SAINTS SUPERBOWL!!! Oh Yeah, and There is an Election This Weekend in New Orleans Too.

Black and Gold 2nd lines, Mardi Gras, and of course the most important topic of conversation, "Will the Saints win the Super Bowl?" The New Orleans Saints fever overtook the city a long time ago but it's fervor is boiling over to a feverish pitch as the Saints prepare to face the Colts Sunday in Miami.

Oh yeah, in other news the New Orleans Mayoral and City Council election is being held today in New Orleans. If anyone, if you are awake yet in Louisiana takes a look at newspapers and websites across the state you would become aware that the Saints are playing and quite possibly be totally unaware that today is the day voters will choose Mayor Ray Nagin's successor.

The Saints' miracle run to the Super Bowl this year has taken precedent in a city where so much has gone wrong, politicians have done little, and negligence seems to be commonplace in both pre and post Katrina New Orleans politics that many people don't care too much about the Mayor's race.

One New Orleans lady I asked about the Mayor's race in a Canal street shop recounts, "The Saints are goin to the Super Bowl and the people of New Orleans are excited about that." "Why should we care about who the next Mayor will be? He ain't gonna do nothing for New Orleans now how, just like them before him."

Seems to me the tone of corruption and lack of action by former New Orleans Mayors has taken it's toll and built up apathy among New Orleanians. Can you blame New Orleanians after Katrina, bad or no affordable housing, police corruption, and rampant crime for taking a half-hearted approach to local politics?

I'm not saying that's every New Orleanian, as I know some others who are hopeful and excited about the new Mayor. However, still I feel even most of those are cautiously optimistic and not getting their hopes too high.

Hope comes in many forms, and maybe a Saints victory will help to change some of the image by starting in the self-esteem and pride of New Orleanians. Maybe then, the elected officials will have the pride and courage to better New Orleans somehow. Yes, this scenario seems kinda of silly and far-fetched...but if you ask anyone from New Orleans and most Louisianans, the Saints have a special place in the hearts of their fans. New Orleanians and Louisianans deserve everything good coming from the Saints good fortune of late.

God bless our Saints and God bless the great people of Louisiana! Who DAT!? GEAUX SAINTS!!!

THE SAINTS vs. STEVE JOBS AND THE iPAD

Thursday, February 4, 2010
Portland, Oregon

SAINTS vs. STEVE JOBS AND THE iPADTHE


Two different parts of the country and two different issues dominate the news. For obvious and understandable reasons, the “Who Dat” nation has captivated Louisiana. Other news stories fade to the inside pages as the success of the New Orleans Saints dominate front pages of newspapers across the state. But some 2000 miles away in Portland, Oregon, the Saints command barely a mention. It’s Steve Jobs and his new Apple iPad Tablet that is sparking much more interest. So is there a way to blend the excitement stirred in both states to ameliorate what’s happening in Louisiana?
My destination was actually Hood River, Oregon, a resort community an hour south of Portland, to visit a new granddaughter. Oregon is similar in size to Louisiana, and the legislature has just begun their biannual session. They seem to get a lot done by meeting only every other year, like Texas. There is plenty to admire in Oregon public policy, and it’s worth taking a look at how this northwestern part of the country has dealt with a number of complex public issues.


There is a lot of talk in Portland about the “Apple approach” that could be adapted to running state government. The attitude seems to be that politics is permanently entrenched in the toxicity of divisive partisanship, but bright ideas always trump cynicism. The new sleek iPad tablet is loaded with impressive, sophisticated technology that Apple's engineers have worked on for years. It's the kind of "thinking ahead" philosophy and culture that Steve Jobs and Apple nurture and are known for. The Oregon approach seems to be what an interesting challenge it would be if they could corral an equivalent level of ingenuity and talent available to Steve Jobs to solve some of the complex issues facing their state.


There is a prevailing feeling in Oregon that the country is entering the fourth decade in Washington where Congress and the whole federal bureaucracy has stagnated and failed to address any national problem. Schools, healthcare, a crumbling infrastructure, all will need state solutions. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has been saying much of the same thing during the past year, but has been short on specifics. Whether you agree with Oregon’s approach or not, you have to give the stare credit for doing more than just “talking the talk.”


Remember the large state surplus in Louisiana just a few years ago? In Oregon, they have what they call the “Kicker,” which constitutionally requires the legislature to give refunds back to tax payers when any surplus is accumulated. The more than one billion dollar surplus the Louisiana Legislature found ways to spend back in 2008 would have been returned to taxpayers if such a provision had been in place in the Bayou State.


Portland has three light rail train lines with a forth under construction. At the airport, you can board a train that zips you right into the central business district for $2.05. In many cases, the train runs right up the middle o f the street-stations are literally on the curb. Portland officials also drew a square around downtown and declared it a “fare less zone.” If you ride the train or the bus only within that zone, it’s free. Such a system would be a natural for New Orleans and even in Baton Rouge.


Parking problems, so prevalent in Louisiana’s bigger cities, has been addressed in Portland by creating a plan that caps the number of parking spaces downtown, to encourage more people to take mass transit. The city is zoned so as to encourage less parking in downtown congested areas. And streetcars, similar to those in New Orleans, cover the downtown area. The difference is that, like light rail and buses, the streetcar is free. Their argument in favor of no fees is that less congestion and attracting more people to the inner city is well worth more than the loss of revenue from a rider fee.


Where New Orleans and Baton Rouge always make the national lists for biggest traffic bottlenecks, Portland is out of such a mix. One of the reasons is the “bike friendly” attitude, There are literally hundreds of miles of bike lanes, and new street construction includes bike set a sides. Portland has one of the highest concentrations of bike computers in the country, and most offices have bike racks available for parking.


