It’s that time of year. That season in most states when members of the respective state legislative branches gather for the annual regular session.
Florida is already in a special session on illegal immigration, Tennessee is in a special session on school choice, and Alabama is going into regular session now. Laws will be passed, taxes raised, lowered, or ignored, and budgets debated and hopefully balanced. A myriad of things will come from the machinations of state government in the next few months.
State legislatures are incredibly important. I know firsthand the impact that a well-run state legislature can have, having served in the Alabama Senate myself. When I was elected and sent to the State Capitol, I became more keenly aware of how much each state House and Senate body can accomplish if they set their minds to it. Or for that matter, how much they can screw up.
It’s easy to become hyper-focused on Congress, or the workings of the U.S. Senate. But have you ever paid any real attention to the folks who decide everything about state and local tax laws, education funding, Medicaid, criminal penalties, prison funding and banning transgender treatments on minors? All of that and more is decided every year by folks who live and work in our hometowns, folks who periodically go to the State Capitol to pass laws.
Have you ever been in one of those “no-lose” situations? We’ve all seen “no-win” situations, but sometimes the stars align, and you find yourself looking at your personal situation and thinking, “Why would I not?” I’ve said before there come times when I pray that way. At times, seeking the Lord’s guidance moves from asking for wisdom in the form of “Lord, should I?” to “Lord, why would I not?”
When all facts, all principles, all gifts and talents seem to align with His Word and His will, there can come that moment when we step into our authority and act. The biggest decisions can actually become the easiest. The facts and circumstances line up in such a way that there’s nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
I asked Charlene to marry me (39 years ago!) and it was a no-brainer. No money, no job, still in school. But I knew the upside. Why would I not?
I went to Army Ranger School with no advance notice. A slot opened up with six days’ notice. It was the only shot I would get. Why would I not?
When I ran for the State Senate, started my own law firm, or kicked off Rightside Radio, I reviewed each opportunity, prayed it through with my wife, and came back to, “Why would I not?”
Each of those no-lose situations involved risk and effort. However, each of those decisions, and others, has been more rewarding than I could have ever asked for or imagined.
The elected leaders of our states need to think along the same lines. As state legislatures convene, they need to know they have a golden opportunity. They are in the middle of one of the most dynamic conservative movements in modern history, a time in which public sentiment has swung decidedly in favor of conservative values, principles and politicians. The recent election cycle was not just a red wave; it was a tsunami!
Every state in the Southeast has a Republican supermajority in their Statehouse. Notably, Alabama, Tennessee and Florida Republicans have such strength in numbers that they literally control their own destiny. But will they? Any state Republican supermajority could act in a decisive and deliberate manner to enact the things they say that they stand for. State voters gave them a supermajority for such as time as this. Why would they not?
In Florida, the Republican majority is squabbling amongst themselves over Republican Gov. Ron Desantis’s call for state-level illegal immigration laws. The bill that finally passed was arguably watered down, going so far as to strip the governor of Florida of his immigration enforcement powers and transfer them to Florida’s secretary of agriculture. The governor may well veto the legislation. Republicans in Florida can pass whatever they want to pass. State and national sentiment is in their favor. Immigration reform from the Florida Capitol - why would they not?
In Tennessee, Republican Gov. Bill Lee called the State House and Senate into special session to enact major school choice legislation. Tennessee parents deserve the ability to determine what is best for their child’s educational needs without being bound to a zip code or a bureaucracy. President Trump signaled overwhelming support for Tennessee’s Education Freedom Act having previously labeled school choice the “civil rights issue of all time.” Tennessee Republicans fought the usual fights, even among themselves. But they got it done and are bringing school choice to Tennessee. Why would they not?
Alabama’s House and Senate go into the annual regular session on Feb. 4. Speculation abounds whether the rarified air in the Alabama Statehouse will be consumed with gambling once again. In 2024, easy layup bills like the “What is a Woman Act” languished. A simple bill to activate porn filters to protect children died on the vine. Backroom debate is ongoing on whether Alabama will address illegal immigration at the state level.
Have they read the room? Do they see the national mandate for a restoration of values? Are they aware of the strength of their position? The Republican supermajority in Alabama can pass anything they want. Lower your taxes? Done. Protect children? Done. Streamline government? Done. Alabama illegal immigration laws? Done.
They must look at the times and realize there will never be another moment like this for conservatives to act, to actually walk in the authority they’ve been granted. Alabama Legislature, why would you not?
The public, who voted for Republican supermajorities, would see that elected officials care about not wasting a mandate. They would see that when they cried out, that the legislature listened. The political winds are at their back. Do something meaningful. Be conservative warriors. It’s a no-lose situation. Why would they not?
To contact Phil or request him for a speaking engagement, go to www.rightsideradio.org.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to Commentary@1819News.com.
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