Stay up-to-date on what’s in the news with the Y’all Politics Daily Roundup.
YP – Governor Reeves: Be smart. Remain calm. Ignore all the irrational folks.
Mainstream media in Mississippi, mostly squarely at odds with Governor Tate Reeves out of nothing more than a difference of political party persuasion, has attempted to put forward a narrative that the Governor is absent and doing nothing as a spike in COVID-19 cases strain the hospital systems across the state…
…In truth, what these mainstream media outlets want is for Reeves to act more like a Democrat in the vein of California Governor Gavin Newsome or resigning New York Governor Andrew Cuomo instead of as a Republican akin to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis or Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
Today, Governor Reeves responded to those media critics and posted the write-up below on his Facebook page, talking directly to the people of Mississippi. He outlines the steps being taken to address the rise in COVID cases and notes that the state is calmly dealing with an everchanging environment.
MSDH COVID-19 Reporting
Today MSDH is reporting 3,163 more cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi, 25 deaths, and 160 ongoing outbreaks in long-term care facilities. State #covid19 totals: 371,712 cases, 7,710 deaths, and 1,059,266 persons fully vaccinated. Full information: https://t.co/YCv9xPyJDk pic.twitter.com/FGzWAy5QqW
— Mississippi State Department of Health (@msdh) August 11, 2021
YP – Auditor White talks fraud in Mississippi and continued monitoring of federal dollars headed to the state
Auditor White spoke with Y’all Politics on Wednesday to discuss how the office is fishing out potential fraud in Mississippi among state agencies and those that receive public dollars. He added they are also keeping a close eye on where federal dollars are going from the original stimulus packages, all the way up through the potential for large increases with the new federal Infrastructure bill.
YP – U.S. Senate party-line vote moves Democrats’ $3.5 trillion spending package forward with eye to reconciliation
Early this morning, the U.S. Senate adopted a framework for the Democrats’ $3.5 trillion spending package, setting up the reconciliation process to allow the majority party to push through their agenda and avoid the normal 60-vote threshold needed to pass such legislation in the upper chamber.
The final vote came after more than 14 hours of amendments and floor debate. It was a strict party line vote, with Democrats gaining all 50 of their members’ approval while 49 Republicans dissented. One Republican did not vote – South Dakota Senator Mike Rounds.
“The Democratic budget will bring a generational transformation to how our economy works for average Americans,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said.
Both Mississippi Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith voted against the spending package. Earlier in the day, however, Wicker and Hyde-Smith split on their support for a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill.
YP – In wee hours of morning, Senate Democrats push “For the People Act” forward to debate
In June, U.S. Senate Republicans blocked debate on the Democrats’ “For the People Act” (S. 1) that sought to implement federal election standards on states, many argued that would undermine Voter ID and election integrity laws across the nation. The result was a 50-50 vote in the evenly divided Senate, effectively filibustering the measure.
Senate Democrats and the White House vowed the fight was not over on this issue, moving to coordinate with activist groups to raise support for the measure.
Now, in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, following over 14 hours of debate on a $3.5 trillion Democrat spending package that resulted in a strict party-line vote of 50-49 and with one Republican Senator not present (South Dakota’s Mike Rounds), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) brought the federal voting measure back to the chamber to discharge the Rules Committee from further consideration, allowing debate on the “For the People Act” to move forward.
Congressman Palazzo encourages taking COVID vaccine
Our state is hurting & we need your help. I encourage every Mississippian to consider taking the COVID vaccine. It’s your CHOICE, one that could save lives. I’ve been vaccinated; a decision I felt best for myself & my family. Please stay safe & use caution as we endure the virus.
— Steven Palazzo (@CongPalazzo) August 11, 2021
YP – Governor Reeves appoints Christa Alexander to Mississippi ITS Board
Governor Tate Reeves has appointed Christa Alexander of Laurel to the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services Board.
Alexander received a B.A. from the University of Mississippi in 2008 and graduated from the University of Mississippi School of Law in 2012.
In her current role as General Counsel and Vice President of Operations at Fail Telecommunications Corporation (FTC), she is an advocate for the rural broadband industry at the national, regional, and state levels. She says she enjoys being closely involved with shaping policy which nurtures rural connectivity.
YP – Delta Fuel locating corporate headquarters in Natchez
Delta Fuel, LLC, is locating its corporate headquarters in Natchez. The project is a $2.75 million corporate investment and will create 54 jobs.
“Natchez is an ideal location for Delta Fuel’s corporate headquarters, providing quick access to the markets the company serves, as well as access to a talented pipeline of dedicated workers,” Governor Tate Reeves said. “I am proud to welcome Delta Fuel as the newest business partner to our great state and have no doubt the company’s new employees in Adams County will work hard to continue its legacy of success.”
Serving the Mississippi and Louisiana markets, Delta Fuel is a licensed distributor of propane, gas, diesel and lubricants for a variety of industries, including agriculture, construction, energy and residential.
YP – Mississippi Book Festival cancels August 2021 event
According to Holly Lange, the Festival’s Executive Director, “We are disappointed to have come so close to the finish line, but growing concern and cancellations from many of the authors and panelists scheduled to attend has led our Board of Directors to make the hard decision and forgo the in-person event. While we could have continued to wait, the trend lines were moving against us, so we all thought it best to give everyone enough notice so that schedules and travel plans could be changed.”
Lange went on to say that even though the in-person event was cancelled, the Festival plans to move as many of the author panels and conversations as they can to virtual presentations in the coming months.
WTOK – Speaker Philip Gunn speaks to Rotary Club
Mississippi Speaker of the House Philip Gunn (R) addressed Rotarians at their weekly meeting Wednesday.
Gunn focused on getting rid of the state’s income tax. He told them that by getting rid of the income tax and raising the sales tax by 2.5 percent, it would increase the yearly GDP by more than $300 million. He also wants to cut the grocery tax by 50 percent.
“A part of our proposal would cut the grocery tax in half. We think will help those that have a lot of mouths to feed or those that are in lower income brackets that spend a higher proportion of their income on groceries,” Gunn explained.
