politicians

If they won’t debate, they don’t deserve your vote

If they won’t debate, take your vote elsewhere. This summer’s and fall’s elections are important. We say this all the time, but this time it may be true: Maybe the most important elections in a long time. If your elected officials dodge answering questions and won’t attend debates with their opponents, they clearly have something … Continued

Joey Kennedy

April 5, 2018

Opinion

Let’s march: The #Neveragain reckoning on guns

The second best news for me this week is that the Alabama Legislature isn’t going to do the knee-jerk thing of passing a law that’ll allow teachers to carry guns into the classroom, as a deterrent to some lunatic who might attack a school to massacre students. The protection of our students from a mad … Continued

Joey Kennedy

March 22, 2018

Opinion

Beware the Ides of March

Beware the Ides of March, warned the seer to Julius Caesar, but Caesar didn’t, and the Roman emperor was reportedly assassinated on March 15, 44 BC. On this Ides of March, there are other warnings going out, not for a literal assassination but, perhaps, massive political consequences. Politicians on all levels – federal, state, and … Continued

Joey Kennedy

March 15, 2018

Opinion

The red hot mess politicians have heaped on our schools

By Larry Lee Education Matters While I will never claim that I don’t cuss, I work hard to refrain from doing so on my blog. But in this case, it’s damn hard not to. Politicians, particularly Senate majority leader Del Marsh and Rep. Terri Collins, seem to have gone out of their way to tear … Continued

Larry Lee

February 2, 2018

Opinion

Alabama deserves Roy Moore

By Josh Moon Alabama Political Reporter Apparently, this needs to be said again: Alabama does not deserve better than Roy Moore. Back when former Gov. Robert Bentley was first rumored to have misused taxpayer money to facilitate an affair with his top advisor, there was this crazy idea among many around the state that somehow … Continued

Josh Moon

November 15, 2017

Opinion

Something fishy about “failing schools” list

By Larry Lee The State Department of Education just released the latest “failing schools” list, an annual ranking is required by the infamous Alabama Accountability Act. The Legislature decreed that the bottom six percent of all public schools are “failing” and should be identified annually. So lists were distributed in June 2013 and January 2014, … Continued

Larry Lee

January 17, 2017

Former State Parks Director: Vote “No” on Amendment 2

By Don Cooley Former Director, Alabama State Parks Division Department of Conservation & Natural Resources As a former State Parks director, nothing would have pleased me more than being able to vote for a constitutional amendment to protect State Park revenues from being raided by the politicians. But I will vote “No” on Amendment 2 … Continued

Don Cooley

November 1, 2016

Opinion

Fact Checking State School Board Member

By Larry Lee Education Matters “Hyperbole” should be the middle name of most all politicians. They are masters of embellishment, of overstatement, of stretching the truth and tall tales both big and small. As we’ve all be told from birth, “take it with a grain of salt” is super advice when listening to a politician … Continued

Larry Lee

October 28, 2016

Opinion

Trump Can’t Win Over This Woman

By Elizabeth BeShears Much to do has been made over the last several days in the wake of Donald Trump’s evident coronation as the GOP’s 2016 nominee about how he has a lot of ground to make up with certain groups. Hispanics, Latinos, and African Americans are deemed unreachable due to his previous statements on … Continued

Elizabeth BeShears

May 10, 2016

Beverage Tax Opponents Fear Governor’s Special Session Call

By Brandon Moseley Alabama Political Reporter On Thursday, July 9, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley announced that he was calling the State Legislature into Special Session on July 13, to address the troubled 2016 State General Fund (SGF) budget. The Governor did not address what exactly his proposals would be for the special session call, … Continued

Brandon Moseley

July 10, 2015