The COVID Caucus

What are they even doing there?

While the work went on at the speaker’s podium, the 78 legislators in attendance – many of whom were not wearing masks as prescribed by leadership – milled around the chamber chatting and joking with one another. Often groups of lawmakers gathered in clusters so large that House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, R-Gonzalez, dispatched a sergeant-at-arms to break them up.

I mean, I know there is work to do but at least we could expect everyone to take it seriously given the circumstances.  But if they aren't even going to take the public health threat (or even the health of their colleagues) seriously, what do we think they're going to do about the effects of a crashing economy? 

The crashing price of oil, which was trading in the $20 a barrel range Monday, will likely have the biggest effect on the state’s revenues, Albrecht said. Currently, the state’s revenues are based on a roughly $60 barrel of oil, and for each $1 drop in the price over a year, Louisiana’s revenues drop by around $12 million.

Complicating the picture is Louisiana’s economy wasn’t roaring to begin with, Albrecht said, which made the state particularly vulnerable to such a dramatic shock. Manfred Dix, the economist for Edwards’ administration, said the state was facing a “double-whammy” of oil prices and business closures from the pandemic.

“It’s not easy when from one day to the next you basically tell the economy to shut down and close doors,” Dix said.

Which, again, is why we have to be extra diligent in making sure people are taken care of during the hard times.  A lot of what they're able to do in that regard begins with what the federal government allows. But in the meantime the state lawmakers need to be thinking about ways to keep critical state services available, keep people paid, that sort of thing.

Are they taking that task seriously? Of course not. They're just there to give tax breaks to oil companies. Everybody knows that's their real job anyway.