Former AL Chief Justice Roy Moore Announces Gubernatorial Bid

[Njon]

Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore --- who was removed from office earlier in the decade for defying a federal judge's order that he remove a Ten Commandments monument from the court house --- is running for governor of Alabama in 2010.

A news article is available at http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=99615 and you can Digg the article at http://digg.com/politics/He_s_back_Ten_Commandments_judge_takes_on_Obama_by_WND

Moore's campaign website is http://www.moore2010.com/


I urge those of you who have theological and/or social issue disagreements with Moore to still consider supporting him. He is a state sovereignty advocate who has proven he is willing to stand up to federal intervention in state affairs, and that's exactly what we need in governors. He even mentions support for the state sovereignty movement:

YouTube - Judge Roy Moore on Alabama's State Constitution

 

[silverhawks]

Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore --- who was removed from office earlier in the decade for defying a federal judge's order that he remove a Ten Commandments monument from the court house --- is running for governor of Alabama in 2010.

I urge those of you who have theological and/or social issue disagreements with Moore to still consider supporting him. He is a state sovereignty advocate who has proven he is willing to stand up to federal intervention in state affairs, and that's exactly what we need in governors. He even mentions support for the state sovereignty movement:

You're aware that Judge Moore's platform involves banning abortion and gay marriage? That's how much he respects individual rights; he obviously believes government should be legislating morality.

YouTube - Judge Roy Moore on Morality

Also, prohibiting gambling in the home? Does that sound like liberty to you?

Personally, I saw "Roy's Rock" as a blatant violation of the separation of church and state. Running a government on a platform of propositional ideology is not representative, inherently dangerous and in violation of the first amendment.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"

What else do you call a 2.6 ton monument to the 10 Commandments at the state Supreme Court but a government endorsement of religion?

Moore needs to learn that quoting Thomas Paine at campaign rallies does not make you a constitutionalist. Likewise, making promises to do something once in office doesn't mean ANYTHING - Obama has soundly proved that beyond the shadow of a doubt. There is huge public support here for state sovereignty, but I think Moore is jumping on that bandwagon only to get elected.

More than likely, you're going to see more local support for either Bradley Byrne or Tim James.

 

[silverhawks]

Also, as far as respecting the AL State Constitution:

It's a Thick Book

At 357,157 words, the document is 12 times longer than the average state constitution, 40 times longer than the U.S. Constitution, and is the longest still-operative constitution anywhere in the world. [The Constitution of India, the longest national constitution, comes in at approximately 117,369 words (per the English translation, which is not the official version), making Alabama's constitution approximately three times longer.]

About 90 percent of the document's length, as of 2008, comes from its 798 amendments. Thus there is in fact one amendment less than the number of the final amendment, 799, as amendment 693 does not exist. About 70 percent of those amendments cover only a single county or city, and some deal with salaries of specific officials (e.g. Amendment 480 and the Greene County probate judge). This gives Alabama a large number of constitutional officers.

Here are some of the reasons that it should be reformed:

Alabama is the only state in the southeast that deprives counties of local control, forcing county governments to seek legislative approval for even the most mundane of matters, including rodent control, weed control, bingo, prostitution, and burying dead farm animals, among others.

Our state legislature spends nearly 50% of its time debating local issues, and over 70% of our constitutional amendments apply to a single city or county.

Doesn't it make more sense to let local governments deal with local problems?

The current constitution forces our poorest citizens to pay a disproportionate share of their income in taxes.

For example, the wealthiest one percent of Alabamians pay about 4% of their income in state taxes, while the poorest fifth of our citizens pay nearly 11%.

Moreover, Alabama families begin paying income taxes after just $12,600 in earnings, one of the lowest thresholds in the nation. By contrast, Mississippi does not begin collecting income tax until a family makes more than $19,000 in a year.

Alabama is one of only a handful of states that still collects sales taxes on groceries and non-prescription drugs.

The 1901 Constitution prohibits state and local governments from participating in internal improvements or economic development activities.

