HumidCity

Cross-posted from Nation of Morons

The results are in and Louisiana Taxpayers can expect a massive six-million dollar fist up the ass thanks to State Senator Ann Duplessis. Her bastard child, SB 672 which ties legislator salaries to their counterparts in the US Senate, has passed its third and final vote in the senate and is on its way to the House for approval. (225-342-6945 if you care to call them.)

Voting for the bill were Senate President Joel T Chaisson, II, Robert Adley, Sharon Weston Broome, AG Crowe, Yvonne Dorsey, Ann Duplessis, Reggie P Dupre, Dale M Erdey, DA ‘Butch’ Gautreaux, Cheryl A Gray, Lydia P Jackson, RW ‘Bob’ Kostelka, Eric LaFleur, Rovert Marionneaux, Daniel ‘Denny’ Martiny, Michael J Michot, Edwin R Murray, Ben Nevers, Derrick Shepherd, and Francis Thompson

Voting against the bill were John A Alario, Jr, ‘Jody’ Amedee, Bill Cassidy, Sherri Smith Cheek, Donald R Cravins, Jr, Jack Donahue, Nick Gautreaux, Troy Hebert, David Heitmeir, Joe McPherson, Dan ‘Blade’ Morrish, Willie L Mount, Julie Quinn, Neil Riser, BL ‘Buddy’ Shaw,and Mike Walsworth

Absent were Gerald Long, John R Smith and the vacant seat from district 9.

Overall the vote looks suspect: 20 yea, 16 nay and 2 absent. Just enough votes to pass. How convenient. While I’m certain a few of the nays were cast by stalwart senators trying to make a difference in our little Third World State, most came from cunning little politicians who figured, “It’ll pass anyway, so I may as well vote against it and look good in the press.” Pure conjecture on my part, but entirely possible.

And our buddy Bobby doesn’t seem to care. According to our “Reform” Governor, the legislature is responsible for “keeping its own house in order.” He says it’s not his job to tell them what to do. I wonder if John McCain taught him how to pass bucks like that.

Congratulations go out to Ann Duplessis, our Moron of the Year! (So far!) Her district lies in ruins, her constituency is spread across the country, but she can tootle back and forth from Baton Rouge in her taxpayer funded Mercedes S-500 in comfort knowing that all you working stiffs are going to be working a little harder to pay for it. We now return you to business as usual in Louisiana.

One final note to the vapid soccer mom I heard on WWL Radio yesterday: She called in to support the bill because our senators “give us their full-time, it’s a full time job!” Wrong sweetheart. The job is part-time, 3-4 days a week for about 2-3 hours a day. Sure, there are the occasional 4+ hour marathons and special sessions, but most sessions are much shorter; see for yourself here. The April 3rd session lasted just 15 minutes.

Averaging 17 days per month, 2.5 hours per day, that’s 42.5 hours a month or 510 hours per year. At the current salary of $16,800, that’s just under $33 an hour. Under the new $70,000 salary our legislators will be making $137.25 an hour! And remember, these are some of the same douchebags who voted against raising the minimum wage in our state! Looks like it’s back to every man for himself in Louisiana. Pittsburgh looks better every day.

You’ll need it to defend yourself.

State senator Ann Duplessis, (is that like duplicity?,) has authored Louisiana’s newest political embarrassment, Senate Bill 672, which calls for an increase in pay for state legislators. She seems to think that our poor underpaid elected officials need more than quadruple their current $16,000 salaries. SB672 would pay them $70,000 per year and also double their expense accounts. Here, read it yourself. (Yes, recent reports say $50,000, but this is the new and improved version dated 1/1/09. Now that’s foresight!) (You know, technically the word ‘authored’ gives Duplessis way too much credit. She simply took the old bill which set legislator salaries, crossed out “$16,000″ and wrote in “$70,000.” Probably in crayon.)

This will essentially make our legislators the ninth highest paid out of all fifty states. Pretty good considering the most recent survey ranks our states economy 21st out of fifty. Heck, hardly seems worth mentioning, but still…

This comes only one year after Annie helped pass Smokin’ Joe Toomey’s HB489 which also increased the pay of other state officials and the governor. That’s a lot of your money Annie’s spending. If I paid state taxes, I’d be pissed. I’d be thoroughly enraged if I lived in the Lower Ninth Ward though. See, that’s Annie’s territory. I may be slightly off the mark here but, shouldn’t she find some way to help her constituents rebuild their neighborhood before pissing away their hard earned money on her cronies in Baton Rouge?

Annie says that with recently declared monies in the state treasury her plan is now more affordable than ever. Really. Hey Annie, what about those empty lots in the Lower Ninth? Any way you can shake loose a buck or two for the families whose houses were destroyed? No, you say? Pity. Well, as long as you’re housed, fat and happy… fuck ‘em, eh?

Duplessis’ record can be seen here. I find it interesting that she would castrate sex offenders, yet force women to bear the children of rape and incest. I guess that’s just the way she was raised. I wonder who raised her to spend other people’s money so freely?

Unfortunately, SB672 tore through the Senate Finance Committee with unanimous approval and virtually no debate, (big surprise,) and now is on its way to the full senate, presumably for rubber-stamping and a big laugh at all you hard-workin’ Joes that are gonna pay for it. What can you do? Make your voice known! Call your senator and demand they vote this spendthrifts piece-of-shit legislation down the tubes! Visit the Louisiana Action Council and answer the SB672 Poll. Or you can sit there and twiddle your thumbs. It’s your money… at least until Annie gets aholt of it.

This post was syndicated by permission from M. Styborski’s Nation of Morons blog where it appeared on 05/20/08  If you don’t read NoM, you should! -Loki, HumidCity, Founder