Jackson Jambalaya

"elderly, minorities, and disabled"

I would appreciate it if someone could enlighten me on how these three groups of people would be adversely affected by this legislation. Do you not have to have a government issued id to receive, social security retirement or disability or any sort of welfare assistance? How are minorities affected? Is it just b/c they are minorities or is it b/c they are statistically poorer or maybe b/c a portion of them are illegal? In either case, it would not affect them b/c they were minorities but b/c they are poor or illegal. I have not educated myself on the statue nor the argument against it so this is a sincere question. Any explanation would be appreciated.

I would love to know why only 100 have been issued so far. My guess is not because they are hard to get, or the $$$, or the difficulty of getting to and from the place to get them....but rather a complete lack of initiative. The only reason a large percentage of African American democratic voters turn out as it is, is because those wishing for their votes help bus them to the poles and offers "incentives" for their time. Before anyone screams "Racism", I want you to dispel that fact. The manner in which these people are wanting to have voter ID blocked, and the sheer lengths they are willing to go about it, seem to put the spotlight as to why they don't want it. Its not that its hard to obtain an ID, sure that is what they are saying, but its all about voter fraud. There, I said it. No one else will.

What is the White Caucus' position on the matter. Oh that's right a White Caucus would be racist, but a Black Caucus is ok.

"Bus them to the poles." Priceless. Ah, would there *were* such amphibious vehicles, with room for thousands, capable of crossing water and ice caps, to get these tiresome, ranting malcontents as far away from us as geographically possible.

tip- when a loved one passes away, notify the county circuit clerk to have that name removed from the rolls. My dead grandfather voted four times in an election just after his death. yes, voter fraud is alive an well in Jacktown.

If they are that scared and having to ask for help, then the black caucus is scared shitless they wont win another election if they have to play by the rules. Poor babies, go eat at Char for free with a lobbyist.

I've lived in Ridgeland for many years. I don't remember Shirley Hall ever being mayor of Ridgeland.

Over a year ago the government mandated that all Social Security and disability payments had to be direct-deposits into a bank account. No more paper checks, no more mailbox thefts on the first of the month.

Trouble is, these same "elderly, minorities, and disabled" needed some sort of government-issued ID and Social Security number to open a bank account. When there was free money involved they miraculously had no trouble getting that ID and presenting it to the bank.

Makes you go hmmmmmm. I don't know why supporters of Voter ID measures to prevent voter fraud don't mention that more often to rebut the ridiculous arguments put forth by the Black Caucus and their ilk.

Voter ID is fundamentally a sound idea and should be practiced. I think the reason only so few have opted for the ID is because of apathy.

Why don't you haters talk about the real reason for the voter ID law. It's because in many races, the white republican candidates cannot win by playing fairly because they alienate the majority of voters with their hateful, bordering-on-racist comments, policies and practices. By requiring voter ID, they're attempting to negate the growing minority (black and Hispanic) populations. Poor thing, bless your hating hearts, don't you realize than in another generation, whites will be in the minority.

Those who are against voter id are pro voter fraud plain and simple.

Is that what sent Holder to the hospital today?

Social Security, medicaid and medicare are social programs to which you have to apply and qualify, it makes sense that you would need an ID. Voting is a right like speech, assembly, religion, and the right to bear arms. I can buy a gun from a private citizen and keep it at home with no ID necessary. I can speak freely, protest, practice religion no ID required. Voter ID is an infringement on your rights with no compelling governmental interest. When the implementation and effects of this law are balanced against the chances of there actually being voter fraud, it is clearly not necessary. We have had 43 presidents elected before Obama In all fairness, there have been some cases of voter fraud reported in recent local and national elections. Ironically this sweeping legislation received a never-before seen backing once the birth certificate claims didnt work. Challenges to this legislation will probably fail. Ultimately, this like other attempts to dilute the minority vote will be overcome and after losing elections, Republicans will have to come up with another strategy to win elections. In the end it is not the votes, but their ridiculously outdated policies and backward thinking that will kill the republican party.

@3:36, what sent him to the hospital was getting the letter from the huge association of black preachers that said--get out of office....and don't try dropping the race card.

