First it was the Supreme Court's decision in Citizins United that treated corporations as people and allowed them unliminted amounts to spend on campaigns out side political parties. The ads you see in Louisiana by the Koch brothers(who are outsiders) against Senator Mary Landrieu is a good example.
Now we have last weeks decision concerning McCuteheon which also releases a flood of money into political campaigns. Columnist David Brooks said it is a win for political parties. Newt Gingrich said it will allow the middle class to compete with wealthy PAC's. Gingrich, a perennial candidate loves it because politicians go after the money. Brooks, a news media person loves it because the news media sell ads to all the wealthy who spend millions so politicians can be beholden to them. Make no mistake these two decisions will continue to destroy our democratic form of government.
There is only one thing left to do in order to stop the buying of elected officials by the wealthy and to put the special interest people out of business. The answer is what I have written about in several commentaries here in PolitiDose. Politicians have to stand up and refuse to take any money from anyone and be innovative in changing how campaigns are financed and run. All it takes is character, courage and balls. David Brooks said you can't take money out of politics, a neat way of saying he supports the status quo. Campaigns should be shorter. The news media is already promoting the 2016 Presidential race and leading the charge is the Fox News Network, the network of lies and misinformation.
The same greedy people who are spending all the money are the same ones who demand the tax breaks, loop holes and special treatment so they can add to their wealth and greed. They are the sames ones who oppose raising the minimum wage and want to operate outside of regulations. A wise Louisiana Assessor once said, Power Corrupts, and Absolute Power Corrupts Abslolutely. That is just what is happening in our political system today between the special interest and our elected officials.
By the way, there is another way to eliminate money in campaigns and the Supreme Court would have no say in the matter just as they do not have any say if a politician rejects campaign contributions. If enough people are interested I will write a commentary on the subject matter in the future.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Saturday, April 5, 2014
:Paul Ryan And The Latest Republican Budget
The U.S. House budget committee chairman Paul Ryan's latest budget is another fairy tale like the one he and Romney ran on during the 2012 Presidential campaign. The American people rejected that budget because they understood arithmetic.
Ryan's budget calls for spending cuts totaling $5 trillion over the next 10 years including steep cuts to medicaid, food stamps, a total repeal of the ACA and ending medicare as it exists today in favor of a private insured federal subsidy. It also calls for deficit spending for the next 10 years and a balanced budget in 2024. It should be noted that no republican President has balanced the federal budget since Dwight Eisenhower in 1960 and Ryan wants to extend that another 10 years.
Louisiana's Bill Cassidy in the U.S. House who is challenging democratic senator Mary Landrieu in a report by Bruce Alpert in the Times Picayune of 4/4/14 reported he is on the fence for Ryans budget and that he will evaluate the budget proposal. Cassidy has supported Ryan's previous budget proposal that was similiar. Seems like the coming election in November is now on Cassidy's mind.
The same article reports that Steve Scalise and his conservative republican study committee will offer a more aggressive deficit reduction budget soon. Scalise's study committee proposal includes raising the age to qualify for medicare and full social security benefits. This is a fore runner to eliminate medicare and social security in the future. Ryan indicated his budget is depending on the republicans taking over the Senate in November and controlling both houses of congress.
Never mind that the republicans controlled both houses of congress for the first 6 years of George W. Bush's terms in office and failed to cut spending when they had the chance to do so. In fact the Bush administration turned President Clinton's record balanced budgets and surpluses into deficit spending in Bush's very first fiscal year and all 8 years he served. In fact federal spending went up 61% during his two terms in office. (see my commentary titled, Federal Spending: Facts vs. Myth dated 10/31/09.
The Obama administration has reduced the federal deficit over 60% since Bush's last fiscal year which ended up with a record one year deficit of over $1.4 trillion. And in the last 50 years it has been the administrations of Clinton and Obama that saw the smallest increase in federal spending. Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 don't even come close. The republican party is still living in Wally, Wally world and just recycle their past failures with an ideology of contempt for their own supporters.
It is hell when you have no record of moving the country and its people forward. Is it any wonder why they can not debate the issues or articulate what they stand for?
This commentary written by John Lucia
Ryan's budget calls for spending cuts totaling $5 trillion over the next 10 years including steep cuts to medicaid, food stamps, a total repeal of the ACA and ending medicare as it exists today in favor of a private insured federal subsidy. It also calls for deficit spending for the next 10 years and a balanced budget in 2024. It should be noted that no republican President has balanced the federal budget since Dwight Eisenhower in 1960 and Ryan wants to extend that another 10 years.
