Tide Breaks Auburn Streak with 36-0 Win

The Alabama Crimson Tide broke the six-year Auburn winning streak over Alabama with a resounding 36-0 victory. Alabama ends the regular season with a 12-0 record and facing the Florida Gators in next week's SEC Championship.
Auburn is to be commended for winning six years in a row. Coach Tommy Tuberville was gracious and gentlemanly in his post-game press conference. Tuberville has pledged to return Auburn to their customary winning ways after a rough season. While some fans are disappointed with the Auburn season, fans should look at the splendid record of Coach Tuberville over the past decade.
However, Alabama dominated on both sides of the line. Alabama's offensive line routinely blew holes open. Alabama's rushing game was far superior. Auburn had some bright moments, but seemed to lose their best chances with the three turnovers and some needless penalties.
Glenn Coffee, Tide running back, shone with brilliance with his speed, breaking of tackles, and leadership on the field. Coffee is known for his Christian witness as well as his accomplishments on the field for the Crimson Tide.Coffee now ranks among the leading Alabama rushers of all time.
Musings from Maytown remains bewildered that any coach in the nation would be considered for Coach of the Year besides Coach Nick Saban. Coach Saban has taken a team with limited experience, only moderate depth, and has them on the verge of a national championship. Yet, the national Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year poll still has Coach Saban ranked # 2 behind Georgia Tech Coach Paul Johnson. While Coach Johnson has done a commendable job, how could any effort compare with this year's accomplishments by Coach Nick Saban.CBS announcers declared this week that Houston Nutt of Ole Miss should have a lock on SEC Coach of the Year. Is Musings from Maytown missing something? The obvious choice for Coach of the Year should be Coach Saban.
Musings from Maytown has provided a link to the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year poll on the left-hand side of this website. Please vote in the Coach of the Year poll for Coach Nick Saban of the University of Alabama. This poll can receive one vote per day from any IP address, so please vote daily for Coach Nick Saban. This poll closes at midnight on Friday, December 5.

Musings from Maytown readers predict a Tide Victory over Auburn

The annual Musings from Maytown poll on the Alabama-Auburn game resulted in the readers of Musings from Maytown predicting an Alabama victory over Auburn. Please note that this report comes hours before the Alabama-Auburn kickoff.
Sixty-Five (65) readers predicted an Alabama win while sixteen (16) Musings from Maytown readers predicted an Auburn victory. This year's poll resulted in a 4-1 margin of those predicting an Alabama victory. If so, this would snap a six game winning streak by the Auburn Tigers.
Both Alabama and Auburn are well coached. Auburn could be lying in wait to ambush Alabama. However, this editor goes along with the vast majority of Musings from Maytown readers in predicting an Alabama victory.
The Musings from Maytown prediction: Alabama 28 Auburn 10.

Vote Matt Chancey for Man of the Year

Art of Manliness is hosting a poll to name the Man of the Year for 2008. One of the nominees is Matt Chancey of Alabama.
Matt Chancey is a Christian layman, a home school father, who works in full-time Christian service with Persecution Project, a Christian organization working to bring relief to starving people in Third World countries. Matt has longed worked as a man with a cause-- supporting the right to home school, the rights of gunowners, fighting for liberty and less government, and for the right-to-life.
This year, Matt made the runoff for President of the Public Service Commission. Matt raised valid issues, made good points, worked hard, and ran a respectable race. Among his endorsements, Matt Chancey won the endorsement of Musings from Maytown. When Matt came up short, Matt endorsed Twinkle Cavanaugh and supported her efforts, as a true gentleman.
Musings from Maytown urges that you go to Art of Manliness and cast your vote for MATT CHANCEY for Man of the Year.

Update on the Coach of the Year Poll

This week, Musings from Maytown has placed a link to the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year poll. The Musings from Maytown perspective is clear: Alabama Crimson Tide Coach Nick Saban is easily the most successful Coach of the Year.
However, Georgia Tech partisans have placed Coach Paul Johnson as the leader in this poll ahead of Coach Saban.
Musings from Maytown wishes to offer you the opportunity to vote for Coach Saban for Coach of the Year. Please vote Coach Saban in the poll on the left-hand side of this web page.
Also, please know that you are able to cast one vote per day. Please return to Musings from Maytown on a daily basis and vote for Nick Saban for Coach of the Year.

