State of Mississippi Archives: on Budget & Economy


Mike Espy: Congress must help local governments with revenue shortfalls

As we begin to return to normality, our local governments will face revenue shortfalls. Congress must compensate our local governments for these costs and do more to ease the financial strain our municipalities are under. During a time when we need local governments the most, our federal representatives should be doing all they can to provide our local leaders with the resources they need to support our communities--not playing partisan political games.
Source: 2020 Mississippi Senate campaign website EspyForSenate.com Jun 25, 2020

Mike Espy: Support small business especially minority/LGBTQ/women owned

Starting and running a small business takes incredible perseverance, hard work, and a love for our community. Mississippi's small businesses are a huge part of our state's economy, making up almost 50% of our state's private-sector workforce. Our leaders need to do more to support our small businesses, especially our minority, LGBTQ+, and women-owned businesses, by providing them the tools they need to grow.
Source: 2020 Mississippi Senate campaign website EspyForSenate.com Jun 25, 2020

Tate Reeves: As treasurer, decried state's reliance on borrowing money

Reeves became the state's youngest ever statewide elected official after defeating Gary Anderson, who had more than 15 years of state government experience as head of Department of Finance and Administration and deputy director of the Mississippi Development Authority, the state's economic development agency.

Reeves served two terms as treasurer and made a name for himself decrying the state's reliance on borrowing money. When running for lieutenant governor eight years later, he faced political veteran and Senate Pro Tempore Billy Hewes. Many again highlighted Reeves' youth and lack of legislative experience; Reeves remained self-confident.

"After 20 years in the Legislature and hundreds of votes for more spending and billions more in debt, it's heartwarming to know that Hewes has now finally realized with 50 days to go in this campaign that we need to reduce our debt burden," Reeves told the Associated Press during the 2011 primary campaign for lieutenant governor.

Source: MississippiToday.org on 2019 Mississippi Gubernatorial race Jul 15, 2019

Jim Hood: State economy is not moving; we've got to drain the swamp

Hobnob, the annual business and political get-together in Jackson, saw the most fiery speech come from a candidate for Mississippi governor. Democrat Jim Hood, the current attorney general, said despite the rosy picture the state's Republican leadership paints, Mississippi's economy, its number of jobs and employment rate, and its salaries, lag behind neighboring states and the rest of the nation. "Our economy is not moving," he said.

The candidate told the crowd of about 1,000 business leaders: "The problem is, nobody's got the guts to step out and lead," Hood said. "The fact is, we've got to drain the swamp in our Legislature."

Both Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and Gov. Phil Bryant cited indicators of an improved economy and outlook in Mississippi, including the lowest unemployment rates in state history, creation of thousands of new jobs and the highest high school graduation rates in state history.

Source: Mississippi Clarion Ledger on 2019 Mississippi governor race Nov 1, 2018

David Baria: Stimulus spending ok, but hesitant about 2009 Obama plan

Q: Support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?

David Baria (D): Yes. But some hesitancy on size of 2009 Obama stimulus to counter recession.

Roger Wicker (R): Generally not, for instance opposed Obama stimulus.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Mississippi Senate race Oct 9, 2018

Roger Wicker: Opposed Obama 2009 stimulus plan & most stimulus plans

Q: Support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?

David Baria (D): Yes. But some hesitancy on size of 2009 Obama stimulus to counter recession.

Roger Wicker (R): Generally not, for instance opposed Obama stimulus.

Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Mississippi Senate race Oct 9, 2018

Phil Bryant: Implement a state lottery; Arkansas got $80M last year

I believe it's time to look at ways to grow revenue, without raising taxes. I am open to a general discussion regarding the implementation of a state lottery. As you know, voters cleared the legal pathway for a lottery in 1992 when they chose to remove the constitutional prohibition and allow the Legislature to provide authorization and control.

