Cottonmouth

Karl Oliver COULD care less about the flag

2016-06-28T12:45:00.001-05:00

Walking out for a lunch break of the Republican budget debacle, I passed Rep. Karl Oliver's parking space, whose truck license plate proudly displays the Confederate flag.

So either someone from Karl Oliver's county is illegally parked in Karl Oliver's spot, or Karl Oliver REALLY likes that symbol.

Steven Palazzo, Priorities, and Picking Fights

2016-06-17T13:56:00.000-05:00

John Lewis is a hero. He was a hero long before he came to U.S. Congress and he's been a hero since.

And in Mississippi, John Lewis was a hero on May 24, 1961 when he was sent to Parchman for using a white restroom in Jackson.

So, it's a little bit suspect that just as Navy Secretary (and former Mississippi Governor) Ray Mabus announced that Rep. Lewis would be the namesake of a new US military vessel, Mississippi's coastal Congressman Steven Palazzo (R) has introduced an amendment that'd strip Congressman Lewis of that honor.

For his part, Congressman Palazzo insists that this legislation isn't related to Rep. Lewis at all, and wants the Navy to only name ships after those who have served in the military. The Washington Post reports:

“My amendment has nothing — absolutely zero — to do with John Lewis or any other member of Congress,” Palazzo said in a statement.

Apparently, Palazzo's point of contention has come from recent namings that he sees as too political for his tastes. So I wonder what really pushed him to this point? Was it the USNS Medgar Evers? Or did the USS John Stennis really steam the Mississippi Republican?

Make no mistake. Congressman Lewis fought in battle. Mississippi (and the rest of this country) is better off for it.

But this is what Congressman Palazzo has decided to do with his time on the hill.

PS: Palazzo's 2016 opponent (Mark Gladney) is a retired U.S. Army Lt. Colonel who understands there's a lot more to be done in Congress than this. You can read more about him here.

A Month for Confederates, a Week for Hurricane Preparedness

2016-05-23T13:15:00.000-05:00

This morning Governor Bryant issued a statement declaring May 23-27th "Hurricane Preparedness Week." From NewsMS:

“Eleven years after Hurricane Katrina, we have vivid memories of that storm and its aftermath,” said Gov. Bryant. “Catastrophic hurricanes do not occur every year, but we must prepare ourselves in such a way that we are prepared for any level of destruction.”

Yes, five days for hurricane preparedness, but thirty for Confederate history.

But the irony lost on Phil Bryant doesn't stop there, because the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has been urging Speaker Gunn, Lieutenant Reeves, and Governor Bryant to appropriately prepare for quite some time. Last month, the Clarion Ledger reported that Mississippi's "Hurricane Preparedness" hub is operating with 48% of the budget needed to respond to real crises:

In 2006, after Hurricane Katrina hit, State Personnel Board audit showed that in order to handle a similar disaster, the agency would need $6.1 million. It was fully funded that year.

In 2016, the agency was just given a budget of $3.2 million. That's with 16 open federal disasters still in various phases of recovery, including hurricanes Katrina and Isaac, tornadoes from Louisville, Smithville, the Pine Belt, and all around the state on Dec. 23, 2015, as well as the recent flooding from March 9.

So when Governor Bryant reminds you to be prepared, you should take him seriously.

Because if something happens, he doesn't have a plan to save you.

Adults in the Room

2016-05-13T17:47:00.001-05:00

When you consider the sorts of things that matter to Democrats and Republicans in Mississippi government, it's easy to definitively pick out the adults in the room.

While Punxsutawney Phil Bryant peeked out of his office today looking for the federal government's shadow, he followed the same trodden path of many discredited, discriminatory, Mississippi governors before him, saying:

Because these decisions are better left to the states, and not made at the point of a federal bayonet, Mississippi's public schools should not participate in the president's social experiment.

Perhaps this sort of language keeps Bryant's appetite for "states' rights" satiated, but it's the sort of distraction that has led to the habitual failure to acknowledge the real issues facing our state. It's the sort of attitude that has directly contributed to the collapsing bridges and roadways, failing schools, and dying hospitals.

Now in 2016, Bryant finally has the genetic makeup he prefers in the House and Senate, and his legislative cronies (slash Gubernatorial farm team) Speaker Gunn and Lieutenant Reeves have offered up the economic package they've always wanted:

A complete short on public services, with miscalculations to boot. They had plenty of money for more corporate tax cuts, but not enough for basic functions of our state. And if that's not enough, they didn't even give themselves enough money to fund the stuff they did approve.

