Discuss 3
Monthly Archives: April 2010
The Town Talk Endorses Arizona’s Immigration Bill 2
I can’t say I am surprised, but given the persistent reports of large-scale boycotting (which is likely to directly affect big conventions and professional sports) and the widespread criticism of the constitutionality of the bill, I guess I expected The Town Talk would have taken a more sensible approach. Something similar to what John McCain’s daughter recently said:
The concept that a law-enforcement official can stop an individual when ‘reasonable suspicion exists that a person is an alien, who is unlawfully present in the United States’ is essentially a license to pull someone over for being Hispanic.
Maybe that would be asking too much.
“I think there is going to be some constitutional problems with the bill,” he said to the standing-room-only crowd at the Colony Cottage Recreation Center. “I wished they hadn’t passed it, in a way.”
Or former Florida Governor Jeb Bush:
It’s difficult for me to imagine how you’re going to enforce this law. It places a significant burden on local law enforcement and you have civil liberties issues that are significant as well.
What about Mark Rubio, the Republican candidate for Florida Senate?
While I don’t believe Arizona’s policy was based on anything other than trying to get a handle on our broken borders, I think aspects of the law, especially that dealing with ‘reasonable suspicion,’ are going to put our law enforcement officers in an incredibly difficult position. It could also unreasonably single out people who are here legally, including many American citizens.
And that’s just what many Republicans are saying. Heck, even Tom Tancredo thinks the bill went too far.
But apparently, not The Town Talk.
Tom Ridge, the former Secretary of Homeland Security, and Janet Napolitano, current Secretary of DHS and former Governor of Arizona, are both opposed to this law, but The Town Talk points to a Clinton-era immigration reform bill that actually empowers DHS to suggest the Arizona law is grounded in sound precedent. If that is the case, why do Ridge, a Republican, and Napolitano, a Democrat, both disagree? Ridge, the Republican (mind you), believes a more appropriate tactic would be to legitimize 12 million residents but not grant them immediate citizenship and focus the toughest penalties against those who willingly employ illegal immigrants.
But not The Town Talk.
When it takes effect in August, it will empower state and local authorities to detain people suspected of being in the country illegally and turn them over to federal immigration officials.Critics worry about “racial profiling,” but fail to acknowledge “reasonable suspicion” — a tenet that is central to all good police work and endorsed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The bulk of the criticism of this law is based on its broad construction of “reasonable suspicion.” How can one “look” illegal? I don’t believe the United States Supreme Court has ever taken up such a case, despite the paper’s implication. And apparently, Karl Rove agrees.
Foster Campbell for Lt. Governor? Reply
As reported by John Maginnis in his weekly political fax (in Louisiana, we receive our political news from fax machines), current Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell is considering a run for Lt. Governor.
Thus far, only Republicans- Secretary of State Jay Dardenne, St. Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis, and Chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party Roger Villere- have indicated their interest in the race; Campbell would become the first Democrat.
“Local Ethics” Reply
Amazing screenshot:
REPOSTED: Dear Steve Coco: 2
(Already embraced and endorsed by Mr. Aymond)
In your post, you acknowledged the accusation that you were “unpaid” was widely broadcast, though you singled me out for propagating misinformation.
Later that day, I responded to your “challenge.”
I provided links to your 2008 financial disclosure reports, which definitely stated that Cenla Broadcasting was not a source of your income. Did you become officially employed by Cenla Broadcasting after January 1, 2009 or had you actually worked for them prior to that date?
It has been nearly a month since you “challenged” me, and although I responded to you immediately and publicly, you have yet to address any of the questions raised.
So please allow me to repeat them:
1. Will you list your salary from Cenla Broadcasting as a source of income?
2. Or will you list it as an “in-kind” contribution?
3. Do you intend on making any mention of this compensation on your campaign finance reports?
4. If you received radio ads for your website, for example, would you consider this a campaign contribution?
5. Did you receive a salary or were you paid “in-kind”?
To be honest, one of the main reasons I referred to your position as “unpaid” is because your friend Greg Aymond posted:
It is my understanding that Steve was remunerated for his service by a payment in kind. That is enough for his getting fired.
Either way, he was told not to come back.
I suppose, technically, an in-kind payment is a payment for services, though, according to your friend, you were not being paid a salary. That’s the distinction I was attempting to make, and if it is incorrect and you did receive a salary as a talk radio host, I will gladly retract my previous statements and make it abundantly clear to my readership here that an elected member of the Police Jury received a salary to host a talk radio show. That is a much more interesting story.
6. On a related note, if you were, in fact, compensated by in-kind payments, as Mr. Aymond claimed, then what were those “in-kind” payments?
7. Were they commercials for your blog site? What about your barbecue business?
8. Will we all have to wait until May 15th or will you go ahead and make these disclosures now?
9. You have been a Police Juror representing the citizens of Alexandria for over two years. What are your most significant accomplishments? What legislation have you offered and/or authored?
Cenla Makes Fail Blog 5
Vitter Attracts Another Challenger Reply
Today, Lafayette entrepreneur Mike Spears (relationship to the Spears family of Kentwood, Louisiana currently not known) announced his candidacy for the United States Senate. This could create more problems for Vitter (T-P; bold mine):
Describing himself as a “conservative independent,” Spears’ online policy statements suggest that he plans to run as an outsider opposed to government expansion. It will be Spears’ first run for elected office. Vitter also is being challenged by U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville.
Spears professed his alignment with the tea party and said he wants to fight a Capitol culture “awash in corruption and excessive spending.” Lawmakers, he said, “disregard the Constitution and defy the American people’s will.”
Sure, many folks around here are jumping aboard the Tea Party bandwagon, including Vitter himself. (In “fairness” to Vitter, he was an early adopter of the Tea Party).
