More Proof of What We Do Wrong in Louisiana

The following report gives a graphic representation of over burdensome regulations in place regarding occupational activities in the State of Louisiana.

Louisiana licenses 77 of the 102 lower-income occupations studied here. Its laws are the 43rd most burdensome, requiring, on average, $360 in fees, 202 days of education and experience, and roughly two exams. Because Louisiana licenses so many of the occupations studied in this report—tying with Washington for the most occupations licensed—it ranks as the sixth most broadly and onerously licensed state.

Louisiana imposes burdens on some occupations that seem excessive compared to those for other occupations that may present greater risks to the public. For example, the barriers to opening a fire alarm or security alarm installation business in Louisiana are extremely high, even though not every state licenses them. Alarm installers must pay over $1,400 in fees, demonstrate more than five years (over 1,800 days) of education and experience, and pass four exams. EMTs meanwhile need only pay $110 in fees, complete 110 hours (roughly 26 days) of education and pass two exams for licensure.

Louisiana also licenses several occupations that are rarely licensed by other states. For example, it is one of just four states to license interior designers—the most arduously licensed occupation in this study. It requires $1,240 in fees, six years (2,190 days) of education and one exam. Louisiana is also the only state to license florists and is joined by just four other states in licensing non-instructional teacher assistants and by six others in licensing tree trimmers. As one of the two states that license the most occupations studied here, Louisiana could substantially improve its rankings by repealing these and other occupational licenses, or—if government regulation is necessary—by replacing them with less restrictive regulatory alternatives.

Read more: License to Work - Louisiana

Dan Fagan: John Bel Edwards' war on industry has cost us 14,000 jobs. So far.

Photo source: Wikipedia

Louisiana has long been known for a tax structure described by many in the business community as a convoluted mess and punitive. The ITEP incentive was designed to offset the challenges of our anti-business tax code. But when Edwards gutted it four years ago, he made Louisiana a lot less attractive for investment.

“Now every parish in Louisiana can come up with their own methods because they don’t know how to administer this,” said Charles Kelley of Cornerstone Chemical in Waggaman. “For years, we’ve had a very predictable and stable process that was competitive with nearby states. Today, it is definitely less competitive. We’re losing out on some opportunities here.”

Read more: Dan Fagan: John Bel Edwards' war on industry has cost us 14,000 jobs. So far.

Landry, Nungesser looking toward 2023 governor’s election

Photo source: The Advocate

Both Landry and Nungesser put stakes in the ground less than two days after Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards won re-election Saturday, The News Star reports. 

Edwards, who defeated Baton Rouge businessman Eddie Rispone 51%-49% in Saturday’s runoff, is term limited, leaving an open seat in four years. Landry sent an email to supporters and state Republican Party leaders Sunday basically declaring himself the GOP linchpin in Louisiana and promising to protect conservative values. Landry’s email includes links where voters can go to provide information about themselves and whether they would consider hosting a fundraiser. 

Nungesser, meanwhile, said he is “absolutely” considering a run in 2023. 

Read more: Landry, Nungesser looking toward 2023 governor’s election

LASSEIGNE: Under This Current Governor, Our Oil and Gas Industry Has Been Thrown Into Utter Chaos

Photo source: LSU Foundation

The oil and gas industry is the heartbeat of Louisiana’s economy. Louisiana has the potential to be one of the largest exports of oil and gas in the nation, but under this current governor, our oil and gas industry has been thrown into utter chaos. John Bel Edwards waged a war on our most prosperous industry the first day he was in office. He let his special interest, liberal allies dictate policy and decision making. He held them hostage and when they refused to be extorted by him he let his trial lawyer buddies sue them for billions of dollars.

Louisiana cannot afford four more years of a governor who favors trial lawyers over jobs and job creators. Under this governor, we have lost more jobs and allowed trial lawyers to gain more control. If John Bel Edwards is to be elected for the next four years, we can all but guarantee that our Oil and Gas industry will no longer exist. We have to elect Eddie Rispone as our next governor - he will unleash the power of the industry and bring jobs back to our great state.

Raymond Lasseigne
President, TMR Exploration
Bossier City

Louisiana: The Trial-Lawyer State

Photo source: Republican Governors Association

Louisiana used to be a leader in U.S. energy production, but Governor John Bel Edwards has turned it into a leading lawsuit producer instead. Jobs have declined while taxes and auto insurance rates have risen.

Mr. Bel Edwards ran in 2015 as an anti-abortion Catholic and former Army ranger, rolling over Republican David Vitter who had been caught patronizing prostitutes. Falling oil prices in 2015 had hurt tax revenues and energy employment, and Democrats blamed the state’s economic problems on GOP tax cuts.

