Local Politics: April 2008 Archives
I guess wingnut pols keep spewing the same memes time and time again because they just don't have anything better to put up. Sort of like how former almost-Speaker Bob Livingston (R-phonesex) used to always refer to the People's Republic of China as "Red China" well into the 1990s. Or how, even now, Vitty-Cent (R-hookers) still uses the "hollywood liberal" meme.
Here on the Gulf Coast, the "greedy trial lawyers" meme is a dog that won't hunt anymore. All too many people know that their only hope of getting money back from their insurance carriers is an attorney. Others will gladly join class action suits over the flooding in Jefferson Parish and the poisoning of residents of FEMA trailers.
The latest Washington use of the trial-lawyer meme is over the FISA legislation. Wingnuts argue that Dems don't want to give amnesty to Telecommunications companies because they want to put a lot of money in the pockets of trial lawyers.
As mcjoan points out at Daily Kos, Republicans spend a lot of money on trial lawyers themselves. And it's not always money well-spent, given how many of them are ending up in prison these days.
Here on the Gulf Coast, the "greedy trial lawyers" meme is a dog that won't hunt anymore. All too many people know that their only hope of getting money back from their insurance carriers is an attorney. Others will gladly join class action suits over the flooding in Jefferson Parish and the poisoning of residents of FEMA trailers.
The latest Washington use of the trial-lawyer meme is over the FISA legislation. Wingnuts argue that Dems don't want to give amnesty to Telecommunications companies because they want to put a lot of money in the pockets of trial lawyers.
As mcjoan points out at Daily Kos, Republicans spend a lot of money on trial lawyers themselves. And it's not always money well-spent, given how many of them are ending up in prison these days.
(this post was written for this week's "NOLA/Gulf Blogathon at www.dailykos.com)
The story of Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard's handling of emergency preparations for suburban New Orleans and his leadership post-storm have been widely discussed and documented. When Broussard stood for re-election, the division of the vote in Jefferson Parish was clear: Voters whose houses were flooded as a result of Broussard's decision to evacuate pump operators out of the parish voted against him. Voters in neighborhoods unaffected by these man-made floodwaters supported him.
Broussard and his assistants defended his actions. Parish CAO Tim Whitmer backed Broussard's decision in 2006:
OK, a politician who is a documented liar is not news. But a politician who may have lied under oath, well, that's something different. Walter Maestri, the parish's emergency preparedness director at the time of the storm, testified in a deposition taken on April 9th that Broussard knew full well about the plan long before landfall:
Of course, it's always possible that Maestri is the one lying here. He'd have reason to sell out Broussard, since his old boss threw him under the bus after the storm. Maestri currently works as a consultant for Assumption Parish in SW Louisiana. So, the top Democrat in the parish is now not only a liar, but quite possibly a perjurer.
Die hard Broussard supporters will argue that any attacks on him originate from Republicans for purely partisan reasons. In the wake of the Democratic reaction to former NY-GOV Spitzer's legal/ethical/moral entanglements, is it right to defend Broussard, simply because he is a Democrat?
The price tag for the flooding of Jefferson Parish that is a direct result of the implementation of the "Doomsday Plan" is believed to be between $3-$5 billion. The lawsuits have begun, and will continue. Had Metairie not flooded, things might have gone better for recovery efforts in the city, since all the focus would have been there.
Where do we draw the line in defending liars?
The story of Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard's handling of emergency preparations for suburban New Orleans and his leadership post-storm have been widely discussed and documented. When Broussard stood for re-election, the division of the vote in Jefferson Parish was clear: Voters whose houses were flooded as a result of Broussard's decision to evacuate pump operators out of the parish voted against him. Voters in neighborhoods unaffected by these man-made floodwaters supported him.
Broussard and his assistants defended his actions. Parish CAO Tim Whitmer backed Broussard's decision in 2006:
Whitmer believes Broussard made the right choice -- "life over property." He adds that officials now hope to make sure "that no parish president will ever have to make that decision again." To that end, the parish has built pump station safe rooms, which are intended to eliminate the need to evacuate pump operators.One wonders if Whitmer still defends his boss, who, when under oath giving testimony in a lawsuit, said:
"Your question says that I knew the Doomsday Plan was going to be implemented," Broussard said. "I've already testified that I did not know this plan existed calling for the evacuation of the pump operators."Broussard stood for re-election as the man who made the tough decisions. He took full credit for implementing the "Doomsday Plan,"even going on the radio before the storm made landfall, urging FEMA to bring 10,000 body bags to New Orleans. When under oath, however, denied any knowledge of the plan.
