The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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I first met attorney Donald V. Watkins in 2002 when he was interviewing candidates to support. He found my stance on limiting government to address very few things in our economy unworthy of his support. His appreciation of my championing our 5th Amendment civil right to property for ALL was nonetheless reassuring. One of the first black students to attend UA School of Law, his training is sound and accomplishment in practice profound over the years. At age 68, Watkins is well known for success...
Seems there's no limit to embarrassment we must endure in Alabama from our political parasites as the next iteration of corruption tremors were felt in Montgomery last month. Some commented they'd never heard of ALEA (Alabama Law Enforcement Agency) until reading their March Alabama Gazette column on 'affidavit wars' in Judge Walker's adjudication of Speaker Hubbard's 23 felony counts which cited Special Agent Jack Wilson's conclusion. According to the Alabama Political Reporter after...
The current epicenter of Alabama corruption was quaking from recent affidavits submitted to Judge Walker’s Circuit Court on Speaker Hubbard’s [R - Auburn] criminal indictment. These rumblings prompted inquiries for my thoughts as an active participant in the District 79 campaign to elect Sandy Toomer. Some seem to think I may’ve been one of the architects of the ‘whisper campaign’ alleged in court documents surrounding Barron Coleman’s affidavit. I was aware of no whisper campaign. In a small...
Recent reader comments suggest last year’s columns were more ‘watchdog-like’ than opinin’. After assuring commenters my goal remains to evoke thought as established by the assigned “THINK” moniker, I’m asked who I consider the most effective watchdogs in our State. My ‘big three from A to Z’ dogs include Bill Britt’s courageous reporting on ethics violations, John Rice’s anti-corruption efforts via the Alabama Foundation for Limited Government (AFLG) and ‘waste cutter’ Jim Ziegler’s accomplishm...
Some have said my columns have become too angry, too much serious reporting, etc. instead of Sophocleus opinin' so I thought I'd lighten things up with a poem about the current holiday season: Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the House, All the liberals were stirring, while conservatives groused. The wish lists were hung on the approps bill with care, In hopes that Obama would bless it with flair. The Members were nestled all smug in their heads, While visions of donors danced...
Most Gazette readers require no reminder of the ‘unplanned’ birth of Jesus we venerate during the Christmas season. Matthew 1:18-20 explains Joseph’s love for Mary and belief in God was so strong he followed the angel’s instructions to continue the betrothed course and not quietly divorce Mary as she was indeed bringing the Son of God into this world. Fewer readers may be familiar with US District Court Judge Myron Thompson’s recent Planned Parenthood ruling further assaulting the civil rig...
For those not in total denial, it is difficult to avoid burning eyes from the proverbial smoke surrounding Auburn. Two revealing articles [11/11/14 and 8/27/15] in the Wall Street Journal, considered the most prestigious national newspaper in the world by some, reported a local contractor with connections to Auburn's athletics director Jay Jacobs was somehow able to buy large quantities of football tickets to high demand games - including the 2013 Iron Bowl. Many see this exacerbating the...
I must begin with great delight in wishing the Alabama Gazette a very blessed Sweet Sixteen Anniversary as she remains a courageous “Voice of Reason” in our State. I honored to be a Gazette writer for a third of those years. Again I ask forgiveness from all those who write/tell me they do not agree. I do not write seeking agreement, but to advance thinking as charged by the moniker Loretta assigned my column in 2009. One of many lessons I’ve learned from Jesus’ teachings is those struggl...
The October 2013 column entitled, “Losing Our Alabama Defense Force” evoked reader comments about the traditional role of militia and how we’ve morphed into the modern nomenclature of “National Guard” further eroding State sovereignty. The dearth of Alabama generals (only about half are State residents) in the Alabama Guard has finally received enough attention to be addressed in Montgomery. Thankfully our State Senate is NOT asleep at the wheel. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when and...
*Rites v. Rights... not surprisingly the Roberts Court once again gets it wrong in their crusade for bigger government. A friend called it DC still drunk on the 'Grapes of Wrath.' Marriage is a religious rite. There is no authority for the federal government to impede or subsidize this rite. It was a source of despair when I went to marry. The State of South Carolina would not allow me to pursue this solemn rite I hold dear without a State license, polluting this blessed event. I do not look to...
As our Declaration of Independence carefully and specifically enumerated well-reasoned grievances for seceding from the British Empire, the cycle of tyranny which results from any command economy is once again upon us. One of the most active political operatives in Alabama working to reverse our corrupt path to tyranny recently reminded me of the power a well organized ‘militia’ can muster. Showing significant numbers at the right time can make a great difference in our long-run course of hum...
Alabama Foundation for Limited Government (AFLG) President John Rice launched another campaign last month in opposition of Speaker Mike Hubbard’s (facing 23 felony indictments) plans to raise taxes on Alabamians and further promote Poarch Creek Indians’ gambling monopoly power. For those who may not know, Mr. Rice is a former State Representative and Senator with a long established record of opposing unnecessary tax increases to support deleterious government expansion. Many consider Rice the...
