Jackson Free Press

The John Arthur Eaves campaign just e-mailed a link to a new Web site devoted to giving what they call the real story on Haley Barbour's record. The site opens with the following:

Haley Barbour loves to claim that he's running on his record for reelection but a closer look at that record shows a Governor willing to sell out to the highest bidder. This race boils down to one question; who do you serve? Governor Barbour has spent years serving Big Oil, Big Insurance, and Big Tobacco. Mississippi just can't keep up with all the big interests Haley's serving.

Previous Comments

ID

115226

Comment

Oh, how awful this is: Barbour wanted to allow immigrants to GET DRIVER'S LICENSES, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND COUNTRY. Imagine. From Eaves' anti-Barbour site: Drivers Licenses for Illegal Aliens Barbour was in a close race to become Governor in 2003 and was willing to do anything to win. That’s why Barbour’s campaign placed an ad in the Spanish newspaper La Noticia of Jackson promising to “make driver’s licenses in Mississippi available to all.” Translation: of 2003 ad in La Notica I as your Governor will work to make drivers licenses in Mississippi available to all. You have my word. - Haley Barbour

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-29T17:05:27-06:00

ID

115227

Comment

It appears the Governor will say what he thinks is in his best interest at that time. Mississippi will always be 49th and 50; until all productive Mississippians are able to share it the wealth builting opportunities....i.e State Contracts, Katrina Recovery Monies, and Real African Americans to sit at the table; partake of its bounties without selling out the race. It appears that the rats are hanging around the cheese.

Author

onetwog

Date

2007-10-29T17:25:02-06:00

ID

115228

Comment

it is my understanding that documented aliens can in fact obtain a mississippi drivers license.undocumented aliens cannot and i believe that is where barbour's political pitch was directed 4 years ago,while contemporaneously being paid by the government of mexico to advocate major changes in american immigration policy.i think the issue is fair game, although the other issues raised on the anitbarbour web page are far more salient and hence ought to be expressly acknowledged by the JFP editor as reasons to vote for eaves..

Author

chimneyville

Date

2007-10-29T19:23:19-06:00

ID

115229

Comment

I find the issue of Barbour's lobbying to be fair game, but I'm not in on the focus on immigrants' drivers' license. Surely we can find something more important to talk about. I don't know if you've noticed, but y'all are bleeding potential voters at this point with all this right-wing stuff.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-29T19:34:41-06:00

ID

115230

Comment

Oh, and if someone buries a bigoted statement amid a bunch of talk of stuff that is salient (you know, like some folks did here in the '60s or even Jim Giles does in some ways), I'm not going to look past the anti-(gay, immigrant, Latino, black, you fill in the blank) part that's trying to get that kind of vote in order to just notice the stuff that I'm supposed to like. I want to live in a new Mississippi, not a rehash of the old one slightly reconfigured to appeal to different kinds of bigotry.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-29T19:37:52-06:00

ID

115231

Comment

then i suggest people sort out where barbour and eaves lie on the ideological bandwith and vote accordingly,or sit it out. i do not believe that it is necessarily "right wing" to point out that barbour promised to supply drivers licenses to "ALL" in a latino publication when mississippi law provided then ,as it does now, that all properly documented aliens can readily get a magnolia state drivers license.eaves has run as a progressive populist on issues of bread and butter.go read the antibarbour web page again. aint the boy on the money on groceries,big insurance and the blind trust?also "i dont know if you've noticed",but eaves is bleeding a bunch of rural working class whites from the GOP . i personally am happy to have them back

Author

chimneyville

Date

2007-10-29T19:54:40-06:00

ID

115232

Comment

So now I wanna see the Barbour site that trashes Eaves, there has to be a link to it. Eaves I was willing to give the benefit of the doubt even though he was a trial lawyer but all this negative stuff is going to work against him.

Author

GLewis

Date

2007-10-29T20:02:37-06:00

ID

115233

Comment

then i suggest people sort out where barbour and eaves lie on the ideological bandwith and vote accordingly,or sit it out. And how would one go about doing that? Enjoy your rural white voters, and watch the brain drain continue from this state. I can't tell you how many progressives under 30 have told me in the last week that they are voting for Barbour. Nice work drawing on the same methods that drew rural white voters decades ago, but there will be a backlash in the 21st century for it. Mark my words.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-29T20:06:35-06:00

ID

115234

Comment

Feel free to add other negative site links here as you see them. This is the only one I got an official press release on.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-29T20:07:48-06:00

ID

115235

Comment

Oh, and then there is the issue that even some rural white hicks understand the Constitution. Imagine that. This is where Democrats get the "elitist" label, by the way. It's really sad if the Mississippi Democrats' response to the (losing) Republican revolution is to become just like them rather than playing to people's better instincts. It means that the same societal forces win, regardless of what party they call themselves. Maybe the state's Dems could just cut to the chase and start calling themselves Dixiecrats again; that might even pull another couple white hicks away from the GOP. Because, you know, smart Mississippians don't matter. We get ignored, and we're supposed to just play along while the state's Democrats pay thousands of dollars to corporate TV stations to prove that they're just as bigoted and xenophobic and anti-Constitution as the Republicans. It's assumed that we progressives (defined in this state as anything slightly left of Mike Lott) will vote Dixiecrat because there is no other choice for us. Fun times, these.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-29T20:14:20-06:00

ID

115236

Comment

well if these progressives are voting for barbour then there may be another problem afoot,which is that these folks do not find the bread and butter issues of childrens health and lowering the sales tax on groceries(issues where barbour is on the wrong side) distinctive in terms of making a voting choice. i suspect many of these progressives have families who know "the barbours" and have more affinity to that world of privilege and are just a few years from joining the republican ranks anyway.also on education, eaves has advocated teacher pay raises and has criticized the governor for not fully funding education.so,who has been responsible for the "brain drain" during the past four years?

