by: Ron Williams
State Representative Jeff Smith has started his campaign for re-election and also for election to Speaker of the House. Smith , who only lost the last Speaker race by a single vote, gathered some thoughts for me yesterday and sent them to me concerning the latest political going-ons involving the State Legislature and political jockeying statewide. Here is the content of the message in Jeff’s words;
“There seems to be more political activity with the Legislature, than actual Legislation. I have had a lot of activity with my announcing for Speaker, and have had a chance to be on state-wide radio twice. I have set up a ‘Facebook’ site at the request of several constituents and friends. My site is SmithForSpeaker on Facebook. I have had over 200 friends add me in less than a week. I keep getting comments from friends and individuals, concerning a group of Rogue Republicans, who seem to be intent on getting me an opponent. I have talked to Phil Bryant, Staffers of the Governor, Staff of Tate Reeves and others and we can’t understand why this going on, There appears to be a small group trying to get incumbents, opponents in North Mississippi. I am thankful for the people being contacted and their friends, letting me know.
I can not understand why anyone, locally, would want a candidate for Speaker to take the time and money running a general campaign election and not concentrate on his chances for Speaker.
The Federal Court is having a hearing on “Good Friday” to ascertain several manners including if a “temporary plan” can be adopted for Legislators to run under for the 2011 election cycle. The Executive Committee of the Republican Party seems to want the Court or Panel of Judges to draw a Plan rather than the parties agree to any temporary plans. Several incumbent Republicans have contacted me, upset the “Party” seems intent on letting appointed Judges draw an overall Redistricting Plan, and not negotiate a settlement between House and Senate Members. Of course, had we done it during the Regular Session we would not be here.
I hope the people in the Golden Triangle area will let their Representatives and Senators know, it is a shame Federal Judges are being asked to draw a plan the State Constitution mandates the State Officials complete. I would hope a plan can be adopted soon, to prevent Judicial Bureaucrats from again doing a job reserved and the responsibility of the Legislature.
Jeff Smith
City Council Discussion of Police Department
During discussion this past Tuesday night about the Columbus Police Department, Ward 5 City Councilman Kabir Karriem told Chief St John that he visited the Sims Scott police substation last week and found the person inside asleep. The chief said the person in question was “a civilian who has helped the department in many things” and was not a police officer. Mayor Robert Smith then asked St. John how many substations were inside the city (a question that has been asked of the chief at least 5 times already this year, it seems. RW) St. John, once again, went through the list of substations in the city.
Also during the discussion with Councilman Karriem, the Ward 5 Councilman told the chief that he had not witnessed any of the things the chief had spoken about earlier (the conversation was about police presense near ‘hotspots’ and how the police department was handling neighborhood parks, etc)I’d take issue with what Councilman Karriem told the chief. I have personally witnessed the police department presense in those area’s that Karriem said he had not (maybe he just missed them. RW) It sounds like much ado about nothing, to me. It’s time to let Chief St. John run his department. Or maybe the mayor or Councilman Karriem would like to do that?
It’s called ‘micro-managing’, gentleman. Let the chief run his department!
Ron Williams can be reached by email at Ronsings2you@aol.com
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That pic does not look like Jeff Smith to me.
The photo is of the Columnist.
I know that but that is not the way it appears.
i think i did time with this cat???
The Columnist needs to invest in spell check.Presence would be the correct spelling.
With the Golden Triangle becoming the “Huntsville, Alabama” of Mississippi and landing rights granted for the killer drones at GTRA, I suspect that we’ll see more eminent domain confiscation of private land from the agricultural community landowners for “national security” purposes.
Does anyone remember Rep. Jeffrey Smith “flip flopping” on the “eminent domain” issue last year? I think that he ended up supporting Boss Hogg’s veto when the chips were really down. Will Jeffrey Smith, Phil Bryant, Billy Hewes and Bennie Turner again vote to allow the State to confiscate private property and deed it to a Yuri Shamir or a General Foglesong?
Steven Palazzo lied about eminent demain! Will Jeffrey Smith lie, too?
http://mslp.org/articles/eminent-domain-reform-mississippi-scam/
And in honor of Confederate Memorial Day, this prophecy from General Robert E. Lee in a letter to Lord Acton as to why he chose to defend Virginia and the Confederacy from Lincoln’s Union.
{SNIP}
…I yet believe that the maintenance of the rights and authority reserved to the states and to the people, not only essential to the adjustment and balance of the general system, but the safeguard to the continuance of a free government. I consider it as the chief source of stability to our political system, whereas the consolidation of the states into one vast republic, sure to be aggressive abroad and despotic at home, will be the certain precursor of that ruin which has overwhelmed all those that have preceded it.
@Ron Williams
Ron, as you are now the roving reporter for The Columbus Packet, why not do a report on the mushrooming “defense” industry that has targeted the GT. Tell us if they’re really here to exploit our “well-educated work force” and “work ethic.” Or were they lured here with all the grants, tax-exemptions, lax environmental laws and all that fossil water lying beneath us.
A sit-down interview with the bosses of Stark, Shamir/Foglesong’s IAE , Serverstal and Talley Industries would bring some openess and inform our citizens of the coming tax burdens that will be put on our collective backs to meet the environmental and social costs from an influx of MICC workers moving into this area. I expect quantum leaps in property tax assessments.
I recall that when Talley announced the purchase of that 640 acre-section of cotton land down in South Lowndes county almost ten-years ago, it promised that it would employ local folks, but forewarned us with a caveat that “the work there would require a highy-skilled and well-educated work force and that they may have to go elsewhere to meet those labor force requirements. There seems to be very little observable activity down there.
Bottom line:Just how many “locals” are being employed or being trained to work in these new industries? Or are we being treated just like a Third World country?