Tommy Tuberville wants aid for Israel separated from aid for Ukraine
On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) spoke on the Senate floor about what he sees as the importance of separating funding for Israel from aid for Ukraine. Sen. Tuberville reiterated his support for Israel and called on Democrats to prioritize Israel’s fight against terrorism. He also urged Democrats to defund the hiring of 80,000 new IRS agents. “I join my colleagues on the floor to support our ally, Israel,” Sen. Tuberville said. “On October the seventh, Israel was suddenly and deliberately attacked by Hamas terrorists. The terrorists targeted innocent people – not military targets. That’s very important. They killed thousands of civilians, including dozens of Americans. They filmed their own atrocities and put videos on the internet. They were very proud of what they were doing. It is absolutely disgraceful.” “The United States has supported Israel from the very beginning,” Tuberville continued. “The first leader in the world to recognize Israel was Harry Truman. Administrations from both parties have strongly supported Israel. But now the Biden Administration is trying to ride the fence. Joe Biden knows that his voting base does not like Israel. The left dislikes Israel. In their woke ideology, they say Palestinians are oppressed by Israel. It’s just not true. Since the war broke out in October, liberals in Congress and around the country have expressed sympathy for Hamas. It’s been especially bad on college campuses. I’m not even going to repeat some of the things that have been said by Democrat members of Congress.” Tuberville has been an outspoken critic of the Biden Administration’s foreign policy. “Joe Biden has also continued to practice appeasement of Iran. When Joe Biden took office, Iran was dead broke,” Tuberville continued. “They had access to just a few billion dollars in foreign currencies. Today, they have ten times that much money. This is because of loosened sanctions and because of oil sales by Iran. Iran is the number one sponsor of terrorism in the world. Iran provides funding for Hamas and for Hezbollah. Joe Biden is helping Iran to get rich. There is no question that sanctions relief for Iran will end up in the hands of terrorists. Joe Biden wants to ride the fence, but we can’t ride the fence on this one, not for our ally. This is a battle between good and evil. This is about an ally of the United States of America fighting terrorists who kill innocent women and children. And let’s remember the terrorists killed Americans too. Hamas would love to kill more Americans, and they will kill more Americans if they get the chance.” While Tuberville helped block the aid package in the Senate, he does support the House version that funds Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza but does not fund Ukraine in their war against Russia and which pays for the aid by eliminating partisan funding passed in the last Congress to dramatically enlarge the number of IRS enforcement agents the agency fields. “So, Israel needs to wage a war of extermination against Hamas,” Tuberville explained. “I’m supporting this legislation to provide fourteen billion in aid to Israel. Unlike the Democrats’ requests for foreign aid, this is paid for. We pay for it by canceling out the Democrats’ plan to supersize the IRS. Are they more important than Israel? Last year, the Democrats cut the IRS a check for eighty billion dollars. They’re planning to hire eighty thousand new IRS agents. They want to double the size of the IRS. They want to shake down the American people for every last dime. The wealthy, they’ll be just fine. The wealthy have tax lawyers and accountants. It’s families and small businesses who will pay this price. A report from the joint tax committee says that the Democrats’ bill last year raised taxes on almost every tax bracket.” Tuberville said that he stands unequivocally with Israel and is horrified by the rise of antisemitism among Democrats, especially on college campuses. Tommy Tuberville was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2020. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Jim Zeigler: Flag Day, the almost-forgotten holiday
I commemorate Flag Day each June 14 with flags and red-white-and-blue items at our home, my car, and even my clothes. Often, people will remark: “You’re getting ready for Independence Day mighty early,” or some other comment that lets me know they do not realize it is Flag Day, June 14. I call Flag Day “the almost-forgotten holiday.” It is not a federal holiday like Memorial Day (the last Monday in May) or Independence Day, July 4. But it comes almost mid-way between them. It is easy to forget Flag Day since it is not a state or federal holiday. A patriotic song that commemorates our flag is not as well-known as the Star-Spangled Banner, God Bless America, and God Bless the USA. It is “You’re a Grand Old Flag.” You’re a grand old flag You’re a high-flying flag And forever in peace may you wave You’re the emblem of The land I love The home of the free and the brave Ev’ry heart beats true Under red, white, and blue Where there’s never a boast or brag But should old acquaintance be forgot Keep your eye on the grand old flag. June 14 was officially established as Flag Day by a proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30, 1916. On August 3, 1949, President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress which designated June 14 as National Flag Day. The date coincides with the adoption of the flag by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777. Interestingly, and probably surprisingly, the colors of the flag have no official meaning. The same colors are used in the Great Seal, though, and they do have meaning there. Red represents valor and strength, white represents purity and innocence, and blue represents perseverance and justice. The Flag Code, part of the U.S. Code, contains specific instructions on how the flag is to be used and displayed and how it is to be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner. On Flag Day 2023, let us display our flag with gratitude for our country and the price that has been paid for our freedom, as well as with a resolve to remain “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Jim Zeigler is the former Public Service Commissioner of Alabama.
