Thursday, May 29, 2014

MORE FREE MARKETS IN LOUISIANA

Sen. Jack Donahue R
The Louisiana Legislature is poised to take $4 million of your tax dollars away from supporting disabled Louisianians in order to give it to a corporate indycar event at a private racetrack owned by a multi-millionaire. That is not spin:
“We’re taking money away from the disabled community and giving it to motor sports?” Claitor asked during the committee meeting.

“The answer to your question, Sen. Claitor, is yes,” said Sen. Jack Donahue, R-Mandeville, the committee’s chairman, in response.
Sen. Dan Claitor - R
NOLA Motorsports is owned by Laney Chouest, a multi-millionaire co-owner of Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO). He seems like a fine enough chap, one devoted to building a world class racetrack. Now, of course, he’s done it with his own fortune. Good for him. He even opened it to the public, so normal folks could go racing or go-karting around his prize.
At least Jack Donahue is honest to admit that he takes from the disabled to give to the rich. I'll give him that, though he appears to have no heart.  He hopes to find the money to replace what's been taken away from the disabled.  We shall see.

Of course, the governor can't break a promise to a wealthy supporter.  Jindal is forever paying out money to draw business to Louisiana. I posted earlier today about bringing the bananas back to the Port of New Orleans and paying a fertilizer plant (Oh joy!) to build in Louisiana. Jindal preaches loud and long about the free market, but why then does he pay companies to establish businesses in the state?  The payments are euphemistically labeled "incentives", but how is that the free market in operation?  And how do the governor and the legislature justify such a policy to disabled citizens and the parents of disabled children, not to speak of their own consciences.

4 comments:

  1. But wait, there's more! Mimi, did you see this? (Rachel Maddow, yesterday)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvAoQJt7A9o

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    1. JCF, I didn't see the segment on Rachel's show, but the bill to block the lawsuit has been well-covered by the media here, along with alarms about the fast-disappearing coast of Louisiana. The segment graphics are well-done and paint an accurate picture of what's happening in southeast Louisiana.

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  2. Jesus made the lame to walk and the blind to see. But these fine upstanding Christians in your state are taking money from the disabled to give by truckloads to a millionaire?

    Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

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    Replies
    1. The exchange between Donahue and Claitor provoked outrage, so the legislature restored the funds for the disabled, but the race track funding remains in place, too.

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