The results?

No more than 10 can gather in one place and most businesses can’t be open to the public under these rules.

What is the purpose of this step-by-step piecemeal approach? We have seen a slow trickle of new rules put out every day.

There shouldn’t be public gatherings at all at this point — just stay home.

If you need something, go get it and then go back home.

Bars are still serving drinks in certain “entertainment districts,” with people still congregating outside these establishments. People are still visiting with each other and playing basketball in public parks.

Most are taking this pandemic seriously, but more need to.

The force of a statewide “shelter-in-place” order will drive that home.

Penalties for violations (equivalent to misdemeanors) will help.

Tuscaloosa, Birmingham and others have already issued local orders going further than the state. That’s fine, but it will not be enough for Alabama as a whole.

Ultimately, everyone agrees that this is crushing small and big businesses alike, which is why President Donald Trump wants the economy opened up as soon as possible. The best way to make that happen is to expedite a decline in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases. That number will spike as more testing is done and results are revealed.

Businesses want to stay open as long as they can, which is understandable — but they are getting crushed anyway, and dragging this out won’t help them. Rather, it is only delaying the inevitable.

We need to take our medicine, stomp our feet and get better.

If we shelter-in-place, the number of new confirmed cases will drop faster, and life can go back to normal quicker.

President Trump’s guidelines focus on local success; we don’t need New York to fix itself to go back to work in Alabama.

Dragging this out will not make businesses in the Yellowhammer State open up faster, it will actually prolong this ridiculousness.

We need this over as soon as possible.

Bipartisan leaders in the state agree.

Alabama’s House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels:

huntsville should shelter in place before lives are lost. That’s if we have not already lost lives. #onelifelostisonetoomany

— Anthony Daniels (@AnthonyDaniels) March 27, 2020

Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth:

Wake up Alabama. I said it earlier,
This is a serious situation and is becoming more and more threatening everyday. It WILL spread exponentially in the future and we must slow it down now. Everyone MUST follow the orders given and practice social distancing to protect lives. https://t.co/4FfXjuwTzR

— Will Ainsworth (@willainsworthAL) March 25, 2020

A review of the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic shows that aggressive “non-pharmaceutical intervention” didn’t hurt the economy of communities that implemented them more than communities that didn’t. In fact, they recovered better afterwards.

Study of 1918 flu: Cities that imposed social distancing performed no worse economically than those that didn’t — and did better afterward https://t.co/QBgjJmuf4H pic.twitter.com/RbXtvTOf5q

— HotAir.com (@hotairblog) March 26, 2020

What is Governor Ivey waiting for?

We currently have 580+ cases of coronavirus and four deaths. Is there a magic number that would trigger a broader order?

Can she tell us what that magic number is?

Three thousand cases? A hundred deaths?

This will get worse before it gets better.

We need to get it better faster. We need leadership, not delay tactics and hand-wringing.

The is incredibly simple. Governor Kay Ivey will issue a shelter-in-place order at some point in the near future. She might as well do it now and help us get this over with.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

• In the stimulus package passed by the U.S. Senate, American citizens who file taxes individually are to receive $1,200 and those who file jointly will receive $2,400, but any nonresident immigrants in the country don’t qualify for benefits from the stimulus package. 
• U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) took to Twitter to voice her displeasure with the stimulus package, saying, “What Trump + Senate GOP have done is hold hospitals, working people, and the vulnerable hostage so they could get in $500 billion (that will be leveraged into $4T) in corporate welfare.”

5. Cam Ward still wants to see prison reform

• With the coronavirus bringing meetings in the Alabama legislature to a halt, it may be more difficult to get business done in the state, but State Senator Cam Ward (R-Alabaster) still wants to see prison reform in this legislative session. 
• Ward has described the issues with the prison system as “urgent,” and he’s said that we “could see a situation where we come back in the first of May” and working until May 18. He added “a lot of the bills are still in position that if we came in, they’re one step closer to passing. I think we can do it still.”

4. Trump is changing the rules

• President Donald Trump said that the social distancing guidelines could change based on a county’s risk of the coronavirus. In a letter sent to governors, Trump said, “There is still a long battle ahead, but our efforts are already paying dividends.”
• Trump also said that some of this will rely on expanding testing, which will “enable us to publish criteria, developed in close coordination with the Nation’s public health officials and scientists, to help classify counties with respect to continued risks posed by the virus.”

3. Many believe Alabama needs to shelter-in-place

• With 500+ coronavirus cases and growing, Governor Kay Ivey has said that there are no current plans for a shelter-in-place order across the state, but now Democrats like Alabama House of Representatives Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) are calling for a statewide lockdown. 
• State Representative Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa) tweeted, “If nothing is done, someone will lose his or her life not because of the virus, but because our hospitals will not have the resources available to save them.” U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) has said that state officials need to enact “stringent measures” to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 

2. Unemployment has skyrocketed in Alabama

• Since Sunday, 48,191 people in Alabama have filed for unemployment, and by comparison, only 5,819 Alabamians filed for unemployment in all of February. 
• Even during the worst week of the 2007-2009 recession, Alabama saw 20,894 unemployment claims filed, and the United States Department of Labor has reported 3.28 million unemployment claims last week. 

1. Schools closed for the rest of the school year but instruction isn’t over

• Governor Kay Ivey has announced that with the coronavirus continuing to spread throughout the state, K-12 schools need to come up with a plan for “alternative methods of instruction as established by the State Superintendent of Education” by April 6 to finish out the school year.
• Not going back to the classroom had already been recommended by Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth, who said that the coronavirus is a “serious situation and calls for serious measures,” and there are several other states in the country that have opted to keep schools closed for the remainder of the academic year.

• A group of students from the University of South Alabama have been stranded in Peru due to the coronavirus outbreak, but U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope) has announced that the students are coming back to the states. 
• The students were stuck in Peru when borders were closed on March 17, and Byrne said that he’s “thankful to all who worked so hard to ensure this positive outcome.”

5. Republicans want the economy considered

• U.S. Representative Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) has come out saying that the economy needs to be considered when coronavirus precautions are taken, saying, “[A]s we look beyond the crisis, we must consider that the economic damage could cripple the country.”
• Aderholt also said that he hopes the timeline of people getting back to work will be “weeks not months.” U.S. Rep Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) agreed in a radio interview that a good economy was only on pause until the spread of the virus is contained, adding that “once we get past this the economy is going to rebound.”

4. Legislative meetings might as well be postponed officially

• Today, the Alabama House of Representatives was supposed to continue its legislative session, but due to the coronavirus outbreak, meetings have been postponed and it’s unclear when things will resume as the Alabama Senate is on spring break until at least March 31. 
• Technically, Speaker of the House Mac McCutcheon will be there to carry out the meeting, but no business can be conducted without at least 53 members in attendance and everyone has been told to stay home. It’s expected McCutcheon will announce plans for future meetings on Tuesday, and the Senate is expected to make a decision on meetings the same day. 

