Associated Press
7M in U.S. Jails, on Probation or Parole
A record 7 million people _ or one in every 32 American adults _ were behind bars, on probation or on parole by the end of last year, according to the Justice Department. Of those, 2.2 million were in prison or jail, an increase of 2.7 percent over the previous year, according to a report released Wednesday.
More than 4.1 million people were on probation and 784,208 were on parole at the end of 2005. Prison releases are increasing, but admissions are increasing more.
Men still far outnumber women in prisons and jails, but the female population is growing faster. Over the past year, the female population in state or federal prison increased 2.6 percent while the number of male inmates rose 1.9 percent. By year's end, 7 percent of all inmates were women. The gender figures do not include inmates in local jails.
"Today's figures fail to capture incarceration's impact on the thousands of children left behind by mothers in prison," Marc Mauer, the executive director of the Sentencing Project, a Washington-based group supporting criminal justice reform, said in a statement. "Misguided policies that create harsher sentences for nonviolent drug offenses are disproportionately responsible for the increasing rates of women in prisons and jails."
From 1995 to 2003, inmates in federal prison for drug offenses have accounted for 49 percent of total prison population growth.
The numbers are from the annual report from the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics. The report breaks down inmate populations for state and federal prisons and local jails.
Racial disparities among prisoners persist. In the 25-29 age group, 8.1 percent of black men _ about one in 13 _ are incarcerated, compared with 2.6 percent of Hispanic men and 1.1 percent of white men. And it's not much different among women. By the end of 2005, black women were more than twice as likely as Hispanics and over three times as likely as white women to be in prison.
Certain states saw more significant changes in prison population. In South Dakota, the number of inmates increased 11 percent over the past year, more than any other state. Montana and Kentucky were next in line with increases of 10.4 percent and 7.9 percent, respectively. Georgia had the biggest decrease, losing 4.6 percent, followed by Maryland with a 2.4 percent decrease and Louisiana with a 2.3 percent drop.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
NO EXCUSE IF NO-KNOCK WARRANT MAKES NO SENSE
An excellent editorial from the Atlanta Journal Constitution on the murder of a little old lady by lying, thug narcotics officers. I am so glad Granny let fly some lead of her own before they shot her down like a dog. Imagine living to be that old and having to die like that.
When Police Burst In Without Merit, Tragedy Ensues
Faced with troubling new allegations in the shooting of 88-year-old Kathryn Johnston by three of his officers, Atlanta police Chief Richard Pennington has wisely asked the FBI, assisted by the GBI, the Fulton County district attorney and the U.S. Justice Department, to take over the investigation.
The Atlanta police version of events has changed in disturbing ways. First, the department claimed that an undercover officer had bought drugs at Johnston's house earlier in the day, establishing grounds for a search warrant. Later, police said that an informant had actually made the drug buy. Now that alleged informant, under wraps awaiting an FBI interview, apparently disputes that story, saying that he never purchased any drugs at Johnston's home and that police asked him to lie to cover up their deadly error.
Given the controversy and the conflicting details, Pennington's decision to bring in an independent review team was appropriate and necessary if the police department hopes to reclaim any public confidence. In fact, an outside investigation should be standard in any police shooting of a civilian.
Pennington also pledged to review the force's use of no-knock warrants. Those warrants allow police offers to dispense with the standard practice of knocking, declaring their identity and purpose, demanding entry and then resorting to force only if entry is denied.
Those steps are more than mere niceties --- they protect residents as well as officers who might otherwise be shot by civilians, as the Johnston tragedy demonstrates.
According to neighbors, a frightened Johnston lived behind locked doors and burglar bars in her one-story brick home near the Georgia Dome. She went to bed at dark and rarely let people into her home because of her fear of crime. It is not hard to understand why a woman living alone in those circumstances would have grabbed an old
revolver and begun firing when three men burst through the door after dark. Five of her shots struck the officers, who then fired back.
Under the circumstances --- being fired upon while serving a warrant - --- the decision of the officers to fire back may have been justified. The real issue is whether they had justification to invade Johnston's home in the first place.
The only time police officers should smash their way into a home without giving notice to its occupants is when they have compelling reason to believe that announcing themselves would jeopardize their lives or their investigation. At the very least, officers should conduct sufficient preliminary investigations to know who lives in the house and who is likely to be present before they crash through a door.
Before narcotics agents went to Johnston's home last week, did they ascertain who lived there? Considering it was two days before Thanksgiving, did they establish whether visiting children or other family members were in the home? Did they lean on an informant to lie on their behalf?
If the informant never fingered Johnston's house as a drug source, how did police end up there? What evidence did police have that the drug quantities involved were significant enough to call for forced entry?
Based on what is known so far, it's hard to argue that Johnston was at fault. She was not the professional trained to investigate a situation before taking any action that could endanger innocent people. She had no information to alert her to what was really happening in her home that night.
Unfortunately, it appears that the APD didn't either.
When Police Burst In Without Merit, Tragedy Ensues
Faced with troubling new allegations in the shooting of 88-year-old Kathryn Johnston by three of his officers, Atlanta police Chief Richard Pennington has wisely asked the FBI, assisted by the GBI, the Fulton County district attorney and the U.S. Justice Department, to take over the investigation.
The Atlanta police version of events has changed in disturbing ways. First, the department claimed that an undercover officer had bought drugs at Johnston's house earlier in the day, establishing grounds for a search warrant. Later, police said that an informant had actually made the drug buy. Now that alleged informant, under wraps awaiting an FBI interview, apparently disputes that story, saying that he never purchased any drugs at Johnston's home and that police asked him to lie to cover up their deadly error.
Given the controversy and the conflicting details, Pennington's decision to bring in an independent review team was appropriate and necessary if the police department hopes to reclaim any public confidence. In fact, an outside investigation should be standard in any police shooting of a civilian.
Pennington also pledged to review the force's use of no-knock warrants. Those warrants allow police offers to dispense with the standard practice of knocking, declaring their identity and purpose, demanding entry and then resorting to force only if entry is denied.
Those steps are more than mere niceties --- they protect residents as well as officers who might otherwise be shot by civilians, as the Johnston tragedy demonstrates.
According to neighbors, a frightened Johnston lived behind locked doors and burglar bars in her one-story brick home near the Georgia Dome. She went to bed at dark and rarely let people into her home because of her fear of crime. It is not hard to understand why a woman living alone in those circumstances would have grabbed an old
revolver and begun firing when three men burst through the door after dark. Five of her shots struck the officers, who then fired back.
Under the circumstances --- being fired upon while serving a warrant - --- the decision of the officers to fire back may have been justified. The real issue is whether they had justification to invade Johnston's home in the first place.
The only time police officers should smash their way into a home without giving notice to its occupants is when they have compelling reason to believe that announcing themselves would jeopardize their lives or their investigation. At the very least, officers should conduct sufficient preliminary investigations to know who lives in the house and who is likely to be present before they crash through a door.
Before narcotics agents went to Johnston's home last week, did they ascertain who lived there? Considering it was two days before Thanksgiving, did they establish whether visiting children or other family members were in the home? Did they lean on an informant to lie on their behalf?
If the informant never fingered Johnston's house as a drug source, how did police end up there? What evidence did police have that the drug quantities involved were significant enough to call for forced entry?
Based on what is known so far, it's hard to argue that Johnston was at fault. She was not the professional trained to investigate a situation before taking any action that could endanger innocent people. She had no information to alert her to what was really happening in her home that night.
Unfortunately, it appears that the APD didn't either.
Schools, teachers fight No Child Left Behind in court
CINCINNATI, Ohio (AP) -- School districts in three states and the nation's largest teachers union asked a federal appeals court Tuesday to revive a lawsuit challenging the way government-mandated programs are funded.
The National Education Association and districts in Michigan, Vermont and Texas had sued to block the No Child Left Behind law, President Bush's signature education policy. They argued that schools should not have to comply with requirements that aren't paid for by the federal government.
Chief U.S. District Judge Bernard A. Friedman in Detroit dismissed the lawsuit in November 2005.
Attorney Robert Chanin, representing the Pontiac, Michigan, school district and the other plaintiffs, told the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday that states submitted compliance plans based on their understanding of the level of government support that would be provided. But Congress appropriated far less than needed, leaving local school districts to make up the difference, he said.
READ MORE
The National Education Association and districts in Michigan, Vermont and Texas had sued to block the No Child Left Behind law, President Bush's signature education policy. They argued that schools should not have to comply with requirements that aren't paid for by the federal government.
Chief U.S. District Judge Bernard A. Friedman in Detroit dismissed the lawsuit in November 2005.
Attorney Robert Chanin, representing the Pontiac, Michigan, school district and the other plaintiffs, told the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday that states submitted compliance plans based on their understanding of the level of government support that would be provided. But Congress appropriated far less than needed, leaving local school districts to make up the difference, he said.
READ MORE
Two Great Editorials In Montgomery Advertiser
Today's Montgomery Advertiser has two marvelous editorials that I hope you will take the time to read.
Attorney General King's Judgement Error Appalling
Secretary of State Nancy Worley Should Resign Office Early
I have always considered the Advertiser one of the best papers in the state and this week they have been stellar in every editorial. Thanks to the staff at Montgomery Advertiser for publishing a paper worth reading.
Attorney General King's Judgement Error Appalling
Secretary of State Nancy Worley Should Resign Office Early
I have always considered the Advertiser one of the best papers in the state and this week they have been stellar in every editorial. Thanks to the staff at Montgomery Advertiser for publishing a paper worth reading.
Shouldn't charge fee for write-ins
Another great LTE in today's Birmingham News
They have really done a great job covering this issue since the election. Thanks BHAM News and thanks to Darryl Perry for writing in.
Shouldn't charge fee for write-ins:
State Rep. Paul DeMarco, R-Homewood, wants to add a filing fee for write-in candidates, because: "As a candidate, I have to pay a filing fee and complete a lot of paperwork, like the ethics forms." While DeMarco is not incorrect in this statement, it is misleading. The filing fee to which he refers is a party-imposed fee, not one imposed by the secretary of state. If DeMarco were to run as an independent or minor-party candidate, there would be no filing fee.
While I do agree there needs to be a write-in candidate declarations form, I do not agree there should be a fee. What DeMarco should be doing is petitioning the Legislature for fairness and equality in ballot access.
The voters are getting tired of having to choose between candidates in the Republican and Democratic parties, and the write-ins are a way of showing displeasure, since there are no third-party candidates to choose from. Stop complaining and do your job.
Darryl W. Perry
East Lake
They have really done a great job covering this issue since the election. Thanks BHAM News and thanks to Darryl Perry for writing in.
Shouldn't charge fee for write-ins:
State Rep. Paul DeMarco, R-Homewood, wants to add a filing fee for write-in candidates, because: "As a candidate, I have to pay a filing fee and complete a lot of paperwork, like the ethics forms." While DeMarco is not incorrect in this statement, it is misleading. The filing fee to which he refers is a party-imposed fee, not one imposed by the secretary of state. If DeMarco were to run as an independent or minor-party candidate, there would be no filing fee.
While I do agree there needs to be a write-in candidate declarations form, I do not agree there should be a fee. What DeMarco should be doing is petitioning the Legislature for fairness and equality in ballot access.
The voters are getting tired of having to choose between candidates in the Republican and Democratic parties, and the write-ins are a way of showing displeasure, since there are no third-party candidates to choose from. Stop complaining and do your job.
Darryl W. Perry
East Lake
Monday, November 27, 2006
No-Knock Drug Raids are Out of Control
I don't know how many of you have been following the story of the 92-year-old granny killed in a no-knock drug raid in Atlanta...it is an awful story, which clearly illustrates why no-knock drug raids are a bad idea. The informant has just said he was told by police to lie and the whole narcotics unit has been placed on leave.
Radley Balko over at The Agitator has numerous accounts of innocent, unarmed people killed in no-knock drug raids. Please take a few moments are read the whole thing. If you can read through all of that and still support the drug war in America then you need serious help.
Radley Balko over at The Agitator has numerous accounts of innocent, unarmed people killed in no-knock drug raids. Please take a few moments are read the whole thing. If you can read through all of that and still support the drug war in America then you need serious help.
Private Prisons Raise Big Issues for State
An excellent editorial from the Montgomery Advertiser
The facts are indisputable. Alabama has a serious overcrowding problem in its prison system, which has about twice the number of inmates its facilities were designed to handle. Solutions to the problem, however, are decidedly in dispute.
One proposed solution -- the expanded use of private prisons -- raises some fundamental issues for the state. These issues should not be ignored or discounted, nor should the debate focus solely on fiscal questions.
In a study by the Alabama Policy Institute, researcher Kirk A. Johnson makes the points that private-sector concerns can produce prison bed space ΓΏ
more quickly and less expensively than the state can. That is probably true, but it misses a key point about incarceration.
When the state deprives an individual of liberty -- justifiably, when a crime against it has been committed -- it takes a somber, serious action. Few actions of government have greater impact.
In so doing, it also assumes responsibility for the individual now in its custody. Note the name of the state agency responsible for the prisons. It's not called the Department of Incarceration. It's called the Department of Corrections, and in that name is the clear implication that those sentenced to prison are not simply to be locked up, but are also to be subject to efforts at rehabilitation in preparation for a return to society.
This is a solemn obligation that accompanies the act of incarceration. Remember that very few inmates die in prison. Most will eventually be released to rejoin society. How well they are prepared to do that has enormous implications for the future.
With a private prison, inherent conflicts exist. A private prison is a for-profit operation, of course, established by its investors in hopes of making money. The profit motive is a great asset in a free-market economy, but its virtues are markedly less appealing when turned to a governmental responsibility.
As long as profit is the goal, there will be an incentive to cut corners, which in an ordinary business might not be dangerous. In a prison, however, it raises real concerns about the safety of the public, as well as that of inmates and prison personnel.
As for the education, training, counseling and other programs consistent with the word Corrections in the department's name, these are often missing in private prisons, making them little more than warehouses for inmates. That may plug a short-term need, but surely it can have no long-term benefit.
Some things simply are the responsibility of government. Prisons -- and the people in them -- are good examples.
The facts are indisputable. Alabama has a serious overcrowding problem in its prison system, which has about twice the number of inmates its facilities were designed to handle. Solutions to the problem, however, are decidedly in dispute.
One proposed solution -- the expanded use of private prisons -- raises some fundamental issues for the state. These issues should not be ignored or discounted, nor should the debate focus solely on fiscal questions.
In a study by the Alabama Policy Institute, researcher Kirk A. Johnson makes the points that private-sector concerns can produce prison bed space ΓΏ
more quickly and less expensively than the state can. That is probably true, but it misses a key point about incarceration.
When the state deprives an individual of liberty -- justifiably, when a crime against it has been committed -- it takes a somber, serious action. Few actions of government have greater impact.
In so doing, it also assumes responsibility for the individual now in its custody. Note the name of the state agency responsible for the prisons. It's not called the Department of Incarceration. It's called the Department of Corrections, and in that name is the clear implication that those sentenced to prison are not simply to be locked up, but are also to be subject to efforts at rehabilitation in preparation for a return to society.
This is a solemn obligation that accompanies the act of incarceration. Remember that very few inmates die in prison. Most will eventually be released to rejoin society. How well they are prepared to do that has enormous implications for the future.
With a private prison, inherent conflicts exist. A private prison is a for-profit operation, of course, established by its investors in hopes of making money. The profit motive is a great asset in a free-market economy, but its virtues are markedly less appealing when turned to a governmental responsibility.
As long as profit is the goal, there will be an incentive to cut corners, which in an ordinary business might not be dangerous. In a prison, however, it raises real concerns about the safety of the public, as well as that of inmates and prison personnel.
As for the education, training, counseling and other programs consistent with the word Corrections in the department's name, these are often missing in private prisons, making them little more than warehouses for inmates. That may plug a short-term need, but surely it can have no long-term benefit.
Some things simply are the responsibility of government. Prisons -- and the people in them -- are good examples.
Sheriffs Want Second Chance Act
From the Tuscaloosa News
Robert D. “Bobby" Timmons
Executive Director
Alabama Sheriffs Association
Montgomery
Dear Editor: Open letter to U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions:
In this lame-duck session [of Congress] passage of the bipartisan Second Chance Act will be greatly appreciated by the Sheriffs of Alabama. This important piece of legislation will begin to reduce the nation’s high recidivism rates and lead to safer communities and fewer victims. I strongly urge you to support the Second Chance Act and do all you can to ensure this legislation passes.
Alabama [sheriffs] strongly support efforts which serve to improve correctional policies. The act will provide inmates with opportunities to acquire skills, knowledge, and mentoring contacts to make them productive citizens, less likely to engage in criminal activity, upon their release.
Your Alabama prison system has a substantial overcrowding problem -- the state’s prisons are currently at more than double their occupancy. Offenders are backlogged in county jails as they await transfer into the state system. We witness, firsthand, the exacerbation of Alabama’s overcrowding problem as an abundance of the released offenders return to the system shortly thereafter due to the lack of preparation for and assistance during the difficult reentry process.
The state’s recidivism rate is increasing. It will continue to increase if inmates are not provided with real-world training and rehabilitative programming that the Second Chance Act supports. The Sheriffs of Alabama have a vested interest in reversing this trend and preventing the mounting costs to local communities and the state’s criminal justice system.
I sincerely hope you will do all you can to see that the legislation passes.
Robert D. “Bobby" Timmons
Executive Director
Alabama Sheriffs Association
Montgomery
Dear Editor: Open letter to U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions:
In this lame-duck session [of Congress] passage of the bipartisan Second Chance Act will be greatly appreciated by the Sheriffs of Alabama. This important piece of legislation will begin to reduce the nation’s high recidivism rates and lead to safer communities and fewer victims. I strongly urge you to support the Second Chance Act and do all you can to ensure this legislation passes.
Alabama [sheriffs] strongly support efforts which serve to improve correctional policies. The act will provide inmates with opportunities to acquire skills, knowledge, and mentoring contacts to make them productive citizens, less likely to engage in criminal activity, upon their release.
Your Alabama prison system has a substantial overcrowding problem -- the state’s prisons are currently at more than double their occupancy. Offenders are backlogged in county jails as they await transfer into the state system. We witness, firsthand, the exacerbation of Alabama’s overcrowding problem as an abundance of the released offenders return to the system shortly thereafter due to the lack of preparation for and assistance during the difficult reentry process.
The state’s recidivism rate is increasing. It will continue to increase if inmates are not provided with real-world training and rehabilitative programming that the Second Chance Act supports. The Sheriffs of Alabama have a vested interest in reversing this trend and preventing the mounting costs to local communities and the state’s criminal justice system.
I sincerely hope you will do all you can to see that the legislation passes.
Don't limit access to get on ballot
From the Tuscaloosa News
Don Seibold
Wetumpka
November 27. 2006 3:30AM
Dear Editor: May I, as an independent voter, express my disgust with just two among several aspects of our electoral process?
First, it is with certain election officials who have been quoted in some newspapers sniveling because they had to expend a little extra effort and time processing lawfully generated write-in votes as is their duty under law.
Secondly and primarily, it is with Alabama’s obscenely overly restrictive ballot access law, which was instituted by Democratic and Republican legislators with the intent of making our elections exclusive to just them, and shutting out of the process other candidates who offer different and frequently better ideas on how to govern. This is to the detriment of Alabamians who don’t hear those views expressed as a direct consequence of those candidates being denied ballot and debate access.
Those few voters who find ways to access the views of minor party candidates expressed their support for them at the ballot box, and now the tally of their votes seems to be a mystery.
Don Seibold
Wetumpka
November 27. 2006 3:30AM
Dear Editor: May I, as an independent voter, express my disgust with just two among several aspects of our electoral process?
First, it is with certain election officials who have been quoted in some newspapers sniveling because they had to expend a little extra effort and time processing lawfully generated write-in votes as is their duty under law.
Secondly and primarily, it is with Alabama’s obscenely overly restrictive ballot access law, which was instituted by Democratic and Republican legislators with the intent of making our elections exclusive to just them, and shutting out of the process other candidates who offer different and frequently better ideas on how to govern. This is to the detriment of Alabamians who don’t hear those views expressed as a direct consequence of those candidates being denied ballot and debate access.
Those few voters who find ways to access the views of minor party candidates expressed their support for them at the ballot box, and now the tally of their votes seems to be a mystery.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
LTE's On Write-in Voting in BHAM News
Today the Birmingham News printed the following letters concerning write-in voting.
The first one is mine and the second one is from a fellow blogger and social justice activist.
Letters, faxes, and e-mail
Sunday, November 26, 2006
WRITE-IN VOTES:
Ballot access laws are the problem
In light of the recent surge Alabama saw in write-in votes cast in the general election and the ensuing outcry from poll workers to ban the practice, I'd like to offer the following perspective and possible solution.
The ballot access laws are the real problem, one created solely by the government.
Third-party and independent candidates for statewide office must collect around 41,300 registered voter signatures in order to have their name placed on the ballot. Neither of the two major parties has to meet this requirement.
And what is the first solution we see put forth to address the problem? "Let's ban it." Politicians would actually seek to further restrict the citizen's right to vote and make it so that our vote counts only if we cast it for them. That's like saying you can have any flavor ice cream you want as long as it's vanilla.
As a voter and former write-in candidate for governor, I find that mentality most offensive.
The fact that so many write-in votes were cast, be they for me, Roy Moore, Charles Barkley or someone else, should serve as a clear warning that citizens are tired of this two-party system. We want more choices on the ballot, not less. We should demand that our elections process at least be as fair and equitable as the one in Iraq, where there were 75 political parties and 111 candidates on the ballot in that country's election.
Is that too much to ask?
Loretta Nall
Libertarian write-in candidate for governor
Alexander City
Poll workers need to just count votes:
So poll workers don't like counting write-in votes? Too bad. I don't appreciate listening to them whine about doing their jobs.
Yes, I agree it's a waste of time to write in Mickey Mouse. But don't try to tell me I can't vote against a candidate who has no official opposition or vote for Loretta Nall for governor. And it's interesting that The News' article doesn't even mention her.
This irks me:
"(Tim) Baer (Jefferson County elections supervisor) said he did not keep track of totals when he knew the election would not be affected. For example, he pointed to an unopposed candidate in a race that had a few hundred write-ins against several thousand votes cast for the candidate."
Really? Does that mean the election record shows the unopposed candidate received 100 percent of the vote? "A few hundred" to "several thousand" could be a substantial percentage, and it would clearly indicate the candidate is not really unopposed.
As long as Alabama's ballot access laws remain so stringent and it costs so much to run for office in the first place, voters aren't always going to find the best choices preprinted for them when they go to the polls. We have the right to vote for someone other than the officially sanctioned candidates in each race, and election workers - who are paid out of our tax money - just need to suck it up and count the votes.
Kathy McMullen
Vestavia Hills
The first one is mine and the second one is from a fellow blogger and social justice activist.
Letters, faxes, and e-mail
Sunday, November 26, 2006
WRITE-IN VOTES:
Ballot access laws are the problem
In light of the recent surge Alabama saw in write-in votes cast in the general election and the ensuing outcry from poll workers to ban the practice, I'd like to offer the following perspective and possible solution.
The ballot access laws are the real problem, one created solely by the government.
Third-party and independent candidates for statewide office must collect around 41,300 registered voter signatures in order to have their name placed on the ballot. Neither of the two major parties has to meet this requirement.
And what is the first solution we see put forth to address the problem? "Let's ban it." Politicians would actually seek to further restrict the citizen's right to vote and make it so that our vote counts only if we cast it for them. That's like saying you can have any flavor ice cream you want as long as it's vanilla.
As a voter and former write-in candidate for governor, I find that mentality most offensive.
The fact that so many write-in votes were cast, be they for me, Roy Moore, Charles Barkley or someone else, should serve as a clear warning that citizens are tired of this two-party system. We want more choices on the ballot, not less. We should demand that our elections process at least be as fair and equitable as the one in Iraq, where there were 75 political parties and 111 candidates on the ballot in that country's election.
Is that too much to ask?
Loretta Nall
Libertarian write-in candidate for governor
Alexander City
Poll workers need to just count votes:
So poll workers don't like counting write-in votes? Too bad. I don't appreciate listening to them whine about doing their jobs.
Yes, I agree it's a waste of time to write in Mickey Mouse. But don't try to tell me I can't vote against a candidate who has no official opposition or vote for Loretta Nall for governor. And it's interesting that The News' article doesn't even mention her.
This irks me:
"(Tim) Baer (Jefferson County elections supervisor) said he did not keep track of totals when he knew the election would not be affected. For example, he pointed to an unopposed candidate in a race that had a few hundred write-ins against several thousand votes cast for the candidate."
Really? Does that mean the election record shows the unopposed candidate received 100 percent of the vote? "A few hundred" to "several thousand" could be a substantial percentage, and it would clearly indicate the candidate is not really unopposed.
As long as Alabama's ballot access laws remain so stringent and it costs so much to run for office in the first place, voters aren't always going to find the best choices preprinted for them when they go to the polls. We have the right to vote for someone other than the officially sanctioned candidates in each race, and election workers - who are paid out of our tax money - just need to suck it up and count the votes.
Kathy McMullen
Vestavia Hills
Friday, November 24, 2006
Lord, Won't You Buy Me a Mercedes Benz
Yesterday my brother gave me this car. It's a 1987 Mercedes Benz 420(hehe) SEL . Runs like a dream. I am going to get it repainted. Not sure what color yet. Probably black. Green is also a possibility.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Put Your Big Girl Panties on and Deal With it!
Bill Hendrix, 75, is a seasoned poll worker and a member of the Silver-Haired Legislature, an advisory body that offers legislative proposals related to senior citizens.
"Most of the poll workers in Alabama are about three years younger than the average life expectancy," Hendrix said, "and they have just worked a 15-hour day setting up, running the election and then counting the votes. They are so tired at the end of the day, they don't need to count write-in votes, too."
Thus Hendrix proposed, and the Silver-Haired Legislature adopted, a resolution to require that a candidate whose name is not on the general election ballot pay a minimum $100 fee to have his votes for a particular office counted. Otherwise, the poll workers would not be obligated to tally the write-in votes.
The proposal has attracted the attention of state Rep. Paul DeMarco, R-Homewood.
"As a candidate, I have to pay a filing fee and complete a lot of paperwork, like the ethics forms," DeMarco said. He said he did not have a problem with a write-in candidate declaring a candidacy and paying a fee before the general election.
--------------------
Maybe one solution to this problem is to hire poll workers who don't need to be in bed as soon as the sun sets. The poll workers already get paid to do this work and a write-in candidate paying $100 will not make one iota of difference once that $100 is spread out over all the polls in Alabama. The votes will still have to be counted.
Additionally, if my name isn't going to be listed on the ballot then I won't pay a dime to have my votes counted. The Constitution provides for no such penalty for write-in candidates and I will challenge this law (if it passes) to the highest court.
Here is my advice to the poll workers, the Silver-haired legislature and Rep. DeMarco..
PUT ON YOUR BIG GIRL PANTIES AND DEAL WITH IT!!
(a bluegal original)
My advice to my supporters and others who are sick of being excluded from our very own political process...write a Letter to the Editor of the BHAM News stating why this is the wrong way to correct the problem of overly restrictive ballot access regulations. Then write Rep. DeMarco and your representative in the legislature and ask them not to support any bill that would further restrict write-in candidates from participating in elections, but instead look at changing the ballot access laws to make them the exact same for all political parties...then we won't have a problem with write-in votes.
"Most of the poll workers in Alabama are about three years younger than the average life expectancy," Hendrix said, "and they have just worked a 15-hour day setting up, running the election and then counting the votes. They are so tired at the end of the day, they don't need to count write-in votes, too."
Thus Hendrix proposed, and the Silver-Haired Legislature adopted, a resolution to require that a candidate whose name is not on the general election ballot pay a minimum $100 fee to have his votes for a particular office counted. Otherwise, the poll workers would not be obligated to tally the write-in votes.
The proposal has attracted the attention of state Rep. Paul DeMarco, R-Homewood.
"As a candidate, I have to pay a filing fee and complete a lot of paperwork, like the ethics forms," DeMarco said. He said he did not have a problem with a write-in candidate declaring a candidacy and paying a fee before the general election.
--------------------
Maybe one solution to this problem is to hire poll workers who don't need to be in bed as soon as the sun sets. The poll workers already get paid to do this work and a write-in candidate paying $100 will not make one iota of difference once that $100 is spread out over all the polls in Alabama. The votes will still have to be counted.
Additionally, if my name isn't going to be listed on the ballot then I won't pay a dime to have my votes counted. The Constitution provides for no such penalty for write-in candidates and I will challenge this law (if it passes) to the highest court.
Here is my advice to the poll workers, the Silver-haired legislature and Rep. DeMarco..
PUT ON YOUR BIG GIRL PANTIES AND DEAL WITH IT!!
(a bluegal original)
My advice to my supporters and others who are sick of being excluded from our very own political process...write a Letter to the Editor of the BHAM News stating why this is the wrong way to correct the problem of overly restrictive ballot access regulations. Then write Rep. DeMarco and your representative in the legislature and ask them not to support any bill that would further restrict write-in candidates from participating in elections, but instead look at changing the ballot access laws to make them the exact same for all political parties...then we won't have a problem with write-in votes.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Happy Thanksgiving Y'all
The holiday season is upon us and here at Casa Nall there is lots of cooking to be done in preparation for tomorrow's feast at my mom's house. Blogging will likely be light for the next few days. I hope y'all all have a Happy Thanksgiving. Don't eat too much and save me some pecan pie.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Dear Editor
Lot's of bloggers around the state are commenting on this article in which Birmingham's chief elections officer calls for either banning write-in voting or making those who are write-in candidates pay extra to have their votes counted. Here are the links to a few blogs around the state. If I missed your blog and you would like a link here please email me.
Politics in Alabama
Between the Links
Birmingham Blues
Alabama Moderate
Montgomery Advertiser Editorial
LTE in BHAM News (scroll down)
The following is my letter to the editor of various newspapers in Alabama. Please consider writing one as well.
Dear Editor,
In light of the recent surge Alabama saw in write-in votes cast in the general election and the ensuing outcry from poll workers to ban the practice, I'd like to offer the following perspective and possible solution.
The ballot access laws are the real problem, a problem created solely by the government.
As a third party or independent candidate for statewide office one must collect around 41,300 registered voter signatures in order to have their name placed on the ballot with the two major parties. This number changes every election cycle based on the number of people who voted in the last election. Neither of the two major parties has to meet this requirement. They get to make the rules and then claim an exemption they are not really entitled to.
And what is the first solution we see put forth to fix it? Do you think they are saying "Hey...let's fix the ballot access laws to make them more equitable for everyone and give more choices to the people?"
Of course not! The first words out of their mouths are "Let's BAN it!" They would actually seek to further restrict the citizen’s right to vote and make it so that citizen’s vote’s count only if they cast their vote for the state sanctioned candidates, in other words for them. That’s like saying you can have any flavor ice cream you want as long as it’s vanilla.
As a voter and former write-in candidate for Governor I find that mentality very frightening and most offensive. It serves as a pure example of how the political process no longer belongs to the people but has instead been hi-jacked by those in office.
The fact that so many citizens cast write-in votes, whether they were for me, Roy Moore, Charles Barkley or someone else should serve as a clear warning that citizens are tired of this two-party system, which, in Alabama is more of a one party system, and want more choices on the ballot NOT LESS. We should demand that our elections process at least be as fair and equitable as the one in Iraq where there were 75 political parties and 111 candidates on the ballot in the last election.
Is that too much to ask?
Respectfully Submitted,
Loretta Nall
Politics in Alabama
Between the Links
Birmingham Blues
Alabama Moderate
Montgomery Advertiser Editorial
LTE in BHAM News (scroll down)
The following is my letter to the editor of various newspapers in Alabama. Please consider writing one as well.
Dear Editor,
In light of the recent surge Alabama saw in write-in votes cast in the general election and the ensuing outcry from poll workers to ban the practice, I'd like to offer the following perspective and possible solution.
The ballot access laws are the real problem, a problem created solely by the government.
As a third party or independent candidate for statewide office one must collect around 41,300 registered voter signatures in order to have their name placed on the ballot with the two major parties. This number changes every election cycle based on the number of people who voted in the last election. Neither of the two major parties has to meet this requirement. They get to make the rules and then claim an exemption they are not really entitled to.
And what is the first solution we see put forth to fix it? Do you think they are saying "Hey...let's fix the ballot access laws to make them more equitable for everyone and give more choices to the people?"
Of course not! The first words out of their mouths are "Let's BAN it!" They would actually seek to further restrict the citizen’s right to vote and make it so that citizen’s vote’s count only if they cast their vote for the state sanctioned candidates, in other words for them. That’s like saying you can have any flavor ice cream you want as long as it’s vanilla.
As a voter and former write-in candidate for Governor I find that mentality very frightening and most offensive. It serves as a pure example of how the political process no longer belongs to the people but has instead been hi-jacked by those in office.
The fact that so many citizens cast write-in votes, whether they were for me, Roy Moore, Charles Barkley or someone else should serve as a clear warning that citizens are tired of this two-party system, which, in Alabama is more of a one party system, and want more choices on the ballot NOT LESS. We should demand that our elections process at least be as fair and equitable as the one in Iraq where there were 75 political parties and 111 candidates on the ballot in the last election.
Is that too much to ask?
Respectfully Submitted,
Loretta Nall
Election Results Coming In
UPDATE: When the Secretary of States office posts the results this is where they will be.
If you'd like to call your county probate office you can find contact information here. Please ask for the total write-ins cast for Loretta Nall if they have that information available. If not, then ask for the total for all write-in votes cast for Governor.
Here are the numbers I have been able to track down thus far. Most of these have not been broken down by candidate, they are just totals for write-ins. A few have been broken down by candidate and noted in ().
Blount - 429
Cullman - 9 (for me)
Mobile - 307
Montgomery - 37 (for me)
Calhoun - 297
Elmore Co. - 137
Tallapoosa - 27
Jefferson - 2122
Houston - 6 (for me)
Shelby - 692 The BHAM News has Shelby County broken down with 289 for Roy Moore and 100 for Charles barkley leaving 303 up in the air. I wonder how come Moore and Barkley get mentioned and I, the only one running a write-in campaign, do not?
UPDATE: I have received official word from the Shelby County Probate Office that 189 of the write-in votes were cast for me.
Coosa - 28 write-in votes and 73 under votes. I do not know what "under votes" means.
Madison - 825
Walker - 26 (for me)
Limestone - 238
Baldwin - 210
Morgan - 34 (for me)
Ed Packard at the SoS office said he has 6 counties reporting in so far and expects more in today's mail. He said he will keep me posted on the numbers so check back.
If you'd like to call your county probate office you can find contact information here. Please ask for the total write-ins cast for Loretta Nall if they have that information available. If not, then ask for the total for all write-in votes cast for Governor.
Here are the numbers I have been able to track down thus far. Most of these have not been broken down by candidate, they are just totals for write-ins. A few have been broken down by candidate and noted in ().
Blount - 429
Cullman - 9 (for me)
Mobile - 307
Montgomery - 37 (for me)
Calhoun - 297
Elmore Co. - 137
Tallapoosa - 27
Jefferson - 2122
Houston - 6 (for me)
Shelby - 692 The BHAM News has Shelby County broken down with 289 for Roy Moore and 100 for Charles barkley leaving 303 up in the air. I wonder how come Moore and Barkley get mentioned and I, the only one running a write-in campaign, do not?
UPDATE: I have received official word from the Shelby County Probate Office that 189 of the write-in votes were cast for me.
Coosa - 28 write-in votes and 73 under votes. I do not know what "under votes" means.
Madison - 825
Walker - 26 (for me)
Limestone - 238
Baldwin - 210
Morgan - 34 (for me)
Ed Packard at the SoS office said he has 6 counties reporting in so far and expects more in today's mail. He said he will keep me posted on the numbers so check back.
John Giles Steps Down
UPDATE: The results are finally in for the 'Rename the Christian Coalition Contest'
First Place goes to Blue Gal for 'Liar Liar Cross on Fire'
Second Place goes to Real Shaven Yak for the Monty Python skit
Third Place goes to yuh-uhuh for DOUCHE BAG
You can read all of the entries here
If all of you winners will kindly head over to the campaign goodie store and pick out what you want then email me with that information and a shipping address I will have your stuff sent out by the end of the week.
Once again I apologize for the delay.
Christian Action Alabama leader to step down
Montgomery Advertiser
The leader of Christian Action Alabama today annouced he will step down at the end of the year.
President John W. Giles, in a statement released Tuesday, said he is leaving the conservative Christian group to address family concerns and to open up the leadership position to "a fresh face."
Christian Action Alabama was originally known as the Christian Coalition of Alabama.
The name change came after the group announced in August it was splitting from the national Christian Coalition of America, which the state group said had strayed from its "key tenets."
------------
Here at Nall for Governor I had a little contest to help with a new name. I just realized when serching for this post that I had inadvertently hit "save as draft" and never got around to naming the winners. I will pick three here shortly and send out prizes form he now infamous campaign goodies. My apologies for overlooking this for so long.
First Place goes to Blue Gal for 'Liar Liar Cross on Fire'
Second Place goes to Real Shaven Yak for the Monty Python skit
Third Place goes to yuh-uhuh for DOUCHE BAG
You can read all of the entries here
If all of you winners will kindly head over to the campaign goodie store and pick out what you want then email me with that information and a shipping address I will have your stuff sent out by the end of the week.
Once again I apologize for the delay.
Christian Action Alabama leader to step down
Montgomery Advertiser
The leader of Christian Action Alabama today annouced he will step down at the end of the year.
President John W. Giles, in a statement released Tuesday, said he is leaving the conservative Christian group to address family concerns and to open up the leadership position to "a fresh face."
Christian Action Alabama was originally known as the Christian Coalition of Alabama.
The name change came after the group announced in August it was splitting from the national Christian Coalition of America, which the state group said had strayed from its "key tenets."
------------
Here at Nall for Governor I had a little contest to help with a new name. I just realized when serching for this post that I had inadvertently hit "save as draft" and never got around to naming the winners. I will pick three here shortly and send out prizes form he now infamous campaign goodies. My apologies for overlooking this for so long.
Voters Deserve Right to Write In
The Montgomery Advertiser has a decent editorial on write-in voting this morning.
I think I may run write-in campaigns in every election from here on out (or at least until the ballot access laws are changed) just because it pisses poll workers off so bad. All of you who wrote my name in for governor need to make some serious noise over the articles in the BHAM News and MTGY Advertiser yesterday. Write letters to the editors demanding that the legislature change the ballot access laws so that they are the same for everyone and then we can reduce the need to write-in our candidate of choice.
Despite the irritation of voting officials, write-in votes do no lasting harm and occasionally at the local level might result in a viable campaign. Legislators should resist any effort to change the law to eliminate them.
I think I may run write-in campaigns in every election from here on out (or at least until the ballot access laws are changed) just because it pisses poll workers off so bad. All of you who wrote my name in for governor need to make some serious noise over the articles in the BHAM News and MTGY Advertiser yesterday. Write letters to the editors demanding that the legislature change the ballot access laws so that they are the same for everyone and then we can reduce the need to write-in our candidate of choice.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Campaign Gear Close Out SALE!
I have applied huge discounts to the now infamous line of Nall for Governor Campaign Gear with the following logo
If you were waiting for discounted prices now is your chance to cash in on savings and get some of these items before they disappear forever. HAPPY SHOPPING!!
If you were waiting for discounted prices now is your chance to cash in on savings and get some of these items before they disappear forever. HAPPY SHOPPING!!
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Home School
Well, I have finally had a bait of the public school system and I have decided to remove my fourth grade daughter from its evil influence and give this homeschool thing a go. Bear with me while I try and explain all of my reasons for finally making this very hard decision.
My interaction with the public school system as an adult has been just as traumatic as it was when I was the kid in school. I've always been a rebel, although in elementary school I was much too terrified of my grandmother's hickory switch to launch an open rebellion. I was way ahead of all the other kids which made it hard to relate and have friends. I guess I was born different or something. High school was different and I was no longer living with my grandmother so all of the angst built up from elementary school mixed with puberty made for a pretty nasty mix with the public education system.
I made excellent grades, despite all of the problems I had with the principal of Clay County High School, and despite all of the teen trouble I seemed to stay embroiled in. I married at 16 very soon after entering the 11th grade and soon after that I quit high school. Quite frankly, I felt and still feel, that they had taught me all they possibly could and there was no reason to stay and torment myeslf for another 2 years. I got a job and my GED and by all accounts I am doing pretty well for myself. I own my home, a little bit of land, both of my automobiles, I pay my bills and provide for my family. Oh yeah, I just completed a campaign for Governor of Alabama and enjoyed more national media coverage than any gubernatorial candidate except Arnold S. in Cali. and more coverage locally for a write-in campaign than anyone quite possibly ever. I hope that challenges your pre-conceived notions that high school drop outs never have good lives or that they are losers who live in their parents basement and watch TV all day. Not to say that there aren't some who live that life....but my life is stellar.
I want you to look at the problem from the angle of maybe the system is failing and not the kids. Our society has changed and the public education system has not been able to adapt. It's too big, too controlled by some Wahington D.C. yahoo who doesn't know anything about what teachers and kids in Alabama are like or what they might need to make sure the kids are receiving the best education possible.
