A well-cooked turkey, the Macy’s Day parade, the Detroit Lions losing a football game, these are Thanksgiving traditions of which many of us hold fond memories. This classic American holiday beckons in the beginning of the winter holiday season, and yet it has a history that is often largely forgotten.
It was October 3, 1863, shortly after the devastating Battle of Gettysburg, that President Abraham Lincoln declared a national day of thanksgiving. Amidst much bloodshed and division, the holiday was meant to recall how blessed we are as a nation. His words ring true as a beautiful reflection on why we celebrate all these years later.
The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and even soften the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God.
Now, Lincoln did not start this American tradition, but he did revive it. In 1789, Congress asked President George Washington to declare a national day of thanksgiving. Washington would routinely request days of thanks following major victories in battle. It was one of his early acts as president to set the precedent of giving thanks to God as a nation, stating:
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor—and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.
Now, President Washington did not start this American tradition, but he did institutionalize it through the power of the American presidency. To find the roots of this day, one must look almost 400 years back on our history, when a group of pilgrims and Native Americans joined together to give a celebration of thanks to God for their safety and friendship. The event commonly cited as the “First Thanksgiving” was a praise of the successful harvest, made possible by instructional support from the local tribe.
There is something remarkably unique to this American holiday upon which we give thanks to God for the gifts we have. The day is a chance to not only offer thanks, but to recall that we have a responsibility to give unto others and serve our fellow man as well. America is set apart from the rest of the world by its dramatic generosity. A deep culture of philanthropy was laid at the heart of our foundation, and continues to this day.
America has consistently been found to be the most generous country in the world, donating an unprecedented amount of time and money. Americans gave $410 billion to charity in 2017, more than the GDP of the vast majority of countries. And, within that, Mississippi is one of the most charitable states in the union. We also top charts when it comes to the percentage of people that volunteer or donate.
In his preeminent book, Democracy in America, Alexandre De Tocqueville offers the insight that “Americans group together to hold fêtes, found seminaries, build inns, construct churches, distribute books, dispatch missionaries…They establish hospitals, prisons, schools by the same method.” Americans come together to solve problems and serve each other in order to build a better life. We gratefully look back on all that we have, and are ultimately made great by our ability to look ahead and question how we can best serve others.
For those to whom much is given, much is expected. America has taken this call to heart and is, for this reason, the most generous nation in the world. The holiday, perhaps more than any other, forces us to take pause and recall the gift of life that God has blessed us with, as well as the friends and family which surround us.
We live in a culture of materialism, focused on passing fads and the procurement of goods. Thanksgiving is more important now than ever as an institutional reminder of to whom we give thanks and how we are expected to display that gratitude through action.
The call to action of both thanks and service, which Lincoln offers stands the test of time, and is just as poignant as with this celebration of Thanksgiving as it was 150 years ago:
And I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.
The Mississippi Hemp Cultivation Task Force voted Wednesday to approve the release of their final report to the legislature on December 2.
The task force says in the executive summary that while there is both positive potential and significant risks for hemp cultivation in the state, there could be additional costs for taxpayers.
Mississippi is one of only three states where hemp cultivation is illegal and the legislature could take up the issue in January, when it returns to Jackson for the annual regular session. The task force’s report was designed to give the legislature information on how to craft legislation on legalizing hemp cultivation.
Hemp is derived from strains of the cannabis sativa plant with low amounts (0.3 percent content or less) of the psychoactive substance in marijuana known as THC. The plant can be cultivated for its fiber, which can be used in insulation, rope, textiles and other products.
The seeds are also a good source of protein and can be eaten by humans or used for animal feed. The flowers of the plant can be used for cannabidiol, or CBD oil production with possible benefits still being studied by scientists nationally and at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
One of the roadblocks for Mississippi hemp cultivation cited by the task force is nearly gone after the U.S. Department of Agriculture presented a draft of regulations on October 31. These new rules govern hemp cultivation nationally after the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill authorized the growing and sale of hemp.
The comment period for the draft rule closes on December 30.
In addition to legislation, Mississippi officials would also have to submit a hemp cultivation plan to the USDA for approval before hemp could be grown in the state.
The problems the task force’s report spotlighted with hemp cultivation include:
- Current oversupply of hemp in the market.
- Lack of infrastructure and supply chain to get the products to market.
Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson said licensing fees in the 47 other states that legalized it for commercial, research, or pilot programs hasn’t been enough to cover the costs related to regulation, such as hiring new personnel and testing.
He said those type of costs have added up to $500,000 in additional spending in Kentucky, a state Gipson said is the most advanced nationally in its hemp cultivation program.
Mississippi law enforcement agencies lodged the same complaints in the draft report as they have throughout the process. These concerns include:
- Inability to distinguish between hemp and marijuana on the side of the road.
