Later.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Clinton
Me and the wife were discussing the pros and cons of the USA under the Clinton administration. She asked “what did Bill Clinton do while in office except ignore terrorist and get blow jobs?” Well, here is a small list of some of his accomplishments:
Clinton's presidency included the longest period of economic growth in America's history, credited in large part to budget reforms as well as the peace dividend following the demise of the Soviet Union. After numerous reports revealed that the federal budget deficit would be far greater than expected, President Clinton quickly made cutting the deficit a high priority. Clinton submitted a budget that would cut the deficit by $500 billion over five years by reducing $255 billion of spending and raising taxes on the wealthiest 1.2% of Americans.
Improved economic conditions and policies served to encourage investors in the bond market, leading to a decline in long-term interest rates. The bill contributed to dramatic decline of the budget deficit in the years following its enactment–in 2002, for the first time since 1969, the nation achieved a budget surplus. The surplus money was used to pay down the national debt, which had risen to $5.4 trillion by 1997. The economy continued to grow, and in February 2000 it broke the record for the longest uninterrupted economic expansion in U.S. history—lasting ten years. In the year 2000, the nation was on track to be debt free for the first time in history by 2008.
After Republicans won control of Congress in 1994, Clinton vehemently fought their proposed tax cuts, believing that they favored the wealthy and would weaken economic growth. In August 1997, however, Clinton and Congressional Republicans were finally able to reach a compromise on a bill that reduced capital gain and estate taxes and gave taxpayers a credit of $500 per child and tax credits for college tuition and expenses. The bill also called for a new individual retirement account (IRA) called the Roth IRA to allow people to invest taxed income for retirement without having to pay taxes upon withdrawal. Additionally, the law raised the national minimum for cigarette taxes. The next year, Congress approved Clinton’s proposal to make college more affordable by expanding the financial-aid program known as Pell grants and lowering interest rates on student loans.
The Clinton presidency left America with record economic growth and prosperity:
Average economic growth of 4.0 percent per year, compared to average growth of 2.8 percent during the previous years. The economy grew for 116 consecutive months, the most in history.
Creation of more than 22.5 million jobs—the most jobs ever created under a single administration, and more than were created in the previous 12 years. Of the total new jobs, 20.7 million, or 92 percent, were in the private sector.
Economic gains spurred an increase in family incomes for all Americans. Since 1993, real median family income increased by $6,338, from $42,612 in 1993 to $48,950 in 1999 (in 1999 dollars).
Overall unemployment dropped to the lowest level in more than 30 years, down from 6.9 percent in 1993 to just 4.0 percent in January 2001. The unemployment rate was below 5 percent for 40 consecutive months. Unemployment for African Americans fell from 14.2 percent in 1992 to 7.3 percent in 2000, the lowest rate on record. Unemployment for Hispanics fell from 11.8 percent in October 1992 to 5.0 percent in 2000, also the lowest rate on record.
Inflation dropped to its lowest rate since the Kennedy Administration, averaging 2.5 percent, and fell from 4.7 percent during the previous administration.
The homeownership rate reached 67.7 percent near the end of the Clinton administration, the highest rate on record. In contrast, the homeownership rate fell from 65.6 percent in the first quarter of 1981 to 63.7 percent in the first quarter of 1993.
The poverty rate also declined from 15.1 percent in 1993 to 11.8 percent in 1999, the largest six-year drop in poverty in nearly 30 years. This left 7 million fewer people in poverty than there were in 1993.
The surplus in fiscal year 2000 was $237 billion—the third consecutive surplus and the largest surplus ever.
President Clinton reached across the aisle and worked with the Republican-led Congress to enact welfare reform. As a result, welfare rolls dropped dramatically and were the lowest since 1969. Between January 1993 and September of 1999, the number of welfare recipients dropped by 7.5 million (a 53 percent decline) to 6.6 million. In comparison, between 1981-1992, the number of welfare recipients increased by 2.5 million (a 22 percent increase) to 13.6 million people.
As you can see, he did more for this country than just drop a load on a blue dress. Don’t get me wrong, I was never a Clinton fan. But after the last few years under the Bush administration, Bill would be a welcome sight. The same assholes crying about Clinton sending missiles for Monica are the same ones bitching about him not doing anything about terrorist while president. What do you think the missiles were for? Later.
