Thread: mississippi conservatives be a puzzlin' lot...

Originally Posted by MeadHallPirate

*puts his pirate hat back on*

be thar anyone ondeck that can explain this to me?

its confusin'...

- MeadHallPirate

Easy, the Gov. is Republican. While he shacks his finger in anger his other hand is behind his back.

Originally Posted by wooyarn

Easy, the Gov. is Republican. While he shacks his finger in anger his other hand is behind his back.

ahoy Wooyarn,

that would mean that the conservative mantra in the most conservative state in our country essentially be this;

"lower our own taxes here and home and take money from people in other states to maintain our standard of living, but scream about big government spending because it sounds righteous".

does that sound about right, me friend?

- MeadHallPirate

I think it may be because a lot of people will adhere to a political ideology, but won't actually live their life accordingly. Like people advocating saving the environment, but not actually doing any sort of recycling or other 'inconvenient' things that would actually help the environment. This is the same sort of thing. They're mostly conservative, so they certainly preach that ideology, but when it comes to reality things are very much different. It's similar here in Virginia where the majority of the state is conservative and the northern part of the state is rather liberal. Yet, the north pretty much bankrolls the entire state.

Of course, I'm sure a lot of the responses will be "But their governor is a Democrat!!"

Originally Posted by Speakeasy

They're mostly conservative, so they certainly preach that ideology, but when it comes to reality things are very much different.

aye Speakeasy,

i understand whats goin' on, sorta...but the thing that puzzles me be this; "what is it, exactly, that conservatives in Mississippi want"?

i mean, look at the current reality, matey -

a) they voted themselves incredibly low state taxes.
b) they end up soakin' up huge amounts 'o federal money, because thar revenue be too low.
c) thar state ends up bein' heavily dependent on federal spendin'.
d) they then scream about big government spendin' at election time.

surely even folks from a place like Mississippi grasp the peculiar nature 'o thar position, aye?

perhaps they want big government spendin' cut, but not in Mississippi?

i can't fer the life 'o me understand whats goin' on in that state's political mindset, but what do ye think this says about the most conservative state in our country?

- MeadHallPirate

Originally Posted by Speakeasy

I think it may be because a lot of people will adhere to a political ideology, but won't actually live their life accordingly. Like people advocating saving the environment, but not actually doing any sort of recycling or other 'inconvenient' things that would actually help the environment. This is the same sort of thing. They're mostly conservative, so they certainly preach that ideology, but when it comes to reality things are very much different. It's similar here in Virginia where the majority of the state is conservative and the northern part of the state is rather liberal. Yet, the north pretty much bankrolls the entire state.

Of course, I'm sure a lot of the responses will be "But their governor is a Democrat!!"

The environmental analogy is a pretty good one imo. It sums up the hypocrasy sometimes of folks who advocate positions, but never for themselves.

But when it comes to Barbour and the southern states who do this a lot (Texas is reknown for it as well) its an intentional ploy. Unlike Crist, we don't welcome it with open arms and hug the President but the argument that is made is that if our taxes as a whole pay the debt and the federal tax rates stay as are, we should keep our own state taxes low and take advantage of the handouts from the feds.

For a long time i thought this policy was not the way to go...but looking at it from a "solutions" viewpoint, i don't see what else the States who carry the tax burden can do, as an alternative.

And as a general note, low taxes, low spending and a smaller government are choir practise to most Republicans. We are pretty much a party of low taxes, social engineering and nation building. Its just the way we roll.

Originally Posted by MeadHallPirate

aye Speakeasy,

i understand whats goin' on, sorta...but the thing that puzzles me be this; "what is it, exactly, that conservatives in Mississippi want"?

Redistribution of wealth is only bad when it goes from rich conservatives to poor liberals. If it goes from rich liberals to poor conservatives, then its not only ok, its their birthright.

Meh...a lot of that still harkens back to the Civil war and southern states feeling like you broke it, so now you own it.