Its funny how the people pushing this are "Constitutionalists" and believe that the Constitution is the holy grail as long as it fits their agenda. THey want to strictly apply it unless were talking about the right to vote. IN that case lets shit all over the consitution. First amendment freedom of speech is fine, separation of church and state (also in the first amendment), not-so-much. the government is too big and should not be in our lives, unless were talking about abortions. Gun-toting, war mongering religious freaks who hold corporations in higher regard than people and are ingnorant as to their own religion.

The justification for adverse impact is paper thin.

Seems that they are saying that it is not working and should be shut down by its lack of success.

Think they would sign off on striking down the Affordable Healthcare Act and online marketplaces due lack of success???

Tom Head @ 4:18; Your point regarding ID for social service programs falls flat. The real point is, if you have to have an ID for receipt of those benefits, then you already have the ID required to vote. If you already have the ID, then there is no hardship or disinfranchisement.

Do you really think there is 'no compelling government interest' in ensuring fair and honest elections? That's what you just said.

Finally, how do you intend to assault (or defend) those largely democrat states that have for decades required voter ID? Did those largely democrat legislatures pass voter ID as some sort of favor to Republicans?

There won't be any democrats voting on June 3rd, unless Childers jumps into the Democrat primary against Marcy. He has until the Saturday to announce. But if he isn't in, then they'll come to the polls to vote for Cochran, since he is more aligned with dems.

But is they protest the election that day, and want to vote without showing id - then they have to paper ballot. That gives them 5 business days to get to the Circuit Clerk's office to prove photo id...if not, their vote doesn't count. Oh well.

4:35 needs a lesson or two.

The Constitution is the foundation for everything we do. Off the cuff comments about supporting it only when it fits one's agenda and then, either misunderstanding or misrepresenting things, simply belies your ignorance.

There is no "separation of church and state" defined in the Constitution. Abortions are murder, at some point. Using your weak attempt, there shouldn't be any law. You do realize that abortions stand ONLY on a ridiculous Supreme Court ruling stating that it was an invasion of privacy. Do you have the capacity to understand how ridiculous that is, especially in today's times? The Supreme Court did not want to affirm a time when a life is a life, they chickened out.

Lastly, "corporations" are simply economic associations of "people", so, it's really kinda stupid to make a comment such as that. But you keep on "mis"judging based on ignorance and stupidity. That makes it much easier to do, I'm sure.

An open letter to "conservatives" in Mississippi:

Black people know that you are really not conservative. We know that northern true conservatives like Paul Ryan can't stomach you. We know that "conservative" in Mississippi really means confederate. Black people know that you really can't stomach us. We read your comments on this blog and wonder what did we do to you to make you dislike us so much. Then we realize that we didn't do anything, you are just afraid. So let me ease your mind. Us Black folk don't like thugs either. We don't like the parasites that refuse to work and sit at home and collect checks. We call them the N word too. We don't like haters like Jessie and Al Sharpton. Truthfully a large percentage of us don't like the Democratic Party, we just don't have an alternative. It's either them, or align with confederates, lol. Can't blame us can you? Thugs don't vote, people that rent don't vote, welfare recipients don't vote, apartment dwellers don't vote. (Unless it's Obama).They won't go to church. You can't get those folks to do much of anything, they don't even send their kids to school. If they do attend school, they usually don't stay long. Old Black people vote religiously, I guess because they know how it feels to be disenfranchised by confederates. Educated black folks vote religiously. Black people are staunch anti abortion and anti gay rights. We love Jesus, big on family values. We believe in hard work and delayed gratification. There are millions of us out here and vote democrat because we see so much angst against us from the southern republicans. We once overwhelmingly supported republicans until the 1964 voting rights act was signed by a democrat(LBJ). We remember a politician saying "we have lost the south forever" because a democrat signed the act. He was right, since that time southern white people continue to show us that they are nothing but confederates. We have so much in common with you all, but all you guys see is the black skin and the thugs that represent us. We really could come together and stop most of this foolishness by both parties, but I doubt if we can get past our subtle differences. Leave our old people alone. They feel like the voter I'd is just like poll taxes. Yes they have IDs but they are not stupid. They have seen these tactics dressed up so many ways. It's not the law that makes people mad, it's the intent. It has nothing to do with voter fraud, that's a scare tactic. Don't be scared white people, the thugs came out to vote only for Obama. The parasites only came out for Obama. The turnout was so high because they believed in that clown. You gotta give it to him, he can make the hair raise on your arms when that TelePrompTer is on.

