the Winds of Change

Louisiana is changing. That is certainly no surprise to anyone. In fact, the very geography of our fair state was changed in 2005, when Hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck. Sadly, it took these natural disasters, and a few rather unfortunate events, to change the political process in the “Sportsman’s Paradise.” This is the state that elected Edwin W. Edwards to four terms as Governor. This is the place where precincts have been known to have 105% voter turnout for Senatorial elections. This is the place where, if you hoped to get a government contract, your handshake was just a way to slip cash into someone’s pocket. Ethics laws have been treated as mere suggestions. No Longer, for Louisiana has elected and inaugurated a reform candidate that actually went to work, drum roll if you will, REFORMING.
Change is being felt in Louisiana’s Congressional delegation as well. The decline in population means that we will be losing a congressional district. On top of that, we have lost, and continue to lose, legislative leaders. Let us not forget that one of our most senior Representatives, Billy Tauzin, retired in 2005. To compound this, Governor Jindal stepped out of a Congressional seat to enter the Governor’s mansion. Add to that, the fact that the seat in the Sixth district will be vacated by Congressman Baker, and suddenly, Louisiana’s congressional district has just lost three influential voices in the last three years.
So, you see, some of the changes we’ve seen are refreshing and some, not so much. Still, Louisiana has been shifting more and more to the right with every major event. The people are beginning to realize that the Democratic Party, that once had a stranglehold on the state, is not championing our causes after all. People are fed up with a Government that over-promises and under-delivers. They are asking, why we budget continuing programs with one-time funds. They’re asking why our tax rates are so high. They want to know why the government is paying contractors that are not delivering on their work. When all is said and done, Louisiana is waking up to the fact that tax and spend isn’t the answer, that corruption isn’t required to run a state, and that FEMA can’t fix these problems either. “Great”, you say, “but what does that have to do with me?” Simply put, we have a chance to keep change moving in the right direction. We need to fill Congressman Baker’s seat with another conservative that will fight for the issues that are important to us, such as lowering taxes, securing borders, cutting spending, limiting bureaucracy and protecting our rights. Senator Landrieu is up for re-election this November as well. She is a hold over from the old guard. A tax and spend liberal to the bone. Scandal and corruption have reared their head in her tenure as well, and the cleanup must continue. It is time for Louisiana to move forward, and gain respect in a nation that views us as a corrupt backwater that is not worth considering. Let us pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, and make a difference in the way we go about our business.

Death of a Concept?

I'm sorry, Mr. Gingrich, did I hear you correctly? Did you say that Reaganism is dead? I do apologize, sir, but I must respectfully disagree. Reaganism is not just the idyllic political concept that was born during my childhood years. It was not merely the ideas and methods of Ronald Reagan. In truth, Reaganism is merely a euphemism for conservatism. Nothing more, nothing less.
If you mean to tell me that conservatism is dead, then, my friend, you have strayed far afield from the Congressman from Georgia that I once admired for his convictions and beliefs. I remember the "contract with America." I recall the days when this great nation moved to put republicans in the majority in the houses of Congress. It was not because you were republicans that you were put in office, but because you were conservatives. In fact, I put it to you that the heart of this nation is still conservative. Shall we examine the truth of it?
Ask the average man on the street and he will tell you that he is overtaxed. Surprised? Probably not. Still, this is true, and conservative economics will tell you that he is most likely correct. Tax revenue was raised after Congress, under the direction of President Bush, slashed the income tax code in such a way that the majority of Americans received a second refund from the internal revenue service of three hundred dollars at a minimum. Lower taxes mean more private-sector spending, which in turn leads to more tax revenue. Businesses have the need and the means to hire more employees, unemployment falls, and therefore more income taxes are collected.
A wise man once said that the most frightening words in the English language are, and I quote, "I'm from the government and I'm here to help." There is a great deal of truth in this as well. The federal government has grown far too large. Most regular folks would, if asked, say that they'd like the government to have a smaller role in their daily lives. Who wants a government that meddles in the affairs of its citizenry? The answer, you will find, is NOT its citizens. The government exists to organize the affairs of the country, not to decide what its citizens eat, drink, drive, spend, save, think or do. This country could do with fewer government programs, don't you think?
In fact, with fewer things to spend my tax dollars on and more of them coming in (thanks to those tax cuts), we ought to have no problem finding money to, oh, say, supply our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan? Secure our revolving door borders? Allow the free market system to repair our broken medical insurance business by getting government out rather than having government take over? Just a few suggestions. That's all.
I think you'll find that the average American supports the men and women of our military, regardless of their feelings of the war in Iraq. So many times I have seen and received e-mails and video links to patriotic sites. People believe in this country. Patriotism is still alive and well. In fact, Former Secretary of State Colin Powell, just today, reminded us that the world at large still has a "healthy respect" for the United States of America.
All of these things are conservative concepts, Mr. Gingrich. All of them. Conservatism cannot die. It is not dependent on the moods and whims of this nation. Conservatism does not check with the polls to see which way the wind is blowing. Conservatism, much like integrity, right and wrong, does not depend on CNN to carry its story. It does not need the New York Times to print its agenda in bold face. It needn't be concerned with changing with the times. Conservatism is bedrock. It is a foundation for beliefs, not beliefs themselves. It is a why, not a what. It was the parchment that the "contract with America" was written on, rather than the pen you used to write it. You once understood that. Perhaps it is that Newt Gingrich, rather than Reaganism, that has died.