LABI Newsroom.

• Dewey Defeats Truman

  December 1, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack Headlines often set the tone and narrative for a reader before they ever devour any of the information in an article. Headlines can clearly summarize the contents and give the reader a quick taste of what’s in… (Continue)

• Thanks to the Role Models Among Us

  November 20, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack In 1993, professional basketball star Charles Barkley made headlines when he used a Nike commercial to say, “I am not a role model…. just because I can dunk a basketball doesn’t mean I should raise your kids……. (Continue)

• Guest Column: The Business Case for High-Quality Childcare

  October 26, 2017

  By: Brigitte Nieland On October 18th, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation co-sponsored an event in Baton Rouge to release the Foundation’s new report, “Workforce of Today, Workforce of Tomorrow: The Business… (Continue)

• Go Vote This Weekend and Support Constitutional Amendment #1

  October 11, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack If his prediction holds true for Saturday’s turnout, it would mean that 85% of the roughly 3 million registered voters in Louisiana will simply not vote at all. Another way of looking at it is that over… (Continue)

• Fight Poverty With Good Jobs

  October 6, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack A recent report released by 24/7 Wall Street, a national financial news and opinion research company, states that Louisiana is the fourth poorest state in the country. This sobering report comes on the heels of another recent… (Continue)

• Small Business Success Begins with Tax Reform

  September 28, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack Each year on April 15th, you can easily get overwhelmed when trying to personally file your taxes. Am I eligible for a certain tax credit? Do I have the right documents to justify all my expenses and… (Continue)

• Rebuild Trust With Technology

  September 22, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack 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… (Continue)

• A Reputation Worth Changing

  September 12, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack “Your brand name is only as good as your reputation.” – Richard Branson Louisiana’s brand is strong in many ways. Our culture is second to none, and our people are inviting and entertaining. We are rich in natural… (Continue)

• Pay It Forward

  August 29, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack Many have stepped up to help us over the years. The horrific summer of 2005, dominated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, left an indelible mark on New Orleans and our entire coastal area that continues to influence many… (Continue)

• Time to Get Specific

  August 23, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack There has been a consistent drumbeat of late dominating the airwaves sung by a chorus of politicians, interest groups and talking heads…they want fiscal reform and they want it now. Of course, they do. Don’t we all? I… (Continue)

• The Scores are in… And a Few Things Might Surprise You

  August 11, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack This week, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) released the 2017 edition of the Legislative Scorecard, highlighting the elected leaders who have a solid foundation in policies that promote economic growth. To review the report… (Continue)

• A Plan May Finally be Coming Together…

  August 4, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack Believe it or not, there is finally some good news to report on the state budget front: Governor Edwards is signaling that he plans to propose a detailed, specific plan to address the upcoming fiscal cliff. This… (Continue)

• Stay the Course

  July 24, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack To be from Louisiana is to love Louisiana. If you were born and raised here, you are probably like many of us in that you couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Our people, culture and sense of community… (Continue)

• Guest Column: Anything But Normal

  July 7, 2017

  By: John Diez Most political observers agree that the last decade of Louisiana politics has been anything but dull due to a series of trends and changes: Implementation of term limits by the voters which has led to a 50% turnover… (Continue)

• Partisanship is a Bipartisan Problem

  June 27, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack For generations, Americans have peacefully disagreed amongst themselves about the direction of the country. At times, fights have escalated over some of those disagreements. Thankfully though, our commonalities with our fellow countrymen have usually overruled many of… (Continue)

• Civility is Slipping Away

  June 15, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack In the closing weeks of the regular legislative session, Louisiana State Senator Rick Ward introduced a resolution to call for more civility in political discourse. This resolution was rightly passed without any objection on the Senate and… (Continue)

• Some Traditions Don’t Last Forever

  June 5, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack Perhaps it is the baseball fan in me, but I am a traditionalist in many ways. I believe in taking it one game at a time, never messing with a hot streak and playing your hardest until the… (Continue)

• Lawmakers Should Support Criminal Justice Reform Compromise

  May 25, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack Having spent over 20 years in public policy, I understand that compromise is often necessary to achieving reform. This is proving to be true with the criminal justice reform package working its way through the Louisiana State… (Continue)

• Time for the Finger Pointers to Take a Walk

  May 17, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack Finger pointers are out in full force these days in the State Capitol. Louisiana is once again facing many of the same problems we have faced for DECADES. Ask anyone in the Capitol why and watch the fingers… (Continue)

• Guest Column: The Not-So-Silent Partner

  May 1, 2017

  By: Renee Amar Sunday, April 30th kicked off National Small Business Week. This is a week for us to celebrate our job creators and innovators. This is a week when we honor the nation’s and our state’s entrepreneurs and small… (Continue)