Well, I’m back. Yes, I know I’ve retired – twice. First because of failing eyesight and most recently because at 80, I’m just tired of chasing leads, some of which turn out, most of which ultimately don’t
There can be any number of reasons that might explain my decision to return to the keyboard.
There’s the analogy of the old fire station horse who still tries to answer the call or the over-the-hill boxer who responds to the bell. Or maybe it’s just the senility that allows me to forget that I’m supposed to be sitting in the sun room drooling with a lap blanket and shoulder shawl draped over my frail body.
There are those (maybe most) who would choose the latter. But the truth is, the level of corruption in Louisiana is such that it’s virtually impossible to walk away if you have a scintilla of love for this state. And if the first months are any indication, the next few years under Jeff Landry will be a challenge that will make the Jindal years pale by comparison.
So it is that I have opted to keep pounding away at those who would put personal gain before the interests of the state and her citizens.
Which brings me to the unpleasant task of renewing our twice-a-year fund raisers in order to keep the lights on.
Heretofore, we held fundraisers in April and October but since April is gone, we are coming to you with hat in hand during the month of May. I humbly ask that you support our efforts in any amount you’re comfortable with – $5, $10, or whatever. I’ll be traveling the state (believe it or not, south Louisiana doesn’t hold franchise rights to corruption; there’re stories that need exposure way up in north Louisiana. I also anticipate a few roadblocks to future requests for public records which will necessitate legal action, all of which take money.
Anyone contributing $50 or more will receive his choice of one of my (signed) books. Here are your choices of non-fiction:
Louisiana’s Rogue Sheriffs: A Culture of Corruption
America’s Rogue Sheriffs: A Culture of Corruption (each state is profiled)
Murder on the Teche: A True Story of Money and a Flawed Investigation
For fiction, there are these:
It’s All Theirs (a story about one man’s fight against the IRS)
Bordello on the Bayou (a high-end prostitute is murdered in Baton Rouge)
Vieux Carré Vengeance (a ghost story set in New Orleans)
If you order a book, be sure to provide a mailing address.
So, please, as the preacher said in the movie Oh, God, please “dig DEEP into your pockets to support this min’-istry.” Seriously, click on the yellow DONATE button to the upper right to contribute by credit card or you may send a check to me, Tom Aswell, at 107 North College West, Denham Springs, LA. 70726.
As usual, I deeply appreciate all the support I’ve received in the past.
Louisiana Voice 
Hooray!!!!
Art
I am happy to hear you are back. For the most part I usually disagree with the majority of your opinions, but once in a while, I concur with your assessment. I concur with your assessment of Landry. Something is not right.
I enjoy hearing your opinion even when it is wrong. Jes’ kiddin’. I am sure you don’t think it is wrong. I prefer having others’ opinions out there in the public space, not just an echo chamber of my opinions. Hearing and reading what others think about an event lets me view it from all sides, sides that don’t align with me. I prefer there be a diversity of opinion, so thanks again for being you.
And, thanks for keeping up the fight for all of us.
BTW, I am an Independent voter. I am not interested in being part of the political parties that are dominating our politics. It is why I like to read others’ perceptions of the events going on in our public spaces. Because…you might be right once in a while.
Refreshing words of encouragement. It’s great to know we can still disagree and remain civilized. Thanks!
Tom we are happy for this news and you don’t look a day older than 78.
Glad youâre back. I enjoy your work. Hope all is well on your end.
Iâm still waiting on a kidney and working from home.
darlene
Darlene T. Denstorff
Community News Editor
tel: (225) 603-1998 | email: ddenstorff@theadvocate.comrlips@theadvocate.com
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Hang in there, Darlene. Pulling for you.
Maybe I’m blinded by Louisiana’s bright red future, but which dem leadership should we follow? Gavin and $6 gasoline? Forced automation brought on by a $20 minimum wage? Hochul? Polis? Corruption? Like Karen Peterson?
Y’all had Bel for 8 years. Where is his long list of accomplishments? Outmigration. Bottom of every good list. Shutting down churches during covid. Landry will be transformative and libs leaving Louisiana may be his intended consequence. I know it’s mine. 😀
You first. Give us Jindal’s accomplishments. Give us Trump’s accomplishments. Are you genuinely proud of that man? I don’t think John Bel has a single bankruptcy to his name; Trump has seven. John Bel has been married once with no marital scandals. Trump, well… Would you approve of Trump grabbing your daughter’s genitals? I’m sure you don’t like the idea of boys using girls’ restrooms but I suppose you approve of Trump just walking in on naked Miss Teenage America contestants in their dressing rooms. Trump tried to impose an import tariff on foreign goods but the foreign producers don’t pay that tariff, the American consumers do. Did that help you in any way? You can lay the blame for high gas prices at Trump’s doorstep. Just before he left office, he convinced OPEC to cut production so as to force the price of oil up. Shell just reported a $28 billion (with a ‘b’) profit (profit, not revenue) for 2023. That looks a lot like corporate greed to me.
Has your income increased six hundred-fold since 1980 the way it has for corporate CEOs? You complain about socialism but do you pay into social security? Do you enjoy police and fire protection? Do you travel on paved roadways (such as they are in Louisiana)? Do you have or have you ever had children in public schools or did YOU go to a public school? How about a public college or university? Do you have health insurance? All those things are forms of socialism because many pay taxes to support those entities. Do you or did you enjoy an 8-hour work day, a five-day work week? How about group insurance, overtime, paid vacation? Those are all Democrat-passed programs.
You’re very good at generalities but as George W. Bush said of his opponent in one of the presidential debates, you’re all hat and no cattle. In short, you’re a troll who gets off on displaying what you think is superior knowledge. Sorry to be so blunt, but you keep spouting your banalities.
Your arguments are anchored in the democrats of yesteryear. I was a democrat until 2004. I even voted for John Kerry. Then the enlightenment happened, and my conversion continues to be reinforced. Although, to be fair, repubs, as a group, are not much better than dems. FISA reauthorization, spending like crazy, etc…
I can’t defend all repubs, but if Landry is following Desantis’ lead and the rest of the well run, red states, what do we have to lose? We are at the bottom of the well, so why not let Kandry attempt a miracle?
I know cat ladies and old, white libs are concerned about murdering babies and book bans, but economics and well run government is what saves us. Stop writing the red herrings and focus on the meat.
🤮 🥴🙄💩. Downright stupid-beyond ignorant-comments like this make me think we actually don’t have enough of these silly distasteful emojis.
Oh and Tom and JBE no doubt have more human decency and talent in any given toenail than you do.
I disagree (slightly) with your response, Tom. Taxes are not socialism, even if some tax dollars are spent on social programs. In all of human history every government – from tribal leader to modern nations – has taxed its people. The act of taxation is not socialism. Socialism is an economic theory in which the means of production and distribution are owned by the community as a whole. There are ZERO examples of that in America with the possible exception of the Green Bay Packers. Furthermore there is absolutely no one on the left calling for the end to private wealth or ownership. The poorly educated use terms like socialism, Marxism, and communism interchangeably and incorrectly because they don’t know any better. Others because they intend disinformation. But either way there is no socialism in America. Period. Finis. End of story.
You can be decent and ineffective. John McCain. Mitt Romney. Bob Menendez😀. Decent men but compromised. I don’t think forcing churches and schools to close or mandating ineffective masks was particularly decent, but for you sheep, it might have been. Bel did nothing to make us better. Give Jeff a damn chance.
Thanks Tom! I am happy you are back, I really think mbornstein74 is your counter intelligence source. Now I can “Keep learning and Keep Loving” ron thompson