This tweet by @CNN commentator @keithboykin paints the picture of a Mississippi under long-term Republican control, and highlights the state's notable underperformance in several important socio-economic categories.
Let's briefly look at how staggeringly dishonest this is. 1/
Let's briefly look at how staggeringly dishonest this is. 1/
First, let's challenge the idea that Mississippi has been under long-term GOP control in any meaningful way.
This is pretty easily dispelled by viewing a history of the partisan control of MS' governorship and Congress. Note that the GOP has only held power since 2011:
This is pretty easily dispelled by viewing a history of the partisan control of MS' governorship and Congress. Note that the GOP has only held power since 2011:
Next, let's look at how Mississippi's performance in each of these socio-economic categories has evolved over time, with special note to when that power shift occurred (2011).
Let's start with the poverty rate, which has been in steady decline since 2012:
Let's start with the poverty rate, which has been in steady decline since 2012:
Side note:
As we move forward－since Boykin wants to play the partisan blame game－everything to the left of 2011 is the result of long-term Democratic control.
There are probably more nuanced and accurate explanations for all of this as well, but... not my rules. 🤷🏻♂️
As we move forward－since Boykin wants to play the partisan blame game－everything to the left of 2011 is the result of long-term Democratic control.
There are probably more nuanced and accurate explanations for all of this as well, but... not my rules. 🤷🏻♂️
Moving forward, we have the infant mortality rate.
While it continues to be much higher than the national average, Mississippi Republicans inherited a devastatingly high rate to begin with, but like the poverty rate, have seen it in steady decline ever since.
While it continues to be much higher than the national average, Mississippi Republicans inherited a devastatingly high rate to begin with, but like the poverty rate, have seen it in steady decline ever since.
That brings us to the unemployment rate.
Yikes. Let's annotate this one for dramatic effect:
Yikes. Let's annotate this one for dramatic effect:
Next comes incarceration rate. We can probably tell a few different stories from this chart, and they all involve giving the Democrats some credit for leveling off the rapid incline.
But again, it was under Republican control that the most notable downward slope begins:
But again, it was under Republican control that the most notable downward slope begins:
And finally, we have the uninsured rate. I couldn't find a decent chart of this one, but as shown below, rather than increasing, the uninsured rate lowered under Republican control:
As I suggested at the start, this is a grossly insufficient analysis if we really want to blame or credit one party or the other for any of this. That's not the point.
The real point is that, once again, @CNN commentators should never, ever, ever, be taken at face value. /thread
The real point is that, once again, @CNN commentators should never, ever, ever, be taken at face value. /thread