The private sector is aggressively involved in Portland development. The city has an “Innovation Council” that brings together leaders from private business and higher education to drive the city’s innovation strategy, particularly in offering help for new startup companies. Louisiana’s strategy seems to be more an effort to retain out of state companies who continually “shop” for the best financial deal, and maintain few loyalties, outside of looking for the best incentives. Have we ever heard of the Mayor of New Orleans sitting down with the leaders at Tulane and LSU to encourage such a partnership?


Community policing is organized by the police department in Portland. There is a fully integrated effort to work in full cooperation with local subdivisions with the use of cameras, computers, and street volunteers. And worker compensation reform has been a front burner issue in Portland. The subject has not been discussed at the state or local level in Louisiana. But just this week, a new national study was released showing that the average worker’s comp costs per claim were some 35% higher than the national average. Little incentive here for new businesses to start up in Louisiana.


The “Portland Smart Program” has mobilized thousands of adults to spend time with kids in early grade levels so as to provide them a “village” of adult mentorship that is often lacking in many home settings. Such a simple low cost concept that is certainly needed in a poor state like Louisiana.


Now let’s not oversell Oregon and the northwest. Their food is bland and rather dry. They know little of spices, Tabasco and garlic. They brag out here about their music, but you can find musicians in numerous New Orleans locations that would outshine their best performers. Writers from that part of the country? I can’t name one. Sports teams? They would be minor leaguers in just about every sport when Louisiana and the south stay quite competitive.


Maybe that’s the swap. Let Oregon run our state government, and maybe even dysfunctional cities like New Orleans that seem to fall deeper each month into a cesspool of incompetence. And we send out our creative best to cook their food, supply their musical talent, chronicle their fictional interests with our Louisiana, writers, and put some tough Louisiana young folks on their athletic fields and in their stadiums. After all, we may not know how to handle tax dollars and run public agencies, but no one, and I mean no one, can stand up to the “Who Dat Nation.”
*****
“Progress always involves risks. You cannot steal second base and keep your foot on first.”
Frederick Wilcox
Peace and Justice
Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s weekly column appears in numerous newspapers and websites throughout the south. To read past columns going back to 2002, go to www.jimbrownla.com.

Louisiana Watergate: David Vitter's Links to the Pelican Institute

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=9673423


Well folks it sure appears that someone(my theory of course is David Vitter) wants to know something about what's goin on in Mary Landrieu's New Orleans District office. Money and politics are the likely, if not definite motivators. Something is going down and there is so much speculation brewing that maybe this could be the final thing that causes Senator Vitter's re-election hopes of plummeting.

This fiasco doesn't bode well for The Pelican Institute, Senator Vitter, or his little minions attempting to do their collective bidding. But hey, this is Louisiana so no big deal right!? Well, I guess we'll see in the coming days or in November where the fates lie.

Call me cynical, but I honestly think most Louisiana Republicans would vote for David Vitter even if he admitted to being the anti-christ. I know it's sad. But in a state where President Obama is so despised, especially in the northern part of the state, a Republican can get away with anything and still get re-elected. We need a hero and Jay Dardenne has already bowed out of the possibility of running against Vitter in the primary.

Someone please do something, I don't care if it's a Democrat or a Republican but someone needs to run against Senator Vitter. To be honest, the way polls have been going to this point, another Republican needs to step into the race and give conservative voters who will refuse to vote for Congressman Melancon because he is a Democrat a choice to vote for a Republican who actually means and lives by the conservative values he espouses.

Follow the connections, follow the links and see why so many are pointing the finger Vitter's direction regarding what LDP Chair Michael McHale has called, "Louisiana's Watergate."




From TPM:

Conservative Group With Ties To Alleged Landrieu Phone Tamperers Went After ACORN
The conservative think tank to which James O'Keefe and at least one of his alleged co-plotters have ties enjoys a prominent voice in Louisiana politics -- and has lately gone hard after ACORN.
...
Pelican, which was founded in 2008 by conservative activist Kevin Kane, also appears to have a prominent place in Louisiana political circles. In September, Kane appeared at a press conference with the state's GOP senator, David Vitter, to tout a Pelican study on health-care, conducted by the research firm of renowned conservative economist Arthur Laffer. The study recommended converting the Medicaid program into vouchers for private insurance, among other ideas.






David Vitter's Pelican Problem


David Vitter endorsed Pelican Institute health reform proposal. "U.S. Sen. David Vitter has endorsed a new study from a conservative think tank that calls for scrapping the nation's employer-based health insurance system in favor of individually owned policies and converting the Medicaid program into vouchers for private insurance." SEE PRESS RELEASE BELOW (Times-Picayune, 9/14/09)

Pelican Institute spokesman supported Vitter at Town Hall event. Jeb Bruneau of Pelican Institute of Public Policy supported Vitter at a Town Hall meeting last August in Pineville. (Town Talk, 8/7/09)

Pelican Institute Kane defended Vitter on health care. Pelican Institute founder Kevin Kane defended Vitter when his opponent, Rep. Charlie Melancon called him out for supporting the dismantling of employer-sponsored health care. (Shreveport Times, 9/18/09; Ringside Politics)

Kane moderated panel discussion including Vitter, Jindal, Gingrich. In June, 2009, Kane and the Pelican Institute hosted a panel that included Vitter. According to PI, “Pelican Institute president Kevin Kane will moderate a panel featuring former Speaker Newt Gingrich, U.S. Senator David Vitter and Governor Bobby Jindal. The topic is ‘Creating Solutions for America By Using the Principles that Have Historically Worked in America’. (Source)




Pelican Institute Press Release (9/14/09)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Pelican Institute for Public Policy

New Study Details Cost of Proposed Health Care Reforms

Vitter: "State Tax Increases All But Certain" If Proposals Implemented

New Orleans, LA - Sep 14, 2009 Proposed federal health care reform built on President Barack Obama's core principles would impose an additional financial burden of $4,427 on every man, woman, and child in Louisiana over the next decade, according to a report released today by the Pelican Institute for Public Policy.

