By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
On Saturday, February 27, the Alabama Republican Party State Executive Committee met for their annual winter meeting. The Committee passed several resolutions.
Resolution No 2016-04 urges Alabama Governor Robert Bentley (R) and members of the legislature, to oppose the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, and states that the Alabama Republican Party is fully committed to repealing Obamacare.
A committee appointed by the Governor had recommended accepting President Barack H. Obama’s offer to expand the costly entitlement program to include poor singles, but the Governor himself never made any recommendation. The legislature is facing yet another State General Fund (SGF) budget crisis, and the existing Medicaid program is already, by far, the greatest drain on the SGF budget.
Under the original Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, the states were commanded by the then Democratic controlled Congress to expand their Medicaid programs to include non-disabled poor adults. Alabama and two dozen other states sued. While Obamacare survived the court challenge the US Supreme Court did strike down the language making the Medicaid expansion mandatory. States were free to choose to expand Medicaid or not. Alabama Governor Robert Bentley refused the expansion of the costly joint federal and state program in Alabama.
Resolution No. 2016-08 calls for all Republican members of the State Senate and House to oppose all bills which expand gambling. State Senator Jim McClendon (R-Springville) and State Representative Allen Harper (R-Northport) have sponsored legislation that would allow the people to vote yes or no on whether or not they want a lottery. State Senator Trip Pittman (R-Montrose) also has sponsored a lottery bill. In 2015 Senate President Del Marsh (R-Anniston) had sponsored complex legislation that would have created a state lottery, authorized four dog tracks to add gaming, and allowed the Poarch Creek Indians to offer table gambling in their bingo casinos in exchange for paying taxes on the Indian gambling. That bill went nowhere and Sen. Marsh did not bring it back in 2016.
The Alabama Republican Party State Executive Committee also passed resolutions urging the Alabama State Legislature to support am Article V Convention of States; announcing that the Alabama Republican Party supports party registration; urging that all remaining gun free zones be eliminated; calling for all Republican members of the State Senate and House to oppose all bills which increase taxes; calling for the Approval of a Bill to Prohibit Abortion Clinics Within 2,000 feet of any Alabama Public or Private School in the State of Alabama; asking the Alabama Congressional delegation to pursue impeachment charges against Federal Judge Ginny Granade and Federal Judge Myron Thompson for improperly exceeding their authority regarding the state laws of Alabama; and applauding US Senator Richard Shelby, US Senator Jeff Sessions, Congressman Bradley Byrne, Congressman Mo Brooks, Congressman Gary Palmer, Congressman Mike Rogers and Congresswoman Martha Roby for opposing the federal spending Omnibus bill.
Republican National Committeeman Paul Reynolds was re-elected to serve as Alabama’s National Committee man on the Republican National Committee. Reynolds defeated challenger Dr. Edward Gaylon McCullough. Reynolds also heads the Free Market Alliance.
Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan said, “It was a great weekend in Mobile with the 2016 ALGOP Winter Meeting and Dinner. The gulf coast Republicans rolled out the red carpet. Our sold out dinner saw over 700 friends to salute our veterans and military. With the USS AL Crewmates, “Spirit” the bald eagle and the famous Excelsior Band the night was electric. The meeting at 1 pm saw many resolutions passed by the Party. The ALGOP staff did an amazing job. Next up, Tuesday’s primary.”
The Republican executive committee meets twice a year.
