Black Vote puts Vice President Joe Biden on the Verge of the Presidency

By Roman Lewis 

Pundits and prognosticators, for months, waxed ominously about how Joe Biden would never out-perform Hillary Clinton with black voters, claiming he could not win the Whitehouse without that base firmly in hand. 

And, to an extent, they were right. President Donald Trump won more of the black vote in 2020 than in 2016, in every swing state, in some cases gaining 1 to 2 percentage points. 

But while Biden did not perform as well with black voters as Clinton did in 2016, the former Vice President, buoyed by much stronger GOTV efforts in Georgia and Philadelphia, secured more black votes overall. 

Specifically,  as we are learning now, Biden and the Democratic Party got greater turnout among black voters in suburban areas surrounding metropolitan Atlanta and Philadelphia, putting Biden on the verge of the Whitehouse. 

As Jim Galloway, a veteran political columnist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, put it, Biden is “flirting with history ... in a state that was ruby red only a few years ago.”

Galloway will join me this Saturday, on AM 970 The Answer, to discuss the closely-contested race in the Peach State on Roman Lewis Live. 

This is a developing story. More to come.

Corps opens Morganza Spillway

by Roman Lewis 

NEW ORLEANS — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers opened the first of what could be several bays of the Morganza spillway at 3 p.m. CST today.

The move is intended to spare southern Louisiana's major cities by redirecting floodwaters from the Mississippi river into the Atchafalaya Basin.

For streaming video of the opening of the first bay, check out this page offered by the USACE.

"Protecting lives is the No. 1 thing we are looking for," Gen. Michael Walsh, president of the Mississippi River Commission, told reporters less than an hour before opening the first bay.

The spillway winds through Morganza, La., about 115 miles northwest of New Orleans. The slow opening of several bays over the next several days is expected to temper the potential for severe flooding along the rising Mississippi River and divert water from Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

But at a cost. The flooding is expected to destroy some 2,500 homes and businesses in low-lying south-central Louisiana, such as Henderson and Butte la Rose.

One or two additional bays of the Morganza are expected to be opened Sunday, with more gates potentially opening over the next several weeks, according to Col. Ed Fleming, of the Corps of Engineers.

This afternoon, according to the Associated Press, the Mississippi was cresting near Helena, Arkansas, at 56.4 feet — about 12.4 feet above the flood stage.

On Friday, Gov. Bobby Jindal warned that some 2,600 structures and 4,000 people would be affected within the first 24 hours.

For more on this story, check out this Times-Picayune report.

In the Crosshairs of Insanity: Democrats and the Language of the Hunt

by Roman Lewis 

NEW ORLEANS —Democrats were quick to jump and try to link the deadly Arizona shooting to Sarah Palin, whose PAC published a map months back that featured, some say, rifle crosshairs identifying Democratic Congressional districts it was targeting.

It was political rhetoric of the lowest order, trying to demonize a practice as common as Happy Hours for bars and clearance sales for retailers.

In campaigns, political or corporate, "language of the hunt" is everywhere. Nouns like (gun) sights, crosshairs and target abound. As do verbs like aim, attack, and wrest.

But Liberals and the so-called Liberal Media, as is often the case, apparently have a case of short-term memory when it comes to its own use of the "language of the hunt."

Let me refresh their collective memory.

In May 2008, on the Democratic National Committee's web site,  a blogger writing about a recent visit to an Obama campaign office in Orlando, Fla., casually implored supporters of the presidential candidate to "take aim at John McCain as we rally under the banner of the Democratic Party." Not a word was spoken about the violent suggestion.

For a more literal example, the map below appeared on the website of the Democratic Leadership Committee back in 2004. It refers to Republicans as the "enemy" and refers to some congressmen as "ripe 'targets' for Democrats."

And if that's not bad enough, this map did not feature crosshairs, as you can see, it featured bulls-eyes. 

To quote our President -- let me be clear -- yes, it featured bulls-eyes.

As in, the kind we use at the firing range in target practice. Bulls-eyes.

One last thing about this map -- notice the caption, which reads, pointedly: "Behind Enemy Lines" when explaining the states that President Bush won by only single digits.

I'm just saying ...

And, before I move to our Liberal media, one more concrete example of Democrats' use of the same language that apparently incited Jared Loughner to shoot up a crowd, killing 6 people and critically injuring his target, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.

This map was first published on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Web site last year.

Once again, no vagaries here. 

No, crosshairs that some say look just like surveyor's marks.

Nope,  just a dozen more bulls-eyes.

And, of course, the phrase -- "targeting Republicans."

