By Staff
Let's all run for Governor
Alabama's four gubernatorial candidates are at the post, eager to sprint for their party's nomination this spring.
Each has begun jockeying for position just in the past few days. The odd thing is, they have adopted stances with which few could argue.
In the Republican race, Judge Roy Moore has called upon Gov. Bob Riley to publicly denounce the Dubai World Ports deal. Judge Moore said a lack of security in the ports of Miami, New Orleans and Gulfport, Miss., will adversely affect the people of Alabama.
Gov. Riley, like most Americans, understands how this deal is playing across the country. If he condemns this deal, it will look like Moore coaxed him to his stance. If he doesn't, he looks irrational.
Instead, Gov. Riley on Wednesday signed "zero tolerance" legislation on child pornography in Alabama. The new law allows prosecutors to charge individuals with a separate offense for each image of child pornography found in their possession. Previously, only one count could be brought.
We're pretty sure Judge Moore and the other candidates for governor won't be criticizing this piece of bipartisan legislation, which sailed through the Alabama Legislature. Who's going to oppose that?
Former Gov. Don Siegelman will participate in the Black Mayor's Conference Luncheon in Selma on Friday. He later will attend the "Gala Salute to all Democrats." Saturday, he will be at the Alabama Democratic Committee Breakfast and speak at the Alabama Press Association's Candidate's Forum in Montgomery. Sunday, he will attend the "Bloody Sunday Commemoration" in Selma, then kick off his campaign in Birmingham.
Even Lucy Baxley, the most quiet of the four candidates, on Thursday released her Alabama Military Bill of Rights.
That Bill of Rights will establish a state death benefit for Alabama troops, make health insurance transition easier, stop co-pays for Veterans Home care, establish a new Veterans Home, and assistant veterans where the federal government requires new fees.
It's tough to argue with any of these plans. We're against the ports deal, against child pornography, for reflecting on Civil Rights advances and for our troops, too. Let's all run for Governor.