- Law enforcement officers would be unable to conducts arrests and prosecutors would be unable to prosecute marijuana cases.
- A backlog at the Mississippi Crime Laboratory of 400 exhibits per month.
- It would cost $500,000 for the crime lab to perform THC chemical analyses.
According to Gipson, the state’s crime lab meets federal standards for drug testing.
Kentucky could be a model for Mississippi. Since the first pilot program launched in 2014, the number of planted acres has grown from 33 to 6,700 and the number of approved growers have increased from 14 at the program’s inception to 978 in 2019.
State law requires licenses for growers and processers, which include background checks. They also have to consent to inspection by program officials and law enforcement at any location where hemp or related products are grown, handled, stored or processed. Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates have to be provided to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture before hemp is planted.
Amazon is bringing another of its distribution hubs, known as fulfillment centers, to north Mississippi and will receive $2 million in infrastructure funding and local tax breaks to do it.
The online retail giant announced this week that’ll bring the fulfillment center to Olive Branch that will eventually employ 500 workers.
According to Mississippi Development Authority spokesperson Melissa Scallan, taxpayers will provide $2 million in road improvements for the facility. Also, Desoto county will negotiate a fee-in-lieu agreement for the project which will likely involve the fulfillment center’s property taxes.
According to the release from the MDA, the million-square-foot warehouse will ship large customer items such as sports equipment, patio furniture, kayaks and bicycles.
“This announcement serves as a shining example to industry leaders around the globe that Mississippi plays to win,” Gov. Phil Bryant said in an MDA news release. “We offer a supportive business climate and integrated transportation network so companies with shipping needs, such as Amazon, can reach their customers in rapid time and remain a step ahead of their competition.”
Some of the other taxpayer-funded economic development projects in Desoto county include:
- Medline Industries will receive $3.8 million from state taxpayers to build a medical supply distribution center Southaven in Desoto county that will employ 450.
- German agricultural equipment company Krone, which moved its headquarters and 45 jobs across the state line from Memphis to Olive Branch, will receive $7.3 million in property and inventory tax breaks in addition to a $250,000 equipment relocation grant. The company could also receive some income tax rebates that could add up to $675,000 annually over the next decade.
- O’Reilly’s Auto Parts will receive $300,000 to transform a 580,000-square foot warehouse into a new distribution center that will employ 380.
From 2012 to 2017, taxpayers have spent $678 million in just MDA grants alone from 2012 to 2017.
Select incentives for a few may generate headlines or photo-ops, but it does not generate sustained economic growth.
Economic development policy really means the state picking the winners and losers by employing direct subsidies and tax breaks to attract or promote specific businesses or industries. An authentic effort to grow our economy would not focus on giving targeted companies the assistance and resources without providing those to all companies and industries.
It is not fair to the current companies in Mississippi, who built their businesses without government help, to find themselves competing with companies subsidized by taxpayers. For too long, Mississippi has followed a policy that supposes “economic development” can be a meaningful driver of economic well-being in the state. It cannot. That policy is a losing one.
The evidence produced from analysis points convincingly to the conclusion that these targeted incentives do not produce long-term benefits in excess of their costs. In many cases, the cost-per-job is extraordinarily high. While some high-profile companies and their political allies may be better off, non-beneficiary companies may lose workers or experience wage increases, or both, and the state’s economic activity as a whole slows.
When political favor seeking is emphasized like this, it thwarts the private sector and tips the scales in favor of those companies and individuals with access to political relationships. It sends a message to the private sector that it should not focus on consumer-oriented actions, like product/service innovation or marketing, and focus resources instead on lobbying, legal representation, and elections. That’s not a recipe for sustained economic growth.
And we should also acknowledge the opportunity costs of corporate welfare. By eliminating corporate welfare, Mississippi, and every state in the nation with income taxes, could reduce their personal and corporate income taxes for everyone. Or, the money that is sent to select industries could instead be used for infrastructure, healthcare, education, law enforcement, or other basic functions of government.
Rather than increase the hand of government in our economy, we should trust the “invisible hand” of the marketplace and the proven incentive of profit and loss for the allocation of resources.
Public school enrollment declined for the eighth straight year in the state, according to new data from the Mississippi Department of Education.
This year, 465,913 students are enrolled in public schools, including both district schools and the 2,100 students in charter schools. This represents a drop of about 5,000 students or 1 percent of enrollment compared to the 2018-2019 school year. Enrollment is down 5 percent over the past five years.
The numbers would show a greater decline, but for taxpayer-funded prekindergarten. This year, prekindergarten enrollment totaled 8,339. Four years ago, it was 5,961.
Enrollment peaked at 494,590 during the 2004-2005 school year and hovered at or above 490,000 students as recently as five years ago.