Author

chimneyville

Date

2007-10-29T20:23:53-06:00

ID

115237

Comment

The brain drain issue is not just a four-year deal. That being said, Haley Barbour's done a fabulous job of promoting education since he began his term in office nearly four years ago. Teacher salaries up 20 percent. Approximately $530 million more for K-12 education. University funding up 32 percent. Community college funding up 52 percent after being cut by 16 percent during Governor Musgrove's administration. I've voted for Democrats, Republicans, and Independents in past elections. In this year's governor's race, Haley Barbour has earned my vote. And he's getting it.

Author

Ex

Date

2007-10-30T00:27:52-06:00

ID

115238

Comment

the teacher salary raises occurred as a result of legislation that was adopted under musgrove and implemented in phases that extended into barbour's term.the governor blocked fully funding MAEP until this year, when he runs for reelection. more to follow on community colleges and higher ed

Author

chimneyville

Date

2007-10-30T05:38:51-06:00

ID

115239

Comment

I'm well aware that MAEP has been fully funded once while Barbour's been governor. It was also fully funded once (2003, another election year, which of course means expect full funding in 2011) in Musgrove's term in office. MAEP's implementation was one reason why I voted for Musgrove in 2003. While it's true that tuition to attend Mississippi's IHLs has increased constantly, it's not necessarily something that can be laid solely at the hands of Mississippi government officials. Public funding of public universities and colleges has been on the decrease nationwide (I think it's not that universities and colleges are getting *less* money nationwide, it's that expenses have gone up and that the public universities and colleges are getting a lesser percentage of their money/operating funds from governmental agencies). As far as community colleges are concerned, Barbour has been consistently in favor of more funding for SBCJC institutions. The reason being that Republicans love workforce training (I'm not saying that Democrats don't-- in fact legislative funding would not have been possible without the support of Democrats-- it's that workforce training has consistently been part of the GOP mantra), and community colleges are Mississippi's workforce education institutions. Okay, now I need coffee.

Author

Ex

Date

2007-10-30T06:49:41-06:00

ID

115240

Comment

I'm sort of a Libertarian who is right at the age of 30 (I'm still young though, right? right?) I think I'm writing in a name for governor. Seriously. And maybe for a few other positions as well. I am not happy with either candidate. I didn't vote in the last governor election because I had just moved back here from Memphis and hadn't changed my registration yet. But if I had voted at the time, I was not going to vote for Haley. If anything, I just can't stand to hear him talk. But I don't agree with a lot of the stuff he has done or allowed to happen, but Eaves is just a Republican in Democrat's clothing, so he is no better. *sigh*

Author

music chick

Date

2007-10-30T07:27:43-06:00

ID

115241

Comment

I'm obviously voting for Haley as he is clearly the most qualified man for the job. It is fun to see little john showing off his guns roadside to WLBT's Bert Case talking about what a "real hunter" he is though. NOBODY in the NRA will vote for him, cause it's not about hunting, it's about freedom. He doesn't know what that means to us; never will. Also, the bible routine...could he get any funnier? "Jesus ran the money changers out of the temple"? All this from a rich trial lawyer. OMG! That is freakin' hilarious! So, he's comparing himself to Jesus? Did he get his permission to do so? Thanks for laughs little john.

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2007-10-30T08:10:37-06:00

ID

115242

Comment

Oh, and I'm glad to hear the 30-something Progressive crowd can see through this crap and are voting for Haley. www.nrams.com

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2007-10-30T08:19:59-06:00

ID

115243

Comment

I'm with you Chimneyville here. The Democrats taking the past high ground won't help in Mississippi or hardly elsewhere, in my opinion. It has barely helped nationally. This has been tried many times and failed. "If you going o fight the devil (so to speak) you gotta get down in the hole with him." Those so-called progressives who say they will vote the republican way this time probably voted that way the last time too. I don't know them, but I don't trust them. The Democrats have to take the best shot and let the chips fall where they may. They shouldn't listen to republicans disguised as progressives or others who do not wish to punish republicans for their past wrongdoings. Republicans have gotten a free ride for many years now despite their horrible deeds. Both parties have to be punished when they're wrong and forced to do right by the people. The Democrats risk losing it all again trying to placate people who only pretend to share their interest. You have to stand for something; otherwise, you continue to be called spineless and with no vision. People who want to vote republican are free to do so, but Democrats won't continue to accept blame for it. To say people are voting the republican way as a default to Democrats' lack of policy, vision and spine is a lie I no longer accept it. Moreover, it has always been a lie. If republicans aren't perfect why do Democrats have to be. Finally, the race and class issues are still dominating factors here. They can never be overlooked or downsized when the two parties are at war. I'm against racism of any kind and nature, and argue the Democrats have a better record this day and time of being race-neutral and accepting of all.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T08:40:09-06:00

ID

115244

Comment

I think Ive decided to interject myself in this discussion. I was compelled to call in and query Eaves on Hot Talk at 9 on 97.7 yesterday as I feel one, no one knows about this election and two, few people care, and three, my demographic needs to have someone bring them the facts. We've been grossly overlooked during this election by BOTH campaigns. Seems like everyone is pandering to the conservative, gun-fanatic right. NOT GOOD. first of all Ray, I agree 100%(which makes the 2nd time in as many days and that scares me because i usually like for everyone to disagree with me :)). If ya gonna go toe to toe wit the devil you gotta get in that hole point blank. couldnt have said it better. Democrats have spent too much time being indecisive.(which i think is kinda making a firm decision lol) and too much time trying BE republican-like trying to pander to a wacky holy roller right wing that isnt gonna vote for them anyway. Bottom Line, we're choosing the lesser of two evils here and the kids and the hoods of Mississippi will again suffer. Barbour is a self-serving, good ole boy who caters to special interests and Eaves is a democrat playing the part of a religious psuedo conservative on TV with his "prayer in schools" routine. Im not necessarily happy with either choice and Cliff, the 30+ progressive set(which I just became a part of..happy bday to me) DOES see through the crap ON BOTH SIDES. Cause Barbour spills just as much bile as you say Eaves does. the NRA is about freedom? okay. LOL. I may write in on this one.

