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Hello, my name is David Oles and I'm your cohost for Mississippi Happenings.

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Joining me today is my co-host, Jim Newman.

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Jim, how are you buddy?

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I'm doing fine this morning.

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How is the arm and physical therapy going?

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Well, I got occupational and physical therapies today.

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Yeah, three hour session.

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It's getting better, but it's a slow process.

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And it's the arm seems to be okay, but it's the wrist and the fingers now.

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Oh, yikes.

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Three hours of physical therapy, is that what I heard?

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yeah, and then I come home and I'm exhausted and want to go to sleep.

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Don't blame me for that.

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In today's episode, we're just talking about Mississippi.

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Jim, go ahead and start us off.

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Well, some of the things we were gonna talk about are upcoming issues in the legislative
session,

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We got a constitutional question because the constitution says we have five congressional
districts, when in reality we only have four.

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And a couple of years back, we had a petition on the ballot and

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I've forgotten the mayor.

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from someplace close to Jackson.

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said that because the petition signatures came from all over the state.

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But there were none from the fifth congressional district.

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And we don't have one.

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So the Supreme Court threw out the initiative ballot.

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Additionally, the legislature is going to be talking about voters' rights and early voting
and probably mail-in voting.

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I make note that Trump's not in favor of mail-in voting, but the statistics bear out that
mail-in voting worked to his advantage, certainly in Pennsylvania.

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And then...

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There's another issue about school vouchers that they're going to take up again.

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And it just seems like, it seems like we send the same people back to try to solve the
same issues and they don't get them solved.

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And then the next election, we send them back again to try to solve those same issues.

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And I'm about ready for some new faces in Jackson that are willing to take on the
difficult issues and try to come up with some answers.

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it seems like you're absolutely right.

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We're doing the same thing, using the same people, same old ideas.

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And if all that being the same, we're going to get the same results, which is nothing.

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You mentioned the voters' rights.

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in looking at the Mississippi Today article, dated, September the 11th, it says, members
of a House select committee on voters' rights heard from Samantha Buckley, who's the

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director of policy.

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for Secure Democracy Foundation.

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I have not had an opportunity to reach out to Mrs.

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Buckley, but I will.

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And we know that Representative Noah Sanford, who's a Republican out of Collins, is
co-chairing the committee

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He believes the reform of felony suffrage restitution can pass the House.

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So we're talking about reinstating, voters' rights for nonviolent, criminals and those
that have, served their time.

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I think it involves a lot more than that.

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I think it involves early mail-in voting.

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and

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Yes, that's also one of the select committees that House Speaker Jason White has selected
the committee for.

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But what is most puzzling to me is the initiative petition.

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It seems to me the state constitution says we have five CDs.

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Supreme Court says, no, we got four.

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I don't know how many years ago that was, but it's certainly three or four, maybe even
five years ago.

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Why has it taken this legislature this long?

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to pass a bill amending the Constitution to four congressional districts and putting it on
a ballot for everybody to vote.

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because that's what it's going to take before we can have an initiative petition.

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How long do these people have to have before they wake up and start doing something?

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Could it be that these lawmakers do not want a ballot initiative?

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Well, that's probably exactly right.

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And I'm not exactly sure how many legislators we have, but I know it's less than 200.

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And we've got...

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right at three million people in the state of Mississippi that disagree with them, that
want the right to initiative petition.

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And we can't have it.

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And the United States Constitution even says we have the right to petition, but not in
Mississippi.

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Good ole' Mississippi.

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And if you really want, for a citizen and for a voter and all citizens to really express
their opinion and to have a voice in a democracy, in a government, ballot initiative is

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where it's at.

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And I don't remember the exact what happened, but know, ballot initiative was for medical
marijuana, is how it started.

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But then it got kicked out once again, like you were saying, because of, you know, not
enough, and I don't remember if it was because of the four or five,

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congressional districts or if it's because there enough voters for it or it wasn't enough
petition enough petitioners to get it done so I can't remember the exact

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David, there was enough petitioners.

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The problem was there were no petitioners from the fifth congressional district.

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And where's it Jim?

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Because it doesn't exist.

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Yes, I knew that was going to be the That's the answer I was looking for.

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With the passion.

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uh Yes, I love that.

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And, you know, they're getting, they're having all these, they're having meetings right
now about the upcoming legislature.

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And you know what?

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I haven't read in the newspaper or heard through the media any town hall meetings around
the state where any of these brilliant legislators might have gone and asked the people.

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What's the most important thing we need to concentrate on this year?

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What's at the top of your list?

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And I'd ask you, David, what's at the top of your list?

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What do you think the Mississippi legislature ought to concentrate on as the number one
item this upcoming legislature?

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Public education, public education, public education.

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We cannot continue to take away money that is designated, is designed.

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You go back to the Mississippi Constitution.

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It's in the Mississippi Constitution that you do not take away money from public education
and give it to.

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charter schools give it to private institution, but it's happening.

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And this is what I'm passionate about.

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You it's the public education.

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You cannot continue to destroy it.

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And they're doing it.

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Our mega super majority is absolutely doing that.

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And it is wrong.

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And Trump supports it.

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Pro wrestler.

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I don't think she was a wrestler, but she could be.

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But Linda McMahon.

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with the Wrestling Foundation or Federation, whatever they want to call it.

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Yes.

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the wife of the president of Amway.

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Ah, okay.

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talking about your pyramid scheme or whatever you want to call it.

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Amway, that was so.

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be wrong, I think that's where she came from.

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yeah, and it's all out front.

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They want to destroy public education.

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They want to destroy the Federal Department of Education.

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And we had a great conversation with Danita Monday about that.

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We're gonna have a conversation again with Nancy Loom about that.

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And that's what they're doing.

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And it is wrong.

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It is wrong in Mississippi.

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It is wrong for the nation because someone, and especially in Mississippi, has to be held
accountable for what we're doing to our students.

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And also, I will, you know, to what we're doing for our special, or not doing, for our
special needs students.

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It is wrong.

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We must have

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an educated workforce, we must have an educated society.

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And one could get the perception, one could get the idea in that.

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the mega super majority in Mississippi does not want that.

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So, okay, you got me fired up.

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Thank you for that, Jim.

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Everybody is in favor of that.

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I know they're not.

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the long end of that is that if you eventually end up with basically uneducated
electorate, you've got control of them.

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They will believe whatever they hear.

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Absolutely.

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Absolutely.

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You can see it daily.

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I've never seen a president in my lifetime.

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And I go, I can go back to Eisenhower and I don't ever remember a president that
practically has on a daily basis, a national press conference, no matter where he is.

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He comes up with something to get on the media, but.

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and they cover everything.

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When you've got that kind of power and that kind of control, the uneducated will believe
what they hear.

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aside from that, ah we got to get voting rights extended.

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ah We've got to get mail-in ballots and make it easier for people to vote.

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We don't have enough people voting as it is in the last election.

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at least here in Lee County.

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And I suppose it was pretty close to the same in DeSoto.

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You could pick the precincts and they ranged from 10 % or I had one 9 % up to I think one
had 18 % but they only had less than 50 voters or so.

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There's gotta be a way to make it easier to because obviously requiring everybody to go
to...

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a precinct on Tuesday, which is a workday, is not working as it used to be.

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When the majority of the population lived in rural areas and they were farmers, and they
could take off the time to go vote.

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Now they can't.

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Now we're majorly in metropolitan cities who require their workers to be at work.

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And we need to start seriously looking at changing the days of voting to maybe Friday and
Saturday and have mail-in voting.

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And I think maybe then we could start to see some more people turning out to vote.

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Absolutely.

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It's got to be, we want things quick and easy.

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I mean, that's who we are as a society.

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We want it quick, we want it easy.

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One of the things that yes, voting should be a holiday.

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It should be a federal day.

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Now, throw away, people argue, well, we've already got too many paid federal holidays.

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Okay, my answer to that would be, well, throw away one of these other days that doesn't
really matter, and I don't have the complete list in front of me, throw away one of that,

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and then replace it with, okay, the first Tuesday in November is gonna be a national
holiday.

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Let people vote.

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Let people go to the votes.

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know, go to the polls.

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me interrupt you.

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I'm talking about the state elections and the state controls when the elections are.

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They do not have to be on a Tuesday.

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It's states' rights.

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We control within our legislature the days that we vote.

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there's gotta be somebody down there that the light bulb ought to go off.

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And they can figure this out.

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I don't think it's too difficult.

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to.

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One of the things that that would be also early voting and once again I'm going back to
the Mississippi Today article Mississippi is one of three states along with Alabama and

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New Hampshire that does not allow in-person early voting.

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Now as someone who's over 65, barely, yes, could go at a certain time and vote.

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It's early voting is one of the things to make it easy.

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And it's one of the things that Governor Tate Reeves opposes.

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He does not want early voting.

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And according to, Noah Sanford from Collins.

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He says that early voting.

