“It is good to be back. Y’all like the fans? How about the Olympics? It’s like watching your children compete. You’re sick when they lose and proud to be an American when they win.
The fair is a family event. The Yates’ over here, the Molpus’ and Salter’s up there. The Webb’s are on the track, and the Mayo’s are in between.
As much fun as we love Mississippi’s giant house party, there are some people who don’t like us. Like the lady in the Voting Rights Division of the Justice Department who said Mississippi should change its name from the Magnolia State to the “Shameful and Disgusting” State.
Y’all do not be too hard on her. I invited her to come down to Mississippi for a visit just so she could see the difference between Mississippi—where we call home—and Washington where she lives.
You know, that brought to mind some other differences between Mississippi and Washington. For example, Mississippi State government has decreased by 5,000 employees and our State has a balanced budget. That is the Mississippi way.
Washington has increased the number of federal employees by almost 200,000 since President Obama took office and the Senate has not passed a budget in three (3) years.
That’s the Washington way.
We need to change the Washington way.
My office has drafted new business laws for LLC’s and corporations, including trademarks and securities law protection.
Our office has taken the lead in protecting small investors. One investigation recovered 200-Million Dollars for investors, and another investigation of Stanford Securities helped recover over 90% of the money taken from Mississippi investors. Our office provides fewer regulations for business in Mississippi and better business laws, so we can compete globally and create jobs for Mississippians.
That is the Mississippi way.
In Washington, they created the Dodd Frank Bill that would hamper financial growth. Now, banks are afraid to lend money to small businesses. Now, federal regulators make laws, and every Mississippian is left to deal with new business regulations that stifle job growth.
That is the Washington way.
We need to change the Washington way.
We average 75-Million Dollars a year in 16th Section revenues by operating 600,000 acres in the same common sense way you would operate your own property, because it is your property. Every dollar goes to school children. This lowers your taxes and keeps more money in your pocket.
That is the Mississippi way.
Despite what our current President may say, you built your businesses. You manage those businesses. You work in those businesses. You sweat in those businesses. You risk your family’s assets for those businesses and, if they are successful, you need to keep the profit, because if they fail, the bank keeps your business. In Washington they want to raise taxes on small businesses.
That is the Washington way.
We need to change the Washington way.
Since you hired me as Secretary of State, I have reduced my budget by more than 1.6-Million Dollars per year. Every year I propose a budget that is less than the year before. I know how difficult it is to earn money in the private sector, and your government should be as cost conscious as you are in your business.
Our Agency created a statewide copper theft computer system–acknowledged to be the best in the country–and copper theft was cut in half. Now, farmers can have their center pivots protected, businesses do not have to replace millions of dollars of damage, and individuals can find their air conditioners still there when they get home.
We continue to add more duties for my Agency with less money. Our Agency seized seven (7) private cemeteries where your loved ones are buried, and operators have spent all of the money. We have cleaned them up, placed them back in operation, and put them back in private hands.
And, we still decreased out budget.
This is the Mississippi way.
In the last three (3) years, Washington has spent 400-Billion Dollars on projects that we can’t find helped anybody. They were shovel ready, and we were the shovel. And, now we are deeper in debt.
Our Country is spending over 1-Billion Dollars a year more than it collects and the national debt is now 15 Trillion Dollars–up almost 5 Trillion Dollars since President Bush left office. And, their solution is to raise taxes and take more money out of your pocket.
That is the Washington way.
We need to change the Washington way.
Since I started, we are in voting precincts across the State in every election. That was never done before. We report to the Legislature and to the public. There have been more cases prosecuted for voter fraud since I became your Secretary of State than ever before.
And, our work has not finished. We traveled the State explaining the need for a meaningful, common sense Constitutional Voter ID, and you overwhelmingly passed it.
Our goal in Mississippi is you should identify yourself, be a resident of our State, be over age 18 and be alive when you cast your ballot. That is the Constitutional way.
That is the Mississippi way.
The Justice Department disallows every identification requirement, no matter how reasonable. Attorney General Holder says no State should be allowed to make sure anyone is a legitimate, qualified, alive voter to cast a ballot.
That is the Washington way.
We need to change the Washington way.
In Jackson, ten (10) years ago, in conjunction with the University of Mississippi Medical Center, we built the Jackson Medical Mall. It now provides healthcare to hundreds of thousands of the underserved giving them a medical home.
This is the Mississippi way.
In Washington, Attorney General Holder sued Hercules Industries which is a small closely held heating and air conditioning company in Colorado owned by Catholics. They self-insured health care for their employees. Washington, under Obamacare, said you have to provide “contraceptive services” in your self-insured plan or face stiff penalties.
Washington would not grandfather the small business, and told them they had to meet the requirement. Paying the fines would cause them to go out of business. But, at the same time, President Obama grandfathered 190-Million of his closest friends from the same requirement–but, not the small businesses that are the backbone of our country from these requirements.
That is the Washington way.
We need to change the Washington way.
In our country, we can make changes at the ballot box. I have already started preparing for our military voting, which starts in about sixty (60) days. I went to Afghanistan and Iraq. I was pleased that our efforts entitled Mississippi to be named an “All Star State” by a veteran’s group for our ease of electronic voting for service men and women.
As Secretary of State, I will verify the election for the President of the United States for the State of Mississippi. I want each of you to go out and vote on November 6th in the Presidential election. And, in an attempt to be impartial, I want you to cast your ballot—for the Romney of your choice.
Thank you so much for hiring me and giving me the opportunity to serve as your Secretary of State.”
Delbert Hosemann Press Release
8/3/12
Magnolia Tribune
