Government
The Common Sense Coalition is sort of an anomaly. It’s a bipartisan, centrist group of senators operating in the middle of a highly polarized political climate. How viable of a political philosophy is centrism in a divided 2018?
Jones: I think if you see what’s happened in the last six weeks, since I took office ... . You’re always going to have divisions, but let’s just look at the budget, for instance. Yeah, the government shut down for three days. But at the end of the day, you saw a bipartisan budget resolution that’s now going to be put in an omnibus bill that’s going to fund the government for the next two years — this year and next year. That is unheard of in the modern era, in the last few years. Read more.
How is your relationship with the president? You met with him and Senator Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, at the White House last month.
So what is the next priority for you, now that one of your key campaign issues, reinstating funding for CHIP, has been achieved?
Jones: That was a main focus. We still have to work on community health. We still have to work on making sure Medicaid and Medicare are funded appropriately … . Read more.
Staking Out Common Ground: A Q&A With Sen. Doug Jones
It’s been almost two months since Doug Jones took office as Alabama’s first Democratic U.S. senator in more than 20 years, and the international spotlight that accompanied his surprising win has faded somewhat. Jones’ December upset against far-right candidate Roy Moore, who had been the favorite to win before allegations of sexual misconduct derailed his campaign, was seen by many as a bellwether of America’s political future, both in 2018 and in 2020. “If a Democrat can win in Alabama,” CNN’s Chris Cillizza said after Jones’ victory, “a Democrat can win just about anywhere in the country.” Now, the novelty of his victory has worn off, and with it Jones has shifted from a political symbol to a centrist lawmaker. As he promised during his campaign, he doesn’t follow the party line. Instead, he’s aligned himself with a bipartisan group of moderate senators, the Common Sense Coalition, which some commentators have credited with ending last month’s government shutdown. A less successful effort by the coalition, on which Jones worked, was a bipartisan immigration bill that failed earlier this month. But Jones remains optimistic that “common ground” — a favorite phrase of his — can be found on that issue and others. He believes agreements can be made even on hot-button issues such as gun laws, in the wake of Feb. 14’s Parkland, Florida, shooting. “If we continue to have dialogues, not monologues, and continue to find common ground,” he said at a rally on Sunday, “we can help empower the kids of Parkland, Florida, to lead the next tipping point.” Jones, who has been visiting Alabama during the congressional break, spoke with BirminghamWatch about his first weeks as a senator, the viability of centrism in a polarized political landscape, and Alabama’s possible future as a two-party state. BirminghamWatch: Because your election received so much nationwide attention, when you entered the Senate last month, you were already one of its most famous members. How has that dynamic played out? How have you been received by your fellow senators? Doug Jones: I’ve been received very well. It’s been very nice. Everybody has been very cordial, very helpful, on both sides of the aisle. … Obviously people in the media, they see me as kind of like the unicorn up there, the Democrat from Alabama. (We) do exist! But it’s been great. We tried to (be) low-key and not do too much. I think we played it really good, to try to get my feet wet, let me find my voice, get to know some people. But my Democratic and Republican colleagues have just been great. That’s why I enjoyed working on this bipartisan bill (with the) Common Sense Coalition. I got to know some folks, and it’s been very, very good. Read more.
Agreement Reached for Water Works to Collect Sewer Payments, Votes Expected Thursday
Birmingham Water Works has agreed to collect Jefferson County sewer fees, which could conclude discussions that have lasted nearly a year. Read more.
Democratic Candidates for Governor Debate Lottery, Infrastructure, Minimum Wage
Four Democratic candidates for Alabama governor gathered at the Birmingham Crossplex Monday night for a forum mostly focused on economic issues facing the state. Sue Bell Cobb, James Fields, Walt Maddox and Anthony White each discussed their stances on a potential lottery, infrastructure funding and minimum wage, among other issues. Christopher A. Countryman and Doug “New Blue” Smith, who also qualified to run for governor as Democrats, did not attend the forum. The forum, sponsored by the podcast “Not Necessarily Political with James Williams and Lonnie Malone” and moderated by former Jefferson County Commissioner Sheila Smoot, didn’t showcase much disagreement among its four participants. Instead, the candidates spent most of their time highlighting their backgrounds and qualifications. If there were any disagreements, they stemmed largely from the finer points of the candidates’ platforms. Read more.
The Governor’s Race: The Candidate Lineup
Eleven people have lined up to run for governor this year. Eleven. Among the candidates are some of the state’s best-known names, including the governor herself, and some that are more obscure. With a lineup like that in politics, as the adage goes for another great American spectator sport, you can’t tell the players without a scorecard. So let’s take a quick look at just who are all of these people who soon will be stalking you on social media, via email, with flyers and on your TV screens asking for your vote. The Candidate Lineup
Sen. Slade Blackwell is Not Running for Governor.
After filing papers at the last minute to run for the governor’s office, Sen. Slade Blackwell, R-Mountain Brook dropped out of the race Monday. “Senator Slade Blackwell withdrew his candidacy for the position of governor today,” Katie E. Lansford, director of communications and marketing for the Alabama Republican Party, said in an email to BirminghamWatch.
Seven Things You Should Know About the 2018 Election
Sen. Slade Blackwell is not running for governor. Roy Moore is not on the list. This year’s election could change the face of the Birmingham City Council, even though there’s no city election. Patricia Todd might be leaving the Legislature at the end of the term, but the House might not lose its gay voice. A Siegelman is back on the ballot. Bob Vance qualifies for chief justice. Democrats are fielding 45 percent more state House candidates this year than four years ago.