Shelby County Legislation in the 2015 Regular Session
They say all politics is local, and in Alabama, the adage rings true. As part of the 1901 Alabama Constitution, counties and municipalities have to petition the legislature to make many changes affecting their operations. That means of the more than 1,000 bills introduced each year many only have local application, including various constitutional amendments. […]
By Cam Ward By Slade Blackwell By Jabo Waggoner By Jim McClendon
2015 Legislative Session Was A Success
While there were several bills that were important to me that did not make it to the Governor’s desk for signing, the 2015 regular legislative session that concluded last month was actually a success. The Alabama State Senate’s productivity increased over previous sessions: we passed 450 bills compared to 354 the previous year. Numerous were […]
By Rusty Glover
The Supreme Court Is Not a Supreme Legislature
Last week in an historic case – Obergefell v. Hodges – five unelected judges on the Supreme Court radically redefined marriage and decided to give to themselves the power to determine public policy for over 300 million Americans. The Supreme Court’s re-definition of marriage ignores the Constitution, thousands of years of history, the clear implications […]
By Gerald Allen
New Campaign Law Reform Makes Political Process More Transparent
The old saying is give people an inch and they will take a mile. Unfortunately, this is especially true of politicians. We have all heard candidates make outrageous statements in the heat of the moment during a hard-fought campaign. But what is far worse is when those same politicians, behind the scenes, quietly ignore campaign […]
By Arthur Orr
The Bankheads: A Brief History of Alabama’s First Family
From the beginning of the Civil War until the end of the Second World War, no family had as dramatic an impact on our state as the Bankheads of west Alabama. Members of the family graced the covers of Time magazine, presidents attended their funerals, and without their support, Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal legislation […]
By Greg Reed
Broadband Internet Expansion Is Key to Alabama’s Economic Development
Alabama and other agriculture-based states took off when roads were built to help farmers get their goods to market more quickly. Our country grew leaps and bounds when President Eisenhower had the foresight to invest in a national interstate system. Even thirty years ago, cities and counties had to focus on developing modern public water […]
By Tom Whatley
Alabama to D.C. – Stop Kicking the Can to Our Kids on the National Debt
There are few things as outrageous to Americans as taxation without representation; it started a war. But it is a fact that our children and grandchildren will be taxed for most of our current $18.5 trillion national debt. It is also a fact they had no representation when that obligation was imposed on them. Our […]
By Gerald Allen
Time for a Kitchen Table Conversation About Alabama’s Budgets
From the outside, it might seem like Alabama is experiencing some difficult financial times. Alabama, it is time for a kitchen table conversation about your daily struggles and our state’s funding. Imagine this scenario with me: It is Sunday afternoon. Your family just finished a leisurely lunch, and you and your wife sit down with […]
By Paul Sanford
County Commission Chair’s Focus Should Be on Economic Growth
Tuscaloosa County ranks fifth among Alabama’s sixty-seven counties in population, and is fourth in geographical size. Our county is home to many thriving businesses, including a world-class Mercedes-Benz plant. The state’s flagship university, a leading research hub and home of the best college football team in the nation, is located in our county. Tuscaloosa County […]
By Gerald Allen
A Freshman’s View of the Alabama Senate
As a new senator, the first week of the legislative session in March (the current legislative session will run through June) reminded me of my days in medical school: I was entering a new environment, had to quickly digest huge amounts of information, and grow accustomed to a place with its own traditions and quirks. […]