>> Todd: FROM OUR STATE HOUSE STUDIO IN MONTGOMERY, I'M TODD STACY.

WELCOME TO CAPITOL JOURNAL.

THE PRISON ESCAPE AND MANHUNT THAT CAPTIVATED ALABAMA AND THE WHOLE COUNTRY CAME TO A DRAMATIC AND TRAGIC END THIS WEEK.

CASEY WHITE, AN ESCAPED LAUDERDALE COUNTY INMATE ACCUSED OF MURDER WAS CAPTURED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT IN EVANSVILLE, INDIANA.

VIKI WHITE, THE JAIL ADMINISTRATOR WHO HELPED IN THE ESCAPE AFTER AN ALLEGED JAILHOUSE ROMANCE, TOOK HER OWN LIFE AS THE CAPTURE TOOK PLACE.

LAUDERDALE COUNTY SHERIFF RICK SINGLETON SAID CASEY WHITE WAS A DANGEROUS FUGITIVE WHO WILL NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY AGAIN.

>> THIS HAS ENDED A VERY LONG AND STRESSFUL AND CHALLENGING WEEK AND A HALF.

IT ENDED THE WAY THAT WE KNEW IT WOULD.

THEY ARE IN CUSTODY.

WHAT I'M VERY THANKFUL FOR TONIGHT IS THAT NO ONE WAS HURT.

IN CITIZENS WERE HURT.

NO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WERE HURT AS A RESULT OF THIS ESCAPE.

CASEY WHITE IS NOW BACK IN CUSTODY, AND I CANNOT EXPRESS ENOUGH TO THE U.S.

MARSHAL SECURITY TASK FORCE FOR THE ASSISTANCE THEY HAVE BEEN IN THIS.

THEIR AGENTS ARE ACTUALLY THE ONES THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE PURSUIT.

AND MY TEAM OF INVESTIGATORS WHO WORKED DILIGENTLY ALONGSIDE THE U.S.

MARSHALS TASK FORCE.

ALL THE OTHER PARTNERS AND PLAYERS IN THIS, THE LEAST OF WHICH IS NOT THE MEDIA.

YOU GUYS HAVE MADE THIS HAPPEN.

YOU KEPT THIS STORY OUT THERE.

YOU KEPT IT ON EVERYBODY'S MIND, AND THE TIPS, WHAT LED US TO THE ARREST AND THE CAPTURE OF THEM TODAY WAS A TIP THAT CAME FROM CITIZENS, AND WE GOT A DANGEROUS MAN OFF THE STREET TODAY.

HE IS NEVER GOING TO SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY AGAIN, AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING JUST FOR OUR COMMUNITY BUT FOR THE COUNTRY.

>> Todd: CONGRESSMAN MO BROOKS HAS BEEN SUBPOENAED BY THE COMMITTEE INVESTIGATING THE JANUARY 6, 2021 U.S. CAPITOL RIOT.

THE HUNTSVILLE CONGRESSMAN IS ONE OF FIVE REPUBLICANS WHO RECEIVED SUBPOENAS TO TESTIFY THE COMMITTEE HAD PREVIOUSLY ASKED TO TALK TO BROOKS ABOUT HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE EVENTS THAT LED UP TO THE ATTACK, TO WHICH BROOKS RESPONDED THAT IF THEY WANTED TO TALK TO HIM THEY COULD SEND A SUBPOENA.

STILL, BROOKS IS NOT SURE HE'LL COMPLY WITH THE SUBPOENA.

HE SET CONDITIONS FOR THE TESTIMONY, INCLUDING HAVING IT BE PUBLIC AND CONDUCTED BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS RATHER THAN STAFF OR COUNSEL.

HE ALSO CLAIMED THE COMMITTEE WAS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED AND RELEASED THE SUBPOENA TO HURT HIS ONGOING CAMPAIGN FOR THE U.S. SENATE.

BROOKS TOLD ALABAMA DAILY NEWS: “IT DEPENDS ON THE PROCESS AND THE RULES FOR THAT TESTIMONY, COUPLED WITH WHAT MY FELLOW REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMEN HAVE TO SAY.

IF THE 'WITCH HUNT COMMITTEE' WAS SERIOUS ABOUT QUESTIONING ME, THEY HAD 16 MONTHS IN WHICH TO DO IT.

AND NOW THEY HAVE WAITED UNTIL THEY COULD HAVE MAXIMUM INTERFERENCE WITH THE ELECTION OF A CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE” THE OTHER CONGRESSMEN SUBPOENAED INCLUDED MINORITY LEADER KEVIN MCCARTHY OF CALIFORNIA, JIM JORDAN OF OHIO, SCOTT PERRY OF PENNSYLVANIA, AND ANDY BIGGS OF ARIZONA.

>>> SPEAKING OF THE RACE FOR U.S. SENATE, THERE'S NEW POLLING OUT THIS WEEK SHOWING A NEW FRONTRUNNER.

KATIE BRITT HAS SURGED INTO A COMMANDING LEAD WITH LESS THAN TWO WEEKS TO GO ACCORDING TO A NEW ALABAMA DAILY NEWS / GRAY TELEVISION POLL.

BRITT WAS THE CHOICE OF 32% OF LIKELY REPUBLICAN VOTERS, WHICH IS UP ALMOST FOUR POINTS FROM THE SAME POLL TAKEN IN MARCH.

MEANWHILE, MIKE DURANT, WHO HAD BEEN THE FRONTRUNNER AS RECENTLY AS A MONTH AGO, SLIPPED 13 POINTS TO 21.4%.

MO BROOKS CLIMBED BACK INTO SECOND PLACE WITH 22.5%, UP FROM 16% IN MARCH.

AND IN THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR, INCUMBENT KAY IVEY COULD BE FACING A RUNOFF.

THE POLL SHOWED THE GOVERNOR FAR OUTPACING THE FIELD, BUT NOT GETTING THE 50% NEEDED TO AVOID A RUNOFF UNDER ALABAMA ELECTION LAW.

THE POLL SHOWED IVEY WAS THE CHOICE OF 40% OF LIKELY REPUBLICAN VOTERS, FOLLOWED BY TIM JAMES AT 18% AND LINDY BLANCHARD AT 14.5%.

>>> THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION HAS ANNOUNCED THE 2022 TEACHER OF THE YEAR FOR ALABAMA.

REGGIE WHITE, WHO TEACHES FIFTH GRADE AT BIRMINGHAM'S BOOKER T. WASHINGTON SCHOOL, IS A NATIONAL BOARD-CERTIFIED TEACHER WHO HAS SPENT HIS ENTIRE CAREER IN THE BIRMINGHAM CITY SYSTEM.

HE WILL SERVE AS THE STATE'S OFFICIAL AMBASSADOR FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION, AS WELL AS REPRESENT ALABAMA FOR THE NATIONAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD.

>> I AM JUST SO ELATED.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

I'M JUST BLESSED, ECSTATIC.

I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR BIRMINGHAM CITY SCHOOLS, THE TEACHERS, THE ADMINISTRATORS, THE STUDENTS, MOST OF ALL, BECAUSE THEY'VE SUPPORTED ME ALL THE WAY, AND AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME THEY HAVE REALLY SHOWN ME JUST HOW MUCH THEY LOVE ME, HOW MUCH THEY APPRECIATE ME, AND I LOVE THEM JUST THAT MUCH.

IT HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL, AND I HOPE TO CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF CHILDREN.

>> WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION, DAY ONE, WALKING INTO THE CLASSROOM?

DID YOU -- WERE YOU INSPIRED BY ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR?

ESPECIALLY TO BE GOING THIS LONG.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CHILDREN.

I WILL DO ANYTHING TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE LEARNING, TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE GROWING, TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY COULD DREAM THE BIGGEST DREAMS AND THEY COULD BECOME ANYTHING THAT THEY WANT TO BECOME, AND IT'S THEIR EYES, AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE THEIR EYES LIGHT UP, MAKE THEIR HEARTS LIGHT UP, AND LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY CAN BE ANYTHING THAT THEY DREAM OF, AND GO AFTER THEIR DREAMS, ABSOLUTELY.

>> Todd: A NEW REPORT FROM THE WOMEN'S FOUNDATION OF ALABAMA SHOWS THAT WOMEN MAKE UP ABOUT HALF OF ALABAMA'S WORKFORCE BUT TEND TO HAVE LOWER-PAYING JOBS AND EARN LESS INCOME THAN MEN.

THE REPORT SHOWED THAT WOMEN ARE THREE TIMES AS LIKELY AS MEN TO HAVE MINIMUM WAGE JOBS AND ON AVERAGE EARN 67 CENTS FOR EVERY $1 MEN ARE PAID.

PAY DISPARITIES ARE EVEN WORSE FOR WOMEN OF COLOR AND EXIST EVEN IN HIGH-PAYING PROFESSIONS.

RESEARCHER ALLEN FREYER AND FOUNDATION CEO MELANIE BRIDGEFORTH SPOKE ABOUT THESE ISSUES ON A VIRTUAL PRESS CONFERENCE THIS WEEK.

>> THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT MEN EARN AND WHAT WOMEN EARN, AND CURRENTLY WOMEN ARE JUST NOT PAID EQUALLY FOR EQUAL WORK.

WOMEN IN ALABAMA ON AVERAGE EARNED 67 CENTS FOR EVERY DOLLAR EARNED BY MEN, AND NUMBERS ARE EVEN WORSE FOR WOMEN OF COLOR.

