Author

Joey Kennedy

Joey Kennedy, a Pulitzer Prize winner, writes a column each week for the Alabama Political Reporter. You can email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter.

Bravo moment for Birmingham, UAB

I love living in Birmingham. It’s the progressive city in Alabama, a blue island in a very red state. A friend in northeastern Virginia once told me I should move to a blue state, that it would add 10 years to my life. I don’t know about that. But, really, if I can’t live in … Continued

Joey Kennedy

January 16, 2020

Opinion

Another chapter in the ‘We Dare Defend Our Wrongs’ files

Alabama is so often on the wrong side of history that one has to wonder if that’s intentional. Are we doing it on purpose, like a bratty child who is bad just to get attention? The federal courts had to make Alabama do the right thing during the Jim Crow years and civil rights movement. … Continued

Joey Kennedy

January 10, 2020

Opinion

A way to more fair elections

It’s officially an election year. Alabama chooses members of the Legislature and constitutional officers like governor and secretary of state in off years. The next time we elect lawmakers and constitutional offices is 2022. However, this is a huge election year, even in Alabama. The Republican and Democratic primaries are March 3, 2020, also known … Continued

Joey Kennedy

January 3, 2020

Opinion

The insanity of 2020

This is my last column. Until next year. Don’t want you to get too excited. It may be a time to reflect on the past 12 months. Or, better, a time to look ahead. 2020 is going to be a big year in Alabama and nationally. The U.S. Senate will at some point hold an … Continued

Joey Kennedy

December 27, 2019

Opinion

Boaz Chamber of Commerce kills the Christmas spirit

The joy of Christmas. Can’t get around it. Or the stress, the pressure, the expectations. Christmas is a difficult time for many people, and not because they’re worried about saying “Merry Christmas” to someone. Donald Trump, our impeached president, claims to have resurrected our right to say “Merry Christmas.” We never lost that right, but … Continued

Joey Kennedy

December 18, 2019

Opinion

A big difference many people refuse to see

Want to see the difference between Alabama Republicans in Congress and the only Alabama Democrat in the U.S. Senate Doug Jones? It’s pretty stark. Jones is co-leader on legislation in the Senate to pass the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Reauthorization Act of 2019and the Adoption Opportunities Act of 2019 with Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga. Isakson is … Continued

Joey Kennedy

December 12, 2019

Opinion

Hope springs eternal, I hope

Every now and then, I’ll take on conservative columnist Steve Flowers, who has always, to my knowledge, been gracious under criticism. Flowers has been on the front lines in the political wars, unlike me, who comes out of the mountains after the battle is fought to shoot the survivors. Flowers knows few politicians can succeed … Continued

Joey Kennedy

December 5, 2019

Opinion

A day to be thankful — and not so thankful

I love Thanksgiving Day. There’s no pressure to give gifts; only the expectation that we’ll overeat and, perhaps, the chance we’ll over drink. I’m thankful for so much today. We all have our struggles, even those in the 1 percent. But those struggles make us better people if we overcome or learn to cope with … Continued

Joey Kennedy

November 28, 2019

Opinion

Stop electing judges, not school board members

I’m cheering for state Board of Education member Jackie Zeigler in her effort to make sure voters understand that when they vote on Amendment One next March, they clearly understand they’re voting to dissolve the elected state school board and replace it with an appointed board called the “Alabama Commission on Elementary and Secondary Education.” … Continued

Joey Kennedy

November 22, 2019

Opinion

Alabama kids just can’t keep up

For the entire 30 years of its existence, I’ve been following the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS Count Data Book and how Alabama fares each year. The 2019 report was issued back in the summer, and overall, Alabama ranked 44th in the nation where child well-being is concerned. Alabama is always in the bottom 10. … Continued

Joey Kennedy

November 14, 2019