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2007-10-30T09:15:22-06:00

ID

115245

Comment

If these progressives are voting for barbour then there may be another problem afoot,which is that these folks do not find the bread and butter issues of childrens health and lowering the sales tax on groceries(issues where barbour is on the wrong side) distinctive in terms of making a voting choice. i suspect many of these progressives have families who know "the barbours" and have more affinity to that world of privilege and are just a few years from joining the republican ranks anyway. Screw that, chimneyville. That's just more elitist crap. This morning on MPB I heard Eaves say that the *first* thing he would do is return prayer to public schools (as if he's God). School buses are going to bring kids a bit early and then teachers are going to "supervise" the religious activities. (I had this funny image of some teacher from Carthage "supervising" a Muslim kid doing his morning prayers. Could happen.) If Eaves' primary issues are children's health and and the sales tax on groceries, *he* should communicate it. He hasn't. People who want a different choice from Barbour shouldn't have to go sifting through a bunch of garbage and wedge issues to find something they can vote for. Oh, and I don't give a damn who hunts. It's irrelevant to running a state. Just another idiot wedge issue. I disagree completely that the way to beat a disingenious Repubilcan is to get down in the mud with him. First, I don't believe it'll work. Secondly, I don't get how that benefits us. I'm sorry: I see a lot of political games that are turning off potential voters for Eaves (in droves, if what I'm hearing is correct, from those below 30 (especially them) and above 30). I hope you get enough of your rural white voters to make up for the loss and make all this garbage worth it. The problem he has is that he is not sounding sincere enough on the real issues, and is spending too much energy on the wedge issues. The funny part is that I've wanted to see Democrats take back the faith issue—the part where Eaves talks about his faith is what drives him to help the poor is great, but it's not sounding real amid all the over-the-top stuff. The whole thing is sad. Once again, Mississippi Dems are blowing it, and don't even know it.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-30T09:23:33-06:00

ID

115246

Comment

I don't even watch the commercials anymore on any of the races. Both parties and all candidates have gone crazy. That's how the game is now played. Lord have mercy on us!

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T09:26:35-06:00

ID

115247

Comment

"NOBODY in the NRA will vote for him, cause it's not about hunting, it's about freedom. " Cliff, you do the NRA a disservice. I know an NRA member who is not voting for Barbour. NRA members are not monolithic --- not all Republicans. For the NRA member who I know who is not voting for Barbour, it IS about guns --- the freedom to have his guns. Get your blast on!

Author

FreeClif

Date

2007-10-30T09:32:05-06:00

ID

115248

Comment

Not Saying get down in the dirt Donna, at least Im not. Im saying satnd firm ground, grabbing your canteloupes and saying. "Im right and youre wrong on these issues" period. No waffling and no pandering. I dont agree with most of the dribble republicans try to deiver ESPECIALLY on the religious/faith front cuz we all know theyve turned out to be some of the biggest freaks we've seen since Caligula. However, at least, even if theyre being hypocritical they are being a MAN about it and standing firm ground. they make a firm stance and stay with it. these Dems these days are spineless wonders! Hell no we dont give a damn who hunts and we dont give a damn who owns a gun either. Its irrelevant!

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2007-10-30T09:37:19-06:00

ID

115249

Comment

I know you didn't say that, Kaze. I hadn't seen your post when I posted. And I agree with you: Whole swaths of Mississippians are being ignored by these campaigns. It's the rhetoric of exclusion just like it was when I was growing up. Voters in rural Mississippi matter more than you and I do. The more things change ...

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-30T09:38:55-06:00

ID

115250

Comment

If you don't get down in the mud with an opponent you can't hit him hard enough to defeat him. If he's throwing mud you have to throw mud back or a rock like David reportedly did. If you want to knock him out you either pick up a bigger pile of mud and hope you hit him or you get down in the whole and wrastle and scuffle and choke and punch until one of you win or die. You can't worry about winning over people who already hate you because of long-standing historical reasons. You win over the neutral, open and fair voters, which hopefully is the majority of the voters. Again, Democrats won't be fooled into believing people are seriously voting against them based on some bad policies or positions they hold. I argue it mostly a sham for hidden reasons. Otherwise, I would have to believe all Democrats are dumb and scared, and I know this isn't the case. If the republicans are offering what these undecided, open and fair voters are wanting or is in need of then they should be happy and not considering making any changes in their voting patterns. Neither party is perfect and won't ever become that way. Don't get me wrong, I do believe that Democrats could win a small percentage of additional voters if they took different positions on a few wedge issues. However, I believe the fallouts would be drastic and it would play into the hands of, and the traps set my the opposing party. We're playing a numbers game here which the Democrats have lost on the last few occasions. If these alleged on-the-fence and open voters remain quiet and fail to mobilize or express an interest to punish republicans for their past wrongs, why should Democrats believe they can trust or win them over? This assumption/mistake has already been made and met with drastic consequences.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T10:03:34-06:00

ID

115251

Comment

I'm finished with this. I doubt anyone gets what I'm talking about. I'm not sure that I get it either. He, he. I'm speaking more nationally than locally. Maybe.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T10:10:49-06:00

ID

115252

Comment

i believe eaves' views are sincerely held and on the stuff the jfp editor is railing about eaves' views are no different than barbour's and do not put him at odds with everyday black voters(many of whom live in rural areas).during september and during the debates eaves drew distinct differences on policy(i.e. childrens health) that had barbour on the defensive. the times these rural whites the editor worries about coalesced with blacks and white Democratic loyalists to support a candidate mississippi went for jimmy carter and elected two relatively progressive governors,namely cliff finch and bill allain(although cliff was a bit of a disaster in office).these are salt of the earth folks who have no reason to vote for a plutocrat named barbour and are the first to benefit from the bread and butter issues of the Democratic Party.i say :there is room in the tent for everybody.

