James K. "Ken" Overstreet
State House District 95 Campaign
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Tuesday, August 5 - Republican Primary
Tuesday, August 26 – Republican Runoff
Tuesday, November 4 - General Election
• Free Elections in regard to city annexations. (
For More Details )
• Free Elections in regard to casino locations. (
For More Details )
• Free Elections in regard to drastic increases in fee’s by Utility
Districts. ( For More Details
)
• Restore Mississippi's State Boundaries. ( For
more details )
• Support for locally controlled schools. ( For
more Details )
• Resistance to state and federal controls over locally funded public
schools. ( For more Details )
• Opposition to government vouchers for controlling private schools.
( For More Details )
• University Consolidation ( For more Details
)
• Preserve Mississippi's State Flag. ( For More Details )
• Tort Reform. ( For more details )
• Judicial Reform. ( For more details )
• Resist programs which reward Illegitimacy.
• More support for the Legitimate Family Unit. (
For more details )
• Law enforcement consolidation & greater support at County level.
(
For more details )
• Opposition to Racial Quotas. (
For more details ) .
• Oppose the Liberal Agenda of the "Tax & Spend" Democratic Party.
.
BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS :
Ken has been a Diamondhead resident and property owner for the past 17 years. He is a Mississippi native and has resided on the gulf coast for the past 21 years. Graduated from Hattiesburg High in 1976 and graduated from Mississippi State University in 1981 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Ken was elected Vice President of the Mississippi State University MSU Alumni association in Hancock County in the early 90’s. Ken was a board member and Sunday School teacher for his Church; Main Street United Methodist Church in the mid 90’s. Ken also attends the Diamondhead United Methodist Church. He is also a practicing registered Professional Engineer in the states of Mississippi and Louisiana. He typically works as a consulting or contract Electrical Engineer or Electrician. Ken is also active with Gideons International (Treasurer), The Mississippi Engineering Society (Member Chairman), and various patriotic political groups.
Ken’s political experience includes involvement in numerous Republican campaigns (Trent Lott 1988), (Kirk Fordice1991), (Dennis Dollar1996), etc ... and also several endeavors to preserve and/or restore the well being of the Diamondhead community and Hancock county.
For several years in the 80's and 90's Ken was a member of the Diamondhead Boaters Association.
For several years in the 80's and 90's Ken was a member of the Diamondhead Community Association.
In 1989, Ken was a founding board member of what was then called the Diamondhead Water and Sewer Improvement Board. This grass roots political organization lobbied for the creation of the Present Day Diamondhead Water And Sewer District.
In 1992+-, there was an effort to create at Tax District/ Theme park that would surround Diamondhead and have annexation powers. Ken was active in circulation petitions in opposition to this menace and attended the public hearings in opposition to this Tax District.
In 1991, Ken ran for State Senate District 46 and won the Republican Primary by a 2 to 1 margin. Ken carried Diamondhead in the November General Election and received over 45% in Republican boxes such as the Orange Grove and Gulf Hills voting precincts. Ken carried the Saucier and East Lyman voting precincts with over 50% in the 1999 Republican Primary for State Senate District 46. .
In 1998; Ken was a delegate to the Southern Regional Republican Leadership Conference held in Biloxi Mississippi. This convention was hosted by Governor Fordice, Senator Lott, and Senator Cochran and was attended by Speaker Gingrich, and Congressman Bob Barr, and several presidential Candidates. At this convention, Overstreet worked with Congressman Barr in promoting HR304 which led to the eventual impeachment of bill clinton (Ole Dirtbag).
In 1999, He was involved in the movement for the right to vote on the out of state garbage menace in Hancock County. Supports recycling as opposed to garbage landfills. Has held membership in various Diamondhead organizations. Ken carried the Saucier and East Lyman voting precincts with over 50% in the 1999 Republican Primary for State Senate District 46.
PLATFORM AND PRINCIPALS :
University Consolidation : We presently have 7 or 8 schools that we call university’s. This could easily be consolidated into 3 or 4. My choice would be merging Delta State with Ole Miss. Merging MUW with Mississippi State. And Merging Alcorn State with Jackson State. Each university would have several branches and community colleges. All Vo-Tech and community colleges would be part of a University Network. Back to top
Locally Controlled Charter Schools : As a direct consequence of state and federal controls on locally funded public schools; Education has declined all over the United States. The result has been gravitation towards Private schools and home schooling. One solution is Charter Public Schools where a public school would refuse state and federal funds and function independently of state or federal controls. In 1995 Republican Governor of Mississippi authored an Initiative which would create charter public schools all throughout Mississippi.
