Counting down to the Nov. 2 1st Congressional District election, Republican challenger Alan Nunnelee is touting Lowndes County as an example of what can happen under the right federal leadership.
Clay County, he says, is an example of what happens under the wrong leadership.
In his bid for incumbent Democrat Travis Childers” seat in the House of Representatives, Nunnelee has heavily criticized Childers” vote for Barack Obama”s stimulus packages.
“(Democrats) said ”We”ve got a serious problem with unemployment. And if we don”t pass this stimulus, unemployment could go as high as 8 percent.” They borrowed $800 billion from future generations and (national) unemployment soared past 12 percent. In some counties in the 1st District, unemployment has passed 20 percent,” said Nunnelee Wednesday during a visit to The Dispatch office. “And we”ve got $800 billion of debt now to go with that higher unemployment.”
He advocates tax breaks as a more effective job creation tool, pointing to the Gulf Opportunity Zones implemented following Hurricane Katrina which benefited Lowndes County through “accelerated depreciation and some other favorable tax treatments.”
“Companies (in Lowndes County) responded. If you go to the Golden Triangle industrial park today, there are many facilities which have expanded, are expanding or have hired people. And almost everyone will tell you GO Zones played a significant role in the decision to expand,” he said.
“You go to the next county north, Clay County wasn”t included in GO Zones and they”ve had over 20 percent unemployment. That”s a great example that it works.”
Nunnelee claims fear of further economic mismanagement in Washington is prolonging the national recession.
“This recession is being driven by fear. I”ve talked to businesses all over this district and many have told me they have more orders and more contracts. They have the opportunities but aren”t going to expand,” he said. “They said it”s not an issue of capitol or financing. They have the cash or available credit. They”re afraid of what”s going to come next out of Washington. They”re afraid to make that kind of commitment and see this massive tax increase go into effect or what the impact of health care is going to be.”
The majority of Nunnelee”s direct criticisms of Childers center on the incumbent”s support of Obama and Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He defended his repeated inclusion of Pelosi in his attacks on Childers, referring to legislative politics as a “team sport.”
Pushed for specifics, he took issue with Childers” refusal to call for a repeal of Obama”s health-care plan after initially opposing it. Nunnelee also called into question Childers” votes for hate crimes protection and increasing the estate tax.
When the topic turned to television advertisements, Nunnelee bashed Childers” use of an anonymous blog comment on The Dispatch”s website accusing Nunnelee of supporting the Fair Tax.
Regarding attack ads aimed at Childers by third-party committees, Nunnelee says he has no knowledge of their production or content until they run on television.
He says federal law prohibits him or his campaign from contacting those committees, whether to support or denounce the ads.
“The only thing either candidate has control over is ads paid for by that specific candidate,” said Nunnelee.
Despite rampant negativity and partisanship in U.S. politics, Nunnelee expressed his willingness to work with members of any political party, provided they have the right ideas.
“My entire career in the Mississippi Senate I”ve served as a Republican in a body that”s majority Democrat. Anything I”ve had a hand in accomplishing involved reaching out to Democrats. You can”t get anything done in the minority party without their votes,” he said.
Nunnelee saved some of his criticism for the previous Republican administration, noting its abandonment of Republican principles.
“Republicans a decade ago took control (of the White House and Congress) and the first thing they did was take two steps to the left and start acting like the people they replaced,” he said.
He says a repeat of recent behavior will cause public preference to perpetually swing back and forth between Republicans and Democrats.
“If the Republicans take over and act like they did a decade ago we”ll see that pendulum swing on a regular basis or some kind of third-party movement come up.”
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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