"I'm Matt Foley and I still live in a FEMA trailer down by the river."
Posted on 01/24/2007 4:19:17 PM PST by Ellesu
President Bush miffed some people in Louisiana, not necessarily by what he said in Tuesday night's State of the Union Address, but by what he didn't say. He did not mention Hurricane Katrina recovery. Governor Kathleen Blanco was visibly angry on Wednesday.
In last year's State of the Union, you heard the president speak of Katrina, but people who remain in FEMA trailers say the lack of mention this year leaves them angry.
One person we spoke with says, "It doesn't make no sense what he is doing. And now he's asking for more money for troops to go to Iraq."
Another says, "Shock. Because in our world down here, it's the biggest thing happening."
Those comments were gathered at the Mount Olive Garden FEMA trailer park Wednesday. Tuesday night's speech, by the way, comes just a day after former FEMA director, Mike Brown accused some in the White House of playing politics in the immediate aftermath of the hurricanes.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2007
www.gov.state.la.us CONTACT: MARIE CENTANNI
225-342-9037
Governor Blanco continues fight for Louisiana's fair share of federal recovery aid
NEW ORLEANS - Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco delivered the following remarks outlining disproportionate federal funding for communities recovering from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and in response to the President's failure to include Louisiana's unprecedented recovery as a national priority during his State of the Union address:
Remarks by Gov. Blanco:
"Did you see the State of the Union last night? I did, and was surprised and disappointed that the President had nothing to say about the Gulf Coast. He had nothing to say about Louisiana. And he had nothing to say about the massive recovery that still lies before us. Our recovery may be yesterday's news in Washington, but it's very real here at home.
"Over the past two days I've called attention to Michael Brown and the broken code of silence regarding partisan politics. When our people's lives were in danger, political operatives in the White House were playing politics.
Their target was me, but the real victims have been the people of our state.
"He said, "Unbeknownst to me, certain people in the White House were thinking, we had to federalize Louisiana because she's a white, female Democratic Governor and we have a chance to rub her nose in it."
"'We can't do it to Haley because Haley's a white male Republican governor. And we can't do a thing to him. So we're just going to federalize Louisiana."
"To the citizens out there watching these news reports, let me tell you how this dirty politics affects your lives.
"It has delayed our recovery by over six months; and
"It has shortchanged the federal dollars available to help us recover.
"Too many of our people are still hurting. Every day that you are not able to come home, and every day that you have to dig deeper into your pockets to cover the costs of repairs is a day that could have been prevented.
"I'm calling on the new Congress to work with us to guarantee that Louisiana receives its rightful share of the total recovery funding, on a proportional basis.
"We have never asked for a penny more than we deserve, but we will continue to insist on receiving every justifiable cent.
"We have faced month after month of the aftermath of what Michael Brown has finally identified as the rawest kind of politics.
"Today I want to carefully outline the inequities and unfairness Louisianans have received at the hands of opportunistic politicians.
"Louisiana had nearly 80% of the storm damage from two hurricanes received only 55% of federal relief funds. Mississippi, with 23% of the damage, received 45% of the relief funds.
"This is far more money proportionately, and they received it a full six months ahead of us. Our Road Home progress was delayed six months due to this disparity.
"Earlier this month, FEMA announced the Katrina Cottage housing program. Mississippi has 31,000 families living in trailers, and received $280 million in funding for Katrina Cottages. Louisiana has 64,000 families living in trailers, but FEMA gave us only $74 million.
"A few days ago, Secretary Leavitt called to tell me that Louisiana would only receive 45% of the funding for hospitals.
"This is unbelievable, considering Louisiana lost 97% of our hospital beds along the Gulf Coast. Mississippi got 38% of the funding, even though they only lost 3% of the Gulf Coast hospital beds. They lost only 79 beds to our more than 2600 beds.
"Louisiana and Mississippi both received $95 million for higher education. This is outrageous, considering Louisiana had 76%, or 84,000, of the displaced students, and three times as many universities as Mississippi.
"Both Louisiana and Mississippi received $100 million for displaced K-12 students, in spite of the fact that Louisiana had 69%, or 176,000 of the displaced student. This is compared to Mississippi's 31%.
"We must not stand for this second class citizenship any longer. The patterns are clear, and they continue into this month with the recent announcements about health care and the Katrina Cottages.
"I'm asking Congress to investigate this outrageous partisan treatment of our State. We must put an end to it.
"And I'm going to ask Congress to put an end once and for all to the great disparities in funding. It's unfair, inequitable and unacceptable.
"Thank you."
http://keelson.eatel.net/websites/la.gov/action.cfm?md=communication&task=addClick&msg_ID=3202&ID=e%7Elngfi%3Dg%3Cid&redirect=http://www.gov.state.la.us/assets/docs/01%2024%2007%20Speaker%20Pelosi.pdf
letter from Blanco to Nancy Pelosi
Blanco, you dim bimbo. A governor is supposed to lead. Emoting is Oprah's job.
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
I say take their FEMA trailers back.
Why should we listen to a bunch of losers?
Mississippi has more welfare queens than Louisiana.
These people need to get a job. If they can't find one where they are, then they need to move. We aren't going to support these welfare cases forever.
For some reason this reads: Increase federal largesse for the remaining 48 States too.
Do you think everyone in a FEMA trailer is jobless?
Tell those ungrateful losers that there is good news for them and to start packing, because they're about to be drafted as part of that 20,000+ surge heading to Iraq.
(of course most of them would probably never pass muster for qualifying for military service, but it would sure make them pucker up a bit below the waist, eh?)
The President didn't mention me either. Should I be upsat?
