News

Barbour and his Deadbeat Mississippians

June 11, 2004–Today in The New York Times, columnist Bob Herbert nails Barbour's cuts to Medicaid recipients–the worst Medicaid cuts ever: "If you want to see 'compassionate' conservatism in action, take a look at Mississippi, a state that is solidly in the red category (strong for Bush) and committed to its long tradition of keeping the poor and the unfortunate in as ragged and miserable a condition as possible. How's this for compassion? Mississippi has approved the deepest cut in Medicaid eligibility for senior citizens and the disabled that has ever been approved anywhere in the U.S."

Charles Hooker

Charles Hollingsworth Hooker Jr., 58, holds dear his faith, family, furniture—mid-century modern business furniture, that is—and jazz. After growing up in his father's downtown business, the Mississippi Stationery Company, the Jackson native now owns and operates its present incarnation—OffiSource on Old Square Road. A product of Jackson Public Schools, Hooker said he's pleased with the 36 years since he graduated with a business degree from State.

Conservative Group Unveils Reagan Ad

AP is reporting: "Days after Ronald Reagan was laid to rest, a conservative interest group on Tuesday unveiled a campaign ad that aligns him with President Bush and criticizes Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry. The Club for Growth's ad, which is to begin airing Wednesday, portrays both Republican presidents as leaders - Reagan on communism and Bush on terrorism, while claiming Kerry was 'wrong then, wrong now' on national security. The ad shows Kerry, a Vietnam veteran, testifying to Congress in 1971 that 'we cannot fight communism all over the world and I think we should have learned that lesson by now.'

Former Bush Staffer Working for Kerry

AP is reporting: "Randy Beers sat on the porch steps next to his longtime friend and colleague Dick Clarke and the words came tumbling out in a torrent. 'I think I have to quit. ... I can't work for these people. I'm sorry, I just can't.' It was a few days before the start of the Iraq war in March 2003, and Beers was President Bush's special assistant for combating terrorism, a job he had held for only a matter of months. But Beers was no newcomer to government; he had worked on foreign policy for four presidents.

Neshoba County Coalition Calls for Justice

The newly formed Philadelphia Coalition of blacks, whites and Choctaws released the following statement calling for justice and issuing a long-overdue apology for the tragic murders that happened there on Father's Day 40 years ago. See http://neshobajustice.com for a schedule of the memorial service on Sunday, June 20.

[Jacksonian] DJ Phingaprint

Timothy Washington's dreads are not a fashion statement, but a cultural and spiritual move the 25-year-old undertook eight years ago. "I always had a little Afro," he says, "but I wanted a truthful cultural image for myself." The dreadlocks gave him a sense of independence—of strength—that he could survive and create a means of living in today's society.

Salter Bashes Holland on Medicaid

Sid Salter's column today bashes Rep. Steve Holland for originally supporting Haley Barbour's Medicaide bill, accusing him of "crawfishing": "Trouble is, the record shows that Holland was the chief House negotiator in the legislative conference committee that approved the Barbour-backed Medicaid reform bill which removed the PLAD category from Medicaid coverage in the first place. Holland signed off on the conference report, presented it to the House, and spoke passionately in favor of its passage. Holland sold his fellow House members on the wisdom of removing the category from Medicaid. Don't believe it? Ask them."

House Votes to Accept Senate's Tort Reform Bill

After a long floor debate today, the Mississippi House of Representatives voted 76-38 to concur with the Senate strike-all version of HB 13 — a bill that institutes $1 million damage caps on general business liability and removes the exemption for disfigurement. Rep Ed Blackmon—who had previously said he would not support any non-economic damage caps—made the motion to concur with the bill (which means it will go straight for the governor's signature). The measure passed 76-38 at 2:19 this afternoon.

Denise Halbach

With an eyebrow arched and a gleam in her startlingly blue eyes, Denise Halbach captivates her audience immediately. The Louisiana-born, Jackson-raised dramatist begins our conversation with a surprising fact. "I got dragged kicking and screaming into theater," she says.

[Update] Speaker McCoy: Gov, Senate Move ‘Terrible Thing'

After spending eight days in special session, costing taxpayers a total of $41,162 so far (see below), the Mississippi House of Representatives went home Friday, saying they will return next Tuesday and start over on tort-reform legislation after the Senate and governor ceremoniously rejected their plan, saying it was "flawed" and "halfway tort reform." House Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, spoke forcefully on the floor of the House late Thursday afternoon, saying that civil justice reform is "one of the most delicate subjects that exist in American democracy, but, in the end, this House spoke." The Senate should have let the democratic system proceed, he said: "I conferred with the governor and assured him that this House would pass any measure brought by and referred by conferees. ... That was the best we could do. They did not believe that; I regret that very much. They were wrong. ... They made a mistake; they have wasted the people's money."

