GOP poised for congressional gains

For over 100 years, political history has revealed without deviation that when a Democrat wins the presidency in a presidential year, that in the following mid-term congressional elections two years later that Republicans make gains in the U.S. House of Representatives. That truism has become more pronounced in the last few decades.

This history will be repeated in the upcoming November 8 General Election. Every indication and polling suggest that the GOP gains in this year’s General Election will be significant.

In talking with people in the know in Washington, it appears to be a foregone conclusion that there will be major Republican gains in Congress. This prognosis is not only anticipated by Republican strategists but is even being acknowledged by Democrats on the Hill and throughout the nation. Moreover, even the liberal mainstream media is cognizant of this GOP sweep on the horizon.

Currently, the Democrats have a very slim 221 to 214 majority in the U.S. House. For some reason, probably because the tea leaves indicate a GOP takeover of the House, there is an inordinate number of Democratic congressmen retiring this year. This makes the pick-ups for the GOP more sustainable. Incumbency and seniority are omnipotent in Congress. Therefore, the likelihood of the GOP taking over the majority is enhanced by these retiring Democrats.

The conservative estimate by most experts is that there will be a 30 to 36 seat swing to the Republicans in November. If that estimate is accurate that would change the House from a 221 to 214 current Democratic majority to a Republican majority of 250 to 185. This solid Republican majority

STEVE FLOWERS Columnist

would change the philosophical tilt in the national arena. In today’s polarized, toxic, partisan environment both parties’ members of Congress vote lockstep along party lines. You may as well have a robot voting their congressional voting machines. It would be more efficient and economical. You would not have to have millions for congressional staffs or offices, which costs millions per congressman and their only duties anyway were to work to insure the congressman’s reelection every two years.

The early prognostication of a 30 to 36 seat pickup in Congress by Republicans has been tempered somewhat with the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. This issue is not a winner for the GOP. Most Independent, a good many Republican, and almost all Democratic female voters are pro-choice. The striking illustration of this pro-choice leaning was revealed earlier this year when voters in ruby red Republican Kansas voted 60-40 against outlawing abortion in their state. This issue along with the Democratic socialist bailout money may have tempered the anticipated GOP congressional landslide. However, Democratic President Joe Biden’s approval ratings are abysmal. He is at historical low polling approvals, especially among all important Independent voters. The primary reason for Biden’s demise and the obvious elephant in the room is the out of control economic inflation rate on consumer spending in the country. It is approaching a 10% level. This is devastating politically for Biden and the Democrats. Americans vote their pocketbook, especially in congressional elections.

Another detriment to Democrats is Biden’s first year decision to completely disregard immigration laws and create carte blanche open southern borders for every undocumented immigrant to invade the country and offer them all of the welfare and government privileges and services of state tax dollars. This open door infringement does not sit well with Republicans or Independents and probably not with some minority Democrats.

The liberal social agenda of House Democrats regarding LGBTQ issues appear over the top to most mainstream Christian Americans. If truth were known, even Eastern religions are not comfortable with these overt favorable treatment towards social mores. My observations of Southern African American people are that they are very Christian oriented and are Bible reading and do not adhere to this agenda either.

This congruence of economic, social and deficit spending is dovetailing into a devastating mid-term congressional wipeout for Democrats. This tsunami will probably spill over into the U.S. Senate, also.

The Senate is 50 Democrats and 50 Republicans, dead even.

Republicans could win a majority in the upper chamber. It will be close. The key senate battles will be in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and our neighboring state of Georgia.

We will see in less than five weeks.

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column is published in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at: www.steveflowers.us.

The broken window theory comes here

Although I’ve lived in Tallassee for a number of years and worked here even longer, I’ve never let go of my initial impression of our community as an idyllic little mill town. Certainly, it’s easy to see on a week like Homecoming – our town comes together and recognizes the class from 20 years ago and it’s celebrated with a bonfire, a candlelight ceremony, a parade and a couple of pep rallies – but there are those darker moments, too. These are the times in which you can see that even a small place like ours can somehow find itself dealing with issues that used to only affect big cities.

The Broken Window Theory is a widely circulated set of concerns first put forth by sociologists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling in 1982. Wilson and Kelling posited that small criminal acts within a community, such as graffiti and broken windows, create a breeding environment for greater and more serious crimes.

For example, an area with broken glass and graffiti might become a place where miscreants can congregate. Every family may not check on their children after dark. I think all of us are guilty of either being up to something at one time or another or being oblivious to the fact that people around us are up to something!

A British experiment tested the broken window theory, and these were the results.

An addressed envelope, visibly containing a €5 note (for us, let’s think of a $5 bill), was sticking out of a post office box. The first half of the experiment took place in a clean environment, with no broken glass nor graffiti. 13 percent of passersby went for the envelope.

MICHAEL BIRD Columnist

For the second half of the test, graffiti was introduced on the post office box and the area around it was littered. In the second group, 27 percent of the people tried to grab the envelope. Over a quarter of the second-half participants tried to commit a crime just because the area looked like a place where a crime could be committed!

“One un-repaired broken window is a signal that no one cares, and so breaking more windows costs nothing,” Wilson and Kelling wrote.

One need look no further than an area in our own town: the East Tallassee Shopping Center.

Once home to several businesses including the Mill Store Number Two, there are still several businesses there including Godwin’s Flowers. Coach Godwin has been in business since 1971. His floral shop is located at the end of the block, and every year after the Homecoming parade, he is there with refreshments for all the parade participants. No questions asked, no expectation of a purchase, just a friendly gesture.

