The Ukrainian War has received strong support from a number of American allies at the strong urging by the Biden Administration. But as the war has drug gone, some of the support is starting to weaken.  Italy’s new Prime Minister has been buddying up to Vladimir Putin, and India is trying to stay neutral. Great...Read More

Monday, October 23rd, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana  TWO CHEERS FOR THE FRENCH- ESPECIALLY IN LOUISIANA! As the Ukrainian War drags on, some of America’s strongest allies are becoming less than supportive, in spite of strong urging by the Biden Administration.  India has failed to offer any help, and the British support is becoming shaky due...Read More

On the latest Dateline Louisiana podcast, Rannah Gray and I are talking about the Katrina story we can’t forget — portrayed in the Apple TV mini-series, Five Days @ Memorial. Lives tragically lost, questions unanswered. What would you do? You can listen here now: by Clicking Here.  Read More

Do you want to see how arbitrary and shortsighted our federal court system is? Take a look at this article involving a and effort by St. Louis minister to distribute a few sandwiches to the homeless.The city of St. Louis did not violate the First Amendment rights of a Christian pastor and his assistant by...Read More

A jury last week in Parkland, Florida recommended Nikolas Cruz get life in prison for killing 17 people, sparing Cruz from a death sentence after his lawyers argued he had a troubled upbringing.  I read a great deal about this case and I wasn’t impressed with his “upbringing” argument.  Hey, life growing up can be tough,...Read More

Monday, October 17th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY IN LOUISIANA?  A jury last week in Parkland, Florida recommended Nikolas Cruz get life in prison for killing 17 people, sparing Cruz from a death sentence after his lawyers argued he had a troubled upbringing.  I read a great deal about this case and I...Read More

Rita Gardner passed away recently. This name may not be recognizable to you, but she’s someone that I have followed her for a long, long time, and her involvement in the longest running musical in American history could’ve influenced my life. In 1960, she originated the lone female role in an Off Broadway show that...Read More

Charles Cook a well-known writer for the National Review, a publication with conservative leanings, but well respected with their  unbiased articles.  Cook’s article this month is titled: “The Case for Dismantling the FBI.”  Cook’s conclusion is that there have been a long list of abuses by the FBI, and that the agency should be completely...Read More

Life and death.  Two different stories in this week’s column about one popular Louisiana official who survived cancer. And a serial killer who was to be put to death before he died in prison.  Eighteen years ago this week, Derrick Todd Lee received the death penalty in Louisiana. He was the state’s most notorious and...Read More

Monday, October 10th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana LIVING AND DYING IN LOUISIANA! Eighteen years ago this week, Derrick Todd Lee received the death penalty in Louisiana. He was the state’s most notorious and prolific serial killer. I was there in the courtroom when the verdict was handed down. It was a cool Tuesday evening, and...Read More

Washington DC is full of phony supposed leaders who pushed for more military involvement around the world but never served a day in the military. These blowhards are called chicken hawks. And there are lots of them around. I was exempt from the military draft back in the 1960s, but I still joined the army...Read More

It’s a new week and that means the latest episode of Dateline Louisiana just dropped! This week, Rannah Gray and I have a laugh or two about Louisiana’s unique brand of humor. You can listen here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/…/11358896-episode-15-the…Read More

Insurance rates for both homeowners and businesses in Louisiana are going through the roof. Companies are going broke, and the state run program, supposedly put together to help policyholders, wants a 63% increase. What? That’s just outrageous. Has the legislature done enough to curtail these high insurance rates and should Louisiana have an elected insurance...Read More

Monday, October 3rd, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana WHAT TO DO ABOUT HOMEOWNER’S INSURANCE?  Well, what do you know.  We finally have a governor in Louisiana who is showing an interest in the property insurance crisis that is sweeping the state.  One of the problems here in the Bayou State is that the governor has no...Read More

Every week, Dateline Louisiana takes on topics Rannah Gray and I hear talked about in Louisiana. You can catch any episode at www.datelinelouisiana.com or the latest one by Clicking Here.Read More

  The Government’s War on Political Freedom! Check out the column below by our friend John whitehead with tTe Rutherford Institute.  John makes the point that the FBI never stops and Sheffers to invade itself in our personal freedoms. You can readers complete column by Clicking Here. “In so many of the little places of...Read More

