It was on this week in 1974 that Richard Milhous Nixon resigned as president of the United States.  But did you know that former Louisiana secretary of state and insurance commissioner Jim Brown  (Me) almost ended up working for Nixon?  Here’s a remembrance from Brown’s syndicated newspaper column in April of this year.. Nixon became...Read More

Isn’t it terrible how so many local stores are closing. No more local bookstores, general stores and many other businesses where we used to go it, pass the time of day with the owner or clerk, maybe get a cup of coffee. I miss them. What made them close?  We all know that answer as...Read More

August 3rd, 2017 Baton Rouge, Louisiana DEALING WITH LOUISIANA’S FISCAL MESS! Louisiana’s chief executive has some big problems ahead. Over one billion dollars in current taxes are set to expire at the end of the year. That loss comes out of the current budget with no plans to take care of the long list of...Read More

Louisiana State government is in a real fiscal mess. Over $1 billion in taxes are about to come to the end, with no responsible voice giving alternatives as to how to balance the state budget. What’s a poor governor to do? Actually, there are number of ways to build in some financial responsibility and stability....Read More

Our weekend radio show is close at hand, and we have a lively program scheduled. First up, we will talk about Answers from the Afterlife, new book by Dr. Nancy Danison. www.backwardsbooks.com). She will discuss her after death experience, and how it affected her as an attorney. Next up will be our show, Ken Abramowitz...Read More

I’ve ben a big fan of the Fred Eaglesmith traveling music show for years. Fred is a Canadian, but comes to my home town of Baton Rouge once or twice a year to play at the Red Dragon Listening Room. I’m always in that number. Take a listen to Fred and his band below.Read More

The tragedy in Charlottesville Virginia last week raises the profile of hate groups likes the Ku Klux Klan. Louisiana had been a hot bed of Klan activity back in the 50s and 60s, and many Americans are well aware that one of the top national Klansman, David Duke, came from Louisiana. He was so popular...Read More

So how about it? Are you and your family going to take a summer vacation? That’s something we all used to do, and often for several weeks. It was an American tradition. But it seems to be no more. Putting all your electronics aside, and curling up with a good beach book or just lounging...Read More

Thursday, June 29th, 2017 Gulf Shores, Alabama WHAT HAPPENED TO LONG VACATIONS?  Does anyone take a real vacation anymore? In the good old days, school didn’t start until the Monday after Labor Day. Family destinations to the beach or the mountains were a regular and anticipated event. The last two weeks in August used to...Read More

We have the whole Radio “Common Sense” team together this weekend for a lively program. The president’s health care failure. What does it mean for our future? Healthcare expert and environmental professor Dr. Ellen Moyer, says America is nowhere near a solution to putting health back into healthcare. (www.ellenmoyerphd.com). She will join us to discuss.  And...Read More

I really enjoy listening to somewhat eccentric outlaw Texas singers. Ramsey Midwood is one of the best. We had a nice visit during his recent gig at the Red Dragon Listening Room last weekend in Baton Rouge. I hope he comes back to play again soon. Check out his unique style in the video below.Read More

Thursday, July 20th, 2017 Baton Rouge, Louisiana WHO’S THE REAL JACKASS IN LOUISIANA? I don’t know about you, but I have always loved to read and study Louisiana History. I’ve had the pleasure of teaching the history of the Bayou State at both Tulane University and LSU. And when it comes to examining the giant...Read More

If you try to list American heroes that had a profound effect on the saving of Louisiana during the early years of this country, two statesmen at top the list would be Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson. Jefferson negotiated the Louisiana Purchase from the French, and Jackson saved the state at the Battle of New...Read More

I first ran for office back in 1972. There was a basic way of campaigning by passing out cards, doing a little radio, and if you could afford it, maybe a little TV. Boy how the landscape has changed in running for public office today. Social media has transformed the art of networking with voters...Read More

I generally do not watch the reality shows on TV. America’s Got Talent is one of the most popular. But every now and then, I’ll stumble across a very unique act that is well worth watching. In fact, sometimes it brings tears to your eyes. Take a look at the video below. It involves a...Read More

Going up high in the Blue Ridge Mountains would seem to get one about as far away from Louisiana as you could go. But I found in my travels, all over the world, that you can’t really get away from the Bayou State. Whether you are from Louisiana or not, people everywhere seem to have...Read More

Thursday, July 13th, 2017 Linville, North Carolina LOUISIANA WON’T LET YOU GO! Let me tell you something I’ve learned over the years. You just can’t get away from Louisiana, no matter how hard you try. Just about anywhere I’ve traveled throughout the world, images of the Bayou State always seem to crop up. That was...Read More

A busy radio show is scheduled for this weekend. We of course will talk about healthcare, so important to so many of us. What’s the status in Washington? Then, have you heard the news about snorting chocolate? That’s right, some people are actually snorting this great tasting stuff up their nose. Dr. Myers Hurt from...Read More

Former Louisiana Gov. John J McKeithen had quite an influence on me. He was the guy that got me interested in politics. A lot of people looked on him as a small town redneck politician, who was lucky to make it to the governor’s mansion. And maybe he was. But he surely grew in office,...Read More

