Supreme Court never imagined this

`Last American Editor’ is the book that keeps on giving

Aug 31, 2022

By Ken Tingley

For all its wisdom, I suspect the Supreme Court never imagined how its abortion ruling would be politicized.

Maybe, they need to take a close look at what is happening in Louisiana.

Like many states, Louisiana is mostly a conservative Republican state, but its largest city, New Orleans, has a mayor and city council that are Democrats.

After the Supreme Court ruling, Louisiana enacted an almost total ban on abortion that does not include exemptions for rape or incest and forced the closure of abortion clinics all over the state. The New Orleans City Council responded this summer by passing a resolution - supported by the mayor, sheriff and district attorney - that they would not prosecute abortion providers or patients. The police were instructed to investigate alleged abortions and write reports, but they were also instructed not to make arrests.

The Republican Attorney General called the moves a “dereliction of duty.” By the way, he is a potential candidate for governor. But he then weaponized his words.

He urged the Louisiana State Bond Commission not to approve $39 million dollar line of credit for a power station to run New Orleans’ drainage pumps. These were funds that were already approved by the Legislature.

As a father with a son who now lives in New Orleans in a condominium with a “severe” flood risk, this concerns me.

The attorney general and the bond commission are putting 400,000 of its fellow Louisiana citizens at risk to protect unborn citizens. That old adage that Republicans care about life right up until you are born rings true in Louisiana.

The commission voted last week 7-6 to delay approving the line of credit another week in the middle of hurricane season. The attorney general went further, asking the commission to “permanently” withhold the line of credit.

The New Orleans City Council president said the city would not back down from its abortion stance.

“In my opinion, all that has been accomplished by some members of the bond commission is to show that they do not care for the people of New Orleans, nor do they care and have compassion for women who are facing incredibly tragic circumstances,” City Council President Helena Moreno told Politico.

Without this funding, the next New Orleans flood - and there will be one - will cost the city and state millions of dollars and possibly cost lives. This is not how the state should be doing business.

At one point the attorney general took an even harder line and suggested to the state treasurer that the state withhold all aid from the city.

The state treasurer was more level-headed, saying the bond commission, which is made up of statewide elected officials and Legislature leaders, should be nonpartisan and non controversial.

“We’re playing politics with this. I don’t like that,” Treasurer Schroeder said. “This is a bad, bad road to get on.”

I hope the Supreme Court is watching this.

Schroder, who is from New Orleans, asked the attorney general if anyone had broken any laws. If they had, then they should be investigated and prosecuted. It should not be the bond commission that holds the city accountable.

And I’m hoping that John Roberts, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett are on hand with sandbags as the waters rise. They owe New Orleans that.

Made my day

My book, “The Last American Editor,” was released a year ago, but it continues to keep on giving.

I got this email from a reader this week:

“Just finished reading `The Last American Editor.’ (I) read a lot and purchased this book when it was first published. It sat however on the coffee table along with a few other books and it seems I was always reading something else. I now have read it (in a matter of a couple of days) and in the words of Golda Meir to President Anwar Sadat when he visited Israel on a peace mission, I now ask myself “What took you so long?” The book exudes warmth, compassion, empathy, and love, It is superb a sheer joy to read!”

It definitely made my day and I hope it is a reminder to readers if you haven’t gotten the book, you should consider it. This collection columns from my years at The Post-Star is a mini-history of the people who lived and worked here. I think it will do your heart good.

You can still find it at Ace Hardware, The Chapman, The Silo and McKernon Gallery in Hudson Falls. Now that the kids are back to school, you may have a little more time for reading.

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