Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin under investigation: source: About time!

Gentilly 6 years later

Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin under investigation: source: Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, the colorful and controversial spokesman for the city after the devastating Hurricane Katrina in 2005, is under investigation by federal authorities, a source with direct knowledge of the probe said.

The source told Reuters on Friday that several people linked to Nagin or the New Orleans city administration during his two terms as mayor ending in 2010 were cooperating with the U.S. Justice Department and the FBI. The investigation includes whether Nagin received favors or items of value from vendors to the city in return for contracts they received while Nagin was in office, the source said.

I thought it appropriate to resurrect a blog I posted 9/1/05 Katrina, natural disaster man made catastrophein order to put a couple recent stories into perspective. To start with, it was surprising to me to find out that New Orleans even had a levee board especially in light of the damage incurred. You would have thought their job would be to secure the levees.

Census Finds Hurricane Katrina Left New Orleans Richer, Whiter, Emptier : Government aid to Katrina residents often helped the most affluent, Lower Ninth Ward: Still Recovering. They rebuilt the New Orleans they wanted not the one we had

Census Finds Hurricane Katrina Left New Orleans Richer, Whiter, Emptier What a surprise huh? NOT!

New Orleans population nearly 30 per cent lower than before Hurricane Katrina It has been 6 years but we were right on!

After Katrina: A tale of two recoveries

Government aid to Katrina residents often helped most affluent

Lower 9th still recovering There is good reason for it and as you know, it was on purpose.

Starting with mayor Nagin him and all authorities Federal, city, and State should be held accountable for the years of neglect.

We know now how sad a state of repair some of them were in. Instead they established an Airport and a marina. They also played a role in establishing a floating casino, top of the line fiber optic system, and spent 2.4 million on a Mardis Gras fountain and left the 9th street levee in the poorer area of the city in particular in a state of disrepair.

This was all nice for businesses and the elite whose areas suffered relatively light damage. The poor did suffer the brunt of Katrina and Rita. The devastation to these people in the first place occurred because of criminal neglect by authorities and local officials on every level. I contended that this natural disaster was allowed to clean out New Orleans of what the elite thought of as undesirable elements and failed for years to do it themselves.

Now the are largely out with many choosing to stay out. I contended that the wealthy elite, largely white, and the politicians will now be able to rebuild for their own interests. We thought New Orleans might now become a Republican city. This all seemed a distinct possibility especially with the French Quarter, the Convention Center, and the Garden District, were all largely high and dry and largely intact.

It seemed obvious that the poor sections were now cleaned out and the housing projects gone compliments of Mother Nature and not God as Mayor Nagin ridiculously stated, and supposedly not from any design of mans. Along with these areas went much of Mayor Nagin's ill mentioned chocolate aspect of New Orleans.

We knew that enough of the poor and the blacks if you will, will be back for whatever reason primarily to service the needs of industries, the wealthy elite and politicians, and various business interests. then reading a story in the NY Times that New Orleans might be rebuilt whiter and smaller it looks like the thoughts expressed more than 5 years ago were right on target.



James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
http://anaverageamericanpatriot.blogspot.com

Because Of Bush the Army's in trouble, offers $2,000 for referrals, $20,000 for quick trip to Iraq on top of everything else!

Bush continues to screw us As I remember how important the military was during Katrina I lament what Bush has driven their Recruitment efforts to!
I just heard the chief idiot telling people how New Orleans is better today than before Katrina. It is for the rich but how can even the idiot say that to all those that have had their lives destroyed and will never be back to normal. As we remember Katrina and look at the disaster that was allowed and still continues for the poor in New Orleans while the NO of the affluent is now thriving I am reminded of a story I did two years ago saying how important the military is becoming right or wrong, intended or not, good or not, to our survival, by design? Remember General Honore!

http://www.blogger.com/

Anyway, thinking about that and we must, I am reminded what Bush and his perceived ineptitude which I guarantee you is not but is his unstoppable drive for new societal, middle east, and world order, has done to our society and our very important military in their effort to keep themselves staffed and it will only get much worse soon!
In the past I have done numerous stories as to how our recruitment standards both age wise and quality wise have been laxer to try and keep our military staffed as Bush continues to abuse and misuse them.
The impact of two wars on military troops goes beyond mounting combat casualties. Those are the tragic, tangible impacts that an angered nation can wrap its frustration and war-weariness around. But the impact also is revealed in troops strained by multiple tours of duty and in recruitment standards lowered to the point that a criminal record is no longer grounds for rejection. It is revealed by a rising soldier suicide rate.The nation is struggling to sustain its military and remember how important it is getting to our day to day survival. Tell me your thoughts on this!

