An Alabama Recall

Posted on September 30, 2003 in Gray Davis Recall Morals & Ethics Social Justice

Seems that there’s another recall effort going on and in this case it’s a Republican governor who is in trouble.

I can’t say that I am against the recall because, as a point in fact, Alabama doesn’t have a recall procedure!

So what’s happening? The most likely theory is that opponents of Governor Bob Riley are just collecting names for when the governor’s race rolls around again.

You might ask what Governor Riley did to merit the ire of his masked political opponents. It’s a good question and the answer tells you why I personally endorse Governor Bob Riley for reelection.

Shock. Awe. Deadly pause. Excuse me? Joel, are you feeling well?

Voters in Alabama recently defeated a tax referendum that Riley championed. They were told by incessant media bombardments by the wacky Right that this would mean a tax increase on the middle classes. Nothing of the sort was the case.

Riley, who is a devout Christian and a man of conscience, read a theological paper that discussed the Christian’s obligation to the poor. His tax reform would have shifted the tax burden off the backs of the working poor and onto the backs of the wealthy.

Of course, the wealthy have so much more money to spend on commercials than the poor. The measure was soundly defeated and Riley is now considered persona non gratis for two things:

• Suggesting that Christians should be concerned about economic justice (many are those who falsely teach that the Bible says nothing about economic justice — beware these false prophets!)
• Calling for just and equitable taxes, which means placing the burden on the top earners.

If Bob Riley were running for governor here in California, I might well endorse him. Unfortunately, we have been offered a far more odious and immoral Republican whose regressive tax ideas probably reflect the opinion of the average Republican campaign giver — if not the average Republican voter.

America needs real compassionate conservatives like Bob Riley. Look homeward, Angels of California. Be aware of what is at stake here.

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This sounds like it is addressed to the likes of Ahnold and his typical backer to me:

Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice; who makes his neighbors work for nothing, and does not give them their wages; who says, “I will build myself a spacious house with large upper rooms,” and who cuts out windows for it, paneling it with cedar, and painting it with vermilion. Are you a king because you compete in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Is not this to know me? says the Lord. But your eyes and heart are only on your dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood, and for practicing oppression and violence.

That’s one of many such passages from a book many say doesn’t speak to the issue of economic justice: the Bible. Look it up at Jeremiah 22: 13-17.

I don’t doubt that Jeremiah would be camped out on Ahnold’s front lawn, denouncing him.