In the spirit of aiding voters for this upcoming Louisiana
governor’s contest, this post will solicit answers from Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards. These
questions derive from high-profile legislation his fellow partisans in office
have proposed as legislation (although not all yet submitted formally as bills)
both in Congress. Simply, I’m asking the governor, yes or no, in the case of
state legislation if it came up in Louisiana in identical form whether he would
veto the bill, or in the case of national legislation whether he supports that legislation:
7.2.19
Intolerant green agenda alive in New Orleans
Want to understand the totalitarian mindset behind
the extreme left’s “Green New Deal?” Just look at its reaction to New Orleans’
backing away from repudiating its own energy deal.
Today, Congressional Democrats on the party’s fringe ideologically unveiled this platform, which seeks to rid the U.S. or fossil fuel power in a decade. Deemed necessary because of alleged catastrophic anthropogenic global warming, it would achieve the hard left’s aim of massive centralized government power over the economy and people’s lives, a brief outline of the program demonstrates. It would cost at least $7 trillion just to get there, not even minding the extravagant extra expense borne annually to supply entirely renewable energy.
But a microcosm of the movement’s ideology that government must rein in free enterprise to achieve this agenda surfaced last week un the New Orleans City Council chambers. There, councilors debated reconsideration of last year’s vote to authorize Entergy New Orleans to build a 128 megawatt gas generator. At the present time, the city must import practically all its power, leaving it vulnerable to shortages and bereft of power in weather emergencies.
Today, Congressional Democrats on the party’s fringe ideologically unveiled this platform, which seeks to rid the U.S. or fossil fuel power in a decade. Deemed necessary because of alleged catastrophic anthropogenic global warming, it would achieve the hard left’s aim of massive centralized government power over the economy and people’s lives, a brief outline of the program demonstrates. It would cost at least $7 trillion just to get there, not even minding the extravagant extra expense borne annually to supply entirely renewable energy.
But a microcosm of the movement’s ideology that government must rein in free enterprise to achieve this agenda surfaced last week un the New Orleans City Council chambers. There, councilors debated reconsideration of last year’s vote to authorize Entergy New Orleans to build a 128 megawatt gas generator. At the present time, the city must import practically all its power, leaving it vulnerable to shortages and bereft of power in weather emergencies.
5.2.19
Special elections bellwether for partisan change
A slew
of upcoming state House of Representatives special elections could confirm
the tightening grip conservatives have on the Louisiana Legislature.
In a matter of days voters can head to polls in seven districts: the 12th vacated by Republican Rob Shadoin, the 17th left by Democrat Marcus Hunter, the 18th cut loose by Democrat Major Thibaut, the 26th set aside by Democrat Jeff Hall, the 27th departed from by Republican Chris Hazel, the 47th traded in by GOP state Sen. Bob Hensgens, and the 62nd jettisoned by Republican Kenny Havard.
With two exceptions, one party has a significant advantage in each. Democrats handily outnumber Republicans in the majority-black 17th and 26th Districts, while Republicans have significant edges over Democrats in the 12th and 27th. Additionally, the 46th District gave GOP Pres. Donald Trump about 80 percent of their votes in 2016. Of these, only the 27th will feature a major party tussle.
In a matter of days voters can head to polls in seven districts: the 12th vacated by Republican Rob Shadoin, the 17th left by Democrat Marcus Hunter, the 18th cut loose by Democrat Major Thibaut, the 26th set aside by Democrat Jeff Hall, the 27th departed from by Republican Chris Hazel, the 47th traded in by GOP state Sen. Bob Hensgens, and the 62nd jettisoned by Republican Kenny Havard.
With two exceptions, one party has a significant advantage in each. Democrats handily outnumber Republicans in the majority-black 17th and 26th Districts, while Republicans have significant edges over Democrats in the 12th and 27th. Additionally, the 46th District gave GOP Pres. Donald Trump about 80 percent of their votes in 2016. Of these, only the 27th will feature a major party tussle.
