Posted on 01/25/2007 4:26:24 PM PST by mcg2000
Michael Brown, the former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is shooting off his mouth again. Last week in New York City, he claimed that Mississippi and Louisiana were treated differently after Hurricane Katrina because of their politics.
Unfortunately, Louisiana's Democratic governor, Kathleen Blanco, jumped on the suggestion, claiming that Brown had "broken the code of silence about the political conspiracy to hurt the people of Louisiana."
Fortunately, Mississippi's Republican governor, Haley Barbour, took the time to consider the source of this conspiracy theory and said Brown's "credibility has been worn pretty thin over the last couple of years - at least that's what Congress said about him, Democrats in Congress said about him."
Whatever case Blanco wants to make, she would be wise not to base any part of it on anything Brown has to say. Anyone who watched Brown's congressional testimony on C-SPAN knows that he did indeed wear out his credibility with Congress.
Blanco and others might also consider letting go of the notion that federal assistance is based on some sort of Louisiana vs. Mississippi tug-of-war over funding.
There is federal funding for the recovery effort in both states. But each state must make its own case.
Is Louisiana losing out to Mississippi?
We aren't keeping score.
But Barbour may have been when he said:
"Sounds to me like Congress is getting their money's worth in Mississippi."
The other day the murder count was at 9 but that was several days ago.
Hey. they came over here to the Mississippi Gulfcoast and are doing some killings herer too.
He's said several times that he's not interesting in seeking the GOP nomination. His wife doesn't like Washinton, D.C. and Governor Barbour is running for reelection in my state this year.
He has a chef at the Governor's mansion who lost a lot of weight and he's cooking a likewise diet healthy menu for the governor.
He did a stellar job as RNC Chairman on TV. It's his thick Southern accent that bothers some yankees and maybe some other people too. Kind of like New England accents bother me... Cuber, cah, etc.
His wife does NOT like Washington, D.C. She's always stayed home in Mississippi when he's worked and lived in our nation's capitol.
I have heard a rumor, but only a rumor, that he might consider being a certain candidate's VP, but that candidate is not well liked here, which will make it very interesting if that candidate happens to win the nomination and have Haley agree. :0)
all anyone has to do is travel to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and they'll see where the real class is....these folks over there are pulling themselves up by the bootstraps and doing whatever is needed to get back to where they were before Katrina (and in fact better than they were)....those jerks (meaning Dims) in LA have done nothing but put their hands out looking for government dollars....I live in Mobile, and I'm so very proud of the the people in Mississippi....
My cousins in south Mississippi tell me that folks down there are quite sick of all of the focus New Orleans is claiming and receiving.
The Blanco Road Home web page bears our Moon's figures on the program. The stats page also reads like a test case in government ineptness and citizen uninvolvement. They've taken in 100,000 applications, then they have to schedule an interview, make a determination, have the people who qualify make a choice of benefit, get the benefit process executed, and finally cut a check. At each level, somewhere between a third and two thirds of the people in the process get sidetracked.
Bottom line? Out of a hundred thousand applications, they've written less than 300 checks. Well... that's checks to the beneficiaries. The checks to the patronage employees operating the system have been flowing right along.
BAM!
He was in my fair city two weeks ago at a luncheon. I actually forgot to attend.
I can't beleive it.
PING
Well, I know you're not one to go 'round spreadin rumours
Really you're just not the gossipy kind
No I'll never hear you repeating gossip
So I'll be sure and listen close the first time!
Giuliani, McCain, or Romney? A Giuliani-Barbour ticket would be a good one. For a variety of reasons, fair or not, a southern GOP Presidential candidate would have almost zero shotin 2008. However a Barbour running in 2016 to follow Giuliani probably would be in a better position. With the country so divided along a variety of lines, alternating candidates that appeal strongest to different combinations of interest groups is probably the wisest course. JMHO.
I wish Hailey would come back and run the RNC. He has a spine. The current leadership at the RNC, Congress, and the White House has lost theirs.
It would be a wise move by McCain. Hopefully someone more qualified for President will woo Barbour.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.