3. Alabama hospitals don’t have a ton of availability

• Alabama Hospital Association CEO and President Don Williams said that during the coronavirus outbreak, “If we’re lucky, hospitals may be slammed but they’ll remain within their capacity.”
• Alabama has 14,790 hospital beds, and usually, 75% of those beds are full on a normal day. Williams said that they “have to prepare for the worst-case scenario and hope that doesn’t happen.”

2. The $2.2 trillion economic stimulus for the coronavirus pandemic passes the Senate

• The bill passed after Republicans called out a “major drafting error” in unemployment benefits in the coronavirus stimulus package, and now U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) is saying that he’ll “put a hold on this bill” if Republicans don’t “drop their objections,” but it passed anyway.
• Misgivings on both sides over particular issues were ignored and the 880-page bill passed unanimously. It now moves to the House.

1. Jackson County courthouse employee is Alabama’s first coronavirus death 

• A part-time Jackson County courthouse employee who did not have regular contact with the public is Alabama’s first death, but will likely not be the last death with an Alabama connection. None of her coworkers have experienced any symptoms.
• Lt Gov. Will Ainsworth wants to make sure Alabamians are taking the outbreak seriously, saying, “This is a serious situation and is becoming more and more threatening everyday. It WILL spread exponentially in the future and we must slow it down now. Everyone MUST follow the orders given and practice social distancing to protect lives. “

• A public service announcement featuring University of Alabama football coach Nick Saban to let people know that they need to “wash your hands often, stay at home if at all possible” and to stay at least six feet away from people in public.
• These recommendations have been made by the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Saban ended the message reassuring people that “we will get through these difficult times.”

5. Birmingham ordered to shelter-in-place

• Birmingham City Council has voted to order citizens to shelter-in-place by request of Mayor Randall Woodfin, with Jefferson County having at least 90 of the 215 cases of coronavirus in Alabama.
• The order will remain in effect until April 3, but it notes, “Those purposes include work; visiting essential businesses like grocery stores, financial institutions and gas stations; retrieving curbside pickup from restaurants.” This is a little different than what most are doing already but not following it could get you 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.

4. Majority approves of how Trump has handled coronavirus

• A new Gallup poll shows that a majority of Americans approve of how President Donald Trump has handled the coronavirus outbreak, with 60% approving.
• If split into parties, 94% of Republicans approve of Trump’s handling of the virus and 27% of Democrats approve. Trump’s overall approval rating is at 49%.

3. No shelter-in-place order for Alabama, according to Ivey

• Governor Kay Ivey and Alabama Department of Public Health’s Dr. Scott Harris answered questions over a conference call about the coronavirus in Alabama, and Ivey said that there are no plans as of right now to put out a “shelter-in-place” order for the state.
• Ivey stressed that “we are not California, we’re not New York, we aren’t even Louisiana,” adding that she’s focusing on keeping the state’s “economy going as much as possible while we take extraordinary measures to keep everyone healthy and safe.”

2. Trump hopes to open the country back up by Easter

• While in an interview with Fox News’ Bill Hemmer, President Donald Trump discussed the coronavirus and said that getting people back to work is “absolutely possible” by Easter, but that things like social distancing, not shaking hands and washing your hands would have to continue, though.
• Trump also discussed the possible long term effects that a shutdown could cause, saying that some people could “lose their jobs maybe to never get them back” and that people “are going to lose their businesses never to get them back.” He added, “The cure is worse than the problem.”

1. Stimulus deal is finally reached

• A $2 trillion stimulus deal has been struck between the White House and congressional leaders to provide stimulus to a battered American economy. The hope is that it will stop businesses from firing workers and will give confidence to the American people.
• Included in the package is $1,200 for most citizens, an additional $500 per each child, $500 billion for loan distressed companies, $50 billion for airlines, four months of unemployment benefits (including the self-employed). The deal also allows the Small Business Administration to serve as a guarantor for loans of up to $10 billion so they can pay payrolls and debts. Additionally, the bill provides $130 billion for hospitals and $150 billion for state and local governments that are cash-strapped due to their response to the coronavirus.

But the American media can’t report that honestly.

Trump says he wants country 'opened up' by Easter, despite caution from health expertshttps://t.co/lOIoBx8qmR pic.twitter.com/zxnOzGsQt4

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) March 24, 2020

Breaking News: President Trump said he wanted the U.S. opened up and “raring to go by Easter” on April 12, defying the warnings of health expertshttps://t.co/AwykKSRLq6 https://t.co/136204TR1m

— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 24, 2020

Americans are not as stupid as the media and their Democrats think they are. They know when the president says he wants the country open, he isn’t referencing areas like New York City and other regions where the disease is raging.

They also know he isn’t suggesting a return to normalcy for everyone. He is suggesting a relaxing of suggestions and regulations on a case-by-case basis.

What most don’t know is that a large portion of these rules and restrictions are coming from the local governments, the states, cities and counties that make up these United States.

The people want to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

U.S. Representative Robert Aderholt (AL-04) struck an optimistic tone on WVNN radio, saying, “[I]t’s going to be months, but I don’t think months in regard that we’re going to be the way we are today.”

Aderholt also voiced support for President Trump’s notion that we will open some areas of the country as the situation warrant.

“I think we’re going to get through this,” he told “The Dale Jackson Show.” “Our country’s very strong, but I fully support, you know, what he’s saying in regard to let’s look at areas we can open up.”

The media, including some locally, think they always know best.

If @realDonaldTrump tells everyone to go back to normal next week, don’t do it. If @GovernorKayIvey says it’s OK, don’t do it. This is a death cult and you don’t have to follow it to where it’s going. Stay home.

— Kyle Whitmire (@WarOnDumb) March 23, 2020

My takeaway:

I would say this is reckless, but what is the point? This is the exact same outlet that suggested that over 50% of Alabama will be getting sick and 25,000 will probably die with a much larger death toll likely.

If Alabama is lucky and sees a death rate of 1 percent, 25,000 people could die. In an average year, 50,000 people in Alabama die of all causes. And it’s possible, if nothing is done, that the death toll could be worse.

Sure, why not?

As of this moment, over 18,000 are dead out of the more than 407,000 infected worldwide.

These people in the media are reckless, irresponsible and are directly causing the destruction of our small businesses and the American dream.

They want an indefinite shutdown of the American economy — to hell with the consequences.

Remember what they are doing to your way of life right now and, more importantly, remember why they are doing it.

Listen: 

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

Fear is also doing its part in keeping cash registers quiet. Health professionals have doled out the advice they are suited to give: don’t go near anyone else.

Even in an increasingly digital economy isolation has a devastating effect on communities and families across the state. Not everyone can work virtually. Brick and mortar locations will always matter.

Businesses not ordered to close are facing shut down for a lack of traffic. Perhaps most harmful is the complete lack of consumer confidence driven by the uncertainty.

The ripple effect taking place across our economy is difficult to overstate.

