Upon Alabama Senate race, Mo Brooks says opponents ‘will go negative’
Last Thursday, Congressman and candidate for the Alabama senate, Mo Brooks, took to the stand and said his opponents ‘will go negative’, referring to his strong lead ahead of the 2022 GOP race for Senate. Brooks spoke on the April 2021 poll by the conservative Club for Growth. This comes shortly after Katie Boyd Britt announced her run for Alabama Senate on Tuesday. After Brooks made this statement, voices of the political arena stated they believe it is too early to make such a claim. Brooks, during a visit to South Alabama on Thursday, said his Republican challengers – Katie Boyd Britt, the former president and CEO for the Business Council of Alabama; and Lynda Blanchard, a former ambassador to Slovenia under President Donald Trump – will have to go on the attack ahead of the May 24 Republican primary race to replace retiring U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby. The poll showed Brooks with a whopping 46-point lead, with 19 percent of voters undecided. “When you have one person with 59 percent of the vote, and Candidates 2 and 3 at 13 and 9, they are pretty much boxed in to attack position,” said Brooks, referring to the Club for Growth poll that occurred on April 26-27, long before Britt announced her candidacy. “The only question is whether they will attack as Lynda Blanchard has or if they are going to attack indirectly through third-party groups so they can have some degree of plausible deniability.” Brooks said his current standing among Alabama Republican voters is “scary good,” citing the Club for Growth polling, which said that 77 percent of respondents were not aware that Trump had endorsed the Huntsville Republican’s candidacy. The former president endorsed Brooks in early April. Like Angi Horn Stalnaker of Montgomery, some GOP strategists noted that Club for Growth has a record of negative campaigning itself and that if it’s aligned with Brooks, it will be pushing out its own advertisements against Britt and Blanchard in the months ahead. Joe Kildea, a spokesman with Club for Growth, said the organization had not made an endorsement in the 2022 race. With the 2022 Senate Election a year away, the polls have yet to accurately predict the outcome.
32 Powerful and Influential Alabamians to know
It’s true, the words “powerful and influential” can be vague and subjective. However, it’s fair to say among the universally accepted definitions within politics and policy is an individual’s ability to create change, start a conversation, influence the public or public officials, move an agenda forward or stop one in its tracks. There’s no doubt that a good number of people are moving Alabama forward in politics and business. Recently, Yellowhammer published its 2021 annual list of who they consider the most influential and powerful. They noted it was a “Peek behind the curtain.” That it always is – a peek into the mind of the editorial team, writers, and friends of the site. With the same people on it year after year, often in the same companies and offices and the standard members of the legislature and statewide offices. Dozens of whom certainly would belong on any list of power or influence: Jo Bonner, Katie Britt, Bob Geddie, Dax Swatek. No one can deny the influence any of them have. Others on the list begged the question “Why?” while others were glaringly missing. This list purposely does not duplicate any name already appearing on that list. Not all influencers within the public arena are lobbyists or lawmakers. Some within the media or in advocacy organizations can shape or change public opinion. In addition, some influencers have the ability to position themselves, loved ones, or friends to the front of the line for coveted appointments or jobs. There’s so much to power and influence; while it may hard to describe, you know when you see it, and you know who lacks it. It could be argued that 1-5 are no brainers and would be list repeats, but heck, I say repeat them until it changes. So with that, let Alabama Today offer 32 additional notable people who were nominated by a ragtag group of incredibly biased judges. Did I mention how incredibly biased we are? This, combined with the YH list, might give one a better view of the movers and shakers with power and influence in the state’s political world. Worth noting, some of them are the bosses, mentors, elders statesman, and wise counsel of many on the YH list, while a couple of others are up and comers. Jimmy “Yellow Fella” Rane, President/CEO at Great Southern Wood Preserving Not only is the Yellow Fella the wealthiest man in Alabama and Board of Trustee at Auburn, but there’s also no doubt he’s used his financial success to the betterment of the state, giving him great power and influence. His contributions are well documented, politically, economically, and through philanthropy. From 2013 to May 2021, his company has given 178 contributions totaling $2,079,316.40. He also has the Jimmy Rane Foundation, which has more than doubled his political donations with $4.7 million in scholarships. His influence is undeniable and unmatched, which is why he is number one on our list. Mark Crosswhite, CEO Alabama Power Crosswhite’s voice carries a lot of weight, so much so that multiple people on the YH list answer to him in one way or another. Which begs the question, how can anyone deny his place on any list of power and influence? He chaired the BCA board during a critical time when the organization’s future was in peril, saving a key organization critical to the state’s business development, growth and success, and ensuring a better economic future for the state. As the organization continues to grow and evolve, there’s no doubt he’s still helping steer the ship. 3. Fess St. John IV, Chancellor of The University of Alabama System Finis “Fess” St. John IV comes from a storied line of Alabama influencers, including his father and grandfather. He’s currently the Chancellor of The University of Alabama (UA) System. Which makes him the chief executive officer of Alabama’s largest employer with multiple school campuses and a massive healthcare system. According to the school’s website, “Total enrollment in the UA System achieved a new record this fall, with more than 70,400 students enrolled at UA, UAB, and UAH. The System’s annual economic impact surpasses $10 billion annually, and upwards of 1.7 million patients are served every year in the System’s hospitals and clinics.” 