Bill Johnson Versatile Public Servant

Posted on Mar 11, 2010

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Alabama’s next Governor must possess wisdom, courage and leadership. For too long, our state has ranked at the bottom in many categories, yet we enjoy one of the most beautiful states in the union, plentiful with natural resources and the blessing of hard-working citizens who appreciate freedom and want to preserve our way of life here and in the United States of America.

The Road Less Traveled

Alabama Gubernatorial candidate, Bill Johnson, has lived and worked in more than 40 countries on five continents.  That experience taught him to truly love and appreciate our home state and country.  He served as a medic for people who were willing to fight and die for their freedom, as our American troops do every day.

This experiences has  made Bill Johnson  determined to never accept the status quo just because it’s easier. He believes in the sovereignty of the United States of America. He believes we must require the federal government to abide by the Constitution, and he believes in the principles set down in that document. The 10th Amendment issue is addressed in the Constitution, clearly. He is a strong 2nd Amendment advocate. Mr. Johnson, in supporting the Constitution and by believing that it is the document that guides capitalism, does stand for what Tea Party members believe in. He wants less government, knows federal government has taken too much power, knows we are free to achieve success but it is not a “right”. Knows freedom of religion, not freedom FROM it – what our Constitution guarantees, as well as the protections each of us have in controlling our federal government by the nullification process. He believes citizens have the right to be active in the legislative process.

We interviewed Mr. Johnson. Our questions are not “typical” questions but Mr. Johnson was gracious and open during our interview. It is important to read about and KNOW each and every candidate for which you choose to support. Don’t listen to what the opponents may say about one another, research and learn about the candidates and what they have done. This interview was very revealing about a man, his life and his beliefs.

Mr. Johnson, why do you want to be Governor of Alabama? “I have the broadest base of experience of all the candidates running for the office. I have a heart for helping others.”  Many say they have compassion, dedication and a heart for others, but it is obvious from Mr. Johnson’s experiences that he definitely puts actions behind his words. “Positions I have held have enabled me to work at the local level, with leaders from many organizations and have also worked at the state level to help the people of Alabama. I got involved in politics in 1993, when President Clinton was in office. I saw what happened at Waco, TX, I didn’t like what I saw. I wasn’t going to live in a country where those things happened to its citizens. I wanted to do my part to change government. I realized then, as now, the importance of protecting and defending the Constitution.”

What path have you taken to make a difference? “Since then, I’ve worked to help get more conservative candidates elected. I have always pushed for smaller government with less government interference in business and the personal lives of citizens and for lower taxes.”

Experience Makes a Difference

How will your varied experience help you be an effective Governor for our state?
“In addition to my experience when I served as Assistant Director and then later, Director of ADECA, which enabled me to work with municipal and local governments and other organizations to implement programs for business and economic development, I have  served on the Birmingham City Council.”

In fact, while serving on The Birmingham City Council, Mr. Johnson was closely involved with the development of mentoring programs for young people, working with a local church to implement programs to help enrich the minds of young people. His service on the Birmingham City Council from 1997-2001 drew praise from both Democratic and Republican legislators and from the business community. He brought a unique lifetime of experience and dedication to the Council of making a difference in city government.


While working at ADECA, Mr. Johnson assisted communities with economic development projects and administered a wide variety of federal and state programs that provided funding to local governments and non-profit agencies throughout the state. Says Johnson, “Something that really taught me a great deal was my travels to second and third-world countries. These countries are in the condition they are in because of bad government. I learned very quickly what made our country so special.”

Medic, Adventurer, Democracy Activist


“When I was a Junior in college, and the Soviets invaded Afghanistan, we were all concerned about that situation. I wanted to spend that summer volunteering as a medic for the Afghan Freedom Fighters. So, I traveled to Afghanistan but they didn’t want outsiders, especially Christians, involved in their ‘holy war,’ as they called it.I returned to school and finished my Senior year.”

“But, I wanted to experience more cultures, so I started a roofing and contracting company in order to have the money to fund my travels.”

“These travels really opened my eyes to what people in third-world countries experienced and why. This gave me an appreciation for what we have here. Later, I decided to volunteer as a medic for the Contras. I stayed in Honduras for about eight months. This experience had a tremendous affect on me. I’m glad I did that when I was young. Experience teaches truths that can’t be learned in any book. Seeing what bad government does first hand is something I never want to see here.”

Do you believe that Americans just went to sleep or were lulled into a false sense of security and now we find ourselves struggling against our own federal government here? “The average hard-working American likes to focus on things that are important to them such as raising their families, and day-to-day living.”

“Sometimes government gets our attention by doing the things we are seeing today. The federal government has no right to interfere with private business or in the private lives of citizens. We must abide by the constitution and there are limits to the power of the federal government.”

How will you deal with the budget shortfalls in our state without raising taxes? “I am not for raising any taxes. I do believe that if the voters of Alabama want to vote on the gambling issue, then that’s their call. But this would be the only tax I would support. It’s not a mandatory tax, people don’t have to gamble, it’s their choice whether or not to pay that type of tax.”

You launched the Governor’s Black Belt Conference in 2004. Many people may be unfamiliar with that, what was it and how did it help people? “ It was a comprehensive program to improve conditions in the 12 poorest counties of Alabama. This pulled 900 volunteers in 13 different communities to do more with the money they were receiving than any governmental agency could get done.”

“There are many challenges that face those counties in Alabama. There’s the need for economic development, the need for proper health facilities and the need for job opportunities. Without one, the others can’t materialize.”

