I am a native Louisianaian. If the people would stop electing and re-electing corrupt politicians we could be such a better state. Louisiana is a fantastic state but corruption has ruined us.
@@b-byrd8010 i dont think this is a matter of republican or democrat, because you can have asshole politicians on both sides. I just think that, regardless who is in power, should take in account the states prosperity into account
Not from Louisiana, not even from the US, I come back to this video every now and then to remind myself of the lengths that corruption can ruin a great place. I hope that Louisiana will one day become the state it should be. The future is as bright as we make it.
It's sad seeing all the potential of my state go to waste. We have amazing history, culture, food, and people. I hope one day everything will be as it should as well.
I’m from Franklin. A random guy came up to me while I was doing overnight work in Zachary La and began a conversation about the work I was doing. He told me about this video so I search it up and saved to watch later. I must say timing is everything, and just now watching the video I think it’s one of most insightful and informative videos I’ve seen on UA-cam. Thanks, I know I need to get more involved
This is actually an irritating point I bring up, but when I do I get kick back from mainly conservative people saying "well if they don't get the tax break they'll go somewhere else" okay so how bout we give them no tax break throughout the states and tax them more for running business in the US if they try to leave the states? Businesses shouldn't have individual liberty, but thanks to certain laws and judges they do.
That is a very good point. However it is not just industrial corporations, but also intellectual and foundation properties, as well as overpriced, highly profitable hospitals and major church corporations. Universities buy up huge amounts of buildings and land in cities like Boston/Cambridge. The schools are very profitable and basically the clubhouses of wealthy families, yet individuals and small businesses get their assessments doubled every few years, every time a university, not for profit (that pays directors very well) companies, and churches buy more land through their foundations. Ironically their consumption of land/buildings puts more financial pressure on roads, fire, police, etc... It is time for single tax. Land taxed on its useful value and these property taxes apply to everyone the same. Churches too for property tax. It is property and if my home can be taxed, so can theirs. I'm not a profit company either.
Genghis Khan you don’t know what you’re talking about. Also, I didn’t say Homestead Act, I said Homestead Exemption. Due to the oil and gas industry in our state anyone who owns a home may file for Homestead Exemption if it is the primary residence and not pay for up to $75,000 worth of property taxes. Granted in today’s values that’s only knocking off about 1/2 the taxes for most people but still significant savings. I’m not taking up for ITEP. I believe it should be re-evaluated and amended. But do some research before you try to correct someone.
@Genghis Khan lol you killed him in that argument. Do you think ITEP is a good program? I hate that the frame it as a subsidy when it's an exemption. They frame it like the government is doing them a favor by letting them keep their money. It seems the logic it that it gives people jobs and increases adjacent property values.
In Louisiana, citizens don't tolerate corruption, they demand it. After Katrina, a famous comedian said that half of Louisiana was under water and the other half was under indictment.
I grew up in Louisiana. We used to always say "thank god for Mississippi or else we'd be the bottom of xyz." This video sickens me. I knew it was corrupt, but damn. This is embarrassing. I hope the citizens of Louisiana wake up and demand more.
@@KahnShawnery Ha! I remember hearing jokes like that. Funny that you mentioned electricity from Texas. When that major power outage happened last Winter my family was not affected. My parents moved to East Texas (deberry). That part of Texas is on the eastern power grid that comes out of Louisiana. So they were not affected.
Having a functioning democracy and supporting your local community is labeled as "socialism" by Rush Limbaugh, and we can't have that. So instead they vote for David Dukes to rob them.
I remember working at a hotel when I lived in New Orleans and met a man from there that had moved to Colorado. He told me prior to moving to Colorado he never left Louisiana and thought it was the best state ever. He then said "I got so use to seeing the clean interstates and meeting nice people in Colorado, I came back here to visit 3 years later. I looked around and realized this is a NASTY ass city with no opportunities I can't believe I stayed here most of my life". He was happy he left and at that moment I started a plan to leave. I've been gone for 4 years and never going back.
Here is the problem, this video doesn't address why the man from Lady Madame's story left. They blame it on not stealing from corporations enough, but since you lived in New Orleans, tell me, is the problem there really conservative tax policies, or is it the banana republic blue dog government that is infamous for its corruption?
@@jimsmith8359 Louisiana is not perfect and has always had corruption issues. This same problem persists in any big minority/tourism city. New orleans specifically caters to it tourists and not the locals. Case closed.
@@ladymadame7646 that is my point. Why New Orleans sucks has nothing to do with conservative tax policies. It has everything to do with liberal corruption, which is present in many major cities as you noted.
Well if it took moving out to not want to return home, then that’s encouraging. Just saying if it was really that awful, one would not leave it behind by accident but be screaming to get out even before leaving Louisiana. There obviously are far worse places to live out there in the world. But sure let’s fix what we can. Let’s improve education quality and go big on that. But on a positive note, I know a number of retirees who found peace moving back to the pelican state. Keep in mind part of the reason it is poor is for those who are broke but want to have a home with a shower a kitchen and not worry about being evicted if they can’t work 5 jobs or else be working intensively, it’s relatively affordable to live an easier existence. I’m not going to blame multi-billion dollar facilities for this poverty as they aren’t doing anything illegal, plus they employ people and if they left the state to narrow the wealth gap, Louisiana wouldn’t have any additional money for education they would have LESS!!! . These businesses aren’t making poor people any poorer, their wealth (which is totally independent of any other money Louisiana has outside of oil refineries) just isn’t significantly going to most other Louisianans under existing state tax policy, the same tax policy that makes Louisiana very affordable to own property worry-fire. I understand the anger is not seizing an existing opportunity to extract wealth in the state from taxing windfall profits, but at least there is a tax base what if there wasn’t? We want this tax base to stay in Louisiana. How about keeping taxes low and cost of living low in Louisiana but simply target better education and make it a prime state goal and then Louisiana could easily in even 5 years or less climb to #1 highest education quality in America. Cost of living and real estate is cheaper in Louisiana let’s start there. Inflation is killing people’s wallets across the US and if wages and prices are lower down in Louisiana that isn’t just a good thing it may be a lifesaver for people who can’t afford housing. Louisiana can make a small modification in channeling a new focus in education in even a particular city or Parish and it could do exceedingly well as it will be at a price that is shockingly affordable relative to anywhere else in America.
Wow, as an outsider (not from Louisiana) I've visited the state numerous times, and the impression is always the same---shocking poverty and decay. I've always thought of Louisiana as an under-developed state that has just been passed-by the 20th & 21st Centuries. To learn that economically, it's a very wealthy state with huge economic production and growth from which residents are deriving little to no benefit SCREAMS exploitation. This is a clear lesson in the vital importance of taxes and how they are used.
@@scuddyleblanc5119 now that pattern is becoming equal opportunity. White women are now following this pattern of single motherhood. Truth is that work needs to be done to stop this pattern. Better schools and better jobs for men.
@@scuddyleblanc5119 Those are symptoms of poverty, not the causes. There is something terribly wrong with a state where businesses do so well and people do not. The vid does a decent job of explaining why that is with hard numbers.
@@Goodkidjr43 No. For centuries the poor lived on farms and grew their own food. The welfare system prevents couples from getting married, which is why there are so many single mothers.
Except it doesn't. The REAL culprit is brain drain and wealth transfer to the larger cities up north that own all of this property being discussed. They even mention the record level of foreign direct investment...well, that means foreign direct ownership of the profits as well. Nearly every dollar made by these industries they describe go straight to NYC, London, and Silicon Valley. What they discuss in the video are symptoms, not causes.
@@Hippobottomless Taxes do not create wealth. You cannot believe that you can create true generational wealth by siphoning off of others and giving it to cronies.
@@fortusvictus8297 the brains are draining because the state doesn't give a rats ass about its citizens, as shown by this video. Anyone with half a brain and the ability to do so should abandon the state. The record levels of foreign investment are probably because of these ridiculous exemptions. The cherry on top is they seem to be mostly for petrochemical companies, which are also probably polluting air and groundwater. So the state is giving them a discount to come and kill off the people they supposedly represent, while performing no analysis as to whether there are any upsides to doing so. Apparently the Louisiana government doesn't even have to pretend to care about their citizens.
"If the wealth of a nation is mostly dug out of the ground, it is a terrible place to live, because a gold mine can run with dying slaves and still produce great treasure." -CGP_Grey [Rules for Rulers] Corollary: Great places to live are founded on the economic strength of happy productive citizens.
to underline that: Switzerland has zero ground resources, yet it's famous for innovation and quality goods like watches, machinery, engineering, etc. and happens to be one of the highest ranked countries at life quality...
@@aussie6910 Utah's economy is highly diversified, with its GDP split among agriculture, petroleum, mining, finance, information technology and tourism. That's one of the main factors in Utah's economic success. The areas in the US where mining is/was the predominant source of income, like West Virginia, eastern Kentucky and northern Nevada, are pretty poor and terrible places to live.
@@richardandrus2194 Good. You need a diversified economy. I've read that Utah is the 2nd driest state in America & that the population is forecast to grow 60% by 2060. Where's the water coming from? Salt Lake City's arsenic problem is just the start. Your economic systems MUST be sustainable not just diversified. They ALL use water.
That CGP Grey quote was my thought too. But at least Louisiana *is* a democracy. If the people of the state can form voting blocks pushing for pro-tax, pro-welfare, or pro-public funding ideals, it's not like these businesses can leave with all of these investments in the state and natural resources in the ground. It'll be a hard fight, but make the people the keys to power, not the industries.
It's about time someone points this out. Every citizen of Louisiana is being robbed daily. These corrupt politicians need to be replaced and held accountable for their actions.
These corrupt politicians were put there by the fine people of Louisiana. Good luck getting them to vote for a Democrat. Somehow their governor gets a pass--I'll never understand why--by virtually every other elected official in Louisiana is a Republican and enacts policies that harm the citizens of the state.
I can throw a rock and hit a single parent broken home. Louisiana isn't poor, people in this state make poor decisions and accept mediocracy the single mother household rate is second highest in the nation, behind Mississippi, coincidentally Louisiana is the second poorest state, behind Mississippi. How about we stop making excuses and make personal progress.
they cannot be replaced because it is single majoritarian electoral system , so there are 2 tribes and company pays off both tribes just because freedom of speech xD
John Landry I moved to Texas 2 years ago because my wife is from Houston. Best decision I ever made in my life. Wish I could get other to understand and see the corruption. Being someone born and raised in New Orleans. It sucks to see your city on a decline. The potential is there but it will never change because at the end of the day money talks and bullshit walks.
New Orleans is going down now.They will be another LA we have adopted Socialism and a man who admits being a Marxist took down our monuments as blacks lost their homes .
@@veloxian Watch the video again. That's millions of dollars of money coming in from those Evil Capitalists that's not being taken in because of lazy Government officials not doing proper due diligence to make sure that the State actually profits from the tax breaks (which is the idea behind them), or corrupt Government officials getting kickbacks for handing out tax breaks. Capitalist tax breaks would include a cost-benefit analysis. Which these are supposed to, but according to the video no-one's done one for 82 years. So it's not Capitalism that's at fault here. To be clear, it's not 'proper' socialism either. It's laziness and/or corruption, and you get those in any type of government!
Problem is, they export all the profits into offshore tax havens... then they don't pay a dime to Uncle Sam. That's why Louisiana and other states are broke as shit.
@Great Lakes Uh, that's the narrative they are focusing people on (ie. rich people own the media). As in, they are manipulating people. The welfare mom in the park ain't shit on the trillions in tax cuts that go around each year.
Corporations should not pay income tax, but should pay property tax. Property tax goes to local governments. Income tax is mostly federal and takes away from money that would otherwise be used to pay wages and stock dividends, which will already be taxed at the individual recipient level.
youtubasoarus No. Louisiana is poor because those markets are not profitible. Stop blaming the greedy boogie men in business because they arent the problem
This is terrible. Thank you for making this video, as I was not aware of these tax exemptions. As a Louisiana citizen, I absolutely want it fixed, but I’m disheartened. I think not enough people are aware of the structural/political issues in our state, and continue to vote in the politicians who continue to support it. I grew up in Louisiana and I plan to permanently move away in the next year. I’m sad because I love Louisiana people and culture. But I want to live in a state where I can really see myself prospering and eventually having a healthy, safe, and happy family.
I love how the rich tells the rest of us to "work harder and not rely on the government" but they rely on government to subside their business which leads to a load of money. Smh.....
Mark Frank No. Poor are poor because they rely on the government. Do you think the government is going to help you get rich? That's on you. Anyway, the government doesn't make money. The government taxes you and me to get every penny they have.
@@Honey-vz1qq but why does MY tax dollars have to go towards the wealthy getting wealthier? Especially when they have the resources to sustain themselves and STILL profit? That's not true capitalism.
@@Honey-vz1qq Incorrect. Poor people are poor for a wide variety of reasons. Tops being they are not paid enough by their bosses. Unions help people become rich. Government can support unions or destroy them. Conservatives choose to destroy them. Conservative ideology makes people poor. The Oligarchy 1% over the 99% every time. Didn't work in the 1850s or 60. It's not working today. "Trickle Down Economics" is a sham. Government is what poor people can use to balance the power against the corporations and the wealthy. The poor can use government to redress problems. Conservatives would deny them that power.
I used to be poor. I made (far) under $21,000 household income not that long ago. I can tell you one thing for certain - the government did nothing to help me out of poverty. It’s on us to make those decisions.
Great video... I went to school in Louisiana, now living in Texas. I’ve always been amazed at the stark contrast in infrastructure... as soon as I cross the border from Texas into Louisiana, the roads are noticeably inferior. I’ve never been able to explain this, since both states have similar natural resources... this video makes sense. Thank you for doing this.
The longest living joke with my family when we visit Texas is that you know when you cross the border going either way bc either the roads become wonderful or the roads turn to crap 😂
I live in Missouri ( I'm from Missouri) but I lived in Louisiana for 2 years. I feel so bad for ppl in Louisiana lol alot of them don't even know how bad it is they are so proud of Louisiana and I was always like...why?! The whole state is a ghetto.
@@louisianapatriot5818 Thank you! I have Republican leanings, but l can't stand none of the bushes. Old man Bush was a sneaky sumbitch who was the head of CIA during Ford's short span. He was born in milton, Massachusetts. His oldest was a failed oilman, and his bitch-ass was born in new haven, conn. He is no a Texan than myself. I was made and raised in Harris Co. Texas, but born in Shreveport and 18 days old when ma & pa and my granny Shelton took back down to the Houston area. So l'm a registered Coo-nass, but a Texican in my heart. Still have kinfolk in Louisiana- Caddo,De Soto and Beauregard Parishes.
I found that complicated method of calculating tax credits rather unprofessional. It makes it sound like redistribution is the goal, not to charge the business a fair tax bill for services.
Why does it take these good folks to bring this to light ? It appears this has been going on for decades. Are there no politicians in La. to figure this out and drum it into the voters heads that they are being ripped off on a massive scale ? Is the electorate in La. so enamored of not rocking the boat as to go along with the corrupt no/low tax business environment to their own peril that they can't snap out of this stupor they are in ? Maybe the whole state has breathed in too much of the local petrochemical fumes that they don't remember what fresh air smells like.
@@3markaw I disagree, the only people who own the company deserve the profits of that company. The purpose of taxes is for the government to raise funds to pay for services that can't be privately operated, not for local poor to loot the local wealthy to pay for their services that should be privately sourced.
This is happening in many states. Louisiana has taken it to the extreme. What scares me is that other states look at this model and want to emulate it as much as they can...hoping to avoid the downside.