So, today, when Legislative Democrats reached out to Governor Bryant to call a special session directed at solving our devastating mental health crisis, we can all imagine that none of them held their breath. But that doesn't mean they aren't right for doing it, and it doesn't mean they don't deserve a round of applause.

Because at least someone is acting like an adult.

Mississippi Republican Introduces Separate But Equal Flag Bill

2016-02-18T10:29:00.002-06:00

From WAPT:

Republican House Speaker Pro Tempore Greg Snowden is proposing that the state have two flags: one with the Confederate emblem, which currently represents Mississippi, and another flag without the emblem.

Yes, you read this correctly. A leader in the Republican legislature is introducing a bill to fly two flags at the same time, acknowledging that our current confederate battle flag is offensive, but not enough to take it down.

So instead, Snowden reached back into history for a compromise. Separate but equal flags will have to do.

A State of the State that doesn’t add up

2016-01-29T06:42:00.000-06:00

Regardless of how many times you say something, it does not make that statement true – even if you say it to the entire legislature, media and citizens of the state.

In his 2016 State of the State address, Governor Phil Bryant said the following:
“We now face a new year where I am able to inform the people and the duly elected members of the House and Senate – the state of the state in Mississippi is sound.”

Of course, he had to immediately brush off the fact that revenue projections were not met this year causing mid-year budget cuts along with a raiding of the rainy day fund. And revenue projections for next year are already down. Add to this the jobless rate INCREASING from 6% to 6.4% in the month of December (and still remaining much higher than the national rate of 5%). Even the Republican legislature’s best friend ALEC said our economy is terrible (though not the worst) ranking us 41st out of 50 on whatever arbitrary scale they produced.

ALEC is not the only group to give us a poor ranking on our economy, and Education Week is not the only group to name us 49th in the country for our abysmal education system. And while we might be “sound” because we have more money than is necessary in our rainy day fund for the future lack of revenue, nothing has improved in the lives or everyday Mississippians in the last four years – not benefits, not access to healthcare, not education, not job opportunities. It would be unfair to say pay hasn’t increased – from 2010 to 2014 the median household income did increase $273, allowing us to maintain our spot at 50th in the nation.

New Champion for Public Education?

2016-01-26T23:46:00.001-06:00

Rep. Jay Hughes, the Freshman Representative from Oxford, has made a splash at the start of this session doing something truly outrageous...keeping his promise.

Hughes was one of the bright spots for Democrats this November, and his platform that resonated in Lafayette County was a simple one: "It All Starts With Education."

Just today, Hughes began by calling out Republican House Leadership and Governor Bryant on MPB, and by the end of the evening his response to the State of the State was gathering major steam on social media. If you haven't seen it yet, you can check it out here:

What To Expect: Republicans Fighting the Unarmed Union Army

2016-01-07T16:53:00.001-06:00

This is Part 4 of a series this week of what to expect from the Mississippi Legislature this session.

Republican leadership in Mississippi and the rest of the country has a deep fear of unions. Leaders in our state have been doing everything they can to prevent them from forming (i.e. the Nissan plant in Canton), and around the country, they’ve been taking every opportunity to destroy and destabilize unions. It’s not that they fear some sort of criminal element developing from unions – what they fear is their friends not making every possible cent off the backs of hard working Mississippians.

But an interesting article in the Washington Post in December highlighted the not only the day-to-day issues families in low-wage manufacturing jobs are facing, but the clearly laid out tactic of corporations to capitalize on the unskilled and poorly educated workforce in the South.

These companies go to rural areas with staggeringly high unemployment rates and make promises of pay and good fortune. Of course, the state has to offer insane incentive packages that clearly benefit the company and not the state or workers.

And what happens when these promises and pay don’t materialize, and people working 40 hours a week at a manufacturing job have to live on welfare or lose their job if they become injured or are really never hired by the company because they’ve been employed through a temp agency for a full-time job?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

We’ve seen it for years at the Nissan plant in Canton, and the Washington Post article highlights the issues facing other rural areas. But, people are taking a stand. They want to be paid a good wage to earn their two cars and a boat. I’m sure Republicans will do everything they can to prevent it, but when the National Labor Relations Board calls you out for violations, your company is not on the right path.

What may prove to be even more interesting in these labor and wage issues, as well as development of new jobs, is how it ties in to all these promised tax breaks to businesses, which Republican leadership swears we can 1) afford, 2) will produce more jobs and better pay for Mississippians. But, I wonder what Wal-Mart will do with it’s newly saved inventory tax dollars – will they hire more workers, pay them better, or offer everyone health insurance? Or, will they pocket it and continue raking in the profits?

