Congressman Bobby Jindal weighs in on the Wall Street Journal’s editorial section (thanks for the tip Olinda). The man ain’t happy:
There have already been a number of instances in which an overly inhibitive bureaucracy prevented an appropriate response to the disaster. For example, on Wednesday of last week a company called my office. With only three hours before rising waters would make the mission impossible, they were anxious to send a rescue helicopter for their stranded employees. They wanted to know who would give them a go-ahead.We could not identify the agency with authority. We heard that FEMA was in charge, that the FAA was in charge, and that the military was in charge. I went in person to talk with a FEMA representative and still could not get a straight answer. Finally we told the company to avoid interfering with Coast Guard missions, but to proceed on its own. Sometimes, asking for forgiveness is better than asking for permission.
The first half of his op-ed seems to rail against big government and bureaucracy. It’s hard to accept a Republican doing that when his traditionally government-hating party has been in charge for so long. Maybe this means we should cut even more taxes to make the government even more efficient. I agree with the other side in believing that years of undermining the importance of the federal government in the lives of people (especially the poor) is what contributed to a disastrous response.
Spending my days on the ground in Louisiana last week, I did not see much television. But I understand that some media let the violent and destructive acts of a few overshadow the many acts of compassion and heroism.Contrary to the pictures you may have seen, the vast majority of New Orleanians did not take to the street with weapons–far more risked their own safety to help neighbors and strangers.
I’m glad he set the record straight. This past weekend while on a long car ride, I had the misfortune to listen to AM radio. Every conservative crackpot radio show host seemed to be obsessed with the “widespread crimewave” in New Orleans.
As I struggle to explain to my 3-year-old daughter why her prayers that the hurricane spare our hometown were unanswered, we as a nation must make sure that we learn from our initial mistakes and cut through the red tape to help people rebuild their homes, their hopes and their lives.
Ahh the obligatory reference to their young child. A politician wouldn’t be a politician without this trademark.
Don’t get me started on Bobby Jindal.
Bobby Jindal is a no show. I guess his new mantra is red tapism. I think some of the Republicans are upset about his paroting red tapism.
Maybe, Mary Landrieu should punch him.
Kush, your remarks make no sense to me. So what if his new mantra is “red tapism”? He’s obviously and justifiably upset by the beauracratic jungle people have to hack through in order to get assistance. If he is in a position to effect change (and he is), all the better.
Abhi, I absolutely disagree with your comments. Many more factors contributed to the disastrous response in a much more significant way. One example: corruption in NOLA politics. I’m not familiar with the political scene over there, but from what I’ve read, corruption at the local and state level automatically disenchfranchised many, especialy the poor.
Many people of liberal political beliefs were/are also “obsessed” with the “crimewave”. I think I fail to see your point with this comment.
I have been following happening of South Louisiana very carefully. Every person (Democrat and Republican) are doing the best they can at present – they are pretty pained and quite empathic. He sounds more like a high-school captain.
Please read this from The Advocate, the Baton Rouge city newspaper (http://2theadvocate.com/livepages4/887.shtml). Excerpts:
Honoré raised his voice and stabbed his index finger in the air when disputing comments made by U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal. The Republican who represents much of Metairie in Congress told reporters that red tape continues to hinder recovery efforts, especially in Plaquemines and other coastal parishes south of New Orleans.
“That’s B.S.,” Honoré said. “I can tell you that’s B.S.”
Runnerwallah, you ratfucker! Which american metro does not have corruption and urban poverty? Name one??
Dealing with disasters is what national/federal governments do. You can stuff the “many factors” up your conservative ass.
NOLA and Louisiana politics has nothing to with the “Democrat” or “Republican” ways……..
It has to do hundreds of years of plantation mentality, oil and gas intrigue, race relations, nepotism, corruption, etc. All this said, South Louisiana has a lot of heart and empathy.
Like many states in South, Louisiana tends (not always) to be Democrat at the local level and Republican at the national level. Often the Southern Democrat US senators tend be more with the “mainstream” Republicans than Rockafellar Republican on the senate floor.
I think Bobby Jindal seems to lack emapthy, as far I can see. It might change in coming days.
To abhi:
Oh so now you think Jindal is worth listening to….what happened to the standard SM bash Jindal line? That is so first part of 2005, is it?
Sincerely,
Someone who just got word that the refugees (evacuees) are coming into Otis starting now and that the docs at our hospital need to start getting ready…..
You missed my point. Every city has corruption and urban poverty. But corruption on a scale that New Orleans is reputed to have, I can name only a couple. Ditto for urban poverty.
Agreed. But prior to the hurricane, poverty was the disaster. The federal govt can only do so much about poverty – in my opinion, much of the blame lies with the city and state governments. Reading about the poverty that existed in New Orleans before the hurricane is especially saddening… hopefully this can be overcome after the cleanup.
