[StBernard] State Democratic Party Response

[Westley Annis]

Democratic Party state chairman Chris Whittington either doesn't know
Louisiana legislative politics or he's using Friday's legislative inaction
to "play politics" and pull one over on us.  As someone who worked several
years in Baton Rouge as staff for the both the House and Senate, and as a
lobbyist, let me tell you what everyone in Baton Rouge already knows - party
politics really don't play much of a hand in the Louisiana legislature.

I've witnessed legislators from other states visit ours when in session and
marvel at the fact that Republican and Democrats aren't separated on
different sides of the isles or that there isn't a huge letter "D" or "R"
next to the legislator's name on his/her desk plate.  Once a visiting
legislator from Florida asked me "aren't there political subdivisons within
your legislature?"  I responded, "sure, but the political divisions in
Louisiana's legislature aren't Republican vs. Democrat, it's more like
"trial lawyers" (association) vs. "business and industry" (as in LABI) or
it's "northern" Louisiana legislators vs. "southern" Louisiana legislators
and all these groups cross party lines.  It's "special interests" not
political parties that rule in Baton Rouge.

Further proof of this are the lobbyist.  Some of the biggest lobbyist in
Baton Rouge will be representing "conservative" interests on one bill then
"liberal" interests on the next.  It's whomever hires them first.

If Friday's legislative actions (or inactions) appeared to be along
(Republican) party lines, trust me it's only a coincidence.  And what's
really sad is Chris Whittington knows this all too well, but I guess he
figured this was an opportunity to try and play the people of Louisiana who
he thinks do not know any better.

John Scurich