Posted on 11/25/2015 10:32:20 AM PST by abb
The outgoing RINO Lt. Governor Jay âEphialtesâ Dardenne just sat down with Baton Rouge talk show host Clay Young to discuss his future plans and the governorâs race. The interview was largely Jay Dardenneâs audition for Commissioner Of Administration.
Young asked Dardenne if there was a deal between John Bel Edwards and him for his endorsement. Dardenne says that it didnât come up and that he endorsed Edwards because he believed David Vitter would be a terrible governor. Dardenne says Vitter was too much of a Washington politician and he didnât want the Washington style politics of division to come to Louisiana.
Young asked Dardenne about his future political plans. Dardenne ruled out a run for the U.S. Senate and for Baton Rouge Mayor. However, Dardenne did not rule out taking on a job in the Edwards administration.
Dardenne spent much of the interview talking about where he and Edwards saw eye to eye. He spoke about the need for tax reform and how both men were supporters of the tax reform ideas proposed by LSU Economist Jim Richardson and Tulane Economists Steven Sheffrin and James Alm. Dardenne also spoke of the importance of reducing tax credits and exemptions. More tellingly, Dardenne spoke of the need for more revenue for the state.
He also spoke about Edwards realizes that he canât be the left-wing bombthrower he was in the Legislature. Dardenne pointed out that Edwardsâs legislative district was 70% black and Democrat whereas Louisiana is more diverse. He believes that Edwards will govern as more of a centrist, just like he wouldâve if he was elected governor. Dardenne clearly sees himself as the guy who can bridge the political divide in this state.
Finally, we see what Dardenne will be trying to protect in an Edwards administration. Dardenne spoke about the importance of the film tax credit. He says that young people are moving to Louisiana to work in the film and digital industries. While he didnât come out and directly say those should be preserved, he was implying that.
What can we glean from the Dardenne audition? We can see the argument will be made that when Dardenne is brought on board that John Bel Edwards is reaching out to Republicans and conservatives.
However, the problem with that is Dardenne is neither a conservative, nor is he much of a Republican. Heâs an opportunist and a defender of the status quo, like John Bel Edwards.
ping
http://theadvocate.com/news/14098013-123/gov-elect-edwards-launches-transition-web-site
Need a gig? John Bel Edwards launches new website, seeks applications for political positions
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/11/john_bel_edwards_team_trying_t.html
John Bel Edwards team seeks to raise at least $2 million for transition, inauguration
The Vitter loss is still shocking, and the tone of the Edwards campaign with rumor and innuendo assaulting the character of David Vitter is still disgusting. I thought that despite the polls that showed Vitter losing, that the polls would once again prove to be wrong, but that was not the case.
John Bel Edwards May Have Been Fine With A Republican Speaker Until This Happened
by Kevin Boyd
November 25
http://thehayride.com/2015/11/john-bel-edwards-may-have-been-fine-with-a-republican-speaker-until-this-happened/
The Hayride has learned from sources close to both the House Republican Delegation and Transition Team that Governor-elect John Bel Edwards was prepared to accept a Republican Speaker of the House yesterday. That changed during the meeting between State Rep. Lance Harris, who is the head of the Delegation, and Edwards.
Yesterday, the Delegation met to discuss the issue of the new speaker. The Delegation agreed unanimously to support a Republican speaker. At the same time, The Hayride has received uncomfirmed reports that 10 Republican legislators were not present at the meeting.
Harris then went and took the press release to the Transition Teamâs offices at LSU. State Rep. Sam Jones (D-Franklin) and Edwardsâs Chief of Staff Ben Nevers had persuaded Edwards to support a Republican for House Speaker, most likely along the lines of a State Rep. Chris Broadwater (R-Hammond). Broadwater is a mild-mannered consensus builder, but sources told The Hayride that other Republicans were under consideration as well. Jones and Nevers were worried that if a Democrat was Speaker, it would inspire Republicans to oppose the Edwards agenda at every opportunity.
During the meeting Harris allegedly bragged that he could elect his own Speaker and Republicans were unanimous on it. Edwards was then told by Jones that State Rep. Walt Leger (D-New Orleans) had 15 Republicans who were supporting him. Jones even called up some of the Republican legislators on that list who confirmed they were willing to support Leger. However, Leger was having problems getting support from conservative Democrats from rural districts and some members of the Legislative Black Caucus because of Legerâs socially liberal views. Edwards decided then, angered by Harrisâs attempt to âbig boyâ him, to make Leger his guy. This account was confirmed by both Republican and Democrat sources.
Because of Harrisâs poor handling of the Speaker situation, many members of the Delegation are frantically trying to find a candidate to oppose Harris when his term is up in two weeks. Delegation members were already unhappy with Harris over his aggressive support of the $700 million in tax hikes that were passed last session. The complication is that members of the Delegation are jockeying for either Speaker or to become committee chairmen. Traditionally the head of the Delegation is not a committee chairman.
Meanwhile some conservative groups who still have money left over from the runoff are preparing for action. Theyâre preparing robocalls and recall petitions for any Republican legislator who supports a Democrat for Speaker. Other sources of money are being found to fund a large scale campaign to support the recall petitions.
If conservatives are going to have an impact on Louisiana politics in the Edwards era, it will require smarter leadership than was provided by Lance Harris yesterday who had his bluff called with a few phone calls.
jay Dardenne is, and has been, a career politician.
He has no plans to leave duh gov’mint, and has had no plans to really move anything but his own self forward, state be damned.
‘Ephialtes’ fits him well.
Twenty years ago, when Darden was a senator, he stabbed us social conservatives in the back over the gambling issue.
I’ve always thought that Dardenne endorsed Edwards, not because he liked him, but because he was trying to spite Vitter. I agree that Vitter was deeply flawed but to cross over and endorse Edwards was treacherous.
Please do not spread misinformation.
I’ve always found The Hayride at least as reliable as The (BR) Advocate and The (New Orleans) Times Picayune, and MUCH more so than the Gannetoids.
True, but they have two stories on this same event, by the same author - one blames Edwards, the other Harris. They need to decide which story they are going with.
I hope Edwards pulls the rug out from under Dardenne. Couldn’t happen to a greater RINO
When RINO VA Lt Governor John Hager (and father-in-law of Dubya’s daughter, Jenna) lost the nomination for Governor, he gave the OK for all his people and donors to go to the Democrat (who won) and was rewarded with a job by the new Governor. RINOs and Democrats are in bed together.
dear abb,
I heard about that, once i arrived in LA, after theturn of the millenium.
I say ‘gambling’, and still get corrected, that it is ‘gaming’.
I believe, that if all these gambling parlors, and their larger cousins, the casinos, were nationalized, (they are mostly on native lands-which are already wards of the state, so it would not be a far reach), we would not need to pay income tax!
I have long since thought:
“How much can one lose, to win a dollar?”
“When you spend your money, what is in your hand, for it?”
If answer (a), is more than one dollar, it ain’t worth it.
If answer (b), is if it is not food, clothing, shelter, or the means to acquire any of the three, it isn’t worth it.
Another answer for (b), hard drink, cigarette, cigar, snort, or hypodermic needle, you need your ass whupped to an inch of your life, then spend the recovery time to think it over, for none of those things will get you further in life, but further to your death.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.