Talks of cap-and-trade economics, health care reform, voter identification and federal government power limits dominated a Tuesday night Taxed Enough Already party meeting at Columbus” Holiday Inn.
During the meeting, state Rep. Jeff Smith, D-Columbus, offered his opinion on a gamut of Mississippi and national issues as nearly 100 locals crowded into the hotel”s conference room.
Although Smith admitted the state Legislature has “little to do” with a hotly debated proposed government-funded health care program, he told the crowd he would ask Democratic party members to oppose the bill as it now stands.
“Hopefully, that bill will be thwarted by the U.S. Senate,” Smith said. “The proposed program would greatly expand Medicare and Medicaid. If you expand it, where will the money come from?
Though Smith said several stipulations in the proposed health care overhaul were “agreeable, common sense items,” he criticized the bill for including “illegal aliens.”
“I don”t think illegal aliens should have the same rights as Mississippians or any other legal citizen of this country,” Smith said, drawing applause from the crowd. “They should not be included in any health care plan.
“Plus, the bill would cost $1.5 trillion in 2009 dollars,” Smith laughed. “There”s no telling how much that would be once the program is implemented.”
Smith also criticized the American Clean Energy and Security Act, commonly known as the cap and trade act, which currently is under U.S. Senate review.
“Cap and trade has passed the (U.S.) House of Representatives, and is basically a way to help eliminate greenhouse gasses,” Smith said. “The bill would cap the amount of emissions we could produce between now and 2035.
“But the plan would cost Mississippi alone $75 million in new money each year,” Smith added. “It”s a long and lengthy idea that”s time just hasn”t come yet.”
While reviewing the proposed national government programs, Smith cautioned against “giving the federal government too much power.”
“If it”s not written into the Constitution, it ought to be the states”,” Smith said as event attendees applauded. “A lot of people are saying the federal government does it better than private industries.
“I can assure you there are very few things that are run better by the government than through private industries,” Smith added. “If this health care package passes, you are going to see a reversal of what has traditionally been a state and private thing.”
Smith also urged those at the meeting to support a Mississippi voter identification bill voted down earlier this year by the state Senate.
Although the bill failed in the state Legislature, state residents still could bring the matter to a vote if nearly 100,000 registered voters sign a statewide petition, triggering a referendum election.
If passed, the law would require all voters in the state to show a driver”s license or other form of certified identification before receiving their ballots.
“The voter ID bill passed the (state) House, but failed in the Senate. We need to get that law passed,” Smith said. “But I”m afraid we (legislators) had our one shot.
“The chances of it coming up again in the Legislature and passing are very slim, but we could still put it to a referendum if enough people sign the petition,” Smith added. “I can”t see a single problem with requiring people to show their ID before they vote.”
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