Arkansas--the state closest to us in population and demographics--received $80 million from its lottery last fiscal year. That kind of data demands attention. When we see traffic crowded on the Mississippi River bridge taking revenue to our neighboring state, it may be time to face a new reality. We can no longer contain the people's desire for a lottery, we can only force them to travel.

Source: 2017 State of the State address to Mississippi Legislature Jan 17, 2017

Chris McDaniel: Immoral to saddle our grandchildren with this much debt

Question topic: Free enterprise and the right to private property turn mankind's natural self interest into the fairest and most productive economic system there is, and are the key to national prosperity.

McDaniel: Strongly Agree.

Question topic: Briefly list political or legislative issues of most concern to you.

McDaniel: Ending deficit spending. It is immoral to saddle our children and grandchildren with this much debt.

Source: Faith2Action iVoterGuide on 2014 Mississippi Senate race Jul 2, 2014

Chris McDaniel: Era of big spending is over; age of appropriations must end

The primary could offer insight into fundamental questions about the Republican Party: whether longevity and clout in a Deep South state that has venerated such qualities are enough to overcome national trends toward limited-government conservatism.

Chris McDaniel has sought to seize on the new antispending fervor, casting Cochran--who has delivered billions of dollars in federal spending projects to his impoverished state--as an avatar of a bygone political culture. "The national debt is the greatest moral crisis of this generation," McDaniel said. "So, let's go forth from this place making it perfectly clear that the era of big spending is over. The age of appropriations must end."

After Cochran announced his re-election bid Friday, the Club for Growth, who have endorsed McDaniel, put out a statement that criticized the senator for his support of earmarked spending projects, for bailing out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and for raising the federal debt limit.

Source: N.Y. Times on 2014 Mississippi Senate race Dec 6, 2013

Chris McDaniel: Those in D.C. don't appear to be listening

Thad Cochran voted for the budget compromise to reopen the federal government--giving any potential opponent fodder for attacks. "There are those in D.C. that don't appear to be listening," McDaniel said in the statement announcing his candidacy. "We stand today ready to restore this republic." [The endorsing groups commented]:
Source: Politico.com on 2014 Mississippi Senate debate Oct 17, 2013

Ronnie Musgrove: Attract new businesses; develop existing ones

Source: 2001 State of the State Address to Mississippi legislature Jan 4, 2001

  • The above quotations are from State of Mississippi Politicians: Archives.
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2020 Presidential contenders on Budget & Economy:
  Democrats running for President:
Sen.Michael Bennet (D-CO)
V.P.Joe Biden (D-DE)
Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I-NYC)
Gov.Steve Bullock (D-MT)
Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN)
Sen.Cory Booker (D-NJ)
Secy.Julian Castro (D-TX)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Rep.John Delaney (D-MD)
Rep.Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI)
Sen.Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Gov.Deval Patrick (D-MA)
Sen.Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
CEO Tom Steyer (D-CA)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Marianne Williamson (D-CA)
CEO Andrew Yang (D-NY)

2020 Third Party Candidates:
Rep.Justin Amash (L-MI)
CEO Don Blankenship (C-WV)
Gov.Lincoln Chafee (L-RI)
Howie Hawkins (G-NY)
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Howard Schultz(I-WA)
Gov.Jesse Ventura (I-MN)
Republicans running for President:
Sen.Ted Cruz(R-TX)
Gov.Larry Hogan (R-MD)
Gov.John Kasich(R-OH)
V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
Gov.Mark Sanford (R-SC)
Pres.Donald Trump(R-NY)
Rep.Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Gov.Bill Weld(R-MA & L-NY)

2020 Withdrawn Democratic Candidates:
Sen.Stacey Abrams (D-GA)
Mayor Bill de Blasio (D-NYC)
Sen.Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
Sen.Mike Gravel (D-AK)
Sen.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Gov.John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Gov.Jay Inslee (D-WA)
Mayor Wayne Messam (D-FL)
Rep.Seth Moulton (D-MA)
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