Cajun Conservatism
Photo source: The Jerusalem Post
The two politicians also met with Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan in the Psagot settlement, where he spoke with them about the importance of Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount and how people of all faiths should be able to pray there.
Read more: NETANYAHU MEETS WITH REPUBLICANS AFTER TEMPLE MOUNT VISIT
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
Photo source: Facebook
Today during the Louisiana Bond Commission, statewide elected officials including Attorney General Jeff Landry, Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin and Treasurer John Schroder once again defended Louisianians 2nd Amendment rights when they denied anti-2A banks the opportunity to do business in Louisiana.
This issue first came to light in 2018 when the self appointed social police Citigroup and Bank of America quit financing certain gun manufactures. The Louisiana Bond Commission took issue with these practices and decided they'd no longer do business with these groups because their policies infringed on the 2nd Amendment rights of Louisianians.
Louisiana is lucky to have these three leaders defending our rights! Thank you AG Landry, Secretary Ardoin and Treasurer Schroder!
WASHINGTON — Louisiana's Republican U.S. senators helped acquit President Donald Trump in his impeachment trial, both voting "not guilty" on articles of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.
U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, and U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, had signaled they wouldn't support removing Trump from office over allegations that he leveraged military aid to Ukraine while having urged its president to announce it would investigate Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden.
Read more: Trump acquitted in Senate impeachment trial with votes from Bill Cassidy, John Kennedy
The polling from Third Way, conducted in the “blue wall” states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, shows a sharp divide between those who support Medicare for All and those who don’t.
According to the poll, Medicare for All is just as unpopular in Michigan and Pennsylvania as President Trump’s plan to repeal and replace ObamaCare. Only 41 percent of respondents in Michigan and 40 percent of respondents in Pennsylvania said they supported the policy.
Read more: Centrist poll: 'Medicare for All' underwater in key battleground states
Photo source: Philly Voice
The following oped was provided to Cajun Conservatism by Gwen Miller, a resident of St. Landry Parish:
Getting older isn’t what it used to be—and in a good way! Back when Medicare was founded, senior citizens weren’t expected to live as long or be as active as we are today. Fortunately, our health care coverage is keeping up with the times. Congress has worked in a bipartisan fashion to continually improve Medicare Advantage to bring innovative, private health plans to seniors. And it’s worked.
I became Medicare-eligible a year ago, and I decided Medicare Advantage would be best for me. I wanted “all in one” coverage, and I was impressed by the health plans in my area, some of which charge nothing in monthly premiums.
My plan incorporates everything I need to control my few minor health problems and to protect against more serious diseases from developing. I’m particularly pleased with the prescription drug coverage. In Medicare Advantage, this is built in, so I don’t pay extra for other insurance. The costs are very affordable, and I can get refills at nearly any pharmacy or via mail order. I’m saving money compared to what I was spending before I joined Medicare Advantage, a nice bonus when you’re stretching your retirement savings.
Volunteering in a nursing home has shaped my goals for aging. The facility where I help out offers high-quality care, but nothing can be just like home. Like most seniors, I want to remain an independent, contributing member of the Opelousas community. And I know things like genetics play their part but that I have to put in the work, too.
That’s why I’m glad Medicare Advantage is forward-thinking. Rather than dissuading seniors from using services, they encourage us to take advantage of our benefits—especially the free preventive and wellness care.
Need a checkup? It costs nothing. Is it time for a cholesterol or cancer screening? Get one at no charge. Want some guidance to manage diabetes, an autoimmune disorder, or other condition? Did you make a New Year’s resolution to quit smoking, eat healthier, or become more active? Medicare Advantage has free programs to help.
Free is good. Medicare Advantage plans remove the financial barriers that can otherwise cause seniors to avoid care. And their investment pays off. Medicare Advantage does a better job of keeping seniors out of the hospital, where none of us want to wind up anyway.
The impacts reach beyond seniors. I’m more involved in the community because of the benefits I enjoy with Medicare Advantage, and countless other seniors in our area say the same thing. Our churches, soup kitchens, libraries, garden clubs, tutoring programs—you name it, local charities and other organizations are more robust because Medicare Advantage supports retirees as we engage in activities we care about.
Elected leaders should, therefore, see Medicare Advantage as a top priority issue. Federal officials can support this program as a way to build a better Louisiana. And voters should be sure to check 2020 candidates’ records to make sure the lawmakers they back this fall are as dedicated to Medicare Advantage as we seniors are to Opelousas.