Passion for Helping Those In Need

You are a big supporter of Habitat for Humanity, tell us about your involvement with that organization. “People like us [conservatives] are cast as uncompassionate, but it’s not that we’re uncompassionate at all. We just believe in doing things ourselves rather than depending upon the government to do things for us. Habitat for Humanity is a wonderful example of this principle at work.” For example, three years after Katrina, where 2,200 homes were flooded and/or destroyed, the federal government had only rebuilt 60 homes. The Mobile, Alabama chapter of Habitat for Humanity had rebuilt 1,000 homes in the same time period. I was able to help get $13.5 million to do more for these projects. The progress between faith and community organizations and the federal government is impressive. These examples present an opportunity for State Government to partner with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. There is a role for government can play.”

In Bayou La Batre, Alabama for example, 1,000s of volunteers rushed down there to help. Because everyone showed up at the same time, and because there was no organization or coordination of programs for this, it was a confusing situation. This type of situation provides an opportunity for state government,  not by taxing, nor by legislating but by providing coordination  for these types of programs.”

“The government cannot solve problems we face today. In most cases, the government caused them. If government solves a problem, then a politician loses a job.”

“Where is the motivation to actually solve problems?  In the past, when people got into trouble, our social safety net was our churches, our families and our communities.  We had stronger families and faith-based communities then. That was before the government stepped in to try to take the place of this. As government began to do more and more, the roles of these institutions were diminished.”

What about Governor Riley and your relationship to him? “I thought he was a good governor all the way up until a year ago. But just because he is the governor, doesn’t give him the right to put his kids on the state payroll. He is still accountable to taxpayers. He doesn’t get a pass.”
“That issue was where we parted ways. People knew I was going to do the right thing. I was tremendously disappointed and I got heat from the GOP. They thought I was picking on Governor Riley. But I didn’t do it, the governor did.”

How do you feel about your chances of winning this election? “I feel we have an excellent opportunity and this election cycle is an excellent time for candidates like me. We need 150,000 votes to make the run-off. People need to stand up and take a hard look at someone who will stand up for what’s right. If they do, they will pick me.”

Bill Johnson certainly has a wide-variety of life experiences and is passionate about what he sees happening in our country today.  We didn’t cover his dedication to mentoring programs, various ministries to help others who are less fortunate, re-entry and recovery programs, Senior Outreach and disaster relief; each are personal commitments he has made. For more information on Mr. Johnson, please visit his website at:

Bill Johnson for Governor

For interesting reading about his travels please read:
 Helping the Contras

Cairo to South Africa Overland

Afghanistan

We The People

Posted on Mar 08, 2010

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Dear President Obama,
We the people have stated resolutely that we reject your vision for America. You claim you have not heard us. We the People have assembled across America, resisting your efforts to subvert our constitution and undermine our liberty. You claim you have not seen us. Since you have not acknowledged our message, let us here present it once more.

For if, as President Wilson said, “a leader’s ear must ring with the voices of the people”, the time has come. Our greatest treasure is freedom-the absence of  restraints on our ability to think and to act. The corollary of freedom is individual responsibility. We believe in the power of the individual. A few years ago, President  Bush said, “History moves toward freedom because the desire for freedom is written in every human heart.”

Let us add that we will preserve it only as long as devotion to freedom is expressed in the heart of our actions. When President Lincoln dedicated Gettysburg National Cemetery, he declared, “It is for us, the living to be dedicated to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus so nobly advanced.” That unfinished cause for which our soldiers willingly go to battle and for which so many given their lives is a free United States of America.

It has been nearly one hundred fifty years and the work President Lincoln spoke of is not finished. In fact, that work will never be finished. Freedom is the capacity for self-determination. It is not an entity but a condition, and conditions change. Freedom can expand, yet so can it contract.  You promised change when you took office, Mr. President but subjugatiion is not change we want or will accept.  You have expanded government, violated our constitution, confounded laws, seized private industry, destroyed jobs, perverted our economy, curtailed free speech, corrupted our currency, weakened our national security, and endangered our sovereignty.

By compromising our nation’s cultural, legal, and economic institutions you are ensuring that our children will never achieve the same quality of life as we’ve enjoyed in the past. Through generational theft, you are robbing the unborn of opportunity. This is not acceptable. Not in America. We did not become a strong nation through hope, but rather through self-reliance. No one better understands the relationship between individual achievement, dignity and strength than our armed forces.

Through every war, these soldiers have held this nation’s destiny in their hands. They have not failed us. They cherish freedom enough that they are willing to die for it. Our duty to them and to ourselves is to treasure freedom enough to live up to it.

We accept the challenge, Mr. President. That is why we are assembling across the land to deliver our message to you as often and in every way we can. Dismiss us at your political peril. Our great nation is a Republic. We will not accept tyranny, under any guise. Your policy to redistribute the fruits of our labor is Statism, and will not be tolerated.

By our honor, Mr. President, we vow forever to resist coercive government in America. Patriots willl not stand silent as you attempt to dismantle the greatest nation on earth.  “We the People” will defend our liberty, we will protect our beloved country, and America’s exceptionalism will prevail.

God Bless the United States of America!

Sincerely,
We the People

Recognizing the ULTIMATE price our brave soldiers have paid for our freedom, the very freedom for which we stand today. Let us never forget!

