Understanding the past is still the key to the future. I have used that theme on several occasions here in "politidose" during commentary in the past few years. Those who fail to understand and learn from the past will reap a future that looks like the past. The NSA picture that is in the news today is a good example and represents the future (present time) and is a repeat of the past. Let us examine the past.
The NSA is only one arm of the United States's intelligence community and what is being exposed today, but the news story is really not new. In a book titled "Body of Secrets" written by James Bramford almost 20 years ago detailed NSA's signal capabilities of intercepting phone conversations and etc. and processing such information with a super computer. The book detailes the many questionable acts NSA was involved with. It also detailed a little known fact of Israel's involvement in an attack of a U.S. naval ship that killed 34 Americans. The book exposed many of NSA's secrets.
NSA is also doing now what they did in the past under the Bush administration. At that time they were even by passing the FISA court. That was later corrected by actions of Congress. So the NSA revelation is nothing new, it has its roots in the past. Elected officials have failed to regulate and use their oversight to correct the mistakes of the past and therefore the future is like the past. The intelligence community has a past history of violating the law. That has been documented in the "Church Report" that dates back to the 70's, Watergate, The Kennedy Killing, Iran-Contra and former CIA director Alan Dulles even told the Warren Commission that employees of the CIA would even lie under oath in a court of law. President Truman who created the CIA was established to gather intelligence so that the President could make sound judgements.
Truman withheld from the CIA operation authority and was appalled when he learned that Presidents who followed him gave that out to the intelligence community. He wrote several articles concerning that. Our elected officials have learned nothing from the past about oversight and holding the intelligence community responsible for their actions. Therefore the future that is now being played out in the news media is a repeat of the past. Until elected officials learn that understanding the past is the key to the future nothing will change, and the future will continue to be like the past. And that does not only apply to intelligence matters.
This post written by John Lucia
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Yes, The Federal Budget Deficit Is Shrinking
The Congressional Budget Office announced recently that the federal budget deficit for fiscal year ending 9/30/13 will be approximately $640 billion. That is much less than the $900 billion that was projected earlier. Increased federal revenues and pay back to the U.S. Treasury for the TARP program was responsible for the decline in the projected budget deficit according to the CBO.
Once again it is a democratic administration who's policies are working that is bringing back some sanity to the government's fiscal house that the Bush administration and the republican controlled congress destroyed during their control. Today's republicans in the U.S. House and Senate hate to see a democratic administration doing well and continue to block the Presidents call to do more to keep the economy going strong.
The republicans unAmerican ideology of cutting federal spending to balance the federal budget is a two part fairy tale. The very first fairy tale is that no republican President has cut year to year federal spending in over 50 years even when they had the opportunity to do so. The second republican fairy tale of cutting taxes for corporate America and the wealthy to create jobs just does not happen.
The most important action congress can do to move the economy forward and create more jobs there by keeping the economy moving is to pass the President's job program that the U.S. House has been sitting on for well over a year. That would not only reduce the unemployment numbers dramatically, it would also increase federal revenue with more people employed and would also reduce the federal deficit more and move towards a balanced budget. The republicans know that and that is why they are sitting on their cans. The President needs to start kicking those cans.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Once again it is a democratic administration who's policies are working that is bringing back some sanity to the government's fiscal house that the Bush administration and the republican controlled congress destroyed during their control. Today's republicans in the U.S. House and Senate hate to see a democratic administration doing well and continue to block the Presidents call to do more to keep the economy going strong.
The republicans unAmerican ideology of cutting federal spending to balance the federal budget is a two part fairy tale. The very first fairy tale is that no republican President has cut year to year federal spending in over 50 years even when they had the opportunity to do so. The second republican fairy tale of cutting taxes for corporate America and the wealthy to create jobs just does not happen.
