Jim Zeigler: Thanksgiving all year round
Pilgrims and Native Americans in Massachusetts held the first Thanksgiving celebration in the New World in 1621. George Washington issued a proclamation creating the first Thanksgiving Day designated by the federal government in 1789. On October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father” to be celebrated on the fourth Thanksgiving in November, and the official holiday of Thanksgiving began. Hopefully, Thanksgiving is more than just a single day of celebration. It is a lifestyle, a way of life. We are told in 1st Thessalonians 5:16-18: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Is this even possible? Yes. Is it easy? Not always. When we give thanks, we acknowledge the goodness of God. We recognize that our joy comes from the Lord, not our circumstances. By giving thanks, we focus on what we have rather than what we wish we had. Our hearts experience joy, and real thanksgiving happens. During this season of Thanksgiving, we should thank God for His provision and His plans for us even when we do not understand all our circumstances. As you count your blessings, you cannot help but be overwhelmed by God’s goodness and grace. There is an old Southern hymn that sings of thanksgiving as a lifestyle. When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed And you are discouraged thinking all is lost. Count your many blessings, name them one by one And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your blessings, see what God has done. Count your blessings. Name them one by one. Count your many blessings see what God has done. Jim Zeigler is the State Auditor of Alabama.
Kay Ivey supports Small Business Saturday
On Wednesday, Gov. Kay Ivey expressed her support for Alabama’s small businesses by signing a proclamation declaring November 26, 2022, as Small Business Saturday in Alabama. By designating the Saturday following Thanksgiving Day as Small Business Saturday, Alabamians are encouraged to celebrate and support the impact small businesses have on communities across the state. “Not only do our small businesses bring charm and character to Alabama, but they play an integral role in building and maintaining a strong economy. Small business support trickles back down to opportunities for job creation, support for our schools, possibilities for new innovation, but ultimately, it is positively felt by all,” said Gov. Ivey. “I encourage all Alabamians to support small businesses and spend locally this Saturday. Simply put, when you support an Alabama small business, you support our state.” The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) applauded Governor Ivey’s proclamation. “Small Business Saturday is a great way for the community to support local and family-owned businesses,” said Rosemary Elebash, NFIB Alabama State Director. “Small business owners are coming out of the pandemic facing serious economic headwinds such as inflation, worker shortages, and ongoing supply chain disruptions. Now more than ever, small businesses need support not only on Small Business Saturday but every day. Small businesses are the backbone of Alabama’s economy, and we encourage everyone to shop small this holiday season.” According to research conducted by NFIB and American Express, 67 cents of every dollar spent at a family-owned small business stays in the community. Every dollar spent at a local small business creates an additional 50 cents in local business activity as employers and their employees shop at other local businesses. NFIB is the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization. In 2011, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution in support of Small Business Saturday, and officials in all 50 states participate. It even gets a shout-out from the president of the United States. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Companies noted for hiring vets awarded medallions
Thirty-four Alabama companies have received awards for the 2022 Hire Vets Medallion Program, an official program of the U.S. Department of Labor. These awards are the only federal-level veterans’ employment award that recognizes a company or organization’s commitment to veteran hiring, retention, and professional development. “Alabama is home to almost 400,000 veterans who have put it all on the line to protect the freedoms that make the United States of America the greatest country in the world,” said Alabama Governor Kay Ivey in a statement. “As a society, it’s our duty to support these American heroes as they transition from their careers in service to whatever it is they choose to pursue next, and I’m proud to see so many great Alabama companies have stepped up to do just that.” “Our mission always includes prioritizing our veterans. It’s something we take very seriously, and each year I’m proud to see Alabama step up and make this extra effort to hire these amazing men and women,” said Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington. “Criteria for winning these awards is stringent and requires a great level of dedication. I’m proud that Alabama had so many recipients of this award.” 