by Tom Aswell, Publisher of LouisianaVoice.com

(First published on the Louisiana Voice)

Gov. John Bel Edwards and the Louisiana Legislature could probably learn a thing or two about building budgetary surpluses from the St. Landry Parish Fire Protection District No. 2—except at least one St. Landry Parish citizens thinks the surplus may be the result of smoke and mirrors and a little voodoo tax millage assessment.

Today is infrastructure day, again.  Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, whose flight was canceled yesterday, managed to make it up to the White House to participate in the discussion with President Donald Trump who revealed his plan.

 By Stephen Winham, guest columnist

Publisher on LouisianaVoice.com

Caveat:  I worked closely with Buddy Roemer as state budget director.  I have only the barest of acquaintances with John Bel Edwards. For this reason, I must question how fair my comparison of the two can be.  I admit I am disappointed in John Bel Edwards’ performance as governor to date and have admired Roemer’s efforts even more with the passage of time.

Today, the Office of Gov. John Bel Edwards issued the following statement on the lawsuit filed by Attorney General Jeff Landry against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer involving the Intercoastal Waterway servitude:

“The Attorney General did not consult with the Governor or the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority on his lawsuit. It’s unfortunate that the agency charged with developing strategies for dealing with coastal wetlands was not consulted at all. While coastal restoration is a top priority of Gov. Edwards, as evidenced by the significant work we have done over the last two years to expedite projects, we will review the lawsuit once the language is provided to us and determine the best path forward for the state.”

Someone is awfully touchy about what Carter Page might have said on wiretaps and intercepts made by the FBI and Washington is taking sides, as it does in all things pertaining to Donald Trump.  Among the various assertions, in the alternative, are that the revelations about the surveillance of Page jeopardize national security; show impermissible bias against Trump by the parties requesting the warrant; and, reflect an overreach of U.S. intelligence, the least likely scenario of all. Page has been targeted before.

Winter is still here. The Louisiana days are getting a little longer. The threat of another special session to plug a massive hole in the budget is getting closer. 

The mantra of fiscal cliff still fills the air as it has now winter after winter, year after year.

Former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has penned an oped published in the Wall Street Journal yesterday that took a not-to-subtle swipe at Republican President Donald Trump, the Republican Party and of course, the Democrats and President Barack Obama. The column was somewhat reminiscent to Jindal's "stupid party" statement he made post-Mitt Romney presidential loss.