Priorities Out of Control

Two stories last week seem to show where our priorities are focused not only as Louisianans, but the nation as a whole.  On the one hand we have learned that the city of New Orleans doesn’t have enough cash to meet its operating costs for the reminder of the year.  On the other hand, we have learned that LSU alumni will pony up about $53.3 million to fire, after just 8 weeks, its head football coach, Brian Kelly, who had been granted a ten year contract, a longer contract than that even offered to the president of LSU.

We were told that the New Orleans’ fiscal woes relate to the fact that they have incurred over $40 million in overtime costs and only budgeted $45,000 to cover such costs. Unexpected expenditures such as the New Year’s Day tragedy coupled with additional planned events including Mardi Gras, the Super Bowl, and the Taylor Swift concert pushed the overtime costs to new heights.  And the blatant incompetent budgeting error just further fueled the problem.

However, to put the LSU buyout in perspective, the money that LSU is paying, $53.3 million, without the blink of an eye, to further their quest for a football championship, would more than cover the fiscal problems of New Orleans for the remainder of the year.  And this payout by LSU was of such paramount importance that they even involved the governor of our state in their decision.  Additionally, I am sure we will never fully know the total cost of this buyout because some assistant coaches will also be owed money for early termination.

Sadly, this misplaced fiscal mentality is not just unique to LSU. They are joined this season by an elite group of college football teams, which in total, are on the hook for over $169 million.   These include the following:

•          LSU, $53.3 million
•          Penn State, $49.7 million
•          Florida, $21.2 million
•          OSU, $15 million
•          Arkansas, $9.8 million
•          UCLA, $6.43 million
•          VT, $6 million
•          Oregon State, $4 million
•          UAB, $2.4 million
•          Colorado State, $1.5 million

Again, to put all these buyouts into perspective, more than enough money to cover the projected New Orleans’ budget deficit of $160 million for the entire next year.   And just think how many people that money could feed who can’t afford 3 meals a day for their family.

So, there we have it, America’s love for a winning college football team, no matter what the cost.

It’s Time to ‘Pay the Piper’

 

The residents of New Orleans continually brag about the ‘unique culture’ of their city with its wonderful cafes and restaurants, it second line parades, Mardi Gras celebration, and its myriad of music and food festivals.  However, what many fail to acknowledge is that New Orleans has always been a ward of the federal government.  Most of the development and improvement projects that occur in the city are totally dependent upon such funds, and unfortunately, when these funds expire, these projects fall into disrepair because the city can’t afford to maintain them.  So they wait until they get more federal funds to redo these projects again, and this cycle has been repeated over and over throughout the years.  Just look at how many times Louis Armstrong Park has been restored.

Sadly, New Orleans residents have never paid their fair share to live there, and now it is time to “pay the piper.”  For various reasons the Federal Funds are no longer flowing as they use to. Some involve limiting new funding based upon the lack of accountability about how these funds were utilized in the past, and others involve a drastic change by the present administration’s desire to not fund projects in cities that are considered running counter to their MAGA agenda.

Whatever the reasons, one thing is clear, New Orleans has run out of money to pay city operational costs for the remainder of this year and is facing a $160 million deficit for next year.  And the reality is clear, either New Orleans residents assume the actual operational costs of their city, or, if they can’t afford that, they will have to leave. 

The ‘city that care forgot’ is at a reality crossroads and it is up to its residents to decide if they are willing to finally pay for the future of that ‘unique culture.’

Such Hypocrisy about Making America Great Again

 

While President Trump basks in the praises he is receiving worldwide for brokering a cease fire in the Israeli /Hamas war occurring in Palestine, with the possibility of a lasting peace, one has to wonder why he doesn’t care about brokering such peace in his own country.    We may not have bombs killing people and destroying our homes and infrastructure, but we do have the destruction of peoples’ livelihoods and the disruption of crucial services impacting all with the prolonged shutdown of the Federal government.  But Trump doesn’t seem interested or care about using any of his purported negotiation skills in solving this present political war in his quest to Make America Great Again.

In fact, he has given his full support to Speaker of the House, Johnson’s   refusal to call the House of Representatives back into session.  Consequentially, your representatives remain home collecting their pay while almost all Federal workers receive none.  If they don’t even show up, how can any negotiations occur?   And President Trump seems perfectly satisfied with Speaker Johnson’ response that, “there is nothing to negotiate,” when questioned about why the House is not in session.

So, my question is this, why so little concern about negotiating a peaceful solution in your own country as opposed to a foreign conflict?  Is it all about the glamour and fame of the whole world stage?

Why allow the present philosophy of ‘its’s my way or the highway’ to be the rallying call of both political parties?   President Trump needs to show that he really cares about the unity of our country, for he has the power to do so by bringing both political sides together and negotiating a peace deal.  But instead, he has refused to initiate such a meeting and continues to add gasoline to the fire by announcing permanent layoffs in Federal agencies that, to use his own words, “are favored by the Democrats.”

These acts of retribution are further proof that forming a peace agreement in the United States is simply not on President Trump’s radar.   So again, I ask, why, for he only has to negotiate with two opposing entities as opposed to three in the Israeli /Hamas war.  So, it should be a lot easier.

But then again, our political peace negotiation comes with no worldwide accolades, or fame and it wouldn’t help towards getting the Nobel Peace Prize, one of his highest priorities.