7 Things: Trump’s tariffs are really here; Alabama impacted; Tuberville appears to want gambling vote; and more …

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April 3, 2025

7. Delta-8 is a synthetic narcotic and some people really want it to be more available and its status legalized. State Rep. Andy Whitt (R-Harvest) proposed legislation regulating “psychoactive cannabinoids,” such as Delta-8, by restricting sales to those over 21, banning inhalable products like vapes and buds, and enforcing labeling, testing, and a five-milligram THC limit under the Alabama ABC Board. The status quo is the Wild West with some convenience store owners in favor of that and others, like the Eagle Forum of Alabama, pushing for an outright ban, calling Delta-8 a backdoor legalization of “recreational marijuana,” which it is. Some lawmakers questioned the bill’s scope and no vote was taken.

6. Alabama’s largest media outlet continues to mislead people AND advocate for people that harm unborn fetuses. They are now suggesting the seven states that investigated some miscarriages and stillbirths as crimes are doing something wrong. They are continuing to target Alabama residents who use drugs while pregnant under a state law focusing on the “chemical endangerment of a child,” which has led to 20 women being prosecuted in 19 years. The outlet moans about Arkansas law against concealing miscarriages and Ohio’s laws against abusing of a corpses, and whines about Georgia prosecuting a woman for putting a fetus in a dumpster, as if she is a victim.

5. The proposed $3.7 million Alabama General Fund Budget has Sen. Rodger Smitherman (D-Birmingham) vowing to stop cuts for the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute ($100,000) and the Magic City Classic ($200,000), saying he will use Senate filibuster rules to block the cuts if not reversed. After the House Ways and Means General Fund Committee endorsed Gov. Kay Ivey’s budget stripping these funds, Smitherman, backed by Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro), secured assurances from Republican budget chairmen Rep. Rex Reynolds and Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore) for a review, though specifics remain unclear.

4. U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville was not moved by protests at the University of Alabama, that included Planned Parenthood for some reason, and he supports the ICE detention of Alireza Doroudi, an Iranian doctoral student at the University of Alabama, arrested due to “significant national security concerns.” Tuberville (R-Auburn) argues that non-citizens who break U.S. laws, especially on college campuses, should be sent home. He blamed the Biden administration for costly immigration failures and said that Border Czar Tom Homan and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem will continue targeting criminal immigrants, including illegal immigrants noting that “this is America” and its laws must be followed.

3. Tuberville (R-Auburn) may be running for governor and it appears he wants the gambling issue to be handled sooner rather than later. The senator addressed Alabama’s gambling debate by saying that lawmakers should listen to their constituents on the matter. Tuberville also seems to believe the people should be given some sort of option, without going into details, “So, again, let’s look and see what happens, you know, with the Legislature if they come up with any good ideas that can pass to where they think the Alabama taxpayer will look at it and vote for it, one way or the other.”

2. Mercedes Benz, with a major plant in Alabama, was preparing for President Donald Trump’s tariffs by building up its U.S. wholesale and dealer inventory ahead of the potential 25% auto tariffs as a strategy to mitigate a projected $1.7 billion loss and cost them 14% of its operating profit. Because the company imported two-thirds of its 324,500 U.S.-sold vehicles last year and used mostly European components in its Tuscaloosa-made SUVs, with only 10% to 40% U.S./Canadian providers, it is concerned about increases in consumer prices and complications to its operations.

1. President Donald Trump announced “Liberation Day” tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House. They include a 10% tariff on all imports with higher “reciprocal” tariffs to over 180 countries, including 34% on China, 24% on Japan, and 20% on the European Union. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is warning countries against retaliation, stating it would lead to escalation, which seems inevitable. But Bessent said countries are already “coming to the table.” The reaction in the U.S. Senate has been somewhat bipartisan. A Democrat-led resolution by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) with co-sponsor Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) to undo Trump’s tariffs on Canada passed the Senate 51-48, with Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), voting for it despite a White House veto threat.

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