Author

chimneyville

Date

2007-10-30T10:12:47-06:00

ID

115253

Comment

You empower a wedge issue by trying to out-wedge it. And does anyone have an example of a Democrat beating a Republican on one of their wedge issues handy?

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-30T10:13:59-06:00

ID

115254

Comment

Kaze and musicchick, I notice that you say you're going to write in a candidate instead of voting for either Barbour or Eaves, a conclusion I've also come to. According to the Secretary of State's office, however, you won't be able to do that. I checked on it a few weeks ago and mentioned it in this post (5th comment from the top): http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/comments.php?id=15039_0_27_0_C According to the woman I spoke with there and the law itself (as I read it), the only way you can write in a candidate is if one of the candidates on a printed ballot withdraws from the race. I find the law unclear as to voting machines but they are what we will be voting with. So what do you do? A 'Democrat' like John Eaves, Jr., who panders to the religious right might just as well call himself a Dixiecrat, as Donna says. We definitely do not need the introduction of a theocracy in this country and the Constitution is clear on that point. But to vote for a Republican who won't distance himself from the present administration is no choice either.

Author

lucdix

Date

2007-10-30T10:19:09-06:00

ID

115255

Comment

i just read ladd's last post and i found it to be thoughtful and am taking it to heart and may even pass her commments along to persons who may be able to adjust

Author

chimneyville

Date

2007-10-30T10:28:31-06:00

ID

115256

Comment

I agree with Donna and Chimneyville on their latest comments. That's where the true power and winning likely exist. Is anyone willing to do it. I'm open to this.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T10:32:36-06:00

ID

115257

Comment

I won't hold my breath, chimney. I've been trying to tell the state Dems how to reach new/young/disenchanted/influential voters for years now, and they are too busy playing games and enriching TV stations with goofy rhetoric to pay a lick of attention. Meantime, the drain from the Dems continues, and the tent gets smaller, not bigger. Y'all need to wipe the sleep from your eyes. Listen or not, I don't care. I've given up on both parties.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-30T10:34:11-06:00

ID

115258

Comment

My only lingering problem is that it puts the responsibility on Democrats to change things with the republicans again getting a complete pardon and blemishless send-off to continue their ways. This just doesn't sit well with me. Punish all or punish none is my preference. Blaming Democrats for this is tantamount to punishing those trying to do right and again letting those clearly doing wrong go completely free.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T10:47:59-06:00

ID

115259

Comment

Such has become the unfortunate way of the world Ray..Punish all/none would be great in theory but not practical. the Repubs or "Re-pubes" as I like to call em will in essence get off free. the victory comes in banishing them to a corner where they realize their voice is but a whisper in a small uninfluential pool of the few. and that americans are much more progressive, educated, and simply smarter than they give them credit for. and we dont need their "moral hypocrisy" to save us from ourselves so to speak. It sux but it is what it is. We cant concentrate on them being punished. they are the party of privelege. ALways have been, always will be and ultimately the problems of the laypeople dont concern them more or less so we must show them that a vocal more open-minded majority has no problem putting them on political time out

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2007-10-30T10:58:25-06:00

ID

115260

Comment

Amen, Kamikaze. But too many poor people have smoked and gotten addicted to the crack of the republican party, and it's hard to clean them up now. I'm not even sure it can be done anymore. Donna has given up on both parties. I have given up on only one thus far. I would love to see this world you speak of, and the one Donna hopes for. Hope is fading in my world, and I'm in the fighting mode now. Yet, something good and righteous can always wake me up and win me over.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T11:05:45-06:00

ID

115261

Comment

It doesn't mean the Democrats have to change anything but themselves, and their own message. The negative-ugly cycle has to end, and someone has to have the courage to end it. The Democrats could lead on it if they would stand up and focus on what is truly moral and important to Americans, rather than playing to their worst instincts, and no state has ever been better at *that* than this one. I'm in a fighting mood, too. But I don't believe in fighting losing battles in the mud where you become just as much of a bigot as the bad guy. I believe in fighting with the light at your back, in using your faith to be passionate about people's needs and problems, to rise above pettiness and be the candidates that no one can find anymore. Of course, our current politics runs away people who would be willing to do that (like all the young people I know who won't call themselves a Democrat or a Republican). That has worked well for the GOP because it's been a party of late that benefits from a limited number of voters (see: voter ID), but the Dems *need* new voters. The irony of it all is that the GOP is being forced to remake itself after all the national scandals of late, and it could well emerge again as the more progressive party of the two main ones, especially as southern Democrats decide to return to their Dixiecrat roots. All of us independents are up for grabs, and in the state the Dems are doing an abysmal job of grabbing us. The real fight, folks, is not in the mud. Doing this newspaper and seeing where our readers and support comes from (all parties and walks of life), I know well that Mississippians want something better from their media and their politicians. They are sick and tired of being treated like bigots and uneducated morons. Tomorrow's power-party will be the one that figures that out first.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-30T11:17:09-06:00

ID

115262

Comment

I have one question, what has Haley Barbour Done for the City of JACKSON MS. Yeah people will say "hes not he mayor of jackson" but neither is he the mayor of Tupelo and Columbus and any city that he brings economic development to. He's govenor of The State of Mississippi and Jackson is located in Mississippi. Instead of zipping aroud the state and lobbying for every town but the capital can Jackson ms proper get a piece of that Mississippi Pie. Name one thing That Haley has done for Jackson his years in Office, nothing and thats a Da** shame.

