Election 2022: A look at who’s running on the Alabama ballot
Alabama voters will decide races ranging from U.S. Senate and governor to local offices in Tuesday’s election Polling places and registration status can be found on the secretary of state’s website, at https://myinfo.alabamavotes.gov/voterview. Voter turnout is expected to be moderate, according to a projection by Secretary of State John Merrill. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. Here’s a quick look at major statewide races and issues: US SENATE Republican Katie Britt faces Democratic nominee Will Boyd and Libertarian John Sophocleus in the race for the rare open Senate seat in Alabama. Britt is outgoing U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby’s former chief of staff and the former leader of the Business Council of Alabama. Britt was endorsed by former President Donald Trump in the GOP primary and has emphasized border security, concern about the national debt and a need for new voices in Congress. Boyd, a pastor, supports Medicaid expansion and efforts to protect the Voting Rights Act. Sophocleus, a former college economics instructor at Auburn University, supports the abolishment of federal gun laws and the creation of a flat tax. GOVERNOR Republican Gov. Kay Ivey is looking to win a second full term in office as she faces Democrat Yolanda Flowers and Libertarian Jimmy Blake. Ivey avoided a runoff in the spring despite facing eight Republican challengers in the primary. Flowers, an educator, is the first Black woman to win a major party’s gubernatorial nomination in the state. Blake is a physician and a former Birmingham City Council member. LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR Republican Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth faces Libertarian Ruth Page-Nelson. There is not a Democratic candidate in the race. The lieutenant governor presides over the Alabama Senate. However, the most notable thing about the position is that the lieutenant governor becomes governor if the governor leaves office for any reason. Libertarians believe the race is their strongest hope of hitting the 20% vote threshold needed to maintain ballot access in 2024. SECRETARY OF STATE Alabama will elect a new person to the office that oversees elections. Republican Rep. Wes Allen faces Democrat Pamela Laffitte and Libertarian Matt Shelby. Allen, citing security concerns, opposes alternative means of voting such as curbside voting, mail-in voting, or allowing people to vote absentee for any reason. Laffitte supports expanded methods, such as early voting and no-excuse absentee voting, to make voting more convenient. Shelby supports changing Alabama’s stringent ballot access law that has made it difficult for third-party candidates to run. He also supports alternative systems such as ranked-choice voting. ATTORNEY GENERAL Republican Attorney General Steve Marshall faces Democrat Wendell Major. Marshall is seeking his second full term as Alabama attorney general. His campaign has emphasized his role in lawsuits challenging vaccine mandates and other policies of President Joe Biden’s administration. Major is the police chief of Tarrant. He has emphasized the need to address the state’s opioid crisis and mental health crisis. OTHER RACES — In the state treasurer’s race, Republican incumbent Young Boozer faces Libertarian Scott Hammond. — In the state auditor’s race, Republican Andrew Sorrell faces Libertarian Leigh Lachine. — In the race for commissioner of agriculture and industries, Republican incumbent Rick Pate faces Libertarian Jason Clark — In the races for Public Service Commission, Republican incumbents Jeremy Oden and Chip Beeker face challenges from Libertarians Ron Bishop and Laura Lane. — In the race for Alabama Supreme Court, Place 5, Republican Greg Cook faces Democrat Anita Kelly. NEW CONSTITUTION Alabama voters will decide whether to ratify the Alabama Constitution of 2022 that removes racist language, such as references to segregated schools and an interracial marriage ban. It also reorganizes the document, which has been amended nearly 1,000 times, to remove repealed provisions and make it more user-friendly. However, it makes no changes to how government operates. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS There are 10 proposed statewide constitutional amendments. Those include Amendment 1, which would give judges more discretion to deny bail to people accused of violent crimes. Amendment 10 is a companion amendment to the ratification vote that would allow new amendments to be placed within the document. Republished with the permission of The Associated Press.
