FM Talk 1065 Podcasts
Jeff Poor Show - Monday 7-08-24
[music] From Bucks Pocket to the shores of Orange Beach at all points in between, an insider's perspective on Alabama politics. It's the Jeff Porchow. ♪ I don't think I ain't done it this way ♪ ♪ No, it ain't ♪ Good man, and welcome to the Jeff Porchow What If I'm Talked? What if it's 6'5"? Thank you for joining us on this Monday morning, Monday after a long weekend. But we got a good show planned for you today. Coming up on the program here in about 30 minutes or Monday, one of our Monday regulars. State Representative Jennifer Fiddler will be with us. Want to make sure you stay tuned for that. Also on the program. So, over the weekend, I was at a few of the... I was a... I went up to a place called Hennagar, Alabama, for what they call the Sand Mountain Potato Festival, I believe it's called. And it's an event put on... Part of that event that they put on up at Hennagar involves... This is a breakfast put on by House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter and State Senate Majority Leader Steve Livingston. Both of that from that part of the state. So, they asked me to go up there and do some radio interviews. So, the way we went about it, obviously, no 4th of July show. We pre-taped a bunch of them. And I got about six interviews. Over the next three days, I'm going to run on this program. Today, you'll get the three big newsmakers, I would say. Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth will be with us. We'll run that in the 10 o'clock hour. 11 o'clock hour, Steve Livingston and Nathaniel Ledbetter will have on both individually, but in that top of the hour and the bottom of the hour. And this is an interesting interview. It's kind of big picture kind of stuff. Some of it was Governor Ainsworth. We talked about Allodont and Alabama's roads, but other than that, it ought to be... You'll get something out of it. I'll just leave it at that. And in the meantime, 2513430106, you need to be in touch with the program, which is going to be going to text me. That's the best way to correspond with the program. I'm going to kick it off here, kind of a bumpy weekend with the presidential race. Anything going on really is a bumpy, I suppose, at your Biden's debate disaster. And we've been talking about this a lot. How long until the Democrats removed Joe Biden? And then here's what you need to know. You hear a lot of these trombones being floated, right? You hear him, you see him, Axios is reporting. Senate Democrats will host a conference call about the future of Biden's nomination or whatever. I mean, just silly stuff like that. And they don't go on face donations. He's going to be great. He's going to be fine. Nothing to see here, guys. So anyway, if you're paying attention, that is-- that's telling you, if you're too afraid to publicly speak out, and until you hear some big, big, big names-- this would be like a Nancy Pelosi Chuck Schumer. It can't be Floyd Doggett from Texas. Then we're just kind of waiting to see where that is, how that's going to play out. But I said this all along. They didn't make a move over this long holiday weekend. Probably weren't going to see a big move. We're going to see if substantial change. They had their window. They had their opportunity, and they just determined-- I guess-- what does it look like if you change the nominee and the fundraising and the only places that you're seeing it, really, this is the other thing you need to watch for, guys? Kamala Harris World, some of her allies are kind of still out and about making noise about this. But the amount of Harris, she hasn't had that many allies. 2-5-1-3-4-3-0-1-0-6. Just before we're coming on air, Joe Biden was on MSNBC with the morning Joe, folks. Interesting they would do it in that 9 o'clock Central time. I mean, Easter time hour. Biden's fight for his life, and this is going to be fascinating to watch. I think he's going to be the nominee, all the prediction markets. Do you know these betting markets they have out there? Are saying that Biden's going to be the nominee. So Republican National Convention come up. Let's just hope that the Trump and the Trump folks don't blow this. You tell me if you think Biden's got a shot and then I don't need to hear they're going to declare another pandemic or anything like that. Just like, what does he do? What can he do outside declaring Marshall wall? They can't cheat their way. There's too many votes to overcome. What was Biden do to win? Also, a very unfortunate story. Our friend Garland Gudger, if you haven't heard, a jet ski accident on 4th of July of all times, Senator Gudger on this show frequently, probably about-- yeah, you're going to get him all 4 or 5 times a year. It's probably most notable thing this year was he was sort of the leader in the Senate on the renewed gambling push. But he was seriously injured in a jet ski accident. Let's see, fraction vertebrae ribs, a puncture long, an internal bleeding. Not good. Smith Lake, just goofing off on a jet ski. I was told he and his son both had jet skis. Elliott put out a statement kind of detailing exactly what happened. A real kind of a bummer there, if you will. And I don't know what the long-term prognosis will be. But as they say, our thoughts and prayers are with Gudger and his family. It seems about Senator Gudger, too. And I don't know if this changes things. It doesn't really matters right now. The 2026 musical chairs, the politics, Gudger was supposed or he was going to be just kind of thought of this. So Gregory, who is the current president pro tem, the Alabama Senate, is forwarding with another run, or not another run, but a run for another office. Lieutenant Governor, maybe. We don't know. But just put this out there. If for a lot of reason, Reid leaves to go be-- all right, he goes to run one of the organizations in Montgomery, who is the next Alabama Senate pro tem. And one of those names that comes up is Senator Gudger. And only because of this, that he really gets along with the entire-- everybody in the chamber. He's-- this is why he was spearheading the gambling push because he was a sort of developing and cultivating this leadership role that he would move up into one of those spots, majority leader pro tem. And does this change that? Well, I don't know. This is all silly season speculation. But that's what you need to know. Up in Coleman, goofing around on a-- goofing around on all things, a jet ski. But I hope hopefully he's better. We can talk to him once again on this program real soon. Let's see. A few other things. Coming up on the Ainsworth interview, and this will preview posted up on 1819news.com, and we'll talk more about it after it airs-- Ainsworth's back at it with John Cooper talking about widening 65, questioning 43, no federal matching, the 43 West Alabama corridor. That's back, Alabama Department of Transportation, and John Cooper was putting this together last night. John Cooper was like one of Robert Bentley's first hires in 2010. So go back. I'll be way back to Bentley defeating Ron Sparks in that 2010. Think about how long ago that was? 14 years ago. Almost 14 years ago, 13 is some change. When Robert Bentley, he won the Republican nomination, if you recall, beat Bradley Bird in that runoff. AA got involved. This sounds like ancient history to a lot of you, because it is. But as soon as he won, he started naming who's going to be in this cabinet. John Cooper was like, what are the first guys that Robert Bentley had in his cabinet? And now, he's going to be one of the longest-serving cabinet members in the history of the state. But a guy like that, he's a Bentley holdover and Governor K. Ivy, I don't know if she's ever going to make a change here. Now, there was some talk about that two years ago. But if he stays with Ivy all 10 years, 14 years is the director of the Alabama Department of Transportation 12 years, four years. I mean, it's just too long. And what does he have, really, to show for it? But let's look at the John Cooper legacy here. What does John Cooper have the show for? Potentially, right now, I was right now, 12 years in that spot, or 11 is some change. What does he have the show for his time in office? Look around the state. A completed corridor X, that was Interstate 22. The winding down here, 181 and the 98-- so I guess this is Alabama State Highway 158. That was a BP oil settlement money. But there's just not a lot of-- he got the gas tax passed. And what I am convinced, guys, is nothing but a redistribution of funds for the rest of the state. What I would be by that, they pass a rebuild Alabama Act. And all this gas tax revenue, they're collected in Baldwin County for people driving in 65, I-10 to the beach, et cetera. And Mobile County on I-10 or 45 or 43 or wherever, 98. They're taking it. And they're just giving it to the other counties who don't have any traffic, or they're not selling as much gasoline, but they're getting their bridge. So Clay County, Alabama, places like that, they're not generating a lot of revenue. And the revenue generators are having to give their gas tax away to these other counties, and municipalities. But this is the John Cooper legacy, ladies and gentlemen. 2513430106, we're back. This is Jeff Port-Shill and I can talk about 065. [MUSIC PLAYING] Keep a close watch on this heart of mine. I keep my eyes wide open all of mine. All right, let's take it on down from Muscle Shells to the potatoes. [MUSIC PLAYING] Ooh, burn in a half. [MUSIC PLAYING] Ooh, my gosh. [MUSIC PLAYING] Right above the Spanish floor into Mobile, my hometown, Mr. Team. Welcome back to the Jeff Port show. And if I talk, 1.065, thanks for staying with us on this Monday morning. Texel ID would be in touch with the program. 2513430106, that's how you get in touch with the show. Silica, Will Ainsworth, about an hour from now. Steve Livingston, the majority leader in the Alabama Senate and speaker of the house, Nathaniel Ledbetter, all coming up on the program over the next, let's say, two and a half hours. So stick around. In the meantime, joining us now, we do this every other Monday. My state representative here in Ballway County. State Representative Jennifer Fiddler is with us. Representative, good morning, are you? I'm doing great. How are you doing, Jeff? Do it well, do it well. Thanks for making time for us. Thanks for coming by. Well, how you been? It could be a couple of weeks, but everything been OK. Yeah, good. We celebrated the fourth. I always enjoy Mr. Renfro's fireworks down on Fish River. And so, although for many years, we were there at the Fair Hope Pier celebrating there on that side of the bay. But this year, we were on Fish River and got to attend the parade down in Magnolia Springs. They have the biggest little parade over here, anywhere. So patriotic. Got to see a lot of horses that were all painted up in red, white, and blue. Got to see a lot of tractors had flags all over them, about 70-plus entries in the little town of Magnolia Springs. And I always end up at the fire department with hot dogs for everybody and a cold slice of watermelon served up by the mayor of Magnolia Springs. Sounds like a small town on Maricotta right there. Well, let's get right into it. Let's start here. And you and I are talking off here about this. You got the shoreline bill and kind of figuring the logistics of that out, but wanting to give you input. But it was kind of a carryover from Representative Faust. And now here we are, where are we with that? The shoreline bill, we call it the Faust Living Shoreline Bill in honor of Joe Faust, who worked diligently, trying to get this bill passed. It is something for every landowner who lives along the coast and that has to do something to manage their eroding shoreline. It encourages natural living shorelines, which are made with rock or grasses or a way to encourage the sediment to build up instead of erode away your neighbor's property. So we encourage a natural living shoreline installation versus a bulkhead installation. So the bill cuts permit fees in half by the Department of Natural Resources Conservation Service. And in this process, I worked with Alabama Department of Environmental Management as well. And as we worked out-- and this is-- I want to have a call for the people, the constituents out there that may have input. If you have input in this, please reach out to me or my office. We-- Alabama Department of Environmental Management has a permit, a general permit that we actually-- that you have to apply for when you're installing any type of shoreline installation. So ADM has these different criteria for the shoreline installation. And they're modifying that permit. And so that we want to make it easier and less expensive for the people to install a natural living shoreline. So those of you who have been through this process-- you know more than I do-- probably as much as some of our counterparts in Montgomery. And I'd like to hear from you. We want to try to modify that permit. ADM really wants to work on it. Has given me their promise that they will modify it and will help our coastal Alabama landowners in doing these types of installations. A little bit less expensive trying to encourage natural living shorelines and doing them the right way, doing these installs the correct way so that we can build up our shorelines and not create any more erosion with bulkheads. I hope that makes sense. But if you guys out there that have experience in that and have knowledge about how to make that permit less cumbersome and that it would be less expensive, that we could have several techniques that fall under the general permit, please reach out to me or my office. 