re: Edwin Edwards Dead

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The “most interesting politician” reminds me of the proported old Chinese curse “may you live in interesting times”. EWE gave us interesting times.
-Accepted bribes from Korean nationals.
-Accepted illegal campaign contributions.
-The 1974 Constitution that hampers us to today.
-Openly sold state posts.
-Paid off cronies with tax dollars like the construction of ULM’s baseball stadium.
-Selling pardons that got his brother killed.
-During his third term oil prices crashed (Jindal like) he refused to cut spending and asked for over a billion dollars in new taxes (sales, corporate income, and gas).
-These tax increases started the out migration of business and decreased opportunity for our children. The higher paying oil and gas corporate jobs like engineering and management fled Louisiana for Texas.
-Indicted on charges of mail fraud, obstruction of justice, and bribery. Again stealing tax dollars to enrich himself and cronies.
-Lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in Las Vegas and payed of with suitcases of cash. Louisiana tax payers subsidizing Nevada!
-Brought legalized gambling and sold the licenses for personal gain even to members of organized crime.
-Got caught paying off Cleo Fields.
-Edwards was found guilty on seventeen of twenty-six counts, including racketeering, extortion, money laundering, mail fraud and wire fraud; his son Stephen was convicted on 18 counts.

Louisiana is in every way poorer due to Edwards. Our children are leaving because of political corruption and mismanagement from every governor since Long with the possible exception of Foster.

We deserve our plunge into darkness because of our attitude of “Yes, but he is Colorful!”


Finally, was he really capable?

His first term (1972-1980) was during OPEC oil embargo and sky high oil prices that would have flooded Louisiana’ coffers no matter the governor. So what did he do with this flood of public funds? 1) He stole it. 2) He paid off his family and cronies. 3)He tossed some “free shite” to the population as “Bread and Circuses”. Did he improve Louisiana’s long term fortunes? No he stole and squandered it for personal gain! He was only capable of corruption and “color”.

His third term (1984-1988) saw him incapable of managing the state without inflated oil revenues. He became the standard Tax and Spend Democrat. He drove legitimate business out of the state and became so unpopular that he conceded his reelection (Blanco like).

His fourth term (1992-1996) occurred only because his opponent was fricken David Duke! He decided to retire because an opponent as horrible as Duke can only come once in a lifetime, at best!

His capability is a myth! His corruption is a fact. Louisiana is poorer. And arseholes still say, “Yes, but he was colorful.”

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