In the nearly six-year history of LouisianaVoice, I have written more than 1,600 posts averaging about 1,500 words each (about two million words total).
This will likely be the shortest post ever.
U.S. Sens. John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy VOTED in favor of confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education, a post for which she is totally and completely unqualified. This is the woman who favors guns in schools to protect against grizzly bears.
We expected no less of Cassidy after his fawning all over her during the confirmation hearings. I mean, the man embarrassed himself with his unbridled admiration of incompetence.
With Kennedy, we held onto the slim chance that he would show a spark of independence and/or intelligence (though in his TV ads during the campaign, he professed to having backed Donald Trump “from the beginning”).
But in the end, it appears that he’d “rather drink weed killer” than show that he had a spine or a shred of integrity. (On the other hand, in another of his tasteless ads he did say, “You oughta have a gun,” so maybe it was the grizzly bear comment that compelled him to vote in favor of confirmation.)
Whatever.
Just remember that one vote if you don’t remember anything else about John Kennedy.
Louisiana Voice 
what are all the liberals going to do if Trumps plans work out? I guess the liberal media only have two choices, they can either beat on this new regime until they make a sore or wait for it to scab so they can pick at that instead. I do like to read your posts but its getting harder and harder for the left to find anything to try and make hay with. after 8 years of Obama and the near catastrophe of 4 more of the Clintons there is lots of room for bumps and bruises from Trumps decisions before I will get nervous. our education system is so screwed up nobody knows how to fix it. a little fresh blood might do it some good.
Lee, have you noticed that even Fox News is critical of our President’s vitriol and dishonesty/ignorance? Do you consider Fox News a member of the liberal media? What news sources do you consider conservative? Moderate?
My only question is what plan are you referencing? Trump hasn’t issued anything vaguely resembling a “plan”. His speech and rhetoric is in platitudes and attitudes, nothing of a concrete nature, nothing that can be gauged or examined. As such, there is not a “plan” one can speak of.
Furthermore, the media will never “run out of hay” to report or write about with respect to Trump’s administration. Their is a veritable encyclopedia of topics addressable here and now. Can you say, please for give me Mr. Rogers, “Bowling Green Massacre”?
In my humble opinion, Political Scientist will be writing and examining this “phenomena” or catastrophe, depending on one’s political persuasion, for generations to come.
My only question is what plan are you referencing? Trump hasn’t issued anything vaguely resembling a “plan”. His speech and rhetoric is in platitudes and attitudes, nothing of a concrete nature, nothing that can be gauged or examined. As such, there is not a “plan” one can speak of.
Furthermore, the media will never “run out of hay” to report or write about with respect to Trump’s administration. Their is a veritable encyclopedia of topics addressable here and now. Can you say, please for give me Mr. Rogers, “Bowling Green Massacre”?
In my humble opinion, Political Scientist will be writing and examining this “phenomena” or catastrophe, depending on one’s political persuasion, for generations to come.
that’s not going to be a problem
I want to believe that he will do the right thing and I can only think that he feels that initially he has to toe the line to prove his bona fides. But integrity should not waiver. I think you get more respect by doing the right thing – which in this case would have meant protecting the nation’s children as opposed to your own hide. He has a great name. An honorable name. A name of a former US senator. My wish for him is that he would distinguish himself instead of running with the pack. If not now … when?
Kennedy’s vote is typical of Louisiana republican politicians. Was there a Republican in the Louisiana delegation that voted against Devos ?
Dixie – All Republicans vote in lock step. There must be an unholy threat against them if they break ranks. The rewards of obedience must be greater than serving the best interest of the people that elect them. Think destruction of Social Security, Medicare, repeal of ACA without replacement, cuts to veterans….this is the short list. Yet, they keep getting re-elected.
I do find it very telling that the only two Republicans brave enough to defy Trump on this were women! Of course, they both knew that Pence would break the remaining tie. Still, I applaud them for braving Trump’s censure.
J SID Maybe all of you should try a little of the Trump kool-aid and weed killer it might help you……………..
One goal: Greater political and personal power by any means.
Let’s put Kennedy and Cassidy on notice!
They are both drinking the Trump kool-aid and we will all pay for it. You would have thought they would have learned something about the problems with charter schools and narcissistic leadership after governor Bobby Jindal’s fiasco, but Republicans are trained to vote Republican regardless of what is best for the nation and we the people.
