A $10,000 investment in GameStop last August would have been worth a million dollars last week. How does the stock of a struggling retailer go from under $5 to nearly $500? And does this tell us about the stock market? Founded in 1984, GameStop operates 5,500 stores across the U.S. and the world. The company […]

As the 2021 regular legislative session begins, you will see new leadership in the State Senate. Republicans dominate both chambers, overwhelmingly. They have a supermajority and dominate all issues and the budgeting process. They acknowledge the handful of Democrats, but really never give them any say in decision making. Therefore, the leadership is determined within […]

Thirty years ago, the world seemed like a more stable place. The United States was at the height of international prowess and had deftly negotiated with almost the entire world to oust Sadam Hussein from Kuwait. President Bush and his foreign policy team had built an international coalition to acknowledge that aggression against another sovereign […]

President Biden enacted a flurry of new executive orders last week, further cementing his decision to bypass working with Congress on any meaningful legislation. After canceling the permit for the Keystone XL Pipeline on his second day in office – a decision which will destroy American jobs and drive up the cost of energy – […]

The 2021 regular legislative session begins next week. Over the years, I have observed some outstanding classes of freshman legislators. Some stand out more than others, and occasionally you have a very stellar class. My observation is that this freshman class of state senators is a class to remember and watch. There are two Democrats […]

Americans have always been able to achieve based their talents and efforts. Yet several conservatives now argue that liberal policies have entrenched an elite class. The COVID-19 policy response provides some support for this argument. I have always found economic class analyses unhelpful. Class theorists see society composed of groups, not individuals. Modern economics begins […]

The U.S. Air Force’s decision on where to locate the headquarters of the U.S. Space Command has generated controversy, but it shouldn’t have. The Jan. 13 announcement was the culmination of a complex, time-consuming process as the Air Force selection team considered a wide range of key factors related to the Command’s mission, examining workforce […]

On any given day, there are tens of thousands of people being trafficked into and within the U.S. A large percentage of the victims are minors, often young females, who are brutally forced to perform commercial acts of sex or labor against their will. January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month. At its core, this […]

During his first week in office, President Biden has begun reviving failed Obama-era policies, rather than working in a bipartisan manner to move America forward. Republicans have proven that we are willing to come to the table and negotiate bipartisan compromises that will strengthen our nation and help American families, but the president has chosen […]

Last year was unlike any other. January 2021, however, offered a familiar sight: Alabama won its sixth national title under coach Nick Saban. The 2020 Crimson Tide featured Heisman Trophy winner Devonta Smith, many other award winners, and rank among the greatest teams in history. Before we debate history and look forward to next season, […]

The freight rail industry plays a key role in the Alabama economy, providing an existing and reliable transportation mode for many of the state’s key industries. From the growth in the state’s southern ports to the continued recovery in Alabama’s vibrant auto manufacturing sector, private freight railroads are helping spur economic growth. “Freight rail companies, […]

The following came from my book, Better Than Them, the Unmaking of an Alabama Racist, published by New South Books. I edited the article copy referenced below for purposes of this one as indicated in parenthesis. Looking back at my most impressionable years, I consider the examples and impressions left by such icons as Sheriff Andy […]

On Friday of this week, our nation will recognize National Sanctity of Life Day. This tradition started when President Reagan issued a proclamation in 1984 designating January 22 as the first National Sanctity of Human Life Day. The purpose of this special day is celebrating the gift of life, remembering the lives lost to abortion, […]

Dear President Trump, I voted for and supported you, as did 74 million Americans throughout the land, and now we are all absolutely and completely betrayed. The Democrats have the presidency and Congress because of you. I am a Christian and wholeheartedly believe in forgiveness – but my forgiveness of you will be difficult. Here’s […]

As a daughter of the city of Tuskegee, I embrace her proud history. Tuskegee Institute, now University, the prolific George Washington Carver and the legacy of the courageous Tuskegee Airmen are among the first topics that I’m asked about when I meet people who are not from the area. Some people even ask if I […]

November’s elections imply we will likely see some Federal student loans forgiven. Current student debt levels reflect the morphing of a reasonable program. Loan forgiveness may produce significant changes for higher education. President-elect Joe Biden has indicated a willingness to forgive $10,000 in loans per borrower via executive order. A Democratic Senate will likely result […]

As the director of the state agency charged with safeguarding Alabama’s environment, I have great respect for and deep appreciation of our state’s wonderful natural resources and rich biodiversity of species and habitats, including many that are unique to Alabama. Protecting human health and those environmental treasures is precisely the reason the Alabama Department of […]

As I type these words, I am sitting in my study with three rifles hanging on the opposite wall. They will never fire again. Their role is to serve as a reminder of generations of sacrifice that made this great nation what it is. My grandfather, my father and I each brought home these reminders […]

It was President Harry Truman who said, “The only thing new in the world is the history you do not know,” and King Solomon, perhaps the wisest man ever, stated pretty much the same thing a few millennia ago when he recorded in Ecclesiastes 1:9 that “there is nothing new under the sun.” Recent studies […]

Last week, the House of Representatives met for the opening session of the 117th Congress. Our first orders of business were establishing a quorum, being sworn in, voting on a rules package, and electing a new speaker for the 117th Congress. Although my Republican colleagues and I cast our votes for Republican Kevin McCarthy, Nancy […]

Every general election, voters decide ballot initiatives on social and economic policy. These often produce inconsistent results. Last November, Californians voted in favor of economic freedom while Florida voters increased the state’s minimum wage. California consistently sits near the bottom of the Fraser Institute’s state economic freedom rankings (47th in 2020). Its economic policies have […]

As we close the book on 2020, we will close the door on national politics and get back to the basics: good old Alabama politics. That’s my game. It is what I know and like to write and talk about. Some say my prognostications and observations on Alabama politics are sometimes accurate. However, not so […]

Now that there have been two vaccines approved for emergency use in the United States to protect against the coronavirus by the Federal Drug Administration, all eyes will be on the states as to how they will distribute the drugs. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided guidelines, it is up […]

Heading into the new year, the foundation that has promoted the conservation of unique habitats in Baldwin County has broadened its scope with its vision and a name change. What once was the Weeks Bay Reserve Foundation, which has been in existence for 30 years, is now the South Alabama Land Trust (SALT). Alabama Department […]