Read more: Louisiana: The Trial-Lawyer State

BRIGGS: Louisiana's coast needs solutions, not shakedowns

Gifford Briggs, President of the Louisiana Oil & Gas Association

The scheme recently announced by private plaintiffs' attorneys, which purports to provide a framework to settle government lawsuits targeting hundreds of energy producers over alleged coastal land loss claims, perfectly illustrates what we've known for a long time: these trial lawyer-driven lawsuits are a farce that have nothing to do with saving the coast.

Let's look at the facts.

In 2013, trial lawyers began pursuing litigation that seeks to hold Louisiana oil and gas companies hostage and punish them for legally conducting production activities, which were encouraged and welcomed by the state and carried out under rigorous state and federal regulations many decades ago. Six years of these divisive and unproductive legal attacks have failed to produce anything for our coast, while a similar baseless lawsuit was thrown out of federal court.

Then three weeks before critical elections are held across the state, lawyers representing six coastal parishes announce they've reached a breakthrough “settlement” with one sulfur mining company involved in the litigation that no longer does business in Louisiana. The deal would supposedly generate $23.5 million in cash payments that would be put into a fund and divvied up by a new state agency that does not exist. Another $76.5 million could be generated "subject to contemporaneous reimbursements from the proceeds of the prior sales of environmental credits.” Reams of lawyers, reporters and policymakers are still trying to figure out what that means.

Despite the lack of clarity, the plaintiffs’ lawyers steering this legal train wreck have provided no additional explanation, and it seems unlikely they will do so anytime soon.

Multiple news reports have revealed the attorneys did not discuss the supposed “deal” with many state and local officials, the named plaintiffs in these cases, while it was being negotiated. It is deeply troubling that elected officials across the coast continue to say they haven't seen the proposed settlement, and they weren't consulted on the details. One parish leader summed it up perfectly, saying, "I don't know nothing."

Specific terms of the proposed settlement still haven't been publicly released. But Gov. John Bel Edwards, who has received significant financial support from the lawyers driving this litigation, was quick to lend his support for the deal saying, “While the details are being conclusively negotiated, I am hopeful that the conceptual framework in this settlement will be used as a model for resolving other similar actions.”

We disagree with the governor and his trial lawyer supporters. This is a shakedown, not a solution.

We should not allow a small group of unelected trial lawyers with unbridled discretion to rewrite flood protection, coastal restoration and economic policy for the entire state of Louisiana through secret agreements that have been negotiated behind closed doors without input from state and local officials.

Strengthening Louisiana's working coast is a shared goal that requires collaboration amongst industry, policymakers, and world-class coastal researchers to develop real serious, science-based solutions. Trial lawyer-driven lawsuits and behind the scenes settlement schemes are not the answer.

Louisiana attorney general wades into the governor's race

Photo source: SF Chronicle

Landry's name isn't listed on the paperwork for the Make Louisiana Great Again PAC filed with Louisiana's ethics administration office. But Landry's political consultant Brent Littlefield confirmed Thursday the attorney general is behind the effort, which hasn't yet filed information about its donors.

The PAC launched a 30-second statewide TV ad ahead of the Nov. 16 runoff election that slams Edwards on the bipartisan criminal sentencing law rewrite he championed, suggesting it damaged public safety.

Read more: Louisiana attorney general wades into the governor's race

Louisiana's coast needs solutions, not shakedowns

Gifford Briggs, President of the Louisiana Oil & Gas Association

The scheme recently announced by private plaintiffs' attorneys, which purports to provide a framework to settle government lawsuits targeting hundreds of energy producers over alleged coastal land loss claims, perfectly illustrates what we've known for a long time: these trial lawyer-driven lawsuits are a farce that have nothing to do with saving the coast.

Let's look at the facts.

In 2013, trial lawyers began pursuing litigation that seeks to hold Louisiana oil and gas companies hostage and punish them for legally conducting production activities, which were encouraged and welcomed by the state and carried out under rigorous state and federal regulations many decades ago. Six years of these divisive and unproductive legal attacks have failed to produce anything for our coast, while a similar baseless lawsuit was thrown out of federal court.

Then three weeks before critical elections are held across the state, lawyers representing six coastal parishes announce they've reached a breakthrough “settlement” with one sulfur mining company involved in the litigation that no longer does business in Louisiana. The deal would supposedly generate $23.5 million in cash payments that would be put into a fund and divvied up by a new state agency that does not exist. Another $76.5 million could be generated "subject to contemporaneous reimbursements from the proceeds of the prior sales of environmental credits.” Reams of lawyers, reporters and policymakers are still trying to figure out what that means.

