September 9^th, 2024

Linville, North Carolina

 

TIME FOR LOUISIANA TO PUT UP OR SHUT UP!

 

It’s been a standing joke for a number of years. No matter how bad things get in Louisiana, the state could say at least it’s not Mississippi. Well not anymore. A new national study by Wallethub.com has just been released ranking the Bayou state as America’s worst state to live in. That’s not the only bad listing. U.S. News & World Report puts Louisiana in last place for the second year in a row. When bad news rains, it certainly pours on Louisiana.

 

Both lists cite widespread poverty, violent crime across the state (65% higher than the national average), poor health where 40% of the population is listed as obese, poisonous industrial pollution, and the worst state in the nation when it comes to at risk youth who are unemployed and poverty stricken. And these lists don't touch on the state having the highest and least affordable insurance rates compared to any other state, along with meager educational attainment.  

 

Mississippi has jumped from last to 45^th, making a five state leap, and has made huge strides in educational improvement. The New York Times reported recently that Mississippi “is lifting education outcomes and soaring in the national rankings.” Louisiana’s educational system has become an eyesore from start to finish. Early childhood education is dramatically underfunded. There’s no good news in the elementary and secondary levels were truancy remains high, and parents are not held accountable.  

 

When it comes to higher education, the U.S. News & World Report national rankings were released just last week. The state’s flagship LSU came in with a ranking of 188th. University of Louisiana in Lafayette, that tries continually to keep up with LSU, made the same list at 465^th.  Out of the 10 top public universities, seven are located in California. How does California and Louisiana differ? California has one board of qualified educators that oversees all of higher education. Louisiana has four boards, each that undercut the other for tax dollars. Board members in the Bayou state are generally appointed based on their political connections and campaign contributions rather than having any particular educational expertise.  

 

When it comes to fighting crime, the governor has made no bones about calling out the National Guard to protect the public. However, the protection is in Texas on the Mexican border. The state spends $3 million annually to send the Louisiana National Guard abroad. That $3 million could be a shot in the arm in dealing with crime throughout the state.  We ought to be a lot more concerned about crime in Louisiana rather than what happens 1000 miles away.

 

The Bayou state is so far behind in the national rankings that it calls for dramatic leadership that is not afraid to shake up the system and rub a number of vested interests raw to the bone. I’ll have to hand it to former Governor Buddy Roemer. He beat me in the 1987 gubernatorial race by saying he was going to shut down a number of state agencies that were dramatically underperforming. When he ran for President, he would not accept more than $100 in campaign contributions. Yes, he lost, but he was on the right track a number of years ago.  

 

There are way too many “dust bunny” agencies that soak up tax dollars but are completely unnecessary. A board to regulate florists and barbers? Why? Are twenty levy boards operating in Louisiana necessary when much bigger states up and down the Mississippi river only have one?  I could go on and on.

 

Rather than a constitutional convention as some so-called experts are calling for, I think we first need a government efficiency commission, made up of non-politicians bringing in groups like the Public Affairs Research Council, the Council for a Better Louisiana the Bureau of Governmental Research and another similar organizations. Give them the tools to review and shake up state government from top to bottom. No sacred cows. Set in stone for the citizens of Louisiana to decide. Make the choice quite clear. Either get the state off the bottom of the barrel as has been for years and move forward. Or just continue to languish in last place. It’s time to make some hard decisions.

 

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.jimbrownusa.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR-IT’S FALL!

Monday, September 2^nd, 2024

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR-IT’S FALL!

 

OK, Ok, I know it’s just early September.  But to me, autumn is in the air.  Sure it’s still hot in the deep South.  But there is a tinge of lower temperatures, leaves are slightly turning and we are witnessing a finality of harvest.  Yes fall is close at hand. And that means we have a whole host of new beginnings.

 

It’s a new school year for our kids and grandkids where we can share their excitement of new schools, new school books, new teachers, and new discoveries.  What a thrill as a grandparent to witness my grandkids making new encounters and growing in their relationships with both old and new friends. Even though I feel I was a pretty good father to my four children, grandkids give us a second chance.

 

And some brand new beginnings for football, football, and football. We all have high hopes for our favorite teams as the season kicks off.  Unfortunately, our LSU Tigers are off to rough start with a close loss in its opening game.  But there are many more Saturday nights in Tiger Stadium. 

 

Yes, college football is special both here in Louisiana and all over the country. Every school is often unique, with its own pageantry, traditions, cheers and songs, and the rivalries that often go back many years.  No matter how bad the season was for your favorite team last year, it’s a new start and a fresh beginning with high hopes.

 

As a sidenote, let me tell you how insane and moneygrubbing college football has become. This is a real first too. Do you know that some colleges outfit all of the players’ helmets with a QR code where you can point your phone camera at the helmet, click a link, and then send money to a special NIL fund?  So you can sit in a restaurant 1000 miles away, and support your team’s players by pouring in the dollars. Just a new year and a new way to money grub for these players who are no longer amateurs, but have become just as much a pro as the players in the NFL.  Ah, the new world we live in.

 

One thing I miss is the turning of the leaves and the beautiful fall colors you see in other parts of the country. We have a family home up in the North Carolina mountains, and changing of the colors is just spectacular. It’s almost like a painter who takes his brush and paints each leaf a different color all over the mountains, surrounding us by a natural carpet of oranges, purples, yellows and browns.

 

I must admit I’m cold natured, and wear sweaters all year round. But it’s a special treat to put on heavier sweaters and warmer clothes.  And open fires.  Can you beat curling up in front of a roaring fire with a cup of hot chocolate, maybe apple cider or a hot toddy while the young ones roast marshmallows?

 

How about the special seasonal foods? Now I’m a pie guy. I like blueberry, cherry, and most any other kind of pies. But hands-down, at the top of the list, is pumpkin pie. My favorite is baked by my sister-in-law, but I have to admit the pumpkin pies at Costco’s are a close second. Their tasty pumpkin pie is simply orange heaven on a plate. 

 

September arrives and a full, new season begins, I always anticipate the upcoming holidays with our families where we can often spend more time together. I love Halloween, seeing all the kids dressing up in their favorite costumes, and the bobbing of caramel apples. I just cannot back away from those caramelized goodies.

 

Then we come head long into the trilogy of holidays beginning with Thanksgiving, then reaching the Christmas milestone and culminating in New Year’s.  So much crammed into the few short months of autumn. This week, a special time begins. It’s a Southerner's reward for having survived summer. I sure hope you are ready to soak it all in.  So Happy New Year.

 

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.jimbrownusa.com.