The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
Sorted by date Results 76 - 100 of 1938
December 18, 2024 – the U.S. House of Representatives voted to reject a Trump-approved continuing resolution (C.R.) that would have kept the U.S. government funded and avoid a government shutdown. This failed in the House after President-elect Donald J. Trump (R) came out against a bipartisan C.R. negotiated by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) with Democrats who still control the U.S. Senate and the White House. Congressman Barry Moore (R-Enterprise) voted for the Trump backed b...
Technology is helping some states and cities crack down on dangerous driving. In particular, traffic cameras have spread throughout the nation. These are intended to ensure that drivers fully stop at red lights and maintain posted speed limits, both of which help motorists avoid major safety threats. About 340 communities throughout the United States have red light cameras and 278 have speed cameras, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Automated camera enforcement programs...
December 19, 2024 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) made an impassioned speech on the Senate floor asking Senators to pass a stand-alone economic assistance bill for farmers across the country. Tuberville blamed the Biden administration's policies for the growing problems in the nation's economy and warned that without Congress stepping up and doing something to provide aid to farmers both the country and the world may have a harder time remaining fed, clothed, and...
The holiday season is one of joy and cheer, but it can come with increased risks. Holiday disasters like house fires, vandalized decorations, and home burglaries often spike come November and December. Fortunately, a homeowners insurance policy can help out if the holiday season takes a turn for the worse, Policygenius explains. Key takeaways: - Homeowners insurance covers many common types of holiday disasters—including kitchen or Christmas tree fires, vandalized decorations, and burglaries. -...
December 20, 2024 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution (C.R.) to keep the U.S. government funded and avert a partial government shutdown. Reps. Terri Sewell (D-AL7), Dale Strong (R-AL05), Robert Aderholt (R-AL04), and Barry Moore (R-AL02) all voted in favor of the funding package which also provided disaster assistance to communities impacted by this hurricanes this fall and provides some emergency support to farmers. House Democrats, along with...
WASHINGTON, D.C., December 21, 2024 – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) today voted to support the American Relief Act of 2025, legislation to continue funding the government until March 14, 2025, and provide critical relief for Alabama's family farmers. The bill extends the Farm Bill and provides $30.78 billion in total agriculture disaster funding, including $10 billion in economic disaster relief. "With the Farm Bill 447 days overdue, it was truly critical to deliver urgent relief for our a...
While the majority of drivers still finance their vehicle with a loan, a share of drivers in the U.S. choose to lease. Leasing can have a few advantages over buying, such as more manageable payments and warranty coverage, but some of the advantages afforded to drivers who prefer leasing to buying are disappearing in 2024. According to Experian data from the second quarter (Q2) of 2024, the average auto lease payment was $638—lower than the average monthly auto loan payment of $655. The d...
Charitable donations are historically concentrated in the final weeks of the year, specifically between "Giving Tuesday" (the week following Thanksgiving) and the last day of the year. It's during this period that people are in the religious and holiday spirit. It's also when nonprofit organizations blast fundraising campaigns—and when donors rush to qualify for tax deductions. In fact, nonprofits raise between 17% and 31% of their online donations in December alone, according to data from D...
WASHINGTON, D.C., December 23, 2024 – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) today announced she will serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee in the 119th Congress. The Judiciary Committee evaluates all judicial nominations for the federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court, and has broad jurisdiction over several legislative areas-including immigration and issues related to our Constitution. In the coming weeks, this committee is expected to hold hearings for President Donald Trump's Attorney G...
Incoming president Donald Trump has vowed to deport all of the country's undocumented residents. For students who are eyeing college, his presidency represents a potentially brutal Sophie's Choice if they have undocumented parents: Risk exposing them to a possible immigration dragnet by completing the federal Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, or leave thousands of dollars in cash for school on the table, CalMatters reports. While researchers and advocates have yet to hear...
Health promises to continue to make headlines next year with nearly half of Americans saying they'd prefer to have a healthier 2025 (47%) than a wealthier one (53%), according to a 2024 study from Hims. Here are the headlines in health from the Hims study that are the most jaw-dropping. 1. 35% of Americans Would Rather Lose 10 Pounds Than Be Debt Free Weight loss is on most of our minds daily—75% of Americans say they think about their weight every day, and 14% say it's constantly on their m...
MONTGOMERY – Governor Kay Ivey on Monday shared a heartfelt Christmas message with Alabama families, encouraging gratitude and the spirit of giving during this sacred season. In her video message, Governor Ivey reminded Alabamians of the true meaning of Christmas – the birth of Jesus Christ. Quoting Isaiah 9:6, Governor Ivey highlighted the hope and peace brought forth through Christ and expressed gratitude for the blessings that God has poured over Alabama this year. Governor Ivey also off...