4. Chris England, House of Representatives, District 70 While many have tried over the last couple of decades, England was able to stop the further deterioration of the Democrat party (with a reputation that was nationally marred by chaos, a lack of structure, oh, and that one toilet story) and begin its rebuilding. One long-time democrat described the infrastructure as stronger now than it has been since the days of Bill Baxley. England is a graduate of Howard University and the University of Alabama School of Law. His father grew up in Circuit Court Judge John H. England Jr., who served as a justice on the Alabama Supreme Court in 1999-2000. To leave him off the Top 5 of any influential list is to deny reality. 5. Stephanie Bryan, Tribal Chair and CEO for the Poarch Creek Indians No one should question the top female on this list. It’s no coincidence that she heads one of the biggest political powerhouses in the state of Alabama. PCI has capitalized on the shift in public attitudes towards a more tolerant attitude towards gaming and lottery to push for changes in the law that would allow their tribe’s operations to grow. This session’s gaming proposal wasn’t successful, but it got further than expected and may come up again in a special session. She is a political player that many say could be the most powerful over the next couple of campaign cycles. 6. Tom Coker, The Southern Group Rare can someone survive with the longevity and respectability of Tom Coker. His strength is the state senate, but he can get things done. His firm’s website names him as President of Tom Coker & Associates since 1982. Tom Coker offers a full range of governmental
Doug Jones fights for survival in Alabama as Tommy Tuberville coasts
Standing by a blue pickup truck at a rally near the birthplace of the late civil rights icon John Lewis, Alabama Sen. Doug Jones urged voters to look at his record from his three years in office and not what he called Republican distortions about him. “Don’t listen to the lies. … I don’t want to defund the police. I’m not taking anybody’s guns away. I’m not for federally funded abortions,” Jones said in his closing message. “Look at the record. I’ve got a record passing bipartisan legislation, working with Republicans, working with Democrats. I’ve got a record for doing things for teachers, for farmers, for our military, for Alabama.” Considered the most endangered Democrat in the U.S. Senate, Jones is facing Republican Tommy Tuberville, who harnessed college football coaching fame and President Donald Trump’s endorsement to block former Trump Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ attempt at a political comeback. Sessions has since appeared with Tuberville on the campaign trail. The race in solidly pro-Trump Alabama will test whether Democrats can make inroads in the Deep South and if Jones’ 2017 special election win was a fluke driven by the fact that the GOP nominee, Roy Moore, faced a litany of sexual misconduct allegations. The outcome of this year’s race could also have a big effect on the Senate, which Republicans currently control 53-47. While Tuberville entered the race as a strong favorite, Jones holds a 4-to-1 spending advantage and both campaigns sent out fundraising emails contending the race is tightening. Jones has been on a campaign blitz while Tuberville has adopted a strategy akin to running out the clock. Tuberville has announced fewer public campaign events, concentrated media appearances on conservative talk radio, and has refused to debate Jones. Positioning himself as a political outsider, Tuberville’s message has been heavy on support for Trump. In a recent ad, Tuberville said, “I’m going to stand with President Trump to finish the border wall, cut your taxes, and protect life.” “Between Doug Jones and me, voters have the choice between a devoted liberal who embraces the D.C. swamp or a committed conservative outsider who wants to fundamentally change the way Washington operates,” Tuberville said in a statement. Tuberville’s record as a football coach has even become campaign fodder. The former Auburn University football coach ran an ad with a former player talking about how Tuberville cared about players as people, not just athletes. Jones, meanwhile, ran a commercial saying Tuberville “quit on his players” when he abruptly changed coaching jobs multiple times. Jones, the first Alabama Democrat elected to the Senate in a quarter-century, is trying to prove his 2017 victory was no outlier. “A lot has to go right for a Democrat in Alabama to pick the lock and win an election. Jones ran an exemplary campaign in 2017 and benefited from a perfect storm – and many of those same underlying elements are in place again,” said Zac McCrary, a Democratic pollster. To win, McCrary said Jones needs strong Black turnout and big support from independents and younger, more suburban white voters. Republican campaign strategist Angi Stalnaker said Tuberville comes in