October 17, 2007
As mentioned to you numerous times in this column the State of Alabama revenues are divided into two major funds. Unlike many of our sister states, who have one general fund and most of their tax dollars are unearmarked, our budgets are divided between a general fund and an education fund and most of our tax revenues are earmarked. Indeed the vibrant growth taxes, income and sales, are earmarked for education. Therefore, over the past few decades, due to the earmarking of these two rich veins of revenue, the education budget has incrementally surpassed the general fund in size.
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October 10, 2007
Historically congressional and legislative districts have been redrawn every ten years when new census figures are taken. However, the U.S. Supreme Court in a landmark decision last year opened the door for legislatures to reapportion congressional and legislative districts at any time rather than every decade.
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October 03, 2007
Rumors are that Gov. Riley still plans to call a special legislative session for late October. An extraordinary session of the legislature is designed for emergency problems arising in state government that require legislative approval. George Wallace used the special session route often and masterfully to get what he wanted. He had a powerful grip on the legislature during his reign. In addition, the constitutional requirement inherent in a special session, which requires the legislature to focus on what the governor calls the session for, gives a governor a tremendous advantage in getting his issue approved.
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September 26, 2007
Several weeks ago I commented on the mean-spirited nature of politics today. There is a vicious, pervasive, take no prisoners, warfare mentality prevalent between the two political parties.
I attributed this acrimony to the legislative and congressional districts around the country being drawn so that they are either extremely republican or extremely democratic. This makes the legislators from that district very partisan. Therefore, he or she is dogmatically republican or democratic with very few moderate rational lawmakers. They detest their counterparts. This is a recipe for disharmony and gridlock with no real pragmatists or statesmen to create meaningful compromise legislation. It is no surprise that congress has an abysmal approval rating, even lower than President Bush which is pretty low.
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September 19, 2007
Three Alabama political icons from the 1960’s passed away in late summer. They all three lived long lives and their memories are indelibly planted into our state’s political history.
Richmond Flowers was born on Armistice Day November 11, 1918 in Dothan. He was the fourth son born to one of Dothan’s oldest families. His older brother Paul, who later became the most prominent physician in Dothan and founded Flowers Hospital in the hub of the Wiregrass, was three years old when their neighbor old Dr. Green came out of the Flowers’ home and told Paul that he had a little brother. All kinds of fire whistles blew and shotguns fired into the air. Bells were ringing over the celebration of the end of World War I but poor little Paul thought they were celebrating the birth of his little brother Richmond.
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September 12, 2007
Very seldom will I venture a prediction on a major race like president, especially over a year out and with each party having ten candidates openly vying for their nomination. In addition, it is the most open presidential race in my lifetime. It has been 80 years since a president was not seeking reelection and a sitting vice-president was not seeking to move up. The race is truly wide open.
September 05, 2007
While a student at the University of Alabama I had the opportunity to intern with the Dean of Students, Dr. Joab Thomas. A few years later Dr. Thomas became President of the University and I was elected to the legislature. He invited my wife and I to sit with him at an Alabama game. We had just had our first daughter and she seemed to us quite precocious. Dr. Thomas and I were discussing my newborn and the topic of her early education came up. I somewhat lamented the fact to him that she might not be able to compete academically as well as she might in college because she would be raised in a small town and not have the advantages or competition that a larger city school might offer.
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August 29, 2007
Alabama experienced the wrenching throes of the Great Depression like the rest of the nation. There were tragic stories of devastation that paralleled those illuminated in the classic novel, “The Grapes of Wrath.” On the other hand, I have heard many old timers who lived during the Depression say we never knew there was a depression in Alabama. We were poor before the Depression so there was no marked difference to our standard of living. We had plenty to eat but heard of people jumping out of buildings in New York City committing suicide because they were millionaires one day and penniless the next.
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August 22, 2007
In 1971 George Wallace was at the height of his political power. Including his wife’s election in 1966, Wallace had been elected Governor of Alabama three straight times. Much like today several of the general fund agencies were in dire financial straits. Wallace chose to remedy the problems in prisons and mental health with a loan from the Teachers’ Retirement Fund. Dr. Paul Hubbert had only been head of the fledgling toothless Alabama Education Association for less than two years. He was a young, clean-cut, new kid on the block. He looked a lot like Albert Brewer. In fact Hubbert and Brewer were allies and friends. Hubbert had supported Brewer in that historic 1970 contest which Wallace won by the skin of his teeth.
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August 15, 2007
I have been on a speaking tour throughout Alabama this summer talking Alabama politics with many of you. As I traveled the state a question was posed to me several times about politics in general. The query being whether politics has always been as mean and dirty as it is today. That question is hard to answer because politics has always been a tough business.
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