Mississippi's Cycle of Insanity

                Almost a year ago I wrote a blog entitled "Tug Fork River Running through Mississippi" (click here to read).  In it I paralleled the feud over the state budget between the Governor and Speaker McCoy's House with the classic tale of the Hatfields and McCoys.  It's conceivable to think that the lawmakers would have taken something away from the 2009 session, namely the understanding that revenues are down, expenses need to be cut across the board, and the budget must be priority number one going into 2010.  Now we're nearing the end of the 2010 session and after listening to the floor proceedings and talking to some in the know, it seems we're right back in the same position this year.  

                What we are seeing in the legislature is simply unacceptable.  The state budget is the primary task facing lawmakers each January.  I'm of the opinion that no other business should be allowed to come to the floor until the state budget is adopted.  Lawmakers should be working on it day in and day out, without excuse, without attention to other proposed legislation.  No other issue is as important on the annual agenda as the state budget.  And no matter how much the House leadership tries to pass the blame, the Governor is not at fault; yes, he has input, but ultimately the Governor only signs or vetoes what is sent to him by the state legislature.  Now, due to the legislators' lack of handling with their primary task, our state is extending the annual session, possibly even forcing a special session, the mere mention of which is an affront to all Mississippi taxpayers in these tight fiscal times.  The excuse as of this week: $187 million in one time federal funds.

It has long been said by citizens and politicians alike that Mississippi seems to always be at the "bottom of the good lists and at the top of the bad ones," from education to health to housing to the jobs and more.  Numerous social, educational, and political campaigns have hinged on the idea of advancing Mississippi, of climbing the ladder of measurable success.  Yet, each year in the Mississippi state legislature we continue to hear the same tired rhetoric by the same out of touch liberal leadership (especially in the House of Representatives) that produces the same futile results.  State lawmakers continually do the same thing over and over again, year in and year out, and expect different results.  It would seem, by Einstein's definition, we are in a perpetual cycle of insanity in the Mississippi legislature. 

Nowhere is this cycle of insanity more prevalent than in the state budget process.  Mississippi needs a legislature that will refuse to use one time funds to balance our state budget.  One time funds are icing on the already baked cake.  If the state budget was drafted and balanced using revenues solely generated by and from Mississippi, when those one time funds do come, imagine the doors that those monies would open for our state.  Yes, living within our means will require us to make significant cuts, even in areas we are hesitant to do so, but the ultimate result would surely justify the actions.  Mississippi will be more solvent, state government will be more efficient and less intrusive, and local communities will be more in control of their own futures by their lessened reliance on the state.

I know full well what I am suggesting is controversial, especially when it comes to the unfortunate political hot potato of education.  I can hear the debate now.   But local school districts should not rely so heavily on the state to fund their systems.  Depending on the state to subsidize local school districts is a disease we must cure.  The willingness of local school districts to live off the state coffers must stop.  Upwards of 60% of our state budget is currently spent on education and yet we still have struggling schools and more requests for funding each year.  When will we wake up to the fact that money isn't always the issue?  Often, government intrusion is the issue and the more money you take from the government, the more intrusion there is.

Believe me, I agree that education is important and worthwhile.  I fully support it in my community.  But just like with other federal and state mandates, education in Mississippi's local school districts suffers at the hands of those not directly involved in the life of the local community.  It is far too easy to legislate away from the masses.  Thomas Jefferson once said, "The expense of...schools for every county is proposed to be levied on the wealth of the county..."  Jefferson understood that it was the responsibility of the local community to support the local schools, if for no other reason than to properly influence and direct the schools' focus for their children.   Jefferson also said, "If twelve or fifteen hundred schools are to be placed under one general administration, an attention so divided will amount to a dereliction of them to themselves.  It is surely better, then, to place each school at once under the care of those most interested in its conduct." 

