May 13, 2011
Many of you have suggested that Dr. Robert Bentley and his wife Diane remind you of Guy and Helen Hunt. Although the Bentleys are more educated than the Hunts, they do have similarities. Both are devoutly religious, humble and sincere and seem uncomfortable with the trappings and deference surrounding the auspices of being governor and first lady.
Guy and Helen Hunt were childhood sweethearts in rural Cullman County. They lived a very simple life. Helen assumed that she and Guy would have a happy rural religious life on their small North Alabama farm. Her expectations were met as she raised their children and kept their family home. Guy, who was a primitive Baptist preacher in their community, led a more diverse and conspicuous existence than Helen.
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May 06, 2011
Our Alabama Constitution is very antiquated. One of the flaws inherent in the document is that it does not allow local county governments very much authority or power. Therefore, county governments have to channel most changes or actions into local acts that have to be advertised in their local paper for four weeks and then taken to the state legislature to be enacted. As a result, the entire state legislature must act on a local bill for Fayette County that might only involve something as mundane as paving a road or buying a tractor.
As a legislator, I dreaded this procedure because it took most of the day everyday in the legislature. We would sit for hours every morning and vote on these local bills from all over the state, which had nothing to do with state government. In addition, these local acts were not always non controversial measures regardless of whether the act involved the rural counties or the urban areas of Jefferson, Mobile or Madison. In fact, the Jefferson County delegation would usually be embroiled for hours, if not days, on local issues that should have been determined back home in the Birmingham City Hall or among Jefferson County Commissioners.
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April 29, 2011
As I approach my 60th birthday it occurs to me occasionally that I have witnessed and been part of a good many legislative sessions. I started my observations in 1963 as a 12 year old Page when George Wallace was in his first year as governor.
If you count Lurleen’s two years, Wallace was Governor of Alabama 18 years. You generally get good at something the longer you work at it. This was the case with Wallace and his ability to work the legislature. He became a master at getting his agenda through the legislative labyrinth.
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April 22, 2011
The 2010 census data paints an interesting landscape of Alabama’s demographics. There are dramatic shifts but the results are not surprising. We have been told and have seen these obvious trends develop over the past decade. However, it is only when the actual final figures are told and you see the present picture of our population that the conclusive scenario hits home.
For the first time we are an urban rather than a rural state. Approximately one half of our population lives in one of our four metropolitan areas. The largest of the metro areas is the Birmingham-Hoover area, which includes the seven counties of Jefferson, Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Walker, St. Clair and Shelby. The Huntsville and Madison-Limestone area is now the second largest metro area followed by Mobile and then the four county Montgomery metropolitan area. Approximately 51% of our people live in these four major metro areas all along the I-65 corridor.
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April 15, 2011
As the Legislative Session approaches the midway point all eyes are centered on the state budgets. The state is facing the most devastating financial abyss since the Great Depression. The Education and General Funds are both in dire straits. The state coffers are lower by $250 million than expected and no federal stimulus money is available this year. The Democratic majority in the legislature was more optimistic than pragmatic with their revenue projections when they were drafting the budgets last year. Their lack of prudence has left the state in deep proration and left the new Republican led Legislature with a Herculean task.
If any group is capable of balancing the state’s budgets it is this new Republican legislature. They are true blue fiscal conservatives. To call them Tea Partiers would be a misnomer. They are far to the right of the national Tea Party movement. This group will have no qualms slicing and dicing state government. Many of them would rather do away with the government altogether. If truth were known, most would favor doing away with Medicaid which would definitely balance the General Fund. It would not be surprising to many insiders if they chose to balance the Education Budget by rolling back teachers’ salaries to 1950’s levels. These reactionary stalwart solons have no sacred cows, groups, or individuals they are beholden to or have to protect, especially not the AEA.
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April 08, 2011
It is always fun to look towards the political horizon and take a glimpse into the proverbial crystal ball and speculate as to the future of our potential Alabama political players.