The National Federation of Independent Business, which touts itself as “the voice of small business,” released the results of a survey of its members this week. According to the survey, 76% of small business owners have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. This is up substantially from a survey 10 days earlier in which 25% said they had been negatively impacted. It’s reasonable to think that number will eclipse 90% in the coming days.

Some leaders are beginning to fully realize the problem we’re facing. To “fully” realize the problem requires an understanding that health considerations simply cannot be separated from economic considerations.

On Friday, State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) remarked that he had questions about some of the decisions which have been made.

Orr astutely pointed out that the impact on employers in many cases will be permanent.

“It takes much longer to start a business back up if it hadn’t gone into total bankruptcy and failure than it does to just shut her down,” he noted.

At a briefing on Monday, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson reiterated that his city’s “first and foremost concern is the health of our citizens.” However, he also was firm in his belief that the long-term effect on the economy has to be taken into account when making decisions.

Stimpson reasoned, “[W]e can’t let the health crisis become an economic crisis more than what it already is.”

Watchdogs are obsessing over the number of doctors present at government briefings. It’s time for economists and members of the business community to share the stage, too. Their voices need to be heard equally in rooms where decisions are being made.

Health professionals have made invaluable contributions to the effort to limit the spread of COVID-19. In a mere two weeks, they have fueled possibly the most effective public information campaign in history. People are consumed with maintaining proper hygiene. People are spraying, wiping and washing at every opportunity.

We’ve all been trained. People are much better equipped to take precautions now than they were two weeks ago.

It’s impossible to know the number of people who have been exposed to the virus, have the virus or will get the virus. There is a prominent line of thought in the medical community that we are all going to get sick, at some point. A lot of decisions are being made assuming data that does not actually exist.

We’re approaching two weeks into what amounts to government-imposed and self-imposed time off. It sounds like a third week is all but certain. That’s not all that much different than the French in a normal year.

Fortunately, we’re not France.

The time is getting close to when people need to return to the world and rebuild before it becomes too late. They will take their training with them. Businesses will surely employ precautions which make their customers most comfortable. If it takes extra space and wipes to close a sale, then that’s what they will provide.

The freedom to show what we’re made of is what our leaders should soon provide.

Tim Howe is an owner of Yellowhammer Multimedia

• Governor Kay Ivey has announced that Alabama’s state tax day will follow the federal tax day and be pushed back to July 15. 
• Ivey says that this move is to help “reduce the burden upon Alabamians and get folks back on their feet financially. The safety and wellbeing of Alabamians is the paramount priority as we do everything within our power to mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus.”

5. Absentee ballots accepted for runoff

• Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill is emphasizing that absentee ballots will be accepted for the postponed runoff date of July 14. 
• Merrill brought this up for those who are concerned about the coronavirus. The deadline to register to vote in the runoff is June 29. 

4. Trump floats lifting “restrictions”

• Nationwide restrictions over the coronavirus have hit the economy very hard, and with one week left in the initial round of restrictions, President Donald Trump is signaling that he really wants to “reopen the economy.” He said, “This is a medical problem. We are not going to let it turn into a long-lasting financial problem.”
• The media and their Democrats have reacted to this notion with absolute attacks, op-eds and dishonesty while there has been no directive, and Trump’s suggestions have absolutely no teeth. However, the entire premise of Trump’s comments is that we can’t shut down the American economy for months and he will look at lessening the restrictions in some areas while leaving them on in other places.

3. Coronavirus numbers

• Alabama Department of Public Health’s Dr. Scott Harris held a press conference to address the state of the coronavirus, saying that a majority of cases are still in Jefferson County, followed by Shelby, Madison and Lee counties. 
• By the numbers, about 53% of patients are male, patients range from ages 2-97, roughly 7% of those are hospitalized with some in the ICU, and there are currently 17 coronavirus testing sites throughout the state, but they’re working to have 25 open by the end of the week. 

2. Jones flip-flopped

• U.S. Senator Doug Jones (D-AL) initially voted to block the coronavirus relief package and then within 24 hours changed his vote to support the legislation. Jones is the sole U.S. Senator breaking from his Democrat colleagues. 
• Originally, Jones sided with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) after she came out opposing the bill, but Jones has claimed that he was “embarrassed” about the partisan arguing over the bill. 

1. Democrats want to weaponize the coronavirus stimulus package

• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) voiced opposition to the coronavirus stimulus package and then released her own that included many unrelated items such as paying off $10,000 of student debt per person, bringing back the “Obamaphone” program, diversity mandates, climate change, voting rules and mandating airlines to reduce carbon emissions. 
• The legislation would also prevent colleges from giving citizenship status information and forgiving the U.S. Postal Service debt. National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Michael McAdams said, “People are dying and all Nancy Pelosi and Democrats can focus on is ripping off the American taxpayer to help pay for their liberal wish list of government handouts.”

• U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) will remain in quarantine as he has been diagnosed with the coronavirus. A statement put out by Paul’s staff says he’s “asymptomatic” and is “not aware of any direct contact with an infected person.”
• Due to his contact with Paul, U.S. Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) will be self-quarantining for the next two weeks. Claims have been made that Paul went to the gym after learning his diagnosis, but his staff has deemed those claims “false & irresponsible.”

5. Small businesses can receive assistance in Alabama

• Small businesses and non-profits in Alabama are eligible for benefits under the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan, as announced by Governor Kay Ivey.
• This will hopefully assist small businesses that have seen a major drop in business due to the coronavirus. Ivey said, “Small businesses represent the backbone of Alabama’s economy, and many of them need immediate help in these trying times.”

4. Travel restrictions and social distancing are helping

• The United States is and will continue to be impacted by the coronavirus, but National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci said that travel restrictions with China will help the United States from seeing a situation as severe as Italy.
• Fauci did say that he wasn’t sure why the virus has been so bad in Europe, but explained, “One of the things that we did very early and very aggressively, the president put the travel restriction coming from China to the United States and most recently from Europe to the United States.” He also mentioned that the social distancing efforts seen in the country are helping.

3. Ivey has readied the National Guard

• Governor Kay Ivey has authorized the activation of 100 members of the Alabama National Guard in the event that their service is necessary during the coronavirus pandemic.
• According to Ivey’s release, she authorized this in the event that “our first responders and health care providers need additional support.”

2. Congress fails to reach agreement on bill that could reach $2 trillion 

• Democratic leadership has worked to block a bipartisan aid bill because they believe they can gain more of their goals by holding up the bill. Some Democrats are admitting this is happening for political reasons and this all hinges on a “sign-off” from Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
• Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) previously noted this deal needs to get done, but the vote failed with five members of his caucus self-quarantining because the “coronavirus is in the Senate.” Democrats insist they will not vote for the current bill and the market will react negatively to that news.

1. You can be fined for violating health orders

• Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office has informed law enforcement officials on how they can enforce health orders during the coronavirus pandemic, in which some of the orders include no gatherings of more than 25 people.
• Those found knowingly and willingly violating health orders could be charged with a misdemeanor and fined up to $500. Expect the authorities’ aggressiveness to be ramped up in the next few days.

