Posted on 02/01/2016 6:34:29 AM PST by Ebenezer
Governor John Bel Edwards argues against those who say he is breaking a campaign promise by proposing to raise taxes to address Louisiana's massive budget shortfall.
Edwards says the proposals he's made are different than talked about during the election, because the facts are different. He also says these proposals are not what he wanted, but necessary.
"It is time to stop living in a fantasy land, it's time to stop pretending that things are better than they are. You're going to see honest budgeting, you're going to see responsible budgeting from me."
Edwards says during his campaign the state's financial situation wasn't as bad as it is now. He says next fiscal year's 1.9 billion dollar shortfall does not have an additional dollar accounted for inflation or anything else.
"There is no additional money there to count for merit raises for state employees, there is no money in there for a K-12 finding formula increase. In the strictest sense of the phrase, this is a continuation budget."
State Treasurer John Kennedy has said there is no need to raise taxes to balance the budget, but Edwards says Kennedy is trying to boost his US Senate campaign.
"John Kennedy is going to say what John Kennedy says and I appreciate that. The fact of the matter is he's running for Senate, he will do what he thinks is in his best interest, I would invite him to do what's in the state's best interest instead."
This Edwards also used the kerry strategy of, “I answered my call to duty from my country. Vitter called prostitutes instead.” It worked, obviously...
For those that may not be as hard-core political junkies as myself, the term is “Tax and Forgive” and it is the strategy effectively used by BOATLOADS of politicians, but mostly Democrats. It goes like this:
1) You PROMISE not to raise taxes in the campaign
2) You get elected
3) You ‘discover’ just how bad things are once you take office.
4) You are ‘forced’ to increase taxes on the Middle Class, as that is the only place where higher taxes equates to higher revenue
5) No one can stop you...you just took office.
6) Your party gets wiped out in the mid-term election (2 years later)...but it doesn’t matter, you’re still there and nothing can get reversed.
7) Finally, after giving the public 4 years to ‘adjust’ to the new taxes, you run for re-election, and more often than not, you actually do win. People simply move on.
Clinton, of course did it in 1993, as did many, many, governors.
He is a democrat - all he has to do is blame a republican governor - Jindal. I am sure they all know how bad the budget was. Spend and blame - democrats.
The folks of Louisiana elected a liberal democrat. They probably deserve the reward of higher taxes.
I agree. I’m from Louisiana and I didn’t vote for bel knowing he was a liberal democrat but I know of at least two of my friends who sat it out because of Vitter - they judged him unfit because of his past. They had no forgiveness and that is how we got this mess.
Add to the holier-than-thou the damage Jindal did to begin with and a bitterl, fraticidal campaign among the GOP candidates (Vitter included).
You endorsed this Socialist lying weasel, Naps. Vitter would’ve been an excellent CONSERVATIVE Governor.
No I didn’t. I can’t vote in that state. I am surprised that you liked Vitter.....not sure Vitter was ever Governor. He tried to be Governor. He has been a Senator for awhile.
You and Goldstategop kept running down Vitter time and time again and repeating the falsehood that Bel Edwards was a Conservative, when he was a left winger (you don’t rise to Democrat leader in a legislative body by being anything other than a leftist).
You both vanished from the threads that demonstrated his deceitful record and his antics tossing out any supposed “Conservative” agenda from the very moment he was elected.
Vitter would never have done any of this crap. Louisiana had the opportunity to elect the most Conservative statewide officeholder since before the Long Era.
You boys own what you helped make happen. That’s on you.
You think that I was able to convince the populous of Louisiana to not vote for Vitter. I kinda thank you for that. But its over. Vitter is out of politics in January. Not sure what he is going to do but he said he was done with politics.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.