By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
On Tuesday, February 2, conservatives held their annual “Welcome Back” rally in front of the Alabama Statehouse to welcome legislators back for the 2016 Legislative Session and to campaign for their conservative agenda.
Dr. Lou Campomenosi with the Common Sense Campaign of Alabama praised the grassroots movement in Iowa on Monday for the launch of a grassroots conservative (Sen. Ted Cruz) to victory.
Campomenosi said, “The big thing we want to talk about is Common Core.” He urged the legislature to pass legislation to repeal common core (the unpopular Alabama College and Career Ready Standards). He also urged the legislators to pass initiative, referendum, and recall.
Campomenosi said of Governor Robert Bentley (R), “I think he needs to be recalled.”
Campomenosi called on legislators to repeal the 2012 School Board Governance Act which he said was Communist inspired and pass a comprehensive budget reform bill. He also called on requiring a civics exam for High School seniors. “I teach at Tulane University. Most college freshmen have no knowledge of American history after World War II.
State Auditor Jim Zeigler (R) wished everyone a Happy Groundhog Day. Zeigler said that this is the Groundhog Session not just because the session starts on February second, but also because if the legislature sees the shadow of taxpayers there will be no tax increases. If they don’t see the shadow of taxpayers we will have six more week of tax increases.
Zeigler invited everyone to a prayer meeting at his office afterwards where there will be prayers for our legislators and our governors to receive God’s wisdom. “Acknowledge him and he will direct their path.”
Campomenosi welcomed State School Board Member Stephanie Bell and praised her for her efforts to overturn Common Core.
School Board Member Stephanie Bell (R) said that she is opposed to the federal takeover of education and said that repealing Common Core is something we must address. I am hopeful that a new President and Congress will repeal Common Core; but we still need a repeal at the state level. “Repeal is a must this year.”
Bell said that the state of Alabama has already spent hundreds of millions on testing and we are bound for failure. Common Core is at best mildly deficient and is devoid of spirit. “The standards are lower than what we have before assessment are 1005 aligned with common core
Bell said that the teachers haven’t had a raise in a number of years; but that the legislature is trying to pass a raise tied to a controversial teacher evaluation system.
Bell warned that Senator Del Marsh’s (R-Anniston) RAISE Act is part of common core. If the RAISE Act passes, “We will lose our best teachers in parts of the state where we need them the most.”
Bell was critical of the ACT aspire test that the state has purchased and warned that the federal government wanted to be able to track each child’s performance and behaviors.
Senator Rusty Glover (R-Semmes) said that he is sponsoring SB 60 to repeal the controversial Common Core educational standards. Glover said that the legislation is making progress and was hopeful that this would be the year that Common Core would be repealed in Alabama.
Glover said that the state was making progress from 2007 to 2011 and then made the mistake of changing to the new standards.
Campemenosi urged those in attendance to vote for Jackie Zeigler for state school board.
Jonathan McConnell is a candidate for US Senate. He spoke to the group as well. McConnell is a former Marine Captain who served in the Iraq War. McConnell says he is running for the United States Senate because it is time to put an end to the self-dealing ways of Washington’s career politicians.
The Primary will be on March 1.
The Tea Party movement seeks to make government smaller and more conservative.