Election 2022: A comprehensive guide to the Alabama Constitutional Amendments
Tomorrow, unlike swing states like Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Arizona, it’s safe to say that the results of all statewide offices will be a foregone conclusion in Alabama. Alabama Daily News polling, released last week confirmed that republican candidates were favored in the state with 62.4 favorability. (Polling that was subsequently ripped off by AL.Com, who reproduced it in its entirety, without permission from behind the ADN Inside Alabama Politics paywall.) According to Secretary of State John Merrill as many as 45-50% of eligible voters are expected to turn out. In addition to statewide offices and legislative races, there will also be a vote on a new recompiled Constitution and ten new constitutional amendments. Here’s a brief look at those constitutional changes on the ballot with summaries from the Associated Press, The Alabama Policy Institute (API), and other sources. If you’re looking to verify your polling place or are looking for sample ballots you can visit AlabamaVotes.gov for you can also find the Fair Election Commission detailed summaries of at this link on the Secretary of State website. Ratification of the Constitution of Alabama of 2022 The Fair Ballot Commission describes this saying, “The Constitution of Alabama of 2022 will only do the following: (1) rearrange the constitution so that similar subjects are located together; (2) remove racist language; (3) delete repeated or repealed portions/language; (4) place all amendments which deal with economic development together; and (5) arrange local amendments by county. The reorganized constitution will make no changes other than those listed above and will not make any changes relating to taxes.” The recompiled document deletes racist language and repealed provisions. It also reorganizes the sprawling document and makes it more user-friendly. The Alabama 1901 Constitution is the longest constitution in the country. This ratification comes Amendment One: The Fair Ballot Commission describes this by saying, “This amendment will change Section 16 to add crimes for which bail can be denied, to include murder, kidnapping in the first degree, rape in the first degree, sodomy in the first degree, sexual torture, domestic violence in the first degree, human trafficking in the first degree, burglary in the first degree, arson in the first degree, robbery in the first degree, terrorism, and aggravated child abuse of a child under the age of six.” Amendment one would create Aniah’s Law, which would limit bail for individuals accused of specified violent crimes. It is named after Aniah Blanchard, who was murdered by a man out on bond for attempted murder. API stated, “While the sentiment for ratifying the law is understandable, it does raise due process concerns for those accused, but not yet convicted, of crimes.” Governor Kay Ivey and Attorney General Steve Marshall urged voters to vote yes for Aniah’s law. Marshall stated, “Aniah’s Law—which you will find on your ballot as Amendment 1—amends the state constitution to allow judges the discretion to deny bond to violent criminals like Aniah’s murderer. So, on Tuesday, be sure to vote “yes” on Amendment 1, which will keep dangerous criminals off the street and the public out of harm’s way. And thank you to Aniah’s family for leading the charge to make Alabama a safer place.” Apryl Marie Fogel, Alabama Today’s publisher and host of Straight Talk with Apryl Marie on News Talk 93.1 FM, said, “Voting yes on Amendment 1 is a no-brainer! This amendment gives judges the ability to use their discretion to deny bail to those who have no business out on our streets. It doesn’t say they must stay in jail, but it says that a judge has the discretion to keep them there. Imagine being a victim or the loved one of a victim of a violent crime, knowing that the person responsible is back out on the street immediately. That’s unacceptable. One of the few responsibilities of government is to ensure public safety. That’s what this does and why we should pass it.” John Eidsmoe and Roy Moore expressed their concerns about the proposed law. “I feel terrible about what happened to Anaiah Blanchard,” Moore said. “But that is not a reason to go and change the constitution.” The Southern Poverty Law Center opposes this amendment telling AL.Com that it could lead to people who are not yet convicted of a crime “languishing in Alabama’s jails for years at a time.” Amendment Two: Amendment two would allow the state, county, and municipal governments to spend federal stimulus funding through grants for broadband infrastructure projects. The state has already allocated money for this purpose. API stated, “The primary concern with this amendment is that Alabama needs it for local governments to be able to spend the money for its authorized purpose in the first place. The state should not control the ability of local governments to spend already allocated money for its intended purpose.” Moore and Eidsmoe said that they are strongly opposed to both Amendments 2. Amendment three would require the Governor to notify the state Attorney General and a victim’s family before postponing or commuting a death sentence. Because then Governor Fob James was hesitant to execute a woman, in 1999, he commuted the death sentence of convicted murderer Judith Ann Neeley before he left office. The family of 13-year-old Lisa Millican, who was brutally raped and murdered by Mrs. Neeley and her husband, were outraged by Gov. James’ actions. This amendment is the Legislature’s response to that decision over twenty years ago. API has no concerns with this amendment. Amendment four to the constitution would require that any law impacting a general election be passed at least six months before the election. API stated, “A potential concern with this amendment is that it could limit the Legislature’s ability to make a necessary change to election law if unexpected circumstances arise less than six months before the next election. It comes down to a question of do you have faith in the government to use this power responsibly, or would you rather them not have the power at all?” Former state representative and current Jefferson County GOP Chairman Paul DeMarco urged voters to support this amendment,
Steve Marshall urges voters to vote Yes for Aniah’s Law
