011 than it has been in years.
The withdrawal of troops in Iraq, the scheduled drawdown in Afghanistan and the rising costs of military health care and other programs add to the defense budget's allure for deficit hawks.

House to vote early on health care repeal as the number of uninsured Americans soars to 50 million

And what's the first thing the House GOP intends to do? Hold a vote on repealing the Affordable Care Act, because 50 million uninsured Americans isn't a crisis as far as they're concerned. The fact that ACORN ever existed, even though it is now defunct, now that's a crisis.

republicans put guy who hates dreams in charge of immigration

Can Blue Dog so called Democrats survive in the 112th Congress? No, look for them to cross the aisle.

Update! Where in the world is Congress Critter elect Terri Sewell?

For real,other than announcing her out of district/out of state hiring of her Chief of Staff, the location of her office in Washington D.C., being elected regional whip, supporting Nancy Pelosi for House minority leader, and participating in the Christmas parade in Selma,AL we haven't heard a peep from Little Miss Sewell.

The Birmingham News *cough cough* tries to make us feel sorry for her because she's taking a *cough* pay cut to go to Congress and describes her modest wealth. I guess it depends on what the definition of modest wealth and a pay cut IS. I sure wish I had this kind of modest wealth. I'll bet her constituents which they had half of this kind of modest wealth.

Rep.-elect Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, will take a sizable pay cut when she is sworn into office in January. She is a bond lawyer with the Maynard Cooper and Gale law firm in Birmingham, and earned $285,000 there in 2008, her last full year of employment with the firm.
Sewell took a leave of absence in 2009 to run for Congress, where she'll be paid $174,000 a year. In November, after winning the 7th District seat being vacated by Rep. Artur Davis, Sewell returned to the law firm to transition her clients to other lawyers.

Her personal financial disclosure also lists her clients, all of whom paid her at least $5,000 for her work on bond issues and financing deals. They include Alabama State University, Tuskegee University, Lowndes County Board of Education, the city of Gadsden, Dallas County Water Authority, Alabama Department of Post secondary Education and several other public institutions from around the state.

Sewell also owns several 401k accounts and IRAs, and all dividends and interest are reinvested. She owns stock in three companies: Cisco Systems Inc. and General Electric Co., each worth between $1,000 and $15,000, and Coach Inc., worth between $50,000 and $100,000. Disclosure forms provide a range of dollar values, not exact amounts.

Sewell last year sold a Florida beach house that was valued between $250,000 and $500,000. She now lists a mortgage on a home in Seacrest Beach, Fla., for between $500,000 and $1 million.

Her personal financial disclosure form was filed in August 2009.

As a matter of fact we are getting more *ahem* advice from her predecessor than we are from the new head of the Alabama Democratic Party. Seems like she would have something to say about the new gop house rules paving the way for more deficit spending, or about the Alabama gop legislature instituting lobbying reform amid the Bingo scandal. Surely the first African American female elected to Congress from the heart of the Black Belt has something to say about the red, republican Alabama Senate Health Care opt out vote breaking down on along racial lines.

Oh well, maybe she's on a much deserved vacation in Florida or something. :)

Redeye's Week in Review

Congress failed to repeal DADT this week, but the ACLU will keep on fighting.

Congress' failure to repeal the shameful "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy is a devastating loss to the gay and lesbian service members who put their lives on the line for this country every day — and for Americans everywhere who believe in fairness and equality.

Rest assured that the ACLU will not give up on this fight. We are 100 percent committed to ending "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," and will do everything we can to bring about its demise.

Not only did the democrats magically grow a pair this week they are standing with *gasp* the Congressional Black Caucus! When you think about it, African Americans will suffer the most if unemployment insurance is not extended since unemployment among African Americans is at an all time high.

Unemployment for African Americans is projected to reach a 25-year high this year, according to a study released Thursday by an economic think tank, with the national rate soaring to 17.2 percent and the rates in five states exceeding 20 percent.

Blacks as well as Latinos were far behind whites in employment levels even when the economy was booming. But throughout the recession, the unemployment rate has grown much faster for African Americans and Latinos than for whites, according to the study by the Economic Policy Institute. Moreover, the unemployment gap between men and women has reached a record high -- with men far outpacing women in joblessness.

Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! Reverend Al Sharpton speaks for me!

Over the course of the last several weeks, we have diligently watched as our President, Barack Obama, and the Democratic Party withstood filibustering and stonewalling from the right. Conducting hearings on the weekend, and doing everything they conceivably could to assist the poor and middle-class, their repeated attempts at compromise were met with fierce resistance and an utter disregard for the majority of this nation by the Republicans. And now, after holding the American people hostage as our President so rightfully pointed out, these self-aggrandizing politicians are sitting back and allowing Obama to be the scapegoat for all that ails us. It’s time we call them out.

Speaking of calling them out, they are who we thought they were.

Today, a right-wing organization called Judicial Watch hosted a panel discussion on the “current and upcoming fights over immigration enforcement” featuring Arizona state Sen. Russell Pearce (R). Pearce, the author of Arizona’s controversial immigration law, railed against the Obama administration for “siding with a foreign government” against the state of Arizona. However, looking on the bright side, Pearce joked that Obama may not want to come to Arizona as they will require him to show his papers:

Terri Sewell isn't the only newly elected Congress Critter hiring help this week.

Perhaps to the surprise of many Tea Party populists who helped elect them, the Washington Post reports, “Many incoming GOP lawmakers have hired registered lobbyists as senior aides. Several of the candidates won with strong support from the anti-establishment tea party movement.” These lobbyists are not public servants. They are experts at carving out special deals and tax giveaways to powerful corporations

What's that you say? Soon to be former Gooberner Rob Riley is using his so called ethics reform package for political payback against the evil, awful Alabama Education Association and to silence them there uppity teachers? I'm shocked! Shocked I tell you! NOT.

Despite the fact the NCAA and Auburn found Cam Newton's father Cecil Newton guilty of being a modern day slave trader selling his son to the highest bidder, banning him from attending games and awards ceremony's Cam Newton shows why he is a true winner and stands by his father. If there is any lesson for talented African American athletes maybe they shouldn't play for predominately white Universities and take their talents to a Historically Black Colleges and Universities where they don't have deep pocket athletic boosters. The same thing happened in the movie Blindside, talented black player must have been offered pay for play .

"I'm not sitting up here saying that we all are prefect. Everybody's made mistakes. I'm not sitting up here saying what he did or what he did was wrong. Who am I up here to say that what he did is true or not. But I know that if I can call Cecil Newton right now, he'll pick up the phone."

This week ends with me being talked down from my previous rage over the Obama compromise. I accept the fact he acted in the best interest of the American People, I don't accept the fact that it had to be this way. I still maintain he should have listened to his base instead of suppressing the base. I hope and pray now that the big republican fat cats have received their big tax cut they are going to start creating jobs in America and the banks are going to start loaning money again. I also hope that if they don't, the gop doesn't try to blame it on Obama.

The highlight of my week and the best Christmas present ever was the high honor and privilege of being named Blog I'm Feeling by the Field Negro. Welcome to my world and please don't just lurk, join the conversation!