Gov. Edwards hints licenses may soon no longer be required to arrange flowers or other vocations. Is he ready to walk the walk, or do like Jindal and merely talk the talk?

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, appearing before the Baton Rouge Press Club on January 8, 2018

 

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards appeared before the Baton Rouge Press Club (BRPC) on Monday, January 8, 2018.  He stunned the two or three attendees who were present in the audience with conservative leanings when he indicated that his 2018 legislative agenda will include removing licensing requirements for a number of occupations in Louisiana, and he specifically referenced arranging flowers as a vocation which soon may require no license.  The Advocate’s  Stephanie Grace indicated this was a calculated move by Edwards to appeal to right-wing conservatives.

Whatever his motivations, Sound Off Louisiana‘s founder, Robert Burns, has no single economic issue more dear to him than occupational licensing boards and commissions, and anyone who knows him knows that fact well.  Accordingly, Burns’ most recent feature focuses on Edwards’ comments, combined with past video footage wherein Burns questioned former Gov. Bobby Jindal (on January 8, 2014) and then-Representative (and freshly-announced candidate for Governor) John Bel Edwards, D-Amite (July 21, 2014).  In providing Edwards’ statements of January 8, 2018 to the Baton Rouge Press Club, Burns also openly challenges Edwards to prove he can “walk the walk” and not be Jindal – Act II and merely “talk the talk.”:


Burns presents his historical questioning of Jindal (1/8/14) and Edwards (7/21/14 and 1/8/18) and challenges if he’s ready to “walk the walk” and not merely “talk the talk.”

Support Links:
1.

$11,725 tuition for 1,000 hour hair braiding instruction
supplied by Stevenson Academy of Hair Design (owned by Rev. James Williams, an appointee of Gov. Edwards to the Cosmetology Board).

2.

Cosmetology board issuing first hair braider fine of $550 on 12/4/17.

3.

  Alternative Hair Design Program of Stevenson Academy, which calls for 1,000 hours of instruction (even though the State Board only requires 500 hours of instruction to receive a hair braiding permit).  Sources have told Sound Off Louisiana that the reason for the additional 500 hours is to enable Federal grants to cover tuition.  We have NOT verified that rationale for the additional 500 hours; however, if accurate, how do you feel, John Q. Taxpayer, about $11,725 PER STUDENT charged to “train” students on hair braiding when it’s been demonstrated the BEST source of such training is a skilled relative or friend who already knows how to perform such braiding and can convey the skills required in a small fraction of that amount of time at ZERO cost to taxpayers???????

 

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future Sound Off posts, simply scroll to the very bottom of this page (mobile devices) or to the end of the right-hand column (desktops) and supply your email address within the subscribe box.  You’ll then receive an automated email from Word Press, and all you have to do is click on the blue “confirm follow” bar contained within that email, and you’ll begin receiving great posts such as the preceding one above. 

Gov. Edwards (on Rep. Seabaugh): “I’m not the one who’s lying.”

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, appearing before the Baton Rouge Press Club on Monday, January 8, 2018.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards appeared before the Baton Rouge Press Club (BRPC) on Monday, January 8, 2018.  During the Q & A segment, he fielded a question by Louisiana AFL-CIO President Louis Reine.  The question entailed recent statements by Louisiana State Rep. Alan Seabaugh (R-Shreveport) wherein Reine states Seabaugh “wasn’t paying attention in class” when he said Gov. Edwards has not cut Louisiana’s budget.  The question and Gov. Edwards’ response follow:


Edwards responds to AFL-CIO President Louis Reine’s question at the BRPC on 1/8/18.

 

If history is any guide, Seabaugh likely won’t take kindly to the preceding characterization of him by Edwards.  Consider his sharp rebuke of Rep. Steve Carter, R-Baton Rouge, whom Seabaugh staunchly opposed entailing Carter’s proposed 18 cent per gallon added gasoline tax in the 2017 regular session wherein he acknowledged what many Louisiana citizens (most especially us at Sound Off Louisiana) believe are DOTD inefficiencies as he called for the firing of 3,000 of the agency’s employees:

Seabaugh’s 5/31/17 point of personal privilege on the Louisiana House floor.

 

 

So, there’s the contrast between “big labor” for state government employees and a fiscal conservative legislator who is willing to call state government inefficiency on the carpet.  If the first video above is any guide, we should be in for a very bumpy 2018 Louisiana Legislative ride, folks!

 

Click here to view Gov. Edwards’ BRPC address in its entirety.

 

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future Sound Off posts, simply scroll to the very bottom of this page (mobile devices) or to the end of the right-hand column (desktops) and supply your email address within the subscribe box.  You’ll then receive an automated email from Word Press, and all you have to do is click on the blue “confirm follow” bar contained within that email, and you’ll begin receiving great posts such as the preceding one above.