Not wanting to feel left out of the liberal elite who have all taken cheap shots at the state of Mississippi to prop up their own state by comparison, on Tuesday, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm (D) made a pitch to increase taxes in her state that’s flirting with 16% unemployment. She said, “What we’re fighting for is for Michigan not to be Mississippi. We’re fighting to make sure Michigan has a diverse economy with educated citizens and protecting people along the way.” It wasn’t quite enough for her to compare Michigan to Mississippi economically. She had to slip in the “educated citizens” just for good measure, apparently.
Once again leading national Democrat politicians portray Misissippians as a bunch of toothless, hapless, helpless, redneck, racist, homophobe, truck-drivin’, no-shoe-wearin’ hicks. Her hope, of course, is to make her state Michigan (which is by all accounts on the verge of governmental and economic meltdown) look a little shinier by comparison.
Unfortunately, Granholm is not the only one to take cheap shots at our fine state. On October 19, 2007, Hillary Clinton trashed Mississippi at Iowa’s expense by saying, “How can Iowa be ranked with Mississippi?” she asked, siding with the Hawkeye State. “That’s not the quality. That’s not the communitarianism, that’s not the openness I see in Iowa.” Not to be outdone, her NY buddy Charlie Rangel slammed Mississippi by saying, “Mississippi gets more than their fair share back in federal money, but who the hell wants to live in Mississippi?”.
Fortunately, there’s been some local recognition in Michigan about how stupid Granholm’s comments are. There has been some other responses (courtesy of Reporting Michigan).
Shame on you Governor Granholm,” Mississippi’s State Senator Dean Kirby, a Republican who is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, wrote in an e-mail. “Have you compared your tax structure to that of Mississippi? Have you ever been to Mississippi? Shame, shame shame !!”
In June, Chief Executive magazine released its 2009 “Best & Worst States” survey that had Mississippi as the state with the biggest improvement in the survey, jumping 15 spots to 30th overall.
Michigan ranked 49th worst, behind California (51st) and New York (50th). In the survey, 543 CEOs were asked to rank each state on taxation and regulation, workforce quality and living environment. The Great Lakes was 49th in 2008, 47th in 2007 and 48th in 2006 in the CEO list.
Forbes.com had Mississippi ranked 40th in the U.S. in its 2009 annual “Best States For Business Poll.” Mississippi moved up two slots from its 42nd place in 2008. Michigan, meanwhile, ranked No. 49 in 2009, dropping from 47th in 2008. Only Rhode Island was ranked worse than Michigan in 2009.
“I think we are better off with Haley Barbour as our Governor,” said Mississippi’s U.S. Senator Thad Cochran, a Republican, in an e-mail.
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
The real question is will the Mississippi Democratic Party and our three US Representatives from the Democrat Party (Rep. Bennie Thompson, Rep. Travis Childers and Rep. Gene Taylor) publicly admonish Granholm or let her off easy ’cause she’s on their team?
We’ll be watching.
Magnolia Tribune