Jim Zeigler: Veterans Day started in Alabama by an Alabama vet 75 years ago
75 years ago, it all started in Birmingham, Alabama. In 1947, the first Veterans Day was celebrated only in Alabama, but the idea was so good and so needed that it spread nationally. Raymond Weeks was a Birmingham native and veteran of World War II. He came up with the idea to take “Armistice Day” – which commemorated the November 11 end of fighting in World War I – and expand it to “Veterans Day” to honor all Americans who had served their country and their people. He led a national campaign for the idea of Veterans Day with General Dwight Eisenhower, President Harry Truman, and Congress. By November 11, 1982, the idea had become so popular that President Ronald Reagan awarded the Presidential Citizenship Medal to Weeks, who lived in Alabama until his death at age 76 in 1985. The meaning of Veterans Day is sometimes confused with Memorial Day in May. While Memorial Day honors those who died in the service of their county, Veterans Day honors all who served. Many Veterans look back at their years of service as the most meaningful time of their lives. Some people live their entire lifetimes and wonder if they ever made a difference for others. Veterans don’t have that problem. Jim Zeigler has been the State Auditor of Alabama since 2015.
Jim Zeigler: Flag Day, the almost-forgotten day
I commemorate Flag Day each June 14 with flags and red-white-and-blue items at our home, the State Auditor’s office, my car, and even my clothes. Often, people will remark: “You’re getting ready for Independence Day mighty early,” or some other comment that lets me know they do not realize it is Flag Day, June 14. I call Flag Day “the almost-forgotten day.” It is not a federal holiday like Memorial Day or Independence Day, but it comes almost mid-way between them. It is easy to forget Flag Day since it is not a state or federal holiday. A patriotic song that commemorates our flag is not as well known as the Star-Spangled Banner, God Bless America, and God Bless the USA. It is “You’re a Grand Old Flag:” You’re a grand old flagYou’re a high-flying flagAnd forever in peace may you waveYou’re the emblem ofThe land I loveThe home of the free and the braveEv’ry heart beats trueUnder red, white and blueWhere there’s never a boast or bragBut should old acquaintance be forgotKeep your eye on the grand old flag June 14 was officially established as Flag Day by a proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30, 1916. On August 3, 1949, President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress that designated June 14 as National Flag Day. The date coincides with the adoption of the flag by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777. Interestingly, and probably surprisingly, the colors of the flag have no official meaning. The same colors are used in the Great Seal, though, and they do have meaning. Red represents valor and strength, white represents purity and innocence, and blue represents perseverance and justice. The Flag Code, part of the U.S. Code, contains specific instructions on how the flag is to be used and displayed and how it is to be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner. On Flag Day 2022, let us display our flag with gratitude for our country and the price that has been paid for our freedom, as well as with a resolve to remain “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Jim Zeigler has been the State Auditor of Alabama since 2015.
Jim Zeigler: Veterans Day was started in Alabama by an Alabama veteran
It all started in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1947 – the first Veterans Day. It was celebrated only in Alabama at first, but the idea was so good and so needed that it spread nationally. Raymond Weeks was a Birmingham native and veteran of World War II. He came up with the idea to take “Armistice Day” – which commemorated the November 11 end of fighting in WWI – and expand it to “Veterans Day” to honor all Americans who had served their country and their people. He led a national campaign for the idea of Veterans Day with General Dwight Eisenhower, President Harry Truman, and Congress. By November 11, 1982, the idea had become so popular that President Ronald Reagan awarded the Presidential Citizenship Medal to Weeks, who lived in Alabama until his death at age 76 in 1985. The meaning of Veterans Day is sometimes confused with Memorial Day in May. While Memorial Day honors those who died in the service of their county, Veterans Day honors all who served. Many Veterans look back at their years of service as the most meaningful time of their lives. Some people live their entire lifetimes and wonder if they ever made a difference for others. Veterans don’t have that problem. Jim Zeigler has been the Alabama State Auditor since 2015.
