Ben Carson breaks with Donald Trump, throws support behind Roy Moore
Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Dr. Ben Carson made an eleventh hour, climatic break from President Donald Trump on Friday when he praised Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore in the state’s contentious runoff, rather than backing the other candidate along with the president. Carson announced his support for the former Alabama Chief Justice over the temporary Sen. Luther Strange in a statement. “Judge Moore is a fine man of proven character and integrity, who I have come to respect over the years,” Carson said in the statement released by the Moore campaign. “I was delighted to hear he is running for the U.S. Senate. He is truly someone who reflects the Judeo-Christian values that were so important to the establishment of our country.” Moore faces Strange on Tuesday, Sept. 26 in the GOP run-off where voters will decide who advances to the Dec. 12 general election to face Democrat Doug Jones.
Poll says Democrat Doug Jones nearly tied with GOP candidates in Ala. Senate race
According to a new poll, Democrat Doug Jones has the potential to pull an upset in Alabama’s U.S. Senate race in December. On Dec. 12, Jones will face-off against a Republican challenger — either current, interim Sen. Luther Strange or former Ala. Chief Justice Roy Moore, which will be determined in a run-off Sept. 26 — where, according to the new poll from Emerson College, he’s with striking distance. The poll finds Jones trailing both Republicans by only a handful of points — Moore leads Jones by four percentage points, meanwhile Strange leads him by only three points. While the results make the race a statistical dead heat, the Yellowhammer State has traditionally been one of the reddest of red states. The last time the state voted for a Democrat for president was back 1976, and the last time it voted a Democrat to the Senate was twenty years ago, in 1997. Nevertheless, according to the poll, the constant-GOP infighting between Strange and Luther has put a bad taste in many voter’s mouths. “The GOP will need to find a way to unite during the 11 weeks until the General Election, or face the prospect of Jones pulling off an upset,” reads the poll. Which begs the question — can the GOP unify behind the run-off victor? Or will there be a Jones upset? Only time will tell.
Martha Roby: it’s time for a fairer, simpler tax code
The year was 1986. Apple unveiled its Macintosh Plus computer. An 18-year-old named Mike Tyson became boxing’s youngest ever heavyweight champion. The Oprah Winfrey Show debuted on CBS. Moviegoers got the “need for speed” watching Tom Cruise fly F-14s in Top Gun. Americans were heartbroken by the Challenger Space Shuttle explosion. Guy Hunt was elected Governor of Alabama. And New York real estate developer Donald Trump rebuilt the Central Park ice rink. 1986 was a memorable year for many reasons, but what many might not remember is that was the last time the United States revamped our federal tax code. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 was a signature achievement of the Reagan Administration, which worked hand-in-hand with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to lower crippling tax rates and close costly loopholes. In the 31 years since then, much of that monumental law has been rolled back due to piecemeal revisions favoring various special interests. Today, our tax code is a complicated mess, and it’s time for Congress to again enact reform. Over the next several weeks, the House of Representatives is scheduled to move forward with tax reform, and we hope to get legislation to the President’s desk this year. There are four basic tenets of our tax reform plan: 1. Lower tax rates for every taxpayer so that Americans can keep and invest more of what they earn; 2. Lower corporate tax rates to be globally competitive while closing the loopholes put in place to avoid paying our current high tax rates; 3. Simplify the tax code so that most people can file their taxes on a form the size of a postcard; and 4. Clean house at the IRS to make it an agency that works for taxpayers, not against them. Consider the benefits tax reform would have for small businesses and those they employ. I’ve said many times that small businesses are the economic engine of our country. In Alabama, small businesses employ about half of our private sector workforce. Unfortunately, our tax code makes it difficult for them to operate, let alone succeed. Many small businesses pay as much as 44 percent in taxes, which adds up to be more than almost anywhere in the world. On top of that, many businesses are forced to pay high costs just to process their taxes and comply with the related regulations, amounting to $147 billion per year nationally. Easing the tax and regulatory burden on small businesses would allow operators to hire new employees, give raises or bonuses to existing ones, or even expand their business. Pro-growth tax reform could unleash our country’s economic potential and lead to the creation of millions of jobs, many at small and medium-sized business. For individuals, our plan would ensure that taxpayers with similar incomes receive similar tax bills. Makes sense, right? We would also make the tax code simpler and reduce the length of tax returns from the IRS. Earlier this year, President Trump joked that the tax preparation company H&R Block might be the only business that “wouldn’t be too happy” with our tax reform plan. No disrespect to the good people who earn a living helping people file their taxes, but the fact that our tax code is so complicated that many individuals need professional assistance to do their taxes is not a good thing. More simplicity and fairness in the tax code would offer American families the stability and predictability they need to plan for the future. One tax reform proposal I did not agree with was the so-called Border Adjustment Tax, or BAT. While well-intentioned, this tax would have ultimately cost Alabama manufacturing jobs and caused families to pay more for food and clothing. I was glad to see the White House and Congressional leaders reconsider and abandon this plan. Ultimately, our goal is to overhaul our tax code to make it simpler, fairer, and flatter. It won’t be an easy task, but I am committed to working toward a solution that helps grow our economy and improve the quality of life for those I represent. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama with her husband Riley and their two children.
