The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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Get Outside I recently read that the average person spends 93% of their life indoors! Wow! That is unbelievable. And sad. That means that if you live to be 100 years old, you will have spent 93 of those years indoors and only 7 years in God’s amazing and beautiful creation. God created us to be outside and to enjoy His creation. Our souls need it. Our bodies need it. Our minds need it. In the 23rd Psalm we witness one of the most important ways God soothes our souls, “He makes me lie down in...
The new lines are finally drawn for next year’s state legislative and congressional elections. They have just made it under the wire for the late January qualifying deadline and the May 24, 2022 primary elections. The legislature should not be blamed for the late formulation of the lines because the U.S. Census Bureau did not produce the final detail figures until September 30, 2021. Therefore, the state legislature did a Herculean job by getting the lines drawn so quickly. They went into specia...
John’s version of the Christmas story begins like this: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that was made. ... The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” – John 1:1-3, 14 The Word, as referred to here, in the Greek language is Logos. The Logos is the Word, reason or plan. In Ancient Greek philosophy and early Christian theology the Logos is the...
Every 10 years the nation has a census count. There is a reason for that dissemination of our population. The United States and concurrently the Alabama Constitution require a census to determine how many Congressional Seats each state will have. Then you also have to determine how those districts are designed to reflect that each congressional district is properly and equally apportioned. On the state level the legislative districts have to be dealt with the same way. The state legislature of...
“The wise can see where they are going, but fools walk in the dark.” Ecclesiastes 2:14 “For the evil person has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.” Proverbs 24:20 In his bestselling book, Necessary Endings, Dr Henry Cloud explains to us that there are three kinds of people: the wise, the foolish and the evil. One of the most memorable talks I have ever heard and actually remembered was Dr Clouds talk on this same subject. I have found this to be some of the most helpful advice...
Our senior senator, Richard Shelby, has left an indelible legacy and imprint on our state. Every corner of the state has been the recipient of his prowess at bringing home the bacon to the Heart of Dixie. Every university has enjoyed a largesse of federal dollars. He has made the Huntsville Redstone Arsenal one of the most renowned high technology regions in the nation, not to mention placing the FBI’s second home in Huntsville. Shelby’s accomplishments for Alabama would take a book to enu...
A young boy was the key witness in an important lawsuit. The attorney had put the boy through a rigorous cross-examination and had been unable to shake his concise, damaging testimony. He had given clear answers to all questions. In a stern voice, the attorney asked, “Your father has been telling you how to testify, hasn’t he?” “Yes,” said the boy. “Now,” said the attorney with smug satisfaction, “just tell us what your father told you to say.” “Well,” replied the boy, “My father told me that th...
Where were you when the world stopped turning on that September day? Were you in the yard with your wife and children Or working on some stage in L.A.? Did you stand there in shock At the sight of that black smoke Risin’ against that blue sky? Did you shout out in anger In fear for your neighbor Or did you just sit down and cry? Did you weep for the children who lost their dear loved ones Pray for the ones who don’t know? Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble And sob for the...
Former President Donald Trump paid a visit to the Heart of Dixie last [month]. Obviously, this is Trump country. Alabama was one of Trump’s best states in the 2020 Election. He got an amazing 65% of the vote in our state. If the turnout for his August 21 rally in rural Cullman County is any indication, he would get that same margin of victory this year if the election were held again. Many of those in attendance were insistent that Trump won last year’s presidential contest and that it was sto...
Most states have one General Fund Budget. We are only one of five states that have two. Some of you have asked why we have two budgets – one for the General Fund and one for Education. Here is why. During the era of the Great Depression and even afterwards, education in Alabama was woefully underfunded and that is really being generous to simply say underfunded. Our schools were similar to a third world country. We had two separate systems, one for white students and one for black students. M...
There were two major issues not resolved during the just completed regular legislative session. Gambling and prisons were left on the table and up in the air. It is foolish to not address a resolution to get some revenues for the state from gambling, which currently exists in Alabama. However, it is not imperative that the problem be solved. The prison problem is another question. It has to be addressed. The federal courts will take over Alabama’s prisons and tell the governor and legislature w...
Only four people ever successfully escaped to freedom from the federal prison on Alcatraz Island. The following story is an excerpt from my book, Free For All, which explores the different ways we can experience God’s amazing grace. It is only by God’s grace that we can be truly free! Alcatraz Island sits in the middle of San Francisco Bay, surrounded by almost two miles of turbulent and treacherous water. For nearly one hundred years, the island housed a prison, and the place earned the nic...
When Senator Richard Shelby announced he would not run for reelection to a sixth six-year term in 2022, speculation immediately began as to who would run for our iconic senior senator’s seat. Numerous names were floated as to who might lineup for the coveted seat. It is expected to be a fairly large field. The winner of next year’s May Republican primary and ultimately the summer GOP runoff will be our next junior senator. Winning the GOP Primary is tantamount to election in the Heart of Dix...