And, by the way, the man in charge of the DCCC when this map came out? Congressman Chris Van Hollen -- who just happened to appear on MSNBC this week to quickly condemn Palin for her PAC's map that clearly incited a murderous attack at Congresswoman Giffords' function.  

But the story, and the "language of the hunt," don't end within Democrat's highest offices, rather it trickles down to mainstream media. Every day -- in headlines and captions and stories across the country, the media perpetuate this hateful, violent, murder-inciting mania.

I could do this for days, but I'll offer just a few examples to make my point here: 

In 2009, a NY Daily News reporter wrote -- "Democrats have Pete King in the crosshairs." 

No one decried columnist Elizabeth Benjamin's use of the phrase "in the crosshairs" in her piece on NY's 12th District Congressional campaign. It was just business as usual for the mainstream media, whose job it is to judge society's actions but dare not judge them or ask that we hold them accountable.

In 2008, the Cleveland Plain-Dealer published this article, which suggested that Northeast Ohio's crossover voters were clearly "in Democrats cross hairs."

And, in this 2009 story, published on military.com, the headline reads -- "Bush, Cheney in Democrats' Crosshairs."

The Houston Chronicle, in 2007, published this Robert Novak column with the headline -- Caught in the Democrats' crosshairs at payback time.'

Even Jerry Falwell is not immune to the language of the hunt, writing in 2005 that it was "not surprising that (Rep. Thom) DeLay is the man in the crosshairs" of Democrats as one of the GOP's most conservative leaders. 


(Delay, by the way, was sentenced this week to three years in prison for money laundering and conspiracy charges), so perhaps Falwell should have directed his energy at a more honest GOPer.


But back to our point ...

Which is that the "language of the hunt" has been, dare I say it, fair game for both parties throughout our country's history.

Oh, and one final example.

In 2008, a Reuters story includes this phrase ...

"The Obama administration on Tuesday threw its weight behind a bid to repeal an anti-trust exemption protecting health insurers, keeping the industry in its crosshairs as it prepares to host a bipartisan summit on revamping U.S. healthcare." 

Where was the Democratic outcry over that use?

Colin O'Donohoe of the Pangean Orchestra joins me on 850 KOA for a very atypical talk radio hour

The Pangean Orchestra, based in Phoenix, Ariz., is the first orchestra of its kind -- bringing people and instruments from all over the world together in full scale, on one stage. From the ancient Babylonian oud to the modern turntable -- violins, ukuleles, French horns and much more.

"We speak the universal language of music, sounding with a unified voice, speaking for one planet," explains Colin O'Donohoe, director of the Pangean Orchestra, who I interviewed on 850 KOA, while filling in for Rick Barber this week.

Given the vitriolic anti-immigrant climate of Arizona, Colin's effort might be seen as blindly optimistic today.

But the fusion of sound created by the orchestra should intrigue anyone who loves music and affirms music's ability to unite people and, at least temporarily, put aside religious, political and regional differences.

Check out the full hour, complete with some great recordings of the full orchestra and some solo pieces, on 850 KOA.

The Jim Morrison Emails: Fla Governor's pardon drew more than 100 letters, for and against

by Roman Lewis 

Jim Morrison has been pardoned.

A month or so after outgoing Florida Governor Charlie Crist suggested the possibility, the Florida Board of Clemency voted unanimously to pardon Jim Morrison today.

Morrison of the Doors, was convicted of exposing himself during a 1969 Miami concert.

The pardon was granted over the objection of a former Miami police officer who said it sent the wrong message to the nation's youth and that a pardon was tantamount to accusing officers involved in the incident of perjury.

But Crist said it was not about retrying the case but about forgiveness.

In 1970, a jury convicted Morrison of indecent exposure and open profanity, though he was cleared of a felony count of lewd and lascivious behavior and public drunkenness. He was sentenced to six months in jail, but died two years later at age 27 in Paris while the case was under appeal.

Click here for the full story

Below, are a sample of some of the 120-plus letters and emails sent to the Governor's office arguing both for and against Morrison's pardon, received in response to a Rom Report public records request filed earlier this week.

   From:     ClancydaCop@aol.com
    Subject:     Possible pardon for Jim Morrison
    Date:     November 9, 2010 3:14:45 PM CST
    To:     Governor Charlie Crist

Dear Governor Crist:

I am a retired law enforcement officer, having served for 35 years in Pinellas County,  initially with the St. Petersburg Police Department and then with the State Attorney's Office. Jim Morrison was fairly tried and convicted in Dade County in 1970 and that conviction should remain on his record. Your pardoning him would be an affront to the judicial system and law enforcement generally. You have a earned a great deal of respect during your term as Governor. Please, please, let that conviction stand!

