No Struggle, No Progress
No Struggle, No Progress
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The Louisiana Legislature has committed hundreds of millions of dollars to infrastructure projects and maintaining teacher pay in the state budget plan that goes into effect on July 1, 2024. Lawmakers also backed LA Governor Jeff Landry’s tough-on-crime agenda with funding for adult prisons, juvenile justice services, and a state police expansion. Teachers will receive a $2,000 one-time payment, and school support staff will get a $1,000 stipend next school year, totaling $199 million. Lawmakers decided against a permanent raise due to a p...
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has signed a number of bills into law, getting most of what he wanted, but not everything. This is significant for the citizens of Louisiana, despite having a Republican-led government. One bill that hasn't been made public to this reporter is the one sponsored by Mike Johnson (R-Pineville, not that M.J.), which will shield the whereabouts of the First family when they are in public. The bill was initially intended to protect the information of public employees. However, as often happens in the last days of legisl...
Another one has fallen in line or as they say, kissed the ring. It was an unexpected move, as the time that it took to make the move was perhaps "showmanship", but one to stay relevant. Nikki Haley, who wanted to do what Hillary Clinton couldn't, recently announced to the world that she was going to vote for Donald Trump in November. Seriously? Folks, that is not news, something like the old "dog bites man" bit. If Haley had said that she is not voting for Trump, that would have been news showing that she had some "spunk", the kind that she...
People are talking about Donald Trump and his "fitness" to serve as president when he suddenly appeared to "freeze" when he stopped talking for about 30 seconds while speaking to members of National Rifle Association (NRA) over the weekend. Some reports have said that Trump's "freeze" was more than 30 seconds and at times, his speech was incoherent. The Biden campaign naturally asserted that the episode clearly showed that Trump is unfit to serve as president. The full video clip showed the ex-president speaking and in the next second didn't...
When it seemed that African American voters had been awarded a second majority congressional voting district, this reporter said that the war was not over, it was only beginning. A lawsuit recently filed by non-African voters was filed against a map outlining the new Black district was rejected by a three federal judge panel citing/agreeing with the group that filed the lawsuit that the map amounted to "constitutional racial gerrymandering" that discriminated against white voters who are represented in Congress by Garrett Graves. Now it seems...
The alleged campaign violations involving Donald Trump are taking a toll on the former president as some of his Republican allies in Congress come to bat for him. They are probably doing this because there are no mass protests at the courthouse where Trump faces the real possibility of going to jail. This is because the prosecutor's star witness, Michael Cohen, is "spilling the beans" on his former boss, essentially backing up what Trump's former acquaintances said they did when arranging what has been called hush money to Stormy Daniels to...
Tuesday March 7 was a day in Donald Trump's life that he would not like to live over. Tuesday was the day that Stephanie Clifford otherwise known to the world as Stormy Daniels testified in the hush money trial where Trump is accused of paying Clifford/Daniels thousands of dollars for her to keep quiet over an alleged sexual encounter with Trump. The encounter happened back in 2006, long before Trump entered into politics because he was on top of the world as a businessman and television star on his "Apprentice" show. As the 2016 presidential...
A resounding message was sent on Saturday April 27, 2024 as Verbon Muhammad, Sr captured 65% of the early vote and maintained 65% on Election Day to win the runoff race for Monroe City Council District 5. The victory revitalized South Monroe's hope and has formed solid leadership for the new city council that will take office in July 2024. Verbon said, "our effort was grassroots where we knocked on doors, and met as many people as we could. I am thankful to Almighty God for an opportunity to...
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry continues his crusade to make it mandatory for athletes to be present during the presentation of the national anthem at the start of athletic activities, not just in Louisiana but across the nation. The Lady Tigers of the LSU women's basketball team were not present during the playing of the anthem prior to their Iowa Elite 8 matchup, which drew the ire of Landry. Though Kim Mulkey's team was doing what it had done on previous occasions, going through their pre-game rituals, this particular instance prompted Landry to...
