The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
Sorted by date Results 5 - 29 of 1704
Alabama has made much progress in workforce development; however, our journey has only begun. For too many years, business and education did not communicate effectively, which resulted in a deficit in many skilled trades – plumbers, electricians, welders, landscapers, etc. A lack of opportunities in some instances forced Alabamians to leave the state altogether in search of employment. Other times a lack of skills and/or jobs pushed able-bodied individuals into the welfare system, neither which...
There are moments in history when leadership cuts through chaos and restores hope to a weary world. President Donald J. Trump's announcement that both Israel and Hamas have signed onto the first phase of his Peace Plan marks one of those rare and defining moments. For decades, diplomats, pundits, and bureaucrats told us peace in the Middle East was impossible, too ancient, too bloody, too divided. Yet once again, President Trump refused to accept the counsel of the timid. He rejected the stale...
I am not a tax attorney and this is an article for those that are drawn to the Alabama Gazette; not scholarly enough for my peers but based on my research and personal experience. I enjoy the many fine writers that contribute to this paper, but I do not count myself as one of those writers that draw Alabama Gazette readers back month after month. Regardless, I hope that you as a kind reader will gain something from this. The 529 plan is named after the Internal Revenue Code section in which...
Last month, I illustrated the stupidity of our auto engineers in their zeal to make all new cars crushable and become total losses whenever they suffer from minor bumps and bruises. I also illustrated a solution to this insanity, and I’m praying that at least a few engineers in the right places will wise up and take action. But that is not the only engineering blunder with our cars today. They are also overloaded with gross excesses of explosive air bags—sometimes with as many as 10 or pos...
Two hundred years ago, the Erie Canal was finally completed, and to celebrate the achievement the Governor of New York and other local elected officials engaged in a progressive celebration. They sailed from Lake Erie to New York Harbor with stops at communities along the way. It was like a 10-day tailgate with parties, speeches and all-day public celebrations, and it culminated in a ceremonial “wedding of the waters” when water from Lake Erie was poured into New York Harbor. The completion of t...
We hear “Lost Cause” commentary ad nauseum from so-called experts, most of whom are political leftists, neocons, Straussians, and others of a similar ilk who claim the War for Southern Independence was about maintaining slavery. In reality, the only threat to slavery was outside of the Southern and Border States (Lincoln and the Republicans made that crystal clear). This arose, at least partially, from the Republican agenda of wanting only White settlers in the West; they consistently aff...
It was the fourth century A.D. Yes, I know the politically-correct crowd says we’re not supposed to use B.C. and A.D. anymore, because they mean “Before Christ” and “Anno Domini” (in the year of our Lord). Those terms, we are told, refer to the birth of Christ and that is offensive to some. Instead, we’re supposed to say B.C.E. (“Before the Common Era”) and C.E. (“Common Era”). But what makes the Common Era common, other than the birth of Christ? Our Founding Fathers finished the Consti...
OCTOBER 2, 2025 The federal government remained shuttered Thursday as partisan gridlock deepened, leaving hundreds of thousands of workers furloughed and critical services disrupted. With Congress failing to pass a funding resolution before the October 1 deadline, the shutdown has now stretched into its second day, triggering warnings of mass layoffs and long-term agency cuts. Political Standoff Intensifies President Donald Trump met with Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought to discuss which federal programs might face...
U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) has recently drawn attention to the issue of transgender participation in high school athletics. Tuberville presented documents showing that 122,000 transgender individuals competed in high school sports last year. This figure has sparked a renewed conversation about fairness and the future of gender-based protections in athletics. According to Tuberville, the growing number of transgender athletes raises concerns about the integrity of women’s s...
Happy 26th Anniversary to The Alabama Gazette! Time to reflect back over a quarter century to herald this brave paper standing strong on the First Amendment; it prints submissions of big government conservatives and modern liberals as well as observations and perspectives of small government conservative/classical liberals like me these past 16 years. Those who regularly consume news from our local East Central Alabama ’Pravda on the Plains’ publications recently witnessed a social media sta...
Did you know that God isn’t setting you aside? No! God is actually setting you apart. I was recently reading about Joseph from the Old Testament and I got to thinking…I'm sure Joseph felt like that God was setting him aside and forgetting about him. Afterall, his brothers betrayed him and threw him into a pit. Where was God? And then he was betrayed and thrown into a prison. Where was God? Seemed like everybody was turning their back on it. Seemed like God had set him aside. Seemed like God was...
Some of the recent municipal elections will be one for the historic books in Alabama. In our state, presidential elections draw the most voters to the polls, far above other races, including those for governor or other statewide races. So when record amounts of folks showed up at the ballot box for run-off elections for those candidates seeking seats for local mayoral and city council races, people have paid attention. And not only was it about the increase in voters, but conservative voters...