Correspondence/Continuing Education: Once a student graduates from a college and enters the work force, it is difficult to further his/her education as it requires physical attendance in a classroom, many times during working hours. Many times student’s will graduate and not find jobs in the field that they were trained. With more correspondence, continuing education, and computer on-line opportunities many of these problems could be addressed. Back to top
School Vouchers : Government School Vouchers should be opposed. Government vouchers would enable anyone to attend a private school for free. This would be a government boondoggle program which would destroy both the present public school system and also destroy the private schools. Private schools would now be confronted with lawsuits for refusing vouchers from undesirable students. Parents at the local level should be able to send their children to the public school of their choice and there should be more opportunities to create local neighborhood schools. The only school voucher I would support would be a tax credit on property or income tax. Back to top
Forced Busing : School Districts should have the choice of refusing any federal funds that require forced busing if they desire to do so. Back to top
School Prayer/Curriculum Choice : School Districts should have
the choice of refusing any federal funds that require banning school prayer
or traditional curriculum choice such as reading, writing, arithmetic,
etc … . Local school districts should be free to refuse any federal funds
if they require bilingual, multicultural or other forms of education alien
to the american way of life.
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City and Utility District Annexations : Proposed annexation by cities or Utility Districts should require the consent of those affected. If there are any increases in fee’s or taxes, that too should require a popular vote. A state initiative providing for free elections regarding city annexations was introduced back in 1995+-. This initiative needs to be re-introduced every year until passed. Back to top
Utility-Municipal District Reform : Massive Utility Municipal
districts can be created with a petition containing only 20 signatures,
a simple vote of the supervisors, and a few public hearings advertised
in the back of the newspaper. No popular vote is required for the creation
of these districts. Once these districts are created; they have the power
of eminent domain, unlimited annexation powers, and there is no limit to
the amount of fee’s they can charge. The district can sue anybody for anything
and ask that they pay the attorney fee’s which they call reasonable. People
who move to country to escape government now have a menace much greater
than an incorporated municipality. Much change is needed in this area.
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County Government Consolidation : Presently every county is required to elect 5 supervisors regardless of the number of municipalities or the population of the area. Supervisor districts are gerrymandered to wrap over incorporated cities, split residential neighborhood's in half, and can extend from one corner of the county to the other corner. Many city residents elect a city councilman, a mayor, and a county supervisor. I would support legislation which would allow a municipality or combination of municipalities of over 15,000 to be considered as a supervisor district. Supervisor districts should be restricted to continuous areas where people have something in common. Federal guidelines for drawing local voting districts voting rights, etc… should be resisted as much as possible. Back to top
Garbage pickup and recycling : Presently there are laws on the books that imply that all county residents should participate in mandatory garbage pickup. There are no requirements that the county provide dumpsters or recycling bins. Everything is geared to mandatory garbage pickup and landfills. There are little or no incentives for industries to use re-cycled materials. In some county's; officials invite lucrative out of state garbage contracts while ignoring recycling industry's. There is much improvement needed in this area. Back to top
Casino Locations : Presently a casino can locate anywhere it pleases without the consent of the residents in the immediate vicinity of the proposed location. All that is needed is the money to purchase the land and some government permits approved by unelected burecrats. Communities worth millions of dollars are powerless to stop the menace. Improvements in zoning laws and elections could eliminate this menace. Only elected officials accountable to the public should have the power to enact zoning laws. Back to top
Judicial System-Tort Reform : Presently, anybody can sue for anything and the defendant has to respond within 30 days or loose by default. There is no requirement to specify what the actual damages are. There is no requirement to produce a signed contract before filing a lawsuit. It is possible to sue for many times what you could make in a lifetime. Many time’s a solitary judge can mandate that you pay an attorney to represent you. This equates to a guilty fine before you even go to trial. In addition, a judge can deny you the right to a trial by jury. A sheriff’s deputy or constable can be directed to go out serve papers for a frivolous lawsuit before the legal documents have been reviewed by a judge or jury. Getting a frivolous lawsuit dismissed is a costly, time-consuming process even for the most frivolous of lawsuits. Litigation is costly; motions for this and that and continuances to motions being heard, etc … Recently AG mike moore's tobacco trial lawyers received 1.4 billion dollars in fee’s to pursue the tobacco farce. This accounts to $100,000 per hour for their work on the tobacco settlement. This did not go for the benefit of the Mississippi economy. Back to top
Other objectives to be achieved by tort reform are as follows :
