Dumbing down our schools

For years all we have heard in Louisiana is that education is the key to any future economic improvement and success. Our Governor travels the country touting his success in reforming education. It's being re-formed all right, but not in a good way.
This letter went out to some parents in Caddo Parish yesterday. Give it some thought.

Charles E. Roemer II

Charles E. Roemer II of Bossier City passed away on Saturday, July 7th, 2012. Mr. Roemer is survived by his wife of 70 years, five children, seventeen grandchildren and thirty-six great-grandchildren.
Mr. Roemer was known for being an advocate of black civil rights in a time when that was not only unpopular, but dangerous. 
He served as campaign manager for Edwin Edwards in his first run for governor in 1971, and is credited with getting Edwards elected by what turned out to be a margin of one vote per precinct. At the time, Edwards and Bennett Johnston were considered to be the reform candidates in the field of seventeen, which included former governor Jimmie Davis.
His innovative Data Systems at Scopena Plantation put him on the cutting edge of technology at the time.
He was the father of former Governor and presidential candidate Buddy Roemer, the grandfather of BESE Board member Chas Roemer, and the father-in-law of 2010 U. S. House candidate and Methodist minister David Melville.
Mr. Roemer served Edwards as Commissioner of Administration during his first two terms, and helped shape Louisiana politics during the last third of the twentieth century.
One of the first actions of Governor Edwards was to call a Constitutional Convention, to which Buddy Roemer was elected as a delegate. That convention established the BESE Board on which Chas Roemer now serves.
Mr. Roemer will be missed by his large and productive family and by a large number of friends.
These few words don't begin to do credit to his memory, but you can get a little more by reading his obituary.

Presidential Prospects campaign in Shreveport/Bossier

Candidates for the Republican presidential nomination are hitting the campaign trail in Bossier and Shreveport.

Former Speaker Newt Gingrich will be in town Monday evening for a fundraiser at attorney Norman R. Gordon’s home. Admission to the event is $250 per person.

On Tuesday morning at 8:30 Gingrich will hold a town hall style meeting at Strawns Eat Shop Too on East 70th Street.

Rick Santorum made appearances Sunday morning at First Baptist Church in Bossier and at Calvary Baptist Church. He flew on to Baton Rouge to campaign at the LSU-Mississippi State baseball game.

Mitt Romney will be in town Friday for a fundraiser at the Petroleum Club. The event is being sponsored by Rep. Rodney Alexander and Paul Dickson.

The Louisiana primary is on Saturday, March 24th.

Jane Smith appointed Deputy Director of Revenue for State

The Times is reporting that Jane Smith has been appointed to a job in the Jindal Administration.
Jane Smith, a Republican whose term as the District 8 member of the state House of Representatives ends Monday, is taking an appointment as deputy secretary of the Louisiana Revenue Department, it was announced today.
Smith will help Revenue Secretary Cynthia Bridges with administrative and legislative affairs, the department says.
I take this to mean that among other things, Mrs. Smith will be a de facto lobbyist for the Department.  She should be very effective, as she knows the legislature inside-out.
Smith was endorsed by the governor and the State Republican Party when she ran for State Senate last fall and lost to Barrow Peacock.

Dead Dog and Animal Porn

You can't make this stuff up.
You think Bossier Parish politics are interesting? Look at Rapides Parish, where a former sheriff’s detective has accused the current sheriff of covering up the killing of a dog by a friend.
He sent a tape of the incident to PETA, which of course asked for an investigation.
The plot thickens. The deputy’s wife, who works for the Rapides Clerk of Court, was accused of stealing a dog from the sheriff’s house and a pot bellied pig from one of the sheriff’s neighbors. The deputy husband was fired for sending a copy of the investigation to a lawyer.
A spokesman for the sheriff says that when investigators were checking the deputy’s work computer for information about sending the copy to the lawyer, they found animal porn and hard core people porn that had been downloaded.
And yes, they are involved in an election.
And yes, the former deputy is supporting the sheriff’s opponent.
Read the Town Talk story here.

