Carol Gundlach: Protect SNAP to help thousands of Alabama veterans make ends meet
Alabamians, like all Americans, take time on Veterans Day each year to honor those who have served our country and sacrificed to keep all of us free. But we should treat this holiday as more than a chance to say “thank you.” It also should be an occasion to reflect on our national obligation to provide veterans with the services and support they need to return to civilian life with dignity and security. The unfortunate reality is that many people who served in our military struggle with hunger after they return home. About 26,000 Alabama veterans, or 8 percent of all veterans in the state, use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to help feed themselves and their families, according to a new study released Thursday by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, D.C. Nationally, nearly 1.4 million veterans, representing 7 percent of all American veterans, receive assistance through SNAP, also known as food stamps. SNAP is an essential tool to help these veterans feed their families, just as it fights hunger for tens of millions of other Americans. But a U.S. House proposal threatens to take this vital food assistance away from as many as 2 million people, including tens of thousands in Alabama. The U.S. House and Senate have passed conflicting versions of the Farm Bill, the legislation that authorizes SNAP. The House version, for which six of Alabama’s seven House members voted, would impose harmful new SNAP “work requirements” that would take food away from many hungry families while doing little or nothing to help them find or keep work. Fortunately, the bipartisan Senate bill – with support from Sens. Doug Jones and Richard Shelby – offers a better path. Unlike the House approach of creating punitive new barriers to SNAP, the Senate plan would strengthen core SNAP assistance. The Senate proposal also would make needed investments in employment and training services for seniors, homeless people, people with disabilities and other SNAP participants who face additional barriers to work. Now the House and Senate must reconcile the differences between the two Farm Bills. Congress faces a choice between helping and hurting hungry people, including the veterans who could be devastated by the House version. Veterans face many barriers as they re-enter the civilian labor force. Trying to find a civilian job while still in the military can be difficult, and veterans who come home with disabilities may face additional barriers to employment. SNAP is an especially critical lifeline for families including veterans with disabilities, which are more likely to struggle to put food on the table. Young male veterans have higher rates of unemployment than do similarly situated civilian workers. While the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has programs to help these veterans gain skills and find stable employment, the VA programs are not necessarily aligned with the rigid one-size-fits-all work requirements proposed in the House Farm Bill. Should the House plan become law, many veterans would have to choose between getting the job help offered by the VA and keeping SNAP food assistance. This Veterans Day, we should thank Alabama veterans for their service by supporting SNAP, a program that helps thousands of them put food on the table. We also should urge our members of Congress to pass a final Farm Bill with the Senate’s SNAP provisions. By protecting and strengthening SNAP, Congress can take an important step toward ensuring that no veteran goes hungry after serving our country. ••• Carol Gundlach is a policy analyst for Alabama Arise, a nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of congregations, organizations and individuals promoting public policies to improve the lives of low-income Alabamians. Email: carol@alarise.org.
Alabama ranks high in magazine’s 2018 business climate survey
National publication Site Selection again rated Alabama among the top states in its annual State Business Climate survey, reflecting its consistent attractiveness for high-value economic development projects. Overall, Site Selection ranked Alabama No. 8 in its Business Climate analysis, tied with Indiana. In a survey that is a major component of the Site Selection analysis, consultants and corporate real estate executives placed Alabama No. 7 among the states. Alabama scored in the Top 10 in both categories in the 2016 and 2017 Site Selection surveys. “The primary strategic objective of Alabama’s economic development team is to facilitate the creation of high-caliber jobs that benefit the state’s citizens and its communities,” said Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “This high ranking, along with others the state has received recently, underscores that our team is consistently executing our strategy and achieving positive results for Alabama.” Between 2011 and 2017, economic development activity generated $33 billion in new capital investment to Alabama, along with 125,000 anticipated jobs, according to data from the Alabama Department of Commerce. In 2017, new capital investment tied to projects exceeded $4 billion, along with 15,000 jobs, the data show. This year, Alabama has attracted a series of major projects in key industrial sectors, led by Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA’s $1.6 billion auto assembly plant that will create 4,000 jobs in Huntsville. Industry leaders including Facebook, Amazon, Hyundai and Honda have announced major Alabama projects in 2018. Recognizing results The high ranking in Site Selection’s 2018 Business Climate survey represents the latest recognition earned by Alabama and its economic development team. Others recent examples include: Business Facilities, another economic development-focused publication, ranked Alabama’s business climate tops among the states in an analysis that examined performance in several key economic categories. Besides the No. 1 ranking for Best Business Climate, Business Facilities gave the state high marks for growth potential and workforce training. Area Development, a national publication, ranked Alabama No. 3 in its 2018 “Top States for Business” survey and gave the state top honors for most improved economic development policies. Global Trade, a publication focusing on international business, selected Alabama as the nation’s top state for manufacturing in a comprehensive ranking. Area Development selected Alabama for its Silver Shovel Award, recognizing the state’s economic development successes in 2017. It marked the fifth consecutive year the state has won the Silver Shovel. Georgia claimed the top spot in the new Site Selection rankings. This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website. Republished with permission from the Alabama NewsCenter.