Can you name the person that Life magazine named the number one man of the past millennium? He had over 1,000 inventions and held more patents than any other person in the world – at least one every year for 65 consecutive years. Are any lights coming on? You guessed it – his name is Thomas Edison. We should give thanks for his genius every time we turn on a light or listen to recorded music! Thomas Edison also said some remarkable things: “Genius,” he declared, “is 99% perspiration and 1% in...
Our 1901 Alabama Constitution replicates the United States Constitution in designing a triumvirate of government. The Executive, Legislative and Judicial branches are designed to have separate and essentially equal powers. Although, ideally, the three branches should be exclusive, over the course of history in both our state and national governments the Executive and Legislative Branches have been intertwined in public policy matters and government seems to work more cohesively that way,...
This week allow me to share with you a sketch of the men and women who sit on our State Supreme Court. These nine Justices are all Republican, all conservative on both social and business issues. All are very devout in their faith and very connected to their church and their family. Chief Justice Tom Parker has been on the State Supreme Court since 2005. He was born and raised in Montgomery and went to Dartmouth College and Vanderbilt Law School. Chief Justice Parker and his wife the former Dott...
At 29,035 feet, Mount Everest is one of the most inhospitable places on earth. Everest is very remote and the altitude incapacitates all but the hardiest and most experienced climbers. On top of that the weather is ruthlessly unforgiving and extreme. Because Everest is the highest mountain in the world, many have tried to summit the great peak. Between 1920 and 1952, seven major expeditions tried to summit Mount Everest and all of them failed. In fact, the mountain is littered with at least 120...
All signs point to a Titanic political year in 2022. In fact, as I look back over the last six decades of my observations of Alabama politics, next year may be the most momentous. Most states elect their governors and legislators in presidential years. However, in the Heart of Dixie, we have our big election year in non-presidential years. Not only will we elect our governor to a four-year term, we will elect all of our constitutional officers like Attorney General, Agriculture Commissioner,...
Would you take 3 simple steps to discover who God created you to be? Sounds too easy? Maybe. Maybe not. Try taking the steps and see for yourself! I learned these 3 steps and started trying to practice them years ago when I first read a little book by John Maxwell entitled, Think On These Things. I share them now with you. Step 1: Discover Your Potential I love the story of a young farm boy whose father raised chickens in the mountains of Colorado. One day the adventuresome boy climbed a high pl...
Over the years, I have discussed my observations and concepts of the two different roles or routes taken by a U.S. Senator or Congressman during their tenure in Washington. One clearly chooses one of two postures in their representation of you in Washington. Our delegates in D.C. are either benefactors or ideologues. The role of benefactor is much better for any state, especially Alabama. This public figure is not only a benefactor but also a facilitator and a statesman. In other words, this...
Ash Wednesday. Lent. Palm Sunday. Maundy Thursday. Good Friday. Easter. The Season of Lent and Easter are full of strange names and words that many people do not understand. I have found that a great many people do not know the meaning and significance of these “Churchy” words and Holidays in the Season of Lent and Easter. In fact, most people probably don’t know that the word “holiday” comes from the old English word “Haligdaeg” which literally means “Holy Day.” So, let’s see if we can help...
The 2021 legislative session has begun. It will be a monumental and difficult session. Due to COVID restrictions, the logistics of just meeting will be a task. House members will be spread out all over the Statehouse to adhere to distancing requirements. It is still uncertain as to how the Press and lobbyists accommodations will be handled. A new virtual voting console system has been installed to allow for House members to vote since all will not be on the House floor. There are a myriad of...
As the 2021 Regular Legislative Session looms, the 800-pound gorilla in the room is the prison issue. The situation has grown more dire and imminent because the U.S. Justice Department has now filed suit against the State of Alabama. When Kay Ivey took office in January of 2019, she and the new legislature knew that they were going to have to address the prison problem in the state. Fixing prisons is not a popular issue. It wins you no votes to fix a broken prison system. Prisoners do not vote....
I’m writing this article from a deer stand as I look out into the woods and onto a small green field on a beautiful and sunny winter day! I love deer hunting, and I just love being in the woods! There is something about men and women hunting and the connection many of us have with the wilderness. Now I know a lot of women who love the woods, too, and I know a few that love to hunt as well. My wife, Janeese Spencer, doesn’t like to hunt, but she has a very special appreciation for God’s creat...
As is my annual ritual, my year-end column pays tribute to Alabama political legends who have passed away during the year. Sonny Cauthen passed away in Montgomery at age 70. He was the ultimate inside man in Alabama politics. Sonny was a lobbyist before lobbying was a business. He kept his cards close to his vest and you never knew what he was doing. Sonny was the ultimate optimist who knew what needed to be achieved and found like-minded allies with whom to work. When he had something to get...