The most important action congress can do to move the economy forward and create more jobs there by keeping the economy moving is to pass the President's job program that the U.S. House has been sitting on for well over a year. That would not only reduce the unemployment numbers dramatically, it would also increase federal revenue with more people employed and would also reduce the federal deficit more and move towards a balanced budget. The republicans know that and that is why they are sitting on their cans. The President needs to start kicking those cans.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Enforcing State Regulations
In a Times Picayune story of May 8 according to Louisiana state legislative auditor about $1.1 million in federal food stamps money was given to and spent by those who were not eligible for the program. The federal program is managed by Louisiana's Department of Children and Family Services. (DCFS) The DCFS also determines who is eligible and distributes the food cards that are loaded each month.
The auditor also found signs of other potential fraud that should be investigated that amounted to $2 million last year. Secretary Susie Sonnier of DCFS said her agency is reviewing all the cases cited in the auditor's report. Once again we have a problem of not regulating a program properly that cost the tax payers money, only this time it is the state of Louisiana that has failed to regulate and manage the regulations it set up itself.
The federal government catches a lot of flack for their failure to regulate in many areas but we hear very little about states who fail to administer and regulate programs that they themselves are responsible for. The DCFS is only one example. Enforcing regulations on a City, State and Federal level should be SOP not because government is involved but because it is an orderly process for the checks and balances needed for a society that has so many special interests and because taxpayers money is always involved.
The federal government is not the only government that has to get its house in order and enforce regulations that are for the common good. If one listens to state governors, you would think states do no wrong. Now that is really a fairy tail.
This commentary written by John Lucia
The auditor also found signs of other potential fraud that should be investigated that amounted to $2 million last year. Secretary Susie Sonnier of DCFS said her agency is reviewing all the cases cited in the auditor's report. Once again we have a problem of not regulating a program properly that cost the tax payers money, only this time it is the state of Louisiana that has failed to regulate and manage the regulations it set up itself.
The federal government catches a lot of flack for their failure to regulate in many areas but we hear very little about states who fail to administer and regulate programs that they themselves are responsible for. The DCFS is only one example. Enforcing regulations on a City, State and Federal level should be SOP not because government is involved but because it is an orderly process for the checks and balances needed for a society that has so many special interests and because taxpayers money is always involved.
The federal government is not the only government that has to get its house in order and enforce regulations that are for the common good. If one listens to state governors, you would think states do no wrong. Now that is really a fairy tail.
This commentary written by John Lucia
Democratic Administrations: Best At Keeping America Safe At Home And Abroad
As of this writing President's Clinton and Obama have kept America and our people safer from terror attacks both at home and abroad in the past 33 years while the country and its people suffered the worst terrorists attacks on the watch of President's Reagan and Bush 43.
Reagan came to office talking tough telling the terrorists you can run but you can't hide. He then sent our Marines to Beirut as peace keepers to bail out Israel who was catching flack on their war against Lebanon and terrorists blew up the Marines compound killing 241 Marines. That was and still is the worst foreign terror attack against American personnel abroad. Those terrorists have never been brought to justice according to the latest report.
Bush 43 came to office talking tough also and terrorists inflicted the worst attack on U.S. soil Sept. 11, 2001 killing over 2000 Americans. The master mind was Osama Bin Laden. A few years later Bush said he did not know where Bin Laden was hiding and really did not give it much thought. President Obama upon taking office made his number one priority to bring Bin Laden to justice and he did just that. The Obama administration also had the wisdom to bury Bin Laden at sea there fore depriving the terrorists of a shrine to spread their propaganda.
Bush's invasion of Iraq did not make America or its people safer from WMD because Iraq had none. But both N. Korea and Iran were developing WMD at the time so Bush said. In fact in his State of the Union address he called those three countries an "Axil of evil". The Iraq war created Al Queda in Iraq who had no standing in Iraq prior to the war. They were responsible for killing many of the 4400 plus Americans in Iraq, something they could not do prior to the war.
It really chaps republicans that Clinton and Obama has kept our country safe and is one reason they are trying to make an issue out of Benghazi. They want really bad to see something happen on the President's watch. The republican party today is really a sorry party with no substance and they are getting worse because of the tea party within their ranks. If it were up to some republicans we would have put American troops in Iran, Lybia and Syria. You know, the so called tough talk from the so called hawks. The big problem is many of them have never worn the uniform of their country but love to send other people's children off to war. That really says it all.