Republican caucus again elects Greg Reed as Senate Majority Leader
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. That seems to be the approach of the Alabama Republican caucus took Wednesday as they unanimously re-elected Jasper-Republican, State Sen. Greg Reed to serve as the Senate Majority Leader. The 27 Republican members casts their votes following Tuesday’s midterm election during a caucus meeting in Montgomery. “It is an honor to serve as the Republican leader in the Alabama State Senate, and I am deeply humbled by the trust by colleagues have given me,” Reed remarked. “Since the conservative Republican majority was elected in 2010, we have steadily reformed state government to save taxpayers money, we fought for a Constitutional Amendment to declare Alabama a pro-life state, and earlier this year, we passed the largest tax cut for Alabama’s working families in a decade.” Reed was first elected to the State Senate in 2010, and was chosen as Majority Leader in 2014 by his Republican colleagues. “On Tuesday, the people of Alabama resoundingly endorsed the course that we have set—and Republicans in the State Senate will continue to focus on policies that will improve Alabama’s schools and bring economic prosperity to every corner of the state, as we seek to catapult Alabama forward into a position of strength for the twenty-first century,” Reed added. Vestavia Hills-Republican, State Sen. Jabo Waggoner praised Reed’s leadership and vision for Alabama. “It was a great honor for me at yesterday’s caucus meeting to second the nomination of Greg Reed to serve again as the Majority Leader of the Alabama Senate. Greg is one of the hardest-working elected officials I have served with,” said Waggoner. “His principled commitment to conservative ideals and his integrity and ability to work with people of all perspectives make him a unique leader who gets results. He has a clear vision for a prosperous Alabama, and I look forward to working alongside Senator Reed in this next term to accomplish that vision for the people of our great state.”
‘Red tsunami’ overwhelms Alabama Democrats on Election Day
Alabama Republicans crushed Democratic hopes of building on U.S. Sen. Doug Jones’ victory last year, with GOP enthusiasm and support for President Donald Trump overwhelming the Democrats’ rekindled energy. Republicans swept all statewide and contested congressional races on Tuesday, maintaining Alabama’s status as exceedingly tough territory for Democrats. “No blue wave and no blue ripple,” said political scientist Jess Brown. Alabama Democrats entered 2018 with renewed enthusiasm after Jones upset Republican Roy Moore. The special election was something of an anomaly in that it pitted a well-funded Democrat against a polarizing Republican who became additionally wounded by sexual-misconduct claims. But it gave rise to the hope that a Democrat could win again statewide or at least create tight races. That did not materialize Tuesday. Brown said 37-42 percent had been the ceiling for most statewide Democratic candidates in recent years, and they didn’t break “out of that mold.” Unofficial returns show that most statewide Democratic candidates, including gubernatorial challenger Walt Maddox, were kept at around 40 percentage points. Republicans picked up six seats — previously held by Democrats or independents — in the Alabama Legislature, where they already held a lopsided majority. Republicans will hold 77 seats in the 105-member House and 27 in the 35-member Senate, according to unofficial returns. The Democratic losses leave just two white Democrats in the Legislature, one in each chamber. Alabama Republican Party Chairwoman Terry Lathan said a “red tsunami” swept over Alabama. Lathan said an already strong GOP base was energized by the national political landscape. “I do believe this state is so pro-Donald Trump and the conservative policies that he’s implemented, they heard him and they watched him. He was a machine the last month going all over the