Category: Daily Dixie

This is from the third most popular radio host in the United States.

[Michael] Savage last week aired a rant about children with autism, suggesting the illness was a fraud and that the real problem was poor parenting.

Nearly every child diagnosed with autism, Savage said, is “a brat who hasn’t been told to cut the act out.” He said most cases could be cured if parents would only use a tougher tone, suggesting that autistic kids be told: “Straighten up. Act like a man. Don’t sit there crying and screaming, idiot.”

[State Representative Cam] Ward, who has a daughter with autism, said he was appalled by the remarks and disappointed by Savage’s subsequent refusal to back away from them.

Michael Savage, whose real name is “Weiner” (seriously), has called Ward and others “far-left Stalinists” for disagreeing with his professional estimate that 99% of autistic children are misdiagnosed.

There’s a Greater Birmingham 2020 committee.  They’re going to “study” the idea of hosting the Olympic Games in Birmingham. Actually, their mission is to “make believers out of people,” according to the chairman, Ron Creel. I think the first commenter for the al.com entry summed it up perfectly.

wow the sickness goes deeper than I originally thought.

Of course the chairman’s enthusiasm for the Olympics has nothing to do with his role as president and CEO of the Alabama Sports Festival. He simply volunteered, the mayor simply proposed paying his company $50,000 a year to host the festival in Birmingham.

By the way, here’s some of the Ham’s expected competition so far just among US cities: Boston, Houston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Philadelphia. I’ll be honest with you — Detriot has a better shot than Birmingham.

I know a lot of readers work for the state one way or the other, so I found this BMI calculator that you paid for with tax dollars (BMI is just weight/height² in kg/m²). The State Employees Insurance Board is considering a $24 surcharge for employees with a BMI of over 35. The clinical definition for obesity is a BMI of 30 or greater.

According to the calculator, I was overweight during my entire time in the Marines except during and immediately after boot camp (when I looked sickly skinny), so maybe this scale lacks some individual differences.

The State Employees Insurance Board is considering a move to charge overweight state employees a surcharge of $24 for medical insurance. The linked editorial, disappointingly, is mainly just an emotional argument about health but does include this sentence: “The medical cost of extremely overweight state employees is $50 million a year, according to the SEIB.”

[sarcasm]I also think you should get hit with an appropriate surcharge if you get cancer [/sarcasm].

George Talbot of the Press-Register reports that an Airbus official, who “Every morning he wakes up with a single mission in life: Beat Boeing,” thinks Boeing will lose in the Grand Political Battle for the Air Force contract.

Alabama is hoping Northrop Grumman will land the contract — a second time — because they plan on building the aircraft in Mobile. This whole thing has gotten way too political, and apparently Alabama officials hate Boeing now.

I love talking to people.

Me: Hi, I’m Dan Roberts.
Him: Good to meet you. Didn’t someone say you were a political blogger?
Me: Yeah, I gotta warn you, though. I’m not very friendly toward your big boss.
Him: The DA?
Me: No, the “big boss,” the attorney general. Troy King.
Him: Troy King? That ^@&%# %*$&@ piece of #$*@? I don’t work for that @#$&@!#

And this is why people don’t talk to me. I tell.

1962: The federal district court in Montgomery rejects the Alabama legislature’s plan to reapportion itself, ordering it instead to implement the court’s plan. Although Alabama’s Constitution of 1901 mandated reapportionment every ten years, the state’s legislative districts had not been redrawn since 1901, with the result that less-populated districts came to dominate the legislature in violation of the principle of “one man/one vote..

• Most historical information provided by the ADAH.

1799: Daniel Pratt, who was to become a significant industrialist in nineteenth-century Alabama, is born in Temple, New Hampshire. After arriving in Alabama in 1832 he founded the town of Prattville and established what would later become the largest cotton gin manufacturing plant in the world.

• Most historical information provided by the ADAH.

