text:
MS Senate race holds Katrina Recovery, Insurance Reform Future
by Ana Maria As usual, our ability to impact the political arena is at the end of our fingertips. Within a minute or two of our time. Phone (202) 224-2447, and let the DSCC know we want a win in Mississippi and can have that with former Congressman Ronnie Shows. Below is a brief phone script to help us along with this important race. Way beyond expanding our majority, this race is important because the American families and businesses struggling inside the Katrina ravaged region deserve someone who will pick up with great enthusiasm and passion the mantle of our recovery and insurance reform. _____________________________ My name is _____ and I am a Democrat. I am calling about the campaign in Mississippi to fill U.S. Senator Trent Lott's seat. We have two Ronnie's running on the Democratic side. Ronnie Musgrove is the former governor, but he is on the payroll of the law firm that represents State Farm, the American Insurance Association and the former insurance commissioner George Dale who lost in the Democratic primary last year because he--like Musgrove--is cozy with insurance companies. Please, support Ronnie Shows who is great on Katrina recovery and Insurance Reform. Besides, Shows is great on vets issues--something that Wicker is quite vulnerable on, according to the DAV website. * This page reflects the key votes DAV rated for the congressional member which represents the zip code 38802 (Tupelo, Mississippi). At the bottom of the page is a series of key votes from 1998-2006 for this congressional seat which Wicker held from 1994 through 2007. Wicker supported the DAV on six of the 18 key, important DAV votes for a grand total of 33% of the time. In 2006 alone, the DAV gave Wicker a 50% rating. In 2005, the DAV rated Wicker with a whopping goose egg-->0%. In 2004, the DAV rated Wicker with another whopping goose egg-->0%. In 2003, the DAV rated Wicker . . . with another goose egg-->0%!!!
Yesterday, a Hinds County judge ruled that the special election to fill the seat U.S. Senator Trent Lott (R-MS) recently vacated must be held by mid-March. Chalk one up for the people of Mississippi. Today, Barbour will appeal the decision to the State Supreme Court where he expects the court to reverse this decision setting the election not in March but in November.
Plenty of political analysis goes into what happens if this election date or what happens if that election date. Early, Dems win handily. November--Republican Governor Barbour's chosen date, Republicans win. Of course, Barbour never anticipated that the Democrats could have Senator Barack Obama at the top of its ticket as our presidential nominee and the electrifying impact that will have on plenty of Democratic, particularly the African American, voters in this state. As a good Democrat, I am concerned about, plenty of things that have gone so very wrong under the strong armed tactics of the Republican White House since 2001.
For right now, though, my concern remains focused on what happens to the Katrina-ravaged region if this or that candidate permanently moves into Lott's seat.
This election will determine whether Mississippi voters send to Washington, DC, an ardent advocate for Katrina recovery and Insurance Reform or send someone who mouths the words and doesn't work shoulder-to-shoulder with South Mississippi's Congressman Gene Taylor who has made insurance reform his signature legislation. When we get South Mississippi back up and running, the state will move forward since we are a major economic engine for the state.
Three candidates have filed for Lott's seat: one Republican and two Democrats. Polls indicate that a Democratic candidate can win. Great! So which candidate is more viable? Which is the better to support? Which will actually go to DC and do what the Katrina-ravaged region needs to be done? Which candidate will say one thing and do another? How can we tell before hand?
As Democrats, we must chose between the two Ronnies: Ronnie Shows (pronounced "Hows" with an "S") and Ronnie Musgrove.
Musgrove is loaded with baggage, plenty from his past and . . . plenty from his present. Last week's pieces titled Musgrove's Ties to Big Insurance Smells to High Heaven exposed his ties to the very firm that represents State Farm, George Dale, and the insurance industry. Since July 2004, Musgrove has been on the payroll of the law firm Copeland, Cook, Taylor & Bush, the same law firm that Gulf Coast News reported "is involved what with almost every Mississippi insurance case." And not on the side of home and business owners, either.
