Jackson Free Press

Well, Gov. Barbour, all us under-55 Mississippians got your message loud and clear last week. We don't matter. You don't care about us and what we think of you because, well, not enough of us are likely to vote for you.

Therefore, we don't count.

I must say I admire the courage, the directness, the hubris that it took for your press spokesman to admit last week that you only care about the opinion of Mississippians who are likely to vote for you. Pete Smith called "flawed" the SurveyUSA poll of 600 Mississippians in which 55 percent said on May 10 that you are not a good governor. The reason? Smith told the Sun-Herald that it only surveyed 29 percent of the people 55 and older, the group most likely to vote during your reelection bid.

The truth is, the SurveyUSA poll is known for accuracy (including in its Jackson mayoral primary results in late April)—and it surveyed almost exactly the percentage of Mississippians who are over 55 (whether or not they plan to vote for you). The 2000 census showed that 589,346 Mississippians, or 28.49 percent to be exact, are over age 55. Thus, Mr. Smith's "flawed" comment is, well, "flawed."

No matter though because, as Mr. Smith said on your behalf, "it's not even election season." That would be the only time, it seems, that you care whether the people you are supposedly governing think you are a good governor.

They don't, Mr. Barbour.

Why? For one, you don't show any passion for everyday Mississippians. You're not up at the Capitol, speaking up for individual folks (lots over 55) whose Medicaid is in trouble. People who have never signed onto the Internet in their lives—or who can't afford access—can go look at a Web site for assistance, your office advises.

Or how about teachers who are without a contract yet for next year because you have kept public education funding in limbo? Are you feeling their pain? Many of them are under age 55, and you're right that not a whole slew of them are going to vote for you next time. They don't count, either.

Poll after poll has said that we (including many smokers) will support a higher cigarette tax to pay for health care. We will also pay higher taxes to ensure that education is adequately funded.

But, no. It is your way or nothing. You do not negotiate. You give orders from on high, and when the Legislature does not bow before you, you call special session after special session to get your way, even if taxpayers must cough up $35,000 a day.

I wonder just how you plan to pull folks back into your column by 2007 after slashing even Bubba's mama's Medicaid, and forcing local tax increases to make up for what the state will not do for basic services due to your iron fist of ideology. In fact, it scares—and disgusts—me to think about what you'll try to do to get re-elected. Because we know what you're likely to do—divide Mississippians once again.

You will likely act on your own bigotry of low expectations of us. You, as an architect of the race-based Southern strategy of "welfare mothers" and crime rhetoric, will again campaign to our worst instincts. Or at least to the worst instincts of those over-55-year-old (white?) Mississippians whom you assume care more about doing nothing for younger (black?) Mississippians and the community at large than in their own access to Medicaid or the benefits that public education provides us all—like safer communities. I predict, once again, you will play the race card just like in 2003.

You will probably haul your butt in front of at least one meeting of the Council of Conservative Citizens or, to be more subtle, hang with a group of them at the Black Hawk Rally (which they started back when) and then protest not quite enough when they post your photo on the CofCC Web site (because it is free speech and all). Mrs. Barbour again will send around photos of the two of you cutting your wedding cake with Colonel Reb on top.

You will also play the morals card. The man who spent much of his life away from home, wheeling and dealing and sipping Makers Mark in your D.C. bar/eatery will come out swinging against homosexuals and abortion and any new "moral" wedge issue you can cook up by then.

Maybe it'll work again—but I don't think so. We under-55 voters are smart enough to think for ourselves, Mr. Barbour, and most of us understand strong-arming and boondogglery when we see it.

You see, Mr. Barbour, we are not who you think we are. Mississippians disagree on many things, and will continue to. But the majority of us agree on the need for adequate education funding, for decent health care, for local manufacturing jobs. And perhaps most alarming for your upcoming replay of some sort of "attacking our flag" race strategy, we have also moved forward even if you have not.

The truth is, your sacred target over-55, white, angry, bigoted audience is changing. Some have died off, and others have faced the past—often with the help of their children. (I think of Neshoba conspirator Billy Wayne Posey waiting to testify outside the grand jury room with his daughter.) Still others might yet harbor some of those worst instincts that you and your ilk like to exploit to help the rich and the corporate. However, many of them are now seeing that the price for corporate Republicanism is very high—and is hitting them where they hurt. Many of them are on Medicaid and have children in the public schools in this state. They may be against gay marriage, Mr. Barbour, but their children may well be public-school teachers. Some of them are suffering from severe health problems—such as the lung cancer that is such a scourge in a state where cigarettes come cheaper than most places in the country.

Mississippians are coming together to support the vital services we all need. A wide cross-section has put aside ideological differences and crossed demographic and party boundaries to express our disapproval of how you are governing the state.

Mr. Barbour, we are moving forward with or without you. We suggest that you start coming along for the ride.

Previous Comments

ID

70079

Comment

Your comment about Barbour's "Southern strategy" has me thinking about the Republicans' (northern and southern) desire to control rather than to assist. Do you think they look at the drug addictions (mainly crack) that affect predominately the lower socio-economic groups as a form of control? Is there some legislator (R) in DC that's thinking: "Now if we could just get the Iraqis hooked on crack......"

Author

Steph

Date

2005-05-27T09:01:12-06:00

ID

70080

Comment

Do you think they look at the drug addictions (mainly crack) that affect predominately the lower socio-economic groups as a form of control? Absolutely. Keeping 'em on drugs accomplishes two things: (1) It prevents them from making real contributions to society (you don't find very many William Burroughses in any population), thus helping to perpetuate bigotry against them. (2) It provides an excellent excuse for locking them up. Best, Tim

Author

Tim Kynerd

Date

2005-05-31T06:54:32-06:00