Jackson Free Press

Taking the Long View

Once again, determined legislators beat the Medicaid drum at the Capitol on Monday, Aug. 9, when about a dozen of them gathered to demand that Gov. Haley Barbour reconsider his …

JFP INDEX: Feed, Then Starve, The Beast

•Amount, in billions, of U.S. budget surplus when G. W. Bush took office: $230

•Amount of 2004 U.S. budget that's going to Medicare: $300 billion

Quote o' the Week

— Gov. Haley Barbour, Neshoba County Fair, July 29, 2004

"Mississippi taxpayers shouldn't pay for health care coverage that the federal government will pay for."

Bold New Party?

<b>New Dem Head Wayne Dowdy on Faux Elephants and Young Voters

It's hard to get past Wayne Dowdy's name. Through no fault of his own, the new head of the Mississippi Democratic Party—a Millsaps grad, a grandfather and a U.S. congressman …

No Worry: The Feds Will Pay for Medicare (Maybe)

In a bizarre twist in ideology, Gov. Haley Barbour told Neshoba County Fair go-ers Thursday that the federal government should pick up the tab for the health-care costs of poor …

Of Sin and Politics

I remember being surprised when I got old enough to realize that not everyone had a yearly "giant house party" in their home county. In fact, the Neshoba County Fair …

Index: Your Vote Count?

• The percentage of Americans that voted in the 2000 presidential election: 54.7

• The number of Mississippians between 18 and 35: approx. 692,500• The number of Mississippians who voted in the 2000 election: 993, 571• The number of eligible Mississippi voters who …

Wayne Dowdy Will Worry State GOP

Clarion-Ledger columnist Sid Salter writes that new Mississippi Democratic Party head Wayne Dowdy will worry the state Republicans: "Dowdy is a formidable opponent in every sense of the term. He's …

Minor: Miss. GOP Lying About ‘Highest-Taxed State'

Columnist Bill Minor writes this week: "Bad enough that the chief propagandist for the Mississippi Republican Party is a turncoat Democrat, but worse that he lies to make taxpayers believe …

Ann Williams

Ann Williams, 54, is a bit tough, a little hard to take in at first. But that's because she's passionate. And she speaks the truth.

Only Children Bleed

The House Juvenile Justice Committee is holding legislative hearings on the training schools at the Capitol on July 19 from 2-5 p.m. and July 20 from 9 a.m. until noon …

Then I Got Mad

Click here to view a petition to recall Gov. Haley Barbour.

JFP PoliticsBlog Is Back! (Almost)

The JFP is re-launching our popular PoliticsBlog to track information about candidates our readers can vote for this year—from U.S. president to judicial races in Mississippi. Our news interns are …

[Barbour] Leaving No PLAD Behind

Mississippi Medicaid was bleeding badly—doubling in cost over five years—and changes had to be made. Our dilemma was this: How to keep the Medicaid program sustainable while making sure everyone …

[Cohen] Beware the Writhing of a Starving Beast

When Haley Barbour was running for governor, the national GOP pulled out its heaviest hitters to canvass the state for his campaign. George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Rudy Giuliani …

Nader Slams ‘Paymasters'

Green Party presidential hopeful Ralph Nader came to town June 16, sounding more like his old ball-busting, consumer-advocate self than a man trying to upset the presidential apple cart.

I Felt the Earth Move

It was like old home day in Neshoba County Sunday … with a few twists. The usual suspects—the people I've gotten to know in the struggle for justice and racial …

[Lott] Less Partisan, More Plainspoken

To win the War on Terror we must recognize it for what it should be—a deadly serious fight to save American lives. When we treat it as a political exercise …

Barbour Revitalizing Democratic Party?

Bobby Harrison argues in the Daily Journal that Barbour is singlehandedly revitalizing the Democratic Party in the state. I think he has a point. "Haley Barbour lives, eats and sleeps …

Barbour Trying to Bring Back 1920s

Excellent column by Ole Miss professor Joe Atkins: