Here is a picture of Sen. Richard "Dick" Shelby(r. Tuscaloosa) standing up to President Obama every day

Pres. Obama and Al. Gov. Robert Bentley tour tornado devastation (Larry Downing/Reuters)

Uh, about that standing up to President Obama every day Senator Shelby Sir.

Due to your age,  EYE can understand if you have some memory loss, but your aides should know better.  Either they are suffering from amnesia, or they think we are.  Perhaps you've forgotten the massive tornado that ripped through Sweet Home Alabama in April of 2011, when President Obama flew to Birmingham, AL,  motorcades to Tuscaloosa to assure Alabamans that every level of government was fully dedicated to doing everything possible to help the community recover from the devastation,

Even as Republicans have been kicking and screaming about the need to shrink government, even as they support a budget plan that would devastate government's ability to respond to disasters like this, when something like this happens they stand shoulder-to-shoulder with President Obama as government leaders eager to serve the people they represent. They aren't calling him a socialist, they aren't saying he was born in Kenya, they aren't accusing him of trying to kill grandma: they are just trying to do the right thing. It's just too bad it took a horrific storm to bring out that cooperative spirit.

EYE see you and the rest of the white, male, red republicans walking WITH President Obama, and the democrats walking BEHIND. 

Sidebar with a sigh
If you look closely at the photograph attached to this diary of a VIP group walking with President Obama, I count nine individuals....Two in the front row, three in the middle row and four in the back, one of whom is barely visible as a pair of grey-trousered legs and the corner of a face. Two of them -- counting the President -- are non-white, one more may be.
The proportion of non-white persons in Alabama's population is about 29%, so 22%, or better 33%, persons of color (2 or 3 out of 9) would not be far out of line with the state population.
According to the same source, the proportion of persons in the population of Alabama who happen to be female is almost 52%. Female persons in the VIP group including President Obama: precisely zero.

You may be suffering from memory loss but we the people will never forget. Link inserted for emphasis mine.

I'm glad the President and First Lady came to Alabama but, why didn't he visit Birmingham too? He went to the place that didn't vote for him, and ignored the place that did. And why wasn't Rep. Terri Sewell, the states top Democrat, the first person to greet President Obama instead of being 4th in line behind anti Socialist Bentley, "I haven't seen his birth certificate" Shelby, "I gave you the middle finger and sent the Azalea Trail Maids to your inauguration parade", Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, and "Birther Spencer Bacchus" all republicans?

You might want to reconsider your Wag the Dog political commercials because that dog won't hunt. 

To ‘Wag the Dog’ means to purposely divert attention from what would otherwise be of greater importance, to something else of lesser significance. By doing so, the lesser-significant event is catapulted into the limelight, drowning proper attention to what was originally the more important issue.
The expression comes from the saying that ‘a dog is smarter than its tail’, but if the tail were smarter, then the tail would ‘wag the dog.
In other words, Shelby’s commercial is nothing but an attempt to divert attention from the facts.

RedEye 

Stuck on Stupid. This is our American History.

Blast from the past re-post: Bernie Sanders for President

Regular readers know EYE am undecided between Hillary and Bernie, largely due to the behavior of some (not to be confused with all) Sanders supporters.  EYE must admit, after reading and editing this blast from the past re-post EYE am leaning towards Bernie Sanders.~ RedEye

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders during his filibuster speech, on 10 December 2010, against the proposed extension of Bush-era tax cuts and other measures agreed by President Obama with congressional Republicans. Photograph: Guardian screeengrab from C-Span coverage

After watching Senator Bernie Sanders courageous filibuster of the Obama compromise , I am convinced he should be our next President because he is truly a man of the people. He is not a republican, nor is he a democrat. He is my kind of people, a proud, card carrying Independent.

After listening to Sanders,  anyone who votes for the Obama compromise (yes, I'm calling it the Obama compromise, because that's what the republicans are going to call it when things go south) will show their true colors, because as Sanders said over and over today "the little guy and gals are getting screwed while the rich get richer".

Of course the Lame Stream Media is marginalizing and minimizing Sanders, calling what he did today a "rant", quoting a Gallup poll claiming a vast majority of the American people are in favor of extending the Bush tax cuts, and that's who the White House is listening to, because this will help Obama be re-elected by wooing independents (who ever they are) blah, blah, blab, blab.