It was 132 years ago this week. That’s the birthdate of one of Louisiana’s most powerful United States senators whoever served representing the Bayou state.  Senator Allen Ellender was a legend in the U.S. Senate serving for 35 years until his death in 1972.  I had quite an initial meeting with Ellender at a rural...Read More

Monday, September 26th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana HELLO AND GOODBYE TO LOUISIANA SENATOR ELLENDER! This week marks the birthday of former Louisiana U.S. Senator Allen J. Ellender.  He was born in 1890, and in his heyday, Ellender was the most prominent Senator in Washington and a powerful voice for the Bayou State. I first met...Read More

Every week, Dateline Louisiana takes on topics Rannah Gray and I hear talked about in Louisiana. You can catch any episode at www.datelinelouisiana.com or the latest one by Clicking  Here: Read More

This week, September 18th through September 24th, is Banned Book Week all over Louisiana and all over the nation.  The week has been recognized for over 40 years. So why is there such a rage in banning books today? National groups are coming into states like Louisiana to push for banning books that have been...Read More

Monday, September 19th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana CENSORSHIP ALIVE AND WELL IN LOUISIANA! Efforts to ban books are accelerating in Louisiana as well as all across the nation. According to a new report from the American Library Association, there have been “an unprecedented number of attempts to ban books,” more than any time in recent memory....Read More

  “We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.“ “” Abraham Lincoln It continually amazes me as to how the federal government ignores these specific requirements in the constitutional amendments that are part of our basic...Read More

Here’s a statistic that will surprise you. A national website has named New Orleans as the top city in America to retire. What are these people smoking? New Orleans is in a state of meltdown right now with murder and overall crime out of control. The leadership there is dysfunctional, and the locals feel unsafe...Read More

Monday, September 12th, 2022 New Orleans, Louisiana  THE SEARING OF A GREAT CITY’S SOUL! (New Orleans a war zone) The real estate website Home Bay just released its national rankings of the best places in the U.S. to retire.  So where is the number one location?  Are you ready for this? Numero Uno is the...Read More

Don’t mess with JB when he’s working out. One tough guy at 82.Read More

This month marks the 30th year anniversary of the FBI massacre at Ruby Ridge. It was simply an example of Militarized Central State Versus Individual Life and Liberty.  A chilling story of an FBI sniper who shot Vicki Weaver in the head as she held her ten-month-old baby at her home in Ruby Ridge, Idaho. The sniper...Read More

Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson.  Both are iconic figures in American political history. They also are, in my opinion, the two most important figures in Louisiana history. Without the intervention activities of both Jefferson in Jackson, Louisiana could well not be a state today. But are they getting the respect they deserve? I write about...Read More

Monday, September 5th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana LOUISIANA DEMOCRATS BETRAY JEFFERSON AND JACKSON! 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

John Whitehead heads up the Rutherford Institute, a think tank that is trying it’s best to protect our basic freedoms.  Here’s what he says about the FBI. “The government’s henchmen have become the embodiment of how power, once acquired, can be so easily corrupted and abused. Indeed, far from being tough on crime, FBI agents...Read More

It’s pretty obvious that President Biden does not read my weekly columns. He went ahead last week and forgave billions of dollars in student loans.  Both Republicans and Democrats were highly critical of the President’s action.  There are so many unanswered questions. How much is this forgiveness going to cost the taxpayers? Will loans be...Read More

One of best websites that works towards protecting our basic freedoms is The Rutherford Institute headed up by John Whitehead.  John has been a guest on my nationally syndicated radio program on several occasions. He is tireless worker pointing out government abuse and undermining the basic freedoms of all of Americans.  Here is what John...Read More

This week’s Dateline Louisiana podcast is a subject dear to my heart. I know everyone has a story to tell and if you’d like to write yours, join Rannah Gray and me as we share some tips to get you started. We’re on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google Podcasts…or just click here: www.datelinelouisiana.com.Read More

Monday, August 29th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana  BAD IDEA FOR STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS! I’m sorry to say that President Biden does not pay much attention to me.  I wrote in my weekly column back in early July that forgiving federally guaranteed student loans was bad fiscal policy, and unfair to all of the rest of...Read More