But- although Spears has never held elected office before- his resume, on paper, is likely to impress: Gulf War veteran, successful entrepreneur, and “Acadiana’s Entrepreneur of the Year” in 2003 (second place in the statewide competition, according to his campaign website).
Of course, it remains to be seen if Mr. Spears will be a serious candidate, but given his apparent resources, his resume, and his experience in online media, I expect he will assert himself as a viable conservative alternative to Vitter. And make no mistake: Spears will be drawing, almost exclusively, from Vitter voters, not Melancon voters.
From the Louisiana Progess Journal Reply
We’re Doing This in Louisiana 8
Pardon the infomercials; the music is terrible :
But I have a point:
This is your one chance to join our 16 impressive 2010 Fellows for an afternoon of progressive training, discussion, and networking. We are excited to partner with the Truman National Security Project to present National Security Bootcamp:
National security is no longer just a national issue. State and local leaders are now asked to address many issues in a “security” context, from immigration to energy security, the readiness of police and firemen to National Guard readiness; as well as critical infrastructures and homeland security funding. State and local leaders need to master these issues early in their careers to govern well—and to show their potential for national leadership.
Truman National Security Bootcamps are one-day trainings tailored to states and localities. They provide progressive leaders with the foundations of national security understanding, and training in talking about tough issues.
Register today and join us on April 17th to get a glimpse of how NLC operates and why you should be a part of the most exciting progressive organization in Louisiana! Space is limited, so register now to reserve your spot.
We will be starting at 1:30pm in the Howe/Russell Geoscience Complex, Room E131, on the LSU Campus in Baton Rouge (more info and directions: http://www.lsu.edu/campus/locations/HOWE.html). If you have any questions, please feel free to call Matt Bailey at 504.322.4702.
(And kudos to our fellows for putting on an amazingly successful fundraiser last night).
Register here: http://tinyurl.com/sneakpreviewNLC
Greg Aymond Is Lying About the Ethics Board 7
During the last few years, Alexandria attorney Greg Aymond has posted some fairly egregious and ridiculous stories on his blog Central La Politics, but this afternoon, he really outdid himself.
Another Coco Puff Piece Reply
Last weekend, I reposted a series of questions I asked Police Juror and potential Mayoral candidate Steve Coco from my post Cuckoo for Coco Puffs.
I simply wanted to remind Mr. Coco that nearly two weeks ago, he challenged me to provide documentation he was not a paid employee of Cenla Broadcasting. I responded that very day with a list of questions and links to Mr. Coco’s personal financial disclosures from 2008, which, notably, does not list Cenla Broadcasting as a source of income.
I decided to take that particular repost down, because, frankly, it was simply a recapitulation of another post that, at the time, was already on this blog’s front page. I was not, in any way, rescinding the questions I asked Mr. Coco.
Apparently, however, that is what he believed.
Governor Jindal’s Campaign Finance Director Assaulted After Jindal Fundraiser 26
Gov. Bobby Jindal’s chief campaign fund-raiser is recovering from injuries she suffered in a Friday night altercation with a group of people in the French Quarter, the governor’s office said Monday.
Allee Bautsch suffered a broken leg and her boyfriend suffered a concussion and a fractured nose and jaw in the incident, which happened after a fundraising event at Brennan’s Restaurant on behalf of the Louisiana Republican Party on Friday evening.
Jindal was at the fund-raising event at the restaurant, but was not present when the incident occurred.
Kyle Plotkin, a Jindal spokesman, said Bautsch had surgery during the weekend and is facing a recovery time of two to three months.
“NOPD is investigating the incident and we are refraining from further comment to allow them to fully investigate and ensure justice is done,” Plotkin said. “Our prayers are with Allee. She is a strong person and we are sure she will make a speedy recovery.”
Two things: I certainly hope Ms. Bautsch and her boyfriend recuperate quickly, and that whoever is responsible for this assault is arrested and brought to justice.
I have to wonder: This happened on Friday night, so why was it first reported Monday afternoon? (Just asking; not pointing any fingers).
Figures. 1
From the NY Times:
To encourage deepwater exploration in the Gulf of Mexico, a 1995 law offered generous incentives in the form of relief from royalties, then roughly 12 percent of the per-barrel price. The law was seen as a useful way to increase domestic production and reduce the country’s dependence on foreign oil.
Prices were low at the time, so the law contained a threshold of $28 per barrel (in 1994 dollars) beyond which royalties would resume. But this applied only to already signed leases. There was no clear language in the bill specifying price thresholds for new leases signed from 1996 to 2000. Some legislators involved in drafting the bill said later that they simply assumed that the $28 threshold would apply to both old and new leases.
But in 2007 — by which time oil had risen above $70 a barrel — a federal judge said in effect that Congressional intent wasn’t enough, and that companies with leases signed between 1996 and 2000 did not have to pay.
A lot of money has already been lost. Bizarrely, several weeks ago the government began refunding about $2 billion in royalties to companies that had paid up. Future losses could be immense. About 70 of the no-royalty-no-threshold leases are already productive, with more to come. The Government Accountability Office has estimated that lost royalties could run as high as $53 billion over the next 25 years, depending on prices.
And Kudos to Paul Carty Reply
Here.
Congrats to Jeff Carbo Reply
From The Town Talk:
Jeffrey Carbo Landscape Architects of Alexandria has received the Award of Excellence from the Louisiana Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. The award, given during the chapter’s annual meeting in New Orleans, is the chapter’s highest design honor. The Carbo firm won the award for its design of an innovative and sustainable Rain Garden in Shreveport.
Even though they won the award for work they did in Shreveport, I know Jeff and his team are true champions for the future of the City of Alexandria. Kudos to them.
