Equal Justice Under Law. These words written above the main entrance to the Supreme Court Building in Washington, express the ultimate responsibility of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Court is the highest tribunal in the Nation for all cases and controversies arising under the Constitution or the laws of the United States. As the final arbiter of the law, the Court is charged with ensuring the American people the promise of equal justice under law and, thereby, also functions as guardian and interpreter of the Constitution.
If we truly have equal justice under law in our country which includes our state, then why are the Poarch Creek Indians permitted to operate casinos making millions of dollars and those of us who cannot possibly claim to be in their category of humankind forbidden from such activity? I thought the law applied equally to all.
It is clearly an issue that should be litigated on the basis of discrimination by the state.
Attorney General Luther Strange has initiated a lawsuit challenging the legality of the Poarch Creek’s electronic bingo machines in the face of the Poarch Creek expansion underway in Wetumpka. This would nearly triple the number of the number of electronic bingo machines to 2,500. The U. S. Government has filed a brief in the case asking the court to toss out Strange’s suit.
However, the state of Michigan has filed a brief supporting Alabama’s side in the case.
House Speaker’s contracts questioned
The Birmingham News reports that House Speaker Mike Hubbard has gone to the staff of the Alabama Ethics Commission twice recently to discuss contracts his company, The Auburn Network, was negotiating. This included a $144,000-a-year contract for him to be an economic development consultant.
Hubbard’s company has agreements to provide consulting work to the Southeast Alabama Gas District and also to an organization that promotes the interest of independent pharmacists.
The Speaker said his company does business development work for the Bessemer-based American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc., a group purchasing organization which represents independent pharmacists in 23 states. Hubbard said he only works on out-of-state matters for the group.
“They are a client of Auburn Network Incorporated which means it’s not solely me doing work for them, but I do get involved in it. We help to build and market their brand and business development. We don’t do any work for them in Alabama. It’s only in states other than Alabama,” Hubbard told The News.
Please Mr. Speaker, spare us the politically required denials.
Capital City homicides skyrocket
At its current rate Montgomery will record the highest numbers of homicides ever in a single year. The 32nd homicide occurred last Friday.
Last year, the city had 32 homicides. In 1975 Montgomery recorded 58 homicides the highest number since the police department started tracking the numbers.
Montgomery Police Chief Kevin Murphy says violent crime is the most difficult number to predict, particularly when and where it will occur. He said the department has developed several initiatives this year to get illegal guns off the streets, enlisting the help of a psychologist and area pastors to help reach those living in the communities and consulting with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Authorities say they don’t know what is causing the spike in homicides this year, and they hope it is not a sign of a continuing trend.
Again, Thank God for Mississippi
Dr. Allen Perkins, Professor and Chair of Family Medicine at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine wrote last week that the Center for Disease Control provided the latest look at how long people will live after age 65 and what percent of those later years are predicted to be healthy. “Alabamians, as usual,” he wrote “are not as healthy as most Americans.” The average Alabamian who is currently 65 years old can be expected to live to age 82.5, slightly better than the average Mississippian and West Virginian. However, he/she will start feeling poorly by age 77.
For those in Alabama who feel like moving, Hawaiians live to age 86 and are healthy on average until age 81.
Bob Martin is editor and publisher of The Montgomery Independent.