Attorney General Steve Marshall released a video statement on Monday expressing his strong support for Statewide Amendment 1, Aniah’s Law. Marshall asked the people of Alabama to vote to adopt the amendment when they vote on Tuesday. “On Election Day, several proposed amendments to the state constitution will be on the ballot,” Marshall said. “One is vital for public safety. That would be Amendment 1, which creates what is known as Aniah’s Law.” “As you will recall, Aniah Blanchard was the young woman who, in 2019, went missing and was later found murdered,” Marshall said. “The man charged with Aniah’s abduction and murder was out on bond at the time he committed his heinous acts, despite already being charged with multiple violent crimes, including kidnapping.” “Aniah’s case was a terrible tragedy that drew national attention, but I am here to tell you that hers is not the only case of this kind—and it won’t be the last,” said Marshall. “That’s why we need Aniah’s Law. Aniah’s Law—which you will find on your ballot as Amendment 1—amends the state constitution to allow judges the discretion to deny bond to violent criminals like Aniah’s murderer. So, on Tuesday, be sure to vote “yes” on Amendment 1, which will keep dangerous criminals off the street and the public out of harm’s way. And thank you to Aniah’s family for leading the charge to make Alabama a safer place.” Aniah’s Law has also been endorsed by Governor Kay Ivey. “It is past time we fix those issues, but because of the unwavering dedication of Aniah’s family and the unanimous support by the Alabama Legislature, Amendment One, also known as Aniah’s Law, will be on the ballot this November,” Ivey said. “I encourage every Alabamian to join me in voting yes on Aniah’s Law to ensure no family would have to go through the pain of preventable tragedy.” Under current Alabama law, judges have limited authority to deny bail to violent offenders unless the suspect is charged with a capital offense or poses a flight risk. That means that dangerous criminals are often released back onto the streets, even when it is likely they will commit more violent crimes as soon as they make bail. Proponents argue that if the majority of Alabamians vote for Aniah’s Law, then judges will be able to deny bail to dangerous offenders who are likely to re-offend when they are charged with serious felonies like murder, kidnapping, rape, sexual torture, domestic violence, human trafficking, burglary, arson, robbery, terrorism, or aggravated child abuse. This legislation was sponsored by State Rep. Chip Brown. It passed unanimously by the state legislature in April 2021 and was named in memory of murdered 19-year-old Southern Union Community College student Aniah Blanchard. Her accused murderer was out on bail awaiting trial for charges of kidnapping, attempted murder, and robbery. Amendment One has also been endorsed by the Mayors of Alabama’s ten largest cities. “As members of the Alabama Big 10 Mayors, public safety is one of our top priorities,” the Mayors wrote in a statement. “And on the November 8 ballot, there will be a constitutional amendment that, if voted for by a majority of Alabamians, would give our state’s judges the tools they need to keep violent, repeat offenders off our streets and out of our communities, and in jail where they belong. In October 2019, 19-year-old college student Aniah Blanchard was tragically kidnapped. The suspect in her case was out free on bond, awaiting trial for charges of attempted murder and armed robbery. He should have been incarcerated, and Aniah Blanchard should still be alive.” “We urge all Alabama voters to vote for Amendment One on election day so what happened to Aniah and her loved ones will not happen again,” the Big 10 Mayors concluded. The Alabama Big 10 Mayors include Auburn Mayor Ron Anders, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Decatur Mayor Tab Bowling, Dothan Mayor Mark Saliba, Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato, Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, Madison Mayor Paul Finley, Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Montgomery Mayor Steven Reed, and Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox. Polls will open Tuesday at 7:00 am and close at 7:00 pm. Voters need to bring a valid photo ID to the polls with them in order to vote. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Ninth Amendment would give Public Service Commission regulatory power over private sewer System in Lake View
On Tuesday, Alabama voters will go to the polls to elect new leaders, vote on whether or not to ratify the recompiled constitution and consider ten statewide amendments, as well as many local issues. The Ninth Amendment directly affects the community of Lakeside in Tuscaloosa and Jefferson Counties. The State Legislature is recommending that the Alabama Public Service Commission (PSC) be tasked with regulating the private sewer system in Lake View. A “yes” vote would be in support of having the PSC regulate privately owned sewer systems and plants in Lake View, Alabama, from 2023 to 2027. A “no” vote would keep things as they are now, and the PSC would not regulate Lakeside’s privately owned sewer systems. Amendment 9 is somewhat similar to Amendment 8, which would allow the PSC to regulate privately owned and operated sewer systems in Shelby County. When the PSC is given oversight authority over a sewer system, it can set rates and establish rules and regulations for its operation. This is on the statewide ballot because two State Senators voted no on the motion to consider the local application. Amendment 9 is similar to Amendment 8, which would authorize the PSC to regulate sewer systems in Shelby County. Amendment 9 reads: “Relating to Jefferson County and Tuscaloosa County, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to bring certain privately owned sewer systems that use public rights-of-way of public roads in the city limits of Lake View under the jurisdiction of the Public Service Commission, beginning January 1, 2023, and ending December 31, 2027. (Proposed by Act 2022-288).” Voters can vote yes or no. Under Amendment 9, “Any privately owned plant, property, or facility used for the collection, treatment, or disposal of sewage that uses, directly or through a lease or contract, public rights-of-way of public roads for any part of its collection or disposal system and that has residential or commercial customers located in the city limits of Lake View in Tuscaloosa County and Jefferson County that are billed a flat service fee or fee based on water usage shall be certified and regulated by the Public Service Commission, beginning January 1, 2023, and ending December 31, 2027, in relation to all of the customers of the entity located in the city limits of Lake View in Jefferson County and Tuscaloosa County, and in the unincorporated areas of Tuscaloosa County.” In addition to the constitutional changes, Alabama voters will also vote for new elected leaders. These include Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, two of the three PSC members, Treasurer, Secretary of State, State Auditor, U.S. Senate, seven members of Congress, all 35 members of the Alabama State Senate, all 105 members of the Alabama House of Representatives, members of the state school board, as well as numerous county offices. Voters must vote at their assigned polling place. To participate in an Alabama election, the voter must bring a valid photo ID to the polls. Polls will open at 7:00 am and close at 7:00 pm. Voters without a valid photo ID may obtain a free voter ID from their local board of registrars or by contacting the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office. There is no same-day registration in Alabama, so if you have moved but have not updated your registration, you will need to vote at the polling place where you previously lived. If you are not already a registered voter in Alabama, you will not be able to participate in Tuesday’s election. There is no electronic voting in Alabama. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
