Lauderdale County runoff results are in.

With 100% of the ballots counted Rodney Pettus won 61% of the vote. 2,274 votes. Heath Haddock had 39%, 1,456 votes.

I love the Shoals. There is something unexplainable about the Shoals that outsiders just don’t understand. When I moved here four years ago, I didn’t get it right away. I always had the feeling that something was different, but it didn’t truly sink in for a while. [...]]]>

Trey Edwards of Victory Social Media

I love the Shoals. There is something unexplainable about the Shoals that outsiders just don’t understand. When I moved here four years ago, I didn’t get it right away. I always had the feeling that something was different, but it didn’t truly sink in for a while. If you’ve lived here for more than a couple years, odds are you know what I’m talking about. I’ve found where I want to spend the rest of my life.

I am an ideologue – an activist. I spend every waking moment of every day fighting for the causes and principles that I believe make our world a better place to live and grow. I believe in freedom, personal liberty, and responsibility. I believe that society as a whole will achieve the most when individuals are empowered and expected to become the best that they can be. I believe competition improves and open minds educate. And perhaps most of all, I believe that the biggest things holding us back are our own expectations of who we are and what we should do.

Last year, I had the privilege of acting as Campaign Manager for an anti-tax group that opposed three local tax increases across North Alabama – including a property tax increase in Colbert County. In each case, these taxes were proposed by politicians who were unwilling to accept accountability for their own financial mismanagement, and were instead intent on taking more money from their hardworking constituents by holding special elections in an off year when nobody was paying attention. Together with the citizens of these counties, we ran three successful low-budget grassroots campaigns and saved taxpayers over $200,000,000.

I don’t fight for special interests. I don’t fight for establishment politicians that want nothing more than to inflate their own egos and continue to accumulate wealth and power. I fight for the hardworking single mothers that work three part-time jobs to put food on the table. I fight for the elderly grandparents that struggle to live on a fixed income in a world where the cost of living is constantly rising. I fight for the average American who believes that the only thing they are owed is what they earn. I’m not afraid of pissing off the power brokers. Ask the politicians that proposed the taxes what they think of me. I’m proud of my enemies.

I’ll be writing a weekly column here on Shoals Insider. My goal is to inform you on the issues that nobody else is talking about. To peel back the layers and help you understand how things really work – and how you can stand up for yourself in a world where far too many people’s income and power depend on your silence. Education is the key to a prosperous society and is crucial if we want to hold our elected officials accountable. Many of them are wonderful people working hard to make the Shoals a better place. But we live in an inherently sinful world, and even the most well-intentioned leaders will eventually stumble if they are not held accountable by their constituents. Feel free to contact me any time with ideas, information or comments at Trey@Victorysocialmedia.com.

See you next week

Trey Edwards of Victory Social Media writes a weekly conservative column on ShoalsInsider.com. Views expressed are not necessarily those of Shoals Insider or our advertisers.

Madison Police Department wishes to provide the following information regarding the Donald Trump Presidential Campaign event at Madison City Stadium on Sunday.

Sunday- February 28, 2016

Location Madison City Stadium located at 211 Celtic Drive, Madison, AL 35758

Based upon James Elwyn Irby’s wide and diverse range of legal experience trying cases in Circuit Court, Shoals Insider endorses James Elwyn Irby for Lauderdale County Circuit Judge Place 2.

As our readers well know, criminal law is only a portion of the cases tried in Lauderdale County Circuit [...]]]>

Florence Attorney James Irby

Based upon James Elwyn Irby’s wide and diverse range of legal experience trying cases in Circuit Court, Shoals Insider endorses James Elwyn Irby for Lauderdale County Circuit Judge Place 2.

As our readers well know, criminal law is only a portion of the cases tried in Lauderdale County Circuit Court. The Circuit Court also handles a variety of other cases including but not limited to Nursing Home Death cases, Nursing Home Abuse cases, Elder Law, Family Law, Divorce Law, Child Custody Law and Business Law, etc.

James Elwyn Irby is a very successful lawyer in private practice here in Florence who brings the wide range of experience that we need in our Circuit Court.

