Landrieu may block holiday recess until levees dealt with

[pitohui]

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-21/1133216082119040.xml&storylist=louisiana

U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu said Monday she is prepared to prevent the U.S. Senate from taking Christmas and New Year's break until Washington has approved money to pay for flood protection improvements along Louisiana's coast.

"We may be getting to a point where we've just got to raise the level of attention" on Louisiana's critical flood control needs, Landrieu said Monday while touring damaged neighborhoods here with Boudewijn J. van Eenennaam, the Dutch ambassador to the United States. "We've got to get people down here to walk through these neighborhoods, to see these houses, to see the stretch of devastation along the whole Gulf Coast."

Van Eenennaam said Dutch engineers agree southeastern Louisiana could be rebuilt and well protected, much as the Netherlands was after widespread flooding in 1953. It's a matter whether the federal government is willing to pay to build and properly maintain modern flood-control structures.

He also noted that what may seem like a hefty price to build a state-of-the-art flood control system can in fact be a rather small investment if it protects a densely populated area where industry exists. Holland's entire flood-control system cost about $18 billion in current dollars, plus about $500 million per year for maintenance, which amounted to an investment of "less than pennies on the dollar" returned from economic activity in flood-protected parts of that country, he said.

go mary

[LiberalEsto]

1. Democrats getting tough

Just what I like to see!

[stillcool]

2. i'm developing a love/hate relationship....

with Mary, and way too many of her colleagues. The price to play in the US Senate must be exorbitant...can't they go on strike? Don't they know they're over a barrel...taking us with them? Could it really be any ...nevermind.

[Hekate]

4. I think you're on to something there about "the price to play"

..."in the US senate must be exorbitant."

Mary Landrieu is still a junior senator, isn't she? And we know she's in the minority party. We also know that the Republican majority under Bill Frist's tender management has played the game like thugs, and sometimes mafioso.

I hope Mary can pull together enough of a coalition, with our party's help, to actually get the job done. By no means should she be having to act alone on this issue -- if the other Democratic senators, some of them quite powerful and well-connected, haven't gotten off their duffs on this one and started swinging, they should feel ashamed of themselves. Maybe they need to hear from us -- just some letters asking what's been going on and what they personally have been doing to help.

Although it's embarrassing, I'm glad she took the Dutch ambassador to New Orleans. The situation is a national disgrace -- still.

Hekate

[Sgent]

6. Mary is Senior Senator

David Vitter is Jr. Senator from LA. John Breux was senior to Mary, but left the Senate a few years ago.

[stepnw1f]

3. Good...! (nt)

[DeltaLady]

5. Some of Louisiana's $$$contributions$$$ to the US treasury

"One revenue source in particular that I have focused on to address our coastal land loss are revenues from oil and gas development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). States that have mineral production on federal lands within their boundaries receive 50% of the revenues generated from that production annually. These funds are distributed annually as an entitlement and are not subject to appropriation. However, there is no similar provision in law for coastal producing states for the federal oil and gas revenues generated on the OCS. The justification for sharing with producing coastal states is the same as the justification for sharing with onshore states: they serve as a platform for these offshore resources and should be compensated for the onshore impacts. States like Louisiana provide the onshore support for this offshore oil and gas production and have suffered significant infrastructure and environmental impacts as a result of this federal activity. Also, Louisiana is the state through which pass scores of pipelines that bring federal oil and gas to shore and to other states in the union.

In addition, coastal producing states should be compensated for their contribution to the federal treasury, as well as the nation's oil and gas supply. With annual returns to the federal government averaging more than $5 billion annually, no single area has contributed as much to the federal treasury as the OCS. In fact, since 1953, the OCS has contributed $140 billion to the U.S. Treasury. Since between 80 and 90% of that amount has come from offshore Louisiana, Louisiana is in a particularly unique position to claim a portion of these revenues. In 2002, $7.5 billion in offshore revenues went into the Federal treasury and more than $5 billion, or 2/3 of that amount came from offshore Louisiana. Among states, Louisiana ranks 1st in crude oil production and 2nd in natural gas production. Today the OCS supplies more than 25% of our nation’s natural gas production and more than 30% of our domestic oil production (with the promise of more– expected to reach 40% by 2008). The OCS supplies more oil to our nation than any other country including Saudi Arabia."

This quote came directly from Mary's website. Just the OCS contributions alone justify rebuilding Louisiana. What other state contributes as much? Sentiments here are running toward outrage and anger; many want to shut down the pipelines to make the nation aware of just how important we are to the economic health of the entire country. When you consider a few other major revenue sources, including the port which a)cannot be moved; it was built where it was for strategic reasons (bridges and river depth prevent it from being moved upriver) and b) is the conduit through which the majority of midwestern agri-business is conducted (movement by barge costs 1/5 of what it does by rail, let alone truck) you begin to understand the depth and scope of this issue and the importance of taking care of your friendly neighbors on the gulf coast. We are not asking for anything not already due us; we, decimated by the largest natural disaster ever to strike the US, are simply becoming more focused and assertive. The republicans have given us no choice.