Despite the lack of clarity, the plaintiffs’ lawyers steering this legal train wreck have provided no additional explanation, and it seems unlikely they will do so anytime soon.

Multiple news reports have revealed the attorneys did not discuss the supposed “deal” with many state and local officials, the named plaintiffs in these cases, while it was being negotiated. It is deeply troubling that elected officials across the coast continue to say they haven't seen the proposed settlement, and they weren't consulted on the details. One parish leader summed it up perfectly, saying, "I don't know nothing."

Specific terms of the proposed settlement still haven't been publicly released. But Gov. John Bel Edwards, who has received significant financial support from the lawyers driving this litigation, was quick to lend his support for the deal saying, “While the details are being conclusively negotiated, I am hopeful that the conceptual framework in this settlement will be used as a model for resolving other similar actions.”

We disagree with the governor and his trial lawyer supporters. This is a shakedown, not a solution.

We should not allow a small group of unelected trial lawyers with unbridled discretion to rewrite flood protection, coastal restoration and economic policy for the entire state of Louisiana through secret agreements that have been negotiated behind closed doors without input from state and local officials.

Strengthening Louisiana's working coast is a shared goal that requires collaboration amongst industry, policymakers, and world-class coastal researchers to develop real serious, science-based solutions. Trial lawyer-driven lawsuits and behind the scenes settlement schemes are not the answer.

Breaking: LOGA’s PAC Louisiana Oil & Gas Political Action Committee Endorses Eddie Rispone!

Eddie Rispone is a proven job creator, a strong fiscal conservative, and a valiant supporter of Louisiana’s oil and gas industry.

The future of Louisiana’s oil and gas industry depends on a stable foundation of wise tax stewardship, the ability to employ and keep a skilled workforce, and a pro-energy environment at Louisiana’s capitol.

That is why LOGA’s political action committee is proud to endorse Eddie Rispone for Governor!

On November 16th, vote EDDIE!

Louisiana Citizens for Job Creators: IDIOTS

Louisiana Citizens for Job Creators releases a TV add on the liberal Washington establishment - IDIOTS

Just In Time for Saturday's Election, "Honor Code" is Being Sued

Photo source: Politico

Speaking Tuesday outside a Baton Rouge district courthouse, Washington blasted Edwards’ decision to hire Anderson — who faced similar harassment claims while serving on the Southern University Board of Supervisors roughly a decade ago.

“My story is one that needs to be told completely and honestly,” Washington said. “Release the evidence, and just say ‘I’m sorry.'”

Read more: Lawsuit filed against La. governor’s office in sexual harassment case

LAGOP - United States Senator John Kennedy Message for Louisiana Voters

WATCH: LAGOP Releases New Digital Ad: “No More Silence”

Baton Rouge, LA – Last summer, after John Bel Edwards hired a known sexual predator as his deputy chief of staff, the State of Louisiana was forced to spend over $100,000 of taxpayer money to settle a sexual harassment suit when Johnny Anderson found his latest victim.

Disturbingly, John Bel Edwards, his deputy chief of staff, and their attorneys demanded the silence of the victim as a term of their settlement. The video, titled "No More Silence" will remind Louisiana voters of the uncomfortable facts surrounding sexual predator Johnny Anderson and his enabler John Bel Edwards.

“At the last debate John Bel Edwards confirmed he never even reached out to his employee that was victimized by Anderson, he even referred to his friend Johnny Anderson as a “good” public servant,” said LAGOP Executive Director Andrew Bautsch. “John Bel’s lack of remorse is bad enough but the fact that taxpayer money was used to demand silence from Anderson’s victim is appalling.”
 

TRANSCRIPT Reporter 1:
A former top aide to the Governor facing sexual harassment allegations… Reporter 2:
Up until yesterday, Johnny Anderson was the deputy chief of staff for Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards. He resigned when a political news website started digging into allegations of misconduct. Narrator:
According to a 2007 federal court ruling, six women filed official sexual harassment complaints against Johnny Anderson. Yet, John Bel Edwards brought Anderson to the State Capitol as his deputy chief of staff. John Bel Edwards promoted his friend Johnny Anderson, a KNOWN sexual predator to a position of power in the halls of the state capitol. And when Anderson struck again? John Bel Edwards used over $100,000 of taxpayer money to settle the sexual harassment lawsuit and silence the victim. No more silence.
No more harassment.
No more John Bel Edwards.

