Very Sad NY Times Article on NOLA

[chrisjoseph]

Not trying to bum anyone out...I'm posting this to remind all of us (including me) that this city still desparately needs help.....more than ever....

February 16, 2007
In Setback for New Orleans, Fed-Up Residents Give Up

By SHAILA DEWAN
NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 15 — After nearly a decade in the city of their dreams, Kasandra Larsen and her fiancé, Dylan Langlois, climbed into a rented moving truck on Marais Street last Sunday, pointed it toward New Hampshire, and said goodbye.

Not because of some great betrayal — they had, after all, come back after losing everything in Hurricane Katrina — but a series of escalating indignities: the attempted carjacking of a pregnant friend; the announced move to Nashville by Ms. Larsen’s employer; the human feces deposited on their roof by, they suspect, the contractors next door; the two burglaries in the space of a week; and, not least, the overnight wait for the police to respond.

A year ago, Ms. Larsen, 36, and Mr. Langlois, 37, were hopeful New Orleanians eager to rebuild and improve the city they adored. But now they have joined hundreds of the city’s best and brightest who, as if finally acknowledging a lover’s destructive impulses, have made the wrenching decision to leave at a time when the population is supposed to be rebounding.

Their reasons include high crime, high rents, soaring insurance premiums and what many call a lack of leadership, competence, money and progress. In other words: yes, it is still bad down here. But more damning is what many of them describe as a dissipating sense of possibility, a dwindling chance at redemption for a great city that, even before the storm, cried out for great improvement.

“The window of opportunity is closing,” Ms. Larsen said, “before more people like us give up and say it’s too little, too late.”

Mr. Langlois, who has repeatedly called the health and sanitation departments, the police and City Hall, said he despaired of receiving any response. In November, the couple bought their first house, and in December, they bought their first handgun.

“My friends here are just the greatest, hard-working, tax-paying people,” Mr. Langlois said, “and I think a lot of us are feeling under siege.”

The couple are unlikely to make any money on the sale of their house.

For every household that, like this one, has given up, there is another on the verge. Tyrone Wilson, a successful real estate agent and consultant, said he and his wife, Trina, a lawyer, had given post-storm life a fair chance. But, Mr. Wilson said, at the end of the school year they are likely to take their three children back to Dallas, where they took refuge after the storm.

“We came back, we tried,” he said. “It’s really draining, and at a certain point you sit down and you say, ‘We don’t have to go through this.’ ”

As a city in flux, New Orleans remains statistically murky, but demographers generally agree that the population replenishment after the storm, as measured by things like the amount of mail sent and employment in main economic sectors, has leveled off. While many poorer residents have moved back to the city, the “brain drain” of professionals that the city was experiencing before the storm appears to have accelerated.

Some say the overall effect is negligible. Greg Rigamer, a demographer who has done work for the city, said that the lack of housing had constrained the recovery, but that many residents remained fully committed to the city.

“The pattern in is certainly stronger than the pattern out,” Mr. Rigamer said.

But in December, the number of houses on the market peaked at a high not seen since the late 1980s, while the number of sales has trended downward since last June, according to data tracked by the Brookings Institution in Washington. Statistics kept by commercial moving companies show a net loss to New Orleans. Employers say they have raised salaries for skilled workers.

One oft-cited survey by the University of New Orleans found that a third of residents, especially those with graduate degrees, were thinking of leaving within two years.

Susan E. Howell, who conducted the survey, cautioned that the sample was small and that the poor were underrepresented. There are indications that low-income New Orleanians — those who will need the most help from a cash-strapped city —are making their way back, despite a lack of affordable housing, piling into relatives’ homes and trailers.

U-Haul, the rental company that is more affordable than commercial movers, has had more inbound trucks than outbound, according to the company’s records, and the number of public school children and new applications for food stamps in Orleans Parish are rising. In Houston, a task force that helps Hurricane Katrina residents resettle has paid more than $1 million in moving expenses for 350 families returning to New Orleans.

“This is a serious problem for the city, because one of the things we had pre-Katrina was the lack of an educated population,” Dr. Howell said. “We had too many people at the low end and not enough at the high end, and Katrina sort of fast-forwarded that trend.”

