forgotston.com

Apparently, Senate President Don “Doc” Hines doesn’t get the concept of a representative democracy. That is a form of government where the citizens elect others to represent and vote on their behalf. In LA, that would be the legislature.

According to the story in today’s Baton Rouge paper, when Hines received a petition from Rep. Steve Scalise to call a special session, he “threw it in the trash can.”

The petition was a direct result of an outcry from the citizens of the state for action on the levee boards. Gov. Blanco had previously not committed to calling such a session, so Scalise, on our behalf, was pursuing the only other legal means of calling a session to redress our concerns. Hines’s arrogant and disrespectful response was a slap in the face to every citizen of LA. It was a failure to recognize the role of the legislature.

Hines owes every citizen of LA an apology and especially to those of us who are victims of the ravages of Hurricane Katrina which were due, in part, to the negligence of the levee boards.

Kudos to Scalise for his efforts which apparently cause our governor to finally take action.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 9:29 am

The latest study out ranks LA 50th (dead last) with the other states in terms of competitiveness. (See listing here.) It is immaterial whether we agree with the criteria or even the conclusions of the study. The study is out there for businesses all over the country to see.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 10:26 am

As I read the story in the Daily Monopoly about the idea of a Marshall Plan for the recovery from Hurricane Katrina, I kept trying to find some similarity between rebuilding Europe post-WWII and rebuilding New Orleans Post-Katrina. I can’t find any.

First, while I am no history scholar nor even a history buff, I don’t believe the United States started WWII. Second, the war was against other countries that had declared war on us and our allies.

Katrina was an Act of God. However, the flooding of 80% of New Orleans was due to the negligence of man. More specifically, man/men, in the employ of the U.S. Government. Unlike the fighting in WWII in Europe and elsewhere, New Orleans was “destroyed” by the equivalent of “friendly fire.” Our own government in affect “attacked” its own unarmed citizens.

Bottom-line, there is nothing even close to compare what was done to New Orleans by our own government with the possible exception of the Civil War. Therefore, looking to history to justify the level of funding is not helpful. There has never been another disaster in America like this one.

If this matter was in court in LA, we would simply apply the law that says he who does harm to another repairs it. Not only repair it, but put the one so harmed back as he found them. The actual costs are for the jury to decide, not the defendant.

C.B.

Uncategorized CB 8:30 am