BLACK WOMEN EARN 63 CENTS AND HISPANIC EARN JUST 50 CENTS EARNED BY WHITE MEN, AND THIS IS ACROSS EVERY LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND IN EVERY OCCUPATION.

>> WE HAVE CHAMPIONED AND HIGHLIGHTED AND USED OUR GRANT-MAKING ARM TO ACTUALLY PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SUPPORTS SO THAT WOMEN HAVE EVERY BARRIER REMOVED SO THAT THEY CAN GET FROM THAT CLASSROOM INTO AN IN-DEMAND CAREER, WHETHER THAT'S WELDING, I.T., HEALTH CARE, ALL OF THE ABOVE.

WE'VE SEEN WOMEN LITERALLY GO FROM BEING ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND 12 WEEKS LATER MAKING $60,000 A YEAR AS A WELDER.

AND SO THAT IS THE TYPE OF TRANSFORMATION THAT WE KNOW CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

>> Todd: ALABAMA'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS AT A RECORD LOW.

BUT MANY SMALL BUSINESSES IN ALABAMA CAN'T FIND WORKERS FOR AVAILABLE JOBS.

IT'S PART OF A CHANGING ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE HERE AND NATIONALLY.

"CAPITOL JOURNAL"'S RANDY SCOTT HAS THE STORY.

>> YOU CAN'T GROW OR EVEN MAINTAIN YOUR BUSINESS IF YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE EMPLOYEES THERE WITH YOU EVERY DAY.

SO I WOULD TELL ANYONE: IF YOU WANT A JOB TODAY, YOU CAN GET A JOB TODAY.

>> ROSEMARY ELEBASH SERVES AS THE STATE DIRECTOR FOR THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT BUSINESS, AN AGENCY KEEPING TRACK OF ALABAMA'S SMALL BUSINESS PROGRESS.

>> IF YOU HAVE A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN, A VIBRANT MAIN STREET, THEN YOUR WHOLE COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM THAT, BECAUSE THOSE LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES ARE THE ONES THAT SPONSOR THE LITTLE LEAGUE TEAM OR THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM OR THE HOMECOMING DANCE, OR WHATEVER YOU'VE GOT IN THAT COMMUNITY.

IT'S SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THAT STEP UP AND HELP FUND THOSE, AND VOLUNTEER FOR THOSE SERVICES TO MAKE THOSE COMMUNITIES WORK.

>> A KEY INGREDIENT TO GET THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES BUSY, GETTING MORE EMPLOYEES.

>> JUST LIKE BIG COMPANIES AND THE STATE, SMALL BUSINESSES ARE ALSO WATCHING THE JOB REPORTS TO SEE HOW ALABAMA'S WORKFORCE IS DOING.

THEY MAY BE DIFFERENT, BUT THEY HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON, A DESIRE TO SEE MORE PEOPLE FIND MORE WORK.

>> EVERY BUSINESS OWNER THAT I SPEAK WITH, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR EMPLOYEES, AND WITH ALABAMA AT 2.9% IN UNEMPLOYMENT, WHICH IS THE LOWEST IN HISTORY, AND THE FEWEST NUMBER OF PEOPLE LOOKING FOR JOBS AT ABOUT 65,000, THEN WE'RE IN DESPERATE NEED.

>> KEEPING THE BIG AND SMALL WHEELS OF BUSINESS TURNING IN ALABAMA.

>> IF WE'VE ONLY GOT 65,000 PEOPLE THAT ARE ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR WORK TODAY, AND WE'VE GOT 67 COUNTIES, ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE COULD BE HIRED TODAY OR TOMORROW, BUT WE'VE JUST GOT TO GET THEM MATCHED UP AND GET THEM THERE.

>> FOR "CAPITOL JOURNAL", I'M RANDY SCOTT.

>> Todd: NASA IS ON A MISSION TO TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT SPACE.

THIS WEEK NASA OFFICIALS BROUGHT THEIR DESTINATION STATION LEARNING CENTER TO A MONTGOMERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

"CAPITOL JOURNAL"'S KAREN GOLDSMITH HAS THE STORY.

>> THE DESTINATION STATION IS A NASA INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT DESIGNED TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

MORE THAN 500 K THROUGH 5 STUDENTS AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EXPLORED THE LEARNING CENTER.

THEIR PRINCIPAL SAYS THE KIDS HAVE BEEN EXCITED ABOUT THE VISIT, WHICH TIES INTO THEIR CURRICULUM.

>> AT THE LOWER LEVEL, YOU KNOW, JUST BASIC THINGS, ROCKETS, AND THEY'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE SOME ROCKET LIFTS ON YouTube, AND THE UPPER GRADES THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT CAREERS THAT ARE IN SCIENCE.

WE HAVE A ROBOTICS TEAM.

THIS IS OUR FIRST YEAR FOR OUR ROBOTICS TEAM.

>> WE SPOKE TO TWO MEMBERS OF THE ROBOTICS TEAM.

>> WE GOT TO BUILD ROBOTS TO DRIVE IT WITH OUR TOUCH SCREEN COMPUTERS SO WE COULD TRY TO WIN A CONTEST.

>> WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO LEARN.

>> HOW TO BECOME FASTER AT BUILDING THE ROBOTS.

>> HERE AT DESTINATION STATION WE BROUGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS.

WE HAVE A LUNAR ROCK FROM 1972.

WE ALSO HAVE ASTRONAUT FOOD HERE, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER WE HAVE A PORTION OF ROBONAUT2'S ARM.

>> THE COORDINATOR ALSO SAYS.

>> SOMETHING THAT I TRY AND PUSH ON THE STUDENTS IS MAINLY THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO BE AN ASTRONAUT TO BE WORKING AT NASA.

THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES THAT YOU COULD FIT INTO.

WE HAVE ANYTHING FROM DAYCARE WORKERS TO EVENT COORDINATORS TO GRAPHIC ARTISTS TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS.

>> THIS LEARNING EXPERIENCE WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY U.S. REPRESENTATIVE TERRI SEWELL.

MELINDA WILLIAMS IS HER DISTRICT DIRECTOR.

>> WE KNOW THAT CAREERS IN STEM IS IMPORTANT TO THE NEXT GENERATION, AND STARTING AS EARLY AS KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE, ON THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL, GIVES THEM EXPOSURE.

ONE THING THAT WE ALWAYS SAY IN THE SEVENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT IS NOT THAT WE LACK ABILITY.

IT'S OPPORTUNITY.

>> I ALWAYS SAY THAT EXPOSURE IS THE KEY, SO JUST GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPOSE THEM TO THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY IS HUGE.

>> I WANT TO GO TOUCH THE MOON.

>> AND WHAT ABOUT YOU?

>> I JUST WANT TO BE A SCIENTIST, REALLY.

>> GETTING THAT SPARK, THAT INTEREST IN EARLY IS REALLY KEY TO WHAT OUR FUTURE HOLDS.

IF WE CAN'T INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION, THEN WHAT ARE WE DOING?

>> FOR "CAPITOL JOURNAL", I'M KAREN GOLDSMITH.

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♪ ♪ >> Todd: NEXT I'M PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY DR. BARBARA COOPER, SECRETARY OF THE ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.

DR. COOPER, THANKS FOR COMING ON "CAPITOL JOURNAL".

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME HERE, TODD.

>> Todd: WELL, Y'ALL HAD SOME BIG NEWS THIS WEEK, OR THIS MONTH, BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, I REALLY WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN TO OUR AUDIENCE WHAT YOU DO AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, WHAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM DO FOR THE STATE OF ALABAMA.

>> YES, OUR DEPARTMENT IS CHARGED WITH ENSURING THAT WE ARE PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT FOR OUR YOUNGEST LEARNERS, BIRTH THROUGH AGE EIGHT, FOR THE STATE OF ALABAMA, SO WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT BIRTH THROUGH THREE CLASSROOMS, EARLY FOUNDATIONS CLASSROOMS WHERE WE KNOW CHILDREN ARE GETTING THEIR EARLIEST START AS INFANTS AND TODDLERS, AND SO WE SUPPORT THOSE TEACHERS THROUGH OUR FOUNDATIONS CLASSROOMS, AS WELL AS WORKING WITH DHR TO PROVIDE QUALITY RATING IMPROVEMENT SYSTEMS IN THOSE EARLY CARE CLASSROOMS.

WE ALSO ARE WELL KNOWN FOR OUR FIRST-CLASS PRE-K PROGRAM WHERE WE SUPPORT OVER 24,000 STUDENTS, AND NEXT YEAR WE'LL ACTUALLY BE CLOSER TO 27,000 STUDENTS WITH GETTING THAT HIGH-QUALITY LEARNING THAT WE KNOW ABSOLUTELY MAKES A DIFFERENCE FOR CHILDREN, AND SO OUR GOAL IS TO EVENTUALLY SUPPORT AT LEAST 70% OF THE 4-YEAR-OLDS IN ALABAMA THROUGH THIS HIGH-QUALITY FIRST-CLASS PRE-K PROGRAM.

WE ALSO HAVE FIRST TEACHER HOME VISITING.

WE KNOW THAT PARENTS ARE THEIR CHILD'S FIRST TEACHER, AND SO WE WANT OUR PARENTS TO HAVE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ALONGSIDE EITHER NURSES OR HOME VISITORS THAT ACTUALLY PROVIDE THEM THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT CHILDREN ARE BEING SUCCESSFUL.

