text:
Florida Republican Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite Retires
Hours before the state's filing deadline, Florida Republican Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite announced that she would leave Congress at the end of this term.
"As I have prepared for my campaign, I have been troubled by persistent health problems and have come to the disappointing and sad conclusion that I cannot run for reelection," Brown Waite said in a statement.
She quickly pivoted to back Hernando County Sheriff Richard Nugent as her preferred replacement, calling him "a strong conservative".
Brown-Waite's east-central Florida district was once considered quite competitive. But a redrawing of the district lines in 2001 made the 5th far more Republican-friendly and Brown Waite defeated then Rep. Karen Thurman (D) by a 48 percent to 46 percent margin the following year.
Since then she has never dipped below 60 percent in her re-election races while George W. Bush and John McCain carried the district with 58 percent and 56 percent, respectively.
By retiring so close to the state's filing deadline, Brown-Waite gave Democrats little chance to field a serious candidate for the open seat.
National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (Texas) expressed optimism that his party would hold the seat. "I am confident that the Republican nominee in this district will emerge victorious in November and follow Ginny's record of fiscal responsibility and protecting Social Security and Medicare," he said.
Brown-Waite is the 19th Republican to announce her retirement at the end of the 111th Congress. A 20th -- Florida Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart -- is vacating his 25th district to run in the neighboring 21st district.
Sixteen Democrats are not running for re-election.
Chris Cillizza
April 30, 2010; 2:21 PM ET
Categories: House
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I was at this black tie affair the other night. It was open bar and I could swear that the bartender fixed me a ginny brown-waite. Heckuva drink, if you've never had one.
No, no, I'm sorry, I think the ginny brown-waite was the desert. Yes, that's what it was. It was vanilla, it tipped way to the right, and it carried a gun.
Posted by: dognabbit | May 2, 2010 9:00 PM | Report abuse
"It's almost sad how pathetic these conservatives have become. "
it's not only pathetic, it's very boring.
Posted by: drindl | May 1, 2010 10:59 AM | Report abuse
Is Comrade Zero for real? Among other things he mentions that he thinks the government "destroyed" Amtrak. Where does he get this misinformation? In fact, the private sector ran the railroads into the ground and were abandoning them. What Amtrak did was salvage them. Without that, these private companies would have left us with no train service. And look how much nicer a train ride is that the mess the private sector has made out of air travel. The trains have no 2 hour wait to board, they have MUCH more room for both width and leg room in their seats, significantly more reasonably sized restrooms, plenty of space for carryon luggage (without a fee I might add),etc. I used to fly about half a dozen times a year, now I try to do it all by train. It is amazing what the givernment can do because it is trying to serve the people as opposed to the private capitalists whose only interest is the almighty dollar. I just wish we could have real funding of Amtrak and build the high speed service that exists in so many of the other countries which have single-payer health care and other services which the right tries to write off by crying "socialist" without ever bothering to learn the true meaning of that word. And, the blame is not only on those who know they are using these scare tactics, but all of us who fall for such talking points without researching matters for ourselves.
Posted by: TomfromNJ1 | April 30, 2010 11:20 PM | Report abuse
The only thing "unavoidable" here is 37th pasting his lame posts on every board.
Very bad form. Looks small. Looks lame.
Posted by: margaretmeyers | April 30, 2010 8:50 PM | Report abuse
It's almost sad how pathetic these conservatives have become. Complainning about waste, demanding gutting the government, saying it never works, working for eight years (really, thirty) to destroy it, spinning conspiracy theories about FEMA expanding as part of some conspiracy to round up terrorists, then complaining that there was no massive government entity ready to pounce on the largest oil spill the world has probably ever seen in an area they've been telling us was perfectly safe to expand drilling in because technology has made it so safe. Apparently the full resources of the Coast Guard aren't enough, apparently they want FEMA and the EPA to have their own manpower branches with the size, resources, and logistical maneuverability of a branch of the armed forces after all.