The report, "The Prognosis for National Health Insurance: A Louisiana Perspective", was debuted at a press conference featuring U.S. Senator David Vitter, former American Medical Association president Dr. Daniel "Stormy" Johnson, small business owner Mike Mitternight, and local restaurant owner Dickie Brennan.

"We need reform to address the unsustainable growth in costs," said Pelican Institute president Kevin Kane. "But the reforms being proposed by President Obama do not reckon with the underlying problems in our current system. In fact, they take us further down the wrong path and promise to increase health care expenditures and medical price inflation. Further, these reforms will lead to growing deficits and/or higher taxes."

Expanding Government's Role Will Escalate Costs, Fuel Deficits
The report was produced by Arduin, Laffer & Moore Econometrics, the research firm of internationally renowned economist Dr. Arthur Laffer. It models the general concepts included in the health care reform proposals by President Obama and the congressional leadership.

The end results of the proposed reforms would include: an increase in national health care expenditures by an additional 8.9 percent by 2019; an increase in medical price inflation by 5.2 percent above what it would have been otherwise by 2019; an increase in total federal expenditures by 5.6 percent over the next decade, creating an additional $285.6 billion deficit in 2019 assuming the extra expenditures are not financed by a tax increase; and a reduction in U.S. economic growth in 2019 by 4.9 percent.

"This report really points to major concerns surrounding the passage of the President's national health plan," said Vitter. "Besides stating that Louisiana's economic growth would shrink by 4.3 percent by 2019, the report also notes that the more detrimental effect on Louisiana may be related to Medicaid and providing for lower-income Louisianans. Under the President's plan, states like Louisiana will pick up more Medicaid responsibilities, meaning that state tax increases are all but certain."

"This report focuses primarily on what would happen if President Obama's reforms were implemented," said Kane. "But it also outlines sensible reforms that would introduce better incentives for patients and providers. These include policies that would encourage individual ownership of insurance policies, leveraging Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), allowing interstate purchasing of insurance, reducing the number of mandated benefits, reallocating much of Medicaid spending into simple vouchers, eliminating unnecessary scope-of-practice laws, and reforming the tort liability laws. We encourage the Louisiana congressional delegation to study this report and take health care reform in a new direction."

###





Louisiana Democratic Party


For Immediate Release CONTACT: Kevin Franck

January 27, 2010 (443) 254-0164




Will Vitter Condemn Louisiana Watergate Suspects?



McHale asks Vitter if he has had any communication with suspects



(Baton Rouge) More than twenty four hours since initial reports that four men with extensive ties to Louisiana’s conservative movement were arrested on suspicion of attempting to wiretap Senator Mary Landrieu’s New Orleans office, Senator David Vitter has yet to publicly condemn their actions.



“It doesn’t take a Harvard education to know that trying to tamper with a Senator’s phone is wrong,” said Louisiana Democratic Party Chair Michael McHale. “Most Louisianans are shocked and outraged that these four men would break the law to push a political agenda and David Vitter should be too.”



In his only public comments on the matter, Vitter praised the U.S. Attorney handling the case, but stopped short of denouncing the four men’s actions or expressing concern for Senator Landrieu or her staff.



The online news site TPM reported today that two of the suspects received grants from the conservative Leadership Institute and at least one suspect, James O’Keefe, was employed by the organization. David Vitter sits on the Board of the Leadership Institute.



David Vitter has also not said whether he, or any member of his staff, have communicated with the suspects. McHale said Vitter’s silence, along his reported ties to several of the suspects raise troubling questions.



“David Vitter can settle this matter right now by answering one simple question,” McHale said. “Did he or any member of his staff have any communications whatsoever with any of the four suspects or those who encouraged or supported them?”



###





Paid for by the Louisiana Democratic Party, 701 Government Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.

OPEN SEASON IN LOUISIANA FOR OUT-OF-STATE CAMPAIGN MONEY?

Thursday, January 28, 2010
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

OPEN SEASON IN LOUISIANA FOR
OUT-OF-STATE CAMPAIGN MONEY?


Last week’s Supreme Court decision declaring that corporations and unions can spend money on political advertising has unleashed a storm of controversy on both sides of the political spectrum. And some press reports predict that Louisiana will become “the wild, wild west” for political fundraising with candidates no longer in control of their own campaigns. Louisiana corporate boardrooms will become political cockpits for plotting the success or demise of those on the ballot. So the question is-are Louisiana politicians now subject to be for sale to the highest bidder?


It’s no secret that, in the majority of elections, there are two key elements in getting elected to a major political office in Louisiana. The first is money. I’ve forgotten what the second element is. In highly contested statewide races, Louisiana often is the most expensive state, per capita, in the nation. And right now in state races, contrary to the laws governing the three federal races (President, US Senator and Congressman), corporations are legally allowed to make campaign contributions in Louisiana. Such businesses are subject to the same limitations as individuals which is five thousand dollars for a statewide office. The court decision does not give carte blanche for companies to give more than the present legal limit.


Corporate campaign money has been bountiful in recent Louisiana campaigns. The Governor’s present war chest is filled with corporate checks, both from in and out of the state. Members of the Public Service Commission are actively supported by the corporations they then regulate. LLCs formed by law firms are big players in Louisiana judicial elections. And the Louisiana Insurance Commissioner has actively solicited major out of state companies the department regulates for major campaign funding.


So will there be a surge in new corporate dollars flooding Louisiana campaign coffers? Probably not. It’s been here for years already. Many corporations operating in the state has a number of subsidiaries, all which can contribute to the same candidate. Just recently, a Florida lawyer named Scott Rothstein gave $30,000 to both Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Florida Governor Charlie Crist.

