Dr. Governor Bentley Secures His Place In History

Right next to George C. Wallace. 

At least George Corley Wallace had backbone, even when he was wrong.  Robert Bentley has all the spine of a wet noodle, especially when he's right.

On Thursday Governor Bentley said he wouldn't sign HB658, the even worse than HB56 immigration bill just passed by the Legislature:

Bentley has not signed the bill passed by the Legislature, known as HB 658. Cooper Shattuck, Bentley’s legal adviser, said the governor would withhold his signature until the Legislature passed amendments to the bill. If the amendments were satisfactory, he said, Bentley would sign HB 658 and then the bill modifying it.

“If I’m going to sign this bill, if I’m going to own this bill, I’m going to want the bill like I want it,” Bentley said.

Twenty-four hours later, Bentley signed HB658, no changes.  His concerns over asking school children about their parents' legal status, the scarlet letter provision requiring publication of names of those caught up by the immigration law and the "public relations problem" were not addressed ... but Bentley signed the even worse law anyway.

It's your law now, Dr. Governor.  You own it, just as much as the Republicans in the Legislature do.  Good luck explaining it on your industrial recruitment junkets.