Commentary
Gritty, Elmo and Mayor McCheese for Congress — why do people throw their votes away on write-ins?
Why would a voter write in “my butt” for Congress instead of choosing between Rep. Tom Malinowski and Tom Kean Jr. in New Jersey’s 7th District House race? A variation on this question has bugged me since 2016, when I wrote about a surge of New Jersey voters casting write-in ballots for president rather than […]
Congress knows how to slash child poverty. It just needs to do it.
If you could prevent millions of children from falling back into poverty, would you? Most of us, I imagine, would answer “yes” without hesitation. But not Congress. For nearly a year, lawmakers in Washington, D.C., have dithered as the policy directly responsible for a dramatic decline in poverty last year lapsed. It’s time for Congress […]
4 reasons we’re thankful in Louisiana
As we gather with family and friends for Thanksgiving, it’s worth pointing out a few extra reasons to be grateful in Louisiana. Sure, fresh oysters for the dressing can’t be overlooked, but we’re taking this occasion to highlight a few other people who deserve special mention. A tow truck driver in Webster Parish came to […]
Cassidy’s decision on governor’s race further shrinks Louisiana middle ground
There’s no mistaking U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy for anything besides a conservative. His recent opposition to a bill that would codify same-sex and mixed-race marriages in federal law should make that abundantly clear. Yet his decision to bypass the Louisiana governor’s race next year removes the person who might pass for a middle-of-the-road candidate. With […]
Voter apathy may well doom the future of elections
Louisiana might not have seen the intimidation of voters and threats against election officials that have taken place in other states, but it doesn’t mean our state is invulnerable. One pressing matter seen locally is the lack of election commissioners to staff polling locations. With early voting creating more demand, the already thin ranks of […]
Environmental justice delayed for Gulf Coast does not have to be environmental justice denied
After a long, hot summer of helping people throughout the Gulf Coast who have lost their homes and livelihoods to hurricanes and calling on elected officials in Washington to stop the proliferation of fossil fuel plants, we decided energy officials needed to see what’s happening here firsthand. So we invited the commissioners of the Federal […]
Jeff Landry’s latest COVID claim is a giant penguin
To borrow from the 1990s comedy “Billy Madison,” at no point in a news release Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry issued Thursday was he even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought regarding COVID-19. Everyone is now dumber for having read it. Well, maybe not dumber, but they definitely should be annoyed […]
Landry announces run for Louisiana governor. Who is or isn’t next?
Attorney General Jeff Landry made it official Wednesday with the announcement he intends to run for Louisiana governor next year. His entry into the field is not at all a surprise, as Landry has courted financial support for a gubernatorial campaign for quite some time, and he’s picked prominent moments to put himself at the […]
How do we reap the economic benefits of closing the racial wealth gap?
By 2050, the greater New Orleans region stands to realize a $43 billion gain in economic output by closing the racial wealth gap. Yes, you read that right – $43 billion. We can and should do better as a state, region and country. The long-term benefits of tackling this societal problem outweigh any short-term obstacles, […]
Hurricane Ian brings a surge of the usual pointless pundits
There are three irritating things you can depend on when a major storm takes aim at the Gulf Coast and other storm-vulnerable areas of the country. We’re experiencing them yet again as Hurricane Ian wallops a large section of Florida. First, you can count on The Weather Channel to send Jim Cantore and other poor […]
Supreme Court will revisit a wetlands question it has struggled with in the past
The U.S. Supreme Court opens its new session on Oct. 3, 2022, with a high-profile case that could fundamentally alter the federal government’s ability to address water pollution. Sackett v. EPA turns on a question that courts and regulators have struggled to answer for several decades: Which wetlands and bodies of water can the federal […]
8 proposed amendments to the Louisiana Constitution: What you need to know
Congratulations. If you’ve clicked through a link to read this, you’ve already done more homework than many Louisiana voters when it comes to learning more about the eight proposed amendments to the state constitution on the Nov. 8 ballot. In the spirit of efficiency inside the voting booth, let’s stop patting one another on the […]