Category: JFP
Remember the Lott-Thurmond Flap? Here’s a Primer.
Soon after the Jackson Free Press launched in 2002, Sen. Trent Lott came out with his infamous Strom Thurmond gaffe. If you want a refresher course on that racial gaffe, among others of Lott and other candidates pandering to white supremacists in Mississippi, read the Jackson Free Press piece, “Our Boy Trent”. It caused quite a stir at the time, presumably because things like the “southern strategy” and the Blackhawk Rally weren’t discussed much in public, or in the state’s newspapers, way back then.
Posted by ladd at 01:27 PM on 11/28/07. Discuss (2)
[JFP] JFP Rescinds Endorsement of Democrat David Blount
Posted by ladd at 10:10 AM on 11/02/07. Discuss (1)
[JFP] Analyses of 2007 Candidates and Issues
From the Jackson Free Press:
Mr. Washington Comes to Mississippi
Haley’s Shadow Money
Lt. Gov Debate Highlights Party Loyalties
The Politics of Voter ID
The Reality of Tort Reform
Election 2007: Major RacesHurricane Recovery - Barbour Style
A Recovery for the Rich?
Posted by ladd at 01:56 PM on 11/01/07. Discuss (1)
[JFP] Transcripts of JFP Interviews with 2007 Candidates
JFP Interviews:
John Arthur Eaves (D, candidate for governor)
Jamie Franks (D, candidate for lt. governor)
Attorney General Jim Hood (D, incumbent)
Mike Chaney (R, candidate for insurance commissioner)
Gary Anderson (D, candidate for insurance commissioner)
Posted by ladd at 01:34 PM on 11/01/07. Discuss (0)
[JFP] StateDesk to Relaunch in January 2008; Seeking Bloggers and Interns
But, first, what is StateDesk? This site is an experiment in civic journalism by the Jackson Free Press, Mississippi’s only alternative newspaper. Now in Beta phase, by January 2008, the site will go live with statewide blogs, legislative news and updates, and breaking daily state news. StateDesk is also a training tool for young journalists in Mississippi, who will learn to use multimedia tools (including audio and video) to report daily capitol news that will then be offered free of charge to other newspapers around the state, many of which are facing budget problems that are limiting their ability to cover state government and politics in a substantive way. It will join the JFP’s growing family of Web sites (also see Jackpedia, to form an integrated online approach to getting Mississippians the news, political and entertainment information they have a hard time finding elsewhere in the state.
Currently, the JFP is seeking both bloggers (of all political stripes), both from inside and outside the Legislature, as well as student interns who are interested in StateDesk training. Those interested should contact JFP Editor-in-chief Donna ladd at .
Posted by ladd at 01:26 PM on 11/01/07. Discuss (0)
[JFP] 2007 Endorsements
Attorney General: Jim Hood
State Auditor: Mike Sumrall
Insurance Commissioner: Gary Anderson
Public Service Commissioner: Lynn Posey
Secretary of State: Rob Smith
Agriculture Commissioner: Rickey Cole
Hinds County Supervisor, District 1: Robert Graham
Senate, District 29: David Blount
House, District 66: Cecil Brown
House, District 71: John Reeves
Click here to find out why the Jackson Free Press did not endorse candidates in the governor or lieutenant governor races.
Posted by ladd at 05:04 AM on 11/01/07. Discuss (0)
[Jackpedia] Tired of Campaign Signs?
Yeah, we are, too--especially the ones that break all the rules, and really especially the ones left over from the primaries. Read up on the sign laws for Jackson, Flowood, Madison and Hinds counties over on Jackpedia.
Posted by ladd at 10:47 AM on 10/31/07. Discuss (0)
[JFP] Obama Preaches to the Choir in Jackson
Read Kate Royals’ exclusive story from inside an Obama appearance at the TelCom Center last week:
Responding to a question about Democrats and religion, Obama said he believes the two can work together. “I think it would be a strategic mistake to abandon the field of faith,” he asserted. “But you canӒt make arguments based on just one faith. ... Also, it’s necessary to maintain the separation of church and state, even if just to maintain the independence of the church.”
As for the issues of gay marriage and abortion, Obama said Americans may not be able to come to agreement on some issues. “But I never understood why a couple of lines in Romans are more important than the Sermon on the Mount,” he said of gay marriage.
Posted by ladd at 09:13 PM on 06/21/07. Discuss (1)
[JFP] The JFP Interview with Gary Anderson
Read Adam Lynch’s JFP Interview with Gary Anderson, who is challenging George Dale for insurance commissioner:
Were just calling it like it is. WeҒre not trying to duck and dodge this issue. We know the insurance industry is financing (Dale’s) campaign. Just last week, I received a letter that one of his close friends in the insurance industry had sent out across the state saying: We need to stand up for George because George has been good to us. HeӒs been communicating well with the insurance industry. In that letter, this person asked for 200 agents to stand up for George and give $1,000 a piece, and write private checks in the amount of at least $1,000. The letter also asked insurance companies to give corporate checks in the amount of $1,000 to raise the $250,000 that he needs to fight off this Democratic opponent, referring to me. So, you know, when I see letters like that and I hear the commission say he only accepts a little money from the insurance industry, I canԒt help but think that somebodys having a difficult time telling the truth.
