Nick Gautreaux - Louisiana's Tax Slayer

Rep. Nick Gautreaux (D-Meaux)

Louisiana Republicans are accustomed to giving speeches on 'liberal Democrats', Abortion, 'creation science' and how the Homosexual Agenda is out to destroy our culture. This is how they establish their 'conservative' credentials.

Now, in a wicked turn of fate, they are being called on to act on a truly conservative issue - abolishing the state's income tax. It really is quite a sight to see them hurrying and scurrying for political cover.

It appears that the Louisiana House of Representatives is prepared to okay SB 87 and send it back to the Senate, much to the dismay of the bill's author. The bill was introduced by Senator Buddy Shaw of Shreveport to roll back increases that were implemented by the passage of the Stelly bill in 2002.

Sen Nick Gautreaux, a Democrat no less, tacked on an amendment to eliminate the income tax instead, and to everyone's surprise the bill passed the Senate. Shaw could have returned the bill to the calendar, but did not do so in the belief that the House would kill it.

Senator Shaw has persuaded Rep. Jane Smith of Bossier City to propose an amendment in the house to restore the bill to its original state. Smith doesn't believe the amendment will gain support, however. Asked whether she believes the governor will support the bill, Smith said "I don't think he'll veto it." Jindal said today that he 'conceptually' supports the idea of eliminating personal income tax.

Our own Senator Robert Adley said when the bill passed the Senate that "the Governor will veto the bill - and should."

Perhaps he remembered that he switched to the Republican Party last December (after being elected as a Democrat in October). Today he switched songs in mid-tune and said “If we can draw in industry and jobs, we could offset the loss." He must have realized that people were actually watching, and that some people really believe that Louisiana Republicans are fiscal conservatives.

The Straight Talk Express

For the last couple of weeks, the media has harped on Rev. Jeremiah Wright and his more colorful statements. The Republicans and the Clintonistas are attacking Barack Obama for what his pastor said. Rev. Wright, whether you agree with him or not, is not running for office. He has the right to say anything he wants to say. The idea that Barack Obama is somehow responsible is really a stretch. Are you responsible for everything your pastor says and does? Do you really believe that the 14,000 members of Ted Haggard's congregation were responsible for his meetings with a gay prostitute?
How about holding the candidates responsible for what comes out of their own mouths? I'm much more interested in what they say than in what their pastors say.
For instance, did Hillary really come under sniper fire in Bosnia? Of course not. But the lady who wants to answer the phone at 3 AM claims that she had a faulty memory. She remembered ducking and running from gunfire that never happened. Now that concerns me.
How about John McCain's flip-flops? Which McCain do you believe? The media loves the Jeremiah Wright story and will keep it going as long as they can. In the meantime, whoever you decide to believe, look at the record and listen to the candidates themselves.

Conservative Columnist Kristol touts McCain-Jindal

From Bill Kristol's column in the New York Times:

Maybe that’s why, in separate conversations last week, no fewer than four McCain staffers and advisers mentioned as a possible vice-presidential pick the 36-year-old Louisiana governor, Bobby Jindal. They’re tempted by the idea of picking someone so young, with real accomplishments and a strong reformist streak.
It might also be a way to confront the issue of McCain’s age (71), which private polls and focus groups suggest could be a real problem. A Jindal pick would implicitly acknowledge the questions and raise the ante. The message would be: “You want generational change? You can get it with McCain-Jindal — without risking a liberal and inexperienced Obama as commander in chief.” I would add that it was after McCain spent considerable time with Jindal in New Orleans recently, and reportedly found him, as he has before, personally engaging and intellectually impressive, that the campaign’s informal name-dropping of Jindal began.

Candidates for Congress 4th District: Willie Banks, Jr

Willie Banks, Jr, Democrat of Leesville, has announced his intention to seek the 4th District Seat.

For the last ten years, Banks has served as Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee for the Western District of Louisiana, Alexandria Division. He is a graduate of Southern University, where he received both Bachelor and Juris Doctorate Degrees.