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might face the most uphill battle.

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My perception is because, and this is what I read and but it's also yes, it's my
perception, Democrats would love early voting.

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Democrats would take advantage of the early voting.

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Therefore, you know,

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Democrats would possibly be more successful.

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Now that's just a theory, but early voting would be for everybody.

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Early voting is for everybody, not just the Republicans, not just the Democrats, but...

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You know, the super majority in Jackson, they look at it, this is going to help the
Democrats.

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They don't look at it like they do most of the issues.

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This is going to help the Democrats not knowing or not admitting this is for everybody.

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Well, everything these days is political.

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It's either right or it's left.

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ah And I personally took offense at our president calling the left-wing radicals as if
they were the ones to blame for everything bad that's going on.

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It's always the left-wing radicals.

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Well, you know, really, it's not.

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It's not the left wing.

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It's not the right wing.

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It's

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people and not everybody agrees with all the positions.

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But most of the things that we have are not of a political nature.

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It's who is going to be limited the most.

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Who's it gonna be toughest on to get out to vote?

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Who's it gonna be more expensive for them to buy a car?

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Everything seems to be political.

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And...

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uh

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Like a friend of mine, David Brevard, who owns B &B Concrete says, potholes are not
political.

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And so many things are just not political until people decide to make them political.

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And we need to get away from that.

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And I truly wish that the president would learn to curb his language a little bit.

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I mean, just a little bit would be wonderful because we are at a time right now.

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where there are more shootings and bomb threats, et cetera, than there have been in a
long, long time.

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And when he starts calling...

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the left, the radicals and scum, et cetera.

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He's not helping the country.

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And he needs to, he really needs to curb that somewhat.

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But to quote Donald Trump in an interview that I saw recently, could not care less about
the nation, could not care less about what's going on.

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And as he said, this is gonna make a lot of people mad, but I could not care less.

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You know, we're talking about bringing the nation together.

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That's not what he, that's not him.

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That's not what he wants to do.

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That it will never happen.

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oh It's just.

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on is what's going on in our own home.

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Like Jack Reed Jr.

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said, his dad told him what goes on in his house is more important than what goes on in
the White House.

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And we here in Mississippi need to get down to the grassroots and start making things more
important in our home.

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and quit worrying about what's going on in Washington.

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What goes on in Washington.

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at least for the most part has not had.

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some severe, dire effects on individuals in Mississippi.

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It's coming.

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Health care costs are going up, I hear, anywhere from 40 to 60 % ah by the end of the
year.

229
00:21:58,988 --> 00:22:01,590
So we will start feeling that.

230
00:22:01,970 --> 00:22:08,745
But we need to start concentrating on what's going on in our own home and our own house.

231
00:22:08,745 --> 00:22:10,476
And that's Mississippi.

232
00:22:10,892 --> 00:22:26,335
and we've got problems that need solving that can be solved if our legislators want to sit
down with the people and have serious discussions and come to a resolution and pass a

233
00:22:26,335 --> 00:22:30,969
bill, we can have the initiative petition.

234
00:22:31,330 --> 00:22:35,675
We can stop charter schools getting money.

235
00:22:36,416 --> 00:22:38,357
There's so much we can do.

236
00:22:38,357 --> 00:22:41,085
if we start concentrating on our own home.

237
00:22:42,987 --> 00:22:55,102
I mostly agree with that, but we also can't do it while we still have a Trump super
majority in Mississippi.

238
00:22:55,102 --> 00:22:56,330
And the only way

239
00:22:56,330 --> 00:23:02,835
I wouldn't call them a Trump supermajority because now you're falling into the same trap.

240
00:23:03,596 --> 00:23:05,717
We have a supermajority.

241
00:23:05,718 --> 00:23:11,962
Some of those supermajority are not staunch Trump supporters.

242
00:23:12,043 --> 00:23:14,885
They're good, reasonable, sensible people.

243
00:23:14,885 --> 00:23:19,839
They may just be outnumbered, but they're sensible people.

244
00:23:23,579 --> 00:23:25,698
then they need to step up.

245
00:23:26,987 --> 00:23:29,036
Yes, that's true.

246
00:23:29,036 --> 00:23:32,339
So you can defend them and yeah, you're right.

247
00:23:32,339 --> 00:23:42,088
I'm judging everybody, but the Republicans hold the super majority in Mississippi.

248
00:23:42,209 --> 00:23:49,124
And I would also argue the point, and this is getting off a little bit.

249
00:23:49,818 --> 00:23:55,681
I would argue the point to say there is not a Republican party.