Clinton's presidency included the longest period of economic growth in America's history, credited in large part to budget reforms as well as the peace dividend following the demise of the Soviet Union. After numerous reports revealed that the federal budget deficit would be far greater than expected, President Clinton quickly made cutting the deficit a high priority. Clinton submitted a budget that would cut the deficit by $500 billion over five years by reducing $255 billion of spending and raising taxes on the wealthiest 1.2% of Americans.
Improved economic conditions and policies served to encourage investors in the bond market, leading to a decline in long-term interest rates. The bill contributed to dramatic decline of the budget deficit in the years following its enactment–in 2002, for the first time since 1969, the nation achieved a budget surplus. The surplus money was used to pay down the national debt, which had risen to $5.4 trillion by 1997. The economy continued to grow, and in February 2000 it broke the record for the longest uninterrupted economic expansion in U.S. history—lasting ten years. In the year 2000, the nation was on track to be debt free for the first time in history by 2008.
After Republicans won control of Congress in 1994, Clinton vehemently fought their proposed tax cuts, believing that they favored the wealthy and would weaken economic growth. In August 1997, however, Clinton and Congressional Republicans were finally able to reach a compromise on a bill that reduced capital gain and estate taxes and gave taxpayers a credit of $500 per child and tax credits for college tuition and expenses. The bill also called for a new individual retirement account (IRA) called the Roth IRA to allow people to invest taxed income for retirement without having to pay taxes upon withdrawal. Additionally, the law raised the national minimum for cigarette taxes. The next year, Congress approved Clinton’s proposal to make college more affordable by expanding the financial-aid program known as Pell grants and lowering interest rates on student loans.
The Clinton presidency left America with record economic growth and prosperity:
Average economic growth of 4.0 percent per year, compared to average growth of 2.8 percent during the previous years. The economy grew for 116 consecutive months, the most in history.
Creation of more than 22.5 million jobs—the most jobs ever created under a single administration, and more than were created in the previous 12 years. Of the total new jobs, 20.7 million, or 92 percent, were in the private sector.
Economic gains spurred an increase in family incomes for all Americans. Since 1993, real median family income increased by $6,338, from $42,612 in 1993 to $48,950 in 1999 (in 1999 dollars).
Overall unemployment dropped to the lowest level in more than 30 years, down from 6.9 percent in 1993 to just 4.0 percent in January 2001. The unemployment rate was below 5 percent for 40 consecutive months. Unemployment for African Americans fell from 14.2 percent in 1992 to 7.3 percent in 2000, the lowest rate on record. Unemployment for Hispanics fell from 11.8 percent in October 1992 to 5.0 percent in 2000, also the lowest rate on record.
Inflation dropped to its lowest rate since the Kennedy Administration, averaging 2.5 percent, and fell from 4.7 percent during the previous administration.
The homeownership rate reached 67.7 percent near the end of the Clinton administration, the highest rate on record. In contrast, the homeownership rate fell from 65.6 percent in the first quarter of 1981 to 63.7 percent in the first quarter of 1993.
The poverty rate also declined from 15.1 percent in 1993 to 11.8 percent in 1999, the largest six-year drop in poverty in nearly 30 years. This left 7 million fewer people in poverty than there were in 1993.
The surplus in fiscal year 2000 was $237 billion—the third consecutive surplus and the largest surplus ever.
President Clinton reached across the aisle and worked with the Republican-led Congress to enact welfare reform. As a result, welfare rolls dropped dramatically and were the lowest since 1969. Between January 1993 and September of 1999, the number of welfare recipients dropped by 7.5 million (a 53 percent decline) to 6.6 million. In comparison, between 1981-1992, the number of welfare recipients increased by 2.5 million (a 22 percent increase) to 13.6 million people.
As you can see, he did more for this country than just drop a load on a blue dress. Don’t get me wrong, I was never a Clinton fan. But after the last few years under the Bush administration, Bill would be a welcome sight. The same assholes crying about Clinton sending missiles for Monica are the same ones bitching about him not doing anything about terrorist while president. What do you think the missiles were for? Later.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Grease-stained hands
The church were I was raised had a social/fundraiser this past Saturday after the church services. They were serving rib-eye steaks with all the fixings being cooked by the Knights of Columbus and served by the youth group. During the dinner there was a silent auction and live auction of donated items such as gift baskets, rosaries, paintings, and cakes. This was a first for the church for this type of event; and it went very good from what I could tell.
