Insurance commissioners should be elected

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September 2, 2007

Anonymous The Meridian Star Sun Sep 02, 2007, 12:19 AM CDT

I was surprised when state Sen. Mike Chaney of Vicksburg, the Republican nominee for insurance commissioner, pledged to abolish the right of the people to vote for the position if he wins the November election.

Instead, Sen. Chaney wants to make the insurance commissioner an appointed position — a move that would be a major mistake and a serious disservice to all Mississippians. In addition, Sen. Chaney’s stand on this issue raises several important questions:

• Who would appoint insurance commissioners?

• Would the Mississippi Senate be able to confirm or reject the commissioner’s nomination?

• What steps would be taken to ensure that whoever appoints the commissioner would not be influenced by the insurance industry?

• What steps would be taken to ensure that the appointed commissioner himself would not be influenced or beholden to the insurance industry?

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina two years ago and the many questions raised about the insurance industry, it’s obvious that the decision of who serves as insurance commissioner is better left to the people.

Few businesses touch so many lives like the insurance industry. And Mississippi voters need someone in office who will stand up for the people independently. Our insurance commissioner should be answerable to the voters, not to some politician who would appoint the commissioner.

I call on Sen. Chaney to reconsider and renounce his position, and state clearly that he has complete and total faith in the voters of Mississippi to choose their insurance commissioner. Anything less than that would be an insult to the people of this great state.

Wayne Dowdy

Chairman

Mississippi Democratic Party

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