OPINION: Mississippi legislature, still divided on politics and economics

The 2025 state legislative session began five weeks ago. This year there was not much excitement nor enthusiasm. That was because the legislature’s composition was still more than two-thirds Republican and because many had the feeling that many of its agenda items would be anti-democratic, anti-working-class and stem from the agenda and actions of the Trump administration.

Now, more than a month into the session, the predictions are becoming true. The state legislature is deeply divided on many critical issues. 

On the Republican side, many of them agreed with Governor Tate Reeves that the state income tax should be eliminated. Many were also hesitant about expanding Medicaid. (They reportedly were waiting to see what the Trump administration would do regarding a work requirement for such an expansion.)

Beyond that, the Republicans were concerned about increasing school choice, which was a short-hand for more funding for private and charter schools and the subsequent undermining of public education. Also, like the Trump administration, many of the Republicans were bent on attacking and ridding the schools and colleges of curricula with “divisive concepts and ideas” and of programs that promote “diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

These matters were all opposed by the Democrats in general and by the Legislative Black Caucus in particular. In their press conferences, one by Senator David Blount for the Democrats and one by the Caucus, they expressed their positions on the Republican-supported policies and advanced their preferred agenda, which were quite different.

The Black Caucus and the Democrats did not support the elimination of the state income tax because that would lead to a decline in programs and services needed by communities and working-class people. They further opposed the idea because it would mean shifting to the more regressive sales and gas taxes, which would weigh more heavily on low- and middle- income citizens. 

Due to that same mind-set, they strongly favored Medicaid Expansion. They argued the expansion would help save many rural hospitals.

The group went beyond the Republican agenda to speak its mind on several other matters. Important to the group was promoting voting rights and advancing access to voting for former inmates; approval of a fair and democratic ballot initiative; better funding for public schools and Historically Black Colleges and Universities; protection of such social programs as food, child care, elderly care, and healthcare. These matters were absent from the Republican agenda. 

The differences between the Democrats and the Republicans are not new nor unheard of here or elsewhere. They are, nevertheless, important news because on the one hand, the differences are so deep until many of the Democrats feel the only way any of the matters will become law is if a Republican’s name is listed as the primary sponsor. Many of them are clearly depressed over the situation. 

On the other hand, the state has long been in such a negative social and economic condition that it can ill-afford to reject any policy ideas or political actions merely because of the party affiliation of the author.

This destructive division in the legislature has become the business of all Mississippians. It now requires strongly pressuring some of the major culprits and replacing others. The state can and must do better. For our own well-being, let’s get active.