John Merrill discusses the Secretary of State’s office in a visit to St. Clair County
Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill recently spoke to the St. Clair County Young Republicans gathered in Pell City about his office and issues of election security. “Henry Hitchcock was our first of 53 Secretaries of state in Alabama,” Merrill told the group. Merrill said that while elections and campaign finance review is what the office is best known for, “Business services is over 65% of what we do. When we started (7 and a half years ago), we had 49 employees in that office, and they were six to seven months behind on filings. Today we have 36 team members, and they handle their filings on the day that they are filed. We are not moving at the speed of government anymore. We are moving at the speed of business.” The Secretary of State’s office oversees Alabama elections. “One of the things that I concentrate on is making sure that every citizen who is eligible to vote has the opportunity to vote,” Merrill said. “As of today, we have 3,681,000 registered voters in the state of Alabama. Per capita, no state has done what we have.” “96% of all eligible Black citizens in the state of Alabama are registered to vote. 91% of all eligible White citizens in the state are registered to vote.” In the last year and a half, Merrill said that many people had asked him what the Republicans did wrong in the 2020 election – where Donald Trump narrowly lost the presidency to Joe Biden. “When I was chairman of the Republican Secretaries of State in 2020 and 2021, some of the suggestions I made were listened to, and most were not,” Merrill said. “Karl Rove and Ronna McDaniel asked me to chair a commission,” looking at how elections could be improved. Merrill explained that there are “Five pillars.” 1. Empower the states 2. We believe we have to make sure that only U.S. citizens are added to the voter rolls 3. We believe the gold standard is in-person voting on election day with a voter ID 4. If you have a vote-by-mail component, you have a copy of your photo ID 5. When the vote occurs, that is the end of it. It is election day, not election week, election months, or election season.” “We have removed more than 1.5 million voters from the rolls because they moved away, passed away, or were put away (in prison),” Merrill said. Merrill said that he has a line of communication with Trump and the Trump organization. “I went to Mar-A-Lago a year ago,” Merrill said. “I am going back down to see him in the next couple of weeks.” Merrill said that Alabama’s voting machines are not hackable. “A lot of people know that none of our election equipment, our tabulators, are able to transmit data to the internet,” Merrill explained. “We had them built to a standard so that there are no modem components so that there is no internet connectivity. The only exception is for military servicemen and women. They can go to a secure website, and they can vote electronically. The reason I am not ever concerned about that being hacked is that they have secure military email accounts. We know who they are and where they are. That is an option we get our people. We led the nation in military voting in 2016.” “We provided every county a computer that is brand new – a hardened computer with preloaded data,” Merrill explained. “They can’t upload data.” Merrill said that the numbers that appear on TV on election night come from the Secretary of State’s office but do not include the official total. “That comes the next week,” Merrill explained. Merrill said that there were mistakes made during the primaries in four counties: Etowah, Calhoun, Lauderdale, and Limestone, where voters did not receive the correct ballots for their legislative districts. “There were people impacted,” Merrill admitted. “It happened in four counties. We actually terminated the registrars that were involved in those races.” “We had a race in Limestone County where somebody felt they were cheated,” Merrill said. “They missed being in the primary runoff by 14 votes. We don’t really know what would have happened,” if those voters had gotten the correct ballots. Merrill praised Chairman Paul Manning. “St. Clair county is a very fiscally sound county thanks to the leadership of Chairman Manning,” Merrill said. “While other counties are not so fiscally sound, and some counties can afford things that others can’t. The Secretary of State’s office tries to keep the voting equipment on an equal footing between the counties.” Merrill recalled when he first became Secretary of State. “We passed 16 pieces of legislation in the first year I was there,” Merrill said. “They had not passed six pieces of legislation in the previous ten years. We have passed over 50 pieces of legislation since then.” Merrill said that the Census made a number of mistakes in the 2020 census that are impacting congressional representation and are going to affect the 2024 electoral college vote. “California should have lost two electoral votes,” Merrill said. “Number two is Texas, who was undercounted.” “Alabama has been growing at a 5% clip since about 1970, but we are not growing at the same rate as the rest of the country. Georgia used to be about the same population as Alabama. Today, the Atlanta metropolitan area has more population than our entire state, and that impacted the 2020 election. Trump won 145 of the 159 counties in Georgia but lost the state.” “New York should have lost two more seats, but there is nothing that Congress can do,” Merrill said. There are ten amendments on the Tuesday ballot. Merrill said that the most important amendment is to vote for Amendment One – Aniah’s law. Merrill also urged voters to vote to ratify the recompiled state constitution; because it removes the racist language and reorganizes the state constitution so that similar issues are all near each other, Young Republican of St. Clair County Chairman Logan Glass thanked Merrill for speaking to the group and said he was a personal inspiration. Merrill is term-limited, so he cannot
Jefferson County Republicans urge voters to elect Jared Hudson as Sheriff