Former representatives Steve Carter was a champion for early learning programs in our schools throughout Louisiana. He unfortunately died of Covid related problems almost 2 years ago. The Baton Rouge Morning Advocate has a story of how this program is slowly being funded, and praises Steve Carter for h efforts.  Steve was my brother-in-law, and...Read More

It’s hard to remember just when America was so divided as a nation. It seems like we’re split on so many issues. Trump- anti-Trump, Red State– Blue State, the list is long.  Can we learn anything by going back to the Civil War when Lincoln faced dealing with a divided nation? I think so. America...Read More

Monday, August 22nd, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana HOW DO WE COME TOGETHER AGAIN?  Abraham Lincoln was elected President 162 years ago.  Civil War buffs are looking back to these war years for lessons learned in the current debate over the stagnation of the American political process today.  Historians say that there were two Americas-a house...Read More

Here is a recent interview that I did concerning coming Louisiana elections, as well as the seizure recently of boxes of records located at the home of former president Donald Trump in Florida. Check it out and see if you agree.Read More

Do you have a garbage man that is this lively and enjoys his day to the fullest?  We all should have such a happy attitude.Read More

So just what’s up with this raid on the residence of past president Donald Trump? Is he hiding secret government documents for some  nefarious reason to undermine democracy? Or is all this just a public records dispute that should have been handled directly between the current and past presidents? What about all this FBI overreach?...Read More

Monday, August 15th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana OVERREACH BY FBI AGAINST TRUMP! Was the FBI raid on President Trump’s Florida home justified? And even if the former president had in his possession classified documents, was it necessary for his private residence to be invaded by swat team FBI agents holding AK 15 assault rifles like...Read More

 I spent 8 years managing orderly elections when I was Secretary of State. This week on Dateline Louisiana, Rannah Gray and I talk about the current state of voting in Louisiana and throughout the country. It’s Dateline Friday and you can listen to Episode 7 by going to https://www.buzzsprout.com/…/10892725-episode-7-voting…Read More

Monday, August 8th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana WHAT IF I WON THE LOUISIANA LOTTERY?  Here’s my question to you in this week’s column. Do you feel lucky? Not the luck you would want if you were confronted by Dirty Harry. Remember Clint Eastwood’s words: “You’ve got to ask yourself one question: “˜Do I feel lucky?...Read More

How much was that lottery amount? $1.3 billion.  Come on, that’s the loft wall. What an earth would you do if you won over $1 billion?  I suppose we all dream every now and then about riches. But this is out of the ballpark. So just what would you do if you won? What would...Read More

It’s Friday and this week Rannah Gray and I going global on #datelinelouisiana! You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music…or just click here: www.datelinelouisiana.com. Thanks, everyone!Read More

A nice visit and a presentation about books this week to the Good Old Boys Club at the Kenner Knights of Columbus Hall. I was invited by Dr. Gary Arnold, and it was certainly a lively group. “My Louisiana Odyssey” was purchased by a number of members. It’s good to be back out on the...Read More

August 8th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana WHAT IF I WON THE LOTTERY?  Here’s my question to you in this week’s column. Do you feel lucky? Not the luck you would want if you were confronted by Dirty Harry. Remember Clint Eastwood’s words: “You’ve got to ask yourself one question: “˜Do I feel lucky? Well do...Read More

We are in the midst of baseball season, and the season of politics is just a few months away as we approach congressional elections. So do you have a favorite? What rings more true to you- baseball or politics?  And are there similarities between this grand sporting event and our national elections? You might be...Read More

Monday, July 1st, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana ARE BASEBALL AND POLITICS INTERTWINED? We are halfway through the current baseball season, and congressional elections are just a few months away.  So just what is America’s favorite pastime? Is it politics or baseball? Politics has always been a major spectator sport, particularly here in my home state of...Read More

You might want to take in our new podcast that is has been posted. My colleague Rannah Gray and I talk about what to do about gun violence in America today. We normally talk about Louisiana issues, but so many killings in recent months need all of our attention. You can listen to the podcast...Read More

