Louisiana Backlash

RealClear Politics ^ | 03/06/06 | Robert Novak

[Galveston Grl]

First, I doubt any real Republican in Louisianna is joining Novack and the media in blaming Bush for what Blanko and Nagin have done during this disaster and for what incompetent and corrupt democats did before the election with the levee. Also real Republicans would not be sitting around waiting for Bush to rebuild their State. They would expect local and State officials to get busy rather than shift blame and whine.

But, if they claim to be Republicans and are that stupid, they were not really Republicans anyway. Looking at the elected officials who showed up on television, Republicans in Louisianna are not too influential in the effected areas so it won't matter if the Democrats turn against Republicans.

[bboop]

'Novak is a registered Democrat' -- evidently!! I am sending him the Popular Mechanics article posted this morning. What drivel.

[boo4]

I hate to tell ya this, but I know lotsa folks(honestly registered Republicans) in the New Orleans area who do blame Presidnt Bush. Mary Landrieu made the greatest political move I have ever seen after learning that the canal floodwalls broke. She started screaming "it's Bush's fault, it's Bush's fault". The local media immediately picked it up, followed by the LSM and now it's a common belief down here. Heck even David Vitter starting spouting off about the federal government and President Bush's policies. It has been a sad time here.

[Galveston Grl]

**I know lotsa folks(honestly registered Republicans) in the New Orleans area who do blame Presidnt Bush.**

That is fine. These people are idiots to permit MeeMaw and Nagin shift blame. And that the corrupt Mary Landrieu played to this stupid crowd after stealing an election says more about these so-called Republicans than anything else.

Oh well...I guess they will re-elect Democrats. Remind me now how this is going to affect the Republican party in that area...

[CyberAnt]

And .. Novak is right there to make sure repubs get the blame. I don't know why everybody thinks so highly of him .. he's got his finger in the wind just like the rest of the dems. He's thrown in with FOX because he can see the writing on the wall for the other networks. It's not because he has any good conservative ideas to throw around.

Quite personally .. I think he's a FOX in the henhouse (if you'll pardon the intentional pun).

[boo4]

No, they are not idiots. What they are is angry, very angry and need someone or something to blame for the levee failures. I was absolutely amazed at their reactions and actions. Remember it is a common belief that the levee failures were a result of federal policies and with very little if any blame toward the local levee boards. I am not endorsing their positions I am just telling you what I heard. And as far as elected officials (Republican ones) affected by the storm, maybe you could ask Jindal or Vitter.

[Galveston Grl]

If Jindal or Vitter are in trouble it is because they caved and went along with the liberals as they blamed Bush instead of fighting back against the incompetence of MeeMaw and Nagin.

You can lead a horse to water... and Louisianna Republicans to power, but you can not give them a brain. They should have directed Republican blame to the Democrats in power where it belonged. What did Jindal and Vitter think they would gain by reverting into whining liberals blaming Republicans (themselves) when the going got rough? Jindal should have been yapping on what a real governor would have done faced with the oncoming hurricane. There is nothing National Republicans can do about this degree of political stupidity.

[HostileTerritory]

Novak's registration (which is due to living in a one-party precinct where only Democrats have contested primaries and a chance of winning) has nothing to do with it.

Obviously, Rep. Richard Baker wants more $$$ from the federal government and unloaded on Novak because he hasn't gotten everything he's asked for. His own home city of Baton Rouge is overflowing with refugees, which has made traffic worse and displaced many people in rental homes. They're not in bad shape like New Orleans but his constituents are unhappy. The implications that the roof will collapse on the Republican party in Louisiana because of this is hyperbole. All it measures is Baker's own unhappiness with fielding dozens or hundreds of calls every day from constituents bitching about their problems six months after landfall.

[HostileTerritory]

What did Jindal and Vitter think they would gain by reverting into whining liberals blaming Republicans (themselves) when the going got rough?

After a couple of days, the problem was no longer "who can we blame", but "who can we blame that can get the resources to help us." Nagin and Blanco could have evacuated people before the storm but after the city flooded Nagin in particular was reduced to a figurehead with no money, people, or much dry land to use. Blanco couldn't do much more because the rest of the state was stretched to the limit with damage in and outside New Orleans, leaving the Federal Government as the only undamaged "white knight" with the manpower and resources to come in and clean up the mess.

[boo4]

I agree. The whining by these two, especially Vitter was troubling. Jindal backed off but good ole David has kept it up. Heck he fell right in line with Landrieu. Only upon being confronted publicly did he crawfish away from the $250 billion dollar giveaway.

[Grizzled Bear]

I'd like to tie-up Novak & Buchanan in a burlap sack and toss'm in the river.

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Might violate some enviromental laws contaminating the river like that. :-)
__________________________________________________________
How about if he beats them with a stick first?