Mind boggling! Federal spend is increasing and we think the goverment’s importance is being undermined. Oh! yes, the rhetoric. How sweet! But alas, it is nothing more than that.
Any Massachusetts readers of SM who want to know whom to contact to be a non-medical volunteer at Camp Edwards, Otis Air Force base can e-mail me
chaitealatte97 at yahoo dot com
I wish he were the governor there right now.
Florida has seen much worse hurricanes in the last year and came out OK. I think the local government,state should take the most blame.
Liberals can’t seem to understand why Kerry is not in the white house losers
That should be Air National Guard, not Air Force.
Chill out, guys.
New Orleans is not that different from San Francisco or Chicago, maybe marginally. Have you ever been to NO?
Please remember, Katrina is the third most intense storm ever to make landfall in USA (According to Nature – a scientific journal). That changes the whole game.
On a related note, this National Geographic article from October 2004 was uncannily accurate:
Gone With The Water
An excerpt:
MD,
Ummm, no. Jindal is a smart guy who often says smart things although I will never get over his larger political beliefs. There is nothing particularly interesting or new in his entire op-ed. I just used him to open this topic. Also, I never “bash” Jindal. Many people that comment on my Jindal posts do however.
Hayek,
The hallmark of conservatives is to reduce the role of the government and it’s importance in the lives of ordinary citizens. That is what the party in charge has been trying to do. I don’t agree with that philosophy. As far as pointing to the increase in federal spending over the last 5 years, it is easily explained by the fact that the Republican party is only conservative in the social sense and no longer in the fiscal sense.
Che, No personal attacks please.
Ok, point well taken abhi. Although Manish, on the other hand….
*This administration has done nothing to make government smaller or reduce spending, sadly enough. I guess big government conservatism means you get big dopey agencies, like, uh, the department of Homeland Security.
**As for reducing the role of government in the lives of people, well, do you think that the events of the past week or so have showed that large organizations, lots of red tape, and turf-wars between various government agencies is a good thing? But never fear. The democrats and republicans will duke it out, appoint some worthless politicians to some worthless committe, come out with a worthless report, and when it is all done, there will be a list of useless regulations designed to cut down on the old useless regulations. And the same party hacks and opportunists and political hanger ons will allow this to happen because to step back, to take a moment, to calmly analyze and marshall fact and reason and logic will not happen in this political climate.
More people will die, no matter who is in office. Incompetence is rife.
Abhi, My point was that limited government is not the issue, incompetence is . Whether you are for bigger or smaller government you must wonder about any government or organization that bungles almost every major task.
Speaking of social conservatives, I read a good article about how religion can act as an insurance during economic downturns in today’s NY Times.
Sorry. Anyone who has ever taken exorcism literally merits an eye roll the size of a space elevator.
I think it will be interesting to see over the coming months whether more and more conservatives will distance themselves from Bush – i.e. will have the usual partisan loyalty, or are they scared of the 2006 ramifications…
Heaven forbid Jindal had said, “Get them out and I’ll take the responsibility.”
FEMA’s incomptence should not excuse the negligence of the State of Louisiana or the City of New Orleans. Since Reconstruction, Louisiana has been a one-party town – Democratic. The state did not go to a Republican presidential candidate until 2004.
As is the case with business monopolies, so it is with politics – you get lousy service and little attention to customer concerns. Since one party in the state could do as it pleases, it needed only to hand out goodies top favored constituencies, and guess what, the poor was not one of them.
While Nagin was working in a nightmarish situation, that does not excuse him from not using the 200 or so school and city buses to move the poor to higher ground. Even before the storm hit, he was telling NO residents that if they plan on using the Superdome, they should bring food. Governor Blanco could not even manage to inspire a soupcon of confidence in the people of Louisiana as she started whimpering on national televisions.
Next door in Mississippi, you had the blubbering Gov. Barbour going on TV saying that they were not expecting such a fierce storm, despite the fact that the head of the National Weather Service personnaly called all the governor’s in the region and warned them of the severity of Katrina. But since Mississippi did not have the concentrated urban criminal class that NO had, they were spared the additional nightmare of being assaulted in a shelter.
In the New York Times, David Brooks mentioned how Katrina was the “anti 9/11”. In 2001, the nation was faced with a unimaginable violent attack, but NY was held steady under the leadership of Giuliani, DC was secured, and the brave men and women of Flight 93 saved countless lives through their sacrifice over Pennsylvania. Within a month, the Taliban and Al Qaeda were ousted from their home in Afghanistan. The system worked.
In Katrina – all levels of government proved remarkbly inept at carrying out their functions. All that money and reorganization amounted to nothing.
