For those of you North of the Mason-Dixon line, that's a colloquialism used in some parts of the South to express incredulity and disbelief. I use it here as I have just learned that Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has vetoed SB 672, the little bill that would have given state legislators a 200+% pay raise.
Veto. Starts with a 'V' just like Victory.
In a press conference today, Jindal said both legislators and he made mistakes; theirs in giving themselves such an absurd raise and his promise to stay out of the whole mess in the first place. Hell must be having a great big snowball fight right about now. The people won one. There was no mention of Ryan Fournier's recall petition for Jindal, which has now been dropped.
The crayon-wielding, Benz-driving "author" of the bill, Ann V Duplessis, (Does the V stand for Veto?,) says she is "extremely disappointed" that Jindal "broke his word to the legislature." What she really means is that she's pissed off that he kept his word to the voters. Jim Tucker grumbled something about how the legislature needs to be fixed. No word on whether this means he plans to have his political opponents whacked. His recall is still ongoing though.
This is a day to raise a glass and toast to the will of the people, so I won't go into the recent 'mysterious' resignation of Tommy Williams, the former lobbyist tapped by Jindal to be his legislative director but lasting only six short months, nor will I go into how Jindal's Chief of Staff, (and former campaign manager,) Timmy Teepell managed to help Williams create this mess in the first place. The fashionably shaved "Timmy" was the guy responsible for screwing up Jindal's campaign finances, then not reporting the errors, then not paying the fines on time. Apparently he's also a really big Hannah Montana fan. While Bobby was calling for reform, "Timmy" was busy making phone calls arranging for free HM tickets. He even commandeered the Governor's Suite in the New Orleans Arena so he could enjoy the show in true comfort. What a freak. But I'm not going to mention any of that.
Celebrate your victory, Louisiana! They are so few and far between these days.
Showing posts with label Ann Duplessis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ann Duplessis. Show all posts
Monday, June 30, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Apologies & Nudges
My apologies to State Senator Ann Duplessis, the Mercedes driving public servant whose Second District contains the still-devastated Lower Ninth Ward. Somewhere in a previous post I may have mentioned that she was the driving force behind SB 672, the little bill with the big payoff. It seems I may have blogged too soon.
As the cockroaches in Baton Rouge scurry from the light of day, one big bold mother-fucker has decided to remain in the spotlight no mater how big a shoe hangs above his head. That would be Republican Jim Tucker from District 86 on the Westbank.
The tubby Tucker has been moving and shaking behind the scenes for quite some time since this bill was introduced and his influence has not gone unnoticed. Of course, he hasn't been trying to stay below the radar, either. Before most of the public caught scent of SB 672, Wild Man Tucker was threatening Governor Bobby Jindal with congressional roadblocks if any pay raises were vetoed. In fact, the words "dead on arrival" were used regarding a number of legislations that Jindal wants passed.
During the House vote, Tucker could be seen huffing and puffing across the floor trying to assess the stance of his cohorts and finding that he was quickly losing support, he did a little subtraction from the overall raise and rushed the bill through before he lost any more votes. Now that's hustle!
On the day of the vote, Tucker took the podium and in a fit of Bushian "with-us-or-agin-us-ism" lambasted any and all who thought of voting against SB 672. He verbally lacerated bloggers for posting pictures of Annie's Mercedes online. Hey, it's the vehicle of a public servant. I pay for it and I'll post it wherever the hell I want Jimmy!
So again, my apologies to Annie. I realize now that she's simply the tool which Jimmy used to make our public servants richer. When you think about it, it's almost as if the Old South is still alive with Miss Annie working hard for whip-craking, slave-driver Jim on the old plantation, although Annie's more of a sharecropper here. And Massah Bobby has too much to gain in Cotton-Picking Politics-As-Usual here in Louisiana to do anything to stop it, even though he knows he's the only one who can.
So the upshot here is that instead of six-million dollars, we will only have to pay these douchebags 4.5-million dollars, (unless the feds approve themselves another raise,) for a part-time job. The raise will not fix our streets, enhance our schools, equip our first responders, or protect our lives and homes. It will make those kind souls across the world who have given so much to help us recover from Katrina think twice before they send us any more aid. It will make our state look so incompetent and inept that we will once again be known as the Haven of Corruption we once were. It will not "attract a better type of person" to public office as has been inanely stated by so many of the apparently poor performers we now have. It will simply attract a greedier class of thief.
