FRIDAY: Laura Swan, C.B. Forgotston, Tony Guarisco, Julie Baxter and Neil Melancon

HOUR ONE: 

Author Laura Swan discusses her book.  Beguines were a European phenomenon around 1200 CE of women seeking independence, breaking norms, and celebrating intellect and art.  A number of the Beguines were burned at the stake for alleged heresy.  

Jim asks if the governor took the path of least resistance in his prescription for balancing the budget.  Political Consultant C. B. Forgotston gives his opinion.  

"I was really taken aback by Democrats, Republicans, and college presidents saying it was a good start... it was a sham," Forgotston says, "I think everyone must have been in a state of shock, or they weren't listening very carefully." 

"They're already backpedalling," Forgotston points out, "what we heard on Friday isn't even what's happening."  

Forgotston analyzes the Grover Norquist pledge among Republican members of Congress and how this affected the budget proposal.  The budget proposal would raise the cigarette tax from 36 cents to 83 cents.

"I think the budget Bobby Jindal submitted will pretty much be what is adopted," he says.  

"I've never seen a governor who spends so much time every day attending ribbon cuttings and things like that," he continues, "he's never been what you call a 'hands on governor.  I've come to the conclusion that the  more he's out of the state the less damage he does." 

Forgotston also comments on the tension between David Vitter and Bobby Jindal.  

HOUR TWO: 

Former State Senator Tony Guarisco compares the Governor Jindal with previous two term governors of Louisiana: John McKeithen, Edwin Edwards, and Mike Foster.  

"Edwin Edwards could have just been this prince that was governor all the time," he comments.  

Jim calls Bobby Jindal's proposal for a cigarette tax "a considered heresy."

Guarisco calls Grover Norquist a "third party nitwit."  He says they need to simply revoke the agreement because "a promise is not forever."

He says it is unbelievable that marijuana smokers are in prison.  

Mike Danna, a staple in the agriculture broadcasting industry, died of cancer at the age of 54. He was the director of public relations for the Louisiana Farm Bureau and host of This Week in Louisiana Agriculture. He passed away peacefully in his sleep shortly before 9am this morning.  Assistant Director of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Neil Melancon joins the show to remember him.

The board of the Mass Communication at LSU unanimously voted Mike Danna into the Manship Hall of Fame.  

Neil says, "I got to see the soft side of him... the side that had the sardonic wit, the teasing nature of him."  He talks about a virtual tour of Italy Danna took with his wife in the last 24 days of his life.  

Here is Mike Danna's parting statement.  

THURSDAY: Tim Parrish, Mike Wolf, Jason Decuir

HOUR ONE: 

Author Tim Parrish shares his book.  It is about Baton Rouge racism in the 50s and the 60s and Parrish's experience growing up in a staunch right wing Southern Baptist household.  "Hearing about the love of Christ and forgiveness and coming home and hearing something very different about African Americans... it was confusing."

"I come back about every six months and it seems Baton Rouge is different every time," Parrish says.  He describes the differences between his childhood Baton Rouge and how it is now.  

"The North has all of the same issues as the South," Parrish says in terms of current segregation.  "I think it's important for all of us to look inward," he continues, speaking of coming to terms with our own racism.

Attorney Mike Wolf will review the controversy over Hillary Clinton's emails when she was Secretary of State.  

"Those who like her very much won't be deterred by this," Wolf says of Hillary Clinton.  Wolf asserts that email should be private even for public officials.  "Public officials should be able to get confidential advice."  

The Clintons will soon celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary.  

They discuss the release of the police report from the Ferguson shooting last year, which ruled the police officer not guilty of racial charges.  

HOUR TWO: 

Former Executive Counsel for the State Department of Revenue Jason Decuir remarks on Governor Jindal's budget proposal and the tax credits.

Decuir also comments on how the tax credits will or should affect the film industry in Louisiana.  Particularly, he discusses Duck Dynasty.  "At what point have you built a sustainable industry in Louisiana that people won't pack their bags when you begin to cut programs," Decuir says.

"It's difficult to introduce tax reform when you're in the midst of trying to plug the budget." 

Decuir asserts that he will not be running for Mayor next year.   

WEDNESDAY: Jerome Dee Richard, Barry Weinstein, Joan Borysenko

HOUR ONE: 

State Representative Jerome Dee Richard is working to strip the governor's line out of veto.  "Other states do it," Richard says, "call for automatic veto session.  It would mainly be for bills that pass with 2/3 vote."  