Denis Quilligan
Seminole FL

_________________

    From:     Roxy Feldman
    Subject:     Jim Morrison
    Date:     November 9, 2010 5:20:42 PM CST
    To:     Governor Charlie Crist

Please pardon Jim. You don't need to ask the other cabinet members. Just do it!
Roxy Feldman
graduated High School 1969
PS. I'm a Democrate that voted for you for governor and the last election

It's the right thing to do!
_________________

    From:     Nmsmiami@aol.com
    Subject:     Check out Florida Gov. Charlie Crist May Pardon The Doors' Jim Morrison-why not?
    Date:     November 9, 2010 3:01:11 PM CST
    To:     Governor Charlie Crist
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist May Pardon The Doors' Jim Morrison

am still recovering from the election-can only imagine how you feel-why not if you have the power to
right an old wrong?  does Morrison still have family in Florida? what else can you do to leave a
lasting presence for your time as leader of our state?  Please come up with a couple great ones
to counter this loss.  What next? please keep us informed.

Nancy M Smith in Miami
nmsmiami@aol.com
_____________________

    From:     Randy Richgruber
    Subject:     Jim Morrison
    Date:     November 9, 2010 10:47:59 AM CST
    To:     Governor Charlie Crist
Gov. Christ:

Please pardon the late Jim Morrison as I believe the trial was  highly political, less than fair and without actual evidence.  His untimely death, all but eliminated the opportunity for appeal.  Didn’t Ken Lay’s Enron conviction dissolve when he died while the appeal was in progress?  This would seem to be a parallel situation.

The issue may be 40 years old, but I’m sure his father would appreciate it.

Thank you,

Randy J. Richgruber
Arden Hills, MN
____________________

    From:     cowch728@comcast.net
    Subject:     Please do not get TRICKED into pardoning Jim Morrison posthumously
    Date:     November 10, 2010 12:48:28 PM CST
    To:     Governor Charlie Crist
Dear Governor Crist,

    Please do NOT pardon Jim Morrison Posthumously as there is NO REASON WHATSOEVER to believe that he died in 1971.  Much to the contrary, I assure you that he is alive, having had a doctor sign a fake certificate.  Pictures are available at the www.highmountainrogue.com website and discussion at the Museum of Hoaxes website.  Please do not let this coalition embarass our government as one day the truth in this matter may become public to all.  And what a blessed day that will be!
___________________________

 




From:     Shannon Marcum
    Subject:     Jim Morrison
    Date:     November 9, 2010 8:06:00 PM CST
    To:     Governor Charlie Crist

Governor Crist,

      First let me thank you for what you are doing for the memory of Jim Morrison. I think it is an amazing gesture on your part to remember in this manner what many believe to be a terrible injustice. Many even think the pressure of this case was the beginning of the end for him. Although I was not yet born when this occurred, the music of the Doors and Mr. Morrison have been a great part of my life. As a professional touring musician in my youth and the 38-year-old dad in sales I am today, the mystique of Jim Morrison lived on and off stage and I am sure many would agree with me in saying his pain made him a genius, like many tormented artists before him.  It is my opinion that to right this wrong at this point would somehow erase the most important crossroads of his life. The rebel in that skin has transcended time and generations and has been passed on in his soul and his words. I would like to ask you to reconsider this issue and NOT grant this pardon. Thank you for your time.


Shannon Marcum
Westerville OH 43081
_________________________

    From:     Starr Piazza
    Subject:     Jim Morrison
    Date:     November 9, 2010 10:06:48 PM CST
    To:     Governor Charlie Crist

Hello my name is Barbara Starr Piazza. I am 35 years old. My earliest 
memories as a child have to do with music.
I recently read on CNN that you were thinking of pardoning Jim 
Morrison for the indecent exposure.  First I would like to say that I 
think that, that is a wonderful thing to do.  I am very curious about 
what made you think of him. I was really hoping you would pardon him. 
I for one do not believe that he really did it. Also I have been to 
some very big concerts in the past few years and the artist were 
extremely sexual and vulgar. I think things have defiantly changed 
over the years. Maybe for the worse but I don't think what he did was 
any worse then what I see every weekend in Dc. I by no means think 
that it's okay to show yourself to your audience but I really don't 
think he did. I was hoping you would pardon him. If you think  there 
is anything we can do to convince you to pardon him. Please let me know.
                                                      Thank you for 
your time, Barabara Starr
______________________

    From:     abigail
    Subject:     Pardon for Jim Morrison
    Date:     November 10, 2010 12:39:08 AM CST
    To:     Governor Charlie Crist

Hello Governor Crist,

I read with great delight that you are considering a posthumous pardon for Jim Morrison.