New Orleans Representative throws State House to the Republicans

New Orleans State Representative Walker Hines announced yesterday that he is switching from the Democratic to the Republican party. The move will give the Republicans a majority in the State House.
Hines, who is known for his efforts to outlaw transfats in school lunches, raise the legal smoking age to 21, outlaw smoking in a vehicle with anyone under 16 and to outlaw riding in the back of a truck on an interstate highway, is said to be considering a run for Secretary of State next year. That would be difficult to do as a Democrat.
When he first ran for office in 2007 he sent a letter to a couple of Progressive New Orleans bloggers stating that “Unlike my opponent who tells you whatever you want to hear, I will never sacrifice my principles for popularity. I’m a progressive Democrat who believes in the Catholic values of social justice. Please work with me.”
He also said during the run that “My job is to not become part of the old school, status quo politics of our past. My job is to come up here and challenge the conventional boundaries that the Legislature and other bodies of government have pursued.”
It doesn’t really matter whether he has a “D” or an “R” behind his name, Hines’ nanny state tendencies will be welcome in either state party. However well intentioned, his efforts to control what people eat and smoke and how they ride is very simply government intrusion.  His move won't effect any change whatsoever in the way that the legislature operates.
If I truly believed that this change was inspired by a deep, soul-searching assessment of his beliefs and philosophy I would be the first to encourage him to follow his heart and intellect.  I just have a hard time believing that to be the case.  I have more respect for a principled progressive or conservative than I do for someone who will stick their finger to the wind and move to the prevailing popular ideology in order to advance their political ambitions.
From State Treasurer John Kennedy to Bossier’s own Robert Adley, Louisiana has seen a number of these miraculous transformations of Democrats into Republicans.
Change if you must in order to stand a chance at higher office, it’s easy to tweak your remarks.  "I will never sacrifice my principles for popularity. I’m a progressive Democrat conservative Republican."
H/T to CenLamar

Keep up with election results as they are posted

Rather than trying to keep you up with the elections, I am putting the direct links to the Secretary of State so you can see the results as they are posted.

I will do a wrap-up blog later tonight.

Louisiana Secretary of State
Unofficial Election Results Inquiry

Results for Election Date: 11/2/2010

Congressional Races

Statewide Races

Multi-Parish Races

All Races in a Parish

My Prediction: Glover, Vitter, Fleming will all be re-elected

The most exciting race in our neck of the woods has been the Shreveport Mayor’s race. This one got really personal and like it or not, that attracts a lot of attention.

The local blogging community has been all over this one, so I won’t re-hash it here.

Bryan Wooley has been in attack mode from the beginning, not unusual for someone challenging an incumbent.
In this case, I think the attacks may have backfired to some extent and energized Glover’s base.
We’ll see tonight.
My prediction: Glover gets four more years.
In other local races, I wouldn’t begin to predict the outcome of the Shreveport City Council contest.
Bossier Parish School Board District 12 is seeing a runoff between Kay Padgett Byrd and Martin Bourgeois.
Caddo School Board District 2 has a runoff between Jasmine Green and Lyndon B. Johnson.
The race for Lt. Governor, as I stated in an earlier blog post, is close. Fayard could get a boost from heavy voting in Shreveport and in New Orleans. I believe that it is too close to call.
Other predictions
John Fleming wins the 4th District Seat again.
David Vitter beats Melancon. Charlie just couldn’t seem to generate much enthusiasm.
Throw the bums out
Nationwide, the same broad group of independents who control every election will vote as they did in 2008 for congressional turnover. The Republicans will take the House of Representatives while the Senate is still too close to call, although a turnover there wouldn’t surprise me.
The Republicans don’t need to feel too warm and fuzzy, however, because the same people who threw the bums out 2 years ago and are doing so again today will likely do the same thing in the next 2-4 years.

Lt. Governor's race is tighter than it appears

Caroline Fayard (D) has come from nowhere to 39% of the vote in the latest poll.  Jay Dardenne (R) is at 47%.  That leaves 14% undecided.

The interesting thing about these numbers is that Dardenne is known and has been elected to a statewide office.  I think it is telling that he only polls at 47% while Fayard has gone from 2% to 39%. 

If there is an upset in the making in today's election, I believe that it may come in this race.

Caroline Fayard

Jay Dardenne

Louisiana Lt. Governor's race 2010

My take on the Lt. Governor's race.  This is just done in fun, no bad behavior on anyone's part is implied.  It is just a little satirical thing, ironic in that we can use Sammy Kershaw's song to poke fun at the candidates.

Jay Dardenne in Bossier/Caddo looking for votes

Louisiana Secretary of State Jay Dardenne and Sammy Kershaw made an appearance at the Caddo and Bossier Parish courthouses today.  Dardenne is seeking votes for Lt. Governor in next week's election.  Kershaw, who carried Bossier Parish in the primary election, is pictured here with Dardenne at the Bossier Parish Courthouse.  They posed for My Bossier's part-time, semi-official, unpaid photographer.

Jay Dardenne, Sammy Kershaw

More Serious Sins from the Senator?

I won’t re-write this, Rex and the Daily Kingfish have done a good job of it.
I think Edwin had it right – unless you are caught in bed with a dead woman or a live boy, you’re pretty much okay as a Louisiana politician.


London Rayne/Darian Dawn
Anna Nichole Smith?



Over the top or on target?

Senator David Vitter's latest ad is raising some hackles in the immigrant community, with some saying that he is playing on racist stereotypes.
The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana is unhappy with the ad.
What do you think, over the top or right on target?