990-4615 is my office number. So-- and I kind of understand this. It's just-- it makes more sense in combating erosion. If you just let the shoreline build up like a wall or whatever at the shoreline, that people do that for the time we see it on their property. And you're trying to, I guess, discourage them from doing that. And in some instances, you're going to have to put in a bulkhead. I mean, you just do. But a lot of instances, you can put in a different type of wall, like a vertical wall that comes out from the shoreline. That's a small, not very long wall. But when you do that, it can catch the sediment as the water leaves out and the tide comes back in and the sediment settles down. And you can also create berms and grasses. And that is just a cleaner environment for our water, for grasses and sea life. And that sort of thing to flourish. And so that is what we want to encourage. And in some instances, no, we're going to have to put a bulkhead up. I mean, there's just no other means of protecting your property. But we want to encourage these natural living shorelines where we can. And ADM has offered to make it easier for landowners to get a permit, less expensive if we have some general guidelines in that general permit. And so they're modifying that permit. And they promised me whenever we were working on this bill that if we didn't mess with the fees, that they would help figure out how to make this permit easier for our landowners along the coast to get a permit, less expensive, try to do it the right way. So I'm going to be working on that. So if you could call the office 990-4615, let me know your ideas. I do want to kind of meet-- Institute like a way to meet with ADM so that we can start putting those ideas together and help just help our coastal landowners with that. And the bill signing with the governor is Thursday at 2 o'clock in Montgomery. And it's just a ceremonial bill signing. Just commemorating. We hope to have the Hall of the Fouse up and celebrate and honor Representative Fouse for all the work that he's done. Representative Chip Brown was instrumental in moving this last year, did a lot of work on modifying the bill and getting it to a spot where we could have worked with several different agencies, got it out of the house, didn't get taken up in the Senate. And then, of course, Senator Chris Elliott did take it up in the Senate this year, sponsored it and was able to pass it a couple of weeks before session ended. So a bi-state representative, Jennifer Fiddler, here on the program. Representative Fouse, you got a chance to go by, the Dolphin Island Sea Lab. I've had that a lot on this program, but it's one of these things. I guess a lot of people around the state probably outside of this local listing audience aren't aware of. The Dolphin Island Sea Lab, if you guys over here have not been there, you need to go. It is a beautiful island much different than Orange Beach and Gulf Shores, much more laid back, much more casual. It is, it's a, the aquarium itself is a great exhibition of what's in our, the Gulf, the sea life that's in the Gulf. It's small, you can do it in the afternoon, and just really learn a lot. We had a, we always have a network update. It is a coastal update, our director of Natural Resource Conservation Service Director, Chris Blankenship, comes down. We get a report from the Port of Mobile Director. And we, and Beth lines actually lines that whole thing up over there. And we get to go out, we get to see the, the, the pilot ships, the pilots that actually go out and get our ships from every ship that comes into the Port of Mobile has to be piloted in. So these bar pilots are out there, and we have an office for them. And I've got a couple constituents that are bar pilots. And it was good to meet and talk with them over there. But they are just pilot, those ships out in the Gulf of Mexico. They're out there waiting. I think, you know, some of you may have seen them. And they're out just waiting on our bar pilots to pilot them in and make sure they have a safe entry into our hover. So we get to see that, we, all our representatives are invited down to get this coastal update. It's just a real good representation of what we've got going on on Dolphin Island. And I encourage anybody that hasn't been over there in a while, y'all go visit it. So just a laid back atmosphere. It's a beautiful beaches. You make it over to Dolphin Island a whole lot. I mean, either, it may have a few times a year, but it's always been on like the list of things to do. But I never give it the right time to go see the sea lab. Yeah. And then we have a ferry that you can take over. It saves you a lot of time if you're traveling from Fort Morgan to Dolphin Island. The Alabama Department of Transportation actually is our group that moves people back and forth from the ferry. And we got to do that last year on our joint transportation committee headed up by Representative Marjorie Wilcox. She organized a trip, you know, back and forth from Dolphin Island to Fort Morgan. We got to do that, got to hear from Al Dot and how they maneuver that. And we have two ferries that I know of in the state of Alabama, one in Gee's Bend. That's right. Yeah, to get the Wilcox County, the way they drew the Wilcox County lines to keep this goes back to segregation and Jim Crow. But they kept black folks who lived in Gee's Bend from voting because they had to make like a long trek all the way around to Camden, the county seat in Wilcox County from Gee's Bend to Camden so they could vote. Now, things have changed since then. But they put money aside and they put that ferry in at Gee's Bend. Have you been on it? I did. I was able to do that again with Representative Wilcox's road show she did last year and was able to-- it's an electric ferry. Right. And we went up the river again. Alabama Department of Transportation is the entity that moves people back and forth and runs the ferry there. It's quiet. It makes no noise. But it's-- yeah, it's a way to connect the folks. That is-- that area has a very rich history. Yeah, it's the quilts that they do there. They're like the staple of why you would go to Gee's Bend. But it's really-- I mean, I don't know. Wilcox County is a place of very many fascinations if you ever get to spend a lot of time there, sort of governors from Joe Bonner at the University of South Alabama. It's been our congressman here. It's from Camden just sessions, right? Therefore, again, Maro County is from Wilcox County. But that is-- I took the ferry going the other way, I suppose, from Camden over to Gee's Bend and on up from there. But yeah, you're right. We've got two ferries in this state. And a lot of people don't know about the Gee's Bend ferry. Yeah. And then who-- you know, what state entity actually runs it? So the Alabama Department of Transportation has the-- you know, I think you mentioned some of the gas tax money. You know, we take off so many millions off that gas that the first revenue coming in every year off the gas tax money. And then we actually use that to dig out and widen the CHIP channel in what we know as Porto Mobile, but it's actually Alabama's port. And it has increased our revenue stream over there and has been a really great benefit for the state and the revenues coming in. And that was one of the deals. When they passed rebuild Alabama in 2019 to widen the CHIP channel, the judges, the channels there, Shelby put a bunch of money aside and the state had come up with the matching. And the matching came out of the rebuild Alabama act. Now there's a lawsuit saying that that was a constitutional because gas tax money must be used for roads and bridges and can't be used. But they made some kind of legal maneuver to suggest that it was actually a buy away from, I guess, wherever the CHIP channel begins into the Porto Mobile. And anyway, I don't know if it came with that. Tom Frederick's up in North Alabama. I had that lawsuit. But yeah. I can say something. I did talk to one of the Supreme Court justices. And he regarding this, and he says it's playing in the Constitution. What are ways are a means of transportation? Well, that falls under. And it is according to their interpretation. When they passed rebuild Alabama in 2019, I was on the air in Huntsville. And people up there were really put off that you would take gas tax money and put it towards something like the Porto Mobile to widen that CHIP channel. And it was a big deal to a lot of people up there. But like you said, it is what it is now. Well, I mean, if the Constitution says it's modes of transportation or navigable waterways, then I mean, and that's how they interpreted it. So let's get a quick break here. You've got Jennifer Fiddler, a state representative from my part of the world. In Syria with us in the Perro Bureau, a very back, as soon as the CHIP poor showed up to talk with her 65. In the red, neck, and heavy, yeah. I fly a starship across the universe divide. And when I reach the other side, I'll find a place to risk my spirit if I can. Welcome back to the CHIP poor showed up to talk with her 65. Nature's sticking around on this Monday morning. Still with us. State representative Jennifer Fiddler has brought me Colocci's into the Bureau today, right of figs. And I was like, I do you know we had fig trees in Bali County? She's like, you probably got one in here. You are. Well, you know, fig trees are used to be a staple in our area. And so on the farm, we have a huge picture. It's almost like if you don't pick it every day or every other day, you can't maintain it. You know, the birds come or the bees come. And so we have been picking figs on the farm. And so just to try to do something with these, I decided I was going to make my grandmother's Colocci's. And I'm half check, my daddy's check. This silver hill's got a lot of Czechoslovakian immigrants. And so I grew up eating these Colocci's until she passed away in the '80s. But she would always have them, not a special event. Just we'd always go over, have these Colocci's. And it's just like a pastry with a fruit or preserved filling in the middle. So I did the figs, did the crumble on top. And yeah, so I had Jeff, thank you for trying them out. You have to be getting any peg, right? That's right. A couple of other things before we had to part ways. You got-- you're on the Ag advisory board. Real quick, tell us. I am on the United Bank Ag advisory board. And I want to give everybody just a little update of what I heard. Lumber, I heard from the 4th Street Association. And they are saying that we do have 10 lumber, just the large inventory in all our warehouses. And right now, that is at an all-time low, believe it or not, with the last couple of years. And you're not seeing it in the stores. The prices go down, but they are saying that they are flooded with lumber right now. Inventory is very, very high. Cattle prices are at an all-time high. So they've been high for the last year. The foreseeable future, they're going to stay high. Good for our cattle farmers out there, that if you want to sell, this is a good time to sell. One of the other issues that came up-- and it's one that I am concerned about. And that's our farmland being gobbled up, prime agricultural farmland, gobbled up by a lot of development. It's the best place to put homes, buildings. It's cleared. It's ready to go. And if it's draining well, then that's a good spot to put your new-- That's the story of Baltimore County right now. We are seeing it in Baltimore County, but we're also seeing it in Escambia County. And according