The other media enabled weapon of mass distraction is former President Clinton being summoned to the White House to help an embattled President Obama sell a controversial tax deal to members of his own party.  It's like 1992 all over again, Obama is moving to the center like Clinton, blah blah blab blab.

One thing I will say about Bill Clinton, he didn't capitulate, and he certainly didn't throw his base under the bus. When the repubs said they were going to shut down the government,  he said go ahead. And we see how that worked out.

Bill Clinton also created 22 million new jobs, and made the rich pay their fair share of taxes. Bill Clinton also didn't have to fight against his own damn party.

In 2008 the pundit heads predicted the end of the republican party, but here they are two years later, bigger and badder than ever. I wonder how that happened? Yes, that was a snark.

If you have some free time this weekend, watch/ read or listen to Bernie Sanders in action, then tell me what you think about the Obama Compromise. The devil is in the details, and Sanders lays out the details loud and clear.

Blast from the Past Re-Post: How do you like "Scam Newton" now?

In light of the fact former Auburn University Quarter Back, and Heisman Trophy winner, Cam Newton is headed to the Super Bowl , EYE am re-posting this blast from as a jab at the Haters.  Superbowl 50 will be a match up between two #SEC quarterbacks, UT vs Auburn. EYE am rooting for Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers. ~RedEye

For all the tasteless, immature, tacky, degenerate, haters, who chose to impugn the character of Auburn Quarterback Cam Newton, a talented young man, who only wants to play football, and whose only crime is he plays for Auburn...... this blog is for Y-O-U!

For the Bama Fans who thought it would be a good idea to profit from the alleged "pay to play" controversy by marketing Scam Newton gear ...this blog is for Y-O-U.  

EYE have to ask, why would they defame and malign Cam Newton? No evidence. No trial. Just hearsay and innuendo. I wonder how they are feeling now? But hey, this is Alabama, where football is King, and Justice is blind, crippled and crazy. You don't need a picture to see the collective disappointment on the faces of Alabama fans tonight.

As Cam Newton was leaving the field today he looked up to the heavens and said "Thank You God". He's not a scam. He's a child of God, and somebodies son. His father is not an "over zealous" pimp, he's a man of God, and an involved/concerned parent. Is Cam Newton perfect? No. He's admitted to a youthful indiscretions, but that's in the past, it shouldn't negatively affect his future.

Any Auburn fans who watched the Iron Bowl today and lost hope after the first half must have forgotten last year, when Auburn jumped out in the lead only to find themselves short at the end of the game.

Auburn managed to come from behind and win in hostile territory today, which gives me HOPE for the future of the Alabama democratic party. We (democrats) need a head coach with a winning strategy. We need a skilled quarterback to pass the ball. We need wide receivers who will catch the ball and run with it. We need to start judging potential leaders based on the content of their character, not the color of their skin.

I told them my system was based on the "ant plan", that I'd gotten the idea while watching a colony of ants in Africa during the war. A whole bunch of ants working towards a common goal.~Coach Paul Bear Bryant

War CAM Eagle!

Why Democrats Can't Win in #SweetHomeAlabama, Hint...It's the Media

Regular readers know EYE don't "celebrate" Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday because it reminds me of his murder, specifically why he was murdered.  IMHO the King Holiday is a chance for those who hated in him life to celebrate his death.   You know the drill. Recite  selected quotes from  his "I have a Dream" speech,  join hands and sing "We Shall Overcome", leave the venue, go back to wag the tail  politics/business as usual.  EYE call it "See we aren't racist day."

Alabama Media Groups'  Kyle Whitmire, John Archibald, John Hammontree, must have experienced an awful King Birthday 2016, because the day after, they came out shooting, both barrels blazing.

Kyle Whitmire took aim at Joe Reed and his supporters (of which EYE am one), likening him to a self serving plantation overseer, and his supporters as slaves.  He blames Joe Reed and Hillary Clinton because the Alabama Democratic Party looked like America instead of the Alabama Republican party.

Bernie Sanders' stop in Birmingham Monday night revealed at least two important things.
It revealed what's wrong with the Alabama Democratic Party.
And it revealed what's wrong with Hillary Clinton.
But to understand exactly how, you have to know one man in Alabama politics. That man is Joe Reed.

Because everybody hates Joe Reed and his bunch.

