There were several gatherings at the state capitol in Baton Rouge last week. Former legislators gathered for their annual reunion to catch up on old friendships and reminisce about past legislative accomplishments. And the few living delegates from the 1973 Louisiana Constitutional Convention were honored for their service as talk of a new convention was being debated in the capitol halls. One theme ran through both gatherings. Why aren’t problems being solved? Why so little cooperation? Where is the vision?
The Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus members have condemned the lack of judicial action involving the recent decision by Attorney General Jeff Landry in the Alton Sterling police matter.
Here is the statement by the Black Caucus:
Once again, special interests win at the expense of Louisiana taxpayers and its most vulnerable citizens. These greedy hogs yesterday defeated in committee SB 357 by Republican state Sen. Conrad Appel, which today caused Republican state Rep. Tony Bacala to set aside his HB 334. Both bills would put the state on course to creating a long-term managed care system for persons with disabilities. This change in philosophy discomfits nursing home interests, who benefit greatly from current state practice that biases placement of individuals in nursing homes instead of in their own homes or the community. While waiting lists for access to this care, called waiver programs, has steadily risen to 28,000 people, Louisiana nursing homes enjoy a gravy train at their expense.
The losing streak continues in Gov. John Bel Edwards’ attempts of executive overreach to make the state go where its majority doesn’t wish.
Why is the Louisiana budget so much higher than the budgets of the other states, even the Southern states which Louisiana is often and justifiably compared?
Wait. You mean, the comparisons being made--claiming Louisiana spends so much more than other states with comparative larger populations, are, perhaps, not correct?
At a moment in which money is short and tempers are long, what role does race play as the Louisiana legislature continues to iron out its budgetary and political differences during this spring 2018 legislative session?
Has the Louisiana legislature become a battle-ground of anger and acrimony, based, in part upon political philosophy and to an extent, whether willing to admit it, or not, race? Essentially, this was the first question asked in Bayoubuzz’s interview with The Advocate’s Reporter, Elizabeth Crisp, who covers the Louisiana legislature.
If you think about it, aren't the Louisiana Republican legislators in the driver's seat to be able to fix that onerous and seemingly ever-present, fiscal cliff?
I think so. And, apparantly, so does Rob Maness, who like the fiscal hawks in the House of Representatives and some in the Senate, want budget cuts now and deep and reasonable. They, along with just about everybody in the state are tired of the annual budget crises. They have been urging primarily the scapel and reform, others favor less knife and more gas, or revenues, to soften the blow of less governmental services.
And guess what? It seems since the Republicans control the Louisiana legislature, they can make those cavernous cuts without the help or"interference" of the Democrats (some might say). This could mean Republican slamming down the peddle preventing various factions, including even Governor John Bel Edwards, from having any real say.
The Louisiana Legislature just completed a “do nothing” session that proved to be a stalemate towards solving the state’s financial crisis. A new regular session has begun with few signs that anything substantive will come about. By law, no new tax matters can be considered in this even numbered year. So what’s the problem in getting some cooperative effort?
by Tom Aswell, Publisher of Louisiana Voice
First Published on the Louisianavoice.com
State Sen. Dan Claitor (R-Baton Rouge) sometimes seems to be Louisiana’s answer to California Gov. Jerry Brown, aka Moonbeam.
Claitor can sometimes be an example of what we should expect from our legislators but far more often than not, fail to get. He also can do a spot-on Jekyll-to-Hyde transformation.
As we have come to expect from the left, caricature and oversimplification make for lots of red meat thrown to the unthinking masses, but it’s a lousy method for valid understanding of public policy ramifications.
Just such as example comes from a leftist opinion writer named David Leonhardt on the pages of the New York Times. In a recent piece, he attempted to use Louisiana’s income tax cutting during the former Gov. Bobby Jindal years as an indictment against that option, alleging that promises that “tax cuts would lead to an economic boom” didn’t pan out and produced the state’s budgetary difficulty.
"Get your free stuff"
On Monday, US Senator John Kennedy took questions from WGSO 990 conservative radio talk show host and Bayoubuzz columnist, Jeff Crouere, on a range of issues, ranging from North Korea dictator's haircut to a major haircutting the Louisiana budget needs this year during the legislative session. Kennedy has been touted as the key contender to Democrat John Bel Edwards's stay at the Governor's mansion with the election approaching next year.
Amid the existence of severe distrust among various factions of the Louisiana legislature, Governor John Bel Edwards on Monday addressed the opening of the Louisiana legislative regular session.
Earlier in the morning, Warren Bell (WBOK News Director, anchor of the "The Morning Cup" news show) captured some of the existing anger, frustration and distrust among the legislators. His guest, New Orleans Senator JP Morrelll, provided the background information and details.