July 31, 2019 - Those Who Bake the Pie Get to Eat It
Governor Kay Ivey’s first legislative session of the quadrennium was very successful. Her prowess at getting things accomplished with this Legislature has been remarkable.
She knows what she is doing. It should not be surprising given her background and experience.
Kay Ivey has been around state government for most of her adult life. She has dealt with the Legislature for over four decades.
Her adroitness in the passage of the Infrastructure package was similar to the legislative success enjoyed by Governor George Wallace in his prime years. Like Wallace, Ivey knows how to reward her friends and punish her enemies.
Those legislators, who were instrumental in passage, are already seeing the fruits of their labors. There is an old adage in politics that says, “Those that bake the pie get to eat it.”
Governor Ivey has already announced and plans are being made to begin work in districts of the “Rebuild Alabama” leaders. Representative Bill Poole (R-Tuscaloosa), is getting McFarland Boulevard in Tuscaloosa expanded. Senator Clyde Chambliss (R-Prattville), is getting Highway 82 between Prattville and Tuscaloosa completed.
The Huntsville-Madison County and Limestone County delegation was unanimous in support of “Rebuild Alabama.” They will get everything they need to improve access for the new Mazda-Toyota plant. This will include six-laning I-565 in Huntsville as well as improving Limestone County I-65 interchanges. This project was helped by Speaker Mac McCutcheon.
The four-laning of highway 411 through Cherokee and Etowah counties was also announced by the Governor. This was a plus for Representative Ginny Shaver and Senator Andrew Jones.
The Wiregrass will be taken care of under the “Rebuild Alabama” program, also. They have needs that have not been met since Big Jim Folsom built the Ross Clark Circle around Dothan. Every Wiregrass legislator voted for the Governor’s “Rebuild Alabama” including Senators Donnie Chesteen and Jimmy Holley as well as House members Steve Clouse, Paul Lee, Dexter Grimsley, Jeff Sorrells, Rhett Marquis, and Wes Allen.
The state dock’s expansion will be invaluable for not only the Mobile-Baldwin area but for the entire state. Our automakers like Mercedes, Hyundai, and Honda will be able to ship their vehicles within state. Our poultry farmers will have more available markets. This aspect appealed to North Alabama legislative leaders like Representative Nathaniel Ledbetter and Senators Steve Livingston, Clay Scofield and Garlan Gudger. These fellows will also get some much anticipated road projects for their Sand Mountain and North Alabama areas.
Every Republican legislator from the Mobile-Baldwin County area voted for passage. Representatives Chris Pringle and Victor Gaston were the whips in the House. State Senators David Sessions, Jack Williams and Chris Elliott spearheaded the effort in the Senate.
Working quietly behind the scenes to make sure that the docks expansion was part of the “Rebuild Alabama” program was former Mobile-Baldwin Congressman, Jo Bonner. This quiet southern gentleman is a power to be reckoned with in this administration. He worked hard and alone with his big sister, Kay Ivey, to put this plan together. They worked the Legislature together, diligently day and night to secure passage, and they did it the right way. The best decision and accomplishment Governor Kay Ivey achieved is getting Congressman Jo Bonner to be her Chief of Staff and right hand.
In addition, our coal industry will be helped immensely by the docks expansion. The outstanding Walker County delegation of Senator Greg Reed and Representatives Connie Rowe and Tim Wadsworth worked for passage for this reason and other important road projects are in the works for their area.
Governor Ivey has called for a Special Election for the vacant House Seat 42. This Seat was held by longtime Representative Jimmy Martin of Clanton, who recently passed away. The Primary will be August 20.
It is definitely a Republican district and has always been a Chilton County seat, but it may move to Autauga. The population of Autauga has grown so much that almost exactly the same number of voters are in Autauga as Chilton. There are three candidates in the Primary from Chilton and they are all beating each other up. The lone candidate from Autauga, Van Smith, is favored to win the Seat. He will more than likely prevail. He is extremely popular, qualified and connected. Smith has the endorsement of ALFA and the business interests in the state. He is a longtime ALFA and rural co-op board member. It is still a quasi-rural district.
See you next week.
July 24, 2019 - 2020 U.S. Senate Race
The long hot summer has brought some crystallization to the 2020 U.S. Senate race. This seat is the Senate Seat held by Senator Jeff Sessions for almost two decades. He unwittingly made a strange and probably very regrettable decision to join President Donald J. Trump’s administration as attorney general. Very few U. S. Senators with 20 years seniority would leave their permanent seats in the illustrious, powerful and elite United States Senate for a temporary four year at best tenure in a tumultuous and transient cabinet post.