Louisiana's Bill Cassidy in the U.S. House who is challenging democratic senator Mary Landrieu in a report by Bruce Alpert in the Times Picayune of 4/4/14 reported he is on the fence for Ryans budget and that he will evaluate the budget proposal. Cassidy has supported Ryan's previous budget proposal that was similiar. Seems like the coming election in November is now on Cassidy's mind.
The same article reports that Steve Scalise and his conservative republican study committee will offer a more aggressive deficit reduction budget soon. Scalise's study committee proposal includes raising the age to qualify for medicare and full social security benefits. This is a fore runner to eliminate medicare and social security in the future. Ryan indicated his budget is depending on the republicans taking over the Senate in November and controlling both houses of congress.
Never mind that the republicans controlled both houses of congress for the first 6 years of George W. Bush's terms in office and failed to cut spending when they had the chance to do so. In fact the Bush administration turned President Clinton's record balanced budgets and surpluses into deficit spending in Bush's very first fiscal year and all 8 years he served. In fact federal spending went up 61% during his two terms in office. (see my commentary titled, Federal Spending: Facts vs. Myth dated 10/31/09.
The Obama administration has reduced the federal deficit over 60% since Bush's last fiscal year which ended up with a record one year deficit of over $1.4 trillion. And in the last 50 years it has been the administrations of Clinton and Obama that saw the smallest increase in federal spending. Reagan, Bush 41 and Bush 43 don't even come close. The republican party is still living in Wally, Wally world and just recycle their past failures with an ideology of contempt for their own supporters.
It is hell when you have no record of moving the country and its people forward. Is it any wonder why they can not debate the issues or articulate what they stand for?
This commentary written by John Lucia
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
The Affordable Care Act Has Reached Its Enrollment Goal.
President Obama and the news media announced that 7.1 million people have enrolled in the
ACA and there will be more to come because of the President's extension for those who have applications in the pipe line.
The positive approach to the ACA by President Obama over came the negative noise machine by republicans in congress, the conservative news media and the unAmerican Fox News Network. Those negative voices showed they do not have the character to debate the real issues concerning health care, something this writer has written about many times over here in PolitiDose. They took the low road and used scare tactics, spoke about death panels that don't exist and flat out said over and over that Obamacare was dead. They also attenpted to plant the seed that the initial computer problems concerning sign up meant the ACA would not work.
President Obama showed his courage when early on he used his executive powers to make changes such as delaying the sign up time for business, both small and large. By doing so he took the politics out of the issue and left the republicans steaming. The best course to pursue between now and the next enrollment period in this writers opinion would be to let matters play out and see how health services are administered to those newly insured people and when the need arises and what type of problems pops up, if any at all. They can then be addressed.
The worst thing that could happen is for republicans and democrats to rush to judgement and try to make changes to the ACA before the November elections for political purposes. President Obama can put a stop to that with his veto pen if it occurs. The President has demonstrated his willingness to change what is not working but has to keep both republicans and democrats under control so that the public's need is served over political rhetoric.
The President should continue to use his executive powers if necessary concerning the subject matter. There is a reason 7.1 million people have enrolled in the ACA and in due time the positive effects will out weigh the negative voices and the country and its people will be better off.
This commentary written by John Lucia
ACA and there will be more to come because of the President's extension for those who have applications in the pipe line.
The positive approach to the ACA by President Obama over came the negative noise machine by republicans in congress, the conservative news media and the unAmerican Fox News Network. Those negative voices showed they do not have the character to debate the real issues concerning health care, something this writer has written about many times over here in PolitiDose. They took the low road and used scare tactics, spoke about death panels that don't exist and flat out said over and over that Obamacare was dead. They also attenpted to plant the seed that the initial computer problems concerning sign up meant the ACA would not work.
President Obama showed his courage when early on he used his executive powers to make changes such as delaying the sign up time for business, both small and large. By doing so he took the politics out of the issue and left the republicans steaming. The best course to pursue between now and the next enrollment period in this writers opinion would be to let matters play out and see how health services are administered to those newly insured people and when the need arises and what type of problems pops up, if any at all. They can then be addressed.
