By Staff
We need a change in political climate
As the cooler weather of fall began to creep in this week, politics in Alabama and the country as a whole heated up as preparations for the 2006 campaigns began to take shape.
The 2006 gubernatorial race here in Alabama appears as though it may be fairly scandal-ridden between former governor Don Siegelman and former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore. When you factor in incumbent Bob Riley and current Lt. Governor Lucy Baxley the campaign promises to be fairly dirty.
While the Advance does not endorse or denounce candidates, we certainly hope that Alabamians can have a gubernatorial race that focuses on a variety of issues, rather than the empty promises that we have become accustomed to when trying to choose the man to lead our state for four years. In addition, we want to hear where each of these candidates stand on each of these issues, rather than whatever their pet project may be (i.e. the Ten Commandments, a lottery, tax reform, or education). Numerous issues – specifically economic ones – face this state in the coming years, and we at the Advance hope the voters in this state will choose one with the utmost confidence that they will do the best job for every sector of the state – not just a few.
Nationally, it appears that events of the past few months may be close to returning the country to the political climate we became used to prior to the arrival of current president George W. Bush. Continuing criticism of the President's handling of Iraq and Hurricane Katrina, as well as the huge outcry over President Bush's nomination of Harriet Miers for Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court have the President fighting a political battle it appears he may not be able to win.
Social conservatives have been particularly troubled by President Bush's two choices for the vacancies on the Supreme Court, and many are threatening to abandon the Republican Party which they worked so hard for only a year ago.
This tough climate is one that was largely created by the President and his political mastermind, Karl Rove, during his two election wins in 2000 and 2004. This same political climate seems ready to engulf the President and several key members of the Republican Party as well.
Various scandals have put Rove, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, and conservative lobbyist Jack Abramoff in serious jeopardy. In the past, when Republicans and Democrats did not see themselves at war with each other, some of these transgressions may have gone overlooked, but the acidic climate in Washington has given both sides ample reason to go after the other for any reason they can think of.
Between the various scandals and the overall bad feelings that two sides of this nation had for the other over the past three or four years, perhaps our leaders will realize that this nation works best when it works together. This nation works best when every facet of it is represented in talks for what direction to take it. This nation works best when we can get along.
We hope it doesn't take another year or two for the nation to figure that out.