Mississippians it is now time to call our lawmakers to action. When was the last time Mississippi political leaders held a town hall forum, or listening session within your community? No politician, whether they represent us in our state or in Washington, can adequately represent his or her constituents if they don't know the needs and wants of those constituents. And the only way they will know this is if they talk to us, and listen to us. Mississippi has the highest poverty rate in the entire country. Mississippi finished last on Forbes’ magazine's list of “The Best States For Business and Careers.” The state ranks in the bottom three on both college and high school attainment rates. It's time to ask ourselves: Why is this? Why is the level of poverty in small towns across Mississippi so high? Why do we have a failing educational system? The blame for this, as well as other issues, rests squarely on the shoulders of our political leaders. Our educational system is suffering because of a lack of funding. Many corporations are now even refusing to do business in our state — all because of the decisions made by politicians. The only way we can fix these problems that we face is not to be afraid to buck the norms and make bold, radical decisions in our voting booths. The residents of Mississippi have to realize that it is our right and our duty to demand a seat at the table. We must examine our political leaders and their records. Are our congressional representatives voting based on the majority views of our community? Or are they voting for their own personal interests? Here is a list of MS Congressional Delegation who represents them in Washington. Thad Cochran (R) 36 years Bennie G. Thompson (D) 23 years Roger Wicker (R) 22 years Gregg Harper (R) 7 years Steven Palazzo (R) 5 years Trent Kelly (R) 2 years