JJ asks if Lt. Guv's leadership is now in question following redistricting fiasco

Redistricting: Phil Bryant's albatross or just a small bump?

Negligence? What exactly do you mean, Kingfish? Simple. Mr. Bryant appoints the committee chairman. That is one of the perks of being a Lieutenant Governor. He could have made it real clear to Mr. Burton what was expected of him. He probably could have solved the lame duck problem by obtaining support from Billy Hewes and Tate Reeves to tell him regardless of who succeeded Mr. Bryant, the winner will hold him accountable. If Mr. Bryant was a leader in the mold of say, Buddy Newman, the plan would have already been drawn up and handed to Burton with the orders "Here it is, hold your hearings, make your findings, then produce this map." Mr. Bryant and his represen-tatives could have been involved with the drawing up of the plan from the beginning, thus ensuring a more favorable outcome. A committee chairman ignoring a leader of his chamber in such a manner would have never happened under Newman, Tim Ford, Brad Dye, or even Amy Tuck....... or Sillers.


However, Mr. Bryant did none of these things. He handed the ball off to a bi-partisan committee, ignored its work, then discovered too late the committee drew a map that not only did he not like but one that would also cause problems for him in his own party. Mr. Burton and his committee completely blew off the Lieutenant Governor and did an end run around him as the Burton-Bryan plan passed the Senate. Mr. Bryant is undoubtedly hoping to save face in a conference committee scrum where the whole redistricting mess will eventually land. The defining moment took place during the debate: Democrats praised the plan from the floor of the Senate while only a few Republicans meekly opposed it.

More than a few Republican insiders are questioning Mr. Bryant's ability to lead or even count votes. The most common statement made last week about the redistricting mess was "How can Mr. Bryant deal with the legislature as Governor when he can't even control it as Lieutenant Governor" or "Does he even know what is going on in his own chamber?" Serious questions. The Lieutenant Governor enjoys much more power over the legislature than does the Governor. Barbour's legislative success is due to three things: His ability to use the special session rules in his favor, the use of the Senate to counteract the House, and is ability to count votes (which in turn depends on knowing everything that goes on in the legislature). Governor Musgrove found out how weak the office really is despite being a former Senator, former Lieutenant Governor, and Democrat as the legislature repeatedly ran roughshod over him. Mr. Bryant looked more like Mr. Musgrove last week than he did Mr. Musgrove's successor.

Read More: JJ

MBJ: Kirby, Bryant prove to be anti-business; Dennis for personal responsibility

However, when Sen. Dean Kirby, R-Pearl, argues against a microbreweries beer bill, because he doesn’t want to put his committee members in an uncomfortable position during an election year, it is obvious that political gain is more important than business success.

Even Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, a Republican candidate for governor, took the same position in a story in the Mississippi Business Journal this week. Bryant said he didn’t see a reasonable benefit to increasing the alcohol content in Mississippi.

If that is the case, Bryant and Kirby must be against more jobs and a better tax base for Mississippi.

In a conversation with the Mississippi Business Journal last week, Coast businessman Dave Dennis, a Republican candidate for governor, said he would be for such a bill and that any concerns about alcohol and morality is about personal responsibility, not politics.

So, if Dennis sees the financial and jobs benefit of the bill, why not Bryant and Kirby. I’m assuming they would rather see government impose its will on Mississippians instead of allowing for personal responsibility.

MBJ

Barbour's Last State of the State in Pictures

BY: B. Keith Plunkett

Prognosticators, Politico's and Pundits have already begun to break down Governor Haley Barbour's final State of the State Address given last night. You can check out Majority in Mississippi to view a transcript of the Guv's speech. Follow this LINK to see the transcript of the Democrat response. And, you can view the entire MPB coverage of the event HERE.

I won't attempt to add another layer to those who have started breaking it all down to tell you what you thought you heard. Instead I'll offer a few visual aids.

Click on the photos to enlarge.

Enjoy.



Congressman Gregg Harper arrived on the House Floor
early to talk to Lawmakers.



Speaker Billy McCoy brings the House to order.



