Dement, Roppolo to be inducted into Political Hall Feb. 9
The induction of the late Angelo Roppolo and former Bossier City Mayor George Dement into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame will take place on Saturday, February 9 in Winnfield.
Tickets for the event must be purchased by this Thursday, January 31. They are $50 per person and $500 to reserve a table of eight.
Reservations can be made by calling the Louisiana Political Museum at 318-628-5928 or by sending an e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
A ticket allows you to attend a reception from 4 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. at the Louisiana Political Museum, 499 East Main Street, Winnfield, as well as the induction banquet at 6 p.m. at the Winnfield Civic Center, 2000 South Jones Street.
Past Hall of Famers, politicians, and dignitaries from throughout Louisiana will be in attendance for the 21st Annual Hall of Fame Induction.
Family and friends of Roppolo and Dement are hoping for a good turnout from northwest Louisiana.
If you haven’t visited the Louisiana Political Museum and the displays of significant political memorabilia, it is well worth the trip to Winnfield.
Will Vitter get bitter reaction?
It is a subject many members of Congress do not like to discuss or think about, but Louisiana’s junior U.S. Sen. David Vitter is boldly putting it on the table.
Vitter, a Republican who is gaining more clout in the U.S. Senate as he begins his eighth year in that chamber, has introduced legislation to amend the U.S. Constitution and establish term limits for members of Congress.
His legislation would limit the number of terms to three in the U.S. House, which would be six years, and two in the U.S. Senate, which would be 12 years.
Does it have a chance of getting a two-thirds vote in both chambers and a favorable vote by 38 states? Likely not and is probably dead on arrival even though recent polls reveal that 75% of the American people favor term limits for members of Congress.
For one thing, U.S. House members will probably balk at the fact that a senator gets to serve twice as many years in Congress. Perhaps allowing U.S. House members to serve six terms (12 years) would be more palatable to them.
“Not allowing individuals to remain in office for an eternity is an important step we need to take to restore confidence in Congress,” Vitter said in introducing his bill. “It won’t be the be-all and end-all for good government reform, but it would help us reconnect with the people.”
Vitter has also introduced another bill, which will not make him popular with many of his colleagues. He is calling for an end to automatic pay increases for members of Congress.
“There is real bipartisan disappointment in Congress and its dysfunction, and it should certainly not get rewarded with automatic pay raises without public debate,” the senator said.
No budget, no pay
Speaking of Congress, the Republican-controlled U.S. House last week passed a bill known as the “No Budget, No Pay Act.”
The legislation defused the debt ceiling threat until mid-May, allowing the Treasury Department to borrow money so the government can pay its bills.
But the legislation also requires lawmakers in both chambers of Congress to pass a budget resolution or have their pay withheld until they do. The vote was 285 to 144.
While most House Democrats spoke out against the bill, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the Senate would pass the House bill. And President Obama said he would sign it.
Some political analysts question whether such legislation, which would withhold a member’s salary, is constitutional. The salaries of members of Congress would be held in escrow until a budget resolution is passed.
In reality, this legislation is political hijinks dreamed up by House Republican Leader John Boehner that could have significant negative fallout on members of Congress. It would certainly have an impact on members who are not rich and depend up their $174,000 a year salary to pay for two residences – one at home and one in Washington.
This will be an interesting scenario to watch.
Decrease in BC crime
For the sixth consecutive year, crime is down in Bossier City. Crime statistics released last week showed that the total number of crimes decreased by 4% in 2012 compared to 2011.
In 2012, there were a total of 10,098 crimes reported to the Bossier City Police Department. That figure is lower than the 10,534 crimes reported in 2011.
Bossier City Police Chief Shane McWilliams said that the city experienced a decrease in the number of violent crimes, including murder, rape, armed robbery, and aggravated assault, in 2012.
The only categories to show an increase were burglary, up by one, and theft, up by 8%.
Chief McWilliams said, “This reduction in crime is due to the hard work of the men and women of the Bossier City Police Department combined with a strong relationship that our residents have with our department.”
Mayor Lo Walker weighed in as well. “Public safety is a key issue in gauging a city’s quality of life. These lower crime figures are a testament to the continuing effort by our law enforcement officers to keep Bossier City safe,” he noted.
‘The Governor’s Wife’
Of course, we all knew it would happen sooner or later – a reality show featuring former Gov. Edwin Edwards and his wife Trina. It is a natural for reality TV buffs, right up there with Honey Boo Boo.
As if the show itself is not enough, rumors abound that Trina may be pregnant. That suspense will be a part of the show as well.
Entitled “The Governor’s Wife,” the show will be on the A&E cable TV network beginning in late February.
It will focus on the lifestyle of 34-year-old Trina and the four-time former governor, who will be 86 on August 7 of this year. Trina will be the star, trying to fit into Edwards’ upscale world while trying to get along with stepdaughters who are almost twice her age.
Trina also has two teenage sons from a previous marriage – Logan 15 and Trevor 13 – and they, too, will be a part of the show.
Trina had written letters to Edwards and visited him regularly while he was serving time in federa1 prison for his role in a bribery and extortion scheme concerning riverboat licenses.
Edwards married Trina Scott Grimes in July 2011 after his release from federal prison. They currently live in Gonzales, south of Baton Rouge.
Lou Gehrig Burnett is a seasoned veteran of national and local politics. He publishes Fax-Net Update, a weekly political newsletter.
