Reminiscent of the Contract with America, the 1994 set of vows that ushered in the rise of the Republican Party on the national scene, Democrats in Alabama have developed a contract of their own.Called the Alabama Legislative Democratic Leadership Council Covenant For the Future, it is a promise to voters of just what a Democratic majority in the Statehouse will do when it heads back to Montgomery. That is, if it heads back to Montgomery.
Democrats hold a majority, but Republicans hope to gain enough seats to swing the power in their favor.
In an effort to hold off that shift in power, Democratic leaders are defining themselves with a set of beliefs and promises.
From low taxes to fully funding schools, from border safety to access to health care and low cost prescription drugs, from right to life to government accountability, the covenant seems to cover all the hot-button issues.
But what is different about these political promises is a timeline. Democrats vow to introduce legislation and “ensure a vote to enact the plan” within the first 10 days of the next Legislative session. That is in sharp contrast to the traditional last minute flurry of bills that often make it into law.
Particularly interesting are the four covenants of the Ethics and Election Reform section of the plan. For far too long questionable ethical practices have been allowed to thrive in Alabama politics, but Democrats say ‘no more’ now.
They are calling for a halt to all transfers between Political Action Committees to hide the source of campaign contributions.
All lobbyists would be required to report all expenditures related to appointed or elected officials to the state Ethics Commission.
Against the backdrop of revelations of a community college system rife with charges of nepotism and misuse of funds, Democrats say they will strengthen the law against nepotism in hiring for state jobs.
And they promise to do away with “all pork projects” in state budgets.
In the Democrats’ carefully worded covenant, there seems to be something for everybody. As the November elections approach and the new Legislative session looms, it will be interesting to see if these covenants ever make it into law.
