Alabama is broken. And I live here.

[trof]

It's hard to know where to begin.
I guess I'll start at the top.

1. Our governor, Dr. Robert Bentley, is a physician.
OK, he's a dermatologist, but he's still an MD.
He turned down the ACA Medicaid expansion which would not only have provided thousands of our poor with something at least approaching decent medical care, but would have created a slew of new jobs.
But of course it's really 'OBAMACARE', so anything 'Obama' ain't gonna fly in dear old Dixie.
I'm pretty sure that sometime in his training he swore to/subscribed to the Hypocratic Oath..."First, do no harm."
Well, so much for that.


He's a Christian.
Fine.
But in a post-election appearance "Gov.-elect Robert Bentley in a speech at Montgomery's Dexter Avenue Baptist Church (where MLK preached) this afternoon said he plans to be the governor of all Alabamians and be color-blind, but he also said people who aren't ''saved" Christians aren't his brothers and sisters."
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/01/gov-elect_robert_bentley_inten.html


Oh yeah, in his first election he wanted his title, "Dr.", on the ballot.
The repugs said that wasn't allowed. You can't put 'General', or 'Admiral', or 'Grand Dragon KKK' on the ballot. Just your name.
He had his name changed to "Dr. Robert Bentley".
I'm not kidding.

"Dr. Robert Bentley, a Republican candidate for governor, has officially changed his name to "DR. Robert Bentley" as a marketing tool for his candidacy.

But the GOP state executive committee wouldn't go along with it Saturday, rejecting Bentley's request to list his name that way on the June 1 Republican primary ballot."
http://blog.al.com/breaking/2010/04/state_gop_rules_out_nicknames.html

He's also quoted as saying the EPA is "'trying to kill us in the South".
http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2014/07/gov_bentley_said_epa_trying_to.html

I could go on but I need to go now.
You can hate on the state and it's government, but don't hate on us benighted libs who choose to live here.
I'll be back with more about down the repug food chain in this all red state.
And answer the question I know you have.
"WHY DO YOU LIVE THERE?"

[blkmusclmachine]

1. "You Shall Know Them By Their Works."

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. People live where they live because it's home

and there's always something to like about home. I do not want to leave my home in Minnesota even though the winters would, as one might say, freeze the balls off a brass monkey. I took early retirement rather than move to Atlanta after my employer, having acquired the company I was working for, moved my job there after they promised they wouldn't. I did not want to move to Atlanta because I like it here in the frozen north. It's home, ice and snow and all.

And I will not get too snooty about other people's politicians. Yes, we have Al Franken and Keith Ellison, but we also have Michele Bachmann and an assortment of other, less well-known lunatics. Although changing your name to include the title of "Dr." is pretty out there, it's tough to beat Bachmann on the nutball spectrum.

Wherever you live, something's gonna be weird.

[mcar]

3. Alabama has some beautiful spots

As does my state of Florida. At least until the Republicans turned it into a cesspool.

I feel your pain.

[Fred Sanders]

4. Religion makes people stupid, here is the evidence, this vile man wears his religion like he wears

his pants, I am sure, inside out.

[NightWatcher]

5. There are some nice spots around Mobile Bay

Sure the mail delivery is hit or miss sometimes



I worked in the bay for a couple of years and miss it.

[former9thward]

6. I lived in Birmingham for a while

while I was working in Tuscaloosa for the U of A. Loved the state and the University. Roll Tide!

[steve2470]

7. I can guess why you live there, because your state touches mine

As long as politics isn't involved, your friends and neighbors are decent people, probably. Your state has natural beauty. It's your home. It isn't too cold in the winter Am I close ?

[dixiegrrrrl]

11. Leaving politics and religion out of the mix is key to living here.

I was cheered, however, when we bought this house for our retirement, and were greeted by our next door neighbors.
First thing they said was..."Welcome to the neighborhood, and please tell us you are Democrats!"

We live in "Mayberry" and almost everything is wonderful here, esp. the cost of living.
I know the natives down here look askance at out-of-staters, and I always tell them..."I wasn't born in Alabama
but I got here as soon as I could".
and they seem to appreciate that.

[steve2470]

14. "Leaving politics and religion out of the mix is key to living here" = in FL also nt

[Hoyt]

8. Lived in Huntsville for awhile. Some good people, but some callous ones too.

The major offices are filled with the latter.

[Crowman1979]

9. I can't to vote that Zombie-lookin' bastard out of office.

Plus I have a lot of inside info of how that a-hole has screwed up Alabama's education system.

[Zorra]

10. "Alabama"

[al_liberal]

12. When in history hasn't AL been broken?

This is certainly one of the original "broken" states just as sure as Pennsylvania is one of the original 13.

There is no "fixing" AL, it has had stage 4 cancer since its inception and instead of dying off all it does is spread it to other healthy organs.

I'm here because I have my best dream job that I could have ever asked for and it's for life.

[struggle4progress]

13. “Tell about the South. What's it like there. What do they do there. Why do they live there. Why

do they live at all.”

Absalom, Absalom!
William Faulkner