Talking out of both sides of his mouth

By Staff
July 2, 2003
Gov. Ronnie Musgrove told an audience of Democrats in Tupelo last week that the number one site in Mississippi for a future automobile plant is near Sherman, in an area claimed by Lee, Pontotoc and Union counties in north Mississippi. He provided no specifics, according to a story in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.
This is an interesting development because when Hyundai was looking for a new manufacturing plant site, Musgrove insisted that a site in the Rankin County community of Pelahatchie was the state's number one site. In fact, Musgrove insisted so heavily on Pelahatchie that Hyundai took its business to Alabama.
We wonder what has changed.
Has the Pelahatchie site suddenly become less acceptable? Or, more likely, is the governor simply doing what he is best at telling whatever audience he's speaking to whatever he thinks they want to hear.
According to the story in the Tupelo newspaper,
Community Development Foundation President David Rumbarger said Musgrove has been consistent in steering prospects, including some auto-industry inquiries, to north Mississippi. Rumbarger said he does not know of any new, substantial developments in the on-going quest for auto jobs.
A failure to tell it straight continues to be Musgrove's number one political problem, and voters especially here in East Mississippi who have been ignored for the three-and-a-half years of his term are beginning to see through his charade.
Maybe it's time for truth in politics. Maybe it's time for a new direction in state government.