TAKE TIME TO VOTE

Congress needs a complete overhaul

I know Caddo Registrar Ernie Roberson is probably on target when he said the turnout parishwide in Caddo for the election Oct. 19 will be between 6 and 8 percent. That’s pretty discouraging. I wonder what would happen if people were told they couldn’t vote. I suppose they would be irate, say they are being denied their rights by a repressive government and march in the streets.

Granted, it is not a very exciting election that is upon us. For all voters in Caddo, there are only two proposals on the ballot – a Caddo Commission bond issue and an attempt by the commission to increase its term limits from three to five terms. There is also a race for a Caddo District judge seat. Two candidates will be on the ballot – attorney Mike Miller and Assistant District Attorney Brady O’Callaghan. Both are Republicans. The winner will serve out the remainder of the term of Judge Jeanette Garrett, who was elected – without opposition – to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeal.

Caddo Parish is divided into three subdistricts for the election of judges to the District Court. You will vote in this election is you live in precincts 7-17, 20- 24, 26-27, 35, 48-52, 56, 59, 64, 68, 70, 72, 76-77, 93, 99, 101-102, 104, 107- 110, 112-113, and 126-129. In Caddo Commission District 5, voters will elect a commissioner to fill out the remainder of the term of the late Joyce Bowman. The candidates are Jerald Bowman and Earnestine Coleman. Both are Democrats. You will vote in this election if you live in precincts 25, 30, 32, 37, 41, 44-46, 54 and 58. The town of Blanchard will also elect an alderman. The candidates are Jeff Guin and Steve Umling, both Republicans.

In Bossier Parish, the only thing on the ballot will be a school board race in District 3. The candidates are Jill S. Frost, Other Party; and Frank Kelly, Republican. The winner will serve out the term of Allison Brigham, who resigned because she moved out of the district.

But the point is, residents should vote whenever there is the opportunity to do so. It is a precious freedom that is granted to us in America and one that many have fought and died for. So take a few minutes on Saturday to stop by your polling place and cast your ballot.

Congressional Insanity

I can’t help but comment on the situation our country finds itself in because of the inability of members of Congress to work together for the betterment of the country. Having spent 27 years on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., I have been following developments – or lack thereof – closely. And I find myself totally disgusted with the partisan bickering and extremism that has permeated our national government.

Shutting down the government and putting so many people in need at risk, as well as our global economy, should not be an option. My thinking is that every member of Congress who voted to shut down the government should be thrown out of office in the next federal election, which is in 2014. And, yes, I am talking about Tea Party members of Congress, who are pursuing a very narrow-minded course of action and don’t have a clue about the ramifications.

These Tea Party and other Republican members continue to be obsessed with the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare. Get over it. The legislation passed Congress and is now the law of the land. And its legality was upheld by the United States Supreme Court, which leans conservative.

It brings to mind the report by NBC News, which caught a Tea Party congressman from Texas on camera berating a Park Service employee because she would not open up access to one of the monuments for him. He told the employee she should be ashamed of herself. Hey, Dingbat, you voted to shut down the government. It is you who should be ashamed. She was just doing her job. This incident demonstrates just how clueless, uncaring – and arrogant – some members of Congress can be.

I have been involved in government most of my life, and it is hard for me to understand how some members of Congress, elected to represent all the people of their districts, can be so uncompromising and locked into extremist positions. Whatever happened to the days when our elected officials from both parties could get together and work out solutions to the country’s problems? How and why did things get so partisan where political party is put ahead of the people?

The reality is that our national legislators are oblivious to what is going on in the real world outside of the Beltway. Special interests are their real constituents, and political parties demand they march in lock step with their leaders, regardless of the consequences. Most of them do not fear reprisal from their constituents, even though a recent poll gave Congress a 9 percent approval rating, because they believe they are in safe districts. In addition, they have so much money from special interests and lobbyists, it is difficult to find anyone willing to oppose them. It is a sad state of affairs – and a dangerous situation for our country. Bottom line: Congress needs a complete overhaul.

Lou Gehrig Burnett, an award-winning journalist, has been involved with politics for 44 years and was a congressional aide in Washington, D.C., for 27 years. He also served as executive assistant to former Shreveport Mayor Bo Williams. Burnett is the publisher of the weekly “FaxNet Update” and can be reached at 861-0552 or [email protected].