In recent weeks, large portions of the South, including Alabama, were hit with unseasonably cold weather that brought cold temperatures, snow and ice to the region. In Texas, millions of people were without power, forced to huddle inside of their homes without heat or water in freezing temperatures. Alabama had unusually low temperatures too, but […]

There is no substitute for being prepared. That’s true whether you’re protecting your family in a time of crisis or ensuring your business is ready for the worst. And as we’re learning in Texas, it’s especially true when it comes to delivering power. There can be no question. What has happened – and what continues […]

Late last year, Governor Ivey urged school districts in Alabama to reopen schools and allow students the option to return to the classroom, while many school districts across the country continued with virtual learning. Alabama was ahead of the curve on what recent CDC guidance made clear – with reasonable health precautions like distancing and […]

Every society must protect against those who would use violence to steal from others. After controlling criminals, swindlers become a major fear and motivates many government regulations. Yet regulations against fraud allow far worse swindling than markets. Swindling is always wrong, but most people learn to avoid pedestrian scams like the email from an exiled […]

In only 21 short months, at the close of 2022, Alabama will lose the greatest senator in our state’s history. Those of us who are political historians will acknowledge Richard Shelby as Alabama’s most pronounced political emissary in Washington. In my 2015 book, “Six Decades of Alabama Political History,” I have a chapter titled “Alabama’s […]

President Biden has said one of his top priorities is creating new jobs and “growing the economy for all Americans.” One way he seeks to do this is by increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour between now and 2025. The unfortunate reality is such a move would result in significant increases in […]

Facts are stubborn things. The fact, for example, that electric utilities nationwide have begun to rely more on natural gas as a fuel source. Why? Because the U.S. has the world’s largest reserves of natural gas and because federal regulations and the marketplace have caused many coal-fired power plants to close in recent years. Alabama […]

Governments have taken numerous extraordinary actions to contain COVID-19. Once the pandemic is over, we can and should revisit the emergency powers laws guiding these policy decisions. How extraordinary have the activities been? Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito described them as “previously unimaginable restrictions on individual liberty.” Confinement of the non-sick through stay-at-home orders and […]

260 days. That’s how long it had been since the Alabama Legislature had been in session. That’s 260 days for the coronavirus to spread and 260 days for Alabamians to feel the impact of the virus and our government’s response to it. Pair that with the fact that the 2020 session was so abbreviated and […]

Last week, House Democrats passed a budget resolution that provides them with a framework to pass a budget without input from a single Republican, even though Republicans have repeatedly demonstrated that we are willing to come to the table and work together in a bipartisan fashion for the good of the American people. Congress has […]

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 […]