Trump is tempestuous at the least and still likes to think of himself as the host of his TV reality show, The Apprentice, who famously says, “You’re fired!” Trump has recently tweeted that Sessions appointment as Attorney General was the most regrettable appointment that he has made. You can more than likely ascertain that Jeff Sessions feels the same way about his decision to leave his safe senate seat for a shot as Trump’s Attorney General. However, you could safely bet that the reserved, squeaky clean, Dudley-Do-Right, Eagle Scout Sessions will not do any tweeting, or betting, on anything, much less his Trump controversy.
Therefore, the biggest question regarding the 2020 Senate race in the Heart of Dixie is would Jeff Sessions run to get his seat back? The answer is that he considered it. He was encouraged to run by the Washington Republican Establishment, including Mitch McConnell. However, he has decided that at 72 he will not seek his seat.
My thoughts are that he could have and probably would have won. However, his departure from the race makes for some good theater.
It is assumed that the winner of next year’s March 3rd GOP Primary will win the six-year senate term. Alabama is one if not the most Republican states in America. With it being a presidential election year, Alabama will probably vote 65 to 35 for Donald Trump. The GOP senate candidate can expect to mirror that landslide or at least win by a 60/40 margin, with maybe one exception.
That exception would be if Judge Roy Moore for some reason were to be the Republican nominee, then that would give the Democrat, probably Doug Jones, a possible opening.
Roy Moore begins the race with overwhelmingly negative name identification. He has 2 to 1 negative to positive polling numbers. Those numbers are not going to improve. Believe you me, the National Republican, Mitch McConnell, Establishment money is going to pour in here to run negative ads against old Moore to make sure he is not the GOP standard bearer in the Fall of 2020. When they get through with him, his horse Sassy will even have negative numbers.
My guess is that Judge Roy Moore’s best days are behind him and that he will not be the GOP nominee. However, he still has a hard core of support that will stay with him come hell or high water. He will probably get 18 percent of the primary vote and that will place him in a strong third place finish.
My early prediction is that First District Congressman, Bradley Byrne and Secretary of State, John Merrill will ultimately be in a runoff. Either would easily beat the Democrat in November 2020.
Bradley Byrne dedicated himself to this race over a year ago. He jumped in and made a full commitment. He has been campaigning at full throttle for 15 months. There is a tried and true adage that applies in politics that the early bird gets the worm. Indeed, he has used his early dedication to the race to raise significant early money and some good commitments.
However, Byrne’s initial polling numbers are not great. The surprising aspect to the internal polling reveals that his 2010 Governor’s race does not give him name identification. The good side for him is that his negatives are also low. Folks have obviously forgotten he ran for governor in 2010.
Most astute state inside observers believe that Secretary of State John Merrill is the man to beat in this race. He is simply the hardest working retail politician in the state. He has a grassroots organization in all 67 counties. He has gotten his traction the old fashioned way with hard work and a love for one-on-one politicking. He will outwork and out organize all the candidates in the race combined. Even though he has built his organization the old fashioned, hardworking way, he understands the new medium of networking and campaigning through social media.
It will be fun to watch.
See you next week.
July 17, 2019 - Alabama is a Republican State but U.S. is probably a Democratic Nation
The 2020 Presidential Election year has already begun. It usually begins on Labor Day of the year prior to the Election. However, in recent decades the parade has started early. They really are four-year caravans. They begin the day after the President is sworn in.
Indeed, President Trump never shut down his campaign organization, He essentially has never stopped campaigning. He loves to campaign. He loves to entertain. That is really what he was before he was President and that is what he has been as President, an entertainer. He treats the Presidency as though it is an extension and continuation of his television game show. As long as he is the center of attention he is happy.
Trump is amazingly similar to our two most colorful and prominent Alabama political icons, Big Jim Folsom and George Wallace. He is just as uninhibited and disarming as Big Jim was with the same irreverence for protocol and decorum. He is similar to Wallace in that he really likes campaigning and prefers campaigning to governing. Wallace really didn’t want to govern, he just liked running and getting elected governor.
Speaking of Wallace, he liked to run for President also. He ran several times. He usually ran under some third-party banner. As he ran around the country running as a third-party state’s rights candidate, he would proclaim that there is not a dimes worth of difference in the national Democratic and Republican parties. However, even Wallace could not say that with a straight face today.
