MCPP Conducting Analysis Of Civil Asset Forfeiture Reports Since Creation Of Database

By Steve Wilson | January 17th, 2019 at 9:14 pm

BY: Steve Wilson / Investigative Editor - Mississippi Center for Public Policy

Steve Wilson is the Investigative Editor for Mississippi Center for Public Policy.

Filed Under: Civil Rights, Contributor, Ethics, Justice, Law Enforcement, Legislature, Liberty, Mississippi, Mississippi PEP, MS Bureau of Narcotics, MS State Government, News, Principles of Freedom, Property rights, Public Safety

There are no requirements that law enforcement agencies list the type of drug that was involved with the seizure, the circumstances of the seizure or whether charges were filed in connection with the seizure.

Of the 315 forfeitures listed in the database up to December 31, only 137 listed the drug that led to the forfeiture. On the boilerplate notice of intent for forfeit used by many agencies such as the MBN, there is a blank line for listing what drug was involved. Most of the time, it was left blank.

Also, only 91 out of the 315 listed the circumstances that led to the forfeiture, such as a traffic stop or an outstanding felony warrant.

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Book Review: Former State Supreme Court Justice Jimmy Robertson’s ‘Heroes, Rascals and the Law’

By Leslie Southwick | January 17th, 2019 at 8:17 pm

BY: Leslie Southwick / Judge — U.S. Court of Appeals

Leslie H. Southwick is a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals in Jackson. He is the author of a memoir, The Nominee: A Political and Spiritual Journey.

Filed Under: Books, Commentary, Events, History, Inspirational, Mississippi, Mississippi PEP, Mississippi Supreme Court, MS State Government, Opinion, Politics

Robertson’s view of right and wrong in his chronicles is whether Mississippi’s constitution was allowed to be muscular or whether the dead hand of legal tradition restrained it. The author’s preferences are explicit, but he fairly discusses different perspectives.

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Partial Medicaid Expansion Would Increase Federal Costs

By James Capretta | January 16th, 2019 at 11:46 pm

BY: James Capretta / Real Clear Policy — Contributor

James C. Capretta is a RealClearPolicy Contributor and a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

Filed Under: Commentary, Contributor, Federal Government, health, Insurance, Medicaid, Mississippi PEP, MS State Government, National, Obamacare, Opinion, Politics, Spending, US Congress

It would be better if partial Medicaid expansion were pursued as a legislative change rather than an allowable state waiver because, in legislation, Congress could offset the added federal expense with cost-reducing reforms. Among other things, Congress could cut costs by limiting the use of tax schemes intended to circumvent the states’ matching payment requirements.

The Supreme Court’s decision in 2012 disrupted the plan to establish a national standard of Medicaid eligibility. The result is vastly different Medicaid eligibility rules across the country, which probably isn’t sustainable over the long term.

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Shutdown Reveals How Many Things Government Shouldn’t Be Doing

By Jeffrey Tucker | January 15th, 2019 at 9:04 pm

BY: Jeffrey Tucker / FEE - Director of Content

Jeffrey Tucker is Director of Content for the Foundation for Economic Education. He is also Chief Liberty Officer and founder of Liberty.me, Distinguished Honorary Member of Mises Brazil, research fellow at the Acton Institute and policy adviser of the Heartland Institute.

Filed Under: Commentary, Contributor, Federal Government, Liberty, Mississippi PEP, National, Opinion, Politics, Principles of Freedom

The lesson of the shutdown: if you want a service to be unreliable, disregarding of consumer interest, overly costly, buffeted by political winds, and subject to extended outages, by all means, hand it over to be administered by government.

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Hey, Democrats, If You’re Going To Use A Religious Test, Tell Us What It Is

By Bryan Fischer | January 15th, 2019 at 7:13 pm

BY: Bryan Fischer / Contributor

Bryan Fischer is the host of the daily 'Focal Point' radio talk program on AFR Talk, a division of the American Family Association. 'Focal Point' airs live from 1-3 pm.

Filed Under: Bryan Fischer, Christianity, Commentary, Contributor, Democrats, Ethics, Faith, Feature Stories, Federal Government, Mississippi PEP, National, Opinion, Politics, US Congress

Senators are welcome to use their religious convictions as a guide to their vote on nominees. If they think it’s unacceptable for a federal judge to be a committed Roman Catholic, they are welcome to their view and certainly may vote accordingly. But then they must not criticize senators – or voters such as myself – who would politely decline to vote for a Muslim nominee on similar grounds, namely that the values of the Muslim religion are incompatible with public service in the United States.

