Three years ago, I left Alabama after attending public schools all my life and headed to Washington to attend college at Georgetown University. Last month, I was able to walk across the stage as a college graduate. The experience taught me several lessons about the educational world in which we live. Having the ability to look at my undergraduate education as a completed whole, I realized that two major factors allowed me to graduate ahead of schedule and actually excel in college--the ability to take advanced coursework in high school and numerous opportunities to excel in extracurricular academic activities. I also saw firsthand one of the great problems that many states face, that being the issue of retaining top students who leave their home states for college. Most of my peers at Georgetown have either remained in Washington or gone on to work in large cities. In the graduating class before me in 2009, over 60% of graduating seniors who participated in the school's exit survey worked in either Washington, DC, or New York. More students reported working in China (8) than going on to work in over 40 US states. Although these records are just the results of one university, they reflect a broader ideal that graduates from America's top universities stay concentrated in major cities and do not return to the communities from which they come. Thus, states like Alabama have a two-fold problem. They must equip students to excel at top colleges to participate in an increasingly global economy, and they must also work at keeping those top students in Alabama.
Here in Alabama, our education policy often emanates from Paul Hubbert and the AEA, the teacher's lobby. For a long time, conservatives have been pitted against AEA, for many valid reasons. However, I think what has been lost in the debate over the AEA's impact in state politics is an actual debate over how to improve Alabama schools, and that's what we desperately need today. Conservatives believe in facilitating excellence--government is doing its job in part if it can empower individuals to act in their own best interest. Too often, Alabama's education policies have favored the median and not the extremes. In recent years great advances have been made in what is commonly called 'special education,' or the education of students with learning disabilities. While I laud these advances, it is well past time for Alabama to start emphasizing the other end of its educational spectrum and creating more opportunities for its top gifted students.
Gifted education needs in this state break down into two areas--opportunities inside the classroom and opportunities outside the classroom. Inside the classroom gifted students benefit from advanced and honors courses in a wide variety of subject areas taught by experienced faculty as well as opportunities for internships, college course offerings, and innovative programs. Outside the classroom, students benefit from extracurricular activities which include competitive academic clubs and teams, shadowing programs and internships, and other opportunities to reinforce and enhance skills learned inside the classroom. In April 2009, the Department of Education noted a general correlation between students who took Advanced Placement courses in earning higher college GPAs, completing more credits, and attaining higher graduation rates than those who took non-AP courses in particular subject areas. To that end, Governor Riley and Superintendent Morton deserve credit for making Advanced Placement programs more accessible. In 2008, the College Board found that Alabama was outpacing the national average in both participation and performance. Programs like A+ College Readiness, the ACCESS Distance Learning Program, and the Math and Science Initiative have had great success in increasing the ability of students to participate and excel in advanced-level coursework.
Despite these gains, that doesn't mean the state can't do more. During my school years, I often witnessed qualified teachers retiring and new inexperienced teachers taking their place. School systems across Alabama need to develop better systems to guarantee that experienced teachers are ready to take over advanced-level courses and that schools continue to develop better course offerings for top students. From a young age, the state would also benefit from increasing accessibility to and effectiveness of gifted programs. According to the Department of Education, 4.8% of Alabama students participated in gifted programs in 2004 and 5.5% participated in 2006. This is below the national average of 6.7% in both years. Additionally, students who participate in those programs receive different levels of effectiveness. Some enterprising schools have worked out opportunities for high school gifted students to opt out of some elective coursework to pursue internships, lab experience, or other opportunities and projects in their communities. These programs which tie students to their communities play a critical role in student retention, but they should be more widely accessible across the state. Businesses, labs, universities, and other entities across the state should work in closer cooperation with public schools to offer these opportunities to top students.
Finally, Alabama must commit itself to providing students with ample opportunities in competitive academic teams and must invest resources into these programs. The Department of Education noted that student participation in sports in the South region increased from 38.6% in 1994 to 42.1% in 2004. However, participation in academic clubs in the South region decreased from 28.4% in 1994 to 23.5% in 2004. Relatively few high schools in Alabama have competitive academic quiz bowl teams, debate teams, or other programs. During my high school years, I was fortunate to travel across the state and region competing in debate contests. Through that process, I learned the most significant skills which allowed me to excel in college. I spent long nights assiduously researching, learned to present information in a persuasive and organized fashion, and developed an ability to think quickly. Had it not been for these experiences I would have still gone to college, but I would significantly lost on skills needed to succeed while in college. During my years, roughly a dozen Alabama high schools had successful debate programs. Stephen Black of the University of Alabama developed a SpeakFirst program to make debate competition accessible to students from a number of inner-city high schools. The Birmingham News touted the young program in a 2007 piece on accessibility of education resources to top students in Birmingham city schools. Alabama needs more programs like SpeakFirst in counties and towns across the state, and innovative programs such as this one should become more of a reality and less of an exception for Alabama students.
