UAB Blazers

Hello There, Guest! (LoginRegister)

Post Reply 
Greetings from the Senate Education Committee Meeting
Author Message
Native Georgian Online
Legend
*

Posts: 27,513
Joined: May 2008
Reputation: 1024
I Root For: TULANE+GA.STATE
Location: Decatur GA
Post: #21
RE: Greetings from the Senate Education Committee Meeting
(04-15-2015 09:13 AM)Blazer85 Wrote:  Sen Smitherman says UAB needs its own BOT.
Where is his district?

I remember Smitherman was the name of a longtime sports-editor with the Mobile Press (the afternoon paper).
04-15-2015 12:44 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
blazerjay Offline
Moderator
*

Posts: 8,978
Joined: Jan 2004
Reputation: 120
I Root For: UAB
Location:

Donators
Post: #22
RE: Greetings from the Senate Education Committee Meeting
(04-15-2015 12:44 PM)Native Georgian Wrote:  
(04-15-2015 09:13 AM)Blazer85 Wrote:  Sen Smitherman says UAB needs its own BOT.
Where is his district?

I remember Smitherman was the name of a longtime sports-editor with the Mobile Press (the afternoon paper).

He represents District 18 (Jefferson County)
04-15-2015 12:50 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
zaxuab Offline
Water Engineer
*

Posts: 43
Joined: Sep 2004
Reputation: 0
I Root For: UAB
Location:
Post: #23
RE: Greetings from the Senate Education Committee Meeting
It's my understanding that Senator Sanders was one of the committee members who initially supported Jabo's bill but turned against it at the 11th hour. BOT lobbyists got to him.
04-15-2015 03:07 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
hooverblazer Offline
Promoter of UAB
*

Posts: 13,777
Joined: Dec 2006
Reputation: 101
I Root For: UAB
Location:
Post: #24
RE: Greetings from the Senate Education Committee Meeting
(04-15-2015 03:07 PM)zaxuab Wrote:  It's my understanding that Senator Sanders was one of the committee members who initially supported Jabo's bill but turned against it at the 11th hour. BOT lobbyists got to him.

Yep, also Brewbaker and Figures.
04-15-2015 03:28 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
BlazerHam Offline
Bench Warmer
*

Posts: 1,025
Joined: Dec 2014
Reputation: 5
I Root For:
Location:
Post: #25
RE: Greetings from the Senate Education Committee Meeting
04-15-2015 03:36 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
blazinrunner Offline
All American
*

Posts: 3,055
Joined: Feb 2005
Reputation: 19
I Root For: UAB & Marlins
Location: North Alabama
Post: #26
RE: Greetings from the Senate Education Committee Meeting
Sweet Water is in Marengo County, which is represented by Hank Sanders. Maybe we should tell him how many people in his district get a college education due to UAB Football...
04-15-2015 03:53 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
BlazerHam Offline
Bench Warmer
*

Posts: 1,025
Joined: Dec 2014
Reputation: 5
I Root For:
Location:
Post: #27
RE: Greetings from the Senate Education Committee Meeting
[Image: CCp-kczUwAAYJnb.png]
04-15-2015 03:55 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
blazerwkr Offline
Heisman
*

Posts: 7,037
Joined: Nov 2007
Reputation: 45
I Root For: UAB
Location: Island of Misfits

BlazerTalk Award
Post: #28
RE: Greetings from the Senate Education Committee Meeting
Think of the American Revolution or even the Vietnam War - many of the early battles were lost in a many year struggle but the little guy held on w/ strategic end goals in mind, keep the long term goal in mind along w/ the faith to see it through whether it be total separation or major reform
04-15-2015 04:31 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
ATTALLABLAZE Offline
Administrator
*

Posts: 56,918
Joined: Jan 2003
Reputation: 640
I Root For: UAB Blazers
Location: Gallant, Birmingham

The Parliament AwardsCrappiesDonatorsBlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk AwardCrappies
Post: #29
RE: Greetings from the Senate Education Committee Meeting
BTW we have not lost anything yet. All bills are still alive.
04-15-2015 04:32 PM
Visit this user's website Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
BlazrDawg Offline
Heisman
*

