Cochran's Appeal Falls Flat

Senator Thad Cochran attended a rally in Jackson last night to promote his support among black voters. According to eyewitnesses, the crowd was very light, disinterested, and there was a lot of food left over. I would like to proudly point out that Democratic candidate Travis Childers had more people than that attend an event for him in Rankin County several weeks ago.

"I certainly am hopeful I get support from the black community," Cochran said after speaking to a sparse crowd of about 40 at a block party in his honor in downtown Jackson. "… Soliciting votes from all segments of the community. That's what my practice has been since I first ran in '72 (for the House)."

Cochran may have solicited their votes, but when it comes to policy to help black citizens, his record is quite shoddy. Let's keep in mind what has occurred in Mississippi since Cochran has been in office since 1973. In 2005, Cochran refused to sign onto a resolution on behalf of the United States Senate which apologized for lynching to the victims as well as their descendants. Cochran's reasoning: "I wasn't in the Senate when lynching happened." Nearly a quarter of this state is in poverty, and most of this occurs in communities of color. Mississippi has the second highest incarceration rate in the country, and most of those in our state's prisons are black men. Mississippi has the second highest unemployment rate in the country, and most areas of high unemployment come from counties with high minority populations. Cochran still opposes efforts to revisit and modernize key provisions of the Voting Rights Act which were struck down by the United States Supreme Court in 2013.

What is outrageous about Cochran's appeal is that a PAC supporting him has received roughly $200,000 from a predatory loan company whose victims are often poor persons of color. In essence, Cochran and his supporters are saying "Thanks for your vote, but too bad about that cycle of debt this company keeps you buried under." Leave it to the Barbour family to show you how little they care about this tragedy that faces poor families in Mississippi.

"I think this is just people who need an issue and are wanting to stir up the tea party people," Barbour said. "…Obviously that campaign has nothing to talk about, if this is the best they can come up with. It's a laughable comment."

A laughable comment? The state of Mississippi has a poverty crisis, and the Barbour family is laughing all the way to the bank. That's the Cochran/Barbour Republican Party for you; use you then lose you. Folks, Mississippi deserves better than this.