Mississippi Politics & News
Mississippi politics from The Daily Signal, featuring state legislation, education policy, economic development, and the Magnolia State’s conservative leadership in the Deep South.
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With Free Markets at Work in Mississippi, Magnolia State’s Economy Blooms
History is full of reasons to love free markets. They reward hard work and catalyze innovation, providing technology and comforts previously unimaginable to the ordinary person. A new report by Anthony Kim and one of us (Patrick Tyrrell) of The Heritage Foundation shows just how Mississippi workers benefit from increased economic freedom when trade barriers…Amanda Snell -
Mississippi Police Ban Nike Products After Nike Endorses Colin Kaepernick
Mississippi state police won’t be able to purchase any Nike apparel or products after an announcement from the commissioner of public safety. “As commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, I will not support vendors who do not support law enforcement and our military,” Commissioner Marshall Fisher said in a statement, USA Today reported Sunday….Grace Carr -
Through God, This Mississippi Boys School Is Working to Heal the Racial Divide
GREENWOOD, Mississippi—Thomas McMillin Howard, known as “T. Mac,” describes Greenwood, Mississippi as a “backwards place.” And sadly, most people who’ve visited would agree. Separated by a bridge where the black population tends to live on one side, and the white population mostly lives on the other, Greenwood has struggled to reconnect with its racially segregated…Kelsey Bolar -
Bernie Sanders Joins UAW in Mississippi Push for Nissan Union Vote
High-profile Democratic Party leaders and Hollywood celebrities are partnering with the United Auto Workers to help Big Labor gain footing in Southern states. The UAW won a deal with Japanese-based Nissan Motor Co. allowing close to 4,000 full-time employees at its Canton, Mississippi, plant to vote on whether to organize as a labor union. Sen. Bernie…Ted Goodman -
Creating Jobs in Mississippi’s Golden Triangle
Entrepreneurial dynamism has lagged in America for the past eight years, according to The Heritage Foundation’s 2017 Index of Economic Freedom. Yet someone in Mississippi’s Golden Triangle has been creating jobs for the American people. That person is Joe Max Higgins, an economic development official who has been going the extra mile for his fellow…Anthony B. Kim -
Mississippi Lawmakers Demand State Education Department Oppose Obama’s Transgender Guidelines
A group of Mississippi state lawmakers have joined the governor in calling for a top state education official to reject the Obama administration’s transgender student guidelines or resign. “Now Obama is threatening our school funding to force his liberal ideologies of immorality on our nation at the expense of our helpless children,” Mississippi state Rep….Leah Jessen -
Mississippi Governor Explains Why He Signed Religious Liberty Law
In an interview with The Daily Signal, Gov. Phil Bryant, R-Miss, explains what his state’s new religious liberty law does and doesn’t do. While many opponents of the law say it will harm Mississippi’s economy, Bryant paints a different picture. He’s lowered taxes a whopping 50 times since taking office and says that, among other…Genevieve Wood -
Mississippi Is on the Right Side of History
Lawmakers in Mississippi took a stand for the First Amendment this week, and the usual suspects aren’t happy. Liberal politicians, LGBT activists, and big business are all in a tizzy, claiming discrimination where absolutely none exists and completely misrepresenting this commonsense law in hopes of bullying the state to reverse its decision. Here’s the scenario:…Genevieve Wood -
In This Mississippi Town, Residents Are Fighting Atheist Organization Calling for Removal of Christmas Display
In one Mississippi town, residents are fighting back after an an atheist organization requested that that a Christmas display in their city be removed, organizing a show of support for the display. “I just feel like Christians lose a lot nowadays because we’re too polite,” says Andrea Kirkley, a resident of Collins and a stay-at-home…Kate Scanlon -
Bureaucratic Commissions Won’t Get Mississippi out of Common Core
Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant (R) has just vetoed an “anti”–Common Core bill. He was right to do so. The bill didn’t do what its backers said it would do: withdraw Mississippi from Common Core. In remarks yesterday, Bryant stated, “I remain firmly committed to ending Common Core in Mississippi. This bill does not accomplish that…Lindsey Burke -
Mississippi Lawmakers to Tackle Education, Taxes
In Mississippi, lawmakers already are gearing up to tackle education, tax relief and the state’s contracting system, among other issues. Here is a quick look at the three biggest issues the legislature will tackle in 2015: Education With a ballot initiative and a lawsuit on deck over K-12 education funding, the legislature will have to address…Steve Wilson -
Mississippi Looking to Expand Use of Police Body Cameras
Smile Mississippi, police may have you on camera. Police body cameras could work as an accountability tool for patrol officers and help protect them from false abuse complaints. Studies have backed up the advantages of using the devices, but with technology and data storage come privacy concerns. Columbus and Cleveland police already use body cameras…Steve Wilson -
Lieutenant Governor: Let’s Scrap and Replace Common Core in Mississippi
Common Core in Mississippi might be on the chopping block if Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves has his way. Reeves said this week he supports scrapping Common Core and replacing it with another curriculum. The Republican said he wants to form a task force of parents, teachers and business leaders to investigate a new curriculum to replace Common…Steve Wilson -
Grammy Museum in Mississippi Gives U.S. Taxpayers More Blues
Mississippi is cornering the market on taxpayer-funded music museums. First there was a state-funded museum dedicated to country legend Tammy Wynette. Now the state is going to have a museum for the Grammy Foundation in Cleveland, Miss., and it’s going to be built with federal and state taxpayer dollars. U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., in…Steve Wilson -
Blood Testing Could Be in Store for Mississippi Drivers at DUI Checkpoints
Over Labor Day weekend, the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol ran a no-refusal DUI checkpoint in Oxford, home of the University of Mississippi. In a no-refusal checkpoint, a driver who refuses a sobriety test — either a breath test or a standard field sobriety test — could be compelled to undergo a blood test. A judge…Steve Wilson -
Mississippi Working to Erase ‘Corruption’ Label
A recent study labeled Mississippi as the nation’s most corrupt state, but state auditor Stacey Pickering says it should get credit for its efforts in fighting corruption. The study by researchers Cheol Liu from the City University of Hong Kong and Indiana University’s John L. Mikesell found corruption in Mississippi was tops among the states…Steve Wilson -
Mississippi Named Most Corrupt State in the Nation
Mississippi has finally got a top ranking among the states. Problem is, it’s an achievement the state can do without. A study by researchers Cheol Liu from the City University of Hong Kong and Indiana University’s John L. Mikesell found corruption in Mississippi was tops among the states from 1976 through 2008. The study sized up the effect of public corruption—measured…Steve Wilson -
The Biggest Non-Story in Tuesday’s Elections? Mississippi Voter ID Implemented With No Problems
It wasn’t the biggest story following Tuesday’s elections in various states, but it was the biggest and most-ignored non-story. Mississippi’s new voter ID law got its first run in the June 3 primary, and the sky did not fall. Despite the tiresome and disproven claims by opponents that such laws cause wholesale voter disenfranchisement and…Hans von Spakovsky -
Favoritism and Cronyism Flourish in Mississippi
When a new megadeal with a corporation moving to Mississippi is announced, politicians hold a news conference, cut a cake, boast about the number of jobs created and toss some dirt with gold shovels. But recently published research by Christopher Coyne and Lotta Moberg of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University casts major doubt…Steve Wilson