LOUISIANA CENTER OF THE POLITICAL UNIVERSE?

Monday, October 30^th, 2023

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

LOUISIANA CENTER OF THE POLITICAL UNIVERSE?

 

Remember the story about the dog chasing cars until he finally caught one? Now what does he do?  If ever there was a time in Louisiana history when Republican elected officials all over the state “finally caught one,” now is the time. It’s an opportunity for these officials to do what many voters say were needed to be done for years.  Simply put, it’s either time to put up or shut up.

 

The Bayou State has been at the bottom of the barrel on most national lists for a number of years. The prevailing view is that that nothing gets done because of all the bickering that goes on between Democrats and Republicans.  That excuse “won’t fly” no more. Republican elected officials now set the rules and control the whole ball game. Louisiana republicans have more control to get things done than at any time in the state’s history. In fact, combined on both the national state level, they have more opportunity than any other state in America.

 

At the state capital, every statewide office, and for that matter, most of the local offices, are now controlled by Republicans. That means newly elected Governor Jeff Landry will virtually have his will with the state legislature. Landry starts off with a $650 million surplus, and will have bountiful patronage to offer republican state legislators. He will no doubt tell legislators to follow the golden rule. He who has the gold makes the rules. And Landry starts off with plenty of political gold at his fingertips.

 

The new Governor will have his plate full in dealing with a lengthy host of state issues, many which I outlined in several past columns.  As former Attorney General, he’s the crime fighter. What specifically is he going to do now? Curfews, posting state troopers in high crime neighborhoods, using national guardsman, cracking down on wayward prosecutors and judges who often seem to be too lenient on repeated criminal offenders?

 

 What about the cost of insurance? It’s become unaffordable in many parishes. Does he have a plan, or will he just chuck it to the insurance commissioner as most previous governors have done?  Landry now has well positioned congressional friends in Washington. What will he ask them to do for the state?

 

He will have the support of all the other statewide elected officials due to this overwhelming elected mandate.  So voters should expect not just song titles and buzzwords, but action on specific problems. 

 

And here’s his ace in the hole. Just gander towards the nation’s capital and you will see that the Louisiana congressional delegation is hands-down, the most powerful in Washington.  It’s hard to believe that in the US House of Representatives, there is a Louisiana congressman who is only two heartbeats away from being president of the United States. Do I have to write this again? Northwest Louisiana congressman and newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson is just two heartbeats away from the highest Office in the land.

 

But wait, it gets better. The number two Republican in the House, majority leader Steve Scalise, also comes from Louisiana. I’ll bet without checking that no State in the union ever had such a powerful one to punch. Little ole’ Louisiana is now the center of the political universe.

 

So, with all this political punch, let me tell you what Louisiana voters want.  From the Speaker and the House Majority Leader, the state needs hundreds of millions of dollars for better highways and bridges.  Get necessary funding for the federal flood insurance program, so that Louisiana policyholders don’t keep facing higher rates. See that there are no cuts in funding for Medicare.  Develop and fund a plan to stop coastal erosion across south Louisiana. The list to fund numerous other projects in the Bayou State is long.

 

It's been the worst of times in Louisiana. But it could just be the best of times in the months to come.  Louisiana statewide officials from the governor on down, and a new, extremely powerful congressional delegation have a golden opportunity. Here’s hoping the state will see bountiful results. Louisiana voters are keeping their fingers crossed.

 

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownla.com. You can also listen to his regular podcast at www.datelinelouisiana.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A CLOSE CALL IN ISRAEL!

Monday, October16^th, 2023

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

A CLOSE CALL IN ISRAEL!

 

In my column a few weeks ago, I shared my excitement of traveling to the Holy Land for the first time. I had set out a specific agenda to explore my own spirituality as I’ve grown older, and I listed all the places I wanted to go. What an amazing trip. It turned out to be all I had anticipated.  Even more. That was until the end.

 

Being a Christian, I was able to acquire several Palestinian guides who were exceptionally knowledgeable, and who took me to predetermined locations throughout Israel. The Jordan river was an early stop, where Joshua crossed over to lead God’s chosen people into the Promised Land, and the river where John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ. Other stops were Galilee, Jericho, a drive through the West Bank, and a climb around the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found.

 

Then on to the Holy City of Jerusalem.  Despite being a little more than a one third of a mile wide and long and completely walled in, the three major religions of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism all consider this holy city to be a sacred place.  Within these walls, there are over 300 synagogues, churches, mosques, and other religious monuments.  I walked for days, and despite the fact that my legs felt tightened in knots, I kept going because there was so much to see.

