The Birmingham News

The angriest I ever was as an editorial writer while at The Birmingham News was because of Milton McGregor. I wrote opinion for The News for 25 years. Lots of anger opportunities. But my most angry happened early in my career as an editorial writer, when McGregor was trying to get the voters of Jefferson … Continued

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Reporter It’s encouraging to see a State Task Force looking into the State’s tax system. It’s not the first time. And it likely won’t be the last. Actually, we have these “task forces” quite regularly. What will be the “first time” is if the Joint Task Force on Budget Reform … Continued

By Joey Kennedy Alabama Political Reporter Oh, the stuff to write about. I’ve told this story before, but it deserves retelling: The late, great Ron Casey, editorial page editor at The Birmingham News before dying unexpectedly after speaking to a journalism class at Samford University early in 2000, had a saying that went something like … Continued

By Bill BrittAlabama Political Reporter In what universe do we find Liberal Democrats from New York calling for the indicted speaker of the General Assembly to step down from his leadership post and so-called Southern Republican Conservatives doing just the opposite? Welcome to the “Brave New World: Politics of the Absurd.” Last week, Sheldon Silver, … Continued

Staff Report The best part of U.S. Magistrate Judge John Ott’s ruling last week on Alabama’s ban on money transfers between political action committees is what it doesn’t do. It doesn’t gut the law, in spite of House Speaker Mike Hubbard’s overheated reaction. “Simply put, this ruling will make it easier for special-interest groups to … Continued