Thread by @lyman_brian

Here at Auburn for a US Senate forum organized by the College Democrats & College Republicans. Doug Jones is here; Tommy Tuberville’s campaign said he had a conflict. Maybe 65 to 70 people here. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Everyone here is wearing masks and had to fill out a form about symptoms prior to entry. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones giveing an opening statement. He criticized Tuberville for not being here. Echoing a theme, he said he's part of the Democratic Party but that he works for all of Alabama. #alpolitics #ALSEN

First question for Jones: What was your biggest mistake as senator? Jones: "My biggest mistake was voting for (U.S. Attorney General) Bill Barr. I’ve been so disappointed in Bill Barr as an attorney general." #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones said he had hoped Barr would be an independent voice and he was disappointed in that. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones: "The votes I've taken, I will defend. Because I've been hit from the right and I've been hit from the left ... I think that means I have a pretty independent voice for Alabama." #alpolitics #ALSEN

Now asked what he's proudest of. Jones cites a bill for military widows to allow about 67,000 military widows to get full benefits, including about 2,000 in Alabama. #alpolitics #ALSEN

(All spelling errors are mine. Forgiveness requested in advance.) #alpolitics #ALSEN

Next question is if Jones would support abolition of the filibuster. Jones says no. Says he would want to get the Senate to return to regular order and back to being a deliberative body. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones is asked about agriculture and climate change. Jones says he believes in the science and that he would work with farmers and get their advice on adjusting to climate change. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones also pivoted to a discussion of trade: "The tariff wars hurt Alabama farmers. Alabama farmer don’t want hand outs They don’t want to see the federal government propping them up every year." #alpolitics #ALSEN

Continuing on the science theme with another question. Jones said people have to trust the scientists. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones asked if he supports expansion of the U.S. Supreme Court. He says no. "I do think the Supreme Court of the United Sates has become a political body because of the way it's been handled in the United States Senate." #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones says there are proposals that "have some merit," but says "hacking" the Supreme Court is not something he favors. "I am in a firm believe in trying to stay within the institutions." #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones is asked about criticism (sometimes floated by Tuberville) that a Democrat can't represent Alabama. Jones dismisses it: "Alabama is not monolithic. We are a diverse state ... the goal is to try to find common ground on those things." #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones then rips into Tuberville: "A football coach was trained to beat the other side, not to work with them ...
He doesn’t call us Democrats. He calls us communists and Marxists. He’s not going to be able to work with anybody." #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones is asked about election security. Says he believes in law enforcement's ability to enforce the laws but "we can't have a president that denies" the threats to the election system. Says we need to get allies around the world to form united front. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Gotta say: The Auburn students here have asked good, thoughtful questions. #ALSEN #alpolitics

Back on election security: "If you think I am knocking President Trump, I am ... We have got to have someone who will stand up to Putin." #alpolitics #ALSEN

Now asked if there's a way to make the country less political. Jones on politicians: "They campaign and they talk a good game about bipartisnahip, but the end the day, it's us vs. them. Good vs evil ... And people vote for partisanship. (But) it's your vote that will change it."

Student asks Jones about fighting the opioid epidemic. Jones says they have to keep on it: "We’ve got to recognize any addiction like that is a mental health issue, and we don’t have enough (mental health care) around the nation.” #ALSEN #alpolitics

Jones asked about the legalization of marijuana. Jones says he believes marijuana should be taken off the federal controlled substance list and allow states to determine how they want to approach issues like medical marijuana. Also wants more research on it. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Per Q about education, Jones cites the teacher shortage in Alabama and talks about a bill to extend grants to schools to encourage students to become teachers. Also talks about protecting meal programs at schools. But notes that funding is a local issue. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones, continued on education: "We need to be thinking about broadband and school buildings. Those are important. The federal government can help there. We can help on new buildings and new infrastructure." #alpolitics #ALSEN

Asked about trade, Jones says he wants to protect farmers and manufacturers. "Alabama is an exporting state. We manufacture a lot of stuff and we export it. Which means we’ve got to have those market. They’re not going to send it to Mississippi. They send it to China." #ALSEN

Jones is asked about the relationship of Black Americans to law enforcement. Jones: "At the end of the day for this republic to survive, for this state to progress we’re all in this together. And we’re going to rise and fall together." #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones is asked about rebuilding the economy after the COVID-19 pandemic passes. He says the priority should first be getting out of the virus and stresses his support for a large COVID-19 package with unemployment benefits, state & local government aid & hazard pay for workers.

But Jones also says that it's a chance to rebuild the economy. Alluding to the earlier race question: "When we do it, we do it in a hell of a lot more fair way than we did it." Talks about affordable housing, "including in our rural areas," health care and infrastructure.

Jones also talks about efforts to improve access to banking and capital in poorer areas. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones asked if he supports DC and Puerto Rican statehood. Jones: "I don't know." Says he doesn't think it's going to come up. But says DC doesn't have good representation, and says it should be looked at on whether it help those living in DC and Puerto Rico. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones asked if he would repeal the Patriot Act. He says says it's something "we need to constantly monitor," but wouldn't repeal it. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones asked what his priority would be in a second term. Jones says getting out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Also stresses his concerns about the future of the Affordable Care Act, which will go before the US Supreme Court on Nov. 10. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones says he thinks the future of ACA will dominate the next discussions. Stresses he doesn't support Medicare for All: "Did the Young Republicans hear that? I'm not for Medicare for All." But expresses support for a public option. #ALSEN #alpolitics

Jones is asked about what he could do as a senator to address the violence and overcrowding in Alabama prisons. Jones: "The goal should be to punish those who need to be punished, to keep kids out of the prison system, and to work with communities to make that happen."

Jones also notes this is chiefly a state issue, but also notes that Alabama has built prisons but chronically underfunds all services, including prisons. Suggests there might be a place for federal grants to address state overcrowding. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Last question is about ocean conservation and protecting environment without quashing oil and gas exploration. Jones says he thinks oil companies learned from the Deepwater Horizon, and feels technology has improved. "But that goes back to believing the science." #alpolitics

Jones also express some support for nuclear power. But says there needs to be "continued, rigorous enforcement" of environmental laws by EPA and faults the Trump administration for slowing down on that. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones closes by pushing back on ads falsely claiming he supports late-term abortion. "I don't want anybody to believe those damn commercials," and stresses he trusts women to make those decisions. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones also stresses that he is a gun owner and a hunter and supports the 2nd amendment: "We had eight years of Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Did anyone's guns get confiscated?" But says one can address gun violence and protect gun ownership. #alpolitics #ALSEN

Jones says Tuberville isn't talking about Alabama: "What he's going to do for farmers. What he's going to do for veterans ... And he ain't here. And he's not here, and he's not talking to the media about it. And he doesn't respect you enough to come here and talk about." #ALSEN

Jones closing by praising the Auburn Democrats and Auburn Republicans for organizing the forum together. "I want you to think about how you interact politically ... at the end of the day, it's one Alabama. It doesn't matter whether you're a Republican or a Democrat." #alpolitics

Jones says "your generation will be the catalyst for some of the greats changes this world has ever seen."

And that's the end of the forum. Jones talked for about an hour and fielded some good questions from the Auburn Democrats & Republicans here.

#alpolitics #ALSEN

(Again: apologies for all spelling errors.) #alpolitics #ALSEN