So this morning comes the news that President Obama will make a "surprise" trip to Copenhagen, along with his wife, to make a presentation on behalf of Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics. Aside from the possible malice he's showing towards his home town -- here come massive deficits, white-elephant signature buildings, and other perks -- I found this story interesting as the ultimate rebuke to the months of comments from people here regarding the Obama administration's torpor when it comes to remedying the aftermath of the failure of the federal levees in New Orleans. "Give him time," they said, "he's got a lot on his plate".
Here's one thing he's got on his plate, so far untouched: a report from the Office of Special Counsel, delivered to the White House and Congress this past June, confirming almost all the allegations by Corps of Engineers whistleblower Maria Garzino that the hydraulic pumps installed by the Corps at the three "outflow" canals whose (Corps-built) floodwalls failed on August 29, 2005, were not robust enough to meet testing standards and cannot be operated on site in the required manner in the event of a storm surge event. (The OSC examines whistleblower complaints; in this case, they hired an outside engineering expert to review Garzino's complaints.) There has been no reaction from the White House to the OSC report; the pumps sit there, waiting to fail should a surge enter Lake Ponchartrain.
My headline, phrased in question form earlier this year--"Obama to New Orleans: Drop Dead?"--is ready to be repunctuated.
By the way: you can hear an interview with Maria Garzino on the Sept. 13 edition of Le Show at harryshearer.com. There's also a four-part report on her by Molly Peterson available at kpcc.org.
The President has not yet joined the Clean Plate Club.
Follow Harry Shearer on Twitter: www.twitter.com/letwits
MWI is owned by J. David Eller and his sons. Eller was once a business partner of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in a venture called Bush-El that marketed MWI pumps. And Eller has donated about $128,000 to politicians, the vast majority of it to the Republican Party, since 1996, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
MWI has run into trouble before. The U.S. Justice Department sued the company in 2002, accusing it of fraudulently helping Nigeria obtain $74 million in taxpayer-backed loans for overpriced and unnecessary water-pump equipment. The case has yet to be resolved.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17597203/
People (we) didn't realize just how bad the government was under President Bush. He left issues that it will probably take 20 years to correct. The damage is huge.
This is no excuse - just a bit of reality pushed into the equation.
I am confident that the President will deliver.
Where did it go? Hint.........Ask the republicant private contractors.
When you find out where all the money went, SUE THEM!
...the generally infallible government [sometimes acts] outside the interests of its citizens."
That someone could even think such a thing is problematic. First of all, the eras of higher taxes actually were the most prosperous. See Larry Beinhart's article "Why the Economy Grows Like Crazy Amid High Taxes" (here: http://www.alternet.org/workplace/106979/)
So yes, *much* higher taxes (mostly on the rich) made for a better economy. Even if people don't pay the 92% (or 70%) top brackets, they spend their money on improving productivity rather than on CEO compensation and $4,000 shower curtains.
So the principle of government that performs public service is not such an abstraction that it never has happened. If that were true you would have to boil that government-treated water you've been drinking.
On the other hand, the idea that government is "infallible," is, as Mr. Shear amply documents, absurd. That criticism does not mean we must throw the baby out with the bath water, though.
He should have sent Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton there. may be Michelle, also (I know Michelle and Clintons or oil and water but... could have tried)
Bill is really charismatic in these issues.
Obama's speech "looked" arrogant to me...(not the speech, but body language and delivery and poise.. is like a bully or I am the great don't you knwo it knid of ....)
However, at some point, New Orleaneans and Louisianans are going to have to accept that they will never get anything done in their state until they start voting in decent politicians and get rid of the likes of Nagin, Landrieau, Jindal, Vitter, etc. Until they get off their backsides and vote in pols that don't think cutting taxes and reducing government, or lining their own pockets, is the answer to everything in the state, how do they expect Obama to do anything?
don't blame the citizens/victims, you mention people who have little to do with canals, levees and pumps...but since we're on the subject I'd like my nation out of Iraq, might save some lives, so who do I vote for?
But is it really necessary to dump on the President to do so?
For anyone who's interested, here's a good account:
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/09/whistleblower_still_warning_th.html
Tina
There is so much that he could be doing just by exercising his authority to issue executive orders, but he's just not doing them. To say I'm bitterly disappointed in our president would be a gross understatement. I really bought into his campaign platform, and allowed myself to feel a renewed sense of hope for our country.
His non-performance is especially disappointing because after 8 years of having such low expectations from a president, he sold himself to the American people as someone who would earnestly embrace an agenda of high expectations.
His record so far really brings home the truth of that old adage about someone who talks the talk, but can't walk the walk. Boots on the ground action RIGHT NOW is needed so badly in this country...instead he gives more speeches. The campaign is over, Mr. President, it's time to man up & take care of business! To use Nike's old line: JUST DO IT!
D's are just the other wing of the 1 corporate party
R's and D's = kabuki theater
Sometimes I think that a number of left wing commentators and columnists (who I admire) are finding it more difficult coming up with columns and articles now that Obama has replaced Bush. I feel for them, and they are right to highlight flaws and contradictions in the Obama team's actions, but this, and some other pieces I have seen are really stretching it, thinly.