Seriously, do they think t5hey're fooling anyone, or do they just look like fools? Heckuva job, guys!
Posted by: kreuz_missile | April 30, 2010 7:02 PM | Report abuse
Roll up your sleeves , brownie.. the bush sycophants are back!
2 wars , Tarp, Katrina, letting the 911 bombing occur!
Posted by: newagent99 | April 30, 2010 6:29 PM | Report abuse
Obama wasted valuable time in responding to the Oil Spill.
That is an unavoidable fact.
The damage is much much greater because Obama was preoccupied with creating false partisan attacks for the past 10 days.
Posted by: 37thand0street | April 30, 2010 5:47 PM | Report abuse
clueless, moonbats, still trying to protect the utterly ineffective and feckless berry.
From the front of the WaPo:
Pressure grows for BP, White House on cleanup
La. Gov. Bobby Jindal expresses alarm that prevention efforts so far have been ineffective, seeks to mobilize 6,000 National Guard members.
Michael D. Shear, Steven Mufson, William Branigin |
Even that bastion of liberal propoganda recognized that berry the un decider is over his head.
Posted by: Comrade_Zero | April 30, 2010 5:36 PM | Report abuse
Noa, I didn't read them. I read your post where you seemed to be responding to them. (since the topic is on a retiring Congressman)
I doubt that this will hurt Palin all that much. The memory of this will fade and energy will still be a concern.
And you know, she's still Sarah Palin. She doesn't need the help of anyone else to sink her own campaign.
And BP will pay for all of it. Obama has been very clear about that.
Posted by: DDAWD | April 30, 2010 5:33 PM | Report abuse
Obama wasted valuable time in responding to the Oil Spill.
That is an unavoidable fact.
Posted by: 37thand0street | April 30, 2010 5:33 PM | Report abuse
No DD I'm not laying blame at Palin's feet, I'm saying that it's a disaster for her one-note tune of a platform, energy independence through drilling in defiance of all concerns environmental. She'll find that outside the crazies nobody's going to be too receptive to calls for more drilling. Oil is toxic stuff.
If BP isn't stuck with the costs I'm going to be furious.
I don't take seriously any claims from the trolls on here, I don't see why you even bother to read them. They're emotionally sick and they're boring.
Posted by: Noacoler | April 30, 2010 5:22 PM | Report abuse
Obviously, the oil spill is Obama's Katrina.
Obama has been sitting around doing nothing for the past 10 days - except creating a false PARTISAN storyline about how the Republicans were supporting the Wall Street banks.
Who in this country is not in favor of the re-regulation of Wall St? Bill Clinton was the one who DE-regulated Wall Street - but somehow the democrats want to blame the Republicans.
Obama was even busy engineering PARTISAN VOTES ON THE SENATE FLOOR.
Well, instead of doing what he was supposed to do - RESPONDING TO THE OIL SPILL - Obama was acting in a partisan way.
Obama's ONLY response to the oil spill has been to send Napolitano down to Louisiana to say the name BP 12 times in one news conference.
That is not going to work.
Posted by: 37thand0street | April 30, 2010 5:13 PM | Report abuse
Noa, obviously this isn't Obama's fault. I'm guessing zook is trying to compare this to Katrina or something stupid like that. But you can't really lay this at Palin's feet either.
But I guess that's the talking point now? That's funny. It's not going to stick. The anger here is squarely directed at BP. I bet Obama could be negligent if he wanted to and no one would notice since the ire is universally towards BP. Of course, that's not the case. The administration is definitely involved. I don't know much about this kind of disaster, so I'll have to talk to some people to get their opinions on whether Obama could have done more. Gov. Jindal himself has only declared a state of emergency yesterday and I know he wasn't asleep at the wheel.
Posted by: DDAWD | April 30, 2010 5:06 PM | Report abuse
Poor lonely Ped. with Jake gone, there is no one left who can tolerate her in the least. so she throws out her little stink bombs, amusing herself to no end. you would be hard pressed to ever find an intelligent, thoughful post. but you will be treated to hundreds over the next few hours. that is Ped's idea of Friday night.