Nick Saban for Coach of the Year

Nick Lou Saban, Coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide, has taken a near-moribund football program and transformed this team into national contenders. Believe me, the best is yet to come!
Saban is a master strategician, a charismatic leader, and a bulldog in demanding the best of his players. Musings from Maytown believes that Saban is the best coach in college football today. Certainly, Saban is the premier coach of the 2008 season.
Liberty Mutual is sponsoring a Coach of the Year poll. Musings from Maytown has arranged that readers may cast a vote for Coach Nick Saban. Please look to the left sidebar and cast your vote accordingly. While there, please vote in the current Alabama-Auburn poll.

A British View of the Alabama - Auburn Rivalry

One Week to Go: Anita Baker Coming to Birmingham

Call her jazz, blues, soul, rhythm and blues, pop or whatever, but Musings from Maytown believes that Anita Baker is absolutely the best female vocalist of all time. Anita's silky voice has been absent from the music scene for over a decade, but Anita returned to the touring circuit in 2007 with her new hit Everything.
Born January 26, 1958, Anita Baker was raised in a minister's home where she sang in the church choir. In 1983, Anita Baker released her first hit Angel from the Songstress Album. Baker went on to win eight Grammy awards and score four platinum albums as well as three gold albums. Fans from the 1980s and 90s remember Baker hits Giving You the Best That I've Got, You Bring Me Joy,Rhythm of Love, Talk to Me, You Belong to Me, and my personal favorite No One in the World.
For the first time in a generation, Anita Baker is returning to the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center on Sunday evening, November 30. Tickets are moving briskly, though many of us will be hindered by Sunday evening commitments at church.
Listen to Anita's biggest selling song Caught Up in the Rapture.

Musings from Maytown Annual Poll on the Iron Bowl

To the left of this article, you will find a poll asking your prediction this year's Alabama-Auburn game. While Alabama should be a heavy favorite, Auburn could be primed for an upset.
Will Alabama play to their potential? Will Auburn look for a chance to redeem themselves after a disappointing season? Will Alabama be looking past Auburn to the big showdown with Florida? Will Auburn keep the tradition going and win for the seventh straight year?
Make your predictions here at Musings from Maytown.

Musings from Maytown Readers Express Confidence in Gingrich and Palin

Musings from Maytown readers expressed opinions on the individual who best embodies the future of the Republican Party. The results were a tie between Gov. Sarah Palin and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Both of these fine Americans stand for a strong national defense, support for the right-to-life, and seriously cutting the size of government. The poll results were as follows:
Newt Gingich 11
Mike Huckabee 9
Sarah Palin 11
Mitt Romney 4
Thank you for participating in the Musings from Maytown poll.