I can throw a rock and hit a single parent broken home. Louisiana isn't poor, people in this state make poor decisions and accept mediocracy the single mother household rate is second highest in the nation, behind Mississippi, coincidentally Louisiana is the second poorest state, behind Mississippi. How about we stop making excuses and make personal progress?
Georgia has a referendum on the ballots for ending ad valorem taxes on the timber industry coming up during the next election. This would end property taxes on their equipment. I really hope it doesn't pass, but the voters of my state tend to just see "lower taxes" and vote for it. We already have a ton of similar laws for things like agriculture or the inventory of businesses and more.
@@cajunstrat what type of corruption have you seen first hand ? I’ve lived here my whole and never seen anything. Granted I do not associate with any rich people
@@voiceofreason2674 two tier justice system favoring d'rats in South Louisiana. Anything from DWIs, speeding tickets and in one case, a murder. In each case, I knew the defendants, victim and judge. If you are a connected d'rat, you have a great chance of getting away with it. That was not long ago, guessing it's the same today. I think anyone who drives anything on any road in Louisiana has to know that the cost of the materials and labor didn't exactly go where it was supposed to go. Having a 4 time governor serve time in prison is kinda like seeing it first hand as well. Your whole life? I gotta ask, how old are you and what bubble are you living in?
@@cajunstrat the criminal Justice system? Come on that’s not corruption that’s how it is everywhere. Cops and lawyers family can get off easily. I want to know about real corruption like elected officials getting wined and dined by huge corporations
@@cajunstrat I mean, you sort of lose all credibility when you call them "d'rats". Furthermore, it's a little odd that you knew the victims, defendants and judges in 4 separate cases and then judge the whole state by then saying South Louisiana. Not sure why "south" is capitalized.
whacky pax Can’t without healthcare or the money/credit to start it. It also puts everybody at the whims of the economy if the owner a business(vast majority fail anyway)
I cried watching this. I was born and raised here. I’ve watched my friends and family vote consistently for politicians who sell them out. They worship Industry and Big Oil, they think bending over & letting the big companies have their way is the only path to economic opportunity. I have such a deep connection to this land, such a love and appreciation for it, but I just can’t be here anymore. I can’t watch the thing I love and cherish be ripped apart and torn asunder so greedy politicians and corporations can glean every last drop of wealthy we have.
Im sorry to see and hear this one. Living in a state like West Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi is tough because they are all so very poor and have very broken politic system. No major institutional infrastructure.
@@anthonybrowne3942 - voting alone will not solve it. Just look at republicans and democrats on the federal level, they are all corporate politicians, they are all seeking corporate money. One side is openly wolf, the other is a wolf in a sheep clothing. People need to UNIONIZE. People need to get money out of politics.
I’ve lived in Louisiana my whole life (20 years) and didn’t know it was this bad. I would love for them to remediate this so that future generations don’t have the struggles we’ve had
Stop voting Republican every Democratic state that's better than any of you Republican states. The poorest states in the us are all Republicans States they are called welfare states and most of the Democratic states give money to the state from Federal taxation. It wasn't for the Democratic seat you guys wouldn't have a pot to piss in
you said what i was thinking. i bet at this point in time we all want our taxes back. so it can go into the hands of people who bust our asses to keep high society living on easy street. thats how the deep south stays poor and either on the poverty line or a dollar above the poverty line. low wages and high taxes exist because we can not satisfy the rich.
@@azimmer I agree. But, is the loyal opposition any better ? Plus, the opposition parties, or candidates, may tell you one thing, and then in office, do the exact opposite. Someone, or some powerful group, is in control of the parties.
Worked as a network engineer for redneck telecom in Monroe once upon a time. Treated like a king cause the rest of the town was dirt poor. There's money there, but they don't like to share it. They had 9.5% city tax, but the roads were dark and filled with potholes. Corrupt as hell. They hate outsiders, and called me yankee cause I was from Colorado. Ignorant as hell too.
@@sicdavid6292 maybe you're just an asshole. It's funny because I never seem to have a problem getting or receiving respect, especially in the south. It's the way you carry your self. Sorry bro but your license plate has nothing to do with it.
Yea I work at gas station the first thing I do when someone walks is check their license plate. The real question is who wouldn't how would you know if their yankee scum or not.
This video can be summarized like this; Louisiana is the way it is and won’t improve due to decades of bad decisions, mismanagement, ego tripping, and above all, simple human selfishness. Thank you.
Yeah, I can't see how any of this could be fixed. It's not like people are unaware of this. People complain about this issue in every state. Louisiana is just the worst offender.
This is absolutely amazing I live in Louisiana and I am one paycheck away from being homeless and corporations get away with murder this absolutely sickens me
Come up north that's what I did when I went homeless back at home in Louisiana I got a job up north here in 2 days came with just a suitcase and $200 in my pocket and the pay is way better and overall quality of life is way better I use to live in north Dakota for 2 1/2 years but now I live in Montana it's been almost 5 years here you get use to the cold Montana is better though more to do than North Dakota Wyoming is a good state too no income tax Montana just had no sales tax all the states up north are way better than the states down south you don't really struggle up here because jobs are everywhere
@@four-x-trading5606 Born n raised in Minnesota it’s amazing here. Used to live in fargo North Dakota for 2 yrs life is good there too but it’s very cold and windy and most importantly nothing to do there you’ll die of boredom lol. Atleast there’s lots of stuff u can do in Minneapolis.
I have a good friend who (along with his wife) is from Louisiana. After college he came to Houston to work in the oil industry. Lost his job during the 1980s oil and gas crash. He wasn't finding any work so he went back to Louisiana to find a job, telling his wife "Put the house on the market." After a few days he called her and said, "Take the house off the market - I'm coming home. I'd forgotten how much I hate this place."
I’ve spent time in Houston it’s the worst of Texas traffic and Louisiana violence combined resulting in the most astounding fat angry people you ever saw in your life. Baton Rouge and New Orleans are way better
Great video. Another thing to keep in mind is Louisiana has some of the highest sales tax rates in the country, and they are high partly to make up for the lost property tax revenues. Sales taxes hit the poorest the hardest.
I'm not a Louisiana resident, but sales taxes are totally regressive. If, in addition, you have toll roads, then the state is taxing the poorest workers just to go to work.
I've been to Louisiana twice. The first time, I was driving cross-country with a toddler in a large truck, towing a car. The people I met in that state were so friendly and helpful. I left with a very good impression. (Could NOT say the same for Texas.) Years later, I returned for a job interview at a large hospital. I was shocked by the attitudes of the administrator and other professionals who interviewed me. They were not interested in improvements, new ideas, or changes of any kind. Just wanted to hold the status quo. Said things like, "oh the people here will never go for that". It was as if they had just given up hope. I left so depressed, and never returned.
People are very “that’s the way it’s always been and it’ll never change” here. That’s why I always said Louisiana isn’t progressive and I was raised here. LA does not look towards the future; it looks towards the 1850s or something 😅
@@johncunningham8213 oh yeah? Mind explaining how? Anybody can make vague statements with no evidence. Watch. No, their solutions would solve the problems not exasperate them.
@@nickthompson1812 Raising taxes on businesses, especially to a certain extent like California, makes those businesses want to leave for a lower taxing state. Even if those companies decided to stay, it would affect how they operate in a way that either harms the employees or the customer. Using taxes for social safety nets provided by the government in the form of public school and universal Healthcare never works. When the government has total control over those sectors, the quality goes to crap because there is nobody against which they need to compete.
I'm from New York, and almost all of this video was new information to me. Excellent work on clearly and efficiently educating your populace and bringing attention to the corruption plaguing your state. I hope you can turn it around and make a great future for yourselves.
California is near the worst in homelessness and housing affordability. Adjusted for cost of living, California is actually dead last in having the worst poverty of any state and New York is not far behind. Both states have also exported so many of their most troubled residents to other states that their better then average social statistics are also potentially misleading.
@@luminozero nope. It's actually true according to Politifact, CalMatters, the San Diago Union Tribune. Oh, and Google AI, -and numerous left wing and progressive activist groups as well. I could go on. It's based on cost of living asjusted census data and other statistical information. These aren't exactly right wing sources either. Not everything weaponized by conservatives is made up!
I tend to be one of the last to support a tax increase, and being Louisiana, my initial thought was of corruption and levee funding being diverted. But this is a very solidly argued point that Louisiana went way too far in practically exempting industrial properties from property taxes. Then my next reaction was that there was no way the political fight would be won so I was pleasantly surprised to see the progress shown at the end. Congratulations to you guys for helping to create a significant improvement in public policy! Now I hope the money will be well-spent.
Louisiana is plagued by money in politics and good ole boy dealing. Remember when your getting prepared to go to your polling place to research who is funding those candidates and those who are proposing tax hikes research who those tax hikes affect. Sales tax affects those at the bottom the most whilst property taxes tend to affect those at the top. Sales tax sounds more equitable because everyone pitches in the same amount for the same product but in reality those who are already struggling are pitching in more of their income due to the fact that they do not account for a person's means when calculated.
Taxes are the price you pay for having a decent, functioning society. Don't pay taxes, base your economic principles in selfishness, and you get... third world places like Louisiana.
@@americanalligator1284 Don't blame me. I was just born there... and left as soon as I could. State has never stopped being a third-world shit hole though.
Man, this is such a great overview of what’s wrong in Louisiana. I hope every citizen is able to see this, but what do they do when they see it? Highly doubt they vote differently.
"Statistics and logic? I don't know about that, all I know is it's the damn DEMOCRATS fault!" Is exactly how 90 percent of them will react. They are barely people. They're little more than brainwashed drones spouting propaganda for their "side". They don't deserve to have things get better.
Regardless of how we vote it’s ultimately the choice of New Orleans and Baton Rouge, the whole state can vote the polar opposite of them and still lose because they’re the “majority vote”.
This video is fantastic. Extremely interesting and very well edited. Being from Kentucky, I see our name next to yours. Would love to see an analysis of my home state.
It's all the same shit, uneducated people electing greedy old men who say a good 'ol bible verse in their speeches. You want republicans, fine, but don't pick a piece of shit like Matt Bevin... oh wait too late.
Don't worry, this bullshit goes on nation-wide. It's the American way of doing business. It tells me that many millions of Americans enjoy being poor without adequate health care, housing, education and nutrition. If it was so bad, they'd (we) would change it. Were if not for the middle class in America, we would of had a revolution long ago and there may be one in our future as the middle class is shrinking more-and-more under our current system of government. What's the best way to fight back? Educate and vote, or register to vote and vote. If you don't vote, you must love being hopelessly poor.
nutrino voting only verifies u agree with the oppression. If they have an election where only govt employees vote than working people can strike shut down country till every govt employer surrenders for imprision,ent. If a few million fail to show hunt them down and kill them
My siblings and I are first generation Texans. Both of our parents grew up in Louisiana; we have over 400 years of family history there. Because of family property purchased by my two great-grandfathers alone, I've known something was very different between the property taxing system in Louisiana vs. Texas for a long time. This video does a great job of explaining the problems and I really hope Louisiana gets them resolved... the people of Louisiana deserve much better. My family and I were just there a few days ago to bury my mother in the same cemetery where many of our deceased family members are buried. On top of the occasion we were there for, it was so depressing to me to drive through Louisiana and see so much poverty, not just in the homes and trailers people live in, but several of the roads I drove on are in need repairs or replacement as well. If more money starts flowing to the people and the areas where they live, I might want to buy a vacation home there. It would mean a lot to me to be closer to my family's roots and the relatives who still leave there.
Deepest condolences on the loss of your mother. I grew up in Louisiana... just recently went back for the first time in 3 years. Depressing as hell, but the food was amazing as always. SMH
@@percybear1 What are you on about? I live in the Lafayette area which is solidly conservatite, I go to NOLA pretty frequently, and there is no noticeable difference between infrastructure. Stop spouting bullshit when you don't even live here.
Moved here from Florida a month ago. Man the roads and bridges are so bad here that some third world countries have better roads and bridges. If people from Louisiana goes to Florida they will feel like they are in a different world. Guess what Florida dont have state income tax and they are doing many many times better than Louisiana.
, I suspect that top LA State officials are *collecting BIG kickbacks* from the under-taxed giant businesses. State Legislators colllude to support these absurdly large tax exemptions, and the benefitting Corporations offer big financial considerations to the elected officials.
Now you can see why, Trump are side of killer Salmon dictator of Saudi Arabia, also are enemy of Iran, when Iranian do not let the foreigner steal their money and their oil ,
I've come to realize that the "big state" slogan is actually the most clever and dangerous political lie of them all. What does big or small state actually mean and who profits from either? Big state means eventually a lot of people in government and public administration. That costs a lot of _your_ money, so it has to be bad, right? Well, only if your rich. Poor people can't afford to pay for the things a big government is providing, like food and water quality, education standards and security. Rich people don't care about the cost of organic food or bottled water. Compared to their budgets, that's chicken feed. They even don't care about bizarre education cost, because the higher the cost, the smaller the number of people who can afford it, which means their kids will be part of a much smaller applicants pool and face less competition; still a win! The smaller the government, the better for the rich. But they managed to sell it so well, now the poor are destroying themselves by buying in to the destruction of the very foundation of their existence. Beyond a certain economic division in society, a country cannot be a democracy any longer, it either becomes an autocracy of some type or faces a revolution. We will see if the trend is reversed, before it comes to that.
Republican policy. They could see it failing in their own damn backyards if they’d look outside their mansions. Yet they shit on California and New York which have ranked at the very top of the list in every category of happiness indicator in the US for a half century. They don’t care about us. They tell us their success is our success and hope we don’t think too hard while they boil us alive. Good to see some people in LA finally waking up to real progressivism, breaking down these trusts and captured governments like we should’ve been doing since the Roosevelt era.
Coming from a land-locked state, I take offense to your implication that land-locked states are poorer! (But I say this with good-nature, please don't take this as a verbal attack, lol)
@@Necrotoxin44 : well I think it's more of a well known fact that landlocked countries or state have geographical disadvantage. That's the context I was using it.
And outside of Louisiana. If that's what's happening with LA then what about the states between 30-50 on that list. What about the bottom 35. This is enlightening.
Thankful blessed and if it's true what you say then that means more babies born for the tax payers to raise. Sounds like la. Needs it's tax dollars even more than most
Fish Sandwich I was just talking about this. You know the whole country is going down hill because it used to be politicians use to be held accountable. But now days they get called out for the bullshit and they just continue to tell lies and get nothing accomplished and then people keep voting them in again and again. Something smells fishy about this whole mess. Trump ,who is trying to do what is close to what should be done. And look how hard they trying to get him out. They afraid that swamp is really gonna get drained. Their gray train should be over and some jail time given out but not gonna happen I'm afraid
corporate intrests are cold. their only goal is to make the most profit/wealth as possible. pair that with an uneducated population and you have a disaster.
The rich (individuals and corporations) are bad for the economy. The rich tend to hoard wealth instead of spend it. The velocity of money is extremely important for the economy. The faster and more money is spent, the better the economy. It also doesn't help that the rich are incredibly under taxed and wages are decades behind inflation.
@@trivmtran the most poverty and corruption in LA is around NO. Democrats. Chicago? Democrats. DC? Democrats. Philly? Democrats. Republicans aren't immune, but a good rule is generally 10-to-1 dem-repub creep/corruption factor.
As someone who works in data, great job keeping this data driven and factual and not based on "Feelings". Its very easy to follow your research and understand a cause and effect relation. I'm not from Louisiana but I'm from another "traditionally poor state" - Michigan and I think some of the problems you face are some of the same ones we also face. I hope your politicians can turn it around.