 

As my trip was about to end, friends from Baton Rouge were on a cruise ship that ended in Israel. We had talked about visiting additional sites together, so I considered extending my trip for several days. United airlines would allow me to change my reservation at no cost, and I certainly had a number of additional holy locations I would enjoy visiting.

 

But my extended walking had been exhausting, and I also had this premonition. I don’t know just why, but something kept telling me that I should go back home.  I left Jerusalem midweek, and within hours the missiles began raining down.  Some just a short distance from where I had been staying. I don’t know if I had been given a sign or a forewarning.  I’m not at all alleging that the good Lord had any sway over my decision to leave.  But thank goodness I did.

 

What is taking place along the Gaza strip is simply horrendous.  What happened was not the military fighting of two countries. No, this was outright terrorism both genocidal and sadistic. There are just no words to describe the barbaric and atrocious actions of the Hamas assassins.  There will never be any future peace between Israel and Hamas. There is just no way to deal with a merciless nemesis that is sworn to Israel’s political and physical destruction.

 

There will be plenty of time for second guessing in the months to come.  Why was the Hamas attack such a surprise? Israel, with full support and help from United States, has always prided itself on having a tight security operation, with spies, drones overhead of Gaza where Hamas rules, and all types of forewarning information.  The Hamas terrorists undertook a long-planned attack that came as a complete shock to both Israel and the United States. It was, simply put, a disastrous security failure.

 

Bringing this war to an end will not be easy.  Gaza is a small land area just half the size of New York City.  It’s 2.2 million people make up the third most densely populated region in the world.  It’s made up mostly of high-rise residential buildings.  So the Israeli military, if they do attack Gaza, will have to go building by building, floor by floor, apartment by apartment. And you can sure count on Hamas to booby trap a number of residences as the Israelis carry on their search.

 

What a mess I almost became a part of.  The U.S. has been paying a high price for the support of Ukraine, and now the cost of subsidizing our ally Israel is going to be enormous. America dealt with a fairly calm world just a few years ago.  Now we seem to be immersed in chaos. So let me say this. I’m just glad to be back home in Louisiana. 

 

 Peace and Justice

 

Jim Brown

 

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownla.com. You can also listen to his regular podcast at www.datelinelouisiana.com.  And a new podcast by Clicking Here.  https://open.spotify.com/show/7pqMHls9Jmc4EPdOs0A9m5

 

 

 

 

 

GAG ORDERS AGAINST TRUMP SHOULD BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL!

Monday, October 9^th, 2023

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

GAG ORDERS AGAINST TRUMP SHOULD BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL!

 

     Former President Donald Trump just can’t keep his mouth shut. He rants and raves against anyone who crosses his path.  He is a lightning rod of abuse and making attacks against anyone with whom he disagrees.  As someone who is served as a public official for 28 years, my best advice to him would be to tone down the rhetoric. But there’s a method to his madness. These attacks have served him well. It’s proven to be good politics.

      But how about his attacks on the court system?  A gag order restricting his freedom of speech has been imposed by a New York judge, and federal prosecutors are now asking for a widespread gag order to basically shut Trump down for making any public statements of his innocence.  Are such gag orders constitutional? I think not. Here's what the nation’s founding father, George Washington, told his officers of the army on March 15, 1783.

 

                           For if Men are precluded from offering their sentiments on a matter,

which may involve the most serious and alarming consequences,

reason is of no use to us; the freedom of speech may be taken away,

and dumb and silent we may be led like sheep to the slaughter.

 

     President Trump obviously has a unique problem. He’s running a second time for the highest office in the land. The election is only a year away, and he would be dramatically hampered if he were limited in what he had to say. And he’s not just shooting from the hip. Millions of his supporters feel the judicial system has dramatically overreacted in bringing many of the charges in the first place, let alone clamping down on what he can say.

 

     In federal jurisdictions throughout this country, gag orders are rarely ever imposed. The general test that most courts observe is that there must be a “clear and present danger” or a “serious and immune threat” of prejudicing a fair trial.  Without yet declaring gag orders unconstitutional, the Supreme Court has come down strongly on behalf of a defendant in several related cases. In the 1987 case of U.S. v Ford, the court said: “A criminal defendant awaiting trial in a controversial case has the full power of the government arrayed against him, and the full spotlight of media attention focused upon him.  The defendant’s interest in replying to the charges, and to the associated adverse publicity, thus, is at a peek. So is the public’s interest in the proper functioning of the judicial machinery.”