WE PROVIDE INFANT AND EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS THROUGH OUR CONSULTATION MODEL AT THE DEPARTMENT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE, BUT CHILDREN HAVE -- SOME OF OUR CHILDREN HAVE SOME TRAUMA AND CHALLENGES THAT THEY ARE DEALING WITH, AND SO WE NEED THOSE PROFESSIONALS TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO THOSE CLASSROOMS AND WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH THE TEACHERS TO PROVIDE CHILDREN THE SUPPORT THEY NEED SO THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING ANY OF THESE CHALLENGES AT THE EARLIEST STAGES POSSIBLE.

AND WE ALSO HAVE THE PRE-K THROUGH THIRD GRADE INTEGRATED APPROACH, WHICH IS A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM WHERE CLASSROOMS WANT TO CONTINUE WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING IN PRE-K, AND SO THEY DO THE SAME TYPES OF STRATEGIES IN THE KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE CLASSROOM TO CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON THOSE DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICES THAT ABSOLUTELY PUT CHILDREN ON A TRAJECTORY FOR SUCCESS.

ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS STRONGLY SUPPORT GOVERNOR IVEY'S GOAL AROUND STRONG START STRONG FINISH, AND OUR DEPARTMENT IS ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT STRONG START COMPONENT.

SO ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS COME TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT CHILDREN GET THE VERY BEST START POSSIBLE IN ALABAMA.

>> Todd: WELL, AND SPEAKING OF FIRST CLASS PRE-K, YOU GOT SOME REALLY GOOD NEWS ON THAT FRONT STEMMING FROM THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO FUND I THINK IT'S 96 NEW FIRST-CLASS PRE-K CLASSROOMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE?

>> YES.

>> Todd: THAT SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY BIG INCREASE.

>> THAT'S A VERY BIG INCREASE, SO WITH A LITTLE BIT OVER $22 MILLION, WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROVIDE 96 ADDITIONAL CLASSROOMS, WHICH IS ROUGHLY OVER 1700 ADDITIONAL STUDENTS, CHILDREN WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN FIRST-CLASS PRE-K CLASSROOMS.

THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST ROUND OF FUNDING.

WE ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE UP TO 125 CLASSROOMS FOR THIS YEAR, SO WE'RE EXCITED AND CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THAT BUDGET TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING AS DILIGENT AS POSSIBLE TO GET THAT ACCESS UP AS MUCH AS WE CAN DURING THIS UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.

>> Todd: I KNOW THAT -- I'M NOT SURE ABOUT PRE-K, BUT I KNOW THAT IN THE HIGHER GRADES THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT FINDING TEACHERS.

IN FACT, SOME HAVE CALLED IT A TEACHER SHORTAGE IN MANY WAYS.

>> YES.

>> Todd: SO WHEN IT COMES TO EXPANSION, ARE Y'ALL ABLE TO FIND THE TEACHERS NECESSARY TO FILL THOSE ROLES?

>> I THINK PART OF THE BEAUTY OF OUR PROGRAM IS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EXPAND INCREMENTALLY IN ALABAMA.

SO WE'RE CONSTANTLY WORKING ALONGSIDE HIGHER ED, WORKING ALONGSIDE OUR CHILD CARE PROGRAMS TO GET TEACHERS THROUGH THE CDA PROGRAM SO THEY CAN BECOME AUXILIARY TEACHERS, AND OF COURSE WORKING TOWARDS MAKING SURE WE HAVE THE NUMBER OF LEAD TEACHERS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO FILL THOSE CLASSROOMS.

IT'S AN ONGOING EFFORT.

WE'VE HAD TO PROVIDE SOME WAIVERS IN OUR CLASSROOMS FOR TEACHERS WHO DON'T QUITE HAVE ALL OF THE CREDENTIALS BUT ARE WORKING TOWARDS THOSE CREDENTIALS, SO MOST OF THEM CAN BE FULLY QUALIFIED WITHIN A YEAR OF WORKING ON THOSE WAIVERS.

BUT IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO STAY ON TOP OF AND BE VERY DILIGENT IN OUR EFFORTS SO WE DON'T JUST ADD CLASSROOMS AND NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY STAFF TO FILL THOSE CLASSROOMS, AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT OUR PRE-K CLASSROOMS, WE'RE ADDING TWO TEACHERS.

SO FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE 96 CLASSROOMS, WE'RE ADDING BOTH A LEAD TEACHER AS WELL AS AN AUXILIARY TEACHER TO KEEP THOSE CLASS RATIOS DOWN.

>> WELL, MY MOM WAS A EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION TEACHER.

STILL IS.

AND SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S A PASSION THERE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.

>> YES.

>> Todd: AND WHAT'S REALLY STRIKING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK BACK AT -- MAKE YOU MENTIONED, INCREMENTAL GROWTH, GROWTH THAT REALLY EVERYBODY'S BEEN ON BOARD WITH IN TERMS OF FUNDING AND EVERYTHING, BUT FOR 16 YEARS NOW YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO RETAIN THE HIGHEST QUALITY IN THE COUNTRY.

>> YES.

>> Todd: AND THAT'S THROUGH -- THAT'S ACROSS GOVERNORS, ACROSS AT LEAST THREE GOVERNORS.

IT'S ACROSS MULTIPLE ADMINISTRATIONS IN TERMS OF THE SECRETARY.

SO HOW HAVE Y'ALL BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT?

>> TODD, WHEN YOU REALLY PUT FORTH EFFORT INTO CREATING A VISION AND CREATING A PLAN, YOU'RE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THIS, AND THIS IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN ALABAMA.

THE BUSINESS COUNCIL OF ALABAMA, OUR POLITICAL LEADERS, OUR EDUCATORS, PARTNERSHIPS, ALABAMA SCHOOL READINESS ALLIANCE, ALABAMA PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN, ALL OF THESE GROUPS CAME TOGETHER IN THE EARLY 2000s, AND THEY CREATED A PLAN FOR ALABAMA, AND WHEN YOU CREATE THAT TYPE OF FOUNDATION, YOU HAVE SOMETHING ON WHICH TO BUILD, SO REGARDLESS OF WHO WAS SITTING IN THE SEAT OF SECRETARY, REGARDLESS OF WHO WAS SITTING IN THE VARIOUS POLITICAL SEATS, BECAUSE WE HAVE A STRONG PLAN IN ALABAMA, WE'RE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SUSTAIN, AND I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY BECAUSE WE DO HAVE THOSE BENCHMARKS OF QUALITY, WE TALK ABOUT WHAT ENABLING ENVIRONMENTS LOOK LIKE AROUND POLITICAL WILL.

WE TALK ABOUT THE POLICIES THAT ARE NECESSARY SO THAT WE HAVE SMALL CLASS SIZE RATIOS AND TEACHERS HAVE CREDENTIALS AS WELL AS THOSE STRONG PROGRAM PRACTICES.

BECAUSE ALL OF THOSE PIECES ARE IN PLACE AND BECAUSE WE DON'T MOVE AWAY FROM THOSE AND WE'RE VERY INTENTIONAL, WE'RE ABLE TO ANNUALLY TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT NEAR REQUIRES AND ENSURE THAT ALABAMA IS MEETING AND EXCEEDING THOSE EXPECTATIONS, BECAUSE WE GO BEYOND WHAT NEAR HAS ESTABLISHED.

THEIR RATIOS IS TWO TO 22, TWO TEACHERS FOR 22 CHILDREN.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO TEACHERS FOR 18 CHILDREN, SO THERE ARE PLACES WHERE WE EVEN GO ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT NEAR HAS EXPECTED WITH REGARD TO WHAT HIGH QUALITY MEANS.

SO HAVING THAT FOUNDATION IS WHAT HAS ALLOWED ALABAMA TO CONTINUE TO SUSTAIN REGARDLESS TO WHO IS SITTING IN THE VARIOUS SEATS.

>> Todd: DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WE HEARD A LOT OF TALK ON THE EDUCATION FRONT ABOUT GETTING STARTED.

YOU KNOW, THEY PASSED THE LITERACY ACT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

THEY HAVE NOW PASSED THE NUMERACY ACT, SO THEY ARE CLEARLY TRYING TO TARGET THE YOUNGER STUDENTS AND THE YOUNGER GRADES, UNDERSTANDING THAT THAT'S WHERE YOU GET 'EM, RIGHT?

THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE TO REALLY ESTABLISH THESE LEARNING TRENDS.

HOW DOES PRE-K, AND YOUR DEPARTMENT AT LARGE, PLAY A ROLE IN MAKING SURE THAT THE STUDENTS WHO -- YEAH, THEY GET INTO THE LITERACY ACT PROGRAMS, THE NUMERACY ACT PROGRAMS, BUT MAYBE EVEN BEFORE THEN ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, AND IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE PUT CHILDREN ON THE RIGHT TRACK AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT TRAJECTORY OF SUCCESS IS BUILT AT THE EARLIEST STAGE AS POSSIBLE.

WHEN WE INVEST EARLY, WE ENSURE THAT WE SEND CHILDREN INTO A KINDERGARTEN CLASS READY, MEANING THEY ARE ALREADY ABLE TO SUSTAIN AND DO THE THINGS THAT ARE EXPECTED IN THAT KINDERGARTEN CLASS.

MOST TEACHERS IN KINDERGARTEN -- OF KINDERGARTNERS WILL TELL YOU THAT THEY CAN TELL THE CHILDREN THAT HAVE GONE THROUGH A PRE-K CLASSROOM, A FIRST CLASS PRE-K CLASSROOM, AND THAT'S BECAUSE CHILDREN ARE WALKING IN THE DOOR ALREADY PREPARED.