I agree that this is very factual. I was born in Louisiana but not raised there. All of my extended family live there, though. I want things to change. And while I understand that traditionally corruption has been an issue, it sounds more like simple laziness on the ITEP board, combined with the justifiably ridiculous breach of subsidiarity. Trying to vote in better politicians isn't the way, though. Holding the politicians accountable for their actions, and ensuring that any and all politicians know that they will be held accountable for their actions, is a better plan.
I’m from Louisiana. I graduated from LSU in 1968 and left because of such poor pay. I never went back except to visit family. I now live around San Antonio, TX. I could never understand how Louisiana was so rich but most of its citizens were so poor. Sounds like about 10% are doing okay but not the other 90%. A state that works for corporations and those with political power to the detriment of the average Louisianan.
I was born and raised in Shreveport Louisiana. When I graduated from high school, I left Louisiana and never looked back. Growing up there I found that Louisiana was one of the most corrupt states in the United States. When I left I never looked back and looking at what has happened to Louisiana since I left 40 years ago, I find that I didn't miss anything. I believe that Louisiana will change and put its population first when I see it. And I doubt that will happen in my life time.
What a cowardly response to the video. And it's BS - kids often move away from home as soon as they can, yes - but not because they're concerned about "corruption". I hope you live up to your proud oath and, please, never look back. Good riddance.
Yes Rob. My mom did the same thing decades ago. but her one problem was she did not have a plan when she left. Complicated aftermath, too long to explain.
@@richardjanuary5168 I have relatives who moved away permanently after Hurricane Katrina and never returned b/c of the ongoing crippling conditions, government and economic. Nothing cowardly about that at all
I was born and raised in Louisiana and left the state 2 years ago. It was the best decision that I have ever made. Both of my children have left Louisiana and will not be returning. I would strongly encourage college educated, high net worth individuals and businesses to leave the state as quickly as possible. You won't regret it
I’m German, could care less and stumbled upon this video by accident - but my God did they do a good job in presenting this!!! One of the best visualizations and presentations I’ve ever come across and I work in white color automotive. Congratulations! Hope this had the wanted outcome and the situation has gotten better for the people …
@@Thomas-gz4ky German-Americans are no germans anymore. There ancestors where german but they are 100% americans now. Like the irish-american oder scotish-americans. Can you remind them how Trump railed against the German trade surplus? Germany has higher taxes on everything so germany can afford a better education, "free" healthcare and good infrastructure. So Germany has a better workforce so the productivity and qualtity is better. This makes the value of the products higher and the companies can ask for a higher price. = Trade Surplus. I think that is a mindset the most american don´t understand and mostly white people with low education voted for trump because he has cheap answers for difficult questions.
Thanks to this video, I understand that Louisiana’s Industrial Tax Exemption Program is a drain on public coffers, and I’m ready to confront my state and local representatives. The only problem is, I’m Canadian and this doesn’t affect me at all.
When I was in the Navy, I found that many joined the military to get out of cities or states that sucked badly. The opportunity does not extend to EVERYONE, and those who realized this decided to get out anyway they can. Being in the military to be stationed someplace else, or at least be in a better financial status even if they were stationed back home was a big draw for many people.
Good pay, good benefits, and you can get college payed for. Many people that were in gangs or possibly in crime when they were teens will also join the military to clean themselves up, gain discipline, and for the reasons I listed above.
@@vyros.3234 I was doing research for a book and spent a lot of time at the library. A lot of the time I was there there was a national guard recruiter meeting young men who you could tell came from hard living conditions. Many had tattoos that reflected gang affiliation and when they spoke they were trying really hard to be as professional and respectful as possible they had a great deal of difficulty communicating. It was obvious they were attempting to escape from their situation. The recruiter was very helpful and compassionate. I asked him how many were able to get in and he said very few. It was extremely sad. Their parents really failed their children.
@@ialien2077 And you missed putting in the verb in your snarky line about college. Doesn't really matter if a word's misspelled if the meaning's clear, IMHO, but if you feel good correcting that, have at it.
OMG, I had no idea how bad this was. I lived in New Orleans, Louisiana for 10 years. I actually left because of lack of opportunities, widespread poverty and lackluster healthcare system. I also knew that my life expectancy would go down drastically if I stayed. I did develop endocrine health issues during and and immediately after living there. It took 10 years to figure out what was wrong with me. My DNA may have been predisposed to these problems, but maybe they may never have come up if I never lived there.
I don't know who you are, but I was born and raised in that city! After high school graduation, I attended the University of Arkansas! I'm a die-hard Razorback fan! New Orleans sucks right now! Although there's non-stop service between XNA and Armstrong, I'd only go there to visit relatives and friends! I'd never want to live there!
Reminds me of the country where I was born. It is very rich in oil, natural gas, metals, timber and other resources and is the largest exporter of these resources. But due to a highly corrupt government, the average income of the people is very low...
This is very well done and interesting and I don't even live in Louisiana. This type of analysis is something every state should do. Is there a place that is keeping track of any progress made from this video? You should definitley do a follow up video series if you can!
@Joshua Fisher - I was looking at the graph for Corporate Subsidies @5:35 and you can see even "Blue" States are doing the same thing (Washington, Oregon). We as Voters need to put "checks and balances" in place, it seems our "Leaders" are getting away with more than we realize. Or, more than we want to see.
@@gnhun101 I just realized what they're doing in this video and why they do. Louisana property values are shit. IT's a swamp. But the property values are so high because they factor in the cost of billion dollar plants in the swamp. They give them exemptions because people in Louisana get jobs building these huge plants, and get middle class jobs working in them. I'm not going to invest 1 billion in your shithole state if you're going to tax me on the whole billion investment every year.
@Joshua Fisher Lousiana doesn't represent the entire south. I'm from Georgia, lived many years in NYC, 6 years in New Orleans, and now am in Atlanta. Georgia has a much higher standard of living, and you can see money put to work in infrastructure, schools, etc... I was shocked at how far Georgia had come since I left 25 years ago, and how different it is than Louisiana. On that U.S. News & World Report they refer to, where Lousiana ranks last; Virginia is 7th, Florida 13th, Georgia 17th, North Carolina 18th, New York is 25th! Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama are almost always on that bottom 3. 'The Gulf Coast' is what we call that part of the South (includes W. Florida). I feel for the people of Louisiana because you can see the wealth there--the pipelines, the industry, but them the infrastructure is almost 3rd world, and so much poverty. Not right!
@@fabiantaveras845827 thumbs up so you just HAD to say something, right? I dont have the time or space to explain the relationship of modern corporatism to slavery, indentured servitude, sharecropping or chattel capitalism. If you dont know anything about voter suppression in the south, you owe it to yourself to read a few articles written in the past few months. Who is a slave to the modern system?. You are. I am. All of us. Some of us just think that kissing the masters ass isn't the way to get out of it.
That's a bit dramatic and not at all accurate. This is simply a matter of elected officials making sure that they live very comfortably by putting corporate interests before the interests of the people of the state. It's just corruption, but on a larger scale that other southern states. The oil and gas companies only need to pay a couple of million to the right people/entities to avoid paying hundreds of millions in taxes. It will take an aware and educated Louisiana to start a grass-roots movement to hold their leaders accountable to them, not big oil/gas and big aggro. A plantation system is when landowners farm massive swaths of land with free labor. Slaves were themselves a sort of agricultural commodity that were bred for labor, like cattle are bred for beef. Women with good birthing hips were bought, and tall strong men were bought. Their children naturally were strong and fit, and if the landowner was careful he could double or triple his labor force every 20 years. Since the 13th amendment was ratified there hasn't been any true plantations. Granted, it took a few generations to completely fail, simply because the southern blacks had zero education or skills to compete in the free market of jobs, so they kept doing what they knew how to do for the landowners for "slave-wages".
I'm from western New York and this just stuns me. I thought the disparity and corruption is bad here but it doesn't hold a candle to this. I hope the people of Louisiana get justice and a properly funded future!
I was just in Rochester after 15 years being away and yes your corruption is just as bad. NYC taxes the working poor so hard that no one has any money, they then give hundreds of millions to the non profit the buffalo bills who donates huge salaries to a small number and how many working poor have to cough up half of their paycheck going from 40k/yr to 20.. New York state spendt over 275 billion per year like 4 years ago and im sure it has gotten worse. the entire national revenues of all mcdonalds in the whole US is 8 billion, that pays for the food, labor, rents, everything.. in the whole US.. and new york cant fix a tunnel, is always charging more, has crushed consumer spending from the working poor, and then just like luisiana, gives free money to certain companies to "boost the economy" and there are upper east siders who work for foundations and volunteer with a non profit credit card.. the whole thing is whack and yes NY state is worse than lousiana. war on the poor and my friends in our late 30s who live in new york will never be able to take it easy.. keep these people on the treadmill
I can throw a rock and hit a single parent broken home. Louisiana isn't poor, people in this state make poor decisions and accept mediocracy the single mother household rate is second highest in the nation, behind Mississippi, coincidentally Louisiana is the second poorest state, behind Mississippi. How about we stop making excuses and make personal progress?
I was born and raised in Louisiana. I left after high school graduation. I moved back to Louisiana to be close to my terminally ill Dad. One day I will move out of state again.
I’ve lived in Gonzales, Louisiana my entire life. I can count on one hand the times I’ve left the state longer than 48 hours in my 21 years. Honestly until seeing this video I’ve felt very optimistic about living in this state, and have always wanted to come back home anytime I leave. I grew up thinking we were one of the best states because the amount of plants ascension pairsh, and neighboring parishes have to then see/hear all of this. It’s a real slap in the face, and we all deserve better. If it wouldn’t for me honestly not having the means to leave, and how much I love my community I’d leave. The other states I’ve been too *not every so I don’t know for sure* the people aren’t as kind, nore hospitalitie as us in Louisiana are. My take on all of this is that we as citizens of this great state need to fight for our share of what WE ALL put in with taxes. Let’s not forget the men, and women working the plants who have some pretty dangerous jobs who are nothing but numbers. Finally how about all of us who don’t work in that industry? We have the Devine “privilege” of breathing, smelling, and for some living in such close proximity to them all. For that alone we deserve some sorta system related to Alaska where it’s citizens get a percentage of the revenue in OUR pockets, and more importantly that these multi billion, maybe trillion dollar companies pay AT LEAST a fair share of the property value/profits!!!!
You can’t really say people in other states aren’t as kind and hospitable. LA has a huge crime problem. Also a huge meth/crack/etc problem. Neither criminals or drug addicts are going to be hospitable cmon. And also in my experience LA hospitality can be shallow. Just smiles and small talk. Of course that takes all over the world though, it’s not like LA has a monopoly on hospitality.
@@phillyhocher5537 you’re correct on the meth epidemic it’s really sad to see, and herion/fentanyl is rampant more so than old fashioned crack. Lots of the addicts I’ve met are actually pretty decent people who just have a horrible drug problem. The small talk was my main point, and I know it’s nothing special it’s just nice to be able to interact with others in the community. That’s something I didn’t really see in other places, but that’s just my personal experience. If everyone everywhere were more caring, and willing to talk to people in the communities they live/work in maybe we wouldn’t be so dived. Just my two cents!
Move to Florida. Pensacola is close to Louisiana. You can enjoy the beaches. The public school system is better. Lots of great seafood (no crawfish or boudin). And it's a southern state, so the people are friendly. A win win win.
It's that kind of attitude that keeps us in garbage. You've got to change your attitude and fight. There is no saying that goes... "the quiet wheel gets the oil".
There's a long way to go, for sure. But citizens and taxpayers are pushing back and winning, all across the state. Here are a few articles: The Lens, "In a first, Orleans School Board denies industrial tax exemption request " thelensnola.org/2018/10/12/in-a-first-orleans-school-board-denies-industrial-tax-exemption-request/ Shreveport Times, "Caddo school board denies industrial tax exemption " www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/education/2018/03/05/caddo-school-board-denies-industrial-tax-exemption/396296002/ Lafeyette Daily Advertiser, "Carencro company's tax exemption opposed" www.theadvertiser.com/story/news/local/2018/07/13/carencro-companys-tax-exemption-opposed-city-parish-council/783410002/ Times Picayune, "Orleans School Board denies tax break request from Bollinger Shipyard" www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2018/10/orleans_school_board_denies_ta.html Shreveport Times, " Interfaith urges criteria for approving industrial tax exemptions" www.shreveporttimes.com/story/opinion/2018/03/09/interfaith-urges-criteria-approving-industrial-tax-exemptions/410364002/ The Advocate, " East Baton Rouge Metro Council agrees to hard-fought compromise on industrial tax exemption guidelines" www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/article_30fd609e-e841-11e8-9813-73272888a749.html Labor Notes, "Teacher Strike Threat Backs Off ExxonMobil " labornotes.org/2018/11/teacher-strike-threat-backs-exxonmobil
Fuck em. Louisiana doesn't want to win at anything but football. The time warp is the tradition that suffocates them. At least they are proud to have more than the minorities how ever low that standard is.
Case and point At a glance one would only see what seems like an economy too small too sustain itself. Culturally these people vote for the exact same privilege that has firmly remanded their poor white position. What are they gonna vote for at this point. They're all trapped. It's like they're comfortable being a little better off than the blacks. I don't want to live a little better than you with just a few more opportunities supporting that way of life in economic hell. Before you get offended by me that's enough money to make the entire south east wealthier than half the country. Figure out where it's going as it never once touches the state economy. You are the same people who vote for privatization. The truth is you need Pedro and all the Muslim immigrants the country is willing to let in to grow your economy. Not like that 1% is paying any taxes.
Because of my career my wife and I lived in Louisiana for 10 years. It always amazed me how it seemed like they actually made efforts to be last in so many areas outside energy. I will also say education was shameful, crime was terrible, poverty was pitiful, but the food is great.
I grew up in a different state, but my family had a strong work ethic and nobody ever took public assistance. It was considered to be shameful. I was shocked to meet people later in life who would try to find any excuse to live off the government. Some people wear poverty as a badge of honor.
I think the elected officials know this. They're in on it. They are probably profiting from it directly or indirectly. These sweetheart deals are made for a reason and none of it is for the public good.
4 26 2019 Hey Scott Kick, Yes, I completely agree, spread the word! & vote the RASCALS OUT! Be well. v P.S.: I haven't voted for an incumbent since 1992. You get my VOTE one time; being a politian shouldn't be considered a path to retirement.
yeah, and people need to stop relying on things like this to go viral. this video has >1 mil. views but all of their other content has less than 50 views often. Doesn't look like a recipe for change, just one for emotions.
I had no idea! I've said, for years, that BIG OIL should not be getting tax subsidies, while their CEOs are "earning" seven figures per year and they're posting billions of dollars in profit per quarter. Any company that seeks to avoid paying taxes (or wages) to support the communities where they operate doesn't deserve to do business at all. It's high time the short-sighted lawmakers realized, "We could cut their subsidies in half, and Louisiana would _still_ be giving them a better deal than any other state. They're not goin' anywhere."
And don't forget Louisiana's "cancer alley", where the rates of cancer are significantly higher than the national average. This is so bad that it was used as a case study in one of my environmental courses for how bad out of control pollution can get.
You can't make this claim, because it has not been proven. People in Louisiana tend to smoke and be obese. There are just too many factors that determine if a person develops cancer.
When you grow up in south Louisiana. Its whodat for life. . . . That raiders logo says your pure California now. Js . .. . Obviously truthful. But in jest.
Congrats to all who took the time to not only investigate and search out all this information but to make this video and reach such a wide audience I hope and pray it has made a difference for Lousiana and continues to do so
Supply side economics works. The term "trickle down" is a misrepresentation by politicians (mainly those in bed with big corporations) to demonize basic economics. Corporatocracy is your problem. Money to politicians to big business back to politicians. THAT is the problem.. not some buzz word trickle down economics..
