Bright brought out his "veto pen"

The 2007 budget for the City of Montgomery has officially been given the 'veto' by Mayor Bobby Bright.

Reasoning:
1. Bright believes that discretionary funds that were added are illegal, and
2. He believes a public hearing should have been held before the discretionary funds were added.

Of course, the initial budget with $2 million in discretionary funds was approved by a 5-4 vote. If the same five vote the same way, they can override the mayor's veto.

Alvin Holmes has chimed in on this, writing a letter to the city council stating that an opinion by former Attorney General Jimmy Evans that a mayor cannot veto a budget except when it applies to city salaries.

But Janet May claims that she doesn't care because she doesn't "put a whole lot of credence into attorney general opinions," because as she understands it, "they issue quite a number of those."

You know who else issues a number of opinions? The Montgomery city council.

(Visit this post for a little more info on this subject.)

more info:
MA: Bright backs vow to veto city budget

Bush purse-snatching and Montgomery purse-snatching

You don't hear this everyday.

Barbara Bush - the twin, not the former first lady - had her purse snatched in Argentina. Yes, they do have bodyguards, and yes, the thief got away.

It is nice, however, to see one of the twins in the news for something other than being drunk off her ass.

And in other news, last night, the Montgomery City Council added approximately $2 million to the budget for the next fiscal year. The extra money was for "discretionary funds," so that each city council member can do "projects" in their districts.

"What projects" you may ask? No one knows. At this point, this is as much a mystery as the location of Barbara Bush's purse.

The vote passed by a margin of 5-4, and the mayor has not said whether or not he would use his "veto pen."

more info:
CNN: Bush daughter purse-snatching talk of Argentina
MA: Montgomery City Council passes budget

Bye bye Johnny; Bye bye Twinkle

And the news is in:

Just months after breaking away from the national Chapter of the Christian Coalition and renaming the Alabama chapter "Christian Action Alabama"...and just after putting out their voter guide showing the relation of stem cells to school board, place 8, John Giles has announced that he will resign from Christian Action Alabama.

His resignation becomes official on December 29, 2006, but rather than say "Bye bye, don't come back now," it was reported that he may still serve on the board or as a consultant.

Also, Represenative Mike Hubbard of Auburn will be seeking the position of Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party. This comes after Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh announced that she will not seek another term. You may remember the name "Twinkle" from my letter-to-the-editor...or from a children's nursery rhyme.

So goodbye to Johnny and Twinkle. You will not me missed.

more info:
WSFA: John Giles Confirms Letter of Resignation from Christian Action Alabama
MA: Hubbard announces GOP leadership bid

Why are we afraid of real news?

There is a war going on and sometimes it seems that all the American people want to see are Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.

Our troops are being shot at, cities are being bombed, and while these are realities for some people as they try to live their day-to-day lives, it may disturb our dinner. Oh no, anything but that.

The reality is: war may cause indigestion.

When CNN aired footage of sniper attacks on Anderson Cooper 360, one hotel chain pulled CNN and CNN Headline News from their guest rooms and lobbies.

Stoney Creek Hospitality Corporation's president James Thompson says of the CNN footage, "It was shocking and repulsive...Their actions supported terrorism."

By showing the realities of war, CNN supported terrorism?! By giving you real news, CNN supports terrorism?

So here's the lesson: real news = the support of terrorism.

And we wonder why the rest of the world thinks Americans are so uninformed. Maybe it's because we are.

more info:
AP: Midwest hotel chain drops CNN over video

The RNC is looking for new leadership

The Bloomberg.com headline reads: "RNC's Mehlman to Quit After Election Defeat; No Successor Named."

Former George W. Bush campaign manager is also now former chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Could this be the beginning of a much-needed change in the Republican Party?

more info:
Bloomberg: RNC's Mehlman to Quit After Election Defeat; No Successor Named

"'Animal House' meets 'The Daily Show'"

WAUD am 1230 host Lane Powell, who oversaw the election night coverage that I was privileged enough to be a part of, has posted some news about that night, describing it as "'Animal House' meets 'The Daily Show'."

For all who tuned in that night, I'm sure you would agree.

Here's a link to Lane's post: "A one way motorway -->"

Democrats take it all....Rumsfeld is gone....and more post election coverage

Democrats take it all!

So, Jim Webb wins in Virgina, meaning that Democrats, as of January, will control the House and the Senate. Hopefully, we will see some positive change. The President will now, for the first time, have to work with the other party.

One thing that struck me as strange this morning was on NBC's Today show. It showed Bush giving a speech in which he said he wasn't happy with the outcome of the election, but the Republicans lost and he was head of the Republicans.....what? Head of the Republicans...this is what we have been seeing. Bush has never considered himself a president for all Americans, just the president of the ones who voted for him. And honestly, I know many people who have felt the same way since he was chosen by the Supreme Court in 2000, but you would think a president would rise above that.....but then again, this is what is expected from Bush.

