The Yellow Hammer Power & Influence 40 is a list of the 40 most powerful and influential players in Alabama politics. For a more in-depth explanation of the list and how it was compiled, click here. The Top 5 will be announced live on the Matt Murphy show the morning of Monday, Feb. 27. If […]

Governor Bentley deserves some credit for engaging in the legislative process this week. He came over the House during the debate over economic development bill, HB 159, and some lawmakers are crediting his presence with helping them get over the hump and reach the 63 votes necessary to pass the bill. On an interesting side-note, […]

WASHINGTON – Congressman Jo Bonner joined other Gulf Coast lawmakers in voting to pass an amendment that orders the creation of a Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund, which will receive 80 percent of Clean Water Act oil spill fines for restoration of the Gulf Region. The legislative language, which passed the full House Thursday as […]

Despite scare tactics, lawmakers approve bi-partisan plan to recruit new jobs, retain existing industry MONTGOMERY – Alabama is one step closer to having a major weapon in its economic development arsenal, as the House of Representatives passed a key job-growth bill on Thursday. House members passed a constitutional amendment that allows voters to give the […]

Sometimes I think we make things a lot more complicated than they really are. When you strip away all the rhetoric and just put conservative ideas side-by-side with liberalism — conservatism wins every time. Earlier this week, I wrote an in-depth article about the holes in AEA’s argument against the GOP’s economic development package. Well, […]

At Yellow Hammer, we do our best to bring you inside Alabama politics in ways that no mainstream media outlet can. In keeping with that mission, we are introducing a new feature entitled “The Power & Influence 40.” This 40-person list will feature the most powerful and influential players in Alabama politics including elected officials, […]

MONTGOMERY – A proposal to help returning Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans find work passed the Alabama House of Representatives on Tuesday, as lawmakers continued their commitment to making job growth legislation the top priority in the 2012 Regular Session. The House also passed enabling legislation for the Alabama Job Creation and Retention Act, which […]

MONTGOMERY – Members of the Alabama Senate today continued carrying out their commitment to prioritizing and passing legislation that will improve the state’s private sector economy. “Leading into the session we pledged to focus first and foremost on proposals that will improve Alabama’s economy and today we continued to pass legislation that will do just […]

Daily Yellow Hammer readers (how could you not be?) will recall that, last week, I wrote about the Alabama Education Association’s efforts to squash House Bills 159 and 160 which are collectively known as The Alabama Job Creation and Retention Act. HB 159 would allow voters to give the Governor and the Alabama Development Office […]

MONTGOMERY — The board of directors of the Business Council of Alabama has endorsed U.S. Rep. Spencer Bachus in the race for Alabama’s Sixth Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. “Spencer Bachus has been a strong advocate for job creation and eliminating unnecessary federal regulations,” said Terry Kellogg, chairman of the BCA […]

MONTGOMERY — The board of directors of the Business Council of Alabama has endorsed U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks in the race for Alabama’s Fifth Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. “Mo Brooks is a strong believer in the free enterprise system and understands that in order for the economy to grow, existing […]

Vice President Joe Biden is often jeered for his gaffes, but given his recent remarks about education he should be applauded for his candor. “By the way, government subsidies have impacted upon rising tuition costs. It’s a conundrum here,” Biden said at an event at Florida State University. The refreshing, if startling, honesty came in […]

MONTGOMERY—The board of directors of the Business Council of Alabama has endorsed U.S. Rep. Jo Bonner in the race for Alabama’s First Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. “Jo Bonner has been a great friend to the business community and continues to be a strong advocate for private sector job growth,” said […]

The disorder surrounding the Obama Administration’s contraception mandate provides yet another example of why government-run health care is bad for America. The original rule, authored by the Department of Health and Human Services as required under President Obama’s health care reform law, would force religiously affiliated charities, schools, universities, and hospitals to offer free contraceptives […]

Work Week: 2 Days What to watch out for: 1. Speaker Hubbard and President Pro Tem Marsh said jobs would be tops on the agenda and they’re sticking to their word. These jobs bills passed the House last week and will be taken up by the Senate this week:
HB 154 Sponsored by Rep. Dan […]

The Anniston Star today pointed out that, when Calhoun County voters go to vote on March 13, there will be ZERO Democrats on the ballot. Not a single Democrat qualified to run in the entire county. I think a total Republican takeover on a primary ballot deserves a shout-out for the Calhoun Co. GOP crew: […]

Alabama’s very own Alex Schriver was a guest on NPR’s “Tell Me More” this past week discussing a broad range of topics regarding young people and conservatism. Alex is a graduate of Auburn and is now Chairman of the College Republican National Committee and on the board for Bradley Byrne’s Reform Alabama. And most importantly […]

State of the State: FYI I am sitting next to Rep Alvin Holmes who is kind of talking loud. Maybe the only guy in the room who can get away with it. #alpolitics — toddcstacy (@toddcstacy) February 8, 2012 Gov mentions two Madison City teachers in his State of the State address: Dr Barnes and […]

In the words of my good friend Danny, “We won this week”. Alabama won. Not the “Roll Tide” Alabama – all people of Alabama. We won by working together in the legislature and successfully moving good legislation. I hope we continue to win in the days ahead. Thursday closed out the opening week of the […]

ForestPAC, the political action committee of the Alabama forestry association, has come up in several conversations I’ve had with political insiders in Montgomery recently. Tom Saunders and his government relations crew are getting more active and closely aligning themselves with legislative leadership (i.e. Mike & Del). They’re making efforts to puff up their PAC and […]

In a move that’s being applauded today by voters around the state, GOP House and Senate members have vowed to rescind the 61% pay raise that Democrats voted themselves while in the majority in 2007. Senator Phil Williams (who I’m excited to report will soon be a Yellow Hammer contributor) laid it out perfectly, “This […]

via The Washington Post The Office of Congressional Ethics is investigating the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee over possible violations of insider-trading laws, according to individuals familiar with the case. Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), who holds one of the most influential positions in the House, has been a frequent trader on Capitol Hill, […]

MONTGOMERY – As promised, job growth legislation was the top priority in the first week of the Alabama Legislature’s 2012 Regular Session, as bills aimed at boosting job creation passed the House of Representatives on Thursday. “As much progress as Alabama has made reducing unemployment faster than any other state and adding 41,000 jobs since […]