7 Things: Fetterman strikes out; Rs, Ds want straight-ticket voting; and more ...

7. Alabama lawmakers tout scant progress, say work to do

After Alabama climbed in national rankings on the National Assessment of Educational Progress scale, mostly based on small progress and backsliding elsewhere. Alabama leaders seem pretty psyched.
State Rep. Terri Collins (R-Decatur) chairs the Alabama House Education Policy Committee and sponsored the Alabama Literacy Act. She is happy but wants more done: “It’s a good time to take advantage of moving up and then just continue to move in that direction. I think some of the pieces that we’ve got in place with a focus on literacy and now a focus on math, that we’re going to see some of those same positives on our math scores.” Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) says the state is on the right track, “(The scores) show that Alabama students have worked hard to keep their test scores steady during the many challenges of the pandemic.”

6. Another gun goes off in a Huntsville elementary school

A stepfather was charged when a gun was fired in Huntsville schools a few years ago, another gun was fired at Sonnie Hereford Elementary this year. Yesterday, it happened again. A group of students was handling a gun in the bathroom at McDonnell Elementary School when one of them pulled the trigger.
A Huntsville City Schools’ statement said, “the student’s teacher and school administration responded immediately to the disturbance caused by the discharge of the firearm.” Luckily no one was injured. School officials responded quickly. Discipline procedures are being followed and Huntsville police are investigating how the kids got the gun.

5. None of these people know what medical cannabis entails

Medical marijuana is favored by 4-out-of-5 people in a recent poll conducted by the Alabama Medical Cannabis Association, partnered with the reputable Mowery Consulting Group. The vast amount of Democrats (82%), Republicans (69%) and independents (75%) are on board. Currently, medical marijuana is set to be legal in Alabama but many think it can be smoked or used as edibles, this is hilariously not true.
The Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission is now accepting applications for medical marijuana dispensaries in the state, many cities have eagerly jumped on board. But Pelham and Fairhope have said “no” to accepting dispensaries in their city. A lot of misinformation abounds from opponents and detractors, you can’t get high from the marijuana derivatives that will be allowed in Alabama.

4. Tuberville says to get to work

U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) spoke with the Mobile Chamber of Commerce where he cited the failing education system and lazy Americans for pushing America to the edge of socialism.
His most pointed remarks were for “takers” in this country, “What’s happening in our country right now, we’re getting too many takers in our country. Too many people to take a check and they don’t want to give back. They don’t want to go to work. We’ve got to get Generation X and these Millennials to understand that you have to tote your own load.” He is right and the usual suspects are mad.

3. Straight ticket voting urged

All political parties want their voters to support their entire slates every election year. Alabama is one of few states where an actual straight-ticket voting option is available.
A PAC, StackPAC, run by Alabama State Rep. Scott Stadthagen (R-Hartselle) is running ads on radio stations and online advocating for the practice for two consecutive weeks. Democrats don’t want to be left out with the Alabama New South Alliance advocating for a straight-ticket Democrat vote.

2. The Alabama Democrat Party has a message

The new head of the Alabama Democrat Party, Pastor Randy Kelly, is ready to start delivering a powerful and well-thought-out message for Alabama voters to sink their teeth into. His job is to help the Democrat Party win elections and he hopes to accomplish that by calling Gov. Kay Ivey, “poison Ivey,” and U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), “dumb dumb dumb” Tuberville.
He also said, “Alabama, we’re at the bottom of everything that’s good and at the top of everything that is bad” and added, “we can do better in Alabama.” This was sad stuff from a pastor and political operative and makes Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate John Fetterman of Pennsylvania look stunningly quick on his feet.

1. Control of the U.S. Senate could come down to this

A U.S. Senate debate in Pennsylvania between Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) and Dr. Mehmet Oz (R) was quite the experience for viewers as Fetterman’s much-anticipated performance was panned universally. Hard to believe that any undecided voter would have watched this debate and thought Fetterman belongs in the U.S. Senate. Somehow all of the editors, columnists and contributors of the Philadelphia Inquirer thought Fetterman won.
Fetterman struggled with his words, often looked confused and had multiple instances of long pauses and jumbled statements. An online poll conducted by a local TV station found that 82% of those who watched the debate said Oz won and the other 18% are liars.