How to Turn Your Side Hustle Into A Business
August 16, 2018
Una Vanacor
August 16, 2018
Business officials gathered to hear one of their U.S. Senators and had questions about topics that included tax cuts and flood insurance.
Members of the Thibodaux, Terrebonne, St. Mary, and Lafourche chambers of commerce gathered at The Columns restaurant in Gray to hear a briefing by Sen. John Neely Kennedy – RLA about the current activities in Washington DC, Thursday, August 9.
“It is great to be out of Washington and back in America,” said Kennedy to a response of lighthearted laughter. “I feel like I’m home.”
After likening his childhood to The Andy Griffith Show, Kennedy launched into his speech.
“I can tell you, the reason we’re having deficits in Baton Rouge is the same reason we’re having deficits in Washington DC,” Kennedy said with force. “It is not because we tax too little. It is because we spend too much.”
Overspending, and overtaxing had bogged down the economy, said Kennedy. The taxing under the last administration, he argued, limited business investment. And investing creates jobs, he said.
Kennedy shifted his emphasis to Louisiana and said one of its problems is a low labor force participation rate.
According to Kennedy Louisiana suffered from this trend, Gross Domestic Product growth was about .7 percent while the average among states was 1.6 percent, “We deserve better than that,” he said.
Kennedy emphasized that one of the problems of Louisiana is the labor force participation rate. He said that while most people look to the unemployment numbers as economic indicators, they don’t get don’t get a complete picture.
The labor force participation rate measures the number of able-bodied individuals employed. The GDP rises as more people work, Kennedy explained, and Louisiana is currently ranked 6th from the bottom in labor force participation.
“We’ve just got too many folks who could work, but who aren’t,” he said.
While Kennedy’s close to 30-minute speech covered a multitude of topics, he said the “tax cuts and job acts bill,” was an accomplishment he was proud of.
A member of the audience questioned if there was a possibility of the tax cuts becoming permanent-currently they only last for 10 years. Kennedy said he didn’t think this was possible as congress is currently occupied with judicial nominees.
Another question to arise was concerning flood insurance.
Kennedy stressed the importance of this issue because Louisiana’s commerce would shut down without flood insurance. He said, he and Sen. Bill Cassidy R. got the current program extended for 4 months and said that he didn’t know if they could muster the votes to pass it again.
“The whole purpose is to provide flood insurance, and it doesn’t do any good to give somebody flood insurance if they can’t afford it,” said Kennedy. “My bill tries to do that… I’m willing to consider other
ideas, but I’m not going to vote for something my people can’t afford because that defeats the whole purpose.”
Lafourche Parish Councilman Aaron Melvin said flood insurance has a direct impact on the people of his parish.
“If you’re on the wrong side of the street your rates are going to go through to the moon,” he said. When asked if he was optimistic that this change would be implemented he responded, “I’m optimistic that (Kennedy’s) heart is in the right place… and that’s important.”
Prior to the speech many attendees expressed interest in business regulations.
Kennedy said he doesn’t believe in a lack of regulations, but the cost has to be worth the benefit. He went on to say that a tool called the “Congressional Review Act,” was triggered 14 times to save about $40million. These instances were from January of 2017 through to present day.
The Congressional Review act of 1996 is a streamlined procedure which allows congress to disapprove of a broad range of regulatory rules issued by federal agencies by enacting a joint resolution of disapproval
He also cited his support of legislation that retained bank regulations but rolled back others that affect community banks.
“All banks will still be regulated,” said Kennedy. “But the community banks which didn’t do a dad ‘gum thing wrong in 2008 to contribute to the meltdown are not going to be punished for the sins of the others.”
Kennedy said he helped get an extra $323 million for the Army Corps of Engineers.
“Now I’m gonna chase them all over hell and half of Georgia to make sure they spend that money here,” he said, drawing applause.
He said he got $9 million for the Houma Navigation Canal, and $750 thousand for Bayou Lafourche and the Lafourche Jump Waterway.
As for the current climate in Washington, Kennedy spent some time explaining life in the senate.
He explained that the size of the Senate creates an intimate setting where personalities, for better or worse, become well known. The varying world views, Kennedy said, can become frustrating because it forces a slow work pace.
“It’s frustrating sometimes because I want to gallop, and the way the system is set up you just kind of have to inch along,” he said. “…and despite all the noise and the clatter that you see on television, and that you read and hear, I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished.”
