The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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I find it funny how no matter where you are, people insist the folks from either their home state are the worst drivers in the world or they like to say all people from another area are the worst. “I’ve driven in New Jersey and man, they are the worst.” A Jersey guy will say, “I’m never going back to the south because those dang southerners can’t drive.” I love to hear the reasoning. I am not immune from this “Robservation” either. I’ve seen some crazy stuff everywhere. Driving down I-81 in Virg...
Or perhaps “Cheese-toast [sic] Anesti!” to fans who recall actor John Corbett’s poor attempt at psittacism in the 2002 movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding as “Ian Miller.” A few Greeks found the movie a little ‘insulting’ or ‘too stereotypical’ but I’m not among them. I find it healthy to laugh at oneself when apropos and even savour the idiosyncratic characteristics embedded in one’s culture. Quite often there are delightful reasons stereotypes of this sort emerge over time to highlight our differe...
There are various issues relative to estate planning and divorce. There are instances where an ex-spouse may continue to be entitled to your assets, times when they are automatically disqualified from assets and/ or disqualified from acting as a fiduciary and then there are changes in the law. Finally, there may be times that you may wish for your ex spouse to inherit from you even though by law that might be successfully challenged. With your Last Will and Testament, upon divorce your former sp...
One of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey’s current legislative pushes is to fund new prisons, improve the current institutions, and reform the criminal justice system, to which she has faced many obstacles. This article written by John W. Giles and published in the Alabama Gazette May 2019, is good to review in light of the State’s failing, overcrowding prison system ... ------------------------------------------------ Recidivism rate is the tendency of a criminal to commit a crime and return to pri...
The Biden Administration seems intent on renewing the war against fossil fuels to combat global warming. Before going down this path, I hope Americans will consider Alex Epstein’s argument in The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels. A moral argument requires a standard of value and Mr. Epstein’s is human life. As he explains, “I think that our fossil fuel use so far has been a moral choice because it has enabled billions of people to live longer and more fulfilling lives.” Many environmentalists do not...
On January 5 of this year, baseball legend Henry Aaron received his COVID-19 vaccine and then promptly tweeted that Coronavirus vaccinations are safe and that all black Americans should get the shots: “I was proud to get the COVID-19 vaccine earlier today at Morehouse School of Medicine. I hope you do the same!” Two and a half weeks later, on January 22, Aaron passed away. Some people suspect that it was a result of the vaccine. Since the new Coronavirus vaccines were administered, people have s...
We observe many modern instances of government overreach. A look at Abe Lincoln’s regime will echo much of what we now witness – Clement Laird Vallandigham’s case is an example. [Denied free speech & habeas corpus rights.] Vallandigham, born in 1820 in New Lisbon, Ohio, was educated at New Lisbon Academy and Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. He built a respected law practice and became a popular political speaker. In 1845, he became the youngest member of the Ohio State legis...
Joe Biden’ Infrastructure Plan is not about Infrastructure but about a radical transformation of the entire American economy. This is what the world’s elites like to call “The Great Reset.” Joe Biden campaigned and was elected as a good ole moderate Democrat. He pledged repeatedly to work across party lines and reach a consensus on issues that all Americans regardless of party affiliation, can agree upon. He has governed however, just the opposite. As Professor emeritus of political science...
By this time of the year, gardeners have already tilled their ground and formed their rows. They have sown seeds that by now sprouting and growing. The watching and waiting has begun. I like people who garden. There is a realness about them I appreciate. A lack of pretentiousness. I am from people who garden. They were good at it. If I look back at census records of my old family, they were listed as farmers. They have gardened for a long time. Growing up in Sandflat, I would follow behind my...
Living with purpose is the best way to plug into God's greatest plan for your life. And, once you know your purpose, there is so much more meaning to life. It may sound simplistic, but I believe it to be true. "For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10 Jesus helps us look beyond ourselves to find our purpose. You see, our purpose in life is a combination of 'out-of-this-world living' and 'living our lives...
Inequality is one of America’s most contentious issues. According to a popular narrative, higher taxes on the rich are needed to control growing inequality. New research from the Johnson Center offers a different perspective. My colleagues G.P. Manish and Steve Miller have edited a new book titled Capitalism and Inequality: The Role of State and Market. The volume features contributions from leading economists on thinking about and measuring inequality and government policies making i...
There has been much debate lately about how we name public buildings and whether we should remove some names because of long ago actions that no longer conform to contemporary societal practices. Public buildings are always tricky to name as evidenced by the fact that just a couple of years ago, the University of Alabama Law School was named after Hugh Culverhouse, Jr. in acknowledgment of a very generous donation. However, Culverhouse’s donation was later returned and his name was chiseled f...
