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Baker’s relief bill deserves try
Baton Rouge Morning Advocate ^ | 1-29-06 | John LaPlante

Posted on 01/29/2006 6:51:06 AM PST by Uncle Sham

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To: GregoryFul

Well, not to be nit picky but he didn't admit to any fraud. I am aware that he admitted they inflated the numbers "to deter crime". Not sure that's how I would have handled things but if there is anything criminal in what they did then prosecute them. I have no problem with that. Believe me the Feds are looking hard at everything down here and if there is anything there they will go after it.


41 posted on 01/29/2006 7:58:54 AM PST by WatchOutForSnakes
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To: Galveston Grl

Lousyana has made a spectical of itself from top to bottom.

From BLANK-O's whining, blubbering and spending $550,000 on her office renovations to Nagin's Chocolatetown statement, the state has made an utter ass of itself for the last 5 months.

I'm sure the rest of the country is looking at us as one would a retarded cousin.

Here's a LA family with some smarts:

Katrina evacuees settle into new life
By KAREN OGDEN
Tribune Enterprise Editor


Almost five months after they struggled through waist-deep floodwaters in Violet, La., the Kramer family is tentatively putting down roots in Great Falls.

"Everything is looking good," said Tracey Kramer, who arrived in northcentral Montana days after Hurricane Katrina with his wife, Jean, and their youngest son, William. "We're just pressing forward and thank God that we came this far. I'm just looking forward to a new year and a better year."


The family is grieving the death of Kramer's 86-year-old mother, Mildred, who was among the nearly three dozen patients who drowned as floodwaters swamped the St. Rita's Nursing Home.

Kramer is still waiting for officials at a morgue in Carville, La., to finish DNA testing to identify and release her body. He will then return home to plan a funeral with his siblings.

In the meantime, the family is focused on starting over.

Tracey and Jean, who are retired, are looking to buy a house in Great Falls.

The Kramers are luckier than many: Their insurance covered the flood damage to their house in Violet, roughly 20 miles south of New Orleans. Although the home is structurally sound, it would have to be gutted to make it livable because of water damage and mold.

"I don't feel that it would be wise for me to take all our money and go back down there and redo our house," said Kramer, who plans to salvage what he can when he goes home. "I already made up my signs: 'for sale as is.'"

More violent storms are predicted this year, Kramer added. One team of meteorologists at Colorado State University's Tropical Meteorology Project predicts nine hurricanes in 2006.

"I think we're going to stay here and invest my money in Great Falls," said Kramer, who as a young man was an airman stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base.

Jean is from Conrad and has a sister, Cathy Christiaens, in Valier. Another sister, Mary Lee Berry, lives in Whitefish.

The Kramers' two sons, Edward and William, are finding it more difficult to get jobs and housing in Great Falls.

William, 35, who came to Montana with his parents, worked security at Bally's Casino, which floated on Lake Pontchartrain. Katrina smashed the building against the wharf.

He's applying for detention officer and security jobs, but he is having little luck because his references and employment records were destroyed or scattered in the hurricane.

Now he's looking into general labor jobs and possibly renewing his qualifications as a certified nursing assistant.

His older brother and sister-in-law, Edward and Bonnie, arrived in Great Falls a month after the storm to join the family.

Their homeowner insurance did not cover their flood losses.

Edward, who was a head technician for a Goodyear Tires store in Louisiana, is still looking for work.

Asked if he's angry about his family's ordeal, Tracey Kramer directs his frustration at Louisiana's congressional delegation, as he did in the weeks after Katrina.

Area residents lobbied for years for the Army Corps of Engineers to close the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, which is blamed by some for flooding St. Bernard Parish.

"If they'd have fought hard enough to close that thing up, I am positive our hometown wouldn't have been destroyed," Kramer said.

The family is looking into joining a possible class action lawsuit against the Army Corps of Engineers over the outlet failure.

Kramer follows the debate over the canal, as well as developments in his hometown, on the Internet.

But he's focusing on his new life in Great Falls.

"I'm just looking forward for a healthier new year," he said. "... I'm not only talking for us, I'm talking for the whole world because we definitely need it."


