Today marks the beginning of the 2007 Legislative Session, and this session is one that many political analysts believe will be an interesting one to watch.
In the most recent session that ended shortly before Christmas, lawmakers passed few bills and found themselves steeped in partisan political struggles.
This go-round, legislators have to decide how to spend the $827 million remaining from the last fiscal year, and they must also decide how to spend the $1.2 billion in extra funds from this year’s state budget. That is unless they use December as an example and leave the funds, which are designed to fund so many facets of the state’s economy, locked away.
Add in the fact that 60 out of 144 legislators are facing term limits and Gov. Kathleen Blanco’s term is winding down, and it is easy to see that getting any effective legislation out of this session is going to take a Herculean effort on the part of our state’s lawmakers.
But what state politicians need to remember is that as lawmakers they serve the people of Louisiana, not any political party or even their own interests.
Our politicians must be willing to set aside petty political differences and make a true effort to itemize the needs of the state and how it will spend its money.
This is asking a lot from a group of lawmakers who have become bogged down in political bickering on both sides of the aisle.
These quarrels do nothing to better the state of Louisiana and only seem childish and unnecessary.
Both Republicans and Democrats need to take an active interest in the state’s government and work to enact real changes and not superficial arguments. Useless bickering is a common problem among all politicians, but that does not make it right.
Louisiana has a number of major problems facing it right now, and if nothing is done and issues are not addressed, the state could be in real trouble.
Our legislators need to take their duty to the people of Louisiana seriously. They should make this session a historic one that will be remembered for how well funds were allocated to important state programs and not for widespread infighting.
Our politicians have a real opportunity to step outside of the typical infighting and move Louisiana forward.
Let’s hope they keep that in mind and don’t forget why they are here in the first place.
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