It's up to you now Governor Bobby Jindal. You shouldn't need a nudge from me, but here it is: You can do the job we elected you to do or you can hide behind rhetorical prose and send this state further into disarray.
As the cockroaches in Baton Rouge scurry from the light of day, one big bold mother-fucker has decided to remain in the spotlight no mater how big a shoe hangs above his head. That would be Republican Jim Tucker from District 86 on the Westbank.
The tubby Tucker has been moving and shaking behind the scenes for quite some time since this bill was introduced and his influence has not gone unnoticed. Of course, he hasn't been trying to stay below the radar, either. Before most of the public caught scent of SB 672, Wild Man Tucker was threatening Governor Bobby Jindal with congressional roadblocks if any pay raises were vetoed. In fact, the words "dead on arrival" were used regarding a number of legislations that Jindal wants passed.
During the House vote, Tucker could be seen huffing and puffing across the floor trying to assess the stance of his cohorts and finding that he was quickly losing support, he did a little subtraction from the overall raise and rushed the bill through before he lost any more votes. Now that's hustle!
On the day of the vote, Tucker took the podium and in a fit of Bushian "with-us-or-agin-us-ism" lambasted any and all who thought of voting against SB 672. He verbally lacerated bloggers for posting pictures of Annie's Mercedes online. Hey, it's the vehicle of a public servant. I pay for it and I'll post it wherever the hell I want Jimmy!
So again, my apologies to Annie. I realize now that she's simply the tool which Jimmy used to make our public servants richer. When you think about it, it's almost as if the Old South is still alive with Miss Annie working hard for whip-craking, slave-driver Jim on the old plantation, although Annie's more of a sharecropper here. And Massah Bobby has too much to gain in Cotton-Picking Politics-As-Usual here in Louisiana to do anything to stop it, even though he knows he's the only one who can.
So the upshot here is that instead of six-million dollars, we will only have to pay these douchebags 4.5-million dollars, (unless the feds approve themselves another raise,) for a part-time job. The raise will not fix our streets, enhance our schools, equip our first responders, or protect our lives and homes. It will make those kind souls across the world who have given so much to help us recover from Katrina think twice before they send us any more aid. It will make our state look so incompetent and inept that we will once again be known as the Haven of Corruption we once were. It will not "attract a better type of person" to public office as has been inanely stated by so many of the apparently poor performers we now have. It will simply attract a greedier class of thief.
It's up to you now Governor Bobby Jindal. You shouldn't need a nudge from me, but here it is: You can do the job we elected you to do or you can hide behind rhetorical prose and send this state further into disarray.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
-Edmund Burke
With great power there must also come great responsibility.
-Spider-Man
You're out!
-Any umpire after a poor performance by a ballplayer
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Business As Usual
The results are in and Louisiana Taxpayers can expect a massive six-million dollar fist up the ass thanks to State Senator Ann Duplessis. Her bastard child, SB 672 which ties legislator salaries to their counterparts in the US Senate, has passed its third and final vote in the senate and is on its way to the House for approval. (225-342-6945 if you care to call them.)
Voting for the bill were Senate President Joel T Chaisson, II, Robert Adley, Sharon Weston Broome, AG Crowe, Yvonne Dorsey, Ann Duplessis, Reggie P Dupre, Dale M Erdey, DA 'Butch' Gautreaux, Cheryl A Gray, Lydia P Jackson, RW 'Bob' Kostelka, Eric LaFleur, Rovert Marionneaux, Daniel 'Denny' Martiny, Michael J Michot, Edwin R Murray, Ben Nevers, Derrick Shepherd, and Francis Thompson
Voting against the bill were John A Alario, Jr, 'Jody' Amedee, Bill Cassidy, Sherri Smith Cheek, Donald R Cravins, Jr, Jack Donahue, Nick Gautreaux, Troy Hebert, David Heitmeir, Joe McPherson, Dan 'Blade' Morrish, Willie L Mount, Julie Quinn, Neil Riser, BL 'Buddy' Shaw,and Mike Walsworth
Absent were Gerald Long, John R Smith and the vacant seat from district 9.
Overall the vote looks suspect: 20 yea, 16 nay and 2 absent. Just enough votes to pass. How convenient. While I'm certain a few of the nays were cast by stalwart senators trying to make a difference in our little Third World State, most came from cunning little politicians who figured, "It'll pass anyway, so I may as well vote against it and look good in the press." Pure conjecture on my part, but entirely possible.
