Why I'm Voting For Hillary on Tuesday

This article is for Democratic voters. You Republicans can go somewhere else.

I first met Hillary at the beginning of the 1992 Presidential campaign. I went very early to an event where she was to appear and got a front row seat. I was absolutely blown away. She spoke without any notes, yet there were no "ums" or stumbles. The breadth of her knowledge was incredible, and she spoke about substantive issues. She answered questions authoritatively. That's when I became a Hillary girl, and in 1992 and 1996, I voted for Hillary's husband.

Later that election, my daughter had a friend tell her that Bill & Hillary Clinton and Al & Tipper Gore were going to be eating at a restaurant where he worked, but the public didn't know it. My daughter arranged to be eating dinner there that night. When she told me, I told her it was Bill Clinton's birthday, which was not widely known. When they walked in the restaurant, she wished him a happy birthday. Bill was thrilled, and my daughter got to talk to them and got all four autographs on a napkin from the restaurant. That's when my daughter became a second generation Hillary girl.

And just recently, I went with my daughter and her husband to our courthouse, so they could vote absentee. When we walked in, my three year old granddaughter announced to everyone, "We're here to vote for Hillary Clinton!" Thus, we have our third generation Hillary girl.

I've been closely following Hillary ever since I met her, and I've read everything I can about her. When she declared she would run for President, I was thrilled. On behalf of my daughter and my four granddaughters, I believe it is very important that a woman becomes President of our country. Women have been second class citizens throughout our history. Although we have made great advances, we still have a long way to go. No one thing would further that cause more than electing a female President to serve as a role model for young girls.

However, since women have always had to do a job much better than a man to get any credit, that woman must be an excellent President - and I believe Hillary will make an excellent President.

There are several issues that concern me, but the most crucial is the role of our country in the world. The current President has single handedly destroyed our reputation worldwide, and Hillary has the knowledge and experience in foreign affairs that will be essential to restore our image abroad. Plus, she is one tough cookie and will not be taken lightly by anyone - and we can trust her to be our Commander in Chief.

Another Bush legacy is the financial disaster that is our economy. Bush inherited an unheard of surplus, and he has turned it into an unheard of deficit. We are indebted to China and other scary countries. The dollar is no longer respected abroad. The income gap between rich and poor is larger than it's been in this country since the age of the Robber Barons, and the middle class is disappearing. One of my favorite Hillary quotes goes something like "It took a Clinton to fix the economy after the first Bush. It may take another Clinton to fix it after the second Bush." It will take an experienced person to pull off this challenge. There's a reason why the working class is voting overwhelmingly for Hillary - they are the ones suffering now. The wealthy and the young can afford to vote for charisma - the rest of us need solutions.

Without a doubt, the biggest immediate crisis in our country is health care. Not only is it devastating for individuals, but it is breaking the finances of local, state, and national governments. It is bankrupting businesses and keeping American companies from being competitive with foreign ones. Also, it keeps untold people from going into business for themselves because they can't give up their health benefits. Those who are knowledgeable about health care can tell you there is a world of difference between the two Democratic candidates on this issue. Hillary, a real expert, is the only candidate that will provide universal health care - that means everyone has coverage. Anything less is just a band aid and will not work.

Finally, Bush has destroyed the regulatory system of our federal government, so that we can no longer depend on the safety of food, drugs, bridges, etc; no longer expect the federal government to be able to respond to a disaster; no longer believe the research coming from federal agencies; no longer trust the words of the CIA; and no longer provide health care and support to the veterans who sacrificed for us. A President must understand how Washington works in order to repair our dysfunctional bureaucracy. By that I don't mean corruption and cronyism, but understanding the protocols and rules that have been in place for years. Hillary understands it well, especially as she suffered from her naivete when she first tried to reform health care.

Obama is a very impressive candidate. My concern with him is that he is an unknown, and I don't think we can afford a gamble right now. I much prefer that he runs as Vice President with Hillary, where he can gain experience and we can get to know him.

Hillary is the best choice for Mississippi Democrats on Tuesday, March 11.

(Cross posted on the Cottonmouth Blog.)

The Arts Are What's Happening

Natchez is on the verge of becoming a flourishing art community - and this is very exciting news. Why is this happening and why is it exciting?

Katrina was a devastating tragedy, but as the old proverb says, "it's an ill wind that blows no one any good". In this case, many artists "blew" into Natchez after Katrina. Many saw it as a temporary place, but they fell in love with Natchez and decided to stay. And word spreads among the artistic community, as more artists came to visit and to live.

So just how many artists do we have? We really have no idea. However, a little over a year ago, Jerry Dixon, an artist from Bay St Louis who now lives here, organized the first Natchez Artists Studio Tour. He knew artists' studio tours were very successful in Bay St Louis, so he decided to try one here. It was enormously successful. That first tour had 34 artists, and we were amazed there were that many here. This past fall, the second tour attracted over 50 artists! Who knew?

I've become involved with a new organization that has formed to benefit those artists - and our community. It's called ArtsNatchez, and you may have read about it in Tammi Gardner's Top of the Morning in the Democrat today. ArtsNatchez Inc is a nonprofit membership organization whose purpose is to promote artists and art in the Natchez area. As part of our mission, we are opening a cooperative gallery for local artists to be located at 110 Union Street - right next to a new studio that was just opened by the renowned artist Owen Shugard. Maybe we have the beginnings of an art section.

If you want more information about ArtsNatchez, send us an email. We're still accepting applications from artists, although we've almost reached capacity. But most importantly, we're looking for patrons and supporters. We're at the beginning of our campaign to raise enough funds for our first year's operating expenses. This is a chance for you to invest in the future of Natchez.

So why in the world should you care about all this if you're not an artist and you don't buy art? Easy. Art is a big business - and it feeds on itself. The more art you have, the more you attract. People who want to purchase art rarely will go out of town to visit just one gallery. Instead they want to go to a community with lots of options. And these are people with big bucks!

Let's look at some data from Arts & Economic Prosperity III, an exhaustive study done by Americans for the Arts. A successful industry is one that brings dollars from outside the community. Local spending just takes our dollars and redistributes them. But outside money brings new sources of income and new jobs. For example, if you open a new restaurant where only the locals eat, you are just taking money from some other restaurant. If, however, your restaurant attracts diners from all over, you are bringing new money into the local economy. Research has shown that 78% of revenues from art come from outside the community - but it stays here.

Here's another fact you may not know. When businesses are looking to start up or relocate in an area, 88% cite that the arts are one of the best indicators of quality of life. And here's another little know fact, the art business is one of the few growth industries in the country. Community after community across this country have utilized the arts as a basis to revitalize their economy. And Natchez can, too.

Election News Flash!

Gwen Ball has filed as a Democrat to run for Alderwoman in Ward 3, currently represented by Republican Bob Pollard. If you read this blog, you know that Gwen and I are friends, so I can't pretend to be unbiased, but I truly believe this is really great news for our City.

Imagine an smart, knowledgable Alderwoman who believes in citizen involvement, integrity of the governmental process, making decisions based on facts and research, and debating issues and voting in full view of the public. And further imagine that Alderwoman is courageous and is willing to stand up and fight for what is right, but at the same time is personable, friendly, charming, and reasonable. How refreshing! That's just exactly what Natchez needs on the Board.

That Alderwoman is Gwen Ball, but you don't have to take my word for it. Her actions speak for her. She willingly attended all those long, boring, and aggravating Board of Aldermen meetings. She spent untold hours researching the issues and presented informed arguments to the Board, that just fell on deaf ears. And when she watched in frustration as they continued to perform illegal and unethical acts, she took them to court. And now, she's taking the next logical step by offering herself to the citizens of Ward 3 as their representative to the City government.

I'm sure you'll agree that Natchez needs Gwen Ball on the Board of Aldermen.

City Election Buzz

It's no big surprise that Phillip West has filed for reelection for Mayor as a Democrat. But there was a surprise filing today - Chick Graning has filed as an Independent. Everybody loves Chick, and he's a really nice guy. However, nice guys and politics usually don't mix, so it remains to be seen how this turns out. But it certainly does make the election more interesting.

This also presents a predicament for Jake Middleton, who hasn't filed yet. He could file as an Independent, which had been rumored. However, that would result in a three way race - Graning, Middleton, West. In that scenario, West wins. Or as is likely, Middleton could run as a Democrat in a head to head race with West. Middleton has more of a chance there, but West is still the favorite in a Democratic Primary. Then the winner of the Primary takes on Graning, and that could be close.