“Alabamians lost their lives at the hands of thugs in downtown Montgomery this weekend. First and foremost, we pray for the loved ones of those lives taken from us, as well as those innocent people injured, including some still fighting for their lives. “With Montgomery Police Department officers a short distance away, shots were exchanged out over a crowded downtown Montgomery Saturday night. This simply should not be happening in our Capital City or anywhere in our state for that matter. Any...
Manufacturing plays a central role in Alabama’s economic strength. The sector provides high-quality jobs and attracts investment, which anchors communities across our state. From automobiles and aerospace to steel and chemicals, manufacturing supports long-term growth across Alabama’s diverse industrial base. The automotive industry stands as one of the most visible examples. Plants operated by Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Mazda Toyota, and Hyundai, along with a growing network of suppliers, have tra...
When bullets fly on the streets of Alabama's capital, leadership either steps up or steps aside. Governor Kay Ivey stepped up. While others issued sympathy and spin, she drew a line in the sand. "All available state assets are being discussed, and all options remain on the table," she declared. That's the kind of language Alabamians have been waiting to hear, not the bureaucratic mush of committees and consultations, but a clear promise that the State of Alabama will not surrender its capital...
September 25, 2025 - OPELIKA, AL. - Every Fall, people start thinking about pumpkins and small hay bales to use to decorate their front porches for the changing of the season. However, with Halloween coming at the end of October, popular culture delves into the macabre, as well. With people bringing out broomsticks, plastic skeletons, and black canonical sharply pointed black hats with which to go trick-or-treating. In the past, such an interest in the macabre was temporal and shortly replaced...
I want to begin by thanking Navy SEAL veteran and US Senate Candidate Jarred Hudson for saying what millions of Americans feel in their gut: members of Congress should not collect one red cent in salary while the government is shut down. Jarred has put it plainly, from the perspective of someone who has actually lived sacrifice, worn the uniform, and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with those who put their lives on the line for our freedoms. His call is powerful and correct, and I am proud to stand...
While the famed New England writer, Louisa May Alcott, is best known for her coming of age classic, "Little Women", her first novel, "The Inheritance" makes for a soothing, sentimental, refreshing, and romanticized read. The novel was never published during Alcott's lifetime and was lost to the sands of time until it was discovered by accident in 1988 when some professors who were researching her letters and journals discovered the manuscript at the Houghton Library at Harvard. The reason the ma...
Some will say that the government shutdown will hinder the Surface Transportation Board's (STB) ability to analyze the competitive impact of the proposed UP/NS merger. The fact of the matter is it does not matter because the STB was effectively neutered the moment President Trump fired the STB member he thought would oppose the merger. And, just in case the message was unclear, the President subsequently met with and heaped praise on his new best CEO friend, the president of the Union Pacific...
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech before the United Nations last week was a master class in courage and clarity. He wasn't speaking "truth to power" - the General Assembly has no power. He was speaking truth in the face of hypocrisy. The same chamber that cheers dictators and terrorist sympathizers couldn't bring itself to listen to the elected leader of Israel, the one democracy in the Middle East that has stood tall against terror for generations. Netanyahu wasn't there to beg for...
The speeches in Quantico by Secretary Hegseth and President Trump have been needed for a long time. Decades of decay by every President since Reagan and Bush 41 brought us here. Finally, the Pentagon was told the truth to its face. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth walked up to the podium and detonated a bomb in the middle of military complacency: "The era of the Department of Defense is over. Welcome to the Department of War." With one executive order, the polite fiction ended. This is not about...
October 2, 2025- WASHINGTON, D.C. - Republicans control the House, Senate, and White House, yet they have failed to provide the responsible leadership needed to keep the government open. This failure has resulted in a shutdown. Republicans must join Democrats in doing what's right for the people of Alabama and the nation. My offices remain open to serve and assist you during this shutdown. We've compiled key resources and answers to common questions below to help you understand what a shutdown...
As a licensed professional counselor in Colorado, Kaley Chiles' motto is "If you don't make time for your wellness, you will be forced to take time for your illness." According to her profile with the Deeper Stories Counseling center in Colorado, she has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical Studies with a minor in psychology and a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health. In her counseling center she offers Christian counseling or counseling that integrates faith upon request. It is a...
September 23, 2025 - When companies scout new locations, the standard checklist includes availability of a quality and skilled workforce, infrastructure, and operating costs. Yet public safety, too often underestimated, plays an important role. Public safety officials protect people and assets, which strengthens the long-term stability of businesses both large and small. Law enforcement presence affects many aspects of a business from employee retention to insurance costs. A visible,...
Most coaches walk away when the fire dies out, when the fans start grumbling, when the game has passed them by. Bruce Pearl isn't most coaches. He is leaving Auburn at the very top of his game, still winning, still recruiting, still commanding the national stage. That is not retiring. That is reloading. Bruce Pearl has never just been about basketball. He has always been a builder of men. He turned raw kids into leaders, teaching them toughness, loyalty, faith, and character. The scoreboard...