Because many poorer people have taken longer to return, they have not dealt with as many months of frustration as families with higher income and more mobility, so their staying power has yet to be determined.

Reganer Stewart, 30, a hotel maid, said she had been living with her cousin and her cousin’s mother and four children since November. In January, Ms. Stewart’s 12-year-old daughter, Brandi, joined them, but was put on a waiting list for school and could not enroll until earlier this month.

Houston, which Ms. Stewart had not liked when she evacuated there, was growing more attractive as her search for an apartment here grew longer. “Most likely, we going to leave,” she said.

In battered but proud New Orleans, abandonment is a highly emotional subject, in part because many have made sacrifices to stay and rebuild. To some, leaving now is tantamount to treason. When a report appeared a year ago that Emeril Lagasse, the famed chef, had said the city would “never come back,” reservations at his restaurants were canceled and strangers berated him. He insisted he had been misquoted.

And in response to an article in The Times-Picayune of New Orleans about a woman who had decided to move on, Poppy Z. Brite, a New Orleans novelist, wrote: “This isn’t an easy place to be right now, and the decision to stay or go is deeply personal. But why must some people use the media to take a parting shot at the city?”

On another occasion, Ms. Brite said, “If a place takes you in and you take it into yourself, you don’t desert it just because it can kill you. There are some things more valuable than life.”

Such fierce sentiments help explain why a dozen people who were planning to move or had already done so declined to speak on the record for this article or allow their name to be used. One man, a chef, said he wanted to remain anonymous because he was likely to return someday. A university professor said she did not want to compromise her employer’s ability to recruit.

“If I was going to be really politically savvy,” she said, “I would say that I was going to do a job search about this time anyway.”

The decision to leave is especially difficult for natives, said Elliott Stonecipher, a demographic analyst in Shreveport, La., even if they are going no farther than the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain.

“They just won’t talk about it; they do not want to talk about it,” Mr. Stonecipher said, adding that the reluctance shows just how unusual the city is. “It’s remarkable that they just don’t want anybody to know that they gave in.”

Others have unimpeachable reasons: Paul Gailiunas, a doctor whose wife, Helen Hill, was murdered in their home last month, left immediately for South Carolina.

As for Ms. Larsen and Mr. Langlois, they have taken in all the fury at those who are leaving, in newspapers, neighborhood forums on the Internet and even in the bars and cafes of their neighborhood, the Ninth Ward. But while many of their own friends had expressed disappointment, none had blamed them.

“Not only do they understand why we’re leaving,” Ms. Larsen said, “but they say, ‘You know what, I’m thinking about getting out of here, too.’ It’s like they’re waiting for that one more bad thing to happen.”

[tangledupinblue]

Thanks Chris. This is heartbreaking. :(

[pokerchick66]

I read that earlier, Chris. Crushing.

[NYMAMA]

When are the people in charge going to wake up and get their sh*t together? This is just so sad.

[glinda]

praying for new and better leadership. Long as its c ray seems like there's little hope.

[chrisjoseph]

It's all levels of government...feds, state and local...and it's US (well, not us, but I mean the general public)...we elected these leaders (or, didn't vote, in which case we deserve what we get...plus our attention span is such that we now pay more attention to Anna Nicole Smith's death or that astronaut scandal...or whatever is the silly story of the day. I know all on this board are doing their part...I'm just voicing some frustration.

[mjh]

New Orleans and the good people of that great city need our help, because they certainly aren't getting any from the Bush Administration. when in New Orleans:
1) Respect the city and do not litter;
2) Do your best to leave the city cleaner/better than you found it;
3) When out late please be respectful of people sleeping, as some clubs are located in residential neighborhoods (i.e. Tip's uptown);
4) And please TIP WELL. Everyone in that city (sans Brad and Angelina) is struggling terribly just to make ends meet. So please tip your servers, bartenders, cabbies and sidewalk musicians well. Afterall, they're helping to make our New Orleans experience as great as possible!!!

[Cleophus]

Crushing, but important article -- thank you for positng it Chris.

