In a speech laden with statistics, former U.S. Senator and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Doug Jones said while Alabama has had success in attracting business and federal projects, it lags behind other states on measures of poverty, education and health and that “it doesn’t have to be the same way.”
Jones’ speech Wednesday to the Rotary Club of Birmingham came two weeks after his Republican opponent, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, addressed the same group. Jones said he wanted to share his goals and aspirations for the governor’s office while drawing a comparison with Tuberville since the current senator has refused to debate.
“For most of the last century, this state's been really kind of run by [a] small circle of people in Montgomery who learned that the surest way to hold power is to keep ordinary Alabamans out of the mix, out of decisions that shape their lives,” Jones said. “Montgomery has become a haven for special interest and big money.”
Jones outlined three opportunities he said Alabamians deserve: opportunity to live a healthy life, opportunity to participate in government and opportunity for economic prosperity.
Healthy living
The Democratic hopeful framed health care as an economic issue.
“You cannot hold a job if you can't afford your insulin,” Jones said. “You can't build a workforce out of people who are just too sick to show up, too obese to show up.”
He noted Alabama’s high infant mortality rate, the closure of rural hospitals and residents who don’t qualify for Medicaid but can’t afford private insurance. He said a top priority as governor would be to expand Medicaid. He acknowledged questions around how the state could afford the move, but pointed to studies that show Alabama could come out ahead financially through savings.
“When my opponent stood at the podium a couple of weeks ago and told you that Alabama can't afford Medicaid, Montgomery found a way to build two prisons for $2 billion that are not even functioning yet,” Jones said. “Folks, if we can find $2 billion for prisons that are still not opened, I submit that we can find the money to keep Alabamians healthy and our hospitals open and to grow the economies in those rural areas.”
Trust in Montgomery
Jones referenced surveys that found roughly two-thirds of Alabamians say state government does not care what they think. He criticized state leaders and Tuberville for not holding town hall meetings for years, something Jones has done across the state this summer and fall. He said he would support a citizen-led ballot initiative that would allow measures to be put to a public vote.
“When Montgomery refuses to listen, let's let people have an ability to act for themselves,” he said.
Local governments in Alabama have relatively few powers compared to Montgomery. Jones said he would support giving more control to cities and counties.
He called himself a “statewide champion” for a lottery to raise money for education, Medicaid or other programs. He promoted a constitutional amendment protecting in vitro fertilization pointing to the Texas Republic Party, which adopted a platform this summer opposing IVF. Jones also called Alabama’s ethics laws “weak as water,” adding lawmakers need to disclose conflicts of interests when trading stocks.
“My view is this, and very simple, if you want to get rich or make your family or friends rich you should start a business,” Jones said. “But don't run for public office. Don't view public service as self-service.”
Money matters
Jones began the personal finance portion of his speech talking about the rising cost of goods from food to housing, child care to gas. He said he supports fully eliminating the state sales tax on groceries along with exempting tips and overtime pay from state income tax.
He criticized Tuberville for voting against a bipartisan housing assistance bill this summer. A Tuberville spokesperson defended the vote at the time saying “federal tax dollars will end up in the hands of illegals instead of going to American citizens.”
Jones noted Alabama’s low workforce participation rate compared to other states and promoted policies to reduce barriers to employment including creating a state earned income tax credit, expanding tax credits for child care and increasing apprenticeships. He said Alabama needs to improve public transportation and floated the idea of amending the state constitution, which prevents state gas tax money from being used for public transit.
He expressed opposition to the CHOOSE Act, the Alabama law that allows state funds to go to private school tuition or homeschool expenses.
“I've been accused of wanting to yank 40,000 kids out of their schools,” he said. “That's not true. I would phase it out, however, so that we can put that money back in public schools, which I believe in.”
He said he would leave the provisions for homeschooling in place.
Taking on Tuberville
In the final portion of his speech, Jones turned to Tuberville, remarking on the bipartisan tone he struck during his speech to the club two weeks before. Jones said that rhetoric is not how Tuberville speaks on the campaign trail, in the news media or on the Senate floor. He cited Tuberville’s recent comments that people from other states moving to fast-growing North Alabama went to “government-educated schools that have taught socialism and Communism.”
“What's that message?” Jones said. “Welcome to Alabama. Now we need to educate you because we think you're probably a communist. These folks don't need to be reeducated. They need to be thanked.”
He listed a myriad of comments from Tuberville aimed at urban teachers, Muslims and transgender individuals. Jones drew a connection between those statements and the governor’s role as the “state’s chief recruiter.”
“Does anyone here think that when a CEO from another country or another state is preparing for a meeting with Gov. Tommy Tuberville, that an aide to that CEO wouldn't pull up a speech on the Senate floor where he warns about commercial airline pilots who are suffering from a deranged fetish of dressing up like an animal, a furry?” he said. “It matters what that person actually thinks of the people he is supposed to be welcoming. And it matters what he thinks of people who are actually here.”
Jones said he expected to be called a Communist and Marxist by Tuberville, but was angry and disappointed at what others had done. He held up a mailer from ProgressPAC, the political wing of the Business Council of Alabama. One side depicts Jones within a cutout of Alabama. A burning building is behind him and in front is a crowd with signs along with the flag of the Soviet Union. He said the other side shows him walking out of the Kremlin with banners of a hammer and sickle behind him.
Jones then read from a disclaimer in fine print on the mailer – “This media has been manipulated by technical means and depicts speech or conduct that did not occur.” That prompted light laughter from the audience.
“That's your Business Council of Alabama, folks,” Jones said. “It is funny. I agree. But it's also pathetic. We have gone that far in Alabama, where even the strongest and most incredible businesses in this state will mail things to the people of this state in order to try to make sure that their candidate wins an election. Regardless of the truth.”
The Business Council of Alabama did not reply to a request for comment.
“You deserve a governor who builds bridges and not burns them,” Jones said.
