Tough questions for Alabama’s crowded Republican Senate primary
As a bonus, a number of the ads will be narrated by the voice of a grizzled cowboy since some consultant likely poll-tested whether Alabamians would respond more favorably to the voice of a cowboy, carnival barker, or NASCAR sportscaster.
We usually let our candidates off easy. As long as they wax poetic about God, guns and babies, we don’t press them with hard questions. Maybe it’s because we don’t know what to ask that might actually differentiate candidates who would likely have identical voting records. Here are some suggestions for your consideration:
- Republicans keep talking about cheap natural gas and the reserves we have right here in the United States. I hear about America’s energy boom, so why hasn’t my electricity bill gone way down?
This one is a head-scratcher. I can see natural gas prices for myself. It’s CHEAP. If we’re using natural gas generation for our electricity, we should see significant downward pressure on our bills. If we’re not using enough natural gas, why aren’t we? As much as I love an all-of-the-above energy policy, I’m also a fan of allowing market forces to work in my favor as a consumer.
Follow on: Should we subsidize any energy sources (coal, nuclear, wind, or solar) if they’re not the lowest-cost option for consumers?
- Alabama has enjoyed significant investment and job creation from foreign companies such as Mercedes-Benz, Airbus, Honda, Hyundai, Austal and Toyota. While we should always seek to negotiate the best deals possible, would you support President Trump if he withdrew the United States from existing trade deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) or from ongoing trade negotiations such as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP)?
Protectionism will escalate global poverty and reduce the economic opportunities Alabama currently enjoys. American manufacturing is increasingly competitive on the global stage largely thanks to technological advances. According to Deloitte’s Global Manufacturing Competitiveness Index, the United States will surpass China as the most competitive country for manufacturing in the world by 2020. It would sure be nice for us to be able to sell the things we make to the rest of the world without tariffs.
Follow on: What impact will technology have on manufacturing employment? How should we prepare our education system for our future economy?
- What will you do to decrease federal overcriminalization and ensure that states retain primary jurisdiction over criminal law?
Current estimates suggest that between 4,000 and 5,000 federal criminal statutes exist carrying prison time and fines. I use the phrase “current estimates” because efforts to specifically catalog all potential federal crimes haven’t been particularly successful. Even the conservative Heritage Foundation suggests federal overcriminalization is a problem. A 2008 Heritage study notes, “Congress has been creating over 500 new crimes per decade.” That was the problem almost a decade ago. Overcriminalization is particularly inefficient in areas of concurrent jurisdiction–where both federal and state authorities have criminal jurisdiction over the same act.
Follow on: With respect to criminal enforcement, is Alabama competent and capable of enforcing its own laws? If so, why should our federal tax dollars be used to enforce some of the same exact crimes?
Almost all of the candidates in the Republican Senate primary field will have very similar voting records if they win the seat. We might be a red state, but that doesn’t mean we should end our inquiries into the candidates simply because they’re pro-gun, pro-life, and opposed to the other political party. I’ve heard all the political talking points, and they don’t amount to much. I want a Senator capable of exercising sound judgment and answering tough questions.
Most of the Senate candidates have talking points at their disposal. Now you have a few of your own.
Image by Alexandru Nika