country. While he might not have been here, we heard his message,” Lathan said. According to AP VoteCast, a national survey of the electorate and nonvoters, a majority of Alabama voters thought the country was on the right track and had positive views of Trump and the national economy. Sixty-one percent of voters in Alabama had positive views of Trump; 61 percent said they approve of how he is handling his job. For 42 percent of Alabama voters, Trump was not a factor they considered while casting their votes. By comparison, 37 percent said a reason for their vote was to express support for Trump, and 21 percent said they voted to express opposition to Trump. Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels said Democrats need to have a conversation about party infrastructure and brand. “I think right now we just have to have a real heart-to-heart conversation about infrastructure,” Daniels said. Daniels said he believed proposed constitutional amendments to restrict abortion and allow public display of the Ten Commandments also drove Republican turnout on Tuesday. Some Alabama Democrats this summer unsuccessfully pushed for new party leadership, saying the state party wasn’t doing enough to help candidates. “In Alabama, it obviously didn’t turn out the way we had hoped,” Alabama Democratic Party Chairwoman Nancy Worley said. But Worley said the positives included a slate of first-time candidates who gained experience. “The hopeful sign here is we have people who are willing to run. They are talented. They have the right message for progress in our state,” Worley said. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Alabama’s midterm elections by the numbers
Sure Tuesday was a red tide in Alabama, but there were some interesting numbers to take away from a day at the polls. Here’s a look at some of the numbers from Tuesday’s unofficial results: 50: The percentage of voters who went to the polls. That means 1.72 million out of the 3.45 registered voters in the state cast ballots on Tuesday. 13: The number of counties Democratic gubernatorial candidate Walt Maddox won of Alabama’s 67 counties. Republican Kay Ivey won 54. 0: The number of counties that Republican President Donald Trump won in 2016 that went to Maddox this year. 1: The number of counties that Republican President Donald Trump won in 2016 that went Democratic statewide candidates on Tuesday. While Republican Kay Ivey may have narrowly won Conecuh County on Tuesday, Conecuh voters clearly did not vote straight ticket as the county flipped to support the Democrat candidates in the Lt. Governor and Attorney General’s races. 4: The number of constitutional amendments approved by Alabama voters. The two most controversial being one that deals with abortion and another that allows the display of the Ten Commandments in public and government buildings. 72: The highest percentage by which a state constitutional amendment was approved. Amendment One, which allows schools and public agencies to display the Ten Commandments in public settings, only had 28 percent of voters saying ‘no.’ 7: The number of House incumbents that won their re-election bids. For those keeping score at home, that means all incumbents will return to Washington. 80: The highest percent an incumbent House member won their re-election campaign. 4th District U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt bested his opponent Lee Auman 80 – 20 percent. 8: The number of Democrats who won seats in the State Senate. Meanwhile 27 Republicans won seats, defeating 14 Democratic opponents. 77: The number of Republicans who seats in the State House. Meanwhile only 28 Democrats will head to Montgomery in the spring. 6: Number of counties will greater than 50,000 voter turnout between both parties. That would be Baldwin, Jefferson, Mobile, Montgomery, Shelby and Tuscaloosa counties. Jefferson County boasts far and away the largest turnout with 257,345 voters total. The next highest turnout comes from Mobile County with 132,029 voters.