with an “incredible advantage” just by having an “R” by his name. Many Alabamians also aren’t happy that Jones voted in February to remove Trump from office, she said. “I think Senator Jones has been on the ropes since the day he was sworn in, but when he cast a vote to impeach Trump. … I think he put his nail in his own coffin,” Stalnaker said. Trump is expected to easily carry the state again, meaning Jones would have to win over some Trump voters. Jones made a direct appeal to GOP voters in ads featuring Republican voters, including retired Gen. Charles Krulak — a former commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps — endorsing Jones. “Although I am a life-long Republican, I’m urging you to vote for Doug Jones. His work on the Armed Services Committee supports our veterans and military families, and ensures that we have the best equipped military in the world,” Krulak said in the ad. Jones has tried to question Tuberville’s past financial dealings and readiness to be senator. He highlighted a recording of Tuberville appearing to struggle with a question about the Voting Rights Act. “The thing about the Voting Rights Act is, you know, there’s a lot of different things you can look at it as. Who is it going to help? What direction do we need to go with it? I think it’s important that everything we do we keep secure. We keep an eye on it. It’s run by our government,” Tuberville said, according to the recording from a rotary club meeting. Jones played Tuberville’s answer during a campaign rally in Troy. “He should be ashamed to even be on the ballot in the state of Alabama with not knowing what the Voting Rights Act is.” Collen Layton, a 23-year-old graphic design student, came to hear Jones speak that day. “It’s just kind of a no-brainer to me. He has a record of working across the aisle and can tell that he cares about the people of Alabama. And you have Tommy Tuberville, who seems like he has no clue what he is doing,” Layton said. In Hoover, 56-year-old retired field artillery officer Russ Stringer said it was a similarly easy choice to vote for Tuberville, and has been critical of Jones on social media. “I have called him out on his abortion stance and how it does not agree with most people in Alabama. I called him out on voting to remove President Trump twice,” Stringer said. There are some discouraging signs for Jones, including that national Democratic groups haven’t reported significant spending in Alabama, according to finance reports. While Democrats have made gains in southern states such as Virginia and North Carolina, the Deep South has fewer large suburban areas, and “has been more sluggish for Democrats,” McCrary said. But if Jones does win, McCrary said it would cement the possibility that
Angi Stalnaker: The political tool of mass destruction
Political rhetoric can be a dangerous weapon, especially when the rhetoric is antithetical to logic and reason. It can become a tool of mass destruction when irrational political rhetoric becomes the basis for a movement and begins to influence the way in which people cast ballots in Congress or in their local ballot boxes. I have never seen rhetoric become as potentially dangerous as it is with the anti-incumbency movement. What was once a tool used by a few political newcomers as a wedge issue has now evolved into a machine that has convinced people that anyone that they have elected before is now, for some unexplainable reason, a bad person that must be sent packing. Apparently, victory in politics is now the ultimate sin within the ever growing anti-establishment movement. It no longer matters how well you served your constituents. It no longer matters how solid your views are on the issues or how consistent your voting record was. It no longer matters what you did while you serving as an elected official. The only thing that matters is that you won your last election and that is the offense for which you should be tarred and feathered. I understand that there are politicians that have lied and reversed their positions on key issues. I am all too aware that there are politicians that have not turned out to be the person that they were on the campaign trail. I recognize that sometimes a politician turns out to be a bad person that should have never gotten elected in the first place. Sometimes, elected officials need to be voted out and replaced with someone better. I get it. What I don’t get is why we would want to vote out elected officials who have been champions for their districts. Why cast a ballot against a Senator or Congressman or County Commissioner that has done everything that they promised they would do when you voted for them the first time? Why are we banishing Mayors and City Councilman who have made their towns better places? I just don’t get it. Conservatives seem to be leading the anti-incumbency charge when we should actually be the ones shouting the loudest to stop this lunacy. Remember, the last time America decided to vote against the conservative establishment in favor of a relative unknown, we got President Barack Obama. Let’s all take a deep breath and pause for a few minutes before we decide to perpetuate the myth that incumbency is a sin or we may end up making a huge mistake and replacing the few good people who keep DC from going completely off the rails. As your grandmother probably told you, the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence, especially when that fence is around a government building. Angi Stalnaker is an Alabama native who, as a political consultant, has worked on numerous statewide, legislative and constitutional amendment races for conservative causes and candidates. For more information about her visit Virtus Solutions.