For decades, Alabama politicians have campaigned on the platform that Alabama must race to the top and cannot be last forever. To his credit, Gov. Riley has worked to pursue a number of these objectives at the state level. Back in 2007, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions successfully sponsored and passed a law called the Striving Readers initiative to increase literacy programs across the spectrum at the K-12 level. Frankly, both Alabama and America desperately need now a "Striving Strivers" initiative, for lack of a better term, providing more resources and opportunities for those students who have the strongest love to strive for more learning. As the statistics show, there is a lot of room for educational improvement in this state, and it is time at long last to make the top students a priority. If not, more of our top minds will continue to leave our state and eventually our nation in pursuit of greener pastures overseas.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Alabama Goes Green: What Renewable Energy Means for the Deep South
Last week when President Obama addressed the nation on the Gulf coast oil spill, he chose to devote significant time in his speech to push for the development of renewable energy. Many on the left seem to see renewable energy as an environmental panacea which will replace the evil carbon-producing big oil, coal, and gas industries. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and liberals will always be sorely disappointed. Columnist George Will criticized liberal environmentalism in an intriguing 2007 column on "fuzzy climate math." Will notes that everyday activities such as the shipment of food an average 1200 miles to the average American plate can consume more energy than can be saved by renewable fuels. He also notes that new technology such as hybrid cars create new environmental problems even as they help address older ones. Will notes that the Toyota Prius Hybrid requires 1,000 tons of zinc mined in Canada for the motor, and that zinc must then travel 10,000 miles to Wales for refining, China for more refinement, and a final destination in Japan.
Thus, it's time to finally dismiss the panacea of the liberal environmental agenda. That doesn't mean, however, that Alabamians should shy away from the production of clean-burning renewable energies. Fossil fuel reserves will slowly become smaller over the course of decades, meaning that Americans need to begin to develop technologies to produce fuels at home. Additionally, since so much oil comes from the Middle East, there is a security incentive to produce renewable energies. Finally, there is also an interest in developing cleaner fuel sources which are easier on the environment and manage to preserve the state's natural wonders.
All of these reasons are good ones, but Alabama should take interest in going green because it offers an opportunity for new economic development, especially in rural areas. Last week as I was leaving Tuscaloosa, I drove through the small town of Moundville, Alabama, a few miles south of Tuscaloosa in Hale County. On the surface it may look like little is going on down in Moundville, but in May, Westervelt Co. announced plans for a biomass unit to produce enough electricity to serve 3,000 people. The plan would work through Alabama power and use Westervelt biomass.
As it turns out, the Moundville development is part of a string of recent developments to add more renewable energies to Alabama's energy mix. Many of these developments are bringing new technologies and new jobs to rural Alabama communities. In February, the Andalusia Star-News reported that Southeast Renewable Energy was investing in a $55 million biomass plant which would produce energy from wood waste and employ approximately 16 employees. Another company, Gulf Coast energy, recently built a 70-acre industrial site near Livingston in rural Sumter County, Alabama. The most recent maps from the Department of Energy also depict significant opportunities for the development of biomass in forest and crop residue in large parts of rural Alabama.
What does all of this mean? Alabamians should embrace the opportunities of renewable energy, but they have to do so for the right reasons. Renewable energies offer rural communities many opportunities to use wood waste, agricultural waste, and other products to produce energy as part of a diversified energy strategy for the nation. If Alabama steps up and takes the lead, encouraging these businesses, our state could be positioned to play a major role in shaping national and even international policy in these areas. Alabamians should take this step because of the economic opportunities it affords the state. These renewable sources are cleaner than fossil fuels, but they are not an environmental panacea. What they do offer are opportunities for new jobs in a dynamic sector in rural parts of the state.
Thus, it's time to finally dismiss the panacea of the liberal environmental agenda. That doesn't mean, however, that Alabamians should shy away from the production of clean-burning renewable energies. Fossil fuel reserves will slowly become smaller over the course of decades, meaning that Americans need to begin to develop technologies to produce fuels at home. Additionally, since so much oil comes from the Middle East, there is a security incentive to produce renewable energies. Finally, there is also an interest in developing cleaner fuel sources which are easier on the environment and manage to preserve the state's natural wonders.
All of these reasons are good ones, but Alabama should take interest in going green because it offers an opportunity for new economic development, especially in rural areas. Last week as I was leaving Tuscaloosa, I drove through the small town of Moundville, Alabama, a few miles south of Tuscaloosa in Hale County. On the surface it may look like little is going on down in Moundville, but in May, Westervelt Co. announced plans for a biomass unit to produce enough electricity to serve 3,000 people. The plan would work through Alabama power and use Westervelt biomass.