Report on the 2008 Alabama Baptist State Convention

Each November, messengers gather from churches across Alabama in an annual meeting to hear preaching, worship together, and discuss business involving the ministry of the Alabama Baptist State Convention and the Alabama Baptist entities. Consider the highlights of this year's convention meeting, held at First Baptist Church of Montgomery.
First, the Alabama Baptist Pastors Conference met on Monday, November 17 at the East Memorial Baptist Church. The music was uplifting, the preaching powerful, and the spirit of the meeting was encouraging and moving. Attendees heard exceptional preaching by men like Bobby Welch, Frank Cox, D.J. Horton, Junior Hill, Rick Lance, and Bobby Pitman. Rick Evans, of Montgomery's Dalraida Baptist Church led the Pastors Conference this year.
Secondly, the meeting was marked by unity and not controversy. Business passed with no rancor or acidity in the discussion. The meeting was orderly and the atmosphere was never tense. Alabama Baptist State Executive Director Rick Lance and staff are to be commended for a well-prepared and well-executed meeting.
Thirdly, the entities gave positive reports. The three Baptist Colleges gave a unified report. However, the most stirring report came from the Alabama Baptist Children's Home and Family Ministries as Paul Miller, Executive Director of the Children's Home, spotlighted a young man who came through the Children's Home who is now working with children through that excellent ministry. Joe Godfrey gave a ringing challenge in the ALCAP report, speaking of the plethora of gambling industry lobbyists who flood the halls of the Alabama legislature. The state convention leadership expressed concerns about the economy, but also expressed a desire to continue funding of missionaries. The percentage of Cooperative Program money sent through the Southern Baptist Convention actually increased this year, a testimony to the loyalty that Alabama Baptists have for Southern Baptist mission work.
Speaking of the Cooperative Program, the missions program by which Southern Baptists support missions, evangelism, and education, the State Convention passed a resolution celebrating that, as of this year, Alabama Baptists have given over $1 billion to mission causes through the Cooperative Program. A light moment at the convention came when Jim Swendenburg gave his Cooperative Program report and mentioned that the average Southern Baptist Church gives 6.66 % of their budget to the Cooperative Program. Report of that number brought laughter from the audience. See Revelation 13 for significance of that number.
Alabama Baptists have led the way in Disaster Relief ministries, with volunteers fanning out across the country when disasters hit.
Fourthly, the State Convention resolutions were plain, well-written, and cutting on the edge of the issues of the day. Alabama Baptists passed a strong resolution opposing the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) which would repeal any limits on abortion and demand federal funding of abortion; support for the California Proposition 8 that banned same-sex marriages, support for a Federal Marriage Amendment, support for open enrollment in Sunday School work, and support for the work of Gideons International. All passed without opposition.
Lastly, the highlight of inspiration was the Tuesday night session with a message from radio personality Rick Burgess of the Rick and Bubba duo and music by Kevin Derryberry. Event organizers counted 2,000 people present for this grand evening.
Dr. Roger Willmore, outgoing President of the Alabama Baptist State Convention, presided well. The new President is Dr. Jimmy Jackson (see article below)of Whitesburg Baptist Church in Huntsville, who will be supported by a capable First Vice President, Dr. Mike Shaw of Pelham's First Baptist Church. Dr. Shaw is a regular reader of Musings from Maytown. All officers were elected without opposition.
All in all, the 2008 Alabama Baptist State Convention meeting was positive and productive.

Alabama Baptist State Convention 2008: New President Jimmy Jackson

Perhaps the most newsworthy action of this year's convention was the election of Jimmy Jackson as President of the Alabama Baptist State Convention. Long time Pastor of the great Whitesburg Baptist Church in Huntsville, Dr. Jackson is a strong Bible preacher and soul winner. During the days of the conservative resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention, Jimmy Jackson was a leader among conservatives, serving on the SBC Executive Committee, the Board of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and serving as Parliamentarian for the annual meeting. In 2006, Dr. Jackson was elected First Vice President of the Southern Baptist Convention. Each year, Whitesburg Baptist leads Alabama in gifts through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions. Hundreds of Whitesburg members have made mission trips around the world.
On the local front, Jimmy Jackson has led Whitesburg Baptist Church toward great effort in evangelism and soul winning. Dr. Jackson is a leader among leaders in Baptist life. In spite of his grand acheivements in ministry, Jimmy Jackson is a humble and lovable servant of God.
The past several Presidents of the Alabama Baptist Convention have been personal friends of the editor of Musings from Maytown, and this editor will testify that these have all been sound thinking, Bible-believing men with a heart for missions and evangelism. Jimmy Jackson's administration will be the zenith of strong leadership as he encourages the Pastors and loves the people of the Alabama Baptist Convention. This editor wishes to express full confidence in the leadership and the character of Dr. Jimmy Jackson, a man this editor has long considered a hero in the faith.

