Opinion - Decaturdaily.com

Who will speak for the people?

We hate taxes. Primed for decades by big business and the elected officials who receive their contributions, we have fallen for the idea that all taxes are bad. We assume a tax increase comes out … more

2/10/12 | 227 views | 5 comments

Take pride in city parking problem

The city is wise to plan for parking shortages in downtown Decatur, but it is a good problem to have. A few years ago, the city’s downtown was dying. The few retailers attracted by the low rent … more

2/9/12 | 229 views | 8 comments

Bentley punts on solutions

Our guess is that Gov. Robert Bentley has both the wisdom and the compassion to know what this state needs. His failure to offer solutions Tuesday night represented not a lack of understanding but … more

2/9/12 | 257 views | 9 comments

City rebuffs its voters

The Decatur City Council stepped into perilous territory Monday when it approved a redistricting plan that voters rejected in a 2010 referendum. The council approved a five-district plan that … more

2/8/12 | 248 views | 5 comments

Examine charter school idea

The mere fact that self-interested financial interests support an idea is not a reason for voters to reject it, but it is a reason for them to evaluate the idea with skepticism. Charter schools … more

2/7/12 | 505 views | 6 comments

Pets’ vaccinations can be hazardous

To The Daily: I want to issue a warning to all pet lovers. I had a wonderful 15-year-old female cat that had been healthy and active. Several months ago, I noticed a lump on her back, below her … more

2/7/12 | 313 views | 2 comments

Gaffe silliness

The uproar over GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s latest rhetorical gaffe was largely contrived. Liberals — and of course Newt Gingrich — had conniptions over a statement Romney made … more

2/6/12 | 186 views | 2 comments

GOP’s bad bailout logic

Conservatives need to choose between conflicting talking points. On the one hand, they fault President Barack Obama for bailing out U.S. automakers. On the other hand, they blame Obama for the … more

2/6/12 | 238 views | 9 comments

Technology erodes Constitution

Activist judges are popularly blamed for the loss of U.S. civil liberties. By refusing to strictly construe the U.S. Constitution, many argue, they have given the federal government too much power … more

2/5/12 | 377 views | 1 comment

Reversing decades of progress

The national unemployment rate dropped again in January, which means in two weeks — when state and local numbers are compiled — Alabamians again will be treated to the spectacle of state … more

2/5/12 | 323 views | 8 comments