STEVEN A. McCALEB
103 ALVERADO DRIVE
LONG BEACH, MISSISSIPPI 39560
PHONE & FAX: (228)-868-8428
E-MAIL: mccaleb4thdist@aol.com
WEB SITE: www.mississippiwebsite.com
STEVEN A. McCALEB
103 ALVERADO DRIVE
LONG BEACH, MISSISSIPPI 39560
PHONE & FAX: (228)-868-8428
E-MAIL: mccaleb4thdist@aol.com
WEB SITE: www.mississippiwebsite.com
REED BRANSON
SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE
I am not placing this article in my News & Commentary so much about the flag. But this article show how difficult your Mississippi Legislature has made it to place an Initiative Ballot during a statewide election.
The (Mississippi Constitution) has given the people of Mississippi a way to reverse the strong grip of the political machine which governs the taxpayer & voters of Mississippi.
JACKSON - A Tunica lawyer has launched an uphill and potentially divisive initiative battle to ask Mississippi voters if they want to change the state's controversial flag.
Greg Stewart, a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, says he understands how daunting it will be to collect the signatures of the nearly 92,000 registered voters needed to place the issue on the ballot. But he says it is important to take the issue out of the hands of the Legislature.
Listen to Greg Stewart, he is telling you the truth.
''I want a straight up-or-down vote on whether to change the flag. If a majority wants to change the flag, fine,'' said Stewart who filed the proposed ballot initiative on Aug. 24.
INITIATIVE IS THE ONLY WAY TO CHANGE THE POLITICAL MACHINE OF MISSISSIPPI!!
''There is a lot of talk in the coffee shops. ... It's not about the sanctity of Confederate symbols. The first issue is (the attempt) to move the decision away from the people.''
This statement stands on its own merit!!
The state flag is controversial because it includes the Rebel flag in one corner. Some citizens, particularly blacks, find the symbol offensive.
Procedurally, timing may make Stewart's efforts moot. Such a proposal is unlikely to land on the ballot until 2002, but lawmakers could conceivably decide by spring whether to keep or change the flag.
This smells of a political move to decide the outcome of the flag. Which tells me that Governor Musgrove may be in a hurry to have his commission show a new Mississippi State Flag, without the Confederate Battle Flag. But will this action really help his political career?
Gov. Ronnie Musgrove's appointment of a flag commission in the wake of a Supreme Court decision earlier this year that there was no state law designating a state flag troubles Stewart. The advisory commission is to make a recommendation to the Legislature on the flag's design.
Appointing a commission is the worst possible way to resolve the flag issue. The people of Mississippi have the right to vote on any issue which impacts all of the people of Mississippi. A commission cannot know the feelings of every voters in Mississippi. So how can a commission decide what flag is the correct flag?
Former Gov. William Winter is chairing the panel, a mixture of business, cultural and political representatives pushing to make a recommendation to the Legislature by January.
Did I mention the commission is pushing hard in order not to have the Mississippi voters & taxpayers vote on the flag issue.
''I would hope that the commission the governor has appointed to consider this whole matter would be afforded the opportunity to develop as many ideas and thoughts from the people of Mississippi as we can in the process of determining what to recommend to the Legislature,'' said Winter.
How is this commission going to consider and develop as many ideas and thoughts from the voters and taxpayers of Mississippi. Am I going to be asked what I think, will I get a survey in the mail? Just how is this commission going to to find out my thoughts on the flag issue? Another BS way of doing things, wouldn't you say.
''I think it would be unfortunate if this issue develops into an up-or-down statewide vote that would be very divisive, very expensive and probably cause more problems than it would solve,'' he said.
Former Gov. William Winters, likes to take the easy way out instead of the Democratic process. Voting on issues which impact a state has been Americas staple way of living. But first the people of Mississippi must vote to change the Mississippi Political Machine!
Stewart is seeking two referendums. The first would be a proposed ballot initiative amending the state's constitution to say that any change in the state's flag must be approved by voters. The second would be the actual vote on a proposed change, and it would be required to be held in a gubernatorial election, no sooner than November 2003.
But a variety of arduous processes await Stewart before getting either vote.
After attorneys review ballot's the wording and after the ballot is advertised publicly and resolves any litigation, Stewart would have one year to collect the signatures of 92,000 registered voters. Moreover, the signatures must be equally dispersed among the state's five congressional districts.
Then, the Legislature would be given the opportunity to place an alternative ballot initiative.
Only two of 20 previously proposed initiatives have survived the state's daunting and complex process to land on the ballot. Both dealt with term limits, and supporters employed professional signature-gatherers. Voters ultimately rejected both.
A Ballot Initiative should be a very simple operations, the statement, "after the attorneys review ballot's the wording", is where the problem begins. Take the attorneys out of the process and let the required signatures of the people of Mississippi decide on if the Initiative should be voted on.
STEVEN A. McCALEB
COMMENTARY
MY OPINION