Monday, August 18, 2003

Atrios links this post (from Michael at a blog called A Minority of One), which recounts a rally last week in support of that huge granite Ten Commandments monument Judge Roy Moore had installed in Alabama's judicial building. Thousands of people attended. Michael notes this CNN story, which points out that a former Moore supporter, Alabama attorney general William Pryor -- yes, the Bush judicial nominee -- is distancing himself from Moore, saying he won't help Moore violate the court order that requires him to remove the monument. (This is probably a wise choice for a would-be federal judge, though it's too little, too late, considering that, as an employee of the state, Pryor formerly arranged for teams of lawyers in private practice to help Moore in his legal fight).

It should be noted that many of the people at the Ten Commandments protest were there to proclaim their opposition to GOP Governor Bob Riley's attempt to do the right thing and raise much-needed tax revenue. AS The Washington Post reports, Riley

says the state should act to improve schools funded at the nation's lowest level per child and to lift the tax burden from poor people, who pay income taxes starting at $4,600 a year for a family of four while out-of-state timber companies pay $1.25 an acre in property taxes. The changes would move Alabama from 50th to 44th in total state and local taxes per capita, he says.

The paper notes that Alabama's tax system currently "imposes an effective rate of 3 percent on the wealthiest Alabamians and 12 percent on the poorest." But Jesus has personally spoken to the anti-Riley protestors and told them that his tax increase is the work of Satan.

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