Gov. John Bel Edwards (D)-- The DNC will spend any money you send them to save him"I call on the overwhelming bipartisan majority of legislators who voted for it to join me in continuing to build a better Louisiana," wrote Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards just before he signed one of the country's most draconian anti-Choice bills, "that cares for the least among us and provides more opportunity for everyone." Edwards ran as a Democrat. With his signature on the bill yesterday, Edwards helped the GOP with their pledge to get Roe v Wade overturned by the Trumpist Supreme Court. And now they can say it was "bipartisan." Louisiana is one of several states-- Alabama, Missouri, Ohio, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi-- to pass extreme and unconstitutional anti-Choice legislation this year... but the only one with a Democratic governor.Edwards was not a reluctant supporter of the bill either. In his own words: "My position hasn’t changed: In eight years in the Legislature, I was a pro-life legislator, 100 percent with the Louisiana Right to Life. When I ran for governor, I said that I was pro-life, and so that’s something that’s consistent."Under this law, which contains no exceptions for rape or incest, a doctor who performs an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected-- say 6 weeks-- could face two years in prison and lose his or her medical license. Edwards is up for reelection in November and he must be wondering how much of his Democratic base will desert him. In 2015-- when he ran against crook and pervert David Vitter (R)-- Edwards couldn't have asked for a better opponent. He beat Vitter 646,924 (56.1%) to 505,940 (43.9%) in a state that was just about to give Trump a 1,178,638 (58.09%) landslide victory over Hillary Clinton's 780,154 (38.45%). So far Republican Congressman Ralph Abraham and extremely right-wing political donor Eddie Rispone are Edwards' opponents. The filing deadline is August 8 and former congressmen Charles Boustany and John Fleming are both considering jumping in.In any case, I think this betrayal of Louisiana Democratic women will end Edwards' chance for a second term. The latest poll showed him leading Abraham-- 40% to 36% with 24% undecided.A Democrat in the legislature, John Milkovich, wrote the bill and Democrats in the state legislature also voted for it. State Senator Karen Carter Peterson wasn't among them. She's the chair of the Louisiana Democratic Party and her twitter stream today was not exactly Edwards-friendly. Lots like this:All that said, I want to bring up a nice Louisiana piece in The Independent that ran a couple of years ago, Louisiana floods destroy home of Christian leader who says God sends natural disasters to punish gay people. Kate Nelson: "A flood has destroyed the home of a Christian lobbyist who preached that God sends natural disasters to punish gays. President of the controversial Christian group Family Research Council, Tony Perkins, described a deluge of 'near biblical proportions' hitting his Louisiana home. During a broadcast on the group’s radio station, he told how he and his family had fled in a canoe.
[Perkins] has also claimed homosexuality is incompatible with evolution and has likened it to a drug or alcohol addiction.He added: "The most important thing that Christians can offer to homosexuals is hope-- hope that their sins, just like the sins of anyone else, can be forgiven and their lives transformed.”Mr Perkins said he has been forced to live off “God’s provisions” following the flood.
