The real term limit solution

While the leaders of our colleges and universities in the state have all agreed to forgive and forget all the damage our esteemed legislators have done to their learning institutions over the past seven years, it must be remembered that the repercussions of these past actions will haunt the education system in this state for generations to come.   Our legislators voted to cut educational funding by over 53% during their tenure in the legislature with Jindal.  This money will NEVER be restored because we are operating in a fiscally broke state thanks to our legislators’ allegiance to the governor.  Even the money sources our legislators are bragging about that they created to “save higher ed from funding cuts this next fiscal year” will almost completely evaporate after next year because the major source of this funding, from the business community in this state, is set to expire in 2016.

It is quite apparent that all this concern for higher ed , that suddenly was elevated to crisis status by our legislators, was simply a ploy to get re-elected.  If they were genuinely concerned about the fiscal stability of higher ed and the state as a whole, our legislators would have fixed the fiscal problems rather than “kicking the can down the road’ once more by already saddling the year after next year’s fiscal budget with a $1 billion deficit.

We have legislators in the Baton Rouge Capital that range from one year to over 43 years of service.  Many have played the term limit system by getting voters to continually allow them to do damage to our state.  Term limit laws are chamber specific and don’t really reflect the intent of the voters.   When term limit in one chamber is reached, legislators simple run for election to the other chamber.  When term limit is up in that chamber, they run again for the previous chamber.  And the voters don’t care enough to stop this.

There is really only one sure fire term limit method, and that lies with the voter.  Most legislators are up for re-election in five months.  Please ask each of your representatives a single question, “Did you vote in each of the past seven years in favor of Jindal’s smoke and mirrors budgets packed with one time monies?"  If the answer is “yes”, vote for the other candidate.

Don’t be fooled by the hypocrisy of your legislator, most got us into this mess and you, as a voter, can put an end to this by voting these men and women out of office.  It’s time to end the shenanigans.