At the same time, education funding has increased or held steady meaning we continue to see the spending per student increase. Last year, Mississippi topped $10,000 per student for the first time and that number will tick up this year.
Among school districts in the Jackson area, the suburban districts of Rankin County School District and the Madison County School District have long enjoyed growth in enrollment to match population growth in their counties, but that may be slowing.
In Rankin County, there has been a decline of about one percent in student enrollment over the past five years despite the county growing by about three percent during the same time period. Still, Rankin County remains the third largest district in the state with 19,160 students.
Madison County School District enrollment stands at 13,310. This represents a growth of just eight students over the past year, a small number for a district that has grown by 15 percent over the past decade.
Enrollment in the Pearl School District grew from 4,257 to 4,366 while it remained relatively steady in Clinton at 5,306. It was 5,310 last year. Hinds County School District’s enrollment stands at 5,578, a decline of more than 10 percent in the past five years.
But the district that continues to lose the most students each year is the Jackson Public School District. Enrollment is down to 22,510, a six percent drop from just the past year. Enrollment is down 20 percent in just the five years. JPS is also the school district most impacted by parents having the ability to choose charter schools for their children.
The chicken was good, but what drove many through the doors of one of America’s most popular fast-food joints was the values the brand stood for.
It wasn’t just fried poultry; it was a large restaurant chain that unabashedly stood with their Christian foundation. They singlehandedly changed the game of fast food simply by introducing a bit of kindness to the process. And now, they’ve abandoned that foundation by relenting to the demands of the faith-hating progressive mob.
The CEO of Chick-Fil-A announced that they would cut their donations to two organizations after a range of LGBT protests. Now, who were these hate-filled, evil organizations, so clearly bent on darkness that all support had to be cut? They were the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. What kind of a world do we live in when the Salvation Army, which serves 25 million people around the globe annually, is treated as some despicable hate group?
The record ought to be set straight on these two groups. For those who don’t know, the Salvation Army was founded by William Booth to provide ministry and support to thieves, prostitutes, gamblers, and others who were often not accepted in traditional churches. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes provides support to tens of thousands of athletes and coaches around the world, binding them together in a community of faith.
Today, The Salvation Army helps to cure hunger, support those in poverty, fight human trafficking, support veterans, house the homeless, help disaster survivors, support the elderly, and end domestic abuse. They treat and support all people equally regardless of color, race, or creed.
And yet, today some despise them because they hold traditional Christian views. It is these very views which built the organization that has deeply impacted millions of lives, it is these very views that laid the foundation of love upon which so many could feel the courage and compassion to sacrifice for others, it these very views which have guided and shaped countless men and women around the globe.
Chick-Fil-A’s succumbing to the demands of the mob sets a horrifying precedent. If one of the largest companies in the world can be forced to reject the Salvation Army, then what hope does any small Christian business have?
Make no mistake, the Salvation Army will not be the last victim of the left’s relentless war against those of faith. If our modern cancel culture demands that even they be sacrificed on the progressive altar, then the mob will not relent until every religious-based foundation, mosque, hospital, synagogue, charity, and church closes its doors.
They would rather dismiss all the good that these organizations do on a global scale than see them hold an opposing idea.
After Chick-Fil-A relented from its support of one of the largest global charitable organizations, LGBT protesters demanded that the company start donating directly to LGBT causes as a sort of penance within the church of the socially woke. It won’t end there, the goal line of the progressive movement shifts ever leftward, constantly demanding more as though it were some ravenous beast. Perhaps Chick-Fil-A should rethink their strategy.
Any fan and patron of Chick-Fil-A likely knows the restaurant well. When one walks in, they will undoubtedly be greeted by a sign showcasing the chain’s humble roots in a small town store, founded by Truett Cathy. The plaque typically boasts that he did not invent chicken, but he did invent the chicken sandwich.
Today, I can only imagine Truett Cathy is rolling over in his grave on account of the betrayal by today’s company leadership and their decision to bow before the false god of potential profits.
A report released today by state Auditor Shad White’s office says taxpayers spend more on administrative costs for K-12 education than most of the other southern states.
Mississippi spent 28.74 percent of its K-12 expenditures ($4.2 billion annually with local, state, and federal funds included) on expenses outside the classroom, with only Oklahoma, the District of Columbia and Texas being higher.
Outside the classroom spending is divided into two subcategories of general and school administration and these costs include spending on salaries and benefits for administrators such as superintendents, principals and their staffs, district board expenses, operations and maintenance, legal services, and non-student travel.
According to the report, Mississippi spent 9.38 percent of its education budget in 2016on general and school administration spending, second only in the South to the District of Columbia (15.27 percent). Florida spent the least as a percentage of its budget (6.41 percent).
