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.

Edit~"Down is Up, White is Black and Do You See those Dark-Skinned Racists?"

This is Joe Reed's country club, and you ain't invited. http://t.co/jGgzPqsmhh #alpolitics pic.twitter.com/F70kdsbDOV

— Kyle Whitmire (@WarOnDumb) July 14, 2015

Can you say whats up is down and what's down is up? 

Somebody talk me down.  EYE booted up my computer this morning and learned two things.  First, EYE read the republican party was trying to woo minority voters despite the fact the republican national field is being led by an unabashed racist. Secondly, EYE read the Alabama Democratic Party is racist because Joe Reed is fighting back against minorities being excluded from the Alabama Democratic Party, not to be confused with the Alabama Democratic Majority. 

Once again we have a one sided news story about the happenings within the Alabama Democratic Party that paints Alabama Democratic Party Vice Chairman Joe Reed as a self serving liar "who opposed Barack Obama and who should should step down for the sake of the party before it goes bankrupt", blah, blah, blab, blab.

Where to go?

My first response to the news the GOP was trying to woo minority voters was to chuckle, but after reading Alabama Media Group's Kyle Whitmire's false accusations EYE stopped chucking.  It's like deja voodoo all over again.   Here is an excerpt EYE wrote for Left in Alabama the last time the GOP wanted to woo minorities.

I begin the day by mocking the GOP's effort to recruit minorities. After careful consideration and instructive dialogue I would like to apologize for my mockery and offer the Ala GOP some sincere, constructive advice .
First of all, you are correct in your assumption the Democratic Party takes the African American vote for granted and make them dependent on them. African Americans are members of the democratic party because they feel like they have no where else to go. Democrats count on African Americans to carry the water for them. Quoting VIP;

If white democrats want to get more white districts here they should start by working on their friends, neighbors, and co-workers now! Tell them to quit voting against their own interests. Black democrats will do our part, as we always do, so don't expect us to "take one for the team".
Since we're talking about changing mentality, the Ala GOP are going to have to rid the party of what I call The Plantation Mentality. The mentality that believes African Americans are still property, something to be owned, not someone with equal rights and privileges. The mentality that says "you better watch how you talk to white folks". The train of thought that African Americans need someone to "take care of them" or "tell them how to vote" as if they don't have their own minds and don't possess the intelligence to make their own decisions. The mentality that believes African Americans are lazy, shiftless, baby making, welfare loving, bums.  Click here to read the rest. 

Again EYE say African Americans didn't leave the republican party, the republican party left us.  It appears like the Alabama Democratic Party is trying to go back to before using white women as the Trojan Horse.  

What to do? 

EYE said it once, and EYE say it again. The Democratic party has been infiltrated by reactionary/New Dems/Blue Dogs/ Centrist/Conservadems/Moderates, and hell knows who/what else to promote neo-liberal (aka conservative) ideas.   Maybe they should leave and form their own party. 

Oh, wait.....

Real Alabama Democrats can't win for the journalist.

Psst Dr. Joe Reed! Let's give them "THEIR party back" #GotToGiveThePeopleWhatTheyWant

It's that time of year again, when the white wing of the Alabama Democratic Party tries to infiltrate the the black wing of the party , and is stonewalled again by the racist dictator, aka,  Dr. Joe Reed. 

The Alabama Democratic Party's executive committee meeting today erupted into loud disagreements when a voting bloc rejected about 18 nominees for vacant seats on the committee.State Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, called the meeting a "travesty" and said it was wrong to allow a "yellow sheet" compiled by the party's minority caucus to dictate today's votes."If your name is not on that sheet, that means that these people must be people who do not want to kiss the ring," said Figures, drawing cheers."And we all know what ring that is."Figures did not give a name, but committee members knew she was talking about Joe Reed, who heads the party's black caucus.

It's like DejaVu all over again.

This meeting cannot be understood without accounting for the role in Party affairs of Dr. Joe Reed, head of the Alabama Democratic Conference and Vice Chair for Minority Affairs of the SDEC for far longer than the lifespans of the Millennials who make up the bulk of the Obama rank and file. Through fair means or foul, Reed controls the largest single bloc of votes on the SDEC. Of the numerous questions on which division of the house was called at Saturday’s meeting, every one went Reed’s way by a roughly 95-15 vote. Even if you assume, as I do, that Reed had almost all of his firm supporters present at the Embassy Suites, a bloc of 95 votes on a 285-member Committee is significant.