SO WE SUPPORT K-12 BY MAKING SURE PRE-KINDERGARTEN CHILDREN ARE PREPARED.

THEY WALK IN ALREADY NOT NEEDING THOSE REMEDIATIONS.

CHILDREN WHO ATTEND OUR FIRST CLASS PRE-K PROGRAM ARE MORE LIKELY TO OUTPERFORM THEIR PEERS IN READING AND MATH.

THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO BE CHRONICALLY ABSENT.

THEY ARE LESS LIKELY TO NEED SPECIAL ED REFERRALS OR HAVE DISCIPLINARY REFERRALS.

SO BY DOING ALL OF THESE THINGS AT THE EARLIEST STAGES POSSIBLE, WE SUPPORT K12 BY SENDING CHILDREN WHO ARE KINDERGARTEN READY, AND FORTUNATELY DURING THE PANDEMIC WE WERE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT A KINDERGARTEN ENTRY ASSESSMENT, AND WE ALREADY HAVE DATA THAT INDICATES THAT CHILDREN WHO ATTENDED FIRST CLASS PRE-K WERE KINDERGARTEN READY, WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE KINDERGARTEN READY BASED ON AN ASSESSMENT THAT WAS GIVEN AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THAT KINDERGARTEN YEAR.

>> Todd: WOW.

WELL, CONGRATULATIONS ON ANOTHER YEAR OF EXTRAORDINARY SUCCESS, EVEN THROUGHOUT COVID, ALL THE CHALLENGES THAT EXISTED THERE.

I HOPE YOU'LL COME BACK AND SHARE WITH US AGAIN AS THESE CLASSROOMS START COMING ON-BOARD.

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

WE WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO DO THAT.

>> Todd: GREAT.

WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

>> Announcer: YOU'RE WATCHING ALABAMA PUBLIC TELEVISION.

♪ ♪ >> Todd: NEXT, I'M PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY MARK COLSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE ALABAMA TRUCKING ASSOCIATION.

MARK, THANKS FOR COMING ON "CAPITOL JOURNAL".

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME, TODD.

>> Todd: CAN YOU TELL OUR AUDIENCE A LITTLE MORE ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION AND WHAT YOU DO?

>> WELL, THERE'S 110,000 WORKING ALABAMIANS THAT WORK IN THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY IN OUR STATE.

THAT'S ONE IN 14, ONE IN 15 JOBS.

THERE'S ABOUT 30,000 PLUS TRUCKING COMPANIES, SO THE ALABAMA TRUCKING ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 50 PLUS YEARS, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING SAFETY TRAINING, SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE IN OUR INDUSTRY.

WE ADVOCATE AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS, AND WE'RE ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY REGULATED INDUSTRIES IN THE STATE.

MOST OF THOSE REGULATIONS COME FROM VARIOUS AGENCIES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, SPECIFICALLY THE FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS A FUNCTION OF THE D.O.T., THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION, AND SO WE HAVE LOTS OF ADVOCACY IN THOSE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENTS, BUT WE'RE JUST PROUD TO SERVE THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY, AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING THESE DAYS IS TELLING THE GREAT STORIES OF THE JOB OPPORTUNITIES THAT EXIST THROUGHOUT OUR STATE.

>> Todd: YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC BEGAN, BUT I THINK BACK TO THOSE EARLY DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC AND THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY WAS REALLY THRUST INTO THE SPOTLIGHT.

I MEAN, IT REALLY CAME FRONT ANT CENTER.

SO MUCH OF THE ECONOMY HAD SHUT DOWN, AND YET THE TRUCKERS WERE DELIVERING.

KIND OF A PROUD MOMENT IN MANY WAYS FOR THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY, BUT MAYBE CHALLENGING TOO.

TELL ME MORE ABOUT WHAT YOUR MEMBERS EXPERIENCED DURING THE PANDEMIC.

>> YEAH, EVERYBODY REMEMBERS THAT TIME, AND TRUCKERS NEVER STOPPED.

I MEAN, ONE OF THE SAYINGS I DEVELOPED IN THAT SEASON OF LIFE WAS, YOU KNOW, CRISIS OR CHRISTMAS, TRUCKERS ARE GOING TO DELIVER THE GOODS, AND WE DID.

WHEN STORE SHELVES WERE EMPTIED, THEY GOT RE-STOCKED BECAUSE WE DELIVERED THOSE GOODS.

WE THEN DID FACE A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES, AND I WAS REALLY PROUD OF THE MEN AND WOMEN IN OUR INDUSTRY FOR STEPPING UP AND DOING THEIR JOBS, EVEN IN THE FACE OF UNCERTAINTY, AND THAT IS WHAT WE DO WHEN A HURRICANE HITS.

WE'RE FIRST RESPONDERS.

WE DELIVER THE GOODS TO THOSE CRISIS ZONES.

THIS ONE WAS UNIQUE BECAUSE IT WASN'T LIKE IT WAS DOMICILED TO A SPECIFIC REGION OF THE COUNTRY.

THAT WAS A WORLDWIDE CRISIS, AND SO A COUNTRY-WIDE CRISIS, SO WE HAD TO RESPOND TO, YOU KNOW, ALL 50 STATES, AT LEAST IN THIS COUNTRY, AND IT WAS A CHALLENGING TIME, BUT IT CREATED AN OPPORTUNITY AS WELL TO TELL OUR STORY BECAUSE ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS WE HAVE IN OUR INDUSTRY, I THINK ONE OF OUR GREATEST BARRIERS, IS ADDRESSING WHAT I THINK IS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS TO DO IN THIS LIFE, AND THAT'S CHANGING SOMEONE'S PERCEPTION.

WHEN SOMEONE PERCEIVES WHAT THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY IS OR WHAT A TRUCKER IS, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY MIGHT HAVE A MISGUIDED PERCEPTION.

AND IT PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SHOWCASE WHAT THE MEN AND WOMEN IN THIS INDUSTRY DO EVERY DAY.

>> Todd: MORE RECENTLY YOU HAD THE VACCINE MANDATE SITUATION, WHICH I KNOW THAT YOUR NATIONAL ORGANIZATION PLAYED A PART IN CHALLENGING ALL THE WAY TO THE SUPREME COURT.

>> WE DID, AND WE SAW WHAT THOSE PROTESTS THAT HAPPENED IN CANADA, WHERE TRUCKERS PROTESTED THE CROSS-BORDER VACCINE MANDATE AND THE VACCINE MANDATES THERE.

WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE A CASE MADE ITS WAY UP TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT WITH THE VACCINE MANDATE ON EMPLOYERS OF 100 OR MORE EMPLOYEES, AND OUR INDUSTRY, THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY, WAS THE LEAD PLAINTIFF, A LEAD PLAINTIFF IN THAT CASE.

IT WAS STRUCK DOWN BY THE SUPREME COURT, SO THEREFORE WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT CHALLENGE.

VERY PROUD OF THE LEADERSHIP WE PLAYED.

IT WASN'T ABOUT WHETHER YOU'RE PRO-VACCINE OR ANTI-VACCINE.

IT WAS ABOUT A REGULATION THAT MAKES SENSE.

WE'RE TRYING TO PUT PEOPLE BACK TO WORK.

WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE THE GOODS FOR THIS COUNTRY, AND THE WAY THAT RULE WAS WRITTEN WAS GOING TO BE REALLY DETRIMENTAL TO THE ECONOMY.

>> Todd: WELL, WE'RE NOW SEEING A DOUBLE WHAMMY WITH THE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES AND ALSO THE WORST INFLATION IN 40 YEARS.

HOW DOES THAT IMPACT YOUR INDUSTRY SPECIFICALLY?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, GAS PRICES BEING AS HIGH AS THEY ARE IS -- >> Todd: TRIPLE WHAMMY.

MAYBE NOT A DOUBLE WHAMMY.

A TRIPLE WHAMMY.

>> THE CONSEQUENCES WE'RE PAYING TODAY OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN CHALLENGES, AND THEY ARE DIVERSE, AND THEY ARE WORLDWIDE, ARE RESULTS OF VARIOUS FACTORS, ONE OF WHICH IS HOW WE SHUT DOWN THE WORLD'S ECONOMY.

YOU KNOW, FROM BACK IN 2020.

WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH PENT UP DEMAND FROM THAT TIME, AND WORKFORCE SHORTAGES ACROSS THE BOARD IN EVERY INDUSTRY THAT THERE IS, AND NOW WE'RE FACING RECORD HIGH INFLATION.

AMERICA I THINK IS UP AT 8% NOW, WHICH IS LEADING THE WORLD IN INFLATION, AND GAS PRICES BEING AS HIGH AS THEY ARE ONLY ADD TO THAT.

SO THAT UNCERTAINTY ISN'T GREAT FOR ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, BUT RIGHT NOW I WOULD SAY THE BRIGHT SPOT IS THE DEMAND REMAINS SUPER STRONG THROUGHOUT THE SUPPLY CHAIN, EVEN WHERE THERE'S CHALLENGES.

SO YOU KNOW, COSTS ARE JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO RISE UNTIL THAT DEMAND, YOU KNOW, CURVES OFF, BUT THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY HAS.

WE'VE -- PEOPLE IN OUR WORKFORCE, THIS IS A FACT THAT MAYBE A LOT OF YOUR VIEWERS DON'T KNOW.

