Bad day for Big Easy

[Harlan Huckleby]

Not sure why I care so much, but I am very sad that Ray "Ass Clown" Nagin was re-elected mayor of New Orleans.

That guy is so incompetent! I've never seen anything like it - well Marion Barry getting re-elected in D.C. comes close.

Uhhh, so much is at stake for that city. Nagin is such a poor advocate. His oppontent, Landreiu, although possibly a corrupt insider, seemed very articulate and had inside connections in Washington.

Nagin seems like a nice guy, but his judgement is shit. He is the last person who can deal with the miserable issue of making sensible rebuilding decisions.

This is a terrible thing to say, but the only thing that can save New Orleans now is another hurricane. Hopefully there would be little loss of life or damage to property, since the vulnerable areas are already devestated and depopulated. Such an event would focus minds and resources on a practical reconfiguration of the city.

[Homer Jay]

52% of the people in New Orleans disagree with you. The people have spoken.

[swede]

52% of the people in New Orleans disagree with you. The people have spoken.

A significant percentage of people of New Orleans are demonstrably dim-witted and ignorant. The proof? They were still there when the hurricane hit. As well, the local governments were unprepared and incompetent, The proof? The city's poor and elderly were still in the city when the hurricane hit.
Why would it be the federal government's responsibility to prepare emergency evacuation procedures for one of the nation's most vulnerable coastal cities? It wasn't. The state of Louisiana is sovereign when it comes to overseeing the welfare of its citizens in weather emergencies. FEMA's job is to be ready with material goods and resources at the request of the state. The governor of Louisiana and the Mayor of New Orleans, Ray Nagin, clearly let down their citizens long before, during, and after that storm hit.

I have know since I was twenty, by simply watching NOVA, that if a category 5 hurricane were ever to hit New Orleans the city would almost certainly be destroyed. How many of you could have and would have found a way out of the city given three days' notice?

I agree HH, that the electoral results are depressing, but not unexpected given the populace.

[MJZiggy]

I was in NO when Georges threatened to blow into town and when the airport closed, we drove to Houston to get a flight out of there. That was in 1998. On the news at the time, the weatherperson said that if the storm hit NO directly, that there would likely be devastating flooding because the city is below sea level and the storm surge would overtake them. This was on the news in New Orleans 8 years ago. They knew this was coming. That they weren't better prepared is insane.

[Harlan Huckleby]

I'm not going to fault Nagin TOO much for his actions prior to or during the huricane. Plenty of blame may be due him, but many mayors before him were equally negligent.

Nagin's comments and behavior in the weeks after Katrina were off the charts stupid. He suggested people return to the city a week after Katrina. The director of emergency services, the Coast Guard admiral who replaced Brownie, said they didn't have fresh water, hospital services, etc. to support more people. The fact that the mayor would make such a public statement without consulting operational leaders is stunning. But then he went on to get into a "I'm in charge here!" media battle with the admiral!!!

Fortunately for Nagin, a 2nd hurricane approached New Orleans, allowing him a face-saving way out, "Due to changed conditions, I retract my previous recommendations."

Nagin is a glib, shallow man. He is not a serious person who will deal with the complex choices that need to be made. He insists it is time for all dispersed people to return so that New Orleans can be a "chocolate city" again. He seems to think public posturing is going to get Category 5 levies built, to protect the old organization of the city.

Disaster.

[Homer Jay]

It kinda reminds me of the 2004 presidential election. president Bush defeated John Kerry 51% to 48%. I was of the opinion that the electorate had made a mistake, but the people had spoken. Seems like the same thing here.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

Not sure why I care so much, but I am very sad that Ray "Ass Clown" Nagin was re-elected mayor of New Orleans.

.

Harlan doesnt like Nagin cos the mayor's black. You racist SOB, Huckleby; white liberals everywhere distaste you and people like you!!!

[Homer Jay]

Not sure why I care so much, but I am very sad that Ray "Ass Clown" Nagin was re-elected mayor of New Orleans.

.

Harlan doesnt like Nagin cos the mayor's black. You racist SOB, Huckleby; white liberals everywhere distaste you and people like you!!!

I have never read anything from Harlan that makes me think he is a racist. I can state, however that I do not "distaste" him.

Is distaste a gay slang?

[Anti-Polar Bear]

It was a humorless joke, ok.

[MJZiggy]

Not sure why I care so much, but I am very sad that Ray "Ass Clown" Nagin was re-elected mayor of New Orleans.

.

Harlan doesnt like Nagin cos the mayor's black. You racist SOB, Huckleby; white liberals everywhere distaste you and people like you!!!

It could also be said that the assumption that Harlan's comment is based solely on race is in and of itself racist. I don't think Harlan is joking either but commenting on the performance of an elected official. I haven't been following this election and don't know who his opponent is, but are you sure that his opponent isn't black too? If he is, then how would it be possible for Harlan to be racist for wanting another black man to be in office over the one that is there?

[Anti-Polar Bear]

It could also be said that the assumption that Harlan's comment is based solely on race is in and of itself racist. I don't think Harlan is joking either but commenting on the performance of an elected official. I haven't been following this election and don't know who his opponent is, but are you sure that his opponent isn't black too? If he is, then how would it be possible for Harlan to be racist for wanting another black man to be in office over the one that is there?

According to an anonymous source close to the situation, Harlan endorsed the clone of Captain John C. Lester. The former Lester was a Confederate Vet who was one of the founders of the Ku Klux Klan Extreme Republic Party.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

After some research, Harlan also endorsed a second canadiate: the clone of Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest, the "Grand Wizard."

Forrest Gump was named after that evil person.

[MJZiggy]

When you have something real to say, talk to me.

[Homer Jay]

For the record Ray Nagin defeated Mitch Landrieu, who is white.

[MJZiggy]

Thank you.

[Harlan Huckleby]

There certainly is a huge element of race. I think it is horribly irresponsible for Nagin to tell the black community that they can all come back, live where they lived before, and everything is gonna be alright.

If it wasn't for race-based voting, I don't think Nagin would have stood a prayer of being re-elected. That bothers me. I understand why minority groups tend to vote for their own, given the history, but in this instance it's a damn shame.

People in Washington do not respect Nagin. He is going to have trouble getting the money the city needs. And he does not have a practical vision for rebuilding, other than restoring his African-American constituency. Ummm, it's not just Nagin or black people who have this attitude! I find that most people who love New Orleans, regardless of race, seem to think that things have to be restored to the way they were before.

The less sentimental experts say that a portion of the city has to be returned to marshland, and that protecting the whole city with cat 5 levies would just hasten the demise of the wetlands that protect the city out in the gulf.

Fuck it. Here's what's gonna happen: people are slowly going to rebuild throughout the city, but the place is going to continue to be decrepit. New Orleans is not going to get their Cat 5 Levies, too expensive and perhaps irrelevant in 30 years anyway. It will take another hurricane, hitting New Orleans directly, before major changes come.

[Scott Campbell]

Save Central Grocery.

[MJZiggy]

Save Le Maisson deVille.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Tish, you spoke french!

[hurleyfan]

Wasn't one of the big "rips" on Nagin was he told the Gov the City had all the evacuation stuff under control? Had all these school buses lined up if needed? Basically turned down the offer for State help? Then when he realized the magnitude of the problem, it was too late.

This tragedy will always be remembered as a "racist" issue as unfortunate as that may be. So many poor people, so many elderly people, maybe just too many people living in the city that weren't given the proper info to get the hell out of town!
And of course the media plays up what angle? All those po' black folk getting ignored by the white republican government!