By midnight, she will be posting all alone, having driven off even the angriest of partisans, with her ancient 1980s style juice bar snide.
she's all yours Fixistas.
Posted by: Comrade_Zero | April 30, 2010 4:50 PM | Report abuse
Brown-Waite wanted to dig up the remains of US servicemen buried in France. This was her hissy fit when the French dared call W on his bluffs on Iraq. We should drop her remains in the oil spill in the Gulf.
So another conservaturd loser whines her way into obscurity. Pathetic wench.
What has gov't ever done for us? If it wasn't for gov't, we'd all be singing Deutscheland Uber Alles, Kimigayo as we bow to the Emperor in Tokyo, or the Internationale as we salute the Kremlin.
So that's all gov't has done for us, keep us free.
Oops, forgot to add free the slaves.
Sieg hiel, libertarian anarchists!
Posted by: Garak | April 30, 2010 4:48 PM | Report abuse
Thanks for collating and resubmitting my posts zouk but I'm content with having them appear only once, and if someone misses one of them it's not the end of the world for me.
Thanks for your continuing dedication, though. My number one fan.
Posted by: Noacoler | April 30, 2010 4:36 PM | Report abuse
Margaret, Shrink, Krueznazi, Noacoler, ddawd, broadway et al.
It's not me you hate.
You hate the truth.
If I was lying and saying that Obama was great, then you would love me.
It's pretty simple.
Case closed.
Posted by: 37thand0street | April 30, 2010 4:34 PM | Report abuse
Is that all you ever do Ped, is whine about how everyone else annoys you? no wonder your boys prefer you face down where they don't have to listen to your whiny, bald, acne scarred grimacing.
Meek's fate likely depends on how much (or little) money
Not only is this really bad writing, it's a really bad habit and it reflects obedience to an impulse that you really ought to conquer, Cillizza. It's timid writing. Just leave off all the on-the-other-hand stuff, it sounds like you're completely adrift when we all know that your allegiances are purely Republican and country be damned
Posted by: Noacoler | April 30, 2010 3:10 PM | Report abuse
On a side note, Chris, I'm not one to berate others for their typos -- even the best of us make mistakes -- but you might want to alter the first sentence of your fifth paragraph. I think the word you want is "lined," not "lied."
"lined up" isn't so great either, it reads like a sign in a welfare office. "Line up at the service window."
"queued up" is unambiguous and therefore preferred.
Posted by: Noacoler | April 30, 2010 3:06 PM | Report abuse
What useless, stupid, pointless commentary. Note to self: read the moniker before reading the post.
Posted by: Noacoler | April 30, 2010 2:55 PM | Report abuse
You're a moron, 37th, a complete waste of carbon.
Posted by: Noacoler | April 30, 2010 3:44 PM |
Posted by: Comrade_Zero | April 30, 2010 4:29 PM | Report abuse
Coming soon:
A bailout fund for BP. A drilling commission to fund a government run protection racket, I mean, clean up program. you can keep your old oil company if you like, but there will be a low cost government run oil company that employs baby seals on the board. the gas ruins your engine, but in tandem with government motors (GM), there is a seperate bail out fund with a 100 year guarantee of new engines for all.
Ped will be handling the negotiations so that the money doesn't go to Bradley's braces.
this bill must be passed tonight or a world wide crisis will ensue. there is no time to argue or read the bill. Besides, it lowers the deficit and cuts salt out your diet too. the executive branch will be handling gasoline prices on a day to day basis, just like Cheney used to do.
Posted by: Comrade_Zero | April 30, 2010 4:17 PM | Report abuse
Just curious .. does anyone read zouk posts at all? Seems not.
So what's the point of collecting all those screeds and pasting them here? Some sort of therapeutic distraction?