Folks, there are a lot of philosophical differences in the national Republican and Democratic parties. They really should change their names to the Conservative and Liberal parties. The Republican Party is extremely conservative and the Democratic Party is very liberal. This extreme philosophy by each party is what has driven people into different political corners and is the reason for the political polarization of American politics.
The electronic media and news networks have further driven and enhanced this polarization. Fox News Network is simply the network that Republicans watch. CNN and MSNBC could be and people assume they are appendages of the national Democratic Party. The CBS Stephen Colbert show is unashamedly the hate Donald Trump show. They should change the title to that name.
The two-party machinery and nomination process is designed to choose a presidential contender as their nominee that is from the extreme segment of the party. This is especially true in the Democratic ranks. Therefore, the probability of a left wing socialist like Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren being the nominee is likely.
This does not bode well for our anomaly junior Democratic U.S. Senator Doug Jones. He will be running along with one of his liberal Democratic buddies. Jones has organized and voted lockstep with the Democrats since his arrival last year, which is what most folks who know Jones expected. He is a real national, liberal Democrat. He has always been and will always be a Democrat.
In Jones’s defense, he is not a demagogue. He will not change his stripes or beliefs to get elected. That was evident with his vote against the conservative Trump Supreme Court appointee, Brett Kavanaugh. Jones was the only Southern Senator to vote against Trump.
Indeed, Jones is the only Democratic Senator in the Deep South. His being on the ticket with the Democratic Presidential candidate in November 2020 in the Heart of Dixie, makes his chance of being elected slim-to-none. It would be a surprise if he gets 40% even with a ton of left-wing money pouring into the state on his behalf.
Last year’s General Election proved we are a Red Republican State. One of the most Republican in the Nation. Donald Trump, or for that matter any Republican, will carry Alabama next year. Mickey Mouse would carry Alabama 60 to 40 if he were the nominee. However, Donald Duck would carry California and New York if he were the Democratic nominee. Folks, I hate to break it to you, but California and New York have more electoral votes than we do.
It was just as much an anomaly that Donald Trump carried Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and even Ohio and Florida, as it was that Doug Jones won in Alabama. As we look to the 2020 elections, it is evident that Alabama is a Republican state. However, the United States is probably a Democratic nation.
See you next week.
July 10, 2019 - 2020 Races Around the Corner
Folks, don’t look now, but the 2020 Presidential Election is upon us. Indeed, as many as 21 Democratic aspirants are already announced and campaigning.
They are quite a liberal group as you might expect. Leading the pack of Democrats trying to take Donald Trump out of the White House is an avowed, true socialist, Bernie Sanders. Behind ole Bernie are a host of ultra-liberal U.S. Senators who are socialists wannabes. They hail from either the left coasts of California or New England. Included in the pack of CNN/MSNBC/Stephen Colbert watchers are Elizabeth “Pocahontas” Warren of Massachusetts. She makes Teddy Kennedy look like a conservative. You also have Kamala Harris of California, Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey and losing Texas Senate candidate, Beto O’Rourke, in the race.
Our own anomaly Democratic Senator Doug Jones really should run for president next year. He would have a much better chance of winning the Democratic nomination for President than winning a seat in the U.S. Senate from the Heart of Dixie.
He has been a liberal Democrat in Alabama his entire adult political life. He has been the soul of the liberal Alabama Democratic Party for decades. He has campaigned and voted for George McGovern, Walter Mondale, Teddy Kennedy, Jesse Jackson, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton.
Since he has been in Washington for the past year, he has organized with and voted with Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. Therefore, he is just as liberal with a much lengthier liberal pedigree than all of the aforementioned liberal Democratic Senators in the race; plus he has a proven Civil Rights record.
The scenario that occurred in last year’s special election to fill Jeff Sessions’s seat was a perfect storm that will never occur again. First of all, it was the only show in the country and the first opportunity for liberals all over the country to show their distaste for Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Having Judge Roy Moore as an additional lightning rod just added fuel to the fire. It attracted over $20 million of liberal, left-wing money to Doug Jones. He was able to out spend Moore 21 to 3. That is almost impossible to overcome, plus, with it being a Special Election it became a referendum on Doug Jones versus Roy Moore and the Republican vs Democratic delineation became obscured.
During this race, Doug Jones built a national liberal fund-raising base from left-wing America, much like Beto O’Rourke did in Texas. They both have become national stars as Democrats in Red States. Although O’Rourke probably has an edge on Jones in looks and youth. However, recently, Jones appeared on the left leaning Democratic Stephen Colbert Show. Jones may very well be eyeing national politics.
