Posted on 12/14/2005 2:16:53 PM PST by LdSentinal
In the grand scheme of things, Gov. Kathleen Blanco’s confusion and mendacity in her testimony to the U.S. House’s committee investigating the Hurricane Katrina disaster will serve the state poorly in its quest for federal help to rebuild.
In some parts of her testimony, Blanco seemed confused. Before she made a statement about how she “would not be here today if the levees had not failed,” she said, “What happened to us this year can only be described as a catastrophe of Biblical proportions.” But those kinds of calamities to which she refers were visited upon certain persons and peoples by God because of their wickedness. Is she implying Louisiana was wicked, and how can she square that comment with hers that the catastrophe was man-made because of levee failure? (Obviously, her speechwriters need to do their homework and think more clearly through their arguments.)
Also, she mistakenly called “bold” the recent initiatives that she cultivated through the legislative special session. Finally getting a uniform hurricane-resistant building code isn’t “bold,” it’s common sense that should have prevailed long ago. Taking over failing Orleans schools is necessary, but stands independently of the disaster. Budget cuts at the margins rather than restructuring is timid. And the truly bold changes that needed to be made, such as meaningful levee governance reform, she refused to support.
She also showed just how ignorant she was concerning the entire flood control issue before the hurricane by responding to a question about whether levees were adequately maintained with “Before Katrina I would have said yes. Now, I would say no.” Blanco appointed members to levee boards; how could she not demand accountability from those people and fool her into thinking things were adequate? Maybe because, despite pious words from her about how patronage needs to be removed from levee governance, only days ago she acted as the hatchet woman for Kenner mayor Aaron Broussard over a political dispute regarding Broussard’s handling of the disaster. All of this suggests that Blanco’s “commitment” to real levee governance reform is as a result of declining poll numbers, not from genuine desire.
(And, in one question not yet picked up in the media reports, after she said Congress needed to provide more funds to coordinate emergency response communications, she had no good answer when asked about the over $100 million sent to the state in recent years to be spent for this purpose, why only a fraction has been spent on the matter.)
Blanco also managed to slip in a few outright falsehoods into her testimony:
Blanco lie: “I have sent over 100,000 documents supporting the state’s actions. I chose not to take executive privilege.”
Truth: At least in spirit, since there is no real equivalent in Louisiana to the federal government concept of “executive privilege” (the idea that separation of powers would be violated by the legislature’s ability too intrusively to request information from the president). Blanco redacted some information and refused to turn over other relevant information such as her own e-mail communications.
Blanco lie: “We had to evacuate several low-lying areas prior to Orleans. That evacuation began early Saturday. It took a lot of courage to follow that plan. [New Orleans] Mayor [Ray] Nagin followed the plan.”
Truth: Nagin most certainly did not, if anybody in New Orleans or Baton Rouge, Blanco included, even knew what the plan was given its vagueness.
Blanco lie (in response to a question “[w]hen [the] federal government offered to help, you didn't want them to”): “I never rejected federal assistance.”
Truth: Blanco rejected immediate federal troop deployment when offered because she did not want to lose control over Louisiana National Guard resources. She dallied for about a day before deciding she did not want unified command, turning down the federal government conditions (the offer itself being delayed because she was imprecise in her request and because she may have thought she had made it but no primary record of it having been made exists.)
Despite what some may think, Members of Congress (particularly of the majority Republicans as demonstrated by the continued nutty comments coming from the only non-Louisiana Democrat permitted by Democrat leaders to serve on the committee, Rep. Cynthia McKinney) are not idiots and they know the facts. Unfortunately, the most looming truth of all is Blanco, given her past and present record amplified by the content of her remarks, is a bad bet to utilize well the resources to rebuild the state, and that makes Congress wary. So all her testimony really did was to more fully expose her shortcomings as a leader even as she tried to use the opportunity to revive her quickly-ebbing political power and career.
Blank slate has no clue......
Have you heard that the LA "democracy" may dump Blanco in 2007 in favor of popular former Senator John Breaux? The trouble is: Breaux was one of Blanco's staunchest supporters in 2003.
A typical flaming incompetent liberal. Good only at corruption and stealing elections.
However, Mitch Landrieu won't be too happy.
..was those parts in between Thank You at the beginning and Thank You at the end?
Doogle
I don't think that will be a problem for Breaux. Blanco is dead weight to the DIms.
Breaux would win easily. He should have been a Pubbie.
As opposed to the rest of the time?
Mendacity, I havent heard that word since Big Daddy used it in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Damn Liz looked good in that slip.
Although this woman (Kathleen Blanco) is braindead, she is not to blame for the current state that the citizens of Louisioana find themselves in. Those good folks have only to look in the mirrror to see the guilty party. They elected her, now they must live with her. And...if the good folks of LA think anyone is going to pour billions of dollars into NOLA with this idiot woman and the other Democrat Scum in power, you are all nuts. Now, if the voters of LA rise up and throw these incompetents in the gargage can today, they will see a "sea change" in the rebuild of LA and NOLA. Otherwise, LA is going nowhere!!!
The money they do get will probably come painfully slow because Congress knows they'll have to audit every penny to make sure half of it doesn't get funneled places it shouldn't go.
Breaux would certainly be a formidable contender in any statewide race. The plus side is that Breaux has not been on the ballot since 1998, and has not been challenged seriously since 1986, so if the Republicans decide to fight him head on if he runs, there could be a slight chance. It would depend on the Republican carrying North Louisiana and the Greater New Orleans suburbs by substantial margins, since Breaux will carry Cajun country pretty much no matter what, but he won't have a large amount of Democratic votes from New Orleans to help him.
Breaux would be a shoo-in. He's the most respected political figure in the state, untainted by scandal and he's a Scoop Jackson, Sam Nunn, business friendly democrat not some wild eyed lefty their party seems full of now.
Stick a fork in her, BLANK-O's done. The rats WILL NOT be foolish enough to allow her to head up a ticket in '07.
Well said!
Good point, but remember that North LA has a small population now, and Breaux is very strong there too.
In most popular elections, fewer than half of the people elect, leading to a government not supported by more than half of the people. You are painting Louisiana with a broad brush. Surely you must recognize that not all of Louisiana is culpable for the election of Blanco. There is undeniable corruption in the state, and there has been historically, but not everyone is in a position to participate in corruption.
I wonder how many people on this site voted for Jimmie Carter? Not many would be a good guess.
New Orleans Election Postponed
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, the entire city council and a host of other local elected officials will remain in office beyond the four-year terms scheduled to end May 1, after Gov. Kathleen Blanco agreed Friday to postpone the city’s Feb. 4 municipal elections.
Gov. Blanco said she made the move for two reasons. One of those reasons is to ensure continuity of leadership. “Ray Nagin’s role has been exemplary,” said Blanco. “He was among the first to blame President Bush. New Orleans cannot afford to lose his courageous finger-pointing ability while the issue of blame is still alive.”
Blanco declined to provide much detail on the second reason. Speculation centers around the need to update voter registration lists to add the names of those killed or missing since the flood. Blanco did characterize this step as vital if the election process is to be carried out in the normal manner.
http://www.azconservative.org/Semmens1.htm
Those who voted for Jimmy Carter can be excused because all they were seeking was a government "as good and as kind and as caring" as the American people themselves. I don't know if GA Jimmy delivered on his pledge or not. Perhaps not, considering the 1980 results
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.