Mississippi’s Highways and By-ways

There are some absolutely beautiful drives in Mississippi, very scenic and very interesting.  But do these highways and by-ways need special names?  Lots of drives in the state have been re-named this or that, “blues highway” for example.

Senate bill SB2735 renames highway 67 in Soiuth Mississippi as the “Biloxi-d’Iberville Scenic Expressway”.  The bill actually says:

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 65-41-57, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO RENAME THE “HIGHWAY 67 SCENIC BYWAY” AS THE “BILOXI-D’IBERVILLE SCENIC EXPRESSWAY”; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

How many have driven Highway 67?  Then will someone tell me what the scenic part is?  Nothing but pine trees and popcorn trees. with an occasional building of some sort, none of which would be considered an attraction.  So what did the state accomplish by re-naming this highway?

NOTHING!  This is just another waste of time by the legislature, kinda like the commending of half the state on some thing or the making of every other day as “National Whip-dicky Day”.  These jerks spend more time patting someone on the back or re-naming something than they do on the actually necessary business of the state.

So the legislature wastes money and time on superficial horsesh!t and how much will the cost be to make new improved road signs, the installation and so forth.

When the state finally get a group of representatives that actually want to work foir the better of Mississippi?  Probably never!   This type of bill makes the rep look like he is voting for substand when in reality he is just increasing his count, because about 80% of a reps vote total is on absolutely worthless, mindless crap.

Do You Want Someone To Blame?

The economic crisis we are facing has many ugly side effects, unemployment, foreclosure, recession, etc.  The people of the state of Mississippi are facing the unemployment rate of 9.2% and the likelihood of it going higher, loss of state revenue that could cause state cuts in much needed programs.  The stim package is coming, but I do not think it will be near enough to help us out of our dilemma.

But as Americans we need someone to blame and as Mississippians we definitely need to know who is to blame.  So if you are struggling with the economy, or unemployed or facing foreclosure and your 401k is just about worthless, there are some from Mississippi that are to blame.

Back in 2000 the US Congress passed the Financial Sercvices Modernization Act which basically deregulated the banking industry, which made room for hedge funds and corporations that got too big to fail and in turn set the economy up for the crap we are now experiencing.

Of Mississippi’s congress people who voted for the Act…..both Senators Lott and Cchran and the now senator Pickering voted to deregulate the banks so they could screw the economy.  Rep. Taylor was the only Mississippian to vote NO on the act.

So you really want someone to blame?  The remaining culprits of Pickering and Cochran are still playing games with the lives of Mississippians…will you hold them responsible?

Pat On The Back For Home Schooling

The Mississippi legislature has a resolution before it to recognize the state’s “unwavering” support for home schooling with House Concurrent Resolution 77  which states:

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING MISSISSIPPI’S UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION IN THE DESIGNATION OF THE WEEK OF MAY 11-15, 2009, AS MISSISSIPPI HOME EDUCATION WEEK IN THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.

Let us be honest home schooling for the most part is attempted because the parents do not want their children mixing with minorities or other religious teachings.  It is a form of racism.

The resolution spotlights the home schooling of Geo. Washington and Patrick Henry…thinking…it was in a frontier area and the early 18th century, there was about 4 schools in the Colonies and home schooling was about the only way to be educated.  But the most ludicrous example was Booker T. Washington….the man was born in slavery and they were not ALLOWED to be educated….so home schooling was the only option his family had.

There is a good reason that home schooling in Mississippi should be recognized and that is that the educational programs in Mississippi suck wind.  instead of making the hime schooling sound more noble than it is, maybe they should use it as a way to justify improving education in the state.

Former Gov. To Lead Navy

President Obama yesterday nominated former Mississippi governor Ray Mabus to be secretary of the Navy.

A Democrat, Mabus was governor of Mississippi from January 1988 to January 1992 and also served as US ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1994 to 1996 under President Bill Clinton. Mabus served in the Navy from 1970 to 1972 as a surface warfare officer on the Newport, R.I.-based USS Little Rock. Before then, he was in the Naval ROTC while he was an undergraduate student at the University of Mississippi.

Newspapers Could Get Government Help

With many U.S. newspapers struggling to survive, a Democratic senator on Tuesday introduced a bill to help them by allowing newspaper companies to restructure as nonprofits with a variety of tax breaks.

Cardin’s Newspaper Revitalization Act would allow newspapers to operate as nonprofits for educational purposes under the U.S. tax code, giving them a similar status to public broadcasting companies.

Under this arrangement, newspapers would still be free to report on all issues, including political campaigns. But they would be prohibited from making political endorsements.

Advertising and subscription revenue would be tax exempt, and contributions to support news coverage or operations could be tax deductible.

“We are losing our newspaper industry,” Cardin said. “The economy has caused an immediate problem, but the business model for newspapers, based on circulation and advertising revenue, is broken, and that is a real tragedy for communities across the nation and for our democracy.”

Come on….this is just flipping silly!  Sounds like a bailout of newspapers, to a minor extent.  So the corporations that own these papers will now have a non profit outlet to abuse the tax code?

I Vote….Wait!

Seems a Harrison County state representative has accomplished the impossible….he can be in two places at once.  I now look for a book on how he can do it.

Wait!  Here is how!  He cheated!  It seems that he was in capital of Jackson to vote on a couple of bills and in Biloxi, about 150 miles away at a bridge collapse.  It seems that someone voted for him.  It has been said that this is a usual occurance.

House Clerk Don Richardson said although the rules don’t allow lawmakers to vote for each other.  Maybe there should be an investigation into who is cheating and lying and who is not.