You wrote a very good comment. Im going to ponder what you wrote but will say I think redistricting as practiced made things worse. See my post on this in my best of section on right side of page.

9:59 is my all time favorite, most honest, humbling post I've ever read on this site.

If you have nothing to hide, why would you be against voter ID. This same group just likes to bitch!

Paul Ryan is hardly a true conservative.

Betcha 9:59 is a white apologist...

The problem I have with 9:59 is his apparent anger and hatred for white folk in the South. For some reason (he won't explain) he does the same thing he accusing whites of doing. He lumps us all into Confederates, a term he obviously uses derisively and intends offensively.

Otherwise,his post,if honest, makes good sense. I only hope it's true.

9:59

Your intent appears true, but you fall short on the facts. The South has traditionally controlled the Republican Party (supposed Conservatives). Conservatives is no more analogous to "Confederates" as Blacks are to slaves.

VoterID's intent is most certainly about widespread voter fraud. It's ludicrous to suggest that it someone is a target against blacks. Black is not a party. Democrats have, historically, openly advocated voter fraud. Why is that not something conservatives are known for? It's simple philosophical differences. The foremost being that Democrats, by nature, view things as the ends justifies the means. Conservatives by nature tend to favor rule of law. If you'll notice, one is a political party and one is a personal ideology. I didn't say "Republicans" because the republican party have been over-run with progressives that think no different than Democrats.

If you remember the politician saying "we lost the south", surely you remember it was LBJ himself that said "we have lost the south for a generation" upon signing the act. Surely you also remember the person you hold in such high regard, LBJ, also said:

"These Negroes, they're getting pretty uppity these days and that's a problem for us since they've got something now they never had before, the political pull to back up their uppityness. Now we've got to do something about this, we've got to give them a little something, just enough to quiet them down, not enough to make a difference. For if we don't move at all, then their allies will line up against us and there'll be no way of stopping them, we'll lose the filibuster and there'll be no way of putting a brake on all sorts of wild legislation. It'll be Reconstruction all over again." --Sen. Lyndon B. Johnson (D., Texas), 1957

When LBJ was discussing his "Great Society" programs, he told 2 governors that were on Air Force One- "I'll have those n*ggers voting Democratic for the next 200 years."

Careful where you point those fingers.

Thank you, 5:09, for pointing out all the holes in the Tom Head wannabes attempt at distraction from the main point.

I challenge him/them to identify JUST ONE person who has chosen to forego his/her Social Security check because it was too difficult to obtain the proper ID needed to check the funds as a direct deposit to a bank account, as now required by law.

Just one. I'm waiting Tom

I agree, 6:00 AM.

In the meantime, for those unaware, google Columbia University freshman Eric Holder arrested with other black students after a five day ?armed? takeover of an office at CU. Their demand was that the office be renamed Malcolm X Lounge. Their demands were met.
Could AG Holder's refusal to prosecute the Black Panthers who intimidated voters in recent years at a voting station have anything to do with his politics? They were dressed in their military garb carrying weapon batons (and who knows what else).

IMO, Eric Holder is tainted, big time. You can count on him to do the right thing for what he considers the right cause- a cause that he endorses.

9:59, you make a bunch of good and valid points, but you fall short of bring the thing home because you continue to blame us completely for the social gap between blacks and whites. I have been an active Republican for a long time, and I've never seen a single black person who showed the slightest interest in our party be treated even a little discourteously, never mind badly. We welcome them with open arms, and those who give us a chance end up joining our ranks. It's just as easy for you to find confederates as it is for us to find thugs, but we all know that both are minorities within their respective racial groups. Come to some meetings, ask some questions, take the initiative and quit letting the color of OUR skin scare you. Better still, go find people who you know are afraid of us and bring them to our next gathering so they can see we don't spend all our spare time fashioning nooses. Call me sometime - I'll make sure that you or anyone else who wants to test the conservative waters is given not only a chance to do so but a warm welcome to go along with it. Bill Billingsley - 601-940-9954.