Author

NewJackson

Date

2007-10-30T11:24:48-06:00

ID

115263

Comment

The first time I saw Eaves hanging off that fence with the Bible propped up in his hands, I knew I wouldn't vote for him. You guys are right...he's pandering to what he believes are the people who are "important" in MS and using the "Democratic" title to get other votes. We need Democrats who are DEMOCRATS. Eaves won't win using his current strategy because he won't garner enough votes from Haley's supporters...and the one group which IS underrepresented in MS (progressive Democrat/liberals) won't vote for him because of the prayer issue. Its a no win situation. But, If I see that man hanging off a fence post holding a Bible again...I'm going to VOMIT A MONEY CHANGER. I stopped watching television for a whole year the last time this election "commercial" cycle came up. I now know why. It isn't healthy to be screaming at the television before 7am. Its horrible that instead of stating their platform points, the commercials are only about attacking the other candidates. Its a flat out tragedy that we have to have a news show which only purpose is to cut through the bullsh!t ads and tell the people what ACTUALLY happened. Is this the best we have to offer here? I would also like to add that I, myself, am in a piss nasty mood today.

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-10-30T11:47:36-06:00

ID

115264

Comment

Lori G: "I would also like to add that I, myself, am in a piss nasty mood today." lol Funny, I never would have guessed that..... I don't watch tv at all (cancelled it a long time ago to the shock of the Roadrunner staff who seemed incapable of understanding my reason that there was just plain too much junk on it) unless I'm stuck in a motel room on a road trip and then see it's just as dumb as ever. I can picture that Bible ad easily enough and yeah, I'd scream at the boob tube too (but before 7 a.m.?)

Author

lucdix

Date

2007-10-30T11:56:04-06:00

ID

115265

Comment

This is a nice commentary Donna, but I'm still un-persuaded. I will need proof that there is really something majorally, morally or substantively wrong with the Democratic party. You're still blaming the Democratic party for what republicans and independents have done. I can't accept that. It's not the truth, in my view. It assumes there is little or nothing wrong with the people who hates the party, and votes the other way to spite and harm it. It ignores history. You can never get the truth and respond to the true issue without some consideration of history. History is often the great neutralizer. If the Democrats message is so wrong then people should continue to be independents and republicans and allow the republicans to have their way on us mere citizens. This is fine with me, just stop blaming the Democrats for the actions, acquiesence and failing of republicans and independents. If independents refuse to join the so-called lesser of the evil party at any given point then I argue they're indirectly responsible also for the state the country winds up in. Most so-called independents spend an inordinate amount of time blaming Democrats and far too little time blaming republicans who clearly bears most of the blame at this point and time. I would love to see how the family members and love ones of these so-called independents vote. I bet that would largely tell the story of why these so-called independents are so intractable to joining a coalition with the so-called spineless and weak Democrats when they know the Democrats would better serve the country in some instances. Party affiliation is not rocket science or religion. You can switch or change whenever you please based on the situation. The present-time Democrats are not the bigoted party of the past. A stronger argument can be made that the republican party is that. If the republican party is clearly doing so many things that are clearly immoral and bad for the country and yet have great support, what does that say about that party and the people who vote that way? The only reason the republican party is changing is because of self-destruction and desire to win at all cost, not because of any morality that party has. It barely has any and the real truth is yet to be told. Yet it full of people pretending to be moral and righteous and blaming Democrats who have been poewerless for years. Based on the foregoing I disagree that there are many people up for grab, although I believe they tell you they are. We will see though. When you have knowingly supported evildoings repeatedly, you can't just tell me you're interested in seeing changes if the Democrats will do this and that. People support evil because they are evil themselves when it comes to politic. No one goes in the booth with you. No one follows you to the polls. I have to see some proof that the hearts and minds of people have changed or is open to change. As always, I'll say different when I see different.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T11:59:34-06:00

ID

115266

Comment

Lori-"But, If I see that man hanging off a fence post holding a Bible again...I'm going to VOMIT A MONEY CHANGER." That's funny!

Author

Cliff Cargill

Date

2007-10-30T11:59:43-06:00

ID

115267

Comment

No, Ray, I'm blaming the Democrats for what they have not done. On many levels. They started losing me with all the so-what defenses of Clinton's sexual harassment and lies to cover up his on-the-job sexual shenanigans (not that I was a stalwart anyway, but still). And in this state, they have lost me by not giving a damn about the actual progressive (and I don't mean leftie-liberal) voters in this state. They treat us like stepchildren, and just assume that we will show up and vote for them no matter what kinds of games they play. They take us for granted. They don't run good candidates against someone like Chip Pickering, and they do nothing to make young smart people want to grow up and be a Democrat. They don't even do their part to help stop the brain drain in our state. And the party itself here has even treated my newspaper shabbily when we've tried to do interviews with visiting national Democratic figures (thus showing them to young potential voters). So we go around them. They seem more interested in personal power games than in actually developing a new voter base. Oh, and they keep losing, to boot. I generalize, of course.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-30T12:07:05-06:00

ID

115268

Comment

Oh, and local Democrats did nothing to keep Melton off their ticket, even though he wasn't a Democrat and was lying about his homestead exemption. And a lot of them knew exactly why they shouldn't let him run. Democrats need to grow a damn backbone.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-30T12:08:40-06:00

ID

115269

Comment

Donna, well said.

