Jennifer Foster

His ethics allegations against Gov. Bob Riley fading, Bill Johnson looks to be continuing the string of look-at-me press stunts to elbow his way back into the conversation. Got a press release from the campaign tonight (full text below) announcing that Bill and his wife, Kathy, “want to identify the dirtiest jobs in Alabama and work alongside some of our hardest working families.“

Move over, Mike Rowe.

The Johnsons are doing this, they say, because “too many public servants have either forgotten what it’s like to work their fingers to the bone trying to make ends meet, or they never knew to begin with.“

Did you catch that, Bradley Byrne and Tim James? That swipe was barely veiled at all.

The Johnsons want to identify the “dirtiest jobs in Alabama,“ work alongside the people who do them and donate $250 to that person’s favorite charity.

OK. Let’s break this down.

No. 1. Why are only dirty jobs worth spotlighting? “Not just any jobs,“ the release says. Aren’t there plenty of Alabamians with not-so-dirty jobs whose contributions are also worth noting? Do people with “dirty jobs” just inherently work harder than others? That’s the assumption here.

No. 2. What are the Johnsons going to do if any of the recipients of these “dirty jobs grants” want the Johnsons to donate that money to a cause they don’t agree with—Planned Parenthood, for example? Considering the homelessness problem the Johnsons just spotlighted this weekend, why not donate $250 for each job to the homeless shelters that housed them? I’m sure they would welcome the extra cash.

No. 3, and this is perhaps the biggest question: What does any of this have to do with Johnson’s platform for governor? How is it connected to a jobs plan, or an economic development plan, or an education plan or anything else? or is it just meant to demonstrate empathy with “dirty jobs” workers?

I don’t knock the idea of getting in the trenches with Alabamians and working alongside them. Former Florida Gov. Bob Graham was famous for his “workdays” when he would do just that. Those efforts were some of the many things that personally endeared Graham to many Floridians for so long. But I find it unfortunate that the Johnsons are spotlighting one group of Alabamians above the rest, and in doing so, they are missing an opportunity to tie the experiences of everyday Alabamians to what Johnson wants to do as governor.

JOHNSONS LOOKING FOR ALABAMA’S DIRTIEST JOBS

GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Johnson and his wife are looking for jobs.  Not just any jobs—they want to find Alabama’s dirtiest jobs.

“Last Friday, Kathy and I spent the night in homeless shelters and recovery centers to better understand the challenges and potential consequences of losing jobs, homes and families.  People really are hurting—some through poor decisions they’ve made, and yet others who simply have hit really hard times and have no where to turn.  There is a real misconception of homelessness.  Loss of employment, and subsequently losing shelter, can happen to anyone regardless of race, gender, age, intelligence level or socio-economic status.  It was an eye-opening experience that will help us better understand the challenges and potential solutions to homelessness.

“Having spent a brief amount of time sleeping in homeless shelters and recovery centers, we now turn to address the enormous challenges our working families are facing.  Today, we kick off our ‘Working with the People-Alabama’s Dirtiest Jobs Tour.‘

“There are hard working people across Alabama that get up every day and make a contribution to their families, their communities and our State,“ explains Johnson.  “We want to identify the dirtiest jobs in Alabama and work alongside them; and, in honor of the contributions they’re making to their communities, we will also donate $250 to the selected families’ charity of their choice.

“Too many public servants have either forgotten what it’s like to work their fingers to the bone trying to make ends meet, or they never knew to begin with.

“Although Kathy and I have worked the past several years in management positions, we haven’t forgotten, nor do we ever want to forget, what true, hard, physical labor is-the kind of work in which our men and women leave work with dirt under their nails and aches in their muscles.  That’s what tens of thousands of Alabamians do every day in order to support their families.  We want to get out there with them and let them know we understand what they’re going through.“

“We truly believe that public officials have forgotten their role. It’s to connect with, listen to and serve the people, plain and simple. Kathy and I can relate to the hard-working families of this State, and we want them to know we understand their challenges.  We intend to represent all the people of Alabama—not just the elite, and we commit to spending time with, listening to and connecting with people from all walks of life.

“One of the things that sets us apart from the other candidates is that we both came from large families where money was tight and pay checks were small.  My dad was career military and had six children to feed.  Kathy came from a family of five children with a disabled dad.  Before either of us ever hit our teenage years, we had jobs, responsibilities and contributed financially to our families.  Our hearts will always go out to people who are struggling to balance tight budgets, put food on the table and find a way to educate their children.  That’s just who we are and what we stand for-hard work and contributing to family, community and country.“

Anyone who wants to recommend a ‘dirty job’ for the Johnsons’ “Working with the People-Alabama’s Dirtiest Jobs Tour” can do so by sending an e-mail with details to anthony@billjohnson.org or by calling the Johnson for Governor Campaign Headquarters at (334) 328-3823.

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