As it turns out, the Moundville development is part of a string of recent developments to add more renewable energies to Alabama's energy mix. Many of these developments are bringing new technologies and new jobs to rural Alabama communities. In February, the Andalusia Star-News reported that Southeast Renewable Energy was investing in a $55 million biomass plant which would produce energy from wood waste and employ approximately 16 employees. Another company, Gulf Coast energy, recently built a 70-acre industrial site near Livingston in rural Sumter County, Alabama. The most recent maps from the Department of Energy also depict significant opportunities for the development of biomass in forest and crop residue in large parts of rural Alabama.
What does all of this mean? Alabamians should embrace the opportunities of renewable energy, but they have to do so for the right reasons. Renewable energies offer rural communities many opportunities to use wood waste, agricultural waste, and other products to produce energy as part of a diversified energy strategy for the nation. If Alabama steps up and takes the lead, encouraging these businesses, our state could be positioned to play a major role in shaping national and even international policy in these areas. Alabamians should take this step because of the economic opportunities it affords the state. These renewable sources are cleaner than fossil fuels, but they are not an environmental panacea. What they do offer are opportunities for new jobs in a dynamic sector in rural parts of the state.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Byrne, Bentley, and Five Promises
Here in Alabama, politics isn't complete without a good recount absolutely laden with intrigue. Tim James is arguably entitled to his recount, though it appears the 'common-sense businessman' has spent an awful lot of his money, some $200,000, recounting these votes. Now, I'm just a poor student, but if I had $200,000, I probably wouldn't elect to spend it on that.
Underneath the surface of all this, there is a whole lot of political intrigue. By this, I'm not referring to Dale Peterson's increasingly hilarious videos relating to the Ag Commissioner spot on the GOP side. I'm referring instead to the intrigue of the governor's race, most of which has gone unnoticed due to the attention focused on the recount. Underneath, things sure are getting exciting. The Birmingham News reported yesterday that a shake-up in Dr. Robert Bentley's staff in favor of political consultants from a San Francisco consulting firm has raised some questions. Bentley's new campaign manager is Bryan Sanders, a consultant and son-in-law of Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas. One thing sure is clear, the good Doctor sure has raised a lot of money to be splurging on a new campaign staff.
Like a whole lot of Alabamians, I like Dr. Bentley's story, precisely because it's intriguing. He seems to be an outsider who has come into politics at an interesting time, and a lot of voters clearly liked 'that Tuscaloosa doctor' who has pledged not to take a salary as governor until the state reached full employment. I am also intrigued by the Bentley-Byrne matchup which some have compared to the Winton Blount-Fob James GOP matchup in 1998 which pitted the so-called 'country club' affluent elements of the GOP along the I-65 corridor against the rural GOP elements throughout the state. In that election, Blount represented the I-65 corridor, and Fob James represented the other. Blount handily garnered the most votes in the initial primary but eventually lost the run-off to James who used the rural vote to gain victory.
All of these political shakeups are interesting stories, as is the sudden involvement of the AEA using the GOP's outdated primary rules in order to crossover and vote to defeat Byrne. It looks to me like there will be plenty of time for name-calling and mud-slinging once this recount wraps up and the gloves can really begin to come off.
That said, count me among those folks who actually hope to see this election come down to issues, and I have Five Promises I think the GOP candidates should make which voters should consider in deciding who should represent their Party on the ballot in November.
(1) Commit to Tougher Campaign Finance and Accountability. Governor Riley deserves considerable credit for his efforts each year to pass tougher campaign finance and ethics regulation in Alabama. Frankly, Alabama has an awful lot of problems when it comes to accountability. The state received an F on disclosing lobbyist spending in 2003. Lots of amounts under $250 are not reported, and many legislators have had questionable histories in submitting proper ethics disclosures. If you think about it, the reporting of campaign funds has been an issue with a number of candidates in almost every election. Riley has proposed projects which have included disclosure of all gifts over $25 and caps on expenditures for things such as meals. He along with other groups like the Alabama Policy Institute have called attention to the shell game of PAC-PAC transfers, where political committees give money to each other to hide support from interests such as gaming, trial lawyers, and utilities. Alabama voters have a right to know who is bankrolling their political candidates. In 2009, Gov. Riley called for "a war on corruption." It's hard to fight, though, when the legislature continues annually to balk at meaningful ethics reform. Will the next GOP nominee commit to continuing this war, even when it is tough sledding?