Jackson and Handback are joined former Attorney General Jeff Sessions to discuss President Donald Trump’s reaction to the coronavirus, trade with China and Governor Kay Ivey moving the primary election runoff.

Jackson closes the show with a “parting shot” at people who want to quibble over the people noting the origins of the Chinese coronavirus to call the president a “racist.”

https://business.facebook.com/watch/?v=920026435082474

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

Brooks noted on “The Dale Jackson Show” that “it’s better to be in debt than dead” during a discussion about the first economic stimulus matters passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump.

But Brooks made it clear that he supports more stimulus if it is targeted to those who need it and if it will help. His statements indicate that this is not a blank check for whatever Democratic and Republican leadership come up with moving forward.

Brooks said, “If the Democrats go hog wild, I might vote no, but gosh there are a whole lot of people we can help with this legislation.”

Brooks added that people need help right now, but not just individuals.

“[P]articularly small businesses, the airline industry, we’re talking about low or no-interest loans. $50 billion, in that neighborhood, for the airline industry, another $150 billion for small businesses, like restaurants that are getting hammered. So there are things that we can and should be doing,” he advised.

Brooks warned against Democrats viewing this as a “welfare grab bag” in order to “buy votes.” He said he wants to “limit the money to those people who have suffered financial loss because of a historical disease that’s threatening our planet.”

My takeaway:

Reality may creep in here for Congressman Brooks and others in Washington, D.C. who would like to see targeted assistance. The allure of doing something, anything, and doing big things may end up being too much.

Elected officials like Brooks may need to vote for a bill that they aren’t huge fans of because of the good things in the bill.

Ideally, though, targeted assistance should be the goal: government employees, including teachers and others whose pay will not be affected by this pandemic and the response to it.

This is exactly what was done during the BP oil spill repayment, it should be targeted here as well.

Over its existence More than one million claims of 220,000 individual and business claimants were processed and more than $6.2 billion was paid out from the fund. 97% of payments were made to claimants in the Gulf States.^[5] During the transition period before the settlement of claims through the GCCF was replaced by the court supervised settlement program additional $404 million in claims were paid.^[3]

The government should use something like that method to help people who are actually harmed by this.

That means giving more money to those actually affected and no money to those that weren’t.

This would be hard to figure out, but this is important and should be done right.

Low-wage workers, those in the service industry, those who have been laid off and furloughed could use more than those who stayed gainfully employed.

Why should I receive a check for $1,200 dollars and a server at a bar that was forced to close in downtown Huntsville receive the same thing?

Those who are harmed should be helped. The goal should not be for the government to make it rain on everyone in order to say they did something.

Listen:

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

• As many as four lawmakers are accused of selling off stocks that would be impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. The report names U.S. Senators Richard Burr (R-NC), Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), Dianne Feinstein, (D-CA) and James Inhofe (R-OK).
• Burr sold his stocks after he wrote a Fox News op-ed saying the United States was “better prepared than ever before to face emerging public health threats.” and Loeffler and her husband reportedly sold the stocks on January 24, which was the exact day she was in a Senate Health Committee received a briefing about the coronavirus from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Dr. Anthony Fauci from the National Institutes of Health.

5. Sessions wants a debate

• With the Alabama runoff primary being delayed until July, there’s even more time for a debate between U.S. Senate candidates Jeff Sessions and Tommy Tuberville, and Sessions is making it known that he wants a debate.
• Tuberville has been polling ahead of Sessions, but Sessions is focusing on the issues, saying, “Maybe he can learn a few things between now and July. But we’ve got some issues to ask about — something that a United States Senator has to be able to do and know.”

4. Amazon still hiring

• As a shutdown of the American economy brings havoc to workers, the Amazon facility in Bessemer is on its way to fulfill its 1,500-job requirement by looking to hire 600 more people.
• Once the facility is running at full capacity, Amazon is expecting to put out about 100,000 orders a day.

3. Huntsville the latest community to get coronavirus drive-thru testing

• Friday, the first drive-thru testing for coronavirus will open in Huntsville at the Huntsville Hospital, and anyone wanting to be tested must first get a “physician order” to be tested, according to Huntsville Hospital CEO David Spillers, joining Birmingham, Montgomery and Mobile in communities with testing.
• Spillers would also like to remind people that if you don’t have symptoms you don’t need to be tested. Currently, they have about 400 test kits, and Spillers is confident that they’ll be able to continue supplying tests as needed.

2. Not everyone is going to get money

• While speaking on the floor of the Senate, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) discussed the stimulus package being considered to send $1,200 to adult Americans, saying that the money would go to people no matter if they’re already receiving social security benefits, employed or unemployed.
• The only people who would miss out on a check from the government would be those above the middle class, but everyone “from the middle class on down” would receive financial help. McConnell emphasized that this is something they “want to do right away.”

1. Ivey trying to flatten the curve with strict rules

• Governor Kay Ivey has announced that in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, there’s now a Public Health Order that prohibits gatherings of more than 25 people, eating or drinking in the dining room of bars and restaurants, and all elective medical procedures are to be delayed.
• Also included in the order is the closing of all daycares and preschools and ending of visitation to hospitals and nursing homes. Ivey said, “[W]e want to ensure that Alabama is doing our part to flatten the curve.”

• U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) 2020 Democratic presidential campaign has come to an end with the campaign saying they’re suspending to evaluate their future this election cycle. They also stopped their Facebook ads and are no longer seeking donations.
• Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir said that instead, Sanders “is focused on the government response to the coronavirus outbreak and ensuring that we take care of working people and the most vulnerable.”

5. Alabama beaches are still open

• With the number of coronavirus cases in the state growing, Governor Kay Ivey has said that closing Alabama beaches is “under consideration.”
• With many college students going on spring break vacations, pictures of crowded beaches have been circulating on the internet, but Ivey said that if a move is made, it’ll be announced “at a later date.”

4. Trump has invoked the Defense Production Act

• While at a press conference, President Donald Trump announced that he’s invoking the Defense Production Act to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, saying, “It can do a lot of good things if we need it.”
• The act allows the increase in the manufacturing and distribution of medical supplies, which includes expanding hospital capacity and producing masks, respirators and ventilators. There is now talk of Ford and GM potentially producing some of the needed items.

3. Automotive plants pausing production in Alabama, everywhere else

• Hyundai, Honda and Toyota have decided to pause production at their Alabama plants after an employee at the Montgomery Hyundai plant tested positive for the coronavirus. Mercedes-Benz continues operating, and Honda and Toyota employees will continue getting paid. Hyundai employees will not be getting paid.
• Across the state and the country, jobs are being lost at an alarming rate. With that, Alabama’s unemployment rates will be up a lot. Other states are seeing the same thing.

