Children often bear the worst of our challenges, and our disagreements. When Alabama public schools shut down in response to the coronavirus pandemic, we saw (again) that the promise of education is not equally available to all young people. Many government-run school administrators were unable to deliver education to the children within their districts. At […]

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic will create fundamental changes in the way industry, retailers, education systems, and average citizens perform tasks that were previously considered routine. This social evolution will occur at an increasing pace as the effects of social distancing and other virus prevention directives continue to modify traditional ways of life in […]

The U.S. Supreme Court recently delivered a “big win” for school choice and religious freedom. School choice enables competition, which economists find generally improves the quality of goods and services. I believe that this result will apply to education, and specifically public schools. Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue involved 2015 legislation allowing tax-deductible contributions […]

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to present challenges to individuals and businesses across our state and country. It is no secret that many have struggled as a result of this novel pandemic. All levels of government have come together to provide support for those families and businesses in need. Governor Kay Ivey just recently announced […]

Dear Friends, I find myself sharing these thoughts today about my friend, Jeff Sessions, whom I have known literally since kindergarten. In a world where there is so much division and confusion and political campaigns are literally being defined by 280 characters in a tweet, I find myself wanting for something more. This is especially […]

Amid concerns of a second wave of the coronavirus, California has closed some of its beaches. The Dow dropped. Apple temporarily closed some of its U.S. retail stores again. As states reopen, many are wondering whether some states will institute a second shutdown. A second shutdown would be harsh news for the ordinary working Americans […]

When you contrast Sen. Shelby’s stellar service with the work of Alabama’s Democrat Doug Jones, the differences are all at once shocking and shameful.

I left Montgomery on Thursday evening fuming. In four weeks, more than 700,000 K-12 students, teachers, nurses and administrators across 138 school districts will venture back into Alabama’s classrooms for the first time since COVID-19 stopped our education system in its tracks. In the four months since schools closed in March, the Alabama State Department […]

Last week, the House Armed Services Committee, which I’m proud to be a member of, passed and sent to the full House the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021. This is the 60th year in a row that we have passed this act out of Committee, and since we […]

Who rules us? For centuries, the dominant American answer has been that we rule ourselves. But there are alternative views. As long as there have been human beings, some have insisted that we should not have to rule ourselves, but should be free to do whatever feels right. Others have argued that we should be […]

Hospital closures are occurring at an alarming pace all over the country, but disproportionate closures in rural areas leave already-vulnerable residents at an even higher risk. Telemedicine can help solve the problem, especially in rural Alabama’s Black Belt counties. While 95% of American homes are wired for broadband, about 25% of rural communities aren’t. This […]

Governments implemented strict policies to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. The widespread response suggests that governors and presidents saw COVID-19 as an unprecedented public health threat. Or did it? The economics of herding suggests possibly not. The “Wisdom of Crowds,” also the title of James Suroweicki’s excellent book on this subject, implies this […]

Uncertainty can be crippling. In many, it turns an energetic “can-do” spirit into a cautious “wait and see” mentality. In 2011, more than half of small businesses surveyed by the US Chamber of Commerce said they were holding off on hiring new employees largely because of uncertainty about the economy. That was in 2011. What […]

The Fourth of July is one of America’s most celebrated holidays each year, honoring the birth of American independence dating back to 1776. Americans gather from state to state to participate in beloved traditions such as fireworks, parades, barbecues, and many more. With all that is happening across the country right now, I hope that […]

My fellow Alabamians: In a few days, America will celebrate her 244th birthday. Traditionally, many towns and cities around the country light up the night with fireworks and music festivals. In 1776, John Adams predicted that Independence Day would be “celebrated by succeeding generations” with “pomp and circumstance … bonfires and illuminations.” However, largely because […]

As it turns out, we just thought we understood how much we needed better broadband accessibility in Alabama. Rural farmers, hospitals, and schools have been telling us for years that the inequality of our broadband infrastructure created two classes of Alabamians: internet haves and have-nots. State leaders mostly agreed and promised to address it … […]

This weekend, America will celebrate its 244th birthday. Unfortunately, we do so in a time of a pandemic, a struggling economy and violent protests. But, it’s still our birthday and we should both commemorate and celebrate it. We usually do a good job in our celebration, although this year will be different since social distancing […]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have made numerous mistakes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mission creep at the CDC has left America vulnerable to a communicable disease. We need a new agency solely dedicated to battling infectious diseases. Let’s start with the mistakes. A lack of early testing let the outbreak spiral out […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in many changes that require us all to adjust. Phrases like “self-quarantine” and “social distancing,” which were rarely used or completely unheard of several months ago, are now a part of our daily vocabulary. As we adjust to this “new normal,” America’s sportsmen and women, a group that I am […]

Several states across the country have seen a surge in reported coronavirus (COVID-19) cases over the past few weeks. On Thursday, June 25, the United States set a new single-day record for new coronavirus cases, with state health departments reporting 39,327 cases. Over the past week, Alabama has seen the most troubling numbers to date. […]

Our brilliant founders built our democracy upon two different but complimentary pillars. The first and more obvious pillar is our constitutional system itself, what the writers of the Federalist Papers called the “new science of politics.” Our representative democracy would not be possible without our revolutionary constitution and the laws that uphold it, separation and […]

I am not a Black Lives Matter guy, but I am a black lives matter guy. Here’s what I mean:

According to ancient Greek philosopher Plato, it is the great thinkers, or philosophers, who are best suited to govern society. Dubbed “philosopher kings” they use wisdom, Plato says, to determine how society should operate. Ours is not a country governed by philosopher kings. The Founding Fathers, instead, predicated our government as one of the people. […]

As Americans have dealt with the hardships and consequences surrounding the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, visualizing a “back-to-normal” routine remains challenging for many. Although these times are unprecedented and the future is uncertain, life continues to carry on. In the midst of the pandemic, the U.S. Census Bureau is conducting the 2020 Census, marking the […]