Another legislative session is in the books.  The Republican-controlled legislature pushed most of its agenda through while minority Democrats put up a loyal opposition.  Even though Democrats are currently in the minority, their influence cannot be ignored.

One of the biggest fights legislative Democrats took on this session was over the expansion of Medicaid.  In a state like Mississippi, there is no doubt that this is an issue worth debating.  According to independent estimates, thousands of Mississippians would obtain health insurance assistance, billions in federal dollars will come to the state, and hospitals would not be burdened with so much money lost in uncompensated care from treating individuals without health insurance coverage.

Earlier in the session, Governor Bryant announced that Mississippi will not expand Medicaid.  In his opinion, the state cannot afford to have thousands of additional Mississippians on the Medicaid rolls.  It should be noted that throughout his entire adult life, Governor Bryant has been a government employee and offered government-subsidized health insurance coverage.

House Minority Leader Bobby Moak (D-Bouge Chitto) made it clear that House Democrats wanted a debate and a vote on Medicaid expansion.  Win or lose, Moak wanted to take on the fight.  The response from Speaker Philip Gunn (R-Clinton): no deal.  Gunn refused to bring up a bill that would allow for an open debate on Medicaid expansion.  He suggested that proponents of Medicaid expansion do not have enough votes to pass it so it is a waste of time to even discuss it.

What is Speaker Gunn afraid of?  Is he afraid that he may be wrong?  Many of Gunn’s rank and file members represent areas where large hospitals reside.  Look no further than River Oaks Hospital and the University Medical Center to know that the entire Rankin County delegation would vote on a bill that could impact some of their constituents’ jobs.  Why would he want to put his members in a position to vote for a Democratic-supported bill that might pass?!

Three times this session, our legislative Democrats held firm to reject the strong-armed tactics of the Republicans.  Democrats insisted that until the Speaker and Governor agree to allow for a debate and vote, Democrats will use their leverage to fight for this critical issue.  Since Republicans failed to negotiate, a special session of the legislature is expected to take place in late June.  The agenda will certainly include Medicaid.

Democrats in the Mississippi legislature are more unified in a way we have not seen in a long time.  We should be grateful that they have the strength of their convictions to stand up and fight.

March has been an exciting month for Rankin County Democrats.  Our community presence is increasing and enthusiasm continues to rise.

On March 2, Democrats from across Mississippi convened in Jackson for a campaign seminar.  Speakers educated attendees on better ways to fundraise, use social media and new communication techniques, and how to organize grassroots supporters.

On March 5 and 7, we organized the Pearl and Brandon Democratic Municipal Committees.  These groups will help mobilize Democratic activity in their respective cities as we work to move the needle for Democrats in Rankin County.

Yesterday, Rankin Democrats co-hosted a new event called Democrats on Tap.  This was an opportunity for us to meet, have a refreshment, make some new friends, and network.  The response was tremendous!  It was wonderful to see so many new faces in the crowd.  Mississippi Democratic Trust Executive Director Brandon Jones and members of the legislative Democratic caucus were on hand to greet our guests.  We will continue to hold these events so be on the lookout for details.

Earlier this week, Rankin Democrats issued a press release calling out the Rankin County Board of Supervisors for granting a $12,000 annual pay raise to the county Tax Collector as well as additional raises to her staff.  In these economic times, it is inexcusable that some members of the Board made such a poor decision.

A letter to the editor was submitted and was published in the Clarion-Ledger on March 9.  In the letter, Rankin Democrats called out the hypocrisy of Senator Wicker’s position on the sequester.  A rebuttal was issued by a defender of the senator’s.

The Rankin County Board of Supervisors is holding a public hearing on county precinct redistricting.  The hearing will be held in the supervisors board room Monday, April 1, at 9:00 am.  You can find the proposed map here.  Data show that there may be changes coming to precincts in areas such as Flowood, Pearl, Crossgates, and Park Place.  Please attend this important hearing, if your schedule allows.

Our monthly breakfast will be at the Flowood Corner Bakery on Saturday, April 6, at 8:30 am.  Everyone is welcome to attend!  We hope to see you there!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.  Check out our website for news and event updates.

Rankin County Democrats denounce the recent action taken by the Rankin County Board of Supervisors in allowing a pay raise for certain county employees.

At their March 15 meeting, the Board granted a $12,000 annual salary increase for the Tax Collector and additional pay raises for her staff while wages for hard-working Rankin County residents stagnate.