This commentary written by John Lucia
Reagan came to office talking tough telling the terrorists you can run but you can't hide. He then sent our Marines to Beirut as peace keepers to bail out Israel who was catching flack on their war against Lebanon and terrorists blew up the Marines compound killing 241 Marines. That was and still is the worst foreign terror attack against American personnel abroad. Those terrorists have never been brought to justice according to the latest report.
Bush 43 came to office talking tough also and terrorists inflicted the worst attack on U.S. soil Sept. 11, 2001 killing over 2000 Americans. The master mind was Osama Bin Laden. A few years later Bush said he did not know where Bin Laden was hiding and really did not give it much thought. President Obama upon taking office made his number one priority to bring Bin Laden to justice and he did just that. The Obama administration also had the wisdom to bury Bin Laden at sea there fore depriving the terrorists of a shrine to spread their propaganda.
Bush's invasion of Iraq did not make America or its people safer from WMD because Iraq had none. But both N. Korea and Iran were developing WMD at the time so Bush said. In fact in his State of the Union address he called those three countries an "Axil of evil". The Iraq war created Al Queda in Iraq who had no standing in Iraq prior to the war. They were responsible for killing many of the 4400 plus Americans in Iraq, something they could not do prior to the war.
It really chaps republicans that Clinton and Obama has kept our country safe and is one reason they are trying to make an issue out of Benghazi. They want really bad to see something happen on the President's watch. The republican party today is really a sorry party with no substance and they are getting worse because of the tea party within their ranks. If it were up to some republicans we would have put American troops in Iran, Lybia and Syria. You know, the so called tough talk from the so called hawks. The big problem is many of them have never worn the uniform of their country but love to send other people's children off to war. That really says it all.
This commentary written by John Lucia
Monday, May 13, 2013
Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac Are Paying Back The U.S. Treasury
Conservatives in particular and Republicans in general once again are eating crow and find themselves clueless and ignorant. Ditto for conservative journalists, especially those at Fox News. They all predicted Fannie and Freddie would never repay their debt to Uncle Sam for the loans that kept them afloat and operating. They all said the federal government was not good at doing this and that the money would never be paid back.
The latest reports by the Associated Press in a Time Picayune article dated May 10 reports that Fannie Mae earned $58.7 billion for the January - March quarter and would pay $59.4 billion in dividends to the U.S. Treasury next month. That will bring their total payment to $95 billion so far to Uncle Sam out of the $116 billion loaned to them. Freddie Mac will pay $7 billion in dividends next month to the U.S. Treasury.
I wrote a past commentary here in politidose early on the subject matter and pointed out that contrary to what the conservatives were saying, Uncle Sam did indeed have a record in recapturing the money loaned to failed companies and or foreign countries. The U.S. bailed out Chrysler many years ago and Mexico not too many years ago and was paid back all the money loaned plus interest.
Yes, there is a precedent to judge what works and what does not work. And yes the federal government does perform well when a democrat is in the White House. The problem for conservatives is their ideology has produced failure for just about everything they touch. Understanding the past is still the key to the future. Democrats are more in tuned with the future.
Written by John Lucia
The latest reports by the Associated Press in a Time Picayune article dated May 10 reports that Fannie Mae earned $58.7 billion for the January - March quarter and would pay $59.4 billion in dividends to the U.S. Treasury next month. That will bring their total payment to $95 billion so far to Uncle Sam out of the $116 billion loaned to them. Freddie Mac will pay $7 billion in dividends next month to the U.S. Treasury.
I wrote a past commentary here in politidose early on the subject matter and pointed out that contrary to what the conservatives were saying, Uncle Sam did indeed have a record in recapturing the money loaned to failed companies and or foreign countries. The U.S. bailed out Chrysler many years ago and Mexico not too many years ago and was paid back all the money loaned plus interest.
Yes, there is a precedent to judge what works and what does not work. And yes the federal government does perform well when a democrat is in the White House. The problem for conservatives is their ideology has produced failure for just about everything they touch. Understanding the past is still the key to the future. Democrats are more in tuned with the future.
