Since President Biden took office, there have been over 5 million illegal crossings at our  southern border, and more than 1.3 million illegal immigrants have avoided apprehension  at the border, according to Border Patrol sources. The extreme open border policies we have seen from this administration and Democrats in Congress have turned every city in […]

If you followed state news in 2022, you would have seen dozens of stories about Alabama’s successful economy. Nearly every month we at the Alabama Department of Labor were announcing some sort of economic record. In fact, the amount of positive economic news may have also been a record. While I am extremely proud of the progress […]

When Alabamians need surgery, especially on something as complex and important as their eyes, they should be able to trust that the medical professional providing their care is knowledgeable and highly trained. Yet Alabama legislators are now considering a bill that threatens to break that trust and put Alabamians’ eyesight at risk. House Bill 349 […]

The Biden Administration is battling what it terms “junk fees.” Is this consumer protection, or will it simply create additional costly regulation? The answer depends largely on how one views competition in markets. The term junk fees include bank overdraft fees, credit card late fees, airline baggage and seat selection fees, hotel resort and destination […]

On May 15, 1972 – 51 years ago today – Alabama Gov. George Wallace was shot and paralyzed during an assassination attempt while campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination, and this anniversary offers an appropriate time to share the story  of a stunning historic discovery that I made while working for him almost 25 years […]

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is an abysmal failure and President Joe Biden is even worse. Thanks to their treasonous open border policies, our country has become decidedly more dangerous. Biden ensured this would happen in his first days in office with a set of executive orders that reversed most of President Trump’s […]

Last month, Gov. Kay Ivey finalized “The Game Plan,” signing into law several bills aimed at supporting job-creation projects, investing in more industry-ready sites, and solidifying Alabama’s edge in securing such endeavors against our neighboring states. Thanks to the governor’s initiative and innovation, and the Legislature’s support and hard work, Alabama now has a secure […]

Most if not all of us grew up hunting and fishing with our parents, grandparents, and friends. Some of my best memories with my kids and grandkids are when I have taken them hunting and fishing, and this is when some of the best life lessons and family stories are passed on from one generation […]

Economic development, job creation and business recruitment are a top priority for elected officials, community leaders, and business leaders like myself who want to see our communities grow and economies thrive. Given the huge importance of a growing – or conversely, a shrinking – economy, it might sound strange to think of economic development as […]

In previous columns, I and the people I’ve interviewed have attempted to stress the importance of creating healthy and productive ways to have conversations with those that don’t agree with our points of view. Whether that means trying to find common ground with one another, or even attempting to change a person’s mind and bring […]

As I stroll down the halls of the Alabama Senate during this current regular session of the Alabama Legislature, I will stop and visit in the offices of my favorite legislative buddies. My favorite and first stop is with my longtime friend Jabo Waggoner. Jabo, being the dean of the Legislature, has the first prime […]

As our state works to grow our economy and attract high-quality jobs, it is important to recognize and understand the tools we have at our disposal that can deliver the biggest impact. Alabama has a wealth of such assets that, if leveraged correctly and given the attention and investment they need, can put us on […]

With companies across the globe looking to make big-dollar investments into communities and accompany those investments with high-paying, high-quality jobs, Alabama has an opportunity to take the bull by the horns and become one of the top states companies look toward to invest. But currently, Alabama is falling behind other states such as Tennessee, Georgia […]

In 1775, the Continental Congress created the United States Army to fight the British and gain independence for what would become the United States of America. The U.S. Army was obviously successful, and we are still grateful to them nearly 250 years later. Today, the United States military is the largest employer in the world. […]

Two hundred and fifty years ago, the British Parliament stumbled into what can only be described as a textbook case of how to alienate friends and lose loyal subjects. When the Tea Act was passed in 1773, British conventional wisdom was that decreasing the tax on tea would be well received. And even though the […]

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is imposing fees on mortgage applicants with high credit scores to assist applicants with low credit scores and small down payments. The 2007 housing crisis illustrated the potential costs of “helping” people buy homes they could not afford. The proposal offers insight on the politics of government favors. The […]

It may appear to you and most casual observers of Alabama politics that our Alabama elected officials are old. That observation is accurate when you observe our current leaders in the highest offices. The governor’s office has been held by mature folks in recent years. Our current Governor, Kay Ivey, is 78 and has been […]

With the Alabama Legislature’s 2023 regular session well underway, the expansion of high-speed, rural, internet access remains top of the list of priorities for leaders in both chambers. But while significant progress has already been made since lawmakers passed the first broadband initiative five years ago, much work remains ahead. Uniti (pronounced “unity”) Fiber is […]

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in business and higher education have become controversial. Texas A&M and Texas Tech recently ended DEI statements for faculty hiring and tenure. What is problematic about being welcoming and inclusive? Let’s consider the underrepresentation of women in engineering. According to the National Science Foundation, in 2016 women earned 21 […]

There’s no doubt Washington has a spending problem. President Biden and my colleagues across the aisle are constantly looking for new ways to raise taxes on hardworking Americans, but the truth is Washington has plenty of money, and it’s just not spent well. There is so much waste up here because the federal government loves […]

If you watch the news, you’ll undoubtedly watch in horror at what the rest of us see. Inflation, crime, drugs, war, chaos, and division If you get on social media and you’ll see the same things … only it’s worse. Specifically the division. It would seem as if we all hated each other. You can’t […]

As the first regular session of the quadrennium evolves, there are myriad complex issues arising. I am reminded of three simple truisms regarding the Alabama Legislature and the governing of the state of Alabama. First of all, if anything significant or controversial or any major initiative is to be addressed, then it is dealt with […]

The use of economic development incentives by state and local governments is a common practice intended to attract private investment, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth. As academic researchers, our work at the Hoover Institution focuses on studying these incentives, measuring how much local economies benefit after incentives are granted, and evaluating ways to increase […]

Space systems are fundamental to U.S. national and economic security — but we have not been organizing or resourcing ourselves in a way that is consistent with this reality. Despite the fact that an array of critical infrastructure and national critical functions rely on space systems, they are not one of our designated critical infrastructure […]