National Alabama Corporation

For the first time since the inception of the Barton Rail Car fiasco I am excited to be in the proximity of what is and will be a world class manufacturing facility reminiscent of the early days of Detroit. The combination of TVA, the Tennessee River. The rich unsung heritage of Barton/Cherokee can do nothing but prosper if the seeds already planted are allowed to sprout and grow. Heritage that includes the Natchez Trace Parkway, (I believe to be the worlds longest National Park), the home of Levi and George Colbert who signed for the forcible relocation of the Chickasaw, renamed themselves' Tharp then moved to Franklin county. The site of the Battle of Barton where SD Lee turned back the best and brightest of the Union Army in the great war of Northern Aggression. So many to recount.

Anyone with a brain can see that National Alabama Corporation, like TVA or any government held entity need not post 30% profits for the shareholders. It need not pay megamillions for a CEO. It only need bid lower than all the companies which have these overhead expenses. A no brainer for sure.

But one thing that is obvious to me is that the National Alabama plant at Barton needs insurance.

Fire and Casualty insurance, Health insurance for the employees separate from Peehip and the State insurance programs, retirement programs for the 1500 employees who are going to have to go to work making those expensive steel beauties in Barton. It is the nature of the State of Alabama to self insure its holdings. However, this particular building. The largest of its kind in the world. (Well the largest in Cherokee anyway) contains too many of the state eggs to keep in our own basket. The purpose of Insurance is to Spread the Risk. We need to spread some of it into another state. It only makes sense.

Not just any insurance company.

I recommend the Lizard.

That green guy who has his little three fingered hand prints all over the inside of my TV screen. I am sure that Allstate, State Farm, Progressive and all the others will whine and throw a fit but I believe that Bronner is smart enough to write a proposal that steers the needs for our insurance plan at Barton into the capable little green hands. I am sure that RSA can see the need for budgeting this expense. If we had good republicans at the helm in our State Senate offices I am sure they would see the need as well. Even if it has to be paid out of severance tax or in lieu of money. (Alas we work with what we have.)

Oh, and that lizard, he works for GEICO, a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, administered by Warren Buffett, who also co-incidentally owns and administers the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway - A five billion dollar rail operation. What am I suggesting here? A little three green fingered back scratching.

Noooo. Of course not!

I am just saying that a half billion dollar rail car plant is to big an investment to trust to the fates and finances of the State of Alabama.

Nothing more.

But if it happens that the well being of the Barton Rail Car facility should happen to overlap with the well being of Warren Buffett.. Well ... so be it.