I’m still playing hooky up in the North Carolina mountains, and tuning out from the world. No Wi-Fi connections, put my cell phone on hold, just curling up with good books, doing some hiking and some flyfishing. So you’re stuck with Leo Honeycutt and Ronna Gray this week.  I say”stuck” in just, because they did...Read More

Thursday, June 30th, 2017 Baton Rouge, Louisiana JOHN MCKEITHEN-LOUISIANA’S TRANSITION GOVERNOR! A popular Louisiana Governor died 15 years ago this month. John McKeithen was the first Governor I ever met.  When he was elected as chief executive in 1963, Louisiana was still a 19th century state struggling to operate in the 20thcentury.  McKeithen was the catalyst...Read More

It takes a lot of gumption and fortitude to be the only Democratic governor in the entire south, and a governor coming from a state that has a huge republican base. You’ve got a handed to John Bel Edwards. He’s or site he is a fighter and survivor. But will his political persuasion last? Does...Read More

Co-hosts Leo Honeycutt and Rannah Gray will fill in this weekend on the “Common Sense” radio program.  I’ll be in the North Carolina mountains, but I’ll be tuning in for a lively and fun-filled show. I hope you  will too.  Check local listings for times and stations.  See you on the radio!Read More

Thursday, June 29th, 2017 Baton Rouge, Louisiana JOHN BEL EDWARDS AND THAT “VISION THING!” The consensus of most folks down in the Bayou State is that Louisiana has a governor who is a pretty decent fellow. He comes across as friendly, accessible, and hands on in running the daily operations of the state. He has...Read More

Thursday, June 22nd, 2017 Baton Rouge, Louisiana A LOUISIANA KID AND THE BERLIN WALL! Thirty-one years ago this week, President Ronald Reagan traveled to West Berlin, and at the Brandenburg Gate admonished: “Mr.Gorbachev take down that wall.”Â Â The Berlin Wall had been erected by the puppet soviet state of East Germany. Unless you are over sixty five...Read More

It’s difficult for many younger people to understand the world tensions it took place over the building of the Berlin wall. Most Americans remember the famous line by Ronald Reagan when he traveled through the wall over 30 years ago when he said: “Mr.Gorbachev take down that wall.” I have vivid memories of the tensions...Read More

Our weekend Common Sense Radio Show is close at hand, and we have a lively program scheduled for our stations and listeners across America. We will bring in a little religion (Hey, the show is Sunday isn’t it?) New York Timers best selling author Rob Bell will join us to discuss his new book WHAT IS...Read More

Is America fast becoming a fractured society sitting on a foundation of hate? We are doing some needed soul searching after the tragic shooting of our god friend, Congressman Steve Scalise. Our governmental houses, silos of partisan-cable news, and social media are not throwing food but weapons of mass destructiveness. Instead of our focusing on the...Read More

Daughter Campbell, since January, has been Head of News Partnerships for Facebook, and says it was important to equip people with the tools make informed decisions on the type of content they share.  Below are her recent comments to the Foreign Correspondents Club in Hong Kong.Read More

Thursday, June 15th, 2017 New Orleans, Louisiana A CONGRESSMAN AND KILLINGS IN NEW ORLEANS! A New Orleans congressman tragically was shot while he was out playing baseball. He survived, but will need a number of operations in the months to come. Some of those who first heard the news assumed that he had been shot...Read More

Who would’ve thought that and early morning baseball game in the suburbs of Washington DC would lead to mass shootings, and the serious injury of a Louisiana congressman? Every TV network covered the shootings for hours. But the shooting in the nation’s capital not the only place that killers are loose. New Orleans, down here...Read More

What a week that just went by. Louisiana’s own Steve Scalise, the number three ranking House member in Washington, who is still fighting to recover. Should all members of Congress have Secret Service protection? We’ll talk to gun law expert Edwin Walker. (www.uslawshield.com ). And how about the sale of Whole Foods, bought up by...Read More

Hangin’ out with my buddy Jay Leno. (Yeah, right!). He put on a great show at L’Auberge in Baton Rouge this past Friday night. I shared a few of my jokes with him, but he didn’t seem too impressed.Read More

Thursday, June 8th, 2017 Baton Rouge, Louisiana ARE WE ALL FEDERAL CRIMINALS IN LOUISIANA? Congress is going “new law” crazy. In the nation’s capitol, hundreds of proposed new laws are being introduced every month, creating numerous different regulations and crimes.  And Louisiana congressional members are joining right in this push for more federal intrusion into...Read More

We hear a lot about states rights, but it seems like the federal government is taking over everything. That’s certainly true in the case of crimes. When the county was first founded, there were three federal crimes. Today there’re over 5000. We seem to be criminalizing and trivializing many things that Americans do every day....Read More

Wow, what a weekend radio program we have lined up for you. Sunday will be the big day, where we’ll have a team of experts analyze the whole Donald Trump”“ FBI fiasco. Was James Comey believable? And did Trump suffer any real damage? We will discuss. Also, Dr. Donna Barsky, a Dallas compound pharmacist (http://www.texasstarpharmacy.com),...Read More