42 posted on 01/29/2006 8:02:10 AM PST by Neville72 (uist)
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To: Loyal Buckeye
He may have valid reasons for holding up the funding and not supporting the Baker bill. It's a complex piece of legislation. Where I do think he is beind disingenuous is in saying Louisiana didn't have a plan. The Baker bill was a huge part of that plan. If he objects to the plan then say so but to say we didn't have one is not correct.
43 posted on 01/29/2006 8:02:24 AM PST by WatchOutForSnakes
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To: toddlintown; Uncle Sham

Yes, as a taxpayer, I would like an answer to that question. I have to pay for homeowners insurance on my house. Why are you telling me that I should pay off someone else's mortgage when their homeowners insurance should do that?


44 posted on 01/29/2006 8:05:51 AM PST by SuzyQue
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To: Boanarges
The "mess" you refer to was created by and large by the Corp of Engineers who built shoddy levy protection and turned around and told the good citizens "it's okay to build here, you are protected!"

That is ust not true. Ever since 1967 the corp of engineers has yearly predicted that a direct hit by a category 3 or higher hurricane would destroy New Orleans and much of the surrounding territory.

In 1967 the Corp of Engineers proposed, congress passed and the Lyndon Johnson signed a bill to build a Levy system that would handle up to and including a level 5 hurricane.

Some Democrats were very angry about the so called destruction of natural habitat of assorted fishes and water bugs this new levy system would cause. Environmentalists brought a suit in federal court that was decided by judges appointed by Democratic presidents. The judges decided that the upgrade of the levies would harm the environment, wetlands, and assorted species. The Levy construction autorized by the bill was forbiden by the court.

How can you tell a Louisiana shill.. They not only lie down at night .. they lie up during the day.


45 posted on 01/29/2006 8:05:57 AM PST by Common Tator
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To: Uncle Sham
Here's the plan
46 posted on 01/29/2006 8:07:17 AM PST by hedgetrimmer ("I'm a millionaire thanks to the WTO and "free trade" system--Hu Jintao top 10 worst dictators)
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To: dirtboy

"Last I recall, a corrupt Levee Commission was in charge of the levees, and was more interested in building casinos than improving levees."

The Commission does not engineer and build levee protection, that jurisdiction falls squarely on the U.S Army Corp of Engineers.


47 posted on 01/29/2006 8:07:50 AM PST by Boanarges
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To: Boanarges
The Commission does not engineer and build levee protection, that jurisdiction falls squarely on the U.S Army Corp of Engineers.

Does the Levee Commission let the bidding for projects?

And, once again, they were more interested in casinos than levees.

48 posted on 01/29/2006 8:10:13 AM PST by dirtboy (My new years resolution is to quit using taglines...)
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To: SuzyQue

Homeowners insurance does not pay for flood damage from rising waters. A lot of the homes destroyed were in areas that were not considered flood zones so they were told by insurers and mortgage companies that flood insurance was not required. Therefore they had no insurance that would cover their loss. Could they have bought flood insurance anyway? Sure, but that's a different argument.


49 posted on 01/29/2006 8:12:49 AM PST by WatchOutForSnakes
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To: SuzyQue
"Louisiana is asking the nation to take a huge risk by borrowing up to $30 billion."

This is not a "gift". It is a loan which would be repaid as properties are redeveloped.

50 posted on 01/29/2006 8:15:47 AM PST by Uncle Sham
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To: Uncle Sham
Where's Alabama and Mississippi - worse hit in many areas than NO! - in Baker's plan to give money to LA politicians?
51 posted on 01/29/2006 8:17:40 AM PST by Robert A Cook PE (I can only donate monthly, but Hillary's ABBCNNBCBS continue to lie every day!)
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To: Uncle Sham

"This is not a "gift". It is a loan which would be repaid as properties are redeveloped."

Bulls*&t again from you. Would LOUSYANA pay or would they renege as they're trying to do with what they now owe FEMA?


