Commentary
Louisiana leaders must help recruit — and retain — more nurses and nursing students
As a long-time nurse, nurse practitioner, and native Louisianan, I am deeply concerned about the nursing shortage that is affecting communities across our state. According to estimates by the Louisiana Board of Regents, there will be a shortfall of approximately 6,000 registered nurses (or 40% of the current workforce) by 2030. This shortage is already profoundly impacting patient […]
Better options are needed than returning 17-year-olds to Louisiana’s adult prisons
Members of the legislature were largely in sync in 2017 when they backed what was called the “Raise the Age” Act, which stopped treating 17-year-olds as adults in the state’s criminal justice system. Ample evidence showed Louisiana’s historic approach of warehousing youth offenders and treating many as adults did nothing to curb juvenile crime rates […]
The start of hurricane season should intensify coastal rebuilding efforts
You probably don’t need a reminder that the 2023 hurricane season begins today, but you’re welcome if it somehow slipped your mind. Unless you have the luxury of spending the next five months at your mountain hideaway, you know the drill — plan, prepare and execute early enough to get out of town safely. That […]
Only truth in juvenile justice ‘transparency’ bill is in its political motives
Proponents suggest a bill under consideration in the Louisiana Legislature would promote accountability for young offenders, especially those charged as adults. The proposal would allow victims to track minors, by name, accused of violent crime as their cases progress through juvenile court. Yet rather than target the prosecutors who let such matters slip through the […]
America is in the grip of a new ‘Lavender Scare,’ spreading fear of LGBTQ+ people
In the early 1950s, the Eisenhower administration fired or barred thousands of gay, lesbian, and transgender people from federal government jobs. It was the Cold War era when fear of communists, called “The Red Scare,” overtook America. A questionable connection between communists and “homosexuals” arose from the following “reasoning.” Communists would threaten to out “homosexuals,” […]
Republicans’ callous indifference on minimum wage could cost all state lawmakers
There’s a good argument to be made for giving Louisiana lawmakers a pay raise, starting with the fact members of the state legislature last received one in 1980. You wouldn’t have to try too hard to convince me that being a legislator is a full-time job, given the near 24-7 accessibility to constituents via smartphones […]
Louisiana GOP’s recent efforts are thinly veiled voter suppression
Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, it’s really no surprise Republicans are looking for ways to improve the odds at winning for an increasingly unelectable candidate. An increasingly prominent element in their strategy is voter suppression, and we’re already seeing it in action in Louisiana. Recently announced state party efforts complement proposals advancing in the […]
The public shouldn’t be silenced for a lawmaker’s inability to schedule
More than a dozen proponents and nearly as many opponents came to the State Capitol Thursday to address lawmakers regarding Senate Bill 7, a proposal under consideration in the Senate Education Committee. It would require public libraries in Louisiana to set up a checkout card system that would restrict children’s access to materials deemed sexually […]
U.S. Supreme Court justices take lavish gifts — then raise the bar for bribery prosecutions
Justice Clarence Thomas might be the most egregious when it comes to taking gifts and not disclosing them, but he’s not alone. His colleagues on the U.S. Supreme Court also haven’t been shy about taking fancy freebies from rich people — many of whom have an interest in the actions of the court. The justices […]
It should be no surprise ‘the most pro-life’ Trump is waffling on abortion
It’s not that former President Donald Trump says one thing and does another. It’s that he says and does whatever he wants, but very purposefully. Both must provide him with some sort of personal, business or political advantage. As anti-abortion stalwarts are now learning, Trump won’t say anything if that benefits him the most. One […]
I tried to pay my taxes in cash — here’s what happened, and why the IRS should make it easier
About two-thirds of all U.S. residents who file federal income taxes typically get a refund. Unfortunately, this year I am among the other third who owe the Internal Revenue Service money. So I tried something I’ve never done before and few people do: I wanted to pay my tax bill in cash — that is, with real […]
Louisiana’s down ballot statewide races require voters’ due diligence
There are a few months left before qualifying for this fall’s elections, but the stage appears set for historical turnover among Louisiana’s statewide officials. Out of the seven seats up for grabs, at least five will have new officeholders. Two incumbents have decided not to run for re-election, and two others want to move to […]