Advertisement
March 14, 2010
Jennifer Foster: Let’s talk about China, Tiger and Blagojevich
I read a column this week by a woman whose former colleague periodically wrote a feature he referred to as “shaking out the reporter’s notebook.” It was all those things that he found interesting but didn’t deem worthy of standalone space.
March 08, 2010
Jennifer Foster: Exploring misconceptions about constitutional convention
At the end of my column last week, I noted the hypocrisy inherent in the let-the-people-vote mentality that has been adopted by gambling supporters vis-à-vis constitutional reform efforts.
March 01, 2010
Jennifer Foster: Summit provided rare, intriguing look at lawmakers at work
I hope you caught some of the televised health care summit Thursday.
February 22, 2010
Jennifer Foster: We’re to blame for poisonous partisanship
U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), once on the short list as Barack Obama considered prospective vice presidential nominees, announced Monday that he would not seek re-election this year.
February 15, 2010
Jennifer Foster: Voter rage is serious, despite Palin’s palmprompter
Sarah Palin was front and center again this week after headlining a national convention for adherents to the Tea Party movement Saturday.
February 10, 2010
Jennifer Foster: Gambling drama shifts from courts to Legislature
Weeks of tense attempted raids of Alabama’s gaming megaplexes and the legal maneuvering being done to avoid them culminated Thursday in an Alabama Supreme Court decision to lift a temporary injunction barring the Governor’s Task Force on Illegal Gambling from raiding VictoryLand in Shorter.
February 01, 2010
Jennifer Foster: Getting the best from gubernatorial hopefuls
Lee County Republicans were treated to an entertaining evening with four of their seven gubernatorial candidates in attendance at a forum Thursday night.
January 24, 2010
Jennifer Foster: Obama and Democrats aren’t doomed … yet
A Republican will succeed Ted Kennedy in the United States Senate.
January 17, 2010
Jennifer Foster: Politics dominates dueling pre-session speeches
Gov. Bob Riley struck an aggressive tone in his final State of the State address Tuesday, challenging lawmakers to fulfill ethics promises that have been unmet for years and ridiculing as “the biggest hustle in the history of Alabama” gambling proponents’ argument that legalizing slot machines will generate new revenue for the cash-strapped state budget.
January 10, 2010
Jennifer Foster: PACT problems, health care further eroding trust in government
It’s been a bad two weeks for those of us who want to be able to trust our government.
January 03, 2010
Jennifer Foster: Political story lines will abound in 2010
As we turn the corner into a new decade, here’s a look at some of the storylines that will shape the political world over the next 12 months:
December 26, 2009
Jennifer Foster: Great Christmas gifts are life lessons from Santa
Are you cleaning up after Santa? I remember the elaborate evidence he left behind when I was a kid – cookie crumbs, half-empty glasses of milk, hastily scrawled notes, those footprints in the carpet.
December 20, 2009
Jennifer Foster: Don’t hate the players; change the game
Two health care-related developments this week demonstrated why the U.S. Senate is home to the country’s most exasperating people – and why it may not be the people we should blame.
December 13, 2009
Jennifer Foster: Optimistic Riley readies for final legislative session
Facing his final year as governor, Bob Riley called reporters this week to drum up support for his legislative agenda and express hope that this year, things in the Alabama Legislature will be different.
Once again, Riley will pitch ethics reform, and he believes it is central to the state’s future.
December 06, 2009
Jennifer Foster: Obama’s plan for Afghan surge depends on more than troops
President Obama announced a surge in U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan in a nationally televised address before West Point cadets in New York on Tuesday night.
November 29, 2009
Jennifer Foster: What constitutes success in Afghan war?
President Obama will announce this week his decision regarding the future of America’s military action in Afghanistan.
November 23, 2009
Jennifer Foster: It’s hard being Davis – and that’s good for Alabama
It’s tough being Artur Davis. In the span of just over a week, Davis has taken hits for being black – and then, not black enough.
November 15, 2009
Jennifer Foster: To honor veterans, make a lifelong commitment
How did you spend your Veterans Day? I spent mine on crutches. Somehow, I did something awful to my foot. I hobbled around all day Tuesday in terrible pain. The crutches I got at my doctor’s appointment Wednesday at least provided a way of getting around that didn’t leave me seeing stars.
November 08, 2009
Jennifer Foster: Exactly what are they afraid of?
I learned a long time ago not to attend political forums with the expectation of getting straight answers from candidates.
November 02, 2009
Jennifer Foster: Political e-mail—Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
If you’re a regular reader of this space, you know that I frequently lament the phenomenon that is politics-by-e-mail.
October 26, 2009
Jennifer Foster: Roundup week: Johnson, AEA and partisan punditry
It’s roundup week – the time when we hit a variety of topics.
October 19, 2009
Jennifer Foster: Ivey’s attack on Davis goes beyond puzzling
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Artur Davis this week rolled out his “Taxpayer Protection Plan,” which he says will save Alabamians an estimated $664 million a year.
October 12, 2009
Jennifer Foster: The moral imperative in health care debate
Let’s talk about health care as a moral imperative. I’ve watched the back-and-forth over the last few months between a local pastor who writes a regular column for the Religion page and various folks who have responded to what he’s said about the issue.
October 05, 2009
Jennifer Foster: Think critically about campaign promises you hear
Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bill Johnson this week became the first candidate to sign a pledge to return more gasoline tax money to Madison County for road funding.
September 28, 2009
Jennifer Foster: Consider the words, not just the speaker
Let’s play a little game. You’ve undoubtedly heard about the way newspapers, especially daily newspapers in midsize and large markets, have been shedding staff members by the dozens to try to cut expenses.
September 21, 2009
Jennifer Foster: D.C. rife with politicians, statesmen in short supply
U.S. Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) rolled out his health care proposal this week to much fanfare and attention … well, from the media, anyway.
September 14, 2009
Jennifer Foster: Finally, Obama shows the way on health care
In this space last week, I offered a list of things President Obama should do in his speech to Congress to help right the health care debate that went so wrong this summer.
September 05, 2009
Jennifer Foster: Righting health reform from A to Z
President Obama will address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday to try to get a handle on the health care debate that is roiling the country and starting to spiral out of control.
September 02, 2009
Foster: Ted Kennedy, paradoxes and partisanship
America bid its final farewell Saturday to U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy.
August 22, 2009
Jennifer Foster: How to clean up the health care reform mess
Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a big project that has become a big mess?