City Clerk Donnie Holloway and Municipal Judge Jim Blough have no opponents so far, and probably won't have any.

The Alderwoman for Ward 1, Democrat Joyce Arceneaux Mathis, has four Democratic opponents. Paul Johnson, the current Fire Chief, is one, and he should be a strong candidate. Jim Sanders is another, and he'll run a good race, too. Jim is very active in the community, and he almost always attends the meetings of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen. It amazes me the number of City candidates who have never attended a meeting, but still think they'll be able to do a good job. The other candidate is Sonya Anderson Mars, about whom I know nothing. Perhaps a commenter could enlighten me. This is my Ward, and I can assure you I will not be voting for the incumbent.

I can't imagine anyone beating Democratic Alderman Ricky Gray in Ward 2, but there are two other Democrats who will be trying: Johnny Franklin and Larry Hooper Jr.

The only person who has filed in Ward 3 is Republican incumbent Bob Pollard, but I feel sure there will be a Democrat who files.

Ward 4 should be a very interesting race. Democratic incumbent Bubber West has filed for reelection, but two other Democratic candidates have also filed. Tony Fields is a very impressive young man who'll give Bubber a run for his money. I'm not familiar with Donnell Newsome, the other candidate.

The incumbent in Ward 5, David Massey, has not filed for reelection, as expected. The only person filed is Democrat Mark Fortenberry.

Ward 6 will not have an incumbent either, as Middleton is running for Mayor. There are two declared candidated, both Democrats: Dan Dillard and Forrest Foster.

Of course, there's still time for more candidates. The filing deadline isn't until next Friday, March 7.

What do you know about all these candidates?

2008 Election Info for Natchez

Natchez is about to have an election that will determine the direction of our City for the next four years. I hope you will not only vote, but take time to learn about the candidates. Mixed in with that are our Party Primaries for President and Congress. Finally, we will have a General Election in November to vote for a new President, a new US Senator, and a new US Representative; and our only incumbent, Senator Cochran, is up for reelection.

Here are some key dates to remember:

• February 9 (tomorrow) at noon is the final day to register for the City elections, as well as the National Primary Election.
• March 7 is the filing deadline for candidates for City office. That's when we'll know for sure who's running.
• March 11 is the national Primary Election. In Mississippi, we do not register by party, so everyone can choose whether to vote in the Democratic or the Republican Primary. Since the Republican nominee for President is going to be McCain, you might think everyone would vote in the Democratic Primary, where for the first time in a long time, Mississippi's votes will actually matter. However, we have a hotly contested Republican Primary for Congress, so I imagine many will vote in the Republican Primary.
• May 6 is the day many of us have been waiting for - the Primary Election for Mayor, Alderpersons, and other City offices.
• May 20 is the City Runoff Election, if we need one.
• June 3 is the City General Election.
• November 4 is the National General Election

When voting in City Elections, you need to know what Ward you live in and vote in. I have drawn a map which I hope will help you. (NOTE: You can zoom in on this map if you need to.)

For City Elections, You may not vote in the same place you normally do. Here is a list of voting places for each Ward.

1. Council Chambers, South Pearl Street
2. Frazier Primary School, G F West Boulevard
3. Elks Lodge #553, Lower Woodville Road
4. United Rubber Workers Union Hall Local 303, Gayosa Avenue
5. National Guard Armory, Liberty Road
6. Duncan Park Canteen

As you might imagine, I'll have more to say about these elections in the future, and I'm sure you'll have comments.

PS I've added a link to this article in the column to the right under Links, in case you want to refer back to it.

One Answer - and Another Mystery

As some of you guessed, Darryl Grennell is the candidate for Mayor I discussed in my prior article. He will announce some time this week. In the comments on that article, some of you thought he wouldn't run or couldn't win. Well, you're wrong. He will definitely win, and he is practically the perfect candidate. Hang in there, Natchez! There's hope for a sane City government.

Now for another political mystery. I hear that Bob Pollard might have a serious challenger. What do you think?

A New Mayor for Natchez?

I want to go on record now predicting that Natchez will have a new Mayor after the City elections. I can't name names or sources, but a candidate will emerge soon who will be supported by a wide range of voters - Republicans and Democrats, black and white, young and old, natives and newcomers.

Now if we could just find some candidates for Aldermen.

News about Rentech

On November 19, I told you Rentech was offered a buyout from one of its investors, Sherwood Investments Overseas Ltd, based in the British Virgin Islands. At the time, Rentech shares were worth $1.72. Apparently they haven't given up, because they made another offer on December 18. In the meantime Sherwood has purchased more stock, and Rentech is only selling for $1.37 today. (Click here for a copy of Sherwood's letter to Rentech.) However, Rentech is still not interested. Their Board voted unanimously to reject the offer.

But today a very interesting development occurs. Hunt Ramsbottom, CEO of Rentech, wrote an opinion piece on Huffington Post, which is a popular national liberal blog. Since much of the opposition to Rentech (and other advocates of coal based fuel alternatives) comes from liberal environmentalists, Rentech has obviously decided to burnish its environmental image. This is a good move, since not all liberals are opposed to the process - plus the fact that Congress is controlled by Democrats, that more Democrats will be elected to Congress in 2008, and most importantly a Democrat and environmentalist will be elected President in 2008.

Another tidbit about Rentech is that it recently hired a Washington lobbying firm to represent its interests on Capitol Hill. The firm, Brownstein, Hyatt, & Farber, is based in Denver, Colorado, as is Rentech. However, it is one of the top firms in Washington. It is unique in that it appears to be bipartisan. During the years the Republicans controlled Congress, they refused to deal with lobbying firms that hired Democrats, so it is all the more remarkable that BHF has done so well. However, in 2006, when Democrats regained control of Congress, their revenues shot up, when all those other (Republican hiring) firms lost money. I think Rentech has chosen well, and I'll bet big money it was their idea to write for Huffington Post.

I just hope Rentech doesn't get spooked by the antics of our Keystone Cops Board of Supervisors. That was truly humiliating.

Are You Registered to Vote?

Are you registered to vote? Are you sure? Why don't you check to be sure? It's really easy. Just click here. You fill in your name, address, and email address, and it looks up your voter registration. After it's checked your registration, it sends you a Welcome email, where you can look up your friends and see if they are registered.

If you're not registered, it tells you how to do it. In Adams County, you can just go to the Circuit Clerk's office in the Courthouse. It will give you the opportunity to say hi to our new Circuit Clerk Eddie Walker and tell him how glad you are that he was elected.

February 9 is the deadline to register to vote in the Primary Elections. All mail in registrations must be postmarked by that date.

PS Whether you are registered to vote or not is a matter of public record.

Happy 2008!

Sorry to have been negligent lately with the blog. Contrary to popular opinion, I do have a life - and it's been keeping me busy.

2008 is going to be a year full of elections. Friday was the deadline to file to run for the US House and Senate. US Senators run for office only every six years. Senator Lott ran in 2006 (more on that later) and Senator Cochran is running in 2008. He has two neglible opponents, so my first election prediction for 2008 is that Senator Cochran will win in a landslide.

Members of the US House have to run for election every two years. Our Representative, Chip Pickering, announced a while back that he would not run again. An open seat is a rarity in Mississippi, and it usually produces a whole bunch of candidates - and 2008 is not an exception. There are 10 candidates running - 8 Republicans and 2 Democrats - all white men. Mississippi has never sent a woman to Congress, and it's not going to this time. The Primary Election will be March 11, and I'll be letting you know about these candidates. But prepare yourself, because they'll be campaigning until November -almost eight months between the Primary and General is ridiculous!

Also on March 11, Mississippi will have Primary Elections for US President. Right now, both parties have wide open races, which is exciting. However, it is likely that it will be over by the time we have a chance to express our opinions. I've included a delegate counter on the blog so you can follow the race.

Before we have a chance to catch our breath from the federal primaries, we'll have a city election - which is probably more important to most of us. I sure hope we have some changes in the leadership. I've heard lots of rumors about people running, but nothing is confirmed. But I'll be sure to let you know - and please let me know of any rumors you hear.