I was encouraged when I saw that groups that supporting the absolute necessity of public education in Louisiana rallied at Cassidy’s office in Baton Rouge. The people were speaking. Alas, Cassidy has been elected…he has no need to hear the peoples’ voices. He is listening to his higher owners. I have sent him letters asking that he not approve DeVos. I received his form letter, giving the Republican talking points and assuring me that he will give consideration to my concerns (this is insulting). I have included a note in my messages to him to stop responding to save me the expense of the stamp. I saved his first letter of response and it says what the others say. As for Kennedy, he is so obviously groveling to get on the Trump/Republican train that Louisiana’s needs are just a distant hollow sound. Except, that he likes to get a little publicity by interjecting himself in the Louisiana budget discussion, thinking that we have collectively forgotten that he was State Treasurer during the rape of our budget/economy. In fact many Louisiana voters did forget this and elected him. Now, the question begs: will these Louisiana Republican Senators be held accountable for the DeVos approval vote? Will a bipartisan coalition form to keep up the pressure from their districts on how their votes actually harm Louisiana? I am ready to join such a group. Sorry for the lengthy rant. It is just so frustrating to face the fact that we simply do not matter to Cassidy and Kennedy. (the only 2 that I contacted)
Edith, I saw that and wondered to myself: “Well if you are that interested/concerned/whatever about the La. budget issues, why did you run for the U.S. Senate?” If it’s such a big issue for him he should have stayed state Treasurer where he could possibly do something about it.
Edith, as you know, the State Treasurer is the state’s banker and, as such his control of the state’s budget is limited to his fiduciary responsibility in that regard. Analogy: Your personal banker’s responsibility for your personal budget is limited to the things bankers do – which does not include telling you where to buy your groceries, etc., but might include managing your investments. I feel quite sure Mr. Kennedy will be happy to point out the limitations of the state treasurer if he is ever confronted with what you point out about what happened to our budget here while he was carping about our spending practices – never actually providing concrete suggestions for fixing them, of course. Now that he is a U. S. Senator, he will do and say whatever works for him and his personal future – but, hey, isn’t that what he did as treasurer?
Exactly, Stephen. What gets me is that some of the announced and potential candidates(particularly Schroder) for state treasurer have spouted the same arguments as Kennedy did. Do they honestly believe they can make a difference? I remember one afternoon on the House floor I asked a former treasury employer(who shall remain nameless) about a particular movement of monies from one fund to another. His response, paraphrasing here, Cliff, we just do what you all(i.e. the legislature) tell us to do by law.
This is totally unbelievable! And a slap in the face of educators as well as others.
Cassidy’s wife is in the charter school business, so I was certain he’d vote for DeVos, but I’m not sure why anyone was surprised about Kennedy. I fully expected both senators to vote for Trump’s choice.
Don’t know what all the fuss is about. At least one person from our community will get a job with the U.S. Dept. of Education. That’s if it not abolished. Our former Gov. Lil Bobby Jindal. I can hardly wait. Just look at the great, con, I mean job, he did for Louisiana education. Why should we just satisfied for a dysfunctional President. Let’s make it a clean sweep.
My letter to both senators follows:
Dear Senator:
If you vote to endorse Betsy DeVos, a woman who is purported to be the most unqualified candidate ever to be vetted for ANY cabinet position, and a woman who has inspired a record-breaking volume of opposition calls to the Senate, then it will be patently obvious that you do not care about the best interests of your constituents. If you do so, I will make it my personal mission to remind my colleagues in education EVERY DAY that you are responsible for this disastrous appointment. Ms. DeVos is most unsuitable for this position on so many levels: she is a billionnaire with multiple financial conflicts of interest; neither she nor her husband nor her children have ever made a student loan or attended a public school; she is hostile to public education due to her rabid pro-profit stance on education. In addition, she is not very intelligent. She publishes tweets with misspelled words, incorrect usage, and no subject/verb agreement. What a disgrace! I find it ironic that the only two Republicans in the Senate who are brave enough to defy Trump on this appointment are women! You should all be ashamed for being so cowardly!
For God’s sake, BE A MAN & VOTE FOR WHAT YOU KNOW IS RIGHT! VOTE NO ON BETSY DEVOS! If you do not, I believe you will come to deeply regret allying yourself with Trump. His popularity is sliding & only in the downward direction.
Peggy Schwarz
All – I WILL relentlessly remind my colleagues of the numerous faux pas committed by these two shameless clowns over the duration. Let us all do this. Demographics can change even in Louisiana. We do have a Democrat for governor.
Great letter!!!
Also – let’s not ignore the fact that Bill Cassidy accepted a $70,000 donation from DeVos, In addition, 19 other Republicans who just voted for her confirmation received like donations. They should all have recused themselves from voting.
Yes, let’s not forget the $70,000 donation.
June – we need an organized coalition around public education. I was unaware that Cassidy’s wife had Charter School connections. This is ludicrous. But, we need many voices at the local level. We may need to pressure existing School Boards, many of which are made up of Republicans. We shall see if any Louisiana Republicans can admit that this is the beginning of dismantling public education and make them say if they support this action.
Yes, Edith, we have to start in the grass roots with elections to local school boards.
Laura Cassidy operates a failing charter school for dyslexic children, and yet she managed to obtain an extension from John White to continue operations. No favoritism, I’m sure.