Casting lots with loaded dice

2016-01-07T00:13:00.001-06:00

With the legislature reconvening in Jackson this week, we will finally get an answer to one of the biggest question marks of the 2015 cycle, as the House will decide whether to seat incumbent Rep. Bo Eaton or his Republican challenger Mark Tullos. In case you haven't been keeping up with state house races or high-stakes games of pick-up sticks, we wanted to give you a quick timeline of events leading up to this decision.

November 4 : The morning after the election, it appeared that Tullos had bested Eaton by the slimmest of margins. Six votes separated the Republican from Eaton, and it looked like the longtime representative was going to be another casualty in a not-so-great night for Democratic incumbents.

November 12: "It ain't over 'til it's over." The week after the election, Smith County finished counting the remaining affidavit ballots; of the twelve that were counted, three went to Tullos and nine went to Eaton, bringing the two candidates to a tie at 4,589 votes each. In much the same manner the Apostles chose who would succeed Judas Iscariot, state law dictates that in the case of a tie, the election "shall be determined by lot."

(Side note: If we have to use a Biblical example for determining the race, I would much rather go with the Solomon route: we say we're going to cut the district in half and give each candidate one piece, and whoever objects is obviously the true representative.)

Tullos was quoted as saying, "I'm not going to agree to a coin flip. I don't want to bet my future on the flip of a coin." Luckily for Tullos, it would not be a coin flip that determined his future; instead, the candidates would draw straws to determine the winner.

November 20: Much like King Arthur pulling the sword from the stone, Bo Eaton pulled the long, green straw from the bag and officially won the seat in a ceremony overseen by both Governor Phil Bryant and Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann. Tullos was in attendance. The law--as weird as it was--had been followed, and the race was over.

November 21: Never mind. Tullos was fine with drawing straws until he lost; I guess he didn't realize how close it would be to a coin toss. Since the House of Representatives has the authority to seat its own members, a committee appointed by Speaker Philip Gunn would decide the winner.

The law had been followed every step of the way, and Bryant and Hosemann both signed off on it. Surely, the panel would be fair and listen to both sides before making an informed, non-partisan decision. Right?

This image was added to the official roster of the Mississippi House of Representatives before the session began but was taken down because, you know, he hasn't actually won yet. For now, Bo Eaton is still officially the representative of House District 79. If this is any indication of Gunn and Co.'s plans, though, it is unlikely he'll be in the legislature for long.

What To Expect: Mississippi Roads and Bridges Falling Through the Cracks and Potholes

2016-01-06T19:27:00.004-06:00

This is Part 3 of a series this week highlighting what to expect from the Mississippi Legislature this session.

For the past few years, legislative leaders and business leaders have been sounding the alarm at the deteriorating condition of Mississippi’s infrastructure. Article after article has highlighted the problems with our extensive network of state highways and bridges. It’s so bad that PEER is recommending an official chain of command to alert bus drivers and school districts of faulty bridges.

Last year seemed to be the year – this was it – the Mississippi Economic Council pounded the war drum and called on their legislative friends to make this happen. But, when Republicans realized they were going to have to raise the gas tax… gasp… during an election year… plans were curtailed to letting MEC has a study committee.

While many study committees become a place where ideas go to die, MEC has in fact “studied” the issue, and they are looking at the legislature to make it happen this year. Their plan includes making people who use the roads pay for the roads – in other words – a regressive increase in the gas tax.

If this all comes to fruition through a gas tax increase (or some other tax or fee because there just isn’t money lying around to fix all the infrastructure needs), Republicans will have to vote for it. There will be no way to politically manipulate the situation as in year’s past and force the Democrats and safe Republicans to vote for it and then assault them in mail pieces come election time.

In the meantime, safe driving. Watch for other cars, watch for animals, and watch for falling bridges.

What To Expect: A New Year, Same Tired Republican Excuses

2016-01-05T19:05:00.000-06:00

This is Part 2 of a series this week highlighting what to expect from the Mississippi Legislature this session.

If the very calculated and well-funded defeat of Initiative 42 did not clearly spell out that the Republicans are not for the funding of a public education system, there is not much else we could say on this blog to prove this fact to you.

The problem is, our education system needs an infusion of money. We can go round and round about where the money should come from, how it should be spent on kids and not administration, and on and on and on. But the fact remains, quality people and facilities cost money. Money that our schools do not have, as repeated over and over again during the Initiative 42 battle. Money that is needed – money to pay for teachers, money to pay for walls and roofs, money to pay for textbooks and working computers.

With all those big businesses and lobbyists and associations backing the anti-Initiative 42 on behalf of Gov. Bryant, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, and Speaker Gunn, all three are now beholden to them and their wish list of tax breaks and incentives for companies and businesses.