If Mississippi spent as much of its K-12 budget on classroom-related costs as the state that keeps the highest percentage of its budget in the classroom, Maryland, there would be $250 million available to spend on everything from teacher pay raises to supplies.
According to the report, Mississippi spent an average of 8.87 percent of its K-12 expenditures on general and school administrative spending from 2006 to 2016.
Conversely, the average percentage spent in the classroom by Mississippi taxpayers was third-lowest among the 16 states, which averaged 71.26 percent of their appropriations for K-12.
Mississippi spent 71.26 percent of its expenditures in the classroom, a drop from 2006 when classroom expenses added up to 72.29 of all spending on K-12.
The Office of State Auditor recommends that districts evaluate methods by which they can streamline or cut outside-the-classroom spending. White’s office also recommended that the MDE lessen its regulatory burden on districts to cut down on administrative costs due to compliance with mandates.
Lottery tickets will go on sale next week in Mississippi a short 15 months after the legislature legalized a state lottery in the 2018 special session.
Mississippians will be able to purchase scratch-off tickets beginning on November 25 at one of more than 1,200 retailers statewide. Power Ball and Mega Millions tickets, the multi-state games known for big payouts that have at times surpassed $1 billion, will go on sale later in 2020.
But you need to be older in Mississippi than most other states to purchase lottery tickets. The minimum age is 21. Arizona, Iowa, and Louisiana are the only other states that require you to be 21 to buy tickets. You have to be 19 in Nebraska. Every other state sets 18 as the age minimum.
That includes Arkansas and Tennessee. Mississippi’s other neighbor, Alabama, is one five states that do not have a state lottery.
The bulk of lottery profits in Mississippi – the first $80 million – will be directed toward infrastructure projects. Additional money will go toward education, which is traditionally the primary funding recipient from most lotteries.
Mississippi took a long and windy road toward a lottery
In 1992, voters in Mississippi cleared the way for a lottery by amending the state constitution to allow for a lottery, but there was little interest from the legislature over the next two plus decades. Especially with the creation of casinos along the Coast and Mississippi River and the revenue that gaming promised.
But that changed in 2018. For years, stories regularly ran of Mississippians crossing state lines to purchase lottery tickets as jackpots crept up. Popular support appeared to be on the side of a lottery. Many Republicans were outspoken in their support. And Gov. Phil Bryant came out in favor of a lottery and it became a solution for more transportation funding. And in August of last year, the legislature legalized a lottery in Mississippi.
But even that wasn’t easy. The House initially voted against the lottery conference report in a bipartisan vote of 61 opposed and 53 in favor. Legislators got another stab at it and it passed the House 58 to 54 on the second vote. It was an odd-looking board with the speaker and speaker pro tempore voting against it, but in the end the bill was adopted.
And Mississippians will soon be buying lottery tickets. If they’re 21.
Lottery tickets will go on sale next week in Mississippi a short 15 months after the legislature legalized a state lottery in the 2018 special session.
Mississippians will be able to purchase scratch-off tickets beginning on November 25 at one of more than 1,200 retailers statewide. Power Ball and Mega Millions tickets, the multi-state games known for big payouts that have at times surpassed $1 billion, will go on sale later in 2020.
But you need to be older in Mississippi than most other states to purchase lottery tickets. The minimum age is 21. Arizona, Iowa, and Louisiana are the only other states that require you to be 21 to buy tickets. You have to be 19 in Nebraska. Every other state sets 18 as the age minimum.
That includes Arkansas and Tennessee. Mississippi’s other neighbor, Alabama, is one five states that do not have a state lottery.
The bulk of lottery profits in Mississippi – the first $80 million – will be directed toward infrastructure projects. Additional money will go toward education, which is traditionally the primary funding recipient from most lotteries.
Mississippi took a long and windy road toward a lottery
In 1992, voters in Mississippi cleared the way for a lottery by amending the state constitution to allow for a lottery, but there was little interest from the legislature over the next two plus decades. Especially with the creation of casinos along the Coast and Mississippi River and the revenue that gaming promised.
But that changed in 2018. For years, stories regularly ran of Mississippians crossing state lines to purchase lottery tickets as jackpots crept up. Popular support appeared to be on the side of a lottery. Many Republicans were outspoken in their support. And Gov. Phil Bryant came out in favor of a lottery and it became a solution for more transportation funding. And in August of last year, the legislature legalized a lottery in Mississippi.
But even that wasn’t easy. The House initially voted against the lottery conference report in a bipartisan vote of 61 opposed and 53 in favor. Legislators got another stab at it and it passed the House 58 to 54 on the second vote. It was an odd-looking board with the speaker and speaker pro tempore voting against it, but in the end the bill was adopted.
And Mississippians will soon be buying lottery tickets. If they’re 21.