Capital Hill Trying Hard To Do The "Right" Thing

 

Hurricane funding is buried, again, inside a another grossly stuffed spending bill, to be voted on next week. It may be called 'pork,' but it is really a case of calling in favors by the Senator who's turn it is.

Since there is a long line of politicians waiting to get that 15 minutes of congressional spotlight fame, when that moment arrives no matter how ridiculous, out dated or impractical, they will prop it up on a pedestal like it was the best thing since the invention of the telephone.

One thing was not ridiculous, the "Gulf Coast Seafood Promotion Program." The 15m was gutted from the spending bill, but is not being shifted towards any other Gulf Coast needs.

The seafood promotion program wasn't portrayed in a positive light at all. But it would've in fact assisted many small and mid-size fisheries along the Gulf Coast. Remember the devastated Gulf Coast? There is no doubt that the program would have put more attention on the people and would have created more activity in the region.

A little better tweaking, polishing and marketing (educating) by an eloquent orator could have helped the bill make a much grander appearance and maybe again emphasize how much more help is needed in the Gulf Coast.

Instead the bill got hooked with images of Charlie Tuna, not the catastrophic plight of the fishing families struggling to survive under the apathetic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Remember long ago, the very prosperous generational Portuguese fishing families around San Diego, who were slowly forced out of the business because kelp farming was instituted?

So as it goes, Congress and the House can keep trying to convince the nation that they are about the people, for the people and of the people. It was the funny offer of a hundred dollar bribe (taxpayer money) that completely sunk that illusion the other day. The hill really does believe we are stupid!

Link to read about the spending bill...

Hattiesburg American

The Washington Post

Denver Post

New York Times

Miami Herald
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Peace March In New York Saturday....

 

If the march gets air time...I will be watching. This will be the very first march at the age of 40 something, for some of my Minnesota friends. Hurricane Katrina evacuees will be there as well as a list of other truly pro-action citizens. The passion for "peace" is growing and it will only get stronger.

Link to American Chronical and Democracy Now! and timesunion.com to read...
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The Voice of Peace From Neil Young

 

Read the RollingStones article and listen...
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FEMA Says One Thing ~ Does Another...All In A Day's Work

 

I had a hunch that FEMA was going to back paddle on the provisional services that they had obligated to the devastated people of the Gulf Coast. See FEMAs Full Throttle Attack on Evacuee's.
Whether they are 'directly' part of the long practicing tricks to do a little or a whole lot of creative bookkeeping, it really doesn't matter anymore. Our system - the whole thing - is broken.

Some of us know that the voucher letters stated - 1 year rental assistance. Now, they (FEMA) wants to add an addendum 8 months later? So, what will the people do now?

There sure are a lot of fires to put out...All over the place. Constant crisis, constant chaos, constant hurdles. Constant twists and turns to all things government related. I like mystery and intrigue in my books, not woven into my governemntal system.

It's time that the Democratic Party, The Independents, the Greens and the Reformists...Band together. If only these four groups could get past some of their personal biases, they may be able to build a "force," driven by the average common folk. And I know there are average Republicans out there, too.

Then every average American citizen may have a chance to find peace of mind once again. A chance to find balance. A chance to repair the damage. And the chance to reclaim democracy.

The New York Times story about the people we need to watch over, help them back and make them whole...
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GNO ~ Treme History

 

The I-10 project, in the late 1960's, was the last urban development straw that broke the back of this historic, vital and once prosperous neighborhood of New Orleans.

Claiborne Avenue was once home to one of the most prosperous African American business district in the nation.

So much has happened to this historic neighborhood in the past. Today community organizations are investing a labor of love for Treme, in hopes to revive the area.
Link to GNO
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Tombstone Style Showdown for Mayor of New Orleans

 

Mayor Nagin and Lt Gov. Landrieu left standing after this country's most watched mayoral race, in history.

Mayor Nagin has his hurdles to overcome, but so does Lt. Gov. Landrieu. People remember his fathers term in New Orleans and it isn't all roses. Those hurdles will be just as difficult. He will have to ease the minds of generational voters, who are adamant about not having another Landrieu for mayor.

Both men have their work cut out for them, and it shouldn't be any other way. They both must show the citizen voters that their ideas and their plans contain elements that will benefit everyone in this historic city.

Mayor Nagins proven mantra is "Be honest or leave." Lt. Gov. Landrieu needs to have a mantra that matches his worthiness to be Mayor of New Orleans, to be a public servant of and for the people.

Link to The Washington Post for the election finale'...

Link GNO
The I-10 project, in late 1960's, was the last urban development straw that broke the back of this historic, vital and once prosperous neighborhood of New Orleans.

Claiborne Avenue was once home to one of the most prosperous African American business district in the nation.

So much has happened to this historic neighborhood in the past. Today community organizations are investing a labor of love for Treme, in hopes to revive the area.
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CONGRATULATIONS Mayor Nagin!!!

 

New Orleans 'Is' headed in the right direction with the incumbent mayor. The two left standing after an amazing showdown leading to the New Orleans primary in May, is anything but smooth. Both candidates cannot rest on their laurels when there are hundreds of thousands of exiled evacuees still stranded outside of their beloved New Orleans.

Analysts seem to think that Mayor Nagin will be hard pressed to make it to another term. Analysts are not fortune tellers, so I put little stock in their predictions, they only have skewed visible data to work with. Besides they were completely off base on their predictions of who Minnesota's next Governor (another maverick) would be, many years back.

