I realize that I'm an "Idealist" but I despise political posturing and political posing. In Louisiana, we see it on a daily basis and, in Jefferson Parish, we know it all too well. Whether it's JP Councilman-At-Large Chris Roberts jousting with Parish President John Young, or the antics of Kenner Mayor Mike Yenni and his Krewe, it's downright laughable. In fact, if it weren't for the electronic news media's fixation with Orleans Parish, they would have a field day with the continued shenanigans in JP.
And, while you expect a certain amount of posturing and posing from Washington, sooner or later they need to stop posing and actually get some work done that helps their constituents. Yeah, it's great that Senator Landrieu authored a bill banning the slaughter of horses and I am against horse slaughtering but, does horse slaughtering really impact Louisiana more than Billions to fix our coast line?
Obviously, Senator Mary Landrieu doen't agree with me.
Unlike other states, Louisiana has never received its fair share of offshore oil and gas royalties from the Federal Government.
During the Truman Administration (You do remember Harry Truman, right?), Louisiana was offered control of the first 3 miles offshore and the oil and gas royalties that accompanied it and a percentage of the take after 3 miles. Pushing for more, and overplaying his hand, Plaquemines Parish political boss Leander Perez turned down the deal.
In 1953, during the Eisenhower Administration, Louisiana was again offered a 50% share of offshore oil and gas royalties and, again, Perez declined.
During this time, without this revenue source, Louisiana's coast line has deteriorated and eroded.
43 years later, in 1996, Mary Landrieu was elected to the U.S. Senate.
Ten years later, in 2006, prompted by the devastation from the levee failures and Katrina's winds, Landrieu finally offered legislation to correct this issue. Were it not for Katrina and the Army Corps, we would still be waiting for Senator Landrieu to attempt to fix this issue that is vital to Louisiana's survivability.
Oh, that's right. Despite the 2006 law, we're still waiting.
Landrieu's bill raises Louisiana's revenue share to 37.5% - still not the 50% that we could have received for the last 50+ years were it not for Leander Perez's arrogance.
Unfortunately, Landrieu's bill, while passed in 2006, doesn't take effect until 2017. At the time, Senator Landrieu said the Federal Government needed time to sort through the accounting.
Since it's an election year, Landrieu is complaining about what other states have received and the fact that Louisiana continues to get the short end of the stick.
But, Landrieu doesn't claim any responsibility for her own ineptitude in waiting 10 years to draft a bill and then getting a bill passed that won't send Louisiana any money until 2017, and then, the amount that Louisiana would receive is capped at $500 Million.
Last week, the Department of Interior distributed $14.2 Billion in royalty payments for land-based production on Federal lands and a paltry $300,000 for offshore royalties.
"The current system does nothing to mitigate against the impacts of energy production for the coastal communities that serve as a strong host for the nation's offshore energy production," Landrieu said.
HELLO! Where have you been for the past 17 years Senator Landrieu? Where was John Breaux, your predecessor? What about Hale Boggs?
Why weren't these Democratic power brokers interested in fighting for Louisiana for the past 60 years?
Now, because you're in a tough election battle after you've sold us out for the last 17 years (and counting, until 2017), you want to send out a Press Release discussing your "outrage" over a system that you ignored, and then failed to immediately address?
Enough with the posturing. Enough with the posing. Enough of Mary Landrieu's excuses and fake outrage.
Louisiana can't afford the next year with Mary Landrieu as our "Elected Representative" - let alone another 6 years after that.
