How high is Your Cliff? (Does it involve food or a place to sleep)?

By Representative Allen Farley 

On New Year’s night I spent several hours babysitting our youngest grandson Asher.  We played with toys, ate macaroni and cheese, and watched Mickey Mouse.  It was great.  I had this special opportunity because Muriel, Leigh Ann, and Asher’s brother and sister, were spending the evenings visiting some moms and their kids at a Birmingham women’s shelter.

Throughout the excitement of the holidays leading up to New Year’s Day our family was surrounded with gift giving, food, and visiting with people we love.  We were also very much aware of the increasing media coverage building around “The Fiscal Cliff”.  It was steadily consuming the newspaper, television, radio, and internet.  It was everywhere.  The nationwide fear of tax increases, spending cuts, and the stock market’s reaction.  How will we survive?

When Muriel returned home from her New Year’s visit we sat and talked about our blessings.  We talked about the future that awaits our children and grandchildren.  We also talked about the little angels she watched eat her homemade spaghetti earlier that night. We especially talked about the little girl who was very quiet, and didn’t eat much.  We talked about what could be running through the mind of that young girl with four younger siblings and a mom spending New Year’s night at a shelter?  I’ll bet it wasn’t taxes, or the stock market.  But, I’ll bet that child knows the feeling of standing on the edge of a cliff.  And, she has her mom and her brothers and sisters with her. 

{Lord, can you help us slow down long enough to see the real cliff’s a lot of people are peering over? I can only imagine what that young girl was trying to deal with in her mind as she was helping her brothers and sisters get their plates of spaghetti and glasses of tea.}

Several years ago I was talking with a group of men at the Birmingham Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center.  One of my new friends asked me a question that gave me a mental punch in the gut.  He politely asked; Allen, do people think I woke up one morning and decided I wanted to be an alcoholic?  Do they really believe I chose to lose my job, by home, and my family? (This was a man with a degree in engineering from Vanderbilt University talking to a retired cop that never quite made it to the college cap & gown ceremony).  For a moment I just sat and looked in his eyes. I guess I was trying to imagine the height of the cliff my friend was looking over.  I can assure you there were no thoughts of taxes, or the stock market, at that table.  We just sat there searching our hearts for the appropriate words.  Finally, my friend smiled. (I still don’t have an answer).

2 Corinthians 1: (3-4). Let us give thanks to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merciful Father, the God from whom all help comes! (4) He helps us in all our troubles, so that we are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles, using the same help we ourselves have received from God.

Friends, I truly believe God is poised to come back for His people.  But, he keeps giving us opportunities to do the right thing; to take care of each other.  In God’s eyes I don’t believe a “fiscal cliff” will overshadow homeless children, or skyrocketing addiction rates that are destroying families.  We have children, and adults, in our communities who are hanging by a thread to basic comforts most of us take for granted; food and a place to sleep.  

In 2011 Alabama was ranked #1 in the nation for having the most homeless children.  The number of homeless students identified in Alabama public schools has risen by 49.3% (from 10,907 to 16,287) between the 2006-07 and 2009-10 school years.

Annually, more than 100,000 deaths in the U.S. alone are caused by excessive alcohol consumption. And, alcoholism costs the U.S. between 40 and 60 billion dollars per year.

So, as Americans, we elect 535 members to the U.S. Congress: (435 House and 100 Senate). They each receive a minimum salary of $174K per year. And, each of the 535 members of Congress receives approximately $1.3 million per year for staff member salaries.  That’s $788 million per year just for salaries.  (This data was taken from the CRS Report for Congress. It was compiled by Ida A. Brudnick and published January 4, 2012. It is available on-line).

 The National Debt has continued to increase an average of $3.86 billion per day since September 28, 2007.  We now have a national debt that exceeds $16 trillion. (This information is available on-line at “national debt clock”).

Conclusion: We’ve built the best “fiscal cliff” money can buy. And we have sacrificed our children and families to pay for it.

Job 17:5 In the old proverb someone betrays his friends for money, and his children suffer for it.