I found this promising. Certain links from national blogs, while covering a certain rumor, have all pointed to this post. That post now is now the “most entered page” to Daily Dixie except the front page. That means more people have entered this website by clicking on a link to that post than any other post. However, about twice as many people this month alone have visited Troy King’s Greatest Hits.

So while national blogs are bringing scores of people to the salacious, uncorroborated rumors about Troy King’s sex life, most visitors find my documentation of his professional misconduct more worthy of visiting often.

1941: The first black pilots in the American military begin their primary flight training at Tuskegee Institute’s Moton Field. This first class of “Tuskegee Airmen” graduated the next March after transferring to Tuskegee Army Air Field to complete their training. The group saw its first action in World War II in 1943 as members of the segregated 99th Fighter Squadron of the Army Air Corps.

• Most historical information provided by the ADAH.

Looking at real data instead of relying on Opensecrets’ numbers (and their methodology for computing numbers), I stand corrected (and confused). So here’s the corrected post. The numbers are based off the FEC’s latest reports, of course. I have to conclude that mooncat and Amber Stuart were a bit hasty in calling Wayne Parker a big fat liar.

Brian says he’s doing a more thorough analysis, but here’s the snapshot from last reporting period using my handy-dandy Excel skills.

• Wayne Parker reported $368,098 in individual contributions and $335,770 was from Alabama. That’s 91.2%
• Parker Griffith reported $298,710 in individual contributions total and $260,549 was from Alabama. That’s 87.2%

• Wayne Parker reported 353 in individual contributors and 327 were from Alabama. That’s 92.6%
• Parker Griffith reported 390 in individual contributors and 355 were from Alabama. That’s 91%

• Wayne Parker reported $53,250 in PAC contributions and $10,250 were from Alabama. That’s 19%
• Parker Griffith reported $257,900 in PAC contributions and $24,900 was from Alabama. That’s 9.6%

• All told, 82.1% of Parker’s reported income for the last period was from Alabama
• All told, 51.3% of Griffith’s reported income for the last period was from Alabama

The moral of the story? Wayne Parker probably wasn’t trying to deceive anyone. And Parker Griffith has a lot more PAC money.

The dynamics of this races make it too simplistic to say “Griffith is funded by outsiders and Parker is home-grown.” (I also don’t know why that matters so much). Griffith’s primary was little more than a procedural requirement. Most people probably can’t now remember his opponent’s name. Parker, on the other hand, wasn’t quite as clear cut. He defintely wasn’t a sure bet until the primary and even his runoff opponent, Cheryl Guthrie, was more than token opposition. You can expect more out-of-state funding for Parker now that he’s the GOP nominee as of Tuesday.

So my point is that the dynamic of the fundraising is going to change, and who really cares if some money comes from Tennessee or DC? But since LIA and Amber Stuart brought it up, we should all point at them and laugh for their attempt to mock Wayne Parker. Ha ha. Ha ha.

To help out Left in Alabama –

• Wayne Parker received 91% of his contributions from Alabama
• Parker Griffith received 85% of his contributions from Alabama

Both numbers are as of June 30, 2008 from Opensecrets.org.

Bobby Bright has released a 60 second ad in a big buyup now that the election is in full swing. Thanks to Danny for getting it first. I prefer the Youtube so they get all the bandwidth. The sound is a little low.

You’re crazy if you can’t admit that’s a powerful first commercial. My only criticism is that the “I’m pro-life and I like guns” at the end seems a bit out of place.

1948: The Dixiecrat Convention assembles in Birmingham, with over 6,000 delegates from across the South in attendance. They selected Strom Thurmond as the presidential candidate for their States’ Rights Party. In the 1948 presidential election the Dixiecrats carried four states, including Alabama, where Democratic candidate Harry Truman’s name did not even appear on the ballot.

• Most historical information provided by the ADAH.