[peyton randolph]

Novak's registration (which is due to living in a one-party precinct where only Democrats have contested primaries and a chance of winning) has nothing to do with it.

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Ahh...the political expediency argument for being a Democrat. When in Rome...or Sodom for that matter. Under that theory, Novak would become a homosexual if he lived in San Francisco.

[peyton randolph]

How about if he beats them with a stick first?

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Then there is the additional environmental issue of the tree whose branch was used. ;-)

[HostileTerritory]

Democracy means having some say in who your elected officials are. In some parts of the country, the only way to do that is to register in one party no matter what your personal views.

I live in a one-party corner of a one-party state. 85% of our state legislators are Democrats, a number unmatched elsewhere. Only the Idaho legislature comes close in being as strongly Republican. I registered as unenrolled because Republicans don't bother to field candidates in most local elections and I see no reason why they should start; the conservatives, such as they are, run in the Democrat primary. So I can take that ballot when I see a choice worth making.

[Beagle8U]

"Obviously, Rep. Richard Baker wants more $$$ from the federal government and unloaded on Novak because he hasn't gotten everything he's asked for. His own home city of Baton Rouge is overflowing with refugees, which has made traffic worse and displaced many people in rental homes."

If everyone would read the article carefully( even between the lines) you would see that what Baker is bitching about is having the N.O. residents in his district.
It hasn't a damn thing to do with the hurricane, those new residents to his district will vote Demonrat until the day they die, and Bakers elections have been by close margins.

Pointing out the fact that blacks tend to vote 90% Dem. isn't racist, but if says he doesn't want those new Dem. voters in his district, he will be viewed as one.

[Sunnyflorida]

There is only one party that MUST take ultimate responsibility for Katrina and that is the residents of the area. I'm not saying we should not help them, but the entire Gulf Coast is a well known hurricane zone. There was plenty of long and short term warning. I do not have any problem if people move back. But they must be required to pay for it themselves and take responsibility for the likelihood of being wiped out again. It's not if it is when.

[NickFlooding]

I see you are extremely unfamiliar with Louisiana's modern history. We have let the South with the election of Republicans going back to Dave Treen as Governor in the 1980's. We have been a Red State the last two Presidential elections and most others going back to my grade school years in the 60's. The big question is will the destruction in Jefferson/St. Tammany/Washington tilt it blue next time.

Baker has reason to be concerned. His seat was last re-won by a margin of 6000 votes and there has been an influx of 50,000 from Orleans/Plaquemines/St. Bernard, mostly liberal areas.

If you think North Louisiana is more conservative than South Louisiana you may want to look at the demographics and electoral history of the 1st Congressional District.

[HostileTerritory]

His seat was last re-won by a margin of 6000 votes

That part of the article was a bit misleading. In 1998, Baker narrowly defeated Marjorie McKeithen in a race that turned out much closer than expected. Since then, no one has challenged him, and his district was changed to be slightly more conservative.

I'm not worried about Baker losing his seat on a tide of N.O. refugee votes because as soon as the Democrat candidate becomes identified as "the refugee candidate" he will lose the support of thousands of locals who would otherwise vote Democrat. Certainly among many white voters who voted for McKeithen. I expect most of those refugees to continue to vote from New Orleans residences anyway. If large numbers try to register and vote in Baton Rouge both parties will get together to put up roadblock to that happening, it's too threatening to their own power.

On top of all that, politics has changed in the South since 1998 and Louisiana is less Democrat-friendly in general.

[Galveston Grl]

The one who beleives the Federal Government is even close to a "white knight in shining armor" and is going to save the day, is the one who needs their head examined! If you all are waiting for the Federal Government to rebuild and clean up your State, good luck. The Federal Government is plumb out of builders, state workers, garbage collectors, construction contractors, city planners, mayors, governors...

How many times have you seen a Florida governor - Democrat or Republican - EVER say..."welp, as soon and the Knight from Washington arrives, we will be move back into the houses it builds for us." This is nuts. The Governor is supposed to plan and direct these needs and Washington gives money - which you all have already gotten a boat load of! If NOTHING is improving there don't look at washington...look at the corrupt, blame shifting Democrats in charge of your state. They are dumb as a bag of rocks! You all are in trouble; but that means you better vote in a leadership with a brain for a change.

If this is the way Republicans think and act in Louisianna, then please, spare us this stupidity and join the party of the socialist variety. I never want to have to depend on the government to save me because we would all be hopeless, poor and/or dead if we made Washington our daddy. Always remember those lovely high rise housing projects the Federal government built for the poor... Is that what you are waiting for? Calling Jimma Carter!

[Galveston Grl]

When are they going to start asking Mee Maw and Nagin what their plan is to fix the problems of their state and city?
It is time to fight back or they deserve to loose.