The Jefferson County Republican Party held a rally on Sunday in Gardendale to urge voters to come out and vote for Republican nominee Jared Hudson for Sheriff of Jefferson County. Hudson is challenging Democratic incumbent Mark Pettway in Tuesday’s general election. Jefferson County Republican Party Chairman former State Rep. Paul DeMarco of Homewood praised Hudson. “He is going to put public safety first,” DeMarco said. “He is going to put victims first. He is not going to put politics first.” Hudson said that Jefferson County is experiencing higher than the national average violent crime as well as higher than the national average rates of property crime. “We have two choices: one, leave Jefferson County, or two, we stand up, lock down, and fight for Jefferson County,” Hudson said. Hudson is a veteran who served as a U.S. Navy SEAL Operator who was deployed multiple times to a variety of combat zones in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Foal Eagle, and other critical missions. He has received multiple Navy, Marine Corps, and Army commendation medals for valor and multiple Navy, Marine Corps, and Army achievement medals. Since 2013, Hudson served as a law enforcement officer, acting as a deputy for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, serving as a Reserve Deputy for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, supporting special operations units, and working as an Investigator for the Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office. Hudson is an Alabama Peace Officer Standard Training Commission (APOSTC) certified Law Enforcement Agent and a certified National Wildlife Control Operator Administration Level 1, 2, and 3 Sharpshooter, in addition to holding other advanced law enforcement certifications. Hudson is the CEO of The Shooting Institute, which he owns and founded. Through The Shooting Institute, Hudson has personally trained local law enforcement, military personnel, and civilians in self-defense. Hudson has a Master of Business Administration degree from Liberty University. Hudson said, “Frederick Douglas said that there are three and only three ways, to reform our government: the voting box, the jury box, and the cartridge/ammo box.” “We are brothers and sisters in Christ,” Hudson continued. “I ask that you accept Jesus Christ as your savior. That is what we need in this county, in this state, and this nation.” “I feel called by God to do this,” Hudson said. “I have a wife and three daughters, and this is our home. If you don’t get out and vote, your kids will be left with the cartridge box, and I have fought wars all over the globe, and you don’t want that for your kids. I don’t want that for my kids. We will change this county for the better and make it a far better county, not just for my family but your family as well,” Hudson said. “We are going to take back the Sheriff’s office,” DeMarco said. “You are the backbone of the party because you are here and you care,” said Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl. “Bad policies have real-world prices. Look at gas prices. Look at the rising cost of living.” State Rep. Allen Treadaway said, “Democrats’ policies have been to defund the police and so demonize law enforcement, making it impossible to recruit and retain officers.” Treadaway said that the Jefferson County Sheriff’s office is down 300 officers from four years earlier. “We have got to win this election on Tuesday,” DeMarco said. Pettway has served as a law enforcement officer for over 27 years. In 2018, he became the first African-American elected as Sheriff of Jefferson County. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Faulkner University. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Dan Sutter: Accountability for a lab leak
Back in 2020, I wrote about legal efforts to sue China over the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent report from the U.S. Senate Committee on Health Education, Labor and Pensions and an expose from Pro Publica, and Vanity Fair provide more evidence for a lab leak origin of COVID. How does a lab lead potentially affect accountability? I remain agnostic on the virus’ origins. The Pro Publica expose documents a serious safety emergency at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in November 2019 based on interpretation by multiple experts of communications posted on WIV’s website. The experts agreed that the exchanges were urgent, highly unusual, and involved top CCP officials. The expose also argues that the patent submission for a Chinese vaccine suggests work began in November 2019 or earlier, or before the virus allegedly emerged in December. Other prominent voices also promote the lab leak hypothesis. Two points seem particularly relevant. A virus usually requires some time to “learn” to spread efficiently in humans, yet SARS-CoV-2 spread remarkably efficiently by January 2020. And evidence of the virus in animals in the wild has yet to be documented. Economics uses methodological individualism to examine human interaction. We start with individuals’ goals, incentives, and actions. Methodological individualism precludes viewing any organization, firm, or government as a “unitary actor.” Governments employ thousands (or millions) of persons with divergent goals, while groups face significant challenges getting members to do what is in the common interest. This matters or evaluating the actions of top Chinese officials. WIV directors likely concealed details if a leak did occur. Decisions by top Chinese officials might seem malicious if we do not recognize they may not have had full information. The WIV’s culpability for a lab leak is clear. But what if the U.S. funded gain-of-function (GoF) research at WIV? Senator Rand Paul has interrogated Dr. Anthony Fauci over the possibility of such funding. Some commentators suggest banning GoF research. Although beyond my expertise, GoF research seemingly can provide valuable knowledge. Furthermore, I doubt research can be banned without draconian controls over research labs worldwide. We could halt NIH funding but cannot control what researchers do with private funding. A better approach might limit GoF research to the very most secure Biolabs. What about the Chinese government’s liability? I am not a lawyer and will not examine legal considerations. Most significantly, China almost certainly could not afford full compensation. The value of a “statistical” life, economists’ preferred way to evaluate deadly tradeoffs, is approximately $10 million. Two adjustments must be made for COVID. First, a downward adjustment based on the average age of victims. Second, an upward adjustment since values of statistical lives is based on voluntarily assumed risks, and “involuntary” risks are viewed differently. Suppose we decide on $5 million. The global COVID death toll currently exceeds 5.6 million. Some deaths have likely been “with” as opposed to “from” COVID, so let’s say 5 million deaths deserve compensation. This is $25 trillion. Only a fraction of China’s $18 trillion GDP could be taken annually for compensation. And then add in medical expenditures, school disruptions, and economic losses. What about partial compensation? Suppose a friend borrows and wrecks your car, and insurance will not pay. Your friend may be unable to fully cover your loss, but an offer to pay what he can afford would still be appreciated. The offer signals a lack of malevolent intent. Markets acknowledge the moral value of all participants, who must voluntarily consent to exchange and employment. Authoritarian nations do not respect the moral value of all. Market exchange is part of civilized behavior, and authoritarian nations are not entirely civilized. Does their government’s recent authoritarian turn and allegations of forced labor disqualify China from the global economy? Opinions will differ. Cooperation on the origins of COVID-19 and an offer of compensation if the lab leak hypothesis validates would signal a desire to remain in civilized company. 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.