Here’s what’s on the table in Alabama for the feds

President of the United States of America

Old, white, conservative war hero John McCain (R) faces relative newcomer, black, liberal Barack Obama (D). Obama isn’t quite Chris Rock, but has anyone else seen Head of State? Notable third party candidates include Bobb Barr (L), who was one of the most conservative people in America until George Bush made privacy rights and civil liberties part of the “liberal agenda.” Unnotable third parties include crazy former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (G), conspiracy theorist sympathizer Chuck Baldwin (C), Prohibihitionist Gene Amondson (P), one-time Republican Brian Moore (S). I also feel obligated to mention that Ralph Nader is running again.

United States Senator from Alabama

Vivian Davis Figures (D), a state senator most well-known for her advocacy of a statewide smoking ban and her work in the incentives package for Thyssenkrupp faces incumbent Senator Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III (R) — Figures uses her full name. Sessions is most well known for wanting to build a wall on the Mexican border, challenging laws that would forbid torture, opposing federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, prosecuting civil rights workers, and “joking” about how he thought the KKK were okay before he found out they smoked pot. Sessions is expected to win by a wide margin.

Daryl W. Perry is slowing down his 2016 Presidential run to be a write-in candidate.

First Congressional District of Alabama

Thomas Fuller (D) of Chatom is supposedly challenging incumbent Congressman Jo Bonner (R), but I don’t know anything about this Fuller guy. I heard a rumor that he dropped out but he’s still listed on aladems.org.

Second Congressional District of Alabama

After the incumbent Congressman Terry Everett (R) announced his retirement, the Republicans crawled all over each other for the nomination to replace him. After a runoff, beer-hating State Representative Jay Love (R) came out on top. He faces the conservative Democrat Mayor Bobby Bright of Montgomery. Bright hadn’t announced an affiliation with a party prior to this election and, if he wins, would be the first Democrat to represent the district since 1965. Love, as a Republican, is favored to win, but a combination of a good candidate and a national aversion to Republicans has many Democrats hopeful.

Third Congressional District of Alabama

Incumbent Mike Rogers (R), conservative Republican with a healthy sense of federal spending, seeks re-election. He is challenged by Joshua Segall (D), who has managed to catch the attention of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee when they ranked the race as one to watch. Although it’s considered an uphill battle for Segall, his campaign has garnered more enthusiasm (and money) than US Senate candidate Vivian Davis Figures. National Alliance member Mark Edwin Layfield is also making an independent run.

Fourth Congressional District of Alabama

Incumbent Robert Aderholt (R), staunch defender of Alabama’s sock industry, is being challenged by attorney Nick Sparks (D). I’ve heard Nick Sparks’ name before. That’s about it.

Fifth Congressional District of Alabama

Blue Dog Democrat Bud Cramer surprised everyone when he announced his retirement. After an almost procedural runoff election, Wayne Parker (R) was nominated as the Republican’s best hope for turning this north Alabama district red. It’s a good choice — in 1994 Parker came within 1% of taking incumbent Bud Cramer. His opponent is super-beer-loving State Senator Parker Griffith (D) (not like he’s a drunk — he sponsored the Gourmet Beer Bill). This race is currently expected to be the tightest Congressional race in Alabama this year.

Sixth Congressional District of Alabama

Spencer Bachus (R) seeks his ninth term. This will be his 5th election in a row without a Democratic challenger. Since first being elected, he has never gotten less than 71% of the vote in the whitest district of Alabama.

Seventh Congressional District of Alabama

Here’s how Districts 6 and 7 work in Alabama. District 6 is the suburban metropolitan areas of Birmingham and Tuscaloosa — very Republican. The Seventh District is the urban and some rural areas of Birmingham and Tuscaloosa — very Democratic. Artur Davis is seeking his fourth term. Davis was first elected by defeating Earl Hilliard in the Democratic primary on Davis’ second attempt at the seat. Hilliard wasn’t helped by redistricting that made the constituency a bit more conservative or by his opposition to a pro-Israel resolution that ensured Davis was well-funded by pro-Israel interests. He’s unopposed so this race is boring — but he’s expected to run for Governor of Alabama in 2010.