As an immigrant I feel this video resonating with the reasons we leave our counties, it’s not because we are land poor without the beautiful riches nature has to offer but because they are poorly managed and hoarded by a small corrupt few. Louisiana looks more beautiful, and I regret not going out during the reconstruction after Katrina and offering my little grain of sand when I had the chance.
Unfortunatly the U.S. is no different. Our problem is that our population is way to stupid to realize to realize it, but because they have an R behind their name they get votes.
You seemed to have missed the point of the video. What it is saynig is that the American Dream is a lie, and especially in Louisiana. All those promises of opportunity to immigrants that pull them toward the country are lies designed to pull in cheap labour to drive the minimum wage gears that keep the corporate machines running smoothly at low cost.
They actually had a website where they were taking suggestions on future issues. I suggested that, since NOW, everything is flooded and shit, ELEVATE everything. Dredge the damn delta and elevate that stupid underwater elevation shit. It'd cost them a billion dollars, but, SINCE then, they've spent a couple of dozens times that, and STILL have an underwater community at the mercy of it's storm sewers and sump pumps.
Ive never seen a protest for anything in N..Louisiana and trust me there is a lot that needs to be protested. I think the people here have Stockholm Syndrome. They love their masters in this state.
Anybody organize to get political change? Anybody? Protest works best if you are ready to push legislative &/judicial change like in the civil rights movement. Find politicians who support your ideas & support them with time & money.
From a neighbor in Texas I wish y'all the best, thank you for advocating for responsible government like this. I've met so many kind and earnest people from Louisiana & served in the Army with them too. We got so many of y'all after Katrina, some went back & others stayed. I can see Texas veering towards a similar fate if we don't get our heads outta the sand about corruption in state offices. I wish y'all the best & want to see your state succeed.
Kuda Dube This is the same thing that's been happening in Africa. Africa is the richest country in the world... but has a lot of people poor. Due to the West stealing their resources.
I assume when you referred to Georgia, you meant south GA, because north, or the Atlanta metro area is an entire other world, with vastly different economics.
@@Boxhead42 It's the same over here in North Alabama. I live in Huntsville. Birmingham up is a totally different state. Then Montgomery South There are barely any radio stations .. (yes you were right) I lived in Augusta for 3 years.
Should have said, Their corruption is equaling, or causing wealth inequality, or poverty. Not corruption equals wealth inequality. You sound like your about to attack Capitalism.
Basically, Louisiana is so poor because "the people" have allowed government technocrats/bureaucrats and obscure state review boards to usurp their power. This is why we need an informed electorate. This is one of MANY reasons to promote local governance as the foundation with decreasing influence as government reigns over larger areas snd more distantly.
I do believe in yall and think things can or could be better. Please keep voting in your own interests and get those Republicans out of the boardroom. Don't worry about voting for president, vote more on a local level. Trickle down economics clearly don't work as shown here and neither do tax breaks... If they make more they give yall less.
I'm from Mississippi, a genuinely poor state with poor natural resources and high corruption - not so much on the corporate-political level, but rather internally to our politics. Both sides of the government participate in these practices, and its no wonder that our state remains poor. Whenever I cross over into Louisiana, however, I'm always shocked at how destitute things are. Like this video states, there are so many reasons that Louisiana should be one of the richest states in the United States, and I've been aware of them for a long time. It's baffled me for years that a state so strategically placed and rich in natural resources could possibly be on a level of poverty like Mississippi. Now I know why, and it breaks my heart to see a state that could be so prosperous falling to corruption and poverty that has no business being in it. Unlike Mississippi, there is no excuse for Louisiana to be at the bottom. I sincerely hope this changes.
we could have the BEST roads and BEST schools if this was stopped. No Louisiana politician can say they "love" Louisiana and allow this crap to happen. Its all BS!
This is one of the best presentations I have seen. It is well thought out, well presented, and the presenters were very straight toward and factual. I hope this signals a turn around for the state
I moved from my home state to Louisiana. After less than a year, I moved back home. The state is too poor and At-Will employment is highly abused. I would tell anyone considering moving there to strongly reconsider.
I’m from New Orleans, and after A lot of my class mates and left and went to college, a lot of us did not come back. I only been back for 3 years and I plan on leaving. I’m not coming back. My little brother moved to Tennessee, he says he ain’t never coming back 😂 It’s like the millennials see through the bs. We’re over it. They can have that state.
@@jarvisaddison8560 right to work is a federal law that makes it illegal to have membership of a union and any associated membership fees be a condition of employment. Most states are "right to work" as this makes it easier for companies to be at-will employers.
excellent presentation, i wish more citizens would get involved like this, calmly presenting facts, with heart, not screaming, chanting, mindlessly, they came prepared and did an awesome job, hope they succeed, and hope more people can follow their example and get involved with their heads on
gordon quigg except tax exemption for the wealthy is now a national policy screamed for with delight by the poor white folk of the south who believe a man who cheated a charity and collage students cares about them.
@@Girtharmstrong69 they don't. We pay their way through subsidies and low wages which must be again subsidized by national debt. Corporations don't pay taxes because they lobby and move money through island shell companies. Poor people don't pay taxes because they are paid so little money that if anything was taken they'd just be homeless. Corporations pay money to avoid taxes, most everyone else has too little money to be taxed. Corporations pay low wages subsidized by the government with things like food stamps so workers can still live and feed families.
@@HH-le1vi yes we would. Rich don't make jobs, demand makes jobs as we saw when everyone stayed home and demand plummeted. If the rich left we'll keep the infrastructure and assets and do it ourselves as we did before with smaller businesses. They are better off gone and then some. Feel free to follow them and lick their boots clean. The rest of us will stay and have our own businesses with other former employees. Same work but we would own it. Tax them and hope they leave, otherwise kick them out to drain the swamp.
My wife and I went to Louisiana for a vacation and loved it. The people and culture were lovely....the poverty we saw out and about was shocking to us. Hard to believe that a state with so much looked so run down.
Test scores across the country have been declining, since the formation of teachers' unions back in the 60's! And these 'experts' want more money thrown at ed-jew-muh-cation! Schools are a scare tactic too get u to vote for higher taxes and a diminished ROI! I never had kids, and yet, I'm supposed to contribute to other's education? The founding fathers' didn't want the government teaching their kids, so bad morals couldn't be installed, in their heads. 50yrs of dumbing down the kids of America and indoctrinating them, so they can rob them blind!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's why a PUBLIC education is NOT guaranteed in the Constitution!!!!!!!!!!!
@@incognitotorpedo42 Please enlighten me as to how it's MY fault. You gave a pretty generic example...as in no example. I, on the other hand, gave you a HUGE example.
I lived in Louisiana for 9 years, and you are right about the poverty. Unfortunately, the rest of country seems to be catching up in that department. I drove around this country a couple of years ago, and I was appalled at the decay I witnessed.
It wasn't until I moved away from Louisiana that I realized how bad the situation was there. I love my people, but it is too hard for me to see them taken advantage like this and just roll over for it. All of this wealth rightfully belongs to the people of Louisiana, but they don't even realize it. Honestly, once my mother passes away, I probably won't ever return to the state. It's too heartbreaking for me.
The corruption and supposed lack of resources to protect children from abuse and neglect caused me to take my grandchildren and leave Louisiana. Judges, law enforcement , schools and protective services ignored their suffering! It was like living in a Third World country.
Let's not forget the good people of Louisiana are voting for elected officials to do this to them. I'd wager a hefty bet that it would be quite difficult to convince a Louisiana voter to elect a Democrat. (Yes, I know the governor is a Democrat, but I also know that both US Senators are Republicans and that Republicans also hold five of the six U.S. Representative seats from Louisiana. Every statewide office, with the exception of governor, is held by a Republican, and both chambers of the state legislature are majority Republican.)
@@ajs11201 Louisiana was controlled by democrats for over 150 years until very recently. It was the democrats that made Louisiana poor and the voters know that, which is why they vote for common sense republicans today.
Not from Louisiana myself....but recently discovered the state during a trip through. A beautiful, and fascinating place. Digging in further led me to this video. Will most definitely keep up with this channel.....I hope for the folks in Louisiana that these practices are .....or perhaps even have been.....addressed. Turns out that the entire country has a great deal of work to do when it comes to how the few are affecting the lives of many. We do not have to allow it. It starts with knowing about it. Thank you to the folks of this channel for sharing.
@@davidlafleche1142 I don't know. However it's obviously more then what they pay now. Here in Texas we sometimes joke about Port Arthur being the capital of Louisiana. So much oil money and the city looks like a third world country.
I am a native Louisianaian. If the people would stop electing and re-electing corrupt politicians we could be such a better state. Louisiana is a fantastic state but corruption has ruined us.
Then stop voting Democrats into office!
@@riverton70 I'm am a Conservative.....not my choice my fellow Louisianaians vote Democrats to be the governor..
@@b-byrd8010 i dont think this is a matter of republican or democrat, because you can have asshole politicians on both sides. I just think that, regardless who is in power, should take in account the states prosperity into account
@@OayxYT Oh I agree we have terrible politicians on both sides. The reason Louisiana is poor is because of laws corrupt politicians came up with.
@@b-byrd8010 kind of painted yourself into a corner there.
Not from Louisiana, not even from the US, I come back to this video every now and then to remind myself of the lengths that corruption can ruin a great place. I hope that Louisiana will one day become the state it should be. The future is as bright as we make it.
It's sad seeing all the potential of my state go to waste. We have amazing history, culture, food, and people. I hope one day everything will be as it should as well.
@@ketchup_in_our_memories676stop holding your breathe and leave. We shouldn’t be watching this video and the information still apply. It’s hopeless.
You think those good ol' boys on the state board might be getting some kick backs from all those tax exemptions they hand out so freely ?
Good point. SOMEONE is making a killing besides big business.
Yes
I don't know, but I'll bet you anything those companies have everything to do with who sits on those boards.
Set up sting operations . The kickbacks occur in private land or the swamp
85 years of rubber stamping average 80% Corporate tax breaks, according to this video. Just maybe.
I’m from Franklin. A random guy came up to me while I was doing overnight work in Zachary La and began a conversation about the work I was doing. He told me about this video so I search it up and saved to watch later. I must say timing is everything, and just now watching the video I think it’s one of most insightful and informative videos I’ve seen on UA-cam. Thanks, I know I need to get more involved
it's amazing that corporations can be exempt from property tax but that individual's homes cannot.
I was thinking the same thing.
This is actually an irritating point I bring up, but when I do I get kick back from mainly conservative people saying "well if they don't get the tax break they'll go somewhere else" okay so how bout we give them no tax break throughout the states and tax them more for running business in the US if they try to leave the states? Businesses shouldn't have individual liberty, but thanks to certain laws and judges they do.
That is a very good point. However it is not just industrial corporations, but also intellectual and foundation properties, as well as overpriced, highly profitable hospitals and major church corporations.
Universities buy up huge amounts of buildings and land in cities like Boston/Cambridge. The schools are very profitable and basically the clubhouses of wealthy families, yet individuals and small businesses get their assessments doubled every few years, every time a university, not for profit (that pays directors very well) companies, and churches buy more land through their foundations. Ironically their consumption of land/buildings puts more financial pressure on roads, fire, police, etc...
It is time for single tax. Land taxed on its useful value and these property taxes apply to everyone the same. Churches too for property tax. It is property and if my home can be taxed, so can theirs. I'm not a profit company either.
Genghis Khan you don’t know what you’re talking about. Also, I didn’t say Homestead Act, I said Homestead Exemption. Due to the oil and gas industry in our state anyone who owns a home may file for Homestead Exemption if it is the primary residence and not pay for up to $75,000 worth of property taxes. Granted in today’s values that’s only knocking off about 1/2 the taxes for most people but still significant savings. I’m not taking up for ITEP. I believe it should be re-evaluated and amended. But do some research before you try to correct someone.
@Genghis Khan lol you killed him in that argument.
Do you think ITEP is a good program? I hate that the frame it as a subsidy when it's an exemption. They frame it like the government is doing them a favor by letting them keep their money.
It seems the logic it that it gives people jobs and increases adjacent property values.
In Louisiana, citizens don't tolerate corruption, they demand it. After Katrina, a famous comedian said that half of Louisiana was under water and the other half was under indictment.
Lol
Louisiana is a Democrat shithole.
I grew up in Louisiana. We used to always say "thank god for Mississippi or else we'd be the bottom of xyz." This video sickens me. I knew it was corrupt, but damn. This is embarrassing.
I hope the citizens of Louisiana wake up and demand more.
Louisiana is a Democrat shithole.
We teased our friends in college who came from Louisiana. Did you guys have electricity or run an extension cord to Texas?
@@KahnShawnery Ha! I remember hearing jokes like that. Funny that you mentioned electricity from Texas. When that major power outage happened last Winter my family was not affected. My parents moved to East Texas (deberry). That part of Texas is on the eastern power grid that comes out of Louisiana. So they were not affected.
Having a functioning democracy and supporting your local community is labeled as "socialism" by Rush Limbaugh, and we can't have that. So instead they vote for David Dukes to rob them.
@@shridharambady2069 How did Rush Limbaugh get in this? He's dead never lived in Louisiana.
This is why the residents of Louisiana loved Hughie Long.He made the corporations pay.
I remember working at a hotel when I lived in New Orleans and met a man from there that had moved to Colorado. He told me prior to moving to Colorado he never left Louisiana and thought it was the best state ever. He then said "I got so use to seeing the clean interstates and meeting nice people in Colorado, I came back here to visit 3 years later. I looked around and realized this is a NASTY ass city with no opportunities I can't believe I stayed here most of my life". He was happy he left and at that moment I started a plan to leave. I've been gone for 4 years and never going back.
A girl I met at college in California grew up in Louisiana. She had a similar experience
Here is the problem, this video doesn't address why the man from Lady Madame's story left. They blame it on not stealing from corporations enough, but since you lived in New Orleans, tell me, is the problem there really conservative tax policies, or is it the banana republic blue dog government that is infamous for its corruption?
@@jimsmith8359 Louisiana is not perfect and has always had corruption issues. This same problem persists in any big minority/tourism city. New orleans specifically caters to it tourists and not the locals. Case closed.
@@ladymadame7646 that is my point. Why New Orleans sucks has nothing to do with conservative tax policies. It has everything to do with liberal corruption, which is present in many major cities as you noted.
Well if it took moving out to not want to return home, then that’s encouraging. Just saying if it was really that awful, one would not leave it behind by accident but be screaming to get out even before leaving Louisiana. There obviously are far worse places to live out there in the world. But sure let’s fix what we can. Let’s improve education quality and go big on that. But on a positive note, I know a number of retirees who found peace moving back to the pelican state. Keep in mind part of the reason it is poor is for those who are broke but want to have a home with a shower a kitchen and not worry about being evicted if they can’t work 5 jobs or else be working intensively, it’s relatively affordable to live an easier existence.
I’m not going to blame multi-billion dollar facilities for this poverty as they aren’t doing anything illegal, plus they employ people and if they left the state to narrow the wealth gap, Louisiana wouldn’t have any additional money for education they would have LESS!!! . These businesses aren’t making poor people any poorer, their wealth (which is totally independent of any other money Louisiana has outside of oil refineries) just isn’t significantly going to most other Louisianans under existing state tax policy, the same tax policy that makes Louisiana very affordable to own property worry-fire. I understand the anger is not seizing an existing opportunity to extract wealth in the state from taxing windfall profits, but at least there is a tax base what if there wasn’t? We want this tax base to stay in Louisiana. How about keeping taxes low and cost of living low in Louisiana but simply target better education and make it a prime state goal and then Louisiana could easily in even 5 years or less climb to #1 highest education quality in America.
