tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post7470527356649884865..comments2024-03-29T05:32:54.378-05:00Comments on Jackson Jambalaya: Feathering the retirement nestsKingfishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06184990110961727404noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-89042053753664084982017-01-24T18:52:28.585-06:002017-01-24T18:52:28.585-06:007:16 - ridiculous. If you want to elect judges, t...7:16 - ridiculous. If you want to elect judges, then let them run. If you want to select judges, then appoint them as other officials are appointed. Your theory could be such that the Commissioner of Public Safety, or the ED of the Health Department, or maybe even the President of Jackson State (or any other university) should be 'selected' by putting some folks resumes on a website and letting everybody go vote. Hell, let them do it online like KF's polls he conducts.<br /><br />If MS continues to insist on electing judges, then remove all the stupid restrictions that the "canons" try to put on them (many of which are constantly ignored without consequence, but that's another story for another day) and let them campaign and run. <br /><br />If you want to try to get good jurists on the bench, then appoint them like most other states do. Once you get through with that, lets appoint many of the other things we elect (commissioners of insurance, agriculture, transportation, etc.) and hire qualified people to run those departments. <br /><br />If you want your system for judges, then lets at least move it to selecting the best farmer to be head of agriculture, and the best insurance agent to run that department, based on resumes put on a website somewhere.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-49149581942624413772017-01-24T10:51:33.661-06:002017-01-24T10:51:33.661-06:00Hell ole Jim Kitchens was a multimillionaire prior...Hell ole Jim Kitchens was a multimillionaire prior to becoming a Supreme Court Justice, I ain't saying he is not a great fella and a smart guy, but I know he doesn't need the extra cash.<br />On another note, a really good former Rankin County Circuit Ct. Judge was smart, got his undergraduate on a whitey scholarship at JSU, the went to MC Law. He made a great deal of money as a lawyer and served the public as a judge for, I think, only one term and could have been easily reelected. He did it for the right reason, and of course "a little bit/more ego". Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-58979921972495470092017-01-24T10:26:44.160-06:002017-01-24T10:26:44.160-06:00Here is a thought. Run for and win Ms. state bar ...Here is a thought. Run for and win Ms. state bar presidency, run for and win a seat in the state house or senate. Commit tons of state money (which the state doesn't have)to influential judges at no personal expense. This makes these judges love you. Run for the U. S. House or Senate under the good graces of these judges who will always "not support" any candidate. While you are at it, why not include doctors (like your father) in the state retirement plan. Those who have worked years for the state should be up in arms about this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-51116571939585217802017-01-24T10:13:46.208-06:002017-01-24T10:13:46.208-06:00Our state is in last place. Everyone knows that. ...Our state is in last place. Everyone knows that. Why is it in last place? The state has everything it needs to come out of last place. There has to be something holding us in last place. We have been there a long time. <br /><br />It is the people we elect that keeps us in last place. They always have their hand out or in someone's pocket. They continually place family, friend, and monetary supporters in comfortable jobs they know nothing about. They lie, cheat, and steal. <br /><br />Our whole state is following in the footsteps of our capital city and for the same reason. Now who can we blame for what our state has become? We, the people, are to blame. For reasons know only to ourselves we reward the cons, criminals, slackers, and know nothings with some elected position. Then they give themselves a separate group of laws not allowed by tax payers. We give them the power to give themselves raises and benefits. Then we expect them to pull us out of last place.<br />Dream on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-24358656136959158442017-01-24T10:02:15.425-06:002017-01-24T10:02:15.425-06:00to bill dees; if lawyers take a pay cut to become ...to bill dees; if lawyers take a pay cut to become judges, why is it that dozens of they trip over themselves to run for any judgeship that comes open?mr dees you don't know crap about what it takes to make it in the private practice of law.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-58152832992300055992017-01-24T08:25:33.406-06:002017-01-24T08:25:33.406-06:00If the legislature insist on doing this, just sta...If the legislature insist on doing this, just start it now and not go backwards. The investment funds have mad3e a lot of money and charging no interest is a crime. <br /><br />State employees are way underpaid and seldom receive raises. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-11896244499659035032017-01-24T07:16:49.085-06:002017-01-24T07:16:49.085-06:00This bill begs the question " Why the judges ...This bill begs the question " Why the judges did not claim the expenses or have their secretaries or clerks claim the expense on their behalf?" Or, better still, why didn't they get a credit card to use exclusively for expenses? <br /><br />The government can never compete with the private sector except on the levels of either job satisfaction, job security or more time for a private life. A government job can provide added experience and improve a person's visibility to the private sector as a potential asset.<br /><br />If we are going to elect judges, they shouldn't " run" for office. The public should be given their resume including their law school class placement, community service/charitable work, honorable recognitions, whether they represented private citizens or corporations, and their ratings. I'm willing to pay tax dollars for a website and publication in relevant local newspapers the day before election .Justice should be blind.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-44017123717501574852017-01-24T06:46:59.830-06:002017-01-24T06:46:59.830-06:00With apologies to Merle Haggard, the governor coul...With apologies to Merle Haggard, the governor could be modeling "Manly Footwear" out in Bakersfield, making at least a quarter mil. Why Stop There, Indeed..noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-47617677630208196152017-01-24T06:37:09.034-06:002017-01-24T06:37:09.034-06:00Tell them to go to work in Madison County!! Hell,...Tell them to go to work in Madison County!! Hell, they pay their buildings and grounds director almost 90K. If they're female all they need to do is push out a supervisors grandchild and BANG instant 50K a year job.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-48592716645954895142017-01-24T06:06:28.400-06:002017-01-24T06:06:28.400-06:00Back to the article at hand....