Doug Jones, as a lifelong stalwart Democrat, has worked diligently for the State and National Democratic party for most of his adult life. In recent months, he has tried to wrestle some control away from longtime Democratic dictator Joe Reed. It is practically impossible to understand what is going on in the State Democratic Party. Eventually, there may be a new vote on the party chairmanship. The National Democratic Party has mandated a new election due to the clandestine way that Nancy Worley was elected. The state hierarchy has ignored the National Party.
There is no doubt that Joe Reed is still in control of the Alabama Democratic Party. You can bet your bottom dollar that he calls all the shots. My guess is that he has his horse picked out of the 21 Democratic presidential candidates. He asked California Senator, Kamala Harris, to be the keynote speaker at his Alabama Democratic Conference June annual event. Therefore, Senator Harris might be a good horse to bet on to win next year’s March third Alabama Democratic Presidential Primary.
The Democratic Party in Alabama continues to be a big mess. The bottom line is that on the state level the Party is essentially irrelevant. The odds of a Democratic candidate for President carrying Alabama or a Democratic nominee winning any statewide race in the Heart of Dixie is slim to none.
See you next week.
July 3, 2019 - Legislative Session for Most Part Successful, Especially for Governor Kay Ivey
The 2019 Legislative Session was one of the most controversial yet productive sessions in memory.
Governor Kay Ivey’s first Session of the Quadrennial was a roaring success. It’s hard to remember a governor getting everything they wanted since the George Wallace heydays.
Wallace in his prime simply controlled the legislature. It was more like an appendage of the governor’s office. Kay Ivey has apparently taken a page from the old Wallace playbook. By the way, that is probably apropos as Kay cut her teeth in Alabama politics working for and learning from the Wallaces.
Governor Ivey started out the session by passing a gas tax increase which will fund major transportation/highway needs in the state. She ended the last week of the session by garnering legislation to give the governor control of the Pardons and Parole Board and then topping that off with legislation that will allow a vote next March on Alabama having an appointed state school board rather than an elected one. If this controversial amendment is approved by voters, then the governor will make most of the initial appointments.
One would have to say that Kay Ivey has pretty much got a lot of influence with this Legislature. Kay’s years of experience and probably more importantly her relationships with legislators is paying dividends for Alabama’s female Republican governor.
Any legislative session could be considered a success if both budgets pass. It is, by the way, the only constitutional mandate for a regular annual session.
The Education Budget is record breaking. It is a $7.1-billion-dollar budget with a $500 million dollar increase over last year’s budget. This largest in history budget gives teachers and education employees a four percent cost of living raise. It will also increase funding to the state’s heralded pre-kindergarten program. Alabama Community Colleges will get a significant increase. Legislators seem to realize the importance of technical training in the state in attracting manufacturing jobs. State Senator, Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) and Representative Bill Poole (R- Tuscaloosa), the Chairmen of the Education Budget Committees in the Senate and House did an excellent job of shepherding the school budget through the legislative labyrinth.
The General Fund Budget which generally lags behind the Education Budget was also passed on a positive note. The budget calls for spending $2.2 billion dollars. It includes a two percent cost of living increase for state employees as well as an eight percent increase for the state’s understaffed prison system. Representative Steve Clouse (R – Ozark) is the veteran chairman of the House General Fund Committee.
One of the downsides of the Session was the Legislature’s inability to pass a Constitutional Amendment to allow Alabamians to vote to have a lottery like 45 other states, including all of our neighboring states.
It would pass overwhelmingly if put to a vote. Alabamians are simply tired of seeing their money going into the state coffers of Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Florida.
State Senator Jim McLendon (R-St. Clair) offered the best opportunity and most modern and profitable lottery proposal. However, his Bill was ignored in deference to the Indian Casinos legislation which was overtly written to continue to give these Indian Casinos a monopoly on electronic gaming in the state. The Indian casinos arrogantly flaunted their influence in the Legislature by offering a watered down, archaic, paper only lottery that would be obsolete within five years.
McLendon’s Bill would have generated $250 million. The Indian Casino’s Lottery would have given the state a paltry $100 million at best for a few years. The House Democrats boldly and wisely killed the Bill with the hopes that if you are going to approve a lottery, that it would be one that would benefit the state and not the Indian gambling syndicate.