The Board recently elected to raise taxes arguing that the county does not have the resources necessary to balance its budget.  It is inconceivable that some members of the Board would raise taxes and give pay raises without bearing in mind the hardships faced by those who pinch pennies to make ends meet and do not have the ability to raise their salaries with the stroke of a pen.

Rankin County Democrats call upon the Board to reverse this misguided decision.  In these tough economic times, it was a bad call by the Board and the Tax Collector to hold themselves to a different standard for the work they perform on behalf of the voters and taxpayers of Rankin County.

February has been a busy month for Rankin County Democrats!

On February 15, Rankin Democrats spoke before a public hearing of the county Board of Supervisors to express concern over how some supervisors’ districts were drawn.  This meeting is a result of us challenging the Board’s procedures when calling a public hearing. We will continue to monitor this and other electoral changes that take place within the county.

Earlier this month, the state House of Representatives passed a bill that would keep the state Department of Revenue in Speaker Gunn’s Clinton-based district.  An amendment was offered to move the Department to Pelahatchie.  That amendment was defeated by Rankin Republican Representative Tom Weathersby.  Rankin Democrats issued a press release highlighting the blank check the Speaker is cutting on behalf of Mississippi taxpayers and that Rankin representatives are fighting for Hinds County jobs.  You can read our press release here.

Saturday, February 16, was the launch of Extra Shot of Blue.  These are coffee shop-based events designed to help us broaden the community outreach of Rankin Democrats.  Thanks to everyone who came out for our inaugural event.  The next Extra Shot of Blue will be Saturday, March 23, at the Pearl Dunkin’ Donuts.  You can find more information on our calendar.

If you or someone you know is interested in joining the Rankin County chapter of the NAACP, please email [email protected] or call Lorenzo Evans at 601-316-8000.  A membership drive is underway so please show your support.  Anyone who lives or works in Rankin County can join.  You can download the registration form here.

Our monthly breakfast will be Saturday, March 2, at 8:30 am.  We will meet at the Flowood Corner Bakery.  Everyone is welcome to join us!

There are two important events coming up next week.  The Brandon and Pearl Democratic Municipal Committees will hold their organizational meetings.  Pearl will hold its meeting on Tuesday, March 5, at Pearl City Hall.  Brandon will hold its meeting on Thursday, March 7, at the Board of Supervisors board room in downtown Brandon.  Each of these meetings will begin at 7:00 pm.  The purpose of these meetings is to elect officers and executive committees for each city so they may certify municipal candidates on Friday, March 8.

Rankin Democrats will join Keep the Rez Beautiful on Saturday, March 9, for the Great American Cleanup.  This is part of a national day of action to help inspire greater community involvement.  For those able to participate, please bring some trash bags and gloves with you.  We will meet across the street from Lakeside Presbyterian Church on Spillway Road at 9:00 am.  You can find more information about the Great American Cleanup on their Facebook event page or their website.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure will lead the Steel Magnolias Race for the Cure on Saturday, April 13, in Jackson.  This is a terrific way to show your support for breast cancer awareness and research.  You can find more details and register to join the race on their website.

Please be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.  Check out our website for news and event updates.

An article published in Politico this morning caught my eye.  In light of the bad press Mississippi has received lately, this story did not do anything to mitigate any criticism.

In his 18-year-long Congressional career, Senator Roger Wicker has had one driving passion: cutting spending.  He rode the 1994 wave of anti-big spending crusaders into Washington with the objective of reducing federal spending.  While that is a legitimate position to have, I cannot understand how he can, with a straight face, maintain his support for federal spending projects in Mississippi while voting repeatedly to stop federal spending for projects in Mississippi.

There is no question that federal spending is an issue which deserves our full attention and action in Congress.  With the sequester set to take effect in a matter of days, the senator’s flip flopping is the type of thing that makes voters cynical about Washington.  I wish the senator would make up his mind whether he wants to say one thing and do another or be consistent in his beliefs.

Rankin County Democrats wish to express our disappointment that the Republican delegation from Rankin County spoke and voted unanimously in favor of a bill that keeps jobs and economic opportunity from coming to Rankin County.  They voted against Rankin County jobs not once but twice.

Earlier today, the Republican-led Mississippi House of Representatives passed House Bill 1337.  This piece of legislation allows the state to purchase property in Hinds County to house the state Department of Revenue.

When a request was made to determine how much the bill would cost taxpayers, that request was refused.  The bill gives a blank check on behalf of hardworking taxpayers to politically-connected special interests in Hinds County.  They hope that the legislature provides no oversight and will be trusted to do what’s best; in essence, we have to pass the bill to know how much it will cost taxpayers.