John Archibald takes aim at Hezekiah Jackson, president of the Birmingham Chapter of the NAACP, political action group Team Seven, Jefferson County Commissioner Sandra Little Brown, and The Young Democrats thrown in for color (pun intended).  Their alleged crime?  Forcing people to pay for endorsements, like it's a black thing, counting on misinformed readers to assume the NAACP is involved.

It's not unique to Team Seven. But it is rarely displayed in a manner as brash, and mercenary, if perhaps as honestly as in the team's email.

Because why would anyone want an endorsement from Team Seven or the NAACP?

John Hammontree rounds out the Trifecta accusing Bernie Sanders of literally leaving poor people out in the cold as a weapon of mass distraction from the unexpected success of the rally and to keep from talking about the substance of the rally. You know, like who was there, what was said, etc.

The failure of the city of Birmingham to plan and account for its homeless population while accommodating a Sanders rally shows how absurd it is to believe that simply voting for Bernie Sanders will somehow end systemic poverty and racism. Particularly in a state like Alabama that will remain under the control of a Republican-controlled state government skewed to favor the wealthy.

And you wonder why Alabama remains under the control of a Republican-controlled state government skewed to favor the wealthy?  Really?  Look in the media, EYE mean, mirror.

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.

The Legacy of Dr. King

Watch a lively discussion between Dr. Cornel West, Ohio State Senator Nina Turner, Killer Mike and Senator Bernie Sanders. Throughout the discussion, the focus centers on integrity and character as epitomized by Dr. King. Much of the discussion focuses on racial disparities as well as a central theme of Senator Sanders' campaign, income inequality, which affects everyone, but hits harder in black communities.

Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala throws out excessive force case against a police officer because "All Lives Matter"

Per the Ruling:  Two juries have communicated as much after lengthy deliberations that produced thoughtful questions and, ultimately, deadlock. The Court has no reason to expect a different result in a subsequent trial given the totality of the evidence that the parties have provided. The Government has had two full and fair chances to obtain a conviction; it will not have another.

Let's recap:

Madison police last week roughed up a 57-year-old Indian citizen who was walking on the sidewalk outside his son's home, leaving the older man temporarily paralyzed and hospitalized with fused vertebrae.
"He was just walking on the sidewalk as he does all the time," said his son, Chirag Patel, this morning. "They put him to the ground."
No crime had been committed. Madison Police on Monday issued a statement saying the department had suspended the officer and were investigating the use of force in this case. The police statement wished the man a "speedy recovery."

It's the victims fault the police treated him like a skinny black guy in America.

Defense attorney Robert Tuten this time told the jury that the escalation of force was largely the fault of Patel.

"When you come to the U.S. we expect you to follow our laws and speak our language," said Tuten. "Mr. Patel bears as much responsibility for this as anyone."

The first trial deadlocked in a mistrial  10-2 in favor of acquittal along racial/gender lines.

The jury that couldn't reach a verdict in the criminal trial of police officer Eric Parker was split 10-2 along gender lines, according to one of the holdout jurors.
Ten men wanted to acquit the officer who slammed down a 57-year-old Indian citizen during a sidewalk stop, leaving the man partly paralyzed.
The two women on the jury thought Parker was guilty of the federal civil rights charge, deprivation of rights under the color of law. The charge carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
When contacted by al.com, one of those two women explained the two-day deliberation that ended in frustration for both sides. "I was the one saying he was guilty," said the juror, who asked to withhold her name.
The juror, who is retired from the U.S. Army, said from Thursday morning through late Friday no jurors changed their minds and extra time seemed unlikely to alter the deadlock. "It was 10 to 2. I wasn't changing my story."
The jury also appeared to split along racial lines. Both female jurors were black. None of the 10 male jurors were black.

The judge took steps to keep the media out of jury selection in the second trial

U.S. District Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala today ordered that, unlike during the first trial, media will not be allowed to report or blog from the courtroom. Reporters will be allowed to take handwritten notes and report after they leave.

The second trial deadlocked in a mistrial.

The new jury was flipped, packed with nine women this time and just three men. The new jury had four black members, including the foreman. 

There will be no third trial because the judge was troubled by the federal focus on race.   

