The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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As the end of 2023 was approaching, the U.S. Senate had ignored the custom to adjourn around Thanksgiving for a month-long Christmas break. Instead, they were working right up to Christmas. Our Senior Senator Tommy Tuberville was quietly and effectively maneuvering to get things accomplished with an adroitness exhibited by U.S. Senate veterans. Alabama’s senior United States Senator has become an adept political operator during his three and a half years in the upper chamber of Congress. P...
As former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Sam Rayburn once said, and I’ll paraphrase, “Any fool can kick down a barn, but it takes a good carpenter to build one.” In our political landscape today, from Washington, D.C. down, we have plenty of folks kicking down barns, but not nearly enough carpenters building them. During the most recent legislative session, the legislature passed a package of bills called “Working for Alabama,” which is a prime example of building good, effective...
John Eldredge, in his book, Epic, tells us that life is a story. God is telling a story and you have a crucial role to play. Do you know what kind of tale you were born into? Do you know the story? Do you understand your role in the story? Life will never make sense until you do! In Epic, Eldredge writes: “ Notice that all great stories pretty much follow the same story line. Things were once good, then something awful happened, and now a great battle must be fought or a journey taken. At j...
Many of you took to the roads to travel over Memorial Day. I am sure this resulted in rumblings and discourses about the deplorable conditions of Alabama’s roads. Most of you, if you went anywhere, had to travel on I-65. Most Alabamians live along the I-65 corridor. I-65 is approximately 366 miles from the Tennessee-Alabama line to Mobile. It is a nightmare. I can attest to the frustration of being stuck on this highway. I travel on I-65 from Montgomery to Birmingham at least 100 times a y...
Most of us have heard or read many a message about the importance of having a positive attitude. However, if you are like me, I need to be reminded regularly in my life journey about the powerful impact my attitude has on myself and others around me! To a great degree, your attitude will determine your impact, your peace and your legacy. My absolute favorite quote about the importance of a positive attitude is from Chuck Swindoll: " The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude...
The Wynlakes Country Club Ballroom was "buzzing" this past May 9th, as the Montgomery Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) Chapter 102 hosted a most memorable luncheon that honored six notable aviation and space legends, the "Eagles". These Eagles were selected by the 2024 Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) students. ACSC is the lead organization for the Gathering of Eagles (GOE) the program that selects and hosts the Eagles. The GOE idea began in 1980, when retired Brig. Gen. Paul Tibbets...
The regular Legislative Session ended on May 9, with final passage of both budgets, which is the only constitutionally mandated requirement of the legislature during its annual legislative session. However, there was another constitutional question that dominated the session – the perennial issue of whether Alabamians will ever be allowed to purchase lottery tickets in Alabama and keep Alabamians money within our state. This money could help educate Alabama children, pave Alabama roads, and r...
Even though the will of most Alabama voters was thwarted by a minority of Republican Legislators disallowing their constituents the right to vote on a lottery, the Session was a success. The legislature was thrown a myriad of major issues and they dealt with them in quick order. The paramount factor in any session is whether the two budgets are passed and passed prudently. They were and they are prudent. Ever since Republicans took the majority in the Alabama House and Senate in 2016, our state...
The national media has been keenly interested that a Democrat has been elected to an Alabama House of Representatives seat. I have had several inquiries from national news and political publications asking me to explain and analyze this phenomenon. They are particularly interested in the fact that women’s reproductive rights was a central focus of this special election in Huntsville. Democrat Marilyn Lands indeed won a resounding victory in House District 10, a Madison County seat, in a s...
As the end of 2023 was approaching, the U.S. Senate had ignored the custom to adjourn around Thanksgiving for a month-long Christmas break. Instead, they were working right up to Christmas. Our Senior Senator Tommy Tuberville was quietly and effectively maneuvering to get things accomplished with an adroitness exhibited by U.S. Senate veterans. Alabama’s senior United States Senator has become an adept political operator during his three and a half years in the upper chamber of Congress. P...
Those of you who live in the new 2nd congressional district have runoffs this coming Tuesday, April 16. This is the most interesting and entertaining political contest in Alabama this year. This new seat is comprised of all of Montgomery County, as well as most of the more rural counties surrounding Montgomery, including Macon, Lowndes, Bullock, Pike, Butler, Crenshaw, Barbour, and Russell. It continues through rural Black Belt counties like an arrow towards Mobile and gathers most of the Black...
We Americans are going to the polls in five months, to elect the next President of the United States. Election day is November 5. We are getting set for a rematch between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden. Americans are not too enthused to see this replay. I have never seen two candidates with as high negative polling numbers in my lifetime. The old political truism that more people vote against someone than for someone will definitely come into play in this presidential race. If...