God Bless America!!!

Giving Back All Year

By Rep. Mike Rogers
Alabama Political Reporter

(WASHINGTON, DC)—As we quickly enter the Christmas season, folks across East Alabama are in the spirit of giving. In these tough economic times, people continue to give back to their communities as they help their brothers and sisters in need. But it’s not just at Christmastime, it’s all year round.

Every year around the holidays, I like to highlight a few of the great works going on across our area. Following are just a few examples of people giving of their time and gifts this year.
 
In Sylacauga, a new church called Christpoint Community Church reaches out to those in need in the community. Every Thursday, the church opens its doors and offers a free home-cooked meal for anyone who needs it.

In Lee County last fall, members of the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program at Fort Benning volunteered their time to help clean up the overgrown Memory Hill cemetery with the Lee County Cemetery Preservation Commission.

In Opelika, Storybook Farm, Inc, which was started in 2002 by Dena Little, continues its work as a non-profit faith-based organization that provides horses and activities for children who are experiencing physical, mental, social and emotional challenges. 

Also in Macon and Montgomery counties, Divine Inspirational Ministries and RESTORE Ministries both do their part to provide housing, help with job placement and financial assistance and provide counseling for their homeless constituents.
 
In Alexander City, citizens are supporting a play entitled, “The Forgotten Christmas Carols.” All of the proceeds from this play are benefitting Children’s Harbor in Dadeville.

At Wadley Baptist Church in Randolph County, members have assembled over 70 pairs of shoes to benefit forgotten children in need all over the world. 

And in Auburn, members of Moore’s Mill Fitness Club have been collecting “Toys for Tots” to benefit the United States Marine Foundation.

As anyone can see from this sampling, folks across our state are always willing to help their neighbor all year long. May they be shining examples for us all. Merry Christmas to you and your families!

Please feel free to contact me at: www.mike-rogers.house.gov, become a fan on Facebook at Congressman Mike D. Rogers, follow me on Twitter at RepMikeRogersAL and subscribe to my YouTube page at MikeRogersAL03

Response from House Minority Leader Craig Ford

to Gov. Bentley’s Claims About Saving the State a Billion Dollars 

“The governor claims he is saving millions of dollars through “right-sizing the state government workforce” and “consolidating government agencies.” But that really means is he is cutting spending by eliminating teachers, support personnel, and state employee jobs. It means government services will slow down because fewer people are working at the agencies like Medicaid, Mental Health, and Public Safety. It means our children will be in larger classes and get less individual attention from their teachers because of it. It means fewer resources and older textbooks in our public schools. It means fewer resources for law enforcement and fewer law enforcement officers on the streets and guarding our prisons. 

The governor knows that we cannot get by any more just by tightening the state’s belt. That’s why just a few months ago he asked voters to let him borrow almost half a billion dollars from the state’s rainy day fund. It is time for real leadership. It is time for the governor to tell us how he plans to raise more revenue without raising taxes on working families.”

Representative Craig Ford is a Democrat from Gadsden.  He has served in the Alabama House of Representatives since 2000.  In 2010, Representative Ford was elected House Minority Leader by the House Democratic Caucus. He was re-elected Minority Leader in 2012.

Legal and Responsible Gun Owners Should Not Have to Choose Between Their Safety and Their Jobs

By Minority Leader Representative Craig Ford
Alabama Political Reporter

When our founding fathers wrote the Bill of Rights, they made the “right to keep and bear arms: a priority. In fact, the right to own a firearm comes second only to the first amendment rights to free speech, freedom of religion, and the freedom of the press.
 
The founding fathers were wise to provide constitutional protections for gun ownership.
 
The actual wording of the second amendment says, “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
 
So there is a good reason for protecting the right to own firearms: security.
 
That is why Senate Minority Leader Roger Bedford and I have sponsored legislation to protect a gun owner’s right to keep a concealed firearm in their vehicle while on private property or property owned by a business.
 
Many people are licensed to carry firearms in their vehicles for personal protection. But some businesses have made rules prohibiting employees and other individuals from keeping firearms in their vehicles while on company property. That is why we need this legislation.
 
