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Will Goldwater Followers Vote Against Bush?

Sidney Blumenthal writes in Salon about the father of modern-day conservative, and why he turned on the right of today: "It was Goldwater, the genuine article, who established the image of conservative as Western hero. His persona was indistinguishable from his ideology. He was the imperial individual, the free spirit embodying the free market. He seemed a natural force in Arizona, a state on the economic frontier. With less than a million inhabitants before World War II, it exploded afterward. In his time, Goldwater appeared as new and startling as the booming suburbs in the desert."

McCoy releases budget

AP reports: "McCoy said the House plan would inject $673 million into the anemic state budget. He says the money would come from several sources, including increasing costs for licenses and similar fees, using the annual payment from a tobacco lawsuit settlement and raising the revenue estimate, a technical move based on optimism that the economy will perk up."

Tort reform raises rally

Byrd of the AP reports :" 'We're saying that we know better than the citizens of this state as to what value a life might be, and that's wrong,' Tollison said. The Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association opposes the bill. 'The object of the exercise is to close the courthouse door to the average citizen. If you would notice, none of this legislation affects corporations,' said John Christopher, president of the trial lawyers' group. Christopher also said it would be difficult to find doctors to sit on a medical review panel and admit one of their colleagues is at fault."

Wyatt Emmerich: Raise Cigarette Taxes

Emmerich writes: "For Pete's sake, let's raise the taxes on cigarettes. Mississippi currently has one of the lowest cigarette tax rates in the nation. Just a quarter-a-pack increase could raise $100 million or so. We all want to reduce smoking. Raising the price not only puts money in state coffers but discourages smoking as well."

House, McCoy Budget Puts Education First

Clarion-Ledger online today: "Mississippi's Adequate Education Plan that funds K-12 public schools and the state health insurance program would be fully funded under a House budget plan unveiled today at the Capitol. As hundreds of cheering teachers and state workers looked on, House Speaker Bill McCoy, D-Rienzi, presented details, with the massive bill expected to face a floor vote Thursday. The proposal would increase licenses and similar fees by $17.6 million. Gov. Haley Barbour has said he considers fee increases a tax increase, and that he would veto such legislation. As copies of the plan began to circulate around crowded Capitol hallways, McCoy noted: 'We've got much work to do.'"

Barbour Urges Tort Reform Rally

[Verbatim; from Barbour office) Governor Barbour is asking tort reform supporters to attend a rally at the New Capitol Building this Wednesday (2/25) at 1:30 p.m. on the second floor rotunda. He is encouraging those who attend to arrive early that morning to talk to their legislators. This week will be a very big week for tort reform legislation as both the Senate bill (led by Chairman Charlie Ross) and the House bill (led by Chairman Jeff Smith) are officially introduced in the Legislature. If we can generate enough support for either bill or both bills, we can get comprehensive tort reform legislation to Governor Barbour's office where legal reform has extremely strong support. We believe this tort reform rally will be a great event to build tort reform,s grassroots—resulting in new civil justice laws that will make our courtrooms fairer for Mississippians. We strongly encourage you to help Governor Barbour get as many people to this event as possible. Please notify your friends and encourage them to attend the tort reform rally. Again, we would greatly appreciate folks on-site by 1:00 p.m. We hope to see you at the New Capitol Building on Wednesday.

Barbour, McCoy on course for collision

Geoff Pender of THE SUN HERALDwrites "Barbour is slick; McCoy is sly. Both are powerful - Barbour through his alliance with Tuck and the Senate, his considerable public relations skills and Washington contacts; McCoy through his position as leader of the House he has served for 24 years and the process he knows intimately. The state has limited funds and growing needs for fiscal 2005. Barbour wants to lay off state workers, revamp their insurance to make some pay more, cut Medicaid and focus spending on job creation, colleges and universities."

Nader Wants to Be 'POTUS'; Barbour Sez Dems 'Nervous'

AP reports: "Nader's decision was greeted with a chorus of condemnation from Democrats, longtime friends and former supporters who blame him for Al Gore's loss four years ago. They suggested that Nader would not pull close to the 2.7 percent of the vote he won before without the backing of an established party and some of his past supporters."

Senate passes bill to raise pay

The Clarion Ledger reports today: "Senate Bill 2647 would allow a 22 percent hike for tax assessors and tax collectors, along with a $5,000 bonus for anyone serving in both capacities. Supervisors, sheriffs, justice court judges and coroners would see a 20 percent hike. County attorneys, court reporters, bailiffs, constables, circuit clerks and chancery clerks would see raises based on other criteria, such as years of experience. The provisions revise the salary scale, which is tied to the county's assessed valuation or, in some cases, its population."

Barbour supports bill saying teacher jobs can't be cut

Emily Pettus of the AP reports "'Getting rid of teachers should not be the first, knee-jerk reaction to saving money in education,' Barbour said. But, with K-12 public education facing a $161 million shortfall next fiscal year under recommendations by Barbour and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, some school officials say the bill to block teacher job losses would create problems for districts. 'I truly find it insulting that the Senate would pass an unfunded education mandate and then tell us how we can and can't make our budgets or make our cuts,' said Greg Kelly, director of teacher recruitment for Jackson Public Schools."

Kerry and his ‘Band of Brothers'

Mary Lynn F. Jones writes on Alternet: that Kerry has strong appeal with veterans, who could swing the election. Kerry is finally giving Vietnam veterans a platform. "They're eating it up because no one has ever done it before," says Douglas Brinkley, the author of "Tour of Duty: John Kerry and the Vietnam War." Kerry has promised to be a "veteran's veteran" if elected. But he also has more going for him besides the appeal of electing a decorated serviceman. Many veterans are also unhappy about the Iraq war. Bobby Muller, who heads the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation and has endorsed Kerry, says, "We're hearing from so many of our guys that might traditionally be conservative guys [that] the war in Iraq has really pissed them off."

The Progressive Populist Moment?

Tom Hayden writes for Alternet: It's been a remarkable shift after the past decade of Democratic catering to corporate interests and conservative voters, Only one year ago, candidates John Kerry, John Edwards and Richard Gephardt had voted for the Iraq war resolution, and Gephardt alone, among the leading contenders, opposed pro-corporate trade agreements like NAFTA. ...

The DLC vs. Howard Dean

Naeem Mohaiemen writes for Alternet: "[A] core part of Dean's appeal was his overwhelming support among young people. In 2000, one of the lowest voter turnouts was among young people. If you were under 24, you tuned out and stayed home in November. By contrast, the bulk of Howard Dean's support was among the youth of America. Energized by a strategy focused on Internet campaigning, 'Generation Dean' or 'Dean 2.0' spread across college campuses and gave a youthful aura to the man from Vermont.

[Just In] Barbour Says He Won't ‘Streamline' Education

We just received this from Barbour's office: Contrary to what some have said, the "Operation: Streamline" legislation does not affect funding for education at all. There are no bills dealing with schools, teachers or K-12 funding. My executive budget submitted last month simply accepts the Legislative Budget Committee's unanimous recommendation for K-12 funding * nothing less. Read full statement ...

Mississippi Mulls Marriage Amendment

The Advocate reports: Mississippi gay and lesbian leaders are trying to raise awareness about a bill that would constitutionally ban gay marriages. "We've got the word out through memberships, through our e-lists, our Web sites. This is part of educating the public on the situation," said Jody Renaldo, executive director of Equality Mississippi. "We're trying to educate general Mississippians who really are not aware of gay and lesbian issues."

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