Rothstein contributed both personally and through various corporations that he had formed. So to say there are limits on corporate giving in Louisiana is a sham.
Jindal and Crist were both technically following a loophole in the law. But this example vividly points out that, for all practical purposes, there are no limits on corporate giving in Louisiana. Rothstein, by the way, has plead guilty to confecting a Ponzi scheme that cheated thousands of investors out of $1.2 billion. Once the charges became public, Crist retuned his contributions and Jindal donated his $30 thousand to a local food bank.


The court decision itself raises some puzzling question about judicial activism. For years, conservatives have argued that judicial restraint requires deferring to the choices of the elected branches of government. Statutes have been on the books since 1906 limiting corporate spending in federal election campaigns. But the five most conservative judges on the Supreme Court had no hesitancy about overturning previous conflicting decisions. This same conservative court has for years limited free speech of government employees, students, and maintained a willingness to muzzle defendants through gag orders in criminal cases, but felt compelled to look out for corporate free speech. The message seems clear that conservative justices are happy to be activists when it serves their ideological agenda.


And have these conservative judges opened up the door for foreign nationals to flood campaign dollars in to federal elections? In his dissent, Justice Paul Stevens said this decision “would appear to afford the same protection to multinational corporations controlled by foreigners as to individual Americans.”


Remember Cities Services Company? The old American oil company was purchased in 1990 by the Venezuelan government-owned Petroleos de Venezuela. So now we can envision Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez spending government funds in U.S. elections by having CITGO buy TV ads attacking his political target. The Saudi government owns Houston’s Saudi refining Company, an American corporation. Singapore’s APKL Limited, an American company, operates a number of U.S. port operations. And Lenovo, which bought IBM’s PC assets in 2004, is owned by a Chinese company. Is this who conservatives are referring to when they say the first amendment won?


Here’s the real problem in Louisiana. And it’s not corporate contributions. It’s the flooding of out of state money into Louisiana campaigns. Hundreds of millions of dollars pour into Louisiana political war chests very election cycle. Hardly a week goes by when press reports follow Governor Jindal’s travels throughout the country seeking campaign funds. Since 2004, Lafayette Congressman Charles Boustany has raised more than $1.3 million from the health and insurance industries, most of which comes from out of state. In her last re election campaign, US Senator Mary Landrieu raised 53 per cent of her contributions from groups across the country, some $5 million. Senator David Vitter is on the same fund raising track for his reelection this fall.


How do Louisiana citizens benefit when large amounts of campaign cash flood into the state to influence Louisiana elections? Isn’t there a built in conflict of interest as to where an official’s loyalties lie when large out of state donations are accepted? There is a simple and constitutional way to keep Louisiana elected officials focused on Louisiana issues.


A candidate for public office should only raise campaign funds in the district from where he or she is running. If you are running statewide, raise all your financial resources within the state. If you are running parish wide, your limits are within your home parish. Legislators would be limited to raising campaign dollars from within their respective districts. Simple. Keep fund raising local. Make the candidates focus and be responsive solely to the voters in the districts that put them in office.


Oh there would be loud protests from lobbyists who hand out the campaign dollars to gain their “special access.” And incumbents, who can work the system from day one in office, would object at having to forgo all the many out of district fund raising opportunities. The voters would be the beneficiaries. But don’t count on any groundswell of change. The recent Supreme Court decision was touted as a catalyst for major campaign changes. But as long as out of state money floods the state, it’s going to be the same old, same old in both Baton Rouge and Washington.
*****


People used to complain that selling a campaign was like selling a bar of soap. But when you buy soap, at least you get the soap. In this campaign, you just get two guys telling you they really value cleanliness."
— David Brooks

Peace and Justice
Jim Brown
Jim Brown’s weekly column appears in numerous newspapers and websites throughout the south. To read past columns going back to 2002, go to www.jimbrownla.com.

Louisiana Watergate!!

Louisiana Democratic Party Chair Michael McHale released the following statement in response to the arrest of four conservative activists in connection with a conspiracy to wiretap the phone of Senator Mary Landrieu:


"This is a Louisiana Watergate. Louisiana families are shocked and outraged that these men would break the law to carry out their political agenda with this Watergate-like break-in and attempted wiretapping. Given his ties to some of the players involved, Sen. Vitter should immediately denounce the actions of these four men and anyone who may have instigated, supported or assisted them."



"We call on U.S Attorney Jim Letten to conduct a thorough investigation and to prosecute any wrongdoers to the fullest extent of the law.

Louisiana Republican Voters to Vitter: "We don't know know about you yet."

Keep up the good work David!

January 2010

Apparently when the tea party crowd isn’t packing the audience, David Vitter doesn’t get such a warm reception at his campaign events.

Check out this video of Vitter stepping onto a yacht walking into a town hall-style campaign event in Harrisonburg, La. No doubt expecting the kind of artificially ginned up audience that his staff usually provides, Vitter barely broke stride as someone yelled out “keep up the good work David!”

When Vitter stopped accept the accolades, the same man in the audience shouted out “I was talking about the photographer,” gesturing to an employee of the local newspaper, apparently also named David.

As the crowd erupted in laughter the voice in the audience said “we don’t know about you yet.”

Clearly these folks did not get the memo from the Vitter Campaign/Senate Office.



I know you'll enjoy this backhanded Louisiana wit. Vitter get's dissed by his own. God please have mercy on this man, as I fear come November some of his faithful voters may not.

Then again, all he needs to do is scream Obama loudly every time he says Congressman Melancon's name and that should scare people into a vote for Vitter.

Hell Must Have Just Frozen Over, Cause the Saints are Goin to the Super Bowl!!

Remember the joke about the Saints playin in the Super Bowl when hell freezes over? The self characterization, "the Aints" and the bags on the head?

Those days are over now folks. The Saints are indeed marchin in to the Super Bowl in Miami vs. Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in two weeks. Honestly, I think New Orleans should just close down for a few days after this win that's been a long time coming.