In essence, the Choctaw Indian Casino’s in Mississippi killed the lottery 20 years ago with last minute money before balloting. The Poarch Creek Casinos beat it this time before it could get out of the gate. The power that the Poarch Creek Indian casinos are building in the Alabama Legislature is dangerous.
CBS 42 in Birmingham took a poll the last week of the session asking how their viewers rated the Legislature and Legislative Session. It was 86 percent negative. However, this is nothing new. Alabamian’s have always rated the Legislature negatively. However, if you ask them about their own legislators they will either not know who they are or they like them.
See you next week.
June 26, 2019 - State Ethics Law Not Tough Enough for Ole Rankin Fite
State Senator, Jabo Waggoner (R-Vestavia), has been in the Alabama House and Alabama Senate for over 40 years. That is a record in Alabama history and definitely a record of longevity for any Jefferson County legislator in history. Jabo Waggoner has had a significant impact on behalf of the folks in Jefferson County over his stellar career.
He has been instrumental in the growth of UAB.
In the 1970’s Waggoner sponsored legislation which spearheaded the purchase of 45 blocks in downtown Birmingham for UAB’s expansion. UAB purchased this property for $8.5 million. That would equate to $40 million in today’s dollars and has been invaluable toward the growth of UAB.
Jabo currently chairs the State Senate Rules Committee, a very powerful post. He also likes to honor history, protocol and precedent. Jabo essentially has his own Civitan Club. It is the Vestavia Civitan Club that meets every third Friday at the Vestavia Country Club. It has about 40-50 members and attendees. It is a pretty select group of civic leaders, legislators, lobbyists and Jefferson County power brokers. They attend and belong at Jabo’s request and invitation.
He brings only the most elite speakers to his Civitan Club. Jabo has been on the Board of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame for decades and has unparalleled Alabama sports connections. In recent years he has had Eli Gold, Bobby Humphrey, Charles Barkley and Gene Hallman to name a few. He also has the top governmental leaders from Washington and Montgomery to the club. They are reluctant to say no to the Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee. A good many Cabinet members and Department Heads come to speak. Recently Tom Albritton, the Executive Director of the State Ethics Commission, spoke to the Club. Albritton’s appearance reminded me of the origins of our first Alabama Ethics Law.
Campaign finance laws and ethics disclosure forms for political campaigns and officeholders were enacted throughout the country in the 1970’s; mostly in reaction to public outcry for ethics reform after the Watergate corruption. Practically every state passed an ethics law.
In the 1970’s, Alabama had a lot of veteran crafty and crusty legislators. The craftiest of all was the legendary Legislator and Speaker of the House, Rankin Fite. Rankin had done pretty well financially as a lawyer and legislator without any ethics laws. Rankin and his colleagues were not about to succumb to the national trend of passing any Ethic Laws. That did not help the Alabama media from consistently harping on the need for such legislation.
George Wallace was governor and he had pretty much dismissed ethics reform as an issue. He did not want to put his friends in the legislature on the spot. He had a very harmonious working relationship with the legislature and did not want to step on toes and create a hornet’s nest.
However, one day late in the legislative session, Wallace decided to get a little good press. He called his legislative buddies in and said there were only a few more legislative days left in the session and it’s too late for anything to pass, much less an ethics bill, so let’s throw the press a bone by introducing one.
The plan was that the House would pass a House Ethics Bill and all of the Representatives would get credit for voting for an Ethics Bill knowing full well that the Senate would kill it. The Senators would then do the same so they could get credit knowing the House would kill their bill.
They gleefully went ahead with their plan and they and Wallace enjoyed their day in the sun.
Well, the press put a spotlight on the measures like never before and focused on the need for final passage. Things got out of hand and the House succumbed to public opinion. It got to the floor and once it got to a vote, the representatives were hard pressed to vote against an Ethics law.
Only a handful of House members had the nerve to vote against the Ethics Law. One of the few who did was Rankin Fite. A horde of House members and reporters gathered around the legendary crusty ole Speaker and asked why he voted against it. He looked them squarely in the eye and said, “It wasn’t tough enough for me.”
See you next week.
June 19, 2019 - One Vote Can Make a Difference
Some of us who were former legislators, who served our counties in the legislature a long time, were considered by many to always be their legislator. A good many of my former constituents still call me with questions or problems. Some ask me how to get in touch with their congressman or senator about a certain issue so that they can express their opinion. They invariably ask will their letter or email make a difference. My response is, “Yes, it will.”
All legislators or congressmen want to know what their constituents are thinking. They generally want to vote their district’s feelings and needs. When I was a legislator, I would cherish this input and actually solicit it.