Draft. I was a strong advocate for DeShaun Watson to be the No. 1 pick. The Browns whiffed Thay got Myiea Garrett instead and proceeded to go 0-1& This year. I was a strong advocate for baker May fleld to be the Mal pick The Browns didn’t whiff and new. they have a franchise quarterback: The college ajid pro games blur now more than ever. Evaluating and grading these guy a accurately has become a little easier than it’s been in years past May fleld was the best college quarterback we’ve seen in a long, long time. He was accurate and still got chunk yardage n big plays. In the first preseason game. May-field showed great footwork, pdse and the ability to stretch the field. Iti a grand slam home run and now, it’s tune to win a couple football games.
NO. 2 – Don’t bet an Grudea or the Rams
I BED, selling stock on the Oakland Raiders and also the Los Angeles Rama, fir that matter, I Don’t know about John Gruden Sure, he was a greet coah back when But he’s made the same amount of money for the past decade, while doing 1/2 Oth of the work Will he still have that rami’s edge necessary to thrive in the NFL? I don’t know Didhe haw it at the end of his career with Tampa? I doait know. After the Super BawL he was 45-51 in six seasans with no playoff wins. That a hardly the stuff legends are made of As far as the Rams go. I just think they’re poised for a letdown. They were a warm and fuzzy story last year, hit they struggled in the transition fr can hunters to hunted late in the Beason, going 2-2 in their final 4 games, then losing in the Wild Card Round of the piaynflta — at home The Rams were active in the offseason, bit I’m not a huge fan of the things they did. Ndaraukang Suh, Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters are all nice an paper. But they’re also somewhat lew-character as well. The same can be said far Brandin Cooks. That Galot of gas next to an open fire
NO. 3-Bet on Jacksonville and Dower
I trust Las Vegas probatiy about 95 percent of the time. They’re either accurate or pretty darned close when it comee to predicting the future for teams around the wodd of sportB. But I think they’re nrisaed a few t hi ay air in fagpn I think over-‘ under 9 wins for the Jaguars is low. I think they’ll go way orer that total They have a monstrous defense, a quality running game and the championship success they earned last yEar in the postseason. I think they’re a lode to get to 10-11 wins—especially in a ahaky diviaon. As far Denver, they’re picked to win 7.5 wins, hit 1 think they have a great chance to be the Minnesota Vikings of last far. They have the same quarterback after signing Case Keenum in the offseason They also have the same monstrous defense with Vcn Miller rushing off one side and Bradley Chubb andothers coming off the other. The Broncos are my sleeper pick to win the Super Bowl They have B3-1 odds. I take my chances with that.
NO-4 – So now, my take on the Saints
I am usually a Saints pesmist. but I don’t know that there’s much of anything to be pessimistic about in 201& New Orleans has a high-powered offense, a re-tooled defense and most importantly, their swagger back. This year, they should haw all of those same things, so I see no reason to think that they wait be firmly in the mix But that last statement is the problem The NFC is loaded. In addition to New Orleans, the conference also houses the Eaglee. Cowboys. Packers. VikingH Rams. Falcons and Panthers. The Seahawks may be on the way down, but the 4fcrs are an the way up There just are so many contenders an d so few spots at they up I think the Saints finish 11-5 and lose in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
NO, 5 – My Super Bowl picks
OK so now far the moment of truth. I pick the Minnesota Vikings to win the NFC. I think they did by last year with bubble gum holding together the quarterback position That has been replaced by a bana-fide middle-tier passer in Kurt Cousins, who will give them a little bit of the explosion that they lacked (except on the last play of games against the Saints). In the AFC. I have to go with the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have a quality quarterback* arguably the best halfback and the beat receiving corps in the league That* and they’re hungry. They feel like they owe both Jacksonville and New England a butt whopping after losing to the Jags twice last year and getting hosed by the PatriotB in the regular season. Give me the Vikings 31, Steelers 30 in the big game. If we want to get fancy. Ill say the Vikings beat the Falcons in the NFC Championship Game and the Steelers beat the Jaguars.
United states Senator John Kennedy stands at the podlum during on address he made to business people at the Columns in Gray. Kennedy talked about some of the biggest issues locally during his address, including flood insurance, the HNC and other issues.
United States Senator John Kennedy (right) talks to a woman during last week’s appearance the senator made to updates locals on the things happening in Washington D.C.