2. Runoff postponed until July

• Governor Kay Ivey has decided that the best move would be to postpone the Alabama primary runoff until July 14 due to the coronavirus pandemic instead of holding the runoff on March 31.
• Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill had previously requested the runoff be postponed and Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall confirmed that postponing would be legal while Alabama is under a State of Emergency.

1. Jones and Shelby support coronavirus response funding

• The U.S. Senate has passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to make billions of dollars available for relief for those impacted by the coronavirus and respond to the virus. Both U.S. Senators Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Doug Jones (D-AL) voted in favor of the legislation.
• The measure will help provide financial assistance for family and medical leave, will increase food benefits and unemployment and give more ability to help small businesses. The legislative package now goes to President Donald Trump to be approved; Shelby said that while there’s still a lot to do, “this is a step in the right direction.”

Maybe it is prudent, maybe it is smart, but it is a terrible, awful, no good precedent that could be used in the future to delay elections for various reasons.

Sure, we will hear people saying we are in a “State of Emergency” — and we are.

But we have had other States of Emergency, and we will have more States of Emergency. What then?

There is no reason to believe anything nefarious is afoot, and I trust Merrill, Marshall and Ivey to make good decisions.

But what about a scenario where they are not in power?

What if we had a situation where our government was led by different people?

What if the top elected officials in our state looked like this?

• Governor Robert Bentley
• Attorney General Don Siegelman
• Secretary of State Nancy Worley

Those are all positions those individuals have held, and all three had major ethical and legal lapses. They are all felons or plead to lesser charges when facing a potential felony charge.

Would you trust them to make decisions like this?

Would you put it past them to declare a State of Emergency to give their campaigns a little breathing room from a scandal?

For my Republican friends, what if President Barack Obama did this?

For my Democrat friends, what if President Donald Trump did this?

Look at Ohio: A judge told their governor that they could not delay their election, but they did it anyway.

We should not allow something just because we trust the people in power now.

We should oppose things because we don’t trust the people that could be in power in the future.

What we tolerate, we promote.

This is a terrible precedent.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

• Due to the coronavirus, the Alabama Beverage Control (ABC) board has decided to close 78 stores across the state. 
• Any ABC stores that stay open will reduce their hours to 12:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., and there will only be five customers allowed in the store at a time. Customers will also not be allowed to go through the store freely. Instead, employees will retrieve products for them. 

5. SEC has canceled all spring sports

• For the rest of the athletic year, SEC sports competitions will be canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak. Schools won’t be allowed to hold practices, meetings or football pro days. 
• SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said, “This is a difficult day for all of us, and I am especially disappointed for our student-athletes.” The SEC baseball tournament that’s been held in Hoover since 1998 has about a $15 million economic impact on the Birmingham area every year. 

4. American media carries China’s water, China kicks them out

• The American media continues to attempt to police the language of President Donald Trump and others who accurately reference the Chinese source of the coronavirus pandemic, even though they did the exact same thing. 
• To thank these dutiful scribes, the Communist Chinese government is now booting American journalists from such prestigious outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post from the country for what they called “entirely necessary and reciprocal countermeasures” in response to the Trump administration demanding they cut their state-run staff doing propaganda in the United States.

3. Ivey suggests Birmingham close restaurants

• With the number of coronavirus cases in Alabama increasing and a majority of them being in Jefferson County, Governor Kay Ivey is suggesting that Birmingham restaurants close their dining rooms for at least a week. 
• Ivey has also said that restaurants in Tuscaloosa, Walker, Blount, Shelby and St. Clair Counties close restaurants as well, only leaving drive-thru and take out as dining options. The Alabama Department of Public Health is urging the rest of the state to consider following these guidelines. 

2. State of Emergency could postpone the U.S. Senate runoff

• The U.S. Senate runoff between former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville is set to take place on March 31, but Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said that the State of Emergency issued by Governor Kay Ivey could postpone the runoff.
• Secretary of State John Merrill has previously requested that the vote be postponed if legally possible due to the coronavirus pandemic. While Ivey can postpone the vote during a State of Emergency, it’s yet to be announced if she actually will.

1. Bipartisan support for trillion-dollar stimulus

• The Trump administration, Republicans and Democrats in Congress are all in agreement that massive economic stimulus is needed to keep the economy afloat as we continue to deal with the coronavirus outbreak with some suggesting that every American household receives a check within the next two weeks.
• But wait, there is more: Multiple industries, including the hotel, energy and restaurant industries are clamoring for a government bailout with the airline industry declaring the coronavirus’ impact to be worse than 9/11.

• In the U.S. Senate runoff between former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville, the Club for Growth has decided to endorse Tuberville.
• Club for Growth President David McIntosh said that they’re siding with President Donald Trump in this endorsement because he thinks “both of them can win.” He added, [B]ut I think if Trump is not fully on board it becomes harder. And he’s made it clear that Tuberville is his pick.”

5. Democrats more worried about the coronavirus than Republicans

• In an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll about concern over the coronavirus, Democrats were distinctively more worried about the virus’ severity and a family member getting sick.
• Only 40% of Republicans said they were concerned a family member would contract the virus, whereas 68% of Democrats said the same. Also, 80% of Democrats said the virus wasn’t at its worst yet, compared to 40% of Republicans. The poll found 81% of Republicans are confident in how President Donald Trump has handled the coronavirus outbreak, but only 13% of Democrats approve.

4. Many Alabama cities are under a State of Emergency

• Montgomery declared a local state of emergency two days ago and now Mayor Randall Woodfin has declared a state of emergency for Birmingham due to the 17 cases of coronavirus in Jefferson County. Woodfin is requesting they there be no gatherings larger than 25 people.
• Huntsville City Council approved Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle’s declaration of a State of Emergency as well. Battle says it will cut red tape, adding the declaration is so his administration “can respond quickly” to issues that arise.

3. ADPH urges caution, says testing isn’t an issue

• Alabama Department of Public Health’s Dr. Scott Harris held a press conference where he addressed the state of the coronavirus in Alabama, saying that more than half of the cases are in Jefferson county.
• Harris encouraged social distancing with no gatherings of more than 50 people and staying at least six feet away from strangers. Harris also asked that people who aren’t showing symptoms “avoid getting tested.” He went on to emphasize that there are no capacity issues with testing.

2. Trump has announced guidelines to slow coronavirus spread

• President Donald Trump said we will come out of this crisis “stronger than ever” as he spoke at a briefing about the coronavirus pandemic where he admitted that the virus could cause issues into July and August. The president added he’s confident that “we can turn the corner and turn it quickly” to slow the spread of the coronavirus in 15 days.
• The guidelines were to not gather in groups larger than 10 people, older people should stay indoors and avoid other people, work from home if you can, don’t go out to bars or restaurants, and “avoid discretionary travel, shopping trips, and social visits.” Trump said, “We will rally together as one nation and we will defeat the virus.”