250
00:23:56,801 --> 00:23:58,822
It is the Trump party.

251
00:23:58,822 --> 00:24:01,464
And that's a whole different discussion.

252
00:24:01,464 --> 00:24:07,259
we had a great conversation and I had the utmost respect for Representative Becky Curry.

253
00:24:08,063 --> 00:24:15,458
You know, because a lot of the things, you know, expanded healthcare, yes, she's
Republican, but she voted for that.

254
00:24:15,458 --> 00:24:18,582
So you're right, there are others out there.

255
00:24:18,582 --> 00:24:25,407
but they continue to do and vote how Tate Reeves tells them to.

256
00:24:27,297 --> 00:24:28,799
I don't disagree with that.

257
00:24:28,799 --> 00:24:31,341
That's what a supermajority does.

258
00:24:31,701 --> 00:24:39,386
But, you know, right there in DeSoto County, you've got four legislative elections coming
up.

259
00:24:40,087 --> 00:24:44,009
DeSoto County can break that supermajority in the House.

260
00:24:44,870 --> 00:24:49,193
If DeSoto County wants to turn out and vote, they can do it.

261
00:24:50,014 --> 00:24:51,835
Hattiesburg can do it.

262
00:24:52,376 --> 00:24:54,977
So it's up to the voters.

263
00:24:57,707 --> 00:25:03,284
And that when I say it's time to get involved in your own house, that's what I'm talking
about.

264
00:25:04,287 --> 00:25:06,029
The vote is there.

265
00:25:06,170 --> 00:25:08,252
The opportunity is there.

266
00:25:08,433 --> 00:25:11,256
Will they take care, take advantage of it?

267
00:25:11,558 --> 00:25:12,759
I don't know.

268
00:25:13,100 --> 00:25:14,241
We'll see.

269
00:25:18,824 --> 00:25:24,489
It's going to be a difficult battle, but the Democrats in Desoto County.

270
00:25:24,489 --> 00:25:29,718
knew was when Custer got beat by the Indians.

271
00:25:30,941 --> 00:25:36,715
Well, that was not an easy battle for him, but it was quick and easy.

272
00:25:36,715 --> 00:25:38,460
It was quick anyway, I guess.

273
00:25:38,460 --> 00:25:39,992
easy for the Indians.

274
00:25:39,992 --> 00:25:42,594
But, you know, it takes work.

275
00:25:43,395 --> 00:25:48,279
You just can't sit there and say, well, somebody will do it.

276
00:25:48,761 --> 00:25:58,410
Well, you know, somebody died a month ago and nobody has stepped in to take over what
somebody was doing.

277
00:26:00,514 --> 00:26:14,806
So it's up to each of us if you want to change that supermajority and you live in a county
where there is a contested legislative district, you have the opportunity.

278
00:26:16,460 --> 00:26:22,518
If the Democrats don't turn out to vote and the Republicans do, shame on them.

279
00:26:23,661 --> 00:26:25,122
It's that simple.

280
00:26:25,885 --> 00:26:35,332
And also, we have asked several of the Republican lawmakers to join us, and they have not
responded.

281
00:26:35,332 --> 00:26:43,616
I think he reached out to Chad White also, and I don't think you, did you ever get a
response from him?

282
00:26:45,416 --> 00:26:49,051
And, you know, I would love to have them.

283
00:26:49,051 --> 00:26:53,205
I would like to hear the other side of the story.

284
00:26:53,205 --> 00:27:08,101
I would love to, for someone to explain to me why Roger Wicker, excuse me, Roger Wicker
and Cindy Hyatt Smith voted no.

285
00:27:08,769 --> 00:27:12,152
to releasing the Epstein files.

286
00:27:12,152 --> 00:27:19,796
And once again, I'm pulling this off subject, but that would be an excellent question to
have answered from those two people.

287
00:27:19,796 --> 00:27:31,044
Well, I think Cindy Hyde's got two people running for her place in the Republican primary.

288
00:27:31,044 --> 00:27:32,285
And there's

289
00:27:34,435 --> 00:27:38,870
at least two people running in the Democratic Party primary.

290
00:27:39,392 --> 00:27:41,353
And then there's an independent.

291
00:27:44,449 --> 00:27:47,570
know the independents running against Trent Kelly.

292
00:27:47,691 --> 00:27:48,651
Yeah.

293
00:27:48,691 --> 00:27:53,512
But so there's another opportunity.

294
00:27:53,892 --> 00:27:57,893
You know, we have elections practically every year in Mississippi.