I have a better idea, zouk .. go buy a few sets of old encyclopedias and a set of felt-tip pens, and fill in all the As, Qs, Rs, Os, Ps .. that should keep you busy.
Posted by: Noacoler | April 30, 2010 4:14 PM | Report abuse
Obama: Mob Banker Alexi Giannoulias for Senate! [Guy Benson]
After months of silence, President Obama has thrown in his lot with embattled Illinois Democratic Senate candidate and mob banker extraordinaire Alexi Giannoulias. During introductory remarks in Quincy, Ill., Obama offered Giannoulias a shout out, calling him the state's "soon-to-be senator."
Chicago's NBC affiliate also offers bonus footage of a man-hug Obama and Giannoulias shared on stage. What a curious way for the president to convey his deep "concern" over Giannoulias' banking practices. Clearly, Obama is working hard to improve his sparkling 50-percent home-state approval rating.
But we digress — back to Quincy.
As heavily armed brigades of riot police kept a watchful eye over a gathering of potentially dangerous right-wing extremists outside the auditorium, indoors the president railed against Wall Street greed and the pressing need to reform America's banks. How rich. Perhaps the president wasn't informed that a bank owned by the family of the very man he had just touted as a "soon to be senator" was recently seized by the feds. Or that said bank failed, in some measure, because of irresponsible loan practices, including multimillion-dollar deals with known mobsters. Or that the Giannoulias family managed to extract $70 million in bank dividends for themselves in recent years. Does that count as greed? At what point, Mr. President, has the Giannoulias clan "made enough money"?
For his part, young Alexi has undertaken a risible self-defense, arguing that the failure of his own family's bank, at which he was a senior loan officer for several years, is actually the fault of ... his Republican opponent, Mark Kirk. Oh, and George W. Bush, of course.
Posted by: Comrade_Zero | April 30, 2010 4:09 PM | Report abuse
Cooling or warming? It doesn't matter. It just needs a tax attached.
Global Warming Strikes New England [Greg Pollowitz]
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — A Vermont highway dispatcher says a storm that dumped up to 2 feet of snow definitely caught people off guard.
Greg Fox says some people had already taken the snow tires off their vehicles.
The storm hammered northern New York, Vermont and New Hampshire, knocking out power to about 30,000 customers. Utility officials say power might not be fully restored until tomorrow.
One officials say trees that have begun to bud are more susceptible to breaking under the weight of the snow because the leaves give the snow more area to hang on.
Meteorologist Mark Breen says spring storms like this are rare. He says there was a 22-incher in New York state in 1993 and 24 inches of snow was reported in Vermont in 1874.
Posted by: Comrade_Zero | April 30, 2010 4:04 PM | Report abuse
Detroit — Understandably, General Motors wants to get off the dole. The stigma of being on government welfare is a curse — and welfare-free competitors like Ford are benefiting.
But GM's PR campaign to show the public it is weaning itself from the public teat is backfiring. Because GM is committing another public sin: It isn't telling the whole truth.
"The GM Bailout: Paid Back in Full," wrote GM CEO Ed Whitacre in the April 21 Wall Street Journal, kicking off a TV ad campaign. The White House declared victory too, boasting that "this turnaround wasn't an accident of history. It was the result of considered and politically difficult decisions made by President Obama."
Initially credulous media reports (Obama's economic plan is working!) gave way to suspicion. The conservative Washington Times isn't buying it. Nor is the liberal Denver Post. Nor is Sen. Charles Grassley. In short, GM's credibility is in doubt across the ideological spectrum. And for good reason — the repayment of $5.8 billion in cash loans ignores the mother-lode $60 billion that the government still owns in GM stock.
Worse, the Times revealed a government-money shell game, noting "that GM specifically used funds it received from the Troubled Asset Relief Program to pay off the government loan."
Worse still, Detroit-based Reason writer Shikha Dalmia reports that:
The company has applied to the Department of Energy for $10 billion in low (five percent) interest loan to retool its plants to meet (new CAFE standards). However, giving GM more taxpayer money on top of the existing bailout would have been a political disaster for the Obama administration and a PR debacle for the company. Paying back the small bailout loan makes the new—and bigger—DOE loan much more feasible.