1. Elections in Ohio are suspended, Alabama elections may be next

• A judge rejecting the governor of Ohio’s attempt to delay the state’s primary election didn’t stop the state from doing it anyway by using a directive by the state’s health director to get around the judge’s order. Notices have been posted on websites, social media and at polling places to tell people the presidential primary was canceled.
• Rumors indicate that Governor Kay Ivey is considering acting to move Alabama’s March 31 election after Secretary of State John Merrill indicated he would like to see the election moved in a press release Sunday. The release stated, “The health and well-being of the people of this state are of paramount importance. In order to effectively practice social distancing, as recommended by the President of the United States, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), the Alabama Department of Public Health, etc., the March 31 Runoff Election must be postponed.”

Every time the schools close for any reason we start to hear the same thing: “What about the kids who rely on the schools for food?”

The implication, of course, is that the children who eat free and reduced lunch at Alabama’s public schools will now go hungry when these schools close.

You don’t want kids to starve, do you? Of course not.

The United States Department of Agriculture says the schools can keep feeding them.

This will allow schools to continue to feed students even though schools are closed. It will be up to individual school systems to determine if and how they will administer the student feeding.

— Rep. Robert Aderholt (@Robert_Aderholt) March 15, 2020

I have no doubt that there are children in our state that are not receiving the appropriate nourishment at home, and the lunch programs help them both at school and in their lives.

Are we really helping these kids?

What do these kids do on the weekend? During Spring/Fall Break? During the summer?

Starve? Obviously not.

Yes, I know that there are programs that send food home, and I know there are summer feeding programs, as well.

This is a very sad reality, and most of us would agree that these kids shouldn’t be punished over these breaks because their parents are unable or unwilling to feed their children

But, and this is important, why are we not identifying these parents that aren’t feeding their kids?

If a child is not eating every day, the parents are guilty of neglect. Period.

Alabama law requires these parents to be reported:

(a) All hospitals, clinics, sanitariums, doctors,
physicians, surgeons, medical examiners, coroners,
dentists, osteopaths, optometrists, chiropractors,
podiatrists, nurses, school teachers and officials,
peace officers, law enforcement officials,
pharmacists, social workers, day care workers or
employees, mental health professionals, members
of the clergy as defined in Rule 505 of the Alabama
Rules of Evidence, or any other person called upon
to render aid or medical assistance to any child,
when the child is known or suspected to be a
victim of child abuse or neglect, shall be required to
report, or cause a report to be made of the same,
orally, either by telephone or direct communication
immediately, followed by a written report, to a
duly constituted authority.

This is unambiguous.

Feed these kids? Yes, absolutely. But getting parents to act correctly would also have a great impact on these kids’ lives. We should demand more from these parents.

If the scale of this problem is as large as we are told, it is time for these teachers, administrators, law enforcement and district attorneys to do their jobs.

If we are truly relying on school districts to feed these children, we need to rely on them to actually protect these kids.

We need to look at expanding the school year to ensure these children are eating proper meals.

We should also get these children into these schools at the age of three or younger because their parents are generally failing them. Getting their kids away from them is for the good of society.

If this is a pandemic of child hunger, we should demand the authorities take note and take action.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

• Former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville has been going after former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the U.S. Senate runoff, and now he’s saying that Sessions did the wrong thing by recusing himself. Tuberville says it is something he never would’ve done. 
• Tuberville on Alabama Public Television compared the Sessions recusal to a quarterback taking “a knee in the first quarter,” adding that Sessions “turned over that witch hunt to 200-300 lawyers, liberal lawyers and sicced them on President Trump.” Tuberville said that he’d “never done that, I promise you that because I know where we are at in this country, and we are losing daily to socialism.”

5. NRA and Ann Coulter endorse Sessions

• Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has received the hefty endorsement of the National Rifle Association in the U.S. Senate runoff against former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville sighting his long record of supporting the Second Amendment.
• Conservative commentator Ann Coulter also is supporting Sessions, saying, “There are very few Republicans in all of Washington who care about you, Alabamians.” She added, “And those few Republicans who actually do want to put America first include the great Mo Brooks and the great Jeff Sessions.”

4. Trump tests negative for coronavirus

• The White House has released the results of President Donald Trump’s coronavirus test after a few people that Trump has come into contact with recently were diagnosed with the illness, but Trump tested negative. 
• Despite being around people who tested positive for the coronavirus, Trump has remained symptom-free after initially resisting being tested due to not showing symptoms. The coronavirus has infected more than 3,774  people nationally and killed 69 people. 

3. Alabama law might not allow changes to election day

• Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill says he would like to postpone the March 31 primary election runoff, but he is noting that Alabama law makes that unlikely. He has sought an immediate opinion from Attorney General Steve Marshall on this matter. 
• New York and other states are working to change their election days. Some states, like Georgia and Louisiana, have already done so.

2. State employees can work from home

• Governor Kay Ivey has allowed agencies to have state employees work from home to encourage the practice of social distancing.
• Departments that deal with public safety or emergency services will continue working. Ivey said, “While out of the office, please continue the practice of sound hygiene and social distancing.”

1. Schools across the state closing 

• With 22 coronavirus cases in Alabama, Governor Kay Ivey has instructed all Pre-K through 12th-grade schools to close after school on Wednesday, but many school systems are choosing to close after school on Monday instead. 
• Concerns over feeding students are rampant across the state and country, which means that there are large numbers of parents in America that are not feeding their kids regularly. So, parents are essentially neglecting their kids, and it is not being reported. 

Jackson and Handback are joined by Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) to discuss medical marijuana, the coronavirus and more.

Jackson closes the show with a “parting shot” at those who claim they don’t want businesses participating in politics until those businesses start pushing for things they want.

https://business.facebook.com/watch/?v=824104188108345

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

• Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro is being monitored for the coronavirus due to his communications secretary being diagnosed with the disease just after they visited Mar-A-Lago with President Donald Trump.
• Trump was with Bolsonaro on Saturday to discuss economic issues and Venezuela, and now there are plans to test Bolsonaro and others who traveled with him for coronavirus.

5. Alabama colleges and universities are moving online

• Many schools are planning to move to online courses over the next couple of weeks. Some schools like the University of Alabama in Huntsville and Auburn University will start Monday. Others, like the University of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, will extend spring break until March 29 and then go to online courses.
• Jacksonville State University is moving to online courses Friday because they have a student currently being tested for coronavirus, but Alabama still has zero confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the state.

4. Medical marijuana has passed the Senate

• The medical marijuana bill by State Senator Tim Melson (R-Florence) has passed the Alabama State Senate 22-11 over the objection of State Senator Arthur Orr (R-Decatur), who argued for multiple failed amendments to limit the maximum daily dosage allowed, limit THC, shorten the list of conditions for use and to make it unlawful for people to drive with THC in their system.
• This moves Alabama closer to becoming the 34th state to legalize some form of medical marijuana, but opponents of the bill, and there are many in the Alabama State House, argue the drug is still illegal federally and that this has not changed.