295
00:27:58,934 --> 00:28:11,367
And when you don't go out and vote, and you don't take your children with you when you
vote, how do you expect them to grow up knowing that

296
00:28:11,879 --> 00:28:14,763
That's a treasure.

297
00:28:17,513 --> 00:28:28,048
practice that we have in this country is the right to vote, the right to elect who
represents us.

298
00:28:29,271 --> 00:28:30,833
And we're losing that.

299
00:28:32,585 --> 00:28:45,353
take the state of Texas, and I know we're off the subject, we'll get back on it, but the
state of Texas has redistricted Texas to pick up five new Republican votes.

300
00:28:45,923 --> 00:28:46,750
Yes.

301
00:28:48,533 --> 00:28:54,613
That's the case of those who are elected are now getting to decide.

302
00:28:57,203 --> 00:28:59,632
Who can vote for them?

303
00:29:01,411 --> 00:29:02,196
Yep.

304
00:29:02,973 --> 00:29:05,734
and it's supposed to be the other way around.

305
00:29:09,555 --> 00:29:11,266
And we're falling into that.

306
00:29:11,266 --> 00:29:21,335
And California has got a petition on the ballot to counteract what the Texans have done.

307
00:29:21,335 --> 00:29:24,077
And Missouri is working on it.

308
00:29:24,077 --> 00:29:27,519
I mean, this is absolutely ridiculous.

309
00:29:28,260 --> 00:29:31,262
This is not what democracy is about.

310
00:29:31,743 --> 00:29:34,555
But when people don't turn out to vote,

311
00:29:36,265 --> 00:29:41,473
The majority is gonna write the rule book and we're gonna have to abide by it.

312
00:29:42,816 --> 00:29:43,384
So.

313
00:29:43,384 --> 00:29:53,637
And you know, as a white male, we were born with the right to vote, but women had to fight
for their right to vote.

314
00:29:54,698 --> 00:29:59,583
African Americans had to fight for their right to vote.

315
00:29:59,583 --> 00:30:02,124
And I think that...

316
00:30:02,613 --> 00:30:06,533
I think that people need to be reminded of that.

317
00:30:06,833 --> 00:30:12,133
People fought and died for their right to vote.

318
00:30:14,353 --> 00:30:16,033
it's so important.

319
00:30:16,113 --> 00:30:29,733
you know, yes, there's an apathy is one of the reasons why, you know, well, know,
Mississippi is a Republican state and Mississippi is going to go for the Republican, you

320
00:30:29,733 --> 00:30:30,793
know, for president.

321
00:30:30,793 --> 00:30:31,704
So why bother?

322
00:30:31,704 --> 00:30:33,186
are all excuses.

323
00:30:33,799 --> 00:30:34,753
Exactly.

324
00:30:36,693 --> 00:30:39,995
we got the course, we've got the school vouchers.

325
00:30:39,995 --> 00:30:43,997
But I'd like to come back to it's still time.

326
00:30:44,177 --> 00:30:57,122
I think the select committee needs to travel around the state and have hearing sessions on
these issues and find out what the people think.

327
00:30:57,362 --> 00:30:59,163
It's not all that hard.

328
00:30:59,636 --> 00:31:05,139
to get a place to have a town hall meeting.

329
00:31:05,139 --> 00:31:10,763
If they want to come to Tupelo, I'll be more than happy to supply a place, pay for it.

330
00:31:10,763 --> 00:31:18,807
And they can listen to what the citizens have to say is their priorities for this upcoming
election.

331
00:31:18,807 --> 00:31:21,928
There are lots of issues, but

332
00:31:22,144 --> 00:31:24,925
The number one issue should be education.

333
00:31:26,496 --> 00:31:28,222
The number two issue.

334
00:31:33,607 --> 00:31:36,292
It should probably be the school vouchers.

335
00:31:38,309 --> 00:31:40,505
Number three, possibly.

336
00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:53,933
At least on my mind, the number three issue is, despite what I hear in the media, the
price of groceries is still going up.

337
00:31:54,433 --> 00:31:56,213
It's not going down.

338
00:31:57,134 --> 00:32:01,095
And if you've been to the grocery store, you know I'm telling the truth.

339
00:32:01,495 --> 00:32:12,038
Things are going up or the uh size of the bag is maybe an ounce or an ounce and a half
smaller, but it's the same price.

340
00:32:12,558 --> 00:32:24,310
My wife went to the store to buy coffee and the coffee she used to buy was slightly over
$5 and now it's 10, thanks to Trump's tariffs.