to the farmers you know on that ag advisory board, I heard it a couple times. It's something that I've been very concerned about. Homeland Security, I'm on that committee at the state level. And to me, it's food security, it's national security, it's the local security. Well, isn't it this, though, representative? It's hard to be a farmer. I saw the David Sessions about this. He's just like-- it's not worth it. It's a gamble. Why not sell off and go cash out and get your-- That's right. And sell it to build the subdivision. I think there's like five country songs out right now talking about this phenomenon of people to sell off farmland to go to develop or build subdivisions. I mean, that's like what's going on in America. Well, logically, and these farmers, they're hardcore. They think about that. And yeah, they're losing it. And it's hard for these tractors to get up and down the roads. This is clean. [INAUDIBLE] Well, we have part ways, but we'll pick this conversation up again. OK. And we'll talk about it in a couple of weeks. We'll have it on the agenda. We're going to break your bearing back. This is the Jet Force show on the flip talk. We'll go to 65. It's a great morning, thank you. [MUSIC PLAYING] From Buck's Pocket to the shores of Orange Beach, at all points in between, an insider's perspective on Alabama politics. It's the Jet Force show. I don't think Hank done it this way. [MUSIC PLAYING] On this Monday morning, 2513, 403, 0106, would be a touch with the show. Yeah, do as text me and we will do our best to respond to whatever it is that is on your mind. So to come on a program about a half hour from now, we'll talk to Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth. He'll-- a real quick programming notes. We'll have any confusion here. The next few interviews you'll hear, we were up in. Our WEI was up in DeKalb County, Alabama, over the 4th of July holiday. It's a sort of an event that the speaker of the house and the Senate Majority Leader do every 4th of July weekend. They do a breakfast. And the speaker said, well, Jeff, and he asked me this last time he was on, well, can you come up and do your radio show at our event? And I was like, well, speaker, I really do a 4th of July radio show, but I'll come up and get a bunch of politicians kind of all there. And we did the show, but we pre-taped a lot of these interviews. And we had some big guests here. But Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth was in attendance. And as I said, the state Senate Majority Leader Steve Livingston and the House Speaker, Daniel Ledbetter also. We sat down a couple interviews or a few interviews with them. Also, and this is in the coming days. I got Secretary of State, West Allen, and State Representative Mark Giddley coming up tomorrow. And then on Wednesday, also there, sat down with his former Secretary of State, John Merrill. So we got them spread out over the next few days, but y'all will want to listen. And Ainsworth was particularly interesting. So that's coming up Ainsworth at about a half hour. Steve Lewis said about an hour. And Daniel Ledbetter at about an hour and a half. And in the meantime, 2513430106, Joe Biden going on Morning Joe. And it felt very trying too hard. I guess is the word I would use for the handful of clips I've been able to listen to. But defending his candidacy, this is going to be really, really fun to watch. Democrat, Blue on Blue is always one of my favorite pastimes. So that's what's going on here. There's a civil war. This could really escalate. I'm not saying that it will. But guys, think about that. Joe Biden isn't losing candidate right now. The only way that he is president reelected to the presidency is if Donald Trump really screws it up. Or maybe they put Donald Trump in jail, but even then, I think he's elected president, but Biden's going to lose right now. He's losing in these popular vote opinion surveys. He's losing a lot of ground here. And what can a guy like that? There's currently that firing on all cylinders by any metric. What can he do to make up that ground? Is there anything he could do? It's not like he's even capable of a Hail Mary pass right now. But I don't think Democrats have very many options. Also, we talk about who's waiting in the wings. It would have to be Kamala Harris, but she's not in. I don't think the country wants to get to know her. They did. She's probably not going to be capable of winning. So what does that leave us with? Some others, you know, if it's Gavin Newsom or whoever it may be, we will keep an eye on that. Also, but Joe Biden was going to part ways. I said this earlier in the program, it would have happened already. I think this weekend was the time to do it. If they were going to change horse's mid race, they would have had to have done it. They would have had to have done it already. Two, five, one, three, four, three, zero, one, zero, six, because this weekend would have been the weekend to do it. No question about it. I'll see. We got some text to get to here. Uh, Ben writes this. Jeff, can you ask what the Lieutenant Governor Ainsworth about the progress with the push to three leads? He's fine. You want to stay tuned for that, Ben. That will come up, for sure. And he gets into funding and whatnot. Dr. Nager, what's the tough solution this weekend? Jeff, seem to be your favorite Mexican restaurant. And I noticed that you didn't stop there, Dr. Nager. You better make sure you have all your shots up to date when you go eat at Taco Casa. Passes as a damn ferry has gotten expensive. Fred, what about aquaculture? You know, some hydroponics going on here. I don't know. What are you talking about, Fred? They collaborate on that. Finally shot. I know this guy. A lot of the same ag land development in my neck of the woods, too, but it gets back to this whole, like, it's just not-- it's hard to be a farmer right now because inflation-- I mean, all these input costs are making it very difficult to be a farmer in America right now. Why wouldn't you sell out? Walk away with money in the bank. Now, like I said, there's like four country songs right now about developers approaching a farmer. Well, there's two in particular. But there's a bunch of other ones in the top 40 right now about this whole phenomenon. But it's fascinating because if you think about it, what is inspiring that kind of, like, what's inspiring that right now? And it is this. It's the cost of being a farmer. Why did he get so expensive? It is inflation. And then, like I said, I was talking to you. We had him on a couple of months, right after session, David Sessions, the state senator, South Mobile County. Those are yields to show. Y'all know him. He's a very, very steep to the agrib business. And he is telling me about all these different crops. Just not being able to make money, burning through surpluses, cotton in particular, and not even being able to operate his cotton gin. And he says, it's just not worth it right now. So he's shutting down certain aspects of his farming. And if you did this, if this was your means of living or whatever, it's no longer a money maker. You can't make a living doing this anymore. Not like you once could, I suppose. Anyway, so people are selling their farmland off. They're building more houses. And just what we need in Baldwin County. More development. 2,5,1,3,4,3,0,1,0,6 is the text line. Oh, Francis Oyster farming is big in South Mobile County, developing and encouraging those who are important. I need a picture. How do you start to be American right now with this, the inflation that this administration has us living under? Well, think about what's causing those prices to go up. It's-- there's a lot of factors. Yes, the value of the dollar going down is causing a lot of things to be more expensive. But it's also caused more to manufacture to create these things, too, because the price of diesel and the price of farm equipment and the supply chain issues and making our cabinets some kind of DEI experiment with Peter Buttigieg or whatever, totally not qualified. All these things add up. So I mean, it's really taking this toll on a lot of people in the state right now. And we may not realize it, but that's why they're cashing out and they're putting up these-- that's why they're going in this direction with these subdivisions. But we're going to talk about that was Representative Fiddler. Next time she's on in a couple of weeks, for sure. Well, you said it's kind of fascinating to watch the-- how the culture is being driven by that. Damiake, maybe the dibs have another cheat in the works over the weekend I heard out of North Carolina's already registered illegal immigrants to vote. I mean, maybe-- I don't think it's going to be enough. And I've seen this before. Look, Joe Biden had to move heaven and earth to win, to beat-- President, we were told that was very unpopular, had been impeached in the middle of COVID. They had to change the rules in a bunch of different states to just barely pull it off. It wasn't a landslide. It wasn't a mandate election for Joe Biden by any means. But they had to move everything to keep Donald Trump out of office for another term. And I thought at that point, well, this is going to be hard for him to keep the seat, because it's not a mandate of the people. He has not been an effective leader. He has not been able to win any favors over with Republicans. They don't want him. At least with Clinton a little bit, even Obama, you got them to kind of get a Republican or two to go along with what they wanted. The only thing I can think of, they tried an immigration bill, and you had the Center for Oklahoma, but they were able to do that. But it didn't pass. So anyway, watching this, guys, and much of these people try to save Joe Biden. I mean, there's just nothing there to run on. That's number one. But this is before we were even talking about the Mitch or whatever these rumors are out there about Joe Biden's health that were on display to debate. He hasn't really created a resume. He has no legacy. What is the Joe Biden legacy? He is Jimmy Carter. Does anybody look back fondly of the Jimmy Carter years? When they opened the Joe Biden presidential library, what's they're going to be there? So they have nothing to run on. And that makes it really hard. And think about Trump. He's looking at, well, I mean, all these politicians are once in a lifetime. I think guys like Mitt Romney and John McCain, a very cookie cutter in American history, we have guys like that. They all have their special, unique story. But Trump is very historical and very historic for that reason of just whether you like him or not. You have to acknowledge his mark on history. Anyway, we'll elaborate more on that if you so choose-- or if I so choose on the next segment. Right back, this is a Jeff Moore show. And I think talk about those 65s. [MUSIC PLAYING] Lost the one thing, but it didn't matter that it never was. [MUSIC PLAYING] Don't you see I'm a dime or so? I should have died out a long time before. I'm happy to be on a dime or so. And in my hand-- I'm looking back to the Jeff Moore show. I'll have to talk about those 65 things are sticking around on this Monday morning. Governor-- Lieutenant Governor Ainsworth coming up in the next segment. So stick around. We're going to pre-tape the interview there. But we're going to talk about his potential gubernatorial rod. Guys, it was about a year ago that Daniel Ledbetter, the speaker of the house, endorsed for governor. We'll see where that is. Also in the program, Steve Livingston, the new ish, Senate Majority Leader, and House Speaker, and the thing to Ledbetter, a bunch of pre-taped interviews coming your way over the next few days. In the meantime, we want to get in. Text 251-343-0106. That's how we communicate on this program if you so choose. I'll see here-- what do we got? We got a few more here. Leo-- Leo, I don't know that this matters. But Judge, you see the Communist Party, and Joe Biden's answer is to grocery inflation. We'll just have the States go out to grocery store CEOs and price accounts, and more lawfare. That was one of the other ones, these inventions. The greedflation, you see it trotted out occasionally on MSNBC like a Joy Readism. Greedflation that we're just so greedy, yeah, that's it. That's why prices have gone up, because Procter, Gamble, and Kellogg said, OK, we're doing all this DEI nonsense. But on this one, they're just going to do greedflation. So that's not going to work. Nobody's buying it. The other thing, I brought this up early in the program, and I meant to get back to it before now. Project 2025-- hey, right