Luther Strange and Roy Moore camps both declare debate victory
Luther Strange‘s campaign claimed victory Thursday following a debate against U.S. Senate opponent Roy Moore, saying the showdown made it clear that all Moore had to offer was “empty words.” “While all Roy Moore had to offer was empty words, Big Luther demonstrated that he has the ideas and knowledge necessary to advance President Trump’s agenda to rebuild our economy and strengthen our country,” said campaign spokesman Cameron Foster. “Luther showed that he knows how to get things done for Alabama, and has what it takes to follow Jeff Sessions as a conservative leader in the U.S. Senate.” Following suit, Moore also claimed victory in the Lincoln-Douglas-style debate saying Strange “became more desperate as the night went on. With little to present to the audience other than shameless namedropping of his Washington endorsements.” The two went head to head — without a moderator — in a debate that focused largely on who would best support President Donald Trump‘s agenda in Congress. “The president supports me,” Strange said in his opening remarks. “Why would he do that? Because we’ve developed a close, personal friendship. We both come from the same background, the same mission, the same motivation to make this country great again.” Trump took to Twitter Friday to reiterate the relationship between him and the Senator. “Will be in Alabama tonight. Luther Strange has gained mightily since my endorsement, but will be very close. He loves Alabama, and so do I!” Will be in Alabama tonight. Luther Strange has gained mightily since my endorsement, but will be very close. He loves Alabama, and so do I! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 22, 2017 Moore mocked Strange for trying to ride the president’s coattails. “I can’t tell you what the president thinks, I can’t tell you every move he makes, when he goes to the bathroom and when he doesn’t,” Moore said decisively to laughs from the crowd. Moore went on to point out Strange’s history as a Washington lobbyist. “My entire political career has been serving the state of Alabama,” Moore said. “My opponent has been a professional lobbyist for over 20 years… you don’t drain the swamp of lobbyists by sending a lobbyist to the United States Senate.” Strange and Moore face-off Tuesday, Sept. 26 in the runoff GOP primary election to replace Attorney General Jeff Sessions in the U.S. Senate. The winner will go on to face Democrat Doug Jones in December.
Mary Scott Hunter changes plans, announces run for Alabama Senate
Alabama State Board of Education member Mary Scott Hunter is changing her political plans. In June, Hunter announced she planned to run for Lt. Governor of Alabama, on Friday she announced that she’sdecided to run for the Alabama State Senate instead. Hunter is running for District 7, which is being being vacated by Senator Paul Sanford and is entirely in Madison County. “The people of my district know me as a fighter, as a wife, a mom of three children who attend public school, and a woman of faith,” Hunter said in a news release “They have seen me tested and know the quality of my character. I love this state, and I love the place I call home, Madison County, Alabama. I’ve decided to enter the race for Senate District 7 because it’s where I can best serve the people.” First elected to the State Board of Education in 2010, she has also served as a trustee for the Alabama Community College System — first as as elected office holder, and for the last two years as the appointed ex-officio member. “I’m not a rookie in all of this, and I’m coming into this race with many allies and knowing where the snakes hide,” continued Hunter. “There is much work ahead. I intend to use my experience serving on the Alabama State Board of Education to support efforts at all levels to improve public education from Pre-K through PhD. Good jobs are everything, and to get them we must prepare and lay the groundwork in education, infrastructure, health care, and other important areas. I look forward to the challenge.” Hunter, an Air Force Veteran, holds her undergraduate, law, and MBA degrees from the University of Alabama. She works for Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation advising and leading the company’s business interest in Compliance, Ethics, and Risk. She and her husband, Jon Shultz, attends Trinity United Methodist Church where Mary Scott leads an adult Sunday School class.
