Birmingham News editorial writer Joey Kennedy spent this past weekend the same way he usually does, posting twitter haikus and other über-intelligent, insightful things like this: What Boehner and the Republicans want to do is make everything hostage. After this, it'll be EPA or WIC or Medicaid. Got to stop them now. — Joey Kennedy […]

POLITICO is out this morning with a critique of the AL-01 GOP primary. The D.C.-based media outlet says the race illustrates the “GOP identity crisis” taking place nationally. Some of the key paragraphs from the article are below. A Nov. 5 runoff for the state’s vacant 1st District is emerging as a proxy fight pitting […]

Would you be surprised to learn that the biggest funder of animal testing in the country is the federal government? The government spends as much as $14.5 billion per year on animal experimentation, with some projects siphoning off taxpayer dollars for decades and resulting in the cruel treatment of an unknown number of animals. According […]

Gov. Bentley announced this week that after years of planning, construction on the first phase of the Northern Beltline is now expected to start in 2014. The governor made the announcement after the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers approved the permit for construction. Gov. Bentley also reported the new website, betterbeltline.org, will be up and […]

Yellowhammer broke the story earlier this week that Dr. Ben Carson was targeted by the Internal Revenue Service after his famed National Prayer Breakfast speech, which launched him into the national spotlight. “I had my first encounter with the IRS this year, unsurprisingly after the Prayer Breakfast,” Carson said Monday night at the Business Council […]

A red flag for Gov. Chris Christie is tucked into that new national 2016 Quinnipiac University survey this week. Credit must go to an unnamed unaligned strategist, who writes Yellowhammer that Christie’s favorability rating among Republicans is downright alarming. It’s 43 percent — just three points better than his 40 percent rating with Democrats and a point […]

(Above: Rep. Mo Brooks speaks on the floor on the U.S. House of Representatives Oct. 3, 2013) WASHINGTON – Just moments before the U.S. government shutdown on Monday, Congress passed a bill that was signed into law by President Barack Obama ensuring members of the military are paid despite the government being shut down. Rep. […]

The liberal media is scrambling to figure out if they are under-reporting the seriousness of global warming. Journalists from left-leaning news sites are meeting in Chattanooga, Tenn., to discuss whether or not they have “blown it” when it comes to global warming coverage and how they can better portray the seriousness of the issue. The […]

It has been 20 years since Mercedes-Benz made the decision to build an automotive plant in Alabama, but their operation continues to grow. This week the German-based corporation announced that two new models will be rolling off their assembly line in the next two years, bringing 1,400 new jobs to the Tuscaloosa area. The company […]

Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has raised almost $2 million for his re-election campaign, according to campaign finance reports filed this week. The reports show the Republican incumbent raised more than $547,000 in September, making it his second-highest fundraising month of the 2014 election cycle, so far. Since June, Governor Bentley’s re-election campaign has raised $1,965,453 […]

By now, most Americans paying attention recognize that the federal government began shutting down on Monday based on the inability of Congress to appropriate funds. The hill that both Republicans and Democrats seem to be willing to die on is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), otherwise known as “Obamacare.” How many Americans […]

After calling the soon-to-be open congressional seat in Alabama’s 6th district a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for individuals with aspirations of serving in the U.S. House, State Rep. Jack Williams, R-Vestavia, announced today that he’s decided to run for re-election to the state house rather than aiming for D.C. His entire statement is below: Congressman Spencer Bachus […]

Hillary Clinton’s Democratic primary lead over Vice President Joe Biden is measured at 50 points while Rand Paul hangs tough in the muddled slog on the Republican side. Here are 4 quick takeaways summarizing what you need to know from the latest national 2016 Quinnipiac University poll: The Cruz Boom Is Real – At least for the moment. […]

WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, the first day of the partial federal government shutdown, Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, escorted a group of World War II veterans to through the World War II Memorial on the National Mall in defiance of the National Park Service. With the assistance of Bachus and other lawmakers, the group of […]

The upcoming race for Alabama’s 6th Congressional District seat was shaken up Wednesday morning when Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster, announced that he will not run for congress, but will instead seek re-election to the state senate. “I am honored to be regarded as a potential candidate in the race to succeed my former boss Rep. […]

When news anchors for Birmingham’s CBS affiliate started playfully ad libbing a transition during a recent newscast, everything started off fine. But then things suddenly got accidentally — and hilariously — off track. Gina Redmond: Have you ever dressed your dog up? Stephen Hauck: I honestly have not. Gina Redmond: Well, you’ve got a big […]

MONTGOMERY — On Tuesday, the first day of the 2014 fiscal year, the Education Budget chairmen of the Alabama House and Senate announced that the state’s education budget will avoid proration and mid-year cuts, a positive development they say reflects Republicans’ responsible budgeting practices. “Unlike the budget situation unfolding in Washington, Alabama Republicans have put […]

Have you ever grown frustrated with your smartphone’s insufficient battery life? With the help of the Alabama Launchpad program, that may not be a problem in the future. “Alabama Launchpad is a program of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama Foundation,” the program’s website states. “This innovative public-private partnership brings together Alabama’s university, business and […]

Governor Robert Bentley on Tuesday announced the schedule for the special election to fill the seat for House District 31. District 31 was held by Representative Barry Mask, whose resignation went into effect Sept. 30. Mask was named CEO of the Alabama Association of Realtors earlier this year. Here is the timetable for the special […]

Matt Lewis, who regularly conjures up insightful thoughts on the 2016 scramble, crowns Gov. Chris Christie as the winner of the shutdown frenzy. From Lewis’ column in The Week: Several of his potential 2016 rivals, like Sens. Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Rand Paul, were all — to varying degrees — backing the quixotic “defund ObamaCare” […]

Robert Costa has outlined how Rafael Cruz, the father of Ted Cruz, could be a force on the campaign trail for his son. But his unfiltered passion and red hot rhetoric also have the potential to knock a future campaign off message. New audio from an appearance at a Lincoln Day dinner in Colorado catches Rafael […]

Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, set off a media firestorm yesterday when he announced that his 11th term in the U.S. House will be his last. Bachus has represented Alabama’s 6th District in Congress for over two decades. His impending departure will leave the the seat open for the first time in a generation. The […]

Hundreds of Alabama business leaders and elected officials packed into the Sheraton Hotel ballroom in downtown Birmingham last night for the annual Business Council of Alabama Chairman’s Dinner featuring keynote speakers Gov. Mike Huckabee and Dr. Ben Carson. Dr. Ben Carson addressing the crowd at the @BCAToday Chairman's Dinner. #alpolitics pic.twitter.com/04kA8fqfcc — Yellowhammer (@YHPolitics) October […]

Left off the list of invites to the 2013 Value Voters Summit in Washington next month:  New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie & New York Rep. Peter King. Newsday: A Value Voters Summit spokesman confirmed the group did not invite King, but didn’t say why.  At least King has company: Gov. Chris Christie did not appear […]