We Republicans must demand better – By Bart Starr Jr. (The Montgomery Advertiser) / June 21, 2022
What admirable qualities are held by historically accomplished leaders such as George Patton, Nick Saban, and Oprah Winfrey? It’s not just intelligence and work ethic. They all possess two key traits: (1) the ability to remain open minded and adapt to changing conditions, and (2) they bring out the best in those looking to their leadership. Let’s apply this standard to Alabama’s political leaders.
While we Alabamians are finally seeing significant progress in our state’s economic growth, we trail most of our fellow Southern states over the past 20 years. In order to finally match and surpass them, long-term, we must retain our hometown young talent and recruit skilled individuals from other states. Accomplishing this objective requires us to present a forward looking, welcoming image, especially at the highest levels. We have business leaders from Huntsville all the way south to Mobile who possess the innovative skills to succeed and to help us generate new sources of revenue for our state. We need more.
This growth, and resulting tax revenues, can support badly needed healthcare facilities in rural areas, which alone could save lives and allow thousands to get on a path toward better long-term health (leading to a virtuous rather than a vicious loop). Growth can also help level the educational playing field for students in underserved schools, allowing many more students to achieve their potential and reversing the cycle of poverty that plagues too many areas in Alabama.