OK, a politician who is a documented liar is not news. But a politician who may have lied under oath, well, that's something different. Walter Maestri, the parish's emergency preparedness director at the time of the storm, testified in a deposition taken on April 9th that Broussard knew full well about the plan long before landfall:
Maestri said he wrote two versions of the Doomsday Plan: one in 1998, during Parish President Tim Coulon's administration and when Broussard was council chairman, and another in March 2005, a revision requested by Broussard through Tim Whitmer, his top aide who supervises department directors. "Was it your impression at the time you had the meeting with Mr. Whitmer that Mr. Broussard was fully aware of the Catastrophic Weather Plan because he had in mind a change of the shelter location for parish employees?" plaintiffs attorney Richard Martin said. "Yes," Maestri replied.No wonder Whitmer so strongly defended his boss in 2006. He ran point for Broussard for the project.
Of course, it's always possible that Maestri is the one lying here. He'd have reason to sell out Broussard, since his old boss threw him under the bus after the storm. Maestri currently works as a consultant for Assumption Parish in SW Louisiana. So, the top Democrat in the parish is now not only a liar, but quite possibly a perjurer.
Die hard Broussard supporters will argue that any attacks on him originate from Republicans for purely partisan reasons. In the wake of the Democratic reaction to former NY-GOV Spitzer's legal/ethical/moral entanglements, is it right to defend Broussard, simply because he is a Democrat?
The price tag for the flooding of Jefferson Parish that is a direct result of the implementation of the "Doomsday Plan" is believed to be between $3-$5 billion. The lawsuits have begun, and will continue. Had Metairie not flooded, things might have gone better for recovery efforts in the city, since all the focus would have been there.
Where do we draw the line in defending liars?
Dearest Friends and Devotees to Crawfish, Chicory Coffee, Parkway Bakery, and Hubig's Pies:
There has been a disturbing increase of late in your ranks of the use of the term "Democrat Party." I'd like to politely suggest that y'all consider using the correct name for the party. The party's name is the "Democratic Party." While you may think you humble author and Companion of the Hubig's Lemon Pie is picking nits here, it's more than just two letters at the end of the word. Prior to the Bush Administration, referring to us as the "Democrat Party" probably would not have even raised an eyebrow. It would have been dismissed as a slip of the tongue. Since 2000, however, George W. Bush's and his political advisers, most notably Karl Rove, began to use "Democrat Party" regularly.
Why is this a big deal? It's like using a nickname that you know someone hates, like calling the girl who goes by "Elizabeth" a nickname she can't stand, like "Lizzie," or calling a guy named William, "Willie." The only reason to do it is to piss the person off. That's why Rove got his boy started doing it. Of course, it's easily dismissed when he does it, because so many people view him as a Texan who clearly has demonstrated on more than one occasion that his command of his native language is sorely lacking. The problem is that the term is not merely a slip of an ignorant man's tongue, it's a concerted effort to frame and characterize a group of opponents. The usage has spread from Bush to other White House staffers, to Congresscritters, to Fox News Channel on-air clowns.
And now to y'all.
Please consider correcting yourselves when making this reference. It's not like we refer to your party as the "Republic Party." We now return you to your regularly scheduled 10am discussions of where to go for lunch.
Love, YatPundit
There has been a disturbing increase of late in your ranks of the use of the term "Democrat Party." I'd like to politely suggest that y'all consider using the correct name for the party. The party's name is the "Democratic Party." While you may think you humble author and Companion of the Hubig's Lemon Pie is picking nits here, it's more than just two letters at the end of the word. Prior to the Bush Administration, referring to us as the "Democrat Party" probably would not have even raised an eyebrow. It would have been dismissed as a slip of the tongue. Since 2000, however, George W. Bush's and his political advisers, most notably Karl Rove, began to use "Democrat Party" regularly.
Why is this a big deal? It's like using a nickname that you know someone hates, like calling the girl who goes by "Elizabeth" a nickname she can't stand, like "Lizzie," or calling a guy named William, "Willie." The only reason to do it is to piss the person off. That's why Rove got his boy started doing it. Of course, it's easily dismissed when he does it, because so many people view him as a Texan who clearly has demonstrated on more than one occasion that his command of his native language is sorely lacking. The problem is that the term is not merely a slip of an ignorant man's tongue, it's a concerted effort to frame and characterize a group of opponents. The usage has spread from Bush to other White House staffers, to Congresscritters, to Fox News Channel on-air clowns.
And now to y'all.
Please consider correcting yourselves when making this reference. It's not like we refer to your party as the "Republic Party." We now return you to your regularly scheduled 10am discussions of where to go for lunch.
Love, YatPundit
I've been self-employed as an independent computer consultant since 1986. Cover-Your-Ass is what consultants do when the project craters. Clearly Blakely was in this for the money, and now that his work is being revealed as substandard, blame will be assessed everywhere but on the doorstep of the consultant.
