The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 1971
While Alabamians who are rising up against hyperscale data centers are expressing concern that they don’t want “Alabama to be the Wild West for industrialization”, the Republican gubernatorial candidate, Tommy Tuberville, has strongly backed the construction of hyperscale data centers throughout Alabama the Beautiful in his rhetoric the past couple of days. For Coach Tuberville stated on Monday at a Sheriff’s conference that, “"Everybody asks, 'How do you do that?' I've talked to several g...
In the murky waters of Alabama political finance, the line between "necessary campaign expenditure" and personal gain is often blurred by creative accounting. When a personal achievement-like a memoir-is funded by a candidate's principal campaign committee, it raises serious questions under the Fair Campaign Practices Act (FCPA). The Legal Framework Under Alabama Code § 17-5-7, a candidate or principal campaign committee may only use campaign contributions for specific, defined purposes:...
We spend far too much time asking whether Alabama is red enough or blue enough. We're asking the wrong question. The question isn't whether our politics can win another election. The question is whether our politics can still solve problems. Somewhere along the way, we confused politics with identity. We started treating our political parties like college football teams, where loyalty matters more than results and questioning your own side is considered betrayal. That's not leadership. The...
Power outgrowing consent of the citizens thirsts for more and oft requires reaching out. Auburn's incumbent mayor (re)election slogan is 'we' can do it together. The we becomes less ambiguous when connecting the 'I Believe in Felon Hubbard' political thieves. Robert Wilkins put his finger on two of those reaches in a June 30 letter to the Plainsman [https://www.theplainsman.com/staff/robert-wilkins] and readers owe him many thanks for his illumination, whatever they make of his run for mayor. I...
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - At a candidate forum recorded July 19, I asked the candidates for Alabama's Second Congressional District about the sanctity of life. State Rep. Rhett Marques answered by saying two things that cannot both be true. First he said this: "Now, I do believe that life begins at conception. I do believe that." Then, in the same answer, he said this: "Until that fertilized egg is put into the woman, that is where it starts." Those are not two ways of saying the same thing. If life...
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin In the first four parts of my investigation series on the corruption and misuse of funds from the administration of Birmingham mayor Randall Woodfin here is what I have laid out detailing alleged criminal activity from 100 plus documents I have from the Woodfin files. To see screenshots of the evidence please go back and review the first four articles. Campaign Finance & Ethical Allegations: The series centers on documented evidence of multi-year campaign finance...
Woodfin investigation - Part 5 When examining the Woodfin files, what initially appeared to be a straightforward investigation quickly peeled back like an onion, revealing deeper layers of questionable conduct. While the Birmingham mayor and his administration initially brushed off the findings as a joke, the gravity of the situation has left no room for laughter. The Promotion of the Randall Woodfin national brand On March 9, 2026, a community conversation event at Birmingham's historic Carver...
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance." — Psalm 33:12 History records the rise and fall of kingdoms, empires, and republics. Ancient Greece gave civilization democracy but could not preserve it. Rome built the greatest empire of the ancient world, yet eventually collapsed under the weight of its own excesses. Great powers have risen, flourished, and disappeared into history, leaving behind little more than monuments and memories. Yet t...
When Katie Britt assumed her role on the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, she did so as the most junior Senator of the entire body, ranking last in seniority. She was low on the totem pole, and she had big shoes to fill taking over legendary Senator Richard Shelby’s seat. He ranked fourth in overall seniority and was probably one of the five most powerful elected officials in the country when he retired as Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Many expected it would b...
The June 16 Republican runoff yielded the final revelation of the 2026 election year. Winning the GOP Primary nomination is tantamount to election in the Heart of Dixie. Several of the most important and prominent political posts in the state were decided in the first primary on May 19. Tommy Tuberville prevailed in the Governor’s race, garnering an amazing 85% of the vote. Caroleene Dobson won the Secretary of State race against two opponents. Young Boozer captured an unprecedented fourth t...
July 3, 2026 BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION Two hundred and fifty years ago, the Founders of our great Republic gathered in Philadelphia to fulfill a God-given destiny - the freedom and Independence of the United States of America. Fifty-six men - representing legions of freedom-loving Patriots sprawled across 13 Colonies - pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to sign a legendary charter of freedom and declare America's promise that all...
Abuse of Purse Strings - Part II] Last month I laid down the AU money 'stem to Stern' so to speak. Trustees' wealth buys access to the seat through corrupt governors who appoint them; the same wealth funds Tiger Paw PAC, the PAC pays budget chairs who ramrodded HB 580. The Board executed this ill-advised Second of two parts. legislation on June 5 by dissolving the faculty Senate in 15 scheduled minutes. I ask readers to(re)visit Part 1: https://www.alabamagazette.com/story/20...
