An open letter to Governor Riley
[June 4, 2004]
Sir, I have heard that your popularity has plunged and that some GOP powerbrokers are shopping for someone else to support in the 2006 race for Governor.
Some attribute this to fallout from the proposed Amendment One tax increases. I have a feeling there may be others, like me, who question your sincerity in seeking reform and accountability measures, and are wondering if your talk about them is just rhetoric.
An indication that such may be the case is the fact that I did not see any mention of HB88 or HB579 [Initiative and Referendum (I&R) bills] in your report on these matters displayed on your website. Either of these bills would have given the voters of Alabama the constitutional ability to initiate reform and accountability measures when the legislature, obviously, will not. Thus, I consider I&R the key, in fact, the only way, to obtain the necessary reform and accountability measures.
If you would go on a 1948-style “Give ‘em hell, Harry” tour, to educate the people as to what I&R would make available to them, and tell them to demand I&R from their representatives in a special session you could call, or face the real possibility of being voted out of office at the first opportunity, Alabama could be on the road to better government and you could be re-elected by a landslide if you choose to run in 2006.
[Dr. I.Q.]
***THIS LETTER WAS SENT TO OVER A DOZEN ALABAMA NEWSPAPERS, AS WELL AS TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE OF CONSTITUENCY SERVICES. TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE NOT ONE NEWSPAPER SAW FIT TO PUBLISH IT, AND I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE***