Columns.

• The Grades Are Out

  August 23, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack For the most part, they’re not headline-grabbing. They don’t often prompt large rallies on the steps of the Capitol. They rarely make their way onto your Facebook feed. Yet many of the issues our team tackles at… (Continue)

• Back in the Saddle Again

  August 17, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack And so, it begins again.  Summer has ended, and a new Louisiana school year has begun. The early morning sound of alarm clocks and the sight of sleepy kids slowly walking into the kitchen each morning is filling… (Continue)

• A Contract with Louisiana

  July 27, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack In 1994, after two years under the Clinton administration and decades more toiling as the minority party in Congress, Republicans decided they needed a plan to better communicate with the American people and detail the specific actions… (Continue)

• A Time to Say Thanks

  July 17, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack Every now and then, it is important to take the time to reflect on those who deserve some recognition and appreciation. I for one feel blessed that I have a loving family, supportive friends and am surrounded daily… (Continue)

• Quotes to Live by

  July 3, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack Sure, we’ve got some challenges here in America.  One quick scroll through your Twitter and Facebook feeds, and you’re bombarded by opinions on just what the ole’ red, white and blue has to fix. Every day, it seems… (Continue)

• The Court Has Spoken… Will Louisiana Listen?

  June 28, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack Each October, the United States Supreme Court begins its annual term to hear cases on a range of issues from across the country. These public hearings and private deliberations by the justices take place off and on… (Continue)

• The Consequences of Chaos

  May 22, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack For almost three years, the state Capitol has been absolutely, positively one thing: chaotic. The 6th special session during this time-period begins this week and will once again pit the Administration’s desire for tax revenue against the Legislature’s lack… (Continue)

• A Lesson Not Yet Learned

  May 9, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack A few months ago, a special session was called by the governor to raise new taxes that would have replaced expiring taxes. It ended without resolution. This week, the regular session begins to show signs of wrapping… (Continue)

• Little Things Make a Big Difference to Small Business

  May 1, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack Quick…think of the last 5-6 businesses with which you have had a transaction. Perhaps you stopped somewhere for gas, got some help filling out your taxes, picked up a few home essentials, took the kids out for… (Continue)

• Say No to Another Round of Net Neutrality

  April 13, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack Many of us watched with interest this week as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg endured hours in the Congressional hot seat, stoically defending his company’s consumer privacy protocols in the face of mounting allegations of data mismanagement. While… (Continue)

• People Over the Process

  April 6, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack It is a trend these days for professional sports teams to implore their fans to “trust the process.” This is code for when teams beg for their fans’ continuous support as they trade away popular stars to… (Continue)

• Give Credit Where Credit is Due

  March 23, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack Lost in the countless stories about the silly fights, soap operas and blame game that dominate the State Capitol these days is some credit given to where credit is due. Some Republicans in the House broke out of… (Continue)

• Some Good News…

  March 20, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack Doesn’t it seem like we are constantly being reminded lately of Louisiana’s many challenges? Earlier this year, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform ranked our legal climate dead last among states. They cited our legal… (Continue)

• Reboot the Boot

  March 6, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack As a dad, one of my duties at home is to be a “fix-it” guy. While I may not be the handiest person out there, I can usually put some “MacGyver-esque” skills to the test and find… (Continue)

• Smoke ‘Em Out Once And For All…

  February 16, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack It has become a new national pastime for folks to spend time bemoaning the rise of “partisanship” and to complain about how divided the country has become. This mantra has been bought hook, line and sinker by… (Continue)

• Spend it Differently This Time Around…

  January 26, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack 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… (Continue)

• Helping Any Way We Can

  January 19, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack Since 1975, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) has made it our mission to serve our diverse business membership by working towards the singular goal of fostering a climate for economic growth by consistently championing… (Continue)

• A Bridge to Nowhere…

  January 10, 2018

  By: Stephen Waguespack Tax reform. It’s a phrase frequently promised by politicians regardless of political ideology. No matter if you are a liberal, a conservative or identify as an independent voter, you probably want it also. In fact, who in their… (Continue)

• Resolutions for 2018…

  December 28, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack Ah yes, it is that time of year again where we all end up giving ourselves “the talk.” You know the one I am referencing… that tough talk where we make new year resolutions, either publically or… (Continue)

• A Time and Place for Everything

  December 22, 2017

  By: Stephen Waguespack We have all heard the advice that there is a time and place for everything. This advice, stemming from a proverb found in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, reads: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under… (Continue)