One year, I received a nice note from one of my favorite retired teachers. I loved her. She had not only taught me but also taught my mom and dad. She was as fine a lady as I have ever known. Her note simply asked me to vote for some issue. I was not even cognizant of the issue until she made me aware of it. She even referred to it by a bill number. It did not pertain to education and I did not perceive it to have much opposition or controversy. I do not even remember now what the issue was. However, I revered this lady and she was asking me to vote yes on a matter I had no position on anyway. So I called her and told her that due to her interest I would vote for the measure. I kept her note on my desk with the bill number referenced. Lo and behold, about halfway through the legislative session, I saw the bill on the special-order calendar for the day. I got primed for the vote. I voted for the bill simply because that lady had asked me to. To my amazement, I looked up at the large electronic vote tally machine and the bill passed by one vote.
One vote can make a difference.
Having told you that story, reminds me of my first year in the legislature. I was a young 30-year old representative representing Pike and Barbour counties. Like today, Wallace was passing a gas tax for roads and bridges. This was a common occurrence and expected during the Wallace era. He knew the people of Alabama didn’t even notice that their gasoline tax had been raised. However, they knew that Wallace had built them a four-lane highway in their county. He knew Alabama politics better than anybody in state history.
Another political legend, Big Jim Folsom, left an indelible legacy as governor with his legendary and necessary Farm-to-Market road program. Recently while making a speech in Dothan, I told the group this Big Jim story about their region. Big Jim was a native of the Wiregrass. As a young man, Big Jim was making a futile run for Congress in the Wiregrass. One day he was campaigning down a dirt country road in Geneva County. He met and befriended an old farmer and his wife at the end of the road. The couple gave Big Jim cold buttermilk to drink. Big Jim bonded with those folks on their front porch as he drank a gallon or two of buttermilk. As he was leaving the old farmer shouted out to his new friend, Big Jim, “Boy if you get elected to anything will you pave my road?” Big Jim smiled and said, “Sure I will.” Ten years later Big Jim got elected governor and guess which county road in the state got paved first? You are right, it was that road in Geneva County. They named it the Buttermilk Road.
For folks in the Wiregrass, guess who built the Ross Clark Circle around Dothan? You got it, Big Jim Folsom.
For any of you legislators that are reading, my advice to you is that your average constituent ain’t gonna know whether or not you voted for the state tax on gasoline. But, they are going to remember that highway or bridge you brought home to your county. If you play your cards right, you might even get it named after you.
Speaking of legislators, legendary Black Belt Legislator, Rick Manley, passed away in January. He represented Marengo County and the Black Belt for over 25 years in the House and Senate. He was one of the most able and effective legislative leaders in state history. He served as Chairman of both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. He was also Speaker Pro Tem of the House.
See you next week.
June 12, 2019 - Past Prominent State Legislators
The 2019 legislative session is now in the books. As each session is observed, it is apparent that primary, powerful, state senators control the flow and outcome of any and all legislative sessions.
Current Alabama State Senators Del Marsh, Jabo Waggoner, Greg Reed, and Arthur Orr wield immense influence.
This has been true throughout history. The annals of political history reveal powerful state senators. Some of the most prominent include: Roland Cooper, the “Wily Fox from Wilcox”, Joe Goodwyn of Montgomery, Walter Givhan of Dallas County, Ryan DeGraffenreid, Sr. of Tuscaloosa and later his son, Ryan, Jr. also of Tuscaloosa. The legendary state senator Bob Wilson, Sr. of Jasper was powerful in his day.
Jimmy Clark of Barbour as a Senator and Speaker of the House, the legendary Rankin Fite of Marion County, a Senator and Speaker of the House, Joe McCorquodale of Clarke County, who was Speaker for over a decade, Pete Turnham and Bo Torbert of Lee County, Rick Manley of Marengo was brilliant, Lowell Barron of Fyffe, Roger Bedford of Russellville, and Hank Sanders of Selma would be on the list along with former Speaker of the House, Seth Hammett of Covington County.
However, as powerful as all of the aforementioned were, perhaps the title of “Most Powerful Legislator” should go to State Senator James Titus of Madison. Almost all of you are scratching your head and saying who in the world is James Titus? Let me share with you the James Titus story and place in Alabama history.
