Volume
1 Issue 1 - March 2001
Redistricting
Redistricting - will surely bring everything right down to the line this year in Montgomery as the legislators start arm-twisting and eyebrow-raising to control how the lines deciding representation for the State of Alabama are drawn. We call it "political gerrymandering" since the winner will likely take all. This happens every ten years when our federal government, under the direction of the Census Bureau, attempts to count all of the residents of the United States. On the basis of these numbers, large federal dollars are divided among the states, which leads state officials to fight over where the lines in the states will be drawn and who will get the money. The numbers that represent Alabama will affect all state assistance programs causing heavyweight fights over where the district lines are drawn. Official Census numbers are expected to be released in April. We have learned that three groups are developing plans to submit for approval by the Legislature. The Alabama Education Association (AEA), led by longtime political operative Joe Reed, has already drafted preliminary plans, and has shared it's plans with AEA's pet legislators. House and Senate Republicans are also preparing redistricting plans that are expected to capitalize on major population shifts in many districts that are currently held by Democrats. The intent is to defeat the incumbents in the 2002 elections who have opposed the Republican agenda. The third group preparing redistricting plans is The Alabama Legislative Black Caucus. This group, chaired by State Representative, John Hilliard, (D-Birmingham), is developing a House and Senate plan to protect their current districts and their voter bases.
Voter News Network has learned that several legislators, i.e., Sen. E. B. McClain, (D-Bessemer), Rep. Hilliard, Rep. William Parker, (D-Birmingham), and Rep. Eric Majors, (D-Fairfield), lead the political hit list on the AEA redistricting plan.
Redrawing district lines is a state and federal issue. The House and Senate plan adopted by the State Legislature will determine the district lines for state legislative seats.
Seth Hammett, (D-Andalusia), Speaker of the House of Representatives, expects this to be a "major distraction for House and Senate members."
Every state and federal elected official has a very personal interest in how the district lines are drawn. In the past, elected officials have been removed from office by a simple stroke of the pen during the redistricting process (e.g., Ben Erderich, former District Six Congressman, lines were redrawn during the last census to remove a large percentage of his support base. He was defeated in the next election).
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EDITORIAL: IT'S ABOUT FREE AGENTS AND INDEPENDENT THINKERS
LEGISLATIVE HOT POTATOES
UA TO GET NEW TRUSTEE - OR MAYBE NOT!
BUDDY OR BID PROCESS: PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACTS APPROVED BY STATE AGENCIES
ALABAMA LEGISLATURE WILL FACE MANY CHALLENGES IN 2001 REGULAR SESSION
by: Seth Hammett
PARTY POLITICS: BEST WAY TO GO
by: Earl F. Hilliard
FLAT TAX PROPOSAL
by: Richard Shelby
BLACK VOTERS MUST BECOME POLITICAL FREE AGENTS
by: Donald V. Watkins
WASHINGTON POST ADVERTISEMENT: CONFIRM JOHN ASHCROFT!
by: Donald V. Watkins