Republican Party of Louisiana Releases Statements on Left-Wing Democrat Impeachment Conspiracy

Baton Rouge, LA - Today, Nancy Pelosi and other radical Democrats announced the next phase of their attempted coup against the duly elected President of the United States of America.

The LAGOP has released the following statements:

“After an embarrassing Mueller Report and several disastrous debates, democrat leaders have come to the realization they are going to lose to Donald Trump, again," said LAGOP Executive Director Andrew Bautsch. “Now they are going to team up with the media and try to take away your right to vote for him.”

“John Bel Edwards is too scared of President Trump to say anything publicly, but his actions speak louder than words,” commented LAGOP Chairman Louis Gurvich. “From acting as a superdelegate for Hillary Clinton, to refusing to outlaw sanctuary cities in Louisiana, to accusing the President of making racist comments, John Bel Edwards has been on the front lines of "The Resistance" from the beginning.”

Louisiana Ranks, Yet Again, At the Top of Judicial Hell-Holes

Photo source: U.S. Chamber Institute
for Legal Reform

In what should come as no shock to anyone in the Louisiana, the Pelican State has set the standard yet again for one of the worst legal climates in the United States.

This is not surprising, as we have our Governor, Bayou Obama himself, John Bel Edwards, leading the charge in pursuing legal action against the largest employer in our state, the oil and gas industry. With this in mind, why would any company decide to come to this state and start a business?

The entire report can be found here

Let’s decide to say, once and for all, enough is enough. We need tort reform and we need a true conservative leader for our state. Let’s go out and elect Ralph Abraham.

After Rispone Decided to Go After Fellow Republican, Cajun Conservatism Endorses Ralph Abraham

In what has to be the absolute dumbest political move in the governor’s race thus far, Eddie Rispone’s campaign has decided to go the way of Jay Dardenne and Scott Angelle in the last election and attack a fellow Republican candidate. A piece that started running on television yesterday goes after Congressman Ralph Abraham on what can only be described as total irrelevant issues.

As a result, Cajun Conservatism will publicly endorse Ralph Abraham for governor. Congressman Abraham is a proven conservative with a record that reflects such.

Rispone should immediately pull the ad and issue a statement repudiating it. If not, it will only show that he is in bed with the Edwards campaign.

LAGOP: Super PAC Supporting John Bel Edwards Fueled by Left-Wing Pro-Abortion and Anti-Gun Activist Groups

Baton Rouge, LA – The latest campaign finance report discloses that 79% of the money contributed to Gumbo PAC during the last reporting period came from two left-wing Washington D.C. based donors: The Democratic Governors Association (DGA) and The National Education Association (NEA).

This new report shows an additional $500,000 contribution to Gumbo PAC from the hyper-liberal DGA, bringing the total contributed by the DGA this cycle to $1 million.

The DGA, which spent millions to help elect Edwards in 2015, has had paid staffers on the ground to help his re-election efforts for months, funded in-part by the $570,780 incontributions from Planned Parenthood Action Fund between 2015-2018.

Both Planned Parenthood and the DGA actively campaign against pro-life legislationacross the country. Earlier this summer, the DGA sent out an email that opened with: “Friends, abortion rights are under attack in the states,” and tweeted that “attacks on women’s health care prove that the threat to women’s reproductive rights is real and present,” referencing legislation similar to Louisiana’s. Leading national Democrats including Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tom Perez have called for the party to be “100 percent pro-choice.”

The DGA’s liberal pro-abortion stance is not their only controversial position that is too far left for Louisiana.

A few weeks after sending the latest $500,000 check to Team JBE, the DGA attacked the Second Amendment (and President Trump) in a letter demanding “red flag laws, passing universal background checks, outlawing assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and establishing stricter reporting requirements to prevent those deemed by a mental health professional to be a danger to themselves or others from purchasing a firearm.”

The other Washington D.C.-based liberal activist group supporting John Bel Edwards is the National Education Association (NEA). The latest campaign finance report shows a new $350,000 contribution to Gumbo PAC from the left-wing NEA.

Earlier this summer, the NEA adopted a new “business item” declaring “The NEA vigorously opposes all attacks on the right to choose and stands on the fundamental right to abortion under Roe v. Wade.”

Of course, that is not their only left-wing position that is out of sync with the vast majority of Louisiana citizens. Like the DGA, the NEA has also decided to disregard the Second Amendment and take a liberal position on gun control. “We believe assault weapons and high capacity magazines are weapons of war that belong only in the hands of our military and law enforcement officers.”