The worst thing that could happen is for republicans and democrats to rush to judgement and try to make changes to the ACA before the November elections for political purposes. President Obama can put a stop to that with his veto pen if it occurs. The President has demonstrated his willingness to change what is not working but has to keep both republicans and democrats under control so that the public's need is served over political rhetoric.
The President should continue to use his executive powers if necessary concerning the subject matter. There is a reason 7.1 million people have enrolled in the ACA and in due time the positive effects will out weigh the negative voices and the country and its people will be better off.
This commentary written by John Lucia
Sunday, March 30, 2014
The New Orleans Pelicans Basketball Team
In the past several weeks some Pelican officials spoke concerning how the general public has accepted the name change with gusto and how the city has related well with the name change and that it was a natural. This writer is prepared to take issue with the name change.
As a teen ager and young boy who loved baseball, I was part of a generation (young and old) who spent many a day and night at Pelican stadium watching the "Pels" play baseball. There were no major league teams to watch on TV because there was no TV. But major league teams did come to Pelican stadium to play the Pels an exhibition game so we were able to see in person some major league teams. I had an opportunity to see the Yankees when they had Joe DiMaggio when they came to Pelican stadium. It is a game I will never forget.
I lived on the West Bank and it was a thrill to be able to see a professional team play a game I loved. I can still recall the magic atmosphere as I entered the stadium and I still remember many of the players name. Sixty five years later and I still have magic thoughts when I think about the Pels, as we fondly called them. Mr. Bensen owns the right to the Pelican name and had the authority to change his teams name. I happen to think it was a bad decision.
There is no way I can relate to the basketball team being called the "Pels." The "Pels" will always be ingrained in my mind as the New Orleans Pelicans baseball team. I have reasons to believe a good part of my generation feel the same way.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
As a teen ager and young boy who loved baseball, I was part of a generation (young and old) who spent many a day and night at Pelican stadium watching the "Pels" play baseball. There were no major league teams to watch on TV because there was no TV. But major league teams did come to Pelican stadium to play the Pels an exhibition game so we were able to see in person some major league teams. I had an opportunity to see the Yankees when they had Joe DiMaggio when they came to Pelican stadium. It is a game I will never forget.
I lived on the West Bank and it was a thrill to be able to see a professional team play a game I loved. I can still recall the magic atmosphere as I entered the stadium and I still remember many of the players name. Sixty five years later and I still have magic thoughts when I think about the Pels, as we fondly called them. Mr. Bensen owns the right to the Pelican name and had the authority to change his teams name. I happen to think it was a bad decision.
There is no way I can relate to the basketball team being called the "Pels." The "Pels" will always be ingrained in my mind as the New Orleans Pelicans baseball team. I have reasons to believe a good part of my generation feel the same way.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Saturday, March 29, 2014
The Affordable Care Act: Six Million And Still Counting.
It has been announced that over 6 million people have signed up for the Affordable Care Act, (ACA) prior to the dead line of March 31th. President Obama said the dead line would be extended past that date to allow those applications that are in progress to be completed. This writer believes the extension is reasonable and that reasonable people would understand.
The 6 million people who choose to join the ACA indicates that the program is much needed and will go a long way for those who have been uninsured to enjoy the health benefits that will accrue to them. Regular check ups can now be a part of their routine and their employers will have a healthier work force.
The reaction to the dead line extension from the republican leadership in congress and others was the usual noise of opposition. They also once again for the record will try to repeal the ACA for the umteenth time. They realized from the very beginning that the ACA would be successful and that once understood, the uninsured would embrace it. They also knew that the need for health insurance was there but did nothing during the 8 years of the G.W. Bush administration and so far for the 5 years under Obama.
The republican opposition to every program that the President seeks is in line with their stated objective from day one, and that is for the President to have a failed administration. The President has said that he will not let the republicans repeal the ACA on his watch. President George W. Bush understood when the democrats in congress told him they would not support his wish to privatize social security and he wisely backed off. The republican leadership in congress needs to back off.
President George H.W. Bush was quoted as saying after he lost his reelection bid, "he could not understand how he could have lost the election to Bill Clinton." His wife Barbara was quoted that she told him "to get over it." After loosing two elections to President Obama, it is time for today's republicans "to get over it", grow up and help the President move the country and its people forward.
This commentry written by John Lucia.