As you know, Senator Lott resigned this year, and Governor Barbour has appointed US Representative Roger Wicker to his seat (which I predicted way before he did it). There are two Democrats running against him. The major Democrat running is former Governor Ronnie Musgrove. Now we're going to really be confused with this US Senate race, because Wicker and Musgrove look just alike. If you don't know which is which, Musgrove is on the left and Wicker on the right - of course.
Another interesting thing about this race is that the two men are best friends. They were roommates when they were both in the State Legislature. This could mean that we'll have a positive campaign, free of negative ads and personal attacks. Or it could mean the end of a friendship.

Unfortunately, we have no idea when we'll be voting for this seat. There is disagreement over the law. Republicans say the election should be in November, and Democrats say it should be March. The courts will decide this, and the trial starts next week.

Happy Election Year!

Mike Moore Will Not Run for Senator

The Clarion Ledger is reporting that Mike Moore has said he will not run for the U S Senate seat being vacated by Trent Lott.

“I am happy doing what I am doing, my family is happy, and I look forward to making a big difference in my state and nation,” Moore said in a statement. “I have seriously considered the U.S. Senate vacancy as my friends urged me to do, but I have always known that what I am doing now is good enough for me.”

This is very sad news, since Moore would have made a fantastic U S Senator. I'm a big supporter, and I'm very disappointed, especially since Moore had the best chance of any Democratic candidate to get elected.

Many are speculating this announcement was somehow a result of the Scruggs indictment. There is no doubt the Republicans would have used his relationship with Scruggs against him. And of course, Republicans are all hoping he and Attorney General Jim Hood - the bright stars of the Mississippi Democratic Party - are indicted as well - or at least tarnished by the Scruggs brush. Personally, I'm not worried a bit - let them rant and rave.

Cross posted at the Cotton Mouth Blog

Fun & Games

In honor of the holidays, I thought I'd give you a couple of political chuckles.

Are you in a quandry over who to support for President? Don't worry. The Internet provides answers for everything. Take this quiz, and voila, it'll tell you who to support. Warning! The results may surprise you. A Republican friend of mine took it and found she should support Obama. Mine said I should support Dennis Kucinich, who is the only Democratic candidate I can't stand, although he does have the right positions on issues. Fortunately, tied for second place was Clinton, Obama, and Biden.

After you've found your candidate, you can see how I have "elfed" them.

1. Democrats


2. Republicans

Here's a joke someone sent me - it's a little risque.

At a bus stop, 2 men get on. They sit down and engage in an animated conversation. The lady sitting next to them ignores them at first, but her attention is galvanized when she hears one of them say the following: "Emma come first. Den I come. Den two asses come together. I come once-a-more! Two asses, they come together again. I come again and pee twice. Then I come one lasta time." The lady can't take this any more, "You foul-mouthed sex obsessed pig" she retorted indignantly. In this country, we don't speak aloud in public places about our sex lives!!! Hey, coola downa ladee, " said the man. "Who talkin' bouta sexa? I'ma justa tellin' my frienda how to spella 'Mississippi'."

Finally, Trent Lott's hair. We may find it difficult to believe, but Trent's hair is a topic of much mirth in the Washington area. They don't understand that industrial strength hair spray is a necessity for all well coifed Mississippians - male and female. One blog showed this picture of Trent and Chip Pickering. Practically, the whole discussion was about how Chip couldn't take Trent's place because his hair was messed up. Of course, since this picture was taken, Chip has mastered the perfect hair. But alas, he still won't get to take Trent's place.

For another take on Trent Lott's hair, go to The Gulf Coast Realist, who has a satirical treatment of Trent's surprise resignation.

Please use the comments section to add your personal favorite political funny.

Congressman Roger Wicker to Be New Senator

According to Cottonmouth Blog, Wicker was asked by Haley to take Trent's place as Senator, and he said yes. Haley apparently made this decision after doing some polling.

Another View of the Scruggs Indictment

When Dickie Scruggs was indicted recently, it made many people happy. Of course, bloggers and traditional journalists are thrilled to have something so dramatic to write about. Democrats and left wing blogs are excited because Scruggs gave a quarter of a million dollars to the Bush campaign - plus he was Republican Senator Trent Lott's brother in law. Republicans and right wing blogs thought the indictment was great because Scruggs was a trial attorney (ie, devil incarnate), he gave quite a bit of money to Democrats, and he was about to have a fundraiser for Hillary at his house.

All in all, this guy looks guilty as hell and seems not to have any friends at all.
NOT SO FAST.

No friends? According to the Wall Street Journal, Scruggs and his wife just had a party at his house in Oxford, MS with over 200 friends. One of those friends, Robert Khayat, the chancellor of Ole Miss, said, "The town really did turn out for them." Another friend was the most famous lawyer from Mississippi, John Grisham. Oxford's Mayor was there and said, "People appreciate him for his support of the community, and we're all willing to stand by and support him." Another friend was Richard Howorth, the owner of Square Books, the famous bookstore and literary center of Oxford and maybe Mississippi.

So why are all these people so supportive of someone who looks so guilty? First, we should heed the words of John Grisham. "In a situation like this I’m always reminded how quickly we abandon the presumption of innocence. There’s always such a rush to judgment. " Grisham read the indictment against Scruggs and said, "As a former criminal defense lawyer, I started thinking about how I would defend it and started looking for gaps and holes."

After all the initial buzz of the indictment, those gaps and holes are becoming more prevalent. As Grisham said, "It’s only one side of what happened. There’s a whole lot more to the story. One thing is that there are a lot of recorded statements in the indictment but none from Dickie. There are no allegations that he delivered cash or was part of it."

The biggest argument against Scruggs' guilt is something along the lines that he was too smart to do something so stupid. Or why would a big time trial attorney bribe a judge over a small potatoes fee dispute. Since there doesn't appear to be any concrete evidence against Scruggs, the prosecution will have to answer that to the satisfaction of a jury. And there are no obvious answers.

The lawyer who sued Scruggs, John Jones, has one theory, which is outlined in an article in Fortune Magazine. Jones said he filed the suit in Oxford hoping to shame Scruggs. “I wanted a jury to hear it in Dickie’s backyard," he said. He thinks Scruggs wanted the judge to send the case to arbitration, which is a closed proceeding. But that theory doesn't seem to hold up, because most lawyers think the case would have gone to arbitration anyway. And even Jones admits to being shocked when he learned about the indictment.

The person caught on tape is Timothy Balducci. Those in attendance at the party in Oxford were contemptuous of him. Remember that Oxford is a small town, and everyone knows everyone - like Natchez. One comment kind of sums up their attitude: "This is a clear case of a young man wanting to endear himself to Dickie Scruggs in hopes that he might one day have a chair at his table."

I do feel fairly certain that this is not a political prosecution like the one of Paul Minor, Oliver Diaz, and the two judges. The prosecuting US Attorney in the latter case (in the Southern District of Mississippi) was Dunn Lampton, a political appointee with a serious lack of ethical standards. In the Scruggs case (in the Northern District of Mississippi), the US Attorney is Jim Greenlee, who by all appearances is an ethical and professional attorney.

Crossposted on Cottonmouth Blog.

Who Will Be Our New Senator?

Once Senator Trent Lott officially resigns, the Governor will appoint someone to fill Lott's seat. That appointee will then have the advantage of incumbency when they have to be elected in the special election, which will be in March or November, depending on the outcome of lawsuits. There are lots of rumors about who that might be. At first, everyone assumed it would be our Congressman Chip Pickering. However, his star seems to be fading, probably because he is not beholden to Haley. Another strong possibility is Congressman Roger Wicker from north Mississippi. There are many others mentioned.

However, there is one possibility I've heard about that seems brilliant - and Haley is certainly that. Mike Espy. He was the Democratic Congressman from the Delta area from 1986 to 1992, when he was appointed Agriculture Secretary by President Clinton, becoming the first African American to serve in that capacity. He only served for two years. He had to resign because he was being investigated for bribery and other charges. When he finally went to trial, he was acquitted of all charges.

So why would Haley appoint a Democrat? He wouldn't, of course. Espy would have to change parties and become a Republican. What makes me think he might? Because Espy infuriated the Democratic party last month by endorsing Haley for Governor. Plus, they're both from Yazoo City.

So why would this be a brilliant move for Haley?