In short, GM is using government money to pay back government money to get more government money.
GM remains deep in a government hole. And it's only digging itself deeper.
Posted by: Comrade_Zero | April 30, 2010 4:02 PM | Report abuse
Interesting ... so all of you limited government Constitutionalists are now getting on Obama because he didn't move fast enough to fix a problem caused by a PRIVATE COMPANY? Where was BP? Isn't this their responsiblity? Where was their "fast action"? They sat around and lied about how much oil was leaking, then waited for the Feds to fet involved.
This is why people don't take you Republicans seriously when you complain about limited government and private markets. Who's going to compensate the other businesses affected by BP's blowout?
By the way, I saw Haley Barbour ran to the Feds to get disaster relief for the storms last week. Why should the Feds bail out Mississippi? Destructive storms happen there every year. We can't they negotiate their own low-cost loans with for-profit banks?
Posted by: tgaylord1999 | April 30, 2010 4:01 PM | Report abuse
I am thrilled with this news. I live in her district and she is a clueless bafoon. Good Bye to the blind, deaf and dumb Ginny. I have no clue about anyone running, but she is a mindless shill of a human being. Sorry to hear she is a sick. I belive that falls under the reap/sow or karma if you lik.
Posted by: dganderson13 | April 30, 2010 3:53 PM | Report abuse
It's not Obama's Katrina, it's Palin's Katrina. Drilling for more oil was a mistake Obama proposed and has now had to rescind before it went into effect. And that offshore drilling is just one part of many Obama initiatives.
To Palin however "drill baby drill" is the very centerpiece of her "movement," defiance to climate change and environmentalism. She won't have very many non-crazies rallying behind her after a few months of dead seagulls, fish, and terrapins in the news.
You're a moron, 37th, a complete waste of carbon.
Posted by: Noacoler | April 30, 2010 3:44 PM | Report abuse
Obama sat around - when fast action was needed -
The guy took a year to choose a dog.
Iran is over a year closer to its goals, no new friends on our side, yet all our old friends have fled? huh?
While jobs circle the bowl, Obimbo golfs.
this guy can't order a happy meal without a teleprompter.
Posted by: Comrade_Zero | April 30, 2010 3:42 PM | Report abuse
The democrats on this blog have to be honest with themselves - and with everyone else.
All Obama has been doing over the past two weeks is trumping up FALSE PARTISAN CHARGES - and trying to tie the Republicans to Wall Street when the Republicans were negotiatinga bipartisan agreement.
So Obama was distracting himself with PARTISAN ATTACKS - COMMITTING FRAUD AGAINST HIS OWN 2008 CAMPAIGN.
Obama should have been on top of the oil spill.
Obama should have made sure that the action was much much faster - now the weather is bad - and Obama WASTED VALUABLE TIME - MAKING THE WHOLE SITUATION MUCH MUCH WORSE.
This is Obama's Katrina.
Obama was more concerned over the past few weeks in LYING ABOUT THE REPUBLICANS - AND BACKING THEM INTO PARTISAN VOTES IN THE SENATE - than actually doing what he should have been doing.
Charge made - GUILTY.
Posted by: 37thand0street | April 30, 2010 3:40 PM | Report abuse
Obama sat around - when fast action was needed -
Obama has been more concerned with Partisan attacks - than taking care of this disaster.
This is Obama's Katrina.
Posted by: 37thand0street | April 30, 2010 3:28 PM | Report abuse
By retiring so close to the state's filing deadline, Brown-Waite gave Democrats little chance to field a serious candidate for the open seat.
Like the Dems don't have enough territory to defend already this year. there is no race here. Boehner claims about 100 seats will switch. Perhaps a little optimistic, but it could easily be over 60 or 70.