An amendment was offered to move the state Department of Revenue to Rankin County instead.  The Chairman of the Public Property Committee, Rankin County’s own Representative Tom Weathersby, led the charge to defeat the amendment.

“It is a sad day when our own delegation would rather support the patronage agenda of  Speaker Gunn than fight for Rankin County jobs,” argued Atlee Breland of the Rankin County Democratic Executive Committee.  “At a time when our neighbors in Rankin County are still looking for work, it is troubling that our legislators will fight for jobs and economic development for the Speaker’s home district in Hinds County.”

The Rankin County Democratic Executive Committee hopes that Rankin County natives Lt. Governor Tate Reeves and Governor Phil Bryant will show better judgment and fight to bring these desperately-needed jobs to Rankin County.

January has been a busy and exciting month for Democrats across the nation.  Here in Rankin County, we have been very hard at work!

On January 8, an election was held to fill the vacancy in House District 59.  Our friend, Benny Hubbard, fought against tremendous odds in one of the reddest districts in the state.  Though he came up short, his impressive vote total shows that we can – and will – compete in Rankin County.  Thanks to everyone who made phone calls, knocked on doors, and made a contribution.  Your support is greatly appreciated.

Our friends at the Mississippi Democratic Trust recently launched their new website!  It has features used in national campaigns to help better inform and organize voters and volunteers.  The Trust recognizes the dedication of Rankin Democrats, and they established a web page to help us organize better!  You can check out our page here.  Be sure to sign up!

A couple of weeks ago, legislation was filed by Republican Senator Nancy Collins of Tupelo which would fundamentally change the way we know PERS today.  Rankin Democrats jumped at the chance to help spread the word about this break of public trust by the Republicans.  If you have not had a chance to read and sign the petition calling upon the Republicans to keep their word, you can do so here.

The Rankin County Board of Supervisors found themselves in a sticky situation over redistricting.  For months, we had been told a public hearing was imminent.  Little did we know that the public hearing and the vote to approve the map took place in the middle of December without the public being aware the hearing was scheduled.

We seized the opportunity to add much-needed transparency to what has been a behind-closed-doors process.  Rankin Democrats issued a press release to local media outlets, and our story was picked up by the Clarion-Ledger and WJTV.  In case you missed it, you can read the Clarion-Ledger story here.

We forced the Board to admit they made an error in not publicizing the hearing.  As a result, the Board rescinded their vote and scheduled a public hearing on Friday, February 15, at the Board of Supervisors Boardroom.  It will begin at 9:00am.  Please make plans to attend, if you are available.  You can find a copy of the proposed redistricting map here.

There are a few easy things you can do before we finish the month:

• Forward this email to your network.  Help spread the word about Rankin County Democrats!
• Invite a friend to join us for our monthly breakfast at the Flowood Corner Bakery next to Dick’s Sporting Goods.  It will be Saturday, February 2, at 8:30am.  All are welcome!
• Please donate $5, 10, or even $20 to our county party.  It will go a long way in helping us broaden our reach throughout the county.  You can find our donation page here.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.  Stay tuned to our website for news and event updates.

It is no mystery that Governor Phil Bryant is not the most eloquent speaker in Mississippi political history.  Whenever you see him on tv, you can see one of the Governor’s aides close by just in case the questions get too dicey or the Governor’s foot comes dangerously close to his mouth. Well, Phil Bryant has struck again, and again, and for good measure, he gives us one more.

Recently, Governor Bryant had an interview with Kaiser Health News to lay out his position on why he is opposed to expanding Medicaid and discuss the fight against his fellow Republican, Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney, on creating the state insurance market.  Here is a snippet from the interview:

BRYANT: I would rather pay extra to Blue Cross [to help cover uncompensated costs for the uninsured], rather than have to raise taxes to pay for additional Medicaid recipients. Medicaid recipients multiply their visits to a physician. It’s clear once someone goes on Medicaid, the number of times they go to a physician doubles, quadruples.

KHN: Some experts may argue people new to Medicaid have many health issues they need to address.

BRYANT: I make the argument that it’s free. It’s free and you have nothing else to do.

KHN: Are there any positive benefits to people being on Medicaid?

BRYANT: Medicaid was meant to be a temporary [stop]gap for providing you medical treatment while you are looking for a job. Now we are saying, you can have a job and still receive Medicaid. So we have changed the whole dynamic. There is very little incentive for those 940,000 people on Medicaid to find a better job, or to go back to school, or to get [into] a workforce training program because they say: Look, if I go over $33,000,  [I] will lose Medicaid. There is no one who doesn’t have health care in America. No one.  Now, they may end up going to the emergency room. There are better ways to deal with people that need health care than this massive new program.