Rumsfeld is gone!

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is now former secretary of defense....or as Bush says, "secretary of the defense" because adding "the" in the title makes it sound less "elitist" or something like that.

Anyway, this comes after Bush said that Rummy would stay. Bush stood by his man even when retired generals and most recently, military newspaper editorials had called for his resignation. Does this mean that Bush is now listening? Maybe? Let's hope so.

Interestingly, this resignation comes just eight days after the Capital City Free Press published this article: 'Rumsfeld's skeleton in the closet.' Hhhhmmmmmmmmm.........

More Post Electon Coverage

The Capital City Free Press has published its post election coverage. Titled, "All over but the shoutin'" editor and publisher Joseph Patton weighs in, adding to yesterday's comments posted on joshcarples.com

The aftermath: Alabama

Alabama

Governor Bob Riley (R) won another 4 years to tell us one thing and do the opposite.

Jim Folsom (D) became Lt. Governor, so now Luther Strange can go back to being the Washington lobbyist that he is.

Beth Chapman (R) beat Nancy Worley for the Secretary of State Job. Worley was tied up with scandals and Chapman's campaign was basically pictures of her with Bob Riley. Everyone give a big sarcastic "yeah" for choices.

Troy King (R) won the Attorney General race, showing that keeping our children safe from legalized gambling and sex toys will win over the 25,000 convictions that John Tyson, Jr got as District Attorney for Mobile. Congratulations, Alabama, on picking the politician over the guy who actually gets convictions.

Sue Bell Cobb (D) is now the first female Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court! Congratulations to her for making history, and showing that experience counts. Drayton Nabers can now resume his insurance career in Birmingham.

Tom Woodall (R) kept his place on the Alabama Supreme Court, place 2. Gwendolyn Thomas Kennedy got almost 44% of the vote, even though Woodall's campaign had well over 20 times the amount of campaign money. Much like the governor's race, this was closer than what most had predicted, so congrats still go out to Kennedy for putting up a bigger-than-expected fight.

Lyn Stuart (R) held on to place 3 of the AL Supreme Court.

Glenn Murdock (R) held on to place 4 of the AL Supreme Court.

Ron Sparks (D) retained his seat as Agricultural Commissioner, so congratulations to him.

Samantha Shaw (R) beat Janie Baker Clarke for State Auditor. Her accomplishments include being a member of the Republican party and going to church. I guess that's all it takes these days.

Kay Ivey (R) was reelected as State Treasurer. She seems to be scandal-free, so congrats to her. Serve us well.

Susan Parker (D) won place 2 on the Public Service Commission, beating incumbent Perry Hooper, Jr. 53% to 47%. Congratulations to Parker for beating Hooper and his smear campaign. Now, Hooper won't worry about having any more fines from the Alabama Ethics Commission - he should be glad he lost.

"Walking" Wendell Mitchell (D) won his Alabama Senate seat with 62% of the vote. This is great news because his opponent - insurance agent Joan Reynolds - has run one of the nastiest campaigns that I have seen. Mitchell was not present during a vote that "thanked" the troops for fighting in Iraq, and Joan Reynolds made commercials and sent mailings saying that Mitchell "did not sign" the bill. Joan Reynolds used our troops as a cheap campaign ploy, and now that she lost.....and I mean lost....she should go home, hang her head in shame, and start writing the most profound apology letter that her cold heart can muster. Congratulations to Mitchell for sending Joan Reynolds home by a landslide.


Thanks

I would like to thank Lane Powell of WAUD am 1230 for allowing Joseph Patton and myself to join him on the air last night for election coverage, proving that politics can also be fun.

Bush: "If we leave Iraq, they will follow us home."

You have probably heard this statement by President Bush or one similar to it. "We either fight them there or fight them here." Etc.

In a special Newsweek report, Fareed Zakaria says of this,

"This makes no sense. Qaeda terrorists from Iraq could have made their way to America at any point in the last three years. In fact, Iraq's borders are more porous today than they have ever been. If a terrorist wanted to inflict harm on U.S. civilians, he could drive across Anbar into Syria, then hop a plane to New York or Washington, D.C. Does the president really believe that because we're in Iraq, terrorists have forgotten that we're also in America?"

Remember this when you hear the speeches.

The special report does give tips for the Iraq War. Definitely worth a read.

Newsweek: Rethinking Iraq: The Way Forward

Pastor Ted Haggard ::hearts:: gay prostitutes and meth

Pastor Ted Haggard of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs has admitted to "sexual immorality" in regards to buying meth from and having sex with a gay prostitute.