The 6 million people who choose to join the ACA indicates that the program is much needed and will go a long way for those who have been uninsured to enjoy the health benefits that will accrue to them. Regular check ups can now be a part of their routine and their employers will have a healthier work force.
The reaction to the dead line extension from the republican leadership in congress and others was the usual noise of opposition. They also once again for the record will try to repeal the ACA for the umteenth time. They realized from the very beginning that the ACA would be successful and that once understood, the uninsured would embrace it. They also knew that the need for health insurance was there but did nothing during the 8 years of the G.W. Bush administration and so far for the 5 years under Obama.
The republican opposition to every program that the President seeks is in line with their stated objective from day one, and that is for the President to have a failed administration. The President has said that he will not let the republicans repeal the ACA on his watch. President George W. Bush understood when the democrats in congress told him they would not support his wish to privatize social security and he wisely backed off. The republican leadership in congress needs to back off.
President George H.W. Bush was quoted as saying after he lost his reelection bid, "he could not understand how he could have lost the election to Bill Clinton." His wife Barbara was quoted that she told him "to get over it." After loosing two elections to President Obama, it is time for today's republicans "to get over it", grow up and help the President move the country and its people forward.
This commentry written by John Lucia.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
The NFL Must Be Reading PolitiDose.
Dean Blandino, the NFL's head of officiating guy, said it will now be a penalty if a player dunks the football over the goalpost. That rule change will affect Saints player Jimmy Graham more than any other NFL player. Graham seems to like the show off move.
This writer in a previous "PolitiDose" commentary mentioned that the sport was better and more enjoyable when a player just laid the football down or gave it to the official after scoring a touchdown. The players back then made less money and were more team oriented than the players today. They also recognized it takes a team effort to score a touchdown.
No one should be surprised if Graham makes a dunk and pays the fine anyway. It is typical of some players to do those kinds of things because of the "idol" status given to them by the news media. On the other hand, no rule change would have been necessary if all of the Saints opponets knew how to play defense like Seattle and New England. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
This writer in a previous "PolitiDose" commentary mentioned that the sport was better and more enjoyable when a player just laid the football down or gave it to the official after scoring a touchdown. The players back then made less money and were more team oriented than the players today. They also recognized it takes a team effort to score a touchdown.
No one should be surprised if Graham makes a dunk and pays the fine anyway. It is typical of some players to do those kinds of things because of the "idol" status given to them by the news media. On the other hand, no rule change would have been necessary if all of the Saints opponets knew how to play defense like Seattle and New England. And that really says it all.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
The Role Of Women In Civilization.
The Bible tells us that civilization began in the land of Shinar (called Sumer by scholars). That fact has been verified by archaeologists who have excavated the land and discovered thousands of tablets containing written records of their civilization. The people called themselves Sumerians and called their land Shumer. It was located in southern Mesopotamia (land between the two rivers) which can be identified as todays Iraq.
The Sumerians civilization blossomed in 3800 b.c., almost 6000 years ago and attained a high civilization that included laws and regulations and every first in civilization that we enjoy today. Scholars can not find any part of civilization today that did not have its roots in Sumer. The land attained great heights and women played a major role in every part of everyday life, in government and in commerce. Zecharia Sitchin in his book "When Time Began" explains the role women played in Sumer's civilization as follows.
The gathered evidence shows that in Sumer and Akkad women engaged not only in household chores like spinning, weaving, milking or tending to the family and the home, but also were working professionals as doctors, midwives, nurses, governesses, teachers, beauticians, hairdressers, singers musicians, dancers and banquet masters.
Women were also prominent in business and property management. Records have been found of women managing the family lands and overseeing their cultivation, and then supervising the trade in the resulting products. This was especially true of the ruling families of the royal court. Royal wives administered temples and vast estates, royal daughters served not only as priestesses but even as the High Priestess.
Sumerian kings had promulgated codes of social justice, their laws protecting the widow, the orphan, the weak and decreeing that you shal not take away the donkey of a widow or you shall not delay the wages of a day laborer. The Sumerian concept of laws intended to direct human conduct rather than punish its faults. All of that came to an end after two thousand years of Sumerians greatness with the rise of Babylon.
