Public Policy Geek
If you'd like to understand just how big of a public policy geek I am, I read this whole article. During martini hour. (I make up for it in lack of graphic skills. I don't know how to put a smiley face at the end of this. And don't care.)
Dillon’s Rule and Home Rule: The History Behind the Two Prevailing Views on the Powers of Local Government and What That Looks Like in Alabama
"Perhaps one of the most unknown, yet very controversial
topics in law and local government is the amount of power county, city,
and town (“local”) governments should be given to govern their
respective areas. The amount of power local governments hold largely
depends on how the state in which the local government sits views the
power structure of state and local government."
Having grown up and lived most of my life in Georgia, I had no idea how screwed up the State of Alabama really is. For instance, I was reading the NYTimes today and noticed Arizona has exceeded Alabama in population.
Alabama 1970 -- 3,444,165
Alabama 2020 -- 5,024,279
Arizona 1970 -- 1,770,900
Arizona 2020 -- 7,151,502
You can compare whatever other state you'd like on Wikipedia (the greatest thing since sliced bread).
Alabama is lush. It has incredible, geographic and biological diversity. From the sea to (small) mountains. Mobile is a seaport with a French background. Birmingham was an industrial powerhouse: Coal and steel. Huntsville took us to the Moon. NASA, Redstone and a research center.
How do you take all that, put it together and fall behind Arizona?
Well...perhaps the lack of "Home Rule" had something to do with it. Or the politics of hate. Or maybe both.
Having grown up and lived most of my life in Georgia, I had no idea how screwed up the State of Alabama really is. For instance, I was reading the NYTimes today and noticed Arizona has exceeded Alabama in population.
Alabama 1970 -- 3,444,165
Alabama 2020 -- 5,024,279
Arizona 1970 -- 1,770,900
Arizona 2020 -- 7,151,502
You can compare whatever other state you'd like on Wikipedia (the greatest thing since sliced bread).
Alabama is lush. It has incredible, geographic and biological diversity. From the sea to (small) mountains. Mobile is a seaport with a French background. Birmingham was an industrial powerhouse: Coal and steel. Huntsville took us to the Moon. NASA, Redstone and a research center.
How do you take all that, put it together and fall behind Arizona?
Well...perhaps the lack of "Home Rule" had something to do with it. Or the politics of hate. Or maybe both.
Don Brown
May 5, 2024
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