As someone who is unemployed at the moment, I am fully aware of the serious problems our country faces.  That being said, your pardoning Jim Morrison would be such a positive gesture.

I encourage you sincerely to offer this pardon.

Thank you for your consideration.

Abigail Reeves

"Silence is evil's greatest co-conspirator."

 President Barack Obama, speaking at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum
______________________________________________________________

    From:     Jean Newcomer-Lichtel
    Subject:     Pardon Jim Morrison are you kidding me?
    Date:     November 10, 2010 7:17:22 AM CST
    To:     Governor Charlie Crist
    Reply-To:     jeanjean@tampabay.rr.com

Governor Crist,

I heard on the news that you are thinking of pardoning Jim Morrison for his indecency charge.  Charlie, really?  he’s dead, what does wasting PRECIOUS time and resources of Florida for such frivolities do for our citizens, will it put anyone to work, improve our schools, feed a hungry family?  What does pardoning Jim Morrison do for our state, more importantly what does wasting the precious little time you have left as our governor with such trivial issues.

 These are tough times please focus on what you can do productively in the remaining days in office not dreams of some of saving a dead rock & roll heroes name and record.  Again he is dead, what does this matter!

I voted for you for the senate I am sorry you lost , please do not make me question my vote.

Sincerely,

Jean Newcomer-Lichtel
________________________


    From:     Reid Stacey
    Subject:     Don't pardon Jim Morrison
    Date:     November 10, 2010 8:57:47 AM CST
    To:     Governor Charlie Crist

There's nothing redeeming about Jim Morrison's life after his conviction that deserves a pardon.  He's dead.  Only God and history will judge him now.  Don't waste your breath.  Do something productive with your remaining term.

Thank you.

Reid Stacey
__________________________

    From:     Helen Frigo
    Subject:     Jim Morrison's pardon
    Date:     November 9, 2010 10:52:24 AM CST
    To:     Governor Charlie Crist
Dear Governor:

I just heard about Jim Morrison's pardon.   I had just written to you
about Denise Harvey, who is 44 years old, ALIVE, and facing at least
22 years in jail for letting a 16-year old male have sexual
intercourse with her.

Here's Russ Lemmon's latest report, and what follows is an old man
expressing outrage at Lemmon's first report, which I don't have  But I
totally agree with the old man, and I hope you will PARDON a living
woman.
We did vote for you.
Sincerely, Helen R. Frigo

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/oct/14/russ-lemmon-harvey-case-still-flying-under-radar/

“I had been a fan of Russ Lemmon’s from the beginning. I liked his
fresh ideas and welcomed his savoir faire. I liked to compare Lemmon’s
opinions with mine to judge whether my 86-year-old brain still had
some horsepower left.
I valued his impressions of local politicians, even when we were
occasionally of polar opposite opinions.
On Aug. 31, however, in one fell swoop, Lemmon spent all the capital
he had ever earned from me. His column revealed an incandescent
pitilessness that was scary.
What kind of a person would write: “Sorry, but I’m not shedding a tear
over Denise Harvey’s 30-year sentence for having sex with a
16-year-old boy. If she would have admitted to doing it, I might feel
differently”?
Had she admitted it, would 20 years have been OK? Did it cross the
columnist’s mind that virtually every 16-year-old kid in the country
would have loved to be the “victim” in this matter?
If this wasn’t the worst miscarriage of justice, I don’t know of one
any worse. The perception that a 16-year-old boy who is intimate with
a grown woman suffers psychological damage makes droves of men from
Vladivostok to Vero Beach laugh hard enough to risk a hernia. How
silly can we get?
The difference between an adult male having sex with an underaged girl
and an adult female having sex with a 16-year-old boy is of a
magnitude that should preclude all comparisons. Frankly, I would have
regarded 90 days of community service as outrageously severe.
When courts go berserk like this, we are all in mortal danger.“
Edward Yazijian
Vero Beach   Stuart news, Sept. 5, 2008
_____________________________________

From:     stknthe80s@aol.com
    Subject:     Jim Morrison Pardon
    Date:     November 9, 2010 10:23:13 AM CST
    To:     Governor Charlie Crist , Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp

Dear Governor:

I just heard about Jim Morrison's pardon.   I had just written to you
about Denise Harvey, who is 44 years old, ALIVE, and facing at least
22 years in jail for letting a 16-year old male have sexual
intercourse with her.