“John Bel’s campaign commercials say that he is pro-life and pro-gun, but this campaign finance report shows clearly that he is just another left-wing democrat,” said LAGOP Executive Director Andrew Bautsch. “If he really believed in protecting the right to life, if he really believed in protecting the Second Amendment, he would not accept this dirty money.

Have You Seen the “Honor Code” Pic With the Little League Champs

On a recent visit to the Governor’s Mansion, the World Champs from River Ridge were treated to the now sold out Popeye’s chicken sandwiches.

Not content in letting this moment be about the boys, the arrogant Cajun Obama made it about himself and put himself in front of the boys.

If this doesn’t scream arrogance, nothing else does.

Louisiana Republican Executive Committee Announces Endorsements

Baton Rouge, LA - Last week, The Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Louisiana proudly announced its endorsements for the upcoming election on October 12.

“Under the failed leadership of John Bel Edwards, Louisiana is the only state in the country losing jobs,” said LAGOP Executive Director Andrew Bautsch. “This group of conservative difference-makers will make Louisiana work again.”

Make sure your friends and family are REGISTERED TO GEAUX VOTE!

September 11 – Deadline to register in person or by mail. September 21 – Deadline to register on GeauxVote Online System.
(Online registrants must show a Louisiana driver's license or ID card to vote.)

Election Day is October 12.
(The LSU/Florida football game is on October 12…so VOTE EARLY!)

Early voting is Sept. 28 – Oct. 5 from 8:30 a.m.- 6 p.m. (except Sunday, Sept. 29) Louisiana Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin announced that sample ballots and polling locations have been finalized and are available for you to view online HERE.

LAGOP: As the radical resistance comes to Louisiana, where is John Bel Edwards?

Baton Rouge, LA - Three leading members of the radical liberal “resistance” are descending on Louisiana this weekend for the College Democrats Summer Conference in New Orleans. 

California Rep. Maxine Waters, “Squad” member Rep. Rashida Tlaib, and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams are at Tulane University this weekend, motivating their socialist troops to reelect Governor John Bel Edwards. 

Despite his best efforts to fool Louisiana voters, Edwards’ connections to the radical left are well-established. 

He was a vocal supporter and superdelegate for Hillary Clinton, who advocates for Democrats to “resist, insist, persist, enlist” against President Trump. Far-left groups including the George Soros backed American Bridge, pro-impeachment Indivisible, and Abrams’ Fair Fight 2020 are supporting his reelection. And Edwards even donated $5,000 to Abrams’ failed gubernatorial campaign last year. 

John Bel Edwards and Louisiana Democrats need to answer – do they support the radical positions and hateful statements espoused by Abrams, Tlaib, and Waters? 

Abrams has suggested that illegal immigrants are part of the “blue wave” electorate: “But the thing of it is, the blue wave is African-American. It’s white, it’s Latino, it’s Asian-Pacific Islander. It is disabled. It is differently-abled. It is LGBTQ. It is law enforcement. It is veterans. It is made up of those who've been told that they are not worthy of being here. It is comprised of those who are documented and undocumented." 

Abrams supports efforts to impeach President Trump:VIDEO: “[I]mpeachment is absolutely a lever we need to look at…” 

Abrams attacked law enforcement officers, equating them with terrorists: “Democratic candidate for Georgia governor Stacey Abrams said Wednesday night that a program of the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office ‘terrorizes families.’” 

Tlaib used vulgar language when calling for the impeachment of President Trump: VIDEO: “We’re going to go in and impeach the motherf***er.” 

Tlaib supports abolishing ICE and claims that the agency has “militarized” communities: “Southwest Detroit is militarized because of ICE. It’s not keeping our families safe—it’s making families live in fear. It’s an international border neighborhood. [ICE has] shifted toward targeting Americans and our neighbors, folks trying to do the right thing. It’s made immigration a militarized operation. I want it abolished.” 

Waters encouraged her supporters to harass Trump administration officials in public places like restaurants and gas stations: "Let's make sure we show up wherever we have to show up. And if you see anybody from that Cabinet in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd. And you push back on them. And you tell them they're not welcome anymore, anywhere.” 

Waters stated that members of the Tea Party movement could “go straight to hell”: This is a tough game. You can't be intimidated. You can't be frightened. And as far as I'm concerned -- the Tea Party can go straight to hell.” 

Waters supports allowing the federal government to take control of private companies:“And guess what this liberal will be all about. This liberal will be all about socializ… uh, uh … would be about [long pause] basically taking over, and the government running all of your companies.”