DuckSouth.com

Well I figured I would stir the pot a little and get a political debate going on here. I know this is a private decision for some and they would rather not discuss, I respect that right. I know some aren't afraid to voice their opinions, I respect that right as well and are interested in their opinions. So let 'er rip.

Which canidate would be best for Ms? Why?

I know one thing, both sure are spending a lot of $$$ on mud-slinging TV commercials, mailings, and phone calls asking for support.

Musgrove has really been slinging the mud. I says alot when Musgrove's campaign has more air time than any Memphis city elections, and is still going. Not as in-tune with state politics since I moved from JXN, and the Memphis news doesn't say more than 2 words a day about MS..But I do remember that Clinton/Gore capaigned for Musgrove the first time. That says enough for me.

I do not live in Mississippi. I was raised in Vicksburg and still like to keep up with MS politics, however. I hope nobody takes offense at me putting my two cents in. I realize that my opinion is probably in the minority too.

I think Musgrove would be best for Mississippi because he lives in Mississippi and has spent his life serving Mississippi. I think Mississippi needs a progressive candidate whose social agenda involves helping the people of Mississippi, and not just big business.

There is a great line in Rick Bragg's book All Over But The Shoutin' that goes something like: "You can tell rich, landed gentry from hardworking, common folk in the south by the way they pronounce their r's. Common folk over-annunciate the r's whereas rich folk leave them out."

I think that distinction rings true here. Musgrove has the nasally accent of the hardworking Northeast MS hill people and has proven himself to be a public servant. Barber talks like a wealthy landowner in the delta (e.g., "mutha, brutha, fatha") and has spent his life wheeling and deeling for big money private interest. Moreover, to me, Barber's stance that he can bring "Washington money" to MS seems to contradict traditional conservative views that federal government should stay out of the state's business and that government in general should be limited and not in the business of providing handouts.

As to the tort reform comment, I work for a defense firm and understand the sentiment. I am not saying that I totally agree with you, but I understand.

Just my thoughts. Not trying to ruffle any feathers. By the way, there's a decent article about the election in the National section of the New York Times this morning.

We should vote their accents? That certainly makes sense.

There are things to dislike about both of them. There are more things to dislike about Musgrove in my opinion. His affinity with the Gores and Clintons of his party just don't wash with his stance as a "conservative." His politics aren't nearly as conservative as he claims. His lack of support for real tort reform. His claims that Mississippi's employment problems are all the result of NAFTA (and Barbour's support of it) is as short sighted as it gets. If the best you can do is try to make me afraid of your opponent I'm not impressed.

I agree, Musgrove will get my support simply for what he has done for education in the state. Obvious that I am a teacher, but I feel that education is one of the top priorities in the state. Education must have support because we are educating our future leaders of the state and the nation as a whole. As a teacher, it gets harder each year because of the cut backs in education. For instance, I teach a Government class from a book that is almost 8 years old. It is hard to keep teaching this way, and I feel Musgrove will continue to help our education system.

But then again thats just my opinion.

I should say I am not trying to vote anybody's accent, just using that as an illustration of their differences. Sorry to confuse.

If you are voting for Musgrove, you are furthering the cause of the party that also supports Bennie Thompson, the "Reverend" Al Sharpton, Hillary Clinton and Teddy Kennedy to name just a few.

The New York Times, is about the most liberal news paper in the nation. The real problem that I have with all of the tv ads is that Barbour is being portrayed as a D.C. pig which he is not. If you truly look at the facts on both sides such as I have you will see the truth. You call it mudsligin' if you want to but brotha Mr. Ronnie Musgrove has lied coutless times about Haley and I will tell you this it will come back to haunt him in this election just as it has for Mrs. Blackmon. Oh yeah there was an instance and I know alot of you on this board know exactly where I am talking about when I mention the new road that was paved going to Mr. Musgroves duck camp, while every other road in that county was in disrepair. Ronnie wants to run on character, so where has the character been the last four years. He wants to run on jobs being produced by his team but the truth of the matter is that since his reign as governor there are more people unemployed than there were when he was elected. Man oh well I will get off my soapbox a while. Northeast MS is for Barbour.

Trigger what in the world are you talking about man I got to get in on this. My wife and three of her uncles and one grandfather has been in the education field for years and years and they say that Musgrove has hurt education and I agree whole heartedly. I do believe you need to do some double checking on his record of what he has and hasn't done for MS. For one the last time I checked we are in the bottom percentage in the nation. Oh but I know what you are going to come back with, we were the first to have computers in the classroom in the nation so freaking what. If you don't know how to turn them on how are you going to run them or if you don't have the educators that are qualified how are you going to use them. It is so sad. Now my wife is teaching at the college and I am really kept abreast by what is going on. I tell you it is scary

By the looks of the poll, I would say Haley has nothing to worry about. (Hell, one of the votes for Musgrove was mine and I'm a non-resident!) Good luck to whomever you support.

my $0.02 worth. I cast my vote for Barbour. The mudslinging by Muskrat is enough to turn me off. Look at what shape the state is financially as opposed to 4 years ago. I agree with Mallardshooter, Memphis TV has been constantly airing Muskrat's mudslinging ads, more than any of the Memphis city candidates. And then the one where Muskrat takes credit for the Nissan plant. Wonder if he's ever heard of Cochran or Lott? Done me good yesterday when Thad Cochran aired a campaign ad for Barbour , that says a lot to me.

Trigger, haven't you heard, the money from the casinos are bank rolling our education system. Yeah, they said "Do it for the children" and "Gaming is the only way to raise Ms off the bottom". It's been 10 years now! We rolling buddy!!

the nra is endorsing musgrove, just for info, if it matters to anyone.

I will stick to just the NAFTA issue in this response. JT, if you were in the shoes of a person who formerly worked in a factory that is now in Mexico, for instance the Burlington plant that was in Clarke County, you would understand what NAFTA means . . . . unemployment. Maybe it is hard to see if you haven't been personally touched by a plant closure.

No, all of our current economic problems are not a direct result of NAFTA, some of our economic problems result from our poor national economy. That ain't Ronnie's fault. Probably ain't Barbour's either, but it does result from the policies and agendas Barbour has promoted.

there your two cents worth.