And therein lies the problem, the bloc of votes that comprise the Alabama Democratic Conference, aka the Minority Caucus of which Joe Reed is the Chair. 

In 1975, Joe Reed led the efforts to get equitable representation for blacks on the Montgomery City Council. His efforts resulted in four blacks of nine 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. He drafted two 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.

Year after year there has been an organized effort by the white wing of the democratic party to infiltrate this bloc in an effort to take  "their" party back to before. 

Back in 1966, after an election in which, having won voting rights after the
1965 Selma to Montgomery March, in which I lost two dear friend, Rev Jim
Reeb and Viola Liuzzo, blacks rushed to register to vote and to run for office, most considered themselves to be Democrats . Gov Wallace (a democrat) refused to allow them to run for office as Democrats. 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.

That's right, everyone wants to be a  minority until the police show up. 

The old guard dug their heels in against including other classes in the diversity requirement -- and eventually won in the wee hours of Saturday morning.  Minority still means "black" and nothing else to certain people on the SDEC Board.

But it's not about inclusion, it's about dilution.

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.

EYE say if they want a party that wants blacks to be seen and not heard, let them have at it.

Dear Dr. Reed, can we talk?

There is the perception among whites the Alabama Democratic Party is the party of blacks because the Democratic Party has done more for black folks than anyone else. Translation, blacks want thegovernment to give us free stuff because the government owes us a living. In any event, the status quo have decided you are no longer effective and it's time for you to go somewhere, sit your Ebony Donkey down, and take your cheerleaders (which include me and mine) with you.

You cannot curse Bubba and Cooter, Big Man, and June Bug in the daytime and beg them at night.~Joe Reed

Joe Reed is right (pun intended), the opposition to Obama is rooted in racism

Joe Reed, long time vice chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party JOHN DAVID MERCER

"I know I'm right. All you have to do is look at all those ads the Republicans ran, not against the Alabama Democrat running against them, but against Obama. Hell! They mentioned him so often that I expected to see his name on the ballot Tuesday."

I know Joe Reed is right too.  All you have to do is read the comments following the articles written and posted by Charles Deen on al.com for verification and validation.

Let's recap.
After (not to be confused with before) the midterm elections, Charles Deen asked the most hated black man in Alabama, I mean, Joe Reed, why whites (including white democrats) voted against their self interest, and against Obama.  Joe Reed is quoted as saying this:

  "Too many whites in Alabama are motivated to vote against Obama because he is black. Now they will tell you it's because he's liberal but he's really not liberal in my view. But he sure as hell is black," added Reed, 76.

Gasp!  What did he say that for?  How dare Joe Reed tell the truth!

 "White voters, especially the middle class and poor white voters should be the very ones demanding a lottery to help pay their kids college costs and expanding Medicaid to help pay health care costs. And what did they do in the governor's race? They voted against those things by voting for Gov. Bentley who will nothing to get a lottery and who has said he's opposed to expanding Medicaid."

Reed is also quoted as saying the state democratic party shares the blame for Tuesday's debacle, and I agree.  Instead of petty bickering and infighting, and distancing themselves from Joe Reed and his bunch, the Alabama Democratic Party should have circled the wagons and formed a unified front against the republican extremism and bigotry (yes I said it) that "won" on Tuesday.

I saw the writing on the wall when the Alabama Democratic Majority was formed.

The Alabama Democratic Majority was formed because the Alabama Democratic Party is 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.

Democrats "lost" because the red, republican, confederate, slave states have way too much power and influence.
Own it.
All of it.

"Down is Up, White is Black, and Do You See Those Dark Skinned Racist?"

H/T Left in Alabama

Can a clever scheme calling for diversity to attract more white voters change reality? I don't know but the ConservaDems are sure trying. First they picked up their marbles, stomped off the playground, and seceded from the Alabama Democratic Party.  Now they are basically calling the State Democratic Party a bunch of homophobic/bigots/sexist/racist (take your pick), when nothing could be further from the truth.  In other words they are framing the issues to make themselves look like the good guys.

Now, this seems like a no-brainer, because the charter and by-laws of the DNC already require states to "Establish standards and rules of procedure to afford all members of the Democratic Party full, timely and equal opportunities to participate in decisions concerning the selection of candidates, the formulation of policy, and the conduct of other Party affairs, without prejudice on the basis of sex, race, age (if of voting age), color, creed, national origin, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, ethnic identity or physical disability"
It's long past time for the SDEC to get with the program.

