The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

[DEPUTYDAWG]

There's no organized call for anything like that yet, but you ought to hear the talk around town! Everyone is more concerned now that the people who have lost their homes and jobs receive the help that they need, but once all of that is taken care of, watch out. Kathleen Blanco has commited political suicide. Nagin, I'm not too sure about. I'm not hearing as much about him.

We are all so damn embarrassed that the leadership of Louisiana is so inept. Once again, we are a joke when it comes to doing things right.

Poor Kathleen has spent her career trying to attract business and industry to Louisiana, and who would want to come now? "Come to Louisiana, put your children in our under-performing schools, Relocate here and we will watch you drown when the next hurricane washes through!"

Well, I for one, have always enjoyed my trips to LA!

Upon reading a link last night about Blanco's background, it said that as Lt. Gov, she primarily focused on tourism.

And as Governor, a major focus of hers has been the New Orlean Saints, and the stadium. I'll have to go read it again and get the quote; but basically, she wanted a new stadium to replace the Superdome, I believe. Well, that political goal has now been met.... :banghead:

 

[kgeaux]

Well, I for one, have always enjoyed my trips to LA!

Upon reading a link last night about Blanco's background, it said that as Lt. Gov, she primarily focused on tourism.

And as Governor, a major focus of hers has been the New Orlean Saints, and the stadium. I'll have to go read it again and get the quote; but basically, she wanted a new stadium to replace the Superdome, I believe. Well, that political goal has now been met.... :banghead:

The Saints have been holding her hostage. They will leave Lousiana, or so they say, if they don't get a fancy new stadium. This has been going on for years! I say, who cares?!? They don't do anything but lose anyway! Let 'em go!

 

[DEPUTYDAWG]

This is a HUGE problem in Lousiana. Money rolls in and gets deposited in the "general fund" and politicians spend it on pet projects instead of the intended purpose.

Ask us about the money from gambling, that should be spent on education. The money from the tobacco settlement, should be spent on education. Our teachers are dreadfully underpaid because the money isn't there. Where is it? Who knows?

Don't feel all alone...it's just not in LA :silenced:

 

[less0305]

The Saints have been holding her hostage. They will leave Lousiana, or so they say, if they don't get a fancy new stadium. This has been going on for years! I say, who cares?!? They don't do anything but lose anyway! Let 'em go!

Hey, didn't N.O. get the basketball franchise that left North Carolina? They left here after demanding a new stadium and Charlotte didn't buckle. Now Charlotte has a new team starting this year.

 

[concernedperson]

This is a HUGE problem in Lousiana. Money rolls in and gets deposited in the "general fund" and politicians spend it on pet projects instead of the intended purpose.

Ask us about the money from gambling, that should be spent on education. The money from the tobacco settlement, should be spent on education. Our teachers are dreadfully underpaid because the money isn't there. Where is it? Who knows?

Do you think we will start to see the tide turn now? There is no hiding this huge blunder of failure that is evident to the entire world. I am wondering if Kathleen won't give an inch because it is more about money than power, not wanting to relinguish control of the states "general fund".

 

[kgeaux]

Do you think we will start to see the tide turn now? There is no hiding this huge blunder of failure that is evident to the entire world. I am wondering if Kathleen won't give an inch because it is more about money than power, not wanting to relinguish control of the states "general fund".

I don't know for a certainty what is at the root of all these problems, but my opinion is that it's partisan politics. Blanco knows that Nagin supported another candidate for governor--he was VERY vocal about it, he is a republican in a democrat costume! She is not a supporter of Bush, far from it, so she would be very leary of relinquishing any power to him.....is it power or money? I don't know. Maybe one, maybe the other, maybe both. I can't believe that she continues to butt heads with everyone. I really wish they'd all get together and get on the same page, push all the crap out of the way and do what is right for the people. We can pray that things change! I don't think anyone on this earth can sweep any of this mess under any rug.

 

[concernedperson]

I don't know for a certainty what is at the root of all these problems, but my opinion is that it's partisan politics. Blanco knows that Nagin supported another candidate for governor--he was VERY vocal about it, he is a republican in a democrat costume! She is not a supporter of Bush, far from it, so she would be very leary of relinquishing any power to him.....is it power or money? I don't know. Maybe one, maybe the other, maybe both. I can't believe that she continues to butt heads with everyone. I really wish they'd all get together and get on the same page, push all the crap out of the way and do what is right for the people. We can pray that things change! I don't think anyone on this earth can sweep any of this mess under any rug.

