Pride and Prejudice: Things Alabama will never hear Governor Bentley say

For your benefit, here is a brief record of things no Alabama resident will never hear Alabama’s Republican Governor Robert J. Bentley, MD, say:

‘I was wrong, and I apologize; please forgive me.’

‘Even though I’m the Chief Executive Officer of the State of Alabama, the legislature and I haven’t accomplished everything for the people that we hoped to do.’

‘I accept full responsibility for the sexual crimes, atrocities, horrid conditions and deaths from neglect & violence in Alabama’s prisons.’

‘I have asked for the resignation of Mr. Kim T. Thomas, Esq. as Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Corrections, whom I also appointed January 17, 2011.’

‘Even though out of all 50 states Alabama’s personal income tax structure is well-known, and highly documented to burden the most poverty-stricken, I have done nothing to correct, change or modify it.’

‘While increasingly, today’s jobs require a highly-educated and healthy workforce, I have done nothing to promote either.’

‘Even though I said “Nothing is more important than ensuring the safety of our citizens,” I have done nothing to protect our children from guns in schools.’

‘Neither you, nor your children have any expectation to security in your schools, or homes, which is why I support guns in schools, and forbid background checks for all firearms purchases or exchanges.’

‘I fully support the right of every Alabama citizen to own military-grade weapons of war, and encourage their purchase.’

‘To that extent, I have welcomed Remington Arms and Steyer Arms to relocate their factories and headquarters Alabama.’

‘During my executive leadership last four years, Alabama’s poverty rate has increased to 18.1% – over 4 points above the national average – and is the third most poverty-stricken state in the nation.’

‘I have continued to allow predatory lending in Alabama, and continue to encourage such preying upon the weakest and most vulnerable in our state to the extent that there are four times more predatory lenders than McDonald’s restaurants.‘

‘I have no idea how to promote higher education, pay for K-12, or how to recruit or sustain teachers.’

‘Even though I’m not accepting a salary from the state treasury, it’s a well-known fact that you get what you pay for.’

‘Corruption in Alabama politics is a fallacy and myth.’

‘I have done little to nothing to encourage honesty and open government in Alabama, or to criminalize unethical behavior.’

‘The revolving door to Alabama politics and lobbying is still working.’

‘I am soft on crime. Just look at what I’ve done about the rapes and other criminals acts in our prison system.’

‘I have directed the State Treasurer – Young Boozer – to pay the full amount of the state salary to me, and I will then donate each month’s salary to an Alabama charity.’

‘I have abandoned Alabama’s children, schools, teachers and principals, because I supported moving children out of artificially fabricated failing schools, and have sent public tax dollars to private schools for the wealthy.’

‘The lawsuits filed against me and the state alleging the laws I signed violated state and federal Constitutional principle have cost you more than any proposed legislation would have ever saved.’

‘I didn’t bother to check and see if it would have passed state or federal constitutional muster.’

‘Teachers are still paying for classroom supplies out of their own pockets.’

‘I’m like the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz, and am too fearful to say that I support a Lottery for Education because I’m a Baptist, and instead have said that “I believe in the right of the people of Alabama to vote on anything.”‘

‘I’m a hypocrite because I held my hand out for federal help in the form of FEMA money, but I refuse to accept any help in paying for healthcare for the poor through the Affordable Care Act.’

‘Even though during my campaign I said “I am pro-life,” I have done nothing to promote a culture of life in Alabama.’

‘I’m a wishy-washy flip-flopper, because when I campaigned for governor in Arab, August 26, 2010 in the debate with Ron Sparks sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, I said “I oppose lottery. I’m personally against it. It’s not the answer,” I have softly backpedaled and now say “I believe in the right of the people to vote on anything.”‘

‘I have not taxed bingo revenues in Alabama.’

‘Even though I promised on my campaign website that “I will appoint a Director of Medical Workforce Development,” I lied, and haven’t done anything about it.’

‘When I was campaigning for governor way back in 2010, I promised on my website that I would create “The Alabama Health Service Corps, and… set aside 25 percent of medical school seats in Alabama’s medical schools to direct students to enter the practice of family medicine; pediatrics; internal medicine; general surgery; obstetrics/gynecology; and psychiatry,” and to provide “a $30,000 scholarship per year” to “any student participating in the Alabama Health Service Corps” and then after their residency, require them “to spend four years as a physician in an underserved area…” but I didn’t.’

‘Even though I have publicly said that “I’m pro-life,” I have also said that “I support abortion in the case of rape, incest or the life of the mother.”‘

‘The buck stops here.’
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Unfulfilled Promises