(2) Commit to education innovation. Bradley Byrne has centered a whole lot of his campaign around education. I applaud Byrne for promoting ideas like Charter Schools which are past due in Alabama. Back in 2009, the Mobile Press-Register noted that some 5,043 charter schools exist nationwide serving 1.5 million students. Thirty-nine states have charter school laws, making Alabama one of the last to get on board. The AEA worked to defeat charter schools earlier this year, but it's high time for a governor to commit Alabama to the issue of education reform. On top of that, we also need to prioritize gifted education as a state and federal priority to guarantee that top students receive a top education in Alabama and are encouraged to remain in Alabama after college to work here in this state.
(3) Commit to strategic planning on economic growth, especially energy. Alabama has made great strides in recent years under Republican leadership in encouraging new businesses and industries to settle in Alabama. The next governor needs to commit to growth in areas such as renewable energy. New forms of biomass facilities and other energies could allow Alabama to play a major national role in renewable energy development. A lot of this development can also affect Alabama's rural and disadvantaged communities in a positive way. It is also fundamentally conservative, as it uses business and innovation instead of government to improve lives and communities. Recent governors have used the government's resources to help empower these individuals, and the next governor needs a concrete plan of attack to continue growing Alabama.
(4) Commit to resolving the gambling issue, once and for all. After decades of squabbling over the matter, it's time to resolve the gambling issue. Many like me want to see casino gambling stopped, once and for all, and the decisions of the Alabama Supreme Court honored. That said, what I want most is clarity. Alabamians have paid too much for expensive elections on gaming, and legislators have wasted too many legislative days in session gridlocked on the gambling issue. It's time to resolve this issue so that it is no longer the centerpiece of political debate in Alabama.
(5) Commit to the renewal of Alabama's small towns and communities. One of the great travesties of recent years has been the decline of Alabama's small towns which dot the state and provide it an essential local flavor and culture. The next governor should speak to this issue and step up, promoting growth, tourism, and sustenance in rural areas across this state. Driving through the Alabama black belt, one sees both the promise and the strength that is Alabama. In an age of strip malls and major retailers located along interstate highways, the next governor should develop more plans to get Alabamians back off the main roads and exploring more of our state's amazing back roads. Working with existing federal programs, a concerted effort could lead to significant gains for some of Alabama's most disadvantaged communities.
Alabama politics today is too driven by concerns of intrigue. We are not electing a personality--we are electing a leader who can improve the state over the next four years. These improvements come down to issues. In my view, these five commitments make the election about issues again and are a vital first step in building a better Alabama.
Underneath the surface of all this, there is a whole lot of political intrigue. By this, I'm not referring to Dale Peterson's increasingly hilarious videos relating to the Ag Commissioner spot on the GOP side. I'm referring instead to the intrigue of the governor's race, most of which has gone unnoticed due to the attention focused on the recount. Underneath, things sure are getting exciting. The Birmingham News reported yesterday that a shake-up in Dr. Robert Bentley's staff in favor of political consultants from a San Francisco consulting firm has raised some questions. Bentley's new campaign manager is Bryan Sanders, a consultant and son-in-law of Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas. One thing sure is clear, the good Doctor sure has raised a lot of money to be splurging on a new campaign staff.
Like a whole lot of Alabamians, I like Dr. Bentley's story, precisely because it's intriguing. He seems to be an outsider who has come into politics at an interesting time, and a lot of voters clearly liked 'that Tuscaloosa doctor' who has pledged not to take a salary as governor until the state reached full employment. I am also intrigued by the Bentley-Byrne matchup which some have compared to the Winton Blount-Fob James GOP matchup in 1998 which pitted the so-called 'country club' affluent elements of the GOP along the I-65 corridor against the rural GOP elements throughout the state. In that election, Blount represented the I-65 corridor, and Fob James represented the other. Blount handily garnered the most votes in the initial primary but eventually lost the run-off to James who used the rural vote to gain victory.
All of these political shakeups are interesting stories, as is the sudden involvement of the AEA using the GOP's outdated primary rules in order to crossover and vote to defeat Byrne. It looks to me like there will be plenty of time for name-calling and mud-slinging once this recount wraps up and the gloves can really begin to come off.
That said, count me among those folks who actually hope to see this election come down to issues, and I have Five Promises I think the GOP candidates should make which voters should consider in deciding who should represent their Party on the ballot in November.
(1) Commit to Tougher Campaign Finance and Accountability. Governor Riley deserves considerable credit for his efforts each year to pass tougher campaign finance and ethics regulation in Alabama. Frankly, Alabama has an awful lot of problems when it comes to accountability. The state received an F on disclosing lobbyist spending in 2003. Lots of amounts under $250 are not reported, and many legislators have had questionable histories in submitting proper ethics disclosures. If you think about it, the reporting of campaign funds has been an issue with a number of candidates in almost every election. Riley has proposed projects which have included disclosure of all gifts over $25 and caps on expenditures for things such as meals. He along with other groups like the Alabama Policy Institute have called attention to the shell game of PAC-PAC transfers, where political committees give money to each other to hide support from interests such as gaming, trial lawyers, and utilities. Alabama voters have a right to know who is bankrolling their political candidates. In 2009, Gov. Riley called for "a war on corruption." It's hard to fight, though, when the legislature continues annually to balk at meaningful ethics reform. Will the next GOP nominee commit to continuing this war, even when it is tough sledding?