Uh, the SDEC has always been with the program thank you very much. This is white privilege disguised as a diversity issue.  It continues to be a source of consternation to the Alabama, white power structure they keep being outsmarted by the State Democratic Executive Committee led by their arch enemy Dr. Joe L. Reed.

To refresh your memory Left in Alabama, has followed the diversity amendment for some time. You can read the sad, sorry, saga (my words)  here,  here,  and  here.   You won't see any comments from me in the comment section because  I've been banned for life from Left in Alabama because the administrators didn't like the content of my comments and other post.  That's right (pun intended), the same Informed. Involved.  Progressive. blog who has followed the diversity amendment for some time refuse to admit they banned the only diversity they had.

A big thank you to commenter Yellowdog  for calling them out:

 I want the Alabama Democratic Party to reflect my political views. I want the candidate I vote for to reflect at least some basic core Democratic views.

If the Democratic Party reflects the hopes and aspirations of the majority of the black community this is an outcome I consider fair and reasonable.

Our calling should be to stand up for inclusion and diversity as an outcome of our political views. If most white Americans do not support inclusion and diversity, they should not support the Democratic Party (and in Alabama most whites do not).

The idea we should call for some kind of "diversity" to represent the Alabama Democratic Party - to make it more attractive to white
voters - is crass and exploitative and would have nothing to do with
our principles and beliefs.

We support inclusion, diversity, and tolerance should be the attraction to all voters including whites. Gaming the system to get a few more ignorant white votes would and has gotten us nowhere.

 Attacking the messenger is so creepily Republican.~Yellowdog

RedEye Reports.  You Decide.

Biting off your nose to spite your face Bama style

Not only do liberal/democrats in Sweet Home Alabama have to fight the gop infused, media enabled, Teabaggers, we have to fight the so called Progressive/Grassroots/DemoCats too.   Sigh

Here's the latest:
This doesn't happen that often, campers!  The Alabama Democratic Party has scheduled its next meeting in Birmingham instead of Montgomery, so mark your calendars, ignore the football games, and show up to see the party leadership in action.
The time hasn't been set yet, but we'll let you know. These meetings usually begin around midday.  The meeting will be at the Wynfrey Hotel near the Galleria.
The scuttlebut before the meeting is that the interim chair Nancy Worley will ask the executive committee to open qualifying in October, which is several months earlier than the party usually does so.  If the committee agrees to do so, it could allow candiates to boost their public profiles before the primary and it would certainly help fill the party's depleted coffers with qualifying fees.
In any case, make plans to attend.  The Over The Mountain Democrats said it best in a recent email:

As a Democrat or a Progressive, with any interest in politics in general, and how your state's party operates and governs itself, in particular, you need to come to this meeting and see for yourself how party politics works at the Executive Committee level. 

Hope to see y'all there! 

Not content to have formed their own separate but unequal party  because they couldn't stand the leadership of the Alabama Democratic Party, the Democrat or Progressives (I wish they would make up their daggum minds) are planning to crash the Alabama Democratic Party meeting in Birmingham.

Why?

Reed had almost all of his troops present Saturday, and still only produced 90-95 votes on the typical issue. There is every chance that he can be outvoted if 200 or more members (including the Reed group) grace us with their presence, and engage in the slightest degree of organization and planning. Futility is no more valid an excuse for your absence than one of a dozen soccer games in your child’s season.

OK, so you stage a coup d'état and get rid of Joe Reed and his Bunch and then what?

 Has Joe Reed, like a certain British monarch, tragically stayed too long in his post, to the detriment of the realm? That is a topic far beyond the scope of this blog post. I will tell both sides of that fight, that we cannot beat the Republicans without the votes Joe Reed and his supporters represent. Neither can we beat them if we cannot reach beyond those voters.

 What part of you the voters you want to reach beyond are not democrats today, will not be democrats tomorrow, and will not ever be democrats, don't you understand?

 A party divided will not and can not stand.  

While democrats, and I use the term loosely,  were distracted and wasting time forming an anti Joe Reed and his bunch organization the AL GOP is hard at work.

  You cannot curse Bubba and Cooter, Big Man, and June Bug in the daytime and beg them at night.~ Dr. Joe Reed 

 "When you talk about the law discriminating, the law granting a privilege here, and a right here and denying it there, that's a civil rights issue. And I can't take that away from anybody." - Rev. Joseph Lowery

With demoCATS like this who needs republicans?

