So Samson Doesn't Know If He's Running For Governor

Yeah, listening to his interview about "large campaign donors" and "tax breaks for the corporations" tells me he's really leaning toward not running, you know?  SARCASM.

Since he's so unconcerned about social issues, here are a few business issues he should ask.

Should the power of the state be used to compel a person to violate their conscience?

Should the state have oversight of medical operations that require invasive procedures? (Like a certain Dr. Gosnell)

Should the state fine businesses for not using someone's "preferred pronouns?" (Yeah, that's the new thing. It's happening in New York)

Should the state start regulating churches and require that they deviate from their teachings and beliefs? (As was mentioned here on Wednesday in Iowa)

These are questions that an honest state media would ask him. But (spoiler) they won't. Instead, he'll get to pontificate and will always get the last word in. Unfortunately, his opponent will probably be Tate Reeves, who's probably woefully unprepared for the onslaught that he'll face. After all, Hood is pretty much it on the left. There's Brandon Presley, who really, really, really wants you to know about that no-call list, ya'll (The PSC is basically a remnant of the state's 1891 anti-business and, oh yeah, racist constitution, and like your appendix, it might need to come out at some point). But Hood's got the trial lawyers in his pocket, and they're gonna sink or swim with him.

I can see his announcement now. The groundwork has been laid, the move back to Houston, the little law office he's renting. Can't run as an outsider from Jackson, after all. The whole spiel about fighting the robber barons for the little guy. The faux-centrist but-really-trying-not-to-offend-Democratic-intrest-groups-while-not-offending-conservatives schtick. He's thought on it, he's prayed on it. He's going from Samson to Hamlet. He feels that he's got to, for the good of the state. All he'll be missing is R2-D2 with a hologram of the Princess saying he's our only hope.

Oh, Hob Bryan

"Every economist thinks we need more government spending to get out of this recession!"

Um, no. Not even close. I realize you were engaging in hyperbole designed to make the Governor look bad on education, but come on. Even some of John Maynard Keynes' biggest disciples can't get behind this mess we call "Stimulus." It's not even a real stimulus package. It's a handout every special interest in the country, with a few road projects thrown in. Oh, yeah...and we HAD to have it to keep unemployment below 9 percent.

Today, it's inching toward 10.

The fact is, we cannot spend money that we don't have. The cuts are painful but necessary. If we didn't have so much useless bureaucracy in our education system (Bolivar County, I'm looking at you with your six school districts serving 40,000 people...DeSoto manages just fine with one, serving over 100,000) this might not be happening. There are also antiquated positions within the state (the Public Service Commission, which has steadily become less important over the past 60 years, comes to mind).

There is no horrible motive behind this, Senator Bryan. There is reality. And the reality is, with a bad economy, we can't afford to do things the way they've always been done. Come to think of it, we haven't been doing things well in education anyway. If there ever was a time to clean house, this is it.