And our buddy Bobby doesn't seem to care. According to our "Reform" Governor, the legislature is responsible for "keeping its own house in order." He says it's not his job to tell them what to do. I wonder if John McCain taught him how to pass bucks like that.
Congratulations go out to Ann Duplessis, our Moron of the Year! (So far!) Her district lies in ruins, her constituency is spread across the country, but she can tootle back and forth from Baton Rouge in her taxpayer funded Mercedes S-500 in comfort knowing that all you working stiffs are going to be working a little harder to pay for it. We now return you to business as usual in Louisiana.
One final note to the vapid soccer mom I heard on WWL Radio yesterday: She called in to support the bill because our senators "give us their full-time, it's a full time job!" Wrong sweetheart. The job is part-time, 3-4 days a week for about 2-3 hours a day. Sure, there are the occasional 4+ hour marathons and special sessions, but most sessions are much shorter; see for yourself here. The April 3rd session lasted just 15 minutes.
Averaging 17 days per month, 2.5 hours per day, that's 42.5 hours a month or 510 hours per year. At the current salary of $16,800, that's just under $33 an hour. Under the new $70,000 salary our legislators will be making $137.25 an hour! And remember, these are some of the same douchebags who voted against raising the minimum wage in our state! Looks like it's back to every man for himself in Louisiana. Pittsburgh looks better every day.
Voting for the bill were Senate President Joel T Chaisson, II, Robert Adley, Sharon Weston Broome, AG Crowe, Yvonne Dorsey, Ann Duplessis, Reggie P Dupre, Dale M Erdey, DA 'Butch' Gautreaux, Cheryl A Gray, Lydia P Jackson, RW 'Bob' Kostelka, Eric LaFleur, Rovert Marionneaux, Daniel 'Denny' Martiny, Michael J Michot, Edwin R Murray, Ben Nevers, Derrick Shepherd, and Francis Thompson
Voting against the bill were John A Alario, Jr, 'Jody' Amedee, Bill Cassidy, Sherri Smith Cheek, Donald R Cravins, Jr, Jack Donahue, Nick Gautreaux, Troy Hebert, David Heitmeir, Joe McPherson, Dan 'Blade' Morrish, Willie L Mount, Julie Quinn, Neil Riser, BL 'Buddy' Shaw,and Mike Walsworth
Absent were Gerald Long, John R Smith and the vacant seat from district 9.
Overall the vote looks suspect: 20 yea, 16 nay and 2 absent. Just enough votes to pass. How convenient. While I'm certain a few of the nays were cast by stalwart senators trying to make a difference in our little Third World State, most came from cunning little politicians who figured, "It'll pass anyway, so I may as well vote against it and look good in the press." Pure conjecture on my part, but entirely possible.
And our buddy Bobby doesn't seem to care. According to our "Reform" Governor, the legislature is responsible for "keeping its own house in order." He says it's not his job to tell them what to do. I wonder if John McCain taught him how to pass bucks like that.
Congratulations go out to Ann Duplessis, our Moron of the Year! (So far!) Her district lies in ruins, her constituency is spread across the country, but she can tootle back and forth from Baton Rouge in her taxpayer funded Mercedes S-500 in comfort knowing that all you working stiffs are going to be working a little harder to pay for it. We now return you to business as usual in Louisiana.
One final note to the vapid soccer mom I heard on WWL Radio yesterday: She called in to support the bill because our senators "give us their full-time, it's a full time job!" Wrong sweetheart. The job is part-time, 3-4 days a week for about 2-3 hours a day. Sure, there are the occasional 4+ hour marathons and special sessions, but most sessions are much shorter; see for yourself here. The April 3rd session lasted just 15 minutes.
Averaging 17 days per month, 2.5 hours per day, that's 42.5 hours a month or 510 hours per year. At the current salary of $16,800, that's just under $33 an hour. Under the new $70,000 salary our legislators will be making $137.25 an hour! And remember, these are some of the same douchebags who voted against raising the minimum wage in our state! Looks like it's back to every man for himself in Louisiana. Pittsburgh looks better every day.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Annie Get Your Gun
You'll need it to defend yourself.
