House hopeful talks about potential

Josh Segall believes Alabama can have more jobs and a thriving economy if its rural areas are utilized to their potential.

“I don’t think you do that by giving everyone $600,” he said. “I don’t think you do that by bailing out AIG.”

Segall told members of the Opelika-Auburn News Editorial Board Monday that Alabama can create jobs and boost its economy by investing in basic infrastructure.

The number of jobs in east Alabama is a major concern to the Democratic candidate for the Congressional seat in Alabama’s Third District. He told the editorial board Monday that the area has lost 20,000 jobs in the six years Republican Mike Rogers has been in office.

Rogers, who will visit with the Opelika-Auburn News Editorial Board Oct. 15, serves on the House committees for armed services, agriculture and homeland security. Segall, a 29-year-old Montgomery native, said he’s done nothing in those roles to make Alabama better.

“He’s voted for ways that have hurt East Alabama,” Segall said.

Segall claimed Rogers voted along party lines last week for the $700 billion bailout bill. Segall said he would have voted against it because of the massive amount of pork barrel spending attached to it and the “erratic” performance of Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. Segall said he would vote independent of his party and donors.

In a statement released after the bailout vote, Rogers said “I made a vote of conscience today to help protect East Alabama’s Main Street ... It was an imperfect bill, but I believed it was the right thing to do despite my serious reservations about it.”

Rogers’ television ads blast Segall for his “liberal” stance on issues, including being pro-abortion, and for taking money from Hollywood, but Segall said that’s ridiculous.

“Because Jane Fonda and Sean Penn care about Alabama’s third district,” he joked.

Segall said the donation from Hollywood came from a woman who attended high school with him in Montgomery.

Segall said he believes in a women’s right to choose and supports legislation to reduce the number of abortions by 95 percent in the next 10 years. And as for being labeled a liberal, Segall said he is not what Alabamians think of as liberal.

“I’m socially conservative, I’m fiscally conservative and I believe in a strong military,” he said.

The candidates will debate this morning in Montgomery. Rogers will speak to the Opelika Rotary Club today at noon, then visit with the Auburn University Republicans at 7:30 p.m.

Segall’s Web site is http://www.segall2008.com.

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