Angi Stalnaker: 10 facts of life millennials need to learn TODAY
Last month, tens of thousands of people shared a Linked-In posting from a 20-something woman who pontificated about all of the reasons that millennials are justified in being subpar employees. In case you missed the viral posting, it is all the fault of the employers of this country who do not challenge or appreciate young people enough. Today, legitimate news agencies are reporting that a roving band of millennials is demanding a free education and a host of other things that they believe they are entitled to because they are, well, millennials. Watching this generation of young people is confusing for me because, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. So, here is my small attempt to educate this generation of up and coming self-important future leaders about the facts of life: Life is not fair. Nobody owes you anything. If you have time to protest then you have time to go get a part-time job and help pay your own bills. Check the help wanted ads before you pick a major. I think you will find that there are no jobs for experts in half of the crap you are all majoring in. See #4 and then do not be shocked when you can’t get a job when you graduate. College is not jail. If you are not satisfied with the college that you CHOSE to attend, then drop out or transfer to another college. Nobody is holding you hostage. Nothing is free and if you ever grow up and get a job, you will pay taxes and you will quickly realize how ridiculous your current behavior is. When/if you do get a job, it is not your employer’s job to make you happy or to make you feel appreciated or validated. Your paycheck should be appreciation enough. Being bratty after the age of 5 is not cute and it is not acceptable. If you act like a 5 year old, expect to be treated like a 5 year old. There is real suffering in this world and very little of that suffering is experienced by upper middle class students at a major university. If you really need to be outraged, be outraged about the number of innocent babies who are being aborted each year or the number of children who are being beaten or neglected or the vast amount of elderly people who do not have heat in their homes this winter. Feel outraged about the innocent people who are being beheaded by terrorists. There is plenty of real stuff in the world to be outraged about so there is no need to fake it over something so ridiculous. I don’t expect a single subscriber to the millennial mentality to suddenly change their mindset due to the words I have written. I do, however, hope that a few millennial generation parents get fed up with the behavior of their bratty offspring soon and take whatever measure is necessary to put the kibosh on this craziness. I am not one to advocate violence but where is this mama right now because, we, as a nation, need her to straighten out a few thousand out of control kids. Angi Stalnaker is an Alabama native who, as a political consultant, has worked on numerous statewide, legislative and constitutional amendment races for conservative causes and candidates. For more information about her visit Virtus Solutions.
Angi Stalnaker: QB’ing the Montgomery mayoral election
For political consultants, election nights are like a cross between the Super Bowl and Christmas morning. We live for the adrenaline rush that comes as the clock approaches 7:00pm and the polls close. Our blank spreadsheets stare at us waiting for precinct by precinct vote totals to be filled in. It is Hunger Games, Survivor and Intervention all wrapped into one evening. Tuesday night was a little different for me because, although I do not usually get involved in local elections and did not have a candidate in the Montgomery mayoral race, I watched the results roll in with the same interest and attention that I would have if I had been consulting for one of the candidates. I found myself jonesing for the next set of returns to come in and then analyzed them much like a sports fan does the day after the big game. The following is the politi-geek version of Monday morning quarterbacking the Montgomery Mayoral Election. Despite a crowded field of 5 candidates and the inclusion of a former United States Congressman on the ballot, there had been little excitement in the race leading up to the last week. Crime rates and budget numbers were being thrown around and the usual cookie cutter commercials were airing but there was really nothing to write home about. Incumbent Mayor Todd Strange held a commanding lead and three of the candidates, Ella Bell, Dan Harris and Buena Browder, were never viewed as serious contenders. The only semi-credible threat to Strange’s third term was Davis but even his own people seemed to think that was a longshot, at best. The only question was whether Strange would win without a runoff or would Congressman Artur Davis find a way to force a second election. Well, that was the only question until last Thursday. Last Thursday, Montgomery finally had something to talk about. The Ashley Madison list was making news and a little-known blogger printed an article alleging that Artur Davis may have once had an account on the clandestine website. The news spread like wildfire around the River Region and by Friday morning, Davis was declaring his innocence to every media outlet in the city. Some people believed him (I am in that camp). Some people didn’t. Most people just didn’t care (I am also in this camp). By Friday evening, even that little bit of excitement had faded away. Tuesday night came and went and Strange won a convincing and