[Hekate]

14. Good for Mary. You go, girl!

I hope her voice will go from strength to strength in service to her people.

Hekate

[KamaAina]

17. Mary's not alone on this

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/29/national/nationalspecial/29flood.html?pagewanted=2&ei=5094&en=cece978ecfbe4ede&hp&ex=1133326800&adxnnl=0&partner=homepage&adxnnlx=1133283926-vr0nE4HzeicS9ETyYcjXkw
(registration; try www.bugmenot.com)

Scott A. Angelle, the secretary of the Department of Natural Resources for Louisiana, said that fortifying New Orleans to the highest level could be accomplished by giving Louisiana half of revenues from federal leasing for offshore oil and gas drilling beyond the three-mile territorial limit in the gulf. The plan, which has been proposed in legislation by Louisiana's United States senators, Mary L. Landrieu and David Vitter, would produce as much as $2.5 billion a year. The state currently receives no money for drilling beyond the limit.

[pitohui]

20. great post

i fear for this country if louisiana is not treated decently, pipelines are vulnerable, if we have learned nothing else from iraq it should be the ability of a disenfranchised few to make a lot of trouble along pipelines and transportation corridors

tho i hope it won't come to that, i think the pipelines should be shut by legal means if necessary to make the point

but i think if years go by and some are still without home or hope who formerly were big contributors to the economy, such as many hard-working well-educated lakeview residents, there is going to be violence

people should do the right thing because it's the right thing, not out of fear, but it's a point that has crossed my mind more than once when i hear some of the rumblings

inaction has consequences, if the feds try to get away w. doing nothing after their army corps of engineers failed to build the floodwalls to specs, i just don't know the future of this country

[yankeeinlouisiana]

28. Hey, DeltaLady!

I'm from Gentilly Terrace!

Welcome to DU!

:bounce:

And go Mary!!

[pitohui]

30. looks like there might be some power back in gentilly terrace?

do you know for sure?

i thought i saw someone heading in w. a trailer so i wondered but wasn't able to go investigate

my friend was denied a FEMA trailer for gentilly terrace because she didn't have utilities but this was a month ago (?) and she hasn't been able to return to see if the situation has improved any

[ShockediSay]

7. Didn't Bush say

this was going to be a world class example of rebuilding (in one of his quick NOLA trip photo ops) .... or words to that effect? Where's the beef?

I hope he does better in New Orleans that he's doing in Iraq.

[pitohui]

21. he lied, the feds have already backed out

the $$$ are here

don't believe the bee ess from the color teevee

[fooj]

8. I thought Rove was in charge on NO rebuilding efforts...

Guess that was just another one of Shrub's BS lines...

A DUer posted pics of the levees around the world and pointed out how well they were built. The pic of the levee in NO was shameful- it's hard to believe a country like ours would have such a crappy levee. It's sickening!

Peace.

[rodeodance]

9. te he--hope she is sucessful in getting the attention the Gulf needs.

[JanusAscending]

10. She's starting to piss me off lately!

I watch the Senate on CSPAN every chance I get. I am continually amazed at how and WHY she votes "no" more often than "yes" on Democratic bills and ammendments. Anyone else notice this? If she wants the Dems to show 100% support for her needs in the Gulf, someone needs to tell her that "turnabout is fair play"! :shrug:

[fooj]

13. She drives me nuts, too.

You're not alone.

Peace.

[Maddy McCall]

19. Would you rather have her lose her seat to a Republican?

She is a conservative Democrat (voting record) because she HAS to be. She is a representative for a conservative southern district.

I'd rather keep Mary, conservative or not, than see her seat lost to a rabid right Republican.

[pitohui]

22. the senate is gop controlled

she has to get the majority on her side, not the minority

if you don't like it, too bad, we're fighting for our lives here -- and for the lives of all those elderly yankees up north who are going to die this winter when they can't afford to buy heating oil or natural gas

some of the democratic senators are an embarrassment, i received a letter from hillary clinton's office yesterday asking me what my priority issue was, a letter mailed to louisiana mind you, recovery of the gulf coast was not even on the list

for shame

it's time for the other democratic senators to wake up and play ball

[Bridget Burke]

26. Does Joe Leiberman piss you off too?

After all, he's one of your senators. Unfortunately, not all Democrats support all Democratic bills--or vote against all Republican bills.

I'd say get the money to Louisiana now--then worry about purifying the Senate. You've got some work to do in Connecticut.