"I said to you at the first trial, and I don't think I said it explicitly at this one, but I did say that I did not want there to be racial issues in this trial," said Haikala.She said the discussion came up during jury selection, as the government used all its strikes to block white males from sitting on the jury.
She said the "all lives matter" comment and the talk of shooting an unarmed man from behind "is right on point with all of the racial discussion that is going on," said Haikala. "The court finds it troubling that the government is resorting to those sorts of tactics."

Blame it on the media 

But Judge Haikala mentioned a news story on al.com, a story she had brought up in transcripts before. The story contained interviews with jurors from the first trial. The first jury deadlocked along racial and gender lines, with 10 white men finding Parker innocent and two African American women voting guilty.
"The media coverage portrayed this as a racial issue and so I thought I was very clear about the fact that it be improper for race to be an issue at any level in this case," repeated Judge Haikala.
Later on Nov. 4, after the second jury announced they could not reach a consensus, the defense moved the judge for an acquittal.
"This is the second jury that's obviously had a hard time reaching a decision in this case," said Tuten. "I think that speaks to the proof and lack of proof that has been offered by the government and I think it illustrates that have not made a prima facie case."

So now we know.  If someone calls police to complain of a skinny black guy who is just kind of walking around close to the garage, the police have the right to reasonably assume that the individual was involved in a burglary.  But it's not racial.

Listen to the call to Madison Police about the Indian grandfather and tell me it's not racial.

So much to Blog about EYE don't know where to start...

EYE am not sure what EYE want to write about today, but here is something for you to chew on until EYE do.

Alabama 7th Congressional Rep. Terri Sewell looks confused....

#SweetHomeAlabama #Sweet16 #RollTide "Are our priorities messed up?"

This is the Alabama Congressional Delegation making fools of themselves, EYE mean, celebrating the University of Alabama's 16th National Football Championship on the floor of the House of Representatives. 

From the Heisman Trophy winner, [Derrick] Henry, the quarterback, Jake Coker, and the tremendous 95-yard run of Kenyan Drake, all of the players on the 2016 team deserves our applause and congratulations," said U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Birmingham, who represents Tuscaloosa in the House. She was joined by Reps. Mike Rogers, R-Saks; Martha Roby, R-Montgomery; Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville; and Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville.

 #OurTaxDollarsAtWork

Again,  EYE congratulate the the University of Alabama football program on their 16th National Championship,  b-but there is something....troubling about....pride for a national football championship..... in a state that ranks 48 among 50 states in quality of life for children....where some of the people probably can't spell Alabama much less attend the University of Alabama thanks to it'se pi$$ poor education system , are just bursting with pride.

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.

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. 

We're Number 1 .  Again.

When are the American People going to wake up and say this is not OK? #momentormovement

https://soundcloud.com/…/reporter-for-the-guardian-jamiles-…

During "An American Conversation: Race & Policing" hosted by SiriusXM hosts Joe Madison and Perri Peltz, researcher and writer on Guardian US's The Counted project Jamiles Lartey talks about how individuals can help change the hearts and minds of others. Share with friends & family and contact your local government to enact change. ‪#‎momentormovement‬

So, now you want a Lottery Alabama?

Via Forward Alabama: PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT (PLEASE SHARE): 3 months ago, Gov Bentley & Co took $100million from the state Education Fund to keep the state solvent. This week, Alabamians took our MILLIONS across state lines to buy lottery tickets that will fund education in OTHER states. Bentley & Co refuse to bring an education lottery to Alabama. Would you like to let him hear from you? governorrobertbentley@governor.state.al.us

Now that it's dawned on the powers that be , and anti gambling bots, they cut off their nose to spite their face, they want to vote for state lottery?

Yep, me and thousands of Alabamians trekked on over the state line and spent our own damn money in Tennessee buying Mega Millions lottery tickets, helping the Tennessee Education system, and putting money in their coffers. Not only did I purchase lottery tickets, but also gas, food, and did a some tax free shopping, thanks to the good old Christian (cough), Compassionate (cough), Conservatives (cough) Alabama anti gambling bots.

Again

Alabama voters soundly rejected the Governor's appeal for a lottery today, heeding the warnings of ministers over arguments that the revenue was vital to improve the state's lagging schools.
With 96 percent of the precincts reporting, 645,997 people, or 54 percent, voted against the lottery, and 543,321 people, or 46 percent, supported it.
The lottery was once almost sure to be approved, but it came under fire from religious groups who said it would exploit the poor. Some opponents also said a recent traffic ticket-fixing scandal showed that Gov. Donald Siegelman's administration could not be trusted.

And where is Gov. Donald Siegelman.... now? 

Of Coons and Scumbags 2015

When Sean Hannity has to tell you to dial back the coonery–you have officially earned the title Coon of the Year.

EYE deplore name calling, but sometimes you just have to call a Spade a Spade.   The Angry Black Rant composed a list of the Top 10 Coons of 2015.  In case you are wondering, yes, Coon(s) is a racial slur when non African Americans use it.

2015 was another coontastic year full of black folks doing their latest and greatest “Shuck & Jive” routine to remain in the good graces of mainstream conservative white America. I could go on and on for days about the kind of self loathing self centered and selfish motivations that go into making certain black men and women suspend all manners of pride and common logic while spewing the most embarrassing rhetoric for the sole purpose of ingratiating themselves with the kind of dying breed of thought propagated on Fox news, but I don’t have all day and since we have already said farewell to 2015 I’m going to cut to the chase and share my top 10 Coons of the last 365 day cycle…

Be sure and check out the Honorable Mentions.

Al.com's  Kyle Whitmire asks Who was Alabama's 20156 Scumbag of the Year?   The list was long, but the winner is:

The 2015 Scumbag of the Year is state Sen. Larry Stutts, a freshman lawmaker who a year ago was known only as "that guy who beat Roger Bedford."
Stutts, who is an OBGYN,attempted in his first Legislative session to repeal a law named after a patient who died in his care.
Rose's Law, which requires insurers to cover at least 48 hours of hospital care for new moms, had been passed after the death of Rose Church, a nurse from Haleyville who died after giving birth. Stutts was her doctor.
Stutts didn't tell any of his legislative colleagues about his part in the history of the law. Instead, he characterized it as Obamacare-like intrusion of government into healthcare, and solicited unwitting cosponsors to have it overturned.

Just like republicans to blame Obama for their failures. #BlameItOnTheBlackGuy

So many Coons and Scumbags, so little time.

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.

When are the American people going to say this is not OK?

Fist Dap jobsanger: Shameful

Keeping the Dumb Bigots in Line. THIS is the #MainstreamMedia we have.

So, yesterday President Obama overerstepped his bounds (code for didn't stay in his place) and announced a series of Executive Orders, one of which makes it more difficult for Americans to sell guns unless they obtain a gun dealer’s license from the federal government.   Gasp!  Some of the  same people who demand we obtain a government issued ID card to vote lost their ever loving minds.  Go figure.

State Senator Paul Sanford (R from Huntsville) said, “The President should set an example and tell the Secret Service that protects he & his family to lay down their arms! Executive Order that!”

EYE am trying to figure out how making it more difficult for Americans to sell guns unless they obtain a license translates into Obama is coming for your guns?  Strike that.  EYE know how.

It's

The

Media

What happened to reporting both sides?  Strike that.  EYE know what happened.  Got to keep the uniformed, misinformed.  Can't risk reporting the truth because the truth is liberal.   Snark

"The fact you are allowed to arm yourself while calling Obama a 'gun-grabbing' tyrant kinda proves he's not."

What part of We the Peeps are fed up with up with gun violence don't the mainstream media and the GOP understand? 

At no point yesterday did any Republican candidates or lawmakers point to anything specific in the president’s policy that they found objectionable. Not one measure, not one idea, not one initiative, not one paragraph, nothing.

EYE thought republicans were pro life?

Give me somebody to vote FOR and EYE will turn my Donkey around

Alabama Democrats (and EYE use that term loosely) are mounting a Get Out The Vote campaign and that's fine, but where are the ads? Most importantly where are the candidates? 

EYE can't speak for the progressive wing of the democratic party, but the democratic wing of the democratic party doesn't have to begged to get out and vote.  It would nice if we had some real democratic candidates to vote FOR.  And by real, EYE mean proud card carrying liberals.  As in Joe Reed and his bunch.  You know, the bunch that be counted on to vote for democrats.  

EYE will for democrats, but EYE will not vote a straight democratic ticket.  Fool me once, can't fool me again. 

What Alabama Democrats fail it realize it doesn't matter if Hillary or Bernie win the election, they aren't going to get anything done without a democratic congress.  Now it the time for some real democratic candidates to wake up.  