Mississippi can see better education but first we must require local school districts to adequately fund themselves, stop playing Robin Hood with local taxing districts, only allow state funding for short term needs or special items as the state budget allows, and demand less state and federal mandates and oversight.  It's amazing how innovative school districts truly are, especially when they lack funding and when they are allowed to think outside the box.  If we move towards true fiscal reform in Mississippi and away from the cycle of insanity, soon you will see a revolution in education thanks to enterprising school administrations.  Partnerships will be formed between the public and private sectors, between parents and teachers, between neighboring communities and counties.  Innovative ways of teaching will emerge and the sterile, boxed in, government controlled environment we have created will be transformed over time, with some growing pains for sure, into a self sustaining, self reliant system of education that best fits that local community.  I know that sounds utopian and yes, there are flaws in the argument, but in theory and with a little elbow grease such a notion could revolutionize our public school systems.

Education is just one area, though likely the most notable that must be taken out of the legislature's annual cycle of insanity.  There are other areas that need to be weaned off the state and/or federal till if we are ever going to effectively move forward in Mississippi.  A true balanced budget, minus the one time monies, that weans the continual over reliance on the state coffers would be a major first step in breaking the cycle of insanity the Mississippi legislature perpetuates.  I trust in reading this you hear the spirit in which I write.  It is meant to open a dialogue on issues such as these as we attempt to right the ship in Mississippi.

Of course, another equally impressive step would be to place true conservative lawmakers in the state House and Senate.  Do away with the liberal disconnect and thoughts of spend it now and pray for tomorrow as the Speaker and others in his partisan leadership propagate.  Thank goodness 2011 is almost here; maybe we can finally stop this cycle of insanity in Mississippi once and for all.

Frank Corder,
Pascagoula City Councilman

Questioning Health Care Legislation

Above is a letter I have penned regarding the passing of the health care legislation in Congress and have forwarded it to Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood with copies sent to Governor Haley Barbour, Lt. Governor Phil Bryant and House Speaker Billy McCoy. (a printable pdf version can be accessed by clicking the link just above this blog post)

I would call on other concerned local elected officials and citizens from around Mississippi to implore Attorney General Hood and the state legislature to challenge the constitutionality of this flawed health care legislation.  I commend the states of Virginia and Idaho for their stance on this legislation and hope other states, especially my state of Mississippi, will join in the fight.

As I wrote in a recent blog, principled government - the kind of government that enriches individual liberty and freedom, upholds and defends the Constitution, and promotes the interest of the sum, not the part while maintaining as limited a role as possible - starts in the City Halls all around this country.  We must demand better, more principled government from our city hall to our state capitol to Washington D.C.  We can make a difference and rightful restoration can be made of our American foundations.  Make your voice heard.

Frank Corder,
Pascagoula City Councilman

Grading Taylor:

Mississippi 4^th District Democrat Rep. Gene Taylor In Review

                Since 1989, Gene Taylor (D-Bay St. Louis) has held the 4th Congressional District seat here in Southeast Mississippi.  Taylor, a former city councilman and state senator, is well versed in what it takes to win in this district, which by the way is one of, if not the most conservative Republican districts in the nation (no Democrat Presidential candidate has carried the 4th since 1956).  His voting record is a mixed bag; he has walked the tight rope between party and populist for many years and thus far has mastered it with only the occasional wobble which has quickly balanced.  He proclaims to be pro-life and pro-gun (anything else in Mississippi and he would have been out a long time ago), yet he has supported his party and its leaders inconspicuously (voting for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker) knowing that if he carried too much of the party's water he would be on the proverbial hot seat come election time.  He knows how to appear as if he is fighting for his constituents while not making too many waves in Washington D.C.  His tenure and party connections landed him an important seat on the Armed Services Committee and the Shipbuilding Caucus, making him increasingly valuable to his 4th District constituents.  But could 2010 be a perfect storm that even Taylor can't weather?

                Now that the qualifying date for Mississippi's 4^th Congressional District has come and gone, Taylor has drawn four challengers: Republicans State Rep. Steven Palazzo and Joe Tegerdine, Libertarian Tim Hampton, and Reformer Anna Jewel Revies.  While the two third-tier party candidates are realistically a stretch, the two Republicans, Palazzo and Tegerdine, perhaps have the best chance in years to take down the long-term representative.

I thought I would take a few minutes (with some help from various sources I've listed below) and give Democrat Rep. Gene Taylor his election review.  Take a few minutes and see what grade you would give Rep. Taylor based on his record:

·          Gov Track (www.govtrack.us) reports:

-          Gene Taylor missed 276 (2%) of 12,694 votes since Jan 23, 1990.