Written by John Lucia
Saturday, May 11, 2013
April's Job Creation and Unemployment Rate: The Economy Continues To Improve
The Labor Department announced that the economy added 165,000 jobs in April, more than the pundits predicted and unemployment fell again to 7.5%, down from 7.6% the month before. The numbers show that the Obama administration's policies are working despite the do nothing Republicans in Congress and their unAmerican attitude toward the country and the people.
Republican administrations can not compete with Democratic administrations on the economy, job creation, balancing the federal budget or having reasonable increases in federal spending so they do not want to see Obama succeed. The U.S. House has been sitting on the President's job's bill for over a year with out any action. The U.S. Senate passed that bill and it is fully paid for. If the U.S. House would have passed that bill the nation would be at or near full employment by the end of the year. John Boehner and his republican ditto heads know that, so the bill has been ignored. They can not stand to see any Presidential success by a democratic administration.
The President needs to do what ever his Presidential powers allow him to do on his own and not yield one inch to the phony republicans. They do not represent the people or the mood of the country and are a pitiful bunch. Once again it is a democratic administration leading the nations economic recovery, and once again it was a republican administration under George W. Bush that left office and gave the country and its people the second great republican depression. Conservatives have no policies, they only have an ideology that is unAmerican and unworkable.
President Obama's policies are working, the economy and job creation are moving forward. The housing industry is busy and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are paying the U.S. Treasury back the money they were loaned and making a healthy profit. As this writer has pointed out in the past many times over, democratic administrations do out perform republican administrations for the benefit of the country and its people.
Yes, precedent does matter, that is why it is predictable.
Written by John Lucia
Republican administrations can not compete with Democratic administrations on the economy, job creation, balancing the federal budget or having reasonable increases in federal spending so they do not want to see Obama succeed. The U.S. House has been sitting on the President's job's bill for over a year with out any action. The U.S. Senate passed that bill and it is fully paid for. If the U.S. House would have passed that bill the nation would be at or near full employment by the end of the year. John Boehner and his republican ditto heads know that, so the bill has been ignored. They can not stand to see any Presidential success by a democratic administration.
The President needs to do what ever his Presidential powers allow him to do on his own and not yield one inch to the phony republicans. They do not represent the people or the mood of the country and are a pitiful bunch. Once again it is a democratic administration leading the nations economic recovery, and once again it was a republican administration under George W. Bush that left office and gave the country and its people the second great republican depression. Conservatives have no policies, they only have an ideology that is unAmerican and unworkable.
President Obama's policies are working, the economy and job creation are moving forward. The housing industry is busy and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are paying the U.S. Treasury back the money they were loaned and making a healthy profit. As this writer has pointed out in the past many times over, democratic administrations do out perform republican administrations for the benefit of the country and its people.
Yes, precedent does matter, that is why it is predictable.
Written by John Lucia
Sunday, May 5, 2013
WHAT IF !!! Two Words That Can Change America For The Common Good
There are those who read this commentary and say it never will happen, how naive can you be? That is because the people have been fed that bill of goods for many, many years and use it as an excuse to retain the status quo. The Kennedy-Johnson administration and the congress eliminated the 27-1/2% depletion allowance for the oil industry that amounted to corporate welfare. They did so with the help of congress because they had the courage to change a tax benefit to that industry that was not needed.
So, WHAT IF members of congress would find a back bone and the courage to telll corporate America they will not accept any campaign contributions from them or any one else and develop some innovative way to finance their campaigns with out that money which influence their votes.
WHAT IF, congress would tell all lobbying firms no more special access to any office of congress. They would have to abide by the same rules congress uses to see the every day voter. Many congressmen on their web site will not answser any email message left on their site by the average voter if their zip code is out of the district. But they offer access to any lobbyist outside the state they represent.
WHAT IF, congress tell all PAC's to keep their money. It is not needed to understand the issues that face the American people and the country.
WHAT IF, congress would tell the NRA to stick their money in their ear. (thats ;putting it mildly) And tell the NRA they will not be writing any more legislation concerning guns. Congress is capable of doing that on their own.
