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The Rules of the LA House provide for the election of the position of Speaker Pro Tem who presides in the absence of the Speaker of the House.

The pertinent part of House Rule 2.7 states:

The Speaker Pro Tempore of the House of Representatives shall be elected by the membership of the House from among the members thereof in the same manner as the Speaker. (emphasis mine)

In an article in Sunday’s Baton Rouge paper is found the following comment:

[Rep. Jim] Tucker [R-Terrytown] said he’ll name committee chairs by Christmas as well as the speaker pro-tem. (emphasis mine)

Governor-Elect Bobby Jindal named Tucker to serve as Speaker of the House.

Lawmakers and lawbreakers

As with the case of the President Pro Tem of the Senate (See commentary of December 14), either the speaker made a mistake or accidentally revealed the truth. In either case, why have rules, if like our laws, they are not obeyed by those who make them.

Aristotle said “Good laws, if they are not obeyed, do not constitute good government.”

These (House and Senate) political deals are, but two examples of what the media has dubbed a “reform” administration not equating “good government.”

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 8:00 am

The Rules of the LA Senate provide for the election of the position of President Pro Tem who presides in the absence of the President of the Senate.

The pertinent part of Senate Rule 3.4(A) states: The President Pro Tempore shall be elected by the members of the Senate from among the members thereof in the same manner as the President. (emphasis mine)

In an story by the Associated Press, I found the following comment:

[Sen. Joel] Chaisson [D-Destrehan picked Sen. Sharon Broome, D-Baton Rouge, to serve as the Senate’s president pro tem ­ …. (emphasis mine)

Governor-Elect Bobby Jindal named Chaisson to serve as president of the senate.

Aristotle said “Good laws, if they are not obeyed, do not constitute good government.”

This political deal is another example of this so-called “reform” administration not equating “good government” in LA.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 9:56 am

New Orleans has recorded at least its 209th murder for 2007. In 2006 there were a total 162 murders.

The latest murder occurred Saturday afternoon in Algiers.

Saturday, there were at least 3 shootings resulting in one murder. In a 24 hour period, there were at least 9 shootings which resulted in 3 deaths/murders in 4 different locations.

More murders may be added to the total number of murders depending on whether the surviving shooting victims live.

Pattern?

Two of the shooting victims don’t fit the pattern as described by the NOPD. Neither of the victims were young black men dealing drugs. Both victims were Hispanic, the murdered victim was 42 years old and they were renovating a house at the time of the incident.

On Friday, Mayor Ray Nagin was near one of the murder scenes when the shooting erupted. Nagin’s security detail whisked him away to safety. However, he was never in any danger because as the NOPD has stated only young, black, male, drug dealers are in danger of being murdered in the city. Despite being a youngish black male, it is assumed that Nagin does not deal drugs or at least not while his security detail from the NOPD is on duty.

Time for NOPD to come up with better rationale for its inability to address the chronic violent crime problem in New Orleans.

More as it happens. And it will.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 8:12 am