Lt. Governor Phil Bryant and President Pro-Tempore Billy
Hewes welcome First Lady Marsha Barbour.




















Speaker McCoy welcomes Governor Barbour to the floor of
the House.

















The Governor received a warm welcom from the joint session of the
Mississippi State Legislature.



Lt. Governor Bryant, a gubernatorial hopeful, and Senator Billy
Hewes who is looking to replace him as head of the Senate.

Barbour was at times sentimental about his time in the Governor's Mansion.

  

Members of the Legislative Black Caucus sat on their hands for much of the
Governor's speech. But, rose in agreement when Barbour called for a
plan to build a Civil Rights Museum in Jackson.



Senator Giles Ward, Representative Scott Bounds and other
legislator's listen intently to the Governor's speech.

 

Madison Representative Rita Martinson



Sheriff Trowbridge tells state lawmakers illegals are a "security problem", Commissioner Simpson disagrees

Immigration proposal sparks legislative hearing

A Mississippi sheriff told state lawmakers Tuesday his deputies take illegal immigrants into custody on a nearly hourly basis, and the booking process has burdened his department.

Madison County Sheriff Toby Trowbridge told a Senate panel it's difficult to keep track of illegal immigrants because they don't have identification and they may use variations of their names each time they're picked up.

"We encounter one or two people an hour in Madison County," Trowbridge said. "It's a security problem. Anytime you encounter anyone without identification, we view it as a homeland security problem." Not all of them face charges in Mississippi; many are being held for immigration authorities, he said.

The Senate Judiciary A Committee was holding hearings this week to gather information for a plan to introduce a bill like the law in Arizona that allows police officers to check the status of people they think might be in the country illegally.

Some lawmakers have said they would support such a measure during the 2011 session that starts in January. Opponents say the proposal could foster racial-profiling and harassment.

Mississippi isn't a border state like Arizona. Officials don't know the size of the state's illegal immigrant population, but most agree it is far smaller than Arizona's.

Trowbridge said the proposed law would help police and sheriff's departments by forcing immigrants to pursue legal status and get identification. But Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner Steve Simpson said he doesn't want legislators to pass an unfunded mandate.

Simpson said state troopers routinely ask for identification after stopping someone for a violation. He said detaining illegal immigrants isn't a "widespread" problem for troopers.

"We're stretched very thin right now and do not need a lot of unfunded mandates on us," Simpson said.

Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, who observed the hearing, said the federal government's lawsuit to block Arizona's law shouldn't prevent Mississippi from pursuing its own legislation "that would stand up to a federal challenge."

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall, said the hearing would help determine how the proposal could be tweaked to fit Mississippi's needs. After the hearing, Fillingane said the proposal "had merit."

Karla Valez, a case worker who works with immigrants for Catholic Charities, said immigrants already live in fear of being harassed. She said many would leave the state if a tougher law was enacted.

"Mississippi would be hostile," Valez said. "They would be targeting people who don't look white or African American."

Read more: TU

Bryant: TRANSPARENCY IN STATE GOVERNMENT

Lt. Governor Phil Bryant Guest Column

In my travels around Mississippi speaking to various groups, I have seen that the voters are demanding more openness and transparency in government. Groups like the Tea Party movement are calling on elected officials to open up the process to include more public participation. As our Founders clearly stated, and elected officials need to better understand, government closest to the people governs best.

As the former State Auditor, I have always believed that the more transparent a government entity is, the more accountable it is to the taxpayers. In my first week of being sworn in as Lt. Governor, I proposed webcasting the Senate proceedings so taxpayers could see their government in action and hold their elected officials accountable. The Senate unanimously approved this innovative, open-government measure. That same year, I formed the Senate Ethics Committee. Through this committee, one of the most comprehensive ethics reform in nearly twenty-five years passed both chambers. Among many things in the bill, required all elected officials to file their ethics reports online.

Those measures did not pass without a struggle. But it is successes like these that make the fight for more openness worth it.

Now in the legislature, the fight for more openness, more accountability and more transparency continues to rage.