(2) Commit to education innovation. Bradley Byrne has centered a whole lot of his campaign around education. I applaud Byrne for promoting ideas like Charter Schools which are past due in Alabama. Back in 2009, the Mobile Press-Register noted that some 5,043 charter schools exist nationwide serving 1.5 million students. Thirty-nine states have charter school laws, making Alabama one of the last to get on board. The AEA worked to defeat charter schools earlier this year, but it's high time for a governor to commit Alabama to the issue of education reform. On top of that, we also need to prioritize gifted education as a state and federal priority to guarantee that top students receive a top education in Alabama and are encouraged to remain in Alabama after college to work here in this state.
(3) Commit to strategic planning on economic growth, especially energy. Alabama has made great strides in recent years under Republican leadership in encouraging new businesses and industries to settle in Alabama. The next governor needs to commit to growth in areas such as renewable energy. New forms of biomass facilities and other energies could allow Alabama to play a major national role in renewable energy development. A lot of this development can also affect Alabama's rural and disadvantaged communities in a positive way. It is also fundamentally conservative, as it uses business and innovation instead of government to improve lives and communities. Recent governors have used the government's resources to help empower these individuals, and the next governor needs a concrete plan of attack to continue growing Alabama.
(4) Commit to resolving the gambling issue, once and for all. After decades of squabbling over the matter, it's time to resolve the gambling issue. Many like me want to see casino gambling stopped, once and for all, and the decisions of the Alabama Supreme Court honored. That said, what I want most is clarity. Alabamians have paid too much for expensive elections on gaming, and legislators have wasted too many legislative days in session gridlocked on the gambling issue. It's time to resolve this issue so that it is no longer the centerpiece of political debate in Alabama.
(5) Commit to the renewal of Alabama's small towns and communities. One of the great travesties of recent years has been the decline of Alabama's small towns which dot the state and provide it an essential local flavor and culture. The next governor should speak to this issue and step up, promoting growth, tourism, and sustenance in rural areas across this state. Driving through the Alabama black belt, one sees both the promise and the strength that is Alabama. In an age of strip malls and major retailers located along interstate highways, the next governor should develop more plans to get Alabamians back off the main roads and exploring more of our state's amazing back roads. Working with existing federal programs, a concerted effort could lead to significant gains for some of Alabama's most disadvantaged communities.
Alabama politics today is too driven by concerns of intrigue. We are not electing a personality--we are electing a leader who can improve the state over the next four years. These improvements come down to issues. In my view, these five commitments make the election about issues again and are a vital first step in building a better Alabama.
What We Won't Hear at the BP Hearings
Watching today's oil spill hearings in Washington with Tony Hayward, the CEO of BP, raises some questions for me which members of Congress are frankly not willing to ask themselves. Two come to mind between Hayward's answers that he "cannot recall" or decisions he "was not privy to." In the rush to score political points with anxious constituents back home, I tend to wonder if Congressmen will possess the courage to inquire as to the effects of the spill far beyond the coastline and, more importantly, about how corporate size has led to a lack of accountability. Can capitalism as we know it survive in an age of global corporations?
Although the scenes here in Alabama largely focus on the oil collecting on the Gulf, the effects of the spill will be far-reaching in the state. State Superintendent Joe Morton stated back on June 10 that the declines in tourism revenue will impact the Education Trust Fund of Alabama. As tourism has declined by as much as 50% at places like orange beach, some of the taxes which are collected to pay for the fund will also decline. This means that local governments and state governments will be strapped for cash as restaurants, tour boat businesses, hotels, fishermen, and other locally owned enterprises either temporarily close or go out of business. For these individuals, the loss is a travesty, but it is also a travesty for the entire state.
I cannot help but wonder if BP will be committed to truly cleaning up this spill in terms of the financial damage caused throughout the Gulf Coast. Perhaps BP will honor it's commitment of $20 billion to the Gulf Coast, and perhaps BP will manage to stay in business and avoid bankruptcy long enough to honor those commitments. However, I wonder if BP is aware of the local and state governments which will be suffering to provide services during these difficult times on the coast.
However, the bigger question here is the question of regulation and the size of the corporation. Many in Congress may not be aware, but the age of multinational conglomerates who provide many essential goods and services to a worldwide consumer base has created corporations which in 2008 we called 'too big to fail.' The BP crisis demonstrates that they are also, in many senses, 'too big to regulate.'