1. Espy, if ultimately elected, would be indebted to Haley big time - and that's important to Haley.
2. Espy would undoubtedly enjoy significant support from African Americans, which would probably keep a Democrat from being elected.
3. Think of the national implications. Mississippi has its first black Senator since Reconstruction - and he's a Republican! He would also be the first black Republican Senator since Edward Brooke of (liberal) Massachusetts in 1978. And Haley could take credit for it.

The only problem is that some Republicans might revolt. Espy has a somewhat liberal background which would turn off conservatives - and of course the white racists (of which there are quite a few in Mississippi) would have a cow. However, Haley has the stature to bring any reluctant Republicans on board if he puts his mind to it.

I, of course, hope Haley doesn't do this. Why? Because I'm a charter member of the We Want Mike Moore club.

Cross posted at Cottonmouth Blog.

Trent Departure Gets Curioser and Curiouser

There's another rumor overtaking the internet about why Trent left, but I'll get to that in a minute. Let's just look at what has to happen in order for Mississippi to have a new Senator.

Here's the law MS Code 23-15-855:

1) If a vacancy shall occur in the office of United States Senator from Mississippi by death, resignation or otherwise, the Governor shall, within ten (10) days after receiving official notice of such vacancy, issue his proclamation for an election to be held in the state to elect a Senator to fill such unexpired term as may remain, provided the unexpired term is more than twelve (12) months and the election shall be held within ninety (90) days from the time the proclamation is issued and the returns of such election shall be certified to the Governor in the manner set out above for regular elections, unless the vacancy shall occur in a year that there shall be held a general state or congressional election, in which event the Governor's proclamation shall designate the general election day as the time for electing a Senator, and the vacancy shall be filled by appointment as hereinafter provided.

Here's the problem. If Trent resigns in 2007, a special election has to be called within 90 days - or sometime in March - and Trent can lobby after a year. If Trent waits until 2008, the election doesn't have to be until November 8 - but Trent has to wait 2 years before he can lobby. So what does Trent do? Well, he got saved by Haley, who has decided as he reads the law, he doesn't have to have a special election. The Democratic Party thinks differently. Look for lawsuits!

More problems. If Chip is appointed to fill Trent's seat, then we have another vacancy, which may not be filled until January 2009 - so you and I have no Congressman for a year. (Not that Chip was much of a Congressperson to begin with.)

At least now we know why Senator Thad Cochran decided not to retire, after it was widely rumored that he would. We couldn't have two vacant Senate seats up for election at the same time. God forbid, Mississippi might vote for a Democrat for one of them, thinking it might be good to have one of each to cover our bases. Plus the national Republican Senate campaign is dead broke and trying to defend way more open Senate seats than the Democrats, who also happen to have oodles of money. Maybe Cochran will retire after a year, and we'll get to go through this all over again. What fun!

Now for the rumor about the REAL reason Trent is resigning. During Clinton's impeachment trial, Larry Flynt, the infamous publisher of Hustler magazine, offerred a million dollars for evidence of sexual affairs of Republican lawmakers. His report resulted in the resignation of incoming House Speaker Bob Livingston of Louisiana. In June of this year, he took out an ad in the Washington Post again offering a million dollars for evidence of sexual improprieties of members of Congress or high ranking government officials. This exposed Senator David Vitter, also of Louisiana. (What is it with that state?) Vitter is still in the US Senate, but will probably be gone after Jindal becomes the new Republican Governor of Louisiana and can appoint a Republican Senator.

Several weeks ago, Flynt announced that he had news that would rock Washington. Now the rumor is that he was going to out Trent as being gay. (NOTE Flynt claims to only expose hypocrites, ie those whose words and behaviors don't agree.) This is what his web site has to say about this:

"HUSTLER Magazine has received numerous inquiries regarding the involvement of Larry Flynt and HUSTLER in the resignation of Trent Lott. Senator Lott has been the target of an ongoing HUSTLER investigation for some time now, due to confidential information that we have received. "

I have no idea if any of this is true, and I just present it to you to make up your own mind.

UPDATE: One of the comments draws our attention to an article that debunks this rumor.

UPDATE 2: Here's another reason Trent may have resigned - and remember I predicted this possibility. Scott Horton of Harpers Magazine is reporting that:

"FBI agents are now raiding the law office of Richard “Dickie” Scruggs in Oxford. Scruggs is the brother-in-law of Trent Lott, and, as we reported earlier, several Mississippi newspapers openly questioned whether Lott had intervened to protect Scruggs in a recent criminal probe that produced the prosecution of a number of other Mississippi lawyers and judges with whom he was closely connected."

UPDATE 3: The Clarion Ledger is reporting that Dicking Scruggs was arrested.

Bye Bye, Trent

To the total shock and surprise of Washington and Mississippi, Trent Lott announced today that he would resign as US Senator before the end of the year - in spite of having just been reelected a year ago. Why? There are several theories.

Trent himself said he wants to spend more time with his family and to pursue other job opportunities. (They all say that.) Some have speculated that he may succeed Robert Khayat as chancellor of his alma mater University of Mississippi.

But by far, the most popular explanation is he resigned to avoid the requirements of a new lobbying bill that will take effect next year. The bill says legislators must wait two years before they can become lobbyists. By resigning now, he only has to wait one year. And Trent could definitely make big bucks in the lobbying business. He is not a wealthy man, and much of his wealth was invested in his home, which was destroyed by Katrina. This could be his last opportunity to earn a lot of money.

Rumors were that he planned to retire at the end of his last term of office. However, he was talked into running again to help his state recover from Katrina. However, his state still needs him, but I guess he decided he had sacrificed enough.

Since he still has five years left in his term, the Governor gets to appoint his successor until a special election can be held in 2008. That is widely believed to be Chip Pickering, our current Congressman, who just announced his own retirement to "spend more time with his family".

I first developed a dislike for Trent when he was a cheerleader for Ole Miss while I was attending LSU. He did not do much to endear himself to me when he was elected to Congress and was one of the few Republicans to vote against impeaching Richard Nixon. He really didn't develop any stature until he went to the Senate, where he surprised me with his pragmatic abilities. Although I don't agree with his politics (he's a conservative, and I'm a liberal), I have to admit I kind of like and admire him.

He was not a knee jerk Republican. He was capable of being independent when he thought it was necessary. For one thing, he always did what he thought was best for Mississippi. Unlike Haley Barbour, Trent was honest about the ineptitude and incompetence of the Bush Administration after Katrina - after all, he suffered from it. Haley takes all the credit for the help that Mississippi got, but I personally give much more credit to Trent. Trent was no fan of Bush to begin with - he was very hurt by the way Bush treated him after the Strom Thurmond fiasco. Bush saw it as an opportunity to get rid of Trent as Senate Majority Leader. Bush wanted a Senate Majority Leader who did what he was told and that was definitely not Trent.

Probably one reason Trent resigned is that he really did not like the way the Senate functioned any more. He said it was too partisan and that Senators did not work together to accomplish things. That's where he excelled - he could definitely work a deal between conflicting parties. Republicans are saying he did not like working with a Democratic controlled Congress, but that's not true. After all, it was that change that allowed Trent to come back into power. The fierce partisanship started after Bush became President and has gotten worse.

This was brought home to me today by one telling comment Trent made. He was asked what his proudest legislative accomplishment was. He said that when he was Majority Leader of the Senate, he was able to work with Democratic President Bill Clinton and the Republican House to balance the federal budget and even show a surplus. He said some people think that's too hard - it can't be done - but they did it, and it's his proudest achievement. (It was also a slap in Bush's face.) Now that's an old fashioned Republican. He can work with the other Party to achieve real conservative goals. With his departure, they'll be none of his ilk left in the US Senate.

So bye bye, Trent. Thanks for what you did. (And I don't like Bush any more than you do!)

Rentech Gets a $441 Million Buyout Offer

One of its shareholders, Sherwood Investments Overseas Ltd, has made a buyout offer to Rentech. Rentech's share just hit a 52 week low, and it admits it is cash strapped. Rentech has never turned a profit and admits it doesn't have the cash to fund its projects.

Sherwood seems to value Rentech's assets, and this may be the shot in the arm that Rentech needs. Read more here and here.

Debates, Fights, and Polluters

The Clarion Ledger is reporting that Ole Miss was chosen as site of first Presidential Debate on September 26. That's exciting! Anyone know how to get tickets?