Now, lets us fast forward to the year 2014 almost 6000 years after Sumer. Women are being marginalized over the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade which took place over 30 years ago. They are denied equal pay for equal work, they are denied advancement in the workplace, they are a minority in our two party system, they continue to be harassed physically and mentally in many areas of life. The list can go on and on but the people know what is happening.
Ideology has taken the spotlight and leading the charge against women and the American way of life. It is an ideology of ignorance, lies, elitism and a drive to convert the life of freedom into a life of fear. It is a ideology of division, divide and conquer. Void of ideas and compassion and a lack of courage to debate the issues. What happened in Sumer thousands of years ago should matter to all who seek a better life for all its people, its children and generations to come. The Sumerians said they were taught that understanding the past is the key to a better future. A failure to do so will doom the future to be like the past.
Ideology in governing has no place in American life. The record of the past three decades has proven that. Is ideology as practiced today a prelude to what happened to the great Sumerian civilization. That is a question we should all ponder.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
The Sumerians civilization blossomed in 3800 b.c., almost 6000 years ago and attained a high civilization that included laws and regulations and every first in civilization that we enjoy today. Scholars can not find any part of civilization today that did not have its roots in Sumer. The land attained great heights and women played a major role in every part of everyday life, in government and in commerce. Zecharia Sitchin in his book "When Time Began" explains the role women played in Sumer's civilization as follows.
The gathered evidence shows that in Sumer and Akkad women engaged not only in household chores like spinning, weaving, milking or tending to the family and the home, but also were working professionals as doctors, midwives, nurses, governesses, teachers, beauticians, hairdressers, singers musicians, dancers and banquet masters.
Women were also prominent in business and property management. Records have been found of women managing the family lands and overseeing their cultivation, and then supervising the trade in the resulting products. This was especially true of the ruling families of the royal court. Royal wives administered temples and vast estates, royal daughters served not only as priestesses but even as the High Priestess.
Sumerian kings had promulgated codes of social justice, their laws protecting the widow, the orphan, the weak and decreeing that you shal not take away the donkey of a widow or you shall not delay the wages of a day laborer. The Sumerian concept of laws intended to direct human conduct rather than punish its faults. All of that came to an end after two thousand years of Sumerians greatness with the rise of Babylon.
Now, lets us fast forward to the year 2014 almost 6000 years after Sumer. Women are being marginalized over the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade which took place over 30 years ago. They are denied equal pay for equal work, they are denied advancement in the workplace, they are a minority in our two party system, they continue to be harassed physically and mentally in many areas of life. The list can go on and on but the people know what is happening.
Ideology has taken the spotlight and leading the charge against women and the American way of life. It is an ideology of ignorance, lies, elitism and a drive to convert the life of freedom into a life of fear. It is a ideology of division, divide and conquer. Void of ideas and compassion and a lack of courage to debate the issues. What happened in Sumer thousands of years ago should matter to all who seek a better life for all its people, its children and generations to come. The Sumerians said they were taught that understanding the past is the key to a better future. A failure to do so will doom the future to be like the past.
Ideology in governing has no place in American life. The record of the past three decades has proven that. Is ideology as practiced today a prelude to what happened to the great Sumerian civilization. That is a question we should all ponder.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Unemployment In Louisiana Under Governor Bobby Jindal.
Renita Young in a Times Picayune article dated 3/19/14 reported the unemployment rate in Louisiana for January was 4.9%. The lowest it has been since September 2008. That was good news for Louisiana and its people. The national unemployment rate for January was 6.6%. Lets look at some facts between the two numbers.
In January 2008 when Jindal took office the Louisiana unemployment rate was 3.8%. In the six years he has been governor unemployment in Louisiana has increased 1.1% When Obama took office in January of 2009 the national unemployment rate was 7.8% and in January of 2014 it was 6.6%. In Obama's first five years in office the national unemployment rate decreased 1.2%.
Despite the bad mouth Jindal has put on the President, Obama has done a better job controlling the national unemployment than Jindal has done controlling state unemployment. We also know that the federal budget deficit has been coming down on Obama's watch and that just the opposite happened on the previous President's watch while Jindal served in congress. In previous commentary this writer explained how Jindal has never really balanced one state budget since he was elected governor.
When a governor can not be positive in his comments, he is not a serious public servant.
Thie commentary written by John Lucia.