Jim Zeigler: Flag Day; the almost-forgotten day
I commemorate Flag Day each June 14 with flags and red-white-and-blue items at our home, the people’s office, my car, and even my clothes. Often, people will remark: “You’re getting ready for Independence Day mighty early,” or some other comment that lets me know they do not realize it is Flag Day. I call Flag Day “the almost-forgotten day.” It is not a federal holiday like Memorial Day (last Monday in May) or Independence Day, July 4. But it comes almost mid-way between them. It is easy to forget Flag Day since it is not a state or federal holiday. June 14 was officially established as Flag Day by a proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30, 1916. On August 3, 1949, President Harry Truman signed an Act of Congress that designated June 14 as National Flag Day. The date coincides with the flag’s adoption by the resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777. Interestingly, and probably surprisingly, the colors of the flag have no official meaning. The same colors are used in the Great Seal, though, and they do have meaning. Red represents valor and strength, white represents purity and innocence, and blue represents perseverance and justice. The Flag Code, part of the U.S. Code, contains specific instructions on how the flag is to be used and displayed and how it is to be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner. On Flag Day 2021, let us display our flag with gratitude for our country and the price that has been paid for our freedom, as well as with a resolve to remain “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” Jim Zeigler has been the state auditor for Alabama since 2015.
Will Sellers: Loyalty still matters
Always the catch-all political crime, an accusation of treason is used to punish rivals and remove them from civic engagement. Autocrats use the insinuation of treason with brutal efficiency to banish, if not execute, a political problem or inconvenient idea. While treason is bandied about to characterize someone with whose political beliefs we disagree, our founders made treason a particularly difficult crime to prove. As with so much of the Constitution, the terms were specifically written to prevent abuses witnessed by colonials. Article III, Section 3 not only provides safeguards that treason not be used to silence political opponents, but it also limits the extent of any punishment. Because of these strictures, we often forget what real treason looks like and fail to fully appreciate loyalty to country or creed. While national ties are not unlike family bonds, this intrinsic loyalty to place or relations is often weakened by opportunity or ideology. Few people today really know a traitor to their country. There may be disagreements on any number of levels, but seldom do acts fully rise to the level of treason within the Constitutional definition. Treason in the United States is more than a lazy term of derision occasioned by mere policy disagreements. Seventy years ago, when highly placed British diplomats surreptitiously defected to the Soviet Union, treason was made manifest. In May 1951, the Cold War was escalating between the capitalist West and the communist East. The United States had witnessed hearings before the House Un-American Activities Committee, and citizens were rocked by allegations of Soviet agents operating within our nation’s government. Alger Hiss had been convicted of perjury, which fanned the flames that other government employees had divided loyalties and worked for the Russians. But many of the accused denied any involvement in espionage; for every accusation, there was denial and not always crystal-clear evidence of treason. In a sensational trial held in March 1951, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of espionage, but there was hardly uniform consensus that they were significantly guilty, and there was enough evidence to question the appropriateness of the death penalty. In similar cases, the accused were defiant and vociferously expressed innocence. Thus, the county was divided about whether the treason was actual and if those accused were more political dissenters than disloyal Americans. The actions of the British diplomats and the subsequent revelations after their defection left no doubt that our former allies, the Russians, had for years spied on us and penetrated both British and American governments at a very high level. At Cambridge University in the 1930s, several undergraduates, including Guy Burgess and Donald MacLean, were recruited by the Soviets to provide information about Great Britain. They were from privileged families and considered among the elite attending a premier university. Nothing in their background gave the slightest hint that their loyalties had shifted from King and Country to Joseph Stalin and the Bolsheviks. MacLean joined the British foreign office in 1934 and almost immediately began supplying information to the Russians. Until his defection in 1951, he delivered more than 4,500 documents to his Soviet handlers. Burgess was initially employed by the BBC and British Secret Service and, later, with the foreign office. While working as a spy, he supplied the Soviets with more than 4.600 confidential or top-secret documents. Using information obtained from MacLean, the Russians leaked a copy of a letter from Winston Churchill to President Harry Truman, which included an embarrassing assessment of Stalin. The FBI believed the leak had come from the British Embassy and suspected MacLean, but they were unable to confirm their suspicions. Later, as Western intelligence services began decrypting old Soviet traffic between Washington and Moscow, MacLean emerged as a leading suspect, given his access to a host of sensitive documents about the US, British, and Canadian committee on the development of atomic weaponry. Recalled to London, MacLean was tipped off by fellow Cambridge spy Kim Philby (who was stationed in DC with knowledge of the investigation) that he was under suspicion. Given the stress of his dual identity, MacLean started drinking heavily and was viewed as so unstable that, once accused, he would confess and implicate others. Not wanting to risk exposure, Burgess and Philby explained to Moscow that MacLean must leave Britain, and Burgess began making plans for MacLean to defect. At this same time, Burgess was dismissed from the foreign service based on conduct unrelated to his espionage. With his career at an end, he decided to accompany MacLean. Moscow felt a dual defection with mutual support could be successful. Others disagreed and argued that 2 defections would prompt counterintelligence to begin connecting dots to uncover seemingly loyal British citizens who served Stalin’s workers’ paradise. By a series of feints and head fakes, Burgess