Do you like a good fight? Well, there was a good one in the paper on Sunday. Mayor Philip West wrote a Top of the Morning attacking Kevin Cooper, and Kevin responded in his column. What fun! Bet we have heard the last of this. This either means the Mayor is incredibly stupid, or he's not running for reelection. Whoever heard of a candidate attacking the only paper shortly before a campaign begins?

Our illustrious Governor is making international headlines again. If you want to know how much the rest of the world hates us (or at least our President), trying reading some papers from other countries. The link above is from the Turkish Weekly - supposedly our allies. Here's the story from a couple of foriegn sources:

The Center for Global Development (CGD) just released an analysis that provided a detailed inventory of power plants' greenhouse gas emissions by countries and regions within countries. The headlines in this country were that the US was the world's largest producer of carbon dioxide, followed by China, which is gaining on us.

But the headlines around the world were along the lines of "Bush Controlled by Power Companies". Here's a lead off sentence:

Southern Company, one of the largest American power companies, which was listed among the world's top polluters, has got President George W. Bush firmly under its thumb by lavish spending on his Republican party, forcing him to turn a blind eye to global warming.

And then comes the parts about Barbour:

Haley Barbour, one of the main lobbyists for Southern Company, when Bush took office, played a crucial role in persuading him to back away from his original campaign promise to reduce CO2 emissions when he first ran for president in 2000.

According to FrankO'Donnell of Clean Air Watch, after Mr Bush became president, "he was got at by Haley Barbour, who said, 'Hey, Mr President we didn't elect you to have high energy costs'". Mr O'Donnell said: "Southern Company Lobbyists treated the president as if he was someone to give orders to and he took them. The upshot is that America's biggest polluters used their chequebooks effectively to block actions to stop global warming."

The American stories had quotes from the polluting companies, whereas foriegn news accounts extensively quote environmentalists. Interesting contrast.

By the way, the most polluted parts of the US? Texas, the Southeast (that's us), and the Ohio Valley. Those energy companies know where to go to find local yokels who welcome polluters.

What Country Are We Living In?

In Stalin's Soviet Union, in Hussein's Iraq, in Franco's Spain, in Hitler's Germany, and in many third world countries, citizens were afraid to speak against their government, because they would be arrested and imprisoned. There might be a trial, but it would certainly not be fair, because it was with their judges and their rules. We call these citizen's "political prisoners", because they did not commit a crime - they were imprisoned for their political beliefs.

In America, we are horrified by these dictators, and we're so glad we live in a country where that never happens. But we would be wrong, because there are political prisoners in America - and Mississippi - right now!

I am not joking, and I am not exaggerating. This is really happening, and it is heartbreaking to the victims and their families. I am going to tell you about only one such victim, but there are many more. The evidence and the facts are out there for anyone to read – and are listed at the end of this article.

See these little angels? Two days after Christmas, their granddaddy will become a political prisoner. How old will they be when he sees them again?

See this woman? She was a public school teacher with a Masters Degree, until she had to retire on disability. She has multiple sclerosis. Now she's about to lose her life partner and helpmate. She depends on him to take care of her, since she is unable to do for herself. On their 36th anniversary, her husband has to report to a federal penitentiary. What will happen to her?

Who is this man? He's a fairly normal, average man with kids and grandkids. He lives in Gulfport, where he's an Elder in the Presbyterian Church - and even taught Sunday school. He's a lawyer, and like most lawyers in a small town, he practiced general law, and he's had several local legal positions, like Family Law Master. He's not a big time, wealthy trial lawyer, but he's been able to provide a decent living for his family.

In what seemed to be an appropriate career move, he decided to run for Chancery Judge, where a good deal of his law practice took place. Chancery Court does not deal in criminal law and does not have jury trials. It typically deals with family law, corporations, real estate, etc. It generally decides issues and rights, not guilt or innocence. He had to borrow money from a bank for his campaign. A lawyer friend guaranteed that loan for him. He got elected and was doing what he thought was a good job, and he liked what he was doing. Then a nightmare descended out of the blue on him and his family.

Curl up in front of your computer, while I tell you a long, convoluted, and very scary story.

The main goal of the Republican takeover of America was to make the country "friendly" to large, wealthy corporations; in particular insurance, pharmaceuticals, tobacco, and of course, oil. They basically want to take the country back to the age of the Robber Barons, when corporations were free to do whatever they wanted. Since the people benefiting from this were a very small part of the population, they had to court enough citizens to win elections. By giving the conservative Christians whatever they wanted and by appealing to racism, they were able to win elections without hurting their major goal at all.

They still had two problems to address. One was there were still enough Democrats around to make their dismantling of regulations a little more difficult. But far more significant was that the legal system of our country was (shock, shock) still protecting people. So they began their very successful attack on the legal system.

One of Karl Rove's first successes was to take over the Alabama Supreme Court. It worked so well, they moved to other states - Mississippi being one of the first. They hated Mississippi. This was where a lowly State Attorney General and his merry band of trial lawyers brought the vaunted Tobacco Companies to their knees big time - and cost them billions of dollars. Not only that, but the merry band of trial attorneys got wealthy in their endeavor and gave huge contributions to the dangerous Democratics. To really rub salt in the wound, their very expensive campaign in 2000 to take over the Mississippi Supreme Court failed, due largely to the contributions of those same trial attorneys.

Well, these are macho men, and they could not take this sitting down. This meant war! They had to teach Mississippi a lesson! In order to do that, they would have to break a few laws. But hey, laws are for the little people – they don’t apply to the important people like them.

So Karl Rove et al just sicced the FBI and Justice Department on evil Mississippi. (These agencies used to belong to the American people, but not any longer.) Suddenly swarms of FBI agents were in Mississippi going through the campaign records of the aforementioned Supreme Court campaigns. The biggest contributor to these campaigns was one Dickie Scruggs. However, this particular lawyer was declared off limits. For one thing he was a BIG time contributor to Bush/Cheney ($250,000!) and he was the brother in law of the Republican Majority Leader in the Senate, Trent Lott. Sorry, boys – keep your hands off our guy. One of the FBI Agents that objected to this was suddenly transferred to Guatemala. Bet he learned his lesson!

So instead they decided to pick on Paul Minor. He was a major contributor to Democratic candidates and causes, and he fought like a banchee against the corporate takeover of the Mississippi Supreme Court. This guy was even a founder of a group that provided free legal assistance to the poor and colored folk. How more subversive could he be? They decided he was the perfect poster boy for the evil trial attorney. Now they just had to find some crime he committed.

Oh, goodie, he loaned money to Oliver Diaz for his campaign, one of the winning judges on the Supreme Court whom they hated anyway. Surely that’s against the law. Sorry, but not in Mississippi – it’s perfectly legal. (By the way, Diaz was a Republican. However, he didn’t render decisions friendly to corporations, so too bad about him.)

Fortunately, Washington had a very compliant US Attorney to prosecute the case. Remember that the U S Justice Department had a secret list of US Attorneys that it intended to fire because they weren’t prosecuting Democrats, like a good little US Attorney is supposed to do. Well, guess who was originally on this list? Mississippi US Attorney Dunn Lampton! Lampton may be a Republican, but he ain’t stupid – and he sure isn’t ethical. He must have said to himself, I’d better find me a Democrat to prosecute real quick, or I’ll be out of a job. Of course, the fact that he had a gazillion conflicts of interest with the defendants didn’t bother him in the least. Remember, the law means nothing to these guys.

So Lampton conjured up these unbelievably ridiculous charges against Diaz – so ridiculous that they had to include his ex wife in order for them to remotely look plausible. He also found himself a nice obediant Judge, Henry Wingate, who was trying desperately to get Bush to appoint him to a higher court.

Since the case against Diaz was so incredibly weak, they added a couple of other judges just to be on the safe side. They added a Circuit Judge (John Whitfield) and a Chancery Judge (Wes Teel). These guys must have wondered what the hell they did to deserve this! Really nothing would have attracted them to the prosecution. They were simply a means of getting to Minor, since they accepted perfectly legal campaign loans from him.

In the meantime, the Knight in Shining Armor, Haley Barbour (one of the major architects of the Republican takeover in Washington) polished off his forgotten Southern drawl and rode back to his home state to rescue it from these evil devils, the trial attorneys. Of course, all those big corporations, who stood to lose billions more if something wasn’t done, sent BIG bucks to Sir Haley, their ol’ buddy who had also gotten quite wealthy representing these corporations as a lobbyist in Washington.

