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...
On the subject of gambling, many people and politicians in Alabama are all over the spectrum on how much we should allow in this state. On one side are the ones who believe that it should be completely legalized with a free market. On the opposite, we have the extremists who want to abolish every last bit of it, lest the people overindulge in it and plummet into Hell. Do we have a practical solution to this argument? For starters, there is no way we can abolish it. The federal government has gra...
I am familiar with two forms of notary and three other forms that I would consider more or less as authentications. The notary public is probably what you are most familiar with. Notaries are appointed and commissioned by the local probate judges and in addition to the application must be bonded for $25,000.00. The notary is reported to the Alabama Secretary of State to include the expiration. If you want to make sure that your notary is authentic, you can look them up on the Alabama Secretary...
First, to make counseling truly Christian we must bring our faith and our counseling together in our mind. Christ-centered counseling requires more than devoted Christians who are expertly trained in the fields of counseling. It is the presence of God and the Holy Spirit into the counseling process that makes Christian counseling. This begins by recognizing Christ as the only wonderful Counselor. He becomes our model. Christian counseling is grounded in the Bible, and most often seeks to help a...
It has been very exciting to be a part of the arts in Wetumpka. The Abandoned Rural America Exhibition presented by a gentleman from Georgia, Peter Muzyka, has been a tremendous success and a huge draw to our community. The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery has worked extremely hard on this exhibit and it certainly showed with a successful opening night. The performance at the Wetumpka Depot playing to a full house of people dealing with words and music tied to rural America was a pleasure to...
This month, Brian & I will celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary. Without a doubt, there is no one on the planet I would rather go through life’s ups, downs & round abouts with. “I have found the one whom my soul loves”, Song of Solomon 3:4. As Brian builds his life around Christ, he is naturally a reflection of Christ in the way he treats me. And as I build my life around Christ, I learn to love my husband as God has called me to love him. That is what makes a marriage gain more and more beaut...
A nervous tension hangs heavily over the upcoming press conference. As usual, something major in the world occurs and the President of the United States is expected to step up to the podium and give not only his ideas of the event but will hopefully spell out exactly how his administration plans on reacting. Today is no exception. 80 members of the press corps huddles around waiting for the POTUS to step onto the stage. Over the din and confusion in the room, questions can be heard wondering...
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...
In early 2009, Dr. Robert Bentley came to see me about his race for Governor of Alabama. Bentley was finishing his second term in the Alabama House of Representatives and closing down his very successful dermatology practice in Tuscaloosa. I liked Bentley immediately and thought it was magnanimous that he would want to spend his retirement years as Governor. I did not give him much of a chance and predicted he would run a respectable third in the race. However, he surprised everybody, probably...
I find that most people detest election years because of the onslaught of ugly political advertising, never-ending robo calls, or roadside signage that is never fully eradicated. I detest it because while many of us are involved in campaigns to elect replacements in hopes of solving some of the problems created by the last election cycle, we tend to take our eyes off the shenanigans that continue to take place in our halls of government. I shudder to think of the damage likely being done in...
Qui tam actions are a part of the False Claims Act. Whenever a government contractor or payee defrauds the Federal Government, the Federal Government wants to know about it so that they might recover lost funds or in some cases the False Claims Act can cover illegal acts by companies. To do so the Federal Government encourages “whistleblowers” to report the wrongful action and if found to be legitimate, a private attorney and possibly Government inclusion (intervention) may pursue the wro...
Growing up in a gender-based family, there were distinct roles that my father and mother had, but there was some moderate flexibility ( e.g., my father played with children and my mother disciplined the children). I don't recall any argument concerning parental roles, but I also do not recollect ever seeing my Dad do what is typically considered a feminine role, in a historically Mexican family, of cleaning the home, washing clothing and cooking. My father died at an early age of thirty-nine,...
The cost of access to the legal system presents difficult, perplexing questions. The legal system is the last resort for dispute resolution. But access to the legal system costs money. Lawyers engage in the practice of law to make a living. They cannot provide their services free. The cost of a judiciary has caused the legislature to impose substantial charges in the form of various court costs. If the dispute involved involves only a small economic value, the cost of the legal solution may be...