Cost of living and real estate is cheaper in Louisiana let’s start there. Inflation is killing people’s wallets across the US and if wages and prices are lower down in Louisiana that isn’t just a good thing it may be a lifesaver for people who can’t afford housing. Louisiana can make a small modification in channeling a new focus in education in even a particular city or Parish and it could do exceedingly well as it will be at a price that is shockingly affordable relative to anywhere else in America.
Wow, as an outsider (not from Louisiana) I've visited the state numerous times, and the impression is always the same---shocking poverty and decay. I've always thought of Louisiana as an under-developed state that has just been passed-by the 20th & 21st Centuries. To learn that economically, it's a very wealthy state with huge economic production and growth from which residents are deriving little to no benefit SCREAMS exploitation. This is a clear lesson in the vital importance of taxes and how they are used.
@@scuddyleblanc5119 now that pattern is becoming equal opportunity. White women are now following this pattern of single motherhood. Truth is that work needs to be done to stop this pattern. Better schools and better jobs for men.
@@scuddyleblanc5119 Those are symptoms of poverty, not the causes. There is something terribly wrong with a state where businesses do so well and people do not. The vid does a decent job of explaining why that is with hard numbers.
@@ericspencer8093 NO. People who were poor and had kids, STILL got married for centuries. So poverty is not the cause....
@@Goodkidjr43 Back in the day people sold their kids when they couldn't care for them.
@@Goodkidjr43 No. For centuries the poor lived on farms and grew their own food. The welfare system prevents couples from getting married, which is why there are so many single mothers.
As a foreigner living in the US, I've always wondered why the "South" is always so poor. This explains so much. Thank you for explaining this.
None of their preferred solutions would help the citizens be less poor.
Except it doesn't.
The REAL culprit is brain drain and wealth transfer to the larger cities up north that own all of this property being discussed. They even mention the record level of foreign direct investment...well, that means foreign direct ownership of the profits as well. Nearly every dollar made by these industries they describe go straight to NYC, London, and Silicon Valley.
What they discuss in the video are symptoms, not causes.
@@fortusvictus8297 well the solution is raising commercial property taxes atleast to a certain extent it will help.
@@Hippobottomless Taxes do not create wealth. You cannot believe that you can create true generational wealth by siphoning off of others and giving it to cronies.
@@fortusvictus8297 the brains are draining because the state doesn't give a rats ass about its citizens, as shown by this video. Anyone with half a brain and the ability to do so should abandon the state. The record levels of foreign investment are probably because of these ridiculous exemptions. The cherry on top is they seem to be mostly for petrochemical companies, which are also probably polluting air and groundwater. So the state is giving them a discount to come and kill off the people they supposedly represent, while performing no analysis as to whether there are any upsides to doing so.
Apparently the Louisiana government doesn't even have to pretend to care about their citizens.
"If the wealth of a nation is mostly dug out of the ground, it is a terrible place to live, because a gold mine can run with dying slaves and still produce great treasure." -CGP_Grey [Rules for Rulers]
Corollary: Great places to live are founded on the economic strength of happy productive citizens.
to underline that: Switzerland has zero ground resources, yet it's famous for innovation and quality goods like watches, machinery, engineering, etc. and happens to be one of the highest ranked countries at life quality...
Look what mining has done to Salt Lake City.
@@aussie6910 Utah's economy is highly diversified, with its GDP split among agriculture, petroleum, mining, finance, information technology and tourism. That's one of the main factors in Utah's economic success.
The areas in the US where mining is/was the predominant source of income, like West Virginia, eastern Kentucky and northern Nevada, are pretty poor and terrible places to live.
@@richardandrus2194 Good. You need a diversified economy. I've read that Utah is the 2nd driest state in America & that the population is forecast to grow 60% by 2060.
Where's the water coming from?
Salt Lake City's arsenic problem is just the start. Your economic systems MUST be sustainable not just diversified.
They ALL use water.
That CGP Grey quote was my thought too. But at least Louisiana *is* a democracy. If the people of the state can form voting blocks pushing for pro-tax, pro-welfare, or pro-public funding ideals, it's not like these businesses can leave with all of these investments in the state and natural resources in the ground. It'll be a hard fight, but make the people the keys to power, not the industries.
It's about time someone points this out. Every citizen of Louisiana is being robbed daily. These corrupt politicians need to be replaced and held accountable for their actions.
These corrupt politicians were put there by the fine people of Louisiana. Good luck getting them to vote for a Democrat. Somehow their governor gets a pass--I'll never understand why--by virtually every other elected official in Louisiana is a Republican and enacts policies that harm the citizens of the state.
I can throw a rock and hit a single parent broken home. Louisiana isn't poor, people in this state make poor decisions and accept mediocracy
the single mother household rate is second highest in the nation, behind Mississippi, coincidentally Louisiana is the second poorest state, behind Mississippi.
How about we stop making excuses and make personal progress.
Nope, they won't, because voters love them
Try moving to New York State! Biggest kick in the arse by crooked politicians!
they cannot be replaced because it is single majoritarian electoral system , so there are 2 tribes and company pays off both tribes just because freedom of speech xD
This is why I moved to Texas 16 years ago. EVERY citizen in Louisiana needs to see this. Thank you so much for making this video.
John Landry I moved to Texas 2 years ago because my wife is from Houston. Best decision I ever made in my life. Wish I could get other to understand and see the corruption. Being someone born and raised in New Orleans. It sucks to see your city on a decline. The potential is there but it will never change because at the end of the day money talks and bullshit walks.
New Orleans is going down now.They will be another LA we have adopted Socialism and a man who admits being a Marxist took down our monuments as blacks lost their homes .
@@vignetteorleans1631 bro watch the video again capitalism killed LA not socialism bro
Hy eveybody up in Houston be from Louisiana 😂
@@veloxian Watch the video again. That's millions of dollars of money coming in from those Evil Capitalists that's not being taken in because of lazy Government officials not doing proper due diligence to make sure that the State actually profits from the tax breaks (which is the idea behind them), or corrupt Government officials getting kickbacks for handing out tax breaks.
Capitalist tax breaks would include a cost-benefit analysis. Which these are supposed to, but according to the video no-one's done one for 82 years. So it's not Capitalism that's at fault here.
To be clear, it's not 'proper' socialism either. It's laziness and/or corruption, and you get those in any type of government!
Stop Corporate Welfare. Everyone pays their fair share.
100% and mass wealth redistribution, save of course the most educated of the elite in power, who decides who gets to keep how much of their own money.
Problem is, they export all the profits into offshore tax havens... then they don't pay a dime to Uncle Sam. That's why Louisiana and other states are broke as shit.
@Great Lakes Uh, that's the narrative they are focusing people on (ie. rich people own the media). As in, they are manipulating people. The welfare mom in the park ain't shit on the trillions in tax cuts that go around each year.
Corporations should not pay income tax, but should pay property tax. Property tax goes to local governments. Income tax is mostly federal and takes away from money that would otherwise be used to pay wages and stock dividends, which will already be taxed at the individual recipient level.
youtubasoarus No. Louisiana is poor because those markets are not profitible. Stop blaming the greedy boogie men in business because they arent the problem
This is terrible. Thank you for making this video, as I was not aware of these tax exemptions. As a Louisiana citizen, I absolutely want it fixed, but I’m disheartened. I think not enough people are aware of the structural/political issues in our state, and continue to vote in the politicians who continue to support it. I grew up in Louisiana and I plan to permanently move away in the next year. I’m sad because I love Louisiana people and culture. But I want to live in a state where I can really see myself prospering and eventually having a healthy, safe, and happy family.
You could be Mississippi
it's a small state, it can be improved, I live in Tx, it's getting like CA here
I love how the rich tells the rest of us to "work harder and not rely on the government" but they rely on government to subside their business which leads to a load of money. Smh.....
Mark Frank No. Poor are poor because they rely on the government. Do you think the government is going to help you get rich? That's on you. Anyway, the government doesn't make money. The government taxes you and me to get every penny they have.
@@Honey-vz1qq but why does MY tax dollars have to go towards the wealthy getting wealthier? Especially when they have the resources to sustain themselves and STILL profit? That's not true capitalism.
@@Honey-vz1qq How rich are you?
@@Honey-vz1qq Incorrect. Poor people are poor for a wide variety of reasons. Tops being they are not paid enough by their bosses. Unions help people become rich. Government can support unions or destroy them. Conservatives choose to destroy them. Conservative ideology makes people poor. The Oligarchy 1% over the 99% every time. Didn't work in the 1850s or 60. It's not working today. "Trickle Down Economics" is a sham.
Government is what poor people can use to balance the power against the corporations and the wealthy. The poor can use government to redress problems. Conservatives would deny them that power.
I used to be poor. I made (far) under $21,000 household income not that long ago. I can tell you one thing for certain - the government did nothing to help me out of poverty. It’s on us to make those decisions.
Great video... I went to school in Louisiana, now living in Texas. I’ve always been amazed at the stark contrast in infrastructure... as soon as I cross the border from Texas into Louisiana, the roads are noticeably inferior. I’ve never been able to explain this, since both states have similar natural resources... this video makes sense. Thank you for doing this.
The longest living joke with my family when we visit Texas is that you know when you cross the border going either way bc either the roads become wonderful or the roads turn to crap 😂
I live in Missouri ( I'm from Missouri) but I lived in Louisiana for 2 years. I feel so bad for ppl in Louisiana lol alot of them don't even know how bad it is they are so proud of Louisiana and I was always like...why?! The whole state is a ghetto.
bush oil money and other huge corrupt officials there in texas too
Are the roads in Louisiana worst than i95 in South Carolina
@@louisianapatriot5818 Thank you! I have Republican leanings, but l can't stand none of the bushes. Old man Bush was a sneaky sumbitch who was the head of CIA during Ford's short span. He was born in milton, Massachusetts.
His oldest was a failed oilman, and his bitch-ass was born in new haven, conn. He is no a Texan than myself. I was made and raised in Harris Co. Texas, but born in Shreveport and 18 days old when ma & pa and my granny Shelton took back down to the Houston area.
So l'm a registered Coo-nass, but a Texican in my heart.
Still have kinfolk in Louisiana- Caddo,De Soto and Beauregard Parishes.
This was an outstandingly professionally produced video.
except for the annoying guitar in the background
I love your sarcasm
I found that complicated method of calculating tax credits rather unprofessional. It makes it sound like redistribution is the goal, not to charge the business a fair tax bill for services.
Why does it take these good folks to bring this to light ? It appears this has been going on for decades. Are there no politicians in La. to figure this out and drum it into the voters heads that they are being ripped off on a massive scale ? Is the electorate in La. so enamored of not rocking the boat as to go along with the corrupt no/low tax business environment to their own peril that they can't snap out of this stupor they are in ? Maybe the whole state has breathed in too much of the local petrochemical fumes that they don't remember what fresh air smells like.
@@3markaw I disagree, the only people who own the company deserve the profits of that company. The purpose of taxes is for the government to raise funds to pay for services that can't be privately operated, not for local poor to loot the local wealthy to pay for their services that should be privately sourced.
This is happening in many states. Louisiana has taken it to the extreme. What scares me is that other states look at this model and want to emulate it as much as they can...hoping to avoid the downside.
I can throw a rock and hit a single parent broken home. Louisiana isn't poor, people in this state make poor decisions and accept mediocracy
the single mother household rate is second highest in the nation, behind Mississippi, coincidentally Louisiana is the second poorest state, behind Mississippi.
How about we stop making excuses and make personal progress?
“Other states look at this model and try to emulate it.” Do you have an reliable source to back up this statement?
@@whatjake7898 I am a economic development professional, so...yes.
I assume that is due to them wanting to bring note corperations in to create more $$$$🤔
Georgia has a referendum on the ballots for ending ad valorem taxes on the timber industry coming up during the next election. This would end property taxes on their equipment. I really hope it doesn't pass, but the voters of my state tend to just see "lower taxes" and vote for it. We already have a ton of similar laws for things like agriculture or the inventory of businesses and more.
My uncle served in the Air Force in Louisiania and absolutely loved that state, but he was shocked by the poverty and the rampant corruption.
The corruption is off the charts. I was born in Louisiana, witnessed it first hand.
@@cajunstrat what type of corruption have you seen first hand ? I’ve lived here my whole and never seen anything. Granted I do not associate with any rich people
@@voiceofreason2674 two tier justice system favoring d'rats in South Louisiana. Anything from DWIs, speeding tickets and in one case, a murder. In each case, I knew the defendants, victim and judge. If you are a connected d'rat, you have a great chance of getting away with it. That was not long ago, guessing it's the same today. I think anyone who drives anything on any road in Louisiana has to know that the cost of the materials and labor didn't exactly go where it was supposed to go. Having a 4 time governor serve time in prison is kinda like seeing it first hand as well. Your whole life? I gotta ask, how old are you and what bubble are you living in?
@@cajunstrat the criminal Justice system? Come on that’s not corruption that’s how it is everywhere. Cops and lawyers family can get off easily. I want to know about real corruption like elected officials getting wined and dined by huge corporations
@@cajunstrat I mean, you sort of lose all credibility when you call them "d'rats". Furthermore, it's a little odd that you knew the victims, defendants and judges in 4 separate cases and then judge the whole state by then saying South Louisiana. Not sure why "south" is capitalized.
This is what happens when all the wealth stays with a small handful of people, and everyone else does not matter.
whacky pax Can’t without healthcare or the money/credit to start it. It also puts everybody at the whims of the economy if the owner a business(vast majority fail anyway)
study Huey Long, he made business pay more taxes long ago
I cried watching this. I was born and raised here. I’ve watched my friends and family vote consistently for politicians who sell them out. They worship Industry and Big Oil, they think bending over & letting the big companies have their way is the only path to economic opportunity.
I have such a deep connection to this land, such a love and appreciation for it, but I just can’t be here anymore. I can’t watch the thing I love and cherish be ripped apart and torn asunder so greedy politicians and corporations can glean every last drop of wealthy we have.
vote them out.
@@anthonybrowne3942voters don’t vote and then complain
Im sorry to see and hear this one. Living in a state like West Virginia, Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi is tough because they are all so very poor and have very broken politic system. No major institutional infrastructure.
@@anthonybrowne3942 - voting alone will not solve it. Just look at republicans and democrats on the federal level, they are all corporate politicians, they are all seeking corporate money. One side is openly wolf, the other is a wolf in a sheep clothing. People need to UNIONIZE. People need to get money out of politics.
There is so much info out there linking an economic reliance on oil to low levels of democracy.
I’ve lived in Louisiana my whole life (20 years) and didn’t know it was this bad. I would love for them to remediate this so that future generations don’t have the struggles we’ve had
Louisiana is for bitches
Stop voting Republican every Democratic state that's better than any of you Republican states. The poorest states in the us are all Republicans States they are called welfare states and most of the Democratic states give money to the state from Federal taxation. It wasn't for the Democratic seat you guys wouldn't have a pot to piss in
Same, 21 and just felt normal to me. Citizens of this state are tough tho, so I feel progress will come
@ericsilver9401 it will never change as long as we have corrupt politicians selling out the best interests of us Louisiana citizens.
big business controls the govt. it needs to change
What a revelation this video is. Perhaps the most infomative 15 min I've spent on YT.
Thanks!!!!
Guess who's being taxed the most from Louisiana, it's the citizens that's barely making a living.
Those sale taxes
you said what i was thinking. i bet at this point in time we all want our taxes back. so it can go into the hands of people who bust our asses to keep high society living on easy street. thats how the deep south stays poor and either on the poverty line or a dollar above the poverty line. low wages and high taxes exist because we can not satisfy the rich.
I can't believe y'all put bug eyed John bell back in office.....unbelievable.