On a more positive note, here's something from MSN's homepage today:
http://travel.msn.com/Guides/article.aspx?cp-documentid=381450

[NOLA]

Sad story, but consider this: I was at a Mardi Gras parade last night and one of the pre-parade vendors wandered by and looked over our way and we started up a conversation with him. It turns out he had just moved to New Orleans a month ago from Santa Fe. He said Santa Fe was just too boring, and that he thought he had found what he was looking for here in New Orleans. I found that more encouraging than anything I had read or heard in a long long time.

[pokerchick66]

How was your dinner at restaurant one?

[KjnMartiniTX]

I left the city 12 years ago for the fertile market of Dallas, TX. I could be ugly and rail about the reasons that NOLA has gone to the dogs. It is not just Katrina. Good, intellegent folks have been abandoning that city for years. The north shore of the lake has been growing in leaps and bounds for two decades. New Orleans will always have my heart. I read once that only 3 cities in the U. S. campared when it came to ambiance and culture, they were New Orleans, Boston and San Fransico, all other cities were just Houston. It's been a long time since you could easily raise a family and make a good living in New Orleans. The folks back home may be a proud bunch, but they are not proud enough to be great stewards of the gift that is New Orleans. I'm not talking about the business owners, professionals and hard working Johns and Janes. You know who I'm talking about and goes all the way to the top.

[festivalgirl]

The rest of us have a responsibility to press OUR members of Congress to get their acts together. 535 people in Washington have that job not just the members of the Louisiana Delegation. We didn't let NYC die in the 70's or Houston in the 80's (or again in the 00's). Why would we let New Orleans die now?

This should not be a Republican/Democrat issue anymore. It is a human issue!!!

[Zydekitten]

[sigh]

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o67/Zydekitten/kitten_is_sad.jpg

[ohio]

awwww, kitty. that is such a sad picture.:(

KjnM, I agree with you.

[bluesgirl]

New Orleans needs a leader that has the same qualities as Rudy Giuliani had after 9-11, one that stands tough and brings a city together. I don't give a rat's ass about his/her political affiliation, just be tough and kick (or kiss) whatever ass may be necessary to fix the situation.

[pokerchick66]

I totally agree with you, bluesgirl. Nothing is gonna change as long as Nagin is still there. And it's sad cuz New Orleans does not deserve that. At all. How much longer is he there? Something needs to happen before there's nobody left.

And I'm ready for Jindal, too.

[steeleye]

I wasn't going to post here, but I keep coming back to it. Because I'm still angry as hell.

The seeds for the current civil unrest were planted in the early stages of Katrina. The abject failure of the United States government to properly and humanely respond to the Katrina disaster has left the city wide open for what we're seeing now - hoodlems, thugs, and drug dealers running wild. Many will say that they were already there, but we now have a city half it's previous size beacuse former residents have no suitable housing to come back to, nor a reason to believe in the city. Our beloved NO has been abandoned by it's own Federal government. I fear that we are bearing witness to the demise of one of our greatest cultural treasures because our elected officials simply don't care. We care...and I pray that we can make a difference.

[Jordan]

Let's not romanticize the job Guiliani did in New York. I've always felt he handled 9-11 as a political opportunist, not a leader. Additionally, it's much easier to get the attention of the federal government with devastation in Wall Street than it is in NO. I hope New Orleans leadership can be motivated to do more than Rudy did, and for the right reasons.

[breambob]

With all due respect, steeleye. The seeds were planted long before Katrina, sown deep and strong, no storm could wash that away. As of right now the feds have very little to do with the problems in NO. Elected officials is correct though, and on target. Let's see...

Same Governor
Same Mayor
Same US Congressman
Same Police Superintendent
Same Police
Same District Attorney
Same City Council
Same Sheriff
Same Police Jury
Same Levee Board
Same School Board
I could go on...

I'm really not sure why any of y'all would expect anything different.
It would have been nice if enlightened leadership had risen up with a clean slate and tried to really change things instead of the same old, same old.