American Revolution(1775-1783)

War of 1812(1812-1918)

Mexican War(1846-1898)

Spanish-American War(1898-1902)

World War I(1917-1918)

World War II(1941-1945)

Korean War(1950-1953)

Vietnam War(1964-1975)

Desert Shield/Desert Storm(1990-1991)

    Global War on Terror  Deployed 1,384,968 (Worldwide)
    Iraq and Afghanistan 165,000

    Total American Lives Lost                                          684,394

    These 684,394 have paid for our freedom and we intend for their sacrifice not to be in vain.

    MAMA MIA! ¿Qué pensarán de la próxima?

    Posted on Mar 02, 2010

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    The lengths to which the Democratic Party will go in order to push their ever-growing Socialist agenda on the American people are boundless. Rigging an election is nice work if you can pull it off. With the help of ACORN and others, many believe they managed to do that in 2008. And Democratic majority in the U.S. House of Representatives appears to be trying to do it again as it votes next week on the misleadingly named Puerto Rico Democracy Act, which is designed to confer statehood on the island commonwealth by sheer deception. The bill is wrongheaded on so many levels that opponents in the Senate ought to filibuster it to death if it passes the House, as expected.

    Puerto Rico has enjoyed a special status with a degree of autonomy since it became a commonwealth of the United States of America in 1950.  Puerto Rico is under a self-drafted constitution.  It enjoys advantages such as offering tax-free profits to American companies that do business there. There have been a few “token” attempts to seem as if they are interested in becoming a state but voters there have always rejected this proposal. Personally, I’m certainly not against Puerto Rico becoming a state. I’m not against them choosing their form of government. What most of us are against is having something rammed down our throats or, in this case, outright deception.

    Because Puerto Rico leans heavily toward the Democratic Party, our congressional Democrats are looking for two new senators and maybe six new House Members who would be added to their caucus if statehood were to pass. Oh my! The things that make us go hmmm, hmmmm, hmmmm.

    Traditionally, Puerto Ricans have preferred being a commonwealth over statehood because of the independence they enjoy. So, the Democrats have come up with a BRILLIANT scheme to first hold a vote with just two options:

    1. Commonweath of one side, anything else on the other.  If supporters of all three other options ban together, they might vote to rule out the commonwealth without knowing what would replace it.

    2. IF and ONLY IF that first vote succeeds would a second vote be held to determine which of the other three options would apply – with commonwealth status off the table.

    In order to further their agenda, the (Democrats) House bill would explicitly allow people to vote in this election who were born in Puerto Rico but no longer live there. Nothing appears to bar somebody from voting on statehood while being a registered voter of, say, New York or Rhode Island or even the District of Columbia. If Congress passes this bill and if Puerto Rican voters decide to choose the statehood option, Congress still controls the decision to make the island a state. But, it is thought that if Puerto Rico sends a full delegation claiming OFFICIAL STATUS and the (false) legitimacy of a (tainted) popular vote, a Democratic Majority would seat the delegation instantly.

    This scenario (which is real) poses problems for American citizens. First, Puerto Rico does not consider English its first language. Most residents of Puerto Rico speak Spanish. No non-official-English state has ever joined the union. Canada’s experience with official bilingualism has proven to cause discord and balkanization. Don’t get me wrong here, there’s nothing wrong with allowing free people to decide or reanalyze their governing status. It is quite another thing to rig the very process that statehood is meant to celebrate.

    As I write this and as you read it, Congress is planning a stealth move which would pass legislation THIS MONTH (remember to always watch what the other hand is doing….we have learned this!!!) that is rigged to allow Puerto Rico to become the nation’s 51st state. Oh, I forgot to mention that Artur Davis, Congressional Representative from Alabama is a Co-Sponsor of this legislation. You know, the one who is running for Governor. His office and his press secretary were contacted to give a statement regarding this bill and they didn’t bother to bother. What does that say? Volumes.  Congressman  Bobby Bright was not listed as a co-sponsor but this writer can find no evidence that he has taken a stance against it, either. His office was contacted for a statement as well as that of Parker Griffith. No one cared enough to make statements.

    “H.R. 2499  Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009 is rigged to guarantee a vote in favor of statehood in Puerto Rico without much debate and without considering the impacts,” said CONLAMIC Chairman Rev. Miguel Rivera. “Every Member of Congress needs to sit up urgently and pay attention to this deceptive bill. There are massive costs and economic and social impacts of admitting Puerto Rico as our 51st State. These questions must be answered in a fair, open process before any this process goes forward.”

    Here is an excerpt from the Bill:

    SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

      This Act may be cited as the `Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009′.

    SEC. 2. FEDERALLY SANCTIONED PROCESS FOR PUERTO RICO’S SELF-DETERMINATION.

      (a) First Plebiscite- The Government of Puerto Rico is authorized to conduct a plebiscite in Puerto Rico. The 2 options set forth on the ballot shall be preceded by the following statement: `Instructions: Mark one of the following 2 options:
      • `(1) Puerto Rico should continue to have its present form of political status. If you agree, mark here XX.
      • `(2) Puerto Rico should have a different political status. If you agree, mark here XX.’.
      (b) Procedure if Majority in First Plebiscite Favors Option 1- If a majority of the ballots in the plebiscite are cast in favor of Option 1, the Government of Puerto Rico is authorized to conduct additional plebiscites under subsection (a) at intervals of every 8 years from the date that the results of the prior plebiscite are certified under section 3(d).
      (c) Procedure if Majority in First Plebiscite Favors Option 2- If a majority of the ballots in a plebiscite conducted pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) are cast in favor of Option 2, the Government of Puerto Rico is authorized to conduct a plebiscite on the following 3 options:
      • (1) Independence: Puerto Rico should become fully independent from the United States. If you agree, mark here XX.
      • (2) Sovereignty in Association with the United States: Puerto Rico and the United States should form a political association between sovereign nations that will not be subject to the Territorial Clause of the United States Constitution. If you agree, mark here XX.
      • (3) Statehood: Puerto Rico should be admitted as a State of the Union. If you agree, mark here XX.