The exiled citizens are not hard data, they are living breathing thinking people, struggling day to day in silent dignity. Those that tried to get an absentee ballot, those that tried to send an absentee ballot and 'yes,' those that were denied the right to vote and turned away at the poll, all have something in common. They are the generational heart beat of the city, the soul of the 'Big Easy.'

There are evacuees that either couldn't make their way to retrieve ballots or didn't even know when the election would be, they never received a packet of information, but then again these are people who are moving around or are facing eviction from their temporary shelter because of FEMA.

The silent citizen voter is out there across the nation. The Mayor will, I'm sure, reach out to the exiled evacuee citizen, as he has done countless times already. And that had everything to do with his caring about the people he serves. It is even more critical he maintains a personal connection, by going to the countless places where evacuees reside.

He must go to the people, to keep the fire lit and warm the hearts of many, who with separation from their home the past 8 months, have been deprived of their life's blood. Mayor Nagin is still the mayor and there is no doubt about his responsibility to New Orleans. His track record as a person and as the mayor speak volumes...He can help New Orleans go forward because he is linked with the people, not stepping up on them.

Link to The Times Picayune and the other stories around the nation...Life of the Exiled Citizen Evacuee...Surviving...

Link to The Washington Post to read about how the two mayoral candidates wish to proceed...

WHO TV Des Moines

NewStand

Seattle PI

Macon Telegraph

Portville Recorder

The Boston Globe

Albuquerque

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New Orleans

 

The new Mayor ( thee rightful aspiring change agent) and all elected officials will live under a social microscope of a renewed citizen vigil. The new and old-new public officials will be held to a much higher standard than any past public servant has probably ever witnessed.

If New Orleans becomes a bland homogenized city, it will not be because 'of' the hundreds of thousands of absent exiled evacuees, who happen to be the historic impassioned pounding heart beat of the city. Homogenization will happen because the exiled evacuees are forced to be absent from their beloved New Orleans. At least for now and maybe forever.

If one whole life was intertwined in generations of people, in one spot, then disintegrated in a matter of hours and days, would one want to go back? Or, would one want to stay away - physically away from the old memories. Tuck them carefully into a dark corner of the mind and dust them off conveniently for select family members, to share with blood generations to come.

If a broken heart and a broken spirit keep taking hits from negative external forces, the wounds can't heal. The scars of the past, will grow thick and may be visible to the eye of an unsuspecting passer-by, when up close and personal. I wonder if I will be able to tell who 'Is' A-New Orleanian or who 'Was' a New Orleanian, in my daily life, from this day forward.

The elections, no matter the outcome, will have to bring closure for many. Justice being blind, it can't be denied, people who want to live in their beloved city again, will have to fight tooth and nail to get back firstly. People who want to lay rest the painful past and start fresh somewhere else, will do so. It doesn't equate to winning or losing, its just the way it is, its life.

"Blind my neighbors eyes from my person and my voice will rise louder,

Silence my painful anguish and my fists will pound harder,

Bind my weakened wrists and you have conquered me...For now, not forever"

by, Anonymous

Link to The Washington Post - Voters Decide New Orleans Fate...
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NOLA Missing Persons Forum 8 MONTHS Later

 

People still looking for the missing - using the missing forum and the database...an open wound, a broken heart, a tragic fact. But very necessary, we found lost family through it.
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New Orleans Tribune

 

The New Orleans Tribune is a best kept secret. At least it is to me. A good home~grown read that I recently discovered.
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Louisiana Secretary of State & FEMA Playing The Game with the Voters...

 

4/22/2006 - The Washington Post article

"Mayoral Race a Study in Black, White and Grey,"

4/21/2006 - The citizen contact information that all candidates needed access to, has continued to be restricted by the Louisiana Secretary of State office.

Even though FEMA produced a letter stating that the contact information could be made available for the purpose of the elections.

So, let me get this straight; LA Secretary of State says FEMA said "NO," FEMA says they said "Yes," & many exiled voters are left in the dark about 'all' candidate information.

The failure to protect the 'rights' of the citizen, by excluding the citizen voter from receiving the candidate information - Is Unexceptable.

It is assuredly so, we will need hundreds of hands and feet to count the many, many lawsuits waiting in the wings. The lawyers are about the only ones, who will profit from all of the 'accidentally on purpose' interpretation, translation and implementation (or no action) of the state election practices.

And this election, playing out in the national spotlight, isn't just a New Orleans problem. This is only another preview of how our voting system has been operating. Its' just an under the radar tactic. Even here, in Minnesota, there was talk about how our Secretary of State office provided misinformation' about voter eligibility...on the Wendy Wild show - Air America, several months ago. Right before she went off the air.

Is someone, at the top, afraid that the exiled residents of New Orleans will feel empowered with knowledge and then loudly expect their rights?

Link to The Times Picayune for the story...

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The UK Has A Point....Has America Lost?

 

Gary Young wrote an article for the Guardian Unlimited. It is a sad commentary on how America, as a whole, is sitting on the sidelines. Actually we seem to be sitting on the sidelines for a parade of the twisted and the bizarre. The Guardian wrote a story about devastated exiled New Orleans residents...Citizens of the United States of America, being denied entitled access in an extraordinary circumstance.