341
00:32:25,769 --> 00:32:40,143
There are things that are working and there are things that are not working and the
legislature needs to hear about them and try to do what the people want to have done, not

342
00:32:40,143 --> 00:32:44,484
what our legislators think the people want done.

343
00:32:44,984 --> 00:32:53,068
I'm not sure all the people in the state of Mississippi would have voted to have the
income tax completely eliminated.

344
00:32:54,355 --> 00:33:05,671
because they turned right around, the legislature turned right around and made it possible
for the supervisors to raise the millage to make up for the loss of tax money.

345
00:33:05,671 --> 00:33:09,072
So either pay Peter or you pay Paul.

346
00:33:11,455 --> 00:33:25,674
I prefer that we pay the state and the state continue to pay for the highway patrol and
our infrastructure and social issues that need taking care of.

347
00:33:28,128 --> 00:33:30,569
We've got plenty of that that needs help.

348
00:33:34,598 --> 00:33:35,169
Absolutely,

349
00:33:35,169 --> 00:33:38,313
one of the things that is really gonna start

350
00:33:38,295 --> 00:33:45,291
hitting hard is the tariffs and how that's gonna affect the farmers in Mississippi.

351
00:33:45,291 --> 00:33:48,894
And we know that Cindy Hyde-Smith,

352
00:33:48,929 --> 00:33:56,305
You know, she says all these wonderful things that she and Trump have done for the
farmers, but that ain't the case.

353
00:33:56,305 --> 00:34:00,930
And the farmers are about to feel the pain from that.

354
00:34:00,930 --> 00:34:04,814
And you talk about these town hall meetings.

355
00:34:04,814 --> 00:34:06,835
They don't have them.

356
00:34:06,835 --> 00:34:12,341
Trent Kelly recently attended a fundraiser, invitation only, and yes.

357
00:34:12,367 --> 00:34:14,081
You had to donate all of that.

358
00:34:14,081 --> 00:34:15,233
That was a fundraiser.

359
00:34:15,233 --> 00:34:19,984
That was not to find out what the issues are in Mississippi.

360
00:34:22,154 --> 00:34:37,027
I'm very serious about the town hall listening sessions and I would encourage anybody
that's listening to call their state legislator and tell them that they would like for

361
00:34:37,027 --> 00:34:47,074
this select committee to come to their city and have a listening session and listen to
what the people want.

362
00:34:47,196 --> 00:34:50,731
this next legislative session to concentrate on.

363
00:34:50,731 --> 00:35:01,743
Otherwise, they're going to concentrate on what they want to concentrate on or what they
think the people of Mississippi want them to concentrate on.

364
00:35:05,684 --> 00:35:10,269
It's just, it's just, I don't trust their judgment.

365
00:35:11,564 --> 00:35:14,175
There being told what

366
00:35:14,175 --> 00:35:24,698
never asked me or anybody I know, what do you think about this bill or that bill or
anything else?

367
00:35:25,220 --> 00:35:31,527
They just make up the bills and pass them right on through.

368
00:35:36,035 --> 00:35:40,016
And I go ahead and

369
00:35:40,016 --> 00:35:44,663
We had a great conversation with Jamie and Mary Jane

370
00:35:44,881 --> 00:35:46,242
down at Tupelo.

371
00:35:46,242 --> 00:35:47,403
A great group.

372
00:35:47,403 --> 00:35:50,354
I think that's where we all need to be.

373
00:35:50,354 --> 00:35:55,986
We all need to be in a grassroots effort like the Indivisibles.

374
00:35:55,986 --> 00:36:02,647
We also need to get involved with our county.

375
00:36:05,236 --> 00:36:08,501
and I'll say Republican or Democrat organizations.

376
00:36:08,501 --> 00:36:15,767
We need to get involved with that, but we've got to hold our elected officials
accountable.

377
00:36:15,767 --> 00:36:19,491
And we do not, we do not do that.

378
00:36:19,491 --> 00:36:21,313
And we got to have a two party system.

379
00:36:21,313 --> 00:36:22,694
We don't do that.

380
00:36:22,694 --> 00:36:30,190
We're not going to have that until we get Democrats and progressive elected in
Mississippi.

381
00:36:33,206 --> 00:36:34,606
You're absolutely right.

382
00:36:34,606 --> 00:36:41,411
And I would love to talk to any Republicans that would like to come on.

383
00:36:41,411 --> 00:36:46,303
I don't want to argue with you, but I'd like to have a conversation with you.

