Often lost among the more provocative and controversial bills that generate headlines and hullabaloo during legislative sessions are the solid policy measures designed to address long-standing problems endemic to state government. As the chair of the House Education Policy Committee, I can attest that we passed more than two dozen bills and measures to support […]

The legislative session just concluded and coincided with the release of VOICES for Alabama’s Children’s annual data book. The VOICES report indicated we have many more issues ahead that need attention. The research results provided by VOICES are not good. (But keep reading, help is on the way.) Too many children can’t read or perform […]

President Biden’s policies have made every community in America a border city, and deadly fentanyl is flowing across the southern border and into communities all over the country. Even worse, fentanyl overdoses have become the number one cause of death for Americans between 18 and 45 years old. This administration’s policies and their refusal to […]

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent already rising oil prices even higher. Record gas prices are fueling the highest inflation rate in 40 years. President Biden blames high gas prices on Mr. Putin, but administration policies are hampering U.S. oil production. Markets are forward-looking and incorporate new information almost instantaneously. Anticipated events will affect commodity and […]

The scandal rocked the nation for two years. It was the origin of the “gate” reference to most every other scandal and the genesis of my interest in presidential history. Intruders entered the Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington’s Watergate Hotel on June 17, 1972. Investigators linked the burglars to the president’s reelection committee. President […]

The crowded field for governor striving to oust incumbent Governor Kay Ivey, includes Tim James. He has run before. In fact, this is his third try for the brass ring. His last race was in 2010 when he barely missed the runoff by a few votes. He was edged out by Robert Bentley, who went […]

Illegal immigration is at an all-time high. Just last year, nearly 2 million illegal immigrants from more than 160 countries were apprehended at our southern border—nearly 10 times the population of Alabama’s largest city of Huntsville. This is a direct result of the Biden administration rolling back the enforcement of immigration laws, limiting the ability […]

Every year, the President of the United States puts forth a budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year. While a president’s budget proposal is largely symbolic, it shows Americans what the top priorities are for the administration. Typically, the president’s budget proposal is rolled out in February each year, but it has been significantly delayed […]

It was no surprise when 60 years ago President Kennedy nominated Byron White as an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court. With few detractors and almost nationwide acclaim, White was almost everyone’s choice, and his confirmation was dizzying. Nominated on April 3, his judiciary committee hearing began just eight days later. After White […]

The house always wins. But when it comes to half of the casinos that may open across Alabama if the current gambling bill passes, the public will have no idea who actually owns the house. The public will have no idea who is raking-in all of those profits. And the public will have no idea which casino owners are […]

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Children’s charities will cover the doors of local businesses with symbolic blue ribbons, schools will have poster contests, and charities will take advantage of a heightened awareness and additional fundraising dollars. But what will you do? On average, child abuse is reported every 10 seconds in this country, totaling […]

Young Boozer is state treasurer, again, and deservedly so. Boozer was first elected as Alabama’s State Treasurer in 2010. He did an excellent job during his first four years and was reelected in 2014 without opposition. Thus, serving eight consecutive years as state treasurer. He could have been elected to a third four-year stint. However, […]

No one is immune to the impact of mental health or substance use, especially in Alabama. In 2021, Alabamians identified mental health and substance use as the second greatest health concern in the state (Alabama Public Health). With an estimated 214,000 adults in Alabama suffering from a serious mental illness, our state has recognized the […]

The month of March marks National Kidney Month in the U.S., an opportunity to bring awareness to something that affects more than one in seven adults, and a chance to reflect on the struggles kidney patients across the U.S. face every day. Currently, kidney patients face an uneven playing field, and a lot still needs […]

As policy director for Alabama Appleseed Center for Law & Justice, my work is centered around the intersection of poverty and criminal justice – the criminalization of poverty. As an Alabama native and graduate of the University of Alabama School of Law, I work as a legislative attorney and non-profit lobbyist committed to advocating for […]

If there is one thing that we know for sure in Alabama, it’s that good coaches make all the difference. Whether it’s Alabama football or Auburn basketball, we have collectively witnessed the impact of incredible coaches who have supported and prepared their teams and taken them to the highest levels of performance. As a former […]

Most of you are probably familiar with the phrase “drain the swamp.” Before I got elected, I knew the federal government was out of control and needed some big changes, but I had no idea how bad the problem truly is. For years, unelected bureaucrats have enjoyed huge amounts of power and control over our […]

Among the agencies recognized in the governor’s cabinet is the Alabama Department of Senior Services (ADSS). It is the one agency with guaranteed longevity because there is one thing for certain – we are all going to be senior citizens at some point in our lives. We pray we are anyway. Fortunately for us and […]

Joe Biden’s time in the White House has been an unmitigated disaster. He has presided over one failure after another with the crisis at our southern border ranking high among them. Joe Biden and his socialist handlers are solely responsible for this crisis that is threatening the safety of every American. President Trump made border […]

One would think that our nation’s pandemic experience during the last two years would give Alabama’s lawmakers, especially the “conservative” ones, a very good reason to side with parents and education reform during the current legislative session. But there are nearly 1.6 million reasons why they might not, because that’s how many dollars 63% of […]

Every election for every public office is important in a democracy. In the upcoming election, the election for Secretary of State throughout the country has become especially important since the Secretary of State is the chief election officer for the state and is, thus, responsible for providing elections in which citizens of the state can […]

Last Tuesday, I joined a bipartisan group of colleagues to listen to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy address Congress via video from a secure location near Kyiv. President Zelenskyy thanked the United States for our support, but he also asked for increased assistance in two ways – he asked for more defense systems and fighter jets, […]

World Water Day is March 22. The essential importance of water to public health and safety, the economy, and the environment has become more aware to the public since the pandemic, recent droughts, and the attack on Ukraine. While these reasons are unfortunate, a greater understanding of the value and essential role of water is […]

Alabama is past due for an education overhaul. In nearly every national publication that scores and ranks education systems, Alabama finds itself dead last. This must change. Data from the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama found that over half of public-school students in grades 3-8 are not proficient in grade-level reading and math. The […]