Stay up-to-date on what’s in the news with the Y’all Politics Daily Roundup.
YP – Governor Reeves on Fox & Friends: We have to incentivize work
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves joined Fox & Friends on Thursday to discuss businesses having difficulty finding workers. He said that reality is why he chose to notify the federal government that Mississippi would cease participation in the additional COVID unemployment benefits.
The Governor said in Mississippi last year, the state went from roughly 40,000 unemployed persons to 350,000 in the matter of weeks.
“As you’ll remember, I was a big supporter of that a year ago,” Reeves said. “But June of 2020 looks very differently than June of 2021 looks. And for us to have a full economic recovery in our state, and quite frankly across America, we’ve got to get all of our people back to work.”
YP – CORDER: Will rumors of Gunn gubernatorial run change MS House dynamics for next two years?
Rank and file members of the Mississippi House, along with their fellow Mississippians, have been watching from afar as the political back-and-forth has publicly boiled over the last two years between Speaker Philip Gunn and Governor Tate Reeves. While there is still a thin public veneer of civility, episodically, tensions have escalated to the point where both Republicans seem to wield their influence in tit-for-tat political skirmishes.
Speaker Gunn’s attempts to politically outflank Governor Reeves with the Republican base has fueled open speculation that he may jump in the 2023 gubernatorial Republican primary against Reeves…
…But not everything is rosy in the House. There is some dissatisfaction in the ranks.
Nearly a dozen Republican House members, speaking off record for fear of reprisal, believe the Speaker is listening to the wrong voices, arguing that the lower chamber’s leadership has given too much bargaining power to the Democrats. Gunn’s closeness to Democrats has some GOP members grousing over having their more conservative policy bills blackballed as to “not make the Democrats mad.”
MSDH daily COVID-19 reporting
Today MSDH is reporting 243 more cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi, 4 deaths, and 14 ongoing outbreaks in long-term care facilities. The state's #covid19 totals are now 320,837 cases, and 7,395 deaths, and 964,504 persons fully vaccinated. Full information: https://t.co/YCv9xPyJDk pic.twitter.com/s4nbdbHDZi
— Mississippi State Department of Health (@msdh) June 25, 2021
YP – Sen. Blackwell talks Medicaid and Medical Marijuana as hearings continue
Senator Kevin Blackwell offers insight into the medical marijuana debate and what changes might come for Medicaid in January.
Sen. Kevin Blackwell, chairman of the Medicaid committee and author of the 2021 medical marijuana bill talks about the progress the Legislature is making to rectify the program as well as consider any changes or increased services to Medicaid prior to the 2022 session.
YP – President Biden’s ATF nominee advocates for national gun tax, semi-automatic weapons ban
President Joe Biden’s nominee to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) has been described by conservatives as a “gun control zealot,” doubling down on his support for a $200 national gun tax and a ban on semiautomatic firearms such as AR-15s in his confirmation hearings in the U.S. Senate…
…On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee took up Chipman’s nomination for a vote to move it forward for full Senate consideration. The result was a tie vote with all Democrats voting to advance the nomination and all Republicans objecting. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D) now must decide whether to call for a full Senate vote on Chipman’s nomination…
…Mississippi Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith are opposed to Chipman’s nomination. Wicker said in a statement that the nominee’s positions on gun control put him in direct opposition to the Constitution.
Sen. Wicker tours Commerce Secretary around MS Coast
Today, it is my honor to host @secraimondo in the hospitality state.
I am thankful for her willingness to reach across the aisle and focus on priorities that benefit Mississippians. pic.twitter.com/x1ytcYasaq
— Senator Roger Wicker (@SenatorWicker) June 25, 2021
YP – Wicker: Swift Evacuation of Afghan Interpreters a Must for U.S.
For the past year, the Taliban has waged a ruthless campaign against Afghans who have helped American troops. Assassination attempts are on the rise and death threats have become routine. Since 2014, more than 300 Afghan interpreters or their family members have been murdered. With the Taliban growing stronger, many interpreters have good reason to fear they will be captured, tortured, or killed if they are left behind by U.S. forces. Failing to protect these loyal friends of the United States would be a grave betrayal, sending a loud message that America does not have the backs of our friends. We need to act quickly and decisively to save thousands of Afghans whose lives are now at risk.
New Miss Mississippi crowned
Congratulations to our new Miss Mississippi Holly Brand! I cannot wait to see all the things Holly will do to promote our state and volunteerism during her reign as Miss Mississippi! pic.twitter.com/Y2xtz0SpPl
— Elee Reeves (@firstladyofms) June 27, 2021
Magnolia Tribune