384
00:36:46,303 --> 00:36:55,554
And most of the time when I've had conversation with my Republican friends, strangely
enough, we end up

385
00:36:56,898 --> 00:37:00,770
agreeing on more things than we disagree.

386
00:37:04,053 --> 00:37:15,903
So, you know, if you're afraid to have a conversation, I because you think somebody's
going to do a hatchet job on you or argue with you, I can tell you you're wrong.

387
00:37:16,524 --> 00:37:19,107
What we want to have is a conversation.

388
00:37:19,107 --> 00:37:21,673
We can have our own little town hall meeting right here.

389
00:37:21,673 --> 00:37:25,630
Just give us a call and we can set it up.

390
00:37:27,616 --> 00:37:29,620
and we'll have a conversation.

391
00:37:32,505 --> 00:37:45,966
Each side will be thoroughly heard and no issues are off the table and your opinion will
be appreciated and respected.

392
00:37:45,966 --> 00:37:55,884
And I expect that we'll find, like I said, we probably agree on quite a few things that we
didn't even know we did.

393
00:37:57,597 --> 00:38:02,462
And I agree with you Jim on that.

394
00:38:02,462 --> 00:38:03,933
We all have the same issues.

395
00:38:03,933 --> 00:38:08,397
We're all concerned about our children, our safety.

396
00:38:08,397 --> 00:38:11,010
We're concerned about the price of gas.

397
00:38:11,010 --> 00:38:13,633
We're concerned about the price of groceries.

398
00:38:13,633 --> 00:38:18,427
The difference is how do we solve these problems?

399
00:38:18,427 --> 00:38:24,707
last week was an extremely difficult week for our nation for a bunch of reasons.

400
00:38:24,960 --> 00:38:28,747
along with a couple months ago as well.

401
00:38:28,747 --> 00:38:33,876
And it's not getting any easier for our nation as we go on.

402
00:38:35,009 --> 00:38:35,715
Jim?

403
00:38:35,715 --> 00:38:44,349
interviews coming up next week and the following week.

404
00:38:44,349 --> 00:38:49,532
A young lady by the name of Cat O'Shea, is that right?

405
00:38:49,532 --> 00:38:52,054
ah

406
00:38:52,053 --> 00:38:56,274
Who is an attorney, but she is a...

407
00:38:59,670 --> 00:39:05,492
appears to be somewhat of an expert on the big beautiful bill that Congress passed.

408
00:39:06,933 --> 00:39:20,041
And then we've got another interview coming up with Nancy Loon with the Parents
Organization regarding schools.

409
00:39:20,041 --> 00:39:22,302
And we're working on

410
00:39:24,579 --> 00:39:30,788
an interview which we'll actually record I guess tomorrow afternoon with Mr.

411
00:39:30,788 --> 00:39:31,819
Schrader.

412
00:39:32,583 --> 00:39:33,079
Yeah, Dr.

413
00:39:33,079 --> 00:39:33,630
Schroeder.

414
00:39:33,630 --> 00:39:38,853
One of the things that we want to, and I'm glad you mentioned those.

415
00:39:38,853 --> 00:39:44,426
One of the things that we do want to try to talk about, and we will talk about this with
Dr.

416
00:39:44,426 --> 00:39:50,079
Schroeder, is how do we come together as a nation?

417
00:39:50,079 --> 00:39:52,964
We Mississippians are not stupid.

418
00:39:54,330 --> 00:39:56,553
Let's make that perfectly clear.

419
00:39:59,142 --> 00:40:04,975
Things happen in our legislature over which we don't have any control except for the
ballot box.

420
00:40:06,540 --> 00:40:12,904
those who do have control, I think are in a minority.

421
00:40:13,886 --> 00:40:27,867
So when we start talking about other people in positions of power like legislators or
congressmen or senators, I don't want to be disrespectful.

422
00:40:28,849 --> 00:40:36,359
They got elected by a majority of the people, they're there, and their term for reelection
is coming up.

423
00:40:36,521 --> 00:40:41,928
And we'll have the opportunity to change things or to leave things as they are.

424
00:40:41,969 --> 00:40:44,624
And it's up to us to make that decision.

425
00:40:44,624 --> 00:40:48,126
I guess let's go ahead and wind this up.

426
00:40:48,126 --> 00:41:00,173
ah Jim, you know, let's talk, will you talk a little bit about uh sponsorships, donations,
and subscribers?

427
00:41:00,173 --> 00:41:02,186
Will you share that with us?

