Steve Flowers

Steve Flowers served 16 years in the state legislature. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. Steve may be reached at [email protected].

Lame Duck Governor wants prisons

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers The premier issue of this year’s legislative session will be whether to borrow a massive amount of money to build new prisons in the state. This initiative appears to be our lame duck Governor Robert Bentley’s primary agenda. Last year Bentley proposed an $800 million bond issue for new … Continued

March 8, 2017

Money from BP is spent

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers We have unbelievable natural resources in Alabama starting with the Tennessee Valley and transcending to the beautiful white sands at Gulf Shores. Many of our natural resources have been exploited over the years. The prime example would be the exploitation of our rich vaults of iron ore discovered in … Continued

March 1, 2017

The circus begins, and it will leave a mess behind

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers As I have suggested to you, we are looking at one momentous 2018 election year, and it has begun. Get this folks, we have an open governor’s race. We have openings at Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Treasurer, Agriculture Commissioner, three seats on the Supreme Court including the Chief … Continued

February 22, 2017

Things are getting complex

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers This third year of the quadrennium Regular Session of the legislature has recently gotten a lot more complex. These next four months will be trying times for the Alabama legislature. They will not only have to deal with a beleaguered General Fund Budget that has to feed a money-eating … Continued

February 15, 2017

The people want to vote

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers During the past couple of months everywhere I go people continually ask me why in the world the legislature could not simply put the issue of whether they could vote for or against a lottery on the November ballot. The fact that this inquiry has lingered for this long … Continued

February 1, 2017

Is it time for another female governor?

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers Hillary Clinton’s failure to break the proverbial glass ceiling in American politics came up a little short. More than 100 men have been nominated for president by the nation’s political parties over the past 220 years. She was the first female to be the nominee of one of the … Continued

January 25, 2017

Remembering Gov. Brewer

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE By Steve Flowers The passing of Governor Albert Brewer on January 2nd at 88 years old, marks the passing of an era in Alabama politics. Albert P. Brewer was a good man and a true public servant. Brewer was born in Tennessee, but his folks moved to Decatur when he was very … Continued

January 18, 2017

Who’s in or out in 2018 and Trump is good for Alabama

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers Alabama is going to fare wall under President Trump. There is an old adage that says, “Those that bake the pie get to eat it.” We truly baked the pie for Trump. We overwhelmingly supported him in the GOP primary and helped him secure the nomination. We then gave … Continued

January 11, 2017

Bentley should let Trump pick Sessions’ replacement

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers This past year in Alabama politics was surprisingly more interesting than was expected. The judicial inquiry commission removed Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore from the bench for telling the probate judges in the state to not perform marriage ceremonies for gay people. He said marriage should be between … Continued

January 4, 2017

Remembering those we lost in 2016

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers At the close of every year, my tradition is to acknowledge the passing away of significant political players from the political stage in Alabama. We have lost some icons from politics in the Heart of Dixie this year. Lucy Baxley passed away in October in Birmingham at 78. She … Continued

December 28, 2016