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Medicaid Expansion: Republican Candidates Avoid Reasoned Positions Or Straight Answers

By MississippI PEP Staff | January 15th, 2019 at 5:40 pm

BY: MississippI PEP Staff /

The MS PEP Staff consists of a number of volunteers across the state dedicated to sharing news and commentary important to conservatives.

Filed Under: Delbert Hosemann, Democrats, Elections, Governor, Insurance, Jim Hood, Leadership, Legislature, Medicaid, Medical Care, Mississippi, Mississippi State Senate, MS State Government, News, Obamacare, Politics, Principles of Freedom, Republican, Tate Reeves

Democrat candidates for both offices provide definitive answers on their support for expansion. Only one Republican candidate for governor, Tate Reeves, provides a clear answer against expanding Medicaid in Missippi. However, he provided no deeper explanation as to his reasoning except the somewhat generic explanation of “protecting taxpayers.” Where’s the adherence to the conservative principle of […]

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Extending Green Energy Subsidies Is Six Times The Costs Of A Border Wall

By MississippI PEP Staff | January 14th, 2019 at 5:00 pm

BY: MississippI PEP Staff /

The MS PEP Staff consists of a number of volunteers across the state dedicated to sharing news and commentary important to conservatives.

Filed Under: Budget, Democrats, Economic Development, Economy, Ethics, Federal Government, Immigration, National, News, Republican, Spending, Taxes, US Congress

Based on committee estimates, continuing solar and wind tax subsidies is nearly six times the $5.7 billion Trump is asking from Congress for a border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

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Few Of States 26 Electric Power Cooperatives Expected To Move Toward Building Rural Internet Infrastructure

By MississippI PEP Staff | January 13th, 2019 at 9:04 am

BY: MississippI PEP Staff /

The MS PEP Staff consists of a number of volunteers across the state dedicated to sharing news and commentary important to conservatives.

Filed Under: Becky Currie, Economic Development, Energy, Legislature, Mississippi, Mississippi PEP, Mississippi State House, Mississippi State Senate, MS State Government, News, Politics, Sally Doty, Vince Mangold

(District 39 Sen. Sally) Doty, chairwoman of the Senate Energy Committee, said only “three or four” of the state’s coops are willing to develop the infrastructure needed to offer broadband services right away. “Once those three or four get up and running, I think the others will follow suit — but this isn’t a situation […]

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Have You Ever Been Alone With God?

By Oswald Chambers | January 13th, 2019 at 7:30 am

BY: Oswald Chambers / Minister

Oswald Chambers (July 24, 1874 – November 15, 1917) was an early twentieth-century Scottish Baptist and Holiness Movement evangelist and teacher, best known for the devotional My Utmost for His Highest.

Filed Under: Christianity, Commentary, Culture, Devotional Study, Ethics, Faith, Influencing Institutions, Inspirational, Mississippi PEP, Principles of Freedom, Religion, Virtue

Your brother’s sorrows and perplexities are an absolute confusion to you. We imagine we understand where the other person is, until God gives us a dose of the plague of our own hearts. There are whole tracts of stubbornness and ignorance to be revealed by the Holy Spirit in each one of us, and it can only be done when Jesus gets us alone. Jesus can expound nothing until we get through all the noisy questions of the head and are alone with Him.

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Seed Industry Consolidation Poses Major Risks For Farmers

By Kristina Hubbard | January 12th, 2019 at 1:45 pm

BY: Kristina Hubbard / Director of Advocacy and Communications - Organic Seed Alliance

Kristina "Kiki" Hubbard is the director of advocacy and communications for Organic Seed Alliance, an organization that advances seed systems that are democratic and just, and support human and environmental health. Learn more at www.seedalliance.org.

Filed Under: Agriculture, Commentary, Contributor, Economic Development, Economy, Feature Stories, Federal Government, Liberty, Mississippi PEP, National, Opinion, Public Safety

Economists say that an industry has lost its competitive character when the concentration ratio of the top four firms is 40 percent or higher. The seed industry continues to exceed this benchmark not only across the entire global supply, but across crop types as well.

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