That will go over like a lead balloon down here inside Mississippi's Katrina-ravaged area. Talk about baggage! The man has so much baggage that one commenter on the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee blog called him Samsonite Mustgo Musgrove and another called him the Samsonite Senator. As soon as that piece of information becomes well known to voters in South Mississippi, Musgrove's campaign will become more toxic than a FEMA trailer. No amount of "messaging" is going to ease the visceral venom that naturally and quickly comes forth from South Mississippians when anyone mentions insurance. Katrina survivors have been through hell and back with that despicable industry, its hired guns, and its apologists.
Perhaps Samsonite Mustgo's failure to mention either Katrina or insurance reform in his formal campaign kick off speech was his attempt to hide being on the payroll of Big Insurance's law firm of hired guns. Read Musgrove Insults Gulf Coast, Writes Off South Mississippi Voters for a thorough analysis of this obvious omission in Mustgo's speech.
The Dems can win this race . . . as long as we field a candidate that genuinely and passionately promotes Katrina recovery and insurance reform in South Mississippi AND veterans issues. We have plenty of vets throughout the state. Here in South Mississippi we have an Air Force Base and a National Guard Camp. Many families--including my own--have vets, highly decorated vets, and disabled vets and we will vote on this issue as well. According to the Disabled American Vets, Roger Wicker is just awful on disabled vets issues.* No amount of flag waving is going to blow off that kind of betrayal. Once Wicker's horrible record on disabled vets is well known, his campaign can join Samsonite Mustgo's campaign in the "more toxic than a FEMA trailer" department.
Now, the only polling to date didn't include Shows in the mix. Nor did the polls ask about whether a candidate in the back pocket of the hired guns for Big Insurance--even if he is a former Democratic Governor--would be supported. Nor did it ask about whether a candidate whose record reflects quite the betrayal to our disabled vets would be supported. So the polling data to date is not helpful.
What doesn't take a poll to divine the future, though, is that the road to a Democratic electoral triumph with this U.S. Senate campaign depends greatly on how a candidate does here inside the Katrina country of Mississippi, the importance of insurance reform and a candidate's ties to that industry, and the importance of vets issues.
With the campaigns for Ronnie Musgrove and Roger Wicker squarely in the "more toxic than a FEMA trailer" department, that leaves us with one candidate to examine.
Fortunately, former Congressman Ronnie Shows is good on Katrina Recovery & Insurance Reform and Veterans issues. Both are of great importance to South Mississippi voters--the state's second largest populous area.
To put another Dem in the U.S. Senate, we must ensure that the DSCC supports Shows (pronounced "Hows", with an "S"). This is the pragmatic thing to do.
If ya think someone with ties to Big Insurance can win without substantial South Mississippi votes? Ask former Insurance Commissioner George Dale--a 32 year incumbent--who lost his seat in the Democratic primary last August.
With financial resources and good staff to execute the ground campaign and media strategy, Shows can become the next elected Senator from Mississippi, a Democrat at that. To help get this ball rolling, let's call the DSCC and leave a quick, simple message to support former Congressman Ronnie Shows in the Mississippi Senate race. Tell the nice young man who answers the phone that Musgrove (also named Ronnie-- confusing, I know) is on the payroll of Big Insurance's law firm, that Dems can win and put another Democrat in the U.S. Senate thereby expanding our majority in that important legislative body. That is how we will be assured that the Katrina-ravaged region of this great nation gets a Senator who will remain focused on our recovery.
Thanks! Let's put another great Democrat in the Senate!
Because of MsPundit, I dug a little further and found more documentation. Thanks, MsPundit. You're a doll. Glad that you could help shine tremendous light on Wicker's record. He owes you. ;)
© 2008 Ana Maria Rosato. All rights reserved.
Return to A.M. in the Morning! Home.


text:
12 Meetup Groups match "Food Lovers" near Overland Park, KS
Meetup details are available only to members.
