Taxes Fare Well at Polls in Central Louisiana

The Alexandria, LA, Daily Town Talk ^ | 04-06-07 | Staff Report

[Theodore R.]

Taxes fare well at polls Posted on April 6, 2003 Saturday was a good night for taxes, with voters across central Louisiana approving virtually every tax measure put before them.

Only Natchitoches Parish voters rejected proposed tax increases.

Election results are complete but unofficial, until certified in the coming days.

[Theodore R.]

Some voters have a predisposition to vote against all taxes; others tend to do as government advises them to do and vote for all taxes; still others are discriminating, supporting some tax hikes here and there and opposing others. Usually voters in LA are more willing to vote in property taxes than sales taxes but not always. In LA, there is very little property tax on the first $75,000 of assessed value; therefore, many of the poor and lower middle class in LA pay no direct property taxes. Hence, such voters are inclined to "go along" with property tax renewals and sometimes increases. The most popular taxes are those that voters think SOMEONE ELSE will pay! Former Senator Russell B. Long, who never lost a LA election, once quipped that he would not "tax you or tax me, but that fellow behind the tree."

[G.Mason]

"Some voters have a predisposition to vote against all taxes"

Enough said.

[Kuksool]

With Bayou voters approving tax hikes at the polls, LA residents still wonder why: (1) businesses don't want to locate in their state and (2) young people are moving out of the state. Some people are so clueless.

[Theodore R.]

"Clueless," perhaps, but they believe in "democracy" and the "power of the people" to govern themselves! They also think government weakens the "powerful" and empowers the "powerless." It's the Huey Pierce Long, Jr., philosophy 70 years later!

[Kuksool]

LA is a state of paradoxes. The voter registration is 61% RAT to 22% Pubbie. Yet, it is the most pro-life state in the union. The RAT-dominated General Assembly with Gov. Foster have done everything they can to legally restrict abortion. Also, I believe nearly all the candidates for Governor are pro-life. This includes the two front runners, Blanco & Ieyoub.

[Theodore R.]

But you forgot that the champion of abortion "rights" in LA -- Senator Landrieu -- won with 52 percent in 2002. And her brother is now a Democrat candidate for lieutenant governor. Her father was a carterized Secretary of HUD and former New Orleans mayor. Also, Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr., who carried the LA primary in 1988, is strongly a supporter of abortion. Many in LA regard the Reverend Jackson as an "honorary Louisianian."

[Theodore R.]

I won't argue with your numbers, but I thought that I had seen registration figures as 66 percent Democrat. Democrats in LA are very self-confident candidates, much as in HI and WV, but there are occasional losses, yes.

[Theodore R.]

Also, in LA, Republicans are often seen as "country club" and "rich people" who "dislike" the poor and middle class. Democrats think even that Republicans take "opportunity" from them. So many LA Democrats go to the polls to "stick it" to the Republicans. Sometimes they also wind up "sticking it" to themselves. But LA Democrats are prepared to bear heavy losses themselves if only the hated "rich and powerful" can be brought down a notch or two.

[Kuksool]

{But you forgot that the champion of abortion "rights" in LA -- Senator Landrieu -- won with 52 percent in 2002.}

In the Senate run-off, I thought Mary Landrieu promoted herself as being pro-life to Cajun country voters and pro-choice to New Orleans voters?

{And her brother is now a Democrat candidate for lieutenant governor}

Good grief! Is the Bayou state going to renamed Landrieuana?

[Theodore R.]

Huey Pierce Long, Jr., taught that there is a "finite" amount of wealth in the country. Therefore, the "rich" control the wealth, and it is up to the "poor" through elections to obtain a "living wage portion" of the rich man's assets for their own survival. Darwin taught of "survival of the fittest." Long taught "survival by winning elections." Long promised $2,500 annually in guaranteed income to every family. That was a fortune for the poor Louisianaian in 1933. And Long said that the rich would hardly know what had been taken from them in the form of higher taxes because they would pay only their "fair share." Of course, the brilliant Huey neglected to tell the people that he himself was part of the rich and powerful!!!!! Huey also would have forbidden incomes beyond $1 million per year and assests at a total of more than $5 million per estate.

[Theodore R.]

Mary Landrieu has never thought about that with every abortion she has one less constituent and possible supporter in the future. I guess if you keep winning you don't think about such demographic factors. Also, Mary is very strong with elderly voters who think she is "on our side" against the "rich and powerful" Republicans.