Public education today focuses on making everyone the same, which is impossible. It focuses on teaching kids to pee in cups on demand and submit to terrifying dog searches, strip searches and lockdowns conducted by local police departments all without warrants. It teaches conformity even when it goes against the very nature of the child to conform to an uncomfortable situation. It teaches standing in line, never questioning authority and total submission. Public school today prepares kids for one of two things. Factory work or prison. It says to kids "Get used to this kind of treatment, you no longer have any rights and this is the way it will be for the rest of your life."
As you can well imagine, the exact opposite is taught at the Nall House to the Nall children. I refuse to teach my kids to get used to shit they hate and prepare to do it the rest of their lives. What a warped concept.
I have instead focused of having them determine what they like and finding a way to ensure that they get to do what they like so their lives won't be wasted in some miserable, dead-end factory job.
That has made for many conflicts with the public education system and I have come to the conclusion that the system is unworkable, at least for my daughter, who is me in smaller form. When I look at her and hear all of the things she says and does in school I see me almost as I am now. She is a champion of individual rights, speaks her mind about what she doesn't like and proceeds to find ways to get what she wants. She has a sharp mind, a very deep understanding of complicated issues, a flair for drama and a razor-sharp tounge. I fear for her adversaries when she is older....she will be a formidable foe to contend with.
Right now, I fear more for her ability to hold onto that menatality and those character traits in the public school setting. The school seems to think these traits she is showing are bad and they are determined to supress them and alter her personality to fit their needs. I, on the other hand, feel the need to cultivate those things in her personality that public educators find so offensive. I could not be prouder of her and her dogged determination at not conforming to things that she finds unpallatable. YOU GO GIRL!!! You have learned well. Your mama is very proud of you.
The bad experiences with the public school system and my children began when my son was in first grade. We are not a religious family. I am Atheist and my husband is agnostic. I never made it a habit to teach atheism or agnosticism to my children. They know what I think and feel but have always been free to attend church with friends and family. The way I figure it, if I forced them not to conform to religious dogma the way I was forced to conform to it then it might be just as bad as my experience. So, I decided to be open about what I think and feel and let them make their own decision about religious philisophy. I warned them against talking about religion in school because I know that mini-redneck, bible thumpers can be the cruelest sort of child.
I picked my six-year-old son(he's now 14) up from school one day and he was crying and distruaght. I asked him what was wrong and he said, "Mom, since we don't believe in Jesus I'm gonna get hooked on drugs and go to prison."
"WHAT?!! Where did you hear such a thing?"
"From the D.A.R.E. cop who was in our class today. He said for everybody that believed in Jesus to raise their hand. Then he said 'As long as you believe in Jesus you will never get hooked on drugs or sent to prison.' I was the only one who doesn't believe in Jesus so I didn't raise my hand and now I'm going to jail."
I was LIVID!!! I made a few phone calls. Got an apology from the school, the teacher, the police department and the officer in question got reassigned to different duties.
Other problems along the religious line include my kids being singled out by other kids for not bowing their heads to pray during the morning announcements (prayer in public schools over the PA system are ILLEGAL) and just for walking to the beat of a non-religious drum in general. They have gotten off the bus in tears many times because of peer harassment and despite repeated complaints nothing has been done to protect them.
Back in 2002 my then 5-year-old daughter Bell started kindergarten. About three weeks in I get a note from her teacher stating that Bell and another 5-year-old got into a squabble over who was going to be line leader.
The teacher requested that I come in for a parent/teacher/principal/student conference. I thought it an odd request to assemble all of us over one line leader squabble between 5-year-olds. I mean there probably isn't a kindergarten class in all of America where this hasn't happened right?
I went to the conference. The principal never showed up. The teacher and I decided to go ahead without him. Then this teacher, who had known my daughter for all of three short weeks, proceeds to tell me that in order to control my child she wants me to lift the corporal punishment ban I have imposed on the school with regard to my children.
I told her that beating my child into submission was not an option. Then the teacher suggested I take my baby to the doctor and have her put on prescription medication so that she would be easier to control.
I really don't have words that can accurately describe my reaction to that suggestion!!
I told the teacher that it is funny to me that schools preach to our kids about not resorting to drugs and violence to resolve their problems, there are even cops paid to teach the DARE program, and yet drugs and violence are the very first things the school resorts to when a problem arises with a child.
No wonder our kids are so confused.
The teacher was less than happy with my refusal to cooperate with beating or drugging my child in order to force her to conform to their anti-individual indoctrination.
About a month later this same teacher conspired in the witch-hunt to have me arrested for speaking my mind on the pages of the Birmingham News with regard to drug policy reform.
She fabricated statements allegedly made by my daughter, passed these statements along to the School Resource Officer and allowed multiple police and DHR interrogations of my 5-year-old without counsel or an unbiased third party present.
Months later she went outside the school and told one of her personal friends that I was starving my kids to death and filed a malicious complaint with DHR to that effect. She even had a box of what she called "Bell's Special Snacks" sitting under her desk that only Bell could eat from. DHR told me it was a malicious complaint.
As it turns out, my daughter is a very gifted child, and after an IQ test revealed this, she was placed in a gifted program. She was the youngest child at her school to ever be accepted into the gifted program.
Listing all of the other bad episodes with the public school system would make this article longer than anyone would want to read. They are numerous. So, I'll just move on to the straw that broke the camel's back.
I got a call on Thursday from one of the assistant principals at Horseshoe Bend School telling me that Bell had gotten in some trouble in class and requesting a parent/teacher conference. I set it up for Friday morning. Here is what happened.
Bell likes to work alone. She isn't a group oriented person. She makes straight A's. She is really bad about not doing her homework. She will do some of it and tell me that is all of it or say she forgot her books at school. In fact, when I was running for Governor she asked me to outlaw homework if elected. I hated homework when I was a kid too and rarely did it if I could get out of it. I also made straight A's and scored very high on tests. Seems to me that if kids spends 8 hours a day in school plus a two hour bus commute that some slack could be applied to homework as long as the the grades are good.
Anyway, the teacher told me that on Thursday she decided to put the kids in group's for math. Bell hates math. The teacher said she decided not to let the kids sit with their friends for this exercise and instead chose popsicle sticks with each child's name on it. It just so happened that Bell got placed with one little girl that she has always had a lot of friction with. Bell asked the teacher if she could just work alone and the teacher said no. The little girl in the group who Bell has so many problems started antagonizing her to hurry up and come on and sit down...you know just being real bossy. When Bell finally joined the group the peace lasted about 1 minute and there was a big blow-up which resulted in Bell having to sit in a desk in the hall and do her work. When the teacher told her she was placing her in the hall Bell said, "Good, that's what I wanted....at least I don't have to sit with people I hate."
The whole room went ape. Bell got sent to the office.
During the conference with the teacher and assistant principal the teacher presented me with a picture of the little girl in question. The teacher said even after all that happened on Thursday the little girl came back to school on Friday and handed out pictures of herself....even to Bell. As soon as the girls back was turned Bell began to blacken in the eyes with her pencil. The teacher was mortified. I died laughing much to their horror. I simply could not contain it. I mean, that is no different that drawing devil horns or writing whore over someones head in the yearbook in my opinion. No need for alarm. Bell doesn't like the little girl in question and so when presented with an opportunity to express this she did. No one was hurt. The teacher wanted to give the picture back to Bell. I told the teacher to stop provoking her.
The teacher told me that a lot of Bell's problems stem from the fact that she is so far ahead of everyone else. She is bored out of her gourd. She has trouble making friends because she is like an adult trapped in a kids body and no one her age understands her. Older kids dismiss her because of her age. She said that Bell is able to do the work of a 7th grader but No Child Left Behind will not let them bump her up and even if they could she would not be socially ready for that kind of change. I am in agreement with that. But my daughter is stagnating in fourth grade.
The teacher said that she had decided to deny Bell her favorite class, which is gifted class, in order to make her comply. I told her that was unacceptable. Then she told me that before NCLB was crammed down their throats she would have been able to find a workable solution for my daughter, but now all leeway she might have once had is gone and Bell is suffering because of it. "What do you think we should do Mrs. Nall?"
"I think the only option open to Bell and me is home school. What I am hearing is that you forced her into an uncomfortable situation with a little girl she has had problems with all year even when she requested that she be able to work alone. She then she got in trouble when her stress points were overtaxed. You tell me that she is ready for 7th grade, but the NCLB prevents her from jumping grades and that you cannot, under these guidelines from the feds, work with her to ensure that she is getting what she needs. You think taking away the only class she enjoys is the answer. I disagree. She lives for gifted class. It actually stimulates her and that is what she needs. More stimulation. As long as she is bored, and she is bored with the 4th grade, then there will be problems. It seems to me that if the school can't provide her with the cirriculum that stimulates her then the only option for us is do-it-yourself. I won't let her stagnate and come to despise learning, which is what I see happening. I am not currently running for office so I have time to teach her at home and as soon as I can make the transfer that is what I will do."
Surprisingly, there was no objection from the teacher or principal regarding this decision. I like them both and do not really fault them for this. Well except for the teacher forcing Bell into a hostile environment to do a subject she hates and then sending her to the office when she snapped. That could have been avoided. NCLB is messing up a great many teachers ability to teach and my daughter has been caught up in the web. I also have a son in the 9th grade. He brought home a 103.75 in Algebra on Thursday....I can't touch that so I will be leaving him in school. Hell, he could eaisly teach me. He likes school and has many friends and as long as that is the case he stays. Next year he plans to apply for the Alabama School of Math and Science in Mobile. I think he has what it takes to get in.
So, if you are a homeschool parent please email me so I can pick your brains about what the best programs are and how you overcome the socialization problems that home school kids face. If you are not a home school parent but know someone who is please ask them to get in touch with me.
My interaction with the public school system as an adult has been just as traumatic as it was when I was the kid in school. I've always been a rebel, although in elementary school I was much too terrified of my grandmother's hickory switch to launch an open rebellion. I was way ahead of all the other kids which made it hard to relate and have friends. I guess I was born different or something. High school was different and I was no longer living with my grandmother so all of the angst built up from elementary school mixed with puberty made for a pretty nasty mix with the public education system.
I made excellent grades, despite all of the problems I had with the principal of Clay County High School, and despite all of the teen trouble I seemed to stay embroiled in. I married at 16 very soon after entering the 11th grade and soon after that I quit high school. Quite frankly, I felt and still feel, that they had taught me all they possibly could and there was no reason to stay and torment myeslf for another 2 years. I got a job and my GED and by all accounts I am doing pretty well for myself. I own my home, a little bit of land, both of my automobiles, I pay my bills and provide for my family. Oh yeah, I just completed a campaign for Governor of Alabama and enjoyed more national media coverage than any gubernatorial candidate except Arnold S. in Cali. and more coverage locally for a write-in campaign than anyone quite possibly ever. I hope that challenges your pre-conceived notions that high school drop outs never have good lives or that they are losers who live in their parents basement and watch TV all day. Not to say that there aren't some who live that life....but my life is stellar.
I want you to look at the problem from the angle of maybe the system is failing and not the kids. Our society has changed and the public education system has not been able to adapt. It's too big, too controlled by some Wahington D.C. yahoo who doesn't know anything about what teachers and kids in Alabama are like or what they might need to make sure the kids are receiving the best education possible.
Public education today focuses on making everyone the same, which is impossible. It focuses on teaching kids to pee in cups on demand and submit to terrifying dog searches, strip searches and lockdowns conducted by local police departments all without warrants. It teaches conformity even when it goes against the very nature of the child to conform to an uncomfortable situation. It teaches standing in line, never questioning authority and total submission. Public school today prepares kids for one of two things. Factory work or prison. It says to kids "Get used to this kind of treatment, you no longer have any rights and this is the way it will be for the rest of your life."
As you can well imagine, the exact opposite is taught at the Nall House to the Nall children. I refuse to teach my kids to get used to shit they hate and prepare to do it the rest of their lives. What a warped concept.
I have instead focused of having them determine what they like and finding a way to ensure that they get to do what they like so their lives won't be wasted in some miserable, dead-end factory job.
That has made for many conflicts with the public education system and I have come to the conclusion that the system is unworkable, at least for my daughter, who is me in smaller form. When I look at her and hear all of the things she says and does in school I see me almost as I am now. She is a champion of individual rights, speaks her mind about what she doesn't like and proceeds to find ways to get what she wants. She has a sharp mind, a very deep understanding of complicated issues, a flair for drama and a razor-sharp tounge. I fear for her adversaries when she is older....she will be a formidable foe to contend with.
Right now, I fear more for her ability to hold onto that menatality and those character traits in the public school setting. The school seems to think these traits she is showing are bad and they are determined to supress them and alter her personality to fit their needs. I, on the other hand, feel the need to cultivate those things in her personality that public educators find so offensive. I could not be prouder of her and her dogged determination at not conforming to things that she finds unpallatable. YOU GO GIRL!!! You have learned well. Your mama is very proud of you.
The bad experiences with the public school system and my children began when my son was in first grade. We are not a religious family. I am Atheist and my husband is agnostic. I never made it a habit to teach atheism or agnosticism to my children. They know what I think and feel but have always been free to attend church with friends and family. The way I figure it, if I forced them not to conform to religious dogma the way I was forced to conform to it then it might be just as bad as my experience. So, I decided to be open about what I think and feel and let them make their own decision about religious philisophy. I warned them against talking about religion in school because I know that mini-redneck, bible thumpers can be the cruelest sort of child.
I picked my six-year-old son(he's now 14) up from school one day and he was crying and distruaght. I asked him what was wrong and he said, "Mom, since we don't believe in Jesus I'm gonna get hooked on drugs and go to prison."
"WHAT?!! Where did you hear such a thing?"
