Elected Laf Republicans

[abbd]

The more I look, the more I find. It is quite apparant our state and local elected Republicans are mostly tax and spend liberals with an R behind their names. What has happened to us? We need to vote out all of these folks,even at the local Republican Central committe. Go read Carl T.'s guest editorial in last weeks daily rag and see what a REAL republican believes. Look at the votes of your duncilman and see if you can tell who is a Republican and who is a Demonrat. Enough is enough, this government has grown and grown and keeps getting in the way of progress. Abolish the consolidated(hahaha)government and rid ourselves of all these tax and spend liberals. Go to forgotston.com to see how your state legislator and senator voted on issues. Might awaken a few voters.

[jaguar]

abbd, I love your posts. Glad I can put a face with a name now. I was wondering: what exactly was consolidated in our local government that wasn't before June 1996? The police jury and city council is an obvious difference, but what else?

I wasn't here when that vote went through. What was the platform? What were the promises?

It's been 10 years now. Are we, as a community, better off? Worse off?

[TBEAR]

abbd, I think they are wolves in sheeps clothing.

[zoe10850]

As I have been saying since I joined this lottle community; our assessor(R) likes to drive a huge gas guzzler(Excursion) and seems to believe millage rollforwards are good for the community (so what if we did not vote on those increases), our clerk of court(R) is a big spender of our money regardless of benefit, and apparently not competent, our sheriff (D), well, where is he? Our mayor (R), need I say anything to make him look more lost ? Senator (R) more tax and spend. School Board leaders (R) ?.....I hope there is a complete uprising of the voters as well as a referendum to study true consolidation of government, and I would love to serve for free.

[abbd]

Just wondering here ok...Would you consider an elected Republican to be a conservative if he introduced three bills that were meant to raise our taxes? Now let's say he introduced a total of twelve bills, and three were tax increases and one was creating another government "board". Is that what constitutes a tag of "conservative"? A full, even, right on the money 25% of all his bills were tax increases. I don't think that qualifies him to be a "conservative", do you? By the way, this info is straight out of the daily fishwrap.

[Taureau]

ABBD, that is not a Republican. That my friend, is a tax and spend liberal. What do you think about most legislators in our area voting for health care for legislators for life at tax payers' expense. Only Ernie Alexander and Ribedeaux voted against it (in Acadiana). It is HB 1028. If you are against it, call 866 366 1121 (Blanco's Office) and advise her to veto HB 1028.

[Dorothy]

How is it the legislators can find money to pay insurance on a perpetual basis, but cannot fund the Charity Hospital System ? Most people in Louisiana do not have any health coverage, or have minimum coverage. But our part-time elected officials will have coverage provided by taxpayers ?

[Taureau]

Dorothy, Kinda makes a new meaning to the words,
"To Serve", should be to serve one's self.

[coolboy]

Taureau, I wasn't aware that the lawmakers were voting on free healthcare for themselves. Such a shame that they are so doggone self-serving when they should be voting on universal healthcare for ALL Louisianians. Imagine how many people and businesses that would bring to the state. I get really upset on this issue, especially when Louisiana's population is declining.

As a side note, does anyone know why healthcare is so expensive? The American Medical Association allows colleges and universities only so many slots for medical students per year. That way, the number of doctors in the U.S. can be controlled. They purposely keep the supply of doctors low, which means people pay more for medical care. In many other countries, anyone that wants to become a doctor can go to medical school....no problem. These countries have so many doctors that the cost of healthcare is easily affordable, and universal healtcare for all.

When my wife was pregnant in Germany, we went to a German doctor for a 3-D ultrasound, which allows you to see the baby's features. The military hospital didn't have this equipment. There was no sitting in the waiting room for an hour after our appointment was to begin, took only 30 minutes, pictures were great, got a DVD of the ultrasound, excellent customer service, and was charged only $60. We checked in the states, the same 3-D ultrasound costs an upwards of $300.

It really gets on my nerves to see other countries doing what's best for its citizens instead of what's best for big business and other politicians.

Another thing, the minimum wage hasn't gone up since 1997. Didn't Congress just get a cost of living adjustment of around $5,000 this year?

[coolboy]

"It really gets on my nerves to see other countries doing what's best for its citizens instead of what's best for big business and other politicians."

I meant that it gets on my nerves to see other countries doing the right thing, but the U.S. politicians choose to bow down to lobbyists.

[zoe10850]

I agree with reservation. Those countries are largely socialictic, and the health care provided is largely inferior. If that were not the case, there would not be private physicians in those countries that cater to the wealthy. A socialistic country does try and take care of all, however, I think we already have too much "Big Brother".