I have to admit. Since my last Robservation, my attention has not been so much on what is going on around the country but clearly focused elsewhere. Perhaps that is a good thing. I did watch President Biden’s pratfall going up the stairs to Air Force One and actually felt sorry for the man – yet again. For anyone watching with an objective, unbiased mind, the man is most definitely not in the game. Over his shoulders watches VP Harris ready to pounce on his job as soon as she gets the green lig...
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,...
My husband died and while most everything was in both of our names there is one financial account with about $15,000.00 in it. How can I get to it since I am the primary beneficiary under his Will? Most often on the first death of a spouse if everything has been tied together during life it is unnecessary to probate following the first death. When doing your estate plan it is important to think about EVERYTHING that you own or have control over, and I do mean EVERYTHING. Who wants to learn that...
Column readers these past dozen years will recall AU administration frequently begs attention. Distortion of this once grand institution into another corrupt arm of the Lowder-Hubbard graft machine is well documented. Hope recent imprisonment of Felon Hubbard (further dashed by a suspiciously reduced sentence) would induce a renaissance at Auburn University seems foolhardy upon closer observation of recent events. Noteworthy from past writings of the early ‘Bentley daze’ efforts to rei...
In March of 1999, my phone rang and it was General Charlie Condon, the Attorney General for the State of South Carolina. I was the newly installed President of the Christian Coalition of Alabama as of January 1999. He gave me a strong sober warning about the future plague consuming our state, if we legalized gambling. His warning in that conversation will never be forgotten and I wanted to share it with you. I was in the Fob James Administration in 1998, when Lt. Governor Don Siegelman unseated...
When completely unfounded and unverified accusations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court Nominee Brett Cavanagh came out of the blue, Senator Elizabeth Warren and other leading Democrats screamed, “They must be believed.” The left demanded an FBI investigation into decades old allegations. They held up the confirmation hearings from proceeding. They made speeches on the record from the Senate floor. They contended Cavanaugh was unfit for the court merely because of the accusations. Edi...
Once again, it is time for all Americans to endure the annual ritual of filing and paying their income taxes. Every year, it seems to become more time consuming and more problematic. Last year, the IRS published some new schedules to go with the form 1040 and its numerous schedules. However, they did not replace or substitute for any existing paperwork. They were in addition to it. The bad news was that this small booklet didn’t include any of the other schedules that we had filed in the past a...
Abe Lincoln was determined to keep the Union together and deny Southern Independence. Although antithetical to the creation of these united States, the “unbreakable union myth” was supported by some in Lincoln’s era as it is now; however, there is more to the story. Lincoln stated the pivotal reason for war in his First Inaugural Address of Monday, March 4, 1861: “The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the Government and to coll...
Sometimes, when I am in Montgomery, I make it a point to go out and have lunch with Hank and Audrey. Usually, I take fried chicken. They don’t ever say too much, and neither do I really. Nobody sings. If you are there and hear lonesome music, it’s probably only in your head … or maybe your heart. I go, I guess, for the silence, or the solace. It is a feeling. There is an energy there. Or maybe a spirit. I’m not sure. It is not something you can reach out and touch or take a picture of, at leas...
The beautiful sights of Spring are beginning to show out. Buttercup, tulips, and many other flowering delights are starting to bloom. Such beauty! For those of us who enjoy gardening, sometimes life happens and maybe we are just not able to tend to our gardens for a while. Unfortunately, when this happens, weeds grow…and lots of them! If you think about it, the weeds, much like things in life, can sometimes be deceiving. They look pretty but they can easily overtake the real flowers. Some are e...
In 1987, I sold my portion of Giles Enterprises and did a little real estate development in 1988 and in 1989 joined the Hunt Administration as Small Business Advocate for the State of Alabama. Also in 1988, on a scratchy low powered AM radio station in Montgomery, Alabama, a strange, but different kind of radio talk show was launched, “The Rush Limbaugh Show.” I was 34 then, and now 31 years later, I am 65 and still mesmerized by the depth, insight, revelation and the almost prophetic sense Rus...
The January 6 Capitol riot was a despicable display of anger and ignorance. For many it was also an orchestrated attempt to further demean and neuter Trump and his 75-million-plus supporters. A perfectly timed distraction ceased the roll call certification and challenge of states, which contested not only errors but more importantly the outright alleged fraud (via mail in ballots, voter machine manipulation, Silicon Valley and other malefactors https://time.com/5936036/secret-2020-election-campaign) in key precincts and states to reverse an...
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...