Posted by ladd at 04:03 PM on 06/20/07. Discuss (2)
[JFP] The ‘Mississippi, Believe It’ Campaign, Rethunk
Stop the presses. The Jackson Free Press is patting Clarion-Ledger folksy columnist Orley Hood on the back this week for challenging the “paranoia and xenophobia” of the “Mississippi, Believe It” ad campaign. Read a very long blog thread (in which we re-fight the War of Northern Aggression), and the editor’s note this week, “Of Paranoia and Xenophobia.”
By the way, this is what Orley said in his column about the campaign that the JFP agrees with so strongly:
It is, I suppose, all well and good, defending our territory, talking up our heritage of great writers while ignoring our heritage of illiteracy. As polished and professional as the campaign is, theres just that little bit of paranoia and xenophobia that shows through when we so vigorously stand up to what we see as unfair criticism from outsiders.
Posted by ladd at 06:50 PM on 04/05/07. Discuss (2)
[JFP] Jackpedia in Beta-Testing; Load ‘Er Up!
The Jackson Free Press’ new Web venture,Jackpedia, is now in beta testing. Head on over and click around and contribute to the city’s new online encyclopedia. You can contribute to the content just like on the international online encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
(If you’re a state of Jackson metro elected official, or a staffer, be sure to go update your personal page on the site, or add your name and info to the ones already there.
Posted by ladd at 07:36 PM on 04/03/07. Discuss (0)
[Desk] So, What IS the Answer Then?
In a Q&A today with Rick Looser, the head of an ad agency promoting a “positive Mississippi” message, The Clarion-Ledger’s Sid Salter passed up an opportunity to ask a vital follow-up question after Looser stated the following:
From the inside out, Mississippi must continue to address those things that make us first on every bad list and last on every good list. Education, health care and other quality-of-life issues have to take priority. Throwing money at these problems is not the answer.
So, the obvious follow-up is, “So how can Mississippi improve education, health care and other quality-of-life issues without spending money?
Odd interview.
Posted by ladd at 09:52 AM on 01/28/07. Discuss (7)
[Desk] Thursday Legislative Update
by Adam Lynch
House floor action consisted largely of highway designations and personality commendations on Jan. 25. The House did pass HB 963, which increases the time within which the state should demand payment of sales tax revenues from individuals, as well as HB1028, which prohibits certain acts used to duck paying sales tax (such as telling the retailer that the purchased items are for resale).
HB 1027 is another revenue enforcer, allowing the State Tax Commission to deny the application for a license plate permit or revoke the permit of any person failing to pay any state taxes, fees, penalties and/or interests owed to the state.
The House also passed?strangely, without real debate--HB 1321, which creates a commission bearing the proud name of America?s first and last Confederate President. The bill containing the building blocks for the Jefferson Davis Bicentennial Commission now heads to the Senate.
Posted by admin at 03:12 PM on 01/26/07. Discuss (9)
[Fleming] Off and Running
From Rep. Erik Fleming’s blog on the JFP Web site (and be sure to watch StateDesk for legislator blogs about to come online):
We have been off and running since day one, when the Conservative Caucus stopped us from taking up bills on the first day. In talking with Gov. Barbour the next day, he said that he was not comfortable in voting for 80 percent of the budget, some $3.5 billion, on the first day of the session, hence the word went forth. I voted to suspend the rules, for there was a precedent for voting for the education budget before the rest of the budget was hammered out. As a matter of fact, it was the last time the Mississippi Adequate Education Program was fully funded in 2003.
Since that first day, the House has passed a teacher pay raise, from Kindergarten teachers to university professors. We passed a minimum wage increase bill, even though it was severely damaged by an amendment from Rep. Joey Hudson, D-Monticello, which exempted high school and college students from receiving the increase. We fully funded MAEP and extended the repealer on the Department of Health for two years, along with a host of other bills and resolutions. Meanwhile, the Senate has not sent us anything but some commending resolutions. Hopefully, the committees over there are least looking at bills.
Posted by ladd at 11:30 PM on 01/23/07. Discuss (3)
[Desk] AFL-CIO Has Good Mississippi Politics Portal
The Desk just found this page on the AFL-CIO Web site. It’s got a bunch of good Mississippi political links?and already links to StateDesk, so we’re appreciative.
Posted by ladd at 10:31 PM on 01/23/07. Discuss (1)