It's time for America to stop being "a nation of cowards" and discuss race/racism in America.

It just is.

“Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot,” Holder said in a speech given during Black History Month in 2009, “in things racial we have always been and I believe continue to be, in too many ways, essentially a nation of cowards.”

An no, ignoring the subject won't make it go away, old racist aren't dying, they are multiplying. And therein lies the problem. 

White people do not think in terms of we. White people have the privilege to interact with the social and political structures of our society as individuals. You are “you,” I am “one of them.” Whites are often not directly affected by racial oppression even in their own community, so what does not affect them locally has little chance of affecting them regionally or nationally. They have no need, nor often any real desire, to think in terms of a group. They are supported by the system, and so are mostly unaffected by it.

EYE recently read blog by an African American mother who wrote a powerful, provocative, and persuasive post entitled It's time for parents to talk to their children about race.  She also provided valuable tools and resources to facilitate an honest and open discussion, but it's not just black parents who need to talk to their children about race/racism, it's white parents.    

Given the dominant conceptualization of racism as individual acts of cruelty, it follows that only terrible people who don’t like people of color can commit it. While this conceptualization is misinformed, it functions beautifully to protect racism by making it impossible to engage in the necessary dialogue and self-reflection that can lead to change.

EYE have to ask, what are white parents are teaching their children about race/racism?

It appears there is a confluence of events and circumstances, with the first Black president, and a nation that is becoming increasingly Black and Brown, particularly because Black and Brown people are soon to be a majority. Things were not supposed to be this way, as the idealized, homogeneous America of the 1950s when Black folks were invisible, except when cleaning white folks’ homes or hanging from a tree, is gone.

 Parents are the first teachers.

It's The Media.

In Malcoms' day it was newspapers, new days it's the 24 hour cable news media. Everyone knows any media that dares report just the fact is called liberal like that's a bad thing.  To counter this, they bend over backwards to prove they are not liberal by reporting both sides , under the guise of being fair and balanced.  But here's the rub.  The truth is not fair and balanced. It's either the truth or it's a lie.  Instead of calling out and correcting the lying liars the media enables them.  It's getting to the point we can't believe anything we see/read in the the mainstream media, because if you go inside the story, you will find the narrative doesn't fit the facts.

Remember the breathless, wall to wall reporting of the foiled ISIS New Years Day attack? There’s only one problem: the story is wildly inaccurate and in many ways factually false.

Like many 11th-hour FBI terror busts, the only thing the media has to go on is a DOJ criminal complaint that’s released to the press. Statements from the accused or their lawyers very rarely reach the public. And the criminal complaint and the FBI press release are framed to deliberately deceive the media.

Let's move on to the report of the republican millionaire behind "Trump is disgusting" sky writing said he would vote for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump.   This is what he said:  “Quite frankly, if it was Donald Trump versus Hillary Clinton, I would vote for Secretary Clinton,” he said. “I will accept anybody but Trump.”  Words matter.  IF, EYE repeat IF it was Donald Trump vs Hillary he would vote for Hillary, but he's actually a Marco Rubio supporter.  The republicans are mad because Donald Trump pulled the sheets off , saying out loud what they say behind closed doors.

Poor Ben Carson.  His media enabled campaign is imploding.  The media propped him up for as long as they could but you can only take being a black face for white voices so far before people wake up and smell the tea, EYE mean, coffee.

Despite these revelations — or maybe because of them — Williams has maintained a very lucrative career (he is the largest black owner of television stations in the U.S.) and he serves as CEO of the Graham Williams Group, an international marketing public relations firm where he represents Carson as his business manager.

With a relationship that goes back over 20 years, Williams has guided Carson’s career from neurosurgeon to author of multiple best sellers and the subject of a television movie — helping to launch his political career as a conservative gadfly and potential presidential material.

Let's lynch Bill Cosby so we won't have to talk about Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland,  Laquan MccDonald, Minneapolis, or anything else for that matter.  Perfect example of if we don't report it, it didn't happen. 

 EYE sure do miss the good old days when the media informed the public and kept elected officials from lying to us instead of enabling them.

Roland Martin via Twitter:  Trust me. 2016 will show us clear as day how vital having our own daily news platform is. @tvonetv #NewsOneNow will be CRUCIAL for all! 

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