In January 2008 when Jindal took office the Louisiana unemployment rate was 3.8%. In the six years he has been governor unemployment in Louisiana has increased 1.1% When Obama took office in January of 2009 the national unemployment rate was 7.8% and in January of 2014 it was 6.6%. In Obama's first five years in office the national unemployment rate decreased 1.2%.
Despite the bad mouth Jindal has put on the President, Obama has done a better job controlling the national unemployment than Jindal has done controlling state unemployment. We also know that the federal budget deficit has been coming down on Obama's watch and that just the opposite happened on the previous President's watch while Jindal served in congress. In previous commentary this writer explained how Jindal has never really balanced one state budget since he was elected governor.
When a governor can not be positive in his comments, he is not a serious public servant.
Thie commentary written by John Lucia.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards: Another Race To Run.
Edwin Edwards, four time governor of Louisiana and former member of Congress announced at the Baton Rouge Press Luncheon Monday he would be a candidate for the U.S. House sixth congressional district. The reaction from the news media and others was swift with no surprises.
James Varney and Robert Mann on the editorial page of the Times Picayune of 3/19/14 in writing about Edward's decision to enter the race used the words, farce, crook, gambler, have you no shame, ex con, corrupt and washed up former governor, Tongsun Park and many other words that were unnecessary. Mann talks about the national news media flocking to Baton Rouge to cover Edwards and the campaign. So what did Varney and Mann do? Well they were one of the first to lead the parade with their editorials.
Edwards was a popular elected official with the voters of Louisiana. The sixth congressional district is republican territory we are told so the people in that district will have an opportunity to respond this November at the polls. Although out of office a number of years, Edwin Edwards knows politics and he knows government better than any politician in Louisiana today. He also knows the issues and will be able to articulate his position during the campaign.
What really chaps the Times Picayune and some of their writers is that Edwards has never been convicted of any wrong doing while in office. They and other news media outlets have never been able to scoop him. He admits he likes to gamble and that he has lost and won a lot of money doing so, has never denied being a womanizer, said he has appointed friends to state jobs (why appoint his enemies) and so many other things that he has openly admitted. Those in the news media would rather catch him in a lie.
If Edwards stays in the race it will benefit the people because a democrat is challenging a republican district. That would give other democrats the will to do the same in other parts of Louisiana that is republican territory. The former governor is smart enough to know the state of Louisiana can once again become democratic in the future.
The people in the sixth district should pay attention to what all the candidates say and whether they speak to the issues. There is no doubt in this writers mind that Edwards will. This story will unfold and play out in the next eight months. The people will once again have an opportunity to look at Edwards and decide if any of their opinions changed concerning the former governor. One can be sure the news media is loving every minute of it.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
James Varney and Robert Mann on the editorial page of the Times Picayune of 3/19/14 in writing about Edward's decision to enter the race used the words, farce, crook, gambler, have you no shame, ex con, corrupt and washed up former governor, Tongsun Park and many other words that were unnecessary. Mann talks about the national news media flocking to Baton Rouge to cover Edwards and the campaign. So what did Varney and Mann do? Well they were one of the first to lead the parade with their editorials.
Edwards was a popular elected official with the voters of Louisiana. The sixth congressional district is republican territory we are told so the people in that district will have an opportunity to respond this November at the polls. Although out of office a number of years, Edwin Edwards knows politics and he knows government better than any politician in Louisiana today. He also knows the issues and will be able to articulate his position during the campaign.
What really chaps the Times Picayune and some of their writers is that Edwards has never been convicted of any wrong doing while in office. They and other news media outlets have never been able to scoop him. He admits he likes to gamble and that he has lost and won a lot of money doing so, has never denied being a womanizer, said he has appointed friends to state jobs (why appoint his enemies) and so many other things that he has openly admitted. Those in the news media would rather catch him in a lie.
If Edwards stays in the race it will benefit the people because a democrat is challenging a republican district. That would give other democrats the will to do the same in other parts of Louisiana that is republican territory. The former governor is smart enough to know the state of Louisiana can once again become democratic in the future.
The people in the sixth district should pay attention to what all the candidates say and whether they speak to the issues. There is no doubt in this writers mind that Edwards will. This story will unfold and play out in the next eight months. The people will once again have an opportunity to look at Edwards and decide if any of their opinions changed concerning the former governor. One can be sure the news media is loving every minute of it.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal And "America Next."
