Crescent City

Nope, not even close.
There are serious issues going on right here in this country, not to mention Iraq and Iran. Comments made by a mayor hardly compare to those.

Regards,
BiR </font>[/QUOTE]There's lots of news stories to cover and Mayor Nagin's comments is one of them and the topic of this thread. Iraq and Iran are big stories in their own right but they don't take anyway or add to this one.

Mayor Nagin's comments reflect a big problem in New Orleans and many parts of Louisiana which impact all of us in the nation since we're funding the restoration from the hurricane damage. A local politician like this one can help or hinder that work. He hinders it. A local politician like this can make race an issue at every turn. He does that well.

Of course, as I've said, if the colors were reversed you can bet your boots it would be on the evening news for months on end. It seems to me the news reporters and reports are a bit selective in their level of "outrage" over various dumb comments made by politicians.

 

Perhaps you should worry less about politicians in other cities and concentrate on your own... like the ones who redrew the districts in the Lone Star State......

Like I said: a non-story.

Regards anyway,
BiR </font>[/QUOTE]If New Orleans and Louisiana were funding their own bills that would be fine with me! But we - all of us - are paying the bill so, therefore, it's our problem.

If the people of New Orleans wanted their city to be a "chocolate city" that's fine with me but not on my nickel. I don't want anything done that favors one race over another in New Orleans with my money. I don't want idiots like Mayor Nagin to prosper off my tax money by buying votes with it through comments favoring those he believes can get him re-elected.

This is what extensive federal involvement gets us! I wish it were a New Orleans problem. Then they'd have to make real economic decisions and weigh the costs verses the benefits. Instead they see a huge federal cash register to do whatever they want. The local politicians will intimidate the rest of us into giving them the money in the name of race, or poverty, or something else invented for the purpose.

 

As far as the involved political leaders go, they certainly were. They were firstly and primarily responsible to their citzens. They did a lot talking but not much walking. On the other hand, they like all of us fell victim to the concept that its the federal government's responsibility to take care of us in all ways, in all places, and at all times. They, unfortunately, reflect the attitude of far too many people. We're looking too far up the ladder for solutions.

 

It’s a non-story. You are simply upset at what you perceive is some sort of racism.

Again, you refer to some sort of racism charge.

So, do you believe this to be some sort of reverse discrimination?

Do you know the racial makeup of the Crescent City prior to the hurricane?
Do you know what it is now?

It isn’t just “your” money…..
Again, do you know the racial makeup of the Crescent City prior to the hurricane?
Do you know what it is now?

HUH?
Buying votes?

So, that’s the real issue: they are using “your” money for an “idiot” who is somehow making an attempt to buy votes. Hmm…..

Like I said: a non-issue.

Regards anyway,
BiR </font>[/QUOTE]I understand this is not an issue to you. I also can understand that you may be upset because someone else dares to call this what it is.

I'm more familiar with the demographics of New Orleans and Louisiana than you seem to know. New Orleans did have and will still have a majority population of black Americans. So what? There are a number of other groups that live there as well and many more that live in the surrounding Parishes. It's not a "chocolate city" any more than it's a "vanilla city"! The mayor was wrong to endorse such a concept.

Politically, New Orleans has always been someone of a torn in the side of Louisiana. It's known far and wide for it's blatant public and private corruption. It's been that way for generations. It's a whole lot different than Baton Rouge a few miles north or from North Louisiana that's for sure.

It is our money part of which is, literally, my money. It's not the government's money. When some politician promises to give millions - even billions - of dollars to help they are giving our money. That's what taxes are - our money. The vast majority of what has been and will be spent sure isn't New Orleans's or Louisiana's money. That's why the whole country needs to have a lot to say about how the money is spent. New Orleans and Louisiana need to have only a little bit to say about it.

The issue is exactly what I wrote. New Orleans has an idiot mayor who uses race to intimidate others - with success even at the national level - to fund his city's projects so he can buy his citizens votes. He's licking his lips over all that money that will come into his city from the federal government and hoping he can use it the way he wants to feather his own political future.

Pay closer attention to the details and you'll see race, poverty, etc. being used to justify all sorts of things that can't stand on their own merits of benefits verses costs. Listen to some of public meetings and you'll see stupidity at work. You'll see the rest of the nation subsidizing the errors of people and their local government.

That's an issue in more places that just New Orleans!

 

Yep, Mayor Nagin's comments sure were ridiculous. I think he's an idiot because he, obviously by his own comments, believes God wants New Orleans to be a "chocolate" city. That's about as logical as claiming God favors whites over blacks or the black race is inferior by God's design. Such things are garbage and the thinking of fools.

But, aside from that, the counterpoints illustrate a real problem with liberals. They frequently confuse issues about problems have with what government should or should not be doing about it. They conclude that because someone somewhere suffers a loss the entire government effort to deal with it should be free of all critical comment and politicians who scream out idiotic statements like those of Mayor Nagin should get a free pass. Not so!

Yes, it's interesting how a person's perspective changes when they realize the money being spent doesn't belong to - nor is magically created by - their government but rather by their own work. It is "my" money. It's money taken from people that work and earn it, handed over to politicians, and given back out to others many of whom don't want to work or earn it or who made bad decisions and don't want to be responsible for them or who feel someone else owes them a lifetime of "free" living expenses. Politicians love this scheme because they get to use "my" money to buy votes to get themselves in office. What a deal!

Yes, there's a lot of problems with how our tax money is spent. Let's start another thread about the highway funding because that's a big one. On that point, consider that New Orleans not getting a repaired I-10 bridge but a six lane replacement for the four lane one that was severely damaged. Why? Because they now have a mandate for spending from a bottomless pit of federal money.

Yes, a lot of people are concerned about retirement income including me and the last thing I want is for the government to be responsible for mine. I do, however, want my return of principal and interest - as small as it is - for that which I've been forced to invest in "social" "security" over the years. They didn't give me a choice so I want back what I've put into it - nothing more and nothing less.

But, all these issues don't have anything to do with Mayor Nagin's "chocolate" city comments - the real topic of this thread.

My comments weren't about people in New Orleans - or other areas - that were hurt by the hurricane whether they were rich or poor - both extremes of which were harmed. My comments were about the Mayor's comments. Liberals always think - or at least talk like - it's just poor people that get hurt. Lots of people get hurt in natural disasters - individuals and business - large and small - rich and poor. Hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, fires, bombs, and bullets don't care how much money you have or don't have. My own company and many of its employees were harmed by it. A large chunk of it is self insured meaning we pay for the repairs ourselves.

Yes, I have thought about those people harmed and, in fact, I know some of them - some family - and had the privilege of helping a few - not family - just a little bit when they were in need as did many people to far greater extent in my home town. Some of those I meet didn't ask for anything for the federal government. In fact, all they wanted was to go back home despite their Mayor's orders that they couldn't because it wasn't "safe" except of course for the army of contractors and government workers who swarmed all over the place.

I appreciate you keeping this important topic alive and at the top of the forum. I think it's a more important than you want to admit. It's a big issue in itself and the underlying problems it manifests.