“Double-dipping ban,” “136 years is long enough,” and “pay raise repeal,” were three of the most used phrases by GOP candidates during the 2010 election cycle. After Republicans ended the Democrats’ 136 year reign of excess, they went on to repeal the pay raise Democrat legislators had passed themselves. But even before that, as a […]

1. Rep. Joe Hubbard: What makes Joe Hubbard the top “tax & spender” in the legislature? He strategically chooses the tax hikes he thinks might have the best chance of passing, then tenaciously fights for them as if his legislative life depends on them. There’s no way an income tax hike could ever make it […]

Senate staffers told Yellowhammer Tuesday evening that the next couple of days will be key in the immigration debate behind-the-scenes as things start to move quickly in the U.S. Senate. Senator Marco Rubio appeared on a record seven Sunday talk shows this week discussing the Gang of Eight‘s sweeping immigration reform proposal. The proposal was […]

House Speaker Mike Hubbard, Sen. Dick Brewbaker and Rep. Mary Sue McClurkin hosted a press conference in the State House today to unveil their proposals to make Alabama’s schools safer. Following a public hearing and several months of discussions with stakeholder groups, the report provides legislative recommendations aimed at ensuring the safety of Alabama schools. […]

After stroking a giant check to Uncle Sam today, I and other small business owners probably aren’t in the best of moods — and it looks like the rest of America is starting to understand why. According to a new Gallup survey, only 55% of Americans say the amount they pay in taxes is “fair,” […]

Alabama’s Republican national committeeman, Paul Reynolds, sponsored a resolution at this weekend’s RNC Spring meeting rejecting Common Core State Education Standards. Reynolds was also the presenter of the resolution which was unanimously passed out of the Resolutions Committee before being approved by the full National Committee. The resolution’s passage was seen as a victory for […]

David Rountree, Chief of Staff to Public Service Commissioner Terry Dunn is rallying the wacko environmentalists — yet again. As most longtime readers will recall, Rountree has been at the center of a months long debate raging at the Alabama Public Service Commission, which radical environmental groups have made ground zero for their war on […]

This piece on Medicaid initially appeared in this week’s Rumors & Rumblings. I noted then that it was much more in-depth than I initially intended, and that I might repost it as its own article. I’m hoping this will be a good snapshot of where things stand behind-the-scenes right now, and a good introduction to […]

By Gary Palmer, Alabama Policy Institute “All beginnings are hopeful.” That’s what the principal of Somerville College, Oxford said to the students who arrived there in 1944. That statement made a lasting impression on Margaret Roberts, who would become Great Britain’s only female prime minister and rank among Britain’s greatest leaders. Margaret Thatcher was a […]

On the same day that Yellowhammer learned of Governor Bentley’s first potential 2014 challenger, rumors emerged of former Tuscaloosa County Commissioner Don Wallace challenging Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey as well. Wallace was a two-term Tuscaloosa County Commissioner. He ran unsuccessfully in 2012 for the GOP nomination for Tuscaloosa County Probate Judge. Former Tuscaloosa Sheriff Ted […]

Yellowhammer first broke the news this week that Governor Bentley officially announced his candidacy for re-election in 2014. Only a couple of days later, it looks like the first potential challenger is emerging — but it’s not any of the usual suspects. A corrections officer named Stacy Lee George is at the State House today […]

“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. Bedsole for Secretary of State? Numerous Montgomery insiders have indicated to Yellowhammer that Birmingham investment banker Chess Bedsole is […]

Senators Joe Manchin and Pat Toomey told media outlets today that they’ve reached a bipartisan compromise on background checks ahead of a gun control vote tomorrow in the Senate. Fox News says the compromise “would expand background checks for sales at gun shows and online but exempt some other transactions like personal sales among hunters […]

Rep. Martha Roby today introduced legislation that will remove an unnecessary federal restriction on the private sector and help Americans better balance family and work. The Working Families Flexibility Act of 2013 (H.R. 1406) would allow private-sector workers to receive paid time off or “comp time” for overtime hours worked. For nearly thirty years, public-sector […]

Governor Bentley on Tuesday signed the Women’s Health and Safety Act, a measure that will improve and strengthen the standards of care at women’s clinics in Alabama. Some pro-life advocates say the bill will effectively shut down abortion clinics in Alabama as few, if any, clinics meet the health and safety standards the new law […]

Yellowhammer has teamed up with the Alabama Policy Institute to rank the business-friendliness of the state’s 50 largest cities. API’s researchers derived answers to the following questions: What cities have the best tax policy? Which have low costs of living and crime rates? What cities have experienced the most year-over-year population and job growth? What […]

AL.com’s coverage of yesterday’s Airbus groundbreaking in Mobile featured almost 100 pictures. Photographer Mike Brantley snapped some excellent images of Senator Jeff Sessions, Congressman Jo Bonner, 8th grader Victoria Corob who many said “stole the show” at the groundbreaking, and many others. But it wasn’t at the Airbus event that the best picture of the […]

Margaret Thatcher was one of the 20th century’s greatest leaders and one of the staunchest defenders of free markets and free people that the world has ever known. And on top of that, she was one of the best friends America has ever had. Don’t believe me? Watch the clip below. I’d also suggest you […]

By Senator Jeff Sessions Due to the enormous complexity of immigration reform and the profound consequences for American workers, taxpayers, and society at large, many have advocated for a step-by-step approach rather than a comprehensive one. The last attempt at comprehensive legislation was riddled with flaws and loopholes that made it unworkable—serving the special interests […]

Governor Robert Bentley was the keynote speaker Saturday at the annual Alabama College Republicans State Convention. UA’s student-run newspaper, The Crimson White, was the only media outlet in the room, but even they didn’t seem to catch what happened as Bentley spoke to the room full of college students. “WHEN I run for reelection in […]

Yellowhammer has teamed up with the Alabama Policy Institute to rank the business-friendliness of the state’s 50 largest cities. API’s researchers derived answers to the following questions: What cities have the best tax policy? Which have low costs of living and crime rates? What cities have experienced the most year-over-year population and job growth? What […]

Yellowhammer has teamed up with the Alabama Policy Institute to rank the business-friendliness of the state’s 50 largest cities. API’s researchers derived answers to the following questions: What cities have the best tax policy? Which have low costs of living and crime rates? What cities have experienced the most year-over-year population and job growth? What […]

Passage of SB 286, the Omnibus Gun Bill, Thursday night capped off months of debate and negotiations between Senators and multiple groups including the NRA, BCA, Sheriffs and the trial lawyers. The NRA and their supporters have to be extremely happy with the bill that ultimately passed the Senate. Among other things, the bill amends […]

Yellowhammer has teamed up with the Alabama Policy Institute to rank the business-friendliness of the state’s 50 largest cities. API’s researchers derived answers to the following questions: What cities have the best tax policy? Which have low costs of living and crime rates? What cities have experienced the most year-over-year population and job growth? What […]