The article highlights many of the unjust, ridiculous and plain outrageous actions against the people and zeros in on who the majority of the survivors are that are being kept away from their beloved home. When I read the story, my heart is still heavy for all that the people have lost, endured and still suffer. When I read this story, it makes me think about why we never could get a national rally going, to show all of the people in the Gulf Coast that we deeply care.

Instead, the people of New Orleans get people like me, who can't always be there in person to help. But are trying to help in other ways. Always wishing I could do something more. Wishing that this land that I love and the free people it harbors, had never had to be victim nor witness to 'this' historic national failure. The state of the union address made it perfectly clear to the world, there are two Americas. One America is living in self serving denial and the other is the America that was lost and I want it back.
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Lance Hill Tries to Vote Absentee - New Orleans...

 

The editorial in The Times Picayune the other day lifted the lid on problems with the absentee voting system. The problem can be pointed to, focused on and highlighted...The Louisiana Secretary of State Office. Until this arm of the Louisiana government system can prove that they are not at fault for creating hurdles to voting, the burden will remain on their shoulders.

Link to Bayoubuzz.com story....

4/16/2006 Care Less or Careless for blog story...
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Houston Evacuees & FEMA's Full Throttle Attack

 

Here I thought Louisiana lawmakers were gonna need lot's of additional intensive therapy, from "Psychological Administrative Warfare" in there attempts to grasp hold of whatever real monies coming their states way.

4/1/2006...American Government -V- Foreign Investemnt...
"The lawmakers of Louisiana will need intense therapy and strong medicine for mental anguish from 'psychological administrative warfare,' if these kinds of tactics keep happening. That is a lesson everyone across the nation is facing in smaller doses. Yes, there will be those that thrive in the dealings of chaos, crisis and manipulation. They have an agenda that helps them and their friends personally. That is the reality."

But, once again(in the past few weeks), the administrative side of government is making excuses for informing thousands upon thousands of evacuees that they do not meet the FEMA housing assistance requirements. That adds up to a total of about 25,000 people within family units or 8,500 heads of household.

Right before the elections people in Houston and probably elsewhere, were told that they wouldn't have FEMA, because FEMA knew that their homes were livable in New Orleans, because FEMA sent out a task force to look at the homes. This is just one of many reasons given to the survivors for being cut off housing assistance.

Same FEMA, old agenda...ya know, I really doubt FEMA can be fixed at this point.

The elections coming up are so critical now, that all exiled need to get back to New Orleans, for the sake of humanity. When the buses roll up to New Orleans, when the cars park in New Orleans, anyone who is facing a bleak, unknown existence, fraught with endurance of multiple misteps, should consider staying in New Orleans. Because of the way people have been treated since the catastrophe...by government agencies, the citizens - thousands upon thousands, should refuse to leave New Orleans once they get there to vote.

It sounds ludicrous to suggest a mass citizen protest, sit in or whatever you want to call it. The evacuees, the survivors, the exiled people have been through too much already. But if something isn't done by the people, when they gather to vote, the threat of being silenced and walled off from their home from then on, is a greater probability.

FEMA says it is reviewing the list??? So, what if right after the elections, FEMA decides to stick with their 'deprivation attack' on the evacuees? Then where do the people go?

The Bayoubuzz.com did a piece on absentee voting...It is an eye opener...Lance Hill describes what happened when he tried to do an absentee vote....Trying to Absentee Vote In New Orleans
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MSNBC ~ The New Orleans Mayoral Debate Is On...The Magnificent Seven Showdown...

 

The "Magnificent Seven" came out in full bloom to the nation, for the benefit of their beloved New Orleans and the New Orleanians who will vote for them.

Since I've never witnessed a mayoral debate before this and as much as I regret why this has to be, I was very eager to watch the candidates in action. The mayoral hopefuls deserve an immense amount of praise, just for agreeing to this forum - to a national audience.

I give Mayor Nagin a huge cheer, just for being able to stand his ground amongst the group. He took heat and hits from all and came out the victor. Not once did he jab, insult, make fun of or disrespect his opponents. That's political class! If anything, he was held to a higher standard then the others.

Since prospective supporters are scattered all over the nation, it made perfect since to televise the debate. Network television will hopefully pick up the debate and show it again, again and again...to its non-cable customers, up to election day 4/22/06.

For the rest of us, New Orleans will be on the mend for a long time and they need all of us to stand with them in their attempts to rebuild an American city.

The Washington Post ...read the full story...

The Times Picayune ...read the whole story...
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World Magazine Views New Orleans Elections

 

A well rounded and thorough piece printed by the World Magazine with a few good interviews. Link...
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Louisiana Secretary of State...Now He Blames FEMA for Short Steps In New Orleans Election???

 

The Times Picayune is printing a story put out by The Associated Press yesterday...FEMA won't pay for elections.

The story was printed late afternoon and interestingly makes excuses in direct relationship to an editorial published yesterday, about problems with voting absentee. Link to blog story New Orleans Election.

To print this story in the midst of the election and have the Louisiana Secretary of State make several printed references before hand, as to how well they're doing, is an odd-odd step to take.

Considering the content of the AP story, are they admitting to a mistake now - before the votes can be collected and counted? Hope more comes out on why the Secretary seems a bit more dramatic now, when in other stories before, seemingly was pretty calm and optimistic.

New York - FEMA... 1 million obligated to Nassau County for suspended and rescheduled elections.

MSNBC - Louisiana Secretary of State Office Said

The Salon - Louisiana Secretary of State Said

The Times Picayune - Lousiana Secretary of State Said
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New Orleans...Some Supporting the Other Guy / Gal Just A Few Months Before Hurricane Season...

 

In the 4/17/2006 Louisiana Weekly, the reasoning behind their support of the other candidate, is steeped in a history of looking (appearing) honorable. That can be a reason. Looks like and doing are two different things, though.

The Mayor of New Orleans has a good honest track record. He was chipping away at a long time adverse political foundation that didn't develop over night, before catastrophic devastation hit the city. The Mayors family is a really good indicator as to the cut of his suit. Look at the man, then look at his family and friends. Can there be a more family driven husband and father...Living in the spot light of the before and aftermath of an 80% decimation of ones home, along with all those that you know.

Living, breathing and growing from a place - out of love of ones home, making the strides to do better and make better for all residents, is not an instant character maker, it is a born character builder, a good change agent.

Years of institutionalized poverty, classism, chronyism and even racism (not isolated to the South by any means) takes a deliberate constant even hand. Mix the old with the new...namely the new incoming Mayor Nagin and you get conflict and rife from the 'old way' of doing things. If too timid in poise an elected official could be driven over by the 'old' way and never know what hit him / her. Too abrasive and not even the public would greet him / her on the street, in passing.

He does not appear to be a 'yes' man, but does appear to possess the necessary decorum and tact to deal with any level of government. In his attempt to communicate openly with all the citizens regarding the rebuilding of a city, lets not forget the real cat and mouse games from the federal level. You either try and disseminate information in a timely manner with which it is given, attaching an add on that things could change or you say nothing at all.

With this current administration, US Senate and US House...The chaotic cat and mouse games just never end. The people would never have tolerated "nothing at all." If the Mayors traits had him always appealing to the mass or appeasing the affluent, then how did he get as far as he did? As far as I can tell, the Mayor was constantly in change agent mode, mediating and debating "with" those that had their very own agenda's to protect their turf (not unlike anywhere USA). Debating is healthy if all agree to the actual matter at hand.

If New Orleans votes to change the player, then they are voting to change the game along with the coach. If the citizens are ready and willing to stay on the heals of an untested new comer, watching and learning how he / she "walks the walk & talks the talk," then they must feel extremely disappointed in their current Mayors past performance and will go to lengths to unseat him, while putting their city back together. If New Orleans voters decide not to re-elect Mayor Nagin, I truly hope he goes on to the next level of government. Cuz, we need more public officials with his type of humble mantra. The sign "Be honest or leave," on his door plainly says it all.

Link to TheWashington Post Story - New Orleans Voters Can't Nail Down Nagin...

Link to The Washington Post for the 4/15/2006 article about the vulnerability of the citizens in the upcoming hurricane season...
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New Orleans ~ Candidate Profiles

 

The Washington Post article gives mini profiles on two of the strongest candidates to face Mayor Nagin. Check out the lengthy article about Mayor Nagin, also The Washington Post .

...The Hero ~ Nature and Man Made....

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New Orleans Election ~ Are Absentee Voters Up Against A Care Less or Careless System?

 

A resident of New Orleans, exiled to Texas, writes of the hurdles to complete the official task of getting her absentee voter ballot back to Louisiana, for the upcoming 4/22/2006 election.

The exact reason why out of state satellite voting polls needed to be instituted for the evacuee residents of New Orleans. The situation described, obviously began in the office where the absentee ballots were sent from. Those that stuffed the envelopes, sealed the envelopes and added to the countless number of other ballot envelopes to be sent out to the New Orleans citizen, are supervised by someone who would know the rules of voting absentee.

Those that supervise would have had to have some knowledge of how an absentee ballot gets from point A to B to C....Right? Those that coordinate and implement the absentee ballot mailing would have to know what the citizen would need to have, in order to legally cast their vote. Wouldn't they?

The website containing the Louisiana Displaced Voter Registration information makes no reference to cost of voting absentee, unless it is well hidden in the layers of information pages. For those that may not be used to the absentee process and especially for those who have survived the devastation of their lives, all information needed to be published and advertised effectively. The Louisiana Secretary of State feels that everything that can be done to help people vote, is in place.

These areas of concern that are being expressed in the editorial, needed to be addressed and resolved from the start of planning. If there was some element of thought as to - how far a person would extend themselves monetarily to vote and how much more would a person sacrifice for the right to vote, it was not state public officials nor an election staff call to make. Every conceivable measure to allow reasonable access to the 'right to vote,' should have been followed, with truthful intent and using sound judgment. If good intentions were put forth, not paying attention to exiled citizen voter needs is equally tragic.

No telling how many people will give up their right to vote as the writer indicates, because they just simply can't afford to spare money or time or test their stamina any further. Food or vote, gas or vote, any necessity or vote, including work or vote; creates a sad, sad snapshot that could mushroom into a mural of "The forgotten Citizen Voter."

Sure hope the "voter rights" advocates are on top this one. When one persons opinion is expressed, it typically echoes many other voices. To have a chance, one person - one vote - activists and advocates do the best job of making actions count and accountability stick, in the arena of public opinion.
Link to The Times Picayune for whole Editorial...
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NEW ORLEANS ~ Overcoming the Odds Through Hope

 

Ten Thousand Plus voted early in New Orleans. Now, the real test is coming up April 22, 2006. All first time voters and long time voters will be DRIVING, BUSING, FLYING & WALKING (some hundreds of miles) to the polls to exercise their resident citizen right to add a voice, to create a roar - for a New Orleans that can't live without them.
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Roadside Beautification ~ Billboard Bunch Adds A Southern Smile ~ Its New Orleans Mayor Nagin

 

Re-Elect Billboards have popped up in areas where New Orleans evacuees are living in large numbers. Keen marketing, with a whole lot of heart and a tag line that says it all.
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Firehouse Chat with Harry R. Carter Ph.D., MIFireE

 

Detour for the day...
Harry Carter, contributing editor to Firehouse.com paints an interesting picture about what the average public servant is up against...when attempting to their job. There is an aura of intrigue as to why the "infrastructure" we rely upon and used to assume was fully intact, has been disrupted through subtle agenda ridden initiatives.

This editorial also boomerangs my thoughts back to my own backyard, where shootings in Minneapolis, Minnesota is occurring in areas typically untouched before. After the Minneapolis Police department faced forced creative (legal) bookkeeping techniques in 2004 at the hands of the city council and a 2003 budget cut in local government aid - state government grants.

The author hits on areas of concerns that do transcend across this nation. From the perspective of the regular everyday citizen, I would expect that all the services that I pay taxes for, are not just intact, but completely and thoroughly meant to do what it was intended for.

The author is absolutely correct; each area of service represents a different role with different needs. If those local level familiar roles are changing away from the norm...we do have many more problems ahead. Unfortunately, constantly waiting for the next well planned crisis to occur, is damaging to the psyche.

Dr. Carter says what he feels. This is the voice of "been there, done that." This is the voice of someone who cares. I appreciate his courage for expressing his opinion openly.

Link to read the whole editorial on firehouse.com...

More on the current Minneapolis crime solution from Minnesota Public Radio
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Failures, Fetishes & Fiction...FEMA

 

The Washington Post story gives accounts of wasteful FEMA spending since Hurricane Katrina. What could possibly make this agency better and more accountable, while it remains in the same place? "Critical Thinking" skills cannot be magically instilled - in those that operate within.
Read The Times Picayune story about the recent Senate subcommittee hearing...FEMA and the US Army Corps of Engineers.
Pondering the Presidents White House Homeland Ssecurity and Counter-Terrorism advisors criticism on FEMA's trailer placement project...

The First Response Coalition Blog has important information directly related to the needs of the women and men responders - who we depend on to help us.
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New Orleans ~ FEMA & the US Army Corps of Engineers Invited to Testify...

 

The Times Picayune editorial reports the disturbing results of a Senate subcommittee field hearing with FEMA and the US Army Corps of Engineers on wasteful spending. The editorial states that ultimately the Corps does not believe the public has a right to know a tallied list of costs and FEMA ended up leaving the meeting before it had completed and therefore was absent for the remainder of the hearing. Link to Read the whole story....
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It Matters What 'Is' "Is"...New Orleans Levee Money - Additional 2.5B...Less or More of the Same?

 

Remember...12/2005 The additional 1.5b to equal 3.1b and then remember it was lost to the Senate Appropriations Committee, where the President said on 3/8/2006 that the Committee essentially refused to act on his request?
The Washington Post states that the original 3.1b was either requested or received?
Go the 3/12/2006 blog for details The Presidents request for the additional 1.5b has been lost...
Another 2.5b is being proposed and this time there is a catch...It is not a block grant, this is a loan with sharp teeth that will come back to bite the citizens of the state. Senator Landrieu seems pretty adamant to not let Louisiana fall into a "beggars can't be choosers" mentality....Good for her!
Link to the story from The Washington Post...
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Wonder...What Does James Lee Witt Think of the New FEMA Flood Map Projections?

 

Donald Powell made a statement about the new advisory projections given to New Orleans home and business owners "This will enable people to get on with their lives." Link to The Washington Post...
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Editorial From Sister Schaff of New Orleans...

 

Sister Lory Schaff, CSJ wrote an editorial in The Times Picayune. Looking out for families for many years, her voice offers facts about the plight of where the people of very low income are supposed to live. Link to story...
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The First 2,190 in New Orleans to Exercise Their Right To Vote

 

Times Picayune reports the first voting day results with a glimpse of what the people have to say, by Brian Thevenot and Leslie Williams.
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New Orleanians Begin Voting ~ Making Today Count For Many

 

New Orleans 4/10/2006 - A landmark day...for the people and the future.

May 27, 2002 - Ray Nagin defeated 14 candidates to become the
Mayor of New Orleans.

Voting for the Mayor of any town or city doesn't usually matter to anyone, except for those that reside in that area. The mayoral race in New York was of national interest because of the exiting Mayors valiant demeanor during 9/11. People wanted to see and hear from the "leader hero" before he left the spotlight altogether.

We like hero's, we find inspiration in what a hero represents. The strength in character, the firm compassion and the human connection is a public hero made. Different place and another time, the next public hero emerged out of the Southern Gulf Coast. Anguish over his people filled city pierced the air waves at that moment in time, when people all over the world, were startled into his world.

Trapped in the eye of catastrophe, drowning in a flood of isolation, this man touched our hearts with his voice - voicing the peoples plight. It ripped through our being. It made us swell with tears, it sent chills up and down our spines.

This hero never left, never abandoned his city and has stayed through out, every hour of every day, his inner being is co-mingled with everything that is the aftermath of catastrophe and everything that is the rebirth of an American city. Truly a test of human indurance during this time of trial and error. In the face of deathly peril, he never left the people, never deserted the city and he never gave up. This hero stayed true to himself, thereby staying true to the people he serves. With no magic wand, no national rally and no easy answers to the myriad of inconceivable hurdles, this man is a hero.

Anyone seeking information about voting options may call the secretary of state's toll-free number, 1 (800) 883-2805.
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New Orleans - The Nation Is Watching Your Mayoral Race...

 

The Times Picayune reports the story of the latest Mayoral pitching platform. This gathering spotlighted the citizens questions being thrown out to each candidate present. How well the candidates are doing with the public right now, is still a litmus test of unordinary proportions, poll or no poll. A unique situation, in a unique city...filled with unique people - all evacuees included. The public are asking questions of the politicians that under normal circumstance wouldn't exist. Since actions speak louder than words, the public, both present and exiled, have a much tougher decision to make than any other place in this nation. A very unordinary race in a very unordinary place.
Link to The Times Picayune...
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Political Fairness ~ Political Gateway...A World for the Voter & Candidate

 

EUREKA...An all encompassing political site Political Gateway.
Check out Bob Hoffmans bio...click on About.

Another helpful site On The Issues Political Leaders across the nation.


Taking a little detour and have decided to post this site for the multi-faceted benefit for anyone else who might be interested, anyone else who needs a place to pivot from. This is like discovering many treasure chests inside one big chest of current political events, without having to dig a thousand more holes to find information on what the Left, Bi-Partisan, the Right and their off shoots are thinking and writing about. I do still enjoy searching for information that media has deemed either unimportant or too edgy to print truthfully, for the mainstream citizen, in today's climate.

Getting more satisfaction out of learning from reading all spectrums of opinions on matters I am curious about, those that I am passionate about and the ones I didn't know about, is really what drives my thirst for wanting more information. The only word to describe not having enough information is...Unsettling. Too much information, especially vague, generalized or distorted, is equally unsettling.

I will doubly enjoy visiting this site for my daily dose of what's up, but will not forsake google news any time soon. Everything in moderation, smaller doses and taking breaks away from the news is much healthier now days, it seems. What did catch my attention on the Political Gateway, was two candidates from northern Minnesota out of a national list of candidates, who are campaigning through this site, using the site link to their websites.

The Political Gateway makes available websites for perspective candidates of all party's - small and big. A very good sign for all who want to run for an office, deliver their message and get people (voters) in their area to be aware of who their choices are, as candidates and as a person. For matters that would concern the people in their own backyard. Opening the lines of communication this way can help the voter to assess the candidate's and then take the steps to contact and/or donate if they feel inspired enough.

It also seems that this path would allow 'would be candidates' reasonable access to advertising without having to worry about spending an additional thousands upon thousands of campaign dollars that would otherwise keep them out of the race. Very grassroots. It is another tool that the average any-citizen can benefit from, just by tuning in, comparing and weighing the options that our neighbor (locally or nationally) is being offered.

Doesn't matter what party they belong to, it is what they have to offer their town, county or state that really matters and that is what this site gets. And it will be really interesting to see how many new comers will come out on the campaign trail for 2006 elections; fresh, honest and passionate, not bogged down in ugly - crazy making - bullying. I wonder how many Greens, Independents, Reformers or others will jump on this bandwagon site? If Politcal Gateway catches on with all candidates( the list is still small), that sure would create an exciting foundation of 'Democracy in Action'. A breath of fresh air much needed...Cool!

Link to Political Gateway and discover...
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Anonymous Replied to New Orleans ~ Income Tax Rumors

 

The failure of the levees was the result of long-misappropriated funds dealt by the Democrat good ol' boys who have ran my state for generations. They are a cancer, make no mistake about it; all Katrina and Rita did last year was expose the decay they pluck their fruit from.
Posted by Anonymous 4/8/2006 7:04pm

Thank you Anonymous...I can always appreciate the personal voice of experience.
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New Orleans ~ Income Tax Rumors

 

Thank you 'Police State USA' blog, for posting the link to the Baton Rouge Post story 'City Elections May Aid Tax Collectors, Cost Voters' that was printed and meant to scare the citizens.

Thousands upon thousands of residents from Wisconsin commute across the river to work everyday, here in Minnesota. The process for filing income tax is no more difficult than if they were a resident. So, unless more articles are run in Texas and other temporary evacuee states, to show how many citizens commute daily to work to another state across this nation, they (the exiled citizens of the Gulf Coast, especially New Orleanians) may have been given misinformation about how the income filing tax laws really work.

The way the story reads, could cause greater stress on hundreds of thousands of hurricane / flood survivors, who have never lived nor worked outside of the state of Louisiana. To work across state line is not a big deal at all, not unless there is a serious disparity between the two states one works and lives in, that is detrimental to the tax payer (hmmm...That's another story for later;). That has nothing to do with the scare tactics that the story reports in the Baton Rouge Post. It has everything to do with the citizen seeing less or seeing more in their state and federal tax refunds. Plus, the catastrophe of the levees collapsing and the floods from the hurricane driven winds, will be a solid case to make to the IRS (negotiating should not be necessary under the circumstances) about any money owed by a citizen, to postpone paying in.

The extended catastrophic damage in New Orleans was caused by federal negligence of the levees. So, unless the grassroots organizations, the nonprofits and the other advocates of 'Democracy in the United States.' don't get to the exiled voters and set the record straight with true information, the rumors of 'tax threat' to them (voters)for voting, will prevail. Then they just won't vote.
For an article on Hurricane Relief for Tax Payers Link to MARKETWATCH.COM...

2/17/2006 Internal Revenue Service postpones tax...IRS
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Tax Relief for Hurricane Victims...IRS is Helping People...

 

marketwatch.com article 'More Time to Heal' also has a link to an informative page about hurricane relief from the
Internal Revenue Service postpones tax...IRS site, too.
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New Tactics to Scare Exiled Evacuee Citizens & Their Voting Rights...

 

Thank you 'Police State USA' blog, for posting the link to the Baton Rouge Post story that was printed and meant to scare the citizens. Thousands upon thousands of residents from Wisconsin commute across the river to work everyday, here in Minnesota. The process for filing income tax is no more difficult than if they were a resident.

So, unless more articles are run in Texas and other temporary evacuee states, to show how many citizens commute daily to work to another state across this nation, they (the exiled citizens of the Gulf Coast, especially New Orleanians) may have been given misinformation about how the income filing tax laws really work. This could cause greater stress on hundreds of thousand of hurricane / flood survivors. To work across state line is not a big deal at all, not unless there is a serious disparity between the two states one works and lives in, that is detrimental to the tax payer (hmmm...That's another story for later;). That has nothing to do with the scare tactics that the story reports in the Baton Rouge Post. It has everything to do with the citizen seeing less or seeing more in their state and federal tax refunds.

Plus, the catastrophe of the levees collapsing and the floods from the hurricane driven winds, will be a solid case to make to the IRS (negotiating should not be necessary under the circumstances) about any money owed by a citizen, to postpone paying in. The extended catastrophic damage in New Orleans was caused by federal negligence of the levees. So, unless the grassroots organizations, the nonprofits and the other advocates of 'Democracy in the United States.' don't get to the exiled voters and set the record straight with true information, the rumors of 'tax threat' to them (voters)for voting, will prevail. Then they just won't vote.
Link to the Baton Rouge Post...
Internal Revenue Service postpones tax...IRS
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Nonprofit in NO Steps Up for Smarter Planning...

 

Catholic Charities will begin to create "affordable housing" in New Orleans, that no other city operated agency seems to be doing. The public housing crisis is just that, a crisis. Public housing apartments were available right after the levee collapse, undamaged and livable. Affordable housing does not mean welfare housing. People have misunderstood this term for many years and it makes one wonder who is perpetuating the welfare myth around practical and reasonable rent costs, using real time Un-livable wages and Non-rising fixed incomes. Having a nonprofit step up and take the reigns to provide thousands of units is commendable, but it is also a shame that the other thousands of affordable units seem no more, lost in the murky waters of public misunderstandings.
Link to The Times Picayune for the whole story....4/5/2006
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James Carville "A Lil Soul, A Lil Dance, A Lil Seltzer Down My Pants"

 

New Orleans and James Carville, both eclectic forces to be reckoned with! I enjoyed watching his Sunday morning and late night talk show visits, he fit my learning style. His sassy commentaries laced with polished southern manners, made him a household name. When he got excited, he got excited and it showed. When he was serious, he was stead fast and absolutely unmovable. Mr. Carville spoke to a group of government researchers in New Orleans Thursday 4/6/2006 at the Hilton. I bet the hotel staff got a lot more enjoyment, a lot bigger boost and a huge dose of inspiration, more than they had anticipated. I sure would like to see James Carville visit the Sunday morning political talk shows 'soon' and listen to his wise wisdom and get a boost from his kaleidoscope personality, too.

Link to The Times Picayune for the whole story...

Also go to a Meet The Press transcript from 11/2004...Mr. Carville gives an interesting interview and has to make good on a bet and pay the Boys and Girls Club.
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Civil Rights

 

Link to civilrights.org...New Orleans...
The Minnesota House, very similar to the US House, seems to be convinced that the mass mainstream citizens do not deserve their hard fought 'Rights,'under the law. The MN Senate seems to be a bit better (although selectively) at reading and interpreting what (((made))) this country a great democracy...The right to vote!
PS...More and more people are expressing their desire for a paper trail of 'ALL' upcoming elections, everywhere. It would make me feel much more confident about this process today, if honest hands were tallying all the numbers...1 Person - 1 Vote.
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The Exodus of Bad Gov't Begins....

 

Even though Mr. Tom Delay will be relocating to Virginia from Texas, an infamous public official called "The Hammer," the bad taste in democracy's mouth won't go away any time soon. No amount of Listerine or Scope is going to do the trick, yet. But there is hope that our Government will get back its healthy smile and sound byte, in hopes that our peoples real needs are met, in our country, in the United States of America....REMEMBER THE GULF COAST, I do.
Link to the Star Telegram for the story...
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Civil Liberties For All

 

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Flood Season Is Here & FEMA Is Not Ready...

 

"We had the best of the best making FEMA into a pro-action pact - hit the ground running United States Federal agency. Then in early 2000, the best of the best were reduced, replaced and rendered helpless. Many helpless and hapless federal agencies, is not smaller effective government, its just 'another' catastrophe waiting to happen."