    SEC. 3. APPLICABLE LAWS AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS.

      (a) Applicable Laws- All Federal laws applicable to the election of the Resident Commissioner shall, as appropriate and consistent with this Act, also apply to any plebiscites held pursuant to this Act. Any reference in such Federal laws to elections shall be considered, as appropriate, to be a reference to the plebiscites, unless it would frustrate the purposes of this Act.
      (b) Rules and Regulations- The Puerto Rico State Elections Commission shall issue all rules and regulations necessary to carry out the plebiscites under this Act.
      (c) Eligibility To Vote- Each of the following shall be eligible to vote in any plebiscite held under this Act:
      • (1) All eligible voters under the electoral laws in effect in Puerto Rico at the time the plebiscite is held.
      • (2) All United States citizens born in Puerto Rico who comply, to the satisfaction of the Puerto Rico State Elections Commission, with all Commission requirements (other than the residency requirement) applicable to eligibility to vote in a general election in Puerto Rico. Persons eligible to vote under this subsection shall, upon timely request submitted to the Commission in compliance with any terms imposed by the Electoral Law of Puerto Rico, be entitled to receive an absentee ballot for the plebiscite.
      (d) Certification of Plebiscite Results- The Puerto Rico State Elections Commission shall certify the results of any plebiscite held under this Act to the President of the United States and to the Members of the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States.

    In the 1990s, debate over Puerto Rico statehood, studies showed that the cost to the US Treasury of admitting Puerto Rico as a state would be more than $25.9 billion a year. “But those numbers were before unemployment hit 16% and Puerto Rico’s public debt reached almost $50 billion. The costs of extending all Federal benefits to Puerto Rico’s population today would be astronomical,” Rev. Rivera added. “How can congressional leaders be focusing on this when we have unmet needs, high unemployment and budget pressures right here in the 50 United States?”

    The Washington Times said the bill would establish an “underhanded” process to achieve statehood “by hook or crook,” creating “major problems.”

    An article addressing this issue from The Washington Examiner adds, “statehood has traditionally been granted only to territories whose residents show, in referendum or otherwise, overwhelming support for statehood. There is no such support in Puerto Rico. Status—whether Puerto Rico should become a state, should become independent or should retain in current terms or somewhat modified terms the current status which in English is called commonwealth but in Spanish the more descriptive estado liberado asociado—has been the single most important issue in Puerto Rican politics since the 1940s.”

    The National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders (CONLAMIC) calls on Congress to put an end to closed-door deals that affect our future.

    “This legislation is reportedly going to be voted on in just a few weeks, yet nobody has heard about it. It’s time to open the process and to have an honest debate about Puerto Rican statehood,” Rev. Rivera concluded.

    CONLAMIC represents over 16,000 Churches across 34 states within the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Each of these churches represents hundreds of individuals who attend church services and related activities every week. They are the largest Latino Christian advocacy organization in the United States of America.

    Hector J. Ferrer Rios, President of the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico, in a letter to House Speaker Pelosi dated February 2, 2010 stated, “…HR2499, the so-called ‘Puerto Rico Democracy Act of 2009′…which provides for ’self-determination’ process for the people of Puerto Rico, is not only wrong, but is unfair and undemocratic.”

    “I want to take this opportunity to explain why HR2499 is a filthy trick…HR2499 is actually a statehood bill. HR 2499’s aim is to set forth a twisted, predisposed and disturbing process designed to get rid of Commonwealth in order to steer the people of Puerto Rico towards a predetermined outcome…it stacks the deck against the Commonwealth option.”

    “The bill is exclusionary and divisive…it endangers the principles that are the foundation of America and does not take into account the will of the majority of the people of Puerto Rico.”  Hmmm, sounds familiar.

    I advise each Tea Party Member within our state to call your friends, family, neighbors and contact your Representative (and all of them if you have time) and express your  “displeasure” and further deception by this  majority who obviously will do ANYTHING to get their way and care nothing about the U.S. Constitution nor the American people.  It seems they are trying to also pull a fast one on the people of Puerto Rico, who may want statehood, but have historically voted against it. We seem irrelevant to Congress, they seem to only care about pushing their agenda.  It’s time to stop them.

    We attempted to contact Congressman Parker Griffith, Congressman Bobby Bright, and Congressman Artur Davis for a statement on this.  No statements or comments from any were forthcoming. They were told if they did not give statements, this would be noted.

    *Source Washington Times February 26, 2010, “The Deck is Stacked for statehood” (Editorial)

    *Source The Washington Examiner, Beltway Confidential, “Puerto Statehood Bill”,February 2010
    *Source National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders
    Special thanks to Ed  for the heads up.

    Bamabelle

    Looks Like the “Fix” Is In, Action Alert NOW

    Posted on Feb 27, 2010

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    At a place called Blair House, the President’s official guest quarters across the street from the White House, Barack Obama played host to a select small group of legislators to find “common ground” for passage of a healthcare reform bill. Well, that was the White House’s version, anyway.

    As we now know, that’s not what happened.  In reality, the so-called “summit” was an elaborate magic show, complete with sleight of hand, illusion and elaborate misdirection,all designed to resuscitate the once-thought-dead ObamaCare bill. Did you really think they’d cave so “easily”? Certainly they will not. We’ve held the line this long, we can’t let them win now!