WHAT IF, members of congress had the courage and leadership to say no more to any special interest group or individual.
WHAT IF, congress would free itself from all special interest, do their homework on legislation that comes before its body and make decisions on the merit of such legislation without any special influence to worry about.
No, WHAT IF is not vaive, on the contrary, it is naive to think that congress does not have the free will to change and find the courage and character to do so. The beauty part of this kind of change is that no court in America can force an elected official to take campaign contributions and this kind of reform would cost the government nothing.
WHAT IF, is reality overcoming the buying of America by the wealthy. The wealthy will never give up trying to buy America through their money influence as long as elected officials continue to participate in the selling of America. But wealth would have no teeth if congress said no thanks.
WHAT IF, two words that could change America for the common good if members of congress would stand up, be counted and have the courage and character to do so.
This post written by John Lucia
So, WHAT IF members of congress would find a back bone and the courage to telll corporate America they will not accept any campaign contributions from them or any one else and develop some innovative way to finance their campaigns with out that money which influence their votes.
WHAT IF, congress would tell all lobbying firms no more special access to any office of congress. They would have to abide by the same rules congress uses to see the every day voter. Many congressmen on their web site will not answser any email message left on their site by the average voter if their zip code is out of the district. But they offer access to any lobbyist outside the state they represent.
WHAT IF, congress tell all PAC's to keep their money. It is not needed to understand the issues that face the American people and the country.
WHAT IF, congress would tell the NRA to stick their money in their ear. (thats ;putting it mildly) And tell the NRA they will not be writing any more legislation concerning guns. Congress is capable of doing that on their own.
WHAT IF, members of congress had the courage and leadership to say no more to any special interest group or individual.
WHAT IF, congress would free itself from all special interest, do their homework on legislation that comes before its body and make decisions on the merit of such legislation without any special influence to worry about.
No, WHAT IF is not vaive, on the contrary, it is naive to think that congress does not have the free will to change and find the courage and character to do so. The beauty part of this kind of change is that no court in America can force an elected official to take campaign contributions and this kind of reform would cost the government nothing.
WHAT IF, is reality overcoming the buying of America by the wealthy. The wealthy will never give up trying to buy America through their money influence as long as elected officials continue to participate in the selling of America. But wealth would have no teeth if congress said no thanks.
WHAT IF, two words that could change America for the common good if members of congress would stand up, be counted and have the courage and character to do so.
This post written by John Lucia
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Conservatism: The UnAmerican Ideology Still Exist. A Continuing Story
PolitiDose, your daily dose of political commentary continues the story of the sorry and phony record of the republican party that has been going on now for 32 plus years. We remember the "fiscal cliff" and the "sequester" and now it is the phony and unAmerican budget passed by the republican controlled U.S. House.
Paul Ryan's budget that was passed by the House just recently is the same Ryan budget rejected by the voters in the November election and by the U.S. Senate last year when Ryan first proposed it. This years budget passed by the House has a phony provision to balance the federal budget in 10 years. President Clinton balanced the federal budget in just his fifth year in office after 30 straight years of federal budget deficits. He did so because he had an economic and deficit reduction plan passed by the democratic controlled congress in 1993 without any republican votes.
The republican's phony plan to balance the budget in 10 years is confirmation that they are brain dead on the subject matter and have not had a true economic or fiscal plan to deal with the situation. No republican administration has balanced the federal budget since "Ike" in 1960, that is over 50 plus years ago. They could not even do so under George W. Bush even though the republicans controlled both houses of congress during most of Bush's eight years in office.
The actions of the republican's in congress to obstruct is not only unAmerican but is an act of treason against the country and the people who elected them to congress. Conservatism as practiced by today's republican party has also become more right wing extreme because they cater to the "tea party." This combination has become toxic for the country and its people. They no longer represent America and what our nation stands for.
This commentary written by John Lucia
Paul Ryan's budget that was passed by the House just recently is the same Ryan budget rejected by the voters in the November election and by the U.S. Senate last year when Ryan first proposed it. This years budget passed by the House has a phony provision to balance the federal budget in 10 years. President Clinton balanced the federal budget in just his fifth year in office after 30 straight years of federal budget deficits. He did so because he had an economic and deficit reduction plan passed by the democratic controlled congress in 1993 without any republican votes.
