“I am disappointed,” said State Senator Louis Bernard, “I had hoped this would be an avenue to start businesses back to work.” Bernard and Representative Gabe Firment would have preferred a different decision from the Governor.
Bernard said, “The Governor is taking the advice of the medical community. The medical team preaches still maintaining distancing to keep the numbers down. Businesses are significantly hurting, and many may not come back from this.” Bernard added the current situation is really tough and it is causing a lot of stress among business owners and their employees.
Firment said he had hoped the Governor would have implemented Phase 1 of President Trump’s Guidelines for Reopening America on a regional or parish by parish basis. Firment said, “A little perspective: Grant/LaSalle – 33 positive cases per LDH (Louisiana Department of Health). Orleans/Jefferson – 12,469 positive cases. But the Stay at Home Order was arbitrarily applied to the entire state.” Firment added, “More food for thought: We can pack hundreds of people into Lowes or Home Depot, but we are not allowed to worship in church one day a week. You can get an abortion, but you can’t get a haircut….
District 23 Representative Kenny Cox is concerned with opening up too quickly and the possibility of a resurgence of COVID-19. Cox said the Governor acted based upon the numbers of cases. Cox said, “What we’re seeing from the rural population, there is an uptick in Natchitoches and DeSoto parishes.”
Representative Cox is concerned with the economy. “Everyone wants to put folks back to work, but you have to follow the rules. If you make the wrong decision you could cost people their lives.”
Cox also is concerned with so many unknowns. He said, “No one can tell me you can’t be reinfected. My grandson told me ‘If you have the money and you are sick or die, what good is it?’ and that’s so.” Cox added, “Two weeks delay may not seem like a lot, but if you have a resurgence of the virus, then what.”
Bernard said there has been “a tsunami of applications coming in. It has clogged the system. The federal and state governments had nothing in place to handle the volume of applications.” Bernard told The Journal he has been working with local banks and they cannot get applications they have received into the system.
Representative Firment added, “Please know that myself and other conservative legislators in the state hear you loud and clear and are working to move our state forward in accordance with President Trump’s phased approach to reopening.”
Then there is the issue of payback. This has not been addressed at the state or federal level. Senator Bernard reminded us, “We will have to consider paying it back. It was almost unanimous in Congress that this had to be done. And I think we’ve learned a lot and to be better prepared next time.”
you can’t be afraid to live.I We are are going to dies at sometime,get out and
enjoy life !living scared is no good at all .
Check out Billy Nungesser for his take on covid 19. Being the greedy career politician that he is ,overruled the Mayor of New Orleans decision to cancel Mardi Gras. All for tourism revenue!! Blame him!!
He didnt overrule her, he did condemn her. And he admitted he was wrong. That’s a huge start for some Repubs. We are Dems but did vote for Billy. He showed his willingness to work across the aisle during the oil spill. Maybe this will be a lesson to listen the the experts, doctors, and not the White House at this time. Stay well. Vote Dem in 2020.
Please, this is not about abortion. Research is studying ways to treat this virus, but have not been approved. Sick and debilitated people are quarantined but, these are people who usually require a healthy caregiver who goes out to shop and run errands. You give it to the caregiver, then the patient has little hope as exposure is almost certain. And caregivers in nursing homes are out and about as well. So now we have a nursing home that someone brought the virus in. Please listen to the experts. They are begging you to follow the governors orders. It is that serious people. Just watch the situation at the nursing homes and learn how devastating this is. Please stop trying to convince yourselves that all is well. The experts are telling you and these representatives, that all is indeed not well.
Oh my goodness, thank you. This we’ve known. That’s why I’m the only one that goes to shop. My hubby hasnt been in a store in nearly 2 months. I wear a full face respirator mask so as not to bring it home to my hubby with COPD. Folks dont seem to get that even though they seem “well “, they can be carriers and unknowingly pass it on to others. And so it goes. Just stay home. Stay well. Protect yourself and others.
Yall are not even thinking it out . How bout a little common sense. I dont know the exact numbers as im writing this. But just to show you has example. If you have 1,000 people have it and you have around .05% dying and we know most all die have medical problems or elderly thats about 5 out of 1,000. We do have drugs right now to treat people that get it that makes it alot less deadly and severe. So common sense tells me open things up. Quarantine the elderly and high risk people and this should be no more then catching a cold or flu. And people can go back to work
Same tired talk. Same lame excuses. Thank you, no. I’ll listen to the doctors and continue to do what our guv asks us to do. Stay well. Vote Dem in 2020.
Way to go Vicki
Also agree with Rep. Cox.
I agree with you Kenny Cox. Out of the mouths of babes comes WISDOM. Think with your mind as well as your heart. Thank you for being you.
Rs29:724 B(2)
Legislators do have some power.
Thanks for providing that number. Yes, I looked it up and yes, i already knew Gov Edwards has the authority to shut down our state. Next time however, you may want to give the statue rather than just citing the number. Most folks wouldnt look it up, so they will always remain ignorant of the truth. Folks, you need to do research for yourself. That is how you can see the real facts, what is really happening in our state, in our country, in the world. Don’t just assume you know it all. We do not. Fact check. Stay well. Vote Dem in 2020.
Did not post it to show governor had authority. If you read B(2), the legislature has authority to override. If enough legislators disagree with the governor, do something.
That’d be a bad move.
Governor Edwards is behaving like a thoughtful leader. Listen to what he has said. Businesses CAN be open. They just have to limit the number of people inside. And people have to wear masks. So be cautious. And stop trying to make political points with people’s lives.
Quit using fake numbers you believe to judge how state should be open
The Lord plainly says in the Bible your sins must be paid for ….America is paying and I am praying for the mercy of God on this land I love.
Thank you Mr. Bernard n Mr. Firment, i agree with y’all.. it’s not essential for abortions and if we can go to Any grocery stores, Hardware stores, liquor stores ect with lots of people then the economy should open back up depending on the parishes because the whole state isnt seeing high numbers for one thing .. we are seeing a flattening curve . This doesn’t happen with the flu and other diseases n there’s more deaths with the flu n people with bad health already will n have seen same thing if they get that… churches are definitely essential now more than ever, lots have the room to do the distancing, hair salons can distance n clean in between customers without more than two at a time ..this is polical and the democrats still have their agendas and have not forgot about them… just like the pork the Democrats want in this stimulus money..nothing to do with people’s lives n this virus ! Like the millions of dollars to the Kennedy center! The planned parenthood! Lots more pork it would take all day to name them all.. it’s about control and our constitutional rights are being and trying to be even more trampled all over ! What about Ebola virus n the sars when it happened!?? Remember what did happen or go look it up yourselves if you forgot! No reason for this to happen and I knew our governor would do this because he’s a Democrat…what do democrats do!? There’s still small businesses that haven’t got their money yet and people who still haven’t got their unemployment, what are they suppose to do , wait til the end of year like Billionaire Gates thinks everyone should do, well hes got the money to live on , not like most Americans! Or Nancy Pelosi with her $20,000 freezer eating her $20.00 a pint of ice cream?! Their delusional… I could go on but that’s enough to start with …
The governor did the right thing. The state does not meet requirements to move to Phase 1 of reopening. There is no way to get around that fact. Natchitoches should be very cautious as numbers continue to increase and now there are cases in one of the local nursing homes. Someone had to bring it into the home and may also be spreading it in the community.
You can have 1,000 cases and if 990 of them have no symptoms or very little then what makes most sense is any high risk people stay quarantined and let the businesses open
There is no medically necessary reason for an abortion.
Informed: There are medically necessary reasons for abortion. One: tubal pregnancy. But the one that really sticks out is Type 1 Diabetes in pregnancy. Look at Magnolia Steel again. Was she not urged to end her pregnancy to save her life. She didn’t listen so what was the outcome?
I think of all the babies born addicted to alcohol and drugs like crack or heroin. Their lives are filled with pain until the poison is out of their bodies. I don’t understand why women who are addicted choose to have their babies when they often end up going into foster care anyway. Children born to active drug users frequently have severe health problems their entire lives, that is if they can survive the days after birth.
Informed
The people in this state actually elected someone who thinks that abortion and getting a haircut are of similar importance. Incredible.
What the medical professionals are not telling you is that we are lowering our immune systems with these orders and will be very susceptible to getting it again if there is a second wave. While I will admit our governor is doing a good job on controlling this, local business will shut down due to not having business. Why can he not open them up but make it to where there are only a certain amount of people allowed in.
Yes Lisa!!!! People get innovative!! Open up some, but wear masks (if at all possible), and keep hands clean. Like with churches: open for the bible verse and sermon, then a song only in the congregation. Work with the experts, and do what you can to return to normal, but keep others safe. If you watch the news you see plenty of examples of people doing just this. Also if you watch the news you see examples of people who think they know and have chior practice, then 2 test positive and one dies.
So, two of our representatives use thoughtful judgment in their response, and another uses the advice of his grandson. The folks didn’t elect your grandson Kenny.
Our medical professionals and begging us to comply with the restrictions. They are asking this because of health and life. They are asking because the hospitals that serve our health needs are in crisis. By not complying with their recommendations you are making their lives hell. They are working nonstop with barely time to take any breaks and they are getting sick and dying. And surely we do want people to get back on their feet. But I go to Wamart and people are walking around with no masks or masks under their nose like nothing is amiss. Walmart is booming with customers. If people would have been listening from the beginning we would be in much better shape. But because of rebellion, this journal reports increasing cases here in Natchitoches: we simply are not ready to move forward.
I am so thankful we have Governor Bel Edwards in charge because he understands the seriousness of this virus. Some of these gentlemen do not. I cannot tell you how many times in the past few days I have heard someone say how thankful they are that Bel Edwards won the last election, because had his opponent won, so many more Louisianans would have died. And as for Firment’s moronic comment that one can get an abortion but not a haircut, I can only respond that, yes, necessary medical procedures are available, while frivolous incidentals are not. I like knowing that I can get an appendectomy if I need one. While I would like a pedicure, I’m rather not die as a result.