If you are going to continue enabling the republicans, at least change the name of your blog from Left in Alabama to Wrong in Alabama.

Sigh.  Here we go again, I hate it when democrats help republicans turn the good guys and gals into the bad guys and gals.

The Shirley Sherrodding of Nancy Worley.

You know the drill.

Leak spin to the media.

Right-wing blogs promote the meme.

Left in Alabama fall for the Okey-Doke.

Viola!  A scandal is created.

And who wins in the end?

Not liberal/progressive democrats that for sure.

Some of what BamaRainbow said.

I'm not trying to excuse Worley's behavior here but I'd be a bit more leery of believing anything that comes out of a REPUBLICAN operative's office.  Not all GOPers are technically incompetent but all the POLITICAL ones I've seen are unscrupulous when it comes to protecting their own power base.
When someone in the SOS's office can provide a SCREENCAP that shows BEYOND ANY DOUBT that Worley's email account actually received the email, I'll be a bit more willing to believe their story.  BUT,  bear in mind, it doesn't take much effort to fake ELECTRONIC documents.  Or has everyone sort of forgotten the recent attempt in Texas to alter video records of legislative debate?  The ONLY reason that was caught was because the streaming of the debate was being done live and records actually showed (at first) the correct information.  But internet watchers following the events found their ability to access the vote record suddenly (and inexplicably) vanished, and when it came back up, the record changed (in a "1984"-esque manner).  Now, that LIE perpetrated (and eventually admitted to) by Texas REPUBLICANS was only caught due to the diligence of people WATCHING THEM.  We don't have any sort of outside proof beyond--again--what was provided by REPUBLICANS. 
I'm surprised that anyone would take a Republican's word about anything.  But this website--knowing how completely two-faced and backstabbing this state's GOP can be--should be the LAST to take a Republican's word at face value.
Again.  Worley isn't exactly a favorite on this site but, without more evidence on the Republicans' side, I'm not willing to condemn Worley fully.  And really, countrycat, you can end a paragraph with the following and still keep a straight face:  " the one that did the party a HUGE favor by accepting the documents after the deadline."  Please.  Do you really think the Dems have a real chance at taking AL-1?  The Dems couldn't even GET a candidate to run in the last THREE elections.  And the Dems haven't managed to get better than 40% since 1988 when John Tyson pulled 40% against Sonny Callahan.  The GOP are only being so "magnanimous" because they can afford to be.  I'll guarantee you, if the GOP even so much as thought they could lose the district in a truly fair election, they wouldn't have been so willing to grant that "favor."

First of all, the headline says Alabama Democrats fail to meet deadline, but it should have read, Alabama Democrats miss filing deadline by 1 hour because the acting chairwoman of the Alabama Democratic Party didn't find out about the deadline until she received a call from a Democratic legislator after the deadline passed at noon Tuesday.

Instead of giving Worley the benefit of the doubt countrycat chose to believe what the republicans told the media. And it's a sorry spectacle that just further tarnishes the image of all Alabama Democrats.

Psst, countrycat!  Did the Alabama Democratic Majority meet the filing deadline?  Oh wait... first the Alabama Democratic Majority must have some candidates to meet the filing deadline.

Oh, and BamaRainbow, I do believe the Dems have a real chance at taking AL-1, that's why the GOP tried to pull a fast one over on the Alabama Democrat Party.  We owe the democratic legislator who called Nancy Worley and help foil their evil plan big time.

Lessons Learned? I don't think so....

Per Left in Alabama blogger countrycat;   approximately 300 people attended the Alabama Democratic Majority's first Grassroots Convention at the University of Alabama this weekend, where Judge Mark Kennedy opened the event with one of his barn burner speeches, Congresswoman Terri Sewell provided a free lunch to participants, and Executive Director Bradley Davidson listed the the following goals:

1. Defeat the GOP super-majority.
2. Expand the electorate.
3. Equip the electorate with voter IDs.
4. Build a progressive infrastructure that lasts past a single election cycle.
5. Launch a grassroots donor base instead of relying on a few large donors.  That shifts power to the grassroots instead of a few party bosses.

Now these goals sound fine and dandy but my question is, why was there a need to form a separate party to achieve these goals?  

Oh, I forgot....because of Joe Reed and his bunch.

