Why All This Matters
I take my position as your councilman seriously. As a local elected official, I am on the front lines of the political landscape day in and day out, in the grocery store, the doctor's office, at the football games, and walking down the street. Not a day goes by that no less than a few dozen of you, my constituents, call, email, come by, or stop and talk local, state or national politics. I cherish every minute of the interaction with each of you. I love being able to help you resolve your issues within our great city or just listen to your thoughts on why the nation is going down the drain. No other political office is quite like a local city position in that we as councilmen have the opportunity to live and work with you, the people we represent, every day and then go handle the city's business just down the street amongst our friends and family. State representatives, congressmen, and senators, governors and presidents are shielded from doing business amidst the masses. They have a cushion, if you will. Yes, such close contacts here locally can offer their own challenges but the positives definitely outweigh the negatives because we as local officials get to see how we are making a difference each and every day. We aren't allowed to lose our foundation and that's a healthy position for those in governing bodies to be in.
I believe it is important for a person who is in political office to clearly outline their party affiliation and to be able to outline why they align themselves with that party. And if you have read any of my ramblings in the past you know by now that I am a Republican. I am proud to carry the mantle of Lincoln and Reagan. I say this because who one chooses to associate with says much about that person's character and beliefs. Now don't get me wrong, there are many in both parties, Democrats and Republicans, that break from their party at times, but I tell you when it comes down to the core issues and to the heart of the matter, those same people will choose to side with their party 99.9% of the time. Don't be fooled by the tag lines added to sway your votes on election day or in election years. I've yet to meet a Conservative Democrat - that's an oxymoron. Ever heard of a Liberal Republican? Neither have I.
So in this presidential election year, I thought I would take a minute to demonstrate to you here in Pascagoula how my being a Republican makes a difference for you in how I handle issues that come across my desk as a local public official, utilizing the Republican's core beliefs taken from the Republican National Committee's website. Below you'll see the core beliefs of my party and then I'll discuss how I put each belief into practice in my dealings, and why all this party stuff matters:
"I BELIEVE the strength of our nation lies with the individual and that each person's dignity, freedom, ability and responsibility must be honored." -
I believe that my role on the city council in Pascagoula is to make your life in Pascagoula better if I possibly can by getting government out of your way and allowing you to live your life, while enforcing the ordinances and laws that make everyone safer and more secure. The smoother I can help run our city, the smoother your life as a citizen will be, which means more money in your pocket, more opportunity for jobs, more places to shop and dine, etc.
"I BELIEVE in equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity for all, regardless of race, creed, sex, age or disability." -
I put this ideal into practice everyday as I deal with each of you around town. I believe that everyone deserves a fair shake no matter what they may have done in their past. I've often told the story of a black man I met at I.G. Levy Park one evening who approached me telling me he had HIV as if that would disqualify him from speaking with me. I shook his hand and asked how I could help. After hearing his plight, my family and I fed the man, gave him some bedding, and I prayed with him as he cried, telling me that he had been to numerous churches and places that had turned him away and he was so thankful for someone just to talk with for just a little while. We all have skeletons in our closets - no one's perfect. People matter, no matter how they look, smell, act, or seemingly come across to you at first. To be a good public servant, you have to learn to cut through the surface level problems to get to the heart of the issue. I hope I can always do that for the people I represent.
"I BELIEVE free enterprise and encouraging individual initiative have brought this nation opportunity, economic growth and prosperity." -
Almost every other day or so, I meet or talk with a small business owner or someone who is interested in starting a small business in Pascagoula. These people are the heart of our community. Whether they are trying to find a building to locate in or looking for an employee or asking me questions about our community, these small business owners invest so much of their own resources in making Pascagoula a better place to live and work. Yes, we house the large industries of Northrop Grumman and Chevron, but our local small businesses are what drive our economy and keep us afloat. Our small businesses represent capitalism at its best.
"I BELIEVE government must practice fiscal responsibility and allow individuals to keep more of the money they earn." -
This was just put into practice recently when I raised the issue of lowering the millage rate this budget year to offset the increased burden being imposed on you by the county's reassessment. While it wasn't fiscally responsible for us as a city to lower the millage the full half million dollars we stood to gain due to the increased cost of fuel and materials and salaries and healthcare, I felt the city could tighten its belt and lower the millage by almost half to allow you as taxpayers to be able to keep a portion of those funds given the state of the economy and your increased costs such as gas and groceries. Big government spending does no one any good. You can spend your money better than the government can and you should be allowed to keep more of it so you can invest it in your family's future.
"I BELIEVE the proper role of government is to provide for the people only those critical functions that cannot be performed by individuals or private organizations, and that the best government is that which governs least." -
This is where many of you may differ with me but I will make my case still. I believe that capitalism is the best chance America has at sustaining itself for the future. Anytime we allow any form of socialism to creep in we hinder the very fabric of our nation's being. I believe we allow socialism to creep in often times under the guise of very meaningful things, things that are meant at first glance to be helpful, such as for health or safety. Such is the case in what is being done around the state and has become fashionable in a smoking ordinance on all private buildings. One could be on the horizon here.