KXB,
1) Do you even know American History? Guy, how can be so wrong at 101 level. What I am going to do copy from some of the wikipedia links:
Definition of Dixiecrat In its modern connotation (especially 1956-1980), the term “Dixiecrat” is used in reference to Southern Democrats who traditionally vote (or voted) in support of the Democratic Party, but because of social issues, may vote in opposition to the Democratic Party with regard to certain elections and/or candidates. The term is a portmanteau derived from “Dixie”, which is a term used to describe the South, and the term “Democrat”.
For more details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixiecrats
2) “The state did not go to a Republican presidential candidate until 2004”
God…..You could not be more wrong.
In the 1960s, the courting of white Southern Democratic voters was the basis of the “southern strategy” of the Republican Party’s Presidential Campaigns. Republican Presidential Candidate Barry Goldwater carried the Deep South in 1964, despite losing in a landslide in the rest of the nation to President Lyndon B Johnson of Texas. Johnson surmised that his advocacy behind passing the 1964 Civil Rights Act would lose the South for the Democratic party. The only Democratic presidential candidate after 1956 to solidly carry the Deep South was President Jimmy Carter in the 1976 election.
Into the twenty-first century, the South has changed from a Democratic monolith to a majority Republican sector of the country with GOP gains in state legislatures. For more details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dixiecrats
Throughout the most of the 19th and 20th centuries, the Deep South was firmly entrenched in the populist Democratic Party. However, in presidential elections, the Deep South has tended to vote for the Republican candidate since 1980. Since the 1990s there has been a continued shift toward Republican candidates in most political venues.
For more details read: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_South
3) Check out the list of governors in Louisiana, and see how many of them have been Republicans. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Louisiana_Governors
4) For starters, check out the results from 1984 Presidential elections.
http://www.multied.com/elections/1984state.html
Who won in Louisiana? Was it Mondale?
I have lived in Lousiana for 7 years and in South for 10 years……….I cannot stand such ignorance.
Guys,
Ignorance is bliss.
Please check out the Louisiana track record in Presidential elections on the following site:
http://www.uselectionatlas.org/USPRESIDENT/
Examples:
Dwight Eisenhower (Republican) 1956 Barry Goldwater (Republican) 1964 Richard Nixon (Republican) 1972 Ronald Reagan (Republican) 1980 Ronald Reagan (Republican) 1984 George Bush (Republican) 1988 George W. Bush (Republican) 2000 George W. Bush (Republican) 2004
Let me know what you guys are smoking. I’ll like a puff or two, will inhale.
In 1968, it was George Wallace in Louisiana for Presidential elections.
I am going email the reply #. 20 to some of my southern friends, especially history majors, and see how “hysterical” can they get.
On a serious note, everyone (federal and state) failed for Hurrican Katrina. Katrina is no 9/11, it affected 400,000 people with a category 4 storm.
Plese be sensitive and be respectful to the fury of the nature – and truthful.
Major Correction
On a serious note, everyone (federal and state) failed for Hurrican Katrina. Katrina is no 9/11, it affected millions of people with a category 4 storm.
I repeat millions.
New Orleans is one of the biggest ports of the world and accounts for about 15 percent of U.S.-produced petroleum, much of it from the Gulf. Also, wheat and farm products from midwest are shipped from New Orleans.
Louisiana is a major oil producing state with abundant crude oil reserves, ranking 5th in production and 8th in reserves. Petroleum infrastructure is extensive with a large network of crude oil, product, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) pipelines and storage facilities. Louisiana is also home to two of the four Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) storage facilities: West Hackberry in Cameron Parish and Bayou Choctaw in Iberville Parish, Louisiana. Other infrastructure include 17 petroleum refineries with a combined crude oil distillation capacity of nearly 2.8 million barrels per calendar day, the second highest in the nation after Texas. Louisiana has numerous ports including the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP), which is capable of receiving ultra large oil tankers. Natural gas and electricity dominate the home heating market with similar market shares totaling about 47 percent each.
For god sake, give some respect to the state.
Please read: http://slate.msn.com/id/2125474/?nav=ais
break it down, kush. thanks for the much needed statement of facts.
however you must agree with my that comment #20 is quite a masterpiece: it contains elements of racism, sexism, imperialism, jingoism, all bundled up in (wilful?) ignorance and factual error. (let this be a lesson to you all, kids: this is what happens when you read too much david brooks.)
on a serious note, it constantly amazes me how even in this day and age, on web postings no less, people will write “facts” that a simple google/wiki search would have shown them are false. c’mon guys, it’s hard to take your arguments seriously when they are packed with false statements. let’s have some quality control, then we can talk.
peace
Yes, but is he speaking his mind to the Rep Baker of Baton Rouge who said:
I also wonder if MD will deplore such statements, or only the “finger pointing” about how none of FEMA’s managers had any experience with disaster relief.
Is there a way all of us Sepia Mutiny fans in the D.C. area can get together to shoot the breeze or work on our writings/musings? That’d be a riot!! Email me and let me know!