This is an opinion column

In my experience, citizens want to do the right thing at the ballot box but too often fail because it is difficult to find accurate data.

Voters’ basic question is, “Are our values represented in Congress by those we vote for?”

Here are some tips on how to be better informed.

Be skeptical

Do not rely on the veracity of the news releases of senators or congress members when you vote. If you do, odds are you have been duped.

That’s not to say politicians lie (although they sometimes do). It is to say their news releases are one-sided to induce citizens to vote for them regardless of a public official’s real and complete record.

Get more balanced information elsewhere!

Scorecards by entities that don’t profit from votes

I avoid performance evaluations by special interests that profit (at public expense) from politicians doing what special interests demand.

Instead, I use evaluations by entities that value the foundational principles that have combined to make America the greatest nation in world history.

Be aware that senators and congressmen often vote on different bills, so comparing a senator’s score to a congressman’s score is like comparing apples to oranges. It just doesn’t work. Similarly, different sessions of Congress yield different scores because votes are cast on different bills. Be cognizant of that difference.

Some examples of reputable conservative scorecards are:

• Heritage Action for America

Heritage Action is the Heritage Foundation’s political wing, whose “mission is to formulate and promote public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.” Its 2023-24 scorecard states:

For perspective, my life-time Heritage Action score was 88% and 2021-2022 score was 94%.

• Council for Citizens Against Government Waste

“CAGW’s mission is to eliminate waste, mismanagement, and inefficiency in government.” Its 2023 scorecard states:

For perspective, my life-time CAGW score was 88% and 2019 score was 100%.

• National Taxpayers Union

The NTU “Score measures the strength of support for reducing wasteful government spending, opposing higher taxes, and often opposing burdensome regulations that can stifle U.S. economic growth.” NTU’s 2023 scorecard states:

My life-time National Taxpayers Union score was 81% and 2019 score was 89%.

• Institute for Legislative Analysis

The Institute for Legislative Analysis asserts it evaluates based on adherence “to the limited government principles of the U.S. Constitution.” ILA’s 2024 scorecard states:

My Institute for Legislative Analysis 2022 score was 91% and “District Grade” was an “A”.

ILA’s “District Grade” system is weighted and compares an elected official’s voting record to how conservative the voters in their district are. If an elected official votes more liberal than the citizens represented, then a lower letter grade results.

That is why the Institute for Legislative Analysis gave “F’s” to Rogers, Aderholt and Britt. Per ILA, each voted much more liberally than the preferences of voters who sent them to Congress.

What it all means

My #1 concern is deficit, debt and America’s risk of suffering a very dangerous and debilitating national insolvency and bankruptcy.

I also focus on border security versus open borders, free enterprise versus socialism, moral versus immoral values, threats to individual liberties, and the like.

Based on their four scorecard results, Alabama’s best and most conservative “Top 3” Washington politicians in 2023-2024 were Barry Moore, Tommy Tuberville, and Gary Palmer. With one exception, these three consistently scored in Alabama’s Top Three. If you prefer a conservative philosophy of government, these three are likely for you.

Next, Alabama sent a “middling duo” of Dale Strong and Jerry Carl to Congress. With one exception, these two consistently ranked 4 or 5 on all four scorecards. If you prefer “middling”, establishment Republicans, these two are more likely for you.

With one exception, Katie Britt, Robert Aderholt and Mike Rogers ranked at the bottom of Alabama’s GOP DC delegation.

Britt, Aderholt and Rogers’ not only refuse to do what it takes to prevent a debilitating national insolvency and bankruptcy of a nation our ancestors sacrificed so much to make great, their big spending ways actively make America’s financial condition worse by spending money we don’t have, have to borrow to get, and can’t afford to pay back.

If you, as a voter, care deeply about America’s solvency, then you should never vote for Britt, Aderholt or Rogers unless they dramatically change their debt-junkie, big spending habits. And I mean “dramatically change,” not the masquerade change so many politicians are renowned for and get away with.

I conclude with Terri Sewell. Sewell averages a 6% conservative vote. Conversely, that means Sewell votes liberal or socialist 94% of the time.

If you are a liberal or socialist, Sewell is definitely your choice.

One caveat

Alabama’s GOP politicians in Congress tout a common theme. If it is a Democrat debt bill, it is bad. If it is a GOP debt bill, it is good. Think about it.

Is it easier to pay back Republican debts? Nope. Creditors don’t care about which party borrows money so long as American taxpayers pay it back, with interest, of course.

In 2025, Alabama’s entire GOP DC delegation voted to increase America’s debt by $7.5 trillion during Trump’s 4-year term and $19.4 trillion debt over the next in ten years! That’s horrifying.

Alabama’s GOP DC delegation must learn from Terri Sewell and fight for Alabama’s conservative values as hard and consistently as Sewell fights for bigger government, bigger spending, higher taxes, open borders, and the like.

If Alabama’s GOP DC delegation does that, America will be a better place.

Mo Brooks served on the House Armed Services Committee for 12 years and the Foreign Affairs Committee for 6 years. Brooks graduated from Duke University in 3 years with a double major in political science and economics (highest honors in economics).