If the Saints beat Indy in a few weeks, New Orleans should just close down for a week. The new Mayor's first order of business, and Governor Jindal's for that matter, if they want to curry favor with the electorate is to declare Saints Day(per the Super Bowl win) a new state holiday.

I'm sure you'll see all of the mayoral candidates jumping on and holding tight to the media melee that is the Saints in a hope for an advantage with the voters.

New Orleans deserves this win and the celebration that comes with it. After all this great city has been through from Katrina, to rebuilding, to crime, and all else that makes New Orleans unique this win comes as a breathe of fresh air, renewal, and a continuing sense of hope for New Orleanians and Louisianians alike going through the aftermath of Katrina along with the country's economic woes of today.

God bless our Saints, God bless New Orleans, and God bless the great state and people of Louisiana!! Who Dat? Geaux Saints!

WHO IS SENATOR LANDRIEU FIGHTING FOR?

Louisiana and the entire Gulf Coast region is ground zero for the impacts of global warming. One need look no further than the research done by the best and brightest scientists in the world, to see that rising sea-levels and more powerful storms have wreaked havoc on our vulnerable coast and communities. Fortunately, last December the Environmental Protection Agency, at the urging of the Supreme Court, announced their intention to begin a (relatively long) process to regulate greenhouse gasses. http://epa.gov/climatechange/endangerment.html

Senator Landrieu, who has worked tirelessly to help Louisiana secure federal resources to stem the tide of our coastal wetlands crisis, doesn’t seem to get the connection between the coast and our climate. Lining up with the oil and coal companies, Senator Landrieu is working with Alaska Senator Murkowski on proposals to stop the EPA from regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. Sen. Mary Landrieu told reporters Wednesday that she is working with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) on Murkowski's efforts to block EPA from regulating greenhouse gases under the agency's current Clean Air Act powers.

There is no secret that Senator Landrieu has raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars from polluters: Mary Landrieu received $252,950 in oil contributions between 2007 and 2009. In total, Landrieu has accepted $574,005 from oil companies through 2008, which makes her one of the highest recipients of oil money. In addition to oil, Landrieu has received $69,458 in coal contributions during this same period. http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Mary_Landrieu.

And in case there is any doubt that this attempt by Murkowski and Landrieu to scuttle the EPA’s authority to act on global warming, a recent article in the Washington Post exposes the fact that lobbyists for polluters who are fighting against action on climate have actually helped Murkowski draft her amendment: http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/01/18/18greenwire-senates-top-epa-critic-raked-in-utilities-camp-30688.html?pagewanted=2

The time is now to stand up against the political/oil/coal cartel. The future of our State and the entire Gulf Region is at stake. It’s time to make sure senator Landrieu sides with the future of our coast and communities, not the short term interests of polluting industries.

You can take action now by calling Senator Landrieu's DC office at 202-224-5824 and give her the following message:

"I’m calling about Senator Landrieu’s support of Senator Murkowski’s efforts to gut the Clean Air Act. I’m very disappointed she’s siding with lobbyists and big business Wall Street interests instead of Louisiana families and small businesses and hope she’ll reconsider. Louisiana needs policies that will push us forward into a clean energy economy not push us back to the failed energy policies of the past. Our wetlands, coast and communities are at stake.”





Jonathan Henderson is the 1Sky/Global Warming organizer for the Gulf Restoration Network. For more information contact jonathan@healthygulf.org.

YOU DID A HECK OF A JOB BROWNIE

YOU DID A HECK OF A JOB BROWNIE



Unlike the inappropriate compliment paid to inept FEMA Director Michael Brown in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, newly elected U.S. Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts deserves a “heck of a job” pat on the back.



By winning in convincing fashion, Brown delivered a knockout blow to Obama’s healthcare plan. He won in the bastion of liberalism by defeating the heavily favored Democratic candidate, Attorney General Martha Coakley. Brown won the seat held by the liberal lion Ted Kennedy and in the state that has elected such super liberals as Michael Dukakis and John Kerry.



In the process of defeating the Democratic Party machine in Massachusetts , Brown has re-energized and excited Republicans and conservatives across the nation. Brown has shaken up the political world and Democrats are now reevaluating their methods and agenda.



After some rumors that Democrats would try to push through the healthcare bill prior to Brown’s swearing in, it was announced yesterday that nothing would be done until Brown takes his seat. Democrats now have limited options. Will they try to force the House to approve the hated Senate bill or will they try to jam the House bill through the Senate with only 51 votes?



None of the alternatives look good for the Democrats because they are pushing a plan that is very unpopular. In Massachusetts , voters sent a resounding message that the healthcare plan is a political loser for the Democrats.



If the Democrats were smart, they would quickly abandon the 2,000 page $2.5 trillion monstrosity of a bill and pledge to work with Republicans on real reform bill and essentially start the whole process over from scratch. Sadly, the Democrats are too captive to left wing special interest groups. They are determined to increase government control of our lives, which is their real goal, not improving the quality of our healthcare system



Some Democrats like Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendel mistakenly believe that the message of the Massachusetts voters was for politicians to “stand up and get things done.” Somehow Rendel thinks that the voters are clamoring for the Democrats to pass legislation like a health care bill. It is laughable that some hopelessly liberal Democrats derived such a distorted message from the results on Tuesday night. In reality, voters were screaming just the opposite, “stop the madness.” They don’t want the Democrats to “get things done” like increasing the debt limit and passing socialized medicine. Voters basically want government to stop intruding in all aspects of their lives.



The Democrats promised “hope and change” and have delivered misery. Unemployment continues to rise, the debt limit is skyrocketing and policies are being pursued which will increase the size of the already gargantuan federal government. While the President said that he would not be the captive of special interests, he has been working on backroom deals with big labor and the pharmaceutical industry. He promised openness and has delivered secrecy. He promised that healthcare debates would be televised on C-SPAN, but has endorsed secret negotiations on the controversial bill.