These people want perpetual, open-ended welfare.
Another says, "Shock. Because in our world down here, it's the biggest thing happening."
And another one said, Shoot, when is I gonna get me free cable TV with HDTV hookup for my FEMA trailer. If I hadn't stole no big screen, then I really would be hurtin'.
It's Bush's fault that I ain't got HDTV."
FEMA Trailers To Be Used As 'Tornado Bait' ;)
http://www.ecoenquirer.com/fema-trailers.htm
Darn if I would be out of my house years later - I would have shoveled out the mud, and kept going.
Of course, I don't live below sea level.
I will agree that alot of them are. In Gulfport the police raided a FEMA trailer park over run with dealers and the scum of the earth.
Just remember there are a few of us, that are still waiting for homes, and it's the new city codes that are killing us. My family have been waiting for our home since December.
The Lady is going too rent too own her old home too us, she can't get her new home up yet because of strict codes, and the contracters she hired skipped town.
We try, many don't though I will agree with that.
..the trailer people should be asking Busboy Nagan how come $600 million or so still sits in Washington DC ?. Maybe because Jefferson's freezer was full? Maybe ask Blinko?
Doogle
Wards of the state should keep their mouths shut.
Wards of the State, should be thankful, not complain, and shut up I agree.
Thank you Ellesu!
I busted out laughing when I read the headline in the forum.
Now, I've just picked myself up off the floor. After reading the article I was laughing so hard I fell of my chair!
Blanko needs to get over herself.
The tone of this story, however, is suprememly irritating. I can't help it was coordinated with the Edwards people, with assistance from James the Insane Webb.
Had the President mentioned Katrina survivors (notice I don't call you guys victims) the press would have asked crop-growers out in California if they were offended at not being mentioned, and if not them, someone else.
Blanco is nuts.
The people of Louisiana have been the beneficiaries of a large amount of Federal money, plus private aid and charity. When are they going to get off their asses and do something? San Francisco and Galveston weren't rebuilt with Federal money, and Louisiana won't be, either.
One day after Kat hit in N.O., they tore the place up worse. Lousiana is giving us in MS a very bad name.
G-d Bless the troops, send them money, they need it.
If it were not for FEMA, my Wife, my Son, my Son's girlfriend, our new Grandbaby, and I would be in a shelter, our car, or at my parents home.
On a note of jest, my therapist said I had "Anxiety problems" , I asked her for a second opinion, she said "Your a dummy too." Thank G-d for Insurance and copayments, the best 17 dollars I spent ;)
Check out my #17. hehe
The black hole of welfare in Louisiana.....
Everything gets sucked in with no effect...
In a corporation - we fired the dead wood..
How does a society respond to the dead wood on the "payroll"?
Any able bodied persons still sitting on their ass looking for welfare support, should be given the CLEAR message.
IT'S OVER -- IT'S BEEN DONE, AIN'T NO MORE COMIN.
Semper Fi
Nor Ohio or Tennessee. Nor Mississippi, Alabama, or Florida either. Why would LA expect continued special treatment?
What's different now? We've been supporting a lot of them and their ancestors for generations, no reason to quit now. I hope you aren't suggesting that they should actually dirty their hands with a job, like regular Americans? < /S>
I promised my therapist I would not have one beer tonight,
I LIED
Sheesh, just how stupid is she?! The states that received the displaced from Louisiana needed funds to cover their needs such as food, shelter, and clothing. Of course Louisiana would not get a share of relief funds equal to their share of the destruction if they were supplying most of the evacuees to other states!
We are if the Democrats have their way.
Any housing available, in your area? You have three employed people in the house, perhaps we can help.
Yes, you should be upset. He's obviously biased against Rodentian-Americans. You'll not that he didn't mention us Avian-Americans, either ... and that's got my feathers mighty ruffled.
..so I guess ALL the people living in Houston went back, ..all the people who left and got on federal assistance in all the other states have gone back to Louisiana?. ???? I guess there must be a federal investigation coming up somewhere in Louisiana, because it's one of those strike first with accusations, then do the turtle thing until it blows over...Blanko hasn't been this active since she thumbed through her phone book looking for people to call while people were drowning ...the dumb cluck had the powers AND COULDN'T handle an emergency.....such a dumba$$.
No help needed. We are waiting for the person to move out of her house, into her new one. She paid some contractors money to finish her new home (before the job was done) and they took off. She has hired new Contractors, will get more information on Sunday when I talk too her.
"It doesn't make no sense what he is doing."
Public edjamacashun at it's best.
I'd like to see what these trailer dwellers lived in before Katrina hit. I bet the FEMA trailers are a step up for most of them.
good answer.
Yes, and hopefully Bobby Jindall will boot her out of office.
"I'm Matt Foley and I still live in a FEMA trailer down by the river."
What exactly are you waiting on?
As a FEMA employee, I would like to thank you for your kind words. Best wishes.
After all this time, effort , money, and prayer has been poured in to Louisiana, has anyone heard a "thank you, whatever you have done or given, we appreciate it."
It won't be the same, but it will be BETTER.
I am blessed with family. Blessed with a great job, blessed with a new Grandchild. It's an old corny, wore out saying, when life gives you lemons, ya' got fresh lemonade.
Plus my therapist is cute lol(and my wife just saw that text and hit me in the arm!!!!)
We are waiting for the lady too move out of her home, so we can move into it. She is building her new home, having problems with city codes, sleazy contracters. etc.
For pete's sake, how long are we going to be cursed with this Katrina fallout???? It was TWO FREAKIN' YEARS AGO, you deadbeat, welfare-sucking parasites! When does the sniveling end?
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.