Alabama Governor Bentley demonstrates fiscal incompetence

Part of the Great Hypocrisy of Alabama‘s über GOP-dominated state government is that on September 18, 2012, voters approved the Governor’s request to take money from the Alabama Trust Fund using the specific language in the Special Election to Amend the state’s Constitution “to provide adequate funding for the State General Fund budget”… “by transferring funds from the Alabama Trust Fund to the State General Fund beginning with the state’s 2012-2013 fiscal year and concluding with the state’s 2014-2015 fiscal year.”

It’s equally important to understand and know, that the time of the election, however, there was no repayment plan, and only recently has the legislature acted, and has the governor signed, to repay any monies taken.

And now, the Governor wants to TAKE $6 Million earmarked for the State Parks and put it into the General Fund.

It’s prima facie evidence of utter incompetency, pure & simple.

More to the point, however, specifically regarding any contract with private entities to operate any private enterprise on public property, it seems to me that such an operation is also prima facie evidence of incompetency because to do so says in essence that ‘we’re not capable, nor do we have the ability to operate any operation profitably.’ And that, my friends, is a most damning indictment.

It’s bad not only for that reason, but because since private enterprise holds the key to the operations, they can call the shots, and raise the prices (cost of operations) at will, by merely citing an increase in cost of operations (without justification or evidence). And then, the state is left holding the contractual bag, while the private entity claims squatter’s rights on public property.

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Gov. Robert Bentley says Gulf convention center a key to help parks survive funding cuts

By Mike Cason | mcason@al.com
March 27, 2013 at 10:39 PM, updated March 28, 2013 at 7:02 AM

MONTGOMERY, Alabama — Gov. Robert Bentley said Wednesday he hopes to help minimize the effect of funding cutbacks on the state parks system.

Bentley’s budget plan for fiscal 2014 called for taking $6 million earmarked for state parks and placing that money in the General Fund.

This week, State Parks Director Gregory Lein wrote a letter to elected officials and others saying some parks could close and

Alabama Governor Bentley Refuses to Help State’s Citizens

You, Governor Bentley, are an embarrassment to the state and nation.
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Feds allow more time on health insurance exchange decision, but Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley says no thanks

By Kim Chandler | kchandler@al.com
on November 16, 2012 at 12:07 PM, updated November 16, 2012 at 5:35 PM

Alabama Governor Dr. Robert Bentley, MD (R), adamantly refuses to help the state’s citizens by making a list of health insurance carriers, called an “exchange.” – (AP photo)

MONTGOMERY, Alabama — At the request of some GOP governors, the federal government is giving states another month to decide if they want to run a state-based health insurance exchange.

Gov. Robert Bentley is saying no thanks to the extra time, saying his decision stands to not set up a state exchange.

“The extension from HHS did not change the governor’s decision,” Bentley Press Secretary Jennifer Ardis said in an e-mail.

Bentley, as other GOP governors have done, announced Tuesday that he would not set up a state exchange under the Affordable Care Act.

Bentley made the announcement official in a two-sentence letter today to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

“This letter serves as official notification that Alabama will not be setting up a state-based health insurance exchange, nor do I intend to pursue a partnership exchange,” Bentley wrote.

Today had been the deadline for states to decide whether they want to set up and run their own state exchange, essentially a marketplace for people and businesses to shop for insurance with some people getting subsidies to offset their costs.

Sebelius sent a letter Thursday to Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia saying that deadline has been extended until Dec. 14.

The governors, on behalf of the Republican Governors Association, had requested more time to make a decision, according to the letter from Sebelius. Both Jindal and McDonnell have said they don’t plan to set up an exchange.

“We are confident Governors will have enough time to

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley MD to voters: Trust me. I’ll pay it all back.

Would you trust this man?

He’s a damn politician… and a GOP one, at that.

The problem is, that he’s NOT yet shown any plan on how or when he’ll do that.