Joe Guzzardi: For immigration expansionists, everything isn’t enough
Imagine if White House officials, the Chamber of Commerce, the establishment media, corporate America, and ethnic identity advocacy groups agreed to an immigration roundtable. Then, further, imagine that the moderator asked three questions. The first question: “Given that fiscal year 2022 ended with a record 2.4 million migrant encounters exclusive of 599,000 known ‘gotaways,’ but including 238,000 in September alone, how many more migrants should be admitted before enforcement begins?” Second: “Assuming Congress passes amnesty for every unlawfully present alien, would you agree to stop or at least pause in your support for unlimited immigration?” Finally: “Research indicates that loose borders harm mostly black Americans in terms of depressed wages and lost job opportunities. Immigration also provides higher incomes and profits for businesses while redistributing wealth from the native poor to the native rich. Do those findings cause you to question your immigration advocacy?” A decade ago, advocacy groups agreed to participate in such a discussion; the hypothetical others weren’t present. No matter how the moderator pressed for answers to questions about how many immigrants were too many, no specific response was forthcoming. The moderator prefaced his questions by acknowledging that most legal and illegal immigrants are hard-working individuals who want better lives for their families and that, with the exception of having broken civil law by being in the U.S. without permission, most aliens are law-abiding. For their part, the pro-immigration debaters insisted that family reunification remain unchanged and that employment-based immigration continue indefinitely. And while vaguely concurring that some numerical limits should be set, none of the participants was willing to set a fixed total. Either speaking on behalf of their group or expressing a personal opinion, the participants refused to discuss, even hypothetically, what the maximum number of immigrants should be or what might represent permissible enforcement regulations. Advocates repeatedly stressed what they perceived as immigration law’s “inhumanity,” but at the same time, wouldn’t specifically define why open borders should be perceived as humane. In summary, the open borders coalition demanded unlimited immigration but rejected border or interior enforcement as quid pro quos. Ten years later, the Biden administration has rewarded immigration advocates with a clearcut victory. Their immigration wish list, identified a decade ago, has come true beyond their wildest imaginations. While Congress hasn’t passed an amnesty per se, interior enforcement is gutted, making removal unlikely for most illegal immigrants. Moreover, many of the millions of migrants have been granted parole, a misused and abused immigration status that includes work authorization. Not precisely an employment-based visa, parole nevertheless effectively provides the same affirmative immigration benefit – legal access to U.S. jobs. Going beyond complying with advocates’ wish list, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has diluted the citizenship test. Long used as the basic guideline for identifying which among the recently arrived lawful permanent residents qualify for coveted naturalization, the standards have been dramatically loosened. USCIS director Ur M. Jaddou said that, under certain circumstances, the exam can be bypassed. This represents how the agency “is removing barriers to naturalization…” Jaddou’s reasoning: the public is “better served” by “eliminating questions and language barriers that no longer have practical utility and were redundant.” At first glance, the Biden administration, through its various immigration violations, which some dismiss as merely loosening inconvenient laws, is an overt attempt to swell the Democratic voter base, especially among Hispanics. But with porous borders having pushed Hispanic voters away, the inescapable conclusion is that the administration’s primary goal is to cancel, by any and all possible means, sovereign America. Joe Guzzardi is a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist who writes about immigration and related social issues. Joe joined Progressives for Immigration Reform in 2018 as an analyst after a ten-year career directing media relations for Californians for Population Stabilization, where he also was a Senior Writing Fellow. A native Californian, Joe now lives in Pennsylvania. Contact him at jguzzardi@pfirdc.org.
Paul DeMarco: Sordid chapter in Alabama criminal justice history coming to a close
This past week the conviction and recommendation of the death penalty by a Marshall County jury of Jimmy Lee Spencer put the state one step closer to justice for the victims of his crimes and a sordid chapter in Alabama criminal justice history. Spencer was found guilty of the murder of three people only eight months after his release from prison by the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles in November of 2017. The violent career criminal should have never been released on parole, but he was, and his subsequent actions led to the 2018 deaths of Martha Dell Reliford, Marie Kitchens Martin, and 7-year-old Colton Ryan Lee. The state of Alabama paid the victims’ families $1 million based on the contention that Spencer was wrongly paroled nor properly supervised once he was out of prison. Attorney General Steve Marshall at the time recounted that Spencer was not only a felon who had committed violent crimes but also stayed in trouble while in prison. Thus, his parole should never have occurred. His release and the violent killings prompted state officials to finally overhaul a lenient parole board that routinely released violent felons who did not deserve to be back on the streets and were a public safety risk. After reforms were passed by Alabama lawmakers in 2019, the current Board, with all new members, has earned praise for finally putting public safety first when making release decisions. The new law gave the governor more oversight of the board and new rules and regulations to keep violent offenders behind bars. Thankfully, with a stronger parole board and the Victim Advocacy Group “VOCAL,” we are in a better position to prevent dangerous inmates from being released early. However, there are already efforts by some progressive groups and lawmakers to weaken the parole board during the next session of the Alabama Legislature. Alabama citizens need to make it crystal clear to state leaders that they will not stand for legislators passing laws that do anything to jeopardize public safety. Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives and can be found on Twitter at @Paul_DeMarco.
