We Nod, Wink And Make Back-Room Deals -- Always Have, Always Will
by EDITOR - The Town Talk (excerpt)

Forever and a day, Louisiana has been regarded as the "state of corruption" -- the land of fruit baskets stuffed with "contributions," of lucrative deals made in back rooms, and of nods, winks and whispers made in public.

For many reasons Louisiana residents believed the system worked, so they have tolerated it. Many still believe it works. It's hard to think otherwise when you've never known anything else.

Likewise, it's hard to self-correct the culture that has shaped you -- a culture that has systematically made Louisianians their own worst enemy. Poor education, poor training and poor health -- all provided and perpetuated by poor leadership -- have condemned generations to poor prospects.

Is it any surprise that we are willing and even eager to elect and re-elect so many people who work at the margins of the law?

This week's indictment of U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., on 16 counts of felony corruption is only the latest entry on the long list of Louisiana politicians who have found themselves under legal scrutiny. With the eyes of the world on this state and the decimation caused by Katrina and then Rita, that re-election under those circumstances sent a singular message about Louisiana:

We nod, wink and make back-room deals -- always have, always will.

Consider what else is going on:

Gov. Kathleen Blanco says the failing "Road Home" program, which the Legislature wants to dump, needs billions more in federal funding.

The state-run Citizens Property Insurance Co. cannot account for its spending, cannot find its own records and cannot understand why auditors are upset about such things.

Senate President Don Hines, D-Bunkie, is determined to undercut state Treasurer John Kennedy because Kennedy, the state's fiscal cop and head of the Bond Commission, says "no" to sugar mills and other fiscally foolish proposals.

The Legislature has OK'd a budget of nearly $30 billion for fiscal year 2007-08. That's more than double the budget of 10 years ago, in a state that continues to lose population, and at a time when massive infusions of federal hurricane-recovery money have left the state awash in cash.

That's the reality; the perception is worse.

Both must change unless we want life in Louisiana to go on as it has forever and a day.