Voters in Massachusetts and other states realize that Obama and the Democrats have lied about their agenda and it is time for a course correction. The second Boston Tea Party was held on Tuesday and it was a shot heard around the political world. Unless Democrats abandon their left wing agenda, the results in Massachusetts will be replicated across the nation in the mid-term elections this November.



Let’s hope that Democrats stay politically deaf, dumb and blind. This country needs a political revolution in 2010, not a phony one based on platitudes, but a real one based on a return to the constitutional principles which made this a great country.





Jeff Crouere is the Host of “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 7:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 7 till 11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore. He is the Political Analyst for WGNO-TV ABC26 and a Columnist for selected publications. For more information, visit his web site at RingsidePolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.

A LOUISIANA GAL JUST MIGHT HAVE WON THE SENATE RACE IN MASSACHUSETTS!

Thursday, January 21, 2009
Baton Rouge, Louisiana


A LOUISIANA GAL JUST MIGHT HAVE
WON THE SENATE RACE IN MASSACHUSETTS!


It was supposed to be a slam dunk senate seat for the Democrats. Obama had carried this bluest of blue states by 26 points just a year ago. And the Democrats had led this seat for the past 57 years. But the democratic candidate lost, and now the political world in Washington seems to be in a major upheaval. Could a Louisiana lady, who thought seriously of running, have been able to pull off a victory for the Democrats? Many think she could.


The Democratic candidate was in fact a lady, Massachusetts Attorney general Martha Coakley. She received the Democratic Party nod after a number of Kennedys turned down the chance to replace the family patriarch, Ted Kennedy. Coakley proved to be a weak campaigner, doing little “meet and greet,” and came across as a weak candidate. She showed a real lack of knowledge on international issues when she said at a forum the week before the election that the Taliban were no longer in Afghanistan. But even if she had been better informed and a more aggressive campaigner, Coakley still had an uphill fight in overcoming the tag of representing more of the same old Washington rhetoric.


Obama and the democrats just bit off more than voters wanted to chew, and a large number of voters made no bones about their distrust of Washington politics and their increasing unease over the federal government’s expanding role in the private sector. The Democratic candidate lost because the Democrats are in charge. But two years ago, the same rage was taken out on Republicans. And no one from either party in Washington seems to be listening. Bailing out Wall Street Bankers, massive stimulus money that many felt went down a rat hole, and major healthcare costs didn’t resonate with Massachusetts voters, and don’t here in Louisiana either.
The healthcare debate was the issue that finally broke the camel’s back. The availability of affordable health care was an issue that was a major concern during the twelve years I served as Insurance Commissioner. The democrats were supposed to find a solution that made economic sense. After all, costs for those who have decent coverage continue to go up. The Obama plan covers millions more who certainly need it. But little has been done about rising costs. The Democrats seems to be telling us that “we have a dysfunctional health-care system with out-of-control costs, so let’s add 45 million people to it.”


So with future elections looming in the fall, are the Democrats moving towards political toast? Hardly. It’s true that only 35% percent of the electorate have positive feelings towards the Democrats in the most recent Wall Street Journal/NBC poll. But just 28 percent have positive feelings for the Republicans in Congress, a rating lower than poll results just before the GOP defeats in 2006 and 2008. Over all, Congress gets a twenty two percent approval rating, no big plus for Republicans.
Remember the 1970s? (I hope I have more readers than just young political geeks.) Louisiana and the rest of the country witnessed and experienced one downer after another: failing companies, high unemployment, spiraling deficits, tense international problems, rampant incivility, corruption at all levels of government, and a seemingly endless war. It all sounds both familiar and quite current, doesn’t it?



Remember the mad television anchorman Howard Beale in the movie Network, who shouted out to his audience; “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore?” A recent national poll asked the same question to some 6,400 voters wanting to know if they agreed. Nearly 3 out of 4 – 72 percent – said yes. So it’s obvious that millions of voters across the country are screaming. But voters don’t see it as just a “Democratic problem.” The polls show that, at least for now, neither party has been doing much listening.


So how could a Louisiana gal have made a difference in this week’s Massachusetts senatorial election? Senator Kennedy’s widow is a Crowley native from the Reggie family. Her dad, for you younger readers, was a city judge and a confidant to several Louisiana governors. Back in 1956, Judge Reggie bucked then Gov. Earl Long and lined up the Louisiana delegation at the democratic convention to support Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy for Vice President. Kennedy lost, but stayed indebted to Reggie after he became President four years later.


Senator Ted Kennedy eventually married Reggie’s daughter, Victoria, 16 years ago and she became quite a personality and celebrity in her own right over the years in Massachusetts. The consensus was that she was the guiding force that helped to straighten out the Senator’s numerous personal problems and get him refocused in his later years. When Kennedy died recently, there was significant support for Vicki Reggie to run for her husband’s vacant office.


A Vanity Fair article in June of last year on Senator Kennedy pictured a power struggle within the Kennedy Family over who would be first in line to succeed the Senator. There was not unanimous support for Victoria from the clan, and she, with some reticence, passed on the race. Close observers in Massachusetts with Louisiana ties feel that considering what a poor campaigner Martha Coakley turned out to be, that Victoria Kennedy would have been a much stronger candidate. Remember that Coakley only lost by 2.6 percent of the vote. With the whole nation polarized over the Massachusetts senate race, it might have been that a Louisiana gal could have ended up winning the vacant seat of her husband. Voters would still be “mad as hell.” But at least there would have been more gumbo and crayfish on the tables in the nation’s capitol.