Posts: 6,947
Joined: Oct 2004
Reputation: 49
I Root For: UAB
Location:
Post: #30
RE: Greetings from the Senate Education Committee Meeting
Sanders needs a talkin to by some of his fellow Dems from the Bham area.
04-15-2015 05:04 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
hooverblazer Offline
Promoter of UAB
*

Posts: 13,777
Joined: Dec 2006
Reputation: 101
I Root For: UAB
Location:
Post: #31
RE: Greetings from the Senate Education Committee Meeting
(04-15-2015 05:04 PM)BlazrDawg Wrote:  Sanders needs a talkin to by some of his fellow Dems from the Bham area.

Roger Smitherman has got to be one of the more influential Democrats in their party. Hopefully he can influence the Democrats on the committee (Figures, Ross, & Sanders).
04-15-2015 05:30 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
58-56 Offline
Blazer Revolutionary
*

Posts: 13,287
Joined: Mar 2006
Reputation: 825
I Root For: Fire Ray Watts
Location: CathedraloftheDragon

BlazerTalk Award
Post: #32
RE: Greetings from the Senate Education Committee Meeting
(04-15-2015 05:04 PM)BlazrDawg Wrote:  Sanders needs a talkin to by some of his fellow Dems from the Bham area.

The split between Birmingham and Black Belt Democrats is similar to the rural/country club split between Republicans. That is, they agree on many things and will often cooperate, but they don't truly like each other. Plus Hank is just a stubborn old coot.

Today's action, once our team returns and debriefs, should identify who we have to work on. This is a good thing. We always knew this would be a fight between our passion and their (well, actually our) money. Their people go home and forget about their paid clients, because it's just another job to them. We go home and plot further action. And that is why we will win.
04-15-2015 05:33 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
CajunBlazer Offline
1st String
*

Posts: 1,419
Joined: Nov 2011
Reputation: 31
I Root For: UAB
Location:
Post: #33
RE: Greetings from the Senate Education Committee Meeting
Okay, I have read all of the comments and for those who are speculating based do on past experience some of you got it about right and others, well, not so much. Here is the facts base on what we were briefed. Please keep in mind I am not going to give some specifics because I don't want to give the other side any advantage.

First, there was a meeting last week between Senator Jabo Waggoner and five BOT Trustees including Karen Brooks the new President Pro Tem, and Tiny Bear (who despite what I had heard is still a Trustee and will remain so through his 70th year). Our team heard about this meeting earlier in the week, but it is public knowledge - Jabo brought it up when he spoke before the Senate Education Committee today.

The meeting was requested by the Trustees. You need to understand that Jabo is one of the most powerful Senators in Montgomery and when he submitted his bill, it probably scared the hell out of them. Of course they urged him to pull the bill, but instead Jabo told the Trustees that they needed to get on board, to make the bill theirs, and that would be the best way for them to deal with the political mess they are in. (In truth it there are far worst things for current Trustees that could come out of the legislature than this bill. Jabo's bill just adds two UAB and two UAH Trustees - not really a threat when you think about it.) They declined and Senator Waggoner told them he was going to press on with his bill because "it's the right thing to do".

Their response was to pull out all of the stops. You know about some of it like the UA alumni letter and the letter that Witt had published. A letter by Witt was also sent to each legislator - one Representative pulled his copy our of his trash can to show my pardner and I - I should have a copy of shortly. But their biggest response was to hit Montgomery with a big team of professional lobbyists. Their normal lobbying firm of Fine, Geddie & Associates - probably the most influential lobbyist firm in Montgomery - is on the job, but that's not all. They have also hired a couple of retired influential Senators who haven't been seen lobbying in Montgomery in years. These lobbyist are all over the Senate section of the State House, especially in the offices of Senators on the Senate Education Committee, twisting arms and taking names. And they are having some affect.

Jabo would not have brought the bills up before the committee this morning if he didn't think he had the votes to pass it. It was doable, but it was going to be close. However, on the way to meeting our side was told by two Committee Senators that Jabo was counting on that they could no longer support the bill. (We can probably thank the BOT lobbyists for their change of heart. I am not mentioning any names here because there is no use giving info to the other side info though I'm sure they know who these Senators are.)