What the Governor fails to admit, even with the mounds of evidence staring him in the face, is that hospitals all across the state are struggling financially as they bear the cost of uncompensated care. I’m sure they would appreciate the generosity of the Governor to pay a little extra, but that will not solve the problem.

Why is the Governor so concerned about individuals increasing the number of times he or she goes to the doctor.  Guess what Medicaid covers. Dental visits, mental health checkups, the list goes on.  Isn’t the purpose of Medicaid to help persons obtain a minimum level of health insurance to help them seek preventive services in order to stay out of the emergency room?  Those who gain access to Medicaid are more likely to go to the doctor rather than stay at home and miss work or school because they are ill.

The expansion of Medicaid covers individuals who earn too much to qualify under the current eligibility threshold and earn too little to qualify for the tax credits provided for in the Affordable Care Act. But, look at what the Governor said. He argues that no one goes without health care in this country. How can he say that with a straight face while thousands of our fellow Mississippians still do not have health insurance access and can’t afford to go to the doctor?

How on earth can the Governor argue that Medicaid is free?! For someone who has served so many years in state government, he seems awfully aloof as to how it actually works.  Medicaid is certainly not free, and he knows better.  He has argued for months that an expansion of Medicaid that is allowed in the Affordable Care Act would weigh down the state budget by forcing us to raise taxes or cut services. It gets back into a point made earlier that there is also a cost to the state with people out of work due to illness, hospitals on the brink of closure due to uncompensated care, and the taxpayers who ultimately bear the cost of paying for individuals who do not have health insurance coverage. How can those without health insurance coverage go to the emergency room for health care, as the Governor suggests, if there is no hospital to treat them?

What is even more discouraging is that the Governor continues to be more concerned with appealing to his Tea Party Republican friends rather than finding consensus to tackle the health care crisis in our state. He cannot continue shaking his fist at the federal government while taking federal assistance with his other hand.

We urge the Governor to think before he speaks and when in doubt, don’t.

The Republican legislature is at it again!  This time they are going after PERS, the Public Employee Retirement System!

The Republicans want to break their promise to the countless teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other state employees who work tirelessly to improve Mississippi’s quality of life.  These public servants are our family members, neighbors, and our friends sitting next to us at church.  This bill will impact someone you know!

Click here to tell the Republicans you will not tolerate their betrayal of the public’s trust.

A bill recently introduced by Republican Senator Nancy Collins of Tupelo would change the way we know PERS today by damaging the 13th check, freezing cost of living adjustments, and putting future decisions affecting PERS in the hands of Phil Bryant’s and Tate Reeves’s political cronies.

This cannot stand, and we need your help to fight back!

Click here to sign the petition telling the Republicans to keep their promise to everyone who has served the people of Mississippi.

Forward this email to your network and alert them to this issue!  Have them sign the petition!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook.  Check out our website for news and event updates.  Donate online today!

As we conclude 2012, we want to thank you for all the work you put into supporting the Democratic Party.  There were many successes across the country last month, but much more work remains.  We are building an infrastructure to last here in Mississippi, so let’s keep up the momentum!

Please join us on Saturday, January 5, for our monthly breakfast at the Corner Bakery in Flowood.  We will get underway at 8:30am.  It will give us an opportunity to plan activities during the legislative session which starts on January 8.

The Rankin County Democratic Executive Committee will hold its quarterly meeting on Thursday, January 10, at the Flowood Library.  It will begin at 6:00pm.  This meeting will be a strategy developing session to map out our goals and action plans for the next three years and beyond.  All are welcome to attend!

An important reminder: Rankin County will hold a special election to fill the vacancy in House District 59 on Tuesday, January 8.  Polls will be open from 7:00am until 7:00pm.  If you or someone you know is unsure whether they live in the district, you can go to the District Lookup link on the Circuit Clerk’s website to fill in your address information or you may call the Circuit Clerk at 601-825-1466.

We hope you will vote for our friend Benny Hubbard.  Benny is an officer in the United States Armed Forces, a small business owner, and a proud supporter of public education.  Rankin County needs and deserves a leader like Benny fighting for us.  Please call, email, text, and visit with your family and friends to encourage them to vote for Benny Hubbard on Tuesday, January 8.

The county supervisors redistricting public hearing has not been scheduled.  Please stay tuned for further updates.

Have a safe and fun New Years!  We look forward to seeing you soon!

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter.  Check out our website for news and event updates.  You can also donate online!