here, end of you've heard that. You don't know what it is. This is like Democrats want to know why they are associated with people like Saul Alinsky, why you hear that name so much. It's because of tactics exactly what they're doing here with this Project 2025. They take something-- the Heritage Foundation is a conservative think tank. They have been around forever. It was Reagan's think tank. It sits there on Capitol Hill, right by Union Station. I've been there hundreds of times over the years. But what they do, guys, is the left, they try to find a villain. They need a villain. And Donald Trump isn't really cutting it for him, I guess. Because they want to create a villain. And the new villain they're creating is Project 2025 and the Heritage Foundation. They try to win the Chamber of Commerce under Obama. But they create this big scary thing. But that's fine. The grotesque thing about this is that the media go along with it. Here's your talking points media. We think that we can poll. We can create this boogie bag called Project 2025. And it's essentially this. These policy think tanks haven't like a wish list, a gender list. They would like to see presidential administrations accomplish once they sit foot in the door. And some of it-- surprise, the Democrats disagree with. But they're trying to turn it into some kind of big evil, some kind of scary thing. So all weekend long, and particularly on the Sunday shows yesterday, they kept bringing Project 2025 up. And they'd show it on the screen. It was like sinister looking. This is what they were doing. This is what these people were doing. Trying to associate Trump with, which is weird to me. Because the Trump's the end, I'll be all of evil. Then why do you need another boogie man? But people don't care. Brands are brands. People have a certain association. You can't just-- you can't just invent something. Sean, Morehouse's a medical complex shows you where the money is. Yes. Even though we are supposedly this protectionist racket called it's difficult to eat. [MUSIC PLAYING] They do a certificate of deed show sometime. And they texture both by an entrapper, both horrible, with working across the parties. The two five went three, four, three, zero, one, zero, six. You'll be right back. This is the Jeff Porte Show on FIT Talk 10065. [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] [MUSIC PLAYING] Hey, welcome back to the Jeff Porte Show. What a good talk, where those six five, they stay with us on this Monday. Another one of our marquee guest leaders in this state, Lieutenant Governor Will Enger joins us here in Henninger, Alabama, for a breakfast they put on every fourth of July. What they call the potato festival, they do a parade. And they're just kind of an all-timey political events the way the speaker described it. But Governor, good morning, are you? Good morning, and good to be here. I've been at the potato festival. I'm in the parade with my family. Every year, they've done it, so it's a big hit for the kids. We buy a bunch of candy and get flags and posters and decorate the truck. And I let my daughter do the poster. She writes what she wants to on there for celebrating Fourth of July, and then get a bunch of candy. And I think the boys enjoy trying to try to use their baseball skills and see if they can hit somebody with candy as much as they do throwing it out. But it's a fun event that's become a tradition. And it's a lot of people here. And it's just, I think, a great thing that's just kind of what make America great and Alabama great. Just things like this and how to get breakfast this morning with biscuits, bacon, and then getting ready to go do the parade. So a good, good, healthy breakfast there. Absolutely. Yeah. Well, how you been, you were there for the session that was. You got your ceilings back under you now? Yeah, no. I think certainly outside of session's been great. We finished up baseball season with the boys. I've been working and just kind of going across the state to different districts, visiting with people. And you're hearing a lot of good things from people outside of inflation and what's going on in DC. I mean, most of the people are pretty happy with what we're doing in the state, happy with the economy, happy with us keeping our state conservative. And for the most part, we're pleased with what we did. I mean, I don't think anybody's 100% pleased. But the message I hear from people across the states are pretty happy with what's going on in the state. They're not that thrilled about what's going on in DC. They think Biden's a joke. And I think, obviously, you look at the debate last week. Wow, right? I never thought in my lifetime that we'd have a president that couldn't articulate just basic sentences and messages about what he's talking about. Pretty scary if you think about that. And take out Republican Democrat just having a president that cannot communicate clearly. That's bad for America. It shows us where the disconnect is. So, Governor, Republicans, conservatives saying this about him for a while now. And it's just like, oh, that's just propaganda or Russia or whatever. It's cheap fakes or whatever. No, the country saw something very, very-- I don't say scary. Yeah, no doubt. And I think-- I mean, I saw a map. And I mean, you know, Lex is still way off. But it was wild, the number of states that are going to be red, which means going for Republicans Trump. I mean, all the swing states, and even some that haven't been in play, I mean, he might lose. Because I think, at the end of the day, people-- well, they expect and want a president that's competent, that can actually do the job, that can go out and access. I mean, look, obviously, being commander in chiefs a huge deal and making sure we protect America now is really important. There's a lot of threats out there. And if you've got somebody that doesn't even understand what's going on, they're not going to be capable of doing that. And I think that's what's going on in the American people, is that they're-- you know, they've solved now. There's no hiding it, right? Right. I mean, you know, if Fiz Biden's people, they should have just kept them like they've been doing, right? And you know, kept them in the closet, not let them out. Or, in fact, not let them debate, you know? But Jeff Poor at Will Aidsworth or running the body campaign, he's at Walter Reed last Thursday night at it. He's not-- there's no way-- any way he's near Atlanta, Georgia at that stage. Yeah, no, exactly. I mean, I think that was a huge mistake. But I think the great thing is, it was the right thing for America. Because now, Americans can see that this guy is not capable of being president, period. I don't care how they spin it. And so I think that I'm a Republican. I'm a Trump fan, so I'm excited the fact that I think we're going to win back the White House. But I think, you know, there's a lot of people that are moderates, that are independents, that are just, you know, I think really worried about what they saw and they should be. So I feel good about taking back DC in the Senate, the House, and then also the presidency. And I think that's going to be a good thing for America. Well, who do you think is running the country right now? In the meantime, I think you've got a lot of people that work for him and special interest, right? I mean, that's pretty scary. I mean, think about it. I mean, because I was talking to somebody else the other day, getting my hair cut, just, you know, obviously when you get an haircut, you talk. And I was like, man, I think he's really the worst. And these people older than me that I was talking to. And they said, well, maybe Carter, and they kind of went through it. And they said, no. Carter was at least somewhat confident, right? President Biden really doesn't even know what's going on, which is scary, you know? So this is who we voted for. This is who, you know, people voted for. And I don't think they got what they were voting for. Yeah, no, not at all. Look, I've got a grandmother that's got some issues with, you know, dementia, right? And there's a lot of similarities, right? And it's just like, but my grandmother has somebody that helps take care of her. She's not running our country, right? And I think the fact that we've got somebody that there's a lot of similarities, sometimes she knows what's going on. Sometimes she doesn't. And I just, in shock, when you go, like, start watching all these videos, there's a pattern. And anyway, I say all that to say I feel I hate that that's going on with them. I hate that he's our president, but I feel really good that he's not going to be our president going forward. So that's good news. Well, how about yourself here? Now, a year ago, I was sitting in this room and this house speaker, he endorsed you for governor. There you go. What, now, when do you expect, I guess, you'll wait till this settles, it's no good recycle. And then you're going to make some decisions about what you're going to do and the 26. Yeah, so, you know, right now we're focused on trying to be the most active lieutenant governor the states had. And I think so far we lived up to that. And then work on solving issues for the people. I think it's a problem if you're in an office and you're sitting there trying to run for another. So we're just trying to do our job as a lieutenant governor, do a good job, solve issues with military, solve issues with small business, solve issues with workforce. I'm going to London in July to help recruit industry here. And that's at the air show for airspace and defense. And so just trying to do my job, as far as timeline for me, November doesn't really do anything with me, right? But so, but you roll into next year. After Memorial Day, I think it's the Tuesday, after Memorial Day, not exactly sure on the date on that, but towards the end of May, right, 28, 29, something like that is when you can, that's a year out from the primary, which is when you could start, you know, raising money. So I would think that, you know, I'd have to have a decision made by sometime in May, right? You know, what I was going to do if I was going to run for governor, I can't run for lieutenant governor, I'm term limited. That's the only thing I would run for. So I would even run for governor or go back to running businesses. And, you know, I could be happy either way. I think certainly if I did run for governor, you look at our record of what we've done, fight in taxes, keeping our state conservative, fighting woke agenda, you know, certainly we've got a good record to run on and I think we could continue to move our state forward. But right now, I'm just focused on trying to do my job as lieutenant governor. - Well, let's talk about your role as lieutenant governor, much different than the last lieutenant governor's. Like you're very more active in your, I mean, you got policy, the grocery tax, for example, you're, you know, trying to, trying to shore up votes and support for that reduction. You know, you took the job and made it something that maybe it hadn't been in the past. - Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, I think in anything in life, you know, whatever your job is, it's what you make it. - Right, and so my thing, when I came in, is I didn't run for lieutenant governor, just to have the title. I ran to actually make a difference and move our state forward. And I think, you know, if you think of the things we've led on, right? You know, cutting taxes, we've pushed more tax cuts through than in the history of our state. School choice, historic, right? I mean, I've been out front on that for a long time and we got it done, right? And that's gonna be great for families in our state. You look at, you know, workforce development. We're finally gonna have a diploma that's gonna help kids that aren't going to a two or four year college. That's so common sense, you know, and we should have done this 10, 15, 20 years ago, just to give students a chance and, you know, having things to, you know, help families, right? Whether it's tax credit for families, trying to have more affordable housing. You know, I think, you know, actually push 'em back against, you know, so many people are afraid to speak out, you know, I've called John Cooper out for not doing a good job, you know? I mean, and I'm gonna keep doing that because, you know, in my opinion, he's, we're in North Alabama. He has totally, in my opinion, disrespected North Alabama by the lack of infrastructure funding in comparison to the growth we've seen. And I don't think he's done a good job. I'll say it again, he needs to be fired, right? I