Stealing Alabama Elections: Paul Hubbert and Ben Franklin's Alternative.

Dr. Franklin was for retaining the clause [on impeachment], as favorable to the executive. History furnishes one example only of a first magistrate being formally brought to public justice. Every body cried out against this as unconstitutional. What was the practice before this, in cases where the chief magistrate rendered himself obnoxious? Why, recourse was had to assassination, in which he was not only deprived of his life, but of the opportunity of vindicating his character. It would be the best way, therefore, to provide in the Constitution for the regular punishment of the executive, where his misconduct should deserve it, and for his honorable acquittal, where he should be unjustly accused. -- Record of the Constitutional Convention, 1787.

Paul Hubbert, Alabama teachers' union boss, co-chair of the Alabama Democrat Party and Unofficial Emperor of Alabama.

Meet Paul Hubbert.

Back in the 90s, after the state senate and legislature finally got around to banning lobbyists from working the floor alongside the elected officials of the state while they made the laws that govern us all, I watched Paul Hubbert as he adapted to the new strictures.

Standing behind glass in the balcony, I watched him as he surveyed his kingdom below, attended by his union and political toadies. As amendments would be raised on the floor below, Emperor Hubbert dispatched them as Nero or Caligula dispatched Christians in the Arena, with his thumb. His bought-and-paid-for lawmakers would gaze up at the Emperor, and if he liked an amendment, he would give it thumbs up and it would be dutifully passed. If he didn't, he would turn his thumb down and the amendment would be fed to the lions.

And that is pretty much how the state senate and legislature, forever dominated by the Democrat party, has been for decades right up until today.

But today, or I should say, tomorrow, Hubbert's nemesis, Bradley Byrne, may cinch the Republican nomination for Governor.

Byrne successfully fought Hubbert and his union thugs in a struggle to clean up the corruption ridden two-year college system here. With an ignorant twit running for Governor on the Democrat ticket and thus with little hope of beating a literate Republican who can put two sentences together successfully, Hubbert decided to stack the deck. Over the Republican primary race's length, he has poured millions of union and Democrat party dollars into the campaigns of Byrne's GOP opponents -- first Tim James (who didn't make the cut for the run-off)and now Robert Bentley (who did) -- in a desperate effort to defeat a man who has proven incorruptible.

In addition, the Democrat Party is mobilizing its considerable ground machine to truck Democrats to the GOP run-off tomorrow to vote for Bentley.

Now you must be a Democrat to vote in a Democrat primary in Alabama, but the stupid party made a conscious decision not to do that because they wanted to be "inclusive." So tomorrow, the likelihood is that Hubbert will get his choice of GOP candidate unless the GOP party faithful turn out in vast numbers, and that's not the way to bet.

And after Robert Bentley wins, Paul Hubbert will be smiling. But it strikes me that while he's dancing on Bradley Byrne's political grave, he should remember Ben Franklin's warning.

People here in Alabama are bone-weary of public corruption in general and of Hubbert's long winning streak of controlling the system for his own power in particular.

If legal means do not suffice to deter a corrupt and corrupting character like Hubbert, perhaps someone will become frustrated enough with Paul Hubbert's iron hand around the throat of Alabama politics to decide that the time has come to exercise Franklin's Alternative.

Wouldn't surprise me in the least.

Not advocating, just saying.

Mike Vanderboegh
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