12 killed, suspected gunman dead in mass shooting at California bar
Using a smoke bomb and a handgun, a hooded Marine combat veteran dressed all in black opened fire during college night at a country music bar in Southern California, killing 12 people and sending hundreds fleeing in panic before apparently taking his own life, authorities said Thursday. Authorities said the motive for the attack Wednesday night was under investigation. The killer was identified as 28-year-old Ian David Long, a former machine gunner and veteran of the war in Afghanistan who was interviewed by police at his home last spring after an episode of agitated behavior that they were told might be post-traumatic stress disorder.Screaming in fear, patrons rushed for the exits, ducked under tables and hurled barstools to smash second-floor windows and jump to safety as gunfire erupted at the Borderline Bar & Grill, a hangout popular with students from nearby California Lutheran University. “I dropped to the floor,” Sarah Rose DeSon told ABC’s “Good Morning America.” ”A friend yelled, ‘Everybody down!’ We were hiding behind tables trying to keep ourselves covered.” The dead included 11 people inside the bar and a veteran sheriff’s sergeant who was the first officer inside the door, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean said. “It’s a horrific scene in there,” Dean said in the parking lot. “There’s blood everywhere.” Anxious family members gathered at a teen center in town to await word on the fate of loved ones who had gone to the club. Jason Coffman received confirmation that his son Cody, 22, who was about to join the Army, was dead. Coffman broke down as he told reporters how his last words to his son were not to drink and drive and that he loved him. “Oh, Cody, I love you, son,” Coffman sobbed. The bloodshed was the latest in what seems to be a never-ending string of mass shootings that are happening with terrifying frequency across the United States. It was the nation’s deadliest such attack since 17 students and teachers were killed at a Parkland, Florida, high school nine months ago. It also came less than two weeks after a gunman massacred 11 people at a synagogue in Pittsburgh. President Donald Trump praised police for their “great bravery” in the California attack and said, “God bless all of the victims and families of the victims.” He ordered flags flown at half-staff in honor of the victims. I have been fully briefed on the terrible shooting in California. Law Enforcement and First Responders, together with the FBI, are on scene. 13 people, at this time, have been reported dead. Likewise, the shooter is dead, along with the first police officer to enter the bar…. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 8, 2018 ….Great bravery shown by police. California Highway Patrol was on scene within 3 minutes, with first officer to enter shot numerous times. That Sheriff’s Sergeant died in the hospital. God bless all of the victims and families of the victims. Thank you to Law Enforcement. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 8, 2018 Long was armed with a Glock 21, a .45-caliber designed to hold 10 rounds plus one in the chamber, according to the sheriff. But it had an extended magazine — one capable of holding more ammunition — that is illegal in California, Dean said. The killer also deployed a smoke device, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. Authorities converged on Long’s home in Newbury Park, about 5 miles from the Borderline bar, in a search for clues to what set him off. “There’s no indication that he targeted the employees. We haven’t found any correlation,” the sheriff said. “Maybe there was a motive for this particular night, but we have no information leading to that at all.” Long was in the Marines from 2008 to 2013, rose to the rank of corporal and served in Afghanistan in 2010-11, the military said. Authorities said he had no criminal record, but Dean said officers were called to his home in April, when deputies found him angry and acting irrationally. The sheriff said officers were told he might have PTSD because of his military service. A mental health specialist met with him and didn’t feel he needed to be hospitalized. Tom Hanson, 70, who lives next door to Long and his mother, said Wednesday that he called the police about six months ago when he heard “heavy-duty banging” and shouting coming from the Longs’ home. “I was concerned because I knew he had been in the military,” he said. Hanson said the sheriff’s deputy who arrived took his information, but he never learned more about what happened and hadn’t spoken to Long since then. He said he was “dumbfounded” by the bloodshed. The gunman was tall and wearing all black with a hood and his face partly covered, witnesses told TV stations. He first shot a security guard standing outside, then went in and opened fire on staff members and patrons, the sheriff said. Sheriff’s Sgt. Ron Helus and a passing highway patrolman arrived at the Borderline around 11:20 p.m. in response to several 911 calls, heard gunfire and went inside, the sheriff said. Helus was immediately shot repeatedly, Dean said. The highway patrolman pulled Helus out, then waited as a SWAT team and scores more officers arrived. Helus died early Thursday at a hospital. By the time officers entered the bar again, the gunfire had stopped, according to the sheriff. They found 12 people dead inside, including the gunman, who was discovered in office and had apparently shot himself, the sheriff said. “There’s no doubt that they saved lives by going in there and engaging with the suspect,” said Dean, who was set to retire on Friday. He praised the slain officer — a close friend — as a hero: “He went in there to save people and paid the ultimate price.” In addition to the dead, one other person was
Cybersecurity officials start focusing on the 2020 elections
Federal cybersecurity officials aren’t aware of any voting system compromises by Russia or other foreign agents during the midterm elections. But it’s not entirely clear why — or whether hackers are saving their gun powder for the 2020 presidential showdown. Nevertheless, election security officials are already working to prepare for the next big race. During Tuesday’s midterm voting, 45 states came together to report on potential cyber threats along with federal experts who were weighed in on real time. The head of cybersecurity at the Department of Homeland Security, Chris Krebs, says there was an increase this year in reporting of potential cyber incidents. He attributes that to better communication, not an increase in overall threats. In 2016, federal officials were accused of being too tight-lipped.
