Valentine's Day for Robert Bentley and Rebekah Mason in the Land of Misery
By Donald V. Watkins
©Copyrighted and Published (via Facebook) on February 14, 2017
©Copyrighted and Published (via Facebook) on February 14, 2017
Under Governor Robert Bentley, Alabama has become the Land of Misery. The demographics of the Land of Misery on this Valentine's Day are nothing to brag about. They include the following cold, hard, embarrassing "misery index" facts:
1. Alabama is one of the most corrupt states in the nation, according to a 2014 study conducted by Harvard University's Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics.
2. Alabama's unemployment rate in December 2016 was 6.2 percent, while the national unemployment rate was 4.7 percent.
3. One in ten Alabamians lacks basic health insurance in 2016, while Bentley and other state officials, including lawmakers, enjoyed premium healthcare packages paid for by taxpayers.
4. Alabama prides itself on being a "right to life" state. Yet, Alabama ranks as the worst state in the nation for maternal and infant healthcare. The state ranks 46th overall, 49th for infant mortality, and 48th for preterm births and low birth weight babies.
5. Alabama's teen-pregnancy rate and obesity crisis remain out of control. In fact, obesity adversely affects the health of one-third of Alabamians.
6. Alabama's public schools are perpetually underfunded and chronically underperforming. Our public school buildings are crumbling, literally.
7. One in four adult Alabamians is functionally illiterate, according to the literacy Council of West Alabama. Functional illiteracy is the inability to read, write, or use basic math skills and technology in everyday life.
8. Alabama is the third poorest state in the nation.
9. Alabama's courts and public-safety systems have been weakened by an endless series of budget cuts.
10. Alabama is chronically deficient in the maintenance of the state's roads, highways, bridges, dams, and other critical infrastructure.
2. Alabama's unemployment rate in December 2016 was 6.2 percent, while the national unemployment rate was 4.7 percent.
3. One in ten Alabamians lacks basic health insurance in 2016, while Bentley and other state officials, including lawmakers, enjoyed premium healthcare packages paid for by taxpayers.
4. Alabama prides itself on being a "right to life" state. Yet, Alabama ranks as the worst state in the nation for maternal and infant healthcare. The state ranks 46th overall, 49th for infant mortality, and 48th for preterm births and low birth weight babies.
5. Alabama's teen-pregnancy rate and obesity crisis remain out of control. In fact, obesity adversely affects the health of one-third of Alabamians.
6. Alabama's public schools are perpetually underfunded and chronically underperforming. Our public school buildings are crumbling, literally.
7. One in four adult Alabamians is functionally illiterate, according to the literacy Council of West Alabama. Functional illiteracy is the inability to read, write, or use basic math skills and technology in everyday life.
8. Alabama is the third poorest state in the nation.
9. Alabama's courts and public-safety systems have been weakened by an endless series of budget cuts.
10. Alabama is chronically deficient in the maintenance of the state's roads, highways, bridges, dams, and other critical infrastructure.
With all that is wrong in the Land of Misery, why in the world would Governor Bentley make $800 million in new prisons a priority over desperately needed new public schools, expanded healthcare for law-abiding men, women, and children, and improved road, bridges, and other badly needed infrastructure projects throughout the state?
The answer is fairly simple and disgusting.
An $800 million bond issue for new prisons is a much easier political lift in the legislature than $800 million for new public schools, expanded healthcare, or infrastructure improvement projects for law-abiding taxpayers. Capital improvements for these deserving projects require adherence to the state's fairly strict competitive bid laws where the lowest qualified and responsive bidder wins. There is not a lot of wiggling room for graft, fraud, skimming out the top, or other forms of corruption in low-bid construction contracts.
In contrast, the Governor's $800 million prison plan affords Robert Bentley a unique opportunity to handpick the successful contractor after reviewing proposals submitted by various builders. This approach is much more flexible, but will cost taxpayers more money because Bentley is free to select a builder other than the lowest responsible proposer.
What is more, the no-bid approach facilitates Bentley's ability and propensity to take care of his married girlfriend, Rebekah Caldwell Mason - to the tune of $16 million in consulting fees, with no questions asked. This kind of gubernatorial "perking" can only happen in Bentley's Land of Misery.
Bentley is not alone in his devious mind and obsessive personal greed. The legislators who are pushing the governor's prison plan also have undisclosed insider deals tucked away in the $800 million bond money for the benefit of their closest friends, business associates, and girlfriends/mistresses. For many legislators, the plan constitutes a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity to get rich by helping their cronies make plenty of mega "kickback" bucks.
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The timing for this "Trojan Horse" prison plan could not be better for Bentley, Rebekah Mason, and their legislator cohorts. Presently, no state or federal prosecutor in Alabama is enforcing anti-corruption laws against Robert Bentley, his girlfriend, his newly minted U.S. Senator, Luther Strange, and other top state officials. All of these law enforcement officials have turned their heads the other way.
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The timing for this "Trojan Horse" prison plan could not be better for Bentley, Rebekah Mason, and their legislator cohorts. Presently, no state or federal prosecutor in Alabama is enforcing anti-corruption laws against Robert Bentley, his girlfriend, his newly minted U.S. Senator, Luther Strange, and other top state officials. All of these law enforcement officials have turned their heads the other way.
Steve Marshall, the governor's newly appointed Alabama Attorney General, is reportedly a good guy. However, Marshall has zero experience in prosecuting major public corruption cases. In fact, the only public corruption case prosecuted in Steve Marshall's home county (Marshall County) in recent years was brought against a county commissioner by the state AG's office, not Marshall in his capacity as district attorney.
As bad as things are, the Land of Misery is about to take a turn for the worse. The real crooks are not in Alabama's prison system. They are resting comfortably in the Governor's Mansion, in the First Mistress's office at the State Capitol, and in the legislature as they ready themselves to divide up $800 million in bond money that Alabama taxpayers will eventually have to repay to the tune of $1.5 billion.
Happy Valentine's Day, Rebekah Mason and Robert Bentley! Governor, forget about giving Rebekah roses this year. The two of you are so close to the cash money from the $800 million bond deal that you can practically smell it.
Will Rebekah and Robert get away with this record-breaking fleecing of Alabama taxpayers like they escaped criminal prosecution? Only time will tell.
Donald V Watkins
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