Alabama’s congressional delegation is ranked the sixteenth most powerful in the country in Roll Call’s latest “Clout Index,” which scores the influence each state has on national affairs. This is significant considering Alabama ranks as the twenty-third most populous state, with a population of 4.8 million. The Clout Index scores states from 1 to 100 […]

The Governor’s office announced last week that State Finance Director Marquita Davis is resigning to take a job as director of the Jefferson County Committee for Economic Opportunity. Davis is well-liked by her colleagues and will be sorely missed. But with her departure, one of the most powerful positions in state government is now up […]

Heritage Foundation President Jim DeMint appeared on ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday to discuss Heritage’s new report on the cost of the Gang of Eight’s deeply flawed immigration reform bill. “The study you’ll see from Heritage this week presents the staggering cost of another amnesty in our country and the detrimental effects long-term that […]

Gun Bill in Senate There’s some hand wringing going on in the Senate over whether or not to concur with the House-passed version of the Omnibus Gun Bill. “In spite of the NRA throwing their full support behind the House bill, we’re already being attacked by some members of the Tea Party because we didin’t […]

Senate Bill 286, commonly referred to as the Omnibus Gun Bill, passed in the Alabama House of Representatives on Thursday by an overwhelming 74-27 vote. Senators Scott Beason (R) and Roger Bedford (D) and Representative Ed Henry (R) sponsored the bill, which now heads to the Senate for a concurrence vote expected to take place on […]

The NRA Foundation Board of Trustees has elected Birmingham attorney Jim Porter as its new President. Mr. Porter, a longtime NRA Board member and Second Amendment activist, is a graduate of the Cumberland School of Law and a Special Assistant Attorney General for the state of Alabama. He volunteers his time and legal expertise to […]

Yellowhammer has tried to be at the forefront of covering the ongoing efforts by wacko environmentalists to influence energy policy in the state of Alabama. Today, we have an update on two of the main cogs in the enviro machine — the Alabama Environmental Council and environmental activist Ben Raines. Raines has for over a […]

“Rumors and Rumblings” is a weekly feature that runs each Wednesday. It includes short nuggets of information that we glean from conversations throughout the week. Have a tip? Send it here. All sources remain confidential. 1. Marc Keahey in the crosshairs again Senator Marc Keahey (D-Grove Hill) survived the Republican onslaught in 2010 by fighting […]

The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that the Plan B morning-after pill will now be available over the counter to any woman over the age of 15. They also said it no longer has to be kept behind pharmacy counters, but instead will be available alongside other contraceptives on pharmacy shelves. Plan B One-Step […]

Senator Jeff Sessions joined Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), James Inhofe (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Rand Paul (R-KY) and Pat Roberts (R-KA) in writing a letter seeking to push back against the federal Department of Education’s increasing influence over state-level education policy. The letter specifically asks the […]

A new study released this week shows Alabama’s First Class Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Program continues to lead the nation in quality. Alabama is one of only four states in the country to meet all 10 quality benchmarks established by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER). The quality benchmarks include teacher training, staff-child ratios, support […]

I’m just going to come right out and say it: Roger Bedford is good. Did he deserve the distinction of being named one of Yellowhammer’s Top 5 Tax & Spenders in the legislature? Yes. Do I disagree with him on essentially every major issue that comes before the state legislature? Sure. Does he personify everything […]

A compromise has been reached on the much-debated omnibus gun bill. House Speaker Mike Hubbard and Representative Ed Henry held a press conference earlier today with representatives from the National Rifle Association, the Alabama Sheriff’s Association and the Alabama District Attorney’s Association announcing the compromise version of Senate Bill 286. Soon after the agreed upon […]

Senator Jeff Sessions pointed out today that no one has a clue how to answer even the most basic questions about the comprehensive immigration reform bill currently being debated, including members of the Gang of Eight who crafted it. During the markup of the immigration bill in today’s Senate Judiciary Committee, Senator Sessions cited an […]

Decisions are made by those show show up. It’s a quote that’s been around for decades and has been variously attributed to everyone from President Truman to Woody Allen to President Bartlet from the hit TV drama The West Wing. But if there’s anyone who knows what that phrase really means, it’s Democrat House Minority […]

Judge Mike Bolin will soon become Jefferson County’s lead attorney and will have to leave the Supreme Court, where he has served since 2005. As of now, the Bentley Administration hasn’t received Bolin’s resignation, but it’s never too soon to start speculating about who the Governor will appoint to be the next Supreme Court Associate […]

First Terry Dunn’s fellow Republican Public Service Commissioners shot down his misguided attempts to execute his Chief of Staff’s (David Rountree) environmentalist pipe dream. Then Republican Governor Robert Bentley publicly came out in support of their decision. And now Republican Attorney General Luther Strange has issued a terse, one sentence response to Dunn’s letter calling […]

“Rumors and Rumblings” is a weekly feature that runs each Wednesday. It includes short nuggets of information that we glean from conversations throughout the week. Have a tip? Send it here. All sources remain confidential. 1. Fielding to run Medicaid? There have been whispers the last several weeks that Senator Jerry Fielding may be a […]

As you have probably noticed, things are changing a little at Yellowhammer. The black and yellow design has been our trademark look for the past year or so, but I thought it was time to brighten things up a little. You also may have noticed that the homepage no longer “snaps” to the top every […]

Common Core Standards are an attempt to put the same education content in classrooms all across America. Stop at that sentence and do not take the argument any further, and there is already plenty of reason Alabama should reject them. Do I think Common Core Standards are a coordinated attempt by the Obama administration and […]

As I’ve mentioned before, blog posts that aren’t political in nature will have the “PERSONAL BLOG” header so you’ll know to skip over if you aren’t interested. Those who have been around Yellowhammer for a while will know that prior to launching the communications firm that I run now and doing real estate… prior to […]

In September we discussed a Gallup survey that showed Americans’ lack of faith in the media soaring to new heights. “Americans’ distrust in the media hit a new high this year, with 60% saying they have little or no trust in the mass media to report the news fully, accurately, and fairly,” Gallup’s Lymari Morales said. This topic came […]

Governor Bentley recently signed The Women’s Health and Safety Act into law after it passed through both Houses of the legislature. The Planned Parenthood crowd and other abortion advocates weren’t happy about it. So what did they do? Recorded the greatest song and music video of all time. OF. ALL. TIME. They took the music […]

Alabama’s senior U.S. Senator Richard Shelby took to the floor of the Senate today to speak against the Senate Democrats’ gun control legislation. “Mr. President, I rise to defend the Second Amendment to our Constitution,” Senator Shelby said in the opening line of his remarks. Shelby said that he mourns for the victims of mass […]