WAGUESPACK: Spend It Differently This Time Around, And Maybe There Won't Be Another Fiscal Cliff

Louisiana Politics...a phrase that has haunted our state since before I was born. Until we stop the quid pro quo, the the pork barrel deals, the spend-spend-spend attitudes, and more recently, aggressive litigiousness at the state level, we will continue to be at the bottom end of the good lists and the top of the bad lists.

WAGUESPACK: Spend It Differently This Time Around, And Maybe There Won't Be Another Fiscal Cliff: "Not sure if you have noticed or not, but there is something called the fiscal cliff looming in Louisiana. If you haven’t heard of it yet, sit tight, because you will hear a whole lot about it over the next few months. The 2018 crisis will be filled with plenty of drama, finger-pointing and inflammatory rhetoric. Every (former, current and future) politician will say it is the other (former, current and future) politician’s fault for the deficits and lack of agreement on the appropriate mixture of taxes and cuts to fill it. Pull some old Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR) reports or Advocate headlines over the last 40-50 years and you will read a similar version of the same fights. Close your eyes and listen to some old political speeches and legislative debates on the Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB) website and you will swear the commentary is filled with the same words used today."

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Stephen Waguespack: Rebuild Trust with Technology

LABI President Stephen Waguespack wrote today that we should be using more technology to inform the public on what is being done, how money is being spent, etc. He also points out that a lot of people in the state are interested in the same thing, regardless of where you lay on the political spectrum.

"It hit me this week while fielding questions from radio listeners on The Jim Engster Show: as much time as we all spend these days talking about what divides us, the truth is we are not as far apart as most think.

A few callers asked about proposals for new revenue streams, mandates or regulations on businesses and non-profits, while others wanted to explore different options to fight poverty. The affordability and quality of health care were discussed, as was the specific structure of our tax code and its inability to provide stability for both private markets and public services.

While most of the callers came from a more liberal political perspective than I do, many of the topics were the right ones on which to focus.

For all the fussing and fighting in politics today, I think that all Republicans, Democrats and independents want good public schools, safe and growing communities and affordable health care when they need it. There should be no disagreement on that. No one is out there credibly advocating for a shrinking economy or less transparency in government."

Continue reading his article on the LABI website. 

Code Name Insight: What's the Fiscal State of Your State?

Code Name Insight: What's the Fiscal State of Your State?: "What's the Fiscal State of Your State? If you live in one of several states--I'm looking at you Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and these others--and you rely on the state in any way (for your income, pension, medical care services, payments to your business, etc), well, things aren't looking so good.  These states are on the brink of bankruptcy (kind of, states can't actually file for bankruptcy but that doesn't mean they are financially solvent...they are basically out of money and in the hole so far no one in their right mind would loan them money/buy their bonds)."

Does the 4% Retirement Spending Rule Still Hold Up—And Where Do Rentals Fit in?

Here is an interesting article on how much money you need to "save" for retirement. It also proposes options for ensuring a comfortable retirement. #GoodRead


Does the 4% Retirement Spending Rule Still Hold Up—And Where Do Rentals Fit in?: "How much do you need? How can you ensure that you don’t run out of money in retirement? What’s the fastest way to get there, and does fast also mean safe?"

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