Conservative Leadership Not New to Mississippi
Much is being made of the upcoming Republican majorities in the Mississippi Legislature. One columnist wrote that Republicans have their strongest ability to dominate the political agenda since Reconstruction. From a purely party perspective, that is certainly true.
Another columnist pointed out correctly that Democrats held a majority in the Mississippi Legislature for 130 years until just four years ago when Republicans tipped the scales. Republicans now hold every statewide office except attorney general and control majorities in both chambers of the legislative branch. Both U.S. senators are Republicans and three of Mississippi’s four congressmen are Republicans.
We are being told that it is a new day in Mississippi. On the surface, it looks that way. Finally, conservative principles can be put into place in our state’s public policy.
But has Mississippi really made a drastic change in leadership and political philosophy? Historically speaking, the answer is no. Mississippi has consistently been one of the most conservative states in America, even when it was governed by Democrats.
Those Democrats usually called themselves Mississippi Democrats to differentiate themselves from the more liberal, national Democratic Party. All that has changed today is the label of those conservatives who run the state. They used to be Democrats and now are Republicans. But our state was, is and will continue to be run by those who adhere to a conservative philosophy.
Haven’t we had some progressive governors who were not the darlings of conservatives? Yes, there have been a few such as William Winter, whose signature achievement was the Education Reform Act of 1982. By and large though, most of our political leaders have been conservative, if not Republican.
For example, John Stennis and James Eastland were the last Democrats to represent Mississippi in the U.S. Senate. Both were stalwart conservatives. Historian James T. Patterson described their philosophy as opposing the spread of federal power and bureaucracy, denouncing deficit spending, criticizing industrial labor unions, and excoriating most welfare programs. That sounds pretty conservative to me. It should be noted that Stennis’ ideology moved from conservative to moderately conservative in his last decade.
What about the Mississippi Legislature in Jackson? The state House of Representatives was ruled for decades by conservative Democratic speakers such as Walter Sillers and later Buddie Newman. The longest serving lieutenant governor was a Democrat, Brad Dye, who was staunchly conservative.
Other than African-American participation in political activity, the greatest political trend in Mississippi in the last generation has been the nationalization of our politics. Nationally, conservative now equals Republican. In short, Mississippi’s conservative majority has switched parties, not philosophies.
Without a doubt, Republicans will be in complete control of the machinery of Mississippi’s government when the new Legislature convenes next month and statewide officeholders take their oath. But conservative leadership in Mississippi, rather than ushering in a new era, is simply a continuation of a long term trend in our state’s political history.
Brother Rogers works at the Stennis Center for Public Service and is a guest columnist for the Starkville Daily News.
Another columnist pointed out correctly that Democrats held a majority in the Mississippi Legislature for 130 years until just four years ago when Republicans tipped the scales. Republicans now hold every statewide office except attorney general and control majorities in both chambers of the legislative branch. Both U.S. senators are Republicans and three of Mississippi’s four congressmen are Republicans.
We are being told that it is a new day in Mississippi. On the surface, it looks that way. Finally, conservative principles can be put into place in our state’s public policy.
But has Mississippi really made a drastic change in leadership and political philosophy? Historically speaking, the answer is no. Mississippi has consistently been one of the most conservative states in America, even when it was governed by Democrats.
Those Democrats usually called themselves Mississippi Democrats to differentiate themselves from the more liberal, national Democratic Party. All that has changed today is the label of those conservatives who run the state. They used to be Democrats and now are Republicans. But our state was, is and will continue to be run by those who adhere to a conservative philosophy.
Haven’t we had some progressive governors who were not the darlings of conservatives? Yes, there have been a few such as William Winter, whose signature achievement was the Education Reform Act of 1982. By and large though, most of our political leaders have been conservative, if not Republican.
For example, John Stennis and James Eastland were the last Democrats to represent Mississippi in the U.S. Senate. Both were stalwart conservatives. Historian James T. Patterson described their philosophy as opposing the spread of federal power and bureaucracy, denouncing deficit spending, criticizing industrial labor unions, and excoriating most welfare programs. That sounds pretty conservative to me. It should be noted that Stennis’ ideology moved from conservative to moderately conservative in his last decade.
What about the Mississippi Legislature in Jackson? The state House of Representatives was ruled for decades by conservative Democratic speakers such as Walter Sillers and later Buddie Newman. The longest serving lieutenant governor was a Democrat, Brad Dye, who was staunchly conservative.
Other than African-American participation in political activity, the greatest political trend in Mississippi in the last generation has been the nationalization of our politics. Nationally, conservative now equals Republican. In short, Mississippi’s conservative majority has switched parties, not philosophies.
Without a doubt, Republicans will be in complete control of the machinery of Mississippi’s government when the new Legislature convenes next month and statewide officeholders take their oath. But conservative leadership in Mississippi, rather than ushering in a new era, is simply a continuation of a long term trend in our state’s political history.
Brother Rogers works at the Stennis Center for Public Service and is a guest columnist for the Starkville Daily News.