Republicans have announced that they plan to fund K-12 at current levels. Which means, underfund K-12 for another year. Instead of coming up with a plan to generate revenue, or not cut more corporate taxes, Republicans are developing a plan to move the goal posts and change the MAEP formula so the same or less amount of money will magically fully-fund education.

When looking at what’s going on around the country in terms of charter schools, it’s hard not to get cynical about the next four years for public education. Republicans have basically been setting up unrealistic goals for public schools or defunding schools to the point where they cannot meet basic standards (or a combination) in order to convert schools to “charter schools.” But don’t think of these schools as the ones fought over a few years back – these are for-profit institutions using state money to run schools. ALEC and their friends in Indiana have already developed model legislation that will surely make its way to Mississippi.

What to expect: Republicans Love Low Wages

2016-01-04T19:42:00.000-06:00

As we enter the 2016 legislative session, Cottonmouth will be sharing a series of posts on what to expect. This is the first time the Republicans have held both chambers and the executive branch. We'll be focusing on a few issues early on, and we'll be watching as the session progresses.

Mississippi workers don’t get paid very much. For the most part, the pay is less than less than very much. Most agencies have been decrying the problem for years, along with college leaders who are training Mississippians to go work in other states. Our Republican leadership has pretty much ignored the problem for the past 12 years, but there are two things that might bring it to the forefront in the next year.

First, prominent Republican-appointees are taking the issue to the media. MDOC head Marshall Fisher has been complaining about the poor pay rate and high turnover rate of correction officers since before his first day on the job. In interviews last week with the newly appointed foster-care head, Justice David Chandler criticized how social workers are paid less than teachers. While the legislature did find a way to raise teacher pay a few years ago, Mississippi teachers are still some of the lowest paid in the country. And yes, social workers are paid less than teachers – a lot less.

Second, the complete lack of income growth across the country (and, of course in our own state) will be a presidential issue next year. There is no avoiding the topic, as much as Republicans may want to. So far, no elected officials are making better pay their issue. For starters, in every agency, most of the pay rates for each job are so much lower than even our southern counterparts, it’s hard to even know where or how much to begin with – it’s really that bad. It’s easy for politicians and the state to get away with paying people less when they promote the retirement and healthcare benefits. However, the actual take home pay for most people, especially starting out is not anywhere equal to the dream of “two cars and a boat,” that Governor Bryant is touting with workforce training. Plus, most of these jobs (social workers, teachers) require a four-year college degree. So, not only are people taking home $1515/month*, but they also are probably paying off some sort of student loan.

Republicans might offer incremental raises to the lowest paid workers, or to MDOC officers and DHS workers, or some combination, but it’s doubtful they’ll be able to raise the pay to 1) attract quality candidates who will stay or 2) compete with other states’ pay rates. Perhaps, this will wait until 2019.

*Where this math came from: Entry level DHS job posting in Hinds County has a pay rate of $23,643. When entered into an online take-home pay calculator, without taking anything for retirement or additional medical insurance payments, and factoring this at the single and no dependents rate, take home pay was approximately $1515/month.

At least we're not 50th...

2015-12-07T20:57:00.000-06:00

In case you needed more proof of the failure of the Bryant-Reeves administration, WTVA reported today that 24/7 Wall St. ranked Mississippi as the 48th best run state in the country:

To determine how well each state is managed, 24/7 Wall St. says it looked at key financial ratios and social and economic outcomes through information collected by the U.S. Census Bureau, The Pew Research Center, The National Association of State Budget Officers, the FBI, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and more.

According to 24/7 Wall St.'s research, Mississippi has the ninth highest unemployment rate at 5.9 percent, the lowest median household income at $39,680 and the highest poverty rate at 21.5 percent.

It also says the population shrank from 2010 to 2014 as the state's workforce shrank by 5.4 percent.

This is not particularly shocking to anyone who has followed Mississippi's economic trajectory over the past few years. Nor will it be shocking when the legislature reconvenes next year and continues to push through policies that exacerbate all of these issues. In these inconsistent times, we can always count on our Republican leaders to keep the ship's wheel steady, no matter how close that iceberg gets.

Be Good To One Another

2015-11-24T19:32:00.001-06:00

Your friends at Cottonmouth are taking some time off during the holidays, but we will be back if a story breaks that we wish to share. Rest assured, we will return for the legislative session in January. While the political heat (hopefully) cools along with the temperatures this fall, it is important to remember why you are reading this post in the first place.