With all the serious matters we talking right about today, every now and then we need to include a little humor in our lives. Check out below some of the complaints by travelers to their travel agents. A few examples are 1. “They should not allow topless sunbathing on the beach. It was very distracting...Read More

You never know what Rannah Gray and I will be talking about on the Dateline Louisiana podcast! You can listen to Episode 4 wherever you get your podcasts…or right here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/…/10892700-episode-04…  Read More

Is there a happier place to live than in Louisiana? A recent survey by the U. S. National Bureau of Economic Research, Louisiana found that the Bayou State  is by far the happiest state in the nation.  Have you heard about the five Fs?  They best describe what’s happening here in the deepest of the deep...Read More

Rannah Gray and I have a new podcast out about the strange and interesting world of Louisiana politics. You can listen to it now on any podcast site by just plugging in www.datelinelouisiana.com. You can also check out all of our recent podcasts by Clicking Here.  Hope you will give it a listen.Read More

Here’s interview that was created a number of radio stations by the sounds of the show, my friends Chris Tidmore and Hi McEnery.  The show runs on stations throughout Louisiana, it’s always been lighthearted program with the two hosts.  My friend Rannah Gray also joined the show, as we’ve started a new podcast to together....Read More

July 24th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY IN LOUISIANA! Bayou State residents are well aware that Louisiana is a pleasant place to live. Some would sarcastically say that we are fat, dumb, and happy down here in the deepest of the deep southern states. The state motto is, after all, Laissez les bons...Read More

We live in a different world today then when I grow up. Going and coming from school, and daily safety were just not an issue. Today, protecting your children is often the only issue. What should we do as parents to see the schools protect our children more? There certainly have been failings  as we...Read More

Monday, July 18th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana HIGHER POLICE STANDARDS TO PROTECT OUR KIDS! There is a poignant family portrait, painted in 1943 by Norman Rockwell, called “Freedom of Fear,” that shows a mother and father standing over their sleeping children. The father holds a newspaper with a headline that refers to the Blitz of...Read More

If you haven’t listened yet, the new dateline Louisiana podcast is gaining a number of new listeners.  Several new episodes have now been posted, including great discussions on  all the interesting and exquisite food you can find in Louisiana.  So be sure and check out all these new episodes. You can listen to all the...Read More

All we’re hearing in the press are several high profile decisions from the US Supreme Court. But quietly, other decisions have eroded your basic constitutional rights. Something the Supreme Court Has done a lot recently.Although the Supreme Court stopped short of overturning its 1966 ruling in Miranda v. Arizona, the conservative majority declared that individuals...Read More

There’s a major effort in Washington, both by the president and key members of Congress, to pass legislation forgiving current student loans. The amount of these loans currently exceed $1.7 trillion. And that ain’t chump change.  So is this something that Congress and the president should do? Is it fair to the those who earlier...Read More

Monday, July 11th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana STUDENT LOAN FORGIVENESS?  NO WAY! Forgive all outstanding student loans? Sure, why not. What this means is that all other taxpayers, that’s you and me, will pick up the cost and pay more taxes.  And the price is really not all that much, is it?  There are over...Read More

  Hey all you food lovers. Here is another episode of our new podcast, #DatelineLouisiana, just dropped. This week, my co-host  and I are talking about Louisiana food! Listen anywhere — or right here! https://www.buzzsprout.com/…/10860468-episode-2-food-of…Read More

The Keystone pipeline has become an issue that now dominates criticism of the President by  pleading how important the pipeline  is to the economic future of Louisiana. My reaction? Hogwash! The issue will not mean diddlysquat to the Bayou State. No new jobs will be created and not a dime of economic development. Read my...Read More

Tuesday, July 5th, 2022 Baton Rouge, Louisiana KEYSTONE PIPELINE-LOUISIANA’S ECONOMIC SAVIOR? The approval of the Keystone pipeline is back in the news as petroleum interests and members of the Louisiana congressional delegation are calling on the President to get this project moving forward. So is building the pipeline the huge job creator and the economic...Read More

I’m excited to tell you about a new podcast that is taking off this week with my cohost Rannah Gray. For years, Rannah and I broadcast a nationally syndicated radio program that you could listen to right here on this site.  We have started a new podcast called Dateline Louisiana, where we discuss the various...Read More