Archive for: March 19, 2008

I was there!

Dan Ireland’s vision speaks for itself.

I love educational, witty cartoons. Warning — there is some foul language.

One of the posters over at Left in Alabama is “officially through with Bud Cramer.” Cramer dared to say that he wanted the best person to replace him in representing Alabama’s 5th Congressional District, regardless of party.

Cramer, who watched control of the House swap from Democrats to Republicans and back to Democrats, said that North Alabama, with its dependence on federal programs, requires a representative who is not overly partisan and can avoid dogmatic battles. “It’s not a job that ought to be based on party labels,” said Cramer, adding that the best candidate would define the job based on tangible gains for North Alabama rather than political victories. “If that’s a Republican, then that Republican needs to win the race.”

I guess a bad Democrat is preferable to a good Republican. Of course, independents, free thinkers, and third parties don’t exist.

Daily Show correspondent Rob Riggle visits protesters at a Berkley USMC recruiting station.

Alabama Arise has a flier on their website about Representative John Knight’s Tax Fairness Plan, HB274. Knight’s bill is a constitutional amendment (requiring voter approval) that would eliminate the deductibility of federal income taxes, increase the standard deduction and personal and dependent exemptions for state income taxes, and exempt food items from the sales tax.

Removing the deduction of federal income taxes would cause some upper-income Alabamians to have a higher tax liability, but all of the other provisions would lower taxes across the board. Knight claims his plan would be revenue neutral for the state.

I think it’s worth thinking over. The bill is currently dying a slow death in committee.

Only Senator Lowell Barron would have to do a phone interview with the Huntsville Times to explain that he actually isn’t trying to steal people’s property rights. I assume this article provides the explanation I was looking for on the ruckus mentioned here.

Well when Mark Montiel accuses the two people in the state charged with campaign finance law, the secretary of state and the attorney general,  of campaign finance violations, of course they’re going to be cleared. Secretary of State Beth Chapman says she has no prosecutorial powers to investigate King and Attorney General Troy King says Montiel’s complaints against Chapman’s FCPA reports are unfounded. They are accussed of much of the same thing.

So if the Montgomery District Attorney (who was also forwarded the complaint) says something is off, they’re both going to look bad.