State senator Ann Duplessis, (is that like duplicity?,) has authored Louisiana's newest political embarrassment, Senate Bill 672, which calls for an increase in pay for state legislators. She seems to think that our poor underpaid elected officials need more than quadruple their current $16,000 salaries. SB672 would pay them $70,000 per year and also double their expense accounts. Here, read it yourself. (Yes, recent reports say $50,000, but this is the new and improved version dated 1/1/09. Now that's foresight!) (You know, technically the word 'authored' gives Duplessis way too much credit. She simply took the old bill which set legislator salaries, crossed out "$16,000" and wrote in "$70,000." Probably in crayon.)
This will essentially make our legislators the ninth highest paid out of all fifty states. Pretty good considering the most recent survey ranks our states economy 21st out of fifty. Heck, hardly seems worth mentioning, but still...
This comes only one year after Annie helped pass Smokin' Joe Toomey's HB489 which also increased the pay of other state officials and the governor. That's a lot of your money Annie's spending. If I paid state taxes, I'd be pissed. I'd be thoroughly enraged if I lived in the Lower Ninth Ward though. See, that's Annie's territory. I may be slightly off the mark here but, shouldn't she find some way to help her constituents rebuild their neighborhood before pissing away their hard earned money on her cronies in Baton Rouge?
Annie says that with recently declared monies in the state treasury her plan is now more affordable than ever. Really. Hey Annie, what about those empty lots in the Lower Ninth? Any way you can shake loose a buck or two for the families whose houses were destroyed? No, you say? Pity. Well, as long as you're housed, fat and happy... fuck 'em, eh?
Duplessis' record can be seen here. I find it interesting that she would castrate sex offenders, yet force women to bear the children of rape and incest. I guess that's just the way she was raised. I wonder who raised her to spend other people's money so freely?
Unfortunately, SB672 tore through the Senate Finance Committee with unanimous approval and virtually no debate, (big surprise,) and now is on its way to the full senate, presumably for rubber-stamping and a big laugh at all you hard-workin' Joes that are gonna pay for it. What can you do? Make your voice known! Call your senator and demand they vote this spendthrifts piece-of-shit legislation down the tubes! Visit the Louisiana Action Council and answer the SB672 Poll. Or you can sit there and twiddle your thumbs. It's your money... at least until Annie gets aholt of it.
State senator Ann Duplessis, (is that like duplicity?,) has authored Louisiana's newest political embarrassment, Senate Bill 672, which calls for an increase in pay for state legislators. She seems to think that our poor underpaid elected officials need more than quadruple their current $16,000 salaries. SB672 would pay them $70,000 per year and also double their expense accounts. Here, read it yourself. (Yes, recent reports say $50,000, but this is the new and improved version dated 1/1/09. Now that's foresight!) (You know, technically the word 'authored' gives Duplessis way too much credit. She simply took the old bill which set legislator salaries, crossed out "$16,000" and wrote in "$70,000." Probably in crayon.)
This will essentially make our legislators the ninth highest paid out of all fifty states. Pretty good considering the most recent survey ranks our states economy 21st out of fifty. Heck, hardly seems worth mentioning, but still...
This comes only one year after Annie helped pass Smokin' Joe Toomey's HB489 which also increased the pay of other state officials and the governor. That's a lot of your money Annie's spending. If I paid state taxes, I'd be pissed. I'd be thoroughly enraged if I lived in the Lower Ninth Ward though. See, that's Annie's territory. I may be slightly off the mark here but, shouldn't she find some way to help her constituents rebuild their neighborhood before pissing away their hard earned money on her cronies in Baton Rouge?
Annie says that with recently declared monies in the state treasury her plan is now more affordable than ever. Really. Hey Annie, what about those empty lots in the Lower Ninth? Any way you can shake loose a buck or two for the families whose houses were destroyed? No, you say? Pity. Well, as long as you're housed, fat and happy... fuck 'em, eh?
Duplessis' record can be seen here. I find it interesting that she would castrate sex offenders, yet force women to bear the children of rape and incest. I guess that's just the way she was raised. I wonder who raised her to spend other people's money so freely?
Unfortunately, SB672 tore through the Senate Finance Committee with unanimous approval and virtually no debate, (big surprise,) and now is on its way to the full senate, presumably for rubber-stamping and a big laugh at all you hard-workin' Joes that are gonna pay for it. What can you do? Make your voice known! Call your senator and demand they vote this spendthrifts piece-of-shit legislation down the tubes! Visit the Louisiana Action Council and answer the SB672 Poll. Or you can sit there and twiddle your thumbs. It's your money... at least until Annie gets aholt of it.
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