Sunday, February 05, 2006

Louisiana’s Plan? We hear Governor Blanco has one, but no one has yet to see it.

Everyone hates partisan rhetoric, especially now, in the aftermath of such a devastating tragedy. Sometimes rhetoric is obviously misguided; at other times, its truth is aimed dead-center, as an arrow towards a bullseye. Today, especially, no one knows what the truth really is—however, with no evidence presented to the contrary, we can assume that no one is ready to handle the truth when it comes to Louisiana’s handling of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Governor Blanco’s administration’s response to the storm and its aftereffects could be accurately compared with the worst bumbling history has ever witnessed. Granted, the ball was dropped across the field of play, but nothing compares to her lackadaisical handling of such a delicate egg.

Yesterday, Roger Villere, the re-elected chairman of the state Republican Party, pointedly criticized Governor Blanco for not having a reconstruction plan to hand to Washington. Her lack of planning is quite obvious, both in New Orleans and across the state. Federal money has already been committed to Louisiana and Mississippi but, in Louisiana, there is no plan to utilize the awarded funds. Blanco’s public relations guard dog, Denise Bottcher, reported that the state has had a 29-page plan for the last four months. If this is the case, it must be hidden in the same secret vault as the formula for Coca-Cola. The Louisiana government has an obligation to tell its citizens how money will be spent and to detail exactly how those funds will be allotted. Any proposed plan should be published and dispersed, not relegated to some mythical and imaginary place. Without a tangible contract with the people, no entity should guarantee the state funding for anything.

Everyone has seen the fiber of our governor and knows that the quality of her spine matches that of a parasitic tape worm, leaching off the life’s blood of her host state. If Blanco is following some sort of a plan, it is one based on self-preservation and self-promotion. Her primary strategy seems focused on taking as little responsibility for her own inactions and incompetence as possible. Her personal pride continuously comes before the well being of her constituents. If her actions adequately portray the objectives of her “plan,” we might as well all go to the coast and start shoveling Louisiana’s soil into the Gulf of Mexico.


Carson W. Maxwell
http://cwmaxwell.atspace.com

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Louisiana Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Recall Drive

On January 16, 2006, I posted an article, "We’ll Send You Home Again, Kathleen." This is a response e-mailed to me on February 2, 2006:

Recall not partisan? Give me a break. All recalls
are inherently partisan. Was it you who said that it is not partisan because most of her constituency is affected. Said it is not gender-based because the writer is a female. Telling me that a group of people is affected does not prove that it is not partisan.

The constituency to whom you refer is Black people. Get a grip! Your recall is so partisan it is glaring. Oh, by the way, I am black; fiscal conservative; and staunchly against abortion.

Signed: Stranded at the Convention Center after Katrina.



My reply:

Thank you for your comment.

It is my opinion that the recall drive is as appropriate and unpartisan as one could ever hope it to be. Evidence shows Blanco’s incompetence and illustrates her overall lack of earnest compassion. False empathy is nothing new for Blanco, but now, her true persona has been publicly noticed.

This recall effort would be considered partisan if only members of one party were to sign the recall petition. If a Democrat would have rallied support for, and instigated, this drive, the question of partisan politics would not have even entered into the mix. Though a Republican initiated action, many Democrats are equally outraged at Ms. Blanco’s utter ineffectiveness. I’m certainly glad it was a woman who began this movement, as cries of gender-based prejudice would have certainly echoed through the halls of the State Capitol and resonated loudly through the blow horn of Blanco’s equally inept public relations staff.

The constituency referred to in my article is the entire State of Louisiana, and, in particular, the many poor PEOPLE left to suffer in the most dreadful conditions. To say that only African Americans suffered as a result of Katrina is nothing less than inane and borders on racist propaganda. Perhaps I missed your point when you wrote, “The constituency to whom you refer is Black people.” I know many Democrats who are not “Black,” and know quite a few Republicans who are. Is this an attempt to stereotype either African Americans or Democrats? In your e-mail, you state you are a “black; fiscal conservative; and staunchly against abortion.” You go on to sign your e-mail, “Stranded at the Convention Center after Katrina.” This is an interesting way of trying to separate yourself from your own self-created stereotype.

Actually, there were more than just African Americans stranded within New Orleans and the outlying area immediately after the storm. I remember seeing rescues of Hispanics, Asians, and Caucasians, of all ages, as well. Additionally, many people across all economic, racial, and political lines continue to face the effects of Blanco’s continued indecision and confusion each day. Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Communists, people of other political parties, Blacks, Whites, Yellows, Reds, any other people of color, the rich, the poor, and the middle class are each bearing the burden of her sheer lack of leadership.

Should she go? Yes. Will she be recalled? Probably not. Will she be reelected? Definitely not. Regardless, she has already left her mark on Louisiana’s history. It is unfortunate that our first female governor has turned out to be such a failure. Hopefully, the letdown experienced will not blind voters to future female candidates for office. Unfortunately, I think many will overlook such a candidate in an effort to forget the Blanco years.

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

A Thirty-Second Aside for New Orleans and the Gulf Coast

Like many in Louisiana, I listened to President Bush’s State of the Union Address last night with the hope of hearing a new promise or, at least, some encouraging words for the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. What we actually heard was nothing more than a tick on the tail end of an old familiar dog. If it wasn’t for our current situation, I probably would not have wasted my time listening to this partisan fluff, as reading the transcript at my leisure would have undoubtedly sufficed. More often than not, grand-stand promises are rarely kept and low-level successes are exaggerated into grand feats. For this Presidential administration, embellishment is something we have come to expect.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen of Louisiana and Mississippi, our anticipation culminated in these few words, placed at the end of the usual Bush diatribe—

“A hopeful society comes to the aid of fellow citizens in times of suffering and emergency and stays at it until they are back on their feet. So far the federal government has committed $85 billion to the people of the Gulf Coast and New Orleans. We are removing debris, repairing highways and building stronger levees. We are providing business loans and housing assistance. Yet as we meet these immediate needs, we must also address deeper challenges that existed before the storm arrived. In New Orleans and in other places, many of our fellow citizens have felt excluded from the promise of our country. The answer is not only temporary relief, but schools that teach every child and job skills that bring upward mobility and more opportunities to own a home and start a business. As we recover from a disaster, let us also work for the day when all Americans are protected by justice, equal in hope and rich in opportunity.”

Great, we have a commitment of $85 billion, but no guarantee of how that money will be put to use. In Bush’s words, we can find a veiled pledge that our country might stand behind us until we are back on our feet. Put into context, this sounds like highly subjective criteria for eventual abandonment. Keep in mind that, in only a little over five months, we have already been relegated to abbreviated blurb status.

So, what does the future hold for New Orleans and the Gulf Coast? In the short term, a guarantee of another hurricane season and a high probability that a devastating storm will once again smash some part of this region. Indecision at state and local governmental levels promises a slow recovery that only powerful, but currently unforeseen, guidance and leadership might accelerate. Many are already discouraged and, as progress flounders, more are losing hope and spirit. Without some sign of forward momentum, the nation will certainly, and progressively, lose more interest. By this time next year, the plight of those affected by 2005’s hurricanes could be relegated to thoughts of distant history.