4.2.19
LA college expression protection still lacking
Another Louisiana university has gotten into
trouble over speech policy, highlighting the incompleteness of a reform process
to strengthen First Amendment protections on state campuses.
Today, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education made the University of New Orleans the dubious recipient of its “Speech Code of the Month” for February. The organization, which assists individuals in exercising First Amendment rights at colleges, faulted UNO for a level of restrictiveness that could make Valentine’s Day-related messages run afoul of its speech strictures. In reality, FIRE notes, it legally can’t ban these kinds of messages without other extenuating circumstances, leading to an unwarranted chilling of expression.
FIRE also observes that Louisiana public institutions collectively fare more poorly than those in most states in protecting First Amendment rights. It rates universities on egregiousness of unconstitutional restriction, and almost all the state’s senior institutions have at least one policy related to this issue that it determines blatantly violates the Constitution.
Today, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education made the University of New Orleans the dubious recipient of its “Speech Code of the Month” for February. The organization, which assists individuals in exercising First Amendment rights at colleges, faulted UNO for a level of restrictiveness that could make Valentine’s Day-related messages run afoul of its speech strictures. In reality, FIRE notes, it legally can’t ban these kinds of messages without other extenuating circumstances, leading to an unwarranted chilling of expression.
FIRE also observes that Louisiana public institutions collectively fare more poorly than those in most states in protecting First Amendment rights. It rates universities on egregiousness of unconstitutional restriction, and almost all the state’s senior institutions have at least one policy related to this issue that it determines blatantly violates the Constitution.
3.2.19
The Advocate column, Feb. 3, 2019
Court mandates not right way to remedy public defender woes
Links:
https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/courts/article_2ba286b6-2021-11e9-b60e-1f8f0c190611.html
https://lawyerscommittee.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2617IndigentDefenseLawsuitFILED.pdf
https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/documents/20190122_154147.pdf
http://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=451970
http://lpdb.la.gov/Serving%20The%20Public/Reports/txtfiles/pdf/2017%20LPDB%20Annual%20Report.pdf
https://thelensnola.org/2017/07/27/louisiana-das-offer-motorists-a-deal-write-us-a-check-and-well-dismiss-your-speeding-ticket/
https://www.ktbs.com/news/desoto-judge-d-a-public-defender-financing-agreement-unconstitutional/article_19473d4c-69a9-11e8-bef9-9f6cf08bcb38.html
Links:
https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/courts/article_2ba286b6-2021-11e9-b60e-1f8f0c190611.html
https://lawyerscommittee.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2617IndigentDefenseLawsuitFILED.pdf
https://www.splcenter.org/sites/default/files/documents/20190122_154147.pdf
http://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=451970
http://lpdb.la.gov/Serving%20The%20Public/Reports/txtfiles/pdf/2017%20LPDB%20Annual%20Report.pdf
https://thelensnola.org/2017/07/27/louisiana-das-offer-motorists-a-deal-write-us-a-check-and-well-dismiss-your-speeding-ticket/
https://www.ktbs.com/news/desoto-judge-d-a-public-defender-financing-agreement-unconstitutional/article_19473d4c-69a9-11e8-bef9-9f6cf08bcb38.html
31.1.19
St. James rejects EBR-like prosperity killing
Maybe Together
Baton Rouge ought to speed up plans to expand geographically and combine
forces with another equally short-sighted, ideologically mistaken group.
As noted yesterday, the radical leftist interest group has taken not just a public relations hit, but also likely a souring in the mouths of Baton Rouge policy-makers, when its agitprop that sees corporations not as peoples and their lives but as piñatas waiting for bursting caused a real world backfire. Essentially, it goaded enough members on the East Baton Rouge Parish School System Board to deny property tax relief to ExxonMobil, already paying a seriously overburdening rate. In turn, the company signaled it would scale back significantly its area operations, consequently leading to the disappearance of jobs and wealth.
But no such resistance had cropped up in nearby neighbor two-doors-down St. James Parish. Among the parishes it has the sixth-highest property value exempted under this law, the Industrial Tax Exemption Program, and policy-makers there with no opposition recently put it on the hook to relieve an amount that would more than triple the amount of foregone dollars from 2015.