Cottonmouth is a forum designed to be a conduit of ideas that advances public discourse over a host of issues. Sure, many of us are guilty of using blogs to see who's up/who's down or who's right/who's wrong. There are some who do not agree with my viewpoints or the viewpoints of my co-authors, but that is part of the process. We can agree to disagree through fact-based discourse. I am thankful that we continue to have the opportunity to impact policy discussions. It is ultimately up to voters and policy makers to determine the best course of action as she or he sees the evidence.

Another year is about to conclude, but we still have time to enjoy 2015. As we gather with family and friends this holiday season, cherish the company you are blessed to have. Watch a football game. Go see a movie. Donate some time to a charity. Retell funny stories about a loved one. Live in the moment. Most of all, let's be good to one another.

The Ties That Tie

2015-11-20T17:00:00.001-06:00

Earlier today, Rep. Bo Eaton (D-Taylorsville) won the tie-breaker between him and his Republican challenger, Mark Tullos. Certified election results show each candidate receiving 5,489 votes. A document obtained by Cottonmouth shows that the results may be askew. A relative of Mr. Tullos - Mr. Jeffrey Tullos - has filed homestead exemption on property he owns in Rankin County. Yet, Jeffrey Tullos is voting in Smith County elections. So we have a situation where a voter voted in a county where he does not live. This would imply the type of ballot irregularities that Mark Tullos argued existed just this week; thus, the election was tied likely due to a voter improperly voting in favor of his brother, Mark Tullos.

Health Care on the Brink

2015-11-16T07:45:00.000-06:00

A recent report shows the dire financial situation facing Mississippi's rural hospitals. The report reiterates what has been known for years: hospitals are struggling financially while patients are in danger of and are actually going without medical care.

Some of the hospitals in jeopardy reside in districts represented by some of the worst offenders when it comes to health care in the state:

Highland Community Hospital, represented by Rep. Mark Formby (R-Picayune)
Tippah County Hospital, represented by Rep. Judas Steverson (R-Ripley)
Baptist Medical Center Attalta, formerly Montfort Jones Community Hospital, represented by Rep. Jason White (R-West)
Natchez Regional Medical Center, ironically represented by Public Health Committee Chairman Sam Mims (R-McComb)

This report was released as news broke that the Pioneer Community Hospital in Newton, represented by Reps. Randy Rushing (R-Decatur) and William Shirley (R-Quitman), will be closing their doors - forcing their patients to drive to other counties to seek medical care. Imagine having to drive to another county if you are having a heart attack or delivering a baby!

For years, Reps. Formby, Steverson, White, Mims, Rushing, and Shirley and the Republican Party have stood in the way of ensuring that hospitals have patients who are able to afford medical care. This shameful behavior is disgraceful, and their stubbornness is costing lives. Once the new legislature is seated in January, we must hope that our legislators will be more concerned about the well-being of their constituents who need health care than being concerned about where a lobbyist will buy them pink-colored drinks and expensive dinners. If history is our guide, we should not get our hopes up.

New Report Shows What Won't Be Addressed

2015-11-10T19:26:00.001-06:00

A health report out today shows alarming numbers for Mississippi. The report shows that nearly 2,300 deaths could be avoided each year if policy makers will fix the problems associated with poor access to health care services. Based on what we have seen over the past four years of Republican governance, it seems unlikely that Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves or House Speaker Philip Gunn will address any of these problems over the next four years.

Here are some highlights of the report:

20 percent of Mississippians do not have health insurance (Republican't don't care.)
34 percent of children live in poverty (Republicans don't care.)
Income inequality is very high (Republicans don't care.)
35 percent of Mississippians are obese (Republicans don't care.)
45 percent of children in Mississippi live in single-parent households (Republicans don't care.)
12 percent of Mississippians are excessive drinkers (Republicans don't care.)
20 percent of automobile accidents are caused by alcohol impairment (Republicans don't care.)
A 877:1 ratio of citizens to mental health providers (Republicans don't care.)

Some of the best policy tools lawmakers have at their disposal to remedy this crisis are the Earned Income Tax Credit (a credit which helps working individuals and families) and paid family medical leave. The record of the Republicans gives us little hope that Republicans care enough to do anything about the problems. Meanwhile, Mississippi remains on the bottom of the bad lists. Republicans don't care.

The "Secret Plan" That Isn't So Secret

2015-10-29T14:35:00.002-05:00

Today, Rep. Brad Mayo (R-Oxford) ran this full page ad in The Oxford Citizen, attempting to white-wash his abysmal voting record on the Public Employees Retirement System.

Mayo wants his constituents to think that his record on PERS is just a series of silly partisan accusations, and says that Democrats think there's a "secret plan" to dissolve PERS.