Tide Passes Key Tests-- Now Looks to Auburn

Early in the football season, Musings from Maytown surmised that the Alabama Crimson Tide was yet two years away from contending for a national title. In spite of the abundant talent so evident on the Tide roster, our fear was that lack of depth and youthful inexperience would cause the Tide to falter down the stretch. However, in the past two weeks, Alabama has passed several tests that prove the ability of the Tide to remain strong amidst difficult challenges. Alabama has passed several tests in the past two weeks:
1) The Come-from-behind test:Against LSU, Alabama trailed for a good portion of the first half and even trailed against Mississippi State. However, Alabama proved that a deficit need not be permanent and demonstrated character in fighting back.
2) The Finish-the-Game test: Against Ole Miss, Georgia, and Kentucky, Alabama seemed to play well in the first half, but falter in the second half, holding on to win, but in an ugly manner. However,against LSU, the Tide was forced to play, not only four quarters of football, but even into overtime. Showing class, the Tide played with intensity for the entirety of the game. Against Mississippi State, Alabama pulled away in the second half, after struggling with the Bulldogs in the first half.
3) The Pressure Cooker test: Few teams ever face what the Tide faced when marching into Baton Rogue last week. LSU fans hung Coach Saban in effigy, posted billboards goading the Tide, and created an atmosphere to rattle the Coaching staff and players on the Tide team. But John Parker Wilson demonstrated poise in leading the Tide into an overtime win. While the Tide will always face pressure against every team, the unique pressure in facing LSU has been somewhat relieved.
4) The Monkey-off-my-Back test: LSU had seriously dominated the Tide in recent years. Although normally a doormat for Alabama, Mississippi State had defeated the Tide the past two years, had not allowed an Alabama offensive touchdown since 2004, and in 1980, knocked Alabama out of their #1ranking, the last time Alabama held that spot in a regular season. All of these onuses are gone, as Alabama passed these tests with flair.

5) The Don't-Look-Ahead test: Against Mississippi State, the Tide could have easily looked ahead to bigger games against cross-state rival Auburn and the SEC Championship Game against Florida. Coach Saban prepared his team well and the players demonstrated great maturity in remaining focused in the Mississippi State game.
Remember, General Robert E. Lee had watched his brave men win against odds and, when facing the test at Gettysburg, believed that his men could do anything. This writer finds himself thinking that way about the Tide. However, the next test is against an underrated Auburn team, a team with reverses and hard knocks this year, but a team who could rise and defeat Alabama.
Remember the Van Tiffin last-second field goal in 1985? Alabama was 4-6 against a top-rated Auburn Tiger team, but the Tide prevailed. The shoe is on the other foot this year, and the Tide best not look past Auburn. With six straight Auburn victories over the Tide, Alabama certainly needs to remove this monkey from the Tide back.

Reba McEntire: Still the Best in Concert

Last night, Reba McEntire appeared in concert at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center after many years absence from any Birmingham venue. The editor and his wife covered this concert for Musings from Maytown.
Reba McEntire has twenty three number one hits to her record, second only to Dolly Parton as the female with the most number one hits in her career. Reba's album sales total 33.5 million. Reba has found success in theater and screen, but the current generation knows her by her network television program, simply titled Reba.
Years ago, we saw Reba in concert on two occasions, and were always blown away by her stage presence and her powerful voice. Currently on tour with former American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, Reba demonstrated that she has lost none of her ability to mesmerize a crowd. Whether singing some of her old songs, joining in on songs normally done by Kelly Clarkson, or wowing the audience with newer material, Reba McEntire demonstrated that why Melissa Peterman has designated Reba as the reigning Queen of Country Music.
Enjoy this video of Reba with her current touring partner, Kelly Clarkson as they sing an old classic by Reba Does He Love You?

Can the GOP come back?