Just as Sir Haley arrived for his gubernatorial campaign, our political victims were under heavy attack from local media, with information leaked from “sources close to the investigation”. Of course, it’s against the law to leak grand jury information. But remember, the law means nothing to these guys. These leaks not only helped Sir Haley’s campaign, but they made everyone think these poor victims were corrupt criminals, which always helps with potential jurors. It sure worked with me. I admit I thought they were guilty, until just recently.

Conveniently just 90 days before Sir Haley’s election, with great fanfare, Lampton announced the indictments of our five political victims: The target Paul Minor; the judges Diaz, Whitfield, and Teel; and Diaz’s poor former wife.

Mission Accomplished! Sir Haley was crowned King of Mississippi. Remember this was a close election and undoubtedly would have turned out differently without all these illegal shenanigans. In addition, donations to Democrats from Mississippi trial attorneys disappeared, giving Republicans a huge financial advantage that exists to this day – and resulted in their control of the Supreme Court. In the old America, you didn’t have to risk going to jail just because you supported a political candidate. No longer true in Mississippi.

Diaz was acquitted in his first trial, so Lampton quickly filed new charges against him. He was acquitted again and has returned to the Supreme Court. Jennifer Diaz settled out of court – she wasn’t going through this nightmare. The first trial for the other three resulted in a hung jury. Lampton is batting zero about now and sweating bullets.

Not to worry. Lampton and his judge just changed the rules. A magic wand was waived, and the evidence that seemed to help the defendants in the first trial, wasn’t allowed in the second trial. Remember the law means nothing to these guys. This time the three remaining victims (Minor, Whitfield, and Teel) were convicted and sent to prison.

The pictures at the beginning of this article are the family of Judge Wes Teel. He has committed no crimes. He was one of many, many candidates that Paul Minor legally helped. He gave him nothing in return – the evidence proves that. Judge Teel and his codefendants are just victims of a Justice Department run amok. They are political prisoners, pure and simple.

These men will eventually be cleared, but it will take years. In the meantime, who will take care of Judge Teel’s wife?

This is a scary story, because the United States Justice Department is imprisoning innocent citizens for purely political reasons, and quieting political dissent through fear. I’ve just told you about Mississippi, but it’s happening all across the country, in Alabama, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin – the list keeps growing.

Is this America, or one of those dictatorships? What country are we living in?

If you want to help, contact the U S House Judiciary, which is holding hearings on this attack on our country’s values – and they may be the only ones powerful enough to bring justice to these political prisoners.

UPDATE: Maybe Dunn Lampton is stupid after all. Word is he's trumping up more charges on Diaz. Unbelievable!

References:
Judge Wes Teel’s personal blog
Mississippi Corruption in the Spotlight: article in The Natchez Blog
55 articles by Roger Shuler on his blog Legal Schnauzer
Scott Horton’s column No Comment in Harper’s Magazine:
Alabama Case: 41 articles

Justice in Mississippi

A Minor Injustice
Rising Up for Justice
A Minor Injustice II
Justice Department Raises a Rebel Yell

A Primer on Political Persecution

Change or Continuity for the Bush Justice Department?

The Trial of Alberto Gonzalez
Dem At Your Own Risk: Jackson Free Press
Democrats Were Targets in Inquiries, Panel Is Told: New York Times
Tilting the Scales of Justice: New York Times
Former Attorney General Raps White House: Associated Press
Not From a Grisham Novel, But One for the Casebook: New York Times
Report from US House Judiciary

Cross posted at Cottonmouth Blog

Vines Avoids Jail Again!

The Natchez Democrat is reporting that Binky Vines was sentenced to one year in jail. However, Judge Webster again suspended the sentence and placed him on supervised probation. What is it with this judge? Jefferson County Circuit Clerk goes to jail for six years for the same crime, but ours gets another slap on the wrist.

The only good news is the judge ordered him to leave office immediately and ordered the Sheriff to take the keys to his office.

UPDATE: Also from the Democrat, Eddie Walker was sworn in as Circuit Clerk. Poor Eddie! He sure has his work cut out for him. However, if anyone can handle it, he can.

More on Carbon Dioxide in Adams County

In my last article, I told you about an experiment involving CO2 in Natchez. Then today, the Natchez Democrat ran an article about it. (I do love scooping the paper!) This is a very complicated issue, and it could affect all of us. I strongly suggest you pay attention.

The purpose of this experiment is to study carbon dioxide sequestration. What?? Carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced when animals (including humans) exhale and is used by plants in photosynthesis. Unfortunately, it is also created by the combustion of fossil fuels (gas, oil, coal, etc), creating an huge excess of CO2 in the atmosphere, a major cause of global warming. One solution to this excess CO2 is to bury it. However, scientists can't just say burying, so they say sequestration.

There are three players in this experiment, and we need to look at all three.

1. Rentech. We're all familiar with this company, which may build a coal-to-liquid fuel plant in Adams County. One problem with their process is that it produces huge amounts of CO2. Rentech intends to "capture" this CO2 and sell it to our next player.


2. Denbury Resources Inc. This company, though headquartered in Texas, is the largest oil and natural gas operator in Mississippi. They specialize in enhanced (or tertiary) oil recovery (EOR), using CO2 to extract additional oil from oil fields. They own the largest EOR CO2 reserves east of the Mississippi, along with several oil fields, most of which are in Mississippi. Two of interest to us are the Cranfield oil field near Washington, where the experiment will take place, and the Lake St John field across the river. They are also building and buying pipelines that they use to transport their CO2 to their fields.


3. Bureau of Economic Geology. This is a research unit housed at the University of Texas. One of its research projects is CO2 sequestration. They received $38 million from the Department of Entergy to study the process. They are working with Denbury and will use their CO2 and their Cranfield oil field.

This experiment is being presented as a tremendous benefit to the environment. This is reflected in the quotes in the Democrat, and the communications I have had with the Bureau's Director and Project Manager. However, this technique is not supported by environmentalists. Rather it is the baby of those who want to continue our addiction to fossil fuels.

As we all know, the Bush/Cheney administration is very supportive of fossil fuels. So it's no surprise that their Department of Energy would support this type of research. It's also no surprise that the University of Texas got the grant. The objectivity of the researchers at the Bureau can be seriously questioned by their refusal to discuss or admit any negative aspects at all. (In fact, some of the Bureau's own research has shown some of the problems with this technique.) It is also no surprise that this is being done in Mississippi. We are so poor that we'll take any industry regardless of its impact, we are so Republican that we'll support the current administration no matter what, and we're so uneducated that few people will even understand what's happening to them.

And there are serious concerns about this technique. First, injecting toxic gases under the ground in poor communities in order to continue reliance on fossil fuels as our energy source is just not good policy. A switch to sustainable, renewable energy and conservation is the rational long term solution to our global warming problem.

It's also not a feasible solution. Adding CO2 sequestration to a coal plant increases the energy it uses and the cost of its product. Every metric ton (M/T) of coal processed generates 3.7 M/T of carbon dioxide. Where are we going to bury all this stuff? Plus, it has to be transported by pipeline to an appropriate disposal location, and there aren't remotely enough sites available. It has to be compressed into a liquid before it's buried, using more energy. It has to be monitored forever for leaks. If the companies are not held liable for any disasters, as has been proposed, the taxpayers foot the bill. CO2 sequestration in nothing more than a delaying tactic for those who make their money with fossil fuels and don't care about the planet.

Finally, it's dangerous! Yes, CO2 occurs naturally, and yes, we use it safely in lots of products. BUT, only in safe proportions. CO2 in our air is around 375 ppm (parts per million). The maximum safe level of pure CO2 for healthy adults is 5000 ppm, and it's lower for infants, children, elderly, and those with cardiopulmunary problems. However, it's rarely pure - other gases are usually present. So in reality, at 2,000 ppm, people start getting sick. Miners use to bring a caged canary with them to work as a safety device, because it would die from carbon dioxide before humans. The CO2 being buried underground is compressed into deadly proportions and in massive amounts.