But!

Whatever you do, please… DO NOT raise property tax rates on Corporate Timber owners.

Nope.

Not at all.

Never.

They should pay much less than residential property owners.

And for goodness sake, PLEASE do NOT raise the state income tax rate on the wealthiest, who are documented to already pay a lower rate than the working poor in the state.

Hell no.

Don’t do that.

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Gov. Robert Bentley: $437M from trust fund would be paid back

Published: Tuesday, August 21, 2012, 7:00 PM     Updated: Tuesday, August 21, 2012, 7:17 PM

By The Associated Press

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley: Trust me I want to borrow your money. Trust me. I promise to pay it back. Trust me.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Gov. Robert Bentley and legislative leaders said Tuesday they are committed to paying back the money if Alabama voters agree to take more than $437 million from a state trust fund and use it to

Politics as usual in Alabama, and in D.C.?

It’s a disheartening state of affairs to learn that even such accusations could even be considered partially, even possibly true. Where is our political “high road”? The more secretive our government becomes – and we are witnessing increased secrecy, much under the guise of “privacy,” or “executive privilege” – the more tyrannical and prone to corruption our government becomes. The Founding Fathers knew that well. Open government demonstrates to EVERYONE that accountability to EVERYONE is ongoing. When there are no “smoke-filled backroom deals,” no “cloak and dagger,” there is no reason to hide. Political partisans are are NOT enemies, we are brothers living in the same house.

Riley’s final days filled with checks, deals

Posted: Thursday, February 3, 2011 6:00 am
by Bob Martin, The Montgomery Independent, TheWetumpkaHerald.com

Palin reloads “blood libel”: “That’s exactly what was going on.”

Palin defends ‘blood libel’ description: ‘That’s exactly what was going on’

By Shane D’Aprile – 01-17-11 10:00 PM ET

In her first interview since accusing critics of manufacturing a “blood libel” by linking her political rhetoric to the mass shooting in Arizona, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin defended her recent video response to critics, vowing she will not be silenced.

Palin told Sean Hannity during an interview on Fox News that

AL Gov. Bob Riley to BP: No lawsuit waiver on final oil spill claims

Does it come as any surprise that the Multinational Corporation BP has no allegiance or loyalty to anyone or anything save their profit, executive compensation and shareholder payouts?

And yet – as astute observers note – politics makes strange bedfellows. Appointed by President Obama, Administrator Feinberg is being paid by BP in excess of $10 Million annually. But… would Democrats have expected this kind of “favor for the people” from their president?

Pressure on Kenneth Feinberg to disclose BP pay deal
By Moira Herbst
http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-53083520101122
NEW YORK | Tue Nov 23, 2010 2:03am IST
(Reuters Legal) – There has never been anything quite like Kenneth Feinberg’s $20 billion Gulf Coast Claims Facility. Established to compensate victims of the BP Plc(BP.L) oil disaster, it essentially invests one man with full power over how the money is distributed, while he is being paid by the company and unsupervised by any government body.

Gov. Bob Riley: No lawsuit waiver on final oil spill claims

Published: Saturday, December 11, 2010, 5:00 AM
Updated: Saturday, December 11, 2010, 12:06 PM
http://blog.al.com/live/2010/12/gov_bob_riley_no_lawsuit_waive.html
by Dan Murtaugh, Mobile Press-Register

Alabama Gov. Bob Riley has urged BP PLC and President Barack Obama to make sure that Gulf Coast residents don’t have to sign liability waivers to accept claims payments.

Oil spill claims czar Ken Feinberg recently launched the second stage of his claims process, in which he will offer people final settlements or interim quarterly payments.

The final settlements require the claimant to

“BP is in control of that.”

In response to my 0845 phone call, Gov. Riley’s ofc called: AL NG “troops are to assist citizens on Gulf Coast that are having troubles filing claims w BP.

They are not helping clean-up.