Think about it! Four years ago, the Republican Party held the White House and both houses of Congress. Today, the Democrats won the Presidency by a sizable margin, gained additional seats in the majority Democratic House, and could possibly hold a sixty-vote majority in the Senate--large enough to end any Republican initiated filibuster. With conservatives up against the ropes, having placed all of the right-leaning eggs in the GOP basket, one wonders if the GOP can come back from this disaster. Was the 2008 election a temporary set back, or a FDR-type realignment that guarantees a Democratic majority for a generation?
First of all, consider the magnitude of the Republican loss. What support shifted from four years ago?
a) For starters, turnout in Republican areas was, on average, five percent lower than the turnout in Democratic areas. Obviously, the typical Democratic voter was much more motivated to support their ticket than the typical Republican voter was moved to vote for John McCain. Some frustrated conservatives supported third party candidates. North Carolina was probably lost, due to conservatives voting for Bob Barr, the Libertarian candidate for President, and a great patriot.
Likely the GOP lost the Senate seat in Oregon, due to conservatives voting for the Constitution Party candidate. Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss is forced into a Georgia runoff, due to conservative votes cast for the Libertarian Alan Buckley. Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman may end up losing to radical leftist comedian Al Franken, due to conservatives voting for Independence Party candidate Dean Barkley.
b) Exit polls displayed that twenty percent of conservatives actually voted for Barack Obama. Consider that McCain was saddled with the record of a Republican administration who increased the national debt, increased the size of government, continued international involvement, and increased the role of government in the lives of citizens. Frankly, Republicans were not connecting with any claim of being conservative.
While McCain was front and center for amnesty for illegal aliens, Obama quietly supported the same proposal. However, in the campaign, Obama spoke of dealing with employers who hired illegal aliens. Frankly, one had to read a scorecard to determine which candidate was more conservative.
c) Working class Democrats who voted for Hilary Clinton in the primaries, and had voted Republican at the federal level, came home to vote Obama in droves. While the Republicans were pushing trade agreements which shipped manufacturing jobs overseas, Obama was talking about middle-class tax cuts and tax credits for families with students in college.
For the first time in some years, a majority of Catholics voted Democratic for President. This came, in spite of Obama's adamant pro-abortion position. The GOP failed to communicate to the core values of the Catholic voter.
d) The voting public never fell for the foolish accusations on Obama--accusations which the public saw through by election day. Funny, we heard the constant rumor that Obama is a Muslim, but his first major appointment was the appointment of Rahm Israel Emmanuel as Chief of Staff. Emmanuel has dual citizenship with Israel and actually served in the Israeli Army.
Last year, while in Israel, I enjoyed supper with a man with great political connections in Israel. This man expressed great fear of Obama, due to his family connections with Islam. However, after months of facing questions on the issue of his relation to Islam, Senator Obama has continually denied that he is a believing or practicing Muslim. During the election, I asked a Jewish friend if he feared Obama and his relation to Israel. My friend replied that Obama's record in the US Senate displayed a friendliness to Israel. In fact, this Jewish political observer informed me that he found no difference on Israeli-related issues between either McCain or Obama.
e) New voters went overwhelmingly for Obama. In particular, Obama ran well among black voters, Hispanic voters, and college-age voters who voted for the first time. Pro-Democratic organizations organized massive voter registration drives which reaped a harvest of votes for the Democratic ticket.
Secondly, what can Republicans do to come back in the 2010 mid-term elections?
a) Republicans must re-double efforts at voter registration among friendly constituencies.
b) Republicans must live up to their platform. When the McCain(yes, John McCain)-Kennedy (yes, Ted Kennedy) Amnesty bill for illegal aliens came to the floor of the US Senate, this bill had the support of President Bush and the Democratic leadership. But the people arose and demanded that this bill be defeated. The 2008 GOP platform calls for tougher action on immigration. Hopefully, the politicians will catch up with the people on this issue.
c) Republicans must resist acting in favor of special interests, to the detriment of good policy. In recent months, the worst example of acting in favor of special interests, is the bailout plan on housing loans. Now, Congress is talking about a bailout of the automobile industry. The concept of federal bailouts smacks of fascism. Frankly, if John McCain had opposed this bailout, I believe that he could have separated himself from the Bush Administration, painted Obama (who also supported the bailout) as an insider politician, and won the election.
Republicans often criticize the funding and support of Democrats by trial lawyers and labor unions. However, the average voter feels no compulsion to defend the rights of corporations to bully the average citizen. Frankly, most working class voters would feel more affinity to their labor union or a plantiff's lawyer over a corporation that would value profits over people.
d) Conservatives must re-build from the ground up. Frankly, I think the average conservative activist would do much better in working for a local candidate than in expending energy on an effort that is so money-driven, and where our individual efforts are as a pebble cast into the ocean.
The Republican Party does not deserve to be in contention. While in leadership, the GOP squandered great opportunities to cut the size of government. But the alternative is a Democratic Party beholden to liberal interests that will lead us into socialism and move us to abandon the moral principles that made America a great country.