Election 2010: Roundup

Caroline Fayard

The race for Lieutenant Governor will be decided on November 2nd in a runoff between Republican Secretary of State Jay Dardenne and Democrat Caroline Fayard. Dardenne had 28% of the vote to Fayard’s 24%. Sammy Kershaw came in 3rd with 19%.

Fayard is a New Orleans attorney and a political newcomer.

Kershaw did carry Bossier Parish with 32% of the vote to Dardenne’s 24%.

To no one’s surprise, the race for Shreveport mayor will be decided in a runoff between Democrat Cedric Glover and Republican Bryan Wooley. Glover garnered 45% of the vote to Wooley’s 31%. Roy Burrell, backed by Greg Tarver and Keith Hightower, only polled 13%.

So a Lawyer and a Banker walk into a bar . . .
Well, not really, but that was too good to pass up. In the race to replace Wayne Waddell in the state legislature, Shreveport attorney Alan Seabaugh handily won with 5,085 votes to Banker Harold Turner’s 3,778 and will represent the 5th District in Baton Rouge.

The Shreveport City Council races shape up as follows:
District A: Runoff between Rose McCulloch & C. O. Simpkins to replace Calvin Lester.
District B: Runoff between Jeff Everson & Sheva Sims for the seat now held by Monty Walford. In the last election, Walford edged out Sheva Sims by just 6 votes
District C: Oliver Jenkins won with 84% of the vote over Jake Toloso
District D: In the seat that Bryan Wooley vacated in order to run for mayor, Phillip Templeton & Michael Corbin will be in a runoff
District G: Sam Jenkins will replace Joyce Bowman.

Bossier School Board
Allison Brigham, Tammy Smith, Jack Raley and Eddy Ray Presley will be returning to the Bossier Parish School Board. The closest race was District 9, where Presley defeated Ed Jackson by only 4 votes.
In District 11 Barbara Rudd defeated incumbent Lindell Webb with 55% of the vote to Webb’s 45%. Rudd was the only candidate, to my knowledge, who said she favored the roll-forward in the tax millage rate, which was nixed by the board last month.
Sandra Darby will replace her brother (Julian I think, I get them mixed up!) in District 10.
District 12 – Wow! Kay Padgett Byrd got exactly 50% of the vote for this seat, with 556 votes. Martin Bourgeois had 338 votes and Mike Tucker 218 votes. 338 + 218 votes = 556 votes. One more vote for Byrd and she would have been elected outright.
In the only other Bossier Parish race, Kenneth Stiles won election as Plain Dealing Alderman.

Caddo Parish School Board
District 2: Runoff Jasmine Green & Lyndon B. Johnson
District 3: Willie Burton elected with 72%
District 5: Curtis Hooks elected with 52% out of a field of three candidates.

Other Caddo Parish races
Mooringsport Mayor – Lynn Porter
Vivian Mayor – Stephen Taylor
Belcher Mayor – Jennifer Fant
Ryan Nelson – Chief of Police Vivian
John D. Stone - Chief of Police Gilliam
Belton Moore & Jim Slagle will be in a runoff for Vivian alderman-at-large.
The other races for Vivian Alderman:
Ward 1 – Pete Shepard
Ward 2 - Michael Van Schoick
Ward 3 – Runoff between Judy Wilson & Jamie Clifton
Ward 4 – Raymond Earl Williams

All results are as reported by the Louisiana Secretary of State

Candidates working to the end

The polls will close in less than 2 hours and we will start getting some results.  Meantime, candidates are campaigning until the last minute.
Top photo: Dana Bruhnke campaign workers meet on Youree Drive this morning.
Bottom Photo: Bryan Wooley supporters at Walker Road and Mansfield Road.





Tigers Play & Election Day - Louisiana Sports in Full Swing

The Tennessee Volunteers come to Tiger Stadium and it's election day to boot.

