Thursday marked another black day in Alabama’s history; not because a former governor was sent to jail, but because once again unethical politics, questionable acts and conspiracy was put side-by-side-by-side with Alabama’s name.

For the next couple of days, media outlets will talk about Don Siegelman heading off to jail. Regardless of what happens with his and Richard Scrushy’s appeal, the site of a former governor in Federal prison is the last thing a state on the way up will ever need.

Remember, it was just a few weeks ago when two state senators came to blows on the final day of the Legislature.

Alabama must now worry about what the effect of these two recent events will have on its image – not only the image to the voting public, but to national and international businesses who want to take us seriously.

But when you have a fight in the Legislature and a once-popular governor heading off to jail, how can they?

To solve this problem once and for all, the Alabama Legislature must take ethics reform seriously. It should work to set the standard in the nation of how it holds elected and government officals accountable.

For the past few years ethic reform bills have been introduced but have never been given serious consideration.

That must change. When it does, our image will change as well. – Alex City Outlook