Lawmakers fail to ‘stay hitched’
By Staff
Bob Ingram, Capitol Scene
MONTGOMERY — In the halls of the Alabama Legislature there is no worse indictment than to accuse a fellow lawmaker of “not staying hitched.”
That indictment was being returned against two members of the state Senate in the aftermath of the ugly fight in the election of a new president pro tem.
On Sunday night, only hours before the critical vote in the Senate, the Republican-Democrat coalition (12 Republicans, seven Democrats) appeared assured of success in their effort to elect Sen. Jim Preuitt, D-Talladega, to the top post.
But a strange thing happened overnight. Two Democrat members of that coalition, Sen. Rodger Smitherman of Birmingham and Sen. Phil Poole of Moundville, didn't stay “hitched.”
Overnight they were born again, and their switch resulted in the election of Sen. Hinton Mitchem, D-Union Grove, by an 18-17 vote. It was a huge victory for the Democrats, a huge victory for Dr. Paul Hubbert and the AEA who played a major role in the fight, and a crushing blow to Gov. Bob Riley.
Some of the senators on the losing side minced no words in their condemnation of Smitherman and Poole.
Sen. Tom Butler, D-Madison, took a withering shot at the two: “I was brought up as a boy to keep my word. I'm sorry other people can't.” Sen. Larry Dixon, R-Montgomery, was even tougher, calling the two men “liars.”
Worse, Dixon said he was not at all surprised that Poole and Smitherman would not stay hitched.
This was familiar territory for Sen. Poole. Eight years ago on the eve of the 1999 organizational session he had switched his vote at the last minute and changed the outcome of a critical vote.
Sen. Smitherman, who was promised he would be elected president pro tem in 2009, defended his last-minute change of heart, saying he felt he could be a more effective supporter of education. Sen. Poole's explanation was that he felt he could “better represent his district.”
Sen. Mitchem, a well-liked veteran of the Senate, said he would work with both factions in the Senate.
But the fact remains that the upper chamber will be no different during the upcoming session, with the same four heavyweights calling most of the shots: Sen. Lowell Barron, D-Fyffe; Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russellville; Sen. Hank Sanders, D-Selma; and Sen. Zeb Little, D-Cullman.
Comes to mind a little poem that was frequently quoted decades ago during the second administration of Gov. James E. “Big Jim” Folsom. His legislative leaders were Sen. George Hawkins of Gadsden, Speaker Rankin Fite of Marion and Rep. Joe Dawkins of Montgomery. They ran the show with an iron fist which led to this little ditty: “Hawkins, Dawkins and Rankin Fite. If you want a road you better vote right.”
Do I dare suggest a comparable ditty for 2007?
Bottom line: It will be a very contentious four years in the Senate where the AEA will get most everything it wants (what else is new?) and Gov. Riley's legislative proposals will face a Mount Everest-like climb.
Specifically they are seeking a boost of $1,500 a month in their expense allowance, which adds up to $18,000 a year. Presently the lawmakers make about $30,000 a year, depending on how many days they are in session.
A spokesman for Gov. Riley said the governor had been asked by several lawmakers if he would support a raise, but he told them he would not.
Apparently leading the effort for the raise is Sen. Roger Bedford, D-Russellville. Two other senators identified Bedford as the legislator pushing the resolution.
While no legislative pay raise resolution will pass in the organizational session it is almost certain that a raise will be approved in the regular session.
Bob Ingram's syndicated weekly political column appears in dozens of newspapers across Alabama. He is a native of Cherokee County.