Anyone who follows the Legislative Session each year in Montgomery, knows that it is never short of controversy. The House has its priorities, the Senate has its own, and governors have theirs. And it is fair to say that those priorities are not always the same. You can take gaming this session as an example. However, in this session there is one major push that has brought all our state’s top elected leaders together – an ambitious workforce, economic and community development package called, ...
I hope you all voted in the primaries yesterday. You have an advantage on me in that I have to go to press with my column before Wednesday, my publication date. Therefore, you know the results. However, I doubt there are any surprises. We do not have any good state races this year. We have four open seats on our State Supreme Court. However, three of the four are held by popular incumbents, none of which received even token opposition from either Republicans or Democrats. Justices Will Sellers,...
Sailors have often used this phrase as toast or a nautical blessing for many years. Some say it originated in the Hawaiian Islands as a wish for safe travels on the sea and still others say it came from a poem or literary work. Either way, we know it came from sailors or people very familiar with voyaging upon the oceans. I do know this nautical phrase is often used in the US Navy. “Fair Winds” is a nautical blessing or a prayer for good weather with the winds blowing your sails in the dir...
There were very few surprises in our March 5 primary results. Since we are essentially a one-party Republican state when it comes to presidential, national, and statewide politics, most of the action was in the GOP Primary. The big winners were Donald Trump, Barry Moore and Sarah Stewart. As expected, Donald Trump trounced all his GOP “would be” challengers in the Heart of Dixie. The former president received 84% of the vote in our Alabama Primary and will probably win our state by around a 63%...
Pending Legislation Would Decriminalize Provisions of the Ethics Law Today, the Alabama House of Representatives will debate the latest attempted rewrite of our current ethics laws. I am strongly opposed to this legislation. It is important to me that the members of the legislature and the general public understand why. This bill decriminalizes an array of ethics offenses, rendering them subject to civil, not criminal, penalties imposed by the Ethics Commission. Current law already provides for...
The 2024 Legislative Session begins next week. It will be difficult to replicate the success of last year’s regular session. The 2023 year was a premier year for any first year of a quadrennium. Indeed, it may be one of the most momentous in state history. It was historic because of the vast amount of money available to be appropriated. When asked what grade I would give the legislative session at its conclusion, I gave it the highest I have ever given: B+. It would have gotten an A, but l...
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can; And wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; So that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever and ever in the next. Amen The...
I know we are in a new year, but allow me to look back into 2023 and share with you some observations and accolades from the last year. My old friend Mac McArthur has been Executive Director and Chief Cook and Bottle Washer of the Alabaman State Employees Association for 26 years now. He is one of my best friends and we talk about once or twice a month. Our conversations last an hour as we enjoy regaling stories of Alabama politics. Nobody knows Alabama political stories or Alabama political...
Let 2024 be the year of new adventures! Plan out new adventures instead of wasting time on New Year's Resolutions. Did you know that for 92% of people, New Year's resolutions fail? The result is often discouragement, and we end up feeling like "New year, same me." Try something different this year. Try planning New Year Adventures. So, what are some New Year Adventures you can plan for 2024? Plan Fun Adventures With True Friends "Not all those who wander are lost." - J.R.R. Tolkien, The...
The Relevance: Through CHRIST God came to earth! “The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” -John 1:14 NIV “ The Virgin will conceive and give birth to a son,,and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”) -Matthew 1:23 NIV Christmas is relevant for you and me, because Jesus Christ came to earth on that first Christmas to reveal God’s heart towards us. The wonder of Christmas is just as relevant today as it was 2,000 years ago, because Jesus is still walking...
We had a very distinguished congressional delegation from Alabama during the 30-year span of 1934-1964. The congressmen from the Heart of Dixie appeared to be born to serve in Congress. Their pedigrees were all similar. They had pretty much been born and raised in the town that they would eventually represent in Congress. Almost all had gone to the University of Alabama for their education and most had graduated from Alabama’s Law School. While at the Capstone, most had been members of Greek f...
In recent years, healthcare has eclipsed agriculture as Dothan’s major industry. Dothan is the medical mecca for the entire Wiregrass, as well as rural northwest Florida and southwest Georgia. It has premier medical professionals only matched by Birmingham in the state of Alabama. Dothan doctors dominate the economy in the world’s largest peanut producing locale. One of the pioneers of this medical revolution was Dothan’s Dr. Furnie Johnston, who passed away a few weeks ago at 94 years old....
In the world of sports, G.O.A.T. Stands for the “Greatest Of All Time”. In the sports world there are several people who come to mind: Tom Brady in the NFL has won 7 Super Bowls; Michael Phelps, the swimmer, has won 28 Olympic Medals of which 23 were Gold; Michael Jordan is arguably the best NBA player who ever lived; Roger Federer won 8 Wimbledons and 20 Grand-slams; Lionel Messi is the most decorated soccer player ever and is the king of the soccer world with 44 titles and 42 trophies. Whi...