[JanusAscending]

29. He most certainly does!!!

This reply is to all of you who have replied to my post. Yes Joe L . is far too conservative for Ct., and we are working in getting someone to run against him in a Primary here that can beat him! I would suggest LA. do the same with Mary. I do fully agree that LA. should get the money now, and Dems should back her on this. That does not change my mind about her voting record tho'. She sells out, and kisses ass, and is afraid to confront the President on his LIES !! She was right about many things that happened in NOLA, but is afraid to "rock the boat"!! She may as well be a Repub! Time for LA to replace her with a Dem. with a set of balls!! I am aware that not all Dems always back Dem bills, but I have seen her be the deciding vote, and still vote against the party that she hopes will support her?? Is this wisdom?

[PaulaFarrell]

27. and me

she lives in the Gulf but is a complete anti-environmentalist. She voted so that Guantanamo inmates ahve no rights. And she plays little girl lost after hurricane Katrina. I never met a vote by Landrieu that I liked, and she's also a suck-up.

[EFerrari]

25. That's right! I'd already forgotten -- just like they want me to.

Why isn't Harry Reid asking KKKarl how things are going from the Senate floor?

They should have made this a priority before Thanksgiving. These criminals set so many fires, it must be grueling trying to keep up.

[lovuian]

11. unfortunately the Sea levels are rising and New orleans

is sinking!!!

[pitohui]

24. what nonsense

the sea levels did not rise, the area is already drained, we've been in a drought since rita

don't parrot every bit of silly season stuff you read from people who want to make a name but don't want to be bothered getting any facts

[SoCalDem]

12. Dammit..that uppity WOMAN

tryin' to spoil the Christmas season..:sarcasm:

[Charlie Brown]

15. Give'em Hell, Mary! n/t

[Sleepless In NY]

16. Landrieu must do this

What's going on in Louisiana is appalling. If she doesn't stand for the people in her state, who will? And democrats should back her too, so many people devasted by Katrina, it's the right thing to do.

To this day I can't understand how Michael Brown could walk away free after the mess he made during Katrina. The whole thing just stinks.

[Olney Blue]

18. What is taking them so long to FIX New Orleans?

Dammit

[pitohui]

23. seriously, dude?

have you ever seen pictures of the destruction of hiroshima or nagasaki, well, this is a way bigger area than that

the affected area stretches roughly from the mississippi/alabama state line, with major areas of whole towns being wiped out in the area of long beach/pass christian/waveland, mississippi all the way to the texas border, where the towns of cameron and creole, louisiana have been wiped off the map

with a great many towns and cities partly or completely destroyed along the way

that is what is taking so long

add to this the fact that * got on his hind legs on the teevee and said he was sending $$$ and then went in the back room and pulled back the money, and people can't even get started

people outside the area have this bizarre idea that only the lower 9th ward and st. bernard parish were wiped off

you have no idea of the size of this thing

if you've lived thru hurricanes in florida, you have the wrong idea, this is way, way, way bigger than that

plus in many large sections of new orleans, it is not even decided yet whether they should be rebuilt and if they are not rebuilt, how to compensate those people

example, new orleans east (built starting in the 1970s) should have prob. never been built and should prob. be added to the bayou sauvage refuge, okay, but that is a huge, huge, huge community at this point, it would include all of little vietnam, it also includes a number of very expensive well-to-do neighborhoods, it also includes huge numbers of working class black neighborhoods or middle class neighborhoods, right now, all of those people are in limbo, not knowing if they'll be allowed to fix their homes, not knowing what insurers and FEMA will give them, not knowing what they'll get from any gov't entity if their property has to be taken, and if they ARE allowed to stay, they don't yet know how high they'll be required to elevate their new homes, drive thru that area, the reality is that most or all of the homes are totalled

and that's just one section of new orleans

gentilly, lakeview/lakeshore, 9th ward, and into st. bernard parish, that entire parish is a ruin, entire towns in plaquemines are wiped off the map and inacessible w.out permit, and on and on and on, it's just endless

the only modern day disaster even remotely comparable to this is the destruction of kobe, japan in 1995 by earthquake, w. japanese ingenuity and japanese money, they have now pretty much rebuilt kobe so it is even better than before -- but this is a unified society, without racial tensions as opposed to we have a society that is tirelessly fearful of any funding that might put a dollar in a black family's pocket, anything japan can do technologically, we can do, but it's going to take us twice as long because our gov't is full of anti-southern and anti-black fuckwits (pardon my french, but it's frustrating)

[Olney Blue]

32. You have written the best description of the disaster I have seen.

I agree that my original post sounded naive, but I was venting frustration in regard to the delay in the government response- summed up well by your comment:

"add to this the fact that * got on his hind legs on the teevee and said he was sending $$$ and then went in the back room and pulled back the money, and people can't even get started"

Best wishes to you- it sounds like you live there and I am sorry for what happened.

[npincus]

31. DO IT... goddamn them