Jackson Hospital Must Not Be Allowed to Fail History will remember what the River Region does in this moment. Long after the bankruptcy filings have been archived and the court proceedings have ended, people will remember whether this community came together to save one of its most important institutions or stood by while it disappeared. Jackson Hospital is simply too important to fail. This is not merely another corporate restructuring. Jackson Hospital is one of the largest employers in...
This year offers a meaningful opportunity for reflection. As the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, Taiwan marks the 30th anniversary of its first direct presidential election--a historic milestone that reflects the democratic aspirations of the Taiwanese people and the shared values that continue to connect our two societies. The relationship between Taiwan and the State of Alabama is not merely one of economic exchange. It is a deep-rooted partnership built on...
"Young Washington", the full-length feature film about the early days of George Washington, opened in movie theaters over the Fourth of July weekend. It was predicted to bring in $15 million at the box office, however, it brought in a third more than was predicted and took in $20 million at the box office. An impressive accomplishment since the movie debuted over the weekend in just 2,700 movie screens across the country instead of the usual 4,000 for major new releases. The $20 million in box...
Part 1 of a 4-part investigative series Documents obtained from concerned citizens have exposed an alleged scheme of criminal activity and self-dealing within the administration of Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. These documents suggest a pattern of systemic taxpayer-funded mismanagement, blurring the lines between municipal governance and personal political ambition. At the center of these allegations is Chief Strategist and Senior Advisor Ed Fields. According to the records, Fields has...
I spent nearly 40 years coaching football, including more than two decades as a head coach in the SEC, the Big 12, and the American Athletic Conference. I recruited thousands of student-athletes, worked with university presidents, athletic directors, conference commissioners, and NCAA officials. Along the way, I learned a thing or two about the rules and regulations around govern college sports. When I retired from coaching in 2016, I thought my days of working in college athletics were over....
Alabama the Beautiful, is known for being the single state within the USA that has the most navigable inland waterways. For Alabama has over 1,400 miles of commercially navigable channels. Along with 132,000 miles of rivers and streams that wind their way throughout Alabama. Such river systems are an ecological gem for Alabama. As they lead to Alabama having more native types of freshwater crayfish, fish, turtles, snails, and mussel species than any other state in the USA. According to the Alaba...
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance." - Psalm 33:12 History records the rise and fall of kingdoms, empires, and republics. Ancient Greece gave civilization democracy but could not preserve it. Rome built the greatest empire of the ancient world, yet eventually collapsed under the weight of its own excesses. Great powers have risen, flourished, and disappeared into history, leaving behind little more than monuments and memories. Yet this...
"Ours is not to reason why, ours but to do and die." This quote, which is a variation of a line from "The Charge of the Light Brigade" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, is often used to describe the military mindset when it comes to obeying orders. For, typically, in the military, one of the first duties of a soldier is to obey orders. However, in the American army there is an exception to the "do and die" mindset when it comes to orders. Those orders have to be lawful. When an order is unlawful, an...
June 20, 2026 - A lot of words come to mind when examining how political consultant Angie Horn ran her one major race of the 2026 election cycle: inept, incompetent, embarrassing, and a total train derailment. Horn's management style for Secretary of State Wes Allen's lieutenant governor campaign equaled a pilot flying a plane into a building. While the captain of the Titanic tried to avoid the iceberg, Horn signaled "full steam ahead" and struck the frozen mass head-on. For starters, bot...
Mike Wahl, an Alabama based poet, won one of three $250 prizes awarded for poems selected by the guest judge for the US 250 Persona Poem Project, Lynne Viti. With Viti being faculty emerita of Wellesley College and the inaugural poet laureate of Westwood, Massachusetts. His winning poem is entitled, "Changing the World". With persona poems being poems written in the first person, the "persona" in the poem is the fictional voice the author uses to narrate the poem. In this case, the US 250...
The Alabama Republican Party did exactly what it was supposed to do. It examined the facts, applied the law, and dismissed the challenge to Senator Tommy Tuberville's candidacy, allowing Republicans to move forward and focus on what really matters-the future of Alabama. Chairman Scott Stadthagen and the members of the committee deserve credit for refusing to let the Party become a stage for political theater. They made a decision based on the evidence and prevented an unnecessary distraction...
(First of two parts) - LEE COUNTY - In Alabama, whoever pays for a university governs it - excluding students and taxpayers -- the Charter and faculty be damned. Auburn's trustees fund campaigns like Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur). Orr chairs the Senate committee which determines AU's State appropriations. On June 5 trustees abolished the faculty Senate and the faculty (who control no money) were left without voice. This Perspective follows the money, every dollar shown in a public filing. The...
Alabama Republican voters sent a message that no consultant, no pollster, and no establishment insider can spin away. President Donald J. Trump remains the most powerful force in Republican politics, and nowhere was that more obvious than in Alabama's runoff elections. In the Republican race for United States Senate, Barry Moore defeated Jared Hudson by a commanding margin. Moore had something every Republican candidate in America wants and very few can truly claim: the full confidence of...
