Opinion
- Opinion
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What kind of prayers will be heard in the state’s schools?
By Sid Salter/Syndicated columnist
After Gov. Phil Bryant signed a bill that could lead to public prayers by students at functions like graduation, sporting events, or even over the school’s intercom, I couldn’t escape memories of my childhood. -
PSC meetings not impressive
By Wyatt Emmerich/Northside Sun
I attended my first Public Service Commission (PSC) hearing last week. I was not impressed.
Because power companies have monopolies, the PSC is there to protect the consumer. But that’s not what I witnessed. Instead, PSC commissioner Leonard Bentz seemed irritated at some of the citizens who showed up to protest the new rate hikes precipitated by the new $3.7 billion Kemper lignite plant. -
GOP keeps moving the line
By Gene Lyons/syndicated columnist
Republican strategy during the sequestration fight depends upon two political givens: widespread public ignorance, and the extreme reluctance of the traditional Washington news media to exhibit “liberal bias” by stressing inconvenient facts. After all, aren’t “both sides” equally responsible for the current budgetary impasse? And shouldn’t President Obama lead by making the GOP the proverbial offer it can’t refuse? -
Tweets, chicken hawks, heroes
The day the retired pope gave his last tweet, I was captive in the car for seven hours. I heard a lot of radio news, or what passes.
First I listened to my usual National Public Radio allotment, and it seemed rather like a slow news day. No marauding shooters were abroad, no wars were started and nobody but the outgoing pope tweeted anything of importance. -
Medicaid battle different now
By Sid Salter/Syndicated columnist
In most years and certainly in recent years, Mississippi’s annual state legislative battle over Medicaid has been different than it is in 2013.
Medicaid is the federal-state public health care program for the aged, the blind, the disabled and members of low-income families with dependent children. Almost 40 percent of Mississippi’s Medicaid recipients are children, 25 percent are elderly and about 22 percent are disabled. -
Economic mobility not dead
By Thomas Sowell/Syndicated columnist
Most people are not even surprised any more when they hear about someone who came here from Korea or Vietnam with very little money, and very little knowledge of English, who nevertheless persevered and rose in American society. Nor are we surprised when their children excel in school and go on to professional careers.
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Khayat, Lucas demonstrate a reliable Mississippi brotherhood
By Sid Salter/Syndicated columnist
The memorial service for the late MSU President Donald W. Zacharias was an emotional, meaningful day for those who bleed maroon. Much has been said and much has been written about Dr. Z’s contributions not merely to Mississippi State University, but to higher education in general in Mississippi.
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‘Arc of history’ favors gay marriage
By Cokie Roberts and Steven V. Roberts
Our friend Kevin had to cancel a lunch date with Steve the other day. He was taking one of his twin sons to the doctor. -
Zacharias cast long shadow
By Sid Salter/Syndicated columnist
In life and in death, Donald W. Zacharias cast a long shadow over Mississippi State University — the school he successfully led from 1985 to 1997 — the second longest tenure in the history of the university behind founding president Stephen D. Lee. Higher education in Mississippi has had few better friends.
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Of shepherds and sheep
By Thomas Sowell/Syndicated columnist
John Stuart Mill’s classic essay “On Liberty” gives reasons why some people should not be taking over other people’s decisions about their own lives. But Professor Cass Sunstein of Harvard has given reasons to the contrary. He cites research showing “that people make a lot of mistakes, and that those mistakes can prove extremely damaging.”
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What kind of prayers will be heard in the state’s schools?
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