Here's Russ Lemmon's latest report, and what follows is an old man
expressing outrage at Lemmon's first report, which I don't have  But I
totally agree with the old man, and I hope you will PARDON a living
woman.
We did vote for you.
Sincerely, Helen R. Frigo

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/oct/14/russ-lemmon-harvey-case-still-flying-under-radar/

“I had been a fan of Russ Lemmon’s from the beginning. I liked his
fresh ideas and welcomed his savoir faire. I liked to compare Lemmon’s
opinions with mine to judge whether my 86-year-old brain still had
some horsepower left.
I valued his impressions of local politicians, even when we were
occasionally of polar opposite opinions.
On Aug. 31, however, in one fell swoop, Lemmon spent all the capital
he had ever earned from me. His column revealed an incandescent
pitilessness that was scary.
What kind of a person would write: “Sorry, but I’m not shedding a tear
over Denise Harvey’s 30-year sentence for having sex with a
16-year-old boy. If she would have admitted to doing it, I might feel
differently”?
Had she admitted it, would 20 years have been OK? Did it cross the
columnist’s mind that virtually every 16-year-old kid in the country
would have loved to be the “victim” in this matter?
If this wasn’t the worst miscarriage of justice, I don’t know of one
any worse. The perception that a 16-year-old boy who is intimate with
a grown woman suffers psychological damage makes droves of men from
Vladivostok to Vero Beach laugh hard enough to risk a hernia. How
silly can we get?
The difference between an adult male having sex with an underaged girl
and an adult female having sex with a 16-year-old boy is of a
magnitude that should preclude all comparisons. Frankly, I would have
regarded 90 days of community service as outrageously severe.
When courts go berserk like this, we are all in mortal danger.“
Edward Yazijian
Vero Beach   Stuart news, Sept. 5, 2008
____________________________________________________________

From:     Ochoa
Subject:     Jim Morrison Pardon
Date:     November 10, 2010 8:49:13 AM CST
To:     Governor Charlie Crist
Honorable Governor Crist,

This morning I read in the news that you are considering issuing a pardon to the late Jim Morrison for his crime of indecent exposure.  I wish to convey to you that there are more pressing last-minute issues to be addressed and that this is a waste of time, which in essence is wasted tax money that pays for your position.

More importantly, a pardon for Jim Morrison sends a myriad of other messages such as, indecency is acceptable, what we see does not impact our minds, our hearts, and our souls, and that there are no lasting consequences for our decisions (in his case to drink himself drunk and expose himself) because the alcohol is the culprit or his fame and inability to handle it was to blame. 

If you pardon Jim Morrison, you are agreeing that it is totally acceptable for a man to pull out his private parts at any moment in time, to direct at anyone he pleases, and it is simply amusing.  Governor, with all due respect, this is not acceptable.

May God bless your day as you seek to end your governorship well.

Sincerely,

Julie Ochoa
_____________________

    From:     Helen Frigo
    Subject:     Jim Morrison's pardon
    Date:     November 9, 2010 10:52:24 AM CST
    To:     Governor Charlie Crist
Dear Governor:

I just heard about Jim Morrison's pardon.   I had just written to you
about Denise Harvey, who is 44 years old, ALIVE, and facing at least
22 years in jail for letting a 16-year old male have sexual
intercourse with her.

Here's Russ Lemmon's latest report, and what follows is an old man
expressing outrage at Lemmon's first report, which I don't have  But I
totally agree with the old man, and I hope you will PARDON a living
woman.
We did vote for you.
Sincerely, Helen R. Frigo

http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2010/oct/14/russ-lemmon-harvey-case-still-flying-under-radar/

“I had been a fan of Russ Lemmon’s from the beginning. I liked his
fresh ideas and welcomed his savoir faire. I liked to compare Lemmon’s
opinions with mine to judge whether my 86-year-old brain still had
some horsepower left.
I valued his impressions of local politicians, even when we were
occasionally of polar opposite opinions.
On Aug. 31, however, in one fell swoop, Lemmon spent all the capital
he had ever earned from me. His column revealed an incandescent
pitilessness that was scary.
What kind of a person would write: “Sorry, but I’m not shedding a tear
over Denise Harvey’s 30-year sentence for having sex with a
16-year-old boy. If she would have admitted to doing it, I might feel
differently”?
Had she admitted it, would 20 years have been OK? Did it cross the
columnist’s mind that virtually every 16-year-old kid in the country
would have loved to be the “victim” in this matter?
If this wasn’t the worst miscarriage of justice, I don’t know of one
any worse. The perception that a 16-year-old boy who is intimate with
a grown woman suffers psychological damage makes droves of men from
Vladivostok to Vero Beach laugh hard enough to risk a hernia. How
silly can we get?
The difference between an adult male having sex with an underaged girl
and an adult female having sex with a 16-year-old boy is of a
magnitude that should preclude all comparisons. Frankly, I would have
regarded 90 days of community service as outrageously severe.
When courts go berserk like this, we are all in mortal danger.“
Edward Yazijian
Vero Beach   Stuart news, Sept. 5, 2008
__________________________________