    This political theater took place in the space of seven and a half hours.  The President had already destroyed the credibility of the meeting on Monday by publishing his Trillion Dollar plan that looks, coincidentally, a whole lot like the discredited Senate version of ObamaCare -including abortion funding!

    We were expected to believe that legislators could deal with over two thousand pages of a bill that amounts to a government takeover of an estimated 16% of our economy in just a few hours! Unbelievable!

    Of course, the President never had any intention of finding “common ground.”  In fact, the invitation to the summit came with a PS:  If you don’t go along with me, I have “reconciliation” ready in the wings!

    In other words, “the fix was in.” And from what we can see, this eleventh-hour attempt to ram socialized medicine down the throats of the American people is more dangerous than
    any that has gone before.

    There was more to this “Hail Mary” than met the eye. There was an even more telling activity going on behind the scenes this week. Utilizing the same technologies and strategies that propelled him into office, Obama’s cohorts launched “One Million Voices for Healthcare Reform: A Virtual March on Washington.”

    This scheme was almost as elaborate as its title. Here are statements from its organizers:

    “The nation’s leading progressive [read, radical left] organizations are joining forces for A Virtual March on
    Washington” to send Congress one million messages urging action on health care reform. This is designed to be the single largest action yet in the health care fight.”

    “The Virtual March on Washington: A Million Voices for Change” campaign is bringing together some of the largest progressive organizations in the nation including, MoveOn.org Political Action, Progressive Congress Action Fund, Health Care for America Now (HCAN), and Service Employees International
    Union (SEIU)….

    President Obama, who has failed to effectively govern throughout his first year in office, has re-hired his
    campaign staff to try to regain the popularity he enjoyed while running for office!

    The highly orchestrated political theater we witnessed on Thursday would be merely pathetic if it wasn’t such a dangerous and dishonest abuse of presidential power.

    We must NOT cave in to this manipulation!

    We must act NOW to counter this outlandish strategy. The next few weeks will be crucial as members of Congress are being pressured to accept the Obama/Reid/Pelosi reconciliation plan.  We cannot allow the only messages Congress hears to be from the “Obama for President 2012″ crowd!

    The pressure is mounting as ultra-liberal activists redouble the use of corrupt “Chicago-Style” politics of coercion and bribery that have so dramatically overshadowed Capitol Hill for the last year.

    Here’s just one measure of their audacity: When the American people cried, “Foul!” over the Cornhusker Kickback, the President then decided to extend the exorbitant bribe that bought Senator Ben Nelson to the ENTIRE SENATE!

    Now, we have a sort of “Omnibus Kickback” on the table – all of it paid for by you and me, the hapless American taxpayers!

    Amazingly, when Obama’s team heard the uproar over certain Senators getting bribes, they thought it was because all the other Senators wanted one, too!  What a low view of our nation this administration must have. This is outrageous!

    CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND YOUR SENATORS AND TELL THEM NO GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTHCARE! Tell your family, your friends and anyone else who may still have their head in the sand that they need to get off of the fence and take action NOW!

    If anyone ever WONDERED WHY Tea Party Chapters MUST ENDORSE CANDIDATES and MUST KEEP THE PRESSURE ON OUR REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS, READING THIS SHOULD MAKE YOUR EYES BLEED AND THE LIGHT BULBS COME ON!  Time to take action, now.

    Bamabelle

    And From the Statehouse Today…

    Posted on Feb 22, 2010

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    In the Statehouse Today…

    The House of Representatives has again passed approved legislation to ban money transfers between political action committees that make campaign contributions hard to transfer money from one PAC to another PAC.The House approved the bill 101-0. Rep. Jeff McLaughlin, D-Guntersville, has been proposing the PAC transfer ban in every legislative session since 2002. The House usually approves the bill without dissent, but it has never passed the Alabama Senate.

    Events dating back to 2009 when contributions to Givhan’s ($8,100) was traced back to a PAC run by Steve Raby (now a candidate for the 5th Congressional seat in North Alabama), the Senate Majority PAC, may have helped push this legislation forward.  The incident mentioned has proven to be non-lethal to some as it was reported on February 2, 2010 in the Daily Home of Sylcacauga that the grand jury indicted BOE member (misdeanor charges stemming from failure to file campaign forms). City Schools Board Member Troy “Skip” Smithwick was indicated on two counts relating to campaign contributions by a Talladega County Grand Jury.

    A spokesperson for the Talladega County Sheriff’s Department said Smithwick was charged on the previous Friday and released on a $5k bond. The two charges were failure to file annual reports and improper reporting of contributions. Both charges are Class B Misdemeanors under state law. Under state law, all candidates are required to submit their annual contribution reports no later than Jan. 31 of the following year. Smithwick’s final report was dated as received October 6, 2009 by the Secretary of State. Said Smithwick, “I made an honest mistake. All of the other things were reported on time.” Donations totalling approximately $52k had not been reported until October 6, 2009. The previous report filed in May, 2008 by Smithwick showed donations totally $253k.

    The second charge stated Smithwick failed to report a contribution from a group named The Real Democrat Political Action Committee. The group claimed a $100,000 contribution was made to “Smithwick for School Board” in their annual report received January 2009.

    Jyles Machem, head of the Huntsville-based PAC, said in October that his group did not contribute any funds to Smithwick’s campaign. “I had my folks go back and talk to the staff of Smithwick,” he said. “They were puzzled as we were. It turns out that what happened was the accountant reported it improperly. He’s correct in saying that he didn’t get any money from The Real Democrat PAC.”