3. More cancellations and closings coming

• The number of events canceled or altered because of the coronavirus continues to grow. The NCAA’s basketball tournaments have all been canceled, the NHL season has been suspended, MLB has canceled Spring Training and postponed the start of the season and NASCAR will be racing in front of empty seats. All of this will cause a ripple effect for the communities where these events are held and for the people who work them.
• In Alabama, the Rocket City Trash Pandas’ inaugural season is delayed, St. Patrick Day parades are canceled and concerts have been canceled or delayed across the state, but the worst could be yet to come as multiple states have closed schools completely.

2. Still no confirmed coronavirus in Alabama

• Much to the chagrin of some of Alabama’s most horrible people, Alabama is still without a confirmed coronavirus case, and even though there seems to be some who want to echo the “there is no testing” lie they hear on TV, that is just not true.
• State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris stated, “We fully expect in the coming days we will find cases but at this time we don’t have them,” He added, “I suspect there are people who are infected that we have not picked up at this point. Remember, 80 percent of the people who are infected don’t have serious symptoms.”

1. Alabama Senate passes coronavirus funding

• The supplemental bill sponsored by State Representative Steve Clouse (R-Ozark) and State Senator Greg Albritton (R-Atmore) was presented to the Alabama Senate as a substitute bill by State Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh (R-Anniston) to supply funding for the coronavirus.
• The bill passed with a 29-0 vote to provide $5 million to the Alabama Department of Health to combat the coronavirus and the Alabama House approved the bill quickly to send it to Governor Kay Ivey. She signed the measure Thursday afternoon.

America is currently in the midst of a real crisis and a full-blown, made-up media panic over the coronavirus and its inevitable spread, but abortion couldn’t be tabled in this instance.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) attempted to insert language to weaken the Hyde Amendment, which forbids federal funding from being used for abortion. What does this have to do with abortion? No clue.

According to the White House, Pelosi was lobbying for multiple unrelated provisions that have stalled talks on a comprehensive response to the coronavirus. One of the more controversial parts she wanted would have set a precedent of health spending without protections outlined in the Hyde Amendment. This appears to be a goal for Democrats that overtakes any other needs of the nation at any time.

The White House claims, according to one official, “Under the guise of protecting people, Speaker Pelosi is working to make sure taxpayer dollars are spent covering abortion — which is not only backwards, but goes against historical norms.”

Maybe Pelosi is channeling Alabama State Representative John Rogers (D-Birmingham) and his infamous “kill ’em now or kill ’em later,” or maybe she just can’t help herself.

As this is happening nationally, Alabama Democrats are angrily defending the right to kill a baby born of a botched abortion.

Alabama Democratic Party Chairman State Representative Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa) said the bill is unnecessary as the Hippocratic Oath demands that doctors take care of that baby.

Does England understand that reelected Virginia Governor “Blackface” Ralph Northam (D) has advocated the opposite thing?

His exact words:

If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.

That’s the side England is defending and is pretending doesn’t exist.

Northam is why this conversation is taking place. Northam is clear in his words: A baby is born and then a doctor decides to let it live or not.

Any other interpretation is a lie.

State Representative Merika Coleman (D-Birmingham) says, “We’re wasting 30 minutes of time today on a piece of legislation that we do not need.”

If true, why resist it so hard?

Why advocate for the ability to let a baby pass away, or be killed, after a botched abortion?

What is the point of this ghoulish behavior, especially if you believe it doesn’t happen?

Simply put, Democrats cannot let anything they view as pro-life get passed without massive controversy.

Their pro-abortion base demands they fight these battles no matter what.

Ralph Northam was defended during his blackface controversy because of his absurd abortion comments. It made him a hero who must be protected.

They are telling you who they are and what is important to them.

Believe them.

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.

• The bill by State Representative Ginny Shaver (R-Leesburg) that would protect babies that survive attempted abortions and require doctors to give them proper medical attention has been approved by the Alabama House Judiciary Committee.
• Shaver has explained, “There is no such thing as a post-birth abortion. … That’s infanticide.” But State Representatives Merika Coleman (D-Birmingham) and Chris England (D-Tuscaloosa) have taken issue with the bill because they’re yet to see a need for this kind of legislation in Alabama. England argued that women and doctors are “demonized” in the bill.

5. Businesses don’t like a bill, so the media likes them now

• A group of 40 businesses, including some with ties to Alabama, signed a letter in opposition to the bill in Alabama that would make it illegal for doctors to prescribe hormone blockers to transgender minors.
• The letter is also against other legislation across the nation, and says that this legislation “would harm our team members ad their families, stripping them of opportunities and make them feel unwelcome and at risk in their own communities.”

4. Sanders to keep going

• Despite his second big loss in the U.S. Democratic presidential primary, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has said that he will continue his campaign and do “everything in my power” to beat President Donald Trump.
• Sanders also directed attention toward former Vice President Joe Biden indicating that Biden only has the “older” vote, and he needs “to win the voters who represent the future of our country and you must speak to the issues of concern to them.”

3. Ivey puts out protocols for government agencies for the coronavirus outbreak

• In preparation for a yet-to-happen coronavirus outbreak in Alabama, Governor Kay Ivey has released protocols for government agencies to follow. Most of them are very similar to what the Center for Disease Control and Prevention has already released.
• Ivey has also said that departments all need to make sure they are able to continue on with business and that while there are no cases in Alabama, “we must be vigilant in our efforts to be as prepared as possible should this illness affect our state.”

2. No surprise that the Trump endorsement matters

• A Club for Growth poll shows that President Donald Trump’s endorsement of former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville may have just made a huge difference in the Alabama 2020 U.S. Senate race against former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
• In the poll, with Trump endorsing Tuberville 58% of voters picked Tuberville, 34% of people picked Sessions and 8% remained undecided, but Sessions has responded to the endorsement saying that he’ll always support the Trump agenda. He added, “We are Alabama. Nobody tells us how to vote or what to do.”

1. Trump lays out coronavirus plan in address to the nation

• President Donald Trump addressed the nation last night to attempt to comfort a nation spooked by a coronavirus outbreak by announcing a European travel ban, United Kingdom excluded, an attempt to create an economic stimulus plan that will calm the panic we are seeing in the market and slow the damage to the economy, a plan for paid sick leave and target small business loans to help cope with the coming fallout.
• Trump sought to comfort the nation by adding, “History has proven time and time again, Americans always rise to the challenge and overcome adversity.” However, the cat is out of the bag and we are in a full-blown panic.

• A bill that would amend Alabama’s Constitution to allow for a state lottery has a ton of support in the Alabama State House. It is co-sponsored by House Speaker Mac McCutcheon (R-Monrovia), Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville), Minority Leader Anthony Daniels (D-Huntsville) and over 70 other members of the House, which makes its passage in that body almost inevitable.
• The big question about dog tracks and Indian gaming remains because the bill specifies the types of gambling that the bill does not allow, which is “any form of video lottery or the use of video lottery terminal or any mobile, Internet-based, monitor-based interactive game, or any simulated casino-style game, including slot machines, video poker, roulette, blackjack, or any variant of prohibited games”

5. Monument Preservation Act debate gets heated

• As Alabama’s House of Representatives debated an updated bill that would stop local municipalities from tearing down any monuments, although Confederate monuments are the focus, a legislator decided to bring a rope to the floor to tie, as he put it, the bill to the falsely accused black men.
• State Senator Rodger Smitherman (D-Birmingham) was objecting to the updated bill that would change the penalty for violating the law from a $25,000 fine to a $5,000 per day fee that the locality must pay.

