November 2 is quickly approaching, and it is important that we begin to organize. The Mississippi Democratic Party is partnering with Organizing for America to target key first-time Obama voters. We are going to have to diligently work to encourage these voters to return to the polls in November. These voters turned out in record numbers in 2008 and will help us reach our goal of winning our midterm election.

We have designated June 26 as the Mississippi Day of Action. We need you as Democratic leaders to begin to organize in your communities. Mississippi Day of Action will allow YOU to begin to cultivate a personal relationship with these voters that could be the added force that will push us over the threshold of success.

The Mississippi Democratic Party needs you to find at least five volunteers in your county that will be willing to canvas or participate in a phone back. MDP and OFA will provide all of the walking and calling lists for the area. All that we ask you and your volunteers to do is record the results and send the information back to the State Party headquarters.

The Republican Party desires to steal our three Democratic seats in the 1st, 2nd and 4th congressional districts, yet the party of the Big Tent is not only determined to defend the seats of Congressmen Childers, Thompson and Taylor, but also to help elect Joel Gill in the 3rd Congressional district.

If you have any questions please contact Jason Harper at jason@mississippidemocrats.org or 601-969-2913.
Democratically yours,

Jason Harper
Field Director

Now, with what looks like a primary victory for Joel Gill, our slate is complete. We have four Democrats who are ready to run in November, and we’re ready to give them everything we’ve got in support.

First District Congressman Travis Childers has shown during his first term that he will put the needs of his district before anything else. He’s not a career politician; he’s a true representative of North Mississippi.

Second District Congressman Bennie Thompson is the chairman of the important House Homeland Security Committee. He’s been a strong advocate for the Mississippi Delta and for the Magnolia State as a whole. Whoever his eventual opponent, they will have a hard time convincing Mississippians in the Second Congressional District that Bennie Thompson has not done a stellar job in Washington.

Fourth District Congressman Gene Taylor has always been a loud voice for the people of the Coast. During Hurricane Katrina, he was a leader in helping bring federal assistance to Mississippi to help with recovery efforts. We expect he’ll do the same now as we face another disaster on the coast with the BP Oil Spill, which Gov. Barbour and Lt. Gov. Bryant have completely mismanaged.

And finally, Pickens Mayor Joel Gill is a working-class man with working-class values. He understands the plight of small businesses, main streets and hard-working Mississippians. He is not afraid to tackle the far-right, out-of-touch record of Congressman Gregg Harper. We need a Congressman in the Third Congressional District who represents Mississippians first, not their political party or their own professional aspirations. Joel Gill can be that man.

We hope that you will help support the Mississippi Democratic Party as we support our incumbents and our Democratic challenger in these so very important Congressional elections. You can do so by contributing at:

http://www.mississippidemocrats.org/contribute/

Thanks for your hard work on behalf of Democratic candidates.

Democratically yours,

Chairman Jamie Franks

Last week Gov. Haley Barbour told the Jackson Free Press that the oil spill was a “very, very thin layer” and that it could be nothing to worry about. Similar words were spoken by Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant to hundreds of business people gathered in Madison. The same talking points have been parroted by the talking heads on FoxNews.

Their message is all the same: Nothing to see here. It’s all OK.

Well, it’s far from OK. For those on the coast, it is quite clear that there is a disaster of monumental proportions brewing. But farther away, it’s easy to be disconnected from the sobering reality of the oil spill.

That’s why I’m writing you. I want you to visit the Boston Globe and take a look at 40 photos they have posted.

Here’s the link to their site:

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/05/disaster_unfolds_slowly_in_the.html

Be warned. When you visit, you’ll see some disturbing sites. Read the captions, and you’ll start to grasp the dire situations our coast faces. Here’s a few examples of what you’ll see:

Water covered with thick swashes of oil
Dolphins swimming under oily water
Workers desperately trying to save marshes and wetlands from the oil spill
Blobs of oil floating off the coastline
Unemployed commercial fishermen waiting in line for charitable assistance
The oil spill approaching the mouth of the Mississippi River

My question is this: How can Gov. Barbour, Lt. Gov. Bryant and anyone with knowledge of this spill disperse the idea that this spill is not that big of a deal, that the spill is very, very thin and that everything could be just fine.

Granted, we don’t need fear-mongering. What we need is the truth: This is a disaster. The consequences are not yet know. The recovery period could be years.