overwhelming victory. Emerging from a field of 5 candidates without a runoff is an incredible feat and it should be recognized as such. However, as a politi-geek, I have to ask myself how that happened? A great deal of the credit goes to the Strange team but I think that even his closest staffers would concede that the other four campaigns gave Todd Strange a gift, the gift of incompetent or nonexistent campaigns. As much as many in my profession like to go on and on about the science of persuasion and the psychology of messaging, the truth is that political campaigns are a science and that science is math. It is a simple game of math. How many voters are likely to vote in the election? How many of those voters do I need to win? Who are my supporters? Are there enough of them to reach the magic number? Can I get that number of voters to the polls? See, it is all math. The Davis campaign didn’t seem to have mastered election arithmetic. They never seemed to know who their voters were. They never had a grasp on any specific segment of the population and they just seemed to drift from issue to issue and from neighborhood to neighborhood. I have no doubt that Congressman Davis understood the average Montgomery voter but I don’t believe that his campaign team ever got a real grasp on what they were trying to accomplish. Voter ID efforts seemed dismal at best and the efforts to drive voters to the polls through a persuasive message that hit them in their hearts and minds just never materialized. Davis is a great person who probably does want to build a better Montgomery. The problem is that he never knew who his supporters were or why they were supporting him. He didn’t know who to push to the polling place and who to skip. The strategy was loose and unfocused and, in the end, came off as sophomoric. That is not an indictment of the candidate, but of the campaign strategy and campaign strategy rarely has anything to do with the person whose name is on the ballot. There is a place in Montgomery for Strange and Davis to work together to make the city great again. There are conversations about issues that are taking place now and will continue to take place for months to come because Artur Davis threw his hat in the ring. Education, economic development and poverty are all being discussed in depth for the first time in years and that is largely due to the Davis candidacy. Hopefully, politi-geeks from all over the State can look at the Montgomery mayoral race and learn a thing or two about the math of politics and if you need someone to teach you a River Region political math lesson, I encourage you to contact the Strange campaign team because they get an A+ in election math. Angi Stalnaker is an Alabama native who, as a political consultant, has worked on numerous statewide, legislative and constitutional amendment races for conservative causes and candidates. For more information about her visit Virtus Solutions.
Angi Stalnaker: Why e-cigarette tax proposal is shortsighted
The upcoming Special Session is likely to have its share of political drama and made for TV nightly news antics but in the end, it is incumbent that we all remember that every law that is passed and every law that fails in this, and every other legislative session has a very real world impact on the very real citizens of Alabama. Laws can help the people of this state and laws can hurt the people of this state. It all depends on the choices that the 140 elected men and women of the Alabama House and Senate make. In his call, Gov. Robert Bentley is asking those very men and women to pass a tax on e-cigarettes, vapors and related products. (The specifics of that legislation will not be known until the bill is actually filed.) He is asking them to lump these products in with a tax on tobacco and to treat them as similar products. That makes about as much sense as passing a bill to tax fast food and adding apples and bananas to the mix. Tax fast cars and add a Model T to the list. E-cigs and vapor products have nothing in common with cigarettes and to treat them as similar products in order to raise revenue is not only misguided, it stands to hurt thousands of Alabamians. Vapors and e-cigarettes are not tobacco products. They produce no smoke. There is no flame involved. No lighters, no igniter, no flame is to be found anywhere with these items. They don’t produce smoke. They emit water vapor. That’s right: water vapor. There is a lot of misinformation about these products and lawmakers should make every effort to educate themselves on the facts before passing such a misguided law: Myth: Vapors and e-cigarettes are just another form of smoking Fact: Numerous medical studies show that vapors and e-cigarettes are not smoking. In fact, just the opposite is true. Studies show that vapors and e-cigarettes are among the most effective smoking cessation (quitting smoking) products available. Even the American Heart Association’s Circulation Journal published a 2014 study that determined that the smoking cessation success rate for former smokers who use vapor nicotine products was substantially higher than other nicotine replacements therapies including nicotine gun, patches and lozenges. Myth: The vapors from these products cause harm to those around users much like second-hand smoke Fact: The output is simply water vapor and is completely harmless. Myth: Vapors and e-cigarettes encourage non-smokers to smoke. Fact: Longitudinal studies show that less than 3 percent of people who have never smoked cigarettes will try an e-cigarette or vapor product. Myth: Driving these companies out of business