Joe Reed and his bunch want to Defeat the GOP super-majority.
Joe Reed and his bunch want to expand the electorate.
Joe Reed and his bunch want to Equip the electorate with Voter IDs.
Joe Reed and his bunch want to Build a progressive infrastructure that last past a single election cycle.
Joe Reed and his bunch want Launch a grassroots donor base instead of relying on a few large donors.

According to Davidson this is the path to victory for democrats;

The Democratic path to victory, he explained runs through the Senate and the ADM will work to help all Democratic candidates, but particularly Senators Tammy Irons & Mark Keahey.  Both intimidate the GOP because they're young, articulate, and popular in their districts.  The GOP has targeted their races and the Democrats have to hold those seats.
Targeted GOP seats include:

• Senator Paul Sanford, District 7 in Madison County. 
• Senator Bill Holtzclaw, District 2 in Madison County. 
• Senator Shadrack McGill, District 8 in Jackson, DeKalb, & a sliver of Madison County.
• Senator Phil Williams, District 10  from Gadsden.
• Senator Gerald Dial, District 13 in Randolph, Cleburne, Chambers, Cherokee, & Lee counties.
• Senator Gerald Allen, District 21 from Tuscaloosa.
• Senator Del Marsh, District 12 in Calhoun & St. Clair Counties. He's the GOP Senate leader.

Question:  Why waste time and resources on candidates who young, articulate, and popular in their district just because the gop has "targeted them"?  If they are as popular as you say it won't matter if the gop "targets" them or not.  And wouldn't it be helpful to have actual candidates to run against  Sandford, Holtzclaw, McGill, Williams, Dial, Allen, and Marsh?  Where are the candidates?

This is is precisely why I oppose the creation of this organization.  It is dividing the Alabama Democratic Party.

Strike that, it is destroying the Alabama Democratic Party. 

For too long we have been seen as stupid, redneck, backward and just plain simple. Serious thought and consideration must be given to the path of destruction that beckons our state, and we as a people must march out of the abyss of our own making.
In the overall scheme of Alabama politics, there are choices, and they are not difficult ones to make. If you are poor, you are a Democrat, even if you deny the obvious.

A party divided will NOT stand.

 My advice to them at the time? The real progressive Democrats in Alabama — and there are many, in spite of the false picture painted by the corporate media institutions here — should unite and figure out a way to take over the Democratic Party and rewrite the platform, like the conservative, religious wing of the Republican Party took it over in the 1980s.

Real  Alabama democrats can't win for the journalist.

And we wonder why the Alabama Democratic Party is dysfunctional?

The Alabama Democratic Majority, a grassroots organizing group (aka the Artur Davis wing of the Alabama Democratic Party), started by former ADP Chair Judge Mark Kennedy  "is only a few months old, but according to countrycat,   it's already making progress on its goals of registering, organizing, and informing voters  "

Oh, really?

 Left in Alabama  (links inserted for emphasis are  mine and mine alone):

 Judging by the response to its first Grassroots Convention, it appears that many Alabamians have responded to the ADM's message - so much so that the conference is being moved to a larger venue, and,  ADM Executive Director Bradley Davidson is expecting "a packed house."

The Locust Fork Journal's Glynn Wilson says;  If this doesn't wake some  people up I don't know what will.

It has now become obvious that Kennedy, the paid party executive director Bradley Davidson and former state campaign chair for Obama’s campaign, Leanne Townsend, had been planning to walk away from the party to start something new for some time before the budget meeting where Kennedy and Joe Reed got into it.
According to key sources, the state party’s fund raising Website had already been disabled months before the April meeting when the visible split occurred. Members of the Over the Mountain Democrats had tried to make donations, but got nothing but error messages. When they tried to report it, they were given the cold shoulder.

 I said it once, and I will say it again, a party divided will not stand.

(Emphasis mine)

 My advice to them at the time? The real progressive Democrats in Alabama — and there are many, in spite of the false picture painted by the corporate media institutions here — should unite and figure out a way to take over the Democratic Party and rewrite the platform, like the conservative, religious wing of the Republican Party took it over in the 1980s.~ Glynn Wilson

Amen and Amen.

All that blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice, wiped away with a 5-4 vote

Fumbling Toward Divinity: Remembering Four Little Black Girl

On Sunday, 15th September, 1963, a white man was seen getting out of a white and turquoise Chevrolet car and placing a box under the steps of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church. Soon afterwards, at 10.22 a.m., the bomb exploded killing Denise McNair (11), Addie Mae Collins (14), Carole Robertson (14) and Cynthia Wesley (14). The four girls had been attending Sunday school classes at the church. Twenty-three other people were also hurt by the blast.