Riley has “no plans to activate” AL NG troops, even knowing BP will foot the bill wholly.

His office did say however, that “All options are on the table.”

AL NG troops now assisting are “going door to door to get information” from residents to facilitate a “very complex claims process.”

Gov. Riley has “no plans to declare state of emergency, or disaster.”

Claiming that declaring a state of emergency or disaster “could cause conflict,” the governor’s office said, “BP is in control of that.”

Gulf Of Mexico Oil Disaster Governors Refuse to Activate National Guard

GOMOD – Gulf Of Mexico Oil Disaster

UPDATE:

Alabama’s Certificate of Need Law

Wow!

With what I know about Alabama’s CON law, I could write volumes! And then, the title’s enough to get me started. I decided to use the “KISS” principle – Keep It Simple, Stupid.

If you’re a follower of Alabama politics – even casually – then you most likely have heard of, or remember former Governor Don Siegelman and former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy being convicted jointly of a “quid pro quo,” or more exactly, Siegelman was accused of accepting Scrushy’s bribe… to sit on the CON Board.

Never mind that the FBI extensively coached a known perjurer about what and how to testify – itself an illegal act – and never mind that Scrushy was appointed by two governors of two different parties to sit on the CON Board, and publicly expressed disdain for serving again. But that’s all water under the bridge. I only mentioned that because of its poignancy, and is relative to this post.

I sincerely doubt that most folks know that in Alabama, at least, not just anyone, or any organization can decide to build a hospital. For example, if Warren Buffett and Bill Gates decided that together, they wanted to gift the good people of Alabama with a hospital, they could NOT do it.

Why?

Read on to find out!

“Why do you want to work for Huntsville Hospital?” A Lesson in (dis)honesty.

Honesty… is it ALWAYS the best policy?

Recently, I’ve found that some search engine terms which have led to my blog include this question “Why do you want to work at Huntsville Hospital“?

In Huntsville, Alabama – where I’ve resided for many years – there are ONLY TWO hospitals in town.

One, Huntsville Hospital, is a public not-for-profit, and the other, a much smaller Crestwood Medical Center, is a private, for-profit hospital.

Many of the professors and instructors at the Nursing School from which I graduated have privately expressed their frustrations to their students, and to me, about Huntsville Hospital’s virtual monopoly on the hospital-based healthcare delivery in Huntsville, AL.

Part of that problem stems in large part from

Tornado Damaged Albertville Schools Forced to Reopen

“It’s ridiculous you can’t do that in Alabama; but we’ll do what they tell us to do.”

- Ric Ayer, Albertville City Schools Superintendent

In shocking news, Albertville City Schools – devastated by a recent tornado – will be forced to reopen next week, and WILL NOT be able to obtain a student attendance waiver for the five days they were closed this week because of the damage.

Albertville City School Superintendent Ric Ayer said that Alabama state law neither allows for any process – however extraordinary circumstances may be – to waive the 180 day scholastic year, which is mandated by law. Superintendent Ayer said

Tornado rips severe damage through Albertville, Alabama.

!*! – UPDATED – Tuesday, 27 April 2010, with aerial pics by Eric Shultz, Photographer, Huntsville Times – UPDATED – !*!

Saturday evening, April 24, 2010, around 9:30PM CST, a F3 category tornado twisted its way through the rural north Alabama community of Albertville, Alabama in Marshall County. Ironically, it was on the centennial-second anniversary of a 1908 tornado that devastated the town, nearly wiping it from the map.

Fortunately, though no lives were lost, there were about three dozen injuries reported, some severe, with one transported to another larger hospital facility out of the area.

Damage was severe, wreaking havoc and destruction in Albertville and the smaller, nearby community of Geraldine. Damage was so severe, that Albertville schools will be closed for this week,

AL Gov. Bob “Wiley” Riley: May I have your attention, please? THE SKY IS FALLING!!

