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Again, I congratulate the the University of Alabama football program on their 3rd National Championship, but there is something....troubling about the....pride for a national football championship..... in a state that ranks48 among 50 states in quality of life for children.  Yet, people who have never set foot in the University of Alabama, and some of whom probably can't spell Alabama thanks to the pi$$ poor education system are bursting with pride. 

I wonder how many Alabama fans signed the petition to secede from the Union after President Obama's reelection?

It's troubling when  Mo Brooks (r. hypocrite),  Congressman from the 5th district,  fresh off voting against the Hurricane Sandy Relief Bill because taxpayers shouldn't fork out a nickle for people dumb enough to live where storms hit, congratulates his Alma Mater, The University of Alabama on an amazing and well deserved victory 2013 BCS National Championship Game! With four straight national wins in a row, our state has a lot to be proud of.

O-I-C. The University of Alabama deserves to win  the BCS National Championship Game ,the victims of Hurricane Sandy deserve Nothing. Nada  Zilch. They have to protect themselves.

Are our priorities messed up? 

The State of Alabama could learn much from the University of Alabama. If Alabama wants to be the best, there is a cost. A price to pay. Until we're willing to pay it, we'll limp along with the other bottom-tier states, in most everything but a silly game.

What do you want to bet Miss Alabama is crowned Miss USA and our State has something else to brag about?

Life in Alabama ain't no Crystal Ball for the majority of it's citizens, but it could be if we invested in people like we invest in football.

RedEye tiptoeing away from the computer to go pray for our state and our country.

Nick Saban for Governor of Alabama......

The BCS streaks that keep on growing: State of Alabama and SEC reach new heights

In the interest of full disclosure I am a win or lose Auburn University Tigers football fan, and I offer the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team a sincere congratulations for winning their 3rd National Football Championship in 4 years, under head coach Nick Saban.

This is who they are, and this is what they do. They are America's best program, and they always seem to be at their finest on America's biggest stage.

 So, it got me thinking...what if we apply the logic of Nick Saban to public education?  Think about it, it's what they do!

And what exactly is it they do you ask?

Simple.  Money is no object, they hire the best coaches/staff their money can buy, and they recruit  top athletes by offering them scholarships.  Instead of adopting the you can't throw money at the problem, and public school teachers are the enemy of the state myth, they adopt the you get what you pay for policy.  This is why they are America's best program.  This is why they have proven results.

What if the great state of Alabama invested in our public education system  like they invest in our college football programs?  What if the great state of Alabama could be #1 in quality of life too?

 Education then, beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men, the balance-wheel of the social machinery.
Horace Mann

Let's at least apply the logic of Nick Saban and get our elected officials and other leaders to throw some real money at the problem.

 The University of Alabama's dynasty continued unprecedented national championship streaks for this state and the SEC, moving them to even higher unthinkable heights.
For the fourth straight year, a university from the state of Alabama won college football's national championship: Alabama in the 2009, 2011 and 2012 seasons, and Auburn in 2010. Even before Alabama's latest win, no state had ever won three consecutive national titles in football by multiple schools, much less four.

Education is the HOPE of our republic.

At least it used to be.

"Can you spell h-y-p-o-c-r-i-t-e?"

Congressman Mo Brooks 5th District of Alabama

Why in the world would the Congressman who represents the district with the states largest employer, right smack in the middle of Tornado Alley,  be the only member of the Alabama Congressional delegation to vote against the Hurricane Sandy Relief bill, at the risk of being called a hypocrite, after encouraging his constituents to get free government money due to the April 27th storms?

Answer...because regardless of his vote against the bill, his district still stands to benefit from the "pork".

Why, you might ask, would the Senate be packing billions of taxpayer dollars for these areas of the country that are nowhere near the devastation brought about by super storm Sandy into a bill designed to bring relief to those suffering from the storm that ripped the northeastern part of the nation?
The answer can be found in a quick review of the states that are set to benefit from the Senate’s extra-special benevolence—states including Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana.
What, you may ask, do these states far from New York and New Jersey have in common?
Each is not only a red state, but each of these states are represented by two Republican senators—with the exception of Louisiana with its one GOP senator.
And what happens when you buy off seven Republican senators with a package of goodies under the guise of storm relief supposedly meant to benefit two blue states?
You get yourself a filibuster proof piece of legislation.

Alabama Congress Critter Mo Brooks (r. 05 ) didn't vote against the Hurricane Sandy Relief bill because it was rushed and fiscally irresponsible.   He voted against the bill  because it's a win win for him.  He can vote NO to satisfy his base who want him to "cut spending", and still bring home the bacon.  Yep Mo has a  nice government job, with nice government benefits for as long as he wants it thanks to the communities of the 5th district.

Apparently, these deficit hawks only spread their wings when they are flying in full public view.But when nobody is looking?

 Un Huh.

Don't blame me, I voted for Charlie Holley (D.)