mean, he does not do a good job as DOT director, continues to neglect major projects, and then he sits there and puts priority on projects, like 43 in Southwest Alabama, that's, you know, fine if you wanna do that, but it's a horrible idea to do that project without getting federal funding. - Yeah, it's just a no matching, right? - Yeah, I mean, and so, you know, it's just not wise. And so, you know, we're working on a plan right now that we're gonna, and, you know, to make sure that, you know, 65 gets wide, and it can be done, right? I talked to President Trump about it when he was in town a year ago, and, but if you look at it, you know, we can do that over, you know, probably take eight to 10 years from Huntsville to Mobile, do it in stretches, you know, find out the areas of the state, you know, they're most congested, and we're working on some of that now. So, I mean, where do you, where do you get the money for something like this? Like do you, well, we had the money, it's an 80/20 match from the feds on the interstate. So, you know, and that's my argument down there, we could do, you know, to do different estimates I've heard anywhere from 10 to $15 billion to do what I wanna do on I-65, okay? Depending on, and I think me being in construction business, I could probably negotiate that pretty well. - Well, that's probably, not that we don't really have a good system for that. Especially with the state going to this construction management model, like with its prisons, the construction costs have just gone through the roof, and especially when government tries to do construction. - Yeah, no, exact. So, I think on I-65, let's just get to the right, how do we get that done, right? So, you take that money on what they're spending on 43, right, which is gonna probably end up being 1.5 billion. State money, not a dollar of federal money. Now, you let me have that money, and draw down, use that as a match to draw down 80%. 65's done. And so, my message to the people of Alabama is that a better use of our funds to take that money and draw down 80%, right? So, now you're looking at, you know, 15 billion dollars being spent on roads, or are we gonna spend 100% on one project, and then, you know, and then bond and use different money, I mean, it's just common sense, right? Anybody would say, if you can draw down 80%, 43, by the way, would qualify for 90%. - Well, why aren't they pursuing the federal matching, then? And I know this gets to the governor and John Cooper, but it doesn't make sense, does it? - Yeah, I think the reason they don't want to is because it takes a little bit longer having to go through some of the regulations. But I'm just saying, as a business person, and somebody with common sense and basic numbers, if you can get somebody to pay for 80 or 90% of it, wake up! - Well, what are you doing? - I mean-- - What does that, what needs to happen to get that matching? Like, is our delegation ready to go work on that? Like, do you, once you say you are governor, day one, and you talk to them, like, is it there for the taking? - Or matches there, I mean, all we got to do is just, you know, apply for it, and it's there, right? The federal matches there as long as the program qualifies, and it does, right? The project, not the program, the project qualifies, and so, you know, the frustrating part is, we're not asking for any, like, you know, friends on some of the bridge, they want like a lump sum, we're not asking for that. We're saying, hey, this project qualifies under what you have for, you know, DOT regulations or interstate regulations, - Right. - And we're putting up this amount, and then the feds match it, and so, anyway, now look, 65s and, you know, eight to 10 year project, but, I get more text on that than any other thing, and it's not just a South Alabama thing, it's a North Alabama thing, from Coleman to Huntsville, to growth there, is huge, right? You go through Birmingham, it's a problem, but even like, you know, we have eight million visitors a year that come to your part of the world, the coast, and, you know, and I'll say this, you talked about North Alabama, I'd also make an argument, Baldwin County, right, is not getting its fair share money. The amount of money that they, you know, they're building that bridge at the beach, but, I mean, that's one bridge. - Right, and this is my perception of it, they used it to force the toll company to the south of the state, as leverage, and that's the best use of taxpayer money, highway money, I don't think so. - Yeah, I mean, I think, you know, my point is this, right? I always go back to dad, and the data says, there's eight million people coming to the coast, right? So that's awesome, right, for tourism, and, you know, I think Orange Beach goes short, is doing a great job, but as a state, we owe it to those cities in that county to make sure we get people in and out, you know, effectively and efficiently, and then, you know, the funnel's up to 65, and they go North growing up up here. If we go around and talk to everybody in this room, a lot of people, they'll save up, and they go to the beach for a week. That's what you do, right? But it's becoming where normally it's five and a half, six hour drive from here to go to Gulf Shores Orange Beach, it's taking people nine, 10 hours, right? - Well, you're, it's a Cinderella, it always says this, like, you have that place, right, dad, you know what I'm talking about, right before you get to the devil, we'll get you signed, between that, and Clint next it there, and where it backs up, and you're having traffic jams, and children can't leave based on the checkout time at Orange Beach, which is insane. - Right, yeah, and so, it's just something I think, you know, that, you know, we talk about, yes, the governor question, right? These are things I wanna fix, right? And I think as Lieutenant Governor, I don't have the ability, but I do have the ability to call out people that aren't doing a good job, and John Cooper's one of those people. - Well, one more thing on that, we'll get you out of here on this, it's, well, Tommy Battle is running for governor, he always saw about 65, and he talked about it, like, just component of it, you don't really hear much, but so 75 in Georgia is kind of there 65, right? And they have it six-lane, all the way from Baldost, all the way to the Chattanooga city limits there, and what that did though, economically, there's investment in all these interstate exits that kind of paid for it a little bit, I mean, ultimately, in the long run, by widening 75, it opened it up, and you don't really have that same thing with 65, but maybe you could if you did the right thing with it. - Yeah, no doubt, I think, look, I think, you know, people are now starting to use other roads because of the congestion on 65. If you widen it, I think the argument can certainly be made, you're gonna get, you know, more people are gonna use that instead of taking other routes, which means you're gonna have, you know, from an economic development standpoint, the potential for more people to stop at exits, gas stations, restaurants, right, I mean, you know, and so I think-- - Like distribution facilities, if they go back to these big trucks, you know, they come in and out, and they don't wanna go sit and chill to county for an hour. - And on the distribution side with our poor, we have an advantage that most states don't, and that's only gonna continue to grow. It's all a, I forget, article, this has been several months ago, but where, you know, mobile poor has the potential for the most growth of any poor in the country, right? And so with us deepening that, widening that, but then also just with the fact that other ports are already at capacity, they can't grow, and ours can, you're gonna see growth there on the container side, on the shipment side coming in, on the automotive side. You know, a lot of people don't realize a lot of the automotive stuff goes out of Savannah, and we're trying to get that in the mobile. So I think Alabama's prime for growth, we gotta keep it conservative, we gotta keep our taxes low, gotta continue to do things that help families, and, you know, we're gonna continue to see growth. But I think one of the things that we're gonna be foolish on looking back, I think, is, you know, if we do not stay ahead of the growth from an infrastructure standpoint, it's gonna catch up with us. - Governor, you're gonna be very kind to make time for us, so next time we're down our way, stop by, but thanks for coming on this morning. - Absolutely, always good to be on Jeff. - To the Governor, we'll age right there, we'll be right back. This is the Jeff Moore show at the Fataw Foundation. ♪ We're in the world ♪ ♪ Clean to father and his holy name ♪ ♪ And don't go right ♪ ♪ No, but long black dreams ♪ ♪ I said clean to the father and his holy name ♪ ♪ And don't go right ♪ ♪ No, but long black dreams ♪ ♪ Yeah, watch out, brotherful and long black dreams ♪ ♪ Play me a song 'cause I slept in the sun ♪ ♪ Like I saw drinking money ♪ ♪ To love your no-bro ♪ ♪ People said it was useless ♪ ♪ And people on the blues ♪ - Welcome back to the Jeff Moore show at FM Talk, 106.5, thanks for sticking around on this Monday morning. 2513430106 is the text line. Come up in the next segment. We're gonna try to run an interview. Steve Livingston, he's the Senate Majority Leader. Hasn't been on in a while. What's a good friend of mine? One special is on in Huntsville, and he represents the very north-eastern corner of the state, but he's also the Majority Leader in the Alabama. He's taking that spot this year from Clay Scofield, who had left to go be one of the executive leadership at the Business Council of Alabama. So looking forward to that discussion with Senator Livingston in the next segment, also House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter. We have any text here, we got a bunch. Actually, let's see, blah, blah. Jeff, the bottom line inflation is, feel everything we get. We get by trucks, planes, trains, that's the bottom line. And we got a president is trying to get something out of reserves, a president. This voice of text guys is gonna be crazy. Out of reserves that we've got for our country, try to boost prices for a week or whatever. It's plain, feel plain, a symbol. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out. Well, for farmers, it's particularly difficult. And here's another part of this. The price at market, is it really, is it really playing along with the inflation game? Quite like it is in other aspects of the economy, where a bushel of corn has it gone up as much as a gallon of diesel percentage wise, unfortunately, and that presents a challenge for farmers. We'll be right back, this is the Jeff Porchola in FFTF talk, 10065. Do you like following your favorite high school sports teams? Do you want to know more about the actions of state, county, and city leaders? Do you want a newspaper that speaks to you and your interests? If you answered yes, you should be reading the call news. Since first published in 1897, the call news has reported on the issues that mattered to the people of South Alabama, and continues to be ranked as one of Alabama's best weekly newspapers. Purchase the call news at many grocery and convenience stores in South Alabama, including Walmart, Rouses, and Circle Ks. And if your favorite store doesn't have it, let us know, and we'll make it available. If you want the call news delivered to your home, we can do that too, for less than a dollar per week. Call us today, 251866-5998. That's 251866-5998. Or visit us online, thecallnews.com, and get connected to the call news. From Bucks Pocket to the shores of Orange Beach, at all points in between, an insider's perspective on Alabama politics. It's the Jeff Porshow. ♪ I don't think I ain't done it this way ♪ ♪ No ♪ - Look back to the Jeff Porshow. If you talk 106.5, thanks for staying with us on this Monday morning. Text line 2513430106, hour number three. Now underway, couldn't have about 30 minutes. House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter. Must stay right where you are. Programming note, and I'll explain this, 'cause we pre-taped a bunch of interviews. On Thursday, we were up in DeKalb County and had a bunch of politicians stop by. They asked me to do my radio show up there. So we did the best we could given. We don't have a July 4th show. We taped it with a bunch of dignitaries. So one of the dignitaries, and you're about to hear right now, he's the state senate majority leader and Montgomery is Steve Livingston. He sat down with us. He had sat down with us