Lynch at Large

Louisiana cash goes to the dogs, cows and goats
By Audrey Hudson
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
November 7, 2005

The Bayou State is the land of voodoo and, up until last year, Anne Rice. Louisiana corruption is legendary, but - and this is a big but - the Washington Times (linked above) is a little too early kicking in the predictable campaign to finish off our neighbors to the south.

Get this vhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifery clear. The Republican master plan on Katrina relief is to assure that New Orleans is permanently reduced in population. This shifts the congressional balance and gives the Greed Old Party TWO United States Senate seats.

All of this may happen by natural causes. If that is the case, so be it. Otherwise, some cooler heads ought to prevail. The Big Easy is a national treasure and has been completely decimated by natural disaster. Let's occasionally give the locals the benefit of the doubt.

in the alternative, save the heavy artillery for when the big stealing sets in.

THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS come from the New Orleans Times Picayune. Gov. Blanco addressed the legislature. This is bound to disappoint the Moonies of the Washington Times but her approach is very intelligent - even fiscally conservative.

Her remarks clearly indicated that she expects to encounter opposition to her plans.

"I am cutting some of your favorite programs. Some of you will consider these cuts way too painful, and you will try to avoid them," Blanco said. "Let me warn you: This is just the beginning."

The governor framed her approach to the budget as a businesslike strategy, in which the state would balance its dramatically reduced income with a combination of cuts in expenses, pulling money from the rainy-day fund and borrowing.

"Some of you will refuse to be satisfied," Blanco said. But she warned that "life has changed for us all."

She said more cuts are on the horizon, because her administration would receive a bill from the federal government for $3.7 billion, the state's share of the federal recovery aid money.

"I will work to reduce it, but . . . I know it won't all go away," Blanco said.

Blanco advocated the creation of a statewide building code and a change in the state's oversight of levee systems.

"We need a strong, coordinated plan to show Washington that southeast Louisiana needs Category 5 levees," she said, drawing one of the strongest rounds of applause of the evening. She also called for stronger levees in southwest Louisiana.

Blanco wants legislators and all elected officials to disclose whatever income they earn in the recovery effort.

"We must assure our people and the nation that this recovery is being conducted above-board," she said, drawing a delayed and less-enthusiastic applause. The Legislature during her administration so far has resisted her attempts to place more accountability on lawmakers.

Mere good words? Maybe, but they do deserve to be heard by those who have a plan to destroy a region for political gain.