Reaping What You Sow: the Immigration Issue and the 2008 Election

Exit polls in the 2008 election show that John McCain lost the Hispanic vote almost 3-1. Among recent immigrants, Obama's dominance was even greater.
This comes in spite of the fact that John McCain led the charge for amnesty for illegal aliens and has been rated as worse on the immigration issue than Obama. Actually, Obama's calls for preferring citizens over illegal immigrants in hiring may have made a difference with activists who have called for more control of the border.
Yet, with all of the pandering on the immigration issue, McCain was soundly rejected by the constituency to which he was reaching. George Bush's open-border policy, combined with aggressive voter registration among recent immigrants, actually provided a great number of votes for Barack Obama. When will the Stupid Party ever learn that they will never out-promise the Democrats?
Ronald Reagan led the GOP to victory by campaigning against big government and the accompanying welfare schemes. The GOP loses when they try to out-bid the Democrats on those matters which made Democrats.

The Jefferson County (AL) Quandary

For the first time since 1952, the national Democratic nominee for President carried Jefferson County, AL (metro Birmingham area). While Alabama voters were voting overwhelmingly for John McCain, Jefferson County bucked the trend by voting Obama. Of the Alabama counties carried by President Bush in 2004, only Jefferson voted for Obama. The effect of the Democratic vote in Jefferson County filtered down to the local level as all six county races were swept by Democrats, ousting four quality incumbents: Judges Norm Winston and Davis Lawley, Treasurer Ken Gomany, and Asst. Tax Assessor Andy Smith. These candidates ran quality campaigns. In normal years, any of these candidates would have won, but the Obama tidal wave swept aside the entire ticket.
First consider the reasons for the Democratic sweep.
A) Jefferson County is changing demographically. Each year, the percentage of black voters in the county increases. Surrounding counties are recipients of the white flight from Jefferson County with a result that three surrounding counties: Blount, St. Clair, and Shelby have elected all Republicans to county government. Walker County, long a Democratic bastion, went 72% for McCain and elected the first Republican to countywide office in over a generation. Bibb, Tuscaloosa, and Cullman are all more Republican today due to white flight from Jefferson County.
Lest anyone think that Musings from Maytown is overstating the racial angle, one must consider that McCain received over 90% of the vote in many predominantly white boxes while the mostly black boxes were almost unanimous for Obama. A prime example is found by comparing two neighboring boxes: mostly white Maytown voted 91% for McCain while neighboring all-black Booker Heights voted 100% for Obama.
B) The Democrats had massive voter registration drives while Republican effort was paltry at best.
C) The Democrats organized well, as evidence that the absentee boxes voted strongly Democratic. The absentee boxes in Jefferson County normally report a strong Republican vote, but not in 2008.
D) The Democratic strategy was to turn out a big urban vote and work moderate white areas such as the Southside of Birmingham, with a large gay population. The Republican Party strategy was never discerned by Musings from Maytown.
Secondly, consider the results of this strategy:
A) Republican office holders are likely nervous at the prospect of re-election. In 2010, Republican incumbent office holders up for re-election include Sheriff Mike Hale, Circuit Judge Gloria Bahakel, District Judge Sheldon Watkins, Circuit Judge Dan King, District Judge Eric Fancher, and two recently appointed by Governor Riley, District Attorney Brandon Falls and District Judge Edward B. Vines.
Do these office holders take the pragmatic step of switching to the Democratic Party? Those recently appointed were appointed with the understanding that they would carry the GOP banner in the coming election. Others must fear the Weinrib effect.
Democratic Tax Assesor Dan Weinrib had high marks for efficiency in office. Weinrib is also a man of high character and principle. A traditional Democrat, Weinrib would not entertain discussion of running as a Republican. But Dan Weinrib did not have the favor of political bosses in the black community who ran a race-based campaign, turned out black votes against Weinrib and defeated him in the primary.
If a Republican office holder switched parties, would he be Weinribbed in the primary?
B) Does the GOP lose relevance in a county with a long tradition of having elected Republican Congressmen since 1964, had a Republican Mayor of Birmingham from 1967-75, and held most county offices at various times?
Thirdly, how should Republicans respond to this quandary?
A) The Republican Party must focus on voter registration in GOP-friendly communities. This should be a main focus in the off-year of 2009. Efforts should be made to work in churches, schools, and in neighborhoods to register every available voter. High growth communities should be targeted for voter registration efforts. This would enable the Republican Party to regain ground lost during the Obama effort.
B) In the 2009 off-year, the local Party should take advantage of the popularity of Governor Riley and use him for fund raising efforts to benefit the county party and the candidates up for election in 2010.
C) Republicans should start now looking for opportunities to showcase these elected officials. Swing areas should be targeted to present Sheriff Hale and the incumbent judges.
All is not lost. Senator Jeff Sessions bucked the trend, actually carrying the county by five thousand votes, while the rest of the ticket went down in flames. Certain communities with a high propensity of GOP voters should be especially targeted for get-out-the-vote efforts.
These fine incumbents have gone out on a limb by running as a Republican. The party loyalists owe their best efforts to protect those who stand on principle to run with the GOP.