    Smithwick also denied receiving any money from the PAC.“The $100,000 was a clerical error,” Smithwick said. “As far as I know, I’m the first one to be prosecuting for not filling out the papers on time.” Smithwick had claimed on his reports a $100,000 contribution from another Huntsville-based group, called the Tennessee Valley PAC.

    Both groups reported contributing $100,000 to the Smithwick campaign in May 2008, according to their annual reports. But an amended 2008 annual report from The Real Democrat, received Oct. 19, 2009, did not report any contribution to Smithwick.

    Another apparent error appeared as both PACs claimed an $85,000 contribution to them in May from a group called the Senate Majority PAC. Senate Majority’s annual report showed only one $85,000 contribution being made, to The Real Democrat. Both Tennessee Valley and Senate Majority PAC reports have the signature of Steve Raby as the “Chairperson or Treasurer of Political Committee.” Both groups are also listed at the same address.

    Reports submitted by Tennessee Valley and Senate Majority had the signature of Wilma Henson as the notary public. Wilma Henson’s name also appeared on reports from The Real Democrat PAC, as the chairperson or treasurer.

    Smithwick said he believed the investigation was a “witch hunt.” He said he had spoken with someone from the Attorney General’s office about the matter in November.“He had the bank statements, the receipts and disbursements, the contributions and they were all tallied up,” he said. “The only thing, the law says you have got to file by the end of the year that the election was. I forgot about it, didn’t realize it. I filed the 10-day report, the 45-day report, the other report and then [missed] the final one.”

    Betty Peters, the District 2 representative for the state BOE, made the official complaint regarding Smithwick to Attorney General Troy King.“This should be an example for all future candidates that the law has teeth and it will be enforced,” Peters said. “If somebody is going to be on the state school board making decisions affecting children and teachers, everybody makes mistakes but this is beyond a mistake.”

    Questions had also been raised about a recent purchase of Smithwick’s, a recreational vehicle. Smithwick said he had paperwork that proved the purchase was made using his own funds.“It was paid for with my money,” he said. “I have the cancelled checks and everything. It doesn’t have a thing to do with this, not one thing. The only thing I didn’t do right was not filing that last report.”

    Steve Raby, Democratic candidate for Congress in the 5th District of Alabama, managed the Senate Majority PAC, a big-money Democrat PAC  in Huntsville. The latest Annual Report (dated 01-31-2009)  at the time this issue broke, showed contributions from A-VOTE ($50,000) and TN Valley Citizens PAC ($24,000).

    It is interesting to note here that when the Don Siegelman administration’s handling of state contracts came under scrutiny by lawmakers and prosecutors questioning why firms with ties to his friends and supporters received millions from no-bid state projects, the investigation revealed that three firms were involved; Tech Providers Inc. and COLSA Corp., hired Siegelman’s political consultants. A third, Digital One Services Inc., owned by a former lobbying colleague of state Finance Director Henry Mabry, state records show. COLSA Corp. of Huntsville received contracts totaling more than $2 million from DHR, state records show. COLSA hired as a consultant Stephen Raby, who was a top aide to former U.S. Sen. Howell Heflin.

    Raby traveled with Siegelman for public appearances and was considered a top prospect to have helped run Siegelman’s campaign. COLSA contributed $10,000 to the lottery campaign in April 1999, campaign finance records show.COLSA’s Pat Dixon, who handled the company’s contracts never discussed the project. Efforts to reach consultant Raby for comment by news reporters about his work for COLSA when the story broke failed.

    The much-touted Gambling Legislation never came up last week in the State Legislature. As Tim James pointed out in an interview last week with us, he felt the issue only had so much momentum. Evidently there weren’t enough votes to push it through the Senate, so it was delayed. Some say this could come up again this week. We shall see. On the agenda for Tuesday, February 23, the House will take up the Sunset legislation sponsored by Sunset Committee Vice-Chairman Howard Sanderford (Huntsville) These 14 bills must be dealt with Tuesday, under state statute. The matter should be handled rather quickly and attention will be turned to a backup special order calendar that was approved by the House Rules Committee last week.

    Dr. Obama and Nurse Ratchet: At It Again

    Posted on Feb 12, 2010

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    Rockwell Doctor
    The Tea Party movement began a year ago. Look at how far we’ve come and what we’ve achieved. There is no doubt that the months ahead are going to be brutal. We have to fight political battles and fight against Organizing for America. I received a message yesterday that indicates members of Organizing for America plan to infiltrate the Tea Party movement to try to destroy it/us. The organization, Organizing For America, was originally Obama for America and it continues to function as a political machine used by Obama and his socialist friends.

    Push back, Patriots.

    We just entered the most dangerous time in the entire healthcare debate. Here’s why….
    While President Obama is inviting Republicans to a so-called “bi-partisan” discussion on health care reform, Democrats are meeting behind closed doors almost daily to finalize their strategy to ram through ObamaCare without even one Republican vote! Nancy Pelosi said earlier this week that they had already “set the stage” to use budget reconciliation procedures to bypass the impact of the Scott Brown election and force ObamaCare through the Senate.

    Here’s what she said about the “reconciliation strategy” that requires only 51 Senate votes: “It’s up to us to make sure the public knows that this is not extraordinary…it would be a reflection on us if we could not convince people that this is not an unusual place to go.” Not an “unusual place to go”? It’s an arrogant abuse of the clear will of the American people! And it’s pretty apparent this is exactly the place the Democrat leaders plan to go.