What we don’t need is Barbour, Bryant and others trying to soften the reality for their friends in the oil business so they can protect future offshore drilling rights. This is not about the future of offshore drilling. That conversation will take place later.

Right now, we should be concerned about our Gulf Coast and how we can prevent future disasters. We should be concerned about those who have lost loved ones or lost jobs. And we should be prayerful for those who are working in less-than-ideal situations — and doing so for long hours — to protect against further damage.

Sincerely,

Sam R. Hall, Executive Director

Earlier today, Rep. Scott Bounds joined the Republican Party. I want to spread a little light on the reality of this situation.

In short: Scott Bounds was a Democrat in name only.

Here’s what I told the media: “What Scott Bounds did today was not switch parties, he just finally started telling the truth about what party he supports. He’ll have to answer to voters in Neshoba County about lying to them for so long.”

The Mississippi House of Representatives is made up of 122 members, 72 of which are Democrats. These 72 Democrats are a diverse mixture, and we’re proud of the work that they do.

We have a large number of conservative Democrats who continue to serve as Democrats because their core principles and the core principles of their voters are shared by all Democrats:

• Strengthening public education
• Providing affordable and accessible health care
• Developing good-paying jobs without giving away too much taxpayer dollars
• Finding a balance between the rights of individuals and the needs of the business world

Bounds today joined a party who devalues all of those things. And Bounds has already proven that he does, too. Look at a bill he authored in the last legislative session, HB 1484.

HB 1484 would have allowed employers to force employees filing a workers compensation claim to take a drug and alcohol test without probable cause that the worker was using drugs or alcohol and regardless of the nature of the accident. That means if a box fell on a employee, that employee could have been forced to submit to a drug and alcohol test before moving forward with his/her claim. The measure failed thanks to the work of Democrats who refused to allow corporate America to run roughshod over the rights of hard-working Mississippians.

In case that is not enough proof, here’s the truth about Scott Bounds’ record during this last legislative session:

• Rep. Scott Bounds voted with Republicans 92 percent of the time.
• Out of 49 Republicans, only 15 voted with a majority of the Republican members more times than did Rep. Scott Bounds. That means he had a voting record as a Democrat that is “more Republican” than do 34 of the Republican members of the Legislature.
• No Democrat has voted less times with the Democratic majority on key issues than has Rep. Scott Bounds.
• No Democrat has voted AGAINST prevailing measures more than Rep. Scott Bounds.

Don’t believe the hype of the Republican Party. They are not getting people to switch their allegiances. At best, they are convincing people to stop lying to their constituents. At worst, they are deepening the political divide in this state by placing partisan politics above effective governing.

The Mississippi Democratic Party remains the party of the big tent, the party where diverse and divergent ideologies can co-exist and work together to formulate good, effective government.

Today, we continue to maintain a majority in the House, and we are committed to seeing that majority increase in 2011. To do so, we’ll continue to open our doors to conservative, moderate and progressive members alike.

Democratically yours,

Jamie Franks

You are going to hear a lot about the Mississippi Department of Employment Security and a Senate unemployment bill that the House killed today.

Know this: Everything would have been fine had Gov. Barbour accepted federal stimulus money to help the unemployed people of Mississippi during this national recession.

Gov. Barbour thought Democratic leaders in the House would fold, walk away and leave the unemployed to fend for themselves. But that’s not what’s happening. Democrats in the House are fighting for our unemployed.

Now that we’ve reached a boiling point, Gov. Barbour is in full spin mode. He’s released a statement saying the House leadership is to blame for what is going on. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Below, I’ve included a press release from Rep. Rufus Straughter, chairman of the House Labor Committee. Rep. Straughter lays out the facts quite well. Please read it and pass it along.

Then, do me a favor. Call Gov. Barbour and Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant. Tell them you’re tired of their putting politics before people. Tell them to work with the Democratic leadership to forge a true compromise that provides much needed unemployment benefits to our people.

Gov. Barbour: 601-359-3150
Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant: 601-359-3200

Democrats will not step down. This is a fight worth waging. We must protect our most vulnerable citizens, and that includes the hard-working men and women of Mississippi who have lost their jobs and still have families to feed.

Democratically yours,

Sam R. Hall
Executive Director

STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN STRAUGHTER

Chairman Rufus Straughter is calling on Governor Haley Barbour and House and Senate Republicans to support Mississippi’s working families instead of playing a dangerous game of national politics with benefits for workers.