In order to conjure up the future stars you obviously look to the current players on the stage. When you look at our current top constitutional officeholders I am reminded of a hilarious scene portrayed by one of my favorite actors of all time, Jack Nicholson. In the famous movie, “Terms of Endearment,” Nicholson is paired with Shirley McLain. They are both in their 50’s and single and wind up living next door to each other in Houston. Nicholson is a carefree playboy who has a penchant for dating darling young women half his age. In a rare lapse he briefly dates McLain but they become friends. Late in the movie they are visiting over lunch. A decade has passed and they are now in their 60’s. McLain inquires of Nicholson, well are you still dating young girls? Nicholson replies, yes, pretty much. Then Nicholson turns the question to McLain and asks, what about you? McLain answers, I’m still looking for the love of my life. Nicholson, in his vintage wicked eyebrow raised sinister look wryly says to the unsuspecting McLain, well sugar, there aren’t that many more shopping days ‘til Christmas.
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April 01, 2011
There is a well known maxim that says keep your friends close and your enemies closer. That adage came to mind when Gov. Robert Bentley brought his Democratic gubernatorial opponent Ron Sparks into the fold of his cabinet.
Bentley appointed his former rival to head the newly created Alabama Rural Development office. On the surface it would appear to be a Machiavellian political maneuver. However, it is vintage Bentley. He simply wanted to get the best person available while at the same time saving state dollars. Bentley’s predecessor Bob Riley had created two agencies, the Alabama Rural Action Commission and the Black Belt Action Commission, by executive order. Bentley rolled them into one agency and got the perfect appointee in Sparks whose love and passion is agriculture. By his own admission Sparks never really wanted to run for governor but would have chosen to run for Agriculture Commissioner again if he had not been prohibited constitutionally from seeking a third successive term.
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March 25, 2011
Our new governor, Dr. Robert Bentley, now has two months under his belt as our state’s leader. Although he inherited a ship of state that is fiscally sinking, he has rolled up his sleeves and gotten to work.
Bentley is the right man for the job in these trying times. He is a plow horse rather than a show horse. He is a meat and potatoes type of guy who works to solve problems rather than worrying about who gets the credit. He has gathered around him an excellent cabinet and they are not panicking or anxiously throwing chairs off the deck. Instead, they are resolutely rearranging the chairs in an effort to keep the ship afloat.
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March 18, 2011
Gov. Robert Bentley has garnered an excellent cabinet. Much like his predecessor Bob Riley, he has chosen and coaxed into service people who are serving to better the state and not themselves.
Many, if not all, of Bentley’s appointments are financially independent, comfortably retired or career public servants uniquely and highly qualified to run the state agencies they will oversee. Bentley’s cabinet members are very similar to Riley’s cabinet. In fact, at least five of Bentley’s appointments are holdovers from Riley’s illustrious team.
John Harrison has been reappointed as Banking Superintendent. He has been the state banking chief since 2005. He is a lifelong community banker and former Mayor of Luverne.
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March 11, 2011
The historic partisan sea change that occurred in Alabama last November has been chronicled. However, the magnitude of the shift does not hit home until you see it close up. Many of us, who have observed the politics of Goat Hill for many years, are still amazed at the dramatic change that has occurred in the legislative branch of our state government.
As you watch the State Senate it is a totally new picture. Last year the Senate was made up of 23 Democrats and 12 Republicans. Today it is completely reversed. There are 23 Republicans and 12 Democrats. Jim Folsom, who was lieutenant governor longer than anyone in history, no longer presides. The gavel is wielded by Republican Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey. Even the senate secretary has changed. The picture of iconic Senate Secretary McDowell Lee seated beside Jere Beasley, Bill Baxley, George McMillan, Steve Windom, Don Siegelman, Lucy Baxley, and Folsom, advising and coaching these lieutenant governors is gone. Lee, who not only was the longest serving senate secretary in state history but also nationwide, has been replaced by his longtime assistant Pat Harris.
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