As noted yesterday, the radical leftist interest group has taken not just a public relations hit, but also likely a souring in the mouths of Baton Rouge policy-makers, when its agitprop that sees corporations not as peoples and their lives but as piñatas waiting for bursting caused a real world backfire. Essentially, it goaded enough members on the East Baton Rouge Parish School System Board to deny property tax relief to ExxonMobil, already paying a seriously overburdening rate. In turn, the company signaled it would scale back significantly its area operations, consequently leading to the disappearance of jobs and wealth.
But no such resistance had cropped up in nearby neighbor two-doors-down St. James Parish. Among the parishes it has the sixth-highest property value exempted under this law, the Industrial Tax Exemption Program, and policy-makers there with no opposition recently put it on the hook to relieve an amount that would more than triple the amount of foregone dollars from 2015.
30.1.19
Maybe downhill from here for radical BR group
Baton Rouge policy-makers’ dalliance with the
radical leftist interest group Together
Baton Rouge has backfired, putting the city-parish and entity on the
defensive.
TBR, founded nearly a decade ago, got on its legs courtesy of the Industrial Areas Foundation. The IAF, founded by Saul Alinksy who stridently opposed “dogma” and promoted situational ethics, despite that cleverly markets itself as “faith-based” and pitches itself to religious entities. TBR, which remains affiliated with IAF, adopted this model and as a result the majority of its members, which it assesses annual dues, are religious-based organizations.
But TBR hews to a particularly intolerant model of belief, most closely matching an imagined social Christian gospel that takes precedence over the teachings of the actual Gospels. In essence, it conceives the state as a theocratic instrument to impose its peculiar religious beliefs. This mixing of religion and state echoes that promoted in Islam except that TBR’s creed argues for greater government control over people’s lives, primarily in the taking of what people own and redistributing it, rather than Islam’s having government enforce a code of moral behavior based upon its tenets.
TBR, founded nearly a decade ago, got on its legs courtesy of the Industrial Areas Foundation. The IAF, founded by Saul Alinksy who stridently opposed “dogma” and promoted situational ethics, despite that cleverly markets itself as “faith-based” and pitches itself to religious entities. TBR, which remains affiliated with IAF, adopted this model and as a result the majority of its members, which it assesses annual dues, are religious-based organizations.
But TBR hews to a particularly intolerant model of belief, most closely matching an imagined social Christian gospel that takes precedence over the teachings of the actual Gospels. In essence, it conceives the state as a theocratic instrument to impose its peculiar religious beliefs. This mixing of religion and state echoes that promoted in Islam except that TBR’s creed argues for greater government control over people’s lives, primarily in the taking of what people own and redistributing it, rather than Islam’s having government enforce a code of moral behavior based upon its tenets.
29.1.19
LA may end up traiblazer in abortion regulation
It may take awhile longer, but Louisiana looks set
to shape state powers to regulate abortion providers, in a good way.
Last week, the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit refused to hear a decision made by a panel from it last September. The case involved operating restrictions upon abortion mills placed by the state back in 2014, but stayed from implementation because of the court challenge. The three-judge panel had ruled the state could proceed with the changes, which would tighten up provision standards on par with other surgical procedures and have doctors involved obtain admitting privileges to a hospital within 30 miles.
Affirming the panel would have allowed enforcement of the law starting yesterday. But opponents asked for a rehearing, which, although swiftly denied, automatically triggers a seven-day injunction. Undoubtedly, opponents will use that time to petition for the Supreme Court justice assigned to the circuit, Samuel Alito, to issue an injunction that invites the entire court to hear the case at a future date, further delaying enforcement of the law.
Last week, the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit refused to hear a decision made by a panel from it last September. The case involved operating restrictions upon abortion mills placed by the state back in 2014, but stayed from implementation because of the court challenge. The three-judge panel had ruled the state could proceed with the changes, which would tighten up provision standards on par with other surgical procedures and have doctors involved obtain admitting privileges to a hospital within 30 miles.