9:59 is a white sock puppet.

Interesting comments from 9:59.

somewhat sad to read that all conservatives are 'confederates'.

My experience is that whites in the south are more or less past the 'ole south' mindset, although no doubt we have an abundance of those types. Generally, they are looked at as uneducated rednecks. (of course, you will always have a few genteel southerners who want to live and act like 100 yrs ago... I call those folks nostalgics. )

Most likely, non of us white folks can comprehend the concerns of voter ID without understanding the way voting intimidation/disenfranchisement was carried out in the past. I would be willing to learn about that to give me perspective on today's resistance to voter ID.

Most blacks of voting age today had never heard the words disinfranchisement or voter-intimidation until the race-baiter crowd started beating that drum with fabricated propaganda.

There is no evidence of voter intimidation (by whites, anyway) in the past forty years or of disinfranchisement. If you have it, lay it out.

@9:59
I am a conservative, and not in quotes. I find it sad that your definition of conservative means bigot and left-leaning republicans such as Paul Ryan. Perhaps you need to look into the Coalition of African American Pastors. It is a religious conservative group. They are pretty cool. Doesn't really fit your stereotype.

You’re prejudice towards people of a different race is a shame. Hatred from anyone that is based on color is wrong. Nobody gets an automatic pass on that. Nobody.

Voter ID is needed. People of all races are tired of dead people voting. People of all races are tired of going to vote and finding someone else has voted in their name.

My vote is mine. Your vote is yours. Voter ID guarantees that.

@2:14, I don't think I showed any prejudice toward white people in my open letter to "conservatives". In fact, if anyone was offended , it should have been poor black people. I think that I may I have touched a nerve with them. Notice I said "conservatives in Mississippi". Your hatred toward Paul Ryan proves my point. How can Mississippians as a whole, call ourselves conservative when we continue to send people like Cochran to DC, OVERWHELMINGLY! If Haley could run again, we would vote OVERWHELMINGLY for him. We would vote Chaney/Bush if they could run again. Non of them are conservative at all. At least the northern tea party agrees with me. The aforementioned big spenders uses us like Al and Jesse use the poor blacks. They can throw a non essential issue on the ballot (i.e. Sate flag, voter I'd, gay marriage) and pimp us to the polls every time.We love pork in this state, but we scream "conservative" every chance we get. Let's be real! Mississippi republicans are not really fiscal conservatives at all. Cochran will whip McDaniel. Just watch. Us black people just shake our heads when u continue to vote for these clowns. Remember, I don't agree with gay marriage, I don't agree with abortion,but I think that there are more important issues confronting us presently. High unemployment, loss of manufacturing jobs are a couple. So really I am probably more conservative than most white "conservatives" in this state. So the question is, why can't we come together. The answer is, you will continue to vote for your ilk because of hot button issues that make you feel like you are different than me. I will continue to vote for the democratic pimps that give out welfare to poor black and white people because they are the ones that come to my church, support the NAACP, and act like they are sympathetic to black causes. The rich get richer and we continue to fight. I respect the real Tea Party for what they believe in. But Mississippi republicans, "conservatives" are in a world of their own. I think the southern conservative very soon will find himself on the wrong side of history again. I got news for you, the south won't rise again! Well, unless hardworking black and white people start understanding each other and stop electing people like Feel Bryant, Haley, and pork King Cochran.

Not a fan of Paul Ryan. Had hope for him but he’s pulled a Rubio.

Heck, Krikorian with the Center for Immigration Studies said: "Paul Ryan is probably the most ideologically committed open-borders person in Congress. I would say even more than the Democrats.” AP: “Dems pin immigration hopes on GOP's Ryan” AP: “Senior White House aides often mention the Wisconsin Republican as crucial to the prospects for legislation this year, hoping the Republican with impeccable conservative credentials will sway recalcitrant House members.”

And I guess mentioning his budget with Murray (D-WA), well, oops, there was that little thing about adding $15.5 billion to the debt AND cutting the pensions of disabled and injured U.S. military veterans (which he later said—oops, that was a mistake).