Election notes - includes links to Bossier School Board candidate interviews

Just a few observations about the election tomorrow.
Lt. Governor
We will come up with two final choices for Lt. Governor, as I don’t foresee anyone getting a plurality of votes.
My prediction is that the runoff on November 2 will be between Secretary of State Jay Dardenne and Sammy Kershaw.
I like Sammy Kershaw, who in his own words is ‘the only one running for Lt. Governor. Kershaw believes, and we all know, that the other candidates are trying to position themselves for a run for governor when Bobby Jindal steps up or out.
"So what that's telling me is, I'm the only one running for lieutenant governor. I don't need to wake up and pick up the phone every morning and ask, 'Is he dead yet?'"
The Shreveport Mayor’s race
Tomorrow will likewise give us runoff candidates for the Shreveport Mayor’s spot. Cedric Glover will be there, and either Bryan Wooley or David Cox.  I have believed all along that Cox was one to watch.
Back in August I made the following comment on Gerry Mays’ blog:
Jim
I think Cox is the one to watch. My prediction for the general would be Cox vs Glover.
That being said, my 'prediction record' is not exactly stellar.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010, 5:37:17 PM
Of course, predicting any election is a fool's errand, but it is fun and be honest, we all do it.
The Bossier School Board Race
The Shreveport-Bossier Tea Party has contacted every candidate in the contested seats in this race, and every candidate has submitted themselves to an interview except for one. Rick Ganey in District 6 did not respond to their request.
Check out your district and find out where your candidate stands on some important issues facing the board. 
As of the time that I'm publishing this, all the interviews are posted except for District 9.  Check the Shreveport-Bossier Tea Party website for updates and look on the left side of the webpage.  Evodna Springer and Matt Sciba did a great job on these interviews.
UPDATE:  District 9 interview with Ed Jackson is now up.

District 1
• Mike Dooley
• Dr. Jack Raley
District 2
• Incumbent Unopposed
District 3
• Allison Brigham
• Morgan Johnson
District 4
• Jo Jo Hamiter
• Tammy Smith
District 5
• Incumbent Unopposed
District 6
• Glen Bullard
• Rick Ganey NO RESPONSE
District 7
• Incumbent Unopposed
District 8
• Incumbent Unopposed
District 9
•
•
District 10
• Sandra Darby
• Lonzo Scheffield III
District 11
• Barbara Rudd
• Lindell Webb
District 12
• Martin Bourgeois
• Kay Padgett Byrd
• Mike Tucker

Vitter, Melancon win primary nods

Oh wait, the polls don't close until 8PM.  Think I'll stick with the headline though.
I am very interested in seeing how many people vote in the first ever Libertarian primary.

UPDATE:  It will be Vitter and Melancon.  In the 4th District congressional race Bossier City Minister David Melville won the nod from Democrats to face off against incumbent John Fleming.
Melville is former governor Buddy Roemer's brother-in-law.

Don't vote. You'll only encourage them.

No one knows who originated it, but the title of this post is one of my favorite political quotes.
Now to the point.
Our representative, Dr. John Fleming of Minden, appeared with David Vitter to speak to the Republican Women of Bossier. His speech is catching some attention (mainly from Democrats) around the country for this statement:
"We have two competing world views here and there is no way that we can reach across the aisle -- one is going to have to win," Fleming said.
“We are either going to go down the socialist road and become like western Europe and create, I guess really a godless society, an atheist society. Or we're going to continue down the other pathway where we believe in freedom of speech, individual liberties and that we remain a Christian nation. So we're going to have to win that battle, we're going to have to solve that argument before we can once again reach across and work together on things.”
Fleming went in two years ago in a squeaker of a general election when he defeated Paul Carmouche. This time, he has no serious opposition. He will win in a landslide.
If you don’t like him, don’t blame me. Just stating the facts.
As an interesting side note, term limited State Representative Jane Smith was there. A couple of people are already jockeying for position to take her seat in the legislature. As far as I know, only one has made his intentions pretty clear, and that is Duke Lowrie. Next year will be interesting.
Now back to, well, now.
Down in the 3rd congressional district things are getting heated.
There is a three way race for the Republican nomination. The best known candidate is Hunt Downer, former Democratic Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives.
The Tea Party of Louisiana (which really isn’t THE Tea Party of Louisiana, but a local organization), has started an internet assault on Downer.
It’s called “Down with Downer’. That’s original. Just a thought here, since John Fleming owns a whole gaggle of UPS stores could he cash in on ‘Up with UPS’?
Okay, I’m sorry, I said it was just a thought.
Anyway, the Tea Party of Louisiana (but not really) put up this YouTube video accusing Downer of being a ‘RINO’.

Chris Comeaux, a lead organizer of the Tea Party of Louisiana, said "You can't let candidates out there claim the tea party banner when time and time again they've voted for big government," Comeaux said. "There is no gray area here. You're either following the founders' view of a limited government or you're not."
Downer apparently upset some people when he canceled his commitment to attend a tea party forum last week in Gonzales sponsored by the Baton Rouge Tea Party and the Tea Party of Louisiana.
Downer campaign manager Buddy Boe said his boss "has great respect for the tea party" and has enjoyed speaking to party voters over the course of the campaign. He noted that the Gonzales debate was "sponsored by a group outside the district."
Yep, it’s that season and Lord help me, I love it.

Sammy Kershaw headed to Bossier

Sammy Kershaw, candidate for Lt. Governor, will be visiting Bossier Parish tomorrow morning. He’ll be at the Bossier Parish Courthouse at 11:30 and will be available to take questions.