There are three lakes in the world (all in Africa) that have naturally occurring, concentrated CO2, but it stays at the bottom of the lakes and is generally not dangerous. However, in two of them, there were incidents that caused disruptions, and the CO2 escaped to the surface. In 1984, 37 people were killed, and in 1986 1700 were killed - along with thousands of animals. Additional thousands escaped, but suffered respiratory problems, lesions, and paralysis as a result of the gases. It took a while to figure out what happened, because they saw and smelled nothing.

CO2 kills because it is heavier than air and displaces air when released into the environment. When the gas is released, it stays close to the ground, displaces oxygen, and suffocates everything in its path.

So who will monitor that storage of CO2 for leaks? What happens when the Bureau finishes its experiment and when Cranfield sells its oil field? CO2 could also infiltrate our water and our soil, and we would never know. CO2 is odorless and colorless, so it could be escaping without anyone noticing. We may be getting sick and dying, but no one will know why.

So what can we do about this? Nothing. There's no law in Mississippi to protect us, and of course, Adams County has no zoning whatsoever, so they can do whatever they like. Politicians are going to just believe whatever these people tell them. Unless you're willing to move, all you can do is pray. Oh, and be sure to tell your children, in case the leak comes after you're gone - so they'll know what is happening.

I would like to thank Jane Gardner for her help with the research for this article.

Deadly CO2 Dumping in Natchez

Imagine my shock as I read an article from the Austin (TX) Statesman that said:

"A 10-year, $38 million project to study the feasibility of storing carbon dioxide underground to combat global warming has been awarded to the University of Texas. The university's Bureau of Economic Geology will inject carbon dioxide into brine formations deep underground about 15 miles east of Natchez, Miss. It's thought that sequestering major greenhouse gases emitted by power plants and other sources could reduce atmospheric emissions that contribute to global warming. "

Does anyone know anything about this? Why is Texas sending its CO2 to us? Who gave them permission to do this? Why haven't we been told? What is going on here?

This is scary! CO2 is deadly. Once it's been buried, it will have to be monitored constantly because it might leak out and kill a few thousand people - like you and me. And it has to be monitored for thousands of years - so maybe it will kill our children and grandchildren.

A recent (2006) study published in Geology (a journal of the Geological Society of America) showed that the mixture of CO2 and brine dissolves minerals in the rock walls that could lead to pathways in the rock through which the gas could escape. The researchers also note the potential for the mobilization of toxic trace metals and toxic organic compounds. This does not sound good!

UPDATE: An article about this project appears in the Democrat. I am also gathering more information.

I Blew It Big Time!

I have to say I am truly shocked by the local election results. The two Supervisors races weren't even close. I have to admit that I overestimated the voters of Adams County. This is a sad day, and the results will be devastating.

At least the people who read this blog are smarter - just look at the poll results. Joe Joe and Sammy each got over 70% of the votes. Although only 200 people voted, we've had almost 5000 visits in the past month.

I'm also sad about the results of the statewide elections but not surprised. I know how smart Haley Barbour is. He is orchestrating the Republican takeover of Mississippi, just like he did the Republican takeover of Washington. We saw what happened to our national government after Haley's takeover, and the same thing will happen here. The good news for me is that they will give me lots of stuff to blog about.

In just a few short months, we will have the opportunity to vote in the City Elections. I hope the results are more positive.

Why You Should Care About Transportation Commissioner

In Mississippi, politics definitely controls the highways - not to mention bridges, airports, railroads, truck safety, and public transportation. And who wins the election for Southern District Transportation Commissioner will make a HUGE difference.

Here's how it works. Mississippi has three elected Transportation Commissioners for three Districts: Southern (that's us), Central, and Northern. These Commissioners hire the Executive Director (currently our former Mayor Butch Brown) who has tremendous power over the Department (MDOT).

Right now, the Northern District has a Democratic Commissioner, Bill Minor, and he has no opposition in the election. The Central District has a Republican Commissioner, Dick Hall, and he has a Democratic opponent Rudy Warnock. Our Southern District has a Democratic Commissioner, Wayne Brown (no relation to Butch), and he has a Republican opponent Larry Benefield. The two Democrats support Butch Brown, and the Republican would fire him in a heartbeat. So the outcome of the elections for Transportation Commission will determine who controls MDOT. Barbour and the Republicans want this badly. Butch Brown and the Democrats are fighting for their life.

I know there are a lot of Natchezians who aren't fond of Butch Brown. However, even they have to admit Butch has been good to Natchez as Executive Director of MDOT. If you want that to continue, you'd better vote for Wayne Brown. If not, you can let Barbour take over and get ignored again. There's another reason to vote for Brown - he's an engineer. His opponent and the other Commissioners appear to be professional politicians.

What do I predict? Both of these races are hotly contested and very close, but I'll go out on a limb and say both incumbents will win.

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6!!!

Election Predictions

Tuesday, November 6, is Election Day for all state and county offices. I've decided to stick my neck out and make predictions about the outcomes.

COUNTY

SUPERVISOR FOR DISTRICT 1: I feel confident that the voters will return Republican Sammy Cauthen to office and reject the candidacy of his problematic challenger Democrat Mike Lazarus.

SUPERVISOR FOR DISTRICT 2: Republican Joe Eidt will easily defeat incumbent Democrat Henry Watts.

STATE

GOVERNOR: Republican Haley Barbour will defeat Democrat John Eaves, but it will be closer than people think. Eaves has served a good purpose by showing Mississippians that Barbour is not the superhero he makes himself out to be. Hopefully, this election will cause citizens to keep a closer eye on what their Governor is doing to them. I will be voting for Eaves, because I think Barbour is a very smart crook who doesn't give a hill of beans for regular Mississipians.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: This race is really too close to call. Republican Phil Bryant may pull it off, not because he is a better choice, but because so much money has been spent on his race, thanks to all the usual big money donors, like casinos, insurance companies, tobacco companies, etc. Democrat Jamie Franks started off with less statewide recognition and had an uphill battle. He did well in fundraising, including support from author John Grisham, but it's hard to compete against those independent attacks ads. He was a major target for the State Republican party.

ATTORNEY GENERAL: Democrat Jim Hood wins easily over Republican Al Hopkins.

SECRETARY OF STATE: Republican Delbert Hosemann will defeat Democrat Rob Smith, partially because of his clever ads.

STATE TREASURER: This is not even a race, since Democrat Shawn O'Hara is not a credible candidate and isn't even supported by his party. Republican Tate Reeves wins without a problem.

STATE AUDITOR: This race is considered close. However, I'm going to predict the winner will be Democrat Mike Sumrall, simply because he is such an extremely qualified candidate. The Republican Stacy Pickering has no credentials for this position and is only competitive because of his last name.

INSURANCE COMMISSIONER: Democrat Gary Anderson upset the incumbent in the Primary, because Mississippians have learned first hand what it's like to have an Insurance Commissioner beholden to the insurance companies. And I predict another upset next week. Anderson has refused all donations from insurance companies and sees his role as the protector of the consumer. His opponent Republican Mike Chaney is openly funded and supported by the insurance companies, and that's who he'll represent if elected.

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE. Agriculture is at least 30% of Mississippi's economy, which makes this an important position. The incumbent Republican Lester Spell has been around too long and has made too many expensive mistakes (the $55 million beef plant, the goat meat cooperative, closing the beloved Jackson Farmers Market, etc). He's a goner. On the other hand, Democrat Ricky Cole is energetic, charismatic, and full of exciting ideas - plus he's a born and bred farmer. He's the definite winner.

I'll be back after the election to brag and eat crow.

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6!!

All registered voters are eligible to vote. The Party Primary you voted in makes no difference.

Why Jamie Franks is Good for Adams County

Tonight I had the privilege of attending a reception here iin Natchez for Jamie Franks, who is running for Lt Governor of Mississippi. I had already decided to vote for him, based on what I'd been reading. However, tonight I learned of a very special reason why voters in Adams County should vote for Franks. If he's elected, guess who his President Pro Tempore (his second in command) will be? Our very own Bob Dearing. If Jamie Franks is elected Lt Governor, Adams County will finally get some attention from the State.

The Lt Governor is the head of the Mississippi Senate and as such is said to be the most powerful position in State Government, since Mississippi has a weak Governor system of government. Right now the Mississippi Senate is a rubber stamp for Governor Barbour. I would like to see the Governor challenged and have a more balanced, less partisan state government. As Charlie Mitchell from the Vicksburg Post puts it:

"If voters want to see how Barbour's policies would work for Mississippi if unfettered, electing Bryant would be a big part of making that come true. If, however, they want to see the agenda of a second- term governor challenged, they'd have to go with Franks."

