The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
Sorted by date Results 1 - 20 of 20
Inequality is one of America’s most contentious issues. According to a popular narrative, higher taxes on the rich are needed to control growing inequality. New research from the Johnson Center offers a different perspective. My colleagues G.P. Manish and Steve Miller have edited a new book titled Capitalism and Inequality: The Role of State and Market. The volume features contributions from leading economists on thinking about and measuring inequality and government policies making i...
There has been much debate lately about how we name public buildings and whether we should remove some names because of long ago actions that no longer conform to contemporary societal practices. Public buildings are always tricky to name as evidenced by the fact that just a couple of years ago, the University of Alabama Law School was named after Hugh Culverhouse, Jr. in acknowledgment of a very generous donation. However, Culverhouse’s donation was later returned and his name was chiseled f...
While we are aware in the Deep South of the possibilities of tornadoes during our erratic spring weather, we prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Unfortunately, this March plagued Alabama with numerous tornadoes. Any loss of life is tragic, but the number of deaths in light of the catastrophic damage during these outbreaks was minimal. Television meteorologists and weather personnel remained on high alert and worked around the clock to provide the latest developments in tornadic...
I have to admit. Since my last Robservation, my attention has not been so much on what is going on around the country but clearly focused elsewhere. Perhaps that is a good thing. I did watch President Biden’s pratfall going up the stairs to Air Force One and actually felt sorry for the man – yet again. For anyone watching with an objective, unbiased mind, the man is most definitely not in the game. Over his shoulders watches VP Harris ready to pounce on his job as soon as she gets the green lig...
All signs point to a Titanic political year in 2022. In fact, as I look back over the last six decades of my observations of Alabama politics, next year may be the most momentous. Most states elect their governors and legislators in presidential years. However, in the Heart of Dixie, we have our big election year in non-presidential years. Not only will we elect our governor to a four-year term, we will elect all of our constitutional officers like Attorney General, Agriculture Commissioner,...
My husband died and while most everything was in both of our names there is one financial account with about $15,000.00 in it. How can I get to it since I am the primary beneficiary under his Will? Most often on the first death of a spouse if everything has been tied together during life it is unnecessary to probate following the first death. When doing your estate plan it is important to think about EVERYTHING that you own or have control over, and I do mean EVERYTHING. Who wants to learn that...
Column readers these past dozen years will recall AU administration frequently begs attention. Distortion of this once grand institution into another corrupt arm of the Lowder-Hubbard graft machine is well documented. Hope recent imprisonment of Felon Hubbard (further dashed by a suspiciously reduced sentence) would induce a renaissance at Auburn University seems foolhardy upon closer observation of recent events. Noteworthy from past writings of the early ‘Bentley daze’ efforts to rei...
In March of 1999, my phone rang and it was General Charlie Condon, the Attorney General for the State of South Carolina. I was the newly installed President of the Christian Coalition of Alabama as of January 1999. He gave me a strong sober warning about the future plague consuming our state, if we legalized gambling. His warning in that conversation will never be forgotten and I wanted to share it with you. I was in the Fob James Administration in 1998, when Lt. Governor Don Siegelman unseated...
When completely unfounded and unverified accusations of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court Nominee Brett Cavanagh came out of the blue, Senator Elizabeth Warren and other leading Democrats screamed, “They must be believed.” The left demanded an FBI investigation into decades old allegations. They held up the confirmation hearings from proceeding. They made speeches on the record from the Senate floor. They contended Cavanaugh was unfit for the court merely because of the accusations. Edi...
Once again, it is time for all Americans to endure the annual ritual of filing and paying their income taxes. Every year, it seems to become more time consuming and more problematic. Last year, the IRS published some new schedules to go with the form 1040 and its numerous schedules. However, they did not replace or substitute for any existing paperwork. They were in addition to it. The bad news was that this small booklet didn’t include any of the other schedules that we had filed in the past a...