Capitalism in the traditional conservative sense is based on consumer choice. A business can offer products, and a consumer can decide whether or not to purchase said product based on a series of criteria. When capitalism was smaller, government regulation was far less needed because individuals held corporations accountable. As David Brooks once noted in a column, half a century ago the leading banker in a Tennessee town would have lived in that city instead of far off, in New York, Charlotte, or Atlanta. The same is true of Alabama towns--residents knew the store owners and the producers of products. By contrast, the owners and manufacturers knew their consumers personally--their children went to school with them, and they went to church together. They knew then that in the face of crisis the residents would hold them accountable because they, too, were parts of the community.
Those days are long gone. Today's corporate leaders live far away from the communities they utilize to produce resources, and the size of these corporations makes it virtually impossible for consumers to hold them accountable themselves. Consider the people currently boycotting BP gas. Although this boycott hurts the local franchisees who are only tangentially connected to BP, it does little to undermine BP as a company which owns a vast array of networks such as CASTROL, ARCO Alumnium, and many other companies which produce a wide array of products. As corporations have grown bigger, it has become impossible for consumers to keep corporations accountable. Additionally, corporate leaders only maintain accountability to shareholders who are far removed from communities like the Gulf Coast.
What is the answer? Increasingly the answer has been obtrusive amounts of federal regulation which have been rather ineffective at actually solving problems. Yes, there is a massive federal bureaucracy which we have come to know as the Minerals and Mining Service, but I seriously doubt that even under new leadership this regulatory agency can manage to oversee such massive corporations. Even if they can, the answer seems to be in a government structure so large and so obtrusive that smaller, innovative firms would be crushed by the size of the federal rulebook. It's a sad and unfortunate state of affairs which bears little resemblance to the America we once enjoyed, based on freedom and consumer choice.
Thus, the BP oil spill teaches us two lessons about Federalism, that oldest of American principles. Today when a disaster occurs, it crushes state and local governments which are already struggling for their survival. As conservatives, we should care about local governments because they provide citizens the most direct control over their own lives, instead of exporting that control to a distant place like Washington. It also demonstrates that the size of modern corporations has created a conundrum. Consumers can no longer hold the corporations accountable, and the task now lies with federal regulators. This, too, has consequences. Congressmen may not ask these questions, but Americans should consider them, because in many ways, the future of the nation hangs in the balance.
Although the scenes here in Alabama largely focus on the oil collecting on the Gulf, the effects of the spill will be far-reaching in the state. State Superintendent Joe Morton stated back on June 10 that the declines in tourism revenue will impact the Education Trust Fund of Alabama. As tourism has declined by as much as 50% at places like orange beach, some of the taxes which are collected to pay for the fund will also decline. This means that local governments and state governments will be strapped for cash as restaurants, tour boat businesses, hotels, fishermen, and other locally owned enterprises either temporarily close or go out of business. For these individuals, the loss is a travesty, but it is also a travesty for the entire state.
I cannot help but wonder if BP will be committed to truly cleaning up this spill in terms of the financial damage caused throughout the Gulf Coast. Perhaps BP will honor it's commitment of $20 billion to the Gulf Coast, and perhaps BP will manage to stay in business and avoid bankruptcy long enough to honor those commitments. However, I wonder if BP is aware of the local and state governments which will be suffering to provide services during these difficult times on the coast.
However, the bigger question here is the question of regulation and the size of the corporation. Many in Congress may not be aware, but the age of multinational conglomerates who provide many essential goods and services to a worldwide consumer base has created corporations which in 2008 we called 'too big to fail.' The BP crisis demonstrates that they are also, in many senses, 'too big to regulate.'
Capitalism in the traditional conservative sense is based on consumer choice. A business can offer products, and a consumer can decide whether or not to purchase said product based on a series of criteria. When capitalism was smaller, government regulation was far less needed because individuals held corporations accountable. As David Brooks once noted in a column, half a century ago the leading banker in a Tennessee town would have lived in that city instead of far off, in New York, Charlotte, or Atlanta. The same is true of Alabama towns--residents knew the store owners and the producers of products. By contrast, the owners and manufacturers knew their consumers personally--their children went to school with them, and they went to church together. They knew then that in the face of crisis the residents would hold them accountable because they, too, were parts of the community.
Those days are long gone. Today's corporate leaders live far away from the communities they utilize to produce resources, and the size of these corporations makes it virtually impossible for consumers to hold them accountable themselves. Consider the people currently boycotting BP gas. Although this boycott hurts the local franchisees who are only tangentially connected to BP, it does little to undermine BP as a company which owns a vast array of networks such as CASTROL, ARCO Alumnium, and many other companies which produce a wide array of products. As corporations have grown bigger, it has become impossible for consumers to keep corporations accountable. Additionally, corporate leaders only maintain accountability to shareholders who are far removed from communities like the Gulf Coast.
What is the answer? Increasingly the answer has been obtrusive amounts of federal regulation which have been rather ineffective at actually solving problems. Yes, there is a massive federal bureaucracy which we have come to know as the Minerals and Mining Service, but I seriously doubt that even under new leadership this regulatory agency can manage to oversee such massive corporations. Even if they can, the answer seems to be in a government structure so large and so obtrusive that smaller, innovative firms would be crushed by the size of the federal rulebook. It's a sad and unfortunate state of affairs which bears little resemblance to the America we once enjoyed, based on freedom and consumer choice.
Thus, the BP oil spill teaches us two lessons about Federalism, that oldest of American principles. Today when a disaster occurs, it crushes state and local governments which are already struggling for their survival. As conservatives, we should care about local governments because they provide citizens the most direct control over their own lives, instead of exporting that control to a distant place like Washington. It also demonstrates that the size of modern corporations has created a conundrum. Consumers can no longer hold the corporations accountable, and the task now lies with federal regulators. This, too, has consequences. Congressmen may not ask these questions, but Americans should consider them, because in many ways, the future of the nation hangs in the balance.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
A Message to Alabama Voters: Selecting Statesmen
Like many, I have been inundated with the ads for different political candidates in recent days. With all the mudslinging which occurs on both sides of the aisle, it is easy to lose focus on what is important. Although many Alabamians see only these ads, those who attend the local Republican meetings which candidates frequently attend and offer 2-3 minute speeches on their candidacy witness a different perspective on politics. Having attended a number of these meetings, I have been struck several times by candidates or representatives who use the word 'statesmen' to describe themselves or the candidates they represent. This lends itself to the question, what is a statesman, and how does such a person differ from a mere politician?
Recently, I came across a great definition of statesmanship in the works of Edmund Burke, one of the earliest conservative thinkers. Writing in England in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Burke worried about liberal revolutions such as that in France which uprooted communities and destroyed traditional ways of doing things. It was in this vein that he said: "A disposition to preserve and an ability to improve, taken together, would be my standard of a statesman." These words ought to have strong meaning for Alabama voters going to the polls in the July run-offs and the November general elections.
Richard Weaver, one of the great Southern historians and theorists of the 20th century noted that Southerners were the American Burkeans because they valued traditional ways of doing things. They valued small towns which provided help to individuals without the need of massive federal 'welfare' programs. They valued social relationships such as churches and the friendships they had made in their communities. Conservatives should also respect Burke as one of their earliest thinkers, a man who understood very early on the dangers of liberalism. Burke indicated like no others in his time the dangers of a government which continues to centralize and increase its power, growing bigger and bigger as it grows less responsive to the people.
His words would also have meaning, even if the source were unknown, because they reflect a basic principle of thoughtful good government, something the ancient Greeks called eunomia. Burke's definition defends conservatives against the charge from the Left that they are mere 'reactionaries.' Weaver himself in the mid-20th centuries attempted to develop a justification for Southern values which did not justify racism and discrimination. Burke's definition welcomes the need for change and reform while cautioning against throwing the baby out with the bath water, so to speak. Certain traditions are bad and must be rectified, but tradition itself can also be a good thing which benefits society. A tradition of reciprocity, for instance, or helping one's neighbor, is good and should be maintained for society to function without big government.
What does this mean for Alabamians? I recommend asking the following questions of candidates:
(1) Will you start with the bare minimum of what government must do, focusing on passing a budget instead of passing new spending?
(2) Will you always be attentive to small ways to change problems, particularly ways which rely on the people themselves, instead of the government?
(3) Will you acknowledge a distinction between party and principle, and choose your principles over your party?
(4) Will you be committed to having the government do only what it can do instead of supporting spending where the government may not be able to do what it sets out to do (like healthcare)?
(5) Will you be committed to looking toward long-term solutions to problems instead of merely focusing on your short-term interests for re-election?
These are good questions to ask of any question on a ballot. It's clear that in Alabama today, we need statesmen and politicians. Politicians always focus on polls and short-term fixes for their own aggrandizement. Statesmen are willing to solve problems for generations, possibly resolving them eternally. They may be considered slow to act, but they act appropriately and decisively to solve problems which they know they can solve. They realize that society is complex and cannot be changed easily, and if they act badly, they may make a problem worse.
Recently, I came across a great definition of statesmanship in the works of Edmund Burke, one of the earliest conservative thinkers. Writing in England in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Burke worried about liberal revolutions such as that in France which uprooted communities and destroyed traditional ways of doing things. It was in this vein that he said: "A disposition to preserve and an ability to improve, taken together, would be my standard of a statesman." These words ought to have strong meaning for Alabama voters going to the polls in the July run-offs and the November general elections.