Jim Zeigler: Luther Strange insults Roy Moore supporters, says they look like ‘unemployment line’
Remember when Hillary Clinton insulted Trump voters, calling them “deplorables”? That line caught attention and fired up the base against Hilary. Temporary Sen. Luther Strange may have made a similar mistake in Alabama’s U.S. Senate debate Thursday. In the Senate debate Thursday, Strange said supporters of his opponent, Judge Roy Moore, “look like the White House unemployment line.” That insult could fire up the Roy Moore base. Turnout appears vital in this Tuesday’s Republican runoff. Sec. of State John Merrill predicts a poor voter turnout – 12 to 15 percent of registered voters. A low turnout increases the importance of which candidate’s supporters are motivated. If Moore voters turn out strongly, polls indicate he wins. The strange insult from Strange could backfire on him and encourage Moore supporters to get out and vote. Strange is depending on millions of dollars in ads and mailers paid for by Mitch McConnell and Washington Insiders. Moore is counting on Alabama supporters calling their friends and neighbors reminding them to vote Tuesday and recommending Roy Moore. The Washington money versus the grassroots of Alabama. A classic David v. Goliath contest. Luther Strange, at 6 feet 9 inches, is clearly Goliath. David won. ••• Jim Zeigler is the State Auditor of Alabama.
Bob Omainsky: Alabama’s Bradley Byrne champions critical joint employer fix
In the South, we love football, family, and food — especially here in Alabama where we have one of the most decorated football teams in the country, family gatherings are our favorite time of the week, and our food is tasty and soulful. There is no better way to bring football, family, and food together than at your favorite local restaurant. Our restaurants are as spirited and rich as our traditions. Some have been in families and communities for generations while others have developed from new and fresh ideas. But one thing that each has in common is the vital role they play in our economy. Restaurants contribute to job creation and economic growth while providing essential workforce development opportunities. They’re where employees build skills that shape their future success. They serve as pillars within their communities and are a driving force not just for Alabama’s economy, but for the nation’s economy. Alabama has 7,845 eating and drinking locations that employ 185,300 people and contribute $8.1 billion in economic output. I find it troubling that any national policy would aim to hinder, or even eliminate, the industry’s growth potential. Unfortunately, a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision to expand the joint employer definition did just that in 2015. Joint employer is the standard by which two or more businesses share control of an employee. Before 2015, business owners had a clear understanding of when they might be liable for another company’s employment actions. The long-established standard held that you must have “direct” and “immediate” control over another company’s workers. Under the new rule, it’s not as simple. Today’s definition is drastically-expanded, putting restaurants at legal risk with only the vaguely defined “indirect” or “potential” control over another company’s employees. Neither attorneys nor human resources professionals can agree on the scope of these terms — leaving business owners with little recourse but to buy more expensive and protective insurance and to reevaluate many of their business relationships altogether. Take, for instance, my nearly 80-year-old business, Wintzell’s Oyster House. If we hire an outside landscaping company to keep our lawns lush, I could be considered a joint employer if I show the landscapers where to mow. Or, if I contract a food supplier for certain ingredients, I could become part of a lawsuit if one of their workers complains about overtime pay. The uncertainty is nothing more than governmental overreach that is crippling eateries like Wintzell’s and discouraging growth throughout the restaurant industry. Thankfully, Alabama’s own Rep. Bradley Byrne has introduced bipartisan legislation that aims to roll back this confusing joint employer ruling and provide some much-needed clarity for millions of restaurants across America. Rep. Byrne and the more than 50 co-sponsors of H.R. 3441, the Save Local Business Act, understand the importance of having federal policies that help businesses grow and thrive for the good of our entire workforce. On behalf of the 1,117 restaurants in Alabama’s 1st District that employ 22,259 men and women, I would like to thank Rep. Byrne for his continued leadership and his effort to clarify the joint employer issue. This is a critical measure because after all, a stable employer environment will only make our restaurants that much better at bringing together football, family, and food for generations to come. ••• Bob Omainsky is owner-operator of Wintzell’s Oyster House, with three locations in the Mobile, Ala. area.
