Barbour is the former head of the Republican National Committee. From that position and from his positions in lobbying he learned good PR. He has good PR people and his strategy is sound, unfortunately the message he is peddling just isn't true.
The Governor and his boosters have credited him with almost everything under the sun since this campaign began and I guess when you've got that much money you don't worry about people noticing.
The newest thing his supporters are trumpeting is a report in the publication Directorship. Directorship couldn't be expected to be biased if it caters specifically to fund managers could it? No. (Note: Sarcasm)
The report says the state is moving on up because of the restrictions Barbour put on consumers access to the courts. We can debate the merits of that legislation later of which there are few, but can we take seriously the report of an organization with the purpose of helping the elite few maximize profits?
States and communities are lifted up economically based on their infrastructure and the education of potential employees far more than anything else. Neither has seen a great change since Barbour took office.
The other thing that Barbour boosters have been trumpeting is the miracle of Toyota coming to Mississippi brought to us almost singlehandedly by Haley himself.
Fact check time:
1. Barbour opposed economic incentives originally for the Wellspring site because it was proposed by Democrats.
2. Barbour later only supported it when he could take credit after most of the work had been done by local officials and legislative Democrats.
3. We still had to bribe Toyota to pick us even with all the work that had been done in advance.
One big project with a lot of jobs in one place may look good for photo ops, campaign ads, and press releases, but it does not solve the economic problems of this state.
While Barbour is trumpeting a Mississippi Miracle the Economic Policy Institute points out that since November of 2003 the growth rate in Mississippi has been LOWER than any other southern state other than Louisiana. One factory doesn't change that reality nor do a half dozen suppliers.
And while Barbour talks about all the new jobs he has supposedly personally brought to Mississippi the unemployment rate is the second highest in the nation above every state except Michigan.
Our photo op Governor needs to show us some real results.
Ok, time to take you to task:
ReplyDeleteYou said:
1. Barbour opposed economic incentives originally for the Wellspring site because it was proposed by Democrats.
2. Barbour later only supported it when he could take credit after most of the work had been done by local officials and legislative Democrats.
3. We still had to bribe Toyota to pick us even with all the work that had been done in advance.
The truth:
1. Barbour opposed Wellspring incentives until we got a company under contract or at least a memorandum of understanding. In other words, he didn't pump money into nothing until he saw nothing would become something.
2. Barbour helped land the company. He can take credit for that.
3. "Bribe" is your way of saying economic incentives. If we didn't offer breaks and incentives, all your North Mississippi Democratic buddies would still be complaining about 900 barren acres.
You also said:
"One big project with a lot of jobs in one place may look good for photo ops, campaign ads, and press releases, but it does not solve the economic problems of this state."
Response: Agreed, but you have to start somewhere. One big project leads to suppliers coming into the State (see today's Clarion Ledger, chief). This is better than starting WIC programs and relying on fast food for economic development.
You cite statistics on growth rate and unemployment. I believe there are other factors in play here, and somebody could write a dissertation on them. I'm not, but I will say that those problems are not as simple as you make them.
Did the thought ever occur to you that a stronger tax base (meaning, more industry, better paid work force) could contribute more toward education than an overtaxed, uneducated, unemployed citizenry can? It did to me, that is why I support industry in addition to education. A little balance is a good thing.
Come on, Cottonmouth, you are distracting me at WORK. You attack, but those attacks are weak.
Thanks for providing your insight.
RPP
After the beef plant fiasco, there were some VERY good reasons for opposing that wellspring deal.
ReplyDelete$50 million good reasons until something more concrete was in place such an actual business.
Barbour and company also conveniently manipulated facts in regards to the "success" of tort reform. Prior to the tort reform legislation Mississippi ranked 50th as the worst state to be sued in by the Harris Poll. It was the Harris Poll which Barbour relied upon to say how dire tort reform was needed in Mississippi. Fast forward to today, Barbour is running for reelection and he needs a talking point so he claims in a July 10, 2007 press release Mississippi has moved up in the rankings and is now ranked 33rd in the Directorship Magazine's Annual composite standings, good right? Only problem is, Barbour neglects the fact that the Harris Poll, which he trumpeted when trying to get tort reform passed, still ranks Mississippi as 49th right ahead of West Virginia. Why does Mississippi get such a low rank you ask? Especially when the US Chamber of Commerce stated the tort reform measures of 2004 were the most comprehensive in the country. Because Mississippi still has one elected official - Atty Gen Jim Hood - who still represents the people of Mississippi and stood up to the insurance companies on the coast.
ReplyDeleteThe fact of the matter is Barbour and tort reform advocates are intellectually dishonest. He said we needed tort reform because our courts were ranked last in "fairness." However, after four years of his rule Mississippi has moved up one spot. While I am not a proponent of tort reform and I believe eventually it will be struck down as unconstitutional or repealed. Barbour believes in it and pushed it hard for four years only to see Mississippi move up from last to second to last. In my book moving up from last to second to last in four years of doing your best would be deemed a failure. Yet how does Barbour address the fact he has failed in the one thing he tried so hard to do? Find a new poll which ranks Mississippi higher and say everything was a success.
thread hijack.
ReplyDelete