To my pleasure and (frankly) shock, the Alexandria (La) Town Talk newspaper featured an editorial opinion today that essentially placed so much blame on Louisiana's political ills on the very people that
need to be blamed...the legislators from throughout the state. Keep reading...
The special session, called for by Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco, didn't go over all that swimmingly, but not because of a lack of effort on the governor's part. Read this opinion from today's Town Talk for their take....
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Headline: Our View: Legislators failed Blanco and the state
We've heard a few critics say that Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco showed no leadership during the special legislative session that ended Friday, and that there was and is no clear plan for rebuilding South Louisiana in the wake of last year's terrible hurricanes.
That overstates the facts.
The governor presented much of what looks like a plan by way of proposed legislation, including her wish to fully consolidate the unwieldy levee board system, streamline the bloated Orleans Parish government, and establish an effective housing authority to get Louisiana rebuilding homes and providing taxpayers with accountability.
She got next to none of what she proposed.
So goes Louisiana politics. If she has no plan for reconstruction, then who has one?
It is time to stop whining and pointing fingers. It is time to present Louisiana voters with a plan, two plans, 10 plans -- something they can look at and vote on. We urge legislators, city leaders, the governor and even city planners to come up with a plan and let the voters decide. The Legislature certainly can't seem to do that.
It has been said before, but bears repeating: Louisiana must take this opportunity to make significant changes. Doing business as usual is unacceptable.
Now is the time to take big steps and leave big footprints, even if some things get crushed in the process. Orleans Parish must step into the 21st century. Its government should be streamlined and political patronage must end.
The governor, to her singular credit, got more federal money for the state after privately and publicly pointing out that Louisiana was getting shortchanged compared with the post-hurricane funds allocated to Mississippi. She didn't stop until the state had its fair share.
She presented the Legislature with a menu of things that would move the state forward, if legislators had gotten behind them.
If it wasn't the plan they wanted, then they should offer the governor and their constituents an alternative. We must get moving. People want to come home, rebuild and get on with life.
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FINALLY, somebody's paying attention and giving DUE diligence to the real work done by Governor Blanco.
Might I also add that the citizens of Louisians's district 22 should take note that their state representative, a devilish-looking ReTHUGlican named Craig Romero, didn't even attend the first day of that special session, which you may recall included a tour of hurricane-ravaged areas. He instead attended a fundraisher for recently converted ReTHUGlican congressman Rodney Alexander, in Alexandria, that day, where he and congressman Bobby Jindal (remember that name?) joined Alexander in greeting Vice President Dick (Trigger) Cheney.
When asked why he chose to attend the Cheney speech - slash - Rodney Alexander fundrasier INSTEAD of the opening day of the seassion and tour of devastation, Romero said such a tour would be a waste of his time.
My hand to God. It's what he told the Town Talk reporter covering the fundraiser. Nice to know the ReTHUGlican party is still putting party politics and fundraising ahead of the needs of their constituency.