Civil rights activists blamed George Wallace, the Governor of Alabama, for the killings. Only a week before the bombing he had told the New York Times that to stop integration Alabama needed a "few first-class funerals."

 Again, the  reason I oppose the republican party has nothing to do with me being a democrat, and I don't oppose republicans just to support democrats.  I oppose republicans because the people who perpetrated the 16th Street Baptist Church bombings and other terrorist acts joined the GOP.

I oppose the Alabama Democratic Majority because they believe the Alabama Democratic Party is the black man's party, like that's a bad thing.

Does this sound familiar?

Prior to the the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Nixons Southern Strategy, these people were loyal democrats, then the Democratic Party split along sectional lines in the aftermath and the republicans reached out to the disaffected Southern Democrats, encouraging them to join the GOP.  The party did not change the Dixiecrats, the Dixiecrats changed the party. 

When Lyndon Johnson signed the 1965 voting Rights Act, he said “there goes the Democratic Party in the South.” How right he was.

"What ever political party draws it's strength from these people is the party I'm going to work to defeat. "

Are you with us, or are you with them?

That is the question.

Happy Confederate Memorial, I mean, Independence Day~ RedEye Rant Edition

Praising the Post Racial South my Donkey

Please excuse my cynicism, but every since the Robert's Court decided to pay black folks back  for daring exercise their right to vote and not only elect, but re-elect, the nations first African American President, siding with Shelby County Alabama (of all places) to make sure that doesn't happen again, and Republicans will be in control of our government until eternity, I don't feel like celebrating America's Independence Day Hypocrisy.

I just don't.

I just can't.

On this day  jobsanger points out. the American dream is more like an American nightmare for most of the  people, and Bill Quigley reminds us the real patriots aren't waiving their rights while waving their confederate, I mean,  American flags, they  are the ones risking  lives and lively hood fighting injustice every single day.

I'm still pi$$ed off at the Alabama Democratic Majority/Party (or what ever they call themselves these days), for taking their eyes off the prize and dividing the party instead of uniting the party at a time when it was needed the most.  Call me crazy, but I firmly believe this whole Mark Kennedy vs Joe Kennedy BullPoo another  media enabled weapon of mass distraction to keep democrats from organizing and mobilizing.  Looks like it worked.

 Happy now?

I close this  RedEye Rant with an excerpt from  Essential reading for the 4th of July in the words of  Frederick Douglas;

Standing, there, identified with the American bondman, making his wrongs mine, I do not hesitate to declare, with all my soul, that the character and conduct of this nation never looked blacker to me than on this 4th of July!

Hate to think it, much less say it, but the conduct of this nation never looked blacker  (pun intended) to me either.

This Independence Day more African Americans are dependent on the government, it might sound like a Republican talking point used to justify lower taxes, smaller government and the cutting of social programs, but it is a fact. And it stems from the unique history of black people in this country.

Redeye tiptoeing away from the computer humming We Shall Overcome One day .

On a personal note, welcome back to the battlefield Leftwing Nutjob, you were missed, you are needed.

"I am not a member of an organized party. I am a democrat."~Will Rogers

 

Truer words were never spoken, and they certainly apply to the current state of the Alabama Democratic Party and all of it's factions.

I learned today the Cats and  Critters over at Left in Alabama, the blog of record for the Alabama Democratic Majority, are mighty interested in the upcoming SDEC (State Democratic Executive Committee) meeting.  I wonder why since they picked up their marbles and stomped off to their own playground and started their own game. But I digress.

Today they are crowing about a proposed new amendment concerned with "demonstrating a unified and inclusive party".

The new amendment would expand the ADP's Executive Board to include: the President of the Alabama Democratic Conference, the President of the Alabama College Democrats, the President of the Alabama Federation of Democratic Women, the President of the Alabama Young Democrats, the President of the Alabama Democratic Hispanic Caucus, and the President of the Alabama Stonewall Democrats.

So, everyone want to be a "minority" all of a sudden.  I guess we are not supposed to notice that with the exception of the Alabama Democratic Hispanic Caucus  and the Alabama Democratic Caucus the membership of these  factions are predominately white.  Evidently this amendment is being proposed by the Alabama Stonewall (as in Stonewall Jackson?) Democrats.   Are you kidding me???  Why can't we just be democrats?  Never mind.  I know.