Some signs of strain: The suicide rate among Army soldiers in 2006 is at its highest in 26 years. A report released last week found a significant relationship between suicide attempts and length of deployment in Iraq, Afghanistan or nearby countries where troops are taking part in the war effort. More than 180,000 soldiers have served multiple tours in either Iraq or Afghanistan since 2001. According to the Department of Defense, more than 400,000 soldiers have served multiple tours in both wars.
The Army is proposing to further boost its recruitment approach by offering tax-free incentives of up to $45,000, increasing the number of troops given waivers for positive drug and alcohol screenings and creating a more "pleasant" boot camp environment. This, after the Army has already loosened standards and spent $1 billion last year on recruiting bonuses and ads. http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/wb/wb/xp-128593

That is all becoming necessary thanks to Bushies perceived ineptitude and in fact, new societal and World Order wars. I find these latest incentives very confusing myself and I would expect they were designed that way to the military's benefit. Maybe you can help me understand them? In addition to the above efforts Army leaders, struggling to meet recruitment goals in the midst of a long and unpopular war in Iraq, are quietly working out final details of a program that would give bonuses of $2,000 per recruit to any National Guard soldier who brings somebody into the active duty Army.
Army Secretary Pete Geren disclosed the plan in an interview with The Associated Press, calling it an innovative effort to get broader reach into local communities. The Guard members, Geren said, are "much more in contact with the civilian population than the active duty soldier is. So they give us reach into a larger segment of the community on a personal level, a one to one basis, than we get through our recruiting relationships."
Under the new plan, a recruit would join the Guard but indicate that they are intending to shift to active duty. After they finish basic training they would either sign up for 30, 36 or 48 months in the active Army, or change their mind and simply stay in the Guard. The Army secretary said the impact of the new Guard program would be felt next year when Guard soldiers will "become an important part of the active recruiting force." The secretary says "they would recruit soldiers into the active component," adding that the recruits would then have continuing obligations in the reserves. http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/08/28/army.recruiting.ap/index.html

Besides the warm Bodies all being abused and being taken advantage of I do not understand this and only see that it is a win, win for Bush as he continues to worsen our situation and create more mores for the future. Knowing that and what may inevitably crop up here this last incentive blew me away. I am stunned that Nearly all US Army recruits since late July have signed up for a special 20,000-dollar bonus for a quick departure, an official said Monday, amid concerns the Pentagon is eroding combat standards with such incentives.
Out of 6,611 people who enlisted in the Army between the program's start on July 25 and August 24, a total of 6,264 or 94.8 percent are receiving the hefty bonus, in return for agreeing to start basic training within 30 days. "Practically everyone who's enlisting now is eligible for this 'quick-ship bonus' if they're willing to ship by the end of September," said Douglas Smith, spokesman for the US Army Recruiting Command in Fort Knox, Kentucky.
The 20,000-dollar bonus, which amounts to more than a year's salary for most young Army recruits, is due to expire at the end of the US fiscal year on September 30. Following two straight months of enlistment shortfalls, the program helped the US Army exceed its July recruiting goal of 9,750 by about two percent, according to Pentagon statistics.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/...

My concern is not that people enlist for money rather than Patriotism as long as they serve honorably. I do not see the money as the problem but a "symptom" of the problem, President Bush. We must get rid of the disease but I am afraid we will be living with his dire consequences for many years to come. What is next?

James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com

Yesterday saw a glimmer of Bipartisanship then despair, Todays talk shows more despair, finally hope, Mr Smith goes to Washington!

Yesterday saw a glimmer of Bipartisanship then despair, Todays talk shows more despair, finally hope, Mr Smith goes to Washington!
It is very despairing watching Bush's damage pile up every day and get worse with us powerless to stop it. Our only hope of stopping the chief idiot is to get Congress united to stop this fool and quickly though I believe nothing will stop him and it is already too late. Yesterday I saw hope then it was crushed once again. finally some unity to defeat Bush and his damn veto. At least the children matter. I wish they would think of them and realize what allowing Bush to continue his wanton destruction has done to their future.