Mayo is right that there is no secret plan to dissolve PERS. There is a public plan to dissolve PERS.

And he's the one who introduced it.

In the 2013 session, Brad Mayo introduced House Bill 486, and if it became law, would have provided an opportunity for public employees to opt out of PERS, essentially rendering it useless.

What incentive might a financial advisor have to dissolve it?

Legislators across Mississippi think that pointing out their record is mud-slinging. I think it's called telling the truth.

Update:

Here's an ad that ran in the Oxford Eagle for Jay Hughes. What about this is anything other than accountability?

About That Jim Hood Poll

2015-10-28T18:24:00.002-05:00

A poll is circulating around Mississippi showing a close race between incumbent Attorney General Jim Hood and his opponent. The poll shows Jim Hood leading with 50% to his opponent's 44% with 6% undecided (a plurality of the undecided voters are Democrats). This poll also shows a number of statewide Republican incumbents with oddly high re-elect numbers.

Before anyone on either side of these campaigns gets in a tizzy, let's take a look at who conducted the poll. The poll was conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research. In case you have not heard of them, it is likely because they try to keep their history out of the news. For instance, during the 2012 election cycle, Mason-Dixon had an awful track record.

Mason-Dixon proudly projected that Mitt Romney would carry states like Virginia and Florida - Romney lost both; Mason-Dixon's poll showed Republican pickups in US Senate seats in Montana and North Dakota - Republicans lost both; Mason-Dixon polled a Congressional race in Utah showing a Republican pickup - the Republican lost.

In each poll, Mason-Dixon consistently raised likely turnout expectations among Republican voters anywhere from 4-6 percentage points. The same situation appears to be taking place in their Mississippi poll with Republican candidates running stronger than the historical average.

Is your Legislator Going to Destin on your Dollar?

2015-10-27T14:31:00.000-05:00

FLASHBACK (8/11/2013):

This morning, The Clarion Ledger's Geoff Pender wrote a few (1) damning reports (2) about state legislators using taxpayer dollars for trips with lobbyists.

According to Pender, not only did lobbyists cover the cost of much of a trip to Destin, these legislators were then reimbursed by the state for travel, food, etc, essentially double dipping on the taxpayer dollar.

The trip's purpose was to meet with a group pushing for the ability of loan sharks to charge up to 99% on "small" loans. Obviously driving up heinous debt on sometimes the most desperate people.

Now this, at its face, is appalling. But what really sticks out is how legislators like Bubba Carpenter (R-Burnsville), Tracy Arnold (R-Booneville) and Ray Rogers (R-Pearl) responded when they were asked about the trip.

Pender on Rep. Bubba Carpenter (R-Burnsville):

Rep. Bubba Carpenter (R - Burnsville)

...when first contacted, on his way back from the same MCFA event in Destin this year, said: “No, sir, I did not. I didn’t file anything on my state report. (Lobbyist) Buddy Medlin paid for that. I can’t turn that in — (the House Management Committee) wouldn’t have approved it. You’ve got some wires crossed with whatever you’re looking at. … Something’s not geehawing. I would have to be approved by Management, and this is a private convention.”

...

But then, after checking his expense records, Carpenter said he had been pre-approved by the Management Committee, and the $652.70 he was reimbursed by taxpayers for the travel was for mileage, meals and other out-of-pocket expenses. He said neither the association nor lobbyists provided for all meals at the convention.

Pender on Ray Rogers (R-Pearl):

Rep. Ray Rogers (R- Pearl)

...at first said he recalled only filing mileage and that “where lobbyists pay for motel and so forth, the thing they don’t pay for is mileage.”

“I certainly did not ask for meals,” Rogers said. “Mine better not show meal expenses.”
Records show Rogers was reimbursed $547.04, including $138 for meals. Later, Rogers said: “Well, I apologize. Records show I asked for mileage and meals that weren’t covered. … We don’t double up. We don’t pay anything that the lobbyists cover. No, they don’t cover all meals.”

Pender on Tracy Arnold (R-Booneville):

Rep. Tracy Arnold (R - Booneville)

...had a similar first response: “You’re saying the state paid? I need to check that out because it was my understanding that the Mississippi Consumer Finance Association paid for everything on that trip … That’s the first one of those that I’ve been on … the first time I’ve went to one where someone was supposed to be totin’ and paying it all.” He also said he’s had problems with an assistant at the Capitol who files his expenses.

Arnold state-expensed $654.54 for the trip, including $170 for meals. After checking records, he, too, noted the travel was pre-approved by House Management and directed further questions to House Management Committee Chairman Greg Snowden.