In our current episode 'as the corruption churns' in the Heart of Dixie, Big Daddy Bob and step-child Mike Boulevard are having a spat over inability to pay future legal bills without Daddy's help. Seems as serial felony indictments proceed through the process, Mr. Boulevard is having trouble acquiring more unsecured loans and contributions as more political hacks discount the probability he can retain his ‘Spender of the House’ position as auctioneer of future theft from taxpayers. Sad to wit...
For obvious reasons, this will be my last War Between the States sesquicentennial column given Gen. Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox. The only one penned with greater despair was four years ago on First Blood and Treason in Baltimore. Massachusetts troops shown themselves eager to assemble in the sovereign State of Maryland (still in the voluntary Union at the time) uninvited by the Governor and/or Legislature of that State to kill and wound persons of Maryland. This made painfully clear...
I applaud our Alabama counties refusing to issue govt. licenses to marry. I implore other counties to follow this course to get out of the marriage license business. True Christians do NOT look to government for definition, permission and validity to affirm and proclaim God’s blessings. Sad so many seem compelled to side with one of two flawed arguments as the next round of Roy Moore v. Myron Thompson, et al "Duel of Wits Between Two Unarmed Opponents" unfolds... just as BOTH sides were wrong a...
As I’d like to make this an uncharacteristically short column, I’ll not address all the flawed reasoning from extremist who’ve successfully imposed the unconstitutional result we observe today. All FEDERAL gun laws are prohibited as guaranteed by our 2nd Amendment civil right. Republicans giving us the first unconstitutional gun laws in their successful effort to assert federal hegemony and set us on our soviet path are generally accepted by Lincoln apologists to be defended at all cost by pr...
Former long tenured aide and campaign manager Chip Hill exclaims we’re “Killing Atticus Finch!” (a.k.a. his old boss Don Siegelman) in the video shilling for ‘kickstarter’ contributions to continue showcasing this embarrassment to our State. This recent iteration of political campaigning in our Montgomery federal court claimed 138 backers pledging $10,725 of the $125,000 goal as of Mr. Siegelman’s December 15 court appearance before Judge Clay Land of Georgia. I couldn’t find the donor list - pe...
As children Christmas specials became less mesmerizing and parental expectations pressed to show awareness and understanding of maturing into an adult orthodox Christian, this phrase shepherded my attention toward thinking; what really was the reason? Clearly it was not Charlie Brown, a drummer boy, Frosty, Rudolph, et al anymore than "Santa" or Christmas trees, lights and presents. Given my namesake, Saint John the Theologian (orthodox Christians have trouble identifying with naming children af...
The 17th Annual "Battles for the Armory" War Between the States Reenactment will be held November 7th, 8th and 9th at Gibson's View Plantation in Tallassee. The event commemorates the 1864 Battles of Chehaw Station and Franklin which saved Tallassee's Confederate Armory from destruction by Union Army raiders. Heralding this year's event as the 150th anniversary of the battles, the Alabama Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans wisely selected this reenactment as the State Division's...
Just as the Republicans $1.2 billion Amendment One (2003) proposal of significant increases for individual income tax payers, the sales tax, property tax, cigarette tax, corporate income tax, etc. FAILED 2 to 1 (defeating ‘Spender of House’ Mike Hubbard’s full court press) on a GENERAL election ballot... the FIRST time this recently passed Lee County sales tax increase was voted upon it also met sound defeat of over 2 to 1. The O/A News reported 68.5% against with 13,000 votes cast on the Novemb...
Fifty years prior to the War of 1812, our so-called “French & Indian War” settled the trade dispute between New France and New England in North America where the European ebb and flow of empire simply had more territory in the mix. Following their newly established trade dominance in the region, England slowly increased mercantilist policies to favour specific business interests over promoting competition and the general welfare of her subjects. The stage for our First War for Independence was...
With another $3 million spent on our 2014 primary run-offs last month, I remain a steadfast advocate of abolishing further waste of our taxpayer dollars on all primary elections. Political parties can pay for their own primaries which have evolved into another money mill for the Republocrat duopoly as they continue to ‘progress’ into increasingly extremist results. Until poor jurists like Myron Thompson are finally out of the mix or we elect more legislators who support Sen. Cam Newton’s legisla...
Upon receipt of very delayed primary election numbers from Clarion Hotel voting machines providing noticeably skewed tallies (two to one margins where other boxes in the district were close) Speaker Hubbard tweeted, “I am deeply grateful that the GOP voters of my district have put their faith in me once again.” Shortly thereafter, one of my most astute colleagues (James Hines from Mobile) sent me the following, “Are a majority of Republicans in Auburn really that stupid? ...or does Hubba...
I remain a steadfast advocate of ABOLISHING the waste of our taxpayer dollars on all primary elections and the further waste from any absurd run-offs which may follow. Time for parties to pay for their OWN primaries instead of using them as yet another money mill for the political duopoly reaffirmed by this corrupt political process every election cycle; obviously this will not change under our current politburo result. With all the discussion of campaign finance reform (oft used for incumbency...
Readers like me, a little ‘long in the tooth,’ will more easily make the connection to the Jimmy Stewart film Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Considered controversial when released in 1939 yet so successful at the box office, this classic is oft cited as the film which made Stewart an undisputed movie star. Similar to another Frank Capra directed movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” [1946] it would take many years to be recognized and appreciated. In 1989 the Library of Congress added Mr. Smith to the US...