835 companies nationally were recognized for their commitment to hiring veterans. The companies awarded are also praised for ensuring that they have a long-term career and growth plan that uses the diverse skills they acquired through their military service. The Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans Act of 2017 (HIRE Vets Act or the Act) required the U.S. Secretary of Labor to establish a program that recognizes employer efforts to recruit, employ, and retain veterans. Employer-applicants meeting criteria will receive a “HIRE Vets Medallion Award.” The criteria for recognition vary by level (Platinum or Gold) and employer size (Large, Medium, and Small). Large employers have 500-plus employees, medium employers have 51-499 employees, and small employers have 50 or fewer employees. Gold and Platinum are the two award tiers. Randy Smith, himself an Air Force veteran, is the director of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Hire Vets Medallion program. “With more than 200,000 servicemembers transitioning from the military to civilian life each year, the Department of Labor is committed to supporting all employers with community partnerships, resources, and tools to leverage this resource for their needs,” Smith said during the virtual awards ceremony. Your efforts make a difference for our veterans and our community To learn more about the Hire Vets Medallion Program, visit the website: HIREVets.gov. Employers interested in participating in the 2023 Hire Vets Medallion Program should contact their local Career Center. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Joe Guzzardi: Congress makes last-ditch amnesty push
Emboldened by their better-than-anticipated mid-term election performance, the Democratic Party is entering the Lame Duck session with an aggressive agenda that includes one of its favorite goals – amnesty. Democrats will control the Upper Chamber during the 118th Congress, but the GOP, by the narrowest margin – a handful of seats – will have the edge in the House. The Democrats’ strong showing inspired President Joe Biden to unequivocally pronounce that he plans to do “nothing“ differently during the two years that remain in his first term. Biden interprets the election results as an endorsement of his policies, especially at the border and with his quest to legalize as many illegal aliens as possible. The status quo, especially as it relates to enforcement, is exactly what’s happening. Just days after Biden’s stand-pat commitment, the Border Patrol reported that agents had at least 230,678 known October encounters, exclusive of nearly 1 million known gotaways, compared to 159,113 last October and 69,032 in October 2020. The October 2022 total, driven by Cubans and Nicaraguans, is the highest in Department of Homeland Security history. Immediately after the Thanksgiving recess, all eyes will be focused on the Lame Duck session that will provide a chance for Biden to finalize his legislative objective. And Republicans may be willing to lend a helping hand, a possibility enhanced with the re-election of pro-amnesty Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Although amnesty goes against most Americans’ wishes, Congress dismisses voters’ concerns and presses on. Common sense dictates that already present illegal aliens shouldn’t be granted amnesty until, at a minimum, the DHS seals the border against the new illegal alien wave that includes thousands of unaccompanied minors. But looking ahead to a possible 2024 re-election bid, the president’s advisors are scratching together a possible slogan, “Promises Kept.” Since immigration doesn’t fall into the “kept” category, at least in the White House’s view, Biden’s advisors perceive the need to forge ahead on amnesty. Earlier this year, the House laid amnesty’s foundation when it passed the American Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, amnesty for about 2.1 million illegally present farm workers. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – DACA – and farm workers are the two top amnesty priorities. Democrats have already written a game plan to send DACA legislation to the Senate that would amnesty more than 4 million illegal immigrants before their House majority expires. A sidebar: legislation to grant amnesty to deferred action recipients has, since 2001, when it was first introduced, consistently failed to get congressional majorities. Just behind deferred action legalization’s priority are the farm workers who would be tied, if the amnesty passes, to agricultural employment for years – indentured servitude – with the carrot being eventual citizenship. Despite the bill’s title, which suggests modernization, no such feature is included. Modernization means using artificial intelligence, the bane of donors who support keeping the ag industry dependent on cheap, stoop labor. Both DACA and the farm act require ten Senate yeas which the House is unlikely to get. Without the ten necessary upper chamber votes, amnesty advocates could attach either or both DACA and the farm act to must-pass omnibus legislation – the landmine that immigration restrictionists most fear. Nothing stops the amnesty lobby – not 9/11, not the mortgage crisis, and not dismal employment markets. When amnesty advocates have friends in high places such as the White House, the Senate, and the House, pressure for passing amnesty is, as proven during the days leading to the 2022 Lame Duck, intense. Amnesty recipients obtain lifetime valid employment permits, a coveted affirmative benefit that expands the labor market and hinders blue-collar Americans, including blacks, Hispanics, and other minorities, the constituency that Congress deceivingly purports to care about. Joe Guzzardi is a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist who writes about immigration and related social issues. Joe joined Progressives for Immigration Reform in 2018 as an analyst after a ten-year career directing media relations for Californians for Population Stabilization, where he also was a Senior Writing Fellow. A native Californian, Joe now lives in Pennsylvania. Contact him at jguzzardi@pfirdc.org.
