July 05, 2012
Recently a good friend and reader asked me about one of Alabama’s most interesting governor’s
races. The 1978 gubernatorial contest was truly one of the best. My friend was curious as to
where all the players on the 1978 stage are today.
The 1978 race was a classic upset contest. In fact, it may very well be one of the most epic and
stunning surprise outcomes in the annals of Alabama political history.
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June 28, 2012
As promised, the legislature revisited their much publicized Immigration Law during the just
completed Regular Session. They said they were going to revise the original 2011 act and that is
precisely what they did.
This Republican dominated legislature does what they say they are going to do. They may not be
deliberative but they are truly disciplined, organized, productive and conservative.
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June 21, 2012
Ever since Roy Moore’s surprising victory in the March Republican primary a hue and cry has arisen from some mostly upscale GOP and Independent Alabamians to derail his return to his old position as Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. The rumors and plans abound from all areas of the state. They are more prominent in coffee club conversations, country club cocktail parties and suburban watering holes. The people are frustrated and convinced that Moore’s resurrection is an embarrassment to the state.
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June 14, 2012
The U.S. Constitution requires each state to redistrict their congressional districts every 10 years. That is why the U.S. Census is taken every decade. Each of the nation’s 435 seats in Congress are required to have the same number of people.
Concurrently our 1901 Alabama Constitution calls for the same mandate for our 105 legislative and 35 state senate districts. Each state mirrors the federal constitution’s reapportioning requirement for their state legislatures.
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June 07, 2012
The American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary sponsor one of finest programs for high school students in Alabama. Boys State and Girls State is an event every June. Rising seniors in high schools all over the state are invited to these week long leadership confabs, which are held at major universities for the top high school leaders throughout the state. It is a lesson in civics and first hand politics for these future leaders. The students are taught about government by practical experience. During their week at Girls and Boys State they build city, county and state governments and then they run them. They form political parties and run for every office. They draft and pass mock legislation. They culminate their week by visiting the Capitol and Statehouse and running state government.
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May 31, 2012
At the conclusion of each annual session of the Legislature I am invariably asked to grade the legislators’ performance and assess the accomplishments of the session.
Most journalist fall prey to the popular and convenient position of giving the Legislature a perfunctory “F”. Legislative bodies are generally held in contempt and disdain. They are perennially grouped together and branded as totally incompetent.
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May 24, 2012
The two prominent political trials in Alabama in the past few years have boiled down to one paramount issue, “Is it bribery or is it politics?” In the most recent bingo gambling trial the pivotal issue revolved around whether a campaign contribution is a bribe. The jury answered with a resounding no.
In the first trial there were nine defendants. None of the nine were convicted. The jury found that there was no validity to 99 of the 138 original charges. In the second trial there were six remaining defendants, VictoryLand owner Milton McGregor, lobbyist Tom Coker, State Senator Harri Anne Smith, former casino spokesman Jay Walker, former State Senator Larry Means and former State Senator Jim Preuitt.
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May 17, 2012
All of the horses are in the barn for the fall derby. They are resting awaiting the opening gun. The official start of the fall campaign begins on Labor Day, which is September 3rd this year and culminates with Election Day on November 6, 2012.
With Obama heading the ticket for the Democratic Party most Alabamians will probably simply pull the lever of either the Democratic or Republican Party. My guess is that more folks will pull the Republican lever than the Democratic one in November. My prediction is that the Republican nominee, Mitt Romney, will carry the Heart of Dixie by a 63 to 37 margin. That, my friends, is what is called in political vernacular a landslide.
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May 10, 2012
On the morning of the March 13 Alabama GOP Primary, former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore rode his horse to the polls to vote. As the day wore on it became apparent that he was riding a wave of evangelical support to be returned to his old job.
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May 02, 2012
Alabama may be on the lower end of the financial spectrum when it comes to the per capita income of our population. However, our public employees have one of the most sound retirement programs in the nation. One group of state employees, our judges, have what is probably one of the most lucrative retirement programs in the entire country.
The benefits accrued by members of our judiciary are nothing less than amazing. The judges can thank the late Supreme Court Chief Justice and U.S. Senator Howell Heflin for spearheading an effort to streamline and update our judicial system in the 1970’s. This Judicial Article not only upgraded the court system and judicial compensation, it created unparalleled retirement benefits.
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