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Lobbyists Advise Senate on Katrina Reconstruction

By TChris, Section Huricanes Katrina and Rita
Posted on Mon Oct 10, 2005 at 09:17:13 AM EST
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by TChris

One might hope that senators, trying to decide how best to allocate federal funds to rebuild the gulf coast, would consult with urban planners, environmentalists, public health officials, and other experts in relevant fields. Instead, most of the "consultants" advising the senators are lobbyists.

"I was basically shocked," said Ivor van Heerden, director of a hurricane public health research center at Louisiana State University. "What do lobbyists know about a plan for the reconstruction and restoration of Louisiana?"

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    Lobbyists Advise Senate on Katrina Reconstruction | 13 comments (13 topical)
    Re: Lobbyists Advise Senate on Katrina Reconstruct (none / 0) (#1)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:51 PM EST
    Capitol Hill is Louisiana politics writ large. A 500 foot storm surge of public indignation is needed to sweep it clean to its crooked foundations. We then need to shore up the levees against the torrents of corruption this system creates.

    Re: Lobbyists Advise Senate on Katrina Reconstruct (none / 0) (#2)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:51 PM EST
    I don't know why anyone would be shocked to see lobbyist - gasp - working the floor. And while I would hope that the congress uses advice from everyone, enviromentalists and urbabn planners do not have such a great record themselves. I think the real question is, to build it back, or to move it. Since the public is paying for it, and since it will have to be re-done, maybe as early as next week or next year, the answer should be to move it up river and start over, while converting much of the existing city into what it was before the French arrived, a swamp. Port facilites can be rebuilt and retained in place, protected by levees that were built by the Corp of Engineers to do exactly that. If that doesn't work, then the river can be dredged upstream to the new location. (I'm sure the environmentalists will agree with that last statement.)

    Re: Lobbyists Advise Senate on Katrina Reconstruct (none / 0) (#3)
    by Sailor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:51 PM EST
    Lobbyists weren't "working the floor", they were on the advisory panels.

    Re: Lobbyists Advise Senate on Katrina Reconstruct (none / 0) (#4)
    by aw on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:51 PM EST
    You got an environmental impact statement for that plan of yours, PPJ?

    Re: Lobbyists Advise Senate on Katrina Reconstruct (none / 0) (#5)
    by Al on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:51 PM EST
    PPJ:
    enviromentalists and urbabn planners do not have such a great record themselves.
    What are you talking about, PPJ?

    Re: Lobbyists Advise Senate on Katrina Reconstruct (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:51 PM EST
    Actually, the real question is why do the goppers think that reconstruction of New Orleans and the Delta Area and the Mississippi Shore is just another disaster that they can profit from? Now, JJP, you might want to discuss that relevent part of the story, but there it is, gop capitalizing on human misery for fun and profit, and doing it via the special favors route, not open bids or best able or most beneficial to the area, no, let's let big business suck some more life from the American People through bribes, lies, and manipulation. That's the ticket, PPJ

    Re: Lobbyists Advise Senate on Katrina Reconstruct (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:51 PM EST
    I don't know if TC knows this, but this concerns the Louisiana plan. It doesn't concern the federal plan. And, Democrats are knee deep in this. So, you can stop talking about this now. More on LA's plan here.

    Re: Lobbyists Advise Senate on Katrina Reconstruct (none / 0) (#9)
    by aw on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:51 PM EST
    Well, PPJ, since you don't have an impact statement for your plan, you are advocating going ahead and making possible new errors for future generations to deal with, but what the heck, Since the public is paying for it, as you said.

    Re: Lobbyists Advise Senate on Katrina Reconstruct (none / 0) (#8)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:52 PM EST
    Al - Just a note that centralized planning has been a dismnal failure in every possible way. As they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. aw - Nope. Sailor - It was just a comment. Most sales people would know what it means. Guess you've never been in sales. Duckman GR - Well, if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck..... Did I say no-bid contracts were good? No, I didn't. In fact, I didn't mention contracts. Of course when you have no time, then you have to no-bid. You do understand the concept of time, don't you? I think you were probably screaming about "being slow" a few weeks ago. Well, weren't you?

    Re: Lobbyists Advise Senate on Katrina Reconstruct (none / 0) (#10)
    by Al on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:52 PM EST
    PPJ, how you go from taking advice from environmentalists and urban planners to centralized planning beats me. On the other hand, there is a very clear line from lobbyists planning to cosy deals with corrupt legislators to completely ignoring the needs of ordinary people who unfortunately are not wealthy enough to have anything interesting to offer to the legislators.

    Re: Lobbyists Advise Senate on Katrina Reconstruct (none / 0) (#11)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:55 PM EST
    aw - I didn't say don't get one, I just said move the location. It's a flat fact that the next flood, etc, will cause another environmental disaster. Al - I confess that I have trouble knowing who is worse. Those who do things for money, or those who things because of "belief." I think think the "believers" bother me most. You have a chance that the others can be reasoned with.

    Re: Lobbyists Advise Senate on Katrina Reconstruct (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:55 PM EST
    A Senator without a lobbyist by their side is almost an oxymoron. Many of them probably can't even tie their own shoes without help from at least 3 other people (which explains their penchant for loafers, of course).

    Re: Lobbyists Advise Senate on Katrina Reconstruct (none / 0) (#14)
    by aw on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:04:55 PM EST
    the answer should be to move it up river and start over, while converting much of the existing city into what it was before the French arrived, a swamp. Port facilites can be rebuilt and retained in place, protected by levees that were built by the Corp of Engineers to do exactly that. If that doesn't work, then the river can be dredged upstream to the new location.
    You're talking about moving, rebuilding, and dredging as if it were so simple, so obvious. You don't know that these wouldn't turn out to be disasters in themselves.

    Lobbyists Advise Senate on Katrina Reconstruction | 13 comments (13 topical)