Mike Jones, the gay prostitute/dealer who had relations with Taggard, said in an interview that he decided to publicize these allegations to point out Haggard's hypocrisy. Haggard advised people on how to have strong marriages and strong families. He spoke out against gay marriage. He had conference calls with President George W. Bush. And he had gay sex with a male prostitute while on meth.

Now, with the midterm elections happening tomorrow, will this, as well as the new book by David Kuo (see this post: "James Dobson ::hearts:: Ann Coulter"), have any effect on the turnout?

We'll see.

Ps - Join Capital City Free Press editor Joseph O. Patton and myself for election night coverage on WAUD AM1230 in Auburn from 7-10 pm.

More info
ABC News: Can Pastor Come Back After Fall From Grace?

Donald Rumsfeld helped sell nuclear reactors to North Korea

Yes, I said it.

My newest column is up at the Capital City Free Press. Titled, "Rumsfeld's skeleton in the closet," it shows how Rumsfeld lobbied our government to sell nuclear reactors to North Korea when he was on the board at a company called "ABB."

Exceprt:

"Steve LaMontagne, who is an analyst for the Center of Arms Control and Non-Proliferation in Washington, said of Rumsfeld, 'One could draw the conclusion that economic and personal interests took precedent over non-proliferation.'"

Read the entire article here.

John McCain joins in Republican bashing....getting ready for '08

I really miss John McCain. I do. I used to really like him. He was one of the few Republicans who seemed to actually try to be moderate. He seemed to be a uniter, not a divider, in the real way, not in the fantasy way of George W. Bush. But something happened to him, and I am not sure what.

That being said, he has now joined in the Republican chorus attacking John Kerry for some recent statements about education and Iraq.

Let's go ahead and get Kerry's direct quote out of the way. Kerry said, "You know education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. And if you don't, you get stuck in Iraq."

Dumb statement to make, especially before the midterm election? Yes. Is it 100% false, though? Maybe not.

Not too long ago, there were stories in the media that talked about the military lowering the standards for signing up. The military was now beginning to accept high school drop-outs, something the military was not known for doing.

So if the military is accepting high school drop-outs, wouldn't John Kerry's statements have some validity? I recently heard a professed Republican call into a local radio talk show. He said he did not like John Kerry, but agreed with the sentiment of his statement. He said his son did not do well in school and ended up joining the military, and that his son had recently told him that he wished he had done better in school so that he would have had more options besides the military.

So now John McCain, along with George Bush and White House spokesman Tony Snow, wants John Kerry to apologize to the troops. Now keep in mind that John Kerry and John McCain are both Vietnam veterans. Keep in mind the bravery that both men showed by serving in the military, but now one wants the other to apologize to the troops.

Why doesn't McCain apologize to the troops for continuing to support the Iraq war? Why doesn't McCain apologize for allowing our troops to continue to be caught in the middle of a civil war? Why doesn't George Bush apologize for sending our troops to a war that we have no business in? Why doesn't Donald Rumsfeld apologize for botching the war effort with one bad decision after another?

I guess apologies can go on for days.

I really miss John McCain, the brave Vietnam veteran who served his country. When did he lose himself and become part of a spin machine?

more info:
ABC News: McCain to Kerry: Apologize to Troops

Quick note on the recent Alabama debates...

Monday night, the candidates for Governor, Lt. Governor and Attorney General went at it. If you missed it, here is a quick rundown.

Governor: Bob Riley v. Lucy Baxley.
Baxley came out swinging, calling Riley out on all the lies he has told since he first campaigned for governor. Riley tried to be Reaganesque by saying, "Here we go again," but when it got back to Baxley, she made it clear that "you, sir, are no Ronald Reagan." Baxley also called him out on his no-bid contracts. "Bob Riley said he was going to get rid of Don Siegelman's no-bid contracts, and he did. He then started Bob Riley's no-bid contracts." I think Baxley won it.

Lt. Governor: Jim Folsom, Jr. v. Luther Strange.
Folsom did a great job of painting Strange as the Washington lobbyist that he is. Also, Strange repeatedly mentioned what he and Riley would do. Just about every answer had Riley's name thrown in it, so I am still trying to figure out who initiated the first kiss - Riley or Strange?

Attorney General: Troy King v. John Tyson, Jr.
King got a spanking. Bottom line. Tyson pointed out that he has been on over 500 homicide scenes as the District Attorney for Mobile, the most recent scene being this past Friday. Tyson has over 25,000 felony convictions, and King tried to come back about one case in particular where he took over a case to get "justice." Tyson then said that the suspect in question was in the process of giving names of other suspected murderers, rapists and meth-heads, but the suspect quickly stopped talking when King took over the case. Oh, and King put the crime victim's daughter on his TV ad, but neglected to mention that she herself is a convicted thief. There's King's credibility. Tyson won this one hands down.