Daniel Sutter: The cost of employees
Most Americans have to work for a living. We must trade for the goods and services we want to consume, and for most of us, we trade our labor. Conflict over two legal work classifications, employees and independent contractors, illustrate how government’s rules can imperil economic prosperity. People must work for a living, but people who want a job done, must secure assistance voluntarily through compensation. Difficult, physically demanding, boring, and dangerous tasks will require extra compensation. Regulation heavily burdens business. According to a U.S. Small Business Administration study, federal regulations cost small businesses over $10,000 per employee. The National Small Business Association found that small businesses face $83,000 in regulatory costs during their first year of operation when owners struggle just to survive. Around 30 percent of a business’ labor cost is for benefits and paperwork. How much do government rules affect hiring? Rules affecting employees include the minimum wage, overtime pay, workplace safety rules, collective bargaining and the National Labor Relations Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Civil Rights Act, immigration eligibility, worker’s compensation, and unemployment compensation. Many regulatory rules do not apply to independent contractors. Furthermore, requirements imposed on larger businesses are generally based on employees, not contractors. Consumers must eventually pay for a business’ costs of complying with state and federal laws and rules. And costs tied specifically to employment reduce hiring to do tasks which create value in our economy. Half of small businesses report having held off hiring due to regulation. Why do politicians impose so many rules on employment? In part, because mandates cost the government little; politicians do not spend tax dollars to boost wages or pay insurance premiums. The complexity of employment relations also matters, helping sustain an illusion of significant benefits to workers. Businesses care about the full cost of an employee, meaning the wage or salary plus the cost of benefits, training, required paperwork, and so forth. When government mandates better terms for employees on one item, businesses can trim back others to contain the cost. For instance, less on-the-job training or flexibility in scheduling can offset the cost of a higher minimum wage. The adjustments can cancel out mandated benefits. A college student might consider an $8 per hour job with flexibility to adjust work hours around exams equal to a $10/hour with no flexibility. Raising the minimum wage to $10/hour may lead employers to eliminate flexibility, leaving the college student no better off. Such offsets of government policies often go unnoticed. Supporters celebrate a hike in the minimum wage, or mandatory overtime pay, or required health insurance. Adjustments like a loss of scheduling flexibility may never get linked back to the policy. The mandate appears like a better deal than in reality. As rules increased the cost of employment, businesses have not surprisingly tried reclassifying employees as independent contractors. The IRS and state governments enforce rules regarding these classifications, but some employers clearly try to bend the law. Efforts by state and federal regulators to protect traditional employment, however, also frustrate Americans seeking new self-employment options. Work flexibility will be crucial to realize the full potential of the sharing economy. Exploiting opportunities for sharing will require many people to perform small tasks. Scooter rental companies like Spin and Lime, for instance, need people to charge their electric vehicles left on city sidewalks. Power and gardening tools sit in garages most of the time and could be widely shared. Getting tools to paying users and back to their owners will require on-demand delivery service. Each rental is unlikely to generate enough surplus value to cover employees’ costly regulations. A market economy enables voluntary action in pursuit of our goals. The labor market forces people to pay for tasks they want performed. Burdensome government rules should not prevent willing parties from agreeing to deals to get work done. ••• Daniel Sutter is the Charles G. Koch Professor of Economics with the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy at Troy University and host of Econversations on TrojanVision. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of Troy University.