Affirming the panel would have allowed enforcement of the law starting yesterday. But opponents asked for a rehearing, which, although swiftly denied, automatically triggers a seven-day injunction. Undoubtedly, opponents will use that time to petition for the Supreme Court justice assigned to the circuit, Samuel Alito, to issue an injunction that invites the entire court to hear the case at a future date, further delaying enforcement of the law.
28.1.19
Perkins must not reprise Bossier shenanigans
The third time may not be the charm for
Shreveporters and paying for garbage pickup.
Democrat new Mayor Adrian Perkins has proposed an $18 per month charge for providing this service. Such a fee, which almost all medium-and-above-sized cities charge – and all do in Louisiana, with larger cities’ levying months bills from $16 to $36 – Perkins says could go to shoring up low sanitation worker wages (some defected recently to Bossier City’s new private contractor) as well as pad the city’s reserves.
Shreveport has gone down this road before. Almost a decade ago, it levied a $2.50 per month assessment, only to have a disappointed citizenry successfully lobby the City Council to remove that within a couple of months. In 2016, the previous administration included a $12 monthly fee in its 2017 budget, only to have to withdraw that ignominiously after a public backlash.
Democrat new Mayor Adrian Perkins has proposed an $18 per month charge for providing this service. Such a fee, which almost all medium-and-above-sized cities charge – and all do in Louisiana, with larger cities’ levying months bills from $16 to $36 – Perkins says could go to shoring up low sanitation worker wages (some defected recently to Bossier City’s new private contractor) as well as pad the city’s reserves.
Shreveport has gone down this road before. Almost a decade ago, it levied a $2.50 per month assessment, only to have a disappointed citizenry successfully lobby the City Council to remove that within a couple of months. In 2016, the previous administration included a $12 monthly fee in its 2017 budget, only to have to withdraw that ignominiously after a public backlash.
27.1.19
The Advocate column, Jan. 27, 2019
With John Bel Edwards running on his record this time, lightning won't strike twice
Links:
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/10/david-vitter-tries-to-overcome-scandal-in-his-gubernatorial-bid/434910/
http://house.louisiana.gov/housefiscal/DOCS_TENYEAR/Means%20of%20Finance%20Trends.pdf
https://apps.bea.gov/itable/iTable.cfm?ReqID=70&step=1#reqid=70&step=1&isuri=1
https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/unemployment-rate/?currentTimeframe=3&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/laus_01262016.htm
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/laus_12212018.htm
https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2010s-state-total.html
https://ethics.house.gov/outside-employment-income/outside-earned-income-limitation-applicable-members-and-senior-staff
https://jeffsadow.blogspot.com/2018/12/abraham-poses-serious-threat-to-edwards.html
https://twitter.com/JohnBelforLA/status/1086335449617043457
https://www.businessreport.com/industry/louisiana-candidates-governor-talk-industry
https://www.rollcall.com/news/hoh/rep-abraham-uses-pilot-license-give-back-constituents
Links:
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/10/david-vitter-tries-to-overcome-scandal-in-his-gubernatorial-bid/434910/
http://house.louisiana.gov/housefiscal/DOCS_TENYEAR/Means%20of%20Finance%20Trends.pdf
https://apps.bea.gov/itable/iTable.cfm?ReqID=70&step=1#reqid=70&step=1&isuri=1
https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/unemployment-rate/?currentTimeframe=3&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/laus_01262016.htm
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/laus_12212018.htm
https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2010s-state-total.html
https://ethics.house.gov/outside-employment-income/outside-earned-income-limitation-applicable-members-and-senior-staff
https://jeffsadow.blogspot.com/2018/12/abraham-poses-serious-threat-to-edwards.html
https://twitter.com/JohnBelforLA/status/1086335449617043457
https://www.businessreport.com/industry/louisiana-candidates-governor-talk-industry
https://www.rollcall.com/news/hoh/rep-abraham-uses-pilot-license-give-back-constituents
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