When the Alabama territory was created by Congress in 1817, the Act provided that the new legislature would be made up of members of the Mississippi Territorial Legislature, who resided in what was to become Alabama. There were ten men serving in the Mississippi House of Representatives and three in the Senate. Before the new Legislature convened at St. Stephens in January, 1818, one of these senators had resigned and a second was unable to attend the session. Only James Titus was present for that first legislative session.
Some men might have been reluctant to conduct business under the circumstances, but not James Titus. He had not made the long journey from Huntsville to St. Stephens for nothing and he took his responsibilities seriously. He called the Senate to order, called the roll, organized the Senate, nominated and elected himself as presiding officer, voted on all bills and at the end of the day, made the motion to adjourn. He was in essence a one-man senate.
Folks, there have been powerful legislators in our colorful and illustrious political history, but none will ever have the power that Senator Titus had.
Speaking of powerful senators, our Senior U.S. Senator Richard Shelby has reached a pinnacle unsurpassed in Alabama political history. In March Senator Shelby passed the legendary Senator John Sparkman for length of service in the United States Senate from Alabama. Shelby has now served 32-years and five months. Sparkman’s record was 32 years and three months.
In my 2015 book, “Of Goats and Governors: Six Decades of Colorful Alabama Political Stories,” I have a chapter entitled Alabama’s three greatest U.S. Senators. Senators Lister Hill, John Sparkman and Richard Shelby have been the greatest. However, if I were writing the chapter today, Shelby would be in a league of his own as Alabama’s most powerful senator in Alabama History.
Senators Hill and Sparkman were powerful and left a legacy. Hill’s is in medical research and rural hospitals throughout the nation and Alabama. Sparkman was the father of the Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville and delivered hallmark legislation that afforded housing for Americans as Chairman of the Banking and Housing Committee.
Senator Shelby, over his 32-plus years in the Senate has chaired the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, Intelligence Committee, and Rules Committee. However, his current perch as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee is unparalleled. Alabama has never had a Chairman of the United States Senate Appropriations Committee, and more than likely never will again.
Meanwhile, the race for the 2020 U.S. Senate is developing very slowly. The Republican field is smaller than what was expected at this point. If someone is going to run they better go ahead and get going. The primaries are just around the corner in early March of next year.
The only serious announced candidates thus far are 1st District Congressman Bradley Byrne and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville.
See you next week.
June 5, 2019 - Legends of Girls State
For almost 100 years one of, if not the best annual event for young Alabama High School leaders in Alabama has been the Alabama Boys State and the Alabama Girls State programs.
These events are sponsored by the American Legion and the American Legion Auxillary. Boys State and Girls State are sponsored nationwide by the American Legion. The programs epitomize the American Legion’s mission to honor those who have bought us our American freedom.
The Girls State and Boys State programs brings the brightest high school leaders together every June. These young Alabama leaders will be Alabama’s governmental leaders in the future.
During the week-long session these high school rising seniors develop leadership skills and action-based understanding of the governmental process that gives them a lasting foundation for success both professionally and personally.
Boys State has spawned Alabama’s governmental leaders for decades. I attended Boys State 50-years ago this month. I remember it like it was yesterday. It is a lifetime memory. You make friends that last throughout life and have resurfaced my entire life. One of my contemporaries from Boys State, who became a lifetime friend, is current Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Tom Parker.
Now that women have taken their rightful place in Alabama governmental positions, it is appropriate that our top two female leaders in Alabama got their start at Alabama Girls State. Governor Kay Ivey and BCA CEO Katie Britt were leaders at Girls State. Katie Britt, who was young Katie Boyd, has always been an outstanding leader. Katie became Governor of Girls State.
Kay Ivey has stayed extremely active as a Board member and Director of Girls State ever since her years at Auburn University. She has volunteered as a counselor for over 50 years. She loves Girls State. In fact, when these young female leaders meet next week at the University of Alabama for the 79th time, Kay will address them as their Governor and fellow Girls Stater.
These young women leaders will organize and assume the roles of government leaders. They will campaign in mock parties called the “Federalists” and “Nationalists.” They will divide up in cities and become mayors and county officials. Then others will have bigger roles as state constitutional officers and Supreme Court Judges. One will become Governor. She and the Lt. Governor will go to Washington D.C. to attend Girls Nation. They may even run for President of Girls Nation.
Governor Ivey has mentored several Girls State leaders over the years. Lee Grant Sellers, “Mrs.” Girls State, was an outstanding leader from Montgomery. She is now the 18-year Director of Alabama’s Girls State. Lee’s husband, Will Sellers, currently sits on the Alabama Supreme Court. By the way, Lee and Will are Kay Ivey’s closest friends and confidants.