*****
“There’s not one dime’s worth of difference in the two parties. If you put all of the Republican leaders in a good cotton-picking sack with the Democrats, shake ‘em up and let the first one drop out, you’d stick ‘im right back in ‘cause there’s no difference.” George Wallace
Peace and Justice
Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s weekly column appears in numerous newspapers and websites throughout the south. To read past columns going back to 2002, go to www.jimbrownla.com.

God Bless our Boys!!

The New Orleans Saints got their groove back tonight by destroying the Arizona Cardinals 45-14. As one of my friends said this week, "Saints vs Cardinals. The religious implications are obvious, and clearly, Saints outrank Cardinals on the spiritual food chain." Obviously, he was right.

Reggie Bush had a breakout game getting it done in the backfield and on special teams bringing home two TDs respectively. Drew Brees does what he always does and Jeremy Shockey showed some heart hauling in a few passes as well as one for a touchdown while playing hurt.

The Saints defense did what they did all season and that is expemplifying the art of the takeaway. Recovering fumbles, pressuring the QB, and providing great coverage constantly keeping the Kurt Warner and the Cardinal offense on their heels.

The Saints did what everyone in Louisiana knew they could do, they showed up. Contrary to all the 'expert' analysis for the past few weeks claiming the Saints were a flash in the pan, the best team in the NFL and next Super Bowl champions took the field.

Rex Ryan may think that the Jets are gonna win the Super Bowl, but he can't touch the swagger that the Saints are playing with right now. Believe it and take it to the bank. Saints will dominate through the playoffs and be this year's super bowl champions.

WHY THE DOUBLE STANDARD SENATOR LANDRIEU?

WHY THE DOUBLE STANDARD SENATOR LANDRIEU?



Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is supposedly a champion of African Americans and advocate of civil rights for all. However, a much different image emerges from the new book, “Game Change.”



Reid is quoted as touting the chances of Barack Obama to win the presidency because he is “light-skinned” and does not possess “Negro dialect unless he wanted to have one.” After the remarks were publicized, Reid immediately apologized for his comments, but he did not explain the context for his remarks or why he made such a disparaging statement.



Negro is certainly not a common way to describe African Americans in 2010. It is reminiscent of the pre-civil rights era of the 1950’s. It seems clear that Reid is not only caught in a time warp, he is also a racist. Sadly, civil rights groups defended Reid, with the Congressional Black Caucus rushing to the microphones to offer their support. There is little doubt that if Reid was a conservative Republican, there would be deafening outrage. The entire incident once again exposed the sickening and unfortunate double standard that exists in our political system today. A Democrat has carte blanche to say and do almost anything, while the standard for Republicans is much stricter.



The media also employs a double standard in their treatment of politicians. In the case of Reid’s insensitive comments, most of the media tried desperately to “move on.” For example, the Reid bombshell was conveniently overlooked in a 60 Minutes story on the book. While the liberal mainstream media is busy trying to defend Reid, the same treatment was not afforded to then Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott back in 2002.



Lott was hounded out of office for paying a compliment to 100 year old Strom Thurmond at his birthday party. He said that the country would have been better off if the once segregationist Thurmond had been elected President in 1948. Lott was trying to be nice to Thurmond; he was not making a racist comment. Regardless, he lost his position after an uproar from the media and civil rights groups.



One person leading the charge against Lott was U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA). She said that “if a Democratic leader said such a thing, they would not be allowed to keep their position.”



Oh really, so why is Reid allowed to keep his position? To be consistent, Landrieu should be demanding that Reid resign his leadership position. The Nevada Senator comments about Obama are much worse than the inappropriate compliment that Lott paid to Thurmond. Despite the tasteless insult of African Americans, Landrieu has been conspicuously silent.



In the past few months, Landrieu has donated money to Reid’s campaign fund and to the Nevada Democratic Party. Before it was mysteriously cancelled, Landrieu was scheduled to host a big fundraiser for Reid in New Orleans in December. Sadly, Landrieu has not repudiated Reid’s comments or asked for her donations to be returned. She has certainly not asked Reid to resign his leadership post.



Reid is safe because he is a Democratic leader and the civil rights groups do not want to harm a fellow liberal, especially the third most powerful man in the country. Reid has a very influential role in the health care debate and his leadership on the issue is crucial for President Obama and the Democrats. So, Obama has forgiven Reid and all of the Democrats are standing behind him.



Therefore, the political game continues and the rank hypocrisy is more appalling than ever. Hopefully, the voters in Nevada this November will have the guts to do what Senate Democrats and phony civil rights leaders refuse to do, remove this racist from office.





Jeff Crouere is the Host of “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 7:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 7 till 11 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore. He is the Political Analyst for WGNO-TV ABC26 and a Columnist for selected publications. For more information, visit his web site at RingsidePolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.

NEW ORLEANS MAYOR'S RACE MIGHT DECIDE NEXT LOUISIANA GOVERNOR!

Thursday, January 13, 2009
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

NEW ORLEANS MAYOR’S RACE
MIGHT DECIDE NEXT LOUISIANA GOVERNOR!

In less than a month, the election for the next mayor of New Orleans will be held. Current Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu is far and away the front runner, and some are predicting he might win in the first primary. Being the Queen City of the South, there is huge interest in the outcome. But even more so in this election. A
Landrieu victory may be the key to picking the next Louisiana Governor.


Most New Orleanians feel the election cannot come soon enough, whoever ends up winning. The current mayor will go down in the annals of the Crescent City as one of the most dysfunctional public officials in the city’s history. And for New Orleans, that’s really saying a lot. From his “Chocolate City” comments, to his response of “keeping the brand out there” for the country’s highest murder rate, Ray Nagin has successfully proven the truth of the Peter Principal. Either by design or incompetence, C. Ray just doesn’t get it, and the city has suffered greatly.