IN AMERICA IN 2021, 47 MILLION WORKING AMERICANS VOLUNTARILY LEFT THEIR JOB.

THAT'S THE MASS EXODUS THAT YOU HEAR ECONOMISTS TALK ABOUT.

10.5, 11 MILLION OF THOSE WERE IN THE TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS BUSINESS, SO THAT'S WHAT EVERYBODY'S FACING.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE MORE JOBS AVAILABLE THAN PEOPLE ON UNEMPLOYMENT, SO THE PROBLEM IS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING FOR JOBS DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE SKILL SETS THAT THEY NEED, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE DOING IN THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY, WHETHER IT BE THE PROFESSIONAL DRIVER, DIESEL TECHNICIANS, WE REALLY WANT TO SHOWCASE PEOPLE THOSE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO GET TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.

>> Todd: I WANTED TO SPECIFICALLY TALK ABOUT GAS PRICES BECAUSE I JUST KNOW ABOUT IT FROM A CONSUMER, REGULAR COMMUTER -- I FILLED UP MY TRUCK YESTERDAY, AND YEAH, THAT WAS A BIG-TIME STICKER SHOCK.

>> THINK ABOUT IF IT COSTS YOU A THOUSAND DOLLARS TO FILL IT UP.

>> TODD: YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK.

DIESEL IS UP TOO.

I JUST ASSUME THAT IT CREATES A HUGE PROBLEM FOR YOUR INDUSTRY IN TERMS OF PRICES AND HOW DELIVERIES WORK.

>> WELL, RIGHT, AND MANY OF THOSE COSTS ARE GOING TO GET PASSED ON TO THE CUSTOMER AND TO THE END CONSUMER, AND THAT TAKES TIME, BUT JUST LIKE THOSE THAT I SAY LIVE IN POVERTY OR THOSE WITH THE LOWEST AMOUNT OF INCOME INDIVIDUALS, THEY ARE THE ONES HIT HARDEST BY INFLATION, BY INCREASING COST OF GROCERIES AND FUEL.

THE SAME GOES FOR THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY.

OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, WE GOT 97% OF TRUCKING COMPANIES ARE SMALL BUSINESSES.

THE SMALLER THE COMPANY, THE HARDER HIT BY INFLATIONARY PRESSURES.

THE SAME WITH OWNER/OPERATORS.

THOSE ARE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT AND COMPANIES THAT ARE HIT THE HARDEST WHEN WE SEE THESE HIGH PRICES.

>> Todd: SO IF I'M DELIVERING EGGS FROM STATE TO STATE AND MY TRANSPORTATION COSTS DOUBLE, WELL, THEN THAT MEANS I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CHARGE YOU DOUBLE FOR -- OR MORE FOR THAT DELIVERY, MEANING THE GROCERY STORE IS GOING TO CHARGE DOUBLE, OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

IT JUST GETS PASSED ON.

>> IT'S NOT ALWAYS DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR, BUT IT CERTAINLY IS -- AND IT HAS.

PEOPLE HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT AT THE GROCERY STORE, AT THE FUEL PUMP.

YOU'RE SEEING THE COST OF ALL GOODS AND SERVICES RISE.

>> Todd: WELL, YOU MENTIONED THE WORKFORCE ISSUE BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT IT A LOT ON THIS PROGRAM, THIS ECONOMY IS KIND OF A PARADOX.

YOU'VE GOT THE LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT IN HISTORY, AT LEAST HERE IN ALABAMA.

WE ALSO HAVE ACROSS INDUSTRIES MANY BUSINESSES ARE JUST HAVING A HARD TIME FINDING WORKERS FOR THESE AVAILABLE JOBS.

YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS MASS EXODUS.

SO HOW DOES THAT IMPACT YOUR INDUSTRY?

I MEAN, ARE THERE AVAILABLE JOBS, TRYING TO FILL THEM, AND WHAT ROLE DO YOU PLAY FROM THE ASSOCIATION IN HELPING THAT ALONG?

>> TODD, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.

WE'RE AT A REALLY TOUGH TIME, BUT I THINK THE FUTURE'S BRIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

IN OUR STATE, FOR VARIOUS INDUSTRIES, AND ESPECIALLY FOR TRUCKING.

I WOULD SAY HISTORICALLY IN THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY WE'VE NOT DONE EVERYTHING WE PROBABLY COULD BE DOING TO ADVOCATE FOR HOW TO BUILD OUR FUTURE WORKFORCE.

THAT HAS CHANGED.

RECENTLY WE LAUNCHED OUR CAREER CAMPAIGN CALLED CAREERS IN HIGH GEAR, AND WHAT IT SIMPLY DOES IS IT TELLS THE STORIES OF THE EXISTING MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORK IN OUR INDUSTRY, SHOWCASES THEM TO REALLY TWO GROUPS OF PEOPLE.

THE CAREER CHANGER.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THE AVERAGE AGE OF AN ENTRY-LEVEL DRIVER IN AMERICA AND ALABAMA IS 38 YEARS OLD.

SO FOR 20 YEARS SOMEONE FINALLY WENT JOB TO JOB AND ULTIMATELY DECIDED TO LOOK AT THE TRUCKING -- THE PROFESSIONAL DRIVER CAREER AS AN OPPORTUNITY.

WE'VE GOT TO DRIVE THAT DOWN, BUT THERE ARE ADULTS WHO ARE CAREER CHANGERS.

WE ALSO HAVE STUDENTS WHO HAVE TRADITIONALLY NOT HAD ACCESS TO ENTER THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY.

WE NOW, BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE PASSED A BILL AND THE GOVERNOR SIGNED IT IN 2019, 18 TO 20-YEAR-OLDS CAN EARN THEIR COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE AND DRIVE WITHIN STATE LINES IF THEY MEET CERTAIN SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.

SO TELLING THOSE STORIES IS IMPORTANT, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I BELIEVE WE CAN DO.

WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM.

WE RECENTLY WORKED WITH THEIR INNOVATION CENTER ON CHANCELLOR JIMMY BAKER, SUPPORT FROM THE GOVERNOR, AND THE LEGISLATURE TO DEVELOP A NEW COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE TRAINING CURRICULUM THAT WILL STREAMLINE HOW PEOPLE GET THEIR -- AND MAY BE MORE EFFICIENT HOW PEOPLE GET THEIR CLASS A CDL.

THAT'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DRIVE A BIG RIG.

I BELIEVE FUNDAMENTALLY OVER TIME THIS IS GOING TO FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE HOW WE DELIVER SKILLS TRAINING FOR COMMERCIAL DRIVERS.

DIESEL TECHNICIANS IS ANOTHER GREAT EXAMPLE.

WE HAVE A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH WALLACE STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN HUNTSVILLE WHERE WE HELP THEM START A DIESEL BY DISTANCE PROGRAM.

DIESEL MECHANIC TRAINING WITH VIRTUAL REALITY TECHNOLOGY.

AS PART OF THAT PROGRAM ALSO WE'RE RECRUITING WOMEN, WOMEN IN DIESEL, AND SHOWCASING THOSE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES, A GROWING NUMBER OF FEMALE DIESEL TECHNICIANS ARE OUT THERE, TRUCK DRIVERS THINK WOMEN TRUCK DRIVERS ARE UP TO 10% NATIONALLY, SO WE'RE FOCUSING ALL THOSE DIFFERENT AREAS, AND I BELIEVE DOWN THE -- IT TAKES TIME.

THERE'S NO SILVER BULLET, BUT WE'RE COMMITTED TO THIS, AND IT'S GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE FUTURE.

>> Todd: WELL, I HAVE NOTICED WHENEVER Y'ALL DO YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS OF TRUCKER OF THE YEAR OR WHATEVER.

IT'S NOT JUST TRUCK DRIVERS.

YOU HAVE LOGISTIC PROFESSIONALS AND MANAGERS.

IT'S MORE THAN JUST THE PERSON BEHIND THE WHEEL.

>> THE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR INDUSTRY ARE DIVERSE.

YOU CAN BE A LAWYER OR AN ACCOUNTANT AND STILL WORK IN THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY.

LIKE I SAID, WE HAVE 110,000 PEOPLE IN THIS STATE THAT WORK IN OUR INDUSTRY, NEARLY 30,000 PLUS OF THOSE ARE PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS.

DRIVERS AND DIESEL TECHS ARE THE TWO JOB SECTORS THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON THE MOST, BUT YEAH, FLEET MANAGERS, DISPATCHERS, WAREHOUSE PROFESSIONALS.

THESE ARE ALL REALLY GOOD JOB OPPORTUNITIES THAT PAY REALLY WELL.

WE HAVE TO GET PEOPLE THE SKILLS TRAINING THEY NEED.

>> Todd: YOU MENTIONED DIFFERENT CLASSES OF I GUESS CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSES.

SO IT'S NOT ALL JUST THE BIG RIGS YOU SEE ON THE ROAD.

THERE ARE SMALLER TRUCKS AND SMALLER TRAINING AND CLASSIFICATIONS FOR THOSE LICENSES.

>> I THINK THAT'S PART OF THAT PERCEPTION AND EDUCATION PROCESS WHEN WE TELL THOSE STORIES.

IT MAY BE THAT SOMEONE GETS THEIR COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE AND DRIVES FOR A LOCAL MUNICIPALITY, DRIVES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, AND IF THEY WANT TO BE THAT LONG HAUL OVER THE ROAD TRUCKER, THOSE ARE THE JOBS THAT PAY THE WEST.