428
00:41:02,186 --> 00:41:02,577
Sure.

429
00:41:02,577 --> 00:41:12,931
David came up with this idea, I don't know, a year ago or so, and about seven or eight
months ago, we got it started finally.

430
00:41:12,931 --> 00:41:13,251
And...

431
00:41:13,251 --> 00:41:14,172
ah

432
00:41:16,834 --> 00:41:21,851
The initial funding of it came out of David's pocket and my pocket.

433
00:41:21,851 --> 00:41:25,695
And then we picked up.

434
00:41:27,463 --> 00:41:42,576
One, two, three, four, five other sponsors that have helped us along the way with periodic
donations, which are greatly appreciated, believe me.

435
00:41:42,576 --> 00:41:52,645
ah But, you know, it's not important that you agree with us or that you disagree with us.

436
00:41:53,293 --> 00:42:03,449
What's important is that we have the conversation and we invite you, no matter who you
are, to call us.

437
00:42:04,150 --> 00:42:18,743
And if you want to have a conversation with us and it's of interest to the majority of the
people that are listening to us, we'll have that conversation.

438
00:42:20,217 --> 00:42:23,390
But you know, those conversations cost money.

439
00:42:24,431 --> 00:42:31,165
And we appreciate every single contributor more than you realize.

440
00:42:31,165 --> 00:42:31,997
Yes.

441
00:42:35,669 --> 00:42:40,953
So if you would like to make a contribution, David can tell you how.

442
00:42:41,514 --> 00:42:46,898
And if you think you have a topic that is deserving of a...

443
00:42:49,230 --> 00:42:55,619
spending our money or that the population ought to hear about.

444
00:42:56,622 --> 00:43:05,114
Give David or myself a call or text and we'll be glad to talk to you and see what we can
set up.

445
00:43:05,193 --> 00:43:27,202
To make donations or to a oh recurring oh sponsor, oh Cash App is the dollar sign, MS
Happenings, and PayPal is at MS Happenings.

446
00:43:27,934 --> 00:43:33,147
Any and all donations would be greatly appreciated.

447
00:43:33,147 --> 00:43:37,280
And yes, we want your input.

448
00:43:37,360 --> 00:43:40,469
You can reach, you can send us an email at

449
00:43:40,469 --> 00:43:43,391
mshappenings1@gmail.com.

450
00:43:43,391 --> 00:43:51,137
That's mshappenings1@gmail.com We would love to hear from you.

451
00:43:51,137 --> 00:44:02,947
Yes, we're on Spotify, we're on YouTube, we're available audio and video and this podcast
is free of charge to you.

452
00:44:02,947 --> 00:44:05,518
We do want your input.

453
00:44:05,680 --> 00:44:06,921
We want your suggestions.

454
00:44:06,921 --> 00:44:13,547
We want to talk to those that do not agree with us as well, because that's what
conversation is.

455
00:44:13,547 --> 00:44:15,108
It's two way.

456
00:44:15,268 --> 00:44:18,733
So Jim, any last notes for us?

457
00:44:18,733 --> 00:44:21,420
Yeah, I want to talk to some people that

458
00:44:25,105 --> 00:44:32,794
I might not disagree with, but I need more information before I can say that.

459
00:44:34,349 --> 00:44:45,808
When you have conversation, ideas are transferred and exposed and sometimes ideas can
become reality.

460
00:44:47,664 --> 00:44:59,870
I'm always really upset when I go into a restaurant and I see two people or four people
sitting at a table and all they're doing is looking at their phones.

461
00:45:01,734 --> 00:45:04,615
We're not talking to each other anymore, people.

462
00:45:04,915 --> 00:45:07,415
We need to be talking to each other.

463
00:45:07,916 --> 00:45:20,502
And sitting on an iPhone, typing out texts to your friends or whatever's going on that you
want to be part of is not conversation.

464
00:45:20,803 --> 00:45:25,265
Conversation is between one, two, three, four or more people.

465
00:45:25,953 --> 00:45:29,399
And that's how ideas are brought forth.

466
00:45:29,521 --> 00:45:31,845
And that's what brings about change.

467
00:45:33,599 --> 00:45:35,461
Absolutely, absolutely.

468
00:45:35,461 --> 00:45:37,053
Well, thank you for watching.

469
00:45:37,053 --> 00:45:38,144
Thank you for listening.

470
00:45:38,144 --> 00:45:43,563
And I will leave, as I always leave with this, may we never become indifferent others.

471
00:45:43,563 --> 00:45:44,313
Thanks.