Yes, you read that correctly.
There is at least one Republican in the Heart of Dixie who is not afraid to come out and say that President Obama actually has a proposal that should be seriously considered.
The proposal is Obama's call for universal community college access for high school graduates. The Alabama Republican is Mary Scott Hunter, a member of the Alabama Board of Education from Huntsville.
"I do think the president's proposal is a good jumping off point to begin having a serious discussion about what we think as a society the components are of an effective quality education," said Hunter. "But I do worry about the message being lost because of who is the messenger is.
"The president is unpopular in much of the country, including certainly in Alabama. I understand that. Still, I think this is a big idea, a shoot the moon kind of idea that could improve access to post high school education for so many Americans and redefine for society what we think a quality, minimum education is," added Hunter.
Has Hunter lost her mind? Is she a closet progressive or one of those nearly extinct Republican moderates?
Did she not get the memo that anything attached to Obama is directly from Satan himself and is to be denounced as foul and corrupt?
Well, she did make clear that her support is for considering the policy and not for Obama himself. But that is unlikely to provide much political cover.
Other Republicans, however, had no trouble dismissing the idea, including Gov. Robert Bentley, who committed his own heresy recently when he said he would consider accepting Medicaid expansion for Alabama.
A reporter asked his opinion of the community college idea:
He rolled his eyes a little.
"Well free always sounds good except in government somebody has to pay and that's usually taxpayers and so I have to ask: where is the money coming from for this," said Bentley. "I support our community colleges and the truth is they are far more affordable than the four-year schools. But we do not have adequate money now to meet so many state services, so I ask again, how do we pay for this?"
Apparently two heresies is one too many.