Melton points the finger at Thompson, who likes popcorn (and more in between)

WJTV reports that Jackson Mayor Frank Melton says Congressman Bennie Thompson is behind his reelection disqualification.

Melton says politics is behind the committee’s decision. He pointed a finger directly at U.S. Congressman Bennie Thompson. “The congressman has four people in this race and he’s not gonna run the city of Jackson the people are, not one congressman,” he said.

The YallerDogBlog praises Travis Childers:

I am so happy to see Congressman Childers standing up for rural America. I'm also really impressed to see that he's the Chairman of such a large and important caucus. He hasn't been in office that long. He must be doing something right up there. How can city folks have an office in the White House but rural Americans not have one? Show me the fairness? Show me what's right in that? Thank you Congressman Childers for standing up for rural America.

It seems some Texans are responding well to some of Gene Taylor's legislation:

U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor, R-Miss., who lost his home to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and joined hundreds of others in a lawsuit against his insurer for refusing to pay for property damage, has introduced legislation that would make windstorm coverage part of the National Flood Insurance Program.

The bill would create what amounts to a single hurricane policy, render moot whether flood or wind caused damaged and decrease both the likelihood of post-disaster litigation and the need for massive federal disaster aid programs, Taylor said.

Taylor’s proposed Multiple Peril Insurance Act of 2009 is a no-brainer for some county residents who didn’t have the right coverage when Hurricane Ike struck Sept. 13, pushing epic storm surge across the island and low-lying parts of the mainland.

“It makes perfect sense to roll them into one policy,” said King Schaaf, who with brothers Boo and Bill, owns island restaurant supply D&M Food Service, 4510 Broadway.

After weighing insurance costs and risks, Schaaf had opted to buy windstorm insurance but not flood. Both his business and home were flooded.

Had one policy been available, he would have bought it, he said.

But Taylor’s legislation is meeting heavy resistance from insurance industry trade groups that call it well-intentioned but misguided.

“I am appalled that they continue to fight this because they don’t want this business,” Taylor said. “In every instance, they forced state and local windstorm pools to assume the liabilities.”

Under Taylor’s plan, premiums for wind coverage would be risked-based and actuarially sound, according to the bill.

Long, expensive fights between insurers and policyholders after Hurricane Katrina greatly hindered recovery in Mississippi and cost taxpayers dearly, Taylor said.

A combined policy likely would be more expensive, Oliver said. The average windstorm policy is $1,000 a year.

“If you charged what is actuarially sound, the rates will go up considerably,” Oliver said.

Bennie Thompson got a lot of attention for his recent stimulus town hall in Jackson.

"There's a lot of interest," Thompson said. "Our goal was to get people to understand what they need to do to get some of this funding. I think we were able to do that." - Clarion Ledger: Congressman: Stimulus dollars for rural areas, too

"We're excited about it, that why I voted for it. Because we don't have much choice," said Thompson. - WLBT: Congressman answers questions about stimulus package

[Stimulus] “It's a jobs program that just ultimately as a byproduct we'll get better streets, safer drinking water and other things,” Thompson said. “Mississippi stands to benefit substantially from the stimulus program.” -- [Hinds vs Rankin/Madison] “I couldn't, along with others, figure out why Hinds County -- the largest county -- would receive less,” Thompson said. “So we asked for it to be reconsidered and we were told on Friday that a new formula had been put together so that Hinds County would receive its proportionate share of the money.” -- [AIG] "How are you going to, in good conscience, reward people who basically brought the economy of this country down -- and this notion that if we don't give them a bonus, they may go somewhere else,” Thompson said. “Well, if these are the same people who fiddled while the economy was burning, then they probably need to go.” - WAPT: Hundreds Pack Stimulus Town Hall Meeting

Fox40: Congressman Bennie Thompson to Rural Towns: The Money is There, Apply

Finally, it seems Bennie Thompson likes popcorn.