Left in Alabama commenter roy wanted someone to ask acting democratic party Chair Nancy Worley the following question, in addition to others, when she spoke at a recent Over the Mountain Dems (another faction) meeting in Birmingham.

3. Why do the SDEC Bylaws define "minority" for purposes of SDEC representation as ONLY black folks, but does include Hispanic or any other minority?

And therein lies the problem.  It's about race.  The "minority" representation has long been a bone of contention among some (not to confused with all) within the Alabama Democratic Party.   They are trying to dilute the ONLY black folks representation with Hispanic and "other minorities".  In other words they want blacks to be seen but not heard.

I said it then and I say it again

The party is divided, and I'm not sure the newly elected Cat Herder wants to unite the party. He has the support of the wing of the party that feels the reason democrats lost is because they are seen as the N word loving party that caters to black voters and ignores white voters.

It's obvious African Americans are tolerated but not embraced by the ADP. For that reason African Americans should vote as Independents and start supporting candidates who share our interest and not a party that takes us for granted.

From this point on I'm a #@$% Independent.

Today's Must Read (s)
Fool Me Once....

My advice to white people 

RedEye over and out....for now.

Why I can't support the Alabama Democratic Majority

I've received more emails from Judge Mark Kennedy and the Alabama Democratic Majority than I ever did when he was Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party.   It appears Kennedy and Company looted the Alabama Democratic Party's email list because I never gave them my email address or my name.  As far as I'm concerned they raided the Alabama Democratic Party of its valuable resources to start their own separate but equal party.  Much like the Segregation Academies that sprung up in the south like mushrooms after the Brown v. Board decision.

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 its core principals and beliefs.  In other words, turn into the Alabama Republican Party.

 If white democrats want white males to rejoin the democratic party they should start by working on their friends, relatives neighbors, and co-workers who put party over people.  Tell them to quit voting against their own interests.  

SaintSatinStain said: Some things like rational gun regulation are neither left nor right; some things like we feed, clothe, shelter, and insure all neither left nor right; some things like the Constitution protects all individual citizens, right, middle, and left is neither right or left. Just saying. Say the obvious because some of you have forgotten if you ever knew and felt. 

It seems to me the Alabama Democratic Majority may have forgotten what the Alabama Democratic Party has always stood for, and decided to pander to those who might vote for the right (pun intended) democrat. 

 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "On some positions, cowardice asks the question, is it safe? Expediency asks the question, is it politics? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? But conscience asks the question, is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a stand that's neither safe nor politics nor popular but he must take the stand because it's right."

It's no secret that I didn't support Judge Mark Kennedy as Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party because, to be honest,  I was concerned about his lack of experience, and his close ties to former Congressman Artur Davis (DINO).  Say what you want about Joe Reed and Nancy Worley but the fact remains they delivered more tangible benefits to the Alabama Democratic Party than Mark Kennedy ever has. This is one reason why I support the ADP.  So while the ADM wants to make this an "old versus new" argument and demonize the "old guard", when you consider what Reed and Company have accomplished in this state that in itself should make some of you question the motives of the ADM...that is If you are a Democrat.

 The Democratic Party has been infiltrated by progressives, there in lies the dilemma, there is a  difference between Democrats and Progressives and the two will never be one in the same. 

I have to take issue with Joe Reed's assertion the chair of the Democratic Party should be a white man or women, that's reverse affirmative action in my view.  The next chair should be elected based on the content of their character not the color of their skin.  IF whites don't want to be affiliated with a party where the person welding power is a person of color they can join the Alabama Democratic Majority or the Alabama Republican Party.

The former staff of the ADP have resigned en masse, effective at noon yesterday and most of them will be working for the new organization.  Former ADP Executive Director Bradley Davidson will be the Director of the ADM.  Coincidentally, the ADM's Birmingham office will be located in what was the ADP's field office in that city, the very office the ADP's Executive Board recently directed Kennedy to close.  Kennedy also said the ADM will have an office in Montgomery.  He very pointedly said that the ADM is not a political party and "does not stand in opposition to our state Democratic Party", but rather intends to augment and improve it.

Yeah right.  Pun intended.

 "No one can cooperate with folks who do nothing to pay off their debts but in fact add to the debt and then walk away,"

Today's Must Read
Alabama Democratic Party in Serious Trouble