I really wanna say "It's a Louisiana thang, you don't understand", but that might make me an elitist snub. So what I really wanna say is keep up your interest, learn all you can, and keep that fire of outrage burning. It does help. And tell other folks about it.
But to blame the Ferderal Government on our problems, before, during or after Katrina is flat out wrong. It just doesn't work that way here...

[mightyradgumbo]

Let's not romanticize the job Guiliani did in New York. I've always felt he handled 9-11 as a political opportunist, not a leader. Additionally, it's much easier to get the attention of the federal government with devastation in Wall Street than it is in NO. I hope New Orleans leadership can be motivated to do more than Rudy did, and for the right reasons.

YYR, Jordan. I think a lot of what Guiliani did post 9-11(as in the time following, not the actual day) was a continued press situation. The fumbling he did caused his stock to plummet as well. There are very few leaders who want to sacrifice thier political career to do what they would like to do, rather than whoever is in thier pocket wants them to do.

[luvdancin]

[sigh]

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o67/Zydekitten/kitten_is_sad.jpg


I agree with you, Kitten. It's so sad. I see my favorite city being torn further and further apart. :(

[KeyWest Bruce]

It is always sad and disheartening to read anything that is obstructing the rebirth and rebuilding of New Orleans. However, we must continue to look for and focus on any of the positive actions that reaffirm that New Orleans is on the road to recovery, and it will not only survive, but will once again, become the great place that it always was. We have no other choice. For myself, I have to keep that faith always, because the road is not going to be without bumps. If I hear people leaving and not coming back, that is their decision; but more important, are the people and families that DO make the decision to return and are indeed part of the solution. I will never NOT have total faith that New Orleans is gonna survive. So, when I read articles such as the this one, I am glad for the attention that N.O. is getting, and I hope that this will spark change. But....I can't and won't let it get me down.

[PaulC]

Arrrghhhhhh,.. WHY DID I READ THIS THREAD???,... my very happenin' mellow has been seriously fricken' harshed...

First,.. that damn article was front page in the local Sarasota rag yesterday..... sucked then,.. sucks now,.. and will always suck...

Second,.. talk to those heroic people that worked night and day to dig through the rubble after 9/11 and see what they think of Guiliani now as they lie dying of health problems that stem from obvious air quality issues that were totally ignored by Mr. Great Leader,.. other city officials ,..and those "hard workin" feds... And as opportunistic as Rudy boy was (and boy was he),.. nobody,.. and I mean NO BODY wrapped themselves in the horror of that day as much as Junior (up until that day just a lazy ass dumbo takin' every other week off to vacation on the farm while his pitbull Dick met secretly with his good pals from Enron to formulate a super duper cool energy policy (sic) and ran roughshod over the environmental good works of the past two decades).... ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.... So much for no politics....


Now I have to rely on the Temptations to get me back on Cloud Nine.... oh,.. I think I'mmm feelin' it.......

[mangoon]

YYR, Jordan. I think a lot of what Guiliani did post 9-11(as in the time following, not the actual day) was a continued press situation. The fumbling he did caused his stock to plummet as well. There are very few leaders who want to sacrifice thier political career to do what they would like to do, rather than whoever is in thier pocket wants them to do.

The major difference between Nagin and Rudy was on the day of and directly after 9/11 Rudy said the right things to calm people and at least projected some form of leadership. He deserves plenty of credit and respect for that.

That being said his reign before 9/11 was spotty at best. His biggest claim to fame was closing down alot of strip clubs. Crime did drop great bit, but I think more credit for that goes to Police Commish William Bratton than Rudy. The same Bratton who ended up leaving NY due to his clashes with the egotistical Rudy. This added to alot of what Jordan ,MRG , and Paul C said add up to a very unimpressive run as Mayor.

I voted for the man and really did hope for the best. The best did not happen.Our friends in N.O have already dealt with enough spotty and unimpressive leadership.

[Blitzzzzz]

With all due respect, steeleye. The seeds were planted long before Katrina, sown deep and strong, no storm could wash that away. As of right now the feds have very little to do with the problems in NO. Elected officials is correct though, and on target. Let's see...

Same Governor
Same Mayor
Same US Congressman
Same Police Superintendent
Same Police
Same District Attorney
Same City Council
Same Sheriff
Same Police Jury
Same Levee Board
Same School Board
I could go on...