The person running against Jamie Franks is our current State Auditor Phil Bryant. He has been contacted numerous times about going into our Circuit Clerk's Office to see what Binky is up to - and he refuses to do anything. By the time Eddie Walker, our newly elected Circuit Clerk, finally gets sworn in, Binky could have stolen everything there. Binky is STILL behind in submitting his legally required reports, and the State Auditor can't find time to enforce the law - and protect the taxpayors. Fine, just don't expect me to vote for him. I hope you won't either.

The bottom line is if you care about Adams County, you'll vote for Jamie Franks for Lt Governor next Tuesday, November 6.

Hollywood and Natchez

Hollywood and Natchez in the same sentence? Sounds weird - but not as weird as you may think.

I hope you saw the editorial in Sunday's Democrat about this very issue. For many reasons, Natchez is a great location for making movies. The State of Mississippi recently passed a very attractive incentive package. The only problem is we have to market ourselves.

I recently received a copy of the Location and Production Guide 2007-2008 put out by the Mississippi Film Office. There is a list of movies filmed in Mississippi since 1916. The years 1993-2001 were banner years - 6-10 movies a year. There was only one movie each year in 2004-2006. What happened?

You can blame it all on Louisiana. In 2002, Louisiana became the first state to offer a tax incentive for movie production. That year, $11.8 million was spent filming movies and TV shows in Louisiana. The next year, the total jumped to $212 million. In 2005, the figure was $514 million. Today, Louisiana is third in the country in film production, after California and New York. Louisiana modeled itself after Canada, which had $430 million in 1998 before they introducted tax incentives. In 2005, Canada had $1.3 billion in film production. Five years later, Mississippi is joining in - along with 34 other states. However, I understand that ours is more generous and flexible.

Somebody in Louisiana was smart! But I bet it wasn't easy to get that passed. I bet political critics and opponents were complaining about the money they spent traveling to Hollywood. It's just like what is happening to Sammy Cauthen (Supervisor 1). No matter what Sammy, the paper, or anyone else says, these naysayers keep carrying on.

Here's a direct quote from a flyer that just arrived at my house from Mike Lazarus:

Pleasure trips have been passed off as recruiting industy.
(This is in all caps and bold print.)

What an idiot! What does he know about recruiting industry? Nothing! Sammy's been in the movie business for years, and he knows lots of people. Sending him to Hollywood to sell Natchez was one of the smartest things we've done.

By the way, that Mississippi Location & Production Guide has a whole section of Production Personnel & Services, which tells movie producers who they can contact for everything from Accountants to Video Resources. Guess who listed under Animals/Wranglers? Of course, it's Sammy.

If we want to improve the economy of this County, we've got to be willing to be creative. And we've also got to be willing to make an investment in our future. Sammy Cauthen and Joe Eidt are absolutely the right choices to move Adams County forward. (If you want to remain an old stick in the mud, vote for those other guys.)

OMG! I'm Supporting Another Republican!

(For the unhip: OMG is the netcentric abbreviation for "Oh, My God" generally used to express surprise.)

It is very difficult for this third generation Democrat to admit it, but I find myself supporting another Republican for Supervisor. It was bad enough when I confessed to supporting Republican Sammy Cauthen for Supervisor in District 1. But now I am publically proclaiming my support for Joe Eidt for Supervisor in District 2. The only defense I have is that these two Republicans seem to be more Democratic that their opponents.

I have never been fond of Henry Watts, who is the supposedly Democratic candidate for Supervisor in District 2. If you go to a meeting of the Board of Supervisors, you'll be sure to see him complaining about something. He is without a doubt the most negative person there. I don't remember him ever working cooperatively with the Board on anything. Can you think of anything Henry Watts has accomplished while he's been there? I can't. He doesn't want to spend money on anything and doesn't seem to understand that you sometimes have to make a financial investment in your County to get results. Another added benefit of getting rid of Henry would be the effect on The Unnamed Paper (the one they throw in your driveway that I refuse to call by name for fear of giving it credibility). Where will the Editor get his information about the County?

But I'm not just anti Henry. I really like Joe Eidt, and I'll give you a few reasons why. Look at his literature or his ads, and you'll see the word "Cooperation" emphasized. He understands that to get anything done, it is necessary for the Board members to work with each other - and further, the County needs to work together with the City.

I also like his background as a salesman, which our County needs - to sell its ideas to potential businesses, government agencies, nonprofits, and the citizens themselves. And who has he sold to? Businesses, of all sizes and shapes - and for over 20 years. That's invaluable experience.

Joe Joe has spent years as a volunteer in recreation, which should be a major issue in our County for a while to come. Recreation is not just about a place for kids to play. Recreation is for adults as well. Perhaps, most importantly, it's an economic boon. (Check out this article.) Few people in our County recognize this, but Joe Joe does. He has the knowledge and experience to develop this potential, and the personality to sell it to everyone else. Unlike our Mayor who just announces one day that the City will spend a gazillion dollars on recreation starting with big consulting fee, Joe Joe knows that community involvement is key. He'll help us develop a cost effective plan we can all support. Then we'll see some action!

Join me in supporting the personable, energetic, visionary Joe Eidt for Supervisor for District 2, instead of the negative, whining, do nothing, Henry Watts.

Who Will Run the County for the Next Four Years?

Who will run the County for the next four years? That probably depends upon who wins the race for Supervisor for District 1. The leader of the County is basically the President of the Board of Supervisors. Darryl Grennell (District 4) currently serves as President, due to the votes of Boo Campbell (District 3) and Sammy Cauthen (District 1). However, if Mike Lazarus defeats Sammy Cauthen in November, he will vote for Henry Watts (District 2) for President, if Henry is reelected (more on that in another article).

Darryl Grennell has wide spread support across the county, and he was overwhelmingly reelected as Supervisor. One exception to that support is that free paper that is thrown unsolicited in our driveways. (I refuse to give it any credibility by giving its name.) It constantly and viciously attacks Darryl, as well as Sammy, and sometimes Boo. Of course, as I've noted in the past, that Unnamed Paper seems to have some allergy to the truth. Unfortunately, some people pay attention to what it says.

One of the Unnamed Paper's favorite issues is travel. It attacked Sammy Cauthen for his trip to Hollywood, making it sound like some kind of expensive vacation at county expense. However, movies are a great source of income, which is why Mississippi recently developed an incentive package for them. Sally Durkin, media liaison with Natchez Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, has been working tirelessly to recruit movies to this town, and her efforts are starting to show results. What could be more natural than the Board of Supervisors doing their part? Sammy Cauthen spent the grand sum total of $656.66 of County money on a trip to help with the recruitment - and spent over $1600 of his own money. After all, he has spent 23 years working with the motion picture industry and has connections. I personally think it was definitely worth the money.

But if you're like most of the rest of the county, you disagree with these attacks. If you want Darryl Grennell to continue as President, you'd better vote for Sammy Cauthen as Supervisor for District 1. But there are other reasons to vote for Sammy.

Sammy Cauthen is not a media hound, and he's not one to brag on his accomplishments. However, if you look at his record, you'll see he's been a good supervisor. It bothers me that the Unnamed Paper has portrayed Sammy as some sort of crook. If there's one thing you can say about Sammy, it's that he's a person of integrity. You and I may not agree with him on all issues, but we can depend on his doing what he thinks is the right thing to do for Adams County. Sammy is a Republican, and I'm a diehard liberal Democrat. So if I can support him, you know he's got to be the best choice.

I also am not fond of his Democratic opponent, Mike Lazarus. He makes much of his experience as a businessman. His literature says: "Mike knows what it takes to meet a budget and make ends meet. Mike will work to make sure our tax dollars are spent wisely." Sounds nice, but I don't believe it. If you go to the Circuit Clerk's website, and look up Lazarus under Judgments, you'll see a long list of them. Looks like maybe Mike didn't know "what it takes to meet a budget and make ends meet". I don't know about you, but I sure don't trust him to "make sure our tax dollars are spent wisely". (By the way, I also looked up Cauthen, and there was nothing there.) Mike Lazarus has some other drawbacks, but fiscal irresponsibility is enough to vote against him.