As part of the “Transparent Drug Pricing Act of 2019”, Senator Scott proposes to set the list price of all medicines to the lowest retail list price among five countries – Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany. This terrible idea is supported by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Ro Khanna (D-CA) whose ultimate goal is a single payer or Medicare for All plan.
Linking U.S. pharmaceutical prices to the prices in other countries – whether it is an index of 14 countries as the Trump Administration suggested or the lowest price of five countries as Senator Scott suggests – is a backhanded way of imposing price controls in the U.S. The only difference being the government would offshore the price controls to other countries instead of setting these prices itself.
Read more: Price Controls Are Never The Answer
Baton Rouge – Former St. Tammany Parish President Pat Brister, a longtime figure in parish and state Republican party politics, died Monday, according to a family spokesperson. She was 73.
Brister was first elected parish president in 2011 with 73 percent of the vote and was re-elected to a second term in 2015. Before leading St. Tammany Parish, she had a decades-long career in Louisiana politics.
Brister was the first female chair of both the Republican Party of Louisiana and the St. Tammany Parish Republican Party. She also served as the Republican National Committeewoman from 1996 to 2000.
In 2006, President George W. Bush appointed Brister as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations' Commission on the Status of Women, an international panel that promoted women's rights worldwide in political, social, civil and educational fields.
The Trump campaign has released videos for the Super Bowl. This is one of two that will be run during the game Sunday.
Photo source: AG Jeff Landry
BATON ROUGE, LA – As could have been predicted when the Governor bypassed the legislative process to use his phone and pen in creating the Protecting Health Coverage in Louisiana Task Force, the Governor’s Office and his allies have used the Task Force to put politics over policy.
Today, the Task Force approved – over the objection of the Attorney General’s Office – a political report, not a thoughtful or well-balanced policy discussion.
In response to the Task Force’s report that is full of inaccuracies and characterizations, the Attorney General’s Office issued Protecting Health Coverage in Louisiana.
A copy of Protecting Health Coverage in Louisiana may be found below.
Upon its issuance, the Attorney General and his office reiterated their commitment to continuing working with the Commissioner of Insurance, the Legislature, and other stakeholders to implement the framework established in Act 412.
Act 412 is a state-based policy solution that will protect individuals with preexisting conditions while lowering health insurance premiums. Because of Act 412, Louisiana is more prepared than other states to ensure access to affordable health insurance if the Affordable Care Act is declared unconstitutional in its entirety.
“Protecting pre-existing conditions is not partisan, it is proper,” said Attorney General Jeff Landry. “I will continue doing all that I can to protect patients, ensure coverage of preexisting conditions, guarantee coverage for essential benefits, and assure a robust marketplace for affordable healthcare with choices for the people of Louisiana.”
As noted in Protecting Health Coverage in Louisiana, Act 412 built on the proven success of the Maine Model – a system that provided the right incentives to insurers while lowering premiums and attracting more coverage. The Maine Guaranteed Access Reinsurance Association had full funding with no federal dollars; yet individuals in their early 20’s saw premium savings of nearly $5,000 per year, while individuals in their 60’s saw savings of more than $7,000 per year.
The report can be read here
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.
Photo source: Baptist Message
AUL released its 2020 “Defending Life” report after analyzing progress made legislatively or in litigation in 2019. The annual report contains its annual “Life List ranking all 50 states based on each state’s body of law associated with the life issues, ranging from abortion to euthanasia.
AUL’s decision to place Louisiana at the top of the list was based on the strong Louisiana pro-life legislation passed in 2019, Louisiana’s role in the upcoming June Medical Services v. Gee Supreme Court case, the presence of the Love Life Constitutional Amendment on the 2020 ballot, and the continued bipartisan commitment to the pro-life cause.
Read more: Louisiana declared most pro-life state in nation
Grow Louisiana Coalition points out the contributions to Louisiana’s coast from the oil and gas industry
Photo source: Wikipedia
After Democrats took the supposedly “serious” and “solemn” steps of signing two articles of impeachment against President Trump and slow-walking them to the Senate, they now cry that the Senate must subpoena new documents and witnesses – even ones Democrats didn’t call for in the House.
Democrats don’t seem to realize that they’re complaining that their own articles of impeachment are flimsy, lacking in substance, and failing to sway the American people or any objective senators.
It’s not the Senate’s job to mop up the mess created by Pelosi’s House.