Anyway, The Senate passed legislation Thursday to add 3 million lower-income children to a popular health insurance program in bipartisan defiance of President Bush's threatened veto. The 68-31 vote, one day after the House passed a more ambitious and expensive version over bitter Republican opposition, handed Democrats a solid achievement to trumpet as they leave Washington for a summer break.
It also gave Democrats, who secured a veto-proof margin, a chance to draw a stark distinction between their priorities and Bush's on an issue that resonates with voters. "For the life of me, I can't understand why the president would want to veto this legislation," said Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., the Finance Committee chairman. "It's moderate, it's bipartisan, it helps low-income kids. ... It's just the right thing to do for the country.

"Bush has proposed spending $5 billion to extend the program. He says the Senate's $35 billion expansion would balloon the decade-old program beyond its original mission of covering children of working-poor parents and would move more people toward government-run health care. The Senate measure now must be reconciled with the House-passed $50 billion expansion, which was paid for partly by cutting government payments to Medicare Health maintenance organizations. Both bills include hefty tax increases on tobacco products to pay for the spending increase.
Senate backs expansion of children's health insurance program - CNN.com

Finally the right thing was done but man you know Bush is seething over a tax increase and a defeat. Then I saw more hope for our future as The House overwhelmingly passed a $20 billion water projects bill Wednesday night despite a promised veto by President Bush, who complains the bill is laden with costly pet projects and shifts new costs onto the government. The bill includes $3.5 billion for Katrina damaged Louisiana, seen here in August 2005.
"I regret that we're in this situation. But we're going to have to do what we have to do," said Rep. John Mica, R-Florida, rallying support for a bill loaded with Army Corps of Engineers projects such as restoring wetlands in coastal Louisiana, improving hurricane protection in New Orleans and adding new drinking water and wastewater treatment plants.
Shepherded by Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minnesota, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, the bill was seven years in the making and finally passed the House on a 381-40 vote after it was agreed upon by House-Senate negotiators. He said he expected Congress would quickly override any veto by the president.
This year's bill includes some $3.5 billion for Katrina damaged Louisiana, plus more than $2 billion for projects in California and $2 billion for Florida, mostly for restoring the Everglades. Another $1.95 billion is included for seven new locks on the upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers and $1.7 billion for repairing the region's ecology.
House defies veto threat on water projects bill - CNN.com

Real help for Katrina ravaged New Orleans and Louisiana where despite his rhetoric Bush has come through with nothing. You know he hates this too. I was getting hope that we may stop Bush.
Then The House approved modest changes to President Bush's record Pentagon budget proposal early Sunday, but Democrats signaled plans to resume a more contentious debate over the Iraq war after the August recess.
The House's $459.6 billion version of the defense budget, approved on a 395-13 vote, would add money for equipment for the National Guard and Reserve, provide for 12,000 additional soldiers and Marines, and increase spending for defense health care and military housing. Of course The White House criticized Democrats for cutting Bush's request and effectively transferring $3.5 billion of the money to domestic spending programs.
It is likely the cuts will be restored this fall when Congress passes another wartime supplemental spending bill. The administration has not threatened to veto the measure. only because the vote is pretty much veto proof.
FOXNews.com - House Approves $460 Billion Pentagon Budget - Politics Republican Party Democratic Party Political Spectru

It was looking like both sides of the aisle was going to come together for the good of the country. Then Friday back to the games. The House on Friday unanimously agreed to create a special select committee, with subpoena powers, to investigate Republican allegations that Democratic leaders had stolen a victory from the House GOP on a parliamentary vote late Thursday night, in an incident that included Rep. Nick Lampson, D-Stafford.
The move capped a remarkable day that started with Republicans marching out of the House in protest near midnight Thursday, was punctuated by partisan brawling, and ended with Democratic hopes for a final legislative rush fading. Even a temporary black out of the House chamber's vote tally board led to accusations of skullduggery.
While Democratic leaders hoped to leave for their August recess on a wave of legislative successes, the House instead slowed to an acrimonious crawl that threatened to stretch the legislative session into next week. Derailing Democrats has to be the only reason this unprecedented move was made. The agreement for a special committee was extraordinary. Such powerful investigative committees usually are reserved for issues such as Watergate and the funneling of profits from Iranian arms sales to the Nicaraguan Contras in the 1980s."I don't know when something like this has happened before," said House deputy historian Fred Beuttler.