Donald Trump to look at even stricter cap on refugees
President Donald Trump is considering a further reduction in the number of refugees allowed into the United States as the administration works to re-shape American immigration policy, officials say. Trump has already slashed refugee admissions once since taking office. Now he faces a decision on how many to admit in the next budget year. As is often the case with the Trump administration, Cabinet officials are divided as they weigh the costs and potential security risks associated with the program. The Department of Homeland Security has been pushing for a reduction beyond the 50,000 maximum-entry mark set by Trump earlier this year as part of his travel ban executive orders — a number that is already the lowest in modern American history. In a proposal submitted late last week, the department called for a reduction to 40,000 refugees in the next budget year starting Oct. 1, citing concerns about its workload and ability to adequately vet those seeking entry. The State Department, which oversees the program, has formally recommended that the number be kept at 50,000, according to Trump administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss internal deliberations. Agencies had been given until the close of business Wednesday to submit formal recommendations for consideration. State Department officials would have been inclined to set their recommendation higher, several of the people said, but were taking their cues from the president’s executive order and felt that 50,000 was the highest number that would be palatable to him. Trump has until Oct. 1, the start of the new fiscal year, to determine how many refugees to admit under the Refugee Act of 1980. He is expected to consider the issue over the weekend, after he finishes up at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, one White House official said. The U.S. welcomed 84,995 refugees in fiscal year 2016, and former President Barack Obama had wanted to raise that number to 110,000 in 2017. Trump has made limiting immigration the centerpiece of his policy agenda. He temporarily banned visitors from a handful of Muslim-majority nations, has rescinded an Obama-era executive action protecting young immigrants from deportation and insists he’ll build a wall along the southern border. During his campaign, Trump pledged to “stop the massive inflow of refugees” and warned that terrorists were smuggling themselves into naive countries by posing as refugees fleeing war-torn Syria. “Thousands of refugees are being admitted with no way to screen them and are instantly made eligible for welfare and free health care, even as our own veterans, our great, great veterans, die while they’re waiting online for medical care that they desperately need,” Trump said last October. Instead, Trump has advocated keeping refugees closer to their homes. In a speech to the United Nations on Tuesday, Trump thanked Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon for taking in hundreds of thousands of refugees from the Syrian conflict, and described the United States as a “compassionate nation” that has spent “billions and billions of dollars in helping to support this effort.” “We seek an approach to refugee resettlement that is designed to help these horribly treated people, and which enables their eventual return to their home countries to be part of the rebuilding process,” he said, arguing that for the cost of resettling one refugee in the United States, the U.S. can assist more than 10 migrants in their home regions. Advocates say that misses the point. “I think that these comments show a basic misunderstanding of the refugee crisis,” said Jen Smyers, who helps run the immigration and refugee program at Church World Service, one of nine organizations that work to resettle refugees in the U.S. She said the safe re-integration of refugees into their home countries is always the preferred outcome, followed by integration in a nearby country that shares a refugee’s language and culture. Resettlement is a last resort when those options are impossible. Refugees already face an extensive backlog and waiting periods that can take years. Smyers said that after Trump’s executive order, she had to tell refugees in the pipeline they’d be waiting even longer. “It’s devastating for refugees who are overseas,” she said. Stacie Blake, of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, said the proposed cutbacks were especially concerning given the migrant crises affecting so many parts of the world, including the Rohingya Muslim refugees fleeing Myanmar. She said Trump’s move could prompt other nations to “back out” as well. White House spokeswoman Kelly Love said in a statement that the administration’s approach to refugee resettlement “is unwavering” and would be “guided by the safety and security of the American people, the protection of U.S. taxpayers, and the application of U.S. resources in a manner that stretches our dollars to help the most people.” DHS spokesman David Lapan said that in setting the admissions ceiling, the agency would take into account the “workload capacity of all program partners, including the vetting agencies” as well as national security interests. Simon Henshaw, the top State Department official for refugees, said the decision was ultimately Trump’s. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
US Senate contender Roy Moore has history of provocative comments