1. Limit attorney contingency fees-
2. Limit punitive and non-economic damages-
3. Prevent a plaintiff from cashing in if he is
responsible for his own injuries-
4. Abolish the financial penalty for appeals-
5. Abolish joint and several liability-
6. Place a final time limit on filing lawsuits.
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Judicial Reform : A broad
category of judicial reforms are needed. Without going into too much detail, I
have observed the following problems : JURY TRIALS: Lack of jury
trial opportunities as stated in the 7th amendment and Mississippi Rules
of Civil Procedure. PRISON OVERCROWDING: Prison over crowing with
non-violent-victimless crime offenders. People are being sent to jail for
possession of over the counter aspirin substitutes such as suedefed. DEPOSITION
EXPENSE: Prior to trials in kangaroo court, depositions
are needed to guarantee that all issues are raised. The expense of a court
reporter to scribe and transcribe the court proceedings, precludes deposition
opportunities. Greater opportunities to utilize Audio/Video recordings are
needed to reduce this expense. FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS: Presently it is
possible to sue someone without proving damages. The defendent gets served
papers for a frivolous lawsuit and has to endure legal expenses when the
plaintiff hasn't even specified what the damages are.
Law Enforcement Consolidation : Local law enforcement should be supported to what ever extent is necessary and should function independently of any Federal Law enforcement agencies. Presently, local law enforcement is divided into a number of different agencies. The sheriff’s department operates on a mere 3mil budget, the same as a volunteer fire department. City and state police departments are always better funded than the Sheriff Department which is supposed to be the chief law enforcement agency in the county. I would favor legislation which would allow for more mileage to be levied to support the Sheriff's department, say up to 6 mils with that department supplanting many of the functions of the municipal police departments. Additionally; state police funded at the state level should be set up to assist the sheriff’s department. These state police should be supplied on a rotation basis. The state and local police departments should be consolidated and beefed up and should function independant of any federal law enforcement. Efforts by federal law enforcement to supplant the locally elected and controlled law enforcement agencies should be resisted. The Sheriff’s department should be the chief law enforcement agency in the county and salary’s should be improved to exceed all the municipal police department salary’s and private security guard salary’s. Back to top
Traffic Citation Revenue: Many municipal police departments generate enough traffic citations to fund a major portion of the city’s budget and are allowed to use radar whereby the sheriff’s department cannot. Ticket revenue should go into a trust fund for automobile insurance … not as a source of revenue enhancement for city governments. Many police officers are required to meet ticket quotas. This practice should be exposed and outlawed. Ticket revenue from the Highway patrol and the police departments should be published on a regular basis just like the stock market. A radar traffic citation should require a visible display of the clocked/locked in speed. There should be restrictions on the use the radar by municipal police departments while the sheriff’s department should be allowed to use radar if requested by citizens in a particular area. Back to top
Federal Law Enforcement: Federal Law enforcement includes FBI-BATF-IRS-DEQ-EPA-DEA-US marshals … etc … many of these officials carry guns, enforce laws which are void for vagueness, and have questionable jurisdiction. All the federal agencies should be accountable to the local sheriff’s department, and other local officials. Back to top
Illegitimacy-vs-Support for legitimate family unit : Thanks
to conservative’s; laws have been enacted which require people to work
after being on welfare for given period of time. Gone are the days when
a welfare Mama could have 10+ illegitimate children and have the government
subsidize them for 18 years. Still on the books are laws which will pay
for the birth of an illegitimate child and not for a legitimate child.
Still on the books are laws and programs that will feed an illegitimate
child while not feeding legitimate children. Still on the books are programs
which pay medical for illegitimate children. Thanks to Governor Fordice,
we now have the elimination of the marriage penalty on Mississippi income
tax returns. This, however is peanuts to the taxes couples pay in federal
income tax and property taxes. Much work is needed in this area.
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Racial Quota's : All hiring should be based on qualifications and not on racial quota's. All state programs should be structured such that they are not vunerable to the menace of racial quota's. Back to top
Mississippi's Boundaries: In 1992, a measure was placed
on the ballot which looked like routine repeal of horse and buggy type
legislation. This measure, which called for removing Mississippi's boundaries
passed along with several other measures. Removal of the state's boundaries
could down the road result in a total loss of state sovereignty. This same
measure should be placed back on the ballot where the people can reverse
the mistake and reinstate the state's boundaries. Back
to top
Tax Increases : Oppose all tax increases at all costs . PERIOD. Back to top
Last but not Least : Lets Keep Mississippi's State Flag Flying !!!! at all state facilities Back to top
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"I am not running as a professional politician or a professional bureaucrat. My candidacy is unusual compared to others because I have chosen to run on issues people care about and I am offering virtually no bureaucratic experience. My sole purpose for running is to introduce and fight for legislation and principles given above. I have no intention of perpetuating the job for a lifetime. I would appreciate your vote and support in the August 5th Republican primary."