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If there’s one thing most Alabamians understand, it’s the value of a home-cooked meal. Whether it’s your grandmother’s biscuits or a slow-smoked barbecue, we know that the best things in life aren’t rushed. But when it comes to our politics, Alabama — like much of the nation — has fallen into the fast-food trap: cheap slogans, shallow promises, and little nourishment for the future.
Today’s political landscape feels more like a drive-thru than a town hall. Politicians serve up quick bites of emotional rhetoric to stir voters, but rarely do they tackle the complex issues that affect everyday lives. Campaign season rolls around, and Republicans in Alabama trot out their predictable menu of fear-based talking points — alarms about creeping socialism, government overreach, and attacks on the Second Amendment. Meanwhile, Democrats, who once promised to challenge the status quo, have largely abandoned the basics, failing to even run candidates in many races. In too many parts of Alabama, elections are over before they even begin.
It’s no secret that Alabama faces serious challenges. Healthcare access is abysmal. Our refusal to expand Medicaid has left more than 200,000 Alabamians without coverage, despite overwhelming evidence that it would save lives and boost our economy. Public education outcomes lag behind much of the nation, yet instead of strengthening public schools, the legislature prioritized the so-called CHOOSE Act — a hundred million-dollar giveaway that benefits the few at the expense of the many. Meanwhile, entire communities are being left behind in the state’s economic push, as deep inequalities remain.
Rather than addressing these problems with thoughtful solutions, Alabama’s political leaders prefer the fast-food approach. As President John F. Kennedy once observed, “The great enemy of truth is very often not the lie — deliberate, contrived, and dishonest — but the myth — persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic.”
Alabama’s political culture is full of myths. The myth that tax cuts for the few will create prosperity for everyone. The myth that banning books in libraries will improve education. The myth that endless culture wars will somehow enhance quality of life. These myths are easy to sell in 30-second ads and viral tweets, but they offer no real nourishment for the people of Alabama.
Look no further than the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission to see the dangers of fast-food governance. After years of debate and promises, the commission’s rollout has been nothing short of a disaster — a chaotic mess of lawsuits, corruption, and confusion. What was supposed to be a carefully regulated program to help patients in need has devolved into a political farce, with little accountability and even less transparency.
The same fast-food approach is playing out in local battles over public libraries. Groups like Clean Up Alabama have turned libraries into the latest battleground in the culture wars. Instead of focusing on improving literacy and educational outcomes in a state that desperately needs both, they’ve opted to stoke fear and push political theater. It’s cheap, easy, and guaranteed to grab headlines — but it doesn’t nourish minds or build a better future.
This drive-thru democracy — where slogans are prioritized over substance — is a far cry from the slow, deliberate work that built Alabama’s greatest achievements. The Civil Rights Movement wasn’t a drive-thru revolution. It took years of courage, resilience, and organizing to achieve progress. The creation of the Marshall Space Flight Center wasn’t accomplished overnight; it required vision, investment, and the patience to nurture one of the most significant scientific achievements in human history.
True leadership isn’t about the next campaign ad. It’s about preparing for the next generation. Abraham Lincoln reminded us that “the dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present.” In today’s political climate, however, leaders seem more interested in fueling outrage than preparing for the storms ahead.
We also need to reject the myth that progress is impossible in Alabama. Change is slow, yes, but history shows us that it happens when people come together and demand it. From the Voting Rights Act to efforts to desegregate public schools, Alabama’s history proves that real progress takes time and hard work. It only happens when citizens refuse to settle for the political equivalent of a fast-food meal.
Alabama wasn’t built on cheap talk. It was built on hard work, tough conversations, and a shared commitment to something greater than ourselves. The question now is whether we’ll leave the next generation a state nourished by real progress — or one left starving for meaningful results.
We can’t build a better future through the political drive-thru. Real change doesn’t come in a neat, prepackaged slogan. It takes time, effort, and the courage to demand more — not just from our leaders, but from ourselves.
It’s time to push away the cheap rhetoric and take a seat at the table.