and MacLean successfully defected and were noticeably absent, prompting the secret service and other agencies to assess the situation. They soon realized their slow response to American inquiries had given the spies time to depart without exposing their accomplices. The situation quickly began to unravel as guilt by association caused suspicion to fall on others who had served with Burgess and MacLean. Most importantly, trust between the U.S. and British intelligence agencies deteriorated, which may have been even more significant than the disclosure of state secrets. The instability caused by these defections led both the CIA and MI-6 into a frenzied self-examination, placing former colleagues under suspicion and disrupting normal operations in search of disloyalty. An inordinate amount of time was consumed by Western allies chasing spies who either did not exist or were not in positions to supply actionable intelligence. Burgess, MacLean, and their ilk committed treason by being unambiguously disloyal to their country. There remains no question that their actions lead to deaths and seriously compromised military and diplomatic secrets. They also sowed seeds of discord among Western security agencies. While many in the
Will Sellers: The future of America is undiminished by circumstance
It was President Harry Truman who said, “The only thing new in the world is the history you do not know,” and King Solomon, perhaps the wisest man ever, stated pretty much the same thing a few millennia ago when he recorded in Ecclesiastes 1:9 that “there is nothing new under the sun.” Recent studies have shown the people look fondly upon the era that was one to two decades prior to their birth as the “good old days,” but few take time to really examine what made those days so seemingly good and why we regard times in which we never lived as better than the present. Viewing current events through the lens of times that are distant memory can yield many disappointments, but recognizing that the past was flawed and often filled with misery can offer comfort that the future might not be as dim as we imagine If, as Solomon intoned, there is nothing really new under the sun and the only new things require greater learning and studying on our part, perhaps a good rule of thumb would be to worry less and study history more. Presidential elections are contentious and have been since the founding of our republic. Don’t believe me? Read Winston Groom’s last book’s discussion of the 1800 election! Some elections are more spirited than others, but every four years there is an opportunity for hope, disappointment, disgust, and even advancement. While it is true that elections have consequences and can clearly change the trajectory of our country, history shows us that most changes are not nearly as bad as we fear or as good as we had hoped. Some changes that occurred years ago, while viewed as earth-shattering at the time, now look fairly benign as we come to accept certain changes and, in retrospect, view them as appropriate and insignificant. In the almost 245 years of our country’s existence, there have been probably a dozen presidential elections that stand out as marking the end of an era – some might say “error” – and the beginning of a new phase in the American experiment. But because American is an open society with freedoms that many across the globe envy, the clash of divergent viewpoints is not only helpful but good. If you believe that the arc of the universe is long and bends toward truth, then the testing of ideas politically and otherwise is necessary for progress and keeping the country as dynamic and free as possible. If we believe that right eventually emerges from conflict, then there is little to worry about. Starting almost 100 years ago totalitarian systems were the rage. Both communism and fascism – two sides of the same coin – were seen as eclipsing liberty and democracy, jettisoning the best of western liberating thought. But these false ideologies could not stand the test of time. and over the last 30 years, systems granting greater freedoms have emerged from former dictatorial regimes. Those authoritarian governments failed precisely because they were rooted in lies and deceptions rather than the firm foundation of truth and liberty. Truth is not only the best defense, but it is also the most buoyant and will eventually float to the top of any tempest. Time, though, is the magic ingredient; things need time and truth needs space to resist bruising, bullying, and battering. Lies, deceit, and fakery carry with them the sharp razzle-dazzle that distracts us from seeing the truth, but there is a point, after time, when the truth emerges as the victor. So, too, are laws of nature, economics, and physics unchanged by feelings or perceptions. People may like to think that the magic of government will suspend all these laws, but that never happens. Perhaps for a season, there is an appearance of suspension but that is really a recalibration to equilibrium anticipating a collapse which validates the offended law. The British discovered this long ago when sterling was the measure for global trade and commerce. But, as the Britain Empire and economy constricted and monetary policy expanded, the value of the pound collapsed until the International Monetary Fund had to save the currency. So, while you may spend more than you take in by increasing the monetary supply, after a time the economy is impacted, and spending policies must be reconciled to deficit spending. This maxim proves true in other areas, too, as there is only so far anyone can go without incurring the restrictions of practical laws that explain the universe as much as they limit government. The critical thing for any country is the flexibility to withstand change and adjust to violations of these practical laws. The expansion of liberty and freedom of expression is critical to maintain a vibrant political system that marks forward progress based on a consensus from representative government but is restrained by the good ideas from minority opinion so that, on balance, we are never overextended. The future of the United States is as bright as we allow and promote constructive debate and maintain an open dialog to argue a position, no matter how vociferously, against diametrically opposed ideas with respect, dignity and decorum. Allowing the clash of ideas is critical so that policies grounded in practical experience are expressed and implemented; but, when failure occurs other views are constantly considered to keep the country intact and moving forward. I remain confident that our brightest days are ahead of us, and the promise of America continues to burn in the hearts of freedom lovers around the world. Will Sellers is an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of Alabama.