Now knowing he didn't have the votes, Jabo arranged for the bill to be carried over before the meeting and was granted that leeway. (From what I understand the committee could have forced a vote and we would have lost - but like I said Jabo is powerful so we didn't win, but we didn't lose either.) Before bill was formally carried over Jabo did a good job of introducing the bill, and then he was followed by a Republican Senator from the Huntsville area (sorry I didn't get his name) and, as stated earlier, Democratic Senator Roger Smitherman, both of whom vigorously supported the bill. What probably impressed the Senators on the Committee was that this was the first time in anyone's memory that these two Senators have ever agreed on anything. They are polar opposites and they may have swayed some of the Senators on committee on both the Republican and Democratic side. We don't know because there was no vote, but there are some indications.

Where do we go from here - first let's stop calling members of the Senate Education Committee. Their secretaries and voice mails have been deluged with calls - probably from both sides. However, after a while people get ticked off and more calls become very counter productive. We are going to let Senator Waggoner and Herb Winches, our lobbyist, deal with the Senators on the Committee. As I said, Jabo is powerful and for several reasons he is not someone that other Senators will want to cross unnecessarily. We have not lost! This first battle was essentially a draw, but there will be others.

After the Senate committee meeting the team concentrated on members of the House Education Committee where Jack will introduce Jabo's bill. Based on my experiences and what I heard from others on the team we were fairly well received.

I'll published the members of the House Education Committee shortly. It wouldn't be a bad idea to call these folks especially if one of these House members is your Representatives or represents someone you know well. The most powerful voice is that of someone who will vote in their next election.

I have a special favor to ask:
I had a long and very animated discussion this morning with the Chairman of the House Committee, a very nice lady named Terri Collins who represents Decatur. The problem with Terri is that she is under the illusion that the BOT Trustees are wonderful. She knows the Trustees from her area and says that "they are such good people". When forced to admit that these "good folks" are defending the rotten job that Watts has done, she admits it is a nightmare, but she told me that the Trustees she knows have promised her that they will do a much better job in the future. 03-puke I think that Ms. Collins needs to hear from the voters in her district. So if you are in the Decatur area, or you know someone in the Decatur area, make sure she hears from as many local voters as possible. She needs to understand that defending her friends on the BOT has political consequences. I am looking forward to having another chat with Terri after political reality has set in. Please let me if Terry gets some calls.
(This post was last modified: 04-15-2015 08:37 PM by CajunBlazer.)
04-15-2015 08:29 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
nicknitro19 Offline
Special Teams
*

Posts: 725
Joined: Oct 2012
Reputation: 8
I Root For: UAB
Location:
Post: #34
RE: Greetings from the Senate Education Committee Meeting
How did Shelnut vote?
04-15-2015 08:45 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
the_blazerman Offline
Legend
*

Posts: 30,397
Joined: Nov 2004
Reputation: 95
I Root For: UAB
Location:
Post: #35
RE: Greetings from the Senate Education Committee Meeting
There wasn't a formal vote, but Shelnutt is a co-sponsor of the bill & every time I have heard he supports the bill.
04-15-2015 08:47 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Post Reply 




User(s) browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)


Copyright © 2002-2024 Collegiate Sports Nation Bulletin Board System (CSNbbs), All Rights Reserved.
CSNbbs is an independent fan site and is in no way affiliated to the NCAA or any of the schools and conferences it represents.
This site monetizes links. FTC Disclosure.
We allow third-party companies to serve ads and/or collect certain anonymous information when you visit our web site. These companies may use non-personally identifiable information (e.g., click stream information, browser type, time and date, subject of advertisements clicked or scrolled over) during your visits to this and other Web sites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services likely to be of greater interest to you. These companies typically use a cookie or third party web beacon to collect this information. To learn more about this behavioral advertising practice or to opt-out of this type of advertising, you can visit http://www.networkadvertising.org.
Powered By MyBB, © 2002-2024 MyBB Group.