Politics

Subscribe

Liberals and ‘Flyover Country'

Middle America - which includes most of the South, Midwest and West - too often gets dismissed by liberal politicians and liberal interest groups who seem to look down on our values. They refer to the area between the East and West coasts as "flyover country." The attacks on Judge Charles Pickering's conservative background and religious activity shows this acute divide. Yet, Senators from "flyover country" are striking back, letting the left know that we are here, we are part of America and we expect more, especially better consideration of our judicial nominees.

Bush Plan to Ban Abortion

Michelle Goldberg writes in Salon: "Unnoticed by much of the public, the Bush administration and the Republican-controlled Congress have been laying the groundwork for a repeal of abortion rights." (Click on the free ad to get access to the story.)

Two Large Unions May Support Dean

AP reports: "Two of the nation's largest and politically powerful unions initially overlooked Democrat Howard Dean as a marginal, quirky presidential candidate from a small state. But that changed as he surged in fund raising and state polls in key states such as New Hampshire and Iowa and began attracting large, boisterous crowds."

‘Confederacy of Dunces'

Salon's Joan Walsh reports that Howard Dean's critics have it wrong: "Does anyone really believe that former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean was borrowing a playbook from the GOP and telegraphing coded support for Southern racism when he said, in an interview last week, 'I still want to be the candidate for guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks'? Dean explained his unorthodox approach this way: 'We can't beat George Bush unless we appeal to a broad cross section of Democrats.' I'd add this: Democrats can't beat Bush unless they abandon their elitist approach to working-class cultural conservatives, especially in the South -- and the opportunistic, preachy pile-on by Dean's Democratic opponents after his remarks won't help."

And the Winners Are…

...Republicans (and Jim Hood) in contested statewide elections, Democrats in Hinds County and Legislative elections and turnout -- over 818,000 people had voted in the Lieutenant Governor's race with 92% of precincts reporting, suggesting that turnout was better than the Secretary of State, Eric Clark, had predicted at the beginning of the day, and besting recent gubernatorial elections.

Election Post-Mortem

Well, all, there weren't a lot of surprises Tuesday night, and a lot of our prayers about the state rising above the race game went unanswered ... for now. But I truly believe that this election is meant to challenge progressive Mississippians to do everything it takes to attract better candidates and increase the voter base. And that work doesn't start three years and six and a half months from now. It starts tomorrow. So buck up; we have hard, but satisfying work to do, and powerful coalitions to build. And it will be done.

Just In: Stacking the Deck: 72 Legislative Candidates Sign "Lawsuit" Pledge

The October 2003 newsletter of Mississippians for Economic Progress, a group set up by industry groups, to limit lawsuits in the state, says that 72 legislative candidates in the state have signed a detailed pledge in support of further regulating the rights of citizens to bring lawsuits, and protecting businesses from liability claims. The candidates, if elected, pledge to support industry and the position of Barbour/Tuck that much more "reform" is needed in the state to help industry. The same forces, however, are not pledging to also look at potential reforms possibly needed on the insurance side of the aisle, or supporting hearings to find out whether insurance reform is also needed to help both citizens and doctors. (Click for full list.)

JUST IN: Dem, GOP Heads Address Voter Intimidation

From Chairman Cole, Democratic Party:

The following letters were sent by Democrat Party Chairman Rickey Cole and Republican Chairman Jim Herring to Secretary of State Eric Clark in response to Secretary Clark's memorandum to Circuit Clerks and Election Commissioners regarding voter intimidation.

JUST IN: Voting Irregularities Reported

Secretary of State Eric Clark just faxed this letter to Attorney General Mike Moore and U.S. Attorneys Jim Greenlee and Dunn Lampton, warning of potential violations of election laws.

Punkvoter sez youth should vote in 2004

CNN reports that 'Punkvoter' founder (and NOFX lead singer) Mike Burkett is trying to unify the youth vote. "So many millions of people don't feel like their vote has any meaning," says Burkett. "There is no reason why younger people can't be a unified force."

Secretary of State Predicts Average Turn-out

STATEMENT TODAY: Secretary of State Eric Clark today predicted that voter turnout in Tuesday's General Election will be up slightly from the last gubernatorial election and anticipates 775,000 ballots will be cast in races from Governor to Supervisor to Coroner. "I encourage every Mississippian to vote in this important election," Clark said. "On Tuesday, voters will decide who will run our state and county governments for the next four years. We will hire the people who write our laws, set our taxes, and pave our roads. In order to choose the best people, it's important that Mississippians get out and vote."

JFP Endorses Musgrove, Blackmon, Peterson, full slate

To determine our candidate choices, the JFP editorial board looked at the record, watched the campaign (focusing on issues, not rhetoric) and talked to many of the candidates whom our readers will vote for on Nov. 4. We also talked to many Jacksonians about the issues that matter to them. To the best of our ability, we have tried to match the candidates to the concerns of our readers. To that end, we offer you the following slate of endorsements, with several highlighted with explanations.

JFP Questionnaire posted for Justice Court candidate Nicki Martinson Boland

See her PoliticsBlog page to read full answers.

Kudos to Salter's Anderson column

Every now and then, Sid Salter hits with a column. Yesterday told it like it is about the immensely qualified Gary Anderson -- and just why Mississippians might not elected the superior candidate: "Simply put, Gary Anderson is better qualified by education and prior job experience to hit the ground running as Marshall Bennett's successor than is Tate Reeves. Anderson has literally worked his way up through state government and is deserving of a promotion. ... The question unanswered at this point is whether a majority of Mississippi voters can consider Anderson purely and squarely on his experience and qualifications in making their decision — or will race rule once again as the lowest common denominator in Mississippi politics."

Clarion-Ledger Endorses Musgrove, Tuck

So, here's a riddle: Why of the top four candidates' distasteful (at best) campaign tactics -- Musgrove ("poisoning"), Barbour and Tuck (race-pandering), Blackmon (abortion affidavit) -- would the Clarion-Ledger only call out Blackmon's campaign tactics? Were they really worse than Tuck's belated endorsement of the rebel flag?

Blogs

Video