4. Trump’s incentives helping despite coronavirus concerns

• After the stock market took a hit due to concerns about the coronavirus outbreak, President Donald Trump backed “very substantial relief” for the significant areas of the economy that took a hit. The incentives caused the market to make a comeback.
• Trump said, “We are going to take care of, and have been taking care of, the American public and the American economy.” However, the particulars are far from certain.

3. Biden the presumptive Democrat nominee

• Former Vice President Joe Biden was the big winner on Tuesday with delegate-rich wins in Michigan and Mississippi. He now holds a seemingly insurmountable lead of at least 150 delegates over U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
• With Biden as the presumptive frontrunner, the media and their Democrats will now rally around him by calling for Sanders to drop out and end this campaign to protect Biden from himself and not force him to debate on Sunday.

2. Events being canceled across the country, including Alabama

• Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has decided to suspend “non-essential travel” for city employees due to concerns over the coronavirus outbreak, Hunstville saw the 2020 Global Force Symposium & Exposition by the Association of the United States Army canceled, and there are rumblings of official travel from Redstone Arsenal being canceled with reports of teleworking being implemented as well.
• College campuses, music festivals, sporting events are being canceled or postponed, with more to come. Washington State has issued an order banning large gatherings just like they have in California, and the state of New York now has a containment area set up.

1. Trump endorses Tuberville

• At 8:54 p.m. Tuesday night, President Donald Trump tossed his full-throated support behind former Auburn football coach Tommy Tuberville’s campaign in the form of a tweet, saying, “Tommy Tuberville (@TTuberville) is running for the U.S. Senate from the Great State of Alabama. Tommy was a terrific head football coach at Auburn University. He is a REAL LEADER who will never let MAGA/KAG, or our Country, down! Tommy will protect your Second Amendment….”
• Both campaigns are releasing polls showing the race in the best possible light for their candidate. Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Session’s Senate campaign polling shows a 45-45 tie while Tuberville’s camp’s latest numbers show Tuberville with a 52-40 lead.

• ALDOT has scheduled a public meeting for Thursday to address the future plans for the damaged portion of U.S. Highway 231 in Arab to announce how long it’ll take until the road is repaired.
• Currently, there is excavation work that will have to continue for at least two months before the repairs even start. It’s estimated that the road being closed has impacted about 15,000 vehicles every day.

5. People are scared of the coronavirus

• With COVID-19 spreading across the country, a new Quinnipiac University poll shows that 54% of people are concerned about the virus, but 45% remain unconcerned. However, 58% of people are concerned that the outbreak will disrupt their daily lives.
• Of those who responded to the poll, Democrats were concerned about the virus while Republicans were not concerned about the virus. Two-thirds of respondents are confident in how the U.S. health care system and the government is responding to the virus.

4. Congress could go into recess over virus fears

• After U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and U.S. Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ) have had to self-quarantine after coming into contact with a COVID-19 patient at CPAC, there is now talk that Congress could go into recess due to the virus.
• U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) said that “there appears to be some serious concerns in Washington to the point where we ought to shut down Congress, and that’s just the wrong message.” There is no official word yet on when or for how long a potential recess would be.

3. There’s still no coronavirus in Alabama

• There have been cases of COVID-19 reported in Tennessee, Georgia and Florida, but there are still no cases in Alabama, even though there have been 20 people tested so far, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.
• Across the United States, about 729 people have tested positive for the coronavirus and 27 people have died across at least 35 states.

2. Alabama tourism could be impacted by the coronavirus

• Alabama Tourism Department Director Lee Sentell has responded to the U.S. State Department’s warning about traveling during the COVID-19 outbreak, saying that warning unfairly targeted a “specific segment of our travel industry.”
• The State Department warned about traveling by cruise ship due to an increased risk of the virus on cruises. Sentell said that people already understand the risk of traveling, stating, “They don’t need the State Department to make choices for them.” He added that it’s the responsibility of the government “to contain and wipe out this epidemic rather than to target a single mode of transportation.”

1. Tuberville turns down U.S. Senate debate; New polling shows he leads

• Former Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville doesn’t seem interested in debating former Attorney General Senator Jeff Sessions on Nextstar TV stations, with Sessions saying that Tuberville is “afraid” and adding that it raises questions about “standing up to Chuck Schumer.”
• A new poll by Cygnal shows Tuberville leading Sessions 51.5% to 39.5% with 9% undecided. Trump is playing a big role in this according to Brent Buchanan, Cygnal’s CEO & founder, who said, “Now that Trump has gotten involved, it’s unlikely the former attorney general will be able to overcome the gap in how voters see Tuberville’s as more strongly favorable. Trump may not be able to pull a candidate across the finish line, but he sure can keep a candidate from getting there first.”

Some members of Congress have self-quarantined.

1. I am announcing that I, along with 3 of my senior staff, are officially under self-quarantine after sustained contact at CPAC with a person who has since been hospitalized with the Wuhan Virus. My office will be closed for the week.

— Paul Gosar (@DrPaulGosar) March 9, 2020

Today I released the following statement: pic.twitter.com/XGXEa4ozcg

— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) March 8, 2020

Now, some are suggesting that Congress go into recess and not meet under these circumstances.

Members of Congress are becoming increasingly anxious about coronavirus, and there is growing pressure on leadership to take steps to protect lawmakers — even potentially recessing for a period of weeks — two Democratic congressional sources said. https://t.co/VUFoKn9idQ

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 9, 2020

This is absurd.

U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) is having none of this.

Brooks, who was in attendance at CPAC, called into WVNN radio Monday morning to say he is feeling fine and disagrees that Congress should go into a recess.

Brooks added that doing so “sends entirely the wrong message out.”

“The only people who have any kind of risk that is above average are the people that are elderly with some kind of immune deficiency,” he told “The Dale Jackson Show.”

Brooks also noted that he didn’t even think talk of recess was serious, saying, “I thought my staff was joking. But there appears to be some serious concern in Washington to the point where we ought to shut down Congress, and that’s just the wrong message.”

Brooks later joked about the ages of the people remaining in the race for president, saying that they might want to be concerned about debates.

My takeaway:

Mo Brooks is right about this. There is no reason to further worry an entire country that is needlessly on edge and fearful. If you shut down the most visible part of the federal government over this, it sends a message that this is far more serious than it is.

If anything, Congress needs to be ready to act if needed. Members don’t need to be hiding in their homes because the people on TV want to report on what they want to be “Trump’s Katrina.”

Listen:

Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN.