Jackson Jambalaya

"Candidate" Fitch continues her misinformation campaign, or else her ignorance of finance. And she has her buddies at the never wrong/always opinionated Supertalk using her PR releases as if they were news.

The opening paragraph of S&P's report states that they lowered the "Outlook" from stable to negative. That paragraph goes on to say that they maintained the states "RATING". Ms. Fitch, in her never-ending campaign to try to make herself relevant reports this as the lowering of a rating. Does she not understand the difference? Or does she not care as long as she can try to look important?

So far there is not one single person I like who is or has hinted they are running for governor. The same losers who have driven the state into the toilet now want to be the captain of the USS Failure

Captain Tater, reporting for duty. Where's the Officers's Mess hall?

6:32, the S&P report should give you confidence in the current group that you evidently call losers. The problems identified are largely either economic conditions of the state (and surrounding states) and the pension account being grossly unfunded due to those wonderful actions taken in previous decades and compounded in the Musgrove, Tuck (D), and Ford term.

The fact that the state has stopped funding recurring expenses with one-time money, maintain the funding of the rainy day fund, and have cut expenditures to meet budget projections appears in this report to be what kept S&P from lowering its rating. What exactly are you looking for? More $700 million shortfalls as Musgrove left at the end of his term? Or tax increases vs. tax cuts? If that's what you are looking for, I hope you are never satisfied.

This state won't even consider marijuana legalization, but will carp endlessly about weak revenues, stagnant growth, etc. Watch what positive changes happen in other states over the next few years, and watch as we sit idly by and do nothing. Cue lame Baptist response in 3..2..1..

So if she thinks it could have been worse, what are they concealing?

7:32, first mistake. You are assuming that she has the ability to 'think'.

Jim Hood will not win any election in MS for Governor.

The tots are active tonight! They can't stand someone who exposes the truth.

Not the State Treasurer's job to trash our finances and economic climate when discussing bond ratings.

There's a time to campaign and there's a time to mind the shop.

Haters gonna hate

7:19 idly interjects the subject of marijuana legislation, something wholly unrelated to the topic being discussed, yet waits for Baptists to opine in 3...2...1...and wonders what the question was as he slows down to 17 miles per hour dreaming about snacks. Wait, man! Did you see that? I've lost at least three tires to those wombats over the years.

Declining government revenue. And all us fiscal conservatives cheer. Fitch and S&P see that as a weakness. Figures.

Fitch vs. Tater. Watch for a run on popcorn.

Haley raised them both. Which of his children does he favor?

Declining revenues? Cut the budget to the bone. Like the real world. Problem solved.

Politics trumps fiscal responsibility yet again.

I love blaming past administrations as if the current one in power can't do anything to correct past mistakes.

I love that it's suddenly only about not paying taxes and to hell with debt and deficits and the strength of the State or Nation as if we are alone on the planet and the future doesn't matter.

Let's pretend the fiscal boondoggles never happened and that we have a meat packing plant and a new energy plant that is needed and will profit.

It's tough to know what to do when the middle class is decimated and new jobs aren't rebuilding the middle class but increasing existing wealth with tax breaks.

It's tough when you've aided the increasing monopolies and decreased competition.

But, let's pretend that monopolies are good. Let's pretend they create good paying jobs instead of paying more workers less and pretend they don't reduce lower and middle level management and pay them the same salary for more hours. We can applaud the increase in " jobs" and " productivity " and " profit" without questioning where the money goes.

Everything is great! If we keep falling behind in every measure of success as a State or Nation . It's not our fault. It's the past. It's those people who aren't as good as we are. There are always too many of " them" historically. We can't help it.

I have no axe to grind re Fitch--HOWEVER I am dumfounded and amazed at the vitriol on this board at the mere MENTION of Fitch!! Is this hatred a result of her being a threat to the "destiny of MS political operatives/hacks" ,her incompetence, both ,what?

It is the Reeves camp 7:48.

But 7:32, on the other hand, is just our resident deranged granny JJ troll. She likes to lecture in the morning.

Lynn Fitch needs to attend some financial literacy classes of her own. A revised outlook is not a downgrade. Sitting on pins and needles waiting to see what she's going to do about PERS.

If Fitch runs against Reeves, is she going to run as a Democrat?

7:48: I don't get it. This has gone on for several years. Mention Fitch and suddenly some people go nuts. She really hasn't done anything as Treasurer that was high profile in nature but for the college savings deal. Lieutenant Governor and Governor will always bring out criticism regardless of who is in office. However, there are some who just lose it when Fitch is mentioned.

Now about PERS, let's tell the truth. All the politicians are scared of that one and for good reason. The Democrats demagogued the hell out of it back in 2011 when Haley merely suggested reviewing its financial stability. Watch the videos on this site. Hell, the mere idea of adding two non-voting members who had true financial backgrounds was called "selling out to Wall Street" by Billy McCoy as he did his best impression of an ostrich. The only two legislators who dared raise the issue were Mayo and Collins and guess what? They got beat. Don't think that lesson was lost on every politician in Mississippi.

I said all along it will take the ratings agencies to force any sort of sanity on it and that is what is starting to happen.

Good point by Kingfish (not trying to blow smoke up your rear on this either)

With the upcoming mental health layoffs, that's 700 people that will not be paying into the PERS system. So that means current participants will have to contribute more of their salary to maintain the fund.

Add in for kicks, the Mississippi legislature has not funded a cost of living increase since 2007.

Add in the possibility of changes to the Affordable Care Act under the Trump administration - State employees under Blue Cross Blue Shield will see higher co-pay

It's the calm before the storm - but Tate Reeves should not be rewarded for poor fiscal decisions. Not saying you have to vote for Twitty Hood - but you can nudge Delbert Hoseman or Lynn Fitch to run against him in the Republican primary. I would gladly vote for one of those two over Tater Thot!

Fitch is correct. Also, it appears those in office are willing to let PERS collapse so long as they make it through their careers in "public service". Just gradually increase funding and let the employees pay a little extra.

This has gone on for several years. Mention Fitch and suddenly some people go nuts

Same goes for Hosemann. Anyone perceived as a potential threat to Tate Reeves.

Contagion Theorist Plain 'ol Catfish is in the house!

Oh it's the Tate crowd attacking Fitch. They can't stand the light of day. And getting called out for their fiscal antics.

Would Ms. Fitch please show where she has discussed or advocated solutions to the problems with PERS? She is a PERS board member - afterall.

I am NO Tate Reeves fan.

It doesn't matter which child caused the water to splash onto the floor, Fitch, Reeves, Bryant, Gunn, etc. are all in the bathtub together. Go ahead and blame each other all you want, but all of you are driving the train that just wrecked.

At least Fitch had the courage to address MPACT. Only attention Reeves paid the program was to leverage the ad budget as free money to establish statewide name recognition.

10;48, King Hosemann issue has,absolutely nothing to do with Tate. Hosemann brings it on himself. Hard to find a bigger ego in politics except of course that of Trump. Plenty if folks have had all of Hosemann's incompetence and arrogance, and don't give a damn if he is running against Taye, or for Lt Gov which his current mantra is that's where he should be because "it's the most powerful, you know." Or, expecting an appointment to the Senate because -of course, he would be appointed because he is the smartest and most qualified.

No, he just thinks he is the most deserving, and it predates his SOS sting. Existed at Phelps before. Same as his previous runs -or fake qualifying runs.

Fitch is just in over her head, and philosophically bankrupt. Hosemann is just an arroGant ass.

Hoseman is not well liked, but he is an excellent AG. He has a brilliant mind. Some are just sore because they have to pay FMV on 16th section leases rather than the corrupt $1 per acre they use to pay.

@ 12:34, "courage" would have been closing the program. Ms. Fitch did not do that.

The train is NOT wrecked.