WALL MERIT RECENTLY ANNOUNCED OVER $110,000 FOR THEIR ENTRY LEVEL DRIVERS IN THEIR COMPANY, BUT THAT TAKES SEVERAL YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TO GET TO THE POINT.

SO YOU GOT TO GET THAT EXPERIENCE SOMEWHERE, AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING OUR INDUSTRY HAS TO DO A BETTER JOB GOING FORWARD, SHOWCASING THE PATHWAYS WHERE THOSE DIVERSE JOBS ARE JUST WITHIN THE PROFESSIONAL DRIVER PATHWAY.

>> Todd: WELL, IF SOMEBODY OUT THERE IS LOOKING FOR A JOB OPPORTUNITY OR KNOWING SOMEBODY ELSE WHO IS LOOKING FOR A JOB OPPORTUNITY, WHERE CAN THEY GO?

>> I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO THE WEBSITE, ALABAMATRUCKING.ORG/CAREERS.

ALSO WE HAVE 15 PUBLIC TRUCK DRIVING SCHOOLS AT THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM, NINE DIESEL TECH PROGRAMS AND VARIOUS PRIVATE PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

YOU CALL ME, I'M GOING TO HELP CONNECT YOU, BUT CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE.

>> Todd: WELL, MARK, THANKS SO MUCH FOR COMING ON "CAPITOL JOURNAL" AND TALKING US THROUGH ALL THESE ISSUES.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME, TODD.

>> Todd: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

>> Announcer: YOU CAN WATCH PAST EPISODES OF "CAPITOL JOURNAL" ONLINE ANY TIME AT ALABAMA PUBLIC TELEVISION'S WEBSITE, APTV.ORG.

CLICK ON THE MAIN PAGE AND YOU CAN LINK TO PAST EPISODES ON "CAPITOL JOURNAL"'S FACEBOOK PAGE.

>> Todd: NEXT, I'M PLEASED TO BE JOINED BY MICHAEL ALLEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR FOR BEACON GLOBAL STRATEGIES.

MICHAEL, THANKS FOR COMING ON "CAPITOL JOURNAL".

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> Todd: YOU'VE HAD A LOT OF ROLES OVER THE YEARS IN CONGRESS, IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, MOSTLY DEALING WITH NATIONAL SECURITY AT SOME PRETTY HIGH LEVELS.

BUT WHY DON'T YOU TELL OUR AUDIENCE MORE ABOUT YOU, YOUR CAREER, AND YOUR BACKGROUND.

>> WELL, THANKS FOR ASKING AND THANKS FOR HAVING ME ON THE SHOW.

I WAS ALWAYS INTO POLITICS.

I AM FROM MOBILE, AND YOU KNOW, MY MOM ENCOURAGED ME TO SORT OF PAY ATTENTION TO FOREIGN AFFAIRS AROUND THE TIME OF THE TIANANMEN SQUARE MASSACRE, AND I WAS HOOKED EVER SINCE THEN.

AND YOU KNOW, AFTER COLLEGE, AND AGAIN AFTER GOING TO ALABAMA LAW SCHOOL, I WANTED TO WORK IN WASHINGTON.

I WORKED FOR ALABAMA'S SENATOR JEFF SESSIONS FOR A TIME, BUT MY BIG BREAK WAS WHEN I GOT A VOLUNTEER GIG ON THE BUSH CHENEY TRANSITION TEAM IN 2001 WHICH LED TO A JOB AT THE WHITE HOUSE WHERE I STAYED FOR OVER SEVEN YEARS, AND THEN LATER I WENT UP TO THE CONGRESS AND WAS THE MAJORITY STAFF DIRECTOR OF THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, SO IT'S BEEN REALLY, REALLY INTERESTING WAY TO SERVE YOUR COUNTRY AND BEEN A FASCINATING EXPERIENCE, AND I'VE REALLY JUST HAD THE HONOR OF WORKING IN THIS FIELD.

>> Todd: WELL, WE APPRECIATE YOU COMING AND SHARING SOME OF YOUR NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERTISE.

WE ARE MOSTLY A STATE NEWS PROGRAM, BUT WE REALLY IT'S A BREATH OF FRESH AIR TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL EVENTS, ESPECIALLY WITH EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON.

BUT I KNOW THAT YOU'RE IN TOWN ALSO TO SPEAK TO MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, TO DO AN EVENT OUT THERE.

WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT?

>> WELL, MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, OF COURSE, IS ONE OF THE LEADING PLACES IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE WE EDUCATE OUR OFFICERS, THE OFFICERS IN THE AIR FORCE, NAVY, ARMY, ET CETERA, NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE STAND AS A COUNTRY IN A PERIOD OF GEOPOLITICAL RISK WHERE WE HAVE A RISING CHINA AND A RESURGENT RUSSIA THAT'S TRYING TO MAKE TROUBLE ALL OVER EUROPE.

AND SO I REALLY JUST AM GOING TO GO BY THERE, HOPE TO LEARN FROM THEM, HEAR WHAT'S ON THEIR MIND AND THEN MAYBE GIVE THEM A VIEW OF HOW SOME OF THESE ISSUES LOOK FROM WASHINGTON, D.C. >> Todd: WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT RUSSIA AND ITS INVASION OF UKRAINE.

IT'S OBVIOUSLY A DEVASTATING WAR AND HAS COME AT GREAT COST TO UKRAINE ESPECIALLY, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN A VICTORY FOR RUSSIA, RIGHT?

WE'RE SEEING IT PLAY OUT ON TV.

UKRAINIANS HAVE DEFENDED THEIR COUNTRY VALIANTLY, SO MY QUESTION IS FROM A GEOPOLITICAL STANDPOINT, HOW COULD VLADIMIR PUTIN HAVE MISCALCULATED THIS SO BADLY ON HIS JUDGMENT OF HOW EASY IT WOULD BE TO TAKE OVER UKRAINE?

>> WELL, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

I THINK SOME OF IT IS JUST THE NATURE OF AN AUTOCRATIC REGIME.

WE'VE ALWAYS HEARD THIS.

NO ONE WANTS TO BE THE ONE TO TELL THE BOSS THAT THE ARMY ISN'T UP TO SNUFF, OR THINGS AREN'T AS WELL ORGANIZED AS EXPECTED, OR THAT THE CORRUPTION ENDEMIC IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE MILITARY HAS A REAL EFFECT ON LOGISTICS, OR ANY OF THESE BASIC NUTS AND BOLTS THAT SEEM TO WORK.

ALSO I THINK THERE'S A FUNDAMENTAL ARROGANCE FROM VLADIMIR PUTIN.

FROM ALL OF HIS SPEECHES, HE DOESN'T SEE THE UKRAINIANS NECESSARILY AS A DISTINCT COUNTRY.

HE SEES THEM AS PART OF RUSSIA.

HE CITES A LOT OF CRAZY HISTORY, FRANKLY, WHERE THEY WERE MERGED, SO TO SPEAK, 200 YEARS AGO AND BELIEVES THAT RUSSIA STILL HAS THE RIGHT TO DOMINATE UKRAINE.

HE SAW THEM AS INFERIOR, SO HE ROLLED IN THERE, AND HE WAS SUMMARILY SORT OF WHIPPED BY THE UKRAINIANS, AND I THINK IT JUST SORT OF HELPS US WITH THE ADAGE OF IF YOU ARE MOTIVATED TO DEFEND YOUR OWN LAND, YOU PROBABLY HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OVER AN UNMOTIVATED FORCE THAT MIGHT HAVE MORE EQUIPMENT AND MORE CAPABILITY.

SO IT'S REALLY JUST BEEN A FASCINATING WAR TO WATCH SO FAR.

>> Todd: HOW DOES THIS END?

YOU KNOW, WE'VE OBVIOUSLY BEEN INSPIRED BY THE UKRAINIAN RESISTANCE, BUT I'M THINKING, YOU KNOW, IF PUTIN IS EMBARRASSED AND DEFEATED, THAT COULD BE A MORE DANGEROUS PUTIN, IF YOU KNOW, GIVEN SOME OF THESE OPTIONS.

SO IF HE ACTUALLY HOLDS ON TO CONTROL IN RUSSIA, HOW DOES THIS NECESSARILY END?

>> WELL, IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING QUESTION HERE BECAUSE, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE UKRAINIANS ARE DOING SO WELL, AND PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY IS VERY, VERY POPULAR, AND HE'S BEEN STARTING TO LAY OUT SOME OF THE ELEMENTS OF WHAT UKRAINE NEEDS IN ORDER TO REACH A PEACE AGREEMENT WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN.

ONE OF THE THINGS HE THINKS HE NEEDS IS TO PUSH THE RUSSIANS BACK TO THE BORDER OF WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE THEY INVADED THIS TIME HERE ON FEBRUARY 24 OF 2022.

OF COURSE YOUR VIEWERS ARE AWARE HE ALSO INVADED IN 2014 AND FIGHTING WENT ON INTO 2015 AS WELL.

BUT THAT'S A BIG ASK, AND THAT WOULD REQUIRE A LOT OF BLOOD AND MATERIAL FROM THE WEST, AND OF COURSE UKRAINIAN BLOOD, TO PUSH THE RUSSIANS, ESPECIALLY OUT OF DOWN SOUTH WHERE THEY HAVE HAD SOME SUCCESS.

AND SO IT'S HARD TO SEE HOW THE UKRAINIANS WILL BE ABLE TO RE-TAKE ALL OF THAT LAND AND PUSH THE RUSSIANS BACK.

