Chairman's Corner
GOP "More of the Same" Not What Voters Want
Much has been made of the feuding and fighting in the Alabama State Senate, yet the underlying causes and the acceptance of real responsibility have yet to be revealed by the Governor or his legislative allies.
Gov. Riley was quoted last week as saying "GOP legislators were ready for a special session, be he couldn't get the cooperation of the Democrats"…but, according to Democratic leaders, the Governor has not even tried to have a dialogue with them. That very same day the Senate Minority Leader said we could expect more gridlock and fighting next year. Does this mean Sen. Charles Bishop of the infamous Senate punch is "ready to rumble" again? How can things change without real dialogue?
GOP Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Jabo Waggoner was quoted in the AP story as saying "you are going to see more of the same. We are going to be very particular about the legislation that is considered and passed." Is this what Gov. Riley meant when he said his caucus was "ready"? It seems fostering animosity, and blaming Democrats for the ensuing chaos, has become a Republican trademark. They appear willing to sacrifice the people's best interests to further a perceived partisan advantage in the 2010 elections.
"More of the same"- Is that what Gov. Riley and Minority Leader Waggoner interpret as "ready"? Last session the Republican caucus, with Riley's blessing, led a filibuster in the Alabama Senate for 27 of 30 legislative days in protest of the operating rules. It was only because of the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate, and the forceful gavel of Lt. Gov. Jim Folsom, that budgets got passed in the final days of the session.
No governor in Alabama history was ever as involved behind the scenes in an all out attempt to usurp power from a duly-elected majority as was Bob Riley in 2006. He and his caucus tried, gambled and lost. The operating rules and organization proposed by the Riley-coalition were more rigid than those adopted by the current Senate majority. The Governor's failed effort to organize the Senate drove the animosity of old colleagues even deeper and contributed to the lock down of the Senate in 2007.
In fact, it was the Democratic leaders in the Senate that reached out to Republicans in the wake a disaster to fund the rebuilding of the Enterprise High School. It was the Democrats that met in special session to work with Riley to pass incentive legislation to attract the ThyssenKrupp steel plant to South Alabama. House Republicans watched bill after bill of the Democratic Covenant with Alabama pass out of its body only to languish in the GOP-filibustered Senate. Yet they continue to blame Democrats for not making these priorities come to pass.
Voters in 2006 returned a Democratic majority to power in the Alabama Legislature. However, they do expect both parties to work together in order to bring about meaningful results. Our kids need better schools and safer streets. Communities need drought relief, better roads and bridges and clean drinking water. Seniors and veterans need to know they are remembered and honored. Businesses need to know if they play by the rules and take risks, they can be rewarded.
The Republican blame game and threat of "more of the same" chaos is not the formula for bipartisan cooperation and success in 2008 and beyond. Democrats await a governor and Republican legislative caucuses that acknowledge the rights of the legislative majority and offer a hand of partnership, not a diatribe of partisanship. It is time to accept the results of the 2006 election and let us get busy tackling the issues that matter to people, not politicians. Republican filibustering and "more of the same" will only bring chaos and continue to frustrate those we are supposed to serve.
