Americans care about assisting the less fortunate, and over 100 government programs carry out this task. A closer examination, however, reveals that much of this funding goes to other purposes. This raises questions about how best to assist Americans needing help. I will focus on two programs, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Medicaid. […]

It is hard to acknowledge that 2019 has come to an end, and a new year is upon us. Not only are we stepping into a new year, but we are moving into a new decade. We have seen a significant surge in development for Alabama, and the effects can be found as far as […]

Federal spending is snowballing out of control. The U.S. government’s national debt is skyrocketing, recently hitting a record high of $23 trillion. While hardworking Republican Senators in Washington are proposing budget solutions, clueless Democrats on the other side of the isle are pushing for bills that would increase government spending by billions of dollars more. […]

At this time last year, I predicted that the upcoming year with a Democrat majority in the House would be much different. While most activity in the House centered around efforts to impeach our president, I did not let that stop me from fighting for you and our state. One of our most significant victories […]

The Southern Rail Commission (SRC) is urging the Mobile City Council to commit $3 million in public money to match a “one-time federal grant opportunity” for which they are applying – but it appears they are applying prematurely. For several years now, the SRC has been pushing for new passenger rail service between New Orleans […]

As is my tradition, as the old year comes to a close, I like to pay homage to legendary Alabama leaders who have passed away. We lost some legends in 2019. Although he was a nonpolitical leader, Bart Starr passed away this year at 85. Starr was best known for being the quarterback of the […]

There are as many traditions for the Holidays as there are those who observe it. For the Hooper family, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. My Jewish friends celebrate Hanukkah which commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. There are however common threads for everyone. This is a […]

The first chapter of John’s gospel tells us “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” It often seems as if we live in a dark world, doesn’t it? Evil lurks all around us and too often bad things happen to good people. Falsehoods are accepted above truth and reality […]

The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year, and it is easy to get caught up in all the responsibilities that come along with it. These obligations can be quick to distract us from the true meaning behind the Christmas season. With everything happening across our country and around the world, […]

When I ran for Geneva County commissioner at the age of 18, a number of people thought I was crazy. But, I ran an aggressive campaign, spent time talking directly with the people and outworked my opponent because I knew we needed a fighter representing us. Our hard work paid off, and it was an […]

We call it “the most wonderful time of the year,” but for many, it simply is not. Those who suffer from depression or anxiety often struggle more during the holiday season than at any other time of the year. The loss of loved ones seems magnified when we are faced with the rituals of the […]

Famous former television news anchor, Tom Brokaw, wrote an iconic book entitled “The Greatest Generation.” The 1998 book chronicles the unique character of a generation of Americans. Brokaw attempted to capture the unselfish contribution of our World War II Americans who built our marvelous country. As Brokaw says, “They will have their place in the […]

I love an analogy – especially when it’s flawed. A recent opinion column on solar energy in the Montgomery Advertiser leads with an analogy so full of holes that it resembles Swiss cheese. It claims that the reasonable fee charged by Alabama Power to rooftop solar customers, who also want power from the utility, is […]

In 2017, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency reported that, on average, every year in Alabama more than 1,900 rapes are reported to law enforcement. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, for every 1,000 sexual assaults, only 290 get reported to law enforcement. This means that those 1,900 rapes every year in Alabama could actually […]

There is a great deal of effort going on in Montgomery to legalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. So much effort, in fact, that a review of the draft legislation indicates that the Republican majority may well be asked very soon to throw out every conservative principle that each of them ran on […]

This year, Democrats finally did what they have wanted to do since November 2016 – move to impeach President Donald Trump. This plan was politically motivated from the beginning, and I decided to lead the fight against it. This initial investigation into Donald Trump should never have begun in the first place. During the Obama […]

The rising cost of healthcare is a concern for every American with the cost of prescription medication increasing yearly. Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) were created to administer prescription drug plans on behalf of insurers and employers. PBMs serve as “middlemen” who negotiate prices between pharmacies and drug manufacturers on behalf of plan sponsors. They were […]

This past week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 with a vote of 377-48. This annual bill authorizes the various military programs and defense activities in the Department of Defense. It does not provide budget authority, which will be provided in future legislation. The […]

The field is set for the college football playoff. Good sportsmanship often involves wishing, “May the best team win!” But the best team does not always win, which illustrates an important element of economics. Either LSU, Ohio State, Clemson or Oklahoma will be crowned champion on January 13. I will not prognosticate about the winner. […]

Ever heard the maxim “Your right to swing your fist ends just where my nose begins?” It’s one the federal courts need to remember this week. On Thursday, the 11th Circuit US Court of Appeals will hear a case that originated in Florida related to transgender students and school bathroom usage. This decision will affect […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Each Christmas season, I like to highlight a few of the kind things folks across East Alabama are doing for others. Below is a small sample of ways our fellow Alabamians have cared for each other over the past year. In Clay County at Central High School, a teacher, Amanda East, gathered […]

Education is an amazing tool. It can transform the lives of both the young and old. A quality education empowers the powerless and provides opportunities in otherwise bleak circumstances. It can provide a path out of poverty. I think of Abraham Lincoln, who famously walked miles to borrow books from neighboring towns and farms. Despite […]

If you’ve followed the news lately you could not have missed the fact that there has been a kerfluffle of the highest order near the Alabama coastline. Like a scene from the old fairy tale, the Three Billy Goats Gruff, the local populace has thrown the “bridge trolls” into the bay and seemingly defeated the […]

Thanksgiving began as a celebration of nature’s bounty. Nature’s bounty includes natural resources. Despite reports to the contrary, Cato Institute research demonstrates that we still have plenty of natural resources. Human ingenuity and nature’s generosity explain why. That we must run out of oil, natural gas, and other resources seems obvious. Since we cannot manufacture […]