Nothing beats a real Christmas tree, from the crisp evergreen scent to choosing the perfect Tannenbaum to adorn with glistening ornaments come December. Across the U.S., nearly 15 million trees were harvested in 2022 and there were 16,000 tree farms with over 290,000 total acres in production. Christmas trees are a big business, bringing in about $550 million in sales. The tradition of chopping down and purchasing an authentic Christmas tree from a local farm makes for an unforgettable annual...
Airbags, advanced driver assistance features, and high-strength materials mean that the safest cars today are far better at protecting people from injuries than ever before. Although most new cars compare well to their predecessors, some stand above the rest. The safest cars for 2025 offer excellent occupant protection and also do a good job of preventing accidents from happening in the first place. Based on testing data from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, or IIHS, and the National...
Purchasing a home is one of the most important investments there is. More than a place to live, homeownership is an asset with the potential to tremendously rise in value. But with home prices reaching record heights, affordability plays a huge role for buyers. The typical home value in the United States was $358,761 in November, 2.3% higher than the year before. High mortgage rates are also making monthly payments more expensive; as of December 19, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate sits at...
Purchasing a home is one of the most important investments there is. More than a place to live, homeownership is an asset with the potential to tremendously rise in value. But with home prices reaching record heights, affordability plays a huge role for buyers. The typical home value in the United States was $358,761 in November, 2.3% higher than the year before. High mortgage rates are also making monthly payments more expensive; as of December 19, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate sits at...
Purchasing a home is one of the most important investments there is. More than a place to live, homeownership is an asset with the potential to tremendously rise in value. But with home prices reaching record heights, affordability plays a huge role for buyers. The typical home value in the United States was $358,761 in November, 2.3% higher than the year before. High mortgage rates are also making monthly payments more expensive; as of December 19, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate sits at...
December 20, 2024 – the U.S. Senate passed a continuing resolution (C.R.) sent to them by the U.S. House of Representatives just hours earlier. This avoided a partial government shutdown before Christmas and kept the government funded until March at which time the Congress will have to take up another C.R. or an omnibus to keep the government funded until the next Congress imposed fiscal cliff. The state of Alabama does not work like this, no rational business works like this and historically t...
December 25, 2024 – Today is the 25th day of December. This is the feast day of Jesus of Nazareth's birth - Christmas. It is a federal and state holiday so banks, government offices, courthouses, schools, and almost all businesses are closed today. Of all the legal holidays, this is the one based solely upon a religious feast day. Christmas was not originally a formal holiday and government offices used to be open on December 25. Most Christian denominations at the time of the American R...
December 20, 2024 - WASHINGTON, D.C., – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama) spoke on the Senate floor with Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee, and Tim Kaine (D-Virginia), advocating on behalf of American companies, specifically Birmingham-based Vulcan Materials Company, to ensure the U.S. does not stand idly by as foreign governments trample on U.S. citizens and interests. Senator Britt also denounced reports by the Wall Street Journal that the lame duck Biden a...
December 25, 2024 – WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) said that he "will be going on offense" in the next Congress now that Republicans have retaken control of the United State Senate and President Donald J. Trump (R) will be in the White House. On January 2 the next Congress will be sworn in. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-New York) will be surrendering the majority leader position to Sen. John Thune (R-South Dakota) as the GOP now has a 3 seat majority, whereas Democrats h...
December 19, 2024 - Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) announced that her language authorizing a 100% federal cost share for Selma's Army Corps of Engineers River Erosion Project was included in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024. WRDA passed the Senate today with a large bipartisan majority. Having previously passed the House, it will now make its way to President Biden's desk to be signed into law. "Throughout the past few years, we have been working close...
Every now and then, a new song releases and dominates radio airwaves, Spotify playlists, and, of course, the esteemed Billboard Hot 100 chart—and in terms of those types of hits, 2024 has been pretty impressive. Morgan Wallen and Post Malone's collaboration "I Had Some Help" became the first major hit of the year. It spent six weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and was named the official song of the summer. The single was succeeded by another country-pop track, Shaboozey's "A Bar Song (Tipsy)," w...
The world has witnessed a boom among ultra-wealthy people since the COVID-19 pandemic began, but cracking the top 1% of earners in the U.S. has become less attainable than ever. Knight Frank's 2024 Wealth Report shows that the wealthiest 1% of individuals in the U.S. are each worth at least $5.8 million. Meanwhile, Federal Reserve economic data shows that, in 2022, the wealthiest households joined the ranks of the 1% with a minimum of $11.2 million. That's down slightly from 2019 when adjusted...
If you've hunted for apartments recently and felt like all the rents were equally high, you're not alone: Many landlords now use a single company's software—which uses an algorithm based on proprietary lease information—to help set rent prices, The Markup reports. Federal prosecutors say the practice amounts to "an unlawful information-sharing scheme," and some lawmakers throughout California are moving to curb it. San Diego's city council president is the latest to do so, proposing a ban tha...