According to a recent Times Picayune article by Lauren McGaughy dated 3/14/14 Governor Jindal has launched "America Next" a conservative non profit that will focus on articulating a national conservative strategy a la Margaret Thatcher.
Jindal was reported to have said on the America Next website, (1) "a rebellion is brewing outside the Washington beltway against what he called the Obama experiment." It gets to be a little crazy concerning the fairy tale about the President. What Jindal must be talking about is the Bush experiment in Iraq.
The governor was also quoted as saying, "that the republican party has not properly expressed its purpose or goals to voters. He said it is not enough to be against something." That describes Jindal's position ever since he became governor. Is he now having a change of heart because he has future political ambitions? Will the people now find out what he stands for and will he be able to articulate that message. After all, twice in the previous two weeks he engaged in personal attacks against the President instead of letting the people know what he stands for.
In his announcement he said he stands behind repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. Just think, Jinday has been governor for over 5 years and the latest reports indicate Louisiana has about 700,000 people who are uninsured. Jindal has had more than enough time in office to come up with a state health plan that would insure those people but he has done nothing. And like the national republican party who had 8 years to do something on the matter under the Bush administration they also failed.
The difference between Jindal's announcement and the position of democrats should be easy to understand. Democrats offer an AMERICAN strategy for the nation that take in our national ideals and committment and is based on what is good for America and its people. Jindal and the conservative strategy is base on a CONSERVATIVE IDEOLOGY. In other words they put conservatism first and then America some where down the line.
Prior to the election of President Obama republicans controlled the nation 20 of the previous 28 years. They had more than enough time to correct the problems they say exist and are still talking about and they failed to do so. President Obama's administration is moving the country and its people forward after the second great republican depression and that chaps the republicans and Jindal. That is why they would do any thing to see the President fail. That includes shutting down the government and doing all they can to obstruct the success of the Affordable Care Act.
Jindal's America Next is an indictment of himself and his party. The idea that Jindal's conservatism should mimic Margaret Thatcher is a little boy gone wild. I can remember a time when republicans put America first instead of conservatism. That was a time of progress for the country and its people. The republicans have allowed a conservative ideology that is unAmerican in nature hijack their party and hold the federal government hostage.
For a party to be successful, it has to put America first. Ideology has no place in politics.
This commentary was written by John Lucia.
Jindal was reported to have said on the America Next website, (1) "a rebellion is brewing outside the Washington beltway against what he called the Obama experiment." It gets to be a little crazy concerning the fairy tale about the President. What Jindal must be talking about is the Bush experiment in Iraq.
The governor was also quoted as saying, "that the republican party has not properly expressed its purpose or goals to voters. He said it is not enough to be against something." That describes Jindal's position ever since he became governor. Is he now having a change of heart because he has future political ambitions? Will the people now find out what he stands for and will he be able to articulate that message. After all, twice in the previous two weeks he engaged in personal attacks against the President instead of letting the people know what he stands for.
In his announcement he said he stands behind repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act. Just think, Jinday has been governor for over 5 years and the latest reports indicate Louisiana has about 700,000 people who are uninsured. Jindal has had more than enough time in office to come up with a state health plan that would insure those people but he has done nothing. And like the national republican party who had 8 years to do something on the matter under the Bush administration they also failed.
The difference between Jindal's announcement and the position of democrats should be easy to understand. Democrats offer an AMERICAN strategy for the nation that take in our national ideals and committment and is based on what is good for America and its people. Jindal and the conservative strategy is base on a CONSERVATIVE IDEOLOGY. In other words they put conservatism first and then America some where down the line.
Prior to the election of President Obama republicans controlled the nation 20 of the previous 28 years. They had more than enough time to correct the problems they say exist and are still talking about and they failed to do so. President Obama's administration is moving the country and its people forward after the second great republican depression and that chaps the republicans and Jindal. That is why they would do any thing to see the President fail. That includes shutting down the government and doing all they can to obstruct the success of the Affordable Care Act.
Jindal's America Next is an indictment of himself and his party. The idea that Jindal's conservatism should mimic Margaret Thatcher is a little boy gone wild. I can remember a time when republicans put America first instead of conservatism. That was a time of progress for the country and its people. The republicans have allowed a conservative ideology that is unAmerican in nature hijack their party and hold the federal government hostage.
For a party to be successful, it has to put America first. Ideology has no place in politics.
This commentary was written by John Lucia.
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)