Steve Marshall files motion to defend Trump Administration immigration policy
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall joined 14 other attorneys general Monday in filing a motion to intervene in a federal lawsuit to defend a Trump administration policy restricting illegal immigration. The attorneys general want the Donald Trump policy to continue to be enforced beyond a December 21, 2022, court-ordered termination date. “At the start of the COVID pandemic, the Trump administration invoked Section 265 of Title 42 of U.S. health law to restrict illegal immigrants access to our country,” said AG Marshall. “Since Title 42 has been enforced, it has prevented over 1.7 million illegal entries into the U.S, significantly curbing illegal immigration and protecting the health of American citizens.” “In April, after the Biden administration indicated it would no longer enforce the Title 42 policy, I joined with nearly two dozen other states in filing motions to keep the valuable policy in effect so that America’s borders are not further jeopardized,” Marshall explained. “While we were initially successful in winning a preliminary injunction in May, a federal court in Washington, D.C. ruled against the Title 42 policy in November. After the Biden administration asked for a temporary delay so that it could transition away from Title 42, the Court set the policy’s termination date for December 21, 2022.” “Alabama and our partner states filed our motion with U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on November 21 to intervene in the federal lawsuit to defend the legal necessity of Title 42 to uphold America’s border security,” Marshall continued. “Sadly, just as the Biden administration has demonstrated little interest in defending our national borders, it has shown equally shallow motivation in standing in support of federal rules that would do the same. Our states have no choice but to take up this fight on behalf of America’s security.” Attorney General Marshall was joined in filing the motion to intervene by attorneys general from Arizona, Alaska, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. The conservative AGs contend that because invalidation of the Title 42 Orders will directly harm the States, they now seek to intervene to offer a defense of the Title 42 policy so that its validity can be resolved on the merits rather than through strategic surrender. They claim that is motion is plainly timely because it comes within a week of the Federal Defendants’ volte-face—which made plain that the States’ interests are no longer adequately represented by the Biden Administration. Both the plaintiffs and defendants oppose this motion. Steve Marshall was re-elected earlier this month. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Steve Flowers: All politics is no longer local
The legendary Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Tip O’Neill, is credited with coining the slogan, “all politics is local.” He quoted it often and lived it. The old Boston machine Democratic politician went home to his Irish neighborhood every week. He knew everyone in his blue-collar district. He knew who was kin to whom. He knew their names, birthdays, parents, grandparents, and children. He did favors, made sure their mail was delivered, lost Social Security checks were found, and even made sure that potholes were fixed and streetlights replaced. He lived the saying, “all politics is local.” He also worked in Washington in an era of bipartisanship. They worked and socialized with each other regardless of party affiliation to get things done. It was well known that Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan were best friends and drinking buddies when Reagan was the Republican President and O’Neill was Speaker. That is why Reagan was so successful as President. He had O’Neill as a friend. It was certainly a different day in Washington than today. Democrats and Republicans now not only do not work together, they do not even talk to each other. They despise and denounce each other more than Reagan and O’Neill hated and denounced the Russians. For years, in my column as well as in college classrooms, lectures, and speeches around the state, I have declared the cornerstone of political theory, “all politics is local,” as a truism. However, as we end this 2022 election year and begin the 2024 presidential election campaign, I am changing my song and dance. My theory now is that all politics is no longer local. All politics today is national. It is all partisan based and derived from national and Washington politics. Folks are either in the Republican tribe or the Democratic tribe, and it applies nationally, and especially in Alabama. Seventy-five years ago, Alabama was a rural state. Alabama voters were much more interested in the sheriff’s race than in presidential races. In fact, Alabamians very seldom even voted in presidential contests. There were more votes cast in an off-year