Byrne, Bentley, and Five Promises

Here in Alabama, politics isn't complete without a good recount absolutely laden with intrigue. Tim James is arguably entitled to his recount, though it appears the 'common-sense businessman' has spent an awful lot of his money, some $200,000, recounting these votes. Now, I'm just a poor student, but if I had $200,000, I probably wouldn't elect to spend it on that.

Underneath the surface of all this, there is a whole lot of political intrigue. By this, I'm not referring to Dale Peterson's increasingly hilarious videos relating to the Ag Commissioner spot on the GOP side. I'm referring instead to the intrigue of the governor's race, most of which has gone unnoticed due to the attention focused on the recount. Underneath, things sure are getting exciting. The Birmingham News reported yesterday that a shake-up in Dr. Robert Bentley's staff in favor of political consultants from a San Francisco consulting firm has raised some questions. Bentley's new campaign manager is Bryan Sanders, a consultant and son-in-law of Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas. One thing sure is clear, the good Doctor sure has raised a lot of money to be splurging on a new campaign staff.

Like a whole lot of Alabamians, I like Dr. Bentley's story, precisely because it's intriguing. He seems to be an outsider who has come into politics at an interesting time, and a lot of voters clearly liked 'that Tuscaloosa doctor' who has pledged not to take a salary as governor until the state reached full employment. I am also intrigued by the Bentley-Byrne matchup which some have compared to the Winton Blount-Fob James GOP matchup in 1998 which pitted the so-called 'country club' affluent elements of the GOP along the I-65 corridor against the rural GOP elements throughout the state. In that election, Blount represented the I-65 corridor, and Fob James represented the other. Blount handily garnered the most votes in the initial primary but eventually lost the run-off to James who used the rural vote to gain victory.

All of these political shakeups are interesting stories, as is the sudden involvement of the AEA using the GOP's outdated primary rules in order to crossover and vote to defeat Byrne. It looks to me like there will be plenty of time for name-calling and mud-slinging once this recount wraps up and the gloves can really begin to come off.

That said, count me among those folks who actually hope to see this election come down to issues, and I have Five Promises I think the GOP candidates should make which voters should consider in deciding who should represent their Party on the ballot in November.

(1) Commit to Tougher Campaign Finance and Accountability. Governor Riley deserves considerable credit for his efforts each year to pass tougher campaign finance and ethics regulation in Alabama. Frankly, Alabama has an awful lot of problems when it comes to accountability. The state received an F on disclosing lobbyist spending in 2003. Lots of amounts under $250 are not reported, and many legislators have had questionable histories in submitting proper ethics disclosures. If you think about it, the reporting of campaign funds has been an issue with a number of candidates in almost every election. Riley has proposed projects which have included disclosure of all gifts over $25 and caps on expenditures for things such as meals. He along with other groups like the Alabama Policy Institute have called attention to the shell game of PAC-PAC transfers, where political committees give money to each other to hide support from interests such as gaming, trial lawyers, and utilities. Alabama voters have a right to know who is bankrolling their political candidates. In 2009, Gov. Riley called for "a war on corruption." It's hard to fight, though, when the legislature continues annually to balk at meaningful ethics reform. Will the next GOP nominee commit to continuing this war, even when it is tough sledding?

(2) Commit to education innovation. Bradley Byrne has centered a whole lot of his campaign around education. I applaud Byrne for promoting ideas like Charter Schools which are past due in Alabama. Back in 2009, the Mobile Press-Register noted that some 5,043 charter schools exist nationwide serving 1.5 million students. Thirty-nine states have charter school laws, making Alabama one of the last to get on board. The AEA worked to defeat charter schools earlier this year, but it's high time for a governor to commit Alabama to the issue of education reform. On top of that, we also need to prioritize gifted education as a state and federal priority to guarantee that top students receive a top education in Alabama and are encouraged to remain in Alabama after college to work here in this state.

(3) Commit to strategic planning on economic growth, especially energy. Alabama has made great strides in recent years under Republican leadership in encouraging new businesses and industries to settle in Alabama. The next governor needs to commit to growth in areas such as renewable energy. New forms of biomass facilities and other energies could allow Alabama to play a major national role in renewable energy development. A lot of this development can also affect Alabama's rural and disadvantaged communities in a positive way. It is also fundamentally conservative, as it uses business and innovation instead of government to improve lives and communities. Recent governors have used the government's resources to help empower these individuals, and the next governor needs a concrete plan of attack to continue growing Alabama.

(4) Commit to resolving the gambling issue, once and for all. After decades of squabbling over the matter, it's time to resolve the gambling issue. Many like me want to see casino gambling stopped, once and for all, and the decisions of the Alabama Supreme Court honored. That said, what I want most is clarity. Alabamians have paid too much for expensive elections on gaming, and legislators have wasted too many legislative days in session gridlocked on the gambling issue. It's time to resolve this issue so that it is no longer the centerpiece of political debate in Alabama.

(5) Commit to the renewal of Alabama's small towns and communities. One of the great travesties of recent years has been the decline of Alabama's small towns which dot the state and provide it an essential local flavor and culture. The next governor should speak to this issue and step up, promoting growth, tourism, and sustenance in rural areas across this state. Driving through the Alabama black belt, one sees both the promise and the strength that is Alabama. In an age of strip malls and major retailers located along interstate highways, the next governor should develop more plans to get Alabamians back off the main roads and exploring more of our state's amazing back roads. Working with existing federal programs, a concerted effort could lead to significant gains for some of Alabama's most disadvantaged communities.

Alabama politics today is too driven by concerns of intrigue. We are not electing a personality--we are electing a leader who can improve the state over the next four years. These improvements come down to issues. In my view, these five commitments make the election about issues again and are a vital first step in building a better Alabama.