On the back wall of the East Tallassee Shopping Center, there is a disturbing growth in graffiti. It began in the summer of 2020, and for a while someone stayed after it by cleaning it up or painting over the words. But now, there is more than one person can handle.

It may seem petty to be disturbed by graffiti, but another example can be found on a STOP sign near Southside Middle School.

Spraypainted across the sign is the word CIRPS. I believe the artist intended for it to say “Crips,” as in the street gang, but since they misspelled the name of the gang, it appears to be an advertisement for a breath mint like CERTS or something.

Vandalism leads to other small crimes that can become larger crimes. The question is, how much are you willing to accept? And what would you do if something important to you was destroyed or defaced by graffiti or broken glass?

Several years ago, the historical marker at the Fitzpatrick Bridge detailing the story of how Mount Vernon Mill No. 1 became the only Armory to survive the Civil War was defaced by vandals. Someone spraypainted the entire marker and made the tale of the Armory unreadable.

Local citizen Danny Phillips spent weeks up there, painstakingly cleaning and repainting the sign. Today, one would never know that the historical marker had ever been defaced.

My grass isn’t always cut to perfection, and my siding needs pressure-washing. There are plenty of things I could do in my classroom and at my job that would help. By no means am I pointing a finger at anyone – my former principal, Ron McDaniel, used to say, “for every finger I point at someone, I’ve got four pointing back at myself.”

There is no easy answer. A citizens brigade with jugs of bleach cannot take on an entire city. However, we cannot always just think that “someone else will take care of it.” It is our job as members of the community to take pride in what we call our own.

Pet of the Week – Phoebe

Phoebe is an elevenyear-old female Torti whose entire world was turned upside down when her loving owner passed away. Phoebe was petrified at first, but staff at the shelter have found she is an incredibly loving and sweet lady. They’ve also found is that Phoebe is perfectly fine with dogs (her two dog buddies have found their new homes) but she does not like other cats. Phoebe does like to hide but talks and rubs all around you and loves to be held and petted.

The staff doesn’t think

Phoebe has ever been around children, but older children should be fine. She has also likely never been around men, but the shelter is sure she can learn to love a man who loves her right back. Phoebe has been thoroughly vetted and has a clean bill of health and is a beautiful lady with many, many years of love yet to give. She can only go to an indoor only home.

The normal adoption fees are $100 for dogs and $50 for cats under one-year-old; cats over one-year-old can be

Humane Society of Elmore County News

By Rea Cord Executive Director

Fall is a busy time of the year. This Saturday, October 8, we will be joining in the fun at the 29th Annual Alabama Cotton Festival in Eclectic starting at 8 a.m. This is a huge event with over 150 vendors, so we know we will see a lot of our shelter family and friends there.

The Alabama National Fair also starting this Friday, October 7, at 4 p.m. If you like supporting the area humane shelters, then you will have a wonderful opportunity on Friday, October 14, to gain admission for $5 off regular admission if you bring a donation of dry or canned pet food, pet toys, blankets or towels with you. These donations will be shared by the three area shelters – Humane Society of Elmore County, Prattville-Autauga Humane Society and Montgomery Humane Society. We are incredibly grateful to the Kiwanis Club of Montgomery members and Alabama National Fair for their hard work making the Alabama National Fair such a success and for helping our River Region Animal Shelters like this. Thank you all ahead of time so very much!

On Saturday, October 15, join the fun starting at 4 p.m. at Lily Pad Place, 4852 Main St, Millbrook. This is an Open House and Customer Appreciation with proceeds being donated to our Shelter and hosted by: LUX Salon, Color Copy Shop, Thirsty Turtle, The adopted by approved adopters for a fee of their choosing. This adoption fee completely covers the mandatory spay or neuter, basic immunizations, de-worming, microchip, heartworm check for dogs, rabies vaccination if old enough, free health exam with your participating veterinarian.

If you are interested in meeting Phoebe or any of the shelter’s pets, the first step is the adoption application you can do online here: https:// elmorehumane.org/ adoption-applicationonline-form2.html. Once

Nail Lounge and Abundant Grace Ministries and featuring DJ LULU!

There will be food truck(s), bouncy house, ballgames on all the TVs, door prizes and some fun contests. To enter the contests just bring a needs item donation. Raffle tickets will be sold on Saturday for the Booze wagon. Events schedule is below and the ‘after party’ will feature Jones Social Club!

4:30- Cutest Kid Costume: Prize Awarded 5:00- Live Auction

5:30- Cutest Dog: Prize Awarded 6:00- Live Auction

6:30- Booze Cart Drawing approved, the shelter will coordinate with you to set up an appointment to meet and adopt.

For our members, make sure to mark your calendar for our Humane Society’s Annual Meeting on Tuesday, October 18, 6 p.m., Wetumpka Civic Center, 410 S. Main St, Wetumpka, AL 36092. We will be reviewing our past year and looking ahead to 2022. Hope to see you there!

For our supporters who work for the Alabama State Government and want to donate financially, no better way than through the 2021 State Combined Campaign (SCC) and our Agency Code is 106803. The SCC is critical to Alabama non-profits and helps make donating to deserving charities easy either one time or via monthly payroll deduction. We want to thank all who so generously donate to help not only our shelter, but non-profit agencies everywhere.

The Elmore County Humane Society is located at 255 Central Plank Road, Wetumpka, AL, 36092, their phone number is 334-567-3377 and their website is www. elmorehumane.org for more information.

Congratulations Staff and Residents for being voted