Featured Photograph: U.S. Congressman Mike Johnson discussed contemporary issues with a Delta Grand audience on Monday. (Photograph by Freddie Herpin)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
United States Congressman Mike Johnson expressed concern during a town hall meeting at the Delta Grand on Monday that many Louisianas are apparently leaving the state in order to obtain more lucrative jobs in Texas.
Johnson who now represents the 4th District in 16 parishes including St. Landry told the large audience that other states and especially Texas, offer more attractive, especially because of their productive economies and tax structures.
The Louisiana Congressional delegation Johnson said, is especially interested in finding ways to help the state achieve improved economic potential.
“We need to restructure our state government. We also need to create a better climate in order to take advantage especially in areas where we have advantages,” Johnson said.
The visit by Johnson to Opelousas was the first by Johnson since Louisiana underwent redistricting in 2022.
Johnson, a Republican from Shreveport-Bossier, ran unopposed in the November election and represents 16 parishes in a L-shaped configuration that borders the Sabine River and stretches from Arkansas to South Louisiana.
Jerri Ledoux, a community liaison for Johnson, said during a Monday night interview that Johnson also conducted similar meetings on Monday at Fort Polk and in Grant Parish before his mid-afternoon arrival in Opelousas.
Apparently Johnson is attempting to establish a relationship with St. Landry.
Last week Johnson invited District 40 State Representative Dustin Miller to be his guest for the State of the Union Message.
While at the Delta Grand, Johnson also spoke on a variety of other current topics including the recent incidents where a suspected Chinese aerial balloon and three other unidentified objects were shot down over the United States and Canadian air space.
Additionally Johnson touched on increases of mental depression and suicide, something that he attributed to a contemporary culture that has begun denying the existence of God.
Johnson reviewed briefly his numerous committee and political party responsibilities which include assistant whip of the House, vice-chairman of the House Republican Conference as well as memberships on the Judiciary and Armed Services committees.
One of his committee responsibilities, Johnson said, will address what he described as the “weaponization” of federal agencies.
Representatives of those agencies,according to Johnson, have in some instances been “hopelessly corrupted and polarized by the party in power as a weapon or agent of the other party.”
Johnson specifically pointed to individuals working for the Department of Justice, Central Intelligence Agency, Internal Revenue Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation that are scheduled to answer questions from committees.
Border security, Johnson added, is a situation that is beyond untenable.
Johnson pointed to the Biden Administration border policies which he claimed has turned a crisis into a catastrophe.
The intelligence-gathering balloon which was shot down off the coast of South Carolina Feb. 6, was launched by the Chinese in order to gather military installation data, Johnson said.
Three objects subsequently destroyed by U.S. fighter planes were undoubtedly of Chinese origin, Johnson said.
“There is a lot that the White House and the Pentagon is not telling us. All that does is open things up for conspiracy theories,” Johnson said.
Johnson suspects the unidentified objects are not UFO’s.
According to Johnson, the Chinese government is attempting to test America’s strength by monitoring the response by the U.S.
Johnson asserted that what U.S, authorities think was a Chinese espionage balloon and the unidentified objects were coordinated to test how the President would react to the incidents..
“Right now there are a lot more questions than answers out there. Look how long it took to shoot (the balloon) down,” Johnson noted.
Although Louisiana has one of the smallest Congressional delegations, Johnson said each Congressmen has influence in the Capitol.
Steve Scalise is currently the House majority leader, while Congressman Clay Higgins is a sub-committee chairman.
Trey Carter has been selected as vice-chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said Johnson.