U.S. Senate is focus of politicos across the country
In Alabama, with hours left in the 2022 election cycle, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, Katie Britt, appears to be a prohibitive favorite over Democratic nominee Dr. Will Boyd and Libertarian nominee John Sophocleus for the open U.S. Senate seat, currently held by the retiring Richard Shelby. Nationally, though, there is intense speculation over what could happen on election day on Tuesday and which party will control the next Congress. Polling shows Republicans with growing momentum, and it appears almost a certainty that the GOP will take control of the U.S. House of Representatives after four years of Nancy Pelosi’s leadership, and it does not appear to even be close. Real Clear Politics does not see any of Alabama’s Seven Congressional Districts as even being in play in this election. With the House effectively lost to them, Democrats have focused their efforts on maintaining their narrow control of the U.S. Senate, which for the past two years has been tied 50 to 50; but Vice President Kamala Harris gives the Democrats control of the body. Democrats had staked their hopes on the Select Committee on January 6, and the abortion issue to energize their base. That has not happened. Instead, Republicans are running on inflation, crime, the border, and economic issues, and that strategy appears to be playing well with voters. It is too close to call who will control the Senate before the votes are counted, but clearly, the trend has been moving in favor of the GOP in the last three weeks. The best opportunity for a Republican pickup appears to be Nevada. There, the Republican challenger, former state Attorney General Adam Laxalt, is leading Democratic incumbent Sen. Catharine Masto in recent polling. The latest Real Clear Politics rolling poll average has Laxalt leading Masto by 1.9 points. The best opportunity for a Democratic pickup appears to be Pennsylvania, where Republican incumbent Sen. Pat Toomey is retiring even though he is only 60 years old. Toomey’s controversial vote in 2021 to convict former President Donald Trump of inciting the January 6 insurrection made his ability to win a Republican primary unlikely. Democratic lieutenant Governor John Fetterman had appeared to have an insurmountable lead over Republican nominee television host Dr. Mehmet Oz, but that lead has evaporated. The race is now a tossup, but Oz has the momentum after clearly besting Fetterman in the debate. Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden are both campaigning hard for Fetterman, and Trump is campaigning for Oz. Both parties recognize that there is little chance of the Democrats holding on to the Senate if Pennsylvania falls to the GOP. Georgia is a tossup between Democratic incumbent Sen. Raphael Warnock and college football star Republican challenger Hershel Walker, but Walker clearly has the momentum in this race. Due to Georgia’s election rules, however, this race will likely go to a December runoff. Warnock is being dragged down in the general election by the terrible performance of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. Brian Kemp is sure to best Abrams on Tuesday. If Walker faces Warnock again on December 6, however, will those Kemp voters come out to help the Republicans lift Walker over Warnock? The trifecta of Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Georgia likely decide the Senate, but there are other races where Democratic incumbents are fighting for their political lives. In New Hampshire, Democratic incumbent Sen. Maggie Hassan is leading Republican challenger Dan Bolduc, but this race is much closer at this point than politicos expected this summer. If there really is a Republican “red wave” where GOP voters come out to the polls on Tuesday with more enthusiasm than Democrats, then the Granite state could easily swing to the GOP. According to the latest Real Clear Politics rolling poll average, Hassan has a lead of just .8 – well inside the margin of error and trending in the wrong direction for Hassan. Another state where a “red wave” could unseat a Democratic incumbent is Arizona. This summer, it appeared that incumbent former astronaut and the husband of former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, Sen. Mark Kelly, would win easy reelection by more than ten points. Now this race is much closer than even the most enthusiastic GOP supporters thought possible. Republican nominee Blake Masters has won over a lot of voters. If the GOP candidate for Governor wins and wins big, Arizona could be a surprise U.S. Senate pickup for the GOP. This race has been a tie in two of the last 5 polls, with Kelly’s best performance being plus three in a Marist poll. Both Remington and Fox News have Kelly leading by just one point. If Republicans flip Arizona, there is little likelihood of the Democrats holding on to the Senate. In the summer, the Democrats believed that Republican incumbent Ron Johnson in Wisconsin was very vulnerable. Those hopes are fading fast as Johnson is surging in the polls over Democratic challenger Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes. Senate colleague Bernie Sanders is on the ground campaigning for Barnes this weekend. Johnson leads Barnes by 3.2 points in the most recent Real Clear Politics rolling average. If there is no GOP wave, this could be closer than the polls indicate, and a Barnes upset win is still not outside the realm of possibility. In Washington state, even Republicans were expecting incumbent Sen. Patty Murray to coast to another easy re-election. That race is now much closer than anyone had previously thought possible. Republican challenger Tiffany Smiley has pushed Murray far harder than anyone could have anticipated in this blue state. Murray was consistently polling nine points or more in September, but recent polling has shown her lead shrink to just 1 to 4 points. The Real Clear Politics still has Murray up by 3.0 points in their most recent polling average, but that has dropped from 9 points just four weeks ago. This would still be an unlikely pickup for Republicans in a state that Biden won by 19.2 points just two years ago. That said, a Smiley victory is now within the margin of error in some recent polling. Murray holding on to her seat remains the most likely outcome, but that is now far from certain. In North Carolina, Republican incumbent Sen. Richard Burr is retiring. This seemed to be an opportunity for Democrats to flip this red seat blue, and Civitas/Cygnal had the race between Republican Ted Budd and Democratic nominee Cheri Beasley tied as recently as September 26, but Budd appears to
Amendment 8 would allow the Public Service Commission to regulate private sewer systems in Shelby County