52 posted on 01/29/2006 8:18:43 AM PST by Neville72 (uist)
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To: Uncle Sham

Well, seeing that Bush is ultimately responsible for everything that happens in LA, and their politicians are absolutely blamless and brainless, not to mention hateful and decieptful, it is no wonder he is holding up the plan! We needs enough Federal carpenters to rebuild the city. He is still looking for Federal school bus drivers to take command of Naggin's buses. : )


53 posted on 01/29/2006 8:20:51 AM PST by Galveston Grl (Getting angry and abandoning power to the Democrats is not a choice.)
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To: dirtboy

I believe wholeheartedly there was and is corruption on the Levy Commission that needs to be cleaned up immediately. However, I believe there was and is a lack of Federal oversight for that commission. And this is the crux........Must the citizens of the Metropolitan area of New Orleans suffer because the Federal Government lacked oversight for the building of our levy protection system. Where does the buck stop? It always stops at the Federal level.


54 posted on 01/29/2006 8:20:56 AM PST by Boanarges
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To: Uncle Sham

Why should I , a US taxpayer, help pay billion$ to rebuild NO when everyone knows it is certain to flood again. The idiots who built the place below sea level and then expect it to remain flood-protected, were nothing more than the same corrupt RATs who are still in charge in the State and City.


55 posted on 01/29/2006 8:23:57 AM PST by Paulus Invictus
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To: CyberSpartacus

>>I have a plan for you. Move to higher ground.

<*DING!*><*DING!*><*DING!*>

We have a winner!

Short of much more compelling reasons than I have seen, I am really uninterested in throwing huge amounts of Federal (our) money at rebuilding a coastal/hurricane-prone location with an elevation that starts with a "-".


56 posted on 01/29/2006 8:24:46 AM PST by FreedomPoster (Guns themselves are fairly robust; their chief enemies are rust and politicians) (NRA)
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To: Uncle Sham
"This plan had wide-spread Congressional support before the holidays but was held up by the Bush Administration.

"wide-spread Congressional support..." immediately causes this to be a bad idea.

Why to the wealth-redistributors (aka, Democrats, aka Liberals, aka, Socialists) always want to throw OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY to those whose votes they want to buy, when the entitlements' recievers make NO effort to take PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY to improve their situation?

57 posted on 01/29/2006 8:27:35 AM PST by traditional1
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To: Uncle Sham
***This plan had wide-spread Congressional support before the holidays but was held up by the Bush Administration.****

Those are flat out 'misstatement' of the facts.

You'll also note that neither of LA's two fine senators has introduced any accompanying Bailout Bill.

So please stop the 'spin'. There is 'no wide spread support' and the 'Bush Administration' didn't hold up anything. This 'thing' is winding it's way through Congress, like all Bills. And hopefully it will die were all bad bills do, in some 'obscure' committee.

BTW, From another comment of yours further down, I think you might want to read up on Federalism and the real role of the Federal Government (hint - it isn't a 24/7/365 ATM for States, nor to save people from the boobs THEY themselves elected into office).

58 posted on 01/29/2006 8:31:07 AM PST by Condor51 (Better to fight for something than live for nothing - Gen. George S. Patton)
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To: Uncle Sham
Just because Bush stands up and says we don't have a plan doesn't mean it is a fact.

yeah, we know the plan... me, me, me... and screw the taxpayers footing the bill... NOLA and the rest of LA can stew, as far as this taxpayer is concerned. You decided to live in a swamp, or closer to the ocean than nature allows!

59 posted on 01/29/2006 8:31:52 AM PST by pageonetoo (If you can't make FReeps Ahoy, FReepmail me for bargain cruises! Bonded Agency.)
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To: Paulus Invictus

"Why should I , a US taxpayer, help pay billion$ to rebuild NO when everyone knows it is certain to flood again."

Please see post #30. If Lousiana has its way you will pay whether you want to or not. But just to reiterate: It is beginning to dawn on Lousiana that we have the Nation literally over a barrel. Our Natural Resources are such that we can tax our way out of our own peril and have the Nation pay the tab at the pumps. This idea is beginning to take root here as our Federal government refuses to own up to it's share of responsibility in their failed Levy protection system. I give a lot of credit for this idea to some very astute politicians in the State of Lousiana.


60 posted on 01/29/2006 8:35:45 AM PST by Boanarges
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