June Shell of Florence says, “James Irby’s values fit Lauderdale County well. He is a committed Christian, values hard work, and is a true judicial conservative,”

Lauderdale County needs someone of unwavering faith and beliefs that is not afraid to do the next right thing and stand up to the status quo.

Irby has also been endorsed by the Alabama Republican Assembly.

Fresh off wins in Nevada and South Carolina, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump look to solidify their front-runner status spots ahead of the next contests this week and on Super Tuesday March 1.

As discussed last week, several of the headline Alabama news stories of 2015 may also be the blockbusters of 2016. The Mike Hubbard trial and the decision of the federal courts on Alabama’s legislative district lines will be determined in the first half of this [...]]]>

Alabama Political Columnist Steve Flowers

As discussed last week, several of the headline Alabama news stories of 2015 may also be the blockbusters of 2016. The Mike Hubbard trial and the decision of the federal courts on Alabama’s legislative district lines will be determined in the first half of this year.

The biggest news and political story of this year may be a continuation of last year’s major issue and it also surrounds the Alabama Legislature. The State General Fund woes will again be front and center.

As the quadrennium began in 2015, state officials were told that in order to simply level fund the woefully funded General Fund, the legislature would have to come up with between $200-300 million. Everyone agreed that the shortfall was a problem. Gov. Robert Bentley began his second term proposing $541 million in new taxes as a solution. His proposals were repeatedly rebuked by the legislature. That battle and wrangling over the budget lasted most of the year. It wound through the four-month session and three legislative sessions.

The final 2015 legislative solution was to raise limited revenue by increasing the cigarette tax by 25 cents per pack, which will bring in about $70 million in new revenue. They also shifted $80 million in use tax money from the Education Trust Fund to the General Fund. Therefore, they essentially kicked the proverbial can down the road once again.

As the 2016 Legislative Session begins next week, the chronic problems are looming in the anemic General Fund. In the Senate, the Finance Committee chairs have changed hats so to speak. They have swapped posts. State Sen. Arthur Orr of Decatur, who previously chaired the General Fund Finance Committee, will head the Education Finance panel and Sen. Trip Pittman of Baldwin will leave Chairman of Education to be head of the General Fund writing committee. A good swap for Orr.

Sen. Pittman will join hands with Rep. Steve Clouse, who chairs the House General Fund Committee. Clouse and Pittman have unenviable tasks. Clouse is already predicting two percent cuts across the board, including the sacred cows of Medicaid, Courts and Prisons.

Resistance to taxes is still prevalent in both chambers and Senate President Del Marsh of Anniston, who sponsored a casino/lottery bill last year, said he would not come with that proposal again this year. However, a clean pure lottery bill could be discussed. If it clears the legislature it must be approved by the people in an election. Alabama and Utah are the only two states that derive no revenue from gambling. The casino/lottery proposal would raise $330 million for the state. A pure lottery would generate about $225 million.

There may be a move to unearmark some of Alabama’s taxes as the Session looms. Alabama currently earmarks more than four-fifths of its tax revenue for specific purposes. This idea perpetually raises its head in times of budget crisis. Indeed legislation has been pre-filed to transfer a greater portion of wine and liquor revenues and profits to the General Fund.

This un-earmarking has been unsuccessful in the past. The best historical example was a classic battle between Gov. George Wallace and Alabama Education Associations icon Dr. Paul Hubbert. Wallace went on television with two jars of pennies – one full and overflowing symbolic of the Education Fund and one half full representing the General Fund. Wallace said he simply wanted to borrow a few of the pennies from Education and put into the half empty glass jar. Hubbert thwarted Wallace’s plan. However, Hubbert is gone and so is the power of the AEA. It died with Hubbert.

This legislative body has shown keen interest in and indeed the propensity to raid the Special Education Trust Fund Budget. With the death of the AEA there is nobody to guard the Education dollars hen house. Therefore, the legislature sees robbing the Education Fund to pay for the General Fund as an easy solution.