There is too much special interest in our legislatures, and laws are passed that favor the big spenders. I think we need less, not more regulation, and people caught bribing our lawmakers should go under the jail(along with the bought lawmakers). We seem to have lost our sense of ethics. You know, what is the penalty for drunken driving in Massassachusetts ? You get re-elected as Senator.

[zoe10850]

And maybe Congressional pay should be tied to minimum wage. Then when they don't vote for the raise that they get when they do not vote for it (weird rules, huh) the working class would get a raise indexed to Congress.

[abbd]

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. Did you know that in 2004 the state senate voted to give themselves a $9600.00 a year raise (our senator voted YES for his raise). Did you get a $9600.00 a year raise for a part time job you had? Nice little chunk of change huh? (SR 177 2004 Regular Session) Hey did y'all know we have a "video poker truck stop casino" in Lafayette Parish (which we voted out in 1998)? See SB 859 2004 Regular Session to see how this was done without a "vote of the people". This is getting more and more interesting. You'd think the local media would tell us this stuff huh? Nah never.

[coolboy]

I recently felt a bit of pride over the last month or two from the voters in Pennsylvania. Their elected state officials OK'd a massive pay raise last year for themselves at about 2 AM. The Pennsylvania voters actually did something about it...they voted out many of the incumbents that were up for re-election. Although the legislature did repeal the pay raise, the people voted them out of office anyway. My hats go off to them. The officials should worry more about constituents and stop being so self-serving.

www.post-gazette.com/pg/05307/599878.stm

www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1522332/posts

[Taureau]

We can do the same; we can stop the Health care for the Legislators that they just voted for. Call Blanco's office @
866 366 1121 advise her to veto the bill. Need to do it now;
only have about 10 days. Next do not vote for any incumbents. They say we will lose the institutional knowledge but what they really mean is I haven't gotten my fill, besides, a new person without the "institutional Knowledge" would probably do an honest job.

[zoe10850]

Evidently our legislature, in it's infinite wisdom, saw fit to table Mr Michot, ultra conservative businessman's bills on tax hikes and protecting LUS. Is he at end of term limit ?

[abbd]

Z, actually the legislature only killed two of our (hehehe)super conservative senator's tax increase bills, one other passed overwhelming. Now we get to pay 1% more sales tax on all our purchases. Wow ain't we lucky to have "conservatives" like that. I expect to local media to report on that any minute now. Nah never. That's the way to do it though, pass a few tax increases on us and give the leges free health care for life.

[Taureau]

Well believe it or not; Blank-o did the right thing
and vetoed HB1028 (Health Care for life for legislators).
I really appreciate all who called or wrote to Blank-o
trying to urge her to veto the self serving bill. As I
stated in an earlier post; the only legislators in OUR
area or Acadiana that voted against this bill was
Mr. Ernie Alexander and Mr. Ribedeaux. The others
IE Mike Michot and Craig Romero voted for it. Thanks
Blank-o; I will still not support her for re-election.

[April]

And no doubt she will tout that in her next campaign. I hope we assist her, Mr Romero, Mr Michot, Mr Pierre, in obtaining early retirement.

Here, in some of the most trying times our state has faced, we are passing bills to outlaw abortion , smoking in all public places except bars, naming state songs and vegetables, yet cannot ban cockfighting. Teachers , assistant DA's, and judges got a raise. Thank God, I was afraid all of our judges would quit because of low pay. Ms Blanco's biggest initiative was to declare a prayer day. When in doubt !!!

I saw nothing passed to control the Governess's handling of the massive federal housing bill ($3.2 billion I believe) when we STILL have absolutely no plan to revive our largest city, and cleanup is incredibly slow. Why not use prisoners to pick up trash around the city, or help demolish unsafe buildings, it is not like they are doing anything else to earn their keep. I noticed the cleanup in 'Frisco after earthquake was rapid, bridges got rebuilt in months, not years, not to mention effort for New York after "9-11"

This woman is unable to provide even an image of leadership or vision. The fact is perhaps a man, any man would be a vast improvement. Blanco has hurt the image of women politicians, perhaps permanently.

[Taureau]

The reason why things take so long here in Louisiana and New Orleans is because Blank-o has to have a committee to decide what to do; that way if the "plan" does not work out, Blank-o can blame the committee. You are correct, Blank-o will set the women back several decades. And to think, the voters passed on Bobby Jindel. This state would have been well better off with Jindel. Blank-o and Katrina Mary will pull their "sugar deal" again just before the elections and these poor, ignorant people will fall for it again.