The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
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Always the catch-all political crime, an accusation of treason is used to punish rivals and remove them from civic engagement. Autocrats use the insinuation of treason with brutal efficiency to banish, if not execute, a political problem or inconvenient idea. While treason is bandied about to characterize someone with whose political beliefs we disagree, our founders made treason a particularly difficult crime to prove. As with so much of the Constitution, the terms were specifically written to...
Occupational licensing involves government-imposed requirements for practitioners in different professions, or what critics call government permission slips to work. Despite a lack of evidence of benefits to consumers, licensing has been proliferating across Alabama and America, with the percentage of workers covered rising from 5 to over 20 percent. A new report from the Alabama Policy Institute and the Archbridge Institute offers some potential reforms. “Not-So Sweet Home Alabama: How Licensin...
For well over a century, America has always remained the most powerful nation on the planet. In that context, it is a good thing; no other nation would lay a hand on us unless it wanted to be annihilated. However, this power also has a dark side—opportunities for warmongers and profiteers to generate huge fortunes from unspeakable destruction around the world and the mass murders of millions. From the 20th century onward, we have been at almost continuous war. World War I was claimed to be ...
“The rivers are full of crocodile nasties, and He who made kittens put snakes in the grass.” Ian Anderson I attended and briefly spoke to House State Government committees in Montgomery in support of House Bill 242 and in opposition to House Bill 43. It was quite an experience observing how the political machine functions in the State of Alabama. The assault on Alabama’s Southern and/or Confederate history was eye-opening, especially discovering who was for and against some of these bills. A noticeable degree of animosity also seeped throu...
Editor’s Note: On Wednesday, May 12, 2021, Republicans quickly voted to oust Cheney from her position. Stefanik was voted as her successor the following Friday. In February I authored a Resolution that was adopted by the Alabama State Republican Executive Committee calling for the removal of Never Trumper Liz Cheney from her position as Chair of the Republican Conference. Unfortunately, she is still in her position of power. With each passing day it is becoming more and more apparent that Liz...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Years ago, in my manufacturing days at Giles Enterprises, we used the term “Flash Point” to describe when a chicken frying machine system would collapse, and the shortening exploded into a raging fire. In order to obtain an Underwriters Laboratories Certification (UL), we had to make sure that each fryer had the adequate infrastructure, dual thermostats; warning signals and much more to make sure that each new frying device was proven, tried and tested before the regulators allowed the pro...
“Freedom of speech and freedom of the press, precious relics of former history, must not be construed too largely.” – William T. Sherman The First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. In these times, we see blatant, unapologetic levels of censo...
Every society must protect against those who would use violence to steal from others. After controlling criminals, swindlers become a major fear and motivates many government regulations. Yet regulations against fraud allow far worse swindling than markets. Swindling is always wrong, but most people learn to avoid pedestrian scams like the email from an exiled prince seeking to transfer millions of dollars. Many scams violate customs and laws and the courts will help victims if possible. Smart...
In 1948, Winston Churchill warned that if we do not learn from history, we are condemned to repeat it. The United States has had a nine member Supreme Court for 150 years and it has served us well. Court Packing does not mean that the President replaces current Justices who retire or die. Court Packing means that the President and a Liberal Legislature adds seats to the Supreme Court until they are able to control the outcome of cases heard by the Court, thus imposing their political philosophy...
After winning the greatest scam election in history, Joe Biden and his comrades are wasting no time in their crusade to wreck the world’s greatest nation. Right off the bat on his very first day, vindictive Joe signed 15 executive orders to undo Donald Trump’s actions to save our republic. Of course, dozens of additional executive actions are being added to these. With an effective majority in both the House and the Senate, the fundamental rights of all Americans are once again (after Oba...
Today’s American people who are well informed can have no difficulty understanding that Donald Trump has been one of our most patriotic presidents in recent years. But because “The Donald” had refused to go along with our current corrupt elected and appointed officials and fought the Deep State with everything he had, the so-called “mainstream” news media and certain portions of our population have literally crucified him in their efforts to shame and defeat him on all fronts. The latest ac...
“I wouldn’t know, I’ve only ever killed communists.” Polish soldier Rafal Gan-Ganowicz’s likely facetious response when asked what it was like to kill a human being. In a 2015 YouTube video, BLM (Black Lives Matter) co-founder Patrisse Cullors described herself and fellow organizers as “trained Marxists.” Radical leftists (e.g., Antifa) seem determined to destroy America and Marxists appear to have a long-standing hatred for Southern Christians. Marxists, whose religion is Communism, su...