@@azimmer I agree. But, is the loyal opposition any better ? Plus, the opposition parties, or candidates, may tell you one thing, and then in office, do the exact opposite. Someone, or some powerful group, is in control of the parties.
azimmer471333 better than phony Eddie Rispone
Worked as a network engineer for redneck telecom in Monroe once upon a time. Treated like a king cause the rest of the town was dirt poor. There's money there, but they don't like to share it. They had 9.5% city tax, but the roads were dark and filled with potholes. Corrupt as hell. They hate outsiders, and called me yankee cause I was from Colorado. Ignorant as hell too.
Got give respect to receive it
@@sicdavid6292 maybe you're just an asshole. It's funny because I never seem to have a problem getting or receiving respect, especially in the south. It's the way you carry your self. Sorry bro but your license plate has nothing to do with it.
sicDaVid Nahhhh that doesnt make sense. Also youre generalizing the whole state so smd
Yea I work at gas station the first thing I do when someone walks is check their license plate. The real question is who wouldn't how would you know if their yankee scum or not.
Wait until you meet the cops. If you have a little money, you're probably being stalked by them.
This video can be summarized like this; Louisiana is the way it is and won’t improve due to decades of bad decisions, mismanagement, ego tripping, and above all, simple human selfishness.
Thank you.
The turtles 🐢 are marching in the swamp Lilly pad to Lilly pad 😊
Yeah, I can't see how any of this could be fixed. It's not like people are unaware of this. People complain about this issue in every state. Louisiana is just the worst offender.
This is absolutely amazing I live in Louisiana and I am one paycheck away from being homeless and corporations get away with murder this absolutely sickens me
Come up north that's what I did when I went homeless back at home in Louisiana I got a job up north here in 2 days came with just a suitcase and $200 in my pocket and the pay is way better and overall quality of life is way better I use to live in north Dakota for 2 1/2 years but now I live in Montana it's been almost 5 years here you get use to the cold Montana is better though more to do than North Dakota Wyoming is a good state too no income tax Montana just had no sales tax all the states up north are way better than the states down south you don't really struggle up here because jobs are everywhere
@@four-x-trading5606 Born n raised in Minnesota it’s amazing here. Used to live in fargo North Dakota for 2 yrs life is good there too but it’s very cold and windy and most importantly nothing to do there you’ll die of boredom lol. Atleast there’s lots of stuff u can do in Minneapolis.
@@Hippobottomless true I have lived in Cambridge MN for a couple weeks it was beautiful there I now live in Montana
@@Hippobottomless I wouldn't mind visiting Duluth either I watch MAV on UA-cam he's from there
@@four-x-trading5606 this quote will be in a history textbook in 200 years :)
I have a good friend who (along with his wife) is from Louisiana. After college he came to Houston to work in the oil industry. Lost his job during the 1980s oil and gas crash. He wasn't finding any work so he went back to Louisiana to find a job, telling his wife "Put the house on the market." After a few days he called her and said, "Take the house off the market - I'm coming home. I'd forgotten how much I hate this place."
I’ve spent time in Houston it’s the worst of Texas traffic and Louisiana violence combined resulting in the most astounding fat angry people you ever saw in your life. Baton Rouge and New Orleans are way better
Great video. Another thing to keep in mind is Louisiana has some of the highest sales tax rates in the country, and they are high partly to make up for the lost property tax revenues. Sales taxes hit the poorest the hardest.
Louisiana is a Democrat shithole.
I'm not a Louisiana resident, but sales taxes are totally regressive. If, in addition, you have toll roads, then the state is taxing the poorest workers just to go to work.
Conservatives like consumer taxes because it doesn't affect the wealthy as much.
No, Income tax is regressive.
@@MrLeemurman LOL. Your website? Bahahaha. This must a Russian hack job.
I've been to Louisiana twice. The first time, I was driving cross-country with a toddler in a large truck, towing a car. The people I met in that state were so friendly and helpful. I left with a very good impression. (Could NOT say the same for Texas.) Years later, I returned for a job interview at a large hospital. I was shocked by the attitudes of the administrator and other professionals who interviewed me. They were not interested in improvements, new ideas, or changes of any kind. Just wanted to hold the status quo. Said things like, "oh the people here will never go for that". It was as if they had just given up hope. I left so depressed, and never returned.
People are very “that’s the way it’s always been and it’ll never change” here. That’s why I always said Louisiana isn’t progressive and I was raised here. LA does not look towards the future; it looks towards the 1850s or something 😅
I desperately want everybody in Louisiana to watch this video!
Thank you!
💜💚💛
G P I shared it on FB, I am 💯🤯.
Keep sharing this video on every platform.
Why? The problems in Louisiana would be exasperated under these fools' solutions.
@@johncunningham8213 oh yeah? Mind explaining how? Anybody can make vague statements with no evidence. Watch.
No, their solutions would solve the problems not exasperate them.
@@nickthompson1812
Raising taxes on businesses, especially to a certain extent like California, makes those businesses want to leave for a lower taxing state.
Even if those companies decided to stay, it would affect how they operate in a way that either harms the employees or the customer.
Using taxes for social safety nets provided by the government in the form of public school and universal Healthcare never works. When the government has total control over those sectors, the quality goes to crap because there is nobody against which they need to compete.
I'm from New York, and almost all of this video was new information to me. Excellent work on clearly and efficiently educating your populace and bringing attention to the corruption plaguing your state. I hope you can turn it around and make a great future for yourselves.
California is near the worst in homelessness and housing affordability. Adjusted for cost of living, California is actually dead last in having the worst poverty of any state and New York is not far behind. Both states have also exported so many of their most troubled residents to other states that their better then average social statistics are also potentially misleading.
@@jKLa Got that from Newsmax, eh?
@@luminozero nope. It's actually true according to Politifact, CalMatters, the San Diago Union Tribune. Oh, and Google AI, -and numerous left wing and progressive activist groups as well. I could go on. It's based on cost of living asjusted census data and other statistical information. These aren't exactly right wing sources either. Not everything weaponized by conservatives is made up!
I tend to be one of the last to support a tax increase, and being Louisiana, my initial thought was of corruption and levee funding being diverted. But this is a very solidly argued point that Louisiana went way too far in practically exempting industrial properties from property taxes.
Then my next reaction was that there was no way the political fight would be won so I was pleasantly surprised to see the progress shown at the end.
Congratulations to you guys for helping to create a significant improvement in public policy! Now I hope the money will be well-spent.
Properly research who you vote for and the money will be well spent. Keep voting in these same crooks and nothing will change.
Louisiana is plagued by money in politics and good ole boy dealing. Remember when your getting prepared to go to your polling place to research who is funding those candidates and those who are proposing tax hikes research who those tax hikes affect. Sales tax affects those at the bottom the most whilst property taxes tend to affect those at the top. Sales tax sounds more equitable because everyone pitches in the same amount for the same product but in reality those who are already struggling are pitching in more of their income due to the fact that they do not account for a person's means when calculated.
Taxes are the price you pay for having a decent, functioning society. Don't pay taxes, base your economic principles in selfishness, and you get... third world places like Louisiana.
@@isocarboxazid "third world places like Louisiana"
🖕🏻
@@americanalligator1284 Don't blame me. I was just born there... and left as soon as I could. State has never stopped being a third-world shit hole though.
What a fantastic presentation and what a display of civic duty. Our country could use more people like you standing up for their communities.
Always wondered why Texas seemed to benefit more from the same industries than Louisiana. This is absolutely absurd and shameful.
we're having similar problems here, shrinking tax base with growing population, no income tax either
Man, this is such a great overview of what’s wrong in Louisiana. I hope every citizen is able to see this, but what do they do when they see it? Highly doubt they vote differently.
"Statistics and logic? I don't know about that, all I know is it's the damn DEMOCRATS fault!" Is exactly how 90 percent of them will react. They are barely people. They're little more than brainwashed drones spouting propaganda for their "side". They don't deserve to have things get better.
Louisiana is a Democrat shithole.
Regardless of how we vote it’s ultimately the choice of New Orleans and Baton Rouge, the whole state can vote the polar opposite of them and still lose because they’re the “majority vote”.
Keep 'em stupid and believe in an afterlife. All good people go to heaven 🤔
@@mothsinamansuit why do you put majority vote in quotes?
This video is fantastic. Extremely interesting and very well edited. Being from Kentucky, I see our name next to yours. Would love to see an analysis of my home state.
Kentucky sucks too, particularly east of I-75.
AJKCllc wew
It's all the same shit, uneducated people electing greedy old men who say a good 'ol bible verse in their speeches. You want republicans, fine, but don't pick a piece of shit like Matt Bevin... oh wait too late.
Don't worry, this bullshit goes on nation-wide. It's the American way of doing business. It tells me that many millions of Americans enjoy being poor without adequate health care, housing, education and nutrition. If it was so bad, they'd (we) would change it. Were if not for the middle class in America, we would of had a revolution long ago and there may be one in our future as the middle class is shrinking more-and-more under our current system of government. What's the best way to fight back? Educate and vote, or register to vote and vote. If you don't vote, you must love being hopelessly poor.
nutrino voting only verifies u agree with the oppression. If they have an election where only govt employees vote than working people can strike shut down country till every govt employer surrenders for imprision,ent. If a few million fail to show hunt them down and kill them
My siblings and I are first generation Texans. Both of our parents grew up in Louisiana; we have over 400 years of family history there. Because of family property purchased by my two great-grandfathers alone, I've known something was very different between the property taxing system in Louisiana vs. Texas for a long time. This video does a great job of explaining the problems and I really hope Louisiana gets them resolved... the people of Louisiana deserve much better. My family and I were just there a few days ago to bury my mother in the same cemetery where many of our deceased family members are buried. On top of the occasion we were there for, it was so depressing to me to drive through Louisiana and see so much poverty, not just in the homes and trailers people live in, but several of the roads I drove on are in need repairs or replacement as well. If more money starts flowing to the people and the areas where they live, I might want to buy a vacation home there. It would mean a lot to me to be closer to my family's roots and the relatives who still leave there.
Deepest condolences on the loss of your mother.
I grew up in Louisiana... just recently went back for the first time in 3 years. Depressing as hell, but the food was amazing as always. SMH
@@suzbone Thank you 💚... Yes, we enjoyed the food, as always.
It's total fuckin trash
I was shocked at how bad the roads were when I visited LA. Worse than many third world countries. This explains it.
The roads, crime, housing, schools, drainage and water are all worse in solidly Democratic New Orleans
Sounds like ''The Dukes of Hazzard'' to me.
@@percybear1 What are you on about? I live in the Lafayette area which is solidly conservatite, I go to NOLA pretty frequently, and there is no noticeable difference between infrastructure. Stop spouting bullshit when you don't even live here.
Moved here from Florida a month ago. Man the roads and bridges are so bad here that some third world countries have better roads and bridges. If people from Louisiana goes to Florida they will feel like they are in a different world. Guess what Florida dont have state income tax and they are doing many many times better than Louisiana.
@@asanjari Why would you move There is the question. There’s literally nothing of any opportunities there.
Ah the story of Nigeria and almost all of Africa.
, I suspect that top LA State officials are *collecting BIG kickbacks* from the under-taxed giant businesses.
State Legislators colllude to support these absurdly large tax exemptions, and the benefitting Corporations offer big financial considerations to the elected officials.
I’m so glad someone else is speaking the truth.
agreeing with Mojo, there's other countries and state. they have to come together instead of squabbling over crumbs there's no other way.
Now you can see why, Trump are side of killer Salmon dictator of Saudi Arabia, also are enemy of Iran, when Iranian do not let the foreigner steal their money and their oil ,
the resource curse hurts a lot developing nations all the time.
I will remember this every time someone tells me that if we stopped taxing companies that we would all be employed and paid well.
Yes, and this information can also be applied when people advocate for eliminating the minimum wage.
Bro it won't work. Half the country would call this "fake news".
I've come to realize that the "big state" slogan is actually the most clever and dangerous political lie of them all. What does big or small state actually mean and who profits from either?
Big state means eventually a lot of people in government and public administration. That costs a lot of _your_ money, so it has to be bad, right?
Well, only if your rich.
Poor people can't afford to pay for the things a big government is providing, like food and water quality, education standards and security.
Rich people don't care about the cost of organic food or bottled water. Compared to their budgets, that's chicken feed.
They even don't care about bizarre education cost, because the higher the cost, the smaller the number of people who can afford it, which means their kids will be part of a much smaller applicants pool and face less competition; still a win!
The smaller the government, the better for the rich. But they managed to sell it so well, now the poor are destroying themselves by buying in to the destruction of the very foundation of their existence.
Beyond a certain economic division in society, a country cannot be a democracy any longer, it either becomes an autocracy of some type or faces a revolution. We will see if the trend is reversed, before it comes to that.
Republican policy. They could see it failing in their own damn backyards if they’d look outside their mansions. Yet they shit on California and New York which have ranked at the very top of the list in every category of happiness indicator in the US for a half century. They don’t care about us. They tell us their success is our success and hope we don’t think too hard while they boil us alive.
Good to see some people in LA finally waking up to real progressivism, breaking down these trusts and captured governments like we should’ve been doing since the Roosevelt era.
Corporation tax (A tax on productivity) ≠ Property tax. Elimination of corporation tax and replacing it with a land tax would be far more efficient
I don’t even live in Louisiana and this pisses me off unbelievably.
Lousiana is not a landlocked state. It shouldn't be as poor as it is
Coming from a land-locked state, I take offense to your implication that land-locked states are poorer! (But I say this with good-nature, please don't take this as a verbal attack, lol)
@@Necrotoxin44 : well I think it's more of a well known fact that landlocked countries or state have geographical disadvantage. That's the context I was using it.
WTF does this have to do with this video? Did you bother to watch it?
David Root cause is criminsl govt employees
Poverty shouldn't be a thing anywhere in this country or this world for that matter. Louisiana is just a good example for why.
A great film... this should be required for every person in Louisiana
And outside of Louisiana. If that's what's happening with LA then what about the states between 30-50 on that list. What about the bottom 35. This is enlightening.
People in Louisiana dont care too much sex drugs n surviving day to day
Nation Wide.
Thankful blessed and if it's true what you say then that means more babies born for the tax payers to raise. Sounds like la. Needs it's tax dollars even more than most
Fish Sandwich I was just talking about this. You know the whole country is going down hill because it used to be politicians use to be held accountable. But now days they get called out for the bullshit and they just continue to tell lies and get nothing accomplished and then people keep voting them in again and again. Something smells fishy about this whole mess. Trump ,who is trying to do what is close to what should be done. And look how hard they trying to get him out. They afraid that swamp is really gonna get drained. Their gray train should be over and some jail time given out but not gonna happen I'm afraid
Amazing how whenever you find poverty and economic disparity in the US, you find corporate interests nearby.
corporate intrests are cold. their only goal is to make the most profit/wealth as possible. pair that with an uneducated population and you have a disaster.
Amazing how wherever you nitrogen gas, you also find oxygen gas.
The rich (individuals and corporations) are bad for the economy. The rich tend to hoard wealth instead of spend it. The velocity of money is extremely important for the economy. The faster and more money is spent, the better the economy.
It also doesn't help that the rich are incredibly under taxed and wages are decades behind inflation.
You also see a Republican government.
@@trivmtran the most poverty and corruption in LA is around NO. Democrats. Chicago? Democrats. DC? Democrats. Philly? Democrats.
Republicans aren't immune, but a good rule is generally 10-to-1 dem-repub creep/corruption factor.
As someone who works in data, great job keeping this data driven and factual and not based on "Feelings". Its very easy to follow your research and understand a cause and effect relation. I'm not from Louisiana but I'm from another "traditionally poor state" - Michigan and I think some of the problems you face are some of the same ones we also face. I hope your politicians can turn it around.