@ May 8, 2017 at 1:25 PM

Did you mean Hood as AG and Hoseman as Secretary of State? Just double checking?

4:31, he doesn't even understand that 16th section landowners have been paying FMV on their leases since Molpus' days. What the King has tried to do is raise the value based on what the land might be used for sometime in the future, not its present value. And its far more than 16th section lessors that don't particularly like the arrogant SOB - its most anybody that has ever tried to deal with him or his office.

But, Hosemann is at least intelligent. Can't say the same, or even get close, about Fitch.

The train is on its side billowing thick black smoke while the leadership is standing around arguing....did too!....did not....did too!.....did not!

Fitch, Hoseman, and Bill Waller Jr. (whose name keeps coming up) would attract some crossover votes from Democrats if they run against Reeves. I don't think Hood will actually run so there may be 40 to 45% of the state population open to another candidate by the time the GOP primary is held. By 2019 Tate's No Taxes Of Any Kind platform will not be an attractive campaign issue so there may be a giant opening for a centrist candidate.

Kingfish: It's not necessarily that we 'go nuts when Fitch is mentioned'. But, some us well remember when Haley first trotted her into the tent and moved around from agency to agency in a series of 'executive positions' to get her some 'exposure' and name recognition and, ah, executive experience.

Maybe we got a bait of that with Mabus and Musgrove and don't want to see it again. Reckon?

I have seem the numbers and Hood beats Tate in a head to head.

If Hood and Tate square off, I recommend an eating contest.....something for which both seem quite adept.

"I have seen the numbers".....Bet you've 'Been to the mountain' too.

"This has gone on for several years. Mention Fitch and suddenly some people go nuts..."

Well, I don't 'go nuts', but each time I see her name I DO recall the times Haley trotted her out to her new desk at various state jobs, just to get her acclimated to the government climate and get her a little name recognition I reckon.

Employment Security was one. Shall we play the 'name that agency' game for others?

Incompetent men really hate competent women unless they " stay in their place" by keeping them from screwing up , letting them take the credit for her work and helping them believe they would have fixed the problem or had the idea had they not been " so busy".

A woman they think is smarter than they are makes them feel inadequate.

And, they hate competent women who aren't dog ugly the most.

I would take an incompetent Lynn Fitch over a conscious woke competent Triple Cheese Tater Thot ANY day of the week. Catch my drift

If you've ever worked under Hosemann, you will understand any original thoughts or suggestions, or actual truths are shunned. If it's not his idea, it's wrong. Doing your job correctly but not kissing his ass gets you fired.

7:33 - Your learned theory has competence as its basis. Remember...we're talking about Lynn Fitch here. She's been at the gubment trough for years and years. Please give examples of demonstrated competency.

We could also discuss Cindy Rawhide Smith but you ruled her out with your 'dog ugly' disclaimer.

We do have a bad habit in this state of elevating women who ain't done shit and ain't gonna do shit. Mabus started it all.

Seems like we've elevated a lot of men who ain't done shit and ain't gonna do shit. So what is the difference?

The difference is we're talking about women here, who have been 'trotted out' by governors in the interest of diversity. No governor trotted out Digbert, Tater or Gunn. They came into their own ON their own and OWN their own idiocy. See?

I agree with 8:06 AM. If I see the names Fitch, Waller, Hood, FoFo Gillich whover on the ballot any of them will get my vote.

Pretty sure Tate will serve as next governor for 8 years; too much money, too many tater tot groupies; don't know anybody who can buck the establishment. Be nice if somebody from the outside bursts onto the scene i.e. Fordice and shakes things up. Anybody out there?

Per kingfish's comment about mentioning Fitch and people go nuts. If you only knew his many good people she has run off at the two agencies she's headed maybe there would be some understanding of the fury! It is incomprehensible how someone with so little knowledge of the laws of this state and the ways of the business world can be appointed at one agency and then elected at the other. She speaks of fiscal conservatism but spends state money on herself like a queen.