Here we are back to square one and the childish harmful to America, games. Then this morning I was going through the news channels and today's offering of Political talk shows and due to the Partisan worthless game playing I turned them all off in disgust. Then on Turner Classic Movies a ray of hope.
Jimmy Stuart's Mr. Smith goes to Washington. Love that movie and it has always given me hope for the future of our America today. We need a Mr. Smith today and soon. We need someone to step forward and do the right thing for America. Be different, do the right thing for the sake of doing the right thing. Time for games and talk is over and our so called leaders will not get it until it is too late.

James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
http://www.anaveragepatriot.com/

Bush Again Vows He cares, Promises speedy recovery after Katrina! How does he get away with this?

Bush once again vows he cares, promises speedy recovery after Katrina! Ayear and a half later? How does he get away with this Again?
Enough is enough! when are people going to get sick of his inaction? He does absolutely nothing then does a feel good visit to say he wants to know there frustrations. Frustrations! Much of the Gulf still looks like it was nuked more than a year and a half later. He says he fully understands the frustrations, he wants ti know what they are, and to the extent he can help, he will. I say it often but how does he get away with acting like he cares while doing nothing to remedy the situation and continuously gets away with it. I don't get it!
In his first visit to the region in six months, Bush sought to fight the perception that he has forgotten about those hard-hit by the August 2005 storm. Much of the city outside the tourist areas remains in ruins. what a coincidence. the areas for the affluent and the areas that can be showcased are doing fine.
"He says he committed to the people of this part of the world and the Gulf Coast that the federal government would fund recovery - and stay committed to the recovery," Bush said during his 14th trip to the region. It was his first visit since he toured the area on the one-year anniversary of the storm. so what does he do visit every 6 months to say he cares just to keep the country on a string. If he cared he would set up shop in the Gulf area. That would show he cared. That would get things done. These games have to stop.
The Bush administration's initial response to the most destructive natural disaster in U.S. history was widely seen as a failure. It was and still is. The White House has since sought to reassure residents - and the nation - that it is committed to recovery. Still, the president is dogged by criticism. wTF has he done?
The White House says Bush has helped make $110 billion in aid available for rebuilding, education and rental assistance. Bush's aides say Cabinet officials have visited the region dozens of times, and that state and local leaders must share responsibility for delays.Where the hell did it go? the only benefit I can see is to profiteers which seems to be ststus quo due to Bush's insistance on no oversight.
He says he wants to get New Orleans rebuilt but from what I can see Oprah winfrey and others have accomplished much more with their direct aid. I just don't get it? local officials are not any more exasperated than the rest of us for not even a mere mention by the chief idiot during his State of the Union Address. It was only the worst natural catatstrophe in America in my memory if not ever. however, I guess that depoends on your priorities and whether or not you are trying to create a new society as Bush is, lying all the while until he achieves his goal as usual.
We hear all the time and I believe it that if we do not get New Orleans straight, the United States will never be the same. i have sai from the beginning that it will not be rebuilt as we knew it. The housing areas that could not be removed legelly were taken care of by Katrina and will not be rebuilt. Most of the poor that were forced to move elsewhere will not be able to come back nor will they want to at this point. Just enough will find space to facilitate the entrepenuers, industry and tourism.
New Orleans will never be the same and thanks to the Decider and his new societty, the U.S. will never be the same. of course to make it look like things were going well and everything would be hunky dory Bush had a photo op as He gave an American flag to Ernie and Cheryl Woodward, who rebuilt their home with the help of a federal grant. One of the few as he said for the camera's "People's lives are improving, and there is hope. The sentiment is not shared by many who live along the storm's brutal path - particularly in New Orleans. Crime has soared and health care is limited. Large numbers of residents are so frustrated they are thinking of getting out for good and many have.
I thought it was pretty telling that as he was touring around he made the mistake of asking a question, "Staying busy?" he asked a construction crew. One of the workers told him the crew was still working on the same block of the neighborhood a year and a half after the storm. A year and a half later and still working on the same bock? How many blocks are there anyway? I know, this is another project he wants done after he is long gone. Something else that if it is to be cleaned up it will have to be on someone elses watch but it will never be the same. Things wil soon get busier around the world for us and New Orleans or America will never be the same.
Of $110 billion in relief aid that Congress has approved, $86 billion has been committed to projects, and $53 billion has been spent. What the heck did they do with it? How can they say they care? again I say How can they get away with this? You know, what is being allowed to happen in the Gulf area reminds me of something I heard as a child, I feel for you but I can't reach you! http://www.forbes.com/...
Why can't we do anything here either to hold Bush accountable? I just don't get it!

James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com