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It has been a good week for Donald Trump. He continues to lead in the national polls and has regained the lead in Iowa. The media continues to obsess about everything Trump; his statements, his campaign and his rallies. Crowds were massive for Trump this week in Iowa, Oklahoma and Nevada.
Former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal said he was cutting government but as we know, he raided our funds dry, used one-time revenues, followed orders of Grover Norquist, stayed in Iowa and in the New York Times and is now living in a near-million dollar mansion, while the rest of us pick up his fine mess.
Almost three years ago he railed against a plan that would have given Louisiana in the aggregate the highest sales tax in the country. During his run for governor, he said he would not raise taxes and decried the use of “one-time” money to balance budgets. Yesterday, Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards, eight days into office, declared he wanted to do all of the above to address this fiscal year's predicted budget deficit.
by Marc Morial
"The Academy has a problem. It's a problem that needs to be solved...For 20 opportunities to celebrate actors of color, actresses of color, to be missed last year is one thing; for that to happen again this year is unforgivable. This institution doesn't reflect its president...I am an Academy member and it doesn't reflect me, and it doesn't reflect this nation."
- David Oyelowo, Actor, January 2016
by Ron Chapman
“...And I've looked over, and I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the Promised Land. So I'm happy tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man.”
Martin Luther King Jr., Speech in Memphis, April 3, 1968, the day before King was assassinated.
Two hundred years ago this month, Louisiana was the center of a major turning point in both American and world history. The War of 1812 was the first time in the short time of the nation’s history that the U.S. had declared war, and the three-year conflict came to a final struggle at the Battle of New Orleans. The major victory over the British by a small group of ragtag Louisianans launched America on to the world stage, and the new nation became a significant power. But it also just might have caused a domino effect that changed the course of world history.
January is normally the time for major business organization announcements. Today's business bits presents Idea Village, Entrepreneur Week, one of the major business events in the country. Also, the Baton Rouge Chamber announced a "BRAC Micro-Enterprise Credential", a Delta Regional Authority technical assistance workshop and a Jeffferson Parish Chamber-JEDCO speaker's program
Any time you discuss taxes, you can bet the discussion will turn emotional.
It did Tuesday night, hours after Jon Bel Edwards announced his plan to raise taxes, utilize funds from various sources and cut government spending—all to plug a short-term hole of roughly $750 million dollars for the existing year and $1.9 million for the following year, which fiscal period begins July 1, 2016.
The problem is not revenues, it’s spending.
That is the message from John Kennedy, Louisiana Treasurer, as he appeared today on Jeff Crouere’s WGSO 990 Ringside Politics program to discuss the Louisiana budget crises and the yesterday’s proposal by Governor Jon Bel Edwards. Edwards has been in office for one week and the budget crises reveals that roughly $750 is short for the fiscal year of 2016 and $1.9M short for fiscal year 2017.
The mystery how to attempt to stop a major budget bleed problem is now before the public as Governor Jon Bel Edwards and his staff addressed the media in the first major press conference of the new administration.
Here is a press release from the Governor's office.
The obnoxious liberals who control Hollywood are now on the receiving end of a storm of criticism. It seems that for the past two years, there have been no African Americans receiving Academy Award nominations for the top acting categories.
Coal in the stocking?
Outgoing Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal seems to have left a stocking full of coal for new Democratic Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards.
Just as inevitably the first couple of transition team reports for Gov. John Bel Edwards looked to lead the coming bunch in sensibility, when it showed up the one concerning fiscal matters kept its promise as the least serious of all to come.
by Stephen Waaguespack, President and CEO of Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
There is a subtle, yet significant, distinction between being “at” the table or being “on” it. If you don’t believe it, ask the Thanksgiving turkey how much he enjoys his seat at the table every year.
Donald Trump has run a masterful campaign. No matter what he has said, no matter who he has insulted, his legions of supporters have continued to support him.
The smell of political party strong-arming fascisms and hypocrisies ranks, again.
On Monday, Neil Abramson, a Democratic Representative from New Orleans opted to vote for himself and then for a Republican Taylor Barras against Walt Leger, also a New Orleans democrat. The vote was for the House Speaker seat and the election has turned into a major controversy starting the beginning of Governor Jon Bel Edwards’s term, who is now the only Democratic governor in the Deep Red South. Leger was Edwards’s guy.