Bubba Hopson need...Back to the article at hand....<br /><br />Bubba Hopson needs to withdraw this bill.<br /><br />Most judges have done quite well before they took the bench.<br /><br />Waller and Randolph were millionaires before they began being judges. Most others are fine too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-22338785821938549292017-01-23T23:42:35.233-06:002017-01-23T23:42:35.233-06:00Lame-Brains like Bill Dees believe this kind of ch...Lame-Brains like Bill Dees believe this kind of chicanery is just fine given the fact that these people could actually make more money out on the open market. What the hell difference does that make. Let me help here! NONE! <br /><br />Next, Dees will suggest that accountants over at the State Department of Audit could make more as CPAs out in the real world so their retirement should at least be doubled. And why stop there? The Ag Secretary might make more if she were farming corn up in Lula.....yep! Ought to be worth at least triple retirement and a new SUV. Compare Me This..noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-5261038080961936112017-01-23T21:53:56.096-06:002017-01-23T21:53:56.096-06:007:55 - one of the reasons (certainly not the only ...7:55 - one of the reasons (certainly not the only one) that we are 50th is that we don't attract on an everytime basis the best and the brightest to run our state. The pay for most of our elected officials is woefully low - $125k for Gov; $108k for AG; $90k for SOS or Treasurer. <br /><br />Sure, we have some that offer themselves for office that don't need the money - Barbour, Hosemann, Chaney for example. But imagine if one of the mid-level offices became vacant, what person wants to be appointed SOS or Treasurer for $90k. Sure, there are many that would love to have the job. Me for example. Would be a nice pay raise. <br /><br />But, to attract a really good quality candidate for such an appointment would require it to be somebody that doesn't need the monthly paycheck.<br /><br />Then, double that down and realize that getting appointed is not how this happens 98% of the time. You have to run - raise money, give up a year of your life, both money earning and family life - betting on the come.<br /><br />These Judges though did get taken care of a couple of years ago - we gave them a big damn (relatively) pay raise. The Chief Justice now gets half again what the AG makes. <br /><br />The problem carries itself down through these agencies in that many of their employees can't make more than they do. Granted, many should not get paid more, but to retain top quality folks in the positions where you do need good capable people it can't be done without paying them decently.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-26782438000953063192017-01-23T21:34:12.344-06:002017-01-23T21:34:12.344-06:008:31 provides a nice analysis but doesn't prov...8:31 provides a nice analysis but doesn't provide any argument for why the judges should be paid more. They signed up knowing the salary. They enjoy the privileges (i.e. regular hours, paid staff, lots of govt holidays, no requirement to generate billings). The way I see it, they are living the life they signed up for. If they don't like it, there are plenty others lined up to replace them. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-46248907311987682242017-01-23T20:31:30.047-06:002017-01-23T20:31:30.047-06:00Big firm lawyer here. Let me let y'all in on ...Big firm lawyer here. Let me let y'all in on a little secret.<br /><br />The skill set to making $300k/yr. in Mississippi (the "double" Bill Dees refers to) is 100% different than the skill set to be a good appellate judge. Honestly, the campaigning element of being a judge has far more relevance to compensation than the judging element.<br /><br />These people got into public service because their skill set is different from the skill set needed to be a rainmaker. Or in a few cases, because they already made their money and basically wanted to retire from a pretty cutthroat industry. Not saying they aren't good judges. But assuming they could walk away from judging and make tons of money in private practice is like assuming a business school professor at Ole Miss could leave and become a millionaire CEO.<br /><br />Not saying it could never happen, but it's not something you would expect.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-33881071827820860462017-01-23T20:09:48.559-06:002017-01-23T20:09:48.559-06:00I know several Circuit Judges who are now multimil...I know several Circuit Judges who are now multimillion $ men, especially in the big tort counties, who couldn't afford to pay attention when they were attorneys only several years ago. When I began law school one in south central MS was a milkman. Now he travels with his court administrator and puts his travel on the state dime.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-37083985628202540602017-01-23T19:55:58.313-06:002017-01-23T19:55:58.313-06:00i say we cut all elected officials' pay until ...i say we cut all elected officials' pay until they pull us out of 50th place in virtually every category. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-61951126707713252552017-01-23T18:38:03.677-06:002017-01-23T18:38:03.677-06:006:02 --