We will be sampling some of the best food in Kansas City!We will be hosting a series of tastings of all types of food, doing one restaurant for 2 weeks at a time. During the tastings you will have an opportunity to try out everything on the menus and then give feedback on the items that are in development! We are upgrading out technology slowly trying to transfer everyone from the listserv to Meetup.
Are you a foodie? This is a group for people that enjoy international foods. So if you like to try unique dining experiences, are an adventurous cook, like to swap recipes, enjoy drink and wine, love cultural activities, and want to meet new friends, then this group is for you! This group will explore local venues for ethnic dining and culture. We will be having monthly dining-out experiences and occasional themed potlucks, will learn about cultures from each other, and see what the KC area has …
The object of this Singles group (age range 40 to 60) is to have a fun, taste beer, wine and explore the different venues in Kansas City.... including bars, restaurants, beweries, wineries. liquor stores that offer wine and beer tasting events. We will gather to laugh have fun and learn more about beer and wines as cost effectivly as possible. Over time this group has evolved into a great group of friends who enjoy beer, wines and food together. We are a singles group of great friendships not …
Meetup details are available only to members.
Like meeting new people? In the 20's and 30's age group? Like eating out and trying new restaurants? Live in Kansas City Metro and surrounding suburbs? Then this group is for YOU! Join us for our next EAT OUT!! Discover new restaurants, visit food festivals, grab some cheap eats, check out the latest foodie trucks, farmers markets, wine tastings and meet new friends. **Please join the group only if you can actively participate** **If you RSVP Yes for a meetup then it is your responsibility to ei …
There are no upcoming Meetups.
Your family is tired of Mondays chicken dish by the time Wednesday comes around, you're fed up eating the same old dishes! You hate looking in your fridge and finding food that's been taken by the green monster! If you hate wasting food, if you love trying new dishes, or if you and your family just want to meet new families, enjoy interesting conversation and entertainment join the "Back of the Fridge" Meetup group. We will come together at regular intervals, bringing all the weeks leftovers tog …
Meetup details are available only to members.
This is a social group for travelers, ethnic food lovers, world music fans, speakers of foreign languages, people with ties to the international community, or simply, people who are interested in a wider, more global perspective sometimes. Kansas City is a lovely city (born and raised here), but it's still only a pinpoint on the globe, right? There's a whole world out there! This group is open to anyone who is from another country/lived in/or simply passionately interested in world cultures. Thi …
There are no upcoming Meetups.
This is a much needed Group for Desi's & anyone who loves Desi culture and movies! Join us for gatherings and movies. All are welcome! We'll schedule movie's to see together and occasional get togethers for letting your hair down and meeting like minded people, eating Indian food and other hungama!
There are no upcoming Meetups.
Have a great time tasting WC in a friends-family style environment!
There are no upcoming Meetups.
The Mixed-Breed Mixer is a free community event that celebrates dogs and the people who love them. It will be a casual evening of relaxation, music, food, shelter tours, and dogs playing in our fenced yards. All dog-friendly, altered, vaccinated dogs welcome. Come and meet new friends while your dog does the same!
Calling all new and seasoned wine drinkers over 30!! This group is a traveling networking wine club for men and women. (This group is for everyone..moms couples, looking to network, couples and singles over 30) The goal of this networking group is to taste/order wines, travel to different locations each month, and network your business. There are 6 requirments to join this FREE group: Like wine, or want to learn how to drink wine Required to RSVP (Only 12 over 30 grape stompers per tasting) Be o …
We enjoy craft beers, and look for the best and most recent releases, in KC downtown and surrounding areas. Crafting beers at home is also a favorite topic!
There are no upcoming Meetups.
Are you seeking a group that loves to travel and experience what our world has to offer? Let's get together for activities that include regional, national and international destinations. Here from each other on places traveled and dream together of future experiences that we have only dreamed about. Bring your bucket list!!
Get an alert email when new Meetup Groups like this start near you.
You'll get advice, help finding members, and tools to make running a Meetup Group easier.

subset: commoncrawl