won’t hurt the economy. Fact: More than 2,000 Alabamians are employed as a result of the e-cigarette and vapor business. That is more people than will be employed by Remington and almost four times as many people as will be employed by Google’s Alabama location. These are real Alabamians that are at risk of losing their jobs if this tax passes. Myth: Taxing vapors and e-cigarettes will generate revenue for the state of Alabama Fact: Overwhelming evidence shows that imposing a tax on e-cigarettes and vapor products will make them too expensive and will force many who have stopped smoking in favor of vapor and/or e-cigarettes to return to smoking cigarettes due to the cost. This will have a net negative effect on the Medicaid budget for the state which will shoulder a portion of the cost of the health issues of those who returned to smoking cigarettes. Tens of thousands of Alabamians who have tried everything to quit smoking and who have repeatedly failed have found success with the assistance of vaping. They have, once and for all, put down their deadly and costly cigarette habit in favor of a much healthier alternative. They are now far less likely to develop lung cancer and other diseases than they were when they were tobacco users. They develop fewer lung infections and can breathe easier. Their children are no longer impacted by the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. They are healthier and Alabama is healthier because they have given up cigarettes. Now, we want to tax them? Why? In his press conference, Bentley stated that he was including e-cigs in his smoking tax legislation because “they contain nicotine.” That is true. Many smoking cessation products contain nicotine so why aren’t products like Nicorette gum and other nicotine replacement therapies included in this schizophrenic proposal? Nicorette is far less effective at ending a smoking addiction than e-cigarettes are so it would actually do less harm to Alabamians to tax that product instead. It would still be ridiculous, but less so that a vaping tax. You can just add that to the list of things that don’t make sense about this bill. If the legislature, in all its wisdom, chooses to pass a tax on e-cigs and vaping products, they will be making horrible public policy. They will be telling people like Stephanie, a cancer survivor and single mother from Birmingham, that they don’t care that she won’t be available to afford the e-juice that keeps her from smoking cigarettes and that, in fact, keeps her alive. They will send a signal to everyone who has quit and everyone who will quit using vapor products that taxing the products is more important than their very lives. They are telling 2,000 employees and more than 100 retail store owners that they don’t matter. The saddest part is that, in the end, the vaping tax will actually cost Alabama’s general fund much more money that it will ever raise. As people fall back into smoking cigarettes, they will be more likely to develop expensive and lethal diseases that will kill them. The treatments are expensive and Medicaid, which is funded by the already overburdened General Fund, will shoulder most of the cost. A lot of things about government don’t make sense but this absolutely takes the cake. Quitting smoking is
Angi Stalnaker: Why we should celebrate Independence Day everyday
Most Americans reflect on more than fireworks and hot dogs every time the 4th of July rolls around on our calendars. At least for a few moments between cookouts and swimming parties, we consider how fortunate we are to live in the United States of America. Most of us, at least for this one day, put our political ideologies and philosophies aside and celebrate our nation with our friends and family. But, we should take a few minutes every day to consider how fortunate we are to be able to call ourselves American. Regardless of your stance on immigration (and for the record, I am against illegal immigrant’s receiving a pathway to citizenship), it is remarkable to think how much people are willing to sacrifice to come to this country. They often risk their lives and face unimaginable dangers to reach this land of opportunity. They do this for the freedoms and luxuries that we take for granted on a daily basis. That should make every American thankful each and every day. This country has more people, especially children, living in poverty than we should. There is no denying that but most of us can not begin to fathom what everyday life is like for the citizens of many other nations. We can’t imagine living in a country without access to clean water or where it is more normal than not to see children playing in sewage. We can’t imagine sending our children to work at 9 or 10 years old. Unfortunately, these are the realities in many other places on this Earth. We may not like the way elections turn around. We may spend years complaining about the guy who won and reminding anyone who will listen that we voted for the other guy, but we have the opportunity to vote for our elected officials in this country. Fewer that half of eligible Americans will exercise their right to vote in their lifetime but that right is one that we should never take for granted. Independence Day is a day to be enjoyed in this country and a day to remember what makes the good old US of A so great but shouldn’t every day be Independence Day? Angi Stalnaker is an Alabama native who, as a political consultant, has worked on numerous statewide, legislative and constitutional amendment races for conservative causes and candidates. For more information about her visit Virtus Solutions.