Richard Weaver, one of the great Southern historians and theorists of the 20th century noted that Southerners were the American Burkeans because they valued traditional ways of doing things. They valued small towns which provided help to individuals without the need of massive federal 'welfare' programs. They valued social relationships such as churches and the friendships they had made in their communities. Conservatives should also respect Burke as one of their earliest thinkers, a man who understood very early on the dangers of liberalism. Burke indicated like no others in his time the dangers of a government which continues to centralize and increase its power, growing bigger and bigger as it grows less responsive to the people.
His words would also have meaning, even if the source were unknown, because they reflect a basic principle of thoughtful good government, something the ancient Greeks called eunomia. Burke's definition defends conservatives against the charge from the Left that they are mere 'reactionaries.' Weaver himself in the mid-20th centuries attempted to develop a justification for Southern values which did not justify racism and discrimination. Burke's definition welcomes the need for change and reform while cautioning against throwing the baby out with the bath water, so to speak. Certain traditions are bad and must be rectified, but tradition itself can also be a good thing which benefits society. A tradition of reciprocity, for instance, or helping one's neighbor, is good and should be maintained for society to function without big government.
What does this mean for Alabamians? I recommend asking the following questions of candidates:
(1) Will you start with the bare minimum of what government must do, focusing on passing a budget instead of passing new spending?
(2) Will you always be attentive to small ways to change problems, particularly ways which rely on the people themselves, instead of the government?
(3) Will you acknowledge a distinction between party and principle, and choose your principles over your party?
(4) Will you be committed to having the government do only what it can do instead of supporting spending where the government may not be able to do what it sets out to do (like healthcare)?
(5) Will you be committed to looking toward long-term solutions to problems instead of merely focusing on your short-term interests for re-election?
These are good questions to ask of any question on a ballot. It's clear that in Alabama today, we need statesmen and politicians. Politicians always focus on polls and short-term fixes for their own aggrandizement. Statesmen are willing to solve problems for generations, possibly resolving them eternally. They may be considered slow to act, but they act appropriately and decisively to solve problems which they know they can solve. They realize that society is complex and cannot be changed easily, and if they act badly, they may make a problem worse.
About This Blog
Welcome to the Alabama Political Review, a blog meant to offer thoughtful conservative commentary on public issues with an Alabama focus. I have set up this blog as a resource for voters, legislators, and other policymakers who are interested in thoughts and research from one young Alabamian who wants to make a difference in this state.
As my biography indicates, I have lived in central Alabama almost all my life. I was born in Birmingham, then raised in Wilsonville and the Birmingham suburbs of northern Shelby County. I graduated from Oak Mountain High School in 2007 and then left the state for three years to attend Georgetown University in Washington, DC. I stayed connected to many things Alabama while away, working in Senator Sessions' office for two years. In 2008, I traveled across Alabama in the sweltering days of summer working for Senator Sessions' re-election campaign. Traveling the state and meeting so many people confirmed my lasting interest in Alabama politics and Alabama issues. It also inspired my desire to serve the state by offering thoughts on local, state, and national issues.
While I was at Georgetown, I became interested in the precise issue, what makes a conservative? One of my professors taught me that conservatism is a disposition, or a way of looking at things. It involves a respect for the past, which led me to major in history, and a knowledge of society and its institutions, which led me to major in government. It also requires an interest in thoughtfulness and a willingness to consider ways to govern well in limited fashion. I now hope to use these principles which I studied to contribute in a small way to making this state a better place to live and work.
I hope that you will find these posts informative.
As my biography indicates, I have lived in central Alabama almost all my life. I was born in Birmingham, then raised in Wilsonville and the Birmingham suburbs of northern Shelby County. I graduated from Oak Mountain High School in 2007 and then left the state for three years to attend Georgetown University in Washington, DC. I stayed connected to many things Alabama while away, working in Senator Sessions' office for two years. In 2008, I traveled across Alabama in the sweltering days of summer working for Senator Sessions' re-election campaign. Traveling the state and meeting so many people confirmed my lasting interest in Alabama politics and Alabama issues. It also inspired my desire to serve the state by offering thoughts on local, state, and national issues.
While I was at Georgetown, I became interested in the precise issue, what makes a conservative? One of my professors taught me that conservatism is a disposition, or a way of looking at things. It involves a respect for the past, which led me to major in history, and a knowledge of society and its institutions, which led me to major in government. It also requires an interest in thoughtfulness and a willingness to consider ways to govern well in limited fashion. I now hope to use these principles which I studied to contribute in a small way to making this state a better place to live and work.
I hope that you will find these posts informative.
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