There is much truth in what you say. 6:02 --<br /><br />There is much truth in what you say. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-92195257460133837832017-01-23T18:02:52.862-06:002017-01-23T18:02:52.862-06:00Something sounds wrong. Supposedly all of these p...Something sounds wrong. Supposedly all of these people could make much more money in the private sector. They ran as a matter of public service.<br />Then why in the hell do they think we, the people, should give them more money? I am beginning to suspicion that maybe they can not make it in the private sector or their public service feelings is bullshit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-5207978440102656942017-01-23T17:48:31.818-06:002017-01-23T17:48:31.818-06:00The old joke Judges are lawyers who couldn't m...The old joke Judges are lawyers who couldn't make it in private practice is true in many cases. There are a few who did well and ran for Judge to get out of the rat race or those who came from money. I'm sure most don't spend all of their per diem for expenses why don't they set up an IRA, Roth or regular with the extra money. Maybe a safer bet as PERS might be in trouble down the road,Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-45420203155498896922017-01-23T17:41:09.490-06:002017-01-23T17:41:09.490-06:00Randolph was appointed by his fraternity brother f...Randolph was appointed by his fraternity brother from Ole Miss, Haley Barbour. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-31111855072997140272017-01-23T16:57:29.302-06:002017-01-23T16:57:29.302-06:00Bill Dees is absolutely right. We should want to ...Bill Dees is absolutely right. We should want to have enough financial incentive to where the best and brightest legal minds want to run. Randolph, for instance, was probably making a million or 2 a year during his hey day. He ran as a matter of public service. He's also an incredibly hard working and bright Justice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-90012055976334415992017-01-23T15:50:29.896-06:002017-01-23T15:50:29.896-06:003:27 PM
You may be correct about who Waller repre...3:27 PM<br /><br />You may be correct about who Waller represented....you are woefully incorrect about how much Waller could generate from a private practice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-26548501819332349592017-01-23T15:49:24.567-06:002017-01-23T15:49:24.567-06:00That's too funny, 3:27!
And just think, now h...That's too funny, 3:27!<br /><br />And just think, now he's our Chief Justice.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-15791903936919284402017-01-23T15:27:45.137-06:002017-01-23T15:27:45.137-06:00This is a good bill. Many of the Justices make hal...<i>This is a good bill. Many of the Justices make half or less of what they could earn in the private sector. The financial sacrifice they make should be acknowledged and provided for in the retirement system.</i><br /><br />I'm reminded of an anecdote long about 1994. <br /><br />When Mississippi College President Louis Nobles was indicted for embezzlement -- but before he absconded from the state wearing a disguise and later tried to swallow poison in a San Francisco hotel -- he retained a lawyer.<br /><br />That lawyer was Bill Waller, Jr.<br /><br />Bill Jr. summoned TV crews an other media to Nobles' abode in Clinton.<br /><br />"Look at these cars," Waller said. "Look at this big boat and this nice house. Louis Nobles doesn't <b>NEED</b> to embezzle anything!"<br /><br />Yeah.<br /><br />He got fired a couple days later. And yes, the $159,000 he draws from the state is WAY more than he could make in private practice. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2447438783001404385.post-86031398642853773072017-01-23T15:08:56.352-06:002017-01-23T15:08:56.352-06:00@1:03 and @2:35 --
If you drain the Jackson Swamp...@1:03 and @2:35 --<br /><br />If you drain the Jackson Swamp, it will only expose the potholes and broken water mains. That and will give Kenify's Krazies another place to find the bottles, bricks, and rocks.<br /><br />Preserve Jackson's swamp!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com