Angi Stalnaker: A few good things happened on the way to Sine Die
Pick up any newspaper or turn on any local television broadcast and you would think that the Alabama Legislature adjourned without doing anything productive. That is not exactly true. Several high-quality pieces of legislation became law this session courtesy of the Legislature and Gov. Robert Bentley‘s signature: The Right to Try Act Anyone who spent any time at the Alabama State House this session was sure to notice a very energetic red-headed little boy seated in the gallery or skipping through the hallways. That little boy is Gabe Griffin and he suffers from Duchene Muscular Dystrophy, which will leave him wheelchair bound in a few years if a treatment is not found. Thanks to a bill sponsored by Rep. April Weaver, Gabe and other Alabamians that suffer from terminal illnesses, will now have the opportunity to receive drugs that have not completed the burdensome FDA approval processes but have shown signs of being able to help. Closing loopholes in the Open Meetings Law Alabama’s open meetings law had gaps large enough to fly an Airbus through but Sen. Cam Ward helped pass a bill that restores one of the country’s oldest public meeting statutes to its original intent, and the taxpayer is better off because of his efforts. Shining a little more sunlight on government is always a good thing. Fostering Hope When foster children “age out” of the system after high school, they are often left with few resources and even fewer choices about their futures. Things will change for the state’s foster care graduates now as a result of Sen. Dick Brewbaker’s legislation. Foster kids will now be able to receive tuition, books and fees for their college education as long as they maintain the necessary academic requirements. Thie bill gives a future to hundreds of kids who deserve it. Angi Stalnaker is Alabama native and political consultant who has worked on numerous statewide, legislative and constitutional amendment races for conservative causes and candidates. She is the founder of Virtus Solutions, a full service government relations and communications firm.
Angi Stalnaker: Don’t believe SEC primary hype, Alabama will remain a fly-over state
Every campaign junkie in this state watched intently as the Alabama Legislature voted to move the state’s 2016 primary date. Alabama’s political parties have traditionally chosen their nominees in June but, recently, the primary date has been inching its way backward and now Alabama voters will join almost every other SEC football state in heading to the polls on the first Tuesday in March to cast ballots for the Presidential primary. Proponents of the move would have us believe that presidential candidates will be setting up legitimate campaign offices in the Yellowhammer state. Some would argue that moving the primary date will increase Alabama’s relevance on the national stage to the point that frontrunners for the White House will make Alabama a “go to” destination as they battle for the requisite number of delegates to secure their party’s nomination. Candidates will be begging to leave Iowa and New Hampshire to campaign in the Great State of Alabama because our primary is now so early. Candidates are going to make great efforts to listen to and respond to the concerns of Alabamians because now, with a calendar change, they need your vote. I only have one word for these arguments: Ridiculous! A few more legitimate candidates may make a few more brief stop-overs in Alabama on their way from Austin to Atlanta. But, with more potential candidates than the graduating seniors of a rural Alabama high school, we will probably have visits from more than our fair share of secondary candidates who are likely to get fewer presidential votes than Nick Saban. So, if you are waiting to meet the next leader of the free world on a campaign visit to a cotton field in the wiregrass, you are going to be really disappointed. The truth is that the road to the White House is a math problem. You have to secure enough delegates to win your party’s nomination and then enough electoral votes to secure the presidency. Both delegates and electoral votes are based on population and we still don’t have enough of either to make any effect at all on the outcome of any national election. Even when compared with the other states participating in the SEC primary, Alabama is a non-player. Any real front runner is going to devote their precious campaign days to the people of Texas and expend their left-over resources on Georgia. This move has produced some big winners though. The checkbooks of the both major parties will benefit greatly. With a June primary, most of the never-had-a-chance candidates have dropped out and taken their rightful place back in obscurity. That means they don’t pay a qualifying fee to the state party to appear on the Alabama ballot. In early March, some of these candidates have not yet realized that they are destined to become an obscure answer to a Final Jeopardy question in the 2052 Tournament of Champions, so they will enthusiastically send their qualifying fee to the state party. At about $10,000 per candidate, those fees add up fast. Media buyers are also big winners. Presidential candidates won’t be spending a great deal of time singing Sweet Home Alabama but their commercials will become a mainstay on our television sets. By Valentine’s Day, you will gladly take your spouse out to a nice romantic restaurant just so you can escape the constant bombardment of the Crest-white smiles of candidates telling you that they approved this message for the 1 millionth time. So, regardless of what you hear, please rest assured that Alabama is still safely a fly-over state and those commercials will be off of your television before you know it. Angi Stalnaker is Alabama native and political consultant who has worked on numerous statewide, legislative and constitutional amendment races for conservative causes and candidates. She is the founder of Virtus Solutions, a full service government relations and communications firm.