‘”In this case Louisiana Key Academy has not met the conditions for extension,” White said. But he recommended that the school get a probationary extension, subject to changes in school operations.”‘
http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/education/article_e583b4f2-bbe1-11e6-8add-e30dc63ccb46.html
Didn;’t you hear Kennedy say during the hearings “In Louisiana we believe in love, but just in case, we carry our guns.”
I guess everybody agrees that the Federal government has done an outstanding job with the education of our children for the past 40+ years? I assume everybody likes the direction we have been heading? I assume that common core is the way we need to continue in education? I guess some might think that Mr. White of our wonderful state would be a better choice? Just thinking out loud here!
No, Sidwit, but I sure in hell did not want DeVos in charge. She bought her position with large donations to GOP members of Congress. During her testimony, DeVos said she would allow guns in schools because of grizzlies! She revealed her ignorance about education for all to see, for heaven’s sake. Did you watch any or part the limited Senate hearings?
Kennedy voted for DeVos and this article is only pointing out the fact that DeVos is pro gun as a terrible thing. Guns is how we keep from being completely exterminated by the corrupt government. Do you think the Cheka were slaughtering armed people? Do you think the Young Turks were slaughtering armed Armenians?
Guns are good for protection against criminal governments and this present horde of government psychopaths that have resided within the halls for decades is exactly why they are necessary.
Huh? What?
DeVos was asked about guns in schools. I guess you are okay with that right?
Sure, Fredster. We must never ignore the danger of an invasion by grizzlies.
June, my comment was directed at Cynthia. I apologize if that wasn’t clear.
Fredster, no problem. My comment was ironic, perhaps this time to a fault. Sorry about that.
Yes, I am o.k. with that. What are you afraid of? Gun being on the premises of schools is a good thing or haven’t you remembered the manipulation of schools or the military being unarmed and the horrors that happened when those WITH the guns did their evil?
You evidently like it when the innocent are unarmed and the evil are.
Take a deep breath and try to write a cogent response that sounds reasonably literate.
She stated that the decision should be in the hands of the locals, not the Federal government.
Or maybe reasonable people can have a completely different idea about governing. For someone that writes about political corruption, it’s surprising you don’t see a need for LESS governmental interference in our lives.
If you are unable to comprehend the difference between interference and regulations that are necessary, you have a serious problem. Yes, there is interference but to repeal Dodd-Frank, a GOOD law, is to invite more of the same Wall Street recklessness that led to the 2008 crisis. Government regulations have made our lives simpler, safer, and more comfortable but you appear to have such an obsession that you are blind to that and would rather regurgitate the mantra of the Jindals, the Sam Brownbacks, and the Trumps that ALL regulations are bad. Nothing like a one-size-fits-all when it comes to your political philosophy.
“Take a look at the big board! [falls, rolls and gets up quickly] They’re gettin’ ready to clobber us!” General Buck Turgidson, Dr. Strangelove…
Thanks for evoking memories of one of my all-time favorite films and George C. Scott as it’s most memorable characters not played by Peter Sellers.
Yep, Stephen. I also loved how he mimics the inbound flight of the B-52. But, you can’t forget Slim Pickens riding the bomb.
Toe to toe nuclear combat with the Rooskies.
Noun
Kakocracy (plural kakocracies)
Rule or government by the worst of the people.
“Betsy DeVos sets a new low, even by the standards of the current kakocracy.”
I wasn’t in favor of school choice until Obama’s OCR came in and made us start bussing little kids across town. We can’t choose to live close to the school of our choice and send our children there. We have tried educators in charge of education and they all just throw more money on the problems and never fix them. Maybe someone with a heart will do better! She isn’t taking a salary and she doesn’t need a job. She is doing this to provide a better education for children. Betty Wall, retired educator.
Well it looks like we know which side of the ball you line up on now. I do read your column from time to time and most of the time like it. I can see we do not see eye to eye on all points,but hey if we all agreed on everything it would be a very boring and mundane world.
I don’t dislike Kennedy. In fact, I consider him a friend and I am on good terms with two of his former employees. I just want to hold him accountable just as I would any other politiian and his vote for Betsy DeVos was just more than I was willing to let go unaddressed.
They are planning on shutting down the Department of Education anyway. As well, they should. Bureaucracy has run amuck. Washington has only thrown up roadblocks to educating our kids.
So where did you learn to spell amok or to insert commas incorrectly?
Fairness, do those same federal roadblocks exist in the other 49 states? If so, why do so many of those states have such success educating their children? Just asking.
Kennedy used to look like Randy Quaid, now they both are Republican and say funny yet dangerous and ignorant replublican ratf***** things! Isn’t there a connection between Eric Prince (Blackwater) and Betsy Devos? know there is between Woody Jenkins/Tony Perkins and perhaps Ms. Wall?? love always ron thompson
Eric Prince of Blackwater is Betsy DeVos’ brother.