Columns

Today’s bullies are online, but so is help

My sister Kris kicked the tar out of Frankie Leper. It happened in 1972 after Leper, a notorious neighborhood bully, busted up my handmade go-kart, then shoved me into the mud. Sure, Leper was a big kid.

In news other than impeachment…

Sure, I could write about impeachment again this week, and probably for countless weeks to come. But I think we all could use a diversion, what with the 24/7 news coverage, analysis, and editorializing that passes for news coverage. It makes you wonder if the earth is still turning on its axis.

Labor of love to vote!

People early voted in record numbers for Saturday’s first primary election. Here in Louisiana, election participation was up 25% over the gubernatorial election just four years ago. Predictions proved true that as many as 35% or more of total voters will cast their ballots before Election Day.

‘Thank you’ from Texas for driving Louisianians west

Dear Editor If football games determined a state’s success, Louisiana would’ve catapulted past Texas in recent weeks. Fortunately for Texas, that’s not the case. So, I write to say thank you to Louisiana’s elected officials for driving talented Louisianans to Texas!

Providing better solutions for individuals on Medicaid expansion

Dear Editor The past several months have seen the emergence of numerous problems related to Louisiana’s Medicaid expansion to able-bodied adults. The Legislative Auditor reported late last year how an antiquated verification system left thousands of ineligible adults receiving Medicaid benefits.

Who is going to win on election night?

With the Louisiana statewide election only a few days away, and with many voters already making their way to the polls, it would seem to be a good time for me to gaze into my crystal ball and make a prediction of just who will be successful after all the vote are tallied.

More fiction than fact in Schiff’s performance

Adam Schiff – congressman, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, thespian. Schiff’s dramatic reading of President Donald Trump’s phone call to the president of Ukraine was a tour de force by the California Democrat. The performance had a little bit of everything.

SNL’s political spoof hits too close to home

In its season opener “Saturday Night Live” did a fine job of skewering political figures who dominated headlines during the show’s summer hiatus. The Trump stuff was funny, but even with new Ukrainian fodder it was routine.

Climate teen Greta Thunberg is a political pawn

Greta Thunberg, the Swedish teenager who has become the face of the climate wars, reminds me of another child I saw dominate international debate: Elian González. Years ago, I watched as that little boy got sucked into political posturing.

Firefighter lost his job for doing nothing wrong

During the 1980s, my brother Teddy was a volunteer firefighter with our local firehouse. I remember more than a few late nights when an alarm would go off and Teddy would jump into his 1976 Monte Carlo and rush to the firehouse or, more frequently, just run the block and a half up the street.