Thinking it's politicians who might turn it around is the same woeful ignorance and passivity that made Louisiana poor in the first place.
@@johnstrawb3521: Precisely
I agree that this is very factual. I was born in Louisiana but not raised there. All of my extended family live there, though. I want things to change. And while I understand that traditionally corruption has been an issue, it sounds more like simple laziness on the ITEP board, combined with the justifiably ridiculous breach of subsidiarity. Trying to vote in better politicians isn't the way, though. Holding the politicians accountable for their actions, and ensuring that any and all politicians know that they will be held accountable for their actions, is a better plan.
I’m from Louisiana. I graduated from LSU in 1968 and left because of such poor pay. I never went back except to visit family. I now live around San Antonio, TX. I could never understand how Louisiana was so rich but most of its citizens were so poor. Sounds like about 10% are doing okay but not the other 90%. A state that works for corporations and those with political power to the detriment of the average Louisianan.
Great presentation. I can see why corporations like to move to Louisiana. I can also see how bad it is for the citizens of LA.
State put forth these tax exemptions to get business to La. These two leftest know they are not telling the entire story
I was born and raised in Shreveport Louisiana. When I graduated from high school, I left Louisiana and never looked back. Growing up there I found that Louisiana was one of the most corrupt states in the United States. When I left I never looked back and looking at what has happened to Louisiana since I left 40 years ago, I find that I didn't miss anything. I believe that Louisiana will change and put its population first when I see it. And I doubt that will happen in my life time.
Where do u live now
What a cowardly response to the video. And it's BS - kids often move away from home as soon as they can, yes - but not because they're concerned about "corruption". I hope you live up to your proud oath and, please, never look back. Good riddance.
@@richardjanuary5168 no sense in trying to help those who won't help themselves.
Yes Rob. My mom did the same thing decades ago. but her one problem was she did not have a plan when she left. Complicated aftermath, too long to explain.
@@richardjanuary5168
I have relatives who moved away permanently after Hurricane Katrina and never returned b/c of the ongoing crippling conditions, government and economic. Nothing cowardly about that at all
I was born and raised in Louisiana and left the state 2 years ago. It was the best decision that I have ever made. Both of my children have left Louisiana and will not be returning. I would strongly encourage college educated, high net worth individuals and businesses to leave the state as quickly as possible. You won't regret it
I’m German, could care less and stumbled upon this video by accident - but my God did they do a good job in presenting this!!! One of the best visualizations and presentations I’ve ever come across and I work in white color automotive. Congratulations!
Hope this had the wanted outcome and the situation has gotten better for the people …
Louisiana is a Democrat shithole.
Lol
No, of course it hasn't
@@Thomas-gz4ky German-Americans are no germans anymore. There ancestors where german but they are 100% americans now. Like the irish-american oder scotish-americans.
Can you remind them how Trump railed against the German trade surplus? Germany has higher taxes on everything so germany can afford a better education, "free" healthcare and good infrastructure. So Germany has a better workforce so the productivity and qualtity is better. This makes the value of the products higher and the companies can ask for a higher price. = Trade Surplus.
I think that is a mindset the most american don´t understand and mostly white people with low education voted for trump because he has cheap answers for difficult questions.
Almost 4 years later and they've only gotten 2,000 signatures on their "Keep ITEP Local" petition, so the answer is no.
Thanks to this video, I understand that Louisiana’s Industrial Tax Exemption Program is a drain on public coffers, and I’m ready to confront my state and local representatives. The only problem is, I’m Canadian and this doesn’t affect me at all.
When I was in the Navy, I found that many joined the military to get out of cities or states that sucked badly. The opportunity does not extend to EVERYONE, and those who realized this decided to get out anyway they can. Being in the military to be stationed someplace else, or at least be in a better financial status even if they were stationed back home was a big draw for many people.
Good pay, good benefits, and you can get college payed for. Many people that were in gangs or possibly in crime when they were teens will also join the military to clean themselves up, gain discipline, and for the reasons I listed above.
@@vyros.3234 It's "paid", not "payed". The irony that you were talking about college.
@@vyros.3234 I was doing research for a book and spent a lot of time at the library. A lot of the time I was there there was a national guard recruiter meeting young men who you could tell came from hard living conditions. Many had tattoos that reflected gang affiliation and when they spoke they were trying really hard to be as professional and respectful as possible they had a great deal of difficulty communicating. It was obvious they were attempting to escape from their situation. The recruiter was very helpful and compassionate. I asked him how many were able to get in and he said very few. It was extremely sad. Their parents really failed their children.
Louisiana is a Democrat shithole.
@@ialien2077 And you missed putting in the verb in your snarky line about college. Doesn't really matter if a word's misspelled if the meaning's clear, IMHO, but if you feel good correcting that, have at it.
OMG, I had no idea how bad this was. I lived in New Orleans, Louisiana for 10 years. I actually left because of lack of opportunities, widespread poverty and lackluster healthcare system. I also knew that my life expectancy would go down drastically if I stayed. I did develop endocrine health issues during and and immediately after living there. It took 10 years to figure out what was wrong with me. My DNA may have been predisposed to these problems, but maybe they may never have come up if I never lived there.
I don't know who you are, but I was born and raised in that city! After high school graduation, I attended the University of Arkansas! I'm a die-hard Razorback fan! New Orleans sucks right now! Although there's non-stop service between XNA and Armstrong, I'd only go there to visit relatives and friends! I'd never want to live there!
Wait…what?!??
The government is giving the peoples money away all over this nation....... it's the modern day slavery......... thanks liberal democrats
@Steph B you must be from Louisiana? Spending your time dreading a shitty state? I mean why? Don’t you have something to do?
Reminds me of the country where I was born. It is very rich in oil, natural gas, metals, timber and other resources and is the largest exporter of these resources. But due to a highly corrupt government, the average income of the people is very low...
This is very well done and interesting and I don't even live in Louisiana. This type of analysis is something every state should do. Is there a place that is keeping track of any progress made from this video? You should definitley do a follow up video series if you can!
@Joshua Fisher - I was looking at the graph for Corporate Subsidies @5:35 and you can see even "Blue" States are doing the same thing (Washington, Oregon). We as Voters need to put "checks and balances" in place, it seems our "Leaders" are getting away with more than we realize. Or, more than we want to see.
And companies will just move production overseas.
@@gnhun101 I just realized what they're doing in this video and why they do.
Louisana property values are shit. IT's a swamp. But the property values are so high because they factor in the cost of billion dollar plants in the swamp. They give them exemptions because people in Louisana get jobs building these huge plants, and get middle class jobs working in them. I'm not going to invest 1 billion in your shithole state if you're going to tax me on the whole billion investment every year.
@Joshua Fisher Lousiana doesn't represent the entire south. I'm from Georgia, lived many years in NYC, 6 years in New Orleans, and now am in Atlanta. Georgia has a much higher standard of living, and you can see money put to work in infrastructure, schools, etc... I was shocked at how far Georgia had come since I left 25 years ago, and how different it is than Louisiana. On that U.S. News & World Report they refer to, where Lousiana ranks last; Virginia is 7th, Florida 13th, Georgia 17th, North Carolina 18th, New York is 25th! Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama are almost always on that bottom 3. 'The Gulf Coast' is what we call that part of the South (includes W. Florida). I feel for the people of Louisiana because you can see the wealth there--the pipelines, the industry, but them the infrastructure is almost 3rd world, and so much poverty. Not right!
no oneherre Tell that to Germany and Sweden and the Netherlands, etc.
This is how you keep a plantation system in place in the post civil war south.
An who's being enslaved exactly? If you paid attention to the video people voted in the wrong kind of people in power for decades.
@@fabiantaveras845827 thumbs up so you just HAD to say something, right?
I dont have the time or space to explain the relationship of modern corporatism to slavery, indentured servitude, sharecropping or chattel capitalism.
If you dont know anything about voter suppression in the south, you owe it to yourself to read a few articles written in the past few months.
Who is a slave to the modern system?. You are. I am. All of us.
Some of us just think that kissing the masters ass isn't the way to get out of it.
That's a bit dramatic and not at all accurate. This is simply a matter of elected officials making sure that they live very comfortably by putting corporate interests before the interests of the people of the state. It's just corruption, but on a larger scale that other southern states. The oil and gas companies only need to pay a couple of million to the right people/entities to avoid paying hundreds of millions in taxes. It will take an aware and educated Louisiana to start a grass-roots movement to hold their leaders accountable to them, not big oil/gas and big aggro.
A plantation system is when landowners farm massive swaths of land with free labor. Slaves were themselves a sort of agricultural commodity that were bred for labor, like cattle are bred for beef. Women with good birthing hips were bought, and tall strong men were bought. Their children naturally were strong and fit, and if the landowner was careful he could double or triple his labor force every 20 years. Since the 13th amendment was ratified there hasn't been any true plantations. Granted, it took a few generations to completely fail, simply because the southern blacks had zero education or skills to compete in the free market of jobs, so they kept doing what they knew how to do for the landowners for "slave-wages".
@@cswann8 see "analogy."
these former slave states have never developed mature economies
I'm from western New York and this just stuns me. I thought the disparity and corruption is bad here but it doesn't hold a candle to this. I hope the people of Louisiana get justice and a properly funded future!
I was just in Rochester after 15 years being away and yes your corruption is just as bad. NYC taxes the working poor so hard that no one has any money, they then give hundreds of millions to the non profit the buffalo bills who donates huge salaries to a small number and how many working poor have to cough up half of their paycheck going from 40k/yr to 20..
New York state spendt over 275 billion per year like 4 years ago and im sure it has gotten worse. the entire national revenues of all mcdonalds in the whole US is 8 billion, that pays for the food, labor, rents, everything.. in the whole US.. and new york cant fix a tunnel, is always charging more, has crushed consumer spending from the working poor, and then just like luisiana, gives free money to certain companies to "boost the economy" and there are upper east siders who work for foundations and volunteer with a non profit credit card..
the whole thing is whack and yes NY state is worse than lousiana. war on the poor and my friends in our late 30s who live in new york will never be able to take it easy.. keep these people on the treadmill
I drove from Ohio to Niagara Falls and the roads in the Seneca tribe region are horrible.
I can throw a rock and hit a single parent broken home. Louisiana isn't poor, people in this state make poor decisions and accept mediocracy
the single mother household rate is second highest in the nation, behind Mississippi, coincidentally Louisiana is the second poorest state, behind Mississippi.
How about we stop making excuses and make personal progress?
From Lousiana. it can always get worse. Hope your holding up over in NY.
This was sadly very eye opening! (Btw: Nice audio edit reversing "Money" to match Graphic!)
I was born and raised in Louisiana. I left after high school graduation. I moved back to Louisiana to be close to my terminally ill Dad. One day I will move out of state again.
Bless you !
Thankful blessed thank you and bless you as well
@@SwampSquatch70 I accept ❤
Thankful blessed hoping to move to New Hampshire one day.
Tallulah?
I’ve lived in Gonzales, Louisiana my entire life. I can count on one hand the times I’ve left the state longer than 48 hours in my 21 years. Honestly until seeing this video I’ve felt very optimistic about living in this state, and have always wanted to come back home anytime I leave. I grew up thinking we were one of the best states because the amount of plants ascension pairsh, and neighboring parishes have to then see/hear all of this. It’s a real slap in the face, and we all deserve better. If it wouldn’t for me honestly not having the means to leave, and how much I love my community I’d leave. The other states I’ve been too *not every so I don’t know for sure* the people aren’t as kind, nore hospitalitie as us in Louisiana are. My take on all of this is that we as citizens of this great state need to fight for our share of what WE ALL put in with taxes. Let’s not forget the men, and women working the plants who have some pretty dangerous jobs who are nothing but numbers. Finally how about all of us who don’t work in that industry? We have the Devine “privilege” of breathing, smelling, and for some living in such close proximity to them all. For that alone we deserve some sorta system related to Alaska where it’s citizens get a percentage of the revenue in OUR pockets, and more importantly that these multi billion, maybe trillion dollar companies pay AT LEAST a fair share of the property value/profits!!!!
You can’t really say people in other states aren’t as kind and hospitable.
LA has a huge crime problem. Also a huge meth/crack/etc problem.
Neither criminals or drug addicts are going to be hospitable cmon.
And also in my experience LA hospitality can be shallow. Just smiles and small talk. Of course that takes all over the world though, it’s not like LA has a monopoly on hospitality.
This is a very well done study.
Louisiana is a Democrat shithole.
@@phillyhocher5537 you’re correct on the meth epidemic it’s really sad to see, and herion/fentanyl is rampant more so than old fashioned crack. Lots of the addicts I’ve met are actually pretty decent people who just have a horrible drug problem. The small talk was my main point, and I know it’s nothing special it’s just nice to be able to interact with others in the community. That’s something I didn’t really see in other places, but that’s just my personal experience. If everyone everywhere were more caring, and willing to talk to people in the communities they live/work in maybe we wouldn’t be so dived. Just my two cents!
Move to Florida. Pensacola is close to Louisiana. You can enjoy the beaches. The public school system is better. Lots of great seafood (no crawfish or boudin). And it's a southern state, so the people are friendly. A win win win.
And nothing will get done about it. That's the sad truth behind all of this.
It's that kind of attitude that keeps us in garbage. You've got to change your attitude and fight. There is no saying that goes... "the quiet wheel gets the oil".
There's a long way to go, for sure. But citizens and taxpayers are pushing back and winning, all across the state. Here are a few articles:
The Lens, "In a first, Orleans School Board denies industrial tax exemption request
"
thelensnola.org/2018/10/12/in-a-first-orleans-school-board-denies-industrial-tax-exemption-request/
Shreveport Times, "Caddo school board denies industrial tax exemption
"
www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/education/2018/03/05/caddo-school-board-denies-industrial-tax-exemption/396296002/
Lafeyette Daily Advertiser, "Carencro company's tax exemption opposed"
www.theadvertiser.com/story/news/local/2018/07/13/carencro-companys-tax-exemption-opposed-city-parish-council/783410002/
Times Picayune, "Orleans School Board denies tax break request from Bollinger Shipyard"
www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2018/10/orleans_school_board_denies_ta.html
Shreveport Times, "
Interfaith urges criteria for approving industrial tax exemptions"
www.shreveporttimes.com/story/opinion/2018/03/09/interfaith-urges-criteria-approving-industrial-tax-exemptions/410364002/
The Advocate, "
East Baton Rouge Metro Council agrees to hard-fought compromise on industrial tax exemption guidelines"
www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/article_30fd609e-e841-11e8-9813-73272888a749.html
Labor Notes, "Teacher Strike Threat Backs Off ExxonMobil
"
labornotes.org/2018/11/teacher-strike-threat-backs-exxonmobil
Fuck em. Louisiana doesn't want to win at anything but football. The time warp is the tradition that suffocates them. At least they are proud to have more than the minorities how ever low that standard is.
not with that attitude. keep the apathy up, the people who allow this that you can vote out love that!
Case and point
At a glance one would only see what seems like an economy too small too sustain itself. Culturally these people vote for the exact same privilege that has firmly remanded their poor white position. What are they gonna vote for at this point. They're all trapped. It's like they're comfortable being a little better off than the blacks. I don't want to live a little better than you with just a few more opportunities supporting that way of life in economic hell. Before you get offended by me that's enough money to make the entire south east wealthier than half the country. Figure out where it's going as it never once touches the state economy. You are the same people who vote for privatization. The truth is you need Pedro and all the Muslim immigrants the country is willing to let in to grow your economy. Not like that 1% is paying any taxes.
Commenting in 2023: THIS. WENT. NOWHERE!!!
