By Dayne Sherman
Special to LouisianaVoice
Louisiana is Ground Zero for political scandals. From U.S. Rep. Bill Jefferson’s “cold cash” saga to U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy’s unanswered allegations of payroll fraud at LSU, the state knows how to lead the country in at least one statistic: corruption.
One writer devised his own method of ranking states by corruption and guess who was number one?
Here’s a hint: http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/ranking-the-states-from-most-to-least-corrupt/
Even our new House Whip, Steve Scalise, who describes himself as “David Duke without the baggage,” has become an international disgrace for speaking to a neo-Nazi group 12 years ago while he was a state representative.
A quote attributed to Pericles 2400 years ago is still true: “Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn’t mean politics won’t take an interest in you.” Indeed, these political scandals are at the expense of Louisiana citizens. They matter. We pay the price for wayward politicians and their blinding ambition. This lust for power is equal only to their lust for “other things,” as Sen. David Vitter seems to be chief among sinners.
On Jan. 9, Louisiana House Speaker Chuck Kleckley came out like Clint Eastwood in a western flick, standing up tall to Gov. Bobby Jindal’s latest plan to cut $370 million from Louisiana higher education. He says he won’t back the budget plan. But let’s be clear-minded. Kleckley is Jindal’s paramour. He has done and will continue to do whatever the governor tells him to do or he’ll lose his speakership.
This is all political theater, a cruel PR scheme to help Kleckley win election as State Treasurer. Recall, Louisiana higher education has been cut by over $700 million since Jindal took office, the deepest cuts of any state in the country. Other states are investing in colleges and universities post-recession, and we are not.
Kleckley’s recently found courage when the state faces a $300 million deficit this year and 1.4 billion next fiscal year starting July 1, is a fake news story. Jindal’s conservative principles haven’t worked. On the contrary, they’ve been a disaster aided and abetted by lapdogs in the Legislature. Make no mistake, the greatest hypocrite among them is Kleckley.
The bayou budgetary apocalypse is coming. Get ready.
At the same time, President Obama has announced a truly bold new plan to give all Americans two years of free community college. Clearly, the best news of 2015.
Upon hearing this great news, a number of Louisiana’s college and university “leaders” (They’re paid to be leaders but are mostly sycophants in leisure suits.) began to question the details. Why aren’t they excited? Don’t educators want nothing more than to educate? Don’t they need students? Well, their master Jindal is against everything good—or bad—that Obama wants. The “leaders” answer to Jindal. These rascals served as cheerleaders for Jindal’s foolish WISE Fund, a mere pittance, but they became skeptics over the real deal.
How will we fund a community college education for all Americans? I’d say having ended two wars, one in Iraq and the other in Afghanistan, will do it. We can save trillions by staying out of endless international conflicts. No need to raise taxes. Let’s just stop blowing up other countries and then rebuilding them on the taxpayers’ dime.
I believe nothing could be better for America and the world than investing in Americans. Jindal has shown through $700 million in cuts to Louisiana higher education, and another $370 million before he’s through, that he doesn’t believe investing in our state is good for his long-term political career.
Obama, on the other hand, believes investing in Americans is good for the country. Fortunately, Jindal will never be able to bring to the nation the disasters he’s brought to Louisiana. He’ll never be President.
[Dayne Sherman’s new novel is Zion. Signed first editions available from the author. His political blog is www.TalkAboutTheSouth.com.]
Louisiana Voice 
Dayne, I sent the following link to a friend of mine (we were both music majors in college). She asked me, “Damn! What’s going on down there?” I simply said “Bobby Jindal.”
http://www.lsureveille.com/news/tiger-band-director-announces-resignation/article_0fee3e85-9839-5969-aba0-211c80890d5f.html
Despite the fact many politicians, including Mr. Kleckley, seem to believe the public is so stupid as to not see political theatre for what it is, more and more people are beginning to catch on. Sadly, an even larger number, having been lied to repeatedly, are becoming so cynical they don’t care what politicians say because they expect them, like football coaches, to lie by default. The increased failure of the public to trust the process enough to become engaged in it is the worst consequence of the way we are governed.
Stephen, I wish you had not made me confront the reality that disillusioned citizens withdraw from the political process leaving the “bottom of the barrel” to control our collective destinies. We must give voting by everyone our best effort.
Kleckley, like most other LA Republican legislators – from those in leadership to freshmen reps – who took Koch Bros money in 2011 distributed via Jindal & the RNC & then voted the party line on teacher tenure, vouchers, privatization of state services, & of course, repeated severe cuts to higher education – now find that it is soon to be ELECTION TIME again. Many have to face some angry voters in 2015-2016. Let’s keep reminding our friends & colleagues with short memories why we don’t want to re-elect these clowns or elect David Vitter as our governor. It is hard to believe that the corruption & the failure of the trickle down economics promoted by Jindal, Kleckley, et al, is not evident to all when so many have been hurt by their policies. I am working on my misguided conservative Republican friends & my apathetic children & their friends in the hope that a political revolution will occur in the next cycle. We have seen some extremely entrenched politicians & their minions lose big in parishes like St. Tammany & Plaquemines. Let’s take this movement state-wide by refusing to be silent.
Bravo or brava, which ever is appropriate for you.
Dear LA Educator,
Thank you for reminding me and hopefully others that we can and must take action if we truly promote positive governmental change in Louisiana. If we will just take actions! That’s it. That’s the way! History shows us this time and time again. Three actions I took away from your post are as follows;
1) State elections are this year and we can impress upon voters to vote because it matters and if not registered to vote then register. 2) Voting records of all state politicians who are running for office must be posted for all voters to see because the media blitz at election time seems to shorten memories .
3). Refuse to be silent. And why I should vote for the leaders who stood up for
Louisiana while the Jindal administration created a financial disaster for the grand facade by the governor for an attempt to run for president of the U.S. or Vice-President or any higher office in Washington, and not vote for those who participated and aligned with him. Just think Landrieu linked with Obama and legislators linked with Jindal. Seems to work like that in Louisiana.
I agree with your message for action and why?
Because my family and I live here and you live here with your family and
our neighbors and their families and we matter!!
This fall: DO NOT VOTE FOR INCUMBENTS WHO SUPPORTED AND VOTED FOR JINDAL’S AGENDAS WHILE IN OFFICE!
If these existing office holders are swept from office, a strong message will be sent.
Absolutely right!!!!!!
Let’s see how courageous Kleckley will be in leading the legislature to override Jindal’s vetoes of tax reform legislation, mainly revocation of tax exemptions that have yielded a poor return on investment…if that even passes in the next session.