 

     In the past, Louisiana federal courts have not been immune from gag orders demanded by prosecutors. Some judges have even undertaken their own initiatives to impose them. One of the worst abusers of imposing gag orders against defendants was federal judge Frank Polozola, who presided out of the middle district of Louisiana.  He would impose gag orders without even having a hearing.  Here’s what often happens. The prosecution can file charge after charge, and motion at the motion, making all types of outrageous allegations that are front page news, yet the gagged defendant can say nothing. That’s just outrageous and un-American. Thankfully, recent Louisiana federal judges have ignored such an unconstitutional approach.

 

     The US Supreme Court has not directly ruled on whether or not a defendant in a criminal case can be gagged. It’s time they should. A fair trial is certainly a constitutional right.  But so is freedom of speech.  Our entire political system is on trial here.  In fact, I would argue that democracy is on trial. Forbidding the ex-president or any defendant to speak out in his or her defense flies in the face of fairness. We are supposed to have a better system and a better country than this.

 

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownla.com. You can also listen to his regular podcast at www.datelinelouisiana.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOW ABOUT SOME FRESH IDEAS FROM NEXT GOVERNOR!

Wednesday, October 4^th, 2023

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

HOW ABOUT SOME FRESH IDEAS FROM NEXT GOVERNOR!

 

The Louisiana gubernatorial election is less than two weeks away with six major candidates for governor showering television stations across the state with TV ads. One candidate is a democrat and the other five are all Republicans. Here’s what looks to happen.

 

 The Republican Party has been staunchly supportive of the Bayou State’s convoluted open primary, often referred to as a jungle primary. All the candidates run at the same time, and all together. In most states throughout the country, Republicans have their own separate primary, and so do the Democrats. If a candidate in either party primary does not get a majority, then there is a runoff. Two Republicans in one primary and two Democrats in another.  But not so in Louisiana.

 

Democrat Shawn Wilson, former, former secretary at the Louisiana Department of transportation, is the only major Democrat running. As an African American, he should garner a large black vote as well as numerous Democrats across the state.  That should position him to get close to 30% of the vote, and that number gets him into the runoff.

 

In the Republican field, leading the polls by a wide margin is Attorney General Jeff Landry, who has been running for the job for a number of years. Landry has raised more than $12 million, far more than any other candidate in the race. And he has locked up nearly every Republican endorsement that can be acquired.  At this stage, with so few days left, it’s hard to imagine Landry not also being a shoe in for the other runoff spot.

 

As far as voters picking a candidate on issues, they really have no choice. Not one candidate has been specific on what they will do if they are elected. All the candidates are for being tough on crime. But no specifics. Are they for curfews of young kids under 16 being off the streets by midnight? Many crimes, including murder, are committed in early morning hours by kids as young as 13 years old and during early morning hours.  Many other states are instilling curfews. New Orleans and Baton Rouge are listed as two of the most dangerous cities in America. Will the next governor call out the National Guard in order into protect crime ridden neighborhoods?

 

How about specifics on insurance reform. Well, the next governor get into the nitty-gritty of insurance changes, or just leave the whole issue alone as he have all previous governors?  Will the state police be ordered to make driver safety a priority?  Up until now, the vast majority of accidents are handled by local sheriff’s offices. Let’s face it, Louisiana has a large number of lousy drivers. What’s the next governor going to do to instill driver safety? And how about asking other Gulf Coast governors to get together on some type of a catastrophic insurance protection program? I see the new insurance commissioner is called for getting the southern states together to develop a regional insurance program that can lower insurance costs for Louisiana policyholders. What’s the next governor’s position on this vital but controversial issue?

 

What’s their stance on funding early childhood education? The last few legislatures have financed only a pittance. Are you for vouchers to let parents choose what school they want their child to attend? And why has Mississippi jumped from the very bottom to the middle of states across the nation when it comes educational reform? Can you explain what Mississippi is doing right? Will you follow their lead?  What about colleges?  Do we have too many? LSU is ranked 199 in the nation by US News and World Report. What are your plans to improve the overall quality of higher education?

 

I am quite sensitive personally to a candidate for the state’s highest office putting together a detailed plan of his or her priorities and concerns. I offered a 187-page specific program what I ran for governor in 1987. There is no such plan or anything close that has been offered by any current candidate for governor. So candidates, don’t talk to us in song titles. Get extremely specific as what you will do to improve the quality of life in the Bayou state.  That’s what voters are looking for.

 

Peace and Justice

Jim Brown

Jim Brown’s syndicated column appears each week in numerous newspapers throughout the nation and on websites worldwide. You can read all his past columns and see continuing updates at http://www.jimbrownla.com. You can also listen to his regular podcast at www.datelinelouisiana.com.