Having been gone from Alabama for many years, I am flabbergasted at how bad things are here. The unemployment surveys do not reflect how bad it is, because most of the unemployed are no longer eligible for benefits so they are not reflected in the numbers.

Many of my old friends here are living on disability checks. Those who can work are making pathetic wages. How can anyone be expected to make a living on the minimum wage of $5.15 an hour? No wonder the Mexicans are coming here and living eight to an apartment and driving one car. They are the only one’s who can afford to live on these wages. And no wonder Bush is soft-pedalling the illegal immigration issue.

Alabama does not even have a mimum wage law. This would seem to be a good campaign issue for a populist Democrat, if we actually had one in this state.

And if Siegelman has teamed up with Graddick folks, DOG help them. Fry-them-til-their-eyes-pop-out Charlie was as responsible for Guy Hunt as the Birmingham News.

Just because they are willing to play hardball politics does not mean they can win anymore. This is a new world, my friend. There is a new technology in town and it is called a blog, and it is not just a cut and paste technology for geeks.

I thought Siegelman had a chance of pushing this technology to the forefront during his administration. But then, I was way ahead of the times.

I predict this technology will make a difference in this election cycle in this state, finally, and make a difference. Now if only there was a true New South candidate in the race who was up to date on the technology . . . someone with a real brain and a real vision to get us past dumbass rule.

I hate to say it, but I don’t see anyone in this race yet who could live up to these standards. Alabama is trully a backward state, still.

Then again, as Dennis Miller likes to say, I could be wrong. In fact, I hope I am wrong . . . Please, someone prove me wrong!