Ringside Politics With A Punch

Finally, the sleeping giant has awakened. The people of Louisiana have been roused from their decades old slumber. The issue of a legislative pay raise has struck a chord like no other issue in years. Of course this debate is about not just any raise, but a monster increase of 200%, giving part-time legislators a total compensation package of approximately $70,000.

As noted by political watchdog C.B. Forgotston, “The people of the state are more upset about this pay raise than anything I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime of living in Louisiana.” People in Louisiana are suffering from a poor economy, rising gas prices and a host of other financial worries. While Road Home settlements are still not completed, recovery projects have still not started and the coast remains untouched, it is more than premature for legislators to demand a huge raise. In short, the job is not done; in fact it has barely started.

Many legislators are complaining about the costs of traveling to Baton Rouge and the impact of this time consuming position on their other income producing activities. Yet, legislators need to understand that their constituents are also working hard and dealing with high gas prices. It is incredibly galling that legislators are putting their own pocketbook issues before the public's financial problems.

At the present time, Louisiana is ranked at the bottom of most important lists. It is not difficult to understand the ranking, just look at the condition of our economy, schools, roads and health care facilities. However, legislators are currently not paid at the bottom when compared to other states. In fact, at the current level, Louisiana legislators are fairly well compensated in comparison to other states, ranking 26th among state legislatures. Based on the ranking of Louisiana in most of these critical areas, legislators should be thankful for their present level of pay, not asking for more. 

All of the legislative accomplishments this year will be forgotten by the public if this pay raise becomes law. People will remember one thing from this session and it will be the pay raise. Good legislators will lose their jobs in the next election as this issue has angered too many people and the voters will not forget this outrage.

One beneficial result of this debate is that, finally, voters are paying attention and inundating the Governor's office, legislative offices and media outlets with their denunciations of this monstrosity. It is the type of passion that I have been waiting to see all of my political life. It took the pay raise issue to raise the ire of the public, but at least it woke up the drowsy voters of our state.

Hopefully, this debate will mark a new episode in Louisiana politics, one in which voters take a more active role and demand that legislators do the bidding of their constituents and not themselves. Legislators need to understand that they are public servants and that the voters are the bosses. The voters are the ones who employ these politicians and can fire them at the next election. In fact, legislators who vote for this pay raise may very well encounter a recall petition and ultimately a political death sentence. Sadly many good, competent and skilled legislators may lose their jobs over this issue, but that is the price they will have to pay for ignoring the overwhelming sentiment of the people.

People are now watching the Louisiana Legislature with intense interest and demanding that public servants follow the will of the ones in charge, not fellow politicians, but the people of Louisiana. Finally the roles are reversed and let's hope it stays this way.