Of course there’s always a good road to killing babies when it’s your political agenda. Medical care does not include abortions. It’s worded that way so it’s easier to include in polite conversations among like minded people. In truth, it’s an industry that financially supports politicians that express support for “Health Care” for women or just keeps their mouths shut and acts behind the scenes to shuffle money in their direction.
I suppose it’s pointless to use science here, but a fetus is not a baby, in the same way that batter is not a cake and an egg is not a chick. In civilized countries, abortion is treated as a routine health matter and is performed in doctor’s offices, the way a Pap Smear or the procedure for cervical displasia is handled here. But here, we let uninformed people’s views govern health care, and we see the results of this now with the virus, where people feel they can wander around freely because they are too uneducated to actually read or understand what medical professionals are telling us.
But let’s elect Biden to office. Am I right?!? I mean he’s a dem, so clearly the woman is lying. #liberallogic
What woman is lying? Please provide info about whom you’re talking about. Bad grammar =misunderstanding.
Typical. Deflect and defame.
Sheep!
I don’t see Firment’s comment as moronic. I need surgery and need a new surgeon on the advice of the one who felt he could not do it. I can’t talk to different surgeons because most of them are not wanting new patients at this time, maybe later. Who NEEDS an abortion? Not many I can tell you that, as most abortions are done on young, single women who basically use this as a method of birth control. So I feel his statement was pretty much right on. Unless it is a life or death situation, let them wait for abortions like we are having to wait for haircuts.
There’s a limitation on how long one can wait for an abortion. Most women choose to abort in the first trimester because the process is easier then. And actually, most abortions are performed on married women with children, which makes sense given the economy just now. I do wish your situation were different, though. I would assume your surgery is not a matter of life and death. A friend had her gall bladder removed recently. I, on the other hand, chose to wait with some surgery because I don’t want to be near a hospital just now.
Who are you to say who needs an abortion, and who are you to judge whether or not it’s right? Who are you to say anyone should be forced into parenthood? Have you been in that situation? Women have numerous options for birth control to choose over a medically invasive procedure. Do you think it’s an easy decision to make? People judge us, call us sinners, sluts, and “baby killers”, family members refuse to talk to us. It’s a hard decision to make, not something you do without a lot of thought.
I’m sorry about your problems with not getting the surgery you need. I’m sorry your doctor can’t do it. Didn’t she or he refer you to someone else?
I wish you luck.
I haven’t called anyone any names, I’m just saying that a large majority of women who get abortions because they don’t want to have a child at any particular moment in time, thus it is a method of birth control. I know some people put a lot of thought into it, but to a lot it’s just another day and it’s not so bad. I feel for these women who find themselves in a place that makes it very rough on them, and I only mentioned it because it was said that the statement made was moronic. It was not, and if anyone can walk in and get an abortion with it being a medical necessity, then I can see exactly what he is talking about. I know there are different thoughts on abortion, and I don’t agree with a lot of women. BUT, this conversation is really not about abortion, it’s about what lawmakers think about the stay at home policy. So I will not discuss this any further, and I’m sure the editor is glad of this.
Why are so many people afraid to use their name? I would think no more or less of you for having a different viewpoint. And what proof do you have that more people would have died if Edward’s opponent had won? Your governor and the mayor of New Orleans failed to act. New Orleans cases could have been tremendously lower had they cancelled Mardi gras. But no, she was on TV telling everything was fine, no need for alarm.
The weeks before Mardi Gras there were only a few cases of the virus in this country, and those were in Washington State, Oregon, and California. For all any of us knew it would be contained there. We didn’t know at that point that people can be sick for 2 weeks without showing any symptoms and some don’t show any symptoms until the virus is bad enough to require hospitalization.
And do you really believe that, even if the governor and mayor of New Orleans had cancelled Mardi Gras, it would have stopped everyone from celebrating? Most of the people who come to New Orleans for Mardi Gras are tourists, and most of those are from out of state.We already know some people in our community refuse to follow quarantine and social distancing guidelines. Do you think tourists, some of whom paid hundreds of dollars for plane tickets to New Orleans, would have been any better? The police force would have been forced to double their numbers or call in Louisiana’s National Guard to keep people off the streets,out of the bars and restaurants, and away from the formal balls and private celebrations.
SMH
Thank you Louis Bernard for your balanced comments. Governor Edwards is only following Trump’s own guidelines in waiting 14 days of decreasing cases to reopen. Gabe Firment is only contributing to the division in our country with his snarky comments about Home Depot and haircuts.
you will like a man whos supports abortion but not support starting economy back up ?
Thank you for making sense.
Good grief. What can’t seemingly intelligent folks get. This White House badministration has mislead (lied to) us since the beginning. Don’t listen to them for guidance. Listen to medical professionals. You listen when you need to take med otherwise, so why not now? This is the med to begin to heal this country. The final medical dose will come in Nov. Vote Dem in 2020.
You durn sure wont listen to your wrongly informed bias person. You have no idea what you are talking about
Gabe read the memo
Thanks Kenny Cox I agree with you!
Thanks Louie and Gabe. I agree with you.