Louisiana:  The Comeback Kid

Louisiana and Governor Bobby Jindal have received two recent awards which is an indication that the nation is looking to the state as the “comeback kid”.  The state announced that it is listed 2^nd in Portfolio.com for doing second best during the bad recession.  It also jumped substantially to receive a Number 1 spot for public disclosure by an organization called Center For Public Disclosure.  At the same time, the state has been criticized by the state’s top ethics administrator for the  implementation of the ethics system and the Times Picayune has announced that Nickelodeon is pulling out of the Southern Star deal at the New Orleans Six Flags location.   While there are hiccups in ethics and the economy, both the disclosure and the economy awards are big wins for Louisiana for Governor

Jindal , for the legislature and for Economic Development Secretary, Stephen Moret.

Cao, Clinton and Health Care

There are mixed feelings among the national and state GOP concerning the decision by Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao to back the Democratic-dominated health care bill that passed the House.  The Louisiana Republican Party publically expressed its disappointment in the Congressman’s vote.  Of course, the Democrats are ecstatic that they were able to pull a republican to their side.

Obviously, the health care bill has a long way to go before being signed by President Obama.   The big issue is whether the US House and the Senate can pull forces together on all cylinders.  While Congressman is being vilified by many in his party, his vote ultimately means very little since it was not needed for the House to pass the legislation and because the US Senate for now is averse to passing a bill similar to that which made it through the House.  I say for now, because we will know more today once President William “Bill” Clinton meets with Senate Democrats behind closed doors to marry the forces.  Clinton failed last decade to pass health care reform as he put Hillary Clinton in charge of the process—all which brought on the Republican and Gingrich Revolution.  It will be interesting to see if the now “peacemaker” can persuade a divergent Democratic

US Senate field to get on board the health care train.

New Orleans Election

With the recent Meffert trial and the Ed Blakely controversy, it is obvious that Ray Nagin will be the issue as Marc Morial was eight years ago.  Since Nagin’s last four years have been so difficult, one of the major debate points will be whether New Orleans wants a politician or a business person.  Yesterday, businessman Troy Henry entered the race.  He is a businessman who has tried to help get a Water company to obtain a city contract and much of his focus so far has been on the failings of the Nagin administration.  Some say he is pushing himself as a

non-Nagin businessman.  Of course, John Georges is a businessman who some governmental experience and definitely has been a dabbler in politics.  We won’t know exactly who will be at the starting gate until after the first week of December.  However, looking back at the recent past, New Orleans has hired attorneys, past legislators and business persons over the past fifty years.  Given the decline in population pre-Katrina, where do we go from here—politician, businessman, legislator, politician, or how about a physician to heal this city’s wounds?

Vitter and Obama the Dictator

A web site called “Hot Air” is blowing off some steam at US Senator David Vitter.  It claims that the Senator is saying that President Obama and some in Congress are setting the stage for the President to take dictatorial powers. 

In particular, “Hot Air”, That’s not to say that this bill isn’t dangerous, but it simply doesn’t do what Vitter claims. Nowhere in either bill does the term “climate emergency” appear, which Vitter claims is the lever through which the President will claim dictatorial powers. We need to focus on the real problems of the bill, chief among them that it will kill jobs to solve a problem that doesn’t exist, rather than generate false hysteria to answer false hysteria.”

Senator Vitter is reportedly calling a news conference to report his findings.  The Senator received substantial publicity over an amendment over the census and illegal aliens issue which amendment got nowhere in the US Senate after bringing the Senator much admiration from many conservatives and much scorn from many Hispanics and minorities.  It will be interesting if Senator Vitter who is making President Obama his opposition on his way to re-election can get any headway with the “Obama dictator allegation”  or if he is viewed as pushing “hot air”.