Reply #8: My sister-in-law [View All]

[quaoar]

is a Republican county commissioner and a very conscientious, fair-minded person. She is appalled at the influence of the Christian Coalition on the GOP. I've contributed to her campaigns.

And in 2002 I voted for the Republican candidate for governor of Alabama -- Bob Riley. I had always thought of Riley as a typical conservative (he was a congressman before he became governor).

But the incumbent Democrat, Don Siegelman, was a major disappointment. He had promised to fix Alabama's terrible public education system and proposed a lottery to do it. When voters rejected the lottery he didn't do another damn thing about it.

So I figured Riley would at least try to do something. And he did. He proposed a huge statewide property tax increase to fund schools. It, too, had to be put to a vote and his own party abandoned him. Grover Norquist vowed to make an example out of him. And once again the voters shot it down.

Now Riley faces the possibility of a GOP primary challenge in 2006 from Roy Moore, the Ten Commandments judge. If that happens, I will surely send Riley a contribution.