Democratic primary for sheriff and governor than in presidential years. That has changed dramatically. Alabama is a more urban state than rural. Today, Alabamians follow national congressional and presidential politics and could not care less who is the sheriff of their urban county. In the just completed Jefferson County Sheriff’s race, it was a Democrat vs. Republican contest. Personalities were irrelevant. The Democrat, Pettway, won because he was Democrat. Hudson lost because he was a Republican. They could have been named Jones and Smith rather than Pettway and Hudson, and neither campaigned, and the results would have been the same. This 2022 election confirmed and solidified the fact that Alabama is a Ruby Red hardcore Republican state in statewide elections. Twenty-three out of 23 statewide elected offices are held by Republicans. The three candidates, Kay Ivey, Katie Britt, and Wes Allen, who each had a Democrat opponent, got 66% of the vote. The Republicans, who had only Libertarian opposition, like Rick Pate, Young Boozer, and Will Ainsworth, got 84%. Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth got the most votes, about 960,000. He also got the most votes of any contested candidate in 2018. This will hold him in good stead as he eyes the 2026 governor’s race. The Democratic Party is dead and irrelevant on the state level in the Heart of Dixie. Everybody with walking around sense knows this. That is why no serious candidate will run as a Democrat. Some idealistic Democrats will write me and lament that the Alabama Democratic Party leadership is inept. My reply is that it is irrelevant whether you have a Democratic Party office in Alabama or not; the result of Alabama races is going to be the same. All politics is national now. The vote is driven from Washington. The same is true of the Alabama Republican Party. It does not matter who is the Chairman of the Alabama GOP; the GOP vote in Alabama will be the same. In fact, the current GOP Chairman is a butterfly farmer, and his butterflies probably know more about Alabama politics than he does. Folks, Alabama is in the Republican tribe; make no doubt about it. Our largest metropolitan counties of Jefferson and Montgomery are in the Democratic column. As I have said for the past 20 years, if Mickey Mouse is the Republican candidate for President, he will carry Alabama even if he does not campaign or spend any money here, and the same applies to the governor’s race. Why? Because all politics today is national. Happy Thanksgiving. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. Steve served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at: www.steveflowers.us.
DEA issues public safety alert lethal fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has issued another public safety alert warning Americans of a “sharp nationwide increase in the lethality of fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills.” Six of 10 fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills its experts analyzed in 2022 contained a potentially lethal dose, the DEA says, an increase from 4 out of 10 pills tested last year. “More than half of the fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills being trafficked in communities across the country now contain a potentially deadly dose of fentanyl,” DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said. “This marks a dramatic increase – from four out of ten to six out of ten – in the number of pills that can kill. “These pills are being mass-produced by the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco Cartel, in Mexico,” she said, referring to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (JNGC), a deadly rival of the Sinaloa. For the past two years, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has said, “the cartels have been emboldened by Biden administration’s open border policies that are killing Americans.” In March 2021, Abbott launched Operation Lone Star to interdict Mexican cartel-linked criminal activity coming through the southern border. He also recently designated the Sinaloa and JCNG cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and called on President Joe Biden to do the same. Abbott hasn’t heard back. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and 17 attorneys general also called on Biden to classify illicit fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. They also haven’t received a reply. The DEA’s public safety alert comes after Texas’ OLS officers have seized over 352 million lethal doses of fentanyl since last March, enough to kill everyone in the U.S. It also comes after Florida law enforcement officers in the last few months seized enough fentanyl to kill everyone in Florida. That was after they after shut down a major drug trafficking operation run by gang members affiliated with Mexican cartels and seized enough fentanyl to kill nearly half of Florida’s population. And after DEA agents earlier this year, in a three-month operation, seized 10.2 million fake pills in all 50 states after they’d seized more than 20.4 million fake prescription pills in 2021. Moody has increasingly been warning Americans that “one pill can kill,” especially rainbow fentanyl being used to target children because it looks like candy. Her office has published a Fast Facts on Fentanyl Toolkit as well as information about digital dealers who are using social media apps targeting minors. The DEA has also published an Emoji Drug Code identifying symbols used to communicate with minors about drugs. Texas also launched a “one pill can kill” public service campaign. Americans are urged to never take a pill that isn’t prescribed by a doctor, from a friend or purchase anything through social media. “Fentanyl has flooded into the country, and Joe Biden continues to look the other way as Mexican drug cartels smuggle massive amounts of this deadly opioid across our southwest border,” Moody said. Addressing the president, she said: “Biden, do your job, secure the border and help us end this opioid crisis.” After receiving the precursors from China, the cartels manufacture fake pills in Mexico to look like real prescription pills like OxyContin, Percocet, Xanax, and others that are laced with fentanyl. “Fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing this country,” the DEA says. The highly addictive synthetic opioid is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Two milligrams, roughly the weight of a mosquito, and small enough to fit on the tip of a pencil, is considered a potentially deadly dose. According to the CDC, 107,622 Americans died of drug poisoning in 2021; 66% involved synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
Ex-teacher charged with sex crime marries former student
An Alabama high school teacher and coach who quit after being arrested on a charge of having sex with a student has since married the young woman and asked a court to lift a restriction barring him from seeing her, court documents show. Thomas Blake Tucker, 25, included a copy of the wedding license in a court filing asking a judge to change the conditions of his bond so the two can live together. Tucker, who taught and coached at East Limestone High School in north Alabama, was charged in September with being a school employee who engaged in a sex act with a student younger than 19. A court allowed him to be released on a $30,000 bond on the condition he have no contact with the one-time student. The defense request said the two obtained the wedding license and married November 8 despite the restriction, to which it said Tucker is currently adhering. A scheduled hearing to consider the request is set for December 6. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Georgia runoff: Some counties offer weekend voting following judge’s ruling
Some Georgia counties will be offering early voting this weekend following confusion over what state law allows. Georgia voters will return to the polls for a U.S. Senate runoff between Democratic U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker. According to the state, early voting for the Dec. 6 runoff begins on Monday, Nov. 28. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Thomas A. Cox Jr. ruled in favor of a lawsuit filed by Democrats and Warnock’s campaign that allows counties to offer early voting starting this weekend. “If recent elections prove one thing, it’s that voters expect candidates to focus on winning at the ballot box – not at the courthouse,” Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a statement last week before the ruling. “Senator Warnock and his Democratic Party allies are seeking to change Georgia law right before an election based on their political preferences,” Raffensperger added. “Instead of muddying the water and pressuring counties to ignore Georgia law, Senator Warnock should be allowing county election officials to continue preparations for the upcoming runoff.” According to the Democratic Party of Georgia, Chatham, DeKalb, Fulton, Muscogee, and Rockdale counties will offer Saturday voting. According to the ACLU of Georgia, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett will be among the counties offering Sunday voting; Rockdale will also offer Sunday voting, DPG said. “County elections officials should take every possible measure so voting is convenient for Georgians and no one is left out of the democratic process,” Vasu Abhiraman, ACLU of Georgia senior policy counsel, said in a statement. The midterm election has yielded 50 Senate seats to Democrats and 49 to Republicans. The tie-breaking vote comes from the West Wing should it end 50-50. Both candidates have taken public image hits in the campaign. There are reports Walker paid for abortions and that an apartment building owned by Warnock’s church tried to evict tenants behind on their rent by as little as $28.55. Republished with the permission of The Center Square.
