Once Again, John Bel Edwards Shows He's Not A Leader

Once Again, John Bel Edwards Shows He’s Not A Leader

John Bel Edwards might still be Louisiana’s governor, but if you’ve listened to him recently talk about the budget, he’s certainly not a leader. For the first time in years, Louisiana failed to pass a budget during the regular session. Governor Edwards has reacted by shirking all responsibility. Edwards might love to play the blame […]

June 9, 2017

John Bel Edwards might still be Louisiana’s governor, but if you’ve listened to him recently talk about the budget, he’s certainly not a leader. For the first time in years, Louisiana failed to pass a budget during the regular session. Governor Edwards has reacted by shirking all responsibility.

Edwards might love to play the blame game, yet in doing so he ignores his own massive failures during this regular session. It was Edwards’ massive, unpopular tax hike, which would have caused pain for Louisiana’s small businesses, that wasted so much time during this regular session:

“The main tax proposal from Edwards centered on a new business tax, called a commercial activity or gross receipts levy, that the task force hadn’t suggested. In its first hearing in the Legislature, a House committee killed it.”

Governor Edwards’ devotion to impractical tax hike plans was noticed by Appropriations Committee Chairman Cameron Henry. Henry singled out Edwards’ botches after the special session was needed:

“Henry said the regular session ended without budgets because the Senate and Edwards were unreasonable during negotiations, and he said they should be blamed. ‘He seems to be one of the few governors that uses the threat of special sessions to try to get his agenda passed, instead of actually working with members to get a vote on it,’ Henry said.”

Edwards’ missteps this year have been numerous and well-documented. Now all of Louisiana has one more example that shows Edwards is in way over his head as the Accidental Governor.