    From:     Stan Newsom
    Subject:     Pardon of Jim Morrison
    Date:     November 9, 2010 6:27:34 PM CST
    To:     Governor Charlie Crist
Mr. Crist, I was reading about you possibly pardoning Jim Morrison. As we all know Mr. Morrison is deceased. I am a big fan of The Doors, but for the life of me I can't understand why you would consider wasting the governments money to even entertain this idea. It will have no impact on Mr. Morrison and will cost money for you to take any actions to grant such a pardon. A ridiculous idea, please quit spending the taxpayers money for this trivial stuff.

Stan Newsom
_____________________

Guide to Louisiana's 2010 Constitutional Amendments

 by Roman Lewis 

AMENDMENT 1, Delays Legislator Raises -- YES

• What a YES vote would do:  If approved, any increases in the salaries of statewide elected officials and legislators would not take effect until the beginning of the next term after the increases were approved. 
• Why it's an issue: This stems from the 2008 effort by lawmakers to increase their salary more than 130%, which after public outcry was vetoed by Bobby Jindal.
• Lagniappe: This also prevents last-term lawmakers from padding their pension by increasing their salaries without regard to voter fallout.

AMENDMENT 2, Rewards Mineral-rich Parishes -- YES

• What a YES vote would do:  If approved, mineral-producing parishes would keep more of the severance tax revenue than they currently get from Baton Rouge.  In addition, it would dedicate a portion of severance taxes collected on state lands to the Atchafalaya Basin Conservation Fund.
• Why it's an issue: Rural parishes want their "fair share" and the basin is our state's greatest natural resource.
• Lagniappe -- If you support Louisiana getting more offshore royalties from the federal government, you should support this amendment.

AMENDMENT 3, Veterans Homestead Exemption -- NO

• What a YES vote would do:  If approved, military veterans who have become 100 percent disabled as a result of their active duty can receive an additional $7,500 homestead exemption.
• Why It's an Issue: Don't really know, as it would affect only 2,000 or so Louisiana veterans. 
• Lagniappe:  Louisiana has some of the lowest property taxes in the country -- and our school and roads suffer because of it. In addition, state law already allows veterans to freeze their homestead indefinitely if they make less than $60,000 a year. 

AMENDMENT 4, Cap Millage Increases -- NO

• What a YES vote would do:  If approved, this would cap property tax increases (by non elected taxing authorities) to no more than 2.5 percent over a four-year period. 
• Why it's an issue:  Proponents want to limit the taxing authority of such boards, and it is an argument that has merit. That being said, the cap is too low and we already have some of the lowest property taxes in the country.  
•  Lagniappe:  This amendment would not affect fire districts, port commissions and certain levee districts.

AMENDMENT 5, Katrina Homestead Exemptions -- YES

• What a YES vote would do:  If approved, homeowners unable to reoccupy their homes because of a pending appeal on damage claims would be granted a five to 10 year extension for special assessment levels and homestead exemptions.
• Why it's an issue:   There are still thousands of families who have not returned to their homes post Katrina.
• Lagniappe:  This is a very specific tool for a very specific group of people who are still waiting on the appeals process to wind its way through the system. They should not be punished because the government moves so slowly.

AMENDMENT 6, Public Raises Tougher -- YES

• What a YES vote would do:  If approved, it would take a two thirds vote by legislators to increase retirement benefits for public employees.
• Why it's an issue:  Public officials too often forget how to say "no" to public employees and this makes that knee-jerk "yes" vote a little harder to get.
• Lagniappe: this would not affect COLAs, or cost-of-living-adjustments that public retirement systems can already grant without legislative approval. 

AMENDMENT 7, Tax Sale Bidding -- NO (IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IT VOTE 'NO')

• What a YES vote would do:  If approved, it would simplify tax sale bidding to make it easier for bidders to buy a property outright. It would also allow tax collectors to impose fees and collect penalties on property being auctioned for delinquent taxes.    
• Why it's an issue:  Proponents rail that currently tax auctions are more about bidders securing "redemption payments" than actually purchasing a property. This is expected to change that to an extent, but even PAR of Louisiana say it is so complex no one really knows what it will do. My rule -- when in doubt, vote NO.
• Lagniappe:  Check out these two links if you want to learn more about it. The first is an Advocate opinion on Amendment 7, the second is PAR's review of all 10 amendments.