Originally Posted by MeadHallPirate

aye Speakeasy,

i understand whats goin' on, sorta...but the thing that puzzles me be this; "what is it, exactly, that conservatives in Mississippi want"?

i mean, look at the current reality, matey -

a) they voted themselves incredibly low state taxes.
b) they end up soakin' up huge amounts 'o federal money, because thar revenue be too low.
c) thar state ends up bein' heavily dependent on federal spendin'.
d) they then scream about big government spendin' at election time.

surely even folks from a place like Mississippi grasp the peculiar nature 'o thar position, aye?

perhaps they want big government spendin' cut, but not in Mississippi?

i can't fer the life 'o me understand whats goin' on in that state's political mindset, but what do ye think this says about the most conservative state in our country?

- MeadHallPirate

Well, they also come in at 49th place on the "Best Educated" states index, so maybe that's a factor.

Best Educated Index statistics - States Compared - StateMaster



I can't speak for Mississippi conservatives, because I'm neither of those things. All I can guess is that despite how much people claim to adhere to a certain ideology, they're still human. And when a human is poor as dirt and living in a state with the second highest unemployment rate, they're going to want money and they're probably not going to give a crap where it comes from. No amount of conservatism is going to change the basic need for food and shelter. No conservative is going to sit there and watch themselves or their family waste away just to prove those darn liberals wrong.

Originally Posted by Traveler

And as a general note, low taxes, low spending and a smaller government are choir practise to most Republicans. We are pretty much a party of low taxes, social engineering and nation building. Its just the way we roll.

ahoy Traveler,

matey, that may be the way politicians from Mississippi roll when the cameras are on.

in reality, 'tis kind 'o another story.

the real tale goes more like this;

keep your own taxes low, scoop up as many handouts as possible, and then bitch about the entity that you went to fer all yer handouts when the cameras are rollin'.

thats Mississippi, the most conservative state in our land. i'd be most curious to see what happens when them handouts vanish, and the most poverty ridden (yet conservative) state 'o Mississippi finds itself awash in its sea 'o fiscal misery.

i wonder if the balm 'o low state taxes and small federal spendin' will feel so soothin' then, aye?

- MeadHallPirate

Yeah that's what i meant, its now a policy (pretty much) of Southern states to be for low state taxes and allow the income gap to be made up of handouts from the feds. Note btw, i didn't say anything about low spending - that's just a mantra of chanting from Republicans...we as a party have no way of cutting that any more than the Dems do. We may want it more, but its far easier to blame the other side for not getting it done these days apparently.

Originally Posted by Speakeasy

All I can guess is that despite how much people claim to adhere to a certain ideology, they're still human. And when a human is poor as dirt and living in a state with the second highest unemployment rate, they're going to want money and they're probably not going to give a crap where it comes from. No amount of conservatism is going to change the basic need for food and shelter.

ahoy Speakeasy,

ye may be right, me hearty...i don't know.

when i hearken to the words 'o Jviehe, i'd think that even if they were dirt poor and hungry, they'd still have the healing warmth 'o FREEDOM to soothe thar hurts.

that be the cornerstone 'o most conservative pining...FREEDOM.

FREEDOM and PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.

what are food and shelter (or in Mississippi's case, education) compared to these more lofty ideals, aye?

- MeadHallPirate

Originally Posted by Disillusioned_1

Redistribution of wealth is only bad when it goes from rich conservatives to poor liberals. If it goes from rich liberals to poor conservatives, then its not only ok, its their birthright.

ahoy Disillusioned_1,

me hearty, that means that havin' states like New Jersey, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Nevada, Illinois, Delaware, Colorado, New York, and California (8 out of the top 10 "donor states") hand thar tax dollars o'er to the federal government, and havin' states like Alaska, North Dakota, Alabama and Mississipi gorge themselves on the monies from these left leanin' states is okies dokies then?

honestly, me friend...how do you parse the GOP message comin' outta conservative Mississippi? what is it they want to see come to pass? do them conservatives actually wish fer less federal money to pour into thar state?

- MeadHallPirate

Perhaps it is the support of 3G,

Not the wireless data type, but guns, God, and gays.