When The Christian Post is calling your actions merciless, is it time to at least reconsider the impact of what you're doing?

After eight months, a tough row to hoe..

     It's been eight months since Republicans virtually took over Alabama State Government, getting any legislation they wanted with super-majorities in a special and regular session (though they managed to keep the big salary increase they used as an issue to win those majorities in November).

     So where are the jobs?

     That's the question tossed at Democrats in Washington all the time.

     Mr. Bentley ran on the jobs issue...even refusing to take a salary till "full employment" is reached. At this rate, he'd better apply for part-time work at the Wal-Mart if he wants to have some money to get presents for the grandkids at Christmas.

    The unemployment rate has only climbed during the Bentley administration.

    Meanwhile the new immigration law is hurting businesses that rely on immigration labor, like agriculture and service industries. In theory, they should be able to hire all of those unemployed Alabamians, no? Or might it be unrealistic to expect the NASA Engineer to wash dishes at the local restaurant?

     The truth is, Alabama governors only have limited power to increase employment, as do U.S. Presidents. It's the private sector, making record profits, that's sitting on its hands refusing to hire. They've discovered how to get more out of fewer employees. What motivation do they have to hire?

     Yes, there is a new sheriff in town, and Governor Robert Bentley this week declared a moratorium on any new landfills in Alabama.

     Did you know Alabama imports five times as much trash as the state produces?

     Just as a deceptively named dump called "Connecuh Woods" entered  the permitting pipeline, Bentley has pulled the rug out. Would that ever have happened under the previous administration? There is some question about the impact of the Executive order on that project.

     The Governor says he issued the moratorium because permits were being granted by ADEM and others without any consideration for the people living near the dumps.

     Republicans have to be asking themselves (not for the first time) what kind of a Governor did we nominate and elect? Or is Bentley a sheep in wolf's clothing?

Chief Executive Preacher Man

     When I interviewed Dr. Bentley all of those times, it never occurred to me to ask him questions about religion, since he was a candidate and then Governor-Elect...but here's what he said in the Dexter-King Church Monday afternoon:

“Now I will have to say that, if we don’t have the same daddy, we’re not brothers and sisters. So anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I’m telling you, you’re not my brother and you’re not my sister, and I want to be your brother.”

Read the entire story in the Birmingham News or elsewhere.

And no apology or retreat.

And this wasn't even after a full day in office...just an hour or so.

Amen.



[UPDATE: Governor Bentley apologizes.]

The Way Forward

     Governor Bentley suggested cooperation is the way forward for the state and the now GOP-majority Legislature...but he still made what appeared to be an odd ad-lib about most Americans being tired of the Federal Government. The comment came during the 150th Anniversary year of the Civil War, and just days after the 150th Anniversary of the state's decision to leave The Union.

     The least cooperative person sworn in may have been Secretary of State Beth Chapman, who dissed Democrats and offered this rational for Voter I.D.: you need a picture I.D. to rent a video, why not to vote?

     I don't know many people who still actually go and rent videos anymore, but I DO know that there's nothing in the U.S. Constitution about the right to do so. (Gee, Tim, that sounds like the argument people make against gun control measures!)

     Fortunately, the 40% chance for rain never hit the ceremony on Dexter Avenue or the afternoon outdoor events at the stadium Downtown.

    Here's to an interesting four years!

Before he becomes the 53rd Alabama Governor....

.....Robert Bentley went On The Record with us, exclusively at CBS-8, and y'all have two opportunities to see the interview.

This Sunday at 11:00am, and Monday at 5:30am,

just hours before the Inauguration.

He says he never saw the AEA Dues bill, or any of the ethics legislation, before the special session (and suggests that changes to those bills are possible once he's Governor)....that it would be hard for him to cut the Governor's office budget because it is expensive to hire good people...and that he expects proration of both state budgets in the next year.



By the way, Bentley is apparently the second M.D. to hold the office. The other was Alabama's first Governor, William Bibb.



(Governor-Elect Bentley holds a drawing by one of his grandchildren).