AMENDMENT 8, Broadens Taking Power -- NO

• What a YES vote would do:  If approved, it would make it easier for the government to take land for public safety reasons (which are unconstitutionally vague already) and it would remove language that requires the government to grant the original owner right-of-first-refusal when it is sold or leased. 
• Why it's an issue:  The government wants more and more power to expropriate and this is yet another step in that direction.
• Lagniappe:  Louisiana keeps piling on more and more tools for unfettered taking of land -- but no checks and balances to prevent such land grabs from enriching developers with close ties to those same renegade agencies. My most adamant NO, NO, NO here.  

AMENDMENT 9, Workers Comp Hearings -- PICK 'EM

• What a YES vote would do:  If approved, this would allow those who lose an appeal before the typical three-judge panel to take it to the full appeals court. This type of hearing is already part of nearly all civil proceedings and should be extended to workers' compensation cases. 
• Why it's an issue: Proponents say the full court appeal should be standard operating procedure. Opponents say adding another level to the process will bog down and further delay resolution of such cases. 
• Lagniappe:  Sometimes due process takes longer than you want.

AMENDMENT 10, Jury Trial Waiver -- NO

• What a YES vote would do: if approved, it would require a defendant to decide whether to have a jury trial 45 days prior to the trial date.
• Why this is an issue:  Proponents say last-second requests to waive a jury trial or demand one after initially waiving it tie up the system and cost money.
• Lagniappe:  This addresses a legitimate issue, but is not the solution. When it comes to one's right to a fair trial, always err on the side of the Constitution. 

The World bids Adieu to Wally Romero

by Roman Lewis

Wally Romero, an Acadiana icon whose big personality and outlandish style were matched only by his generosity and benevolence, died Saturday, Sept. 4, broke and alone.

He was 53.

And while his house may have lacked power the day Romero died, he surely did not.

Friends and family remember him as the as the straw that stirred the drink, an unstoppable force of nature and a man who would give you the last dollar in his pocket if you needed a hand.

Romero loved to cook and loved to eat, passions that lead to his studying at the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu Paris, where he honed his skills as a chef.

Eventually, those skills -- like just about anything else Romero could offer -- often benefited others as much, if not more, than himself.

Friends of the Junior League of Lafayette estimate that his elaborate meals, often bid on by people from across the country, netted the nonprofit more than six figures over the years.

"He was an incredible chef and when he donated an eight-course meal for 12 in his home, people that could care less about the charity showed up to bid on what they knew would be an incredible and memorable night," said Henry Mouton, who met Romero in the 4th grade at Our Lady of Fatima School and remained close with him throughout his life.

In addition to his work for Junior League, Romero donated time and money to several charities, including the American Cancer Society and Coastal Conservation Association. But for many it was his generosity behind the scenes that set Romero apart.

Carlos Russo,  onetime director of The Well and an advocate for the poor, said Romero's altruism was not just for the cameras.

"In my 13 years of working with the poor, Wally was always there providing anything I needed -- from cash to personal time and a special touch for people in crisis," said Russo. "When I was down he was  the first to call and help me personally overcome the economic crisis that came from being tossed to the curb. He told me the best thing to do is to succeed and not give them the satisfaction of knocking me down."

"I only wished he would have allowed me to help him," Russo added.

Old School Lafayette

Walter J. "Wally" Romero was born Feb. 1, 1957 to Walter J.  Romero Sr. and Doris Higginbotham Romero. His father was in Insurance, his mother helped out with the family business when she could but mostly took care of Romero and his four sisters.

The family home, on Ronald Boulevard, was in the center of town back then. But a block or so from Fatima, the location proved a bit too convenient for Wally Romero's sake.

Wally Romero and his mother, Doris

"He would always bitch -- 'I'm the only one in this whole school who can't blame missing the bus for being late to school,'" said Mouton, who graduated a year ahead of Romero.

Romero, the pudgy kid whose quick wit and guttural laugh made people forget about his weight problems, always found a way to wiggle out of trouble at Fatima, said Mouton.

"How could you get mad at a kid who would make you laugh out loud as often as Wally did?" he asked.

Romero would graduate from Fatima in 1975 and go on to earn a business degree from the University of Southwest Louisiana (now ULL).  Soon after he joined the family business, and within a few years his father had pulled some strings and helped secure Romero his own State Farm franchise.

