Session readies for expectations

Everyone has expectations. Expectations guide us, our families, friends, employers, employees, acquaintances and strangers.

Expectations can be positive, as in expecting the best outcome of a situation. They can also be negative, as in expecting an event will turn out less than desirable.

When the Louisiana House and Senate convened in special session Sunday to address redistricting and reapportionment for state offices and congressional districts, the best that could be said was that it went as expected.

Listening to a live webcast from the House chamber took fewer than 20 minutes as Gov. Bobby Jindal told legislators what he expects.

Jindal noted that for the first time in state history both the 105-member House and 39-member Senate each has a Republican majority, but he expects them to meet across party lines.

Jindal said this session is expected to be heated with passion – issues at hand have already proven divisive – but that legislators should remember that they are expected to begin an equally heated session in dealing with the 2011 budget on April 25.

State House and Senate members were then not expected to do much more than get their committee assignments and adjourn until Monday morning. They accomplished that much.

Delegations from various areas of the state are expected to make their cases as to why their regions should not be cut.

Some legislators expect to look over a series of redistricting plans and appeal to reason among their colleagues. Others claim every decision is pre-determined by power brokers and any expectation of lawmakers working together to accomplish what is best for the people of Louisiana is a waste of time.

We at the Tri-Parish Times expect reasonable minds to see the value in two coastal congressional districts – thus heading off an expected battle for political survival between Congressman Charles Boustany (R-Lafayette) and Congressman Jeff Landry (R-New Iberia).

We expect that clear thinkers will recognize the importance of keeping Terrebonne Parish and Lafourche Parish united in redistricting lines for the economic and cultural stability of the region and overall benefit to the state.

We expect heated debate. We expect some compromise. We expect that however the population numbers balance there will be no perfect solution.

We like to expect that common sense and overall united interests will prevail. We just hope that is not too much to expect.