As is my annual ritual, my yearend column pays tribute to Alabama political legends who have passed away during the year. Sonny Cauthen passed away in Montgomery at age 70. He was the ultimate inside man in Alabama politics.  Sonny was a lobbyist before lobbying was a business.  He kept his cards close to his vest […]

This is my last weekly report as your congressman. Serving you in Washington these last seven years has been a great honor, and I will be forever grateful for the opportunity you have given me. I never once walked out on the floor of the House of Representatives when I wasn’t in awe that I […]

As this 2020 Presidential election year comes to a close, allow me to share some final thoughts on the results with you. As you might expect, with this being the year of one of the worst pandemic viruses in human history, it would have an effect on politics. Surprisingly, given the fact that people were […]

The late great U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia often told the story of his oral exam at Georgetown University. To graduate as a history major, he was required to answer questions from the faculty to demonstrate the sufficiency of his education and entitlement to a diploma. Asked to cite the most significant event in […]

At the Birmingham Museum of Art, in the back and around a corner, is a painting that few care to look at for too long. It’s small, roughly the size of a piece of printer paper. The background is a golden sunset, rolling hills and tall lanky trees that, every time I look at it, […]

Writing this holiday column reminds me our nation is nearing the end of one of the most trying and unpredictable years in American history. Divisions in the political realm and disagreements as to the most effective manner by which to deal with the coronavirus pandemic have served to breed animosity one toward another in ways […]

It’s Christmas week, so let’s talk about some Christmas miracles. No, I’m not talking about that monster hit John Metchie put on Florida’s Trey Dean in the SEC Championship game Saturday. We’ve come to expect plays like that from the Alabama football team this year. I’m talking about some truly surprising big deal things. First, […]

Governments across the country have imposed numerous public health policies to control COVID-19. A prominent one has been requiring the wearing of masks in public; Alabama has been under a mask order since July. Americans have largely embraced masks. A recent Harris poll found that 93% of respondents at least sometimes (always) wore masks. Nonetheless, […]

As 2020 comes to a close, we find ourselves reflecting on challenges that were unimaginable just twelve months ago. Yet during the Christmas season, we are filled with spiritual contemplation and profound gratitude. God has blessed Alabama with so many unselfish individuals, turning what could have been a year of regret into one of inspiration. […]

With the end of the year right around the corner, Congress is working to address some of the most urgent issues facing hard-working families across America before they leave Washington for the holidays. While the bulk of their efforts so far have understandably been focused on providing COVID-19 relief for struggling Americans, there are a […]

Editor’s note: The following is an open letter from the Birmingham-area hospitals to all citizens of Alabama.  Birmingham area hospitals applaud Governor Ivey’s recent extension of the statewide mask order. We also encourage residents of Jefferson County and all across Alabama to continue their vigilance in taking every precaution possible to minimize the spread of […]

When the members of the Constitutional Convention in 1787 debated how to pick the executive, several options were considered. Some wanted the people to directly elect the president, while others distrusted the people to know enough about the candidates to make that important decision on their own. After all, the election would be held across […]

Vaccines from Moderna and BioNTech/Pfizer are nearing approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Politicians will now decide who will get vaccinated first. The Centers for Disease Control’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has prioritized vaccination of medical personnel and nursing home residents. The rest of us will have to wait. Prices offer an […]

Presidential historians and most astute national political observers and chroniclers have concluded that the most profound legacy a president can achieve is the appointment of United States Supreme Court Justices. Presidents serve four-year terms. Justices serve for a lifetime. The Supreme Court of the United States is the ultimate final word on law and public […]

Last Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its monthly jobs report covering November. It contained some good news, some bad news and some downright ugly news. First, let’s look at the good news. The economy added 245,000 jobs last month, and the unemployment rate dropped to 6.7% from a high of 14.7% in April. […]

My pastor recently quipped that it felt like we are in the fifth year of 2020. True that. But in the midst of that sentiment, the question on many minds right now is “how long will the 2020 elections go on?” Aren’t we supposed to have an “election day?” Like, just one day? The short […]

Two vaccines appear highly effective against SARS-CoV-2, and remdesivir is helping doctors treat severe COVID cases. These products raise challenging questions regarding patents and government funding of research. If taxpayers fund a medical breakthrough, should we then have to pay for the medicine? Consider Gilead Science’s remdesivir, which effectively treated COVID in a clinical trial. […]

While the holiday season brings family and friends together, it serves as a time to remember our military families and troops overseas. This year especially brings new challenges as we continue to navigate the holidays during a global pandemic. Data from the Alabama Department of Health shows that numbers are sharply rising across the state, […]

Most people think the rutting activity of white-tailed deer in Alabama occurs mostly in January and into February. However, if you’re willing to travel, hunters can take advantage of the rut in the state from mid-November through early February. Plus, you can hunt the rut during that lengthy period on public land, according to Chris […]

When people ask how to bring business and jobs to our state, particularly in disadvantaged rural areas, I readily quip…broadband and bamboo. My partners and I co-founded Resource Fiber, LLC nine years ago and we are the only American company bringing bamboo growing and manufacturing – a $60 billion industry dominated by China – to […]

On the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling which is a very positive signal for the rights of people of faith to freely exercise that faith. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo had issued a “Cluster Initiative” which used color coded restrictions on large gatherings in certain parts of New York […]

State Health Officer is a difficult role to fill, especially this year. While partisanship and conspiracies continue to divide us, it is the job of the State Health Officer to make decisions for the good of all people throughout Alabama. This is exactly what Dr. Scott Harris has done for Alabamians during (and before) the […]

Joe Biden has won the presidential election, although President Trump alleges fraud. Mr. Trump, however, has not yet offered credible evidence of fraud. The current controversy involves “vote harvesting” and raises questions about the effect of selling votes. Vote harvesting involves individuals collecting mail-in ballots from voters. Clearly, persons with limited mobility should receive assistance […]

Today will be the 85th playing of the Auburn vs. Alabama football game, and like everything else this year, it will be unique in many ways including the smallest in-person crowd in decades.  It will be my first to not attend in 24 years, and I’ve been fortunate to attend 31 of the past 44 and […]