THE DOCTOR'S PRESCRIPTION FOR
WHAT AILS ALABAMA
[October-November, 2003]
When this all began
The following text is written in a rather rambling way because it was composed before I owned a computer and my thoughts were written in short segments so that each one could be read within a couple of minutes when I phoned in to a local talk radio program on different days. I just threw them all together and posted them here, so please bear with me.
THERE IS A WAY FOR ALABAMIANS TO HAVE A MUCH BETTER GOVERNMENT THAT THEY CAN TAKE PRIDE IN --- A RETURN TO GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE, INSTEAD OF A GOVERNMENT OF THE LEGISLATURE, BY THE 'BIG MULES' AND FOR THE SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS.
BUT, TO HAVE THAT GOVERNMENT, WE NEED A LEADER WITH THE ABILITY TO ORGANIZE AND DIRECT THE STATEWIDE EFFORT DESCRIBED HERE.
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Once upon a time, suffering the effects of the great depression of the thirties, the people of another state united and decided to try, primarily to reduce the cost of their government, re-designing, or what I like to call re-structuring, their state legislature. What they have discovered in the 69 years since is that their new legislature, besides being less costly, is also more efficient, more productive, more open to public scrutiny - and thus less corrupt, non-partisan and less influenced by special interest groups. This is not a fairy tale, but the people of Nebraska have been happier with their legislature forever after. Alabama can do the same thing, but only if our citizens have the constitutional right to a Petition And Referendum process such as allowed Nebraska's citizens to put their re-structuring referendum up for a vote.
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For a short time now there is a unique opportunity to force our legislature to give our people that constitutional right, which they would not otherwise likely do. How, you may ask, could the people ever force legislators to give up some of their power so the people could formulate legislation of their own to be offered for a vote? The people must unite and play hardball with the legislature. As early as February, because of the desire to increase their revenue flow, the legislature is likely to propose rererendums to change the income tax, property tax, or the constitution. Before that happens, the legislators need to be told that many thousands of registered voters have signed petitions stating that they PLEDGE TO VOTE "NO" ON ALL REFERENDUMS AND AGAINST ALL INCUMBENT LEGISLATORS IN FUTURE ELECTIONS UNTIL THEY HAVE SECURED THE RIGHT TO AN EFFECTIVE PETITION AND REFERENDUM PROCESS. If the people stand united, the legislature would be compelled to comply or face consequences. To take on the legislature in this manner Alabamians need a leader to organize and direct a statewide campaign to obtain as many signatures as possible and present them to the legislature when it convenes for the February regular session. If that action succeeds, future benefits for Alabama could be very significant.
If a better idea is around, it should be offered.
If someone is ready to lead, please step forward and take charge.
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The US Congress and the Alabama Legislature are both archaic in some ways, but in addition, our state legislature is obscenely bloated. In both bodies, one legislator represents X number of citizens. If the congressional ratio of legislators is even close to being what is needed and proper, Alabama should have a much smaller legislature. The population of this country (in ballpark figures) is over 60 times larger than Alabama's. Logically, then, Alabama's legislature should be about one sixtieth the size of the congress, which has 535 members. So, on that basis, our legislature should have about nine members, rather than the 140 members currently on the payroll of the Alabama taxpayers. While only nine state legislators would seem to be an unworkable number, certainly 140 members seems extremely excessive. Think about that for a while. Isn't it time for a change?
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Rightfully, it seems to me, the Alabama Legislature is held in low esteem by many citizens; but what can the citizens do about it? Some members of the legislature seem to stay there forever, because I can't vote against anyone other than the two members who represent me, and the same goes for you. Of course, we tend to think that "our guys" are good guys and that the trouble is with those other 138 members. What can we do about them? Why not restructure the legislature in a way that would eliminate many current members and make it more difficult for others to stay in office indefinitely? Only because the legislature will not do that, and the citizens can't, unless they first obtain the constitutional right to an effective Petition And Referendum process. THAT is the starting point toward better government for Alabama --- through a better state legislature.
If Alabamians obtain the right to a Petition and Referendum process, only one third of the battle for better government will have been won. The other two parts will be [1] getting a legislature re-structuring referendum on the ballot, then [2], getting it approved by the voters. Both steps are certain to be vigorously opposed -- not by ordinary citizens who will stand to gain, but by those who will lose power. That includes the current legislators; political parties; Paul Hubbert , Mac McArther, David Bronner, and other "BIG MULES"; teachers, state employees and their unions; and lobbyists and their special interest employers who will lose much of their influence if our new legislature is designed to be non-partisan , as was done in Nebraska.
Alabama's re-structuring of the legislature should go one step further than Nebraska's in order to substantially reduce, if not eliminate entirely, the power of those dreaded "BIG MULES" who currently have a stranglehold on our legislature. As unorthodox as it may seem at first thought, the best way I can imagine to do that would be to make our new legislature a full time -- that's correct -- a full time job. I know this really sounds like a crazy idea, so I will try to explain the advantages of doing just that.
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To be as short as possible in saying why our new unicameral [only one body with far fewer members] legislature should be a full time job, I will just highlight what I envision as some of the advantages without too many details which might be apparent to you, anyway. [1] Foremost is that a full time legislature would require our current legislators who spend most of their time at their "day job", such as in the field of education, law, or other special interest positions, to choose whether to stay in that line of work or to be legislators. Goodbye AEA, Paul Hubbert, "double dippers", and others. [2] Members could give their total attention to legislation. [3] It would allow more time for legislators to deliberate thoughtfully, rather than in a frenzied rush. [4] Special sessions would be unnecessary. [5] Urgent situations could be handled without waiting for the start of a new session. [6] The numerous staff personnel would be kept busier full time by eliminating slack periods of months between sessions. [7] A much smaller body working full time with two two-week breaks and 10 holidays each year, if paid a reasonable salary, besides being more efficient and productive, would still be less costly than our current legislature. Still, the greatest improvement would be reducing or eliminating the power of those "BIG MULES". Isn't it time to close the barn door?
ARE YOU THE PERSON NEEDED TO LEAD ALABAMIANS TO A MUCH IMPROVED GOVERNMENT???
OR, DO YOU KNOW OF SOMEONE WHO IS??? IF SO, PLEASE CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.