I guess I should do a roundup of last night’s big Republican runoff races. Congratulations to all who were nominated by their party’s voters.

2nd Congressional District

• Jay Love: 53%
• Harri Ane Smith 47%

5th Congressional District

• Cheryl Baswell-Guthrie: 21%
• Wayne Parker: 79%

Court of Criminal Appeals

• Beth Kellum: 55%
• Lucie McLemore: 45%

Public Service Commission President

• Twinkle Cavanaugh: 60%
  
• Matt Chancey: 40%

1900: Harper Councill Trenholm, president of Alabama State College from 1925 to 1962, is born in Tuscumbia. A graduate of Morehouse College and the University of Chicago, Trenholm served as instructor and director of the college extension program before assuming the presidency. During his long tenure Alabama State graduated its first four-year college class in 1932, developed a model teacher in-service program that served African-American teachers statewide, and began the legendary Turkey Day Classic football rivalry between Alabama State and Tuskegee Institute.

• Most historical information provided by the ADAH.

You probably think I’m going to talk about how it makes my vote count more. True, the less people vote, the more my one vote counts. But that’s really not all there is to it. I also realize my vote only represents one perspective, one ideology (although the best one), and one set of life experiences — in my case, less than 27 years of life experiences.

I’m glad people don’t vote because I’m an elitist who thinks that only the well-informed should choose the people who run the government, and a lot of people are not well-informed. It looks like less than 4% of registered voters  voted in the Republican runoff for Public Service Commission. I assume most Democrats and independents stayed at home rather than involve themselves in Republican politics, but that’s still a rather low number.

But think about it this way. What percentage of registered voters have even a moderate understanding of what the Public Service Commission does? I follow government closely, and I probably only have a moderate understanding. We elect judges in this state too. There’s only going to be a small number of voters who even know who the candidates are in a given judicial race — and only a very small percentage of that number are going to have even an amateur ability to examine a judicial candidate’s qualifications for office.

This isn’t the voters’ fault. Don’t think I’m one of those petty people who lament about how much people “don’t pay attention.” People have lives. It’s hard enough to follow something as accessible as a Congressional election if they have a job, a family, and they like to go fishing. Can you imagine the trouble it would take to make an informed decision about which candidate should be the county tax assessor, or the circuit court clerk. Politics is one of my big hobbies and it’s a common topic of discussion with my family and friends. Yet I still leave parts of my ballot blank because I don’t feel I’m well-informed enough to make a decision.

It’s just damn near impossible to care that much about so many races. This brings me to an old point I try to make periodically — we try to elect too many things. We ask voters to do way too much. This November, I’m supposed to make an informed decision in my choice for a President of the United States, a US Senator, a US Congressman, a President of the Public Service Commission, an Alabama Supreme Court Justice, an Alabama Court of Civil Appeals judge, two Court of Criminal Appeals judges, a Circuit judge, a District judge,  a County Commission Chairman, a County Commissioner, a County Tax Assessor, a County Tax Collector, a License Commissioner, a Mayor, a City Councilman, and a city Board of Education member. I think there’s actually more offices for me in 2010 as the state government gets re-vamped and all the circuit court clerks and county coroners are up for election.

I’m not anti-democracy or against the republic, but do we really need to ask voters to select the License Commissioner? Isn’t that just a job? Wouldn’t it be more appropriate for the County Commission to either establish a merit system or appoint that position? Do we really expect Joe Sixpack to spend the time reading up on the candidates for License Commissioner, maybe taking notes on their previous experience and management skills, and then to walk in to the ballot box as a member of the Alabama HR-at-large? I’m not even that big of a fan of the 17th Amendment to the US Constitution, though, so I realize I’m in the minority.

So my conclusion is this — if you don’t care, don’t vote. At least only mark the parts of the ballot you care about. I, for instance, will probably leave the spot for License Commissioner blank. I’m sure there are people who care about that race and maybe even know who the current License Commissioner is. Let them decide.