Hopes for an Obama Presidency

Over the past few months, Musings from Maytown has been highly critical of the agenda and prospects of an Obama presidency. In the despair of the post-election depression among conservatives, Musings from Maytown has hopes that maybe, just maybe, the Obama Presidency will not move quickly toward a socialistic state. Here's looking for a few signs that the Obama Administration may result in some positives.
1) The Obama Administration should result in the development of a backbone among Republicans in the House and Senate. While we are still waiting on the final results in some Senate races, the current numbers appear that Republicans still have the numbers would have the ability to mount filibusters on key issues. Any filibuster will require the support of some moderate Republicans and some previously-weak sisters.
2) The Obama Administration may draw a line-in-the-sand that forces moderate-to-conservative Democrats to choose between a conservative constituency and their party. Here in Alabama, two new Democrats were elected on a platform of support for the right-to-life, gun ownership, and opposition to higher taxes. These center-right Democrats must either go against their Democratic President or risk defeat by a district that voted overwhelmingly for John McCain. Musings from Maytown will be watching the thirty-one Democrats in the House who have pledged to support pro-life measures. These pro-life Democrats could make the difference in preserving pro-life gains made with Republican presidents.
Interstingly, Obama's choice for Chief of Staff, Rahm Emmanuel is a liberal, but one who is pragmatic enough that he recruited pro-life, moderate-to-conservative Democrats to run for Congress. Emmanuel recognizes that these pro-life Democrats helped give the Democrats a majority in Congress. This pragmatic approach may keep the Obama Administration from overreaching with a liberal agenda.
3) Obama, due to his opposition to the Iraqi War, may actually move the US away from an internationalist position, and away from intervention in every dispute around the globe. While I do think that the US should plan foreign policy based on an America First persepctive, one cannot help but note that the number of our allies continue to dwindle as our State Department seems to feel the need to intervene in every dispute around the world. My fear is that Obama may continue, simply switching sides in some cases. However, we may see the US becoming less involved in fewer international crises.
4) Obama may actually support some measures that restrict immigration. According to Numbers USA, Obama supports the e-verify program, which restricts hiring of illegal aliens. Furthermore, Obama has pledged to hold employers accountable for hiring illegal workers.
5) While Musings from Maytown is troubled by the blatant racial language used by some to encourage support for Obama, we cannot honestly accuse Obama of manipulating the race issue. Frankly, the election of Obama may make great strides in instilling initiaitve and ambition in younger black Americans. No longer will black parents speak with doubt when they tell their children in America, you can be all that you dream to be and work toward. Today, Barack and Michelle Obama are examples that the American dream applies to all Americans, regardless of race. In spite of my conservative leanings in political matters, and my opposition to the election of Barack Obama-- the audacity of Obama to dream that dream and the resulting encouragement to young black Americans is already a positive result of the Obama election.

