Louisiana Budget #2

As I stated one entry below, their likely cuts in the budget are always healthcare and education as this article proves. LSU System Vice President Fred Cerise warned the law makers of Louisiana (Democrat and Republican) the cut of 67.8 million would make it very difficult for public hospitals to operate. Think we could use some of the Governor's office budget to make up the difference. Hey what is a Governor for really?

You know what the Jindal administration said? And I quote.

"The House panel goofed when making proposed changes to the state operating budget".- Really Jindal? Really?

Is that all you have to say about 4 hospitals likely to close. What about all the jobs lost and each hospitals contribution to the economy? Didn't Jindal push the state to purchase a chicken factory in order to save the economy in north Louisiana?

I am not surprised though because when Jindal was the secretary of Louisiana's DHH that same spirit was displayed.

Britton Loftin

Budget Stalemate - Louisiana / Political

This is not the first time that Louisiana has been strapped for cash. We have dealt with this before.
The rainy day fund? Please don't go in to use every cent of it. There is much red tape surrounding the rainy day tap. $198 Million of the money has been cleared to use this year and everybody (House and Senate) says that it should be used to balance the budget but can't agree on how to repay it. There are areas within the budget that should be trimmed to rid ourselves of unnecessary big spending. Please dont go make your cuts in the usual areas like education/health-care and many of the services that the citizens on Louisiana depend on.


Britton Loftin

President Obama: Government in charge of oil disaster response

Good for BP? Right? Relief given to BP would be a huge mistake.... David Vitter's BP Bailout Bill.

Mr. President please keep the attention on the clean up and the relationships between regulators and oil companies.

thanks

Britton Loftin

Smoke Ban in Bar bill Defeated

I must say that did not mind either way. I think that there are two sides to this coin with two groups of people possessing strong feelings about this. The smokers want to be able to have a drink while smoking and the non-smokers just want to control everything. Yes we need every opportunity to have a healthy community but what a if a percentage of that community's choice is to be unhealthy? What do we do then? Your argument maybe we pay for their health anyway, right?


By the way.. I thought this was hilarious...


Former tobacco smoker,

Britton Loftin

THE REPAIR SHOP - Hattiesburg, MS

Hey guys!

I am in Hattiesburg, MS today. I am visiting a local non profit called the REPAIR SHOP. Its purpose is to revitalize the spirit and health of a depressed community in Hattiesburg.

They are off to a great start.

I am sitting in a meeting where bringing doctors and simple medical test to the neighborhood is being discussed. That is a great beginning in a community where over 70% of its people do not have health insurance.

Medical facilities and health awareness attention programs in these communities was not discussed politically until THE REPAIR SHOP.

Britton Loftin

Rod Paige Department of Education Visits Baton Rouge, LA

The former secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, Mr. Paige visited Baton Rouge on Monday. Glad to have you Mr. Paige. He says that he knows why black students perform low. Mr. Paige believes that perform low because of complacent black leaders.

Of course I disagree with Mr. Paige. The problem does not rest upon the shoulders of a few leaders that happen to be African American. It is society as a whole that must work to address this problem. Of course he was trying to sell his book.

A few of my thoughts.:

• Public education continues to be underfunded and as an result of this problem quality lower salaries are not attracting quality teachers.
• State continue to increase corrections budgets
• Did Mr. Paige ever think of the environment of an urban public school student vs. suburban public school or private school students? HOW CAN WE FIX THAT?
  

Britton Loftin

Baton Rouge / Oil Spill Effect

Someone last night asked me how that oil spill was coming along. I told them that I was located in Baton Rouge. Yes our precious seafood industry was greatly affected but, I dont know that it has yet affected Baton Rouge negatively. More people are going to work to clean up the oil spill and we dont know how long this disaster's effects could last. One thing is sure though! The oil and gas lobbyist in the states lining the gulf coast are hard at work. Hard at work cleaning up the mess? No, I dont think so. I believe that they are hard at work moving and shaking their way up the deregulation ladder of Louisiana.

Its mighty quite in Louisiana.

Britton Loftin