I always knew that simply letting berry be berry would be just the medicine that Repubs need to win back everything. Liberals are an embarrassement, yet they have no clue that we don't like them.
what about the triple crown of berry, joe and harry losing their seats doesn't register with Dems?
Posted by: Comrade_Zero | April 30, 2010 3:20 PM | Report abuse
This shouldn't be too tough of a hold for Republicans. The old district had Gainesville, but without it, Bush and McCain carried it by small to medium margins (even Pasco County). Downballot, the gulf coast has been pretty good for Republicans as well, with Brown-Waite winning by wide margins and Republicans doing well in state legislative races north of Pinellas and Hillsborough County. Republican Charlie Dean crushed the Dem in the last Senate election covering part of the 5th that was supposed to be competitive. Whoever wins should be careful though; state senators have a tendency to redraw this seat to ensure that they win. Karen Thurman carved this district out of the old 2nd and 6th in 1992 to put herself in Congress, and Brown-Waite redraw it so that she could beat Thurman. Dean or some other Republican may be waiting for this seat in 2012.
Posted by: joeyjoejoe | April 30, 2010 3:13 PM | Report abuse
A top adviser to President Barack Obama says no new oil drilling will be authorized until authorities learn what caused the explosion of the rig Deepwater Horizon.
Obama to farmer "close door to keep cow in".
Obama to Iran: Who's Iran?
Obama to nation: Bush did it. I inherited this situation.
Obama on economics: jobs aren't all they're cracked up to be. Mine is actually more work then I intended. golf anyone?
Posted by: Comrade_Zero | April 30, 2010 3:11 PM | Report abuse
And, here's a list of honest politicians...strangely enough, the same length as the list of oil companies without environmental carnage to their credit:
Still simple.
Posted by: bgreen2224 | April 30, 2010 3:10 PM | Report abuse
Let's make this easy....drilling causes disastrous environmental messes.
Here is a list of energy companies that have NEVER caused one:
Posted by: bgreen2224 | April 30, 2010 3:06 PM | Report abuse
Anyone who is stupid enough to actually believe that any government entity, short of the military or coast guard is going to ever help someone out of a bind, is simply a delusional apologist.
big government has messed up everything they have ever touched and the best case scenario is that that spend a lot of money and do absolutely nothing.
they have destroyed:
energy policy
post office
disaster recovery
military medical, soon to be followed by commercial medical
old folks medical
auto industry
Just how much evidence of failure do you simpleton Libs need?
Posted by: Comrade_Zero | April 30, 2010 3:05 PM | Report abuse
Maybe Ginny's 'persistent health concerns' arise from the FACT that slurping down KKKonservative donor dollars don't sit so well when the energy industry is on the verge of trashing out your state's coastline......
Posted by: bgreen2224 | April 30, 2010 3:03 PM | Report abuse
Weighed down in his district by low presidential favorability ratings and a health care law that's unpopular there, Pennsylvania Democrat Mark Critz now trails by 6 percentage points in next month's special election for the seat of the late Rep. John Murtha, according to a Daily Kos/Research 2000 poll released Friday.
(I wonder what an honest poll would have found?)
Critz, who served on Murtha's staff before the congressman's death, takes 40 percent of the vote in the poll compared with 46 percent for Republican businessman Tim Burns.
The poll shows President Barack Obama's favorability number in Pennsylvania's 12h Congressional District at a dismal 38 percent, with 55 percent of voters viewing the president unfavorably. The White House-backed health care reform law fares even worse: just 34 percent of voters say they would prefer to back a candidate who supports and wants to improve the law, compared with 48 percent who say they'd favor one who supports repeal.
Let me repeat:
Barack Obama's favorability number in Pennsylvania's 12h Congressional District at a dismal 38 percent., this from Kos. The real number is probably more in the 20s.
I am just wondering how they will manage to blame this oil spill on Bush. Wait for it.
Posted by: Comrade_Zero | April 30, 2010 2:56 PM | Report abuse
"Marxist community organizer"
What useless, stupid, pointless commentary. Note to self: read the moniker before reading the post.