"From the D.A.R.E. cop who was in our class today. He said for everybody that believed in Jesus to raise their hand. Then he said 'As long as you believe in Jesus you will never get hooked on drugs or sent to prison.' I was the only one who doesn't believe in Jesus so I didn't raise my hand and now I'm going to jail."
I was LIVID!!! I made a few phone calls. Got an apology from the school, the teacher, the police department and the officer in question got reassigned to different duties.
Other problems along the religious line include my kids being singled out by other kids for not bowing their heads to pray during the morning announcements (prayer in public schools over the PA system are ILLEGAL) and just for walking to the beat of a non-religious drum in general. They have gotten off the bus in tears many times because of peer harassment and despite repeated complaints nothing has been done to protect them.
Back in 2002 my then 5-year-old daughter Bell started kindergarten. About three weeks in I get a note from her teacher stating that Bell and another 5-year-old got into a squabble over who was going to be line leader.
The teacher requested that I come in for a parent/teacher/principal/student conference. I thought it an odd request to assemble all of us over one line leader squabble between 5-year-olds. I mean there probably isn't a kindergarten class in all of America where this hasn't happened right?
I went to the conference. The principal never showed up. The teacher and I decided to go ahead without him. Then this teacher, who had known my daughter for all of three short weeks, proceeds to tell me that in order to control my child she wants me to lift the corporal punishment ban I have imposed on the school with regard to my children.
I told her that beating my child into submission was not an option. Then the teacher suggested I take my baby to the doctor and have her put on prescription medication so that she would be easier to control.
I really don't have words that can accurately describe my reaction to that suggestion!!
I told the teacher that it is funny to me that schools preach to our kids about not resorting to drugs and violence to resolve their problems, there are even cops paid to teach the DARE program, and yet drugs and violence are the very first things the school resorts to when a problem arises with a child.
No wonder our kids are so confused.
The teacher was less than happy with my refusal to cooperate with beating or drugging my child in order to force her to conform to their anti-individual indoctrination.
About a month later this same teacher conspired in the witch-hunt to have me arrested for speaking my mind on the pages of the Birmingham News with regard to drug policy reform.
She fabricated statements allegedly made by my daughter, passed these statements along to the School Resource Officer and allowed multiple police and DHR interrogations of my 5-year-old without counsel or an unbiased third party present.
Months later she went outside the school and told one of her personal friends that I was starving my kids to death and filed a malicious complaint with DHR to that effect. She even had a box of what she called "Bell's Special Snacks" sitting under her desk that only Bell could eat from. DHR told me it was a malicious complaint.
As it turns out, my daughter is a very gifted child, and after an IQ test revealed this, she was placed in a gifted program. She was the youngest child at her school to ever be accepted into the gifted program.
Listing all of the other bad episodes with the public school system would make this article longer than anyone would want to read. They are numerous. So, I'll just move on to the straw that broke the camel's back.
I got a call on Thursday from one of the assistant principals at Horseshoe Bend School telling me that Bell had gotten in some trouble in class and requesting a parent/teacher conference. I set it up for Friday morning. Here is what happened.
Bell likes to work alone. She isn't a group oriented person. She makes straight A's. She is really bad about not doing her homework. She will do some of it and tell me that is all of it or say she forgot her books at school. In fact, when I was running for Governor she asked me to outlaw homework if elected. I hated homework when I was a kid too and rarely did it if I could get out of it. I also made straight A's and scored very high on tests. Seems to me that if kids spends 8 hours a day in school plus a two hour bus commute that some slack could be applied to homework as long as the the grades are good.
Anyway, the teacher told me that on Thursday she decided to put the kids in group's for math. Bell hates math. The teacher said she decided not to let the kids sit with their friends for this exercise and instead chose popsicle sticks with each child's name on it. It just so happened that Bell got placed with one little girl that she has always had a lot of friction with. Bell asked the teacher if she could just work alone and the teacher said no. The little girl in the group who Bell has so many problems started antagonizing her to hurry up and come on and sit down...you know just being real bossy. When Bell finally joined the group the peace lasted about 1 minute and there was a big blow-up which resulted in Bell having to sit in a desk in the hall and do her work. When the teacher told her she was placing her in the hall Bell said, "Good, that's what I wanted....at least I don't have to sit with people I hate."
The whole room went ape. Bell got sent to the office.
During the conference with the teacher and assistant principal the teacher presented me with a picture of the little girl in question. The teacher said even after all that happened on Thursday the little girl came back to school on Friday and handed out pictures of herself....even to Bell. As soon as the girls back was turned Bell began to blacken in the eyes with her pencil. The teacher was mortified. I died laughing much to their horror. I simply could not contain it. I mean, that is no different that drawing devil horns or writing whore over someones head in the yearbook in my opinion. No need for alarm. Bell doesn't like the little girl in question and so when presented with an opportunity to express this she did. No one was hurt. The teacher wanted to give the picture back to Bell. I told the teacher to stop provoking her.
The teacher told me that a lot of Bell's problems stem from the fact that she is so far ahead of everyone else. She is bored out of her gourd. She has trouble making friends because she is like an adult trapped in a kids body and no one her age understands her. Older kids dismiss her because of her age. She said that Bell is able to do the work of a 7th grader but No Child Left Behind will not let them bump her up and even if they could she would not be socially ready for that kind of change. I am in agreement with that. But my daughter is stagnating in fourth grade.
The teacher said that she had decided to deny Bell her favorite class, which is gifted class, in order to make her comply. I told her that was unacceptable. Then she told me that before NCLB was crammed down their throats she would have been able to find a workable solution for my daughter, but now all leeway she might have once had is gone and Bell is suffering because of it. "What do you think we should do Mrs. Nall?"
"I think the only option open to Bell and me is home school. What I am hearing is that you forced her into an uncomfortable situation with a little girl she has had problems with all year even when she requested that she be able to work alone. She then she got in trouble when her stress points were overtaxed. You tell me that she is ready for 7th grade, but the NCLB prevents her from jumping grades and that you cannot, under these guidelines from the feds, work with her to ensure that she is getting what she needs. You think taking away the only class she enjoys is the answer. I disagree. She lives for gifted class. It actually stimulates her and that is what she needs. More stimulation. As long as she is bored, and she is bored with the 4th grade, then there will be problems. It seems to me that if the school can't provide her with the cirriculum that stimulates her then the only option for us is do-it-yourself. I won't let her stagnate and come to despise learning, which is what I see happening. I am not currently running for office so I have time to teach her at home and as soon as I can make the transfer that is what I will do."
Surprisingly, there was no objection from the teacher or principal regarding this decision. I like them both and do not really fault them for this. Well except for the teacher forcing Bell into a hostile environment to do a subject she hates and then sending her to the office when she snapped. That could have been avoided. NCLB is messing up a great many teachers ability to teach and my daughter has been caught up in the web. I also have a son in the 9th grade. He brought home a 103.75 in Algebra on Thursday....I can't touch that so I will be leaving him in school. Hell, he could eaisly teach me. He likes school and has many friends and as long as that is the case he stays. Next year he plans to apply for the Alabama School of Math and Science in Mobile. I think he has what it takes to get in.
So, if you are a homeschool parent please email me so I can pick your brains about what the best programs are and how you overcome the socialization problems that home school kids face. If you are not a home school parent but know someone who is please ask them to get in touch with me.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Monday, November 13, 2006
No T.S.A....You Cannot Have My Tampons!
by Loretta Nall
My trip to California the day after the election was my first trip on a plane in over a year. I haven't missed flying not one iota. I hate to fly. For one thing landing makes my eardrums feel like they are being sucked out with a shop-vac while simultaneously having ice picks driven into them. It's AWFUL! Not to mention that hurtling through the air in a metal tube at over 600 miles per hour 36,000 feet off the ground is a tad unnerving in its own right.
Not to be outdone in the unpleasant department the federal government has made airport security such a cluster-fuck that from now on I think I will just show up in my bathrobe completely naked underneath with some lube and a rubber glove for the untrained TSA agent that apparently just walked in off the street. That oughta simplify shit immensely.
Here is what happened this go round.
Not having flown in over a year I had forgotten the latest assertion by the government that Gatorade and other liquids can magically transform themselves into bombs and blow up planes. Other liquids apparently include mouthwash, Oil of Olay, shampoo, body wash and hand lotion. You see....I bought a bunch of travel sized goodies for my trip and packed them in my carry-on luggage just like I always do.
When my backpack went through the x-ray machine it was pulled and I got the usual "Who's bag is this?" from the TSA agent.
Dammit, it's five a.m. too early for this...what could possibly be in the bag to set it off?
Me: "It's mine"
TSA Agent: "May I have a look inside?"
Me: I wonder what would happen if I said no and if I really have any choice in the matter at all...
"Yes you can look in the bag."
The TSA Agent proceeds to paw through my personal belongings pulling out things like tampons, hair rollers, socks and so forth. He takes out my travel size Listerine, shampoo, body wash, my full size Oil of Olay, my chap stick and a few other small but costly items.
TSA Agent: "All of the liquid toilet items must be under 3 ounces and they must all be in a clear plastic bag if they are in your carry-on. You can check them and they do not have to be in a clear plastic bag."
I tell him I do not have a clear plastic bag and ask what difference it makes whether they are in a clear plastic bag in my carry on or loose in my checked baggage. He has no answer to that question.
TSA Agent: "Dem's jus da rules ma'am."
I am not sure there is any phrase that infuriates me more than that one. I'd almost prefer going deaf to ever hearing it again. Of course some smartass government official would teach it to the TSA agents and all other government nazi's in sign language so I suppose even deafness would offer no sanctuary. Likewise if I went blind they would force me to learn braille and tape that phrase to everything I touch....so screw it and just euthanize me now!
He tells me that the sandwich shop clear on the other side of the airport will sell me one for $1.50 but in order to go and get one I would have to go all the way back through security and come back again. Not gonna happen.
He tells me that I can keep all of the stuff if I place it in my checked baggage. That too would entail going all the way back to the check in gate with a bag that had things I did not want in checked baggage packed in it, waiting in line and having to basically do the whole process over.
The TSA Agent eyes my tampon box and says "This is too big."
Me: Oh bloody Christ please spare me from a public fight with a TSA agent over the size of my tampon box at 5 a.m. I really don't think I can take it.
"You can't take my tampons. I'm sorry but I simply have to draw a line there. They are not liquid...are you now pre-emptively confiscating things that might absorb liquid at some point in the future?"
He shoots me a "OK wise-ass" look but wisely leaves the pons alone then tells me that if I don't have a clear plastic bag for all of the items I will either have to place them in checked baggage or they will be confiscated.
I look at the stuff and decide to give it up....this time. There is no way I am about to navigate hell's gauntlet again over some toothpaste and shampoo. He takes my goods away. The total cost of lost goods was around $30.
Me and the tampons proceed to our gate. I sit down and begin to take inventory of my goods. After all of the fuss and the adamant claim that I could not board the plane unless those items were in a plastic bag or the plane would blow up I find in the bottom of my bag the matching conditioner for the shampoo, my tooth paste, my deodorant, my make-up and tubes of lip gloss. All of those items are also on the "banned-unless-bagged" list and I guess I have single-handedly proven that they are indeed safe outside the confines of a damn ziplock. No one was hurt and it didn't take a goddamned government study at taxpayer expense to figure out that these airport rules they change every week do not keep anyone safe whilst navigating the friendly skies....if for no other reason than an untrained TSA Agent overlooked half of the contraband.
I wonder what happens to the things they confiscate? I guess TSA agents and their families get to divy up the loot and live like kings and queens in toiletry heaven happily ever after.
God help us all! And I want my stuff back.
My trip to California the day after the election was my first trip on a plane in over a year. I haven't missed flying not one iota. I hate to fly. For one thing landing makes my eardrums feel like they are being sucked out with a shop-vac while simultaneously having ice picks driven into them. It's AWFUL! Not to mention that hurtling through the air in a metal tube at over 600 miles per hour 36,000 feet off the ground is a tad unnerving in its own right.
Not to be outdone in the unpleasant department the federal government has made airport security such a cluster-fuck that from now on I think I will just show up in my bathrobe completely naked underneath with some lube and a rubber glove for the untrained TSA agent that apparently just walked in off the street. That oughta simplify shit immensely.
Here is what happened this go round.
Not having flown in over a year I had forgotten the latest assertion by the government that Gatorade and other liquids can magically transform themselves into bombs and blow up planes. Other liquids apparently include mouthwash, Oil of Olay, shampoo, body wash and hand lotion. You see....I bought a bunch of travel sized goodies for my trip and packed them in my carry-on luggage just like I always do.
When my backpack went through the x-ray machine it was pulled and I got the usual "Who's bag is this?" from the TSA agent.
Dammit, it's five a.m. too early for this...what could possibly be in the bag to set it off?
Me: "It's mine"
TSA Agent: "May I have a look inside?"
Me: I wonder what would happen if I said no and if I really have any choice in the matter at all...
"Yes you can look in the bag."
The TSA Agent proceeds to paw through my personal belongings pulling out things like tampons, hair rollers, socks and so forth. He takes out my travel size Listerine, shampoo, body wash, my full size Oil of Olay, my chap stick and a few other small but costly items.
TSA Agent: "All of the liquid toilet items must be under 3 ounces and they must all be in a clear plastic bag if they are in your carry-on. You can check them and they do not have to be in a clear plastic bag."
I tell him I do not have a clear plastic bag and ask what difference it makes whether they are in a clear plastic bag in my carry on or loose in my checked baggage. He has no answer to that question.
TSA Agent: "Dem's jus da rules ma'am."
I am not sure there is any phrase that infuriates me more than that one. I'd almost prefer going deaf to ever hearing it again. Of course some smartass government official would teach it to the TSA agents and all other government nazi's in sign language so I suppose even deafness would offer no sanctuary. Likewise if I went blind they would force me to learn braille and tape that phrase to everything I touch....so screw it and just euthanize me now!
