Murphy's News: June 2014

“The United States Constitution does not mandate differences in rights or power, but Senate rules give more power to senators with more seniority. Generally, senior senators will have more power,especially within their own caucuses. In addition, by custom, senior senators from the president's party control federal patronage appointments in their states. Thus, being the junior senator may be disadvantageous if the senior senator is also from the same party.”

There is a perquisite, which includes the following:

“Senators are given preferential treatment in choosing committee assignments based on seniority. Seniority on a committee is based on length of time serving on that committee, which means a senator may rank above another in committee seniority but be more junior in the full Senate. Although the committee chairmanship is an elected position, it is traditionally given to the most senior senator of the majority party serving on the committee, and not already holding a conflicting position such as chairmanship of another committee. The ranking members of a committee (called the vice-chairman in some select committees) are elected in the same way”. –taken from Wikipedia Encyclopedia.

It is my opinion that Mississippi needs Senator Cochran to continue to serve in the senate to protect us and fight for us. He is a reasonable man and in the senate his seniority and his relationships within the Republican party and "across the aisle" are important and valuable. Cochran has respect. People need to realize what Thad's seniority means for our state. An uncooperative junior senator is not what we need to represent us in the Senate. Senator Cochran can handle whatever majority there is and whom ever our president is. When the GOP does retake the House and Senate, Mississippi will be in even better position when it comes to competing with larger population states. Thad will not let Mississippi be ignored. I want Senator Cochran to remain in the Senate until there is someone that cares about our state as much as he does and is worthy of representing our state. Chris McDaniel is not that person.

Below is the breakdown of what has been going on in the senate since 2007:

110th Congress (2007-2009)
Majority Party: Democrat (49 seats)

Minority Party: Republican (49 seats)

Other Parties: 1 Independent; 1 Independent Democrat (both caucus with the Democrats)

Total Seats: 100

Note:Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut was reelected in 2006 as an independent candidate, and became an Independent Democrat. Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont was elected as an Independent.

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111th Congress (2009-2011)Majority Party: Democrat (57 seats)
Minority Party: Republican (41 seats)
Other Parties: 1 Independent; 1 Independent Democrat (both caucus with the Democrats)
Total Seats: 100
Note: Senator Arlen Specter was reelected in 2004 as a Republican, and became a Democrat on April 30, 2009. Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut was reelected in 2006 as an independent candidate, and became an Independent Democrat. Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont was elected in 2006 as an Independent.

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112th Congress (2011-2013)Majority Party: Democrat (51 seats)
Minority Party: Republican (47 seats)
Other Parties: 1 Independent; 1 Independent Democrat (both caucus with the Democrats)
Total Seats: 100

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113th Congress (2013-2015)Majority Party: Democrat (53 seats)
Minority Party: Republican (45 seats)
Other Parties: 2 Independents (both caucus with the Democrats)
Total Seats: 100
Note: Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) died on June 3, 2013. He was replaced by Jeffrey Chiesa (R-NJ) on June 6, 2013, making the party division 52 Democrats, 46 Republicans, and 2 Independents (who both caucus with the Democrats). On October 31, 2013, Cory Booker (D-NJ) replaced Chiesa, returning the party division to 53 Democrats, 45 Republicans, and 2 Independents (who both caucus with the Democrats).

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Haven't we learned that change just for change sake does not work out that well given what has been happening since 2007? The Tea Party is the new change? NO THANK YOU. The Tea Party is willing to gut the GOP hoping for the outside chance that they can come into power. That is why the Tea Party is spending millions upon millions to try and defeat incumbent Republicans. This cannot happen. If the Tea Party wants to truly be a part of the Republican Party they would not try to defeat the best of our party. We need reasonable people in the House and Senate. Thankfully Mississippi has that in Senator Thad Cochran and in our other MS Republican elected officials. Each of them endorsed Cochran because these officials know what reelecting Thad means for our state.

Go Thad and "The Grand Old Party"...."The Party of Lincoln & Reagan"

I am voting true Republican,

Thad Cochran for United States Senate.
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Now that the election is over and Thad won the primary. I hope that Tea Party people will still support the Republican Party and if we now have new supporters I hope they will stay as well. All ideas are welcome but compromise happens if a group is going to accomplish anything. Everyone ideas can be incorporated. Compromise is NOT a bad thing our nation was founded on compromise. Our forefathers debated and compromised to give us our US Constitution.