By Eddie D. Gillis Donald Trump is at a huge disadvantage in the current state of the 2024 presidential race. While President Joe Biden is celebrating a huge win in Congress with aid going to Ukraine, and cracking jokes at the White House Correspondents Dinner, an annual event in Washington, Trump is looking at a jury of his peers who will decide if he is guilty of violating campaign laws. Trump probably believed that he would never face Stormy Daniels in a courtroom over money that he had paid to two women that he had affairs with before he...
The race for the remaining Monroe City Council District 5 seat is reaching its climax in a contest that will profoundly influence the city's future. Incumbent Councilwoman Kema Dawson is facing community activist Verbon Muhammad, a seasoned city council observer who has voiced his concerns on many District 5 issues. Dawson failed to secure the required 50% plus 1 in the primary, with Muhammad securing second place, forcing a runoff. Muhammad's potential success in the runoff could signal to the...
Monroe City Council District 5 Runoff Elections Matter Please vote on Saturday, April 27, 2024 at your local precinct. Your vote matters in ALL elections, not just the Presidential Elections. Why vote on Saturday, April 27th? We need elected officials who will work with us to address and support your concerns and your local and state projects. Again, we thank you for allowing us to serve you in Baton Rouge. As your elected officials, we represent you, and we are your voice. We must listen and respect your concerns. When we have a difference of...
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA has an opportunity to change how historians will write about him in history. Johnson just had the opportunity to do what past House Speakers like John Boehner, Paul Ryan and even Kevin McCarthy couldn't do, that is stand in the face of those far-right-over-the-cliff Republicans who will always keep "party first" in their ideology. Make no mistake about it, Johnson is as conservative as they come, but even he knows that once you take the plunge over the cliff, there is no coming back. Over the weekend, Johnson...
With 4 of the 5 seats on the Monroe City Council decided, the District 5 seat is currently in a runoff, and Verbon Muhammad is working hard to secure votes. "I will return this seat back to the hard-working residents of District 5 and I will fight for your tax dollars. Our tax dollars have gone downtown, uptown, and across town. Now is the time for your tax dollars to work for you in your part of town," Muhammad stated. Muhammad recently fed over 300 people on Saturday, April 13, and another...
Runoff Elections Matters Please vote on Saturday, April 27, 2024 at your local precinct. Your vote matters in ALL elections, not just the Presidential Elections. Why vote on Saturday, April 27th? We need elected officials who will work with us to address and support your concerns and your local and state projects. Again, we thank you for allowing us to serve you in Baton Rouge. As your elected officials, we represent you, and we are your voice. We must listen and respect your concerns. When we have a difference of opinion about certain ideas,...
Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Monday, April 15, 2024 is a day that will go down in infamy in the history of a young United States of America when a former president formally went on trial for a criminal offense in a real courtroom. The record will show that what happened in a New York City courthouse was not part of a reality television show, nor was it a dramatic depiction of an incident involving another famous figure like Al Capone who was accused of many crimes, but was never convicted, except for tax ev...
The regular Louisiana State Legislative session began on Monday, March 11, 2024, and citizens are urged to pray for guidance as lawmakers debate and vote on bills. Several "Get Tough on Crime" bills are under consideration that will impact youth, and these bills are expected to pass into law. Parents are urged to pay close attention to these bills as they could directly affect their children. It is important to discuss these new laws with your children and ensure they understand the need to...
Former city councilman Kenneth Wilson supports Verbon Muhammad for City Council District 5. Having known Verbon since their childhood in Newtown and during their time at Hill's Barbeque, Kenneth recognizes Verbon as a strong community leader. Kenneth urges others to join him in endorsing Verbon Muhammad #45 for Monroe City Council by voting early this Saturday, April 13 - April 20, 2024....
Donald Trump by all means is not a farmer. He is a little too elite for that. Yes, conservatives don't want to admit it, but just from the results of his fundraiser recently held at his Florida home, he was hanging out with the "fat cats" of wealth. Trump reportedly raised $50 million which will aid him in his fight just to stay out of jail, didn't get all of that much money in one night from the poor people. If that had been someone like Barack Obama doing the same for President Joe Biden, conservatives would have been howling about...
Monroe City Council District 5 early voting is April 13-20 (excluding Sunday, April 14) from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Early voting locations Registrar of Voters Community Room 1650 DeSiard St. Monroe LA Election Vote Saturday April 27, 2024 - Municipal General Election, polls are open from 7 a.m.-8 p.m....