Because of my career my wife and I lived in Louisiana for 10 years. It always amazed me how it seemed like they actually made efforts to be last in so many areas outside energy. I will also say education was shameful, crime was terrible, poverty was pitiful, but the food is great.
Exactly! Check my post!
It tastes great but it ain't healthy.
I grew up in a different state, but my family had a strong work ethic and nobody ever took public assistance. It was considered to be shameful. I was shocked to meet people later in life who would try to find any excuse to live off the government. Some people wear poverty as a badge of honor.
When life is nothing but crap, all you have is food for comfort.
@@LouisJasper Nonsense - whores work too 😂🤣
Wow what a corrupt corporate state
SPREAD THIS EVERYWHERE! IT NEEDS TO GO VIRAL! Post it on your elected officials sites! GREAT WORK!
I think the elected officials know this. They're in on it. They are probably profiting from it directly or indirectly. These sweetheart deals are made for a reason and none of it is for the public good.
4 26 2019 Hey Scott Kick, Yes, I completely agree, spread the word! & vote the RASCALS OUT! Be well. v P.S.: I haven't voted for an incumbent since 1992. You get my VOTE one time; being a politian shouldn't be considered a path to retirement.
yeah, and people need to stop relying on things like this to go viral.
this video has >1 mil. views but all of their other content has less than 50 views often.
Doesn't look like a recipe for change, just one for emotions.
I had no idea! I've said, for years, that BIG OIL should not be getting tax subsidies, while their CEOs are "earning" seven figures per year and they're posting billions of dollars in profit per quarter. Any company that seeks to avoid paying taxes (or wages) to support the communities where they operate doesn't deserve to do business at all. It's high time the short-sighted lawmakers realized, "We could cut their subsidies in half, and Louisiana would _still_ be giving them a better deal than any other state. They're not goin' anywhere."
And don't forget Louisiana's "cancer alley", where the rates of cancer are significantly higher than the national average. This is so bad that it was used as a case study in one of my environmental courses for how bad out of control pollution can get.
Maybe being a top petrochemical state isn't a good thing then.
how much higher?
You can't make this claim, because it has not been proven. People in Louisiana tend to smoke and be obese. There are just too many factors that determine if a person develops cancer.
Rite Louisiana air is full of cancer from the air refineries
This is what happens in Africa on a large-scale.
Santiago Bron lmao!! you just confused the shit out of him with that one simple question.
Africa is on an Upscale , worry about where you are and the ones you put into office that pisses down your back and insists it raining .
@Santiago Bron Large corporations don't pay local taxes.
@Gemcitykid no it's the capitalist idea that has infected the whole world
@@stephengichuki8605 Africa needs a socialist revolution
WOW! As someone who grew up in Louisiana, I'm forwarding this to all my college professors!
Like they give a shit
When you grow up in south Louisiana. Its whodat for life. . . . That raiders logo says your pure California now. Js . .. . Obviously truthful. But in jest.
John Henry they re part of the problem
forwarding to the echo-chamber?
@@chris532008 how? :-)
Congrats to all who took the time to not only investigate and search out all this information but to make this video and reach such a wide audience
I hope and pray it has made a difference for Lousiana and continues to do so
So, you're telling me that the wealth doesn't just "trickle down" to the wage laborers? Who would've thunk it.
Supply side economics works. The term "trickle down" is a misrepresentation by politicians (mainly those in bed with big corporations) to demonize basic economics. Corporatocracy is your problem. Money to politicians to big business back to politicians. THAT is the problem.. not some buzz word trickle down economics..
Louisiana is a Democrat shithole.
A system based on greed corruption and nepotism is not working? How shocking!
As an immigrant I feel this video resonating with the reasons we leave our counties, it’s not because we are land poor without the beautiful riches nature has to offer but because they are poorly managed and hoarded by a small corrupt few. Louisiana looks more beautiful, and I regret not going out during the reconstruction after Katrina and offering my little grain of sand when I had the chance.
Unfortunatly the U.S. is no different. Our problem is that our population is way to stupid to realize to realize it, but because they have an R behind their name they get votes.
You are not missing anything.
You seemed to have missed the point of the video.
What it is saynig is that the American Dream is a lie, and especially in Louisiana.
All those promises of opportunity to immigrants that pull them toward the country are lies designed to pull in cheap labour to drive the minimum wage gears that keep the corporate machines running smoothly at low cost.
They actually had a website where they were taking suggestions on future issues. I suggested that, since NOW, everything is flooded and shit, ELEVATE everything. Dredge the damn delta and elevate that stupid underwater elevation shit. It'd cost them a billion dollars, but, SINCE then, they've spent a couple of dozens times that, and STILL have an underwater community at the mercy of it's storm sewers and sump pumps.
this is a beautiful comment
Ive never seen a protest for anything in N..Louisiana and trust me there is a lot that needs to be protested. I think the people here have Stockholm Syndrome. They love their masters in this state.
People in Louisiana don't tolerate corruption, they demand it.
Pretty much describes America since the 1960s...
Major Stockholm. They need a yellow jacket protest, like France just did.
Anybody organize to get political change? Anybody? Protest works best if you are ready to push legislative &/judicial change like in the civil rights movement. Find politicians who support your ideas & support them with time & money.
@David Champey Florida here, I appreciate the clarification.
From a neighbor in Texas I wish y'all the best, thank you for advocating for responsible government like this. I've met so many kind and earnest people from Louisiana & served in the Army with them too. We got so many of y'all after Katrina, some went back & others stayed. I can see Texas veering towards a similar fate if we don't get our heads outta the sand about corruption in state offices. I wish y'all the best & want to see your state succeed.
Louisiana is like most of our developing countries: rich and yet poor?
Kuda Dube This is the same thing that's been happening in Africa.
Africa is the richest country in the world... but has a lot of people poor.
Due to the West stealing their resources.
@@Kemet3.0 no, the African country's are recovering from European invasion and exploitation
@@tesmith47 Xi Jinping approves of your comment
as in Venezuela
Africa has never been a country
It's also the paradox of the south.. I've lived in Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana.. these economics are universal throughout..
Yet they keep electing the same criminals.
In MS it's prisons, in MO it's Big Soy and Big Pasture, AR it's cotton, in Kentucky it's the dams, etc.
@@tomw9599 that's part of the plan. They want to keep us uneducated so that we vote against our own interests
I assume when you referred to Georgia, you meant south GA, because north, or the Atlanta metro area is an entire other world, with vastly different economics.
@@Boxhead42 It's the same over here in North Alabama. I live in Huntsville. Birmingham up is a totally different state. Then Montgomery South There are barely any radio stations .. (yes you were right) I lived in Augusta for 3 years.
Corruption = Wealth Inequality.
Should have said, Their corruption is equaling, or causing wealth inequality, or poverty. Not corruption equals wealth inequality. You sound like your about to attack Capitalism.
Basically, Louisiana is so poor because "the people" have allowed government technocrats/bureaucrats and obscure state review boards to usurp their power. This is why we need an informed electorate.
This is one of MANY reasons to promote local governance as the foundation with decreasing influence as government reigns over larger areas snd more distantly.
I don't know how I came across this video, but I'm stunned...
Thanks I always knew we were being robbed but just didn't know the details 🤔🤨
Well actually, we arn't being robbed. The schools, fire departments, police stations, etc are the ones being robbed.
I do believe in yall and think things can or could be better. Please keep voting in your own interests and get those Republicans out of the boardroom. Don't worry about voting for president, vote more on a local level. Trickle down economics clearly don't work as shown here and neither do tax breaks... If they make more they give yall less.
Soooo whatcha gone do?
@@hunterpatrick541 That means the tax payer (YOU!) are getting robbed.
Think of all the wonderful things this money could be spent on !!! "COME AND GET IT " !!!
imagine finding a way to make your business taxes lower than TEXAS. now that's a feat that's not supposed to be broken
Bro, imagine finding a way to make your business taxes in the negative
It’s a red state thing mostly.
@@jaengen Oregon has lower business tax than Texas and is Blue
This has got to change! THANK YOU for this little nugget!
I'm from Mississippi, a genuinely poor state with poor natural resources and high corruption - not so much on the corporate-political level, but rather internally to our politics. Both sides of the government participate in these practices, and its no wonder that our state remains poor.
Whenever I cross over into Louisiana, however, I'm always shocked at how destitute things are. Like this video states, there are so many reasons that Louisiana should be one of the richest states in the United States, and I've been aware of them for a long time. It's baffled me for years that a state so strategically placed and rich in natural resources could possibly be on a level of poverty like Mississippi. Now I know why, and it breaks my heart to see a state that could be so prosperous falling to corruption and poverty that has no business being in it. Unlike Mississippi, there is no excuse for Louisiana to be at the bottom. I sincerely hope this changes.
I appreciate that…
Yea Natchez is horrible.. it is NOT what it use to be
Smh Louisiana doesn’t need any pity from some hick from Mississippi
Have you ever considered leaving? This is a big country and we don’t have to accept our fate in one place.
@@jaengen I have and I am, once I finish my degree. Looking at Colorado or one of the Carolinas.
I'm not even from the US but holy heck this is horrible!
That's what good old boys do, it's a family tradition.
Wow this speaks volumes of truth.
we could have the BEST roads and BEST schools if this was stopped. No Louisiana politician can say they "love" Louisiana and allow this crap to happen. Its all BS!
This is one of the best presentations I have seen. It is well thought out, well presented, and the presenters were very straight toward and factual. I hope this signals a turn around for the state
I moved from my home state to Louisiana. After less than a year, I moved back home. The state is too poor and At-Will employment is highly abused. I would tell anyone considering moving there to strongly reconsider.
Yeah. Folks there are so content with being behind the rest of the country besides Mississippi. Oh well
I’m from New Orleans, and after A lot of my class mates and left and went to college, a lot of us did not come back. I only been back for 3 years and I plan on leaving. I’m not coming back.
My little brother moved to Tennessee, he says he ain’t never coming back 😂
It’s like the millennials see through the bs. We’re over it. They can have that state.
You mean " Right to work " 😂? I like how they rephrased that "at will" concept.
@@jarvisaddison8560 right to work is a federal law that makes it illegal to have membership of a union and any associated membership fees be a condition of employment. Most states are "right to work" as this makes it easier for companies to be at-will employers.
@@dougephresh2912 it means you can get fired for any reason. Lets stoo splitting hairs. They change the wording to keep people confused
excellent presentation, i wish more citizens would get involved like this, calmly presenting facts, with heart,
not screaming, chanting, mindlessly,
they came prepared and did an awesome job, hope they succeed, and hope more people can follow their example and get involved with their heads on
I expected this to be a typical video essay, but this was much more. Thank you
Wow, what a shocking reality. This needs to be corrected somehow, and these freeloading mega corporations need to pay their way.
gordon quigg except tax exemption for the wealthy is now a national policy screamed for with delight by the poor white folk of the south who believe a man who cheated a charity and collage students cares about them.
They do pay their way genius, the rich literally pay your way too
You start taxing the shit out of the rich and they'll leave. Then you won't have any jobs.
@@Girtharmstrong69 they don't. We pay their way through subsidies and low wages which must be again subsidized by national debt. Corporations don't pay taxes because they lobby and move money through island shell companies. Poor people don't pay taxes because they are paid so little money that if anything was taken they'd just be homeless. Corporations pay money to avoid taxes, most everyone else has too little money to be taxed.
Corporations pay low wages subsidized by the government with things like food stamps so workers can still live and feed families.
@@HH-le1vi yes we would. Rich don't make jobs, demand makes jobs as we saw when everyone stayed home and demand plummeted. If the rich left we'll keep the infrastructure and assets and do it ourselves as we did before with smaller businesses. They are better off gone and then some. Feel free to follow them and lick their boots clean. The rest of us will stay and have our own businesses with other former employees. Same work but we would own it. Tax them and hope they leave, otherwise kick them out to drain the swamp.
My wife and I went to Louisiana for a vacation and loved it. The people and culture were lovely....the poverty we saw out and about was shocking to us. Hard to believe that a state with so much looked so run down.
Test scores across the country have been declining, since the formation of teachers' unions back in the 60's! And these 'experts' want more money thrown at ed-jew-muh-cation! Schools are a scare tactic too get u to vote for higher taxes and a diminished ROI! I never had kids, and yet, I'm supposed to contribute to other's education? The founding fathers' didn't want the government teaching their kids, so bad morals couldn't be installed, in their heads. 50yrs of dumbing down the kids of America and indoctrinating them, so they can rob them blind!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's why a PUBLIC education is NOT guaranteed in the Constitution!!!!!!!!!!!
Blaming some kind of Jewish conspiracy is really soft, man up.
@@atomicwedgie8176, YOU are the reason LA is so messed up. You and your buddies.
@@incognitotorpedo42 Please enlighten me as to how it's MY fault. You gave a pretty generic example...as in no example. I, on the other hand, gave you a HUGE example.
I lived in Louisiana for 9 years, and you are right about the poverty. Unfortunately, the rest of country seems to be catching up in that department. I drove around this country a couple of years ago, and I was appalled at the decay I witnessed.
It wasn't until I moved away from Louisiana that I realized how bad the situation was there. I love my people, but it is too hard for me to see them taken advantage like this and just roll over for it. All of this wealth rightfully belongs to the people of Louisiana, but they don't even realize it. Honestly, once my mother passes away, I probably won't ever return to the state. It's too heartbreaking for me.
The corruption and supposed lack of resources to protect children from abuse and neglect caused me to take my grandchildren and leave Louisiana. Judges, law enforcement , schools and protective services ignored their suffering! It was like living in a Third World country.
I’m sorry to hear that, but I’m happy you had the resources to get you and your grandchildren out in time
Let's not forget the good people of Louisiana are voting for elected officials to do this to them. I'd wager a hefty bet that it would be quite difficult to convince a Louisiana voter to elect a Democrat. (Yes, I know the governor is a Democrat, but I also know that both US Senators are Republicans and that Republicans also hold five of the six U.S. Representative seats from Louisiana. Every statewide office, with the exception of governor, is held by a Republican, and both chambers of the state legislature are majority Republican.)
@@ajs11201 Not sure why you think it runs on party lines, plenty of states that are shitholes under the Democrats
@@ajs11201 Louisiana was controlled by democrats for over 150 years until very recently. It was the democrats that made Louisiana poor and the voters know that, which is why they vote for common sense republicans today.
Not from Louisiana myself....but recently discovered the state during a trip through. A beautiful, and fascinating place. Digging in further led me to this video. Will most definitely keep up with this channel.....I hope for the folks in Louisiana that these practices are .....or perhaps even have been.....addressed. Turns out that the entire country has a great deal of work to do when it comes to how the few are affecting the lives of many. We do not have to allow it. It starts with knowing about it. Thank you to the folks of this channel for sharing.
I'm from Poland and totally unrelated to this but after watching this (god know why) I fully support you
Solidarność!
whoa i'm from earth, and i care about other earthlings. how strange i be, as well
@@rudrapsarkar He probably just feels for Louisiana because Poland is also extremly religious and very corrupt.
Bravo, excellent presentation, brilliantly thought out and distilled for easy consumption.
If the oil industry in Louisiana just payed a slight amount of their fair share in taxes the state could be the Norway of the American south.
Norway sucks.
What is a "fair share"?
@@davidlafleche1142 I don't know. However it's obviously more then what they pay now. Here in Texas we sometimes joke about Port Arthur being the capital of Louisiana. So much oil money and the city looks like a third world country.
@@davidlafleche1142 Nothing against Cajuns, love that food Mr. Lafleche.
@@ericjensen9091 "Derrr, I don't know, DOEEEE! But they should pay MOAR!" Moron. God, you're stupid.
So Louisiana has all the crap going on for them but overall is fairly poor? Sounds like someone is getting conned.