7 Things: Biden's poll numbers mixed, Alabama tourism fared well in 2020, Ivey signs transgender ban in sports bill and more …

7. Alabama lacking in communication capabilities but Space Command coming still the right move

While there are many advantages to moving U.S. Space Command headquarters to Huntsville, Space Command’s General James Dickinson said that there would have to be a communication network and other installations built, which would be expensive, if the headquarters were moved.
Dickinson, who was being questioned by U.S. Representative Doug Lamborn (R-CO) of the House Armed Services Committee, added as he continued to advocate for the move, “In terms of military type of operations, I believe you can do it in two different locations that wouldn’t necessarily be there in Colorado Springs.”

6. Alabama U.S. Representatives support holding Iran accountable

The Maximum Pressure Act is an effort to put more pressure on Iran through sanctions, and now U.S. Representatives Jerry Carl (R-Mobile), Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) and Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) have signed on as original cosponsors of the legislation.
Carl said, “President Biden and his administration have failed to show strong leadership and get tough on Iran, so Congress is taking action.” The Alabama congressmen are joining the legislation being led by U.S. Representative Jim Banks (R-IN) and former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

5. Marshall standing up against court-packing

Twenty attorneys general, including Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, have written a letter to President Joe Biden to voice their opposition to the recent push to pack the U.S. Supreme Court.
Marshall stated how the Supreme Court has “become the most trusted branch of government to be an appropriate check on both executive and legislative powers … for Democrats to be able to say, there needs to be a change without a compelling reason, is clearly just an effort by Democrats to be able to obtain additional power.”

4. Woodfin denounces law that protects female sports

Governor Kay Ivey has signed a bill that would protect female sports by requiring that students only compete in divisions with their birth gender, and now Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has taken issue with the decision.
Woodfin said that the “focus should be on expanding and protecting civil rights, and helping our economy,” but lamented that this law “achieves neither.” On speculation about how this law could impact decisions made by NCAA and other sports organizations, Ivey said, “I’m the governor of the people of Alabama, not the NCAA or any of those groups.”

3. Alabama tourism did better than most states in 2020

Nationally, tourism spending declined 42%, according to the Alabama Tourism Department. The department also found that in Alabama, the decline was only 20% due to the tourism still seen in Baldwin County through the pandemic.
Judy Ryals, the chair of the board that oversees the tourism committee, said that “success is all the more remarkable when you factor in that the beaches were closed for six weeks in the spring and one week due to a hurricane in the fall.” Over $13 billion was spent on tourism in 2020, compared to the $18 billion in 2019.

2. Tuberville not pleased with Biden’s first 100 days

While in an interview on “Fox & Friends Weekend,” U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) discussed President Joe Biden’s first 100 days in office, and he said that he’s “never seen a country be so downgraded as much as it has been by the Democrats, in just a three-month period.”
Tuberville also called Biden out on his claims of being a “moderate” who “was going to bring unity” but not actually following through on those claims. Tuberville asked Biden “where God plays a role in your America now,” saying the president only mentions going to church. He added, “[W]e better get our moral values back in this country, and it starts with God.”

1. Concern has increased under Biden

Polling data released by Fox News shows the issues that people are concerned about with Joe Biden as president, with a majority of people concerned about the economy, health care, infrastructure, gun laws and illegal immigration, but Biden still maintains a 53% approval rating.
According to the poll, 78% are concerned about the economy, 74% are concerned about gun laws, 73% are worried about health care, 68% have concerns about infrastructure under Biden and 67% are worried about illegal immigration.