Author

Ex

Date

2007-10-30T12:17:25-06:00

ID

115270

Comment

If I could borrow from Gomer Pyle's "shame, shame, shame"; I'd say "blame, blame, blame" the Democrats for everything. Again, the Democrats are not without faults, but their faults right now don't trump the faults of the repubs.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T12:18:58-06:00

ID

115271

Comment

But it's not about trumping the faults of the Republicans (and you know how I feel about the current GOP)! It's about doing what's best for the American people and getting as many as possible into the tent, rather than following the Republican lead and going for the most fearful and angry and isolationist voters (which, remember, benefits Repubs more than Dems anyway). Democrats need to watch succumbing to the same bigotry of low expectations. The GOP has perfected it, but there is not enough to go around, and when Dems try to mimic Republicans, ironically they play into their hands.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-30T12:24:02-06:00

ID

115272

Comment

It isn't healthy to be screaming at the television before 7am. No, it isn't... I have been doing that and was screaming at it this morning about the new mandate to test kids for autism before they're even 2 years old. But that's another topic for another day. I am not sure what I will do if I can't write somebody in for the Guvna. When I voted in the primary I did notice "write in" as an option, so I'll see if it shows up this time. I guess if I had to pick the lesser of the two weevils it would be Haley, but I really don't want to vote for him either. Meh.

Author

music chick

Date

2007-10-30T12:38:21-06:00

ID

115273

Comment

I think you can just skip voting in that race if you want.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-30T12:40:24-06:00

ID

115274

Comment

One good democrat called and said, "good and moral democrats are all out of patience and time for trickery from the wicked side. Stone for stone is all the dark side understands, so let's go stoning. The winner leads the people. No one was talking about morals earlier."

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T12:40:59-06:00

ID

115275

Comment

Then it sounds like the Dark Side has won, Ray. I, on the other hand, am infected with the audacity of hope, and I believe that humans will rise toward the light if anyone is bothering to turn it on.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-30T12:42:45-06:00

ID

115276

Comment

I thought I'd post a link to a post on the Huffington Post about the plans of the religious right (aka John Arthur Eaves, Jr. in this case) to impose a theocracy on America. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/max-blumenthal/theocracy-now_b_70314.html It's a video from the recent 'Value Voters' summit (as if the religious right were the only group concerned with values) and in one of the interviews the person questioned replied that he believed that with time there should be no more public schools, only Christian schools. We really don't need anyone in office thinking even remotely in this way, including the present Democratic candidate for governor.

Author

lucdix

Date

2007-10-30T12:46:16-06:00

ID

115277

Comment

And Democrats should have spent a lot more time talking about (and demonstrating) real morals earlier in the game. If they had, then they wouldn't have opened the gate wide for the fake wink-wink kind to take over. When it did, they spent years cowering, too afraid to mention things like faith and spirituality and Proverbs 14:31 in the public sphere, and to explain why the First Amendment actually protects freedom of religion because, you know, Americans are too stupid to understand such arcane constitutional issues. Now they dare wonder how they lost teen spirit, so to speak. Talk about hiding in the dark. Now the best thing they can do nationally, it seems, is send the Clinton dysfunctional duo back to the White House for another round of White Trash Goes to Washington. Great. At least Bill won't be on the public clock when he tucks the intern under the desk to do her duty while he does his presidential duty by telephone. Pass the cigars. It's never good enough to be a little less evil or bigoted or sexist, by the way. If that's the goal, the party is lost.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-30T12:50:22-06:00

ID

115278

Comment

I was reading something about autism & it's prevalence in society which said there is at least some scientific evidence connecting certain early childhood vaccines with the new high levels of autism...but that's for another thread... I almost believe Eaves when he says, this is for a moment of silence, not enforced prayer. But if that's the case, why isn't he saying a word regarding other forms of religion and prayer? That disturbs me...a leader needs to acknowledge both his own views and the diverse views of his or her constituency.

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-10-30T12:55:09-06:00

ID

115279

Comment

Apparently, Laurel, it is "supervised" prayer—by teachers before they call the roll. (Per him on MPB this a.m.) I guess that makes it constitutional. All the Christians I know couldn't agree on a prayer—much less the issue of mixing in all the other faiths. I'm so tired of this particular wedge issue because it pushes illiteracy and anti-intellectualism in a state that has had enough of both of those things. Imagine having candidates who treat Mississippians like we're smart and not racist. A whole new pool of potential voters would open up. As it is, they scrap for the same people over and over again because, contrary to what they all like to tell us, they don't believe our state has changed. And in so doing, they convince the rest of the country and the world of the same thing. We have no further to look than our own political demagogues when someone out there says something disparaging about our state. They're the ones who push the old-fashioned image the hardest. I'm out.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-30T12:59:07-06:00

ID

115280

Comment

Blame, blame, blame the Democrats, while the country goes to hell in a handbasket, with republicans sufferring no consequnces whatsoever no matter the level of malevolence, and, most of all, continuing to win at all cost, and destroying us as a nation. There is nothing to worry about though because republicans, independents and party-goers of all natures and kinds can always fall back to that ever-ready excusing and cleansing phenomenon of blaming the democrats. There must have been classes where this was taught in school. How else can this skill be learned so nationally and well.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T13:03:51-06:00

ID

115281

Comment

I don't know how "supervised prayer" is consitutional, though I suspect you are being ironic...it does seem that Republicans have defined themselves as being Christian and there is one big source of their domination of politics in the past 10 years, they have networks through churches that mobilize voters. Can't the Christian Left also be moblized? I know there are plenty of Christians who don't support the Republican version of reality. Maybe that is what Eaves strives to do here, though I regret I find his use of the school prayer issue more about publicity than anything else. He knows it will get him attention.

Author

Izzy

Date

2007-10-30T13:10:24-06:00

ID

115282

Comment

Izzy-I agree. When I bemoaned the Bible-Beatin' Fence-Post-Preachin' commercial, my boyfriend wisely stated, "Baby, that was about twenty thousand votes." I believe that Eaves thinks he will get some Democratic votes "just because he ain't Barbour.". The rest he's trying to garner using crappy commercials like the one I mentioned above. It insults me.