We have had a President of Girls Nation mentored by Governor Kay Ivey, Cathy Johnson Randall. Kay bonded with Cathy through Girls State. Cathy has been one of the most outstanding leaders in Alabama over the past 50 years. She headed Kay Ivey’s Gubernatorial Inauguration Committee.
I knew Cathy as a student at the University of Alabama. She was by far the most respected leader on campus, male or female. She was president of everything on campus. While at the University, she was a Chi Omega, a Crimson Girl, SGA Senator and ODK, and a member of Mortar Board.
After graduation from the Capstone, she married Pettus Randall from Tuscaloosa, thus becoming Cathy Johnson Randall. Upon his death she became the Chairman of the Board of Randall Holdings. She is also on the Board of the Alabama Power Company and Mercedes Benz.
While in high School, Cathy Johnson Randall was elected Governor of Girls State and then went on to become President of Girls Nation. Believe it or not, her husband Pettus, was Boys State Governor and Boys Nation President. Furthermore, she and Pettus had a daughter who was Governor of Girls State and President of Girls Nation.
See you next week.
May 29, 2019 - An Act of Congress
A good many people wonder why simple, straightforward, no nonsense, good- government legislation fails to pass even though it appears to have universal and overwhelming support and appeal for many voters and legislators.
You will recall old sayings that you heard from your elders when you were young. Old bits of wisdom spouted from the lips of your grandparents and older folks, which went in one ear and out the other. Sayings like, “If you’ve got your health you’ve got everything” and “If it ain’t broke then don’t fix it”; and, if you are a golfer there is no truer euphuism than, “You drive for show and putt for dough,” and “it ain’t how you drive its how you arrive.” The older you get, it occurs to you how wise these old adages are in actual life. They are golden facts.
One of the sage morsels pertains to getting something accomplished. You say, “It takes an act of Congress to get that done.” In politics, there is no clearer truism. It is really hard to pass a piece of legislation through Congress and it is just as equally difficult to channel a bill through the labyrinth of legislative approval in Alabama.
Ask any successful lobbyist or legislator which side they would rather be on in legislative wars. They much prefer to be against something than trying to pass a bill. It is probably 100 times harder to steer a bill through legislative approval than it is to kill a bill. The Alabama Senate Rules or such that if a handful of the 35 Senators are adamantly opposed to something then they can kill the bill. If the right Senator is against it, if for example he is Chairman of the Rules Committee and he wants it killed, it is dead.
It does not matter if the proposed legislation is as all American as a proposal or legislation saying the legislature is in favor of apple pie and motherhood. The bill has to go before both House and Senate committees, win approval, and not get an amendment put on it. If an amendment on is added, the bill basically has to start all over again. Then it has to get placed on the special order calendar set by the Rules Committee. There are hundreds of bills waiting to get on this calendar but only a few bills make it on the calendar each day. There are only 30 legislative days in the session. If a bill gets on the calendar, it then has to pass both houses. Then, hopefully, the governor is also for apple pie and motherhood, because if she vetoes the bill, it has to start all over again.
Let me give you an example of a piece of apple pie and motherhood legislation I was asked to sponsor when I was a freshman legislator. There was a quirk in Alabama Criminal Law that allowed the family of a criminal defendant to be in the court room in a criminal trial and sit behind the criminal and observe and cry on behalf of their relative. However, unbelievably the family of the crime victim could not be in the court room. The Victims of Crime Leniency (VOCAL) sought to correct this injustice. VOCAL asked me to sponsor its bill and work for its passage. I worked diligently on the bill. The press gave me and the bill glowing editorials for its fairness. We got the bill out of the House. It passed overwhelmingly. However, when it got to the Senate it was assigned, rightfully so, to the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Senator Earl Hilliard from Jefferson County. He was opposed to the bill and as Chairman of the Committee, he deep sixed it and would not let it out. No amount of haranguing from the VOCAL people or bad press would budge Earl. However, one day I was on the floor of the House and the VOCAL leader, Mrs. Miriam Shehane, called me out to the lobby. She said Earl was sick and would not be in Montgomery today and the Senate Judiciary Committee was meeting and the Vice Chairman will bring our bill up out of order. We quickly went to the 6th floor and whisked our bill out of order of the Judiciary Committee and it won final approval in the Senate a few weeks later and it became law.
Remember old truisms like, “It will take an act of Congress to get something done,” is very accurate, especially in politics.
See you next week.