Stay up-to-date on what’s in the news with the Y’all Politics Daily Roundup.
YP – Mississippi leaders to participate in pro-life events ahead of SCOTUS oral arguments defending 15-week abortion ban
Ahead of the December 1st oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court in D.C., at least two events are planned to rally support for the pro-life cause backing Mississippi’s position in the case.
The first one will be held in state and feature Governor Reeves and State Representative Ronnie Crudup, Jr. They, along with other pro-life leaders, will participate in a national event at New Horizon Church in Jackson on Sunday, November 28. It is heralded as a “Pray Together for Life” event. The schedule says it will begin at 6:30 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m. A live stream of the event will begin online at 7 p.m. here.
Another event is planned for the morning of December 1st outside of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C.. Attorney General Fitch announced the “Empower Women Promote Life” rally on Tuesday, sharing the names of three dozen women from diverse backgrounds, political parties, belief systems and professions who will share their unique stories of how promoting life empowers women. Fitch says the group includes Democratic and Republican lawmakers, physicians, progressive leaders, pregnancy help resource leaders from Mississippi, feminists, mothers of children with disabilities, legal scholars, civil rights leaders, atheists and religious leaders. Among the speakers will be Mississippi State Senator Jenifer Branning and U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith.
YP – Democrat Thompson seeks stronger TSA mask enforcement. Republican Wicker calls on President Biden to end mandates.
It is the tale of two ideologies summed up in two very different approaches on just how the government should continue to respond to COVID this holiday season.
Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson (D) wants the government to step up enforcement on mask wearing for U.S. travelers while the state’s senior U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R) wants President Joe Biden to withdraw his mandates in favor of easing travel restrictions and helping workers keep their jobs.
Thompson, Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, and Congresswomen Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), Chairwoman of the Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee, proudly announced that after pressing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the agency has stepped up enforcement of federal COVID mandates for travelers to wear masks in transportation settings.
Wicker says Biden should withdraw vaccine mandates
Travelers are facing long lines at the airport this holiday season. President Biden’s vaccine mandates could make the delays even worse next year.
The President should withdraw his mandates before they wreak havoc on our economy.https://t.co/tgi0OfCl4A
— Senator Roger Wicker (@SenatorWicker) November 24, 2021
YP – Two new members appointed to State Board of Health
James Patrick “Pat” Chaney, MD, of Amory, and Lee Ann Griffin, PharmD, of Jackson, have both been recently sworn in as new members of the Mississippi State Board of Health after being appointed by Governor Tate Reeves.
Dr. Chaney, a graduate of Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi Medical Center, has been a member of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) since 1986. He is past secretary/treasurer, vice chair, and chair of the Mississippi Section of ACOG, and also served as the past chair of District VII’s Council of Section Chairs Committee in 2012.
Griffin received her undergraduate degree and her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Mississippi, and she is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Rhode Island. She is currently employed by Pfizer, where she has worked in a variety of capacities, including a Medical Outcomes Specialist and the Medical Outcomes Specialist team leader of the Gulf Coast/Plains regions.
YP – Democrats retain MS Legislative seat with Hickman win in State Senate District 32
Rod Hickman won the special runoff election in State Senate District 32 on Tuesday, drawing 60% of the vote over opponent Dr. Minh Duong. Hickman, an attorney and college professor, was the top vote getter in the initial special election on November 2nd.
Hickman replaces Democrat Sampson Jackson who resigned earlier this year. Jackson, along with other Democrats serving in the state legislature and Mississippi Democratic Party leaders, endorsed Hickman’s candidacy during the runoff period. Some of those included Sen. David Blount, Sen. Derrick Simmons, Judge Constance Slaughter-Harvey, and Chairman Tyree Irving. Those endorsements helped to solidify Hickman’s win in the traditionally Democrat district.
YP – President Biden’s order to raise minimum wage for federal contractors to $15 takes effect January 30th
On Monday, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a final rule that implemented Executive Order 14026 that will increase the hourly minimum wage for employees on federal contracts beginning January 30, 2022. President Biden signed the order on April 27, 2021…
…However, there are many conservatives who are skeptical of the implementation of $15 per hour for employees of federal contractors.
Russ Latino, President of Empower Mississippi, says artificially raising wages for all employees of federal contractors ignores regional differences in pay across the labor market.
YP – Senator Wicker pushes President Biden to back Taiwan amid China aggressions
On Thursday, Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker joined Larry Kudlow on FoxBusiness to discuss Taiwan and upgrading the U.S. Navy.
“Our policy of strategic ambiguity toward Taiwan no longer serves the American interest, and President Biden needs to change it,” Wicker told Kudlow.
Senator Wicker’s appearance on FoxBusiness comes after he wrote an Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal last week where he noted that President Joe Biden should come out and say that America will defend its ally Taiwan from communist China’s aggressions toward the island democracy.
MSDH COVID-19 Reporting
Today MSDH is reporting 432 more cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi, nine deaths, and 19 ongoing outbreaks in long-term care facilities. State #covid19 totals: 512,632 cases, 10,262 deaths, and 1,401,862 persons fully vaccinated. Full information: https://t.co/YCv9xPyJDk pic.twitter.com/0jixhmtcjY
— Mississippi State Department of Health (@msdh) November 24, 2021
YP – Mississippi Highway Patrol began its Thanksgiving Holiday Period on Wednesday
MHP’s Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Enforcement Period began today at 6:00 am and concludes Sunday, November 28 at midnight.
In a press release from the Mississippi Highway Patrol, the agency announced that State Troopers will focus on state and federal highways and interstate systems this weekend in order to reduce reckless driving, speeding, and distracted driving issues.
“MHP will emphasize traffic enforcement throughout the Thanksgiving travel period to reduce unsafe driving behavior, which leads to crashes and deaths on Mississippi roads. Our mission is to offer our assistance and provide safety for the many travelers throughout the holiday so that everyone can have a happy Thanksgiving,” said Colonel Randy Ginn, Director of the Mississippi Highway Patrol.
WLOX/WDAM – Hyde-Smith: ‘Build Back Broke bill is what I call it’
“…This ‘Build Back Broke’ bill is what I call it…,” said Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R, Mississippi.
The Biden Administration’s $1.9 trillion bill is a so-called social spending and environmental bill. Democratic lawmakers like Miss. Congressman Bennie Thompson voted in favor of the bill. They say it’s meant to create good-paying jobs, cut taxes for the middle class, lower health care costs and more.
But, the measure faces an uphill battle in the Senate, which is narrowly controlled by democrats.
“We’re going to have to kill it in the Senate,” Hyde-Smith said. “I hope that it never makes it to the desk of President Biden. And any version that they think that they can water down so it could get passed… there’s not enough water in the Gulf of Mexico to make this a good bill. I mean it’s just not. And I am truly hoping that we can kill it and I assure you it would never pass on my vote.”
Magnolia Tribune