He comments on the budget proposal by Governor Jindal.  He asserts, "We have a spending issue not a revenue issue."  

Richard is an independent from Thibodaux, Louisiana.  They discuss a bill the representative introduced last year to allow voters to be identified as independent.  

He continues commenting on the effects of the budget cuts on higher education.  

"That's something I can't be supportive of," Richard says of the inventory tax.  

HOUR TWO: 

Rabbi Barry Weinstein joins the show to comment on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's recent speech on Iran.  "I think our good President Obama is doing his best to minimize what could have been one of the most important statements about Iran."  Jim comments, "I think he <Prime Minister Netanyahu> speaks better English than most members of Congress." 

They discuss Nancy Pelosi's reaction to the speech.  

"They do not particularly like each other, but I think Netanyahu gives important respect to the President," Weinstein comments.  72% of the people in Israel believe President Obama will not limit nuclear arms in Iran.  "There is an existential threat to the viability of Israel should Iran become nuclear," Weinstein affirms.  Israel would fit four times in the state of Louisiana.

"Israel is, in many respects, a theocracy," Rabbi Weinstein says in response to the question of separation of church and state in Israel.  "One has to hope that there will eventually be peace in all the countries in the Middle East," Weinstein comments, citing that Israel's anthem means 'hope'.  

Weinstein says that he thinks Prime Minister Netanyahu has a "pretty good shot" at reelection.  "I think winning or losing, his speech in Congress will be faulted or credited.. but no doubt it will go down in history as one of the major moments in Israel."  

A caller questions the motives of Netanyahu's visit to the United States.  "My belief is, bottom line, he did it as a sincere man to stand up for Israel." 

Dr. Joan Borysenko discusses the mind and body spiritual connection.  99% of human DNA is microbial DNA.  She promotes her upcoming event Scholar in Residence: Spiritual Awakening Seminar.   

TUESDAY: Mike Strain, Joe Delpit, and Ben Bagert

HOUR ONE: 

Commissioner of Agriculture Mike Strain comments on the recent budget cuts.  Statewide elected officials are claiming the mid-year budget cuts proposed by Governor Bobby Jindal are unfair.  Departments managed by statewide elected officials are receiving much larger cuts than than almost all other state departments.
"Statewide elected officials budgets together are less than one percent of the overall state budget, yet they are 16.7% of the budget cuts," Strain says.   

Strain says these cuts aren't fair across the board. 
 
"Budget cuts to the Department of Ag and Forestry are effectively $2.6 million.  If the cut were cut across the board, then our cut would have been $340,000," Strain continues, "We protect a 20 billion dollar industry... there is no alternative to our protection."  

The Department of Agriculture has received mid-year cuts equivalent to $2.6 million dollars and the Tourism Department has taken a $3.6 million hit, while the governor's office has proposed a $10,000 cut to its budget.  Jindal spokesman Mike Reed says the governor's office reduction is in line with other offices.  Strain says it's obvious that statewide elected officials are taking the brunt of the cuts.  

"In order to feed the rest of the world, we have to increase productivity," Strain concludes, asserting the importance of the Ag Center.  "At the end of the day, we have to put the people above our politics... from there we will begin again."  

HOUR TWO: 

Republican Benny Bagert calls for Governor Jindal's resignation.  He is joined by his former Democratic colleague Joe Delpit.  

"If we don't watch ourselves, we are going to have people dying here in the streets here in Louisiana," Delpit says of the closing hospitals.  "On the route we're going on, we're going to be on the same route as the terrorists."  Bagert also affirms that the governor does not have his priorities in order. 

They continue, discussing Governor Jindal's proposal for tax credits and the exemptions.  "I don't think you should have an exemption for this and that because once you get that log rolling everyone gets an exemption," Bagert says.  

Delpit and Bagert speculate who else might run for the upcoming governor's race and who the next governor will be.  

Jim says, "For the most part, it seems campaigns now are run on television," in Louisiana.  

Joe Delpit calls Jay Dardene a "credible candidate." 

MONDAY: John Kaufman, John Kennedy, Dr. Richard Ebright, Mike Rubin, AP Tureaud, Rachel Emmanuel, and Jenson Moore

HOUR ONE: 

Director of Marketing John Kaufman joins the show from the Manship Theatre.  He shares the development of the Manship Theatre over the past ten years and the celebration of the anniversary on Thursday.  