Currently, Pascagoula has an ordinance banning smoking and tobacco products in all public buildings, which I support. Any building that the general public needs to have access to should offer a clean and safe environment free of those elements that may cause harm to one's person. These buildings include city hall, the police department, the youth ball fields, etc. I fully support this ordinance.
The other such ordinance that has passed in other areas and has been mentioned here is to ban smoking in all private buildings, such as restaurants and lounges. I do not support this and please allow me to tell you why. As a capitalist, I believe it is the business owner's right to pander to, or market to, the customer of his choosing. If he chooses to market his business to smokers, then his business will succeed or fail on his own merit. He is the deciding factor in how his business is ran. No government entity is telling him, the small business owner, he cannot pander to that segment of the community.
If you are thinking that you should have the "right" to go into any restaurant that you want and enjoy a meal without smelling smoke, I beg to differ with you. It is not your "right" to go into that restaurant - it is your choice. You choose to go to that restaurant or not and that business owner succeeds or fails based on who and how many frequent their business. It is the business owner's responsibility to choose to make their establishment smoke-free or to allow smoking, not mine as a councilman. I should not be imposing my opinion on whether he should, as a small business owner, market his business in what manner - he should know his clients. And if he doesn't have the intestinal fortitude to impose the change himself out of fear he will lose business down the road to another establishment that allows smoking if he does not, again, I shouldn't impose my opinion on him or that other business just to make the situation equitable to both. That is where socialism creeps in.
When equitability and fairness and sameness start to enter the conversation in these terms socialism is soon to follow. The best solution here is for the small business owner to run his business as he sees fit and for the local government to stay out of the fray, even if there is a health issue. Socialism is too high a price to pay for me to tell you where you can eat smoke free or not.
"I BELIEVE the most effective, responsible and responsive government is government closest to the people." -
I alluded to this fact earlier when I said that as a local city official I am on the front lines every day. I have tried to make myself readily available, more so than most, through this website, my email and cell phone, local media outlets, and by continually walking the neighborhoods and attending functions around town. I want you to always feel like you can approach me about anything that you need, no matter how miniscule, and leave knowing that I will do my best to help you resolve that issue. You and your family matter to me.
"I BELIEVE Americans must retain the principles that have made us strong while developing new and innovative ideas to meet the challenges of changing times." -
Pascagoula has a great tradition of building the ships that protect the world. My father and grandfathers have worked at the shipyard and have invested their entire lives in helping to make our nation safer by lending a hand in this effort. And while this industry is great and needed, we must diversify our tax base or we will forever regret this opportunity that Katrina handed us.
The monument at Beach Park says this, "May the winds of destruction and the waves of sorrow forever remind us of the opportunity and hope we have found." When I penned that little did I know that would forever be etched in Pascagoula's history. But how true that is. We must diversify ourselves. Now is the time to act on the plans we've been talking about. Soon you will see the Heinz building torn down. The city is planning to implement a retail village there in the short term to encourage small business development. Our historic pathway project is on tap to make our central business district a walkable/bikeable community. Old is coming down, new is going up. It takes time and money. We are diligently working to make things happen. I invite you to get on board with us.
"I BELIEVE Americans should preserve our national strength and pride while working to extend peace, freedom and human rights throughout the world." -
I relate this belief locally to the fact that we should all portray a positive Pascagoula, in our speech, in our actions, and in our business dealings. How we view our community and what we say about it to others both around town and out of town make a difference. Also, I encourage you to think before you buy. One dollar spent outside of Pascagoula whether it be at a restaurant or at a retail shop is one less dollar in sales tax revenue for our city and one more dollar potentially that has to be made up in taxes somewhere else. Do all you can to have pride in Pascagoula.
"FINALLY, I believe the Republican Party is the best vehicle for translating these ideals into positive and successful principles of government." -
No organization or party is perfect, but I have aligned myself with what I believe best represents my core values. Whether its here in Pascagoula, statewide in Mississippi or nationally, the Republican Party is the most fiscally and morally conservative viable party in our country today . These basic ideals guide my decision making and help to make me a better local public official as I represent your interest on the city council.
I hope this helps you better understand me as your councilman and how I view issues facing our city. I always welcome your comments, questions, criticisms, complaints, and praises. I want to do my best to serve you and this great city.
One final note - please go vote on November 4th. I urge you to consider the points mentioned above in your deliberation of the candidates. I'm sure you can tell who I am voting for, but suffice it to say that trickle up poverty is not the answer. I have never been hired by a poor man, and socialism has ruined many countries around the world. Let's not let it ruin ours any further.
Frank Corder
Pascagoula City Councilman Ward 4