The thaw of winter and spring rains create unstable conditions nation wide. Flooding is expected again and local disaster teams are ready to do their jobs.

Alaska, Minnesota and other states receive regular help from FEMA with yearly predicted flooding of populated area's. The local responders receive training from experienced responders with wisdom of "been there and done that" many times over.

New comers will become old timers with time and experience. But 'old timers' are our valuable asset, they give us consistent stable knowing direction. In the midst and aftermath of disaster, it is the 'old timer' that holds everything and everyone together, even beyond mission accomplished. The 'old timers' are the backbone and we need them to always be there. Planning and training before a disaster, then implementing and delegating during and after a disaster, any disaster...natural or man made.

The New York Times article about the difficulty in finding a permanent FEMA director and the hiring of only 60 new staff, makes this years flooding season in Minnesota an incredibly serious time of trial without error. Not a good time to be any state in need of FEMA help since observing the realities during the Gulf Coast catastrophe. And this failure to get FEMA on the right track in time for all this years seasonal weather related challenges doesn't bode to well for any other unexpected disaster events either.



Link to The New York Times story FEMA Calls, but Top Job is Tough Sell....
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Letter to LA Governor ~ Protect and Provide the Right to Vote

 

Link to the Color of Change letter that informs Governor Blanco that people everywhere feel strongly about all New Orleanians having the right to cast their vote. Displaced exiled evacuees are still citizens of the city and every attempt needs to made to support and enforce these rights, using necessary creative methods that have been proven to work. Iraqi citizens, on American soil, cast their votes for a new government. For the Citizens of New Orleans, LA USA, suffering the worst catastrophe on American soil, the same determined efforts must be made to help them too.
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Flooding Season is Here & FEMA is Not Ready...

 

The thaw of winter and spring rains create unstable conditions nation wide. Flooding is expected again and local disaster teams are ready to do their jobs.

Alaska, Minnesota and other states receive regular help from FEMA with yearly predicted flooding of populated area's. The local responders receive training from experienced responders with wisdom of "been there and done that" many times over.

New comers will become old timers with time and experience. But 'old timers' are our valuable asset, they give us consistent stable knowing direction. In the midst and aftermath of disaster, it is the 'old timer' that holds everything and everyone together, even beyond mission accomplished. The 'old timers' are the backbone and we need them to always be there. Planning and training before a disaster, then implementing and delegating during and after a disaster, any disaster...natural or man made.

The New York Times article about the difficulty in finding a permanent FEMA director and the hiring of only 60 new staff, makes this years flooding season in Minnesota an incredibly serious time of trial without error. Not a good time to be any state in need of FEMA help since observing the realities during the Gulf Coast catastrophe. And this failure to get FEMA on the right track in time for all this years seasonal weather related challenges doesn't bode to well for any other unexpected disaster events either.

We had the best of the best making FEMA into a pro-action pact - hit the ground running United States Federal agency. Then in early 2000, the best of the best were reduced, replaced and rendered helpless. Many helpless and hapless federal agencies, is not smaller effective government, its just 'another' catastrophe waiting to happen.

Link to The New York Times story FEMA Calls, but Top Job is Tough Sell....
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April No Fooling US Day ~ Thousands in New Orleans

 

Standing up and marching for Voting rights. This gathering could be the spark that ignites passion for voter rights across the United States. Would any other city and town tolerate their displaced citizens being left out of the process? The New Orleans citizens are leading the way to show us what is right about having a vote and what is wrong about any alienation to prevent a vote. With everything that the people have been through, true American passion is playing out and is becoming a blue print for the rest of us to follow.
Link to The Times Picayune....
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American People ~V~ Foreign Investment

 

The newest indication, another added piece to the puzzle, is pretty clear...the Gulf Coast of the United States of America will not receive the help they deserve. Deserving citizens that create the tapestry of tax paying citizens. All consumers are tax payers, all residents are tax payers and all workers are tax payers. Drips of hurricane funding dropping into some hands of those in need, while others are left parched and dry.

So, now that the pendulum is swinging the other way, from too little hurricane funding for the New Orleans levee system - taking too long to get in place, to mammoth increased levee funding - being placed on the shoulders of the state and thus the citizens. Why is the state responsible for this new cost? The levee system that collapsed is a federally funded project ( before and after the floods ), salaries go to the US Army Corps of Engineers, federally classified employees.

The triple digit increase should be a moment for rejoicing, but it isn't. The state of Louisiana, every city in the state and every citizen are expected to pay again, again and again. Isn't this reverse double or triple dipping, for something that was already paid for by the citizens to the federal government. Forgot...the federal government cut the New Orleans levee protection budget last year (see 3/22 Creative Crazy Making), again. For every cut that was made on a federal level for local federal services already paid into, wouldn't that mean that the government actually owes the people of the Gulf Coast every penny plus a whole lot more, for years of reduced and lost services?

The lawmakers of Louisiana will need intense therapy and strong medicine for mental anguish from 'psychological administrative warfare,' if these kinds of tactics keep happening. That is a lesson everyone across the nation is facing in smaller doses. Yes, there will be those that thrive in the dealings of chaos, crisis and manipulation. They have an agenda that helps them and their friends personally. That is the reality. But, in my world...Peace, Harmony and Balance...Is the natural medicinal remedy of my choice.
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