Since his Military retirement as a Colonel in 1994, he has resided in LaCamp, La., a community in rural Vernon Parish.
He has served on the Board of Directors of numerous Civic Organizations., and is a member of the Louisiana State Bar Association, The American Bar Association, National Bar Association, the Vernon Parish Bar Association and the National Association of Chapter Thirteen Trustees .

Mr Banks' challenge will be in finding support in the Shreveport/Bossier area, which contains more than half the population of the district.

Website

The Fear of Taco Bell still Looms Large

A committee in the State House this week killed House Bill 432, which was introduced by Rep. Walker Hines (D-NO) in an effort to plug a loophole in the new "Ethics" law just passed by the legislature in the special session in February. A provision in the bill limited lobbyist spending to $50 per event.

The current law, according to Mark Ballard of The Advocate, allows lobbyists to "spend $50 on predinner drinks, take $50 worth of appetizers out on the patio, head to the dining room for a $50 entrée, down a $50 dessert by the fire in the lobby, then retire to the bar for $50 worth of cigars and brandy. Legislators can do this every single night of the year and do it again for lunch." Hines' bill would have limited the $50 limit to a 24 hour period.

The leges, apparently in fear of the dreaded Taco Bell scenario, not only killed the bill but attacked its author.

Rep. Mert Smiley said that to the extent there is a problem, "it’s the media’s fault."

Rep. Tony Ligi said not a single constituent had complained to him about the loophole. He is worried that the reporting aspect will add to the work of the Ethics Board.

Sen. Danny Martiny argued that by virtue of their status as legislators, it should be harder for the ethics board to find that legislators failed to follow the rules the legislators set for themselves.

Also, according to Ballard, "A Senate committee forwarded legislation that would make secret most documents involving the governor and his staff. Though Jindal yakked up his “gold standard ethics reform” with TV talk show host Jay Leno, he spent more than a week ducking local press questions about all the loopholes and surprises in those ethics bills. The most seminal image — also televised — showed the governor’s press secretary’s body blocking a television reporter who tried to ask those questions as a door closed on a silent Jindal."

So much for transparency. So much for expecting our legislators to be satisfied with a $50 meal.

The Emperor has no Coattails: Cazayoux wins 6th District Congressional Seat

Despite every effort by Governor Jindal to help Don Cazayoux's opponent, the Democrat defeated Woody Jenkins in the 6th Congressional District Race Saturday night, taking 49.20% of the vote over Jenkins' 46.27%. This will put the seat in the Democratic column, at least until the regular election in the fall.

Despite the state and national Republicans throwing everything in the book at Cazayoux (including Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama), Louisiana voters once again proved their independence by supporting a moderate Democrat over the Republican.

In the 1st District, Republican Steve Scalise won handily over Gilda Reid to claim the seat that Jindal vacated when he became governor.

Candidates for Congress 4th District: John Milkovich

John Milkovich, a Shreveport attorney, is an evangelical, pro-life, pro-2nd amendment Democrat who has announced (again) for the 4th District Seat. Milkovich ran in 2004 and garnered 27% of the vote against incumbent McCrery.

McCrery isn't running, the Republicans are in disfavor and the race is wide open. Fellow Democrats Willie Banks Jr and Paul Carmouche have also announced.

On the Republican side, Dr John Fleming, Chris Gorman, Gerard Bowen Jr and Jeff Thompson all have their hat in the ring.

Milkovich gained a high profile locally years ago when he proved the innocence of James Monds, who was on death row at the time. Milkovich fought against all odds for his client, incurring the displeasure of the system. He was even physically attacked in a hallway at the Bossier Parish Courthouse by a Bossier City detective.

But he got his man off death row. John Milkovich is a fighter.

He is well known in the area for his church work and is a regular speaker at different venues. Milkovich has been having a problem with his website, but has this one up at the present time. Visit his issues section; no party line there.