Taylor to vote for old flag

Congressman Gene Taylor

It is not often that I agree with Congressman Taylor, but I am pleased he is voting for the right flag!

By MARY KAY DIRICKSON

Friday, July 06, 2001

U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor is going to vote to keep the Confederate battle flag flying over Mississippi.

At a Sun Herald editorial board meeting Monday, the Democrat from Bay St. Louis said he was uninspired by the alternate flag.

"Of those two choices, I like the one we have," he said.

Taylor said that as far as he knew, he doesn't have a close personal connection to anyone who fought in the Civil War. He said his reading of Civil War documents showed that most Mississippi soldiers fought to protect homes and families, not slavery.

"I've only got two choices," he said. "The new flag just doesn't do anything for me."

The congressman spoke on several other issues:

Tax cuts and debt reduction: "I knew we were broke. I didn't know who we owed money to." Taylor said Congress is using the trust funds set up for Social Security, Medicare and military retirement to pay for the national debt and tax cuts for the wealthy.

• Census and congressional districts: "I'm convinced a lot more than 11,000 didn't answer the census," he said.

   

• Black Springbreak: Taylor suggested that tourist-dependent businesses offer goods and services to out-of-town officers in exchange for their work during the weekend.

   

• Transportation: "My guess is that 80 percent of the jobs are within three to four miles of that rail line," Taylor said. He said that a high-speed line between New Orleans and Mobile would help move people between their homes and their jobs.