By Eddie D. Gillis Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry continues his crusade to make it mandatory for athletes to be present during the presentation of the National Anthem at the start of athletic activities. Not just in Louisiana but across the nation. The Lady Tigers of the LSU women's basketball team was not present during the playing of the anthem prior to their Iowa Elite 8 matchup, which drew the ire of Landry. Though Kim Mulkey's team was doing what it had done on previous times going through their pre-game rituals, this particular time caused...
By Eddie D. Gillis Donald Trump may have dodged a bullet on Monday, March 25, 2024, when a judge ruled that he didn’t have to pay $464 million to keep his empire from crumbling. With seemingly nowhere to turn and no one, not even his fellow billionaires, willing to bail him out, Trump faced further embarrassment. To many Americans, it was a sad spectacle, witnessing someone who had boasted all his adult life about how rich he was and his achievements in real estate. Until late Sunday night, March 24, 2024, that world seemed on the brink of c...
With the upcoming mayoral election in Monroe, we are being presented with two very different tales of this one city. When you cast your vote for the person that you choose to serve the city of Monroe, consider the tales that they each tell and examine the proof of their accomplishments. Three candidates are in the race for mayor. Of those, one candidate, Betty Ward Cooper, is a first-time mayoral candidate with no city-wide or mayoral experience that can be examined for accuracy and...
Carolyn Goodin, Candidate for Monroe City Council, District 5, is a lifelong resident of District 5. She's a married woman of Christian faith. Her family includes her husband: Sigmund Treadway, Retired USMC and her two children: Charmanique Goodin and JaMichael Goodin and 7 amazing grandchildren. Carolyn Goodin was educated in the Monroe City School System. She excelled academically at Burg Jones Lane Elementary, Thomas Jefferson Jr. High and at The Wossman High School. Post high school, she...
WHY I AM RUNNING FOR MAYOR I have been asked many times why I wanted to be mayor again, and the answer is simple... I am touched by the feelings of infirmities of the people of Monroe. I am touched by the concerns of all the people of Monroe, but especially the most vulnerable people, the elderly, and the youth. For the last four years, I have worked for the National League of Cities/SSCI (Strong Southern Cities Initiative). Louisiana is one of the impoverished states listed in this initiative b...
Louisiana House Democrats are committed to addressing crime and enhancing community safety. They regret not being consulted in shaping the agenda for the second special legislative session. The majority of bills proposed for this session, they argue, fail to address the root causes of crime and are reactive rather than proactive, thus lacking effectiveness in enhancing community safety. Furthermore, House Democrats are concerned that these bills may disproportionately affect Black and low-income individuals, potentially leading to a surge in...
Dr. Valerie Fields, Vice-President of Student Affairs at the University of Louisiana Monroe, is throwing her support behind Carday Marshall for re-election as City Council District 4 representative. Dr. Fields advocates for students who are preparing to vote, stressing the significance of their voices in shaping the future....
The conventions to formally nominate the presumed nominees for the 2024 presidential election have not been held, but try telling that to Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. Both men have been trading election rhetoric since clinching the required delegates on Super Tuesday, as it is only a formality to drop the balloons on Trump and Biden because the campaigning is in full swing. Since both parties have paid for their hotel rooms and convention space, they might as well let the delegates go and do what is legally required to officially get...
Donald Trump is a desperate man and, according to those who know him, someone who is going broke. Trump may be concerned about his bottom line and status in the billionaire club (at the bottom), but his biggest concern, and perhaps fear, is where he will stand after the first Tuesday in November 2024. If the former president were a betting and praying man, where would one think he would place his faith to get himself out of the quagmire he is in? It wouldn’t be his lawyers, who are not only doing their best to keep him out of court but also get...
Donald Trump “won” a big victory in the Republican South Carolina presidential primary recently and if one had blinked, they would have missed something. Oh, nothing spectacularly, because the fight for the delegates’ vote was over before voters even went to the polls. The election was called minutes after polls closed, because on information gained from various polls and what voters said to pollsters, Trump was already calling for President Joe Biden to start debating him about the issues. It wasn’t about confidence on Trump’s part, as he kne...
