Comments on: Riley's Raid for the Rich on Gulf State Park Beach Continues

By: Glynn Wilson

Glynn Wilson — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 20:21:29 +0000

Given the sad state of the Alabama government now and always, I suspect Grimsley’s suggestion of a constitutional amendment is the only way to go right now. But even that is a long shot.

At least the lawsuit and the Exxon Eight have the development stopped for now. Maybe in a few years Alabama may catch up with the rest of the country demographically and some progress can be made here.

By: Yana Davis

Yana Davis — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 16:14:00 +0000

An Alabama Parks Trust could be set up by state constitutional amendment that would ensure the legislature and governor cannot meddle in the parks in any way, and even guarantee that state funding comes with no strings attached. (The Trust could raise its own additional funding just like other nonprofits do, but would be prohibited from developing or dispoiling park lands in that pursuit.)

This idea – parks trusts – was first proposed by libertarian environmentalist Randal O’Toole as a way to get the national parks out of the hands of corruptible bureaucrats.

O’Toole would set up a series of trusts, one for each national park and associated wilderness areas, with boards elected democratically by the people of the states where the parks/wilderness areas are situated.

Makes all kinds of sense to me, at the national and the state levels.

By: Glynn Wilson

Glynn Wilson — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 03:17:10 +0000

Maybe not this time…

We are gradually replacing the old press with the Web Press. Don’t underestimate it’s power…

By: Trey

Trey — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 02:45:24 +0000

Regarding Yana Davis’ suggestion that there be the creation of an independent Alabama Parks Trust, we saw just how safe the assets of the State of Alabama are when the voters of Alabama allowed the state to tap into the offshore natural gas trust money, “borrowing” the money to place into the state general fund. That money was not to be touched, and remained that way until our wonderful state government decided they wanted it bad enough. Of course, their defense is, we need the money and the state is required to pay it back. Yeah. Right. In other words, whatever Riley wants, he’ll get it one way or the other because he has plenty of others like him that want it as much, and because the media will let him, and because there are too many people in this state that just don’t care. As pathetic as that is, that’s the way it is here, and always has been, and Riley has used that fact to play us all like a cheap radio.

By: Glynn Wilson

Glynn Wilson — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 20:30:09 +0000

Not anymore…