During the heyday of flush Education funding higher education benefited tremendously from the power of Hubbert’s AEA, “A rising tide sails all ships.” It may be time for higher education to step up to the plate and thwart the raid on their education dollars.

See you next week.

Our friend Steve Flower’s column appears weekly on ShoalsInsider.com

Last week we discussed the presidential race. The GOP race for the nomination has been one of the most illuminating in history. Never before have political novices been the frontrunners. It is obvious that voters prefer an outsider with no governmental experience. Donald Trump and Ben Carson would [...]]]>

Alabama Political Columnist Steve Flowers

Last week we discussed the presidential race. The GOP race for the nomination has been one of the most illuminating in history. Never before have political novices been the frontrunners. It is obvious that voters prefer an outsider with no governmental experience. Donald Trump and Ben Carson would both be considered outsiders, both lacking in political experience and skills and Trump lacking tact. No matter what they say or the amateurish blunders they make they doggedly cling to their lead in the polls.
Over the years I have been able to predict Alabama political races with some accuracy. However, national and presidential politics not so much. A prime example would be the presidential race eight years ago. In 2008, I looked at Fred Thompson and saw a presidential winner. He was tall with a deep gravelly voice. He had charisma and gravitas, not to mention a perfect resume and bio to be president.

Thompson had risen to fame as a Watergate prosecutor, then moved on to become a well-known actor, who was a star in movies and the television show Law and Order. He served with distinction for eight years in the Senate from Tennessee. He was a proven political fundraiser. Hence I boldly declared and predicted that Fred Thompson would be the GOP nominee and probably the next president. Upon hearing of my column and glowing prediction his wife even called from Nashville to thank me for the complimentary column. A week later, Thompson dropped out of the presidential race.

There is an old adage that says once bit, twice shy. Another that says fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. Well a few months back I tried again and predicted that Jeb Bush would win the GOP nomination and go on to give Hillary Clinton a run for her money, but it currently looks as though Bush is fading nationwide.
Regardless, I still believe that Jeb Bush is the best candidate the Republicans could field to possibly beat Clinton. He has proven himself to be a successful governor of a battleground state. Florida is indeed the ultimate swing state. The Sunshine State is now America’s third most populous state. It is a microcosm of America, probably because most of America has moved there to retire.

Jeb Bush has a Hispanic wife with obvious Hispanic children and he has a very proven following among the Hispanic population in Florida. It does not hurt that he speaks fluent Spanish. Due to the country’s dramatic demographic changes and the advantages inherent in the Electoral College for Democrats, a Democrat begins the race as the favorite. However, Bush could pull off the upset. Capturing the all-important Hispanic vote in a pivotal swing state is crucial.

Jeb Bush was considered by most of the Bush family as the more promising of the two sons. He was considered the one to follow his father as president. He is also a prolific fundraiser. Raising campaign money is the key to victory in presidential politics or any politics for that matter. He is a tireless worker who has an impeccable reputation as a family man, which is a stark contrast to the strange Clinton marriage.

Time Magazine was pretty much on the same page as me several months ago. They had a cover story of Bush and summed it up this way, “A two term Governor of the ultimate swing state, Bush earned high marks for ushering in sweeping conservative reforms. He’s a Spanish-speaking policy wonk with a multi-cultural family that mirrors the nation’s metamorphosis and he may be the only Republican with the mix of money, moxie and political mastery to match Clinton.”

However, the premier reason that Jeb Bush is the best candidate against Hillary for the GOP is that he is from Florida. A Republican must carry Florida. Polling reveals that Trump cannot carry Florida or Ohio for that matter against Hillary Clinton. Therefore, if the GOP nominates Trump they are doomed.

If Jeb Bush indeed falters and fails to win over GOP primary conservative voters nationwide, then who could beat Hillary? The answer is obvious. Young Florida Senator Marco Rubio is the only candidate left standing who could beat Hillary. He is Hispanic, very conservative, attractive, young, and articulate plus he hails from Florida. It is all about Florida. It will be interesting to watch.

See you next week.

Our friend Steve Flowers column appears weekly on ShoalsInsider.com.