Landrieu lost a close race to Nagin four years ago, but seems primed and strongly favored to come back a victor this time around barring any unforeseen circumstances. So assuming he wins, Landrieu would resign as Lt. Governor in early May, and the process to replace him would kick in. The governor picks a replacement, with the legislature’s concurrence, who serves for a matter of months until a special election takes place in the fall. So the Jindal pick would hold office for about five months. If his replacement wants to run for a full term, he or she would have a short jump start to keep the job.


Normally the state’s second spot doesn’t attract that much interest. The Lt. Governor’s duties center around important but perfunctory duties of cutting lots of ribbons and encouraging tourism and the arts. When I held the Secretary of State’s post back in the 1980s, I often joked about the duties of the second in charge. Bobby Freeman held the Lt. Governor’s post, and was chagrinned when I would say: “Here’s what he Lt. Governor does each day. He gets up in the morning, has his coffee, then calls the Governor’s Mansion to see if per chance the governor died the night before. If he didn’t, the Lt. Governor is free to going fishin’ or play bourre’ for the day.”


But the national ambitions of Governor Bobby Jindal have put a whole new slant on the number two job. Just this week, Newsweek Magazine is touting Jindal as a strong possibility for Vice President in 2012. If the democrats continue to slip and the republicans regain the White House, Jindal should at least be a shoo-in for a major cabinet position. And that would mean the Louisiana Lt. Governor would take over the top spot and be primed for two more terms. So the Lt. Governor’s job now becomes all the more attractive to a number of ambitious Louisiana politicos.


A number of republicans are all ready expressing interest to the governor for an appointment, but close observers don’t give Jindal’s potential pick that much credence. The short timeframe gives such a pick too little time to effectively build a base of support, particularly when a number of major present and former statewide officials will give the race a good look. And so far, Jindal’s track record has not been particularly good when he supports a candidate.


On the republican side, two statewide officials are definitely giving the office strong consideration. For them, it’s a “free shot,” for if they would lose, they still hold on to their present positions. Secretary of State Jay Dardenne is weighing the race as well as Treasurer John Kennedy. Both have good reputations and can point to significant improvements in their respective offices. They both would like to be governor, and see the Lt. Governor’s spot as a way to extend their political base.


Both Dardenne and Kennedy have been independent of the Governor, and Kennedy has even been quite aggressive in pushing a separate statewide agenda from Jindal. But you can bet they will be in lock step with the ambitious chief executive if they have a chance move up to the top spot.


So who’s on the democratic side? Let’s see….oh, yes. There is a former two term Lt. Governor who received high marks in the job and used it as a springboard to becoming governor. She presently has a war chest of some $3 million dollars banked to use for a campaign. That’s right! Kathleen Blanco is rested and ready. She is working on a book about her time in public life that should be timed well for a future campaign.


Governor Bobby Jindal was out of state 41 days last year. And as national attention increases for Jindal, his national travel will continue to increase. When he’s gone, the Lt. Governor is acting Governor. It would be quite a scenario to watch a Jindal-Blanco relationship in action at the state capitol in the years to come.

A spicy race for Lt. Governor will increase interest in an already busy fall elections that are less than nine months away. And the winner will immediately become the favorite to replace Bobby Jindal, whenever he finishes his term or he moves on to bigger and better things. So to see if the first step in this scenario takes off, keep an eye on the New Orleans Mayor’s race just weeks away.

*****
“George Washington is the only president who didn't blame the previous administration for his troubles.” ~Author Unknown
Peace and Justice
Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s weekly column appears in numerous newspapers and websites throughout the south. To read past columns going back to 2002, go to www.jimbrownla.com.

Help Haiti Now, Here's How.

http://www.helphaitinow.org/

http://www.yele.org/

Or text YELE to 501501 to donate $5

Please donate to these charities if you like, also to Red Cross, but I hope you will take into account that they still have money from Katrina donations that didn't get to residents of Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. (Click here to read about it:http://www.webwire.com/viewpressrel.asp?aid=44042 )

America is still the beacon of light who helps every other nation and people when there is a tragedy around the globe. Please donate and pray for the citizens of Haiti today!

If you are looking for a family member you may contact the U.S. State Department Operations Center by dialing 1-888-407-4747 from the U.S., the Haiti Missing people message board http://www.koneksyon.com/, or Facebook Haiti's page.


If you'd like to submit a request for prayer for Haiti, or a specific family or friend in Haiti feel free to submit it to the World Network of Prayer: http://www.wnop.org/

Campaign Lip Service, or Will New Orleans' Next Mayor Work for Better Education?

New Orleans Mayor's Race Video: Education

Can the Mayor or government really even make a difference in turning around New Orleans schools? I'm of course of the ilk that vouchers and charter school programs work, but those of course become a matter of choice--for the parents that is.

Why can we not take the decision making out of the hands of government and government officials who seem only to delve perpetually into bureaucratic dead ending and political buzzwords. Come election time, everyone of course has the answer on how to fix the broken school system.

Yet, when it comes time to actually make government work and initiate change, the same bureacratic ills that have plagued the system thus far, continue with the new elected official.

I'm not saying that we need to cut out representative government, just that government needs to be more representative. These candidates need to be held accountable for everything they are saying right now. Likewise, as a parent, I can say that nothing is better for our childrens' education than our interest and involvement in the process.

If we take time to be involved in our childrens' lives and their education, we will be more aware of what is going on in our schools and thus hold them and elected officials accountable. However, for vouchers and charter schools to work we must be more involved as parents. Not all the accountability lies with the teachers and electeds, but also with parents and the children.

New Orleans' education system can be fixed, but it starts at home with children and parents. Laying all the blame at the doorstep of elected officials and local school boards allows them to continue pulling the wool over our eyes by only appearing to fix the problem. Change is initiated with each of us, and is also the responsibility of the next Mayor.

Some of these candidates are political opportunists and a few of them actually have a stake in the community. If you really want to make an informed decision with your vote, take a look at the education of each candidate as well as where their children go to school and see if you think they can or will represent what kind of education your children recieve.