He tells me that the sandwich shop clear on the other side of the airport will sell me one for $1.50 but in order to go and get one I would have to go all the way back through security and come back again. Not gonna happen.
He tells me that I can keep all of the stuff if I place it in my checked baggage. That too would entail going all the way back to the check in gate with a bag that had things I did not want in checked baggage packed in it, waiting in line and having to basically do the whole process over.
The TSA Agent eyes my tampon box and says "This is too big."
Me: Oh bloody Christ please spare me from a public fight with a TSA agent over the size of my tampon box at 5 a.m. I really don't think I can take it.
"You can't take my tampons. I'm sorry but I simply have to draw a line there. They are not liquid...are you now pre-emptively confiscating things that might absorb liquid at some point in the future?"
He shoots me a "OK wise-ass" look but wisely leaves the pons alone then tells me that if I don't have a clear plastic bag for all of the items I will either have to place them in checked baggage or they will be confiscated.
I look at the stuff and decide to give it up....this time. There is no way I am about to navigate hell's gauntlet again over some toothpaste and shampoo. He takes my goods away. The total cost of lost goods was around $30.
Me and the tampons proceed to our gate. I sit down and begin to take inventory of my goods. After all of the fuss and the adamant claim that I could not board the plane unless those items were in a plastic bag or the plane would blow up I find in the bottom of my bag the matching conditioner for the shampoo, my tooth paste, my deodorant, my make-up and tubes of lip gloss. All of those items are also on the "banned-unless-bagged" list and I guess I have single-handedly proven that they are indeed safe outside the confines of a damn ziplock. No one was hurt and it didn't take a goddamned government study at taxpayer expense to figure out that these airport rules they change every week do not keep anyone safe whilst navigating the friendly skies....if for no other reason than an untrained TSA Agent overlooked half of the contraband.
I wonder what happens to the things they confiscate? I guess TSA agents and their families get to divy up the loot and live like kings and queens in toiletry heaven happily ever after.
God help us all! And I want my stuff back.
Back to the Grind
Folks,
I am back from California and recovering from both the election and the long trip immediately afterwards. In the coming days I will be writing more on the whole election experience and laying out my plans for the work I have planned in the upcoming legislative session.
I am reading reports of high numbers of write-in votes not only in Mobile and Baldwin counties but also from North Alabama counties. I also continue to get emails from Alabamians who wrote my name in. I have read in the papers that the votes will be certified on the 17th which is this coming Friday. The SoS office told me that the following Monday will be a much more realistic day to expect the numbers. I think Friday is the last day to get them in to be certified.
So, be patient y'all, we will get our numbers. While being patient if you are unhappy about your vote not being counted on election night and want to do something about it please email me. I have a couple of legal and legislative ideas working to address that issue and I am gathering supporters for introducing and supporting a bill that addresses the ballot access laws in Alabama. It will take a great deal of public pressure to get a ballot access bill passed and I'll need every warm body willing to help in any way possible. I don't care what your party affiliation or ideology....we don't have to agree on issues....but if you think ballot access laws should be the same for ALL who wish to run then get with me on this and lets set it in motion.
I am also about to begin working on the Compassionate Care Act (medical marijuana bill) which will be re-introduced in the 2007 legislative session. Again EMAIL ME if you want to help with this bill and specifically if you are a patient, caregiver, family member or loved one of a medical marijuana user, a physician who is supportive, clergy or a citizen who realizes how critical it is to preserve the right to any medical treatment that might alleviate pain and suffering and allow people to die with dignity. We don't need medical advice from government bureaucrats....that's why we have doctors.
I am eagerly anticipating the work ahead...I hope y'all are too.
I am back from California and recovering from both the election and the long trip immediately afterwards. In the coming days I will be writing more on the whole election experience and laying out my plans for the work I have planned in the upcoming legislative session.
I am reading reports of high numbers of write-in votes not only in Mobile and Baldwin counties but also from North Alabama counties. I also continue to get emails from Alabamians who wrote my name in. I have read in the papers that the votes will be certified on the 17th which is this coming Friday. The SoS office told me that the following Monday will be a much more realistic day to expect the numbers. I think Friday is the last day to get them in to be certified.
So, be patient y'all, we will get our numbers. While being patient if you are unhappy about your vote not being counted on election night and want to do something about it please email me. I have a couple of legal and legislative ideas working to address that issue and I am gathering supporters for introducing and supporting a bill that addresses the ballot access laws in Alabama. It will take a great deal of public pressure to get a ballot access bill passed and I'll need every warm body willing to help in any way possible. I don't care what your party affiliation or ideology....we don't have to agree on issues....but if you think ballot access laws should be the same for ALL who wish to run then get with me on this and lets set it in motion.
I am also about to begin working on the Compassionate Care Act (medical marijuana bill) which will be re-introduced in the 2007 legislative session. Again EMAIL ME if you want to help with this bill and specifically if you are a patient, caregiver, family member or loved one of a medical marijuana user, a physician who is supportive, clergy or a citizen who realizes how critical it is to preserve the right to any medical treatment that might alleviate pain and suffering and allow people to die with dignity. We don't need medical advice from government bureaucrats....that's why we have doctors.
I am eagerly anticipating the work ahead...I hope y'all are too.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Mobile Sees Spike in Write-in Voting
I wonder how many of these votes are for me?
Thursday, November 09, 2006
By DAN MURTAUGH
Staff Reporter
Mobile County residents took to write-in voting like it was a new toy Tuesday night, submitting 28 times as many write-ins as they did during the last gubernatorial election.
The write-ins wreaked havoc on election night efficiency and delayed returns for hours, as poll workers have to copy every real name submitted onto a separate piece of paper, according to Roxann Dyess, election coordinator for the Mobile County Probate Court.
"That can be very tedious," she said.
In addition, in about 20 precincts workers did not properly jot down all the write-in candidates, Mobile County Probate Judge Don Davis said. Officials are trying to figure out how to correct the errors, he said.
Election workers and political analysts say the huge increase -- 17,733 write-in votes were submitted for all races in Mobile County Tuesday, compared to 619 in 2002 -- can be attributed to the county's new voting system.
Under the new system, voters use pens to fill out paper ballots. To write in a candidate, all they have to do is fill in the "write-in" bubble and scribble whatever name comes to mind.
Before this year, Mobile County used a touch-screen voting system. To write in a candidate, voters had to touch the write-in button, get a piece of paper and a pen, write a name, and insert the slip into the machine. The same process had to be repeated for every write-in vote.
"For the first time ever, all I had to do was move my pen up and down to cast a write-in vote," said Jonathan Gray, a Mobile-based campaign consultant.
In Baldwin County, which has used the same voting system since 1994, there were no problems attributed to write-in votes, Probate Judge Adrian Johns said. On Tuesday, 5,668 write-ins were cast in Baldwin precincts, compared with 3,080 in 2002.
"The poll workers and public alike are accustomed to our system, so we didn't have any difficulty with write-in votes being cast," he said.
Nearly every other county in the state already used a variation of the pen-and-paper voting system before this year. Mobile County was forced to switch to comply with a state law passed in accordance with the federal government's 2002 Help America Vote Act, which required voting machines be able to produce an "audit trail" that would be used for recounts.
The new voting system was used during the primaries in the summer, but no write-in option existed on those ballot.
Before Tuesday's election, poll workers were trained to deal with write-in votes, but no one expected the vast increase, Davis said. Election officials began getting calls from poll workers about the problem at about 6:30 p.m.
"We were afraid it was going to shut us down significantly," Davis said.
Eventually, sheriff's deputies had to drive to some precincts to retrieve computer cartridges containing election results so the Probate Court could tabulate who won and lost the races.
Election officials will re-emphasize write-in training in the future, Davis said.
Not surprisingly, races with only one candidate on the ballot garnered the most write-in votes, with more than 1,000 for several unchallenged judgeships.
Mobile County Circuit Court Judge Herman Thomas received the most write-in votes against him, with 2,097, or 4 percent of the total. Thomas has been embroiled in controversy recently over several issues, including that two Mobile city judges claimed Thomas sought the expungement of a 1998 DUI arrest of his cousin, David Thomas.
Another troubled politician, State Rep. Yvonne Kennedy, drew the highest percentage of write-ins against her, as 7 percent, or 424 people, voted that way in her uncontested race. Kennedy is president of Bishop State Community College. Both her and the institution have been criticized in recent months over financial and academic problems at the school.
Probate Court officials said they could not let the Press-Register review the list of write-in suggestions on Wednesday because they were not yet certified. Dyess did say that one poll worker described a ballot in which the same name was written in for every judicial race -- Roy Moore.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
By DAN MURTAUGH
Staff Reporter
Mobile County residents took to write-in voting like it was a new toy Tuesday night, submitting 28 times as many write-ins as they did during the last gubernatorial election.
The write-ins wreaked havoc on election night efficiency and delayed returns for hours, as poll workers have to copy every real name submitted onto a separate piece of paper, according to Roxann Dyess, election coordinator for the Mobile County Probate Court.
"That can be very tedious," she said.
In addition, in about 20 precincts workers did not properly jot down all the write-in candidates, Mobile County Probate Judge Don Davis said. Officials are trying to figure out how to correct the errors, he said.
Election workers and political analysts say the huge increase -- 17,733 write-in votes were submitted for all races in Mobile County Tuesday, compared to 619 in 2002 -- can be attributed to the county's new voting system.
Under the new system, voters use pens to fill out paper ballots. To write in a candidate, all they have to do is fill in the "write-in" bubble and scribble whatever name comes to mind.
Before this year, Mobile County used a touch-screen voting system. To write in a candidate, voters had to touch the write-in button, get a piece of paper and a pen, write a name, and insert the slip into the machine. The same process had to be repeated for every write-in vote.
"For the first time ever, all I had to do was move my pen up and down to cast a write-in vote," said Jonathan Gray, a Mobile-based campaign consultant.
In Baldwin County, which has used the same voting system since 1994, there were no problems attributed to write-in votes, Probate Judge Adrian Johns said. On Tuesday, 5,668 write-ins were cast in Baldwin precincts, compared with 3,080 in 2002.
"The poll workers and public alike are accustomed to our system, so we didn't have any difficulty with write-in votes being cast," he said.
Nearly every other county in the state already used a variation of the pen-and-paper voting system before this year. Mobile County was forced to switch to comply with a state law passed in accordance with the federal government's 2002 Help America Vote Act, which required voting machines be able to produce an "audit trail" that would be used for recounts.
The new voting system was used during the primaries in the summer, but no write-in option existed on those ballot.
Before Tuesday's election, poll workers were trained to deal with write-in votes, but no one expected the vast increase, Davis said. Election officials began getting calls from poll workers about the problem at about 6:30 p.m.
"We were afraid it was going to shut us down significantly," Davis said.
Eventually, sheriff's deputies had to drive to some precincts to retrieve computer cartridges containing election results so the Probate Court could tabulate who won and lost the races.
Election officials will re-emphasize write-in training in the future, Davis said.
Not surprisingly, races with only one candidate on the ballot garnered the most write-in votes, with more than 1,000 for several unchallenged judgeships.
Mobile County Circuit Court Judge Herman Thomas received the most write-in votes against him, with 2,097, or 4 percent of the total. Thomas has been embroiled in controversy recently over several issues, including that two Mobile city judges claimed Thomas sought the expungement of a 1998 DUI arrest of his cousin, David Thomas.
Another troubled politician, State Rep. Yvonne Kennedy, drew the highest percentage of write-ins against her, as 7 percent, or 424 people, voted that way in her uncontested race. Kennedy is president of Bishop State Community College. Both her and the institution have been criticized in recent months over financial and academic problems at the school.
Probate Court officials said they could not let the Press-Register review the list of write-in suggestions on Wednesday because they were not yet certified. Dyess did say that one poll worker described a ballot in which the same name was written in for every judicial race -- Roy Moore.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Vote Count Update
I just spoke with someone in the SoS office who told me that they won't have all of the numbers until a week from this Friday and most likely it will be the following Monday before all of the certified results come in to the SoS office. This is very frustrating for me. I wrote Nancy Worley and asked that my votes be counted on election night. I got a read receipt but never a response from her. It is my understanding that she did not tell the counties to tally and report those results for me. I am glad she got her ass kicked in the election. It is a shame though that she won't be the one held responsible when I file a lawsuit.
Y'all be patient with me as we sort through this.
I am in Oakland, CA until Sunday. If you need to reach me via phone please call 256-625-9599.
Y'all be patient with me as we sort through this.
I am in Oakland, CA until Sunday. If you need to reach me via phone please call 256-625-9599.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Thank you all so much
Well...I survived it. Not sure how but already I want to do it again. Our celebration last night was a big success. I expect to get some idea of how many people voted for me at some point today.
I am flying out to Oakland, CA today for a harm reduction conference. I won't be available by phone until late this afternoon. If you need to reach me please send me email or call me at 256-625-9599 and I will get back with you as soon as possible.
Thank you all so much for your support, love and encouragement over the last year. This is just round one.
Loretta
I am flying out to Oakland, CA today for a harm reduction conference. I won't be available by phone until late this afternoon. If you need to reach me please send me email or call me at 256-625-9599 and I will get back with you as soon as possible.
Thank you all so much for your support, love and encouragement over the last year. This is just round one.
Loretta
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
VIDEO: Loretta Nall on For the Record
It is easy to see how I really am the sane one in this election.
Watch it Here and thanks Tim Lennox for this fabulous production.
Watch it Here and thanks Tim Lennox for this fabulous production.
Today is the Day
I have spent the last four years of my life gearing up for this day. I am so excited I am sick to my stomach.
I owe thanks to my many supporters from across Alabama and the entire world and I owe many thanks to the Alabama media for all of their coverage of my campaign. I realize, as a write-in candidate, that none of them had to cover me or my campaign at all. Yet...many of them did and continued to do so even after our attempt at ballot access failed.
