Turned off to the personalities, personal attacks and sensationalism in #Alabama #SpecialElection and going to sit the election out?
DON’T! There is a completely different way to think about and vote in elections.
We can move beyond politicians and politics as usual and finally start talking about real issues that will affect everyone - in Alabama and across the nation!
We can do it by focusing on bills, not only on people.
And that's really what Senators and all other legislators are all about anyway. Their job is to introduce and pass bills.
So, what are the bills that matter to you?
Here are some examples of bills that are there, waiting, already in The House or The Senate for the next Senator from Alabama to vote on!
And if only 218 Congresspersons in The House and 51 or 60 in The Senate vote for these bills, they go to The White House to become "The Law of The Land!" Electing Doug Jones will bring the total - of these bills that are important to college students, workers, women, seniors, environmentalists, animal lovers and those who want money out of politics - closer to 51 or 60. Electing Roy Moore will bring these very popular bills further away from those numbers and from becoming law in America.
Bills "On The Ballot" on December 12
1. Do You Want to Pass The Trump Tax Bill? Roy Moore will likely be the deciding vote for The Trump Tax Bill in The United States Senate. Doug Jones will likely be the deciding vote against The Trump Tax Bill in The United States Senate. In addition to overhauling the US tax code, The Senate version of the bill will, among many other things, instantly open up 1.5 Million acres of Alaska wilderness to oil and gas drilling. http://bit.ly/VoteNoTrumpTaxBill
2. Do You Want Lower College Tuition? Roy Moore will vote against "The College Tuition Fairness Act". Doug Jones will vote for it. http://bit.ly/VoteLowerTuitionDec12
3. Do You Want Equal Pay for Women? Roy Moore will vote against "The Paycheck Fairness Act". Doug Jones will vote for it. http://bit.ly/VoteEqualPay
4. Do You Want To Get Money Out of Politics? Roy Moore will vote against "The Government BY The People Act". Doug Jones will vote for it. http://bit.ly/VoteEqualPay
5. DoYou Want To Raise The Minimum Wage? Roy Moore will vote against "The Raise The Wage Act". Doug Jones will vote for it. http://bit.ly/Vote2RaiseTheWage
6. Do You Want Lower Prescription Drug Prices? Roy Moore will vote against "The Safe and Affordable Prescription Drug Importation Act". Doug Jones will vote for it. http://bit.ly/Vote4LowerPrescriptionDrugPrices
7. Do You Want to Fight Climate Change and Develop Renewable Energy Jobs? Roy Moore will vote against "The American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act" and "The Clean Energy for America Act" and Doug Jones will vote for them. http://bit.ly/VoteRenewableEnergyJobsDec12
8. Do You Care About Animals and Animal Welfare? Roy Moore will vote against any attempt to overturn H.J. Res 69, the bill recently signed into law by Donald Trump, that allows the killing of baby bears hibernating with their mothers in their dens in Alaska . . . and many other animal welfare bills. Doug Jones will vote to overturn the right to kill these sleeping bears and will vote for many important animal welfare bills like "The PAST Act" outlawing horse torture, "The Dog and Cat Meat Trade Prohibition Act" and "The Shark Fin Trade Prohibition Act". http://bit.ly/Vote4AnimalsDec12
Yes, you say. These may be interesting and important, but I also really care about abortion, guns and not giving homosexuals any further rights. What about those? Well, here's the real story on each of them.
Abortion, Guns and Gay Rights No Pro Choice bill expanding abortion (or Pro Life bill limiting abortion), or gun control law limiting guns (or NRA bill expanding gun rights) or pro-gay rights bill, (or anti-gay rights bill) will pass during this Congress . . . regardless of whether the people of Alabama elect Roy Moore or Doug Jones.
If anyone tries to pass any of these bills, they will, absolutely, not get the 60 votes in The Senate to override a certain "Filibuster" by Pro Life or Pro Choice members, a certain "Filibuster" by pro NRA or anti-NRA members or a certain "Filibuster" by pro gay rights or anti gay rights members.
So, don't worry about any of these super controversial issues in this race. Nothing is going to happen.
And, if you are concerned about The Supreme Court, neither the election of Roy Moore or Doug Jones will make a difference here either. Republicans have enough votes to confirm a Donald Trump Pro-Life, pro gun, anti-gay Justice on The Supreme Court, either way, should a vacancy occur.
So, let's move beyond the personalities or party affiliations of Roy Moore or Doug Jones. Let's "hire them" as "proxies" so they can vote for - or against - a higher minimum wage for workers, for - or against - lower college tuition for students, for - or against - equal pay for women, for - or against - being able to get money out of politics, for - or against - being able to fight climate change and create more renewable energy jobs and for - or against - protecting animals . . . or for, or against any of the thousands of other bills that affect you and your life that are currently sitting in Congress right now.
Find your legislative passion and go to the polls on December 12 to make it happen. You, really, do make a difference.
Alabamians were beaten and died for your right to vote. Honor their sacrifice. Join this Facebook Event and VOTE on December 12. http://bit.ly/HonorThemDec12
*Most of the candidates' positions are based on statements to the press or on their campaign website and the others are considered extremely likely if not certain. Please contact the campaigns if you would like to confirm or discuss their positions with them directly. https://www.roymoore.org/Contact-Judge-Moore/, https://dougjones.bsd.net/page/s/contact-us
Richard Greene is a former attorney, a former Fellow of The Constitutional Rights Foundation and political communication strategist who has advised 8 Presidential and Prime Ministerial campaigns around the world and Founder of the issues based civic engagement campaign and website, www.279forChange.us. RHGreene@aol.com