Fears of an Obama Presidency

Suppose President-elect Obama takes a no-holds-barred approach with the idea of changing the course of government in these United States. Suppose that he uses his claim of a mandate to insist on seizing the moment for a liberal agenda. What, then, could we expect in the first months of an Obama Administration?
1) Abortion restrictions could be repealed and federal abortion funding reinstated. In the primary season, Obama promised pro-choice activists that the first act he wished to sign into law was the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA). This act would essentially repeal any state laws restricting abortion, re-enforce Roe vs. Wade, and establish abortion on demand as law.
2) The Fairness Doctrine could be re-implemented. This silly regulation forced broadcasters to offer free time to counter any advocacy on their respective television or radio station. Lyndon Johnson's administration used this to silence conservative radio preachers. The Fairness Doctrine could threaten talk radio. Repealing the Fairness Doctrine has appeared on the agenda of liberal Democrats.
3) Obama could well move toward greater government involvement in the health care process. While the US has the premier health care system in the world, critics want to socialize the entire system. Likely, we will see an expansion in the role of health care.
4) Obama appointments could well fill the bureaucracy with ideological liberals who will increase the size of government, promote a social agenda contrary to that of the traditional American family, and create new hoops for small business to jump through with regard to environmental regulations and affirmative action.
5) In a desire to gain favor from other nations, Obama could well make moves which
destabilize American standing.
So far, three people have exhorted this editor to pray for and support our new President-elect. Certainly, I Timothy 2 enjoins our prayers for our leadership. But our support should be contingent on the policies that the new leadership pursues.

The Palin Effect

Regular readers will note that Sarah Palin won the Musings from Maytown straw poll prior to her selection as Senator McCain's running mate. Musings from Maytown expressed approval of the Palin selection and, as the campaign continued, Musings from Maytown continued support for Gov. Palin.
Post-election reports claim disharmony between the McCain and Palin camps with McCain staffers claiming that Palin hurt the ticket while Palin partisans claim that the Governor was caged in and not allowed to speak forth freely. Late in the campaign, some McCain staffers leaked complaints that Palin had become a rogue, campaigning on her own and not under the direction of McCain campaign advisers. Consider the following:
1) The only time the McCain campaign led in the polls was when Senator McCain announced Sarah Palin as his running mate. The excitement was electrifying, as the party unified around Gov. Palin. Even Sarah Palin's visit to the stage of Saturday Night Live generated a record viewership.
2) When the attacks came from the mainstream media, the McCain campaign seemed to respond by moving the Governor off center stage. When the attacks continued, the visibility was given to McCain, who's campaign style has been known to cure insomnia.
Palin continued to draw record crowds and attract volumes of enthusiasm.
3) The mishandling of Palin is a classic example of how out-of-touch political consultants are with the average people. When talking with those who operate political campaigns, these people focus on matters that pass right by the average voter. While the mainstream media thought Democratic VP nominee Senator Joe Biden was impressive, they failed to see how dull Biden had campaigned and how little he actually added to the ticket. These experts missed the possibility for Sarah Palin to connect with the average voter.
Sarah Palin was just what the Doctor ordered for a weak and sickly McCain campaign. Sad truth is, the McCain campaign quit taking the Palin medicine and died of just being too bland.
A key advisor to the Editorial Board of Musings from Maytown, reported on watching the post-election press conference with Gov. Palin. Palin demonstrated an articulate ability, a grasp of the issues, and a natural confidence, all of which were apparent in the early stages of her Vice Presidential campaign, but were painfully absent down the stretch. All of this proves that Palin was a tiger whom the McCain staffers sought to tame, a lioness who could have been the Queen of the election jungle, but was caged by the McCain team.
Sarah Palin deserves credit for invigorating a campaign that, looking backward, was dead-on-arrival. Musings from Maytown repeats our oft-made claim that the highest level of stupidity is reserved for blue-blood Republicans who fail to connect with common people. Sarah Palin was never one of them, so they never felt the thrill that grassroots conservatives felt over the Palin candidacy. Hopefully, the lesson learned from the 2008 Presidential campaign is that Republicans will never win when they listen to the country club wing of their party.

Thank you to Readers of Musings from Maytown

For the past months, Musings from Maytown has posted a presidential poll which linked, along with 2,600+ other websites, to Newsvine. Certainly, this was the largest online poll in the entire cyber world.
Musings from Maytown is pleased to announce that out of these 2,600+ websites linked to Newsvine, Musings from Maytown ranked # 8 in most votes cast and # 7 in most Republican votes cast. For what it is worth, Ron Paul was the leading vote-getter, followed by Mike Huckabee and John McCain in places # 2 and # 3.
Barack Obama led the Democrats, but ranked far behind the Republicans. Thank you for giving Musings from Maytown this great honor and prominence.