Roy Moore, a firebrand jurist who is close to snagging the state’s Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in Alabama, once called homosexuality an “inherent evil” and referred to ethnic groups as “reds” and “yellows” in a speech lamenting racial and political divisions in the country. Twice ousted from the bench, the U.S. Senate contender has a history of provocative comments that have simultaneously made him a lightning rod for controversy and propelled his popularity in the conservative Deep South state. While he is disliked among members of the Republican establishment, his penchant for shooting from the hip appeals to many voters who are drawn to his plain-spokenness and authenticity. Moore is on the eve of what could be a triumphant political resurrection: His strong showing in a party primary earlier this year forced Sen. Luther Strange into a heated Sept. 26 runoff for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat previously occupied by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The winner will become the favorite against Democrat Doug Jones. Not surprisingly, his increased public exposure as a candidate has led to a more intense scrutiny of his words. In a speech last week about divisions in the country, Moore employed words that in contemporary society are considered ethnic slurs. Saying the nation is as divided now as it was during the Civil War, he remarked, “We’ve got blacks and whites fighting, reds and yellows fighting, Democrats and Republicans fighting, men and women fighting.” Asked later about the comments, Moore’s campaign responded with a quotation from the Bible song “Jesus Loves the Little Children,” which refers to children by color. “‘Red, yellow, black and white they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.’ This is the Gospel. If we take it seriously, America can once again be united as one nation under God.” Moore’s campaign posted the same response on Twitter. In a 2002 child-custody case involving a lesbian mother, Moore wrote that homosexuality is “an inherent evil against which children must be protected.” The Alabama Supreme Court ruled in favor of the father, and Moore authored a concurring opinion saying there was a presumption the mother was unfit because she was in a relationship with a woman. Dawn Larson, the mother in the case, said Moore’s actions were painful, but that she gets satisfaction knowing her case has been used as a rallying point against him over the years. “It absolutely boggles my mind how the citizens of Alabama can keep re-electing someone who is so blatantly biased, has no understanding of separation of church and state, and who has proven over and over that he is simply unfit for the job. I don’t have to believe the way Moore does, but I will defend his right to worship as he chooses. I just wish he offered every other American the same option,” Larson told The Associated Press by email. Asked about the case, Moore told the AP his opinion supporting the court decision was based on state laws against sodomy and gay marriage. While his campaign platform focuses on a variety of issues, such as the repeal of President Barack Obama‘s health care overhaul and increased military spending, his signature issue through the years has always been the “acknowledgement of God.” Moore’s stump speeches, like his political career, often mingle politics, law and religion. In a February speech, he appeared to suggest that the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks were a result of the country straying from religious roots. He quoted an Old Testament verse about the “breaking cometh suddenly at an instance” for those that have despised the word of God. “Sounds a little bit like the Pentagon, whose breaking came suddenly at an instance, doesn’t it?” Moore told the AP that the section of the speech was about how the country needed God’s protection. In a campaign speech Saturday, Moore complained that political operatives supporting Strange are showing up at all of his speeches with video cameras, hoping to catch him in a misstep or twist his words with editing. Moore, a West Point graduate, was a little-known country judge when a decision to decorate his courtroom with a homemade wooden copy of the Ten Commandments set him on the path to fame. The American Civil Liberties Union sued over the display, and his habit of opening court sessions with Christian prayer. The notoriety helped propel Moore — twice— to the office of chief justice. A judicial panel removed him from the post in 2003 when he disobeyed a court order to move a Ten Commandments monument out of the state Supreme Court building. Despite the controversy, he was re-elected in 2012, although last year, the panel suspended him for the remainder of his term after he wrote a memo telling probate judges they remained under a court order to refuse marriage licenses to gay couples. National Republican groups, at the urging of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, are spending millions on behalf of Strange. That’s partly out of the routine practice of protecting incumbents; Strange was appointed to the seat by then-Gov. Robert Bentley after Sessions’ promotion to the Justice Department, and Strange has proven a reliable vote for McConnell and President Donald Trump. But there’s also the quiet fear that Moore is a weaker general-election candidate than Strange and would be a more unpredictable senator. Wayne Flynt, a historian who has written books about Alabama history, said voters view Moore as “authentic” because he seems to truly believe what he says. Flynt said Moore appeals to voters who are tired of the establishment candidates on both sides of the aisle. “How can he be a serious candidate for Senate? I can guarantee you among the Republican establishment, he’s not. They are terrified of Roy Moore,” Flynt said. “And I really think he has a very good chance of winning.” Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Complaint leads Ala. school district to ban student-led prayer at football games
An Alabama school district has banned student-led prayer on the public address system before football games following a recent complaint. The Opelika-Auburn News reports that attorneys for Lee County Schools replied Sept. 11 to an Aug. 31 letter of complaint from the Freedom From Religion Foundation which said a parent complained about student-led prayer at Smiths Station High School’s season-opening game. The school district says it will bring all schools in accordance with current federal law that prohibits school-sponsored prayer in public schools. Schools superintendent James McCoy said in a statement that he tried to find a way for students to continue leading prayer, but ultimately found no recourse. A group of Smiths Station students has invited community members to join in a silent one-minute prayer before each home game. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
