Moore nonsense

THE ISSUE

Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore brought his campaign road show to Florence recently, but he's still lost in a time warp that shows he is far removed from political reality.

One of Alabama's less desirable political figures has resurfaced in anticipation of the 2010 gubernatorial elections. Former Chief Justice Roy Moore was in town last week, rallying support for his run as one of seven contenders for the Republican nomination.

You might recall that Moore made national headlines in 2003 when he was removed from office for disobeying a federal judge's order to remove a stone monument of the Ten Commandments from the rotunda of the state judicial building. A panel of state judges stripped Moore of his office for refusing the lawful order from a superior court.

Moore, whom some have described as a religious zealot, had the monument placed in the judicial building during the nighttime hours as a show of his personal convictions. His history as a jurist has been shadowed by a misguided evangelism.

During his recent rally at Florence-Lauderdale Coliseum, which was attended by about 100 people, Moore stuck to the themes that have made him a hero and symbol of defiance for some voters. He bemoaned the "removal" of God from public discourse and government, but had little to say about how he would go about making Alabama a better place to live.

Moore appears to have no ideas, let alone answers, for Alabama's nagging problems of poorly funded schools, an embarrassingly high dropout rate, an inequitable tax system that strongly favors the wealthy and a constitution that keeps the state at or near the bottom of every list of quality of life issues. Instead, he wants to talk about abstract religious themes that are devoid of practical applications for governing a state.

In 2006, when Moore challenged Gov. Bob Riley in the GOP primary, he received 33 percent of the vote. Next year, he believes the lack of an incumbent - along with name recognition - will work in his favor. Maybe, but six others are vying for the party's nomination, and some of them have strong platforms for governing Alabama. Against these candidates, Moore's appeal appears to one purely of emotion.

And let's not forget that Moore is, in essence, a one-issue candidate - a culture warrior who if elected would undo the practical and often compassionate conservatism that has been the hallmark of Riley's eight years in office.

Do Alabama Republicans really want their banner to be carried by a man whose public profile is based on being thrown from office for disobeying lawful court rulings? Let's hope not.