I'm really not sure why any of y'all would expect anything different.
It would have been nice if enlightened leadership had risen up with a clean slate and tried to really change things instead of the same old, same old.

I really wanna say "It's a Louisiana thang, you don't understand", but that might make me an elitist snub. So what I really wanna say is keep up your interest, learn all you can, and keep that fire of outrage burning. It does help. And tell other folks about it.
But to blame the Ferderal Government on our problems, before, during or after Katrina is flat out wrong. It just doesn't work that way here...

BB, I've suffered an elitist snub before, no problem!
And I do value your Louisiana insights. I'm wondering if you have any thoughts on where Mitch Landrieu is these days? It seems as though he just disappeared after the election when his continued presence might have a positive effect on developments in the city,:cool:

[Turbodog]

Chris Joseph, nice post/thread and a great article. Sad, but true.

CJH, What is happenning is not Bush's fault. Obviously, you are not from here (or you are an idiot). You sound as bad as our pitiful governor.

NO was a dying, cesspool of a city (although one with a funky backbone and a great soul) well before Katrina. Generations of the entitlement culture and a disfunctional education system were killing this city for years. It was out of control before the storm. It is worse now. There appeared to be a brief opportunity to re-shape, re-design, and shrink the footpprint and population of the city and preparew for a well planned, steady re-development/repopulation of the city. Unfortunately that has not happened. Per capita crime is way up and we have a DA's office with severe problems.

I hope it gets better. If not, don't blame Bush (certainly you can find plenty of other things to blame him for).

[steeleye]

Chris Joseph, nice post/thread and a great article. Sad, but true.

CJH, What is happenning is not Bush's fault. Obviously, you are not from here (or you are an idiot). You sound as bad as our pitiful governor.

NO was a dying, cesspool of a city (although one with a funky backbone and a great soul) well before Katrina. Generations of the entitlement culture and a disfunctional education system were killing this city for years. It was out of control before the storm. It is worse now. There appeared to be a brief opportunity to re-shape, re-design, and shrink the footpprint and population of the city and preparew for a well planned, steady re-development/repopulation of the city. Unfortunately that has not happened. Per capita crime is way up and we have a DA's office with severe problems.

I hope it gets better. If not, don't blame Bush (certainly you can find plenty of other things to blame him for).

My rant directed toward Bush was not meant to blame him for all of the well-documented infrastructure issues that New Orleans had pre-K. Certainly those of you who live in NO and Louisiana know your issues and political scene better than I. But my feeling was, and is, that when confronted with an opportunity to provide leadership and a humane Federal response during and after Katrina, he was, to quote Bruce Spingsteen, "President Bystander."

[ScoopJohnD]

EDITORIAL: An exemplary response

Thursday, February 15, 2007




Unlike several federal bureaucracies that have let New Orleanians down since Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. Justice Department has been a shining example of how an enterprising agency can help our recovery.

Under U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, the department has delivered more than $61 million in grants to Louisiana, including $30 million to New Orleans. Federal agents last month began patrolling streets with New Orleans police and have arrested 24 people on federal charges. Half of those suspects already face indictments.

By contrast, New Orleans courts had to set 580 people free in January alone when police and District Attorney Eddie Jordan could not put together formal charges within the 60 days state law requires.

With the city's justice system so broken and violent crime plaguing New Orleans and Jefferson Parish, federal officials should continue to expand their involvement as much as possible.

Indeed, Mr. Gonzales was in town again this week to announce additional programs. Paramount among them was word that a lease for a new New Orleans crime lab, which the Justice Department will help finance, was finally signed Tuesday. City officials vowed to have the lab running in 60 days, and they must deliver on that promise.

Mr. Gonzales also announced a $3 million grant for operation of a one-stop center to assist victims of rape and domestic abuse and their children. Domestic violence has been rising since Katrina, and the new center, one of only 16 of its kind in the nation, will house an array of needed services, from law enforcement units and assistance with divorces or custody cases, to a medical clinic and employment counseling. City officials have to provide a building, and they need to find one faster than they did for the crime lab.

