The Birmingham News endorses Emory Anthony

I know I've been slacking off on weekend posts, but I've enjoy not thinking about the stupidity for a few days, and will write on a regular again...

Anyways, this weekend the Birmingham News has decided to endorse Emory Anthony over Patrick Cooper for the mayor of Birmingham for the next 2 years.  There reasons is their lack of reporting all the 6 mayoral forums and saying that Cooper didn't attend all of them.  FACT: Cooper attended 3 of the 6 mayoral forums.  Anthony only attended 4 himself, so what difference does this truly make.  FACT: The Birmingham News only covered 3 of the 6 forums themselves, but only thoroughly reported on the 2 hosted by the Birmingham Business Alliance at the Alabama School of Fine Arts and Catalyst Birmingham at WorkPlay.  FACT: The majority of the attendees of these forums are supporters, campaign workers, and those who have already made up their mind were in attendance at the forums since they are forums and not debates where issues can be discussed and countered.  In other words, these are dog-and-pony shows for candidates, and if a candidate does show up to these they are basically using one-line zingers and slogans to their fan, cheerleaders, and those on their payroll.   FACT: The Birmingham News columnist John Archibald and Joey Kennedy were some of the main print media detractors of Cooper's lawsuit against former mayor Larry Langford over the authenticity of his citizenship in Birmingham, which was later proven false and the suit was legit.  FACT: The Birmngham News were some of the main culprits who turned a blind eye to the foolishness of the Langford administration hoping he would allow them into the Council Chambers and other city related business to scoop a story.  So to sum it up, it seems to me that the Birmingham News is a bias news source when it comes to reporting on things involving Birmingham and its imagery and trying to help progress the place beyond the racialized, hyper-partisan mess that remained status quo for nearly 2 decades.

Now Anthony ran for mayor in 1991 and 1995, but lost both times to then mayor Richard Arrington, and he was associated with Big Chief No-Do also known as former mayor Bernard Kincaid by getting him elected twice in 1999 and 2003 with the now-defunct Jefferson County Progressive Democrat Council.  So Anthony isn't new to the area's politics and is well-connected, but he just doesn't seem to me that he has that "ump" needed to get Birmingham out of the regressive hole we've been in.  Also he seems to want to continue some things that needs to be killed immediately like the city scholarship program when the city needs to get its finances in order.  Finally, he doesn't seem like he wants to engage the young, educated, or LGBT/SGL voters in this race. 

Oh well!  I'm pro-Cooper, but I wouldn't be mad if Anthony did win.  However, those 2 are light-years ahead of the 3 Stooges: Steven Hoyt, Carole Smitherman, and William Bell. 

HUH?

Today's events are dumbfounding and ignorant if you ask me.  OK, this morning the new councilors were swore in and immediate the went into conference to appoint the new Council President and President Pro-Tem.

Prior to this apparentl political deals went down between Steven Hoyt and Carole Smitherman that he would get to keep his appointment as head of the Economic Development committee and he would give his vote to Smitherman to remain Council President.  However, Hoyt heard from someone that apparently Smitherman told an incoming councilor that they were getting it instead of him, now who that incoming councilor could be anybody's guess.  However, my guess is not so incoming but appointee and now elected Johnathn Austin who voted for Smitherman to remain.  Anyways, Hoyt changed his vote at literally the last minute and voted for Roderick Royal as the new council president and interim mayor of Birmingham. 

Now word is that Royal had supposely been vying for this for awhile with practically all the incoming councilors voting for him: Kim Rafferty, LaShaunda Scales, and Jay Roberson along with Steven Hoyt as the swing vote aside from himself. 

However, around 5:30 pm this evening Smitherman held a press junket where she claimed to be have been "played" by Hoyt after he suppose to have as late as last night promised a vote for her instead.  Her claims says that the 3 mayors within a month is showing instability of the city's leadership.  UGH, LIKE YOU BEING MAYOR DOESN'T EITHER?  She goes on a pout and "crying foul" fest, but says that she is a "Christian" and will let it go after this announcement.   Kyle Whitmire of the Birmingham Weekly points out the "what-ifs" of the Mayor-Council Act of 1962 that states that the interim mayor couldn't have voted in the appointment of the President Pro Tempore.  However, Royal didn't there would have been a 4-4 tie in the vote thus defeating the purpose of the appointment.  It just seems like there is a "dust up" for the controversial effects of this already quasi-bizarre, complicated mess with the elected leadership of Birmingham.

The thing that took the cake-and-ice cream was how she claimed during the junket that Patrick Cooper called councilors pursuading them to vote for Royal over her.  Now that is puridy-stupid if you ask me because if he did some backdoor campaigning didn't she do the exact same thing when she was promising Hoyt the position on the Economic Development committee.  Oh so it's a "do-as-I-say-but-not-do-as-I-do" call, huh Councilor Smitherman?  WOW, WOW, WOW! 

Also she chose not to attend the event planned by the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute welcoming the new councilors.  She said, "I'm sleepy.  I have been working 16 hours a day for four weeks, and I am going home to clean my house and prepare for Thanksgiving dinner with my family.” 
Hmmm, I warned that Smitherman would get what she put out and get smacked dead in the face for her political grandstanding along with it backfiring on her sooner than later.  She is one stupid and hypocritical person that wants others to bow to her trivialized wishes, but if one does what is beneficiary to themselves, i.e., self-preservation, then it is backstabbing.  She is a piece of work and tries to attack Cooper and play the sympathy card to the gullible and pro-establishment black voters and that one special assoicate that I know that believe everything she says.  All I have to say is:  HEIFER, SIT YOU AND YOUR 3 CHINS DOWN SOMEWHERE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT I SAID!  SMDH 

After this and the antics of Bell and Smitherman, both of whom I said look out for I say "GO COOPER!" AND "GO ANTHONY!".  I would rather see an election of Cooper outright or a run-off between these 2 because those other 2 jokes known as Smitherman and Bell as mayor.

Emory Anthony announces his candidacy for mayor of Birmingham

This morning around 11 am, trial lawyer, former munipal judge, and former federal prosecutor has announced his candidacy to run for Birmingham's mayor.  He did it in his law offices in Birmingham surrounded by this wife and 2 daughters along with supporters and friends.  His campaign platform was on fiscal responsibility and improving the city budget. 

In other words, his campaign was pretty vague and focusing on the money issues, transportation improvement, etc.  Well, good luck with that...

Birmingham will have its special mayoral election on December 8th

Tuesday, December 8th, will be the day of reckoning for the city of Birmingham.  It's going to be a long month and 5 days...

Here's the list of candidates from what I know and heard are seriously considering:

Carole Smitherman
Patrick Cooper
Emory Anthony
Robert Kelly
Steven Hoyt
Cedric Sparks