Governor Riley is getting worse: I blogged on this a month or two ago (link unavailable) when Alabama gov Bob Riley first proposed a major tax hike to balance the state budget (as if it would work). Well, papa's got a brand new bag. It seems economic policy doesn't sell itself without some good old fashioned religious rhetoric.

"Alabamians are a faithful people who believe that creating a better world for our children and helping our neighbors are both sacred duties," Riley wrote in explaining his tax plan.

Alina views this as Christian overreach in mixing church and state, a la Muslims. Also a pretty good vote grabber when so much of your souther populace is Christian. But I bet this is all about trying to get out of the economic hole his overspending ass dug for him and that he'd use any religion that he thinks could fly if it would help him raise taxes. It's just more "for the children" rhetoric, subsitituting the word poor for children. It could be schools, libraries, or puppies, anything to give Riley an out from the mess that's been made.