The debate stems from House Republicans and the Governor’s refusal to compromise for the State of Mississippi and receive more than $56 million dollars in federal support while ensuring that the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (“MDES”) is reauthorized.

“I question Governor Barbour’s refusal to accept $56.1 million that would support small businesses and 40,000 Mississippi families who are struggling in this recession, especially when the Governor has already spent $832 million in recovery funding,” Chairman Straughter said.

MDES is responsible for administering the state’s Unemployment Insurance program and is required by state law to be reauthorized every two years. If the agency is not reauthorized, the U.S. Department of Labor will take over the collection of unemployment taxes for Mississippi businesses.

“It would be unfortunate if the Governor allows this important state agency to be taken over rather than accept critical resources during the worst recession since the great depression. This money will generate over $120 million in economic activity for our communities by helping Mississippi businesses save and create jobs,” Chairman Straughter said.

If MDES is taken over by the Department of Labor, taxes on businesses will increase to 6.2% per employee, resulting in a $413 million tax bill for Mississippi businesses.

“I am opposed to a tax increase and would like to see our families benefit from the State receiving the $56 million. In fact, these federal funds will not raise taxes on 90 percent of Mississippi businesses for at least four years.

“Unfortunately, House Republicans, with the Governor’s support, decided they would rather kill HB 1346 and risk the reauthorization of this agency than give $56.1 million worth of help to 40,000 Mississippi families,” Straughter said.

HB1346, introduced by Chairman Straughter, was both pro-business and pro-worker. It would have modernized Mississippi’s antiquated employment laws and reauthorized the state agency which administers employment benefits.

First, let me say that I’m pleased with who we have running for Congress this year. We’ve got three good incumbents and a field of challengers vying for the Democratic nomination in the Third Congressional District.

If we want to be successful, we’re going to need your support! As you read about our candidates below, please consider contributing $10, $25, $100 or $250 to the Mississippi Democratic Party.

Our three incumbent Congressmen have no primary opponents, so we can now turn our focus to preparing for tough general election fights.

Two of our Congressional races are already garnering national attention. Congressman Travis Childers’ re-election bid is considered one of the top 10 races in the nation to watch. And longtime Congressman Gene Taylor has the first serious Republican challengers in many elections.

We don’t want to turn either of these seats over to Republicans. If we do that, our numbers in the House of Representatives could fall to dangerous levels when it comes to deciding whether or not we even see a vote on health care, much less get it passed.

Congressman Bennie Thompson is also facing Republican and Independent challengers. While we feel confident he will return to Washington, we will take nothing for granted. Having Bennie Thompson as chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee is a valuable asset to Mississippi. I don’t intend to see it lost.

Finally, we have three Democrats vying to face off against Congressman Gregg Harper. I know a lot of people will write this race off as hopeless, but I don’t. Gregg Harper has to prove that he’s done enough for his district to warrant a second term, and serious questions about his votes against jobs and federal funding for road projects in Mississippi will be asked. He needs to be held accountable. Besides, I’ve always liked a good underdog. So we’re going to support our eventual nominee the best we can.

We can’t wait to start getting ready for the November elections. We have to start now! That’s why I’m writing you. I need you to give what you can.

Please contribute $10, $25, $100 or $250 to the Mississippi Democratic Party so we can elect Democratic Congressmen to represent our needs in Washington.

Working together, we can win in November!

Democratically yours,

Jamie Franks
Chairman

Tuesday is an important day. It is the deadline for the Insurance Committee in the Mississippi Senate to pass the Policy Holders Bill of Rights.

The Policy Holders Bill of Rights is a list of commonsense regulations that protects homeowners from being mistreated by the insurance industry. The great thing about this bill is that it has bipartisan support. This bill passed the House of Representatives by a margin of 108-6.

The problem lies with a few Republican leaders in the Senate, in particular Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant and Insurance Committee Chairman Eugene “Buck” Clarke. Both Republicans have indicated that they do not support this bill.

If you look at what happened to insurance policy holders on the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina, you can see the need for this bill. And it’s not just about people who live in hurricane-prone areas. This bill of rights protects all policy-holders.

Here’s what you can do

Call Lt. Gov. Bryant and Chairman Clarke and ask them to put the bill on the Senate floor for a vote. That’s the fair thing to do.

Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant: (601) 359-3200
Chairman Eugene “Buck” Clarke: (601) 359-3172

Forward this email to friends and ask them to make calls as well. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Democratically yours,

Sam R. Hall
Executive Director

What the governor doesn’t tell you is that it’s his failed fiscal policies that have the state facing the highest unemployment and the most devastating budget cuts in decades.