But a 23% increase in travel over the last year sounds less like a mistake, and more like uninhibited corruption (by the way, Speaker Gunn refused to comment for these stories).

So was it complete incompetence or good ol' corruption?

Why not both?

Drug Dealers for Lagasse (and other Republicans)

2015-10-22T19:18:00.001-05:00

At a Republican campaign rally in Hancock County today, Republicans Phil Bryant, Tate Reeves, Speaker Philip Gunn, Reps. Timmy Ladner and Mark Formby, and party chairman Joe Nosef stood next to their candidate for House District 122, Mickey Lagasse.

Rallies like this are pretty common - firing up the crowd, taking pictures, handing out stickers. What stood out about this event is where it was being held. The Republican rally took place at the business of Gary Wayne Necaise of Hancock County; Mr. Necaise (mugshot below) has had his fair share of run-ins with the law.

Mickey Lagasse

In 2013, Mr. Necaise - a Lagasse supporter - was arrested with dozens of others (some of which were children) in a massive Hancock County drug bust in where Necaise was charged with the sale of a controlled substance. Such substances, mind you, are responsible for tens of thousands of Americans' deaths each year - now causing more deaths than vehicle accidents.

That is now all water under the bridge as Republican candidates hold hands with Necaise in a strong show of party unity.

Rep. Bubba Carpenter (R - Burnsville) Caught on Tape, Blatantly Race Baiting

2015-10-18T18:30:00.003-05:00

Oftentimes, we are taught to listen for the subtle undertones of Republican language, dog-whistles that are meant to break through some of the dreariest days of Mississippi's past.

We must do this, because it's no longer usually socially acceptable to outright race-bait in Mississippi politics. But this week, Jack Ivy of WRMG-TV was on location to film the Midway Republican Rally, and what Rep. Bubba Carpenter (R-Burnsville) said may shock you.

In the video Carpenter is repeating the now typical (ridiculous) argument from opponents of Initiative 42, suggesting a Hinds County judge would be able to control funds from all sorts of school districts at his liking. (You can watch the entire Republican rally here.)

Except Bubba went off script a bit. Instead of using the dog-whistle "liberal," Carpenter said what they always meant.

Bubba told a group of constituents that a black judge would be making the decision. And he meant it as a cuss word. (This has the extra benefit of not even being true, as the Hinds County Chancery Court bench is evenly split, with two black female judges and two white male judges.)

And not only that, Carpenter assured the room that Governor Bryant, Secretary Hosemann, and fellow Representative Donnie Bell would be visiting later to "tell you the same thing."

This is the breakdown of a talking point in action; Carpenter is simply repeating what he heard from fellow Republicans. They wanted to put a black face on this issue, and this time, he forgot to disguise it.

Will they get away with it?

Rep. Brad Mayo Trying to Save Face:

2015-10-16T09:31:00.000-05:00

2013 FLASHBACK Brad Mayo tries to break PERS:

Late Sunday night, Representative Brad Mayo (R-Oxford) sent out an email to his constituents trying to save face on some of his recent actions in Jackson. One of the issues covered is House Bill 486, which dramatically alters PERS and how it funds itself. What Mayo wrote can be found below (Bold is editorial notation of Cottonmouth):

As many of you have seen, I have introduced House Bill 486 - which would allow employees to opt-out of our PERS system. I know it is the source of much worry for many of you (and PERS members around the state). In no way am I trying to undermine the PERS system. If such a consequence is shown to be the case, I will seek to accordingly alter or kill the bill. However, I would like to explain the genesis of this bill and how it may work. I was asked by younger state employees (with families) and by prospective employees about devising a method of retirement planning that did not tie up 9% of their salary. These employees do not expect to make a career of state service and would like to plan for retirement while stretching their paychecks. Thus, we have developed a plan similar to our university system's Optional Retirement Plan (ORP). It would allow a new employee to allocate a pre-determined percentage of their income (up to 9%) that would be placed in the state's existing Deferred Compensation Program and matched by the employer. The employer would then contribute an additional 2.5% to PERS' accrued liability fund. Thus, the employee would have no claim to any PERS funds, but would be contributing 2.5%. Money would go in, but not come out. This should very slightly (depending upon utilization) increase PERS funding levels (assets/liabilities). There is also a provision for existing employees to roll out of the system, but it is quite punitive. Should an existing employee opt to leave PERS for Deferred Comp, they would only be entitled to rollover their contributions, not their employer's or the earnings. Depending upon their years of service, this would allow them to rollover somewhere between 30 and 40% of their account value. That is not a very good deal for anyone with substantial service and any rollover would improve PERS overall funding levels (by losing a small amount of assets, but forgoing all corresponding liability). I have asked for projections on how this might affect PERS.