All my life, I thought I wanted to get away from that small town. You have to travel 30 or so miles to work, 20 to go grocery shopping. It only offers two gas stations; although one of them has a Subway inside now. But there just isn’t anything there. Any of my friends I care about, I still keep in contact with.
A few weeks ago, my two uncles and I ate at the Subway for lunch while we were working at my dad’s house. It was like a high school reunion watching all of my old school chums walking in and out of the gas station in just the 20 or so minutes we ate there. And it got me to thinking. You have those that move on to bigger and better things and those who stay behind and are happy to be part of the smaller world. They may have great jobs and make the big bucks, that is not what I am getting at. It is the lifestyle of the small town versus the big city. Although I do not live in the small town I am talking about, I only live 15 miles south. I do not live in the big city, but there is a Blockbuster, grocery stores, red lights, parts houses for cars, fast food, restaurants, etc… I always wanted to be part of something bigger. It always seemed like I was missing out on something by staying behind. I always wanted to wear a suit and tie to work and not have to clean my finger nails every night.
I believe that people want what they can’t have. The big city people dream of a house in the country. The country people dream of having a house in the city. (Me for example) The tall person wishes they were shorter, the short person wishes they were taller. The city girls wanted cowboys with callus on their hands. The country girls wanted the preppy city boys with the nice vehicles. It goes on and on. Most people want what they can’t have. A lot of times because they think the grass is greener on the other side. I lived in the country all my life. I prefer to live in the city.
But I reckon I just need to be happy with what I have. Not that I lack any thing or am unhappy, just that where I am at is where I will be. I will never have that suit and tie job. I came to this conclusion while sitting in church Saturday night. The conclusion that I will be blue-collar for the rest of my life. I realized this during church while bowing my head during prayer, looking at my grease-stained hands. Later.
All my life, I thought I wanted to get away from that small town. You have to travel 30 or so miles to work, 20 to go grocery shopping. It only offers two gas stations; although one of them has a Subway inside now. But there just isn’t anything there. Any of my friends I care about, I still keep in contact with.
A few weeks ago, my two uncles and I ate at the Subway for lunch while we were working at my dad’s house. It was like a high school reunion watching all of my old school chums walking in and out of the gas station in just the 20 or so minutes we ate there. And it got me to thinking. You have those that move on to bigger and better things and those who stay behind and are happy to be part of the smaller world. They may have great jobs and make the big bucks, that is not what I am getting at. It is the lifestyle of the small town versus the big city. Although I do not live in the small town I am talking about, I only live 15 miles south. I do not live in the big city, but there is a Blockbuster, grocery stores, red lights, parts houses for cars, fast food, restaurants, etc… I always wanted to be part of something bigger. It always seemed like I was missing out on something by staying behind. I always wanted to wear a suit and tie to work and not have to clean my finger nails every night.
I believe that people want what they can’t have. The big city people dream of a house in the country. The country people dream of having a house in the city. (Me for example) The tall person wishes they were shorter, the short person wishes they were taller. The city girls wanted cowboys with callus on their hands. The country girls wanted the preppy city boys with the nice vehicles. It goes on and on. Most people want what they can’t have. A lot of times because they think the grass is greener on the other side. I lived in the country all my life. I prefer to live in the city.
But I reckon I just need to be happy with what I have. Not that I lack any thing or am unhappy, just that where I am at is where I will be. I will never have that suit and tie job. I came to this conclusion while sitting in church Saturday night. The conclusion that I will be blue-collar for the rest of my life. I realized this during church while bowing my head during prayer, looking at my grease-stained hands. Later.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Are you a member of the "Mile High Club"?
Go check this out. If it were closer, I would try to convince my wife into it. It is a pretty good idea isn’t it? You get a bottle of champagne, a hour of flight time, a certificate, and the bed sheets. Cool. Later.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Have Gnome, Will Travel
Here is a link to the entire article.
“MORGANTOWN, W.Va. Sep 20, 2006 (AP)— Allen Snyder's garden gnome is apparently out of jail and now traveling the country. The 14-inch tall red-and-white statue disappeared from Snyder's Morgantown yard in the spring, and Snyder has since received three letters claiming to have been written by "Gnomey."