Ensuring that our most vulnerable citizens have access to affordable health care should be a top priority of any state leader. If that means making tough decisions, then so be it. But we would not be facing the budget cuts that have ravaged our state or talking about any tax increases if Gov. Barbour had not failed to create jobs and improve our economy.

For the past four years, a bi-partisan group of legislators tried to raise the tobacco tax, but Gov. Barbour protected his former lobbying clients instead of doing what’s best for Mississippians.

Today, we’re spending tens of millions of tax dollars on debt services for Toyota, and we have not one job to show for it.

None of this is smart fiscal policy, and it obviously isn’t effective job creation policy either.

We need health care reform. I have confidence that our Congressional leaders will negotiate a bill that helps the American people. I don’t have the same faith in our top two state leaders to create jobs and put the needs of Mississippians ahead of their own selfish desires.

You can help. Call the governor and tell him to stop playing Washington politics, traveling the country so he can run for President and get back to work for the people of Mississippi. His phone number is (601) 359-3150, or call him toll free at (877) 405-0733.

You can also help us continue to fight against Gov. Barbour’s devastating fiscal policies. With your help, we can make sure that the voices of hard working Mississippians are not drowned out by the lobbyists and big business interests that seem to own Gov. Barbour and the Republican leadership in the Senate.

Please go online and donate today:

http://www.mississippidemocrats.org/contribute/

Democratically yours,

Jamie Franks

I just wanted to remind you about a reception for Attorney General Jim Hood, which will be held tonight at the Old Capitol Inn, located at 226 North State Street in downtown Jackson. The event will run from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Hosts for the event include:

• Lee Abraham
• Honorable Reuben Anderson
• Representative Earle Banks
• Representative Ed Blackmon
• Trey Bobinger
• Dorsey Carson
• Merrida Coxwell
• Royce Delaney
• Roger Doolittle
• Tony Gelderman
• Honorable William Guy
• William H. Liston
• John Maxey
• Speaker William H. “Billy” McCoy
• Honorable Mike Moore
• Honorable Ronnie Musgrove
• Brad Pigott
• Crymes Pittman
• Mona Pittman
• Richard Schwartz
• Honorable Ronnie Shows
• Worth Thomas
• Ed Williamson

Donations of $250 per person/couple are recommended for the event. If you have any further questions, please contact Wendi Hooks at friendsofjimhood@gmail.com.

If you cannot make the event but want to support the attorney general, you can do so at:

http://www.actblue.com/page/jimhoodfr

Democratically yours:

Sam R. Hall
Executive Director

President Obama hit a home run tonight with his speech on health care reform. He was detailed in his plan. He answered the untruths and the criticisms from his opponents. And he called for a civil tone in the debate over this important issue.

Most everyone — Democrats, Republicans and Independents — agree that we need health care reform. We agree that everyone should have access to affordable health care. We agree that pre-existing conditions should be covered. We agree that costs should be cut.

President Obama recognizes that both sides have good ideas, and that’s why his plan takes parts from everyone. Here’s some of the key points he made in his speech:

1. If you have coverage, nothing will change. You can keep your current coverage, and you will even benefit from new rules that prevent your insurance company from not covering pre-existing conditions or from dropping you because you become seriously ill.

2. If you cannot find an affordable policy in your state, you will be able to get coverage through a public option. This public option will not be paid for by taxpayer money. It will be self-sustaining.

3. The President will not sign a health care reform bill that adds one cent to the public debt. In fact, he is proposing a clause that says any savings that are promised but not realized must be offset by spending cuts.

4. Medicare will not be cut. In fact, saving measures in the President’s plan could lead to increased benefits and more money for prescription drug coverage.

5. We need civility in this debate. Health care reform is too important to be reduced to partisan political bickering. On this point, we should all agree.

If you missed the president’s speech, please visit our blog and read the play-by-play post that details what he said. You can find it here:

http://www.mississippidemocrats.org/blog/2009/live-blogging-the-presidents-speech/

After decades of trying to pass health care reform, now is the time to act. Tonight, the President outlined in clear terms a health care proposal filled with bipartisan ideas, cost-cutting measures and assurances for those who currently have coverage.

We hope that you will do your part to promote a civil debate over comprehensive health care reform. If that is achieved, so will health care reform itself.

Democratically yours,

Sam R. Hall
Executive Director