    Of course, all this is being planned while the President is inviting Republicans to a televised event to supposedly discuss health care reform ideas! Clearly, the televised event is nothing more than a presidential power play… a smokescreen to distract the media and grassroots Americans from their real plan. Obama has no intention of backing down from his government takeover of healthcare. Any free-market ideas Republicans try to present will be ‘dead on arrival” – just as they have been for the past year. And all the while, Pelosi and Reid are putting the finishing touches on their strategy to pass ObamaCare!

    The President is trying to gain the advantage by putting the opponents of ObamaCare on the defensive. And if he succeeds, we will be facing a total takeover of our healthcare system.The socialist leaders in Washington are “out of touch.” They think they can stage a televised meeting about open discussions while they work the backrooms of Capitol Hill to ram their bill through!

    We need to have a going all-out to protest ObamaCare’s special perks, backroom deals, bribery and the scandalous way in which the process is being handled.

    Once again, the health care reform process has been about as transparent as the blizzards that hit the nation’s capitol! Next week could be crucial as the Obama summit nears and members of Congress face intense pressure from both the White House and the Pelosi-Reid team. Call your Senators and Representatives TODAY. Tell them NO to Government Healthcare! They must be reminded that there is no compromise that is acceptable.  While you’re at it, call those lap dogs in the House of Representative as well. Remind them that they are at the end of their “leash”.

    There are many training events scheduled for the coming months and I would like to provide that information here. These are listed by date, description and links are provided. Alabama Tea Party Network is not endorsing these, we are providing information for anyone who is interested.

    September 30-October 1, 2010 Smart Girl Politics Summit, Washington D.C.


    Various Dates Grassroots Training – American Majority in conjunction with Red State and Smart Girl Politics


    Various Dates: Tea Party Patriots Schedule of Events

    Bamabelle

    Time to Push Forward-Onward

    Posted on Feb 10, 2010

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    Flip the House
    We have added a calendar to our website here, and want to call our reader’s attention to this. There are many events planned for Tea Party events here in Alabama over the next several months as well as national events. These will all be listed, provided information is given to us.

    Our purpose is to help keep Americans informed, both in our state and those outside of events relating to Tea Parties, candidates, issues and anything else related to the fight to take back our freedom and preserve our Constitution.

    I want to share with you a blog site I came across and a particular post located at that site. Credit will be given at the end of the post. This is from Lee Doren’s website. For those who may not be familiar with Doren, he is a conservative who has appeared on the Glen Beck Program, Hannity, Fox News and has been instrumental in getting information out regarding legislation and events.

    Breaking: TheTeaPartyIsOver.org = SEIU (Check the Money Trail)

    by Lee Doren on January 29, 2010

    I just came across a new website titled: http://www.TheTeaPartyIsOver.org

    It is paid for by the American Public Policy Committee. Well, according to opensecrets.org, the two donors for American Public Policy Committee this year are Patriot Majority and Patriot Majority West.

    However, according to opensecrets.org, the 2nd largest contributor in 2008 to Patriot Majority was SEIU and other top Unions around America.  I imagine the diversion of Union money gets much deeper than this.  Please spread the word before they start getting their message out now.  Thanks.

    This website is informative and gives more information than I can list here. Please take the time to visit to see just what our SEIU thugs and Soros’ friends are busy spending their money doing…a fool and his money are soon parted… 

    We found the following website which mentions our website – LOL.  It’s a “push-back” effort against the organized labor and thugs that will be disseminating false information about the Tea Party movement over the next months. Please confirm all information you get to be sure it is correct. We will stay on top of this.       http://www.theteapartyisover.com/
    Now is the time to re-energize and reload Patriots. We are fighting the revolution again and this time, like the last time, “the redcoats” will be defeated.  Talk to your neighbors, friends, and family and get all involved you can.
    Fight on!

    Bamabelle

    Senator Shelby Makes Extraordinary Move

    Posted on Feb 05, 2010

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    Richard Shelby
    Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) has put an extraordinary “blanket hold” on at least 70 nominations President Obama has sent to the Senate, which means no nominations can move forward unless Senate Democrats can secure a 60-member cloture vote to break it, or until Shelby lifts the hold.

    CongressDaily’s Dan Friedman and Megan Scully, said, “Senate aides said a blanket hold represents a far more aggressive use of the power than is normal.” They added that Harry Reid was the source of the news regarding the blanket hold.

    Shelby had nothing to say about it. The news was broken by Harry Reid’s office. The hold extends to “all executive nominations on the Senate calendar.” Shelby is holding Obama’s nominees hostage until a pair of lucrative programs that would send billions in taxpayer dollars to his home state get back on track. The two programs Shelby wants to move forward or else:

    - A $40 billion contract to build air-to-air refueling tankers. From CongressDaily: “Northrop/EADS team would build the planes in Mobile, Ala., but has threatened to pull out of the competition unless the Air Force makes changes to a draft request for proposals.” Federal Times offers more details on the tanker deal, and also confirms its connection to the hold.

    - An improvised explosive device testing lab for the FBI. From CongressDaily: “[Shelby] is frustrated that the Obama administration won’t build” the center, which Shelby earmarked $45 million for in 2008. The center is due to be based “at the Army’s Redstone Arsenal.”

    Though a Shelby spokesperson would not confirm that these programs were behind the blanket hold, the Senator expressed his frustration about the progress on both through a spokesperson to both CongressDaily and the Federal Times.