It was in the insurance business where Romero achieved his greatest success, affording him an opulent lifestyle, collecting antiques and fine art, traveling abroad and hobnobbing with a "who's who" of Acadiana.

The late-night parties and card games at his house on the Vermilion River were legend, say friends, as was his appetite for life, food, friends and family.

A true Bon Vivant

Jason Peck, who spent a lot of time with Romero in the '80s, remembered his grand entrances into LaFonda around Christmastime when he would arrive flanked by his entourage, replete with the Sleigh Sluts.

"In the 80s he was a fun-spirited, good-time-loving, never-meet-a-stranger, generous guy I was happy to call a friend," said Peck.

Phil Lank, who met Romero in grade school, described him as "one of the nicest and most creative people I ever knew." 

"Friends remember his annual Christmas party, his popular Wednesday gatherings and his annual Tacky Parties. Some of the best good-time memories come from his Tacky Parties. They were a blast and soooooo tacky that even the hors d'oeuvres were things like pickled pigs lips," said Lank.

Many remember Romero for his boundless energy and his sometimes short attention span. But Romero's cousin, Perry Dautreuil, remembers a man who could focus like a laser when he wanted to learn something.

"One of my fondest memories of Wally was watching my grandmother, his Taunt Lule, trying to teach him to say the Hail Mary in French. I had never before, or since, seen him so quiet and deep in concentration," said Dautreuil.

"He learned the Sign of the Cross that day ... and he was glowing with his sense of accomplishment," Dautreuil added.

Friends say the many success stories, big and small, never went to his head and, perhaps, steeled him for the challenges that would come later in life. 

If Romero's lifelong battle with his weight was a concern, friends say he rarely let on. Instead, he poked fun at himself, donning loud Hawaiian shirts that surely did not hide his belly. But eventually he grew concerned about the weight and chose to have gastric bypass surgery.

A few years later Romero, who at one point packed 400-plus pounds onto his 6-foot frame, explained his decision to The Independent.

"My Dad had had his first heart attack at 52, and I was only a couple of years away from that statistic. I wanted to at least have a chance at surviving," he said. 

His friend, Phil Lank, remembers the day before Romero traveled to New Orleans for the surgery in August 2002.

"The day before he went into the hospital to get his stomach clipped, he and Bern and Kevin (Gossen) went to Soop's in Maurice and Wally ordered the menu. Poor baby probably thought he would never be able to eat again," joked Lank. 

Svelte and styling, Carlos Russo said Romero felt liberated by the sudden weight loss.

"He abandoned the Hawaiian shirts and became very suave, and shopped mostly in Europe," said Russo, adding that "his obit' photo was the height of his fashion expression."

Lank said his friend was a good guy who made some bad choices.

"He had his struggles, as we all do, and it saddened me he was never able to overcome them. But that never deterred me from thinking fondly of him because he was such a good person ... and he was so, so much fun," said Lank.

After nearly 30 successful years with State Farm, Romero's fall from grace was as sudden as it was thorough.

He hit rock bottom in 2008, first when State Farm pulled his franchise after premiums came up missing, then when he was arrested for selling a friend's George Rodrigue painting for $25,000. 

At first, his spirits remained high, as evidenced by a sign he hung in the old State Farm office on University Avenue in December of that year.

It read, simply: "Lafayette, I am what I am. Merry Christmas. -- Wally Romero." 

But eventually, addiction problems and depression began to take their toll, and he never quite recovered. Romero died Saturday at his home on Smith Street, alone with his dog, in a house with no electricity. He sold the house on the river years ago.

"He fell down real hard. His family picked him up and he fell down again, this time harder. They got him up, he fell down twice as hard and they tried but the drugs were his down fall," said Henry Mouton.

Betsy Arabie, who lived down the street from Romero in the Arbolada subdivision, said through all the internal turmoil Romero was "a very loving, funny, and genuine" neighbor whose kindness never waned.

"It was my daughter's birthday ... and we had gone to his house to look at antiques. When he found out it was Kathryn's birthday -- she was about 7 or so -- he chose a special antique figurine of a tall slim woman in a blue dress and hat and he said, 'This is for you for your birthday.' I was really touched that he would do that for her," Arabie said.

Though in the end Romero had nothing left to give you could tell "in his heart" he wanted to help in any way possible, said his cousin, Dautreuil.

"He was a broken man," his cousin said. "The fall from grace is the most painful fall. It doesn't break bones, it breaks the spirit."

Roman Lewis, an award-winning journalist with over 2,000 articles published, hosts Roman Lewis Live Saturday nights on AM 970 The Answer. Contact him at romanlewislive