Posted by: Noacoler | April 30, 2010 2:55 PM | Report abuse
"have ready their own disaster plan and clean-up equipment."
You are joking, right? No, I know you are not joking.
But does anyone think all the other thousands of rigs on the Gulf Coast are operated differently, so this could never happen? This thing was on fire for days. You can find news reports, even after it collapsed and sank that say no oil was expected to leak.
This is not about clean up equipment.
No plan for this existed because, Margaret,
if you had to plan for this...there would be no offshore drilling.
Posted by: shrink2 | April 30, 2010 2:49 PM | Report abuse
The Marxist community activist that our liberal rulers saw fit to put in charge of the Executive Branch has used the Gulf oil spill — presumably the result of deliberate sabotage — as a pretext to shut down all offshore drilling.
How this would have any effect on the oil spill was left unexplained, but it will certainly have an effect on oil prices, and consequently on our faltering economy. But Hugo Chavez and the Arab World send their thanks.
No doubt the next time an illegal alien kills a cop, Obama will shut down the wide-open border. Yeah right.
Posted by: Comrade_Zero | April 30, 2010 2:43 PM | Report abuse
to answer you question, Obama will be still writing jokes for tomorrow night's dinner.
Posted by: 37thand0street | April 30, 2010 2:43 PM | Report abuse
I guess the big difference would be that Hurricane Katrina wasn't caused by a deep-pocketed corporation who is supposed to have ready their own disaster plan and clean-up equipment.
I'm sure BP has the resources and plan to quickly address their own mess. Instead of sniping about Obama and the neutered EPA you should be complaining about BP.
Posted by: margaretmeyers | April 30, 2010 2:35 PM | Report abuse
But foreshadowing the possible legal fallout from the increasingly menacing oil spill, the Justice Department said Friday it was sending a team of attorneys to New Orleans to meet with the U.S. attorney and response teams and to monitor the spill.
Next step: a summit and the most important speech ever read from a teleprompter.
Posted by: Comrade_Zero | April 30, 2010 2:31 PM | Report abuse
We might be sick...
why do we care so much about politics?
--and you heard it here first:
"SURPRISE WITHDRAWAL: Florida Republican Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite announced Friday that she will retire from Congress at the end of her current term, citing concerns about her health."
Posted by: drindl | April 30, 2010 1:19 PM
Posted by: shrink2 | April 30, 2010 2:30 PM | Report abuse
Remind you of something: disaster hitting Louisiana, military called too late – observing while the losers in charge cannot give a decent estimate of the problem for days, The White House waffling on the issue being afraid of midterm elections? Such erratic behavior brings a Katrina déjà vu.
It is past the time when the people involved have to start talking straight and coordinate faster. How many disasters have to hit Louisiana so the USA government can respond correctly? If there is something visible from the Moon heading to Louisiana you call the Department of Defense not on day three, but on day one? We can always bill the BP later, but letting them to wander around the Gulf in disarray for days is just not acceptable.
Our useless Department of Energy has 5.5 billion dollars budget for military environmental cleanup and 225 millions for non-military environmental cleanup. If we don't use it for emergency cleaning of the oil spill that is about to destroy Louisiana cost and economy – what are we using those money for? How about clean up the spill and present the tab to the BP after that?
After Katrina we had to answer the question about the Local and the Federal Government response. Apparently nobody took notes.
Tomorrow when the pictures of the Louisiana beaches and the animals occupying them covered in sticky, ugly, stinky and suffocating oil start flooding the World Wide Net – where will President Obama be?
- In the rose garden?
- Interviewing Supreme Court candidates?
- Giving campaign speech somewhere?
- On a plane or copter circling over the zone of the environmental disaster?
It really doesn't matter as long as President Obama and his team have a plan. Let's pray he does!
Posted by: Comrade_Zero | April 30, 2010 2:29 PM | Report abuse
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