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Cutting Through Smoke, Mirrors and Partisan Divide

By Amy Elizabeth McGhee As the discussion continues regarding the Alabama GOP’s 2014 super majority takeover of the legislature and to what extent it was bankrolled by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, it is imperative that we delve into the bigger picture at hand. The public needs to understand what true wrongs have been … Continued

Guest Contributor

September 9, 2014

Opinion

One Photo, One Vote: Alabama’s Voter ID Law

By Brandon Demyan The primary elections of June 3, 2014 could bring change for many of Alabama’s elected office holders. It will definitely bring a change in voter identification requirements. In previous elections, voters could simply provide a utility bill or a fishing license to vote. Alabama’s voter ID law, passed in 2011 and implemented … Continued

Guest Contributor

May 15, 2014

Opinion

Restoring Alabama’s Gulf Coast

By Brandon Demyan After the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010, BP pledged to restore the Gulf Coast region. Four years later, many businesses with valid claims against BP remain in limbo awaiting a decision while tar balls still wash up along the Gulf Coast. While it seems as though the rest of the country … Continued

Guest Contributor

April 29, 2014

Opinion

Medicaid Overdose: Bigger is not Better

By Brandon Demyan Much has been made about the continual refusal by Governor Robert Bentley to expand Medicaid. In the push to pass the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), President Obama explained in 2009 that “we can’t simply put more people into a broken system that doesn’t work.” Medicaid was originally created to … Continued

Guest Contributor

March 4, 2014

Opinion

Statement on the Governor’s State of the State Address Regarding Medicaid Expansion

By The Alabama’s BEST Coalition On Tuesday, The Governor focused a major part of his State of the State address on Medicaid and his concerns about expanding the program. While we adamantly disagree with the Governor’s decision not to expand Medicaid, we did find several areas on which we fully agree. In fact, several of … Continued

Guest Contributor

January 16, 2014

Opinion

Legislators Must Close the Revolving Door

By Brandon Demyan In 2013, five of Alabama’s elected officials resigned before their term expired to pursue other employment. Three members of the Alabama House of Representatives took positions that potentially require lobbying of the Legislature. Currently, former state officials may not lobby their former department or “legislative body” until two years has elapsed; however, … Continued

Guest Contributor

January 14, 2014

Opinion

Obama’s War on Alabama Jobs

By Brandon Demyan Although the Obama Administration claims it has an “all the above” energy strategy, the war on coal makes that claim dubious at best. Coal is an abundant energy source and the White House should be doing everything it can to help the energy industry compete in the global market and create new … Continued

Guest Contributor

December 12, 2013

Response to Education Reform

Dear Editor, While we understand the desire to help students escape bad schools, we hope state leaders understand there may be unintended consequences to tax credits in the recent accountability act. When kids leave borderline schools, those schools will be left worse off. Due to the inability of the education bureaucracy in Montgomery to embrace change, … Continued

Guest Contributor

May 28, 2013

Opinion

School Flex Bill Ineffective Without Repeal of Common Core

By Becky Gerritson The Alabama Legislature may be facing a line of storms in the aftermath of approving a school flexibility bill. The education community is upset that the Legislature added tax credits, which they fear will hurt public schools. Conservative grassroots organizations are concerned that the school flex bill binds Alabama to Common Core … Continued

Guest Contributor

March 12, 2013

Opinion

“The Alabama Accountability Act of 2013” How do some Politicians define Accountability?

By Representative Allen Farley On February 28, 2013, at the close of the Alabama Legislature’s ninth day of our 2013 thirty day session, the Republican majority passed “The Alabama Accountability Act of 2013” in both the House and the Senate. What immediately followed were verbal attacks against the legislators who voted for this piece of … Continued

Guest Contributor

March 11, 2013