in a while, obviously with the duties of being the majority leader. Things will change in his role. But here's our interview with him that, well, that's airing now, but we conducted last week. - Yeah, welcome to the Jeff Porshow. If I'm talking 106.5, they should stay with us on this Monday morning. Text line 2513430106, joining us now. It's been a bit, but it is a new role as well. But he's now the majority leader in the Alabama state senate. Our good friend, Steve Livingston, senator, good morning, Aria. - Good morning, Jeff. Hope you're doing well today. - Doing well, thanks for making time. Thanks for coming by. Well, let's kick off here. Since we haven't really talked a whole lot since you've been a leader, but how's that been going for you? - You know, we had a good session this last time. We managed to get through some good red meat, Republican bills, and came down to some other issues, dealing with the new session with the workforce and whatnot. And then we ended the session with a kind of a wham, right? Well, and talk about that. I mean, is it seem a little bumpy between the house and the senate there, but is that going to kind of resolve itself before next year you think? - Oh, absolutely. It's probably already has resolved itself, and you know, they send us stuff, and we'd change it and we send them stuff, and they change it, that's what happens. That's why there's two bodies, right? - Well, it's, and then we send it to the governor and she changes it, so executive amendments, yeah. It's an interesting process, but it just, gambling was kind of the anomaly where it felt like the house and the senate weren't on the same page. Everything else though, if you look before the halfway point, before the softball game, you know, kind of just the first two weeks in the house they had gambling, but everything else seemed to kind of work and it's very well, very well balanced, because there's a net one issue, I think. - Yeah, well, so what do you think this, you're going forward, and you know that that's the derivative there, not gambling, I think. I don't know, maybe you're wrong, but it doesn't seem like it's going to come back, but what's less is quadrennium? - There'll be some issues come up that we did not get to this last year, obviously some that we did, and the house did do come back next year, like dealing with the library boards, and then also with our archives folks and some others that did not get cleaned up totally, so they'll be back, and always some changes to be made in economic development and that workforce package that helps us get folks back to work. - You feel pretty good about good accomplishments this far. I mean, I was talking a lot of members, Senator, if y'all are quite at halftime, it's still a bit of a pretty fairly decent session, right? - If we'd have quit at halftime, we'd have been a great session. (laughing) You know, those 10 bills I guess that we ran through, including the individual fertilization, any one of those items inside a legislative session would have been a really big lift, but to do the eight or nine or 10 album that we did, including having that thrown on us at the last, kind of the last minute to take care of, and that's an issue that may be back next year, who knows? - We all were very nimble, being able to do that, and to curve balls that we're throwing at you, I guess it's just part of the job. - Jack, being able to Jack be quick. (laughing) - Well, beyond statewide, we haven't talked in a while, and kind of coming up to get part of the state, what's ever gonna happen to Belfast? - Well, Belfast has been obviously, you know, TVA opted not to sell it, and it got put back into their inventory program, they are looking at, TVA is looking at some sort of power generation out there in the future, really. It may be what they would classify as small, modular, nuclear reactors, SMRs. We'd love to see some combination of something happen out there. They're a little bit behind the curve ball, so back when Albound Power Southern companies was investing, what are some 15, I think it's 15, is a billion dollars they were invested in, in Volga 3 and 4 that started in 2008, 2009, 2010. You know, TVA started scaling down, they were not looking for any future generations at that point in time, and while Southern Company had the foresight to go on, and knowing that was coming, and of course, you get into the late 2018, 1920s, and you got all the growth coming in Tennessee Valley here. They've got to do something for power generation for the future, take care of our needs. - That's fascinating, but for the sake of our listeners, out of Mobile, Belfront, for its carbon administration, goes all the way back to the 1970s, in 1974. - Yeah, well, before the carbon administration, before I was born, the nuclear power plant, and again, it kept what was on again, off again, on again, off again, and then finally, the last, I'd say last 10 years, there was some discussion about a public private thing, and then that fell apart, but they built it up, the cooling towers are there, if you drive through Jackson County, if you drive down 72, like you're heading to Chattanooga, you see it, and it looks like a nuclear power plant, but it's just kind of a ghost town, right? - It is ghost town, there's not much activity going on out there, they do some training out there, military training, and FBI, I think does a little training out there, but they really, it was basically 85% complete, when they walked away from it, they had an opportunity to sell to a private investor, and have an investment with a private investor, and they tried to make that happen, and it didn't happen at the last minute for multiple reasons, but in the meantime, the valley's sitting there with this ISO, so. - Yeah, well, and so for the summer I lived up there, and my college roommate was from Scottsboro, but that's what brought him to that area, his father was a nuclear physicist, and they just kind of wound up staying there the whole time, but people's lives were really impacted by this and what was gonna happen, and you and I would always talk about it, when I first started radio at 19 in Huntsville, it was like, well, this would be such a big economic driver, but they just, whatever reason, the powers of being in it wanted to happen. - TVA has a little bit of an issue with the debt limit, they have a congressional debt limit set, and they don't have the money to complete the project they are now saying that some of the scrap stuff they've taken out, they can't be replaced, and all the above, so it won't, the plan itself, as it is there, won't come back as a nuclear facility, they could take small, modular reactors, or maybe even the model that saw the company use down it, with Vocal 3 and 4 of the AP-1000s, and come back in coolant hours in shape, they could be used, some of the, everything, but the reactors probably can be used out there, they just have to be rebuilt for some capacity. - Well, I mean, you're still, that's gonna play out, but I'm glad to hear that something's gonna happen out there. I mean, there was all kinds of speculation of what could happen, but, you know, that's 5-6,000 jobs when they're building out there for probably five years consecutively, it'll ramp up and ramp back down, but you know, that's a huge economic investment there. - You know, enjoyed by a state senate majority leader, Steve Livingston here on the program, back to what's going on, kind of in Montgomery. - Well, first, we just would be remiss, I'll talk about gambling, but what happened there, you say, did you see the way that played out coming? The, you know, the senate pretty well did not have the votes to pass the house plan when it came up, we sent them back a, something that we could pass, and I think we only passed it by one vote when we sent it back, and we went to conference committee, and we just could not come to an agreement that both bodies could agree to, to be honest, so it came down to the last minute, and it was the last attempt at the very last of the session to revive it, and the votes just were not there, votes were just not there. - Yeah, well, it'll come back again, it's becoming back all my life, it'll be back again and probably stronger than ever, so we'll see what we can put together in the next few months, I don't know that it'll be back next year or the next year, but it'll be back in the first year of the next quad uranium, for sure. National politics, kind of a crazy time right now, we'll get elected in November. What do you, what do you, you know, I mean, albums can do what albums can do, we do have one competitive congressional race in the second congressional district, but the Joe Biden, then what's going on in the country, it's impacting Alabama directly, I mean, what do you think? You know, I think President Trump will have a huge show in Alabama this next time, and I think that will reflect very positively on CD2. I think Caroline Dobson down there will have a very good vote, she's got a strong opponent and Shimari figures, but I think this is going to be one of the courts, might have left, should have left long when it happens, so we'll see. - You think that's gonna be revisited like, 'cause you were part of that, the reinforcement effort, and like, I know there was some drama there, but I talked to Jerry Carl, and I talked to, I mean, they think that something else is gonna happen, and it's gonna be sent back to you guys eventually. - You know, we take that case to court in February, of this next year, 25, so we'll see what, see what that three judge panel does to that again. There's been some things that have happened in the 11th circuit that makes it a little different, also in the South Carolina recently, that changes some things, so we'll see where we are in February with that, it'll be a good time. The Senate has, you know, it's, the Senate's case will be held in November of this next year. There's two seats that are question there, Senate District 7, Senate District 25, so we'll see what the court says about that, and that's down to a one judge panel there, so. - How'd you ever get into your portion of that business? Like, you know, this, it's just sort of, how did you wind up, did you, you didn't seek this out, did you? - The pro team asked me to do that, and I did, so fair enough, so here we are today, here we are today, it's a joke, but it's the gift to keep going given, so. - Yeah, well, best to look there, last question, we'll get you out of here on this, a leader. The, this event, it's been going on nine years now. Talk about how it came to be, everything that, you know, now it's growing, growing, growing every year. - Yeah, you know, Nathaniel and I were, it appeared one year at the potato festival, and what you can, I think after the first year, we were elected, we started riding together in the parade, and we were doing that, and we just came up with a concept. He said, well, what if we had some, what if we cooked breakfast for everybody before the parade, and the next thing I know, you know, we did it, and like he said, a little earlier today, we were a little organized that first year. I think we had the coffee ready at 7.30, but that was about it, and we got, got some folks volunteered to help us, and really took over and made it, made it quite a show, and we'll probably feed close to 300 people to that, so. - Well, the speaker's talking about it, and like it's like an old-timey political event. I mean, it's 4th of July, or celebrate the, the birthday of the, the country, but like our system of government, I mean, politics is just such a part of it. And all politics is local, and it can't get any more local than right here in Oregon or Alabama today. - Yeah, well, thanks for having us, and we'll just catch up again soon. I appreciate it, thanks Jeff, thank you. - And there you have it. That was a leader state Senate, majority leader. The thing that led better there on the program. And I said this earlier, we're gonna be taping a bunch of these interviews over the next few days, or pre-running these pre-taped interviews over the next few days, coming up here shortly, we'll have the House Speaker, who's also a part of that event up in North Alabama that I attended on Thursday, but tomorrow, a programming note of West Island, Mark Giddley, also from that stop, and then on Wednesday, John Merrill. John Merrill, and I have a conversation kind of about Alabama and political streets, kind of a good one, so please make sure you listen. All right, we'll be right back. This is the Jeff Porte Show enough in talk. 1-0-6-5. ♪ When the geeland's gone ♪ ♪ Every gambler knows ♪ ♪ That the sea ♪ ♪ 'Cause it's midnight in my garden ♪ ♪ Just hear that with the wind ♪ ♪ See the stars out of the world ♪ ♪ Blue sky ♪ - Welcome back to the Jup4 Show. I have to talk 106.5. They just stick it around on this. Monday morning, 251-3430-106. Programming note, as I mentioned in the last single, was Allen, was our secretary of state. We'll hear from him tomorrow. Mark Giddley, state representative from East Alabama. We'll talk to him. And then we do this every Tuesday, John Wall, the Republican Party chairman for our state will give us another update. So make sure you tune in for that. 251-3430-106, please utilize your text line. I hope everybody had a good long 4th of July holiday. Four days, so I said a little rusty. Whenever I get away from the microphone for that long, it gets, well, if you're not in a routine, something upset your routine, then it's no good. Let's see here. We already read that Teutel Spammer writes this, "Nash real transgender manifesto will not be released because of copyright." I can the judge use that. I would assume this will be appealed. We know why the manifesto isn't being released. What happened in Nashville? Could you ever imagine a situation, even in war torn dystopian Birmingham or Montgomery of this being withheld from the public? (silence) But Nashville has gone hard left. Paul, if grass is E.T. like broccoli, Project 2025 will call fart, sucaris is E.T. like broccoli, I understand the farts. Okay. And then Jason writes this, "Jeff, as much as I love the dulcet tones of Granny Governor, it sure will be nice to have a governor that will sit down and answer questions like Mr. Ainsworth." You have no idea, Jason, because for a while, and this isn't exactly hardball gotcha radio, okay? And I know there's a, there's certain lawmakers, particularly in our listening area who discourage people from coming on talk radio, which I wish they would not do that. But I think Governor Ivy comes from that school of thought, and for years we had Richard Shelby and Kay Ivy to the state's top elected official. I could get Doug Jones on this show, but I could never get Richard Shelby. And it was essentially this, both Ivy and Shelby were kind of like, well, I don't need to go on. Why would I go on? Which is kind of a wrong reason to not come on. I mean, you have a sort of an inherent duty as an elected official. Well, I don't, you know, I say that about Governor Ivy. I don't know that necessarily the reason she has refused. I think there may be some other underlying reasons, but I tend to get along with the Ivy people, but they just, when it comes to the governor and getting one-on-one time or talking to her, that's off limits. And you could kind of figure that out what's going on there. But it will be nice. It will be nice to have people who are, they don't have to worry about going off the script to come on radio. Makes my job easier. But Shelby was, I think it's probably more of an arrogance. He didn't need, he wasn't running again. He was too busy getting money from the port or whatever. He was too busy nailing down earmarks for the Richard Shelby Library in Tuscaloosa. As many school children from all over the state, all 67 counties, I am sure, will go down to the University of Alabama and see all the greatness that the Shelby Institute has to offer about their long time US Senator. But he was never, it was kind of, Katie Britt is her breath of fresh air. No matter what you say about her, you may not like her, I don't care. She comes on this radio show. Tuberville, Jeff Sessions would have when he was Senator. But you're right. The lieutenant governor, if he is governor, it will be assuming he wins. We need to have a whole discussion about that sometime. 2513430106, that's a text line. Come over to the next segment. How's it going to take a little bit better? We'll be right back to seven talk, 106.5. ♪ Making small talk, killing time ♪ ♪ flirting with the fire tender ♪ ♪ He said I tried it all ♪ ♪ When I was young and in my natural prime ♪ ♪ Now it's old dogs and children ♪ ♪ And watermelon wine ♪ ♪ Old dogs care about you ♪ ♪ Even when you ♪ - Welcome back to the Jet Force Show here on FIB Talk 106.5. Thanks for staying with us on this Monday. The guest of honor here for today's program puts it he and Leader Livingston in the Senate and put this together about nine years now. But a house speaker, Nathaniel Ledbetter, joins us a speaker. Good morning, are you? - I'm good, Jeff. Good morning, glad to have you in the Cab County. Always pleasure for you to be here. - This is the first broadcast from, we're not live, but this will be broadcast later. Let me start here with this. We'll tell us a little bit of how this came to be, this breakfast you do every 4th of July. I knew about it when I was on the air and hustle. I just never got to make it here. Finally, last year, made it up here. But now here we are doing a radio show. - Yeah, well, I appreciate that. I appreciate you being here. We started out, I guess it was 10 years ago. We just, some friends had got together at a little cabin here in the Cab County and had more people anything we could hold. So we thought we might need to move it somewhere else 'cause people wanted to do it every year. So we come to Hennigar where they had the 4th of July celebration and were able to be part of it and started out in the morning with breakfast. I was kidding them this morning. I remember very well, I'm in Central East and started it. And the first year we had it here at the Hennigar Park, about the time everybody got here, we probably had the coffee ready. So as about it, we didn't have anything. So we certainly got some great help in people that do it. Last year, we fed over 300 people. And I suspect more people was here than that. That's just how many of that got to plates. We were able to know about the number of plates it was used. So it's turned into a great event. Look forward to it every year. And it's kind of like I told them this morning that it's a blessing to me really is to see that many friends and people that live in the community. It's really pretty neat. Well, it's become like kind of a who's who thing in politics to come and like, you know, I suspect next year this will be much more crowded on it. (laughing) - I think you're probably right. And we certainly have got people today from all over the space. Certainly, Lieutenant Governor hadn't missed one. Of course, Will and I've been friends for years and I'm glad him and his family come each year and so they're going to pray through on that candy, I think. So I think Jack Williams from Mobile's here and we've got a lot of our representatives here. And this just continues to grow Secretary of State here and Wes is a good friend sort of with him. You know, as you know in the house and always good to see him here. - Well, it's a cool event and I'm glad you do something like this. So 4th of July, but kind of marrying the two. I mean, it's our system, right? It's politics is inherently part of the American system. And I mean, not that this is a political event, it's more of a fellowship kind of thing, but there's some political overtones here. - Well, sure there is. I mean, the other thing about this, I guess, and Scott had mentioned this morning is kind of like old-timey politics. - Right. - It's like stump speeches and things like that. Just on the picnic grounds and having everybody here for breakfast before the festivities get started. So yeah, I'd say this is more like an old-timey country political of me. - They don't do a lot of these anymore. - No, it's also a thing of the past. You know, and the thing about it is I'm kind of excited to see ours grow like it has. I mean, we had set up tents outside last year and have gotten them set up this year and they added on to the building. This is a new part we're in because they needed the space and having the event here kind of allowed them to do that. And so, you know, we're excited about it. It's something that we look forward to and we've got a great group of people that could call the food and they show up here at five o'clock in the morning on the fourth of July and they could be in the world and whatever they want to do with their families or whatever, but they used to be here. - Well, let's get into the politics of the day. Federal politics, national politics right now is, well, what do you make of what's going on, especially, you know, with an election coming up in November? - Well, you know, it's interesting. Especially after the debate the other night. I mean, you know, it questions Biden's ability to leave and I think Trump did an outstanding job. Of course, I'm probably biased in that and I'm okay with that. But the thing about it is to me, this makes me wonder if there wasn't more planning to this because I'm having it that early. So, you almost wonder if they did it intentionally to try to put somebody else to feel his shoes. And I know I'm not a conspiracist, I know means, but it's awful, coincidental. And now it seems like the drum beat is getting louder and louder. - It's just not something out of the realm of possibilities out of the thin air to do, say, there's at least a possibility, you know? - I think so. I mean, you know, the thing about this, if it's not possible for me to manage being thrown out, that might take the spot. So, you know, I know they got to August is coming pretty quick and I know it's when that convention is, but I feel good about Trump's chances. I think he's in a good position to draw this to who it is. If it's Biden or if I put a surrogate in, I feel like he's going to do fine. Matter of fact, I think he's going to be the president again. And we need it. I mean, for what's going on with inflation and things that's happening around the country, we need that type of leadership back in the White House. - Well, let's move it back to the state of Alabama real quick. And you and I talked a couple of weeks ago about gambling and all that, but I guess looking ahead and you've accomplished some big things so far this quadrantium. This is the halfway point. I know ethics is still out there. What do you think the next two years really looked like? I mean, the fourth year of a quadrantium is kind of, you get the budget, you get the budget done and go. People go back to their districts, but next year will be, I guess, the consequential year of this quadrantium that's left. - Yeah, I think we'll see a lot of positive legislation. We had some bills passed out of the house last year that I hope we can get through the Senate. You know, what is a woman being one? I'm the library bill being the other one that Arnold Moon had. So we got some of those things I think we need to finish up. And I think Matt's worked too hard to select the ethics lingo. I think we need to give him a chance to see what we can work out. I know the workman's conversation for teachers. I know Sam has worked on that really hard, so I'm gonna be in and we look forward to working with him to get something done when they have. There's a lot of, I believe at my house, I have got a sheet of notebook or a notebook beside my recliner and I've got a list of items that's on it. And every time something comes up, I just ride it down. So I can remember what we're gonna be doing and looking at. So I'm excited about it. I think we've had two really good sessions. You know, I feel blessed to be the speaker and honored that the members put me in that position and I feel like that over the last two years, we've passed a lot of good legislation. Well, and looking at your leadership here, I mean, there's a different than your predecessor, Mike McCutchen, but like, things definitely feel more structured. Everything starts on time and the thing is like really, you really see the biggest difference. Like some of the vote totals you're accumulating and we all work together as a body, it seems, very well. - Yeah, one thing, and I think it's important, it's important to me when I come in as a freshman, it's important I think for our members and also for everybody that's in the body, is to try to give them as much information as we can. If it's a tough issue, if it's hard issue, regardless of what it is, try to give them as much information as they possibly can yet. And I think that helps. I think that helps us with the votes. I think letting both sides and working on both sides of the aisle helps us and then, you know, we're not gonna agree on everything. I mean, that's just the way it is, but I think we can work together for the common good for this day. - Yeah, well, and the other thing about your leadership role speaker now, DeKalb County, it's the very north corner, the eastern corner of the state, but what's the learning curve been like kind of getting around the state? I mean, like you're on a mobile radio show right now, understanding how this whole state kind of comes together. It's, I always talk about it like this, it's tribal, but once you figure it out, it fits together like a jigsaw puzzle. - It really does. I mean, we were in Baldwin County last week in Mobile County just coming back from there and, you know, spent a lot of time down there through the year and travel all over the state, like you said. I, you know, the thing with me is I wish that people could see what I see and see the drive that people of this state have to be successful in business or to be successful in their, whatever they're doing for their community and for their surrounding area. 