Has anyone noticed how far Louisiana has moved to the right since Jeff Landry became governor? Voters and even some legislators are not surprised at the speed at which the governor is pushing the state further to the right, similar to his counterparts in other southern states such as Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama. One could also include Texas in the mix. One has to wonder just how far Landry is willing to take the state, and the answer is as far as conservative legislators will bring bills for him to sign. One of the bills rapidly heading to the governor’s desk is taking all the power from the Public Defender’s System and giving it to one individual, handpicked by the governor, who will report to him only. What could go wrong? What kind of (secret) deals could be made with one man who may give any pushback to the governor when, in the past, he would have to hear from many voices? Even a king or, yes, even a president listens to more than one advisor before making critical decisions that affect the people he is supposed to lead. The system, when the bill is signed, may have some difficulty adequately representing those who can’t afford an attorney if all the authority rests in the hands of one individual. There are concerns that there may not be any checks and balances to keep the board focused on its mission, as the agency operates under a $50 million budget, and the hiring authority will be under one man. The governor, a former state attorney general who often clashed with the former governor, will now have all the power to dictate how poor people will be able to defend themselves.

A bill that will allow any adult (18+) without a felony to “conceal carry” a handgun without a concealed carry permit. The governor is following up on his promise to “get tough” on crime and has targeted several metro areas in the state. One of his “solutions” is to put more guns in the public without the benefit of having to have a permit. Many have said that the answer is not putting more guns out in the public but addressing the root causes of crime, as the answer has not been in having the public armed to the teeth to prevent crime. The governor was only keeping a campaign promise, perhaps fully aware that America has a “violence” problem that often leads to crime. Why is it easier to not have a permit to carry a concealed handgun but mandatory to have a driver’s license (permit) and have that vehicle insured, all in the name of public safety? The question has been asked. Guns get people’s attention, especially when the Constitution is mentioned. A vehicle can kill in an instant just as well as a gun can. The difference is that the topic of guns gets votes; automobiles don’t. The regular session of the Louisiana Legislature is beginning. It could get worse.