I think I owe the biggest part of that media thanks to Tim Lennox at For the Record , Phil Rawls & Rob Carr at the Associated Press , WAKA Channel 8 News (the 5 o'clock crew) in Montgomery and let's not forget Bob Martin at the Montgomery Independent and good ole Bob Ingram both of which had a hand in making the twins famous. All of these media folks covered me from the outset and never really let up...thereby keeping me in the minds of the Alabama voters. I don't think I would have had nearly as much success without their coverage and I want them to know I am most grateful.
So, get to the polls today. WRITE MY NAME IN ON THE BALLOT
L O R E T T A _______N A L L
Call your favorite talk radio station and tell them you are writing in my name. Load up your automobile with family, friends and co-workers and get them to the polls with you. With your help....I just might pull this thing off yet.
Then come out to 2330 Highland Ave. South in BHAM tonight beginning at 630 to watch the returns with me. There will be food and spirits provided.
I'll see you there.
Here is my ballot. A little blurry....guess my hand was shaking a little or something.
I owe thanks to my many supporters from across Alabama and the entire world and I owe many thanks to the Alabama media for all of their coverage of my campaign. I realize, as a write-in candidate, that none of them had to cover me or my campaign at all. Yet...many of them did and continued to do so even after our attempt at ballot access failed.
I think I owe the biggest part of that media thanks to Tim Lennox at For the Record , Phil Rawls & Rob Carr at the Associated Press , WAKA Channel 8 News (the 5 o'clock crew) in Montgomery and let's not forget Bob Martin at the Montgomery Independent and good ole Bob Ingram both of which had a hand in making the twins famous. All of these media folks covered me from the outset and never really let up...thereby keeping me in the minds of the Alabama voters. I don't think I would have had nearly as much success without their coverage and I want them to know I am most grateful.
So, get to the polls today. WRITE MY NAME IN ON THE BALLOT
L O R E T T A _______N A L L
Call your favorite talk radio station and tell them you are writing in my name. Load up your automobile with family, friends and co-workers and get them to the polls with you. With your help....I just might pull this thing off yet.
Then come out to 2330 Highland Ave. South in BHAM tonight beginning at 630 to watch the returns with me. There will be food and spirits provided.
I'll see you there.
Here is my ballot. A little blurry....guess my hand was shaking a little or something.
Loretta Nall on For The Record Tonight
My segment on For the Record aired tonight and it was stellar!!!
After sitting through the propaganda spouting between Twinkle & Joe I definitely came off looking like the sane one. Tim did such a great job handling those two. You've got to admire anyone who can show enough restraint not to leap across the news desk and throttle Twinkle til her eyes pop out of her head. I hope Tim stops for a beer after work. He earned a frosty-cold one tonight.
I will post the link as soon as the clip is available online. It will be rebroadcast tonight on whatever channel APTV is in your area at 11 PM.
After sitting through the propaganda spouting between Twinkle & Joe I definitely came off looking like the sane one. Tim did such a great job handling those two. You've got to admire anyone who can show enough restraint not to leap across the news desk and throttle Twinkle til her eyes pop out of her head. I hope Tim stops for a beer after work. He earned a frosty-cold one tonight.
I will post the link as soon as the clip is available online. It will be rebroadcast tonight on whatever channel APTV is in your area at 11 PM.
Instructions on Write In Voting
VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!
Well folks it has come down to the final hours of this campaign. All I can encourgae you to do at this point is VOTE TOMORROW and take 5 friends, family members or co-workers to the polls with you and WRITE MY NAME IN. Call you favorite talk radio show in the morning and say that you are writing me in. Spell my name aloud on the air.
L-O-R-E-T-T-A N-A-L-L
Spelling is critical.
I am getting a flood of emails asking for instructions on how to write my name on the ballot. I am going to leave this as the top post until after election day. If you need to find out if you are registered or where you are suppossed to go to vote please call your county board of registrars.
Please make certain that you spell my name correctly. Incorrectly spelled names will not count. My name is spelled LORETTA NALL. Write it down and take it with you to the polls. Get your friends and family to do the same.
For all of you out there who plan to vote for me on November 7 here is a sample ballot for the general election.
Sample Ballot 1 (Unmarked) Underneath the Republican and Democratic choices for Governor in eencie weencie print is WRITE IN with an arrow beside it. If you are voting for me then write LORETTA NALL in the blank space and make sure to finish coloring in the broken arrow beside my name.
Click to enlarge
Sample 2 (MARKED) with my name and filled in arrow.
Click to enlarge
Ballots are a little different in each county but the basic principle is the same. Underneath the names of Lucy Baxley and Bob Riley there will be a blank box with the words 'write in' beside it. Simply write my name in there and finish the arrow or the box beside it depending on the type of ballot you have. This is the same in the counties where there will be electronic voting. The electronic voting machines will have a blank space just like the paper ballots and you just write my name in.
Well folks it has come down to the final hours of this campaign. All I can encourgae you to do at this point is VOTE TOMORROW and take 5 friends, family members or co-workers to the polls with you and WRITE MY NAME IN. Call you favorite talk radio show in the morning and say that you are writing me in. Spell my name aloud on the air.
L-O-R-E-T-T-A N-A-L-L
Spelling is critical.
I am getting a flood of emails asking for instructions on how to write my name on the ballot. I am going to leave this as the top post until after election day. If you need to find out if you are registered or where you are suppossed to go to vote please call your county board of registrars.
Please make certain that you spell my name correctly. Incorrectly spelled names will not count. My name is spelled LORETTA NALL. Write it down and take it with you to the polls. Get your friends and family to do the same.
For all of you out there who plan to vote for me on November 7 here is a sample ballot for the general election.
Sample Ballot 1 (Unmarked) Underneath the Republican and Democratic choices for Governor in eencie weencie print is WRITE IN with an arrow beside it. If you are voting for me then write LORETTA NALL in the blank space and make sure to finish coloring in the broken arrow beside my name.
Click to enlarge
Sample 2 (MARKED) with my name and filled in arrow.
Click to enlarge
Ballots are a little different in each county but the basic principle is the same. Underneath the names of Lucy Baxley and Bob Riley there will be a blank box with the words 'write in' beside it. Simply write my name in there and finish the arrow or the box beside it depending on the type of ballot you have. This is the same in the counties where there will be electronic voting. The electronic voting machines will have a blank space just like the paper ballots and you just write my name in.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Contact Info for Today
UPDATE: My appearance on the Matt Murphy Show has been canceled. Matt called and told me that this being the day before the elections advertising is pretty much thirty minutes of every hour which makes it difficult to get into any detailed conversations. I will be on one day next week to talk about the outcome of the election and offer my thoughts on why politics has become such a blood sport.
Additionally, I am back at my landline now so please call 251-650-2271 if you need to reach me.
I will be in and out today. If you need to contact me via phone please call 256-625-9599. This will be my cell number from here on out.
I will be a guest on the Matt Murphy Show in Birmingham this afternoon at 3 pm. If you are in the braodcast area tune into 101.1 The Source FM at 3 pm. If you are outside the listening area you can tune in on the internet from the link at the top of Matt's site.
REMINDER!
I will be throwing an election night party tomorrow night from 630 to 11 PM at the Libertarian Party Headquarters located at 2330 Highland Ave. South in Birmingham. There will be free beer/wine/spirits and food. Y'all Come!
Additionally, I am back at my landline now so please call 251-650-2271 if you need to reach me.
I will be in and out today. If you need to contact me via phone please call 256-625-9599. This will be my cell number from here on out.
I will be a guest on the Matt Murphy Show in Birmingham this afternoon at 3 pm. If you are in the braodcast area tune into 101.1 The Source FM at 3 pm. If you are outside the listening area you can tune in on the internet from the link at the top of Matt's site.
REMINDER!
I will be throwing an election night party tomorrow night from 630 to 11 PM at the Libertarian Party Headquarters located at 2330 Highland Ave. South in Birmingham. There will be free beer/wine/spirits and food. Y'all Come!
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Campaign Gear
Loretta Nall for Governor Campaign Gear with all new Anti-State Panties
There will be a follow-up shirt so check back on Wednesday after the election results are in.
There will be a follow-up shirt so check back on Wednesday after the election results are in.
Loretta Nall on Good Morning America
ABC News is running a segment on some of the more unusual campaigns of this election season and apparently mine made the cut. I never thought I'd live to see the day the Anne Marie Cox of original Wonkett fame would be on Good Morning America discussing my war chest.
Life is strange sometimes.
Life is strange sometimes.
Friday, November 03, 2006
'Bush lite' Not What State Needs
A HUGE thanks is in order to Mr. John Burgess for this letter.
'Bush lite' not what state needs
Despite being a Republican, Bob Riley has done an OK job as governor the last four years. He has a comfortable lead in the polls and in campaign funds. But, being a Republican, enough is just never enough.
Riley climbed on the sleaze machine by having Dick Cheney conduct a fundraiser in Dothan. (Fortunately for Riley, hunting season had not yet opened.) Riley then used the money to air Karl Rove-inspired ads attacking Lucy Baxley as "too liberal" for Alabama. And when Baxley fights back, Riley runs more attack ads accusing Baxley of running attack ads. What twisted logic.
Then Riley takes a page from the Bush playbook with a plan to lower taxes and increase spending. If bankruptcy is good enough for the federal government, it should be good enough for Alabama, too. And to keep the money machine rolling, the King of Sleaze, George W. Bush himself, appeared at a fundraiser for Riley.
The best qualified candidate for governor seems to be Loretta Nall, the Libertarian write-in candidate from Alexander City. Unfortunately, the electoral system in Alabama is heavily rigged against third party and write-in candidates, so she has little chance of winning.
I don't "love" Lucy, and she's wrong to oppose annual property tax reappraisals, but she's a much better choice than "Bush lite" Riley. It's time for a change in the statehouse as well as in Congress.
John H. Burgess
Montgomery
'Bush lite' not what state needs
Despite being a Republican, Bob Riley has done an OK job as governor the last four years. He has a comfortable lead in the polls and in campaign funds. But, being a Republican, enough is just never enough.
Riley climbed on the sleaze machine by having Dick Cheney conduct a fundraiser in Dothan. (Fortunately for Riley, hunting season had not yet opened.) Riley then used the money to air Karl Rove-inspired ads attacking Lucy Baxley as "too liberal" for Alabama. And when Baxley fights back, Riley runs more attack ads accusing Baxley of running attack ads. What twisted logic.
Then Riley takes a page from the Bush playbook with a plan to lower taxes and increase spending. If bankruptcy is good enough for the federal government, it should be good enough for Alabama, too. And to keep the money machine rolling, the King of Sleaze, George W. Bush himself, appeared at a fundraiser for Riley.
The best qualified candidate for governor seems to be Loretta Nall, the Libertarian write-in candidate from Alexander City. Unfortunately, the electoral system in Alabama is heavily rigged against third party and write-in candidates, so she has little chance of winning.
I don't "love" Lucy, and she's wrong to oppose annual property tax reappraisals, but she's a much better choice than "Bush lite" Riley. It's time for a change in the statehouse as well as in Congress.
John H. Burgess
Montgomery
A couple of Fun Alternative News Articles
Had a couple of fellow internet'ers ask for interviews last week for their sites and here are the results.
Deadly Hippos
10 Zen Monkeys
Deadly Hippos
10 Zen Monkeys
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Carey Roberts Gets Ripped a New One
Carey Roberts, author of this doosie is the proud owner of a new a**hole thanks to this piece over at Sadly No.
Loretta Nall Election Night Party
Libertarian Party of Alabama
November 2, 2006
LP Election Night Party!
Come and watch election returns with Loretta Nall and friends at the LPA offices!
Where: 2330 Highland Ave South in Birmingham, AL (right next to Caldwell Park in the Cleveland Building)
When: Tuesday, November 7th
Time: 6:30PM - 11:00PM
BYOB....we'll have some there too as well as food.
Call 205-328-8683 for more information
November 2, 2006
LP Election Night Party!
Come and watch election returns with Loretta Nall and friends at the LPA offices!
Where: 2330 Highland Ave South in Birmingham, AL (right next to Caldwell Park in the Cleveland Building)
When: Tuesday, November 7th
Time: 6:30PM - 11:00PM
BYOB....we'll have some there too as well as food.
Call 205-328-8683 for more information
For the Record Moved to Monday
The segment that was scheduled to air on my campaign tonight on For the Record has been moved to Monday. However, please watch tomorrow night as my answers to the debate questions will be one of the topics discussed.
This Guy is an IDIOT who apparently cannot READ
Cleavage Candidates and the Politics of Gender
Which makes one wonder how he ever got a job getting his piehole remarks published anywhere except on his own website. As I stated yesterday Whatever happened to a little journalistic research?
And why do men seem so afraid of women in politics?
I sent the following email this morning.
Hi Carey,
Your piece about my campaign is so completely wrong. It's funny that we both write for Lew Rockwell and are of a Libertarian bent and you come up with something like this. Did you bother to read my platform or anything else other than the incorrect and inflammatory headline that came across your desk?
I see that this offensive article has been republished in a number of papers and on websites. I'll be contacting each and every one of them and asking for a retraction. I would also ask that you correct this mis-information on your website.
Best,
Loretta Nall
Libertarian for Governor of Alabama
Lew Rockwell and I talked via email the other day. He, as it happens, is very proud of me and my work on behalf of Liberty....and as long as Lew is happy....then I am pretty happy too.
Which makes one wonder how he ever got a job getting his piehole remarks published anywhere except on his own website. As I stated yesterday Whatever happened to a little journalistic research?
And why do men seem so afraid of women in politics?
I sent the following email this morning.
Hi Carey,
Your piece about my campaign is so completely wrong. It's funny that we both write for Lew Rockwell and are of a Libertarian bent and you come up with something like this. Did you bother to read my platform or anything else other than the incorrect and inflammatory headline that came across your desk?
I see that this offensive article has been republished in a number of papers and on websites. I'll be contacting each and every one of them and asking for a retraction. I would also ask that you correct this mis-information on your website.