State Treasurer John Kennedy comments on the recent budget cuts and the proposed tax credits.  The biggest income is the inventory tax which comes to about 525 million dollars.  Only 14 states charge an inventory tax. He explains the impact this will have on small businesses.  "I don't the legislature will raise inventory tax," John Kennedy says, "because it will cost too many jobs." 

"If the legislature adopts everything the governor has proposed, higher ed will still be cut 211 million." 

Professor of Chemistry and Microbiology at Rutgers University Dr. Richard Ebright shares his opinion on the recent story about the release of a deadly bacteria from the Tulane Primate Center.  "There is minimal risk to the community at this time of the spread of the biological agent... However, this is a major implication of policy."  

Dr. Ebright asserts that it is extremely unlikely it is an act of bioterrism.  

HOUR TWO: 

Mike Rubin, AP Tureaud, and Dr. Rachel Emmanuel of Southern University promote "The History and The Mystery."  Southern University Law School is one of the most integrated schools.  "I didn't get educated, and I struggled with all of the exclusions," AP Tureaud says of his own collegiate experience, "It was miserable." 

Dr. Emmanuel says, "The opportunity to meet our mission at the law center with a diverse student population gives us an opportunity to put at the forefront some of these civil rights issues."  

Mike Rubin says, "Tomorrow will educate people not necessarily about blacks or whites, but things they did not know about." 

Assistant Professor of the Manship School of Mass Communications Jenson Moore remembers the life and death of Spock and analyzes Facebook and the death announcements.  She explains why Star Trek resonated with its time and the following generations.  

"We go through the bereavement process using social networking sites," Jenson Moore says.  She comments on Facebook's new feature that allows you to designate a person to control your pages after your death called a legacy contact.  

They discuss whether people on Facebook should always have a picture on their page.  

FRIDAY: Danny Gregory, Jeremy Alford, Pete Earley, Scott Wilfong, and Dayne Sherman

HOUR ONE: 

Author Danny Gregory shares his new book Art Before Breakfast.  "Creativity is a way we cope with the world." Gregory says that his drawing has a "meditative quality."  Gregory was born in London and grew up in Pakistan and Australia.  He was a White House intern in the Carter administration, a McDonald's fry cook, and worked in half a dozen ad agencies.  

Publisher and editor Jeremy Alford joins the show from LA Politics to discuss the budget.  There will be a 1.6 billion revenue shortfall for the next fiscal year.  Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols says they want lawmakers to scale back a dozen refundable tax credits which would save the state 526 million dollars.  They want to raise the cigarette tax by 47 cents.  The cigarette tax could generate about 100 million dollars.  

Ebony Tucker, Director of the Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault, is concerned people who still buy tickets to Cosby's show don't take these alleged victims seriously.  "Particularly these people who are putting these events together," said Tucker. "We would hope the public would be more sympathetic towards the women who have come forward."  The comedian released a statement thanking fans for love, support and trust and added he can’t wait to warm the hearts of the audience with the gift of laughter.

"Just because you like The Cosby Show doesn't mean Bill Cosby isn't capable of criminal activity," said Tucker.

HOUR TWO:

Republican political consultant Scott Wilfong and liberal political blogger Dayne Sherman analyze the proposed solutions by the Jindal administration to the budget problems.  
Even with a cap on certain tax credits, the cut in the proposed budget to higher ed is 211-million dollars.  Nichols offered solutions to further reduce cuts to higher education and one includes raising the cigarette tax and using those revenues to provide families with a tax credit to help offset the costs for higher fees at public colleges.  

The potential drop in funding for health care services is 235-million dollars according to the proposed budget.  Lawmakers who serve on the budget committees seemed to like some of the ideas and Delhi Senator Francis Thompson is glad the cuts to higher ed and health care are not as bad as once feared.  "I'm pleased we have temporary fix fix to the problems that we have," Thompson said.  

Lawmakers will now spend the next several weeks going over the budget and will eventually approve a spending plan in June.  

Wilfong and Sherman comment on "Bobby Jindal on David Vitter: ‘Turn the recorder off, I’ll tell you what I really think about him’" 

"Louisiana is not a pro-choice, pro-gay agenda," Wilfong says.  He asserts that Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Hilary Clinton have "crazy agendas." 

"There is personal animosity between Bobby Jindal and David Vitter," Wilfong says.  

Dayne Sherman says, "Grover Norquist may be more influential in Louisiana than the pope." 

"Had this meltdown not occurred with the David Duke thing, I think Scalise could be speaker now," Sherman continues.