Jim Zeigler: Presidential race is turning around
The campaign for President has turned around in the last few weeks, particularly this past week. Not only can I FEEL it turning, but I can also see and explain the indicators. Even some strong Donald Trump supporters and workers had become worried, fearing he was losing. Much of the national media fed this narrative, pronouncing Trump politically dead. Not so fast. Am I the only political observer who has noticed similarities with the 1948 re-election campaign of President Harry Truman? The national media and polls had pronounced President Truman defeated, including that infamous election night headline of the Chicago Daily Tribune, ‘DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN.” It was not to be. It turned around at the end. Truman organized a whistle stop tour, rallying thousands at train stations across the heartland. Trump organized rallies in stadiums and other large venues, drawing tens of thousands to each. And he reaches millions with Twitter. But more important than the process were the issues. Does the Trump strong rhetoric remind you of “Give ‘em hell, Harry”? The Democrats’ mishandling of the confirmation process of Judge Amy Coney Barrett turned off many undecided voters. Joe Biden’s refusal to say he would not push to increase the size of the U.S. Supreme Court frightened many. It remains a serious risk that Biden would attempt court packing, which failed miserably for popular President Franklin Roosevelt. The final debate was a turnaround – positive for Trump, negative for Biden. The discovery of incriminating evidence in the Hunter Biden laptop demonstrated a serious risk that Joe Biden is compromised. Joe Biden’s multiple statements against the oil industry paint an unacceptable picture of the near future under a Biden Green New Deal. Gas prices in the $5-$10 range a gallon. No gas vehicles sold. Limited and expensive air flight. Doubled bills for electricity. We would be “transitioning” away from oil. Is that a word? Joe Biden has, at last, had to make longer speeches. The more he talks, the more incompetent and unacceptable he sounds. Let him talk. Biden is Trump’s best campaigner. In 2016 at this point, most national media and polls had declared Trump the loser, and by a healthy margin. They were wrong. Political pundits are just beginning to figure out that a certain number of Trump supporters do not trust the national media and polls. Some refuse to answer polls. Others mess with the pollsters and give incorrect answers. Still others do not want anyone to know who they support. Thus, the polls can be off, under-polling Trump by 3% to 10%. That is enough of a differential to sway any state that is in play. The national media that is against President Trump has overdone it. They have been so obviously biased and unfair that it has turned off a growing number of independent and undecided voters. If Biden is the best campaigner for Trump, the biased national media are close behind. Ever wonder why Trump openly insults and goads his critics in the national media? He is baiting a trap. The anti-Trump media take the bait and hit him hard – too hard. False “facts” and unfair coverage can be overdone and backfire. What hurt Trump earlier has started turning around. Jim Zeigler is the state Auditor of Alabama. ReplyForward
Inside the Statehouse: The story of the Dixiecrats and 1948 Truman election as President
Steve Flowers tells the story behind the 1948 Presidential election, which resulted in a historic upset by Harry Truman.
Bradley Byrne: A do nothing Congress
“…our calendar doesn’t show us coming back to Washington until November 16.”
Will Sellers: 75 years after ending World War II: Celebrating a lasting peace
Seventy-five years ago today, the guns of World War II fell silent and the lights, a barometer of civilization, began to once again chase the darkness from the world.
