Perspective – By the Numbers: How has Job Loss under Governor Bentley & the GOP affected Alabama?

It’s easy to talk about “the jobs situation” in Alabama. It’s especially easier to talk about it when it doesn’t affect you… directly. It’s like armchair quarterbacking.

There’s probably much truth to the statement that Alabama’s legislators aren’t directly affected by job loss in the state. They have jobs. As musician Steve Miller sang in his song “Take the Money and Run,” they make their “living off other people’s taxes.” That goes for Republicans AND Democrats. Such an observation, of course, is not to demean those who do “make their living off other people’s taxes,” because our military, public safety and others vital to our local, state and national well-being are among them. It is however, an acknowledgment of, and call to responsibility – not merely accountability – because accountability is the only remnant once responsibility has departed. And that is how the “Blame Game” is played.

In the previous entry entitled “Analysis – Examining the Record: Is Alabama Governor Bentley a “Jobs Creator” or a Drag on the State Economy?,” we looked at facts & figures about job loss & job creation during Governor Bentley’s administration.

In this entry, we examine some details on the extent of the damage done to families & individuals under his administration.

And so, let’s again refer to some previously-mentioned facts & figures, and introduce some new ones so that we can better understand the nature, scope and and extent of the situation, and corresponding problems

Alabama Governor Bentley gives Marshall county chicken farm $5K tax dollar$ to buy light bulbs during proration

This is stuff for the Cobert Report!

Sad, but true folks…

Alabama Governor, Robert J. Bentley, MD (R)

 Alabama‘s Republican Governor  Robert Bentley – who has said he would take no salary until Alabama achieves “full employment” (whatever that is!) – has given a private farm in rural Marshall county $5000 to buy light bulbs.

Yes, you read that correctly.

Bear in mind also, that the state is already in a period of budgetary proration.

What’s that?

Alabama’s Constitution forbids debt spending, so the budget must equal – not exceed – the state’s revenue.

So, in accordance with the state’s Constitution, on March 16, 2012, Governor Robert J. Bentley declared a proration of  “10.6 percent for the state General Fund for non-education services, cutting budgeted spending by $188 million because of a shortfall in expected revenues.”

Can you smell the hypocrisy cooking?

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Bentley awards grant to help business upgrade lighting

May 22, 2012

MONTGOMERY – Gov. Robert Bentley awarded a $5,000 grant to help a farm business in Marshall County reduce energy consumption and save money.

The grant will help Maze Farms Inc.

I won the Alabama Lottery!

I won the Alabama Lottery, and all I got was this lousy governor and inept Republican legislature.

Alabama Governor, Robert Bentley, MD - (R)

His official state of Alabama web page states, “After one year in office, Governor Bentley still does not accept a salary – and still works to put Alabamians back to work. And it seems to be working.”

“Seems to be working”?

Oh, come on!

Across America, unemployment rates are generally lowering. Lower unemployment rates in Alabama is not because of anything this governor or legislature has done.

Here’s another example of their ineptitude.

An official state news releases on 21 March 2012 read Governor’s Mansion Doors to

Alabama Gov. Bentley OKs Millions in State Executive Salaries during Proration

During a time in which Republican Alabama governor Dr. Robert Bentley has declared 10.6% proration statewide, he has simultaneously approved several million dollars in executive salaries & compensation for state employees whom are hand-picked by the governor and his cronies.

The total value of the compensation packages – which includes state taxpayer funded retirement, taxpayer paid health insurance & taxpayer paid Cost Of Living Adjustments – could be well in excess of $2,400,000.

Read on to see how & why.