The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

‘In Birmingham, They Love . . .’

Posted on | February 4, 2010 | 7 Comments

. . . the next governor? Just returned from dinner with Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim James. Among the guests joining us at McCormick & Schmick’s was Judy Merritt, president of Jefferson State Community College. Dr. Merritt became Alabama’s first female president of a state college in 1979 when she was appointed by former Gov. Fob James, Tim’s father. “I’ve known Tim ever since he was old enough to be taken for a haircut,” Dr. Merritt said.

Of course, I’m saving the best quotes from the interview for a future article, but over seafood dinner — he had stuffed flounder, I had grilled salmon — the candidate gave an impromptu seminar on the causes of the current economic crisis. James majored in finance at Auburn University and worked 25 years in real-estate development. He named Gary Shilling and Bob Prechter as the contemporary economists whose views he shares, expecting a long-term deflationary trend.

James said the economy is now the No. 1 political issue in Alabama, and that the state’s official unemployment rate (about 11%) understates the seriousness of the recession. He criticized the TARP bailout and the Federal Reserve’s attempts to reinflate the economy through monetary policy. James did not spare the Bush administration from criticism for its policies. Based on our conversation, it’s easy to see why James is a favorite of the state’s Tea Party activists, who share his anti-bailout views.

Of course, the dinner conversation was not all about serious economics. Another of the dinner guests — not Dr. Merritt — asked about the state’s Prohibition-era legislation that bans home-brewed beer and brew pubs. Libertarians in the state are backing “Free the Hops” legislation to overturn the ban. Asked if he favored legalizing home-brewed beer, James jokingly responded: “We’re not going to put up with any cheap stuff.”

Quality beer, OK. Bad beer, not OK.

Category: Alabama, Republicans, Tea Party

Comments

7 Responses to “‘In Birmingham, They Love . . .’”

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    February 5th, 2010 @ 12:09 pm

    […] High Noon at the PB Pub Presents, Lynyrd Skynyrd By Patrick, on February 5th, 2010 Continuing the theme from Yesterday: […]

  2. Jack Okie
    February 5th, 2010 @ 5:34 pm

    Stacy, I’m glad you came to Alabama rather than go to the national tea party convention. I haven’t spent a lot of time in Alabama (RON’ed in Birmingham and Dothan a few times), but it feels just like home. In fact, from Spartanburg to Johnson City to Jackson, GA to Jackson, AL to Jackson, MI to Jackson, LA to Jackson, TN to Jacksonville, AR, Southern culture (much more than just hospitality) is a delight to experience.

    Are you getting a feel for how local races, like for the legislature, are shaping up?

    (BTW, having seen several pictures of you now, I have to say you fit to a T Shelby Foote’s portrait of the soldiers of the Army of Northern Virginia.)

  3. Jack Okie
    February 5th, 2010 @ 12:34 pm

    Stacy, I’m glad you came to Alabama rather than go to the national tea party convention. I haven’t spent a lot of time in Alabama (RON’ed in Birmingham and Dothan a few times), but it feels just like home. In fact, from Spartanburg to Johnson City to Jackson, GA to Jackson, AL to Jackson, MI to Jackson, LA to Jackson, TN to Jacksonville, AR, Southern culture (much more than just hospitality) is a delight to experience.

    Are you getting a feel for how local races, like for the legislature, are shaping up?

    (BTW, having seen several pictures of you now, I have to say you fit to a T Shelby Foote’s portrait of the soldiers of the Army of Northern Virginia.)

  4. RickS
    February 5th, 2010 @ 5:56 pm

    Homebrewing not legal in AL? Had no idea. Funny, the state’s biggest homebrew supplier, Alabrew, is right there in Bham.
    http://www.alabrew.com/

  5. RickS
    February 5th, 2010 @ 12:56 pm

    Homebrewing not legal in AL? Had no idea. Funny, the state’s biggest homebrew supplier, Alabrew, is right there in Bham.
    http://www.alabrew.com/

  6. Troy King and the Scandal That Dare Not Speak Its Name : The Other McCain
    February 5th, 2010 @ 1:28 pm

    […] and I learned there were related stories in Alabama, including the campaigns of Les Philip and Tim James.However, as soon as I started blogging about the idea of a trip to Alabama, an anonymous tipster […]

  7. One interesting note from Stacy’s Dinner… « DaTechguy's Blog
    February 5th, 2010 @ 3:30 pm

    […] interesting note from Stacy’s Dinner… By datechguy was on the subject of beer: Another of the dinner guests — not Dr. Merritt — asked about the state’s Prohibition-era […]