Nagin has no noggin

[CrystalTears]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,169751,00.html

Feds, Mayor Disagree Over New Orleans Reopening
Monday, September 19, 2005

NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin (search) and the head of the federal government's hurricane response are not seeing eye to eye as to when residents and business owners of the storm-struck city should return.

Even President Bush (search) on Monday said Nagin needs to be more "realistic" about when people can return.

"We share the goal of the mayor but we have got concerns" such as environmental issues and worries that the levees could break again if more rain hits New Orleans, Bush said Monday after a meeting of his Homeland Security Council.

The mayor has "a dream we all share" of letting people back in beginning Monday, Bush added, "but we also want to be realistic about some of the hurdles and obstacles we all confront about repopulating New Orleans.

"We want this city to reemerge. I can't imagine America without a vibrant New Orleans. It's just a matter of timing, and there are issues to be dealt with."

Nagin's plan to officially reopen parts of New Orleans (search) on Monday is also drawing criticism from federal officials and health care experts who warn that city services might not be able to handle the influx of people.


He is still doing whatever the hell he wants. He's involving innocent people into his pride which will get them killed. He needs to step back. There's a part of me that hopes that if he continues, that he not contact the feds with emergency issues when he was advised not to go through with it so soon, but would mean hurting these people which sucks. Dumbass.

[Edited on 9/19/2005 by CrystalTears]

[Warriorbird]

He has an economy to think about. I can't say I've approved of or even liked most of his actions but I understand what is motivating him.

[ElanthianSiren]

So wait, are you criticizing Nagin for doing what this adminstration and congress did from the beginning (disregard expert warnings)?


-M

[CrystalTears]

He's obviously not thinking of the economy because if he was, he would consider the possibility that people could get sick or hurt from the present environment. They haven't declared the area completely safe. You can't even touch the water! You KNOW a child is going to go wading in the water and get sick. It's just irresponsible.

If he wants to invite the businesses to return to get their affairs and locations in order, that's one thing. But to invite the residents as though everything is fine is... well... not fine.

ES, Nagin has been ignoring expert warnings since day one. Hell since day -1. What is your point?

[Edited on 9/19/2005 by CrystalTears]

[ElanthianSiren]

My point is that if this administration (legislative and executive) ignored expert warnings, and you are willing to defend them, it's a bit hypocritical to say that Nagin is thoughtless for ignoring expert warnings.

I happen to agree that I think he's acting negligently, but I think everyone should listen to the experts in their fields.

-M

[CrystalTears]

Defend who? I've been blaming the local and state government from the get-go for the majority of the problems that occured there.

He IS thoughtless for ignoring expert warnings, they all were, but he is most to blame.

No hypocrisy here. They all fucked up. LA/NO fucked up the most.

[Warriorbird]

He's obviously not thinking of the economy because if he was, he would consider the possibility that people could get sick or hurt from the present environment.

He is COMPLETELY considering the economy. This is a man who owes his political livelihood to playing powerful local economic interests. I doubt there are any other factors. It's very Republican of him, actually. He's taken some hammering from the local Democratic faithful over it, believe it or not.

[Skirmisher]

Originally posted by Warriorbird
He is COMPLETELY considering the economy. This is a man who owes his political livelihood to playing powerful local economic interests. I doubt there are any other factors. It's very Republican of him, actually. He's taken some hammering from the local Democratic faithful over it, believe it or not.

I think he is being short sighted to a dangerous degree though.

Want to get the economy going? Let the business owners only back in for at least a few weeks to get things cleaned up somewhat, and at least food stores restocked.

Letting in scores of thousands of people without first ensuring places for them to obtain food, water, gas, any of the basic needs seems more like apolitical manuever and not one intended for whats best for the displaced population of New Orleans. All this on top of publicly arguing with the man in charge on the ground there now whose name I cannot recall leaves a bad taste in my mouth and me wondering at both the manner in which he pulls these figures from out of the air, and the motivations behind them.

And I should sure as heck hope he is taking a hammering from people in his district, democrat and republican alike. He and the Governor failed thier people before by not preparing and after by not responding well in a crisis. I know not everyone CAN respond well in a crisis, but he failed both before and after and right now we need someone who can get things done period. After things are more settled down a different kind of leader will be needed, but not now.

This is nothing new, we saw Guilliani rise from a sad term as mayor to be a magnificent crisis time leader and Churchill was not quite the hit in peacetime as he was during the war either.

Nagin is not the man for the job right now and only shows it more every day.

And Bush still sucks. :D

[Parkbandit]

Originally posted by Warriorbird
He has an economy to think about. I can't say I've approved of or even liked most of his actions but I understand what is motivating him.

You don't put an economy in front of people's lives. And with the truck loads of money Bush is earmarking for the region.. money should be the last thing he is worried about.

[Atlanteax]

Originally posted by Warriorbird

He's obviously not thinking of the economy because if he was, he would consider the possibility that people could get sick or hurt from the present environment.

He is COMPLETELY considering the economy. This is a man who owes his political livelihood to playing powerful local economic interests. I doubt there are any other factors. It's very Republican of him, actually. He's taken some hammering from the local Democratic faithful over it, believe it or not.

No he is not.

He's peddling for the Welfare (and working poor) vote.

[Warriorbird]

Except if you do a little research the poor are not the ones coming back or angling for this (it's the French Quarter/Bourbon Street businesses/tourism folks). I spent part of this weekend chatting with some folks from New Orleans. They're wealthy liberals and against his actions.

Just trying to explain where he's coming from, or at least the perception amongst the residents/former residents. I don't agree with what he's doing.

[DeV]

For one, I doubt most of the poor could afford to come back this soon. A move like this would go to benefit the middle to upper class as well as the business owners and the like. If he had jump starting the economy in mind the welfare recipients and poor would without a doubt be last list on that list.

This is another in a series of actions that don't appear to be well thought out in the least. This is quickly becoming his rep as Mayor. :thumbsdown:

[Parkbandit]

Originally posted by Skirmisher
This is nothing new, we saw Guilliani rise from a sad term as mayor to be a magnificent crisis time leader and Churchill was not quite the hit in peacetime as he was during the war either.



Sad term? He cleaned up that city from when he took office.

Where are you getting that he was a bad Mayor before 9-11? Many people didn't LIKE him.. but that might be because he was making tough decisions that had to be made.

[Warriorbird]

Yeah... it hurts a lot of Democrats when they realize that pretty much the only things they have on him is sexual shenanigans and his health (Giuliani that is). Sadly for him, health is a big strike against you in Presidential races.

[Edited on 9-19-2005 by Warriorbird]

[CrystalTears]

Mayor Suspends Re-Entry Into New Orleans
Monday, September 19, 2005

NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin (search) announced Monday that because of the specter of Tropical Storm Rita (search), he was suspending all re-entry into the city.

Rest of story here (http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,169751,00.html)

[Jazuela]

Who in their right mind would -want- to return to New Orleans the way it currently stands? I don't care how rich or influential I was, or how poor and "that 2-room shack is all I have" I was. Once I was out, I wouldn't come NEAR the place until I was assured that the water was clean, the stores were stocked, the levees *improved,* (as opposed to merely fixed, since we already know how ineffective those levees were before they broke) and the hospitals up and running at full speed.

Sure, the mayor was acting inappropropriately. But so would anyone who actually chose to return until they were confident that the infrastructure was back to business as usual - or better.