Partisan politics reminds me of kids fighting in the playground of a schoolyard.

Who are the up and coming younger potential candidates? You know the ones that start showing up in the news.....Or is there none? The same group getting recycled again and again.

 

[Linda7NJ]

"DMort is telling us to expect up to 40,000 bodies," Dan Buckner, a funeral home director, said, quoting officials with the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team, a volunteer arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46175

 

[poco]

I am located 65 miles southwest of Dallas, in Navarro County... not far from Corsicana....I am actually 15 miles west of Corsicana.... I love it here... my ancestors are all buried within 5 - 10 miles of my home......and as you know I am in to Genealogy.

Kinda west of Waco I guess...

 

[less0305]

"DMort is telling us to expect up to 40,000 bodies," Dan Buckner, a funeral home director, said, quoting officials with the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team, a volunteer arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46175

Which is why I don't believe 80% of N.O. voluntarily evacuated. I don't know how Mayor Nagin knew how many people actually evacuated.

 

[JBean]

The New Orleans Levee Board was given $300,000,000 for levee improvement by the Bush administration. Instead of shoring up the levees, the city spent it on other things, including a casino, a courthouse, a plane for the mayor and his staff and some other things. They still had some of the money left when the levees broke last week.

I have heard rumors about personal commissioner puchases too that make the whole thing even more sickening.

 

[tipper]

For what it's worth 'cause it came from Geraldo - I heard him say on the radio the reason the school busses weren't used to take people out of the city is none of the surrounding town had a place to take them in and so refused them.


OT - Rather than have either the president or Congress investigate this whole debacle, I would rather they appointed a no-holds-bared, non-partisan who will do an honest job and not interpret events in the light most favorable to his or her own party.

 

[less0305]

For what it's worth 'cause it came from Geraldo - I heard him say on the radio the reason the school busses weren't used to take people out of the city is none of the surrounding town had a place to take them in and so refused them.


OT - Rather than have either the president or Congress investigate this whole debacle, I would rather they appointed a no-holds-bared, non-partisan who will do an honest job and not interpret events in the light most favorable to his or her own party.

It's going to be a non-partisan commission made up of both parties from the house and senate both.

 

[less0305]

Heck, I meant to say bi-partisan.

 

[Linda7NJ]

Are the evacuations now forced or is it still voluntary?

MSNBC is saying they are going door to door urging people to leave

CNN is saying they are now forced evacuations

Which is it?

 

[Larkit]

Is that a serious question?

Absolutely serious.

 

[Larkit]

Are the evacuations now forced or is it still voluntary?

MSNBC is saying they are going door to door urging people to leave

CNN is saying they are now forced evacuations

Which is it?

Strong urging. Not mandatory. It's being reported that those remaining in their homes are being told they will shortly stop receiving food and water drops, according to the governor's order.

 

[Dara]

Absolutely serious.

I've posted extensively on this. Do a search on "Chertoff" and my name. You'll find a lot of information. Two of my main concerns are that, like Brown, he seemed hugely uninformed:

Imaginary headlines used to justify a poor job?

Being uninformed about major conditions that the entire world knew long before.

His downplaying (Tuesday night) conditions in the Superdome, saying they weren't as bad as reported. Except he didn't even know what was going on there. He said so. Now, that's what he's doing while he's apparently still in charge? Spinning?

You want more, it's in the news.

 

[tipper]

It's going to be a non-partisan commission made up of both parties from the house and senate both.

Over the years I've lost confidence in both parties so a bi-partisan commission doesn't fill me with a belief we'll hear the whole story.

 

[SieSie]

The New Orleans Levee Board was given $300,000,000 for levee improvement by the Bush administration. Instead of shoring up the levees, the city spent it on other things, including a casino, a courthouse, a plane for the mayor and his staff and some other things. They still had some of the money left when the levees broke last week.

Oh, please, please tell me you have a link for this information. I really think we need someone in charge of wasteful spending of government money (or maybe we already have someone in charge, I'm not politically informed at all). This all just makes my head spin.