Mr. Gonzales also is assigning two victim and witness assistance specialists to work here for three years. They will train police and private and public agencies in Orleans and Jefferson parishes on counseling and advising victims and witnesses as they go through the justice system. This is crucial, as police complain that many witnesses are reluctant to even talk to them, let alone testify in court.

Federal officials, of course, can only do so much. Murders and robberies, as Mr. Gonzales noted, are not federal crimes. But his department's efforts to help in as much of our recovery as it can are exemplary -- and they are much needed.

Could more have been done by the feds. Of course. But at the same time the question has to be asked. How has the city used that 31 million? And more important, what will the result be of that 60 day vow?

[steeleye]

That's good to hear, Scoop. Thanks.

[ScoopJohnD]

Stern raises concern for N.O. Game
Commissioner points to city's slow recovery
Sunday, February 18, 2007

By John Reid
Staff writer

LAS VEGAS -- Before 45,000 visitors descend on New Orleans for next year's All-Star weekend events, NBA Commissioner David Stern hopes the city's slow recovery from Hurricane Katrina will have accelerated enough for displaced residents to return.

"Although sort of politics and government are not our beat, it sure would be nice to see a plan, almost unrelated to basketball, to deal with the issues for the people of New Orleans that hasn't been dealt with," Stern said.

"We want to be good citizens, but we'd like to see just something that takes care of the displaced people, and that hasn't really made a lot of progress."

In his state of the league address before Saturday's All-Star events at UNLV's Thomas & Mack Center, Stern specifically referred to a New York Times article published Friday about fed-up New Orleans residents leaving the city because of high crime, high rents and lacking leadership among top city governmental officials.

"Our team (Hornets) will be playing there next year, but I don't want to be Pollyanna-ish," Stern said."You read in the New York Times about people just tossing the towel in and leaving. We think it's time to move past having this wonderful tourist ability, a great convention center and a covered arena, and then you take your guests on tours of the areas that have been devastated and where it seems like very, very little has been done. We don't understand it."

A 15-member group from New Orleans, headed by SMG Regional General Manager Doug Thornton and Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation President/CEO Jay Cicero, were in Las Vegas this week to evaluate all aspects involved in staging one of the league's biggest annual events.

Cicero said they plan to do a good job hosting the event, relying on their experience from putting forth past Super Bowls and Final Fours in New Orleans.

In the meantime, the league continues to monitor New Orleans for signs of progress.

"We've been checking on other conventions that have been housed there (New Orleans), hosted, and the reports have been very positive and upbeat," Stern said. "We'd love to be part of the rebirth and vibrancy of that community rather than something that is an exception to what's going on."

Hornets owner George Shinn could not be reached for comment Saturday night, but he has complained in the past about the city's slow recovery efforts.

The league is helping the Hornets land sponsorships, and an announcement is expected before their Feb. 23 game against the Seattle SuperSonics at the New Orleans Arena about gaining additional sponsorships.

"I think we can probably make it work, and we're very optimistic about that," Stern said. "But it doesn't make me feel so good when I go down there and see the inaction for the people in New Orleans. We're not going to be part of the problem, we're going to be part of the solution, if there's a will in Louisiana and New Orleans to solve the issues.

Read Mr. Sterns quotes carefully.......

""Although sort of politics and government are not our beat, it sure would be nice to see a plan.........."

"We want to be good citizens, but we'd like to see just something that takes care of the displaced people, and that hasn't really made a lot of progress."

"You read in the New York Times about people just tossing the towel in and leaving. We think it's time to move past having this wonderful tourist ability, a great convention center and a covered arena, and then you take your guests on tours of the areas that have been devastated and where it seems like very, very little has been done. We don't understand it."

"We'd love to be part of the rebirth and vibrancy of that community rather than something that is an exception to what's going on."

I think we can probably make it work, and we're very optimistic about that," Stern said. "But it doesn't make me feel so good when I go down there and see the inaction for the people in New Orleans. We're not going to be part of the problem, we're going to be part of the solution, if there's a will in Louisiana and New Orleans to solve the issues."

