Audit deals blow to Nungesser reelection hopes

The agency overseen by Republican Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser in responding to a tough state audit probably gave a good hint of a combative reelection strategy for its boss.

That wouldn’t deviate from his past statewide runs, where for this office Nungesser had a strategy of making feisty ideological proclamations, even if much had nothing to do with the duties of the office itself. But now as the incumbent, he has to defend his record in office, and, ironically enough, one big mark against him to many comes from an issue preference he expressed in carrying out his official duties.

This came from a Bond Commission vote not to disallow bond merchants whose financial businesses discouraged exercise of Second Amendment rights, a motion which failed in April by his single vote. Another attempt in August that succeeded found him absent. In more symbolic ways, Nungesser also has perturbed conservatives, such as a reluctance to criticize Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards over questions of taxes and spending.

Thanksgiving Day, 2018

This column publishes usually every Sunday through Thursday around  noon (sometimes even before; maybe even after sundown on busy days) U.S. Central Time except whenever a significant national holiday falls on the Monday through Friday associated with the otherwise-usual publication on the previous day (unless it is Independence Day or Christmas or New Year's when it is the day on which the holiday is observed by the U.S. government). In my opinion, there are six of these: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Veterans' Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas. My column for The Advocate will run on Easter Sunday.

With Thursday, Nov. 22 being Thanksgiving Day, I invite you to explore this link.

LA blanket primary won't go away anytime soon

Louisiana’s blanket primary election system won’t be going away anytime soon because, for now, elites dependent upon it want it.

Officially, it isn’t even a primary at all, with it technically being a nonpartisan general election with a runoff should no candidate receive a simple majority of votes. All candidates regardless of party affiliation (if any) participate. A trio of other states have similar systems, except they are of the “top two” variety where a primary prior to the general election sorts out which two appear in the general election, regardless whether one receives a simple majority in the primary.

Rumblings among state politicians on this issue caught the attention of my colleagues at the Baton Rouge Advocate (I am a contracted to write a weekly opinion column for it), who produced a story about whether the state should change. It has used the blanket primary since 1975, except for all political party and presidential preference primary or caucus elections since then and in 2008 and 2010 a closed primary system for Congress.

Modest proposal to end LA film tax credit waste

Here’s the solution to ameliorating the damage from Louisiana’s porous Motion Picture Investors Tax Credit – defeat Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards for reelection next year.

It’s not that Edwards has proved an impediment to reforming the giveaway, which returns about a quarter of every dollar subsidizing filmmakers, many of whom come from out of state. He might well be, given his past support of the corporate welfare that he reiterated recently in a jaunt to Hollywood. But lawmakers haven’t ever challenged him to do so, only instituting tepid reforms last year.

Instead, it would be the act of keeping him from retaining office. That’s the model that nearly worked in Georgia. Over the weekend a number of Hollywood’s dimmest bulbs called for an industry boycott of the state, since it declared former Republican Sec. of State Brian Kemp the winner over Democrat lawmaker Stacey Abrams for governor.

The Advocate column, Nov. 18, 2018

New Orleans City Council shouldn't reverse Entergy decision for these reasons 
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/opinion/jeff_sadow/article_54776ab8-e866-11e8-b75a-07d145e24605.html

Links:
https://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/article_580dee6a-dd56-11e8-a550-f72cccae8618.html
https://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/article_04e04914-dc8d-11e8-906b-a765ffffe066.html
https://www.theadvocate.com/gambit/new_orleans/news/the_latest/article_8cb15d2a-e048-5bfe-aa50-1ab45673086e.html
https://www.utilitydive.com/news/new-orleans-city-council-approves-entergys-128-mw-gas-peaker/518952/
https://www.nola.com/politics/2018/10/city-council-votes-to-fine-entergy-5-million-for-paid-actors-scandal.html
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=36813