Mississippi

Mississippi Republicans
by Juan Vides

           Mississippi's total area is 48,286 square miles. According to the 1990 national census, Mississippi ranked 31st among the states in population, with a total of 2,573,216. This represented an increase of 2.1 percent since 1980, when the state’s population was 2,520,638. The estimated population for 1997 was 2,730,501. In1990 Mississippi had an average population density of 21 persons per sq km (53 per sq. mi). The rural density was greatest in the Delta. In 1990 Mississippi had an average population density of 21 persons per sq. km (53 per sq. mi). The rural density was greatest in the Delta. The State’s Physical geography consist of broad, flat, highly fertile lowlands, known locally as the Delta, cover much of the western part of the state along the Mississippi River. The remainder of the state is covered by the low hills of the East Gulf Coastal Plain, which rises from sea level along the marshy Gulf Coast to the Tennessee River Hills.
           Mississippi has five members in the U.S. House of Representatives and elects two senators. The state casts seven electoral votes in presidential elections. The Republicans have dominated Mississippi since the past recent years. Both of Mississippi’s senators and three of its five congressmen are Republicans. In 1991 Kirk Fordice became the first Republican to be elected governor in 120 years. Fordice became the first Mississippi governor in the 20th century to serve consecutive terms when he was reelected in 1995. The Mississippi Republican Party focuses on Economic Development, Education, Right to life, Government Reform, Lowering Taxes, Welfare Reform, and on protecting the Environment. The Republicans believe that this platform will lead them to a new millennium with growth and opportunity for the state.
           The Economic Development in Mississippi has been good with in the last four years; it has seen a growth of new jobs. By the early 1990s the number of those working in manufacturing exceeded agricultural workers. Of the 1,280,000 workers in Mississippi, about 21 percent worked in service industries such as restaurants and data processing centers; 21 percent in manufacturing; 20 percent in wholesale or retail trade; 19 percent in federal, state, or local government, including those in the military; 5 percent in farming (including agricultural services), forestry, or fishing; 5 percent in construction; 5 percent in finance, insurance, or real estate; 4 percent in transportation or public utilities; and 1 percent in mining. In the mid-1990s about 6 percent of Mississippi’s workers were members of labor unions. For this reason the Republicans number one priority is the creation of private sector jobs. The expansion of these businesses would lead to even more employment for the citizens of Mississippi. They also support the “Right to work law” which allows allow any individual the right to work. A Right to Work law secures the right of employees to decide for themselves whether or not to join or financially support a union.
In the mid-1990s Mississippi spent about $3230 on each student’s education, compared to a national average of about $5310. There were 18.2 students for every teacher, giving the state an average class size higher than the national average. Of those older than 25 years of age in the state, only 64 percent had a high school diploma, the lowest level of educational attainment among the states. The Republican party believes that “It is not how much money is spent on a child but it is how much the child has learn.” They want to increase the accountability in the education system through standardized testing and a merit base pay for teachers and administrators. They also would like a reform system on recruiting and retraining teachers. The Republicans also support a Voucher system in that the parents have the choice to pick the best school for their children needs. They would like to see the reduction in the number of colleges because this would strengthen higher learning and it would save funds.
           The Mississippi Republican Party believes strongly in right to life and wants a human life amendment added to the Constitution. The Fourteenth Amendment’s protection applies to unborn children. They oppose the public revenues used for abortion. One alternative that they suggest is for more adoption services.
           The Mississippi governor is elected for a four-year term. A change in law effective in 1994 allowed for the first time the governor to serve consecutive terms, although a two-term limit was imposed. The governor enjoys wide appointive powers. Alone or subject to the approval of the senate, the governor appoints many of the members of the state’s more than 100 agencies, departments, boards, and commissions. Republicans want to see limited government and individual freedom. They recommend the reduction of government at the federal, state and national levels. This would consolidate departments and stop wasteful spending. They also support a statewide voter registration system and would like to eliminate Motor Voter Registration System because it would increase voter fraud.
           The combined tax of federal and state creates an enormous burden on families. The Mississippi Republicans are committed to fight to provide tax relief for families. One of the way to reduce this tax is to get rid of the 1992 sales tax which will immediate have a tax relief to all Mississippians.
           Some economic problems persist. Too many Mississippians lack the technical and educational skills necessary for high-wage, sophisticated industries. This is especially true in the Delta and the central hill counties. Too many Mississippians depend for their livelihoods on government: In many depressed counties the chief source of income is government payments such as welfare and social security. The Republicans argue that the welfare program was intended to provide temporary aid and not for dependence on government assistance. They would like to see a “Work First” program, which requires welfare recipients to work to receive benefits, which will ultimately lift them out of the cycle of dependency.
           The major concerns of conservation authorities in Mississippi are the prevention of soil erosion and water pollution, reforestation, the reclamation of infertile and wet lands, and flood control. In the early 1990s Mississippi spent 1.4 percent of its annual budget on the environment, ranking it among the lower one-third of the states. In the mid-1990s the state had five hazardous waste sites placed on a national priority list for cleanup due to their severity or proximity to people. In comparison to other states, little progress was being made in efforts to reduce pollution; by 1993 the amount of toxic chemicals discharged into the environment had been reduced by only 1 percent from four years before, a much smaller decrease than in most other states. The Mississippi Republicans are aware of the their natural resources that are valuable assets for promoting tourism and attracting new industries.