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Steve Flowers

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

Ain’t Alabama politics fun?

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE By Steve Flowers Historically speaking, Alabamians have been more interested in the governor’s race than presidential politics. For years, from 1876 to 1964, we were a totally Democratic state, more so out of tradition than philosophically. The hatred for the radical Republican Reconstruction shackles invoked on the South made an indelible mark … Continued
December 21, 2016

Prison central item for upcoming session

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers While the presidential race played out this year, several things happened in Alabama politics that went under the radar. First, a federal appeals court upheld the legislature’s banning PAC to PAC transfers. The new Republican legislative majority that marched into the Statehouse in 2011 set out to destroy and … Continued
December 14, 2016

Ethics ruling risks charity fundraising

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE By Steve Flowers In a political season…giver beware!!! It is Christmas time, and since Alabama is one of the most charitable states in the nation, I would expect that many of us are in the giving mood and plan to help many worthy causes across our great state. Unfortunately, it appears that … Continued
December 7, 2016

Sessions a shoo-in

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE By Steve Flowers It is definite, our Junior Senator, Jeff Sessions, is going to be President Donald Trump’s Attorney General, as well as his closest advisor. Sessions will be confirmed by the Senate. He has been a respected member of the Senate for 20 years. He has an impeccably clean history of … Continued
November 30, 2016

Dewey didn’t win either

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers Donald J. Trump’s election to the presidency left the pollsters and pundits from every media outlet and news network with egg on their face. It also left them with their mouths ajar in shock. Every poll and every pundit had Hillary Clinton winning the presidency. It was assumed that … Continued
November 16, 2016

Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and the Electoral College

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers You know the outcome of the election. Unfortunately I had to go to press with the column prior to Tuesday. We will analyze the results for you next week. There should be very few surprises. The Electoral College System of selecting our President favors a Democrat winning the White … Continued
November 9, 2016

There’s a Dimes Worth of Difference

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers We will vote to select the 44th President Tuesday. The next President will be a New Yorker. Whomever is selected will enter the Oval office with the most unfavorable poll ratings of any President in recent memory. This election will epitomize the old adage that George Wallace once told … Continued
November 2, 2016

A Tale from ‘62

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers The year was 1962. John Kennedy was President. Camelot was in full bloom. The Congress was controlled by Democrats only because the South was solidly Democratic. The Southern bloc of senators and congressmen were all Democrats. Because of their enormous seniority, they controlled both houses of Congress, especially the … Continued
October 26, 2016