The Monroe City Council election is on March 23, 2024, with early voting on March 9-16, 2024. Brother Muhammad, a well-known community organizer and leader, is deeply connected in south Monroe. He has been seen standing on the side of the poor and speaking for the voiceless for several years. He has been in intimate conversations with stakeholders, religious leaders, civic leaders, community leaders, and those in the suites and the streets. Muhammad has regularly attended city council meetings...
The Monroe Regional Black Chamber of Commerce will host a Meet The Candidates Forum on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at 5:30 PM at the Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum. All candidates in Ouachita Parish have been invited to participate. This event offers chamber members and the community an opportunity to hear firsthand what each candidate plans to do if elected. We urge all to attend and bring family and friends. For questions, please contact Executive Director, Kenya Roberson, at (318) 460-1639 or (318)...
America does not have a king or queen who is our “head" of state. Many say that is the reason why British people fled their homeland just to get away from monarch rulers who lived like kings with all of the power and hardly anything for the little man. “No representation” they said, all the while paying taxes, but hardly anyone spoke on their behalf. We must remember, God told His people what it would cost them if they wanted a king and not Him as their provider/protector. Still they wanted a king just like the Gentiles had theirs to provi...
People from both sides of political spectrum will be talking about one thing between now and election day. The flavor for the months to come will be about President Joe Biden being too old to serve another term as president. Right-wing media are running stories non-stop about the president being past his time to be in any office, let alone that of the presidency. Biden is 81 years-old, which many will agree that is kind of old to serve in a job as demanding as that of the presidency. However, for some reasons that defy logic, many are...
The bodies of three American soldiers killed in an attack at a military base in Jordan had barely landed back home At Dover AFB, as Republicans in Washington almost immediately began to criticize President Joe Biden. Even as President Biden performed the solemn duty of being present when the deceased soldiers in flag-draped coffins were taken off military aircraft, the saber-rattlers were criticizing Biden for not striking back quickly enough. Even as Biden watched the coffins pass him and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden with their hands across...
We can be sure that in the race to pick the next president, if it is between President Joe Biden and ex-president Donald Trump, one thing is certain. The nation will have an old man in the White House who will have to contend with an even more dangerous and changing world. One can say that both men are “experienced” in the position of having served as president. Nonetheless, the argument will be how “competent” each man is now that both of them are past the age that most Americans would prefer their president to be. Supporters on both sides o...
Acquiring it posed challenges. Sustaining it may prove even more challenging. The quest for establishing a second majority-Black voting district in Louisiana has finally succeeded, but not without difficulties. The U.S. Supreme Court played a decisive role, compelling Louisiana Republicans to yield. It seemed evident that conservatives were destined to lose this battle. Governor Jeff Landry is anticipated to sign the bill, along with others passed in a special session. However, the significant achievement is the creation of the second...
When Donald Trump won the Iowa Caucuses last week, that wasn’t news. When he won almost all of the counties in the state, that wasn’t news. When MSNBC and CNN refused to air Trump’s victory speech soon after the votes were still being counted, that became news. News to Trump’s supporters that is. Trump’s supporters were irate because the cable giants didn’t broadcast (MSNBC) all or some(CNN) of their speech, saying that a leading candidate for his party’s nomination was denied his right to “speak to the nation” on what the Iowa win meant an...
Republicans in Congress are doing all that they can to bring Donald Trump an early Christmas present. Well, maybe an extra present to go in his Christmas stockings. If Trump should happen to win back the presidency, there will be no stopping him from doing whatever he wants. But if Trump somehow becomes the next president of these United States, what do you think would make him an even happier man? As of now and throughout the rest of the campaign season, Republicans in Congress are working on the one thing that Trump wants to see more than...
Get out the vote matters. Senator Katrina Jackson-Andrews and Representative Adrian Fisher will be serving on the following: Democratic State Central Committee (DSCC) whereas the members help elect Democratic candidates in local, state, and national elections. Members are to promote and build the state party and raise funds for the party. The Democratic Parish Executive Committee (DPEC) whereas the members are responsible for the Democratic Party affairs at the local level, which includes promoting Democratic Parity activities. Representative...