Abe Lincoln was determined to keep the Union together and deny Southern Independence. Although antithetical to the creation of these united States, the “unbreakable union myth” was supported by some in Lincoln’s era as it is now; however, there is more to the story. Lincoln stated the pivotal reason for war in his First Inaugural Address of Monday, March 4, 1861: “The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the Government and to coll...
April to me is a joyful month of budding spring blooms with lots of flowering trees and shrubs. The dark days of winter have given way to cool nights, mild day time temperatures, plenty of sunshine and usually plenty of showers. As they say, “April showers bring May flowers,” Easter on April 6th, reminds all of God's love for mankind and the many blessings He has bestowed upon us. The Easter season would not be complete without Easter baskets filled with colored straw, jelly beans, chocolate rab...
The Alabama Gazette’s Sports Writer, Stan Hurst, had to take the month off. We look forward to hearing from him again in upcoming issues. In the meantime, we were fortunate to have a great article sent in for this space. Contributed by Kim Evans Slow-pitch softball was extremely popular during the 1970s and 80s, and in 1977, with the opening of Lagoon Park, a state of the art complex, Montgomery became the epicenter of the softball world. Countless teams traveled here from all over the s...
Spring is in the air and the bride's bouquet is flying. Dorothy Alice Mariah Adams, daughter of Sam and Mary Adams, and Nelson Straub Bean, Jr., son of Nelson and Kimberly Bean, were bound together in Holy Matrimony March 13, 2021 at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Montgomery. The church was elegantly decorated with soft white and pink roses as the attendees listened to glorious music from organist Ed Patterson and cellist Chin Mei Lei. Reverend Patrick Curles officiated. Included in the wedding...
Brigadier General Trent H. Edwards: Age 53 Brigadier General Trent H. Edwards served 30 years in the United States Air Force. His Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) was Financial Management and Comptroller. Although he was trained as a financial manager, he really excelled in taking care of people by connecting and empowering people at the individual and organization-level. This highly decorated officer received the following awards and decorations: Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit...
There is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. With improved numbers pertaining to the pandemic, people are now feeling safer and are tired of the restrictions that were placed on restaurants and even family gatherings. There is hope that the restaurants we missed for the past months will start back. Even new restaurants should open with fare that the chefs have been developing, waiting for their turn to shine. Families are getting tired being cooped up in their homes and will visit missed...
Sometimes, when I am in Montgomery, I make it a point to go out and have lunch with Hank and Audrey. Usually, I take fried chicken. They don’t ever say too much, and neither do I really. Nobody sings. If you are there and hear lonesome music, it’s probably only in your head … or maybe your heart. I go, I guess, for the silence, or the solace. It is a feeling. There is an energy there. Or maybe a spirit. I’m not sure. It is not something you can reach out and touch or take a picture of, at leas...
The beautiful sights of Spring are beginning to show out. Buttercup, tulips, and many other flowering delights are starting to bloom. Such beauty! For those of us who enjoy gardening, sometimes life happens and maybe we are just not able to tend to our gardens for a while. Unfortunately, when this happens, weeds grow…and lots of them! If you think about it, the weeds, much like things in life, can sometimes be deceiving. They look pretty but they can easily overtake the real flowers. Some are e...
Would you take 3 simple steps to discover who God created you to be? Sounds too easy? Maybe. Maybe not. Try taking the steps and see for yourself! I learned these 3 steps and started trying to practice them years ago when I first read a little book by John Maxwell entitled, Think On These Things. I share them now with you. Step 1: Discover Your Potential I love the story of a young farm boy whose father raised chickens in the mountains of Colorado. One day the adventuresome boy climbed a high pl...
Kristin Michelle Brown ~ age 32, succumbed to cancer Tuesday, March 23, 2021 Cancer is such a nasty word. It’s ugly. It’s unforgiving. It’s devastating. In my 51 years, I’ve been grateful to never have to experience the loss of a loved one to cancer. I’ve never faced the death of a close friend, and certainly not at such a young age. While working on this issue of the Alabama Gazette, I received “that” call … the one that says it’s over. She’s gone. While I was as prepared as possible, it did...