On one hand, the argument can be made that a business should be allowed to make its own decisions about whether to allow firearms on company property. But the problem is that the company is also prohibiting the gun owner from keeping their firearm in their vehicle at times when that person is not on company property.
 
For example, if a company prohibits its employees from keeping firearms in their vehicles, then employees would have no choice but to store their firearms at home unless the company keeps a safe storage facility where employees can drop off and pick up their firearms before and after work.
 
So what if this employee stops by the bank or gas station on the way home from work and someone tries to rob them? That employee would not be able to defend themselves because the firearm they are legally allowed to carry in their car had to be left at home.
 
One of the basic lessons taught in high school government classes is that one person’s rights end where another person’s rights begin. Businesses can set their own policies, but they do not have the right to create policies that take away their employees constitutional rights - especially when the employee is no longer on company time or property.
 
Sen. Bedford and I have been working across party lines to create bi-partisan support for our legislation. We have read that Billy Canary and the Business Council of Alabama oppose this bill, but we hope they will see the importance of protecting gun ownership and support this legislation. Legal and responsible gun owners should not have to choose between their safety and their jobs.
 
Representative Craig Ford is a Democrat from Gadsden. He has served in the Alabama House of Representatives since 2000.  In 2010, Representative Ford was elected House Minority Leader by the House Democratic Caucus. He was re-elected Minority Leader in 2012.

Senator Marc Keahey Pre-Files Bill to Reverse Property Tax Increase on the Disabled

By State Senator Marc Keahey
Alabama Political Reporter

During the 2012 legislative session, HB 120 passed unanimously in both the House and the Senate. It was portrayed as a bill to eliminate the inequities on property tax exemptions for the elderly and the disabled. While many deserving senior citizens will benefit due to the bill’s passing, like so many other pieces of legislation passed in recent sessions, the unintended consequences of HB 120 are devastating for some others who are least able to afford it.

All of Alabama’s citizens who are suffering from a condition that renders them totally and permanently disabled are now confronted with a property tax increase during some of the most challenging economic times of our lifetimes.

Prior to HB120's passage, individuals who were retired due to a permanent disability were exempt from all state and local property taxes, regardless of age and household income. Since HB 120 took effect on October 1, 2012, those same individuals no longer qualify for the exemption if their annual taxable income exceeds $12,000, and will now be required to pay city, county and school property taxes.

HB 120 does not need to be repealed in its entirety because it benefits many seniors by raising the income threshold from $7,500 to $12,000. Under the old law, only the elderly that made less than $7,500 of taxable income were eligible for a complete property tax exemption. Under the new law, those older than 65 years of age and make less than $12,000 in federal taxable income are given a homestead exemption on their primary homes, or on up to 160 acres of land around that home. Thus, HB 120 simply needs to be amended to remove the household income requirement to ensure that all disabled citizens are fully exempt from state, county, county, and school property taxes. 

I have pre-filed legislation that will do just that. My bill will restore the exemption for disabled Alabamians by removing the household annual income limit set by HB120. If passed in the 2013 Regular Legislative Session, it will prevent the disabled from ever having to face this impending tax increase. My legislation will have a retroactive effect and will pre-date the negative consequences that so many citizens with disabilities will otherwise be forced to face in the coming months.

If my bill is not passed, many disabled veterans in Alabama will be subject to a property tax increase.  For example, I was told the story of one veteran who served in Vietnam and receives a disability check for service-related medical problems. In the past, he did not have to pay property taxes due to his disability that occurred from serving his country. Sadly, under the new law, his property taxes will likely increase by about $400 per year if the law is not changed. 

As an Alabamian, I am appalled at the thought of a disabled veteran being subjected to a tax increase due to an unintended consequence of legislation. But that is exactly what will take place without the solution that SB 27 provides. The only way to prevent this tax increase on permanently disabled Alabamians and veterans is to amend HB 120. 