Over 50 amendments allow various governing bodies different powers to promote economic development and invest in infrastructure projects, but the original provisions that put a straightjacket on economic development are still there.

As a result, the restrictions apply fully in some counties, partially in others, and not at all in still others.

On average, most states earmark 22% of their revenues; Alabama earmarks nearly 90%.

This gives the governor and the legislature very little flexibility to match available resources with the most pressing needs, particularly when revenues fall short. For example, our state's education budget has faced proration eight times in the last 17 years.

Alabama's constitution now has 799 amendments (including amendments dealing with bingo, mosquito control, catfish, soybeans, dead farm animals, beaver tails, and prostitution).

The constitution itself is easily the longest in the nation and is 12 times longer than the typical state constitution.

The main objectives of the framers of the 1901 Constitution were to remove the voting rights of African-Americans and poor whites in Alabama while centralizing power in the hands of a few special interests in Montgomery.

These goals were achieved with astounding success. By 1903, the number of African-American citizens registered to vote had dropped from 181,000 to less than 4,000, and over 40,000 white citizens had lost their right to vote as well.

Although the infamous voting restrictions of 1901 were overturned by federal courts, evidence of this embarrassing legacy still remains in our Constitution today, and the centralization of power remains as strong as ever.

Check out Alabama Citizens for Constitutional Reform for more information.

 

[Njon]

You're aware that Judge Moore's platform involves banning abortion and gay marriage? That's how much he respects individual rights; he obviously believes government should be legislating morality.

Do you say the same thing about Dr. Paul, who believes in banning abortion (at the state level)? Have you read The Revolution?

And have you seen this? http://www.ronpaullibrary.org/document.php?id=590

Remember, we're talking about a state office, not a federal one. Both of those issues are under state authority per the 10th amendment. And on the state level, Dr. Paul appears to agree with Judge Moore when it comes to banning abortion and not forcing the term 'marriage' to be redefined.

YouTube - Judge Roy Moore on Morality

Also, prohibiting gambling in the home? Does that sound like liberty to you?

I disagree with his gambling position (not that I support gambling, but it's just not a government issue). But that's just one issue, and certainly not a deal-breaker. Judge Moore is solid in so many other ways.

Personally, I saw "Roy's Rock" as a blatant violation of the separation of church and state. Running a government on a platform of propositional ideology is not representative, inherently dangerous and in violation of the first amendment.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof"

What else do you call a 2.6 ton monument to the 10 Commandments at the state Supreme Court but a government endorsement of religion?

Read the first amendment again. It says Congress and law. The Supreme Court of Alabama is not the Congress of the United States, and putting a monument up is not making a law.

Read http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul148.html

 

[Romantarchist]

I have a friend who lives in Hueytown, Alabama and he became a big Ron Paul supporter after I explained Paul's positions to him, and who generally has a libertarian outlook on government. I was going to ask him if he would vote for Moore or maybe do some work for his campaign also, but I decided against it.
Moore just seems way too socially conservative. Banning same-sex marriage and gambling is not cool. The former will only increase hostility towards Christianity. I bet he also opposes lowering the drinking age (if the federal one was abolished) or legalizing marijuana. I will look into him more, but based on what I've seen I think I would pass on him.

 

[jvh440]

-
I would like to say a few things. Right now gambling is expressly prohibited under the AL state Constitution, so any constitutionalist running for Gov. would have to be against it. Now, as for the Alabama State Constitution, I can not believe that someone on this forum would want a con con. There are 2 things you can bet they will take out: 1) The State Balanced Budget Requirement. 2) The Requirement for a Vote of the People to Raise Taxes. There are many other requirement limiting the state government that we will lose forever if we let them touch the Constitution.

I have known Roy Moore for years and let me tell you he is a firm believer in Limited Government, Lower Taxes, and the Free Market. It is true he is a Christian Conservative but so was John Adams. Since Thomas Jefferson is living in Texas I'll take John Adams here in AL!

 

[Pillowpants]

I couldn't possibly support Roy Moore. The Ten Commandments have no place in a secular system of law. Kill people for working on the Sabbath? No thanks.