Angi Stalnaker: The myth of privatization of state-run liquor stores
It seems as though every few years, an idea takes hold that becomes the political issue fad of the Session. Such fad issues are championed by people who think the idea sounds good without delving into the consequences and facts behind the issue. This session, that issue is the privatization of ABC operated stores in Alabama. The problem with this and other tough issues is distinguishing the facts from the over-publicized myths. MYTH: Privatizing ABC stores and getting the state of Alabama out of the retail liquor business will save the state money. FACT: The ABC Board is actually one of the only agencies that generates money for the state’s ailing general fund budget. By eliminating revenue generated by the ABC-operated stores, the general fund will suffer. An analysis of other states that have divested their retail liquor operations have shown a negative economic result to their general fund if the revenue was not replaced by a tax increase. Washington state lost more than $2 million in the first year after liquidating its state-operated spirits stores. MYTH: Employees of the ABC-operated stores will be hired by private retail stores. FACT: There is no reason to think the 600-plus Alabamians who work at ABC-operated stores would be able to find other employment. Finding a job in these tough economic times is difficult, and it will be just as difficult for ABC store employees as it is for every other Alabamian. The majority of employees who were laid off after Washington state privatized its liquor stores were still underemployed or unemployed after a year. Adding hundreds of people to our unemployment rolls will have direct and indirect costs. The costs associated with unemployment payments, food assistance and housing assistance are obvious. Indirect costs of slashing the income of 600-plus Alabama families could be much more devastating. Those families will no longer have as much money to put into the local economy. Retail stores, restaurants, and tax coffers will suffer because of the inability of those families to fully participate in their local retail environment. The total costs to the state of Alabama of pushing 600 employees into the unemployment line could exceed $6 million. MYTH: Mom-and-pop package stores want the ABC out of the retail liquor business to eliminate competition with the State of Alabama. FACT: The privatization movement is largely not supported by smaller, independent package store owners. Quite the opposite is true. The Alabama Beverage License Association (ABLA) is an organization composed of independent retailers of alcohol. They are firmly against closing ABC-operated retail stores. In a letter to legislators, Bobby Greenawalt, president of the ABLA and owner of an independent store, encouraged legislators to oppose the privatization bill and pointed out that support for legislation was actually from big box, out-of-state businesses and not from the majority of locally owned, independent package stores. MYTH: Closing ABC Stores would not affect delivery of alcohol to local package stores. FACT: Currently, package stores can drive just a few miles to ABC stores, which serve as distribution hubs, to purchase inventory for their stores. If those stores are closed, package store owners would be forced to buy inventory from the ABC warehouse in Montgomery. The only other option would be to start an ABC delivery service. The package stores then would have to pay an increased price per item in order to cover the costs of ABC delivering their inventory from Montgomery. Either way, the package stores will suffer and the cost of alcohol will increase, not decrease, as some have suggested. Furthermore, no bill that has been put forth has had, in its contents, a mechanism for convenient alcohol distribution to independent package stores. MYTH: Small government conservatives should philosophically oppose government-run retail stores. FACT: Government operates businesses that are in competition with private industry in a variety of sectors. The United States Postal Service operates in the same realm as UPS and Fed-Ex. Most municipalities and counties operate garbage services that compete with privately owned waste management companies. Let’s be clear. There is not a single government service that could not be operated by a private company. The fact is, however, that some government-run operations are necessary and, in Alabama, ABC-operated liquor stores are among those necessary operations. Angi Stalnaker is an Alabama native who, as a political consultant, has worked on numerous statewide, legislative and constitutional amendment races for conservative causes and candidates. Photo Credit: AP Photo/Ted S. Warren