I have used bold in various parts of this explanation to point out how many times Rep. Mayo treats this bill as a hypothetical scenario. May work? I have asked? The Mississippi State House of Representatives is not a think tank. This is not a thesis. It is a bill with real life consequences from a Representative of a district that is home to the state's flagship university. So many of the people in his district wouldn't make it without this retirement system.

Out of fairness, I have not changed Rep. Mayo's explanation in any way aside from the bold. But even his explanation doesn't offer any reason to believe that this won't drastically alter PERS as we know it.

Ever seen someone put lipstick on a pig? Watch the video of it here

2015-10-14T16:07:00.000-05:00

The latest ad from Mississippi House Republicans is up, and it's got more fibs than a 5 year-old with his hand in a cookie jar. You can view this pig prettyin' here:

How they mislead on unemployment:

Let's start with those unemployment claims. The House Republicans in the video are crowing about Mississippi's unemployment numbers. Sure they are the lowest they've been since 2008, which was right before the lending scandals that wrecked Wall Street and sunk the economy. But when we take a look at Mississippi's numbers in a bigger context, we see that Mississippi's unemployment numbers have dropped in accordance with the national unemployment numbers:

It's pretty hard to honestly claim credit for something when your numbers are a carbon-copy of the national numbers. But what about other states? How did our neighbors do?

Well, Alabama somewhat mirrored the federal employment rebound, but actually had a moment where their unemployment numbers were below the national average. And that's starting from a point where they were actually worse off than we were after the crash of 2008:

And Arkansas? They've been under the national average and much better off than us for a long time:

As for Louisiana, I'm sure there were plenty of snide remarks about how their job market was as bad as ours this time last year:

So Republicans can crow all they want, Mississippi is still the worst place in the South to try to find a job.

How they mislead on tax cuts and the budget:

Rep. Jeff Smith (R - Columbus), is seen in the video boasting about tax cuts for small businesses helping to grow the state's economy. And then Rep. Herb Frierson (R - Poplarville) comes on to say that House Republicans have magically and singlehandedly turned a $587M budget hole into a $410M budget surplus. Well, the state's economy hasn't grown in response to any state action, as shown above. But that won't stop the Republicans from trying to claim credit for it, of course. (What are they going to do after all, thank Obama?!?) So what gives?

There's really no better way of explaining this than Sarah Miller's piece in the Meridian Star from April of 2014. Here's a lengthy quote:

Did we really have a surplus in the state budget? It depends on what you mean by surplus. The surplus created by the recent increase in revenue estimates for creation of next year’s budget means that we have had more money than we expected, not more than we need.

While revenues are finally rebounding, they are coming up from a deep trough that caused, among other things, teacher layoffs, reduced per pupil spending at grade schools and high schools, increased college tuition rates, and a dramatic shortage of state troopers.

The revenue surplus is due to understandably conservative revenue estimates that were far below actual revenue collections and spending that was kept largely at recessionary levels. Needs have grown, but state support for education, public safety, and other things that bolster our economy has just recently gotten back up to 2008 levels. Furthermore, providing those services has gotten more expensive, so spending at 2008 levels actually gets us less than it did in 2008.

So what the Republicans are really excited about is using money from the national economic rebound to fund the tax cuts Rep. Smith is talking about instead of rehiring the teachers that were fired in the wake of the Great Recession.

It's funny that Rep. Frierson mentioned there has been a $1B turnaround. Why is that funny? Because Republicans in the House have also underfunded education by $260M a year for four years. You do the math.

What have they really been up to for the last four years?

Well aside from getting fat on lobbyist's steak dinners while gutting education, not much, actually. They did vote to give tax breaks to out-of-state corporations like Wal-mart. They also refused to allow our federal tax dollars to come back to Mississippi to pay our doctors and nurses so that our hospitals wouldn't go bankrupt. And they voted to penalize workers who were hurt on the job. As far as legislative accomplishments go, that's not much to crow about.

What's In Stacey Pickering's Garage

2015-10-14T07:48:00.001-05:00

Last week, the Joce Pritchett for Auditor campaign launched a new website highlighting the alleged FBI investigation into State Auditor Stacey Pickering’s misuse of his campaign funds. The website, named after the garage that Pickering purchased for himself with $3,800 in campaign donations, asks what Stacey Pickering his hiding. The website also attacks Pickering for his recent audit of the city of Madison and his family's frequent visits to Disneyland in a campaign vehicle. The Pritchett campaign plans to update the website weekly with new information about what they claim Pickering is hiding from Mississippians. There are definitely things worth exploring in Pickering's dirty garage.