[Lott] A $100 Fill-Up?

In Mississippi this week I've fielded many questions about our high gas prices. People demand to know, and we deserve to know, why Mississippians from the Coast to Corinth are paying anywhere from $1.85 to $2.15 a gallon for gas and spending $40 or $50 per fill-up. I've been talking to key players in the global energy arena—from our existing suppliers, to our domestic policy makers, to potential energy vendors —trying to determine why gas is so high and what America's next move should be. It's clear there's really only one way to avoid $3 per-gallon gas prices. Congress must quit stalling and pass a national energy policy this year, before America's dependence on foreign oil tops 60 percent, and filling our tanks takes $60 or more.

[Breaking] ‘Tort Reform' Hits Brick Wall

UPDATE, 4 p.m.: After an apparent lunch meeting between Gov. Barbour, Speaker Billy McCoy and Senate President Pro Tem Travis Little, Sen. Charlie Ross, R-Brandon, announced on the floor that the Senate would reject HB 4, the tort-reform bill the House sent to conference committee this morning because they do not believe it will result in damage caps. The House will reconvene at 5 p.m.; the stalemate continues.

‘Philadelphia Coalition' Calls for Justice

The Neshoba Democrat is reporting that a multi-racial coalition of leader, business owners, newspaper editors and citizens in Neshoba County today issued a long-overdue statement, calling for justice for the murders of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner. The group—whites, blacks and Choctaws—also issued an apology on behalf of the citizens of Neshoba County to the families of the three men:

Earl Fyke IV

Sitting at the round corner table at Hal & Mal's—his team's Pub Quiz table—I realized that with young men like Earl Fyke IV around, there's reason to hope. This 24-year-old Jackson Prep graduate represents well the gamut of multi-talented 20-somethings, male and female—those grounded in the here and now and, thankfully, still here right now—who will eventually reshape and remake Jackson.

Transcript: Black Lawmakers Accuse Barbour of Racism

AP reports: "Some black lawmakers say they think Gov. Haley Barbour and Senate leaders are trying to bypass House Judiciary A Committee Chairman Ed Blackmon in a debate over limiting lawsuits—and that it's happening, in part, because the chairman is black."

Alleged Racism at the Capitol

WLBT reported"Leading the charge was Representative Ed Blackmon (D-Canton), a key negotiator of tort reform. Blackmon and other committee leaders say they never talk face-to-face with senate leaders and Govenor Barbour about important issues. They feel things are done behind their backs. "

Leland Speed Touts ‘Creative Class'

A Clarion-Ledger story today about a Leland Speed speech talks about the "Creative Class" concept that we started talking about way back in our preview issue: "Other successes are discussed in The Rise of the Creative Class, by Richard Florida, he said. The book says successful locations sold themselves because people sought them first as places to live in, then they searched for a job. That goes against tradition, Speed said."

Coalition Calls for ‘Meaningful' Insurance Reform

Gov. Haley Barbour may be getting more than he bargained for in the 2004 Extraordinary Session he called to wrangle the House of Representatives into accepting his versions of tort reform and voter ID. A coalition of legislators, consumer advocates, civil rights organizations and everyday people gathered this morning at the Capitol to call for insurance reform in the state of Mississippi—a first for the Magnolia State. Rep. Jaimie Franks, D-Tupelo, organized the press conference to call for legislation to roll all insurance rates—not just medical malpractice—back to 2001 levels. Franks said that insurance companies saw nearly $30 billion in profits in 2003, and have no intention of lowering rates, whether or not the Legislature gives Barbour his non-economic damage caps—the sticking point in the special session. Franks wants Mississippi to follow the lead of states like California and Missouri, which have regulated insurance companies to ensure that doctors, small businesses and everyday citizens aren't bilked by exploding rates.

Gatemouth Moore Funeral Service

You may have seen the press on Gatemouth Moore's passing on Thursday, a Yazoo City, MS resident. Rev. Moore's funeral will be on Tuesday, May 25, in Jackson, MS at the Pearl Street AME Church at 2519 Robinson Rd. at 11 AM. Arrangements are being handled by Shaffer-Collins Funeral Home, Yazoo City.

Bush Ratings Fall Steady, Predictable?

In Salon this week, economist James K. Galbraith challenges the conventional notion that the relvelations of torture and prisoner abuse in Iraq have caused Bush's current record dip in the polls. He makes a case that the decline has been steady over some time: "The four-month decline is a bit higher on average than Bush's long-run downward trend. But it is not much higher. It is not enough higher to show that anything exceptional has happened. In particular, February's decline is not significantly greater than normal. And May's decline is within the normal range of 0.6 percent, give or take, around the standard minus 1.6 percent -- the 95 percent confidence interval. This suggests that Abu Ghraib has not had any special effect on public opinion. Not yet, anyway.