IT'S EVEN HARDER TO SEE WHY THE RUSSIANS WOULD GIVE UP THAT LAND IN THE CONTEXT OF A PEACE AGREEMENT.

AND WE'RE ALSO JUST IN A PERIOD WHERE I THINK, AS YOU MENTIONED, PUTIN'S EMBARRASSED.

HE'S BEEN EMBARRASSED IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE WORLD.

HIS MILITARY WAS WHIPPED TRYING TO DO A BLITZKRIEG RAID INTO KYIV.

THE SECOND PHASE OF THE WAR WAS THE SIEGE OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL AND OTHER MAJOR CITIES.

IT FAILED SPECTACULARLY AS WELL, AND THE THIRD PHASE OF THE WAR, PRIMARILY IN THE EASTERN PART OF THE COUNTRY, IS NOT GOING WELL EITHER.

SO I DON'T SEE AN INCENTIVE NOW FOR PUTIN TO WANT TO SUE FOR PEACE, AND AS I MENTIONED, ZELENSKYY IS RIDING HIGH AND HAS HIGH ASKS OF THE RUSSIANS, AND I DON'T SEE HIM FEELING EITHER THAT HE NEEDS TO SETTLE IN THE SHORT TO MEDIUM TERM.

>> Todd: YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST 10 YEARS OR SO WE'VE WATCHED AS RUSSIA HAS NOT BEEN AFRAID TO UNLEASH CYBERATTACKS ON UNITED STATES, ON OUR ALLIES.

SOME THAT WERE PRETTY DEVASTATING, EVEN HERE IN ALABAMA.

WHY AREN'T WE SEEING MORE OF THAT RIGHT NOW?

ARE THEY HAPPENING LESS?

ARE WE BETTER AT DEFENDING?

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> SO THIS IS BEING HOTLY DEBATED RIGHT NOW, AND THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMED SORT OF JUDGMENTS GOING INTO IT.

I'D SAY SORT OF IN THE OPEN PRESS PEOPLE HAVE SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THE RUSSIANS ARE TOO OVERWHELMED, OR THEY ARE IN A KINETIC WAR NOW SO THEY ARE NOT USING CYBERATTACKS AS PART OF THEIR INVASION FORCE.

BUT I THINK THE STORY IS MORE INTERESTING THAN THAT.

I THINK IT'S THAT THE RUSSIANS ARE TRYING BUT THAT THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY, WHICH IS ALSO CYBERCOMMAND BASED UP IN MARYLAND JUST OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON, THEY ARE CHARGED WITH DEFENDING THE NATION, AND IN THIS CASE HELPING TO DEFEND UKRAINE FROM CYBERATTACKS.

I THINK WE'RE GETTING BETTER.

I THINK WE'RE ON THE NETWORKS ABROAD WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO SEE WHAT THE RUSSIANS' INTENTIONS ARE, AND I THINK WE'RE ABLE TO THWART THEM BEFORE THEY HIT CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE UNITED STATES OR IN UKRAINE.

SO THIS IS FASCINATING, VERY TECHNICAL, BUT IT'S SOMETHING REALLY TO BE PROUD OF THAT OUR COUNTRY HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE THIS OUT AND KEEP THE RUSSIANS AT BAY.

>> Todd: LET'S HOPE SO.

LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT CHINA, THE OTHER BIG GEOPOLITICAL GORILLA IN THE ROOM.

THERE ARE SOME WHO BELIEVE OR ARE CONCERNED ABOUT CHINA INVADING TAIWAN THE SAME WAY THAT RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE, UNDER THESE FALSE FLAG PRETENSES.

HOW LIKELY IS THAT AFTER WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN UKRAINE?

>> WELL, THE CHINESE DEFINITELY WANT TO SUBJUGATE TAIWAN AND BRING IT MORE FORMALLY INTO CHINA.

>> Todd: ONE CHINA, ALL THAT.

>> EXACTLY, AND THEY RESENT ANY MOVEMENT TOWARD THEM SEEMING LIKE THEIR OWN COUNTRY.

BY THE WAY, I THINK THEY WOULD INVADE AUTOMATICALLY IF TAIWAN WERE TO DECLARE INDEPENDENCE, WHICH IS WHY I THINK YOU WON'T SEE DECLARE TAIWAN DECLARE INDEPENDENCE.

>> Todd: I SEE.

>> BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE, I THINK THE CHINESE WOULD HOPE TO INCORPORATE TAIWAN SILENTLY INTO CHINA THROUGH SORT OF ECONOMIC COERCION AND PUTTING MORE PEOPLE OVER THERE, BRIBES, ET CETERA, ET CETERA, JUST LIKE THEY DID WITH HONG KONG.

THERE ARE MAJOR DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO, BUT IT'S A GUIDE.

BUT MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO REALLY STUDY THE MILITARY ASPECTS OF WHEN WILL CHINA BE READY TO INVADE TAIWAN, IF INDEED THEY WANT TO DO IT, THINK THAT THE CHINESE NEED ANOTHER THREE YEARS OF THE RIGHT PURCHASES OF MATERIAL, THE RIGHT SORT OF AMPHIBIOUS LANDING CRAFT, THE RIGHT KIND OF MISSILES, THE RIGHT KIND OF ARTILLERY THAT BEFORE THEY WERE ABLE TO INVADE TAIWAN, WHICH IS WHY YOU SEE THE UNITED STATES GOING TO TAIWAN AND SAYING LET'S HURRY UP AND ARM YOU WITH THE RIGHT TYPES OF WEAPONS SO THAT YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO MOUNT A SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE JUST LIKE THE UKRAINIANS ARE MOUNTING.

BUT TO ME WHAT'S REALLY FASCINATING IS THE DEMONSTRATION EFFECT THAT THE CHINESE MUST BE THINKING OF AS THEY'VE SEEN VLADIMIR PUTIN HAVE SO MUCH TROUBLE WITH THE INVASION OF UKRAINE.

SO IF XI JINPING IS THINKING ABOUT INVADING TAIWAN ANY TIME SOON, HE IS LOOKING OVER EUROPE AND SEEING NOT A DIVIDED WEST BUT AN ABSOLUTELY UNITED WEST FROM JAPAN TO EUROPE THROUGH THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA ON SANCTIONS, ON POLITICAL SUPPORT, AND FOR ARMING THE UKRAINIANS TO THE TEETH.

AND I THINK IF YOU'RE XI JINPING YOU HAVE TO THINK, WOW, YOU KNOW WHAT, THE WEST REALLY ROSE TO THE OCCASION HERE, MAYBE I NEED TO THINK TWICE BEFORE INVADING TAIWAN.

MAYBE I WON'T BE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH IT AS EASILY AS I THOUGHT I WOULD BE.

I'M GONNA HAVE TO LIVE WITH SANCTIONS, AND TAIWAN WILL BE MORE OF A CACTUS, MORE OF A PORCUPINE.

IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AS EASY TO TAKE AS I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE BECAUSE LOOK HOW MUCH TROUBLE THE RUSSIANS HAVE HAD TRYING TO TAKE A MOTIVATED UKRAINE.

SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO GIVE XI JINPING AND SOME OTHERS SOME REAL PAUSE AND SORT OF STRENGTHEN THE DETERRENT EFFECT IN ASIA.

>> Todd: THAT'S INTERESTING, AND THAT LEADS ME TO MY NEXT QUESTION, BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT, COUNTRIES AND ALSO CORPORATIONS REALLY RALLIED TO PUNISH RUSSIA FOR THIS AGGRESSION, BUT YOU KNOW, CHINA HAS BEEN BUILDING UP A LOT OF KIND OF ECONOMIC DEPENDENCE FROM THOSE COUNTRIES, FROM WESTERN COUNTRIES, FROM WESTERN CORPORATIONS, AND SO I'M CURIOUS IF YOU THINK, OKAY, IF THE SAME SITUATION OCCURRED, WOULD THOSE SAME COUNTRIES, SAME CORPORATIONS BE AS WILLING TO PUNISH CHINA GIVEN THOSE ECONOMIC DEPENDENCIES?

>> SO YOU'RE ON IT.

I MEAN, THIS IS WHAT -- WHEN I AND OTHERS MAKE THIS DEMONSTRATION EFFECT ARGUMENT, PEOPLE WILL SAY TO ME, WELL, MICHAEL, IT'S DIFFERENT WITH CHINA BECAUSE CHINA IS INTERLOCKED WITH THE WESTERN ECONOMY IN A WAY THAT RUSSIA ISN'T.

RUSSIA IS A UNIDIMENSIONAL GAS AND MINERALS ECONOMY, WHEREAS CHINA IS HIGH TECH, MANUFACTURING AND HAS ITS TENTACLES ALL OVER THE WORLD.

SO I THINK IT IS TRUE THAT IT WOULDN'T BE AS DEVASTATING TO CHINA AS IT WOULD BE TO RUSSIA BECAUSE IT'S RATHER EASY TO SANCTION RUSSIA, AS LONG AS YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHERE TO GET YOUR OIL AND GAS FROM.

WHEREAS WITH CHINA IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT.

BUT I STILL BELIEVE THAT CHINA HAS TO LOOK AT THIS ASKANCE AND SAY, WOW, IF WE GO FORWARD WITH THIS, THE WEST WAS UNITED AGAINST RUSSIA.

THEY ARE LIKELY TO BE UNITED AGAINST US.

THEY MAY THINK THEY NEED US MORE BECAUSE OUR ECONOMIES ARE MORE INTERTWINED, BUT WE STILL NEED TO THINK TWICE BEFORE FLYING OFF HALF COCKED TO INVADE TAIWAN.