Best,
Loretta Nall
Libertarian for Governor of Alabama
Lew Rockwell and I talked via email the other day. He, as it happens, is very proud of me and my work on behalf of Liberty....and as long as Lew is happy....then I am pretty happy too.
Birmingham Black & White Publishers Notebook
By Chuck Geiss
Birmingham Black & White
November 02, 2006
You know who Bob Riley and Lucy Baxley are, but have you heard of Loretta Nall, the Libertarian Party’s write-in candidate for governor?
If you are old enough to remember Ralph “Shorty” Price, Nall’s candidacy might seem similar. Price was a hard-drinking, “Bear” Bryant-loving, self-appointed Crimson Tide cheerleader who never missed a football game or the chance to run for governor. He was a perennial gubernatorial candidate in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, and a free-spirited lightning rod for any voter interested in casting a protest vote against status-quo politics.
On the surface, it appears that Nall’s campaign antics pick up right where Price’s left off. Recent newspaper reports indicate that the centerpiece of her campaign is her cleavage. Campaign materials include T-shirts and marijuana stash boxes imprinted with the theme “More of these boobs” (Nall’s), “and less of these boobs” (Riley and Baxley). You can also visit her web site and learn why she doesn’t wear panties, or for a cash donation, get the opportunity “to meet the twins,” as she calls them. And though it would be easy to dismiss Nall as just another oddball candidate with a silly agenda, she does indeed have a platform and a story to go along with her candidacy, which she proclaims is fueled by neither an ego trip nor a bout of temporary insanity.
Nall claims her life changed on September 17, 2002, when agents of the Alexander City Police Department, the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department, the Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force, the Marijuana Eradication Project, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Alabama Bureau of Investigation attempted to raid her house. One week earlier, she had taken a trip to Vancouver to visit Marc Emery, a well-known Canadian marijuana legalization activist, to learn more about political activism. Nall believes her Canadian visit made her an instant target of the authorities who instigated the raid without cause. Hovering helicopters and armies of police were turned away when she denied them access to her home after learning they did not have a warrant.
Weeks later, Nall founded the Alabama Marijuana Party, and one month after that, the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department received a search warrant for Nall’s property on the basis of an alleged anonymous phone tip that she was growing marijuana inside her house. Her house was ransacked and, according to her, authorities seized her diaries, confiscated a variety of books and publications, and sifted through the ashes of the remains of her three-month-old son. After finding 0.87 grams of marijuana (according to Nall, a stem and three seeds), police called in the Alabama Department of Human Resources, whose agents declared her home unfit for her children. They informed her that if she did not have a place for the children to stay, the state would take them. The children were temporarily moved to a relative’s house 50 miles away, and Nall was later booked on possession of marijuana.
“When they kicked in my door, I said to myself ‘that will be about enough of that,’” Nall said. She announced her candidacy for governor on September 29, 2005, and has been actively campaigning ever since. She has not collected enough signatures to get on the ballot, and she has collected less than $25,000 in campaign donations, which has led her to use the internet and public forums to get her message out.
“While I don’t advocate drug use, I am a strong supporter of drug policy reform,” Nall says. “What the state did to me was a ridiculous use of assets. Besides that, it costs us $134 million a year to house non-violent criminals in our prison system, a prison system that is currently a real mess on all fronts.” After visiting South America, she is convinced that the U.S. drug policy is seriously flawed and a waste of money.
“I’m for naturalizing illegal immigrants that are already here,” Nall continued. “It is the only fiscally responsible thing to do because it would add them to our existing tax base. All other policies are based on racial politics, and we’ve had too much of that in this state.” Her platform also calls for the withdrawal of the Alabama National Guard from Iraq, giving tax credits for sending children to private school and home schooling, opting out of the No Child Left Behind Act, legalizing marijuana, and not complying with the USA-PATRIOT Act and the Real ID Act.
Nall might have remained in obscurity if not for political writer Bob Ingram, who included her story in his March 2, 2006, syndicated column, where he called her a “run for the fun of it” candidate. When it ran in the Montgomery Independent, Ingram’s column included a photo of Nall that been hand picked—presumably for its sexual appeal—by editor Bob Martin. One week later, Ingram included the following at the end of his column: “Allow me to express a personal note of appreciation to Bob Martin, the editor of this newspaper, for finding a picture of gubernatorial candidate Loretta Nall to run with my column last week. I am sure it attracted a lot of readers. In 55 years of political writing, that was a first for me—a picture in my column of a woman displaying cleavage. I can only hope that my mother . . . and I know for a fact where she ended up in the afterlife . . . didn’t see that column. She wouldn’t have approved of that picture.”
In an instant, Nall became known as the cleavage candidate, but instead of fighting their remarks, she decided to take advantage of them. “At first I was upset about it, but we turned it into an advantage. And let’s face it, over-the-top campaign tactics work and they are working to my advantage now. I don’t have [money for] radio or television, so we’re going with what we have,” Nall said. “I think once people get over the initial impression, they tend to take me more seriously.”
Given that she probably won’t win the race, Nall has plans for the future. “We have been working on a medical marijuana bill in the state legislature that should have some traction in 2007. I’m interested in setting up a Court Watch citizen advocate program so the public can have a more transparent picture of what happens in our courtrooms. I’d like to change ballot access laws because the current system is hardly a fair and open process. And, I plan to run against third district Congressman Mike Rogers in 2008.”
Watch out, Mike. I don’t remember Shorty Price ever having that kind of long-term plan.
Birmingham Black & White
November 02, 2006
You know who Bob Riley and Lucy Baxley are, but have you heard of Loretta Nall, the Libertarian Party’s write-in candidate for governor?
If you are old enough to remember Ralph “Shorty” Price, Nall’s candidacy might seem similar. Price was a hard-drinking, “Bear” Bryant-loving, self-appointed Crimson Tide cheerleader who never missed a football game or the chance to run for governor. He was a perennial gubernatorial candidate in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, and a free-spirited lightning rod for any voter interested in casting a protest vote against status-quo politics.
On the surface, it appears that Nall’s campaign antics pick up right where Price’s left off. Recent newspaper reports indicate that the centerpiece of her campaign is her cleavage. Campaign materials include T-shirts and marijuana stash boxes imprinted with the theme “More of these boobs” (Nall’s), “and less of these boobs” (Riley and Baxley). You can also visit her web site and learn why she doesn’t wear panties, or for a cash donation, get the opportunity “to meet the twins,” as she calls them. And though it would be easy to dismiss Nall as just another oddball candidate with a silly agenda, she does indeed have a platform and a story to go along with her candidacy, which she proclaims is fueled by neither an ego trip nor a bout of temporary insanity.
Nall claims her life changed on September 17, 2002, when agents of the Alexander City Police Department, the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department, the Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force, the Marijuana Eradication Project, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Alabama Bureau of Investigation attempted to raid her house. One week earlier, she had taken a trip to Vancouver to visit Marc Emery, a well-known Canadian marijuana legalization activist, to learn more about political activism. Nall believes her Canadian visit made her an instant target of the authorities who instigated the raid without cause. Hovering helicopters and armies of police were turned away when she denied them access to her home after learning they did not have a warrant.
Weeks later, Nall founded the Alabama Marijuana Party, and one month after that, the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department received a search warrant for Nall’s property on the basis of an alleged anonymous phone tip that she was growing marijuana inside her house. Her house was ransacked and, according to her, authorities seized her diaries, confiscated a variety of books and publications, and sifted through the ashes of the remains of her three-month-old son. After finding 0.87 grams of marijuana (according to Nall, a stem and three seeds), police called in the Alabama Department of Human Resources, whose agents declared her home unfit for her children. They informed her that if she did not have a place for the children to stay, the state would take them. The children were temporarily moved to a relative’s house 50 miles away, and Nall was later booked on possession of marijuana.
“When they kicked in my door, I said to myself ‘that will be about enough of that,’” Nall said. She announced her candidacy for governor on September 29, 2005, and has been actively campaigning ever since. She has not collected enough signatures to get on the ballot, and she has collected less than $25,000 in campaign donations, which has led her to use the internet and public forums to get her message out.
“While I don’t advocate drug use, I am a strong supporter of drug policy reform,” Nall says. “What the state did to me was a ridiculous use of assets. Besides that, it costs us $134 million a year to house non-violent criminals in our prison system, a prison system that is currently a real mess on all fronts.” After visiting South America, she is convinced that the U.S. drug policy is seriously flawed and a waste of money.
“I’m for naturalizing illegal immigrants that are already here,” Nall continued. “It is the only fiscally responsible thing to do because it would add them to our existing tax base. All other policies are based on racial politics, and we’ve had too much of that in this state.” Her platform also calls for the withdrawal of the Alabama National Guard from Iraq, giving tax credits for sending children to private school and home schooling, opting out of the No Child Left Behind Act, legalizing marijuana, and not complying with the USA-PATRIOT Act and the Real ID Act.
Nall might have remained in obscurity if not for political writer Bob Ingram, who included her story in his March 2, 2006, syndicated column, where he called her a “run for the fun of it” candidate. When it ran in the Montgomery Independent, Ingram’s column included a photo of Nall that been hand picked—presumably for its sexual appeal—by editor Bob Martin. One week later, Ingram included the following at the end of his column: “Allow me to express a personal note of appreciation to Bob Martin, the editor of this newspaper, for finding a picture of gubernatorial candidate Loretta Nall to run with my column last week. I am sure it attracted a lot of readers. In 55 years of political writing, that was a first for me—a picture in my column of a woman displaying cleavage. I can only hope that my mother . . . and I know for a fact where she ended up in the afterlife . . . didn’t see that column. She wouldn’t have approved of that picture.”
In an instant, Nall became known as the cleavage candidate, but instead of fighting their remarks, she decided to take advantage of them. “At first I was upset about it, but we turned it into an advantage. And let’s face it, over-the-top campaign tactics work and they are working to my advantage now. I don’t have [money for] radio or television, so we’re going with what we have,” Nall said. “I think once people get over the initial impression, they tend to take me more seriously.”
Given that she probably won’t win the race, Nall has plans for the future. “We have been working on a medical marijuana bill in the state legislature that should have some traction in 2007. I’m interested in setting up a Court Watch citizen advocate program so the public can have a more transparent picture of what happens in our courtrooms. I’d like to change ballot access laws because the current system is hardly a fair and open process. And, I plan to run against third district Congressman Mike Rogers in 2008.”
Watch out, Mike. I don’t remember Shorty Price ever having that kind of long-term plan.
Bob Ingram...You're still invited to my inaugural ball
Mr. Bob Ingram, apparently tired of being called a 'dirty old man' on National television for his apparent fascination with my cleavage, is at it again this morning and wrote the following in his weekly column.
With all the ugliness in so many of the campaigns, it seems appropriate to turn to a lighter subject.
Loretta Nall of Alex City, a Libertarian write in candidate for governor of Alabama, appeared on the nationally televised show, "Countdown", on MSNBC hosted by Keith Olbermann a few days ago, and forgive me, she surely won the "Booby Prize."
Ms. Nall...how can I say it delicately...is well endowed. In fact in one of my columns some months ago I made reference to the amount of cleavage she was showing in a photo that ran with my column. She picked up on my line and has run with it like you wouldn't believe.
She now has T-shirts which have pictures of the other gubernatorial candidates on them and with the message: "More of these boobs and less of these boobs."
By the way, in the TV interview, Ms. Nall described me as a "dirty old man" and thanked me for getting her the "horny man vote."
I can't deny I am old...but I shower every day.
She also said that if she loses the governor's race...which she surely will...she intends to run for the U.S. House in 2008 from the Third District.
Now, truthfully, if Mr. Ingram hadn't dismissed me long ago and decided to focus on my chest I would never have gotten all of this national and international media attention....which I have just had a ball with. I like a tad of levity with my politics.
As to his assertion that I will not win the election...well we'll see. Win or lose on election night I have won a great deal by entering the Alabama political arena. I have built a huge network of people who will help with the next campaign, made many friends in the media, met many thousands of Alabama citizens who feel the way I do and believe in my ability to change things for the better. That is a major win for me.
Despite Bob Ingram's contrariness (I forgive him...when you are as old as he is I guess you have more than earned the right ro be contrary) I would still invite him to my inaugural ball and when this election season is all over the 'twins' and I will be sending him a fruit basket, thank you card and even some campaign gear with the boobs logo.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Loretta Nall on For The Record
UPDATE: The For the Record (Alabama Public Television) segment should air tonight at 6:30 pm....but could be postponed until tomorrow pending the outcome of the court case seeking to disqualify four democratic senators.
Be sure to watch FTR on Friday's Week in Review program as Tim told me today that he passed my answers to the debate questions on to the three journalist who will be doing the roundtable discussion.
-------------------------
I am being interviewed by For the Record this afternoon about what it has been like to run a write-in campaign for Governor of Alabama. I am not sure if it will air tonight or on a different night. I will post more information as soon as I have it.
Be sure to watch FTR on Friday's Week in Review program as Tim told me today that he passed my answers to the debate questions on to the three journalist who will be doing the roundtable discussion.
-------------------------
I am being interviewed by For the Record this afternoon about what it has been like to run a write-in campaign for Governor of Alabama. I am not sure if it will air tonight or on a different night. I will post more information as soon as I have it.
Whatever happened to a little research?
There are still a number of media outlets and bloggers who are inacurately reporting on the boob thing. This is the result of either willful ignorance or outright laziness or perhaps a combination of the two. I have made the entire story available on my campaign site and this blog for anyone who cares enough to be bothered with looking it up before they add their uninformed two cents.
Once again... here is the entire story complete with original scans of the newspaper articles that started it. The 'oh-so-controversial' animations (which, I might add, were named most honest of the political season) are also available for free.
Once again... here is the entire story complete with original scans of the newspaper articles that started it. The 'oh-so-controversial' animations (which, I might add, were named most honest of the political season) are also available for free.
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