The republican's phony plan to balance the budget in 10 years is confirmation that they are brain dead on the subject matter and have not had a true economic or fiscal plan to deal with the situation. No republican administration has balanced the federal budget since "Ike" in 1960, that is over 50 plus years ago. They could not even do so under George W. Bush even though the republicans controlled both houses of congress during most of Bush's eight years in office.
The actions of the republican's in congress to obstruct is not only unAmerican but is an act of treason against the country and the people who elected them to congress. Conservatism as practiced by today's republican party has also become more right wing extreme because they cater to the "tea party." This combination has become toxic for the country and its people. They no longer represent America and what our nation stands for.
This commentary written by John Lucia
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Louisiana's Governor Bobby Jindal And The Stupid Factor
Jindal like conservatives who serve in congress continue to express their brain dead ideology when it comes to taxes. As the leader of the stupid party in Louisiana, Jinda's latest tax plan of eliminating personal and corporate income tax in favor of raising the sales tax is full of stupid holes and statements that Jindal has made himself.
In an editorial dated 3/22/13 in the Times Picayune Jindal says the obstacle to creating jobs in Louisiana is a tax code that is complex, unstable and unfair with more than 460 loopholes. Jindal was silent why he has done nothing to close those loopholes in his first term in office. He also said we need a system where powerful special interest groups will no longer be able to rig the system. However, Louisiana has a budget of approximately $8 billion of those special interest groups and their tax breaks, many that came about during Jindal's term in office.
Jindal says his sales tax plan is neutral but it is the same old failed trickle down economic ideology of the stupid unAmerican party. His economic policy in Louisiana has been a failure and his budget cutting has been a disaster. The greatest problem for Louisiana is a declining revenue base brought about by years of doling out corporate welfare and tax breaks for business. That is exatly what has happened on the federal level under Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 and what contributed to the second great republican depression.
The unemployment rate in Louisiana when Jindal took office was 3.8%. In January of this year it was 5.9% up from December's 5.6%. His commentary in the Times Picayune is a rerun of the stupid party's failures. If Jindal had any courage he would work to cancel the 25% of the budget that is devoted to corporate welfare for business and put business on a equal basis to compete. As Warren Buffett says, taxes are no obstacle for a successful business to operate and make a profit. The little boy governor has to abandon his stupid leadership of the stupid party.
The bottom line to make the tax code fair and eliminate the rigging of the system is for Jindal and the legislature to repeal all loopholes and special tax breaks. This debate would not be taking place if Jindal and elected officials just show the special interest groups the door when they come calling for their special tax loopholes and other tax goodies.
What is lacking among elected officials is character and courage in their dealing with the special interest lobby and those that fund elected official's campaigns. That says it all.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
In an editorial dated 3/22/13 in the Times Picayune Jindal says the obstacle to creating jobs in Louisiana is a tax code that is complex, unstable and unfair with more than 460 loopholes. Jindal was silent why he has done nothing to close those loopholes in his first term in office. He also said we need a system where powerful special interest groups will no longer be able to rig the system. However, Louisiana has a budget of approximately $8 billion of those special interest groups and their tax breaks, many that came about during Jindal's term in office.
Jindal says his sales tax plan is neutral but it is the same old failed trickle down economic ideology of the stupid unAmerican party. His economic policy in Louisiana has been a failure and his budget cutting has been a disaster. The greatest problem for Louisiana is a declining revenue base brought about by years of doling out corporate welfare and tax breaks for business. That is exatly what has happened on the federal level under Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 and what contributed to the second great republican depression.
The unemployment rate in Louisiana when Jindal took office was 3.8%. In January of this year it was 5.9% up from December's 5.6%. His commentary in the Times Picayune is a rerun of the stupid party's failures. If Jindal had any courage he would work to cancel the 25% of the budget that is devoted to corporate welfare for business and put business on a equal basis to compete. As Warren Buffett says, taxes are no obstacle for a successful business to operate and make a profit. The little boy governor has to abandon his stupid leadership of the stupid party.
