Surfin’ the Net: A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the (Miss.) Galaxy
*First appeared in the October 22, 2014 edition of the Laurel Chronicle newspaper
Ever find yourself browsing the internet for updates on Mississippi trends but don’t know where to go?
Don’t panic. Here’s a list of some of the sites I visit to keep up with politics, policy, gossip, and just good old fashioned news. (Try as I might, I couldn’t come up with 42 websites, for those of you paying attention.)
Let’s start with what is probably the most popular political website in the state, if paid political ads are the measure: Y’all Politics (yallpolitics.com). YP has multiple contributors and includes political videos, original content, summary of breaking news, and a nice collection of blogs in the state. Its content is divided by category (“2014 MS Election” or “Senate 2014”). For the political newcomer, YP is a must-visit site.
Another high-traffic website is Jackson Jambalaya which, as its name indicates, focuses on the politics of Jackson and the Metro Area, in addition to Miss. politics. This blog is known for diving deep into issues (such as state retirement) and is usually among the first to report breaking news. The blog is maintained by the “Kingfish,” a name referenced in its address: kingfish1935.blogspot.com. Check it out; you won’t be disappointed.
The political reporting team of the Clarion Ledger maintains the Political Ledger blog (clarionledger.com). Geoff Pender, Jimmie Gates, Clay Chandler, and Sam Hall “bring you the inside scoop on politics,” according to the daily newspaper. Sam Hall used to maintain a separate blog (Daily Ledes) but ceased writing on that blog in August. However, its content remains available on the paper’s website.
Along the Gulf Coast, internet surfers ought to check out the Crawdaddy blog (sunherald.com), a political site operated by the Sun Herald newspaper staff. Billed as “South Mississippi’s political blog,” this site has a charming logo: An exuberant lobster, clad in an American-themed tie and top hat, waving Old Glory and the Mississippi flag.
As Hitchhiker’s aptly states, “It is a well known fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it.” If this type of biting commentary is your style, check out the Weidie Report (weidiereport.com). Wayne Weidie operates this blog “unabashed and with unfiltered integrity.” He draws on his years of experience in journalism, politics, and government affairs to provide readers with an honest assessment of Miss. politics.
Columnist and political jack-of-all-trades Brian Perry maintains the Capstone Public Affairs Blog (capstonepublicaffairs.com/blog). This blog provides a look at state, regional, and national politics and often provides further context on Perry’s columns which are published statewide – including in this newspaper, on occasion.
Switching to policy, here are a few websites for the weary political traveler looking for more substantive (translation: nerdy) commentary.
The Mississippi Center for Public Policy is a conservative think-tank which works to “advance the ideals of limited government, free markets, and strong traditional families by influencing public policy, informing the media, and equipping the public with information and perspective.” The website (mspolicy.org) contains a link to its MCPP Commentary which features radio clips from the organization as well as explanations of relevant policy issues and how they affect individual liberties.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Mississippi’s bluer residents need look no further than the Policy Matters blog maintained by the Mississippi Economic Policy Center (mepconline.org). According to the site, MEPC conducts independent research to “ensure that the needs of low and moderate-income Mississippians, in particular, are considered in the development and implementation of public policy with the ultimate goal of improving access to economic opportunity.”
Similarly, ReThink Mississippi (rethinkms.org) provides a progressive analysis of policy issues in Mississippi. RM bills itself as “a forum for insight, analysis, and debate about Mississippi’s critical long-term issues – run by and intended for the people committed to working on these issues in the future.” If you’re looking for a discussion on race, sexual identity, economics, education, or – heck – the price of an Egg Bowl ticket, this website’s for you.
This list is merely a snapshot of the sites available for those interested in perusing Mississippi goings-on. Have you read other blogs that deserve a mention? Email me, and I’ll add them to my blog (rebekahstaples.blogspot.com).
You might wonder why anyone blogs, but I think the answer is simple: We want to make our state better and know it’s a mistake to think you can solve any major problems with just potatoes – you need words, too.
SITES NOT INCLUDED IN ORIGINAL COLUMN BUT WORTH CHECKING OUT...
Red/Blue Review (Andy Taggart & Jere Nash). This is a video blog of sorts that includes conservative commentary from Andy Taggart and not-so-conservative commentary from Jere Nash. These guys not only appear on WLBT, the NBC affiliate in the Metro Area, but they've written several books on Mississippi history. Definitely worth the watch.
Statewatch. Statewatch under the direction of Mikell McLeod provides real-time tracking of legislation through this innovative web tool. They call it "in-depth legislative intelligence," and they mean it. Check 'em out if you're interested in keeping up in real-time with legislative happenings.