Traffic Ticket Amnesty Day

The City of Jackson Municipal Court Services will hold a Traffic Ticket Amnesty Day, Tues., May 25, allowing citizens who have failed to take care of parking/traffic tickets to come in and take care of those infractions without the theat of arrest or having to pay warrant fees that may have accrued. Traffic ONLY, Does NOT apply to criminal cases. Come between 9 a.m.-1 p.m., and 3-8 p.m. to pay tickets OR appear before a judge. Traffic court will be open for all walk-ins to appear for all old or new traffic tickets. 218 W. Pearl St. 960-1932.

Politech: ‘Insurance Reform,' Populism Surfaces in House

Well, they can't say the House hasn't gotten a chance to vote on tort reform. They have, in the first day of the 2004 Extraordinary Session called by Gov. Haley Barbour. And they voted against it.

Voter Fraud ... Wink, Wink

The JFP's Ayana Taylor is the only journalist who has really gotten inside the Voter ID issue--and challenged its supporters to explain just why this regulation is needed. The issue is now before Gov. Haley Barbour's $34,000-a-day special session, along with tort reform.

Kerry, Nader to Meet Today

AP is reporting: "When Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry meets with independent rival Ralph Nader on Wednesday, Kerry isn't likely to ask him to leave the race. And it's even less likely that Nader will offer to bow out. Kerry probably will point out that the two rivals share a goal - ousting President Bush - and contend that a joint effort is the best way to achieve it, aides to the Massachusetts senator said. Nader told The Associated Press that he looks forward to discussing 'certain common policies' with Kerry. 'I think that's for the good of our country and for the benefit of the American people that are being ignored or repudiated by the Bush regime,' Nader said in an interview.

Stop the Blaming

Reason magazine's Cathy Young provides perspective on the attempt to place 9-11 blame: "With the 9/11 commission holding its hearings, the blame game is in full swing. It's Bush's fault. No, Clinton's. No, it's everyone's fault. No, it's no one's fault. And so it goes. Attorney General John Ashcroft goes before the panel and gets grilled on his lack of attention to terrorism pre-9/11. Ashcroft turns the tables and points the finger at panel member Jamie Gorelick, a former deputy attorney general in the Clinton administration, for tying law enforcement's hands with guidelines that made cooperation with intelligence agencies virtually impossible. Whether you think Ashcroft or Gorelick ended up in the hot seat generally depends on which one of them you'd like to see squirm. Everyone, it seems, is being confirmed in what they already know."

Lawmaker upset over beheading

Jeff Clark of the Daily Times reported Members of the Mississippi Congressional Delegation are outraged by the recent turn of events that have unfolded in Iraq, including the beheading of an American contractor and the allegations regarding Iraqi prisoner abuse.

Barbour refuses compromises on voter ID

Shelia Byrd of the AP reports "Gov. Haley Barbour says he won't accept a voter identification bill that exempts older people from proving who they are. Barbour has called lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special session that begins Wednesday, with civil justice changes and voter ID on the agenda. During the regular session, the House passed a voting bill that said people born before Jan. 1, 1940, would not have to show an ID. The exception addressed concerns that requiring ID could be used to intimidate older black voters who once had to pay poll taxes. "

Barbour: Of Course, Bush Will Take Mississippi

The Clarion-Ledger reports today: "Mississippi Republicans say President Bush can bank on a solid re-election showing here and in much of the South, but the latest poll shows him in a dead heat with Democratic rival Sen. John Kerry. ... Despite the fallout from the conflict in Iraq and U.S. abuses of Iraqi prisoners, Mississippi's GOP congressmen and Gov. Haley Barbour said they are confident Bush can hold onto the presidency."

Barbour calls special session

WDAM reports "Fulfilling his promise, Gov. Haley Barbour is calling lawmakers into special session next Wednesday to address changes to Mississippi's civil justice laws. Barbour announced the special session Thursday during a news conference at his Capitol office. He said the call also would include voter ID legislation."

Watch for tight school budgets through ‘06

Andy Kanengiser of the C-L reports"Mississippi public schools can expect to face hard times at least through 2006, key lawmakers said Thursday. School superintendents, left with weak budgets for the fiscal year beginning July 1, received the gloomy forecast at a meeting in Jackson. Senate Education Committee Chairman Mike Chaney, R-Vicksburg, said lawmakers can expect to face a shortfall of at least $270 million for next year. Rep. Cecil Brown, D-Jackson, told superintendents from Mississippi's 152 school districts that it will be 'very difficult next year, even with a good year of revenue growth.' The 2005 Legislature will face the same dilemma of trying to fund another round of 8 percent pay raises for teachers and taking care of many other needs, from Medicaid to prisons to expensive insurance plans, Brown said."

Ellington