 

 Obama, Alabama Officials pledge aid for storm survivors

So, there is an article on today's AL.com blog where 5th district Congress Critter Mo Brooks (r,) is bragging about why he was the only member of the Alabama Congressional delegation to vote against the Hurricane Sandy relief bill.
Here are his excuses, I mean reasons, in a nut shell;

Brooks said in an interview after the vote that the legislation should have been delayed to allow members more time to review its details. He also said taxpayers "should not have to fork out a nickel" to pay for property damage in areas historically vulnerable to storms.
"People have to protect themselves from the risks of weather, particularly if they live in an area that is periodically hit by substantial storms," Brooks said. "They should not expect American taxpayers to subsidize a vacation home on the beach."

Translation, I voted NO because I'm a TeaPublican and I don't have to worry about being re-elected as long as I vote NO on everything the Tea Party tells me too.

I guess Mo and the other 66 *ahem*  lawmakers who voted NO didn't have time to read the legislation that was discussed two months ago.  I guess they don't have natural disasters in their states either.  Po Mo must have forgotten about  the recent hurricane damage to the vacation homes and businesses  in Mobile and Gulfport.  Not to mention the recent deadly tornadoes and damage in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and yes, even districts which he mis represents, Huntsville, Decatur, Athens,  Hillsboro, Moulton, and Florence, are smack dab in the middle of what is known as Tornado Alley.

Brooks' own district in north Alabama was devastated by tornadoes in April 2011, and he worked to help victims obtain federal assistance in the wake of the catastrophe. 
He said he sympathized with victims of Sandy and that he was not opposed to providing aid. But he said Congress had to be more deliberative when dealing with legislation involving billions of dollars.
Brooks said he would raise similar objections if the damage had been in Alabama. 
"We're at a point in this nation where hard choices have to be made, or the federal government is going to bankrupt the American people," he said. "We just can't keep spending money this way."

You got that?  If Alabama is hit by a natural disaster the Congress Critter from the 5th district will vote HELL NO.  So much for the Christian Compassionate Conservatism.

Is this just a case of the Republican Party wanting to distance itself from the Bush years—or is compassionate conservatism gone for good?

It's a shame Mo and the other 66 republicans who voted against the relief bill can't see past red and blue and come together to  help their fellow human beings in a time a need.  Has it really come to if Obama carried your state you don't deserve any help or assistance?  Yes I am a Democrat, but I guarantee you will NEVER hear of Democrats punishing people in their time of need because of partisan politics. I shake my head at the thought of people being so shallow as to not worry about any deaths or any semi important issues other than strictly whom you voted for, you know?

And that my friends is the difference between Democrats and republicans.  Democrats believe in helping people in need regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or political party.

Is the first African American President of the United States of America the president of everybody but African Americans?

" I’m not the president of black America. I’m the president of the United States of America,"~President Barack Hussein Obama 

Oh, really?  Based on  the current state of affairs African Americans are struggling to just to breath, and it seems like to me the first African American President is the first African American President for everybody but African Americans.

Obama may be Black, but he’s not that kind of president. “If he were the first Black President he would be using his bully pulpit to champion legislation targeting unemployment in urban areas, poverty, income disparity, and other issues.” This particular Black man is, essentially, a functionary of a government in the service of wealth and empire. “The President’s efforts will not address chronic income disparity or the wealth gap.”

I'm going to be honest, I had this nagging feeling there was going to be a black lash post election of President Obama, but never did I expect things were going to get worse.  President Obama's adheres to the philosophy that a rising tide lifts all boats, but if one end of the boat if full of holes guess what...the whole damn boat is going to sink.  If the boat full of holes just happens to be is full of black folks no one will throw out a life preserver, much less send the Coast Guard because black folks expect the government to take care of them. RedEye roll

Those who attempt to bring the suffering (yes I said suffering) of African Americans to the attention of the first African American President are called The Professional Left,  Haters (or worse), admonished to stop whining and put on your marching shoes and support the first African American President because he's well... the first African American President of the United States of America.

criticizing “a first” poses great risks. “Firsts” are often sacred cows that black people protect because they don’t want them to fail and don’t want other black people “bringing em down.”

What Kelli said all the damn way!

He's not the president of black america, yet he needs the black vote!! When other groups holler they get his attention, when we do we're told to stop complaining and put on our marching boots. We defend him the most and get shitted on by him in the process. Black unemployment is through the roof and we have no right to complain? I'm sorry but singing Al Green and going to Harlem for a fundraiser(not to listen to regular folk problems) is just not going to cut it anymore.

According to a recent report released by the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics the black unemployment rate jumped from 12.9% to 14% this month.  Now you tell me if the script were flipped and white unemployment jumped from 12.9% to 14%,  the white President would be saying I am not the president of white America.  I'm the president of the United States of America.  There would be hell to pay, and rightly so.


See, this is why I didn't want an African American President of the United States of America because I knew  there would be Hope and Change  for  EBBF...Everybody But Black Folks. 

Sigh