I urge the supermajority in the legislature to join me in my efforts to stop the tax increase on disabled citizens by making passage of SB 27 a priority in the upcoming session. I have certainly made it a priority of mine. It is simply the right thing to do.

Senator Marc Keahey has served in the Alabama Senate since 2009. Senator Keahey represents southwest Alabama, including Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe, Washington counties. Since taking office, Senator Keahey has been instrumental in bringing hundreds of jobs to southwest Alabama.

We Dare Defend our Rights

By Bill Armistead
Chairman ALGOP

As the 2012 political year comes to a close, it is not only important to remember what we accomplished this past year but what lies ahead in 2014. We can take pride in the election successes in Alabama in 2012 but we cannot, for one moment, begin to think that our work is done. 
 
Nearly two years ago, we laid out a vision here at ALGOP called building a Foundation for our Future. The plan was simple: For the first time in history, ALGOP would invest financial resources, time and energy into county elections while growing our majority status at the state level. 
 
The rational was sound: Many counties vote overwhelmingly Republican at the top of the ticket, yet split their vote and continually elect Democrats at the local level. We believed that If ALGOP could provide the resources and draw a distinction between the Republican Party and the Democrat Party, we would be successful. We believed that we could elect a new crop of local Republicans and begin to end the myth of the “conservative Democrat” and “in this county you have to run as a Democrat to get elected”.

The results speak for themselves: When the Foundation for our Future was announced just over a year ago, only 20 Probate Judges were Republicans and just 17 Circuit Clerks were Republicans. Now, at the end of 2012, Republicans hold 32 Probate Judge Offices and 29 Circuit Clerk Offices. That is a 60% increase in Probate Judges and 70%  increase in Circuit Clerks.

Republicans also had a net gain of elected officials in 27 individual counties and elected our first ever Republicans to office in several counties. In addition, we defeated over one-half of the Democrat office holders who were on the ballot this year.

When we elect Republicans at the local level we remove one more layer of support from the Democrats and add more organizational support to our majority party status. Also, when the Foundation for our Future was announced it was pointed out that the vast majority of counties that were to be targeted in 2012 were also represented by freshman members of the Legislature who will be up for re-election in 2014. 
 
Therefore every voter we talked to and identified in 2012 as a Republican, that was one less we would have to identify in 2014. And, for every new volunteer, supporter, and donor we activated in 2012, that was one less we would have to activate in 2014.

As proud as we are of our successes in 2012, our attention has already turned to the elections of 2014. Our Foundation for our Future plans will continue to focus on the transition at the local level from Democrat control to new Republican leadership. But, it does not stop there. We will also focus on retaining and growing our majority in the legislature as well as holding every Republican statewide office.

When you look at the 2014 elections, similar patterns emerge as they did in 2012. As an example, all 67 Alabama Sheriffs will be on the ballot in 2014. Republicans currently only occupy 24 Sheriff’s offices and 43 are controlled by Democrats. And, we cannot let that stand. We are already focusing on candidate recruitment for these offices and have identified several great candidates for Sheriff. Also, if there are any conservative Democrat Sheriffs who believe in our conservative Republican philosophy we invite them to join the Republican Party. Otherwise, we will recruit good solid citizens in our targeted counties and provide the support they need to win their election in 2014.
 
It has taken our Party nearly 50 years to transition Alabama from a Democrat majority state to a Republican majority state. And, I am proud to say that I was a young college student back when this all began and I got involved in Sen. Barry Goldwater’s presidential campaign because of his conservative philosophy. It has been a dream come true for me to have seen our party grow from a “telephone booth” party to the majority party in Alabama. And, now is not the time to become complacent.  

We know the Democrats are already working on their “comeback” strategy and we will be prepared for them.  In two years they will still be the party of Barack Obama and they will not be able to separate their candidates from the most liberal philosophy and president in the American history. And, as I write this today, I cannot imagine where President Obama will have taken our country in the next two years.

We will continue to encourage all of our elected Republicans to stand firm against the overreach of the federal government and not allow our individual freedoms to be taken away from us. As the motto of the State of Alabama reads: We Dare Defend our Rights!