'Cause it is different, you know, I was in Mobile last week with Chip Brown and we were talking about everything down there and the culture and what it is based on what the culture is here in North Alabama. So it's refreshing to see that Alabamaians are working hard to be successful in their community and be successful in business and their churches, but getting to see that firsthand and hearing the stories of people that really come up from the shoe straps to be successful in whatever venture they're in. It's, it's really pretty neat. - Well, and I tell you, like, historically Mobile feels like it's like a direct end step trauma. So does the Shoals or Dothan or wherever. And what do you say to those people that feel like they're just, I'm sure even in this part of the state, feel that way sometimes about Montgomery just seems so far away to people. - No, you're 100% right. We complain here 'cause we don't get enough road money. - Or we don't spend this true everywhere, right? - Yeah, that's right. Yeah, well, it's everywhere. And everybody, and I think that's a good thing 'cause everybody fights for their area. There's nothing wrong with that. And certainly, you know, if I know Chairman Reynolds is here this morning and Chairman Garrett, when they look at their budgets, they try to make sure that they spread down as fairly as they possibly can. But sometimes you always would like to do a little better for your certain district or right. So I think that's just human nature. - Well, tell me this then. The other thing I'm looking for, I guess we need to talk about because it is the state issue. Everyone is just a situation in Montgomery, the city there, the crime there. And I saw a picture the other day of a shattered glass from a bullet hole in a government building when it was green rooftops. I mean, like, that's getting close to home, right? I mean, from a state approach, I mean, how concerned are you? What do you think it needs to happen? - Yeah, we, you know, I talked about it. I think last time I was on your show and there's certainly something needs to happen. And there's conversation going on. And I had met with a delegation from Mobile in Jefferson County during session last year because of it. And we did two or three things that we thought would help around the ages. But at the end of the day, you know, when you're half of the police force, I mean, it's pretty simple to me. You gotta get feet on the ground. I mean, when they're down by over 200 police officers and Montgomery, I think I just read that this week, Jeff, and I think they're down that many in Birmingham. You know, I know it's hard to hire police officers and I get it, but I do think that makes a difference. I mean, being the visible, being out there, being able to have people in the streets makes a ton of difference. And I think they gotta continue to do that. And if there's anything we can do, you know, we wanna help, but there's gotta be something. Well, last question will happen upon this. I'm capital journal a couple of weeks ago. Darryl Bailey was the DA in Montgomery County. He was like, "Well, the legislature," he put some of the onus on legislature. Obviously, it was like parenting and the backup and the judiciary. But it wasn't the usual, like it's constitutional carry. It was this. It was like, do we need to have higher penalties for gun crimes in this state? I mean, that persists the other problem where he put all these people. But like, is that a deterrent that would really be effective in this scenario? Yeah, I think anything we can do and look at is possibility. You know, we've done that with Fennler. You know, I don't know how much it's really hell. You know, you see all the crimes and what's going on with it now, but I'm open. And certainly, this is my thing. From the standpoint of where it's Jefferson County or whether it's in Montgomery or Mobile or whatever the crime rate is, you know, the people in those positions have got to take responsibility. And I have seen firsthand and news reports and everybody else where some of the leadership wants to blame everybody else. Right. You know, I think there's comes a time when you've got to stand up and you've got to be a leader and you've got to take responsibility for what's going on. Well, it is, it's perils times. I mean, you know, but the other problem is with this and this will be really the last question. If you impose rules for a place where, 'cause we were just talking about it, everything's not the same, it's very tribal, if you try to impose like a one-size-fits-all state solution to something that's very Montgomery-centric or Birmingham-centric or wherever the problem may be, I mean, is that the right approach? Do you need the same kind of like governance or the same kind of policy applied to like Scottsboro or wherever that you would, Montgomery? No, you're 100% right. I think you got to look at that and I think you're 100% right. I mean, I can tell you right now and you can park your car whole, we're sitting right here and leave it for a week unlocked with anything you want to leave in it. And when you come back, it's going to be in it. I mean, it's totally different in different parts of the state and I think the more rural areas, we don't see as much crime based on population as much as anything, but no, you're 100% right. We need to make sure we do our due diligence and we do the right thing when we're trying to race it. Speaker, you're always very kind. You've been good to this program over the years when you were a leader, but thanks for coming by and thanks for having us today. Hey, thanks for being here. You know, I told Scott this morning that when you show up and want you guys to show up every year or so. We look forward to seeing you back next year. You're up for office for some time. (laughing) That's right. I'll speak to the state of the lab better. Thanks again, Speaker. Thank you. ♪ Let that happen again ♪ ♪ So this is where it ends ♪ ♪ And this is where it ends ♪ ♪ And this is where it ends ♪ ♪ Oh, my mom, can this really be the end ♪ ♪ To distance out of movie ♪ ♪ With the Memphis blues again ♪ ♪ And this is where it ends ♪ ♪ Oh, my mom, can this really be the end ♪ ♪ To distance out of movie ♪ ♪ With the Memphis blues again ♪ ♪ Oh, my mom, can this really be the end ♪ ♪ To distance out of movie ♪ ♪ To distance out of movie ♪ ♪ To distance out of movie ♪ Welcome back to the Jup4 show. What if I'm talking 106-5? Thanks for listening. And what's left of this Monday morning? Let us do appreciate it. Coming up on the program tomorrow, a programming note, we'll have Secretary of State, West Allen, taped interview with him on Thursday, Sarah, Mr. Martin Giddley, and then we'll wrap it up with live. John Wall, the Alabama Republican Party Chairman, kind of a big time right now in national politics to talk to him, and the RNC is coming up here. So we'll get the skinny from John Wall. There's literally not many techs, so we will, well, always appreciate the feedback. Either way, 2513-4-3010, say, show up here shortly, you get midday mobile. Sean Sullivan, Sean, what's going on today? Jeff, a lot. Yeah, coming up in just a little bit, Todd Stacey joins me. Lots to talk about with him. Our number two of the show, John Sledge, local historian, John Sledge is gonna join me to discuss this Wall Street Journal story that says the Clotilda, the story of the Clotilda is just a hoax, and we'll talk with him about that. He was mentioned in that Wall Street Journal story as was Ben Rang's, Ben will join me tomorrow as this thing that these two men who have been on the show talking at length on, were, at least according to this guy at the Wall Street Journal, promoting a hoax about the Clotilda, and I think there's some points to make here that the guy wrote the story, he has a dog in the hunt as well, because he's behind a theory that it's this ship, the wanderer that was the last slave ship. So, but we will talk with John about that, and a whole lot more. It's always a treat to get John in. So, Todd Stacey, our number one, John Sledge, our number two. And the Clotilda, I'm not trying to undermine or minimize their storage significance, but it just seemed like this was like the end-all be-all, like we must find this ship, we must, and then remember all of the kind of like false alarms along the way, Sean, like there was sort of an obsession here that the, I guess there's now some finality too. - Right, is there, I don't think there's too much to it. I mean, of course I was, I guess, adjunct to the story the whole way through, being a friend of Ben Reigns, when he went and found the first ship that ended up not being the Clotilda, he and I were on the phone, because we were talking about the fact that to expose this ship, it was a January day, and people who know the cause way, know the Delta, we had a big north wind and a steep, steep low tide happening, which, you know, brings water down. You can see things more easily, he and I were on the phone talking about the tides, he said he found it and said not being the right ship, then, summarily afterwards, he finds it, here comes National Geographic in, trying to push out all the local folks and take command of this thing, plus the state archives. I think there's a lot to this story, and the desire to find it, I mean, how many last things can you find, right here at home, right? - Right. - There's a sense of adventure, I mean, I know it's not alive in everybody, but, you know, folks, this idea, if I told you the, there's a lost thing out, you know, wherever, I mean, Ben's, you know, talks about these things, he goes and tries to find, he worked with the guy who'd already found the underwater forest and documenting, these things are really cool, I think. - It had been a lost thing for a while, but I just, you got a sense from the media that there was this urgency to find it, right? I mean, I knew about it, I was aware of it, I mean, I was aware as you are, but it did seem like it really picked up there toward the end, am I wrong? - Well, the National Attention came in, and sure, does it fit a national interest in it because of the last slave ship, and they can, you know, point at Alabama and all those things, sure, but at the same time, the folks in Africa town are Alabamians, Ben Rayne, Alabamian, you know, Alabama folks doing something, looking at it. My problem was when those national concerns that wanted to just look down their nose at us, try to come in and, you know, take it over and say, oh yeah, yeah, we got this, yeah, go run along now. The grown-ups are here, which was far from the truth. - And another question I have about that, you talk about the state coming in with our guys, I mean, like, how did their role, was it, was it a complementary to the situation? - Maybe at some point it was, but in Ben's discussion of this, they came in and said, well, it doesn't need to be raised, you know, RAISED. It doesn't need to be brought up, and, you know, keep it on the bottom, and Ben's saying, hey, you can do this with coffer dams, we do it all the time, so there's some shutdown, at least in Ben's impression from the state archive side so we'll hear more from him tomorrow on that. John Sledge will give us his take when he joins us coming up at one o'clock, so that's all straight ahead, plus Todd Stacey, and what it's like to get interview questions ahead of time, we'll talk about that as well. - All right, well, y'all need to stay tuned for that. Well, my time has expired, I will endeavor to do better tomorrow, which will be hard after today's show, but we will do better tomorrow. - Sir Phyllis, I forgot to say goodbye, this has been the Jeff Moore show on FM Talk, 1065. ♪ Come around to where you need it ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music)