How to Run These Foxes Out of Our Henhouse!

Phillips Rawls of the AP appears in The Columbus Ledger-Enquirer with “Alabama no battleground in fight for control of Congress” and I’m a bit frustrated. Not really at Mr. Rawls I guess but there are so many things that could have made it into this work. Even the few folks that actually read anymore might not know things they ought to understand.

… John Giles of the Alabama Christian Coalition claims “It’s the strength of the candidates.” …

David Lanoue, chairman of the political science department at the University of Alabama, said none of Alabama's congressional incumbents have been tainted by scandal and are considered vulnerable. But the Alabama Democratic Party is carrying out the strategy of the party's national chairman, Howard Dean, to try to place a Democrat in every race to wave the party's flag even if there is no likelihood of winning, he said. … Democrats signed up to challenge all of the Republican incumbents except Rep. Spencer Bachus of Birmingham in the 6th Congressional District."

They're good people, but they will be underdogs," said Joe Turnham, chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party. The reason they're viewed as underdogs is money. "The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had a strategy not to target Alabama," said Turnham, who became the party chairman after running unsuccessfully for Congress.

Twinkle Andress Cavanaugh, chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, said she would have loved to have found strong candidates to put up against the two Democratic incumbents, but with the GOP already holding five of the seven seats in the U.S. House, the party's best use of its resources was to focus on other races. …

Can’t anybody mention gerrymandering by packing, cracking, and kidnapping? Districts have been made so refined that the party in power in the state can often craft “safe” districts whenever they get power rather than just every ten years. The idea that the Big Mules on Goat Hill are going to hammer out a Texas stunt like Hot Tub Tom DeLay is probably not realistic but nationally it is happening. Software is out there that makes it cheap and easy now. The Department of Justice is filled with Bu$hCo cronies that will overrule the professionals even. These seats are hardly hard to fight for and in fact I’d argue that Joe could have easily won his race if the Democrats had helped him just a little more. Don’t get me started on how the GOP can overspend. They will play dirty, even against Vietnam Vet and triple amputee Max Cleland from next door in Georgia! They have a built in organization via the fundamentalist and Dobsonites. They have tons of influence with the media.

Professor, Spencer Bachus and several other Alabama Republicans have had at least minor scandals but rather his district is probably the safest one in the state. With him in line for the Finance Committee the Big Mules would have spent whatever it took to get their boy back. There is plenty of scandal with The Rubber Stamp Congress and Bu$hCo so please remind the average Joe and Jill Sixpack here in Alabama.

Ms. Cavanaugh, I’m glad you made it back from your non-political appearance on Faux News and Surly Sean Hannity regarding the Limestone County teacher in the Principal’s office at West Limestone High School over his showing a controversial video. One might have mentioned your scandals?

God’s Warrior John Giles wants to talk of the strength of the candidates. This manipulative Pharisees is very tied to scandal just across the river in Georgia with his old buddy Ralph Reed. We’ve got DeLay’s boy Scanlon, who was once Riley’s boy, linked in with Reverend Ralph. You don’t want to gamble on Alabama citizens fixing our racist and outdated and dreadful 1901 Constitution but you’ll take gamblers money.

No issues or policy but plenty of politics. We have to run the Foxes in the Henhouse out. And the way we do that is to confront them on their lies and corruption and cronyism and policies and … The Medicare mess is due to Big Pharma and Big Insurance writing the legislation! Secure voting, Dubai World Ports, border and port security, education, Katrina, fair trade, civil rights, environment, NSA spying, Iraq, offshoring, leaks, Bin Laden still being loose, torture, frayed foreign relations, National Guard deployments, Veterans, Abramoff and K-Street, tax cuts to the wealthy, health care, jobless recovery, fiscal responsibility, oversight, energy … the ReThuglican have lots of ‘splaining to do. Republicans have stolen the South and part of Governor Dean’s strategy is to get alternative ideas out. Joe Turnham is correct in admitting that the DNCC has bailed out on the money but to have another person claim that the DNC plan is to have a fifty state strategy seems like we are disorganized. Will Rogers was right maybe? At least we could have talked about how freeing up Alabama money is going to let it be spent in increasingly competitive races.

Joe, we can do better. Raise hell and call these outlaws on their hypocrisy and foolishness. Give a follow up to anybody that will let you. Lucy and other state and local candidates can at least partially benefit from the national problems the ReThuglicans are finally reaping. They’ve sowed but we’ve got to reap. I’ll help in any way I'm able but you’ve got to lead. Peace … or War!