It didn’t take long — after the news hit the Web in what was billed as an “exclusive” by Politico that Huntsville Congressman Parker Griffith was abandoning the Democratic Party that got him to Washington, to join the Republicans — before Democrats began to express their disappointment and betrayal.

Joe Turnham, chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party, sent out a press release expressing “extreme disappointmen.” He said he had already taken numerous phone calls from key leaders throughout the Tennessee Valley voicing their commitment to support a strong Democrat who can win the 5th Congressional District next year.

“Parker has been a friend for a number of years, but his announcement today, and the way in which he did it, deeply disappoints me,” Turnham said. “Democrats of every stripe and philosophy sweated and bled for this man. He narrowly became a Congressman through the hard work, votes and financial contributions of thousands of Democrats.”

“Today,” he said, “they feel betrayed.”

Congressman Griffith, like his successful predecessor, Bud Cramer was well-positioned as a Blue Dog Democrat in the majority party in Washington to broker for his district and become the swing voice and vote for good public policy; yet, he has left his old friends for his new friends, and will ultimately find that he has no political friends left at all at the end of the day.

“Alabama Democrats have a deep political bench in the 5th District and we will nominate a formidable challenger to fill this seat next year,” Turnham claimed, although a strong contender has yet to emerge even in the suggestions of the state’s top Democratic Party e-mail lists.

“But who can we run?” wrote one frustrated voter in Griffith’s district.

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Governor Bob Riley has issued press releases trying to take credit for a $39.1 million award by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for Alabama’s Children’s Health Insurance.

According to the release, Riley said, “The fact that Alabama is one of only nine states receiving a performance bonus, and we are receiving the largest bonus, demonstrates the effectiveness of our innovative program.”

However in May, the Democratic majority in the legislature was forced to override Gov. Riley’s veto of the general fund budget, which included an increase in funding for the ALL Kids program. Riley vetoed the budget because he wanted the increase in funding for the program to go to prisons rather than children, according to a press release from the Alabama Democratic Party.

Noticeably absent from the administration’s press release was any commendation to the Alabama Legislature for passing the budget and other legislation to streamline the ALL Kids enrollment process, which led to the windfall increase in federal funding.

During the session only one Republican legislator voted with the Democratic majorities to pass the budget. Had Riley and the Republican Party’s effort to kill the budget prevailed, Alabama’s uninsured children would have suffered at the expense of putting more money into prisons.

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Guest Editorial
by Ron Sparks

In an election year, ethics reform is a topic of much conversation. The problem is that for most folks, it’s just an empty word that politicians use. Few, if any of our candidates take the time to explain exactly what real, meaningful ethics reform would look like.

What we are really talking about here is taking steps to restore trust in state government. There will never be enough legislation to make everybody completely trust their government. Just as a marriage certificate doesn’t guarantee domestic bliss, legislation can’t make people trust their government. Conversely, legislation won’t keep those hell-bent on breaking the rules and taking ethical shortcuts from doing so.

So how do we navigate our way through all the rhetoric and unrealistic expectations? I believe the answer is to take workable, substantive steps towards strengthening the relationship and restoring trust between the people and our state government.

There are a few things that we need to address immediately. Every candidate in the race for Governor is in favor of banning PAC to PAC transfers.

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