Steve Flowers

Seatmates Were My Best Friends

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers One of my most cherished lifetime memories is the almost two decades I served in the Alabama House of Representatives. It was because of the lifetime friends made during that era. The House was not as partisan as it is today. This day and time it seems like legislators … Continued

Steve Flowers

June 22, 2016

Opinion

Memories of Days at The Statehouse

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers While observing the legislature the other day, I fondly remembered a very eventful day as a youth. As a teenager, I grew up working at the Capitol as a Page in the House and Senate. Albert Brewer had been elected to the House from Morgan County in his late … Continued

Steve Flowers

June 8, 2016

Opinion

One Vote Can Make a Difference

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers Last week we talked about how difficult it is to win passage of a legislative act. It does not matter if the proposed legislation is for apple pie and motherhood. If for nothing else, the bill has to go before both House and Senate committees, win approval, and not … Continued

Steve Flowers

May 18, 2016

Opinion

Lawmakers Take Ax to Cultural Heritage Agencies

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers For the past five or six years the legislature has pretty much cut state government to the bone. One of the areas that legislators have taken an ax to are Alabama’s cultural heritage agencies. These organizations throughout the state have taken it on the chin. There is an informal … Continued

Steve Flowers

May 11, 2016

Opinion

Moore Has Found His Horse

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers As we look back over the past year’s political events one week stands out. During one week in the middle of 2015, three momentous events occurred. All three came down bang, bang, bang in the week leading up to the fourth of July. First was the landmark decision by … Continued

Steve Flowers

December 23, 2015

Opinion

Handicapping the Race: Week Three

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers This week we will continue our analysis of the potential horses in the 2018 Alabama Gubernatorial Derby. So far, we have counted down from 18 to 8. In descending order the list includes, Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard (18), Supreme Court Justice Jim Main (17), Sen. Greg Reed … Continued

Steve Flowers

December 9, 2015

Opinion

Vetting the Horses

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE by Steve Flowers Last week I gave you an alphabetical list of the 18 potential horses in the 2018 Alabama Gubernatorial Derby. We will begin this week handicapping them in descending order. The Number 18 horse is current Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard. We will know whether the beleaguered Speaker of … Continued

Steve Flowers

November 25, 2015

Opinion

Political Friends and Neighbors

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE By Steve Flowers As a young boy I would sit for hours contemplating and analyzing the next governor’s race. At that time the governor could not succeed himself. He was limited to one four-year term. Therefore, we had developed a tradition whereby the man who had run second in the last governor’s … Continued

Steve Flowers

November 11, 2015

Opinion

Race for White House Under Way

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE By Steve Flowers The 2016 Presidential election has not only begun, it is well under way. It is now a lengthy process that spans the entire four-year presidential term. The race essentially begins the day a president is sworn into office. Aspirants begin jockeying for the brass ring of American politics the … Continued

Steve Flowers

November 4, 2015

Opinion

Shelby’s Gamble

INSIDE THE STATEHOUSE By Steve Flowers In 1986 Richard Shelby was a 50-year-old congressman from Tuscaloosa. He was elected to congress eight years earlier, after two successful four-year terms in the Alabama State Senate. However, Shelby was ready to move up again. He was planning to run for the United States Senate. Shelby had never … Continued

Steve Flowers

October 7, 2015