Reformers in the capitol have been pushing legislation aimed at adding more oversight to government agencies that hire outside attorneys. Nicknamed the Sunshine Attorney Act, this legislation basically says that when the anticipated fee for legal services exceeds $500,000, the contract with the private lawyers has to be approved by the Personal Service Contract Review Board. This legislation is not aimed at one person or state agency. Not only does this bill bring sunshine to the process of hiring outside counsel, it’s simply good government. After passing the Senate, SB 3059 unfortunately died in House Committee and never came up for a vote.

Lastly, the Senate overwhelmingly passed legislation making those who violate the open meetings law pay their own fines. Again, I have a simple belief that people blatantly violating the open meetings law should be personally responsible for their violations. As it stands now, because of a procedural move in the House of Representatives the taxpayer will continue to pay the bills for officials who disobey our current Open Meetings Law.

The Mississippi legislature should be making Mississippi one of the most open and accountable states in the nation. People throughout Mississippi have been calling for a more open government, and it’s time members of the legislature hear their call.

Clones are people, too?

It appears that the drive to place an abortion ban on the 2011 ballot in Mississippi has been successful. I don't believe in abortion, personally. And I may come around to participating in the discussion, yet again. But at present this one is getting filed under "Here We Go Again". Don't we know the ultimate ending to this already?

I have to admit I was taken aback by one part of the proposal.

Under the proposal, a person would be defined "to include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the equivalent thereof."

So, now we are protecting clones too? That one made me giggle a little. First we don't want science to create life, because that's God's job. But, if they do, then we'll love them just the same.


Abortion opponents in Miss. clear petition bar

Abortion opponents have enough signatures to put an anti-abortion proposal on next year's ballot, making Mississippi the second state in the nation where the initiative has reached that point.

In 2011, voters will be asked to support a ballot initiative that would give unborn fetuses human rights in the state constitution. A similar proposal goes before Colorado voters this fall.

Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said Thursday the petitioners got more than the minimum 89,285 signatures required to get the initiative before voters.

The grassroots effort had the support of Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, who recorded a telephone message that was sent to thousands of Mississippians urging them to sign the petition.

Under the proposal, a person would be defined "to include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the equivalent thereof."

Keith Mason, co-founder of Personhood USA, a group formed to support similar initiatives across the country, said Mississippi was chosen because "it's the most pro-life state in America."

Mississippi has one of the nation's toughest abortion laws, requiring the consent of both parents for minors and a 24-hour waiting period and counseling before all abortions.

Michele Colon, a social justice activist and a former National Organization for Women board member, said a campaign to oppose the measure would be launched. Colon said she will work with a coalition of groups on community outreach.

"It's unconstitutional. It's harmful legislation against the women of Mississippi regarding their reproductive health care," Colon said.

Read the rest at The Sun Herald

Governor Barbour to add Mississippi to list of states challenging Health Care Bill.

Barbour to AG: File health care suit or I will

The Associated Press

 Mississippi's Republican governor and lieutenant governor are asking the state's Democratic attorney general to file a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a sweeping federal health care bill.

 The legislation passed Sunday, and President Barack Obama plans to sign it into law Tuesday.

Gov. Haley Barbour said he will file a lawsuit himself if Attorney General Jim Hood does not make a decision by noon Thursday.

"A physician's creed is to 'First, do no harm,"' Barbour, who's head of the Republican Governors Association, said in a statement Monday. "The health care legislation passed Sunday infects the economy with harmful tax increases, strips benefits from senior citizens and robs each citizen of their basic freedom to choose their own health care."

Hood made no commitment Monday, saying only that once the bill is signed, "we will review the law to determine if there are any viable causes of action for the state of Mississippi."

Clarion Ledger

The Mississippi Business Journal also reported on the story saying

Lt. Governor Phil Bryant joined the Governor by sending a letter to Attorney General Jim Hood Monday, asking the Democrat to file a lawsuit on behalf of the state. See the press release and entire letter here.

Bryant says Mississippi should assert its rights under the 10th Amendment, which “protects states from an overbearing federal government.”

Mississippi is not the only state mulling a challenge to the healthcare bill. Washington, Utah and Nebraska are also thinking of suing, according to The Associated Press.