The bottom line to make the tax code fair and eliminate the rigging of the system is for Jindal and the legislature to repeal all loopholes and special tax breaks. This debate would not be taking place if Jindal and elected officials just show the special interest groups the door when they come calling for their special tax loopholes and other tax goodies.
What is lacking among elected officials is character and courage in their dealing with the special interest lobby and those that fund elected official's campaigns. That says it all.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
It Is Time To Prohibit Smoking At Louisiana's Casinos
Democratic Senator David Heitmeier and Republican representative Frank Hoffman have sponsored two bills, senate bill 36 and house bill 111 which would prohibit smoking on most public college campuses and smoking within 25 feet of state owned buildings as reported in the Times Picayune of March 24, 2013.
Hoffman says second hand smoke is a real health issue and his bill would also add an additional clause to the state's anti-smoking law which acknowledges the mounting evidence of second hand smoke's negative health impacts. House bill 111 if passed would add the clause, "due to abundant and mounting scientific evidence indicating that there is no risk-free level of exposure to second hand smoke."
So here we have evidence of the harmful effects of second hand smoke on people's health and a burden on the state's health cost system so why is it that smoking is permitted in Louisiana's Casinos where non smokers and smokers sit next to each other in a closed environment. What is more harmful, being exposed to second hand smoke within 25 feet of a building or being exposed in a closed building with people on top of each other.
Heitmeier and Hoffman and the rest of Louisiana's delegation in the legislature should bite the bullet and find the courage to prohibit smoking in Louisiana's Casinos where the health of people is more at risk. If any elected official has been at a Casino they will leave with the smell of smoke on their clothes and know full well smoking is a real problem. The state and its lawmakers have an obligation to protect the health of its people and forget about the Casino's power of campaign contributions.
Operators of Casinos usually have non smoking areas but that is laughable since smoke travels all over the building and is even spread by the air conditioning and heating systems. What Heitmeier and Hoffman should be doing is introducing legislation to prohibit smoking in Louisiana's Casinos if they are really serious about protecting the people from second hand smoke. Heitmeier is an eye specialist and says in information he passes out to patience they should avoid smoking as a means of preventing macular degenaration. He of all elected officials should be pushing to prohibit smoking in Casinos.
Elected officials are once again playing games with the smoking issue as health cost continue to rise. It is past time for the legislature to act on this matter.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Hoffman says second hand smoke is a real health issue and his bill would also add an additional clause to the state's anti-smoking law which acknowledges the mounting evidence of second hand smoke's negative health impacts. House bill 111 if passed would add the clause, "due to abundant and mounting scientific evidence indicating that there is no risk-free level of exposure to second hand smoke."
So here we have evidence of the harmful effects of second hand smoke on people's health and a burden on the state's health cost system so why is it that smoking is permitted in Louisiana's Casinos where non smokers and smokers sit next to each other in a closed environment. What is more harmful, being exposed to second hand smoke within 25 feet of a building or being exposed in a closed building with people on top of each other.
Heitmeier and Hoffman and the rest of Louisiana's delegation in the legislature should bite the bullet and find the courage to prohibit smoking in Louisiana's Casinos where the health of people is more at risk. If any elected official has been at a Casino they will leave with the smell of smoke on their clothes and know full well smoking is a real problem. The state and its lawmakers have an obligation to protect the health of its people and forget about the Casino's power of campaign contributions.
Operators of Casinos usually have non smoking areas but that is laughable since smoke travels all over the building and is even spread by the air conditioning and heating systems. What Heitmeier and Hoffman should be doing is introducing legislation to prohibit smoking in Louisiana's Casinos if they are really serious about protecting the people from second hand smoke. Heitmeier is an eye specialist and says in information he passes out to patience they should avoid smoking as a means of preventing macular degenaration. He of all elected officials should be pushing to prohibit smoking in Casinos.
Elected officials are once again playing games with the smoking issue as health cost continue to rise. It is past time for the legislature to act on this matter.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Subscribe to:
Comments
(
Atom
)