“Montgomery is not like NASCAR.”

- Alabama Governor Bob Riley, (R), speaking in Huntsville, Friday, 05 March 2010

Alabama Governor Bob Riley (R), has called for legal reform in the state, disguised as election funding reform, specifically in the case of PAC (Political Action Committee) to PAC transfers.

While there is no doubt such reform is necessary, indeed beneficial and certainly long overdue, to have the lame-duck, er, make that “lame-brain” governor make that assertion demonstrates Wiley Riley’s own “ethics-only-when-it’s-convenient” attitude.

In recent days, Wiley Riley has raised a highly-publicized ruckus about electronic “bingo.” In fact, news of the row has reached other states, and there, no doubt, become fodder for raydeeo talk-show gabfests, and late-night teevee jokesters. But you see, when Wiley Riley came into office, electronic bingo was illegal.

Following is a brief overview of what he said and did about that problematic issue…

♫B – I – N, G, O… B – I – N, G, O was his name, oh!♫

There was a farmer had a dog and Bingo was his name, oh! B – I – N, G, O… B – I – N, G, O… B – I – N, G, O and Bingo was his name, oh!

Hi kiddies!

Today your Uncle Bob is gonna’ tell you all about his dog!

And what’s his name?

(children yell out name)

Yes! That’s right! Bingo!

And I’m gonna’ kill my dog!

Probably the only thing anyone can do in Alabama is laugh at

Madison City Schools, Superintendent, Principal & Assistant to be Sued over Todd Brown’s murder: Negligence

“The way I look at it, when that child comes to school, they become

Governor Riley’s Office Called

They’re not in.

Alabama Governor Bob Riley is under “attack.”

Poor thing!

Hey… Bob! If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!

Drivel…

That’s how I’d characterize a recent e-mail I received from “Constituent Services” in response to my question.

Here’s the bulk of the no-answer reply they sent.

Oh! My question?

More than enough

I have a confession to make.

I recognize that I must confess to… well, I must confess to… to… to…

Not being exactly sure about how to proceed, I suppose it might be wise to be honest.

On occasion throughout my life, I have periodically engaged in

Godly Social Values

You know, Jim, as I continue to reflect upon the issues about which we spoke this evening, I – being an ardent observer of

Bob Riley and Troy King: The Saga Continues

It’s well known that Alabama Governor Bob Riley and Attorney General Troy King, both Republicans, have been at odds with each other over

Riley’s weakest speech ever

This evening (Tuesday, 12 January 2010), in his final “state of the state” address to the legislature and the people of Alabama, Governor Bob Riley delivered one of the worst speeches I have ever heard – it was definitely not his personal best.

The way I see it, good-bye and good riddance Bob. You’ve screwed Alabama seven years too long.

You and your cronies cry and whine over public scrutiny given to your $13,000,000 no-bid contract to some nefarious, no-name, no contact information, no website, no identity, no address “company” with ties to your Washington Republican insiders called “Paragon,” claiming no other company or person could do the work. But you’ve been proven wrong by the Huntsville Times, which reported that over 150 Alabama-based companies could have done the work you awarded to that Virginia “company”  by deliberately abandoning the publicly competitive process that saves taxpayers’ dollars.

You boast about jobs you’ve created, but at $55,600/year, which is Alabama’s average household income for a family of three, that $13,000,000 could have employed 233 people in Alabama for a year, or 117 for two years – which is the contract’s term.

It is indeed ironic that paragon means the highest and greatest example; and in this case, it is one to avoid.

Oh… and since you are the undisputed King of No-Bid Contracts – having awarding more no-bid contracts that any other governor in Alabama’s history (against which you campaigned as candidate) – let me publicly call you an ASSHOLE, LIAR and HYPOCRITE.

Alabama Governor Bob Riley addresses the people and legislature in his final "state of the state" address, Tuesday evening, January 12, 2010 in the Montgomery capitol building.