I grew up in St. Louis, and Budweiser beer was a way of life there. Now I’m not much of a beer drinker. But this is a great commercial below. Take a look.Read More

While in California I needed to go to the emergency room. Not wanting to sit there for 4 hours, I put on my Magic Green Hat. When I went into the E.R., I noticed that 3/4 of the people got up and left. I guess they decided that they weren’t that sick after all. Cut...Read More

Thursday, June 1st, 2017 Baton Rouge, Louisiana DELUSION OR COMMON SENSE IN THE MIDDLE EAST? President Trump has just returned form a whirlwind trip to the Middle East. And he has vowed to keep a continuing and aggressive U.S. presence where American soldiers are fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Kuwait, Bahrain, Turkey, and other states...Read More

President Trump just returned from a trip to the Middle East. But can he really make any difference? Arabs throughout the Middle East have been fighting each other for two centuries.  And many other countries have tried to conquer a number of different Arab nations, but it became a quagmire for them. Can Trump actually...Read More

There is a show much going on throughout the country and throughout the world, and our Common Sense radio program will have a lot to cover this weekend. Bombings in London, rejection of climate change, Washington investigations, and so much else. We will also talk with Catherine Marrs, who was a certified educational consultant, about...Read More

  A 23-year-old Texas man is under arrest after authorities say he was shot during a scuffle with a Louisiana Supreme Court officer in the New Orleans French Quarter late Saturday night (May 27). But check out this strange video about the incident. What caught my eye is that the police officer is struggling with the attacker, and a large...Read More

Hey, I’m a big baseball fan it’s a treat to see your brawl take place every now and then.   And there was a real doozy over the weekend. Benches cleared during Monday’s Giants”“Nationals game after Hunter Strickland nailed Bryce Harper with a pitch. The brawl occurred in the top of the eighth inning with the Nationals...Read More

For over 80 years, Louisiana has been a major oil producer, and state government has been dependent on this royalty income. But has the Bayou State really received its fair share? Many people think not. In other states with lots of lots of mineral income, there is a much higher percentage of royalty payments received....Read More

Thursday, May 25th, 2017 Baton Rouge, Louisiana TRUMP GUTS LOUISIANA ON OIL INCOME! The new proposed budget just released by the Trump Administration guts past federal assurances that Louisiana will share in the billions of tax dollars that are derived from offshore oil development. The state was anticipating the receipt of some $140 million in...Read More

A great Memorial Day show lined up for the weekend. We will talk about the importance of remembering Memorial Day, not just for a break to the beach. It should mean much more to every American. Then we will talk about what you can do to prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s. Michael Morgan will join us...Read More

Special holidays like the Memorial Day always have, for good reason, a special acknowledgement of those military service men and women who have defended our country for so many years.  There are few veterans in congress today.  Most politicians reflect the comment of former Vice President Dick Cheney, who, when asked why he did to volunteer...Read More

Anyone who looks over the structure of the Louisiana government will come to one conclusion. The make up of the state, and the way it is run, hasn’t change in over 100 years. There are inefficiencies glory, duplicated services, out of date practices, and a major waste of money on both the state and local...Read More

Thursday, My 18th, 2017 Baton Rouge, Louisiana LOUISIANA CATCHING UP TO THE 21st CENTURY? With tax dollars scarce in Louisiana, this should be the time to discuss streamlining on the state and local levels. Just how many boards, commissions, water districts, sewer districts, parish auditors, law enforcement offices, and other special districts are spread throughout...Read More

Leo Honeycutt will be filling in for  Jim this weekend. He will have a full program with current issues and his normal wacky humor, so be sure to tune in.  Check local listings for times and stations. See you on the radio.  Read More

Popular New Orleans comedian Becky Allen joined me in  roasting politicians all over the state at a recent gathering of Politics was a Punch. The jokes were on everyone from controversial New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu right up to the governor. Lots of laughs an a good time was had by all attending.Read More

I have always been a big Jeff Daniels fan and as a regular viewer on his hit TV show,The News Room, where he plays TV news anchor Will McAvoy.  Below is his most recent rant on why Clinton lost the election.  Then watch the following video tat shows Daniels in his classic  interview of why American...Read More

It looks like, in many parts of the country, we are still fighting the Civil War. There’s a huge fight over monuments, honoring Civil War heroes that are being taken down in New Orleans. Just not politically correct. President Trump wadded in last week by wondering why the Civil War was necessary in the first...Read More

Show schedule to be posted on Friday.Read More

Thursday, May 11th, 2017 New Orleans, Louisiana MONUMENTS, THE PRESIDENT AND THE CIVIL WAR! As the battle over taking down Civil War monuments in New Orleans rages, President Trump has jumped into the debate by questioning why the conflict was even necessary. In a recent interview, Trump asked: “Why was there a Civil War? Why...Read More

A documentary on Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman details the “malicious prosecution and wrongful conviction” of Siegelman and former businessman Richard Scrushy.  It premiers in a number of theaters nationwide next week. The documentary is titled “Atticus v. The Architect: The Political Assassination of Don Siegelman,”  It is a stunning report on major prosecutorial misconduct. It is...Read More