Voters go to the polls on Tuesday to consider several important constitutional changes to the state constitution. Among these is Alabama Amendment 8, which would give the Alabama Public Service Commission (PSC) the authority to regulate privately owned and operated sewer systems in Shelby County. A “yes” vote of Amendment 8 would authorize having the state Public Service Commission regulate privately owned sewer systems and plants in Shelby County. This would also include giving the PSC authority over setting their rates and charges in Shelby County. A “no” vote on Amendment 8 would prevent the Public Service Commission from regulating privately owned sewer systems in Shelby County. The plants and systems could operate as they do now and would change nothing. If ratified by the voters of Alabama, the PSC would become responsible for implementing the change gradually. Until the PSC determines new rates and charges, the rates and charges would remain the most recent rate agreement or the utility’s most recent published rate. If a county, municipality, or a governmental utility service corporation (GUSC) in the county has a rate control agreement with a private facility, then the county, municipality, or GUSC could choose to opt-out of regulation by the PSC. The PSC is a three-member board that is elected statewide. They are tasked with regulating utility companies in the state. When the PSC has oversight over a wastewater service, the commission has the power to approve or reject rates and establish rules and regulations for their operation. Amendment 9 is very similar, but it applies to just the sewer system regulation in the town of Lakeview, which is in Tuscaloosa and Jefferson Counties. Amendment 8 will read, “Relating to Shelby County, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to bring certain privately owned sewer systems that use public rights-of-way of public roads under the jurisdiction of the Public Service Commission under certain conditions. (Proposed by Act 2021-199).” There are ten statewide amendments on Tuesday’s ballot. The Legislature is also asking the voters to ratify their recompiled version of the Alabama Constitution of 1901. There are also some local amendments and measures on the ballot in various jurisdictions across the state. At least two counties are also voting on raising property taxes. The St. Clair County School board is asking for parts of the county to approve property tax increases to fund school construction projects. In addition to the constitutional changes, Alabama voters will also vote for new elected leaders. These include Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, two of the three PSC members, Treasurer, Secretary of State, State Auditor, U.S. Senate, seven members of Congress, all 35 members of the Alabama State Senate, all 105 members of the Alabama House of Representatives, members of the state school board, as well as numerous county offices. Voters must vote at their assigned polling place. To participate in an Alabama election, the voter must bring a valid photo ID to the polls. Polls will open at 7:00 am and close at 7:00 pm. Voters without a valid photo ID may obtain a free voter ID from their local board of registrars or by contacting the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office. Alabama has no same-day registration, so if you have moved but have not updated your registration, you will need to vote at the polling place where you previously lived. If you are not already a registered voter in Alabama, you will not be able to participate in Tuesday’s election. There is no electronic voting in Alabama. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Terri Sewell announces over $34 million in USDA funds to expand rural internet access in Lowndes County
Congresswoman Terri Sewell announced on Thursday that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing $34,781,800 to increase broadband connectivity and internet services throughout Lowndes County. This funding is a part of USDA’s ReConnect Program and will be used to connect a prospective 4,646 people, 154 farms, 96 businesses, and three public schools to high-speed internet in Lowndes County. “As we saw during the COVID-19 pandemic, access to reliable high-speed internet is critical to the success of our communities,” said Rep. Sewell in a statement.“This $34 million investment represents a major step forward in our continued effort to connect rural Alabamians with broadband. I’m proud to partner with USDA Rural Development to ensure that Alabamians everywhere have access to the internet connectivity they need and deserve.” “Communities across rural Alabama need access to high-speed internet in order to participate in the modern digital landscape,” said USDA Rural Development Alabama State Director, Nivory Gordon. “Whether it is for learning, conducting business, connecting with loved ones, or providing services which are not available locally, the lack of high-speed internet access has a direct impact on the quality of life for our rural families. That’s why we here at USDA are working with high-speed internet providers to continue to connect rural Alabama to the world.” Hayneville Telephone Company is receiving a grant of $34,781,800 to deploy a fiber-to-the-premises network that will connect residents, farms, businesses, and schools to high-speed internet in Lowndes County, Alabama. The Hayneville Telephone Company Inc. will make high-speed internet affordable by participating in the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity and Lifeline programs. This project will be funded with a grant announced from the third funding round of the ReConnect Program. There is strong bipartisan for broadband expansion in both Washington and Montgomery. Expanding the broadband network has economic, healthcare, and education benefits for rural communities. Broadband access also makes rural communities more attractive for young people as they consider their futures and where they want to settle. To be eligible for ReConnect Program funding, an applicant must serve an area that does not have access to service at speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) (download) and 20 Mbps (upload). The applicant must also commit to building facilities capable of providing high-speed internet service with speeds of 100 Mbps (download and upload) to every location in its proposed service area. Visit USDA website to learn more about this and other investment resources for rural areas from the USDA. Sewell is in her sixth term representing Alabama’s Seventh Congressional District. Sewell, a native of Selma and a former attorney for the city of Birmingham, faces Republican nominee Beatrice Nichols and Libertarian nominee Gavin Goodman in the November 8 general election. The 2021 redistricting by the Alabama Legislature made the Seventh Congressional District a much more diverse and competitive district than it was in the past. Polls open on Tuesday at 7:00 am and close at 7:00 pm. Voters wanting to participate in any Alabama election need to bring a photo ID with them to the polls. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