-          Taylor is a follower according to our statistical analysis of bills in this legislative session.  Taylor tends to cosponsor the bills of other members of Congress who do not cosponsor Taylor's own bills.

-          Gene Taylor has sponsored 34 bills since Jan 3, 1989, of which 20 haven't made it out of committee and 6 were successfully enacted, at least 5 of which were to name Post Office locations around the district.  Taylor has co-sponsored 1,215 bills during the same time period.

·          Open Secrets (www.opensecrets.org) reports:

-          During the 2009-2010 period to date, Taylor raised $238,949, spent $213,612, and has $225,779 cash on hand.

-          Taylor's top donors during the 2009-2010 election cycle were FedEx Corp. and General Dynamics (each with $6,000). Other donors of note include John Larson for Congress of Connecticut ($4,000), Operating Engineers Union ($5,000), National Rifle Association ($1,000), and NFL Vikings ($4,800).   The organizations themselves did not donate, rather the money came from the organization's PAC, its individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals' immediate families. Organization totals include subsidiaries and affiliates.

-          Taylor receives most of his contributions from the following industries: sea transport ($22,750), transportation unions ($15,500), defense aerospace ($15,000), air transport ($12,500), lawyers and law firms ($12,000), defense electronics ($12,000), and building trade unions ($7,500).

-          During the 2009-2010 cycle to date, 61% of Taylor's contributions have come from In-State sources, with the majority from the Hattiesburg metro area.  The 2007-2008 cycle garnered 62% from In-State sources with the Hattiesburg constituency making up the majority of contributions as well. 

·         Project Vote Smart (www.votesmart.org) reports:

-          Project Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States founded in 1992 by 40 national leaders, including Barry Goldwater, John McCain, former U.S. Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter.  The group administers the Political Courage Test.  The Political Courage Test is a key component of Project Vote Smart's Voter Self-Defense system.  Major leaders of the media, major parties and Project Vote Smart repetitiously ask candidates one central question: "Are you willing to tell citizens your positions on the issues you will most likely face on their behalf?"  The Political Courage Test is administered to all candidates for presidential, congressional, gubernatorial, and state legislative offices.  Taylor repeatedly refused to answer the 2008 Political Courage Test.

-          Taylor did complete the 1996 National Political Awareness Test.  Here's a few of his responses on a variety of issues (many of the questions had multiple choice answers):

Abortion:

Abortions should be legal only when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape or when the life of the woman is endangered.

Affirmative Action:

The federal government should not provide any affirmative action programs.

Balanced Budget Amendment:

Do you support amending the US Constitution to require an annual balanced federal budget?  Yes.

Prayer in School:

Do you support amending the United States Constitution to allow voluntary prayer and/or moment of silence in public schools?  Yes.

Immigration:

Further limit the number of immigrants allowed into the country, Establish English as the official and recognized language of the United States, Restrict the eligibility of legal immigrants for certain social programs (i.e. AFDC, HUD housing, food stamps, etc.), and Children of illegal immigrants, born in the United States, should not automatically receive US citizenship.

Term Limits:  

No answer

Legislative Priorities:

Balance the budget Eliminate or reduce national debt.

                Hopefully this brief review stirs your curiosity as you begin to assess this 4^th Congressional District race.  There are numerous other points and resources that could be cited on Taylor but for the sake of space and time I will not attempt to delve further; I would, however, encourage you to do your homework on this race.  Grade Taylor's body of work and see if you believe we can do better in the 4^th District in 2010.

                Gene Taylor is not a bad guy; heck, he's not all that bad of a Congressman if you judge his body of work through a narrowed lens.  America and the future of our great nation are about something bigger than narrow, spin driven, seat ensuring issues that sound good on the campaign trail but are often forgotten in D.C.  We need a Congressman that will stand up and fight for Mississippi.  We need a Congressman who will stand on the principles of the Constitution, for the freedoms we hold dear, to speak against the ills of the day and actively support a different direction than what is being proposed by those now in leadership (leadership supported and encouraged by Taylor himself).  It would seem that we need a change in the 4th District, but I'll leave that up to you to decide.

Frank Corder,

Pascagoula City Councilman