>> Todd: DO WE HAVE SOME CATCHING UP TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO CHINA?

IT SEEMS LIKE MAYBE WE UNDERESTIMATED JUST HOW AGGRESSIVE AND AUTOCRATIC THEY WERE GOING TO BE IN REALLY TRYING TO TAKE OVER MUCH OF THE WORLD, IT SEEMS.

MAYBE EVEN FOR DECADES.

>> THE ANSWER IS ABSOLUTELY YES.

I THINK THE UNITED STATES -- AND THERE'S GOOD REASON WHY WE WERE FOCUSED ON INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND THE WAR ON TERRORISM AFTER 2001, AND THEN WE, OF COURSE, HIT A ROCK IN AFGHANISTAN AND OTHER THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT CHINA WAS BIDING ITS TIME AND HIDING ITS CAPABILITIES AND RE-DEVELOPING ITS OUTLOOK ON THE WORLD.

AS WE'VE COME TO UNDERSTAND, XI JINPING, THE LEADER OF CHINA, IS INCREDIBLY AGGRESSIVE.

HE'S A HUGE RISK TAKER.

HE'S RUTHLESS.

HE IS ABSOLUTELY INTENT ON MAKING CHINA THE SOLE SUPER POWER IN THE WORLD.

HE BELIEVES THAT THE UNITED STATES IS IN CRISIS, IN DECLINE, AND HE'S BELIEVED THAT SINCE THE FINANCIAL CRISIS OF 2008.

HE THINKS WE'VE HIT PEAK CAPITALISM.

HE THINKS HE HANDLED THE PANDEMIC POORLY.

HE THINKS THE ELECTION OF DONALD TRUMP IS A SIGN OF RAMPANT POPULISM THAT SHOWS A DECAY IN OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM, SO HE BELIEVES THAT WE ARE ROTTING AND THAT NOW IS HIS TIME TO FIRST, PERHAPS, KICK US OUT OF THE SOUTH CHINA SEA THROUGH AN INVASION OF TAIWAN, BUT THEN TO STEADILY PUSH THE UNITED STATES AND OUR ALLIES OUT OF ASIA SO THAT HE CAN BEGIN TO EXERCISE HIS MUSCLE THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

SO WE'VE GOT TO WATCH THIS CLOSELY, BECAUSE, BY THE WAY, IT'S NOT LIKE THE COLD WAR.

AGAIN, THE SOVIET UNION HAD NO ECONOMY.

THEY WERE A MASSIVE MILITARY POWER WITH LOTS OF MEN AND LOTS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS, BUT CHINA NOT ONLY HAS THOSE, THEY HAVE A DYNAMIC ECONOMY.

THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO MATCH OR EXCEED THE UNITED STATES IN TERMS OF SPENDING ON MILITARY AND TECHNOLOGY AND THE REST, SO THIS IS THE NEW CHALLENGE FOR THE UNITED STATES AND OUR ALLIES AROUND THE WORLD, AND IT HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR EVERYTHING WE DO, INCLUDING HOW WE FUND EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES, OUR IMMIGRATION POLICY OF DO WE TAKE HIGH-LEVEL PHD-QUALITY CANDIDATES TO BE EDUCATED IN OUR SCHOOLS, TO WHAT THE MILITARY LOOKS LIKE, TO WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH SEMICONDUCTOR POLICY HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

SO IT IS A COMPLETE AND TOTAL EFFORT, AND I THINK ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS PRESIDENTS ARE STARTING TO REORIENT OUR NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY TOWARDS THE CHINA THREAT.

>> Todd: IT'S REALLY INTERESTING THAT YOU SAID THAT HE WAS -- HE BASICALLY THINKS AMERICA'S IN DECLINE, PEAK CAPITALISM, THAT KIND OF THING, BECAUSE THE KEY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR COUNTRIES IS THAT WE ARE AN OPEN SOCIETY, RIGHT?

AND THEY ARE VERY MUCH CLOSED.

DOES THAT -- I COULD SEE WHERE SOME WOULD BELIEVE THAT THAT GIVES THEM AN ADVANTAGE BECAUSE IN AN AUTOCRACY YOU DON'T HAVE TO ASK PERMISSION, RIGHT?

THERE'S NOT POLITICAL PRESSURE.

>> EXACTLY.

>> Todd: BUT IN LIBERAL, SMALL "L" LIBERAL OPEN SOCIETIES, COULDN'T YOU SEE IT BEING MORE FLEXIBLE, MORE ELASTIC, IF YOU WILL, IN TERMS OF, YES, WE'RE GOING THROUGH SOME HARD TIMES, BUT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH HARD TIMES BEFORE AND CAN BOUNCE BACK?

>> SO I THINK YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT.

I THINK XI JINPING AND EVEN PUTIN TO SOME DEGREE THINK THAT DEMOCRACIES ARE WEAK, THAT WE CAN'T MAKE DECISIONS, THAT IT TAKES TOO LONG FOR US TO RALLY, AND THAT WE'RE A DIVIDED COUNTRY AND THERE'S BEEN PLENTY OF THINGS TO POINT TO IN THE LAST FEW YEARS TO COME TO THAT CONCLUSION.

BUT ULTIMATELY IT IS OUR SMALL "D" DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM.

IT IS OUR CAPITALISTIC SYSTEM, OUR FLEXIBLE SMALL BUSINESS-ORIENTED ECONOMY THAT VALUES EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY START-UPS AND BUSINESS AROUND THE WORLD THAT WILL INEVITABLY, I THINK, DELIVER US TO REMAIN THE WORLD'S SUPER POWER, TO REMAIN IN A POSITION TO GUARANTEE PEACE AND ENSURE AMERICANS HAVE PROSPERITY AND SECURITY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE ECONOMIC DYNAMISM THAT WE NEED TO KEEP US IN THE LEAD ON THE ECONOMY, BUT ALSO WE NEED THAT ECONOMY TO FUND OUR MILITARY WHICH IN TURN HELPS DETER THE CHINESE FROM COMING AFTER US FIRST IN ASIA AND LATER IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND IN OUR HEMISPHERE.

>> Todd: WHILE I'VE GOT YOU, ONE LAST QUESTION.

I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN -- WE MENTIONED AFGHANISTAN, AND YOU HAVE BEEN A PART OF A COUPLE OF DECADES' WORTH OF THE UNITED STATES' INVOLVEMENT IN AFGHANISTAN.

IT OBVIOUSLY ENDED IN A DEBACLE.

THEY ARE TRYING TO PICK UP THE PIECES, BUT I WANTED TO ASK YOU, WHAT ARE THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT WE DID, WHAT WE DIDN'T DO, AND HOW THINGS ENDED IN AFGHANISTAN?

>> SO IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

CONGRESS AND OTHERS IN WASHINGTON ARE REFLECTING ON OUR 20-YEAR EXPERIENCE IN AFGHANISTAN, AND THEY HAVE APPOINTED A COMMISSION.

THEY HAVE -- WELL, THEY PASSED A LAW THAT SAID THERE SHALL BE A COMMISSION ON THE AFGHANISTAN WAR TO STUDY WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.

I AM GONNA BE A PART OF THAT COMMISSION.

IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE GONNA STUDY VERY CLOSELY OVER TIME TO FIGURE OUT DID WE HAVE THE RIGHT EXPECTATIONS, DID WE HAVE THE RIGHT TROOP LEVELS, DID OUR GOALS OF TRYING TO CREATE A DEMOCRACY IN AFGHANISTAN, WAS THAT TOO BOLD?

SHOULD WE HAVE JUST LET THEM DEVELOP SOMETHING THAT WAS TRUER TO THEIR OWN TRADITIONS?

AND SHOULD WE HAVE JUST MAINTAINED A SMALLER FOOTPRINT THERE OVER TIME TO COMBAT INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, ISIS, AL QAEDA AND OTHERS WHO LIKE TO HIDE IN SAFE HAVENS AND UNGOVERNABLE REGIONS OF THE WORLD.

SO THESE ARE ALL HOT TOPICS.

WE'RE ABOUT TO EMBARK ON A THREE TO FIVE-YEAR PROCESS OF TRYING TO STUDY THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE, SO MORE TO COME.

>> Todd: WELL, THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR WALKING US THROUGH ALL THESE INTERESTING TOPICS.

APPRECIATE YOU COMING ON THE PROGRAM, AND TELL THE FOLKS AT MAXWELL THAT WE SAID HELLO.

>> ANY TIME.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

>> Todd: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.

♪ >> Announcer: WHEN THE SOVIET UNION SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED SPUTNIK IN 1957, THE UNITED STATES NEEDED TO QUICKLY JOIN THE SPACE RACE.

WERNHER VON BRAUN AT REDSTONE ARSENAL IN HUNTSVILLE SUGGESTED USING A MODIFIED REDSTONE ROCKET TO PRESIDENT EISENHOWER.

THE RESULTING ROCKET LAUNCHED EXPLORER ONE, AMERICA'S FIRST SATELLITE INTO ORBIT ON JANUARY 31, 1958.

THE SATELLITE REMAINED IN SPACE UNTIL 1970.

>> Todd: THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR TONIGHT.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

WE'LL BE BACK NEXT FRIDAY NIGHT AT 7:30 RIGHT HERE ON ALABAMA PUBLIC TELEVISION.

FOR OUR "CAPITOL JOURNAL" TEAM, I'M TODD STACY.

WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

♪