Some things catch your eye when they don’t seem to geehaw. For example:

Gov. Tate Reeves on CNN State of the Union explained why Mississippi’s COVID-19 vaccination rate of 27% is the lowest in the nation – “We’ve got somewhere probably between a million or so Mississippians that have natural immunity.” These are mostly people he suspects had the virus but failed to get tested.

About the same time State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs told the Associated Press that Mississippi has the lowest vaccination rate because of apathy. “Many people refuse because they think they don’t need it,” the report stated. “It’s part of our health culture,” Dobbs said.

Hmmm.

State Attorney General Lynn Fitch and State Auditor Shad White reached a $55 million settlement with Centene, the largest Medicaid managed care organization in the United States, reported Y’all Politics. Centene operates in Mississippi as Magnolia Health. The settlement resolves allegations of overpayments as part of Mississippi’s Medicaid program. In April, Magnolia Health said the state’s claims were unfounded. Two months later Centene settled. In so doing Centene did not admit fault, but paid up and promised “a more transparent relationship.”

As reported by Mississippi Today in May, while state officials continued an investigation into Centene overcharges that began in 2019, the Division of Medicaid moved to extend Centene’s contract for another year without requiring a new bid. Centene is one of three providers of managed health care in the Medicaid program. Centene has also been one of the more prolific financial contributors to Gov. Tate Reeves, “contributing as large as $50,000 at a time to his campaign for a total of more than $200,000,” the news source reported. Medicaid is an agency under the direct authority of the Governor.

Hmmm.

Gov. Tate Reeves, House Speaker Philip Gunn and others say eliminating the state personal income tax is needed to boost economic development. “Mississippi needs to make a bold move to attract new businesses and residents,” said Gov. Tate Reeves in proposing to phase out the tax, adding that state’s without income taxes fare better.

Earlier this month a Mississippi Today report questioned that premise, pointing to strong economic growth in DeSoto County despite the state’s tax structure. “DeSoto County is unique in that it has gone head-to-head against an area with no income tax on wages (Tennessee).”

Hmmm.

Inflation jumped to 5% for May. “The reading represented the biggest CPI gain since the 5.3% increase in August 2008, just before the financial crisis sent the U.S. spiraling into the worst recession since the Great Depression,” reported CNBC.

In response last week, as reported by Reuters, the Federal Reserve, which has responsibility for controlling inflation, took no action. Fed chairman Jerome Powell said officials started “talking about talking about” taking action sometime in 2023. The Fed sees inflation as “transitory” and expects it to ease by next year.

A friend of mine recently sold his house and intends to build a new one. He and his wife are going to wait until lumber and other building prices come back down.

Hmmm.

“And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” – John 8:32.

Crawford is a syndicated columnist from Jackson