All those quotes, by the commissioner of a major sports league are directed squarely at the leadership of the city and the state. And all of them don't ask for miracles, simply progress and a plan.

It's time for Jordan, Riley, Nagin and Blanco to see those comments and realize that it's not just the commisioner of the NBA thinking those thoughts. It's displaced citizens wanting to come back, it's citizens living there thinking of leaving, it's CEO's of corporations who committed to the leadership of the city and the state who now may be rethinking that decision, it's CEO's who might have wanted to come to New Orleans and Lousiana and now may not, and politicians who could bring more to the area and perhaps think it would be a waste to deliver it to that sort of "leadership".

The feds could have and should have delivered more, no doubt. But they have delivered something, can you see any evidence of Blanco and Nagin, or Riley, or Jordan delivering anything?

[breambob]

BB, I've suffered an elitist snub before, no problem!
And I do value your Louisiana insights. I'm wondering if you have any thoughts on where Mitch Landrieu is these days? It seems as though he just disappeared after the election when his continued presence might have a positive effect on developments in the city,:cool:

My feeling is that he wants to be in and around New Orleans, but he's stuck in Baton Rouge.
I like Mitch alot. I would have voted for him for mayor. What to do? Run for Goverenor against Jindal? Or run agiinst Jefferson for Congress?

He's a natural born leader, with a very good mind...

[sophisticated sissy]

My feeling is that he wants to be in and around New Orleans, but he's stuck in Baton Rouge.
I like Mitch alot. I would have voted for him for mayor. What to do? Run for Goverenor against Jindal? Or run agiinst Jefferson for Congress?

He's a natural born leader, with a very good mind...

100% correct, bb! I find him most agreeable, too. I think Louisiana may need him most as governor, but he'd be great in the U.S. Congress. However, I am not a resident of Louisiana.

And that may be part of why some of us here blame Pres. Bush so much for the response to K. We may not feel right about criticizing the actions of someone else's elected choices for local and state leadership, especially in our beloved and battered Louisiana. It isn't exactly rational, I know. But, on an emotional level, it's almost like kicking someone who's down. And we're not even in the thick of it, really. We're sitting on the sidelines, so to speak.

I will say, though, I still fail to understand how Nagin was reelected. Yes, I know I am a dumbass.

[ScoopJohnD]

100% correct, bb! I find him most agreeable, too. I think Louisiana may need him most as governor, but he'd be great in the U.S. Congress. However, I am not a resident of Louisiana.

And that may be part of why some of us here blame Pres. Bush so much for the response to K. We may not feel right about criticizing the actions of someone else's elected choices for local and state leadership, especially in our beloved and battered Louisiana. It isn't exactly rational, I know. But, on an emotional level, it's almost like kicking someone who's down. And we're not even in the thick of it, really. We're sitting on the sidelines, so to speak.

I will say, though, I still fail to understand how Nagin was reelected. Yes, I know I am a dumbass.

You're not a dumbass. And I see your point. But, and locals certainly correct me if I'm wrong, I think, and this is the point of my rants. that the citizens who reside there, realize the failure of the feds, but they want to move past that. They realize the enormity of what has to be accomplished and they probably could live with the frustration of delays on the monumental projects if they saw something from the local and state leadership that would simply address and show progress on simple quality of life issues like fixing potholes, or arresting criminals. The things that make day to day life bearable and enable you to have hope that the major projects can be done. The things that are the responsibilty of local and state government.

[Zenwinemaster]

When people talk about what a masterful job Giuliani did in NYC and contrast it with Nagin in New Orleans, let's also remember that the entire city of New York was not destroyed on 9-11. Giuliani had a functioning infrastructure -- police, firefighters, hosptials, rescue workers -- a place to set up a command center (albeit he picked the worst possible spot), a functioning city government, places to hold press conferences, places to use as a backdrop for his photo ops, etc. In Nagin's case, the entire city was wiped out. Picture Giuliani with no city left, operating out of Albany or Ithaca, trying to project an image of calm leadership that's in control, with no support system of any kind at his beck and call. The two situations just aren't the same. I can't think of a comparable situation where an entire American city simply disappeared overnight, was evacuated and rendered uninhabitable.