It’s time to “let the sunshine in”
The attorney general, regardless of the person holding that office, has often exercised power to singlehandedly direct the public policy of the state of Mississippi. With the passage of the HB 211, aptly termed the Sunshine Act, the attorney general will no longer be permitted to unilaterally dictate the public policy of the state as he alone deems appropriate.
In the case of the current attorney general, the last straw, in a string of many, was his obstinate refusal to join the fight against the largest unfunded mandate in the history of our country, the Obama health care legislation.
He claims that because other attorneys general stepped up to protect the interests of their citizens against the disastrous effects of this ill-conceived legislation, which will double the Medicaid roles and require private citizens and employers to purchase a product they do not need or want and cannot afford, this justifies his refusal to protect the right of our people to decide such matters.
Clarion Ledger
Mark Baker Guest Column
2/24/12