Janus is in favor of a statewide standard for counting, verfying and ensuring accuracy in voting.  Maybe that should be extended to include our crackerjack reps in Jackson.

Stop Wasting Precious Time!

My advice to the MS state legislature.  There are so few days left until next month and the close of the regulation session, most of the Reps are spoending the time patting someone on the back for something.  But the most ridiculous so far is HR 82:

A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING JASMINE MURRAY, THE FIRST MISSISSIPPIAN TO ADVANCE TO THE TOP 13 ON “AMERICAN IDOL.”

Okay let me say from the outset that this person should be commended for the fact they she has made it to where she is and the state should be proud of her and the state should let her know of their pride in her.  But why not get a certificate of appreciation let it be signed by gov, lt. gov.  and speaker of the house and mail it to her.

Gee that is simple and avoids all the trappings of some legislature grand standing.  The person would be pleased, the state would be proud and time could be spent on really important issues, like finding ways to improve the lives of Mississippians.

Katrina Is Still Harming Coastians

Almost four years after Hurricane Katrina kicked the crap outta the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and the residents are still suffering from its effects.  First it was the extreme damage of property loss and lives lost.  Then it was the unscrupulous contractors.  On to FEMA trailers that were tainted.  A/holes that were defrauding the government even to include some government officials. And now, there is the possibility that an esstential of the rebuilding, drywall, may be dangerous.

The drywall in question has come to us from the country of lead paint, bad dog food and such, China.  A company named,  Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co., Ltd.

Some of the indications of bad or tainted drywall, the people the have used it have complained of respiratory problems, electronic devices inexplicably breaking down and a strong odors in their homes that smell like rotting eggs, which is due to the release of sulfur;  the sulfur smell is usually present, along with black deposits in bare copper wires, black deposits on the HVAC copper, changes to finishes on mirrors, pitting of chrome and other objects, as well as light switches that pop or have visible discharges.

Sadly, Katrina has continued to effect the lives of the Gulf Coast for years after the event and seems will continue that tact for many years to come.

Eminent Domain Is Dead

At least for now.  Gov. Barbour has vetoed the bill, where will the legislature go from here?

The bill would not have restricted the government’s use of eminent domain for public use, including drainage, utilities or colleges and universities.

Barbour has said the bill is “fatally flawed,” and that property owners can go to court to fight government seizures, however the bill passed the Republican-majority Senate unanimously, with only three House votes against it. That high rate of approval among the legislature may hand Barbour his first veto override, as the Jackson Free Press reported earlier this month,

“The U.S. Supreme Court says they can take your property and turn it over to a developer and use the commercial property to get more taxes out of it, but eminent domain should be used only when it’s absolutely necessary,” said Public Property Committee Chairman Jack Gordon, D-Okolona, when the bill was sent to the governor earlier this month. “I heard (Barbour) may veto it, but it’s a House bill and I think the House would override it, and I’m sure the Senate would override it on that issue too, because it passed with an overwhelming vote.”

Barbour Delivers GOP Response

“Hi, I’m Haley Barbour. It’s budget time for a lot of states, and we governors, Republicans and Democrats alike, are working to balance our budgets.

“Though the stimulus package spends an incredible amount of money, with some of it going to state governments, the mandates about how we have to spend much of that money, plus the severe drop in most states’ revenue, mean all governors are preparing a wide variety of significant spending cuts to balance our budgets.

“With the federal government it’s just the opposite: President Obama’s budget spends too much, taxes too much and borrows too much.

“It’s breathtaking: The new Administration’s budget for next year alone calls for a one point two TRILLION dollar deficit … nearly triple any past federal deficit.

“While families are cutting back, President Obama has proposed a massive government spending spree. It reminds me of how one of our old senators used to joke about the federal budget. He said it was like a newborn baby: insatiable appetite at one end and total irresponsibility at the other.  (there is that good old boy sense of humor)

“This astronomical record federal deficit would be accompanied by the largest tax increases in history. But trillions of new taxes won’t nearly cover all the new spending, so our children and grandchildren will be saddled with trillions more in debt.

“And this budget blowout comes on top of the debt for the $787 billion Obama stimulus package, the $410 billion omnibus appropriations bill passed by Congress this month, the $300 billion the Federal Reserve said this week it would spend to buy U.S. government bonds, and the $750 billion the Fed announced just Wednesday it would spend to buy mortgage-backed securities. Trillions and trillions in new spending mean record tax increases and record government debt.

“The cap and trade tax and other energy taxes will drive up both electricity and gasoline prices for families and for businesses. And while Wall Street gets trillions to bail them out, small businesses will get stuck with not only income tax increases but also enormous cost increases for energy: for electricity and gasoline. Families will get clobbered, too.

“Don’t take my word for it; listen to what Barack Obama himself told The San Francisco Chronicle last year, and I quote: Under my plan of cap and trade, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.

“And President Obama was right. His energy taxes, like the cap and trade tax, will drive energy costs for American families through the roof.

“In this budget season we have choices. While states are controlling spending and balancing their budgets, the Obama budget spends too much, taxes too much and borrows too much. It’s not the right choice for America.”

Why is the GOP using governors who will let their people suffer by refusing stim money as spokesmen for the party?  IMO,  just shows the party for what it really is–a party of rich white guys with a redneck mentality.  No one in the GOP has looked to the future in the past, but now all of a sudden it is a priority…..they are so worried about what will happen in the future…too bad they did not worry about that when they were helping create the problem we have now….huh?