Author

Lori G

Date

2007-10-30T13:28:30-06:00

ID

115283

Comment

I was reading something about autism & it's prevalence in society which said there is at least some scientific evidence connecting certain early childhood vaccines with the new high levels of autism...but that's for another thread... Laurel we should talk about this over our coffee! I don't want to get off topic here. But I will say for the record that I think the bit about childhood vaccines is mostly a bunch of hooey.... just like a lot of the crap coming out of these politicians mouths. See how I turned that around and got back on topic? Wheee!! I know I could skip voting for governor altogether, but isn't that wasting my vote moreso than if I could write someone in?

Author

music chick

Date

2007-10-30T13:39:31-06:00

ID

115284

Comment

here is a thought: the third congressional district seat (which includes south madison,jacson north of fortification and west of state, and rankin)will be vacant next year because of chip pickering's decision not to run. the primary comes early,in march, and the filing deadline ,remarkably, is in january.i would love to see five(or more) candidates running in the democratic primary emphasizing the issues that each thinks is of importance to our state and nation.parties are greatly shaped by the candidates and officials who participate in them.so, i invite our bloggers to start thinking about fielding candidates who reflect their views .. on a slightly different note i hope to wake up wednesday morning and find several great folks,all Democrats, elected despite the efforts of the barbour money machine:they are :jim hood,gary anderson,rickey cole,david baria,david blount,cecil brown,gloria williamson,debbie dawkins,and the list goes on

Author

chimneyville

Date

2007-10-30T13:40:33-06:00

ID

115285

Comment

Hey, Ray, I don't blame the Democrats for all our present problems at all, to the contrary. What I don't understand is why they keep funding the war in Iraq, why they give the Republicans a free pass when it comes to torture, illegal wiretapping, and more, why they'd even consider approving someone like Gonzales or Mukasey as AG, why they haven't impeached GWB for high crimes and misdmeanors, and so forth. To me their sins at the moment are of omission - happily staying asleep at the switch, going along to get along - less of commission. And, as Donna mentions above, how they could permit Frank Melton to run as a Democrat or stand by while Eaves does his 'let's establish a Christian theocracy' number in clear violation of the Constitution is beyond me.

Author

lucdix

Date

2007-10-30T13:44:52-06:00

ID

115286

Comment

that is east of state street

Author

chimneyville

Date

2007-10-30T13:45:14-06:00

ID

115287

Comment

So Fondren is District 3? I know Belhaven is...

Author

Todd Stauffer

Date

2007-10-30T13:47:31-06:00

ID

115288

Comment

Folks, I never said I support school prayer or using religion as a drawing card. I was being ironic and evasive. I'd be reluctant to do either. But I'm not against getting down in the hole if the public is allowing the type to win elections. I totally agree with Donna last comment of 1:59. It's been real. Now I have to work tonite to make up for time lost. About that "Blame the Democrat disease that has gone all around by now. A republican friend told me at lunch a few minutes ago that this is taught at church and places of worship. He remembered Revern Git-On-Down saying to the congregation: "Have y'all done your daily duty and blamed a Democrat? If your self-esteem and self-imagery is suffering or low blame a democrat and feel better. If you're feeling bad about that vote for the war and against poor children, blame and Democrat and immediately feel better. Id you're not really comfortable with the way things are going right now for the country, blame and democrat and be healed.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T13:54:04-06:00

ID

115289

Comment

Chimneyville-- There very well may be five Democratic candidates for the District 3 seat, but I think of that number there may be 1, possibly 2 serious candidates. Lucdix-- As most of us know, the theocracy talk is just that, talk. The problem is though that Eaves is walking like a Republican and quacking like a Republican. Not that there's anything wrong with being Republican (as I mentioned earlier, I am voting for Barbour), I just want my Democratic candidates to, well, be Democratic, and Eaves is not doing a good enough job of communicating what it is to be a Democrat. He has a very low signal-to-noise ratio.

Author

Ex

Date

2007-10-30T14:02:14-06:00

ID

115290

Comment

Lucdix, might I give the familiar refrain, Democrats aren't perfect. "They've been down so long, getting up has barely crossed their minds."

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T14:12:35-06:00

ID

115291

Comment

How 'bout the Democratic Party start thinking about "fielding" candidates who espouse Democratic views? The problem is that the party has turned off so many good people that they don't want to run as Democrats. And therein lies y'all's PR problem. And it's yours to fix. Hint: Pandering to an angry conservative homophobic xenophobe in Carroll County won't do it.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-30T14:16:09-06:00

ID

115292

Comment

Howdy, Ex, Well, obviously I see it trying to break down the wall between church (or any religion) and state as a critical issue or I wouldn't keep returning to it, and I don't think for a second it's 'just talk'. Eaves himself, however, aside from that issue just doesn't impress me. I'd love to see Republicans defeated across the board in this country for supporting George W. Bush, the worst president in US history, but the Dems here running someone like JA Eaves, Jr., gives me no incentive whatsoever to vote for him. Wasn't Goldwater's slogan 'A Choice, Not an Echo'? Well, I see Eaves as an echo, not a choice. I'd love to have a real choice between Haley and a serious, progressive Democratic candidate.

Author

lucdix

Date

2007-10-30T14:17:15-06:00

ID

115293

Comment

Furthermore, the democrats are quite mindful of being called anti-american or weak on national security. They don't have the power to get George Bush yet as their numbers are too marginal. It's that simple.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T14:17:25-06:00

ID

115294

Comment

precinct 14(fondren presbo) is in 3 but 16(woodlandhills bap) and 17(st james) are in 2 >HOWEVER you only need to be a qualified elector of the state of mississippi and do not have to reside in the district to run (see frank smith in 1962 versus whitten). lets find us an "al gore " type to run on energy and the environment and see how that travels. or, how about a "jim webb" type veteran to campaign on Iraq policy and national guard deployment?or, maybe we might have a s"occer mom meets hillary clinton" in our midst to campaign on health insurance, but just havnt found her yet. or how about a candiate who subscribes to the new urnbanism and campigns to save our capital city?the GOP is talking about up to 10 folks running in their primary.the democrats ought to match that

Author

chimneyville

Date

2007-10-30T14:21:15-06:00

ID

115295

Comment

A choice not an echo..Damn that's good! and sadly true.

Author

Kamikaze

Date

2007-10-30T14:28:24-06:00

ID

115296

Comment

Outside the south democrats aren't looked upon so poorly. In the south I question whether democrats legitimately lost their support. Racism is still, by and large, the reason for it. Where is the proof to the contrary? I question whether this pathology can be overcomed in large enough numbers to matter, and I question how much effort should be placed into such a futile effort. Maybe the best course is to let the south and Mississippi be what it no doubt is, and continue to refer to it as it is. Before Eaves' strategy, strange as it may seem, no one was even talking about the democrats for governor. Who knows what will work on screwed up Mississippians. We know racism works. Let see if religion will too!

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T14:30:16-06:00

ID

115297

Comment

I was thinking that was a Goldwater campaign slogan, just googled the phrase. It may have been but it was also the title of a book by Phyllis Schlafly, a right wing, pro-Goldwater political activist opposed to, among many other things, feminism. The thought, however, still applies here. Eaves is not a real choice.

Author

lucdix

Date

2007-10-30T14:36:31-06:00

ID

115298

Comment

donna, you must have missed my post. there are some excellent men and women running for office this year,as Democrats> i was suggesting that if people are disappointed with eaves then the way to address it in the future is to step up to the plate and run,perhaps for congress.. the party truly is the sum of its parts ,all you need do to run as a democrat is file,and generally we do better when we have an array of candidates in the primary to choose from. i suspect that if moore,mabus or musgrove were the nominees your tone would be different now.but,they chose not to run --and eaves did.his campaign has kept barbour preoccupied and i believe this will have prevented barbour from running the tables to completely control state government and in particualr control legislative redistricting. eaves has not competed with any other candiadte for political funds and has in fact infused the democratic side with several millions of dollars. should i be anticipating a barbour endorsement from your publication tomorrow?

Author

chimneyville

Date

2007-10-30T14:37:11-06:00

ID

115299

Comment

Lucdix-- No, you're right. Here's a 1964 Goldwater campsign button.

Author

Ex

Date

2007-10-30T14:41:50-06:00

ID

115300

Comment

Oops. I meant campaign, but still.

Author

Ex

Date

2007-10-30T14:42:14-06:00

ID

115301

Comment

Thanks, Ex. Now you've got me wondering who Miller, his running mate, was. More googling ahead (as if I didn't have real work to do...).

Author

lucdix

Date

2007-10-30T14:47:04-06:00

ID

115302

Comment

You're missing my point, chimney. I don't know many progressives in our state who want to run as Democrats. It's the party's responsibility to back up the pipeline and, you know, open that tent to people who aren't fake Republicans, or afraid to criticize the GOP's wedge issues, rather than try to out-wedge the wedge artists. The paper will be out tomorrow afternoon. Stay tuned for the election issue.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-30T14:48:26-06:00

ID

115303

Comment

and i actually care about that poor bastard from carroll county, pulling in about $20k a year with no health insurance for him and his kids,and who ought to be voting Democrat.

Author

chimneyville

Date

2007-10-30T14:51:35-06:00

ID

115304

Comment

Here's a Goldwater-Miller ticket for the younger generation.

Author

Ex

Date

2007-10-30T15:00:21-06:00

ID

115305

Comment

and i actually care about that poor b****** from carroll county, pulling in about $20k a year with no health insurance for him and his kids,and who ought to be voting Democrat. If that's the case, talk directly to them about real issues rather than beating them to death with wedge issues that aren't going to trump their love affair with Haley Barbour. I care about them, too. I just think more highly of them than y'all do. Maybe because they're the kind of people who raised me to be who I am.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-30T15:04:36-06:00

ID

115306

Comment

That's a great link, Ex! Thanks, again. Will have to read the site more carefully when I have time this evening. As far as today's Republican party being nothing like the party of Goldwater, I agree. When people like Dwight Eisenhower's son and Bill Buckley repudiate the current party, you know there's been a major change. Current Republicans have appropriated the name, not the values, which they only parrot, not believing in them for a second.

Author

lucdix

Date

2007-10-30T15:08:37-06:00

ID

115307

Comment

We screwed up with Frank for sure. The democratic party here nearly gave up on trying to out-wit republicans. I still say you can't blame democrats because southern poor whites were so open to the dope of hatred the republicans offered. This notions takes away the responsibility from the individuals to have judgment and discernment. These poor Mississippians heard what they wanted to hear. What's in you will come out you in deeds and reactions. The only way the democrats could have outwitted the republicans were to offer the same racism, be it raw or disguised. We got to face our demons in order to move on. The democratic party took the high roads years ago, and is the party of inclusion to this day. The democratic party did not leave crazy Zell Miller unless he wanted to stay in the fifties, which he probably did. Since it's now 2007, we will see if the south is finally ready for inclusion outside of Atlanta and a few other places.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T15:21:30-06:00

ID

115308

Comment

I still say you can't blame democrats because southern poor whites were so open to the dope of hatred the republicans offered. For the love of tea in China, Ray, no one's blaming the Dems for the Repub actions. I'm blaming Dems for what they do. Stop the bait and switch. Or the satire. Whatever it is.

Author

DonnaLadd

Date

2007-10-30T15:43:36-06:00

ID

115309

Comment

Maybe no one here is doing it. But I know some republicans who blame democrats for everything including this. I'm not baiting and switching but I stop whatever I'm doing.

Author

Ray Carter

Date

2007-10-30T15:56:46-06:00