Read more: Rep. Steve Scalise: Trump impeachment is a shameless Democratic abuse of power
It’s not an exaggeration to say that health care determines the path to the White House. It’s an issue that’s been at the center of our last five elections dating back to at least 2010, and this year will be no exception.
The reason is simple: Americans demand — and deserve — affordable, high-quality health care. Candidates naturally promise all of that and more, but their ideas about how to get there are radically different.
But there’s one promising area where common ground still exists. Every year, leaders from across the political spectrum — including presidential candidates — come together to support the Medicare Advantage program.
Read more: Medicare Advantage Is a Pillar of Success in Health Care
Medicare-for-all advocates, including two top Democratic presidential candidates, have a powerful adversary: large regional health systems that employ tens of thousands of local workers.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont have proposed Medicare-for-all systems that could eliminate private health insurance and instead have the government take over paying for health care.
Top executives at many health systems in the region said a shift to a so-called single-payer system that pays at the current rate of Medicare would lead to hospital closures, longer appointment wait times and a drastic cut in research and development funds.
Read more: Warren, Sanders and Medicare for All. What's real? What's not?
“The DPR takes a fresh look at oil and natural gas production, starting with an assessment of how and where drilling for hydrocarbons is taking place. It uses recent data on the total number of drilling rigs in operation along with estimates of drilling productivity and estimated changes in production from existing oil and natural gas wells to provide estimated changes in oil and natural gas production for seven key fields.” - United States Energy Information Administration, 12,16,2019 “
The Haynesville formation is home to many of Louisiana’s independent and private oil and gas companies and the center of almost all drilling activity for the state, said Gifford Briggs President of the Louisiana Oil & Gas Association. The abundance of natural gas in Haynesville has made the Bayou state a key player in the United States’ quest for energy dominance and independence. We are proud to do our part in creating jobs, vital revenue to local communities, and making Louisiana a better place for generations to come.”
Click Here for Full Report
About The Louisiana Oil & Gas Association The Louisiana Oil & Gas Association was organized in 1992 to represent the Independent and service sectors of the oil and gas industry in Louisiana; this representation includes exploration, production and oilfield services. LOGA’s primary goal is to provide our industry with a working environment that will enhance the industry. LOGA services its membership by creating incentives for Louisiana’s oil & gas industry, warding off tax increases, changing existing burdensome regulations, and educating the public and government of the importance of the oil and gas industry in the state of Louisiana. Find out more information at: http://www.loga.la
Photo source: Wall Street Journal
Americans want health care to be less expensive. We also want our health care to be the most innovative in the world. The key to simultaneously achieving both of these goals is good public policy.
Back in September, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) introduced H.R. 3, also known as the Lower Drug Costs Now Act of 2019, into the House of Representatives with 105 co-sponsors, all Democrats. The House is set to vote on the bill this week.
H.R. 3 would adopt international reference pricing for the Medicare program in an effort to lower drug costs. In other words, it would impose foreign price controls on the U.S. market. This would indeed reduce prices, but at what cost to innovation?
Read more: H.R. 3 is the wrong path to lower drug costs
Congressman Clay Higgins issued the following statement regarding the oil and gas industry in Louisiana this week:
“My office has pushed for royalty relief on the federal level since coming to Congress. Lowering or waiving rates encourages oil and gas exploration and production in the Gulf of Mexico. I’m uplifted that royalty relief is receiving serious consideration from President Trump and his administration, and I’m grateful for their continued efforts to eliminate overly burdensome regulations. Further, Obama-era bonding requirements are incredibly damaging to offshore energy production. They must be repealed. We are working closely with the President, and my office is doing everything possible at the federal level to support the oil and gas industry. We intend to bring energy jobs back to Louisiana.
"The Executive Branch in DC is working with our congressional office to bring solid oil and gas jobs back to the Gulf Coast. I’m prayerful that the Executive Branch in Baton Rouge will allow these jobs to flourish in Louisiana by pushing back on the toxic legal environment, which has targeted the oil and gas industry in our State and stifled economic growth.”
The left loves to pooh-pooh "death panels" as some kind of right-wing phantom, but that’s what’s happening elsewhere in the world as countries find “free” to be more expensive than believed and try to make their budget numbers work.
In the United Kingdom, the problem became so acute the government was forced to set up an entire new program just to fund health care costs for people who were likely to die soon.
Read more: Drug Pricing Proposals Would Import Foreign 'Death Panels'