Everybody in America knows that we have a serious problem with immigration. However, very few have offered any reasonable and workable solutions. One “solution” that will not be effective is building a “Berlin Wall” along our southern border. Building and guarding it would not only be outrageously expensive, but it could be easily bypassed on both ends by boats or even swimmers. Deportations to the other side of the border are also mostly ineffective. The illegals simply come back again and aga...
It is very exciting times in the City of Wetumpka. Things did not happen overnight. It took years of planning and working a plan to get into the development stage we have been in the last few years. It's a proven fact that with patience, stability and perseverance you will have successful opportunities come your way. We have enjoyed since 2000, by purchase, 109 acres of property on 14 bypass that joined 45 acres the City had owned for many years. With the acquisition of 25 more acres, we now...
Happy Spring! Time to open up the house and let the sunshine in. Perhaps, grab a few dozen trash bags, go through all the closets and the attic, and throw away everything that has cluttered up the house. I decided this spring I needed to clear the junk out of my head first. Only a few months into the New Year, and I already had too much on my mind. I still had a lot of questions built up from the past few year. God, why did this happen? Why did I pray for this, and it still fell apart? Why,...
Article III of the United States Constitution establishes a supreme court. The text of Section One and the first paragraph of Section Two of Article Three reads as follows: Article III. Section. 1. The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behaviour, and shall, at stated Times,...
Many of my conservative friends, mostly those in my generation or older, continue to be amazed that an avowed socialist – disguised as “democratic socialist” – can be so popular with the youth of our nation. Like so many of my friends, I’ve attributed the appeal to the liberal bent of our public education system. While that absolutely has an enormous impact, I think there are other elements that those of us who call ourselves conservatives have been missing. But one factor has been apparent...
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...
You know the outcome of our presidential preference primary yesterday. I do too, today; however, this column had to go to press a few days prior to the primary. Therefore, I will have to report and analyze your voting in a later column. One thing I do know is that we had a lot more attention paid to us in the Heart of Dixie because we had an early primary. The legislature is to be applauded for moving us up to participate in the March 1st SEC primary. It was fun while it lasted but we can say...
Last month I described how the Finnline and adequate yellow time can put an end to dangerous panic stops at signaled intersections. Here are some additional remedies to improve the traffic flow. The legitimacy of installing a signal for a private property is dubious at best. And because of the way many are timed, they are particularly obnoxious. A few weeks ago, Walmart opened a new store on highway 231 across from the Garrett Coliseum in Montgomery. Like at every other I had seen, it had a...
Some people are born with a more positive disposition while others are born with more of a negative disposition case in point my two little boys. One is often always positive and the other is often thinking negatively, but there is hope. The latest research in neuroscience and positive psychology demonstrates that we can mold our brains and ourselves to be more positive, which is great news for all our children. I believe that positive kids become positive adults and as parents we can play a sig...
Lawyer advertising turns most people off. That includes many members of the legal profession itself. Ads that include boxing gloves, horses, tigers and big trucks may be mildly amusing the first time you see them, but add little to the image of the legal profession and nothing to the dignity of law. Those of us who still regard law as a gift of God that allows humans to live peaceably together have difficulty seeing how the commercial advertising of legal services as a commodity can be...
First of all, I have to apologize for this column. I first wrote this way back in early 2011 but as I read over it, I felt it remained current in its scope and thought. The reason I am not adding a new column is that I am currently recovering from surgery I recently had and to be honest, at the moment writing is among the last things on my mind to do. I do think, however, for my next Robservation I will discuss my surgery. But here is my column with a few editorial additions and I am looking...
Easter is upon us. This is the day we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the grave. This is the event that conquered sin… it conquered death… and it made it possible for you and for me to have a personal relationship with God! Perhaps, today, this is the first time you've ever heard or understood this Good News. If so, I want to tell you something: Jesus died on the cross for you. He wore a crown of thorns and was nailed to a tree because He loves you… and He wants to ha...