The latest letter, which Snyder received this week, included photos of the gnome in the company of Steelers fans attending Pittsburgh's football home opener.
"You never took me to any games," the note said. The letter ended: "Have to go now. Boarding a plane. Now, finally, broadening my travels."
This is some funny shit. First they steal his gnome and then rub it in his face. Later.
“MORGANTOWN, W.Va. Sep 20, 2006 (AP)— Allen Snyder's garden gnome is apparently out of jail and now traveling the country. The 14-inch tall red-and-white statue disappeared from Snyder's Morgantown yard in the spring, and Snyder has since received three letters claiming to have been written by "Gnomey."
The latest letter, which Snyder received this week, included photos of the gnome in the company of Steelers fans attending Pittsburgh's football home opener.
"You never took me to any games," the note said. The letter ended: "Have to go now. Boarding a plane. Now, finally, broadening my travels."
This is some funny shit. First they steal his gnome and then rub it in his face. Later.
Stinking lawyers
Here is a link to the entire article.
"SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California sued six of the world's largest automakers over global warming on Wednesday, charging that greenhouse gases from their vehicles have caused billions of dollars in damages.
The lawsuit is the first of its kind to seek to hold manufacturers liable for the damages caused by their vehicles' emissions, state Attorney General Bill Lockyer said."
How stupid is this shit? If they are going to sue anyone they should sue the drivers of the vehicles. They are the ones doing the polluting. They should sue themselves. Let us look at it from a different angle. I am what some consider a little on the heavy side. Should I sue Burger King? They are the ones that supplied the high caloric burgers and fries that made me unhealthy. Or even as Larry the Cable Guy said; “I should sue Hustler for the corporal-tunnel in my wrist.”
It is this type of crap that pisses me off to no end. Frivolous lawsuits. Stinking lawyers should all be shot. Stupid son of a bitches. No one in this damn world wants to take responsibility any more for their own actions. Later.
"SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California sued six of the world's largest automakers over global warming on Wednesday, charging that greenhouse gases from their vehicles have caused billions of dollars in damages.
The lawsuit is the first of its kind to seek to hold manufacturers liable for the damages caused by their vehicles' emissions, state Attorney General Bill Lockyer said."
How stupid is this shit? If they are going to sue anyone they should sue the drivers of the vehicles. They are the ones doing the polluting. They should sue themselves. Let us look at it from a different angle. I am what some consider a little on the heavy side. Should I sue Burger King? They are the ones that supplied the high caloric burgers and fries that made me unhealthy. Or even as Larry the Cable Guy said; “I should sue Hustler for the corporal-tunnel in my wrist.”
It is this type of crap that pisses me off to no end. Frivolous lawsuits. Stinking lawyers should all be shot. Stupid son of a bitches. No one in this damn world wants to take responsibility any more for their own actions. Later.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
Found this on the LDWF website.
Prior to hunting deer, all deer hunters, regardless of age or license status, must obtain a Deer Tag Harvest Card and have this on their possession when hunting deer. Immediately upon harvesting a deer, the hunter must document the kill on the Deer Tag Harvest Card. All hunters, must file a deer harvest report with the Department at the end of the season, even if no deer were harvested.
For the 2006/07 season, all deer hunters, including DMAP and LADT hunters must fill out and mail in the card. DMAP and LADT hunters must still attach DMAP or LADT metal hock tags to harvested deer. The cards will be available in hunting pamphlets, at license vendors, and at Regional offices.
I didn’t know this was a requirement. Just thought I would pass this on for those like me that did not know. Later.
Worthless Willie
Here is a local news article about Willie Nelson.
BREAUX BRIDGE, La. (AP) _ Willie Nelson and several members of his band were issued misdemeanor citations for drug possession early today during a traffic stop in Saint Martin Parish.
The traffic stop was conducted on Interstate 10 near Breaux Bridge.
Trooper Willie Williams says troopers smelled a strong odor of marijuana when the driver opened the bus door.
During a search of the bus, Williams say approximately one-and-one-half pounds of marijuana and approximately two-tenths of a pound of mushrooms were located on the bus.
The 73-year-old Nelson of Spicewood, Texas; 59-year-old Tony Sizemore of Saint Cloud, Florida; 75-year-old Bobbie Nelson of Briarcliff, Texas; 54-year-old Gates Moore of Austin, Texas; and 50-year-old David Anderson of Dallas, Texas were issued citations for possession of mushrooms and possession of marijuana and released.
Stupid old goat. I use to almost like some of his music before he came out telling everyone about his drug use. He portrayed Uncle Jessie in the recent Dukes of Hazard. They had this damn fool smoking dope at the end. What ever happened to the good ole boys? They should have arrested his old ass. Later.
BREAUX BRIDGE, La. (AP) _ Willie Nelson and several members of his band were issued misdemeanor citations for drug possession early today during a traffic stop in Saint Martin Parish.
The traffic stop was conducted on Interstate 10 near Breaux Bridge.
Trooper Willie Williams says troopers smelled a strong odor of marijuana when the driver opened the bus door.
During a search of the bus, Williams say approximately one-and-one-half pounds of marijuana and approximately two-tenths of a pound of mushrooms were located on the bus.
The 73-year-old Nelson of Spicewood, Texas; 59-year-old Tony Sizemore of Saint Cloud, Florida; 75-year-old Bobbie Nelson of Briarcliff, Texas; 54-year-old Gates Moore of Austin, Texas; and 50-year-old David Anderson of Dallas, Texas were issued citations for possession of mushrooms and possession of marijuana and released.
Stupid old goat. I use to almost like some of his music before he came out telling everyone about his drug use. He portrayed Uncle Jessie in the recent Dukes of Hazard. They had this damn fool smoking dope at the end. What ever happened to the good ole boys? They should have arrested his old ass. Later.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Never forget. You see this slogan every where especially since it has been five years since the World Trade Center attack. I refuse to call it the "5 year Anniversary". You always hear people saying this, but do they actually remember? You can have all the good intentions in the world, but if you never do anything about it, you are just as useless as the bastard that has already forgotten. To walk around saying "I'll never forget" or those ribbon magnets on your vehicle "never forget" isn't accomplishing shit. Do you really think that the $5 you spent at the mall on that magnet really helped? How much of that went to helping the cause? "I bought a magnet, lit a candle, what else you expect me to do?" That is usually the response you hear. There is a lot that can be done. It just involves you getting off your ass and actually doing it instead of just talking about it. Later.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Just a couple of jokes
Q. What is it when a man talks dirty to a woman?
A. Sexual harassment!
Q. What is it when a woman talks dirty to a man?
A. $3.99 a minute!
Q. What do a walrus and Tupperware have in common?
A. They both like a tight seal.
Q. What do you call kids born in whorehouses?
A. Brothel sprouts.
Q. Did you hear about the new blonde paint?
A. It's not real bright, but its cheap, and spreads easy.
Later.
A. Sexual harassment!
Q. What is it when a woman talks dirty to a man?
A. $3.99 a minute!
Q. What do a walrus and Tupperware have in common?
A. They both like a tight seal.
Q. What do you call kids born in whorehouses?
A. Brothel sprouts.
Q. Did you hear about the new blonde paint?
A. It's not real bright, but its cheap, and spreads easy.
Later.
One of my all time favorite jokes is about Easter. It goes like this. "Why does the Easter Bunny hide his eggs? Because he didn't want anyone to know he had been screwing chickens!" I remember the first time I heard this joke. Happy Johnson told it to me in Algebra and I literally fell out of my chair laughing so hard. Ms. Mayeoux stopped class asked what was so funny. Then she told to tell the joke to the rest of the class. I declined. But never in my mind was there any possibility that it could have been true! But look at the picture. Makes you wonder. Later.
Oh, we have learned a lot. We have learned how to piss away a ton of money on the most stupid shit. Son-of-bitches are walking across the Mexico-Texas border by the thousands every day but we are to busy building schools in another country for the very bastards that we are trying to kill to do anything about it. Stupid government raises my blood pressure every time I think about them. Hell, as bad as Bush is doing, Hillary would be an improvement. Later.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Sex Toys
Here is a link to an article that sex toys can be harmful to you.
"Adult sex toys contain the same toxic substances that the European Union banned from use in children's toys," Greenpeace said in a press release from its international headquarters here.
The environmental group said it was shocked to find that seven of the eight sex toys it had tested contained between 24 and 51 percent of phthalates.
"It is unbelievable that such toxic substances can be used in adult toys. We have tested many products in the last few years but never have we encountered such high concentrations," Greenpeace spokesman Bart van Opzeeland said.
Ain’t this a bitch? You stop having sex with other humans to avoid getting STDs and end up with problems in your hormonal system, fertility, kidneys and liver from the sex toys. If it wasn’t bad enough that you could go blind and get hairy palms. Later.
"Adult sex toys contain the same toxic substances that the European Union banned from use in children's toys," Greenpeace said in a press release from its international headquarters here.
The environmental group said it was shocked to find that seven of the eight sex toys it had tested contained between 24 and 51 percent of phthalates.
"It is unbelievable that such toxic substances can be used in adult toys. We have tested many products in the last few years but never have we encountered such high concentrations," Greenpeace spokesman Bart van Opzeeland said.
Ain’t this a bitch? You stop having sex with other humans to avoid getting STDs and end up with problems in your hormonal system, fertility, kidneys and liver from the sex toys. If it wasn’t bad enough that you could go blind and get hairy palms. Later.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
The perfect Double-Agent
This is an article from the Gambit Weekly:
If there is a vast white conspiracy to keep poor blacks who have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina from moving back to the city, it could not have a better front man than Clarence R. Nagin, mayor of New Orleans.
Nagin's mindless, self-serving utterances, combined with his singular failure to devise and implement a recovery plan, virtually guarantee that the rest of America will abandon us, which means that those without means, left to fend for themselves, will be left behind -- or left out completely. As clueless as he is, the mayor surely must know this.
That Nagin should secretly champion the very conspiracy he so publicly attacks only adds to the deftness with which he advances the cause. Indeed, he makes the perfect double-agent: He holds the most powerful position in town, yet he stands in front of an impoverished crowd in the Lower Ninth Ward railing against unnamed "powers that be" who allegedly want to grab their land, even though no one else has wanted that land since Bienville first planted a flag hereabouts in 1718; and all the while his "free market" policy of doing nothing that resembles leadership or boldness discourages investment of both public and private capital in the hardest-hit areas, thereby increasing the chances that poor neighborhoods will lie fallow for years to come. If the "powers that be" have any designs on the Lower Nine, it's to keep it fallow, not buy it up.
Mission accomplished.
Perhaps to add insult to injury, he tells Lower Nine residents to build their "mansions" high up this time around to avoid the next flood. It almost leads one to wonder: does he chuckle to himself at the irony of his comments when he climbs back into his mayoral pimpmobile and heads home to his own, very real mansion on Park Island?
Demagoguery taken to its vilest extreme has nowhere else to end but with hypocrisy, and Clarence R. Nagin has made that an art form, passing off inaction as a "plan" and then peddling it to the poorest and least educated New Orleanians as a balm for wounded racial pride.
The election ended May 20, but Clarence R. has only begun to play the race card. By continuing to play it, he will ensure that New Orleans remains divided. (Remember his billboards: "Re-elect our mayor -- reunite our city"?) And as long as New Orleans remains divided, is there any hope that those with resources will come to the aid of those who need a hand? His race baiting thus becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy -- and it will continue to give him a convenient bogeyman if anyone should wonder why there's no plan and no recovery.
For good measure -- and perhaps to distract the media and everyone else from the depth and breadth of his failure to lead -- Clarence R. can be counted on to create a sideshow every few weeks by saying something so outrageous that it is bound to offend. The national and international media, ever starved for good copy and a convenient Louisiana foil, will dutifully play it up, feeding Clarence R.'s monumental ego with network interviews and taking everyone's attention off the fact that he has no recovery plan, no vision of what the city could be, and no clue how to run a city even in the best of times. And, when criticized by the media, he will cite the criticism as proof that the white devils are in league against him.
Meanwhile, and largely as a consequence of his inaction, violent crime has returned with a bloody vengeance to the city's marginally recovering neighborhoods, looting continues unabated in sparsely populated areas, and Clarence R.'s failure to lead further delays the delivery of billions in federal aid.
When cornered, he will shamelessly blame others -- the feds, the state, the "powers that be," racism, classism ... anyone but himself. If really pressed, he'll either play the race card again or set off some other rhetorical stink bomb to divert attention momentarily away from his obvious shortcomings. It's a vicious cycle, and he's got the routine down pat.
As for those "powers that be," well, how better for the white power elite to run a black-majority city than to put an incompetent black charlatan in charge, particularly one so adept at distracting the masses and entertaining the media all at once? Indeed, re-electing Clarence R. Nagin was a stroke of genius for the white conspiracy.
Maybe electing Nagin back to the Chocolate City was a clever thing for them to do. Later.
If there is a vast white conspiracy to keep poor blacks who have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina from moving back to the city, it could not have a better front man than Clarence R. Nagin, mayor of New Orleans.
Nagin's mindless, self-serving utterances, combined with his singular failure to devise and implement a recovery plan, virtually guarantee that the rest of America will abandon us, which means that those without means, left to fend for themselves, will be left behind -- or left out completely. As clueless as he is, the mayor surely must know this.
That Nagin should secretly champion the very conspiracy he so publicly attacks only adds to the deftness with which he advances the cause. Indeed, he makes the perfect double-agent: He holds the most powerful position in town, yet he stands in front of an impoverished crowd in the Lower Ninth Ward railing against unnamed "powers that be" who allegedly want to grab their land, even though no one else has wanted that land since Bienville first planted a flag hereabouts in 1718; and all the while his "free market" policy of doing nothing that resembles leadership or boldness discourages investment of both public and private capital in the hardest-hit areas, thereby increasing the chances that poor neighborhoods will lie fallow for years to come. If the "powers that be" have any designs on the Lower Nine, it's to keep it fallow, not buy it up.
Mission accomplished.
Perhaps to add insult to injury, he tells Lower Nine residents to build their "mansions" high up this time around to avoid the next flood. It almost leads one to wonder: does he chuckle to himself at the irony of his comments when he climbs back into his mayoral pimpmobile and heads home to his own, very real mansion on Park Island?
Demagoguery taken to its vilest extreme has nowhere else to end but with hypocrisy, and Clarence R. Nagin has made that an art form, passing off inaction as a "plan" and then peddling it to the poorest and least educated New Orleanians as a balm for wounded racial pride.
The election ended May 20, but Clarence R. has only begun to play the race card. By continuing to play it, he will ensure that New Orleans remains divided. (Remember his billboards: "Re-elect our mayor -- reunite our city"?) And as long as New Orleans remains divided, is there any hope that those with resources will come to the aid of those who need a hand? His race baiting thus becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy -- and it will continue to give him a convenient bogeyman if anyone should wonder why there's no plan and no recovery.
For good measure -- and perhaps to distract the media and everyone else from the depth and breadth of his failure to lead -- Clarence R. can be counted on to create a sideshow every few weeks by saying something so outrageous that it is bound to offend. The national and international media, ever starved for good copy and a convenient Louisiana foil, will dutifully play it up, feeding Clarence R.'s monumental ego with network interviews and taking everyone's attention off the fact that he has no recovery plan, no vision of what the city could be, and no clue how to run a city even in the best of times. And, when criticized by the media, he will cite the criticism as proof that the white devils are in league against him.
Meanwhile, and largely as a consequence of his inaction, violent crime has returned with a bloody vengeance to the city's marginally recovering neighborhoods, looting continues unabated in sparsely populated areas, and Clarence R.'s failure to lead further delays the delivery of billions in federal aid.
When cornered, he will shamelessly blame others -- the feds, the state, the "powers that be," racism, classism ... anyone but himself. If really pressed, he'll either play the race card again or set off some other rhetorical stink bomb to divert attention momentarily away from his obvious shortcomings. It's a vicious cycle, and he's got the routine down pat.
As for those "powers that be," well, how better for the white power elite to run a black-majority city than to put an incompetent black charlatan in charge, particularly one so adept at distracting the masses and entertaining the media all at once? Indeed, re-electing Clarence R. Nagin was a stroke of genius for the white conspiracy.
Maybe electing Nagin back to the Chocolate City was a clever thing for them to do. Later.
Friday, September 01, 2006
How ignorant can folks be? It was an unnecessary tragedy that so many people lost their lives during the hurricane that did not hit New Orleans. But it was directly due to the leadership. And then they vote that stupid black bastard back in less than a year after the storm. And what has he done since his reelection? It is unbelievable the amount of money our government has sunk into the sink hole (literally) that is called New Orleans. Some times you just have to know when to cut your loses and move on. Later.
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