    We cannot confirm any previous use of a blanket hold in recent history. But it makes sense to spend federal dollars on programs (in any state) that either maintains employment or REALLY creates jobs. The idea of killing hundreds of thousands of jobs each month and then saying the “stimulus” is creating them is delusional. Americans who haven’t awakened to the reality that their tax dollars are being spent, not to create or hold jobs, but to pay off unions, ACORN and others who helped put Obama into power, need to adjust to the reality of it very quickly. Someone MUST put an end to this and the only people who can are the members of the GOP. They aren’t the party of “NO”, they are the party of NO WE WON’T GO ALONG WITH IRRESPONSIBLE SPENDING any longer.

    It is apparent that Shelby and other top-ranking GOP members of the Senate as well as the House of Representatives, have grown weary of the games that the Obama administration and the Democratic majority are playing with the American people, the Constitution as well as the economic stability of this nation. Shelby is taking action to protect what amounts to a source of a major portion of the economy in Alabama, and in turn to our tax base in Alabama as well as the nation.

    At a time when some Senators are selling out their votes and making backroom deals in order to make it possible to shove the unwanted health care legislation down the throats of Americans who have plainly made it known that they do not want it; Shelby is standing up for his constituents. Those senators who have taken money for votes are allowing themselves to be used by Obama, Pelosi and Reid. They are no more than political whores. They are putting more of a tax burden on the other states and these unfunded mandates being handed down to the states by the federal government are breaking the states and the backs of American taxpayers at a time when they should be receiving assistance.

    The State of Alabama cannot lose any more jobs. Senator Richard Shelby and Senator Jeff Sessions have consistently been the voice of reason in the midst of the insanity in Washington, D.C.

    Democrats have recently tried to paint Republicans as the party of “no” when, in fact, the GOP has offered suggestion after suggestion to the enormous spending legislation the Democrats have pushed on this country at a time when we simply cannot afford it. This country is bankrupt in reality. Anyone who does any research can easily find that the picture Democrats are trying to paint of Republicans is a lie. Like everything else that has come out of this administration and from Pelosi and Reid, they are just more of the same worn-out lies, misrepresentation and the American people have grown extremely tired of this.

    Some might suggest Shelby is holding out for “pork” but this is not about pork. This is about forcing the Democrat’s hand on legislation that will hurt this country and on the nomination of candidates that are more liberal than anyone can imagine. Obama has surrounded himself with advisors, czars and nominations for cabinet positions who come from academia. They sit in a little room, surrounded by books and have their “theories” which are not in touch with mainstream America. Most are revolutionaries, communist-sympathizers or supporters or marxists. Obama said it best when he said he was going to “fundamentally change America” and he was not kidding folks. His idea of what America should be is what Americans in the past have fought to keep from becoming reality in other countries around the world and to protect our shores from the same. Now we have it right under our noses.

    More Senators and Congressman should have the GUTS to take measures such as this. The American people have burned the telephone lines down, the fax machines up and blistered e-mails to Congress to take whatever measures necessary to STOP the insanity. Richard Shelby got the message.

    Bamabelle

    Rino Griffith Gets Gift from GOP

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    screws

    It looks like the RNC has found a way to attempt to make Parker Griffith relevant. Thursday, February 4, Republican leaders recommended Parker Griffith, (ex-Democrat) now GOP for the 5th Congressional District of Alabama, for a seat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Established in 1795, this committee has operated for over 200 years. It has served as the principal guide for the House in matters relating to the promotion of commerce and to the public’s health and marketplace interests.

    Griffith says now he’ll have a voice in health care and in energy debates. Excuse me, but didn’t he also ALREADY have a voice in health care and energy debates. Maybe that vote against ALL amendments that would have lowered the much-touted payola, er stimulus bill would’ve been a LOUDER voice if he had voted YES. It might not have changed the outcome but it clearly shows he is not a fiscal conservative. He certainly didn’t attempt to save any Alabamians money when he did that.

    What is he going to do to help our district here in North Alabama. It looks like his ambitious career move is proving to be a huge mistake for our District, particularly because of the recent announcement by Obama to change policies and the budget that will directly affect jobs in NASA, Marshall Space Flight Center and all supporting industries. We really could have used Griffith’s help on that since he DID have a spot on three committees as a Democrat. One of those committees allocates money for highways and another oversees the NASA budget. Oops! Big Oops!

    Griffith and the GOP are spinning this faster than a spider captures it’s next meal. It still just isn’t good enough.

    Said Griffith, “This appointment to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is a great victory for the Tennessee Valley and our state,” Griffith said in a statement. “This assignment will give me a voice in the continuing debates over health care reform legislation as well as new energy regulations that affect every Alabama family.”

    Griffith’s new committee holds a wide jurisdiction, overseeing energy policy, health care, foreign commerce, consumer protections, tourism, medical research and foreign communications.

    Members of one of his former committees held a hearing this week on the proposed NASA budget, criticizing the administration’s plan to drop the Constellation manned-spaceflight program, which employs more than 2,000 people in Huntsville.

    Doug Dermody, chair of the Madison County Democratic Party, said the new appointment seemed to offer little immediate benefit. “When North Alabama’s pressing need is job protection for NASA, Parker can spend his time dealing with the Toyota recall.”

    Griffith said the new assignment will let him help develop legislation that influences broadband technologies and biotech research, two areas that also affect thousands of jobs in North Alabama. He sounds remarkably like Obama touting “green jobs” in a district where billions of dollars have already been spent on research and development and technology; and where we could lose thousands of jobs with cuts to NASA. Never fear,Aerospace Engineers, you now may be in a position working for Knology Cable or Comcast. Now THAT’S an upward move for a career if I ever heard of one….

    Bamabelle