Last Saturday Jan. 6, 2024 was the third anniversary of an historic assault on the nation’s capital by supporters of ex-president Donald Trump who tried to overthrow a presidential election. Not to long ago, this reporter wrote an article asking readers to recall where they were and what they were doing when televised coverage of the riot took place at the Capital. Just like those of us who remember where we were when JFK, and MLK were murdered and when the moon landing occurred, the Challenger incident and yes, even 911, there are still those...
At the current trajectory of his political career, House Speaker Mike Johnson is on a pace not to be known as a great leader in the House. The last three Republican House Speakers will not be mentioned in the same breath as Tip O’Neill when one looks at how they let the inmates take over the asylum. Those Speakers may have tried to be “a voice of reason”, but when Donald Trump decided to take on Barack Obama by questioning his birthright, it was over for the Republican party. Mitch McConnell and other Republicans like Rafael Cruz and Linds...
Verbon Muhammad, Sr. Candidate for Monroe City Council District 5is Thursday December 14, 2023 at 6pm at Whittley's Entertainment Center 203 Apple St. in Monroe, LA "Your Tax Dollars Matter" Food will be provided!...
Senator Katrina Jackson, Representative Adrian Fisher, and Representative Pat Moore are inviting you to important constituent meeting is Tuesday, December 12, 2023at 5:30 P.M. – 7:30 P.M. at Rose of Sharon Baptist Church, 716 Martin Luther King Drive, Monroe LA. Zoom Information: Please email [email protected] for the Zoom Information. Purpose of Meeting: Before we attend a Special Session, we want to hear from you. Your input matters! Questions, please contact one of your state legislators at: Senator Katrina Jackson (318) 343-2877, R...
There are some things, that no matter how long an individual lives, that person will remember that particular instance for the rest of their lives. It takes on a different( and maybe special) if that instance happens when that individual is very young, like in their early teen years. This reporter says this because, at the age of 12, he can remember exactly where he was and what he was doing when John Kennedy( not that John) President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. This reporter knows where he was when NASA’s Challenger e...
In an earlier article, this reporter wrote that new House Speaker Mike Johnson, over time, may lament wanting his new position as speaker. In that article, this reporter paraphrased what Star Trek icon Mr. Spock in an episode, said about wanting something that you think you want. In that episode, Mr. Spock told a suitor whom he wanted to take as his wife, someone who was intended by custom for Mr. Spock. In the end, Spock released his intended bride to the person who desired her saying, “Often one may desire something that appeals to him, t...
Say what you will about Donald Trump, he is willing to push the envelope as far as possible just to see how far he can get things to go his way. If one wants to see what “privilege” is all about, see Trump’s picture next to the word. A prime example to take note of is what is going on in the trial that is currently happening in New York, as a judge will soon decide on the punishment that Trump’s businesses will suffer for allegedly overvaluing his properties. Though the judge has already found Trump guilty, that has not prevented Trump from sa...
Louisiana is going to be in the news a lot over the next 12 months. Jeff Landry will step into the governor’s mansion next year taking the state into God knows where. In Washington during what will be a historic election year if Donald Trump becomes the Republican nominee, Louisiana will be in the news because of Mike Johnson. Yes, that Mike Johnson. The man who was an unknown name in politics except in northwestern Louisiana, is now Speaker of the House of Representatives. What kind of factor will he be in the presidential race on a n...
Former vice-president Mike Pence recently announced that he has dropped out of the 2024 presidential race. The announcement by the former vice president appears to have caught some veteran campaign watchers by surprise, as the former candidate was preparing for the third Republican presidential debate. Pence like all of his fellow contenders was light-years behind current front-runner Donald Trump, perhaps saw the handwriting on the wall and “gracefully” bowed out of the race. While Pence never gained any traction trailing behind Nikki Hal...
The wait is over. After three weeks of chaos, name-calling, and backstabbing, the House of Representatives elected Louisiana congressman Mike Johnson to be the next House speaker. Now comes the hard work of governing. It will not be easy. The big question that will be asked is how much of a difference will there be between former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Johnson when it comes time to negotiate to handle the many problems that this nation faces. Make no mistake, speaker Johnson is about as conservative as they come. He is a Trump loyalist havi...
