Posted on 08/28/2007 4:43:56 PM PDT by Ultra Sonic 007
The Katrina and Rita Hope and Recovery Summit in New Orleans hosted by US Senator Mary Landrieu on Monday had an almost surreal texture to it.
Aside from the mixture of University Presidents, law enforcement agents, housing advocates, business leaders, President Bushs Gulf Coast Coordinator, Don Powell, participating in the all-day event, it included an element of political show businessrock star Presidential candidates running for the top position in the land, and yes, talking about Katrina. The Presidential discussion was peppered with questions by Soledad OBrien of CNN.
Without doubt, the Presidential forum was not the sole substance of the program but, indeed, was the crown jewel.
Throughout the day, the experts discussed Katrina-plus two. Wednesday will be the second anniversary of Katrina engulfing New Orleans. There was plenty of business on the table such as high crime, low housing, weak levees, and questionable federal commitments.
But, the fireworks and the glamour really started when the Presidential candidatesDemocrats Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Republican Duncan Hunter took the sole stand facing OBrien.
Former Republican presidential hopeful, Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee had spoken earlier during the day and was not a part of the Presidential candidate face-OBrien evening discussion. Huckabee argued that Katrina could occur anywhere in the United States through the form of many types of natural disaster and was not limited to New Orleans or the Gulf Coast. He mentioned that Arkansas had its own disaster risks and the universality of disaster and response mechanism was critical in American government.
Without doubt, the Presidential focus upon New Orleans was a show full of spice and hot sauce.
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Candidates Clinton and Edwards were somewhat predictable in their responses since they have presented them recently at different forums in New Orleans. Both candidates were substantially critical of President Bush, his administration and the Republican Congress for their responses post-Katrina. The GOP had been in power of the federal government since the beginning of 2007.
Unquestionably, Hunter took the most heat as he attempted to focus upon the importance of self reliance and de-emphasized the need to rely upon the federal government. That philosophy obviously did not sit well with the moderator, OBrien or with the audience.
In many respects, there was a dichotomy between two republicans, Huckabee and Hunter, two individuals who personally provided service to the Katrina victims. While Huckabee focused upon the devastation quality of nature, Hunter, to the dismay of many in the crowd and seemingly to Soledad OBrien--engaged in a debate with the CNN moderator over the philosophy of rebuilding New Orleans and the type of hurricane protection needed. Hunter implied that the federal response should be dependent upon the number of people needing protection and said that government, in general, was incompetent.
In many ways the Presidential candidate discourse underscored the division among Republicans in Congress and the total disdain that the leading Democratic Presidential candidates have for President Bush and his Katrina policies
The superstar forum also underscored that-- like Iraq--New Orleans has no easy answers. The political volley, in many ways, might define the Presidential debate and Primary season over matters dealing with homeland security, natural disasters and infrastructure.
Hillary Clinton implied that New Orleans needed hope, recovery and results. In this very political season, it is obvious that the solemnity of Katrina anniversary of 2006 has evolved into the politics of begging for solutions and needed money during this second year post-disaster.
The Hope and Recovery Summit provided solitude to some and questions to many. It also established a format where New Orleans, disaster recovery and US infrastructure gets greater light--even in a venue that was under murky water, for weeks.
>He’s not just a congressman, he’s a man!<
He’s not just a man, he’s THE MAN! :)
Thanks for those, Raster. I don’t recall either Charley Rose or Lou Dobbs saying that Rep. Hunter is a presidential candidate, but I could have missed something.
Another slam-Dunc!
Go, Hunter! Show the wimps how it’s done!
>>>>these folks know they’re below SEA level; doesn’t mean they have to be below SEE level
That is a great line.
Why, thank you! We had many fine people come to San Antonio after Katrina and some good ones who stayed! Chefs and teachers, we love ‘em!
I can just imagine.
Texan-Cajun Angus...Mexican Jambalaya...
the media created this new orleans anniversary.
there’s no better example of the democrap plantation
than noo o’lea’s an’ looooseeanna.
Lessez les bon temps roulez, aieeee!
bump
>Hunter sounds like Bush Junior when he quotes all these invisible dollar amounts, most of which has yet to be seen on the street a full two years after the storm. Some help.<
Bush Junior?
You are mistaken, Unc. Much of the money has been paid. The question is who is accountable for the money and what did they do with it? Past actions are a good indicator of future actions, and Nawlins is famous for corruption.
As I said in another post, Nawlins was given vast sums by the Fed to repair and maintain the levees years before Katrina. Instead, the money was used to install off shore gambling. The unrepaied levees broke with Katrina’s downpour.
Duncan Hunter does not grab figures out of the air. He knows what he’s talking about. He does not belong to the globalist Establishment. He is of the few really honest men left in Washington. I consider your comments completely out of line.
oops = NAGIN
Of course it has them worried. They cannot keep skimming the till if the head count isn't there to boost the numbers, and no matter how much they inflate the head count, there have to be some people to point to for the Federal bureaucrats, it can't all be padding the books. They got away with a shift worth of 'ghost' police, but they still had to have some to loot the Wal-Mart, steal Cadillacs, and drive around to justify the rest of the funds being spent.
With the new emphasis on identifying illegal aliens, they are in a real bind, after all, I'd bet the illegals were just bringing in funding Americans wouldn't.
Hunter is right, as usual. NOLA got knocked on its butt. The first step in getting on your feet is getting off your butt, and there are those who would rather play the victim card and sit on theirs. Unfortunately, that group, no matter how small, will be the squeaky wheels who get the news coverage. Anyone who just wants to get the job done and rebuild will have to work around that crowd.
You need to account for all this “paid” money. It isn’t there. Duncan Hunter knows it isn’t there yet stands proudly in front of America taking partial credit for providing it. Like I said. Some help.
Hunter’s speech about Katrina is beautiful. It emphasizes our founding principles in faith God. With a strong faith in God, we realize how important is to do the right thing and help others. Hence we need less government involvement. I love how he is willing to go to hostile environments like NALEO too. He isn’t willing to mince words, flip around, or pander emotionally. He directly speaks his mind and the truth. God bless him! May we have 8 years of him in the oval office.
I know people in NO city hall and the stories I hear from them are ridiculous.
OK, Smarty-pants, why don’t YOU tell everyone on this board how much money has actually arrived in Baton Rouge or New Orleans from the Feds on behalf of the people on the street who actually need help. We are all waiting to find out. You apparently have already formed an opinion. Why not base it on FACTS?
Now that said the reasons they give for the government buildings not being rebuilt is local red tape and morons running the city and state governments. I don't say that lightly, literally these people rebuilding mock how incompetent everyone is in the city government. They say the attitude is 'here, you sound like you know what your doing, you do it.'
I just came from New Orleans a couple weeks ago and 'the people on the street' are not hurting anymore than they used to. There are houses being built but it appears there is a bit of social engineering going on. In other words they want wealthier people moving into New Orleans.
Are you looking for the government to hand out 50,000 to individuals whose homes were destroyed? If my house caught on fire and I didn't have fire insurance should the gov't pay me money?
I’m still waiting for you to provide that amount of aide “already delivered”. You ought to be able to get this type of info from your pals in high places over at city hall. Like I said earlier, you’ve obviously formed an opinion so it must be based upon something. Facts, I hope.
Where are you getting the information that the money hasn’t been delivered? From democrats and their operatives?
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