The Political Roads of Mississippi
Jimmy PorterYogi Berra, a former catcher of the New York Yankees, is known not
only for his prowess on the baseball field but also for his “Yogisms.” One
such “Yogism” states, “When you come to the fork in the road, take it.”
That statement might be the most accurate assessment of the state of politics
in Mississippi and in our nation.
The 2011 Legislative Session is barreling full steam ahead, tackling
such items as eminent domain, payday lending, the budget, pro life issues,
immigration, and redistricting. Early indication is that when the Senate and
the House come to a fork in the legislative road, one takes road A and the
other takes road B.
Have you ridden around on the back roads of our great state? I have
and it is confusing to say the least. I get amused at how lost the lady on my
GPS can get. She has been known to direct folks into cotton fields and dead
ends in the forest. But she tries her best to navigate the many forks in the
road, as do our legislators who try to work through the thousands of bills that
come their way.
Yes, the political process is much like our country roads. They are
many, they are winding, and they are not always well marked; thus, they are
confusing at best. Each legislator feels in his/her heart they know the best
route to take but rarely will everyone agree. Many of the issues already
mentioned, along with many more, will be hammered out in conference or
just die from a lack of action.
Nationally, the political landscape has changed drastically even as it
is changing in Mississippi. The House of Representatives is now controlled
by the Republican Party and they are trying to minimize the effects of the
last few years of a Democratic controlled legislature. In our state we have
witnessed a slight change in party numbers as several have switched parties.
Redistricting is going to cause several more changes, and it will be several
years before we can assess the impact of these changes.
Twitter, Facebook, blogging, texting, and email have given us new
and faster ways to communicate thus affecting the political spectrum.
Everything and everyone is subject to scrutiny, which often is unfair but here
to stay.
Therefore, the Christian Action Commission (CAC) asks you to
stay informed. Usually there is important information in your local paper
and also on the website at the Capitol. To watch the Senate and House
proceedings live, go to http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/ and click on Live
Webcast. From there choose Senate or House, view the schedule for the
day, and watch debating and voting live.
The CAC invites you to contact your state elected officials. Go to our
website at http://www.capwiz.com/christianaction/issues/bills to view bills
in which we are most interested. Choose a bill, enter your zip code and then
be prompted to write and send your message via e-mail.
This is an election year and our Representatives and Senators are
well aware of this. Volatile issues that can be avoided will be. That is not
to say important items will be neglected, because they will be brought up
and handled. But issues that raise the ire of the majority of voters will be
avoided if at all possible.
The challenge for us is to remain faithful to our Lord and to our faith.
We are to be the best citizen possible by being informed and involved!
Please do not forget to pray for our legislators. Write them a note to
encourage them and to thank them for their willingness to serve you and the
State of Mississippi.